Author's Note:

Hello my lovely readers! I just wanted to quickly remind everyone that if you need a refresher course on all my original characters, just go to the beginning of Chapter 25 to see my list and summary of each.

Hope you enjoy!

Liem blearily eyed the pair of guards in front of him and Iroh as they approached the palace. They had thankfully made it through the outer gates to the palace without any problems—apparently it was much easier to get through security as an old geezer dressed in an uniform than a lonely kid fresh off the streets...go figure. Or maybe the guards were just half asleep at this time of the day and just waved anyone in. He would have to remember that for next time...if he could. Right now it was a challenge just to remember his own name. Why in Agni's fiery hell do all firebenders insist on doing EVERYTHING in the wee hours of the morning before even the sun has the sense to be up? Is this some sort of self-induced ritual punishment that firebenders do that I wasn't aware of? Whatever it is, I wish they would leave me out of it! He stayed quiet, however, and let Iroh take the lead with the guards.

If the two men before them thought he and Iroh made a strange pair, they didn't show it. Iroh gave them a big smile and a polite bow before he addressed them. "Good morning gentlemen. We have some urgent business with General Ichiro and would like to speak to him as soon as possible."

"I'm sure you would," one of the men answered. "State your name and your business with the General."

"I am General Iroh," his companion answered simply, "and I have come to speak with Ichiro on behalf of my nephew, Fire Lord Zuko. It is in regards to some very important—and urgent—security matters." He smiled again. "I also have a letter from the Fire Lord, with his seal, granting me the authority to meet with the General and provide some much needed council." He then pulled a folded bit of parchment out of his bag and gave it to the guard nearest to him. "You can open the seal and read the contents if you would like."

The man eyed Iroh suspiciously as he took the letter, but didn't say anything further as he carefully opened the seal and read its contents. After a few moments, he folded it up again and handed it back to Iroh. "It looks genuine enough." The guard then frowned as he looked Liem up and down, "and who is the kid?"

Liem didn't care for the man's tone and was about to give him some choice words, but Iroh reacted first. The older man quickly wrapped his arms around Liem's shoulders and squeezed him close to his side in some semblance of an affectionate hug. "Oh, him?" Iroh answered in a weird, way-to-cheerful tone, "Aoki is the son of a very good friend of mine. His father and mother are out of the country studying...armadillo wolf migrations right now, so he is tagging along with me until they return."

"Is that so?" The guard still looked at him skeptically. "He sure doesn't look dressed for an important meeting. He looks like he just crawled out of a seedy inn."

Liem growled. "I'll show you what a seedy inn—"

"—Ah, yes!" Iroh hastily interrupted him, "Aoki loves to explore the ins and outs of every city he visits...he just can't help himself." He then leaned closer to the guard and lowered his voice. "The boy really is a free spirit—he takes after his mother. I can't exactly blame them for wanting to get away a little bit...if you know what I mean."

Liem glared daggers at Iroh, but the older man ignored him. His performance, however, seemed to have the desired effect on the guard, because the man shook his head. "You don't need to say anymore. Just know that you will be responsible for him and his actions once you are inside to see the General."

"Yes, I can assure you he won't cause any trouble."

"Fine." The guard inclined his head to the guard next to him. "Kota will escort you to General Ichiro's office."

Iroh gave him a small bow. "Thank you."

The guard called Kota led them through the main entrance and started his way down the maze of hallways. When Liem thought they would be out of earshot, he leaned in closer to Iroh as they continued to walk. "Let's get something straight, old man," he said quietly, "if you expect me to play deaf and mute while you and your buddies make me the butt of your jokes, it ain't going to happen. And I could have come up with a way better story than the cockamamie one you tried out."

Iroh actually had the gall to smile. "I have no doubt that you could have," he softly replied, "yet mine was sufficient to get us in, and that is what counts. And no, I do not plan on making you the butt of every joke."

"Oh really," Liem whispered furiously, "then why did you even bother with giving me a fake name? And what the hell kind of name is Aoki? It sounds like the name of someone who gets vegetables thrown at them on a daily basis."

"It was just a precaution in case your reputation preceded you." The old man then appeared confused. "And what is wrong is Aoki? I really like that name—it was the name of my favorite turtle duck when I was a boy your age."

Liem smacked his forehead. "Unbelievable…" he muttered under his breath, "first I get drug out of bed at some ungodly hour this morning to visit a whole palace full of lunatic firebenders, then I find out I get named after a turtle duck—a turtle duck of all things! What did I ever do to deserve this?"

Iroh chuckled. "You seem a little tense, my young friend. Just try to relax and focus on the positive instead of the negative. You will have a much better outlook on life in general that way."

Liem glared at him. Is he seriously trying to give me life advice right now?! I think he just might be even crazier than Zuko is...and that's saying something. "In any case, I still don't get why you wanted me along. It's not like me being here is going to make the mighty general warm up to you—in fact, he might consider you distasteful by association. The couple times I saw him was when I was in the same room with him and Zuko and he never once even looked at me, much less asked my name. I don't think he even knows I exist—which is honestly how I'd like to keep it, considering his distaste for anything that's not wrapped in lace and ivory."

"That is exactly why I wanted you to come with me." There was no humor left in the older man's expression. "Something tells me that having an extra pair of eyes and ears will come in very handy, and if Ichiro underestimates either you or me, then so much the better for us."

At that moment, their guard Kota turned back to look at them—no doubt to check on them—so the two of them fell silent once again. It took some time to make their way through the palace to where Ichiro was. Kota stopped in front of a room that was only a few rooms down from the office that Zuko used regularly. Well, at least Ichiro hasn't completely taken over all of Zuko's stuff...yet.

After a few moments, the door opened and they were ushered into the room. Liem noticed only two men in the room. Ichiro, who he immediately recognized, was sitting behind a large desk that occupied the middle of the room. The other man was much younger than the general, but still had several years on Zuko. Liem had never seen the man before, but there was something in the slant of his nose and shape of golden eyes that looked very similar to the general sitting next to him. Could he be related to Ichiro?

Iroh walked over to the desk and gave the pair a very formal bow. "Thank you for seeing me, General Ichiro, especially on such short notice. I hope I have not caused you any inconvenience, but it was urgent that I see you."

If Ichiro was surprised at their visit, he didn't show a hint of it in his expression. "General Iroh," he smoothly replied as he stood up. "I would have prepared more of a welcome for you had I known that you were coming—or even in the capital for that matter. The last I had heard was that you were running a tea shop in Ba Sing Se."

Iroh was also careful to keep his expression neutral. "You heard correct, though I had to take a temporary leave of absence. I have come here on behalf of my nephew, Fire Lord Zuko." He glanced at the young man off to Ichiro's left side. "I have some very important—and sensitive—information to discuss with you, that may not be appropriate for your staff."

A small, condescending smile appeared on Ichiro's lips as he sat back down. "I appreciate your concern, General Iroh, but you don't need to be concerned. Suzuki is my nephew and a trusted advisor of mine. Whatever you need to say to me can be said in front of him."

"Suzuki?" Iroh seemed confused. "Isn't that your family's name? Taking your family's name as your first name as well is a little...unusual, to say the least."

The man named Suzuki finally spoke up, "I prefer going by my family name. It is a very honorable name that I am proud to wear and to live up to."

"I can assure you that Suzuki will keep our discussion private," Ichiro told Iroh before his gaze slid over to Liem. "However, I wonder if the same can be said for your companion. I recall that Fire Lord Zuko liked using dirty street urchins in dealing with the Sons, and it seemed that one was involved every time something went horribly wrong… so you can see why I have some concerns about your companion."

"Why you filthy—" Liem was about to spit some very choice names at Ichiro, but Iroh quickly turned and put a hand on his shoulder, silencing him. When Liem locked onto Iroh's gaze, he could see that the older man was angry as well, but was keeping it in check. For some reason, it had a calming effect on Liem. It was as if the old man was silently telling him to trust him. Liem chose to remain silent and gave Iroh a nod.

Satisfied, Iroh turned back to face Ichiro. "I do not know what rumors you may have heard, but I can assure you that the boy can be trusted to keep a secret. I will vouch for him."

Ichiro didn't seem too pleased with that answer, but wisely chose to move onward. "Very well. Speaking of the Fire Lord, does he remain in Ba Sing Se or has he returned as well?"

"He is here in the capital. His ship should be docking in Harbor City as we speak."

