Chapter Twelve

I stood just outside the stronghold's walls, arms crossed, eyes narrowed, leaning against a tree. I hadn't made up my mind yet. Do I rescue Aang and allow him to continue his escapades up to the North where he will hopefully find a waterbending teacher and finally put in some real effort to master the elements? Or, should I let him be taken to Ozai where he will suffer? But I wouldn't know what Ozai would do with him, would he kill him like I hoped? Probably not, instead I bet he would keep Aang in custody until he is old and grey and let him die naturally so that the next Avatar would take longer to be reborn and fight against the Fire Nation. I sighed, this was more complicated than I thought it would be.

I straightened up when the alarm suddenly went off and Zhao's forces flocked to their positions along the top of the outerwall. I quickly backed into the forest a little more so as to not be seen. Had Aang escaped? It seemed unlikely due to Zhao's careful planning of the capture.

I continued to watch in curiosity as the doors opened and I saw a man dressed in black holding Aang tight to him with swords to the air bender's neck. I smirked, it was a smart move. Zhao needed the Avatar alive. I studied the blue spirit mask of the attacker and a strike of pride hit me. I would recognize that mask anywhere, though there were a few out in the world so naming the wearer could get tricky, but with the swords I had gifted Zuko on his birthday, there was no doubt who the man in black was... boy in black I guess. I watched as my grandson walked backwards slowly, still at a standoff with Zhao as he got away with the Avatar.

I saw the arrow only a moment before it hit Zuko and I slapped a hand over my mouth to muffle my shriek. My feet brought me to the edge of the forest nearest the two boys but I couldn't get any farther without a smoke screen, so when Aang used his bending to create a dust cloud I was sprinting into it without a second thought.

But, when I got to the spot where Zuko had dropped, he wasn't there. Aang must have grabbed him. I took off back into the forest and sprinted at top speed until I had reached where I could feel his spiritual pull. Aang stood with a gasp and jumped back when he saw me but I ignored him and raced to Zuko. The 16-year-old was passed out, he probably had a concussion from the knock of the arrow. I was just glad the mask was hard enough to repel the arrow's point. I put my hand to his forehead and watched his chest rise and fall. He was okay, I relaxed a little bit.

"Are you here to kill me?" I heard Aang's voice from above me. I looked up to see him seated on a tree branch and watching me with careful and curious eyes. I shook my head and slumped down beside my grandson. Eventually, Aang descended and sat across from me, watching my every move.

"Why are you here?" I didn't answer, "Do you know Zuko?" I was tired, I'd been up all night. "Is Fani still alive?" My eyes shot open and I glared at him. He retreated into himself a bit at my look, and we were silent for a few minutes.

"I was at the Southern Air temple when it was attacked." I told him, looking up at the tops of the trees above us. "I watched, unable to do much against the fire benders as they attacked and murdered everyone. They killed me too." I looked at Aang for a moment and he had tears in his eyes. "I woke up, like I told you before, I can't die unless you do. I travelled to the Western Air Temple after that to warn them, but I was too late. The attack had already started when I arrived. And, I was killed again, when I woke up Fani was dead at my side." I stared up at the trees again. I rarely cried when I thought about the Air Bender Genocide, but this time I had to wipe a few tears away. I don't know why, but I decided to continue to tell Aang about the people I had lost. Maybe it would make him fight harder to learn the other elements. "I got married to a man who I grew to love."

"You're married?!" Aang reiterated shocked. I shook my head.

"Not anymore. He died a few years ago." Aang's eyes widened. "I had a daughter with him, and two sons. Our daughter was murdered when she was only four."

"Who would do that?"

"People who were very angry over the continuing war. People who wanted it to end." I said, thinking of the woman I murdered that night who had tried to kill Azulon and I. "My sons are all grown up now, I have grandkids too." Aang opened his mouth to say something but I continued. "The problem is, I don't age. I never have, and I can't die. So, eventually everyone I love dies around me. One day I will watch my sons die and I will still be here, stuck in this immortal life that I shouldn't be living." I looked right at Aang, letting my stare unnerve him as I spoke the last sentences. "I should have died 100 years ago Aang, I should have died because you should have died. I shouldn't have to live through all this suffering, I should never have had to see my husband grow old and die, I shouldn't look only a few years older than my grandkids. I should be dead. But I'm not. All because you were scared. All because you ran away."

We sat in silence for a while before I noticed Zuko beginning to wake up so I stood and began to walk away. "Learn the elements, Aang. Defeat the Fire Lord and save the world, or I will let myself do what I want, and I want to kill you for what you've put me through."

"Do you think you'll ever be able to forgive me?" Aang asked quietly. I stopped for a moment but didn't turn around to face him.

"No, I don't think I ever could." I answered before I left him alone with a sleeping Zuko.

:)