A/N: I know, I know. I promised to update every two weeks, and this is about 10 days late now. Not owning a computer is quite troublesome. But that should change by next week. Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Ch 15: The Siege: Defending the South Wall

Soft-colored lanterns accent the lime-stone walls. The cherry colored roof tiles have deepened to blood red in the dark. General Senshurei stands, dark and gold armor shimmering in lantern-light. "My countrymen." The commoners became silent. The Royal Plaza existed only for the nobility. Never before had a commoner set foot inside. Yet the nobles were ambitious and deceitful; threatening to seize power from him at any moment. His weight among these filthy urchins would keep them subdued. Nevertheless, the ceremonial grounds would have to be cleaned of their stink the next day.

"I have called you here to lay bare my intent. Word of a coup have surfaced, ill-spirited and slanderous rumors that I have seized power. But this is not true. Let me begin by saying that we have all been betrayed. Firelord Zuko has betrayed the mandate of Agni, a calling most holy since the days of the first Fire Sages." Whispers rippled through the crowd. "You have seen the evidence of his acts. Closed munitions plants, worsening food shortages, and as our troops return home, an unprecedented job shortage. It is our destiny to bring order and prosperity to the world. Instead Firelord Zuko has ended all combat, and whored away our nation's assets." He sneered as the crowd howled. Vulgar terms never failed to incite them. Lantern light danced along the crowd , but the majority were hidden in darkness. They appeared like embers on a hearth, ready to be stoked again. With the proper tinder, they would burn to action as they did under Ozai.

"When my men and I returned to Capital City, I was disheartened. I confronted his Majesty about the slipping state of our nation. He laughed, and revealed his true intentions: he would have his nation rot to repay those that helped him seize the throne. Zuko cackled at the thought of murdering his father, Lord Ozai..." Traitor! Murderer! Their cries pressed Senshurei. Clenched fists punched the air. "Yes, the rumors are true. He confessed readily. I need not remind everyone that it was he who surrendered our great princess to the earth savages."

More cries, but Senshurei yelled over them. "My people, I confess that I could not bare this disrespect." He clutched at his heart, bowing his head slightly. "I challenged Firelord Zuko to an Agni Kai. Our former lord fought madly for his throne and power, but Lord Agni saw the trueness of my intentions, and smiled upon me that night. I had nearly bested Zuko, when he was rescued by the Avatar and his bison." They were quiet. The faces he could see were expectant, like a polar bear pup looking for guidance. I have admitted my treason, and they do not condemn my actions. They are mine. "Since that day, my colleagues and I have worked without rest to regain what Zuko has squandered. We will restore our nation's honor until a true Firelord is determined."

Cheers scattered the still air. "In this moment, General Kuma prepares an assault to retake the Earth Kingdom capital. We will not only reclaim our greatest victory, but we may rescue our glorious Princess Azula, the true heir to lord Ozai."

Frenzy took the plaza. Their hearts palpitated with thundering drums. Their exiled princess had long been a beacon of strength, now she was all they had. Stray fire wisps and curls lit the air, apparently there were some benders in the gathering.

"Onward to glory and our true destiny!" Senshurei summoned a fire trail straight across the plaza.

/***/

"I heard some men saying we will not last a week," Jin wrapped her fingers around a cup of Oolong tea. She leaned forward, eyes searching for reassurance.

"That, is certainly possible." Azula drummed her finger nails against the tabletop. Jin skipped a breath, simply staring for some seconds.

"How can you be so calm?"

"Worrying is pointless. If you can do something about your situation, then don't worry because there's hope. If you can't do anything, then worrying won't save you."

"Yeah, but which is it?" Jin's palms weighed the options in the air.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough." Jin sighed and looked away. What did she want? I'm not about to tuck you in, and say everything will be okay. "Look, you've faced this before. It's only been about three months since I took Ba Sing Se. You know they won't hurt civilians."

"It's not the same," her voice was a rustle in the wind. She stopped staring at the table and gave back her attention.

"Why not?"

"Because...I know someone who is fighting this time around." Jin's right hand reached forward where Azula reclined with arms crossed,before resting on the table.

