Zuko opened his eyes to the feeling of an earthquake. He sat up, seeing Denji and Ryu staring at him and looking a little pale.
"Earthquake," said Denji. "Good to see you awake, Fire Lord."
"We need to get out of here," said Zuko. "The volcano spirit is offended that its temple is being used as a prison. We either leave now, or it will remove us."
They stared at Zuko, but didn't move.
The ground shook again, and the temple door cracked.
"Whatever you say, Fire Lord," said Denji. They scrambled to their feet. Ryu grabbed Zuko's arm, as Denji tried the door, then pulled harder, swearing.
"Get out of the way," said Ryu, letting go of Zuko. Denji moved, and Ryu kicked the door. The crack lengthened, Ryu kicked it again, and the door broke in two. Denji grabbed the smaller piece, hauling it this way and that until it came loose and they could squeeze through.
It wasn't too bad for Zuko, but Ryu's shoulders got stuck. Freeing him left giant scrapes across his armour.
Once free, they ran along the empty lava tube. Well, the almost-empty lava tube. Cracks in the walls leaked drops of yellow lava and, in one case, a small trickle.
"This is bad," said Denji, panting slightly, eyes darting between cracks as he ran.
"How do we get out?" Zuko stumbled over a loose rock, but caught himself before he could fall. "Can you make a boat? I can't!"
"Different route, no boat required," said Ryu. "Hang on. You'll be fine."
They turned into a smaller tube which began to slope slightly upwards. Soon it got steeper, and running got so much harder. The ground shook, and Zuko fell against Ryu, nearly knocking him off his feet as well.
Zuko had a stitch in his side – he was so out of shape. Now the tunnel was steeper still, and steps were cut into the basalt in places.
The ground shook again, and this time Zuko wasn't the only one to fall. Denji cursed as he got up, dripping blood from his hand. The sound of falling rocks came from behind them. They ran. "It's going to kill us all!" cried Denji. "Call it off!"
"I don't think – I can," gasped Zuko. "It doesn't – want us dead – just keep going." Whether Huang realized how squishy humans were was more the question. If he got out of this alive, he was going to have words – well, images - with Huang about that.
"Agni," said Denji. "How far?"
"Soon," said Ryu. "I think."
Mai helped Ty Lee push the laundry trolley down the servant's tunnels towards the royal stables and palanquin garage. It squeaked and juddered occasionally, and Mai hoped Qin felt every bump. Thus far, the only trouble they'd run into was one time the guards had almost caught them. Hopefully Sei would get back soon with Masanori. The trolley wheel squeaked again. It was off-key. Mai grimaced, and kept pushing.
They reached the royal stables. Unfortunately, it was locked. And neither of them had a key. Well... Mai looked around. Nobody in sight. "Warn me if anyone comes," she told Ty Lee. She took out a slim knife, and began to pick the lock. It wasn't a terribly complex lock, but the first try failed. Mai gritted her teeth and tried again. She did NOT want to explain picking a lock and a laundry hamper full of chi blocked and gagged regent!
"Footsteps," said Ty Lee. Mai slid the knife back into her sleeve and straightened back up. The footsteps receded. She went back to work.
The lock clicked. They pushed the hamper inside, and closed, but didn't lock, the door.
There was no one inside, and it was very dark. Ty Lee went to work with her spark rocks and an unlit lamp while Mai looked for the main royal palanquin.
The lamp began to glow, and Ty Lee came up behind her. "This is so much fun!" whispered Ty Lee. "I can't believe we're kidnapping him in the royal palanquin through the front gate. It's just like a play."
Mai smiled. Sometimes the biggest lie was the one that got believed. Zuko was going to love this – assuming they actually managed to get him back.
"Over here," said Ty Lee. And there was the palanquin, all ready to go – assuming their help arrived.
They went back to the trolley and pushed it over.
The door creaked a little as the knob was turned. Mai spun, knives falling into her hands, just in time to see Sei poking her head through. Mai relaxed.
Sei was followed by a man in a servant's uniform, whom she introduced as Masanori. Now they had four people and could carry the palanquin.
They dumped Qin into the palanquin. He looked a bit ridiculous in his nightclothes. "Ty Lee, we need him to stay quiet and still," said Mai.
Ty Lee leaned over him, "Another poke shouldn't do him any harm." She administered a couple more jabs and examined the gag.
Then the palanquin was on their shoulders, and after a little jostling and a whispered argument about how to level it out, they were off.
No one really looks at servants. The gate guards just bowed, and waved them through without question. Hmm. Mai should really get someone to fix that... later. Then it was down the street and off to the Fire Temple.
Palanquins were heavier than they looked. Mai was glad she didn't do this every day.
The Acolyte at the Fire Temple door was very confused. Mai put him out of his misery. "I am lady Mai and this is Ty Lee. We have the Regent with us, and an urgent need to see the High Sage."
"At two in the morning?" asked the Acolyte. "The High Sage is likely to be a while." He frowned. "And why are you wearing a servants' uniform?"
"We kidnapped the Regent so he can tell all of us where Zuko is!" said Ty Lee.
Well, that was one way to save time and questions. "Yes," said Mai, opening the palanquin curtains and letting the acolyte look inside. "You need to get the High Sage right now so this is his problem, and not yours."
"Right..." the acolyte hesitated.
"You wake High Sage Kenji, I'll get them inside," said the older Sage.
They settled in the waiting room, leaning Qin against Masanori. The regent glared silently over his gag.
"Do you think he'll be able to talk yet?" asked Mai.
"Probably," said Ty Lee.
High Sage Kenji entered then, slightly dishevelled but wide awake. His eyes flicked from Qin to Masanori, then settled on Mai. "Why have you done this?" he said. "Take him into the next room," he gestured to Qin. "See that he isn't harmed, and ungag him."
"It is far too late for that," said Mai, as Masashi undid Qin's gag.
"For you," said Kenji. "Why should I commit treason?"
Mai reached into her sleeves, and started leafing through the papers.
Qin cleared his mouth. "Let me go," said Qin. "Let me go, and I will forget your very questionable actions tonight, Kenji."
Aha, found it.
"For how long?" said Masanori. "He's not going to forget we took you here. He already hates you. Even if he wins and gets fully seated in power, he'll remove you. And we can win this."
"This is why," said Mai, and stood up, handing the paper to Kenji.
He took it, and scanned it. His face darkened. "Where did you find this?"
"In Qin's office earlier tonight," said Mai.
The High Sage looked from Mai to Qin and back again and sighed deeply. Then to the other Sage. "In the absence of the Fire Lord, and given the apparent High Treason of the Regent, I am calling an emergency meeting of both the War and Civil Councils, effective immediately."
