Keep me in your heart for a While

Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath
Keep me in your heart for awhile
If I leave you it doesn't mean I love you any less
Keep me in your heart for awhile

--Warren Zevon

Avatar doesn't belong to me. If it did, Zukowould be Fire Lord already. Warning for some sexual situations, which may squick you out a bit. So sorry! Okay, Kish, I promise this will be the end of the "snivelling scenes" as you so elegently put it.

Special thanks to SarahNev for beta-ing and to all my reviews. I have over 350 reviews, which makes me really happy. Knowing that you all love my work makes me so eager to write more. I decided that I shall divide this story into two parts. This story will end within ten chapters and there will be a short sequel which will take place ten years later, tentatively titled "Defying Gravity" Special thanks to Celtic and Sarah, my two beta-readers and my dear Storm of Insanity, my new fan-artist. Two Avatar episodes this week and I have a terrible feeling I am going to cry at them, because Iroh is in serious danger. Please creators, don't kill him! Okay, we have some family scenes ahead of us, plus the mystery of the scrolls is finally revealed. Warning, it ain't pretty!

Zuko sat on the rocks by the palace, a beautiful cliff where lonely seagulls would call out a song to the sea. He had asked Aiiro to meet him here, figuring this was the perfect place for a farewell. He had said a lot of them here. As he waited, his mind swirled with thoughts.

Zuko had been afraid of many things in his life. He had been afraid of Ozai, afraid of disappointing him, afraid of getting punished, afraid of losing the ones he loved and afraid of falling into obscurity and shame. Yet, he had thought he had left those fears behind when he had become Fire Lord. It turned out he had not.

He had just spoke with Uncle and Hotaru, as well as his most trusted advisors. His mind was made up about his duty. It would be an excellent way to prove his strength to his people. The invention mentioned in the scroll had been demonstrated before the young Fire Lord, who had been awed by the power. Other new and deadly weapons were created; ready to aid Zuko in his mission. No enemy would be able to threaten his nation now.

"Master? You wanted to see me?" a soft voice asked as the sound of heavy boots disturbed the symphony of sea bird. Zuko turned around and Aiiro's royal litter, which being born by four slaves. The curtains were pulled aside, as Aiiro hopped out. He looked so small and fragile, so precious. Zuko had him dressed as a crown prince was usually dressed, in red armor and robes. To keep the boy's hair was a flame diadem, made of rubies. He wanted to remind everyone to ignore the blue eyes and treat him as any prince. Yet, who would protect him in a few short days?

Zuko waved the escort away and motioned for Aiiro to sit down, so they could talk in private. "Aiiro, this is a very special place for me. When I was sad, I would sit here and I would think about throwing myself down into the rocks. I had a lot of those times." It felt good to confide in Aiiro. He treasured this child very much, the brother he always wanted.

"I was a failure in my father's eyes and I never seemed to do anything right. I was never good enough at Fire-bending or commanding others. I struggled at my lessons. When my mother and sister left, I was all alone. I used to pray to Agni that he'd lead me in the right path, but it just seemed I mucked everything up even more," Zuko said softly.

"You never mucked up anything, Master. You did your best," Aiiro whispered, taking Zuko's hand and squeezing it. "I think you are the greatest master in the whole wide world."

Zuko smiled thinly and patted Aiiro's head with his free hand. "When I was thirteen, I spoke up against that order. People think I did it because I was too weak to understand the realities of war. They were wrong. By age ten, I already had seen palace servants weeping over lost relatives who had given their lives for the country. I understood we all had to sacrifice for the greater good. I just refused to label that sacrifice as 'fresh meat'. Dying for your country should be an honor. No one should be tossed to the dogs like refuse," he continued. He thought it best not to mention who his true father was for now.

Aiiro looked on the verge of tears. "Master, you are my hero. You saved my life and you tried to help others," he whispered. "Why would anyone be angry?"

"You'd think others would see it that way. The Fire Lord was furious and made me duel him. He played a cruel trick to hurt me, just to make my life worse. He made me think I would duel an old general instead of my own sire." Zuko took a deep breath as the painful memories swept back into his mind.

"Yet, I still loved him. During the duel, I begged him for mercy. I was afraid to fight. I was afraid to die. I knew my father would not hold back. He would kill me. I had no chance against him. I was afraid to die at my father's hands. Something inside wanted me to live, live at any price." Zuko took a deep breath, his eyes unfocused for the moment. "I got my wish. I got this scar and I got banished."

"I'm so sorry, Master," Aiiro said, squeezing Zuko's hand tightly. "I wish you had never suffered so."

"The strange thing is, I'm not sorry for what happened. I'm glad it happened," Zuko said, as he threw a rock with his free hand.

"You are?" Aiiro queried, his eyes wide. The poor little boy had suffered just as much as Zuko had. "But you were hurt so much!"

