A/N: OMG, you guys, it's finally here! The end of book 2, which means I am of course incredibly sad but also so immensely relieved that this is finally done. I have rewritten this chapter 5 times before coming to the conclusion that some changes were necessary for the flow of the story, so some minor things have been changed in order to let the things that happen in this chapter make sense. I hope I did an alright job! Let me know what you all thought and I apologise that the wait was so long! I appreciate all of you who are following my story, but a special shout out is given to the two guest reviews I have gotten and the users Vosck and Starlight who I hope are just as in love with this story as I am :). I can already say that book 3 will be shorter than this one, but it'll be fun and angsty nonetheless. Enjoy!
PS. It's 7500 words :')
Chapter 25 – The Betrayal Pt. 2
Zuko had just woken up from the strangest dream, one in which he had looked up into the mirror and had stared at himself, expecting the horrible sight of the left side of his face to greet him as usual. But instead of the hideous scar, he was met with a sight that was equally, if not even more, terrifying. His scar was gone and he had sported a similar tattoo as the Avatar, consisting of a blue arrow painted on top of his bald head.
It was no strange feat then, that he had frightened himself awake and was now panting in a strange room, under strange sheets in a strange bed, but with an all-familiar woman beside him. A woman who was holding his face lovingly between her hands, caressing his cheeks like they were made of porcelain while her eyes spoke the feelings they had finally started admitting to each other.
The feeling he now accepted didn't deserve. Not after he had defiled her trust again, after what seemed like the hundredth time.
He was still panting from his nightmare, his body slick with sweat and his hands slightly trembling by his side.
''My love,'' he whispered upon looking into the blue depths that drew him in more every time he gazed upon them.
She released his face when she heard him speak, knowing that she should be mad at him. Which she still was, under all the overwhelming relief at the moment. ''You're awake. Good.''
''Milah,'' he suddenly started whispering huskily, capturing her hands again in his while his eyes became glossy. ''I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry.''
Milah teared up with him.
''I know I don't deserve your love. I understand that now,'' he continued, his hands squeezing hers, and paused to take a breath. ''I also understand that this was the last straw and that you want to leave me now. I didn't hear much during my fever, but I did hear that you found your family. And to be honest,'' he choked out a half laugh and sob at the same time, ''I couldn't be happier than that, because this means that you can finally return to them. I can let you go now that I know you'll be safe with them. You'll be safe… with the Avatar.''
Milah's tears flowed and her bottom lip was trembling with the way he spoke to her. Like he was the one that was going to break up with her. But also because with him saying the words that were going to come out of her mouth, it made them terribly and horrifyingly real.
''Zuko, I-'' she started but caught herself when she choked on a sob, turning her face from his so he didn't see the immense pain he had brought her again, after so many times. She felt his hands wiping her tears away carefully, making her sob even more.
When she had quieted down, she was still turned away from him, knowing that if she would take one look at him again, the waterworks would start flowing freely once more. ''It's not like I want to leave you, Zuko. I really fucking don't and I need you to know that. It pains me beyond words to do this, but you and I both understand that as long as our destinies are different, we'll keep having fights and heartbreak and just that godawful pain each time. And I want that to be over. I can't do this anymore and you know that we can't do this anymore. Even when I still love-'' she sobbed again, pulling up her knees to her chest so she could shield her face again, wanting to crawl up in a ball and get away from the Prince by her side as soon as possible while all the while she wanted to just forget the words that had been said and just kiss away the worries again and again until they were old and grey and forgotten in the world until only the two of them existed.
''I love you, Zuko,'' she finally whispered. She felt his tears before she heard them fall softly upon her shirt.
''And I love you,'' he answered equally quiet, wrapping his arms around her one final time, pressing his face into her neck just so he could breathe in her scent while hoping it would be imprinted into his brain, while he knew it was unlikely, seeing he could barely remember the face of his mother on some days.
Milah was walking through the streets of the Upper Ring like an exotic animal in a zoo. People were staring at her as if they had never seen a heartbroken woman before, with her bloodshot eyes, her black attire and the nest on top of her head.
The goodbye with Iroh hadn't been easy. She had left him with the promise that they would both do everything in their power to stop the war for good. Tears had been exchanged and neither of them had turned around to gaze back upon the other. No, it was best to leave at once without a temptation to call the other back.
''Miss? Are you lost?'' an unknown voice called out to her after a while, one she barely registered.
''Huh?'' she simply croaked out, looking up at the green eyes of one of the guards of Ba Sing Se.
''Are you okay, Miss?'' he asked again while another guard stared at her warily from behind the green-eyed one.
''I-'' she croaked again and scraped her throat to get it working normally again. ''I'm fine, thank you, sir.''
The guard didn't look convinced. ''You don't seem okay. Sorry to say so. Shall I escort you home?''
Milah looked around her for a moment and barely noticed any of the street names that were written on the buildings. Her vision was blurry and her hands were shaking from exhaustion, stress, grief and whatnot.
''I think I'd like that,'' she whispered eventually, her bottom lip quivering again from being shown such kindness by a stranger.
The man smiled at her with kind eyes. ''Tell me where you're headed.''
And so she told him the address of the place where her siblings supposedly lived and they were on their way again. The guard held her arm the whole time, keeping her steady after seeing that the girl had trouble walking. From what, he didn't know. He was an old fellow, one who had seen enough sadness and depression that he could now recognise it in someone's eyes. And the blue ones that he had gazed upon from afar had told him that she needed a helping hand.
Not an hour later, they arrived at the house she had just been in the day before.
''So, this is where you live?'' the guard, whose name was Jong, asked her. The other guard had left them upon Jong's insistence when he said he could manage Milah home on his own.
''Actually, it's where my brother and sister live. I lived somewhere else, but I decided to…'' she wandered off in her story, a sob rising to the surface again. ''I decided to leave them.''
Jong nodded absentmindedly, wondering what had happened to the poor woman. ''I see. Well, do you want to knock or shall I, Milah?'' She had told him her real name, realising that lying to Jong about her name was of no use, seeing she had told him that she was the sister of the Avatar's best friends anyway.
But she didn't answer his question. Instead, the last thing she saw before passing out was a pair of green eyes looking at her worriedly.
Milah woke up with a headache in a strange place. Distraught voices and sounds of running people were coming from all around her, making her look up to gaze upon the utter chaos she had landed herself in. Everywhere around her, there were beds filled with wounded guards and soldiers from the Earth Kingdom, making her wonder if there had been an attack from the Fire Nation.
She tried to remember how she got here, but her head throbbed painfully in protest.
''Excuse me!'' she tried to call one of the healers that were running past her bed. The woman stood still at the end of her bed, took one look at her and continued her pace away from the Waterbender.
Milah suddenly noticed a cup of water beside her bed and send a silent thanks to the spirits. She swallowed it down in three gulps, making her realise that she had probably just passed out from thirst and exhaustion before and was brought here by someone who had likely found her on the streets somewhere.
''Milah!'' she heard a familiar voice call out to her out of nowhere.
''Jong,'' she called back, her memories of this morning rushing back to her at once by hearing his voice while extreme relief filled her up from seeing someone familiar in such a place. ''You were the one who picked me up, I remember now.''
''You forgot?'' he asked her, sitting down on her bed. She now noticed the cuts and bruises on his body. Her mind and body sprang to life immediately.
''You're hurt,'' she told him, realising that he was, of course, a guard and that there had most definitely been an attack. ''Who did this?''
He looked at her sheepishly. ''Well, technically, your sister hit me with one of her water whips and pushed me into one of the canals surrounding the palace. But to be fair, the General later explained that the Avatar had delivered some news to the King that was of the utmost importance, so I don't blame her. Although, she could have been gentler. But that's just my opinion.''
''Wait,'' Milah interrupted his story, her chest contracting upon hearing the news. ''You're saying my sister, my little sister, did this to you?''
''Well, yes.''
''My fourteen-year-old sister bested your ass?''
Jong looked at her rather annoyed. Milah started laughing uncontrollably, from amusement, surprise, disbelief and just plain sadness, because if she didn't laugh then she would cry, and she was so fucking done with crying.
''Yeah, yeah, I know, you can stop laughing at me now.''
Milah shook her head, pinking away a few tears. ''I'm sorry, I just can't believe you just saw Katara and I have not seen her in months.'' The smile that had been on her face disappeared. ''Come here. I'll heal you.''
Jong looked at her incredulously. ''And how would you like to do that?''
She gave him a dry look. ''My sister just water whipped your face and you think I can't do some simple healing? You're serious?''
He held up his hands in mockery of self-defence and gave her a cheeky smile. ''Hold your ostrich horses, ma'am.''
''Yeah, well, just grab some freshwater, old man,'' she murmured to him, her eyes rolling in playful banter.
He laughed again, reaching over to the bed beside her where a man with a nasty-looking head injury looked at the pair with a rather hesitant look on his face. Milah muffled her laughter once more by biting on her lower lip.
Five minutes later and Milah and Jong were on their feet again, the latter lacking any injuries because of the girl's healing abilities. They were both treading through the rows and rows of beds consisting of injured men. Women with healer aprons were bent over them to apply various ointments and salves on their wounds, making Milah come over to some particular nasty hurt soldiers that required some extra healing from her part.
Most of the men thanked her excessively, but not all of them. Some stared at her with fear in their eyes or spat at her feet. She couldn't blame them. They had been attacked by a Waterbender – her sister, even, not that they knew – so it was no strange feat that they didn't want to be helped by one.
''Thank you, Milah, for helping them,'' Jong said softly to her once they were checked out of the hospital again. Milah just smiled at him, nodding at his gratitude. ''I know some of them were ungrateful, but I know that the families they have waiting for them at home would be thankful as well.''
''It's the least I could do, seeing it was Katara that hurt them after all,'' she answered him, feeling that her energy was rather drained after the excessive amount of energy she had just used.
''Still.''
They both walked in silence for a while. Jong navigated them both to her family's house in the Upper Ring, chatting carelessly about everything and nothing at all, seeing if Milah didn't do this then she would be reminded of the painful fact that Zuko and she were over, causing her heart to break into a thousand-and-one pieces all over again.
Meanwhile, Zuko had found the strength to leave his bed several hours earlier, in the morning. He couldn't help it when a delicious scent drifted from under his door into his nose, sending his stomach rumbling like a bursting volcano.
''What's that smell?'' he asked his uncle when he exited his room. Iroh stood with his back to his nephew, stewing in a pan.
''It's jook, I'm sure you wouldn't like it,'' Iroh answered the Prince, a lump still in his throat.
''Actually, it smells delicious,'' he shyly admitted to the old man, holding out his bowl to Iroh. His uncle looked at him strangely but filled up his bowl anyway.
The both of them ate together in silence for a while, both not knowing what to say for a while.
It wasn't until Iroh heard soft sobs from the other side of the table that he noticed his nephew hunched over with shaking shoulders while pressing his hands against his face.
It made his own eyes fill up with tears as well.
''I fucked up, uncle,'' Zuko admitted to Iroh in a whisper.
''I know,'' Iroh whispered back and took another sip of his jook.
It got silent again.
Milah and Jong were walking through the streets of Ba Sing Se when an unthinkable thing happened. One moment, they had been talking about everything and nothing at all, and then the next a pair of hands had dropped a few punches on several spots of her body, causing her legs and arms to give out as if her attacker knew exactly where to hit her muscles to render them useless. It happened so quickly that she didn't even have time to shout out a warning to Jong, who was attacked only seconds after and didn't have such a quick reaction time, meaning that Jong was lying next to her on the warm streets of Ba Sing Se quicker than one could say 'fire ferret'.
''Well, well, well,'' a known female voice sounded from above the Waterbender whose face was turned to the side, and because her muscles unknowingly had temporarily stopped working – meaning she had lost her bending as well – she couldn't face the Fire Princess whose melodious words still haunted her nightmares. ''I am perfectly honest when I say that this, this is one of the most unexpected surprises I have ever gotten.''
''What are we even doing here, Azula? This is boring,'' another female drowned out with a lazy voice, one she didn't recognise.
''We're here because she's the girlfriend of my treacherous brother, Mai. Feel jealous yet?'' Azula answered Mai. A third unknown female giggled.
''We need to get them to the castle. Fast. Before anyone comes snooping around. The Dai Li will see to it that the guard is… disposed… properly.'' And with that, Milah was hoisted up by two males wearing gloves made out of rock, which was odd, but not the oddest thing about the situation.
''Azula!'' Milah shouted out, attracting the attention of the terrifying Princess. ''Let him go. He has nothing to do with you or me.''
