Fire and Aether

Chapter 47: The Hawk and the Turtlecrab

    While Sokka and Toph went to check on Toph's students, Aang and Katara headed to meet with the Earth King and the rest of Team Avatar 2.0. As they reached their destination, Aang pet Appa's head. "Find yourself a nice, quiet hill to spend the night, ok, buddy? I'll whistle for you tomorrow after our meeting with the Earth King."
    Appa flew off once Aang and Katara jumped off and used the former's air glider to reach the ground. As they walked through the town, they contemplated going to Iroh's tea shop for a place to rest for the night. At that moment, Aang was accosted by two teenage females who called themselves the co-presidents of the Last Airbender fan club.
    "Wow! Katara, did you hear that? I have a fan club!"
    "Wonderful. And what about Rose? She's the Avatar." Katara narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
    "Like, of course but we're not like, y'know in it. It's founded by my brother."
    They then dragged Aang to their clubhouse.
                         * * * * *
    Meanwhile, Zuko sat before his father's cell, asking for his help.
   Ozai mused for a moment, then spoke, "Do you remember those family vacations we used to take on Ember Island? Once, at the beach--you couldn't have been more than three at the time--we saw a hawk attacking a turtle-crab by the water. You ran as fast as your little legs would carry you to rescue that turtle-crab. Even then, you possessed an odd affinity for the weak. But then, when you had the turtle-crab in your arms, you hesitated. The hawk looked at you with hungry eyes and you realized you were condemning it to starve.
    "You didn't know whether to side with the hawk or the turtle-crab. Before you could reach a decision, a giant wave washed over you and carried you out into the ocean." Ozai sighed, as if tired, as he drained his cup of tea. "I dove in myself to save you. You spent the rest of the day in your mother's arms, vomiting sea water."
    Zuko growled in frustration. "I came here looking for advice. I want to know how you were able to sleep peacefully in spite of the pressures of the throne."
    "I told you already."
    "I don't see how an old family memory--"
    "I'm tired, Zuko." Ozai interrupted, waving his son away. "We're done talking for now. Perhaps we will continue this tomorrow." He chuckled. "Bring more tea."
   Unbeknownst to either of them as Zuko left, a figure detached itself from the darkness, following the Fire Lord as he headed back to his bed....
                        * * * * *
   As Aang enjoyed a night of fun with the girls that fawned over him and Katara groaned silently in the corner, Rose had a similar experience when coincidentally meeting the Avatar fan club. Zuko's mood further soured from this.
   He snuck back into his father's cell, again unaware that someone was watching him. "I stayed up all night thinking about what you said. At the beach, I was overwhelmed by my circumstances because I couldn't decide whose side to take. I should have sided with the hawk--it was strong and noble, much like the Fire Nation. It had earned its meal. But I've done that! I don't neglect my people like I did when I first took the throne and yet, I still can't sleep!"
    "You're only partially correct about your assessment. Your problems do stem from your inability to decide but you're wrong about the hawk."
    "So you're saying I should have defended the turtle-crab? I should have chosen the weaker of the two?"
    "What I'm saying is this--there is no right or wrong apart from what you decide. Who you choose to defend deserves to be defended simply because you chose them. You are the Fire Lord. What you choose, by definition, is right."
    Zuko shook his head, not quite believing what his father was suggesting. "No! Right and wrong are bigger than me or you or even the Avatar herself! And I believe that she, the Earth King, and I can come closest to an agreement by working together."
    Ozai smirked. "I've heard rumors about this little meeting of yours. Do you think the Earth King, after being humiliated time and time again by our mighty nation and his own incompetence, will be reasonable?" Ozai continued to vent about how the Earth King does not care about the Fire Nation and how Zuko, as the Fire Lord, should not care about the Earth Kingdom.
    Zuko argued that this way of thinking wouldn't solve anything. He needed to be patient and come up with a peaceful solution along with Rose. Ozai argued that Rose was a relic of a world long gone. 
