Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Breath life Into Fire ❯ Part three ( Chapter 3 )

Zuko shot up, drenched in sweat. What peace there was in his room had been broken by his haggard breaths. He sighed resting both hands on his face. “Just a nightmare…” he said and his voice cracked. Falling back, he stared at the roof of his canopy bed. It had happened again. Dreams of a girl with a face he could not see, a song that would not leave him and a speaking voice he could not hear. “Do I know you…why do I know you?” He shut his eyes and groaned. “Why do I care?!”

 

The next morning Zuko rose like always. Greeted by servants, bathed, dressed and ate. He was not just being treated as a prince but as a hero; the man who killed the avatar. Such a farce his sister had constructed all to save her own neck from the truth should their father find out. That was all behind him for now. With that assassin on the avatar's trail, it was only a matter of time before he met his end.

 

A few handmaidens smiled and bowed as Zuko passed. “Good morning your highness,” they giggled.

 

A smirk touched to his face. “Morning.”

 

“Off to see Miss Mai?” one asked in a sad tone.

 

“Yes I am.”

 

“She is so lucky,” another sighed.

 

“I don't know, sometimes it feels like I'm the lucky one,” he said with a smile then waved to them as he left. He heard them swoon and smiled to himself. The servants outside once again insisted that he not walk anywhere outside the palace but this time he refused. Mai's house was not that far after all. He was greeted at her door and led to wait in the usual sitting room for Mai to arrive. It seemed he had the perfect life, his father loved him, his girlfriend adored him in her own apathetic way and, most of all, he was home. How could his life possibly get any better?

 

During his wait, his mind dwelled on this thought more and slowly drifted to memories of his mother, especially her smile. `That smile…' He closed his eyes and thought back to his dream. “Could it have been her?” he asked aloud.

 

“Could it have been who?” Mai asked, leaning over the back of the couch with a thin smile on her face.

 

“No one, I was just thinking of my mother and all these strange dreams I've been having lately.”

 

“Oh.” Her tone dropped and she moved around to sit beside him. “Well, tell me about them”

 

He sighed and lay across her lap. “It's always the same. This beautiful woman with long dark hair singing then dieing when I get too close to her. I never see her face and I never really get to hear her speak to me.”

 

Mai smirked, fluffing up his hair a bit. “If you can't see her face then how do you know she's beautiful?”

 

Zuko looked up at her and smiled. “How do I know it's not you?”

 

“I don't sing.”

 

“Have you ever tried?” He stared into her eyes, a pair that never told him more than what was on the surface.

 

Mai turned her eyes forward. “I tried once and I was terrible so I never sang again.”

 

“Maybe you just need practice.” She gave him such a look that he dropped the subject completely. “Come on.” He stood then helped her to her feet. “Let's go for a walk.”

 

“A walk?”

 

“Yeah, it'll be a nice change of pace.” He smiled and led her out. With his personal guard following him around everywhere, it actually made taking a stroll through the kingdom quite easy. They kept the crowd of young women at bay. A restaurant was cleared out for a quick bite to eat then a teahouse for a break, but the smell of Jasmine tea brought up thoughts of his uncle and it was cut short. They wandered around aimlessly for most of the day, having their own kicks and giggles. It was perfect.

 

“Son of a,” Ren groaned as he and the rest of The Jaded stumbled into a dim alley. They were smoldering and coughing up smoke. All were dressed in black clothes common to their nation of origin under a long black, hooded cloak. “Well that went well,” he huffed, straightening out his clothes.

 

The young water-bender Kai patted out a fire on the hem of his pants. “I think that was by far the worst break in we've ever attempted,” he snapped.

 

“We got in didn't we?” Jaherah said with a smile. She moved her right hand across her chest in a fluid motion and a blast of air quickly dusted off the twins Jun-Lei and Sun-Lei and Kinta. She then did the same with her left dusting off Kai and Ren.

 

Ren blinked, feeling as if his hair was sticking out at an angle. “Thank you Jaherah. I always wanted to do something different with my hair.”

 

The twins giggled and peeked out onto the street. “We need to be careful,” Jun-Lei said and her sister nodded. “People are a little higher strung around here.”

 

“Like long tailed dog monkeys in a room full of rocking chairs,” Sun-Lei added.

 

“Maybe we should find a change of clothes to blend in,” Kinta suggested.

 

“There's no point,” Jaherah said, fluffing up her hair. “We would still stand out, well the majority of us.”

 

Ren thought for a moment then paced around the group. “Then we'll say we're all in mourning. We already look like we've been to a funeral.”

 

“And who's fault is that?” Kai asked. The whole group looked at Jaherah.

 

She threw up her arms. “What? Black is slimming, besides it hides the burn marks too.” She clapped her hands together. “Alright children let's go then. We are morning the lives lost in the fight to bring order to the world and glory to the Fire Nation.” She shuddered. “I think I almost threw up just then.”

 

Ren rolled his eyes then took her arm. “Let's go now.” The younger ones followed behind them as they kept their heads low but their eyes peeled.

 

“Lei, the capital is huge, how are we going to find the prison?” Jaherah asked the twins.

 

“All that we can remember is a huge tower carved into a mountain on the outskirts of the royal city,” Sun-Lei said.

 

“That must be a charming sight,” Jaherah said rolling her eyes.

 

“Wait!” Kinta said throwing up his arms and stopping. “If the prison is on the outside of the city then why are we inside?”

 

 

Ren ruffled his hair and said, “That is what we call simple mathematics. Shortest distance between two points is a straight line.”

 

 

“We'll draw less attention to ourselves if we stick to populated areas anyways,” Jaherah said raising her eyes to look around slowly. “It would look even more suspicious seeing six kids roaming around outside the city.”

 

“So we're drawing less attention by being where people can see us?” Kinta asked, scratching his head.

 

“The best place to hide is in plain sight,” the twins said then smiled.

 

“I don't like this,” Kai mumbled with his arms folded. “If something goes wrong we're out numbered. As good as we are, we're not that good.”

 

“Then we'll just have to be careful,” Ren said, raising his head to also look around, his eyes mostly resting on Jaherah. Something was up with her. She was not looking for their target location, she seemed to be trying to feel out someone. Whom could she be searching for? A knot formed in his stomach, which made him grimace for a moment. He chose to change the subject on her mind. “The target will probably be well guarded no doubt, since he's being kept within the kingdom.”

 

“Why couldn't we do this at night? Or when, I don't know, fire benders can't…bend?” Kai asked.

 

“That would be during the solar eclipse,” Sun-Lei said, looking towards the sky.

 

“Great, when is it?!”

 

“Too far off to fit in our schedule,” Jaherah said. “We would fall behind waiting for it to come and we need his knowledge now before it's too late.”

 

“Who is this Master Jing Xia supposed to be anyways?” Kinta asked

 

“The king wouldn't say, all we know is that he's important,” Ren stated, not liking one bit that he knew just as little as the rest of them. “Huh?” The group paused to find Jaherah had stopped and was staring off down a street. Her eyes were wide and her face pale. “Jaherah?” He narrowed his eyes, and looked to the group. “I want you guys to find a place to stay for the night then meet me back here.”

 

“But”

 

“Now!” he said flatly then walked back to Jaherah. “Jaherah,” he spoke softly as he touched her arm. She did not move, and seemed to barely breathe. Her eyes were fixed on something or someone. She took a step forward, then another, until she was running and smiling, her heart racing and tears forming in her eyes.

 

Zuko was frozen to the spot. Her face was so hauntingly familiar, but why? And why was she so excited to see him. His heart was pounding until it jumped into his throat when he heard the young man behind her call out, “JAHERAH!” His eyes widened. `That name…'

 

“Zuko, you're alive!” Jaherah cried.

 

“Zuko!” Mai yelled as she stepped out of the clothing shop. “What is taking you so long?” she asked as she wrapped both arms around one of his.

