EMBERS
vi. LOST AND FOUND
❝IT'S WHAT FAMILY IS FOR.❞

IT IS SAID THAT ANGER ROTS THE SOUL, turning even the most beautiful beings into monstrous entities that wreaked havoc wherever they went. Princess Jasmine knew the consequences of anger and hatred ━ the Fire Nation being a prime example of it. It was no surprise that she had become a victim to it as well. She was furious at the events that had transpired on Kyoshi Island. It was the second time that the Avatar had slipped from their grip and disappeared into thin air, pushing them back to square one. It irritated Jasmine that they continued to make no progress in their mission to capture him. With each fleeting day, the Avatar was able to hone his skills and devise a plan to burn the Fire Nation to ashes.

She was angry. Not only at the Avatar and his friends, but her fury was directed at Zuko as well. Jasmine hadn't spoken to him since Kyoshi Island and he hadn't sought her out either. In fact, Jasmine hadn't left her room ━ the only people she had interacted with for the past few days were her father and her handmaiden, Zari. Breakfast and training was reserved for her father, but the time for dinner and studying were with Zari.  Jasmine was fully content dealing with two people, but she knew it wouldn't be long until she would be forced to interact with her hotheaded cousin. However, for now, she enjoyed the time away from his dampening energy.

Sunlight filled the room, causing Jasmine to hiss sharply as she covered her face with the silk blanket. However, her reaction only caused chuckles to leave her father's lips as he approached her. "Jasmine..."

"It's too early, Father," Jasmine whined, keeping her eyes closed as she buried her face in the pillows ━ praying that the soft lull of sleep would take her again. "Please, just five more minutes."

"Now, Jasmine," Iroh started, taking a seat at the end of the bed. His eyes focused on the small trinkets that sat on Jasmine's bedside table ━ most of them had been passed down from her late mother. Iroh sighed softly, stealing a glance at the life-sized family portrait. It was no secret that Iroh missed his late wife, Zia. He cleared his throat, turning his attention back to his daughter. "You told me the same thing when I came in two hours ago. It's time to tackle the day, little dragon."

Jasmine groaned, knowing her father was right. If it was up to her, she would have spent the whole day in bed. But, she had work to do and laying in bed would be detrimental to her goals. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes before she sat up, allowing herself a few seconds to adjust to the brightness of the room. Her brown eyes landed on her father, returning the warm smile he wore. "Next time you're napping, I'm going to come in and force you awake as well," Jasmine teased. "Then, we'll see how you like it."

Iroh laughed, ruffling his daughter's hair. Her long tresses of black hair pooled against the red sheets of the bed, giving off the appearance of a waterfall. "Get ready, Jasmine," Iroh said, moving to stand up. He gave her a playful grin. "Zari and I have some fun activities planned for you and Zuko ━ no training or studying! At least, for today."

"Sounds like fun," Jasmine said, forcing a smile upon her lips. She didn't particularly want to spend the day with Zuko, but it seemed as if she had no choice in the matter.

"Oh, it will be!" With that promise, her father left the room.

A soft sigh escaped Jasmine's lips as she slipped out of bed and walked to the vanity table, taking in her own appearance. She seemed paler than usual. Was she ill? Or, perhaps, it was due to the time she had spent locked away in her room. Sunlight was essential to every Firebender ━  the source to their everlasting strength. Her eyes flickered to the window, watching as sunlight poured into the room. Jasmine held out her hand, feeling the warm rays hit her bare skin. She let out a deep sigh, feeling the strength slowly return to her body. Thankfully, the sun rose every morning. It gave the Fire Nation and its people the strength that they needed to proceed with the day.

Jasmine returned her attention to the mirror, picking up her gold comb to brush out the tangles in her long hair. She wondered if she should cut when it got to a certain length, but the young girl had never cut her hair. It was a part of her identity and she wasn't willing to part with it yet.

A few moments had passed when Jasmine heard a gentle knock at her door, causing the young girl to look back to see Zari's smiling expression. The handmaiden bowed, showing her respect. "Let's get you ready for the day, Princess?"

"Let's."

━ ━ ━

MOST PEOPLE ON THE SHIP FEARED JASMINE, no one wanted to off one of the members of the Royal Family. Though, they weren't particularly afraid of Iroh since he was no longer the bloodthirsty general from the past. He was a gentler version of his old self that knew the names of the crew members, beat them at Pai Sho and joined them for music night. They were terrified of Zuko, but they knew what set him off. He was predictable to the point where they knew that anger was the only response they would get from him.