Silence. And a tenseness like the rare moments Azula had disappointed Father. Except Jin's irises were low, and her mouth drooped; she was worried.

Words came slowly, and more detached than she'd wanted, "I appreciate your concern. You needn't worry." Jin wasn't eased one bit. "I can't die until I restore my honor," she grinned. Spirits, I sound like Zuko. Jin nodded, giving a flicker of a smile, then bringing up her teacup. "I didn't visit to provide reassurance. I came because, I'd like for you to have something." She dropped a ragged pouch on the table, her share of the earthbender's wager. "The coming weeks will be difficult. The price of food and commodities will certainly rise."

"Thank you."

Azula stretched out a hand as she stood to leave. "See to it that you and your family survive because I'm not the grieving type." Jin came around. Her hand went to meet Azula's, but went over it instead. Azula stiffened at the unexpected hug. She saluted the girl on her way out.

Ba Sing Se would not sleep tonight. Candle light shone from most peasant huts, their indistinct chatter diffusing into the streets and mixing with clapping feet against the stone walkways. Even in the filthier streets, a Prefect Squadron patrol stood at every intersection, ostrich horse sniffing the cobbled road. Azula walked on, past the thinning streets leading into the city's farm lands.

There was a solitary road now, earthen and pebbled, winding in the dark. She came to a sharp bend in the path, next to a large cherry oak, crowned in leafy limbs and silhouetted against the moon. A small pond blotted the meadow beside the tree. Azula knelt before the oak, and pulled a roll of paper from an arm sleeve. She bent down to smooth the parchment against the grass. Portrait drawing was a skill of the nobles; for once it had proved useful. She had labored for hours getting her father's stern, focused expression just right. Azula framed the portrait with a prayer stick on each side and a small candle in the center. She exhaled, lighting the adornments. Incense filled the air and her mind.

"Lord Agni, master of the skies above,

By your power we are born,

By your wisdom we are guided in life,

By your command we pass at the last,

Grant eternal rest to your fallen son, Firelord Ozai,

...forever and ever."

Her eyes opened. "I am sorry father." His eyes glowed in the candle light, almost living amber. "I failed to defend you." The slice of Mai's blades pierced her again; Ty Lee's jabs pounded her back once more. "I failed to Avenge you." Zuko stood before her again, just before she'd backed out of killing him. "But I will not fail our family's legacy. I promise you," Her fingers pinched the prayer sticks, snuffing them out. She began folding the portrait, fingers passing twice over every crease, until she had made a perfect paper vessel. She cradled the candle nub that remained inside the paper ship, then set it against the gleaming pond. It circled the swimming lotus flowers before crisp flames began eating it away, and the ship sank. Howe and Shue will know my worth before this siege ends.

/***/

Ordered platoons segmented the Earth palace square, a patchwork of Fire Nation reds and blacks among the olive green of foot soldiers and deeper shades of earthbending units: Dai Li, Earth King Royal Guard, and elite military benders. More distinguished participants stood at the front. Azula at the head of her Dai Li units, Haru and Toph boxing her in. Zuko, Iroh and Jeong Jeong each with a portion of Fire Nation deserters. I guess Mai and Ty Lee were left out? Azula wore the same uniform as when she conquered the Great City. For that reason, perhaps, she found the attire comfortable, though it offered no protection. Earth Kingdom armor was dreadfully heavy.

"The day has come." General Howe extended his arms, gesturing at the assembly. Earth King Kuei sat behind him on a raised throne. The Avatar at his side. "Our city is surrounded, our ports are sealed in. General Shue guards the Western Gates this minute as the Fire Nation marches. They will come, but they will fail. Our walls are impregnable. We will outlast them, like we always have." A short and blunt speech, typical earthbender style.

The units filed out, their faces hard like their native element. South of the Earth palace, they arrived at Sing Hua Juncture. One platoon to a rail car, they lumbered over the inner ring's lush greens and gilded scarlet rooftops. The stony transports grinding steadily against the monorail tracks that cast the entire city in a net.

