Chapter 26

"How dare he involve himself in Fire Nation affairs?" Zuko rages upon hearing about Ambassador Xin's unexpected and uninvited arrival at the palace.

"Apparently the Earth Kingdom has filed extradition papers with the Council for Long Feng." Aang says, preparing for the next outburst.

"No!" The Fire Lord's tent becomes suddenly brighter with the intense flare of the lanterns.

"They say they have priority since his crimes in Ba Sing Se preceded the abduction of Prince Yukio." Aang explains.

"He'll disappear. They have no intention of prosecuting him. That's why they're doing this so quickly." Zuko fumes.

"If we file a petition with the Council we can probably block a transfer at least for a while. That could give us time to learn the extent of the plot." Bokkusu suggests.

"I hate to have anything to do with the Council. What if I just refuse extradition?" Zuko asks.

"Sanctions." Aang answers glumly.

"Draw up the petition papers." The Fire Lord reluctantly orders his security man then looks at Aang. "Do you think it's suspicious that the Earth Kingdom was so quick to jump on this Long Feng thing? He's only been in custody for a couple of days. How did they even know he was involved?"

"I'm not sure how they knew and yes it is suspicious." Aang agrees.

"I won't be dictated to by those corrupt bastards." Zuko declares ominously.

Aang looks at Bokkusu and the security man shrugs. None of them trust the Unified Council and with good reason. The Earth Kingdom does have a case for extradition however, but neither the Avatar nor Bokkusu is going to risk his life to mention that fact at this time.

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Yukio enters his friend's tent and Vallon greets him with a bright smile.

"Yukio! I was wondering if you were going to visit me." The earthbender indicates the cushions where Toph and Zuko sat when they questioned him, bidding the prince to sit.

"I'm sorry it took so long. The Avatar came to camp!" Yukio explains unable to contain his excitement. "I rode on Appa. I saw the whole camp from the air and we even flew up to the top of the mountain where the fortress was."

"That sounds great." Vallon grins at the boy's enthusiasm.

"Yeah. I was scared at first, but I held on tight and Aang didn't do anything too crazy and pretty soon I got the hang of it. He even let me take the reins!"

"You're a regular daredevil. You'll give your cousin fits."

"He said it was okay." Yukio defends himself and then remembers why he really wanted to talk to his friend and his voice takes an anxious tone. "I think there's something wrong with him. And Katara too. They aren't coming out of their tents and they look kind of sick. Katara didn't even look at me when I talked to her. She just kept her arm over her eyes and laid there. I thought she was mad at me but she didn't sound angry. I don't like it."

Vallon looks highly disturbed and Yukio gets even more worried.

"Would your cousin ever hurt her?" The earthbender asks urgently.

"Huh?"

"Hit her. Hurt her." The big man prods.

"No!" Yukio snaps, offended. "Of course he wouldn't. I said they looked sick, not injured."

"Then why wouldn't she uncover her eyes?" Vallon asks, concerned.

"Maybe she had a headache. Why would Zuko hit her? It doesn't make any sense."

"Because I kissed her and the guard who saw it thought it was mutual. He told your cousin and he was pretty angry." Vallon says, going over the possibilities in his mind.

"You what?! How dare you?" The prince jumps to his feet, furious at Vallon's violation.

Vallon doesn't answer. No, he doesn't think he Fire Lord would hurt Katara. But what if he flew into a rage and actually did strike out at her? Guilt stabs him as he imagines the scenario and his face reflects his horror.

"She would freeze him to a tree." Yukio says confidently.

"What?" Vallon is startled out of his stupor.

"She would freeze him to a tree if he ever even thought of hitting her." The prince repeats. "Not that he would ever think such a thing. I can't believe you would suggest it. I come to you for advice and all you do is go back to your old ways of lying about my cousin."

The boy stands and stomps to the door of the tent, furious.

"Don't leave!" Vallon says somewhat desperately. "It was just a thought. I've seen it happen before and what you described was … typical of that kind of ... I'm sorry I jumped to that conclusion."

Yukio stops at the door and warily eyes his friend.

"I'll stay. Just promise me you won't say those kinds of things about Zuko anymore.

"I won't. The earthbender vows.

"He's the best Fire Lord this country has ever had or will ever have." Yukio continues to smolder.

"I said I'm sorry. Just sit down." Vallon sighs, tired of the drama, but not wanting to be left alone again.

