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Chapter Eleven: Ylsa



After three days of nothing but ocean and sky, Zuko and Iroh's boat touched land again. They had landed on a small stretch of beach surrounded by thick trees. Zuko glanced at his uncle, who shrugged. They lifted their things from the boat and started walking towards the woods.

Iroh found a patch of clear ground under the trees and made himself comfortable, rather glad to be on solid ground again. Zuko felt the same, but he didn't sit. "Shouldn't we be looking for this 'contact' Cade said would be here?"

"I'm certain that they will find us, nephew," Iroh said. Zuko nodded, but didn't look convinced.

The noon sun beat down upon the sand, and despite the shade they were under, the heat began to affect them. Zuko felt his eyelids grow heavy and slowly close.

He'd only dozed a moment before he felt Iroh shaking him awake. His eyes snapped open and looked around them. Someone was approaching through the trees. Iroh was standing, watching the stranger carefully. Zuko got to his feet slowly, hand on the hilt of Suoh's sword.

Finally the stranger stopped within their sight and held up something to the light. She was a young woman, perhaps twenty or so, built on stocky lines like Cade, rather than the graceful lines of Akilah or Mimiko, and she was barely taller than Zuko. Her reddish blonde hair was twisted into a bun, but wisps of it had escaped and now framed her face. She was no beauty, with a prominent axe-like nose, but her brown eyes were bright and gave her face character. She was also very tanned and had a soldier's muscles.

Zuko looked away from her face to see what she was holding up. It was a coin embossed with the Shai Li's symbol, like the one Akilah had give him and Cade. Zuko reached into his pocket and pulled out his coin, holding it up to the woman.

The woman smiled and put her coin away. "Welcome back to the mainland," she said, her voice rich, but a little gruff. "I'm Ylsa. I take it you're Iroh and Zuko?" They nodded in reply. Ylsa grinned, "Follow me, then." She turned and started back through the trees. Iroh glanced at his nephew briefly before they gathering up their packs and followed Ylsa.

She led them through the trees to a small gated area that held three simple wooden structures. Each structure was only three thin walls, all of the open sides facing a central fire pit, and a thatched roof. Zuko paused at the gate. Was this the safe-house?

"This is only temporary," Ylsa said, seeing the prince's face. "I'm waiting on confirmation that the safe-house is actually /safe/."

Iroh managed to smile at that. Zuko felt a sudden gratitude to the young woman, for it was the first real smile he'd seen on his uncle's face since they'd left the island. Ylsa ushered them through the gate and gestured for them to get settled. Inside each crude building was a bench on the back wall. As the two refugees settled, Ylsa built up the fire, feeding it with twigs and bark to get it going again.

Zuko watched her work in silence for a moment before attempting conversation. "Cade said that you were an ally of the Shai Li. How did that come about?"

"My mother was a Shai Li," Ylsa explained, smiling.

"Why aren't you one then?"

"Because I take after my father," Ylsa replied with a broad grin. It was then that Zuko realized that Ylsa's face seemed strangely familiar.

"You...do you know Master Suoh?" he asked carefully.

"I'd say I know him quite well, actually," Ylsa said, "considering that he's my father." Her bright eyes shone with amusement.

"Suoh's daughter? But... he never...He told me that his wife died a long time ago," Zuko argued.

Ylsa just smiled. "A little over twenty years ago to be precise," she reminded him. "And I guess he told you how she died, right?"

"He said... that she died in childbirth."

"Lady Ysandre died giving birth to me," Ylsa told him, a sad look in her eyes.

Zuko suddenly realized that Suoh had never mentioned what happened to the child, "I'd just assumed that the baby died along with his wife."

"Don't feel bad," Ylsa said. "He wanted you to assume that. Father doesn't like to advertise my existence."

"What? Why?"

"Because he's naturally very protective of those he cares for and because, as the daughter of an Earth Kingdom General with an extensive war record, and an infamous Shai Li assassin, born of the Fire Nation. I'm a pretty big target." She spread her arms out to indicate herself.

Zuko stared at her, his tired brain suddenly making another realization. "You're a half-breed then," he said, a little sullenly. It was strange and a little discerning that Ylsa was the third half-breed he'd met in the last three weeks.

Ylsa gave him a long, hard look and then said slowly, "We're all human, little prince, no matter how we try to demonize our enemies. And humans," she added with a cynical smile, "breed."

Zuko fell silent as Iroh laughed heartily.




The next morning, a messenger hawk flew in, bringing confirmation that the safe-house was indeed safe and waiting for the prince and his uncle. Zuko and Iroh prepared to set out.

Ylsa surprised them both by shaking their hands vigorously and telling them not to worry about her father's capture. "My father's been through it all before," she told them. "I've no doubt that you've not seen the last of Master Suoh."

Zuko felt a little better hearing this, especially since it was coming from Suoh's own daughter. Iroh returned Ylsa's vigorous handshake and smiled, "I hope this is not the last we see of you, either," he told her. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Ylsa."

"Just Ylsa," she replied, smirking. "I'm no lady, just another soldier."

Iroh laughed, "Just Ylsa, then."

Zuko threw the larger of his bags over his shoulder. "We should get going, uncle."

"Yes, yes, you're right."

They both nodded to Ylsa and started through the woods.

But once they were well out of sight, Zuko stopped. Iroh paused in his step and looked back at his nephew. "What is it?"

"Should we be doing this?"

"What do you mean?" Iroh asked.

Zuko's gaze was firmly on the ground. "I know that these people want to help us, but... we're not exactly friends of the Earth Kingdom, uncle. Maybe we shouldn't go to the safe house. If we brought more trouble down on another place of safety..."

Iroh's face darkened. "You make a good point, my nephew," he replied, his mind clearly on Hakuhatsu Island again, and his beloved Mimiko.

"So, do we go on our own?" Zuko asked him.

"We do."

They started out once more, turning away from the direction of the safe-house.




(Author's Note)
All chapters after 11 take place after 'The Desert', excluding the scenes that Iroh and Zuko seek help from the 'White Lotus' society.