The slight twitch of his eyebrow and narrowing of his gaze was the only reaction Ichiro gave, but Liem had been in enough gambling dens to recognize a tell when we saw one—and that Ichiro clearly wasn't happy at the news. Liem had to admit though, the man was good at playing it cool. "It's a shame that Fire Lord Zuko didn't give us any notice," the general told them. "Once again, if we had known, we would have prepared a welcoming party for him—"

"—which is appreciated, though unnecessary," Iroh politely interrupted him, "especially considering that we still have not yet found Masato. I trust, however, that you have been working tirelessly to find out what happened to our beloved companion. Fire Lord Zuko did leave both of you in charge, after all."

"Yes, I am well aware of that fact. I have indeed tried to locate him, but unfortunately I have no leads on his whereabouts."

"Is that so?" There was a slight quirk to Iroh's eyebrow. "I was told that you had quite an extensive information network here in the city. I am very surprised to learn that you have heard nothing on the subject."

Ichiro's frown deepened. "While it is true that I have ways of obtaining information here in the city, it does not mean that I know or hear everything. The city is quite large, and though you may not know this since you have been absent for so long, but we have a lot of urgent matters that need attention presently. Pardon me for saying so, but prioritizing finding one man in a city of thousands with so many other urgent situations seems a little...selfish and unrealistic, don't you agree?"

Liem could have heard a pin drop in the room, it was so quiet. And if looks could kill, the one that Iroh gave Ichiro would have done him in ten times over.

"For most situations," Iroh replied in an eerily calm voice, "I would agree with you. However, Masato is Fire Lord Zuko's head of security, and co-ruler while he has been absent, so I believe there is a priority here. Your lack of urgency in this matter is a little...concerning. Also, I have concerns on why you have been ordering Warden Takashi in the southern prison to turn over both himself and his guards to you personally. Is there an additional security threat here that I am not aware of?"

"My, my...you have been very busy in your short time here already. Yes, I did order Warden Takashi to come to the palace—he disobeyed a direct order and is going to be court martialed. As for his men, they are additional security for the palace. Since you have been away for so long, I will forgive your ignorance on the situation, but since the Sons of Sozin have already infiltrated the palace on several occasions, increasing security in the palace is of vital importance."

Much to Liem's surprise, he saw a small smile appear on Iroh's lips. "You are right, I have been away from the capital for a long time, and so has my nephew recently. Thankfully, we are now both here to help remedy the situation we currently find ourselves in." He then reached into his small bag ahead and pulled out another letter and offered it to Ichiro. "Fire Lord Zuko will be busy attending to some other...urgent matters, and will most likely not be able to come to the palace, or be in constant communication. Because of this, he has temporarily placed me in charge to rule in his stead. Your services as co-ruler are no longer needed, so you can once again focus exclusively on military matters."

This time, Liem could see the anger clearly written on the other general's face as he snatched the letter from Iroh's hand. He quickly schooled his features, however, as he opened the letter and began to read it. Once he was done, he directed his furious gaze back to Iroh. "Going down into the tunnels after the Sons of Sozin is suicide—if I may offer my opinion," he hastily added.

"You may, but it will not change my orders." Iroh's expression hardened. "Warden Takashi will remain in charge of the southern prison, and his men will assist in our operation instead of being redirected to the palace. I also will need some additional guards from your staff to assist in our operation."

Liem could tell that Ichiro's gambling face was back on. "If you insist...I could probably gather a small group to assist you, but it will take some time to get it together."

"But not too long, I assume?"

"Most likely, no."

Liem had to suppress a snort. Yeah right. I don't need Toph's ability to know that was a lie. Iroh asked Ichiro another question, but Liem's attention was now drawn to Suzuki. He didn't like how the younger man was eyeing Iroh either. It reminded him too much of Ichiro. Great, now there's two shifty pain-in-the-necks that I'll have to keep an eye on. Suzuki also seemed to be clutching a small stack of papers tightly to his chest...a little too tightly for just papers. It seemed a little suspicious to Liem. Maybe it's time to get a closer look. Liem took a few steps until he stood next to Iroh.

"I would think you could spare at least twenty men without having to do a complete census-" Iroh abruptly cut off when he felt Liem tug on his arm. Liem motioned him to come in closer, so Iroh obliged.

Liem made sure to keep his voice very low as he whispered in Iroh's ear, "I want to get a closer look at what Suzuki is holding. Try to get their attention to something on the desk."

Iroh nodded and stood back up again. "My companion reminded me of the other reason why we are here. I need to see the treasury book and request some funds."

"As you wish." Ichiro opened up one of the drawers in his desk and pulled out a very thick book and laid it on the table in front of them.

"Thank you, General, but I admit that I will need some help." Iroh gave him that over-the-top smile again. "I haven't seen an accounting book in so long I wouldn't even know which end to start at. Do you mind?"

Ichiro looked like he did very much mind, but he kept silent as he reluctantly opened the book and flipped to the appropriate page. He turned the book around to show Iroh. "Here is the latest entries and the totals you probably want to read."

Iroh heaved a big sigh. "Ah yes, well...My eyes are not what they used to be, and I have some trouble reading ledgers nowadays. Perhaps one of you could read them out to me?"

That got the desired result, for now both Ichiro and Suzuki were leaned in closer and now paying their full attention to the book in front of them. Suzuki, however, was still far enough off to Ichiro's left that Liem saw his opportunity. Very slowly, he slid his way over to Suzuki until he was close enough to touch him. He made sure the three of them were still engrossed in discussing the numbers in front of them before he made his move. With extreme care, he moved his hand over until he was touching some of the papers that Suzuki was holding. Luckily, they had already started to slip down under his arms, making them an easier target for Liem. Years of picking pockets on the streets let him know when to make his move, and how to precisely grab a few of the papers and slip them down. He held his breath the moment some of them slipped free, and waited to see if Suzuki had noticed. He hadn't. Yes...now to see if these have anything interesting on them.

Slowly again, Liem pulled the papers behind his back, tucked them inside his pants, and stepped closer to Iroh. He cleared his throat to get their attention. Immediately, three sets of eyes were glued to him. "Sorry to interrupt but I need to head out for a second. I can't hold it anymore, if you know what I mean..."

Iroh nodded while the other two men already began ignoring him again, which worked for Liem. He quickly headed out of the room, past the guards posted on either side of the door and down the hallway until he turned a corner. When he was sure no one was around him, he pulled the papers out from his pants and started to examine them. His reading skills were very rudimentary, and even with the lessons that Katara and Kenshin had given him from time to time, he could only make out about half the words. Even still, he could tell that what he was reading had nothing interesting on it—it droned on and on about wheat and corn harvests. Determined, he continued scanning it and the next couple of papers, but still nothing popped out at him. Why in the seven hells was Suzuki guarding these like they were a chest of gold? It doesn't make sense. Not ready to give up, he got to the last paper he grabbed and scanned it for any clues. When he got to the last paragraph, his shoulders drooped. Nothing again...damn. The last little bit on the paper seemed to be a seal of sorts and a signature next it. Curious, Liem examined them. The seal was a small dragon curled around a dagger with some other flourishes on it that was no doubt their family crest...and then something caught his eye. When he looked at the signature, he realized it didn't say Ichiro's name. Instead it was signed "Yoshiro Suzuki". Liem frowned. Yoshiro Suzuki...why does that sound so familiar? Didn't Kenshin and Zuko mention a Yoshiro sometime?... Liem's breath caught.

Yoshiro.

Seven bloody hells…he's that Yoshiro! That means… Liem's eyes widened with fright.

Ichiro.

Liem now clutched the paper like it was his lifeline. Bloody hell...It's him! It's Ichiro! He's the general behind all the Sons of Sozin's attacks! I have to tell Zuko...I have to get to the others and let them know. Wait… Liem felt like all the breath had been squeezed out of him. Iroh! For the love of Agni...he's in the same room as that maniac right now. I have to get him out of there, now!

He knew, however, that he couldn't just go running and barging into Ichiro's office without a good explanation to get Iroh to leave. He needed to come up with a plan. Closing his eyes, he took some deep breaths. Zuko keeps saying how we need to plan better and not just barge into every situation, so let me think… I need to find a way to get Iroh out of there, without raising any flags to Ichiro or Yoshiro. But how… Suddenly he had an idea. Yeah, I think that will work…

Carefully tucking the papers back in his pants, he tried to act casual as he rounded the corner and approached the guards in front of Ichiro's office. Just as he thought, they didn't pay him any mind as he opened the door and stepped back into the office. As soon as he was inside, he hunched over, wrapping both arms around his stomach and started groaning very loudly.

