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Chapter 7: Request

Suki had left the mongoose lizard—kept on hand in the stable-wing of the palace for the guards in case of just such an emergency—back with the stable boy on duty for the present, and now strode briskly down the palace corridor in the direction of the Fire Lord's room. Her thoughts were so distracted, so far away, that she nearly took a wrong turn before she forced herself to focus.

Mai seemed to materialize out of thin air, and fell silently into step beside her, eyes focused straight ahead.

To Suki's surprise, it was Mai who spoke first.

"Did you know?"

Suki's step faltered slightly, before she redoubled her pace again. "About Katara? …No. I didn't."

Mai nodded once. "That's what it was," she said. "That's how Zuko was planning to stop Azula when we went after her before."

"Katara probably didn't want him to tell us about it," Suki murmured, more to herself than to Mai. She scanned the corridor ahead, forcing herself to remain vigilant. The enemies had been driven back for now, but that didn't mean they were safe.

It felt like something was crawling over her skin, goosebumps spiking on her arms under her gauntlets. It kept repeating itself in her mind, the creepy sensation of her own body betraying her, realizing that it was the water inside her moving against her will. Katara's hands rising, their enemies' bodies responding to her motions. And that moment before when Mai had raised a hand to take them out—Katara reaching over and stopping her by force, so easily, without effort.

Suki felt sick at herself—especially when she thought of the way Katara had looked at them in the garden. Like she wanted to cry, when she saw the way they were looking at her. Suki had wanted to say something reassuring, and she would think of something to say. But the truth was even now the thought sent prickling needles down her spine. Katara could do exactly what those others had done to them, and she must have done it to Azula back then. Had it been like this attack had been? Freezing Azula in place, so she couldn't move, couldn't fight back?

Suki glanced toward Mai again. She had to say something. Maybe speaking aloud would distract her from these thoughts, which she didn't want to be having. "Zuko must have felt like it wasn't his secret to share."

"Yes," Mai said. She brushed aside one of her sleeves, almost irritably, as her narrowed eyes drifted toward the dark shadows cast by the corridor pillars. "No doubt."

They came around a corner, and Suki was startled as she made out a figure in familiar reds and blacks rushing toward them.

"Suki!" Zuko called, his good eye wide. "Mai! I heard there was an attack. What—"

He was cut short as Mai reached him. She threw her arms around his back, almost tackling him to the ground with the force of the impact. The hug lasted no more than a second, before she shoved him back to glare at him.

"Where are your guards?" she demanded.

Zuko hesitated, then glanced guiltily over his shoulder, where soldiers had just rounded the corner, weapons raised, along with a couple of the Warriors Suki had assigned to Zuko just behind.

"They told me you were fighting," he mumbled. "I had to—"

Mai gave him another shove in the chest, harder. "Idiot! They were probably after you. Running right toward assassins is the last thing you should do in an attack."

Zuko opened his mouth to respond, but just as the soldiers reached Zuko, forming a protective ring around them, a third group appeared from a side corridor. A few of the guards pointed their weapons at the new arrivals in the darkness, and Suki drew one of her fans, before she realized it was just Ty Lee, face glowing ghostly white in the low light, followed closely by Sokka, Toph, and Aang.

"Did someone say assassins?" Sokka said, peering around. He stifled a yawn. "Ty Lee made it sound like an emergency. I thought you guys got assassins like, every other week."

"Not like these," Mai said, eyes narrowed.

"Are you okay, Zuko?" Aang asked, stepping up. The guards immediately parted for him. He glanced around. "Where's Katara?"

Suki looked away. "Still... out in the gardens, I think."

"We need to have a meeting," Mai said. "Right now."

Zuko hesitated, then nodded grimly. "We'll all meet in the war room again. If someone—could go get Katara."

Suki tensed. For a moment she considered sending Ty Lee again, but then said, "...I'll go."

She turned her back on them, moving back quickly down the corridor, back in the direction of the stables again. It took her a moment to realize she was still clutching her fan, leaves fully extended, and she shut it with a snap, stowing it away again. She closed her eyes, and breathed.

Suki found Katara standing in the entrance to the garden, in the exact same spot they had left her. She was staring at the place above the wall where the waterbenders had gone. The silver light of the moon shone on her features, making them look strangely colorless in the darkness.

Suki dismounted, then stepped forward. "...Katara?"

Katara flinched, then turned, though her eyes never rose above the collar of Suki's uniform.

