Dense black puffs of smoke darkened the flawless azure of the midday sky. The deep acrid stench of burning rose up in malevolent welcome. As the sky bison descended through the cloudless air, the view before them caused the three tiny humans perched on its saddle to stir and stare. Indeed, it was a shocking and horrific sight.
In the middle of the dense woods, the huge round clearing with its tall earth walls stood out like a target circle. Around it, tiny humans in dull red uniforms swarmed and scuttled, like a band of crazy ants. The huge portal to the Palace gardens, incongruously neat and groomed right in the middle of the deepest darkest woods, was uncharacteristically wide open instead of sealed tightly shut. The tiny figures in Royal Guard uniforms that surrounded it weren't keeping watch, but rather running in and out in an apparently random pattern.
At the centre of the green grassy circle, the large red and black marble Palace building with its tall pointy spires rose towards the skies, seemingly intact. On hearing the initial news, at first they'd feared that most of the Palace had been razed or burned to the ground. However, that was not the case. The Palace as such was still standing, its exterior intact. However, most of the windows of the main building seemed to have exploded, most likely from the heat. From the rooms within, steady columns of black smoke flowed out and up like billowy arms, rising in supplication towards them. From within, bright fiery lights glowed and flickered. As Appa descended further and further towards the soft emerald lawns, the loud noise became gradually more apparent.
Shouts. Cries. The deep rumble and crackle of hungry fire. Ravenous flames, feeding and spreading.
Azula rose and leaned forward over Aang's shoulder, shading her eyes as much from the blinding midday sun as from the acrid smoke.
"Spirits! Aren't they even attempting to extinguish the fire? At this rate, it's bound to spread!"
Landing the sky bison with a sure grasp on the reins, the Avatar nodded gravely. "Yes, Azula. I think they need a Waterbender to get this settled properly. Pity we didn't bring Katara."
Azula ground her teeth audibly. Next to her, Zuko blanched. "I… I don't think that would have been a good idea, Aang. We need to keep this secret."
The Avatar just shook his head. Ever since his wedding, he'd been letting his dark hair grow out, possibly with the intention of making himself look older. A married man at the ripe old age of 18, about to become a father. Shaking his head determinedly, he took his pregnant wife in a firm grasp and airbended out of the saddle, leaving the Fire Lord to manage his own climb down, encumbered by his long heavy robes. Cursing, Zuko strove to keep his footing. He hadn't even had the time to change or have that much-coveted shower. They'd left the Royal Palace within four minutes of hearing the news.
As they approached the Palace building, the stench increased. Royal Guards appeared to be performing some kind of operation, hurrying in and out of the burning building, bringing out charred and smouldering bundles and lining them up neatly on the Palace lawn. Although many of the bundles were mercifully covered with dark cloth, a significant lot of them were bare, revealing charred dead human bodies dressed in Fire Nation soldier uniform. A few of them had no burn marks, but were marked with deep slash and stab wounds that had tainted their dull red uniforms deep scarlet. The mingled smell of blood and charred flesh made Zuko gag. At least the Royal Guards had their masks to protect their breathing organs.
A tall imposing figure was hurrying towards them. Apparently, he was the one overseeing the proceedings, shouting orders at the Guards bringing out dead bodies. No wounded. Just the dead. The Royal Guards had managed to set up a fire extinguishing chain that reached from the intact left wing to inside the Palace entrance. Buckets of water were being slung along. Out of breath, the tall uniformed man before them bowed.
"Fire Lord Zuko! Princess Azula, Avatar Aang! We… We're attempting to put the fire out while bringing out the dead. There are at least thirty of them."
Azula frowned. "What happened? You weren't here when this started, were you, Captain Zhien?"
The Captain pulled his mask off unceremoniously to wipe his forehead. He was gasping for air. All around them, other Royal Guards kept pausing to do the same, gulping down fresh air. Then they pulled their masks back on to hurry back into the inferno again.
The Captain turned automatically to Azula to present his report.
"Princess! About 35 minutes ago, we had an urgent messenger hawk report that Lord Ozai had been attacked and injured, that there were casualties and that the Palace was on Fire. The Lord's Major Domo Zhan Li had sent the message, calling us here urgently. One of the Fire Nation airships brought me and my Unit of Elite Royal Guards here."
He directed his gaze at Zuko. "As you may have been aware, Fire Lord Zuko, during these past five years, no Royal Guards have been assigned to partake in the duty of guarding Lord Ozai. Only soldiers have been assigned to this duty."
