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Chapter Text

Zuko was awoken by the sound of angry voices and approaching footsteps. He bolted up, searching desperately in the darkness for the source of the noise. He could hear at least three dozen people, maybe more. 

“Wake up! Wake up!” He shook his uncle’s shoulders frantically. Why did he have to be such a heavy sleeper? “I think they’re onto us!”

“Huh?” Iroh lifted his head groggily. 

“I hear a group of people outside. I think we’re in trouble,” Zuko tried to contain his frustration to a whisper. 

His uncle’s eyes widened and he began silently packing his things. Zuko peered through a small crack in the door of the cellar where they were hiding. A mass of people approached them on the narrow cobblestone street, torches blazing in the faint light of early dawn. 

Zuko heard their voices growing nearer:

“Where are they?”

“Who saw them last?”

“What would a prince be doing here in Tomari?”

They were definitely in trouble. Zuko lit a small flame between his fingers and led his uncle to the opposite side of the cellar, away from the street, careful not to trip over the countless bottles of chestnut wine stacked throughout the cramped space. Iroh and Zuko slowly pulled open the back door, careful not to let the hinges creak, and crawled out of the cellar. 

A torrent of cold wind immediately hit Zuko. He tried to ignore his discomfort as he crawled the small distance from the back of the building to the dense woods that expanded behind it. He could hear the voices on the other side of the house ringing with anger and anticipation. The villagers wanted him dead.

As soon as Zuko and Iroh reached the tree line, they stood up and sprinted, eager to put some distance between themselves and the mob. Soon, the ground in front of them began to rise, and they started ascending the mountain overlooking the town. Both men heaved as they climbed up the rugged terrain, cold air burning their lungs. 

Once Tomari was long out of sight, Iroh stopped and put a hand on Zuko’s arm. 

“I think we’re far enough away now.” He held out his hand and produced a small flame, allowing them to see their surroundings. The sun was slowly rising, but the thick canopy of trees kept them submerged in semi-darkness. Zuko tried to look up at the mountain peak, but it was obscured by low-hanging clouds.

“Put your things on,” Iroh directed, reaching into his own bag and pulling out his hat and scarf, “We can’t risk weakening our bending now.”

Zuko nodded and began wrapping himself in the many layers of koala sheep wool he had packed with him.

“Where are we going? We can’t go back to Tomari.”

“Over the mountain,” Iroh responded casually.

“Are you insane? In the middle of winter?”

“What other choice do we have? Besides, I’ve always wanted to see Mount Okha. There’s a legend that Oki, a famous philosopher and writer, lives on the mountain, finding inspiration in its beauty.”

“Now isn’t the time to worry about your stupid writers,” Zuko snapped, “We could have died back there! How did those people find us out?”

“This peninsula was one of the first Earth Kingdom territories colonized by Fire Lord Sozin. I imagine the people here are much more aware of what happens in Imperial City and have much more reason to dislike us.”

“Well, the occupying Fire Nation battalion has probably heard all about us by now,” Zuko sighed, “We probably have two armies after us.”

“All the more reason to go over the mountain. No one will dare follow us here in winter.”

Zuko rolled his eyes but had to admit his uncle was right. Being a fugitive from the Fire Nation and hated by everyone else left them no other option. 

They marched onward, too tired for conversation, until the forest gave way to the harsh, snow-covered slope of the mountain. The snow came up to past their ankles and the frigid wind whipped relentlessly at their exposed eyes and noses.

As the sun rose higher, their progress became even slower and they struggled to keep their footing on the steep, icy incline of the mountain. Iroh, older and heavier than Zuko, panted desperately with each step. The terrain was increasingly treacherous, with ice and snow combining to form an unstable surface. Zuko led his uncle onward, showing him where to step so that he wouldn’t lose his balance. The peak was still nowhere in sight and ominous dark clouds grew closer to the pair. 

“I’m not as young as you, nephew. I don’t think I can keep up,” Iroh panted.

“You have to.” Zuko reached into his bag and pulled out a rope, tying it around his waist. He tossed the free end down to his uncle. “Use this, I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

Iroh tied the rope around him and Zuko began trekking forward again. Only a few minutes later, it began to snow. Not a light, fluffy snow, but a dense, thick, overwhelming snow that almost completely obscured their vision. 

“I’ll go slower now, okay?” Zuko called back, barely able to see Iroh only a few feet behind him.

“Just be careful,” Iroh’s exhausted voice called back. He sounded weak, at least a decade older than he was. 

Hours passed by, although it was impossible to tell with the snow blocking the sun. Zuko hoped that they were following the correct path. He knew they were headed upward, be he had no idea what sort of obstacles lay ahead or how long it would take to reach the peak.

Zuko squinted against the harsh onslaught of snow as they came to a particularly steep ridge. As he stepped forward, he felt a violent pull against his abdomen and heard a frightened yell. Instinctually, he grabbed the rope, turning back to see his uncle’s form face-down in the snow.

“Uncle!” he called, frantically scrambling to reach Iroh. He rolled him over onto his back. 

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” Iroh winced. But Zuko could see the large gash on his knee. He must have hit it when he stumbled. Blood oozed out and stained the snow around it. His injury wouldn’t be fatal, but it would definitely make walking any further very difficult. 

“Don’t worry. It’s just a cut.”

“It looks bad. You can’t continue in this snowstorm. It’s too dangerous.”

“But we can’t stay here. It’s far too cold.”

Zuko paused for a moment, desperate for a solution. Then he began rubbing his hands together frantically.

“Don’t even think about it!” Iroh warned, “The last thing we need is to be caught firebending.”

“No one is up here! We’re the only two idiots crazy enough to try mountain climbing in a blizzard!” 

Zuko extended his hands and blasted fire onto the ground, melting a narrow path into the snow. 

“Come on. Wrap your arm around me and put your weight on your good leg. I’m not letting us freeze to death out here.”

Iroh reluctantly complied. Zuko led them slowly forward, melting the snow in front of them so that they could walk easily. He enjoyed the feeling of the flames spewing from his palms, warmth radiating up his arms. He also felt relieved to let his frustration out, to destroy the snow that had gotten in his way all day. Of course, it wasn’t just the weather that frustrated Zuko. He was livid that he had to be on the run at all, that his family had betrayed him, that the Avatar had escaped him, and that he had to live like a peasant, traveling from town to depressing town. 

They managed to walk about half a mile before Iroh grew weaker, requiring Zuko to stop firebending and use both hands to support him. The pain and exhaustion were becoming too much for Iroh, who moaned in pain each time his injured leg brushed against Zuko’s.

“Lean on me more. I can carry you,” Zuko grunted, although he wondered how much longer he could realistically drag them both through the snow. The sky was already growing darker and nighttime would soon plunge the mountain into complete darkness. This whole situation was starting to remind him of his failed attempt to capture the Avatar at the North Pole.

“What’s that?” Iroh gasped, pointing to their left.

Zuko paused to listen. He heard a strange noise, an animalistic grunt, but he couldn’t tell where it was coming from. Then, he heard a voice.

“Hello? Is someone there?”

“Hello!” Iroh called back. Zuko swore under his breath. 

A woolly elk emerged from the white haze of snow, its hot breath rising in milky plumes of steam. The creature was massive, at least five feet tall at the shoulder, and it was covered in dense, brown wool. Zuko had heard of such creatures but had never seen one before. It moved through the snow with ease, seemingly unfazed by the icy slopes or rocky terrain. It had several large bundles strapped to it's back. What could they possibly be caring up here?

Then another figure emerged, a person, around Iroh’s height, bundled in dense layers of ornately embroidered leather and fur. The person's face was obscured by a balaclava and snow goggles, and they held a lantern in one hand. 