 

Jaherah stopped dead in her tracks and the smile faded. “Zuko, who's this?” she asked calmly.

 

Mai's eyes snapped on her. “I'm his girlfriend.”

 

“His what?!” Jaherah snapped

 

“Zuko, who is she?” She pointed at her as if to kill.

 

Zuko narrowed his eyes on Jaherah and the memories flooded back. “She's no one to me, just a slave,” he said in a cold tone then turned away.

 

“What…?” Jaherah's heart seemed to drop. Ren had rushed to her side and tried to pull her away but she broke free of his grip. “Don't tell me you forgot.”

 

“Jaherah, we should go,” Ren hissed, glaring at Zuko.

 

“Oh I didn't forget,” Zuko said, pulling Mai close to him.

 

“What are you talking about?” Mai asked growing irate.

 

“I bought this girl while I was still in exile as a source of entertainment. She was a fair enough sparing partner but nothing more than a pretty face and a headache.”

 

Jaherah's eyes darted to the arm around Mai then back to Zuko's. “What are you saying? That I was just some doll for you to have your fun with. That you lied when you said you loved me!”

 

“Loved?” He laughed so viciously it was like a dagger to Jaherah's heart. “I never loved you. How could I? You're less than a peasant and I'm the crown prince.”

 

Jaherah's blood was beginning to boil as tears of pain formed in her eyes. “If I was just a toy to you, why did you leave me in Omashu?”

 

“I thought that was obvious. I was done with you. You'd served your purpose, so why keep you around?”

 

“But Iroh”

 

“Why would I listen to that old fool? His compassion for the wrong people is what led him to his fate in the dungeons.”

 

“You monster!” she screamed and tried to lunge at him. Ren quickly grabbed her arms and held her back. “How could you?! How could you let your father throw him in prison? How could you lie to me? Use me the way that you did? I thought you were so sweet and caring but you're not. You're a monster!” She sobbed and dropped her head. “How could I have been so foolish as to fall for you?”

 

Mai smiled and rested her head on Zuko's shoulder. “Like the saying goes, `love is blind,' but in your case it's just oblivious,” she said with a slight laugh.

 

“SHUT UP!” Jaherah screamed. “This is between me and him!”

 

“You little!”

 

“No, she's right,” said Zuko and the look on Mai's face was nothing short of pissed off. “It is just between me and her and I know how to end it. Guards.” The royal guard that had followed him all day now closed in on Jaherah and Ren. His mind was starting to conjure up a plan. He knew that the avatar was not dead but as a fail safe for when his father finds out the truth, keeping the only other remaining air-bender around as a bargaining chip would suffice. “Seize the girl and bring her back to the castle with us.”

 

“Like I'll go with out a fight!” Jaherah snapped breaking away from Ren then tacking a defensive stance.

 

“You will if you care anything about your friend there.”

 

“I'm not afraid of some spoiled brat,” Ren growled, clenching his fists.

 

“Jaherah, come peacefully and this thug of yours can go freely.”

 

“And if I don't?”

 

“Then he'll be thrown into the fiery stomach of a volcano.” He crossed his arms and smirked. “It's your decision.” Mai liked the thought of throwing one into a lake of lava but would rather it Jaherah than the boy.

 

Jaherah was starting to break. She could not risk jeopardizing their mission. They would have to carry on without her. They would never be able to face an entire kingdom of fire-benders. She would be letting down Bumi as well as herself. There was also a chunk of her heart still desperately clinging to Zuko that would not let her believe that all he had said was true. That he used her and lied about his feelings. Then logic kicked her. She would be closer to the fire lord and able to keep an eye on what was being planned, if she should be so lucky. She took a deep breath to calm herself then dropped to her knees.

 

“Jaherah, no!” Ren exclaimed. “What makes you think he won't send someone else after me later?” He was certain not mention the others to keep suspicion that there might be more of their group low.

