Author's Notes:

Hey, everybody. Just writing to let you know that this fic is definitely still in-progress. Inspiration has not been forthcoming lately, and I've been busy with other projects, but I know there are some people out there who have been waiting for this chapter, and I want to apologize for the long period between updates. Unfortunately, this fic tends to get shuffled aside more than my other ones, which is why the updates are so slow. Hopefully, things will speed up in the future, but until then, updates will remain sporadic (although I do have a good chunk of the next chapter written up already. At least, I think it's part of the next chapter. It's a section I've been wanting to write for a while now, anyway). Thanks everyone for sticking with me through the rough patches, and special thanks to my reviewers. It was actually a couple new reviews that prompted me to sit down and write this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter Twenty-Five

The clock had just struck three when Sora heard a knock on the door. He lifted his head, blinking to dispel the blur of sleep from his eyes. On the other end of the couch, Kotono stirred. "What time is it?"

"Late. Or early. Go back to sleep."

Kotono groaned and laid her head on the armrest, closing her eyes. Sora stood, noting with some surprise that he'd fallen asleep in his day clothes, and started for the door. He paused outside his bedroom, peering through the crack to see Meira sprawled across his bed, unmoving.

The knock came again, more insistent. With a sigh, he opened the front door.

Two men dressed in green robes stood outside his apartment, hands concealed by loose sleeves. They wore cone-shaped hats that left their faces in shadow. The New Dai Li, he realized, slipping into the hallway and closing the door behind him. Why are they in Republic City? This is supposed to be neutral ground.

"We apologize for disturbing you at this hour," said the taller of the two. "But we have orders to investigate the area."

"For what purpose?" Sora demanded, then repressed a wince at his tone. It rang with command, defiance. It made him sound like the Fire Nation nobleman he'd been raised to become.

"We're looking for a woman by the name of Meira Fuyu."

Sora kept his face blank. "I don't know anyone by that name."

"You may know her as the elder princess of the Northern Water Tribe."

He shrugged. "I don't keep up with politics," he lied.

The agents exchanged glances. Then, without any verbal communication, the shorter one nodded and produced a photo. "She may be using an alias. Please, take a look at this photo and tell us if you recognize her. Even if you've only seen her in passing, your information is very valuable to the royal family."

So they're here on the king's business. He frowned, becoming even more determined to fool them. He wanted no part of this war, and he certainly had no desire to help the Earth Kingdom so soon after they'd bombed his people. He pinched the offered picture between his thumb and forefinger, pretending to study it. It was undeniably a picture of Meira. From the shorter hair and rounded features, he judged it to be at least two years old. She's gotten more beautiful with age, he thought. Considerably so.

After a few seconds, he returned the picture. "I don't recognize her. Is she in some sort of trouble?"

"She is to be wed to the prince of the Earth Kingdom. We were sent to retrieve her."

His heart leapt as if he'd flung himself off a cliff. In his shock, he forgot to censor himself. "That's impossible. The Earth Prince is already married."

The taller agent raised an eyebrow. "She is engaged to the unattached Prince Yumao, not Prince Yoru." His green eyes sharpened. "It is not something for ordinary citizens to concern themselves with."

What would you say if you knew who I was? he wondered, forcing his muscles to relax. Meira had told him about her wretched suitors—how could she be engaged?

"I thought you said you had no interest in politics," the shorter man noted. "Prince Yoru's wedding was a rather private affair. Tell me, how would you remember such a detail?"

Damn it. His fingers curled and uncurled as he tried to think of an excuse. Damn it all. I've been out of politics for too long. I'm losing my touch. "I must have heard it on the news at some point."

"It was only broadcast in New Haran. Everywhere else, it was printed in newspapers."

"Then I must have read it in the newspaper," he said, forcing his voice to remain level. "Or maybe I heard it on the streets or at a tavern. You can't expect me to recall where I learned every irrelevant scrap of information bouncing around in my head."

The tall agent narrowed his eyes. "No," he said. "I suppose we can't."

"And I do not take kindly to strangers interrogating me on my doorstep hours before sunrise. Whatever you're hoping to find here, you won't have any assistance from me."

For a moment, the Dai Li agents said nothing. Then, the taller one bowed his head. "We apologize for inconveniencing you. Thank you for your time." He raised his head, eyes glinting with suspicion even as he turned away. Sora stood, unmoving, for a few seconds, then retreated back into his apartment. He stopped in the entryway, waiting for an indication that the agents were out of earshot before turning the deadbolt and fastening the chain lock.

On the couch, his sister raised her head. "Who was it?"

Sora hesitated. "No one important."

He had to give Kotono credit—she heard the lie in his voice and sat up. "Someone we know?"

"No. It's nothing we can fix right now." It's nothing that directly involves us anyway.

His sister studied him, crossing her arms. "Is it about Meira?"

No point in lying about that, he thought. Girl's too perceptive for her own good. "Yes. Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

Kotono's eyes narrowed. "Are we going to get in trouble for hiding her here?"

"Only if we get caught. Listen." He crouched next to the sofa, meeting Kotono's eyes. "I promise that if it comes down to our safety or hers, I'll take care of us first. But I'm not going to push a princess out on the streets unless I have to, got it?"

Kotono bit her lip, crossing her eyes slightly as if to compensate for the absence of her glasses. He wondered if it helped. After almost a minute, she spoke. "You can't always be the good guy, Sora. Sometimes it's smarter to run."

He looked down. Is that what I've taught her? he wondered. That running away is the solution to all of life's problems? He didn't like the idea, but it was plausible. They'd fled the Fire Nation after their father had been accused of murdering the Earth Princess, and though it hadn't been easy, they'd escaped the censure and distrust of those who recognized them. Still . . . "If you never try to be the good guy, there's no point in trying to run," he told her.

"Sora—"

"I won't do anything that will put us in danger. You just have to trust me on that."

The corner of her lip twitched. She leaned back into the cushions. "All right. I believe you."

"Good. Now go to sleep." He ruffled her hair, eyes flickering to his bedroom. Meira hadn't moved at all, too deeply asleep to be awakened by their visitors. Maybe you can't always be the good guy, he thought, but you can always try.

Half the city smolders, and they leave a twelve-year-old girl in charge of the entire nation. General Shaio looked down at the Fire Nation Capital, frowning. How foolish are these people?

Puzzled, he gestured for one of his subordinates. The man—Shaio hadn't bothered to learn his name—hurried over and stood at attention, waiting for orders. Shaio paused, staring at a patch of burning rubble near the edge of the island, then met the soldier's eyes. "You are aware that I sent one of the other soldiers into the palace a few days ago, yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Tell me: what do you think of his prolonged absence?"

"It is likely he was captured and imprisoned, sir."

"That is your honest opinion?"

"Yes, sir."

He's probably right, Shaio thought. That, or the boy's been executed for espionage. He smiled thinly at the thought. Yuuto had been a useful game piece for him. True, he'd failed to poison the new Fire Lady, but what could you expect from a soldier so green? The boy had been working in the engineering department, anyway. It wasn't as if he'd mattered. No one outside his family would even miss him once Shaio declared him a traitor.

Pity I chose such a level-headed boy to use as a scapegoat, he thought. But now I can return to the Earth Kingdom with a valid reason for failure and move on to a real project. He smiled a bit at the thought. He hadn't particularly liked the idea of killing a child, Fire Lady or not. Besides, what harm could a little girl do? It was probably better for her to remain on the throne as long as the war went on, lest she be replaced by a more competent leader after her death. Really, King Haran should be glad the girl lives. It gives him an opportunity.

"That's all I needed from you." Shaio waved the soldier away, pleased by the man's subservience. After a moment, he strolled over to the table in the center of the room. A transparent map of the world stretched across the glass, complete with the names of all the major ports, cities, and military bases. On the map, the Fire Nation seemed like a fine country—countless volcanic islands spotted the sea around the mainland, all set in a lovely tropical climate. When the Earth Kingdom conquered it, he'd find an island to live on. True, the air would be humid and sticky, but everything else about the weather was quite agreeable.

Best to focus on more immediate goals, he decided after a moment. He glanced at his lieutenant, smiling as the man came to attention. "Have the pilot drop a few more bombs on the Capital, right around the palace," he said. He didn't want King Haran to think he'd made no effort to follow orders. "Tell him as soon as he does, we'll return to the Earth Kingdom."

"Yes, sir." His lieutenant marched to the pilot's compartment, moving quickly without looking hurried. They trained him well, considering the limited time they had.

One of the servants approached him, bowing when he looked in her direction. "Would you like some tea, General?"

Shaio grinned. "Ginseng," he ordered. "And don't let it steep too long this time."

"As you wish, sir."

The sheets were cold.

Meira surfaced from her slumber, shying away from the light streaming through the window. Once, waking up to an empty bed wouldn't have upset her. Now, it only reminded her that Zelda was gone, either wandering some dangerous street or burned to ashes.

Reluctantly, Meira sat up, smoothing out her clothes. She hadn't had anything to change into last night—she'd left all her belongings in the park when she'd left for Kuang's cuisine, and she hadn't had the time or the energy to retrieve them. By now, the city scavengers will have taken everything I left behind.

The thought disturbed her. Not because the idea of strangers pawing through her things made her nervous, but because the thought itself seemed far more cynical than anything she'd have thought about even a few weeks ago. To think I used to be so concerned with my studies, she thought. None of it has done me any good out in the real world.

"Hey."

Her face burned red as she spun toward the voice. Sora stood in the doorway, holding a bowl of rice and a plate of steamed vegetables. "Good morning," she said.

"Morning. Here." He handed her the bowl. "I was going to head out and pick up some dumplings, but I thought you might be hungry when you woke up, so . . ."

"Thank you." She took the rice and sat on the edge of the bed. When Sora didn't move from the doorway, she stood up again. "I'm sorry. This is your room. I should let you change."

He shrugged. "No, it's all right. I can change in the bathroom." He walked over to the dresser and pulled out a fresh outfit. "Kotono's out buying some new clothes for you. She should be back soon."

Her eyebrows shot into her hairline. "That's . . . very kind of her." She hesitated, wishing she could say that the generosity hadn't been necessary. Yet she had no clean clothes and no money to buy them. In a very real sense, she was depending on Sora and Kotono for everything.

"Is there anything else you need?" Sora asked. "I'm planning on going out anyway, so I can pick up whatever you want."

She shook her head. "No, no . . . You don't need to go to so much trouble just for me."

He looked up, his green eyes catching the light from the window. His thumb traced the folded-up shirt in his hands. "It's no trouble."

Then why do you look so uneasy? "If you want, I can take the couch. I shouldn't have stolen your bed to begin with."

He shook his head. "It's fine. Honestly."

Hesitantly, she walked over to him and laid a hand on his arm. "Is something wrong? You look . . . worried."

He stepped back, shying away from her touch. "It's not a big deal."

She waited. When he didn't continue, she prompted him. "Will you tell me?"

His eyes flickered to her face, then away. "Some people came to the door asking about you while you were sleeping."

She stiffened. "Who?"

"I didn't ask for their names. Two Dai-Li agents, here on the Earth King's business."

Her eyebrows pulled together. What business?

Sora's eyes rested on her face. "You didn't know they were looking for you, did you?"

"No. The Northern Water Tribe is politically neutral. I don't see why anyone from the Earth Kingdom would bother looking for me."

His eyes narrowed as he studied her. "You really can't think of a reason? At all?"

She shook her head.

Sora let out a breath, shoulders slumping. "I guess that means you don't know yet." He walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down, folding his arms atop his knees.

"Don't know what?"

"You're engaged to the Earth Prince."

A bark of laughter escaped her throat before she could control it. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." She pressed her hand to her lips to stifle the giggles. "Honestly, I love my father, but he knows nothing about finding good suitors. There's no way he'd be able to marry me off to a prince." She inhaled, regaining control of herself. "There must have been some mistake."

Sora said nothing. After a moment, he set his clean clothes aside and met her eyes. "There's no mistake. That's what they said."

"You must have misunderstood."

"I understood perfectly," he snapped. She blinked, her train of thought derailed by his tone. "I even asked for clarification. They said that you, Princess Meira, were engaged to Prince Yumao of the Earth Kingdom. They'd been sent here to look for you. There's no mistake."

Her arms fell to her side. "I . . . That's . . ."

Sora's eyes softened. "You really didn't know?"

Struck dumb, she could only shake her head.