“What are you two doing up here?” The voice was stern, but sounded surprisingly young.

“We got lost.” Iroh shrugged, offering his most charming smile.

“I’d say so. You picked a bad day for it, too. This blizzard is deadly.”

“Then why are you out here?” Zuko asked suspiciously.

“I had to finish a delivery and pick up supplies. Hey, did you all see someone else up here? Further down the mountain, I saw a path that looked like it was burned right into the snow.”

“No, we haven’t seen anyone besides you. Maybe some Fire Nation soldiers got lost, too,” Iroh chuckled. 

The stranger didn’t laugh. 

“What happened to you?” They motioned to the gash on Iroh's leg.

“I fell. But I’m okay now.”

“It looks bad. You need to get some rest.”

“He’ll be fine,” Zuko interjected.

The stranger shook their head. “You can’t stay out on the mountain past curfew. My cabin is just another half mile away; you can stay with me for the night. I’ll lead you down the mountain once the snow stops.”

“No-”

“Thank you! What a kind mountaineer!” Iroh cut Zuko off. 

The mountaineer reached down and removed the ice cleats tied to the bottom of their shoes, offering them to Iroh. 

“These look a bit small for your feet, but they should make walking much easier.”

Iroh bowed and gratefully accepted the offer.

“Here.” The stranger extended a rope to Zuko, “Tie this around your waist.”

Zuko sighed but complied. He hated the thought of trusting a stranger, but a quick glance at Iroh’s knee confirmed that they needed a place to stay for the night. His injury had already swollen significantly, even in the icy temperatures, and Zuko doubted he could carry his uncle the rest of the way on his own.

The group trudged through the sheets of snow blanketing the mountain, Iroh holding onto Zuko for support as the group slowly but steadily approached the summit. By the time they finally arrived at the cabin, the sun had nearly set, cooling the air further. Between the frigid temperatures, lack of sleep, and overwhelming exhaustion, Zuko was too eager for the warmth of the cabin to hesitate about entering a stranger's home.

As they stepped into the stone structure, the mountaineer took off their boots and removed their balaclava, revealing a pair of deep brown braids wrapped around the crown of her head. 

“I’m Hana, by the way.” She bowed as she spoke. 

“What a lovely young lady! My name is Mushi and this is my nephew, Lee.” Iroh bowed back.

Zuko rolled his eyes.

Chapter Text

“So this is the living room,” Hana motioned to the large central room with a fire pit in the middle. “It’s also where I do most cooking. My bedroom is there, and the spare room, where you’ll sleep, is on the opposite side. The bath is around the back, next to the coop. That’s it really.”

As the group took off their boots and stepped into the living room, Zuko examined the home. It was small, but he imagined that made it easier to keep warm. The floor and walls were made of dark granite, presumably from the mountain. Animal hides covered the floors and the walls were decorated with tapestries that looked at least a hundred years old. The whole place smelled of cedar and smoke. It was undoubtedly shabby, but Zuko had to admit that the warm space was especially inviting after hours in the cold. 

Hana scurried around, lighting the fire, filling a kettle with water, and pulling more blankets out from a chest next to the wall. Zuko helped Iroh sit down on a mat next to the fire and examined his injury more closely. It looked painful, red, and swollen, but his uncle had survived worse. Hopefully, they could leave as soon as this snowstorm ended. 

He looked up to see Hana emerge from what must have been the cellar, her arms heavy with cloth. She looked quite different now that she had removed her many layers of winter clothing, wearing only loose pants and a tunic. Her skin was pale, except for the patches of pink on her round cheeks, which seemed permanently flushed against the cold. Her face was round, punctuated by almond-shaped eyes the color of moss, and she had a broad, flat nose. Zuko thought the best word to describe her was soft- compared to the warrior women he had met in his travels, she looked less lean and mean, more gentle and reserved. 

“I’m not sure any of these will fit you, but they’re the only robes I have. You shouldn’t wear wet clothes in this weather.”

Zuko looked down. She was right, the snow that had covered him had begun melting, soaking his clothes. He would never get warm like this. 

“Thank you, my dear. I think a warm bath and some fresh clothes will heal what ails me,” Iroh grinned, accepting the robes from her. 

Zuko bowed and followed his uncle, eager to wash away the misery of the day.

The bath was located in a small wooden hut attached to the cabin.

“Today’s our lucky day!” Iroh exclaimed as he pushed open the door. How could anyone possibly consider today lucky? We almost died!  

But Zuko couldn’t resist a smile as he entered behind his uncle. The bath was a natural hot spring, steaming hot despite the frigid temperature of the air. Both men eagerly stripped and sank into the water, sighing at the warmth spreading through their bodies. 

“I feel better already,” Iroh sighed.

“Good, that means we can leave first thing in the morning.”

“Why so eager to leave? This place is quite charming and we could use some rest.”

“Are you serious? As soon as the snow stops, those Fire Nation soldiers could come looking for us. We need to get to the other side of the mountain, to Shumsu, where we can get more supplies and be on our way.”

“Why don’t you enjoy Mount Okha first? This mountain has a very unique history and few people ever get to climb it as we have.”

“What’s there to enjoy? A bunch of snow and some peasant’s cramped little hut?”

“Some peasant? That girl saved our lives. Besides, I thought a young man like you would be a little more excited to be snowed with a lady like that. I couldn’t help but notice she was quite lovely.”

“I should have left you back on the slopes.” Zuko rolled his eyes, but he didn’t have much strength left to argue. Instead, he spent the rest of his bath trying to relax and savor the warmth of the spring water. 

_____

They reentered the cabin wrapped in the thick, wool robes, which were surprisingly large. They must not have belonged to Hana originally. 

Zuko entered the living room to see their clothes drying by the fire while Hana heated some sort of stew. It smelled incredible. 

“Dinner should be ready soon. Would you like some tea first?”

“You read my mind.” Iroh beamed. 

Hana retrieved several small cups and a kettle that had been hanging above the fire. As she carefully poured the hot liquid, Zuko noticed an unfamiliar scent fill his nose. 

She handed tea to both of them. Iroh inhaled deeply and then looked at her in surprise.

“Is this yarrow tea?”

“It is,” Hana nodded. “We harvest the flowers every spring. It’s an old tradition.”

“Lee, you should try this! Yarrow tea is hard to find. The flowers are very delicate and only grow next to mountain streams.”

“Whatever,” Zuko sneered, reluctantly sipping the tea.

“Tell us, what is a young lady like yourself doing all the way up here alone?”

“I'm just continuing my family’s work. I keep Okha condors in that coop around back and I harvest the eggs to sell in the villages in the valley.”

“Okha condors! I haven’t had one of those eggs in years! They’re as big as a head of cabbage and have a delightful flavor,” Iroh responded, turning to Zuko in excitement. Zuko never understood why his uncle had to ask so many questions or get so excited over such inconsequential things.

“Yes, they’re considered quite a delicacy in the Fire Nation. I have to travel down to the mountain at once a week to sell them; otherwise, they’ll spoil before they can be shipped.”

“And you make this journey all alone?”

“Yes,” she nodded sadly, motioning to a small shrine in the corner, "My father used to accompany me, but unfortunately, he passed away a few years ago in a rock slide.”

“I’m so sorry,” Iroh frowned. Zuko glanced at the portrait on the shrine. Her father had a strong, handsome face with a thick beard and piercing eyes. He looked like a force of nature himself. Zuko imagined one would have to be tough to trek up and down the mountain regularly, especially in the winter months. He wondered if Hana was perhaps stronger than she appeared.

