His friend | Prince Zuko x OC

Chapter nine: only a girl

'you're girl!'
'well you're prince!'

Lyra moved swords from his throat, but never stepped back. Their faces were few inches apart, both of teenagers eyeing each other.

First thing Zuko noticed were her eyes. They were something he never saw, mix of white, blue and grey, and if he didn't saw her bending, he could bet that she is from water tribe.

She didn't show fear, only thing she did with second is that her staring turned to glaring. She seemd familiar to him, like her face represents real beauty.

First thing Lyra notice on Zuko is his scar. As statue, her vision was bad, so was with mask. It covered part of his face, more then Lyra expected to. She tried not to focus too much, but then she snapped. Her staring turned into glaring as soon as she looked him in the eyes. They reminded her to old friend, the one who turned into monster.

She was glad that Zuko wasn't complete mirror of him. He had strange energy around him, something that made her close to him since start of their hunt for Aang.

Zuko was first one to snapped out, realising that someone could see them.

'My best soldier is teenage girl!' he snapped, which Lyra found offensive. Day earlier he would tell her how her skills were incredible, but now he have problem with her gender.

'And still I'm better then adults here.' she smirked and said as calmly as she could, trying not to snap at prince at same second.

'You're just little girl!' he whisper-jelled at girl in front him, she was little shorter then him but looking more dangerous. 'How did girl end up on my ship?!'

'Do you want me to leave, your highness?' she asked mockingly, not waiting for Zuko to answer before speaking again. 'But remember, that little girl is still your best soldier.'

Lyra putted her mask back and turned around. She tried to leave, but Zuko grabbed her wrist.

'What's your problem!?' She whisper-jelled at Zuko, who showed no emotions at his face. She expected to be kicked out of ship, but that part never come.

'Why are you awake?' he asked cassualy, eyeing Lyra. She was pissed off, his quick changes of emotions get on her nerve.

'I wanted to make sure that you're okay, but I guess that you don't need some little girl watching after you, prince Zuko.' she grabbed Zuko's hand who was still holding her wrist and pulled him back.

He didn't expect her to be strong, and realisation that she is still same person as few days before hitted him few minutes later. Before he could get into his chambers, Iroh showed up on shipboard.

'Prince Zuko.' he said calmly, getting closer to his nephew, who quickly hide mask of blue spirit in his clothes.

'Yes uncle?' he responded, pretending that he come at that second and ignoring his conversation with girl-- his best soldier.

'Since you come now, maybe you'll like to visit your best soldier. I never saw him that angry, even few hours before when he almost challenged one of soldiers.' he said calmly but Zuko just stared at him.

His uncle was sure that soldier is man. Her skills were something he never saw, along with her character and beauty. He acted like jerk because she is something that he didn't expected.

'I'll go to see my best soldier later. For now, I'm in my chambers. Don't come.' he said shortly and went straight to his bed, ready to get some sleep and talk with girl later.

Meanwhile, Lyra stopped being angry. She knew about her problem with controling emotions and overreacting, and she did that again. Zuko had right to be shocked, it was just his opinion. She was ready to get some sleep and later talk with him, but not apologising for sure.

___

Hours passed and Zuko wake up. He get up and putted shirt on, but still had to plan what he have to say to his best soldier. First, he needed to say that he's sorry about snapping at her, and probably asking about her name. Other things would come with time, they talked before and it could be easy.

Zuko leave his chamber and headed to Lyra's. He was ready to be jelled in face and to stood next to angry girl, but when he knocked he only heard her say 'come in.' in her fake voice.

Zuko never actually come inside her chamber. They seemd different then his, she had papers all over room and few swords on walls.

He noticed girl meditating in corner of the room with her mask on, but she didn't have fire in front her. Her thoughts seemd to be focused only on her inner energy.

Lyra notice prince staring at her, so she turned around. He was standing at door and seemd to be zooned out.

'Did you find out something new about Avatar, prince Zuko?' she asked calmly, as nothing happened this morning, which Zuko finded weird. Her voice was softer, but he knew that she is still faking it little.

'No, actually I come to say something.' he said, rubbing back of his head. Lyra notice how nervous he was, so she decide to play dumb.

'It's your ship, prince Zuko. All words are yours.' she stood up and pointed at bed, Zuko sitting at one side and she on the other.

'I just needed to say that I'm sorry for getting mad at you only because you're girl. I respect your skills and mind, and--' Zuko started talking but Lyra cutted after less then few seconds.

'We had a deal. I told you who I am, and you told me who you are. Last part of deal was not to talk about it. Your apology is accepted, but if that's only thing you have to say, please leave.' Lyra said calmly but with dangerous tone in her voice.

She didn't want to get close to Zuko. Getting close to anyone at ship could lead to someone discovering her identity, which would lead to her death, and shortly after probably Aang's too.

'I understand that you are angry, I told you before that I can't control my anger and--' Zuko tried to talk again, but Lyra didn't want to listen.

'I'm not angry. Can you leave now, prince Zuko? I'm your soldier, not famiky member.' She said sharply and Zuko stared at her. He knew that she is referring to his uncle's failed attempts to made small talk with him every day, so he realize message quickly.

'Training at dusk?' she asked him as he stood outside the room, to what prince just nodded. 

Lyra locked her room and pulled mask down. Her short hair made her look different then she looked before, but she still had same features.

She take one paper and pen which she found at ship and started writing her fake backstory. With time, if she stayed with Zuko, he'll request more informationes and she needed to be ready.

Best thing with who she come out was being from colonies. In that way, she wouldn't have to explain anything about her parents, along with her way of bending.  Her fake name would be Alyson, one of rare fire nation names but still well known. She wanted to go by Leah or Lola, but letter L at start would be too obvious.

She putted paper inside her pillow and putted mask back. After meditating, energy in her was huge. She made a little tornado, making him to go around and collect all papers, then putting them next to her bed, one on another.

'If I can't fight, this tricks would at least bring some bending in my life.'