Later in the day after their return from the Earth Kingdom, Zuko decided to take a trip to the Prison Tower while Chiara was resting at Amiku's insistence. Kaito was by his side when they entered the prison where they were led to Ozai's cell. Zuko stood before the door. It would be the first time he visited Ozai during his incarceration. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
"Wait here," he ordered Kaito who stood to the side.
Entering the cell by himself, Zuko saw Ozai quietly sitting on a mat dressed in a simple red prison uniform, leaning listlessly against the back wall. His feet were bare, and his long hair lay in disheveled strands around his face. Had he been anyone else, it might be heartbreaking to witness the former regal man reduced to such a pitiable state. But Zuko felt no sympathy upon seeing the once powerful Fire Lord/Phoenix King sitting in the tiny, dark cell behind bars instead of on a throne behind a wall of flames. The prisoner slowly opened his eyes, the pale gold following the young prince as he walked in and stood staring at him through the bars.
"The Crown Prince has finally graced me with his presence in my lowly prison cell," said Ozai in a deep, condescending voice. "Why are you here?"
Zuko had been pondering how he was going to ask his question ever since he decided to confront the man he once considered his father. Loyalty, fortitude, a child's love for his father—none of it ever earned Ozai's respect. He knew that was impossible, so he decided to be blunt. "Because you're going to tell me something." He bent closer to Ozai. "Where is my mother?"
Ozai's lip curled into a devilish grin. "You ought to bring me some tea, Zuko," he said smoothly. "We'll talk while sipping from steaming little cups, much like you did with my traitorous brother."
Zuko could feel the fire of his anger growing hotter.
"I suspect he's training you to be the next Fire Lord. As someone with experience, you might find my advice far more valuable." Zuko was about to snap at him. "Perhaps even the subject of your mother will come up," he added coolly.
Zuko had known that it was not going to be easy getting the information out of Ozai, but the man's smug composure and shrewd attempt at trying to get into his head disgusted him. He turned away from the cell before he lost his temper. "I don't need this."
He stormed out of the prison and returned to the palace.
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It was late in the afternoon before dinner when Chiara found Zuko in the palace garden sitting by the pond throwing bread to the turtle ducks. When she knelt next to him, he tore his loaf in half and held it out to her. She joined him in tossing crumbs to the excited little animals.
"I take it your visit didn't go well," she said softly.
"He told me to come back with tea and he'll give me advice on being Fire Lord." He let out a low, dry laugh. "As if his advice is worth anything."
Chiara found it infuriating, though not surprising, that Ozai would try to manipulate him.
"Did he say anything about Aunt Ursa?"
"Only that she might come up in the conversation." He rolled his eyes still frustrated by Ozai's deviousness.
Chiara tossed a piece of bread out into the pond, and they watched the turtle ducks race to get it.
"Did he ask about Azula?" she asked.
Zuko hesitated mid-throw. He realized Ozai never inquired as to how his favorite child was doing—if she was also in prison or even injured or killed in battle. "No," he answered.
Chiara threw the last of her bread before placing her arm around his back. He leaned against her resting his head on her shoulder.
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That night, after retiring to their room, Chiara sat outside on the balcony ledge enjoying the strengthening light from the moon. Zuko stood at the balcony door gazing at her and admiring the soft glow of her skin and the long, black curls that cascaded down her back. Unable to resist, he slowly approached her and ran his fingers through her satiny locks.
She looked up at him and smiled. He was not wearing his headpiece, and his loose hair lay past his shoulders as it had grown out significantly since their first exile in the Earth Kingdom.
"It feels so good to be back home," she said as she moved a few strands behind his right ear.
He relished her soft touch, and he slid his hands around her back.
"I had really given up on this—you and I here together," he said softly. "I had always hoped for it, but it just seemed like the harder I tried, the worse things got." She tenderly caressed his face, the bright moonlight reflecting in the golden eyes she always adored. "It wasn't until I gave it up that it actually happened," he continued.
"Even if it hadn't happened, I would be just as happy in our little cabin."
He smiled and leaned closer to her. "Or our cave," he whispered in her ear.
The mere thought of their time in the cave set his heart on fire while sending pleasant chills through her body.
"Definitely our cave," she whispered back moving her fingers through his hair.
