Zuko and I rode into the village on Jimbo. The villagers quickly noticed us, some even pulling their children to their sides. Once Lee noticed us from being tied to a wooden pole, he grinned, "Hey, there they are! I told you they'd come!" The soldiers stood up with their spears.

Zuko and I hopped off of Jimbo and I watched him take off his straw hat with a blank expression before averting my attention to the soldiers who blocked Lee.

As the soldiers, including Gow, slowly approached us, we did the same. "Let the kid go." Zuko demanded. Gow laughs before he sternly asks, "Who do you think you are? Telling us what to do?"

"It doesn't matter who I am, but I know who you are. You're not soldiers, you're bullies, freeloaders abusing your power. Mostly over women and kids. You don't want Lee in your army, you're sick cowards messing with a family who's already lost one son to the war."

Gow turned his head to his minions, "are you going to let this stranger stand there and insult you like this?!"

When I saw one of the soldiers point his spear toward Zuko, I opened my water skin. The soldier charges at Zuko, and using the water, I wrap it around the spear and yank it into my hands. I shake my head as the Soldier widens his eyes. As I push his spear to his chest, he let's go and Zuko knocks the soldier back with his sword's hilt.

I slightly smirk when the soldier runs away in fear. I cracked my knuckles, "What else you got for us?"

Another soldier yells while charging at us. Zuko ducks under the spear, then pushes the soldier to the floor with his hand planted on his head. He too runs away.

When the last one tries to 'sneakily' charge at me, I slide under his legs then kick behind them, making him fall to the floor on his knees. I create a thick whip and wrap it around his ankle. I roughly slid him back and he lands behind Gow. Once again, he runs off.

Gow then pulls out two large hammers from his belt and Zuko pulls out his dual swords. "You've helped enough. Get the kid."

I nodded and ran toward Lee. As I passed Gow, he began to throw boulders at me with his hammer while doing the same to Zuko. I swiftly dodged each one and I thought I was going to make it to Lee without a scratch.

However, instead of individual boulders, he blew two at me at the same time. I was only able to dodge one of them while the other one hit my side and threw me to the floor.

"Ruka!"

I winced as I started to slowly get up while holding my side. "I'm okay!" Once I finally reached Lee, I started to untie him. "I thought your name was Jade?"

"It is."

"But he called you Ruka."

I shook my head quickly, "No he didn't."

"Behind you!" Lee yells. I quickly turned around and gasp when Gow starts to throw quick blows at Zuko while he wasn't ready. But Zuko was barely able to break them with his swords.

I quicken my pace with untying the rope knots. There were several and some of them were tighter than others.

"Look!"

I turned around and widen my eyes. Zuko flew back and harshly landed on his back and head from being hit with an earth pillar. "Zuko!" I yell. I knew I couldn't take on Gow with the water in my water skin. So I immediately ran to Zuko and got on my knees.

I grit my teeth as Gow laughs maliciously. I put my hand under Zuko's head and lift it up. I start to run my hand down his face, "Come on Zuko. Get up."

I look down to his stomach - where he got hit - and thought that maybe there was a wound that needed healing.

I open his shirt and groan when there was only bruising. I start to shake him, "Get up Zuko! Get up!"

As Gow starts to walk toward us, I bring Zuko closer to me. "Get away from us."

"Looks like you and your boyfriend really need to learn a lesson." He smirked while picking up his hammers.

"Stop Gow! Not another st-!" When I saw Zuko open his eyes, I sighed in relief. But my relief only lasted a moment. I swear I saw flames in Zuko's eyes, something I've never seen before: it honestly scared me. I backed away from him and as he gripped the handles of his swords, I ran to Lee.

When I hear Zuko yell, I turn my head over my shoulder. Zuko unleashed a blast of fire that sent Gow back. I quickly turned my head back to Lee who carried a look of horror.

"It's okay Lee, just look at me." I forced a noticeable fake smile. When Lee kept his attention on Zuko, I grabbed his face and made him face me. "Focus on me. We're going to get you out of these ropes and you can go with your mom and ha! Look at that," The ropes that once tied the boy to the pole had now fallen on the floor. "You're free, now let's take you to your mom."

I grabbed onto his hand and ran to where his mother and other villagers stood with the same look Lee carried.

Sela hugs her son tightly while I avert my attention back to Zuko and Gow.

Gow was now lying in a pile of debris. He winced as he looked up to Zuko, "Who are you?"

"My name is Zuko! Son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai," Zuko placed his swords back into their sheath. "Prince of the Fire Nation and air to the throne!"

The villagers whispered to each other with shocked faces. Until one old

man said, "Liar! I heard of you! You're not a prince, you're an outcast! His own father burned and disowned him!"

I scoffed, "So what! We could all hate him because of obvious reasons or you could spirits forbid say thank you! He's helped you people out more than that man will ever do." I pointed to Gow who was still under the debris. I looked over to Sela, "Sela, he fought for your son!... I have traveled with Zuko for a couple months now and I wouldn't be here if I didn't see the barely noticeable big heart he has. There's good in people and trust me when I say there's good in him!"

The same old man completely ignored what I said, "Then that makes you a traitor too!"

"If you weren't old, I'd show you what a traitor really is." I gritted while holding up my fist. Zuko shook his head in dismay while putting my fist down. I frowned as I then watched him walk over to Sela and Lee.

The mother stepped in front of her son to block him from Zuko, "Not a step closer."

I sighed and looked away.

"It's yours, you should have it."

"No! I hate you!"

When I peaked over my shoulder and saw them walking away, I leaned down next to Zuko and placed my hand on his back, "Let's go."

He nodded and stood up and I followed him to Jimbo. He placed on his straw hat before getting on Jimbo then helping me up. As we rode out of the village, I looked down so I wouldn't see the faces the villagers had.

A few moments passed when Zuko finally broke the silence between us, "Did you... did you really mean what you said?"

"Yes."

"...oh."

I sighed as I reached over Zuko and pulled Jimbo's reigns. When he stopped, I hopped off of him then pulled on Zuko's arm. He looked down at me, "What?"

"Get off."

Zuko huffed as he did. Once he was off, I wrapped my arms around him and embraced him in a hug. "What are you...?"

"Just hug me back."

Zuko hesitantly did and we stayed like that until the sun went down.

sorry for the such the long wait but will this long chapter make it up? AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Thank you for the support! Until next time (: