Fire and Flame [Iroh II x OC]

Chapter 86: The trial

He whispered the last part and hugged me too, he disappeared, saying that he had important work to do.

"What was that?", I asked.

Saira kept staring at Taemin's back and then looked back at me:"I dunno but he always said things like this."

I chuckled and took her hand to bring her back to the car. We soon arrived to the court, where the media was already waiting for us. I went straight ahead with a pale Saira behind me. Although we've been together since a decade, she still wasn't used to them.
As soon as we were inside, we were asked to the courtroom. Saira was called first. She had to promise that she would only day the truth. Familiar faces were in the courtroom such as General Asuma and President Raiko as well as my crew.

"Commander Saira, is it true that General Iroh left you back on Kyoshi Island?"

Saira hesitated:"Yes, Your Honour."

"Is it true that you disobeyed his his orders on that day?"

"Yes, Your Honour."

Is it true that General Iroh endangered the life of the Division, while travelling to Kyoshi Island?"

"Yes, Your Honour."

"Thank you you may-"

"May I speak now, Your Honour?"

His Honour looked at Saira completely confused.

"Or am I not allowed defend myself?"

"Uh, of course Commander."

"Thank you. I don't know what you have been told so far, Your Honour. I have been chosen to examine the Division of General Iroh. At that time, neither Iroh, nor I though that it was a good idea for us to work together. We are professional enough to separate work and private life but there are always moments when even we can't stay professional. When we travelled to Kyoshi Island, we were surprised by the Unagi. Like everyone else, we thought that the Unagi went extinct. We tried not to provoke that majestic creature but it decided to attack us. General Iroh, on the hand risked his life for us by jumping on the creature and taming it. Unfortunately he couldn't control the Unagi but he got us enough time to escape. While we docked, the General was thrown on land. His condition was dangerous so we asked the people of Kyoshi for help. They helped the General and we stayed there for some time for the General's recovery. After a few days I showed General Iroh Kyoshi Island and went unconscious during that time. An unknown person took me with him and threatened to take the General's life if I didn't stay. I agreed on staying.", Saira looked in my way and then looked back at His Honour,"I told the General that I wanted to stay and asked him to leave."

After noting everything down, His Honour looked at Saira:"You confessed that you disobeyed the General's orders."

"I am the Supreme Commander of the Fire Nation. General Iroh and I have equal rights. What did you expect me to do, Your Honour? Let my husband die? General Iroh and I have requested to change Divions in fear of mistakes like this. But you rejected, Your Honour. That's why we filed an complaint against you in the international court.", she said with all confidence, she had.

But before His Honour could say a word, we were interrupted.

"Free Ember Island!", someone screamed.

The next moment, we heard a loud blast.

Saira's P.O.V

"Saira!", Iroh yelled as I screamed. I was blinded by the light of the explosion and needed a few seconds to see again. My heart was rushing,  Iroh was bleeding again and I ran towards him, policemen surrounding us. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. As he was in front of me, I looked behind him. My heart dropped and tears were forming in the back of my eyes.
Dead people were laying on the floor, some of them crew members of Iroh's division. Iroh let go of me to help those who were injured. I was shaking uncontrollable and sweat was running down my back. I was shocked and heard a strange sound in my ear. Just then I realized that I was bleeding too. I could tasted iron and my cheek was tickling because of the blood that was running down. I looked around and tried to process what just happened. This was something between the Capitol and Ember Island. Why were they here in Republic City? I stood there like a statue and looked around, knowing that this was the fault of the people of my island.
I somehow managed to get out of my shock and stepped out of my high heels. I left the feet killer back and tried to help as much as people I could. I carried an injured woman out of the court, where several ambulances but also policemen were waiting, as well as my family. They all looked worried and I shook my head to signal them to flee. But they kept standing there like tress, shock on Taemin's face as well as my mother's.

Just when the first ambulance drove away, I suddenly heard someone yell:"Sign the independency!"

After that, another blast was heard, close to my mother and brother. I dodged the fire that was coming into my way and stumbled towards my brother, pushing people aside.

"Taemin!", I screamed," Taemin!"

I ran to my younger brother who was laying on the ground, my mother next to him also injured.

"Taemin! Tae! Wake up!", I screamed and slapped him," Tae! Wake up! That's not funny! Wake up you fucking asshole!"

After I slapped him, he opened his eyes, looking at the sky.

"I knew that this would happen.", he chuckled and coughed,"I dreamed all this."

I looked at him in disbelief. That's why he gave farewells. But I couldn't believe it. Why didn't he tell me this earlier? That he saw a vision? It didn't have to come this far.

He looked at me and stopped laughing:"It's your fault Saira. You couldn't save us. You let us die."

Then something klicked in my mind. The dream, I had years ago when I was in the United Forces. The girl...it wasn't a girl. It was Tae. When he was a little boy. He had long hair back then. How couldn't I realize this. I could have prevented this. The people from different nations, they were citizens of Republic City.

"Saira. You know what to do.", Tae said, putting his hand in my cheek. He kept staring at me and I stared at him. His hand slid down my face, while he was still staring at me. I kept looking into his golden-green eyes.

"Tae?", I whispered but he didn't respond,"Tae? Taemin? Stop mocking me. Please."

"Saira-"

"What?", I yelled at Iroh.

"Saira he...isn't more."

I turned my head and looked at Iroh, who was sitting next to me, his eyes fixed on my brother.

"This is not the right moment to joke you two. Stop it.", I panicked.

I looked at my brother, who was laying in my arms, still staring at me, my mother crying. I shook my head and yelled:"Stop it!"

"Saira-"

"Iroh please! Stop it! You are scaring me! This is not funny anymore!"

Iroh looked at me with pity. Why did he pity me? Why was he looking so sad? Taemin was just joking wasn't he? That's what he told Iroh when we met, didn't he?

I chuckled and couldn't believe that they still pranked me.

"Just stop your fucking prank!", I shouted. And that's when I suddenly felt my cheek burning. Iroh had slapped me. I touched my cheek and felt his palm on it.

"Why...why did you do that?", I asked shocked.

Iroh was as shocked as me, he reached his hand for me but I backed.

"Why?"

"Because you don't understand that..."

"That what Iroh?"

"That Taemin is no more.", he said and looked to the ground, not daring to look at me,"I shouldn't have raised my hand on you."

I realized what just happened. He slapped me. He never did that before. He still didn't look at me but ashamed to the ground.

"I'm sorry Saira. But I had no other choice. You wouldn't have understood."

"Taemin is dead?"

He nodded. I looked at my mother who was crying. Then I looked down at Tae, who was laying in my arms.

Tears streamed down my cheeks and I bit my lower lip to prevent myself from screaming. The pain in my heart was indescribable. It was as if someone pulled out my heart roughly. The one who was so dear to me stopped living. Just like that. He was pulled out of my life all of a  sudden. The pain was unbearable and I pressed Taemin's lifeless body on mine and I cried.

I just prayed that all this was just a nightmare, just an illusion. I wanted to wake up to forget it but I didn't. I held back my screams because I knew that I was watched. I hated the rebels of Ember Island and I hated the monarchy they were fighting against because they were the reason my brother was taken away from me, the one who I loved as much as my son, the one who I cared about like my own child and the one who was my best friend since I could think. The one who made the assault was dead and also took my other half with him.