Her touch only added fuel to his fire, and he pressed his lips against hers pulling her body against his never wanting to let her go. She held onto him enjoying their quiet, passionate kiss without restraint and without being under the watchful eyes of escorts or guards. Not removing his lips from hers, he moved his left hand under her knees taking her up in his arms and lifting her off the ledge. He carried her inside where he gently laid her on the bed. Her fingers slid from the back of his neck and down over his toned chest where she could feel the heat radiating off his body, and she was anxious to feel herself surrounded by it. Anticipating her soft, luminous skin against him, he eagerly pulled open a frog closure on her dress. He had just managed to make it through the third closure when there was a sudden knock on the door.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding," he growled.
She ran her fingers through his hair and pressed her lips against his ignoring the disturbance. The interruption immediately forgotten, he zealously returned his thoughts and hands to his wife....until there was another, more anxious knock. Zuko broke from their kiss letting out a heavy sigh.
"I need to research treason charges," he said deeply.
She was puzzled by his comment wondering if it was his way of forcing their passionate moment out of his mind, like thinking of kuai ball or some other sport, so he could deal with the unexpected intrusion, but she did not bother questioning him, feeling too frustrated by the terrible timing of the interruption. He slowly climbed off the bed and straightened his tunic as the knocking continued raking his nerves with every rap. Chiara moved to the edge of the bed and began fastening the closures on her dress. After walking to the door, Zuko looked back at her. Her soft, dark skin he had been so close to feeling against his own was once again concealed behind layers of fabric. He heaved another deep sigh of regret and reluctantly forced his eyes away from her. Restraining himself from angrily yanking the door open and snapping at the intruder, he opened it just enough to see who had the nerve to interrupt what had been the best part of his day. Standing there looking somewhat nervous was one of the messengers of the palace, a man whose name Zuko did not know.
"Your Highness, I'm so sorry to disturb you this evening, but there's an urgent message from Heiwa Island."
Zuko took a deep breath in an attempt to remain calm. "And it couldn't wait 'til morning?"
"No, sir. Princess Azula has been requesting Princess Chiara's presence and..."
"The Fire Lord told us so earlier," he said shortly. "We'll see her tomorrow." He started closing the door.
"Uh...she's being quite insistent, your Highness..."
Zuko felt heated, and not in the good way that he felt only a few minutes earlier. If he believed it to be possible, he would suspect that Azula deliberately timed the interruption for this moment.
He slowly opened the door again and looked at the messenger. "I don't care how insistent she gets," he said deeply. "She can wait until we visit her tomorrow."
The man was clearly getting uneasy. Zuko almost felt sorry for him as he could only imagine how Ozai would have reacted to such a disruption, making the possibility of a treason law sound plausible.
"It-it seems the hospital staff is having a difficult time controlling her, your Highness," he nervously insisted. "Several of the staff have been injured."
Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, and he was just wondering how he was going to get rid of the messenger without resorting to violence so he could return to his wife when he felt Chiara's hand on his back.
"How soon can a boat be ready?" she asked the messenger.
"Immediately, your Highness," he said more relaxed by her calm presence.
"Thank you."
The man bowed and turned away as Zuko closed the door.
He turned to Chiara. "You really want to go to the island this late at night?"
"It's been a couple weeks since I've been able to treat her. It sounds like she really needs help."
"You can't coddle her for the rest of her life, Chiara."
She raised an eyebrow. "I hardly consider my treatments coddling her."
He sighed. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just...I don't want her thinking she can control you or to expect you to drop everything and run to her every time she has a temper tantrum."
"I know it isn't going to be easy." She was gingerly brushing strands of hair out of his eyes making him melt at her touch. "But it'll be worth it if it helps her."
He wrapped his arms around her waist leaning close to her. "So if I have a temper tantrum, will you stay here and treat me?" His raspy voice was low and seductive.
She could feel the heat rising in her body as his lips joined hers.
"I-I wish I c-could," she said through his kisses.
Gently pulling her hair, he exposed her neck while moving his lips across her lower jaw and continuing to place soft kisses down her throat.
"Y-you're making this very...very difficult," she forced out as she enjoyed the overwhelming sensations brought on by his affectionate caresses.
"Good," he breathed, not stopping.
An urgent knock sounded on the door.
"Ugh...," he groaned, sorely tempted to set something on fire.
He reluctantly released his bride and opened the door again.
"Prince Zuko, I heard you're going to Heiwa Island tonight," said Kaito.
"Yes," he said flatly. "Azula's acting up."
"Nai's getting ready now. We'll be waiting for you out here."
Zuko just nodded before shutting the door and turning to Chiara. "I think we're going to have to take Toph up on her offer," he said.
--------------------
Arriving on the island, they went to the hospital where Chief Healer Kang was relieved to see them.
"Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara, my sincerest apologies for calling on you so late. Princess Azula found out you returned to the palace and she...well...she insisted we contact you," he said looking at Chiara.
"We were told there were injuries to the staff," she said.
"Yes. Some of them are particularly severe injuries."
They followed him, and after healing several staff members of serious, though non-life threatening, burns, they went to Azula's room.
"Do you need us to go in with you, Princess?" asked Nai.
"No," she answered. "It's probably best if you stay out here."
"There isn't much she can do right now," said the doctor. "We were forced to restrain her."
"Is she sedated?" she asked.
"She refused to ingest anything."
Chiara entered Azula's room and saw her strapped to a wheelchair unable to move. Azula looked up, her eyes peering at them through strands of hair hanging down over her face. Upon seeing her, Zuko was reminded of Ozai sitting in his prison cell.
"It's about time you got here," she said in a haughty tone.
Zuko scowled at her and spoke deeply. "You should be grateful we came at all."
She was offended. "Grateful? You didn't even have the courtesy to let me know about your little honeymoon in the Earth Kingdom."
"You were told we'd be gone," said Zuko stiffly.
"And you couldn't even bother to tell me yourself?"
He was growing impatient with her attitude. "We didn't have time, Azula."
"So you sent a messenger as if I was just some commoner not worthy of your precious time!" she snapped.
"We had to clean up the mess you made in Ba Sing Se!" he yelled back.
She glared at him. "I don't believe I even asked for your presence, Brother," she said deeply.
"I'm not leaving you alone with her," he growled.
"I can hardly do anything in my condition," she said pulling futilely on the straps to prove her point. "Your dear wife is quite safe...especially considering her...diverse skills."
Chiara finally stepped in between the siblings before they could continue arguing, and she started removing the straps binding Azula to her chair. Zuko was not ready to see his sister freed from her restraints, and he stayed alert worried that she might attack.
"It wasn't necessary to assault the people trying to take care of you, Azula," Chiara scolded her. "Some of those burns were really bad."
Azula gave her an impish smirk. "Then you should've come sooner," she said trying to place the blame on them.
Chiara paused and looked at her. "You should've controlled your temper," she admonished. "We were going to be here first thing tomorrow."
Her eyes narrowed as she took offense. "You put me off like I'm some undesirable chore you're forced to deal with."
It took Zuko a great deal of self-control to bite back his response to that.
When she was freed from her restraints, Chiara helped her out of the chair and put her arm around her to walk her to the bed. Azula shrugged her off.
"You don't need to treat me like a child!" she snapped.
"Then stop acting like one!" Zuko could not help yelling at her.
Azula went to turn to him, but Chiara took her arm and continued towards the bed. "I'm not treating you like a child," she said calmly, ignoring her sister-in-law's nasty tone. "Or an undesirable chore. I'm treating you like a beloved relative and patient."
"Beloved relative," Azula scoffed as she sat on the bed. "I don't care if you two think you're married. We'll never be related—not with that peasant blood of yours."
"That's enough, Azula!" Zuko scolded her. "We didn't come all this way this late at night so you could be insulting."
"You wouldn't have to come all this way if you didn't leave me locked up here."
"When did you eat last?" Chiara asked her.
Azula looked at her. "I don't know," she said haughtily. "They refused to release me, and I refused to be fed like a baby."
"Then maybe you shouldn't act like one," said Zuko.
She shot him another glare. "I don't belong here," she argued.
"Fine," he said simply. "You can leave."
Excited surprise appeared in her eyes.
"We'll send for the prison guards," he added.
Her look of excitement was replaced by a scowl.
"Azula, relax," said Chiara before she had a chance to snap back at Zuko.
"How can I relax with him here?"
Zuko crossed his arms. "I'm not leaving," he insisted.
"Have them bring her food," Chiara said to him.
"I'm not eating their drugged food."
Chiara looked at her. "We'll make sure it's not drugged if you promise me you won't burn anyone."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
"Promise me."
Azula huffed. "Fine. I promise I won't burn anyone," she offered in as arrogant a voice as she could.
Chiara nodded to Zuko before turning back to her. "Lie down."
Azula hesitated at her order, but desiring the treatment, she slowly lay back on the bed. While Chiara began treating her, Zuko opened the door requesting that a meal be brought in without any sedatives.
Chiara took her time with the technique allowing the water to repair the damage to Azula's mental state and bring a sense of calm to her. Azula could never admit how much she enjoyed the relaxing peace the technique was bringing her. The two weeks without the healing sessions had been difficult for her, and a part of her mind tensed up knowing Chiara would leave soon after the treatment. Worry crept in that she might have to go weeks again without a session.
"Azula, relax," she said sensing her tension.
The younger princess tried to force the worrisome thoughts from her mind. When Chiara did all she could, she helped her sit up, though Azula was not ready for the treatment to end.
"Better?" asked Chiara.
"Do you have to ask that every time?" she snapped forcing a defensive tone and refusing to accept just how much she longed for their company.
"I need to know if it's helping, otherwise there's no point in continuing this treatment," she replied patiently.
"It's making you slightly tolerable," she said not holding back rudeness in order to keep up her defensive mode. "So it must be doing something."
Chiara softly giggled at her insult. "Maybe after a few hundred more treatments you might actually see me as family."
Azula scowled at her. "It'll take more than your inferior peasant-bending to make that happen."
Zuko lost all patience with her. "You've had your treatment, we're leaving," he said agitated by his sister's ungrateful attitude. He took Chiara's hand and started pulling her to the door.
"Send a message if you need anyth..."
Chiara's sentence was cut off by the door slamming. Out in the hall Zuko huffed a small flame of irritation as he continued pulling her down the corridor.
"Is everything okay, Prince Zuko?" asked Kaito as he and Nai were trying to keep up with them.
"No."
"Did she do something?" asked Nai. "Did she hurt you, Princess?"
"It was just a waste of time," said Zuko.
"It wasn't a waste of time," said Chiara. "There's been a definite improvement in her..."
Zuko stopped and faced her. "Did you hear the way she was speaking to you?" He was unable to keep the anger out of his voice. "There was no improvement. I know how your treatment feels. If it had done anything for her she wouldn't have acted like that."
"Prince Zuko, there's a lot of damage in her mind. I don't know exactly what Ozai did to her, but there's so much that needs to be healed. I can feel it; I can feel the damage, but I can also feel the difference after each treatment. It'll take time to repair it all, but I'll continue mending it until it's done."
"She doesn't sound any different to me," he continued arguing. "She's as condescending as ever..."
"That's just Azula. You have to accept the fact that she can be condescending and arrogant. Those are things I can't fix with waterbending."
"Then what good is it to keep treating her?"
"Because if she's open to it, I can heal the part that...that's not natural..."
"But she attacked the staff," he argued.
"I'm working on that. And that she hasn't tried to kill anyone, including us, I'd say that's an improvement."
He was still angry. "Maybe so, but I hate the way she talks to you," he said deeply.
"I know you do, but that requires a different type of treatment and a lot of patience. I need her to understand that no matter what she says to me, no matter what she's done to me in the past, I'm not going to give up on her."
He suddenly looked caught between his frustration at his sister's behavior and his admiration of Chiara's compassion.
"She lost a mother too, Prince Zuko. And despite our struggles, you and I had each other all these years. All she had was Ozai pushing her to be like him."
He closed his eyes absorbing the truth of her words, and she could see he was still mentally wrestling with the situation, but she did not realize how much she was winning him over.
"She hasn't reacted violently towards us since the Agni Kai," she continued, "and if all she does is insult me, I've told you before it doesn't bother me..."
"It bothers me," he said, his voice reflecting the pain Azula's disrespect towards her caused him.
"You don't have to go in with me. I don't mind treating her alone..."
"No."
"But it might be more beneficial to her and to you if you're not there to argue with her."
"I'm not letting you alone with her," he insisted deeply.
She knew she needed to continue treating Azula, but she hated seeing how upsetting it was to Zuko. She wanted to help them both.
"Please be patient with her," she begged.
He was lost in her beautiful, sea-green eyes as she pleaded with him on his sister's behalf. He sighed. "Only for you," he said softly, unable to resist her gentle petition.
He took her hand and they left the hospital. It was early in the morning when they finally arrived back at the palace where they went to bed exhausted from the long day.
=========================
As the sun appeared over the horizon, it called Zuko from his slumber, though his body still felt tired from the late night and short sleep. He rolled over to look at Chiara who often woke early with him, but she was still asleep. He watched her sleeping so tranquilly, and he desired to wrap himself around her, but he refused to do anything that might wake her from her peaceful and well-earned rest. He continued lying in bed, his tired limbs not anxious to move, and it was only with a bit of effort that he eventually forced himself to get up. He slowly got out of the bed careful not to wake Chiara, and after gently tucking the blanket around her, he stepped out onto the balcony. Leaving the door open, he sat down outside where he quietly meditated in the sunlight.
