Hi everyone! Thank you all for your support! Im so happy with how this story is being received :) The beginning of this chapter will be again from the POV of Etka, and starts just a few moments before Anahi and Zuko return to the courtyard. When the line appears (hopefully it shows up this time), the narrative will return to Anahi. Enjoy! (P.S. On a side note, I apologize for any weird punctuation marks or strange gaps that I may have missed. When I pasted this chapter in from google docs, as I've always done, it added all this weird code in between paragraphs and cut out parts of sentences. This has never happened before so it was really annoying trying to get it all out. Anyway, that's what that is, if you do happen to run into it.)

Naheel was staring hard at the fountain of water, dipping his fingers in and playing with the water, making it swirl and dance around his fingers. "Stop that," I said in a hushed whisper, and he took his hand out defensively. He gave me a hard look. "That's reckless. Someone might see you."

"There's no one but us in here," He retorted, but thankfully kept his voice low.

"We can't cause trouble," I reminded him. "Not for Anahi." I thought of her, alone in the throne room with the Firelord. Not knowing what was happening, not knowing what the Firelord was or wasnt doing to her was killing me.

"I know." Naheel looked away, and I tried to see things from his point of view. He had been thrown - much like his sister had been - into a world where no one looked like him, no one thought like him. He had to suppress every act of who he was to protect his sister, and I knew that this must be a challege.

Naheel swallowed, playing with his sleeve, and looked over at me again, an unreadable look in his eyes. "Etka?" He asked.

"Yes?"

"There's been something on my mind for a while, Naheel said carefully, and I watched him in anticipation. "And I don't want to ask Anahi about it, because...because, well, she's my sister." He paused for a minute, and I saw that his cheeks had turned slightly pink.

"Etka," He asked me. "Are you sleeping with my sister?"

I felt all of the blood rush up to my face, and all of a sudden, I couldn't look Naheel in the eye. "I am...I mean, we are - "

"Are you or aren't you?" Naheel pressed.

"We are, I said hurriedly, watching his expression in apprehension. Naheel gave a heavy sigh, running his hand down his face. "Naheel, I swear to you upon my honor that I never forced her, I never made her. I would never, ever hurt her."

His silence upset me, and I thought that he was angry with me. I didn't understand the customs of the Water Tribe, and perhaps I had caused a serious offense. I got to my knees before him, kneeling down and bowing my head in humility. Naheel, if I have dishonored you or her in anyway, I beg for your forgiveness, I said solemnly, then paused. I love her. And I would never do anything to hurt her."

Naheel looked down at me, wearing an expression mixed with surprise and disbelief. I looked up at the younger man, willing him to know that I only had good intentions, that I only loved his sister. "Will you protect her?" He asked, his voice low.

"Always," I replied, bowing my head respectfully to him. "I would give my life for her, if the need came." My mind passed again to an image of Anahi with the Firelord, and I saw her again in the arena, getting brutally beaten by Lucan. Was that what was transgressing inside the closed walls of the throne room? I stood up, my gaze and attention fixed towards where she had left with the guards.

"I'm afraid for her," I replied gravely. "I don't think that coming here was the right decision. The Firelord will not react kindly to a bastard child. It could weaken the monarchy, and I fear for Anahi's life."

"After this, we need to leave the palace as soon as possible then," Naheel said, his face stony. I looked back at him and nodded, sliding down on my seat against the fountain. "Have Anahi lay low for a little while. You too."

Suddenly, we both heard footsteps, and I got up quickly. To my utter astonishment, Anahi and Prince Zuko were walking side by side, appearing to be in serious conversation. They paused before the entrance to the courtyard, and the Prince said something to her before turning solemnly away and leaving her. Anahi looked slightly shaken, and I ran to her, wrapping her tightly in my arms. She was here, she was safe. For now.

"What happened? I pressed, pulling away slightly to meet her eyes. "What did he say?"

"He...he didn't really say anything," Anahi said softly, and I noticed how tightly she was holding onto me still. "I told him the story of my mother, and I showed him the dagger. The Firelord became very quiet - it was clear that he still remembered her - and he made me swear not to tell anyone about who I was. He's allowing us to stay in the palace until...until I don't know. He didnt say what he would do to us."

I didn't want to share with her my fear that this would only turn things for the worst. I could see that she was already upset, and still very much afraid from her encounter with her father. It occurred to me then that in my arms, I was holding a princess.

I exchanged a glance with Naheel, and led Anahi over to the fountain again. "We've done all that we can," I said, trying to comfort her. "Let's find the room and get settled, alright?"

"Alright," She said quietly, and took my arm when we stood to find a soldier who could give us directions. I was worried about her, worried for all of us. Would the Firelord show us mercy because of his love for Kita, or would we all be dead before the sun arose tomorrow?

Our room was not really a single room, but an apartment style suite with four bedrooms, a bathroom, and a small kitchen. Each of us took a bedroom for our own and deposited our few belongings we had brought with us. I considered myself right away to be under house arrest, and refused to leave the quarters in which we had been stationed.

I was so rattled, so mixed up from today's events. I stayed in my room, lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling, planning ways that I could get Etka and Naheel out of here alive. They didn't deserve to be punished for who I was. I thought of Zuko's last words to me, and reminded myself that I shouldn't be either.

Eventually, Etka came in, saying nothing at first and only sitting beside me, holding my hand. I stared at the floor, tears slowly welling in my eyes, and then suddenly threw my arms around his neck. "I'm so afraid," I murmured, my voice shaking in fear. "Etka, this was a mistake. Ozai's going to kill me, and you, and Naheel, and it's all my fault. We never should have come - "

"Anahi, Anahi," He soothed, his voice gentle and calming as he tried to dry my tears. It's going to be alright. We're going to find a way out of here, okay? But right now, we're safe - "

"That's a lie, Etka - " I protested, and he gently shushed me, pulling me close to his chest. I held onto him, clinging to his robes like a baby. "I can't let him hurt you." I said passionately, taking his face into my hands. "And I will die before Ozai hurts you or Naheel."

Etka's face softened, and he sighed heavily. "I promised your brother the same thing about you this morning," He said quietly, and my heart plummeted. I leaned my head forward, against his chest, feeling insurmountable waves of guilt washing over me.

"This is all too much," I moaned. "I can't, Etka, I can't."

"You're putting too much pressure on yourself, He murmured gently, kissing the top of my head. I looked up at him and he kissed me on the lips, closing his eyes, and making me forget for a brief moment. Etka never failed to make my heart skip a beat. "What's happened has happened," He murmured softly. "All that we can do now is wait."

"I can't bear the waiting," I said, falling back onto the bed and sighing heavily. "I just want this to be over. I want to go home."

"I know," He said comfortingly, lying on his side and gazing tenderly down at me. "We just have to go through a little more, and then this will all be over. I promise." I looked up, gently caressing his cheek and surprised to find a little bit of stubble already there.

"I love you," I said softly, kissing him again.

Later, Etka fell asleep beside me, but I did not. I lay with him folded into my arms, his head resting against my chest. I watched him, watched the ceiling, watched the door. If soldiers burst in, ready to kill us, I envisioned myself exploding in anger, wiping them all out in a single blast before taking off with Naheel and Etka in tow, ready to destroy anyone who crossed our paths.

It frightened me, how ready I was to take someone's life to protect those I loved. And it frightened me still to know that I was ready to lay down my own so that they could live.