So sorry I didn't post any new chapters last week. I had to put my dog to sleep and I wasn't able to do much of anything last weekend. So, to make up for it, I'm posting SIX chapters today, instead of my normal three. (Chapters 16 - 21) Enjoy!
Sam
It had been almost a month since Zuko's sentencing. We were working in his office - well, both our office now. He had suggested my own, but I thought it easier to be together so we could work more efficiently. Zuko agreed and had a desk brought in and with a little rearranging, it worked out well. We were trying to get everything in order for me to start working with the women between our other duties. We had a lot of catching up to do with the celebration and the time we took off. We were working well into the night and starting early, cutting our morning trainings in half.
We finally had reached a wall in the preparations for the women and today was the day. For simplicity's sake, Azula remained confined to her room in the palace. We didn't want to change things too much as that could make adaptation harder for her. I could tell Zuko was nervous.
"Zuko, don't worry about Azula and the girls. It will be fine."
"I can't imagine how much those girls hate me for separating them. They've been apart for a month." he was still beating himself up over the initial verdicts. He took his job as Fire Lord very seriously and his job of sentencing even more so. He put a lot of thought and care into his verdicts and when he realized he was wrong, he struggled to move past it.
"Zuko, stop beating yourself up. The sisters will appreciate your new verdict. I'm sure they miss each other dearly. You will give them a chance to stay together and get help."
"How much Azula will hate me," he said so quiet, I wasn't sure if I was intended to hear. "I gave her freedom and now I'm taking it away. She is going to hate me more than she already does." Zuko hung his head, defeated. I stood up and walked over to him. I sat down on his lap and he wrapped his arms around my waist. I took out his top knot and laid his Fire Lord hair piece on the desk. He didn't normally wear it but with the re sentencing coming today, he had it in place. I tousled his hair a bit and started to smooth it. He closed his eyes at my touch. I knew how much he loved it when I played with his hair and how much it soothed him. Then I took his face into both of my hands and waited for him to open his eyes.
"You worry too much, my love. It will all be fine. You'll see." I said, trying to reassure him. I craned my head down to meet his lips. Then I pulled back saying, "and she doesn't hate you."
"What?! What do you mean? I told you everything she put me through as kids. As adults."
"Yes, she was cruel and mean to you but a lot of times we hurt the people we love the most. She loves you. She just doesn't know how to express it properly. She is also scared of letting people get close to her. So it's safer keeping people at arm's length."
Zuko was silent. I looked down at him and he was staring at me, "you got all that from your short encounter with her?" He was surprised.
"Well, yes, some of it. I also inferred some of it from what you told me. It won't be easy for me to get through to her, but I hope I do, one day. I won't be surprised if it takes a long time. So YOU will have to be patient." I said tapping him on the nose with my finger. He smiled at me and held me tighter.
"Your majesties. Durcas, the guard from the prison, has arrived with the prisoners." one of the servants came in to announce.
"Thank you, Shirsha. We will be right there. Please have Azula brought to the throne room first." I looked surprised at Zuko, "I want to get it over with."
That made sense. She was going to be the hardest of the three and I could see why he wanted to handle her first. We both made our way to the throne room and sat down in our respective thrones. I reached out and touched Zuko's arm. He looked over at me and I offered my hand to him. He took it without hesitation.
Azula walked in the room with her chi-blocking cuffs and accompanied by three guards. Man, they aren't pulling any punches today, are they? I thought to myself. I guess they were expecting Azula to try something so they wanted to be prepared. She looked confused but annoyed.
"What is it this time, Brother? Did you decide to take away my dinners too?" Zuko flinched at this and I squeezed his hand in reassurance.
"Something like that." he said coolly.
"What do you mean?" Azula's eyebrows raised and her eyes widened. Suddenly she wasn't angry anymore. She was scared.
"There has been a change of plans, Azula." Zuko started. "You will no longer be residing in the palace."
She didn't say anything but her expression didn't change.
"I have done a lot of reconsidering since my initial verdict and I have come to the conclusion that I was too lenient with you."
"What do you mean? It isn't bad enough that I am locked in my bedroom day in and day out?" She said. Her voice was shaky but she tried to feign anger. Zuko saw right through it.
"No, it isn't enough. You will be relocated and begin to receive treatment for your…condition…and hopefully, one day, you may find your situation has changed but that will not be for a very long time, I'm afraid. But exactly how long that takes is ultimately up to you."
Her eyes filled with tears and I knew this was something Zuko struggled with. Seeing people cry and get emotional. "Zuko, you can't do this to me! I'm already living in a single room! How will I survive?" her eyes widened in horror, "wait. Will you be sending me to…" she gulped, "the asylum again?"
Zuko still felt terribly guilty for sending Azula to the asylum. Even though it was many years ago, he still carried it with him. He had no idea the effect it would have on her and he knew that it had caused her damage. "No, Azula, you will not be returning to the asylum. You will be moved to the prison here in Capital City. You will be kept in the medium-security section as long as you behave and don't make trouble." I was glad he added that caveat.
To my surprise, Azula seemed relieved. The asylum must have been worse for her than I had initially thought. That she would rather prison over it? My heart ached for her and I hoped I could help her.
"You will be having sessions with someone who will be helping you to heal from your old wounds."
"Who?" She asked genuinely curious.
"Me." I said, speaking for the first time. Her eyes widened and genuine anger filled her face.
"You mean to tell me that I will have to sit with this outsider vermin on a regular basis?" Her question was pointed at Zuko but I answered.
"Yup. You got it. You and this outsider vermin will be getting to know each other pretty well." I said, unphased by her comment. Zuko looked at me and I could swear he looked proud at my thick skin.
"No! I will not work with her! Not now! Not ever!"
"Well, Azula, that is your choice. She genuinely wants to help you and, who knows, maybe if you start to show reform your situation will change. In the meantime," Zuko looked at the guards, "please take her to her prison cell in Capital City. Remember she MUST go into a chi-blocking cell."
Azula fought against the guards trying to get away, but they easily overpowered her. She began to sob and scream but to no avail. She was on her way to her 6x9 cell for the foreseeable future.
The guards started to move to fetch the sisters when Zuko held up his hand.
"Please, give me a moment." Zuko said, his voice shaking. The guards gave him a small smile and bowed, waiting for further order.
I looked over at Zuko and he was not ok. He was breathing heavily, his eyes wide, and his hands gripping the arms of the throne with all of his might. I quickly stood and went in front of him.
"Zuko, calm down. It's over." I said. I placed my hands on his and rubbed them, trying to get them to relax.
He was panting, "I'm a horrible person. I'm a horrible son. I'm a horrible brother. I'm a horrible Fire Lord." he said quickly without taking a breath. I sat down on his lap again like I did earlier but I just wrapped my arms around his head and pulled him close to my chest as he cried. Cried isn't the word. No. He sobbed. Uncontrollably. He wrapped his arms around me and I could feel him gripping my shirt in desperation. I rubbed his hair softly around his topknot that he had restored.
I looked over at the guards, "Please excuse us. I will come get you when we are ready." They bowed and stepped out, leaving us alone. I turned back to Zuko "Shh. It's ok, Zuko. It's over. It's done. Now she can begin her road to healing. You did the right thing. Shh, hunny." I said softly. So softly, had anyone else been in the room, they wouldn't have been able to hear me except for the one person for whom it was intended. I laid my head on top of his as I just let him cry. Let him get it out.
After a while he calmed down and started breathing normally again. He pulled away to look up at me. I looked down at him, his eyes were red and bloodshot from crying. I stroked his scarred face with my hand.
"Feel better?" I asked, smiling softly at him. He smiled but nodded. He laid his head against my chest again. Not sobbing, just resting, trying to regain his composure while also looking for comfort. He was breathing normal and he was no longer crying. I wasn't sure but I thought he may have regretted seeing Azula first. Now he would have to do it all over again with the sisters. After a while I said, "you ready?"
He took a deep breath and regained his stern expression I had learned he wore during sentencing. I stood up and walked out to find the guard and asked for him to bring in the sisters. I walked back over and sat down on my throne again.
The guard finally walked in with the girls cuffed. Their demeanor was completely different from last time. They were dour and not emotive at all. They were brought in side by side but neither looked at the other. This wasn't good. They had spent too much time apart. This was going to be harder than I thought. I also noticed that they looked thinner than the last time we saw them. They also had no shoes on and were wearing rags. It wasn't until I looked closer that I realized they were the same clothes they had on when they were arrested. I wasn't sure how much Zuko had picked up on, but he did not look happy.
The guard ordered for them to kneel. Jun looked at him and glared while Sun obeyed.
"I said kneel before your Fire Lord and Lady, you worthless scum!" he said and pushed Jun down. She landed hard on her bare knees and cried out in pain.
"Durcas! That was not necessary!" I shouted at him and stood from my throne. I rushed down to Jun and helped her back to her feet. "Are you alright, sweetie?" I asked, holding her hands as she stood.
She looked at me surprised that I helped her and that I was speaking to her. She simply nodded, but remained quiet.
He looked me, frowned and bowed, "my apologies, my lady. I did not mean any offense."
"I am not the one who is owed an apology." I gestured to Jun. "I am not the one you manhandled." He was aghast that I would ask him to apologize to a prisoner.
"You want me to apologize to HER?" he asked as he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb.
"Yes, I believe that is what my wife said," Zuko chimed in for the first time and standing from his throne. "I think it will soon be time for me to visit the Capital City Prison. You know as well as any of the other guards that I do not tolerate mistreatment of our prisoners. No matter their crime. And don't think I didn't notice that she is wearing the same clothes from a month ago when she was initially arrested." So he did notice. I smiled, proud of him.
"Yes, your majesty." he said and bowed again. I could tell he was annoyed, but he maintained his composure.
Zuko stared at him. "I don't hear an apology." He look at the guard, his eyes shot down to Jun and back to the guard indicating what he expected.
I could tell the guard was fighting an eye roll, "I'm sorry."
Jun gave a short nod knowing that was the best she would get.
I returned to my place next to Zuko as he sat back down and focused his attention on the sisters now. "I'm sure you are both wondering why you are here." They stood, anticipating his next words.
"First, I want to apologize to you both. For separating you the way I did. For handing down the sentence I did. It was wrong. And it was cruel. And for that, I am truly sorry." The girls were stunned that the Fire Lord himself was apologizing to them. They looked at each other and then back at Zuko, not knowing what to say.
"After some consideration," Zuko looked over at me, "we have decided that your punishment does adequately fit your circumstances." I could tell the girls immediately thought he meant execution. Zuko saw it too.
"No! I don't mean that!" he said quickly. "The two of you are so young and you have your whole lives ahead of you. And Sam and I think that you both have a chance at redemption." The girls' eyes widened at his statement. They weren't sure where he was going or if what he was going to say was in their favor.
"That is why I have decided to revoke your sentence and give you a new one."
The girls took in a quick short breath still not sure what to think.
"So, you will still be in prison, but you will both be held in the Capital City prison. Although I can't put you both in the same cell, you will be able to see each other every day during rec time." the girls not only were surprised that they would be moved together but they would get "rec time." They didn't know it yet, but rec time would actually be most of the day unless it was night time or the prison was on lock down. Their sentence was lighter than Azula's. She would not be in the general population. She was still too dangerous. But these girls, I felt confident would cope much better under these circumstances. Zuko continued, "You will also be housed in the lowest-security part of the prison. You will work with someone to help you through your struggles and maybe, if you find reform, your situation could change for the better." I noticed he was careful to not say "released." Although this was the goal, he didn't want to give them false hope. "How do you feel about that?"
The girls looked at each other. Then at Zuko. Then at me. Finally they looked at each other again. They went to give each other a hug but the guard stopped them. Zuko held his hand up to the guard, and he stepped back allowing the sisters to embrace. They held each other. They laughed. They cried. They finally looked back up at us. This time, I was Sun that spoke.
"Thank you, our merciful, Fire Lord." Sun spoke more sincerely than I had heard her speak yet as she gave a low bow.
"Thank your Fire Lady. She is the one who came up with the plan." Zuko said, giving me credit. The girls looked at me and then looked guilty. I knew what they were thinking. The same person they tried to kill a few weeks ago is now showing them mercy. They both looked down at the floor in shame.
I gave them a nod and a small smile, "And I will be the one who works with you to help you. We want to see you succeed. And this is the best way for you to achieve that. I look forward to getting to know you."
"So do we." Jun spoke. "Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. We don't deserve the mercy you and our Fire Lord are bestowing on us. But we cannot express our gratitude enough."
Zuko was the next to speak, "Durcas, kindly take Jun and Sun to their new cells. And for Agni's sake, give them fresh clothes and a bath."
I could tell Durcas didn't agree with his order, be he obeyed. I would be keeping a close eye on them to ensure their treatment was nothing short of humane.