Chap. 18
The Princess and the Secret
It was the sound of treads clanking on the ground that awoke him. Slowly, he opened his eyes, to a blurry, watery vision of the world. He shook his head, trying to dispell the effect. Slowly, it began to work, as focus began to return. Zuko saw a large metal room, the walls bare off all decoration save a door and a small barred window. He turned, and saw the forms of the others, Knights and humans, unconcious and chained to the walls.
Except for Hierro, however; Zuko saw that the spider was encased in what looked like a huge wooden block, leaving only his head exposed. Must be to stop him from touching the metal of the room. Zuko thought. The Knights had told him that just like a Bender could use the element around them to their advantage, so could the Knights draw strength from them. However, since the Knights had a much deeper connection to the elements, they could draw actual physical strength simply by touching them; so making it impossible for Hierro to touch the metal would leave him weakened for quite some time.
As Zuko looked around, he saw similar signs on the other Knights. Luz had been blindfolded so she couldn't see the light coming in from the window, and Oscuridad had been placed directly in the light, blocking him from the shadows. And what about me? Zuko wondered.He tried to move forward, and was stopped by chains of his own.
Unduanted, Zuko began to call the energy needed for Firebending. But as the energy began to flow through him, he began to feel sick and dizzy. As a wave of nausea flowed over him, Zuko fell back against the wall, the energy dissapiating. What did they gas us with? Zuko wondered. And how long is it supposed to last?
But Zuko already knew the answer; until they arrived at their destination. Zuko could tell by the room and the sound of the treads that he was in the prison car of a Fire Nation envoy train. A older invention of his homeland, it was designed to run over open ground and cover great distance in a short amount of time. But only a few existed, and they were the sole province of the Royal Family, which meant only one thing; Azula.
She must've recruited Mai and Ty Lee to help capture me and Uncle. Zuko thought. But now she's got the Avatar; we're just the icing on the cake. I've got to figure out some way to escape before they get us to her.
But before Zuko could begin to formulate anything, the door swung open, and a firgure walked in.
"I thought I heard something." The figure said as it walked towards Zuko.
"Why are you doing this?" Zuko asked. "All my sister ever did to you was use you."
"So you expect me to sit out my life in boring New Ozai?" Mai answered. "I'm doing something now, something that has a purpose."
"You know it's wrong Mai." Zuko said. "Azula thinks of you as a pawn, something to amuse her. Don't you remember hw she humiliated us constantly when we were kids?"
"Don't bother Zuko. I'm not interested in reliving old times." Mai said, as she appraoched Zuko. Before he could react, Zuko felt a ether-soaked rag pressed over his nose and mouth. Zuko struggled to push it off, but with his chains restricting his movements, he couldn't escape. Mai held the rag there, forcing Zuko to breathe in the odor. Once again, Zuko felt conciousness slip away from him as he slid back into the black. As Zuko fell back against the wall, Mai caught him, and lowered him getntly. Once Zuko was secure, she turned and headed for the door. Once she got there though, she turned and took another look at Zuko. For a second, her impassive face seemed to soften, then she shut the door with a slam.
Time passed after that, how much time was unknown to Zuko or any others in the car. With the door closed, and only the small window to provide light, the passage of time seemed to crawl. But unbeknowst to those inside the car, their destination was not far off. After only four hours of travel, the car came to a halt. In the resulting hubris, eveyrone in the car was jerked forward, which slapped most of them out of their sleep (Mai had been perodically checking the car, and as with Zuko, had used the ether on anyone who was waking up).
"Oh man, I hate it when I wake up chained to a wall in a strange place!" Aire muttered aloud.
"Oh quit complaining!" Hierro snapped from his wooden prison.
"Does anyone actually know where we are?" Luz asked. "Because I can't see a damn thing."
"Oh how horrible!" Toph muttered.
"The last thing I remember is Ty Lee throwing a glass ball." Katara said. "Wait a second, where's Aang!"
"Over there." Zuko asnwered, moving his head in the direction of the corner wall. Eevryone turned to see the still unconcious Aang, gagged and chained to the wall much like he had been in Zuko's ship. Momo hung in a cage next to him. But before anyone could do anything about it, the door swung open and Fire Nations soldier entered.
"Your presence is required outside." The captain growled, as his troops moved to undo the chains holding them. The soldiers removed the chains and manacles from the wall with a tug, and once they were out, they used a small metal ball to hold the chains together and keep the group's hands chained. For Aang, they actually removed the section ofwall where he was placed and placed it onto a small metal cart; the same was done for Hierro and Momo. Tierra, Desierto, and Bosque were strapped onto long metal tables that balanced up right on two wheels, preventing them from making contact with their elements. Aire was bound up and gagged so he could not manipulate the air. Once the prisoners were safely ready to move, the captain motioned for them to be led outside.
The group was led into the second car and threw that car's door to the outside. Once there, they realized that they were at the coastline of the Earth Kingdom. But what was worse was seeing the large Fire Nation ship that loomed before them.
"That thing's even bigger then Zuko's ship!" Soka gasped in amazement. "Who does it belong to?"
