Chapter 11: Close but no Cigar
Dear Diary,
Sorry about the delay in my entries (nearly two days now) but a lot, and I do mean A LOT has happened during that time.
First off Prince Zuko finally discovered my "secret" earth bending. Apparently he's been keeping tabs on me for quite a while since I first snubbed him at the South Pole. Turns out I'm not as cautious as I thought, though to be fair he is definitely smarter than I first thought him.
Pity he couldn't be as smart nor as calculating when it comes to tracking down Aang.
Speaking of the Avatar, we finally caught up to him, though he slipped from our grasp yet again. Though it technically wasn't Zuko's fault this time.
You see after Zuko and I rescued Lord Iroh from being crushed by Earth Bending soldiers (which is another exciting tale I'll tell you all about later), we came across strange animal tracks on the ground. They were huge, bigger than any animal I've ever seen, and after examining them, Zuko and Iroh both confirmed that they were indeed tracks made by Aang's giant flying bison.
We managed to track them down back to a small earth kingdom village, very close in fact to where I found the spirit statue the day before.
Turns out that spirit, Hei-bai the villagers call him, really was the guardian of that forest and had been upset by the way the Fire Nation had burned down part of its home. Angry and sad he had taken out his fury on any human's in the village and trapped them in the spirit world, including one of the Avatar's friends, the water tribe boy.
I've heard many stories and legends of how hostile and strange the spirit world is for humans. So it's a good thing Aang managed to bring his friend and the other villagers back.
Only for him and both his friends to take to the air just a few hours before we arrived…and apparently head straight for a certain temple a crescent shaped island.
Yeah …Prince Zuko was definitely not happy about that.
"Crescent Island?" Zuko growled as he and Iroh bumped along on the Komodo rhino down the path towards a beach where a large metal ship was docked.
"Why on earth would the Avatar go there?"
"I have no idea" Iroh admitted grimly before turning to look to his right, where a green eyed, brown haired girl was dashing along beside them on an ostrich-horse "Jade what do you think?"
"Dunno" Jade shrugged a little distractedly "all I remember of Crescent island is that the fire sages live there and tend to the shrine of…of…"
She trailed off.
Zuko frowned as he glanced to the side. Her eyes had gone all misty and wide.
"What is it?"
Jade quickly turned to look at the two of them her eyes wide as she turned her attentions to Iroh.
"The name of the avatar before Aang, what was his name?"
"Avatar … of course but…" There was a moment's pause and then suddenly Iroh's face split into a wide smile of comprehension.
"Uncle?" Zuko frowned.
"Ah…of course…" the older lord's eyes twinkled. "The winter solstice"
"huh? Solstice?" his nephew shared a confused glance with Jade who shrugged.
Iroh's eyes twinkled.
"The winter solstice is a very important time of year for both the spirit world and our world. It is a time when the line between both the worlds becomes blurred thereby making it possible for humans and spirits to more effectively interact with one another."
"But what does that have to do with the Avatar" Zuko scowled only for Jade to roll her eyes, but before she could snap, Iroh steamrolled over her grimly.
"It has everything to do with him! One of the Avatar's duties is to act as the bridge between the spirit world and our world. And which spirit is better for him to talk and help him discover his path than his previous incarnation?"
"Avatar Roku" Jade nodded only to blanch as the great metal ship drew closer, several guards standing before it awaiting them.
"Oh Crap… I'm screwed"
"What?" Zuko frowned at her
At their forefront was her father Ruishi and his face was sterner than anyone had ever seen it.
As the rhino and the ostrich-horse came to a stop Jade gave a sheepish smile and a tiny wave.
But Ruishi was not amused. Ignoring Iroh and Zuko he strode up to his daughter mount as she dismounted.
"H-hi father…s-sorry I'm late" she tried to smile up at him, only to gulp as his brown eyes glowered down at her, assessing her condition. Finally after a long pause he muttered softly.
"if you aren't hurt, go to your room. I will talk to you later. Go NOW!" he added when Jade opened her mouth to talk back.
Normally Zuko would've been very amused as he watched the usually feisty young kitchen maid timidly skulk back onto the ship. However now as he watched her he couldn't help but feel a stab of guilt, even as he caught sight of the almost forlorn look on her face.
Now that he thought about it, it actually was more his fault than hers that she was now in trouble. It had been him that had dragged her along mainly by way of blackmail, so that she could prove her rather obvious loyalty to him and his uncle.
Loyalty that had been scorned by a stranger. But not just any stranger…another earth bender.
How must have that felt, Zuko wondered to himself. How would it have felt to have someone of her own kind call her a traitor, especially she was already living in fear of being discovered and imprisoned by the Fire Nation.
As he made to go slink back up into the ship on his own (leaving his uncle to talk with the guards), the words from the previous evening wafted over his mind.
"Your family should be ashamed…ashamed…traitor"
He stopped for a moment, chancing a glance back to Ruishi, who though respectful to Iroh still looked very much livid.
Was he ashamed? Ashamed that his only daughter was an earth bender? Was that why he kept her hidden down in the kitchens of this ship? Was that why he was so paranoid about her spending any time on land?
Zuko remembered clearly how on edge the older man always got whenever Jade left to go ashore, especially whenever it was a port ruled by the Fire Nation. Like when on Earth Kingdom Harbour…with his brother Zhao…
Zhao…
Zuko's eyes narrowed to himself. He wondered if Zhao had known about Jade's bending. If so, that would explain why he had been so keen as to pounce onto her back and pin the blame on her and-
Argh! Why does this bother me?
Zuko shook his head as he made his way up the command tower.
All this worrying was beginning to make his head spin. And besides he had more important things to worry about.
Like the Avatar that was about to fly straight into the Fire Nation on a flying bison.
So yeah diary that was pretty much the start of the biggest, perhaps most disastrous adventure on this ship
And it just keeps getting better…
"Jade! Jade!"
Jade barely blinked even as her bedroom door creaked open and her brother Shen poked his head through the door.
"Jade…" he muttered.
"Oh have you come to scold me too?" she glowered, still not moving from where she lay on her back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Shen's face softened considerably.
"No. I think you've probably had enough of that to last you for the next year."
"more like the next ten years" Jade grumbled before growling in a deep imitated masculine tone "Jade what were you thinking! Jade how could you go off like that! Jade how could you leave without telling someone! Jade how can you live without me dictating every single decision in your LIFE!"
Shen winced as the last word came out as a great big yell and Jade promptly flung her face into her pillow.
As the older brother stepped in and made to shut the door behind himself, she raised her head.
Her eyes were full of tears.
"I'm tired of living like this Shen. I'm tired of being cooped up in the bottom of the ship whilst the rest of the world sails by me. I'm tired of having to lie about who I really am and fearing it!"
"I know Jade" Shen patted her shoulder clumsily as he came to sit beside her. "I keep trying to tell father that you're ready to face your own challenges and-"
"He does not listen? Typical" Jade rolled her eyes, which were quick to tear up again "how can he keep doing this?! I'm almost sixteen years old. I'm not a little girl anymore! I'm not weak like he thinks I am"
"Jade it's not like that" Shen sighed heavily "Father doesn't think you're weak. He loves you and he just wants you to be safe…that's all."
"He may want me to be safe Shen" Jade snorted with a small glower at her brother "but we all know that as long as I am what I am, that's never going to happen"
Shen opened his mouth but then shut it hastily.
There was a silence as they both stayed still, listening to the sounds of the ship as it continued to function around them.
That was the one downside of living on a ship. There was never any true silence. There was always the hum of the engine or the flow of something through the pipes even throughout the night.
It was a good thing neither of the Shi family's quarters were near the engineering rooms, because apparently those were the noisiest of the lot.
