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Chapter Text

The Fire Nation’s fleet had been defeated by Aang.

Princess Yue had made a great sacrifice when giving her life to the Moon Spirit, Sokka’s eyes were still wet from tears. Katara hugged him tightly, and after a second, Aang joined them. They made it. They were safe.

Facing Chief Arnook and Master Pakku wasn’t easy. Sokka informed the chief about what had happened to Yue. Katara had never heard her brother speak like this before, his voice steady, but his eyes distanced from the present.

The chief wiped the tears from his cheek. “I knew the day would finally come, but no father could’ve been ready for this,” he said, quietly. “I’m proud of her.”

“The entire tribe owes her their lives,” added Master Pakku, squeezing the chief’s shoulder.

Katara suddenly turned to Sokka and Aang. “Where is the firebender?” The old man had helped them defend the spirit, fighting against his own people. He was Fire Nation, but he’d helped…

“No, idea,” answered Sokka, scratching his neck. “He disappeared after… after, um… after Yue – “

“What firebender?” fumed Master Pakku.

Sokka swallowed the fact that the man bluntly interrupted him and began explaining. “There were two… Crazy Sideburns killed the spirit, and the other guy was helping us.”

“The one with sideburns was Zhao,” said Aang, swallowing hard. “He was taken by the Ocean Spirit.”

Sokka massaged his temples. “I don’t know why Fire Spitting Grandpa helped us, but he didn’t seem entirely evil.”

“We will search the city,” said Master Pakku and started giving orders to his people.

Aang anxiously cleared his throat. “Umm guys… Do you remember that we have one more firebender?”

“What?” Master Pakku asked coldly.

The firebender who had raided her home, who had been constantly attacking them, who had stolen her mother’s necklace… The firebender who hunted Aang in his dreams, who had nearly kidnapped and killed the world’s last hope. The firebender they should’ve left in the blizzard.

Sokka growled, rubbing his face. “The angry jerk who was following us across the world and tried to kidnap Aang… This time he actually did it,” admitted Sokka. “He took him when Aang was doing his spirit mumbo-jumbo and they almost froze in the blizzard. We knocked him out, and we both,” He pointed at himself and Katara, “were insisting on leaving him there, but Aang and his pacifist-loving-life philosophy didn’t want to, so we took him with us.” Pakku looked at Sokka like he was about to choke him if he wouldn’t get to the point the next second. “Umm, he’s tied up on Appa… Still unconscious… Oh! And by the way, he’s Prince Zuko.”

Master Pakku and the chief looked at each other and after a second they nodded in silent understanding.

“We want him out of our saddle,” said Sokka. “Could you freeze him somewhere before he wakes?”

“Yes, we will handle the prince.”

Master Pakku called some waterbenders who lifted Zuko’s body from the saddle, if you would’ve asked Katara they were too gentle . The prince was paler than usual, not showing any sign of life when he was jolted and lifted by the benders.

“Umm… Could you give me the rope back? Please? It's a really good rope!” Sokka called after them, but he was ignored.

“We all need to rest,” said the Chief. “I would like to ask you to stay for a few days and help with the worst of the damage.”

“Of course, Chief,” said Katara.

Getting a full night of sleep was impossible, anger made her restless and she was tossing and turning the entire time. Maybe if she hadn’t known that Zuko was somewhere here – too close to be able to rest peacefully – she would’ve been calmer.

Pakku watched the Fire Prince being restrained in tight manacles that left him hanging in the middle of the cell with spread arms. The healer had said that his condition wasn’t good, but he wasn’t dying either – Pakku was totally fine with that. He and Arnook just had to wait for the ashmaker to wake up to ask him questions.

“What Princess Yue did, was an act of incredible courage,” Pakku said carefully, observing the Chief’s clenched jaw and empty gaze focused on the ashmaker.

“I knew the day would come,” Arnook said numbly. “But it doesn’t change the fact that I just can’t – can’t accept it. How the Fire Nation… How could those monsters even think of – of something so horrible?”

Two warriors once more checked the restraints on the Prince’s wrists and added another chain linking his ankles. He was the only ashmaker that had been caught. Others had been killed by the Ocean Spirit or had managed to retreat. They got lucky that the only prisoner was the literal Prince of this wicked nation.

“We will find out soon,” answered Pakku. “Arnook… the damage is huge. Even with the Avatar’s help, it will take a long time to rebuild. And… Many of our warriors had died. We have found ten bodies already.”

Arnook swallowed. “I know. I know.” The Chief turned his back on the ashmaker and headed to the exit. “Tell me when he wakes up. I don’t want to look at him any longer than necessary. If not for them, Yue would live.”

The son of the cruellest man alive was hanging in front of him and Pakku smiled. A random soldier wouldn’t be able to give much information. The Prince – was a completely different story… Pakku couldn’t wait for the spawn to wake up.

First, there was pain in his wrists… then shoulders… then in all the rest of his body. Zuko’s thoughts were foggy, only thanks to muscle memory he managed to stand on his feet. His eyelids were too heavy. The only thing he could be sure of was that he was cold and everything hurt.

After a few shallow breaths, Zuko opened his eyes. He was in the middle of a room made of ice; two huge men stood in the corners watching him. He flinched and realized that his arms were chained, and he couldn’t move.

Then it hit him… Blizzard… the Avatar… the siege… the Waterbender… his defeat. The men in the corners didn’t move. Zuko wasn’t in any shape - or position -  to fight. He turned around to at least be aware of his surroundings, only to find two more men. Four warriors – probably benders – surrounded him. He was fucked.

Anxiety rose up in his chest, but he couldn’t show any weakness – never show weakness. Somebody had removed his insulated jacket, and now he was shivering only in a thin shirt. He recoiled when two more men walked into his cell.

Zuko was alone, helpless, chained with six men, most likely benders, in a small room made of ice. He desperately tested the tight manacle on his wrist, even though he knew there was no point to it.

“I’m Master Pakku and this is Chief Arnook.” The bender with cruel icy blue eyes and sharp jaw pointed at the older man at his right. “These four warriors are very skilled waterbenders. Better think twice before trying something stupid, Prince Zuko.”

Zuko stopped struggling and raised his chin to look straight into the man’s eyes. He would not show any fear.

“What do you want from me?”

“To ask you some questions, Your Highness.”

“What questions?” Zuko seriously had no idea what they wanted to talk about. His Avatar hunting? Why did they care?

“Isn’t it obvious?,” smiled Master Pakku, but there was no amusement, only hatred. “Let’s start with that siege of yours – “

“My what?”

The two men looked at each other. The older one clenched his jaw, refusing to look at Zuko longer than a few seconds, Master Pakku only sighed. Zuko was getting irritated, but then his mind caught up… While he’d been trying to capture the Avatar, Zhao had pursued his insane plan to attack the Water Tribe. The battle must have ended, which meant that Zhao had lost.

Oh no… Uncle. Uncle was with Zhao. Did he…

“Prince Zuko,” Master Pakku interrupted his rising panic. “In the Water Tribe, we value honesty, and the Fire Nation values honor. Isn’t it honorable to tell the truth?”

“The siege wasn’t mine,” grunted Zuko. “I had nothing to do with it.”

Master Pakku raised his eyebrows. “Hmm… I didn’t expect cowardice. Isn’t cowardice punished in your homeland?” Zuko glared at him. Of all people, he knew best, what kind of penalty awaited a coward. Pakku shrugged. “Let’s call it a power demonstration, shall we? Chief, may I?”

The Chief unsheathed a knife and gave it to Master Pakku. Zuko’s heart rate jumped, and he tried to distance himself from the blade. “Stay away from me!”

“Hold him still,” ordered Master Pakku. “I heard that hair's really important in the Fire Nation .”

Two warriors from the corners grabbed Zuko by his shoulders and neck. He tried to break free, but the men were strong, the same as his chains. Panicked breaths didn’t help, and it was getting harder to breathe with the pressure on his throat.

The knife was inches from his face. “Stop struggling, or I will cut more than I intend to. Your choice.”

Zuko stopped, the pressure at his throat stayed the same. Someone yanked his head forward, so he couldn’t see the knife any longer. He tensed, and then his hair was cut off right at the base of his phoenix tail.

They let go of his head and Master Pakku waved the hair in front of Zuko’s face. “Will you be cooperative, Your Highness?” he asked as he dropped the hair on the floor.

In the Fire Nation, hair was a symbol of honor. He’d tried to fool himself that he still had honor, but now… Now he couldn’t even pretend.  Zuko knew that it should’ve hurt him more. He’d heard of Soldiers that had broken over getting their hair cut, but deep down he’d known for a while that he had no honor left. 

He’d failed. He would never go back home. Who would ever want someone so pathetic back?

“What was the purpose of the invasion?” asked Master Pakku.

“Hmm… to invade?” snarled Zuko. “I have no idea what Zhao had in mind. I had nothing to do with it!”

“Of course, the Prince had nothing to do with this,” mocked Pakku.

“I haven't.”

“So, what are you doing here? Tell me you didn’t come with the fleet of ashmakers.”

“I followed the Avatar,” said Zuko. “My mission is to capture the Avatar. I broke into the city on my own! I don’t need Zhao’s fleet to do it.”

The two tribesmen looked at each other and then glared at Zuko.

“There is no way to break into the city,” said Master Pakku. “For your own sake, Prince Zuko, stop being stupid and start answering our questions.”

“I am answering your fucking questions!” snapped Zuko. If not for his current predicament, he would have laughed at their misconception. He smirked desperately. “When was the last time that you checked the turtle-seal’s tunnels? I’ve noticed some security issues.”

Master Pakku was not amused.

“I see… We intended to do this the easy way, but you must’ve forgotten your standing here. Let me give you another reminder.”

Master Pakku made a hand gesture and Zuko barely managed not to flinch, expecting a punch or some slither of water from the man. Nothing happened… Not in front of him.

Behind his back, the warriors slid into waterbending stances.

The Fire Nation scum started to struggle. There was a fear in those inhuman golden eyes that had been cruel only seconds before. Princey seemed to have expected that they would put up with his spoiled bullshit. 

Earlier, Pakku had instructed the guards that using violence might turn out to be necessary. A few Water whips should refresh the ashmaker's memory. The treatment was as drastic as it could get, but he was not surprised that the prince struggled. His warriors most definitely didn’t hold back.

It was surprising that the scum didn’t scream. The first strike must have surprised him because he almost lost his footing, but he yelped only once. He endured every strike after that with clenched teeth and quiet groans.

Pakku gestured to the guards to stop. “You are in no position to be sarcastic. Start again.”

The Prince glared at him even harder than before. “I had nothing to do with that fucking siege! I – UGH – “

Another whip reached his back. No matter how stupid the prince was, he should’ve finally understood how his lies would end.

No matter how many times he was hit, no matter how many bloodstains appeared on his shirt, he kept repeating the same lies. That he hadn’t known anything about the invasion, that he hadn’t been in charge, that he hadn’t had any contact with that Zhao he kept accusing. Fire Nation’s cowardice at its finest.

Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation was stubborn for sure, and it would be Pakku’s honor to break his will.

The two Water tribesmen watched with a smug expression as he tried his best not to cry out in pain. Whipping was one thing, older injuries another, but the worst was the cold. He barely managed not to shiver.

Master Pakku raised his hand and the next strike didn’t come. Zuko was gasping, trying to regulate his breathing. “I think I know what happened. You worked with Zhao – “

Zuko laughed at that. It was the most ridiculous thing he heard in his entire life. The whip quieted him.

“You were the diversion – you took care of the Avatar, so Zhao could kill the Moon Spirit. Was that your plan?”

Zuko frowned, looking at the waterbender. “Kill the Moon Spirit?!”

For the first time during the interrogation, the older man – Chief – moved forward. Zuko flinched. “He killed the Moon Spirit and my daughter gave her life in order to save us.” The man’s voice cracked. “Don’t act like you don’t know!”

“… I – I didn’t – “Zuko couldn’t finish, he was punched in the face by the Chief.

Did Zhao…? Was he really that stupid? Killing spirits?! What would Uncle have said? Wait… Uncle. What happened to Uncle? He was with Zhao, but there is no way he would have allowed him to kill the spirit…

“Prince Zuko,” said Master Pakku, “last chance to tell the truth.”

Zuko had no idea what happened during the invasion, since he had captured the Avatar. Back then, the invasion hadn’t even started yet. They were the ones who should tell him what the fuck happened!

He took a calming breath and swallowed the blood that had gathered in his mouth. “I wasn’t involved in the invasion. I didn’t know about Zhao’s plan – “ He measured his words, trying to spare his back any future agony. “Ask the others! No one even knew I was on the ship. They will tell you!”

The two Water Tribesmen looked at each other – Master Pakku smiled, the Chief looked like he was close to hitting Zuko again.

Master Pakku crossed his hands and smiled at Zuko. “Oh, I see. The Brave Prince ran away from the fight and doesn’t know a thing… All Fire Nation soldiers who stepped on our land were wiped out by the Avatar. Only a few ships managed to retreat.”

This hit worse than the previous punch.

Zuko swallowed hard. “No – no other prisoners?”

“No. Hundreds have died when their prince abandoned them.”

His people… Master Pakku was right – Zuko had failed them. And… Uncle. Oh Agni, what had happened to Uncle…

“There are no others. You’ve got our full attention, Your Highness.” Zuko didn't bother hiding his rising panic anymore… Did Uncle…? “I will leave you alone with this knowledge.” Master Pakku turned to the guards. “Give him only water, no food. Maybe hunger will put an end to his creativity. We will talk again tomorrow. Goodbye, Your Highness.”

Chapter Text

The benders left Zuko alone in his cell. It didn’t even have a normal door, one of them just created a wall of thick ice. Zuko once again tried to free his hands from the tight cuffs – without any results. He had no other option than to stand there with numb arms, shivering.

Escape wasn’t an option – at least for now.

Zuko hadn’t captured the Avatar – he got captured by the Avatar. Life just kept finding ways to kick him harder and harder, hoping that one day he wouldn’t be able to get up.

But if Zuko escaped, Father wouldn’t know about this failure. He could still redeem himself in his eyes… Unless the Water Tribe would inform the Fire Lord about Zuko’s whereabouts. Shit. He just hoped that these Savages were too busy torturing him to think about the possible ransom. Not that Father would agree, Zuko had to save himself. He had to prove himself.

Zuko hadn’t been able to save the hundreds of men who had fallen. Good men had died for nothing because Zhao led them on a suicide mission. Zuko should’ve known about it… He should’ve stopped Zhao.

Another division – divisions – he hadn’t been able to save.

Zuko swallowed hard, trying to stay calm using Uncle’s breathing exercises…

What had happened to Uncle?

There was no way Uncle could’ve supported Zhao. Uncle believed in spirits and all... Did that mean he was… No. It wasn’t possible. Uncle couldn’t… Just no.

Zuko just had to escape and find him… right? He had to wait for the right moment. He’d escape, find Uncle, find the Avatar, and return home.

Zuko would never betray his father or the Fire Nation, he wouldn’t lower himself to that level. Not that he knew anything, father didn’t bother to update him on his military plans and the newest strategies. And three years ago, when Zuko was still around the palace, no one told anything to a child!

He had no idea what he should do to spare himself the suffering and be physically capable of escaping when the right moment came. His back throbbed with pain, and another whipping would only make him weaker. They didn’t believe anything he said, even when he was telling the fucking truth! 

The Tribesmen came back in the morning. Zuko hadn’t slept, hadn’t rested at all, in this uncomfortable position that made his every joint ache. It was hard to pretend that exhaustion and hunger didn’t bother him. Especially, when this fucking bastard had the audacity to greet Zuko with a smile.

“Did you sleep well, Your Highness?”

Zuko scowled at him, biting his tongue.

“What did the Fire Nation plan to do after the invasion?” asked Master Pakku, abandoning his previous amusement. Zuko hated both men with passion. “Exterminate us or create another colony?”

Zuko shifted his weight to relieve the pressure on his shoulders and regretted it immediately. He had to say something, so he took a deep, painful breath.

“I can only guess... I only found out about the invasion a few hours before the fleet cast off,” he said, telling them the truth. “The goal was probably to conquer the city. Zhao would have  captured all the benders and the rest would have had to work for the Fire Nation, but  no more harm would’ve come to them.” At least Zuko thought that would have been the right thing to do, but Zhao was insane.

“Oh, at least I see that you have become more cooperative after the last night. I appreciate that.” Zuko would have laughed at that, but he knew better after yesterday. “Not that I believe you. Your Admiral killed the Moon Spirit. It doesn’t fit  your peaceful invasion.”

“It’s not my fault that Zhao is – was an idiot. It wasn’t my invasion.”

“As a Prince, you were Zhao’s superior officer,” said Master Pakku. “That means that either he was following your orders, or you failed to manage your subordinates.”

“That’s not – I mean… I wasn’t Zhao’s superior. He had direct orders from the Fire Lord. They are more valuable than –” Zuko wanted to avoid having to explain the banishment-thing. No one would have believed it, either. “– than any order, I could give.”

“I see...” said Master Pakku. Zuko was sure that the man didn’t see the whole picture. “Yesterday, you threw the blame on that admiral. I see that today you’ve decided to blame your father. Very brave of you, Your Highness. Your Fire Lord would be proud, for sure” mocked Master Pakku.

The Fire Lord had never been proud of him. Zuko hadn’t ever given him reason to be. And he wouldn’t dare to throw the blame on him. But Master Pakku didn’t listen and the agony started again.

No matter what Zuko said, they always accused him of lying. He’d tried to tell them that he didn’t know the answers to their questions, and they tried to refresh his memory with the unforgiving water. When they asked about the Fire Nation’s military movements, he’d tried to make something up, but it didn't save him from the pain tearing his back apart either.

It was getting harder to say anything as his jaw hurt from clenching it too tight and swallowing down the groans.

“Whatever I say, you won’t believe me!” Zuko screamed, reaching his breaking point when the pain became too much. “Tell me what am I supposed to say! I fuckin’ will!”

“Easy, Prince Zuko,” said Master Pakku, not impressed by his outburst. “Don’t waste your energy. Maybe we will believe you when you will no longer have the guts to lie. We still have a little time.”

“What?” asked Zuko.

Master Pakku shook his head. “No, Prince Zuko, don’t get me wrong. We won’t hold you ransom and send you home afterward.”

For the first time, Zuko felt relieved when listening to this Savage. Nothing that the tribesmen could do to him would compare to his father’s rage. Zuko trembled at the thought.

“You will stay with us and tell us everything you know,” said Pakku.

“Even if I wanted to, I can’t,” gasped Zuko. “I have no knowledge of active military movements. I was banished. I was only focused on the Avatar.”

“Banished? Yet another line of defense that's supposed to deceit us?”

Zuko’s shoulders slumped. “It’s the truth,” he whispered, feeling powerless. “Everyone knows that. It’s not my fault that you, savages, isolated yourselves from the world on this stupid glacier!”

One of the benders behind his back splashed him with freezing water.

“We will cool off your temper. And you will tell us everything, or we will make sure you will remember the sunless time for the rest of your life, the Solstice is fast approaching, Prince Zuko.”

He’d read somewhere that death through sun withdrawal was even worse than drowning…

“Don’t worry, Prince Zuko.” Zuko didn’t notice that Master Pakku had come closer. “Though I doubt you will pull through another two weeks of this.” He flinched when the man put the hand on his shoulder. Zuko expected a punch, but the man just patted it. “We can ease your stay, so be reasonable and you will have nothing to worry about.”

Just as the day before, they left him shivering.

Zuko didn't want to find out if Pakku’s threats were real. If the lack of the sun was worse torture than the cold, then Zuko wouldn’t survive it. His inner flame had already gone weaker from constantly stopping himself from freezing.

“I think it’s a bad idea, Aang!” Katara said, putting her hands on her hips. “Why do you care about him? We’ll finally be able to travel without a constant threat.”

The battle might’ve ended, but Katara’s fury hadn’t subdued. She could see that Aang was struggling too, the cheerful boy had been lost in his thoughts for the whole day. Katara didn’t know how to talk to him while she couldn’t even figure out her own feelings.

Aang rubbed his arms as if he was cold even though they were staying in a warm room inside the palace. “I want to know if Zuko worked with Zhao and wanted to kill the spirit,” he said. “The older guy helped us, so maybe -”

“Because of him, you almost froze in that blizzard!” Katara exclaimed.

“I want to know,” insisted Aang, pacing around the room. “Maybe we could ask him why he’s so focused on hunting me. You know, when he can’t throw fireballs at us and stuff – “

Katara looked at her brother, hoping that he would take her side, but he only shrugged and kept polishing his boomerang. “It makes sense. I mean, if that Jerk can’t actively try to kill us, maybe we could find out some useful information,” he said.

“All he will talk about is his honor and the Fire Nation propaganda,” Katara insisted. Why was she the only one with common sense? Talking with Zuko wouldn’t get them anywhere, they shouldn’t waste their time.

“Relax, Katara,” Sokka gripped her shoulders. It didn’t help, but she faked a smile as he squeezed them gently. “We will talk with the Jerk, and then you will never see him again. Sounds like a perfect deal, doesn’t it?”

They went to Master Pakku’s training hall, where they found him talking with a group of waterbenders about the rebuilding of the city. Katara watched how Sokka was trying to cheer up Aang, while they were waiting for the waterbenders to finish their conversation. She couldn’t understand how Sokka had picked himself up so quickly after what had happened to Yue. 

Finally, Master Pakku finished matters with the waterbenders and approached them. “I assume you are looking for me.”

Sokka nodded and cleared his throat. “We would like to talk with Zuko.”

Master Pakku raised his eyebrow. “Why?”

“We have a history with him and asking questions without risking a fireball in the face is a one-time opportunity,” Sokka said.

Master Pakku nodded, looking quite skeptical. “He’s in a cell, but he refuses to cooperate and answer our questions,” he said. “It’s a waste of your time.”

Sokka glanced at Aang and turned back to the man. “We want to go anyway,” he said, making his voice a little deeper. “Aang wants to, and it’s kind of my job to keep the Avatar happy.”

“I assure you that it’s pointless,” the man said. “We need more time to stifle the prince’s resistance.”

Sokka shrugged. “We won’t stay that long,” he said. Katara hoped that the master would dissuade the boys from the idea, but she knew her brother’s stubbornness too well. “So we will take our chances and see him today, okay?” 

“Very well…” the man said, clearly not happy with their request. “The guards in the prison complex will show you the cell.” 

Sokka didn’t have any problem with this interrogation, if Aang needed any help, he would be there. No big deal – that’s what friends are for. For interrogating your buddy’s enemy. Aang would do the same for him… Maybe less of an interrogation, and more of a friendly questioning about something Sokka wanted to know. Friends’ casual stuff, so he would surely know how to do it.

Zuko was a jerk – no doubt about that. But he didn’t kill Yue nor had he single-handedly tried to destroy an entire tribe, no matter what his sister thought. Sure, he almost turned Aang into a block of ice, but had risked the same fate for himself as well, which lowered the level of cruelty a bit and raised the level of stupidity.

When they entered the prison, Sokka rehearsed the puns he’d prepared earlier. He wasn’t experienced in interrogations, but puns were good for everything, and also, he wouldn’t waste an occasion to insult the Prince Ponytail. He’d thought so until he actually saw Zuko in that cell and everything evaporated from his head…

Zuko barely acknowledged their presence in the room, just standing there with his arms stretched out and cuffed slightly above head-level. The guards had mentioned it, and that it was a precaution to assure their safety, but seeing the prince like that was still a shock. Wait… Where was his ponytail?! At least half of Sokka’s jokes were about that stupid ponytail of his! But oh… Zuko had looked battered before, but now all of the bruises on his face stood out even more in the bluish room made of ice.

Finally, Zuko graced them with a glance, which made Aang step back a little. Katara noticed it and send Zuko an impressive murderous glare. Now was Sokka’s time to shine as the leader of Team Avatar.

He cleared his throat. “Hello, Prince of Captured Jerks, you will answer our questions.”

Zuko’s chin remained leaning against his chest as he scowled at them and went back to staring at the floor. The jerk was ignoring them, so it was a time to be intimidating. Interrogators were supposed to be intimidating, right?

“Do you hear me? Don’t even think of trying anything… I ask and you answer! That's what captured jerks are for. For answering. This is an interrogation, to be clear. I’m in charge and I want you to answer without –”

“You have to ask a question, so I can answer a question,” growled Zuko.

“Don’t tell me how to do my job!” 

Zuko sighed and Sokka rolled his eyes… or eye? Nevermind. Back to the interrogation. Firstly, a round of control questions, so they knew if he’d lied about the more important stuff. 

“What’s your name?” Sokka asked with a serious expression, and even Katara and Aang glanced at him, confused. 

“What?” Zuko frowned, looking up at him. “You know my name.”

“Prisoner, be cooperative!” Sokka said, satisfied with taking the jerk off guard. He was killing this game. “What’s your name?”

Zuko muttered something under his breath, most likely some curses, before answering. “Zuko.”

“Are you a firebender?”

“You know who I am.”

“I know a lot of things,” Sokka said smugly and crossed his arms. Zuko straightened and it irked Sokka that the prisoner was taller than him. He ignored the wince on the firebender’s face as he moved. “You said the truth. Good. Better stick to this. I will know if you are lying.”

“…For sure you will,” Zuko muttered.

“No talking unless you’re answering!” Sokka scolded him. “What was your business at the North Pole?”

The prisoner jerked in his chains, which made Sokka flinch. 

“You know what?” Zuko snapped. Yeah… that was the firebender he’d expected to deal with. “I already know how this goes... Whatever I say, you won’t believe me. I’ve gone through this with the Northern Savages!”

Katara opened the cork of her waterskin, glaring at Zuko. “Don’t insult my people and answer my brother’s questions or – “

“I’m already familiar with or,” Zuko muttered and took two deep breaths. His shoulders dropped before he spoke again. “I only came here to capture the Avatar. No, I wasn’t a part of the siege. No, I didn’t know that Zhao wanted to kill the Moon Spirit. No, I don’t know anything about military maneuvers. My mission was focused only on capturing the Avatar. The Avatar. And nothing else.”

Sokka frowned, surprised by the number of words said by their uncooperative prisoner. “But why are you so crazy about it?” he asked. “Why do you want to capture him so badly?”

“Fire Lord’s orders,” Zuko said with devotion. “Are we done?”

Aang stepped forward, still staying close to Sokka. “So, you didn’t want to kill the Spirit?”

“Of course not! Zhao is an idiot!” Zuko exclaimed, which made Aang flinch. “Or should I say… was. You've killed hundreds of my men.”

Aang opened his mouth, then closed and opened again. Sokka put an arm on the boy’s shoulder and glared at the firebender. “Your men? The invasion was reportedly not yours.”

“The invasion wasn’t, but the soldiers were my people.”

“Don’t you dare blame Aang!” Katara snapped. Sokka knew that tone and it didn’t bode well for Zuko. “It was the Ocean Spirit’s revenge on your wicked nation! It’s your fault this happened, you – you murderers!”

“If I really wanted to kill the Spirit, I would’ve done it after our fight. I was focused only on the Avatar, so I – “

“We don’t want to hear that,” Katara cut Zuko off and pulled on Sokka’s parka. “Come on. We are just wasting time on him. Isn’t it ironic that you are the one who got captured? Rot here.”

Ouch… It was harsh, but Sokka understood Katara’s rage. It wasn’t easy to witness the Fire Nation destroying the Water Tribe’s legacy for a second time.

“Yeah… That’s enough,” Sokka said, before all of this would escalate. “It was such a pleasure to be hunted by you, but now forgive us for leaving you here. See you never, Prince Jerk.”

Sokka nudged Aang to leave the cell in front of him, so his back wouldn’t be turned on Zuko. Better safe than sorry… Sokka almost jumped when he saw the firebender moving from the corner of his eye. 

“…Avatar,” Zuko said quietly.

Aang turned, unsure. “…Yes?”

“Did the Spirit take my Uncle?” Zuko whispered, which was such an uncharacteristic thing to do for him.  

“Um…”

“Gray hair, a little fat, good at fighting?” Sokka asked.

Zuko nodded with an odd facial expression, Sokka couldn't quite classify. 

“The Ocean Spirit didn’t take him,” Aang said hesitantly. “He disappeared before I was, um… I was me again. But I’m sure that the Spirit didn’t hurt him.”

Zuko’s shoulders sank in relief. The firebender didn’t raise his head again as Katara bended his cell closed, creating a thick wall of ice.

Chapter Text

Before they had gone to see Zuko, Aang had been afraid – the firebender had hunted him all over the world and plagued his nightmares. But when Aang saw Zuko, the fear faded. He had never seen the prince so… dejected. At the same time, Aang knew that he should be happy, after all, Zuko had tried to capture him and had done a lot of wrong but… Aang didn’t like what he’d seen.

He didn’t like what he’d heard either – what Zuko had said about the dead soldiers. It wasn’t true… Aang hadn’t been in control when the Ocean Spirit possessed him. But death was death, and it was against everything that the monks had taught him. 

But killing Spirits was just as unforgivable…

Sokka waved his hand right in front of Aang’s face. “Hello, Aang! Are you in the spirit world again?”

“Um, no… sorry,” mumbled Aang. “I was lost in thoughts. What did you say?”

“We were saying that”, joined Katara, her voice as irritated as it had been for the past days, “we can’t believe a word of what he said. He’s their prince! He had to know about Zhao’s plan. What a liar!”

“That’s not exactly what I said…” clarified Sokka. “I asked if you were okay. You haven’t said anything since we left prison.”

Aang was about to lie and say that everything was fine, but Master Pakku walked up to them in the corridor. 

“You were right, Master Pakku,” Katara said. “We can’t believe a word of what he’d said."

Master Pakku nodded. “Don’t worry, we will get the truth out of him.”

Aang didn’t like hearing that. Zuko was tied up in almost the same way that Zhao had chained him in the stronghold. It wasn’t a comfortable position and it made him feel bad for the firebender.

“The prince is our responsibility now. When are you leaving? Do you need anything?”

“We want to fly off tomorrow morning,” said Sokka. “We should reach the Earth Kingdom in the evening. And, um… do you have some maps, like, new ones maybe? Ours are, well, slightly outdated.”

“I will see what I can do,” said Master Pakku. “Chief Arnook wants to officially say goodbye to you during dinner tonight.”

Aang lost his focus and Sokka’s sharp elbow made him realize that Master Pakku was waiting for his response. “Yes – yes thank you. We would be honored, Master Pakku.” Aang took a deep breath and decided to ask about the thing that was bothering him the most. “Um, Master Pakku… It’s two weeks till the Solstice, what will you do with Zuko?”  

Katara and Sokka looked at him confused. It took Master Pakku a moment to answer.

“We’ve got that in mind, Young Avatar. It’s no longer your concern.“

That wasn’t the answer Aang wanted to hear. It wasn’t an answer at all. 

“Now, please forgive me. I've got some things to do before dinner.” Master Pakku didn’t wait for the response and just walked away.

Aang kept thinking about Zuko for the whole walk back to their temporary housing. He had enough things to worry about, but he couldn’t stop thinking about what could happen to the prince during the solstice. Aang sat on the edge of the bed, already expecting Sokka to interrupt the heavy silence.

“What was that about?” Sokka asked, taking a chair to the table. “What does the Jerk have to do with the Solstice?”

“The Polar Night will happen,” muttered Aang. The siblings nodded, but they still didn’t understand. “Firebenders are strongly connected to the sun,” he explained further. “Being away from the sun is horrible for the firebenders. Zuko would suffer and no one deserves that… I don’t know if he would make it through.”

“Not make it through? You mean like - die?” Sokka asked, stunned. “No way, it’s just the Sun.”

“Not for firebenders.”

Katara huffed angrily. “He deserves it for what he’d done to all of us and the world,” she insisted. It was terrifying to listen to Katara talking so casually about something so horrifying. “Don’t look at me like that. I won’t believe that a little bit of shadow can kill anyone. And a little bit of discomfort will teach him a lesson… Aang, you almost died in that blizzard because of him.”

Aang swallowed a lump in his throat. “Kuzon had told me that sun deprivation is the worst thing that can happen to a firebender. I - I don’t if it’s true, but it’s cruel… Kuzon had felt weak after we had once camped in a cave for a few days… I don’t want to imagine what might happen to Zuko on the Pole.”

Sokka frowned, not quite believing Aang’s words. “Aang… this is war –“

“We are supposed to end the war!” Aang snapped.

Katara stomped, gesturing wildly. “Because of him you almost died! I thought that we had lost you, Aang! Yue sacrificed herself because of the Fire Nation! Zuko is one of the many responsible for it and he will get what he deserves.”

Aang couldn’t allow this. He knew that Katara was right to some extent, but she wasn’t thinking rationally, being angry kept her from seeing the whole picture.

“Zuko has done a lot of bad things, but I believe him when he says that he didn’t work with Zhao,” Aang said. “Besides, the old guy who helped us is his Uncle!”

“And the Fire Lord is his father,” Sokka added.

“And his other ancestor wiped out your people,” Katara said, which made Aang cringe a little.

Maybe family connections weren’t the best way to make his point. The Avatar was supposed to establish peace among all nations. Maybe in this situation, peace could be established by a compromise… “We will take Zuko to a prison in the Earth Kingdom,” Aang declared. “We won’t risk him suffering due to the lack of sunlight, but he won’t be able to chase us anymore.”

“You lost your mind!” Katara growled, rubbing her temples. “If you think that I’ll let that murderer near Appa, then you are wrong.”

“We are not sure if Zuko actually killed someone,” said Sokka factually.

Katara glared at her brother. “I will kill him if he tries to hurt any of you,” she said, stunned by her own declaration. Aang wouldn’t let go of the Air Nomads philosophy, so he wouldn’t agree to unnecessary suffering. Katara took a slow breath. “Aang, I thought we had lost you because of him.”

Aang flushed and lowered his eyes to the floor. He couldn’t imagine how he would’ve felt if she had disappeared like that… He really understood her point, but – but leaving Zuko here would be wrong.

Sokka put his hand on his hip, staring at Aang. “I know that you like pacifism, butterflies, love, and stuff like that… But it can seriously cause us trouble, it's not like we haven't got enough of those already. Why, Aang?”

There was one reason that Aang had never shared with his friends… “If it wasn’t for Zuko, both of you would be dead, and I would still be in Zhao’s prison.”

“…What are you talking about?” said Sokka, taken off guard.

“When you were sick after the storm, Zhao captured me and put me in some super-guarded fortress. There was no chance of escape… Until a masked guy appeared and helped me. I had no idea who he was, but we fought our way out together. We made it… but barely.”

Both siblings were staring at him wide-eyed.

“We were surrounded when Zhao yelled that I must be captured alive, then the Masked Guy put his swords at my throat, and we managed to retreat. We were almost in the forest when an archer hit him in the head. He lost consciousness, but I dragged him into the forest, where we were safe.”

“Okay… I mean that’s definitely not okay,” said Sokka massaging his temples. “But what does that have to do with Prince Jerk?”

“Zuko was behind the mask.”

“Zuko put swords to your throat?!” exclaimed Katara.

“Seriously?!” yelled Aang. That was the part she focused on?! “If not for him, Sokka and you would be dead, and I would be at the Fire Lord’s mercy.”

Sokka put his elbows on his knees, burrowing his head in his hands and groaned loudly. “That’s – that’s a lot to process, Aang.”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t want to make you worried.”

Sokka sighed loudly. “Okay, fine… We will take the Jerk to the Earth Kingdom and you will stop feeling guilty… not that you owe him anything.“ Aang hadn’t realized that he actually felt that way. “Guilty Avatar is not a working Avatar and we need a super-working Avatar right now.”

That made Aang smile, and Sokka continued. 

“We drop him in the first Earth Kingdom town with thick walls. And”, Sokka pointed at Aang, ”you are the one who will ask Pakku for permission. He might not allow this. We already handed Zuko over to him. But if he agrees… I’m the one who will ask him for a nice firebender-proof chain-set. I don’t trust him, Aang, and you shouldn’t either.”

Aang nodded. “Thank you, Sokka. Katara?”

“I want you to be aware of the fact that, if he even looks at any of us in the wrong way, he will not make it to the Earth Kingdom.”

If Uncle was alive, he would have managed to escape. Zuko had missed their first reunion point, but there was a backup plan if they got separated. They agreed to meet in the closest colony and Uncle would wait for him there.

Zuko needed to escape, but in his current position, he would only burn himself if he tried to breathe fire. The cuffs were too close to his skin and he was not a good enough bender to control the heat and breathe fire at the same time - Uncle would be able to do it.

His legs hurt, but the only way to bring them some relief would be by putting his weight on his chained arms. This was not a good idea when even the slightest movement sent painful cramps down his spine.

At some point in the ongoing agony, Zuko lost his ability to sense Agni’s light and his inner flame had weakened to a dreading level. It was getting harder and harder to block the cold. When the four benders came, he was almost grateful that he would be allowed to lower his arms even for a moment. He flinched when the man who’d massacred his back earlier today grabbed his chained hands and started opening the manacles.

Zuko grit his teeth when they twisted his arms behind him and forced him into another pair of cuffs. He couldn't feel his fingers, only pins and needles caused by the blood rushing into his worn-out limbs. They dragged him into the room where they allowed him to relieve himself, and Zuko did so, trying to ignore how dehumanizing it was. 

Back in the cell, he expected to be given water after they cuffed his hands to the bloody chains hanging from the ceiling, just like yesterday. But today, one of the guards forced a waterskin into his mouth while the other two still held him tightly.

“Pakku ordered to allow him some rest, or he will start raving tomorrow,” the guard pouring the water into his mouth said.

Zuko choked on the water, which made the guard take the flask away. The bender crouched and froze the chain linking Zuko’s ankles to the floor. Suddenly, the guards let go of his arms, and before he could find his balance, one of them kicked the back of his knees. Zuko collapsed on the ground, and without hands to support the fall, his knees hit the ground hard, and his shoulder took the rest of the impact with a disturbing crack. At least due to the numbness, he hadn’t felt any pain… well, more pain.

“Sweet dreams, Your Highness,” one of the guards said and the others chuckled. Zuko didn’t dare to move until they left the cell. It looked like they wouldn’t hurt him without Pakku’s order, but Zuko couldn’t be sure of that. And he wouldn’t take any chances.

Zuko ignored the coldness on his cheek and focused on getting his breath under control before risking any movement. He hadn’t lain down in over a day, and he hadn’t slept for much longer than that. A few more minutes, and he would fall asleep despite the cuffs and the cold. He was exhausted, but he couldn’t let himself sleep through his only chance of escaping. 

Still laying on the ground, Zuko tried to reposition his wrists to find some relief, but the cuffs were designed to keep them twisted and strained to the limits. If he tried to firebend, he would burn himself in the process… The Water Tribe must’ve dealt with firebenders before. Zuko pulled on the chain connecting his ankles to the floor, but the ice didn’t crumble. He couldn’t waste the little energy he had left for thrashing on the ground.

Slowly, he sat up, trying to keep jostling his sore chest and wounded back at a minimum. When he put his weight on his knee, an involuntary hiss escaped his throat. No… He wouldn’t have any chances of escaping if his leg got messed up during the fall. Carefully, he stretched out his legs, causing the chains to clank against each other. He breathed out in relief when his knee worked just fine, he must have gotten away with bruising only.

Zuko sat cross-legged, looking at the fresh layer of ice and the solid-looking manacles. He couldn't open them without tools, but maybe he could disconnect the chain from the floor and worry about getting out of it later. He leaned forward and breathed out a steady flame. After a few exhales, a tug on the chain broke the weakened ice. His inner flame was drained, but at least he wasn’t chained to the floor anymore.

He stood up, testing the chain length. It allowed him to walk quite comfortably, but it was too short to run. It was fine… He could sneak out of here, if only he could get out of the cell. He couldn’t melt the thick wall of ice by blowing on it. Damn it… Uncle would be able to do it, but Zuko wasn’t as good a firebender as him. 

Some guard should be nearby, right? Maybe if he made enough noise someone would come here to check on him, since they wanted him alive, for now. Zuko could take one bender in a fight… 

Agni, let it be only one bender.

Zuko leaned against the wall, hissing when his back touched the ice. It should be a good place to surprise the guard, and preferably knock him out, right after he removed the ice wall. He began hitting his leg fetters against each other, hoping that the loud noise would get through the walls. 

The wall slumped. Zuko rammed into the bender as hard as he could, hoping that the man hit his head during his fall. He heard some curses, but his heart beat too loud to make out the words. Zuko almost stumbled over the chain when he attempted to run after noticing another guard on his way to freedom. He dodged a sharp icicle, aimed at his leg, barely keeping his balance when he pulled on the chain between his legs. He looked around, quickly assessing that he was outnumbered – one guard in front of him, and the man he’d tried to knock out, flanking him from behind.

He breathed out a weak flame to distract the man running right at him, and ducked under his arm when he covered his face, startled by the fire. Zuko tried to run and hide behind the corner. He thought he could make it, but then something yanked the chain, and he fell face-first on the ground.

In the next second, someone’s knee pinned his back to the ground and twisted his already hurting arms, which made Zuko scream in pain.

“Get off me! Get off!”

No one listened to him, instead, another hand grabbed his head, pushing it into the icy ground and making it hard to breathe. 

Zuko yelped when the man on his back put even more pressure on his cuffed arms. “Stop! Ugh… Stop, you will rip my hands off!” He groaned at the increased pain. “I – I’m not struggling… Please – please stop –“

He couldn’t breathe with the man kneeling on his back. He prayed not to hear his shoulders popping out of the joints, because it surely wouldn’t stop those savages from putting him in those cruel ceiling chains. Hot tears dripped on the ice floor, and Zuko had no way to hide his weakness from those men.

“What happened?” Pakku sounded furious, he’d never heard him raise his voice like that.

“The Fire Nation Scum can breathe fire,” reported the guard pinning his head. “He tried to escape.”

Zuko couldn’t see Pakku’s face and it terrified him.

The man hummed. “Did he hurt anyone?”

Zuko didn’t hear a response, which meant that the benders had answered with a gesture. He hadn’t planned to hurt anyone! He was the one getting hurt for something that he hadn’t done!

“Prince Zuko, if you try to breathe fire again, you won't have to trouble yourself with any form of breathing any longer. Understood?”

Zuko could barely feel his inner flame. He wouldn’t be able to produce a spark now even if he wanted to.

“Understood?” repeated Master Pakku. 

“Yes, ugh…” his throat was too dry to speak. “Yes.”

“Lift him up.”

Zuko was pulled up and dragged back to his cell with one of the guards forcing his head down, as if looking around would change anything. 

He’d lost. 

It was over.

They turned him to face Master Pakku. “Any other talents you would like to share?” the man asked.

“N – no,” Zuko stuttered.

“You are lucky that no one got hurt, Prince Zuko,” the man said, glaring at him. “I wouldn’t be so forgiving, if you had spilled more of my men’s blood.”

“I didn’t spill any of your men’s –” Zuko yelped when the guard put more pressure on arms.

Pakku nodded to the guards. “I didn’t believe your kind was actually capable of this, but I like to be prepared.”

Zuko tried to recoil when the man stepped closer to him, but the guards didn’t let him move. The master’s hands were getting closer to his face and he didn’t have any strength left…

Not again… Agni, please, no.

He had been loyal to the Fire Nation and it was happening again… 

Something metallic was pressed against his mouth and he could have sworn that despite the coldness, he could smell burning flesh. The thing was forced deeper into his mouth, while he was blinking frantically, trying to get rid of the dark spots and golden ornaments of the Agni Kai chamber.

Pakku stepped back and Zuko was choking.

A metal muzzle was covering his lips and nose with only a couple small holes to keep him from suffocating, and he could feel the metal hard between his teeth. Its taste made him want to retch. All he heard was the beating of his heart and pathetic wheezing of the air that refused to get into his lungs.

He couldn’t tell them to remove that thing before he choked. His breathing was becoming more rapid and desperate. He’d barely been able to keep that under control when there hadn’t been a fucking muzzle over his face. 

“What should we do with him, sir?”

“After that escapade, we should let him hang for his last night, but I don’t think the prince can take it,” Pakku’s voice waded through the clamor in his head. 

He couldn’t speak, couldn’t scream, he could barely breathe.

“Don’t you agree, your highness?”

And the bastard responsible for it had the audacity to keep asking him questions..

“I assume you do,” the man said. “Did you prepare the bedding?”

“Yes, we found an old mat in the storage.”

“Bring it, no one will tend his frostbites from sleeping on the raw ice.”

One of the guards left the room, but Zuko was struggling to see when everything was turning slowly as dizziness took over.

“Secure the leg chain. He won’t melt it again.”

The people were moving around him, but everything was too fast to comprehend. The hands stopped holding him, and he slumped onto something harsh but notably less cold than the ice floor.

“We will get him in the morning.”

Get him in the morning… But why?

The steps he heard were unnaturally loud and black spots were taking over his vision. His chest hurt as he desperately tried to get more air into his lungs… It didn’t take long for Zuko to lose consciousness.

Chapter Text

Zuko woke up, not sure if it was morning or still night. The device on his face was painfully digging into the cheek he was laying on, so he moved his head to look at the ceiling and relieve the pressure. Regulating his breathing through the small holes was nearly impossible, and he was afraid that he would start choking at any second.

Zuko recalled Pakku’s smirk and laughter seconds before he’d passed out.

A shudder ran through his body, despite the bedding they must’ve brought to the cell at some point. Zuko’s memories were foggy, but he remembered Pakku saying something about his ‘last night’, and that something was supposed to happen in the morning. None of that made any sense… Only yesterday, the savage had threatened him with the prospect of keeping him here for long, sunless weeks.

He was fucked. Totally, absolutely fucked.

Just a pathetic excuse of a prince, shivering in the cold, grateful that he’d been allowed to lay down. Azula would laugh at him if she saw him like this - muzzled, beaten, and with no idea what to do next. 

What would she do? 

Never get caught in the first place, he thought bitterly. He was the only pathetic disgrace in the family, and he’d deserved to be banished for it. He deserved this lonely and cold ending too.

Zuko lost the breathing pattern and wriggled in panic, the leg manacles clanking as he kicked with his feet. He curled in on himself, shifting into a more comfortable position, and praying that they would remove that thing soon. 

He’d said the fucking truth, committing treason in the process, and the smirking bastard hadn’t believed him! Father would’ve wanted him to stay silent and die with honor, but Zuko turned out to be too weak even for that. He didn’t deserve to see the Fire Nation ever again.

He hoped that at least Uncle Iroh was safe. Uncle had to be alive. There was no other option. Zuko would no longer be a burden for him, and he would finally go back to the Fire Nation. 

Zuko closed his eyes and braced himself for when the ice wall opened.

Zuko sat up when he heard the light cracking in the ice before the savages would manhandle him however they pleased. As long as he had any strength left, he refused to show more weakness. His dimmed inner flame simmered in his chest when he noticed Pakku’s sneer as the man walked into the cell.

The guards lifted him up by his cramped shoulders, but at least they weren’t touching his back. Zuko glanced at the chains dangling from the ceiling, but the men weren’t uncuffing his hands.

“I’ve told you it was your last night here, Prince Zuko,” Pakku said, amused with his disorientation. “All restraints stay. We won’t take any chances.”

What was he talking about?

Zuko glanced at the guards, trying to figure out why and where they were taking him. But none of the men looked at him, busy with checking the chains. Why would they move him for another interrogation, the cell had always sufficed before…

Zuko gasped when a dreading thought crossed his mind and immediately looked at Pakku with widened eyes. The bastard smirked and Zuko felt that his guess was correct. His heart thudded in his chest as he tried to wrap his mind around the dire realization. The guards yanked him out of the cell and held him up when he was tripping over the chain. His limbs were too shocked to work properly.

“Walk like a man or we will drag you,” Pakku remarked. The man was behind Zuko’s back, but he could hear his smirk.

The clamor in his head died in a second, and everything became deadly quiet. His fight was over. Zuko let the man walk him through the prison complex without struggling and fighting. He wouldn't beg either. The numbness that came over him was terrifying, but maybe it would make everything easier.

It wasn’t fair, but was anything ever fair for him?

He’d only wanted to go home… to earn Father’s love.

No… he wouldn’t be weak in the last moments of his life. He would withstand it with honor. But he had no idea how the Water Tribe carried out executions. Zuko hoped it would be fast…

They marched him out of the prison complex and his eyes hurt from the sudden brightness. Agni’s light awoke his drained chi, and faint comforting warmth simmered in his chest. Finally, Zuko squinted his eyes and looked at the sun. It was a beautiful morning, the ice buildings shimmered with the reflected sunlight. Zuko felt the tears gathering in his eyes and immediately averted his gaze to the ground.

It was the last time he could see the sun. He wished to enjoy every second of it, but he wouldn’t let them see him cry. 

He wouldn’t die a coward.

The courtyard was full of people, the waterbenders parted to let his escort pass, throwing him curious glances. All of those people gathered there to watch him die… It was fucked up. His breathing hitched, making the air whizz through the tiny holes. 

The chief stood in the middle and… The Avatar was here too.

A child would watch his execution, but at least he had a valid reason to want him dead. Unlike those fucking savages.

There were no gallows, no guillotine, no pool of water to drown him in… Some of the warriors around carried spears, so maybe… Or - or maybe one of the benders would drown him? Zuko stumbled, but their strong grip kept him from falling.

Agni, please, no drowning… He already couldn’t breathe.

And if they would drown him, let it not be Pakku…

Zuko was petrified. Despite everything, he didn’t want to die. Not like this.

They… they lead him towards the Avatar. 

Zuko flinched violently when he felt Pakku’s breathing on the back of his neck, and in the next second the man appeared at the edge of his eyesight. “You look rather pale, Prince Zuko. Is something about this distressing you?” he asked, still wearing that fucking smirk.

Zuko was submerged too deep in dread to react.

Pakku cleared his throat and folded his hands behind his back. “As you wished, Avatar,” he said. “Your prisoner is secured and ready for transport.”

What… 

What was he talking about? The ringing in his ears made it impossible to think… Couldn’t they just do it already and stop toying with him? Zuko glanced at Pakku and the bastard looked amused.

“What… what is that thing on his face?” asked the Avatar.

“Prince Zuko tried to escape, and as it turned out, he can bend fire from his mouth,” said Pakku. “He’d attacked my men, so we had to ensure you would be safe during his transport.”

…Transport?

The Avatar stepped back, and the other boy came closer to him. “Listen, Jerk… If you try something, we won’t trouble ourselves, we will dump you into the ocean. Got it?”

It… it wasn’t an execution. 

The sick bastard had just made it look like it… 

He - he’d been ready to die, and now without the adrenaline, he didn’t have the strength to stand anymore.

“I think the prince has learned his lesson,” said Pakku. “The restraints open with waterbending.”

“Thank you, Master Pakku,” said the waterbending girl. “We will handle him.”

Nothing really changed… He would die in the Earth Kingdom. Or wish he were dead after the earth brutes start crushing his bones. One by one.

Zuko didn’t fight it when he started losing his breath again.

Chapter Text

Boomerang Boy grabbed Zuko’s shoulder and lead him to the back of the saddle. He made Zuko sit down and he said something but his head was buzzing and he didn’t hear the words. He’d put all of his strength into not showing fear and it was for nothing. Zuko was drained.

When was the last time he was sitting?

It was getting colder without the adrenaline in his veins, he couldn’t breathe properly through the small holes. Zuko’s back hurt, Boomerang leaned him against the saddle and Zuko wanted to scream. The waterbenders gave him a clean shirt, navy blue almost black, without bloodstains so no one even knew his back was a massacre – at least it felt like it.

Why did the Avatar want him as a prisoner? It’s stupid unless they will really dump him into the ocean. Zuko will not beg for mercy… but he wasn’t sure if he could stand the waiting… again. Why couldn’t they do it fast?

No, no, no… Zuko couldn’t breathe. In and out just like Uncle had taught him. For fucks sake don’t start hyperventilating. Don’t show weakness in front of the enemies.

Zuko chocked on his own half-breathe and half-coughing started. Breathe control lost completely, he started trembling. Shit, couldn’t he chock quieter? They were watching him. Nonono.

In. Out. Don’t cough. In. Out. Don’t cough. No, fuck Boomerang Boy stood up, he’s getting closer to him… Stay the fuck back…

Okay. He got this – no more coughing. Boomerang sat back. Zuko could do this a little longer…

Zuko’s head started to feel heavy, he didn’t know when he put it on the saddle’s edge. How could lifting the eyelids be so hard… No! Not now. Please Agni, not now.

Drifting at the edge of consciousness ended when he lost breathe pattern again.

Sokka was a bit skeptical about this all this ‘trip with the son of a man Aang plans kill’ but last months were pretty crazy so he was used to this. When Aang convinced Pakku, Sokka took care of the fact that Jerk should be restrained by something stronger than a rope (even the good one). But… um, well… Sokka didn’t expect a muzzle. It was uncomfortable to look at him with that thing on his face but since he attacked the guards…

And Jerk was even more strange than before – Sokka was on edge because of his behavior. Was he planning something? Since Katara would likely kill the prince and Aang was afraid of him it was Sokka’s job to guard their prisoner.

Sokka made a mental note to improve the saddle by adding a prison area – he could use some prison area right now. Zuko did not resist being led and… since when firebenders was this cold. Not that Sokka had touched that many firebenders… Nevermind.

Putting Zuko at the back of the saddle looked like the best option, he and Katara will sit nearer to the front. Nice, safe distance, and a good look at Jerk. Umm, not that Sokka would like to but… why Zuko wasn’t even looking at him when he helped him to sit… Should he felt insulted or something?

Aang sat at Appa’s head and Katara sat as far as possible from Jerk. His sister only pretended to ignore Zuko, he knew she was on constant alert-mode. Sokka’s tactic was to polish his boomerang while staring somewhere near Jerk’s legs. Plan-guy killed it again!

It wasn’t even surprising that Zuko tried to escape – of course, he did. Who would like to be held prisoner? In this case, normal, not-jerks like Sokka would do the same thing. Zuko was a stubborn piece of fire nation and, well… he could breathe fire. So of course he tried to escape.

Man, Sokka sometimes missed his peaceful life.

Shit, Zuko started to wriggle. Was he messing with the cuffs? Katara immediately glared at him, the same as Sokka. Shit, um, Jerk was coughing… probably? He was doing something but it was hard to tell in this gag.

Shit, shit, shit… Maybe Zuko was the enemy, Fire Nation, and stuff… but Sokka wasn’t exactly comfortable with people chocking two meters from him. Or was it just Jerk’s trick?

Sokka eyed him for a couple of seconds and, um, great, Jerk got redder, so it meant that he’s a surprisingly good actor or he was seriously choking. Blame Sokka’s good-hearted-instincts for almost standing and walking to Zuko.

But Jerk finally stopped and glared at Sokka. Because of the scar, it was hard to read his expression… Left – full-scowl but right? His eye was wide open, two times bigger than the scarred one.

Sokka was glad Jerk stopped by himself, he’d no idea what he intended to do. Uff, the first crisis resolved.

After that amount of stress, Sokka decided to not give a shit about Jerk at least for a moment. He didn’t sing up for constant stress on their peaceful bison rides. Sokka’s boomerang needed his full attention right now. Yes, boomerang needed to be polished… for the third time. Jerks can wait.

Yes – relax.

“Emm… guys…” Aang leaned his upper body over the saddle facing them. Ugh, who give this child bison-riding-license or something?! Eyes on the… clouds? For sure in the direction of the travel! “Did – did Zuko just go to sleep?”

“What?” gaped Sokka.

Zuko’s head was leaning over the saddle’s edge, he’s not-bald-but-not-hairy-either head moving to the rhythm of Appa’s flight. Closed eyes and relaxed face… was it still their Jerk? And… what!? Why on earth did Zuko decide that it’s a perfect time for a nap?

“Not that I know Zuko or something…” said Aang unsure. “But I don’t think he would just nap in front of us. Is he all right?”

Or… maybe it was just a trap, wondered Sokka. Or –

“Maybe he’s unconscious. He doesn’t look well…”

All three of them glued their eyes to the firebender – no reaction.

Aang looked really upset. “It – it isn’t good.”

Katara turned her glare to the monk. “Why do you care? It’s Zuko. Less trouble for us.”

“Yeah, I know. But – but could you just check? Is he really ok, I mean? People shouldn’t just lose consciousness like that – “

Katara gave a single look at the firebender. “He’s breathing and he’s other injuries are from the siege. It’s his fault. If he didn’t try to escape, he would actually sleep in the night. He’s just sleep-deprived which is only his fault. Stop worrying, Aang, and focus on getting us to the Earth Kingdom.”

“…Um, ok. If you say so,” mumbled Aang and sat on Appa’s head.

After not more than a five minutes Aang turned again.

“Do you, guys, think Zuko is mad at me?”

“What?” Katara turned to the monk, pure disbelief and irritation portraying on her features.

“Um, you know I – I mean, not me, but kind of… The Ocean Spirit and – and those soldiers. He’d seemed pretty upset when we last talked and – “

“Aang,” said Katara, using her mother-voice, “please don’t start blaming yourself. First, they were bad people and second, it wasn’t you. Ocean Spirit made that decision so it was the right choice. And most importantly, you shouldn’t care if Zuko is mad at you.”

“Plus,” added Sokka, it was hard to look at troubled monk, “Zuko was always mad at something. Just think about it… He was always yelling, so I don’t think it changes anything in his being-angry-level.”

“…Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Aang once again sat on Appa’s head, Katara started sewing a shirt and Sokka focused on his boomerang. But he caught himself checking if Zuko is actually still breathing. This cough earlier… and now that pass-out-nap and he was seriously cold…

Shit! Idiot, stop worrying about the enemy!

Ugh, good people’s problems…

“ – I have no idea why he helped us but he single-handed took down ten soldiers?... I’m glad we didn’t fight him – “

“Old guy is Jerk’s Uncle… The only one who’s normal in the family or what?”

“Ow, I didn’t think about it… He’s Fire Lord’s brother…”

“Well, shit – “

Zuko has to seriously consider if what he’d just heard was real.

Fuck. Did he lose consciousness while flying on an ancient creature, in chains, surrounded by people who wanted him dead? Fuck, indeed.

Zuko straightened and swore he won’t let his guard down again. Shit, his movement already drove Boomerang’s attention. Zuko was seriously surprised that he was still on bison, and not in the ocean. They probably didn’t want him to sleep through it.

“Prince Jerk is awake,” announced Boomerang which ended in two more looks from Waterbender and Avatar.

Wait…

Uncle helped them? Uncle helped the Avatar… Wh – what? Zuko heard them say that when he was half-aware. Uncle helped… but why? Well, Zhao wanted to kill a damn Spirit – that’s why. But was that the only reason? Why didn’t Uncle captured him after, so Zuko could come home…

No. Zuko felt way to shitty to think about this right now. And there is a huge possibility that he will die… so why bother for nothing?

Zuko’s breathing was odd, he felt like something blocked his lungs to work properly. Sickness was all he needed. He felt an urge to cough but he knew better not to.

Just breathe it’s not that fucking hard, he scoffed himself.

But it was.

Uncle’s breathing exercises weren’t intended to do them through little holes. Shit, his breathing hadn’t been so wheezing before… He closed his eyes like it could change anything… Zuko would seriously like to be fully aware when they decide to throw him off but now –

Shit. Boomerang and Avatar were eyeing him with a strange expression. Did they already say something? He didn’t pay attention.

“…Um, Zuko, do you have trouble breathing in that…thing?” asked the Avatar.

What? Why did he care?

Zuko tried to glare at the boy and read his real intentions but… he’d never been good at those things. The saddle became weirdly quiet… and his breathe sounded like some wild animal gasps.

Boomerang and Avatar looked at each other and the older boy spoked.

“I’m not going to reanimate you or something and I don’t want to fly with your jerk-corpse so… Swear on your, um… honor that you won’t try to breathe fire at us and we’ll remove it.”

“Did you lost your mind, Sokka?!” snapped the girl. “You want to believe his word?”

The girl at least was reasonable in this enemy-situation. But even without his honor Zuko always kept his word.

Boomerang ignored the girl and looked in Zuko’s eyes.

“Do you swear not to breathe fire?” the boy asked.

The Avatar was watching him with wide eyes. Zuko nodded.

“Cool,” said Boomerang… Sokka? “Katara, would you?”

“What?! Why me?”

Boomerang rubbed his face. “It’s a waterbending-lock.” He gestured in Zuko’s general direction, then raised his brow. “And I don’t want to risk frying our only Avatar.”

The waterbender looked annoyed but she didn’t argue. She glared at Zuko as she stood up.

“One wrong word… and this thing comes back. Any fire and you’ll fell off the bison. Am I clear?”

Zuko nodded. At least now, he’ll be able to scream while falling to the ocean… Or was it just a trick to build his hopes up?

The waterbender came closer. Zuko didn’t want to lose her from his eyesight but the lock was on the back of his head… He slightly turned his head, the scarred side away from the girl. Hands were too close to his face but those were teenager’s hands… He held his barely existing breath.

Something in the lock clicked and the pressure of the metal was gone. The girl slowly removed the device, more likely for her own safety from his alleged attack than Zuko’s comfort.

Uh, wow… Zuko forgot that his lungs could hold so much air.

The waterbender watched him as she came back to her previous place on the saddle. She put the muzzle into her bag. Zuko closed eyes, enjoying the air.

“Is it better now?” asked the Avatar, his expression… concerned? No, for sure no.

What’s this child’s deal? Shit, he waited for the response.

“…Y – yes.”

Oh Agni, even Zuko cringed when he heard how scrappier his voice became.

“That’s cool, yeah… cool,” mumbled the Avatar, Boomerang slapped his forehead.

Zuko tried to focus on controlling breathing and his inner flame while watching his captors. What now? They outnumbered Zuko, he won’t escape from the bison. If he lives to the Earth Kidgdom, he’ll think about escape from there. Shit, they crush firebender’s hands.

Breathe. In. Out.

“Zu – Zuko,” really Avatar, again? Zuko looked at the monk, trying not to glare. He may, at least, try not to provoke them to throw him off. “During your escape… Did – did you hurt anyone?”

Zuko’s one-minute escape… But thanks to Pakku’s narrative the Avatar may have a different idea of what happened. Besides if he did hurt anyone… Zuko shivered at the thought of what Pakku would have done to him.

“I didn’t,” answered Zuko.

“But you attacked someone…” questioned Boomerang.

Zuko took a calming breath. “I wouldn’t call it an attack – “

“Master Pakku called it that,” said the waterbender.

“He wasn’t there.” Firstly Zuko wanted to clarify it but there was no point in it. They won’t believe him anyway.

Nobody spoke after that. Where he was… Oh, yes.

Escape. Escape before earthbenders crush his limbs. Then find Uncle… yes. Uncle. And then capturing the Avatar…

Fuck!

What if, Zhao told the Fire Lord that Zuko was the Blue Spirit. Fuckfuckfuckfuck… Father wouldn’t forgive that. Zuko won’t get another chance, he’d already got one… Being banished is one thing but being a traitor…

Uncle. Zuko will find Uncle. And then… then he will think… think what to do next.

Chapter Text

It was the most awkward flight ever. At least Jerk no longer sounded like dying buffalo yak. The silence made Sokka tired, tired Sokka changed into hungry Sokka, and hungry Sokka was irritated Sokka. Additionally, saddle-guest made him nervous, so he had every right to announce dinner.

“Dinner time, guys!”

Aang smiling wide leaned over the saddle and Katara unpacked food that Water Tribe had given them. Sokka was glad about the food, it reminded him of home – Northern cuisine was similar to Southern.

Aang wasn’t happy because any of the poles’ people didn’t even consider being vegetarian. So, the monk has to eat gross icy lettuce – ugh, Sokka shuddered and cut some seal jerky for Katara. Sokka was about to put as much jerky as he could in his own mouth when his gaze drifted to Zuko.

Jerk has been quiet since their last conversation. In his position, he couldn’t do much, so he just sat there, cross-legged, not leaning against the saddle. It didn’t look too comfortable if you asked Sokka.

The firebender chose a similar tactic to Sokka’s – looking somewhere near them but not directly at them.

Not that Sokka cared – it just slipped off his good-guy mouth.

“Jerk, when did you last eat?”

Sokka had a bad gut feeling about the firebender’s answer and he was used to trusting his gut. Even angry-jerks-prisoners must be fed.

Zuko clearly surprised by the question crooked his head and glared at Sokka. It took him an alarmingly long time to answer.

“Not sure. Before the siege. Why?” he spitted like he made some military report.

“Wh - Whaaat?” Sokka gaped, almost choking on his jerky.

“Before the siege,” Zuko repeated more aggressively.

What was the guy thinking? That Sokka didn’t believe him? Surprisingly, he did – and that was the worst. Couse… what? Master Pakku had mentioned Jerk’s lack of cooperation but, well…

Sokka looked at his friends, Aang looked super uncomfortable like he wanted to say something but was too scared to do that, Katara only gave one poisonous-look to Zuko and continued eating her portion.

“Emm… so, well, I guess it’s dinner time for you too…”

Shit, more awkwardness. Jerk’s hands were behind his back, no way he could eat something in this position.

“Umm… Katara could you re-cuff his hands in front of him?” asked Sokka.

“If you want to have dinner with him, then feed him,” she growled.

“Are you mad? He can breathe fire and I like my hands not on fire, thank you.” Not to mention a level of awkwardness that feeding Prince Jerk would be. “Just re-cuff his hands.”

Katara muttered something under her breathe and put her food aside. Zuko looked very confused and even more tensed than before.

“One wrong move,” threatened Katara. “Turn around.”

Zuko obeyed and turned slightly. Maybe it wasn’t exactly around, but enough for Katara to reach the cuffs. Something clicked.

“Slowly in front of you,” ordered Katara.

Wait… When did his sister complete a prison guard course?

Zuko followed her every move and obeyed again. Sokka was watching him closely enough – preparing for an eventual attack – that he didn’t miss Jerk’s wince. He was probably stiff from having arms cuffed like this for so long.

Katara with a fast move cuffed his hands together. Jerk didn’t resist.

Sokka looked into the food supplies preparing something for Zuko. Shit… he couldn’t believe that Jerk didn’t eat like… three days? Why didn’t he try to bite off Katara’s fingers? Sokka for sure would.

Sokka reluctantly selected one and a half of a normal meat ration – as an award for not biting Katara. He passed the bowl to the prince, who took it with suspicion.

“So, I guess you won’t throw me off the bison, after all,” said Zuko.

Sokka despite himself almost chuckled. Because what was that?

“No way! Jerkbender has a sense of humor!”

Sokka looked at Zuko looking for some kind of amusement but there were none.

“Wait… Are you serious?” asked Sokka. Zuko just glared at him, which was enough to answer. “You thought that we'll throw you off to the ocean?”

“I considered it.”

Sokka was seriously concerned now. Because okay enemies and stuff but that would be… inhumane. And Zuko seriously considered that?

Katara smirked. Aang looked like he was awfully close to crying.

“We wouldn’t do that, Zuko,” the monk assured. “As long as you won’t attack us first, we won’t hurt you. And for sure we won’t throw you off Appa.”

Zuko shrugged but he looked unconvinced.

If Sokka hadn’t eaten in three days, he would have eaten like a wild animal… And Zuko was eating slowly. Did he lie about the amount of time without food? Or was he a paranoiac that thinks the food was poisoned…

Zuko had considered that the food could be poisoned but then he decided he didn’t care. Only today, he’d been ready to die twice and he was tired of caring. After he took the first bite, he felt how hungry he really was.

Boomerang observed him, it gave him shivers. Maybe the food was poisoned, after all? And Boomerang only waited when the poison starts to work. Well, not so long and he’ll be sure. No point in caring too early.

At the moment he took the last bite Boomerang took his empty bowl and gave him water. Zuko suspiciously accepted waterskin from the peasant. Zuko wondered if the waterbender would re-cuff his hands again. After last night, his shoulder hasn’t been working quite right.

Zuko had nothing better to do so he started – or more like tried to – meditating. Since it was highly possible that he’ll survive the journey, he could work on his inner flame. Zuko missed a nice feeling of warmness inside his chest, especially now when a cold slowly started to weaken him.

Meditation without a flame was harder but he was sure that the waterbender would throw him off if she saw any fire. Zuko closed his eyes, trying to stabilize his weakened, flickering inner flame.

“Are you meditating?” asked the Avatar. No doubts – the question was addressed to Zuko, he simply chose to ignore it. Lately answering any question didn’t end well for him. “Is he asleep?”

Zuko had to put a lot of effort into not pinching the bridge his nose.

“No, Aang,” answered Boomerang. “Prince Jerk is ignoring you.”

That… that nickname made him want to set something on fire.           

“Ouch… okay.” Was it sad-Avatar-noise? “I was wondering why firebenders meditate.”

“What? Why? You meditate, too,” said Boomerang.

“I know but Air Nomads used to meditate to gain a better connection to the spirit world and to feel nature that surrounded them. And to feel inner harmony!”

Zuko couldn’t understand how the monk could talk about his – his gone people in such a light way. Zuko had been in the temples, he’d seen the bones… even the small ones. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. He hadn’t found the courage to talk about this with Uncle, but he hadn’t forgotten the sight, either.

“Right, it doesn’t sound like something Fire Jerks would do,” agreed Boomerang. “My bet is that when Jerks meditate, they think about themselves! They are pretty narcissistic with their honor and stuff,” mocked Boomerang.

“Hmm…” Did the Avatar seriously consider that?! He was supposed to be Smart Being connecting all nations! Not another moron. “I think… I think it’s their way to take a nap! Kuzon had always got up pretty early! They have to be tired.”

“It’s stupid. Why don’t they take a normal nap? Katara what do you think?” asked Boomerang.

“He’s probably planning horrible things or another great plan on how to kidnap Aang.” Zuko’s eyes were closed but imagining her expression wasn’t hard considering the amount of hate in her voice. She reminded him of Azula.

“Hmm… Yeah, well it’s possible. Highly possible even considering this one. But… I know! How about they meditate to – “

Zuko couldn’t stand listening to this any longer. Fuck it. But before he spoke, he’d opened his eyes. Better to know where the blow is coming from.

“Firebending comes from breathing. We meditate to gain breath control and to keep our inner flame sustained,” Zuko repeated Uncle’s words.

All three of them looked at him, surprised that he’d spoken.

“Wow! I didn’t know that!”

The Avatar smiled at Zuko.

If only he’d known this earlier… Then he hadn’t tried to capture this kid, he would offer him a bunch of interesting facts… This kid would probably agree… And, well, Uncle always had a fact in his pocket. It’d been that simple… and now he was here…

The waterbender glared at Zuko and he tensed. “Are you telling us that you are currently firebending?”

Her hand was on her waterskin, ready to strike. All Zuko could do was to observe that hand.

“Managing inner flame isn’t firebending,” he said.

Because it wasn’t. The inner flame was an integral part of every firebender. You might as well say that living is firebending.

“Since when something that’s called ‘flame’ isn’t firebending?” she scoffed, hand on the waterskin. “You aren’t allowed to firebend in any way. Obey or I will shut your inner flame for good.”

The waterbender just threatened him with something worst than death. He’d heard terrifying stories about firebenders who’s inner flame ran out. For them, death was an act of mercy.

“When people start threatening me for the things I actually did,” muttered Zuko, not sure if someone could hear that.

The anger grew in him, making his inner flame flicker alongside. “Meditation isn’t firebending,” he stated. “Maybe there is only one way of splashing water but firebending is more complicated than – “

“You asshole!” yelled Katara. “I will show you a way of splashing water!”

The waterbender opened the waterskin and Zuko flinched hard.

“Katara no!” The Avatar put his hand on the girl’s shoulder. “I started this conversation, if not me, Zuko would have still meditated.”

The waterbender reluctantly closed her waterskin. Zuko didn’t relax.

The Water Peasant made a peaceful gesture with his hands. “Yeah… yeah… A flight without a fight is a wasted flight!“ Boomerang laughed off his own words. “Jerk continue playing with your inner thingy… If it won’t end in frying Appa. Aang, it won’t, right?”

“I don’t think it’s dangerous,” said the Avatar.

Zuko won’t close his eyes in front of a furious waterbender.

As always… He’d said the truth, no one believed him. Zuko should get used to this by now. And the funniest-fucking-thing was that he was a shitty liar, and everyone thought differently.

The last couple of hours have been quiet because the last conversation almost ended in Katara drowning, splashing, or whatever their prisoner. Sokka was surprised that his sister hadn’t insisted on re-cuffing Jerk’s hands behind his back, but he had a feeling that it was only some kind of temptation or test for the firebender.

But Jerk had continued doing his inner thingy and barely moved. His last movement had been when he’d flinched thinking that Katara would strike him.

Not Sokka’s proudest moment but… he’d almost laughed when Jerk had insulted Katara’s water magic. Back in the South Pole, he’d been the one to do that, so it just felt a little sentimental… But it was Jerk, and he won’t let Jerk insult his sister.

No way.

An insult for an insult as they say… right? Besides Sokka couldn’t function properly in silence much longer –

“Guys look! It’s the Earth Kingdom!” Aang pointed at the horizon where when you squeezed your eyes tightly you could notice a coast.

“Finally!” moaned Sokka. “No offense Appa but I’m sick of this saddle. Aang! Find a city, so some unlucky earthbenders can take care of Prince Jerk! I’m sick of him too.”

Sokka didn’t say it with any real malice behind the words – he was just teasing, at least he thought so. He looked at the prince, expecting anger or yelling even but Jerk’s eyes remained closed and he frowned his brows… or brow?

And then Jerk muttered something under his breath, too quiet for them to understand.

“What did you say?” growled Katara.

Jerk opened his eyes, not looking at anyone specific. Shit, he looked like a kicked puppy… Wait… What?! Why did he just compare Zuko to a puppy?! But well, um, Jerk really looked depressed right now.

“They crush firebenders’ hands,” Jerk said numbly, his voice washed of any emotion.

And… what?!

“Fire Nation separates benders from their element! Only you – you monsters could think of something like that!” exclaimed Katara.

“They almost crushed my Uncle’s hands,” again the same numb voice. Sokka shivered, not so long ago he’d thought that Jerk could only yell.

Katara crossed her arms, looked not impressed.

“If your anther plan is to arouse our sympathy by a sob story, then jokes on you.”

Shit, Katara was right. Jerk did exactly this and the worst thing was that Sokka fell for that! He was the oldest of them, he couldn’t be so naïve. Ugh, so stupid. If he had fallen for that, Aang and he’s I-love-everything-philosophy… No. Sokka had to be more watchful.

No more Jerk’s cheap tricks.

“I don’t want your pity. I was ready to die before you put me on the bison,” said Zuko.

Aang turned to Zuko with wide eyes.

“What are you talking about?” Aang sounded seriously distressed but he stayed a safe distance from Zuko on Appa’s head. “There were still two weeks until the Solstice! And – and they wouldn’t let you just – just die there!”

Zuko snorted but in the creepiest way, Sokka has ever seen.

“I’m not talking about the Solstice. Nevermind. Forget it.”

Katara looked at Aang. The boy wasn’t assured by Zuko’s answer.

“Finish what you wanted to say,” growled Katara.

Zuko raised his gaze, looking at them. He made a tight line of his lips and clenched his teeth. When he finally spitted the words he looked down.

“I thought I was going to be executed,” he whispered but it sounded like he would spit drop of poison with every word.

Sokka was taken aback, he looked at Aang, looked at Katara, checking if they’d heard the same thing.

“UGH – I beg you!” exclaimed Katara looking at Sokka and Aang. “Don’t you two see he’s doing it again. He’s trying to play on your emotions!”

Shit. She’s right. And Sokka fell for it – again. But, well, Jerk was convincing.

Katara turned to Zuko. “One more word of this manipulative talk of yours and the muzzle is coming back.”

Zuko opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but decided better not to. From his place on the saddle, Sokka had a good view at Jerk’s fists – clenched tight. Sokka preventively put his hand on his boomerang. Shit, Jerk had to be furious that his sister looked through his mysterious plan.

Katara didn’t joke with the gag so better for Jerk that he’d stayed silent. Sokka promised that he won’t fall for any of his tricks for the third time.

But, well, if Jerk wouldn’t be so busy with being evil-fire-nation-psycho he would be a very convincing actor. Just saying.

A building that looked like a fortification emerged from behind the horizon – it looked pretty Jerks-proof if you ask Sokka.

Chapter Text

Aang landed Appa on a rock shelf, a safe distance from the fortification. Before they’ll hand over the prince to the earthbenders they had to be sure that they could be trusted with imprisoning him. Katara didn’t want to spend another months in fear of Zuko appearing everywhere they go.

“Aang and I will go first,” she said to Sokka. “We’ll take Appa and arrange everything before turning him in.”

“What?! And me? What am I supposed to play nanny on a cliffside?” exclaimed Sokka.

“We won’t risk any miscommunications, Sokka,” declared Katara. “Just guard him… unless you can’t?” Katara raised her brow, placing hands on her hips – classic move working on her brother’s pride.

“Of course, I can!”

Not that she doubted Sokka’s skills – she didn’t. But for her own peace of mind, she once more cuffed Zuko’s hand behind his back. He had behaved – aside from his manipulation attempts – through the flight but leaving him with too much mobility on a cliffside with Sokka… No, definitely no.

They played the Avatar Card which ended in a warm welcome with snacks – Sokka would kill them if he knew they were eating sweet rolls while he was guarding Zuko.

They were lucky that they had found a military fortification ruled by General Fong. Before they even mentioned their guest, they talked with the man and he seemed trustworthy. He was eager to hear first-handed information about the North Pole and the defeat of the Fire Nation.

Taking Zuko off Appa wasn’t easy.

Appa was a big fluffy monster with a ridiculous amount of fur, the saddle’s edge was pretty high for someone with chained ankles, and sliding off his tail without doing actual sliding needed good stabilization, and that was hard for a guy with hands cuffed behind his back... Also, if one of the sliding people was supposed to guard the other potentially dangerous criminal it all became a highly advanced maneuver.

For a good start Jerk had stood up by himself after Katara re-cuffed his hands. It was a good start, yes. And now what?

“Umm, okay so step on that,” instructed Sokka pointing at one of the bags. “And – and then on the edge. Yes – yes, now wait!”

Sokka jumped over the edge onto Appa’s back. He wanted to grab Zuko to prevent him from breaking his neck but the firebender jumped without any instruction. He almost lost his footing, surprised that his feet disappeared in Appa’s fur. Well, yeah, their beast was fluffy. Sokka put an arm on Jerk’s shoulder, thinking how they were supposed not to slip on Appa’s tail.

“… Sokka, you know I could airbend you both down, right?” asked Aang.

Like he couldn’t say this before Sokka started planning the maneuver. Considering Zuko’s glare, he wasn’t a fan of this idea. Better not to tempt fate and annoy Jerk.

“No, we’re good. We don’t want to tire you, Your Avatarness.” Aang shrugged and joined Katara at Appa’s head.

Okay, well. The maneuver.

“Jerks first,” Sokka gently pushed Zuko forward, still stabilizing him by his shoulder. “Make small steps. I don’t want to have to catch your clumsy ass.”

Zuko growled under his breath and moved down Appa’s tail. Twice Sokka thought that Zuko would stumble and squeezed his shoulder tighter but it ended in angry hisses from the firebender. What a Jerk! Sokka was doing his best to prevent Zuko’s neck from breaking and Zuko was hissing at him?!

They did it! Zero broken bones! Plan-guy killed it again! Appa flew as soon as Sokka’s legs were on solid ground. Uh, someone was in the hurry, not doubts. Sokka was the one risking his life by guarding unpredictable bender!

Sokka slapped Zuko’s back. “Good job, Jerk!”

Zuko groaned and jumped – or more like stumbled over the chain – out of Sokka’s reach. Sokka grabbed his club preparing for an attack but it didn’t come. They were looking at each other, wide-eyed, two meters apart. Why did he do this if he wouldn’t plan to attack?

“What was that?” asked Sokka, his club raised, ready to strike if necessary.

“Could you do not touch my back?” hissed Zuko.

“What?”

