Welcome back to the second part of what should have been chapter 29! Have I ever mentioned how much I hate writing fight scenes? I really ought to have picked a less action-packed plot... XD But once I got past the fight scene, it basically wrote itself.

Thank you to everyone who has read to this point, and especially to those who have taken the time to comment. It really helps encourage me to keep writing.

More Than Blood Can Stand

Chapter 30: The Blue Spirit

The soldier leaned back from the swords until his head brushed against Zuko's mask. Then he froze, his body unnaturally stiff. Behind his mask, Zuko's lips pressed together. So he was scared. Good.

Several screams from the crowd caused the soldiers surrounding the platform to turn around, pulling out their spears when they saw him. With their commanding officer's life at risk, they were reluctant to act. But the second soldier on the platform had drawn his sword and was in a much better position to retaliate. He was within arm's reach of both Zuko and the girl, who was wide-eyed and trembling.

Once again, he mentally kicked himself for jumping into a situation with no plan. Of course, he hadn't had time to plan this even if he'd wanted to, but he should have had the sense to at least wait for a better moment.

Well, he was here now. He would simply have to win despite the odds.

What was it Master Piandao always said?

You are never outnumbered if you know how to use the battlefield in your favor.

He stared from behind his mask at the crowd. What bigger asset could he find than them? He would only have a moment before the swordsman attacked either him or the girl, so he would have to make his words count.

"No true Fire Lord tortures children." His voice boomed across the square.

The crowd shouted in agreement, with cries of "The Blue Spirit" carrying above it.

The soldier on the platform raised his sword. "He's a traitor!"

Zuko felt his temper rising. Father was the traitor, taking the throne from Uncle. But anger would get him nowhere. He took a deep breath and spoke to the crowd, his voice rough with emotion. "It isn't treason to do the right thing."

A tense stillness hung over the square for a moment, no one willing to break the stalemate. Then the girl whimpered, started to run towards him, and chaos broke loose.

The soldier lunged for her, sword first. The crowd erupted into shouts, but Zuko didn't spare a glance for them or the guards below. He lunged towards the soldier, propelling both himself and his captive in between him and the girl.

If he hadn't been a firebender, he wouldn't have been able to make it in time. But Uncle had taught him how to use his chi for short bursts of energy to jump farther, push an enemy further, or move quicker than was otherwise possible.

The soldier, seeing his commanding officer careening towards his sword, pulled up just in time. His blade glanced across the officer's chestplate, and he stumbled backwards.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko assessed the situation on the ground. The soldiers were fighting back the crowd. At least one of the townspeople was an earthbender, because one of the soldiers was encased in a rock cage.

He saw all that in a split second, letting it flit through his mind before refocusing on the fight before him. He couldn't fight the one soldier while keeping the other a captive. But the officer was a firebender, and fighting off a firebender while sword fighting and while trying to avoid bending was complicated.

The soldier had regained his footing and was headed back towards him, so Zuko stopped thinking and acted.

He flipped the officer to the ground, striking at the man's lower calf with his left blade. He heard his cry of pain as he raised his right to fend off the attacker.

He was driven back a step from the force of the impact and had to duck to avoid the next attack. The soldier swung again from above, but this time Zuko had time to bring up both his blades to block. His muscles strained under the combined weight of the man and the sword; if it was a matter of strength, he would lose this fight.

With one last desperate push upwards, he twisted his body and spun out of range. Then he stood up and rushed his opponent before he could get his bearings.

He always felt a surge of power when he was attacking, a feeling of invincibility as the fire surged through his veins. His blades flashed as he pushed his advantage, gaining ground with each swing. They were almost at the edge of the platform, the fight was almost over-

Zuko felt the heat almost subconsciously. He fell to the ground just in time to avoid a painful burn. He cast a glance to his right and saw the officer, obviously in a great deal of pain, but standing on one foot and fully able to bend.

He scrambled back a few paces from the swordsman, cautiously eyeing the firebender as he raised his fists, ready to attack.

The swordsman took advantage of his distraction and changed directions, heading for the girl. But Zuko was closer. He dove at her, wrapping his arms around her and rolling to the edge of the platform. He raised himself into a crouch, protecting the girl with one arm and holding his other sword out in a defensive posture.

But now both the soldiers were advancing on them. How was he going to get out of this?

A panicked, sinking feeling filled him. He was going to have to firebend. He would have to give himself away. He took a deep breath, gathering his fire.

The firebender dropped to the ground, a spear sticking out of his back. Behind him stood one of the townspeople, a tall wiry man who looked vaguely familiar. He pulled the spear out of the soldier's body and brandished it in front of him with practiced proficiency.

"Get her out of here," he said to Zuko, his eyes never leaving the swordsman. "We'll take care of them."

Zuko glanced down at the fight below the platform, surprised to see that it was nearly over, that the townspeople were winning.

Still, he hesitated. That swordsman knew what he was doing, and the townsman only had a spear. He should stick around and help. He shook his head, taking a more aggressive stance.