"Yes. Sometimes, I thought life was just thwarting me, that there was always something placed in my path just to make me more miserable. But now I look back on my journey, I realize how lucky I was. I think I was being thwarted to get on the path that would eventually take me to happiness. I got to know Uncle and I got to meet you. I got to discover who I was. If I would never been banished, I would have lived my life as a prisoner of my father's cruelty. I'd have been a dog, cringing at his feet and I would have most likely killed myself before long. Now I have my honor back, I have my family and I have you. You are the greatest gift in the world," Zuko said, smoothing Aiiro's hair back.

"I'm glad to hear it, Master. I am glad to have you too. You are the sun, the moon and the stars to me. So, why did you bring me here?" Aiiro asked curiously.

"I am worried about you. I don't like seeing you suffering. You aren't eating, you are barely sleeping. You never smile and play anymore. You just sit quietly in the corner, lost in your own thoughts. You cling to me," Zuko explained sadly as he cuddled him into his arms. "I told you a thousand times, I will never let anyone hurt you. No matter what you do, you belong to me. You are mine now," he said, feeling safer when Aiiro's small body was nestled in his arms. "Yet, I'm not only your guardian. I am also the Fire Lord. I have duties I must attend to. I will be going to lead an invasion myself," Zuko said softly.

"I'll pack and be ready in ten minutes," Aiiro said, his small face looking up hopefully at him

Zuko's heart broke but he forced himself to remain strong. Uncle had warned him that Aiiro could not be brought on the mission. "If you think he's traumatized now, his current state will be a blessing compared to what he will be like when he sees the Northern Siege. War is a bloody business and with that new invention, it will be even worse. For his sake, you must keep him here where he will be protected. Besides, the boy must learn to stand on his own two feet. He look to you for strength, he must learn how to find that inside himself, just like you did."

Zuko shook his head. "I am going alone, Aiiro. You will remain here under Uncle's care. I will be back in two months, three at most," he said, forcing himself to stay strong. He had been considering putting Aiiro in a trunk. He was small enough and Aiiro wouldn't mind. No, Uncle was right.

"Please don't leave me, Master. Don't you love me?" Aiiro tearfully asked, burying his head in Zuko's chest. "I want to follow you, anywhere!"

"I'm not leaving you. I'm going on a trip and then I am coming back. You are very precious to me. A battlefield is no place for you. You could be captured, it isn't safe," Zuko said, rubbing Aiiro's back to calm him down.

Aiiro paled at the word captured but he managed to choke it down. "You'd protect me. I'd be safe in the very mouth of the Sea Dragon if you were with me," he said, his voice tight and mournful.

"Aiiro, please don't make this harder. I told you, you have to trust your authority to make decisions. You are so stubborn and headstrong, but this is a battle you can't win," Zuko said affectionately.

"Is this because I didn't tell you about the scrolls immediately? I'll never disobey you again, I promise," Aiiro said, his voice lowering in misery as he inched closer to his master.

"The scrolls have nothing to do with it. Even when you disobey me, you still are very important to me. I…value you very highly. Even when I am gone, I will think of you everyday. You'll just have to keep me in your heart for a while. I promise, I won't stay a moment longer then I have to," he soothed the sobbing boy, fully intending to keep that promise. "Now, can you be strong for me?" he asked.

"Be strong?" Aiiro choked, looking miserable. His eyes were devouring Zuko like a hungry dog, terrified of going without in just a few moments. "You could die out there. You are all I have! Master, what am I to do?" he pleaded.

"First of all, I am not going to die. Second, if Agni does call me to my ancestors, Uncle has agreed to adopt you. He raised me and he'll be good to you. Miss Hyun has also agreed to care for you. You will not be homeless and starve." Zuko reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy chain, with a flame medallion on it. "This is my crest. When people see it, they will know you are property of the Fire Lord and will do everything you say."

Aiiro took the present and hung it around his neck. "I'll keep it with me, always so you are always by my heart," he whispered. "I'll just miss you so much."

"All my life, I've been told I must be strong. When I was beaten, I was told to be strong. When I was tired or depressed, I was told to be strong. When I was banished, I told myself to be strong. Sometimes I was so tired of being strong, but it kept me on the right path. Now, I'm asking you to be strong. Can you do that for me?" Zuko asked tenderly, as he stroked Aiiro's hair.

Aiiro nodded slowly. "But please come back soon, Master. I am only happy with you. I love you so much," he whispered desolately, pressing his face back into Zuko's robes.

Zuko patted Aiiro's back. "I will have to be apart from Uncle and you, the two people I treasure most. Will you two stand on the balcony and wave as I sail away? I want you two to be the ones to welcome me home," he asked, trying to hide his own sadness. He would miss them more then the flowers missed the sun. "Then we will be together…I promise."

"Good evening, Father. How are you today?" Katannah asked, rising to her feet respectfully, as her father entered the room. He supposed being home had his advantages. He got to see his children a lot more. The last three years Zhao had barely spent a month of time at home. He treasured the long letters Katannah would write him every week, but he had understood it was duty to be away. At least, he had Katannah to come home to.

