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A Cursed Blessing	By : Yaoiandcoffeeaddict Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 6940 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar Last Airbender or profit from this story... damn.

Chapter List
- 9
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- 11
THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE
The crystals twinkled, disturbed from their usual silence, as a loud rumble of frustration echoed in the cavern joined by the thump of a fist on stone. “Another dead end,” Zuko stated as he pulled himself away from the rough wall of the cavern. The skin along the side of his fist cracked and bled. There was no way out for a firebender or non-earthbending citizen but the way they came.
In the Fire Nation, if this had truly been a safe haven from attack, there would be a way out that would ensure the valuable people placed in it would be able to escape. A design like this would be created to torture the spirit of a firebender, a method reserved for only the most criminal or treacherous. Days would pass before the firebender would be removed to either interrogate or execute.
Zuko heard Uncle Iroh whisper his name with concern behind him. Zuko took a deep breath and tried to quench the fire beneath his skin before backing away from the hard stone wall. He turned around to look at Uncle, saw the weary expression on his face and grew concerned.
His uncle shook his head as though sensing Zuko’s thoughts, then reached out a large hand to rest on his nephew’s shoulders. “I do not know what Long Feng has planned for us but it would be best to conserve our strength for when the lack of sunlight starts to affect our bodies.” Zuko nodded, not trusting himself to respond verbally as he walked over to a large flat rock that looked like it could hold both him and his uncle laying down with room to spare and sat down. He cradled his tender hand delicately and applied slight pressure to stop the larger cuts from continuing to bleed.
Uncle sat down beside him with a weary sigh. “I…” Uncle began, making Zuko turn instantly towards him, “I wish I had brought my Pai Sho set with me.”
Zuko didn’t know whether to scream or laugh at his uncle’s attempt to break the tension. He settled for just putting his head in his hands.
“Maybe I can find a way to carve the pieces out of rocks.” This time Zuko had to question where his uncle’s mind was. The inquiry must have shown on his face because his uncle shrugged and said, “It would help pass the time.” Despite Zuko’s lack of response, his uncle began scanning the floor around them. “In fact, I’ve been meaning to teach you strategy for a while now. The lessons in Pai Sho can serve you well in any way of life.” His uncle stood, walked to the closest stone wall and stooped to pick up several rough pebbles before moving further down the line to collect more roughly the same length.
“In Pai Sho, you may begin with one strategy…,” Zuko watched as Uncle was suddenly distracted by one rock in slight amusement, “…ah this one looks almost like it has the lotus design on it already… well, as I was saying… the strategy that you begin with will not always work against your opponent. A good opponent will counter your strategy, so one must adapt. You must always plan for the worst, Prince Zuko, and find ways around it or make the best of it.”
Zuko found himself chuckling at the irony of that statement, “I don’t think it can get any worse than right now Uncle. We have no food, no sunlight, and we have no idea what is going on.”
“Perhaps you are right. This was unforeseeable, Nephew, but you must look at the bigger picture. For one, we have access to water through that small stream. That not only means we can last several days. That means several days to plan. Also, we now know that our oxygen will not be easily depleted. We can go back the way we came, using our fire to guide us, and begin carefully digging our way out.”
Zuko shot to his feet, anger at his uncle and himself filling him. “Why are you gathering rocks then? Let’s go!”
Before he could get very far, his uncle grabbed his arm and shook his head. “Because we must discuss strategy, Prince Zuko. We do not know why we are here nor how many people may be just outside our prison. The Dai Li may have been telling the truth and there may be Fire Nation soldiers inside the palace.” Zuko’s eyes widened as he imagined his sister and father waiting to burn their flesh to ashes. “Even if we do escape anyone lingering beyond the door, the palace is like a maze that I have not been fully allowed to explore. We could easily get lost and forced to split up. Then, what is our plan for after we escape the palace? Where will go? Where can we hide? It was would be hard enough for someone to sneak into Ba Sing Se, let alone sneak out.” His uncle’s grip on his arm suddenly bordered on painful. “You must think before you act! If you had thought before you acted at the tea shop and let the Dai Li handle the boy, your child might still be alive!”