“Just don’t grab me by my back!” spitted Zuko, teeth clenched tight.

Sokka raised his brows. “Or what?” He challenged. “You are a prisoner; you have nothing to say! “Well, his adrenaline shot was speaking. When did he make a prison guard course? “I can grab you wherever I want. I’m in charge here.”

Zuko took a wary step back. Why was he looking at Sokka like he was the bad guy here? Maybe he was the one with a weapon but… Wait…

Ugh! Sokka you idiot...

I can grab you wherever I want?! Ugh – stupid. Stupid and gross. And what? Why did Zuko seriously get startled by it! It was, of course, only bad word-choice!

Sokka lowered his club. “UGH – I didn’t mean like that. Gross.” Zuko was still tense and wary but at least he stood in place. “You want this or not, but you are a prisoner. And I had to lead you somehow! What’s wrong with me touching your back? Did you get injured in the siege or – “

“Yes,” cut him Zuko. “So just spare us both my struggles and, if you must, grab my, um, I don’t know… arm… It’s not like I’ll try to run right now.”

Sokka eyed him with caution, stepped closer, and grabbed his upper arm. He thought that it might be a trick but… Jerk didn’t move, as he said.

“Uh, no trick then?” asked Sokka seriously surprised.

Sokka had approached from Zuko’s left which might’ve been a bad decision because this scar was really hard to look at. What reckless fire-play had he done to burn himself like that?

Zuko turned his head to Sokka and for a second Sokka had thought that Jerk will spit fire at his face, and they’ll have matching scars. But it turned out that Jerk only wanted to glare at him with both eyes. Does the scarred one even work right?

“Contrary to popular belief I’m not a liar,” said Zuko and it was a bit intimidating. Princey had to practice this voice. Seriously, he could be a great actor if not his capturing-the-Avatar issues.

Learning how to control the Avatar State was a tempting option but Katara wasn’t assured. General Fong talked Aang into that and if Aang thought it was the right choice… so was she. It was high time to mention the prisoner business.

“General, do you have a prison complex here?” asked Katara.

“Yes.”

“A prison that would stop a firebender?”

General frowned slightly. “Yes, earth and rocks don’t burn easily, and guards are skilled benders. Why are you asking?”

Katara looked at Aang and took a deep breath before speaking. The monk gave her a nod.

“We have a high-ranked war prisoner in our custody. We need a proper place to imprison him, so he no longer causes us troubles. Can we count on your help, General Fong?”

“Of course,” the general answered. “No firebender will stand a chance against my men. I suppose it’s someone from the siege… What high-ranked prisoner are we talking about?”

“Prince Zuko.”

The open mountain cave looked like something that could pretend to be a prison cell or whatever. Sokka lead Zuko to the wall and made him sit. Since apparently the firebender’s back wasn’t in the best condition his moves were rather stiff. Zuko’s back was probably Katara’s fault, she’d thrown him on ice-walls a couple of times and then Jerk had taken Aang on a piggyback ride into the blizzard. Not a smart move.

Sokka leaned against the wall, playing with his club, not in a threatening-way… more like an I’m-bored-and-I-had-no-idea-what-to-do-with-my-hands way.

“Sorry that I slapped you,” said Sokka. “I didn’t mean to be brutal or anything.”

Zuko did what he was the best at – glared at him. And well… guy’s face was still pretty bruised, now in a more yellow way than before, and he’d kinda passed out earlier so Sokka could’ve assumed that he wasn’t feeling too well.

Sokka felt a little guilty and he wouldn’t have a big problem with checking Jerk’s injuries but… after his earlier word-choice saying ‘take off your shirt’ wouldn’t be a smart move to make. No! It was even worse… Sokka would’ve to take Jerk’s shirt off by himself… since he was cuffed and all… No, no, no…

His almost-girlfriend turned into the Moon – he swallowed the lump in his throat, still too fresh wound… Yeah, well he was grieving Yue and he won’t do any weird-bounded-play with Zuko. Ugh – gross… So gross but his mind now double checked everything and looked for any strange, hidden meaning. Ugh, stupid Jerk.

Sokka was very bad with silene, especially a-little-guilty silence. “You know that there were plenty of healers at the North Pole, right?” Zuko glared at him and started doing those strange meditative-breathes of his. “If you hadn’t been so focused on, you know, escaping and antagonizing Pakku… one of them might have helped you.”

Jerk looked at Sokka like he was ready to set him on fire. Sokka clenched his club a little tighter. But, well – yes. That’s how not thinking things through ends… And now he probably realized that Sokka was right.

------

The Water Peasant kept asking to be set on fire without even realizing it. After the last sentence, a puff of smoke almost escaped Zuko’s nostrils.

Zuko could’ve shown him how he had antagonized Pakku, all the evidence he needed was painted on his back. But he was a Prince.

A Prince who had been whipped like some common thug, a prince who had begged them to stop, a prince who had betrayed his nation too afraid of pain, a prince who had cried afterward. A prince who didn’t have much dignity left.

And above all Zuko couldn’t trust Water Peasant. He was already fucked and almost dead, he couldn’t let the peasant have another leverage on him.

And Zuko didn’t trust himself not to break down because of the memories.

So, he stayed silent.

Katara and Aang briefed the general on how Prince Zuko became their prisoner.

“Master Pakku, who was in charge of his imprisonment back at the North Pole, told us that the prince wasn’t willing to cooperate. He is dangerous, he tried to escape once, and he can breathe fire. We ha – “

Under the table, Aang kicked her leg and cut into the conversation. “We hope,” he clearly interrupted her, so she won’t tell the general about the muzzle. “That he won’t try anything anymore. He wasn’t problematic through our journey.”

General Fong nodded to them both.

Sokka was really exhausted by the silence. “Did our Appa flight was redemption for you or what? When you meditated you realized that, um the Fire Nation are Big-Baddies of this war and –”

“What?”

Sokka shrugged, not discouraged by Jerk’s glare. “You know it’s just a little bit strange that you aren’t trying anything fishy right now. Look, I already noted, like, three times when you could spit fire at me and… I don’t know, try to run?” Ugh, Sokka was definitely bored… He started encouraging Jerk… “I’m not saying that you should! But you could… And Aang and Katara aren’t here so you wouldn’t have to fight any bender… Of course, you wouldn’t go past me… You would clearly underestimate me and regret later… Or are you plotting something right now using my boredom as an advantage?”

Zuko frowned and growled. “Are you baiting me, or is it a trick or, a sick mind-game or –”

“No – no hidden intentions, man chill. I’m just surprised. I thought that you would try something and there you are – surprisingly cooperative.”

Zuko raised his brow and looked at Sokka like he would considering setting him on fire. Jerk took a deep breath.

“I’m chained, in the middle of Earth Kingdom and the locks open only by waterbending,” Zuko said slowly. “How many waterbenders randomly travel through the Earth Kingdom and would willingly help me? Is it enough or should I list more reasons?”

It was a pretty solid point and Sokka had a feeling that it was a rhetorical question. But Sokka had another feeling that Zuko had prepared a list of more reasons.

“So, no changing sides then?” asked Sokka it was pretty rhetorical too.

“I’m loyal to the Fire Nation,” declared Zuko like his life would depend on this simple sentence like Sokka had insulted him just by asking. 

Sokka wasn’t up for propaganda or honor talk so he started polishing his club… again.

“And – and I insist on treating him well,” Aang added certain of said words. “Proper meals, um… hygiene, no-violence and um – “

“Young Avatar,” said General Fong. “We aren’t Fire Nation. If the prince doesn’t provoke us, he’ll be treated like a high-ranked prisoner of war. We use violence only if necessary and we will present our terms to the prince.”

Aang nodded.

“But don’t let him trick you!” warned Katara.

“We won’t, Miss Katara,” assured General Fong.

Katara nodded.

Sokka’s club was shining and Sokka was dying of boredom. Seriously, maybe he would ask Jerk to try to escape? Sokka looked at the sitting firebender who didn’t seem to be in escape-mood at all.

“What happened to your stupid ponytail?” asked Sokka.

Or should he ask… Why did you kill so many good jokes of mine?!

Jerk gave him another killing-kind glare.

“Don’t kill-glare me! I mean it’s good that you get rid of it… It looked ridiculous and maintaining it must’ve been a pain in the ass. I’m just curious why.”

Why did you take my jokes away from me?!

“It was no longer appropriate,” Zuko answered shortly.

Sokka giggled. “I mean… It ever was?” he laughed again.

Zuko clenched his teeth tighter, not looking at Sokka anymore.

Uh, someone was touchy about his stupid hair – no doubts in that. Well, he was a prince, after all…

“Oh, one more thing!” said Aang. “There is a possibility that Prince Zuko needs medical attention, um after the siege I mean.”

General Fong nodded.

Boomerang wasn’t capable of shutting up. Zuko could feel another question coming at him and he didn’t know where was the trick? The questions were meaningless, trivial… What was Boomerang’s intent? Where was the trap?

When Zuko hadn’t answered Boomerang had focused on his club… Was it a threat? When Zuko had said something the boy had started to talk even more… Was it another interrogation or was Boomerang baiting him to justify a strike?

“You know,” Boomerang started… again. He was leaning on the wall nonchalantly. “It will be strange without you constantly tracking us…”

What was he even supposed to answer to that?! Or had the Boomerang just mocked him?

“Since we had met Aang,” continued Boomerang. “We’ve thought that you will jump at us from behind a random tree, you know? It was sick how you always kept finding us wherever we went. “Peasant took a deep breath and put the club under his arm. “Good old days… Am I right?”

Boomerang looked at Zuko expecting an answer… “What’s your deal?” Zuko didn’t mean to sound that aggressively…

Boomerang frowned. “My deal? I’m trying to make a conversation. Recently every one of our interactions was ending in you throwing fire at us and since you aren’t doing it right now, I’m trying to take an opportunity… And I’m bored.”

“I won’t be your entertainment, Peasant!” growled Zuko.

Boomerang sighed. “Good, old-fashioned Prince Jerk…” he smirked. “When we end this war maybe we will visit you… Talk about crazy old days. Maybe until then, you will get bored of your Avatar hunting…”

“When you end this war?” repeated Zuko. “By defeating my father?”

“That’s the plan.”

“The Avatar will, just like that, defeat the Fire Lord?”

Boomerang eyed him suspiciously. “You know, I could do it too… But destiny and stuff… Spirits keep saying it’s his job.”

Zuko snorted humorlessly.

“What’s so funny, Jerk?”

“I just can’t imagine a child having any chances against the Fire Lord,” he answered. “That won’t be too funny,” Zuko mocked Boomerang’s words to hide the way his voice slightly trembled.

“Aang isn’t a child! He’s almost a teenager,” Boomerang said. “And we have an advantage of surprise!” Zuko frowned, Boomerang looked amused seeing his confusion. “Maybe the Fire Lord fought plenty of other master-jerkbenders and other losers but…” Boomerang made a dramatic pause. ”Had he ever fought a kid? I doubt that! He won’t even notice when Aang – “Boomerang was saying something else but Zuko stopped paying attention.

Zuko felt shivers climbing up his spine and rapid breaths… When he blinked, he was back in the Agni Kai Chamber.

“Anything else?” asked the general.

Aang grabbed his chin thinking when Katara shook her head. “No, General Fong, everything is settled. Come on Aang.”

Katara pulled Aang towards Appa but he turned to the general after a few steps.

“…Um, and – and, um… no crushing anyone’s hands please.”

General Fong frowned but nodded, nonetheless.

Chapter Text

Boomerang kept talking but Zuko was too focused on stopping the flashback playing in his mind to pay any attention to his words. He should’ve known better not so lead Boomerang into these topics, but he has never known when it’s better to stay quiet. Three years have past and Zuko still hadn’t learned his lesson.

It first had happened back at the ship and it’d taken him an hour of curling on the floor in the boiler room to come back to his senses – from the time perspective it hadn’t been the best place choice… Zuko could’ve asked Uncle for help, he for sure would’ve known what to do but Zuko had been too scared and ashamed.

The next day after the incident Uncle casually had told him a story of one of his friends that had a problem with war-memories. The said friend sometimes felt like he would live through them again, and again, and again… The friend tended to use grounding techniques that Uncle had spent almost an hour explaining to Zuko – explaining suspiciously precisely. Zuko had learned to use them and thanks to that he’d prevented a few more episodes in his first months at the sea. With time passing Zuko had thought his weaknesses finally vanished and he’d finally started to learn father’s lesson.

Apparently, Zuko was wrong.

Listening to the peasant’s words wasn’t an option, his moves were restrained… Zuko moved his wrist making handcuffs painfully dig into his skin. He needed to remind himself that the real threat was here and now, not three years ago… The ground was hard and rough not like the polished and smooth floors in Agni Kai Chamber. Zuko had to plan an escape, he couldn’t allow himself to this pathetic weakness right now.

 Come on… come on…

It could be drastic, but it may work…

Zuko with a sharp movement leaned his back against the cave’s wall. His eyes went wide, sharp pain stabbing his entire body, he bit his tongue to hide the scream that formed at the back of his throat. Well, it’d worked. Now he was well aware that he wanted to curl from pain on the cave’s ground, not the palace’s floor.

It – it hasn’t happened for almost three years… And here he was. First in the cell with Master Pakku, now because of a stupid conversation with Water Peasant. Ugh… Father couldn’t get to know about this – that – that Zuko after three years was still weak, pathetic, unworthy…

Zuko will wait for them to remove the cuffs and then he’ll escape.

Just like that.

Find Uncle. Find the Avatar. Prove Father that he wasn’t worthless.

Just like that…

Zuko’s senses were back and Boomerang was looking at him like he expected something.

“You weren’t listening, were you?” asked Boomerang.

Zuko ignored him and switched his position to relieve his back. He was lucky it seemed like the wounds hadn’t opened, he’d only irritated the bruises.

“Of course, you weren’t…” Boomerang rolled his eyes. “I just told you about our every destination, with time, dates, and all. I also added when Aang will be alone, very capture-available alone.”

“You didn’t say that.” Zuko was stupid at times but not that stupid.

“Well, you don’t know that! Since, you know, Your Firebenderness, you weren’t listening!” fumed Boomerang.

What was exactly wrong with the peasant? At least he was very distractive and Zuko could use that. Boomerang looked seriously offended by the fact that Zuko wasn’t listening to his mumbles. Last time Zuko checked he was, well, a prisoner, and normal guards weren’t trying to chit-chat prisoners!

“Don’t expect me to listen to every mumble that exits your filthy mouth,” growled Zuko, just to keep up the appearance and hide the fact that he’d almost freaked out.

“First of all – ouch my feelings,” Boomerang made a motion looking like stabbing in the heart with an invisible dagger. “Second – you are a jerk. The jerkiest jerk alive if we want to stick to the details.”

“I’ve been called worse,” shrugged Zuko. “And I don’t care about your opinion, Peasant.”

Boomerang rolled his eyes. Zuko had taken a risk insulting him without any way of defending himself but Boomerang didn’t look like he was ready to strike. The peasant didn’t even look angry.

“You seemed off,” said Boomerang. “The same kind of off like you looked like back on Appa. Is it your scheming face or what?” Zuko looked at him, no clue what he was talking about. “You scared Aang with that crushing-hands-talk. I’m sure right now he is telling the earthbenders why crushing hands is bad and they don’t have any idea how to respond to that… I would like to see their faces, though,” he giggled.

Zuko couldn’t remember when he was naïve like Boomerang. They had to be surprised… Surprised how did Avatar find out about this savage practice. It was not hard to guess who will take all blame for that. Shit! Zuko hadn’t wanted to say it out loud, for Agni’s sake!

Boomerang expression weirdly softened, and he was ready to say something else, but the bison appeared. Boomerang turned away from Zuko, exposing his back for a potential hit, not that Zuko planned to do it. From the saddle, the waterbander’s wary look landed at him, murderous caution, and worry portered on her features softened a bit after she looked at her waving brother hiding in the cave’s shadow.

Zuko understood hate pretty well… And they had every right to hate him but… What did they think of him? Especially the waterbender, she always looked at him like he could commit murder with cold blood at any moment. And Zuko has never threatened any of them with death… He wouldn’t even care about them if not their alliance with the Avatar and still he would never order to – to just kill them. He wouldn’t have done it by himself either. Meanwhile, the waterbender already threatened to kill him like… two times? Zuko wasn’t sure how to classify hurt threats really… And it wasn’t even a full day.

The waterbender reminded him of Azula.

Boomerang turned back to Zuko. “Back on your feet, Prince Jerk!” he said, probably trying to sound military-kind. Poor attempt.

Nonetheless, Zuko stood up. Every opportunity to avoid being grabbed and forced to move was worth taking. Boomerang wasn’t looking at him and Zuko keeping his distance moved forward slow enough that it didn’t look like an escape attempt. Avatar using airbending jumped off the bison and stood by the creature’s head, the girl remained in the saddle.

“Any problems?” asked the waterbender.

“Not at all. You won’t guess! Jerk convinced me to join the Fire Nation!” exclaimed Boomerang. “Sorry, Aang.”

Zuko hearing this stopped breathing. Why did Boomerang lie?! Azula had been making tricks like this one on daily basics back in the palace and it always had ended badly for Zuko. And now of course the waterbender will believe the peasant! Zuko was fucking cooperative and still, Boomerang lied to make Zuko’s life more miserable.

The waterbender raised an eyebrow, hands on her hips, looking at Peasant… not Zuko. “Great. You can share a cell with him.”

“Umm – “Boomerang scratched his neck. “You know what? After considering it once more, it’s a hard decision really… Lemme think, um… No, I’m coming back to the good side. Prince Jerk is a shitty conversation partner. His most used response is kill-glare…” Zuko, well… glared at the peasant. He had no idea what was going on. “You see! That’s what I’m talking about!”

Avatar giggled, Waterbender smiled, and Zuko had no idea what was going on.

“Kidding… I counted on citizenship or some other bribe from the prince, but I got nothing,” complained Boomerang. “I was bored and I, um… kinda asked him to try to escape… He didn’t try, as you can see – “Now the waterbender was glaring at the peasant. “Anyway… How was your trip?

The waterbender sighed. “Everything is settled we can go. And we’ll stay there for a couple of days.”

“Fine with me! As long as they have food,” said Boomerang.

Boomerang walked to Zuko and grabbed his upper arm leading him to the bison. The Avatar was looking at him with a strange expression… Zuko tried not to glare at him but…

“They were nice,” said the Avatar looking not right into his eyes but not avoiding Zuko’s stare as much as before.

Maybe they were nice – for the Avatar. Just as nice as Master Pakku had been.

Nice was a relative concept.

Zuko a second time this day put on a brave face although he was fucking terrified. He was a bad liar but through the years he has become decent at controlling his body language.

The beast landed in the middle of the training ground once again. Fong ordered his men to gather around the yard. In many cases the easiest way to achieve obedience was showing superiority over the enemy, proving that there was no point in fighting. And how often you could demonstrate your dominance to the Prince of the Fire Nation, himself?

One of the soldiers earthbended rock stairs to the beast’s saddle. A young man in blue clothes stepped over the saddle leading slightly higher and paler figure in chains. It had to be infamous Prince Zuko.

Fong smiled when he saw the Prince looking around the courtyard. Fong knew the feeling – estimating your chances, making decisions about your next move. But the Prince didn’t have a choice – Fong took care of it. As a general, he loved the moment when his opponent realized that the fight was over before it even began.

Two young men walked after Miss Katara towards Fong when the Avatar jumped off the beast head. The prince stopped looking around and focused his attention on Fong. That was a rather ugly scar on his face and the Avatar hadn’t been exaggerating that the firebender could need some medical attention. But the thing that caught Fong’s attention was a recognition in those golden eyes.

The waterbender stopped next to the Avatar, the prisoner and a temporary guard stood straight in front of Fong. The Prince straightened his back and raised his chin like he was pretending to be bigger than he was. Every soldier in this fortress had an advantage of size over him, and the firebender knew it.

Fong made a few slow steps towards the Prince and nodded military style.

“Prince Zuko.”

For a second the prince stood still but then he nodded military style.

“General Fong.”

The Water Tribe teen frowned. “You know each other?” he asked suspiciously.

“There is a war going on,” said the prince, eyes focused on Fong. “I know the names of Earth Kingdom’s generals.”

At least the prince wasn’t stupid. He was well aware of his position and found that military-style was the best approach. Fong could work with that. He wouldn’t promise to stick to his plan if the prince turned out to be a spoiled, demanding brat.

Fong made a hand gesture and two of his men flanked the Prince, the firebender well aware of their movement hadn’t stopped looking at Fong.

“Miss Katara, could you unlock the chains?” asked Fong, impressed with the craftsmanship.

The girl nodded and walked behind the prince – extremely tensed Prince. The waterbender sent water stream to the cuffs around his ankles and then his wrists. Prince Zuko didn’t move to get rid of the restraints, the other boy did it for him, and taking the chains with him walked aside to the Avatar.

Prince Zuko didn’t move, standing at attention, perfect military posture, looking at Fong.

“Escort Prince Zuko to my office,” ordered Fong.

The firebender looked at benders flanking him, expecting some kind of restraints probably. Not needed.

Show the superiority and if they’re smart enough they will choose to obey – Fong learned that after years of military service.

Four more soldiers surrounded Prince Zuko. Two at his sides, two behind his back, two in front of him. All this without any physical contact and the Prince chose to move alongside with them. The tension at his shoulders was showing even in military posture. It was interesting that the new prisoner hadn’t tried to act like a prince rather than a soldier.

Fong smiled and turned to his guests.

“When I finish establishing our rules with the prince, I’ll with pleasure eat dinner with you. For now, let me show you a way to your rooms.

The Prince had to wait for a while… Surrounded by earthbenders, unsure of Fong’s plans towards him.

The fear was an extremely useful tool.

Chapter Text

Of course, it couldn’t be a regular prison. It had to be a fucking military fortress ruled by General Fong – an eccentric but effective man. For three past years, Zuko had heard lots of unconfirmed news from many war fronts but he was sure that some of them had been about General Fong’s maneuvers. Zuko hadn’t paid much attention to anything not connected to the Avatar, and now he regretted it.

Zuko was carried through at least half of the entire complex, all that without even bothering to cover his eyes. Zuko should be relieved because it may help him escape but it’d made him uneasy. They should’ve done this! It was a logical action unless…

All six guards were huge and Zuko felt small between them, but nobody was touching him, what was an improvement after sticky Peasant’s hands. Nobody had spoken. Zuko had no idea what is about to happen in Fong’s office. He flexed his fingers and stopped himself from making assumptions. One wrong thought and Zuko’s tough façade will shatter into pieces.

When they reached the room two guards from behind his back stayed at the door, two from in front of him positioned themselves in the room’s corners, two still flanked him. Zuko stood in a military stance, this position was constructed to hide any anxiety. It was already better than he’d expected, well he was still alive, wasn’t he?

Lately, Zuko’s time orientation hasn’t worked properly. He had slept only after losing consciousness which had been minutes? Hours? Or days? Time in the ice cell had worked differently. Zuko had no idea how long he has been standing in front of this empty desk.

Heavy steps emerged from behind his back and he tensed. General Fong leaned on a desk and he was still much higher than Zuko.

“I assume you know how we deal with firebenders,” said Fong casually, like he wasn’t talking about permanent mutilation. Zuko clenched his hands into fists. “You even told the Avatar about this little fact.”

Zuko would laugh of irony if he wasn’t so focused on breathing without producing any sparks or smoke. Fong watched him very, very closely; Zuko tried to stay upright.

“We can sort out our issues this way. It’s rather effective from my experience… “Fong specially made a long pause to stare into Zuko’s eyes. Zuko clenched his fists even tighter; he felt that his body wanted to tremble. He won’t show any weakness. “Avatar insisted on easy terms and I’m willing to agree since you hadn’t committed a direct crime against the Earth Kingdom. I heard about your voyage, but I’ve never been interested in this Royal Family’s drama of yours.”

Family drama – that’s what other nations thought of – of Zuko’s banishment. Traveling he’d learned that, in fact, only nobility was slightly interested in the case. Most commoners didn’t know a thing and even if they’d heard something, they didn’t care. Zuko had no idea how many details the average citizen of the Fire Nation knows.

“You are a prisoner – there is no doubt, and you will be treated like one,” continued Fong. “If you forget your place easy terms will disappear.” Fong crossed his arms, clearly enjoying his speech. “Maybe firebenders can create their element but here… Here you are surrounded by earth and rocks. You wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Zuko had noticed… In a fight maybe – only maybe – he would defeat two eartbenders and there were always more…

“Absolutely no firebending or we will crush your hands. If you attack anyone, we will kill you without a thought who your father is. You must follow every order, or we will demand your obedience with force.” Fong pointed at the guard on Zuko’s right. “Huong is in charge of your imprisonment.”

Zuko looked at the guard. He didn’t look very old but because of his beard, it was harder to tell. Huong nodded to his general without sparing Zuko a single glare, he stood even straighter than Zuko and it was impossible to tell what kind of man Huong was.

“Are you following, Prince Zuko?” asked Fong.

Zuko nodded. At this moment he was far beyond being scared and he didn’t trust his voice. But it was better than he expected… All Fong’s threats were, well threats… but not surprising ones.

“At the moment we are not planning to interrogate you.” This was surprising. Subconsciously Zuko had prepared himself for a repeat of the North Pole. “The Earth Kingdom has more trustworthy intelligence.”

Zuko had to hide how much relief it was, he didn’t know he’d been holding his breath.

“But – “There is always but… “– if you decide to share valuable information which we’ll be able to verify it can benefit you. For example, something very useful could even allow you for closely supervised firebending training.”

Hearing that, Zuko couldn’t hide his frown. He needed firebending training, he already was far behind… But he couldn’t betray his country for that! Zuko won’t do that! On the other hand, maybe escape during the training would be possible…

Zuko knew it was just another mind-game, but an effective one.

“Are you willing to agree to those terms, Prince Zuko?” asked Fong.

Like it wasn’t a rhetorical question. Zuko’s alternative was to be murdered.

“I am.”

“I thought so,” Fong clearly enjoyed himself. “Huong will escort you to the prison. It’s empty at the moment so you have our full attention.” Zuko felt shivers running down his spine. He heard the same thing from Master Pakku. “The Avatar mentioned you may need medical attention… if so, speak with Huong and he’ll arrange this.”

General Fong lost his interest with Zuko and started going through an impressive amount of paperwork on his desk. Zuko tried to read anything but the letters were too small… and upside down. Someone touched his shoulder and Zuko flinched then cursed himself for losing vigilance.

“Time to move, Prince Zuko,” Huong spoke for the first time. Despite his impressive posture and hard features, his voice was gentle.

Zuko turned to the door slipping from Huong’s grasp. The man noticed his intentions but didn’t say anything or grab him again. Zuko moved alongside with his escort.

Revenge was a thing that could wait and still taste just as good. As they say... its never too late to crush an ashmaker’s hands.

