"You're leaving?" The Fire Lady's voice is too quiet for the voluminous room Iroh has occupied for the last month.
"I have things I must attend to." Iroh answers as he stuffs a robe into a bag.
Katara's steps are hesitant as she nears the bed. "The White Lotus?"
Iroh slows his actions, finally turning his attention to the Water Bender. He takes in tired blue eyes, lines of worry, and the air of resignation. "Yes, the White Lotus."
Biting her lip she steps closer. "Is it about Zuko?"
Iroh sighs. "My nephew is angry. He is grieving. I do not believe he will act on his threats." He tries to sound reassuring. "There is much going on in the world right now. I fear that it will demand our attention soon enough."
Blue eyes narrow into a glare. "He's been different ever since Azula died. I think he means it." She pauses, face softening. "Do you think Ba Sing Se was behind it? Mai said it was an earthquake."
"Earth Benders would be capable of creating such an event but the area they were in is known for its seismic activity. It is difficult to say. The question is: does Zuko believe Ba Sing Se to be responsible?"
Katara half laughs. "That's an easy yes." She falls silent, eyes downcast. "What if they weren't responsible and he does start a war? What happens then?"
Iroh takes her hands in his and meets her sad gaze. "Zuko is not alone in this world even if he might feel that he is. We must just remind him of that."
"And if he doesn't listen?"
Iroh offers a sad smile. "Then I imagine our young Avatar will have to talk some sense into him."
Oooo
By nightfall, the small whispers of unrest grow into deafening shouts of rebellion
Mai's face is flushed with concern at the sound of yelling beyond the palace walls. "This is happening, Zuko. You can't ignore it."
Zuko arches a brow at her. "Let them attack. I have nothing to fear."
Katara's face matches Mai's. "You goaded Satou into this. Did you want a revolt?"
Zuko coolly meets his wife's glare. "It was going to happen eventually. It might as well be now."
The Fire Lady blinks in surprise before turning a helpless gaze at the other woman in the room. Mai closes her eyes. The troop movements away from the capital, the quiet exit of Caldera citizens; it makes sense.
"You want them to attack the palace."
Zuko nods gravely.
Katara snaps. "Have you lost your mind? Do you want to be overthrown?"
The room is suddenly suffocating with the heat. "There is nothing that peasant can do that would end a thousand years of power."
"Except kill your child."Katara replies quietly. "End you and your line."
Zuko nearly snarls. "That won't happen." She opens her mouth to argue but he cuts her off. "Mai, take the Fire Lady to our rooms and stand guard." He turns away from the fury in his wife's eyes towards the door.
Katara starts after him, but Mai stills her with a hand on her arm, a firm look of warning in her eye. "What will you do?"
He glares over his shoulder. " Remind my people just who is in charge."
Once they are down the hall, she pleads. "Mai, we can't let him do this." Katara's eyes are wide. "He's lost it."
Mai purses her lips tightly. Rumors of madness have often plagued the Royal family. Ozai and Azula certainly never helped dissuade the idea but she always thought Zuko had escaped the curse. He was always impetuous but diving headfirst into a hundred man plus uprising with little more than the scant palace guards at his side seems insane.
Outside the Fire Lord's chambers, Mai breaks her silence. "You stay here. I'll do what I can."
She knows Katara's denial before she ever says it.
"I'm not leaving my husband and friend to die."
Mai gives her a suffering look, ignoring the categorization of friend "You're pregnant. Be sensible about this."
"Pregnant, not useless." Katara says defiantly.
Mai sighs. Azula was right about the Water Bender but she has a Fire Lord to look after. With a quick move, she chi blocks the other woman's arms and legs. Catching the slumping royal, she gently lowers her to the ground. The Fire Lady's shrieks of rage draw the attention of her maids who stand in shock.
"Get her inside and bar the door. The palace is under attack. Do not open it unless it's the Fire Lord or myself." She looks to the woman in her arms and brushes back locks of hair to reveal furious blue eyes. "I'm sorry but it's not about you anymore. I'll do what I can to return your husband to you."
Mai leaves out the door intent on finding a suicidal Fire Lord and smacking some sense into him.
Ooooo
The large palace doors buckle inward with the weight placed upon it. The battering ram is heavy and efficient as the metal hinges threaten to come apart. The smattering of guards stands tense behind their king. Their fear is tangible in the air. Zuko resists the urge to smile. Satou was organized. But despite all that planning, Zuko was the one to pull the strings and guide his hand. Troops were sent for training exercises; warships for naval exercises. The capital was left largely unguarded and made far too tempting a target. Satou couldn't resist.
Azula would chide him for such an upfront approach to the problem of rebellion. She preferred to operate in the shadows. No doubt Satou would have been lifted of the burden of his head in his sleep or met his end in the dungeons had it been up to her. But Azula is gone. It's only Zuko. And Zuko has always had a flair for drama.
"Let them in." He orders.
The troops around him start in surprise. "My Lord, they outnumber us twenty to one."
"Then you are all dismissed but first open the door."