"—you will of course, have our full cooperation," Ichiro was telling Iroh, but as Liem got closer he stopped to stare at the boy. Soon enough, all three of them once again had their full attention on Liem.

Perfect. Liem groaned extra loud. "Yup, it's definitely getting worse…" he moaned. He limped over to Iroh. "Iroh, you gotta take me to a healer right now."

To say that Iroh looked confused was putting it mildly. "Right now?" He asked. "Can it wait just little bit—"

"No! We need to go right now!" Liem yelled, a little panicked. When he saw the look of shock that all three were now giving him, he realized that his outburst had been a little too much. Okay, got to turn the panic down a little more. Come on old timer...get the hint. He caught Iroh's gaze and tried to get him to understand. "I mean...my stomach is on fire. That's not good...right? I really think I need to see a healer. Right now."

Thankfully, Iroh seemed to realize that something more was going on here. "Alright, then." He turned to address Ichiro. "I am very sorry, but it seems like we will need to continue this after a short...break." He shrugged. "Kids...they are so unpredictable!" At that point, Liem had grabbed Iroh with his right hand and began tugging on his uniform furiously . "Well, I guess we have to run!" Iroh nearly shouted at them as Liem tried to unceremoniously pull him through the door.

They continued the charade past the guards and down the hallway. Once they had turned the corner, Liem stopped grabbing his stomach and instead grabbed Iroh's arm with both of his hands. "We have to get out of here, pronto!"

"That bad, huh?" Iroh scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I mean, the noodle soup at the prison last night wasn't that great, but I didn't think it was that bad either…"

Liem shook his head in exasperation. "No, it's not that. I just made that stuff up about my stomach to get you out of there."

"Oh! Well that's a relief, because I don't think you would have liked the herbal tea for upset stomachs…"

"Agni, can we get off the subject of my stomach and focus on the real problem here?"

"Which is?"

"Which is the fact that the evil, demented general that behind hiring the Sons of Sozin and trying to get Zuko whacked is none other than Mr. High and Mighty General Ichiro himself! Which is also why we need to hightail it out here, double time!"

Iroh's expression turned very serious. "That is quite an accusation to make, Liem. Why do you believe it is him?"

"Because I found out the name of Ichiro's right hand guy. You were right, 'Suzuki' is just the family name. His birth name is 'Yoshiro', just like the guy Goro told us was there when Setsuko made his deal with the general. That means the general that hired the Sons is Ichiro. We have to get out of here before he realizes that we've caught on, and we have to let the others know too."

Iroh frowned. "I knew that Ichiro was an ambitious man, but to go this far…it is a lot to swallow at one time. In any case, I agree that we have probably overstayed our welcome. After all, it is better to be a thousand times careful than once dead."

"Look, whatever you say…can we please just go now before they realize we're still here?"

"I think it is a little too late for that."

When Iroh pointed behind him, Liem turned to look. When he saw a pair of guards heading toward them, he cursed. "So do we run?" he quietly asked Iroh.

"Not yet," Iroh answered. He then gestured for Liem to get behind him, and he didn't have to tell him twice.

When the guards stopped in front of them, Iroh smiled as he greeted them. "Can we help you gentlemen?"

Neither guard smiled back. "General Ichiro has requested that you remain here in the palace with an escort until your business here is concluded."

"Well, that is very generous of him. However, I can assure you that we know our way around the palace and do not require any assistance."

"That may be, but it doesn't change our orders. Wherever you go, we go."

"That really isn't necessary. We were just on our way to see one of the palace healers. It shouldn't take long at all."

This time neither guard said anything. They merely crossed their arms and gave both of them very hard stares. Liem turned to Iroh. "So is now a good time?"

Iroh took one more look at the large guards in front of them and nodded. "There is no time like the present—run!"

Liem had to give the old man credit—he could really move when he needed to. In an instant, the two of them were off and bolted down the hallway. Liem had spent enough time in the palace over the last couple of months to make heads and tails out of the massive maze of hallways, and steered them out of that section of the palace. When they reached the main corridor of the palace, Iroh stopped for a moment and turned to see if they had shaken their 'escorts'. Unfortunately, they hadn't.

"Any great ideas?" Iroh asked him in between gulps of air.

"Actually, I do," Liem quickly answered, "Let's head to the kitchens. With all the hustle and bustle in there we could lose them before they sound an alarm." His statement, however, was shortly followed by a loud horn blast and ringing bells.

"I think that ship has sailed," Iroh commented wryly. But before Liem could ask him what the hell he was talking about, Iroh nodded towards the end of the corridor. "I think it's still our best bet. To the kitchens!"

They both quickly set off again, weaving in between people that were scattered throughout the massive hallway. People gave them strange looks as they sped by, but then usually just shrugged and continued on their way. Yup, just another day in the palace trying to dodge fanatics. How in Agni are we going to get out of this one? It didn't take too long to reach the palace kitchens, which was a massive, complex string of rooms in its own right. Here it was much more crowded and teaming with all kinds of people rushing back and forth on their various errands. This would be perfect.

Liem quickly changed his pace and stance to match the people next to him. After a few more paces, he found some worker's hat laying unattended and swiftly grabbed it to put it on. He turned to tell Iroh to do the same, but to his surprise the old man already had a cook's uniform on. Well, at least the old timer knows how to handle himself in a tight spot. Liem focused his attention again on trying to blend into the scenery while still navigating them out of there. He couldn't afford to check to see if Iroh was following without attracting suspicion, so he just had to hope that he would keep up between the dodging and weaving. They finally came to the last room attached to the kitchens that would lead them outside. Thankfully, when Liem snatched a quick look behind him, he saw Iroh was just a few paces behind him. Now we just need to slip out unnoticed…. In another moment, Liem saw their chance. Without breaking his stride, he grabbed a small bowl of fruit laying on a counter nearby and lined up behind a few kitchen maids that were also carrying some food on their way out. He unconsciously held his breath as they walked through the doorway past the guards out to the palace grounds. Once he was outside and had walked several paces, he felt like he could breathe again.

Liem looked back behind him to search for Iroh, but he didn't see him right away. He bit back a very vulgar curse. If the old man gets himself captured, we're going to be in a world of trouble. He was debating on whether or not he should attempt to go back in or not, when a few more people came out through the door. When he finally saw Iroh, he let out a sigh of relief. Well, we're halfway to freedom. Agni willing, we just might slip out right under Ichiro's nose.

Liem took it nice and slow as he walked so he could let Iroh catch up with him. When Iroh was right next to him, the old man gave him a nod. "So what is our next move?"

"I think we should avoid both of the main entrances," Liem whispered to him, "most likely they'll have it either locked down or will already be looking for us there."

"I agree, but then that does not leave us with a lot of options left."

Liem smirked, "Yeah, but we still have one more way out of this joint. Just follow me."

Iroh nodded again and was silent as he began to follow Liem. Liem turned off of the main path to one of the garden paths that skirted the massive palace. Thankfully, there were very few people—and guards—on their route, so they were able to travel without further harassment. After a few more twists and turns, they had reached their destination. They were at the edge of the palace gardens, right up against the massive inner wall that circled the entire palace and its surrounding grounds. There were two enormous entrances through the inner wall—one in front of the palace and one behind—and most people thought those were the only ways in and out of the palace. Liem, however, had found a third way in...one that was often overlooked.

"We are by the drainage ditch that cuts through the wall." Iroh made it sound more like a statement than a question.

"Yup. That's how I got in and out of the palace when I first started coming to see Zuko. There are vertical bars covering the entrance of each side of the drain, but it's wide enough for a person to slip through."

"They were meant to stop small boats and groups of soldiers from slipping in and invading the palace," Iroh told him. "I do not believe they were concerned about people slipping through, since they would have to navigate a small, cramped tunnel that would be completely devoid of light for nearly seventy yards-not an ideal way to move an invading force."

"So you've been in there before?"

A small smile appeared on the older man's lips. "It was fun to navigate as a boy your age growing up in the palace. Now that I am much older-and larger-I do not think I will have the same opinion of it."

"Well, I guess we're about to find out." Liem then pointed to the right. "Here is where the official path ends. We just need to cut across this last line of hedges and we'll be there."

The coast was clear as they filed along and squeezed through the last greenery. There at last Liem could see the drainage ditch that he had used before...and there standing on either side of it was a pair of guards. This time he didn't hold the curse back.

