A/N. I hope those who celebrate Thanksgiving had a wonderful day!

I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.

"Ah, there you are!" On Ji heard her father speak as they arrived back to her home. It was early evening, and they had spent the whole afternoon walking around town, observing the walls, to see which part was the best to try their nighttime escape.

The Fire Nation girl had some reservations about Sapphire. She didn't know her that well, having spent most of the time her group was in town with Kuzon. But she seemed… Nice. A good person, even if the stress about the situation made her abrupt and brutally honest. However, it seemed that Sapphire didn't trust her completely, because each time she had asked a question that sounded just a bit personal, the young woman had shut all attempts down, preferring to give a reply that didn't answer the asked question.

On Ji knew what Shoji would say. Don't trust the weird outsider, she can be a spy for the governor, checking on you to see if you are a good match for his son. She just appeared from thin air, giving you a solution to all your problems! This can't be good!

He would be right, of course. Sapphire had agreed a little too eagerly to help her, and had not been afraid to go and order the soldiers to open the gate. Sure, they had not done that, but it showed that the rules apparently didn't apply to her.

First rule of her hometown: Don't order those who are above you. And there was a clear social hierarchy in place… The governor, his family. Then, the soldiers under his command. And only after that, came the townspeople. On Ji supposed that she was fortunate, because her father was actually one of the richer people in the city, but people like Shoji's family were the lowest class. Those who didn't even have a say in how the town was run.

"Here we are. Sapphire didn't get the permission…" They hadn't asked for one to be honest, but the girl had said that it was better to get out of the town without attracting too much attention. It had seemed weird to On Ji, because why wouldn't she get a pass? You just had to explain why you needed to leave the town…

Sure, curfew was strengthened, and there would be fewer authorizations given, but Sapphire was a special case. She wasn't living in the town, and needed to get back home… Wherever her home was.

But if this young woman could get her out… She wouldn't complain. She would follow and listen, and do whatever Sapphire said to get out of her… predicament.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I could ask GovernorKantuno this evening, if you wish. That is what I wanted to say. Hide is bringing his father. Officially, it is to… Well, discuss the plans. But the boy said that his father wanted to discuss what was happening in the capital."

Ah… yes. The plans. She hated that euphemism. It gave the idea there was actually some planning in the whole thing, while all she had to do was listen and hear what was being decided for her. The governor, his wife and Hide had already decided on the place, the guests and all other things… But not on the date. So… well, that was probably the subject of tonight's get together.

"Tonight?" Sapphire asked, speaking in that strange accent. On ji wasn't quite sure where it came from, but perhaps it was some mixture of Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation way of speaking? She had actually seen some rather weird things… The girl had deep blue eyes, something that was unheard of on Kirashi. And she had seen the flash of blue under the collar of the girl's tunic. It was as if she was wearing something of that colour around her neck, but it seemed ridiculous. Blue was forbidden in everyday clothes.

But then again, it seemed that the rules didn't matter that much to Sapphire. Perhaps her parents had called her that because of the eyes? Yes, that would be it. Her whole group had been weird to be honest. Kuzon with his nearly silver eyes had been… Well, charming. On Ji remembered the flash of a smile and those silver eyes twinkling in the fire of the torches in that cave. And to be honest, it had done some weird things to her. Her stomach had contracted, and she had wanted to be alone with him. To do… Well, she didn't know exactly what they could have done. But it seemed that Sapphire knew, for every time they spoke about the young man, the young woman would get a far away look in those blue eyes.

As if she remembered things… And every time, she would smile a secretive little smile, before turning dead serious once again. On Ji suspected that Sapphire and Kuzon had been together since that cave party, and that the girl was recalling things they had done together, before the young man had to go and fight in the war.

The Fire Nation girl couldn't imagine a person more ill-suited for war. Kuzon had seemed too… free-spirited. He had been a troublemaker for the two days he had spent at the school, but not out of ill intend. No, he had been a riot leader in pursuit of fun and laughter. Such a person shouldn't be allowed near a battlefield… Why couldn't they send people like Hide? He was petty and cruel enough! He would be excellent on the front lines!

