A/N: Thank you everyone who read and reviewed! I hope everyone had a good turkey day, I did. So, here's the next chapter, so don't forget to review! For those reading my other stories, I am busy this week, but hope to have a chapter of each up sometime this week. Thanks again!

Disclaimer: Don't own Avatar

Chapter 5

Kana was tired of walking, but the wall was getting closer with every step she took. Glancing to her side, she saw Iroh was doing better, getting his strength back. He had refused help for the walk after they had slept for a few hours, and had looked like he needed to rest several times, but he had refused to stop. Kana glanced at the wall again and saw several guards hurrying towards them. The Duke and Hakoda picked up the pace to meet the guards, so Kuzon, Kana and Iroh started jogging as well in the pre-dawn light.

"Who goes there?" one of the guards called, the soldiers stopping in a classic earthbending stance.

"I am The Duke, guardian to Crown Prince Iroh. I also come with Prince Hakoda and Princess Kana of the Southern Water Tribe and Kuzon, son of Avatar Aang and Lady Katara," The Duke called back, stopping twenty yards before the guards.

Kana watched as the guards immediately dropped to their knees and bowed to the teens.

"Forgive me, sir," the head guard said, standing. "We heard of your troubles. Please, come inside, thieves still abound in this area.

The Duke nodded and he and the teens followed the guards to the wall, the earthbenders opening a hole in the wall and then moving the earth around them when they entered a small room. Kana felt the sensation of going up and almost felt sick. Iroh must have noticed it, because he took her hand in his and smiled at her when she turned to him. He dropped her hand when they rose up onto the top of the wall and a general bowed to them.

"Sir," the general said. "We received word that you were captured by the thieves. Your men arrived after sunset and we immediately sent a hawk to the children's parents, telling them what had happened."

"Get me paper and ink," The Duke told the general. "And then ready a battalion of your finest men and alert my people. Any who are able are to join me here immediately should do so."

Kana watched as the general looked up at The Duke curiously and noticed Iroh stiffening next to her.

"Princess Aya is still their captive," The Duke said in reply to the general's expression. "She made sure we would escape without detection and fought the thieves off so that we could make our escape."

"Of course, sir," the general said, motioning for several people and relaying the orders.

"Also, send for Haru, Ty Lee or Teo to come to me at once. They are friends and I will only entrust the care of my charges to them before I lead the rescue of my princess."

"Yes, sir," the general said with a bow before hurrying off to make the arrangements.

The Duke turned back to them and Kana watched Iroh frowning at The Duke as the sun started to rise.

"I'm going with you," Iroh stated.

"No, you're not," The Duke said sternly.

"She's my sister!" Iroh yelled.

"And she is my princess, my responsibility," The Duke said gently. "Iroh, you know you're the crown prince. It's your responsibility to stay safe." Iroh started to object as Hakoda, Kuzon and Kana just watched, but The Duke beat the prince to it. "Aya stayed behind to make sure you got to safety. How would she feel if I let you endanger yourself when she worked so hard to get you out?"

Kana could only watch helplessly as Iroh's face clouded in anger before he stalked away from The Duke and his friends and started sending fire blasts over the wall. The Duke turned to the three of them.

"And none of you are coming as well."

Hakoda looked like he would object, but glanced at Iroh and simply nodded. Kuzon and Kana nodded and Kana glanced at Iroh again, watching him take out his anger by doing some routines.

"He needs you," The Duke said to her, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Go on."

Kana nodded and walked towards Iroh as she saw the general return with paper and a few men. Iroh sent a last blast out over the wall and then punched the wall.

"Careful, I can't heal everything," Kana said with a smile, hurrying to Iroh while pulling some water out of the air. Iroh just sighed while she took his hand and healed the scrapes he had just made.

"Why'd she have to stay?" Iroh asked, anger in his tone and on his face.

"Because she knew they would follow," Kana said softly. "She was the only one who could make sure they couldn't."

"But she could have come with us!" Iroh said, pulling his hand away from Kana and starting to pace. Kana felt so sad for Iroh when he turned back towards her, looking lost.

"I can't do this, not without her," Iroh said in a low tone. Kana smiled and moved to pull Iroh into a hug. He stiffened before he hugged her back, and Kana could only feel wonder at how well they fit, even though Iroh was taller than her.

"You'll be fine," Kana said as she held onto him. "Aya's strong, she's always been the strong one. But you're strong too. We all knew she wouldn't be there for us forever."

Iroh surprised her by chuckling slightly. "Yeah, I just didn't count on it being like this," Iroh said. He pulled back and Kana searched his face. His golden eyes had worry in them, but his strength was returning. As well as his stubbornness. "I thought she'd find a nice guy and marry him when she was older," Iroh continued, starting to smile. "But she'd still be there if I needed help. Now she's the one who needs help.

"Aya? Needing help?" Kana asked with a wry smile. "That's not the Aya I know. I bet you she's causing all sorts of trouble right now. And Aya just settling down? Come on, Iroh. Look at who we are, who our parents are. You know none of us would settle for a normal life."

"Would you?" Iroh asked her gently and Kana started becoming lost in his gold eyes as they showed more tenderness than she had ever seen.

"Maybe," she whispered. "If you were there."

She started to lean into him until her brother shouted their way.

"Hey! No funny stuff while I'm around!" Hakoda said and both Kana and Iroh sighed, smiling at each other. "Now, get over here!"

Kana rose onto her toes and placed a quick kiss on Iroh's cheek before they hurried over to The Duke, Hakoda and Kuzon who had been joined by a dozen men.

"All right," The Duke said once the four teens were around him again. "I've sent a message to your parents, letting them know what's happened. Knowing your parents, some of them will probably be here as soon as they can. You kids are to stay with Haru, Ty Lee, and Teo and not leave Ba Sing Sae unless your parents take you out. The king has given you chambers, but I recommend staying with our friends. I'm heading out with these men to try and get Aya back as soon as you're safe. But if this boy really is Jet's son, then he'll have moved on by now. My main worry is Long Feng and his Dai Li. There's no telling what the man is up to."

"So, we're just going to sit here and do nothing?" Iroh asked with a frown.

"No, you're going to do what you came here for," The Duke said with a smile. "Just don't get separated and watch each other's backs."

The teens nodded and The Duke turned back to the men to discuss tactics while the four drew away to talk amongst themselves.

"We've got to do something," Iroh stated.

"Yeah, but what?" Kuzon asked. "We can't leave and we'll be watched all the time, knowing The Duke."

"Well, we can do things the political way," Kana said with a smile and Iroh turned to her in surprise before smiling as well.

"Ok, what are you two up to?" Hakoda asked.

"We'll find out what's going on, politically," Kana told her brother. "I think more is going on than meets the eye. Aya would be able to ferret it out in a heartbeat. But we'll have to do."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Iroh said. "Anything to do besides nothing will stop me from charging out there after The Duke."

"I know The Duke will do everything to get Aya back. But, I feel sorry for anyone who makes Aya angry. She's the one who is dangerous to mess with," Hakoda said with an evil grin.

XXXXX

Aya woke to the sound of someone entering the room. She tensed and felt the ring on her finger, holding onto the one piece of her element that she could.

"Morning. Breakfast, or should I say lunch, is served," Jet said with a smile.

Aya frowned, still wanting to stay in bed, but sat up anyways. She heard Jet walk towards her and then a plate was in her lap before she felt the bed dip as he sat next to her. Her stomach growled when she smelled roasted mule deer. A set of chopsticks was placed in her hand and she frowned at Jet.

"Don't worry," he said with a hint of a laugh in his tone. "The meat's tender enough to fall apart with just a touch. And you're not getting anywhere near a knife."

"Nice to see you still don't trust me," Aya replied with a smirk before digging into the meat. It fell apart, just as Jet said and was the best meat she had ever had. She knew Jet was watching her when she finished, eating more daintily as her she filled up. "Is there anything to drink?" Aya asked when she finished.

She felt Jet get up and then a cup was in her hand. Aya hesitated, thinking about the drink that took away her bending and she heard Jet sigh.

"It's just water," he said with a frown before sitting down next to her. "I don't know why I'm doing this, but if you swear you won't leave this room unless I accompany you, and that you won't try and get to the ground or hurt anyone here, I won't make you drink that stuff."

"I won't hurt anyone, but I'll defend myself if I'm attacked," Aya retorted with a frown. "But I swear I won't try and escape. And I'll only leave here with you. Happy?"

"Actually, yeah," Jet said. Aya was surprised by the relief in his tone.

"Thought you didn't trust me?" Aya asked.

"I don't," Jet replied with a shrug and Aya just smiled and drank the water.

She heard him get up and move some things around and it sounded like he took out a dagger and unsheathed it before sheathing it again. It sounded familiar and Aya turned to it. "What is that?"

"The dagger that you had on you," Jet replied. "Never give up without a fight. Where did you get it?"

"My father gave it to me, for my birthday," Aya said, frowning. She knew he wouldn't give it back to her, and the thought of losing the knife was saddening.

"It's Earth Kingdom made," Jet said. "Why did he have it?"

"His uncle gave it to him, when he was little. The inscription has kind of become a family motto."

