Wow! over 400 hits! Thanks to everyone who reads, and a spiecal thanks to those who review.
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. Nickelodeon does.
WARNING: Character death by kinfe.
Everything was a blur to Rie. All she knew was that Zuko was in the water, and Rie couldn't swim. Thinking fast, Rie called to Katara.
"Bend the water and get Prince Zuko outta there! He's too groggy to swim! He'll die!" Seeing Katara's face, Rie added, "I know that if he dies, then he'll leave Aang alone. But if he dies, there is no way Aang will win the war!" That kicked Katara into gear and she bended the water up onto the deck, bringing up Zuko's limp body.
Instantly, Rie's first aid training kicked in. "Katara, bend the excess water out of him. General, we're going to need blankets, and several cups of strong tea. Really strong tea." Rie turned back to Zuko's body. Katara was bending the water out of him, and it appeared as if life was coming back to the prince's face. Coughing, Zuko sat up.
"What happened?"
Rie sighed and sat back on her heels. "You took ten years off of my life, that's what. You fell in when the stupid elephant koi rammed us." Pausing, Rie added, "This is not turning out to be a very good winter for you, is it, Prince Zuko?" Zuko shook his head and laid back.
"I'm tired."
"And you should be," Iroh said, returning with the blankets and tea. "Being thrust into icy waters after a night like last night would drain anyone of their energy." Iroh handed Zuko the blankets and everyone a cup of tea. "It would be best if you laid down for the rest of the day." Zuko nodded and got up, almost instantly losing his balance. Quickly regaining it, he went of to his and Katara's cabin and shut the door.
Rie sipped her tea, and almost immediately gagged. "Ginseng. Yuk. Didn't you bring any plain lemon tea? Heck, jasmine would be better." Iced tea would have been good, but I don't think they've discovered that yet, Rie thought.
Iroh shook his head. "I only brought ginseng. It was the only type that was on the main ship." Iroh grinned. "And my favorite."
Suddenly, Katara yawned. "Excuse me!" she said. "I'm beat. I think I'll go take a nap." Katara got up off the deck and went to the cabin.
Iroh looked at Rie, who had crossed her fingers. "What?" asked Rie, who had noticed.
"How long do you think it's going to take?"
"For what?" Rie asked innocently. Seeing Iroh's look, she added, "Dunno. I'm wonderin' how long it going for them to admit it." She gave Iroh a look and they both cracked up.
The next day dawned overcast. "Is it ever sunny in these waters for more than a day or two?" Zuko complained. "Clouds make me melancholy."
Katara, who was standing next to him, laughed. "What? You mean you aren't always?" Zuko was about to reply with a smart comment when something in the distance caught his eye.
"No."
"What?" Katara asked, following the prince's gaze. Seeing the ship in the distance, Katara muttered, "That wouldn't be Zula's ship, would it?"
Zuko shook his head. "That's Admiral Zhao's ship."
At Zhao's name, Rie, who had been walking by, rushed over. "Zhao? I thought that idiot was taken by the Ocean Spirit back at the North Pole."
"So did I. I saw him go," Zuko replied. "How did he escape?"
Suddenly, Rie saw a flash of light, an image of Zhao fighting some spirit, and then returning to the surface world and regaining his ship. "Impossible. General Iroh!" Rie called, turning to look for the retired officer.
"Yes?"
"What spirit looks like a maiden in all black and is really powerful?"
"Death," Iroh replied almost instantly. "Why?"
Rie pointed at the ship. "Because Zhao beat her and is back from the dead."
Iroh looked over the railing. "No, that's impossible! Death cannot be beaten!"
"Well, either Zhao has a twin, or he beat her," Katara said. Turning to Iroh and Rie, she cried, "What are we going to do? We have ten people on our ship and he has who knows how many!"
"Twenty," Rie said. "He has twenty. The rest were terrified of him and ran."
"We're outnumbered two to one," Zuko remarked. "We'll lose."
"We may be outnumbered," Iroh admitted, "but I do not think we are outmatched."
"You just love to say that, don't you?" Rie said, turning to him.
Then, all hell broke lose as Zhao's ship sent a catapulted fireball over.
