Hey all!

I also wanted to address Aang's apparent out-of-character-ness last chapter. I know he might seem a little cold-hearted, but you're not getting his POV. He really is trying his best. He's not exactly in the greatest mindset. Iroh was his friend too.

I hope this chapter isn't too confusing. Izumi is pretty unstable at the moment, so writing from her POV can be tricky.

Enjoy Chapter 9!

Izumi was functioning a haze.

In fact, she was certain that they were all functioning in a haze.

There was a formality about everything that was being said and done. It was both familiar and foreign. Inclusive, yet detached. Unseemly... yet entirely necessary.

They needed to compile all of the information they knew about the attack. After Aang managed to assure Izumi that the healers would look after her father, the three of them left the new safe house to meet with her father's advisors. On the way there, Aang filled in some of the blanks.

He had been attacked by one of the kitchen hands. The teenaged boy was supposed to have been serving Aang lunch when he stabbed him. While he had been caught off guard, Aang was able to quickly restrain the boy. The would-be assassin spat something about bringing Ozai back into power, which compelled Aang to check on Zuko, Iroh, and Izumi. When the healers and guards had come to the garden soon after, one of the guards had noted that one of the bodies belonged to one of the gardeners.

"What?" Izumi said. "That's impossible. I-I would have recognized him!"

Aang shook his head. "Maybe he was new?"

The guard's observation led Aang to suspect any member of the palace staff. If a kitchen hand and gardener were involved, who knew how many others were as well. With this in mind, he isolated the healers who were treating Zuko and led them to the new safe house.

"I would have preferred to keep the healers out, but with Zuko's condition, I didn't have much choice. They're not earth or firebenders, so they can't to leave or let anyone else in."

Izumi frowned. "Firebenders can get in and out?"

"Of course. Zuko was the one who designed it. It wouldn't be much of a safe house if he couldn't access it.

She nodded slowly. "I see..."

"I'll show you how to get in and out when we go back."

After making sure the healers and Zuko were enclosed in the safe house, Aang ran into Kanan, whom informed him that Izumi had disappeared. He tasked Kanan with finding the princess and bringing her to the safe house. He would have also search for Izumi, but had to make sure his children were safe first. Aang grabbed his children, Kuei, and Lang Hui and escorted them to safety.

"Why Kanan?" Izumi asked. "Why him but none of the others?"

"I know Zuko trusts him," Aang said simply. "Trusts him to protect you."

That was when they arrived at one of the palace's meeting rooms, Zuko's advisors waiting inside. They all converged on Izumi upon seeing her.

"Princess! Are you alright?"

"When we heard, we couldn't believe it! The Dragon of the West. Dead..."

"The Avatar won't let us see your father. What is his condition?"

Izumi slowly backed up, trusting that Kanan was right behind her. "T-Talk to Aang. He knows more than me."

From here, they all sat around a table. With Aang taking the lead more information was compiled, corrected, clarified... until the following picture was formed.

There were no staff missing. However, in the past week, four members of staff had informed the palace that they were either sick or had other obligations. Their replacements appeared to be the ones who had participated in the attack: two of which were confirmed dead, one of which was in custody, and one that had escaped. In addition to the search for the missing woman, investigations into both the staff members and the assailants were just beginning.

So far, the only additional information they had was that each assailant had a mysterious weapon: a small metal contraption that seemed function like a hand-sized cannon.

Izumi hardly moved throughout all of this, her elbows resting on the table and her chin and mouth resting on her clasping hands. She was largely laconic, only lifting her head to speak when they asked her direct questions. Other than that, she passively listened. There was no scrutinization or analysis of any of the information. She didn't even think she was capable of doing so. Her mind seemed to refuse to do anything except absorb. It as if a large portion of her brain was blocked.

It should have made her angry or frustrated, but she didn't have the energy to feel either.

Aang and the advisors had dissolved into bickering, arguing about what needed to be done, how to go about doing those things, and so on. At this point, Izumi had completely detached from the conversation, hiding in the emptiness inside of her. The emptiness should have been worrying... but she just couldn't seem care.

Eventually, a hand on her shoulder pulled her back out. Kanan was standing next to her, leaning down slightly. "Princess?"