The earthbender's time so far in the camp has been lonely. The guards had been kind and even friendly, until the Fire Lord came in shooting sparks earlier. Since then Vallon's not been spoken to or approached by anyone. They won't even look at him. He would even welcome interrogation at this point, just to have something akin to a conversation.

The prince sits back down, still slightly scowling. Vallon sighs. Could he screw up anything else?

"I am sorry Yukio. Like I said, I've seen it before. In my line of work, I've had to rub shoulders with some very unsavory characters. Of course Katara could defend herself, and even if she ever got an injury she could heal it. She wouldn't have to hide it."

"Yeah." The boy agrees sullenly. Then he smiles slightly to let the big man know it's okay and the whole room becomes less tense.

"You know your cousin came in here earlier, I think planning to attack me. He changed his mind I guess because I'm still in one piece." Vallon says.

"Because you kissed Katara. Why did you do that anyway?"

"I can't explain that even to myself Yukio. She's very…good. There's not a malicious bone in her body. I've been away from anything like that for so long I just got a little overwhelmed. It was a huge mistake though and it looks like I'm going to be paying for it for a long, long time." Vallon gives half a rueful smile.

"She's really pretty, isn't she?" The boy asks and the earthbender nods. "I was hoping Zuko would marry her, but now I just want them to come out of their tents and not look so miserable."

"It's because they're in love." The big man explains. "And something's keeping them apart. Maybe they had a fight. With words, I'm not suggesting anything." He quickly adds when the prince's expression turns thunderous again.

"What can I do? I hate it."

"You have no control over it. It's for them to work out." The big man says.

"But if they don't come out of their tents and they never talk to each other it'll just stay like this. And Katara will leave and I really want her to stay. I can't just sit here and do nothing." The prince fidgets, upset.

"Maybe if they know you care they'll make an effort. But don't beg, that's just annoying." He grins at the boy who relaxes a bit.

"When they come out for supper I'll definitely say something." The boy nods.

"But not in front of everybody else. I get the idea discretion is important to your cousin."

"Yeah. Hey what do you do for fun around here?" Yukio looks around the sparse tent and thinks it's the most boring place he's ever seen.

"I have a book the guards gave me and up until your cousin's visit-of-rage they came by pretty regularly to chat. Since then I've been pretty much left with the book. I've read it twice now." He chuckles.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner." Yukio thinks about his own few days in the metal room in the fortress and how much he appreciated Vallon's company. At least he had the hard walls to run on, the earthbender has only soft canvas. He couldn't run on the walls if he wanted to. "Let's play a game." He perks up.

They spend the next hour playing absurd variations of "rock, paper, scissors" and "twenty questions" with no suspicion, no rancor, and no manipulation. It's the best time Vallon's had in years.

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Sokka sits in the Imiyo Garden Tavern indulging in some fine Fire Nation sake. He's been drowning his sorrows for a good half hour and he's managed to strike up conversation with a couple of the locals. They're very excited to have a Water Tribe ship visit their harbor. Usually all the trade goes through the Fire Harbor in the capitol and they get their goods from Fire Nation vessels. They're full of questions about the South Pole and Water Tribe trade routes.

Sokka drops a couple of acid remarks about their Fire Lord just to see how they'll react and finds he's getting a surprising response. Agreement. Not enough to count as treason but just enough to pique his interest, and before long he finds he's playing the detective again.

Just to pass the time of course. He really doesn't care in the least what Zuko's subjects think of him or if any of them might have plans to do him or his cousin harm. No. Not in the least.

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"Yukio, I just wasn't hungry for supper. I'll be at breakfast, I promise." Katara tells the distraught looking boy who has entered her tent to badger her about missing the evening meal.

"You're sure? I could get you some food from the cook."

"Of course I'm sure. I'm just tired." She smiles reassuringly to him.

"It's because of Zuko isn't it? You guys had a fight and now neither one of you will come out of your tent." Yukio sits down stubbornly, daring her to tell him to leave.

"This isn't your business Yukio." She tells the prince as kindly but as firmly as she can.

"Yes it is!" He huffs. "You're making me worried and eleven-year-olds shouldn't be worried. It stunts our growth."

"Well then don't worry and you'll grow up to be very tall just like your cousin." She can't help chuckling at the boy's over-dramatic indignation.

