Chapter 29

Zuko

He refused to go to her room, because everything in there just reminded him of her, and how he couldn't protect her. Zuko had never felt more hopeless. It was all his fault. If he hadn't stood up to his father, told him that he was going to marry her anyway, things might not have turned out like they had.

Now she was gone, taken to who-knows-where by his own father, no less, and he couldn't save her. What kind of a prince was he, what kind of a fiancé was he—that couldn't take care of those he loved.? At this point Zuko wouldn't be surprised if Katara refused to marry him, the weakling that he was. If she came back that is.

He tried to calm himself, storming off in rage wouldn'thelp he situation, and Katara had always cautioned him against using his anger as the fuel behind his decisions. But Katara wasn't here, and just the thought of her not being here made him angrier. And what did Katara mean when she whispered Zhao's name to him? Was Zhao behind this?

Zhao still controlled much of the underground street gangs, like Shin and his crew, and had a lot of connections and support that extended far beyond the Capital City. But his connections were at the commoner level, and relationships inside of the royal palace were few and far between. Unless he was manipulating his father through Tiang. Zhao had no ties to the imperial palace, at least, not anymore unless he counted Tiang.

Was this Zhao's payback for Katara's "attack" on him?

Despite the overwhelming evidence, Zuko didn't think so. Maybe Katara was mistaken. Maybe Tiang was acting on her own? Maybe his father was acting on his own. Maybe there was some other reason, maybe…

Zuko stood, ready to run over to Tiang's section of the palace and demand that she retracts her demand for Katara's arrest, but paused, looking at her open door, teetering slightly on its hinges. He could hear Katara's voice telling him to think rationally and not succumb to the anger rushing through him, but it was difficult. He was so angry because he was weak, and just the thought of her not being here caused him pain is his heart.

But for Katara's sake, he stopped. He'd just have to find some other way then, he'd have to go over his father's head.

His Uncle. Of course.

Zuko left the hallways and broke out into a run across the courtyard. He saw no signs of Katara's abduction only an hour ago. Several servants were milling about, carrying trays of breakfast to their respective employers, but there was no sign of anyone who might have seen where exactly Katara went. He stopped and asked a servant where his Katara might be, but received only a confused look and a shrug, gesturing to her bedroom. Trying not to lash out at the poor girl who knew nothing about the situation, he hurried past her and continued running.

He found his Uncle's room in complete disarray. There were Imperial doctors and assistants everywhere, a man in a rather elaborate white and red Imperial physician's uniform barking out orders to everyone in the room, which everyone hurried to do without a moment's hesitation. Several tables that were not there before were placed haphazardly about the room, occupied with vials, jars and bowls. There were a few healers setting up supplies, mixing different liquids together in bowls and crushing herbs into powders.

Zuko approached the old man barking out orders to the rest. "Head Physician, what's happened?"

The man's eyes went wide, and Zuko feared he might collapse. But he shook his head and said, "I do not dare to say such inauspicious things in front of Your Highness."

What's going on? Zuko wondered to himself. Is it my Uncle?

He left the frazzled physician and hurried down the hallway leading to his Uncle's room. He stopped short at the sight of his mother and aunt standing in front of the closed doorway. His mother and aunt were both wearing their sleeping robes, and their hair was out, falling down their back. Their bare faces were red and splotchy from crying. Her mother's arms were wrapped around his aunt, comforting her as the older woman sobbed into her shoulder. Zuko frowned as he approached them cautiously, feeling butterflies form in his chest, fearing the worst.

His mother looked up when she heard his footsteps. He froze, trying to read her solemn expression. "Zuko." She gestured him forward.

Zuko walked forward, even as his aunt continued to wail. "Mother, what happened? Is it…?"

He trailed off when his mother nodded, silencing with a finger to her lips, motioning to his aunt. She patted her back gently as the other woman made a mess all over his mother's robes. Several people in the same red and white healer's uniform bowed as they went past went inside his Uncle's room, carrying bowls filed with elixirs and herbs and Zuko's heart sank.

"Perhaps we should go somewhere." His mother suggested, "So we aren't in the physician's way."

