All right, Zuko's good luck is starting to change, though this chapter announces a few big changes in the life of new Fire Lord. Zuko, Aiiro, Sokka, Katara and many others have big surprises waiting for them. This story is coming in for a landing within the next seven or so chapters, three big events have to happen and believe me, Zuko is in very hot water! Murder, torture, and a sexed up sister all weigh heavily on Zuko's mind. You think the creators torture him? Wait until the Earth plot springs into action.

Without the help of Spleef, Sarah and Celtic, I'd be as lost as Zuko is! Huzzah to them!

Deliver Us

-----
Send a shepherd to shepherd us
And deliver us to the promised land

--The Prince of Egypt

-----

Princess Yue of the Water Tribe had been born into leadership. She had been schooled in diplomacy, war strategy, and political theory. Yet nothing could have prepared her for the siege of the North, lead by the Fire Lord. The water was being poisoned; food and water grew scarcer by the hour. The spirits had given her life, but in exchange, she felt the pain of the ocean every time more toxic was dumped inside. Each day, more warriors returned their spirits to the Sea-god. Her guards, her fiancé, her friends all disappeared before her eyes as each day more men fell.

The myriad of the ships preyed on the ice city, their cruel machines devouring their defenses. Even the water, their lifeblood, had turned against them with the cursed black oil that made fire burn unquenchably on the ocean. The shrieks of dying tribesman and the smell of burning flesh invaded every waking moment of Yue's life. Even her dreams were infiltrated with blood and misery.

Each night a messenger hawk brought a scroll, asking if the tribe wished to surrender and promising generous terms if they capitulated immediately. Yue begged her father to agree. The sight of the defeated eyes of her people burned into her. "A life in chains is better than dead freedom," she pleaded, trying not to sob.

"I cannot, Daughter. The Fire Lord is a ruthless liar. He will never accept our submission. Ozai is a ruthless man; he is only playing with our emotions. We must keep fighting. We have no choice. As chief, I have spoken. " Her father's voice brooked no dissent.

Therefore, the two months passed slowly. Yue prayed to the spirit of the Moon and the Ocean for help, but the gods slept in their watery beds. Each day grew more desperate, as children died of hunger before her very eyes, as young men marched off to battle the black oil, knowing they would never return. She and the small group of women, elderly, and children that hid with her spent all their time begging the spirits for help. She wanted to do something besides wait! Yet she obeyed her father's command and waited patiently for the spirits to answer her prayers.

Yue was forced to relearn out a terrible lesson on the day her prayers were answered. The gods never took anything without asking for a terrible price. One cold morning after a particularly bad attack, only one warrior returned from the front. His face was burned and bloody, his body broken and his spirits shattered. He knelt down in front of Yue and gave her Father's tribal necklace, symbol of his chiefdom. That meant the worst had happened. "He blessed you with his final words," Kilrak said, his eyes filling with tears.

Yue took the precious necklace and hugged it close to her heart. Her father had been her moonlight, her best friend and her family. She wanted to scream, to throw things and to curse the spirits in her anger! Yet, she behaved as a princess would. She showed no weakness to her people. She did not display the tempest of pain that raged in her heart. She merely put on the necklace on and asked for the flare the Fire Lord had sent. From this day, she would fight no more. Wordlessly, she sent up the piercing yellow light and waited for the boat. There would be no more deaths.

Zuko had been overjoyed to send out the boat to bring the chief of the Water Tribe. He had very little to do during the Seige besides order attacks, chat with his darling mother and read mail.

Each day, he dutifully sorted his mail into piles of importance. There were cheerful letters from Hotaru, who said joyfully that she was beginning to enjoy palace life. There were wonderful informative letters from Uncle, describing the running of the government and how well everything was going. He also never ceased to end his letters with hints about staying healthy and coming home safely. A third treat were the letters from Aiiro, who had finally learned to write. The letters began with Hyun's respectful dictation to train Aiiro in court protocol.

Oh most mighty Lord who I have the honor to call my guardian,

May this letter find you in the best of health and luck in your campaign. Your humble ward bows before you a hundred times and conveys his sincerest professions of loyalty and fealty. I have been honored to be studying hard and I resolve to stay out of mischief. May your lordship come home to his rightful domain in short time, so I may be honored with the sight of the Fire Lord,

A thousands prostrations from your obedient servant,

Prince Aiiro of the Water Tribe, vassal of the Fire Lord

Beneath it was scrawled the real message, in childish scribbles.

Dearest most wonderful Master,

I miss you so much. You remember how I took in my friend Orli, because his dad is bad? You will be proud of how I protected Orli by putting toys against the door. Now we are safe.

Come home already, I miss you. I love you so much, more then the sun, the moon, and the stars. I wrote an essay on how you are my favorite person. Miss Hyun is very nice, but tell her to give me less homework. She said I am very good at martial arts; my favorite weapon is the twin swords. She doesn't like it when I am bad. She says I should not dump water on the servants, but it's so much fun. Well, she always forgives me, so no matter. Thanks for the new gifts, I love them! I named the rhino Shila, and she's so fast.

Love from Aiiro

Zuko could not believe of all the children in the nation, Aiiro had chosen to defend Zhao's son. Still, sometimes fate punished people far more then a Fire Lord could. If anyone deserved to lose a child, it was that blaggard.

Zuko smiled at the mention of gifts. He had been ordering various palace officials to bring gifts to the little ward. New robes, various toys, a new ship, and new animal friends were all sent to ease the loneliness of parting. He missed his little friend a great deal and counted the days until he could see him again. He wrote to him every day, telling him how much he missed him. He tried to avoid mentions of war, as not to scare the child.

Zuko also would correspond with Hyun about her lesson plans for Aiiro as well as his schedule and health. To his surprise, Zuko found himself also asking for her opinions on other matters on palace procedures. She was very wise and he was pleased Aiiro was in such good hands. Her letters were gracefully written and he was always glad to receive her glowing reports on Aiiro's progress and her excellent recommendations.

The other letters were far less enjoyable. He received various letters from the Earth Kingdom front. The governorship of the former city of Omashu was going fantastically; though Zuko had been depressed when he found out King Bumi had been mysteriously poisoned. He had tried to ask Nitta to show as much restraint as possible in dealing with the people, but war was hell and people were getting hurt. He just wanted this all to end, but no one seemed to want to stop fighting. The other divisions were doing well, but Zuko hated hearing about the death-count on all sides. He cursed his ancestors, Sozin, Azulon, and Ozai for causing this misery.

Then there were the letters from high-ranking noblemen concerning their daughters and how to make them the next consort. Zuko had read forty letters about various maidens, all eager to serve as his bride. Zuko recalled all the things he knew about women of his country.

Fire Nation women trained in at least one of the three schools of combat, known as the way of the Hand. There was the way of the Open Hand, which included unarmed combat and pressure points. Many women, including Hotaru had chosen the way of the Metal Hand, weapon training. Finally, there were women interested in military careers that chose the Burning Palm and studied fire bending. Most women chose various combinations of the three schools, making them formidable opponents who could serve in combat if required. They were also trained to manage estates and households, allowing their husbands to go off to war.

Officially, the women were not allowed to approach him and speak to him, so he had not met any personally. He had relied on Hotaru's opinions of the females being offered to him. Elder Sister had said most of the young women in the palace were vapid mercenary types, who only wanted a wealthy marriage partner. Zuko wanted a wife who was soothing and comforting, intelligent and kind, a woman who would be Mother to the Nation. He didn't want to end chained to some loud-mouthed harpy.

"Your majesty? The chief of the North Tribe is here. Lady Sakura is a few ships away. Would your majesty care to attend?" Yesenia asked, bowing her dark head. The pretty pirate had served as Zuko's aide over the last few months, but her skills in combat far exceeded her skills in administration.

Zuko nodded. "Have a manservant come to help me dress," he ordered, putting aside his letters. He should appear in full regalia, rather then the simple robes he had donned in his private chambers.

"No need, milord. I can help you dress if you wish," Yesenia said with a roguish grin. Her eyes looked very eager and Zuko was almost tempted. Yet, he gritted his teeth and shoved a cloak on. His mother's maidens were a feisty lot, the exact type of women he wanted to avoid.

"Never mind. He's just surrendering; this need not be formal," he muttered, a blush rising to his cheeks. "Go announce me," he commanded.

"Presenting His Majesty, Zuko, by grace of Agni the Sun God Incarnate, Master of all He surveys, the Phoenix Monarch, the Morning and Evening star," Yesenia said, her voice lilting officially.

Zuko stepped out of his room out of the canopied entrance and was astounded to find the chief of the Water tribe was not some ancient monarch, a war-nursed warrior who was soaked in blood. A gentle looking teenage girl, with white hair and large sad blue eyes bowed before him. Zuko was shocked. This would make it much more difficult. "You are the chief?" he breathed.

The Fire Nation ship had arrived to take her to the Fire Lord. The soldiers treated her respectfully, but said nothing to her besides simple orders. "Over here," and "We shall be there soon," were the majority of their statements.

Yue had taken off her royal jewelry marking her as a princess and had adorned herself in the manner of a Water Tribe Chief. Although women were forbidden from assuming the title, there were no men left besides the sick and wounded. No one had protested when she had taken the new rank. She almost wished someone would, the responsibility was very great. As she was rowed into the shadow of the enormous metal ship, she found herself trembling. She had heard terrible tales of the fearsome Fire Lord Ozai, who had spent nearly a decade awash in the blood of other nations. She could not believe she would be meeting him in person. How could she face such evil?

Yet she boarded the deck of the ship, she was astounded to see a young man of her age come from the canopied door. He was handsome, besides for a terrible battle-scar that marred a side of his face. He seemed tired and weary, almost confused at the entire affair. Yue had to admit, command and dignity robed him as much as his royal regalia. Could this boy be Fire Lord Ozai? He must have started ruling at a very young age. Apparently, the feeling of confusion was mutual as the Fire Lord queried to her identity.

"I am the Princess Yue, your majesty, chief of the Water Tribe after the death….of my father, Chief Arnook. I come to offer my tribe's surrender," she whispered, trying to keep her voice from quivering.

"Unconditional?" the Fire Lord asked flatly. Far from the monster Yue had expected, his eyes did not seem cruel at all. How could this teenager have achieved so much devastation and evil?

Yue nodded and removed her father's necklace from her neck and removed her own regalia from her pack. "I offer these symbols to you, my tribe's new leader," she whispered, presenting it to him. "You inherit a broken land, poisoned and decimated," she whispered sadly.

A servant stepped forward and tested the symbols for hidden poisoned blades, before presenting it to the Fire Lord. The young monarch placed the necklace on and motioned for the other insignias to be taken away. "Our water is undrinkable, our wildlife will need years to replenish and our people are starving and helpless. Now the responsibility is yours," she added.

The Fire Lord nodded. "Your tribe suffered much. I asked you to surrender every day. I would have been lenient. I just wanted repayment for the ships raided. You forced my hand. For that, I take no blame," he said softly. Yue looked into his eyes and knew he was lying. The young Fire Lord felt the weight of his crown and the bloodshed he was causing. He deeply regretted it. So why did he persist? "But that is in the past. Gather your people. They shall be taken to the Water tribe sanctuary I have created. There is food and shelter there, as well as fellow members of your tribe from the other pole," he explained.

"That is most generous, your majesty. May the Moon bless you for an additional decade on the throne, Lord Ozai," she bowed deeply. It was far more generous then she could have imagined. Her father had been a fool to resist so long.

The Fire Lord looked confused for a moment but then nodded sagely. "I'm Fire Lord Zuko, heir of Ozai. The previous Fire Lord met a sudden death and I inherited the throne," he explained bashfully. "Have you any Water-bending teachers alive among your people? I require a teacher for my foster son," the Fire Lord continued, changing the subject.

Yue nodded. That made sense. So he was a fellow young royal, sacrificing all for the crown and responsibility. He even was kind enough to adopt a Water Tribe prisoner, he was nothing like she thought he would be. He was merely a dutiful young man.

She understood that obligation and it reminded her of her obligation. "One of the Water Tribe warriors, Kilrak, can teach Water-bending for your foster son. He is wounded but he should recover with some time. He studied under the late Master Pakku." The old master had died midway through the siege. Yue closed her eyes and changed the subject. "You show great kindness to the child. It shows you are a good person. I suppose you will take me as your wife, to seal your claim, your majesty?" Yue forced herself to add, knowing it was her duty to cement the alliance. The Fire Lord was not a bad looking young man, but she did not wish to marry the conqueror of her nation. Perhaps she could least mother the Fire Lord's foster son.

The Fire Lord paled for a moment. He seemed to be actively panicking for a moment. "Marry you?" he asked, looking quite shocked.

"To create an alliance, sir. Am I that displeasing to you?" she asked sadly. She had always been told she was a pretty girl, even despite her old coloring. She was almost relieved at being released from such a duty. Perhaps being ugly was not the worst thing to be.

The Fire Lord took hold of himself, nodding slowly. "You aren't that bad, don't worry. All right, you will return to the Fire Nation. There, I'll figure out how you can be named a consort. Until then, Yesenia will assist with the evacuation of your people. Yesenia, also inform my mother that the siege is won and over. Alert the troops to set a course for home!" he said softly, a gentle smile coming to her lips.

Yue sighed. A home that was as far away from her home as possible, to a prison she would have to inhabit forever. "Father, forgive me for giving in," she whispered.

Yullik was always hungry. He had long gotten used to not having a great deal of food in the village back in the South Pole, but at least there, they had been allowed to hunt for their meals. Now there was hundreds of fish swimming just a few hundred feet from where he stood, but the Fire Nation had forbidden any boats or weapons. Yullik was therefore charged with searching the ocean for clams and mollusks. No matter how many he found, it was never enough to relieve the nagging feeling of emptiness in his mid-section.

He had enjoyed better luck then usual today, because he had broken the rules and gone clamming by the Fire Nation port headquarters and barracks. Sokka had said to avoid that area, but Yullik had exhausted his designated portions already and did not want to go home empty-handed. As he passed by, he noticed that planted by the garrison was also a row of berry bushes. Yullik was starving, he was sure no one would miss a few stray pieces of fruit.

He crept over, his heart beating the entire time. He knew Sokka would be furious with him and he could only imagine the punishment that would be inflicted on him if he was caught. He knew Aiiro would have gone and picked the fruits. He prayed the Moon watch over Yullik's fallen best friend who was most likely in a cage somewhere. Yullik would steal the fruit in his memory.

He sat down under a bush and started shoving the sweet, juicy prizes into his mouth, barely chewing. It was so delicious and refreshing; Yullik was in the height of joy. He continued force-feeding himself, storing up precious delicious sustenance for later. It was so tasty that Yullik did not care if he made himself sick. He began filling his pockets to bring back to his village.

He was brought back down when the bush began to shake. "What's this, Jiro? I think we caught ourselves a little tadpole," said a male voice, laughing harshly. Yullik trembled violently. They would hang him for sure. "Come out, boy, unless you want to be roasted and have the berry juice as your seasoning."

Yullik crawled out, terrified to find himself facing his worst nightmare. Two Fire Nation soldiers were standing over him, towering above him like polar bears. "Please don't kill me," he begged, staying on his knees.

"Well, you are a thief. These berry bushes are for the soldiers and their families, not little grubs like you. The Fire Nation has strict laws against thievery. We chopped off the hands of thieves. But your arm is awful small, we might have to do both," the harsh voiced soldier said, glaring at him as he grabbed his shirt collar so Yullik could not run.

The other soldier shook his head. "Oh stop it, Arata. You'll scare him. He can't be more then seven. Come on, I'm sure you've climbed into your fair share of forbidden orchards as a child," he said. He had a nicer face and did not look much older then Sokka.

"You are new to life here. One thing you must learn is you have to show a firm hand with these people, Jiro. They are savages! They must be kept under close watch and strict conditions if we wish to maintain control, these blue-eyed freaks," Arata sneered, giving Yullik another firm shake.

"Hey, don't say anything like that if you are assigned to the palace. Prince Aiiro would have your head. My cousin Takeo is one of his personal guards and he says the little prince is very sensitive about his blue eyes. The prince has been very generous to our family. We've received an extra large stipend from the prince's own pocket," Jiro said in a proud tone.

Yullik's heart leapt. "Prince Aiiro? Prince of what!" he asked incredulously. Aiiro was many things but royalty was not one of them. He received a firm slap for his troubles.

"Mind your manners, you little peasant. Prince Aiiro of your Water Tribe, the protégé of the Fire Lord and your master," Jiro snapped, his mood changing from kind to cruel. "I ought to give you such a thrashing for that comment. Your overlord is a generous and fine young man and I won't have him impugned by the likes of you," he threatened angrily.

"Well, before we decide what to do with him, he can clean our boots. Come on, brother in law. You must tell me all about the siege. Take the brat inside, we can have a cool drink in my room. At least our accommodations are nice here," Arata said, yanking the boy inside.

Yullik stared around the inside of the forbidden quarters fearfully. It did not look like a torture chamber; it was only a metal hallway with various doors. Other Fire nation soldiers lounged around, in varying degrees of dress from simple tunics to full armor. Yullik was terrified of every one of them. How could he let himself get into so much trouble? If he survived this, Sokka was going to kill him!
A short journey past them revealed a door marked by various symbols. Arata opened it with a touch of his finger and shoved Yullik inside. The trembling child expected to see whips and chains. Instead, it was a small room with a bed, a table and chair and a trunk. Decorative wall hangings hung from the walls and the window was open, letting in a breeze. "Take a seat, Jiro and make yourself comfortable," Arata said, removing a roasted duck and a jug of wine from a stone box. Yullik was horrified at how much the Fire-benders had while the village starved. They could have shared their food and lodgings, but they let them starve! "As for you, boy, take a rag and start cleaning."

Yullik knelt down obediently, determined to spy on them. He would have to find out more about Aiiro as well as what was happening outside the world. Confusion trickled down his spine, like beads of sweat. How could his friend have become a prince? Sokka had told everyone that Yullik's friend was in chains in the dungeons, not pampered as royalty.

"Unlike our current guest, some Water savages have social graces. According to my cousin, Prince Aiiro is the perfect young prince, obedient to the Fire Lord and excelling at his studies. He's the darling of the palace," Jiro began, a smile coming to his face.

