A/N: Would someone mind telling me where my summer has gone? I seem to have misplaced it...if any of you find it, please contact me immediately because I've been looking for it EVERYWHERE.

But seriously, I don't know why to took me this long to write this. It's not like I was winging this chap. I knew EXACTLY what I was going to do, like two months ago. And I think that's the problem. I think procrastination's more my style. So if this chapter seems a bit worse than usual, bear with me (or is it bare with me? I'm so illiterate), and my apparent allergy to planning ahead.

Anyway. Here goes nothing. I hope I did him justice. (fingers crossed)

Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA.

...

Chapter 9: The Prince

...

"You're lying."

His smirk widened. I clenched my fists tightly, still refusing to break eye contact, even as my vision blurred with tears.

"You're lying." I repeated around the lump in my throat. "You have to be."

But even as I spoke the words, I knew the truth. I knew that firebenders, despite their endless list of faults, had an impeccable sense of honesty and honour. He leaned in close to the bars, mouth curled up at the corners.

"Am I?"

I knew if I tried to speak I would start crying. I swallowed hard, willing the tears to vanish. I would not cry in front of this man.

"Commander Zhao! We need you up on deck!"

"I'll be right with you." he said, never breaking eye contact with me, but elevating his voice just enough to be heard by the man outside the door. At my continued silence, he leaned back, snorting softly under his breath. And then he was gone, just as suddenly as he came, the door shutting firmly behind him.

I collapsed to my knees, numbness settling in all the way down to my toes.

He has to be lying. It has to be a trick. Some method to break us before we get to the prisons. It has to be.

Even I didn't believe myself.

But would they really wipe out an entire tribe? Because we weren't big enough? Because we weren't rich enough? Because we didn't fit into Fire Lord Ozai's new world order?

I thought of all the chaos, all the destruction and death the Fire Nation had caused over the past hundred years.

Of course they would.

All the Fire Nation had ever done was take. Take and destroy. Take lives, take land, destroy lives, destroy land. Kill anyone and anything that got in their way. It was how they won the war. But wiping out villages even after they claimed victory was overkill. It wasn't a necessity, it was sport. All those people...my people.

My mother. My father. My brother. My friends. My tribe. My freedom. What else can I lose? What else can they take away from me?

A strangled noise flew past my lips, and I slapped a hand over my mouth so I wouldn't wake Zaq.

Oh god, Zaq.

I looked at him, sleeping soundly in the corner of the cell, unaware of the massive loss he had suffered. What would I do? How would I tell him? Should I tell him? He had a right to know what happened to his family.

Hanna and Lydia and Mina and Essen. Gone.

Zaq shifted in his sleep, and I hastily wiped my eyes and face, schooling my features as best as I could.

As much as it hurt, I didn't have time for this. I had to be strong for Zaq. We wouldn't be on this ship forever. Any day now we would arrive in the prison. I had no idea what we were going to face when we got there, but I knew one thing. I had to protect him. I had to be strong for him. I would make sure he survived. I would make sure we both survived.

Zaq shifted again, and this time he woke up.

"Katara?" he asked weakly when he saw me, his voice scratchy and dry. "What happened?"

My brow furrowed at the wetness slipping down my cheek. I brushed it away quickly and forced a smile.

"Nothing." I said. "Everything is going to be alright."

He nodded tiredly, completely trusting, and went back to sleep. I pressed my fingers against the stone on my chest and took a deep breath. In. Out. Everything would be alright.

I'll make sure of it.

In the end I decided not to tell Zaq what Zhao had told me. I told myself I wanted proof. I told myself that there was still a chance Zhao was lying. I told myself that Zaq was still recovering, and knowing that his family had been murdered would just add more stress to his body. I told myself that it was the right decision, even though I wasn't sure it was.

The Soldier was back by the next morning. After we finished eating, he lingered.

"We'll be arriving in two days time." he said, the dark eyes of his mask turned away. And then he was gone. I took several deep breaths to try and calm myself down. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid.

"Where are they taking us?"

I looked over at Zaq, who was slowly pulling himself up into a sitting position. I helped him the rest of the way and tried my best to sound reassuring.

"It doesn't matter. We'll be fine as long as we stick together, right?" I said, forcing a smile. I didn't know how to tell a seven year old that he was being thrown in prison.

Zaq was silent for a moment, playing with the tattered hem of my shirt.

"I think I know." he said quietly, practically disregarding my previous words. "Mama told me about it."

I waited, listening.

"Mama hit me when she saw me move the water that time. Then she told me if I did it again, I'd get sent away to work for the Fire Nation in a prison." he said, turning up to look at me. "I think that's where we're going."

I nodded. "Yes." Because what else could I say?

"Are you like me, then? A waterbender?"

