AN: I know nothing to say at the beginning of this chapter, so I will just let you read now. I do believe this is doing better than Brotherly Love, which got 370 reviews for 31 chapters. This has 112 reviews for 9 chapters. Part 1, The Girl, is almost over. Part 2, The Demon, will soon begin.

Chapter 10: Tell Me The Truth

Maida reached the Punir headquarters in what seemed like record time, for her heart was flying. She called together the Council, and in silence they waited for Ajayi to return.

Any conversations that might have been going on stopped when they heard Ajayi's horse come up, and there was barely a moment's wait until Ajayi pushed back the flap of the tent and came strolling in, a child in his arms. He was still dressed in his festival outfit, but his gentle smile had turned into a triumphant smirk. Maida was frightened, and inexplicably wanted to take the child from him.

The child was wrapped in a cloak to hide its face from the Council, at least until Ajayi felt like revealing the child's identity, which he did so immediately upon reaching the center of the chamber. Maida's heart stopped.

It was Amulya.

The prince woke sleepily and took in his surroundings. When his gaze met the victorious gazes of the Council, excluding Lady Dita and Maida, who both looked horrified, he whimpered and clutched at Ajayi. Ajayi dropped him and walked away from him.

Amulya stared at the man who'd seemed so nice before incredulously, and then he understood. Anger replaced fear and hot tears of rage fell down the prince's cheeks. But he said nothing.

Ajayi turned to the Council, turning his back on the weeping prince.

"With the loss of his child, Fire Lord Zuko is at his weakest. We shall strike against him soon and restore peace of mind to the world! Prepare your warriors for battle!"

The Council members cheered and warriors ran out to spread the news. A guard came up and took Amulya away. Dita left, but Maida stood there as the Council members filed out and soon, only she and Ajayi were left.

Ajayi turned to her, his eyes dancing with conquest.

"Well?"

Maida looked at him, tears brimming in her golden blue eyes, now more blue than gold, for she was heart-broken.

"You can't do this."

Ajayi looked at her incredulously.

"Maida, what are you saying?"

A single tear escaped and ran down her face.

"I'm saying you can't take him away from his family. I know first hand what that is like."

Ajayi's smile disappeared and his eyes darkened.

"He is the child of our enemy, Fire Lord Zuko! Couldn't you see his father's temper just then? He is his father's child!"

"YOU MIGHT AS WELL CONDEMN ME FOR THE FACT THAT MY FATHER WAS A FIRE-BENDER!" Maida screamed. She didn't mean to shout, but it tore from her chest as all the emotions she'd kept back came bursting through her defenses. Tears poured unwillingly from her eyes and she stared at Ajayi, pleading with him.

But his face was set.

"I've waited too long for this Maida. I won't let your…morals…get in my way."

He turned to walk out, but paused before he completely left the tent and looked back at her.

"You will kill the Fire Lord…tonight."

In that instant, Maida become the Cold Flame, relishing the cold indifference she would need to even look at the pained father.

"Yessir."

Ajayi turned back around, meeting the gaze of the Cold Flame, who glared back, her eyes pure gold. But he was hardly frightened, he who had heard the voice of demons.

Zuko tore from Amulya's room without another second's hesitation. Flames licked from his fists to his elbows and his eyes were like fire themselves.

Reaching the Great Hall he shouted at Jee to gather the army. Katara and Aang ran after, trying to talk sense into the angry Fire Lord.

"Zuko, please darling, listen to me. This isn't going to help!"

"THEY WON'T DO THIS TO ME AGAIN KATARA! I'M GOING TO KILL THEM SO THEY CAN NEVER HURT US AGAIN!"

"Zuko please!"

"I'LL KILL THEM AND TAKE BACK WHAT'S MINE! THEY TOOK MAIDA! THEY'LL HAVE AMULYA! I'LL GET THEM BACK!"

"ZUKO STOP!"

Zuko froze, the Oath he'd sworn to Aang years before stopping his body at the Avatar's command. Aang moved to stand in front of his friend.

"Listen to me Zuko."

Zuko's eyes danced, showing his anger at Aang's control over him, but Aang was not perturbed.

"You have no proof of what you claim. Maida could be dead for all we know."

Zuko growled, but still unable to speak. Aang's eyes softened.

"You're not going to let me take care of this are you?"

Zuko's eyes gave him all the answer he needed. Aang sighed, and shook his head.

"I didn't want to have to do this Zuko, but I won't have you running off to get killed and kill innocent people." Aang sighed once more, and Zuko stared at him, waiting for the blow to fall.