"Ok," Jet drawled and it sounded as if he was walking closer to her slowly. "But again, why did he have it? How did a Fire Nation…person, get a hold of this knife?"

"A general gave it to Grandpa Iroh when he broke through the outer wall of Ba Sing Sae," Aya replied. "Grandpa sent it to my dad when my dad was little and he had it with him throughout his life. He gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday a few weeks ago. I thought he'd give it to Iroh."

"Wait, the Fire Lord's uncle, and then you said it was your grandfather? And I thought Iroh was your brother," Jet said and Aya smiled at the confusion.

"General Iroh, the Dragon of the West, was the older brother to Ozai," Aya said. "His son died in the siege of Ba Sing Sae and Ozai used that to get the crown. I'm not sure how exactly, and my dad and grandmother won't tell me anything about it. Iroh went with my dad, Zuko, when my dad was banished and they traveled together until the end of the war. Iroh became Fire Lord and Zuko always saw him as his true father, because Iroh loved Zuko like a son. My brother was named after him, and we always called him grandpa because that's what he was. He was killed in one of the first attacks on the Fire Nation by Azula and my dad became Fire Lord. Does that explain it?"

"I guess," Jet sighed. "I've got stuff to take care of. Yin and Yang are here, and you're not to leave this room."

"Fine," Aya sighed. "But what if I get bored?"

"Amuse yourself," Jet said with a shrug.

Aya sighed, and heard Jet leave quickly. She heard him descend down a ladder and sighed again. Feeling around, she found her hair was a little disheveled and she ran her fingers through it, straightening it. Aya was just thankful her hair was more manageable than her mother's. After straightening her hair and clothes, she got up and slowly felt around the room. She wasn't surprised to find it modest and mostly unfurnished, but Aya was surprised to find several books as well as a Pai Sho board. Wondering what type of books Jet read, but unable to read them, Aya concentrated on the Pai Sho board and found a couple tiles. She smiled when she found a white lotus tile before she moved on. A desk with a few scrolls was there as well as a chair and chest with several sets of clothes. And then there was the bed and a window. Aya sighed again, getting bored and sat on the bed, twirling her ring around.

"Hey, maybe you shouldn't go it there," she heard Yang say before the curtain moved and someone entered the room. Aya knew it wasn't Jet by the sound of the footsteps, but didn't know who was there, so she just frowned up at the person when she heard them stop inside the doorway.

"What do you think you're doing?" Aya heard the girl, Jade, ask snidely.

"I'm being a captive, what's it look like?" Aya remarked with a frown.

"I don't want you to get anywhere near Jet. He's mine," Jade said, stalking up to Aya.

"I don't want him, I just want to get home," Aya stated, standing to face Jade and scrunching her nose as the girl's perfume hit her, overpowering her sense of smell.

"He's working on that," Jade replied. "But I saw the way you looked at him. This is your last warning, girl. Stay away from Jet."

"If you hadn't noticed, I'm blind. I can't 'look' at anyone," Aya remarked with a smirk.

She turned away and heard Jade growl before she heard the girl hurrying towards her. Hearing the motion of the girl reaching for her shoulder and then touching it to turn Aya to face her, Aya knew Jade was coming and grabbed the hand, flipping Jade over her shoulder.

"And in case you didn't know, I know more than earthbending," Aya said with another smirk after she heard Jade's back hit the floor, hard. She heard two sets of feet hurrying into the room and stopping once inside the doorway as Jade got up and screamed before charging Aya again. Aya didn't need her earthbending sight to know when Jade closed in and grabbed Jade's arm and flipped the girl again. This time, she kept a hold of Jade's arm and twisted it so that the girl couldn't get up.

"I promised Jet I wouldn't hurt anyone," Aya said down to Jade. "But I will defend myself. I don't want any trouble, but I won't hesitate from teaching you a lesson. Got it?"

She heard Jade nod and released the hold on the girls' arm, glaring at Jade when she got up. She heard Jade stalk towards the door and the twins moved aside before Jade turned back towards her. "Fine," the girl growled. "But don't try anything, because I will be watching you. I don't like you."

"The feeling is mutual," Aya replied. "I loathe you as well."

Aya just smiled when she heard Jade grit her teeth and exit in a flash, the curtain flapping behind her. Aya waited another minute before sighing and sitting on the bed. Jade was a nuisance and Aya knew she was right about the girl, more now than before. Jade was just a power hungry little tart, who didn't want anyone messing with her way of life.

"Hey, you ok?" Yin asked, approaching Aya slowly.

"Yeah, thanks," Aya said with a smile towards the big guy. "I just wish I could see better."

