Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 19: Tracking the Avatar

As soon as the ship was repaired, they set sail again in search of the Avatar. One evening after dinner, while Zuko was meditating, Chiara quietly sat at the table in his room reading scrolls. During his meditation, the candles before him would grow and shrink in sync with his breathing. When Chiara noticed the candle providing her reading light syncing with his meditation, her eyes left the scroll and she gazed at the candles in front of him. She became mesmerized by the flames growing brighter and dimmer, something she had always found relaxing when in the presence of her favorite firebenders. It made her think of Lu Ten when she would sit with him during his meditation and follow the rhythm of his breathing and pretend she was making the flames brighten and fade. She had always been impressed by firebending, but she preferred her waterbending ability. And even though she had to hide it, she always treasured her gift of healing.

As she was staring at the flames syncing her own breathing with Zuko's, her concentration was broken when she saw the door open up slightly.

"The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have news about the Avatar," said Zuko not moving even to look at the door.

"Well, there is news, Prince Zuko, but you might not like it," said Iroh pushing the door open and entering the room. "Don't get too upset."

Chiara was already holding her breath in anticipation of Zuko's reaction.

"Uncle, you taught me that keeping a level head is a sign of a great leader," said Zuko calmly. "Now, whatever you have to say, I'm sure I can take it."

Chiara was still holding her breath.

Iroh was nervously tugging his beard. "Okay, then," he said. "We have no idea where he is."

The flames in front of Zuko flared up the wall to the ceiling. "What?!" he yelled as he stood up.

Iroh pulled out a fan as the flames died down. "You really should open a window in here," he said, fanning himself.

"Give me the map!" yelled Zuko snatching it from Iroh's hand.

He unrolled it on the table over top of the scrolls Chiara had been reading.

"Well, there have been multiple sightings of the Avatar," said Iroh. "But he is impossible to track down."

They were all looking at the zigzag pattern of Avatar sightings.

Zuko felt hopeless. "How am I going to find him?" he said, his voice filled with desperation. "He is clearly a master of evasive maneuvering."

"Maybe he doesn't know where he's going," suggested Chiara. "He hasn't been around for a hundred years; maybe he forgot his way around."

"All we can do is wait for more news," said Iroh.

Chiara moved back a little when the flame at the table flared up with Zuko's anger.

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Days later Iroh joined Zuko and Chiara for dinner in the prince's quarters. Chiara had made their meal for them and was setting it out on the table as they knelt around it.

"Ozen said this fish came from Kyoshi Island's coast," she said placing a plate before Iroh.

He stared hungrily at the steaming fish. "They look a lot smaller than the elephant koi," he said.

Chiara smiled. She set Zuko's plate in front of him. "Those elephant koi could feed a whole village."

"This smells great," said Zuko.

He picked up his chopsticks anxious to eat his dinner, but there was a knock at his door.

"Enter," he called.