Chem's heart was heavy as he stood in the courtyard overlooking the madness. He'd been so sure that Ursa was there, but all they found was the Phoenix Brigade, her failure of a son, and the waterbender. He should really take it as a good sign; at least Ursa did not have to be subjected to those monsters, and she wouldn't have to see her child without first being prepared. Chem kept hope, though; this was a growing pattern between them. In time, he would find her and make his way back to her. She would welcome him with a calm smile, and he would know that she was alright. He sent a prayer to Agni asking for her to be kept safe.
Bo came up to him, bowed and waited to be acknowledged. Chem watched the Fire Lord and the waterbender standing close together, practically falling against each other in a bid to stay upright. They'd been wounded pretty badly, and he doubted they even understood the extent of their injuries and just how bad they looked. If they didn't get back to camp and have their wounds treated soon, they just might have a dead Fire Lord on their hands.
"Their wounds are not too serious?" Chem asked, his nose wrinkled in disgust. He must have spun some good lies in order to get her to fall for him like that. Another daughter ruined. Chem wondered what her father thought of this behavior.
"We can't tell, sir. They won't let anyone close to them, and no one really wants to try. You saw what they can do even if they are dead on their feet."
Chem nodded. He had seen what the boy could do, and such power should not exist unchecked.
"How did they fight, inside?"
Bo was shaking his head. "I will never intentionally get on their bad sides. They were quick and left many wounded. Many were burned, and I saw the way he called the fire to him from down the hall. It was…" Bo shook his head. "He has control of lightning, and the Breath of Fire. If his uncle is ever ready to retire, he can pass the title Dragon of the West to Lord Zuko."
Chem snorted. There was no way that deceptive old man was ever going to hand over his title, favored protégé or no. It was more likely that they'd form some sort of partnership. They were more than two powerful benders; neither had to rely solely on their bending as Ozai did. Removing the fire from them would not be enough to stop them should the Fire Lord decide to bring the Fire Nation back to military dominance. With the Dragon of the West restored his title and position in the army… Chem shuddered. He would not allow this to be. The only thing that would make it worse would be if he decided to form a three-way alliance, including his sister. There was very little chance of that happening, though; she would likely try to take power for herself. Still, she was very cunning and very persuasive. And no one goes insane that quickly. It is not an overnight process.
At least the night hadn't been a total bust. The Phoenix Brigade had been exterminated, the Lady Mother was, presumably, safe, and he could observe the Fire Lord for himself and determine the best course of action. At first, he'd been unsure that such a tiny woman could control him, but he'd seen it with his own eyes. Chem never doubted her ability to subdue him with her bending, but even as he fought against her, he held back. He touched her with tenderness, and turned to her for strength. She dominated him, and the domineering Fire Lord was fine with that. It was abundantly clear to whom he bowed, and Chem would exploit that for all it was worth.
"Ah," Chem said, smiling sardonically, "young love."
"Do you really think so?"
"I don't care whether it is or isn't," Chem said turning to Bo. "Hers is the right voice to be whispering in his ear for us. He may have the title, but she will rule, and she will listen to reason and pleas for help. He would give us his disfigured ear and claim he cannot hear."
"You don't really believe that, do you?" Bo crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at Chem, smiling slightly. Bo was a good man and truly loyal to the cause. "That she is the one we should talk to? She struggles against him, and what's to stop him from ignoring her?"
"Well, we shall just have to see, won't we?"
It didn't really matter what he believed so long as he could convince others to believe it. These days, belief was all muddled, and truth was mixed with suspicion, and it was easier than ever to manipulate lies into truth and truth into weapons. He would need strong weapons for this fight, and as far as he was concerned, the girl was key.
A plan was already forming in Chem's mind, and he set his sights on the soft hearted, motherly master bender. They were sitting now as the last of the clean up was being carried out. The building still stood, but it was hollowed and smoke gushed from the only two exits. The dense forest canopy kept the smoke hanging low, but it was far enough above them that it didn't cause the lungs too much irritation. It would be best not to linger for too long, though.
"Can you tell me how many we lost today?"
"We only have a rough count," Bo said, "but my best guess is about forty five. They died fighting bravely."
"We will give them a proper burial in the morning, and do our best to notify their families."
"And now, sir?"
"Now, we head back to camp."
Long and Fei were picking their way through the bodies to come over to him.
"There are enough people to carry the bodies back," Long said angrily, his eyes narrowed at Chem. "I don't care if we would have to make three trips back here, I just don't want to leave our people alone. They deserve rest and peace. They deserved better than this."
Chem nodded. That, they could agree on. The men bowed to each other, and Chem walked over to the glorified children. He stood over them, observing. They were practically sleeping, and were still bleeding in a few places. They likely wouldn't allow his healers to look at them, but he would still offer. If they refused and died, it would be their own damn faults. They should know when they are outnumbered and defeated, and they should come along quietly.