Zhao in fact had not had a good day. In fact, one could very much argue that Zhao had an especially bad day. Zhao, son of Kyo of the house of Haman was not suited for office work. He had never been one for patience, Agni knew his teacher Jeong-Jeong had said often enough that Zhao barely had the patience to keep himself alive.

Although the Boy King had been respectful enough to give Zhao an important position in the new council, Zhao missed the feel of combat. He had always been happiest as a field officer, and felt completely bored in his new position.

He understood that Zuko would never allow him back into the action without a sheer miracle. The boy was smarter then Zhao thought and all sensitive information had been censored miles from his office.

Zhao was willing to play this game for a bit longer for Zuko was a soft-hearted boy. Zhao would figure out a way to work around the restrictions and regain his hold on power. "Tired," he finally responded to his daughter.

"Well, you just sit right down and relax. I've had the servants prepare dinner and sent Orli to his room to prepare his lessons," Katannah said efficiently.

"Excellent. What are you doing right now?" Zhao asked, noticing the large amount of scrolls piled around his daughter. That was another thing that was bothering the new councilor. Over the time he had spent, he had observed that his children were not normal. The servants answered first to Katannah and went to her for approval for all orders. They treated him like a guest and his little girl as the master of the house.

As for Orli, he sought only disapproval. According to his tutors, Orli was only getting worse in his studies. He had no discipline or control in his Fire-bending, he never completed his assigned work and he was incredibly disrespectful. In the last three months, Orli had lit a teacher's habit on fire, poured honey in a courtier's shoes and his behavior had not improved since they had been moved to the palace. Zhao had a lot of work ahead of him.

"Just managing the household. I've overseen and checked the reports from the country estate. I have the orders ready, they can be sent out as soon as I seal them. We are working well within our budget, we should have the money for the twenty new field slaves we need," she said with a smile of pride.

Zhao stared at his child and tried to remember the little girl with plaits who had believed the sun rose in the sky because her father said so. When had she become so mature? "I appreciate all your effort, Tani. Your hard work is noted, but no longer needed," he decided, figuring he should at least handle the affairs of his own house. It would make him feel more in control.

"Of course it's needed, Father. I can take care of everything. I've devised everything down to a perfect system," Katannah retorted in a confused tone. It was custom for Fire Nation women to be schooled in martial arts as well as the management of estates and many girls her age were already running the households.

"Tani, I'm the head of this estate. You are my daughter. Therefore, I'll be overseeing the reports from the estate. I'll be making the decisions and I'll be taking back the seal I gave you three years ago," Zhao replied smoothly. He had given his daughter his own seal, allowing her free reign over his entire estate. At first, it had seemed more efficient then having all his papers mailed back and forth for his approval. The estate had been running smoothly, but the seal of the head of house should not belong to a mere child.

"Father, are you sure?" Katannah did not look convinced. "I mean, I am fine handling everything. I am sure you have enough to do without managing the finances as well," she said, looking worried.

"The seal, Tani. Now," Zhao said, holding out his hand. He did not argue with those under his authority. He commanded; they obeyed. Just as he expected, Katannah reached into her pocket and handed the ivory stamp to her father. Her face was grave but obedient, just as he expected of her. "Good. I suppose I can allow you to help me if you so wish. You may have a bit of your father in you, after all," he said, patting her head affectionately.

Katannah bowed her head under his praise, clearly pleased with the compliment. "Thank you, Father," she whispered, a flush to her cheeks.

"Now I'm going to go change for dinner," he said, walking over to the sleeping quarters of his lavish new apartment. The little Fire Lord had at least provided a comfortable prison cell for them to live in.

Zhao had not discussed it with his children, but he knew they had been plucked from their country manor in Shushan in the middle of the night. Poor Katannah and Orli had taken to the capital in chains, and then thrown into a prison cell like common thieves. Zhao was furious at the poor treatment of innocent children, but he would hold his vendetta till the appropriate time.

He did not want to think of the anguish his children had gone through. His beloved children were everything to him; he would gladly die for them. He had always strived harder, to be raised to a higher position and give them a better life. He would see Katannah married to a prince of the blood and Orli raised to the highest positions in the land. All the blood he had shed had been worth it. He smiled faintly, grateful that they were all together. That is, until he passed by the open door of his son's bedroom and his bad mood returned with a vengeance.

Orli was sitting and dropping sparks of fire from his window onto the people below. He giggled as one of his victims howled in pain. His scrolls were lying on the floor, abandoned. Zhao slammed his fist on the table, wondering how a former admiral famous for his disciplined troops could have no control over his own children! "Having fun?" he demanded angrily.

Orli whipped around. "Father, I didn't hear you come in," the boy said, without a hint of shame for wasting time in such frivolous activities.