Titanic. The only word adequate to describe Ba Sing Se. Without these transports, we could not effectively mobilize our troops. Azula's unit approached the wall at last, below a quilt of wheat fields, onions, and rice paddies. She looked out, roaring heatswept her face. A trebuchet shot streaked 20 feet in front of her, then plummeted through an archway supporting the track. She raced to the benders moving the carrier, "Faster, or they will take the southern wall before we arrive!" Munitions rained from beyond the wall, spreading wide. Carriers behind them forked left and right to put out fires, Zuko's group and several non-benders.

The car docked beside a narrow passageway with a narrow flight of stairs leading up to a wall shelter. Open air, rectangular shelters like this studded the great wall, providing shelter for the wounded and storage for supplies. Something impacted the front wall, making the shelter shake and the ceiling rain dust and pebbles. Dai Li agents rushed out in arrow formation, Azula at the front, Toph and Haru at the wings. Another blast shrieked like an owl-bat before shattering just in front of them. Flaming tongues lashed out toward them, enough to consume most of the unit. Azula's arms spread wide then circled right, shooting the blaze back where it came from.

"They got the jump on us, we have to counterattack," the blind earthbender levitated a boulder with each hand, then threw them down.

"Clearly," Azula saw the agents begin striking as well. In unison, their li hats bowed to the enemy, right hands shooting out of their robes, sharp projectiles rushing down. Not one missed his mark. The rock shards punctured necks, skulls and arms; twenty trebuchet operators fell dead. Their left hands repeated the move, as their right folded back.

"You two will not last this battle, if you continue fighting like that," Azula volleyed a blue fire ball, blowing a trebuchet man off his machine. She turned to the younger earthbenders.

"Get this Haru," Toph hurtled another boulder. "Miss Sunshine thinks she can give us earthbending advice." He shrugged before his own attack crumpled a trebuchet like a tin can.

"Don't take everything so personally. If you keep using whole boulders, you'll tire before midday." And of course we'll run out of ammunition before obtaining resupplies. "Strike down the machine attendants. Be efficient."

"But..." Toph and Haru protested.

"I guess it never occurred to you that you might have to bloody your hands,"Behind the Fire Nation artillery, footmen poured forward, looking like ants from the wall top. Their faces glared with violent, red face paint. Yu Yan Archers. "Do as I say."

She ran to the Dai Li, "take out those bowmen!" Rock spikes streaked toward the archers, the agents' dark robes whipped the air. A dozen among the first wave fell, the remaining archers took cover behind the trebuchets and returned fire. Bowstrings twanged like far off drums, sending arrows darting like lightning. Both arms shot from Azula's waist, bending a wide band that swallowed many arrows. Surviving arrows struck their mark. Two agent thudded against the floor, heads split through. Another dropped to his knees then crouched over, his heart pierced. Their half formed rock walls collapsed with them.

"Do you understand now?" Toph and Haru ran to the fallen, but Azula waved them back. She launched a fire crescent. "Keep fighting." Arrows swarmed down, like a rushing locust horde. Toph stomped the floor covering the three in an earth tent, arrows clattered against all sides. There's too many of them. The Dai Li were pinned as well. Fresh artillery blasts hammered at the wall, just short of their cover. The Fire Nation siege men had regained their courage. They will blow us off the wall at this rate. "Can you earthbend some dust around the archers?" She turned to a scarred Dai Li agent.

"Impossible. They're too far away."

"Leave that to us," Toph pulled Haru away, both crouching toward a rock pile. Haru began grinding the stones to dust.

"We need to give them time, focus on the artillery" she scattered some fire disks. The agents began dismantling their barricades top down, each layer, a wave of stone shards cutting down the artillery men like blades of grass. Arrows came in flocks, Azula couldn't get a good shot in. Instead, her arms moved back and forth wildly, she carpeted the Yu Yan center with fire blasts. She couldn't deter all of them, but their barricade did its work too.

A pair of boulders trailed her fire blasts. They crossed over each other, then crashed on the left and right flanks. Dust clouds mushroomed, swallowing the archers. "We got 'em," the blind earthbender shook her fists.