Everyone ducked as Katara used water to cool it and send it back. "Dammit!" Rie muttered. "All of this will attract Zula's attention to us!" she yelled to Iroh.
"Let's hope she thinks Zhao is mistaken," Iroh called back, blasting another fireball as it zoomed overhead.
Minutes later, Zhao's ship was nearing theirs. Once close enough, two of Zhao's crew dropped a wooden plank to connect the two ships and allow the admiral to board the mini-ship. Before Zhao had even crossed halfway, Iroh blasted at him. Zhao merely broke the blast and continued. Smirking, Zhao said, "Trying to blast me, General Iroh? I'm afraid that won't work anymore. You see, I beat Death, making me invincible."
"Yeah, from all except lemurs," Rie called out. Zhao turned to her.
"I don't know who you are, but you will regret that last statement."
"If you mean I have a big mouth and it's gonna get me in trouble, it has on several occasions and I frankly could care less," Rie replied. "And beating Death won't make you invincible. If anything it's going to make her more anxious to get her hands on your worthless hide." Rie could tell that she had ticked Zhao off big time. Suddenly, the admiral was hit with a single water whip. Turning, Zhao spotted Katara.
"The Avatar's traveling companion?" Zhao looked at Zuko. "You've been lucky this far, Prince Zuko," he sneered, "but your luck has just run out." At Zhao's signal, twenty crew members invaded the ship.
Rie's crew members were the first down, as was the doctor. Zhao's crew tied them to the mast. When the four invader's backs were turned, Rie punched them several times in the shoulder blades, paralyzing their arms. As they turned to face her, she kicked all four in the head, knocking them out. "Four down, sixteen to go," she muttered. The unconscious body of another invader flew past her.
"Fifteen to go," Katara called out. Rie shook her head and blasted one as it attempted to knife her.
"Idiot. A blind man could have seen that," Rie commented, looking at the charred man.
Meanwhile, Iroh and Zuko were back to back, blasting every invader in range. "Not bad, Prince Zuko," Iroh remarked. "Remembering your basics, I see."
"Don't talk to me, Uncle," Zuko said through gritted teeth. "I'm trying to concentrate." Iroh nodded and blasted a soldier.
"Whatever you say, Prince Zuko."
Though they fought bravely, Rie and her comrades were eventually overtaken and tied up. Zhao paced the deck of the mini-ship, stopping at Iroh first.
"The great General Iroh, a traitor, according to your brother. Lord Ozai will be pleased when I deliver you to him." Zhao turned to Rie.
"I'm sure the Fire Lord will have many questions for you, young Seer." Rie didn't bother asking how he knew about the whole vision thing; she merely stepped on his foot. Zhao grimaced. "But I will see that you are soundly punished for your disrespect."
"Go suck an egg, Zhao," Rie retorted. "You're not worthy of any respect." Zhao ignored the comment and moved on to Zuko.
"The Blue Spirit, a criminal. Wanted for freeing the Avatar when I had him at my mercy. A traitor to the Fire Nation. You will be hanged for treason."
Rie could see Katara from her position. Aang had never told Katara or Sokka about what had happened after the storm, when he had to get the frozen frogs. Katara's face was a picture of confusion. She's wondering if Zuko did it out of kindness or so he could capture Aang, Rie concluded.
The look on Zuko's face when Zhao announced what the sentence was for treason was one of a man who had no regrets, but was terrified. "I freed the Avatar because I'd have rather spent my life chasing him than to allow you to deliver him to my father," Zuko replied. Something caught Rie's eye. Indiscreetly looking down, she saw that Zuko was attempting to burn through his bonds.
"No matter. You're still a criminal and a traitor." As Zhao turned to leave, Rie saw Katara's expression change from one of confusion to one of determination.
"You're the traitor, Zhao," she cried. "You tried to destroy the Moon!"
Zhao turned to face Katara with an evil glint in his eyes. "Ah, yes, the little Waterbender. I had nearly forgotten about you."
"Shoulda kept your mouth shut, Katara," Rie muttered. Iroh glanced at Rie and she could tell he silently agreed.