"It must have happened after you left," he said, turning to face the dresser. "Your parents must have set up the match, hoping they'd be able to gain favor and avoid getting blasted when the war heated up."

"Why would the Earth King allow his son to marry me?" she asked. I'm not that important. I'm just some distant princess living in the North Pole. I have no political power in this war.

"Why wouldn't the Earth King allow his son to marry you?" Sora threw his hands in the air. "You're poised, polite, kind, regal . . . And you're beautiful. Most noblemen would want to marry you the moment they saw your picture."

She stared at him, pulse pounding in her throat. She could feel her eyes glazing over. Sora thinks I'm beautiful.

He glanced back at her, grimacing. His cheeks burned red. "Not that I would marry anyone based only on a picture, of course. I'd get to know them first. Although, if I'd only seen your picture, the idea of marriage might have crossed my mind. Fleetingly."

"You really think that highly of me?"

He folded his arms behind his back, staring at the wall behind her. His blush deepened. "Anyone who met you would think highly of you, Meira. Myself included."

Meira edged forward, wringing her hands. "Does that mean you . . . like me?" She raised an eyebrow as his eyes widened, then watched him shift toward her.

"I . . . I might say that," he admitted. Her heart jumped as if he'd sent a bolt of lightning through it. Slowly, she raised one hand, brushing her fingertips across his collarbone. He sucked in a sharp breath, body stiffening under her touch. "Princess, I—"

"Don't," she said, stepping forward and nudging him closer to the dresser. "Don't use my title to put distance between us. I hate when people do that."

Hesitantly, Sora nodded. "Meira . . . I'm not sure this is a good idea."

Neither am I, she thought, taking another step toward him. It was like waterbending—without using any real force, she directed him backward, positioning herself in a place where she could strike more effectively. Except this isn't waterbending, she thought, her hand drifting down his chest. This is something else entirely.

"I don't want to marry the Earth Prince." She moved her other hand to cup his face. "There's someone else I want to be with."

Sora swallowed thickly, averting his eyes. "We can't. Even if we weren't at war, my family name is tarnished. No one would ever approve of us being together. I'm not a good match for you." But he didn't pull back.

"I don't care." She leaned forward, heart leaping when he matched the movement. Their lips met, as if by accident, and flowed together like converging streams of lava. His arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her deeper into the fire, and he whispered her name like a prayer. She inhaled, drawing in the heat, the desire, until she melted into him, limbs becoming weak. "Sora . . ."

He drew her closer, giving her just enough room to breathe. His fingers curled around the fabric of her shirt. "Yes?"

"I really like you."

"I really like you, too." He framed her face with his hands, stepping back. "But we can't be together."

The words made her stomach pinch up with nerves. "Why not?"

"You know why."

Her eyebrows slanted down. Her arms fell to her sides. "No. I don't think I do."

"You're a princess."

"And you're a nobleman. I could convince my father to approve the relationship."

He took her hands in his, squeezing them gently. "You're engaged. No matter how much you object, you cannot deny that the Earth Prince is a fine match, in wealth and power, if not in character. Your people would benefit greatly from a royal marriage."

"So this is about my duty to my people," she summarized bitterly.

"This is about your duty to yourself."

"How so?" she demanded, eyes stinging with tears. "Because I have always been the dutiful daughter? Because I have to have a husband to be an effective leader? I'm eighteen. My duty to myself should be to have my freedom and enjoy life."

He nodded. "And you have a right to that. But Meira . . . Will you be able to live with that choice? Knowing that refusing the Earth King means giving away your family's chance of prosperity? Knowing it means that the Earth Kingdom could wipe them off the face of the earth for the slight?"

She looked away.

Sora sighed. "We can't be together, Meira. You know we can't."

"What if the prince is a tyrant?" she demanded, the tears slipping free of her eyes. "What if he's irresponsible, or cold, or cruel? What if he forces me to crawl into his bed every night like some prostitute?"

"You shouldn't worry. Tyrant or not, the prince would not risk your father's ire. Not with the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation vying for an alliance with the water tribes."

"I fled the North Pole so I wouldn't have to get married. What point will I have made if I give myself to the Earth Kingdom for political gain?"