I nodded again, and even though I knew he had no control of his bending as yet, I said, "But, you have to promise me you won't bend when we get there. I don't know what kind of place we're being sent to, but I'm sure bending isn't allowed. Okay?"

"Okay."

"And we'll stick together when we get there, okay? I won't let them take you away."

He nodded.

"We'll make it through this. We'll get out. I promise." And I didn't even know why I would dare make promises I couldn't keep.

"'Kay…Katara?" he called, his voice small. "I want to go home."

It was such a simple request, and it broke my heart that I couldn't. I reached out a hand, inviting him over to my side. He immediately shifted closer, burying his face in my shoulder. I rubbed his back and kissed his hair, blinking tears away as I felt the dampness seeping into my collar.

...

I felt it when the boat stopped. The sickening sway of the ship remained the same, but the boat gave a gentle lurch forward and back a few minutes ago, and I immediately knew we had stopped moving. I waited with baited breath, pulse pounding. The door opened, and Zaq's head snapped up, fear etched on his face. He slid closer to me unconsciously as loud footsteps echoed through the bottom of the ship.

It was Commander Zhao, the Soldier, and...a boy. No, a man. He had tan skin, and long, brown hair. He was tall, but not near as tall as the firebenders. I eyed his ragged clothes and dirty skin. His hands that clasped behind him unnaturally. The Soldier shoved him forward, and I caught of glimpse of the chains enclosing his wrists. He was a prisoner.

They wasted no time opening the cell and throwing him inside. He collapsed on the filthy side of the floor opposite us, hissing when he land wrong on his elbow.

Zhao's attention turned to me, and I instantly froze. He smiled, sending shivers down my back that I tried my best to hide. He saw it anyway. We stared at each other in silence. There was something about this man that unnerved me, that warned me to never show weakness in front of him. Behind the eerie smiles and pleasant tone was a monster. I just knew it.

The lock clicked shut, snapping my gaze away from him to look at the boy who had just arrived. He was picking himself up from the floor when he met my gaze. His eyes were green. I had never seen green eyes before. For a moment I was mesmerized. And then I remembered that there was a man in this cell. A male human being. Who was locked in here with me, a waterbender who couldn't bend, and a seven year old who who couldn't bend.

I looked back at Zhao, who seemed to notice when I reached this revelation. His smile grew, and he snapped his fingers for the Soldier to follow.

"Have fun." he said, deceptively pleasant.

My gaze returned to the person across from us. He had just realized what he was sitting in. The bucket had overflowed a few days ago.

"...disgusting." he muttered, and I suddenly realized how disgusting we must look, dirty and dingy, covered in our own filth. He looked up at me. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

I wanted to tell him no. Because I've seen that hesitant face, those shy, gentle eyes before. But I couldn't let him sit in our mess for the next two days. So I nodded, careful to keep my face guarded. As he settled beside me, trying to get comfortable with his arms behind his back, he caught me shifting away indiscreetly.

"Don't worry about Zhao." he said gently. "I won't do anything."

I hesitated. I'd heard stories about what prison did to men.

"Can't anyway." he said, gesturing behind his back where his hands were tied. I relaxed a little bit at that.

"Are you a bender, too?" Zaq asked, and I jumped a bit. I had almost forgotten he was here.

The man leaned over and seemed surprised, as if he too had just noticed the little boy sitting next to me. Some unreadable emotion appeared on his face, vanishing before I could even attempt to read it. Then, a small, gentle smile.

"More or less. I was arrested for earthbending."

"I was arrested for waterbending." Zaq said, a hint of pride in his voice. I almost rolled my eyes.

"Yeah?" the man said, playing along. I listened carefully, because after all our time here in the cell, I had never thought to ask Zaq what had happened that day. I felt a bit guilty.

"Uh-huh. A firebender came in our house. He started yelling at my sister. So I had to protect her. I'm the oldest in the house, after Mama and Lydia." he boasted.

My throat clenched at the reminder of Zaq's lost family. I thought about my decision to keep it from him, once again doubting my choice.

"That was really brave of you." the man said, smiling a little.

Zaq beamed. I was sort of shocked. Zaq had been practically silent all week, and this random stranger shows up and gets him to say more than I ever got him to say during our time in the cell. I didn't know how to feel about that.

"I'm Zaq. I turned seven last month." he said, still smiling. "And this is Katara. She's seventeen. She looked after me and Lydia and Mina and Essen when Mama couldn't."

I wasn't sure I liked Zaq giving out so much information about us so quickly. We had just met this guy.

"My name is Haru." he said, then, remembering. "I'm eighteen."

So he was a boy and a man.

"They're taking us to prison." Zaq informed him, as if Haru didn't know already. Haru seemed confused as to why Zaq seemed completely okay with that. He looked at me. I shrugged stiffly, because I was used to Zaq's obsession with telling people things he thought they didn't know.