She let out a sly laugh. ''Dear Milah, why would I let him go when he could go around the city telling people that I, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, have infiltrated Ba Sing Se? I thought you were smarter than that.''
Milah tried to struggle, but she was immobile. ''Jong! Jong, fight them!''
But Jong only looked at her sadly and with fear in his eyes, while giving her a smile that was supposed to set her more at ease for what was about to come.
''You don't have to do this Azula! Please! I'm begging you,'' the Waterbender pleaded. But it was of no use.
''Let's go girls,'' she simply said and snapped her fingers impatiently, causing the pair of friends that came along with Azula to follow her.
''Jong! Jong!'' Milah screamed but was silenced when one of the Dai Li put his stone glove on her mouth. Tears rolled down her cheeks when she saw another pair of Dai Li dragging the immobilised guard through the streets of Ba Sing Se, like a sack of potatoes.
Milah got sick to her stomach, and could only hope that Azula meant something different with 'disposing of properly' than what she thought the girl meant.
It was when they entered a secret passage in the castle that Milah finally started to feel something in her muscles again – far too late to help Jong anyway, seeing they had put a sack on her head so she wouldn't see where they were going, and it had helped, she had no clue.
The sack was pulled off her head and pushed to the ground suddenly, making her wince when the stone-cold floor, of what she assumed was a backroom somewhere in the castle, hit her head. The stone glove was pulled off her face as well, giving her the ability to speak once more.
''You sick, murderous, vile-''
''Psh, little Waterbender, such harsh words from a little girl like you,'' Azula cut her off, waving her hand as if to brush off the insults thrown at her. Mai and Ty Lee were standing behind her, one with the straightest black hair she had ever seen and the other with long brown hair pulled up into a braid, but not knowing which was who. They were wearing odd clothes and make-up, exactly like Avatar Kyoshi used to wear. She knew this because she had had some history lessons while training in the Northern Water Tribe, but what was strange to her was the reason why they decided to dress up like Kyoshi.
''Did your mother never teach you manners?'' Azula continued.
''My mother died at the hands of your people. So no, she didn't, I'm afraid,'' Milah retorted, holding up her chin high so they wouldn't see the fear in her eyes. Already she could feel the water molecules around her floating through the air, or even the tiniest bit of water inside the plant that was on the wall on her left, but she knew it would never be enough against three trained assassins, which those three women clearly were.
Azula merely gave out a laugh once more. ''I find it interesting that you speak with such hatred about my people, while I hear that you and Zuko were a little more than captor and prisoner, were you not?''
''I don't know who told you that, but I would never involve myself with the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Not when my Tribe, and the world, has suffered so greatly from the likes of you,'' she tried to say without giving away any emotion that would betray her.
''I call bullshit,'' the woman with the straight hair spoke up with a bored expression and an equal bored tone to her voice.
''M-hm, I don't know, Mai, she sounded pretty sincere. Besides, her aura tells me she isn't lying! Although, there are some spots in it that could hint-''
''Yes, Ty Lee, thank you,'' Azula cut off the one with the braid, who was now known as Ty Lee, a woman with an ever-present smile on her face like there was nothing wrong with the world. ''Although I have to agree with Mai. You sound convinced of your own words, but it is as clear as day to me, Milah, you love my brother and there is no one in this world that you can lie to about that fact. One can see it from a mile away. It's adorable, really, but boring nonetheless.''
''You don't know what you're talking about,'' Milah forced out of her mouth, a sick feeling rising to her stomach. ''Zuko and I are nothing to each other. Nothing. At least, not anymore.'' The last part was spoken softly as if she was afraid to even admit out loud that it was the truth now. The undeniable, painful truth.
''So you admit it? My brother and you were together?''
''Once, yes. But it was a one-time thing because we were both lonely and craved company. I was there, on a ship filled with men and Zuko was there, as the only attractive one that could satisfy my needs. So yes, we were once together.'' She almost got sick upon saying those words, confirming what everyone had always thought her to be while remaining with Zuko.
Azula made a grossed-out face as if she was actually disgusted by the idea of a woman wanting to be together with her brother. Which Milah could understand. She would be grossed out by a woman being together with Sokka as well.
''I'm not afraid to admit that was a little too much information, but I believe we can all say that we have been there, haven't we, girls?''
''Yes,'' admitted Ty Lee with a dreamy look on her face.
