𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖉𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊, 𝔭𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔠𝔢 𝔷𝔲𝔨𝔬

𝔬𝔫𝔢

one

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ the boy in the iceberg ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

━━ ✧･ﾟ: ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆:･ﾟ✧ ━━

     AN ENDLESS SEA of sapphire stretched before Xia as the Fire Nation cruiser she called home sailed through the south. Broken only by valleys of ice, the calm waves lapped at the steel hull and guided them past a family of tiger seals.

     Xia drew in a breath, grimacing as the crisp air stung her lungs. She didn't know how much longer she could take the harsh conditions of the South Pole— they had been drifting through the snowy fields for months with no luck in their search for the lost Avatar.

     Heaving a sigh, Xia moved to rejoin her card game with the general.

     "Something is troubling you, Madame Xia?"

     Xia shook her head as she crossed her legs beneath her, "I'm fine, it's just freezing out here."

     "Would you like to move the game below deck?" Iroh asked, raising a peppered brow.

     "That's okay, I—"

     Xia's words halted as the door to the main deck slammed open.

     Prince Zuko brushed past them wordlessly and darted to the bow of the ship. His raven hair—pulled back in a neat ponytail—curled around his ears in the wind as he gaped at the horizon.

     Where there was once a vast expanse of ice and snow stood an arctic beam of light that ricocheted across the skies, illuminating the fire prince in a blazing azure.

     "Finally," he said, whirling around. "Uncle, Xia— do you both realise what this means?"

     "We won't get to finish our game?" Iroh asked.

     Zuko glanced towards the light, "It means my search is about to come to an end."

     "You mean our search?" Xia prodded, tilting her head.

     "Fine. Our search is about to come to an end," he threw a hand towards the beam. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him."

     "Or, it's just the celestial lights," Iroh told his nephew. "We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit," he gestured the shallow table which held their cards. "Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming, jasmine tea?"

     "I don't need any calming tea!" Zuko yelled, his eyes wide in fury. "I need to capture the Avatar!" He shifted his gaze towards the crew member that stood atop the command tower. "Helmsmen, head a course for the light."

✧･ﾟ: *

     DUSK CREPT UPON the horizon, painting the sky in a heavenly glow. Despite the bitter chill, Xia joined the prince in completing his drills.

     Hands raised, she shot a spell of amber towards him and pivoted on her heel as he kicked another blaze in her direction.