Leiko didn't bother to struggle against the chains that held her captive. Why bother to fight her fate anymore? The chains clanked together and made a clatter, making her head throb. Her wound was a healing pretty good, yet against her will. Her neck ached from hanging so much, and lifting it was just a hassle. Inches had melted from her body from lack of food over the past week. She had no hope and no desire to fight for her freedom anymore.
The ship set ground a week after capturing her. The chains were removed from the walls and she was cuffed roughly. Then they wrapped her hands up to prohibit her from firebending. Then they practically dragged her off the ship by her elbows as the captain lead the way through a crowd of people. Leiko felt shame flow through her as she bowed her head and walked through the people, listening to them hiss at her and shout unkind things. It was stuffy from all the frazzled bodies around her. She felt people spitting at her and the wetness hit her. The uproar didn't end until they reached the palace and many guards walked her in. Up she went to the Fire Lord himself.
She glared up at him, refusing to let him strike fear into her veins. A guard pushed her to her knees with his foot and she fell down. She turned her glare up to the guard who had footed her and then back at the Fire Lord. "Your highness, this traitor has been accused with murder or several men, being a conspirator, running away and the death of your daughter, Princess Zula." Leiko growled. Her actions sounded five times worse from the mouth of a firebending guard. Everything she had done was for her own safety. The Fire Lord looked down upon Leiko.
In the exchange of looks there was a glimmer in Leiko's eyes, telling him that she was not afraid. Fire Lord Ozai balled his fists when he saw this. "You have killed many of our own men, including my beloved daughter. Nothing more will please me than to see you hung from the highest post." And he turned to the guards. "Take her away and lock her in the dungeon! She swings in tomorrow days!" Leiko's eye grew big. She would be hung in front of the whole nation. Everyone would see her body go limp as her ghost slipped away. A dishonor she dreaded the most. "It's a shame my son won't be here for the event." The guards lifted Leiko back to her feet and pulled her out of the room.
She was placed in a dark room in the tower, shackled again by her wrists and feet. She growl ferociously at the guards as they made the shackles tighter and left. "Cowards!" she shouted out at them as they closed the door. "Damn bloody cowards!" and she pulled against the chains, "I hope you all die and burn in the depths of hell!" and she stopped struggling and bowed her head. She had only so much energy and rebellion left in her and she was saving it for one person in particular. And as if it were magic, that one person walked in.
The heavy metal door opened and closed behind him and his footsteps echoes as he approached Leiko. Leiko felt rage surging through her body and scowled with her nose turned up in disgust. "Son of a btch!" she grumbled.
"Really Leiko, after all this time is this how you greet your own father?" Zhao said and he stepped in front of her. "I was hoping to get a warm welcome."
"I save those for people who deserve it." She said and she spit down on his shoe. He looked down at it and shook his head calmly.
"Leiko…Leiko," and then he back handed her so hard it made a loud echo in the room! She turned back to him and bared her teeth like an animal. "Behave yourself. You're under my control until you die."
"I'd rather die than be correlated with the likes of you." She said.
"No problem. Your wish will be granted." Leiko went silent, "Ha! For once there's nothing coming out of your boorish mouth!"
"How about fck you?" Leiko replied. Zhao glared.
"You know, despite the fact that I am your father, I am looking forward to seeing you swing from the gallows tomorrow."
"Bring it on." Leiko said while baring her teeth. Zhao just smiled and exited the room. Leiko wanted nothing more than to break free and go after him. How dare he come in and laugh in her face! It was because he was a coward! He would be too afraid to do it any other time of course. The thought of Zuko came to her mind and she calmed. "I can't believe he didn't trust me." She spoke to herself. "After all we'd been through, he didn't believe me." And she bowed her head, knowing he probably didn't even care that she was about to die.