"Yes miss, tonight. As I said, our guest room is yours for as long as you need to get permission to leave the town." Her father nodded kindly to Sapphire, with a smile that On Ji knew well. Her father was the type of person that loved meeting new people, that would gladly listen to the stories of how someone grew up and would try everything in his power to make them as comfortable and content in their stay with them.

The guest room was normally occupied by travelling merchants, and it wasn't often it actually stood empty for more than a week. But since curfew had started, the merchants had not come, so it had stayed empty. Until today that was.

It saddened On Ji to hide her plans from her father. He was kind and she loved him a lot… But she couldn't stand the choice her parents had made. How could they decide she should marry… Hide. A brutish and rude young man, thinking himself rather important because his father happened to be the governor? At school, he had been a bully, just because he knew he could get away with it thanks to his uncle, the Headmaster…

The only person that had dared stand up to him had been Kuzon… And she had liked him for it. Now, her only hope to get away from it was Sapphire, who seemed to understand the situation.

"I hope I don't have to impose too long." Sapphire smiled kindly, but On Ji was surprised how easily the young woman lied. She had said that they needed to escape the town as fast as possible, and that a night escape was the best option. In the dark, it would be possible to get past the soldiers apparently… But On Ji didn't see how they were supposed to get over, or through, the wall. And then, there was the moat. And the second fortification, the bank just on the other side of the moat, which was covered with wooden spikes and ropes… And after that, there was a mile of barren wasteland on which soldiers could die from catapult stationed on the walls, or arrows shot by the archers… Seriously, how did Sapphire think they could get out, without the express order of the governor? Hide had told her that they had been ordered to shoot anything on that mile radius that didn't belong there…

And she suspected that the soldiers wouldn't shy away from killing two shadows in the night, even if those shadows were actually going away from the town, instead of coming towards it…

"Nonsense, as long as you need." Her father smiled widely, and On Ji suspected that he enjoyed some more life in the house. Since the curfew, no one ever came to visit, except the governor. And he wasn't the kind of guest her father liked, "On Ji, my dear, the governor's messenger brought a new announcement. He said that you would need to hang it up before curfew starts, as to make sure the people see it."

Her father handed her a tightly rolled scroll, of good quality paper. That surprised her. Most of the time, it was thin and cheap, but this was clearly something important that needed to endure a few days in the sun and wind.

"What is it?" She asked, rubbing the paper between her thumb and index. Glancing to Sapphire, she saw that the girl was frowning, also looking at the scroll.

"What happened last night. The official version at least… I heard some rumours that… Well… It isn't important." Her father sighed. She knew that tone. Every time her father doubted what was being announced, he would ask the neighbours and the servants for what they had heard… And he would formulate an opinion, independently from what was being said officially. On Ji had doubted her father each time he had done so… But since the school had closed for a simple party, she had begun to doubt that her father may have had a point.

"What was it?" Sapphire asked in a voice that made the Fire Nation girl shudder, and not for the first time. It was a voice filled with so much anger and hate that it made her think that the woman next to her had some personal anger towards the people in charge of the country. Maybe a brother or a father had died during the war, and she had not been able to cope with that?

"Opinions that differ from what is the official statement can be dangerous miss. My daughter told me about you a few months ago. I have quite a good memory." Ah… So he had not forgotten that a certain Sapphire had been one of the people that had organized the cave thing… But yet, he had opened his home to her. That meant something, right?

"Let me guess, the governor received Prince Zuko's message." The young woman seemed at ease with calling the traitor by his former title… And that seemed odd.

"Yes…" Her father looked at the woman with a suspicious eye, but one On Ji recognized. He was interested in what was being said.

"And that message told you that Azula escaped?" No. That wasn't possible, the first announcement this morning had stated that the traitor and the savage had been defeated… Why would the Princess need to escape? But then again… Sapphire had said that the princess was not the good one in this story… It seemed all a little bit too much for On Ji.

