Prisoner of War

Land

Rhea lay on her bed in her quarters. They were getting close. She knew it.

They had tracked the Avatar to his last known location, where a ship keeper had been kind enough to tell them which way the group had gone.

Someone knocked on her door.

"Come in." She called to the visitor.

One of the soldiers peered into the room. "We're approaching the harbor Ma'am."

Rhea pushed herself to her feet. "Thank you. You're dismissed."

The soldier ducked out of the room and disappeared down the hall.

Rhea stepped into the passage and made her way to the deck. She sighed in relief at the sight of land. In her opinion, they had been at sea for far too long. But, in their defense, she was from the Earth Kingdom.

The ship docked in the meager harbor of an Earth Kingdom village - the next logical stop on the Avatar's route.

Fire Nation soldiers patrolled the streets as the people cowered inside their homes.

Rhea split her soldiers and had them search the village. Meanwhile, she relished the solitude.

Two young boys were trotting around, annoying a little girl with pigtails, clutching a doll. One of the boys distracted the girl while the other snatched the doll from behind.

Narrowing her eyes, Rhea marched over.

The boys were laughing as the girl cried, asking for the doll. The boys dangled it over her head, just out of reach.

"I don't think that belongs to you." Rhea had an intimidating presence even without her armor. Her slender yet muscular physique and hard stern gaze could shake the courage of any soldier in the Fire Nation army. Heaven knew what these kids thought when they saw a woman in full black armor and Fire Nation attire, giving them a cold glare.

The second boy dropped the doll and the first boy grabbed his friend. The two bolted into the nearest alley.

The girl cowered near the wall.

Rhea picked up the old cloth doll, brushing off the fabric, and held it out to the girl. She smiled.

The girl inched forward, hesitant to accept a gift from a Fire Nation woman. Then she tenderly lifted the doll from Rhea's hand and cradled it in her arms. She smiled at Rhea before skipping off down the street.

Rhea's smile faded as she watched the girl. What must that girl think of her? She would no doubt tell her mother, and then whatever progress Rhea had made with the relations between her and her people would be snuffed out. She had to face it. Her people would never accept her, not anymore.

Rhea wandered the streets aimlessly, when out of one of the shops appeared four teenagers. Two were obviously from one of the water tribes, one was a native to the village, and the other was dressed like... an air nomad.

Rhea ducked behind a corner before they could spot her. Pulling her mask over her nose and flipping up her hood, she leaned against the corner to watch her target walk down a path into the woods. She waited a moment before following.
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The path stretched on for a while, finally ending at a small farmhouse with a barn stationed nearby.

The boy, who obviously lived there, led his guests to the barn, opening the door for them.

This was her chance Rhea found a hiding spot near the tree line and knelt down. Once night fell, she would strike.
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Rhea tensed as a stick snapped beneath her foot. She hadn't seen it in the dark. Normally, she was quieter, but she was so afraid that her men would suddenly burst out of the trees looking for her that she was rushing a bit.

She reached the back wall of the barn and looked up towards the window. That was her way in.

As she pulled out two daggers to climb the wall, a group of soldiers emerged from the trees, led by an older man. The group stalked up to the door and banged loudly on the wood.

The boy from before answered it.

"That's him. That's the earthbender." The older man's voice was soft and hoarse, not easy to hear at this distance.

The soldiers seized the boy and dragged him away.

The boy's mother came sprinting out of the house. She grabbed a soldier's arm, begging for her son's freedom, but the soldier hurled her aside. She hung her head as the men disappeared with her son.

Rhea pulled back around the barn and leaned heavily against the wall. They had arrested the boy for being an earthbender. She sank to the ground. This was worse than she could've ever imagined.
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Rhea jolted awake. She was still sitting behind the barn. Dang it! She'd wasted her opportunity.

Rising, She peeked around the corner of the barn.

The boy's mother stood facing the sea.

The Water Tribe girl who was traveling with the Avatar approached the woman with a basket. She said 'good morning.'

The woman looked at her in complete despair.

The basket slipped from the girl's grip. She ran to the barn.

Soon after, all three teenagers dashed out of the barn and into the woods. They were going after the boy. Figures.

Rhea smirked beneath her mask and took off silently after them.
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The group stopped in the woods.

Rhea moved closer to hear what they were saying, hiding behind a thick tree trunk.

"Katara, that's crazy." The Water Tribe boy said.

"Well I don't hear anyone else coming up with any ideas." Katara retorted. "It's our fault he was taken."

"She's right, Sokka." The Avatar agreed. "We have to help him."

Sokka sighed. "Fine, but if this ends badly I'm blaming you." He pointed accusingly at the Avatar.

"Why me?" He asked. "It was Katara's idea."

"Yeah, but she's my sister." Sokka reasoned. "Besides the only reason we're here is because of you."

The Avatar sighed. "Whatever. Let's do this."

This was her last chance. Who knew where they would go after this.

Rhea stepped out from behind the tree and hurled a knife at Sokka.

The blade snagged the boy's collar and wedged into a tree.

Katara and the Avatar immediately whirled to face her.

Rhea emerged from the tree line. "Let's make this easier on everyone." She turned to the Avatar. "Surrender and I won't hurt them."

Katara popped open the cap of a small sack tied around her waist and drew water out of the flask. "I don't think so." She spoke over her shoulder. "Run Aang."

The Avatar - Aang - stood his ground. "No."

Sokka was trying to free himself from the tree. "How many maniacs are the Fire Nation going to send after us?"

Rhea narrowed her eyes. "I guess we're doing it the hard way then."