Zuko nodded stiffly. The joint effect of his heavy robes, the blazing midday sun and the revolting stench of charred corpses and heavy smoke fumes exacerbated his hangover. Fighting not to retch, he felt beads of cold sweat pearling on his brow.
"What Military Units were stationed here?" Azula's voice was sharp.
"We're attempting to piece it all together, Princess. According to the original schedule, only soldiers from Infantry Units12 and 13 were entrusted with being stationed here. But during the past two years, changes have been made. Not on Fire Lord Zuko's orders, but by instructions issued by the Ministry of Home Security. After Fire Lord Zuko ordered the number of guards here to be tripled, soldiers from at least eight additional units were called in to be stationed here. At this point, it's very hard to keep track of how they were selected and what their schedules were."
"No survivors?"
The Captain shook his head. "No. The only ones we've managed to locate so far have been dead. The remaining soldiers were all stationed outside the walls and swear that they had no knowledge of a conspiracy. When the fire broke out, the servants fled the Palace and crowded the gates, breaking out. Only the Lord's Major Domo, Zhan Li, stayed. He used some ancient swords to cut down the remaining traitorous soldiers and managed to carry the injured Lord back to the servant's quarters in the right wing. He also succeeded in calling for help by means of a messenger hawk, using one of the Lord's private pets. I don't know how badly wounded Lord Ozai is. Zhan Li wouldn't allow me to see him."
Azula nodded decisively. "All right. We're going in. Aang? It seems they've got some way of dealing with the fire. We need your healing skills. Please?"
Zuko's eyes widened. When was the last time he'd ever heard Azula ask for anything, saying please? Oh, that's right. Never.
The Avatar stared down at his wife. Everyone, including Captain Zhien, held their breaths. Then, Aang nodded curtly.
"All right, Azula. I'll have a look at him. Let's go."
She let out her breath in pure relief. "Captain Zhien? Could you direct us there, please?"
He nodded. "Straight down to the right as far as we can go. Then, we'll turn left. I don't know what room, but I gather we'll manage to locate it. Follow me."
The right wing of Ozai's Palace contained not only the servant's quarters, but also the Palace kitchens and a lot of well-stocked storage and wardrobe areas. Of course, the traces of blood that stretched on down the lengthy corridor served as a guide. After they'd reached two thirds of the corridor, the steady drops of blood stopped to veer off and direct them up a narrow staircase to the right. A flight of steps. The dark scarlet trace indicated a door across the corridor. Moving over hurriedly, Azula rapped the door sharply with her knuckles to make her presence known. She didn't want to risk opening the door unexpectedly to have the occupants attacking her suddenly out of pure fear.
"Father? Zhan Li? This is Princess Azula. I've brought Fire Lord Zuko and Avatar Aang. We're here to help. There's no reason for alarm."
With that, she turned the doorhandle decisively, blue flame at the ready in her right hand.
A small neat hallway, dimly lit. Past it, a tiny sitting room, spartanly furnished, with one door leading off to its left. As they entered, a middle aged male with greying temples appeared, a look of intense worry frozen on his plain face. He was also holding two fearsome looking katanas at the ready in what appeared to be a perfectly viable fighting stance. Dried blood smeared the twin blades, as well as his coat and shirt. As he caught sight of his visitors, a look of pure relief crossed his features. He lowered the weapons with a sigh.
"Princess Azula! Fire Lord Zuko! And Avatar Aang! Agni be praised! He's in here. I didn't know what to do, so I put him in my bed and tried to stop the bleeding. He's been conscious most of the time, but he keeps drifting off. I'm afraid he needs some urgent medical attention."
The room was small and spartanly furnished with a single bed, a closet, a cupboard, one chair and a bedside table. The large man dominated the scenery. Completely nude, with his powerful arms and legs reaching out over the edges of the bed, he was breathing fitfully, pale faced with his eyes shut. His bloodstained clothes, reeking with smoke, were carelessly thrown on the floor. On the bedside table were a large pitcher of water and a filled enamel washbasin. Also, several shirts of fine linen that had been torn up into strips to serve as makeshift bandages. Some of these were soaked with blood, thrown away carelessly to join the Lord's clothes on the floor.
Azula dove down on her knees to catch her father's hands in hers, oblivious of the blood. Automatically, she registered his injuries one by one. A long slash wound down his left arm. Another down his right thigh. A stab puncture through his right shoulder. A slash mark on the outside of his left hand, which hopefully hadn't managed to puncture anything. A swollen bump above his right temple, marking a blow that could have been fatal if it had struck a few centimetres further down. And also, ominously, what looked like a deep stab wound in his right side. That was the only injury that caused her any real worry. Taking his face in a firm grasp, she shook him gently and leaned down to speak directly into his ear.