"Now, destroy the artillery," Azula waved the Dai Li over the wall. They clung to the wall's face with stone boots and gloves, shooting down the remaining artillery men. She turned to the Avatar's friends. "You two, keep the archers under cover." Yu Yan arrows streaked harmlessly above the Dai Li. Azula alternated her punches, dispatching eight scatter shots at a time, more likely than not they would find a mark within the dust cover. A rare arrow would disrupt her attacks, before she waved it off with a flaming arc. Haru and Toph prepared more dust bombs, pounding Yu Yan ranks with periodic charges.

Only a trickle of trebuchet shots came now, most machines stood unattended. The air became still; arrows had stopped falling. "Pull back," the agents slid back up, taking cover behind the battlements. "Cease fire," she ordered Toph and Haru. "We need to see their movements. Using the Yu Yan has become expensive. They will retreat now."

"Aren't you barking a lot of orders today," Toph crossed her arms.

"That tends to happen when you're in charge." She took a whistle to her lips, blowing a tearing cry. The unit's messenger hawk responded, landing on her outstretched arm. She turned to the blistered and scarred croplands. Artillery wouldn't be a problem for the moment, Zuko could provide some reinforcements. She scribbled a quick message and sealed the hawk's canister.

A forest of spears and pole arms had marched to the front, breaking into ranks. General Kuma's other units hid behind a horizon of these infantry men. Fantastic. But how do you intend to scale the wall?"Don't stand there. Attack." Dai Li agents broke their defensive stances, firing stone shards into the formations. Front-most spears wavered in the air, then clambered down; those behind trampling and occasionally falling over them. "Spread your attacks." Earthen boots glided over the wall top, the agents snaked back and forth, dealing shots evenly. But the marching tide could not be repelled. They stopped A hundred feet before the wall, beating their cold, iron chest plates with a free hand, creating a tremor of fury.

Steam hissed and whistled free on either flank, large coal-colored tanks, lurched toward the wall, one machine per unit. Too large for scaling the wall. What are they for? "You two," Toph and Haru stiffened. "Bombard those tanks." The two earthbenders heaved, and pelted the machines, boulders crashing but rolling off harmlessly, crushed under monstrous tank treads.

"This isn't working," Haru huffed, as he lifted another stone.

"I could hit their treads close up. That'll stop them," Toph raised a short, diagonal column to demonstrate.

"Too dangerous. Hit the occupants instead" Azula shot through the fire bending ports built into each tank. It was too late for that, however. The treads ground to a halt. Plumes of steam discharged from the exhaust pipes, only warm and humid by the time it pelted their faces. Azula's ears stiffened at the clank of metal interlocking. Strangely close. A ladder flew through the scattering steam, crashing right in front of her. Stone flew and she was knocked off her feet. She got up, more of them crashing down, clamping on the wall's battlements. Fire Nation soldiers scrambled up the ladders."Knock them down!"

Toph squatted, executing a downward palm strike that dislodged three of the ladders, before moving on. Haru and the agents had already gotten to the rest. But they hadn't fallen. As the steam cleared below, Azula noticed each ladder extending like a long, narrow arm attached to its tank. Of course.

They struck the ladders directly instead. Rocks banged and warped each one, rolling down into the climbing troops. "Ugh," a Dai Li collapsed to her right, pierced through the heart, followed by another gurgling blood at the throat.

More Yu Yan? Inside the tanks? She flipped into a sweep kick, a flaming arc intercepting a flock of arrows. "Archers, take cover!". Stone walls grew out of the ground, everyone crouching low. Their assault on the ladders continued, less bold than before from behind their cover. Azula focused her attacks on the concealed archers; hopping out of cover just long enough to snuff out the glint of an arrow tip with a well aimed fire blast. She moved all along the wall, careful she wasn't anticipated.

It wasn't enough. On either flank, the footmen had reached the top. Smugness shone on their faces as they charged. Think you've outmaneuvered me? Come and get it. She swept the ground with a kick, projecting a flaming crescent. Zuko's signature move. They toppled like pins. I've been waiting for this. "You two, defend our right flank," Toph and Haru ran up, stances ready. I've got the left. She smothered their center with a large fire blast.

Three left. The rest were blown to the ground, on fire and thrashing about. A spear point lunged toward her ribs. Azula deflected with her left, running a flaming palm strike into his face. Three punches beneath the armor dropped the next man. The last spear clanked against the ground. The soldier on his knees, "princess..."

