Chapter Text
I looked up when the door opened. Prince Zuko seemed upset about something. I silently rushed over to do my duties. He waved me away without sparing me a glance. I nodded and left the chambers.
I knew what had made him upset. He was supposed to sit in a war meeting today with his father. I knew how hard it was to withstand the firelord. He was unbearable. I hated that man deeply but as he was the only reason I was alive, I never did anything against him.
"Ah, Yumi, I've been looking for you." Iroh smiled to me.
I looked to him, showing he had my attention. It's what I always did. I haven't spoken since I was six years old. Everyone at the palace who knew of my existence knew I didn't speak but only two people knew why. Iroh and Ozai.
"I would like to ask for your help in the kitchen." Iroh explained. I smiled knowing what he wanted before following him to the kitchen.
It was kept a palace secret that I was a waterbender. Iroh seemed to favor my cooking simply because of what I could do with my waterbending while cooking. He would often seek me out to request I make something for him.
The two of us were in the kitchen for several hours. I was comfortable around Iroh. He was the one who taught me how to communicate using my hands. He was a very kind man. So different from his brother who never once cared to try and communicate with me. Zuko had learned pretty quickly after I became his assistant. He said he learned because he wanted to be able to know what I was trying to say.
Zuko knew I was a waterbender. Everyone in the palace did. And there were rumors that I was the avatar. Afterall, my parentage was no secret. I was descended from the southern water tribe. But there was no bending from them in six generations. And then my father was a fire nation general. He was a strong firebender and never meant to have me. Many people in the palace seemed unnerved by me being a waterbender and decided to spread a rumor that I was the Avatar. But Ozai never seemed to believe these rumors. Considering he would likely have no issues trying to find out if I was the avatar, I was sure he thought the rumors were just lies.
When I left the kitchen, there was a lot of commotion. I turned to Iroh to ask what was going on.
He looked sadly towards me. "Zuko was punished harshly."
He used sign instead of speaking. This meant I wasn't supposed to know the information as only those who interacted regularly with me knew how to sign.
"Why?" I asked.
"Zuko spoke out of turn during the meeting earlier and embarrassed his father." Iroh explained.
Iroh and I went to where Zuko was. I paused when I saw the injury. A large fresh burn covered his left eye spanning back to his ear. Nurses were working on the burn. I was about to use the water basin to heal him with my bending but Iroh grabbed my wrist to stop me before signing no with his opposite hand.
"Why not? I can lessen the scar it will leave." I signed. Iroh sighed.
"Zuko will have to live with this reminder. You lessening the appearance of the scar this will leave will only anger Ozai." He signed.
I nodded my understanding.
For the next week I stood silently in Zuko's room as he recovered. Zuko didn't acknowledge me during that time. He seemed to just sit in his self pity. Once he was better, Firelord Ozai requested Zuko's presence.
When he came back something was very different about him. He was more agitated than normal. I kept myself out of his way as he paced around the room. I was afraid of fire. And it was involuntary for me to react cautiously to an upset firebender. After having to watch my father kill my mother after he discovered I was a waterbender, I learned to always stay out of the way of an angry firebender.
"Yumi, tell me why you are looking at me like some monster?" Zuko looked to me, stopping his pacing.
I nervously explained that I didn't want to be in his way while he was so angry. Zuko let out a heavy sigh.
"Do you view the fire nation as your home?" Zuko asked. I shook my head no quickly. Zuko smiled but quickly stopped himself. "Father has banished me from the fire nation. I will have to find the avatar to be able to return. He told me I could take you with me." Zuko explained.
I nodded quickly. I would do anything to leave the fire nation. Zuko smiled. Then something hit me. But I was sure it was nothing big. The rumors were that I was the Avatar. Yet I was being sent with Zuko who was tasked with finding the Avatar for him to return home.