"It did." He glanced at her, and the Fire Nation girl thought she saw some regret in her father's dark ember eyes, "If the governor's servants are to be believed, the message told him that Zuko is claiming the throne. He holds the caldara, and the palace… And also…" Her father's voice dropped to a very low whisper, one that made her and Sapphire take a step forward to hear the next few words.

"Lord Ozai isn't dead, if the message is to be believed."

What…

Sapphire had said that the Avatar wouldn't kill Lord Ozai… And now, a message that had arrived, claiming that to be a fact. But that wasn't possible, right? How could the Avatar defeat the Fire Lord without killing him?

"A… the Avatar didn't kill him?" Sapphire's voice sounded so relieved, as if the sun suddenly shone through the monsoon clouds. But was it relief to hear that the Avatar had done something that couldn't be true, or… Or was it the fact that the Fire Lord still lived? Not for the first time, On Ji suspicion skyrocketed. Sapphire could be a spy… From one of the two camps. The question was, which one?

"The message says that the Avatar and his companions stopped the attack Lord Ozai organized. Just like the other. But it differs from there. The message sends by the Fire Sage in Princess Azula's name states that the Avatar killed Lord Ozai. But the one from… Zuko… says that the Air Nomad took the Fire Lord prisoner and escorted him to the palace to face justice for his crimes." Her father explained, wringing his hands together as he looked around them.

On Ji heard the relieved sigh from Sapphire, sounding so genuine that she realized that the young woman was probably on the traitor's side. That was… Good? Or bad? She didn't know. Hide and his father were clearly shoring the town up to support the Princess, and that was the lawful thing to do, as she had been declared the heir.

But… Well, it sounded weird, but if Sapphire believed that the traitor and the Air Degenerate could bring some more… hope… into this world… Well, On Ji would take anything to do with hope. And who knew, if there would be a succession struggle, perhaps some of the soldiers would have the kindness to die in the fighting. Hide, for example.

"Prisoner? You are sure?" Sapphire asked, and as good a liar she seemed, she didn't manage to completely hide the happiness in her voice.

"If the message is to be believed. It also said… Well, it asked us to keep a look out for a Sky Bison. Apparently, it is the Avatar's. If it is sighted, we are to immediately inform the capital."

On Ji glanced towards the young woman, seeing the slight frown. And to be honest, she shared the confusion. What, in the name of the holy Agni, was a Sky Bison?

"What is that supposed to be?" She asked her father.

"Ah… Only the most interesting of beasts my dear!" On Ji had to smile. Of course, her father would be fascinated by an animal that they didn't know. He loved animals, "It is said that the Air Nation used them to fly around… But I've never seen one, and would love to… Apparently, they are majestic."

"And the Avatar's friends?" Sapphire spoke up, with a far away look in those unnatural blue eyes.

"Alive, if the servants understood the message correctly… The Avatar is at the palace, healing from his own wounds."

On Ji saw that Sapphire bit her lower lip, wringing her hands together as she listened. Yeah… She definitely had some personal connection to what had happened last night. And she definitely hated the Fire Lord and the princess. But she had not said a bad word about the traitor or the Avatar… She was on their side. And that was dangerous. She didn't seem like the kind of person that was able to hold her tongue when she was angry or offended, and in this place, firmly under the control of the governor… It would be dangerous to be anything else than a loyalist.

"I need to see the customer's office, would you be alright hanging up that announcement? After that, you could help your mother with the servants… You'll… You will need to learn to do that." Her father turned to her, sounding rather awkward. Yes… Wives were supposed to run the household, but On Ji had never imagined he would actually need to learn it quite so soon…

"Yes Father." She sighed, looking to the ground. She hated the fact that they had betrothed her to that idiot… but at least, she knew her parents weren't bad people, and meant well…

"Good!" Her father smiled, and turned to Sapphire, "I'll ask the governor tonight for the pass through the gates. And… I'll send some food to your room. Normally, I would invite you to take dinner with us, but it is a family supper… And I think the governor wouldn't like to discuss his affairs with a stranger at the table. If he refuses to give you permission, you will be welcome at my table any other night."