''No,'' Mai said with an eye roll, to which Azula raised her eyebrow.
''Really, Mai? I remember a time when you and Zuko were kissing under a tree-''
''Shut up, Azula.''
Milah's insides became cold upon seeing Mai truly for the first time. Sure, she had looked at the woman for the past few minutes, but now Milah was actually seeing her. In new daylight where Mai was Zuko's ex-girlfriend.
''Why? It's the truth. Even you must admit that seeing Zuko's current girlfriend here is making you jealous-''
''I'm not his girlfriend!'' Milah shouted to the Princess again, which earned her a cold look from her golden eyes. Technically, the blue-eyed woman wasn't lying; she was Zuko's wife.
''We'll see about that. Anyway, enough with the chit-chat, you must wonder why you're here.''
Milah remained silent, having not even thought about why she was actually there but more about the fact that Jong was still actually somewhere getting murdered or, hopefully, escaping from the hands of the Dai Li.
''You're here because my Dai Li informed me of someone sneaking around the house of the Avatar and upon hearing your description, I knew it had to be you. I mean, who else with brown hair and blue eyes could it be. And so it was only a matter of time before you were running around again, making it oh so easy for me to catch you. You really should be more careful from now on, little Waterbender,'' Azula taunted her, a slick smile sliding across her face while she said those words.
''Do not call me that,'' Milah hissed through her teeth while the rock that was holding her hands in place behind her back cut into her painfully.
''Anyway, you're going to tell me where my traitor brother and uncle are here in this city because there is no way that he would let you go. I know him too well. His loyalty is unparalleled.''
''I'm telling you, he and I are nothing to each other. I escaped him just after you attacked General Iroh,'' Milah tried convincing her, but not even she believed her own words.
''It's adorable how you're protecting him right now, don't you think so, Mai?''
''I don't think anything at all, Azula,'' the woman answered her with an emotionless face. It creeped the Waterbender out, so to say.
''I don't believe that, but I'll let it slide. For now, I need you two with me in the throne room. The Earth King will be suspicious if we stay away for too long. Dai Li, make sure she won't escape.''
And with those words, Azula left the room, already bored by her insistent denying that Zuko was nothing to her. But the Princess wasn't an idiot. No, she knew that they held feelings for each other. It had been clear every time she had looked upon those two. Love was a concept Azula did not quite understand, but this she was sure of.
Zuko was pacing with worry. Milah hadn't come home last night and when he set out to find her last night, he hadn't been able to find her. He had searched all across the Upper Ring, even went as far as eavesdropping on multiple guards, but it was of no use. There wasn't any sign of her.
''Zuko, don't worry. She's probably with her friends and the Avatar right now. Come, you need to get some rest before we visit the Earth King tomorrow. We don't want you falling asleep while serving him tea, right?'' Iroh tried to laugh with his nephew, but Zuko wasn't in the mood. Iroh didn't blame him. He himself was quite distraught as well when Milah hadn't returned, even when she said she wouldn't he had still had some hope that she would return. But Iroh understood perfectly well that Milah was done with the Prince. Even Iroh was done with his family member, but he didn't show it. Not when Zuko was in emotional distress.
Milah had finally fallen asleep sometime during her capture. She was lying on the cold floor, shivering while her teeth tattered. In her dream, Zuko was beside her, warming up her body like he always did whenever she had been cold, but this time he wasn't there. Frankly, Milah had begun accepting the truth that he would never be there again.
Nightmare after nightmare hunted her sleep. Her lip was bleeding from the biting and the cries she let out made the Dai Li agents that were on guard duty glance over once in a while, but not one of them handed her a coat or even a glass of water. No, she was there on her own and no one was going to help her.
The rock cuffs that still held her hands in place were somewhat loosened after she had cried out for the fourth time, and this time she noticed that another pair of Dai Li agents had taken over the previous two. She saw the worried look one of them gave her and a tear rolled over her cheek again after being shone a little bit of kindness in the cold, dark room.
Zuko was dragged away by the Dai Li after just having faced his evil sister. How could he have been so stupid?! It was time he faced the truth and just accepted that he wasn't as strong as his sister. Azula was the prodigy, not him.
''Let me go,'' Zuko almost growled to the pair of males that were holding him. They simply smirked before earthbending a hole into the ground.