Right now, having a Prince on neutral terms was the best option. If necessary, he always could be used as an advantage or leverage. Fong smiled at the number of possibilities of making Prince Zuko useful.

But for now, teaching the Avatar how to control Avatar State was more important. If this works, there won't be other battles. The Fire Nation will be defeated for good.

Nonetheless, through the years Fong learned that having a backup plan was always a good idea and Prince Zuko was an incredibly good backup plan.

Zuko was supposed to be treated like a prisoner… but for Agni’s sake what did that even mean?! He had no idea how the Earth Kingdom treat prisoners, especially the ones from the Fire Nation. At least it looked like he won’t be jostled through the corridors… His escort hadn’t touched him except this one time in Fong’s office.

Once more they didn’t even try to hide the facility layout before him. It made sense considering the fact that he was always surrounded. There was no chance Zuko could fight and win six earthbenders at once.

The cell was on the end of the corridor; small, with one bed, and a barred window too small to fit in, one wall entirely made of bars. Huong opened the door

“Step inside, Prince Zuko,” ordered Huong, his voice still gentle.

Zuko looked at Huong’s unreadable expression. Was the generosity only an act to trick him later? Or did Fong tell the man to gain Zuko’s trust? There had to be a hidden ploy and Zuko had always been terrible at discovering them. But Huong just waited for Zuko to move, so he finally did and stood in the middle of the cell, facing the guard.

“Your meals will be delivered here. You may ask guards for an escort to the toilet two times a day. We will lead you to the showers after the sunset,” informed Huong. “Any questions?”

Huong looked at him like he expected a question. Zuko had to use even the smallest opportunities of disobedience to stay sane.

“No.”

Huong nodded in acknowledgment and closed the barred door. There was a padlock on it and Zuko thought that he might pick a lock in it if he finds something sharp enough… His plans died when Huong covered the lock in rock. The guard noticed Zuko’s stare and smiled, the same way servants always smiled – polite but without any honest joy.

Well, the lockpick plan won’t work.

At least two guards sat constantly somewhere near his cell, Zuko could hear them shuffling. From time to time, one of them appeared in front of the bars to check on him. Never saying anything to answer Zuko’s glare.

If only those two escort him to the shower, he will have a chance in a fight. They were much bigger than Zuko, but it made them slower… Zuko couldn’t allow himself to be fooled with an ostensible sense of security and waste his time.

Long after the sun disappeared behind the horizon and his small window no longer provided him any natural light more footsteps echoed in the corridor. Zuko stood from his bed when he saw shadows on the stone floor. Corridors were lightened by strange lamps with green rocks in a place where a flame should be.

Were they waiting for a night to weaken Zuko’s firebending?

Huong and the two guards that have been around this entire time stared at Zuko’s tensed posture. He barely stopped himself from automatically adopting a combat-ready stance.

“We will escort you to the bathroom. Come with us,” ordered Huong, his voice still suspiciously gentle.

According to Fong’s rules, Zuko couldn’t refuse, besides, he felt incredibly dirty. Somewhere on the way, the number of guards enlarged from three to five. It looked like that bathroom wasn’t in the prison wing of the fortress. Huong walked close to his right, not forbidding him to look around, not touching him.

Zuko recognized the hallway leading to the courtyard. When they left the building, Huong placed his huge hand that could probably break bones on Zuko’s shoulder blade. The hand was on his right, so he’d seen it coming, despite this he’d to clench his teeth to swallow the groan and the urge to struggle. Zuko couldn’t show them how injured he was so they couldn’t use it against him.

Walking through the courtyard took them less than a minute and it was too dark here for Zuko to take a good look. No doubts it was guarded, even if not, Huong’s grip was tight – not enough to cause pain… at least someone who hadn’t been already injured.

Escaping on the way didn’t look like an available option.

Back in the building grip on his shoulder disappeared. Huong stopped and opened a wall gesturing Zuko to walk into the created space. Zuko felt awful turning his back to the guard but he had no other choice.

The room was bigger than his cell, no windows, a couple of showers on stone walls, and a small basin. Zuko shivered at the thought of washing himself with Huong watching. No. He preferred to stink than to remove his clothes in the man’s presence. Zuko had not much dignity left but he won’t lower himself to – to that.

Huong looked at him and frowned slightly.

“You have five minutes alone, then I walk back,” declared Huong and pointed at the pile next to the wall. “There are clothes and a towel. Don’t try anything.”

Not waiting for an answer Huong left and the wall closed behind him. The room had nothing that could be used as a weapon, no way out, too thick walls… Again, no escapable.

After the events of the North Pole, this was a luxury. Zuko took off his clothes wincing only a few times when his back protested. He walked under the closest shower and pull the rope that unlocked some kind of mechanism and the water sprayed over him. His back stung and for a moment water became red, not for too long so it couldn’t be too bad.

Zuko put on the new pants from the pile, it was in the color of the dirt like everything in this shithole. He picked up the shirt in a dark shade of green made of rough material but didn’t put it on yet. Zuko knew from the experience that injuries needed fresh air to heal faster.

He walked to the basin and placed the shirt over it. Splashing his face with the cool water felt good, Zuko was glad that he didn’t start to flinch at it. He wasn’t that weak after all… Zuko rubbed his head, short uneven hair under his fingers a little longer in the spot where his phoenix tail had been.

Zuko leaned over the basin and took a few deep breaths. He was fucking terrified. All almost-plans wouldn’t work, one mistake and he’ll be mutilated or dead. They may treat him well but for how long? Zuko knew on his own skin how fast things could change… Always for the worst – at least for him. Besides, he didn’t do anything to help his nation just sitting here and waiting…

Father couldn’t know this… It would’ve only proven his point and not so long ago Zuko was so close to finally coming home… He was so close to finally prove himself and gaining Father’s love.

Zuko had to get out of here before everything collapse at him like it always does.

Someone cleared throat behind Zuko, and he turned in a flash. Zuko didn’t hear Huong coming back, he stood in a fighting stance, fists clenched at his sides. It wasn’t a reasonable move, so he grabbed his shirt and started putting it on, praying that Huong won’t classify his behavior as disobedience.

Huong and his unreadable expression just stood in the door shadowing Zuko. The guard stared at him slightly differently than before but Zuko had no idea what that meant. Zuko had to clench his hands behind his back to hide the way they shook.

He raised his chin and glared at the guard – every time it was a little harder than before.

Huong stepped back to let Zuko pass through. Walk back looked the same – five guards, without touching except for the yard. This time when Huong grabbed his upper arm Zuko didn’t flinch. In silence they lead him back to the cell and Zuko hadn’t noticed any escape possibility.

Huong closed the barred doors behind Zuko but didn’t cover the padlock in rock.

“You will receive a meal in the morning,” informed Huong. “Any questions?”

“No.”

Huong raised one brow, piercing Zuko with his stare. “Prince Zuko, you remember you may request healer’s attention, right?”

“I don’t need it,” growled Zuko.

Huong nodded and earthbended the lock, two other guards hidden in their room whispering too quietly for Zuko to hear.

Zuko won’t rely on their mercy, he won’t lower himself to accepting help from enemies. He was already disgracing himself by being here and not fighting back. Zuko couldn’t let them see him in such a vulnerable state. His back hurt but it will heal, a cough that gathered in his lungs for all day was easy enough to hide.

Zuko won’t show any weakness and he will escape. No idea how but he was familiar with nearly impossible tasks. He’d almost done them before.

Almost.

“I feel bad about Zuko,” said Aang after trying to fall asleep for too long.

Sokka turned to his side to face the monk. “What do you mean?” he asked with a sleepy voice.

“I’m not sure, not really at least…” Aang scratched his arrow trying to vocalize his thoughts. “He wanted to capture me and it’s definitely bad – but instead I captured him? Kinda at least. And I feel bad about leaving him in prison… Because you – you know, he helped me escape once… then attacked me but first helped… I don’t know, Sokka… He – he seemed scared? Not sure in that but he definitely yelled less and it’s strange, cause, you know, Zuko likes yelling. And yes. He’s scary and – and all but – “

Sokka raised his hand and turned on his stomach to look at Aang. His eyes were still sleepy but Aang looked really troubled even in the dim light of the room.

“Aang, chill out,” Sokka yawned. “You two are even in helping each other escaping prisons. You took him from the North Pole. I don’t know firebenders very well, but they seem like guys who like warmer temperatures – “

“You are right, Kuzon always complained when – “Aang stopped himself realizing that night wasn’t a good time for a story from his past.

“And Zuko wasn’t yelling because he isn’t that stupid… He knew it was better to just stay silent. Look Aang, maybe it’s better for him to be locked for a while. He almost killed you and himself at the pole. I don’t know if he would be so lucky in his next insane, unplanned attempt. You have a backup.” Sokka pointed at himself. “Zuko hasn’t… not anymore at least, I didn’t saw any soldiers working with him. Um, maybe the old guy, but he seemed to be on the good side so I’m no longer sure.”

Aang sat on his bed. “… You’re probably right. Um, you think earthbenders will be nice to him?” asked Aang.

“Well, this guy doesn’t do conversation well… My guess is that they will have a lot of silent days, and I think it works for Zuko… At lest Jerk didn’t want to talk with me! And who doesn’t want to talk with me?!”

Aang giggled slightly. “What were you talking about?”

Sokka rubbed his eyes. “Um, I wouldn’t call it a proper conversation but… You know casual stuff. He called me ‘Peasant’ a couple of times, some Fire Nation propaganda and I answered with Avatar propaganda, he didn’t like it… And, hmm, oh I know! Glaring. Well, we didn’t talk about it but Zuko glared at me all the time.” Sokka had to admit that some of these glares were impressive, especially from chained and pretty beat up guy. “But without any threats, so maybe a few months, and his temper will cool off a bit.”

Aang smiled at him. “You’re right. Thank you, Sokka. Goodnight.”

“Nighty night – “mumbled Sokka and not even a minute passed when he fell asleep again.

Sokka was right, he usually was, but Aang still couldn’t sleep. He was no longer worry about Zuko – not as much as before at least – but he was stressed about playing with the Avatar State.

Aang found himself sitting on the roof scratching sleeping Momo behind his ear. It was the middle of the night and he should really, really sleep but he kept thinking… The first Avatar State after he’d woken up from the iceberg, he’d used against Zuko… He’d knocked him off the ship… He didn’t remember planning to do this, it – it just happened. It was a miracle that Zuko hadn’t broken something or worst…

Was the firebender afraid of him after that? Aang was afraid of Zuko after their first meeting and he hadn’t been the one who got blown off the ship… And Aang was super afraid when he was imprisoned by Zhao and other firebenders… And Zuko was just a teen… Pretty scary teen but still a teen.

A small group was marching through the courtyard. Aang was curious so he flew on the lower roof with Momo curled in his robe. Five grown men walked alongside a smaller figure but Aang couldn’t recognize their faces. Men were probably earthbenders, they moved like ones… but the one in the middle didn’t…

Zuko. Aang recognized the prince when they walked past a dim light. Well, he looked fine. Benders were escorting him somewhere, but he wasn’t in any chains, and he wasn’t struggling so it couldn’t be bad. Only one bender held and arm on Zuko’s shoulder, other than that he walked all by himself.

Aang suddenly felt bad about their trip form the North Pole. Sokka was right it was better to leave Zuko here. The earthbenders weren’t afraid of the prince and they treated him well. Aang maybe would like to be friends with Zuko… but Zuko wouldn’t. And Aang was afraid of him, and when Aang was afraid he hadn’t always had full control. He wouldn’t forgive himself if he seriously hurt Zuko because of his fear.

It was better this way. The firebender was safe, so was Aang. He hoped that after the war things will be different.

Chapter Text

A full night of sleep has been an abstract concept for Zuko for a while now… Nights on the deck had been rather rough for him and after his ship had gotten blown up it has been getting only worse… So, it was surprising when he woke up in the morning in an actual bed. He had been tossing and turning all night and he’d woken every time when guards had passed by. They had done this a lot since his sleep attempts weren’t the quietest ones. Zuko refused to even try to lay on his stomach, he couldn’t turn his back on the bars, so every too-fast movement had awakened him with a shot of pain.

But in the face of last days? Weeks even? This night was a good one. For the first time pain in his temples eased a bit and his thoughts didn't have to pass through the sleep-deprivation barrier in his mind. Also, he’d been too exhausted to have any nightmares.

The first rays of the sun came through the microscopic window just below the ceiling. Zuko sat on his bed and thought, for the first time with a little clearer head.

It was good Uncle wasn’t with him – not exactly in the prison but more like… generally. Uncle will be at the meeting point in the colony that they had talked about. For sure, he will… but Zuko won’t. Zuko more or less knew where Fong’s base was situated, and it was nearly impossible to reach the colony in time even if he would escape now – which he also won’t.

Uncle, for sure, had managed to escape from the North Pole somehow, maybe he was old and lazy, and only focused on his stupid tea… But he wouldn’t be called the Dragon of the West without a reason. So, he'd made it. And now, he would be able to come back to the Fire Nation. Zuko was sure Uncle wanted to do this much earlier but because of Zuko’s incompetence in catching the Avatar he couldn’t… Maybe Uncle had come with him for a quest willingly but there was no chance he’d planned to spend three years on the rusty ship with his dishonored nephew.

Change of plans.

Escape. Catch the Avatar. Come back home to Uncle and apologize for – for the previous three years... Bring the Avatar to father and ask for a second chance. Maybe he will forgive Zuko the disgrace of being captured by not only one enemy nation but two… if – if he’d show up with the Avatar. Father will forgive… Father will see him as a loyal son. As worthy.

Zuko’s thoughts were spiraling too much to properly meditate, nonetheless, he sat at the floor, facing the door, and tried to breathe deeply. His inner flame was weakened after the North Pole, lack of sleep and food.

About the food…

He was hungry. He hadn’t felt it that much before Peasant had given him oversalted meat back in the sky but when his stomach had felt how it is to be full again it’d become unbearable again. Zuko knew hope was a mother of fools and only complete idiots trusted the enemy’s words… But Zuko hoped that Huong didn’t lie, and he will get food in the morning.

Zuko had a really bad feeling about Huong. He knew the guard’s behavior was shady. There had to be a reason why Fong had chosen him to be Zuko’s main guard. Huong probably was a good bender, possibly with a long military record or other achievements – that would explain Fong’s trust in the man.

There had to be a ploy, in which Huong played the main role… Zuko’s guess was that Huong’s goal was to gain his trust – there was no other explanation for the guard’s amicable behavior.

But why did they want Zuko’s trust?

Footsteps echoed in the corridor and Zuko immediately abandoned his meditative pose and stood up. He knew that it didn’t matter much… he couldn’t do anything. But pretending to have any control over the situation was helping him. Zuko retreated to the wall, his back pressed to the cold stone, eyes focused on the bars.

Two guards from the night shift stood in front of his cell, Huong and other guard emerged from the left. The other guard had been with him in Fong’s office – for now he had contact with only those six guards. The guard next to Huong held a tray of food, which Zuko focused on.

Huong eyed him from head to toes before speaking.

“Hello, Prince Zuko.” The guard put his huge hand on the lock and removed the rock. “Stay where you are.”

Zuko scowled at him but felt relief – no touching, no jostling, no beating was good. Huong opened the cell and associating him guars put the tray on the floor. To Zuko’s surprise, the food looked edible. It could be a cruel game and they could take away food as soon as he moved but then Huong closed the door. The tray wouldn’t fit between the bars.

Zuko stood tense, not moving even for an inch, observing all four of them… Four. Too much to even think of escaping in time of food delivery. Shit, slowly he was running out of options…

“You will receive two meals a day,” said Huong, his voice emotionless – not malicious, not kind either… “You may eat now.”

Huong walked away with one of the guards from the night shift, the new one stayed.

Zuko didn’t move till he wasn’t longer watched and took a tray from the floor. The size of the portion looked normal, the water in the cup looked fresh. Of course, it could be poisoned or drugged… Zuko was too hungry to care.

Somewhere around noon, Zuko swallowed his pride when pain in his bladder became unpleasant. Zuko wasn’t going to call the guard so he waited for one of them to check on him – they were doing it often enough.

This time it was the one with a big mallet attached to his belt. Zuko felt uneasy looking at the weapon but he felt uneasy with any of the earthbenders, so it didn’t matter.

Zuko cleared his throat. “I would like to go to the lavatory,” he cringed inside when the words left his mouth, shivers of embarrassment running down his entire body.

The guard raised his brow and clapped his mallet.

“I thought you would never ask, Ashmaker,” said the guard and turned to call his comrade. “Hey! Lazy Brick come over here! Princess finally wants to go on a trip.”

The other guard came in front of the cell and, well… he looked like a brick. He was huge, as all of them, and his face was in a strange shade of dirty orange.

“Ugh – “growled Brick. “What are we going to do? Call Huong?”

“I beg you… The throne room is around the corner,” stated Mallet. “You think we can’t handle Ashmaker?”

“I didn’t say that!” Brick said indignantly. “I’m saying we should just give him a bucket as we did with others.”

Zuko cringed at the thought of reliving himself to a bucket. Lately, he wasn’t much of a Royal but that was far beneath… beneath even a peasant.

Zuko would like Huong was here… He wasn’t sure if the false sense of security was better than an obvious threat, though.

“Come to the bars,” ordered Mallet.

Zuko hesitated for a moment but Fong’s threats have never stopped echoing in his head. He put on his best scowl and moved forward.

“Hands together, in front of you,” said Mallet, and Zuko glared at him. “Are you deaf, Ashmaker? Do what I said!”

Zuko reluctantly offered his hands, trying not to think how easy to crush his bones were. Mallet took something from his uniform’s pocket and in another second Zuko’s wrists were covered in rock shaped like handcuffs. Tight but it wasn’t cutting off the blood flow.

“You think we can’t handle him?” Brick asked, the tone clearly mocking.

“No,” Mallet growled back. “I don’t want Huong over my head. He said to let him out of the cell it has to be at least three of us… Overprotectively if you ask me. But that was when he wasn’t restrained. So, you see – problem solved.”

Brick shrugged. “Whatever.”

Zuko wanted to scream. He’d assumed that he could take two benders if he was lucky and there are going to be at least three al the time. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

The entire way took maybe one minute, and he was held by his elbows from both sides. Whatever they said they were wary of him. Which in normal circumstances would be a good thing but those circumstances were far from normal. His entire life he has been underestimated and it had to change right-fucking now!

They stopped in front of not-earthbending doors.

“You do your royal duties with us inside or with bound hands. Your choice,” stated Mallet with a stupid smirk on his face.

“Get off me,” growled Zuko, shaking his shoulders. He didn’t move his feet though. He didn’t want them to misjudge this motion as an escape attempt.

Benders laughed and let go of him, blocking every other way than through the door. Well, at least it was better than the North Pole. The lavatory trip wasn’t an escape way either… The room was small, windowless… useless.

When he left the toilet earthbenders flanked him immediately.

Zuko was totally, absolutely fucked. His escape couldn’t be planned. He would have to wait for the right moment… whatever ‘the right moment’ was.

They lead him back to the cell and closed the door. Brick went to the guard’s room immediately, and Mallet once more turned to look at Zuko.

His hands were still covered in stone.

Zuko has been furious… on almost everything starting with himself. Not letting the smoke out of his nostrils required control – something he has never been good at.

Somewhere near the sunset, the steps of food delivery echoed on the corridor. This time Zuko didn’t bother to stand up. He was too exhausted by controlling his rising anger for an entire day to even lookup.

“Why is he bound,” asked Huong. Zuko no longer tried to reveal the guard's real intentions hidden behind a gentle voice.

“Umm… We escorted him to the toilet earlier and we didn’t want to bother anyone since it took just, like, two minutes? There were two of us, so we cuffed him for safety, Colonel,” reported Mallet. Huong was a colonel… Zuko raised his head hearing the information. Zuko suspected the man was high-ranked but not that high. “We must’ve forgotten to remove them later.”

Lie. Mallet and Brick had checked on him a couple of times, they had seen the cuffs.

Huong frowned looking at Zuko and was quiet for a moment. Zuko’s heart speeded even if there was no logical way to put any blame on him…

Huong nodded to Mallet. “Good, tell the others that’s fine for lavatory requests. However, do not forget to remove the cuffs afterward.”

“Yes, Colonel,” nodded Mallet.

Other benders evidently respected Huong… But they weren’t afraid of him which was untypical of a soldier not being nervous around the ones outranking him. Back on the ship most of the crew avoided Zuko, the same thing he’d noticed in Zhao’s soldiers. But on the other hand, no one was ever tensed around Uncle…

Huong opened the cell and stepped in. “Come over here, Prince Zuko.”

Zuko did as he was told, chin high, looking straight into the man’s eyes, confidence fueled by anger and frustration. The guard put his huge hand on cuffs shattering them and reforming into ordinary rock, which he put into his uniform’s pocket. Huong took the tray from the other guard and handed it to Zuko – an improvement after being forced to stand back to the wall and pick up food from the floor.

When benders left Zuko ate everything from the tray. He had to regain as much strength as possible to be ready at the right moment for an escape. Zuko wouldn’t get a second chance if something goes wrong.

At noon the second day, Zuko knew every spirit-damned rock in this cell by heart. Of course, none of it wasn’t loose, even a little. He was restless. He couldn’t plan anything so the only thoughts occurring his mind were dark scenarios that weren’t helping since he has been on the edge of panic. Theoretically, he could practice katas without fire involved but he doubted guards would approve…

Meditation hadn’t worked either… Every attempt sooner or later had ended on imagining father’s disappointment and it hurt. Zuko should be used to this by now… he was, in fact, but the pain hasn’t changed.

So Zuko simply sat on the bed, elbows on knees, and just… rested. He kept telling himself that it’s a vital part of his escape but with every passing hour his hope smoldered like a dying fire.

Today Brick and the guard looking like a literal mountain guarded him. Mountain was even bigger than Huong, but the worst part was that they haven’t shut up even for a second for at least three hours now… Their conversation echoed across corridors driving Zuko mad. If they would talk about something significant, something he could use against them… But they were arguing about a theater play.

They both were wrong and Zuko wanted to scream. Good that he has always been stealthy so even with a sore body he could pacing quietly enough to not draw guards' attention. And he had to move.

How can the one be so stupid to not understand a play directed to kids? Brick kept saying that the main character committed a suicide… A suicide in a kids’ play, for Agni’s sake! And Mountain wasn’t that ridiculous but wasn’t close to the real meaning either…

Their thick skulls and brains made of rocks, the stupidest rock in this entire rocky shithole couldn’t grasp the kids' play plot! Was it how education looked in the Earth Kingdom or were they just idiots? In the Fire Nation, they wouldn’t pass a second grade for fuck’s sake!

Zuko heard another checkup coming but he didn’t want to look at the guard to not get irritated even further, he continued his pacing.

“Stop this and sit on your ass, Ashmaker!” growled Brick.

“No,” Zuko growled back.

“No?” questioned him Brick clearly surprised by this sudden act of rebellion. Zuko stopped pacing but he wasn’t finished yet.

“No!” he snarled once more. “I can’t just sit and listen to you stupid, uneducated, blockheads argue about something that even not-so-intelligent komodo rhino would understand!”

Hearing Zuko’s risen voice Mountain joined stunned Brick.

“What?” asked or more like spitted the question Brick.

“You both can’t comprehend a simple ending! Do yourself a favor and stick to throwing rocks not something that requires an actual brain! The heroine gave up her life to go to the spirit world to save her family, not fucking committed a suicide because of love drama! Seriously?! How can anyone think that?” Zuko said it all on one breath… at least years of breathing exercised weren’t for nothing… “Your skulls are too thick to understand the kids' play!”

The guards didn’t say anything, looking at each other stunned by his outburst. And at this moment Zuko realized what had he done… Where were his fucking self-preservation instincts?! He was dumber than those idiots… He backed to the wall.

And all that because of the stupid play…

He was furious but it wasn’t because of the play, was it?

It was about everything else.

His uselessness. The fact that every time he said the truth everyone thought he was lying. His pathetic fear. Jealousness that these kids lived in pure obliviousness of how effective corporal punishments were and how cruel the world could be. His childish wish to go home. The fact that from the beginning he couldn’t understand what people wanted from him, so he always disappointed them…

Zuko was angry for everything even the stupid theatre play but it was far on his long list.

“You forgot your place, Fire Scum!”

With a quick movement, Brick swung his weapon bumping metal bars. Zuko jumped at the sound and pressed his back to the wall, his chest rising and falling faster and faster… He froze completely, not daring to raise his hands, not daring to move at all.

“You insult us one more time…” Mountain’s voice had to be made to tell threats, deadly steady and rough. After three years Zuko still didn’t learn when is better to shut the fuck up. “… And we will check how thick your bones are.”

“Not thick enough, I’m afraid,” said Brick, playing with his mallet.

Zuko breathed hard, chest rising and falling, praying not to hear the lock to his cell clicking. Why did he always take the fights he couldn’t win?

Mountain smirked eyeing him. “Not so tough anymore, hmm?” he mocked. “Now put your royal ass on the bed and don’t you dare fucking pacing again! Better no even shuffling reach my ears! Understood?”

“Yes,” Zuko tried to say but his throat had closed because of panic, the word too quiet to even call it a whisper.

“I can’t hear you!” rebuked Mountain.

Zuko cleared his throat. “Understood.”

Guards smiled at each other amused. Brick once more hit the bars with his weapon and Zuko flinched hard at the movement and the sound.

“So, sit down, you fucking rat!” scoffed Brick.

Zuko was trembling, his legs numbed barely supported him to reach the bed. When he sat the guards came back to their room. Zuko rested his elbows on his knees breathing heavily through the clenched throat, trying to be as quiet as possible.

He didn’t move even when Brick and Mountain ended their shift.

Eating lunch in the abandoned canteen, only three of them in the entire room was highly relaxing after today’s events. Fu and Ruma were especially tired after the additional research they did.

“Damned Ashmaker snapped at us today,” exclaimed Ruma.

The statement got Colonel Huong’s attention; he narrowed his eyes. “What did he do?”

“Fucking snapped!” joined Fu.

“Can you be more specific?” asked Colonel.

“Ruma and I were talking about that play we went to see on our day off, maybe, like a week ago? Not sure… We had been pretty boozed back then, so we barely remembered anything… And we hadn’t been even interested in it! You know Colonel, girls like theatre so we kinda – “

“To the point, please,” said Colonel Huong.

“It’s an important detail! Anyway… We were arguing about an ending of this stupid thing when we heard scraping form the cell. Ruma went to check on the scum and the brat fucking yelled at him!”

Colonel Huong frowned and Ruma continued the story.

“Ashmaker insulted us with his royal creativity and told us how the play ended. Can you believe this, Colonel?! What a little shit!”

