A/N: Here we are Chapter 5! So far so good. The ending has been written but it is still a ways off. Just some reassurance for me and you that this story is heading somewhere with a solid conclusion. *Fingers Crossed*
I would like to thank everyone for your wonderful reviews and encouragements! I've been so elated that you all are enjoying this story!
Chapter 5
His head still hurt, the concussion was still wearing off. He groaned, his head leaning against the cold stonewall.
"You're awake!" A female voice sounded. He opened his eyes and his vision blurred.
"Mai?" he asked, making out a dark-haired figure.
"Ming actually," She answered. A key turned in a lock and a metal door creaked open.
He groaned and struggled, chains clinked and the muscles in his arms burned.
"Careful! You'll pass out again!"
"Where's Aang? Where's the Avatar?"
She was silent and her silence shook him. Chains and shackles shook and rang, his good eye blinking rapidly to clear his vision. His entire body straining, trying to stretch and stand.
"Stop!" a hand pressed to his head, forcing him to meet her eyes. He recognized the uniform of a prison guard. "You've hurt yourself enough. It's not worth it anymore."
He saw the interior of a prison cell, like the one Uncle Iroh inhabited months earlier. Recognizing the gray stonewalls and the single high window. The musty unmistakable smell of smoke and metal and feces.
"I'm in the Fire Nation," he concluded, his heart sinking.
"Sorry for the lack of a homecoming," the prison guard - Ming - retorted with a small frown.
He swallowed, his throat dry, and he coughed harshly.
The chains shook in response. He glanced at his wrists to see them clapped together in thick metal cuffs on a long thick chain bolted to the floor. They rattled as he pulled at them, not budging. Same with the cuffs around his bare ankles.
He gapped at the guard.
"Why am I here? Where is Aang? Where is my Uncle?"
Her face softened. "I've been told your Uncle and friend are dead."
His face fell and he hung his head low, swallowing the sadness. He couldn't - wouldn't - believe that what she said was true.
"I was ordered to make sure you ate. The Fire Lord wants you alive."
"No, he doesn't," he spat.
"Do you want me to ask for how long?"
He breathed deeply, muttering, "He always said I was lucky to be born."
Ming held a bowl of bitter smelling porridge to his lips. He grimaced and turned his face away. "Please eat, I'll get in trouble if you get sick."
His stomach growled in hunger. Grimacing and trying not to breathe through his nose, he let her guide the bowl to his lips. Slowly swallowing the gruel. He finished the bowl's small helping, then she gave him water. The clear liquid did little to wash away the bitter taste the change in events had left in his mouth.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. Picking up the bowls. She turned to leave. He didn't look at her.
She paused at the barred door, glancing back at him.
"I was on duty when your Uncle was here," she spoke.
The chains clinked as he raised his head, meeting her gaze.
"He talked about you, a lot. No matter what was happening, you always seemed to be on his mind. My father never loved me that much either."
The warm saltiness of tears dripped down his cheeks.
She left it at that, closing the barred door, turning the key in the lock and disappearing into the hallway. The heavy steel door sealing behind her.
The days passed slowly in prison. Ming would arrive twice a day, passing him food through the bars. She would watch him eat the meager portions. Occasionally helping him if his chained hands acted clumsy and useless. Sometimes she would make small talk. But he was never much of a talker.
He would fall asleep on the thin mat, his dreams filled with nightmares of what was to come. His only hope was to escape. He racked his brain with possibilities. There were few.
A scuffle and shout echoed throughout the prisons in the morning glow.
His eyes blinked open, recognizing the rushing footsteps of soldiers dashing down the hallway.
Peering through the edges of his overgrown hair he stared at the door. Listening to the frantic commotion of the guards beyond the bolted steel.
He heard a shot. The whiz and crackle of lightening. Followed by the explosion of fire, sounding throughout the hallways. Echoing off the stone walls that rattled eardrums.
A brawl had ensued.
Zuko struggled against his chains.
Had the White Lotus come to rescue him?
Then he heard the sickening voice of his sister, cold and malicious.
