New chances

Zuko had lived a long time by now, he had experienced much more of the continent in a few years than most did in a lifetime. He had made bad decisions and good decisions, hard ones and easy ones that were not always just, but he had made them and always strived to make the best of any situation. Zuko smiled slightly as he looked to the side of his bed where his daughter sat, looking so lovely and so like his sister Azula in appearance.

That might be one of his biggest regrets in life, his sister. Who had been so cute and nice when she was little, but somehow she had gotten worse until she had finally went insane. Many times Zuko had wondered if he could have changed her fate. Maybe if he had been just a little smarter, if he had cared about her a little more, if only…

But there was no use thinking about it; that time was since long fled and now his life was had finally come to an end. He smiled at the beautiful and strong woman at his side, lifting his hand to brush her long hair behind her ear.

"Take care of yourself, daughter mine. You are more than strong enough." She caught his hand and held it against her cheek.¨

"I will, father." She closed her eyes tightly and a shiver wrecked her body. "I will."

"Good." One last twitch of the corner of his lips, his body feeling so heavy, so heavy. Slowly, against his consent, his eyes slowly fell shut. Zuko got the odd sensation of floating and in the distance he could hear a voice pleading for him to stay with them and "please don't leave".

But he was so tired, unable to keep his eyes open even as the words dissolved into sobs. He wanted to comfort the person crying, yet at the same time they were so far away… letting go Zuko felt his eyes close fully.

.

.

.

…and then they opened again. Staring into a roof he could only distantly recognize. The bed felt different and there was no one crying in the room, only a stark quiet as if the very night was holding its breath. Even doing his best to listen he couldn't hear any sound other than soft footfalls. The steps were even getting slightly louder as they got closer and Zuko closed his eyes as the door was eased open.

With small movements Zuko allowed himself to move into a better position to react if the intruder were to try and attack him. The stranger was closer now and Zuko allowed an eye to open just a sliver to get a picture of the other.

Dark clothes meet his eye, some of it wrapped around the strangers head and arms, making it hard to gather any information on the man. Still the raised dagger was a clear sign of unfriendliness and Zuko reacted as so many times before. Throwing the bedcovers of himself he reached for his flame, finding it small and so very, very deep inside he was momentarily concerned.

'Did someone slip me a poison?' Went through his head even as he ducked beneath the wide swing of the dagger.

'Amateur.' Zuko thought as he dodged another swing before gathering a handful of flames and thrusting it towards the other. As predicted the weak flames did nothing more than singe the other but that was fine as Zuko hadn't wanted to do more than that anyway. It would serve as a distraction. And it evidently worked as the man raised one arm as if to shield his face.

Ducking under the arm lifted for shielding Zuko coated his fist in flames, letting mote of it stay inside as to enhance his strength and planting it in the man's solar plexus. The man went down with an "Umf" and the Fire Lord quickly followed up with knocking the man out.

Snagging the dagger Zuko looked around the room quickly. It seemed familiar, but he didn't have time to place it right now. Tearing a few stripes from the bedcovers 'better to apologize later than letting the man escape' and bound the (now) unconscious man with a few efficient knots he had learned during his time at the Zuzuran.

Pausing Zuko listened by the door to make certain the corridor was clear before opening the door and leaving the room. The dagger held in affirm grip Zuko kept to the darkness as well as he could, there were probably more than one would-be-assassin around after all.

The only sounds he could hear however were the soft thud of his own footfalls and the beating of his heart. Pausing before one door on the right Zuko couldn't explain the overwhelming urge to go into that room. Trusting his instincts Zuko did his best to determine if there was anyone inside, but the heavy door didn't allow for any sound to either escape or enter the room. So in the end Zuko carefully pushed the door open, thanking Agni for the well-oiled hinges.

Inside was dark, the only source of light the large window that had been cowered by heavy curtains. The soft blue light of the moon let him make out the shape of a few furnishings in the room. There was a small desk, a small box filled with something a drawer (that probably held clothes) and a crib. Cautiously Zuko looked around making sure he was alone in the room stalked forward and almost fell on his face as he stubbed his toe on something small, hard and probably made of metal (judging by the sound).