"Do you know which one?" he asked me hesitantly.

I blanched. "There's more than one prison?"

He looked at me strangely. "Of course there are."

He took a moment to look me up and down, assessing my appearance.

"Where did you say you were from again?"

Before I could reply (I didn't.), Zaq piped up.

"We're from the Southern Water Tribe!"

Haru stared at Zaq. Then he looked at me.

"You serious?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Yes. What of it?"

"Nothing. It's just...I thought…" he glances over at Zaq for the barest of moments. "...never mind."

I wanted to ask what he was going say, demand he continue, but I thought better of it. I didn't trust this guy, and the less he talks, the better.

Zaq, on the other hand, had his own plans. He filled the silence effortlessly, asking Haru every question he could think of. I was dutifully silent, though I listened carefully to each of Haru's quiet responses. Even though I didn't want him to know much about us, that didn't mean I didn't want to know everything I could about him.

Turns out Haru is from a little mining village on the edge of the sea. Like the Southern Water Tribe, it was infested with fire benders. Though instead of just being there, the firebenders used the villagers as slaves to mine coal to fuel their ships. Like all other bending, earth bending was forbidden in Haru's village. Haru was an only child. He lived with his mother. His father was arrested for earthbending and sent to an earthbender prison when Haru was eleven. Haru hasn't seen him since.

I wanted to ask why Haru wasn't sent to the same prison as his father. They were both earthbenders. It would only make sense to send him there instead of the waterbender prison Zaq and I were being sent to.

But before I could say anything, Zaq noticed that Haru was sad, so he changed the subject.

"Do you like snowball fights?" he asked quickly. Under any other circumstances, I would have been proud of Zaq's ability to read situations, given his young age.

Haru smiled at Zaq gently before answering. "We never really had enough snow for snowball fights."

Zaq deflated just a bit, heartbroken that his new friend didn't understand his passion for headshots.

"Although," Haru continued, shifting his position a bit. "I used to have mudball fights when I was a kid. Does that count?"

Zaq visibly brightened at that. He paused though, a curious look on his face.

"I thought you said earthbending was against the rules in your village?"

Haru cocked his eyebrow playfully. "Who said anything about earthbending?"

I was itching to ask Haru about the important stuff, like the war and the Rebels, and the Avatar. But Zaq was in control of the conversation now. After he got tired of hearing about Haru, he launched into tale after tale of his life in the South Pole. I had to nudge him more than a few times, trying to keep him from revealing too much personal information. But then he'd just pause and give me this blank, confused stare, and I'd remember that he was barely seven years old.

"Hold on a second." Haru said after shifting and twisting and moving for almost ten minutes straight. He arched his back against the wall, sliding his handcuffed wrists under his bum to rest underneath his upper thighs. Then he curled forward, slowly shimmying his wrists and bending his legs to finally bring his hands to rest on his lap. "Ah. Much better."

Zaq seemed to think Haru was some sort of magician after that. I was sort of upset at his immediate idolism of this guy. Anyone could do that. And I didn't want Zaq getting attached. I still didn't know if I could trust him.

At one point while telling an exciting story about capturing a baby otter penguin, Zaq fell into a coughing fit, and I had to get him to calm down enough to take a sip of the leftover water we had in the bowl. I mentally chided myself for forgetting about his slow recovery. I knew Zaq could get really excited, but I hadn't seen him get like that since…

I shook my head, focusing my attention on Zaq, who had settled at my side for a nap. I rubbed his back soothingly, monitoring his breathing carefully.

Still, I had to admit I was a little amazed at Zaq's sudden burst of energy upon Haru's arrival. But I was glad he was acting a little more like himself. He let out a little snore and rubbed his face in my shoulder as he slept. I smiled and brushed the dingy strands of his hair.

"He's a good kid." Haru's voice suddenly reminded me that I was now stuck alone with this guy.

I hope he doesn't expect me to talk.

But I couldn't help but agree with him.

"Yes." I said simply.

I counted three seconds before Haru spoke again.

"This shouldn't have happened to him."

And I had to look up at the sharp edge of his voice. Our eyes met, and in those foreign green eyes I saw the man in this boy. I saw pain, exhaustion, and anger.

He looked away suddenly, pulling his knees up to his chest, resting his chin on his forearms.

"It shouldn't have happened to any of us."

And I knew that he meant more than just Zaq, or him, or me. He meant all of us.

And in that cold, dark, filthy Fire Nation cell, it was a small comfort to know that someone was on our side.

...

I was back in the South Pole, on my cliff by the sea. And Gavin was there next to me. I was feeling mellow, and warm, and light. I turned to Gavin, and he gave me a big smile. I smiled back, leaning my head on his shoulder. He leaned his head against mine, and together we stared out into the sunset, enjoying one another's company.

