Prisoner of War

Mission

Rhea slid her sword into its sheath. She proceeded to slip knives and other weapons into her boots and belt.

She fidgeted with her armored black gloves, tightened her dark breastplate, and straightened her shoulder plates. Her boots were the same black and went up her lower legs with metal knee pads connected to them with thick leather straps along the side of her legs.

It had been almost three years since Zuko had been banished and Fire Lord Ozai had arrested her and turned her into a weapon of war.

The door creaked open.

Rhea whirled, hurling a sharp knife at the door.
The blade lodged in the frame, terrifying the servant who had entered.

The servant shook as he stared at the knife. "Ma'am. Your team is ready."

"Team?" Rhea stared at the wall facing away from the door, refusing to meet the servant's scared gaze.

"Yes, ma'am." The servant gave a slight bow. "The Fire Lord has assigned you to finding the Avatar."

Rhea rolled her eyes. "How many people does it take to track down a 12-year-old airbender?"

"Ma'am?" He asked confusedly.

Rhea turned and approached the servant. "Let's do ahead count, shall we." She yanked the knife out of the wall, making the servant flinch. "Zuko, the banished, dishonored prince, Zhao, the arrogant power-hungry admiral, and now... me." She moved the blade close to the servant's cheek. She grinned when the servant flinched away. She dropped the knife and walked away. "I'll take five men besides the necessary crew."

"But ma'am..."

"Five." Rhea shot him a hard stare.

He fell silent and gave another small bow. "I'll inform the Fire Lord of your wishes." The servant left the room.

Rhea scoffed. "Good luck."
————
Rhea ducked the soldier's attack, grabbing his wrist and twisting his arm behind his back.

There was a sickening pop as his shoulder dislocated.

She whispered in his ear. "Yield, or I'll dislocate every joint in your body."

The soldier only grunted.

Rhea shifted her grip to hold his index finger. "Trust me. I can do a lot worse." When he didn't respond, she jerked the finger, snapping the delicate bones.

The soldier screamed. "I yield!"

Rhea released him.

He cradled his injured arm close to his chest.

Rhea placed a hand on his disjointed shoulder and he winced. "Someone get the healer." She gripped both sides of the wounded shoulder and popped the joint back into place, making the soldier scream again. "He has a broken finger."

She turned and walked off the deck of the ship and inside.
————
Rhea stood at the railing of the balcony outside the helm of the ship.

The breeze tossed her brown hair, which was tied back in a long ponytail. Ozai had conceded to let her not wear the Fire Nation hair pin, claiming that her deeds were a more satisfying declaration of loyalty.

Rhea lifted her hand and examined her armored glove.

The armor was fire resistant, allowing her to counter firebenders.

She sighed. Was it all worth it?

Yes, she reminded herself. If she didn't do this, people she loved would die. She would lose everything, again.

There was the soft sound of a door opening behind her.

Rhea turned, holding back her instinct to hurl a blade.

The captain approached her, removing his helmet. "Ma'am."

"Captain." She turned back to the vast ocean before them.

He stood beside her. "Why are you so hard on them?"

Rhea stared at the spot on the deck where she had sparred with the soldier. "Because, I've seen what they do."

"You know," the captain leaned his arms on the railing, "not all of them enjoy it, not all of them had a choice."

"There's always a choice." Rhea said flatly.

"What about for you?" He asked. "You didn't seem to have one."

Rhea clenched her fists. "I did have a choice. I chose to protect the people I love."

The captain sighed. "Why do you think half the soldiers are here? They're protecting what they love. They're afraid of what the war, or even Ozai, will do to their homes and their families." He looked over at Rhea. "You're not the only one to suffer in this war. The first Nation the Fire Lord had to control to start this war was his own." He faced the sea. "It's gotten worse after one hundred years to keep it going."

Rhea felt the tears welling in her eyes. She'd never considered the other side of the story, what the people of the Fire Nation had to go through.

Now, her mind was reeling with the reality of this war. No one was safe. Everyone was a victim, no matter where you came from. The powerful took advantage of the weak and the weak suffered, some at the hands of their own people.

She couldn't bring herself to look at the captain.

He sighed and straightened, walking back to the helm. He paused at the door. "Just, think about what I said ma'am."

Rhea gave him the slightest nod and he closed the door, leaving Rhea alone with her thoughts.