"Take her away!" he heard the Fire Princess bark.
"Let me through Azula! I need to see him!" A voice pleaded, low and familiar. His breath caught.
"MAIII!" he screamed, frantically struggling against his bonds. The cold iron chains digging into his joints and limbs. He gritted his teeth, heart pounding in his chest, yet the chains held.
"ZUKO!" her voice echoed down the hall in response. It sounded desperate and frantic.
Unlike her usual cool tone.
Something was wrong.
"Guards, take her away. This issue doesn't concern her."
He heard a scuffle and a shout before the noises died away and he cursed the chains that held him.
The metal door opened, revealing Azula's pointed, armored figure. A guard stood at the door behind her. It wasn't Ming.
A smirk adorned her red lips, her face composed and self-assured. Gloating, and he roared fire.
The smoke evaporated through the bars. "WHERE IS SHE?!" he roared at a deafening sound.
"Relax Zuko," Azula replied, unfazed. "I'm sure you have other things to worry about."
Zuko glanced at his cuffed wrists and his bond feet. He scowled. A ferocious fire burning in his chest.
"Tell me what's happening, Azula. What have you done with Mai? Where is my Uncle? Where is the Ava-"
Azula cut him off. "I'd hate to repeat myself but…"
She paused. In a childish voice, she sang, "Dad's going to kill you."
He would have been lying to himself if he was surprised.
"What did you do with Mai?" he pursued, pushing the thought of his impending execution aside.
"The guards are escorting her back to her home for a well-deserved rest. Especially now that she has been so tired lately."
"If you hurt her I swear…"
Azula cut him off. "Swear what? You are facing the death penalty. Yet you're still concerned about old friends? How foolish. Your lack of self-preservation is rather disturbing."
"And your lack of humanity is downright disgusting!"
"Honestly Zuko how far did you think you could run before we caught you? With our armies marching across the globe and Fire Nation flags flying in every Nation. Why would you choose the losing side when the outcome of this war is so predictable?"
She was taunting him.
"Massacre isn't war," he stated, gritting his teeth.
"It is when they fight back. When they willing choose to resist instead of submitting. "
"You're not perfect Azula."
"Whys that?" A sharp eyebrow raised.
"You made the mistake of thinking I was running. You couldn't be more wrong."
"Yeah whatever, you still lost. Father still wants you dead and in a few days, nothing is ever going to change that."
She moved toward the exit. "Enjoy your stay, Zuko."
It didn't make sense.
Why were they waiting?
Maybe Aang was alive.
He waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Watching the sun and moon continuously orbit the earth in everlasting polarity.
Then one day the sun rose like it always did.
He waited for Ming.
She didn't come.
The door opened surprisingly later than usual.
Two guards entered. One held a set of manacles and a long chain in his hand. They unlocked
the barred door, silently approaching the traitor prince.
"Whats happening?"
"Quiet Prince!" the one of the left barked. "Traitors don't have the right to speak."
They unlocked his chains only to roughly re-shackle him in a different set of manacles. His muscles were stiff and sore and bruised.
A hand grabbed his head, roughly grasping his overgrown hair. Yanking his head backward, pushing him to his knees. He screamed in pain and surprise. An iron ring locking around his neck.
His arms were shackled as were his ankles, joined on one long chain that felt heavy on his chest.
The guards gripped his arms, leading him out of the cell.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Fire Lords orders. Bring the traitor Prince to trial."
His breath caught in his throat.
This was it. He would be dead before the sunrise, possibly dawn. He swallowed the lump in his throat, marching through the prison halls. Hoping they didn't see his trembling hands.
He breathed deeply. "I'm surprised my father even bothered."
They made their way through several Fire Nation towns in a matter of days. Heading northeast to the mountain ranges of the Island. Where the forests became sparser and the streams narrower as they gave way to rockier terrain.
Yet, everything went well. Too well.
Sokka sold the silk, piece by piece. Accumulating small sacks of gold here and there. Most of which was immediately spent on food. The filled their stores and ate well and still had some coin left over.