Meanwhile, Prince Zuko was on his ship, lying on his bed. He was utterly confused and in an uncomforting state no matter what. He thought about or did. He was going insane. His little sister was murdered, and at the hands of the one girl he loved. Why did things have to be that way? He turned and looked at Tila who had been sticking around him now that Leiko was gone. "I don't know what to do, Tila." He spoke to the bird. This was something he would have never done before. He thought that all birds were stupid. But this was Tila, which made an exception. "Leiko is probably dead right now." Tila chirped, as if telling him not to speak that way. "You saw her wound. Almost nobody could survive that, and if that didn't kill her than the royal guards certainly did. There's no hope. Why would I even think about going out after her?" Tila chirped again and flew out of the room. Zuko shrugged it off. It was just a typical bird to him, and birds were dumb. But Tila flew back in a few moments later, carrying Leiko's diary in her talons. "What's this?" Zuko asked the bird as he sat up. Tila dropped it on the bed and took a spot on Zuko's shoulder. "It's her diary." He spoke. Tila chirped again and looked at him. Out of curiosity, Zuko opened it
He began to read the first page, and then the second and then the third. And he stayed up all night reading that diary, and from that book he learned so many new things. He knew Leiko's life had been a sad one, but hearing it from her point of view was depressing. Had she really felt that way everyday of her life? And the only thing that seemed to make her life worth while…was him. He went into the night, reading it down to the very last page. By the time he was finished the sun was coming up and there were tears in his eyes. She had expressed her love for him a few times, and it seemed so passionate and so strong. It seemed to be the same way he felt about her.
"What have I done?" he spoke to Tila. "I let the love of my life go." And then tears escaped his eyes. "She's probably dead and it's all my fault!" and then he threw the book across the room in frustration! Not knowing what to do to get rid of his frustration, he simple laid down and went to sleep. He'd figure out something to do when he woke up. He kept trying to tell himself that maybe it wasn't too late, maybe she was still alive. She was incredibly strong for a girl, and she had the will power to do anything. There was a possibility right?
When he fell asleep he had a dream. He was sitting at the throne of the palace in the fire nation. And next to him sat Leiko. She had a tiara on her head and a smile on her face. He looked straight ahead and looked on to see four children playing in the room in front of them. They were all so young, and they were giggling and laughing together. They were their children, their beautiful babies. And Zuko was proud. Was that his fate? Did he and Leiko really have a future? He wanted to know more than anything. He awoke and found himself gripping the sheets, wishing that Leiko was next to him, safe and sound. But no, she was in danger, and maybe mortal danger. He sighed and wiped a tear away from his eye and looked at the ceiling of his room. Then he reached under his bed and pulled out the familiar blue and white mask. He stared at it for the longest time. He remembered the risk he had taken to save the avatar. He remembered how he almost lost his life. He remembered how much he loved Leiko…and he got out of bed and walked out of his room. He marched right up to the tower of the ship and called to the helmsman. "Set course for the Fire Nation!"
The day had come. Leiko was awake all night, praying for forgiveness for all of her sins and cleansing her soul as she waited. Dawn came, and the rays of the sun shone over the mountain barrier, dancing over the land and illuminating only so much. The dew didn't rest on the cool metal of ships and other fixations as if they were scared of the very day that was dawning. But Leiko was very much unafraid. She'd accept her fate with her head held high, and she anticipated the release from such cruelty that the world harbored.
The guards came in and looked at her with what seemed to be remorse in their eyes, but it couldn't be true. They unchained her from the two stakes and the pedestal. She didn't make a run nor flinch as the clanking continued. Then they pulled her by her elbows from the room and down the hallway. And as she went with them other guards looked on from standing against the walls. No doubt by command of the Fire Lord, to watch her in case she tried to escape. She probably could have if she wanted, but there was no desire in her. She was taken out of the palace and walked with the two guards on the dirt. As she went other people watched, forming a hallway of witnesses she paraded down. Each person whispered something to another and snorted at her. They all hated her, and were counting down the minutes until she was dead. Though they didn't have to count much…it wouldn't be long now.
