Thank you to everyone who reviewed this weird little fic of mine. Thank you, The Next Avatar, Kelly Riley, and Lin13. Your reviews mean so much.

This is a tale of honor, courage, and loyalty -the things that moved nations- where love falls back and the warrior codes of the time take the stage. More than one hundred years after the Fire Nation went to war against the Middle Kingdom and the other nations, and just more than two after the honorable Prince Zuko was exiled, a woman of honor -driven by honor, with honor as the promised reward- and rank searches the world over for the one thing that can restore her land to what it is meant to be.

End with Honor

2. The Art of Deception Part I

"Today is the day of destiny!" He looked so handsome today. His usually mild and open face had a light in it that was hardly ever seen otherwise. It was pride for his land, for his nation. Prince Zuko glowed today with a fire that burned deep inside him.

It made tears come to her eyes; young Ming-Na, barely eleven years old –young, beautiful, and madly in love- looked on with a wide-eyed awe. Seated in a covered pavilion off to the side of the soldiers, on an equal level with Zuko, –high up on top of a battlement- she watched as his speech gave hope to their brave warriors.

"Today we strike! at the heart of the Earth Kingdom's forces! And…" His eyes narrowed to slits as he saw in his mind's eye the total destruction of his bitter enemies' forces.

"When we strike…" his voice got quiet, so soft you could barely hear it…and then it exploded as he shouted down to the army all around him. "We will destroy them!" A loud cheer erupted from the ranks of soldiers down in the courtyard. Zuko, high atop the battlement, looked on as the warriors of his nation cheered for him. Ming-Na cheered too, part of her caught up in the moment, but most of her was just proud. Proud of her heritage, proud she ruled over these people, proud she was engaged to Zuko.

"We will break through to their hearts…and rip them out! Children of fire, warriors of our nation; today is the day we fight! And if we die…" his voice got quiet as he spoke the last sentence. "We die with honor!" He shouted. This time the cheers were loudest, screaming up to the stars and shaking the earth. This was a nation at its best. This was the Fire Nation, with no equal…

"Today…we kill!" And Zuko's voice was soft, and full of menace.

Ming-Na met him again a few hours later. It was a chance meeting in one of the halls of the palace, but one she most desired.

"How was it, Ming?" he asked enthusiastically. His voice and face were much gentler. It was always like that with him. Normally he was so kind –but do not think him a pushover, for he could be stern, and tough as nails when he wanted to be- but when he greeted the soldiers, or watched the generals file into the warlord meetings, his face hardened, all traces of youth lost. It was a look of war, the look that was upon him. At times it scared her, but today he could do no wrong.

"I loved it." She smiled at him. It was a smile she gave to him and him alone. He was always special to her--everyone saw it. Sometimes one of her handmaidens would tease her about the 'thing' she had for the young prince. Rie or Yume would laugh, while Lin would blush. And Ziyi would be the one teasing her. Those four were her best female friends, while Zuko was her best male friend.

"Yeah, I guess…" Zuko seemed to look past her then, as if seeing something far away. "But speeches don't win wars, do they Ming?"

"Zuko, that is not your concern. Not yet!"

"But it will be." Zuko's tone had a hint of bitterness in it now. Ming-Na's face softened into empathy. They both felt it: the pressure, the lectures, the tiresome duties. They were the 'Hope of the Future', after all.

And Ming-Na knew that after years of this, that hardened visage would become the truth. At least…her head knew it. In her heart, Ming-Na could never imagine Zuko any way other than he was now. He would always be that handsome young man, whether giving speeches, working with his private tutor, or talking animatedly with her after all the duties of the day were done.

But then, the scene shifted -changed and rippled like water- melted away to show to Ming-Na a Fire Nation ship, alone on the ocean. And on the deck, looking ever northward, was Zuko. Only it wasn't –couldn't- be him! His face…the left side was…scarred…burned…disfigured! And…the look of war was upon him.

Ming-Na felt a feeling of horror…of revulsion…grow upon her. She was disgusted by this thing. It couldn't be him…God, no…not him…

"Ming…?" it spoke, concerned.

No! I can't face him now! Not after he looks like that…! She turned away, hands covering her face to make sure she couldn't see him the way he was now ever again.

"Ming…?"

No!

"Ming…!"

"NO!"

"Ming-Na!" she woke with a start to find herself in a sleeping bag on a remote island, with her honor blade drawn and pointing at Aang. She could see his face reflected in the crystal surface of the blade. He had been trying to get her to wake out of her dream, judging by the fact that his arms were on her shoulders, and he had seemed to stop in mid-shake. Her dream's nature must have been obvious; yes, it was just a dream. Zuko could never look like that.