"I just find it amazing the Fire Lord is so close to an outsider," Arata said harshly, as he seated himself next to him. "Of all the children to take a shine to, did it have to be a little Water whelp?"

"Well, apparently this child is special. In fact, it's because of him that the Fire Lord was able to obliterate the North," Jiro explained, lounging on the bed as he munched on a drumstick.

"How could a little boy do that? Is he a prodigy at bending?" Arata asked softly, taking a deep slurp of the flask of wine.

"Prince Aiiro revealed a secret code for the Fire Lord and taught him how to use Zuko's Breath. Can you believe it? Our whole victory was due to a Water tribe boy?" Jiro said. Yullik's mouth stopped watering as disgust filled his entire being. They were lying. Aiiro would never betray them like that. They must have beaten him with whips and starved him before he ever broke down. How much pain had Yullik's best friend gone through? He did not want to know the answer.

"Amazing. So that is how the Fire Lord defeated the Frozen Forbidden North? A couple of children did something Sozin himself could not do. For someone Ozai called a weakling, Zuko has really made a nice job of things. Between his destruction of the North, the victory at Omashu and his alliance with Ba Xing Xe, I'll be discharged before the arrival of Sozin's comet. Can you believe he is two years younger then you?" Arata said, swigging down a drink. Yullik's hands shook with rage as he continued cleaning. Tears fell down his cheeks, assisting with his task.

"Having the Queen Mother and General Iroh on his side does help, though I have to say he is doing a marvelous job. The Fire Lord will be here in a few days to bring some more Water Tribe prisoners here. Our Fire Lord is now also the chief of the Water tribe till Prince Aiiro is old enough to take his rightful title," Jiro explained, as Yullik finished cleaning the second pair of boots. Shame and confusion filled him. Aiiro was his friend!

"When will the Fire Lord come to Sohar? He'll want the tribe assembled to greet him as well as a nice parade, with lanterns and banners. We should be prepared. I'll speak to the little chief of the tribe. He'll have to make room for more members from the North and to make his tribe ready to meet their overlord. "

The panic continued to spread through Yullik's body. There was not enough food for the village as it was. How could more people be brought in? Where would they live? There was only one hut for everyone and it was crowded enough. He knew he should listen further but he was too sad to continue. "I…finished, sir," he whispered.

"Then get on your way, boy. I hope you learned your lesson. I'm too tired to give you a tanning," Akane said, pointing to the door. Yullik bowed his head, trying to hide his tears. "If you are ever seen near the orchards again, we'll string you up."

As Yullik fled the room, he had no care that he had left his basket back in the room. He just wanted to fling himself into Sokka's arms, tell him all that he heard, and get reassured that everything was all right. The North tribe could not have fallen, the Fire Nation could not have won the war, and Aiiro could not have turned traitor. "Firebenders always lie, Firebenders always lie," he whispered.

"So this is Sohar?" Princess Yue said, her face as pale as her hair. Zuko nodded, noticing his future bride's presence. She had floated around Zuko's ship like a blue-clad ghost, barely speaking to anyone. Zuko had been too busy to realize until now that those were the first words she had spoken to him the entire voyage. He had to admit, he felt nothing but pity for the helpless girl. He had vowed to make the marriage as comfortable as possible for her, until she had a child and they could resume their own lives.

Zuko and Princess Yue had been dressed in full regalia, to present themselves to the inhabitants of the island. The royal couple stepped down from the gangplank to the Island of Sohar. He was only fifty miles from home and the comforts of the palace. As he looked around the sanctuary of the Water, he nodded politely to the crowd of silent people waiting for him at the shore.

"Fetch the leader of the village," he said, gesturing to two his guards. He had plans to offer them more of his attention. These people were Aiiro's kin and deserved to be treated well. He could see himself founding some projects on this island to create commerce and industry. Yes, that would be good for Aiiro's people.

"They don't look very healthy, my lord," Princess Yue said, looking very worried. "And there doesn't seem to be very many of them. Even with my tribe members, it's not more then a hundred or so."

"The Southern Tribe was this size when I found them. Moreover, it will take them some time to adjust to the climate change. Once they have some fresh blood, they can start establishing a community. I said I would care for these people and I will," he said impatiently.

The guards returned a moment later dragging the water tribe yokel with them, shoving him to the ground before the Fire Lord and his concubine. Princess Yue let out a small gasp as the boy hit the ground. Softhearted foreign women, it was quite quaint. Zuko doubted Hotaru would have winced very much. "Not him. I have no need to hear his empty threats. I asked for the leader, where is his sister?"