It was strange, Jade couldn't help but think to herself as she stared up at the ceiling.
These past two years in the hustle and bustle and only now someone had noticed her bending.
Someone had noticed and was going to keep the secret.
Or will he?
But even as Jade bit her lip, she could remember the anger in the prince's eyes as he had looked down on that Earth Kingdom soldier:
"He should never have called you that…no one should…"
Prince Zuko…what exactly is it with you? Why are you kind one minute and then a jerk the next?
Hours passed and Jade eventually found herself back in the kitchens.
Though she had been told not to work by the doctor Chan's orders, she still could not resist the urge to use her hands.
It wasn't that she was bored, but after spending a full day where she could freely use her earth bending her fingers were positively twitching for some action.
Of course she was careful about moving her injured shoulder the scar of which peeked out ever so slightly from her slightly daggy servants robes, but even that wasn't hurting as much as it was anymore, especially after the fight.
It was odd, she thought to herself. The more she used her bending, the less her burn hurt. No not just not hurt, it actually looked better, almost like it had healed ever so slightly.
She'd heard that benders had faster healing bodies than non-benders, but never before did she think the difference would be so vast.
She was very tempted to ask Chan about this phenomenon, only to remember that Chan like the rest of the crew did not know about her (for lack of a better term) "condition".
So then who would possibly know about this…bending thing?
She frowned down into her murky reflection of the large pot broth noodles she was stirring.
She knew all about fire bending by watching her father train her brother all these years. But even with all that knowledge she knew that there were some things that, for all his wisdom and knowledge, even her father could not teach her.
He could not give her the power to shift rocks, could not give her the explanation for her sixth seismic sense, or an explanation as to why she was so sensitive to the minute changes in the earth. Her father could not explain why she had seen the avatar fly on a dragon when no one else (not even the rhino she rode) had seen it, or explain how she had seen the memories in that spirit's statue.
No. There Ruishi could not help her on this one. And nor could her brother, nor even anyone else she knew. Hell, if last night was any indication, she couldn't even go to another Earth Bender for advice, being the traitor she was.
She could not help but press her hand over her chest as it stung horribly.
Traitor…is that what I am? But no…I can't be…I'm fire nation born and bred-
But you are also an earth bender...
A tiny voice in her head sneered, a voice that sounded eerily like Zhao.
An earth bender just like your mother…
Just like her mother…her mother an earth bender who had married a fire nation nobleman. Her mother who had left her home to live secretly with her kingdom's sworn enemy, because she loved her husband and children so much.
Did such love make her a traitor too?
"Mum"
Jade mumbled softly as her hand ghosted up to the green pendant that hung from her neck.
"Mum what do I do?"
CRASH!
Jade yelped as the ship shuddered horribly.
"What was that!" she yelled as Dango came rushing in from the corridor door.
His face was as pale as death.
"Jade! The avatar-they've spotted him!"
There was another great shudder and both the cook and his protégé had to clutch onto the counter tops, only to back away as a couple of the cooking pots spilled over dangerously into the stove tops, igniting on the fire that cooked them.
Jade's knuckles whitened as she saw, right through the kitchen window, something like a fireball blast into the water just there in front of her.
Is Aang Firebending? No wait he can't, if the reports are right he's not even started water bending. But if we're getting attacked by…by…
"Jade where are you going? Jade! JADE!"
Pandemonium.
That was the scene that greeted Jade as she ran up onto the deck.
People were running hither and dither doing their best to hang on or report to their posts as the ship sped along at top speed over the water, and in-between the blasting fire balls.
"Jade!" a voice called and Jade turned to see Shen running towards her his eyes wide with panic "What are you doing here it's not safe-"
"Neither is below deck! Shen what's-whoa!" she cried out trying clutching onto her brother as a great big fireball fell down beside them, making the ship rock ominously.
Her footing completely skewed Jade teetered dangerously to the side right into someone who was trying to brace themselves against an empty war catapult.