Izumi blinked. "Yes?"

"You should prepare for your public appearance," Aang said. "We'll organize it and write a statement for you."

"Write a statement?" Izumi echoed.

Aang looked a little worried. "Get cleaned up and eat some food," he said, his voice softer. "We'll make the announcement in a couple hours."

"Oh." There didn't seem to be anything wrong with that. "Okay."

Kanan escorted her to the baths. She was about to walk in when she noticed that Kanan was right behind her. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I will keep my back to you the entire time," he assured. "But I refuse to leave you alone right now."

Before, she would have absolutely refused this. This was ridiculous! She barely accepted her father's idea for the permanent guard!

But right now, she really couldn't give a damn.

"Fine. Whatever."

She bathed as she normally did. Undressing, scrubbing her skin and hair clean (taking extra care to continue until the water was no longer tinted with blood), drying off, and putting on a robe before making her way to her room.

Kanan did as he said and kept his back to her at all times, only turning around once Izumi left to go back to her room. When they got there, Izumi turned around and said, "Please stay outside."

"Princess…"

"Please. No one is going to make an attempt on my life right now. Not with the palace on high alert. And I just… really need to be alone."

He pursed his lips. "Fine. But if I hear anything abnormal, I'm coming in."

Letting out a relieved sigh, Izumi nodded and went into her room, shutting the door behind her.

Izumi leaned her back against the door, her eyes surveying the room. It didn't seem any different than it had been this morning.. Dear Agni, that was only four hours ago… The bed was still unmade, her previous night's gown strewn over the edge of it. Scrolls were scattered over her side table and desk in various states of rolled and unrolled.

This was her room, exactly as she had left it.

So why did it feel so foreign to her?

Shivering, Izumi wrapped her arms around herself as she slowly walked toward her wardrobe. She placed a hand on the wardrobe door handle before she froze, her insides suddenly seizing. What if there was someone in here? What if she opened the door and that woman jumped out, slashing her throat open?

She quickly shook her head. That was ridiculous. She was being paranoid. To prove the point, she ripped the door open, her heart jumping into her throat in anticipation.

And nothing. Her normal clothes were neatly folded and hung, just like they always were.

See? You're just being an idiot.

Her insides didn't seem to agree with her.

Focusing her eyes on a single spot along the wardrobe shelving, she took several slow, deep breathes, and continued to do so until the internal squirming settled a little. You're fine, she reassured herself. Panicking isn't going to do me any good right now.

Once she had calmed, she took inventory of her clothing. She was making a public announcement. That meant she needed to wear something formal. Nothing fancy. In fact, the plainer the better. But it needed to emphasize both the seriousness of the situation and her current authority.

And it needed to be white…

A stab of horrible pain pierced her chest, eliciting a sharp gasp. Izumi pressed a hand to her heart as her breathing began to stutter. What is wrong with you!? Pull yourself together! She rubbed her chest hard, as if to massage the very muscle itself. You're no good to anyone if you collapse sniveling in the corner!

Steeled with these thoughts, she forced herself to stand straight, clenching her hands at her sides and raising her chin. She could do this. She would do this. She was stronger than this. She was better than this.

There was an outfit that was almost completely white with gold trimming, but it was too white. Appropriate for a funeral, but not for this. Actually, now that she thought about it, now wasn't the time for mourning. Now was the time for leadership and action.

Mourning could wait. Once her father was awake… then they could mourn. Together.

In the end, she pulled out her most formal robes. There were not unlike the traditional Fire Lord's attire, though it was slightly less grand and more fitted for a feminine physique.

She had never worn these before. There had never really been a need to. Her father abhorred the normal pomp of royalty, so there were rarely events to warrant such formality. She had been planning on wearing them for the first time during the Republic of Nations' commencement. It was an event that would change the world, so it had seemed fitting.

Now it seemed like such a silly sentiment.

But she couldn't just change her clothes. Clothes were a key part of the package to be sure, but still just a part. She also needed to do her make-up and hair. She didn't need a lot. Just enough to make her look refined.