“How did you two get so lost? Not many people come up this way in winter,” Hana inquired.

“We’re trying to get to Shumsu, on the East side of the mountain. We didn’t want to hire a guide because it was so expensive. My uncle and I were going there to… visit my sister. She just had a baby.”

“Where are you from?” She didn’t seem completely convinced by his fib and Zuko couldn’t blame her. Who would climb a mountain in a snowstorm just to see a baby?

“Gaipan.” 

“Wow, you’ve traveled quite far.”

“But it’s all been worth it to share a delicious tea with a beautiful young lady,” Iroh interjected with his most charming smile. 

“Oh, Mushi, please let me dress your wound.” Hana squatted down next to him, carefully examining his knee. Then, she pulled out some bandages and gently wrapped the wound, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Zuko realized his uncle was right- she was rather pretty. As the fire illuminated her face, he noticed a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose and the long lashes that framed her eyes. When she smiled, dimples formed in each of her round cheeks.

“So your family has been here a long time?” Iroh ventured. 

“Yes, many generations.”

“Do you know of Oki, the philosopher? I'm a huge admirer of his writing. Just a few months ago, I read a very interesting new scroll of his about the necessity of colonies to have self-determination.”

“I’ve heard of him,” Hana responded curtly.

“Is it true that he lives on Mount Okha? He must be over a hundred years old at this point.”

“I don’t know. I’ve heard he lives up here, but I’ve never seen him.”

“Uncle, why are you suddenly so worried about this writer?” Zuko interrupted, "Besides, there's no way an old man could live in these conditions."

“Pardon my nephew; he's not very well-read. You think he would have greater admiration for a writer whose work has inspired so many despite being banned. Why, it seems his writing has been smuggled to every corner of the world, but my nephew is too hot-headed to care. You, on the other hand, I bet you're a very intellectual young woman. I wouldn't be surprised if you knew his work quite well.”

Hana’s hands stilled and she winced slightly.

"Oh, I don't have time for all that philosophy nonsense. I'm busy enough keeping this place up and running. Speaking of which, it looks like the stew is ready.” Hana got up and walked to the pot. Her movements seemed stiff. Zuko worried that she was suspicious of them. Their lies hadn’t been very convincing and she had seen the burnt tracks in the snow. He dismissed his fears. If she knew who they were, she wouldn’t be serving them dinner and letting them stay in her home. And if she found out… well, it was only the three of them up there. She would be easy to silence. 

Chapter Text

Zuko pulled himself out of a deep and much-needed slumber before dawn. He wanted to get a better idea of exactly who Hana was. He crept out of the room he shared with Iroh, listening carefully for any signs of movement. He crossed the cabin and put an ear to her door, relieved to hear the heavy breathing indicative of deep sleep. 

The cabin was dark and Zuko lit a small fire in his palm to help him see. Snowdrifts piled up to the windows and more continued to fall from the steel gray clouds. They would not be able to head down the mountain today. Zuko gritted his teeth. He didn’t have time to waste- he needed to continue tracking the Avatar.

He looked around the cabin, but there was nothing of interest- a bunch of old tools, stockpiles of grains, some scrolls of poetry. Zuko decided he should check outside. If she was hiding something, it would likely be somewhere her guests wouldn’t venture. He slipped out the door as quietly as possible and headed to the condor coop, which was thankfully only a few feet from the cabin.

Zuko slid open the door to the coop and was relieved to see the condor hens asleep, huddled together for warmth. The birds were huge, covered in iridescent black feathers, and they smelled like rotting meat. They had sharp hooked beaks that looked capable of pecking through rock. Needless to say, Zuko wanted to be nowhere near them.

He was about to close the door and leave the stinking coop when he noticed a handle under the hay covering the floor. With extreme caution, he knelt and pulled open the hatch, afraid of waking the massive birds. He covered his mouth to stifle a gasp. There were dozens and dozens of scrolls stacked under the floor.

He lifted a handful and tucked them under his arm, hurrying back to the cabin.

Once back in the bedroom, he unfurled one, then another. They were all copies of Oki’s writings. One was about the evils of colonization and another was a call for global unity. 

Why did she have all these treasonous scrolls? Was she simply a fan of Oki? 

Then the answer hit him like a tidal wave. Iroh said Oki lived in these mountains and his work was still being widely distributed. It was her. Hana was spreading his writing. She was using the remote cabin to make copies of his work and shipping them out through the port in Shumsu. She wasn’t just some peasant girl; she was part of the resistance to Fire Nation occupation. And she could easily get them both killed.

Did she know who they were? Surely, if she did, she wouldn’t be hosting them. Then again, it could be a trap. Maybe she planned to ambush them in the morning. Regardless, Zuko knew he had to keep his guard up and ensure she didn’t tell anyone else about their visit.

He frantically grabbed Iroh’s shoulders, shaking him awake.

“What do you have against a good night's sleep?” He groaned, reluctantly opening his eyes.

“Look at these!” Zuko shoved the scrolls in his uncle's face, “She does know about Oki. She was hiding these in the coop!”

“Why were you digging around her stuff?” Iroh said, inspecting the scrolls.

“I don’t trust her.”

“She fed us and sheltered us. She seems like a good person.”

“But she has dozens of these scrolls! She must be printing and smuggling them.”

“Maybe she just likes to read,” Iroh shrugged, “Besides, even if she is smuggling banned scrolls, that doesn’t mean she’s a threat to us.”

“If she figures out who we are, she could rat us out to the villagers or worse- the Fire Nation army!”

“If! But as long as we are courteous guests and don’t slip up, she’ll have no reason to suspect us. She’s been nothing but friendly so far. Besides, there’s no way we’ll find our way down the mountain without her.”

His uncle had a point. Zuko tried to calm his panicking mind. Hana likely suspected nothing. And just because she liked some philosopher didn’t mean she was out to hunt down firebenders.

“How is your leg?” Zuko asked.

“I won’t know until I change the bandages, but I don’t feel too much pain.” 

Zuko was relieved to hear that at least that obstacle had resolved itself.

_____

After a few hours had passed and dawn had broken, Zuko walked into the living room to pick up their clothes from next to the fire and was surprised to see that Hana was already up. She was hunched over a bag, carefully sowing.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning,” she responded, “Should I make us some breakfast?”

Zuko nodded and went back to the bedroom, eager to change into his normal clothes. The robe, despite its heavy wool material, still made him feel oddly exposed.

He and Iroh emerged a few minutes later, now fully dressed and ready for breakfast. 

“Mushi, it seems like you need your strength, so I’ve prepared something special for you and your nephew.” Hana presented them with a large plate. A massive golden omelet sat atop a mountain of rice and barley. 

“An Okha condor egg omelet! You are far too kind. These eggs are your livelihood,” Iroh said as he marveled at the dish.

She smiled and looked down, “You’re my guests. It’s only right.”

Zuko was surprised by this gesture. She was clearly trying to please them, and he couldn’t be mad about that, even if her actions were based on fear or deception. He hadn’t had a delicacy like this in ages. 

He tucked into the omelet, which was far richer and heartier than any he had tasted before. It seemed to melt in his mouth.

“Thank you. This is really good,” Zuko offered, trying to be a decent guest. Uncle Iroh was right; if they were going to be trapped, he might as well make the most of it.

----

After breakfast, Iroh went back to their room to rest. Zuko offered to help Hana with her chores. He figured it would be a good way to keep an eye on her. While she harvested the eggs (a task she insisted she do on her own so that Zuko wouldn’t startle the birds) he went to chop more firewood. The snowfall had slowed a bit but was still heavy enough to limit his vision. The cold wind, blowing incessantly down the side of the mountain, froze him to his core. He chopped the wood aggressively, taking hurried, wide swings in an effort to stay warm and work off his nervous energy. 

