Traitor - Zuko X Reader

Chapter Two

Shortly after boarding the broad man who had carried me onto the ship, who I had learned was named Chip, handed me a small envelope with my name written upon it in my mother's writing. I had not yet read it as I had promised Chip only to read it once I reached what he referred to as "the safehouse". Chip was the only person on the ship who seemed to actually care if I lived long enough to make it wherever we were heading. He regularly brought me food and fresh water down below the ship's deck, where I was instructed to stay by the rude captain.

    The journey went on for months. Within those months the pain of leaving my mother had faded into numbness as I wished to think about it as little as possible. I did not want to know what had happened to her once we left and felt it best not to dwell on it. I favored instead focusing on the happier memories of my mother and my life at the palace. I began reminiscing about my life at the palace. I tried desperately to remember the friends I had there and fought to keep memories of them and my mother alive within my mind, desperate for them to never fade.

I sat within the courtyard of the palace. My small eight-year-old hands picked at the grass and attempted to turn the blades into a crown, as I had witnessed Ty Lee do thousands of times. Alas, it was not working out in my favor. As I began to grow frustrated with my inability to weave the blades together I heard a loud quacking sound coming from the nearby turtle-duck pond. I scrambled to my feet and walked to the pond to see my best friend, Zuko, happily feeding the ducks. I rushed over to him and when he saw me his face broke into a large smile.

"Zuko!"

"(Y/N)!" He exclaimed happily as he hugged me.

After the hug I excitedly asked, "You're finally done with your firebender training?"

Lately, I had not been able to spend as much time with Zuko as I had wished due to his father forcing him and his sister to master their bending through daily courses.

Zuko nodded and handed me some bread as we began leisurely feeding the turtle-ducks. Soon, Zuko's mother gracefully entered followed by my mother. My mother was the Queen's advisor as well as her lady-in-waiting. This was usually a job held by a servant with no high status, but my mother was a wealthy woman from an even wealthier family. However, since she and the Queen had grown up together, after becoming Queen, she quickly appointed my mother as her right-hand-woman to keep her friend nearby. This ended up with me and my mother being moved into the palace where I quickly befriended the Prince and Ty Lee.

    Zuko barreled into his mother with a big hug and I giggled as he pulled away swiftly, embarrassed to have been revealed as a "momma's boy" in front of his closest friend. I bowed to the Queen and she was quick to wave her hand dismissively reminding me I did not have to do that. My mother looked at her friend and rolled her eyes with a smile. The rest of the evening was spent by the pond as Zuko's mom told ancient fire kingdom stories while me and Zuko cuddled into each other and listened intently until the sun set.

My thoughts were quickly interrupted by the sound of Chip's large steps echoing on the stairs leading down to my small corner below-deck.

He reached me and smiled, "(Y/N), enough lolly-gagging we've reached land. Get your stuff."

I quickly scrambled to my feet and gathered what little belongings I had. They consisted of a small bag and the set of beige-colored clothes that already adorned my body. I swiftly followed where Chip disappeared above-deck and was instantly mesmerized by the sprawling land surrounding us. The air was less salty and was fresh, filled with the scent of pure earth.

"C'mon we gotta get moving if we want to reach the safehouse before nightfall." Chip guided me down the ramp of the ship and my feet finally touched land for the first time in months. I instantly felt grounded and took a moment to relish in the feeling of not being on a rocky ship.