The White Assassin

Ch. 15 - Rescuer

The floor was cold. The cracks of the cement under me were evident and my fingers gripped the rocky surface. My head felt heavy and I couldn't comprehend where I was. I tried to pull myself up but a force on my back pushed me down. "You don't get up till I tell you to!" A deep voice screamed. I obeyed it and stayed down until the force was off of my back. "Get up prisoner." He said again. I slowly moved and was able to hold myself up on my hands and knees. When I looked up I saw chains on stone walls and a jail-like cell door. A couple people that looked like soldiers had red uniforms on and their hands crossed over their chests. 'Am I in prison?' I thought to myself. "Let's go breezey, I don't have all day!" The man yelled again. I used my strength to stand up and felt a large pain on my side. I winced but stayed standing, I didn't want to get hurt verbally if I fell back down. He and the others may start harassing me with words like 'weak' or 'pathetic'. The soldier grabbed my forearm tightly with his surprisingly warm hand and dragged me out of the cell. He seemed scared when I looked at his face, his eyes showing something that he was trying to hide. His facial expression showed dominance, determination, and strength. The soldier brought me into a bedroom and tossed me in. My side began to hurt from the impact and I ground my teeth. A small wince was heard from my mouth and the soldier gasped. "I'm sorry!" He said. I looked up at him confused. He closed the door behind him and he picked me up in his arms.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked him.

"Helping, not all of us soldiers are ruthless you know." He responded. He placed me down on the bed and left. He came back with a jug of water and a clay cup. He poured the liquid and handed it to me.

"I'm your enemy," I started. He looked at my face while I was trying to make sense of the situation. "Enemies don't help each other, they kill each other. How do I know this is poison and not water?" He gave a reassured smile and took the cup from me. He took a sip and I gasped. He put the cup down and looked at me as if nothing was wrong. Either it was poison and he's an amazing actor or it's actually water and he's trying to help me.

"Let me tell you a story young one," He started. He sat down in the chair that was next to the bed. His hands folded together and placed them on the bed's mattress. "I wasn't always a fire nation soldier, I was a father at one time." He looked down at his hands and I stayed silent, I wanted to hear more of his story. "I was marred to a beautiful woman and had two children. Right after the second one was born I was forced to go into the war and fight, I haven't seen her for about 30 years. I feel bad for her, she was the love of my life, she's probably re-married and has different kids to take care of. When I saw a young girl like you in that cell it reminded me of my daughter, I didn't want you to go through the evil things that other adult prisoners have." He looked into my eyes and I could feel a warm feeling grow in my chest. I was touched by this man, and how even though I'm his enemy he realizes that we're both still human. We both need a soldier to lean on sometimes, but I had a suspicion.

"Your wife," I started. He gave a 'hm' as a way to show he was listening. "What was her name?"

"Her name was Muriel, we lived in the town of Salerno before I left. Why do you ask?" He questioned. I widened my eyes, Muriel's husband is alright!

"I was traveling and ran out of food and water when I stumbled upon the town of Salerno. There I met a kind elderly woman who took me in for about a month and treated me like her own child. She told stories of her children and her loving husband who left for the war and how she still stands true to. And I promised her I would bring her husband back home, the woman I promised was Muriel." I responded. His eyes widened with shock, his mouth fell agape. I smiled at his expression and a kind and joyful smile appeared on his face.

"My Muriel's okay?" He asked. I nodded, he did a little jump off the bed and danced. I giggled at his childlike behavior and he laughed at himself as well. Then we heard footsteps coming towards the room. I gasped and he looked at me with a stern expression. "I hate to do this but I have to act ruthless and dominating, can you pretend to be hurt?" He asked me. I nodded and got off the bed. I laid on the floor and held my side pretending as if I was in pain. Well I wasn't really pretending, I was in pain but it was a dull ache, nothing severe. The door swung open and there I saw Ozai, the fire lord.

"Ah, you've brought her." He said to the kind soldier.

"Yes sire, she was being a brat so I showed her who the better warrior is." He responded.