Zhao seethed. He had not bothered to rise to show respect, he remained seated! How dare his child show such insolence to him? Zhao debated striking the table again to prevent himself from striking his own child. "My study. Ten minutes," he managed to choke out through gritted teeth.

"Why can't we just talk here?" Orli asked, his eyes studying him in a confused manner.

Zhao quickly stepped inside the room, till he reached his son's bed. With a quick gesture, he took his son's chin in his hand and forced him to look up. "I won't repeat myself," he said in a low tone, glaring down at his son. Respect and obedience would be learned.

Orli's eyes filled with confusion. "Father, what is wrong with you? You seem really upset. I know, let's go rhino riding!" he said, his tone growing a little more hesitant.

Zhao forced himself to take another deep breath before he did something Orli would later regret. "You heard me," he said with his fiercest glower, the one that could reduce Fire Nation cadets to tears. Orli unfortunately was not easily cowed. "Don't be late," he warned, as he let go of his son's chin and stalked out of the room. He needed a glass of sake before he had this little interview.

Ten minutes later, after Zhao had satisfied himself with a tall glass of his favorite sake, he heard the door to his study open. "All right, I'm here," came the greeting of his prodigal son.

Zhao felt himself wanting another glass. "That isn't the way you enter your father's presence! You knock and ask permission to come in!" he snapped, debating if he was sure of Orli's paternity.

"But you told me ten minutes ago to come. Why should I ask permission?" Orli queried, without a hint of regret in his voice.

"Orli, a son is reverent in the presence of his father. It is only by my grace that you have anything in the world. I can very easily make life a lot harder. I should not have to explain this to you!" Zhao muttered through gritted teeth. "Where has your respect for your father gone?"

"Father, of course I respect you," Orli said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. His hands found themselves in his pockets and his posture was slovenly. What kind of heir was he?

"A respectful son would never behave in such a manner. If he ever did, he would be groveling on his knees and begging for forgiveness for such filial impiety to the head of his clan," Zhao snapped, wondering how this insolent child could be his son, besides for the fact that they had the exact same nose.

"Do you wish me to grovel to you, Father?" Orli asked, his tone puzzled. His voice grew softer with each word. "Would that make you happy?"

"I wish you to conduct yourself so you don't have to beg for forgiveness. But yes, you should be groveling to me and begging my pardon for disgracing me. I have just read through some of the reports your tutors have given me." Zhao picked up one of the scrolls and opened it with great flourish.

"Where should I begin? 'Mischievous' and 'has great potential' were the kindest points. Then we have these delightful gems. 'Orli is disrespectful and impatient' says your tutor in mathematics. Then we have this glowing report from your tutor in military history, who writes 'Your son is both recalcitrant and irresponsible,' or this lovely review from your martial arts teacher which states, 'I have never met a student so lazy and disobedient who constantly wastes his potential.' I'll refrain from also listing the finer points of your escapades, but let us just summarize by saying lighting your tutor's clothing on fire was not funny!" Zhao said, banging his fist on the table for good measure.

"Tani already yelled at me for that one. She punished me," Orli said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Well, obviously she hasn't done enough to keep you under control since you haven't mended your ways. You need a firm hand if you ever expect to make more of yourself then a criminal," Zhao sneered, as he folded the parchments in his hand.

"Father, why are you so angry now? Can't we just go riding like we always do?" Orli pleaded, still completely confused. His lip trembled pitifully.

"I'm angry because you displeased me and no, we can't go riding. You haven't earned such a treat. Now, stop answering back! Perhaps you need to hear what is expected of you. You will obey your authority without question. When you speak to me, you will say 'yes sir' or 'yes Father.' All of your lessons will be completed to the best of your abilities. You can occupy your time with study, instead of useless mischief. Otherwise, there will be serious consequences. Am I understood?" Zhao asked, standing up from his seat to loom menacingly over his son.

"Yes Father. I won't upset you again," Orli said, bowing his head slightly. He did look cowed enough; Zhao had done his duty. Parenting was easy; all they needed was proper authority and a firm hand.

"You see, that was not so hard. All you needed was a man around the house to show you how to behave yourself. I'm sure we won't have these problems anymore. Now, I suppose that Tami is a good girl. She's done an excellent job with the estate but she doesn't know how to handle a young man. Now I am here to make things even better."

"Yes, Father," Orli repeated obediently, which pleased Zhao immensely. Parenting was almost too easy.

"Now, I suppose you do deserve a reward. What does the future Admiral of the Fire Nation wish?" Zhao said, waving his son to approach.

"I'd like more pocket money. I get one silver coin a week. Tani gets five silver coin a week. I'm sure you are aware of how unfair that is and will change that as soon as possible," Orli said, with an innocent expression on his face.

Zhao was amused. "All right, I suppose I'll give Tani one silver coin a week and say you suggested it. What do you think of that?" he asked. He knew his daughter had a terrible temper and she would not be pleased to have even less autonomy.

Orli gulped. "Tani would kill me! She pinches really hard. Come on, Father, I deserve five silver a week. Aren't I your heir? Your only son? Your favorite child?" he pleaded.