Uncle Iroh released him as Zuko collapsed to his knees, cradling the spot of his empty womb as a vision of that small bundle came to his eyes. His fault. His fault his child was dead.
Minutes later, his uncle sighed and joined him on the ground to envelop him in a hug. “I’m sorry, Zuko. That was cruel of me. You had no way of knowing you were pregnant at the time. Please forgive me.” His Uncle’s voice began to shake. “I’m just so worried that the next time you do not think things through, I will be left with only your corpse and your memory. I cannot lose another son.”
Zuko felt the warm tears of his Uncle soaking through the shoulder of his robe and soon found himself burying his head into his uncle’s neck and doing the same. “I promise, Uncle, I will think things through from now on.”

The flight to the palace was filled with murmurs and half-asked questions but the only thing he could think about was his worry for both his kingdom and Prince Zuko. He’d been the biggest fool. Kuei had known that Long Feng had been up to something for a long time, so why had he never pursued his suspicions? He should have planned ahead. Now, he was left wondering what to do with the Dai Li. Who were the Dai Li truly loyal to? He guessed he would find out if they revealed where Zuko was.
If not, what would he do if the blind girl could not find Zuko? How long could Zuko survive wherever he was? His stomach was churning as he thought of finding the pale form limp and battered to shades of purple by earth with those amazing golden eyes staring emptily back at him.
Suddenly, a voice broke into Kuei’s worry.
“So… Your Highness…,” began the watertribe boy from a few feet behind him, “Why are you marrying Zuko?” Kuei turned to stare at him in confusion.
“Sokka!” the watertribe girl shouted next to her brother.
“What? Zuko’s not only a guy but he’s… well he’s angry all the time! And he has a weird obsession with catching Aang…” The blue-eyed boy was gesturing wildly, his arms waving in the air as though he were a baby bird about to fly.
“It’s probably a different Zuko!” The girl yelled at her brother as she fixed the flailing boy with a glare that could have knocked the simpleton off the saddle. After the bison diverted the girl’s attention with a yawn, the watertribe girl looked back at Kuei with a blush, “Forgive him, Your Highness. He speaks before he thinks. We have met a prince named Zuko several times since we met Aang and the meetings were… not pleasant to say the least.”
“Not pleasant?” ‘Sokka’ repeated. “Scarface is out to kill us!”
An icy chill ran through Kuei. ‘Scarface?’ he mentally repeated. That puckered skin around Zuko’s left eye was the first thing that drew Kuei in, the bright red against the pale and beautiful face had instantly left an impression.
“Not kill us,” the Avatar corrected with a goofy smile, “He never really tried to kill us. I think that’s Azula’s job.”
“What kind of scar did you say this Zuko had?” Kuei asked. He was really hoping they were discussing a completely different Zuko. Kuei had already had to endure the shattering of the image of his utopia and the loss of trust in his advisor. Now was he also going to lose the first person he saw as a trustworthy friend in his palace of rat-vultures?
“A huge burn mark on his eye,” Sokka said as he placed a hand over his own left eye. The brown eyes of the tan, scruffy boy behind him widened as if he were just as shaken by the description as Kuei himself.
“My future consort has an identical mark,” Kuei stated apathetically after a moment of silence, resigned to the fact that the entire life he expected for himself was now completely destroyed.
“So we are rescuing Mr. Anger Issues,” Sokka said before turning to his sister and saying triumphantly, “See? I told you so!”
Kuei’s head was spinning. What was he going do when they rescued Zuko? He had thought they had so much in common. Was it all a lie?
“We’re here!” the Avatar announced as the group descended to the ground outside the palace. The air bison landed with a loud thud that shook the ground, alerting those inside the large walls to their presence. The doors were immediately opened and the Dai Li and servants filed out to greet them on their knees, the setting sun highlighting the multitude of them. “Watch your step, Your Highness,” the Avatar advised as he slid down the side of his bison.