"Ow! Watch it!" a familiar voice snapped and Jade scowled.
"Don't snap at me princess! Your antics have already made me spill most of my cooking so you better have a good excuse to explain why we are under atta-ah!?" she yelped as the boat was rocked by another barely missing projectile.
This time however Zuko was much quicker to grab on and hold her steady against him as he gripped the base of the catapult.
She winced as her head banged against his armour but nonetheless she kept a tight hold on his arms, even as he made to grumble.
"we're running a blockade"
Jade blinked, her mind going blank even amidst all the chaos.
"A blockade?"
But even as she looked up to the bow of the ship her face paled.
There before them were more than twelve fire nation war ships, each one twice as big as the frigate they were currently on board. All of them were sailing along a long line and all of them were aiming their catapults at them… as a mass of white fur flew right over them all and beyond.
"Damn it! He's through" Zuko cursed under his breath as Jade made to bleat.
"Uh…Zuko…I think we've got bigger problems to worry about. Two bigger problems" she pointed to the two war ships sailing across their path.
"We're on a collision course!" Lord Iroh cried out as he rushed over to his nephew, whose eyes narrowed in fierce desperate determination.
"We can make it. Full steam ahead"
He's crazy! He's absolutely insane!
In spite of her stomach dropping dread, Jade could not help but stare in horror as the ships grew closer and closer and closer and…
And then without warning-
"Cut the engines! Let them pass!"
That voice…where have I heard it?
Both Jade and Zuko gave a confused glance at one another before looking up at the ships ahead.
There standing at the side of the ship closest to them, to their left, was a familiar figure of a man, with brown hair and scathing brown eyes.
"Zhao…" Zuko growled quietly and Jade could not help but silently agree with the unspoken insults obviously brewing in the prince's head.
He stared venomously down at both of them as they passed, his scathing eyes roving particularly hard over Jade who shuddered a little as she looked down to the ground.
She was so tremulous that even Zuko could feel her trembling. Without even pausing to think he took a small step slightly closer to her and was faintly surprised to find himself quite comfortable with her so close. Perhaps after spending most of the day before riding on that Rhino together he'd just gotten used to her.
Which was just as well because Zhao was still watching them like a hawk even as they sailed smoothly past.
Well he can glare all he wants!
Zuko snarled shifting so that his back faced the sneering commander.
He's not going to triumph over me any time soon.
"We…made it" Jade murmured aloud as the ship made to sail further away from the blockade, which was rapidly growing smaller and smaller with each passing moment.
"No." Zuko's eyes narrowed back at the quickly diminishing ships "he let us go"
"But why?" she whispered, her tone almost so soft that it could've been lost on the wind.
"why indeed" Zuko nodded looking down at Jade. His eyes softened ever so slightly as he took in her condition.
She looked rather shaken up. Her hair that had once been tied back in a neat clip at the back was now almost in a complete disarray. Her already slightly tattered servants robes were stained in large splash marks and her hands looked slightly burnt as if scalded by hot liquid.
But worst of all was her face. It looked pale as death and her eyes were still full of fear…just like when he'd cornered her back at the spirit pool.
Whatever happened to the stubborn hard headed snarky girl that had yelled at him barely a few weeks ago?
Carefully he pulled away from her and muttered:
"You smell like chicken broth"
He was definitely relieved when she looked up at him with a very familiar small scowl.
"Not my fault this ship decided to run a heavily armed naval blockade now is it?"
And with a small puff she tugged herself out of his arms and dusted herself off.
"now if you'll excuse me I have some food I have to go salvage for your dinner princess!"
Now it was her turn to smirk as Zuko growled:
"Stop calling me that!"
But Jade was already dashing down below deck.
But even as he watched the hem of her robes whipped out of sight, the corner's of Zuko's mouth twitched ever so slightly upwards.
Though he'd never admit it out loud he much preferred her like this than when she was scared.
