Prisoner of War

Prologue

Rhea ran recklessly through her burning village. At the outer wall, she tripped and fell to her knees. She turned around, but her parents weren't following. They'd told her to run ahead, that they would catch up. So, where were they?

Ignoring her instincts, ignoring her parents' warnings, she turned around and ran back towards her house.

By the time she reached it, it was already in flames. She dropped to her knees, holding back the flood of tears she could feel coming. Her family was gone. Her home was gone. She had
nothing left.

Fire Nation soldiers marched through the village, rounding up whoever ran, the ones who'd lived long enough to try anyway.

Rhea watched her house burn. What else could she do? Everything and everyone she loved was gone.

There were footsteps behind her.

She whirled, tears streaming down her face.

A Fire Nation soldier stood behind her. But he wasn't just any soldier. He was General Iroh, the man who had broken through the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, the man who had done this.
Rhea closed her eyes and hid her face, fearing what he would do to her.

But the man simply knelt beside her and took her hand gently in his.

He stared at the flaming embers of the girl's house and sighed. "I'm sorry for your loss, little one."

Rhea slowly looked up meeting his gaze.

The General continued. "I lost my family too today." He couldn't stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks. "Perhaps, we can help each other." He helped her stand up, held her in his arms, and carried her off the battlefield.