"I want you to stay in your chambers until I give you permission to leave. Jee and I will search for Amulya. You may go."

Zuko hissed as his ability to speak and move came back. In the instant before his traitorous body turned him back the way he came, he spoke to Aang, very briefly.

"You son of a bitch."

He then turned and was gone.

Aang and Katara sighed in relief, and Aang turned to his long time friend.

"Send a letter to Sokka, he'll want to help us."

Katara nodded. "I'll take care of Zuko's duties as well, so he doesn't have to leave."

Aang nodded gratefully and smiled. "Don't worry, Katara, we'll find him."

After he said this, he turned from the Fire Lady and walked out onto the great steps of the Fire Palace. Akierin was there, waiting for him and Hessair swooped down out of the night sky.

(Zuko said for me to come with you.)

Aang nodded and took his place on Akierin's back. The trio took off into the star-filled skies, seeking the Fire Nation Prince.

Amulya sobbed, sitting in the cold tent alone. His hands were tied behind his back, palms together, so he couldn't bend. Wires were around his ankles as well. His back was pressed against a wooden board, keeping him still. The guard had given him some water to drink and a bit of bread, but had said nothing. Later, when the guard changed, Amulya asked what they would do to him, and the guard said that it was up to Ajayi. Amulya sighed.

Now he was worried about his mommy and daddy. They would be so worried about him. He remembered when he'd thought it funny to hide from his daddy. He'd hidden all day, changing his hiding place to remain hidden. He'd only come out from his last hiding place behind the big tapestry in the Throne Room when he'd seen his daddy, and his daddy had looked like he was about to cry.

I'm here Daddy, I'm all right. I'm sorry Daddy please don't cry.

But Daddy had cried anyway, holding him close and begging him never to hide from him again. Amulya had promised never to do so. He hated seeing his proud strong father cry.

His gaze turned skyward and he closed his eyes. He had matured in the time since waking in a strange place until now.

"Daddy," he whispered. "I'm not hiding. I'm right here, and I'm okay. Come get me please. I want to go home. I miss you. Please come get me Daddy."

Tears began to fall once more, but Amulya didn't mind. He'd learned a long time ago that it was okay to cry.

The Cold Flame mounted her grey steed, Dao broadswords strapped across her back, a form-fitting black outfit on her body. Black boots fit into the stirrups of the light saddle, and she wheeled the horse out of the Punir village. Warriors stopped to watch her as she left them far behind, the Cold Flame's last ride.

Her eyes gleamed like a wolf's as she covered the distance between the Punir and Sozun with ground-eating strides. Her horse wasn't even breathing heavy as it ran across the fields for the third time that day.

The Cold Flame entered the panicked capital city without being noticed, one with the shadows she hid among. Her horse was positioned right beneath the Fire Lord's balcony, for time would be of the essence once her mission was complete.

Zuko had finished destroying everything in his room that he could bring himself to destroy and was now quietly sitting among the wreckage, his eyes wide and angry as he stared at nothing in particular. The bed curtains were still smoldering. Suddenly, he felt as if he was being watched, and glanced up.

Someone was crouched on the balcony railing, watching him, but he could see nothing more than the figure. He leapt up, gaining his footing easily, placing a few piles of debris between himself and the figure. The figure chuckled.

"Running from death Fire Lord?"

Aang and Akierin soared through the high clouds and Hessair glided low over the earth, seeking the scent of his Bond's son. He flew over a forest, his head down, searching. He smelled a waterfall, and then pulled up with a screech for what he smelled beneath the falls. He screeched again, trying desperately to get out of the smell. His great wings never faltered and drew him away from the cursed spot and he flew to warn Akierin and the Avatar.
Syperis lunged against the bonds holding her within the chambers that Saitrie had banished her to millennia before, the portal was open, and with one mighty burst she flew upwards. All she needed now was the sacrifice to make her flesh and blood once more.

(AJAYI!)

She screamed, telling him to hurry, and he told her to be patient.

It was sudden, completely unexpected when the pain burst into flames in Aang's skull. He shrieked his pain, struggling to draw breath while his lungs sought to push out a surge of decayed air that had just filled him. In the resulting conflict, Aang fell unconscious, slipping from his place on Akierin's back.

Akierin cried out, diving after her falling Bond, managing to catch him and she winged back towards Sozun. Only then did she see Hessair flying towards her. The Fire Dragon had only one word for her, and it chilled her deeply.

(SYPERIS!)

"Who are you?" Zuko edged backwards, towards the place where he knew Katara kept her Dao broadswords. His own had been lost. The figure moved with him, drawing broadswords of its own.