“And the worst part… “joined Fu. “Rat was fucking right! We asked Sang Zu from the 3^rd division, you know that that small non-bender, his sister is an actress or something… Nevermind. The point is that Fire Scum is a fucking nerd with a filthy mouth!”

Colonel Huong was frowning at them from the beginning of the story. They didn’t expect him to join their laugher, he was the most composed man they both knew.

“Did you punish him?”

Fu scratched his neck. “No exactly… We weren’t sure where this laid in General’s rules… But we scared the sass out of him pretty good. He might've pissed his pants when Ruma hit the bars with his mallet the second time,” he laughed.

Ruma wanted to laugh at the memory but he noticed that Colonel didn’t look amused at all. “Now, when I think about it was clearly an act of disobedience, Colonel. We may deal with the firebender since he did this on our shift,” he declared.

Colonel shook his head. “No need. I will settle this.” He said as he walked away from the table.

Fu and Ruma looked at each other.

“My bet is that Colonel only waited for the prince to slip to take revenge on him,” whispered Fu.

“Revenge?” asked Ruma.

Fu leaned to Ruma over the table. “Colonel was once imprisoned by the Fire Nation; he didn’t talk about it much… But, Ruma, you didn’t hear that from me! Got it?”

“Sure… Well, shit. Colonel is fucking patient, then.”

“You are damn right.”

Chapter Text

The mud was all over his clothes and a bit of it was even in his ears. Aang tried to shake it out but it wasn’t as easy as it seemed. The best option would be to find Katara to help him clean this mess, but he didn’t see her since the beginning of General Fong’s test.

Aang abandoned his plan when he saw the familiar soldier on the other side of the courtyard. He made an air scooter and rushed to the huge bearded man. It turned out to be an effective way to get rid of the mud.

“Hey! Mr, um, Mr. Earthbender!” Aang called after the man who didn’t stop his walk when he saw him coming. “Please wait!”

The soldier stopped and, wow, the man was huge, but he looked nice so Aang smiled wide to him and waved his hand.

“Hello! I’m Aang, I’m the Avatar. What’s your name?” he asked.

The man didn’t return his smile or maybe he did, but enormous beard had hidden it?

“Colonel Huong,” answered the soldier, very soldier-like. “I know who you are, Young Avatar.”

Aang scratched his arrow and flushed a little. “Yeah, right… I wanted to ask you something! I saw you with Zuko one night. Are you his guard or something?”

“I’m in charge of Prince’s imprisonment,” answered Colonel Huong.

“Oh! Cool! How is he?”

Colonel Huong frowned at him slightly. “He’s fine.”

Aang made his best pleading-eyes to the guard and climbed at his toes. “Can I see him?”

Colonel Huong shook his head and crossed his arms. “No. As you clearly know Prince tends to be short-tempered. He might react recklessly, Avatar Aang.”

Colonel Huong had a point. Zuko could be still mad at him, and angry Zuko likes to throw fire around, and that wouldn’t end well for anybody. Aang knew it was reasonable, but it didn’t change the fact that unpleasant feeling appeared in his gut every time he thought about the prince.

Aang didn’t like it when somebody was mad at him, he liked to make things right and reconcile… but in this case, everything was more complicated.

“Umm, you’re right…” Aang didn’t try to hide the disappointment in his voice. “Tell him I said ‘Hi’… or don’t. It would sound bad, wouldn’t it? Um, so maybe… I don’t know, um, tell him that – “

Colonel took a deep breath. “I will think of something when I will be sure Prince won’t react on his disadvantage.”

The guard didn’t smile even once but Aang liked him, he decided to smile wide for both of them! “Thank you, Colonel Huong! After we leave, let us know if Zuko changes his mind about hunting me… “

“Excuse me, Avatar Aang, but my duties require my attention. Rest well before tomorrow.”

“Sure thing, Colonel Huong! See you!” The man nodded to him and in a hurry disappeared into one of the buildings.

Tomorrow. General Fong told Aang it will be a surprise and he was pretty excited. Aang hoped it will really work and involve less mud than today…

Something was wrong.

The guards bring the dinner at the same time as yesterday, which, in fact, was surprising after his act of suicidal stupidity. Zuko thought he can forget about meals and relatively good treatment... He hadn’t moved much afraid of provoking anyone, he just stared at the floor or the wall.

Of course, Mountain and Brick had to be the ones to bring him food. Zuko had a bad feeling but surprisingly not about those two.

Where was Huong?

Was he at the meeting with Fong? Were they discussing him? Or maybe something was happening in the base? Huong was a Colonel after all, he was high ranked officer, so Fong probably needed his opinion. Or Mountain and Brick told Huong about Zuko’s outburst and Huong is consulting the consequences with General Fong? Did it classify as disobedience? Shit, speaking out of turn is fucking disobedience…

Mountain unlocked the door and Zuko caught himself that he’d stopped breathing. Huong had given him some sense of security through the past days. Probably false but Zuko learned to appreciate scraps.

From the time perspective snapping at them about the theater was extremely embarrassing. Of all things he could’ve chosen to yell at them about he’d chosen a kids’ play.

“Any more yells, huh?” mocked Mountain. Zuko swallowed embarrassment and fear and glared at the man. “Don’t you dare move now.”

Zuko hadn’t planned to. He observed the bender when he placed the tray on the ground and closed the door. He took the food after the guards left the prison wing.

It wasn’t possible that he’d insulted his captors – his enemies – and got away with it. The world just didn’t work like that. They had to wait for something… or someone.

Zuko heard footsteps – he expected Huong but saw Mountain.

“Get up, little shit,” snarled Mountain. “No shower today and no one will clean when you piss yourself. Now!”

Mountain looked at Zuko as he waited to see disgust at the information about the lack of the shower possibility, like it was the worst thing that could’ve done to a prince. Zuko didn’t react. It wasn’t something worth bragging about but he had been without a shower for more than two days multiple times…

Zuko came to the bars, waiting for Mountain’s next move – theoretically handcuffs but they could change it.

“Hands, Ashmaker.”

By the time Mountain finished securing his hands Mallet and the other guard showed up in front of the cell. The guard that hadn’t got many contact with Zuko before – only while escorting him on longer distances – watched with shameless curiosity when Zuko flexed his fingers with wrists covered in rock. This time much tighter than the last, even moving his fingers hurt.

Was its Mountain’s revenge for calling him a blockhead? At least it would make sense.

Besides the too-tight cuffs and third guard wandering behind them, the toilet trip was the same – non-escapable. The third guard looked disappointed when they locked Zuko in the cell once again. What was he expected? A show?

Zuko stood by the bars, remembering Huong’s words about removing the cuffs inside the cell. His hands had become swollen, and red, and it hurt.

Mountain looked at Zuko’s hands, then at his face. “Oh… It wasn’t too tight, Your Highness?” he asked in a mocking tone. Zuko clenched his teeth and waited for the rock to be removed. When Mountain finally did it Zuko’s wrists were covered in red marks. “Apologies, Your Highness… My brain made of rocks didn’t know the pressure was that hard.”

Zuko scowled at him and waited for the man to turn around first. He sat on the bed, still alarmed by another interact with guards without Huong’s supervision.

The sun disappeared a while ago and cold night air came to Zuko’s cell through the too-small widnow. Zuko unable to sleep laid under the thin blanket; with every next minute of doing absolutely nothing to escape he felt more disgust towards himself. He could try destroying the lock with a couple of fire blasts but by the time he’d end the guards would be on high alert and he would be fucked – which was a euphemism.

Zuko heard scraping and closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep – better not to draw any attention after today. A guard from the night shift will just walk past bars, see no problem, and go away. Just like the previous times.

But then Zuko heard the lock clicking.

His heart stopped. This couldn’t be happening.

Zuko jerked from his fake sleep on his feet to see Huong standing at the door. The cell was dark, lighten only by dim green lamps from the corridor. Zuko couldn’t see the man’s face; only his huge form shadowing him and cutting off his only way of escape.

The fake sense of security led to – to this?

Zuko backed to the wall, as far from the guard as possible. He clenched his fists. No matter the consequences he will defend himself even if they crush his hands afterward. Zuko won’t let the man do – do anything to him. He will fight back. Did Huong want to try something on the first-day in the shower room too? Zuko shivered at the thought, adrenaline stopping his body from trembling.

“Dare to lay your fucking hand on me and – and I swear, I will burn you to the ashes,” Zuko hissed through clenched teeth. His statement would be more threatening if not his voice cracked in the middle of it. But he meant every whispered word.

Huong’s face was in the shadow and the man didn’t move.

Was the perv thinking that Zuko won’t wake up?

“You’ve got sailors’ mouth, Your Highness,” said Huong in his fucking steady, emotionless voice.

Small steam escaped Zuko’s nostrils. What a sick game was that?

Huong crossed his arms, not moving closer to Zuko. He had something long in his hand, but he hid it out of Zuko’s sight.

“You just threatened me, but I understand that stepping inside in the middle of the night wasn’t the best idea; easy to misjudge – “Huong talked in a low tone, like Zuko was a startled wild animal. “Let’s clear things out, shall we?”

Huong took a step and Zuko pinned his back harder against the wall… but Huong hadn’t gotten closer to him. The guard moved alongside the bars and he bent down and picked up the tray the guards had forgotten to take.

“I stepped in only to take the tray. Nothing else.”

Zuko moved slightly right to be as far from the guard as possible. He wouldn’t stand a chance in close combat without any weapon.

“There is no permission for sexual assault, Prince Zuko. If someone tries anything tell me and I will deal with it. ‘Burning to the ashes’ is not an option. Did any of the guards try something?”

Zuko wide-eyed observed the man. He shook his head. Zuko wanted to believe the man’s words but he’d stopped being naïve and trusting a long time ago. At least he thought so…

Huong nodded and stepped closer to the door. Zuko mirrored his moves positioning himself as far as possible. The assurance could be only said to fool Zuko and provoke him to let his guard down.

Huong backed out of the cell and closed the door observing Zuko with those analyzing-every-movement eyes.

“I meant what I said, Prince Zuko,” said Huong, his steady voice filled with a grunt of disgust.

Zuko lowered his fists but didn’t relax. He was totally confused and on full alert.

“Is that why you didn’t want to see a healer?” asked Huong.

It took Zuko a moment to process the question. “W – what? No. I don’t want anything from you,” he spitted. “Tell me why did you came here and stop toying with me!”

Zuko’s temper started showing, fueled by a high adrenaline level. Huong stood close to the bars composed and calm.

“I’m not toying with you, Prince Zuko. I had to talk to you, I couldn’t come earlier, and I assumed you wouldn’t be asleep.”

“Talk about what?”

“Talk about reprimanding you.” Zuko tensed and Huong pretended not to notice. “Snaping at the guards and insulting them won’t be tolerated. I haven’t warned you earlier. If it happens again it might be not resolved as peacefully as today. Consider it, Prince Zuko.”

Not many reprimands in Zuko’s life ended only with words.

“Reprimand how?” asked Zuko.

“With words. It includes also threatening the guards.” Huong raised his eyebrows in almost a playful manner. Zuko scowled. “This time I will act as nothing happened.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“I threatened to burn you,” Zuko put an emphasis on each word, looking for the man’s reaction. There were none. “And you want to just forget that?! Forgive me for not believing your munificence! What is what you really want, Colonel?”

Zuko was sick of being fooled by hidden meanings, unclear intentions, and understatements.

Huong sighed. “I want you not to force my hand, Prince Zuko. Also, to give you this,” Huong waved the long object that Zuko saw earlier, “to kill some time and stop you from stupid things.” Huong put an object on the floor in Zuko’s cell. “Get some sleep.”

Zuko felt a turmoil of emotions when without another word Huong left. When the guard’s steps vanished completely Zuko distrustfully picked up the object.

A scroll. Zuko leaned over the bars to get some light to read the inscription.

A fucking theatre scroll.

Chapter Text

“General Fong,” Huong bowed his head respectfully facing his superior. This call had to be urgent; the Avatar flew away only minutes ago. “You wanted to see me.”

General lifted his gaze from the stack of papers and maps on his desk and looked at Huong, excitement on his face way too obvious.

“Colonel, your records say that you were imprisoned by the Fire Nation for the six months and you are the only survivor who decided to continue active military service. Correct?”

Huong nodded. Everything the general said was true – stripped of details but true.

He had been caught with his entire unit during their second year of the service; he was fresh after turning twenty, just one of many others inexperienced in real combat soldiers. They hadn’t been transported to a prison. Every healthy and strong man had been taken to the factory; entirely made of metal and hot pipes. Huong hadn’t seen even an iota of earth during months of hard work.

One day something in the factory had broken causing an explosion and the entire wing had collapsed. Huong had been lucky that he’d worked in this wing then and that he hadn’t been crushed or buried alive like many others. They had been close to the forest and the guards had been more concerned about their wounded comrades than escaping prisoners. After a day of wandering through the forest, as far from the factory as possible their small group bumped into the Earth Kingdom Army.

All this had been a stroke of pure luck.

“So, you are more familiar with firebenders than any other soldier here.”

Huong frowned; he didn’t know when the general was going with this conversation. “I guess so, General. May I ask what’s behind those questions?”

“The Avatar is going to hand us a valuable firebender to imprison. I want you, Colonel, to be in charge of this. Can I trust you with this?”

“Yes, General,” simply answered Huong.

“I thought you’d agree,” said General Fong with a smile so characteristic to him. “Please sit. We will settle the details.”

“Who are we talking about?” asked Huong, curious if there is a possibility he knew the firebender.  “Some high- ranking military officer?”

“Better, Colonel… Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation himself.”

Hearing this, even composed and calm Huong’s attitude felt a bit shaken. He sat in the chair listening to Fong’s instructions.

Huong didn’t like to rely on the opinions of others; he respected them but has never allowed influencing his own judgment – that occurred even the Prince of the Fire Nation.

But of course, he had some expectations of how the royal involved in the siege could behave. Huong didn’t know much about ‘the Royal Drama’, as many called it, but the prince must have had a temper and abilities to be sent on the front lines at such a young age…

The prince he saw didn’t match his expectations.

Most of all he was scared but trying his best to hide it behind a scowl matching an ugly scar covering half of his face. He was also surprisingly respectful. Huong hadn’t had a contact with many princes (any to be specific) but this one acted like a soldier.

Huong understood. Many years ago, he’d been terrified too, and he’d been older than the prince and irrelevant. Huong hadn’t got all the hateful glares and death wishes directed straight at him – the prince had. Because of that, General Fong ordered that only six of them will be involved in the prince’s custody. General didn’t want any unplanned acts of revenge before deciding what to do with the prince.

The Fire Prince often flinched when someone approached from his scarred side or touched. He froze and tensed every time any of the guards looked at him. His universal answer to absolutely everything was ‘the glare’ that zealous combatant wouldn’t be ashamed of.

The Fire Prince undoubtfully was looking for a way to escape – this was to be expected and Huong didn’t even blame him. Alone, far from his country, surrounded by people he’d been obligated to hate from the day he was born.

Someone might’ve called Huong a Fire Nation sympathizer or even a traitor hearing his thoughts about the prince but that wasn’t true. He hated the war and all cruelty of men behind it; he’d killed many enemies and buried many friends; he blamed the Fire Nation for every dead soldier or orphaned child…

On the principle, Huong was against the Fire Prince – as a prince, a figure, and heir to the throne but he didn’t have to be against him as a human if that made any sense…

He’d established this approach back in the factory, and even funnier he’d learned it from Fire Nation’s soldiers. There were awful ones who could beat a restrained prisoner for nothing, indifferent ones, who just had been doing their job and decent ones. The last group had never overused their position and acted with actual sympathy towards the prisoners.  Huong remembered one night when two guards had taken him and two others to the guards’ room and shared some liquor and stories. The guards had even covered up for them when they had been almost caught.

And when they had been talking in the middle of the night, sharing one bottle, telling stories from their childhoods they weren’t so different. Huong has been thinking about that night and the meaning behind it ever since.

The prince was way too quiet and too obedient to live up to the image Huong had created after hearing how problematic he’d been at the North Pole. Huong didn’t have to wait long to discover why…

As punishment for whatever the prince had done, he’d been whipped. Huong had seen the Prince’s back for only a few seconds, but he recognized the whipping marks when he saw ones. His back was covered in vertical, dark bruises some of them once had been an open wounds. Huong couldn’t believe the prince moved without wincing with every step. And the stupid boy refused the healer’s help (which was a genuine offer) like he was too proud or too ashamed – Huong couldn’t tell for sure.

General Fong’s threats hadn’t had to be as radical as they assumed. The prince’s spirit has been already broken in one of the most efficient ways. Huong hasn’t got the whole picture, but he couldn’t imagine what the prince could’ve possibly done to deserve so many whips. Or perhaps the Water Tribe had overused their power to take revenge on the boy…

Huong didn't like what he thought was truer.

Usually, Huong praised himself as prudent but the last night he’d acted like a total idiot. What was he thinking? Going into the prince’s cell in the middle of the night…  This could end much worse than it actually did… Huong had been tired by hours-long conversations with Fong and planning next Avatar’s trial, but it wasn’t an excuse.

The morning afterward Huong took care to be with other guards during food delivery. He trusted his subordinates, but the highly alarming reaction of the prince had made him uneasy. When they arrived, the boy sat on the bed his back pressed to the corner; the scroll laid close to his bend legs like he’d tried to hide the fact he had been reading it.

“Hello, Prince Zuko,” said Huong.

The boy didn’t move, he tensed even further, looking at him from the corner of his good eye; deep shadows beneath suggested that he boy hasn’t been sleeping at all. Huong opened the cell and the prince didn’t move so he just placed the tray on the ground and closed the door.

“You need anything, Prince Zuko?” asked Huong hoping quietly to hear the healer appointment request.

“No,” the prince growled back.

Huong nodded. He wanted to leave the prince alone; he never started to eat when any of the guards were still there.

“Wait!” fumed Ruma. “What is that thing, Ashmaker?!”

Ruma was pointing at the scroll and the prince’s eyes widened in fear. He looked at the scroll, then at the guards, and finally focused on Huong, the look of betrayal and fury in his golden eyes.

“I asked you a question!” repeated Ruma.

The prince flinched and opened his mouth trying to articulate something, but Huong spoked first. “It’s fine.” Huong placed a hand on Ruma’s shoulder to calm him down. “I gave him this. He has my permission to have it.”

Ruma looked at him surprised but the prince looked at him in pure shock. Did he think Huong gave him the scroll just to set him up? After a moment of silence, Ruma shrugged and walked away without asking further questions. Huong apologetically smiled to the prince but, in fact, he doubted the boy would see it this way.

Their unusual task caused eating their meals in odd hours only in the company of their small group.

“The brat is so obedient,” laughed Fu. “When we get bored, we can order him to dance or seriously whatever and His Majesty would do it!”

Luo almost chocked at his tea. “You are fucking right! Fire Lord Junior dancing for us! I would tell stories about this to my fucking grandchildren!”

“First you have to have a girl you ugly shit,” pointed Ruma.

“You dirty bastard – “

Huong heard enough of this conversation, he swallowed his tea and spoked, watching not to show rising anger in his voice.

“The prince is a prisoner, not a clown.” Men at the table quieted immediately when he spoke. “Don’t try anything unless you want to get burned,” said Huong smiling inside at a pun only he could understand.

“If he firebend, the general said we’ll crush his hands,” pointed Luo. “Doubt His Highness would risk it.”

There have been many times when Huong just wanted to punch his fellow soldiers. “I doubt you know the prince well enough to make such a statement. I don’t want any of you to try anything dirty with the prisoner.”

Ruma spitted his tea back to his cup. “If you mean by it what I think you mean… um, then gross. I wouldn’t touch an ashmaker with a stick not to mention – “

“Enough,” quieted him Huong. “I don’t want you to give him any orders that are aimed to entertain you and humiliate him. Am I clear?

Three of them nodded but Luo was frowning. “I will, of course, obey the order, Colonel, but what do you think ashmakers do to ours, huh? I doubt the Fire Nation’s prison is any similar to summer colony the prince has with us – Ouch, the fuck?!” Luo hissed when Fu elbowed him hard.

“Shut up you idiot!” scolded him Ruma.

“Why? That’s the fucking truth!”

“Have you ever been imprisoned by the Fire Nation, Lieutenant Luo?” asked Huong, voice calm and collected.

“Well, no but – “

“I was,” said Huong. Fu and Ruma only covered their faces anxiously looking at Huong and Luo. Lieutenant opened his mouth in shock and looking straight at Huong, realizing his mistake, and knowing well that Colonel didn’t tend to joke.

“I – I’m sorry, Colonel. I didn’t mean to – I didn’t know and – “

“So please stop making assumptions about something you have no experience in.”

“Yes, Colonel Huong. Again, I’m sorry.”

Huong nodded at him accepting the apologies, not that he was particularly mad at the mention of his imprisonment – no, he was mad at the assumptions and malfeasance of his subordinates.

The atmosphere at the table became tense until Ruma decided to speak.

“Colonel, may I ask why you gave, um, a scroll to the prisoner?”

“To keep him busy. It looks like the prince becomes reckless when he’s restless,” answered Huong.

The answer satisfied them, and they didn’t ask further.

Huong didn’t mention the scroll once belonged to his boy. He couldn’t get rid of it for years. The cruel piece of parchment has been reviving the memories over and over again. He and Lee had argued over it on daily basics, Huong just couldn’t understand what his boy had seen in those stupid plays, and actors, and fictional worlds…  One day Lee had announced that when he would be sixteen, he would run away from home if Huong refused to agree on acting school.

Lee hadn’t lived to the age of sixteen when a cruel illness had taken him in less than a month before it. Huong has kept all his scrolls as a reminder of how he hadn’t supported his boy’s dreams when he should’ve.

It's been five years since Lee passed away.

The Fire Prince was nothing like his precious boy except a soft spot to the theater. Lee had been ready to throw everything away to accomplish his dreams and the prince risked his life to yell at the guards to defend the play. Huong had a feeling that despite everything two of them would've got along well. 

Deciding to hand Lee’s scroll to the prince had been an impulsive choice but somehow Huong felt it was the right decision to make. And he’d felt good in the morning when he’d saw the scroll tucked halfway under the blanket, visibly rolled somewhere in the middle.

If not, his composed nature he would shed a tear – many times he’d caught Lee in the middle of the night in the same position as the Fire Prince had been in the morning.

It was an ordinary theatre scroll – no cruel trick to make his life more miserable and Zuko didn’t know what to think of it.

Maybe not so ordinary… The margins were covered in wobbly handwriting. Every note commenting something in the scene, planning an actor’s movement over the stage, or even questioning the plot. Zuko agreed that a few notes and corrections in fact made more sense than the original version but some of the others were ridiculous!

Zuko was reading the final scene note when the earth trembled. Immediately he threw away the scroll and rose to his feet. Somewhere in the distance, he heard shouts and the movement of soldiers, his guards abandoned their station and ran from the prison after sparing him a single glare.

Was it… was it the Fire Nation Attack?

 It had to be! It had to be!

Who else could’ve attacked the Earth Kingdom’s military base!  Suddenly the floor trembled again and Zuko had to support himself on the wall.

It was the right moment he has been waiting for!

The Fire Nation on the attack as a perfect distraction for his escape. In those circumstances maybe Father won’t know about Zuko’s failure! He will capture the Avatar, and everything will be all right…

Zuko swallowed excitement and fear and shot the first powerful fire blast into the lock.

Escape now or die trying.

The Avatar’s trial went out of the control. Every bending soldier was on the training ground, chaos everywhere. Huong spotted the guards that were supposed to be in the prison right now.

He turned on his heel and ran to the prison wing with a really, really bad feeling.

Chapter Text

Theoretically, it hasn’t been that long since the last time he’d firebended, but he felt like forever. Katas were imprinted in his muscle memory and he couldn’t forget them, but his body refused to cooperate. Zuko had broken the fire punch in the middle of the movement when the sharp pain radiated through his ribs – still sensitive to the touch, hopefully not fractured. Due to the pain his back gave him, he’d almost forgotten that the explosion of his ship had made a heavy impact on his condition too.

Zuko clenched his side, watching pathetic flame dissolve into nothing before even heating up the padlock. He had to take it easy. Zuko took a couple of deep breaths getting used to the feeling in his chest. His breaths were accompanied by a strange wheezing sound since the North Pole.

Zuko regulated his breaths and waited through another earthquake. The Fire Nation’s army had to be huge … The Dirt Eaters won’t stand a chance!

This time Zuko adapted needed kata to his body possibilities and made a move more smoothly than it was supposed to be done. Surprisingly, it worked. The fireball struck the padlock and pieces of rock fell to the floor. Zuko’s eyes widened in hope and he struck again, and again, and again…

Ignoring the panting and pain.

Fueled by hope and desperation.

Huong had a bad feeling, and his bad feelings were usually correct.

Huong tried to dissuade General Fong from his crazy idea of attacking the Avatar but aiming at his friends was even more reckless and idiotic! Other trials hadn’t worked but this was too radical to be used on a child. They were supposed to make a strong alliance with the Avatar and his companions, not give him reasons to distrust them… But the general hadn’t listened.

It was obvious that the Fire Prince has been looking for a way to escape since he’d come down from the creature’s saddle. He’d been looking around on the corridors like he was memorizing every single turn; the letdown in his eyes when Huong for the first time had covered the lock with rock… The prince tried to plan something, but Huong had taken care to prevent any security issue. But now the events went out of control…

The prince will… or is trying something right now.

And he might escape the cell, even the prison wing but there is no chance he’ll escape from the base. Every exit is heavily guarded, and the prince is too noticeable. If any of the soldiers notice him firebending or not, they will strike to kill. Without thinking about the consequences of killing the heir to the throne – so many years of war had made killing a firebender almost automatic, especially in stressful situations.

And even worse… Huong didn’t know the prince well enough to know if he would strike to kill on the first sight. But he suspected the boy would do everything in a life-threatening situation. And for the prince, every minute here has been life-threatening.

Huong didn’t want to see any of the outcomes involving deaths.

Zuko’s inner flame hadn’t recovered fully after the North Pole. Firebending has been exhausting him too quickly and he had to catch a breath after few punches, and he hadn’t got time for it. Zuko had already weakened the lock so he tried to kick it. After the third time, the padlock shattered and fell to the floor.

The door shot open.

Zuko chose the path leading to the courtyard. He wanted to run but it would be stupid so he crept as fast as he could; hands raised ready to strike.

Huong had never seen the prince fighting but he had an image of how skilled a royal firebender could be. He was glad the boy was seriously injured, and he won’t be at the peak of his abilities. Huong didn’t even consider finding the prince calmly sitting on his bed.

In the prison wing, Huong took every step very carefully and quietly. There was only one exit from the prison so no matter which way the prince turned first he would finally walk into Huong. And the confrontation could turn out bloody… Maybe Huong had many advantages over the prince, but the boy was desperate; with his back against the wall and nothing to lose; fueled by fear – a deadly mixture that had to be taken seriously.