"Kaa…" Freezing Zuko looked at where the sound came from, the crib, and gritting his teeth ignoring his throbbing toe walked forward again. This time careful of the toys littering the floor.

In the crib a baby – perhaps a year and a half old – rested, she was awake, but as she wasn't screaming or crying Zuko was happy enough to take a moment to study her. Pale skin and dark hair was his first impression of the child. And while he studied her he felt something like protectiveness for her. She was probably someone important as no servant would have a room this big to herself, nor was the quality of the curtains anything to sneeze at. Only well-made curtains stopped that much light from getting through.

A small click made Zuko turn and only the reflexes born of countless battles saved his neck as he dropped to a knee before he had fully registered the short-sword 'kodachi' going for his neck.

A roll and he was at his opponent side swinging his own dagger only to be met by another kodachi. Making a grim face Zuko backed of momentarily to get a moment to breath and calculate his opponent. The other didn't let him however and advanced one kodachi going to the side and another coming at Zuko from the top. Sidestep and duck, block to the side, advance and press opportunity, back up again. Circe and avoid darts thrown at left shoulder, duck, parry. Zuko gritted his teeth each time he was forced to parry a blow from his opponent, muscles protesting at the strain. But he would be damned if he let this bastard get to the baby he was trying to protect.

Dodging another quick blow Zuko grimaced as another cut was added to his collection even as he got another hit in himself. A spin-twist backwards and he managed to duck another (yet this time slower) cut from the right. Instead it cut one of the curtain to about half its original length.

'As if that's good enough to kill a Fire Lord.' Then he saw the glow of the sword and the small way the curtain wasn't cut, but rather burnt off. 'Oh shit.' This guy was a Fire-bender. Damn. A loud clang rang out as Zuko blocked another hit and barely dodged the second sword. By now Zuko was getting tired and the other was fighting as if he had only just begun. So Zuko reached for the small flame again, still worried to use it if he really had been drugged, but seeing no other alternative.

With the fire burning in his veins lending him strength Zuko dived in into the battle again, knowing he couldn't keep it up for long with his flame this small. In the background there were the sound of feet hitting the ground, metal clashing and the wailing of a baby, but Zuko wouldn't (couldn't) pay any of it heed. To busy making sure not to get boxed in or getting skewered. Then Zuko spotted an opening and taking the initiative with most of the strength and speed he had left drove his dagger into the others chest. In return he got a large gash on his left arm.

Clutching his arm Zuko watched as the man fell on his knees, hands dropping his weapons and reaching for the dagger logged in his chest. Blood trailed down the man's front and stained the floor as the man took a few more gasping breaths before collapsing forward on the floor. Not taking his eyes of his downed opponent Zuko slowly picked up one of the short-swords and, when he deemed that the other would be truly unable to do anything, rolled the man on his back and sliced the neck once to make sure the guy was dead.

Adrenaline fading Zuko staggered back a few steps and dropped his gaze. Eyes falling on his bloodied arm he made a face and calculating the rate he was losing blood to the amount of flame he had left sluggishly dragged heat forward to sear the wound close. Slumping in on himself he staggered to the crib that miraculously had survived and peered down at the now crying child. Sighing he carefully lifted her, supporting the head with his good arm and began making shushing sounds.

"Shhh. Hush little one, everything will be ok." It took a few minutes, which felt like hours, before the baby quieted down. Once it did Zuko looked around the room again, seeing better now that the destroyed curtain let in more moonlight. The room, which had at one point been nice was halfway destroyed. The rug was dark with blood and the small desk was toppled. The drawer was slashed, probably from when he had dodged the others swords and there was a mirror that Zuko hadn't noticed before that hung crocked on the wall.

In the mirror he could see a boy, perhaps four years old holding a baby.

'!'

The boy was holding a baby. It was a mirror. Slowly Zuko lifted a hand and the boy in the mirror copied the move. Disturbed, but too tired from pain, exhaustion and blood loss the boy stared back from the mirror as he sank to the floor.

The baby wiggled in his arms made Zuko look down and away from the bewildered boy in the mirror, she seemed ok, the blood from his injury had moved to color her clothes, but ok. She was snuggling into his chest, probably looking for warmth, but Zuko felt to numb to do much other than wraping the blankets a bit more snuggle around her.