And then, I started to get a sick, twisted feeling in my stomach. I pulled away, gasping and clutching my stomach. Something was wrong.

I stood and turned to leave, and Gavin was there. I felt a sudden sense of déjà vu, because he was young again, and so was I, and this had happened before.

"I want to go home." I said, voice trembling and stomach turning. Because something was wrong.

This time, he didn't step aside.

In a burst of anger, I shoved past him, and he was older again, looking at me with that hurt, vulnerable expression on his face. I ignored it. I didn't have time for this. Something was wrong.

I ran straight for Hanna's house. The lights were out. The house was silent. I was in her bedroom. There she was, sleeping soundly in her bed. But the twisting in my gut wouldn't go away. In one step I was at her side, and I touched her shoulder, and she was cold. I pulled back the covers, and she was staring up at me with still, lifeless eyes. Her body stiff, her throat cut open.

Blood was seeping out, faster and faster. I stumbled back, and fell, staring at the blood edging towards me. I heard Gavin choke out my name as he gagged behind me. I twisted to tell him to shut up, and suddenly, there were bodies everywhere. Each with split throats, blood oozing out the wounds and into the snow. All of their haunting, dead eyes were staring right at me.

And standing in the middle, holding a bloody sword with trembling hands was Gavin. He started coughing and hacking and vomiting as his body began to change right in front of my eyes. His face twisted and morphed, becoming unrecognizably distorted, until it finally settled on graying brown hair, jagged sideburns and pale skin. Our eyes met. He stared into my soul, mouth still leaking blood. And amidst death, he smiled.

I screamed.

...

I didn't scream. Not for real. I didn't fly upright with desperate gasps and heaving breaths. Instead, my eyes opened silently, and I lay there in the dark, willing the sickly feeling away. I couldn't get Zhao's face out of my head. Or Gavin's.

I pictured him again, standing amidst the bodies of my people, sword in hand. I clasped a hand over my mouth.

Someone shifted next to me, and after a moment, I heard Haru's voice.

"Hey. You alright?"

A hand fumbled close by before coming to rest over mine, as if to comfort me. I pulled away sharply. There was a moment of silence following, in which I was sure Haru got the hint. I shifted slowly, feeling where Zaq had pressed himself up against my back. I wracked my brain, suddenly wondering if he had been one of the faceless bodies in my dream. I shuddered.

No. I won't allow it.

"Why don't you escape?"

I startled, looking towards the sound of Haru's quiet voice.

"Excuse me?" I said, maybe just a bit too loudly. Zaq shifted beside me.

"I said, why don't you escape? There's water all around us."

And he was right. The water in the cup, the excrement in the bucket, the vomit slowly drying. It was more than enough for a real waterbender. I swallowed my bitterness and tried to answer without immediate anger.

"I'm not a waterbender."

There was a pause.

"What? But you said—"

"I know. I can...but I can't."

Another pause. Then, "Huh."

What's that supposed to mean?

"Well, what about you?" I shot back. "Why don't you escape?"

"Because I'm an earthbender. There's no earth on this ship."

And I felt like an idiot. But, because I was stubborn, kept talking.

"Well, what about when we land? Can't you fight then?"

He snorted bitterly. "As if they'd ever allow that. I'm sure they have something planned." His voice sounded defeated. "They always do."

An uncomfortable silence followed, because it was true, and the more Haru spoke, the more I was beginning to lose hope of ever escaping. (Did I ever have any?). Hours passed, and I couldn't sleep. And somehow, I knew Haru wasn't either.

There was a loud bang of metal on metal, and I startled awake.

I fell asleep. Huh.

I looked over at Haru, who was glaring at the Soldier, but he was rubbing the sleep from his eyes with his fists, so it didn't turn out as angry as it could have been.

"Wake him up." the Soldier said, banging the cage with his baton again, and nodding towards Zaq, who was still sleeping. My stomach dropped. I reached over quickly, shaking Zaq awake.

"Why? What's going on?" Haru demanded. The Soldier ignored him. Instead, he seemed to be eyeing Haru's hands. Probably remembering that they were behind his back yesterday.

Zaq patted my arm. "What's going on?"

I shook my head, and kissed his hair, trying to stop the trembling in my hands as the Soldier unlocked the cell. The metal gate swung open with a loud creak that sent a shiver up my spine. The Soldier stepped inside the cell, and once again, I happened to miss the chains dangling from his arm until the last moment.

He yanked me up by my arm and locked a cuff around my wrist. He pulled my other wrist around, in front of me, and locked the second cuff around it. I stared at them dumbly.

Zaq cried out. The Soldier was pulling him up, another chain ready. I stepped forward hastily.

"No, don't!" He stared at me, and again I wished I could see his face. "He...he's just a kid. He's not a threat. You don't need to."

I could see Zaq looking up between us uneasily, small whimpers escaping in fear.

"Please." I begged. I didn't want Zaq in chains. No child should ever be in chains. I remembered this Soldier mentioning a son. "Please. He's just a boy."

A few more tense seconds passed. I looked into the black holes, waiting with baited breath for him to make a decision. The Soldier scoffed, and let him go. Zaq collapsed on the ground, sniffling quietly. I bent immediately, shushing him and helping him sit up as best as I could.

"Get up." he barked, stepping aside to allow us to pass. "Let's go."

I glanced at Haru, who seemed to have just put together the pieces. I nudged Zaq gently.

"Come on. Let's go." I said quietly. He started shaking his head, big, fat teardrops spilling over his eyelids.

"No. I don't wanna. I don't—"

"Shh, it's okay." I whispered. "We'll stick together, remember? We're alright."

I didn't wait for him to agree—because the Soldier was still waiting patiently—or impatiently...I had no clue because of that stupid mask. Which is why I didn't want to take any chances. I helped Zaq stand. He was still shaky and weak, but it would be enough to get him wherever we were going. At least I hoped so.

Haru stood as well, deciding to walk ahead of us. I didn't mind one bit. As I passed the Soldier, Zaq shuffling along slowly beside me, he spoke.

"You might want to hide that...if you still want it."

I stared at the mask, and it stared back. Then, it tilted down almost imperceptibly. I brought my hands up to grasp my mother's necklace, understanding. But of course he'd tell me this after my hands were tied. I stooped slowly, never taking my eyes off the Soldier.

"Zaq, honey, can you take off my necklace?"

I felt his little fingers battling with the clasp for a minute. The Soldier huffed. Then, the weight of the stone was gone, and Zaq was holding it out for me. I took it, trying to figure out a place to hide it. Haru stepped forward.

"Here. Let me." he said, reaching out his hands.

I hesitated, but, hearing the Soldier sigh again, I handed it over. He gestured for me to turn around, and as soon as I did, I felt a tugging in my hair. He pulled away a moment later.

"There."

I reached up, feeling the stone at the base of my braid. He had tied it around my hair, as if that was what it was meant for. I sent him a small smile of gratitude, much less than the enormous relief I was feeling. I didn't know what I would do if I lost my mother's necklace.

I looked up at the Soldier, once again stumped by the small kindness of a Fire Nation citizen.

"Alright. Get moving." the Soldier snapped. I narrowed my eyes at him, not daring to do more, and stepped out of the cell.

It doesn't matter. In the end, we're still prisoners.

There was another Soldier at the end of the corridor, waiting. And suddenly, I began to wonder if it really was the same Soldier, every time.

"Follow me." he ordered, then turned and started up the stairs.

Zaq clung to me as we walked, almost leaning his entire body against mine. I struggled a bit, since I wasn't in the best shape either. Haru's feet clipped the back of mine as we walked. My legs started trembling on the fourth stair, and Zaq was practically on top of me as we climbed them. I tripped on the sixth stair, crying out a little as me knee hit the edge hard. Zaq held himself upright on my back. I felt Haru's hands brushing my waist.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I shied away from his touch and used my hands to stand up straight again, wincing at the throbbing in my knee. I kept going. There was light at the top, an opening, to the deck of the ship. The light wasn't strong, but it still hurt. Days in darkness had caused light to become too unfamiliar.

"Ow." Zaq whined, shielding his eyes. I blinked quickly, glancing around to take in our surroundings.

At first glance I saw red. There were Soldiers everywhere. Lined up around the edge of the ship. All with faceless masks. And all I could think was of course it wasn't the same Soldier every time. I'd been foolish to think otherwise.

At second glance I saw blue. It was early in the morning, so early that the air was tinted the blue of dawn, and the only light was the sliver of sun rising over the horizon. The ocean stretched out for miles and miles, completely surrounding us. I was momentarily confused. Why had we stopped if we hadn't landed?

And then I saw Zhao, standing in the middle of the deck watching us with his hands clasped behind his back, and that smile on his face. Two men flanked either side of him—one was holding a small hammer, and the other another man was holding three strange circular pieces of metal. I frowned.

What…?

"Move it, peasant!" A sharp shove sent me stumbling forward. Zaq was pulled away from me with a small shriek of fear. I straightened shakily, turning around to glare, and another shove knocked me forward again. "I said move it."

I stumbled to knees, barely able to catch myself before my face hit the deck. My body was so weak that the fall left me winded, arms trembling violently as I pushed myself up. I sat back, hunched over on my knees as pointed boots stopped to stand in front of me. I lifted my head, and his nose curled up just the tiniest bit.

