A/N: Thank you for the reviews as of 2/5/2013. As I can't properly thank the two guests for their reviews, I do it in the following chapter. I hope you're still enjoying Mura's account.

The Highest Bidder

Chapter Fourteen: Let Me Just Say

When this trial first began, the introduction was written by my DA, and after I started to write my account on the 100-year war, I realize that in that short description of my charges, it appears that the world was given the impression that I'm this horrible scoundrel who decides on a whim where her loyalties lie. I actually read through the introduction, and I have to say this:

I do not know why, of all the people that I allied, that the world believes that I was extremely loyal to the princess of the Fire Nation. As I had told Zuko before in this story—and after I saw her incredulous downfall—I repeat: I did not like Princess Azula, but this does not mean that I hated her. At the time of my journey with Prince Zuko, yes, I thought Princess Azula was nothing but a twisted girl who had an improperly placed sense of self-righteousness. Even after I met her—and joined her—I thought she was very rough around the edges; however, the girl was inspiring and frightening at the same time. She took command of the situation, and to those she felt that they would betray her, she snuffed out their doubt of her without a second's thought. I believe that if she showed more compassion and understanding rather than aggression and determination (or perhaps acted rational) Princess Azula would have made a remarkable leader. She would have surpassed that of Fire Lord Ozai—and since he is imprisoned for his late actions, I can safely admit that the man is quite insane to think that the world would have followed him willingly.

In my defense attorney's introduction of the case, it is said that I'm facing charges of treason against the Fire Nation: in this case, yes, but my loyalties did not lie with the entire country. The Fire Nation was a place for noblemen; and in no way do I mean that the nation was a terrible place, but it was not my place. While Fire Lord Ozai was on the throne, my safety was in peril. Even if the Avatar was captured, or if he was killed—or if he simply accepted his son's intervention in the war room—I would not have returned on my own accord. I had resisted arrest, and although I believed—and still believe—that my actions were performed with good reason, Fire Lord Ozai was not forgiving. I loved the Fire Nation as my home when I was a child, but it was not a place for someone like me to grow up in, knowing that the Fire Nation caused hurt and pain in the rest of the world.

I loved Prince Zuko, and I admit that openly before the entire jury because it's the truth. I would help him do whatever it took to capture the Avatar, and I'd have done it without question because he deeply desired to go home with honor and his father's love. But I was not going to participate in his mission if it meant that the Avatar was going to be killed. And, by the way, Avatar or not, the boy was 12!

The places that I destroyed while under Prince Zuko's command were with purpose and deliberation—and partially out of temper—and I did it because it would help him find Avatar Aang.

As for Commander Zhao, he was a Firebender who respected his own ego, and he didn't care about crew of his ship; and in the end, his own pride swallowed him, and this will be explained a lot later down the road. I will cross that bridge when I get there.

Now I tell the jury, and the district attorneys, Fire Lord Zuko, Avatar Aang, and Team Avatar—Mai, Ty Lee, Sokka, Katara, Toph, Haru—all these people—not because I want to clear my conscience (and I do) but because I was there for the most part, and I know the truth. My life is on the line, and it's important for everyone to know that my betrayal between Zuko and me was not my own fault. I loved him, and I'd have done anything to protect him.

Lastly, in the introduction, my defense attorney claimed that my loyalty belong to the highest bidder. This is not true, and I'm not sure why it was said, but there is no amount of money or material that could sway my loyalties. As you can obviously tell by now, I'm not exactly all about wealth. This 'Highest Bidder' issue is all a lie, and to be quite honest, I'm not too happy about that.

Anyway, I will continue my account in the next chapter…