A/N: Thank you again to all who read and reviewed. Especially my anonymous reviewer. I love hearing from you and your reviews brighten my day. On to the next chapter and a few familiar faces. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar
Chapter 4
As the hole that let in air and a small amount of light darkened, Zuko woke the kids, gesturing for them to be silent. He slowly created a larger hole until he could stick his head through and looked around. Soldiers continued to patrol the town and only a few water tribesmen walked through the village. The war balloon was back, and posted down on top of the glacier on the other side of the village from where Zuko and the kids were. Zuko watched as a procession left the balloon and started heading into the village. In the center was a woman, garbed in armor and had her head held high, acting high and mighty. Zuko recognized her and with a muffled curse dropped back into the shelter.
"What?" Iroh asked, seeing Zuko's face contorted in anger as he muffled his curses.
"It's Azula. Azula! Why is she here?!" Zuko stated, gripping the hilts of his swords.
"She's the evil queen. Didn't you know that?" Kuzon asked innocently.
Zuko stared at the small airbender. "No!" he hissed back at the boy. "I told you I never heard of the evil queen! Damn it! Why does it have to be Azula?!"
"Watch your language!" Aya said sternly, punching Zuko lightly in the ribs. "How do you know her?"
"She's my…" Zuko started, but then stopped, unable to continue. Who is she? And why am I so mad at her? he thought. "Argh," he growled. "I don't know anymore!"
"Calm down Li," Aya said calmly, placing a small comforting hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Where is she and what do we do now?"
Zuko took a deep breath, calming himself before rising to look out of the hole again. The procession was making a circuit of the village and were about to arrive at the docks then. If they could come in behind the procession, almost following them, they could make it to the docks when Azula left and the soldiers would still be at attention for her.
"C'mon, we need to move. Now," Zuko told the kids.
Kana moved the snow away and they fell in behind Zuko as he jogged down towards the village, making sure they stayed in the shadows and used any natural configuration to hide should anyone look their way. Zuko led them around houses and through alleys as they made their way towards the docks, making sure the kids stayed with him. Luckily they all seem rested and kept up with him, none needing to be carried before Zuko stopped them behind a large snow hut, just a quick sprint away from the ice pier where a small fire navy boat was docked. The pier was clear and the soldier who was supposed to be watching it was talking to his fellows at the next pier as they watched the procession file past the last two docks. Zuko grabbed Aya's hand and the kids joined hands before he ran to the small boat. Kuzon faltered just before they reached the boat, but with a puff of air, he got back to his feet and ran into Kana as they stopped next to the boat.
"Wait here," Zuko whispered to them as the kids hid behind a box ready to be loaded onto the boat.
The kids nodded and Zuko crept onto the boat, drawing his swords silently as he searched. The boat was empty of people, but held several boxes of supplies. Thankfully the soldiers had left the engine idling as if it was ready to go. Sheathing his swords, Zuko made his way back to the kids and dropped down onto the pier next to them.
"No one there," he whispered to them before picking up Hakoda and placing the boy on the boat. "Stay low and wait for everyone," he told the water tribe boy. Hakoda nodded and waited while Zuko picked up Kuzon, Kana and Iroh, placing each on the boat before turning to the next. He bent down to pick Aya up and saw two soldiers starting to turn onto the pier and walk towards them. He passed Aya up to Hakoda and Iroh before grabbing a small chunk of ice and throwing it towards the two soldiers. It landed behind the two soldiers, and next to the pier, creating a small splash. The two turned towards the sound and Zuko used his moment to climb onto the boat. He took the kids to the wheel, knowing there wasn't any place for them to hide. Giving power to the engine, he turned the boat into the harbor.
"Hakoda, Kuzon, do you see the furnace and coal?" Zuko asked the boys as he heard cries of "Wait!" from the pier. The boys nodded. "Good, then one open the grate carefully and the other start shoveling some coal in, just a little at a time. Iroh, if it needs more speed, I'll tell you and I want you to firebend directly into the furnace."
All three boys nodded and Hakoda and Kuzon took turns shoveling coal into the furnace as Kana and Aya huddled together, staying close to Zuko as the prince directed the small boat between the larger vessels. Lights came on the pier they had left and was answered by lights on one of the larger war ships. Zuko looked around at the boxes and an idea came to him.