And then his foot hooked up and over the chain dangling between my wrists. He slammed his foot down, bringing the chain with it. I collapsed to the floor with a pained grunt as the momentum threw my body forward and my head collided with the deck.

"Katara!" Zaq cried from behind. "Stop it! You're hurting her!"

Zhao gestured to the man beside him, who brought one of the weird circles of metal forward. At this angle, I got a better look at it. It wasn't too wide, more oval shaped than anything. At each edge of the oval, there were two blunt bolts popping out, four in total. I stared in confusion as the man popped in a key, and the metal ring came apart, like the handcuffs around my wrists.

Someone yanked my head forward roughly, exposing the back of my neck, and it dawned me that this was a collar. They were putting collars on us, like animals.

"Hold still." Zhao said, just as I started to struggle.

It clamped down on my neck hard, the rough metal biting into my skin tightly. A split second later, the man had locked the collar around my neck. Zhao gestured to another man, who revealed a small, iron hammer. My breathing picked up.

More men came to hold me steady as Zhao raised the hammer.

"No, wait—"

"Don't worry." he taunted. "You won't feel a thing."

The hammer drove into the first bolt, and I choked out a scream. The pain was sharp, a stabbing drill in the back of the muscle between my neck and shoulder. I could feel the blunt stick of metal, digging deep into my neck, but never piercing any skin. And then, almost instantly, my left leg began to numb. It tingled and itched for a single moment, and then I couldn't feel it at all.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" Zhao commented from above. "It's a Fire Nation invention, actually. Designed for one sole purpose. Can you guess what it is?"

The second bolt drove into the back of neck, sending the same tingling numbness to my right leg. I screamed again at the fire in my neck. A slow panic crept up my spine.

I can't feel my legs. I can't feel my legs. Oh god. I can't feel my legs.

The Soldiers yanked my head back, exposing the front of my neck, and I could feel the bolts digging in deeper. Zhao smiled down from above. I blinked up at him, traitorous tears slipping down my cheeks.

"It's a chi-blocker." he explains, and I took a wild guess that that's bad, considering Haru's loud gasp. I don't have time to wonder what it is, because Zhao continues. "Once all the bolts are in, you won't be able to bend. At all."

"That's impossible!" Haru said. My first response would have been to scoff, but I couldn't feel my legs, and suddenly, I was taking Zhao much more seriously.

Zhao looked over at Haru with a cocked eyebrow. "Is it?"

Before Haru could summon up a response, the third bolt was in, and my arm buckled beneath me, body crumpling to the wooden floor. I heard Zaq scream for me, but his voice sounded muffled, as if I was underwater. Everything was blurred, even the sounds, and the only thing that was clear was the harsh ache in my neck. I was yanked up again by my hair. Soldiers had to hold up the rest of my body.

I saw Zhao step off my chain through teary eyes. He leaned in close, until I could clearly see the brown of his eyes.

"Don't worry." he said, sour breath wafting over my face. I didn't even want to think about trying to turn away. "The numbness will fade when you regain consciousness. And by then, we'll have reached our destination."

Then he pulled away, and raised the hammer. A pitiful 'please' left my lips, and I was in agony again. This time, they let my body crumple, and my face lands hard on the wood. I couldn't catch myself. I couldn't move. And most importantly, I couldn't bend.

My vision began to blacken around the edges. Zhao stepped over me casually, a smaller collar dangling from his wrist. He flipped the hammer playfully in his hand and gestured to Zaq just as I felt myself slipping away.

"Next."

"Katara. Katara,wake up."

What…?

"Katara, please!"

It was the second voice that startled me awake. I blinked blearily, instantly seeing Zaq and Haru's anxious face hovering over mine. I tried to lift my head, wincing at the pain in my neck. I reached up, wanting to rub at the soreness, and stopped. The handcuffs were gone.

That's right...the collar.

My eyes darted over to Zaq immediately, where I see an identical collar latched around his neck. His eyes are bloodshot, face blotchy and red. Before I could say anything, Zhao was there.

"Rise and shine, waterbender."

My stomach twisted at the voice, hate brewing at the thought of what he did to Zaq, a child, who couldn't even bend at will. He strolled toward us, hands behind his back, a smug smile on his lips.

"We have arrived at our destination. So if you would kindly get up so I can get on with my day." his voice was polite, but laced with a threatening tone that didn't really give us much choice in the matter.

I struggled to sit, and had an even harder time standing up. My body still felt numb—after effects of the collar. My legs buckled as I tried to stand to full height, and Haru reached out just in time. I tried my best not to look at Zhao, who was no doubt finding this incredibly amusing.

Together, Haru and I helped Zaq to stand. He had the hardest time. He trembled weakly under the weight of his own body, like a toddler learning to walk for the first time.

"Oh, come now, we haven't got all day."

Don't answer, Katara. Don't say a word.

