Chapter 4

Hi, I know it's been a while since I've touched . Just letting you all know I'm not dead, I've been going through a lot in the last bit of 2016 and I hope that I'll be able to update more consistently now that most of that crap has lightened up and left me alone. Again I apologize, it's just been a lot to deal with. To give you an idea I have discovered I'm Asexual, I left my major religion which my entire family is part of (with the exception of my little sister), changed majors for university, and am now trying to deal with my anxiety (which isn't new but still causes problems). Thank you all for your patience and continued support. This chapter is going to be shorter than normal, as it's main purpose is to one, let you know I'm alive and two, take a baby step towards the next part of the plot.

-Falkyn's Flight

128 AG Year of the Tiger

"Really? Dad was like that when he was my age?" Lu Ten's voice echoed catching Maddi's attention. Her son was talking to someone, although she couldn't hear the other speaker. She smiled, one of the servants was most likely regaling her son with stories from when his father was young. It wouldn't be unusual for her children to request stories about their lives. She turned back to the paperwork briefly, intending to go back to her work when Lu Ten's next words made her freeze.

"What is the spirit world like then?" She stood and trying to calm her racing heart walked a little too briskly out of the library and into the main hall. What she saw caused her to freeze. Lu Ten was sitting on the steps of the abandoned hall, head tilted up, a large smile on his face as he communicated with a semi-transparent figure. The 'figure' was male, a stranger that Maddi had never seen before. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties. He had a handsome and somewhat familiar face. Small sideburns, thin lips, a broad nose and yellow eyes.

He turned towards Maddi and smiled lightly when he saw her watching.

"Mom!" Lu Ten cried, suddenly aware of her, "This is my new friend! His name's Lutin, he said that he used to know dad when he was little!"

"That's nice Lu Ten," Maddi's voice sounded hollow to her own ears, "how about you go and play with your brother?"

"But-"

"Now! Lu Ten!" She snapped. Lu Ten's eyes widened and he fled. Maddi didn't turn to look at her son, her blood was running cold.

"Who are you? If you hurt my son, spirit or not I will-"

"Maddison, calm down. I'm not going to hurt him... Don't you recognize me? I was told that you would," Maddi eyed the stranger for a long moment before shaking her head.

"How can I believe you?"

"Because I would never hurt Zuko's children, let alone my namesake," Lu Ten the elder stated softly. Maddi stared at him for a moment.

"You're Lu Ten, Iroh's son," She whispered. Lu Ten smiled.

"Yes, I am. I've been watching my family for a long time, I wasn't even aware that my namesake could see me until he asked why I had been watching his family. Your son somehow inherited the ability to see spirits,"

"I didn't know that could happen," Maddi said, turning to look over her shoulder where her son had gone. Now that she had calmed down she realized that she would have to apologize to him.

"Neither did I, some people can see us but usually they grow out of it, most people have to enter the spirit world to see us after they turn five. Your son is an exception," Lu Ten stated before turning his head slightly.

"I've got to go, tell Lu Ten I'll see him soon... and tell my dad that I love him, and I'm sorry,"

"Why can't you go to him instead?" Maddi said, stepping into his line of sight, forcing the spirit to pay attention to her.

"Because there is a rule in the spirit world, you cannot contact someone you knew in life. That is why I can talk to you, and to my namesake..." and before her very eyes, Lu Ten vanished into thin air. Maddi stood there for a long moment.

"How am I supposed to do that?" She murmured, turning and walking away in the direction her son had rushed off in.


101 AG Year of the Rooster

Aang

"Roku, I need to speak to you," I said as I took a seat on an rocky outcrop. Instantly the elder Avatar appeared before me.

"What is it that you need Aang?"

I explained the situation as quickly as I could. I didn't know what side I wanted to support, both sides had strengths and weaknesses. There was a long moment of silence.

"I see, I wondered when something like this would occur," Roku sighed, taking a seat beside me.

"Something like this?" I asked, unsure of what Roku was suggesting.

"When Zuko would succumb to the power of his ancestor's desires. I thought that Maddison might be able to stop it, I was clearly wrong," I tried to wrap my head around it, was Roku right? Was Zuko corrupted and had he brought Maddi with him? I hadn't seen a change in him, and his request appeared reasonable.

"Why are you saying that Roku?" I asked, "I don't think Zuko is anything like-"

"Like Sozin? Look closer Aang, he may be disguising his reasons but this is a clear takeover of the earth kingdom once again," I frowned and stood.

"No, I don't think it is. Why are you trying to turn me again Zuko? You keep trying to convince me not to trust him, every time I talk to you, you question every choice he makes. Why?" I just barely kept the anger out of my voice. Roku was supposed to guide me, not force me to possibly attack someone who was possibly innocent.

"Because there cannot be a fifth nation! There are four, four that must remain separate at all costs," Roku insisted, "After the war we cannot risk the spirits fighting and a fifth nation will cause just that, a war among the spirits,"

"Why?" I asked, trying to understand how a new nation could cause so many problems.

"Aang, you must accept that it cannot be this way, it wasn't meant to be," Roku stated simply. I looked away from him.

"I'll think about it," I said.


Maddison

I sighed, shaking my head at what had occurred.

"I don't know what to do, if Keui won't listen to us-"

"I'm not going to let my people be taken from their families," Zuko replied sharply.

"I never suggested that we would," I replied, "but I'd rather not end up in another war,"

"There isn't any other way Maddi! We have tried reasoning with him but it's impossible," Zuko shouted. From our bed, Druk hissed, disliking the raised voices. I cupped my forehead with my hands and sat down on the bed. Zuko instantly sat down beside.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have shouted,"

"It's not that, just, the last war-," I looked down at my hands. The little scars hidden by the burn scars running across them.

"We all struggled," he said calmly, wrapping his arm around me. I sighed and leaned in, taking comfort in his presence.

"I know but... I don't know what I'll do if we have to go through another one. It already feels like I've given everything for peace," Zuko didn't say anything, just kept his arms around my shoulders, nuzzling his nose into my neck. There was a whine and Druk squirmed in between us, trying to get in on the love. I couldn't help it, I laughed, petting the dragon's head.

"You are an attention hog, you know that don't you Druk?" The little dragon just flipped onto his back in response, leaving his stomach open to be scratched. We fell into companionate silence while rubbing the little dragon's stomach when a knock came at the door.

"Fire Lord, there is an urgent message to deliver, your hands only," Zuko frowned and stood up, walking towards the door. He took the scroll from the messenger and carefully opened it, paling as he did so. I stood, ignoring Druk's whine of protest.

"What is it Zuko?" I asked, alarm spreading through me.

"The Earth King has declared war on the Firenation, he's marching on Yu Dao in two weeks unless all the Firenation citizens leave,"