Hana stopped by to help him carry the wood inside. Watching her pick up a pile of wood and haul it through the cabin, he realized she wasn’t as weak as he had thought. Her softness obscured a quiet strength, a ruggedness he imagined was necessary to survive alone in such conditions. 

Once they had finished carrying in the wood, Hana asked him to join her in a series of other tasks- feeding the whoolly elk, retrieving more flour from the cellar, and cleaning the pots and pans. He gleaned a few facts about her from the small talk they exchanged as they worked: she would turn eighteen in the spring, she had never seen the ocean, and she wanted to go back to school if she ever got the chance.

“Okay, one last thing,” Hana sighed as she dried the last pan. “Can you help me make the dumplings for tonight's dinner?”

“Sure,” Zuko responded instinctually before remembering that he had never cooked in his life. “Actually, can you show me how you do it? I, uh, don’t know how you like them.”

Hana raised an eyebrow but motioned for him to stand next to her. He watched as she began kneading the dough together and preparing the filling. Once the ingredients were ready, she showed him how to make the dumplings, scooping the filling into a circle of dough and pinching it closed with her fingers. 

Zuko tried to replicate her actions, but his first attempt had too much filling. He tried again, but the crimping on the dough was sloppy and uneven, causing it to tear. He tossed his head back in frustration. 

“You need to change your grip. You’re too aggressive,” Hana offered, leaning in closer to him. She took his hand and showed him how to pinch the dough without tearing or twisting it. Zuko’s cheeks turned pink. Her hand was much smaller than his and the pads of her fingers were calloused but gentle. With her body so close to his, he caught her scent for the first time- wood and leather and honey. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this close to someone outside of hand-to-hand combat. 

“Try again.” Hana let go of his hand.

Zuko grunted and attempted another dumpling, eager to get such distracting thoughts out of his head. The last thing he needed to do was get attached to this peasant girl, especially if she was a potential threat to his safety. 

This time, he was able to crimp the dough in a neat pattern, forming a respectable dumpling. He glanced up to see Hana working twice as fast as him, her hands moving rhythmically to assemble the dumplings.

“You’re really good at this,” Zuko mumbled.

“Thanks. It keeps my hands busy in the winter when I can’t leave this stupid cabin.”

“You don’t like it up here?”

Hana paused for a second to think.

“I don’t like winter up here. This place is completely different when the snow melts. It’s covered in grass and wildflowers. It’s so colorful. There are always birds singing and animals wandering around. I spend all summer outside swimming and hiking. But during the winter, I can’t stray too far without the risk of getting lost or being hit by an avalanche.”

“Avalanche? Are those common?”

“More common every year. The Fire Nation started mining on the other side of the valley and the explosions rattle the whole place. They’ve only stopped today because of the snow.”

Zuko frowned. Of course the Fire Nation was responsible. The more he traveled, the more it seemed that his nation was responsible for all the world’s ills, destroying everything they touched. 

“What’s it like where you’re from?” Hana asked, looking up to meet his eyes. 

“Oh, well, there are lots of woods. Huge, ancient trees. It’s quite nice, although the Fire Nation mines there too.”

“Hm. All that destruction just so they can kill more people.”

She’s not wrong. 

“I wish I could live somewhere like this,” Zuko found himself speaking the words without realizing what he was saying, “Away from the world. No one bothering me.”

“It can be nice,” Hana shrugged, “It can be lonely too.”

Zuko sensed she was trying to keep her distance from him. Her responses were polite but curt and she seemed reluctant to divulge too much about herself.

“You can be lonely even when you’re surrounded by people.”

“That’s true." Hana paused to examine him closely. Zuko knew he shouldn’t attract her attention more than necessary, but he liked the feeling of her eyes on him. 

_____

As the hazy daylight began to wane, Zuko and Iroh awoke from a long afternoon nap. They decided it was time for another bath before dinner. Zuko gasped when he began removing his uncle's bandages. A nasty infection had set in. The wound was swollen and had turned purple and green. Zuko didn’t know what to do; he had no knowledge of first aid. In a panic, he called Hana’s name. 

She hurried into the room. 

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s his knee. I think it’s infected.”

Hana knelt down to examine it, wincing at the sight of the wound. 

“It’s infected all right.”

“How did you not feel this?” Zuko exclaimed at his uncle.

“Don’t blame him. He’s got signs of frostbite here as well. The torn fabric must have exposed his knee to the cold and now he can’t feel it," Hana said.

“What should we do? I doubt you can get a doctor up here.”

Hana frowned, “There’s a plant that grows up here, frost fir, and its bark can be used to make a poultice that heals infections. I can get some for you, but it’s quite a hike to the woods and it’s too dangerous in this snow. Do you think you can wait until tomorrow?”

“I think so,” Iroh sighed, “At least I’m not in pain.”

“I’ll come with you,” Zuko offered, “I want to help my uncle.”

“Okay,” Hana sounded hesitant, “But we’ll have to leave as soon as the snow stops.”

Zuko was pleased. It was true that he wanted to help her find the cure for his uncle’s injury, but he also wanted to make sure she didn’t sneak away and tell anyone about them. 

Hana left so she could finish preparing dinner while Zuko and Iroh bathed. Zuko entered the living room sometime later, warm and clean, happy to see a platter of potato dumplings and fried jackelope. 

“This looks heavenly!” Iroh exclaimed.

“I’m glad the infection hasn’t affected your appetite,” Hana chuckled. 

They sat down to eat, enjoying the delicious meal by the warm fire. Iroh told tales of his many travels around the Earth Kingdom, including the time he hallucinated after drinking cactus juice. 

Zuko watched Hana laugh at Iroh's stories, her cheeks rosy with delight. He like how big her smile was, how she tossed her head back when she laughed, waves of dark hair falling down her back. 

He wondered if she too had studied his face by the firelight, if she noted anything she liked about it. Zuko doubted it; most people seemed not to notice much beyond his scar. And what would it matter if Hana thought he was handsome or interesting? Everything she thought she knew about him was a lie. 

Depite the light hearted mood, Zuko still worried that Hana suspected he was from the Fire Nation. She seemed oddly at ease around them. He coudn't read her well; She was so different from the girls back home, who had the rigidity and formality beaten into them by the Fire Nation’s most elite academies. They would never be so casual in his company, and they certainly wouldn't speak as bluntly as she did. 

“Hey Lee, you want some chestnut wine to wash down dinner?” Hana's voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Sure!” 

She opened an old wooden chest, revealing large bottle of wine and a set of four ceramic cups. She poured everyone a cup and passed them around. 

“To Mushi’s knee!” Hana toasted and the other two chuckled as they echoed her words and raised their drinks. 

Zuko took a long sip of the sweet, nutty wine. He felt the warmth of the alcohol fill his veins, bathing him in a pleasant buzz. 

“Hana, our gracious host, it would be my honor to play for you,” Iroh offered, “I saw a pipa in the corner earlier.”

“Please do,” Hana chuckled. 

Zuko brought Iroh the instrument and he began eagerly plucking away folk songs he had learned while traveling the Earth Nation years before. While Iroh’s playing was less than expert, Hana gladly began clapping along, singing the words she knew, the alcohol seemingly bringing out her playful side. Zuko enjoyed watching the two, but sat awkwardly, unfamiliar with any of the tunes. In between songs, Hana refilled their cups again and soon everyone was a little bit drunk. 

“Lee, why don’t you join in!” Iroh called. 

