Chapter 5: Negotiations:
A few days after the attack on the palace, a smile was finally found on Firelord Zuko's face. His mood had only lightened at the news that Appa had just landed outside the palace and all his friends were coming in. The servant had said all his friends. Did this mean that they had finally found Toph? Was she here? Was she safe?
At his last question the doors to the throne room were opened, and he watches as Aang, Katara, Sokka and finally a very pregnant Suki came in and the doors were closed. No Toph, He stared at the four of them trying to picture her there, but he couldn't.
"Is everything alright Zuko?" Katara broke the silence, and Zuko broke from his trance and spoke the first question on his mind before he even knew his mouth had opened. "Still no sign of Toph?"
Everyone's faces fell hearing the question. Silence fell over the room once again. The lack of answers was nothing less than torture to Zuko who was pleading with all his heart that there was still hope in finding her. But then Aang finally spoke up. "No, still no sign." He paused before continuing to the next part. "Zuko, we think she's dead. It's been five months since the end of the war. We should've been able to find her by now."
Zuko looked down with a look of disbelief. They were giving up? After all the hardship they had endured during the war they were just going to give up after five months? He wouldn't allow it and he would not be forced to believe that Toph was dead. "I am not going to believe there has been another death until there is proof." With that all the depressed faces switched to confusion almost in sync. "Another death?" Sokka spoke up, his voice cracking half-way through. Zuko nodded. "Mai was murdered a few days ago. On the winter solstice..." He said before starting to explain the painful events of that day.
~o.O.o~
The room was dark, lit only by a pair of torches hung on either side of a thick heavy door. Toph woke up from her unconscious state to find the searing pain in her back had only worsened. Maybe because she was laying on a table covered with salt. No, not just laying, she was strapped down tight preventing her from moving even the slightest inch. A voice came from one of the dark corners, and soon Azula emerged from the shadows into the torchlight.
"Finally. You're awake." She smirked, and Toph's face turned to horror hearing who her captor was. Azula was the person she feared the most before Aang, and with Azula not being herself she was afraid of what to expect. Pulling out a knife, Azula slammed it down lodging it into the table only inches away from Toph's ear, causing Toph to cringe. Azula only laughed.
"Such a waste. So much raw power locked beneath your feeble mind." She said, dragging her fingers across Toph's face digging into the pale skin. "But I'm going to change that."
~o.O.o~
Azula walked into a small throne room towards the armored woman sitting upon a large throne at the end of the room. At first glance, it looked like armor, but getting closer one could see that metal covered almost every inch of skin on the woman. The only bare spot was the left side of her face which was covered with scars and bruises from neck to hairline.
"I hope you have a good report for me Azula." A raspy voice came from the woman. Azula smirked and walked up before the throne. "Everything went according to our plans. Surely the group will be getting together soon and as soon as they do we will know." She reported and the woman nodded.
"Excellent. Now, what is the news of our newest arrivals?" She asked, speaking the last two words harshly and painfully.
"Both are healthy. But they may be a weakness. If I may make a suggestion?" And the woman nodded once again, so Azula continued.
"There is thought that they may become targets, and it may be in your best interest to keep them with you at all times." She said. On cue a soldier walked in and went over to the metal woman forcing her head back to expose the skin of her neck. Azula nodded ant the soldier inserted a needle and gave the metal woman a shot of sedatives. No sooner had the look of confusion and anger appeared she had slipped into an unconscious state.
~o.O.o~
Once Zuko had finished his story of what had happened, he looked up at the others, and saw exactly what he had expected. Disbelief, fear and sadness. But no one spoke up to give him words of comfort or help. They all just sat there in silence, shocked at the news.
"What do you want to do about this Zuko" Aang asked.
"I want to find the Iron Empress and destroy her.