However, Princess Jasmine was the one they couldn't figure out. Sometimes, they would find her reading in random corners of the ship or singing in the halls, but they, also, witnessed her brutality when it came to her training sessions. She had the ability to kill every single one of them without even an ember of a flame, but she was Iroh's daughter. He had instilled her with his teachings. Jasmine wasn't a monster, but she was unpredictable.

On a usual morning, breakfast was brought to her private quarters as soon as she was dressed, but Jasmine went down to the dining hall instead. Zari had warned her countless times that she should be careful being among so many men, but Jasmine wasn't afraid of them. She dared them to lay a single finger on her ━ no doubt, it would ensure their doom. Her father or Zuko would be quick to deal with anyone that tried to hurt her. As she entered the large room, silence filled the hall as they watched the Princess walk down the steps. Most of them had been eating, holding on to bowls of meal and vegetables.

"Princess Jasmine, good morning," one of the soldiers greeted, giving her a bow. He seemed a few years older than her, yet younger than most of the soldiers on board. She didn't know him personally, but had seen him on board here and there. He cleared his throat, giving her a playful smile. "Did someone forget to bring your breakfast?"

"No," Jasmine answered, dismissively. She kept walking through the dining hall, noticing that no one dared to breathe a word as she passed by. "But, I am hungry. Where is the chef?"

"Probably in the kitchen," the young soldier answered, staying close behind as he followed her throughout the hall. "Tell me, what would you like to eat? I'm sure the chef will be willing to whip up something regal for you."

Jasmine stole a glance in his direction, noticing the arrogant smirk plastered on his face. She rolled her eyes. "Actually, I think I will go directly to the Chef."

"Oh," he muttered, taking a step back as a shocked expression appeared on his face. "As you wish, Princess."

With that, she left him behind, hoping that he wouldn't choose to continue following her. She walked into the kitchen, feeling the heat that came from the fire within. It was a crowded room with a single elderly man stirring a pot of soup. "Excuse me?"

He jumped. With an angry expression he looked back, but it quickly faded when he noticed who it was. He bowed. "Princess Jasmine, I was not expecting to see you here."

"At ease," Jasmine said, taking a step inside. She smiled at the man. "I was hoping to find something to eat."

"What would you like to eat?" He asked, returning the smile ━ the man seemed to be growing more relaxed as the seconds ticked by. "We have freshly caught fish, imported meats and vegetables. I can make whatever you like."

"I'll take what everyone else is having," Jasmine replied, not wanting the chef to prepare a new meal for her sake. He seemed worn out and the day had barely begun. Plus, the food that the crew ate couldn't be that bad since her father regularly had meals with them and he never complained.

"Are you sure, Princess?"

"I'm sure."

The chef nodded, wobbling toward the back of the kitchen to fetch Jasmine a bowl of dumplings and porridge. She graciously took the two bowls from him, giving him a quick thank you before she left to find a place to sit. Jasmine sat along, not wanting to make anyone uncomfortable with her presence. Slowly, the chatter had started again and Jasmine was able to relax and eat in peace.

Yet, the peace did not last.

"Why are you here?" The undoubtedly annoying voice belonged to her cousin, Zuko, causing Jasmine to roll her eyes as she looked back to see him towering over her.

"Can't you see, idiot?" Jasmine snapped, returning his intense glare. It had gone quiet in the dining hall again as everyone waited to see how their interaction would end. She lifted her spoon in the air, showing it to him. "I'm having breakfast."

"Jasmine, you shouldn't be here," Zuko hissed, leaning down to make sure none of the crew would be able to listen to his words.

"I can be wherever I want."

"No, you can't," Zuko shouted, slamming his fist on the table. Her bowls jumped in the air, but thankfully, nothing spilled. His face burned red as his glare turned deadly. "This is my ship. I get to decide where you can and can not go."

"Your ship?" Jasmine spat out, standing to her feet as she got into Zuko's face. Her eyes were narrowed ━ deadlier than Zuko's glare. "How dare you speak to me in such a way? Do not forget we're here because of you! It's all your fault that none of us can go home. I would be a lot more respectful if I was you, considering you're nothing more than a banished prince! For spirits' sake, I have a higher status than you, Zuko!"