After Izumi changed into the robes, she sat down and looked into the mirrors of her vanity. Her eyes widened upon seeing the darkening bruises and split lip. Oh, right… Looks like she would need a fair bit of make-up; at least, enough make-up to cover all of this up.

Pulling out all the appropriate supplies, she dabbed one of her brushes into the skin-coloured powder. Holding the brush up to her face, she was about to apply it when a thought occurred to her: should she cover it? Lowering the brush, she studied herself in the mirror. What was the point in hiding the damage? She was about to go out there and tell the world that her family had been attacked. Why should she hide evidence of that? It wasn't as if her father tried to cover up his scar to spare the public.

Putting the brush back down, she picked up a much smaller brush along with a small container of black liquid..She just needed to outline her eyes. Maybe put a little bit of colour on her cheeks and lips to hide the gauntness.

Once Izumi finished, she sat up and looked over everything in the mirror. The richly coloured and angular robes framed her body perfectly, broadening her shoulders and lengthening her torso. While the undamaged side of her face looked refined, the injuries served to make her look fierce.

She hardly recognized herself.

Her shoulders dropped with her gaze. This was essentially the look she had been aiming for, but it made her feel... inapt. Unsuited for the challenges that lay before her.

Shaking her head and casting the thought away, Izumi reached down to her bottom drawer and opened it. She pulled out a small package wrapped in silk and placed it on the desk in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she slowly pulled the layers it, opening it like a lotus flower.

The crown heir's headpiece.

"Here," her father said. "This is more yours than mine."

Izumi took the offered item delicately, examining it carefully. It was large, feeling more like a weapon than a decorative headpiece in her eight-year-old hands. "This looks like the headpiece Avatar Roku wore…"

"That's because it is."

Izumi frowned. "Why do you have it?"

"Well… technically, Uncle gave it to me. But in essence, it's been passed down the family. Avatar Roku is your Great-Great-Grandfather."

Her eyes widened. "Really?" She looked back down at it with a renewed sense of awe. But then a new thought occurred to her. "Why is it more mine than yours?"

"It actually used to belong to the Royal Family. It's a royal artifact, a symbol worn by the crown prince or princess. You're the crown princess."

She already knew that, but it had never really meant much to her before. Now that she was holding some physical indication of that status, it suddenly seemed so much more important. And it was made all the more important because it was her father that had given it to her. "Thank you, Father," she said, clutching the headpiece to her chest. "I'll take really really good care of it."

He smiled. "I'm sure you will. Do you want to try it on?"

She looked down at it in skepticism. "It's too big for me."

"Hmm… I suppose it is. But we can find a way to pin it to your hair."

Izumi shook her head. "No. I don't want to scratch it. And I don't want it to fall off and get dented or broken!"

Zuko chuckled. "It survived a volcano. I'm sure it'll survive whatever abuse you might put it through."

She shook her head more vigorously, squeezing the headpiece protectively to her chest. "But I don't want to abuse it! You gave it to me and I want to take care of it!"

"Alright, alright…" he said, holding his hands up defensively. "It's yours now, so you can do what you want with it."

Izumi smiled in triumph. She sat up and flung her arms around his neck, still gripping the headpiece tightly in her hand. "Thank you again, Father."

He returned the hug. "No problem, Izumi."

It sat there innocently, an inanimate object with no sentience; no awareness of the chaos around it or the memory it was evoking.

This was a symbol of her status. It would serve as a visual reminder to all who would see her that she held the right to rule while her father was incapacitated.

She only hoped that the weight of it would be enough remind her of that fact.

Pulling her hair back and up into a top knot, she carefully slid the headpiece over it, securing it with the hair-stick. Then she looked into the mirror, only to immediately look away. If she hadn't recognized the girl she saw before, the girl she saw now was downright wrong.

Regardless, now she was ready to address the nation, and by proxy, the world.

Izumi left her room, and when Kanan saw her, he looked mildly surprised. However, he also seemed a little sad.

This was not the reaction she wanted. "Well?" she questioned, trying to elicit a verbal response.

He seemed reluctant to reply. "You look…" He paused. Finally, he let out a resigned sigh. "You look authoritative. Like a Fire Lord."

"Good." That's exactly what she wanted. "Let's go."

