Man, this prompt just gave me the best excuse to go back and read suzukiblu’s “Without a Fight” (http://community.livejournal.com/white_knuckle/42561.html) and “Never Give Up" (http://community.livejournal.com/white_knuckle/58972.html).
“The Fire Lord’s son is a welcome guest any time,” Zhao drawled, eyes half closed and smug. “What brings you to my harbor?”
Zuko tried to bully his face out of its scowl. In the quiet, Zhao drummed his fingers against his arm, smirking as he watched his prince squirm. “My ship’s being repaired.”
Zhao’s smirk widened as he looked. “That’s quite a bit of damage.”
“Yes.” Zuko’s eyes darted around anxiously. “You wouldn’t believe what happened.”
Zhao pressed his face close to Zuko’s, mouth still smiling. “Really? You must regale me with all the thrilling details.” His mouth was still smiling, but his eyes were narrowed.
Shooting Zhao another glare, he ducked around the commander. “Sorry, but I have to go see about the repairs.”
“Don’t be silly, Prince Zuko. My soldiers will take care of it.” Zhao put his arm up to block Zuko’s path. “We wouldn’t want you to have to delay your important mission.” Clicking his tongue, he circle Zuko. He put his hand on the prince’s shoulder and clamped his fingers down, pushing away from the docks and his ship and towards Zhao’s tent. Zuko clenched his teeth and snarled through them under his breath, but there was nothing he could really do. It was Zhao’s port.
Zuko hunched his shoulders and his feet crunched on the snow. Zhao’s hand squashed his armor down into his skin. “And by year’s end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule.”
“What?” Zuko lifted his head up. “Sorry, lost track of what you were saying,” he muttered resentfully.
Zhao snorted. “The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war.”
Zuko pushed Zhao’s hand off his shoulder. “If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool.”
“Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue.” Zhao’s lip curled. “So, how is your search for the Avatar going?”
A cold sweat broke out over Zuko’s skin, under his armor. “We haven’t found him yet.”
The commander shoved Zuko through the tent flaps. They swung around him as he stumbled. He shoved his arms out to block his fall, but he caught himself and let them fall to his sides as he gazed around the room. There was a massive map on one wall with pins for each platoon of Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom soldiers. Zuko didn’t get much information about the war anymore.
Zhao’s boots hissed against the rugs. He brought his hands down onto Zuko’s shoulders and shoved him down into a metal ship’s chair. “Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago, along with the rest of the airbenders. Unless you found some evidence that the Avatar is alive.”
Zuko swallowed and stared straight at the commander. “No. Nothing.”
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branchandroot
Ozai doesn’t allow the Dragon of the West to join Zuko in exile Pt. 1/3
Date: 2010-10-11 10:56 pm (UTC)“The Fire Lord’s son is a welcome guest any time,” Zhao drawled, eyes half closed and smug. “What brings you to my harbor?”
Zuko tried to bully his face out of its scowl. In the quiet, Zhao drummed his fingers against his arm, smirking as he watched his prince squirm. “My ship’s being repaired.”
Zhao’s smirk widened as he looked. “That’s quite a bit of damage.”
“Yes.” Zuko’s eyes darted around anxiously. “You wouldn’t believe what happened.”
Zhao pressed his face close to Zuko’s, mouth still smiling. “Really? You must regale me with all the thrilling details.” His mouth was still smiling, but his eyes were narrowed.
Shooting Zhao another glare, he ducked around the commander. “Sorry, but I have to go see about the repairs.”
“Don’t be silly, Prince Zuko. My soldiers will take care of it.” Zhao put his arm up to block Zuko’s path. “We wouldn’t want you to have to delay your important mission.” Clicking his tongue, he circle Zuko. He put his hand on the prince’s shoulder and clamped his fingers down, pushing away from the docks and his ship and towards Zhao’s tent. Zuko clenched his teeth and snarled through them under his breath, but there was nothing he could really do. It was Zhao’s port.
Zuko hunched his shoulders and his feet crunched on the snow. Zhao’s hand squashed his armor down into his skin. “And by year’s end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule.”
“What?” Zuko lifted his head up. “Sorry, lost track of what you were saying,” he muttered resentfully.
Zhao snorted. “The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war.”
Zuko pushed Zhao’s hand off his shoulder. “If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool.”
“Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue.” Zhao’s lip curled. “So, how is your search for the Avatar going?”
A cold sweat broke out over Zuko’s skin, under his armor. “We haven’t found him yet.”
The commander shoved Zuko through the tent flaps. They swung around him as he stumbled. He shoved his arms out to block his fall, but he caught himself and let them fall to his sides as he gazed around the room. There was a massive map on one wall with pins for each platoon of Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom soldiers. Zuko didn’t get much information about the war anymore.
Zhao’s boots hissed against the rugs. He brought his hands down onto Zuko’s shoulders and shoved him down into a metal ship’s chair. “Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago, along with the rest of the airbenders. Unless you found some evidence that the Avatar is alive.”
Zuko swallowed and stared straight at the commander. “No. Nothing.”