Oooo
The palace hallways are empty. It's dark and eerie but Mai hurries. Zuko has acted strangely ever since Azula passed. This seems more suicidal than anything though she didn't want to voice her concerns to Katara. Ahead she sees palace guards near the great hallway, Zuko must be there. As she nears she hears the groaning metal of the doors opening. The muffled roaring outside is suddenly inside as men pour in. Mai quickens her pace hoping to reach Zuko on time. She's too far away. The rebels will get there before she can. Pulling out her shurikens she readies to try and throw anyway. But there is no way she can stop them before they get to him.
Oooo
Being a Master Water Bender has its upsides. Like when your husband's ex girlfriend chi blocks you to keep you safe during a palace rebellion. The maids flutter around her. She waves them off as control returns to her limbs.
"Get out of the palace. I'll be fine." She shoos them away as she looks out the doors to the palace beyond.
No doubt the rebellion is concentrated at the front. That's where Mai went. That's where Zuko is. It's not that far away.
Katara creeps down the darkened hallway, wary for any sign of the intruders. Before she can register it, a large tapestry moves and a giant hand grabs her and pulls her behind it. Another closes over her mouth stifling the squeal of surprise. Large gold eyes stare back at her.
"Quiet, girl." Ozai snarls at her.
She forces herself to relax. He feels the minute change and removes his hand. With a short nod towards the outer hallway, he raises a finger to his lips. The sound of footsteps and voices can be heard beyond. From the snippets of conversation they are rebels looking for their quarry. They are looking for her. Of course they wouldn't all attack from the same direction.
Once the danger passes, she hisses. "I could have taken them."
"I'm sure you could." Ozai hums in reply. The mannerism reminiscent of Azula. "But I would be remiss in my role as father in law to allow it." He closes his hand around her smaller wrist and pulls her down the hidden hallway.
The thought of the Phoenix King taking her anywhere has Katara struggling against his tight hold. He pulls her up against him and glares down at her.
"Quit being a fool. You will only get yourself hurt or worse." He drops a glance at her stomach. "I'm taking us somewhere safe."
He resumes his pace tugging her along. After a few twists and turns they come to another door. Gently he pushes it open and looks out. Satisfied he pushes the door open more and leads her into a familiar room.
Ozai stops and looks to her. "It's the one place I doubt they will look."
Azula's rooms; the rebels would have no reason to search the apartments of a dead woman.
"We should find Zuko. He needs help."
Ozai half laughs as he settles into a large chair of Azula's sitting room. "The Fire Lord needs nothing." He tips his head back and closes his eyes.
Katara refuses to be ignored. "He is fighting rebels!"
"And?" His eyes open in challenge. "Do you think so little of his abilities that you must run head first into danger to save him?"
Katara bristles. "I am a master Water Bender."
Ozai waves her off. "Yes, yes, I know. Last of your tribe, teacher of the Avatar. Quite possibly the best the world has ever seen. I am aware of your talents."
Katara glares. "Then you can hardly stop me."
He smiles. It's the same smile Azula would flash when she was playing one of her many games. It's the same smile Zuko gives when he is being brutally and painfully honest. It's a smile of truth. It's the smile of cruelty.
"Azula is dead." Ozai's voice is loud in the empty room. "If my son were to fall, then just whom do you think would rule?" His words give her pause. One hand covers her rounded stomach. "That's right. You would be Queen regent until my grandchild is of age to rule."
He stands, moving towards her. Katara doesn't retreat. His hand gently lies atop her own where it rests over the sleeping babe. His voice softens. "I can not let a thousand year dynasty end because you wish to throw your life away. Have faith in Zuko to win this. I will offer you what protection I can until your husband returns to you."
Katara looks up at him. The expression is so sad that it could be heartbreaking. It's the same glimpse of humanity she once seen in Azula. It brings tears to her eyes. She drops her gaze and nods solemnly.
"Thank you."
Oooo
Zuko stands at attention as he is faced with an onslaught of furious peasants. The guards behind him retreat into formation.
Breathing deep he drops back into an all too familiar stance, lifting two fingers. He's watched Azula all her life; studied her movements, learned her moods. He closes his eyes and he can see her falling, falling so, so far. He can see her dying, too far away from home, too far from him. A cold blank of emotion envelopes him. Opening his eyes, Zuko breathes out and unleashes the fury of the dragon.
Ooooo
The flash of heat and light blinds her eyes even as the stench of ozone and burnt flesh sears her nose. Mai dives to the ground as chains of lightning rip through the air. The roaring of metal and men reach a crescendo before screaming to a stop. When Mai dares to look up, she can't quite make sense of what she is seeing.
Zuko stands alone in a sea of bodies, burnt and smoking. Faced and limbs twisted by fear and pain. Standing she steps through the mess, the massacre, taking stock of the dead around her. The few remaining palace guards stand aghast, staring at their lord.
"How?" Her voice is a mere whisper. Zuko has never generated lightning. It was a talent reserved for Ozai and Azula.
