Peace or Not (Avatar Roleplay)

"So, let me guess, they're taking him to Azula?" Sokka asked with a frown.

"She would enjoy a live prisoner," Mai commented dryly, "Fodder for her mind games."

Sokka nodded, shivering a little as he remembered what Suki told him about her imprisonment at Azula's hands.

After binding Haru, the rebels dragged him into a prison-wagon. The wagon was made of hard material, rather than wood, as they had expected to capture Zuko. Metal and iron, however, would hold any earthbender save one just fine.

They set off quickly, and by the time dawn touched the sky they arrived at the stronghold Azula had taken for herself. They waited to be allowed entrance, or for the Fire Lord herself to acknowledge their presence.

Haru laid silently as they made their way to Azula. When Haru woke, his hands bound and his mouth gagged, he knew that he was taken prisioner. He was both upset and relieved to see that he was alone in the wagon. Unless of course the others were somewhere else.

They stopped and Haru looked at the door, his heart racing. He could only guess at what might happen next.
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"Great," Jet muttered, looking less and less pleased by the second. Shizuka looked at him concerned. She could almost understand what it was like being taken away from someone you love. She glanced quickly at Zuko after thinking this.

"And they know that we will want to rescue Haru as well," Zuko added.

"Finally awake, are you?"

The lead rebel glanced into the wagon-cell where they held Haru. He smirked at the captured earthbender.

"Took you long enough. Best look sharp. You're about to have an audience with the Fire Lord."

Haru would have made a comment, but he was still gagged. He wasn't sure why. Maybe they thought he'd insult Azula or something else.

But he did manage to glare at the lead rebel. If he could talk he would have said that Azula would never be Fire Lord. But he couldn't and he didn't want to look stupid by trying.

The rebel laughed nastily. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" he taunted.

"Sir!" said another rebel, coming up to stand beside the leader. "We have been given entrance."

"Very good."

The wagon rumbled back into motion, but this time they slipped into the mouth of a cave. They traveled deeper and deeper into the underground world. Only the fire cast by the benders amongst the rebels lit their way.

"Then we have to surprise them. How does Azula expect us to go about rescuing Haru?" Sokka asked, scratching his chin, a sure sign that he was trying to think of an idea.

"Full-frontal assault with a lot of Fire Nation troops?" Li suggested eagerly.

"That is a diplomatic incident waiting to happen," Mai sighed.

"I agree with Mai. Attacking with troops would mean that I view them as a serious threat," Zuko said. "I do view Azula as a threat, but a full frontal attack would be too big. I don't want to worry anyone just yet." He sighed. "I figure Azula knows that since she knows me so well."

The rebels took many twists and turns, enough that anyone unfamiliar with the underground caverns would have lost all sense of direction, before emerging into a well-lit cavern. Tents were scattered across the large area, so that the entire cavern looked like a small city or any army encampment.

Several armed people glanced up at their arrival.

"Notify the Fire Lord!" said the leader. "She will want to know what has happened."