Zuko

It was the next day and I had decided that I would take care of handling Buzi and Shira. We had enough testimonies from the girls and enough evidence to pass down their sentence. Although sentencing had remained solely with me, I learned early on that I should bounce it off of Sam first. She has insight that I lack. She also always accompanies me when I hand down my sentence. The final decision, however, is my burden to bear. I never want her to have to shoulder it. But she came along with me for support. She knew that sentencing was part of the job I considered to be one of the hardest.

"So, what do you plan on doing with them, Zuko?"

"Well, their crimes are very serious so I think the punishment should fit the crime."

"I agree. I honestly don't think there is a punishment that could be too severe for them." Sam said. She had developed an almost hatred for these two. Not only for what they did to the girls, but also to their own daughter, Chang.

"I'm not going to hand them the death penalty. I don't feel that would be right if Xinche isn't suffering the same fate and we don't have a deal to strike up with them."

"No, I don't think death penalty would suit either. What do you plan on doing?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet. It's a tough decision to make. I know I want them to pay handsomely for what they did, but in what capacity, I am not sure yet. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Well, I think they should go away for life, too. I'm not so sure they need to be in maximum security though. I get Xinche going there, but I don't think they'll try to escape. They're not smart enough to actually succeed." Sam said.

"I was leaning towards that as well, but I feel like there should be something more. But I just can't put my finger on it. They should have to answer for their abuse of Chang." I said and I saw Sam's face flash surprised.

"Oh, damn. I hadn't even thought of that." She said, guiltily. "What else can you do if they're away for life?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, if they hadn't been involved in trafficking and they were being punished for Chang, what would you do?" she asked me. I considered for a moment.

"Well, they wouldn't be allowed to see their child. If Chang wants to see them when she is an adult, then that'll be her decision. But until then, no contact whatsoever. They would also be put into a prison that is not maximum security. General population."

"Do you think general population would be prudent? Once the other inmates find out what they did to Chang and the other girls, they will be a target." That was sure starting to sound appealing.

"Hmm. I definitely don't support them participating in your prison reform program." I said.

"No, definitely not. I think they belong behind bars." she said and then looked at me, sheepishly, "You really want to know what I think you should do with them?"

"Of course. You know how much I value your opinion."

"I know and I love you for it. I think they should be put into general population for life. If they end up being targeted then we should place them in a separate area. An area that will be for people of similar crimes. Child abuse in any capacity. It'll still be with other inmates but they won't be nearly as likely to targeted since they will be there for the same reason. But men and women should be in separate areas." I deliberated about this for a moment.

"I like that idea. Give them a chance with other inmates so they are not completely isolated if it can be helped. Then if they are not safe in that situation, remove them and place them with people of similar crimes. I don't know how I functioned in this job before you came along, my Fire Lily." I said, pulling her in for a kiss.

"Oh, you got along just fine, Fire Lord." she said, wrapping her arms around my waist. "There is one piece of information we need to get from them before sentencing though."

"Yeah? What is that?"

"We need to know if Chang has any other relatives. I know she hasn't mentioned any but I think we need to confirm it with her parents. I hate to have to trust them for anything but I'm not sure that we have another choice."

"Yeah, you're right. That is useful information. We will ask them when they get here for sentencing this afternoon. In the meantime, let's go over what we have so far against Xinche."

Sam and I went to our office and poured over any and all evidence we had against Xinche. She kept track of every piece of evidence that we had and I kept the testimonies organized - the originals (in the girls' native tongue) and the translated versions. Sam was a gift sent to me by Agni. We never would have accomplished what we did without her.

After Sam and I ate lunch, we both headed to the throne room. We ascended the stairs. I sat in my throne and she sat in hers. I really hated sentencing people. I was, in essence, taking people's lives away. Damning them to a life behind bars. To live out life in a 6x9 cell. I didn't have long to think about in though, when they both were brought in. I had decided to try them together since they were accused of the same crimes.

"Thank you for coming." I said. I wasn't sure why I always said this. It's not like they had a choice, "before we begin, we need some information." At that, Buzi's face became smug. "We need to know if either of you have any living relatives that will take Chang. She needs to have a permanent home."

"I don't have anyone. I was born an only child and my parents died a long time ago." Shira said. "Buzi had a brother but he also passed away before I even met him. Chang has no one." Then Shira decided to make one final plea. She knelt down before me and her forehead pressed against the floor. "Please, oh mighty Fire Lord. Please have mercy on me. Let me see my daughter. I miss her so much it aches."

I looked over at Sam who looked at me and subtly shook her head. So minutely I didn't think anyone else saw it.