“I don’t know these songs,” Zuko rolled his eyes, too calmed by the wine to get properly annoyed. 

“You should play Down by the River!” Hana offered. 

“Why would I know that song?” Zuko felt his stomach drop. She expected him to know a Fire Nation lullaby. Is this a trap?

“I always hear the Fire Nation miners sing it when they pass through here. I imagine they sing it in Gaipain too," she responded.

“Oh, but that’s a sad song,” Iroh replied, sounding increasingly intoxicated, “Do you kids know Autumn Moon? We used to dance to that all the time.”

Before Zuko could object, Iroh started playing and Hana stood up, holding out a hand for him. Unfortunately, Zuko was very familiar with this dance. He used to have to do it with Tai Lee and Mai during the equinox festival. 

He stood up and took Hana’s hands in his own, half-heartedly reproducing the steps he remembered from his childhood. Iroh was always coaxing him into these ridiculous situations. He looked at her and noticed how flushed she was. Maybe she was embarassed as he was. Or maybe it was just the wine. 

“Now nephew, dance with her like a gentleman!” Iroh chided. Hana laughed, apparently amused by Iroh’s teasing.

Zuko pulled her closer and began dancing earnestly, leading her confidently through the steps. She smiled and matched his newfound energy, letting him twirl her around the narrow space.

As their bodies moved to the strumming of the pipa, Zuko found himself grinning down at Hana, laughing at the situation. He was having fun. She danced with him like they were two kids, not enemies or fugitives. 

Iroh beamed up at Zuko, looking prouder than he had in years. Zuko felt proud too; he felt good about himself. He liked who he was at that moment. Perhaps the wine had gotten to his head, but he liked making Hana smile. 

Zuko’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud clattering sound. He looked down to see that in his carelessness he had accidentally kicked over a ceramic cup, shattering it. He knelt down and swept it up, blushing profusely at his clumsiness.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered as he collected the shards of the ground.

“Don’t worry,” Hana shrugged, “I don’t need so many cups. I never have company anyways.”

Zuko was still angry at his mistake. He always seemed to ruin a nice moment. But before he could get too upset, Iroh picked up his playing again and Hana took his hands in hers, urging him to dance some more.

He was surprised to see that she really didn't mind; she was angry or disappointed. She was smiling at him just as she had before. Zuko felt his heart skip a beat.

Chapter Text

Zuko and Hana awoke at dawn to prepare for their hike. Iroh’s wound had grown more swollen and had started to form blisters- the cure was needed more than ever. 

Unfortunately, the heavy snowfall didn’t subside until the afternoon, giving the pair only a few hours to retrieve the bark before nightfall. Hana let Zuko use a spare pair of ice cleats and a balaclava to help him navigate the dauntingly high snowdrifts. 

As the pair was about to leave, a distant rumbling filled the air.

“What was that?” Iroh asked.

“The mines must have reopened,” Hana furrowed her brow as she spoke, “I guess now that the snow has stopped, they’re back to work.”

“You two, please be careful.” Iroh shook his head. “I don’t want either of you to get injured out there.”

“Thank you, Mushi. But please don’t worry. The frost fir trees grow only a couple of miles from here, so we should be home just before sunset. I know the area very well.”

“Please, just get some rest,” Zuko said as he and Hana left the cabin.

While the temperature was as unforgiving as when Zuko arrived, the sun was shining, and he could see the mountain clearly. It was quite beautiful: black granite peeking out from mounds of white snow, cedar, and pine trees draped in sparkling white against the bright blue sky. 

Zuko and Hana moved at a good pace, heading north and west from the cabin, just below a steep rock face. They chatted idly about the weather, Hana pointing out the unique flora and fauna of the mountain. Normally, Zuko hated talking about such frivolous things, but he enjoyed her enthusiasm for the mountain and was happy not to have to talk about himself too much. 

The only interruption to their conversation was the occasional distant rumbling from the mine. Hana winced every time she heard it, and Zuko could imagine how much it hurt her to see her homeland blown up by the Fire Nation’s endless search for raw materials. 

Finally, they reached a patch of woods on the north face of the mountain where frost fir grew abundantly. Using a hunting knife, Hana cut off several long, thin sheets of bark, one from each tree, and put them into her bag.

“Why are you cutting like that?” Zuko asked as she moved from tree to tree. It seemed like a waste of time. 

“I have to be careful not to cut too deep or remove too much bark, or else the tree will stop growing.”

Zuko nodded. Her answer made sense, but he was still struck by her reverence as she approached each tree, as if she were thanking it for its bark. Zuko realized he didn't know the first thing about plants or how to care for them. That's not something anyone back home seemed to care about.

Soon, they were headed back toward the cabin. They were almost halfway there when the sound of another explosion ripped through the air. This time, it was much louder, so loud it seemed to rattle the mountain itself. Hana stood perfectly still, eyes darting back and forth. 

“What is it?” 

She hushed him quickly. He tried to listen, but then he heard it—a terrifying rumbling emanating from somewhere above them.

Before either of them could react, a wall of snow descended upon the pair. Zuko felt their air knocked out of his lungs as he was flung down the mountainside, trapped in a tumbling blur of white.

Then, everything was still. And dark.

Zuko realized he was trapped under the snow. Without thinking, he shot fire from his hands, melting the snow above him until he finally saw the blue sky. 

He pulled himself out of the snow and looked around. Where was Hana? He couldn't see her.

“Hana! Hana!” He screamed frantically, running along the slope searching for any sign of her. 

He spotted her hat several yards away and ran to it. He crouched and began frantically digging for her, calling her name.

Seconds turned to minutes, time stretching agonizingly as Zuko tried to find her. Every passing moment brought her closer to death. Zuko felt his legs shaking, his eyes watering, as he tore through the seemingly endless snow, panic taking hold of his body. 

After what felt like an eternity, he heard a feeble response from under the snow. Heart pounding, he dug up the snow, desperate to see Hana alive. Finally, his hands hit her coat. He pulled her out.

Hana gasped for air, shaking violently from the shock and cold. 

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just rattled,” she panted. Her face was pale and her lips were purple. Nonetheless, Zuko was pleased to see her alive and relatively unharmed. 

“Oh no!” Hana gasped as she stood up. She looked around frantically.

“What?”

“My bag! The bag with the bark! Where is it?”

Zuko realized it was no longer on her shoulder. He scanned the slope, but it was nowhere to be seen. It would take ages to dig through all the snow.

“We have to go back and get more.”

“I’m not sure we have time.”

“But isn’t it just-” Zuko stopped as he realized the problem. The avalanche had dragged them down the mountain. He wasn’t sure how far they had gone off course, but he didn’t recognize anything around him. 

“We need to set up camp for the night.  We're completely off course and there's no way we'll make it home before nightfall.” Zuko noticed that she was shivering still, her teeth chattering violently as she spoke.

“Are you sure we can’t just walk back in the dark?”

“The Fire Nation soldiers keep watch over the mountain at night to protect the mine. If they see us out past curfew, we’re dead.”

Zuko couldn’t argue with that but hated the thought of spending a night outside, especially alone with someone he still wasn’t certain he could trust. And he was a bit worried about Hana, who had lost her gloves, ice cleats, balaklava, and one boot in the tumult.

“Listen, I know this seems hopeless, but we’re both lucky to be alive right now. I’ve had to spend the night on the mountain before and it’s not as bad as you think,” Hana reassured him.

Hana seemed to know where they were as she led them toward a frozen river Zuko hadn’t seen before. As they walked, she picked up dead branches that hung limply from the trees. They approached a small cave near the riverbank, just large enough for the two of them. Hana arranged the wood as kindling and hung her stole over the entrance so that no one would spot them in the night.