Suki continued, fidgeting, "Um, we're all meeting in the throne room..."

"Oh," Katara said. "I... maybe I should keep watch here. In case they come back."

"Zuko asked for you," Suki said. She added, making her tone as gentle as she could, "And... maybe it's better if you're close to him. You know, if he was the target. You would be the only one who could... you know... stop them."

"Oh," Katara said again, eyes still fixed on the ground. "...Right."

She turned around and strode past Suki, still without looking at her.

"Are you okay?" Suki asked. She reached out a hand to place it on Katara's shoulder, but her hand stopped before making contact. Her hand hovered there for a moment, her fingers shaking ever so slightly. She quickly withdrew, hoping Katara hadn't seen.

Katara hesitated. She didn't answer, only walked past the mongoose-lizard, toward the garden entrance.

Suki stared after her for a moment, before at last she reluctantly followed.

Everyone was assembled by the time Suki and Katara arrived. Guards stood posted outside the throne room entrance as they passed inside, and they all sat around the large map, still spread out over the floor.

Suki noticed Aang give Katara a hesitant supportive smile and shift slightly to one side as though intending to give her room to sit beside him, but Katara went to an empty spot some distance away, sitting back from the map, removed from the others. She drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and stared blankly at nothing.

Mai too had opted to keep back from the others again, instead leaning against a nearby pillar, eyes scanning the shadows as though seeking out enemies.

Sokka, seeing Suki enter, gave her a tentative smile, looking more awake than he had earlier, though his hair was down and ragged.

Suki forced herself to smile back, then slipped around the perimeter next to Ty Lee, who had taken up a guard position opposite Mai, also alert.

"Did we miss anything?" Suki asked her in a low voice, too low to be heard by the others as Zuko, sitting at the head of the map, gazed out at them all.

Ty Lee shook her head. She whispered back, "Zuko wanted to wait until everyone was here to discuss anything. I think Mai may have told Zuko something before he sat down, but I didn't hear what she said."

Suki nodded once, then circled around, eyes scanning the darkness beyond the pillar torches. Ty Lee and Mai together could watch both Zuko's back and the doors, so Suki could do a few rounds to ensure the room was secure.

Zuko sighed once, then, sitting up straight, hands resting on his knees, said, "Okay. We're all here. Where should we start?"

Toph raised a fist. "First somebody explain what the heck is going on. So, there were assassins. Why are you all so scared of them?"

Zuko glanced at Mai, then took a short breath. "We don't know for sure if they were assassins. But they were definitely connected with Azula. We know that because—"

He hesitated, and as Suki glanced back, she saw his gaze had gone to Katara.

"We know it because they were waterbenders," Mai supplied bluntly. "Waterbenders who were all using a form of bending they had to have found out about from Azula—who saw someone else use it."

Her narrowed eyes shifted to Katara, then settled back on Zuko. She regarded him with features cold with anger.

"Wait," Sokka said. "Back up. Are you saying these waterbenders—"

"—bent the water inside of us," Mai said.

"Oh." Sokka scratched the back of his neck as he glanced at Katara. "That's... not good."

Mai's eyes hadn't moved from Zuko. "You should have told us," she said. "You should have prepared us better, so we'd know what we might be facing. Now, we need to know everything. What that technique is, and how it works."

Suki saw Zuko hesitate again. He glanced away.

"Bloodbending."

Everyone paused, and Suki turned her eyes to see Katara had spoken, though she hadn't looked up, her arms still wrapped around her knees.

"Bloodbending," she repeated. "That's what it's called. It's what Hama called it."

"Hama?" Ty Lee said, with cautious curiosity.

"Old witch we met in some Fire Nation village," Toph answered, waving a hand. "She was from the Southern Water Tribe like Katara and Sokka. Only unlike Katara, she had this weird hobby of kidnapping villagers during the full moon and keeping them in a prison under the mountain, like a collection of dolls." Toph shrugged. "She was cracked. We helped the villagers lock her up where she belonged."

"What was the name of the village?" Zuko asked, eying them intently.

Sokka frowned. "Can't remember, but it was on an island east of where we are now, west of the rest of the islands. Why?"

Zuko nodded slowly. "The report—the report I received, that was only recently brought to my attention, where Azula might have been. A prisoner was freed. An old woman, said to have strange powers under the full moon. I had been hoping to talk to—to you all about it." He glanced toward Katara again, then away.