"I'm afraid we're about to meet her." Iroh answered, his face in a scowl. Indeed, a procession was making it's way down the ship's gangplank, headed by a four person carriage. As it approached, the soldiers, including Ty Lee and Mai, kneeled in respect. The group remained standing, until they were forced to their knees by the guards. The procession made it's way down the plank, and stood at attention as the carriage made it's way down. Finally, the men holding it placed it on the ground, and the figure of Azula emerged from within.
The Fire Princess made her way over to the group slowly, looking each of them over as if they were flies in a jar. Finally, she tunred to Ty Lee and Mai and said, "Well done ladies. You've managed to do what my brother failied to do. Not a great surprise of course." She said with a glance at Zuko. The former prince growled at that, but Azula ignored it and continued.
"Then again, if my brother and uncle have forsaken the Fire Nation completely and sided with the Avatar, what can I expect?"
"Let me out of these chains, Azula, and I'll show you!" Zuko snapped back, his easily triggered temper already enraged at the taunts of his sister.
"Please Zuko. It was pathetic enough the last time we fought. I refuse to fight you when you're crippled." Azula answered. "That gas you were hit with is a new invention of the Fire Nation. It lasts for twenty-four hours, and makes using your 'chi' a sickening process and therefore makes bending impossible. And apparently, it can even affect the great Elemental Knights."
"Let's see," she said looking at the Knights. "If I remember correctly, your names are Nightstalker, Seaking, Groundqauke, Windrider, Forester, Thunderer, Forger, Lightweaver, and Sandshifter. Are those the names of legend, that everyone in all Four Nations knows and respects?" she asked, the mocking tone strong in her voice. "Oh I'm sorry, I forgot one." She said, as she turned to face Fuego.
"So this is the great Firelord." Azula said, as she glanced down at Fuego. "I heard stories about you as a child. You were the greastest warrior of Darya, the being we named our king after. And here you are, chained at my feet. I suppose you never should meet your heroes; they're always disappointments."
"Funny you should mention that." The red man replied with a sneer. "Where I come from, there's another story about a man from the heavens who came to Earth. He wasn't what people expected either. In fact, they were so disappointed they nailed him to a hunk of wood and left him to die. But he proved them wrong."
"A pity that I've never heard it." Azula said. "But even so, I'm not foolish enough to try to kill the chosen of the gods. So, I'm willing to offer you a deal."
"And what would that be?" Fuego asked.
"Simple. I will release you if you swear to leave the Avatar and his friends with us, and also, if you provide me with some information. You see I recently did some trading with the Sandbenders. Fascinating people; you give them some food, and they'll give you anything, including information. One of them said that you had uncovered a library in the desert, one that held a secret that could be used against the Fire Nation. Tell me that, and I'll leave you and your siblings here when I take the Avatar, his friends, and my traitorious family to the Fire Nation."
For a second, Fuego stared agast at Azula. Then his mouth began to curl, and then the red man let out a strong laugh. "Do you really think I'm that much of a coward? Do you think that we are, little girl? We've fought monsters beyond anything you've ever seen. We've seen things that only exist in your nightmares, things I can't even describe because you'd go insane from it. We've been to hell and back. So sorry Princess, but we're not gonna bend over because of your promises or threats, unlike your soldiers or your pathetic friends."
Azula's face darkened at that, but before she could say anything, another voice said, "Fuego, you don't speak for all of us. I do. Princess, I'll tell you what you want to know."
Fuego turned in shock, as did everyone else at the words of Oscuridad. But Azula looked at the bat with a smile on her face.
"I see that at least one of you has some sense." She said smugly, as she walked over to the black man. "Now then, why would you tell me?"
"I'm tired of sacrificing myself for everyone else. If the Fire Nation winning the war will help end that, I'll gladly tell you." The bat answered.
"Good answer. Now tell me."
"I'd prefer to make it a private conversation; this is a very dangerous secret. Bend down and I'll whisper it into your ear."
Azula did just that, and once she was at his level, Oscuridad leaned forward and whispered into her ear; "If you want to know the secret Princess, then I've got two words for ya…."
The bat paused a minute, and then getting as close as he could, yelled right into Azula's ear, "SUCK IT!" Azula jumped back in surprise and anger, one hand clasped over her ear. Oscuridad just sat there, a wide smirk on his face.
"You heard my brother, Princess. We've done too much and seen too much to be bought off. So you can shove your offer, you crazy-ass psycho bitch!" the bat spat at her.
Azula hissed through her teeth at the bat, and began to bring her arms up into a Firebending stance. But then, she saw something that caused her to stop. Bringing her arms down, she looked at the group and said, "Well then, I guess you'll be going off to te Fire Nation then. Captain, make sure that our guests' quarters are ready."
The captain quickly nodded and moved off in the direction of the ship. But before he got there, Azula called out, "And also ready the interrogation room. The Knights may not talk, but I think I know who will."
At that, Zuko and Iroh both grew fearful, thinking that she would pick one of them or Katara or Toph. But instead, Azula pointed to Sokka.
"This one isn't even a bender. He should break quite easily." Azula said, as the guards picked up Sokka and began to lead him towards the ship.
"NO! Let him go!" Katara yelled out.
"Bring me in there, see how easy I break!" Toph cried out.
"You spoiled BITCH!" Agua snarled at Azula.
But as with Zuko, Azula ignored the comments and turned towards the ship, as the guards led the others onto the ship to be imprisoned.
Return to Top