Blood and Tears
Chapter 1: The Journey Begins
My head hurt, a lot. The throbbing pulsed in the rhythm of my beating heart and made me sick to my stomach. I sat up, and a new wave of pain washed over me. I opened my eyes and let them adjust to the dim light in the small room watching as only a few tiny rays of light filtered in here and there through the wood. In the corner I spotted movement and I made a move to grab my sword. It wasn't there. It along with my blood spattered clothes were gone, replaced with a thin white linen robe.
"Oh good, you're up," A low male voice said from the corner. The figure rose and I noticed my sword in his hands. He took a few steps into a beam of light and allowed me to look at his face. He was middle aged with only a few wrinkles and forest green eyes that matched his robe. His light brown hair was cut very short out of his tan face. His skin was tan, like that of mine. He came closer and held out a hand to me to help me up. I only gazed at him.
"We have a lot to talk about young warrior," He said, his hand still outstretched. I took it and he helped me up, the pain getting worse as I moved about. We walked out of the shack and to a near by tree overlooking the bustling city of Ba Sing Se. He helped me sit and I rested heavily on the thick trunk of the tree.
"My name is Lee Ten and I fought in Lord Ozai's army. No need to introduce yourself, I know who you are I even fought on your side the last half of the war. The reason you are here, is that you are still in danger, even though the war has been won."
"How long have I been out?" I asked my voice hoarse and weak. I still hurt everywhere. As Lee began to talk I closed my eyes listening intently but blocking out as much of the pain as I could by shutting out the light.
"Only two days, you only missed the crowning of Fire Lord Zuko and his speech along with his speech with the Avatar."
"Zuko…" I said opening my eyes and gazing at Lee. He was telling the truth about Zuko. Zuko….
"That's not the important thing that matters. What matters now is your life; Azula has spies looking for you everywhere. She's bent on revenge, but I'm afraid only you two know the reason why. She is in prison along with her father, but it's not going to keep her from lashing out. She won't rest in her cell until she knows that you have paid the price," Lee explained as calmly and as seriously as he could. I nodded understanding completely what I had at hand. Then Lee gave me the most curious look.
"What happened out there? I remember fighting with an old friend, and then….everything goes black….."
"My wife Ursa and I were helping out with the war efforts, her helping the wounded while I was fighting in the war. But that all changed the night when she saw you amongst the fighting, she had to go help you. There was nothing I could do to stop it. She took a fatal blow for you and it cost her life. She knew that you had to help make the world a better place, that you had a lot more you still hadn't done. You were in a comma in the tiny intensive care center, and Ursa was slowly dying when she wrote three letters. She told me about you, and that you were like her daughter and that she knew you would safely deliver her other two letters," Lee explained, tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. I took the letters he handed me and held them in my hand trying hard to keep my emotions hidden.
"I'm sorry to hear that Ursa is dead, she really was like a mother to me. I wish there was more I could to repay your kindness and that of Ursa's."
"All I ask is that you deliver this letters, for Ursa, my wife. Please Raine, for your mother."
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
It had been two days, 48 hours since the war had ended, and within those two days I had begun the search for my mother. My problem, I did not know where to start. Luckily, my friends were coming with me, because I had learned, that I was nothing without them.
"Zuko….can I have a word real fast?" Sokka asked me as we where packing up Aang's flying bison Appa. I nodded and we stepped aside to let Katara and Aang finish up the loading.
"Sure Sokka, what's up?"
"While we are looking for your mother, can we search for my sister too? My other sister I mean; my twin? She was taken from us when mom died in the Fire Nation attack, and I heard that she had been fighting in the war. I'm hoping I can find her," Sokka told me. I nodded and clapped him on the shoulder and told him I'd help him look for her, and that we could start looking for her first. He thanked me and we joined the others. I went to talk to Aang and let him know what was going on.
"There's another one? I would have never guessed," Aang mused. From the other side of the courtyard there was a yell. I turned to see Sokka and Katara yelling at each other.
"Sokka, we both know Raine is dead, so give it up!"
"She's not dead, I know she's alive, my twin sister is alive I can feel it!"
"Oh, here we go again with the whole 'twin crap'! I just wish you would learn to accept the fact that she died! Why is she more important than mom?"
"Because mom never really understood me, but Raine, she knew what I was feeling almost before I felt it. She taught me things mom couldn't teach me! Katara, she's our sister, our flesh and blood, and I can't leave her to die!" Sokka said storming off. I looked at the sky and the setting sun. We had left way later than I had wanted too. I gave my hand to Katara as she walked over and helped her on. As we left we didn't talk and I fell asleep leaning against my pack.
I was hiding with Azula in dad's chamber behind a huge banner watching as a young darker skinned girl came in accompanied by six guards. As she walked she kept her head held high and she walked very calmly, as if she was going on a stroll. Her clothes were blue like that of the Water Tribe people.
"This is going to be good," Azula said. I watched curiously as the girl walked by us turning and winking a deep blue eye at me as if to say "Don't worry about me, I'll be okay, I promise."
"What is all of this? Why is this girl here, with six of you escorting her in?!" Father yelled. One of the guards cleared his throat and spoke up.
"This is the one sire, the one who wrecked our ship and four others," the guard said trying to stay calm. Father stared at the scene unfolding before him in pure disbelief. He looked at the girl and leaned forward, thinking hard.
"How old are you child?"
"I'm eight sir," She replied still very calm. Father let out a small laugh. He stared at her, unable to take his eyes off of her. He instructed the general to tell him what had happened. Once the general finished he bit his lip, again thinking.
"Where did you learn to fight girl?"
"My father taught me the basics; I learned the rest on my own. I even practice three times a day," She told him simply as if she was talking about a pet. I watched as Father's gaze drifted over to our hiding spot, and I held my breath. We were in trouble now.
"Too young to go fight in the war, and she's a young woman, we can't send them to fight...but this one has promise she does…………you'll be a personal slave to family until you turn the age of twenty and then you will fight in the war. How would you like that, kids?" Father said. I came out of hiding my head bowed and let Azula do all the talking. She was the one that got me into this anyway.
"Yes sir, we both would like that very much."
"Good, then it is set."
I woke up with a start right as Appa landed in a safe place to rest for the night. The stars shone above me and I sighed heavily. I rubbed my face into my hands thinking about my recollection of the past.
"I should have known."