"Great," Sokka muttered, pressing a hand to the side of his head. "That's just what we need."

"How would Azula have even known that crazy lady existed, let alone find her?" Toph wanted to know.

Zuko hesitated. Then said cautiously, "There are apparently all kinds of superstitious rumors about the village floating all around the Fire Nation. All Azula would have had to have heard was the full moon to suspect the truth." He glanced at Katara again, then away.

Toph opened her mouth as though to ask another question. But then she closed it again, face settling into a considering frown, arms folded.

For a minute no one spoke. Until at last Mai finally made a scathing noise in the back of her throat.

"You should have told us," she muttered again. "Whatever promises you might have made. You left us, yourself most of all, in danger."

Zuko frowned, looked away, then looked at her again. He didn't reply, just stared back, with a hint of guilt, yet face set with grim defiance.

"Come on, Mai—" Ty Lee began, trying to cut into the tension.

"Just say it."

Eyes turned toward Katara. Her hands had fallen from where they gripped her knees, and now she rose slowly to her feet, fists clenched at her sides, shaking. "You think it's all my fault this happened. That's what you're trying to say. Well—"

Her eyes dropped down to the enormous map spanning the floor. "—you're right. It is my fault. Okay? Azula saw me use that awful technique, and now she's found a way to use it against us. She's used it to make all those waterbenders—well, it is my fault. Okay?"

"It's not—" Zuko started to say, half climbing to his feet.

"See, that's your problem," Mai said, cutting across him, regarding Katara without expression. "It's not an awful technique. You probably could have used it to take out Azula back then, if Zuko hadn't changed his mind at the last minute. And you just barely used it to save Zuko. But treating it like it's something you have to hide—having Zuko hide it for you, even from his own guards—if we had known, we could have done something to be ready. We would have known not to draw our weapons, so it wouldn't be so easy to make us kill each other. We could have hired waterbenders from the north as guards, who could at least have a chance at resisting—"

"No!"

The word cut through the conversation like a knife, echoing again and again in the enormous chamber. Katara's eyes were wide and wild, before her gaze dropped to her hands. She clenched them into fists, and they trembled at her sides. "You... don't understand... I can't... you can't..."

Her eyes looked around at all them for the first time, darting from one face to the next, as they all stared back at her. Her eyes met Suki's, and Suki didn't have time to look away, to hide the expression on her face as she stared back at Katara now.

Suki caught a glisten of a tear in her eye, before Katara spun away from them, and strode quickly back down the long hall, nearly at a run. She shoved aside the crimson curtain, disappearing from the throne room.

Aang had climbed to his feet, hand outstretched after her. "Katara—wait—"

Sokka reached out to grip his arm. "Wait a second, Aang. Maybe she just needs to—"

Aang shook him off, and hurried after her, pushing through the heavy cloth door and was gone.

All was silent. Mai's arms were folded, and she appeared wholly unapologetic. Suki glanced around at the shadows, but she didn't really see them.

It was beginning to sink in—how completely she had failed. She had failed as Zuko's guard. She hadn't been in any way prepared for something like this, been helpless to do anything. And—she felt like she had failed Katara somehow, too.

Because she could still see Mai in her memory, knife raised to strike down Ty Lee, her face white with horror, could still feel her hands gripped around the hilt of her katana, aimed at Katara's back. Katara's hand reaching out to stop Mai's attack, seizing hold of one of the assailants from within, dragging him backward as though by a rope—

Toph yawned widely, as though bored by it all, and that seemed to break the tension, for the moment. They all stood, and Zuko murmured to them that they should all get some rest, and they would decide how to act next tomorrow.

Mai grumbled something irritably to herself as she strode out. As they all headed toward the exit, Suki lingered behind a moment, turning away from them, eyes staring out at the shadows. As though searching out enemies that may be lurking there—even though, as the images swirled in her mind again, she couldn't push away the feeling that the shadows could be at her back.

"Katara! Wait!"

Katara was pushing herself down the long corridor, eager to be away—to be anywhere else. But at the voice she slowed automatically. However, even as she came to a stop and heard the footsteps just behind her, she didn't turn.

"Katara," Aang said, breathing a little faster than usual. He hesitated, then stepped up beside her. "Um, I just... I wanted to make sure you were, you know, okay."

Katara looked away. "I'm not okay, Aang."

He sighed. "...Yeah. I know."