Iroh quietly had been surveying the same scene next to him. "I guess I can safely assume that the guards were not there in your previous adventures."

"They sure as hell weren't." Liem frowned. "I guess someone must have told Ichiro about this and he decided to play it safe. But now we're stuck, and I'm all out of ideas for the moment. How about you?"

Iroh was silent for a few moments. "We will be out in the open before we can get close to any of the guards. There is a good chance that they will raise the alarm again before we could disable all four of them. However, our chances here will be a lot better than at either of the main entrances."

"Yeah, but unless you've suddenly forgot, I can't magically wave away enormous fireballs that get hurtled at me. I didn't sign up to run suicide missions."

The old man smiled. "I would not expect you to either. You would stay here while I would take out the guards."

"What?!" Liem had to try very hard not to raise his voice. "You're going to try to take on all four at the same time just by yourself? Are you crazy? Wait...don't answer that." Agni, are there any firebenders in the world that aren't stark raving mad?

Some very faint rustling sounds behind them promptly cut off the rest of their conversation, and they both quickly turned around. Walking very slowly towards them was a slender woman with short, auburn hair. Liem recognized her immediately-it was Kayo. He swiftly stood up and checked to see if anyone else was around, but she appeared to be alone. Though she proved trustworthy the last time they had a run in, something about this encounter seemed suspicious.

He kept his voice low, "What in the blazes are you doing here?"

Kayo surveyed the two of them with a raised brow. "That's funny, because I was just going to ask you the same thing."

"Are you alone?"

"Yes, I am, but I see you have a companion. Care to introduce us?"

Liem heard some rustling behind him and turned to see Iroh coming out of the bushes. He straightened and took a moment to brush himself off before he looked up towards Kayo. When Iroh finally saw her face, his expression swiftly transformed into one of shock-and confusion.

Iroh's reaction puzzled him. "Iroh...this is Kayo," Liem told him, "I met her a few days ago when I was in the area and she helped me out." When he turned to look at Kayo, she had the same bewildered look in her expression as she stared at Iroh. She seemed to give herself a mental shake, however, and in the next moment, her features were carefully neutral again. She took another step forward and bowed respectfully before Iroh.

"I apologize if I have startled you, General Iroh. My name is Kayo, and I did meet Liem the other day, though we really helped each other out. I come here as a friend willing to help, and nothing more."

Her last comment struck Liem as a little odd. He glanced back at Iroh to see what the old man thought of all of this, but he too now kept his expression carefully guarded. What is up with these two? Why did they start acting all strange?

"If that's the case," Liem told her, "then you won't mind telling us how you found us-and don't try to tell me that you just 'ran into us' as you were walking the very edge of the gardens where no one usually goes-'cause I won't buy it."

She smirked. "I already know you well enough to know that you wouldn't fall for that. I found you because I've been following you."

"What?" Liem had to remind himself to keep his voice low. "You followed us? From where?"

"I saw you both in the kitchens and have been tailing you ever since."

"Wait, are you honestly expecting me to believe that you somehow slipped past the guards with all the extra security, got into the kitchens unnoticed, and then just so happened to see us? That's a bit of a stretch, even for you, Lady."

Kayo uttered a short laugh. "I'm good, but I'm not that good. I had been working in the kitchen for a couple hours already before you two showed up." When she saw the confused look on his face, she continued to explain. "It turns out they needed some help in the kitchens. I played the part of an innocent woman eager for a job, so they hired me. It was a good way to pass the time while I waited, and I needed some coins to pay for the room I'm renting."

"Yeah, and I bet being in the heart of all the palace gossip wasn't a bad perk either, huh?"

She smiled, "It definitely didn't hurt, that's for sure." Her smile then disappeared. "I heard that the guards were after someone that was trying to escape. That wouldn't happen to be you guys, would it?"

Liem grimaced. "Yeah, that's us. It's kind of a long story, but the short of it is that we need to get out of here fast, and now they have guards everywhere, including by the drain I used to use. It looks like we may have to fight our way out of here."

"Actually...you may not need to."

That surprised Liem. "What do you mean? Do you know of another way out of here?"

"I do, and it probably won't be guarded."
"That's great!" Liem felt hope surge through him again, "So, can you show us where it is?"

Her expression became very guarded again. "It won't be enough just to show you...I will have to guide you all the way through it, or else you will most likely get lost." She paused, as if hesitating on whether or not she should continue.

Iroh, who had been silently observing their conversation, finally spoke up. "...Kayo, is it?" When she nodded, he continued. "I apologize for not greeting you properly. You remind me very much of someone I used to know that I have not seen in a long time-someone who was very dear to me. However, it does not excuse my rudeness. You may call me Iroh." He glanced at Liem. "We do need to find a way out of the palace quickly, so if you know another way out of the palace, it would help us tremendously."

Kayo was silent for a moment. "I can take you," she answered reluctantly, "but under one condition. Neither one of you can ask me any questions about the route or how I know about it. You're just going to have to trust me and follow me, no questions asked."

Liem scoffed, "What the hell kind of condition is that? The last time I followed someone 'no questions asked' I nearly drowned in the bottom of Harbor City. This deal smells fishy to me."

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and realized it was Iroh's. His gaze, however, remained locked on Kayo's. "It is said that the best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them."

"Yeah, and I've heard that trusting a stranger is the quickest way to an empty purse-or a long rope-" Liem answered sarcastically, "so which proverb do you want to bet both of our lives on?"

"Something tells me that this is the right path." There was patience in Iroh's tone along with something else he couldn't place. "I think the spirits brought us together for a reason." He then inclined his head towards Kayo. "We generously accept your offer and your conditions."

"Great," Liem muttered, "I'll remember to thank the good spirits too when we wind up in a prison cell." He cleared his throat. "Well, we better get going, before our little tea party gets noticed by the other locals."

"Agreed," Kayo chimed in. "Just follow me."

The two of them quickly filed in behind Kayo as they turned back around and headed towards the gardens again. They followed one of the main garden paths around until they entered a section that was filled with tall, imposing statues. They seemed to all be older men in official robes or uniforms, and each had a plaque at the bottom with their name and list of achievements. The entire section was empty of people, but Liem hoped they wouldn't stay here very long—the place gave him the creeps. As they continued through, one statue towards the center stood higher than any others. When they got closer, Liem could tell the man was dressed in the Fire Lord's robes, and in each of his outstretched hands there was a large column of fire. The statue's gaze looked downward so that when you stood directly in front of it, both eyes seemed to pierce right through you. His feet seemed to stop on their own as he stared up into their fiery gaze.

"That is a statue of Fire Lord Sozin," Iroh's quiet voice seemed to answer the unspoken question in his mind. "Our histories now describe Sozin as a benevolent ruler, who with Agni's blessing, spread our civilized culture and industry throughout the four nations. In reality, however, the war was just a means for my grandfather to extend his own power and influence, and further his unlimited ambition."

Liem suddenly felt very small, and very insignificant. A slight shiver ran through him. "So that's who the Sons chose to name themselves after? Seems appropriate."

There was something of a haunted quality in Iroh's words. "It is said that the desire for power feeds off itself, growing as it devours. For men like my grandfather or the Sons of Sozin, no amount of conquest or money could ever satisfy their hunger for power. It is a hole inside of them that can never be filled." He then shook his head, as if to dispel that dark line of thought. "Come, Liem, we need to keep moving."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Liem felt relieved when they left the group of intimidating figures behind them. Kayo then led them off the main path and towards a small pond that was nearby. Liem saw that the pond had several turtle ducks in it, and he secretly hoped they wouldn't have to go in the water. He had no love for turtle ducks. There had been too many times where he had accidentally swam too close to a group of baby turtle ducks, to only then be attacked and chased off by the mother. They were deceptively fierce for their small size. "Please tell me there's not a secret entrance in the pond. If so, I'm turning back right now."

Iroh seemed amused. "I am curious if it is the water that scares you, or is it the turtle ducks?"

"I'm not scared of some stupid turtle ducks...I just don't care to get pecked by there sharp, stably little beaks of theirs is all. There's nothing wrong with that."

While they had been talking, Kayo had been staring off towards the pond and the turtle ducks, not saying a word. She looked like she had seen a ghost. Whatever it was, she appeared to shake it off and turned back to them. "No, we're not going into the water. The entrance is behind the pond."