"Go," the man shouted, and Zuko suddenly realized where he'd seen the man before. It was Cheng, he realized with a start, the man he'd played Pai Sho with at the inn.

The shock jolted him into action. He tucked the girl securely into his arms, and using his chi to propel him, leapt onto the roof above. He ran from roof to roof until he came to the edge of the town, and then dropped into the woods until they were far enough from the town that he felt reasonably safe pausing for a breath.

He dropped the girl down on the forest floor, then sat down against the trunk of a large tree, eyes closed and chest heaving as he allowed the post-battle adrenaline crash began to creep over him. A certain shakiness to his limbs, a growing awareness of the bumps and bruises he'd sustained, a hypersensitivity to the sounds and movements of the forest. The rustle of the wind in the trees, the scurrying of a squirrel toad in the trees, the sound of the girl getting to her feet...

"I knew you would rescue me."

He looked up in surprise. Her hands were clasped in front of her as she bounced on the balls of her feet.

He let out a short bark of laughter. "Kid, ten minutes ago even I didn't know I was going to rescue you."

"My name is Linghua," she said brightly. "And of course you were going to rescue me. That's the way it happens in all the stories. The hero always saves his lady." She closed her eyes and sighed dramatically.

Zuko did not like the way this conversation was going.

"I'm not a hero; I'm a wanted criminal. And you are not my lady. You're, what? Eight years old?"

He stood up and started walking quickly away from the town. Linghua trotted beside him.

"I'm ten!" She said indignantly. "I'm small for my age."

"Okay, you're ten," he grumbled. "Still too young."

"Well, anyway, you did rescue me," she said, as if that settled everything.

He did not deign to respond to such a comment.

It was only a few seconds before she spoke again. "Are we going to your hideout?"

"No."

"Where are we going?"

"Away from town."

"And then what?"

"You're going home."

"I can't do that," she said cheerfully.

He paused and looked down at her, incredulous.

She shrugged. "My parents are in jail and I'm a wanted criminal, too." She shyly took his elbow. "I guess you'll have to take me with you."

Behind his mask, Zuko rolled his eyes and huffed out a breath that was just a smidge too hot. How had he gotten himself in this mess, again?

"Don't you have any other family?"

She shook her head and smiled at him. "I only have you."

He gritted his teeth and started walking again, shaking himself free of her grip.

"So what are we going to do?" she chirped from his side. "Rescue more prisoners? Free a village? Sabotage a Fire Army base?"

"No."

"What, then?"

That was a good question. Going after Uncle was out of the question now. But he also couldn't take the girl with him to the meet-up point. He was too wanted, with or without his mask, and the risk to her life too great. But he couldn't just leave her to fend for herself. She was certainly annoying, but he couldn't bring himself to just abandon her. The way she looked up at him, with a complete trust that he most certainly did not deserve, tugged on what was left of his battered heartstrings.

He shouldn't have allowed it. And yet, he couldn't have stopped it.

"First, we find something to eat."

She nodded her head eagerly. "And then?"

He sighed heavily. He was going to regret this later, he was sure. "Then we're going to rescue your parents."

Finding food was a simple matter of sneaking into the next town over, visiting a couple of food stalls, taking what he wanted to eat, and leaving a bit of money behind as thanks. No problem.

Eating the food turned out to be a bigger problem. They sat down on a fallen log, a modest feast spread out before them. He began to take off his mask, and froze. She was staring at him in eager anticipation.

He turned the other way, only for her to jog around to the other side of the log.

"Stop it," he muttered.

"Oh, come on," she pleaded. "I won't tell anyone."

He raised his eyebrows, not that she could see it through the mask. "Like you didn't tell anyone about me last time?"

"But you didn't ask me not to tell anyone," she protested. "Besides, I know better now." Some of the cheerful eagerness had gone out of her now. She deflated, a faraway look coming into her eyes. "Talking too much gets you in trouble with the Fire Nation."

A wave of sympathy made him put his hands back on the mask, but he hesitated before taking it off. "You'll be disappointed."

She squealed in excitement, her good mood restored. "I could never be disappointed in you!"

He highly doubted that.

As soon as he removed the mask, her eye was drawn, as everyone's always was, to his scar. A look of pity crossed her face for a brief moment, before recognition took its place.

She scooted back a few paces, shock and terror on her face.

"You! You're - how?"

"How?" he said bitterly. "I ask myself that every day."

"But you're a Fire Nation prince. I've seen your poster. It was always right next to the Blue Spirit poster." Her eyes widened as she put two and two together. "They don't know you're the Blue Spirit!"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "And you're not going to tell them."

She shook her head, terrified.

"Stop looking at me that way," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you."

He picked up his food and began eating, motioning for her to do the same. She sat down gingerly, keeping a silent but watchful eye on him the whole meal.

When they were done eating, Zuko put his mask back on and stood up.