Zhao patted his son's head. He was wise enough not to mention that he actually was not sure if Orli was his favorite child. Katannah had never given him a moment's trouble. Well, he loved both his children. That was a good attitude. "If within the next month, I see improvement in your behavior and your studies, you'll get an extra silver coin a month. It's more money then you can handle and you should be grateful. Well, it's a reasonable enough request, I suppose," he mused. He had done all his goals without even much effort. He was a genius.

"Father, there is something else I want. I…want to go home," Orli said, sighing as his voice lowered again. "I want to go back to Shushan. I had friends there and I could play in the fields. I'm so lonely here," he pleaded sadly.

"Well, I have a new and important job, which means I need to stay close to where the power is. That is why the Fire Lord feels it's best we stay in the capital. It's an honor and you should be grateful," Zhao lied smoothly. It was best Orli not know that he was a hostage. "Surely, there must be one or two young boys around here for you to train with."

"Well, there is one around my age. I saw him a few days ago but I haven't spoken to him yet," Orli said, biting his lip thoughtfully. "He must be very wealthy and upper-class. He dresses in royal robes and wears a prince's crown."

Zhao had barely been listening to his son till the words "Crown" caught his interest. "A crown? Where did you see him?" he asked.

"I saw him on a balcony with the Fire Lord. He must be pretty important; he did not have to kneel. The Fire Lord was even holding his hand. When they sat down together, the boy was allowed to sit on His Majesty's lap. I didn't know the Fire Lord had a younger brother. Or maybe that is his son," Orli chattered.

"The Fire Lord only has a sister, Princess Hotaru. He has no brother and he is too young to have a son your age," Zhao said, fearing he knew just who the "brother" was.

"Well, the Fire Lord really seems to like him. I've never seen a Fire Nation noble with blue eyes before. Who is he?" Orli asked, curiosity on his small face.

"Blue eyes? Ah…yes. I know all about him," Zhao said, his lip curling. That little Water tribe boy was still around, the Fire Lord's little pet who had the ability to convince his master to do anything. He had no doubt the little savage would take revenge if given leave.

"Excellent. When may I go visit him?" Orli exclaimed, looking quite excited by the prospect of a new friend.

Zhao held up a hand. "Never. You are never to speak to him. Don't even go near him, my boy. That boy is dangerous. One word from him and there could be problems. He's a very strange creature," Zhao said with considerable distaste. He was not pleased to see that the little brat had survived. He had told them that as soon as Zuko had been found guilty and had been taken out, he was to execute the little rain drip in front of Zuko. This made his shifting alliances very awkward.

"What is wrong with him? Is he mad?" Orli asked, looking up at his father inquisitively.

"In a matter of speaking. Now, don't question my orders. Just listen and obey," Zhao warned, disliking the present train of thought. He had a feeling Orli might be better off not knowing about Zhao's affairs at war. Blessedly, a knock sounded at the door, interrupting the moment. "Come in."

Katannah walked in, looking far less worried then she had been. "Dinner is being served, Father. May we?" she asked, pulling at her tunic collar. She looked a bit pink-cheeked. Well, she must be excited to have a normal family again. Well, so was he.

The former admiral and current councilor smiled and nodded. "Yes, we may."

"She's a complete nightmare. She's dirty, uncouth and revolting. I can't believe I kissed her hand, that repellent little hoyden," Kalyan seethed, his voice tinged with anger and disgust. "After I see her, I need a bath."

"Funny you should say that. I noticed she has the same expression on her face the whole time she is with you," Devdan noted, his voice softer than usual. He could use a cold dip himself, he was feeling quite different than usually.

"Funny you should mention that, Devdan. I noticed you can't not keep your eyes off the little slut. Why am I not surprised to notice that you have a taste for vulgar women? Her dress is positively indecent," Kalyan spat, as they stepped back into their quarters.

Devdan's jaw tightened but he said nothing. He was used to the insults already, they barely stung anymore. He was too busy thinking of a pair of cherry red lips that pouted so beautifully. That thought was definitely more pleasant than listening to his brother rant. "Hey, it shows off her figure to excellent advantage. I am not complaining," he said half to himself. He would have preferred the princess in a state of far less dress, preferably bound by silk ribbons to a bed.

"Well I have to admit, the girl has some definite potential. When the time comes, I'll have to have her thoroughly cleaned before I can enjoy her. Don't worry little brother. If all goes to plan, I'll let you play with her on occasion," the crown prince sneered.

"How generous of you, Kalyan. Your portion in the afterlife should be as wonderful as you are," Devdan answered lazily, returning to his thoughts of Princess Hotaru.

"It's more than you deserve. I can't believe you two were throwing fruit at each other like common hog-monkeys! Can't you two stop that bickering for two minutes?" Kalyan demanded.