"It's my fault," she whispered. "Azula—she's using them. She's more dangerous than ever, and it's my fault. With that technique—"

Aang touched her shoulder, gently turning her around to face him. He bent slightly, trying to peer into her face, but she still refused to look at him.

"It's okay," he said. "We'll figure something out. They can only do it during the full moon anyway. Maybe we can find them again before then."

Katara shook her head. "Azula's avoided capture all these months. Why should we expect to be able to find her now?"

Aang was silent, and at long last Katara raised her eyes just enough to see his expression.

His face was fixed in a thoughtful frown. Trying to come up with another idea, to give her hope.

Katara wasn't sure that was what she wanted right now. She pulled back, half turning away from him so his hand fell back to his side.

"Even if we can't find her in time..." Aang began. "She'll probably want to try something at the next full moon. Maybe we can be ready to fight back, and catch them then."

Katara wrapped her arms around herself. "Aang, there were six of them. Six. There could be more. I can't fight that many alone."

He shook his head. "Maybe you don't have to. You heard what Mai said. If we went to the North Pole, some more waterbenders could be trained to—"

"No!" The word broke from her mouth just as it had in the war room, desperate, almost crazed.

Aang stopped, staring back at her.

Katara's breathing hitched before she got control of herself again. "No, Aang," she whispered. "You—don't understand." She stared down at her hands. "It's a curse—a curse for any waterbender to even know this technique exists. Because once you know—"

The choice is not yours. The power exists. And it's your duty to use the gifts you've been given...

"—you use it," Katara whispered. "Even when you don't want to."

She clenched her hands into fists. "I... don't want more waterbenders to have to feel like this," she said softly. "I don't want them to feel like I do."

Aang was quiet again, then at last he let out a long breath. "Okay," he said. "But maybe I can help. I wasn't able to resist Hama before, even though I'm a waterbender too. But—maybe if I was in the Avatar State. I might be strong enough to fight them off."

Katara hesitated. It was an idea. If Aang could take down armies, defeat Ozai at the height of his powers under the comet, then resisting bloodbending shouldn't be beyond him. He might even be able to stop most of them single-handedly.

Katara glanced away. "...Maybe," she allowed. "But—it would be dangerous to test it. We would have to find them again during another full moon, and if it didn't work—you'd be in danger."

Katara noticed Aang was gazing at her, and she let her eyes lift to meet his. They were like a brewing storm, filled with determination.

"Katara," he began, in a voice strangely gentle. "We could go out and test it right now. You could help me test it."

Katara stared back at him.

Maybe it was because of all the fighting that had left her exhausted, or the fact it was the middle of the night and she'd not gotten any sleep. Maybe she was still so busy thinking about her own role in all this, how she had herself given Azula the tools to hurt her people herself. Maybe she was still thinking of the way Ty Lee and Suki had looked at her after they had seen what she had done, or the way Mai had glared at her for not letting Zuko tell them all the truth. Because it took her a full minute to understand what he was trying to say. What he was suggesting.

Katara took a sharp step back. She was quivering. For a moment, horror and fury whited out all thought—she couldn't speak.

Aang reached forward with a consoling hand, as though to take one of hers, and she jerked back.

"Katara—" he started to say, hand outstretched toward her.

Katara spun, turning her back on him. "Don't you—" she seethed, finally finding her voice. "I—will—never—" She breathed, and when she spoke again, her voice was sharp and cold as an ice dagger. "You won't ever ask me that again, Aang. Ever."

"But—" he began.

But Katara didn't give him a chance to finish. She stalked off down the long hall. Tears stung her eyes—and even in this palace surrounded by friends and people who loved and cared about her, she didn't think she'd ever felt so alone.

"Please, Lady Ursa, if you would just stay in your room at present... Lord Zuko has ordered you be kept safe."

The young captain stood before her, while the other guards formed a tight ring around them, facing out into the hall from the entrance to the room Ursa shared with Ikem and Kiyi, spears and fists raised. The young man might have been newly appointed, as he nervously tugged at one of his wrist bracers, beads of sweat just visible at his temple under his helmet. Still, his expression was solemn and earnest, a good soldier ready to follow his Fire Lord's commands.

It still didn't stop Ursa from wanting to hurl him up against the nearest wall and pin him there. Until he told her what was going on, and she found out for certain that Zuko was safe.