His aunt nodded sadly and followed his mother deeper into his Uncle's antechamber, used for receiving guests. He had barely shut the door before his mind started wondering exactly how this happened.

How could his Uncle have deteriorated so fast? He was fine only yesterday, even taking a few steps early that morning. How could his uncle, after such a great leap of progress, become so deadly ill?

"Mother." The sound of his cousin's voice broke off Zuko's thoughts. He turned and saw Lu Ten, still in his underclothes, with only a loose red robe to cover himself. Lu Ten looked exhausted, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders at the very moment.

At the sound of her son's voice, Aunt Yun Xi let go of Zuko's mother, and threw herself into her son's open arms. "Oh, Lu Ten!" She sobbed even louder now, losing all propriety and reserve in front of her son. Lu Ten's arms immediately wrapped around her, and he pulled her tightly to his chest, trying to maneuver her onto the couch. "Y-Your f-father, h-he—" She broke off as another wave crying overtook her, words becoming an incoherent babble.

"I thought he was doing better." Lu Ten whispered angrily. He turned to Zuko, and there was intense sadness, anger and fear in his eyes. It was anger, sadness and fear all at once. "Where's Katara? She promised to help him. She is supposed to be here. Or did she only pretend to make him well again? Maybe she—,"

"Don't you dare say that about Katara." Zuko lashed out at his cousin. Lu Ten staggered back in surprise. Although Zuko knew that Lu Ten was just lashing out because of the tension, and didn't really mean the things he was saying, Zuko couldn't let Katara's name be raked over the coals, especially when she wasn't even here to defend herself.

"Why not? If she wants to be a part of this family, she has to come to the aid of its members." Lu Ten snapped at him.

"Is that all Katara is to you?" Zuko bit out. "Walking medicine? She's more than that—,"

"She has her uses, Zuko." He said, anger still in his voice. "Everyone has their uses, you know that. And she needs to get here so she can heal him!"

Some small part of Zuko wondered if Lu Ten meant what he said. Or if he was lashing out because he was scared.

"You just want him healed because you don't want to be Fire Lord yourself!" Zuko retorted unkindly, lips curled up in a sneer.

Lu Ten's mouth dropped open, and his Aunt paused in her crying. His mother looked at him disapprovingly, but he didn't care. It was true. He had always known it was true. While Lu Ten excelled in most things, he hadn't had the proper training to be a Fire Lord. No one had, because it was so early into his father's reign. No one could have foreseen the terrible things that would befall Uncle Iroh.

"Zuko—," Lu Ten tried to speak, but Zuko spoke first. Surprisingly, after his outburst, Zuko felt better, but the knot in the pit of his stomach tightened when Katara came to the front of his mind.

"I know you're upset, but you can't say that about Katara. Not now. Not when she's—" Zuko stopped himself.

"She what?" His mother asked, worry on her face. "Is she unwell also?"

"Katara's—she's—," He forced himself to say the words. "She's been taken—arrested rather. And no—before you ask, I don't know where she is. Father said that she…she'd committed a crime, but I don't know what."

He couldn't tell them about Zhao. Not while he didn't have any evidence, no not yet. Not while his father had Katara and was using her as a bargaining chip. He was sure that that was his father's intention.

If his father was staging a coup, what better way than to make connections with rich and powerful nobility by marrying off his children. He wouldn't marry off Azula. No, Azula was too precious for that kind of fate. If Zuko married Mai like his father wanted…would he let Katara go? Maybe, maybe not. Zuko wasn't sure. There were too many variables, too many things left in the air for fate to decide.

What could Zuko, the Useless Prince, do?

"Why would your father arrest Katara?" His mother whispered, coming closer so as not to be heard by his aunt and cousin. But recognition sparked in her eyes and Zuko imagined that his mother was coming to the same conclusion that Zuko had formed not so long ago. "He actually—," She muttered under her breath.

Zuko said a bit louder. "We need to get her back."

I need her back. I need her more than anything.

Only for the first time in a while did his aunt speak without a hint of sadness. Zuko had, in fact, never seen her more irate than she was at this moment. Her eyes flashed with rage, and she let go of her son to rush towards Zuko, shaking and as Lu Ten put a hand on her shoulder to steady her, the Fire Lady shrugged him off roughly, poking Zuko in the chest with a finger.