He nodded kindly, and walked away, in the fussing way he always did, looking around and smiling and nodding to even the lowest of servants. That left her with the young woman, who was looking even more worried now. It seemed… Well, On Ji had seen that look on Shoji's face when he talked about his brother. As if her loved ones were in danger.

"I'm sure that your friends are alright…" She offered awkwardly. She didn't even know for sure that that was what Sapphire worried about, but is seemed a safe bet.

"Yeah… Yeah, I suppose they are." The young woman tried to smile, but On Ji still saw the same look in those eyes.

"So… Still planning on getting out of here tonight?" Sapphire asked her, in a hushed tone.

"I don't see how… These dinners with the governor tend to take a long time. And if my father manages to get you permission, you won't need a nighttime escape…"

And you won't need me to guide you over the island.

On Ji wasn't stupid. She knew Sapphire had only agreed to help her to get out of this place, and not out of true compassion. No, this woman was way too focused on getting out of here… But still, she had wanted to help, even if it was for selfish reasons… On Ji wouldn't say no. Because everything was better than being married to Hide, of all people.

"I'm not leaving without you, you know that, right?" The voice of the young woman sounded kind, but there was a hurried tone underneath the gentleness.

"Well, I know they won't let me out of their sight tonight…" On Ji hated that. Dinner that went well into the night, talking about how important the governor was, and, from time to time, they spoke about the plans for the… Well… the marriage…

She couldn't help but shudder at the idea.

"Well…" Sapphire got that far away look in her eyes once more, as if she was imagining what it would be like to be somewhere else, "What about this. While you have dinner with the wannabe dictator, I scout around. If I find a way to get out of this place, I'll come and get you."

Yeah… as if. Of course, Sapphire would be gone the moment she had a way out of the city. On Ji knew it had been too good to be true. Her only hope now was that Hide would get an unfortunate accident, or a uncurable disease or something of the kind. Yeah… Knowing her luck, the guy would probably live to the ripe old age of eighty.

"Yeah, sounds good!" She forced a smile, knowing there was nothing she could do to change the woman's mind, "If you want, my father has a library. I guess Mother wouldn't like you helping with the servants."

That was an understatement. Her mother was quite tyrannical when it came to the servants. Not that she mistreated them… But On Ji had the suspicion that her mother liked the fact that that was her thing. Her father never involved himself in the hiring of staff, giving orders and so on. No, that was her mother's domain… And On Ji had the idea that teaching her how to do that was something her mother enjoyed doing.

"Thanks." Sapphire smiled, turning the house, while On Ji herself turned back to the gate, still holding the announcement. She didn't know what it was saying, but she wasn't supposed to read it ahead of anyone else…

"Hey, On Ji?" The woman's voice spoke after a few steps. The girl glanced over her shoulder, to see Sapphire look at her with a frown.

"What do you make of the message from Prince Zuko?"

The Fire Nation bit her tongue, to make sure she didn't answer with the first thing that happened to go through her head, as she always did. Looking at the woman, she seemed vaguely familiar. Not because she had already met her a few months ago, but… On Ji didn't know. Looking at her, the slightly darker shade of skin, the blue eyes… There was something familiar about her that she hadn't noticed before.

"I… I wouldn't know. The Royal Family decides what is best, and if they are at each other's throat… Well, we will see. Hopefully, it won't be too horrible. They are brother and sister, right? I don't have any siblings… But I suppose that means something." That was a good answer, right? It didn't give too much away from her own opinion about the matter.

"Yeah… Sibling love. It does mean something." The young woman smiled, entering the house. On Ji sighed. Yeah, she supposed it did. But what would this particular sibling love mean for her home? She supposed there were siblings capable of attacking each other and being jealous, as far as trying to usurp the throne.