The loud crash echoed through the corridor and Huong ran. It was better not to let the prince get too away from the cell, control the fight as much as possible. Huong wished this would end without any casualties…

The prince was in the middle of the distance between his cell and Huong. The boy’s eyes widened, and he momentarily adapted the firebending stance; Huong mirrored his moves rising his palms to be ready to bend at any moment. They both looked at each other, waiting for the opponent’s first move.

“Prince Zuko, at ease and I won’t attack,” Huong started calmly. He saw how the boy’s fists were slightly trembling and how panicked his gaze was. It would be hard to convince him to act rationally but it was worth a try. “Even if you walk past me,” continued Huong, “you won’t stand a chance outside the prison. There are too many benders around, Prince Zuko. They will strike to kill without a second thought.” The firebender eyed him with his glare without abandoning the fighting stance even for a second. Huong was ready at any moment to block an attack. “Lower your hands, Prince Zuko, and I won’t hurt you. There is no need to fight. Remember you are injured and –”

“No,” the prince said. “N – no,” he repeated like he tried to assure himself. “The Fire Nation is attacking… You won’t stand a chance.”

Huong frowned. “What?”

When Huong realized that the prince had to misinterpret “The Avatar Problem” it was too late because the fireball was already rushing straight at him.

Huong stepped aside and hid behind the rock-shield just in time to avoid the fire. The prince was moving forward with… fire-daggers in his both hands – Huong has never seen anyone fighting like this before. Huong’s priority was to stop the prince from leaving the prison, he couldn’t let this became an open fight. He had to force the prince to withdraw; the best scenario would be to corner him back to the cell.

Huong took a defensive stance, hoping the prince would exhaust himself before Huong will be forced to attack for real. Although the prince was panting his face gave a clear message that surrender was not an option.

The prince was getting closer. He was trying to force Huong with several attacks to step aside so he could run past him, but Huong rooted his stance even more and tried to imprison the prince’s ankles in the ground. The boy was surprisingly agile, and he dodged every time. At least it’d forced him to back a bit. Huong rushed forward and barely avoided the fireball aimed at his chest, he smelt the burned fabric.

It was noticeable that after several attacks the prince’s fire daggers shrank – he wasn’t in shape to firebend, but he wasn’t aware of it because of his desperation.

Huong was at least two times bigger than the prince, so hadn’t expected him to choose to go into hand to hand combat. It worked for Huong; his earthbending possibilities were limited if he didn’t want to destabilize the prison structure and make the whole building collapse on them.

If only not the fire daggers…

He hissed when one of the daggers burned through the fabric of his uniform and left a painful red mark on his forearm. Huong automatically took back the injured arm and clenched it to his chest; the prince has been waiting for that and ran. In the last second Huong used his other hand and grabbed him by the collar and tugged. Strongly.

The firebender screamed in pain and landed on his knees next to the cell’s bars. Huong wanted to bend him to the floor but with injured hand, it required much precision; he didn’t want to hurt the prince further… Throwing him through the corridor must’ve done enough damage already considering his trembling arms and poor attempts to stand up. Huong crouched so he could feel the earth better, eyes on the firebender… who was looking from a corner of his good eye straight at him…

Waiting.

The Prince rolled onto his back and kicked his heel into Huong’s knee, knocking him off balance. Huong knelt on one knee and before he attacked again – no longer bothering with being cautious or gentle – the prince managed to kick his wrist before he even started the motion.

Huong was kneeling and the prince had a clear shot.

The clear shot that could easily blind, mutilate, or even kill Huong.

Huong looked into his golden eyes, thinking that it would be the last thing he would see in his life; that he would pay for being decent and naïve.

But in those eyes were nothing cruel, or malicious or evil; those weren’t eyes of a man who was about to kill… The prince’s gaze was unfocused and somehow disconnected from the present moment. From perfect winning strike…

Huong didn’t have time to overthink this.

He grabbed the prince’s fist that should’ve shot a deadly fire straight at his face and twisted to the moment his entire shoulder was under Huong’s control. The boy yelled in agony, probably caused by the pressure on his back, but Huong secured his other arm and tugged him inside the cell.

The prince groaned and tried to struggle. He stumbled over his own legs when Huong lead him in an iron grip. Huong’s ears were buzzing with adrenaline caused by the fact that he didn’t understand why he was still alive and pain moans of the teenager.

Out of nowhere something made a popping sound and the prince yelped – Huong had no idea what caused this sudden outburst. For now, he was focused on restraining the danger. Time for thinking and dealing with the whimpering teen will come later.

In the middle of the cell Huong lightly kicked the back of the boy’s knees, making him kneel and then sit on his thighs. One-handed he earthbended him to the floor and cuffed his hands behind his back. Huong’s burned arm didn’t work quite right, and every movement ended in inching and irritating damaged skin.

The prince was panting through clenched teeth.

Huong finally breathed.

The adrenaline was wearing off; the pain in his arm was getting stronger. His forearm covered in red skin and blisters shaped like a serpent. It wasn’t too bad though – mostly first degree, second in the center of the burn.

Huong leaned against the bars breathing heavily and looked at the prince. The boy’s head bowed, breaths were uneven and wheezing. Huong had no idea what to do next, so he gladly enjoyed the moment when they both were catching breath and getting rid of the adrenaline produced in the fight.

This was exactly the mess Huong tried to avoid!

After a moment Huong felt like he was ready to say something – no idea what though. The prince was still curled, as much as his position allowed him, groaning quietly. The kid was trembling, and Huong had no idea why… For sure his wounds must’ve got irritated but that much? Earlier the prince wore fresh whipping marks like it was nothing… Then Huong noticed the prince’s shoulder protruding in a strange, unnatural angle.

The popping sound…

He has dislocated the kid’s shoulder.

This shouldn’t have happened! The grip Huong had held the prince in wasn’t supposed to dislocate anything… what meant the prince was already injured earlier. This explained the terrible yelp…

Huong had no idea what he will do with the prince later. Was there even a right way to resolve what had happened?! But for this moment he felt bad for hurting the boy unintentionally.

“I – “Huong cleared his throat when his voice didn’t sound like it supposed to and tried again. Calmly and informatively. “I will fix your shoulder, Prince Zuko. Try not to move.”

Huong wasn’t sure the boy heard him or not.

Huong didn’t understand why he wanted to help the prince – there was no logical explanation that Huong could come up with right now. The boy had burned him for spirit's sake! Huong will think about this later… with a bottle of something strong, most likely.

The prince didn’t look up since the fight ended, he was groaning and panting quietly. Huong has never relocate a shoulder of a cuffed person before, but he wasn’t that insane to remove firebender's cuffs. He had this much common sense. With a sharp movement, he pushed the bone and it popped back into the joint. Huong reacted fast so there was a chance the damage wasn’t big.

The prince raised his head and screamed but not rather form pain… He looked at Huong like he wasn’t seeing him; pure fear in his eyes, inaudible words muttered under his breath.

And then it has started. And Huong stepped back more stunned than before. Huong had seen this before, of course, he had… But never in someone so young…

Chapter Text

It was happening again. Or it has never ended in the first place. Zuko couldn’t breathe. It was happening right now in front of him, so he still hadn’t learned his fucking lesson. He couldn’t fucking breathe, and he smelt burning flesh.

“I’m so – sorry,” he muttered but then bit his tongue.

Father didn’t like it when he apologizes.

What had he done this time? He was quiet, wasn’t he? And respectful, and he tried… he really tried.

“I – I didn’t… I didn’t mean – “he muttered when the figure leaned over him. He wanted to dodge, to run, to do whatever but he couldn’t move.

Zuko couldn’t move; couldn’t breathe; everything hurt and smelt like burned flesh.

And then once again came agonizing pain and he screamed, and screamed, and cried. But Father didn’t tolerate weaknesses like this, so he tried to stop to avoid further punishment. Zuko must’ve failed… his cheeks were wet. He trembled when Father stepped back. He must’ve looked so pathetic. Being such a disgrace for the Fire Lord, for the entire nation, for the throne, for all firebenders…

He knew that he deserved to burn but he didn’t want to. Not again.

“I – I will – do… be – better,” his chest rising and falling; the only part of his body that actually moved but he hadn’t got control over it. How could he breathe so fast and still choke? “– I – I’m sorry… I – I…didn’t… I didn’t.”

Everything was bright. Flames around him flickering. Cheering in the crowd on the area or in his head throbbing with blood pumping too fast… Zuko wasn’t sure. Something was burning in his ribcage, he felt how the flame penetrated every inch of his body from the inside.

“I – I’m sorry… sorry,” Zuko whimpered using lacks air.

Everything was getting foggy, and dizzy, and distant… But was overwhelming in the same time and he just couldn’t move and breathe, and it hurt. And he was sure it was real, and it happened again, and he could smell burned flesh, but everything hurt so he didn’t know where the wound was this time…

“S – sorry… I’m sorry… Please… p – please don’t,” he didn’t finish.

Father didn’t like begging.

The Prince of the Fire Nation had a mental breakdown in front of Huong…. Probably caused by him.

But Huong was almost certain the kid’s mind was no longer in the present… But what could’ve possibly happened in a teenager’s life to cause… this.

The teenager with a full-blown-out flashback.

“I’m sorry, no… please… no,” the prince was muttering similar mantra over and over again, squeezing his eyes, cheeks wet from tears.

Huong knew the boy for a couple of days, but the prince definitely wasn’t an emotional type, his natural response to danger was to fight, and even if he was constantly scared, he tried to hide this… So again.

What must’ve happened to cause the prince to show so much vulnerability? And when it had happened? The boy was like… sixteen? Seventeen at the most? Too young.

Huong had dealt with flashbacks of old combatants and his comrades in the past. The key was to assure them that they are no longer in any danger, everything is fine and they’re safe… But in this case? Huong didn’t have any idea what the prince was seeing right now, the boy couldn’t be fooled that he'd been safe here even before their fight not to mention after, and he was definitely not fine starting with his shoulder…

Touching wasn’t an option either; he’d flinched even when he’d been lucid…

“I – I will… better… please…” the prince hiccupped curling on himself, panting.

Huong crouched in front of the boy so he could look him in the eyes when he finally regains his senses. He kept a distance though – for the sake of them both. His burned arm was throbbing but the hyperventilating boy in front of him needed help much more than Huong.

“Prince Zuko, you need to breathe,” Huong started calmly in his the most soothing voice that he hadn’t used for years. “Try to do it with me, can you? In,” Huong took a loud breath in, “and out,” he exhaled. “And again in… and out. Just copy my rhythm… In – “

Zuko was choking, and everything hurt, and it was too much, and he didn’t want to do this any longer. He didn’t want to open his eyes; the world was too bright and he didn’t want to see a flame in front of him…

But somewhere behind the throbbing of his heart, he heard a voice… Uncle-kind voice and he wanted it to become louder to muffle everything else. The voice was telling him what to do but Zuko couldn’t understand the words…

But he liked the voice, so he leaned into it…

The voice asked him to breathe… Was it uncle? It was a very uncle-like request…

Zuko tried to breathe with the voice but it was hard. But he tried and the voice seemed not to get angry when he stopped. Zuko really tried. He didn’t know why but he tried…

The prince still wasn’t quite there. Every time when he’d found a right rhythm and Huong thought he was on a good way to calm him down the boy had started hyperventilating again. Wherever his mind was trapped, he couldn’t escape the place…

Huong’s gaze drifted to the scroll tucked under the bed…

He slowly stood up, while still encouraging the prince to breathe, and took the scroll. The parchment was so familiar in his palms, wobbly handwriting all over it…

Huong sat cross-legged in front of the curled prince and started to read.

Loud noises were coming from the training ground, someone yelled, something crashed into the wall and Huong was reading a theater scroll to the Prince of the Fire Nation.

Something he hadn’t been doing for his boy… cause Lee had been saying that Huong couldn’t do it with enough passion… Whatever that meant.

So, he read the first scene… The prince kept fighting for his breaths.

He was halfway through the first act… The prince seemed to start to control his breathing more and more…

He was close to the end of the first act… The prince’s breaths no longer sounded like choking sounds and he wasn’t trembling anymore. He didn’t lift his head or opened his eyes yet.

Huong finished the first act and looked at the boy. He tensed a little when Huong didn’t read further so it meant he wasn’t so disconnected like minutes ago.

“Can you hear me, Prince Zuko?” asked Huong. The boy’s head still remained bowed, but he nodded sharply. “Do you know where you are?” The prince’s breath speeded a bit and Huong wanted to scold himself for ruining the case but then the boy nodded again. “Can you look up?”

The prince shook his head staring at his own knees; he muttered something, but Huong didn’t catch any word. It sounded similar to his previous panicked pleads.

“I didn’t hear you, Prince Zuko,” Huong informed him calmly. “Look up and say it again. I won’t hurt you and I’m not close to you,” he promised, assuming this could be the boy’s problem.

The prince shook his head, his breaths became rapid again. He lifted his head and looked at Huong with glassy red eyes.

“I – I don’t wanna kneel,” he spitted. “Don’t wanna kneel… while… No kneeling…”

Huong looked at the boy trying to understand… anything, really. He clearly regained the control over his senses, but he wasn’t calm yet.

Huong subconsciously rubbed his burned arm. “I won’t hurt you, Prince Zuko,” Huong stated again, still sitting in place to avoid startling the boy. “But don’t expect me to withdraw precautions after what happened.”

The prince shook his head and frowned. “No… I - I get it… just… I don’t want to – to kneel,” he panted, his gaze slightly unfocused again. “Please. Do – do what you – you have to… but no kneeling… Please.”

Huong had been taken off guard with the first ‘please’, the second one almost left him speechless. He had learned the hard way not to underestimate the firebender, but the sincerity of the request couldn’t have been faked. He had no idea why the prince had such a problem with the kneeling-thing… But he didn’t understand any of the prince’s reasons and he didn’t plan to ask. Not now, at least.

“Fine, you can stand up.” Huong placed his good hand on the floor and freed the prince’s legs; he stood up as well. “Be careful your legs probably fell asleep.”

The prince gave a sigh of relief and didn’t listen… He tried to stand up immediately and almost fell on his face with still bounded hands. Huong caught him by his good shoulder and helped him to stand; ignoring how the boy tensed and eyed him with pure fear. When Huong was positive the prince won’t stumble, he released his arm and the boy immediately backed to the wall. He was breathing deeply looking somewhere near Huong’s knees. He decided to give him a moment to collect himself, so he backed to the bars leaning on them to give the firebender some space.

After a few minutes, the firebender suddenly glared at Huong and spoke.

“Do it now,” he ordered like, well, a prince. “I won’t be your show material. Do. It. Now.”

“Do what, Prince Zuko?” asked Huong.

“Don’t make me request my fucking death!” he snarled. “Just. Do. It.”

“I already told you I’m not going to hurt you.”

The prince scoffed at him and started pacing alongside the wall. Huong wasn’t alarmed it was clear the boy didn’t try to get closer to him.

“I’ve firebended, attacked, disobeyed, and fucking burned you!” The prince's gaze drifted to Huong’s arm and he visibly winced. “Fong made it quite clear what you will do to me if I break one rule and I’ve broken all of them, for Agni’s sake!” he exclaimed. “Execute me now. I’m not going to be your spectacle. I dare you!” he snarled; his voice trembled.

The Prince of the Fire Nation just asked Huong to kill him privately rather than on public execution; said prince just enlisted the reasons why he should be killed… Minutes after fighting a terrible flashback the boy asked Huong to kill him. No, he dared Huong to kill him.

Huong felt sick looking at the shaking figure in front of him. It was messed up.

So. Fucking. Messed. Up.

“Why is it so hard for you to understand that I don’t want to kill you?” Huong let the honesty spill through his mouths. “With time passing, I see clearer and clearer that you are only a product of this war, Prince Zuko. You are not responsible for it and you shouldn’t have been punished for the sins of your entire nation.”

The boy gaped at him, totally confused. He seemed not to notice he was swaying on his legs, probably exhausted by, well, everything that had happened.

It has been the worst incident in his entire life… Even the first time at the ship he’d known that it wasn’t real – it was scary, yes, but not real.

This time he’d totally lost it.

Zuko had started to regain scraps of his sanity when he’d heard familiar words that long ago his mother had read to him. This had been his anchor to reality. But then it had turned out it wasn’t his mother – it was Colonel Huong. The man who had every right to hate Zuko; the man who was so similar to father in the authority around him, yet so different. But from kneeling position the cold cell had started to look like Agni Kai Chamber once again…

But Huong had let him stand up. Lately, Zuko got used to being ready for his execution but the guard told him some bullshit that had to be a trick and backed to the bars. His red burned skin too visible on his pale hand.

“I don’t understand,” panted Zuko, his vision swayed a little, but he decided to ignore it.

Huong sighed. “I know you don’t. Could you, please, sit on the bed?” the guard asked. Not ordered, he’d actually asked.

Zuko wanted to keep standing just to prove something but his vision swayed again, and either the floor trembled or his legs. He made two wobbly steps and sat on the bed, still looking at the guard who didn’t move.

“You were reading me a scroll,” Zuko said bluntly.

“I was,” confirmed Huong matter-of-factly. “You had a flashback.” Zuko looked at the floor, ashamed of the display of something so pathetic. “I didn’t know how else to help you. You have to tell me when something is triggering you to avoid those incidents in the future.”

Why the guard was talking about Zuko’s weakness like it was completely normal? He should’ve taken an advantage of it and used it against him. That was how the world worked.

Zuko didn’t understand anything and his head hurt. He looked at the floor and noticed the scroll. “Why did you give me this? Why does it have handwriting all over it?” he asked. Zuko didn’t understand the guard’s behavior so maybe this answer would be simple.

Huong bent down and picked up the scroll from the floor. He was holding it with strange gentleness for someone so huge. “It was my son’s. He died years ago, and I couldn’t get rid of it ever since.” Huong gently ran his finger over the marginal inscriptions. “The handwriting is his. Lee liked to make corrections in the plays,” Huong smiled at the memory.

Zuko felt a stab of guilt in his heart. “Why, on spirits’ sake, did you give it to me?!”

It hasn’t got any fucking sense. He wanted a simple answer, not another thing he couldn’t understand.

“It was getting dusty,” said Huong. “I thought would appreciate it more than I did.”

Zuko didn’t understand. Huong just shared something extremely personal with him and didn’t expect anything in return. A dark thought came to Zuko’s mind… Was this Lee dead because of the Fire Nation? Was he a soldier like his father? Was it the reason why Huong told him this? To justify the revenge? It would make sense…

“I’m sorry about your son,” Zuko said quietly looking at the guard.

He meant it. Whatever Huong planned Zuko could take it and he didn’t say this to beg for mercy. In the way Huong looked at the scroll it was obvious he’d loved the boy… Zuko felt another spike in his chest. He wondered if Father ever missed him like this...

Huong smiled tentatively and nodded to him. “It was a disease,” informed Huong like he could read his thoughts. Zuko felt a little lighter. “Lee was almost sixteen,” Huong swallowed hard.

The silence loomed over the room. Zuko shifted his hands slightly, the cuffs weren’t tight, but his skin had been irritated before. The memories of the fight were slowly coming back to him… So that was why his shoulder hurt so bad, and his back, and absolutely everything.

“You could’ve won, Prince Zuko,” said Huong. “You outsmarted me, and you had a clear winning shot. Why?”

“I’m not a murderer,” he said quietly, wondering why he was ashamed of the statement…

Zuko swallowed a lump in his throat. The flashback started then… When Huong was kneeling in front of him, absolutely on his mercy, with fear in his eyes… Zuko’s hand seconds form igniting; from winning. But he couldn’t. It would be wrong, wouldn’t it?

“I’m glad you aren’t,” said Huong looking straight at him like he could see his insides. Zuko subconsciously shifted, trying to make himself smaller. He winced when he moved his shoulder. “I didn’t mean to hurt you either. How’s your shoulder?”

“It’s fine,” lied Zuko.

Huong raised his eyebrow and rubbed his burned arm. “I’m sure it is…” Zuko scowled at him hearing clear sarcasm in his statement; Huong raised his eyebrow even higher until Zuko looked away.

What will happen now?

Zuko was bound, injured more than before, and he had broken every rule… But the Fire Nation was here so maybe…

“The mess on the training ground you heard wasn’t caused by the Fire Nation,” said Huong. Was the guard a mind reader or what? “The Avatar’s trials went out of control.”

The Avatar’s what?

“What happened between us stays between us. Am I clear?” Zuko nodded uncertainly. “I’m not blind for circumstances, Prince Zuko. I want you to know that. “

Huong rubbed his face with his good arm. He was about to say something else when loud steeps echoed through the corridor. They both turned to the noise and after a few seconds Brick appeared behind the bars. Pure confusion on his face when he looked at bound Zuko sitting on the bed and Colonel standing behind the bars right in front of him. Zuko noted that Huong hidden his injured arm from Brick’s view.

“What is it?” Huong asked roughly.

Brick was painting; he had to run all the way here. “Sir, General is kind of, um, out of service now, and, um…” Brick looked of the corner of his eye on Zuko. Probably thinking how much he could say in his presence. “You are his second in command, Colonel, um we need you on the courtyard, Sir. We need you now.”

Huong growled. “Give me a minute. Everyone stays out of the prison while I’m dealing with… whatever it is.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Out. I have to finish some matters with the prince.”

Brick frowned but after the short bow, he retreated from the prison. Huong rubbed his face and looked at Zuko.

“We will finish this conversation, Prince Zuko. And when I’m saying ‘conversation’ I really mean it,” he emphasized the word like he could head Zuko’s drastic thoughts. “Nobody is going to come here till then, but I will leave you cuffed till we establish everything. And I won’t implement any of General Fong’s threats. You understand?”

Zuko nodded but he didn’t.

Huong sighed and rolled his eyes. The guard left the cell securing the broken lock with much more rock than before. “And for the record… After we finish talking, I will drag you to the medic if you won’t come willingly.”

Zuko wanted to talk back but Huong stormed out of the prison and he was left alone. He didn’t understand why but he believed the guard.

Everything was a complete mess. The General was unconscious. The Avatar and his friends gone. The training ground and part of the base completely destroyed. Everyone was running without a reason and Huong’s arm hurt hidden under a spare uniform jacket.

And the traumatized teenager was waiting at him probably thinking that Huong lied and right now he was preparing gallows for him.

Huong hated that day. He didn’t remember the last time he was so harsh for his subordinates.

Zuko heard only muffled noises from the courtyard while he was trying not to freak out. He had no idea what will happen and what Huong will do. It may be naïve, and stupid, and childish… but he really trusted the man.

Steps of more than one person echoed through the corridor and Zuko felt his heart jumped up to his throat. Huong has promised…

Four young soldiers that Zuko has never seen before stood in front of the bars. Wicked smiles at their faces when one of them opened the door. Zuko immediately stood from the bed and almost stumbled when he lost his balance, unable to use his arms.

“Oh look… Ashmaker is already packed for us,” said one of them, and the others laughed.

“It looks like your daddy misses you,” the other one waved a piece of paper in front of him and the rest laughed.

Zuko couldn’t read much but capital letters above his image explained enough.

‘TRAITOR: WANTED ALIVE’

Chapter Text

“I’ve already told you,” Huong said through clenched teeth, “that you are supposed to rebuild the eastern wall not only ‘patch the holes’. Make me repeat myself one more time and your entire unit will be on latrine duty till the end of your days. Am I clear enough?” The bunch of soldiers nodded sheepishly and ran off.

Huong has had enough; he was completely, absolutely done by this entire mess, and couldn’t pretend otherwise any longer. He was in the middle of the pile of rocks that once had been their training grounds… What did exactly happen here to make it look like this?!

Huong looked around, growled under his breath, and stomped to the right side of the courtyard where a small group of newbies was standing – doing absolutely nothing! They noticed him and few of them might’ve pissed their pants; Huong didn’t care.

“What you think you’re doing?” asked Huong. The question wasn’t addressed to anyone specify but the group –  in the name of solidarity – backed off a bit leaving a high, bulky girl in the front.

“Um, Sir Colonel… um, we are – “, she visibly sweated on her forehead.

“I’ll tell you,” growled Huong. “Nothing.” They all stopped breathing when Huong eyed every single one of them who dared to look at him. “Are you benders?”

“I – I’m not, Sir. But, um,” she turned to look at her group and pointed at the guy at the back. “Kito is and, um – “

Huong cut her off; he didn’t care about their names. Right now, at least. “All benders to the eastern wall. Non-benders to the infirmary. Now! Out of my sight.”

“Yes, Colonel,” she bowed her head and the entire group fleet from his sight.

Huong had a feeling that after this day they will fear and hate him… For now, he didn’t care. He walked to the front gate where – for once – everyone was working just as he’d told them to. Since General Fong was out of it, for at least a full day, the massive pile of paperwork and budget reports waited at him. Huong really didn’t want to see the general; he was afraid he’d punch him in the face because he’d told him so! This all mess could’ve been avoided for spirits’ sake!

He had to cool off before coming back to the prince, though.

What has happened to this boy?

He’d been in the right (maybe not entirely right) state of mind when he’d asked Huong to kill him, so it wasn’t about the current death-threat… Huong wasn’t relieved by this revelation – he was alarmed by it.

The teenager somehow dealing with the possibility of being executed but totally freaked out by… by what exactly? The boy was definitely a fighter so it couldn’t be a fight; he had a suspiciously high pain threshold, so it wasn’t that either; he also had a suspiciously big burn on his face… Maybe it was related? An Injury like that must’ve been traumatic; had he attacked too close to the boy’s face? He couldn’t remember… But still, there were too many unknowns in this whole situation for Huong to be able to deal with it in the right way.

But he had to – somehow. Huong was still amazed by the fact he was alive so the burn on his forearm wasn’t such a big deal. He’d messed up prince’s shoulder so let’s say they were even – his bewildered mind needed some kind of justification that he basically didn’t care that a firebender had burned him. Spirits! Huong was worried about said firebender!

Huong didn’t trust General Fong with anything related to the Fire Prince after what had happened with the Avatar. No way he would just stand and watch how they terrified the prince further. His heritage was unchangeable, and Huong hadn’t lost his mind completely to think about releasing him – the boy was still highly valuable leverage in this war. But Huong couldn’t imagine keeping him just closed in this cell for entire days; after today Huong could only imagine dark scenarios the prince had been creating in his head this entire time. Spirits, who wouldn’t?

Firstly, Huong will get this boy a fucking sling and other medical attention he needs… but then what? What could a prince of an enemy nation do in your military base so he wouldn’t go insane… It sounded like the beginning of an awfully bad joke.

Huong had more questions than answers and much more of the mess to settle before coming back to the prison. He really wanted to commit murder when he saw Lieutenant Luo running straight at him.

Huong pointed at him with his finger and the man stopped. “Ask me a stupid question, Lieutenant, and I swear I will strangle you.”