Zuko looked down at the flash of gold on her hand as her hand balled up into a fist. Even though his Aunt wasn't looking like a Fire Lady now, she wore the ring. And that ring was all she needed. That ring could launch ships, command armies, sentence people to death. And it was the dragon ring curling around that finger that Zuko was facing now.

"You need to sort out your priorities, Prince Zuko." She snapped at him, eyes narrowing. "Have you forgotten that you belong to the Fire Nation Royal family, and it is the Family that comes first."

"I haven't forgotten that." Zuko said calmly, or well, as calmly as he could when faced with his enraged aunt. "But you're letting your emotions cloud your judgment, Aunt Yun Xi."

"Of course not, Zuko." His aunt looked insulted at the very idea, and she took a step backwards. "My judgment is always clear."

"I don't think so." Zuko said firmly, staring down his aunt. He'd never be so rude ordinarily, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Even the unforgivable can be forgivable sometimes. "Even after saving Uncle's life, healing him multiple times even at the cost of her own health, you still don't trust her?"

"Zuko do not speak to your Aunt that way." His mother admonished, but he didn't care. Everything was going wrong at once. Zuko laughed bitterly, because if his Aunt couldn't help him, then all was lost. He stepped away, moving out of earshot of his family so they wouldn't hear the muttered curses under his breath. He felt a hand on his shoulder—his mother had followed him to the other side of the room.

"I really am pathetic, aren't I?"

"Zuko?" His mother questioned, coming around him to look into his eyes.

"I'm useless. I can't do anything right. I can't even protect the girl I love." He let out another laugh, this one more desperate in the first, finding a sick twist of humor in his Fate. He hissed lowly, "But you know what? I don't care! Without her, Uncle would have been dead long ago, and I'm not going to stand by while she goes to jail for something she didn't do."

He saw her face. He knew she'd have questions. As his mother opened her mouth, the tears almost coming, his Aunt spoke up from behind them, and as he turned to face her, his mother reached forward and clasped his hand in her own.

The Fire Lady shook her head. "Zuko, I believe I understand your concern…but to have a trial while your Uncle is still ill, is…unthinkable." His aunt shook her head. "I've managed to keep this quiet from the people for the past few months, but I can't keep something as big as this from the public eye."

"Who cares what the nobility thinks?" Zuko asked. His voice softened, and he looked at his aunt with understanding eyes. "This is about love. The love you have for Uncle Iroh, the love I have for Katara, the love this family is supposed to have for one another. My father may find love impractical, but I don't. I never have."

"Oh Zuko…" his mother whimpered, while his aunt stiffened, annoyed.

He turned back to his aunt and asked her softly. "You love Uncle Iroh, and you would do anything to see him as he was, am I correct?"

"Yes, of course Zuko. You know that." She said, not a waver in her voice.

"I feel the same for Katara." He said quietly. "We don't know what she's going through in Father's prison. I'll do anything to get her out and get her here, so she can help him."

"Even if she knew what we've said about her?" Lu Ten spoke with a hard edge to his voice.

"Katara doesn't abandon people who need help." He said simply, knowing it was true. "She'll do her best…even if that person doesn't want it."

"But Zuko, the fate of the Nation hangs in the balance." His aunt pointed out logically. "If Iroh d-doesn't improve…Lu Ten will have no choice but to act as Regent."

Lu Ten's face immediately blanched, leading Zuko to believe that his earlier accusation wasn't so far off the mark.

Zuko eyed his aunt and cousin pensively, before giving them a cool smile. "If Katara is free, she'll be able to heal Uncle Iroh."

Light came into his aunt's eyes just then, and she moved from him, to sit in a chair near the fireplace. Zuko assumed that she was already trying to figure out the most secret way of freeing Katara. To avoid alerting the nobility while still retaining and maintaining her own political power would be his Aunt's greatest challenge yet.

What he didn't anticipate was his mother giving him a hug. He returned the hug stiffly, still surprised by the sudden affection. "What's wrong mother?" he asked quietly.