"She started it!" Devdan said, with a happy grin on his face. He had thoroughly enjoyed himself! He liked seeing the laughter in her eyes. She had a strong spirit, but there was a terrible sadness that lurked behind the shadows. Devdan was fascinated.

"Thank the Stone gods that her brother didn't see you. Soften her up and gain the goose's confidence because I won't waste my time with empty-headed females, but for the love of Geb, be discreet," Kalyan warned. "We aren't doing this for our own pleasure but for the safety of our kingdom. Nothing is more important than that, nothing in the world."

Devdan shrugged. "Calm yourself. I have done this before; this mission will proceed as planned," he assured him. He was eager to get to know more about the princess; he still had to best her in combat.

"I suppose you are right, how different could the women here be?" Kalyan asked as they stepped inside their grand receiving room, which had been cleared of all foreign servants and anyone capable of being a spy. The other ambassadors were waiting to be given commands by their leader. By their numbers, the urgency of the mission was laid in plain terms. There were only a few ambassadors with them, nearly all the great cities of the Earth Kingdom had fallen to the Fire Lords. Once, there had been seven kingdoms, ruled by great and noble families. Ba Xing Xe was the only strong city, with a few forts scattered around the vast kingdom as protection. Now that Omashu had fallen, the delegates were the last hope of the Earth Kingdom. The next few months would decide the fate of the world.

Sitting in the middle of the room, russet-haired ambassador Nasun was being tended to by his sister, Lady Kintaru. His arm had been broken at a terrible angle and his nose was bleeding profusely. His clothes had been scorched and he looked like he had needed opium to dull the plain. "What happened here?" Kalyan asked, his voice hardening.

"We asked for a tour of the royal gardens. Our guide, Lady Katannah was quite polite till Nasun here tried to put his hands on her…well…posterior. The young lady flew into a rage and attacked him. I've never seen such behavior from a female!" Kintaru said, giving her brother a rueful glance. Devdan thought it served the old letch right. One should at least charm a woman before sampling her!

"He's lucky he only got that. I saw some of the other girls practicing over the last week. All women learn military skills, even those without bending powers. They are trained in pressure points, weapons and hand to hand fighting," said the elderly Lady Jindoek, a wealthy matriarch of a powerful clan of nobility. Earth Kingdom women rarely learned martial arts, besides for isolated towns like Kyoshi. Devdan doubted the old woman could last a second against Hotaru.

"How are we supposed to defend ourselves from this nation if even the women are trained warriors?" asked Damodar, the youngest member of the expedition. Only fourteen years old and heir to a powerful line, Damodar was trying to represent his family's interests as best he could. Yet anyone with eyes could see he was nothing more than a frightened child. "Their numbers are so strong and their technology is so great."

"I also saw soldiers practicing. Our guides made sure we did not see anything sensitive but their numbers and their powers are enormous obstacles. When the comet comes, they will be unstoppable," said another Earth Nation nobleman.

"You said the Fire Lord was a mere child. He may be young, but he is not foolish. His policy of mercy has won the love of the common people, who see him as a savior from his father. He is not desperate to negotiate," Kintaru accused. "My father sent us to finish a mission, but none of the pieces are falling into place."

"Now that the Avatar is dead, we cannot use General Fong's idea of using him as a human shield. We have no hope!" added Damador, shaking like a leaf. He had never been brave and obviously the stress was getting to him.

Kalyan drew himself up to his full height over the entire knot of people. "I will not let this nation go down in flames! We are the mighty Earth Nation, strong and eternal like the stones. I don't want to hear another word of doubt." He walked around and stared at each member of the team, his voice conveying nobility and power. "We are the best that Ba Xing Xe can offer and we are our nation's last hope. We are the mountains that hold back the sea, the mountains that stand against the wind, and the mountains that contain the lava. We will never fall!" he said in a voice that brooked no dissent.

"As I was telling my brother, this is no pleasure mission. We are fighting for our lives and our future. We all know our duties and this plan can go on if we all do our part. The Fire Lord has his weaknesses and they will be exploited. His sister will soon be my slave and this castle will be mine. Yet, I am willing to die to secure this peace. We all must be ready to do anything to destroy the line of Sozin."

Every face in the room looked rallied at that cry. Kalyan had a tongue of silver, no doubt about that. Devdan, of course was not that easily impressed. He did admit that the plan was brilliant, but nothing was certain. If the Fire Lord was anything like his sister, it would be a definite challenge. As he slipped away to take a hot bath before bed, he realized just how eager he was to see Princess Hotaru again the next morning. She was addictive.

"Move those supplies over there," Gran Gran said, directing the movement of the Water tribe into their new home,a large but rudimentary hut had been constructed on the sandy beach of the Island of Sohar. Sokka obediently did as his grandmother requested, his mind buzzing elsewhere as he considered his new circumstances.

It had been wonderful to see the rest of his tiny but beloved tribe again. Being together had dulled the feel of the invisible chains but not eliminated them entirely. Sohar Island was not a terrible prison, but it was not a comfortable one either. The flies were terrible and the sun's heat never yielded.