Both he and Iroh looked at each other in surprise, but continued following her without another word. Liem was beginning to wonder, however, if the woman was crazy. The only thing he could see behind the pond was some trees, a couple of benches, and a lonely statue. Curiously enough, it was the statue that she headed towards. When they got closer, Liem noticed that this figure looked different from the others. The robes they were wearing were much more simple and softer looking, and so was their appearance. The statue was pretty worn, but he noticed now that the face was softer and framed by long, flowing hair. He wasn't so sure anymore if this was a statue of a man or a woman. Liem looked down to see if there was a plaque, but there wasn't one. He saw that Kayo had also started studying the statue, carefully inspecting it as she circled around it.

While part of him was curious about the odd statue before him, he still was very aware of their current-and pressing-situation. Liem crossed his arms. "So...are we about to get another history lesson, or does this statue of yet another boring official type actually going to help us in some way?"

He couldn't see her face behind the statue, but he could hear the disapproval in her tone. "This statue is most likely a representation of a woman named Ayame-and it also happens to be the key for getting us out of here. I need just a little more time...and a little more patience."

"Ayame? Who was that?"

This time it was Iroh that answered him. "According to legend, Ayame was the young priestess that Hiroto-the first Fire Lord-fell madly in love with, and for whom the Fire Lily festival is held in honor of."

"Oh yeah, I think I remember that story now. That's the one where the dragons come and start burning the city down and the trickster god Omoki runs off with the girl, right?"

Iroh made a face. "I suppose if you wanted to boil down a very detailed and intricate story of our history and legend into a crude, one sentence summary...then yes, that is the one."

Liem rolled his eyes. "I'm just not big on history, okay? I'm a little more worried about what's going on currently instead of what happened to some dead guys a long time ago." He then saw that look in Iroh's eyes-the one he was quickly coming to realize meant that a lesson was coming. "And you can go ahead and skip the part where you tell me some proverb about the importance of a history lesson, because I don't care to hear it."

Iroh looked slightly bewildered at his response. "That's like saying you would never want to drink tea just because it's made from tea leaves."

"Yeah...pretty much."

A yell from behind the statue cut off Iroh before he had a chance to retort. They both turned their attention back to the statue, just a large rumbling sound starting emanating from it.

"Uh, is it supposed to do that?" Liem asked nervously.

"I think it's moving," Iroh told him, though he was just as entranced with watching the statue as he was.

The rumbling noise continued, and suddenly the statue lurched and began to slide off to the left. Kayo quickly popped up from behind the statue and came to stand beside them as the statue continued to move. After it had moved several feet, it finally gave one last shudder, and became still once more.

Unable to help himself, Liem slowly approached what was the base of the statue. What moments ago had appeared to be solid ground underneath it was now a large, square hole, with sunk-in steps that seemed to lead further down. It seemed somewhat familiar to him, and then he realized why. It looked like some of the secret entrances the Sons used to their underground tunnel system. He turned to look at Kayo. "This is an entrance to an underground tunnel, isn't it?"

She nodded, "It is. This entrance connects to a tunnel that will take us under the walls. We will follow it until we come to another entrance that is just north of the outer wall."

Iroh had that strange look on his face again. "Should we expect to run across anyone else in the tunnels?" he asked Kayo.

For some reason, she didn't meet his gaze. "I don't think so, but I can't say for sure. We're just going to have to keep our eyes and ears open." As if she could feel the unspoken questions in the air, she suddenly seemed in a hurry to go. "We need to move. Iroh, could you provide us with some light?"

Iroh appeared suspicious at the quick change in topic, but he nevertheless complied. Extending his hand out, he instantly made a lantern-sized flame that hovered just above his hand and started towards the entrance. Kayo gestured for Liem to go first, but he shook his head and stayed put. He still could only trust her so far.

"I prefer to go last. After you."

Kayo shrugged. "That's fine with me." Without another word, she followed Iroh down the steps and then Liem did the same. Kayo pulled a nearby torch on the wall once the three of them were in the tunnel, and the rumbling resumed. After a few moments, the tunnel entrance was again covered by the statue. Kayo then took the lead.

The steps eventually disappeared and were replaced by a smooth, earthen floor that seemed to go on forever, past the flickers of light that extended from Iroh's flame. As they followed their silent guide, Liem couldn't help but be reminded of the last time he was in a tunnel like this. Back then, he had had Toph to guide him and reassure him that everything was going to be alright. But now her absence weighed heavily on him. Worry and fear began to gnaw at him again, but he desperately told himself that Toph was going to be okay. Zuko and Katara's friends are here now and out looking for her. We're going to find her and Masato...we've got to. They've got to be okay. But despite his constant attempts to reassure himself, his worries followed him along like a second shadow as they continued deeper underground.

Their trip in the tunnels was lengthy and oppressive, filled with long stretches of silence between exchanges of just a few words, though thankfully uneventful. By the end of their journey, Liem was starting to wonder if they would ever see daylight again, but finally Kayo took another turn down a much smaller tunnel. When Liem saw the stone steps leading up in front of him, he wanted to jump for joy. Finally! I never thought I would be so happy just to see the sun again.

Kayo stopped at the bottom of the stairs, next to another torch on the wall. Just like before, she grabbed the torch and pulled it. Immediately, a part of the stone in the ceiling began to groan and shift as it moved. Once it stopped, Iroh extinguished his flame and followed Kayo as she headed up the stairs. Liem had to squint against the bright daylight as they stepped back out onto the paved surface of the city. Where are we? he couldn't help but wonder as he tried to get his bearings. The rushing of water nearby drew his attention first, and when he saw the water fountain he realized that they were in a small garden or park of some sorts. He heard the rumbling again, and saw the statue that they must have come out under was now moving back into place. Of course, they weren't the only ones that had noticed. A half of a dozen gazes were now all firmly locked on them.

Iroh noticed this right away as well. He cleared his throat loudly. "There is no need to worry or be afraid. We are...city workers, here to inspect some of the statues. And I can tell you that this one is completely safe and sound!"

Several of the people looked at each other, and then shrugged as they went back to their business. Liem sighed in relief. Well, I guess there are benefits to being in a city where the extraordinary happens on an almost daily basis. Time to make a quick exit. The three of them wasted no time in making their way out of the small park. As they headed down the street closest to them, Liem looked around to see if he recognized anything, but to his disappointment, he didn't. "I'm not exactly sure where we are yet. Any ideas on where we go next?"

Iroh sounded surprisingly calm. "I think it would be good to take a moment to catch our breath and come up with a plan before we run off again."

"The place I'm staying at is very close to here," Kayo told them, "You're welcome to stay there as long as you need it."

Iroh bowed his head. "We would be very grateful for that, Kayo. Thank you."

"Alright, just follow me."

True to her word, after a few turns here and there they stopped in front of a very tall building. It looked old but still inviting and was obviously packed with multiple tenants by the sounds of it. Little kids ran laughing and yelling around them as they headed towards the stairs on the side of it, one of whom greeted Kayo and smiled when she said a few words to them. A wonderful smelling aroma of food followed their footsteps on their way to Kayo's room. Liem's stomach growled, reminding him of his lack of food so far today. Maybe I could just slip in and grab something real quick…

"Are you coming, Liem?"

Liem sighed and followed Iroh and Kayo through the door at the top of the stairs. They passed a couple rooms before Kayo stopped before the one that was obviously hers and invited them in. The place was small, only having enough room for a little bit of a kitchen, a place to eat, and a place to sleep, but Liem could see why Kayo chose it. The more people you had around you, the more you tended to blend in and not stick out.

"Would you like some tea?" Kayo asked them.

"Of course we would!" Iroh replied, with a little too much enthusiasm for Liem's tastes. Liem just rolled his eyes.

Iroh sat down at the lone table in the room as Kayo started some water to boil. While Iroh and Kayo started up a conversation centered solely around tea, Liem looked around and carefully chose a spot along the kitchen wall to post up. From his position, he could see the only means of entry into the apartment-both the door and the only window in the room. He wasn't going to have anything sneak up behind him if he could help it, even if Iroh was acting like he found his long, lost friend.

"-so what brings you to capital?" Liem heard Iroh ask their host as he began sipping his cup of tea.

Kayo, who was sitting across from Iroh, took a sip of her tea before she answered. "Well, as I told Liem, I'm trying to find some family of mine that lives here. But before I can do that, I need a pardon from Fire Lord Zuko. Liem helped fill me in on some of what is going on here in the capital the last time we met, but it seems that some new developments have occurred."
"They have indeed," Iroh answered her. Once again, his face seemed to show nothing as he studied her intently. "My nephew asked me to come to the palace on his behalf to help assist him."
"So he is nearby?"