"You have learned what I have always wanted you to. You have learned to care for others outside yourself or the family. It brings me great joy to see how much you have changed." She whispered in his ear. His mother was nearly the same height as him, but in her arms, Zuko felt like a child again, running to her for comfort after he'd had a nightmare. She was his constant. His comfort, and he didn't know what he'd do if she were gone. "You will tell me more of what Katara has done for you?"

"Of course, I will." He whispered.

. He held her hand tightly in his own, allowing his palms to heat up, not hot enough to burn, but just enough that his mother could feel the warmth produced by his bending. She gasped lightly, mouth widening into a smile. She pulled away from him, a happy stream of tears rolling down her face "Oh my son—,"

"My Lady! My Lady!" A Fire Nation foot-soldier burst into the antechamber, covered in sweat, and breathing very heavily. He removed his helmet as soon as he stopped and bent his head in a rapid bow.

Aunt Yun Xi stood. "What's it?" She asked frantically. "Is it the Fire Lord? Has something happened to him?"

The young man straightened, staring at the Fire Lady in confusion. "No ma'am, should I get the Fire Lord?"

"No—!" She yelled out a little harsher than she had probably intended. "Don't bother him. What's wrong?"

"I was going to give this notice to Prince Ozai, but no one has been able to find him all morning. I was then going to give it to the Fire Lord, but my Commanding Officer told me to give it to you."

"Your Commanding Officer is a smart man." Lu Ten murmured. "Let my mother see the notice."

The solider bowed and handed the letter over with shaking hands. His aunt read the notice, unfolding it, and promptly deflated, collapsing back into the chair, as though all the air was sucked out of her chest, a vacant expression in her eyes.

"Yun Xi!" Ursa cried out, glaring at the foot soldier. "What was in that notice?"

He shrugged rapidly, eyes frantic. "I do not know, Your Highness." He bowed, waiting for instruction.

Lu Ten reached over and grabbed it from his Mother's hand, reading it with disbelieving eyes. He scoffed and passed the not to Zuko, his own mother reading it over his shoulder.

Prince Ozai,

Looting and rebellion from 2 days since. Burglary and extortion are problematic. 24 civilian injures, 17 civilians dead, seven dead guardsmen. Death toll on the rise. Citizens are in a state of panic, fleeing their homes to occupy nearby towns.

7 towns affected: Guolu, Ranshao, Shandian, Liangdu, Huoyan, Shanyao, Yongheng,

These words were on signs written at every city gate that was under attack.

返回指挥官赵! (Return Commander Zhao)

打倒茶情人! (Down with the tea lover!)

杀王室 (Kill the Royal Family.)

Please send military assistance.

Jee Chuan,

Lieutenant of the Fire Nation Navy, First Class

But Zuko saw what made his Aunt upset the most. It was the final threat written at each city gate. 3 characters, but they threatened to undermine the entire Royal Family. Maybe the foundation of the country as a whole.

The message was clearly for them and no one else. Each saying was written in the ancient Fire Nation characters. The common people wouldn't know this, but the nobility, military officials and royal household would understand this, and all the hidden meaning behind them.

Zuko couldn't help the uneasiness in his stomach, threatening to take over his entire being. Zhao was behind this. As a formal military officer, he was rich enough to afford the expensive training that would have taught him how to write those words. Heh, Zhao was rich enough to pay for a Writing Master to copy the words for him. But what exactly was he planning?

"Who would dare to plot a rebellion?" Lu Ten sneered arrogantly. "How could someone challenge our rule?"

"Lu Ten." His aunt said sternly. Gone was the grief-stricken woman, and in its place was the Fire Lady, the ruler of the most powerful nation in the world. "Your father's throne is three years old, and while he has the respect of many, clearly there are forces who wish us dead."

Zuko's mother nodded her head in agreement with the Fire Lady. "In addition, if word were to get out about your father's condition," She shook her head. "I fear deposition would be the only thing on our horizon."

Lu Ten's mouth formed a hard line. "Then the answer is clear. This rebellion must be put down. I will put down the rebellion myself."

His aunt rose out of her chair. She looked exhausted. "Lu Ten you have not had the necessary military training!"

"I'm a good soldier—," Lu Ten protested but she cut him off.