"How?" Yang asked.

"If I'm on the ground, or stone, I can feel vibrations," Aya replied. "But I can't get there. The wood's just too flexible for me to get accurate vibrations. I can feel a little, but I have to rely more on my hearing and other senses right now. And I am so bored!"

"Well, why don't we play a game?" Yin said and Aya brightened.

"Yeah," Yang said. "Jet said you couldn't leave, but he didn't say anything about us not talking with you or entertaining you."

"Thanks, Yang, that's so sweet," Aya said, smiling at the big guy. She heard both twins stop and turn, probably looking at each other.

"How did you know who it was?" Yin asked.

"Because your voices are slightly different," Aya replied, her smile becoming broader.

"Wow, no one has been able to do that before," Yang said with a smile before he turned to the desk and picked up the Pai Sho board and tiles. He then turned to the door. "There's not much room in here for all three of us and the game, and it's such a beautiful day."

"I'm sure Jet wouldn't mind if we just stepped outside. He told us to not let you out of the tree house, and the platform is part of that," Yin said.

Aya smiled, and followed the twins out. She felt a slight breeze and occasional sunlight on her while the two guys set up the board.

"Can you still play?" Yang asked.

Aya smiled and tapped the white lotus tile, causing it to spin onto its side before falling into the middle of the board.

"Your move," she said and figured the guys were smiling before Yin placed a tile down.

The guys played with her and they talked, but she easily beat them at Pai Sho. Whether it was against one of them, or if they both teamed up against her, she won. They were about to start a fourth game with Aya playing against both of them when she heard someone walking in a hurried way towards them from the ramp that led to the tree house.

"Uh oh," Yin said and both guys scooted back as Aya recognized Jet's footsteps as he stalked up to her and towered over her.

"I said not to hurt anyone," Jet growled.

"I didn't," Aya replied, frowning as she stood up to frown into his face. "That…girl, she attacked me. I merely defended myself and flipped her. Twice. I'm sorry I didn't straighten the room up, but I don't know where anything goes, and I can't feel it that well."

"She's telling the truth, Jet," Yang said.

"Yeah, we both saw it. Jade stormed in, making accusations and then went after Aya. We were about to stop her, but Aya took care of herself," Ying said.

"Thank you, you're dismissed for the moment," Jet said to them and Aya heard them hurry away as she continued to frown into Jet's face. Jet suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his room.

"That was foolish of you to incite Jade," Jet growled as he dropped her wrist and Aya heard him pace in the room.

"I didn't incite her, she attacked me!" Aya said, getting angry at Jet. She tried to calm herself, knowing that getting into another shouting match with Jet wouldn't make him trust her. "Look," Aya said as Jet continued to pace. "I didn't want to hurt her, and I know I didn't. I'm not here to make trouble. You brought me here, but all I want is to go home. But since I'm here, I might as well offer my services."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jet growled.

"I can teach you how to earthbend better than Long Feng could ever dream of," Aya said.

She heard Jet stop and turn towards her. "And you would have to be on the ground, where you could escape! No. Sorry, Princess, I won't do it."

"I know what a creep Long Feng is!" Aya yelled at him, frustrated that he wouldn't see the truth. "I'm just trying to help you so that if the slime-ball ever turns on you, you can defend yourself! And I'm also giving you the chance to learn how to feel lies!"

Jet stalked up to her and she could feel his breath on her as he was probably glaring down at her. She also smelled the scent he gave off, leather, earth and a woody smell and found that she liked the scent. Mentally shaking herself to focus on the discussion at hand, she frowned up into his face.

"I can defeat Long Feng if he tries anything," Jet growled. "I have more than earthbending at my disposal. I have swords, and daggers, and…"

"And that's what your father thought!" Aya said to him. "And it got him grievously injured! Almost killed!"

"You don't know anything about my father! Or me!" Jet yelled back at her. "So stop butting into my life and leave me alone!"

"I would if I could, but you won't let me go!" Aya said back to him.

Jet just growled and stalked out. Aya heard him call the twins back and gave them orders to not let Jade enter his room and left. Aya was so frustrated with Jet, she started pacing in the room, trying to find a way to make Jet open up to her. She knew she needed his help to stop Long Feng, to stop another war from happening. Her parents had stopped the hundred year war and Azula's war, and the gods had told her she was the one needed to stop another war from starting. But she needed to convince Jet that she wasn't the threat, Long Feng was. She knew the twins came in occasionally to check on her and they introduced her to a fifteen year old archer named Sang and a seventeen year old earthbender named Hakul who were to guard her next. But Aya just kept pacing and trying to think of a way to get Jet to trust her.