So to anyone who dug this up after so many years, you should know this was written when I was like. 14. crazy, right? so it's pretty much a piece of crap, and you have my permission to never ever read it. in fact I would appreciate it if you didn't. but I decided to keep it up here in case anyone who read it all those years ago actually liked it. unlikely, but possible.
seriously though , don't read it. (/end self-depreciation)
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender, nor do I own the plays which spawned this idea (Aida, Antigone). I am not responsible for any trauma you may go through while reading this piece of purely fan-made fiction, though I am sorry.
Summary:-post CoD- In an attempt to rescue Iroh, Aang and his companions get caught and captured by Zuko. They have failed again. The only way they can see to save the world now lies with Katara's ability to turn Zuko around.-Z/K-
To Those who Love You
Prologue:
Iroh was, to put it quite frankly, annoyed with the actions of his nephew.
He had thought that he'd finally taught the lesson that so many of his royal ancestors and relatives had missed out on. He thought he had finally seen some sense in that boy. Values of acceptance, compassion, peace, and (above all) the difference between right and wrong are all things taught through loss. That was how Iroh had leaned them and years later it had been how Zuko learned them as well. His nephew had trusted him. That was good.
He had thought all this until the incident in the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se. Maybe, he reflected in his prison cell after wards, he had not enforced those values enough. After all, Zuko had many influences in the past to lead him away from values, such as a nearly homicidal father and sister (both ready to kill him after one wrong move). He had been under the pressure of Ozai and Azula, but he will, in time, regret his actions.
This he thinks until now, when he sees the boy of twelve, the waterbender, the warrior, and the unconscious earthbender taken hostage by Dai Li agents, with his nephew commanding them all. Zuko has a devilish smirk on his face as the four go into separate cells.
He tries to think that he will see how horrible his actions were and he tries to think that he will become a better person. That he tries to think until he hears the sobbing of a young woman in the cell right next to his.
Zuko had watched as Azula and her cronies left.
They were going to hunt for the avatar's bison, and the Earth King-more prizes to add to the collection-they had said, and Zuko was to be "in charge."
As he had guessed, Zuko hardly had anything to be in charge of. His position now left him with as much freedom and liberty as his position before Azula had left.
It had been clear to him that she had no intention of restoring any of his honor. No one could disobey orders of the fire lord, not even his daughter. His "perfect" daughter, he thought.
That would have to change.
It was funny how all this fell into place really. Who would have guessed that the greatest heir to the throne of the fire nation would guess wrong? As Katara and Sokka's father had always said to them (while their mother was not listening-she never had to know where they learned such nonsense) 'When you assume things, you make an ass out of you and me.'
Yes, it was funny how Azula, firebending prodigy, had thought the avatar to be dead. And it was funny how her imbecile of a brother knew him better. And it was funny, when the four of them found the horde of Dai Li waiting for them around a corner, Right?
The avatar and his friends were on a steak out. They would wait quietly for Azula to leave and look for them ("because of course she will, the bitch has to have everything" Katara had said). That was their chance. Once the Princess was gone, and out of range, they would invade the palace and bust Iroh out of his cell.
After all, he had done nothing wrong to them. It had been Zuko that hunted them, Zuko that sided with Azula, and Zuko that had not helped them escape. The old man deserved freedom.
And not only did he deserve freedom, Aang needed him. He had no firebending teacher to speak of, and the solar eclipse was growing closer. He had spent quite a while in a coma. They had little time to waste, and Aang vowed he would not waste it.
Zuko, with several Dai Li agents waited outside of the prison cells. He was not so stupid as to assume the avatar was dead. He was not so stupid as to assume the avatar would not try to come back for his uncle, and he was not so stupid as to assume they would do it while Azula was still here.
They would know Azula would hunt for them and they would try to use it for their advantage. They would think of a way to get past him. They would fail.
Katara sits, her head down, in the corner of her prison cell. She can not fault anyone for the position she is in, and she knows it.
She had suggested it; they needed Iroh.
When they snuck into the palace, they had expected trouble. Someone would, without question, realize what they would try to do with Azula gone. Sure the enemy was made up of stupid bastards, but they were very calculating, stupid bastards.
They had not, however expected trouble so late in their search, or in a cramped hallway, or in that big of a size.
The horde of Dai Li agents (plus one prince) immediately engulfed them. With Aang weakened, Toph confused by the dozens of soldiers she could sense, and without a large enough amount of water on hand, it had been clear they were losing before the battle had even begun.
Katara took action. She snuck in between brawls, picking some agents off silently on the way, until she was right behind the prince. She had seen the swords on his back in a glance, and in one swift motion was able to trap him. His blade was pressed against his own neck.
"Let us go." She had said, her eyes sifting through each Dai Li agent. It had taken effort to keep her voice steady. Time seemed to freeze.
The Dai lee had other ideas. Another blade was drawn. The agent had caught her brother in the same way she had caught Zuko.
She released Zuko.
He arrested her.
And now she is sitting in a small cell that seems bigger than it is because she feels so small.
It's all my fault.
A/N: This was not my first fanfiction, but my second. I actually wrote this last summer but lost interest until we finally started going in depth into literature in English class. Sorry I waited so long, and I hope you like it. You can probably expect an update in the next few days, but that is not definite. Please review; I could use some feedback. :)