Frozen Fate
chapter 1
This was definitely the worst thing that could happen, at the worst possible time. The noble bureaucrats had been questioning his ability to rule since he was crowned as Firelord five years ago, but after the Sho Ming incident, the critics had gotten worse. He was too young, too inexperienced, he had spent the last years on the run in the earth kingdom, and now, Azula had escaped the 'inescapable' Boiling Rock. He himself had raised the security there after experiencing how easy it really was to escape, but apparently, it hadn't been enough. She and three other high security prisoners had escaped by hiding in a cabbage merchants cart while the guards threw him out of the kitchen. When the guards found him he was severely beaten, and all his cabbages was reduced to ash. He was quickly cleared of suspicion, but he didn't receive compensation for the loss of his wares until the guards tired of him wailing 'my cabbages' outside the gate.
After the escape they had stolen an airship, which meant they could be anywhere by now. To find her, and not to mention, re-capture her, he needed help. Powerful help. He had talked it over with Mai, the Firelady, and Toph, the royal advisor, and they had both agreed. This was no mission for regular soldiers or agents, this was a personal matter, and only the strongest bender in the world would do. This was a job for the Avatar. He sent out a messenger hawk the same night, hoping it would reach its target swiftly, and that he had sent it in the right direction. Aang was traveling a lot, never staying long in one place. He didn't write all the details in the letter, he really wouldn't let the fact that Azula had escaped go any further than the inner circles of the palace. It was inevitable, but at least he wouldn't help the news travel, the chances of the bird getting caught by unwanted hands grew with every hour. He pressed the urgency of the matter, Aang must come immediately. Last time he checked, he and his wife Katara had been traveling in the southern earth kingdom, helping the people rebuilding their cities and farms after the last invasion. His father had done some severe damage, it would still me many years, possibly decades, before the land was completely habitable again. Zuko wondered if Katara would come to, or if she would stay and help the people. He never really knew with her. Even if their relationship had improved, it was still tense. He wondered if she would ever forget about Ba Sing Se. She had forgiven him, but it was not the same. She still had that weird look in her eyes when she looked at him, and she still seemed to avoid him at social gatherings, even if they had a really good time when he actually managed to make contact. He liked Katara he decided, and he wanted her to come, but he would prefer if the left that look behind in the earth kingdom.
'The Avatar is arriving', his trusted manservant Izar announced, carrying a tray of hot tea into the firelords study. 'Are you sure?' it had been less than a day since he had sent the hawk. 'I doubt his beast is traveling alone' Izar replied dryly. That was why Zuko had chosen him, not only was he talented and experienced servant, he was also smart, sly and in an extremely dry way, funny. He had often suspected him of being a white lotus member, but he had never asked. Zuko straightened his robes, and went out to greet his friend.
Just as Izar had said, Appa was soaring over the harbor, steadily closing in on the palace. He heard fast footsteps, and turned around to see a happy earthbender.' Is Aang arriving already?'. 'So it seems, Appa is above the harbor now, they should be here any minute'. 'Sweet' Toph exclaimed, and sat down on the lawn, stretching her toes in the finely trimmed grass.
Zuko watched as the shape of Appa grew bigger against the sky, he had forgotten how big the bison was, for a moment he feared that the garden was to small for him. As the bison landed he saw that he had nothing to fear, except Appas big, happy tongue. Toph giggled as he tried to wipe the saliva of his robes, then she abruptly quit, and Zuko looked up. He couldn't see the avatar anywhere, instead he saw a very upset waterbender, running across the lawn and throwing herself in his wet, slimy arms. He automatically embraced her, to confused to do anything else. The gentle smell of her hair was about to distract him when Toph asked 'what's wrong?'. 'Did you get my hawk already?' Zuko asked, now able to think rationally. 'What hawk?' Katara replied. 'The one where I asked the Avatar to come here as quickly as possible.' 'No, I, we, didn't. And I don't think Aang can come anyway'. Zuko got confused again, was Aang mad at him for something? Why was Katara so upset? 'Why? What's going on?' Toph asked. Always straight to the point. That's one of the reasons he had chosen her to be his advisor. That, the fact that she could tell when people were lying, and he could trust her one hundred percent, which was a rare trait at the moment. 'This is going on' Katara said, and unfolded a small scroll she had kept in her robes. There was only a few lines written on it, but they made Zukos blood freeze.
I have captured the avatar, which was disappointingly easy. If you want him back, you'll have to find me, and bring me what I want, my brothers honor on a silver tray. -Azula