It was quiet. No one dared to speak a word, waiting with bated breath for Prince Zuko's reaction. His jaw was clenched. His eyes burned with rage. But, then, it was gone. A different expression washed over Zuko's face, causing his gaze to drop as he hid his eyes from Jasmine. Immediately, guilt filled her as she took in a deep breath.

"Zuko, I don't mean that."

However, Zuko didn't want to listen. He walked off without a word, leaving Jasmine in the middle of the dining hall as everyone watched her. No one was shocked to see the two at each other's throats, but this time, Jasmine felt as if she had gone too far.

━ ━ ━

THERE WAS A SINGLE MOON FLOWER IN A WHITE VASE WHEN JASMINE HAD GOTTEN BACK TO HER ROOM, causing the young girl to frown as she approached it with hesitation in her stride. It sat on her vanity table, clinging to the shade provided by the mirror. For a moment, her mind wandered to Sokka and the lotus flower that he had given to her ━ no, given to Zia. She reached for the small card, noticing that it didn't have a name. It had a series of numbers written on ━ something Jasmine couldn't make sense of. She tossed the card back on the table, assuming that the crew members must be playing a stupid prank. It wasn't uncommon to hear about prank wars among the younger members of the crew, but they had never dared to prank her before.

Jasmine locked the door to her room, wanting to be alone after what had happened during breakfast. Her father had taught her to remain respectable when regarding others, no matter who they were. She had to set an example for others, for her people. Yet, she let herself go astray, allowing self-righteousness and pride of her title take over her. "Stupid," she mumbled as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm so stupid."

It wasn't as if she could apologize to Zuko. He had gone in-land with her father for a walk. Knowing her father, the walk could easily span a couple of hours. Last she heard from the soldiers, her father had found some hot springs to relax in while Zuko hiked the trails. While they were gone, Jasmine had decided to meditate to rid herself of the negative emotions she had been feeling throughout the past week.

Meditation wasn't something that Jasmine practiced often, but she had to admit that her mind felt clearer after a session. She took in a deep breath, basking in the warmth of the three lit candles that burned on the table in front of her.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Jasmine paused, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stick up as shivers ran down her spine. Her flames slowly dimmed to a flicker as she stole a glance behind her, but she was greeted with the sight of an empty room. She stood, taking slow steps toward the door. Jasmine wasn't sure what she was waiting for ━ a ghost to slam open the door and kill her? With a gentle hand, Jasmine pulled the door open, but no one was there. Strange. But, Jasmine didn't think much of it as she moved toward the bookcase, scanning the books for one to read.

She loved to learn. Most children or teenagers her age despised school, but Jasmine had always strived to learn more about her own culture and the culture of the other nations. Of course, Jasmine had exhausted her knowledge of the Fire Nation ━ the love she had for her nation was unparalleled. But, she was slowly learning more about the Fire Nation colonies, Earth Kingdom, and the Water Tribes. Unfortunately, she didn't have many books on the Air Nomads. Jasmine had three books on the Air Nomads, but they only recounted the events from the Fire Nation soldiers' point of view. It was a biased account, but it was better than nothing.

With a book in hand, Jasmine took a seat on her bed. She cracked it open, skim reading the first page to see that the book was a collection of short stories about real-life people throughout the world. It had been gifted to her by her father, but Jasmine hadn't read it until now.

"Jasmine?"

At the soft sound of her name, Jasmine looked up to see Zuko. His amber eyes stared down at the floor, refusing to take a step inside the room. To say that she was surprised to see Zuko was an understatement, but she decided to be kind. Jasmine smiled. "So, did you manage to get my father out of the hot springs?"

No response.

At the very least, Jasmine had expected a snarky comment from him about how she had been no help at all, but his silence was disconcerting. "Zuko, what's wrong?"

Again, no response.

"Zuko?" Jasmine called out, sitting up. In a few moments, she was at his side. She shook him roughly, trying to break him out of the trance he was in. Zuko's grim expression reminded her of the one that she had seen on her own brother a long time ago, leaving her in a state of panic. "Zuko, you're starting to scare me. Please, tell me what happened! Is my father alright?"

His eyes flickered to her face, allowing Jasmine to see the dread that lingered in them. "Uncle Iroh has been captured by Earthbenders."

"What?" It was hard to believe that someone like her father ━ a firebending master and an ex-military General ━ would be so easily captured. "How could this happen? Where were the guards?"

At that point, Jasmine was screaming. Her shouts had garnered the attention of a few soldiers that patrolled the halls, but Zari was the one who came running into the room to aid the distressed Princess. Her eyes flickered between Zuko's grave expression and Jasmine's tearful eyes. "Is everything alright?"