But she silenced him. "Being a soldier is not enough. You need to know how to command, how to lead by example, how to set a precedence that will make your men follow you without question willingly. Not because they are paid to. It took your father until he was 27 to master that, and he was diligent in his training." Aunt Yun Xi tilted her head towards Zuko. "Zuko was right when he said you weren't ready. Instead of being dedicated with your teachers, you were more interested in women and fire-whiskey."

"I can conjure lightning—,"

"So you can," His mother acknowledged. "But the ordinary foot soldier can't. These men and women that are fighting aren't going to be able to do the things that you can do. Leading a force of 20 or 30 men and women is not the same as leading a force of 200 or 300."

Lu Ten recoiled like he was under attack. Perhaps he actually did feel that way, Zuko thought. Because now that his father was too ill to be conscious, all eyes turned to Lu Ten. As Crown Prince, the people looked to Lu Ten for the future stability of the nation, but Lu Ten used his status to get what and whomever he wanted. Zuko knew this, and his mother always said that he'd probably grow out of it, but Lu Ten didn't have any more time to grow. If the dynasty was to survive, Lu Ten had a lot of learning to do, and fast.

The Crown Prince turned to the three of them, a determined look in his eyes. "You'll see, mother, I'll end this rebellion in a week. We'll use all the garrison. All 30,000 men." He grinned confidently. "Just the mere threat of my retribution will be enough to scare them off."

However, his sentence didn't have the effect Zuko knew his cousin was looking for. Instead, his aunt just shook her head wearily. For once, he saw how tiring the role of a ruler could be. While she didn't wield all the power of Uncle Iroh, she commanded equal respect, could make military decisions, and her word held considerable strength, but if she couldn't rely on her son, the strength of the Fire Lady was only going to get the family so far.

"Zuko," his mother murmured, reading his face. "You're frowning."

"I am?" he asked in surprise. He had not even realized that he'd been doing it.

Lu Ten turned to him, suspicion in his eyes. "You don't approve of my plan?"

Zuko shrugged. "Well, no, honestly." Lu Ten narrowed his eyes in anger, and opened his mouth, but the Fire Lady shushed him.

"What do you think, Zuko?" She cast a wayward glance at her son. "Any suggestion is a welcome suggestion at a time like this."

"Well, I um…" They were all staring at him. Zuko almost wanted to cower out of shyness and fear of rebuke, but suddenly Katara's crying face as she was being taken flashed in his mind. He had to prove he was strong. Strong to protect her, to protect his people, to protect the family and people he loved the most in this world.

"If you don't have an idea, Zuko, that's okay as well." The Fire Lady said softly, frowning. "…I will have to call in the war councilors though, and they're always a pain to work with. Plus, there's the chance that one of them might talk to other nobles and tell them that Iroh wasn't at the meeting."

Zuko spoke, and he tried to make his voice sound strong, like Katara's when she was passionate about something, when she argued about something she believed in. He clung to his memory of her strength, and it was almost like she was there with him, he could feel her spirit with him as he spoke. He didn't even know where the words came from, but they were there, and he was surprising even himself.

"If you look at each city, they're traveling down the Eastern Fire Nation Coast. Guolu, Ranshao, and Shandian all have members of the nobility on the War Council, and Liangdu, Huoyan, Shanyao, Yongheng all have the members of the nobility that have made sizeable donations to the treasury in exchange for political support during Grandfather Azulon's reign." They were all listening with rapt attention, and he felt that he shouldn't mention that Mai and her very rich father lived in Yongheng, the most recent city under attack.

"Go on, Zuko." His aunt said after he'd paused for too long. She didn't appear to be angry with him, so he cleared his throat and continued.

"I believe that the rebels are trying to turn the nobility against us, by going to each city and leaving messages that only the Nobility would understand."

"You have a point." His mother said quietly, and Lu Ten frowned slightly. "So then how do you propose we stop it?"

Zuko shook his head. "I don't have a map on hand, but I believe that the next town in the direct line is Taiyang. Taiyang is very close to the capital, and a lot of nobility live there. After that, is the Capital City itself, and we should stop them before they cause mass panic in the city—"

"Exactly." Lu Ten cut in. "That's why I'm saying that we go to Taiyang with the entire force of the Fire Nation and put a stop this nonsense."