He was young.

It was hard to come to terms with, he had just died not even an hour ago from old age. And where was he anyway? He didn't have a clue apart from the sense of familiarity he had felt in the room where he had woken up.

He forced the thoughts away from the subject of how it had happened, he could worry about that later. For now he needed to find something he could trust, like a way out of here. He really shouldn't stay since the battle really hadn't been quiet, nor had the baby screaming helped.

Getting to his feet was harder than he wanted to admit and after a quick decision he gathered up another few blankets for the baby. The night might be warm but he didn't want her to get cold anyway. Perhaps he could construct a sling or something later but for now he needed to get out of here.

Sneaking around the corridors was easier than he had thought it would be, there had been some guards he had needed to hide from, but his past (future?) practice helped tremendously in not getting seen. This was nothing against Poi Hai stronghold. Getting out into the gardens had been a bit harder, for while it meant he could have a better sight of the guards it also meant it would be harder to hide. Stopping in the shelter of bushes Zuko got to work and made a provisory sling for the child and gently transferred her into it. Getting the child onto his back was a relief as it got easier to carry her that way and it felt safer with both arms free. Hiding the dagger in his sleeve Zuko gripped the short-sword and continued moving.

In the end Zuko had ended up in the kitchen where he had seen a servant he thought he remembered, Taka, an old man in Zuko's memories who was probably in his forties now and decided to call out to him. True it possible the man didn't know Zuko in this time, but it was still safer than relying on only himself as he had the baby to think of as well. And well… Zuko didn't really know what to do if he managed to get out of this place. So he decided to take a chance on a man he had trusted in his own… time (/ world/ dimension).

"Taka-San." The man turned at the call of his name but there was confusion and worry in his face as he didn't' see anyone. Taking a deep breath Zuko took a few steps just barely stepping into the light while keeping his gaze trained at the man.

Sorani Taka (known as Taka to friends) looked down at the child before him, who was clutching a baby in his arms. The child seemed nervous, and for a moment Taka was left floundering for what to do. The boy, no; the prince, Zuko was stood before him and everyone in the castle was up and about looking for him and his sister. The guards had found one of their own killed at his post, and had sounded the alarm.

Then when a few of them had been sent to check on the royalties inside the building and the ones sent to check on princess Azula and prince Zuko had reported in without their assigned charges accounted for the captain had apparently nearly blown a gasket.

The search had started then as the guards had reported what had been in the two's rooms. The dead assassin had garnered some agitation and bewildererment when he had been found in princess Azula's room together with the realization that the little girl was gone. Yet that had nothing on the reactions to finding the second unconscious and tied up assassin had made more than one person scratch their head and wonder what had happened.

The prince could, maybe, perhaps, possibly have done it, but when all came down to it the boy was only four, add to that the fact that everyone knew the prince didn't know how to hurt anyone it was more or less impossible. To think that someone that young would have managed to take down an assassin on his own would go against everything the boy's teachers had observed about the young man.

Staring at the boy for a moment Taka strained his eyes to take in the sight of the boy. The dark however didn't allow Taka to see the boy too clearly, and the dark stains on the boy was most probably dirt, Taka didn't want to confirm this however as the boy looked as if he would turn tail and run at any hint of danger or questions.

Moving carefully and keeping his gaze trained on the kid in front of him the cook got down on one knee in front of the prince, who actually backed up a step at the sudden movement. Now standing half in and half out of the shadows the boy looked even more ready to bolt than ever.

"Are you alright prince Zuko?" The boy nodded and there was something about him, maybe it was the line of his shoulders, which seemed to relax, maybe it was the spine that wasn't held as ram-rod-straight. Taka couldn't tell, but there had been a change.

"We should get you to your parents, they are very worried." Slowly (but without making it evident) Taka got to his feet and began showing the boy the way out of the kitchen. The boy stayed behind Taka all the time and the man felt as he was being evaluated every step he took.

Passing a corridor the boy paused suddenly and Taka did the same just as the boy more or less melted into the shadow. Turning his head in the direction the young prince had been looking Taka soon heard the sound of boots colliding with wooden floors. A moment later three men in armor came into sight and nodded to Taka. Instead of letting the men just pass by Taka spoke to the man in charge.