"He has returned to the Fire Nation again, but you will understand that I cannot reveal his exact location."
"Of course," Kayo cooly replied, "I understand your need for security."

Iroh grabbed the teapot from the other side of the table and poured them both some more tea. His tone was light once again. "I have to express my sincere gratitude for your help today, Kayo. If it had not been for you, and your knowledge of the tunnels under the palace, I do not know what would have happened to Liem and myself."

Kayo shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "There's no need to mention it-I was just returning the favor from when Liem helped me the other day."

"It is quite miraculous really…" There was a slight whimsical tone in Iroh's words, "I have lived my whole life in the palace and I knew of several such secret entrances to and from it, but I had thought that they had all been sealed off. For you have stumbled across one that was still intact was very fortunate indeed."

Kayo's expression immediately went blank, and the two of them stared at each other for several moments, neither of them saying a word. It was as if the two of them were testing each other's invisible defenses-or seeing who would blink first. Kayo had both of her hands in front of her, and when she started rubbing them together, almost nervously, Iroh glanced down at them and took notice. The move seemed to startle Kayo. She suddenly stood up in a hurry and walked over to the stove, with her back to them.

"I think it's better if you left now," she told them quietly. "It sounds like you need to keep moving too."

Iroh stood up and gingerly took a step towards her. "I think you helped us because you are looking for something-something that I can help you obtain."

She didn't turn around. "I just need to see the Fire Lord and ask for my pardon. That's all I want."

Iroh's voice was gentle, but firm. "Tell me what you are so afraid of."

Both of her hands squeezed into tight fists. "I just need to see him-Fire Lord Zuko. I need to know that he isn't like his father."

When Liem looked back at Iroh, he was shocked to see a tear roll down his cheek. Iroh's voice was so heavy with emotion, it was a strain to hear him. "He is nothing like his father, Ursa."

She immediately twisted around to face him, her expression clearly shocked, but already her eyes were brimming with unshed tears. "I-I'm not...My name is Kayo…"

Iroh smiled through the tears, "I know who you are, Ursa, because I know you-no matter if you cut or dye your hair, or change your name. And no matter what has happened, we are still family."

She shook her head violently. "You wouldn't say that if you knew...if you knew the truth."

"The truth about what?"

Her golden gaze hardened, "If you knew the truth about your father, and what really happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Did they tell you how your father died?"

Iroh looked shocked and confused by her question. "They said he died in his sleep...most likely due to his old age."

Her laugh was short and bitter. "Of course they would tell you that. If you had been in the capital, however, you would have known that Azulon's health wasn't failing-he was perfectly healthy when he went to sleep that night."

"But if not that, then how?"

Ursa took a deep breath, as if to gather her courage as she looked him in the eyes. "I made a poison that night-one that I knew would be lethal. I gave it to Ozai and he slipped it into Azulon's drink that night before he went to bed. Azulon died soon afterwards."

Iroh took a step back, his expression horrified. The silence in the room was deafening. "You and Ozai…" he finally uttered, still at a loss for words, "you killed him?"

She finally dropped her gaze. "I'm so sorry you had to find out like this Iroh."

"Why?" Anger started to creep into his words. "Why would you do that Ursa?"

"You have to understand. Azulon left me with no choice."

"There is always a choice. Now tell me why."

Tears began to slip down her face, one by one. "Iroh...Azulon was going to kill Zuko."

"What?" All the anger seemed to leave him then, and he shook his head as in disbelief. "That makes no sense. Zuko was his grandson. Why would he-"

"-When Azulon told Ozai about your defeat and Lu Ten's death, Ozai said that you were no longer fit to rule. Ozai demanded that your father should name him as the next Fire Lord, not you." She took another shaky breath. "Azulon was furious at Ozai's suggestion of betrayal, especially since you had just lost Lu Ten. As punishment, Azulon said he would make Ozai feel the loss of losing a firstborn son as well, and ordered that he kill Zuko."

The news hit Iroh like a physical force, making him grab his midsection as if he was in pain as he gasped for breath. He did nothing to stop the tears as he shakily sat back down at the table.

"Iroh," Ursa cried, "I couldn't let them kill Zuko...I would do anything -absolutely anything in my power-to save my son. I'm not saying what I did was right, but I had to...," she gasped, closing her eyes, "I had to protect him. I'm so sorry."

A heavy silence fell over the room again. Iroh bowed his head and closed his eyes, as if now under a huge weight. Liem, who hadn't wanted to intrude before, finally spoke up. "Is that why you were banished?"

Ursa took another shaky breath and nodded. "Ozai said since I was the one who came up with the treasonous plot, for my punishment I would be banished, and could never set foot inside the Fire Nation-or see my children-ever again."

Liem was at a complete loss for words, "I'm sorry…"

With a shaky hand, she wiped away her tears and then shook her head. "Don't feel sorry for me-I don't deserve it. A man died because of me...and I left my children without a mother. I don't deserve any kindness or mercy. I'm not here to get a pardon for my crimes-I know that I'm way past forgiveness. I only want my banishment to be lifted so I can see Zuko and Azula one last time and tell them what happened, and why I left. I don't expect either of my children to forgive me, but they should know the truth-they deserve that much."

The chair scraped across the floor as Iroh suddenly stood up again. He slowly walked over and then stood directly in front of Ursa, but she dropped her head, unable to meet his gaze.

"Ursa," he whispered gently, "look at me."

After a few moments, she finally met his gaze. Her lip trembled. "Iroh...I'm so sorry for what I did…" Unable to continue, she started to sob. But instead of speaking, Iroh simply enfolded her in a hug.

They stood like that for a while-now and then a sob would escape her, and Iroh would say nothing, but would just continue to hold her. To his surprise, Liem realized that his cheeks too were wet with tears. As he was wiping the tears from his eyes, Iroh and Ursa finally separated.

Iroh gently took her hands in his own. "I never knew what happened to you. Ozai would never tell me, and I was so overwhelmed with both the death of my only son and my father that I did not have the heart to question it. For that, I am truly sorry Ursa."
"No," she answered vehemently, "you have nothing to apologize for Iroh-"

"-I have just as much to apologize for, if not more, than you do." His words were kind, but firm. "It was my arrogance and belief that I could bring down Ba Sing Se that eventually led to my son's death, and what transpired between my father and brother. It was my actions that caused the cascade of events that led to you being banished." He heaved a heavy sigh. "I cannot tell you how long or how many times I have relived those events, and wished to change the outcome...to redo so many of the decisions that I made, so that in the end my son could have lived, and you would have never been forced to make the decision that you did. But destiny is a funny thing, and what is done is done. We can only move forward from here." Iroh gave her an encouraging smile. "Perhaps those who are faultless have the right to pass judgement on you, but I am not one of them. Ursa, you have both my forgiveness and my support. You are, and have always been, like a sister to me and my dear friend, and that will not change."

Even through her tears, she smiled. "Thank you Iroh." Ursa then engulfed him in another hug.

Iroh finally stepped back and gestured towards the table. "Shall we have another cup of tea?"

Ursa nodded and they both sat down at the table again. While Iroh poured them both some more tea, Liem spoke up. "So if you don't mind me asking...Ursa, how is it you came to be a spy for the Earth Kingdom?"

Iroh's eyebrow quirked at his statement, and Ursa must have noticed because she quickly explained. "After I was banished, I traveled to the Earth Kingdom under a new identity. I didn't do much for the first few weeks-I was still in shock I guess you could say. But the more villages I passed through, the more I saw how much havoc and destruction the Fire Nation was causing. Then one day I witnessed a squad of Fire Nation soldiers try to arrest a young woman just because she had done a small amount of earthbending. I was furious at the behaviour of the Fire Nation soldiers, and tried to stop them." She sighed. "Of course, I was just one lone woman who didn't know the first thing about fighting at the time, so the only thing I ended up doing was to get myself in trouble as well. As the soldiers were trying to take both of us away, a group of earthbenders came and led a surprise attack on the Fire Nation soldiers. They managed to capture all the soldiers and freed both myself and the young woman. When the leader of the earthbenders found out why I got in trouble, they decided to let me come along with their group. At first, I just did basic things around their camp like help cook, clean, and help any who were injured. After a while, however, I wanted to do more."

