A/N Edited December 6, 2019 100 new words!
This chapter introduces an OC. Also, in the show it is known that Appa often flies at the speed of plot. Like Zuko and Katara making it all the way to the FIre Nation capital from BSS in one no, sorry. I have travel times more realistic however I still have magicly plot speed messenger hawks. It would be a pain in the butt to add days for them to fly all over so please ignore this glaring silliness. Thank you!
Chapter 3
Yun Sui had been a Fire Sage for the last 50 years. Since Sozin, most of his brethren had forsaken their vows to honor and aid the Avatar and Agni in favor of serving the Fire Lord. While Yun Sui had never taken this path because he still believed that one day the Avatar would return, he had taken a second oath. He was secretly pledged to the Order of the White Lotus. After witnessing Prince Zuko defeat his sister, he had hoped that a just and good man would finally take up the mantle of Fire Lord and put a stop to this never ending war. With the news he carried now however, the future had never seemed so uncertain.
It was from the White Lotus that his news had come. General Iroh and the rest of the order had retaken Ba Sing Se, and all of their other allies had met with success as well. All except the Avatar. Now, scroll in hand, Yun Sui was hurrying with this information as fast as his arthritic knees would allow. He had to inform Master Katara at once. She would have to take the Prince and flee before Fire Lord Ozai could return with his navy to lick his wounds and plan his next move. Thinking of what their fates would be if they were caught now spurred him on through the long maze of lacquered halls.
Then there was the raving Princess. She had finally lost all sense of reality and needed help; more than that she needed to stay out of her father's clutches. Ozai would only damage her further. Yun Sui would personally see that Princess Azula was taken to the care facility on Ember Island under a false name.
As he neared the courtyard where she had been defeated, he suddenly heard screaming. Rounding the corner he was surprised to find master Katara. She was standing next to the Sky Bison letting out a high pitched and mournful wail. Momentarily forgetting his mission he raced to the distraught waterbender's side, reaching her just in time to catch her as she collapsed. He tried her name several times before she seemed to come back to herself enough to see him. Her face was a mask of panic and she clung to his arms, begging him to tell her she was wrong and that the Avatar was alive.
Closing his eyes, he steeled himself to tell her the truth.
"I am sorry Master Katara. I am not sure how you could know so already, but I have received word from General Iroh's forces. The Avatar was killed by Fire Lord Ozai. It seems your brother, Sokka was near enough to witness the end of the fight. I am afraid.."
At her brothers name, Katara gasped, holding up a hand to interrupt.
"My brother is alive? He is ok? Where is he now?"
Yun Sui handed her the now slightly crushed scroll he had received not 20 minutes ago. Ripping it from his hands she unrolled it and scanned it quickly; tears forming and falling as she read. Once she was finished she squeezed her eyes shut, taking several shaky breaths as she willed away the panic. When she opened her eyes again they were full and red rimmed but determined. Scrubbing her hands across her face and standing, she tucked the missive into her belt.
"We need to get out of the Capital, out of the Fire Nation. How long do you think we have until the Fire Lord returns?"
Uncharacteristically unsure of himself, Yun Sui thought a moment. From what he could gather thanks to Sokka's information, the Fire Lord had likely been gravely injured himself, only just beating the Avatar to the kill. His air fleet had been destroyed as well, meaning he would have to return with his navy. It could take as little as two days to sail all the way to the Capital from the Western coast of the Earth Kingdom if they pushed the ships. It might be enough, but with the Prince in such a poorly state, it may take longer than that to even get off the main island. He told her so.
She sighed, then looked at the sky bison. Following her gaze, Yun Sui now saw the great beast was dead. Drawing in a sharp breath, he wondered what could have possibly killed it in the short hours since Prince Zuko and Master Katara had arrived?
"To answer your question, I knew Aang was… I knew what had happened before you came because Appa was dead. The two were spirit bound." Her voice broke at this but she ploughed on anyway, moving closer to the animal's side and leaning into his fur as she spoke. "Two losses. He may have been an animal, but he was like family." Fresh tears escaped as she turned back to Yun Sui with a brief, tremulous smile. "Without Appa we have no easy way out. On his saddle, Zuko could have traveled today. It would have only taken a week to fly to Ba Sing Se the long way around to avoid any Fire Nation ships and colonies. What will we do now? There is no way he could walk, or even ride. It will take us nearly two months to reach Ba Sing Se by any normal means, longer if we are delayed."
The Fire Sage felt every one of his 70 years as he continued her course of thinking. "Worse, you will have to travel through the Fire Nation, and likely many colonies since you won't be able to fly over them and you would both be too easily recognized to safely travel by ship. You will need to draw as little attention to yourselves as possible. Come, perhaps it is best if we finish this conversation with Prince Zuko."
She nodded, giving the Bison one last pet before following him. "Appa, the bison, would you cremate him once we leave? I… I don't want the Fire Lord to get his hands on his body."