"That would only frighten people further." Zuko said calculatingly. "I've seen the people in the city. They…they think the royal family doesn't care about them, especially down by the docks. Shibai hospital is in tatters and is run by Zhao, an incompetent fool. Given their attitude towards us…they would believe that it's the underdog that should be the victor. This requires stealth, instead of force."

When Katara and Zuko fought Shin and his troops, he'd noticed something rather strange about the people. When Katara stepped forward, the people didn't support her until it was clear that she was the minority fighter in that situation. The Fire Nation people always had a flair for the dramatic and the scandalous.

"They wouldn't attack the Capital City tonight, I think. It takes time to frighten people, and Taiyang is a very large city. I can't fight the strange feeling that this mess of a rebellion, Katara's arrest, and Uncle's sickness aren't one big coincidence. I think that someone is behind this, but I don't have enough evidence to prove it." He paced back and forth, never pausing, as something of a solution came from his lips. "What we should do, is send a small band of soldiers to Taiyang. Our most talented. If they can wait in secret and ambush the rebels, then the Capital City won't be breached. If we have missed our chance…"

"If we have missed our chance, then let them come." Lu Ten said fiercely.

Zuko shook his head. His cousin was too rash. But it didn't occur to Zuko, that only a few months ago, he would have said the same thing. Katara had changed him, made him question, made him pause, made him think about morality and honor.

"That won't work. I believe that I know who the leader is." Zuko said. "A man named Shin. He was one of Zhao's top advisors and has now turned into a brute terrorizing the streets and extorting money from citizens." He eyed his Aunt carefully. "I think he's working his way back towards the capital city. If we can't stop him in Taiyang, then we should prevent access to the Capital City and Shibai hospital."

"How do you know this, Zuko?" His aunt asked.

"I can't explain, it would take too much time." Zuko looked towards the window. The sun was rising and would be fully in the sky in less than an hour. "And time is something that we do not have."

Azula

"Do it well," Azula ordered calmly, ignoring the quiet whimpers coming from the floor. "I can't have any of my servants being unsightly." Azula continued, sipping her morning tea.

The girl nodded and proceeded to torture the 12-year-old more, as she ran the hard-bristled brush through the short, spiky hair of her newest acquisition. Azula smirked to herself. She wondered what Jet would say if he saw his sister now, laughing quietly to herself. He'd probably have a heart attack. She was clean and wore the uniform of a proper Fire Nation servant, complete with Azula's personal insignia at her shoulder, a golden crown surrounded in blue flame.

Another muffled whine of pain reached her ears, and Azula paused in reaching for a cake with her chopsticks. Rolling her eyes in Smellerbee's general direction, she continued eating, picking up the cake and raising it to her mouth. Smellerbee let out a gasp and Azula's brow furrowed. She set down the chopsticks with a loud clatter, exhaling her frustration.

The entire room paused, the other servants looking at her with fear. Azula pinched the bridge of her nose. "Okay—What's the problem?" The girl brushing Smellerbee's hair froze. Smellerbee looked up, but there wasn't fear in her eyes like all the others. Maybe she believed that Azula wouldn't hurt her.

And Azula wouldn't. After all, it wouldn't make a good impression if she maimed the sister of the person she liked, now would it? She didn't hate Jet, and consequently, she couldn't hate his sister. Especially seeing how much Jet loved and protected her. Azula wanted someone to care about her like that. She wanted Jet to care about her like that.

It felt strange—admitting it to herself.

Smellerbee offered her a sheepish smile, wincing, patting her head lightly. "I'm sorry Princess Azula, I've just never liked my hair brushed."

Azula smirked and said nothing, picking up her chopsticks again. She reached for the remainder of her breakfast until she was interrupted again.

The girl brushing Smellerbee's hair raked the rough brush across Smellerbee's scalp harder, and the girl reached up as though trying to protect her head, but the other girl hit her shoulder with the rough bristles of the brush. Azula heard the impact and Smellerbee's louder cry of pain and looked up to see that her servant was scolding Smellerbee. "If Princess Azula is offering you something, you should be grateful for it you foolish girl."

"If I offer you 40 fire-lashes would you be grateful?" The princess asked calmly.