Ursa took a sip of her tea, then continued. "At my request, the earthbending group put me in touch with a member of the Earth Kingdom resistance. Once I met this person, I told them that I had been banished from the Fire Nation—though of course leaving out my connections to the Royal Family—and that I now wanted to be part of the Earth Kingdom resistance. They were skeptical and suspicious at first, but at my insistence they finally decided to give me a chance. They only gave me very small and innocuous tasks for that first year or two, so they could test my story and my loyalty to them. But I eventually did 'graduate' so to speak, and became a part of their eyes-and-ears network. They not only trained me how to get around and in touch with others in the network, but they also gave me hand-to-hand combat and weapons training as well." A glint of fierce determination entered her gaze. "The Resistance became my life, and the only way I knew how to fight against what Ozai and his army were doing. I didn't care how dangerous the missions were, and so soon enough I was being sent all over the continent with different resistance groups to help with some of the most difficult objectives. Over the years, I was promoted in rank time and time again...but that wasn't why I pushed myself to my limits."

The fire suddenly left her eyes, and she looked down to stare at the cup of tea in her hands. "Many times the missions were the only thing that kept me going—that kept me putting one foot in front of the other. I knew that Ozai would never let me come back to the Fire Nation to see Zuko or Azula again while he still ruled." She looked off to the side then, her gaze staring at nothing but yet seeing everything. Her golden eyes started filling with tears. "I've lost track of the number of times I just wanted to lay down on the side of the road and give up...to just let all the pain and all the suffering and all the guilt pull me under and never resurface. I saw Zuko's and Azula's faces everywhere—not just in my dreams but in my waking moments too. Every time I saw a boy or girl their age, I would see my Zuko or Azula standing there instead...and it would tear me apart every time. I missed them more than I could ever put into words."

She closed her eyes for several moments and took some deep breaths. When Ursa finally opened her eyes, there was determination in her gaze once again. "But I didn't want to give up hope. I had to believe that I would be able to see my children again. I just didn't know when that day would be. So I promised myself that I would be patient, and wait for the right opportunity. Anytime our eyes-and-ears network would come across information on either Ozai, Zuko, or Azula, I would immediately investigate it and try to get more from the source." Her golden eyes suddenly hardened in anger. "I was so furious when I heard what Ozai did to Zuko—to challenge his own young son to an Agni Kai was unthinkable, but then when I heard how he had been scarred and exiled…I was in such a rage, that I abandoned my mission and went to the nearest port to find a ship to the Fire Nation. I was about to board the ship when I passed a boy then, who looked so much like Zuko that it took my breath away. However, it helped remind me of my promise, and so I went back to my mission and continued on."

Ursa's hands tightened around the cup she was holding. "There were several times where I heard rumors of Zuko being in a particular village or city in the Earth Kingdom. However, by the time I would finally get to my destination, I was told that he was long gone. But by then I had gathered enough intel to know that he was hunting the Avatar, and determined to win back his father's approval at all costs. I realized then that even if I could find Zuko, I couldn't reveal myself to him, and take the chance that he would either tell Ozai about me or try to bring me back to the Fire Nation. That would have been a deadly mistake—for both of us."

Iroh, who had been deeply focused on her story the whole time, frowned. "You believe Ozai would have killed the both of you just because Zuko spoke to you?"

"It was not just my belief, Iroh." Her lips pressed into an angry, thin line. "Ozai told me that if I were to ever come back to the Fire Nation, or try to even attempt to contact either Zuko or Azula, not only would he have me tracked down and killed, but he would also have my father and mother killed, and our family villa burned to the ground. And...he said he would finish what Azulon commanded in the first place—to kill Zuko."

Liem swore. "Agni's fiery hell! I knew that Ozai was a piece of rotten gutter trash, but that's low even for him!"

"He was afraid of them hearing the truth of what happened—especially Zuko, and so wanted to prevent that from ever happening. He found a good way to make sure that I kept my word too."

"How's that?"

"By having his elite mercenary group keep tabs on me."

Liem suddenly got a very bad feeling on hearing that, and he had a hint about what that meant. "And we all know one big, maniacal group in town that likes to take on big jobs and targets, and has both the brains and the brawn to carry it all out—the Sons of Sozin."

She nodded grimly, "The one and the same."

"Damn!" Liem grimaced, "for once, I hate being right."

"The Sons," Ursa continued, "were the ones that 'escorted' me out of the country the night I was banished, and they were the ones that were constantly watching me. I know that because I've caught them tailing me from time to time in the Earth Kingdom. One thing I have learned from my training in the resistance, however, is to know when to stand down and when to strike. I have waited patiently in the shadows for the last several years while Ozai has extended his power as Fire Lord. But when I heard that the Avatar had defeated Ozai and that Zuko had become the new Fire Lord, I knew that it was finally time for me to act.

She frowned. "My group was in the far southeast region of the Earth Kingdom trying to round up and push out multiple Fire Nation patrols when I got the news about Zuko and Ozai. I left as soon as I was able, but it took me weeks just to get to Omashu, and by then I had heard of the peace conference in Ba Sing Se. I wasn't sure how long Zuko was going to be there and I was afraid of missing him yet again, so I instead decided to start heading back to the Fire Nation, still in disguise. It took several weeks—and several more ships—before I finally made it back to the eastern islands of the Fire Nation. I made several stops before I came to the capital so I could get a feel for what was going on here. When I heard that the Sons of Sozin were being arrested and imprisoned by the new Fire Lord, I figured that meant I had a good chance of slipping into the capital without attracting too much attention. Just a couple days later I ran into Liem, and it was what he told me about Zuko that gave me hope again."

Liem shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I hate to burst your bubble of hopeful optimism, but we've kind of had a situation come up since the last time we talked." He hesitated for a moment. "Zuko may, or may not be, heading into a scenario that could be considered...suicidal," he added with a wince.

Ursa, who had been taking another sip of tea, nearly dropped her tea cup. "What? What do you mean?"

Iroh cleared his throat. "The Sons of Sozin have taken some of our friends as hostages and have demanded that Zuko surrender himself to them. That is the real reason why he is back here in the capital."

"When is he planning to surrender?"

"Today at noon."

"Oh, my," she looked alarmed at his statement. "He's not going alone though, is he?"

"The Sons demanded that Zuko should come by himself, and that is what we will make them believe," Iroh explained. "I will be joining a group of our friends and allies that will be nearby and out of sight to help when the time is right. If all goes well, Zuko should be safe."

"Safe...sure," Liem grumbled. "That's what they said about the last three raids we tried on the Sons, and each time I nearly got blown up, scorched to a crisp, or crushed into a pulp. So here's hoping it goes our way for once."

Ursa did look a little alarmed, "Well, if you were trying to ease my fears, you've failed spectacularly."

Liem crossed his arms. "And that's not the only thing we have to worry about. We just found out that the general that Zuko left in charge, General Ichiro, is the one who was behind hiring the Sons in the first place. Which means we have the wrong guy in the palace now with all the guards pulling the strings."

Iroh sighed. "It does present us with a whole other set of problems. We were counting on the guards at the palace to help us round up and capture all the Sons of Sozin members. Now, however, they will be yet another enemy that we cannot afford to fight right now."

"And if Zuko were to try to come back to the palace, he would be walking right into a trap," Liem added.

Ursa glanced between the two of them. "Well, is there anyone else nearby that could help us with Ichiro and his men?"

"We have already committed all of our allies and soldiers to the task of finding the Sons," Iroh answered her. "There isn't anyone else left that is near enough to help."

A thought suddenly occurred to Liem. "Well, technically there are some other people that would help us...they're just not able to at the moment."

"What do you mean?" Ursa asked him.

"I'm talking about all of Masato's soldiers. He had dozens of guards here that were running security for the palace, but now they've all been replaced by Ichiro's guys. I know they wouldn't have just up and left—they were all very loyal to both Zuko and Masato. I would bet a stack of gold as tall as me that Ichiro had them locked up in the Prison Tower when he took over the palace."

Iroh seemed to mull this over. "I think you are right," he told him. "One of the reasons why Ichiro became such a high ranking general was because he was a brilliant strategist, and always made sure to tie up any loose ends. Well, and the fact that he was incredibly ruthless also endeared him to my brother."

"Well, it sounds like we only have one plan of action in front of us then," Ursa told them. "We will need to go to the Prison Tower and release the guards of this friend of yours."

Agni help me, not this again. "His name is Masato," Liem said impatiently, "and you don't just stroll into the Prison Tower, wave your hand, and the prisoners are released. That place is a humongous spiral fortress, which means it's going to be one long, cramped fight uphill when things get ugly—which it will, because that's how it always goes—and I already had to go through one shitshow of a fight there, so I'll pass on going a second round, thank you very much."