"No," Zuko replied, not bothering to look in the direction of the handmaiden. "I want you to prepare two rhinos for Jasmine and I. We will be leaving shortly to find my Uncle."

"Right away, Prince Zuko," Zari answered, giving the two a respectful bow before she rushed out of the bedroom.

Jasmine wiped the tears from her cheeks, moving to the vanity table to grab the dagger that was next to her jewelry box. She tucked it in her boot, making sure it was stashed away securely. Her brown eyes flickered up to meet her reflection, noticing the pale expression that stared back. She took a deep breath, looking back at Zuko with determination shining in her eyes. "Let's go find my father."

━ ━ ━

THE HEAVY FOOTSTEPS OF THE TWO KOMODO RHINOS ECHOED THROUGHOUT THE FOREST that Jasmine and Zuko were currently scouting as they followed a trail of human and animal tracks. "They couldn't have gotten far," Jasmine commented, studying the tracks that they were following. It was hard to tell which animal they were using for transportation, but she would have to guess that it was most likely an ostrich horse. They were common in the Earth Kingdom and some could be found in small Fire Nation villages. Plus, Jasmine had seen a group of Earth Kingdom natives with ostrich horses the day prior. "I think there's probably four or five of them. I can see five distinctive footprints and the one on the left is the deepest which means that the animal must have weighed more than the others, so━"

"━it must have been the one carrying Uncle," Zuko finished for her, grinning triumphantly as if he had figured that out all on his own. Jasmine rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything. After all, they had bigger concerns.

Jasmine frowned, noticing something in the middle of the path. She roughly pulled on the reins, causing the komodo rhino to stop in its tracks. In the past, Jasmine used to be too gentle with the rhinos and that had caused them to ignore her orders and attempt to trample over her. But, she had quickly learned being stern with the reins was the way to go. It didn't hurt the rhinos due to their thick hide. In fact, it was the only way that they felt anything. She jumped off the rhino, moving toward the object in the middle of the path. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that it was a shadal. She looked back at Zuko, noticing that he had gotten off his rhino as well. "You were last with my father. Was he wearing these sandals?"

"I don't remember," Zuko muttered, crouching down to pick up the sandal. He slowly pulled it close to his nose and sniffed. Jasmine's nose scrunched in disgust as she took a few steps away from him, but not without noticing the disgust on Zuko's face as well. "Yeah, that's Uncle Iroh."

"We're on the right track," Jasmine exclaimed, rushing toward the komodo rhino before climbing on it. She gripped the reins and began to follow the tracks again, urging the rhino to move faster. Zuko was close behind, not losing her tail. They were faster than before, but not to the point where the rhinos were sprinting through the forest. It was still unknown whether their surrounding area was dangerous or not. Forests creeped Jasmine out since she had read tales about how spirits tended to be trapped in them. "Where do you think they're taking him?"

"Maybe a nearby village," Zuko answered, looking around the forest around them. The path below them was dry ━ almost seemed to be made out of clay, not soil ━ but the surrounding forest had thick trees that blocked out the setting sun. It would be dark soon and Jasmine wanted to find her father before that.

"He was a well-known Fire Nation General here," Jasmine commented, keeping her eyes straight as they continued to follow the path. The tracks were starting to fade out, but the heavier footprints were still visible. "After all, he laid siege to Ba Sing Se for six hundred days. I don't think they would go through this much trouble for any ordinary soldier. They must have known who he was."

"For his sake, I hope they don't," Zuko curtly stated, sparing a worried glance at his cousin. "They'll kill him."

"Don't say that!" Jasmine snapped, tearing her eyes away from the tracks to glare at her older cousin. She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Her brown eyes filled with tears as she tightened her grip on the reins. "He's all I have left, Zuko. I already lost my mom and Lu Ten.  I... can't lose him too."

"We're going to find him," Zuko reassured, continuing to watch the expression on Jasmine's face. His voice held no anger or malice, but held a sadder undertone. Zuko had lost his mother and the pain of losing a parent was one that lingered for a long time. Jasmine had lost her mother as well and had lost her brother a couple years prior. Now, she was on the verge of losing her father. "Jasmine, we will find him."

"We have to," Jasmine whispered, keeping her eyes glued to the ground as they followed the trail. But, the sun had set and darkness flooded the forest. She conjured a small ball of fire, but it barely illuminated the path. "It's so dark."

