Kidah's POV

I chose not to speak about Hama, and what I'd done. No one pressed me. My blood felt vile beneath my skin, like a bad cactus trip. Besides, we had bigger concerns today than my dishonorable actions.

The Day of Black Sun is today. We all sat in a circle as everyone ate breakfast. Aang had finally gotten a good night's sleep, and was refreshed and ready to go. I pushed the food around in my bowl, not able to eat. My stomach was in knots, and it wasn't the impending battle that was the cause. I had full confidence that I was going to lead the Northern Water Tribe troops to victory. Sokka and I had been practicing drills and calls for days.

What was diminishing my appetite was Zuko. If I saw him during the invasion, what would I do? I couldn't imagine hurting him. We had made that promise so long ago… Even though he broke his word, would I be able to break mine?

Katara could sense my uneasiness. She places a hand on my knee reassuringly. "Kidah, it'll be okay. You'll lead your people with honor." Of course, she thought that's what is eating at me.

I smile weakly at her, "I'm just nervous, I guess."

Toph plops down beside me, thumping me harshly on the back. All the air escapes my lungs, and I'm left gasping. "Don't worry, Doc. You may have been a good healer, but you're an even better warrior."

Still trying to regain my breath, Katara stands quickly. "Oh, no. Sokka, do you think the fog will delay the invasion?"

He follows her line of sight and stands, "No, that is the invasion!" He exclaims. My hands find the pouch tied to my waist. I gingerly take my crown from its temporary home. Guilt fills me, but duty called.

Commanding Master Fado approaches me on the shore. He bows deeply. "Princess Kidah, you are a welcome sight on this day."

I bow my head in respect, "Thank you, Commanding Master Fado, for bringing our men to support our cause today." Troops one through four were slowly making their way off the boats. They carried supplies and weapons in their wake.

I stand and watch as they unload. My friends were down the beach, welcoming the rag tag team they had gathered from all over the world. Fado interrupts my peaceful thoughts. "Princess, Chief Arnook wanted you to have this for the invasion."

I turn to him and see him holding a large box. I take it from him and kneel in the sand to open it. Inside, the smell of leather welcomes my senses. Arnook had gotten the royal armory to make me my own set of battle gear. I held the garments to my chest. "Thank you, Fado."

We were about to leave the island and head to the Fire Nation capital. I stood at the bow of Fado's ship. My armor was dark grey leather with waves swirling at my waist. A moonstone in the middle of my chest covered my heart, matching the crystals on my crown. A double water canteen was fitted to my back for easy access to bend. I had pulled back my hair in my traditional three braids down my back.

I remember Yue telling me to follow my path and become a warrior. I hope you're seeing this, Yue. I never would have been able to do it without you. My chest aches, wishing she were by my side. Give me the strength to lead our people… To lead with honor… I pray.

We begin approaching the outer entrance to the Fire Nation capital. Plan A was to use fog as a cover to pass the front gates of the city, but it didn't work. Nets rose from the water and caught fire, blocking our entrance.

"Princess, below deck! We are going to need your bending," Fado calls behind me. I hope Sokka's invention works… Here goes Plan B.

We go below deck and enter the submarines. A soldier and I bend the water around us to propel the sub forward. It was magnificent. A Northern Water Tribe, commonplace woman waterbending with a soldier to invade the Fire Nation. I never could have imagined such a future a year ago. Pride filled me, and all of the concerns from that morning melted away.

Harpoons barely miss us as we do our best to maneuver under water. I see Fado flinch in my peripheral. We approach the outer wall, and I have another soldier take my place.

We have to bring the submarines up before we make the long stretch to shore. They only have a limited supply of air. I see my friends on their vessel and bend a wave to carry myself over. Katara hugs me as I land.

Aang looks at us all. "So, this is it, huh?"

"Are you ready for the Fire Nation to know the Avatar's alive?" Sokka gently punches him on the arm.

Aang inhales deeply, "I'm ready."

Katara pulls us all into a group hug. Below me, Toph wishes Aang luck, "I hope you kick some serious Fire Lord butt, twinkle toes."

We hear Hakoda from the outer hull, "Everyone, listen up." We step back from one another to pay attention. "The next time we resurface, it'll be on the beaches. So stay alert and fight smart. Now break time's over, back in the subs."

As everyone disperses, I look to Aang, "I have complete faith in you." He bows his head to me. I see him staring at Katara. "Don't be scared of her, she's not the Fire Lord, you know," I whisper. He blushes.

I wave myself back to my own sub, and go back down into the helm. Fado stands at the front with his hands behind his back. After a few minutes, we can see an underwater rock fortress before us. I place a hand on his arm. "Ready?" I ask. His face turns to that of determination, and he bows his head to me.

I turn to my men and yell, "Ready the torpedoes!" I take a deep breath and hear the clunk of metal hitting metal, "Fire!" A loud boom is heard as a bender shoots the missile through the wall in front of us. It slowly crumbles, sending debris cascading through the water to the depths below.

We continue forward and pull onto shore. "Move, Move, Move!" I yell, aligning the Northern Troops behind Hakoda's men and the earth tanks. We have fifteen minutes left before the eclipse starts. Yue, keep Aang safe… He's our only hope.

We slowly press forward, taking out as many benders and battlements as we can. I stay in the back with the other waterbenders, washing Fire Nation soldiers away in our wake. As we progress through the outer city, Aang comes flying down from the sky.

Sokka's face falls, "Please, tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp, and you didn't even need the eclipse to take him down?"

"He wasn't home." I had never seen Aang look so disappointed. "No one was. The entire palace city is abandoned."

Realization hits me, "They knew."

Aang kicks a boulder from the rubble around us, "It's over. The Fire Lord is probably long gone. Far away on some remote island where he'll be safe during the eclipse."

