The Officer and the Princess: The Flames Of War

Chapter 5

The air was warm as it blew through Zuko's black hair. They had been traveling for two hours now. Zuko's mind was flooded with thoughts, none of them were good. With Ozai on the loose one again it wasn't just the Fire Nation that was in danger, It was the Entire world. When word got out,and it would most defiantly get out His father would suddenly have a sea for patriotic volunteers that would rally to his cry to overthrow Zuko. For the Second time in the Nations history the threat of a true civil War could be on the Horizon. Unironically a Yang had been front row and center for the first one and now another Yang was present for this one. He prayed to whoever would listen that Sung did not do this, that his insignia was just one big coincidence.

"Zuko" Katara asked causing him to turn to her "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine" He responded doing his best to give a reassuring smile "Just thinking"

"About Ozai or Sung?"

"Both" He admitted with a sigh "After The Fire Nation took Ba Sing Se Sung became one of My Fathers most trusted Generals in a short amount of time, he proved himself to be a master tactician during the day of Black Sun."

"What do you mean, I though Azula knowing about the invasion was the Reason we lost"

"She knew yes but the plan had been to stop you at the port. Sung devised that you would only retreat to fight another day. He allowed your forces to make it to the capital, once the Eclipse had ended Azula launched the Air Ship fleet to destroy your Subs while Sung commanded troops on the Ground."

"I had thought the Fire Nation Army wasn't doing its best to stop us when we landed, I had expected more soldiers to meet us when we got. Not saying that it was a cake walk but still." Sokka chimed in. "This Sung seems just like any other Ozai fanatic if you ask me"

"Sung didn't just go along with everything my father came up with. When he Devised using the comet to burn down the Earth Kingdom Sung rejected it...he spoke up when I was to afraid to." A shame Zuko still felt after all these Years. "Though I will admit his objections were for Tactical reasons. Sung saw such an attack as a waste of fertile farm land and the logistical nightmare it would be to move all the troops out of the blast zones."

"In other words he could care less about what happened to Earth Kingdom Citizens so long as the Farms and his Solider's were not hit?" Toph chimed in with a scoff "Sounds like a different side of the Same Coin to me"

"I don't know...Sung wasn't like many. He saw right through the propaganda that the war was about anything more than conquest. That's not excusing the fact that he went along with it."

"Just another Firebender head to knock around if you ask me" Sokka said patting the hilt of the sword on his hip "Been a long time since we did that!"

"If what I fear is true. You will have plenty of Fire Bender heads to knock around in the near future." Zuko said. "Sung has his own private Army of Warriors loyal to his House, if what I fear to be is true we may very well be walking into a trap that we might not be able to escape from."

"Zuko, you can't really believe Sung had anything to do with this." Ty Lee spoke up for the first time since leaving the Palace. "He just wants to be left alone."

Zuko stared at the Warrior for a minute "I don't want to believe it either Ty Lee but regardless his seal was on that mans Armor, somehow he is linked to my Father's escape."

"So you're just going to kill him in cold blood and be done with it." Ty Lee said giving him a frown "you two used to be such good friends."

"That was a long time ago. Sung hasn't talked to me since he returned home all those years ago." Zuko said. "Why are you defending him? He sided with Azula when you and Mai attacked her her."