"Of course Master Katara."
When they returned to Prince Zuko's room he was awake, trying in vain to sit himself up. Master Katara ran to his side to assist him. He must have noticed the sadness and anxiety on her face because he reached an unsteady hand to her face as he questioned her.
"Katara, what is it? Has something happened?"
She sat beside him on the bed and leaned into his touch, holding his hand to her cheek with her own. It was clear to Yun Sui that she didn't want to burden him with this news, knowing how it would be received. Instead of telling him outright, she handed him the scroll, folding her hands on her lap and hanging her head as she waited for his reaction. As he read it, his brow furrowed and Yun Sui noticed the flames in all the lanterns in the room flickered and grew.
"My father... defeated the Avatar. Aang is dead?" He let the scroll fall to the bed as he dug the heels of his hands into his eyes. "No! Dammit Aang! He couldn't get over his hesitation to kill my father, I knew he wouldn't and it got him killed!" Reaching for Master Katara, the Prince gripped her shoulders and looked into her eyes in agonizing question. "What now Katara? What are we supposed to do without the Avatar? Will this never end?"
Taking his face in her hands and doing her best not to cry again herself, Master Katara reminded him of the good news the letter had contained.
"My brother lives and so does your Uncle. Right now we need to focus on getting out of the city before your father returns. We should head for Ba Sing Se, though it will take nearly two months since we can't just fly there this time."
Prince Zuko looked confused at this, clearly not fully comprehending the connection between the Avatar and the sky bison.
"Appa is dead too Zuko. He and Aang, they were spirit bound. We have to find another way to travel."
Prince Zuko swore and winced, pressing his hand to his chest. Master Katara gently helped him lay back again so she could see to his injury and Yun Sui decided now was as good a time as any to offer his help. Stepping forward, he addressed his would-be monarch.
"Your highness, if I may offer my aid in this matter. I believe you will have as little as two days to get as far away as possible. I would recommend heading south and island hopping your way to the Earth Kingdom. It would make it more difficult to track you and also you will circumvent the large bulk of the navy. For now, I shall have some supplies made ready and perhaps an unassuming cart or wagon and dragon moose can be procured. It is lucky your sister saw fit to banish nearly everyone in her paranoia. All the fewer people to know where you have gone."
Seeming to notice him for the first time, Prince Zuko narrowed his good eye and put a hand on Master Katara's shoulder.
"Who are you? I thought all the fire sages were sworn to do the Fire Lord's bidding? Why should we trust you?"
Lowering his head and placing a hand across his heart, he responded. "My name is Yun Sui, your highness. It is true that nearly all of my fellows serve only the Fire Lord, I however have never faltered in my service to the Avatar. I would see this war ended Prince Zuko with you on the throne. As to trusting me..." He pulled a small pouch from his robes and tossed it to the Prince. Upended, a small pai sho tile fell into prince Zuko's hand. When he recognized the design, he scoffed and muttered something about old men before handing it to Master Katara. It was the white lotus. He watched Yun Sui for several moments before apparently deciding to trust him and nodding, bid him do as he had suggested. Before dismissing the old fire sage, Prince Zuko asked after his sister.
"I will personally see to her care. There is a facility on Ember Island for those who suffer from diseases of the mind. We will travel together, in disguise, I think. Perhaps she will be my raving niece." Seeing the sudden concern on the prince's face he hurried on. "Do not worry your highness, I am capable of keeping her properly restrained. Now, I must see to these arrangements. I will send Ming, the maid who has been seeing to you, when everything is ready for you to leave. If I do not see you again before you depart, may Agni bless you both and see you safely to Ba Sing Se."
Turning to leave, he stopped when he remembered one last thing. "If I may, there is one last bit of information I must share. It is regarding your mother. She was not killed all those years ago, but banished. She lives."
Prince Zuko's momentarily hopeful look fell. "I know this already. My father told me as much before I left on the day of the eclipse."
"As you say Prince Zuko. Did he also disclose her possible location?"
"No, do you know where my mother is?"
He nodded slowly before answering, remembering how it had been himself that had been charged with escorting the former Fire Lady out of the city. "She went home, to her native village of Hira'a. It is located on a small island directly east of Roku's island. Perhaps you may chance a visit on your way?"
The pair looked thoughtful as Prince Zuko nodded. Recognizing his dismissal, Yun Sui left. As he stalked off to find Ming, he puzzled at the interactions between his Prince and the Water Tribe woman. They did not touch one another as friends but as lovers. An interesting development to be sure. How would the nation react to a water tribe Fire Lady he wondered. No doubt there would be grumblings from the ranking Lords and officials when the new Fire Lord snubbed their own daughters. A small smile played across his face at the idea but he quickly dismissed the thoughts in favor of focusing on his current tasks. He had much to do after all.