Katara tried not to think of their good luck. Tried not to think of how well everything was going. She made her way to the last house at the edge of town, her feet finding the dirt.
Pulling the sack from her robes she tipped the contents into the window. Depositing the coins into their meager home. She listened for the gentle clatter of coins. Then dashed through the streets before she could hear the small child or the elder stir awake in the night. Before either could start asking questions about their sudden luck in wealth.
She ran, nearly skipping down the road despite the bulk of her robes. Sensing the pulse of the small river at the edge of the valley.
"HEY YOU! STOP THERE!"
The water answered her command, gathering under her feet, propelling her across the gravel.
The soldier's boots followed her. Metal clashing with stone as they ran with spears in hand.
A rock tripped her in the darkness. She cursed the bulkiness of her robes or her veil. She wasn't sure when sharp, hard stones met her face, cutting her cheek, mixing the red paint with blood.
Stars danced in front of her eyes, reaching for her hat that lay several feet in front of her. Having fallen from her head. The sharp end of a spear threatened to break the skin of her throat. She froze. Heart pounding in her chest.
She was caught. The painted lady was no more.
"You're under arrest," one soldier commanded.
"Careful men! This one's a water bender!" Another warned, stepping on her extended hand.
She screamed. The delicate bones nearly breaking against the rocks underneath and the man's heavy boot.
"Let me go!" she screamed through the pain. Feeling the spear points surround her.
"Shut up, water tribe scum!" a swift kick meeting her stomach.
Breath flew from her lungs as easily as if Aang had summoned it. She gasped, curling in on her stomach trying to catch her breath as her heart raced in a panic.
The clouds shifted and whirled over her head. The signs of an approaching storm.
"Let me go!" she grunted through pained breath. Trying to free her trapped hand from underneath the boot. She panicked. Thinking of her friends that she had left fast asleep in mountain camp.
"What is a filthy water bender like you doing in the Fire Nation? What have you done to those poor people?"
The spear pressed harder against her throat threatening to draw blood. She could feel her blood pulsate underneath the steel.
A wind blew, fierce and cold in the mountain air and her eyes shot open. The full moon called to her. It's light a faint glow on her skin, sinking deep into her blood and bones, feeling her power grow.
The heartbeats of the soldiers around her beat at frantic paces. Their blood beckoned her as it pulsated rapidly and silently through their armored bodies.
"What should we do with her, sir?" A female guard inquired before she screamed. Her spear dropping from Katara's throat as she flew through the air. Falling and rolling onto the dirt and gravel far from her comrades. Her head hit a rock and she lay there unconscious. She groaned and the rest stared on, dumbfounded and shocked.
The heart beats quickened. Their breaths brief and shallow, trying to decide whether to fight or take flight.
Katara clenched her free hand, hidden against her stomach where the boot had no doubt left its mark. She grabbed the blood of the man that stood on her hand, punching her hand with full force forward. He flew away, his boots dragging on the ground as he screamed, trying to control his own limbs.
Her left hand throbbed as she unpeeled it from the sharp stones. The remaining soldiers gasped in unison, realizing it was their oddly robed prisoner.
She took hold of the remaining three men with her left hand. Despite the pain pulsating through her palm and fingers. Their breaths caught in her throat, limbs trembling as they stood still, unmoving.
"Please!" The guard pleaded. "Let me go!"
Katara uncurled her fingers from its fist. Watching the boot man's body twist and somersault through the air. Before straightening his arms against his sides, laying him on his chest on the gravel road.
Hands and arms extended, holding the uniformed men and women of the Fire Nation. Katara slowly stood to her feet, a brief sweat breaking out on her forehead. Her teeth grounded into each other in concentration. For a brief moment, she realized just how hard her own heart was beating.
"Who-Who are you?" The female guard sputtered across the road. Blood trickled down the side of her face. Now regaining consciousness from the fall, but still too shaken or dizzy to stand.
Katara's mouth hung open, realizing just how terrified these people were of her power.
"I'm…" she began, her voice faint and words failing her.
The shallow river trickled carelessly over the stones behind her.
A faint breeze rustled her hair. The wind was changing she would loose the moon soon.