"Father! Father, can you hear me? This is Azula! We heard what happened and came here as soon as possible. If you can hear me, please open your eyes!"
The Lord opened his eyes slowly. The bright gold irises had an eerie, otherworldly shine.
"A… Azula?" He reached out with his left hand, staining her cheek with blood.
Her eyes were wide with horror. Still, her voice was calm and matter of fact. "Yes, Father. Don't worry. You're safe. We'll get you out of here and see to it that you get some proper medical attention. That, and maximum security protection. Won't we, Zuzu?"
Her voice was sharp. Zuko, who had absentmindedly been examining the refined metalwork of the antique katanas that the Major Domo had placed on the cupboard, twitched violently.
"What? Oh, of course! Father, how are you? What happened?" He kept his eyes carefully averted from the figure on the bed.
Paradoxically, his son's awkwardness appeared to revive the former Fire Lord in spite of his extensive injuries.
"Zuko! Why, thanks for dropping by! What's it been, five years now? How kind of you to bring my hairpiece. I've been searching everywhere for that."
Zuko started violently and blushed. Of course, he'd always felt supremely uncomfortable wearing the Phoenix Crown, no matter how much he'd coveted it.
"I… I'm the Phoenix King now, Father. The throne belongs to me."
You idiot.
"Shut up, Zuzu! Can't you see he's injured? You want him to die before our very eyes?" Azula's eyes flashed yellow sparks.
A hard shiver ran up through Ozai. Leaning forward, he winced visibly with pain and broke into a violent coughing fit. Azula seated herself on the bed to sling an arm around his shoulders and support him. The Lord coughed, swallowing down his own blood.
Of course. Internal injuries. Pressing a wad of linen bandaging to the stab wound in his right side, Azula spoke into his ear.
"Never mind Zuko, Father. He's clearly in shock. Now, tell us what happened."
"I'd just returned from my morning training session and had a shower. I was getting ready to have luncheon. Then, those bastards just swarmed in and attacked me with their weapons. Mostly swords and spears. The fools. So, I had to blast them with my flames and lightning. It was a good test. It would seem that my bending's fully recovered. Thanks, daughter. You did an excellent job. I only wish that you would have returned to reinforce it properly."
The bout of wicked laughter turned quickly into another agonizing coughing fit. Aang moved instinctively closer to the bed, glaring down at the former Fire Lord. Still supporting her father, Azula shook her head imperceptibly at him.
A polite cough from the Major Domo.
"I was about to announce that luncheon had been served, when some thirty or so armed soldiers burst into the Palace through the main entrance. When I attempted to stop and question them, they just shoved me aside. Extremely rude. I saw the weapons flashing in their hands. Then, an almighty ruckus erupted from the Lord's rooms. I realized that I had to act quickly. All of the other servants fled immediately, so I had to act on my own. I knew where the Lord keeps his Grandfather's katanas, so I went to find them and rush to his aid. When I entered the Lord's suite, there were charred and burning corpses everywhere. The curtains and furniture were on fire. Still, the attackers kept coming, hacking at him with swords and daggers, spears and metal pikes. In spite of his Firebending, the Lord was wounded and clearly outnumbered. So, I came to his aid. I cut the remaining attackers down with Fire Lord Sozin's katanas and carried… ehrm, assisted the Lord up to my rooms. Then, I sent an urgent message by messenger hawk to the Royal Palace. I'm pleased to see that it arrived in time."
Ozai's sarcastic laughter was a weak impression of his usual one, fraught with pain.
"Who would have thought you had it in you, Zhan Li? The courage and fighting skills of a Royal Guard. If I survive this, I promise to make you a General. You may expect a promotion for saving my hide."
Zuko was examining the gleaming antique weapons with interest. "These are indeed Great Grandfather's katanas? Why, they ought to be…"
"Hands off, Zuko. Those are mine. If anyone inherits them, it's Zhan Li. At least he's proved his right to them. You, on the other hand, have proved nothing except your disloyalty. I don't know what you're doing here."
He slumped back limply into his daughter's arms after the vitriolic attack. Azula was cleaning her father's wounds, pressing the bandages to them and attempting to stop the bleeding.
