Zuko had stopped to look at some pets for sale, but was thinking about the battle ahead when he noticed a change in the attitude of the crowd. The mood went from jolly to confusion. Everyone seemed to be moving in the direction Kyna and the children had gone. He looked up to see what was happening when he noticed Kyna running towards him, trying to get through the surge of people.

"PRINCE!" She yelled. "Zuko! Your uncle…they have him…traitor!"

She didn't need to say anymore. Before she could turn around to run the other way, he had flown past her, his own fear driving his feet.

By the time Lorcan had drug Jarlath, Bree, and Ronan through the crowd, the soldiers had already made a make-shift executioners station. The punishment for being a traitor was to be hung by the neck until dead. As a soldier was rapping a rope into a noose, the kids ran up to Iroh and hugged him.

"Hey, you brats! Get out of here!" Iroh's guard yelled. He tried to pull them off, but they both started to scream.

"No, Bree…Ronan…"Iroh shouted. Lorcan and Jarlath jumped the guard who immediately let go of the kids. But there were more soldiers around, and were able to tie their wrists behind their backs. Again, the soldiers tried to pull the kids off Iroh.

"LEAVE THEM BE!"

Silence fell over the crowd, and the soldiers stopped moving as Zuko entered the circle. Ronan kicked the soldier that had him and ran back into Iroh's roped arms.

"What is going on here? What you soldiers are doing is against the law!"

The Crier came forward. "With all due respect, sire, I have orders right here…"

Zuko snatched them from the man. His face turned pale as he read.

"As you can see, Prince, I have orders here from the Fire Lord that his brother is leading a rebellion…one that would enter the city today. And I am supposed to take measures to rid him quickly. Our laws state…"

"He is the Fire Lord's brother! He is a noble!"

The Crier didn't blink as Zuko shouted in his face. "I am aware, Prince, but his is not above our laws. He is to be executed at once."

Zuko threw the scroll back at the Crier. "I am the Price of the Fire Nation. I order you all to step down immediately and let General Iroh go."

The Criercontinued tonot show fear. "Again…I apologize, sire, but the Fire Lord has overwritten your say. You have no power here. Now please…step aside and take the younglings with you."

Unable to believe what he was hearing, Zuko made to advance on the man. "This is impossible!" The Crier did not back down. Instead, three soldiers surrounded him. He cleared his throat and said again, louder, "Please…step aside, Prince. Before I am obligated to take measuresagainst you as well."

"Zuko," Iroh spoke softly. "Zuko, there is nothing you can do here. Live today to fight for tomorrow."

Zuko turned to his uncle with sudden tears in his eyes. "No," he gulped. He did not want to show the crowd his fears. If he lost his uncle- his beloved friend, mentor, father figure- his rock, he did not think he could carry on. "No, Uncle, I will not allow this to happen. I am the Prince!" He realized how pathetic he sounded.

The Crier cleared his throat again. "Sire, I must insist you step aside…now."

"We have to do something! Sokka…we have to!" Aang was beside himself with rage. In the few hours he'd spent with the old man he had grown to respect him and even like him.

"But what? If we fly down there to get him, we'll get captured! There are tons of people down there. We'd have to be able to fly down and vanish instantly."

"We have to try!"

Sokka turned to watch the crowd…thinking.