This part of the story continues 3 months after the prologue. Again I do not own Avatar, etc... etc...
Book 4 – Air
Chapter 1 – The Messenger
"There has been word of and rebellion forming in the east..." Aang slumped and hit his head on the table in front of him trying to drown out the General's voice. All these meetings seemed to be were about new rebellions, he knew that peace wouldn't happen over-night, but the amount of small rebellions that kept sprouting up were becoming more of a nuisance. The rest of the council seemed to be listening attentively to the General, even Sokka was paying attention! Aang started to daydream, his thoughts taking him somewhere with Katara, away from Ba Sing Se, away from politics. "...wouldn't you agree young Avatar?" Aang was snapped back to reality with the General's words.
"Umm... I didn't catch that last part General Fong, can you repeat it?"
"I said that our best course of action now is to bring the Fire Nation colonies under Earth Kingdom rule"
However before Aang could speak the Earth King spoke up and said, "As I have said before Fong, this is a matter I will discuss with Fire lord Zuko, no actions are to be taken against the colonies until then."
"Yes your majesty" Fong replied with obvious ignorance in his voice.
Suki, Katara and Toph were back at the Jasmine Dragon packing up their things waiting for both Aang and Sokka to return from the meeting, finally after 3 weeks of meetings they could leave the city and go on a much deserved vacation.
"So will Zuko and Mai be there?" Suki asked while folding up Sokka's new sleeping bag
"No, he's been busy with trying to bring the Fire Nation back into good standing, but he said he would try and be there" Katara added while packing the few things Aang owned.
"So where are we going again?" Toph questioned
"To his estate on Ember Island?" Iroh asked startling the three girls
"Yes that's right General Iroh" Katara said trying not to look startled
"Please call me Uncle, I find General to be too formal" Iroh stated with a friendly grin.
"You got it Iroh" Toph said as she punched his arm. "Oh and your lover boys are back" she added with a sly grin.
"I can't believe you zoned out in the meeting" Sokka exclaimed.
"And I can't believe you were hanging on his every word, I mean let's face it Sokka he's not the most interesting fella." Aang piped back
Both started to laugh with each other, when they were both tackled.
"Su...*mphhh*." Sokka was barely able to say her name before she kissed him as they fell to the ground. "Well not the greeting I was expecting, but I won't object" he said to her kissing her back. About to get up he realized that Katara and Aang were also kissing but they never fell down. "Must you do that in front of me?" He questioned them both.
"Well if you like we can go to our room." Aang said with a devilish smile making Katara giggle.
"Oh, don't you even think about doing that!" Sokka started to chase Aang around the room. This had become more of a fun pass time between them both, and after a minute they stopped. Sokka sniffed the air and exclaimed "MEAT!" He quickly sat down at a table as Iroh had brought them all lunch.
After lunch, they all said their goodbye's to Iroh and hopped on Appa.
"Next stop Ember Island!" Aang said in a tour guide tone.
"Let's just hope the Ember Island Players aren't there this time" Katara added. They all laughed.
They were nearing the edge of the eastern Earth Kingdom when Suki saw something flying towards them. "Does anyone know what that is?" She said as she pointed to the left side of Appa.
Everyone, except for Toph, looked to the strange object flying towards them. It was moving towards them and then Sokka said throwing his arm up in the air"
"Hawky"
Zuko's head was pounding, he had been in this meeting for over 5 hours now. Most of the councilmen seemed unchanged that Ozai no longer sat as Fire lord, most only seemed to be concerned with testing their new Fire lord and to see if they could bend him to their will.
"For the last time, we are going to send our troops to help as labourers in the Earth Kingdom, we will keep enough forces here to work on our own repairs" Zuko had cut off another argument between the council of recalling all their troops back.
"Fire lord Zuko" and councilmember started, "I fail to see how keeping our troops there will solve anything, they have families here in the Fire Nation who miss them" He had hoped to tug a string in Zuko's heart.
"They will be able to come home in 2 years Lee, at that time we will send replacement troops to keep working with the Earth Kingdom" Most of the council seemed to be in agreement, others made no remarks. "If that is all for today, this meeting is over." Zuko calmly said. The council all stood and bowed to him, one of the many changes Zuko adopted was there was no wall of fire separating him from the council anymore.
Zuko walked into his chambers only to be met by hands that covered his eyes. "You may want to work on your security, seeing as how an armed individual got past them"
"Or maybe I could just hire them to be my personal protector?" Zuko said while chuckling
He was pushed away by the figure and heard them say, "Protector now am I, gee thanks Zuko."
"Mai, you know I was only kidding." Zuko added as he picked himself up off the floor. "You full well know that I want you to be my queen." Before she could say anything he pulled her to him, held her tight and kissed her. Breaking from their kiss he said "So, what did the Yu-Yan archers say?"
"I've already started my training, and I'm even showing them a thing or too, I just don't like using a bow" Mai said in her monotone voice. "I want to get back to this thing about me being queen"
Zuko chuckled "Well aside from being able to live in the palace, you could have all the servants you'd like to order around." They both laughed. "Well I guess being your personal protector will have some advantages." Mai added while kissing him with a passion that sent them onto the bed.
