Chapter Text
Emiko
When I was ten, my family attempted to pawn me off to the Fire Sages. My mother was dead for many years, my brother shipped out to who knew where, and my sister could have given two fucks what happened to me. My father...he wasn't evil, per say. He was the man who taught me how to ride my first kimodo-rhino. He taught me how to hold my first flame, although my mother had to teach me to control it. Father was never very good at controlling the heat behind his bending. Something he thankfully hadn't passed on to me. Actually, just looking at him across the table, he hadn't passed much on to me.
I'd gotten my mother's hair, features, and coloring. He'd maybe given me his stubborn chin and distinct eyebrows, but looking at us side-by-side, no one would know we were related. Just as well, though. It made it that much harder to find me when I managed to slip away.
I made breakfast in what I thought was an uncomfortable silence. I liked to talk, but we had nothing really to talk about. He wanted to give me to an archaic organization, and for what? Because he wanted to be rid of me? He was always cryptic and acted like it was painful to talk to me, so I couldn't get any answers out of him. I had no clue how my mother married him. She'd been so bright, so wild...he was sullen and cruel.
My father took a sip of tea. He hadn't touched the breakfast I made, but at least he hydrated in the morning. His eyes were set on the barred window, gazing out on the small harbor he was stationed at currently. He was supposed to be the Commander of the port, directing men and ensuring proper functionality of the ports and maintenance facilities. I only knew that because I'd begged to tag along in order to get out of my barred prison. Surprisingly, he'd agreed. I learned a lot from various mechanics and soldiers. Even if it wasn't interesting, that knowledge could one day keep me alive.
I picked at my grilled fish, not incredibly hungry. The times I'd been out with him, I'd been searching for ways to leave. I could always stow away on a cargo ship, but that usually ended with me being insanely dehydrated and hungry throughout the trip as I tried to eat and drink as little as possible in the hold and not be noticed. Setting out on foot could work too, but I wasn't the most navigationally-inclined. Another option was to enlist in the military. Pretty sure my father couldn't do anything if I did, and I was almost of age. I'd kill myself before I jumped in with the Fire Nation, though. Even growing up, my mother had always instilled individualism and skepticism into me. She'd been against the Fire Nation almost all of her life.
Again, how did that woman--the pirate, the individual--marry the epitome of Fire Nation Might?
Today might have been a good one for my escape plan. It all depended on him. Apparently a very important visitor was coming today, meaning my father would be out of my hair for a decent bit. No way he'd take me and give me the opportunity to ruin something like that, even though I'd been on my best behavior since he'd kidnapped me from the Earth Kingdom. I didn't want his physical anger, more than anything. "What time will you be home from work?" I asked before taking a sip of my miso soup. It was much better than the fish.
"Do you really care?" he snapped, as if my words had been inflammatory, or hurtful. No hand raised, but I still flinched.
I sighed and sat down the bowl, putting my hands in my lap and looking around the small, makeshift kitchen. "I was just trying to make conversation." The answer to that question was going to let me know if I had time to bolt or not. I needed it regardless of my fear of his anger.
My father sighed as well and picked up a large hand, rubbing his face. His age showed as his shoulders slumped--my father wasn't getting any younger. As the youngest of three, I hadn't seen it until the last few years. Just as I hadn't seen my siblings in...a long time, actually. "I work until midnight. A very important visitor is arriving, and I need to get information from him. Will you be making rounds with the Captain?"
Ugh. Isamu. "Of course." Anything to get out of that stuffy military-provided house. Isamu was also easy to escape from. If I even mentioned the bathroom he broke out in an uncomfortable sweat.
I was waiting for my father to chastise me about the wiles of men, or for the regular lecture about not trying to escape. But instead, he said, "He's a good man, Emiko."
I met my father's eyes for the first time in a while. They were pleading, large amber orbs that made me feel bad all of a sudden. I couldn't help but wonder if that was the reason my mother fell in love with him, because with that look, he actually seemed human rather than Koh-bent on writing his name in the stars. His hair obviously hadn't been receding then, and the sideburns hadn't been as prominent. He also hadn't been riding on the promotion of "Admiral." Back then, he'd still loved me. Apparently enough so now as well to mention the fact that Isamu was a good man...and single.