"Maybe..." Zuko started, staring down the dark path that led deeper into the forest. "We should make camp for the night?"

"No way," Jasmine argued, shaking her head. "I won't risk losing their trail."

Jasmine crackled the reins, but the rhino refused to budge. It stayed stationary as it hesitantly glanced down the darkened path. Zuko frowned, noticing that his rhino was behaving the same way. "Something is spooking the rhinos."

"I didn't realize they were afraid of the dark."

"I don't think that's it," Zuko countered, staring in the darkness. It was unsettling as bare glimpses of moonlight filtered through the large oak trees. He listened ━ the sounds of animals, insects, the trees, and something haunting echoed through the forest. "We can't see the path. It's better to wait till morning when the sun is out. I doubt the Earthbenders are traveling in this darkness."

"I'm going," Jasmine said, jumping off the rhino. But, as soon as her feet touched the ground, the chilling roar of an unknown creature echoed throughout the forest. Jasmine whelped, jumping back onto the skittish rhino. "Okay, let's set up camp."

In about twenty minutes, the two teenagers had set up a small campsite with a small burning fire off to the side of the path. They feared a larger fire might attract the creature that had made the sound, so they stuck with a small one to heat up the small amount of food they had brought. Jasmine leaned against the komodo rhino, using the beast as warmth. The animals got a bad reputation due to their scary appearance, but they were good-natured creatures at heart.

"I don't know if I'll be able to sleep," Jasmine pointed out. She tore off a piece of the stale bread, feeding it to the rhino sitting beside her. Zuko's rhino was asleep ━ the beast must have been tired since it hadn't eaten much when food was offered to it.

"Try," Zuko said, keeping his eyes trained on the fire. His amber eyes played a scene from his past, causing a shudder to run down his spine.

"What about you?"

"I'll take the first watch."

"No, let me," Jasmine offered. After all, the young girl couldn't sleep with the thoughts running through her mind. "I'm not tired."

"I'm not tired either."

"Fine," Jasmine muttered. "I guess we'll both stay up."

They stayed in silence for several moments, listening to the sound of crickets in the background ━ better than the mysterious roars. Her eyes flickered to Zuko, immediately noticing the blue fabric peeking out of his pocket. Zuko never wore blue, so it easily stood out against his red clothing.

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"That," Jasmine pointed to his pocket. "What is that?"

"Oh..." Zuko mumbled, reaching into his pocket to pull out a familiar Water Tribe necklace. "It belonged to that girl traveling with the Avatar."

"Katara," Jasmine said, taking the necklace from Zuko to examine it. Upon closer expectation, she noticed the smaller details on the engraving in the stone and the silk-feel of the makeshift chain. "It's a betrothal necklace. It's handcrafted by men of the Water Tribes to give to the women that they are engaged or married to."

"How do you know that?"

"The book I read? Remember, the one that mentioned the Blood Moon?" Jasmine reminded ━ the same book that had gone missing. But, thankfully, she had finished reading it.

"Oh."

"Well, how did you get this?"

"We made a stop at a Fire Nation prison a few days ago," Zuko reminded her. "Apparently, the Avatar and his friends had been there to help the Earthbender prisoners escape with a bunch of coal."

"I have to be honest, I think it's for the better," Jasmine confessed, shrugging her shoulders. She had learned about the disheartening conditions of the prison from the ruthless Warden and the other soldiers. "Earthbending is not a crime. We shouldn't have kept them locked up and forced them to work for no reason. It's not right."

"Maybe they did something wrong?" Zuko pointed out, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm sure they weren't locked up for no reason."

"I suppose..."

A beat of silence.

"I wonder if she's engaged," Jasmine pondered, captivated by the beauty of the necklace. She hoped that someone would love her enough one day to create something beautiful as a symbol of their love.

"To who? The Avatar?" Zuko asked, raising an eyebrow. Though, he had trouble believing that since they looked too young. Technically, he and Jasmine weren't marrying age either. Though, that didn't stop people from sending countless letters about potential relations.

"Who knows," Jasmine said, handing Zuko the necklace. He tucked it away in his pocket, keeping it safe. She sighed, laying down on the dirt ground. "Zuko, do you think we'll ever get the chance to marry someone someday?"

"I only care about finding the Avatar." His response was quick, emotionless.

"Yeah, but what about after?" Jasmine continued. "Surely, you won't be hunting the Avatar for the rest of your life, Zuko."