Instead, I looked over the edge of the boat, trying to figure out where we were. We were docked in front of some sort of forest, with thick trees and large bushes. My eyebrows pulled in. I always imagined the Fire Nation to be more...fiery.

Zhao led us off the ship and into the forest, with Soldiers flanked around us—probably in case we tried to run away. It didn't matter. None of us would make it very far.

As we walked, I leaned over and whispered to Haru, "Are we in the Fire Nation?"

He seemed uncomfortable at first, eyeing the Soldiers hesitantly. "No. This...this is the Earth Kingdom."

He seemed just as confused as I was.

We walked again in silence, Zaq stumbling along between us, and I glanced down at the sandy dirt beneath my boots.

"Are you…" I glanced at a Soldier briefly and lowered my voice. "Are you sure you can't bend?"

Haru's jaw tightened. "Yes. Trust me, I've tried."

He turned slightly for me to see a bruise on his cheek that I hadn't noticed before.

"Did you—"

"No talking!" I felt a sharp kick in the small of my back. I fell hard on the dirt.

"Is that really necessary?" I heard Haru snap as I pushed myself up. The Soldier lifted a hand, igniting a hot flame in his palm.

"You wanna say that again, boy?" he sneered.

Haru remained silent, backing up a step. The Soldier snorted as he extinguished the flame. Zhao looked over his shoulder to give Haru a nasty smile.

"Not so tough, are you, earthbender?"

Haru glared hard at the firebenders, but his face was red with shame.

"Are you okay, Katara?" Zaq whispered shakily as I stood.

"Don't worry about me, okay?" I said, trying my best to smile. "I'm fine."

We'd been walking for about half an hour, and I was exhausted. I was hungry, thirsty, and my legs felt like jelly. And I wasn't the only one. Halfway through the walk, Zaq quietly begged me to carry him. He'd whispered, not wanting to sound like a baby, but still child enough to ask. I'd had to say no. I didn't even know if I had the strength to lift myself up for much longer. The flare in my neck had dimmed down by then, to a constant, nagging sort of pain, like something digging into your funny bone relentlessly. Not unbearable, but still very uncomfortable.

Five minutes later, Zaq asked me again, just as I spotted smoke over the tops of the trees. It was enough of a motivation for him to keep going, although it appeared much closer than it actually was. It was another fifteen minutes before we arrived, and Zaq had walked the entire way. I was proud of him, because at that age, I would have never made it past ten minutes. By the time we reached the enormous gate of the prison, I felt as if my sweat had soaked through my parka. Zaq and I were still in the clothes we left the South Pole in, and the heat was taking its toll on us.

Haru suddenly stopped, and I walked straight into his back.

"What—"

I looked up, and saw it.

The prison was frightening, like a huge metal castle stretching up to the sky, dark and menacing. Thick black smoke billowed out of a dozen chimneys, every window barred and every door in sight flanked by Guards. Besides the main building, there were tiny metal chambers dotting the field surrounding it. The entire prison was surrounded by tall, barred, metal walls. The wall wasn't circular, but surrounded the prison in even jagged sections—like some sort of symmetrical shape with a lot of sides. At each edge of the wall, there was a tower, and in each tower, there were Guards. At the bottom of each tower, there were Guards. At the base of the prison, there were Guards. In the field surrounding the prison there were Guards. I felt a heavy hopelessness begin to settle in my stomach.

How are we ever going to get out of here?

Zhao signalled to the Guard behind the gate, and doors began to open slowly. The metal screeched loudly as it opened, and the Soldiers shoved us inside. We all stumbled past the wall, barely able to catch our footing before the gate began to close.

Zhao stood, perfectly poised on the other side, hands clasped, smile forever etched on his face.

"It's been a pleasure. I hope your time here is most enjoyable." he said with false politeness.

The gate shut.

He sent us one last smirk, teeth baring for just the tiniest moment. Then he turned on his heel and strolled off. We all sat in the dirt, paralysed.

Arms grabbed us up roughly, and in no time we were being ushered towards the main prison building. I walked in a daze, barely acknowledging where I was being pushed or shoved. Everything was happening too fast.

Is this it? I thought. Are we going to be stuck here forever? There's no way we can get out. There are Guards everywhere. I promised Zaq I'd get him out. I promised.

"Take off your clothes."

I stared at her. It was a Guard. A female Guard. I took a moment to appreciate that Guards didn't wear those soulless masks required of common Fire Nation Soldiers. But that meant I could see the snarl on her face. It took a second for me to realize we had moved, and that we were actually inside the prison now. We were in a large room, completely empty save for a table in the corner with clothes folded over it.

"Katara…" Haru whispered. He was already half naked. "Do it."

I blinked, unable to shake the dread settling in the pit of my stomach.