"Katara, I heard your brother's in Imiyo to take you back to the South Pole." The prince drops the childish temper and droops into the truth. "I don't want you to go."

"I have to. It's time." She says sadly.

"You promised me you'd stay until I got used to things at the palace and now you're not even going there at all." He skewers her with an accusatory glare.

"I know. But I said I'd stay as long as I can. Unfortunately, this is as long as I can stay. My brother is very busy and he can't just wait around to take me home."

"Well if it's time for you to leave, why aren't you spending your last night with us instead of cooped up in here?"

"Please Yukio." He's astonished to hear her voice crack with weary emotion. "I can't talk about it. I really just need to try to sleep."

"Okay." He gets up, dejected, and heads out of the tent before turning briefly. "I'll expect you at breakfast." He adds, sounding very much like a prince.

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"Hello?" Toph steps into Vallon's tent and the big man stands in respect.

"General." He says, not sure whether he should be grateful for the company or looking for an escape route.

"Call me Toph." She says and it sounds very much like an unquestionable order.

Toph motions for Vallon to sit and she takes a seat across from him.

"Is the Fire Lord joining you? Are we continuing the interview now?" He asks thinking it's a little late for an interrogation but what the heck, he's got nothing better to do.

"No, he's not joining us. I want to talk to you about my father. Apparently you had dealings with him in Gaoling while you were with the Dai Li. This has no bearing on your current case, by the way and is completely off the record. I'd like to know everything you can tell me about my father's activities." She explains.

"Okay." Vallon shrugs. "I didn't deal directly with him though. And I can't say anything he was doing was illegal. There was the spying on the citizens, but for the most part it was to discern whether or not they were loyal to the Earth Kingdom. The Fire Nation was spreading a lot of money around the area and it made your father very nervous. With good reason. But he didn't use us the way some did; as enforcers or leverage." He reassures her.

Toph can tell he's being honest and it brings her some relief. She and her parents have not yet come to terms with the past and all that's happened since. She had been afraid her powerful father would somehow thwart her work with the Unified Council, but he'd stayed suspiciously out of that affair.

"Why did you kiss Katara?" She suddenly asks.

"Damn it!" He seethes. "Is that all anybody thinks about around here? It was a mistake, I'm sorry. It was just a kiss. One kiss. Nothing more. Forgive me for wanting to get close to someone who's completely kind." He looks angrily at Toph but she keeps her expression guarded.

Suddenly he's bound with earth, unable to move his arms and the General slinks up to him, leaning in very close.

"How does it feel to be helpless?" She whispers seductively into his ear.

Vallon silently counts to ten, trying to rein in his fury. He could bend himself out of these ridiculous bindings, but he's sure they're being watched and any bending he might do could appear to be a threat to the General. She's off the mark, he thinks. He doesn't need restraints to feel weak. His entire situation is one of bondage and has been for years.

"Katara was never helpless." His teeth grind together as he talks he's so mad. "Really, as insulted as I am by all the accusations concerning me, I think all of you people are far more demeaning to her. She's a powerful fighter and she's smart and she was never, ever powerless with me. For one thing I would never force her to do anything. For another she wouldn't let me if I tried. And for a final thing, she has accepted my apology and pledged friendship to me. She's a much better person than any of you." He spits bitterly.

"Go on." The General says, not unkindly, but not encouragingly either.

"No. I'm through talking about it. It's nobody's business but hers and mine. She's accepted my apology and that's all that matters to me. I'll be happy to talk to you all night long about your father or Long Feng or even Tsumi, but not about Katara." Rant over he glares at her, knowing she can't see his angry expression, but she can feel his exasperation and that's good enough.

The bindings fall away and he brushes the dust off his sleeves irately.

"Tsumi?" Toph's confusion is visible on her face.

"The Fire Lord didn't tell you?" Vallon asks, realizing he's just given her a piece of his past he'd rather keep private.

"No." She replies.

"I've changed my mind." He says. "Tsumi is not something I'm willing to talk about all night. Or at all."

"I didn't know the big raunchy secret had something to do with Tsumi." Toph laughs. "No wonder you didn't want to tell me. I can feel you blushing. Don't worry about it. I won't ask you anymore questions about that."

"Thanks." The big man grins, relaxing a bit.

"You're right about Katara." Toph admits, a contrite look on her face. "Somehow we all just want to protect her when in reality she could probably kick our butts. I'm not sure how that works, but it makes us do stupid things sometimes. I apologize for attacking you."