Her more senior servant staggered in her speech, freezing, the brush falling out of her hands and landing on the floor with a loud clatter... "Princess Azula, I—,"

Azula never bothered to learn her servant's names, they all disappeared so quickly. "Get out." She said calmly, taking a bite of the cake. "I have stolen Smellerbee here from the kitchens, you will take her place."

"B-But—," The girl continued to protest, but Azula continued.

"Trust that Shuzen will be informed of how loyally you have served me. He will give you very special treatment." She glared at the girl. "Get. Out."

"Yes ma'am." She stammered, rising from the floor, head bowed in shame. The girl backed out of the room in disgrace, tears falling from her eyes.

Azula turned back to Smellerbee and studied for a moment before shrugging. "I suppose spiky hair isn't so terrible on you. It makes you look like your brother. The resemblance is clearer…you have the same eyes…" She turned back to the rest of the servants, who were all staring at Smellerbee as though they couldn't believe that Azula actually spoke kindly to her. "Now listen to me. Smellerbee here works directly under me. If she gives you an order, you obey it. She is to take orders from no one but me."

They bowed on their knees, foreheads touching the floor. Good.

"I'm just saying..." Jet grit his teeth again and turned away from her. He couldn't stand looking at her anymore. "I don't want your hatred of me to influence the way you treat her. Please, just treat her well. That's all I ask. No matter how much you hate me, for my little sister's sake…just treat her well."

"I could never hate you Jet."

For his sake, she would treat her well.

"Azula!" A bright voice said from her doorway. Azula looked up into the cheerful eyes of Tylee, pink and perky as usual in the morning. She would never understand her friend's constant enthusiasm for everything. "You'll never guess what I found yesterday!"

Tylee bounded into the room before Azula could say 'come in', not bothering to reprimand her—she'd just do the same thing next time. Tylee sank into the seat across from Azula, and the Princess noticed she carried a large bundle in her hands.

"What's that?" Azula asked, but Tylee was distracted, having engaged in conversation with the confused Smellerbee in a matter of seconds. Azula slammed her hand down on the table, causing both girls to jump in surprise. "Tylee, focus."

Tylee looked down, and then as if remembering, she looked back up again just as quickly. "Oh right! Sorry Azula, but you'll never guess what I found!"

"We'll see about that." Azula muttered to herself. Tylee tilted her head blankly and nothing was said between them for a moment or two. Azula ran out of patience with Tylee and asked, agitated. "What are you doing?"

"You said you were going to guess." Tylee said smartly, still smiling. Azula resisted the urge to bang her head against the table—or the wall.

"I was joking, Tylee, now hurry up and tell me." But Tylee didn't say anything, she just giggled quietly to herself. Azula poked her in the shoulder.

"Azula…" She snickered. "You just said you were joking. You never joke."

"Tylee!"

She giggled blushingly. "Sorry," She said. "Right. So…I was looking for evidence about where Katara and Zuko went yesterday and I found this." She untied the bag and pulled out several pairs of clothes.

One piece of clothing obviously belonged to a woman. When Tylee handed the article to Azula, a metal object fell out of it with a loud clank. A blue Water Tribe necklace lay on the table, glinting in the morning light as though it gave off a light all its own.

Azula's eyes met Tylee's. "Mai filled you in, I assume?" Azula asked. Tylee nodded. "This is Katara's necklace."

"Really?" Tylee asked. "Then why would it be with these clothes, and down by the beach? And with this—,"

She pulled out something else from her bag. This item obviously belonged to a male, and it was of peasant quality, and had a long hole in the side as though it came from—

No.

Katara said they were friends. Just friends. What would Katara be doing without her clothes and Jet without his shirt?

"Why was Katara meeting Jet in secret by the beach?" Azula murmured more to herself than Tylee.

"She wasn't. I found it near the hospital. But Katara was at the hospital so…." Tylee shrugged and trailed off.

"Perhaps I can answer that question." The unmistakable voice of her mother filled the room with a chilling air, and Tylee visibly shivered. Tylee had never liked her mother, claiming that the woman possessed a negative aura and that it wasn't healthy for her to be around so much negativity for very long periods.