"che! Weird girl" he snorted to himself turning around to face his uncle, only to scowl as he saw the older man was smirking knowingly at him.
"What?"
Iroh just chuckled.
"nothing prince Zuko. Nothing"
But as soon as his nephew turned his back on him, Iroh turned to a very irate Lieutenant Ji and waggled his eyebrows as he held out his hand.
Ji rolled his eyes, but nonetheless he shoved a couple of gold coins into the general's hand.
That settled it! Never again would he make a bet with the dragon of the west.
To say Commander Zhao of the Shi clan was surprised to see Prince Zuko's ship gain so soon after his arrival to inspect the Fire Nation's grand naval Blockade was a massive understatement.
Truth be told he was quite irate at the prospect of meeting the banished prince that had humiliated him in front of his men only a month ago.
But even so, such reunions could have a reward.
Like the boy avatar that had just flown over his ships.
So…the little fool of a prince still thinks he can chase after his prize however he pleases?
Zhao sneered as said prince's smaller ship came closer to his own, which as per his orders had stopped in its tracks as had the ship opposite. He watched closely as the smaller vessel sailed between the gap between the two larger ships smoothly.
Ah now what have we here?
Zhao's eyes narrowed as he caught a glimpse of what was happening on the deck.
Sure enough the prince was standing there glaring up at him, along with his ever faithful uncle. But it was the person in the prince's arms that had Zhao's full attention.
A girl with brown hair and very familiar bright green eyes that twinkled with fear as they glanced in his direction.
"Oh now this is truly precious!" Zhao sneered softly to himself, before turning to his second in command behind him "Captain! make to follow the prince's trail now!"
"Yes sir!" the lieutenant gulped, doing his best not to see the malicious gleam in his Commanding officer's eyes as he dashed off to issue orders to his crew.
However Zhao did not pay him any heed. He was still staring after the quickly shrinking figures on the ship.
So elder brother's little half breed bastard and the brat of a banished prince are going to lead me right to the Avatar…the spirits must be smiling down on me today.
So dear diary, that pretty much sums up most of my day.
We somehow managed to sail straight through a heavily guarded naval blockade manned by my dear crazy, creepy uncle Zhao. And Prince Zuko is currently on a boat heading towards-
Knock-Knock!
"Gha! Oh shit!" Jade groaned as black ink quickly spilled over the open pages of her journal. Cursing and muttering profanely under her breath she quickly made to mop up the mess around her before setting her journal back under her mattress.
"Just a second" she cried out shaking out her black stained hands as the knocking on the door grew more urgent and a voice sneered out.
"I'll have to borrow your sweet sister for a moment. I do hope you don't mind"
"She's not in!" A familiar voice called out half angry half terrified. "She's down in the kitchens-GUA!"
There was a heavy thud and a groan.
"SHEN!"
Forgetting the mess about her Jade rushed to the door and opened it wide to see her brother being restrained back by two heavily armed guards whilst the tall form of Zhao leered down at her maliciously.
"Ah Jade" his mouth quirked upwards into a smirk as he took in her fearful face. "So you are here. Excellent really excellent"
"Uncle…to what do I owe the pleasure?" she gulped doing her best to stay calm though inside she was almost screaming to scramble away from the horrible man even as his eyes glinted with scathing pleasure.
"I have a certain task that I require some assistance with" he all but hissed into her face "your assistance to be precise"
"Is your kitchen in need of a new scullery maid?" she mumbled looking down to the ground as he chuckled darkly.
"No. Whilst I am sure dear niece that your cooking skills are of excellent quality, that is not what I need help with. You see there is someone who I need you to talk to. Someone who has been getting in my way and bugging me for quite some time"
"And who is that?" but even as she said this she felt her gut drop almost to the floor.
Zhao's lips curled.
Oh this was definitely going to be most amusing.
Finally! Finally! I've got him!