''You've got company,'' the left man shouted into it and threw in the Prince, who rolled down before unceremoniously landing in some sort of cave lighted by various crystals.
''Zuko!'' a strangely familiar female voice greeted him with shock. He looked up and regretted it almost instantly. The blue eyes he was staring into were hitting too close to home, although the differences between the two sisters were obviously there. Where Milah had certainly matured, Katara still carried a child-like appearance. But the similarities were there as well. They both carried the wavy brown hair, the blue eyes which he could drown in, the shape of their mouth, the crease set in their brows whenever they were angry or worried, although Zuko could guess it was the first emotion that caused Milah's little sister to frown at that moment.
The hole closed behind them, trapping the two in a situation neither wanted to be in.
Meanwhile, Iroh was frantically running towards the address Milah had given him in case there would ever be a situation where Iroh or Zuko needed her. The General thought this was just the kind of situation Milah had meant, so it was only logical that he would try and find the girl that would hopefully help him retrieve his nephew. Besides, it was probably wise to inform the Avatar of the situation as well. The situation in which his niece had infiltrated the city and was probably planning to take it over.
Iroh knocked on the door and tried to wait patiently for someone to open it. But it wasn't Milah, no, it was Toph, the girl whom he had met in the woods months ago.
''Glad to see you're okay,'' Toph greeted him with a smile.
''I need your help,'' Iroh started immediately, wanting to rescue his nephew as soon as possible. He peered inside the house, expecting to see Milah there as well, but the only ones who were present were her brother Sokka and the Avatar, who were both equally shocked and prepared to fight him if they must.
''You guys know each other?'' Aang asked the old man incredulously while pointing his finger at him.
''I met him in the woods once and knocked him down. Then he gave me some tea and some very good advice,'' Toph answered while Iroh gave a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his head.
''May I come in?'' he asked the three people and stepped over the threshold once Toph gave him a nod. Still, Milah was nowhere in sight. ''Where's Milah?''
They all looked at him with questioning glances.
''Did she not arrive yesterday at your house?''
Sokka's face converted into one of worry. ''We weren't here yesterday. We just arrived a few minutes ago and were actually planning to rescue Katara who was taken by the Dai Li. But wait, are you saying that Milah is here, in Ba Sing Se?''
''She left us yesterday morning when she found out you were here as well. But now I believe that she never made it to you,'' Iroh wrung his hands together with a frown. ''Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se, and I believe she has captured both Milah and Katara. And she has captured my nephew as well.''
''Then we'll work together to fight Azula, and save Katara, Milah and Zuko,'' Aang stated without any hesitation. Pride filled Iroh's chest upon seeing this young Avatar with so much spirit and bravery.
''Whoa there! You lost me at 'Zuko','' Sokka exclaimed while walking towards the two males.
''I know how you must feel about my nephew,'' Iroh said calmly and put his hands on the boy's shoulders whose eyes reminded him of Milah painfully. ''But believe me when I tell you that there is good inside him.''
'''Good inside him' isn't enough! Why don't you come back when it's outside him too, okay?''
''Katara and Milah are in trouble. All of Ba Sing Se is in trouble. Working together is our best chance,'' Aang tried to convince the stubborn Water Tribe warrior and succeeded finally when he nodded.
At the same time, Zuko was facing the wall of the cave while Katara was raging on about his entire being.
'' Why did they throw you in here? Oh, wait, let me guess. It's a trap. So that when Aang shows up to help me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches!''
Every word was a knife to the heart, but he knew he had to endure it because he deserved it. He deserved it all. All the insults, snide comments, all of it.
''You're a terrible person! You know that?'' Yes, he thought. ''Always following us! Holding my sister as a prisoner! Hunting the Avatar! Trying to capture the world's last hope for peace! But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood!''
The thought of Milah as his prisoner made his throat and heart burn. ''You don't know what you're talking about!''
Katara grew angrier. ''I don't? How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through! Me personally! The Fire Nation took my mother away from me.'' Tears streamed down her face while she sat down on the floor, touching the necklace that was her only lifeline at the moment.
The Prince knew this already, of course, but it was hard to realise sometimes that this girl was the sister of the love of his life. ''I'm sorry,'' Zuko apologised softly. ''That's something we have in common.''
He heard the sniffling stop at that moment and knew that Katara had stopped crying. It was silent for a long moment, the both of them relaxing more and more in the comfort of the quiet of the catacomb.
''Did you hurt her?'' the girl whispered suddenly. His heart contracted and a wince crossed his face.
''I would never hurt her,'' he answered softly. ''Not like that.''
''What do you mean?''
Zuko sighed tiredly. ''I've hurt her by hunting you guys, I've hurt her by leaving her, I've hurt her by betraying her trust. But even then… she never left my side.''
''You love her.'' It wasn't a question.
''More than anyone in the world,'' he admitted and faced the Waterbender.
It was silent once more.
In the meantime, Milah had finally been given some water – which she had to drink immediately while under the watch of six Dai Li agents in case she tried escaping – and a piece of bread. It was inhuman, the way she was held prisoner. Nightmares about her previous capture by the Fire Nation hunted her daydreams now as well. Memories about the scolding hot holding cell resurfaced, traumas she had buried deep inside her mind that were once forgotten were now as clear as day in front of her eyes.
Milah had been shivering for several hours now. Her body had been signalling to relieve herself for the same amount of time, but she refused to use the bucket in the corner of the room. She had already peed in there, but she would not do that in there. At least, not for a few more hours.
Not when her handcuffs had been loosening more and more, meaning that she could almost try to escape. She told herself that she would ask for another glass of water soon and that that would be her chance. Her only chance, probably.
Azula hadn't come back to visit her either. She didn't know how much time had passed, but she had noticed that the guards had changed duties five times now. So that must've meant that the night had already passed.
Milah was woken from her rare dreamless slumber by a large commotion outside her cell.
''Let's go!'' an all-familiar voice belonging to her brother echoed through the hall after it sounded like one of the doors had been ripped from its hinges.
''I'm not leaving without Bosco!'' another male voice shouted, making her aware that this was the time when she could be rescued without having to wait for anyone to bring her water.
''Wait!'' Milah tried to scream, but all that came out was a croak after not having spoken for so long. ''Wait! Sokka!''
The footstep stopped echoing in the hall.
''Milah?'' her brother called out with a trembling voice.
''Sokka! Sokka I'm here!'' Milah scrambled to her feet as best as she could while her hands were still tied together behind her back. Her face reached the bars of the window. ''I'm here!''
''She's there,'' a girl's voice spoke up. ''Step back.'' She did so immediately.
And then the door was crumpled and thrown away by Toph. There, an Earthbender was able to bend metal.
''Whoa,'' Milah sighed out, amazed by the strength of the girl.
''Yeah, I know,'' Toph smirked before Milah's hands were freed from their hold in the stone braces. A satisfied sigh left her mouth when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her neck.
''You're here!''
Tears brimmed the older girl's eyes. ''I'm here.''
The two hugged it out for a moment before Toph decided enough was enough. ''I don't wanna rush you guys or anything, but there is still a coup going on and we still need to help Aang and Katara.''
This brought Milah to her senses as well. ''What do you mean? Wait, why even are you here? And, whoa, is this the Earth King? And where's Katara? And-''
''Milah, no time to explain. Just follow us and be prepared to give one hell of a fight,'' Sokka cut her off and took her hand to drag her along with him, but upon taking one look at his broken sister, he knew that he couldn't expect much strength. ''Or, on second thought, just stay behind us and don't let yourself get caught, all right?''
Milah nodded weakly, her legs almost giving out from under her due to being underfed, lack of sleep and something else that she couldn't put her finger on quite yet.
Zuko was running after his sister in the hope to stop her before she could hurt Aang or Katara. Luckily, he was just in time when he bent a blast of fire towards his sister to stop her from sending one of hers towards Aang.
''Stop!'' he shouted at her, taking on a fighting stance.
''Why am I not surprised, dear brother. Even now, your allegiance is with the woman who doesn't even love you. Not anymore, at least,'' Azula scolded him. His breath hitched.
''What do you mean?''
''I mean, that Waterbender you're in love with already left Ba Sing Se. You don't really think I had her captured did you, Zuzu? No, she was all too happy to be leaving you behind. I saw it myself,'' she went on.
''You're lying,'' Zuko accused her weakly and with a slight tremor to his voice. ''You're always lying.''
''Not this time,'' she retorted. ''Ask them.''
Katara shook her head, readying herself to fight once more.