"Never mind Zuzu, Father. He's here to command the Royal Guards. Now, if you'd allow Aang to examine you…"
The Lord's eyes opened to stare at the large muscular young man standing by his bedside. So fierce was his stare that it ought to have petrified Aang right where he stood.
"Avatar Aang? To what do I owe the pleasure? Have you come to apologize for your outrages against the Fire Nation? Against me and my daughter?"
Aang swallowed, controlling his temper with some difficulty. His large fists clenched and unclenched at his sides.
"Azula is my wife, Lord Ozai. She's carrying my child. I came because she asked me to. If she hadn't, you can rest assured I would have stayed away."
"Aang!" Her voice was a low warning.
Leaning back against the pillows to enjoy his daughter's ministrations, Ozai controlled his pain with a grimace to grin benevolently at the Avatar. A large paw shot out to pat the softly curving baby bump on his daughter's belly.
"Why, Avatar Aang! How remiss of me! Come here and let me congratulate you on your marriage, son-in-law! My, how you've sprouted! When I last met you, you were a tiny bald stripling of a boy. Now, you're quite as big as me. How old are you, son?"
I'm not your son, you murdering bastard. And keep your filthy hands off her! She's mine.
Aang advanced to kneel beside the bed, ostensibly to examine the older man's wounds. Leaning over the former Fire Lord, he stared deep into his eyes. A brief flash of silver light sparkled in his eyes.
"I'm 18. And yes, now you and I are of an equal size. I guess that height runs in my bloodline. Doubtlessly, my children with Azula will inherit our main traits."
A wry smile and a flash of bright yellow from the Lord's eyes. The large hand kept caressing Azula's belly tenderly, almost proprietarily.
"This one's a Firebender. I can tell. A male. The next heir to the Phoenix Throne. I have to thank you, Avatar Aang. If it were up to my useless son here, our bloodline would die out. If this is the price for ensuring the continuation of it, I think I could manage to stand having Azula give birth to an Airbender or two. The girl's a great breeder, apart from all her other talents. She'll ensure the succession to the Phoenix Throne. And this one… When he sees the light of day, I will be there to greet him."
He closed his eyes, face peaceful. Caught up in admiring his ancestor's katanas, Zuko reared up with insulted pride. Aang's eyes were dark grey stormclouds, ready to unleash their fury. Azula gently removed her father's hand from her belly. Her face and voice were perfectly calm and collected.
"Don't bother yourself with things like that now, Father. That's all in the future. Now, just settle back and relax. If Aang's going to heal you, he will need your full cooperation. I advise you to obey his instructions down to the word."
Stroking her father's long black hair back from his burning forehead with soft soothing movements, she exchanged a significant glance with Aang.
You have absolutely nothing to worry about. He is no threat to you. Just heal him. Please?
He could hear her voice speaking in his mind, just as clearly as if she had said the words out loud. With a sigh, he nodded curtly, returning her look.
Yes. I'll heal him. I just hope I won't live to regret it.
Leaning down to dip his hands in water from the bedside pitcher, he reached out to focus on the deep stab wound in his father-in-law's side.
Zuko was staring at Azula in shock. They had reverted to the tiny bleak sitting room, leaving Aang to perform his healing assisted by Zhan Li.
"You can't be serious, Zula! We can't take him with us to the Royal Palace! That would be akin to…"
"Pardoning him for his crimes? Like revoking Mother's banishment? Personally, I'd say that murdering a Fire Lord's far worse a crime than waging war on neighbouring Nations. That's kind of a Fire Nation tradition. If you're going to punish Father for it, you might as well imprison Uncle Iroh too. There are already too many people saying that you're just keeping him locked up in revenge for him scarring you, as well as keeping him safely away from the throne. Remember what Professor Kotaru said, Zuko! A ruler who keeps political prisoners is bound to end up getting criticised and questioned. Much better to impress your Nation with your sense of justice and loyalty to your Fire Nation roots. That's what it's all about, Zuzu. Either you're a Fire Nation Ruler, or you're a marionette in the hands of other rulers."
Zuko sat back heavily in an armchair that was markedly too small for him. A quick search of Zhan Li's cupboards had revealed a bottle of rice wine that he was currently enjoying out of a slightly cracked glass.
"I just don't have the energy to contemplate international politics right now, Zula! I've got more than enough on my hands. I mean, who's powerful enough to orchestrate an assassination attempt consisting of a synchronized armed attack by 33 Fire Nation soldiers? Who has that kind of influence and material assets? Who has knowledge about the incident when Father knocked out several guards and threatened them with Sozin's katanas? I mean, they must have known about his sheer physical strength and aggression, but been unaware of the fact that his bending's been restored. Speaking of which, Azula…" He shook his head.