"Bad dream?" The Avatar asked her. In his eyes was a look of concern; the same look she might have seen on one of her handmaiden's, or her father's, or Zuko's faces. The past week had done nothing for her plan, except make her relations with the Avatar –she refused to call him Aang unless she had to- all the more intimate. Just the other day he had tried to talk to her about their dreams for the future. And she couldn't exactly say 'Avatar, I need to kill or capture you to win back Zuko's honor, and help the Fire Nation win the war'.

"Just memories…" she looked away from the Avatar, trying her hardest to keep up the act. Normally, she could've executed a cover-up flawlessly, but after that dream, she could only try her hardest to stop the shaking. But it was still a shock to hear his next question.

"About your time in the Fire Nation?" He looked concerned –had all along- but this time she could finally read him. And in this case it wasn't hard. In the last hundred years of war the cruelty of the Fire Nation had become legendary. It was no wonder that the Avatar had asked that one question. Still, on top of shaky nerves and the thought of losing one of the vital parts of her life, it was just too much. She broke down, -whipping her head around so they wouldn't see the tears- something she should never do. It would dishonor her entire world, and everyone in it. But to Ming-Na honor was no longer important.

What about your heritage? A voice in her mind asked, desperate to not see her lose her honor like this. Damn them to hell! A second voice shot back in fury and sadness.

You're a warrior! Pull yourself together! Voice number one.

I would've never had to be if Zuko hadn't been such a coward! Voice two, who was the current strongest.

What would Zuko think if he saw you like this!

Who cares about--She was pulled to an abrupt halt as this thought fully penetrated her mind. She did.

She did.

She did.

And it was the one thing that brought her back from the brink.

But Aang, and Katara now as well, could see her plain as day. And, being the fools that they were, they wanted to help her. Understand her…Like they ever would! They knew nothing about what she had to go through every day. It was just fun and games for them! A little road trip to the North Pole; that was their great quest. These people had no idea what she had to go through.

"Are you alright, Ming-Na?" Katara asked sympathetically.

Without turning her head, Ming-Na answered Katara's question with one of her own. Hopefully the fools would follow the lead she was about to give them.

"Do you know of the battle of Nageshika?" She asked. Katara, if any, should. But she needed to keep up the fast-fading act, and so without waiting for an answer she continued on. "A Fire Nation army of two thousand faced an Earth Kingdom Citadel where their strongest warriors –maybe two hundred fierce Earthbenders- were housed. It should have been an easy victory for the Fire Nation…right?"

"I remember reading about that." Katara said. "The Fire Nation army was slaughtered down to the last man. But…what does that have to--Oh, Ming-Na, I'm so sorry. Who did you lose?"

"Who didn't I lose." She smiled ruefully--a fake, of course. But her next words were true, and all the more fitting for it. "I lost everything that day." Her father, who had planned the attack, was shamed, and had had his hair cut--a sign of dishonor for high warriors. Her mother had divorced him from her family entirely. Zuko had gone into his room and hadn't come out for two months; when he did come out he had lost a lot of his youthful tendencies; the part Ming-Na loved maybe the most. He was able to always make her smile after a hard day's work. But not after that day. And he never called her Ming again. It was always Mingeline, which was what her damn mother called her.

"But it was just a dream. Let's go now." She said, and picked up her packs. It would not do to become weak now.

In the markets of the Earth Kingdom capital, a wayward prince was lost. Wei-Fei Li had had no intention to wind up far from his guard, but somehow the massive crowd had gotten them separated. Which was a good thing, because he hated having a personal guard with a passion. He was able to take down twelve Fire Nation warriors with one attack, yet couldn't leave his home without ten of his own men to baby-sit him? Just three years ago, he and two hundred of his strongest warriors had defeated two thousand Fire Nation troops. And he needed to be protected in his own capital!

But now that he had lost them, he could finally have some fun. And that meant girls… But where do you find girls? As his mind searched for possible hang-out spots for hot young girls, he searched the crowds for possible girlfriends. And stopped on a promising group of two. One was just a bit too young for him, –thirteen at most- but the other was most promising. They had their backs to him, so all he could see was their hair, one's brown and intricately braided, the other's black and unbound- and their forms. Yes, the ebony-haired one was most promising. She had an air of confidence and control that attracted Wei-Fei to her. But something struck him as rather forbidding. But he was quite the charmer, so he ignored it and walked up to her.

"Excuse me milady, but you seem to be new here. Would you like me to give you the grand tour?" He asked, resting his hand on her shoulder, and leaning close to her. Girls just loved this.

"How dare you try to pick me up." She said, her voice full of venom. She spun around to reveal a face he knew well. Standing there, dagger drawn, looking as deadly as a cobra, was Ming-Na.

"Mi-Ming…Na?" Wei-Fei asked, shocked. "What in all the nine hells are you doing here?"

To be continued…