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Caught	By : whirleeq Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female Views: 24538 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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A/N: Here we are, chapter 5... Happy New Year! Oh, and 3 reviewers, I'd like to respond to real quick:

AD: I know you weren't flaming me :). You raised a valid point, and I just wanted to clarify it... I'm glad that you are enjoying the story!

Red: HAHAHAHA, check the rating... in my mind, R is for Plot first, smut as it fits into the story ;). Smut, unfortunately, is a while in coming. For 'real good smut', check out 'warmth' (a little piece Spleef & I wrote last year...) or, if you are into yaoi, try 'shared' (warning – not a happy story).

WS: It's okay to send your King in after your opponent has been checkmated ;). However, in this case I am not sending Ozai in as a glorified soldier. He has a very specific reason for going there, and it has little to do with the occupation of Ba Sing Se. Ozai is not going to be a large part of this story, however he has a small (yet crucial) role to play. I won't say anything more at this time. Hopefully, after this chapter, you'll understand a bit more.

And without further ado....

~*~*~

Aang pulled the blanket all the way up to the tip of his nose in an effort to keep himself warm enough so that he could fall asleep. Sleep had eluded him since Katara healed him, although he had often been seen meditating so deeply that the guards were convinced he was spending more than half the time in dreamland. And that was okay with him, because he wanted them to think that he was weaker than he actually was. In truth, he had gained back most of his strength and was now biding his time, looking for an opportunity to escape.

But he dare not escape until he knew where they were keeping Katara. He had tried to get the guards to tell him, but although they sometimes seemed sympathetic of his plight, they were far too scared of Azula to cross her.

Azula.

Up until Azula, Aang had never met anyone who truly scared him. Even Zuko, he did not fear. If anything, he felt a little sorry for him. But Azula... she was... unpredictable. He found himself extremely on edge whenever she was near, wondering if she was going to try to kiss him or kill him, and not knowing which of the two was worse.

She had visited him often since his incarceration, finding an excuse almost daily to be alone with him. Sometimes, she brought him his food and water and sat against the wall, still and silent, until he was finished. Other times, she would sit against the wall and talk to him. These conversations ran the gamut from stories about her friends to her responsibilities as the Fire Lord's daughter. It bothered him when she did this, because when she talked to him like he was a person instead of a prisoner, he invariably found himself relaxing around her. And that was something he could he could not afford to do.

And invariably, in the middle of the night, she would come down to see him when everyone else was sleeping. During these times, her conversations were suggestive, her attire alluring. This, he had come to expect -- so much so that he had schooled himself into appearing unaffected, but nothing was further from the truth.

Aang sighed to himself. It was hard to understand his response to Azula. He hated her, yet it was frightening how easily she was able to elicit foreign and powerful reactions from him. He tried to rationalize to himself that it was because she was a beautiful girl. Not beautiful in the way that Katara was -- Katara was warm, serene and comforting – but beautiful in a raw, forbidden and dangerous way. It was unnerving to be around her.

Therefore, when Azula visited him, he was always physically, mentally and emotionally on guard.

So when Aang heard the ruckus coming from somewhere nearby, he closed his eyes and evened his breathing, hoping to appear asleep. At first, he thought it was Azula, since the guards always made a hasty departure whenever she came to see him. But as soon as he heard their mumbled voices, he knew that this time, something was different.

As silent as a mouse, he held his breath as they came closer to his cell, close enough so that he was able to make out part of their conversation.

“...your fault. How the hell did he get the key away from you anyway? I swear, I am not going down for your fuck-up!”

“...but we caught him!”

“Still... when the princess finds out, it will be your head, not mine!”

There was a pause, and when the other guard spoke again, his voice was soft and shaky.

“Do we really have to tell her?”

“What are you suggesting? We have to let someone know he tried to escape! If he did it once, he could probably do it again!”

“I'm just saying... we should go to the other one. The one with the scar. He seems... far more reasonable.”

“Less terrifying, you mean.”

“Exactly.”

The voices trailed off as the guards shuffled further down the hall, leaving Aang in silent contemplation over what he had just heard.

~*~*~

Colonel Shinu, commanding officer of the Yu Yan Archers, pulled at his collar subconsciously as he waited for the Fire Lord. He had been in the process of selecting a handful of the Yu Yan along with several elite companies of soldiers to take to Ba Sing Se, when he received the missive stating that the Fire Lord requested his presence. It was highly unusual for the Fire Lord to request him in person, so his anxiety was understandably warranted.

The last time the Fire Lord had requested his presence, it was to celebrate the birth of his daughter, fifteen years ago. Any officer or ranking noble with royal blood, no matter how removed, was required to attend the presentation ceremony, Shinu recalled. His mother had been a second cousin to the Fire Lord, and so he had no choice but to attend. At the time, he had been a Lieutenant and therefore of such a low rank that he did not have to personally speak with the Fire Lord. The thought of doing so now had him sweating slightly from nerves.

He sat at the long wooden conference table while he waited, looking at the map to Ba Sing Se with interest. This was where he had been ordered to go, and the reason that the Fire Lord had summoned an audience with him. Already, he had decided that they would travel by sea, at least until they reached the small village located along the northwestern coast of the Earth Kingdom.

'Former Earth Kingdom,' he reminded himself with a small smile.

He remembered the small village as having a large enough port to accommodate several Fire Nation Warships, and as an added bonus, the village also had several tea houses and natural hot springs. It would make a nice diversion on their way to Ba Sing Se.

After a day or so layover, he would take his contingent through the foothills of the mountain range in north, then across the Great Divide, and finally through the Serpent's Pass. It was the most direct route to Ba Sing Se and the safest, considering the other way would be to go entirely by sea to the north, which would put them firmly in Northern Water Nation territory.

Water benders in their own element were best avoided whenever possible. Colonel Shinu felt a slight chill go down his back as he thought of the last Fire Nation officer who attempted a seize upon the Northern Water Nation settlement. He had never liked Admiral Zhao – he thought him manipulative and cruel – but the end he met at the hands of the Ocean Spirit was unfortunate, even for one such as him.

It seemed to take forever before the door to the war room was opened, and the Fire Lord entered along with four of his elite personal guards. Colonel Shinu stood, pushed away from the table, and promptly fell to one knee in a show of respect. He did not make eye contact and waited for the Fire Lord to address him before rising.

“Colonel Shinu,” the Fire Lord began, “Time is short, and so I will be direct.”

Shinu felt a trickle of sweat begin at the base of his neck as he stood and nodded.

“Princess Azula has achieved a great coup for the Fire Nation, with the capture of Ba Sing Se. This foothold into the Earth Kingdom can only last as long as there are enough forces to prevent a civil uprising. Right now, the Princess's hold on the city is tenuous, supported only by a group of earth benders who betrayed their king.”

“I have no desire to lose Ba Sing Se, now that it is under our control at last. This is why I have requested you to lead a contingent to Ba Sing Se for permanent occupation. Upon arrival, you will be made Steward in a public ceremony, at which time we will also change the name of Ba Sing Se to Azulon, in honor of the former Fire Lord. The name change will serve as a reminder to the people that the Earth Kingdom is now permanently in our control.”

Shinu nodded his head. Steward? This was better than he could have ever hoped for.

“Consider your Stewardship part of Azula's dowry.”

Shinu raised his head in shock.

“Pardon, my Lord?”

The Fire Lord's mouth was set in a grim line.

“My daughter, Azula, while formidable and intelligent, is still a woman. As such, she is unsuitable as a heir to the Fire Nation. My son... is also unsuitable.”

Shinu nodded his head in agreement. Prince Zuko's weakness of character was well known and often mocked amongst the ranking officers in the Fire Nation military.

“I have watched your career for several decades now. No other living officer of royal blood has proven to be as efficient as you have been, and so I bestow this great honor upon you. Princess Azula has proved her usefulness, and is now at a marriageable age. She will bear a strong heir to the throne.”

Shinu's mind was churning, as he contemplated all the Fire Lord had said. He was honored that the Fire Lord had chosen him, but he was also skeptical. He was wondering if the real reason he was chosen was because he could be controlled.

The fact that the Fire Lord had said 'living officer' did not escape his notice either, and Admiral Zhao's hated and smirking visage ran briefly through his head.

“After the ceremony, we will return here with the fugitives,” the Fire Lord continued, indicating himself and his personal guard, “Along with two companies of soldiers for our protection. Choose your best for this detail, General Shinu.”

Shinu nodded his head once again, a small flush coming to his face. Very informally, he had just been promoted. He was sure the Fire Lord had done so in order to justify the engagement, and not necessarily because of his strengths and accomplishments.

“I understand, my Lord.” Shinu said, bowing his head just slightly. The Fire Lord turned without acknowledging him and exited the war room, followed closely by his personal guard. This left Shinu alone to ponder his fate.

'Marriage to the Princess...'

Shinu frowned to himself. He liked his women to be submissive and accommodating. He would have to visit the brothels before setting out for Ba Sing Se, he mused. It might be his last opportunity to really enjoy himself.

~*~*~

Several hours had passed before Aang heard the guards again, and to his surprise he had been able to spend that time lightly sleeping. Still, the fall of their boots and their mumbled voices woke him long before they reached his cell.

He remained under the blanket, feigning sleep, but still listening closely to every word that they said.

“Not there, you idiot. He said to put him in the maximum security cell in the back, along with the Avatar. And bind both his hands and his feet this time with the iron cuffs. If he escapes again...”

“But...”

“What now?”

“You don't think putting the two of them together is dangerous?”

“It is what the Prince ordered. And besides, have you looked at the boy lately? That kid can barely lift his head off the floor...”

Aang cracked his eyes open slightly, wondering what was going on. He heard the creak of his cell door as it opened, and watched as a large figure was roughly thrust into the cell. He recognized the figure immediately as Iroh, but he remained under the blanket. He even shivered slightly for good measure.

“See? Look at him. That kid is sick as hell, harmless as a mousefly. That Princess sure did a number on him.”

“I guess...” The other guard said, not sounding at all reassured.

The door was shut and locked, and the voices of the guards trailed off as they disappeared down the hall. Aang watched Iroh through heavy lidded eyes as the fire bender waited several minutes before finally opening his mouth and lifting his tongue. He raised one of his heavily shackled hands to his mouth, removed something from under his tongue, and then smiled.

“You can stop pretending to sleep, Avatar,” Iroh said. He showed him a small silver key and began to unlock the shackles binding his wrists. “We have a lot of work to do if we are going to get out of here.”

Aang sat up and for the first time in days, he smiled.
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