Ursa and Ikem had woken to the sound of a commotion outside their room, and discovered what looked like the entire royal guard outside. All Ursa had been able to get out of them was that there were dangerous assassins in the palace, after the Fire Lord. Assassins with strange powers. However, they had soon after received word that the assassins had apparently been driven off, and Zuko was supposed to be going to the throne room for a meeting with the Avatar. When Ursa had tried to make her way away to where Zuko might be, to see with her own eyes that he was all right, she had been blocked on her own threshold.

Ursa stood there for a long moment, staring the young captain down—but in spite of his apologetic expression, he was a Fire Nation soldier, with orders from his Fire Lord, and he clearly was not about to yield.

Ursa, hardly able to contain her frustration, returned to their room. After a pause, she closed the door behind her, in spite of the captain's protests.

She stood for a long moment in the empty space between the door and the foot of the bed, staring hard at the walls. It was relatively plain for a guest room in the Fire Nation palace, just the bed with its posts carved without flourish, the dresser along one wall, and a trunk in one corner with all their most important belongings from their old life at the cottage in Hira'a. She liked the simple style, the servants who had selected it at Zuko's request had chosen well. Only a single tapestry hung on the wall, a calm image of the beach on Ember Island, framed in metal.

Ursa eyed the tapestry, as a thought struck her. She quickly made her way for the dresser and, digging through the silks in the bottom drawer, she drew out a sheathed knife she kept there, given to her by Zuko, as a small means of protection. She turned next for the tapestry.

"What are you planning to do?" Ikem asked, coming up behind her. Kiyi, who had somehow managed to sleep through all the excitement, had now awakened, and she stood with her hand in her father's, blinking sleepily, in her other hand gripped her current favorite doll, with its brown tufts of hair and black buttons for eyes.

"I'm not sure," Ursa murmured, gazing at the image. "But—I have to find out what's going on." She had to make sure Zuko was safe. And—if these assassins were who she thought they might be—

"Kiyi, sweetheart," Ursa said. "Would you be able to do something for me?"

Kiyi blinked, trying to blink the sleep away, and she stepped forward, curious.

Ursa pointed to the bottom of the tapestry, the metal frame around it. "Could you try to firebend? Right here?"

Kiyi frowned. "But I thought I wasn't supposed to firebend inside when I'm not training."

"I think we can make an exception this once," Ursa said. "It's an emergency."

Kiyi shrugged. Then, setting her doll on the ground, took up a stance—with the instruction she had been receiving from the tutor Zuko had found for her, and tips from Zuko himself, she had been progressing quickly.

Ursa stepped back, as Kiyi took a breath—then punched forward.

The flames burst over the metal, and Ursa held her breath, hoping the tapestry wouldn't catch fire.

For a moment, nothing happened, and Ursa sank slightly in disappointment. Perhaps she had been wrong—

Something creaked, and the metal frame inched out from the wall, sliding sideways, just enough to reveal a sliver of black beyond.

Heart pounding, Ursa drew the knife, and inserted it into the space, prying the image sideways further. She raised herself up, trying to peer into the darkness.

Ikem appeared at her shoulder a moment later, a candle in a holder in hand.

"Is that—" he started.

"A secret passage," Ursa murmured. "Yes. It would appear so."

"It's been here this whole time," he said, frowning, unnerved. "How did you know?"

Ursa shook her head. "I didn't. But—there are many such hidden passages around the palace. Most of them lead to Ozai's hidden stashes of treasures, I think, but there are some meant to allow the royal family simply to move about the palace unseen, or have an escape route in case the palace was attacked." Some required firebending, others not, though there were sometimes ways to get around the mechanism even for those that did.

Ursa didn't add how she had been made aware of some of these passages. It was her old servant Elua who had first shown her, and she had made use of them to give letters to Elua who had said she would deliver them secretly to her old town of Hira'a. Of course, Elua had always been working for Ozai from the beginning, and likely he had wanted her to know of them purely so she would think she had some measure of control, when all the while she was as much in his cage as ever. Other than the night she had left the palace, after knowing he knew of them, she had never used the passages again.

Ursa pulled the tapestry sideways, just large enough to fit through, and she placed a leg over the side.

Ikem hovered nearby apprehensively. He glanced down at Kiyi beside him, who was watching Ursa with wide, fascinated eyes. "Sweetheart, would you go grab the other candle holder? I think your mother will need it."

"I wanna go too," she said, folding her arms.

"No, sweetie," Ursa said. "I need you to stay here with your daddy. Keep him safe for me, won't you?"

