Sam

It had been about a year since the lantern memorial. Things were quiet in the Fire Nation. No more houses were raided. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but I tried to stay positive.

We were working on some paperwork when Zuko looked up at me and sighed.

"I have to do my annual tour of the prisons. I leave tomorrow morning. I'll be taking the airship again so hopefully it is only about a week." he said. I hated it when he left. Not only did I hate being separated from him, but Izumi had a hard time too. She was very close to her father and her behavior wasn't the greatest when he was gone. So I knew I'd have my hands full. We finished our paperwork, had dinner and finally, we were putting Izumi to bed. Before Zuko tucked her in, he sat down on the bed.

"Izumi, your mother and I need to talk to you." Zuko said. Izumi sat up in bed, looking apprehensive.

"Don't worry, Turtleduck, you're not in trouble." Zuko chuckled, "I have to leave tomorrow and I'll be gone about a week."

"Can I come with you, Daddy?"

"No, hunny. Where I'm going is no place for children. You will have to stay here with your mother." Izumi's face reflected how upset she was.

"But I don't want to stay with Mom! I want to come with you!" she said. Zuko's brow furrowed.

"Izumi, now you know I don't like hearing that. Your mother loves you very much and she loves spending time with you." he said. She still held her head down. Zuko tucked his finger under her chin and lifted her face to look at him. "And I expect you to be on your best behavior. I don't want to come home and find out you were naughty while I was gone again. No giving your mother a hard time." Izumi's eyes widened a bit. He left last year, shortly after we had the memorial. Her behavior was so bad I couldn't control her. When Zuko got home and he heard about it he was very upset with her. He had scolded her more harshly that he ever had before and she was very upset. He made her stay in her room for a whole week, only coming our for school and meals. I had thought the punishment too harsh for a five year old, but Zuko was insistent and wouldn't back down. Izumi remembered this, and didn't want to repeat it.

"Yes, Daddy. I'll be good." she said. Zuko smiled.

"Good girl. Now," he picked her up and laid her down on the bed, "it's time to….tuck you in!" he said. He bounced her up and down, pushing the blankets under her body all around, tucking her in tight. She giggled, like she always did.

The next morning, Zuko was seeing Izumi off to school with me since he was leaving. Whenever Zuko would see her off in the morning, it was a big event for her. She insisted she ride on his shoulders. When we got to the palace entrance, he set her down and knelt in front of her, "Remember, Turtleduck. Best behavior when I'm gone." he reminded her. She nodded and threw her arms around his neck.

"I will Daddy, I promise. I love you." she said. Her eyes were teary. She hated it when he left. He pulled back and brushed her tears away.

"I love you too, Turtleduck. Now, remember your mother." he said. She came over and hugged me too.

"I love you, Mom. I'll see you after school."

"I love you too, Zoom. See you in a few hours." Zuko and I watched as they disappeared around the bend. We then turned around and went to the airship he will be taking so I could see him off. I wanted to stay with him for every second possible.

"I guess it's time for me to go. I miss you already, Fire Lily." Zuko said, kissing me.

"I miss you too. Come home to me soon, my love." I said, reciprocating the kiss.

"I will. Bye, Sam." Zuko said as he climbed on the airship. I waved good bye to him and watched until I could no longer see the ship. Then I turned around to start my day.

Zuko had been gone over a week and there still was no word. Izumi was expecting him to be home tonight so she would be upset that he wasn't there. I went to greet her after school and her eyes scanned around and then looked deflated.

"Daddy isn't home yet." she whined. It was a statement, not a question.

"No, looks like he is running late, hunny. Let's go out to the Turtleduck Garden," I said. I could tell she was upset but she followed me anyway. After a couple of hours, we sat down to dinner and she didn't eat, just pushing her food around the plate.

"Izumi, I know you miss your dad, but you have to eat."

"I don't want to." she said.

"Try, Izumi. Eat at least half of it, then you can be done." She pushed her food away from her and refused to eat. My brow furrowed at her. I didn't like where this was going. "Izumi, drop the attitude." I scolded her. She looked at me and scowled. Man she looked like her father at that moment. "Young Lady, I mean it."

"I said I'm not hungry. I don't want to eat it." she said. Alright fine. I can play this game.

"Alright," I said and turned to the servant, "please take her food away. Thank you, Belna."

The servant bowed respectfully and asked "Shall I bring out dessert?" Izumi's face lit up, excited.

"No, thank you." I said. Izumi looked over at me, her brow knit together.

"Mommy! Why no dessert?"

"Because you're not going to have dessert if you aren't going to eat your main course. I don't want you just eating junk." I said. Izumi got very angry and yelled at me.

"NO, MOM! I WANT DESSERT SO I SHOULD GET IT!" My eyes widened. Oh no, she didn't. I stood up and I was very close to losing my shit. I spoke to her in a harsh tone.

"Izumi! To your room, now! This instant!" I knew I shouldn't have responded this way, but I was caught off guard. Izumi never did this. She looked at me defiantly. I calmed myself down to a more reasonable tone, "one word, young lady, and you are in deep trouble. To your room, right now." I said pointing to the hall way. She scowled at me again and got up and went to her room. I didn't want to mention Zuko, "when your father gets home" and all of that. I wanted her to look forward to his arrival home and not dread it nor did I want to instill any kind of fear in her father. I gave her a few minutes and then went into her room to speak to her.