Kuei carefully followed his lead and landed as gracefully as possible to the ground. The minute that he landed, there was a roar of joy and the sound of heavy paws. Oh, Bosco, at least he could count on his furry friend to remain the same. He threaded his fingers in the thick brown pelt as the nobles and other officials living in the palace began to fill the yard outside the palace as well, clearly bewildered with the entire situation. Using the familiar fur as support, Kuei braised himself to deliver the news.
Putting on his most authoritative voice and face, he waited until the yard fell completely silent before he began, “My people, I bring you grave news.” He paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “The Kingdom of Ba Sing Se has been deceived.” There were gasps and murmurs. Kuei noted that the Dai Li stiffened, the only indication of their knowing role in their indifferent forms. “For those of you who have been as unaware as I have of the world outside of Ba Sing Se, what I have to tell you will come as a shock.” He paused again and looked at the Avatar who nodded in support. “We have been ignorant of the war that has long been taking place outside our walls.” Some of the noble ladies collapsed to their knees in shock. “With the help of the Avatar, Ba Sing Se will no longer remain in the dark.” He stopped and turned to Avatar Aang, “Avatar Aang, please enlighten us with the situation.”
The Avatar looked startled at the request for a brief second, reminding Kuei that he was dealing with a young boy, before he nodded and moved forward. “I… I’m not very good with public speeches but I’ll try to explain the situation as best I can. For over a hundred years, the Fire Nation has been invading the other three nations. The Air Nomads were all destroyed first. I am only survived because I was locked in ice near the South Pole.”
There were obvious sounds of disbelief circulating in the crowd. “You expect us to believe that ridiculous story?” General Taan demanded gripping the ceremonial sword at hip as he glared at the young boy.
“Yes,” Kuei responded with an answering glare for the young Avatar. “These warriors have not lied to me yet. I cannot say the same for my former advisor.” The Dai Li were now visibly stiff and the shock among the nobles was tangible as Kuei turned back to the Avatar and said, “Avatar Aang, please continue.”
The Avatar nodded. “The Southern Watertribe’s population has shrunk and the Northern Watertribe is no longer the friendly place it had been and has become isolated from the rest of the world. The other Earth Kingdoms have fallen under the flag of the Fire Nation and Ba Sing Se is the only unoccupied Earth city left. If we do not act now, Ba Sing Se will fall as well.”
“Do you have a plan?” General Soong asked as he supported his wide-eyed wife, Soong Fei Long, by the waist. Kuei noted his cousin was pale and hoped nothing went wrong with his unborn child from this stress.
“Yes, but first we must find Prince Zuko,” the Avatar replied.
Kuei stepped forward. “My former advisor, Long Feng, and his family have kept the war secret from us since it began. When the Avatar and his friends revealed their treachery to me and offered indisputable proof, Long Feng revealed that he had done far worse than simply withhold information. He said he had ordered my fiancée, your future Queen, Prince Zuko, to be placed somewhere in the palace that only he and the people he ordered to place him there would know.” Someone was sobbing, but Kuei ignored it and fixed his stare on the multitude of Dai Li assembled. “I ask now that the members of the Dai Li who know where Prince Zuko is to come or I will assume that all of the Dai Li is not loyal to Ba Sing Se and its king.”
Muttering washed through the members of the palace for several seconds before two Dai Li agents stood and walked out their ranks to the front.
“We were the ones ordered to secure the Prince and his uncle, My King,” the one on the left addressed him. “He is safe. We will take you to him.”

Iroh was deeply regretting his idea of carving Pai Sho pieces out of the pebbles he had gathered. For one, the work was painstakingly tedious. He destroyed the tip of one of his gnawed fingers by scrapping it with the crystal shard he was using to carve. Now, an hour or so in, he had only completed three pieces and stabbed even more fingers. But the most uncomfortable thing about the process was sitting in silence with Zuko and remembering what he had said to the stressed boy earlier.
He wished he could take it back. He really did not think Zuko was to blame for the miscarriage. It had simply happened, but he had often thought that everything would have been prevented if Zuko had stayed away from that shaggy boy in the first place. Now Iroh was weighed down with the guilt of his insensitive words. But worry of his nephew and memories of his own helplessness when Zuko was punished for not holding his tongue in the meeting had replaced his reasoning momentarily. He had apologized but he knew it wouldn’t hurt Zuko any less.