"Kana, Iroh, I need you two to look in the boxes and see if you can find some armor for me, as well as a helmet and mask. Also look for some empty boxes," Zuko told them.
The two nodded and hurried to check the boxes as Aya turned to study Zuko.
"What's going on?" the green eyed girl asked, some fear in her voice, though she tried to sound calm.
"It looks like a large battleship is expecting us and may intercept us," Zuko told Aya and saw the other kids listening in. "This ship won't do any good in the open ocean, so if I look like a soldier, and you kids are hidden, we can stow away on the battleship. I've stowed away before, looking like a firebender. It's not that hard."
"And if the evil queen shows up?" Aya asked, a little more fear in her tone.
"I won't let her do anything to you," Zuko told Aya gently, trying to be comforting.
Aya nodded, looking more confident and waited with Zuko until Iroh and Kana came back with armor, a helmet and mask. Zuko thanked them and showed Iroh how to control the wheel before giving control to the boy and pulling the armor over his winter clothes. He placed the helmet on, leaving the white firebender's mask off for the moment and strapped his swords to his hip. He took the wheel again as they drew closer to the large ship and saw the back end lower, waiting for the small boat to be directed into it.
Zuko stopped the kids and had them hide in boxes, reminding them to be quiet. Kuzon, Iroh and Aya hid in one box while the twins hid in another. Praying quickly, Zuko put the mask on and turned the small boat into the larger one.
The chain grabbed the smaller boat and pulled it in, Zuko holding his breath as two soldiers approached once the boat stopped and climbed on, helping Zuko unload the boxes. The soldiers somehow looked different than the soldiers he had faced on the glacier, but Zuko didn't understand it and directed the two boxes containing the kids to be separated from the others. Once everything was stowed, Zuko watched the two leave before turning to the kids and opening their boxes, slipping his mask off. The kids hurried out and followed Zuko to the back of the cargo hold. He had them hide behind several large crates.
"Stay here and watch out for each other," Zuko whispered to them, kneeling before them. "I'm going to scout around. I'll be right back and I won't leave the cargo hold. If anything happens, yell my name and I'll be right here. I promise. Aya, take care of them."
The kids nodded and Aya rose, walking towards him and holding her hands out until she felt Zuko and hugged him tightly. Zuko hugged the little girl back before separating himself from her and slipping the mask back on. Leaving the kids, he saw that the small boat had been kept in and the back door was closed. The two soldiers were back in the cargo hold, looking over the supplies that had been on the boat, and Zuko snuck closer to them.
"Where did that soldier go?" one of them asked his companion. Zuko could tell by his voice that he was older, probably closer to fifty, though his body was still strong, though more wiry than muscular,
"Probably to get something to eat," the other sighed and the voice was familiar to Zuko, though deeper than he thought it should be. The second man was younger and had a long sword strapped to his back. The second man was also slightly more muscular than his older companion, but still wiry and strands of brown hair were seen coming loose out of the bottom of the helmet. The elder went to the boxes where the kids had hidden themselves as Zuko drew in closer, trying to find out what was so familiar about these men and to be able to listen better.
"Hey, come and have a look," the elder said to his companion, still looking at the boxes. "This box is empty. Wasn't it heavy when we unloaded it…?"
The elder had started to look up as he addressed his friend and Zuko saw that he had been spotted. He rushed the closest, pulling his swords out and held them to the younger man's throat, grabbing and pinning the man's left hand behind his back.
"Don't move," Zuko hissed as he saw surprised blue eyes in the elder framed by brown and grey hair under the helmet.
"We're not going to hurt you," the young man Zuko held prisoner said.
"Good, do as I say and I won't hurt you either," Zuko told them, tightening his hold on the younger man.
"Oh, please," the man sighed and Zuko was startled as a memory rushed in of a boy of fifteen, similar to Hakoda, saying the same thing and rolling his eyes.