"She's ill," the Water yokel said angrily. His eyes sparkled with hatred, as he was forced to kneel before the Fire Lord. "So you'll excuse her if she doesn't come and curtsy before you."

Zuko actually felt a twinge of guilt. He should have a doctor look after the girl; he did owe her bald friend a large debt. "I have healers. Have her brought to the base and she will be given the best treatment," he offered magnanimously, waving his hand.

"She's fine. She just needs rest," the peasant said darkly, trying to rise from his knees. Two soldiers kept him in his place.

"So she's too ill to obey the Fire Lord, but not ill enough to seek the services of a trained healer?" Zuko asked, finding the whole affair suspicious. He knew the girl was feisty and he did not trust her to accept her defeat willingly. This sounded like a plot against his life. "Have her brought to the base within the hour. If I have to look for her, I'll start arresting people."

"Please, my lord, might I ask that he be given some food from our lunch to take back to the people? Also, perhaps any leftover supplies from the war that are no longer needed. My people would appreciate being able to bring gifts to their sister tribe." Princess Yue asked, her blue eyes pleading as the yokel was lead away.

Zuko nodded. "Of course. Ask one of my aides to assist you, feel free to take any of the supplies for the people to make your tribe more comfortable. I am going to the base," he said in a bored tone. He really wanted to get home already. Mother had sailed over to assist Colonel Nitta on the Earth Front. Zuko was lonely without a member of his family by his side. He descended from the ship into the large base built on the island, past the waving banners and soldiers at attention. At least at the end of this journey, he had a royal welcome.

"Colonel Nitta,

It has been brought to royal attention that the troops require fresh supplies. It is therefore ordered that the army remain in Omashu for another two weeks to recover…" Zuko was dictating to a page, trying to accomplish some work. A knock had disturbed him, making him lose his fleet of thought.

Healer Bika had entered the room, looking very worried. "My lord?" she whispered softly as she bowed deeply, her long braids flopping over her shoulders. "The prisoner isn't ill, per say."

"Then she was lying?" Zuko asked, looking up from his paperwork. He knew she must have been plotting against him. He would not have been surprised.

"Well…no. She is pregnant. Her temperature is elevated and the heat presence of the baby was felt."

Zuko's lip curled. "Pregnant? Well, what a joy for the Water Tribe. Give her a fine gift from the treasury as a penance for accusing her. No wonder why her brother wanted her hidden, there are no men on the island besides…" he paled considerably. "How far along is she?" He was sure that he had not carried through the deed. He was positive…but he might be wrong.

"At earliest, seventeen weeks, probably a bit more. She must have gotten pregnant before your lordship returned from your first voyage," she said softly in her most tactful voice.

Zuko was feeling himself begin to panic. He was sure he had not…but he had been in a dreadful rage. He could have done it and impregnated his prisoner. He was sickened by the thought of such an early fatherhood, especially of a mixed race baby. "I must see her. Have her brought to me."

The Fire Lord tried to recall those angry moments back on the ship. He had just been tied up when he had stormed into the kitchen and heard the girl mocking him. He had shoved her around, dragged her to his room, and removed her clothing. The rest of his recall was a blank until he shoved her out the door stark naked and prayed to Agni for mercy on his sins. He did not remember what sins those were. How could he not remember something so important?

A second later, the possible mother of Zuko's child was pulled into the room by guards, looking as feisty and shrewish as possible. "What do you want?" she snarled furiously, her hands pulled behind her back.

"You're pregnant," Zuko explained, figuring she would have an explanation for this impropriety that exonerated himself. He pulled his cloak around himself tighter, as if trying to protect himself.

"I don't think that is any of your business," Katara sniffed, raising her nose haughtily.

"I hope it isn't my business. Who is the father of your child? Name him so you two can be married," Zuko said, trying to maintain some sanity in the situation. Maybe it was not his. Maybe the Gods would continue being kind.

"My child's father is my own affair. I don't have to answer to you," the Water Tribe girl barked. "Now let me go and leave me in peace."

"Was it one of the guards on my ship? One of the guards in the prison?" he demanded, praying she would name someone besides him. He could then ignore the matter and concentrate on returning home to his family.

"Go away and rot. My child's father was no mere fire nation soldier," the Water wench spat, holding her head defiantly. There was a look in her eyes, a look of joyful defiance that answered all his questions.

Zuko closed his eyes. He was going to be the father of some mixed nation child, ineligible for the throne and sired upon a slave. How much worse could things get? He debated pretending this child was not his and ignoring it. He could turn around and all his problems would fade away.

Zuko chided himself on such irresponsibility. This child was his; he had no right to abandon it. "Then it is as I feared. This will not be pleasant for either of us, but it is my duty. Healer Bika, give me a copper piece," he said softly. He would make this as simple as possible. Lovely, now he was chained to two Water Shrews. Ozai must be laughing in the Spirit World.

