It had been a long night, to say the least. Dealing with the spirit world, with spiritual matters in general, usually left Aang feeling a little out of sorts, but this was different. He hoped against all odds that somehow, it was at least over. He couldn't take anything else on top of what he had already witnessed- what he himself had done.
Returning to the Spirit Oasis didn't relieve that feeling. He listened numbly as Katara recounted Yue's last mortal act. Sokka sat motionless by the pool, watching the koi flash under the water. Even Momo seemed subdued.
"We need to find Chief Arnook".
Sokka looked up in surprise, as though he hadn't even noticed Aang's return, but Katara nodded. "He needs to know what happened to Yue".
"I'll tell him."
Sokka's voice wavered a little, but Aang pretended not to notice. He was remembering the shock of finding Gyatso (a century dead to the world but not to him) in the Southern Air Temple months ago. Sokka and Katara had promised then to be his family, and that sort of bond worked both ways. He put his hand on Sokka's shoulder as they ducked through the small round door, leaving behind a place he once found tranquil and unsullied by human concerns. He could only hope the desecration would be healed by Yue's sacrifice.
They found the Chief staring absently at the moon. Sokka shrugged away Aang's hand, straightened his shoulders, and blurted out his failure.
***
"Forgive the interruption, but this cannot wait."
Kinaktok was one of Pakku's most adept students: Aang remembered seeing him at the feast their first night at the North Pole. There was nothing festive about the man's demeanor now, as he escorted them to the main hall where he had once performed in celebration.
"The majority of enemy forces retreated, though it did them little good."
"Majority?" Arnook inquired.
"We've just completed a full search of the city to find any stragglers. There weren't many, and most fought to the death rather than be captured alive."
They stopped in front of the great stairs as a group of Waterbenders and warriors entered, flanking a single figure.
"We weren't sure what to do with him. He's obviously Fire Nation, but he has no uniform or military insignia-"
But Aang didn't need any such aid to identification. He recognized the pale, snow colored clothes, the way he walked, and of course the scar. His lips pulled back off his teeth, as all three children named the prisoner in one breath.
"Zuko."
Across the great, frozen hall, Zuko's head snapped up. He hadn't been focused on much more than walking, but he knew those voices.
For a change, he managed to keep his mouth shut.
The Avatar, and his water tribe friends, stood at the base of a wide staircase made (like everything else in this frozen wasteland) of ice and snow. He ignored them for a moment, his eyes flicking across the tall Waterbender to the other man standing with them. He didn't need the fancy fur trimmings, carved beads, and claws the barbarian wore to tell him the man's importance. He was standing with the Avatar, for one thing; the other dead giveaway was the Waterbender's presence. This was the man the warriors and Benders answered to. This was the man in control of the entire Northern Water Tribe.
As he crossed the icy floor, Zuko set his jaw. Do your worst, he dared. I'm not afraid of the likes of you. You'll get nothing from me.
His composure wavered slightly when he actually reached that end of the room, as the warriors guarding him did not bother to wait for any sign of respect from their prisoner. Instead, one of them swept a spear handle into the back of his knees, knocking him to the ground at the Chief's feet. Zuko bit back an exclamation as he hit the solid ice, no doubt adding a third set of bruises (or was it a fourth?) to his already abused body. He dragged himself to a proper sitting position, an action made ridiculously more difficult than anticipated by the fact that his hands were bound behind him.
"So," Arnook intoned at last "This is the Firelord's son."