EMBERS.
iv. FIGHTING FOR HONOR
❝DON'T YOU REMEMBER THE LAST TIME YOU DUELED A FIRE BENDING MASTER?❞

THE DAMAGE TO THEIR SHIP WAS INTENSIVE which meant that they had no choice but to sail to the closest Fire Nation ship harbor — the closest one being somewhere off the south coast of the Earth Kingdom. It had taken almost two full days to sail there, but fortunately for them, they hadn't run into any trouble. Jasmine studied the other ships that were stationed against the docks — all of them were much bigger than the ship that Zuko had. She noticed models much newer than their ship and it was impressive how advanced Fire Nation technology had gotten in the past years. Yet, it was somewhat humiliating to have the tiniest ship considering they were Fire Nation royalty. However, it meant that their ship would be repaired much faster than the others due to its smaller size.

"Uncle, I want the repairs made as quickly as possible," Zuko spoke in a hushed tone as they walked down the docks. Fire Nation tents were lined up against the shoreline and Jasmine wondered which members of their military were here. She had plans to one day join the military as well and become as well known and respected as her father. "I don't want to stay too long and risk losing his trail."

Iroh hummed in response — clearly disinterested in everything his nephew had said. For the past two days, every word that escaped Zuko's mouth was about the Avatar. It was starting to annoy Jasmine as well, but she understood why Zuko was so obsessed. "You mean the Avatar?"

Zuko paused in his steps and sharply turned to face Iroh and Jasmine — the anger already present on his face. "Don't mention his name on these docks!" Zuko almost shouted as he flailed his arms around. Jasmine had to admit that she was amused by Zuko's outburst. "Once word gets out that he's alive, every firebender will be out looking for him, and I don't want anyone getting in the way!"

"Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?" the familiar voice of Captain Zhao rang in the dead air which caused the trio to freeze and look in the direction of the voice. Zhao was an esteemed member of the military — and a close friend of the Fire Lord — but he was a ruthless man. While Jasmine respected others in her military, she did not respect Zhao's hunger for unnecessary power. Yet, his need for power wasn't what Jasmine hated most about him. She distinctly remembered him being there when Zuko was forced into an Agni Kai against his own father. Zhao had cheered when the Fire Lord's fiery fist had collided with the left side of Zuko's face. Jasmine took in a sharp breath as she blinked the tears away. It was a devastating day for everyone involved. On a lighter note, Jasmine truly hated Zhao's sideburns — he needed to fire whoever did that to his face.

Zuko crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at Captain Zhao. It was clear that Zuko had no interest in making small talk with the much older man. While Zuko's emotions were written all over his face, Iroh just stared blankly at the Captain while Jasmine stayed hidden behind her father. "Captain Zhao."

An arrogant smirk appeared on Zhao's face as he walked forward to where the three were standing. "It's commander now," Zhao corrected. He glanced in the direction of Iroh and Jasmine before he gave a slight bow. "General Iroh, great hero of our nation, and his lovely daughter, Jasmine."

Iroh bowed back out of respect, but Jasmine just stared at the much older man. It was Iroh's turn to correct Zhao. "Retired general, actually."

"Ah, regardless, the Fire Lord's brother, niece, and son are welcome guests anytime," Zhao stated as he glanced at the men behind him — they had been quiet the whole time that Jasmine hadn't even realized that they were there. She walked as the men walked off toward the docks and she frowned slightly — something felt off — but she pushed the feeling down. "What brings you to my harbor?"

"Our ship is being repaired," Iroh answered as he gestured toward their ship — the smallest one out of the whole harbor.

Zhao inspected the damage and a frown appeared upon his lips. He was deep in thought as he stared at the ship before his intense gaze returned to the three. "That's quite a bit of damage."

"Yes!" Zuko immediately added as he tried to think of an excuse to tell Zhao. His eyes landed on Iroh's nonchalant expression and he quickly shifted the attention to him instead. "Uncle! Tell Commander Zhao what happened!"

