Prisoner of War

Honor

"Hey Zuko!" Rhea hung her head down from the edge of the roof that covered the palace walkways.

Zuko jumped back. "Rhea." He paused and stared at her curiously. "What are you doing?"

She shrugged. "Thinking. How about you?"

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Avoiding Azula."

Rhea grinned and dropped off the roof to the ground. "Probably a good idea. Want some company?"

Zuko smiled. "Sure."

They walked together down the path through the royal gardens.

"So," Rhea broke the silence. "There's a big war meeting today."

Zuko stopped and looked at her. "You know about that?"

She gave him a sly look. "The whole palace is buzzing. Yes, I know about it." She started walking again. "Besides, it's not like we have one of these almost every week or anything." She drew out the words sarcastically.

They both chuckled.

"I hope I can get in this one." Zuko thought out loud.

Rhea sighed. "Why do you want to get into those things? Their just talking about how to hurt more people."

"Well," Zuko defended, "if I'm going to be Fire Lord someday, I need to know how these things work."

Rhea sighed again. "I've always hoped that by the time we got to your rule, it would be peace talks, not war meetings."

Zuko huffed a big breath. "People have been fighting back for one hundred years, I don't think they'll change their mind in twenty."

"You're right Zuko." She said. "People have been fighting back for one hundred years. They obviously don't want us to interfere with their lives."

"We're making the world a better place." Zuko insisted.

"By hurting people and taking away their freedom?" Rhea countered.

"That's just the kind of talk I'd expect from an earth kingdom nobody." Zuko lashed out.

Rhea took a step back. "Fine, your highness. I'll leave you to your war, but please, think about what I said."

Zuko gave her the slightest nod and she walked away.
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Rhea pulled her long brown hair back into a ponytail. She hated wearing the Fire Nation flame hair pin, but Ozai got mad if she didn't, said it was an act of rebellion. Her red sleeveless shirt was cropped off just above her bellybutton and had a darker, gold-trimmed collar that could be removed for informal occasions. Her dark, brownish pants were mostly covered by a red half-skirt that was fastened in the front with a strip of fabric hanging down the middle. Gold-trimmed bracers reached almost to her elbows and her right arm had a gold ring around her bicep. Her left bicep had a red band.

She didn't know what exactly she was getting dressed up for.

Everyone in the palace was very hushed about it, which was strange given the servants' track records.

All Rhea knew was that it was an agni kai - a dual between two firebenders. They were only issued when one firebender dishonored another. From the sound of it, this particular insult had occurred during the war meeting. Why was she not surprised?
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Rhea entered the stadium with Iroh, the man who had taken her in all those years ago. He was the closest thing to a father she had.

They were silent as they walked inside and took their places near the front.

The building was an oval with seating on all sides and a lowered flat proving ground in the middle.

To Rhea's surprise, and horror, Zuko knelt on one side of the flat expanse.

On the other side was his opponent.

Rhea gasped. "No."

Zuko was supposed to fight his own father.

The two fighters stood.

Zuko's eyes widened and he stepped back. Once he was over the shock, he dropped to his knees and begged for forgiveness.

His father wouldn't hear of it and urged his 13 -year-old son to fight him.

When Zuko still refused, Ozai seethed. "You will learn respect. And suffering will be your teacher." Raising his fist, Ozai blasted a stream of flames at Zuko's face.

Rhea could feel the heat of the flames as Zuko's scream echoed in her ears. She remembered the pain and loss she'd felt when the Fire Nation had taken away her life, everything she knew. She'd screamed a lot like Zuko was now.

Iroh was looking away as his brother burned his own son.

Azula, Zuko's sister, who stood next to us, was smiling.

Rhea wanted to look away, but she couldn't make her body cooperate.

When the fire faded, Zuko clutched his scorched face. Blood streamed down his left cheek and over his shaking fingers.

Ozai didn't so much as look at his son as he turned and walked away.

People slowly trickled out of the stadium until Rhea and Iroh were the only two remaining.

They rushed down to the proving ground and knelt on either side of Zuko's quivering body.

Rhea met Iroh's sad yet scared gaze.

Together they helped the injured boy stand and walked him out of the stadium and to the healers.
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Rhea sat outside as they worked on Zuko's burns. What kind of a father would do this to his son? What kind of person... Rhea interrupted her own thoughts. That was it. Ozai wasn't a person, he was a monster.

Rhea yanked the flame hair pin out of her hair. She couldn't bear the sight of it anymore, let alone the feeling of it in her hair. She threw it across the room. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she hugged her legs tightly. Zuko was going to be okay, she told herself, but she knew it was a lie.

Soon, word came that Ozai had banished Zuko from the Fire Nation. The only way he could come home, the only way to restore his honor, was to capture the Avatar and bring him back to the Fire Lord.
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Finally, Zuko exited the healer's room. His hair was shaved, leaving only a long black ponytail on the back of his head and a bandage covered a majority of the left side of his face.

He didn't even acknowledge Rhea as he left the room.

Iroh followed close behind, stopping when he noticed Rhea. "You're still here."

"Where else would I be?" Rhea let her legs hang off the chair again. "Is he going to be okay?"

Iroh sighed. "It is hard to say. This will be a difficult time for him."

Rhea stared at the door through which Zuko had left. "I know."

Iroh placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm going with him."

Rhea met his eyes. "What?"

"He needs me now more than ever." He grabbed her other shoulder. "I have to go with him."

Rhea grabbed Iroh's hands as they gripped her shoulders. "Let me come with you."

Iroh shook his head. "It's too dangerous. I need you to stay here." He cupped her face in his hands. "Perhaps your light can help drive out the darkness here."

Rhea held back tears. "I'll do my best." She threw her arms around Iroh. "Be safe. Come back."

Iroh squeezed her tightly. "You have my word." He pulled back. "Nothing could keep me from coming back to you." He pulled her into another hug. "I promise."