His grip must have slackened for a second because the younger man elbowed him in the gut before twisting out of his grip and drawing a black sword. Blue eyes within the helmet studied Zuko as the two faced each other with swords. The younger man was at least a head taller than Zuko, and looked at least ten to fifteen years older than the prince as well. The black sword came crashing down suddenly and Zuko parried, separating his Dao swords and redirecting the blade to the side. The black sword thrust in again and again, and Zuko parried each move. When the black sword swung in from above, Zuko parried it with his left sword and ducked, sweeping low with his right. The man jumped over it but Zuko had already brought his left sword around and up, trying to slice the man. The man leaned back just enough, but the tip of Zuko's sword caught the helmet and caused it to be lifted off the man's head.
A blue eyed familiar face with brown hair in a warrior's wolftail faced him. Memories threatened to rush in, but Zuko held them at bay as the man thrust his sword in again. The two thrust and parried, continually moving in and around each other until the man stepped in, locking hilts with Zuko.
"Who are you?" the man asked, his blue eyes trying to see Zuko through the firebenders' mask.
Zuko tried to step back, but the man twisted his sword, trying to disarm Zuko of one of his. Zuko turned with it and smirked before the longsword swung across with great speed for Zuko's head. The prince ducked, but the sword still caught the top of the helmet. Zuko continued to duck and started to roll with the helmet, knowing he could be blinded by the helmet or knocked out by the swing. The sword kept the helmet going and took it off and Zuko finished rolling, rising into a stance as the two men stared at him.
"Zuko?" the younger man asked, shock on his face as he lowered his sword slightly. "Its' me, Sokka."
Zuko tried to stand, ready for another attack as the memories won and washed over him. A blue eyed young warrior in warriors paint with the warrior's wolftail charging him with spear and boomerang. The blue eyed boy making witty remarks at him from several different points throughout the Earth Kingdom. The blue eyed boy with a black sword facing off with him, helping create a prison break, and so many more.
"Get my father and Aang," Zuko heard the young man say as the prince fell to his knees, his swords clattering onto the metal floor as he grabbed his head, trying to stop the flow of memories but they just kept coming, faster and faster.
Stop, Zuko thought as they started to repeat, still coming faster and faster. The blue eyed boy in a fire temple, and then both of them smiling as they dueled with swords. Stop! The two of them scowling at each other, fighting and wrestling, creating a plan to escape a prison or the final invasion. "Stop!" Zuko screamed as more memories flooded in.
"Li!" Aya's voice shouted out from behind Zuko.
Zuko opened his eyes and saw the blue eyed swordsman looking towards the kids. Snarling, Zuko picked up his swords and ran back to where he saw Aya looking at him in concern. Iroh and Kuzon were there, holding Kana and Hakoda back and Zuko stopped between the kids and the swordsman, facing the blue eyed man with swords ready. The swordsman set his sword down gently and stepped towards Zuko and the kids.
"Don't come any closer," Zuko growled, glaring at the man. The man stopped, studying the prince for a while before nodding sadly. Zuko heard Hakoda and Kana struggling to get free. "Aya, keep them back," he said over his shoulder to the kids.
"But that's our dad," Hakoda whined. "Why can't you see that? We're safe!"
"No, you're not, not yet" Zuko told them, continuing to glare at the swordsman. "I'm here to protect you and I will!"
The swordsman looked startled at that and studied Zuko as two more men hurried into the cargo hold, led by the elder Zuko had seen. The eldest was nearly completely grey haired and was familiar to Zuko, his hair in the water tribe style with blue eyes, looking like an older version of the swordsman before Zuko, but the other was completely different. Grey eyes shone with wisdom and kindness as they looked on Zuko from a man about the swordsman's age. But this man was bald, a blue arrow tattoo on his head and smaller tattoos just showing on his hands from where the red and black fire nation clothing ended at his wrists. The bald man assessed the situation quickly and placed a hand on the swordsman's shoulder.
"You should go," the bald man told the others. "I'll deal with this."
The swordsman looked at the kids longingly before sighing and turning to leave the cargo hold. Zuko heard the twins continue to struggle, but they stopped as the man left the cargo hold with the other blue eyed men. The bald man studied Zuko as Zuko studied him. He knew the man was familiar, as familiar as the swordsman had been.
"You're among friends," the bald man told Zuko. "But if you still need to protect them, we won't intrude."
Zuko nodded and the man bowed and left, shutting the cargo hold door behind him. Zuko sheathed his swords and turned to the kids right before Hakoda pushed his legs, trying to push Zuko over.
"That was our dad!" the little boy cried. "Why couldn't you see that?! We're safe now!"
Tears started running down the boys' face as he continued to push and start punching Zuko as the prince kneeled before him, letting the boy let loose his frustrations. Kana was crying softly while hugging Kuzon, and Kuzon was looking towards the door with longing. Aya and Iroh were silent and stood to the side, almost separate from the rest as they watched Zuko. Finally Hakoda stopped punching and fell into Zuko, crying against his chest. Zuko picked the small boy up and started walking back to where the kids had hidden. The others followed, Kana sniffling as Aya held her hand. Zuko set Hakoda down and all the kids were looking at him strangely, waiting for an explanation.
"You're not safe yet," Zuko told them gently. "I was sent to protect you and as soon as you're safe, I'll go back. I haven't left yet, so you're not safe yet."
"But those were our dads," Kuzon whimpered. "We must be safe."
"And where would you go?" Kana asked, wiping her nose.
"I don't know," Zuko sighed, sitting. "I just know you're not safe yet and I don't remember where I'll go. I just know its back to where I was before I met you."
Aya studied Zuko the entire time and took the silence to turn to the other kids. "You'll see your dads later," she told them. "Now it's bed time."
The other kids mumbled, including Iroh, but they all curled up together on a pile of blankets and fell asleep quickly. Aya kept her gaze on them until the sounds of even breathing told her and Zuko they were all asleep. The little girl turned towards Zuko then.
"He called you Zuko. Why?" Aya asked the prince.
Zuko ran a hand through his hair, trying to find an answer for the green eyed girl.
"Can you not remember or is it cause you can't tell me?" Aya asked after a minute of silence.
"Both," Zuko sighed.
Aya nodded sadly before smiling and walking towards him. She hugged him and Zuko felt himself hugging the girl back, wanting to tell her everything, but knew he couldn't. He wasn't allowed to.
"I wish my daddy was here too," Aya sighed into Zuko's shoulder as she continued to hug him.
"Yeah, I'd like to meet him," Zuko said softly. "For someone to raise such a strong, wise little girl, he must be someone special."
Aya giggled before yawning and separating herself from Zuko, still smiling at him. "I think he'd say it's my mom's fault I'm so strong and wise. Goodnight Li."
"Goodnight," Zuko whispered as Aya walked over to the kids and snuggled against her brother's back.
Zuko went to them and placed another blanket on top of them, watching them with a smile. Even after everything, they still trusted him and he knew he still had to protect them, no matter what. He took off the armor and found a good lookout position on another crate where he could watch both the kids and the door. After a few hours of silence, the door opened and the bald man came in. Their eyes met and the man walked towards Zuko, but stopped ten meters from the prince, gesturing for Zuko to come to him. Grabbing his swords, though he felt no ill intent, he went to the man. The bald man handed him a package and Zuko could smell hot food inside.
"It is good to see you, old friend," the bald man said, sitting on a crate. "Though we were all surprised. Do you remember anything?"
"Not much," Zuko told him warily. He knew he could trust this man and memories threatened to wash over him, but this time he kept them at bay. "I know I have to protect the kids, and that I'll go back when my job is done."
The bald man nodded sadly. "Yes, you told me as if it was a dream long forgotten. Perhaps you could let the children see us in the morning. It would raise their spirits and ours greatly."
Zuko was confused, but nodded. "Ok, but where are Iroh and Aya's parents?"
"In the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. We sent a hawk as soon as we knew what was happening and their mother may be on her way. You should get some rest my friend, and then we'll await our destinies."
Zuko nodded and rose, and the bald man stood as well, bowing to the prince again. Zuko bowed back and waited until the man had left the cargo hold before heading back to the kids. Setting the package of food off to the side, he sat next to the kids, falling into a light sleep that any noise could wake him out of.
A/N: Don't forget to review! One more chapter to go and I'd like at least ten reviews, especially from the people with just alerts, before I post the last chapter. Thank you. )