Chapter Thirteen

"Ren!" Azula called out, a grin spreading across her face as she saw me watching her. I'd made my way back to the palace. I didn't want to be obvious with trailing the Avatar and so I'd take a break while they headed further North and Aang trained at the Northern Water Tribe.

"That was beautiful form, Azula." I complimented my granddaughter's lightning creation. Her smile widened.

"How was your vacation?" She asked as I began stretching, I needed a good workout, I'd been lacking recently.

"It was nice. I went to Kyoshi first, your grandfather and I had a cottage there, its a very beautiful place and the warriors have an interesting fighting style. But, I saw your brother and uncle while I was there. They've found the Avatar and are tracking him." I noted, I knew she already knew this, but I needed to seem disinterested and hiding that I'd seen the young monk would not help with my lies.

"I doubt they'll catch him. Zuko's too much of an idiot." Azula said, glaring at the wall across from us. I didn't comment.

"I went to a little resort village afterwards and got some pampering done. It was all very relaxing." I said, smiling at her. She was still frowning.

"What will happen if Zuko does catch the Avatar?" Azula questioned me, the 14-year-old looked worried. I knew why. If Zuko was welcomed back by Ozai, Azula would be pushed from his view again. Zuko would become the heir once more and Ozai would disregard her again. Ozai always wanted a strong son to take the throne after him, and if Zuko redeemed himself in Ozai's eyes he would be untouchable.

"He'll take his place as the prince and heir again." I said simply. Her frown deepened. I felt bad for the girl. Nothing she did would ever make her a boy nor would it make her the oldest, and due to those two facts she would always be seen behind Zuko. She was always the second pick. For her father, for her mother, for the officers and the court. She was stuck in the shadow of her big brother.

– two weeks later

I felt my life return to my body with a hard and sharp breath. My eyes snapped open and I sat up suddenly, I looked around and grew confused. I was in a dark room, no windows, and a single door. I was lying on a hard wooden bed. I stood up and noted that the room was made entirely of metal. This was bad.

–

It took a couple of hours for anything to happen, so I mulled over my day. When had I died and who had killed me? I'd trained Azula in the morning, I'd had lunch, I'd done some meditation, and then...

–

When Ozai opened my prison door I wasn't surprised. But, I was hurt. My own son, having me killed. I would never have thought the little boy I raised would turn into this monster.

Sure, he was always a little more prone to violence, and he was fiercely competitive, but he was never a murderer. I vividly remembered the first day he'd witnessed someone die. Azulon was doing an execution, he'd found the supposed child of the woman who had killed Jaya and he wanted the whole family to watch. Ozai had only been nine. I'd pushed for him to not be in attendance but Azulon convinced the kid he would want to be there. I couldn't do anything about it. Ozai was a statue during the execution. But, afterwards, he cried. For hours he balled his eyes out into my shoulder and he didn't sleep on his own for over three months. That little boy was gone, and in his place was an angry, greedy and prideful man who was sure that he would make history and unite the whole world under the flag of the Fire Nation.

I blamed myself too, it couldn't have just been Azulon, right? I must be to blame as well. Was it something I did? Was it my abandonment when he was 15? Had he run to his dad after that and been exposed to a destructive and rage filled world? Iroh had been older, he was okay to be left but I should have stayed longer with Ozai. Maybe I should have taken my kids with me. They both would have come at my request, but a life in the shadows, hiding in abandoned civilizations, wasn't what I wanted for them. A life at the palace wasn't what I wanted for them either though.

– two weeks later

"I'm sending you to the Northern Water Tribe." Ozai said one day. He had been coming to see me almost daily. He would tell me of his plans, his dreams, his wishes, it was almost like when he was a child. Only now I didn't want to hear them. Ozai was my only visitor other than the unnamed guard who brought me food. "You will get to watch as the Water Tribe is brought to its knees by Commander Zhao." He grinned as if giving me a gift.

"You gave that prick a promotion?" Was all I could muster myself to say in response.

– two weeks later : Sokka's Point of View

As we arrived back at the oasis I noticed a group of Fire Nation soldiers, including Zhao. When the moon had turned red a few minutes ago we all knew something was wrong, and now we knew who was responsible. Momo attacked him, jumping on his head and holding on until he was irritated enough to use fire and Momo came back to land on Aang's arm. We all got into fighting positions in preparation.

"Don't bother." He sneered, holding up his fist as if to blast fire at the moon spirit. Immediately, Aang put his hands up.