The water was plentiful with fishes but since no boats were allowed, the tribe had to survive on what could be caught from shore. The female children of the tribe spent their days searching for clams or wading for crabs and lobsters, while the male children assisted with catching fish or wild birds on the island. Although a small catch was brought home every night, there was never enough meat to go around.

Mostly the tribe had to rely on seaweed, which was terrible but plentiful. There was a small group of stewed sea prunes to be shared and flavor the sea-weed, as well as some fruit trees which made existance bareable. There was plenty of coconut milk to drink, but climbing the trees for immature coconuts took a lot of time, exhausting the tribe. Happily, Momo assisted them with that chore, preventing the village from dying of thirst.

That was not the worst part of it. Sokka's true pain was knowing how doomed the tribe was. The Fire Nation was unstoppable without Aang. He had no idea where the men of his tribe were and Gran Gran had already spoken to him about becoming the mate to the younger women of the village. "There are twenty of us in all, Sokka. Seven of them are women of child-bearing age. You are the only man in our village now, you must marry them all," she had explained.

Sokka had grown up calling these women his aunts. But he had resigned himself to his duty and now slept with a different woman each night in a curtained off part of the hut. It had been humiliating to walk in there in front of the community, knowing what duty he had to perform.

Aunt Akna had been his first and he had to admit, she had been gentle with him. He had gritted his teeth and tried to imagine it was the beautiful warrior Suki he was embracing instead of second mothers to him. The work was distasteful but needed.

Sokka had barely been able to face explaining to the village that Aang was dead and that all hope for the fight against the Fire Nation was over, the world was going to be enslaved. "He is sending a navy to our sister tribe in the South," he explained. "His army is unstoppable now."

Then there had been the hardest question. "Where is Aiiro?" asked Yullik, a bright eyed boy who had once roamed the tundra gleefully with his best friend Aiiro. Now he was an island prisoner, whose life had been shattered.

Sokka had nearly broken down in tears when he said that the little boy was still a prisoner to the Fire Lord. "He most likely has him in chains somewhere or in a cage, being treated like an animal. We begged that murderous son of a monster to release him and allow him to live with his family. He refused and said that he would use Aiiro as a pet for his own sick purposes," he spat angrily. The younger members of the village had cried when they had learned Aiiro was lost to them.

"Won't he ever come back to us? Yakone asked, his chubby cheeks streaked with tears. "Will he be a prisoner forever? Are they hurting him?" he asked softly.

Sokka shrugged, as he comforted Aunt Sura, who had raised Aiiro along with her own children. "I don't know. But I know he wants to be with us as much as we miss him. We have to be grateful that we at least have each other and aren't in manacles like him," he said softly. "Aiiro is being forced to live his life as a slave, badly treated and alone. We must always remember how much worse things can get."

Sokka had lied. Aiiro's fate was no way to bring hope, but he figured he had reached rock bottom at that point. He was married to seven women who were all old enough to be his mother, he was in charge of a village of castaways and he had failed to protect any of them.

So when Katara had asked to speak to him privately, Sokka had broken his usual streak of pessimism and hoped Katara had an idea about how to get the tribe away from the Fire Nation and back home. "So what is it you wanted to know?" he asked as the two walked to the grotto to gather sea-urchins.

"Sokka, if I tell you a secret, will you promise not to get upset?" Katara asked, her voice getting lower. She had been very quiet lately. Sokka had chalked it up to the same depression everyone was going through. Yet, the look in her eyes told her it was something a lot more.

"No. But tell me anyway, why spare me the torment?" Sokka muttered, as he gathered some sea creatures into his basket.

"Okay. I think I'm pregnant," Katara said, causing Sokka to drop his basket. The gods were enjoying this, weren't they? They had practically driven him to rock bottom, allowing to think he had no where to go but up. Then in their infinite mercy, they had opened up the rock bottom of the earth and let darkness swallow him.

"What?" he breathed, debating a list of people who he would need to kill, starting with the Fire Lord and ending with every Fire Nation member who existed. Anger tensed his muscles as he thought of the first thing he could pound. "How did this happen?" he asked, stalling so he could plot his murderous rampage.

"Not in the way you think," Katara soothed, trying to calm him down. Sokka believed she would have had better like trying to calm down the stormy seas.

He was remembering something that evil princess had said. "Consider yourself lucky my brother didn't let me deal with you. I have a feeling his methods were far more pleasurable. With any luck, you might have a bastard nephew or niece to give me," she had smirked before flogging the daylights out of him. The scars on his back still ached, but not as much as the memories.

"Was it Zuko? I'll bring you his heart on a silver platter, so you can stab it yourself," he asked, gritting his teeth as he imagined how wonderful it would be to avenge his sister, his tribe and everyone. His blood had finally come to a boil.