"You won't make any point if your people are blown to bits!" Sora threw his hands in the air, releasing a shower of sparks. Startled, Meira stumbled backward, collapsing onto the bed. "The Earth Kingdom bombed every major city and port in the Fire Nation a few days ago. My people are dying, Meira, and I can do nothing to save them. You have a chance to make sure the same thing doesn't happen to your tribe." He exhaled slowly, heat pouring off his body in waves. "I like you, Meira. If the Earth King hadn't attacked, I'd have gladly protested the marriage. But the whole world is going up in flames. I won't let you make this mistake."

"You say that like you can control what I choose."

Sora breathed in, then exhaled a cloud of smoke. "I have no control over your choices. But I won't be with you so long as it threatens your people."

"As if you care about the water tribes!" she snapped. "To you, they're just a bunch of scattered dots on the top of the map. To me, they're home. You can't claim to love them like I do."

"I love you!" He sucked in a sharp breath, as if someone had struck him. "I'm not breaking this off—whatever this is—because of your people. I'm breaking this off because of you."

She flinched, then wiped the tears from her cheeks. It wasn't supposed to be like this, she thought. I was supposed to be free. A sob broke through her throat, and she pressed her palms over her face to stifle it. "That's the worst love confession I've ever heard," she mumbled through her hands.

"It wasn't supposed to come out like that." Sora sat down beside her, his hand wrapping around hers. "I'm sorry."

"You mean it wasn't supposed to come out at all." She sniffed. "I get it."

His grip tightened. "I do like you, Meira. More than I'd have thought possible for how little time I've known you." A trace of bitterness seeped into his voice. "If I didn't understand the consequences of keeping you here, if there wasn't so much at stake, I would keep you here until the sun set on the world and the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation crumbled around us. But if you stay, your people will die. And you would never forgive me for keeping you from your duty."

"You don't know that," she said. But her voice was weak, uncertain. New tears filled her eyes, not from anger but from defeat. Sora lifted his hand and caught a teardrop before it could slide down her chin.

"Keeping you from your duty would be the height of dishonor," he said, seeming to choose his words carefully. "The Fire Nation still values honor above things like love, or family, or friendship. Fire Lord Zuko may have been seeking peace when he declared an end to Sozin's War, but he also strengthened the one attribute that will bring the Fire Nation to its knees: our sense of honor. Parents speak of honor to their children. Teachers preach it in school. Children challenge each other with the very idea of it. And it is a noble idea, an idea anyone can aspire to."

Sora paused, then looked at her. "The Fire Nation will see the Earth Kingdom's attacks as dishonorable, sneaky, and treacherous," he said. "They will speak of the Earth Kingdom's people as if they are beasts unworthy of respect or kindness. They will display propaganda and recruit soldiers by demonizing the Earth King and all who follow him. And, because the people of the Fire Nation believe in doing the honorable thing, they will overlook rational options. They will refuse to sneak, refuse to attack areas crowded with civilians, refuse to burn crops and torch supply lines. And they will lose."

"War can turn anyone into a monster," Meira whispered. "Why would honor stand up under the same conditions?"

Sora sighed. "If honor was not so powerful, I would beg you to stay by my side. I've lived away from the Fire Nation for nearly half my life, and I'm still bound by that ideal, even though I know it's foolish. Those who join the Fire Nation's military force will be driven by honor even more than they will by glory, anger, or patriotism." Sora lifted his eyes. "If you want to survive this war, go to the Earth Kingdom and marry the prince. Do your duty, as you have always done. You may not be happy with your life, but you will be proud that you are protecting your people by living it. Isn't that enough reason to go?"

She said nothing. There was nothing to say.

The front door swung open, hitting the wall. Beside her, Sora winced. Kotono must be back from the market, Meira thought, wiping her eyes.

Sora stood and started walking for the living room. "Did you find . . . Who the hell are you?"

Panic sparked just under her ribs. She shot up from the bed, retreating against the wall as several men in cone-shaped hats and emerald robes shoved past Sora and stormed the bedroom. Dai-Li agents, she thought, shock freezing her in place. They're here. But how? She looked to Sora. Was he lying? Could he have told them about me when they visited him last night? She searched his face for some sign of betrayal, but saw only shock. Impossible. Who else could have tipped them off?

The answer hit her like a punch, but by then, a dozen stone hands had wrapped around her arms, dragging her out of the apartment.