Jasmine tried to hide the smile on her face as her father began to stutter — clearly caught off guard. Iroh cleared his throat as he glanced at the ship. "Yes, uh, our ship was, well, it was—"

Jasmine rested a gentle hand on her father's shoulder as she stepped forward, immediately catching the eye of Commander Zhao. He gave her a smile and Jasmine forced herself to return it as she looked up at him. "Commander Zhao, please excuse my father and cousin. They're still in disarray after our ship collided with a glacier in the South Pole. Zuko thought that forcing our ship's captain to sail all day and night would cause no consequences, but as you can see,"—Jasmine pointed to the ship for emphasis—"there were plenty of consequences."

"How unfortunate," Zhao commented as he kept his intense gaze focused on Jasmine, completely ignoring Iroh and Zuko at that point. He made eye contact with her and held it which made Jasmine gulp. He was waiting for her to crack, to make a mistake, to slip up, but she refused to. She just smiled as she continued to stare back with narrowed eyes. Zhao chuckled as he looked away, glancing back toward the boats. "May I ask, what were you doing in the South Pole?"

"It's far too long of a story, Commander Zhao," Jasmine answered dismissively as she waved a perfectly manicured hand in the air. It was somewhat easy for her to lie to Zhao, but the real question was if he believed her or not. "We have no interest in boring you."

"Oh? I doubt that is the case. With that kind of damage, there's always a good story behind it," Zhao reassured as he gave her a nod — something about his tone made Jasmine suddenly feel uncomfortable. She could see a glint of wickedness in his eyes and it was obvious that he knew that they were hiding something. He placed a hand on Jasmine's lower back and began to lead her and everyone else toward his tent. "You all must regale me with the thrilling details of your journey in the South Pole. Please, join me for a drink."

"Sorry," Zuko stated as he butted in between Zhao and Jasmine, pushing her behind him. A small gasp escaped her lips as she stumbled slightly, but her father quickly balanced her. "We have to go, but another time perhaps."

"Oh, where will you go?" Zhao asked as a wicked smile appeared on his face. He stepped forward and stared intensely at Zuko, trying to break his facade — which wasn't hard since Zuko lost his temper often. "I think you're definitely stuck here until your ship is repaired."

"Perhaps, we could sightsee the island? I know a few of our crew members have gone to the nearby village to gather supplies," Iroh suggested. It was the truth since Zari had taken a couple of soldiers down to the town to restock the ship with food, medicine, clothing, and anything else they would need — even Jasmine had requested for a couple of personal things from the town. Iroh did not want to spend any more time than they needed to with the commander, but he still tried to be respectful.

"Please, the island is nothing interesting — just a bunch of peasants, useless rocks, and coal," Zhao rebutted as he rolled his eyes at Iroh's suggestion. "Join me, it would be an honor to house the Fire Lord's family."

Zuko didn't say anything as he began to walk away, but Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect," Iroh stated before he looked at Zhao — there was no way that Zhao was going to take no for an answer. Everyone was clearly unnerved by Zhao, but it would be best to be respectful. After all, Zuko had already lost his honor in the eyes of the Fire Nation and didn't need any more bad attention. "We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's one of my favorites."

Iroh and Zhao began to walk off while Jasmine and Zuko lingered in the background. He growled slightly as he let out a small arc of fire from his fists. "I swear, Uncle would give up his soul for a cup of tea," Zuko spat out before he glanced at Jasmine's worried expression. Zuko frowned. "We could go back to the ship if you like, Jasmine. Having tea with someone like Zhao is not how I want to spend my time, I'd rather go shopping with Zari!"

"No, it's okay," Jasmine mumbled as she shook her head. She had her arms crossed over her chest as she stared down at the ground. Finally, determination set in and Jasmine looked up at Zuko. "We just need to make sure that Zhao doesn't find out about him. We don't need him competing with us. So, please, Zuko, play nice and whatever happens, do not lose your temper."

Zuko stared down at his cousin's expression and he could see the discomfort behind her eyes, but she had already made up her mind. He sighed as he began to walk toward the tent that his uncle and Zhao had disappeared behind. Jasmine followed reluctantly and prayed that the ship wouldn't take so long to repair.