"No, it wasn't Zuko. Sokka, calm down and listen to me," Katara pleaded, putting down her own basket and hugging him. The hot sun was still beating down on both of them, inflaming Sokka's temper even further.

Sokka brushed her away. "So, who was it? One of the Fire Nation soldiers? A guard? A merchant? Who defiled you?" he demanded, his body shaking with rage. The next thing he knew, Katara had knocked him down with a salty whip of water, drenching him. The salt burned his eyes, only increasing his anger. "What was that for?" he demanded.

"Will you just listen to me? Aang is the father," Katara shouted. "Aang, the Avatar is the father of your future niece!"

Sokka sat in the warm water, his brow furrowed. "Aang? Twelve year old Aang whose voice never even reached cracking?" he demanded, completely confused. He had never allowed them to be alone together for very long, how could this have happened? If Aang wasn't dead, Sokka would have to kill him again!

"Yes. He came to me in a dream. He said I am carrying a daughter, the Avatar of the Water Tribe, a new opportunity to set the world right. Even if Sozen's comet comes and the balance is forever shifted, a new equilibrium can always be found, even with three elements. We can't tell anyone about this child. If Zuko finds out about her, he'll have her killed andme too. This child inside me, she's the hope of a new nation. She will be the redeemer of the world."

Sokka nodded slowly as he stared at the belly of his sister and wondered if one child would be enough to stop the storm bearing down on the world.

Death had come to the Northern Water Tribes in many forms. It had come in the form of thousands of ships, great beasts of iron that roamed the ocean, hungry for battle. It had come in the form of blasting jellies, of cruel swords and spears, of armor clad men who wielded the power of fire in their bodies. It came in the form of angry beasts who snorted irately as they marched forward to trample all in their path.

It came with machines, catapults which battered and battering rams that cracked what had stood forever. For those fingers of death, the Water tribe had been prepared for. They had built strong high walls of ice that could withstand the fiery blasts. The water benders were the natural guards and vanquishers of fire. They were the life-giving border between the flames of death and the world.

Yet Death had come to the Water tribe, in the hands of a half grown boy already scarred by the cruelty of life. On the ships that accompanied him were two separate but equally powerful things. In the belly of the ship was an exhausted monarch dreamed of a young boy left behind and of a time of peace. On his lips was the name "Aiiro," a Water Tribe name. Surely, even with his scar, this youth was far too innocent to be the hands of Death.

The other powerful thing was a scroll that told of an ancient invention, a formula for Death itself. The midnight gummy liquid had been prepared and was ready to do its duty to serve the young monarch. A word from him and the liquid was sent on its way.

As the black oil poured from the great shiny iron drums and ignited on the water itself, as the gummy fire consumed everything in its path, forsaking the natural laws that bound the flames back, the rest of Water Tribe ebbed with despair. Death's new form was swept out like an inky cloak, slimily burning through the water. Nothing could quench it. It spread through the waves, burning under and on it like a giant scar on the pure liquid.

As all efforts to slake the insatiable demon failed, Death laughed at the Water Tribe. It had come again and this time, it would stay a lot longer, carried by the hands of a soul consumed with the happiness of a child named for the Water who bore it, the water that now lay raped and defeated. The sticky fire fastened itself to everything in its path, the high walls of ice. Underneath the water glowed the hot fire, mocking the natural laws of the world!

The first missile made of the new form was launched by catapult at moonrise. It came on as broad in front as a vinegar cask. The tail of fire that trailed behind it was as big as a great spear. It made such a noise as it came, that it sounded like the thunder of heaven. It looked like a dragon flying through the air. Such a bright light did it cast, that one could see all over the city of ice as though it were day, by reason of the great mass of fire, and the brilliance of the light that it shed. Then with a terrible crash, it burst through one of the main gates.

It was then followed by a hail of these black wet flames on the backs of arrows and volleys from the throwing machines. The gluey fire clung to everything in its path, man and object. It burned everything in a slow and horrible death, with no escape. Many comrades had been forced to knife their fallen friends, rather then see them slowly immolate.

Princess Yue comforted her compatriots as reports from the battlefield came, each piece of news of the liquid fire more hopeless. She stood resigned, knowing in her mystical way one thing. Death had returned to the Water Tribe and this form was more terrifying then anything they could imagine. Unless a miracle appeared, defeat was imminent.

Weeks before, as Aiiro, Hyun and the General waved goodbye to their beloved Master, Aiiro turned to Hyun. "I heard Master allowed you to name the new invention, to show honor to your clan. What did you name it?" he asked, as he waved to the ships already far in the horizon.

Hyun smiled. "Zuko's breath," she replied, a strange smile lighting up her face as she mentioned Master's name. "His breath shall be the foundation of the New Fire Nation Empire."

AN/ Next chapter, Zuko has a very interesting conversation with his mother, Aiiro meets a new friend and Hotaru's sadness is finally revealed. My chapters may come a bit slower because of school and my new job, but thanks to my new collaborator, Celtic, the gap may be mitigated.