Chapter Twelve
"They're in the palace, father." Azula said, boarding the grounded air ship, dropping to one knee. "I saw Zuko. He was guarding his little barbarian."
Ozai, standing on the cusp between indoors and out, frowned, "This won't take long, Azula."
The troops of men, clad in black and red, disembarked from the four other blimps that flanked the main one. The sun was just rising, tinting the smog with a glowing orange. Ozai mentally thanked Agni that the pushover mechanic up north had given them the blueprints to these swift vessles. Traveling had never been so easy.
"Should I go after Zuzu, then?" Azula asked, rising, placing her hands on her hips, an apprihencive glint in her eye.
Ozai nodded, "You take care of your brother, Azula. I'll deal with mine."
Yue and Zuko were sitting up against a wall, leaning against one another. The silence that had filled the palace was eerie and unsettling. Yue didn't quite believe her father when he promised her that everything was under control. His absense and the palace's deep quiet had sent her on edge.
She could sense that Zuko was anxious too, his muscles pulled taut under his clothing, his jaw clenched, eyes unnerving. Yue curled her fingers over his hand, listening to him exhale. Yue placed her head against his shoulder, his hand snaking around her shoulders and resting on her arm.
"I hate waiting around like this." Yue said quietly, looking at the door. "I don't know what to expect."
Zuko nodded, wordlessly responding. He could sense that something was off. Something wasn't right. The vile silence, however, was broken for a split second. Zuko's eyes widened, the sharp, sparking noise calling him to attention.
Yue sniffed at the air, a singed, burning scent filling her nose. It wasn't the scent of burning wax or wood, or even meat. It was the smell of burning hair… burning flesh.
"Yue," Zuko whispered, "I need you to get out of here,"
Yue glanced at him, beyond frightened. She glanced at one of the side doors that flanked the royal family's platform. It led directly to a corridor that went down the length of the palace. She bit her lip, "You have to come with me," She demanded, trembling.
In a starburst of cracking electricity, the thick glacial wall was blasted away, revealing Azula, standing among the charred bodies of their guards. She smirked at the both, her eyes gleaming with a certain determination.
"Go!" Zuko yelled, his heart thundering against his ribs. He stood, yanking Yue up with him, before running her over to the corridor. Azula fired numerous rockets of blue fire after him, barely hitting the fleeing couple each shot.
Yue's eyes were wide and Zuko placed his hands on her shoulders, "Yue, leave. Now." He whispered, his voice blunt and measured.
She opened her mouth to speak, to protest, but no words to come. Her watery azure eyes met his blazing golden ones, and she knew, who would not take no for an answer. He would not put her in harms way.
Yue grabbed his neck, forcing her lips onto his, and kissing him needily. He leaned into her slightly, before pulling back, lightly pushing her back into the corridor. Yue screamed out loud as an impressive bolt of cyan fire erupted from behind her husband. She shielded her eyes, pressing herself against the wall, letting a few tears roll down her cheeks.
When Yue lifted her hand from over her eyes, she could see Zuko fighting back against Azula, putting his entire being into each violent movement, his ferocity sending chills down her spine.
Zuko was drenched in a freezing sweat, his form not wavering as he launched a defensive attack on his little sister. "Why are you doing this, Azula?" Zuko yelled at her, thrusting his fists forward, sending a large wave of red flames after her.
Azula laughed manically, "Because, Zuzu! You're a traitor, and you must face the consequences!" She quickly sent the flames away, drawing two fingers back, watching his eyes widen.
Zuko heard a gasp, and his eyes flickered over to the corridor, landing on Yue. He stared at her, watching them, her face streaked with tears, her eyes never leaving his. "Go! Yue, get out!" Zuko screamed, watching her face crumble a bit.
Azula smirked at the savage, "Oh! An audience, Zuzu! How cute." She played his disadvantage to her offense perfectly, feeling all of her chi surge with the blinding desire to kill.
Drawing electricity from her finger tips, she watched Zuko's face turn back to her, his eyes going huge- pleading, even. She smiled, sending the bolt of lightning on its' way, knowing that she would hit her target.
Yue's scream pierced the air, clouding Zuko's ears as he tried to evade the electric shot. But in that moment, he knew, that Azula would prevail over him today. He wasn't ready to face her, and he was torn from his thoughts as the crackling bullet struck his chest, tearing through his body, sending him flying back onto the floor.
Yue's voice was gone, her vocal chords strained. All she saw was Zuko, lying in a twitching, grimacing heap on the floor. The currents were still running through his body, his face tormented in a painful expression, his right hand clutching his chest.
She ran at him, kneeling by his side, trying to shake him awake. She wasn't thinking at this point, she was doing the only thing that seemed to be possible- running to him, the love of her life. Yue grabbed his wrist, trying to pull him back into the corridor, only ten feet away.
Azula rolled her eyes, frowning at the girl, watching her struggle. Yue had almost made it back into the hall way, before she too was knocked back by fire. Ice caved around their bodies, melting quickly under the glare of brilliant blue flames.
Yue could hear the harsh footsteps of Azula, nearing the corridor. Pretend to be dead, Yue thought to herself, She'll leave if she thinks your dead. Yue held her breath, lying completely still, tangled against Zuko under the melted ice, eyes clamped shut.
Azula saw the lovebirds lying there, wearing each others' blood, both ghastly still. Azula's chest swelled with pride, and she imagined how proud father was going to be. She strode out of the room with a triumphant smirk etched in her features, not given her victims a second glance.
Yue could feel Zuko's manic heartbeat slowing… his breathing become more shallow. She sat up, gaping down at him. "Zuko…" she whispered, grabbing his face between her hands, kneeling over his unconscious body, "Zuko! Wake up!"
He didn't stir or make any signs of life, and her entire body was shaken by panic as she felt him go cold. She knew what she had to do to save him.
With all of the strength she could muster, she began to slowly drag his body down the hallway, her vision tunneled, trying to block out the trailing line of blood that was left in her love's wake. Tears streamed down her face, her hands stained in that sickening red color. Yue took in another trembling inhale, and soldiered on, trying her best not to collapse from devastation all together.
The warmth of the grass did nothing to calm Yue as she pulled Zuko through the Spirit Oasis. Her muscles ached, a boiling sweat covering her body. Yue had never felt so vunerable, knowing that Zuko was not able to see her, touch her, or protect her. She had to save him this time.
The water sparkled against the midday sun that had peaked out from the smoky clouds. The princess pulled her prince over the bridge, into the center island, right in front of the pool. The koi fish were swirling around each other frantically, as if keeping balance a struggle.
Yue layed Zuko out onto his back, his face a deathly pale. She reached over his tattered body and into the pond, cupping her hands and drawing water, pouring the water onto his gaping wound. Yue couldn't waterbend… not properly, any ways. She was never taught how to use her gift, being told that it was unladylike and unneeded for a princess to bend.
She began to weep, drawing more water from the Oasis, letting it fall onto his bloodied chest, letting her body become consumed with fear. She was losing him- the only man she had ever loved, and now, Yue understood what desperation was. The feeling of searching for the light in the dark, the spark of life buried amongst death.
The princess stared at the man beneath her, his expression unchanging, still dead to the world. She could still feel a slow, barely-there fluttering of his heart growing fainter and fainter by the second, and she knew nothing else that she could do. Yue leant over her prince's torso, and began to sob, her tears meeting his blood, falling freely against the torn skin.
Oh no! If only the traditions of the Northern Water Tribe didn't restrict women from learning how to properly bend! And sorry that I'm so bad at writing fight scenes- they're not my forte! Review, follow, favorite, and tell everyone about my story if you liked it! Love you all! -avatla