Zuko almost grinned even as he made to struggle to hold onto the smaller form of the Avatar in his grip.
It had taken him nearly one whole month of chasing and nearly sleepless nights of analysing his trail, not to mention all the furious work he'd put his crew through. But he'd done it.
Zuko finally had the Avatar. And he was right here on the doorstep of his home.
"nice try" he hissed down to the boy in his grip "But it's not going to work"
Aang was no more than twelve years old at most, small scrawny and goofy looking, a look which was only exaggerated by the large arrow tattoo on his round bald head.
But in spite of his appearance he was surprisingly strong and agile and Zuko had to admit he was hard pressed to keep a steady grip on him.
But he's not strong enough!
The Fire prince smirked as he managed to finally lock the younger boy's arms tightly behind his back just as a man's voice cried out.
"Now Aang!"
In spite of the lock Aang struggled wildly as a girl's voice called:
"Aang Go! Now's your chance!"
"I don't think so" Zuko whispered before dragging the Avatar out from behind the tall pillar before the great set of metal doors.
"The Avatar's coming with me" he announced to the room at large and was pleased to see that his declaration had distracted his prey's comrades.
He recognised them at once as the two water tribe boy and girl that had helped the avatar first escape from him at the South Pole and it gave him great pleasure to watch as they both were suddenly turned on by the older fire sages they had just been holding captive.
No! Katara! Sokka!
Aang's eyes widened as his two friends were both held in hard locks like him, though they were being shoved into a pillar to be chained up while he was being forced down a set of stairs.
"Close the doors. Quickly!" Zuko barked as he pushed him down the stairs.
But as he did so Aang felt for the smallest of moments, the older boy's grip slacken ever so slightly.
Without even pausing to think he ducked and twisted his body round.
Zuko barely had time to blink before he felt himself be pushed away hard.
He did his best to regain his balance but Aang was quick to toss him down the stairs and had darted away towards the large metal doors that were slowly sliding shut.
"No!" Zuko cried out but too late. Even as he ran back to the top of the stairs, the Avatar's yellow clothes had vanished behind the closed door.
"He made it!"
"Woo yeah!" Came the loud cheer as Sokka and Katara both grinned at the spot their friend had vanished which quickly began to glow.
Zuko shut his eyes tight as a blue light flooded the room, from the gaps in the door. They were so bright that he was still seeing splodges of black imprinted onto his retina's even as it faded.
There was a sound of someone cursing and quickly he turned to see the elderly forms of the fire sages roughly shove one of their members down to the ground, his hands bound behind his back.
"Prince Zuko" their leader, a very old man with a thin moustache, bowed low to the prince. "This is Shyu. He assisted the Avatar breaking into the sacred sanctuary"
Zuko looked down at Shyu his eyes narrowing. He was younger than the other sages, way younger (though still very much older than himself). Though he was afraid he still looked very determinandly up into his prince's face even as he scowled
"Why did you help the Avatar?"
"Because it was once the Sage's duty" Shyu growled out bitterly "It is still our duty"
His duty?! His duty to help a traitor?!
Zuko opened his mouth, ready to snarl but-
Clap! Clap! Clap!
"What a moving and heartfelt performance"
You have got to be kidding me?!
It took all Zuko had in him not to roar to the heavens in fury as he wheeled about.
There walking towards him accompanied by a small squad of soldiers, was Zhao and boy did he look victorious.
When he spoke it was with much derisive delight.
"I'm sure the Fire Lord will understand, when you explain why you betrayed him"
"Commander Zhao" the head sage bowed low but Zhao ignored him.
His eyes were still on Zuko who stiffened as he approached.
"And Prince Zuko. It was a noble effort. But your little smoke screen didn't work. Two traitors in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased"
How dare he? HOW DARE HE?!
Zuko screamed in his head though on the outside he chose to snap:
"You're too late Zhao! The Avatar's inside and the doors are sealed!"