A small rumbling began echoing in the cave and for a second both he and Zuko stopped their efforts as they tried to place where the sound had come from. Had the tunnel collapsed? He had to find out but he would not risk his nephew’s safety. “I’m going to go check the tunnel. Stay here, Prince Zuko.”
“Uncle…” Zuko began in protest but was stopped by a larger rumbling coming from the direction of the tunnel. On instinct, Iroh immediately wrapped his arms around his nephew’s thin form and tried to cover him as best he could. It would be a futile effort if the entire cavern collapsed, but he ignored logic and still held the stiff form in his arms.
The rumbling continued and confusion set in. It sounded like it was getting louder. Minutes later, he was sure of it. Then the thought struck him: Was someone earthbending in the tunnel? Then he heard voices. Someone was coming. Iroh loosened his arms and looked at his nephew. Part of Zuko’s light green robe had fallen open again, revealing the pale skin of a bony shoulder and chest. He pulled the robe shut and secured the tie again just as a loud crash reverberated in the enclosed space.
“Told you I would find a faster route than that stupid tunnel,” a high-pitched child’s voice echoed as the small forms of people began to file out of a large hole.
“I think that’s them!” another high-pitched voice shouted. The tone and pitch was eerily familiar. The fire in Iroh’s blood froze as the group drew closer and he saw the familiar blue arrows in sharp contrast on the pale peach and hairless skin- the Avatar. By his side were the two children from the watertribe, the nice blind girl he had invited to share tea with him, the Earth King flanked by two Dai Li agents and… that shabby boy from the boat who had the nerve to stare at his nephew with a glazed expression that Iroh thought was closer to lust than anything else.
Iroh pushed his nephew behind him, trying vainly to shield the boy from the group with his shorter and larger frame. So this was it then. Their previous lives had returned to haunt them and everyone knew the penalty for enemies- death- regardless of how sacred the Earth Kingdom may hold a Cursed One. Zuko would never get to fully grow up; he would never experience all the wonders of life instead of just its misery. Iroh prayed the spirits and Agni would have mercy on the two of them in the afterlife and hoped he would be able to be with both his sons.
“General Iroh,” King Kuei addressed him before looking over his shoulder and stating, “Prince Zuko.” The young king’s expression was a far cry from that hopeful, adoring expression Iroh had seen previously and it only further made beads of sweat begin to form on his neck as he felt the fire within him prepare to react. “Are you two alright?”
Whatever Iroh had been expecting, it was not that. The fire inside Iroh began to calm. “We’re fine,” Zuko answered back, his tone of voice guarded. Iroh cast a glance at him and saw his nephew was hiding the scraps on his hand.
“I’m glad you two are safe,” King Kuei said with a hint of relief before glancing pointedly at the Avatar and his friends, “but I believe we have something to discuss.”
“Yes, we do,” Zuko softly acknowledged as he came out from behind Iroh and stood before Kuei as bravely as he could under the circumstances, ready to face whatever was to happen with all the pride the young man could muster in a thin green robe.
The young king shook his head. “We will decide what is to happen in one of my private meeting rooms. For now, we are just going to lead you out of here.”

Night had fallen before the group had reached the surface. A small beam of moonlight was all that highlighted the ancient meeting room from the large three windows at the wall opposite the door, shadowing the furniture and decoration in a sheer cloak of black but highlighting several surfaces of gold. Zuko assumed depictions of great battles would be shown on those walls when the servants lit the candles. The servant entered first, circulating the room and lighting the wicks of the new white candles in their protective glass with a larger green candle. When it was done, the light revealed not only that the scenes on the walls were depictions of all the elements but the room was a hexagon. Fire stood opposite of water and next to earth which stood opposite of air.
Zuko allowed himself to be momentarily distracted by the images, feeling Jet’s uncomfortable eyes on him like small pins. He didn’t know what to say to him. What could Zuko say to the boy he gave his virginity to, attacked him, and created a child with? Nothing. There was nothing to say but he wanted the staring to stop.