"What are you going to do with that?" Katara asked, her blue eyes narrowing furiously.

"Behold I consecrate thee by the laws of Agni and the Fire Nation," Zuko said, handing Katara a copper piece, commencing the ancient marriage practice.

"So do we witness," the guards beside him chorused. "May you be blessed with joy, bliss, gladness, and pleasure upon your union," they continued, reciting the correct ancient formula.

Katara threw the copper piece at his head. "I'm not marrying you! I'd rather…" she spat.

"Listen. Unless you can name a father, you will be considered an unwed mother. In my nation, those women are sent to brothels as their punishment. Now, I admit this child was born in bad circumstances but at least I am taking responsibility for both of you," Zuko snapped, furious at her ingratitude. "I can promise you; this child will be our last. I will not touch you again. But I will not abandon my future son or daughter," he said defiantly. "Now take her to my ship. She can be a maid to Princess Yue until then. I need a nap," he said storming out of the room, ignoring the screaming from inside. Could his luck get any worse?

"Now what is a common misconception in the use of Open Hand?" Miss Hyun asked, the sun shining down on the young pretty teacher. School was being held outside near the turtle-duck pond to celebrate the warm weather.

"When your opponent comes at you, you are not trying to destroy him," Aiiro recited, earning himself a radiant smile of praise. He was making his master very proud by excelling at his studies.

"That would be Burning Palm or Metal Hand," Orli supplied helpfully, getting a smile of his own.

"Exactly. You are merely trying to divert his energy away from you," Miss Hyun instructed, taking the basic martial art pose. "Shall we begin?"

Aiiro and Orli mimicked her stance, with the front foot pointed towards the target and the back way. Miss Hyun reminded them to keep their hands at eye level, open and ready to receive anything. "Let's say that they're trying to punch at my face. First--this is crucial--don't back away from the attack, but slide around them, bringing yourself closer to their body," she said as she slid her front foot behind the leg of the guard who was aiding in the training. From there, she took his right arm and twisted it over her shoulder. Aiiro and Orli looked on; amazed as always, as the dainty and delicate Miss Hyun tossed a man two times her size over her shoulder with ease.

Takao landed in a crumpled heap, blushing as red as his uniform. "Nicely done, my lady. Your talent is incredible," he babbled. Every time she tossed him around, Takeo seemed to enjoy it and even revel in it. It was just another strange part of palace life that Aiiro had learned to get used to. He had to admit, he loved his new station in life.

He loved the fawning servants, who seemed to live to obey his wishes. Between his personal guards who were always there to check for monsters under the bed and to teach him manly sports, to his beloved teacher Miss Hyun who cuddled him and kissed him good night, Aiiro was very happy.

Aiiro enjoyed his new lessons. He was reading with ease and his handwriting had improved considerably, according to Miss Hyun. He was learning about astronomy, geography, history, mathematics, and all kinds of wonderful things. With Orli around, the lessons were a lot more fun. This was especially true when Orli would ask Miss Hyun questions until she would dismiss class, claiming a headache.

Aiiro especially loved the presents that constantly were delivered to his bedroom. Last week alone, he had received an entire miniature army of toy soldiers, hand carved. Orli and Aiiro had spent a happy afternoon leading a mock war. Now that Aiiro had a new best friend, everything seemed brighter. They had so many mischievous escapades together, and one glimpse of Master's crest relieved them of all punishment. Well, besides that time that Aiiro and Orli had found Princess Hotaru and Prince Devdan kissing in the garden under the apple tree. The princess had thrown a number of fruit at them and threatened to throw them overboard on her ship. The boys avoided her after that.

Aiiro prayed every night for two things. One was the safe return of his beloved Master. Aiiro owed his new wonderful life to him. Master had given him everything in the world. More importantly, Master was the person who loved him more then anything. Although he liked being hugged by Miss Hyun, nothing could make him as happy as sitting next to his Master.

The second thing Aiiro prayed for was something he had not told anyone, even Miss Hyun. Every night, Aiiro would ask the Gods that this new life wasn't a dream. If it was, he never wanted to wake up. For the first time in his life, he was happy. He didn't want anything to change.

"Apologies for interrupting, but good news gives wings to the weary," came a jolly voice. General Iroh was coming down the stairs, looking very merry indeed. Aiiro liked the general very much; he was very kind and always had a piece of candy in his pocket.

"Welcome, Lord General. We can always stop the lesson for good tidings," Hyun said, bowing deeply.

"The Northern Campaign is finished. Zuko…I mean, Fire Lord Zuko has won a great victory. He is bringing back the remainder of the tribe under his protection to rebuild their culture, instead of letting them starve. Now, there will be an end to the killings there," he said, looking quite relieved.

