The Commander's Daughter (Zuko X OC)

Chapter 21 ~ Training

Karina pants as she pushes her self up off of the floor. When Iroh had agreed to help her with her Earth bending this was not exactly what she had in mind. They had been training twice a day for the past three days, and Karina's body had begun to ache in ways she didn't know it could. 

They had been mostly focusing on combat training, Iroh told her that strenghtening her muscles would help her strengthen her bending, and if she was ever kidnapped she would be able to defend herself. It was logical, but it didn't mean her Karina liked it. Her body was not used to the amount of physical strain she was placing on it, but she was already making progress. 

Pulling one of the few earth bending stances she had learnt she mimkicked the actions of the bend before punching the punching bag and kicking it twice for good measure.

"Good." Iroh mused maing his way over to her "Your posture must be more ridgid as you bend, Imagine you can feel the Rock moving with you, if you are not stable enough the you will not be able to lift it. Go again" Karina rolled her eyes at his words, wiping the layer of sweat off of her brow she decided to just focus on the bending posture, keeping her back ridgid as she balled her hands into fists and pulled upwards before kicking the imaginary earth at her imaginary opponent.

"Much Improved," Iroh smiled at her, "Now two more laps of the ship and we are done for the day." Groaning Karina glared at Iroh and made her way out of what had become their unoffical training room and onto the deck of the ship. Zuko gave her a funny look as she assumed a running position and began to run. This had been something she'd been doing reguarly recently and he didn't quite know why. When he had tried to ask his Uncle about it the man had dismissed him with something about her wanting to be stronger. This had only confused the Prince more. 

***

Her bed always felt ten times comfier after she had completed a training session. She needed the rest afterwards too, Iroh did not take it easier on her. She knew that he had been Zuko's firebending teacher and wondered if he had the same strict routines placed on him. She giggled lightly at the image of a small Zuko running laps around the Royal Palace, a younger Iroh telling him to improve his form.

A knock on the door removed her from her thoughts, and without waiting for her to answer a smiling Iroh came in trhough her door. She rolled her eyes at his intrusion and sat up to greet him. Whenever he came to visit her it was either to deliver bad news to Zuko, or try and convince her to sing at Music night. 

"Ah Miss Karina, getting well deserved rest," She nodded sheepishly at the older man as he moved over to her bedside, "I have had an idea reguarding your training." At this Karina perked up and looked at Iroh expectantly, "What if we asked Prince Zuko to spar with you?" 

Karina's eyes widened at Iroh's idea. Zuko was a far more skilled and experienced fighter than she was, if they sparred he would beat her within seconds it wouldn't even really be a fight.

"Iroh, are you-" Before she had the chance to finish the older man was already in the doorway to leave. 

"You agree, ah excellent." He smiled at her cheekily, "I shall relay the information to prince Zuko."

***

Zuko wasn't quite sure how his uncle had ropped him into this. Karina stood across from him, her nerves written all over her face, he had already told her that he would hold back during this match but he knew it hadn't really done anything to calm her nerves. He felt a bit exposed, having his shirt off, but he knew that he would not be able to spar properly with it on. She had seen him sparring without it mulitple times, but somehow this felt different. 

"Ready?" Iroh asked calmly sipping his tea to the left of them, both nodded "Begin." 

At first they circled each other getting gradually closer. Karina couldn't beleive that this was actually happening, she only hoped her defeat wasn't too embarrassing. Zuko was the first one to throw a punch, Karina easily dodged the hit sending one of her own into his chest. It wasn't the most powerful punch in the world but she was stronger than she looked and  fast too. Whilst he was distracted Karina crouched to the floor sweeping out her leg and knocking him down.

 Zuko was honestly impressed.

He got back to his feet quickly however, and began to send a volley of hits and kicks in her direction. They had said no bending as it wouldn't be fair to Karina, and fighting without his bending was proving to be more of a challange than Zuko liked to admit. Karina dodged and ducked most of the volley being caught by a few. She knew he was stronger than her so in order to win she would have to focus on being faster than he was. As he threw another punch in her direction she ducked and moved behind him kicking him in the back of the knees. It was a bit of a cheating move but she didn't care. Zuko groaned and spun around to face her grabbing both of her wrists and pushing her to the floor. 

Pinned under his weight she managed to raise her leg enough to push them over so she was ontop of him. 

"Enough." Iroh called from beside them as the two starred down at each other, chests panting. A heavy blush filled her cheeks and she realised their position and quickly scrambled off of him and offered him a hand up. 

"Same time tomorrow?" Iroh asked happily, as if he was blissfully unaware of the awkward tension that filled the room.

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who commented on the last chapter, comments really mean a lot to me and the fact that you all care about this story as much as I do makes me so unbelievably happy! :) oh and thank you for ignoring my countless spelling mistakes, I'm the only one that proof reads these so a lot slips past me, once it's completed I will go through and correct all those mistakes 😂👍