"Any rights to seeing your daughter and having any interaction with her were stripped of you when you were discovered to be participating in the abuse against Chang, albeit to a lesser extent than Buzi. The final nail in your coffin was your abuse and sale of the girls into slavery. So, no Shira, you may not see your daughter. Perhaps when Chang is an adult and IF she wants to see you, she will. But that will not be for a very long time." I said. Shira started to cry. I could tell she loved her daughter. In her own way. It broke my heart when people did this. I especially hated it when I had to break up families. A mother who, at least for the foreseeable future, will never see her daughter again. Who will not get to see her grow up and become a woman. This is the price she will pay.

"I'll be sentencing both of you together as you will be receiving the same fate. Starting immediately, you will be taken to the prison in the Panshi province. You will be placed in general population. Beginning today, you will begin your new life in a 6x9 cell and that will be the last room you live in. I am sentencing you both to life in prison. Be grateful it isn't the death penalty. I had considered it." I said. They both flinched at this. Buzi, who hated me, recoiled at this declaration. Sam did say I was rather intimidating especially when I wore my Fire Lord regalia.

"Please, Fire Lord! Have mercy on me! It was all Buzi's fault! I only went along with it for self-preservation! Please, your grace!" Shira pleaded. I hated this too. Begging for leniency. Normally this upset me. Today, it enraged me. I stood up off my throne and began to descend the stairs, my eyes locked on Shira's.

"Mercy? YOU WANT MERCY?!" I shouted at her, making her cower. "Did you ever think of mercy when your husband was beating your daughter? Did you ever think of mercy when you neglected her? Did you ever consider mercy when your husband would torture her by forcing her to watch her toys, in her young mind, die? Did you consider mercy when you sold those young, innocent girls into a life of slavery and rape?! No, Shira. You are beneath mercy. Although doing it for self-preservation? That I can believe. You only think about yourself." As I finished my tirade, I was standing in front of her, leaning over her, my brow furrowed and my voice and face hard.

Shira was sobbing. Blubbering some nonsense that I didn't care to hear. "Guards, make sure they make it to the Panshi prison. I want them there tonight. And no, I don't care if you two are tired. Perhaps you should have thought of all this before resorting to the sale of PEOPLE." I said. I looked at the guards, my face still hard and angry, "Get them out of my sight." I said, waving my hand dismissively at the two inmates. At this, the guards ushered them out quickly and would begin the trek to the Panshi Prison. It was typical protocol that the guards would ride, usually a komodorhino, and the inmates would walk to their destination. Today would be no different.

After they left, I felt a soft touch on my shoulder. I looked back to see Sam, concern on her face. "Are you alright, my love?" It wasn't until she asked me this that I realized I was huffing from stress. I took a couple of deep breaths and calmed down.

"Yes, I'm alright." She came closer to me and wrapped her arms around my middle and I wrapped mine around her shoulders, holding her close. "What are we going to do about Chang?"

"I'm not sure." Sam said then looked out the window. "Looks like it's soon time to meet the girls after school. Let's go, hunny." she said. We walked to the steps and sat down, waiting for them to appear around the corner.

"I think that we should contact some local shelters for children to see if there are any people interested in taking on a young girl. I think they should be a couple and they should be well vetted. I don't want to put her into a situation where she will be vulnerable again." Sam suggested.

"Yes, I agree. We will find the perfect family for her. Don't worry." I assured her. It was then that I could hear the giggling of the girls and then I saw them round the bend.

"Daddy!" Izumi shouted. "Mommy!" She ran towards us and hugged us, enthusiastically!

"Chang, how was school? Anymore trouble with the bullies?" Sam asked her.

"Nope! He left me alone! And we played a game with words that we are learning right now!"

"Well, I would like to hear all about it." Sam said. We relieved Geshna, sent the girls to their rooms to put their bags away, and then we all met in the turtleduck garden.

Sam and I were sitting on the bench when I saw movement in the direction of the palace.

"Aunt Azula!" Izumi shouted and ran over to her aunt. Azula had been spending a lot of time here at the palace so Izumi was getting used to her constant presence. She greeted her niece and Chang then came over to us.

"What are you two doing, cuddling each other? Sometimes it really is gross the attention you give each other." Azula said, sarcastically but playfully.

We sat and talked for a while until it was time for dinner.

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Sam asked. Although Azula had been here a lot, she was working the later shift so she wasn't here often for dinner.

"Yes, I would love to. Thank you," she said, surprisingly polite. We all went inside, sat down and ate dinner. We all went out to the Turtleduck Garden again so the children could play some more. The three of us sat on the benches and chatted. Once it was becoming late, Azula headed home - she would be up early in the morning. We tucked the children into bed and then we both went to bed.