"No." Sokka places a finger on his chin in thought, "My instincts tell me he wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker. Somewhere he could go so it'll be safe during a siege but still be close enough to lead his nation."

Toph bends a rock wave to join us, "If it's an underground secret bunker we're looking for, I'm just the girl to find it."

Sokka pulls out a small device resembling a pocket watch. It ticks, and there is a dial and notches on one section of it. "The Mechanist gave me this timing device. It looks like we've got about 10 minutes until the full eclipse. 10 minutes to find the Fire Lord."

Aang nods, "We can still do this. We can still win the day."

"Wait," I counter, "If they knew we were coming, it could all be a trap. Maybe we should use the time we have left to make sure all of us get out of here safely."

Hakoda steps up behind us, "Everyone who's here today came prepared to risk everything for this mission. They know what's at stake. If there's still a chance and there's still hope, I think they would want Aang to go for it."

Sokka turns to Aang, "What do you think? You're the one who has to face the Fire Lord. Whatever you decide, I'm with you."

Aang stands up straight and faces toward the battlefield. "I've got to try."

Aang, Sokka and Toph make their way up to the palace to find the Fire Lord's bunker. I stay with my troops and continue forward with Hakoda. I move the waterbenders to the front lines as we put out fireball after fireball. Earthebenders break apart the rock walls, making the battlements crumble around us.

Ahead of us a Fire Nation general can be heard telling his soldiers to retreat. I climb up on top of one of our tanks, addressing our troops. "The eclipse is only minutes away. We should be able to make it up the hill by the time it starts and secure the entire palace by the time it's finished!" I ride forward on the giant metal caterpillar.

Our invasion forces press forward to the crater of the palace city, when the eclipse begins. The mechanic passes protection eyewear around for us all. "Surround the periphery!" I yell. "We have to secure the palace by the time the eclipse is over. Otherwise, we'll be in for the fight of our lives."

Firebenders line themselves up in one of the alleys. I bend a wave to carry myself over to a group of earthbenders. We come face to face with the enemy.

"Stop! Surrender peacefully and we won't harm you." My comrade demands.

One of the fighters drops into a defensive stance, "We'll never surrender." He steps forward, making flailing movements with his arms. Nothing happens. He dashes forward and thrusts his palm forward as if to shoot a fireball, but all that is produced is a pathetic fizzle. "Er... okay, we surrender."

He and the other firebenders bow down and present their hands in surrender. I walk back to the main group, seeing Fire Nation soldiers concede around every corner. I find Hakoda looking down from a ledge into the crater.

"There it is. The Fire Nation royal palace. We've come so far," he says.

"It's not over yet," I look out to our people, praying for Aang and the others.

Time passes and the eclipse ends. One of Hakoda's men approaches us on our ledge. "What should we do, Hakoda? Shouldn't something have happened by now?"

He looks down to the palace, "I don't know, Bato. But, now that the eclipse is over I expect we're going to see some firebenders any minute."

Bato suddenly looks up in shock. Five Fire Nation war balloons ascend into the air from the palace.

The Mechanist's voice is heard behind me, "My own invention. Oh this is terrible!"

We stand in shock as they slowly approach us. Katara runs up and grabs my arm, "They're back! Come on!"

We run towards the back of the troops. Appa, carrying Aang, Sokka, and Toph, flies towards us. Aang has a determined look on his face as he lands. Katara hugs him tightly.

Sokka jumps down landing beside me, "It was all a trap. Azula knew we were coming, and she's plotted out every move. We just got to get to the beach as fast as we can. If we can make it to the submarines, maybe we can get away safely."

"They've got air power, but so do I!" Aang steps away from Katara's embrace and opens his new glider, "I'm going to do what I can to slow them down." Aang throws his glider into the air. He catches onto it and flies into the air as it loops back to him. Appa growls.

Katara climbs on him. "Appa, you and I can help too."

I pull on Sokka's arm, "We need to get everyone out of here, now."

He nods, yelling, "Everyone, let's get back to the subs!"

Everyone turns and follows Sokka. Explosions can be heard above us, but I just keep running. We had almost reached the outer wall to get to the beach, when Katara and Aang rejoined us.

"Why aren't they turning around to attack us again?" Katara asks.

"They're headed for the beach." Aang's face falls. "They're going to destroy the submarines!"

I turn to Sokka, "How are we going to get everyone to safety?"

Commanding Master Fado appears behind me, "We're not."

Sokka steps forward defiantly, "Then, our only choice is to stand and fight. We have the Avatar, we could still win!"

Hakoda steps forward as well, "Yes, with the Avatar we could still win on another day. You kids have to leave. You have to escape on Appa together."

"What?!" Katara shrieks. "We can't leave you behind. We won't leave anyone behind."

I place a hand on my chest and turn to Fado, "I made a promise to our people. I refuse to leave my troops in foreign lands!"

Fado places a hand on my shoulder, "You're our only chance in the long run. You all have to go with Aang somewhere safe. It's the only way to keep hope alive."

Hakoda nods in agreeance. "The youngest of our group should go with you. The adults will stay behind and surrender. We'll be prisoners but we'll all survive this battle."

I bow deeply to them. The sacrifice they're about to make for us is more than I will ever be able to repay. I rise and grasp Fado's forearm. "We will see each other again."

He bows his head to me in farewell, "May the great Ocean and Moon spirit watch over you and keep you safe."

My friends say their goodbyes as well and we load up on Appa. Katara cries on Sokka's shoulder as we rise to the skies. Aang calls over his shoulder from the sky bison's reins, "I know just the place for us to go where we'll be safe for a while. The Western Air Temple."

There has been a lot from Kidah's point of view, but the lovebirds will be reunited soon! Leave me a review of how you think its going so far (: