The Traitor Princess

Chapter 4 - The Avatar Returns

She couldn't believe it. Zuko actually found the Avatar.

--

Zuko was walking fast towards his room. Eziri was panicking. He couldn't go home. Their father thought they would never find the Avatar. She couldn't let him do this.

"Zuko!" she called out to him. He didn't slow his pace.

"Zuko! Wait!" she called again. He didn't stop. She followed him as he entered his room.

"Zuko..." He whipped around to face her.

"What!?" She flinched at his volume.

"Zuko... I ..."

"What could you possibly have to say? Why didn't you help me out there? Why did you protect those Water Tribe peasants?"

Eziri sighed and shut Zuko's door behind her.

"Zuko, I need to tell you something." Her voice was barely above a whisper. This caught her brother off guard. He felt the anger slowly leave his body and he ran an exasperated hand over his face.

Zuko gestured to the table and chairs in his room, silently telling Eziri to sit before taking a seat himself.

"I should have told you this a long time ago....it's about something.....that father said." Zuko perked up at her words.

"What? Did he write to you? What did he say?" Zuko asked quickly.

"No, this wasn't recent. I haven't heard from him since we left the Fire Nation." Zuko deflated slightly at that. "This is about something he said on the day of your Agni Kai." She noticed Zuko tense. He clenched his fist on the table but didn't say anything. Eziri just continued.

"Zuko....I don't know how to say this..." Eziri struggled to get the words out. She could feel tears rising to her eyes and she blinked a few times, refusing to let them fall. "Father doesn't want you to go home." She said quietly. She kept her gaze on her hands in her lap. She couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean....father sent you on this mission because he believed you would never find the Avatar. He wanted you out of the Fire Nation so that you would lose your right to the throne." Zuko stood up abruptly and started pacing. Eziri could feel the temperature in the room start to rise.

"You're wrong. He wouldn't do that." Zuko muttered as he continued to pace.

"He would. Zuko....he was going to kill you that day before I stepped in." She couldn't keep the tears back anymore. She felt a hot tear slowly fall down her cheek and she finally forced herself to look up at her brother. He stopped his pacing and was staring at her in shock. It took a moment, but that shock soon turned to anger.

"You're lying!" Zuko pointed an accusatory finger at his sister. Eziri put her hands up defensively and stood up.

"I'm not, I promise! I wouldn't lie to you about something like this. I'm telling the truth." Zuko let out a growl and continued his pacing.

"So what are you saying? Father wanted me out of the picture so he would finally have the perfect little heir he always wanted?" Zuko practically shouted.

"Zuko, that would never happen. I would never let him--"

"Even if you are telling the truth, you had this information for three years. Three years, Ezi. You waited all this time. You waited until I finally have the Avatar in my grasp before conveniently telling me this?" Eziri could see the smoke start to seep out from his fists as he continued to pace.