“Now we just need to warm up. " She reached into the pocket of her coat to pull out a set of matches and then groaned in frustration. The matches were soaked through with melted snow. Zuko could see the panic in her eyes. Without a strong fire, they would freeze overnight.

She looked at Zuko expectantly. What did she want him to do?

Oh.

Zuko reached his hand toward the pile of branches and lit a fire.

“Thanks, Zuko.” 

“You knew?” His stomach dropped at the sound of his name. He felt his heart pounding.

She nodded.

“I figured it out the first night. I’ve seen your faces on Fire Nation wanted posters. And the snow you had melted when I first met you. Also, you're not the best liar.”

“But you- you hate the Fire Nation. You’re conspiring against us. I saw the scrolls hidden under the coop! Why would you let us into your home?”

“If I’m such a threat to the Fire Nation, why didn't you let me die in that avalanche?” She raised an eyebrow.

Zuko was at a loss for words. Why did he rescue her? He hadn’t even thought about it; it was instinctual. He didn’t want her to be hurt. At that moment, her allegiance hadn’t mattered to him at all. 

“My father raised me with a saying. ‘On the mountain, you never cut the rope.’ No matter how much you dislike someone, no matter how tough things get, you never leave anyone behind. That includes you and your uncle.”

“Weren’t you worried we would hurt you?” Zuko asked.

“Yeah, kind of. But then I realized that you needed me to shelter you and to get you down the other side of the mountain, so you’d be fools to kill me. And, to be honest, I was curious about you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, what’s the prince of the Fire Nation doing on Mount Okha? Why is he wanted by both the Earth Kingdom and his own army?”

“I’ve been banished,” Zuko sighed, “I failed my father. He’s decided I’m too much of a liability to him, so he's sent my sister to hunt me down. My uncle and I are on the run now, but I think I can redeem myself if I successfully capture the Avatar. That would earn my father's trust again."

“You really think that?" She stared at him for a long moment. He could feel her judgment and it made him uncomfortable.

"What other choice do I have? I'm a prince, I have a responsibility to the Fire Nation, and to my family."

"I guess that's bad news for the rest of us."

Zuko was surprised by the harsh tone of her voice; it was the first time she had revealed her distaste for his family.

"What about you? Why do you have all those banned scrolls? You know, the ones you hid from me?"

Hana hesitated as if weighing her options. Maybe she still feared that Zuko would hurt her if he knew the truth. 

“Like I said, my family has lived here for generations. My great-grandfather was Oki, the philosopher, and he lived in the cabin where I live now. When the Fire Nation invaded these mountains, he fled to Shumsu, where he raised my grandfather. He would sneak up to the cabin to write so that he didn't have to keep the banned writing in his family's home. When he died, my grandfather continued writing under his name, trying to keep hope alive in the Earth Kingdom. He also kept the cabin alive as a sort of refuge for rebels passing through the mountains. It's so remote that most people assume it's abandoned. He passed that tradition onto my father, who began writing under Oki's name around the time I was born. Two years ago, the Fire Nation killed my dad. They didn’t even know he was writing those scrolls; they just saw him on the mountain past curfew and killed him. My mom and sister fled to Ba Sing Se, but I stayed here to continue making copies of Oki's writings. Everyone in town thinks I fled with the rest of my family, so no one is looking for me up here. I bring new scrolls to the port at Shumsu whenever I deliver eggs.”

Zuko was shocked; she really was Oki, or at least the current iteration of him. She, completely alone on the mountain, had been copying forbidden scrolls and shipping them out to the rest of the world. And she was a teenage girl, barely older than him.

Just like Zuko, she had inherited an important role from her forefathers. And just like him, it had pulled her away from her family. Zuko wondered if that made her feel helpless, too, that their roles had been written for them years before they were ever born.

“Do you miss your family?”

“Every day. I haven’t seen them since that day two years ago. But it’s my duty to carry on Oki’s legacy.”

“Is it really worth it? Living up here alone, risking your life, just to make more of those scrolls?”

“I think so. Even if I suffer, I know it’s because I believe in something.”

“You think philosophy can overthrow the Fire Nation?” Zuko was incredulous. He’d seen the power of the Fire Nation up close his whole life.

“No, but I think the Fire Nation will fall one day, and I can only hope we will build something better in its place. That was my father’s dream and my grandfather’s dream.”

Zuko fell silent. He didn’t know what to say. It was too surreal, sitting so close to her, daring to trust her, as she told him how she wished for his empire to crumble. 

“Do you hate me?” he whispered, hating how pathetic he sounded.

“No.”

“But my father is Lord Ozai.”

“We didn’t choose our families or where we were born.”

“But we are on opposite sides.”

“I’m not so sure. You haven’t tried to hurt me. You haven’t threatened me. You’ve even saved my life.” 

Her eyes searched his and Zuko wondered what she saw in him, what she really thought of him. It was true that he’d tried to be nice to her, but could that really outweigh what his family had done to her family? What would he have to do in the coming months to earn his honor back? And why did he even care about her opinion of him? Hana was an Earth Kingdom peasant from a family of criminals. Yet, as he looked into her face, he only saw a beautiful young woman waiting to hear what he had to say. At least for one night, alone together in that cave, they were just two teenagers.

“Do you think that in another life, you would like me? That we could be…close?” Zuko hated the words coming out of his mouth, but he was drunk on intimacy, lost in the delicious sensation of sitting so near to her, feeling her eyes on him, knowing that no one could hear or see them. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this honest with someone; it was a heady mixture of terrifying and liberating.

“I think that you could be close to me in this life if you wanted. But not while you still want to please your father.”

Zuko gritted his teeth. He wasn’t sure why, but those words had hurt him. Hana had no idea what he had been through, how he had suffered for his honor. He wasn’t some anonymous girl in the mountains; he was the heir to an empire. This was about more than just pleasing his parents; it was about protecting their legacy, their way of life, and the future of an entire nation. Hana could never understand that weight. 

He turned away and stared at the floor, listening to the wind outside. Then he realized he could still hear her teeth chattering. 

“You’re freezing,” he mumbled, daring to glance up at her. While the fire had warmed him thoroughly, Hana's face was still pale, her fingers bright pink from the cold. 

“It’s okay. I can handle it.”

“You need to warm up. You can’t spend all night shivering.” He offered her his hands.

“I’ve done this before. I’ll be fine.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Yeah, I am serious. Last winter, the soldiers heard a rumor that Oki was still alive and broke into my cabin to look for proof. I had to hide in a snowbank all night while they tore the place up. I survived that and I’ll survive this.”

“Please, let me help you. You shouldn’t have to suffer more.”

Hana looked at the ground. “Sure.”

Zuko moved closer to her, awkwardly extending his arms. He didn’t want her to feel cornered. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her chest flush to his.

“How are you so warm?” Hana whispered.

“Firebenders run hot.” Zuko struggled to maintain his composure as her body pressed against his. He could feel the soft curves of her form, wonderfully and undoubtedly female, under his arms. He wondered if she was noting the contours of his body, too. If she could feel his muscles under his many layers of clothes.

“Do you feel better?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry my uncle and I have been such a burden to you. I… appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”

“Yeah, well, just promise you’ll never climb up my mountain in a blizzard again,” Hana joked dryly. “Now let’s try to get some sleep.”

Hana lay down, pulling Zuko with her. Her head rested on one of his arms while the other was draped over her waist, holding her back flush to his chest. Zuko blushed at the sensation of his hips meeting her rear. He’d often imagined what his first time sleeping with a girl would be like, and this was definitely not what he’d had in mind.

