Author's Note: I'm baaaack! And I have new chapters for you! I'd like to thank everyone for leaving reviews and favoriting/following my story. I appreciate any and all feedback. I know you guys are probably ready to roast me alive for going so slowly, but just be patient. You won't regret it ;)
Disclaimer: I do not own A:tLA or any of its characters; it belongs to Bryke and Nickelodeon. I do own my own characters, though, so there :p
Zuko stayed two steps behind Roz the entire walk to the edge of the water. The iceberg the Princess had pointed out was only about 50 yards away. Perhaps they could survive this.
Roz looked up at Zuko as they stood at the water's edge. It lapped hungrily at them and Zuko put his toe in. It was absolutely freezing. He suddenly realized that half the battle would be avoiding hypothermia. He took Roz's hand and squeezed. They'd do it together.
Once again, the Princess took her place at the side of the line and gave the command, and the prisoners began diving into the water, some more gracefully than others. Roz jumped first, pulling Zuko behind him.
He was pricked by a million frigid needles all over his body at once. The cold clawed at his lungs and wrapped around his legs, and he blew out with fiery breath. The water around him grew a degree warmer, but nowhere near comfortable. When he resurfaced he saw that Roz was already a bit ahead of him, flailing his limbs in a way that made it clear he had not swum much before. Zuko caught up with him quickly and showed him how to kick and pull the water back to propel himself forward. Soon the boy was keeping pace with Zuko, who had been an avid swimmer in his youth. People all around, especially Earth Kingdom prisoners, were sinking like stones, and Fire Nation citizens were crying out at the cold. Zuko was shocked that Roz hadn't complained yet. But when Zuko looked over, he saw the boy's pale white face and blue-tinted lips. He wasn't a firebender. He couldn't warm himself. He wouldn't last.
Sure enough when they reached the iceberg and turned for the final leg, Roz fell behind. Twice Zuko had to pull him out from under the water before he choked on it. But the kid kept fighting, and when the edge of the ice came into view, Zuko shouted over to him, "We're almost there!" and pushed that much harder.
They were at the front of the line, too. He didn't dare look back to see who had fallen behind. He could hear them screaming for help, and he saw the Water Empire soldiers standing at the water's edge, arms folded, doing nothing to save them. He threw his anger into every kick, every extension of his arm. He would make it.
"Zuko, he—" Roz's voice was cut off by a gurgle of water, and Zuko froze mid-stroke. Roz had sunk beneath the surface.
Without hesitation, Zuko dove for him. It was dark, and the saltwater stung his eyes, but he saw the boy sinking and grabbed him under the shoulders. Instinctively, he kicked down and fire erupted from his feet, pushing the both of them towards the surface. He hoped Roz wouldn't notice the sudden rush of warmth, but it wasn't a priority at the moment. When they broke through Roz began coughing violently, and Zuko saw water trickle out from his mouth.
"Hey, buddy, hold onto me, okay?" Zuko said while throwing the boy on his back. Roz clasped his hands around Zuko's neck and even though he was basically being choked, Zuko began to swim towards shore. Others had caught up and overtaken them, but they were still towards the front of the group. Zuko could feel Roz's soft, labored breaths against his neck, and the anger he'd felt before was replaced with a desperation to get him to dry land.
By the time they reached the edge of the ice Zuko's arms were ready to give out, and he could barely pull himself up, let alone the both of them. None of the soldiers moved to help, though, so he mustered what little strength he had left and tossed Roz over the edge, then dragged himself up. He collapsed on the ice, chest heaving, every breath feeling like a stab in the lungs. The air felt even colder than the water.
"Z-Zuko?" Roz stuttered, shivering at Zuko's side.
"Hey, buddy," he breathed out. "You doing okay?" The boy nodded. His lips were still blue and the veins on his neck were visible, but his cheeks were ruddy. Zuko imagined he must look like a mess. He could feel his hair sticking to his forehead and temples, and his shirt clung to his skin. He hadn't even thought about taking it off before jumping in the water, although it might have made it a little easier to swim.
Two guards approached and pulled them to their feet. They were marched over to a group of shivering men and women who were eyeing the guards with cautious relief. The survivors. They weren't part of the last 50.
Those who weren't so fortunate were being dragged from the water and collected into a pile of shuddering bodies. They would be taken into the city to who-knows-where and who-knows-what. Some of them were asking the soldiers to kill them, like the man earlier. But these were empty pleas. Pointless. Zuko wondered how many had drowned in the water, and if that fate was preferential to whatever these people would face.
The Princess stood in front of Zuko and Roz and the rest of them with a solemn expression that he could only believe was fake. She had no emotions. She could not feel pity or remorse. Only hatred and cruelty.
"You are the last surviving 100." There was a ripple of pleased exclamations. But Zuko held his breath. She was not finished. "However, I just received word from the Emperor that we cannot house that many refugees within capital walls. Not even in the prisons." She didn't need to finish. They all knew what that meant. More would die.
"Then send us home!" someone shouted, and her eyes cut to whoever it was. Others agreed. Some asked her to send them to another Water Empire colony. Anything. Even Roz joined in. Zuko remained silent. There would be no way out of this. No feat of strength or persistence could spare him now. If it was his time, it was his time.
"I am afraid that is not possible," the Princess said. And then, with a flick of her wrist, the soldiers encroached upon the remaining prisoners. They plucked half of the crowd, tearing them out of each other's arms, throwing them to the side like sacks of grain where they were picked up by more guards. They, along with the 50 who did not make it, were herded away from the survivors.
Zuko wasn't able to save the old man yesterday, but he would fight to the death to keep Roz out of harm's way. As the soldiers came closer, he shoved Roz behind him, facing the soldiers head on.
"Take me!" Zuko said as one went to grab the boy. "Take me instead."
Roz protested, but the soldier wrenched Zuko from Roz's grip. He tossed him outside the circle of people and Zuko fell to the ground, hard. Groaning, he pushed himself up to see the remaining group, Roz included, being led away. Even though he knew he had just sentenced himself to death, Zuko couldn't help feeling the slightest relief. Roz would live.
"Wait!" a voice commanded, and the chaos paused. "Leave him," the Prince said, pointing at Roz. Then he looked down at Zuko. "Take this one."
Zuko began to shout as two soldiers pulled him to his feet and dragged him, kicking and crying out, to the other group. Another soldier carried Roz over his shoulder so that he was watching Zuko as they passed, going in opposite directions.
"NO!" Zuko roared, trying to pull free from the soldiers who held him, but they had bound his hands. He could burn through the rope, but that would give him away. But what did it matter? This was wrong and he knew it. He was about break free when he met Roz's gaze. The boy simply looked at him and shook his head, and Zuko froze. Did he know?
"Don't do it!" Roz called out to him. "I'll be fine!" He gave Zuko a small half-grin, and Zuko noticed for the first time that he was missing one of his front teeth.
You won't be fine, Zuko wanted to tell him. They might kill you, and they won't think twice about it. He wanted to fight back. He wanted to break free and go home. He wanted to grab Roz and get out of there, the mission be damned. But as soon as he began to struggle he saw the guard unsheathe his sword and then it was too late. The last thing Zuko remembered was the look of shock in Roz's eyes as the hilt of the sword came down on his head.