— — —

"—and by the year's end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule," Zhao explained to the two teenagers as he pointed to the map of the battle grounds. Ba Sing Se and Omashu were the biggest Earth Kingdoms that the Fire Nation had yet to conquer. Yet, Zhao was positive that they would fall soon enough. "The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war."

"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool!" Zuko spat out as his eyes darted up to meet the irritated expression of Commander Zhao. Jasmine groaned inwardly as she sent Zuko a glare — his only goal was to control his temper and he was failing miserably.

"Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue," Zhao muttered as he stared disappointingly at Zuko. He walked over and took a seat in the empty chair next to Zuko. For most of the presentation, Zhao had been by the map of the world while Jasmine and Zuko had been seated by a small table. Iroh was wandering the room, touching everything in sight like a small child. They were all waiting for the server to bring in their freshly made tea. Zhao sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "Have more faith in your father and country, Prince Zuko."

"Commander Zhao," Jasmine started as she continued to stare at the massive map. She could see the places where the Fire Nation had already spread and she could see individual locations where their militaries were stationed — a lot had changed over two years. Her own military map needed to be updated. Yet, her eyes were drawn to the massive cities of Omashu and Ba Sing Se. The Fire Nation had yet to touch those cities and Jasmine wondered how they had evaded them for almost one hundred years. "What does the Fire Nation do to conquered cities?"

"Wonderful question, my Princess," Zhao responded — grateful that someone was interested in the military procedures. He looked back at the map and tried to think of a response to Jasmine's question. "Well, it really depends. If we take the Air Temples into account, we annihilated them."

Genocide wasn't a humorous or lighthearted topic, yet Commander Zhao had begun to laugh. Jasmine stared blankly at him as she waited for his laughter to die down. When she was in school, she had been taught that the genocide of the Air Nomads was a necessary evil to assure that the Avatar cycle would end. However, Jasmine hated that part of their history. She was taught that the Fire Nation was the best nation, but she also believed that the other three nations were needed to keep balance in the world — the latter was something she learned from her father.

Finally, Zhao noticed that no one else was laughing — except for the guards that stood by the tent opening. He cleared his throat. "We'll rebuild the cities in the name of the Fire Nation. For example, we're planning on invading Omashu in the upcoming weeks and when we succeed, the city will be named something in our name."

"But, what about the people?" Jasmine asked as she sat up straight. Her eyes wandered to the man bringing in a pot of tea and enough cups for everyone, but her attention quickly returned to Zhao as she awaited his answer. Omashu was the second largest Earth Kingdom city in the world and it had a huge population. Not as grand as Ba Sing Se, but it was big enough to pose a problem. "What will we do with them, Commander Zhao?"

"I guess they'll continue their lives as normal, but the Fire Nation will have a heavy presence in everything they do. Savages will wreak havoc without guidance and the Fire Nation is here to offer them guidance," Zhao explained. Jasmine stole a glance towards her father and noticed his ever-present frown. Iroh had a different view on the world and the four nations and he was determined to pass the same teachings to his children. "Well, truth be told, we'll probably put them to work. The Fire Nation has great technological advances coming in the near future and cheap labor is a must."

"But, as Zuko mentioned, there will be plenty of people who will not follow willingly," Jasmine reminded as she challenged Zhao's proposal. "I doubt people of the Earth Kingdom will want to work for the Fire Nation and—"

"—that's what executions are for," Zhao interrupted as his cold eyes met Jasmine's wide ones. He chuckled as he picked up the pot of tea and began to pour enough to fill the four glasses. "I'm sure we'll have to execute hundreds before the message gets through their thick skulls."

Jasmine gulped slightly as she returned her gaze back to the map. She had no doubt that the Fire Nation would execute hundreds since they had already done it to the Air Nomads. Jasmine remembered learning about the infamous genocide in school when she was younger. They had always called it a necessary evil. Still, they had eradicated a whole nation — throwing the world out of balance when they did. Have faith in your nation. It's what Commander Zhao had told Zuko just a few moments ago. Perhaps, Jasmine needed to have faith as well. But, it was hard to have faith when frightening events took place. "But, they're innocent people? We can't just kill whoever we please!"

