Li wandered the halls of the prison. Only the most dangerous prisoners were locked in his father’s prison. Even now, the man who used to be the dragon of the west, Iroh himself, was locked in one of the cells. Apparently a new prisoner arrived from the northern water tribe.
He wanted to meet them, maybe see someone like him other than his mother. He heard the small drips of the pipes, and couldn’t help but wonder if they were a bender.
His feet echoed in the hollow halls of the prison. His torch illuminated the darkness. It was late, close to midnight. He knew the prisoner was most likely asleep. Yet he couldn’t help but want to see them. Would theu be like him? Dark skin and brown hair with pale blue eyes. His mother said his eyes were like the ocean from back home. He hoped they’d look like him.
He couldn’t help but feel his heart squeeze when he saw them. Their mouth was bound shut and their arms were bound in dark metal cuffs. They were stuck on their knees and had their head lowered.
Their eyes met his when he opened the door and he hated that they stared at him with a sick sense of hope. They’d saw him as one of their own. And it made him feel sick.
“..You’re.. uhm.. you were the one who almost destroyed an entire fleet. Impressive.”
He gulped, seeing their face change to one of hate. He knew what they thought of him. Traitor. And he couldn’t help but feel like one. He knew his past. How his father abandoned his mother. How a Firenation General saved her and raised him as his own.
Yet he still felt like he was betraying them. A stranger.
“The Firelord Ozai is trying to unite the nations into one world. ..He means well.”
He saw them staring at him like they wanted to gut him like a fish.
“I’m sorry..”
He whispered softly, leaning down to take off their gag.
“Please.. say something.”