Kuei broke the uncomfortable silence and announced his orders. “Dai Li, please find a suite for the Avatar and his friends and inform the cook to fix whatever they want. Avatar Aang, can you stay behind?”
“Sure, Your Highness,” the young boy agreed with an awful attempt at a salute.
“Yay! Meat!” the watertribe boy yelled with glee and the small blind girl laughed.
“We’ll see you soon, Twinkle-Toes.”
The Dai Li nodded in acknowledgement. “Please follow us.” The small group of teenagers nodded and followed behind the uniformed agents, leaving only Zuko, Uncle, Kuei, and the Avatar behind.
Kuei gestured the group into the room and took the ornate green seat at the head of the table. The Avatar sat to his right and Zuko sat to the king’s left with his uncle by his side. For several minutes, the only sound in the room was the sound of flame flickering and breathing. Finally, Kuei broke the silence by improperly placing his elbows on the antique wooden table and cradling his head in his hands and taking a deep breath.
“There are so many questions that need to be answered,” Kuei finally stated, removing his hands from the table. “My view of the world has been shattered today. The city I thought was a great utopia is a place of fear and ignorance; my greatest advisor has kept my family and I fools; and the person I thought I would spend the rest of my life with, who would rule by my side, has been revealed to be my enemy.” Dread gurgled in Zuko’s stomach as Kuei turned to face him, “Prince Zuko, is it true you have hunted the Avatar and threatened his friends?”
“Honorable King, there is more to the…” Uncle Iroh began.
Zuko wanted to say he hadn’t, he had come to regret his actions since he had tried to take on his sister with them at his side, but he would be lying and it would only make it worse. “Yes,” he admitted as he looked into Kuei’s green eyes.
“Why?” Kuei demanded, the expression and tone too complex for Zuko to define. “Why would you do such a thing? A Blessed One would never harm children.”
Zuko drew back as if Kuei had slapped him. “I wasn’t trying to harm them,” Zuko hissed, noting Avatar Aang’s confused expression. “I was simply trying to capture the Avatar.”
Kuei turned to the boy who nodded in conformation. “He never really tried to harm us. The few times he managed to catch us, we were not really harmed. I can’t say the same for the other Fire Nation soldiers.”
“Why?” Kuei repeated as he turned back to Zuko.
“To be allowed to come home!” Zuko nearly screamed at him, “To reclaim my honor!” His anger quickly died when he saw the shocked expression on Kuei’s face. “For my father to love me.”
Kuei sighed before he continued his questioning. “Why did you come to Ba Sing Se?”
“My father, the Fire Lord, branded Uncle and I traitors. Every other city was occupied by Fire Nation and there were wanted posters everywhere. This was the only safe place.”
“Did your father do so because you are Blessed One?”
Zuko shook his head, deciding he would be fully honest. “No. I had no idea what I was until… until I came here.” Now there was only one more secret left. Zuko prayed Kuei did not ask that question.
Kuei latched onto that hesitation. “How did you find out?”
“I…I was bleeding,” Zuko said.
“And this was how Long Feng found you?”
Zuko paused. That day was all a blur to him. He turned to his Uncle, who took over that question. “Yes. The midwife filed a report.”
“A midwife? Not a doctor?”
His Uncle opened his mouth to cover for him but Zuko shook his head. He had wanted to keep it a secret but who knew if Long Feng would tell anyone? It would probably be worse to withhold it. “I…” Zuko took a deep breath before he proceeded, “I was pregnant. I had a… a miscarriage.”
TBC
PLEASE REVIEW!
A/N: Sorry this was delayed. This was the hardest chapter to write so far.
Southern Dragon: Wow. Thanks for the awesome review! I wish I could say if it will be KuZu or Jetko but I don’t know at this point. As for Long Feng/ Zuko I don’t know how that would be possible now.
L.D.: So how did you like the gaang’s reaction so far?
CultOfStrawberry: I don’t know how that would be possible now.
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A Cursed Blessing