𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐒 // zuko

Fever

fever

_______________

-SARIA'S POV-

Spirits, my head hurts.

As my eyes fluttered open, I was met with unfamiliar surroundings. Confused, I attempted to stand up; however, my spinning head forced me back down on the bed below me.

"You have a fever."

I jumped when a voice behind me spoke. I turned to see a hefty man sitting in a chair at the end of my bed. 

"What happened to me?"

"You were out at sea for too long. Here, have some tea. It will make you feel better." The man poured me a cup before delivering it over and pouring his own. After I took a cautious sip, my mouth was filled with flavour. It tasted even better than it smelled.

"Who are you?" I said, keeping my gaze fixed on him as he sipped from his cup peacefully. 

"What? You don't remember me?" He smiled at me, but nothing entered my mind. Once he realised I was being serious, his face dropped slightly.

"My name is Iroh. We met once, years ago, when you were just a child."

"Where am I?" I couldn't recall anything. How did I end up here?

"Oho, so many questions. They will be answered in time. For now, you must get your rest if you want to feel better. " 

Iroh stood from his seat and took the empty cup from my hand, offering me a kind smile as he did so. I didn't have the energy to return it, so instead I rolled over and fell back to sleep immediately.

Meanwhile...

"Absolutely not! The Yuyan Archers stay here. Your request is denied, Commander Zhao." 

Colonel Shinu responded to Zhao angrily. The two men stood in a watch tower in the Pohuai Stronghold, located in the western Earth Kingdom. They watched over the skilled archers below.

"Colonel Shinu, please reconsider. Their precision is legendary. The Yuyan Archers can pin a fly to a tree from one hundred miles away... without killing it." Zhao grew annoyed at the colonel. "You're wasting their talents using them as mere security guards."

"I can do whatever I want with their talents; they're my archers, and what I say goes." Shinu snapped at the man beside him. Zhao turned towards the colonel.

"But my search for the Avatar is-"

"Is nothing but a vanity project. We're fighting a real war here, and I need every man I've got, Commander."

"But-"

"That's final! I don't want to hear another word about it!" Shinu scoffed angrily, interrupting Zhao again. Abruptly, the cry of a messenger hawk was heard as it flew towards them. Zhao lifted his eyebrow as he watched the bird perch itself on Colonel Shinu's arm, who opened the container on its back and retrieved the note from within it. Shinu turned his back towards the commander as his face developed a puzzled expression.

"News from Fire Lord Ozai?" Intrigued, Zhao stepped towards Shinu, who handed him the note with irritation.

Zhao smiled smugly, pleased with the news he had received.

"It appears I've been promoted to admiral. My request is now an order."

<>

"The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance. All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao."