She hated it. Five years ago she might have been someone but an accident she could not remember erased those memories she could not recall. She forced herself not to shudder as the man above her ran a hand over her bare stomach. This man, like so many others, was a customer at The Joyous Court, the high-class brothel where she worked. She might have been someone once, the ruby ring on her left ring finger could attest to that, but now she was nothing more than a whore. A woman to be used purely by men as an object for pleasure. This was her hell. This was her life.
Five years ago she had wandered into the bordello, pregnant, battered, with no memory and no home. Madame Ming, the bordello's owner, had taken her in, seeing nothing but a beautiful woman with unique, bright blue eyes who might draw customers like moths to a flame. Madame Ming had even named her: Bokahn, meaning "one who has no name". Nine months later the twins were born, her pride and joy. She loved them dearly but the night they were born Madame Ming had told her what she must do in order to repay her debt.
Unable to look her two children in the eyes the morning after; hating herself for her inability to tell them about their father, not even his name or what he looked like. She was certain that their father had not been a customer, and this was her only solace.
The man above her laughed and pressed himself against her. She groaned, out of pain, self-loathing, no one would ever know. She would endure this torture only a little longer. Her debt to Madame Ming was almost completely repaid. Soon she would be able to leave, book passage off of the first merchant ship she found and take her beloved children from this accursed place: Ember Island.
I can't believe it has been five years. Zuko of the Fire Nation sighed. The young Fire Lord leaned back in his chair, taking a much-needed break after poring over countless documents for the better part of the day. Five years, he thought. I've been Fire Lord for five years. Sokka and Suki have been parents for four Kai moved to Ember Island four years ago. Toph and Aang have been traveling around the world for two years and Katara—' 'Zuko halted that train of thought abruptly.
He was not going to think about the Master Waterbender, or her death. She had disappeared during the fighting in the Fire Nation capitol after they had defeated Azula together. He had not seen her since then, no one had. The defeat of Ozai had come at heavy price, many brave men and women had died but Katara's death had hurt them the most. She was the only one out of Aang's immediate group that had suffered such a dreadful fate.
Zuko remembered her big blue eyes and wonderful smile more clearly then he remembered what he had eaten for breakfast that morning. She had been his best friend and, in the end, he had fallen for her, hard and fast. The last night they had been together he had told her how he felt, as a preparation for the coming day, when they would all face their destinies. That was the one thing Zuko had never regretted when it came to Katara, because she had said "I love you too". The words that he had always dreamed she would say to him.
Zuko sighed, massaging his temple. He could feel a headache coming on. They came more and more frequently these days and he found himself desperately wishing for a vacation, possibly to his family home on Ember Island.
General Iroh watched his young nephew from the doorway. He pitied Zuko, who looked weary to the bone. Surrounded by hard work and aggressive generals and nobles for five long years his nephew had purple shadows under his eyes that never seemed to fade. It was then Iroh had an idea. Quickly, he closed the Fire Lord's study door behind him and made his way back down the hall. The plan was rapidly forming in the aged general's mind. They would take a vacation, to Ember Island perhaps. He would invite the Avatar, Lady Toph, Prince Sokka, Lady Suki—and of course their children. Plus, if they went to Ember Island his nephew would have the opportunity to see his childhood friend, Kai, again. Yes, he thought, Ember Island would work perfectly. He would write to the young people today; it would do Zuko good to be around people his own age.
Iroh stopped a passing servant, requesting a scribe be sent to his private study, then he continued on his way. When he arrived in his study there was a scribe already waiting for him, her ink brush, ink, and parchment out and ready. "Good morning, Amati," he greeted her kindly.
The scribe, Amati, smiled and blushed and the old man's kindness. As she settled herself down to begin taking notes for Iroh she tucked a strand of wine-red hair behind her ear. The glint of her hair as she moved caught Iroh's attention and he smiled sadly behind Amati's back.
Only one other person possessed that dark red hair in the Fire Nation—perhaps even the world. Young Amati had a sister—a twin—who sported the same red hair: Zuko's childhood friend, the Firebender Kai.
When Zuko had taken control of the Fire Nation the sisters had been able to see each other for the first time in almost ten years. The reunion had been a tearful, joyous one, stained with the sorrow for the loss of all the brave warriors on both sides, but especially Kai's new best friend Katara.
Oh Katara. The general often mourned the loss of the spunky Waterbender his nephew loved. Katara had been the mother of the Avatar's traveling group. Her assumed death had been instrumental in the group breaking up. She had been the one to keep them all grounded and together. Without her they seemed lost.
"My Lord?"
Iroh left his thoughts for another time and returned to reality. He turned his attention to the petite redhead sitting at her portable desk looking up at him with big gold-brown eyes, ink brush in hand. "Yes, of course. We will be writing invitations to our dear nephew's old traveling companions. They will say…"
The docks were busy today. She heard the dockworkers talking to each other as she walked along. Someone important was coming to the island. They would be staying at the South End, where all the rich families had their vacation homes. Bokahn prayed that the men in this important group were honorable enough to stay away from The Joyous Court, but she doubted it. Every time tourists came to the island, high class or not, there were always new customers. And Bokahn always attracted attention with her big blue eyes, walnut skin and lithe frame. Madame Ming always lamented over Bokahn not being a virgin when she came to The Joyous Court. Virgins earned the shrewd business woman more money and Madame Ming never missed a chance to turn a profit.
Quietly, trying to not draw too much attention to her—Bokahn was well-known amongst the dockworkers and she didn't feel like stopping to chat today—she hurried away from the docks toward the market.
The market was a large, bustling square in the middle of town. It was crowded and loud and Bokahn reveled in the life that ebbed and flowed all around her. Off to the side near the far wall was a stall that Bokahn had always loved. It was owned by her friend Kai, a pretty Firebender with naturally dark red hair who sold spices as well as ran the town's orphanage. Kai was always happy, always positive in her way of thinking. Good things to be when one had to deal with traumatized children every day.
Kai's story was well-known on Ember Island. Her father had been an important official in Fire Lord Ozai's Royal Court, but her mother had been a servant woman. Then, when Kai was only ten, her father had her banished for reasons kept secret. After that Kai had lived with a band of thieves until the war was over, then she came to Ember Island and, with money granted to her by the Dragon of the West, General Iroh himself, had begun her orphanage.
It was a simple story to most but over the past four years Bokahn had grown to know Kai much better than most. She could see that Kai's hard life still haunted her sometimes, though she kept her pain hidden behind happy smiles and an enthusiastic, life-loving persona. Bokahn knew there was no one better to care for the children orphaned by The Great War.
Bokahn made her way over to Kai's spice stall where she could see her red haired friend packaging what looked like cinnamon powder into small silk satchels. Beside the woman, a young girl with high-set pigtails who looked like she might be eight or nine years old was setting out more satchels onto the stall's counter. "Hello Tava," Bokahn greeted Kai's young helper.
Tava looked up, startled. When she caught sight of who had spoken she smiled. "Good morning 'Kahn," she said, using the nickname Bokahn had been assigned several years ago when Tava had been having trouble with her 'B's.
Kai had looked up too when Bokahn had arrived. She smiled at her friend but did not stop her work. "Hey Bee," she said as she tied another satchel of cinnamon closed. "Where are the midgets?"
Bokahn grinned. Kai had always referred to Bokahn's children as 'The Midgets', mainly because they were so small when she first met them a little over three years ago. "They're sleeping."
Kai nodded in understanding. Roku and Kya, Bokahn's young children, were known for not being morning people, for all Kya was a Firebender. Kai glanced over at Tava but the little girl had settled herself in a nitch behind the stall and was busy weaving the basket Kai had allowed her to bring to work on. Satisfied her charge was sufficiently busy Kai leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially to Bokahn, "So, did you hear the news?"
"What news?"
"General Iroh is coming, and he's bringing the Fire Lord. Didn't you hear? Agni, you must have your head buried under a rock."
"The Fire Lord is coming!" Bokahn straightened up in shock, her mouth dropping open.
Kai grabbed her shoulder and forced her back down. "Hush, will you? Geeze. Yes, the Fire Lord is coming," she said dismissively, "but he's just a big pain in the ass. What's important is General Iroh is coming. And he sent a messenger hawk to say he wants the visit the orphanage! Can you imagine? The Dragon of the West visiting my orphanage?"
Bokahn's eyebrows snapped up in surprise at hearing Kai's casual dismissal of the Fire Lord. She spoke as if she knew him intimately. Still, that was impossible, right? Bokahn brushed aside the thought; if Kai knew the Fire Lord she'd be living in the palace or something, not running an orphanage on this hellish island. "That's so exciting!"
"Better still," Kai said with one of her mischievous smiles, "I need you to help cook for them. They're used to Fire Nation food but you," she gestured at Bokahn, "you know how to cook exotic meals, Agni knows how."
Bokahn blushed at the praise. It was true, for all her memory loss, if put in front of a stove Bokahn could make extraordinary dishes that no one had ever seen and they always tasted delicious, except for the Sea Prunes she had served once. Only she had seemed to like them and for some reason the fact that others didn't like them had not come as a surprise. It was just another mystery tucked into the dark recesses of her mind she couldn't quiet reach. "When are they coming to the orphanage?" she asked. "Because tonight is my night off so I could bring the twins over and do some prep work to get ready."
"They're coming tomorrow for lunch," Kai said. "So you'll have to also come over in the morning or, if you stay too late, you can just sleep over, you and the kids."
"I don't know," Bokahn said nervously, thinking of how Madame Ming would react to her best money earner skipping out on a night where there might be a whole lot of money to be earned.
"How much do you still owe her?" Kai asked, venom poisoning her usually happy voice at the mere thought of the cold bordello owner.
"One hundred gold pieces," Bokahn said unhappily, for all the sum was considerably less than when she had started to work the vile woman four years ago.
Kai grunted and reached under the table. "I thought it was about that much," she said as she fished around in one of the baskets she kept hidden behind the stall. "Now, where did I put that—ah ha! Here it is," and, with a flourish, Kai plunked a large canvas pouch on top of the table.
"Kai, wha—"
"This should pay off your debt to her. But don't get me wrong," Kai's copper-colored eyes glinted with mischief, "it'll only put you in debt to me instead of her." Kai knew her friend's pride well and smiled at the look of gratitude on Bokahn's face. Bokahn was not the type of woman to take a free handout and honestly, Kai had lived with thieves too long to give them, but a fair trade felt right, to both of them.
"Oh, Kai, I don't know what to say," Bokahn breathed, "except—"
"There's nothing to say," Kai interrupted, seeing an emotional moment coming on, something she really wanted to avoid in front of all the early morning market-goers. "Just go to Madame Ming, give her the money, gather your things and meet Rizuka at the orphanage by high noon. She'll help you get settled in," Kai said, naming one of the older teenage girls who had decided to stay at the orphanage and help take care of the younger children once she had been deemed old enough and capable enough to be able to go out on her own.
Bokahn nodded breathlessly, clutching the purse to her chest. She couldn't believe her luck. One hundred gold pieces was not a small sum and to have a friend who was willing to buy her debt so she wouldn't have to be ashamed of herself in front of her children anymore—that was a true friend. Quickly, before the tears that she felt beginning to form in her eyes could spill, Bokahn hurried away, back through the market place and up Ember Street to The Joyous Court where she had some unfinished business to take care of.
Kai watched Bokahn go and smiled. More and more every day her blue-eyed friend reminded her of Katara; the way Katara never had a bad word to say about anyone; how Katara had always been so happy, if not for herself than for others; the hope that constantly shown in Katara's sapphire eyes…
Kai shook herself from the memories and focused again on her present. Bokahn could easily pass for Katara's sister. Kai herself was half-convinced that Bokahn was in reality Katara, which explained why she had not come back after that final battle. She had even begun watching her friend for signs of Waterbending, to no avail. Now, Zuko was coming to the island, the kind of perfect opportunity she had been waiting for. If anyone could shake Bokahn's memories if she was really Katara it was Zuko. Kai had never seen another couple so in love as Zuko and Katara had been, not even Sokka and Suki had managed their level of attachment and complete and total understanding of each other. Kai now only had to hope and pray she was right and have complete faith in the outcome.
Kai snorted. Hope, Faith, Belief. Those had always been Katara's. All of them had looked to her for those important emotions that had made their mission successful, and in a way, Kai was still looking to her old friend for those things, only, her friend didn't know it.
A middle aged woman approached the stall and began examining the bunch of sage Kai had tied to the stall's awning. Kai moved to help her, a smile on her face, forcing herself to concentrate on the here and now rather than the future.