"I know he is," I said, feeling heat flare all over my face. I knew what was coming next and I didn't know if it made me embarrassed or angry.
"Your birthday. It's coming up soon, isn't it?"
I clutched the miso soup bowl tighter in my hands. It was had been cooling down but now my emotions were making it steam. "I'll be eighteen."
"Old enough to marry."
I had to take a deep, shaky breath before I could talk to him without yelling. My teeth were clenched as I ground out, "And what if I don't want to get married?" My defiance could have resulted in a slap or worse, but I didn't care at that point.
"It isn't your choice." He stood up before I could protest, putting on his full uniform and getting ready for the day. "I have to get to work. We'll discuss this tomorrow. I have a full day of dock permits to get through and I can't deal with you right now."
"Your job is so glamorous," I mumbled under my breath as I brought the soup back to my lips. I hissed as it burned and blew on it--my bending liked to be sneaky when I was angry.
"It keeps a roof over your head!" This was snapped in the tone of voice he almost always used on me as he moved to the door in long, angry strides. I flinched down into my seat. "I expect you to pay attention to anything that Isamu says towards you. If he even hints towards a union, I would like to know."
When did Isamu become part of the deal? What happened to the Fire Sages? Wasn't he required to take me there? That'd been his excuse the first time, at least. "He's barely ever said a word to me, let alone hinted at anything. He knows you'll kill him if he makes a move. Why do you want to marry me off so badly, anyway?"
He sighed and put his hand on the doorknob. "Because I'm not always going to be here."
That answer silenced me, so I looked away and tried not to think about it. Part of me, the wild, uncultured part that had grown in the wilds of the Earth Kingdom, was happy to hear that. But the part that was still his daughter didn't want to think of losing him.
Commander Zhao
The young, arrogant Prince sat there and was bold-faced lying to him. The Prince hadn't changed much, other than aging and his scar becoming even uglier. It stretched across his eye to his ear, which was shriveled, and that eyebrow was gone. He'd shaved off all of his hair in his exile, only leaving a small patch of hair in a ponytail at the crown of his head.
Zhao planted both of his hands on the table and stared into the topaz eyes that he'd come to hate. "Why don't you stop beating around the bush, Prince Zuko? I've had some of your men interrogated...and they've told me that you had the Avatar in your custody, but you let him escape. I have more resources than you," he whispered to the struck-silent teenager, who turned his wide eyes into a glare at Zhao's voice. "I have more men, more money, and more ships at my disposal. You will never be able to beat me. I'll catch the Avatar before you."
When the Prince was about to retaliate, a tall, lanky blur ran into the tent. "C-Commander Zhao!" the soldier cried, skidding to a stop. He had a thick head full of black hair, a rather thin face, with a pair of brown eyes. Not a bad-looking kid to imagine fathering his grandchildren.
"Ah, Isamu, you came at exactly the right time," Zhao droned sarcastically, irate that there was a distraction. "What can I do for you, Captain?"
Isamu bent down and leaned onto his knees to catch his breath from the dead sprint he'd been in. While the Commander was irritated, he knew that Isamu was his only insight into his daughter. The man was practically her babysitter, for lack of a better word. That, and perhaps Zhao needed this man on his side in case Emiko got out of hand in terms of the marriage deal. So Zhao tried to listen to the man's nervous mumblings when they came to his attention.
"It…it's her," the tall, handsome soldier finally managed to get out.
Zhao snapped to attention suddenly, staring down the quivering man. Emiko...I swear to Agni, what did you do this time. "What's wrong with her?"
Zuko raised his only dark, well-defined eyebrow. "Is this your girlfriend, Commander?"
Zhao sent a glare to the noble and snapped, "When you have children, I hope that they are as much trouble to you as my daughter is to me." He scowled at the implication and then turned back to his Captain. "Tell me what's wrong!"
Isamu pulled in a deep breath, then spewed out, "She got away."
"What?"
The Prince looked on with interest but, luckily for Zhao's temper, didn't say anything. Zhao stood straight and rearranged his armor, sticking Isamu with a glare. "I want her back in her room by tonight or else this is on your head, understood?"