“It’s not a question, Colonel,” the man said trying to hide his distress. “The Avatar is here. He wants to talk with you.”

Aang was shaken after everything that had happened; he’d entered the Avatar State after all. All three of them were exhausted but alive. They had set up a small camp safe distance from the base and decided to rest before heading off to Omashu. Katara and Sokka had fallen asleep pretty fast but Aang couldn’t sleep. His avatar-senses were screaming at him that something was wrong, but he hadn’t known what. Then the realization had hit him.

General Fong hadn’t been honest with him about his trials… what if he hadn’t been genuine about their prisoner-agreement too? Aang had taken his glider and without waking the siblings flew back to the base.

That’s how he found himself back in the base; the soldiers weren’t too happy to see him again… They all were busy with rebuilding nearby walls. Aang felt a bit guilty and he would help them if not this terrible feeling in his gut.

He noticed fam Colonel Huong walking towards him from the opposite side of the courtyard. Aang flew closer to him and didn’t wait any longer.

“I want to see Zuko,” he demanded.

Colonel Huong crossed his arms. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, Avatar.”

Aang frowned and stuck his staff into the ground. “I have to see if he’s all right! General lied to me about… about Katara so he could’ve lied about his conditions on imprisoning Zuko. I won’t go before seeing he’s fine.”

Colonel Huong sighed and rubbed his face. For a moment Aang thought he will have to persuade him further, but the man extended his hand in the direction of one of the buildings.

“This way, Avatar,” he said. “But you have to know the prince isn’t fine.” Aang’s eyes widened and he looked at the colonel. “He’d mistaken your trial with the Fire Nation’s attack and tried to escape. Only I witnessed it and we had a fight, minor casualties on both sides. I’m not planning to punish him for it, but I couldn’t finish our conversation. The prince was rather shocked when I left him. So again… I doubt that seeing you would be good for him, Avatar.”

Aang felt another stab of guilt and worry. “I – I… What do you mean he isn’t fine? What happened?” Aang felt his tears slowly starting to form.

“Forgive me, Avatar, but I doubt the prince would like me to share this information with you,” said Colonel Huong and Aang wanted to argue but the man continued. “I can see you are worried so let’s settle a compromise – I will get you to him but don’t show yourself and I insist that you leave when I signal you to.”

Colonel Huong seemed to care about what would be best for Zuko, so it calmed Aang a little. It was obvious Zuko wouldn’t be fine-fine after the failed escape, but the colonel wasn’t mad at the prince, which was good since it was partly Aang’s fault Zuko tried it in the first place…

Aang nodded with a serious expression to the colonel and the man let out a breath he’d been holding. They headed to the prison wing.

Zuko was too exhausted to keep track of the turns when they marched him somewhere; the musty hood over his head making breathing extremely hard after the previous incident. He didn’t have much strength left to struggle against their grip. He’d grunted a couple of times when they shoved him harder than necessary. His mind barely managed to catch up; still occupied with this one word…

Traitor. Zuko repeated the word in his head over and over again like he couldn’t comprehend it’s meaning. Traitor. This couldn’t be about him, right? Traitor. Father would never? Traitor. Zuko hadn’t even thought of betraying the Fire Nation!

Father couldn’t have known about the interrogation in the North! Zuko hadn’t told them anything significant!

The soldiers shoved him into the back of some damp room. One hand was holding him in the corner by the collar of his shirt.

“You gagged him?”

“What? No,” the one holding him answered confused. “Should I though?”

“I don’t know, maybe? Shouldn’t he fight us or something?”

“Did he faint?” asked another one with a terribly irritating high voice.

Zuko heard a punch and then pained hiss. “Gaah Ming, you idiot shut the fuck up! He’s standing, isn’t he? Do unconscious people often fucking stand?!”

“Fuck off, Chor. Eat shit!” the irritating one exclaimed.

“Shut up! Both of you,” someone growled with a female voice. “Remove the hood,” she ordered. “He has to be alive, so we get our money. Don’t choke him by the accident.”

“It will be hard, Kyeva. It’s very tempting with hands so close to his throat,” said the one holding him. Zuko swallowed hard and took a sudden breath. The soldier noticed and laughed. “The prince is listening,” he announced.

Then someone tugged the hood from Zuko’s head, and he squinted his eyes adjusting to the light. They were in some kind of storage; no windows; the size a little bigger than his cell.

The woman had short hair, cut in a man-style and she stood right in front of Zuko. They all were in their early twenties, probably. “Listen, Ashmaker… This is a mutual interest. We will hand you over to those colonial scums and get the prize. Colonial Scums will get you back to the Fire Nation. Your daddy is probably pissed at you, but I couldn’t care less.” The girl shrugged and the others laughed. “We are rich, and you are back with your fellow ash-trashes. Perfect deal if you ask me.”

The one holding him tugged Zuko by his shirt. “You should be thanking us, Scarface.”

Should he though?

„Good one, Xahuo! Scarface…” chuckled the irritating one. “This is so exciting! What are we going to do now?”

“You are going to shut up! I knew taking him was a horrible idea. Remind me, again, why the fuck did we do it?”

This is the closest opportunity to go home he had in years and there was nothing in this world he wanted more than this. But he wanted to come back as a hero with the Avatar in chains – not to be in chains himself, branded as a traitor…

“He saw me when I was coming back from the colony and he could’ve snitch on us. It’s not like we had another option… If so, I would choose it, believe me.”

“Hey! You know I’m standing here, right? Come on! I don’t care about this military bullshit the same as you all! Just tell me what we are waiting for?”

The banishment was one thing but betrayal… The punishment had always been an execution. Father wouldn’t make an exception for Zuko. Was it why the poster says ‘alive’?

The women growled. “The supply truck must arrive first, then we'll have a clear way out. Chor, you took care of the transport and disguises?”

There was no other reason for Father to look for him… The rules of his banishment were clear: capture the Avatar to be allowed in the Fire Nation again. Father must’ve been tired of his three years of failures and disgraces which he brought on their family.

“As much as I could in fucking two hours!”

It was bad… very fucking bad.

“Not my fault the opportunity came to us on a fucking golden plate! Deal with the improvisation, for fuck’s sake!”

Zuko didn’t want to see disillusionment in Father’s eyes. He had always been disappointed by Zuko but being a traitor was a whole new level… No. He had to make it right. Just capture the Avatar and everything will be all right. Father will be proud and Zuko will be forgiven.

“I want to tell you that I put up with you only for this enormous amount of money for Prince’s ass.”

“The smartest thing you have ever said. I’ll drink to that.”

“Fuck you all.”

Nothing had changed. Zuko had to capture the Avatar and make things right… The Avatar will erase whatever bullshit accusations someone handed over to the Fire Lord. Right? Because this couldn’t be irreversible…

“Why am I declared a traitor?” asked Zuko.

The soldiers stopped their argument and looked at him surprised. Well, this was the first thing Zuko had said to them.

“Look! He can talk! We have to think of some gag for the road…” said the one holding him. “Chor, why don’t you read to Princey what the poster says?”

The tall soldier took the poster out of his pocket and unrolled it dramatically; then cleared his throat. “The exiled prince betrayed the Fire Nation by abandoning the mission entrusted to him by the Fire Lord himself and helped the Avatar escape Pohuai Stronghold while disguised as the Blue Spirit. These heinous deeds make him a traitor to the throne...”

Zhao…

Zhao had to send the word to Father. But it wasn’t like that!

No, no, no… It was bad, very, very bad.

“I’ve to admit you’ve got some big bounty on your head…” continued the man. “Only the Avatar has a bigger one. I’m impressed. My teenage years weren’t that rebellious,” he laughed.

Zuko couldn’t let them hand him to the colonial firebenders. He couldn’t put his foot on the Fire Nation’s soil without the Avatar in his hands.

It wasn’t too late…

Aang stood in the room Huong ordered him to and waited with anticipation and fear. He didn’t hear anything. Was Zuko asleep or what?

“Avatar come here!” the colonel didn’t exactly yell but it wasn’t his usual collected tone either, which was highly alarming.

The cell was empty.

“Did – did he escape?” asked Aang; shivers ran down his spine.

Colonel Huong shook his head. “Impossible. I left him cuffed and the cell was closed with earthbending. Someone disobeyed my orders,” the colonel growled. “We have to find him. Avatar, check the terrain around the base; I will search the back buildings.”

Aang nodded and jumped on air scooter storming out from the prison; glider in his hand ready to be used. His avatar-senses were right. He hoped it was just a misunderstanding and Zuko wasn’t in any danger…

Zuko reacted automatically with the emotion the most familiar to him – anger.

He struggled to yank out of the grip just for show – he didn’t try to fool himself that he could stand any chance in this condition and bound hands. Zuko couldn’t do much about his condition but he could at least try to persuade them to release his hands…

“Get off me, you filthy bastards!” Zuko growled. “I won’t be your fucking check!”

The one holding him in fact released the grip on his shirt and raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Oh, someone spits some venom here.”

“Uncuff me, cowards! And fight like real soldiers!” growled Zuko. He felt some strength coming back to his limbs, thanks to the new dose of adrenaline.

“Oh, I’m sorry to inform you, Your Highness, that we don’t give a shit about ‘being a soldier’,” said the tall one, clearly amused by the situation.

The irritating one moved a step forward with affronted expression. “No! I will not let the fire scum insult me! Chor! Remove his cuffs and I will beat the shit out of him if he wants it so much!”

Zuko felt a spark of hope but then the woman slapped the irritating one over the head. “You are really an idiot, aren’t you?” she asked. “The prince is trying to bait us to uncuff him! And only an idiot like you would swap a helpless firebender for a potentially dangerous firebender, you dipshit!”

The tall one – Chor – smirked and crossed his hands looking straight at Zuko. “We can’t let him dodge the consequences of insulting us though… Xahuo, come over here.”

The one that had held him stared puzzled at his companion but did as he was told. All four of them blocked Zuko’s way out. He tested the rock around his wrists, but it was firmly placed; the single cuff wide enough to avoid digging into the skin.

“Princey wanted a fight, let him have it,” said Chor and positioned himself in earthbending stance. “Try to dodge this!”

Zuko’s eyes widened and he couldn’t react fast enough to avoid a boulder thrown straight at his chest. With his hands bound he couldn’t even cover himself…

After the impact, Zuko didn’t have enough air in his lungs to cry out of pain. The next rock was already formed by the earthbender.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t too late, right?

Huong chose to check the back sector of the base – whoever took the prince wouldn’t try to navigate through the destroyed and currently occupied front side. Huong couldn’t be sure why someone had taken him but there was a very low probability for any earthbender to try to break the prince out for his good.

The motives had to be related to vengeance or unreasonable violence – both things despised by Huong. The prince had to be in danger. He was a capable fighter but not in his current condition. Huong had to find him as fast as possible so it wouldn’t be too late…

And he had to find the ones responsible – Huong doubted anyone would decide for something like this without the backup.

As Huong ran through another corridor, checking empty storages on the way, he was afraid that it was too late to find the prince in one piece. Time wasn’t his ally in this case. It was against Huong’s morals, but he prayed that the aggressors wanted to play with the prince first… It would give him some time to find the boy before it would be too late… Because why else someone could’ve taken him from the prison? If they wanted to kill him, they would do it in the cell.

Huong heard a loud cry of pain and felt frightened and relieved at the same time. He rushed towards the noise. The awful sound echoed again but quieter this time followed by laughter.

Four soldiers were absorbed by throwing stones at the prince who was barely standing by now; he tried to avoid the rocks, but it looked like he couldn’t put any pressure on his left leg. Only one of the assaulters was a bender and he kept preparing the ammunition for their whole group.

Huong shoved his body into the bender and knocked him down but not before he threw the last stone in the prince’s direction… It hit the boy in the head and he collapsed on the ground with a low grunt. He tried to curl but bound hands forced him to stay half on his side half on his stomach.

“What the fuck?” screamed one of the assaulters and then he recognized Huong. “Shit… Run! Run! Run!”

Three soldiers darted towards the door. During pinning the bender to the ground Huong threw a blood-stained stone in their direction. He hit the women in the head, and she fell to the floor with a quiet moan. The two others ran off. The one below him tried to struggle but Huong chocked him for a couple of seconds until his body went limp. Before running to the prince’s side, he briefly checked if the woman was breathing.

He stopped himself from touching the boy too rapidly. He was only half-conscious and Huong didn’t want to violate his personal space unannounced right after… after this.

Huong crouched beside the whimpering figure when he heard a swing of air in the corridor. He turned and saw the bald monk.

“I didn’t find…” he started but then he noticed the prince lying on the ground. “Wh – what? Is he…”?

Huong nodded sharply. “He’s alive. The two responsible for this ran away. Go get them! I will help the prince. Go!” rushed him Huong.

The Avatar blinked away panic and put on a serious face. “I’m on it!” And with a gust of wind, he disappeared.

Huong focused on the prince once again. The boy’s face was pressed to the ground as he moaned quietly with every breath. He had to get rid of the handcuffs first.

“Prince Zuko, you hear me?” he asked trying to check how much aware of his surrounding was the prince. In response, he received a little louder moan and poor attempt to turn. “I’ll help you with that… Don’t move by yourself.”

Huong used his good hand to bend the rock off the prince’s wrists. He tensed at the touch, but his eyes were still squeezed tight. Huong carefully repositioned the boy’s arms so he could lay on his back and gently helped him into the position. Hong shivered when more whimpers escaped the teenager’s lips. Firstly he thought it was the pain caused by moving stiff arms or his bad shoulder but when the prince started to wriggle on the floor Huong realized it was his back – many small, sharp rocks had to pin painfully into his already damaged skin.

Huong elevated the boy’s head and cringed when he saw a nasty head wound and blood on the scarred side of his face. He had to take a better look though – it could only look that bad. Meanwhile, the prince opened his eyes and tried to look at Huong, but his sight was so unfocused that Huong doubt he could see anything.

This didn’t stop him from trying to break out of Huong’s gentle hold. “Shh – shh… Don’t,” he tried to calm him while trying to support his back without causing him pain. “It’s all right… I will take you somewhere more comfortable. It’s okay.”

Huong put his injured arm under the prince’s knees and lift him from the ground. The boy moaned in response to sudden movement and unconsciously rested his head on Huong’s shoulder, hiding his face from the view. Huong moved him out of the damp room mostly for his own sake so he wouldn’t have to look at unconscious toughs – Huong will deal with them later.

That’s for sure.

The adjoining storage was full of supplies and Huong headed to the sacks of flour that looked pretty comfortable. Cautiously he leaned the prince against them in half sitting, half lying position. He didn’t remove his hand that supported the prince’s neck. It gave him the opportunity to look closer at the wound and he gave out a sigh of relief. The cut wasn’t big or deep and it already stopped bleeding. Huong wiped the blood from the boy’s forehead to prevent it from getting into his eyes. Most of it had gathered on the scarred side and Huong took a closer look at it; and then at his own hand, and on the scar again – shapes were way too similar.

Way. Too. Similar.

The prince flinched and opened his eyes at the touch. His gaze still unfocused, he tried really hard to keep his eyes open. Before speaking to him Huong quickly checked for any other visible injuries but found only a few cuts.

Huong gently squeezed the boy’s shoulder before speaking to get his attention. The golden eyes previously absorbed by looking at their surroundings slowly drifted to him. Huong was almost sure the boy had a concussion – the question was how serious one.  “What’s your name?”

The prince frowned slightly. “Zuko,” he whispered with a raspy voice.

“Good. Do you remember my name?”

“Colonel Huong,” the boy replied more confidently. It was strange how he’d skipped his own title and mentioned Huong’s.

Huong was basically half-embracing the firebender with his arm to support his still swaying head. The boy was slowly and unconsciously leaning against his side. They both were sitting on the floor leaning against the sacks. Huong shifted slightly to make it comfortable for the boy when he’s going to lean over him fully. Huong could continue his questioning without necessarily looking at him.

“Which time of the year do we have now?”

“Um, it’s… um,” the prince mumbled uncertainly. “Somewhere around the Winter Solstice.”

Huong frowned – he expected the prince to say it was the dry season. In the Earth Kingdom, they didn’t give much attention to the Sun movements… But after thinking about it for a moment… the prince was right. Huong had to make the next questions more intercultural though.

“Very well.”

The prince shifted which was followed by a quiet hiss. Now, the boy’s head fully rested on Huong’s chest; his arm loosely loomed over the prince’s frame. If it made him comfortable and safe Huong didn’t have any problem with that. But honestly, he doubted the prince would allow something like this when fully awake.

“Do you remember where you are?” he asked.

“I’m… in the… in the prison,” he answered and tensed.

Huong carefully started to rub small, soothing circles on the teenager’s bicep with his thumb. The boy didn’t react in any violent or scared way, so Huong continued.

Forcing the prince to remember all of this hurt Huong but there was no other option. “Do you remember what happened before they hit you in the head?”

“They… what?” the boy answered confused and his breathing speeded a bit. “I – I don’t remember… Um, I – I don’t… Sorry… I – “

“Shh, shh,” calmed him Huong when he heard wheezing mixed with pained moans. The prince had to have bruised – hopefully not broken – ribs. “It’s fine. You don’t have to.”

The teenager seemed to remember most of the things. It was common, even with the light concussion, not to remember the event that had caused it.

“I’m… not feelin’ well,” muttered the prince.

This much was obvious, really. “Are you nauseous?”

“Mmhhm…” he mumbled into Huong’s chest.

“Try to take some deep breaths,” instructed Huong. “Take as much air as you can.”

The prince nodded, which was highly stupid since he was already nauseous; it could only make him dizzier. He tried to do as he was told but he winced suddenly. “It… hurts,” he groaned quietly.

Huong almost automatically squeezed his shoulder a little tighter. “I know it does,” he swallowed hard. The words were so familiar on his tongue. At this moment he felt like he was back by Lee’s bedside five years ago. He felt tears streaming down his cheek, but he wiped them with his free arm. He couldn’t drown in the memories now. “But you have to. Take it easy… Inhale only to the point when it starts to hurt badly.”

The prince muttered in response. Huong already knew that the prince’s pain tolerance was messed up so he couldn’t be as happy as he would like to when the boy’s breaths seemed to be pretty deep. “You are doing great. Keep going,” assured him Huong. “Tell me when nausea goes away.”

Using the calmness of the moment Huong tried to think forward. He had absolutely no idea what to do… Now, he was sure the teenager couldn’t be left in prison. Firstly, he had to recover and if it will be necessary Huong will force their medic to help the boy...

“I’m ‘ired,” mumbled the boy. “And – and… blurry…”

“Prince Zuko?” Huong turned his head to face the boy. “Zuko?”

No answer.

Huong almost panicked but then he saw how the boy’s chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm, his face free of pained winces. He had every right to be too tired to deal with this. And Huong was glad the prince didn’t have to feel the pain at least now. Carefully he freed his arm and put him in more laying than sitting position.

It was the first time Huong saw the Fire Prince looking peaceful.

Huong stood up. He tried to fool himself that in this standing position the solution will miraculously come to him.

The solution didn’t. But the Avatar did.

Maybe… maybe…

The Avatar firstly ran to the room he saw them last but then turned on his hill and noticed Huong in the doorway.

“Colonel! They tried to hide but I’ve knocked them down and tied to some big machine one level below us, you know what I’m talking about?” Huong nodded. The Avatar’s eyes darted to the figure lying beside Huong and widened in fear.

“Prince Zuko is okay,” Huong assured the worried monk even if he wasn’t so sure himself. The concussion didn't seem to be endangering one, so it was fine to let him rest a bit...   “He has just passed out, probably from exhaustion. This way he’ll recover faster.”

“What did they do to him? And why?” asked the Avatar with a broken voice.

Huong took a deep breath. “They tormented him for their own sick entertainment or unjustified vengeance.” The Avatar’s eyes filled with tears, his mouths were agape. “The prince’s hands were bound behind his back while they were throwing rocks at him.”

“Wh – what?! That’s horrible!” exclaimed the Avatar. “He – he couldn’t defend himself – “

“I will enforce the consequences of this act – believe me,” assured him Huong. He will. He fucking will.

They both were quiet for a moment and then spoke at the same time.

“I’m taking him from here!” said the Avatar.

“Take him from here,” said Huong.

Followed by mutual…

“What?”

Huong raised his hand. “Let me first…” He took a deep breath and began. “Things after today’s disaster can get nasty in here. I can’t guarantee his safety.” Huong looked at the unconscious boy. He already made this decision. “I would like you to take him to the nearest Fire Nation’s colony – but don’t get too close! I know he’d harmed you, but I doubt there is a place he could be imprisoned where this,” Huong gestured widely make a point how fucked up this situation was,” wouldn’t happen. The colonials will get him the medical help he needs. I know it has to be hard for you, Avatar, but – “

“No! I agree with you, Colonel! I felt terrible for leaving him here in the first place,” admitted the Avatar staring ashamed at his feet. “I was afraid, and I didn’t know what to do… and… And even if he will continue chasing me… I think you are right. It’s the right thing to do.”

Huong expected that convincing the Avatar into releasing Prince Zuko would’ve been harder. Spirits, he wouldn’t suspect himself to suggest that!

“But” continued the Avatar. “If you ever meet Katara or Sokka don’t mention that I did it. They would kill me! Okay?” The Avatar looked at him with his puppy-eyes.

“Um, yeah sure,” Huong answered totally puzzled by the fact that this was the boy’s only concern. “Use the back way… I’ll cover for you. Let’s lift him…”

Aang placed Zuko at a mossy rock that looked pretty comfortable. Down the valley, he saw the road leading to the Fire Nation’s colony town. The walk there wouldn’t take more than an hour.

Now he had to wait for Zuko to wake up. He couldn’t just leave him here so he wouldn’t be eaten by something… And according to Colonel Huong, there was a high chance that Zuko will be disoriented at first. Aang has to be here to judge if Zuko was well enough to reach the colony by himself.

Aang felt like it was Pohuai Stronghold once again… He gripped his staff tighter when he thought Zuko was waking but it was a false alarm – he just moved his head.

Aang thought about what he’ll tell the prince. He will apologize – that’s for sure… And maybe ask to stop chasing him? Maybe he’ll repeat the question he’d asked after their last prison break?

And he hoped Zuko will wake soon. Aang had to go back to Katara and Sokka so they wouldn’t worry about him and unfortunately – or fortunately – the colony was far from their little camp.

Aang kept playing with his staff and waited for Zuko to wake up.

Huong’s knuckles were covered in blood when he finished establishing his point of view with the four of – now – ex-soldiers. He was too far from the prison wing so he just earthbended them to the floor in the room where they had assaulted the prince.

He hadn’t asked any questions and they hadn’t tried to explain, their actions spoke for themselves.

Then he noticed a creased piece of paper on the ground.

TRAITOR: WANTED ALIVE

With the prince’s image on it.

Huong read the poster and after that, he knew how much he’d fucked up.

He told the Avatar to take the prince to the colony so he could be safe, but it turned out he’d put him in another danger. What was the Fire Nation’s punishment for betrayal? Huong’s blood ran cold, and he tried to stay calm.

The Avatar won’t get the prince directly to the colony and the assaulters had to show him the poster – they hadn’t missed such a good way to torment him. The prince knew he couldn’t go into the colony but… Shit! He won’t have any medical help… And he will be completely on his own in the Earth Kingdom. Without money, clothes, supplies, food…

It was bad. And it was Huong’s fault.

Unless the Avatar somehow decides to take the prince with him… The boy had a good heart, and he would pity the prince…

But the fully conscious Prince Zuko won’t allow anyone to pity him…

Stupid, stubborn brat!

Also… What?! Prince Zuko was the Blue Spirit – master swordsman, aspiring to be the Earth Kingdom’s legend? What the fuck?!

What should he do now?

He didn’t have time to find the answer.

Lieutenant Luo ran into him in the corridor and informed him that General Fong wanted to speak with him. Immediately. He doubted his superior will be pleased with him. It wasn’t his biggest concern though. He went to Fong’s office thinking about the prince; praying that the boy will allow himself to be helped.

Zuko slowly opened his eyes hearing low ringing in his entire head. Firstly everything was foggy but with every blink, his vision got a bit better. He wasn’t fully sure how he did it, but he sat up – there was something wrong though. He could’ve sworn sitting up didn’t hurt before… Before what… exactly?

The Avatar was standing in front of Zuko with his stick in his hand and he was talking something but Zuko couldn’t understand what exactly… Maybe because of the ringing in his ears? It would make sense…

The Avatar was standing in front of him…

The AVATAR was in front of him!?

As with a bolt of lightning, everything became way clearer in a second. It has always been about capturing the Avatar, wasn’t it? Zuko couldn’t remember why exactly but he was sure he had to do it even more urgent now? There had to be a reason, but he didn’t remember it at the moment.

“Unless, you know…” suddenly the Avatar’s words became understandable. “I didn’t change my mind… If you want, we can still be friends? You can come with me!”

Zuko could’ve sworn he’d already heard it once…

Zuko shook his head to clear the rest of the fog from his vision. He remembered that catching the Avatar had been really, really important…

“Oh,” the Avatar made a… disappointed sound,” that’s okay. But you can still consider not chasing me, huh? Or if you change your mind then you can – “

Another wave of memories hit him and now he knew that this little monk stood on his way home. He was officially a traitor and without capturing the Avatar he could permanently forget about Father’s love; about his honor; about his nation.

Without catching this kid Zuko was worth less than nothing; he didn’t have anything.

“So, well, Zuko, nice talking with you. And, um, you sure you can walk to this colony by yourself, right? Once again – “ the Avatar didn’t finish because Zuko used all of his rage, and despair to fuel a flame that shot from his hand.

The monk dodged without a bigger problem like he was prepared for it. His expression was sad, not angry. He lightly flew onto the closest tree. Zuko was somehow standing but he felt how his leg – not legs; he couldn’t put his weight on the left one – was trembling but he couldn’t collapse. Not when the Avatar was watching. No.

“Once again,” the Avatar continued as Zuko hasn’t just interrupted him by throwing fire, “I’m sorry for what they did to you. But I’m glad you got your strength back. Goodbye, Zuko.”

The Avatar turned his stick into a glider and flew over the hillside. As soon as he was out of Zuko’s sight he collapsed on the ground clenching his teeth hard.

Slowly his puzzled memories started to place in the right order.

Zuko was a traitor to his beloved nation.

He has failed again. Just as he always did.  

Maybe it was time to stop trying and make peace with the fact that he wasn’t able to live up to any expectations others had in him.

His head hurt and he couldn’t think.

But he knew he had to move. In spite of all, Zuko was sure that he didn’t want to be caught. He preferred to live as a pathetic disgrace, he was, than to face Father’s rage.

He has never been brave enough.

Chapter Text

Hello! This is not a chapter as you can see but...

I've checked the number of subscriptions on this story and... wow over 400. So I decided to announce if anyone is interested in the continuation it's already there just check the series :)

Let me know if it helped.

See you in the second part!!!