"I know that you've been shielded from the true horrors of war, Princess Jasmine. Which isn't such a bad thing, women tend to be faint of heart," Zhao muttered, his tone clearly condescending and Jasmine found herself getting annoyed. "I still think that the best place for you would be to stay in the royal palace — perhaps consider marrying a Fire Nation noble or general. I'm sure a beautiful girl like you has received many proposals from worthy men. War is no place for a princess."

"Commander Zhao, with all due respect," Iroh started as he looked away from the antique that he was examining. "My daughter is much more than the Fire Nation's princess. She has trained countless years to be the warrior that she is and she is ready to serve her country."

"Thank you, Father," Jasmine replied as her eyes darted from Commander Zhao to her father and then back to the commander. "I have no interest in staying cooped up in the palace when I can be out in the world — making an actual difference."

"Refreshing to see such an... interesting take on your duties," Zhao mumbled, not caring for a word that had escaped Iroh or Jasmine's lips. He didn't consider Jasmine to the same standard as Iroh or Zuko — nothing would change his mind.

Jasmine's hatred for Commander Zhao grew more and more as each second ticked by. He was an arrogant, pompous, and sexist fool. She couldn't believe that they had such distasteful individuals in their military that would so blatantly disrespect members of the royal family. She huffed as she picked up the cup of ginseng tea and blew on it to cool it down.

"So, how is your search for the Avatar going?" Zhao suddenly asked which caused everyone to freeze — including Iroh who had accidentally knocked over a display of antique weapons. Zhao sent him a glare as the noise echoed throughout the tent.

Iroh smiled sheepishly as he backed away slowly. "Uh, my fault, entirely."

Zuko — who had been lost in his thoughts for a few minutes — spoke up. "We haven't found him yet."

Zhao laughed. "Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago," he retorted but frowned when he noticed the uncomfortable expression on Zuko's face. "Unless you found some evidence that the Avatar is still alive?"

Zuko's eyes met Zhao's — their staring contest lasted a few moments but felt like forever to Jasmine. "No," Zuko finally stated. "Nothing."

Disbelief flashed across Zhao's face as he moved closer to Zuko until he hovered over the shorter boy. He leaned in close. "Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war," He gritted out as he clenched the backrest of Zuko's chair. While Zhao towered over him, Zuko tried his best to avoid his gaze. "If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you found."

"I haven't found anything," Zuko spat out, anger flashed in his eyes at the mention of him being a traitor. Zuko loved his nation and his people — his scar was a reminder of that face. People tried to convince him that his scar was a reminder of his shame and dishonor, but Jasmine saw it the opposite way. She saw it as Zuko's humanity and how he fought for the lives of his people. Zuko sighed and in a quiet voice, he added, "It's like you said — the Avatar probably died a long time ago."

Jasmine cleared her throat, not liking where the conversation was going. She looked at her father — who had finally gotten his hands on a cup of tea — and then at Zuko. His expression was calm, but Jasmine could tell that he was close to losing his temper. "We should get going. After all, we promised Zari that we would be back in time for inventory."

Zuko nodded, grateful that Jasmine had stepped in. Iroh bowed slightly at Commander Zhao — still showing respect. They began to make their toward the opening of the tent, but the guards crossed their spears in front of it — blocking the way. Zuko scoffed. "What is the meaning of this?"

A third soldier rushed into the tent and bowed to Zhao. He was the same soldier that Jasmine had previously seen with the commander. She could feel dread feel every ounce of her being as she stared at the soldier. "Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape."

Jasmine felt her blood run cold at that moment as she glanced back at Zhao's grin — filled with malice and arrogance. "Now, remind me," Zhao started in a quiet voice as he approached them. Zuko's face was as pale as snow as he kept his gaze directed at the ground. "How, exactly, was your ship damaged?"

— — —

ZUKO HAD BEEN FORCED TO TELL COMMANDER ZHAO EVERYTHING — there was no point in lying since the crew had already confessed everything. Jasmine held a small teacup in her hands as she tried her best to listen to Zuko's retelling of what had happened two days ago with the Avatar. Her mind was racing as her eyes darted between Commander Zhao, Zuko, her father, and the guards posted by the opening. It was hot in the room due to the burning torches and Jasmine almost felt faint at the intense heat. She was used to the heat — had to be due to her firebending — but she was suffocating in that moment. She couldn't breathe and Zuko's words began to fade away as the sound of her heartbeat replaced it. It was over for them. Commander Zhao would undoubtedly take over the search for the Avatar and claim victory. He would take everything that they had worked so hard for and they would be left in the ashes.

Her rapid thoughts began to quiet down when she felt a gentle yet tight grip on her shoulder — her panic hadn't gone unnoticed by her father. A sigh escaped her lips as she stared down at the cup of tea in her hands. It wouldn't be wise to lose control of her emotions, especially in the presence of someone like Commander Zhao. She focused on her breathing techniques to keep herself calm as she continued to listen to Zuko retell the story.

"So, a twelve-year-old bested you and your firebenders?" Zhao asked. However, not for clarification but to taunt Zuko instead. He narrowed his eyes as he slammed his semi-full cup of tea on the table — the action had caused Zuko to jump. "You're more pathetic than I thought!"

"I underestimated him once," Zuko gritted out. Jasmine had to admit that even she had underestimated him and the siblings from the Water Tribe. No one in the Fire Nation had any training on how to fight an Airbender and it was because of their ignorance that the Avatar was so easily able to escape from their clutches. "But, it will not happen again."

"No, it will not," Commander Zhao curtly replied. His patience had been tested as he stared at the children in front of him. Iroh sat quietly as he sipped his tea — not putting up much of a fight against the commander. Zhao stood from his seat as he clasped his hands behind his back. "You won't have a second chance at capturing the Avatar."

"What?" Zuko gasped out as he abruptly stood from his seat. Some of the guards tensed at Zuko's sudden movements, but they calmed down when they realized that Zhao was unconcerned. "We've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I—"

"—and you failed!" Commander Zhao shouted — which caused both Jasmine and Zuko to flinch — as he stormed over to the young prince. He easily towered over Zuko as he glared down at him, but Zuko was unafraid. In fact, Zuko was too angry to feel anything else. "Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in the hands of two teenagers and an incompetent crew! He's mine now."

"No, he's not!" Jasmine spat out as she shot out of her seat — the sudden movement caused the chair to fall backward. "Fire Lord Ozai tasked his son with this job. Zuko will be the one to capture the Avatar. Not you!"

"Jasmine," Iroh sternly stated as he looked up at his daughter, but she paid no attention to him. It was clear that Zuko's temper had rubbed off on Jasmine, but that was to be expected when the two had spent over two years in close proximity on a ship. Yet, there was a time when Jasmine had a much calmer demeanor.

At Jasmine's words, Zhao began to laugh as he took a step away from Zuko's aggrieved form. He narrowed his eyes at Jasmine as a small smirk danced across his lips. "Yes, he tasked his son with that job when he thought the Avatar was dead."

Almost immediately, Zuko's expression contorted into one of rage as he lunged for Zhao — fully intending to strangle the man in front of him. However, he was quickly held back by two guards. Zuko struggled against them as he shouted obscenities and threats toward the commander.

However, Zuko's temper had no effect on Zhao as he continued to nonchalantly stare at the teenager. His amber eyes wandered from Zuko to the guards that hovered close by to the two teenagers. Jasmine could see one behind her as well, but she had no plans on physically attacking Zhao. A chuckle escaped Zhao's lips as he turned around and began to walk toward the opening of the tent. "Keep them here. I don't want them messing with my plans."

Commander Zhao walked out of the tent, but the guards remained as they kept a close eye on the trio. Zuko growled as he kicked the table that was in front of them which caused it to break in half. The teapot that was sitting on top of it shattered into pieces and Iroh tried to hide his smile as he looked at the guards. "More tea, please."

"Uh, right away, sir," one of the guards replied as he gave Iroh a quick bow before exiting the tent. Jasmine could never understand how her father was able to stay so calm in situations that called for anything but.