After a few minutes, her breathing became deep and slow, her body limp against his, but Zuko couldn’t sleep. His teenage hormones were too powerful; regardless of the very serious context, his body was reacting excitedly to the feeling of another body against his own. He felt flushed and agitated, overwhelmed by the feeling of her.

Zuko tried to calm his mind, thinking of where he and Iroh would head from Shumsu, planning their next steps, but he kept getting distracted.

He imagined another life where Hana had been born in the Fire Nation, ideally to a noble family. She would look much more attractive in the deep red silk dresses of Imperial City, instead of the tattered, baggy clothes she wore here. Maybe she would have met him at a festival or a banquet. She would have no reason to fear or distrust him. They would spend languid summer weeks together on Ember Island, lounging in the sand and watching the waves lap the shore. He would show her around the palace grounds in spring when the orchids bloom.

Hana would love him, he was sure, if they had been born into this other world. The unbridgeable gap he felt between them now, the wall they had both put up to protect themselves, wouldn’t exist. He would be able to hold her without the pretense of hypothermia. He could embrace her, kiss her, caress her. Aching with desire, he wondered what her lips would feel like against his own, how her hands would feel clasped between his. 

But then it occurred to Zuko that if Hana hadn’t been born in this place, she wouldn’t be herself. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t separate her from her past any more than he could escape his own. They would always be divided by their place of birth, by their place in the war.

He tried to push away such pointless thoughts; he was just a lonely, exhausted teenager who was enjoying the company of a girl his age. Given his circumstances, he probably would have become infatuated with anyone who was kind to him. It was unwise to let his attraction draw his attention away from the unpleasant truth- this girl knew who he was, and he was completely dependent on her to get him and his uncle off the mountain.

Chapter Text

Zuko’s arms were empty when he awoke. Hana was stoking the fire, her brow furrowed in thought.

“Good morning,” Zuko said.

“Good morning. The sun is almost up, so I think we can head out soon. We’ll need to head back up the mountain and northward to retrieve more bark before we start heading back to the cabin. In case there’s another avalanche, I think we should use the rope to tether ourselves.”

And so they left the cave behind, trudging back up the slope toward the frost fir trees. Hana tied them together with a length of rope, determined not to get separated again. 

Zuko found himself in a surprisingly good mood. The tension of the previous night had dissipated and he was relieved to no longer have to hide his identity from Hana. He was still surprised that she was, in fact, the famous Oki, or at least the current iteration of him. Of course, she was clearly very intelligent, but he had pictured Oki as some old man with a long white beard, not a young woman who sold condor eggs for a living.

"I'm assuming you won't give me any more details on how the whole Oki thing works?" Zuko ventured.

Hana raised an eyebrow. "Of course not. I shouldn't have even told you about that. I'm lucky if you don't rat on me the second you get to Shumsu."

"I won't," Zuko responded immediately, trying not to feel hurt by her very reasonable concerns, "You saved my uncle's life; consider this my payment in return. Besides, I don't agree with my father on everything. I don't think people should be punished for saying what they believe."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I..." Zuko wanted to tell her that speaking his mind had caused his own father to banish him, to scar him forever, but something stopped him. "I guess so."

Hana studied him for a moment, seemingly confused by his response. 

“So you’ve basically traveled the whole world looking for the Avatar?” She asked, apparently eager to change the subject.

“I haven’t been everywhere, but yeah, I’ve been on the road for the last three years.”

“What’s your favorite place you’ve been to?”

Zuko paused to think. He’d never really considered whether any of the places he traveled to were nice or interesting; he was only interested in capturing the Avatar.

“I guess I liked Gaipan. The forest is huge and the trees turn bright red in the fall.”

“So that’s why you lied about being from there?”

“Well, I lied so you didn’t turn me over, but I guess it was the first place that came to mind.”

“You really are a bad liar. But it was kind of fun making you sweat,” Hana chuckled.

“If I knew you were such a softie, I wouldn’t have bothered lying,” Zuko teased.

“Softie? I’m not soft!” Hana put her hands on her hips.

“You knew who I was the whole time and didn’t rat on me!”

“I was trying to help you out! Besides, I'm not lifting a finger to help the Fire Nation Army."

“Whatever you say!” Zuko chuckled

“Well, you aren’t exactly Mr. Tough Guy yourself.”

“I’m very tough! I get in fights all the time.”

“That you lose! To a twelve-year-old!” Hana laughed.

“He’s the Avatar!”

“I’m just saying, I didn’t expect the scary evil Fire Nation prince to make potato dumplings and dance around to old folk songs.”

“That’s not how I normally am. It’s different up here, with just you and my uncle,” Zuko countered.

“Well, that’s a shame. I kinda like this Zuko.”

Zuko blushed. It had never occurred to him that someone would like that side of him, the awkward, sentimental part of him that liked dancing and sunrises and telling stories late at night. 

“C’mon, let’s get back to the cabin.” He tried to sound serious as he put the last piece of bark in his bag, “If you’re going to tease me, I’d at least like to be in the comfort of the indoors.”

-----

They returned to the cabin early in the afternoon.

Iroh hobbled to the door to greet them both with firm hugs. 

“You had me so worried! What happened?”

“There was an avalanche,” Zuko explained, “We had to camp out overnight but we’re fine.”

“I cannot thank you enough for getting this bark, especially in such treacherous circumstances,” Iroh turned to Hana.

“Don’t worry. Please just sit down while I make the poultice.” Hana hurried to the kitchen and began grinding up the bark, eager to apply the medicine to Iroh’s swollen knee.

“Uncle, she knows the truth,” Zuko explained as he sat down next to Iroh.

“Oh…” Iroh rubbed his beard in thought, “I must thank you even more for this favor, then. You have shown great kindness to someone who does not deserve it.”

“I have to admit, I never thought I’d be playing nurse to the Dragon of the West,” Hana responded dryly.

Iroh laughed awkwardly.

“I never thought I’d be back in Oki's cabin!"

“You know too?”

“Oh yes. Over the years, Hana and her family have hosted many fugitives and dissidents passing through the area. And of course they've kept her grandfather's legacy alive too.”

“But you told me that you thought she was just a fan!” Zuko exclaimed.

“I didn’t want you to panic and do something foolish,” Iroh explained. “Years ago, it must be over a decade now, I visited this very cabin while searching for Oki. I came in the summer, of course. I met Hana’s father, Ejima, a very honorable man, who told me all about how he kept Oki’s legacy alive. I even shared dinner with our lovely host, although she was probably too young to remember.”

Zuko and Hana’s mouths hung open in disbelief.

“How did you find us? Why would my father show you his work?” Hana was incredulous.

“You're so young. You have so much to learn. Let’s just say, I have connections. People interested in knowledge, like your father, are always prepared to help others on their quest for truth," Iroh explained, producing a small tile from his pocket.

Hana gasped and ran out of the room. Zuko looked after her in confusion. 

She returned with a small item in her hand, which she placed in front of Iroh. The white lotus tile from a pai sho set, identical to the one Iroh had.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Hana asked.

“I wanted Zuko to learn a lesson.”

“Learn a lesson? You could have died !” Zuko exclaimed.

“I didn’t plan on injuring myself. But when we were chased out of Tomari, I knew we could hide in this cabin if we needed to. I wanted you to appreciate the goodwill of our host- something you seem to lack.”

“So that’s why you were so eager to stay with her! I just thought it was because she’s a pretty girl,” Zuko responded.

Hana blushed and fidgeted with her braids. Iroh looked between them both and smiled.

“How was your night together? Did you get to know one another better?”