"Quiet!" Zhao barked. Turning his attention back to Katara, Zhao continued, "You know, I've been looking for a personal servant. I think you'll do nicely."
Rie could tell by the looks on Iroh, Zuko, and Katara's face that the title "personal servant" meant more than the name implied. And Rie had a sneaking suspicion what it really meant.
Katara's face was terrified. "Never."
"Oh, I don't think you have much of a choice," Zhao said. As Zhao turned to one of his crew, Rie noticed that Zuko had burned completely through his bonds and was steaming mad. Literally.
"Don't do anything stupid, Zuko," Rie whispered as she began to burn through her bonds. "We don't want a dead prince on our hands."
But Zuko wasn't listening. He was too busy punching one of the invaders out cold. Zhao spun around to face the furious prince, blasting as he did so. Zuko dodged out of the way and the blast missed its intended target. Instead, it hit Rie's bonds and burned them through, who instantly burned Iroh and Katara's bonds. As soon as she was freed, Katara fell in a faint. Iroh sent a huge blast at one of the seven remaining crew members, as did Rie.
Zhao realized he was losing, so he grabbed Katara's limp form. Just as Zuko was about to blast him, Zhao cried out, "One blast, Prince Zuko, and the Waterbender dies." He lit a flame and held it to Katara's hair. Zuko let his blast fizzle out.
Rie and Iroh had finished with the invading crew. Rolling the last carcass overboard, the two turned to see what Zuko was doing to Zhao. Zuko was saying, "You kill her, I kill you."
"They're at an en passé," Rie muttered.
"What?"
"A stalemate. If Zhao harms Katara, Zuko kills him. If Zuko hurts Zhao, Zhao kills Katara. The only way to stop this would be for Zuko to kill Zhao quickly and snatch Katara away in case Zhao has one more trick up his sleeve."
"But fire is a slow killer," Iroh pointed out. Rie looked around on the deck. Spotting something, she smiled.
"That's not."
Zhao smirked at Zuko. "Even if you attempted to kill me, you'd find that I'd just beat death and return to my body, Prince Zuko. There is no way you can win."
"What if you don't have a body?" Rie called out. Both Zuko and Zhao turned to face her. In her hand was the knife that had been meant for her. "Zuko, catch!" She tossed the knife.
Both Zuko and Zhao temporarily forgot about Katara. Dropping her, Zhao made for the knife, but Zuko was faster. Grabbing the hilt, he aimed for Zhao.
Rie looked away, unable to bear it. She heard Zhao gasp out, "You got me, Prince Zuko. But I got the girl." Rie turned around.
Using his last bit of strength, Zhao blasted at Katara. Rie heard Zuko yell something incomprehensible and make a dash for Katara. He reached her before the blast and pulled her out of the way just in time. Zhao's face was a mask of fury, but the effort it took to shoot at Katara killed him. He gasped, then died.
Rie pushed Zhao's body over the side of the ship while Iroh untied Zhi and the crew. They were a bit battered and bruised, but were otherwise fine. It was Rie and Iroh who had gotten the worse beating. Rie's robes were bloodstained and scorched, with singe holes all over it. Iroh's clothing was in as bad a shape. Zuko's armor shone with blood and Katara had a few scorch marks on her clothes and burn marks on her face and arms. She was still out cold.
Zuko had shed his heavy armor and was trying to wake Katara up. "The shock of what Zhao told her must have terrified her so much that her body shut down," Doctor Zhi remarked, looking her over.
"No surprise," Iroh said. "I'm amazed she was able to hold out until Madam Rie was able to untie her."
Rie, who had gone to fetch a bowl of water, shrugged. "I'm amazed I was able to untie her. If Zuko hadn't dodged Zhao, I'd still be tied up." Rie looked at the prince. "That was a very noble thing you did, Prince Zuko. A little foolish, but noble."
Zuko was about to thank Rie when Katara woke up. "What happened?"
"Zuko killed Zhao after you passed out. You owe your life to the prince. If it hadn't been for him, you wouldn't be here right now," the doctor said, handing Katara the water. Katara bended the water onto her face. Turning to Prince Zuko, she smiled.
"Thank you."