Yet, she sighed as she picked up her discarded chair and took a seat. It seemed as if an eternity had passed when Commander Zhao finally returned to the tent where Princess Jasmine, Prince Zuko, and retired General Iroh were being held. Jasmine had been playing with locks of her long hair to keep herself preoccupied while her father sipped on his fifth cup of tea and Zuko had been pacing around the room.

"My search party is ready," Zhao informed as he walked toward the three. His eyes scanned each one of them — Iroh's nonchalant expression, Zuko's glare, and Jasmine's annoyance. "Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you'll be free to go."

"Why?" Zuko scoffed out. "Are you worried I'm going to try and stop you?"

"You? Stop me?" Zhao began to laugh as he shook his head — it only caused Zuko to become enraged further. "Impossible."

"Don't underestimate me, Zhao!" Zuko shouted. It wasn't long before the two were in each other's face again. Jasmine couldn't help but notice that both Zhao and Zuko had the same temper. It wouldn't end well for any of them. "I will capture the Avatar before you!"

Iroh stood from his seat, already knowing that Zuko's temper will lead him down a path that would be less fortunate. "Prince Zuko, that's enough!"

"Please, you can't compete with me. I have hundreds of war ships under my command and you?" Zhao's lips twitched upward. He knew exactly what buttons to press to get underneath Zuko's skin. "You're just a banished prince. No home, no allies. Your own father doesn't even want you."

Jasmine sighed softly. This was not going to end well.

"You're wrong!" Zuko snapped, a slight crack in his voice that only Jasmine and Iroh seemed to notice. "Once I deliver the Avatar to my father, he will welcome me home with honor and restore my rightful place on the throne!"

"Oh, if your father really wanted you home, he would have let you return by now — Avatar or no Avatar," Zhao countered. "But, in his eyes, you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation."

"That's not true!"

"You have the scar to prove it," Commander Zhao reminded as he gestured to Zuko's face. A gasp escaped Jasmine's lips at Zhao's words. People rarely mentioned Zuko's scar — most acted as if it wasn't there. Yet, Zhao had so casually mentioned it. He was clearly taunting Zuko, unafraid.

A cry of frustration escaped Zuko's lips as he glared up at Zhao. Jasmine shared a look with her father — the two of them already knew where this was going and there was nothing that they could do to stop Zuko's rage. "Maybe you'd like one to match!"

"Is that a challenge?" Zhao asked mockingly.

"An Agni Kai! At sunset."

"Very well. It's a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you," Zhao smirked. He glanced back at Iroh and Jasmine. "I guess your uncle and cousin will do."

With that, Zhao walked out of the room. Iroh walked up to Zuko with a worried expression. "Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened the last time you dueled a master?"

Zuko stayed quiet as memories of the past hit him hard. He shuddered as he remembered the intense pain, the stench of burning flesh, and the sound of his screams. He suppressed his fears deep within him as he opened his eyes to look at the grave faces of Iroh and Jasmine. "I will never forget."

— — —

"THIS IS TRULY THE STUPIDEST THING THAT YOU HAVE EVER DONE, ZUKO!" Jasmine scolded as she glared at her older cousin. Her heart was in a state of panic as she watched her father help Zuko prepare for the upcoming Agni Kai. Sunset was upon them and it wouldn't be long until the battle between Zuko and Commander Zhao.

Jasmine could still vividly remember the last Agni Kai that Zuko had participated in that was against his own father. Despite the fact that Jasmine needed to respect her Fire Lord, she did not like her uncle at all. If there was one person that Jasmine feared in the whole world, it had to be her uncle. She rarely saw him when she was younger since she spent most of her time at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls — the worst thing about that school was the uniforms and irritating school girls. And, when she wasn't at school, she spent her time with her mother, father, and brother. Her uncle, Ozai, and grandfather, Azulon, always saw her as unworthy since she was the daughter of a whore, but it never bothered her. She didn't need their approval when she had the approval of her parents and older brother. Yet, only her father and Zuko remained now. They were her only family and she couldn't bear to lose them.

She studied Zuko's calm expression, but she could still see Zuko's burning flesh whenever she closed her eyes. She could still hear the cries that escaped his lips when he cradled the left side of his face. She remembered Ozai's shouts as he tried to get his untrained 13-year-old to fight against him. If Jasmine was being honest, it was a truly shameful moment for the Fire Lord — even if most in the audience had enjoyed watching their lord brutally mutilate his son. Fire Lord Ozai showed mercy to no one — not even his own flesh and blood.

After that day, Zuko feared fire. Jasmine recalled the many times that she had woken up to Zuko's screams as they echoed throughout the ship. At one point, it had gotten so bad that Iroh would stay stationed outside Zuko's bedroom and wait for his nightmares to start to go in and comfort him. However, Zuko rarely had nightmares now. Or, maybe he still did, but had gotten better at hiding them — Jasmine wouldn't know. But, she did know that she did not want Zuko to get hurt again. If she could take his place in the fight, she would, but the laws in place for an Agni Kai were strict.

"I can hear your thoughts from here, Jasmine," Zuko suddenly ripped Jasmine out of her dark thoughts which caused her to send him a glare. Jasmine was an open book — a fact that everyone knew. Jasmine and Zuko had been raised together. He would always see through her facade. However, Zuko's face held no emotion as he allowed Iroh to help him dress for the upcoming fight. Sundown was upon them now and it was time for Zuko's Agni Kai against Commander Zhao. "I am ready for this."

"Prince Zuko, you must be careful," Iroh reminded as he began to lead Zuko out of the tent while Jasmine followed closely behind. "Commander Zhao is a master firebender and... you're still practicing your basics. However, with the right techniques, you will be able to overtake him."

Jasmine began to trail behind as she took in her surrounds. It was a beautiful island in the Earth Kingdom — despite the harsh words Zhao had to say about it earlier. It had taken the Fire Nation soldiers about an hour to set up the field into an arena for the Agni Kai. The arena looked out of place in the middle of the Earth Kingdom harbor and so did the members of the Fire Nation. In the far distance, Jasmine could see members of the Earth Kingdom tending to the crops. As they entered the arena, they noticed that Zhao was already in the arena. He was squatted down, facing away from them. Zuko took the same stance as he faced toward Iroh and Jasmine.

"Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko," Iroh reminded as he gave Zuko's shoulder a squeeze for reassurance. "They are your greatest weapons."

His fiery eyes met Jasmine's as she gave him a nod. Her eyes focused in on Zuko's scar and she prayed that history will not repeat itself. "Kick his ass, Zuko."

A smirk appeared on Zuko's face as he nodded, taking both of their words into consideration. "I refuse to let him win."

With those words of determination, Zuko stood and let his robe fall to the hardened ground below while Zhao did the same in the distance. Jasmine took in a deep breath as her eyes flickered to the Fire Nation soldier that stood on top of a platform next to the gong that would signify the start of the Agni Kai. Multiple people were gathered around to watch the Agni Kai — most of them being Zhao's men. However, Jasmine did spot some of their crew lingering about.

The harsh sound of the gong echoed in the air, signifying the start of the fight. Zuko and Zhao faced each other as the pair slowly approached. For a few moments, it was calm until Zuko threw the first blast. But, Zhao was anticipating it as he stepped out of the way to avoid the blast. Zuko followed it up with two more attacks which Zhao avoided again. For the last blast, Zhao stood his ground — rooted in the earth as he waited for Zuko's fire blast. He lifted his forearms and allowed the blast to reach him. However, the flames did not burn him since he was easily able to dissipate them.

Heavy pants escaped Zuko's lips as he took a few steps back, stumbling ever so slightly. Jasmine bit her nails to keep herself calm as she watched the fight closely. Zhao chuckled, clearly unaffected by Zuko's attacks. He hadn't even broken a sweat as he jumped forward and blasted Zuko with fire. Jasmine could feel the heat from Zhao's fire and she found herself stepping back — yet, it was nothing compared to what Zuko was dealing with.