"Izumi." I said. She looked over at me, pouting. Great. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" I asked. I looked down at her, and raised an eyebrow. I could tell she was thinking about lashing out again but decided better of it.

"I'm sorry, Mommy." she said.

"For what?" I pressed.

"For yelling at you. And being bad." she said. I smiled and nodded.

"You're forgiven." I said, leaning down to her and kissing her forehead. "Good night, Zoom." It was still early but she would always go to bed early when she misbehaved like she had.

"Good night, Mommy." she said. I left her room and went to bed myself.

I didn't know how long I had been sleeping but the next thing I know someone is shaking me, violently. I opened my eyes to see my guard there. That was odd. They never came into our room.

"Wha-what? What's going on?" The guard looked at me, concerned.

"Fire Lady. I'm sorry to disturb you but we got a letter from a hawk that we think you should see." they said, handing it to me. I tried to blink the sleep out of my eyes as I looked at it and my eyes widened. Zuko's airship had been intercepted and he'd been taken captive. They said that if we want him back then we need to bring 10,000 gold bars and they gave me a location. My blood boiled.

"Do we know who it is?"

"No, your highness. However, we did receive word yesterday regarding the Fire Lord." This surprised me.

"And why didn't you tell me about it?" I demanded.

"I'm so very sorry, Fire Lady. It must have slipped through the cracks. The Fire Lord had discovered a house in Kushitoa and they had broken it up. Presumably, it is about that." Undoubtedly I thought.

"What is being done to retrieve him?"

"Nothing yet, your majesty. We are here for orders."

"Get together as many of our best benders as you can including Geshna. And get the rhinos ready. It will take longer to get there, but stealth will be on our side."

"We?"

"Yes, I will be coming too. Also, someone needs to fetch Azula right away." I said. They bowed to me and left. I got up and started to get ready. I got some comfortable yet sturdy clothes on. I wanted to be able to move but also be somewhat protected. I also got a water bladder so I would have some water to bend with. As I got ready, I started to think. What is the ransom for? Obviously to get Zuko back, but what do they want the money for? I wasn't sure but I wasn't playing this game. We were going to go get Zuko back and fight our way through if we had to. Then I stopped and thought about it remembering my original stealth plan. That would be the best. Slip in the back door and take it down from the inside. Then we would fight. I hadn't used my bending in combat for a long time, but today, that would change.

After a few minutes, they had gathered the benders and Geshna was there with them. I took Geshna aside to speak to her.

"I know you know what's going on. I need for you to stay with Izumi. I don't want either of you leaving the palace. That includes going to the gardens. I want her safe in this palace at all times. You are not to leave her side for even a second. Not even when she bathes or uses the bathroom. She is guarded at all times. Understood?" I asked. She nodded.

"Yes, if your majesty permits it, I would like to recruit Shen for this task also. I know Jok is going to be going with you."

"That is a good idea, Geshna, Thank you. I am leaving her in your hands. I trust you more than anyone else here." she bowed to me respectfully and hurried off to get Shen. After a few moments, Azula arrived. She looked concerned and slightly groggy. She had moved out of the palace a few months ago and into her own house. I was initially surprised by this but then realized it made sense. The palace was filled with too many bad memories. I know there were many time Zuko wanted to live anywhere but here.

"Why did you have me brought here so early in the morning? What's going on?" Azula saw my face and how upset I was.

"Zuko has been kidnapped. We need to go after him. I am taking a team of our best benders. I wanted to know if you wouldn't mind accompanying me. You're one of the best firebenders around." I said. Azula's eyes widened and she became concerned about Zuko too.

"Yes, I would be honored to join you. What about Izumi?"

"I have Geshna and Shen on her. They will protect her."

"You can trust them?" Even though she had found reform, she still didn't trust people.

"Yes, I trust them with my life and Izumi's. They will protect her at all costs."

Before we left, I went into Izumi's room. I woke her up. She saw Geshna and Shen with me. She looked at me, puzzled.

"Izumi, I have to leave the palace for a few days. I will be back soon. Until I get back, you will not be going to school." I said hugging her. I didn't have time to go into a lot of detail. She looked at me scared.

"What's going on? Is it Daddy? Mommy, I want to go with you, I'm scared!" she said. Of course she was. She wasn't stupid or socially inept. She knew I was upset. So she was upset. I tried to calm myself down.

"It's ok, hunny. Everything is going to be ok. I will explain when I get home. You be a good girl ok? Listen to Geshna and Shen."

"No! Mommy! Please I want to come!"

"No, Zoom. You must stay here. You be good, Ok?"

"Ok, Mommy." she said. She was still scared. I couldn't help that right now. No amount of words would make her feel better. I had to just leave. The sooner I left, the sooner we would be home.

We hurried off to the stables to gather the rhinos. I wasn't super proficient at the rhinos. I never had ridden one by myself - Zuko was always with me. I didn't feel comfortable with it, but I didn't care. Nothing would keep me from getting my husband back. We all mounted our steads and headed out to Kushitoa.