True Balance . Prince Zuko

XV

prisoner
fifteen
XV

"You need to stay awake, Lelo." Iroh encourages her, lightly shaking her as her eyes fluttering open and closed, "You haven't finished your wounds. You could die."

The southern water tribe girl raises her head heavily, pulling herself up to rest her wrists further into the bowls over bloodied water. A guard gained Iroh's attention quickly as he handed the ex-general new armour and more water. Except his attention was far from his superior. Iroh stood, allowing the other guard to watch her. His eyes followed out into the distance of the blockade. The rain of fire had halted as they neared. His hands lapped in the water before he motioned to the girl.

"We're on a collision course!" Iroh announces to his nephew, the two watching as ships continued to move closer and closer together to cut them off, "We can make it!"

Zuko tightens his fist in determination, his uncle standing beside him already changed into fresh armour. The previously soiled armour thrown to the side. As the Prince announces those words to his crew and his uncle, the encroaching ships came to a halt. Allowing them tensely to move through the blockade unscathed.

Lelo watched the water thread through the blood, mending and rebuilding. She knew it would take so many treatments of healing until her skin would be fully connected again. As the tiredness moves heavily over her body, she felt her energy for bending barely there. She had managed the form the bridges of fresh tissues together, except blood still moved quickly. She couldn't believe how much blood. Before she could consider how much more her tiny body held, her body collapsed against the cold iron floor.

Her eyes locking shut as her body lacks movement. Iroh watches as Zuko stares down at her exhausted body. Everything was covered in her blood. The guards stare nervously up at Iroh and the Prince. Unsure of what to do with her. Zuko gritted his teeth as he remembered the previous events, his eyes glancing fiercely at the blockade disappearing behind them. He knew something else was at play.

"Place her in the cells."

"Zuko...." Iroh said almost in shock at his nephew, the whimsical hope that he might be able to convince him vanishing.

"She's dangerous and she's hurt. She could die right now and be of no use to us. After all, she is just a prisoner." The Prince informed his uncle, determined to not be undermined at this point. His eyes moved fiercely around his crew that glanced before quickly moving away in attempts to not be scorched by the Prince's rage.

"So then shouldn't we help her?" Iroh tried to reason, gesturing to her feeble body lying unconsciously on the ship's deck. The wave had washed away most of the blood, except her wounds still seeped. Her clothes remained soaked regardless.

"Bandage her arms, there isn't much else we can do uncle. She disobeyed me. Publicly. Again. She will be put in a cell." Zuko demanded. He didn't believe she deserved any more freedom and her wounds were for her paying the price to move against him. A shiver runs down his spine as his stomach churned with cold unease at the spitting embers in his chest. Those words echoing through his mind.

"Prince Zuko, at least leave her to her room. She can be locked inside. That can be her cell." Iroh said still trying to convince his nephew, he didn't know why he felt a fondness for her. He was very sure of her behaviours and attitudes towards him. Especially the tense smiles and tolerable glances. Still, he felt she was needed as more than just bait for the Avatar.

"Uncle I am done humouring you with this prisoner. She should be in a cell. Not roaming around." He spat glaring at his uncle, his unease flurries into anguish.

"Zuko—" Iroh began again, refusing to give up but Zuko had had enough. His eyes wandering quickly to the sky, to have whatever sight of the avatar he had left. Her whole reason on his ship was the help him capture the avatar.

"Fine. But she is locked in the room. I don't care if she needs bread or water or to use the bathroom. She will not leave the room. Not even for your stupid tea." Zuko announces, glaring heatedly at his uncle before storming through the door of the ship into the narrow hallways. The crewman for the engines running quickly after him.

Iroh watches with a weakened stare after his nephew, a sigh following after his lips as the door slammed shut. He turns his attention back to the nervous guards that were watching her hesitantly. Unsure of what to do with her despite the Prince's clear instruction.

"Get her up. Carry her since she is so exhausted. She needs tending to." Iroh tells them, one guard quickly follows his orders. He quickly tells the other guard to wash the bowls left behind, fill them once again with water and bring any first aid properties left on the ship. The guard was quick and obedient to his words but he made no move of approval as he followed to her room.

The door remains open to the Prince's room, showing his uncle he was hunched over his knees glaring into the floor. The crewman rushing quickly past them shouting incoherent orders up the hallway. The guard goes to lay her down over the makeshift bed made of her old water tribe clothes but Iroh is quick to object. He would not change her or bathe her but he knew she would not stay in blood-soaked clothes when she woke up.

Iroh sends his nephew a thankful nod of appreciation as he excites her room. The other guard quickly arriving with everything asked of him and another crew member that had carried the water. Iroh watches from the door as the water is placed hesitantly by the door. His hands taking the first aid properties from the guard. He quickly dismissed them and ventures into her room alone. The Fire Prince couldn't resist watching his uncle's gentle nature with the girl.

Lelo was completely unconscious. Her body couldn't even involuntarily flinch at his touch. The only sign of living was when her eyes moved rapidly behind her eyelids or the weak heavy breaths of air. Once Iroh had attended her wounds, he stands back looking down at her weak and bloodied form. He felt truth ring through him and disappointment accompany his frown.

Her words ring true for him every time, no matter how he wanted to feel about it. If he didn't believe her or he denied her truths, she proved to him every time. The ferocity of fire against the soft snow. Iroh attempts to leave her room, allowing for the leftovers of attending her wound are left in her room. Expect he was surprised at the stern stance of his nephew. Watching over the injured prisoner.

Removing himself from her room, or new cell, Iroh observing his nephew. It takes only one moment before his curious golden eyes snap furiously towards his uncle into a deep amber. The Prince's door slamming loudly against the metal of the ship. Iroh glances quickly at the unconscious girl before shaking his head. Slowly closing the door and hearing the lock click. His eyes wandering over her for any more signs of life before he lets out a sigh.

"Why is it always my tea makers that these things happen to?"