"Hooray for Master. Now is he coming home?" Aiiro cheered, feeling grateful for the best present of all.

"Yes, he's already only a few miles from Azar on an Island called Sohar. He will be bringing a water-bending teacher for Aiiro. I hope to spend a few lessons with you, my young friend. We can learn together," the old general said cheerfully.

Aiiro giggled. "But you can't learn water-bending. You are a fire-bender. Why would you want to learn something like water?" he asked. Aiiro wished he was a fire-bender too; he wanted to be exactly like his master.

"Who is wise? Someone who learns from everything. A well-rounded education is very important. And I should know, I'm very well-rounded," the general said, patting his stomach.

"Want to come play with us, sir?" Orli asked. "I bet you could take Miss Hyun in battle!" he said gleefully.

"Oh, I would love to, but my old bones could not take such a terrible thrashing. Back to work, I suppose. I can't wait for my favorite relation to return. All this paperwork is cutting into my snacking time. Just wanted to get some fresh air and tell you the good news. I think I saw one of Hotaru's ladies sitting alone in the garden. I'm sure she could use some company before I return to my honorable drudgery. If you'll excuse me," General said, an eager look in his eyes as he walked off, whistling a merry tune.

"Well…we could sit together too, Lady Hyun. I could pick you some flowers and recite some poetry I wrote for you," Takeo said, blushing madly as he tried to take her hand. "Your father approves of me."

"It's almost lunch time. I'll leave you boys to play a little bit," Miss Hyun said coldly, giving Takeo a look like Sokka did when there was no meat for dinner. She stomped off angrily, muttering dark sharp words under her breath.

"So what do you want to do? Shall we torment the ladies in waiting?" Orli asked, as he wiped his forehead of sweat.

Aiiro smiled. "I have a better idea. I'm taking my ship to the Island of Sohar and visiting Master there. Takeo, get Shigure and my traveling litter. We leave at once," he said. It was a brilliant idea.

"Are you crazy? You'll finally catch the strap if you do that. And let me tell you, it hurts a lot! You can't leave the country without permission!" Orli breathed, looking at him in a terrified manner.

"Hey, I have the crest. I am the Fire Lord's favorite, his ward. If I want to take a ship and visit my master, why should anyone mind? It will make my master happy. It will be good for everyone. Come on, Orli, you of all people would understand," Aiiro pleaded.

"Yeah and Miss Hyun will have you carted off to your room by your ear and locked up. Sorry, I'm all for adventure but you are stepping over a line that even I would not cross," Orli said, looking very worried. "Disobeying the Fire Lord is pretty serious stuff."

"I'm with Master Orli, young prince. If you get into trouble, the Fire Lord will reign down wrath on all of us. His majesty will be home in a few days, surely you can exercise some royal patience," Takeo said, putting a hand on Aiiro's shoulder.

"Please, I'll be back in a few days. Best friends would cover for each other. I'll take full responsibility if Master gets cross," Aiiro begged. "If you help me, Takeo, I'll ask Miss Hyun if she'll take a walk with you during the Cherry Blossom festival and Orli, I'll let you borrow my crest for a whole week when I get back. Deal?" he asked, knowing he had won this one. The grins on their faces told him all he needed to know.

"Make way for his highness, Prince Aiiro, Ward of the Fire Lord," announced the page as Aiiro rode through the streets to the ship. Shigure and Takeo had been sent ahead to prepare Aiiro's ship, while Orli distracted Miss Hyun with homework help.

As the crowds waved, Aiiro could not believe he had once been terrified to leave the palace walls. Now he loved the red palanquin-litter, with four slaves to carry him along. He loved watching the people cheer for him.

He could not believe he had once traveled this path and been afraid. All the people in the Fire Nation were so nice to him. They bowed before him, brought him presents and called him a prince. They adored him. Master adored him. And when he reached the island of Sohar, the tribe would be so happy to see him alive and well!

As Prince Aiiro boarded his personal ship, he had no idea of the ship next to his own, where deep in the belly, danger waited. Earth-bender warriors were being smuggled into palaces, disguised in various costumes. Deep hollows in the earth were dug to accommodate the new human poison in Zuko's cup. They would slip in surreptitiously and wait for the signal to rise up and take down the Fire Lord. Only a few more weeks until the war ended as Sozin's comet rode impotently through the air.

Only a short time more till judgment day.

AN-How do you think the Water tribe will react to Aiiro? How will Sokka react to the marriage? What were Hotaru and Devdan doing under that apple tree? What fiendish Earthen plot is afoot? Tune in next time for more Downfall!