Suki held her breath and counted out the seconds that passed into minutes as she stood pressed into the corner of the study. She was hidden by the brocade curtain and unable to see. Her ears pricked against the slight sounds she heard: out in the hallway, she could hear the muffled conversations of passing servants, could hear their soft footfalls; she could hear the soft rustle of clothing as Ty Lee and Sokka breathed in their respective hiding places.
Sokka was in Ty Lee's place in the dark corner, pressed flat against one of the bookshelves. Ty Lee was folded up beneath the desk.
Almost an hour had passed since the warriors had slipped into the Fire Lord's study. Princess Ursa had still been there, and had let them in through the balcony doors. The trio had slipped along the palace rooftops to sneak in unseen by any prying eyes. Suki was confident that they hadn't been spotted, and she believed whoever it was sneaking into the study would be arriving soon.
It had been almost an hour, after all. Usually that was when she and Ty Lee would slip in and assume their overnight vigil. The sneak had to come in before then, which meant they would be there any moment.
The seconds passed with each tick of Suki's pulse. Something deep within her gut was wound taut like a cable, threatening to snap. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, waiting to be spent. The heat of battle was in her blood.
Finally, at last, they would capture the culprit who had been giving their Fire Lord and his mother grief.
The only issues that had eluded them had been who, and how. Neither Mal-Chin nor Alasie had seemed agile or cunning enough to be able to slip in and out of the Fire Lord's study unnoticed. Though perhaps if it had been Mal-Chin, he wouldn't have needed much stealth. No one would question the Lord Chamberlain, Zuko's most trusted advisor, of treachery. And yet, it still didn't make sense.
Suki surmised that whoever the sneak was, it wasn't an advisor or close confidant to Zuko. It was an outsider, someone who had been contracted—whether it was by a traitor or an enemy, Suki wasn't sure—to gather intelligence that could be used to usurp Zuko and Princess Ursa, although she had kept that observation to herself. No one knew the truth behind the Fire Lord's unexpected absence, of that Suki was confident. So it made sense that whoever it was had to be involved in the plot, and possibly even knew of the prophecy and Zuko's mission. Ursa suspected it was Azula, and Suki was in agreement.
She felt the shift before she heard the tell-tale sounds of an intruder. The vibrations in the room shifted, and Suki strained her ears.
She could hear the muffled sound of rustling clothes and padded feet coming from somewhere nearby—and it wasn't Sokka or Ty Lee. Her grip around her fan tightened and she shifted minimally, prepared to jump out from behind the curtains and attack the intruder. I hope Ty Lee and Sokka are ready, too.
Suki listened as the soft feet landed somewhere on the other side of the room. She realized they had come down through the fireplace, her eyes widening in the dark. That's how they were able to get in here!
She held her breath. She didn't want to move too soon and give the assailant an opportunity to escape. She didn't want to raise his suspicions. She knew that Ty Lee and Sokka would wait for her to make the first move. Their plan would only work once. It needed to be perfect.
Suki turned her head toward the fireplace. In the dead silence, she could hear the light breaths of the newcomer.
The minutes dragged out. She knew the sneak was waiting for her and Ty Lee's arrival as he had been for days, but he was in for quite the surprise.
Suki steeled herself, took a shallow breath, and stepped out from behind the curtain. She caught Sokka's eyes from the dark corner of the room and nodded once. Ty Lee slunk out from beneath the leg cubby of the desk and remained crouched beside it.
With her blood pounding in her ears, Suki drifted past the desk and toward the door as if she were leaving. The intruder in the fireplace was holding his breath, but Suki knew he was there, watching her. Biding his time.
A flick of her wrist sent her fan whizzing through the air. It disappeared into the darkness of the fireplace. She heard the grunt of surprise and the thud of her fan burying itself into the stone hearth.
Ty Lee bounced out from behind the desk as Sokka pulled out of his dark corner, drawing his sword. Ty Lee lunged for the fireplace as Suki lit an oil lamp. There was a sharp grunt of pain as several thumps emerged from the darkness, and as the orange glow pushed away the shadows, Suki saw Ty Lee pull a dark, limp shape from within the hearth.
"Who is it?" Sokka demanded to know as he crouched beside the limp form.
Ty Lee shrugged. "I don't know."
Suki took in the intruder. He wore black from head to toe, with soft-soled boots for aid in stealth. A black mask, with carved eyes and a viciously grinning mouth, covered his face and a sword was sheathed on his waist. Ty Lee had gotten him good with her chi-blocking. Suki suspected he couldn't even raise a finger if he wanted to.
"Let's find out," she said grimly.
Suki crouched over the incapacitated intruder and slipped her fingers beneath the chin of the unfamiliar mask. She pulled it away and revealed a face she didn't recognize. He blinked at her, gold eyes flashing in the dim light. Her suspicions had been correct.
"Who the heck is that?" Sokka inquired. "That's not Mal-Chin or Alasie."
"I don't know." Suki stood up and set the mask on the desktop. Her face was grim. "Tie him up, Sokka. You and Ty Lee stay here while I go and get Princess Ursa."
Sokka nodded, his face set in a look of determination. He retrieved the rope he had brought from the bag he had stowed away beneath the tea table. He and Ty Lee began to restrain the intruder.
"I'll be right back," Suki said to her companions. She set her steely eyes on the captive, who looked at her with cool disinterest. "And when I get back, you're going to talk."
Ty Lee and Sokka bound the man's hands behind him and tied his ankles together. Sokka hauled him into a chair and wrapped the remaining length of rope around the captive's chest and tied him to the chair. Sokka wasn't going to take any chances; this was their only hope to find out who was trying to get rid of Zuko.
With their task done, Ty Lee and Sokka stood before the captive. Sokka crossed his arms over his chest and appraised the man. He was definitely Fire Nation; the amber of his eyes was unmistakable. Sokka didn't know if he was a firebender or not, but the man's chi was blocked anyway.
The man looked from him to Ty Lee the way someone might inspect two pieces of meat he was debating on buying from the market. He said nothing.
Sokka was glad. His anger was mounting at the sheer injustice of it all. Zuko had worked so hard to create harmony with the Fire Nation, and then worms like this had to try and undermine his efforts. Sokka couldn't stand it.
After several tense, silent moments, he heard approaching footsteps. His hand fell to the hilt of his sword—not his magnificent space sword, sadly, but a blade made of cool steel he had forged himself in the South Pole—while Ty Lee brought her hands up, ready to chi-block if it was an enemy who came through the door.
The knob turned, and the door opened to reveal Suki with Princess Ursa in tow. The Princess's expression was one of cold fury. Sokka unconsciously shied away from that look.
Princess Ursa strode across the room and stopped just out of reach from the intruder. She observed him for a brief moment before she caught sight of the mask that Suki had left on the desk. She went to it and picked it up, running her fingers across the smooth metal and turning it over in her hands. Her honey eyes flashed to the warriors.
"I know who he works for, at least." Her voice was as sharp as steel. She stepped in front of the bound man and flung the mask into his chest. It slid off of his lap and clattered to the floor. Her lip curled and she spat, "The Kage Noshi."
Sokka frowned. "Who?"
Without taking her eyes from the man, Ursa explained. "The Kage Noshi. It means 'shadow death'. They're a group of highly trained assassins. Their specialty is stealth." Her mouth contorted into a scowl. "Ozai once sent them to kill me, after he had banished me. They were, clearly, unsuccessful."
"I've heard of them before," Ty Lee admitted quietly. "But I always thought they were a legend. Mai used to talk about how she thought it could be exciting to join them."
"They're real, alright." Ursa leaned in closer to the man and grabbed his chin in her hand. His eyes narrowed into slits, but Ursa didn't show any fear. "Speak. Who hired you?"
The man leveled her with a stoic expression and said nothing.
Ursa's expression darkened. She glowered at the captive. "You will talk. I'll make sure of it." She turned back to her companions. "Stay with him and keep him subdued. We can't let him get away." She moved toward the door.
"Where are you going, Princess Ursa?" Suki demanded to know.
Ursa looked over her shoulder at the captive. "I need to go to my greenhouse for a moment. We need him to talk, and I'm not one for torture. Are you?"
Suki and Sokka exchanged an uneasy look. "No," Suki said quietly.
"I'll go with you," Sokka volunteered. He stepped toward the princess. "Suki and Ty Lee can handle this guy, but who knows how many more of these creeps are crawling around." Ursa opened her mouth as if to protest, but Sokka shook his head and said in a low tone, "Yue told me to protect you. I'm going with you."
Ursa stared into the warrior's eyes before nodding once. "Come along then. There's no time to waste."
Sokka followed Ursa as they hurried down the empty corridors of the Royal Palace. Sokka had unsheathed his sword. He was on high-alert for any signs of danger, but Ursa moved with purposeful determination toward their destination. All was quiet within the palace.
"I doubt there are any more of them around, Sokka," Ursa told him as she led him down another corridor. "If they were planning on mounting an attack tonight, they wouldn't have sent him into the study."
Sokka frowned thoughtfully. "You said Ozai's sent them after you before. Do you think that's who's behind it now? Or do you think it's still Azula?"
"I think it must be both of them working together somehow," Ursa admitted, her voice low. "Azula must be close, likely here in Capital City somewhere. She must have connections that help her get into the prison to see her father."
"And they've been plotting to assassinate Zuko." Sokka's voice was grim. Was this the life Zuko had to look forward to? It was unfair. Sokka's best friend couldn't catch a break, no matter how much he tried to repent for.
The princess nodded. "And likely me as well. My daughter holds deep resentment toward me. She feels as though I am out to get her, and that I always loved Zuko more than her."
Sokka arched a brow curiously. "Did you?"
Ursa glanced back over her shoulder at him, her expression sad. "Not at first. But eventually...yes, I did." She looked away with a sigh. "I never meant for it to happen. I did love them both equally at one point. But you have to understand that Ozai never loved Zuko. He wanted an heir, and that was it. And when Zuko didn't show any promise of being a powerful bender, he quickly grew disinterested in him altogether...perhaps even resentful of him."
"That's harsh," Sokka muttered, taken aback.
Ursa nodded in agreement. "When Azula showed promise as a prodigy at such a young age...she was everything to him. He slowly sowed seeds of hatred and darkness into my daughter, and all of my love couldn't change her. I think that he corrupted something inside of her, and that is why Azula is very ill."
Ursa and Sokka stepped out into a courtyard he had never been to. In one corner stood a large greenhouse. Ursa led the way to it, picking up her pace. Sokka stared into the deep pockets of shadows for any signs of danger and found none. She produced a key from the sleeve of her robe and unlocked the door.
Ursa cast him a cautionary look over her shoulder. "Please don't touch anything, Sokka. Most of these ingredients are highly poisonous."
Inside was a vast and impressive collection of plants. It smelled damp in the greenhouse beneath the smell of the vegetation. Sokka could smell sweet blossoms, bitter roots, and pungent herbs. It was a cloying odor that made his head ache faintly. He observed the various plants, most of which were foreign to him.
"What do we need from here?" Sokka asked. "How are we going to get the assassin to talk? I'm not normally a fan of torture, but desperate times, y'know?"
Ursa walked down a row of plants. "Hawksweed, poppy root, cardinal seed, and black moss." She slipped a pair of gloves over her hands and took a pair of clippers and a glass jar from a shelf. "It's a truth tea."
"Truth tea?"
Ursa nodded as she looked for the ingredients. "Yes. It acts as a truth-telling agent. It's almost like a liquor. It lowers inhibitions and makes people more willing to talk. It's a mostly-unknown concoction that only the most experienced herbalists know of. My mother taught it to me."
Sokka watched as she clipped roots from a peculiar-looking plant and dropped them into the jar. "Have you ever used this stuff before?"
"No," Ursa replied. "I kept much of my knowledge of plants a secret, and I never encountered a moment where I needed to use this potion. I had hoped I never would. My mother told me that the truth tea should only be used in times of great desperation."
"Why?" Sokka queried. "It sounds like it could be really useful." Like Toph's ability to tell when people are lying. "Why wouldn't you use it more?"
Ursa added a handful of blue-black seeds into the jar. "Because it has...lasting effects. It affects a person's memory and cognitive functions. Over time, it can deteriorate their personality. It's not a pleasant thing to experience, to say the least, and I'm only using it now because the Kage Noshi agent won't talk otherwise."
"What do you know about the Kage Noshi, anyway?" Sokka asked. "If they're the ones who are doing Azula's dirty work, I'd like to know what they're about."
Ursa added the black moss to the concoction and took it over to a small table where she brewed tea. She set the jar on the iron holder and used spark rocks to light a fire below it. She poured in a small amount of water and stirred the ingredients before she answered Sokka.
"I don't know that much about them, unfortunately," Ursa answered quietly. "They're an old organization. They're lethal killers, highly trained in all manners of execution. Some of them are benders, but most of them use weapons to kill. They're not segregated by nations, either. They have no moral compass and will sell their blades to the highest bidder, no matter who the target is. Apparently, they also dabble in intelligence-gathering and spying."
"So they're a pretty formidable enemy, then," Sokka remarked.
Ursa nodded. "Most definitely." She stirred the brew. "We need to gather whatever information we can from him. We need to find out what Azula is planning so we can stop it. We can't let her or Ozai take the throne." She looked at him. "I don't think I need to tell you why."
Sokka nodded grimly. She didn't. "I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn't happen, Princess Ursa," Sokka said solemnly.
"I know you will."
There was a sharp knock on the door. Suki turned, fan at the ready, but relaxed when she saw Sokka and Ursa enter. Ursa carried a jar of a steaming grey-brown liquid. The smell was bitter and Suki resisted the urge to gag.
"What is that smell?" Ty Lee complained. She glimpsed over her shoulder and wrinkled her nose. "That smells terrible."
"We thought our friend here might be thirsty," Sokka replied nonchalantly as he strode over to the captive. He leered down at him. "Are you ready to talk yet, buddy? Because you're about to be."
The man's lip curled into a snarl, but he didn't speak.
Ursa took the drink over to the man and stood before him. "This is truth tea. You are going to drink it and tell us what you know."
The man glowered up at her and remained silent.
"How are we going to force him to drink it? What's to stop him from just spitting it out?" Ty Lee inquired curiously. She tapped her finger against her chin thoughtfully. "I suppose we could hold his mouth shut?"
Ursa shook her head. "That won't be necessary, Ty Lee." She focused her cold eyes on the Kage Noshi assassin. "Just having it touch his mouth is enough for it to have some effect, and I made sure to brew it strong."
"We're not taking any chances," Sokka said coldly. He stepped up to the assassin. "Open wide, jerk."
The assassin stared resolutely at Sokka, his mouth pressed into a thin line.
Ty Lee cracked her knuckles and stepped forward. "Allow me, Sokka." She flitted to the assassin and appraised him. "The body is really amazing. It has all of these little pressure points that do different things. Including opening someone's mouth against their will. Like so." She brought her fingers up and jabbed both sides of the man's face where his bottom jaw connected to his upper jaw.
His mouth dropped open.
"Now, Ursa!" Ty Lee shrilled.
Ursa poured the tea into the man's mouth. He struggled to close his mouth and choked against the acidic tea that burned his throat. The concoction dribbled down his neck and into his shirt.
"Swallow it!" Ty Lee said, holding her fingers up threateningly. Ty Lee hit the jaw's pressure points again and his mouth snapped shut, sloshing more of the brew down his front. But the man refused to swallow it.
Suki reached forward. "He's got to swallow it or he's going to aspirate it and drown!" She pinched the bridge of his nose between her fingers and closed off his nostrils.
The assassin was stubborn; Suki would give him that. She watched as his face reddened as his body became starved for oxygen. His skin darkened before it took on a purplish hue.
"Swallow it, you moron!" Sokka bellowed. "You are literally going to die if you don't!"
The assassin's eyes flashed like twin flames. At last, his throat bobbed as he swallowed the tea. Suki released his nostrils and the man hung his head as he heaved several deep breaths. Finally he looked up, glaring at each of them.
"Are you satisfied now?" the assassin hissed.
"Yes, thank you," Sokka retorted.
Suki looked at Princess Ursa. "How long does it take for the tea to go into effect?"
"It shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes, and that's with the normal dose," Ursa replied. "With the amount of ingredients I put into it, I expect the truth tea will start to work in five minutes or so." She stared coolly at their captive. "I'm quite looking forward to hearing what our friend here has to say. I'm sure it'll be...interesting."
He continued to glare.
Sokka leaned against the fireplace and crossed his arms over his chest. "I've got to hand it to you. I didn't even think about the fireplace. It's a bit cozy, isn't it? It's impressive, really. I wonder who gave you that idea?" He arched a brow. "Was it Mal-Chin? Azula?"
The assassin chuckled. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"So why don't you enlighten us?" Suki drawled.
"He won't tell you anything yet, Suki. We've got to let the tea take effect first," Ursa told them. "Once it does, he'll tell us everything we want to know."
Ursa stood and approached the bound assassin. She turned to her companions. "It's time."
"How do we know if it's working?" Ty Lee inquired.
"We ask him something with one right answer," Sokka replied. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What do we ask to make sure he's telling the truth?"
"The answers will be compulsory," Ursa informed them. "He won't be able to lie, no matter what, because he won't be able to resist the urge to answer. And he won't be able to hide his emotions, either."
Suki arched a brow at the assassin. "What color is the sky?"
"Blue," came the quick answer.
Sokka shook his head. "No, Suki, that's too easy." He sized up the assassin as he thought about it. He snapped his fingers. "Were you here the night before as well?"
"Yes," the assassin said.
Sokka turned to Ursa. "Does that sound about right? Did the truth tea work or what?"
Ursa's expression was grim. "We're about to find out." She looked at the assassin. "What is your name?"
"Takeshi," the assassin replied.
Ursa glanced at her companions. "It appears to be working. The brew will last for only an hour or so, so let's make sure we ask all of the questions we need to." She turned her molten eyes back to their captive. "Who sent you?"
"Kurai."
"Who is that?" Sokka demanded to know.
Takeshi turned his eyes toward the water tribe prince. "He's the guildmaster. He runs the Kage Noshi."
The effects of the truth tea were odd to see in action. The man's responses were quick and given with no hesitation. All traces of malice had left his eyes and there was no tension in his posture. Rather, the assassin was now slumped against his restraints and his eyes had taken on a distant, dream-like quality.
"Remind me to never drink the truth tea," Sokka remarked to Suki. "That guy is messed up. Cactus juice sounds more appealing."
Suki nodded in agreement.
Ursa resumed questioning the captive. "Who hired the Kage Noshi?"
"Princess Azula. Your daughter," came the reply.
Ursa exchanged a look with Suki and Ty Lee.
Suki asked the next question. "Why did Azula offer a contract to the Kage Noshi? Who are you supposed to kill?"
"I'm not supposed to kill anyone," Takeshi replied quickly. "I'm supposed to gather intelligence." He pressed his lips together as though to stop himself from talking.
"Why are you gathering information?" Ursa queried.
"To try and find out where the Fire Lord and the water tribe princess were," Takeshi answered readily. "And to see what the Grandmaster knew."
Ursa's brow furrowed. "Why?"
The assassin actually chuckled. He rolled his eyes. "Isn't it obvious? Ozai wants his throne. Azula is helping him get it. She knew that with her brother standing in her way, she wouldn't be able to. Well, not without some help. So she hired the Kage Noshi to take out her brother."
"How does the prophecy factor into it?" Sokka demanded to know. "What does the Conduit have to do with this?"
"What better time to assume control than during times of chaos?" Takeshi drawled. "The princess found a way to control the Conduit. She was going to use the Conduit to assume control of the Fire Nation, after she killed her brother."
"This is worse than we thought," Suki murmured to Ursa. The Fire Nation princess nodded in agreement.
"Who else is involved?" Ursa questioned.
"The New Ozai Society," was the steady response.
Ursa's brows rose. "Who are the New Ozai Society?"
"They're loyalists to Ozai. They've got spies here in the Royal Palace." The assassin smirked. "Azula controls them from the outside, but Ozai is the true leader, even from his prison cell."
"Who are they? Who are the members of the New Ozai Society?" Ursa's voice had taken on an urgent tempo. Her brows were knit in frustration and her skin had gone pallid.
"There's a lot of them, but Ukano seems to be a pretty important guy in the ranks," Takeshi replied. He shrugged. "I don't really get why. The man's as spineless as a jellyfish." He laughed at that.
Ty Lee leaned in to Ursa and whispered harshly, "That's Mai's dad!"
"I know," Ursa murmured. She turned her cold eyes back to the captive. "Who else is part of the New Ozai Society?"
"Mal-Chin," the assassin answered. "He's the one who gave me the idea to use the chimney. He's the guy I take my information to."
Ursa stepped back. A cold feeling washed over her. My son's most trusted advisor, a traitor. She turned to Sokka and Suki. "Mal-Chin must be dealt with right away, before he realizes something is amiss and warns Azula. Go now, and arrest him. The regent Fire Lord commands it."
Sokka looked back at Takeshi. "What about him? I don't know if I feel comfortable leaving you—"
"I've got him," Ty Lee said. Her eyes glinted like steel and her face, normally soft and sweet, was set and angry. "Nothing will happen to Princess Ursa. Go!"
Sokka and Suki hurried from the room.
Ursa turned her attention back to Takeshi. "Who else? Give us the names. Who are the spies inside of the Royal Palace?"
"Lady Akemi. Princess Saura. Alasie."
Ursa closed her eyes. She had suspected Alasie, even before she suspected Mal-Chin, but it still was not easy to hear. How much did her son divulge in the water tribe diplomat? What did she know, and how had she contributed to the plot that was unfolding before them? And what of the noblewomen? How did they factor into it?
"What about Lady Kemeko?" Ty Lee inquired. "You didn't say her name."