 

“Like I have much of a choice,” she said with her head low. “We don't stand a chance against an army. Leave while you still have a chance.”

 

“I'm not leaving you!” He barked. Zuko seemed amused by this display of affection for Jaherah, and yet he wondered why this seemed so familiar to him.

 

“GO!” she snapped, slamming her eyes shut. “There is no helping me so just save your self. Besides, you're better off without me. I'll only cause you more trouble.” Ren glared at her then turned his eyes to Zuko who smirked. He grit his teeth, turned then left the circle, vowing he would return for her. Feeling he was gone, Jaherah removed three poles hidden in her cloak and slid them across to Zuko's feet then bowed her head.

 

Zuko smirked. “Take her, and make sure you keep her hands tied tight,” he said then looked to Mai. “Ready to head back my love?” He hooked a finger under her chin then kissed her sweetly.

 

She smiled. “I am getting tired of all this walking,” she said and looked back to Jaherah. She sneered then let Zuko lead her back to her home.

 

Jaherah kept her head hung low as the guards closed in around them. She did not put up a fight as they bound her arms tightly to each other and yanked her off the ground. The one leading the group took up her segmented weapon and followed behind Zuko. She walked in silence with her head held high, reminding herself that she did this to protect the others. Her life was of no greater value than that of her comrades meaning she had no right to endanger them. As she walked in stoic silence, she glared a hole into the back of Zuko's head. She did not want him dead; she wanted him to suffer for his wrongs; to feel the pain that she now felt; to know what it felt like to be betrayed. Apparently, she looked quite pretty when she was angry as the young men watching the escort, eyed her, smiling as she passed. A few corny comments were heard.

 

“She's too hot to be arrested!” one howled.

 

“That's probably why she got arrested. A girl that fine needs to be locked away,” another said.

 

Zuko felt an odd twinge in the back of his mind that made him want to pummel each man watching her. Mai was growing jealous and clung closer to Zuko. Jaherah smirked, tilting her head towards a crowd. “My beauty really is a curse, isn't it?” she asked in a soft tone.

 

“IT'S A BLESSING BABE!” one young man shouted from a window.

 

“And here I thought fire nation men weren't charming.” She winked at one then puckered her lips towards another. “Am I really that pretty?” she asked coyly.

 

“Gorgeous!” one bold young man said as he tried to near her. He was quickly shoved back by the guards but kept following. “So when do you get out?”

 

“When the fire lord and his son feel I've been punished enough.” She shot a smile his way. “Maybe he'll let you come and see me.”

 

“Maybe.” He smiled, waved then dropped away from the escort.

 

Zuko was relatively unaware of how tight he gripped Mai until she let out a cry and pinched him. “Sorry,” he said, loosening his grip.

 

“You better watch out with him girl, he bites,” Jaherah laughed. If she had to return to the life of a slave, she was going to behave the same way she did the first time around.

 

`She's already trying to get under my skin. Well, two can play at that game.' When they arrived at Mai's door, Zuko took it upon himself to give her a long passionate kiss by the stairs while Jaherah watched. Her blood was boiling and still on the rise by the time the couple parted and the young prince returned to the escort. “Let's go,” he said walking out of the courtyard towards the castle. He strode calmly through the halls until he found who he was looking for, the fire lord's advisor.

 

“May I help you Prince Zuko?” he asked as he bowed low.

 

“I request an audience with my father. I have a surprise for him.”

 

The advisors eyes looked to the peeved Jaherah then back to his prince. He was smirking and seemed very confident. He had no choice but to comply. “As you wish.” He bowed once more then left the hall to retrieve Zuko's father and have them meet in the throne room.

 

When the little parade of guards reached the throne room with Zuko at the head, Lord Ozai was waiting on his throne. He greeted his son with a nod and Zuko bowed in return. “You wanted to speak with me my son?” he asked in a cool tone. He directed his eyes to Jaherah who was forced to her knees. “Who is this?”

 

“A surprise,” he said then stepped aside so he could get a better look at her. “This is the last air bender our world will ever see.”