    "Enough!" Zuko shouted. "Rose is mine! I love her! She is my soulmate and soon to be my queen! I trust her with my life!"
    "More than you trust yourself?" Ozai growled in annoyance. "You sicken me, Zuko! To allow a mere girl to dictate your own actions!"
    "At least I didn't abandon her like you abandoned mother!"
    "She abandoned us! She made her decision!" 
    "I want to know where she is!"
    "Leave my sight! I will answer nothing else from you now."
     Zuko turned and, with a flourish of his cape, disappeared into the night. As he left, he realized whatever fears he'd had about Rose that day were invalid. The love they shared was absolute and he'd know if anything odd was going on with her. What he didn't notice was someone following him or that Suki noticed him leaving the prisons...
                        * * * * *
    Aang and Katara arrived at the Earth King's palace a few hours after leaving the former's fan club. "Guardian Aang! Katara of the Southern Water Tribe!" the Earth King greeted, happily. "It's been much too long! I heard you were in the Earth Kingdom dealing with the situation at Yu Dao! Thank you for all your help with the removal of that colony! The remaining few seem to be more difficult than--"
    Katara interrupted, "That's why we're here, your majesty. We'd like to set up a meeting between you, Rose, and Fire Lord Zuko. Yu Dao...is still there."
    "So then, the Fire Lord persists in denying the movement his support! He wants to keep his colonies! What does the Avatar think?"
    "We're unsure what she thinks." Aang piped up. "However, I'm on your side. The people of the Fire Nation don't belong in your kingdom, so the Harmony Restoration Movement has to continue! With a little convincing, I'm sure Fire Lord Zuko--"
    Earth King Keiu interrupted. "I'm afraid you wouldn't like what I have to say. All my life, I've been weak--so weak that my most trusted advisor was able to hide a hundred years' war behind a curtain of lies! Well, I'm tired of being weak! It's time for me to be a man."
    "What's that supposed to mean?" Katara asked in annoyance.
    "Fire Lord Zuko and the Avatar promised they would see the Harmony Restoration Movement through to the very end. Now the Fire Lord has turned his promise into a lie. And what does the Avatar think of all this? No one has an answer. Why should I meet with them--so they can tell me more lies? I WILL NOT STAND FOR ANY MORE LIES! I will order General How to lead my troops to Yu Dao and enforce harmony!"
    "Your majesty, do you even hear what you're saying?"
    "Sending those soldiers will be seen as a declaration of war."
    "I am done. They can either leave peacefully or be forced. That is my decision. And if any of you--you, the Fire Lord, or the Avatar are not with me, I can only assume you are against me."
                          * * * * *
    Zuko returned to the palace and paced before his throne, letting his anger and frustration out through his bending. "No." he finally sighed. "This isn't me." He waved away the flames. 
    Suddenly, he heard the door open, and he snapped his head up to see Rose walk in. "What are you doing here so late, my love?" he asked in a gentle tone of voice. 
    "I woke up and you were gone." Before he could explain himself, she added, "You've been gone a lot lately, haven't you?"
    "Yes. I haven't been able to sleep so I've been sneaking out," he lowered his gaze from hers, unable to look at her as he confessed, "to see my father."
    He listened to the sound of her footsteps as she approached him. He dared not look at her until her hands glided along his face. A moment later, her lips were on his. He recoiled in shock. "Thank you...for telling me the truth." 
     Zuko looked at her in surprise. "How--?"
    "I've been following you. And Suki saw you tonight."
    At that moment, Suki walked in. "I'm sorry, milord. I worried about you. The Kyoshi Warriors worried about you."
    "I worried about you." Rose added.
    Suddenly, another figure appeared through the doors. "A message has arrived from the spies you sent to the Earth Kingdom." the soldier spoke. "Your suspicions are confirmed. The Earth King's army now marches towards Yu Dao."
    Rose uttered a low curse. Zuko just stood frozen to the spot. His father was right...
                            * * * * *
    The next day, Zuko and Rose led their fleet of soldiers as they confirmed what the soldier had said. King Kuei had indeed sent his army....