Disclaimer: I do not own A: TLA

Chapter 7

(Mizoku)

I sat in silence, sipping my tea. Normally, I would have enjoyed the warm feeling that it brought. But at the moment I felt distant, like it wasn't me drinking the tea, it was somebody else. Iroh just talked to Kika in a low voice. It sounded like he didn't think I could hear him, but he was wrong. I just wasn't paying much attention. "How did it happen?" He was saying.

"It's her father. I swear, he should be hung for murder," I could hear the anger in Kika's voice. "He's a monster," Vaguely, I wondered where Zuko was. Suddenly a realisation hit he with full force. I had agreed to marry him! I blinked a few times, then looked at Iroh and Kika, both talking seriously with their backs turned to me. I got up on shaking legs and crept from the room. I breathed a sigh of relief as I reached the darkened courtyard. Looking at the bright moon in the sky above, I figured out that it was now around three and a half hours after midnight. I walked into the garden, my senses on high alert. Just as I had felt distant before, I now felt exceedingly aware. I settled myself under a tree, not caring about the damp grass I was sitting on.

(Zuko)

I entered Lady Mizoku's wing of the palace, closely followed by guards. It really was Mizoku's now that her mother was dead and her father was about to be stripped of all honour he had ever possessed. "Lord Zanna!" I cried into the darkness. My guards stiffened behind me. They knew the tone I was using, and they didn't want to be caught on my wrong side while I was using it.

"What's goin' on?" Lord Zanna appeared, clutching his head and dressed in crumpled robes. "Milord? What's all this about?" His mouth spread into a foolish grin. "Don' tell me you're my new son-in-law?"

"Yes," I said, as calmly as I could. He was clearly drunk.

"Hey, I knew that girl had t' be good for something!"

"That is not why I am here. In the name of the late Lady Tatsomuto, and my fiancée, Lady Mizoku, I challenge you to Agni Kai," The man's face fell.

"How dare you challenge me in the name of my wife and daughter!"

"You beat them! I suggest you say nothing more, unless you want me dispose of you now!" I roared.

"What goes on under my roof is my business! They are my property, you hear?"

"Not anymore!" I shouted, my fists bursting into flames. "Guards, take him away before I really lose my temper!" They quickly obliged, and I was left alone in the room, seething.

After I had worked out a little of my aggression on Lord Zanna's personal belongings, I walked outside, only to be met my uncle, who was looking frantic. "Lord Zuko!" He cried. "Lady Mizoku has gone missing!"

"Gone missing? What do you mean, 'gone missing'?" I demanded, both angry and frightened.

"She was there one minute and we turned around and she was gone!" He said breathlessly.

"Go look for her, now!" I yelled angrily. "How could you lose her like that?" He nodded, looking guilty. "I'll check the gardens. I want her found before sunrise, you hear me?" Without another word, I stormed off in the direction of the gardens. After a little while searching anxiously through the trees, I spotted a figure sitting under a tree. "Mizoku?" I called, and the figure's head turned.

"Zuko,"

(Mizoku)

So Zuko had come looking for me. Maybe life with him wouldn't be so bad. Why couldn't I just let myself trust him? I'd even accepted his proposal, so why didn't I trust him yet? I just wanted to feel a little more for him, not just trust, but affection. He knelt down in front of me, taking my hands. "Come on, let's get you to the infirmary before you get ill," I let him pull me to my feet, and lead me through the palace. We stepped through the doors of the infirmary, and I froze in pure terror. "What is he doing in here?" Zuko screamed at one of the guards, while pointing at my father, who was sat on one of the beds.

"Uh, he said… he said he needed medical attention, sir… And er, he threw up on my colleague sir," The guard mumbled awkwardly.

"He's drunk! Would you have me send every drunk in the palace to the infirmary?" Zuko was seething.

"No sir… I'm sorry sir…" It was then that my father spotted me.

"You! You little slut! Wait until I get my hands on you! How dare you bring him into our private business! You have disgraced our good name!" He flew at me, but his hand was stopped in its tracks. I looked up to see Zuko crushing it in his own, large hand. My father's face was contorted in pain, and I could only imagine what Zuko's looked like.

"You are the one who disgraced your family name. Murderers are not welcome here,"

"What are you talking about, murder? I haven't murdered anybody!" His face had changed from pain to confusion.

"Mother's dead, and you killed her, you bastard," I said quietly, in an effort to stop my voice shaking. Zuko tightened his grip, and Lord Zanna winced.

"I did no such thing. Whatever happened to her, I want the real murderer caught and punished," He said, desperately trying to wriggle his way out. He turned to the Fire Lord. "My Lord, surely you're not going to take her word- the word of a woman- over mine?" I glanced at Zuko's face and saw pure fury burning behind his eyes. With an angry cry he threw my father across the room. He crashed into a medicine cabinet on the wall, and glass bottles spilled out, smashing on the cold stone floor. "Stand and fight," Zuko ordered in a cold voice. When Lord Zanna did not move, he roared, "I said stand and FIGHT!" I took a few steps backward, out of his way as he walked towards the man struggling to his feet, covered in medicine. Kika seemed to appear out of nowhere and pulled me into a safe corner. I barely heard her telling me not to watch. Lord Zanna threw a couple of badly aimed punches at Zuko, who caught his fists and set them on fire. Zanna wasn't a fire bender (it had come from my mother's side), and screamed in pain as his skin burned. The foul stench of burnt flesh reached me. He grabbed a broken bottle at random and thrust it towards Zuko, who dodged out of the way. He tried again, and this time he caught him on the arm, and left a gash there. If Zuko was angry before, it was nothing compared to his fury at being caught off guard by a drunken Lord. He roared and sent fiery attacks one after another at him, none of which missed. My father's blackened body fell to the infirmary floor as Zuko stood above him, glaring grimly down at him. He's dead, I thought in relief. The nightmare is over! I'm safe! Then I realised; Zuko had just killed for me. My heart felt so strange, and my head felt light. I started towards him, pausing only momentarily to shake Kika off. I laid a hand on the fire lord's shoulder. "Thank you," His eyes studied mine for a few thoughtful moments, then his hand covered mine.

"You didn't need to say that," Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks.

"I wanted to,"

The sun was beginning to rise outside. A brand new day; a brand new life. And finally, I felt that rush of affection and trust that I had so longed to feel for him.

Not as good as I wanted. And yes, short chapter. But I felt it was a good place to end.Review with improvements! No, this is not the final chapter. I want to add a little more on the fire lord and Mizoku's relationship.

Tell me what you think!

Miss SJB