Her heart skipped when she saw the gallows in front of her. She stopped and looked at the wooden platform and the rope hanging from a post. It was her rope, the rope of her death. The guards tugged her along quickly, and her feet hit the steps. She looked at the steps, wishing that more could magically form and stall. But they grew short, like her breath, and soon she was on the platform. There was a large man standing there with a black mask on and a knife in his pocket. He positioned her next to a square hole in the wood and took the rope. Her heart raced more as he put it around her neck and then hastily tightened it! It gripped her neck and she felt like squeaking out a sound, or Zuko's name, but she held her breath.
Another man walked up in front of her and took out a scroll. He opened it and began to read it. "We are gathered to witness the hanging of Leiko, daughter of Admiral Zhao."
"Leiko Sikari!" she spat out at the man! But she received a hit to the back of her head from the burly man as soon as it came out.
"Leiko, today you will be hanged by the neck until death in front of all commoners as your punishment for…killing the slaughter of 16 men, the murder of the Fire Lord's daughter Princess Zula and being a conspirator. Let it be known that on this day, justice has been restored by your death." And he closed the scroll and stepped back. The big burly man stepped forward behind Leiko and placed his hands on her, getting ready to push her over the edge and send the rope snapping straight.
She looked down as her heart raced! The ground was so many feet below, and she could feel where her neck would break! She thought she was going to get sick as she felt herself going over the edge! NO! NOT YET! She heard echoes her head of terrible laughter! The people were laughing, little kids and all! They all wanted to see her swing! Even her father who was standing in front with an evil grin across his face! But the echoes were interrupted by someone calling out…
"STOP!" she heard! She was pulled back and she looked up. Someone was pushing through the crowds of people, trying to get to her.
"Zuko?" she said hopefully with a small smile coming to her face. But it wasn't Zuko. From the crowd, Kilix's face emerged and he held out his hand to her. What was he doing there?
"Release her!" he yelled up to the men on the platform.
"What do you want, Kilix?" a man asked.
"I offer Leiko life and freedom!" he replied.
"You're kidding, right?" Leiko spoke up and the burly man shook her, telling her to hush. She didn't want to be saved by this pompous!
"Leiko, I will have them spare you, and you will live and prosper. But only under one condition!" Kilix yelled.
"State your mind." Zhao said.
"Leiko goes free, but only if she agrees…to marry me."
"WHAT!" Leiko barked, and was shaken again. "Bastard!" she muttered to the executioner. Zhao scratched his beard and thought.
"She will live with me in my quarters and she will not be allowed to go out in public without a leash and guards."
"She must be cuffed at all times." Zhao commanded.
"Agreed." Kilix said after some time.
"Done. She's yours." Zhao finished. The executioner removed the rope from around Leiko's neck and threw her down the hole! She landed on her feet and then fell to her stomach.
What had just happened? Kilix came out of nowhere and offers Leiko freedom? But it was nothing close to freedom! Cuffs and guards all the time? And a leash? She wouldn't stand for it! What kind of way was that to live? And she wanted nothing to do with Kilix. She would never agree to any of that.
She looked up and saw Kilix and Zhao standing in front of her. Kilix grabbed her elbow and pulled her up. Zhao grinned as he bent down in her face. "Congratulations." He said. Leiko spit in his face and Zhao stepped back and wiped off his nose.
"I will NEVER be your bride!" Leiko barked at Kilix.
"It's too late." He said, "A deal's a deal. You're my wife to be now." Leiko growled and grit her teeth.
"You have no choice." Zhao said. And he took a whip from a man next to him and handed it to Kilix. Kilix took it and looked at Leiko. "If she doesn't do as you order, feel free to use that." Kilix just nodded.
"Set up the wedding. I want to be wed by next week." Kilix said to a man next to him. The man nodded and bowed, and then took off.
"You monster." Leiko grumbled. "I hate you."
"That's no way to speak to your love." Kilix said.
"You're not my love." Leiko replied.
And in her head she went back and remembered everything from her adventure. She loved Zuko. She remembered first going on the ship with him and the battle she fought with him by her side. She remembered their magical moments and the glisten of his eyes. The scar on his face, his amber colored eyes, his black hair, the sound of his voice…he was the one who she loved. Kilix was going to try and foreign her heart, but there was no way he would win.