The Commander's Daughter (Zuko X OC)

Chapter 22 ~ His Past

Karina panted as she finished her final lap. Her training with Iroh was going well, and she had made excellent improvements. However, with improvements came harder training, something she was not enjoying so much. 

Falling into a seated position on the deck Karina glanced over at Iroh who seemed to be sniffing the air. She swore he just got stranger and stranger every day. Not phased by his weird sniffing she closed her eyes, letting her body feel the workout she had just completed. 

 "There is a storm coming. A big one." Iroh didn't sound serious often, so when he did it made everyone around him nervous. Karina opened her eyes and looked up at the sky, all she can see is  gorgeous blue, the sun is beating down on them and birds flying in the sky. 

"You're out of your mind, Uncle."  Zuko's voice sounded from behind her taking her by suprise. "The weather's perfect. There is not a cloud in sight." Karina had to agree with him, it didn't really look like the sky you would expect before a storm. Unwilling to enter their argument Karina simply closed her eyes and continued to rest.

"The storm is approaching from the north. I suggest we alter our course and head southwest." Iroh stated calmly, hoping that his nephew would see sense.

"We know the Avatar is traveling northward, so we will do the same." Zuko shook his head at his uncle, there wasn't going to be a storm, and they were going to continue northward. Nothing was going to distract him from getting the Avatar, especially not when they seemed so close.

"Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew." 

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" he snapped back, shutting down any further protests from his uncle. The lieutenant that had made his way behind Zuko glared at the back of the Prince's head, and Zuko turned to face and approach him knowing that he would have over heard the argument.
"Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual's safety." he snarled in the face of the disgruntled lieutenant, before continuing to walk into the ship the metal door slamming harshly behind him.

"He doesn't mean that, he's just all worked up."

***

Zuko sighed as the black storm clouds appeared in his line of sight. How was his uncle always correct, sometimes he really hated that old man. He can see teh four crew members, including the lieutenant from earlier glaring at him, arms folded.

" Uh! Looks like your uncle was right about the storm after all." the Lieutenant stated cockily, aggravating Zuko even more. He knew his uncle was right, he could see the storm too.

"Lucky guess." His uncle stated a he moved accross the deck. Gritting his teeth Zuko closed the distance between the Lieutenant and himself. "Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect," He ordered prodding the tiger man's chest with two fingers, "Or I will teach it to you."

Brushing past the other man Zuko attempts to move away from the situation he's aware he's escalated,but the Lieutenant has other ideas.

"What do you know about respect?" He spits at the Prince, glaring at him with a real contempt, "The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard working crew to your esteemed uncle shows you know nothing about respect. You don't care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?"

Zuko stops in his tracks, he can feel the heat of flames running through to his fists slowly heating him up. How dare this man accuse him of being a spoilt Prince, he knew nothing, he was nothing. Zuko can feel his eyebrow begin twitch as he turned to face the pathetic excuse for a lieutenant and assumed a firebending stance. The lieutenant doing the same.