Freedom

Chapter 9: The Place Where Hope Goes to Die

A man with a mess of dark black hair and a scarless face moved his mop back and forth across the prison floor. The monotonous motion made him dizzy, but that may have just been from the lack of sleep and nutrition.

He kept his head down, his hair covering his face, hanging down like the branches of the tree in his mother's garden. He hadn't thought about that garden in a long time. He hasn't thought about the palace in a long time.

He had to strain to remember how the green grass beneath his feet felt. It tickled his toes and felt like a soft pillow in his hands. And then he would reach out and touch the cool water of the pond.

He had to focus on the sound of his mothers laugh as the turtle ducks nipped at his fingers when he tried to grab them.

He had to close his eyes to feel the touch of his mothers hands as she lifted him up into the tree. It wasn't long until he was climbing the tree himself. But she still stood just below him, just in case he were to fall.

He had a lot of time to think in the prison. He still wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. It gave him time to analyze every decision he made, good or bad. It gave him time to grieve the life he thought he wanted.

When he was young, he pictured sitting in the garden as a father himself. He pictured playing with the turtle ducks with his kids.

But that wasn't a life he would have anymore. And he didn't think that he wanted it anyway. At least not anymore.

Anything he ever thought about his life went away the minute he fired at his sister, ever since, nothing would ever be the same.

"Well well well... It seems we have two blood traitors in our midst" her voice was laced with disdain and disgust.

Zuko kept his eyes trained on the floor, not wanting to meet her gaze. But she did not grant him that luxury as she grabbed his chin and pulled his face to meet his.

Azula laughed into his face, a wicked smile gracing her features, "I can't wait to watch you rot in the boiling rock..."

Zuko gulped but made a point to keep his face still, showing no emotion. The Dai Li pulled him to his feet, doing the same to his Uncle beside him.

He fought against them but the earth link cuffs tightened against his wrists. Azula chuckled at his struggle, "You could've had it all brother... The palace and the perfect life but you threw it all away for a water tribe whore"

Zuko pushed harder at this comment, but when he couldn't move, he hurled a wad of spit in her direction, landing it directly on the top of her shoe.

Azula looked down at her shoe then looked back at him, anger residing on her face.

Zuko smirked back at her, "I would rather die then have that life with your father..."

Azula stared at him for a moment, then looked back at him with a wicked grin, "I can make that happen..."

He hadn't seen his Uncle since then. He counted the days and it had been exactly 1 week and 5 days. Zuko had expected to be in the same prison as his Uncle, but as soon as Azula was done torturing them...

"You know Zuko..." Azula began, "Maybe since we got rid of your scar, we should replace it on our darling Uncle"

He didn't have to think hard to think of his Uncle's screams.

His stomach growled, pulling him from his thoughts. He hadn't eaten in two days. The guards called him a troublemaker, and troublemakers don't get privileges. He never knew food was a privilege.