 

The guards were shocked but Ozai did not look amused. “Is this some kind of joke?”

 

“No joke father. I found her a few months ago then dropped her off in Omashu.” He began to walk forward ushering for one guard to follow with her. “Then I waited. I knew it was only a matter of time before she came looking for me.”

 

“You're lower than scum!” she hissed then cried out as her legs were struck. She hit the floor and seemed to growl at the guard.

 

“You will kneel in the presence of Fire Lord Ozai!” he barked.

 

“Then shouldn't you be doing the same?” The guards eyes widened and he reeled back to strike her across the face.

 

“ENOUGH!” Lord Ozai roared, the torches in the room erupting, reaching the ceiling. The guard pulled his hand away then bowed low. “If this girl is who you say she is prove it.” He stroked his beard for a moment. “Make her bend.”

 

Zuko expected this and was prepared. He stepped behind Jaherah to release her from her restraints then whispered in her ear, “If you don't air-bend I will find all your little friends and have them thrown into the deepest darkest dungeon forever.”

 

Jaherah was shocked. There was no way he could have known, unless he was lying, trying to reveal if there were more of them. “He can take care of himself,” she hissed, trying to yank free from his hands.

 

“Suit yourself, but you know you'll die if you don't perform.” He pulled her back to her feet.

 

“What about you?”

 

“I figured your concern would be all about yourself.” He dropped her hands then shoved her forward. The guards' eyes were fixed on her as she stepped towards the center of the room, massaging her wrists.

 

“So you really want me to show you what I can do?” she asked in a cool tone as she paced around in a circle. “What makes you think I won't bend all the air out of this room and suffocate the lot of you?” She smiled at the eerie silence. “So confident that I'll behave.” She quickly jerked to her right as a bolt of lightning shot past her face and hit the huge metal doors. Silver eyes narrowed on the fire lord. “You missed.” She quickly turned full circle sending a small twister towards him. However, once it hit the stairs, it dissipated. Ozai tilted his head back as he looked down at her calm expression. She pulled her hands behind her back and raised her head. This shifted her cloak so her revealing bohemian robes were exposed; a new style wrap that crossed her chest then wrapped beneath her breasts. “I'm not an idiot. I know the fates conspire against me and to make an attempt on your life would be playing into their hands.” She looked towards the guards with her restraints and snapped, “Are you just going to stand there looking stupid or are you going to put those on me?”

 

Ozai rose from his seat and approached her. Jaherah froze for a moment then raised her head again. “You are very bold girl, to speak in such a way to men,” he said as he neared.

 

“How am I bold?” she asked, keeping her eyes forward. Zuko was now on edge. Something did not set well with his father getting closer to the young maiden. “As you said, you are but men. You're not a spirit, a god.” She laughed some. “Not even the Avatar.”

 

He smiled. Something that was supposed to mean good tidings seemed so sinister on his face. “I am greater than all of them for I am bringing order to this chaotic world that they have created and abandoned.”

 

“You bring about death and destruction.”

 

“Necessary sacrifices.”

 

“Genocide is necessary? Taking innocent lives is necessary?”

 

“Yes.” He stopped until he was standing to her right, slightly behind her, examining her thoroughly with his eyes. “Just like the Avatar was a necessary sacrifice.” Her eyes widened and her heart seemed to stop. “The Avatar is dead. My son went above and beyond what I requested him to do by removing him from the equation.”

 

Jaherah fought to keep her eyes forward, and fought even harder to stand still. Every ounce of her body wanted to rip Zuko to shreds. He had broken his promise to her for the approval of this monster? “The Avatar is not dead,” she said as calmly as possible. “The cycle continues and he will rise again to thwart you. Unless you plan on murdering infants now.”