Zuko sighed, shrugging his shoulders. He hadn't thought that far into his life ━ the Avatar had always preoccupied every thought he had.

"What about Mai?" Jasmine asked, smiling. "You always had a crush on her."

Zuko's cheeks reddened as he cleared his throat. "I never had a crush on Mai."

"Do I need to remind you of the apple incident?"

"It was nothing," Zuko countered, growing redder as the moments passed. "Azula was trying to kill Mai and you didn't do anything to stop it."

Jasmine rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, Zuko. Azula has impeccable aim. She was doing it to mess with you."

Zuko thought about it for a moment, but ultimately sighed in the end. "It doesn't matter."

His face had fallen. He looked exhausted, but not from his lack of sleep. His amber eyes glistened for a moment, but then he blinked ━ all traces of his tears had vanished within a few moments. Jasmine sighed. "Everything okay?"

"I feel like I'm doing everything wrong..." Zuko confessed, letting out a deep sigh. "It's like the universe doesn't want me to succeed."

Jasmine hummed, listening to Zuko's words. "Perhaps, you're on the wrong path?" Jasmine suggested. "My mother used to say if nothing is going your way, it's time to choose another path."

"There is no other path," Zuko snapped, sending Jasmine a glare. His anger came rolling back, but he took in a deep breath to calm himself. "I need to focus on finding the Avatar, not some Waterbender."

"Katara?"

"No," Zuko said, shaking his head. "Someone else."

"Do you even know any other Waterbenders?" Jasmine asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know," Zuko shrugged. His skin was pale as he pulled his knees to his chest, looking like a frightened child. "I just remember seeing the Waterbender's red hair, a flash of lightning, and a bloodied dagger. I can hear Uncle Iroh shouting. I can hear your screams. But, then it goes silent. I remember seeing the girl's angry expression and her... rage. I always catch a glimpse of the moon that's stained red before I wake up."

Jasmine shuddered, trying to keep the image out of her head as she glanced up at the pale white moon. "I think it was just a nightmare, Zuko. Pretty ladies and blood moons sound like nightmare fuel for anyone. I wouldn't worry too much about it."

Zuko huffed, turning his back to Jasmine as he laid his head on his sleeping bag. "I should have never said anything. I'm going to bed."

Jasmine sighed, shaking her head. Perhaps, she had said something wrong. But, it was clear that Zuko was no longer in the mood to talk. "Alright, Zuko. Goodnight."

━ ━ ━

AT SOME POINT DURING THE NIGHT, Jasmine had fallen asleep. Her dreams were filled with whimsical nonsense of dancing dragons and flying people. It was strange, but Jasmine let it drift to the back of her mind when Zuko had woken her up bright and early.

The sun was barely peeking out from over the horizon, but it was enough to illuminate the path. Without a word, Jasmine packed up her sleeping back and attached it to the saddle on her rhino. Sleep still lingered in her system, but she reminded herself that her father was still counting on them to save him. She stole a glance at Zuko, noticing his nonchalant expression. "How did you sleep?" Jasmine asked, pulling herself up onto the rhino while Zuko did the same. "Did you dream about the Waterbender again?"

"No," Zuko replied. Too quickly for Jasmine's liking, but she didn't press the issue further. He cleared his throat, noticing her quizzical expression. "How did you sleep?"

"Sleeping on the ground sucks," Jasmine confessed, shrugging her shoulders. She began to follow the footprints still ingrained in the path. Hopefully, they would come across the Earthbenders and her father. She stole a glance back at Zuko. "I am never doing that again. I love my bed too much."

Zuko cracked a smile, nodding his head as he agreed with Jasmine's statement. "I miss my bed too," He said. "You were asleep when this happened, but a beetle worm crawled into my sleeping bag."

Jasmine laughed, shaking her head. "Aw, I guess the universe is out to get you, huh?"

"It seems so."

It fell into silence between the two of them, allowing them to follow the trail with complete focus. Thankfully, the footprints had not faded into oblivion over the night. Jasmine didn't care about anything else at the moment. She needed to find her father. But, she had to remind herself that her father wasn't an helpless old man. He was a Firebending Master for Spirits' sake. Jasmine had nothing to worry about. Right?

A loud roar sounded, causing the two teenagers to pause in their tracks as they looked back to see the familiar bison flying in the air. Jasmine took in a deep breath, lowering her gaze to face Zuko's shocked expression. "It's the Avatar," Zuko commented. For a moment, he unconsciously pulled his reins toward the bison but then, he stopped. He faced the trail that led to Iroh, choosing to follow it instead. Zuko glanced back. "Don't look so surprised."