It was cold, and damp. She was barely able to move because of the chains around her arms and legs. Azula started to remember the day where she almost had it all. "Oh Zuzu, you were clever, for once, you let me fight you and wave off being Fire lord, that won't happen again, I'll see you kneeling down before me, begging for death." She started to laugh hysterically, when all of a sudden her cell opened and a guard said,
"Lunch time."
"That's lunch time, princess, you worthless pigdog" Azula snapped back. The guard merely threw her food into the cell, her restraints allowed for small movements but not enough to fire bend.
As she started to eat the food she heard something from behind her. "My poor girl, look at what they've done to you."
"Father?" Azula said whipping around with tears in her eyes. But no one was there.
"Look at what you've become, and to think you're my daughter, I should disown you" the voice said.
"No father, you'll see I'll get out of here and I'll come and get you too!"
"No Azula, you can't do anything!"
Azula's screams couldn't be heard by anyone, her cell was soundproof.
"Oh my poor baby, look at your hair." Another voice? But this one was, no it couldn't be...
"Mother?" Azula question out loud.
"Yes dear, I'm here, what's the matter?"
"Don't be coy with me, I know why you're here, you want to gloat, don't you, you want to rub it in my face that Zuko finally beat me, well mark my words, he's going to die, and you'll be there to see it."
It had only been 3 months, but despite seeming crazy to anyone that saw her last, there was something, deep inside that was plotting, making plans, to escape. A small smile crept over her face, she knew something that would bring Zuko to his knees. I piece of information that he would cherish over anything else. There was still time, she had to plot the movements of the guards and find the best time to escape, while she knew the others would still come to visit, her anger was too great. She knew that no one would support her, but then she remembered overhearing someone talking outside her cell when she was served her meals about, a rebellion? She could make them work for her, build an army, then nothing would stand in her way. "But first," she smiled to herself, "I'm coming for you, mother!"
Everyone was surprised to see the messenger hawk, most of all Sokka. They had landed on the ground to give Appa a break from flying.
"Hawky you found me" he said hugging the hawk.
The hawk appeared dirty, and had some feathers bent out of place, but for the most part seemed to be happy to find his master again.
"Hawky?" Suki wondered, "When did you get him? And why?"
"It was around when we were in the Fire Nation our first few weeks, we pulled these pranks to get money, and well he bought a hawk." Aang said with Momo uneasy on his shoulders.
"Does he have a message?" Toph wondered.
"That's right, I almost forgot about that letter we sent to your parents Toph." Katara stated
"Well let's see" Sokka looked in the hawk's message pouch, "Yep there's something here!"
All eyes were on Toph, but they had just missed a small smile from her, "Well is someone going to read it or do I have to roll some heads?" she added punching a fist into her other hand.
"Well it doesn't say much," Katara added, "It just says please come home."
"Figures," Toph tried to say without looking too hurt, "We never really did talk much"
"Well what do you want to do Toph?" Aang asked, "We could make a detour."
"Nah its ok, I'll just go home another time, plus we're supposed to meet with Zuko at his place"
As if by magic as soon as Toph finished he statement another hawk appeared on the horizon and was flying right for them, it perched itself on the side of Appa's saddle. Momo now was really uneasy with two hawks in his midst, chattering at Aang as if to say "Get them out of here!" Aang just patted him on the head and said "Don't worry buddy, I've got your back." Momo satisfied with the answer curled up in his lap as Katara had her head on his shoulder.
"Ok what does that note say?" Katara asked.
"Ok seriously you two, we stop for two minutes and you're all over each other!" Sokka started but was cut off by Suki's voice.
"It's from Zuko, he says he won't be able to make it, but we can still use his place if we want."
Katara whispered into Aang's ear, "Let's take Toph home."
"Are you crazy, she'll kill me" Aang said in a hushed voice, luckily Toph had hopped off Appa so she could stretch her legs and 'see'. "We can go, but you tell her it's your idea."
"Aww thanks sweetie." Katara said giving him a kiss on the cheek then on his lips. "Ok, Sokka, Suki, we're going to pretend to go to Ember Island just play along"
They both nodded and Sokka yelled at Toph. "So are you coming or do you want to just stay here?"
"Don't you even think about leaving without me" Toph said as she catapulted herself onto Appa's saddle, as she landed she had a wide grin on her face. Not usual for Toph to have one, but for some reason they were all thinking the same thing, she was up to something. Toph reached to her sack and seemed to put something in it, which made Sokka curious?
"Find anything interesting out there?" he wondered. "Not really" Toph replied, well there was no use badgering, although it was what Sokka was about to do but he knew better than to try and pry information out of her.
With that Aang cried out "Yip, Yip" and Appa took to the sky. It was a good thing she was blind he thought to himself, as he steered Appa back to the Earth Kingdom. This is going to make for an interesting vacation.