"Hyun. How is it going?" The man paused and shook his head.

"No sign of the prince or the princess. The assassins have been taken care of and the one found unconscious is being questioned as we speak." There was a movement in the corner where the prince had disappeared into shadow, but Taka forced his eyes not to turn that way.

"And Lord Ozai and Lady Ursa?" The movement in Taka's peripheral vision stilled.

"The Lord is doing the questioning himself." Hyun closed his eyes for the barest of moments. "The lady is very worried, but she has been assigned a gourd for the time being."

"I see." Taka answered. Preparing to leave the men to their search when the prince left the shadows. Taka couldn't help but shift his gaze and the soldiers picked up on the movement at once, turning as their hands moved to rest on weapons. Then they just stared at the boy.

"My prince!" The guard took a few hurried steps towards the boy but force in his path as the boy shifted and lifted a stained blade, holding it prepared to shift at a moment's notice to strike or block. The rest of the guards stiffened and Taka wondered how he hadn't noticed the blade before now.

"My prince?" The boy studied the man and Taka felt a shiver go down his back at the cold calculation in those golden eyes. Then the moment was over and the blade was lowered again. Nodding the boy took stepped up to the closest soldier. Just looking at the man for a few seconds the boy then spoke.

"Where can I find my mother?"

"I can take you there prince Zuko." The soldier held the boys gaze as the boy considered this and nodded.

"Lead the way." The soldier did and it was only then as the boy turned his back to Taka that the cook noticed the sling holding a baby to the young boys back. The boy cast a look over his shoulder at Taka as he walked away.

Zuko carefully shifted the child, his sister (?!) on his back. The weight in his untrained and hurt body was wearing at him, however he refused to let go of either the girl or his weapon.

Thankfully it didn't seem that they would have to walk very far, the guard (he had been called Hyun by Taka) that had found them had called out to a few patrols they'd met on the way so now they had men both behind and in front of them. It didn't feel safe to Zuko as he had always preferred to do things by himself (easier to get away) or accompanied by a few people he knew and trusted, this situation was neither but Zuko was determined to not show his unease.

He didn't really have a choice after all, so Zuko kept his head high and acted as if being surrounded like this didn't bother his in the slightest. Still he found himself shifting his grip on the kodachi in his hand, trying to find a better way to hold it in his (to small) hand.

Finally the group entered a garden and he could see another group of guards in a loose circle around someone. Getting closer he found himself staring at her.

The first moment Ursa had known about the attempted assassination was when a guard had knocked on her and her husband's door to inform them that their children were missing. Following the proclamation Ursa had frozen, unable to make a sound, yet her husband's order for more information had rung clear.

The situation the guard then had spoken of, a bound assassin found in the room of their son and the bloodied mess in their daughter's room had horrified her. No she didn't really have a problem with blood, she was a swordswoman after all, but the thought that some of that blood came from her children… it frightened her.

Once she left the room, after her husband who had decided to try and get information from the (and apparently unconscious) assassin, she was directed to a garden with a guard squad accompanying her.

Half an hour later she was starting to despair when there had still been no news about the situation. Her children were missing, as if they had woken up and walked away without anyone noticing. She felt like crying, her heart was hammering and the dark night felt oppressing. But she had to stay strong. She had to, for her children's sake!

Another hour passed and the only news were of patrols not finding anything and disappointments. Ursa was trying her best to not panic when a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Lady Ursa!" Turning she saw a mass of guards moving in her direction, but slowly. Then the protective "shell" of people parted and she felt her heart erupt in joy. Zuko! Alive and well, were coming towards her. Then her son took something form his back, cradling it carefully in his arms. Ursa felt something painfully shoot trough her at the sight and the next thing she knew she was running towards her children, both of them.

So… another story. I'm blaming plot bunnies and Vathara's masterpiece "Embers". If you haven't read it go do so now. It's so, so worth it.

Oh! Right, um, I've got a job now so it might take me a little longer to update than normal. Then again I update really slowly to begin with, I apologize for that, but then again I finally have a real income.

This story will hopefully not take too long to update as I have a lot of the actual story already written in my head, the only problem I can foretell will be finding time to get it written down.

C.1, completed: 2015.04.19

DominaNocte