A Love Like This 2 Child's play

Chapter 6: Black Arm Bands

Zuko's Pov

"Azros you can say goodbye to any chance you ever have of leaving this palace un guarded again. Do you hear me, from now on when ever you want to play with Nya or one of the other children you will need to be watch by an adult. You give me no choice but to treat you like a little child like Kysa, you know better." I turned away from Katara and Azros, when I heard a knock at the door.

"My Lord, we searched the men who attacked the children, and we found this tied to both men's arm." The guard explained holding up an arm band to me. It was a black arm band with a Red lotus on it. "We thought your uncle would know more about it than most sir."

"Thank you soldier you may return to your patrol. I will take care of this. Good day.

I said with a stern nod then closed the door and returned to Katara who was still yelling at Azros.

I looked closely at the arm band, it looked very familiar. I had seen it before, but it was a long time ago, besides it color I would have mistaken it for a white lotus symbol. I looked up and said "Azros go to bed please, I want to talk with your mother."

Azros jumped up from his chair and darted out of the room. "I was not finished with him yet Zuko." Katara said looking at me

"Yes, you were tara. He was all but shitting his pants looking at you. Any way I am going to ask my uncle about this," I said lifting the arm band for her to see, "would you like to join me?"

She gave a little nod before crossing the room and placing an arm around my waist and grabbing hold of the arm band. She looked at it closely, while we walked through the halls. Uncles room was not to far from mine. His door was shut tight, I almost feared he would already be in bed, but sure enough after I knocked on the door. He yelled out, "come on it nephew." He always knew when it was me.

"Good evening Iroh." Katara said releasing her hold on my waist as she crossed the room to hug my uncle. She sat down at on his left side while I sat on his right. "Uncle a guard brought this to my room earlier, I thought you would be able to identify it." I handed him the arm band

"Zuko where did you get this?" He said his face now scrunched, a small look of shock on his face.

"The guards took it off the men who tried to kid nap the children." I explained a little confused.

"Nephew have you ever heard of the Red Lotus Society?" He asked me

"No, uncle, why what is it?"

He rose from his seat and crossed the room. He opened a set of draws, he shuffled back over to his seat and handed me the paper. It was a picture of him and my father as young men, on each of their arm was a different color arm band. Uncle's white, and father's black. "What does this mean uncle."

"That is part of the story I am about to tell you." he said softly sitting back down. "About 200 years ago, a new society was created to keep peace in the world. This group was called the Order of the Lotus Society. They worked close with the Avatar, but then a new leader came to power in the group. He believed the only way for the world to be at peace was for all the nations to combine to one. He believed they needed to be lead by one man and he thought that man was him. He had many followers in the society, but they were few. The other members of the society, threatened him to step down as leader and revoke his statements of uniting the world. He didn't and the group broke in two. His group became known as the Red Lotus Society, and the other group became known as the Order of the White Lotus. They fought endlessly over power. After the leader of the Red Lotus Society died, did the red lotus finally disappear. It was complete silence from the Red Lotus Society. About 15 years before you were born, Your father and I decided we wanted to join these groups. I decided I agreed more with the way of the white lotuses so I joined them. I did not realize until years later that your father had joined the society. After many years the Red Lotus Society began to fell silent again, I thought it was extinct until now."

"But, are they a threat uncle." I asked

" it is possible, but I don't know we will just have to wait and see." He explained wisely with a yawn.

"Thank you Iroh, I believe it is time for all of us to go to bed." Katara said rising and giving my uncle a kiss on the cheek. "Good night Iroh."

"Good night uncle." I said rising and following her. That night I dreamt of a battle, between white arm bands and black arm bands.

~~NextAfternoon~~

(Azros Pov)

Me and Nya ran through the halls, trying to get away from the guard, mom had assigned to keep an eye on me. We kept running through the halls, going left, right, right, left, straight. It was exhausting, when we did not hear his foot steps behind us any more we slowed to a walk.

"Boy, I am thirsty, who knew stuffy guards can run." Nya said panting heavily.

"Yeah, hey lets go see my uncle. He always has something to drink in his room." I said happily. I loved visiting my uncle any way, so we walked towards his room slowly to finish catching our breath.

"I wonder if he has those chocolates from Ba Sing Sei like he always does." Nya said liking her lips. I let out a laugh and turned the last corner, we could see down the hall that uncles door was open. We ran the last couple of feet, we froze in our tracks when we saw who was in with him. He lay asleep on his bed snoring with his mouth wide open. Then a man dressed in all black went up to him and poured some weird liquid in his mouth. We could smell the odor coming off the liquid were we stood. Uncle swallowed the liquid and he sat up quickly, holding his stomach he collapsed on the floor. With out thinking I raced forward and screamed "Uncle!" I grabbed his arm and tried to wake him. I looked up at the masked man, he starred back angrily, then I looked to the door. Another masked man was holding Nya and had her mouth covered so she wouldn't scream. The masked man in front of me grabbed me and held a napkin over my mouth that made my eyes feel heavy and I quickly fell pray to the dark.

~~In the Hall~~

(Kan Pov)

I stood around the corner from Iroh's room. I had just seen everything, Iroh being poisoned and then Azros and Nya being led away by the men. I chose quickly to follow. I followed at a good distance. The men had slung both of my friends on their backs and were running silently out of the palace and down to the village. It was easy for me to follow, but I had to be sure to keep my distance. It was sunny out, so the men had a hard time hiding in the shadows. They led the way down to the dock. Where I hid behind an empty cart and watched as they carried Azros and Nya on deck and then below under the ship. I looked the ship over closely to make sure I would remember what it looked like. I ran back to the palace as fast as I could. I felt the tears starting to race down my face, was that the last time I would see my friends again. And why did those man with the arm bands take them? Arm Bands?