Isamu straightened, the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Y-yes sir. Right away sir."
After Isamu left, Zuko furrowed his brow. "How old are you?" he asked.
Zhao turned away from the teenager and clenched his eyes shut. He chose to ignore the question. "Once I'm out to sea, my men will permit you to go and you will be allowed to leave. In the meantime, Prince Zuko, I suggest you keep yourself out of trouble in my harbor."
Emiko
I'd been gathering supplies for a few hours before setting off. Every week I was siphoning some change out of the groceries money my father gave me to shop with. I'd gotten friendly with some of the locals, too, and they gave me some discounts. Nothing was amiss, I was simply the Commander's daughter shopping for supplies. Still, it was almost sundown and my father's forces were going to notice me missing and start to comb the city for me, so I had to get going.
"Did you hear?" the merchant asked as he handed me my change. I raised an eyebrow and put the money in a small compartment within my hiking bag. "The exiled prince is in town!"
"Is that so?" I asked politely. I didn't really care to be honest. The Fire Nation could suck a big fat--
"Yes! And the esteemed General Iroh is with him. Hopefully that boy is whipped into shape by the Dragon of the West. Agni knows he needs it."
I didn't know much of the Prince or the General, just that the second one was very famous. School taught all about his exploits when I was growing up. The Prince, on the other hand, had been exiled while I'd been running around in the Earth Kingdom, so I knew almost nothing about the situation. Probably just some spoiled boy, knowing the royal family.
I smiled stiffly at the clerk and bade a quick farewell. That made me run into a giant old man, knocking me into the ground. My hood fluttered down around my shoulders and I gasped up at the man in surprise.
"Oh, pardon me," he said as he held out a hand. I ignored it and stood up myself, gathering my food and waterskin that had fallen from my bag. When I looked back up, the man's kind old eyes were looking on as he handed me a rolled-up map. I'd stolen that from my father's desk; it was deemed classified, so this man holding it sent a cold chill up my spine. "Here, child. Looks like some quest you're preparing for. May I ask where to?"
Koh, I didn't even know yet. "It's not about the destination," I said guardedly. I didn't know this man and I didn't need him getting word back to my father about where i was going.
"May the spirits bless the journey, then." He just gave me back the map with a twinkle in his eye. I snatched it back into my bag as quickly as possible. I had no clue if he'd seen the Fire Nation insignia or not, but a civilian could be killed on the spot for having this kind of classified information.
I nodded at him and was a little more careful as I made my way out of the seaport village. I could feel his eyes on my back. Even though I was worried, I acted like nothing was the matter and sauntered my way out of the front gates. Only once I cleared the forest line did I let myself sag, exhausted. All I had on me was two copper pieces, enough food for a week, a few changes of clothes, and a sword I'd stolen from the garrison. Better to not be caught as a firebender in the Earth Kingdom with a war still going on. Not that I could hide my nationality with my yellow eyes and black hair and pale skin, but I could look like any other war-torn refugee out there.
"Emiko," a voice shouted from the direction of the city. I bristled and climbed a tree to get out of direct view. Then jumped a few trees over in case they were tracking footprints. "Emiko, you couldn't have made it that far just yet!"
My father was the only one I could hear rustling down in the underbrush. That meant his men were still searching the ports, which is probably where they thought I'd stowed away on some cargo ship. Good thing I didn't do that.
"Emiko..." he growled, his voice terrifying. I put a hand over my mouth to hide my whimper. I couldn't let him find me again. I wouldn't be married off, or sold, or used as some handmaiden for a bunch of spiritual Fire Sages. "You will come home this instant!"
No, I won't. Tears streamed down my cheeks. My chest was tight from anxiety. Thinking of the beating I knew was coming if he found me again. A burn on my leg still hadn't healed fully. Please, go away.
A wall of flame erupted far to my right, engulfing an entire tree. He screamed in anger. "Stupid child! I'm doing this to help you, to help our family! You're more like me than you know. You'll be back, by your own will or mine."
Tears streamed down my cheeks, sizzling against the heat of my hand that held my sobs in. I am nothing like you.