Times of the Phoenix

Zeta had been running, running fast through the grassy plains that were on the outskirts of the small fishing village, Ty Lo. Ty lo was but one of several small villages to fall prey to violent vigilantes. Killings had been happening for a while now. A public official would end up dead in the streets it seemed every month. The situation had gotten out of hand and panic was flooding through the populous of the Fire Nation. So the Fire Lord had called in the Yu Yan, the most elite and stealthy branch of the Fire Nation military. The Yu Yan were a group of skillful archers. Their marksmanship was legendary and unrivaled by any in the world. They claimed they took their roots from the crafty Blue Spirit. She was Yu Yan, she was also the daughter of the Fire Lord, but at this moment that mattered little. She would not see herself as Princess Zeta daught of Katara and Fire Lord Zuko, heir to the throne, now she was Zeta Yu Yan Archer.

And as such, she chased after this villain with great precision. He was fast. Dressed in black clothes like what a ninja would wear. A circle with a bird in the middle made of red thread was the only color he had on him. Her outfit wasn=t much more ornate, it was a warriors uniform. She wore muddy brown pants, and a burgundy vest and under shirt that had gold threading and beading all around. The mud colored pants stopped slightly half way down the calf and the rest of her leg was bound like it was wrapped in a bandage. She had on flat black shoes that made her footfalls silent. A Yu Yan was always noted by the markings warn on their face. They painted their faces red masks around the eyes like racoons and dots of the forehead near the eyesbrows, this was taken from the oldest known Firebending culture, the sun warriors.

She shot her arrows desperately at him, but amazingly this assassin managed to escape each arrow. Disgraceful. Yu Yan did not miss their targets. Zeta bit her lip in frustration as she pulled out and fired arrow after arrow only to see the fiend jump and dodge. The soon went past the field clearing and the target started running toward the woods. AS they approached Zeta leapt into a tree. The man dressed in black thought he=d lost her. And though he was panting pput on air of confidence. It was a false hope. No soon had he caught his breath and started to stroll casually did Zeta spring forth from out a tree. She sprang forth silently. She didn't make a battle cry, for Yu Yan did not usually do that sort of thing. But Her large bow and arrow were tucked tight and she started right at him her eyes unflinching as she seemed to aim for his heart. Before he could blink the arrow had grazed the side of his rib and he found himself pinned to a tree. He gasped but yet another arrow flew toward him locking one foot in place.

Desperate now, he swung his free foot in front of him creating a firewall. He had hopped that would give him time to get detached from the tree, but once again this youth miscalculated as Zeta pointed her arrow through the flame and then walked through the Firewall herself. The only feature that could be made of the young man were his piercing gold eyes and they widened.

"You are under arrest," Zeta said breathlessly, but she tried to look strong as she held her arrow steady still aimed at his chest. "You are under arrest in the name of Fire Lord Zuko," she announced.

"I think not," The masked man stated cockily as he shot a fire blast from his free foot. The blast was huge. Zeta jumped back dropping her weapons and readied herself in a fighting stance. It was the simple first position move for Firebending. It wasn't very impressive, but nonetheless her face was set like flint and she was unmoved. Without a moments difference the firebending assassin broke free from the bark of the tree. He scoffed at Zeta's stance. He took on a position of his own and He flung his hands out in front of him and created two great fire-whips. He began swinging them at Zeta who had to jump back and do acrobatic tumbles to avoid being burnt. But finally he had backed her up near the back of a cave and she couldn't use fancy foot work to run. She began blocking his fierce whips. It took a lot of her and weakened her. She fell to her knees not yet beaten. He came over to her with a cocky swagger. He nudged up her chin to get a better look at her face. She was a beautiful. She was medium color semi-skinned but far from pale, Amber gold eyes and ebony colored hair. Before he could utter a word Zeta pulled Fire Dagger from behind her back and attempted to try and fight the young maan that way. Her moves were quick rapid and agile, she pushed him back, but he shot a powerful fire bast to her stomach she hadn't had the time to deflect the blow. Everything with black.

When Princess Zeta came to, about two days ago she had arrived back at the Fire Nation Royal Place. The Finest physicians on call to even her slightest whimper of discomfort. She felt humiliated. She had begged her father to allow her to go with The Yu Yan to do this special task. She promised him that she was capable and here she had proved she wasn=t. She had failed. She had allowed the culprit to escape and therefore let down the reputation of the entire Yu Yan. Leuitnant Bing Bing who was in charge of the Yul Yan had come to visit Princess Zeta a day ago and she had insisted that the squadron had been more concerned about her health than culprits, but the Yu Yan were legendary their reputation was everything to them. She knew that no one truly just shrugged the matter off so easily.

