Daughter of the Moon - Book 1: Water

Chapter 13: Commander Zhao

"My fault entirely," he mumbled as he inched away from the felled weaponry.

Zuko then turned back to Commander Zhao, continuing the conversation where they had left off. "We haven't found him yet."

"Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago along with the rest of the airbenders," Zhao suggested before turning to study Zuko's face. "Unless, you found some evidence that the Avatar is alive."

Zuko looked at the ground as he replied. "No, nothing."

"Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war," Zhao began as he stood up from his chair and leaned towards Zuko. "If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you've found."

"I haven't found anything," Zuko replied defiantly as he looked up and held eye contact with the commander. "It's like you said. The Avatar probably died a long time ago. Come on Uncle, Elara. We're going."

I followed Zuko as he tried to leave, but our path was almost immediately blocked by the guards as they crossed their spears before the exit. I then noticed another guard approaching Zhao with a certain urgency, and I began to feel uneasy (well, even more so than previously).

"Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed that Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape," the guard reported.

Zhao approached us from behind, coming too close for comfort. "Now remind me, how exactly was your ship damaged?"

"Commander, we also have information regarding the girl," the guard interrupted, and I felt my stomach drop.

"And?" Zhao asked.

The guard hesitated for a moment before delivering the very report that I had feared. "Your suspicions were correct, Commander. The crew confirmed to us that she is, in fact, a waterbender."

Both Zuko and I tensed as we heard Zhao snicker in satisfaction. "Restrain her," he ordered

Before Zhao had even finished his command, two guards had grabbed me and pinned my arms behind my back, binding them together with a strong cord.

"Hey! Get your hands off me!" I protested, although my words seemed to fall on deaf ears.

"What are you doing?" Zuko jumped to my defense as he stepped towards me, only to be diverted by the men constraining me. "Elara works for me! You have no right to seize her!"

"Need I remind you, Prince Zuko, that you have been banished?" Zhao mocked with a sigh. "You have no authority over me or anyone in this harbor."

Even though everyone here knew that Zuko had been banished, saying something like that was just a low blow. Zhao clearly had said that with the sole purpose of antagonizing Zuko, and it had worked (though Zuko tried his best to stay calm).

Zhao then turned to the guards who were holding onto me. "Take her to a cell to be interrogated. I will be there momentarily."

- Zuko-

"Where are you taking her!" I barked at Commander Zhao as I watched Elara get dragged away (although, it wasn't not without much difficulty on the guards' part).

Zhao grinned maliciously towards the waterbender as he replied, making my stomach churn. "Oh, nowhere important. Just someplace where we can have a little chat."

I launched myself at Zhao with the intent of getting in a good punch to let out my frustrations, but I was immediately subdued by several of his cronies. "Don't you dare lay a finger on her!" I demanded as I struggled against my restraints.