Kiyi's frown deepened, but her obstinate posture relaxed. She glanced down at her doll, then at Ikem. "Okay," she muttered, frowning at the wall. After a moment, she turned for the nightstand, where Ursa kept her own candle for light after dark.

When Kiyi was out of earshot, Ikem leaned close and whispered, "Is this... wise? Your son will already have all his guards. And he is a powerful firebender. They think the assassins are gone, but some of them may still be here."

Ursa didn't immediately answer. Some could indeed still be lingering. And, a part of her almost hoped that they were—one, if she was right, in particular.

Ursa shook her head. In an undertone, she said, "I have to make sure he's all right, Ikem." She added, with a hint of a smile, "Besides, without an escort of guards, who would think I was important enough to be worth any trouble?"

Ikem didn't look convinced, but he didn't try to stop her as she carefully placed her other leg over the panel edge, stepping down. Now she stood fully inside the passage.

Kiyi came back up to stand next to her father, holding up the candle. She seemed to know what she needed to do, and with a little punch of her small fist, set the wick to burning. She handled it to Ikem, and Ikem reached forward, handing it to Ursa.

Ursa smiled back at them. "I'll be back soon," she said softly. "I love you both."

The passage was initially small and cramped, but soon expanded out into a narrow hallway. If the Fire Lord or visiting noble was going to escape the palace using this passage, likely they preferred to have the freedom to run, rather than stoop and shuffle. She hadn't the slightest idea of where the passage would lead, but she had hunch that, if it was built as an escape passage, it would have to come out somewhere on the ground floor. Which would be closer to the throne room than she was now.

The passage forked up ahead, and she took the left, feeling as the floor began to descend, turning instead to a stairway. The passage had clearly not seen any use in years, as her night slippers kicked up dust with each step. However, on one turn she noticed a small series of scorch marks on one wall, forming a written character that was now illegible. As though years ago one of the servant's children had found the passage, and marked it to prove their cleverness.

When at last the stairs ended, and she once again walked on level ground, Ursa raised the candle, scanning the blank wall, forged of metal. There would have to be an exit somewhere. She could only hope she could get through it without firebending, or this would all have been a waste of time.

Ursa's eyes finally alighted on a nearly invisible line, a seam in the otherwise uninterrupted metal plate, and she stopped. She lifted the candle closer, examining it. Surely the Fire Lords of old would have wanted to be able to get of the passage quickly and easily. They would no doubt have all been firbenders, but might they have known of chi-blockers back then—anticipated the possible need to get out even without firebending. Or maybe the Fire Lords before Sozin might have had more compassion, wished to allow any poor soul who might have wandered in by accident the means of escape.

Ursa drew her knife and inserted the tip into the edge of the seam. She levered it back, and was startled when the plate instantly gave way, along with a loud metallic screech that made her wince.

More carefully, she worked the knife around the edge, expanding the line of light from the room beyond. At last the metal plate fell off into her hand, and very carefully, making no sound, set it down on the floor inside the passage.

Ursa peeked out into the room beyond, and blinked when she realized she knew exactly where she was. She was much nearer the throne room than she would have thought.

The place seemed to be deserted, and so Ursa stepped over the edge, out into the torchlight, candle holder still clutched in one hand, the unsheathed knife in the other. She knew she didn't have any time to spare, but her eyes wandered back anyway, toward the opposite wall.

Ursa had not been to the Royal Gallery since her first arrival back in the palace months ago. Here hung the portraits of each of the Fire Lords, their likenesses stretching to the high ceiling above, towering over any who dared gaze upon them. At first, Ursa had mostly been avoiding the portrait of Ozai—whose presence, though he might have been imprisoned and without influence, still seemed to linger over the place, filling her with all the terror of his threats over the years, his cruelty. However, these days it was more simply she had not had any occasion to visit it, and she probably wouldn't, until Zuko had his own portrait commissioned. Then she would be the very first person here, to see it as it came to life, and captured all the great and good Zuko was, and all he had done for the Fire Nation.

Before Ursa could start toward the end of the hall, in the direction of the throne room, she heard voices, and she quickly ducked back behind the nearest golden pillar, just behind where the tail of a carved dragon reached the floor. She blew out the candle.

Probably just guards—but if they caught her, they would almost certainly escort her back to her room. She just had to see that Zuko was safe first, with her own eyes. Then she could go back, satisfied.

Still, she found eyes scanning the dark corners of the hall, where the torchlight didn't reach. The assailants could still be here. Her heart beat faster, with fear, and hope.

