Chapter 64

He had gone out that morning to scan the horizon himself, some part of him knowing that would be the day. After the bodies of his wife and the servant he'd dealt with had gone missing he'd realized just how vastly he'd been betrayed. Even the palace guards wanted him ousted. Surely with that final turn in his favor, Iroh would not allow Zuko to waste any more time in the outer islands.The underground tunnel from the palace, out of the caldera to the bay was nearly three miles long and the silence of the passage seemed to press in on Ozai as he walked. When he at last reached the parapets above one of the great stone dragons that flanked the obscene monument to his father, salted wind rushed against him as though he had done it some personal wrong, twisting his robes about his legs and lashing his hair against his face. Persisting against the furious wind, he stalked to the rail and squinted against Agni's glare. From his vantage overlooking the bay, Ozai could just make out a fleet of ships with his strongest spyglass. Something that was most certainly not dread filled his gut as he watched their progress for a full minute before turning and racing back to the palace. Zuko would be in the city by sundown.

Ozai knew he had to act, he could not allow the traitors to be victorious. He was Fire Lord and he had no intention of relinquishing that title. Returned to the palace, he called the leaders of the mercenary bands he had hired and waited for them in his throne room. The impertinent mongrels should have been honored to have his patronage, hardly fit to live in his nation though they were. Instead they were flippant and crass, no doubt aware of his desperate position. This was what he had been reduced to. It had been humiliating to have been forced to hire men to patrol his city and guard his palace, promising them all the gold in his coffers. He would have them all put down once he regained control of his army. Actually paying them what he would owe would be impossible. That money, little though there was, would be needed to root out those that would still defy him in the Earth Kingdom once Zuko was dealt with.

After an unseemly amount of time they filed in, their almost jaunty swagger and utter lack of respect infuriated Ozai but they were all he had so he kept his silence. There were five of them in total, ranging from ex Fire Nation soldiers that had grown too bloodthirsty for their station to a multinational band of pirates only in it for the gold. Speaking loudly amongst themselves, the rough men did not even seem to notice him. Oh how Ozai longed to burn them all to ash where they stood. Once they were finally seated, he demanded silence and gave them their orders.

"The traitor calling himself 'prince' and his band of rebels will be here just before nightfall. I do not expect that when he arrives, the few soldiers I have left in the city will hold him. In fact it would not surprise me if they fell to their knees and offered themselves to him like the traitorous cowards their brothers have proven to be. When I kill Zuko once and for all, they will know how deserters and betrayers are dealt with in the Fire Nation. I will rely on you. Engage his forces if you want, but that is not where I want you to expend the most energy." Ozai paused dramatically, taking in their narrowed eyes and skeptical anticipation. "Burn the city. I care nothing for the foul people that would turn on me in an instant, do to them as you please but fill the air with smoke. Leave no clear path to the palace. Only fire and devastation. If my son thinks he can take my throne from me, let him rule over ash and death."

The promise of such unhindered violence seemed to please them, but they still seemed wary. One, a round man with close cropped hair and a thin beard spoke up.

"Fire Lord Ozai, this is a most tempting offer, but… there are rumors that your son has amassed quite an army. You admit yourself that you have lost control of nearly your entire military. Why should we continue to fight against him? If he is victorious and we have committed what he would consider atrocities against his people, your promised gold will be the least of our worries."

Ozai nearly stood and descended on the fool for acknowledging Zuko as his son. The reply he managed came as a furious shout.

"The traitor Zuko is no son of mine! Do not forget it again or you will share his fate!"

For a moment, they appeared suitibly chastened so he continued. "Regardless, he will come to me. His army will mean nothing when he falls in an Agni Kai. When I kill the traitorous scum, you and your men will all be greatly rewarded. Heros, great generals of the Fire Nation. Do not fear retribution. I will be victorious! Now go! Set to work at once!"

They looked at one another, as if to gauge whether or not this tempting venture was worth the risk of ending up on the losing side. It only took a moment for their basor nature to win out over their initial instinct and they left quickly.

Alone again, Ozai contemplated his next move. Zuko would come for him and then it would be easy to draw him into an Agni Kai. A one on one with the over emotional, pathetic excuse for a bender would be an easy victory. Sozin would be a problem though. For the last week Ozai had kept the baby close, installing the nurse in a small apartment connected to his bed chambers. He couldn't be sure Sozin would be safe there, but anywhere near the Agni Kai and he would be in the line of fire quite literally. It was a good thing he had a few hours to think on a suitable solution. Rising, Ozai headed for his chambers to look in on the babe. Perhaps there were a few able bodied Fire Sages available.

oOoOoOoOoOo

The sun rose too fast behind them, large and ominously red as they approached the Capital. From where he stood on the bridge of his flagship, spyglass to his good eye, Zuko scanned the bay still miles ahead. There were no ships there to speak of, only a few fishing boats heading out for the day's work. Gaze sliding up the massive stone monoliths that made up the Gates of Azulon, he fancied he could see the glint of another spyglass and imagined his father along the parapets overlooking the bay and wondered what he would feel if he saw them. Anger no doubt. A dry, humourless laugh escaped his lips at the idea of his father sitting in the throne room behind a wall of flame, waiting for him.

