Katara, who had waited for them while the Fire Nation group continued on, looked slightly afraid as they entered an earth elevator.
"How does this work?" Sokka asked as their entombed room descended.
"I think Earthbenders do the moving." Zuko replied.
"Is that safe? Considering who usually uses these now?" Sokka questioned.
Zuko didn't answer and shifted his weight nervously.
Walking out, Zuko looked around the large cavern that was illuminated in purple and green. The glowing crystals that illuminated the buried palace immediately brought up the memory of the crystal catacombs.
Sokka elbowed him and Zuko looked to where he pointed; a motor and generator grumbled next to the elevator.
"How deep do you think we are?" Katara asked.
"I'd rather not think about it." Zuko replied, momentarily queasy.
"You would not do well in the igloos." Sokka stated and Zuko frowned.
"Do hurry Zuko, we don't want to keep everyone waiting." Ursa called and Zuko looked up. He quickened his pace, bringing along Sokka and Katara in his wake.
As they got closer, Zuko realized they were in some sort of reception room and tea was laid out on a tall stone table.
Sitting at the table was Azula.
Her face brightened as their eyes met, but Zuko still felt razor wire wrap around his torso under her golden gaze. Every step he took getting closer made the wire tighten.
"Zuzu!" Azula exclaimed, standing up.
"Azula, please, some decorum my dear." Ursa chided sharply. Azula lowered her face, looking sad.
"I can only hope my children bond the way yours have, your ladyship." Michi said with an exasperated laugh.
"We did have the blessing of having them closer together. I say friendship can blossom easier when siblings are nearer in age." Ursa replied.
"Like the Fire Lord and his brother?" Mai asked.
Ukano flinched, but Ursa only smiled.
"Not all relatives get along." She answered evenly.
"Still, you seem to manage fine. While your husband is in exile." Mai went on.
"Mai, you're being rude." Michi said.
"Father isn't in exile." Azula stated firmly. "He's been sent on a very important mission."
"Oh right, of course. He's going to be the one to figure out where the Avatar went." Mai mocked. As Azula blushed, Zuko felt the wire sink deep into his flesh.
Everything had been constructed in this world to torture him in a very specific way.
"Perhaps the Fire Lord made a mistake in sending my daughter here." Ursa said primly, turning to look at Ukano. "What kind of influence has your daughter been?"
"Are you saying the Fire Lord makes mistakes?" Mai asked.
"The Fire Lord has been misguided in the past. All men are fallible." Ursa answered, still looking at Ukano.
"Men certainly are." Mai said.
"Please excuse my daughter, your highness. You can see how the environment can sour even the loveliest of daughters." Ukano said.
"Then it's good I've come to collect mine." Ursa said.
"What?" Mai questioned as Azula brightened.
"Really mother?" She asked.
"Let's have some tea. We've had a long journey and I must send word to the Fire Lord." Ursa said.
"Of course." Michi said hurriedly, but halted as Mai shook her head.
"I have another meeting to attend to." Mai said and turned quickly before anyone could call her back.
"Your daughter has certainly changed Ukano." Ursa said as she took a seat next to Azula.
"Mother, who did you bring with you?" Azula asked, leaning over to speak to Ursa. Looking around as if she didn't expect anyone else, Ursa seemed surprised to see Sokka and Katara standing beside Zuko.
"Aren't they quite a pair? They're from the South Pole and your brother has grown fond of them." Ursa said.
She paused long enough that Zuko cleared his throat.
"This is Sokka and Katara, from the Southern Water Tribe." He said, gesturing to both of them. "Katara is a Waterbender."
"That's amazing!" Azula said. She then demurred and looked back at Sokka. "And you?"
"I'm a warrior." Sokka answered brusquely.
"He's a non-bender." Ursa added and Sokka colored at her comment.
"Oh but mother, there's nothing wrong with that." Azula said quickly.
"We certainly appreciate your support, princess." Ukano said with humor. He then gestured to the table. "Please, come sit."
Zuko, Sokka, and Katara were awkward in taking their seats on heavy stone chairs. Sitting across from his sister, Zuko noticed how Azula was staring at Sokka. Everything about this was wrong, and Zuko couldn't ignore the idea that something else was going on behind the innocent face.
"How was the wedding, your highness?" Michi asked as she began to pour the tea. Ursa gave a theatrical sigh, causing Michi to tilt the teapot back up.
"I had hoped to delay such awful news, but this does have to do with why I'm here." Ursa said.
Michi and Ukano looked at each other, sharing a pained glance.
"The bride turned out to be a traitor and attacked the wedding party. Poor Zhao was drowned merely hours after he was wed." Ursa explained.
"He did say marriage would be the death of him." Ukano remarked. As Michi glared at him, he cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair.
"I trust the Fire Lord is unharmed?" He asked.
"Of course. The Fire Lord couldn't be felled by such a paltry attack. He has actually taken the North Pole and is holding it until someone sensible can be found." Ursa replied.
"My goodness. That must have been so distressing for you both." Azula said, looking from Katara to Sokka. "Are you both well?"
Katara and Sokka blinked in surprise, looking like fish as their mouths bobbed open and closed.
"Your brother was their mighty protector." Ursa said, smiling as she put a hand on top of Azula's.
"He often is." Azula agreed.
"It's not like we aren't used to seeing the Fire Nation tear up our tribe. At least it wasn't our people this time." Sokka interrupted.
That caught Ursa off guard and a guffaw escaped Ukano.
"You've got some spirit boy. You say you're a warrior back home?" He asked.
"I am a Wolf Warrior, like my father before me." Sokka spat out. Ukano didn't seem bothered by the venomous tone.
"I met some Wolk Warriors some years back, at the end of the war. They were painted like those girls from the Earth Kingdom." Ukano said.
"The Kyoshi Warriors." Zuko said, nervously eyeing Sokka as he seethed.
"Of course, them. They're just as fierce as the Avatar they're named for." Ukano said.
"What did you do when you met them?" Katara questioned, sitting on the edge of her seat.
"Nothing I could do really." Ukano stroked his greying beard as Michi handed out the cups. "I sent word to the admiral, but the wolfmen disappeared in some fog as quick as they had popped up."
Ukano held his beard, looking over at the three young people. "We were more worried about icebergs at that point with the fog."
"Are there still Water Tribe prisoners?" Zuko asked.
"Zuko, that is not appropriate conversation for the table." Ursa said.
"Oh come now, your highness, the prince has seen his first skirmish. I bet he wishes he hadn't missed out on the fight." Ukano replied.
"Husband, please, you're speaking to royalty." Michi pleaded.
"Michi, we're old friends." Ursa replied gently. "Anyone who can go from the jungle to the palace is allowed some familiarity."
"The war is over and the Fire Lord was adamant about freeing any prisoners. After what happened with the Air Nomads, he wasn't keen on adding another genocide to his legacy." Ukano said, answering Zuko.
"Then where did they go?" Zuko asked.
"Who knows? I would have assumed that they went home to the ice, but it wouldn't surprise me if they decided to stay in the colonies. Can't say I'd prefer the ice to this myself." Ukano said and chuckled.
"We didn't free all the prisoners." Azula said suddenly. The eyes of everyone at the table were all at once upon her. She shied under the stares, sinking into her seat.
"King Bumi is still locked in the dungeons." She added quietly.
Zuko sat up in his chair, taking up his teacup.
"This is delicious Ukano. Where did you get it?"