She was lying in her bed, day dreaming mostly, she had suffered some heavy burns around her mid section and the doctor had prescribed rest for the royal. She was sitting there over come with how much she felt like a failure when all of a sudden she heard a knock on the door. A slow sing-songy voice approached. "Princess Zeta" he said, "May I come in?" A white haired, partially balding, chubby face man appeared at the door.

"Uncle Iroh!" she exclaimed, "Come in! Come in!" she beckoned as she tried to straighten her bed sheets around her.

He came dressed in armored looking clothes and holding as old black teapot and two small teacup. "I was on my way to the war room," he began with a chuckle, "and then I realized I hadn't had any tea yet today and I thought maybe you hadn't had any either so I thought you might like to join me," he said taking a seat on the edge of her bed.

She looked at him with a cock-eyed glance. "Uncle you know very well I'm on 3 different teas right now," she playfully scolded.

"Oh and so you are my dear, how could I forget," he slapped himself on the forehead. A silly grin on his face. "I bet you're sick and tired of tea," He shook his head as he passed her a cup and began to pour the kettles contents inside. "Just hold this for your old uncle will yah?" he asked still chuckling slightly.

"Mmm," Zeta hummed as she sniffed the fragrance that wafted to her nostrils from the steaming cup. "Is that red ginsing?"

"Oh you have a nose for tea my dear girl. Yes it is."

"You better pour me a little of that, uncle." she explained and so the elderly gentleman did so. The cheers the cups and then each to a sip. Sighing gratefully afterward. The both had completely satisfied looks etched on their faces. Zeta had taken after her uncle in his love for tea. Her father had never much acquired a taste for the stuff and in the southern water tribe tea wasn't a beverage for polite drinking. It was for the sick so her mother never cared for it much. "Thank you Uncle," she added.

"It is a honor Zeta," he nodded gracious back to her.

"Please uncle," she began as she turned her head downward and away from him. "Please do not speak of honor." she stated,

"What do you mean?"

"I mean there is no honor in my presence," She blurted angrily. Like her father Zeta was broody sort of spirit.

"Of course there is Zeta, you are princess, heir to the throne, a Firebender and Yu yan archer..." Her uncle could have listed a million other things but she cut him off bitterly

"I'm a horrible firebender. I'm one of the weakest I've ever seen and at my age... my stage!" she protested.

"Zeta you arent all that bad," he patted her on the back. She glared up at him her eyes misty. "I mean you aren't bad at all. You are very good..."

"And I don't even have the right to think about calling myself Yu Yan! After how that criminal escaped! OOOH!" she wailed, "I am a disgrace!"

"Zeta that's not true. It was only your first time," he great-uncle tried to reassure her.

"I have done nothing in my life worthy of Honor," She insisted.

"Zeta just being who you are is worthy of honor," Iroh Insisted as he raised her chin so that they could look at each other. "You are beautiful, like your mother, and brave like he too. You are hard working and dedicated like Zuko, you are a good friend, good daughter, great niece!" he teased. A smile slipped across her red painted lips (typical for good firenation girl).

"Oh Uncle do you mean it?" she asked hopefully as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. She was practically a waterbender the way she cried. General Iroh Nodded. "Oh but I know papa is disappointed," she said nervously referencing Zuko.

"He's not disappointed in You Zeta, he's been worried sick about you and he was worried when you left. He is glad you are back home safe,' Iroh explained.

"I told him I could do it, but I didn't I failed, She repeated.

"You did do it Zeta, it may not have turned out the way you would have liked but you fought with the Yu yan there is no failure in that. Now you must rest young one." The Old general tried to soothe his very upset niece. She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed deeply. She hadn't been doing much the past two days being that no one would ever let her out of bed, but amazingly enough she still felt tired.

After a moment or two in silence she opened her eyes again, the glowed with fire, "I will regain my honor, Uncle...I promise you that." she looked him square in the eye. She was so serious. That wasn't really like Zeta in general she had a more light hearted approach to life, but she was stubborn like both her parents and prideful like Zuko. If she was faced with a challenge she would rise to the occasion of that much her uncle was positive, but he hoped that she would not be too much like her father and push herself to the brink all for the sake of honor. Iroh sighed and stroked her jet black hair as she fell asleep.