"You're letting the Avatar go?" Jasmine asked, following Zuko down the path. It was a surprise to her, considering how obsessed her cousin was with finding the Avatar.

"For now," Zuko muttered, keeping his eyes glued to the tracks. His lips were drawn downward as he urged his rhino to move faster. "I can capture the Avatar another day, but Uncle Iroh needs our help now. I won't leave you to do it alone."

"Thank you," Jasmine whispered softly, giving him a small smile. It was reassuring to learn that Zuko did care about her and Iroh. Sometimes, it was hard to tell with Zuko constantly yelling at them.

"No need to thank me," Zuko replied. He was quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I don't say this often, but I do appreciate your help in regaining my honor. I don't think I would have made it this far if it wasn't for you or Uncle."

"It's what family is for, Zuko," Jasmine said, shrugging her shoulders. She would do it all again in a heartbeat. After all, family is meant to stick together through everything. She smiled. "You know, I never thought I would see the day where you would thank me for anything."

"Yeah, yeah, don't get used to it," he muttered, forcing his rhino to move faster so he was ahead of Jasmine. Zuko stole a glance at her, flashing her an uncharacteristic grin. "Wanna race?"

For a moment, Jasmine had flashbacks to when they were children the playful nature that Zuko once inhibited disappeared after what his father did. She smiled sadly, nodding her head. "Oh, you're so going down."

━ ━ ━

THE SUN WAS STARTING TO SET when the two teenagers came across the makeshift camp that the Earthbenders had set up. Her father was chained to a post made out of rock, but he didn't seem too bothered by the fact. In fact, he seemed to be peacefully sleeping. His snores echoed throughout the camp, reaching Jasmine and Zuko on the outskirts as well.

"I can see the Captain," Jasmine commented, pointing to a tent that was larger in size compared to the others. His armor was a darker shade of green and the gold that embellished his outfit was visible from a distance. He had the bearings of a Captain. "Should we take him out first or the others?"

Zuko hummed, thinking over Jasmine's question. "I think we should take care of the lookouts first," he countered, pointing toward the two men on either side of the camp that patrolled the perimeter. "The Captain is heavily guarded. But, the lookouts are cloaked by the darkness."

Jasmine nodded, agreeing with his plan. "Alright, you take the left one and I'll take the right one."

With that, the two teenagers were set in motion. Jasmine stayed low to the ground as she creeped her way through the dense shrubs. She could hear the soft tune that the Earthbender was humming as he stared up at the stars. The tune was familiar and Jasmine recognized it as one that one of the crew had sung during Music Night. He seemed to be at peace, causing Jasmine to pause. Sometimes, she couldn't help but notice how similar their enemies were to them. But, she wouldn't dwell on it. Jasmine crept forward, using a discarded knock to hit the man hard in the head. He fell to the ground with a loud thud, but no one was around to notice.

She sighed a breath of relief, moving forward to pull the man into the shrubs. He was still breathing, but Jasmine noticed the small trickle of blood that stained his hair. It wasn't enough to kill him, but it would be a major headache when he woke up. "Sorry," Jasmine whispered, feeling guilt flood her. "I'm trying to save my dad. I'm sure you'll understand."

The sound of a struggle caused Jasmine to freeze, but she quickly snapped out of it as she ran behind cover. Her eyes peeked inside the camp, watching as a few Earthbenders dragged her father by his chains toward a flat rock. What were they doing? Jasmine slowly moved forward, staying behind cover to make sure she wouldn't be spotted.

"You will no longer use these hands to cause pain," the Captain spoke, facing her father with a stern gaze. He stood tall and proud, towering over her father's kneeled position. He earthbended a massive rock overhead, positioning it over her father's exposed hands. "These dangerous hands must be crushed!"

Jasmine rushed forward, blasting a fireball toward the men that held her father in place. While she did that, Zuko jumped out of his hiding place to kick the boulder out of the way. He smashed Iroh's chains with the metal on his boot, freeing him from his captivity. To ensure his success, Jasmine used her firebending to keep the Earthbenders at bay.

"Ah, if it isn't my heroes," Iroh grinned, holding his chains in his hands. His face could be described as gleeful as he faced his daughter and nephew. "I must say, the training sessions are paying off."

Zuko looked back at Iroh. "You taught us well."