"On your feet. Stand and fight for your nation!" she kicked his side. His hands shook, fumbling the dropped spear. "Cowards like you do not deserve live." Her fist clenched a flaming dagger. She cut his neck, dropping him like a rag doll at her feet. Azula heard a noise behind her. The blind earthbender stood, eyes wide. For a second, she looked like a little girl who stumbled into battle. Azula's brows narrowed, "what is it?"

She took a moment to answer. Was she judging her? Did she still not understand mercy was a liability on the battlefield? "There's too many. They're pushing us back." Azula looked over, Haru and Dai Li agents pushed against the footmen with large stone tablets. Fire Nation were piling against the shields, pushing forward in sheer numbers. Fresh troops flooded the wall on her side, many more than before. With fewer numbers, their center was crumbling as well; a couple of men climbed over and unsheathed short swords. "Head for the wall shelter," she threw a fireball over Haru and the agents, blasting a group off the wall.

If we fight from one side, their numbers count for less. Dai Li agents and the Avatar's friends surfed the wall's interior face , going around the assailants. Azula rushed them instead, spears pointed straight at her. She leaped as her palms went down, fire roaring at her feet and hands, trailing behind her. The spears' cold, hard points passed inches from her face. Some threw their weapons, but the opportunity flew by too quickly. She gave them a good volley on the way down. To her right the Sun hung low. They need hold on only a few hours more.

/***/

They had defended well. The piled Fire Nation casualties, were proof of that. Still, to have conceded part of the Wall, however briefly, is unacceptable. If Zuko had arrived earlier, their forces could have been more offensive. Her units were near collapsing when his firebenders arrived. Honestly, the Dai Li were more suited to discrete missions than protracted warfare.

She stopped staring at the night-cloaked fields, smoke still wafting from below. The Avatar and Bison had taken residence inside the wall shelter. His filthy clothes were torn and a little bloody. His friends circled him, looking no better; dirt and dried sweat dusted their grim expressions. Except for Ty Lee, whose hands hid her face entirely.

"Liven up. This is only the first day of many to come," she stalked past, hands behind her back.

"Easy for you to say. You live for this sort of thing, Miss Sunshine," Toph sat picking at her feet. The others turned up to stare at Azula. Their silence confirming agreement with the earthbender. What do any of you know?

"Excuse me, CaptainAzula," a Dai Li agent stepped out of the shadows. His li hat partially hiding a wide scar creasing his face across one eye. "A message from General Howe."

"Dismissed." He bowed then slid away as she waved him off. Her fingers ran along the verdant trim, opening the scroll. She scanned the general's blunt characters down to the military seal ending the communique. "It seems, my units have the lowest casualty count of any commanding officer. By half." The Avatar's ears perked up, and the others turned to her once more. Zuko opened his mouth about to say something before she cut in, "You're right, I guess I do have a talent for this. Good night, dead weights."

She retreated to a three-walled enclosure with a desk. Though it looked much more like an ostrich-horse dipped a bamboo brush to ink, and set it to parchment when a shadow blocked her light. "Zuzu..." she didn't even look up. "No, I'm not interested in playing with you or your little friends," she mocked.

"I'd like for you to get to know the group. At least have some tea with us."

"No..." she continued writing.

"What are you doing anyway?"

"Honestly Zuko, you play the pestering little sister better than me," she dipped the brush. "If it pleases you, I'm authoring a request to General Howe. He's impressed, and that means my words will carry a little more weight now. As you can see I'm quite busy," she waved him off. A ink blot struck a corner of the parchment as she did so, marring her otherwise perfect script. She frowned.

"Good night, Azula."

A/N: I'll try to be a little more punctual next time around. But I must confess I was also plagued with a bit of writer's block for this chapter. Hopefully, I've gotten past this little spell.

Anyway, let me know what you think. What did you like, or dislike? Or in general what you think of the story so far. For anyone willing, I'd like to know if my attempts to bring you inside the characters are at least somewhat successful (suggestions in this regard are much appreciated). I have a big tendency to write in a very detached way; there's little emotion in my writing usually.

Best,

Huitzilopoctli11