"I accept your apology, General. Thank you." Vallon responds, genuinely surprised and pleased at her magnanimity.

"I am still interested in Gaoling though. Just your impressions of the area and my father's business." She says and it's obvious this is purely a personal interview. "May I order tea? Would you like some?" She asks adjusting her robe so she can sit more comfortably.

"Sure. I'd like that very much." He smiles.

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Zuko lays on his back in his dark tent listening to the crickets and cicadas in the forest. He can hear the soldiers conversing quietly with the occasional clinking sound of a teapot or a spoon on a tin plate. He imagines what his life would be like if he'd never become Fire Lord.

If he'd remained a prince, if Lu Ten had lived or Yukio had been of age to take the throne, he'd have had a career in the military. As prince however, he'd have had access to all the perks of royalty with few of the responsibilities of absolute power.

But even as prince he'd not have been able to marry for love. The law covers the whole of the royal family as they all carry the burden of continuing the bloodline. From the moment of his birth he had not been free. Service to the Fire Nation had required from his infancy obedience to laws written by men centuries before he and Katara were born.

Certainly he has the power to change laws, but to do so in this instance will give the nobles who oppose his reforms the leverage to undo him. They would portray such a change as an abandonment of their cultural values. None of those selfish elite have any idea how close the Fire Nation is to economic and international disaster. The years of war and now the Unified Council's sanctions and meddling have chipped away at the solvency of the country and now it seems vengeance for past wrongs is around every corner. But all around him are vicious, self-serving fops who care about nothing so much as clinging to past glory and power with their grasping claws and destructive rhetoric.

No, he mustn't even allow himself to fantasize about those things he can't have.

He turns his mind to the report of Yukio's visit with Vallon. He'd been furious that the earthbender had suggested to the boy that Zuko could possibly have hit Katara. The guard had then made very sure that the Fire Lord heard the rest of the report and how Vallon had come around to the impossibility of it himself. His genuine concern for Katara was a mark in his favor even though the original suspicion was incredibly insulting to the Fire Lord and Zuko grudgingly forgives the earthbender, deciding for the second time today not to kill him.

Of course, Zuko did bat Katara around a bit during the war. He remembers the time at the North Pole when he knocked her unconscious. The memory of her lying on the grass at the spirit oasis is one of a thousand images that have both shaped and tormented him for years. He also remembers, or partially remembers, that she knocked him out not once, but twice during that same battle. That particular memory soothes his conscience a little.

Even though the Fire Lord shudders at the thought now it seemed the natural thing to do to fight with Katara all those years ago. She was tenacious and loyal and he'd never have gotten close to the Avatar if he hadn't fought her. Now he could never throw a legitimate attack at her. For one thing, she'd probably freeze him to something as Yukio predicted and as she has done before. And for another he'd never, ever hurt her even if his life depended on it, and sometimes he's sure it does.

He turns over on his bedroll to once again attempt illusive sleep when he sees her framed in the campfire light, holding open the flap of his tent. She must have just gotten there because he hadn't noticed the light change until now, but she may have been standing there an eternity for all his muddled mind can comprehend.

"Katara?" He asks as if he's not certain it's her. He'd recognize her in the deepest sandstorm in the Earth Kingdom desert, seeing her in silhouette is no challenge.

When she doesn't respond he sits up.

"Katara, we really shouldn't…" He begins and then stops himself. Is she suggesting what it seems she is? He hopes not because he's not certain he's strong enough to resist but he knows it would be a heart-breaking disaster if they were to anticipate a marriage that will never be.

"I didn't come for that." She says quietly and lets the flap fall behind her. Zuko sighs thankfully when she sits right where she is, far away across the tent from him.

"Why did you come?" He asks considering lighting the room with fire from his palm but then deciding he'd rather stay in the dark for some reason.

"I came to apologize for earlier. I keep wishing I hadn't lost my temper and ruined everything. I'm bad about that." She sounds almost sheepish.

"I was on edge too. As nice as it was to finally kiss you and hold you, I never forgot it would have to end. I guess topping it off with a fight was as good a way as any to finalize it." He infuses a lightness he doesn't feel into his words.

"No it wasn't. It's not like we have time to make-up. You don't start fights when there's no time." She disagrees adamantly and he's torn between wanting to laugh at her for instigating an argument in the midst of her apology for instigating an argument and wrapping her in a comforting embrace.