"I am the Cold Flame."

Zuko's hands closed over Katara's broadswords and he angled them in front of him.

"I've been wondering when we'd meet." The Cold Flame smiled. "But I cannot die. My time has not come."

The Cold Flame laughed. "You have no idea how many times I've heard that Fire Lord. What makes you so sure you won't die tonight?"

"Ediera won't let me die until it's my time."

"Ediera, you've spoken of her before, and I've been wondering. Who is she?"

Zuko blinked, unable to recall a time when he'd been in the presence of the Cold Flame.

"Ediera was my youngest sister; she died almost 25 years ago."

The Cold Flame smirked. "Aw, poor Fire Lord. You'd think that someone who grew up in such an extravagant home would know little about pain."

Zuko hissed. "I was banished from my 'home' when I was fourteen and came home when I was seventeen to find that my little sister had been murdered by my father. I think I can relate to pain."

"Banished? Oh, too bad you must die tonight. It would be so much fun to get to know you."

"I am not just another one of your victims."

"Oh, but you are, and I will 'deal with' you as I dealt with your friends, like Jet."

"You may kill me, but I will not be the only one to fall tonight."

"So you will not go down without a fight?"

Zuko shook his head, preparing to fight the Cold Flame.

"Ajayi was wrong. He said you'd be much more subdued after losing your child."

Zuko growled angrily. "The first time nearly broke me, but now, if I go, I'm taking the Punir down with me."

The Cold Flame pondered his words. The first time…"Your daughter…."

Zuko nodded. "Losing Maida nearly killed me, but I will not go down so easy now. I've changed."

He was now ready to battle, but the Cold Flame had frozen.

She couldn't stop trembling, her mouth fallen open in surprise and horror. She stared at the space where she could see the Fire Lord's outline, and knew he was waiting for her attack, but she couldn't move.

"Losing Maida nearly killed me….Losing Maida…Losing MAIDA…"

"No…"

Zuko stopped, looking at the Cold Flame, her face shrouded in darkness. She looked up and the first thing he noticed was her golden eyes.

"NO!" Ajayi would not do this to me! It…It can't be!"

She was backing up, away from him, and he did not chase her. Then she stopped.

"No! You're deceiving me! I must kill you! Kill you and stop your lies!"

Zuko stared at her incredulously as she raised her broadswords towards him once more.

The door opened to admit Katara, holding a candle.

"…Zuko, what's going on?"

Her face was the only one illuminated in the room.

The Cold Flame vanished, and Maida returned, her heart torn. For the face she saw in the candle light was the same she'd seen in the vision summoned by Aunt Wu.

The Fire Lady was her mother.

Zuko glanced at his wife before returning his gaze to the Cold Flame.

"Get behind me Katara."

The Cold Flame returned, but Maida's desperate emotions could not be quelled, and she sheathed her swords. But she had to know, had to have some proof, that the woman in the vision and the Fire Lady was the same person. She looked at Zuko.

"You call her 'shui.'"

Zuko stared at her. "How do you know that?"

The Cold Flame inwardly groaned. What was going on? How had this happened? She needed to talk to someone, someone she'd always been able to trust, someone her knew her. She needed Ajayi.

"You have one day Fire Lord."

Then she turned and leapt from the balcony.

Zuko rushed to the balcony, but couldn't pick the girl out from the crowds below. Katara was at his side in a moment.

"Who was that?"

Zuko growled. "The Cold Flame."

Ajayi was quietly meditating in the field beside his house when he heard Maida's horse ride up in front. He stood softly and turned as she came running around the edge of the house.

"So the Fire Lord…" She cut him off.

"Tell me the truth Ajayi. Who were my parents?"

Ajayi's eyes narrowed. "With what has the Fire Lord poisoned you? Why did you listen to him Maida? I told you…"

"NO LET ME TELL YOU! I've seen my mother twice now! Once in a fortune teller's vision and the second time tonight! Do you know who she is? She's the Fire Lady!"

"Maida, you're not thinking rationally."

"Yes, I am. I know what I saw. And the Fire Lord…the Fire Lord knew my name. He didn't know who I was, but he spoke my name and called me daughter. And now I need to know the truth Ajayi!"

"Your parents died thirteen years ago in a terrible fire…" Maida drew one of the Daos and pointed it at Ajayi.

"LIAR! TELL ME THE TRUTH!"

Ajayi froze, staring at the blade, when a voice behind Maida startled them both. It was Maida's adopted father, Wakari. When he spoke, his voice was dangerously soft, and his eyes flashed.

"Yes…tell her the truth……Zhao."