The man watched as Ro and Azula took off on Hira, his comrads staring from behind him. "The boy was lying."

"Anyone could see that, Mongke." One of the others chuckled.

"Then you know we need to follow him." Mongke announced. "Their eel hound is fast but our rhinos can keep pace enough to keep them in our sights. Not to mention our contacts in the desert can point us in the right direction."

All the men nodded in agreement then saddled up. They took off in the direction the eel hound and its riders had gone, following its tracks in the sand. Moving fast was important when tracking the desert. If the wind picked up the tracks would be covered. Though they had informants in the desert who could possobly point them in the right direction, there was no guarantee. All they could do was keep moving forward.

After hours of riding they reached the edge of the desert. A large forest was spread before them, the brush hiding anyone inside.

"What now?" One of the men asked.

"Patience Vachir." Mongke said. "We'll find them. There's a river that flows through these woods. After travelling through the desert they likely stopped for a drink. Let's find the river then follow it. If I'm right, we'll find them before nightfall. Let's head in and stay vigilant. Our best chance is catching them off guard."

Elsewhere in the forest......

Hira drank from the river while Ro and Azula refilled their canteens. Their ride through the desert had been quiet. Ro hadn't said a word since they left the Oasis. What had he been so keen on going after?

"Are we staying here or are we going to move on?" Azula asked, breaking the silence.

Ro stared at his reflection in the water then closed his eyes. He remained silent, not answering her question.

"Okay, what is going on with you?" Azula asked, growing aggitated. "You've been silent since we left and now you're ignoring me!? What was so important that you dragged us out there anyway? Answer me!"

Ro stood up slowly, turning his head to meet her gaze. His eyes narrowed. "Is that an order, Princess Azula?"

"What....What did you call me?" Azula asked, frozen in place. He couldn't know. He couldn't.

"Princess Azula. That is your name and title is it not?" Ro asked coldly. "Or should I just keep calling you Mai for old times sake?"

Azula's guard went up. She was exposed. "Who told you who I am!? How did you figure it out!?"

"There was a group of men at the bar." Ro explained. "They showed me a wanted poster with your picture. It said you were unstable and highly dangerous. That you escaped from an institution and committed crimes against the crown. I knew there was something up with you. That you were hiding something. Now I know. You're an insane princess from the family who sent my parents to their deaths!"

Azula looked away from him, focusing her gaze on the water. Ro had no idea what really went on behind the palace walls. How little power she'd actually had under her father's constant watch. Her only purpose was to make her father look good. Be the perfect princess, perfect daughter, perfect firebender. Always perfect.

"I tried to warn you Azula." He father's image appeared in the water. "He will never accept you. You are his enemy."

"Go away father." Azula pleaded quietly, tears running down her cheeks. "You're not real."

"But he is." Ozai warned. "If you let him go he'll have you captured. Zuko will have you locked away. You'll spend the rest of your life a prisoner. Kill him Azula. Do not let him take your freedom."

"Azula what are you doing?" Ro asked. "Who are you talking to? There's no one else here. Come on, you need help. Maybe if you go home you can get better."

"See?" Ozai hissed. "He wants to take you back. He'll get the reward and leave you. Ro doesn't care about you."

Azula clenched her fists. She turned to Ro, her eyes wild and crazed. "I'm never going back!"

Ro barely had time to react when the first wave of fire came at him. He split the flames and dispersed them before creating a wall of his own fire to block Azula's attacks. He had to get away from her. She wasn't thinking clearly.

"Azula stop!" Ro yelled, as she brought down his wall. "There's no need to fight!"

Ozai's voice echoed in her head. "He wants to make you vulnerable so he can attack. Keep fighting Azula. Do not let him bring you down as the water tribe girl did."

"No!" Azula screamed, launching attack after attack at Ro. "I will not be made a fool of! You will not defeat me!"

Ro was forced back as he did his best to block each of her attacks. Azula was strong. Much stronger than the day she attacked him at the river near his cave. Another round of forceful attacks made Ro slide back across the ground. He blocked the attack but his heel hit a rock sticking up from the soil and he fell back. Ro failed his arms to the side in an attempt to keep himself upright but it left an opening for Azula. She thrust her fist forward, sending a blast of fire into his chest. Ro cried out and fell to the ground.

Azula froze in her tracks, seeing what she had done. She had burned Ro. Hira took advantage of her shock and ran forward, placing herself between Ro and Azula. She growled lowly in warning, watching Azula carefully.

Ro grabbed onto Hira's leg and pulled himself to his feet. Hira bent down to make it easier for him to get on her back. Ro climbed on, groaning as he laid himself against the back of her neck.

"Go Hira. Get us out of here."

Hira took off into the woods, disappearing in a matter of seconds. Azula watched them go then dropped to the ground, wrapping her arms around herself. A loud wail escaped her lips as she rocked back and forth. Ro was gone. She'd burned him, hurting the only person who had stayed by her side when the people of the earth kingdom village cast them out. She was alone once again.

Azula didn't know how long she'd been crying when there was a rustling in the bushes. Her head shot up and she looked towards the sound.

"Ro?" Azula asked, hopefully.

"Nope." Mongke smirked, emerging from the trees. "Unfortunately I think you scared off your little boyfriend for good. If you didn't kill him."

"No!" Azula started to get up when she felt a small jab in the side of her neck. Then she immediately collapsed on the ground, unable to move. "What have you done to me!?"

Mongke looked across the river at his comrad who was smirking from behind the bamboo pipe he'd used to shoot the blow dart. "Well done Vachir. Your aim never ceases to amaze me."

"What did you do to me!" Azula shouted, though she couldn't move.

Mongke crouched down, pulling the dart from her neck. "This, princess, is a dart that was filled with shirshu venom. With the dose you just got, you won't be able to move for a few hours. Not to worry, we have enough to keep you immobile until we reach the fire nation palace."

"Do you know what my brother will do to me?" Azula asked. "He'll lock me away for the rest of my life!"

"As long as I get my money, I don't care what the young fire lord does with you." Mongke scoffed, standing up. "Shackle her up boys and let's head for the palace. We have a big pay day to collect."

"No!" Azula screamed, silently begging her body to move. This couldn't be happening. "I'm not going back! I won't let you take me back!"

Mongke got on his rhino. "Face it princess. You're going home. Now, you can either come quietly or we'll quiet you ourselves."

Azula didn't hear Mongke. Her focus had turned to the two men who were coming towards her with chains. Panic engulfed her and the need to get away took hold despite her paralysis.

"No!" Azula screamed as they flipped her on her stomach. "Get away from me! You can't do this to me! I won't be my brother's prisoner! I won't be locked away like my father! Let go of me!"

Azula's screaming became more and more manic as they shackled her wrists behind her back then shackled her ankles together. Tears were pouring down her face as Yeh-Lu threw her over his shoulder and carried her over to Mongke's rhino.

Azula was wailing loudly when Yeh-Lu laid her across the back of the Rhino. Mongke rolled his eyes. "Yeh-Lu, clearly she's not going to shut up. Gag her then put the bag over her head. I don't want anyone seeing her face. The princess is high dollar cargo."

"Yes sir." Yeh-Lu nodded. He tied a piece of cloth around Azula's head, muffling her screams then put a bag over her head as well.

Mongke nodded in approval. "Much better. Now let's go boys. We have what we want."