No. No embraces. Not in my tent. In the dark. Alone.

"I just felt so stupid." She continues. "I thought I was part of your team and then to find out I was being watched … it was embarrassing." She admits and he can almost feel her mortification as her words strike home and guilt nearly smothers him.

"I never thought of it like that." He says his voice hoarse with regret.

"I know. You didn't mean any offense. You were probably even trying to protect me. But you wouldn't have done that with Toph. You wouldn't even have done it with Sokka or Aang."

"Toph can feel if Vallon's lying to her, and he wouldn't have tried to seduce Sokka or Aang. At least I don't think he would have."

"So you think I'm a sucker for a pretty face?" She grimaces.

"No, in fact I'm sure you're not." He says meaningfully and she knows he's talking about himself and his scar.

"Oh shut up." She says exasperated. "You're the most beautiful man I've ever met scar or no scar."

There is silence for a long moment. Katara thinks about what she's just said and decides it's the truth…but what a horrible way to say it.

"Thank you." He says in a near whisper.

"You're welcome." She quietly responds.

"We can't stay in here. The soldiers will gossip." He says pulling his robe on under his blanket. It's so dark she couldn't have seen his nakedness, but somehow at this moment he feels completely exposed, darkness, bedding, robe notwithstanding. "Let's walk outside. They won't hover."

"You don't think they gossiped when we left together to rescue Yukio?" Katara asks as she opens the flap of the tent to leave.

"The results speak for themselves." Zuko follows her and guides her to a spot where they can sit together in full view of the camp, but far enough away that they can whisper and not be heard.

"What about today? We were alone together for a long time." Katara is going to worry this thing to death.

"They don't think anything really good happens in daylight." He grins and she laughs.

"Well thanks for safeguarding my good name." She smiles.

"My pleasure. But now I need to apologize to you. You're right. I didn't trust you to be smart enough to see through any tricks Vallon might pull. I let my personal feelings dictate and I'm sorry. I know better than to think you're helpless or gullible. Even if you hadn't just proved it with rescuing Yukio, I should've still understood that."

"That makes me feel better. Thanks." She says.

"Good. Now that you're feeling so positively toward me, I have a huge favor to ask."

"What?"

"It seems the Earth Kingdom is trying to extradite Long Feng through the Unified Council so I have to petition to keep him. I think it would be good if you could go with us to testify before the Council. I can request the meeting take place as quickly as possible, in fact I want it to so I can set the wheels in motion to block the Earth Kingdom's access. But that would mean you going to Ba Sing Se. If you go all the way back to the South Pole now then you'll just have to turn around as soon as you get there." He explains.

"Of course I'll testify." She promises and then she adds quietly, "but I'll still be joining Sokka tomorrow. I'll either stay on the ship with him or have him take me to Ba Sing Se and I'll stay there until the hearing."

"I understand." He says, unable to keep the disappointment out of his voice. He's not sure why he'd hoped she would stay on longer when it's so frustrating to be around her, but he had.

"I just can't stay here Zuko. I hope you really do understand." She looks at him to see what his expression will tell her, but the light is too dim to get a good read.

"Actually I do and it's the best thing." He agrees. "What are you going to do once you go back to the South Pole?" He's just trying to change the subject, but he's actually interested.

"I don't think I'm going to go back to the Cultural Heritage Museum. I think I'm going to work with Master Pakku a little and go hunting with my dad. Maybe I can stop being such a girl." She grins.

Zuko laughs at the intensely feminine beauty by his side who can take out multiple earthbenders in one swipe but doesn't want to be seen as a "girl." They launch into an hours long conversation about anything and everything that crosses their minds; learning what most people learn about their lovers over an entire lifetime in just the space of one all too short night.

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Sokka has taken a room at the tavern and he drunkenly falls into bed. He's learned a lot today.

For one thing, Fire Nation sake is more potent than the sake in Ba Sing Se. Probably because the Earth Kingdom misers water it down.

For another thing, Fire Nation women are exotic and sexy and very interested in Water Tribe captains. He grins at some of the bolder predators he met and escaped today. At least they soothed his extremely battered ego, so he's thankful for that. The last thing he needs however is an anchor in a nation he intends to avoid for the rest of his life on earth.

And finally he learned today that Fire Lord Zuko had better watch his back.