But who was right? Her father seemed to lean towards Zuko and the Avatar, while the governor was firmly behind the group that had appointed him... And on the one hand, her mother had told her that she needed to be loyal to the governor's family, which was going to be her family…

But on the other hand, Sapphire had made it sound… good. Really good… On Ji had been happy those few hours in that cave. And if that was the way the colonies lived, freer and able to express themselves… Was it so bad that the Avatar suggested the same for the Home Islands?

Yes. Of course, it had to be! The Avatar was an Air Degenerate, those who had attacked the Fire Nation. They had only defended themselves…

"The Air Nomads didn't have a formal military… W… They wouldn't even have known what to do with it."

Air Nomads… Agni, no one used that term. Except Kuzon… And Sapphire, apparently. They were clearly together, and the young woman was worrying about him. Was that the reason she wanted to get out of here so badly? But she had said that Kuzon had gone to the war, to fight in it. Had he been at the fight between the Fire Lord and the Avatar, like apparently so many of the people from the town had been? Had he died, and was Sapphire just hoping that he was alive?

Walking through the street towards the square, she let her fingers slide over the paper scroll in her hands. Such good quality… This was important. Probably the official announcement from the governor, declaring Azula Fire Lord and Zuko a traitor. Which he was, of course… But he had the Avatar.

That would make people go to him, On Ji realized. They had been taught what the Avatar was, a Spirit in human flesh, with one goal in mind. Destroy the Fire Nation. And if Prince Zuko had control over him… Would it be so bad to be on their side.

But Sapphire had said the Avatar was loved… How could you love a being that harboured so much hate? The Avatar hated the Fire Nation… For what had happened to his people. He was supposed to be an Air Degenerate, even if On Ji didn't believe that.

She arrived at the square, and she had to sigh. There were still people looking around the market, even though there wasn't that much being sold. No one liked the curfew, but they still needed food, of which there was precious little. Of course, the harvest would be in a week or two, but for now, it was tightening the belt for many of the town, Shoji included. He had not said so to her, but she made sure to give him a good meal each day, just to be sure…

The last few people saw her and hurried away. She had noticed that people did that when she had to hammer an announcement on the board in the late afternoon. Announcements were never good for the townspeople, so they liked to see it in the morning, instead of worrying about it in the evening…

As the square emptied, On Ji stopped in front of the board. The announcement of this morning still hung there, lonely and bold. She broke the seal on the scroll, unfurled the top and took the hammer and nail that she and Shoji kept near the board, so they wouldn't need to carry it around each time they had to do this.

The sound of the hammer driving the nail into the wood echoed over the square, making it even more ominous than she already felt. Unfurling the whole scroll, she didn't look what was written on it as she hammered another nail to the bottom, to keep the announcement from rolling up again. Only when the second nail was in, did On Ji lift her head, and read…

To the population of Kirashi Island,

Fire Lord Azula, having successfully escaped the usurpers and the turncoats in the capital, declares the following: Those who acknowledge her brother, Zuko the Traitor, as Fire Lord, are enemies of the realm.

The following people have been declared outlaws and are to be killed or captured wherever they are.

The Avatar

The waterbender Katara

Toph Beifong of Gaoling

Sokka of the Water Tribe

Zuko, formally known as Prince Zuko

The Kyoshi Warrior known as Suki.

That… did not sound too bad. On Ji had thought it would declare all-out war on those who had seized power from the Princess. But it was very restrained, only declaring them outlaws. Staring at the names, she remembered another announcement she had hung up, a little over a month ago, the day after the Black Sun…

It had said that, thanks to some strange Water Tribe magic, the Avatar had managed to survive the battle underneath the Unbreachable City... And had warned all those to look for someone with tattoos all over his body, wearing the colours of the Air Degenerates…

But it had also declared that the waterbender Katara had to be captured. And it had described her, as to make sure that people knew who it was.

Darker skin, blue eyes and long brown hair, wearing a necklace with the Water Savages symbols carved on it. Always accompanied by the Avatar. To approach with caution.

Blue eyes.

The flash of blue underneath Sapphire tunic.

No…

That wasn't possible.

Was it?