They walked in silence as they made their way to the large balcony that overlooked the main courtyard. It wasn't until they were almost there that Kanan let out a questioning, "Princess?"

She stopped and turned to him. "Yes?"

"You should eat something before your appearance."

She shook her head. "That's not necessary. I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat," Kanan said. "It's been over five hours since you ate last."

It seemed like both a very long and a very short time. "I'm not hungry," she repeated honestly. "Maybe afterward."

"Princess..."

"Kanan, I'm fine."

"No, you're not!" he said emphatically. "And you shouldn't be! There is nothing about all of this that you should be okay with!"

"I'm not okay with it!" Izumi shouted back. "But that doesn't mean I'm incapable of taking care of myself and my country!"

He shook his head. "I never said that..."

"You implied it."

"No. I didn't." He stepped closer, his expression wrought with worry. "Izumi..."

"Don't call me that! Nothing gives you that right!"

He froze. Izumi thought – even hoped – that he might be surprised or hurt. Instead, the sadness only seemed to only deepen. "Your Highness," he corrected. "I am here to protect and serve you. Nothing is more important to me."

Izumi waited, thinking he's say more, but she was left wanting. He simply stood at attention, his head slightly bowed in respect. She didn't know how to respond, but she couldn't help but feel a little shameful. "I-I'm sorry I yelled at you," she said quietly.

"It's alright."

From the other end of the hallway, Aang rounded the corner. He paused for a moment upon seeing her. "Izumi..."

She saw a small scroll in his hand. "Is that my statement?"

He looked down and slowly nodded. "Yes... It's short. It has what the public needs to know about what happened, and it assures them that the leadership is strong and the investigation ongoing." He handed it to her. "The courtyard is already flooded with people from the Capital. Zuko's advisors, King Kuei, and myself with stand with you."

"And Kanan," Izumi added.

"And of course, Kanan," Aang agreed. "You'll be introduced, go out, read the statement, and then Kanan will escort you out. All sound good?"

Izumi nodded. "Yes."

The public appearance was scheduled to happen in twenty minutes. When King Kuei and his advisors arrived, the advisors started fighting with Zuko's advisors and Aang. They were not please at being separated from their King. Aang tried to assure them that Kuei and Lang Hui were safer if they were kept away from everyone else, but they were having none of it. Even when King Kuei said it was fine, they didn't back down.

But none of this concerned Izumi. She leaned back against the wall, staring at the scroll in her hands. She probably should have been reading it through beforehand, but she wasn't entirely sure if she would even be able to. Her eyes were having trouble focusing at the moment. Hopefully, she would be able to read and say the words when the time came. Choking in front of hundreds of her people wouldn't exactly demonstrate the everlasting strength of the Royal Family.

"Kanan?" she asked quietly, her voice an undercurrent of the arguing around her.

He stepped closer to her. "Yes, Princess?"

"You'll… You'll make sure I don't screw up, right?"

"You won't screw up, Your Highness."

"I mean it," Izumi said. "If I'm hurting my family more than I'm helping… Please get me out."

"That won't be necessary." A pause. "But I promise."

Her shoulders relaxed. Good. Now that there was a fail safe, she felt a little better.

"Enough!" Aang finally said. "We can argue about security afterward." Expression softening, he turned to Izumi. "Are you ready?"

The honest answer was no, but that wasn't acceptable. Straightening her robes, she stood upright and nodded. "I'm ready."

It wasn't clear how it had happened. One moment she was standing proud inside the safety of the palace halls, and then the next, she was at the edge of the balcony, staring at hundreds - maybe thousands - of people.

Her breath caught in her throat. Suddenly feeling neck-deep in flooding waters, she shakily opened the scroll. The hushed murmur of the people was more oppressive than if they had all been speaking out at once. They were all waiting for her to speak: to explain.

Finally working the scroll open, she quickly began to read, her voice easily carrying over the crowd. "Ever since Fire Lord Ozai was deposed, there have been those in the Fire Nation who have been displeased by both the change in leadership and the status of the Fire Nation in this postbellum era. There are also those who have actively sought revenge against my family and... our nation…"

Her voice petered off. What on earth was she reading? This was wrong. This wasn't her, this wasn't the attack… It was just politics.

