Today, as I write this, it is St George's Day. So happy St George's day to all who celebrate, including my own English compatriots.

Responses to Reviews:

Zigzagdoublezee: On one hand, a simple hug given out of gratitude shouldn't be too much of a cause for jealousy, but on the other these are teenagers whose emotional maturity may leave something to be desired.

RonaldM40196867: The best is Zuko Alone. I couldn't say what the worst is.

As Always, Please Review!

The governor's fortress, it turned out, was less a fortress and more a pair of mighty walls set into a mountain pass, one behind the other, guarded by catapults. A pair of towers had been constructed on the heights either side of it to guard it from any potential outflanking attacks, and it was defensible from either side. Between the walls were warehouses, barracks, stables for ostrich-horses, granaries and silos to provide food, wells for water, armouries and a palace in the middle where the Governor lived. A huge gate made of stone was set into the wall, and as the refugee column approached Rinzen piloted Gembul closer to get their attention. Green flags flew from the top of the wall, and below them soldiers peered up at them curiously.

"They don't look happy," Sokka observed.

"Do we look like the Fire Nation to you?" Jet asked sarcastically. Then he stood up.

"Hey!" He shouted down. "I'm back! I'm Jet! This is the Avatar!"

Gembul came closer, and some of the soldiers cheered them as they approached. Then they were over the wall and descending fast, towards what looked like an archery range.

They landed with a bump, and Jet had immediately dismounted. Soldiers stared at them.

"Private Jet, reporting for duty!" He told them.

"Who are these people, Private?" An officer appeared, strolling towards them, one arm resting on the hilt of a sheathed sword.

"Hello," Yue rushed to address him. "My name is Yue. I'm the Avatar, and the Princess of the Northern Water Tribe."

The Officer studied her features.

"I've heard about you," he said. "Well, you don't look like the Fire Nation. My name is Shi. Why are you here?"

"I need to speak to the governor," Yue told him. "There's a Fire Nation army headed your way and a column of Refugees which needs passage on their way to Ba Sing Se."

The revelation that the fort was in fact essentially a gate had changed her plans somewhat.

"And you?" Shi looked at Jet and Longshot, who were stood at attention.

"We were sent out on a chariot patrol," Jet explained. "We ran into Fire Nation tanks, and the commander attacked them. We... we were the only ones who escaped."

Shi took his helmet off and looked grave.

"I see," he said. Then he turned and pointed.

"You!"

Yue saw a young recruit spring to attention at once.

"Run to the palace! Tell the Governor the Avatar is here!"

The man- no, boy- nodded frantically and dashed away.

"Return to your regiment," Shi told Jet and Longshot. Then he turned to Yue.

"Walk with me," he said.

Yue nodded, and then turned to the two soldiers. Jet and Longshot looked at Shi for permission to break formation, and then came up to her.

"Thank you," Jet said, shaking her hand. "You saved my life."

"You're very welcome," Yue replied. Jet moved to Katara, and bowed deeply.

"Thank you for healing me," he said. "You are very talented, if I may say so."

"You may," Katara replied, blushing.

"Bye!" Jet gave them a wave and then he walked off, Longshot by his side. Then they were alone with the officer.

"I had heard the Avatar was going to be revealed," Shi said. "I must admit I didn't pay it much thought. Then the war started and I had bigger things to worry about. We all did."

"I don't think that was a coincidence," Yue told him. "The Fire Nation timed it for just after the ceremony so they could begin the war by killing me."

"Ah, did they?" Shi smiled sadly. "Looks like that didn't go well for them then."

"No, it didn't," Yue shook her head. "It was close though."

The boy Shi had sent to the Governor rushed towards them, waving his arms and shouting frantically.

"What?" Shi asked irritably. "What now?"

The boy pointed back the way he had come and Yue saw another figure striding towards them, still in the middle of doing up the straps on an ornate breastplate. An attendant trailed behind him holding a helmet.

"The governor," Shi whispered as he bowed.

"So this is the Avatar," the new arrival looked her up and down. "About time too. My name is Da Gao, I'm the Governor of this Province."

Yue's eyes widened. She knew enough about the class system of the Earth Kingdom to know that having two names instead of just one was a marker of belonging to a very important family. She bowed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said. "My name is Yue. The-"

"The Avatar, yes, I know who you are." Governor Gao looked at her. "I've heard the stories. About a girl with white hair who destroyed a Fire Nation river fleet, and who fought Pirates. You've been getting around."

Once again, Yue was grateful for her outfit. It was a lot easier getting people to accept her as the Avatar if she looked the part.

He looked around.

"What brings you to me?"

"I come with a warning and a request," Yue told him. "The Fire Nation is coming. They'll be here very soon, and then you'll be forced to fight."

"I know," Gao nodded. "We have scouts, we've been tracking the Firebenders with chariots since we got news of the attack."

"I also need passage through this gate for a refugee column," Yue carried on. "They're on their way to Ba Sing Se. They've already barely escaped being captured once."

"But that will mean opening the gate. Do you know how far away the Fire Nation army is?"

"It doesn't take that long to close it, does it?" Sokka asked.

"It does not," Gao shook his head. "But this is war. This gate controls a key mountain pass, and if it falls into enemy hands their path to the Capital will be made a lot easier. One can never be too careful."

"So you're just going to trap them?" Katara asked. The question sounded calm but Yue could sense the dangerous undercurrent in her tone.

Gao considered. Yue could see him weighing up the pros and cons. Then he shrugged.

"Let them through," he said. "But I warn you, the moment I see red flags on the horizon I'm closing the gate. No matter who is on the wrong side of it."

Yue nodded, as orders were passed out and messengers rushed off towards the gatehouse. She had worried that the man would be completely unreasonable, and fortunately that did not seem to be the case. She just had to hope that the Fire Nation was not too hot on their heels.