Responses to Reviews:

Zigzagdoublezee: Yes, I don't think Ozai's intentions here are as pure as he claims.

TORONTOSUN: Sorry I didn't respond yesterday. I only saw your review after I had posted the last chapter. Thank you!

RonaldM40196867: I like Yue's conflict between her duty and her feelings, and I intend to expand on that theme a lot through this story.

Killerbee: I hope you enjoy it.

61394: And Yue didn't even know she was a bender at all, let alone the Avatar, until about an hour before this chapter starts.

As Always, Please Review!

Yue watched in startled terror as her mysterious attacker prepared to deliver the final blow, but just as he unleashed the explosion a wall of ice reared in front of her and absorbed it. They were showered in ice as Sokka pulled her to her feet.

"Prin- Avatar!" A familiar voice hailed her. Master Pakku strode towards them, using swift, precise movements to launch shards of ice towards their attacker. One of them hit the Firebender square in the chest and knocked him over, buying them precious seconds. "Get out of here! I'll deal with him!"

"What are you doing here?" Yue spluttered.

"Did you think your father was going to let you run off on your own unprotected?" Pakku asked. "Now go! What are you waiting for?"

"You were spying on me?"

"You know we say "Thank you for saving me" here!" Pakku growled. "Why am I still talking to you? Run!"

Then he turned to give the mysterious Firebender his full attention.

"Get out of my city," he demanded. And then the fight was on. Yue and Sokka half leant on and half dragged each other away as the sound of splashes and explosions and rushing water were heard behind them. They did not stop until they were around the corner and out of sight.

"Oh spirits," Yue breathed. "Ohspiritsohspiritsohspirits-"

"What was that?" Sokka demanded. "Come on! Couldn't they wait at least a few days before trying to kill the Avatar?"

Yue would prefer they didn't try at all, but it was apparently an occupational hazard of being the Avatar. That didn't make her feel any better though, as they fought for breath and tried to make sense of the sudden brush with death.

"Who are they anyway?" Sokka leaned against the wall and coughed.

"No idea," Yue shook her head. "Never seen that man before."

"We should get back to the palace," Sokka told her. "It'll be safe!"

"Yes, safe," Yue agreed as they took off running, the sound of distant explosions spurring them on. But something else caught Yue's attention; the docks appeared to be on fire. The revelry of just a few minutes earlier had turned into confusion, and even a few screams as explosions from Pakku's fight continued to reverberate.

"Sokka!" Suddenly his family were in front of them.

"What's going on? We heard explosions-"

"Someone tried to kill us!" Sokka blurted. "Sparky- sparky-boom- man! Those explosions were being shot at us!"

"Who?" Katara frowned.

"Big and scary and shoots fire!" Sokka emphasised. "We didn't get much beyond that!"

"We're headed to the palace," Yue managed. "We think it's the safest place, Master Pakku is keeping him busy."

"Good," Hakoda nodded. "Room for two more?"

Yue nodded, and they began making their way towards the palace. Hakoda held the largest war-club that Yue had ever seen tightly as he glanced back over their shoulder every so often, looking for trouble. By now the fires were spreading, to the point that the horizon was taking on a distinctive orange glow. She had the terrible feeling that "sparky-sparky-boom-man" might not be acting alone.

Rounding another corner, the group came to the courtyard outside the palace. Foreign dignitaries were milling around outside, panic on their faces. One of the Earth Kingdom officials saw her first.

"Avatar!" He called and rushed towards them, the others following him. "Avatar Yue! What's happening? We heard explosions!"

Yue took several deep, shaky breaths to calm herself down. This was diplomacy. She could do this, it was almost second nature in fact. She didn't need to be the Avatar, just the Princess of the Northern Water Tribe.

"I don't know what's happening," she told them. "But it looks like we're under attack. By a Firebender."

She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to come face to face with one of the Fire Nation diplomats.

"How could that happen?" The man demanded, waving his hands dramatically. "How dare he-"

There was a flash of silver in the moonlight as the knife raced towards Yue's heart. The Avatar cried out as she threw herself backwards, feeling the blade nick her abdomen a little through the thick furs she was wearing, which fortunately absorbed most of the force. The man did not have much time to continue his attack before Hakoda's mighty war-club sent him flying. The crowd was sent into further panic by the attack, and many of them began to run back into the palace.

They were stopped by a figure who appeared on the front step, silhouetted in the light behind him.

A man in the full red battle armour of an Imperial Firebender blocked the doorway, soon joined by another two. They assumed firebending stances, and launched jets of flame at the crowd.

"But those are Ozai's men?" Hakoda said disbelievingly. There was a shout from behind them and they saw more firebenders approaching, rushing straight towards Yue.

Sokka pulled her to her feet again.

"Run!" Was all he said. Yue didn't need telling twice. They took off, trying to skirt around the building away from the firebenders at the entrance. Yue's heart was pounding. Was the Firelord behind this? Was that why he had come all this way? Surely no head of state would actually try to kill the Avatar, this must be some ploy by someone else to frame him. But then why had one of his diplomats tried to stab her?

She was interrupted by a hand which grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a wall. Her yelp drew the attention of her companions, who turned with weapons outstretched to find the Fire Prince, Zuko, gesturing for them to hide with him with his fingers over his lips.

"Hide!" He said.

They didn't need telling twice, but all glared at Zuko with suspicious eyes.

"What?" He asked. "What's going on? I heard shouting, came down to see what it was and found the Avatar seemingly running for her life"."

"Really?" Sokka asked. "This isn't some kind of trap?"

"Why would it be a trap?" Zuko replied, seemingly genuinely baffled by the suggestion.

"Sorry about my brother," Katara quickly butted in. "He's suspicious of people."

"Right," Zuko nodded slowly. "And do you know what's happening?"

"We're being attacked," Hakoda told him. "We don't know by who."

Zuko frowned.

"Hey, maybe you could come with us! Or we could try to get to where the air nomads are keeping their bison, maybe one of them could give you a lift. I'll help you-"

"You didn't know?" Another voice came from behind them. They all swivelled to find Princess Azula standing there with a bored expression on her face.

"You're enemies of the Fire Nation now. Dad said so."

"No he didn't!" Zuko pointed at her angrily. "You're lying!"

Yue glanced at him, and saw that he appeared genuine. Whatever Ozai had planned, Zuko seemed honestly out of the loop. And judging by his expression he was very unhappy about it.

"Look around you, the proof is there," Azula shrugged. "He just didn't tell you because, well, look at you. You're helping them!"

She paused, for dramatic effect more than anything else, and then looked directly at Yue. The amber eyes burned into her, promising nothing but bad things.

"So, you're the Avatar. I'm afraid my father has ordered your execution. Don't worry, it's nothing personal."

She didn't sound apologetic in the slightest.

She took a step closer and blue sparks lit up at the end of her fingers.

"It's just business."