The assassin seemed to be confused. "Kemeko? No, no. She's not part of it. Her father is loyal to the Fire Lord."
Ursa allowed herself a small breath of relief. Iroh had told her Admiral Jee and his crew were the ones responsible for the sea-faring part of Zuko and Katara's voyage. She was comforted by the fact that Jee had not betrayed her son.
"Is there anyone else?" Ursa demanded to know.
Takeshi shook his head. "No. No one else that I know of."
Ty Lee glanced sideways at the princess. "I guess it's a good thing he can't lie, isn't it?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean those are the only turncoats," Ursa replied, her voice taut. She examined the assassin again. "Zuko isn't here. How is she going to kill him?"
The assassin answered readily. "She's had the Kage Noshi tracking them since she learned that he and the water tribe princess left the Fire Nation. She's waiting for them to lead us to the Conduit. Then they're going to kill him. And the water tribe princess, too."
"Do you know where my son is right now?" Ursa interrogated fiercely. "When are they going to strike?"
"The last I heard, he was in the Si Wong Desert. If Azula and Kurai are right, the Conduit is right behind them." He looked up at Ursa. She could see the tea's effects were wearing off; some lucidity had come back into his eyes. His words cut like a knife. "I expect that your son will be dead within the next few days."
Ursa felt cold. She stepped away from the assassin. The room seemed to be getting smaller. Ursa turned away and pinched the bridge of her nose in her fingers as she fought back the swell of panic that threatened to drown her.
She felt the Kyoshi warrior place her hand gently on Ursa's shoulder. She looked up into Ty Lee's wide gray eyes.
Ty Lee swallowed hard. "This is bad. This is really bad."
The door burst open and Sokka and Suki marched in with Mal-Chin between them with his hands tied behind his back.
"We've got him," Sokka said. He pushed the thin man deeper into the room.
"He's claiming innocence," Suki added, her lip curled in disgust.
Ursa observed her son's most-trusted advisor. The chamberlain's face was red and his eyes were wide in his skull. His frantic eyes skirted across the room as he took in the scene before him. The color bled from his face as he understood what was happening and he turned his pleading eyes on Ursa.
"Princess, what is the meaning of this? There has to be some sort of mistake!" There was a shrill edge to his voice. Mal-Chin tried to bow. "I am your son's most loyal advisor. I would never betray him, or you! There must be some misunderstanding."
"Save it, traitor," Ty Lee spat. She jerked her chin at the assassin. "Your friend over here already told us everything."
The chamberlain looked between the accusatory Kyoshi warrior and the Fire Nation princess. Ursa could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to fabricate a lie, an excuse, some way to weasel his way out of this.
"Your Highness?" Mal-Chin squeaked.
Ursa straightened herself and peered down her nose at the trembling man before her. Her eyes were cold. The chamberlain seemed to realize that he had made a grave mistake.
"Your Highness, I swear, I had no involvement in this plot! If I had known there was a threat to our Fire Lord, I would have informed you immediately!" He dropped to his knees and bowed low before Ursa. "I would never wish ill upon Fire Lord Zuko or yourself, Princess Ursa. I implore you—"
"That is enough!" Ursa barked. "You have committed treasonous acts against the crown and your Fire Lord. For that, your punishment must be swift and just. The punishment for treason is death."
The chamberlain looked up at her, his eyes wide with fear and surprise. Tears rolled shamelessly down his cheeks. "Your Highness—"
"I will hear no more of your lies!" Ursa snapped. Her mouth contorted as she tried to reign in her emotions. She tore her eyes away and glanced at Sokka and Suki. "Get him out of my sight."
"Where should we take him, Princess Ursa?" Sokka asked hesitantly. He swallowed hard. He hadn't known the princess had such a fiery temper. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of it. "We don't want to raise Azula's suspicions. We want her to think everything is fine."
Ursa considered this. "There's an old dungeon here in the Royal Palace that was used before the prison was built. Down in the catacombs. There are cells. Take him and the assassin down there, and do so quickly and quietly. Be sure to post guards at their cells, and at the entrance and exit."
"It will be done," Sokka said solemnly.
"What are you going to do now, your Highness?" Suki inquired cautiously.
Ursa turned toward the desk. "First, I am going to write a letter to Iroh and to my husband. Then I will draft and sign the arrest warrants for the defectors." She didn't look back over her shoulder as she spoke. "And then I am going to invite some noble ladies and a water tribe diplomat to tea."