Rolling the scroll back up, she placed it on the railing in front of her. She didn't need the stupid statement. She knew what had happened. She had been there. All she needed to do was tell the truth. "None of you can see me right now… But if you could, you would see that I've been beaten. I was beaten by one of four attackers. These attackers infiltrated the palace and tried to assassinate not only me, but Avatar Aang, Fire Lord Zuko, and the retired General Iroh."

Izumi paused here, hating herself for what she was about to say; it felt as though saying the words aloud would somehow make them even more true. "The man that many knew as the Dragon of the West…" she said, her voice breaking. "The man I considered to be a grandfather… is dead."

There was a collective reaction of gasps and disquieted murmurs that rose from the courtyard. In a way, it was a relief to see that the people regarded her grandfather with such affection. But at the same time, anger gripped her. What right did any of these people have to grieve for her family?

"My father was also seriously injured," she continued, focusing on the words rather than the feelings. "He is stable now, and I will serve as Fire Lord in his place until he has fully recovered.

"The men who did this were supporters of Ozai's regime, and wanted to remove all of those who would stand in the way of his return to power. While we do not know specifically who was responsible for this attack, I have one thing to say to them and to the people of the world: you failed. Out of the four people you targeted, you only managed to kill one. And that was a deadly mistake on your part. If you had killed all of us, you might have been safe. But instead, you've have made yourself a very dangerous enemy. We will find you. And when we do, I will make you pay for the pain you have caused my family."

A pair of hands suddenly grabbed Izumi's shoulders, making her jump and stiffen. It was Aang, gently pulling her to the side. "The investigation is ongoing," he said. "Once we find those responsible, we will prosecute them appropriately in accordance to the law."

She frowned slightly. Why did Aang stop her? Did she say something wrong? True, she didn't stick with the what the scroll said, but nothing she had said had been untrue or scandalous.

Right?

Kanan quickly led her off the balcony back inside. Everyone else remained as the Avatar continued to address the people. Her people.

What was she doing?

Once they were far away from any other people, Izumi asked, "Did I screw up?"

"No," Kanan said firmly. He turned around to face her. "I think you may have surprised those stuck-up stooges, but I think you did very well."

"Then why did Aang stop me?"

"You spoke from your heart. That resonates with the people. Sometimes... it can resonate a little too much. And that can scare them. The Avatar was just... making sure you didn't go overboard."

"Oh. Okay then."

Kanan smiled. "You have nothing to worry about. You did fine." Then he looked down slightly, his smiling fading. "Princess… could I see your hand?"

"My hand?" Izumi looked down and found her right hand bloody. "What?" she gasped. "When did…?"

Blood gushed out of the wound, flowing over her hands. It was though she was pushing his life blood straight out of his body.

Suddenly she was shaking, seemingly unable to draw breath. "N-No…" she whimpered, her legs crumbling beneath her. "P-Please…"

"Princess! It's okay!" Kanan fell to the ground with her, hands comfortingly on her arms. "It's not that bad. Nothing a bit clean water and bandage can't take care of."

Izumi frowned. What? Looking at her hand again, she saw four moon-shaped cuts in her palm.

Cuts. Her blood. Not her father's.

Izumi let out a shaky sigh. She must have been squeezing her nails into her fist during the public appearance. "I-I-I didn't even n-notice…"

Kanan nodded absentmindedly. "That's okay… You have a lot on your mind right now."

"I…" She licked her lips. "I didn't notice that I had hurt myself…"

"I know." He looked around, probably to see if anyone else was witnessing this scene. "You desperately need to rest..." He turned back to her. "Let's go back and get you patched up. Okay?"

Izumi nodded, still staring at the small blotches and lines of blood that had emanated from those cuts. Her vision swayed slightly, a wave of nausea rolling over her.

This was all just so wrong.

Cradling her hand to her chest, she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, "Wh-where's Father…?"

Kanan didn't respond or move at first. For a moment, Izumi wondered if he had even heard her. But then he shifted to the side a wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I'll take you to him."

Criticisms of all kinds welcome as always.