GIVE ME LOVE ─── atla

xvii. A GOLDEN CAGE IS STILL A CAGE!

       "No," he blurted a little too quickly. Then, with a bite of annoyance and a second extra thing, he snapped. "And she's not to be worshipped. She's the enemy. It would do you well to remember that."

The boy nodded awkwardly and made himself scarce.

         When Zuko looked over at Jing-hai, he glared. He supposed she was kind of beautiful ━━━━━━ for a waterbender, that is. He would admit, there was no one in the Fire Nation that looked quite like the princess. She had curves and softness where his people were tall and sharp. A celestial lightness to the typical dark features he was used to. As pure as the driven snow she was born in. But her wide doe-eyes and full pink lips had no effect on the boy (or so he claimed). Still, he must speak with her. So, taking a deep breath, Zuko swallowed his pride and marched over. Only, as he does so, he notices a giant Fire Nation ship quickly emerging from the horizon. The crew turn and stare in shock as it looms over their boat like a shadow.

Commander Zhao.

"What do they want?" Zuko scowls.

        His Uncle grins. "Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho?"

Jing-hai, who had been idling in the sun all of this time, was comically oblivious to their brand new friends. Squinting, the girl cranes her neck. "Hey! Who's blocking the sun?"

         Just then, two fierce-looking soldiers and a brute of a messenger march towards the Prince. Huh. Zuko must have missed the part where he'd given invitation for Zhao's men to infiltrate his ship. He folds his arms as the messenger presents him with a wanted poster of Aang.

"The hunt for the Avatar has now been given prime importance. All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao," he declared.

Admiral Zhao?

Great.

That was just what they needed.

       For the thorn in their side to be made sharper, have more power.

"Zhao has been promoted?" Iroh asks before cheering. "Well, good for him!"

      Zuko ignores his uncle and glares at the men before him. "I've got nothing to report to Zhao. Now get off my ship and let us pass."

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area," the man replied. "And besides, we're not finished yet."

He hands the boy a scroll of paper.

"What is this?" Zuko frowned.

       "This is an order from your father commanding you to hand over the prisoner," the man explained. Jing-hai quickly shot up at this. She looked at Zuko with sudden fright and silently pleaded him to fight it.

"That's not happening," Zuko argued. "It's not fair. She's been on my ship for weeks now and-"

"And you still haven't made any progress," the messenger interrupted. Then, with a triumphant smirk, "I think you'll find our methods are a lot more persuasive."

        When the soldiers snatch up Jing-hai and squeeze her arms so roughly it leaves bruises, Zuko's hands grow hot. He advances on the soldiers in one swift move but the three are quick to overpower him. He cannot break their defences. Then, as they begin to haul his waterbender away, Iroh holds him. He gives a sharp look over at the many, many ships behind them. Zhao and his evergrowing army. They couldn't beat them. They couldn't defy them. They couldn't do anything.