"Zhao, don't!" Aang pleaded, and Zhao laughed. I glared at the man, wondering if everyone from the Fire Nation was insane. Or maybe it was just the people in power.

"Don't worry Avatar, I'm waiting for someone first." He grinned cryptically and I noticed some of the soldiers off to the side shifting their hold on something. Aang attempted to convince him to let the spirit go. But, my attention was drawn by Zuko's companion, the old guy he was always with, coming over a bridge to my right.

"General Iroh, why am I not surprised by your treachery." He greeted, then he made a motion to his soldiers. "I guess, like mother, like son, right?" He smirked at Iroh's expression but I was captivated by a face I'd been dreaming about since our departure from Kyoshi island.

"Ren!" Aang and I called out at the same time, and then quickly glanced at each other in confusion. How did Aang know her? I almost missed the reference to Iroh as Ren's son, but I pushed it aside with confusion for later. What was she doing here? Why Did Zhao have her? How is she connected to any of this? And why did she look dead?

I was growing increasingly concerned as she didn't move. She was wrapped in chains. Her legs were bound, and her hands were encased in metal and her arms were crossed against her chest. My heart rate sped up and I could see Aang's shoulders tense even more. Despite only knowing Ren for a single afternoon I had grown attached to her. To how she treated me as an equal, to how she explained and demonstrated things I didn't know without the usual sarcasm which I often encountered. She was kind and young and carefree. She was the first person who had ever treated me like someone worth being respected, like a warrior.

"Fire Lord Ozai is upset with her imperial majesty for whatever reason, and so she is meant to watch as I destroy the Northern Water Tribe." Zhao grinned. Iroh was seething, and Aang and I were right there with him. If looks could kill, Zhao would be dead. "But, he also let me in on a little royal family secret." He said, pulling a bloodied knife from his belt and showing it off to us. "Your mother Iroh, is not only ageless, she is also immortal." My eyes widened, but I seemed the only person surprised. Aang and Iroh's eyes only narrowed. "I have killed our dear previous Fire Lady with this knife a grand total of 25 times since our departure from the Capitol, and every time she has come back to life." He had killed her?! Ren was dead!?

"Zhao, release her now!" Iroh was seething, more so than he had been about the spirit. Zhao only chuckled and shook his finger at the older man.

"I am not finished yet." He said with a smirk. "You see, I began timing the length of her death, for fun. And, as it turns out she wakes up like clockwork every time exactly two hours after her heart stops. And so, if I am correct, that means she will awaken in the next few moments." He pointed at Ren with the knife and I took a step forward, but Yue stopped me grabbing my arm and shaking her head. Her message was clear, it was too dangerous. Clearly, Zhao was deranged.

After a few moments Ren's body jolted as if taking a large breath and her head snapped up from where it had been hanging. Her eyes darted around like a wild animal's, taking everything in before they settled on the pond and the squirming bag in Zhao's hand. "I'm going to fucking kill you, Zhao." My eyes widened at the pure unbridled rage in her voice.

"Yes, yes. You've been saying that. But I don't see you moving anytime soon." He responded. And, he wasn't wrong. She was completely imobile, chained up to where I doubted she could even shiver.

"It's going to be slow and painful." She seethed out, her eyes burning into him. Zhao almost looked uncomfortable.

"Put on the muzzle." He instructed and the soldiers pulled out a metal box with what looked like a leather wrap to keep it secure. My breath caught and I could see the fear in Ren's eyes as well. But, the second the contraption came within an inch of her face the soldier holding it was a-light with flames. I had never seen someone blow out fire from their mouth but Ren did it, and she did it well. Similar to Aang's airbending blow she propelled herself backwards landed with her back against a tree, spitting huge flames at any soldier who came close. I watched her carefully, I hadn't realized she was a firebender. I'd thought she was a non-bender like me. Somehow her being a bender made her respect for me seem even more amazing and I found myself in awe before I remembered where we were and all the confusing stuff that had been said about her.

"Oh wow." Zhao clapped sarcastically, "You've gotten away. Now what are you going to do?"

"If you don't put Tui back in the water you are a dead man." She growled out, the soldiers had pretty much given up on getting her.

He rolled his eyes. "Of course you would know what its name is."

"Listen to her Zhao!" Iroh called out. "Whatever you do to that spirit we will unleash on you tenfold!"

"Let it go! Now!" Ren commanded, her voice was loud and direct. Zhao slowly dropped the fish back into the pond, but in the next second he blasted it and the red moon went grey. 

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