Aang looked unsure. ''I don't know, Zuko. We haven't seen her anywhere and Iroh did mention that she had left you guys.''
''You see, Zuzu, she doesn't want you. Would you really throw all this away for someone like that? Join me, and regain your honour.''
Azula began smirking upon seeing the wheels turn inside her brother's mind. How stupid and gullible he had always been, he still was now. But the Princess knew that she couldn't win this fight without her brother, so when he fired that fire blast toward the Avatar instead of her, she already knew that the victory was hers.
Milah, Sokka, Toph and the Earth King were racing through the halls of the palace to get to the throne room to save Bosco, the King's pet bear.
Ty Lee was captured quickly and Mai didn't seem to care what they did, knowing she was outnumbered in the situation, but the woman did stare at Milah for a second too long, making goosebumps appear all over her skin.
But she was pulled away from the scene before she could comment on Zuko's ex-girlfriend's behaviour.
All five of them ran down the stairs of the palace to get to Appa while Milah frantically tried to capture someone's attention so someone could finally answer some of her questions.
''Sokka, please, slow down for a moment and just listen to me!'' Milah snapped finally and pulled on his arm harshly. ''Where are Katara and Aang and what the hell is going on?''
Sokka swallowed patiently and rubbed his temples. ''I'll explain everything to you, I promise, but please let's get to Appa first before anyone captures us again.''
Milah rolled her eyes but agreed, knowing he was right.
Together they ran on again and arrived at Appa not long after who was anxiously shaking his head at them. They sat down for a moment while Toph took on guard duty.
Milah had bent some of the water from the canals so she could heal the wounds on her wrists. A bright light glowed from the place where she used her abilities and lighted up the faces of the ones around her.
''Okay, so, I was visiting dad at Chamaleon Bay when Aang showed up claiming that Katara was in trouble, so we went back to the city to try and free her when out of nowhere, the uncle of the Angry Jerk-''
''He means Zuko,'' Toph interrupted Sokka.
''-was at our door asking us for help because Azula is here, in Ba Sing Se, although I figure you know that, seeing you were captured as well. But anyway, Aang went with General Iroh to search for Katara, Zuko and you and we were going to the Earth King to warn him about the coup. But when we arrived at the throne room, it was already too late and we were thrown into the cell by those two friends of Azula and that's when we found you. Right now we're just waiting on Aang, Katara, Angry Jerk and his uncle. But I don't think-''
He was stopped by a shadow carrying a person, limping towards them from afar.
''Help!'' Milah could hear her sister shout and sprang into action at once. It was Aang, passed out in Katara's arms.
''Here,'' Milah beckoned for one of Aang's arms so he could be draped over both their shoulders. Sokka was behind her, watching them with worry.
''H-he b-betrayed us. A-Azula s-shot h-him,'' Katara sobbed and hiccupped while still carrying the lifeless boy over to Appa. Coldness spread through Milah's chest, already knowing the answer to her question.
''Who betrayed you? Where's Zuko?''
Katara cried harder, confirming her gist. Everyone climbed atop of Appa until it was only the Waterbender left whose heart was taken by the enemy.
''Katara, was it Zuko? Did he do this?'' Her heart raced inside her chest, already feeling it break once more while the first tear fell.
''No,'' Katara told her steadfast, having calmed down somewhat now that she was safe atop Appa. ''It was Azula.''
''So we have to wait for him, right? He'll come, right?'' Milah's hands trembled as more tears fell. ''Katara, tell me I'm right.''
''He won't come, Milah.'' Katara climbed off Appa once more to take her sister's hands. ''He's gone with her.''
Milah shook her head stubbornly. ''I don't believe you. He wouldn't do that. Not after all we've been through. Not after-'' Her breath hitched when Katara brought up the hand that was sporting her wedding ring. A disappointed look went over the younger girl's face.
''He has betrayed you,'' she whispered and tugged the numb woman so she would finally climb on top of the sky bison. ''And I'm sorry for that. But we need to leave. Any minute now they'll come up and realise we're not gone and kill us. So please, just come with us.''
And so Milah climbed atop Appa and let the bison carry her away from the palace, from Ba Sing Se, from all the hurt, pain and love the city had brought her and most importantly, away from the man whom she had given her heart, soul and everything to.
And now, it was all for nothing.
Now, he had betrayed her, and she was left all alone once more.