"Basics, Zuko!" Iroh shouted. It was clear that Zuko was struggling, but there wasn't much that they could do to help. Yet, Iroh tried. "Break his root!"

Jasmine studied Zhao's fighting patterns and noticed how differently he fought from regular firebenders. His technique was comprised of a plethora of stomps and punches which reminded her of the fighting techniques from the Earth Kingdom. Attacking Zhao's feet and breaking his root was the most strategic move that Zuko could do, and that's exactly what he did. Zuko began to blast fire at Zhao's feet which caused the man to repeatedly jump back — eventually losing his balance and falling to the ground. Zuko rushed over to his fallen figure and prepared himself to send a blast to Zhao's face. Jasmine clapped her hands, happy to see that her cousin had the upper hand now. "Go Zuko!"

"Do it!" Zhao challenged as he stared up at Zuko with narrowed eyes. Zuko let out a grunt as he thrust his fist forward and emitted another fire blast. However, Zhao wasn't the target. Zhao opened his eyes to see the ground next to him — scorched black due to the fire blast. He scoffed. "That's it? Your father raised a coward!"

"Next time you get in my way, I promise," Zuko gritted out, choosing to spare Zhao instead. It put a smile to Jasmine's face. It reminded her of the Zuko that she used to know. Yet, he was still different and there was no doubt in Jasmine's mind that Zuko will do whatever it took to get the Avatar in his clutches. "I will not show mercy."

Zuko turned his back to the commander and began to walk away and Jasmine smiled proudly as she walked alongside him. However, a struggle was heard behind them and the two looked back to see Iroh holding Zhao's foot before tossing him back. Zuko growled as he began to charge towards Zhao, but Iroh held out his hand.

"No, Prince Zuko," Iroh ordered. "Do not taint your victory." Iroh faced Zhao and in a condescending tone, he said, "So, this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful."

Commander Zhao glared. His whole body shaking with anger and unreleased energy. If her father wasn't here, Zhao would have killed Zuko. It was the type of man he was — too full of pride to accept defeat. It truly disappointed Jasmine to see her nation's military be filled with dishonorable men such as Zhao.

"Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you," Iroh spat out. His words caused some of the bystanders to gasp, but Iroh was unbothered. He wasn't afraid. He cleared his throat. "Thank you for the tea. It was delicious."

"Come on, let's go," Jasmine muttered — not wanting to spend a second longer in that dreadful arena.

No one argued with her as the trio began to walk away, leaving Zhao to wallow in his defeat. As they walked toward their ship, Zuko looked at Iroh. "Did you really mean that, Uncle?"

A sly smile spread across Iroh's lips, fully knowing what Zuko was referring to. Yet, he alluded to something else. "Of course, I will never turn down a cup of tea."

Jasmine and Zuko shared a look, knowing well that Iroh had meant what he had said. She gave Zuko a pat on the back — even she was proud of the victory that her cousin had against the rotten commander. They left the arena — and the harbor — with smiles on their faces, but Jasmine still feared for their future. It wouldn't be long until every single person in the Fire Nation knew that the Avatar was alive. For a long time, it was only them hunting the Avatar. But, now, it was the whole world. 

♡

FUN FACT — I REALLY THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A SHORT CHAPTER. However, it is my longest one yet! It is almost 7000 words and I am so sorry about that. I kind of got carried away, but I didn't want to miss anything! I feel like I got a lot of information out about the Fire Nation and Commander Zhao (hate that guy with a passion!) ALSO, our boy Zuko defeated him! I am so proud!

I know that Jasmine didn't have much of a role in this chapter, but there was some important information earlier in the chapter about her views and morals. I think we're slowing piecing together her character and I honestly love writing for her. I have so much prepared for the next chapter! JASMINE AND SOKKA WILL GET A LOT OF SCENES TOGETHER AND I AM SO EXCITED. I have already started writing the next chapter, so I hope it will not take forever to complete. I'm so excited because there's going to be a lot more AU scenes! (:

I hope you guys still liked this chapter — even though it was long and kind of filler. I will get the next chapter out much quicker than this one.

— AMARA
[ CHAPTER POSTED — 06.26.2019 ]