"My lord—"
Gold eyes flew open with such malice and distrust that Chem stepped back. He began to wonder whether the young man had been asleep at all, or if he was merely waiting and watching. Chem did not like to think that he was being observed in such a way. It made him uneasy, given the party doing the observing.
"My lord, we are ready to begin moving back to the camp."
The Fire Lord stared at him, still with that expression of distrust and malice, and the longer he looked, the more it made Chem uncomfortable. He cleared his throat, but still that intense gaze was on him, making him feel exposed in ways Ozai had never been able to do.
"What's your game?" Zuko asked.
"I'm not sure I follow—"
"Cut the bullshit. If you had my mother, why didn't you return to the Fire Nation after the war? Why did you keep her away from me?"
"It is a complicated matter my lord, and many decisions were not left up to me."
"Seems to me you're a pretty important guy. Everyone here is under your command. They defer to you. You are their leader." He stopped talking and rubbed the bridge of his nose. The girl was still sleeping with her head against his shoulder, and Chem noticed that his movements were small so as not to jostle her. "What do you really want?"
Chem sneered. He would have pleased with this boy's death. He wanted his nation back. "I want peace."
Zuko let out a short, bitter laugh. "I'm starting to think peace is a lie we tell ourselves so we don't jump out a window."
He moved then, picking up the sleeping girl in his arms, with only a little effort. She stirred in his arms, and Chem watched as the Fire Lord looked at the young woman with blatant affection, clearly too tired to keep up the ruse. And Bo had been worried that he might grow tired of her and brush her to the side.
"Are we leaving or do you intend to stay here all night?"
Chem looked up into distant golden eyes. There was little in him that resembled the child Chem had known running around the palace. This could hardly be the little boy who had briefly transformed Ozai into a human by the mere act of being born, or who'd become excited about the simplest thing. Chem searched, but all traces of the child Ursa loved were obliterated. This was Ozai's boy, and Chem ground his teeth as he bowed at the man who was supposed to be his sovereign.
He fell in with the others as they left the prison and headed back to camp. Someone was singing a song to the spirits, asking them to guide the souls of the dead to the spirit world safely. It reminded him of funerals on Kirachu. They weren't the drab affairs carried out in the capitol that required the families to pretend as if they didn't mourn the loss of a loved one. This dirge was sad and unapologetic about it, and asked the others not to put aside their pain, either. It put Chem in mind of the crystal waters of the lakes of his home, and the sweet scent carried on the wind for the majority of the year. He wondered what Kirachu smelled like now that the flower fields had been burned. He wondered what sustained his people through the dark years in the wake of Ozai's anger. The fields had been burned, but they could also be rebuilt; he wasn't so sure the same could be said for the people's spirits. So much was lost to them, but he took heart in the dirge as more people picked up the song. Something would always remain for them to hold onto, and that's where he would come in. He would give them the foothold to reclaim what was theirs.
Halfway to the camp, the waterbender began stirring, and the Fire Lord stepped to the side to put her down. Chem slowed his pace to observe them. That boy stayed by her side like a lovesick puppy until she was more awake and alert. He checked her shoulder again, and she pulled out some water and began going over their injuries. Chem watched with jealousy as the cuts and bruises were healed. Benders thought they were so great sometimes. Their aches could be soothed away while the rest of the world had to wait and suffer as their wounds festered and turned putrid. When they were ready, he whispered a few words to her, then they joined the column again, their faces grim, not saying a word to each other. The column marched on.
Chem shoved his hands in his sleeves, fingered the lily of the valley hidden in a pocket there. Lily of the Valley was Ursa's favored poison, and had been the poison she'd used to kill Ozai's generals who'd attacked her. Iroh himself had brewed the tea, and everyone watched as she poured the cups. Fire Lord Azulon drank from the cup she handed him, and yet their thirsts had all been miraculously quenched when the five men across the table began to blacken and bloat, spitting up blood and choking on it. That family had stolen her innocence and driven her to terrible things. In some way, Chem wanted to make them all pay, to see them all hurt in the ways she'd been hurt, destroyed in the way everything she loved had been destroyed.
She understood that weeds needed to be pulled from the roots. There were times when they differed on what root was part of a weed, and what root was part of a flower. She refused to understand that her blood alone was not enough to overcome generations of madness that drowned out the Fire Nation. This boy was pure weed, and a purging of the most powerful kind would be needed.
Long ran up beside him, bowed, and was about to speak, but Chem shook his head. There were some things that shouldn't be spoken about in front of prisoners. They might use the word 'guest,' but the Fir Lord proved himself to be astute. He knew his position amongst them.
Looking at the Fire Lord's unscarred side, it struck Chem just how much the boy resembled his father. It was only the scar that redeemed him to others, made his face his own, but Chem knew the truth.
A/N: I admit to having a lot of fun writing Chem, with all his anger and disappointment and longing for things that will never be again. To be honest, I kinda pity the poor fool. And the fanaticism. Again, thanks to all those who've stuck by this story.