The Guard's patience snapped. "I said take off your clothes, peasant!"

She whipped out a baton, and I blinked again, watching it for a second. Then I started shedding my clothes. Haru was already done, and began helping Zaq with his buttons. My gaze flicked over his body quickly before I turned away, eyes wide. I had never seen…

Something fell out of my parka as I peeled it off. It hit the ground quietly, but everybody froze when it did.

What…?

The Guard bent over slowly to pick up the item. As she did, I instantly reached up to touch my mother's necklace. It was still tied tightly around my braid. She straightened, and somehow, she looked even more furious.

"What," she held it up for me to see. "is this?"

It was small. Small and wooden and brown and circular with a pale yellow and orange flower in the middle. And I had never seen it before.

"I...I don't know." I stammered, wondering why a piece of wood could cause her to react like this.

"Don't lie!" she screamed, shaking the wood in front of my face angrily. "You're a goddamn Rebel, aren't you?"

That made my heart stop.

"Wh-what? No, I'm not!"

But she wasn't listening. "Guards! Take her away!"

Two of them grabbed me by my arms and started pulling me out of the room.

"Katara!" Zaq screamed and lunged for me. Haru grabbed him up, naked and all, staring at me as if he was seeing me for the first time.

"Thought you could escape the death penalty, huh? Not this time, you little punk. You're getting exactly what you deserve." she snapped.

I started to struggle at the word 'death.' Zaq screamed at the Guards, begging them to let me go.

"Stop! This is a mistake! I'm not a Rebel! I'm from the Southern Water Tribe!"

The Guard scoffed and began to lead us out of the room.

"No! Stop! I'm not a Rebel!" Zaq called for me again, fighting against Haru's hold. "Zaq! Zaq! Stop, please! I'm not, I'm not! Zaq!"

They shut the door, muffling Zaq's cries. I kicked and fought, wriggling and wrenching my body this way and that. The Guard stopped and turned, grabbing my face in the rough palm of her hand.

"Stop your fighting, girl. We know what you are. Resisting will only make this harder on yourself."

She shoved my face away. I swallowed thickly, panic rising and breath heaving. I didn't understand. I had never seen that thing before. Why did they think I was a Rebel? Was it some sort of token the Rebels carried around? What did it mean? How did it get in my clothes?

We passed an enormous common room, like a indoor courtyard. There were prisoners milling about, sweeping, mopping, eating. They didn't even give us a second glance. Then the courtyard was gone, and the Guards were pulling me through a dark, narrow hallway. A single door stood at the very end. The Guard put a hand on the doorknob and turned to me.

"You're in luck, Rebel. Someone very special is going to deal with you." she leered, and yanked the door open.

They shoved me through the door. The room was empty, except for a wooden table and a chair. There was a man in the room, standing, arms crossed, with his back to us. He turned around as soon as he heard us, and I realized there was another person in the room. We must have interrupted a conversation.

"What is the meaning of this?" his voice was sharp, harsh, and full of authority that almost compelled me to look his way.

I gasped.

His eyes cut to me, and his glare darkened, as if daring me to say anything about the vicious red scar that stretched over his left eye. I swallowed thickly, unable to stop staring.

"My apologies, your Majesty." said the female Guard. "But we've found a Rebel among the prisoners."

Your Majesty…?

I glanced at his heavy red robe laced with gold silk, and the golden crown resting in the dark brown knot of hair at the top of his head. My eyes widened.

This is the Fire Lord? But...he's so young.

"A Rebel? Here?" his brow furrowed as he came around the table, eyeing me like prey.

"Yes, sir. We found this on her." she held up the piece of wood, and tossed it to him. He lifted a hand and caught it casually, without ever taking his eyes off me.

His eyes were golden. Not brown. Not even golden brown. They were pure gold, and I had never seen eyes like that before. Then they were gone, and his eyes flicked to the item in his hand. Something short of calm fury lit up his eyes before he carefully schooled his features a split second later. And then he was looking at me again, cold and calculating.

"Leave." he said, still never looking away. "I'll deal with this."

The Guards bowed, and I could hear the small excitement in her voice as she said, "Yes, Prince Zuko."

Okay. First of all. I apologize. I totally meant to have more Zuko in this chapter. But, my fingers wrote this themselves. I had no part in this. I don't know how this chapter got this long actually. This chapter was supposed to end much later, but I really don't know where all these words came from. I figured it'd be a good place to stop or I'd reach like 10 000 words. Geez.

Anyway, ZUKO HAS ARRIVED! FINALLYYYYY!

I know you guys didn't get to see much of his character this chapter, but next chapter will most definitely start with him. So be a bit excited for that.

Please please please review. I know I'm the worst writer ever with all the long waits and everything, but please leave a comment. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks again guys.

-SilverLining33