A sudden familiar rasping voice at the far end of the hall made Ursa start.

"Keep the entire guard on alert the rest of the night. Order some of the garrison here for reinforcements if you have to."

"Yes, sir."

Ursa peeked out barely from behind the wide pillar, to see Zuko standing there, his night clothes slightly rumpled, face tired and worn, but otherwise perfectly well. His guards stood nearby, along with the Avatar's earthbending friend Toph, her arms folded.

Ursa felt herself relax by degrees. He really was all right. He was safe another night.

"Now," Zuko said. "I have something personal to attend to. Wait for me here." He added, "Thanks for your help, Toph, you can go to bed with the others. I'll see you and the others in the morning."

"Sure thing," Toph's voice answered. "Er, I mean, my pleasure to assist the great and magnificent Fire Lord Zuko."

The obvious twist of irony in the address was impossible to miss—Ursa gathered that Zuko's friends had not yet taken to the attempts at greater formality around the palace, and she had to smile to herself, especially at Zuko's answering embarrassed silence.

Ursa, who had still been clutching the knife, silently sheathed it. Zuko seemed to have everything under control. The assassins really were probably gone by now, with Zuko and Avatar Aang's friends and the rest of the guard all on alert, it would be too dangerous for them to linger, no matter how powerful or wiley they were. And so, she'd best be getting back now, before Zuko found out about this little escapade.

Ursa glanced back over her shoulder, toward the entrance to the passage. Even with the panel gone, it wasn't immediately obvious, set in the shadow of one of the wall's many grand pillars, but it wouldn't take long to spot either.

Ursa turned her head back in the direction of the end of the wide hall, and the echoing voices. After a moment of silence, she cautiously stuck her head out again, to find the end of the hall now empty. Her eyes scanned over it carefully, but they were gone.

Breathing a sigh of relief, eyes lingering a moment longer on the end of the hall, she turned back in the direction of the secret passage—and nearly walked straight into Zuko.

He stood imperiously, arms folded over his chest, somehow intimidating in spite of his rumpled night clothes.

"Mother," he greeted curtly. "Toph told me you were here."

Ursa thought her pounding heart might beat its way out of her chest, but using all her years of court discipline and control, instead she smiled, her hand still on the candle holder betraying not so much as a tremor.

"Zuko," she said. "You're so quiet, I didn't hear you. What a surprise, I'd heard you were in a meeting."

Zuko's expression didn't change. "Did the guards not tell you there was an assassination attempt?"

Ursa cleared her throat delicately. "They might have—mentioned something like that."

"They didn't tell you to stay in your room until I ordered it safe?" Zuko pressed.

Ursa smiled politely, inwardly marveling that her own son could make her feel like a naughty child caught out after curfew.

Zuko sighed suddenly, pressing a hand to his head as though with a headache. "How did you get here? I can't imagine Captain Cheng would just let you leave."

Ursa hesitated. Her eyes flickered toward the shadowed corner.

Zuko, following her gaze, turned. His good eye widened. "Is that—"

"A secret passage," she admitted. "It apparently leads from the guest room where we stay down here."

Zuko had paled, and he mouthed wordlessly for a moment before he hissed, "A secret passage to your room? Mother, don't you realize—why didn't you say something? We could have had you moved, or had it blocked off, or guarded, or something. Don't you know the person who knows these types of secret passages best is—"

Zuko blinked and broke off, then turned his eyes to glare in the direction of the portraits, though he didn't seem to see them.

Ursa's heart quickened, and she forgot for the moment her guilt and embarrassment. "Azula," she whispered. She reached out, gripping him by the forearm. "Was she behind this, Zuko? Was she here, did you see her?"

Zuko glanced away. "She was definitely behind it," he admitted. "But no, I didn't see her, we don't think she was here."

He raised his eyes back to her, still angry. "If there was a passage, you should have blocked it off and told us immediately. Didn't you realize it would be a way right to you?"

Ursa bowed her head, properly chastised, but it wasn't quite enough to curb the sudden buzzing in her fingertips. Azula may not have been here, but she had been close. Close in a sense. She was—somewhere.

"I'm sorry," Ursa said softly. "I didn't discover this particular passage until this night, but there are others, I just didn't think about many others besides your father or myself knowing of them. I will tell you of all the ones I know. I'm sorry to have alarmed you."