"I see, good work Cole. Maybe sometime soon you can head back down the that family of yours, they will appreciate your good work." Ozai walked towards me and grabbed me by the arm with his cold hands. They weren't warm like Cole's but ice cold like a winter night. "You're coming with me!" He dragged me and pulled me up onto my feet, I looked at Cole and he gave a sympathetic look. He mouthed the words, 'I'll get you out.' and I was brought out of the room into the hallway. He pulled me towards a throne room and Zuko was standing with his arms crossed sitting in a throne. "Someone wanted to say hello." Ozai whispered to me and threw me towards Zuko. I fell and landed on my stomach, the pain in my side beginning to come back more sharp. I raised my head and held myself up by my arms.

"What do you want, Zuko?" I asked with venom in my tone. He chuckled and stood up from his throne.

"I found something out about you, Wind Seeker. Or should I say Hale Bumi?" He asked. I gasped and was in a state of shock. "Do you really think I wouldn't remember that girl I was to marry? You know, it's because of you that this war occurred."

"Shut up!" I yelled. A fire ball was shot at my side and the heat from it grazed my side. I yelped in pain and Zuko chuckled.

"You're in my home, you don't tell me to do anything. As I was saying, if we were to have married then this war would've never happened. This country would be in peace and everyone would be happy, well everyone except for you." He told me.

"Why're you telling me this?" I asked.

"Simple, you want to save the people don't you? Your friends are suffering as are mine from this war that you've caused. What's a poor runaway princess to do? Cower in fear from her superiors? Fight back like a warrior and a hero? Maybe even get the guy in the end? This is no fairy tail Hale, this is reality. I suggest you open your eyes to what's going on around you. Guards take her away!" Zuko yelled. I was in a state of shock but then something clicked. When the soldier took my arms and started to pull me away I said something.

"Would you have been happy?" I yelled at Zuko. The guards stopped moving and looked at Zuko. He turned around and gave a confused look. "If we were to be married, would you have been happy? You would be suffering as well not just me! Don't even pretend that you would be happy! You wouldn't want to marry a foreign girl that you know nothing about, would you?" I was screaming by this point and Zuko's eyes were wide from shock. "Your father is using you! He wants to take advantage of you an what you're capable of! Don't listen to him, listen to me! Zuko come wi-"

"What would you know about families?" Zuko yelled back. I widened my eyes. "You know nothing about my father, nothing about my family. Don't go making stupid accusations because you had family issues as a child." Zuko turned around with his hands in fists. "Take her away." He muttered. The guards dragged me out and I was in such a shock from his words that I didn't have the strength to protest. I was brought to the same room that I was in before and Cole was there waiting for me.

"Cole, make sure she stays here." One of the soldiers told him. Cole nodded and the soldiers who dragged me left the room.

"Did they hurt you?" Cole asked me. I shook my head no. "We have to get you out of here and back to the Earth Kingdom."

"No." I said. He looked at me with confusion, "We have to go back to Salerno and see Muriel. Think you can lead the way?" He gave a determined smile and nodded.

"Follow me." He said. We both made our way towards the canvas sliding door that led to a balcony in my room. We leaped down from the balcony and onto the ground of the fire temple. There were very little soldiers and that made our journey a lot easier. We were able to escape from the temple into a nearby forest. We both sighed with relief and ran towards the town of Salerno.

We arrived and I found the same little cottage, with the same detail and the same garden in the front with fruits and vegetables growing. I smiled and walked towards the door to knock. When I did a nice familiar voice shouted "I'm coming." I smiled and told Cole to wait behind that house and I would tell him when to come out. Muriel opened the door and saw me, "Welcome back Hale!" She exclaimed and gave me a hug. I hugged her back and smiled.

"I have a surprise for you, Muriel." I said.

"Oh deary I am too old for surprises." She chuckled as did I.

"Come on out." I said and Cole walked out from the side of the house to Muriel's point of view. Her eyes widened with shock and tears formed in her eyes.

"Cole?" She asked.

"Long time no see, Muriel." He went up to her and gave her a large hug and kissed her. I could tell they loved each other just by her reaction, she missed him and I brought him back to her. However, their reunion was short lived when I fell to the ground on my news with a sharp pain on my side.

"Hale!" Cole and Muriel shouted. Muriel came towards me and brought me into the house.

"I thought you told me they didn't hurt you." Cole said. His face showed anger and Muriel brought me to a bedroom. She put me on the bed and began to treat my side. It was a burn and it was only getting worse if it wasn't treated. While her warm hands were treating me, I felt sleep over come me. When I woke up there were cries of sadness and an upset feeling was evident in the air. When I got up to go see what was going on, I saw them in the living room with Cole and Muriel.