The sun continued its ascent, and Zuko was still meditating, though his meditation was not deep enough to drown out the knock at the bedroom door. He quickly jumped up to answer it, and sprinting through the room, he glanced at Chiara, relieved to see her still asleep. When he opened the door he was greeted by Ezih.
"Good morning, Prince Zuko," he bowed deeply.
"Morning, Ezih," he whispered.
"The Fire Lord is quite worried that you and the Princess missed breakfast with him this morning."
"Yeah...uh...Chiara's still asleep..."
Ezih immediately looked worried. "Is she okay? Do I need to call the doctor?"
"No. She's fine. We just got back from Heiwa a few hours ago and I was letting her sleep in."
He was relieved that it was nothing serious. "I understand, your Highness. I'll inform the Fire Lord."
"Thank you."
"Would you like breakfast brought to the room, sir?"
Zuko had not thought of that. "Oh...yes...thank you."
Ezih bowed and turned away, and Zuko started walking back towards the balcony.
"Is everything okay?"
He stopped and looked at Chiara who was still lying in bed but was awake. He sat next to her.
"We missed breakfast with the Fire Lord."
"I haven't even been back a day and already I'm shirking my duties," she said.
"You're not shirking anything," he assured her as he tenderly brushed some strands of hair from her cheek. "Calling on patients on another island in the middle of the night is more than anyone else would've done."
He was puzzled when he heard an anxious knock at the door.
"Ezih's having breakfast sent up, but I didn't think it would be that quick."
While he went to answer the door, Chiara started getting out of bed.
"Prince Zuko...," came Amiku's worried voice. She was breathing heavy as if she had just sprinted from the other side of the palace, which Zuko suspected she had. "...I just heard that Princess Chiara missed breakfast. What's wrong? Does she need the doctor?"
"No. She's okay..."
"She needs to eat, your Highness," she said anxiously. "She shouldn't miss any meals..."
"Ezih's sending food for her. We had to go to Heiwa Hospital last night, so we slept in this morning."
"Heiwa Island in the middle of the night?" she said, sounding irritated. "And especially after spending weeks working in the Earth Kingdom." Loose strands of her graying hair swayed around her plump face as she shook her head in annoyance. "I warned the Fire Lord about overworking her. I'll just have to have another talk with him."
Chiara stepped up to the door next to Zuko. "It wasn't the Fire Lord's fault," she said not wanting Iroh to suffer an unnecessary scolding. "There were severe injuries that needed to be tended to, and Azula required treatment."
Her excuse still did not relieve Amiku's worry. "But, my Lady, to travel so late at night and work so hard in your condition...it's not good for you or the baby."
"We'll be fine. Breakfast will be here soon."
"Oh, so stubborn," the squat woman grumbled. "I'll see to it that you have a snack before lunch."
"Yes, Lady Amiku," she smiled.
Amiku bowed and left. Zuko closed the door before turning to Chiara.
"Ember Island," he said.
She looked at him curiously. "What about it?"
"Everyone's leaving in a few days. Why don't we spend a couple days there together before they leave."
Her face lit up at the idea, but then she worried about leaving their responsibilities. "Do you think the General...Fire Lord might mind?"
"It's not so far that he can't reach us if he needs to," he said. "And this time we'll have servants so you won't have to work."
"But I enjoyed keeping busy."
Seeing her pout at the thought of servants doing all the work made him chuckle.
"There'll be plenty for you to do," he assured her. "We'll have the whole beach for bending and sparring." He took her hand and pulled her closer to him. "And if you relax a little bit, I might let you make cookies."
She softly laughed. "It does sound like a nice way to spend our last days together...as long as we don't go to any plays."
He rolled his eyes at the thought of the last play they saw there. "Agreed. And we can take Appa so we'll only be a short flight away from the Capital if Uncle needs us." His eyes grew wide. "We should've just borrowed Appa to go to Heiwa. Ugh...why didn't I think of that last night? We wouldn't have been gone so long."
"It's all good now."
He kissed her. "But it would've been a lot better."
She smiled. "I agree." She looked down at her night clothes. "I'm going to change before breakfast."
He released her with a soft sigh.
"Do you think Appa will enjoy his gift?" she asked.
He smirked at her. "I hope so."
They discussed their Ember Island plans over breakfast, and that afternoon after receiving the Fire Lord's approval, they shared their idea with the rest of the Gaang who was excited to spend some time together on the island.
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A/N: Zuko's visit to Ozai in the prison is based on a scene from The Promise, Part I.
Also, I never wrote out their visit to Ember Island with the Gaang, so that won't be in the next chapter which is titled "Saying Goodbye."