“Um, well, we talked a bit…” Hana mumbled.

“It was fine,” Zuko muttered.

“See Zuko, I told you that this mountain is a great place for inspiration.” Iroh turned to Hana, “Can we take some scrolls with us when we leave? I think my nephew could learn a lot from Oki.”

“Of course,” Hana smiled. “Now, if you don’t mind, I could use a bath.”

She exited the room eagerly and Zuko couldn’t help but smile to himself. For once, Zuko was thankful for his uncle’s eccentricities.

_____

Iroh’s injury healed surprisingly quickly. By the time he awoke the next morning, the swelling was gone. He and Zuko decided that they would ask Hana to take them down the mountain the next day. Zuko was a little sad to leave the warmth and comfort of the cabin, but he knew it was vital that they continue moving, especially if people in the area had identified them as Fire Nation runaways.

They passed the time peacefully, Iroh reading scrolls and sipping tea while Zuko continued to help Hana with her chores. He’d grown surprisingly fond of doing mundane tasks with her. There was something satisfying about working with his hands and helping her with her many responsibilities- a sense that his efforts were going toward something tangibly useful.

At last, it was time for Hana to lead Zuko and Iroh down the mountain. They awoke early in the morning to pack their things and Hana loaded the elk's saddle bags with condor eggs to sell at the market in Shumsu. Zuko wondered if she had hidden any scrolls among the cargo.

The mountain looked completely different without the dark layer of clouds looming over it. The snow shimmered in the sun under the clear blue sky. The group moved slowly but steadily down the mountain, making sure to take occasional breaks for Iroh to rest. Hana’s mastery of the mountain made the descent much easier; she knew the quickest routes that would require the least climbing and scrambling. Nonetheless, the group moved in concentrated silence, wary of the possibility of another avalanche as the explosions of the miners echoed in the distance.

They finally arrived at Shumsu in the afternoon, all tired from the long hike. It was a surprisingly busy port town, with rows of shops and homes stacked on both sides of the wide, placid river. The mountains loomed in the background, but the city itself was sunny and welcoming, full of people loading cargo onto ships and selling food from crowded stalls. Zuko couldn’t imagine Hana having to leave such a lively place for the solitude of the mountain. He thought Shumsu was quite pleasant, although he noticed the tension between Fire Nation merchants and the local Earth Kingdom residents. 

Hana ventured off to the market to sell her eggs to an exporter and feed the bighorn dogs while Zuko and Iroh sought out tickets for the next ship southward down the river. 

While Iroh bartered with a ship captain, a lanky man with a pointed goatee and several missing teeth, Zuko idly wandered the stalls of the market, trying to distract himself from a confounding sense of melancholy that had taken hold of him since they had entered the town. He should be happy. Iroh’s injury was healed, they made it down the mountain, and they were soon to be aboard a boat that would take them further away from the Fire Nation. Nonetheless, he felt an ache at the thought of leaving this world behind. In the end, he had really enjoyed the time he spent with Iroh and Hana isolated from the rest of the world, sipping tea, singing songs, and watching the snow fall gently on the towering pines outside the cabin. 

Zuko spotted a stack of ceramic cups at one stall, similar to the set Hana kept in her cabin, but much newer. He dug into his pocket for the few coins he had remaining.

“How much for the cups?” Zuko asked the vendor, trying to keep his head low in case the man recognized him.

“Two copper pieces each or once silver for the set.”

“I’ll take the set,” Zuko said as he handed over one of his five remaining silver pieces. The vendor took four of the cups and wrapped them in cloth, handing them over to Zuko. 

As Zuko walked back toward the dock, he saw that Hana was already there speaking with Iroh.

“There’s my nephew!” Iroh called as Zuko approached, “I was just telling Hana how lucky we are- our boat leaves this evening.”

“That’s good news,” Zuko responded, trying to hide his disgust at being cramped in the hull of some dingy ship with a bunch of strangers.

“I have to leave now,” Hana said, “I want to get home before nightfall.”

“Do you have a minute?” Zuko asked awkwardly.

“Sure…”

Iroh glanced between them and smirked, “Now that I think of it, I should pick up some snacks for the voyage. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

As his uncle walked away, Zuko sighed, trying to control the uncomfortable mixture of feelings bubbling up inside of him. 

“I got you this,” He shoved the package toward Hana, “I’m sorry I broke your cup the other night.”

Hana opened the cloth carefully and examined the cups.

“These are beautiful. Thank you.”

“I should thank you. You saved our lives and you let us into your home, even when you weren’t sure you could trust us. I don’t know how I can ever make it up to you.”

“I think you know how you can,” Hana responded, looking deeply into his eyes, just like she had in the cave. 

Zuko shook his head. She really wanted him to give up on redeeming himself, to leave his life behind. She didn’t understand. He had to set things right with his family. Maybe if his father took him seriously, he could convince him to change the way things were run in the colonies- stop the mining, end the curfew, and let people like Hana move freely.

“I’m going to miss you. Maybe one day I’ll be able to come back here. I can see this place in spring, without all the snow.

“Maybe,” Hana smiled softly, holding up the package, “If you do, I’ll make sure you use the nice cups.”

Zuko chuckled. She was cute, with the sunlight in her eyes and the stress of the past few days off her shoulders. Instinctually, perhaps recklessly, he leaned in to kiss her. He wanted to know what her lips felt like before he had to say goodbye. 

Before his mouth could meet hers, he felt a hand on his chest, gently pushing him away. 

“We can’t,” Hana whispered, “It’s not right.”

“I would never hurt you.” Zuko was surprised to hear the emotion in his own voice.

“You don’t know that. You can’t promise that.”

Zuko clutched his fists in frustration. He wanted to argue, but he knew she was right. She was under constant threat from Fire Nation soldiers and avalanches. Even if he made his way back to Mount Okha someday, he couldn’t be certain he would find her there, not when the risks of death or imprisonment were so high.

“I’m sorry,” Zuko murmured.

“I won’t forget you.” Hana looked into his eyes and he noticed that she was about to cry. “I hope you don’t forget the things we said.”

“I won’t,” Zuko responded. As much as he wanted to forget, to wipe this whole experience and the sadness it brought him from his mind, he knew that the look of disappointment on her face would stay with him for years to come.

“Goodbye, Lee.”

“Goodbye.”

Zuko turned quickly and walked into the crowd where Iroh had vanished, refusing to look back at the girl staring after him. He shoved through the crowd, pushing between packed stalls until he found his uncle.

“How’d it go?” Iroh asked.

“Fine.” Zuko gritted his teeth. He didn’t want to talk about it.

Iroh looked him up and down, taking in the misery written on his face. He grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him aside into an alleyway.

“What’s wrong?” Iroh whispered.

“She wanted me to do something I couldn’t.” Zuko hid his head in his hands, despising his sudden vulnerability, “I thought she liked me. I thought she understood me, but she wants the impossible.”

“Why is it so impossible?”

“Uncle, she wants me to betray my family, to renounce everything I am!”

Iroh sighed, thinking for a minute.

“I hope you now understand exactly who your family is fighting against. It’s people like her. She's already sacrificed so much to try to help others. If you can see all the suffering we’ve seen and still go back to your father, you don’t deserve her.”

Zuko turned away, unwilling to meet his uncle’s eyes.

He stared at Mount Okha looming above the city, its slopes shining brilliantly with snow. He thought of the solitary figure, bundled up against the snow, who would soon lead her pack of bighorn dogs back up that mountain. He pictured her alone against the might of nature, slowly trudging onward into the endless white of winter, into that cold, thankless unknown where he was too afraid to follow.