She regarded him coolly. "Come on, Zuko! Surely now you realize that it was the right thing to do? Without his bending he'd be dead by now. Do you really wish he were? Tell me truthfully, Zuko!"
He shook his head ruefully. "I don't know, all right? I mean, you see how he treats me. That's what it's always been like. Still, there's the prophecy…"
"The Curse of Agni?"
"You knew about that?"
"Yes. You told me some of it yourself, remember? Aang filled in the rest. I've done my part to counter it, Zuko! I did what I could to restore Father's bending. I got married to the Avatar and swore to stand by him. I'm helping you out in Government matters. No matter what you think, Zuko, I'm doing my best! I hate seeing Mother at Court, knowing that she's just pretending to care in order to keep up appearances. She always loved you, Zuko. She always detested me. I don't know if Father's ever loved me, but at least he's showed me his appreciation. I owe it to him to be loyal. If you allow him to move back to Court, Zuko, I promise to protect him. I'll find out who dares threaten our family. They won't get away with it."
He leaned back and closed his eyes. "Mother won't like it."
Azula's eyes flashed bright yellow. "Because of General Zhao? Yes Zuko, don't look so surprised. I know all about his visits to her suite, day and night. My servants are highly observant. I've also heard that Mommy dearest has been visiting Father here at least three times since her return. Well, she'll just have to be a bit more discreet. I guess her lifestyle during these past eight years isn't quite that easy to relinquish."
"Azula!"
A sharp knock on the door interrupted Zuko's shocked outburst. Azula greeted the newcomer coolly.
"Captain Zhien! Just the person we wanted to see. Avatar Aang is busy healing Lord Ozai's injuries. After they're finished, my father will need to be moved to the Royal Palace for safety. Of course, his Major Domo will come with him. Captain Zhien, pending a more fixed arrangement for this, Fire Lord Zuko and I are making you formally responsible for Lord Ozai's safety. Use the amount of Royal Guards that you see fit. Zuko, I'm sure that you don't mind relinquishing the Royal Suite for the time being? Seeing that Mai's no longer staying there, I mean. After all, that's Father's old rooms. Staying there will probably speed up his recovery. Excuse me? No, of course I'm not throwing you out into the street! What a preposterous notion! I'm just suggesting that you show a bit of filial loyalty. Aang's old suite's been empty ever since he moved in with me. The rooms are quite spacious and comfortable. I'm sure he wouldn't mind you using them."
Zuko's eyes bulged in outrage. "Why, Azula! That's quite out of the question! If Father's moving back into the Royal Palace, he can bloody well use Aang's old suite for himself! That's quite enough!"
Azula leaned back with a tiny little smile. Of course, she'd gotten her way in the end, just as usual.
"Capital idea, Zuko! As usual, the Fire Lord knows best. That's the perfect solution. Captain Zhien! You may order your Guards to prepare a transportation stretcher and a security escort contingent. My father and his Major Domo will travel with you. Fire Lord Zuko, Avatar Aang and I will return to the Royal Palace on my husband's sky bison. That will be all."
The Captain was unable to prevent himself from clicking his heels and bowing slightly. "Very good, Princess Azula."
At that exact moment, the door to the modest bedroom opened to emit the Avatar's large muscular frame. Stopping in the tiny doorway to dwarf it completely, he pushed his dark hair back to rub the blue arrow tattoo on his forehead.
"He should be all right by now. That was quite a nasty wound to his right side. A spear had almost pierced one of his kidneys. He will need regular checkups during the next week or so. A pity Katara probably won't be up for it, but ok, Azula. I'll do it for you."
She was up and running towards him, embracing him tightly and covering his neck in kisses. As she raised her face to his, her large golden eyes shone with sincere gratitude.
"Oh Aang I… I don't know what to say! Thank… Thank you! I mean, I… I really owe you… I…"
He almost laughed at her obvious unfamiliarity and discomfort with showing her gratitude. Still, that proved that her reaction was clearly sincere. Ignoring her brother and the Captain, he kissed her soundly, relishing her instinctively hot response. Then, he raised his head to address them all.
"Ok. I think the wisest thing is to bring him back to the Royal Palace. At least there any assassination attempts won't go unnoticed. It will be easier to keep him protected there. Captain Zhien, where is that airship of yours parked?"