"Liem, I wasn't going to ask you to come with us," Ursa calmly explained, "Iroh and I will be the ones to go to the Prison Tower. You can stay here and wait for us until we get back."

"Like hell I will!" Liem fumed. "I'm not a snot-nosed kid that just sits in the corner while the adults go out and do all the work. I've probably seen more action in the last few weeks that you have, Lady, so you're not just going to sit me out on this one." I hate the idea of going back into that towering death trap, but there's no way I'm going to let Zuko's mom and uncle go in there without me. If something happened to either of them, I could never look Zuko in the eyes again… He growled. "What is it with this family? It's like you're not happy with your situation in life unless you're diving headfirst into a hive of maniacal people that want to kill you." Shaking his head, he gave them both a stern look. "I'm coming with you whether you like it or not, so you might as well just get used to the idea."

Ursa and Iroh exchanged a long and meaningful look. When they both turned back to him, he swore he could see that same twinkle in their eyes. "We would be grateful for any help you could provide, Liem," Iroh told him.

"Well, we've already gone on a smuggling run together so to speak," Ursa replied wryly, "I guess it's time we did a prison break together."

Instead of making him feel better, however, he somehow now felt worse. "Great...I'll try to contain my enthusiasm." Who knows...maybe the second time around is the charm.

"After we free Masato's guards," Iroh continued in a more somber tone, "you and Ursa will need to go with their group to the palace and arrest Ichiro and his men, under my orders. In the meantime, I will head to the eastern side of Caldera Lake where Zuko is. If all goes well, we should all be in position by noon."

Liem tried to mimic his optimism. Sure, everything is going to go according to plan and it's all going to be easy peasy...right? He could only hope.

"Did they find them?"

Yoshiro fidgeted nervously as he took the full force of his uncle's disapproving gaze. "No, Uncle. The guards just finished sweeping the entire palace and all the grounds outside, but they didn't find either one of them."

His uncle's golden eyes further narrowed in anger. "Summon one of the guards in."

"Yes, Uncle."

Yoshiro hurriedly made his way back to the door, opened it and motioned for the guard off to his right to come in. The guard quickly followed him in and then bowed deeply to his uncle.

"Yes, General Ichiro?"

His uncle didn't answer right away, but instead continued to stare unflinchingly at the man in front of him. When Yoshiro glanced at the guard, he saw the man swallow hard and wince. But the guard knew better than to be the first one to break the silence.

When his uncle finally spoke, his voice was quiet, but sinister. "Do you know why I called you in here?"

Sweat began to form on the man's brow. "I believe it has something to do with the two men escaping, sir?"

"Yes, it does. I asked for General Iroh and the boy to be captured and brought to me, yet somehow I do not see either of them in front of me. I trust I don't need to remind you or your fellow soldiers of what the consequences will be if you fail to do so."

The man fidgeted nervously. "No, General Ichiro. We will redouble our search efforts."

"See that you do." His uncle then waved his hand at the door, dismissing the soldier. The man promptly bowed and then nearly ran out of the room in his haste to leave. Yoshiro shut the door behind him and turned to his uncle once again.

"Do you think they will have better luck this time, Uncle?"

His uncle stood up from his desk and slowly went to stand in front of the room's lone window. His gaze was thoughtful as he stared out towards the city. "If they didn't find them the first time, it is hardly likely that they will on a second attempt."

Yoshiro became confused. "Then why did you ask them to search again Uncle?"

"Because the men need to know that I do not tolerate failure, for any reason. It is good that you remembered that, Yoshiro."

Yoshiro immediately bowed his head. "Yes, Uncle." When he straightened, another thought occurred to him. "Is it possible that General Iroh and the boy found a hidden passage somewhere in the palace?"

"It is a possibility," his uncle mused. "There have been rumors that the palace is littered with them, and that some of them lead down into the tunnels under the palace." His uncle frowned. "But how they escaped is irrelevant now. The only thing that matters is where they are going."

"But if Fire Lord Zuko really is in the capital, wouldn't they be heading back to him?"

"Eventually, yes. However, the fact that Iroh is here and the boy isn't tells us that either our young Fire Lord is farther away that Iroh admitted, or their attack on the Sons of Sozin has already begun. Therefore Iroh will not be joining him right away. They are looking for extra soldiers, and since they have already visited Warden Takashi in the Southern Prison, that only leaves them one other place to go within the city."

Yoshiro leaned forward in eager anticipation. "And where is that Uncle?"

A grim smile appeared on his uncle's lips as he met his gaze. "They are going to the Prison Tower to try to free Masato's men."

"That would be a bold move," he admitted. "Do you want me to send more guards up to the tower?"

His uncle gave a slight shake of his head. "No, I have something else in mind for our little meddling duo. I think it's time for our princess to start holding up her end of the bargain."

Yoshiro was surprised at his uncle's answer. "The princess? Do you think she is ready?"

"I believe so, but regardless, events have forced us to enact our plan earlier than expected. Send a messenger to the Prison Tower, and let her know that it's time for her to prove herself to me."

He nodded, "It will be done, Uncle." Another thought then crossed his mind, and he hesitated. His uncle picked up on it immediately.

"What is it, Yoshiro?"

Yoshiro winced. "It's about the princess. What if she changes her mind and doesn't want to cooperate? Or even worse, what if she tries to come after one of us?"

A look of satisfaction crossed his uncle's face. He then reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small sachet that had been tied up with a bit of string. "Our associate Setsuko gave me this a few months ago—for a heavy price. He thought he was getting the better end of the deal, however, he didn't know that I had it sent to an herbalist here in the capital, and had it replicated." The corners of his uncle's mouth curled up into a smile, but it held no warmth. "This marvelous powder not only has the ability to disorient and overwhelm anyone who breathes in too much of it, but it can also temporarily disable the bending ability of any bender, no matter the element they wield. With this, it won't matter if the princess or the boy dares to challenge us—they will be helpless under its effects."

Yoshiro rubbed his hands excitedly. "And they will be so busy fighting each other and the Sons of Sozin, that they won't even know what hit them."

His uncle's hand that held the small sachet curled into a fist. "Precisely. Now go and find a messenger. We can't afford to waste any more time."

Yoshiro bowed. "Yes Uncle, it will be done."

Before he turned to leave, he saw his uncle once again turn towards the window, but not before he had seen the look in his eyes. It was the look of man that had been patiently waiting for the right moment, and the hunger that came from the realization that now it was here.

Yoshiro smiled. Now it had truly begun.

Author's Note:

This chapter was very exciting for me to write because I finally got to explore my version of what happened to Zuko's mother. I had always wanted to put Zuko's mother into my story from the very beginning, but I had debated on how to do it - in one version I was going to even have her already passed away some years ago, but in the end I decided to go the route where she survives. This then led me to ask the question of what happened to Ursa during all those years while the series took place, and it was a lot of fun coming up with her backstory.

Now, I know that officially Ursa's backstory has been written into the Avatar cannon, and I even did read a couple of the graphic novels in "The Search" series, but I didn't really care for it (and I mean no disrespect to those out there that do like the graphic novels, because there were even parts that I liked too… I just have a difference of opinion on a few things). It was mostly because I thought several characters seemed out of character to me, but also I didn't like how they handled Ursa's story at all. I get that she would be miserable after being banished and having to leave her kids, but I just didn't buy the fact that she would want to wipe her entire memory and then start a whole new life with a new family. This version of Ursa (in my opinion) makes her character out to really weak and keeps her in a victimization role, which continues to keep her powerless and weak. I instead preferred to see Ursa as a strong, female character, as we see hints of this in the show, especially when it came to her children. In the show, Ursa risked her own life and sacrificed her whole way of living to save Zuko from being killed, which shows us the depth of her love for him, along with her bravery and self sacrifice. After this tremendous act of love, it then didn't make sense to me that she would just want to completely forget that her children even existed. So for me, the only way I could see Ursa staying away from Zuko for that long meant either she was dead, or that someone had threatened to hurt him. That is just my take on it, and I hope that I did it some justice.

I wanted to say again thank you to everyone who posted a review! It's really exciting to see people still really into this universe, and the reviews are very motivating. I've been re-watching the series again on Netflix and it's been such a treat to see it all again. Man, I love that show so much (obviously, otherwise I wouldn't have written a novel about it lol). Anyways, thank you so much for reading. Take care!