Zuko glared sternly for a moment longer. Then at last he slumped, running his hand through his hair in exhaustion. "Okay," he said. "Okay—you're safe, and that's what matters. Just—I'm going to escort you back up to your room. And—please stay there this time."

"I will," Ursa answered meekly.

Zuko turned away, the relief and exhaustion clear in the sag of his shoulders, before he forced himself to straighten, holding his head up as the Fire Lord he was.

Ursa reached out and touched his arm lightly, making him glance back.

"Do you…" she began. "Know what you will do next?"

Zuko paused, then shook his head. "No, not yet. I just had a meeting with Aang and the others, but we hadn't made any decisions. But—I think we'll be going after Azula. We'll want to go after her before—" He hesitated, glancing away. "...Before the next full moon."

He stood there for a moment, as though waiting for her to ask him what he meant. When she didn't, he said, "We were going to go after her anyway. Uncle is already on his way, and should arrive to take over my duties soon. He'll keep you all safe while I'm gone."

Ursa nodded once in answer. "Of course he will. Thank you, Zuko."

He turned away then, again making for the hall, to lead the way back to her room.

Ursa stared at his back. Zuko had grown into such a fine, strong young man. He had been forced into the role of Fire Lord far too young, and yet he bore it with courage and grace and wisdom.

Which made her feel all the worse, as she realized with a sudden force what she was about to ask. What she had to ask, what she had to get him to agree to, no matter how he might resist, no matter what pain might come as a result.

"Zuko?"

He stopped and turned. He'd nearly reached the next pillar, and his feet fell in the shadow of a decorative dragon's tail.

Ursa hesitated. She had placed the knife in the sash around her waist, and now she gripped the candle holder between both hands. "I..." she began. "I was wondering..."

She swallowed, taking a silent breath. Then she stood tall and, with all the authority of a former princess of the Fire Nation, former wife to the former Fire Lord, and mother of the current Fire Lord, she said, "If it does happen, that you and Avatar Aang and the others choose to leave and pursue Azula—I would like to formally request that you allow me to accompany you."

Zuko froze. His eyes fixed on her face, and he was still as the pillar beside him.

"I need to come with you," Ursa said again, forcing all the confidence she could muster into her voice. "I must."

Zuko fully turned to face her, and at last found his voice, the words coming out in a tangled sputter. "Mother, you—you can't be—do you have any idea how dangerous—"

Ursa regarded him solemnly. "I know. I know this is a selfish thing to ask. But—the last time I spoke with Azula, I didn't remember her. I need to speak with her again. I must speak with her."

Zuko was shaking his head. "We're going to recapture her. Then you'll be able to speak with her all you want."

Ursa opened her mouth, trying to think how she could possibly explain. To wait until Azula was bound or they were separated by bars or chains—until it was perfectly safe—would be too late. She knew she had failed Zuko, but it was Azula she had failed the most. She wanted to be the one to seek her out, to be the one who went to her.

"I..." Ursa began haltingly. "I do not know... if I can help her. But, please Zuko, I beg you—I must be allowed to try."

Zuko leaned heavily against the nearby pillar, hand gripping the dragon's scales. She knew what she was asking of him—and what she was asking of Ikem and Kiyi as well. Such a risk extended far beyond just herself. But Azula was her daughter too, one she had failed, and failed, and failed.

Ursa approached, and placed her hand over his. "I know you want to help her as much as I do," she said, so softly she barely heard the words herself. "Well, there are things that perhaps only I may be able to resolve. Please, Zuko."

Zuko had been staring hard at the wall where the portrait of his father hung, his good eye narrowed with pain, the other as ever ravaged by Ozai's unjust punishment. But now his gaze returned to hers. The conflict raged in his features—before his shoulders finally sagged in defeat.

"I'm not going to make any promises," he said in a low voice. "But, tomorrow morning... meet us at the front of the palace, in the courtyard. We'll... see."

Ursa bowed her head, nodding once, before she quietly followed him back along the Royal Gallery. Emotion thrummed just beneath the surface of her calm facade. Excitement, nerves. Her chest swelled with warmth, as her skin pricked with chill.

She would finally be allowed to act. To do as she wanted, needed. And she would try not to think where her chosen course might lead.

A/N: Another one down! A bit of a setup chapter this time around. Writing characters breaking into/out of secure places is possibly one of the things I dread writing the most, so it's always nice when canon presents you with some secret passages you can just throw in there.

Thanks for reading! If you have a moment, let me know what you thought, and hope to see you in the next one!

Posted 5/22/23