For his part, Zuko was calm. He had been making this journey his whole life, everything before now merely preparation for this day. Banishment, hunting the Avatar, Aang, Katara, fighting Azula. His index finger ran unconsciously along the side of his nose and under his burned eye as he reflected. Ozai had always been a bastard and as a father now himself, he understood the man even less. There was nothing from his childhood to indicate he had ever truly cared for Zuko and yet he had idolized the man even after he had destroyed half of his face. How sad that that horrifying mutilation and subsequent banishment had been the only good thing his father had ever done for him no matter his intentions. Surely if Zuko had stayed in the palace under Ozai's influence he would be as cruel and miserable as he was.

The hard clank of the door opening behind him told him he was no longer alone with his musings. Slender arms sliding around his waist and a cheek resting against his back told him it was his wife who had joined him.

"I love you Zuko." She paused, her breathing hitched. "I know we've done all we can to prepare for this but... I'm scared. The last time we were here I almost lost you and we did lose Aang."

Collapsing the spyglass and placing it on the small table beside him, he wrapped a hand around her wrist and pulled her into his chest.

"You won't lose me today Katara."

She groaned and held him tighter. "You can't possibly know that Zuko. I just have this feeling that it's all going to go horribly wrong the moment we set foot in that place. It's not that I doubt you, and we are so strong together but…" Katara looked up at him, confused anger in her eyes. "Yesterday I wasn't worried either. When I woke up this morning I just had this… this feeling of dread I can't explain."

Zuko kissed her forehead as she clung to him and watched the blood red sky begin to fade into blue over her head.

"I am positive it won't go to plan. Before Sokka left yesterday with my sister he said nothing ever does. But that doesn't matter. We're going to be ok. I know it."

Neither of them spoke again for several minutes, both of them savoring the feel of the other in their arms. Eventually, thinking about his family reminded him of something he had been wanting to discuss with his wife since the final meeting two nights ago. Thinking they could both do a distraction, he mentioned it.

"Katara, have you noticed... this sounds crazy even to me but, do you think there is anything going on between Azula and Sokka? It's just, they spend so much time together and then the way he volunteered to go with her to find Sozin and… What? Are you laughing? I know it sounds ridiculous but…"

"No… No it's not ridiculous!" Katara pulled away to wipe away tears brought on by laughter before she could go on. "You should hear Suki. When your sister tried to apologize when we all were in Omashu, she just got even more angry with her. Not that she doesn't have good reasons to not like Azula, but she just can't seem to move on like the rest of us have been trying to." Zuko felt a twinge of understanding for his sister. He knew how hard it was to win them over first hand.

"You mean like how you refused to accept me at first when I found you all in the Western Air Temple?"

Katara only looked smug. "Well, I guess it is a little like that. Anyway, she just can't understand why Sokka likes Azula so much. And they do spend a lot of time together. It's all she talks about when we're together. A couple of weeks ago when Suki wasn't around, Toph mentioned that my brother's heartbeat does weird things when he sees Azula." She laughed again. "Azula gets so red around him too. I think it's pretty obvious there is something going on there. Or at least, that there could be."

Zuko let that roll around in his head for a few moments. Sokka and Azula. If he was honest, he wasn't sure he ever pictured his sister with anyone. The only point of a political marriage was alliance and progeny and imagining pre comet Azula as a mother was horrifying. Now though, Azula seemed set on raising their infant brother herself. Zuko didn't have the relationship with Azula that Katara had with her brother and therefore didn't have the same 'protective older brother' feelings that he had. Thinking about his sister with the man he considered his best friend stirred… something.

"Do you think that would be a good idea?"

Katara looked thoughtful. "I don't see why not. They're both adults, and she has changed so much. I married you didn't I?"

Married? Surely not. Sokka was going to live at the South pole. She'd never willingly live there would she? Zuko was so caught up in this line of thinking Katara had to say his name three times before he looked up.

"Sorry, what?"

Katara was reaching for his spyglass and pointing in the direction of the Capital. Zuko squinted where she indicated. Something was wrong. Without aid,he could only see a darkening over the distant city. Katara gasped.

"What, what can you see?"

Instead of answering, she thrust the spyglass into his waiting hand. As he realized what he was looking at, the dread Katara had mentioned earlier took hold of him too. Dark tendrils of smoke rose all over the city, both from the outer villages and the caldera itself.

His father had set the Capital ablaze

A/N so I haven't started the next chapter but i have it pretty well planned out. Thanks to my fabulous beta I had this done so, hope you enjoyed it!