"Treason is punishable by death." Zuko answers in a far too calm voice. Icy yellow eyes sweeping over the corpses for any signs of life.
The boy she grew up with would have been horrified at the abrupt murder of a hundred men, especially at his own hand. The challenge in his eyes tells her that the man before her is not bothered, not one bit, not at all.
Ooooo
The great hall reeks of smoke and burnt flesh. Katara carefully picks her way over the charred corpses taking in the destruction. She is hyper aware of Ozai walking behind her, casting dispassionate eyes at the rebels. Zuko stands in the midst of it all, supervising the guards as they gather bodies. He arches a brow at the pair.
"Did you do this?" Katara asks breathlessly.
Ozai speaks for the Fire Lord. "You've seen enough lightning strikes to know the answer to that."
Snark runs in the family but she ignores the father to focus on the son. "Zuko?"
"I will not be opposed in my own home." The torches around them flare a bright blue.
She can feel the satisfaction roll off Ozai.
"You didn't have to kill them. You could have arrested them." Katara reasons, desperate to believe better of this man.
"And then what? Did you ever stop to think just what happens to the criminals I arrest? I did them a favor by ending it so quickly and now no one will dare think to challenge me again. This is not up for argument."
Katara becomes aware of Mai at her side, pulling at her sleeve. "Come on. There's some wounded that could use your help." She holds Zuko's eyes as she lets herself be lead away. Mai pulls her close. "Leave it, Katara. This is not the time."
At the end of the hall, Katara looks back. Ozai stands beside Zuko, casting appraising eyes around the hall. The fallen king places a hand on the other's shoulders. "You've done well, son. Very well."
Ooooo
Appa flies the line Sokka traced on the Earth Kingdom map. Below Aang can see the devastation that the war has left behind.
"Why would they do this? You think they would have had enough of war. " Sokka laments from his place in the saddle.
"Some people don't know when to let a good thing go." Toph chimes in.
"So what's the plan? " Sokka asks. Blue eyes looking older than their years.
"Aang tells them to make nice and if they don't then he goes all Avatar on them."
The object of their attention is less optimistic. "They haven't listened so far."
"So why would they start now?" Toph asks. Aang just nods but Toph seems to know anyway. "This is going to go well."
It hasn't gone well. Any and all attempts to end the war have been fruitless. Neither side is willing to cede ground. It's become a war of attrition.
Azula would have reveled in it and exploited the opportunities the fighting presented. With the attention of both major players focused elsewhere, she would have plotted a path for Fire Nation dominance. Aang sighs. Zuko would have been the only one to stop her but now he's not even sure the Fire Lord wants to keep to the ideals of his coronation. Once again everything has changed in Aang's life.
It was Azula, always Azula. As a girl she handed Aang his greatest defeat but as a woman she upended his entire way of being. He's not mourned her, not really. Focusing on detachment is well and good but it's not touched the grief he feels.
She hid so much from him: their child, her illness. She thought she was protecting him but in reality she was only closing herself off into a world with just Zuko as company. Essentially she hijacked the Fire Lord to her cause at the exclusion of all else. Maybe it's a sibling thing. Maybe it's a Fire Nation thing. Regardless, if she had been more willing to let him in and if Aang had been more willing to fight for her then this might have gone differently. Azula might still be here instead of lost in the Spirit World beyond his reach.
And Aang's been looking too. But the Spirit World is vast and mysterious. Dark edges hide in plain sight but even the power of the Avatar is limited. He has searched but to no avail. If Azula is there then she is truly beyond his reach.
He will never get to make amends. He will never get to apologize for running. That's where he and Zuko differed in their approach to Azula: Zuko stayed the course, never giving into the princess' demands that he leave it alone. Aang pushed back but not enough. He let her push him away with her anger and secrets. He ran when she needed him most. Azula respected strength and decisive action. Aang tends to avoid. It's not a good mix. This was why she chose Zuko again and again.
It's time for action. It's time to end this.
Aang stands up in the saddle, aware of Sokka and Toph's attention. With a quick leap he disappears over the edge.
Oooo
Sokka scrambles to the side, nearly tilting over the same edge he just watched his friend go over. Thoughts of disbelief, fear, and worry flit through his head but Aang is the Avatar. It would take more than a fall from hundreds of feet in the air to finish him. Still this realization doesn't prevent the clench in Sokka's stomach as he watches the white glowing ball encircling the Air Bender descend over the Earth Kingdom. The flash of light is bright and blinding as it plummets rapidly. He blinks and the white light is swallowed by the ground below.
Time seems to slow as Sokka tries to make sense of what he is seeing. Cracks and fissures appear in the earth, radiating from the center. The crust of the earth splits and rips apart. Magma bubbles to the surface, filling the gap left behind.
"Sokka? What's happening?" Toph's voice floats over him, concern lacing the edges. "Sokka, where's Aang?"
As Appa flies north, the gaping maw seems to follow in the bison's shadow, ripping the Earth Kingdom apart.
"I don't...I don't know, Toph."