"No matter" Zhao smirked sidelong at the closed door "Sooner or later he has to come out"
"And by the time he does I'll have taken you all down and I will capture him!" Zuko snarled advancing upon the commander, his hands two balls of flames.
But if he thought Zhao would be swayed by his challenge he was sorely mistaken.
Indeed the older man's smirk only grew and his eyes grew if possible even colder than before.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that. You see…I have something that you might find a little more…enticing. Something, that I will take away from you permanently if you dare make another move."
He gave a rather casual motion with his hands and at once one of the guards behind him stepped out, dragging something in their arms.
No, not something…someone…someone with long brown hair and wearing stained red robes.
"Zuko"
Zuko stopped dead in his tracks, his heart almost stilling in his chest, his eyes widening in shock as Jade raised her head, her green eyes wide with fear.
Fear which was only heightened as Zhao made to grab at the roots of her hair and tug her head up to look at him.
"Oh on first name basis already my dear niece? How revoltingly sweet" he sneered before turning back to raise his eyebrows at Zuko.
"From where I stand, you have two choices your highness. One, you can fight me and get your precious Avatar while I send your pretty little friend to my ship's brig. Or you can stand down let me capture the Avatar and I'll give her back to you safe and sound."
His smirk grew if possible even wider than a hyena's as he leaned in to hiss at the Prince's face.
"So…what's it going to be prince Zuko?"
There was a very sticky silence in which Zuko stared between Zhao the Sanctuary door and then to Jade who gulped nervously.
The atmosphere was so tense that even Sokka and Katara were looking concernedly at Zuko who had taken a deep breath, his face a mask of fury and aggravation.
He's going to fight
Jade shut her eyes and turned her face away.
He's going to fight and I'm going to go straight to hell. Goodbye dad! Goodbye ship! Goodbye-
There were a couple of loud gasps and in spite of her dismay Jade looked up.
Zuko was still standing before Zhao, but his hands were no longer on fire and his face was turned down to the ground in dismay as he muttered:
"Fine. I stand down. Now let her go!" he growled up at Zhao whose eyes were wide in surprise, though he was quick to hide it with his victorious grin.
"Oh I'll let her go alright. When I have captured the Avatar. Bind them both with the two water Tribe brats. I dare say they'll have a good front row seat for my victory"
He signalled to his soldiers who all bowed diligently before rushing off to their respective duties.
Zuko barely restrained the snarl as two of them made to grab his arms and drag him back to the pillar where Sokka and Katara were chained against.
The two siblings stared in astonishment as they watched both the prince and Jade get forced back into the chains that held them down tight against the pillar beside.
As Zuko was shoved into the spot beside him, Sokka whispered softly:
"So you and his niece-" but he stopped quickly as Zuko glowered scathingly at him.
But even as the other boy turned away hurriedly, Zuko couldn't help but glance at Jade on his other side.
Her face had gone so pale that she looked like she'd faint any second.
Quietly as he could, as the guards turned their backs on them, he slid his hand over the surface of the pillar and gripped at hers tight.
"When the Avatar gets out they'll be too distracted to notice us get out" he murmured when she looked up at him in surprise. "and when we do we'll make a dash for it alright?"
"Alright?" she mumbled with a small nod, though she did not sound as hopeful as he did as she looked upon the still shut Sanctuary doors.
Zuko looked at them too, though his mind was less focused on them and more on her hand which he gripped tighter as he muttered.
"We'll get out of here…I promise"
She did not answer, but he could feel her hand grip his in return ever so slightly tighter as they both made to stare at the Sanctuary doors where the avatar, their last hope, was waiting to come out.
That is…if they were lucky…
MUAHAHAHAHA!oh how i love cliffhangers.
Oooh! what's going to happen next i wonder?
*cackles evilly*
i hope you enjoyed. c you all next time and keep R&Ring for more ;)
*keeps on cackling insanely until it fades away into the distance*