 

Ozai laughed ever so slightly. It was enough to send a chill running down her spine. “Your blind optimism is fitting of a child. There is no stopping me. It's only a matter of time before the world is mine.” He walked back to his throne with his hands clasped behind him. “Maybe I will keep you alive long enough to see what great things I can do for the world.” Zuko's mind was working overtime. He knew what was about to transpire but he had to think fast. Something his father would not expect in its entirety. For whatever reason, unknown to him, Zuko did not want Jaherah to die or be harmed in any way. “Take her”

 

“Father, if I may make a request!” Zuko said, stepping forward.

 

Ozai paused on his assent to his throne then looked back to his son. He look him over, noticing no falter in his composure then nodded. “You may.”

 

“I would like to keep this girl as my personal servant. To serve as a reminder of the life I lived while banished, a life I never want to return to.” He signaled for the guards to place her in her restraints. “Also to train her. It's more than obvious that she has some behavioral problems but with a little discipline and the right incentives she'll be a very well behaved slave in time to see your dream realized.”

 

The fire lord folded his arms into his sleeves and eyed his son for a long while then Jaherah who looked livid as she fought against her chains to get at Zuko. “As you wish my son.” Something lifted in Zuko that seemed like a sigh of relief. “You may keep her close to train her but if she steps too far out of line I will end her.” He raised his head to look down his nose at them. “Dismissed.”

 

Zuko bowed low with the guards. “Thank you father,” he said then turned to lead the guards out the large doors. They yanked and pulled at Jaherah's chains to force her to walk but it soon became a way of holding her away from the prince. He smirked as he stood just inches from her face with his arms crossed. “You may want to start behaving or I'll be forced to start your training now,” he laughed.

 

Jaherah jerked forward, snapping at him. “Sleep with one eye open,” she said in a low tone.

 

“Oh I'll sleep just fine, and so will you.” He looked to the head guard. “Take her to the servants' quarters and make sure she can't leave.” He turned his back to her as she screamed, tears streaming down her face. Inhaling, Zuko shut his eyes and tried to block out the sound of her shrill voice. She was quickly gagged and dragged far out of sight and soon out of earshot. He had stopped half way to his room. The hall was deserted and all that he could hear was the beating of his own heart. He wanted it to stop; to stop reminding him that he was only human and to twist the fate of another was not his duty. He had a deep sinking feeling in his gut and he grit his teeth. “Why…why do I care?”

 

The descent to the servants' quarters was easy, once Jaherah stopped struggling. She chose to walk on her own trying to keep her chin up. Deeper into the castle they went, only the footsteps of the guards heard bouncing off the metal walls. She was so hoping that what had been said to the fire lord was a show, but that was not the case. A part of her was hoping that, in the early morning, Zuko would creep down to her room to set her free and run away with her. She sighed. It was the fleeting dream of a desperate girl.

 

Jaherah's eyes suddenly shot open and she stopped to look around. The lead guard tugged at the chain around her neck. “Pick up your feet girl,” he snapped. Her bright silver eyes turned to him and he froze. Such a stare could bore through one's soul.

 

She hushed him, puckering her lips a little then directed her eyes towards the high rafters. “Someone is following us,” she said in a low voice. The guards now watched her closely as if she had gone mad. “Can't you hear him?” She closed her eyes and smiled. “Of course you can't. You're not children of the wind.” She laughed then began to walk again. The guards were more alert now. If the girl's hearing was that sharp, she might not be lying.

 

After walking down several flights of stairs into the servants' quarters Jaherah was given a room of her own, a small room at best with just a bed, a lantern and a mirror. She was unbound then shoved in, the door quickly slammed shut behind her. The doors hinges turned red as the entire door was sealed shut. “I hope they don't plan on doing that every time I'm shut in here,” she said as she rubbed at her neck, fingertips tracing over old scars. She looked to her bed and sighed. “Back to living in a cage.” She approached the small lantern hanging by the bed and it grew as she neared it. Her mind reflected back to what Ozai had said about the avatar. “It can't be true,” she whispered, dropping onto the bed. “He has to be alive.” She shut her eyes, trying not to accept that she was the only one of her kind now. “Please be alive…brother.”