"Surrender yourselves!" the Captain ordered, glaring at the three as he and his men got into formation. "It's five against three. You're clearly outnumbered."

Jasmine's eyes flickered to her cousin and father, noticing the small smirks that danced across their lips. She pulled out the dagger from her boot, getting into her stance. It had been a week or so since her last fight and Jasmine was itching to get more training in. After all, these Earthbenders had no idea who they were up against.

"Yes," her father started, readjusting his chains to work in his favor, "but you are clearly outmatched."   

With those being the last words, the fight began. Jasmine ripped out her dagger from her boot, using it to deflect the small rocks that were thrown in her direction. She blasted a few rounds of fire toward the Earthbenders, watching as they scrambled away to avoid being burnt.

An oof escaped Jasmine's lips as someone grabbed her from behind, causing her to struggle against their tight grasp. Though, her struggle didn't last long when Zuko came running to kick the back of the man's knee. She smiled, giving him a nod. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Zuko nodded, returning to the fight. Though, he failed to notice the rock that was hurling towards the back of his head. Jasmine rushed forward, using her dagger to deflect it. Zuko gasped, looking back. He smirked. "Thanks."

Jasmine shrugged. "Don't mention it."

"Don't move!"

Jasmine looked to the source of the voice, realizing that the Captain had cornered her, Zuko, and Iroh. He raised a few large rocks with the intentions of crushing them, but her father was quicker as he threw his chains toward the Captain's legs. He pulled hard, causing the rocks to fall onto him and his men. Jasmine winced, listening to their groans from underneath the pile. They were still alive, but immobile for now. She tucked away her dagger, allowing herself to relax.

"Now, can you please put on some clothes?" Zuko asked, leading Iroh toward the forest where they had left the komodo rhinos. Her father was still dressed in his undergarments from when he was still at the hot springs, but he didn't seem to mind. Yet, he still graciously took the robe from his nephew. "How could you have allowed yourself to get captured?"

"Zuko..." Jasmine started, sending him a glare. But, her father seemed to have a response.

"I had simply grown tired of the constant bickering from the two of you," Iroh shrugged, tightening the robe's strings around his waist. "It was a pleasant change of scenery. Though, the tea they offered had specks of dirt in it."

Zuko sighed, shaking his head. He moved toward the komodo rhino, pulling off a small pouch that had been tied to saddle. "Here, you must be hungry."

"Oh, fire flakes," Iroh mused, popping a few in his mouth. He hummed in content. But, it didn't last as he stole a glance at his daughter. "Are you alright, Jasmine?"

Jasmine snapped out of her trance, realizing she had been staring for a few moments. "I..." She started softly, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. "I thought I lost you."

Iroh let out a soft sigh, moving forward to pull his daughter in for a tight hug. She rested her head on his shoulder, trying to keep the tears away. They had nothing to worry about. He was safe. She and Zuko had saved him. Iroh rubbed her back, hoping to provide her with some comfort. "I will never leave you, Jasmine. No matter what, I will always be with you."

Jasmine smiled, pulling away to stare at her father's warm eyes. "Promise?"

"I promise."

From a distance, Zuko had watched the scene unfold. He felt a tug at his heart, causing him to let out a deep sigh as he thought of his own father ━ the man who had never even gone out of his way to embrace him. No, he wouldn't think about it. His father would welcome him with open arms when he captured the Avatar. Zuko pushed the thoughts out of his mind as he faced his uncle and cousin. "Let's go. We have an Avatar to find."

♡

So... it has been 10 months since my last update. Where have I been? I don't even know to be honest, but I am here now! I have been inspired to write for this fic again because I recently rewatched the series! I have so much love for this book and the characters. Trust me, I will finish this book one day ━ even if it takes me a long time! I am not giving up! I love Jasmine and I want to give her the best!

Though, I have to admit ━ this chapter was not the best, but I needed to get past it! I feel like there were too many jump cuts and it is so messy. But, I hope you guys enjoyed this regardless! I have a feeling that the next chapter is going to be super action-packed! We'll be seeing Sokka again, hehe! and Zhao (ew). If only you guys knew why I hate him so much, but all in due time!

I, also, want to say thank you so much for 17K reads and all the love + support that all of you have shown for this story and Jasmine! It warms my heart to see your comments and votes. Thank you all for sparking my joy to write again. It means the world to me. ❤️

— AMARA
[ CHAPTER POSTED — 06.18.2020 ]