"Do you know where your parents are being kept?"

She nodded, still wide-eyed. "They're at the fortress north of Gaoling."

Wonderful. That was General Shu's headquarters. There would be a whole army guarding it. How was he going to get them out of there? That's what he got for making promises before knowing the details.

But he had promised. He would have to figure out a plan as they walked.

Hiding his doubt as best he could, he jerked his head in the direction they were headed. "Come on, then. Let's go."

They walked for nearly an hour, neither of them saying anything. Zuko was thinking of all the possible ways he could infiltrate a military fortress, free two prisoners, and somehow get the three of them back out all alive. It was a near impossible task, and he was so distracted by it that he didn't notice Linghua's silence.

But he did notice when she was no longer walking by his side. He stopped and looked behind him. She was standing in the middle of the road.

"Hurry up," he said impatiently. "We don't have all day."

She shook her head. "No. Not until you tell me why you did it."

"Did what?" he asked wearily.

"Why did you save me? Why did you tell the people to fight against the Fire Lord? You're Fire Nation. You're one of them. You're evil."

"I don't have time for this," he grumbled, walking back to her and grabbing her wrist and pulling her along with him. She protested, but she did keep up.

And in return, he answered her.

"The world isn't divided into good people and Fire Nation," he began. "No matter what you've heard. There are good and bad people in every nation."

She seemed to consider this. "But you're a Fire Nation prince. That means the Fire Lord is your father. And good children don't tell people to fight their father."

"Then maybe I'm a bad son," he bit out harshly.

Was that true? Was he really a bad son? His emotions towards his father were so complicated, so twisted. Should he even consider the man his father anymore? Legally, Uncle was his father. Biologically, he still wasn't sure who his father was. Maybe Ozai, maybe not.

"If your father loses, does that mean you are the new Fire Lord?"

Now it was Zuko's turn to stop walking. What was the Fire Lord situation? There were currently three living claimants to the throne. Ozai had clearly come to power nefariously, but he held all the power. Uncle had, in a sense, abdicated. That should mean that he, Zuko, was the rightful Fire Lord still, powerless though he was.

But, no. Unless Uncle had clearly stated his abdication somewhere, then no amount of pretending otherwise could change that. Uncle was still the rightful Fire Lord. And he, Zuko, was perhaps not even of the royal line. None but the heir of Sozin could wear the crown. He had been too busy with other thoughts to really consider that on his coronation day.

And either way, he was an illegitimate ruler, no Fire Lord at all.

Then who was he?

She tugged at his arm. "Well? Will you be the next Fire Lord?"

His throat constricted, and his words sounded weak even to his own ears. "I don't know."

Zuko made camp for them that night in a large rock formation. It might have been a home created by an earthbender, but if so it had fallen into disrepair decades ago. The rocks were strewn about and broken, but the area still provided some shelter. He forewent his usual evening fire. He didn't want to scare her with his firebending, when she still seemed wary of him. He kept his mask on for the same reason. She seemed much more comfortable with the Blue Spirit than with Prince Zuko.

He stared up at the stars between the rocks for a long time after she fell asleep on one of the rocks above him, pondering nations and rulers, his place in the universe, and that pesky plan for rescuing Linghua's parents.

It was an impossible task. But when had that ever stopped him? He would be able to get in, he was certain he could manage that. And unless they were high profile prisoners (which he doubted), he could probably get to their cells undetected. That is, if he could find them. But it was what came after that worried him. They were peasants, not warriors. They probably didn't have the physical fitness to climb walls, or the training to walk silently and undetected. They almost certainly didn't know how to disable a guard without alerting others. Any way he approached it led to them getting caught escaping.

Now if he had Aang or Toph, or even Katara or Sokka, it wouldn't have been a problem. But on his own? The odds of success were next to none. Well no matter. He would deal with that when the time came. He rolled onto his side, not bothering to take off his Blue Spirit mask, and fell asleep.

He was woken up the next morning by Linghua's screams. He blindly scrambled to his feet, grasping for his swords and falling into a fighting position before he was awake enough to be aware of his surroundings.

A Yuyan archer held Linghua at knifepoint. Three more stood at a distance, their arrows fitted to their bows and pointed directly at him.

"So," one of them said casually. "We've finally caught up to the Blue Spirit."

Forget the plan to get Linghua's parents out of the fortress. How was he going to get out of this?

"Don't hurt him!" she cried out. "He's Fire Nation, like you!"

Soldiers with less discipline than the Yuyan might have been distracted by a statement like that. Three arrows remained aimed at his chest.

But the archer holding her sneered. "Then he deserves to die like the traitor he is."

"No!" she said, frantically twisting in his arms. "He's the prince! He's Prince Zuko!"

Zuko felt his stomach drop. Of all the foolish things she could have said! So much for that promise yesterday.

But strangely, it had the desired effect. One of the archers lowered his bow.

"Prince Zuko?" he said softly. "Is it really you?"