Taking a deep breath she held them all with one hand, bending down and picking up her hat.
The veil fell in front of her eyes, repositioning the hat on her head.
"Tell them all…" She began, finding her voice. "Tell them the Painted Lady visited tonight."
The full moon vanished behind the clouds and the soldiers felt their limbs relax. Free of the water bender's grasp. Before they could reach for their spears and take their stances. A thick mist formed around them. And the water bender - no - the painted lady, disappeared into the night.
Katara slept only briefly when she returned to the camp that night. Barely resting in her sleeping bag when rocks exploded nearby. Followed by Toph's booming voice.
"WAKE UP DUNDERHEADS! WE GOT COMPANY!"
Katara shot up, "Toph, what…?"
"You brought back some company Sugarqueen, we gotta high tail it outta here!"
Katara's stomach dropped.
Sokka muttered sleepily as he turned over in his sleeping bag. "W-what?"
A rock slid across the camp from Toph's barefoot, knocking Sokka from his sleeping bag.
His eyes shot open as he flew from the ground, screaming, before landing hard against the dirt.
He sat upright to protest, but Toph silenced him. "No time for arguments Snoozles we got a platoon of fire duds heading this way."
Katara dashed on top of Appa, shaking the young monk and lemur from their slumber. As
Sokka frantically threw their things into Appa's saddle. Toph overturned the fire, flattening the Earth to wipe away the traces of their camp.
Aang shook awake. "Trouble?" he asked through sleep covered eyes, seeing Katara's worried face. Katara just nodded.
"Appa!" Aang called bending over and opening the air bison's giant eyelids. Appa groaned loudly.
"Hey, Dunderheads!" Toph shouted. "Either keep quiet or we just tell the fire monsters where we are?"
Appa stood up, tired but awake, fluffing out his giant tail.
Toph leaped off an earth pedestal into Appa's saddle. While Sokka scrambled into the saddle with the last of his smoked jerky in his arms.
"Appa Yip-…"
"Katara, wait! Your bag!" Sokka voiced, pointing to her pack on the far side of the camp.
"Hurry their coming!"
Katara ignored the sound of approaching metal boots charging up the mountain pass.
She grabbed her sleeping bag, shoving it into her pack without rolling it up. A few clothes fell out from the loose binding. She could have screamed, suddenly angry at her clothes.
"This way men!" A distant voice shouted. "Quickly! They are trying to flee!"
Katara snatched up the last of her clothes, carrying them against her chest. Her pack hanging loosely off the side of her arm and dashed over to Appa, running up his tail.
She all but fell into the saddle as Aang shouted Yip-yip and the great bison leaped off into vast mountains sky.
Aang and Katara stood to their feet, the wind whipping wildly around them. Shouts could be heard from below. Their arms bent in unison, bending the clouds around them. Disappearing into the sky.
"No fire," Sokka observed. "I don't think they saw us."
The shouts below them quieted. Putting their distance between them and the hostile soldiers.
Katara sunk to the saddle in a huff. Slowly refolding her messed bundle of clothes.
"Did you deliver the rest of the gold tonight?" Sokka asked, rubbing his tired eyes.
Katara nodded rolling up her robes, realizing that her hat had gotten left behind at the camp.
"I think I dropped my hat," she commented, shoving the robes on top of the rest of her things.
"Don't worry about the hat, Katara. I'll find you another one," Aang reassured from his place on Appa's head.
"Thanks, Aang, but I don't think I'll be needing it anymore."
"You okay, Katara?" Toph asked.
"I'm fine," she answered quickly.
"Did something happen tonight?" Sokka inquired, stifling a yawn.
Katara stilled.
"Something did go down then?" Toph observed through her sightless eyes. "And not something good from what I can tell."
She felt Aang's and Sokka's gaze on her as she rolled her sleeping bag. Fastening the straps tightly around the cushioned blankets.
She flexed her hand, still sore from where the guard had stood on it.
"Katara?"
Katara sighed. "I had a run-in with a group of soldiers."
"Apparently. They must have followed you," Toph suggested.
"I didn't think they would."
"Why?" Sokka pursued, his voice tense and serious.
"I was careless. They caught me."
"Did they hurt you?"
"Nothing I can't handle."
"How did you escape?"
She paused, her breath catching in her throat.
"I'm not the painted lady anymore," she said in a voice barely above a
whisper. Tears edging her eyes. She wiped them away before her brother and Aang could see them.
"You bent their blood, didn't you?" Toph stated simply. Her voice was
soft, non-accusatory. Katara was grateful for that as she slowly nodding her head.
They made camp when dawn broke. They fell into their sleeping bags or curled up on the smooth rocky surface, high on the mountain ledge.
Still, Katara couldn't sleep. She reached into the side pocket of her bag, feeling for the smooth stone of her mother's necklace. She felt bad for not wearing it as much since her arrival in the Fire Nation, but the small stone was a comfort.
Her nimble fingers explored the pocket. A weight dropped in her stomach, realizing its vacancy.
She frantically tore open the rest of her pack. Unfolding and unrolling everything that had been packed away so carefully. The tears wouldn't stay at bay anymore. She was in near hysterics, shaking out her empty pack. Her clothes and various articles lay out before her on the slated ground. Empty.
"Katara, what's wrong?" Sokka groaned from his sleeping bag.
"It's gone," she whimpered, biting back her sobs. "Mom's necklace is gone!"
Sokka stilled, standing from his sleeping bag. Taking his seemingly fragile sister into his arms. Letting her cry in the predawn light.
By the time her cries had subsided, she opened her eyes, now realizing that Aang and Toph had joined them. She breathed normally. Exhaling slow steady breaths for the first time in what seemed like a long time. If only brief.
The blue fire danced wickedly in the darkness. Behind the wall of flames a cold, ancient voice spoke.
"Duty to your country 1st and foremost, my grandson. I remember my father speaking those words to traitors and cowardly deserters. But despite the accusations my generals bring me, your son seems to have learned those words well. He has brought the Fire Nation to a great victory in Ba Sing Se."
"To serve you better, Fire Lord. He is of your bloodline after all. He is sending over Dai Lee agents to congratulate your victory." A soft yet masculine voice spoke. It kneeled obediently before the wall of fire. The bright flames dancing menacingly over his armored figure.
"We should not be so keen to trust those we have conquered," the cold voice retorted.
"It was in the hopes we could learn from them. Use them to train our own men, before disposing of them in due course."
"Where would we find earth benders that are loyal to us?"
"The colonies of course. Our people have bred with the natives for the better part of a century."
"Such disgusting creatures! But oh well, if their loyalty can be proven then it just might be worth it. See to it my grandson," The Fire Lord instructed.
"Of course," the prince answered obediently.
"What have you done about the graverobbers?"
"They have been apprehended. Due to face their executions. Tomorrow in fact. I have arranged it myself."
"Good! Yet I'm still getting reports of gold coins bearing my father's face and name. Sightings continue in the central and northern districts."
"The robbers must have had friends. My soldiers have been on their trail for weeks. I will catch them and bring them to justice. But first, promise me something," the prince asked, his voice suddenly shaky. He wore his mask, hoping the Fire Lord would not notice.
"What?"
"I will follow your orders and serve the Fire Nation till my dying breath. But once I restore your father's good name and continue to preserve his tomb, can..."
He hesitated, choosing his words with care. "Can my son come home?"
"I'll think about it. But first you must finish this. Not too mention the northern water tribe remains untouched since Zhao's attempted siege. Despite your weakness for your son, I have other priorities. Now leave."
The Prince stood and bowed. "Of course grandmother."
The flames roared, towering over his head, leaving traces of burn marks on the ceiling.
"You will address me as Fire Lord, Prince! Your title is never sacred and I can easily strip it away just like my father stripped away my brother's! I am the all powerful Fire Lord and you will refer to me as such!"
"My apologies. Great and powerful, Fire Lord Azula."
Note: Avatar Kyoshi lived for 230 years. If the show has taught us anything living 100+ years is not impossible in this universe.