She wore a gown of bright red, almost pink in color, with an orange trim on the hem and sleeves. Azula wondered if her mother wore this in preparation for something because almost all her mother's clothes as of late were similar to her Aunt Yun Xi's clothes in some way, shape or form. Her blood red lips smiled easily at Azula, but the princess wasn't comforted by her mother's smile.

There was something sinister.

Her mother had changed. Not just in appearance, but in personality. When she entered Azula's room, the confident stride betrayed her mother's emotions. She could see just how satisfied the older woman was with the way things were going. But Azula didn't understand. Nothing had happened. For all Azula knew, Katara was still happy, planning her upcoming wedding to her big brother. The thought left a bitter feeling inside.

"Mother?" Azula asked, regaining her senses.

Tiang motioned to Tylee to get up, and the girl did so without question, standing off to the side behind Azula. Tylee looked almost scared of her mother, but Azula couldn't see why. This was her mother. The woman she'd always known. Just because she was one step closer to becoming Fire Lady didn't mean she got a whole new personality.

"This will be the final nail in Katara's coffin." The wicked smile returned, and her mother lounged in the chair, helping herself to Azula's breakfast. "I have it on good authority that your father arrested Princess Katara for treason earlier this morning."

"What?" Azula's mouth dropped. "What was the charge?"

If there were a few times that Azula was surprised in her life, then this was one of them. How had her mother carried out the plan in such a little amount of time? Something of this caliber needed to be thought out more, and Azula couldn't shake the feeling that this was too rushed. Something was bound to go wrong, and she didn't want to be implicated when it did.

"That's none of your business." Her mother snapped. Azula frowned. Why would her mother bother to tell her only half of the details? She might've been better off had her mother just kept her in the dark all together. But before Azula could channel more of her anger towards her mother, the woman spoke in a soft voice.

"I have use of you, Azula."

"Yes mother? What's it?" Azula asked, searching for acceptance.

"You will be a witness to Katara's trial." Tiang said and then picked up the holey shirt from the table. "We will accuse Katara of being in an adulterous relationship while being engaged to Zuko. The result would be scandalous."

"Mother," Azula tried to point out, "Katara could just deny everything." She didn't add that her mother was being highly hypocritical when it came to adulterous affairs, but she could hardly say anything to her mother about it.

"Not if the Fire Nation's most beloved princess testifies. And your Uncle is much too weak to preside over the trial. With any fortune, your father will be in charge, and then all of my problems will be solved." Her mother said calculatingly.

"But I thought that Uncle was getting better?" Azula said quietly to herself.

Her mother opened her mouth—closed it—and then opened it again, her eyes narrowed in irritation. "Forget it Azula." Tiang stood and started walking away. Azula willed her mother to come back, to no avail. "I had hoped to include you, but you really are hopeless."

Just as her mother's hand reached for the handle it was thrown open by the girl that Azula had kicked out only moments before. She was breathing heavily as she entered the room, bowing quickly to both Azula and Tiang.

"Why have you come back?" Azula asked. She didn't really need this right now.

The servant took a few minutes to steady herself and Azula frowned. Finally, when she was collected enough to speak, the girl cleared her throat. "Your highnesses, there is big trouble in the Palace."

"What it?" Azula's mother asked eagerly, rubbing her palms together in anticipation.

The girl took a shaky breath and let out an even shakier response. "The Fire Lord is dying."

If her mother could have fainted, she would have.

Katara

The whip lashed out. A flash of heat raking across her skin. Pain. And then no more. Oh, how she wished she could sleep, she was so tired, and Ozai had only barely started. Another lash. She thinks that she cried out this time, but she couldn't be sure. A question—but Katara shook her head, and then another flash of searing pain, as though she was burning from the inside out. But she wouldn't give in. The fate of a Nation was uncertain, and Spirits be damned if she was going to surrender now.

"You won't get away with this." She bit out before she lost consciousness.

Before her world faded to black, she heard the cold voice of the Fire Prince, betraying no emotion, no feeling, only pride in what he had done to her. The pleasure he took from her pain.

"I believe that I will be the judge of that." He beat her again, and Katara, chained up against the wall, was for the first time in her life—powerless.

For now, she could only feel pain.

And the day had just begun.