Author's Note: If someone wants to be a betta reader and help me edit/clean up this story and all the themes/ideas inside it, let me know. That would be awesome.


Invasion

Chapter Three


Trivia for trivia's sake:

-Lee's name is spelled as Lee and not Li only because I forgot to change the spelling right before publishing the first chapter.

- Jin represents the average person in the Lower Ring. She's not a scholar or part of a secret resistance, like she's portrayed in other stories. Here she's grown up without the war, uneducated due to her social standing, but sweet and hardworking. And this portrayal is so important because she doesn't need higher education to make her lovable.

- The owner of the teashop's name (Jeng) changes from chapter to chapter in each draft because I cannot remember how to spell it.

- This chapter took so long to write because I got married after a long year of planning! Yay!

- This story is an excuse for me to describe daily life in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se.

-The pace of this story is slow because it's going for realism (as much as possible).

- Emotionally this story is really hard to write. The characters are constantly afraid and worried about their safety (and the worst is yet to come next chapter). If you want a real Halloween scare think about the consequences of war. How bad can their lives get after the invasion –– Lee's about to find out.

-Azula will make an appearance … as will the Blue Spirit.


The thick iron gate between the between the third and fourth quarters remained shut a week later.

Since it closed, few citizens tried to pass through it and all were rejected. Lee kept his distance.

News and gossip passed through the tea shop by word of mouth long before the Fire Nation occupied the city. Lee tuned out most of the noise with practiced ease, but after the invasion he started to pay attention again.

Customers at the tea shop whispered a lot. Whether he wanted to or not, Lee knew more about their private lives than he cared to remember. Sure, it helped to make casual conversation (How's the shop/business/family?), and earn better tips (not lately, but times were tough). Most importantly the customers knew what was happening in the city.

Listening to the conversation between tea drinkers, Lee learned about the new sunset curfew ordered by the Fire Nation long before he stepped outside to read the official decree.

He learned all the shops were struggling without contact from the Third and First Quarters, not just the tea shop. While Lee appreciated the solidarity, the news wasn't comforting. The Fourth Quarter relied on the majority of supplies imported from the other, much larger quarters. Without those supplies –– food, artisan goods, wood, stone, clay, and money –– everyone suffered.

Lee also learned that the gate only opened for Fire Nation. (Real Fire Nation, someone amended with a dark humor, such as the military and royal brigade, should her highness the princess ever chose to enter their lowly part of the world.)

Same went for the other gate erected on the far side between the Fourth and First Quarters. It was locked too.

Until further notice everyone inside the Fourth Quarter was stuck.

The new curfew only added to Lee's frustration. Each evening he scurried home before sunset, unable to run any errand he and his mother needed taken care of while his mom locked herself inside their apartment.

He had spent most of his life here in the Fourth Quarter. He grew up familiar with the dirty streets and broken buildings. While living there hadn't always been pleasant, that section of the Lower Ring hadn't been bad either. It was safe enough, comfortable in a way that may not look like it at a glance.

Living in the Fourth Quarter was a lot safer than outside the walls where people lit little boy's faces on fire.

Realistically, Lee knew if the invasion never happened, he would have stayed in Ba Sing Se for the rest of his life without thinking twice, but now the thought of being trapped made him uneasy. What was happening to the rest of the Lower Ring? Was it locked down too?

Before the invasion, Lee knew marrying into an Earth family was his only chance to escape into another quarter. It was possible, but not likely. Now leaving the Fourth Quarter wasn't even an option. Thanks to the Fire Nation he would spend the rest of his life imprisoned in the worst section of the city serving tea.

…Tea that just splashed over the rim of the cup onto his hand. Damn!

Lee set the tea down in front of the customer quickly (splashing several more drops on the table) to shake off the hot water, but the damage had been done. The pale skin on the back of his hand turned a faint pink.

"Sorry about that," Lee said quietly to man whose tea he spilled.

To his luck, the tea shop's owner, Jeng, was on the other side of the room engrossed in conversation with another customer. Lee pulled the rag from his apron pocket to wipe up the mess.

The tea shop had been loosing business slowly but steadily since the gate closed. Money was tighter for everyone. The regular customers still came, just fewer bought tea or treats as they socialized.

Despite the decline, Lee's work in the tea shop remained more or less the same day to day. Sweep, serve tea, wash teacups, wipe tables, avoid or ignore Jeng, sweep again, count change, split tips, and take inventory. When Lee stayed behind the brewing counter, Jia Ming told him stories about her pekinese-bunny. Last night the older woman had been teaching it to dance. So far the little thing could only stand up on her rear legs and jump, but Jia Ming proudly announced that was an improvement.

Without access to the Third Quarter market, Lee had been forced to buy from the local Fourth Quarter market this week. It was … not ideal. Supplies were limited. The tea leaves were twice the price for half the value and quarter of a variety than the ones found in the Third Quarter.

Needless to say, Jeng showed his displeasure by taking the difference from Lee's and Jia Ming's weekly pay.

"If there's no customers you won't be paid at all," the owner hissed.

Lee cleaned the spilled tea with one skilled swipe of his rag across the table. He headed for the counter as Jeng stood and walked his guest to the door. The two said goodbye and Jeng headed back into the tea shop calling for Lee.

Great.

Hearing his name, Lee turned from his place at the sink to see what Jeng wanted. His boss motioned him over to the other side of the room. More curious than annoyed, Lee obeyed.

Jeng pulled him aside next to the window to speak privately.

Lee bit his tongue, about to say whatever supplies they lacked now wasn't his fault, but kept silent. Much to his surprise, the owner had another request.

"I need you to run an errand. People are saying the Third Quarter gate is opening again for people with certain passes. Go buy one from the soldiers and bring it back, we're loosing money purchasing from the local suppliers."

Lee nodded, thinking. A way into the rest of the city gave him options. He wouldn't be trapped any more. Lee could see Jin again. He could get Mom out of the Fourth Quarter to somewhere she felt safer.

"Where are they?"

The soldiers have a station on Pihi Street. Look for their red banners, you won't miss it."

With a small purse of Jeng's coins tucked safely in the inner pocket of his robe Lee headed across the Fourth Quarter.

Though the Lower Ring was divided into four sections, Lee learned at an early age none of them were equal in size. The Second Quarter, easily the biggest from the rail-line maps Lee had seen, had three times as much land as the Fourth Quarter, the smallest of all. In a full day Lee could easily travel to the opposite side of the Fourth Quarter on foot. It wasn't possible get move across the other quarters without using the eathbending rail system.

Word of mouth said the Fourth Quarter was once part of the First Quarter, before the Lower Ring sectioned itself into neighborhoods. People from the other nations entered the city and just sort of stayed near the port entrances. Of course neither earth or water wanted to be associated with people of fire during the war (there was no war in Ba Sing –– until there was), and people like Lee were ultimately forced into their own neighborhood.

Once, an old earthbender ranted that the city was going to the lion-dogs for ever letting the other nations into the Earth Kingdom capital. His words were hateful. The man's voice, sharp and deep, cut into Lee as if the earthbender had thrown shards of stone at him instead of words.

Lee remembered the embarrassment that burned on his healthy cheek, and the anger he felt as he fled. Those words followed him even if the earthbender didn't.

It was one of the few events he kept secret from Mom.

Quickly, he learned to be weary of old earthbenders and actively avoided anyone wearing too much green.

Now as he walked through the city, no one he observed looked particularly distressed. A few Fire Nation soldiers patrolled the streets as usual, giving the people a wide berth. Any worry by their presence had been replaced by more immediate daily routines.

He wished Mom would go back to work. She would feel better going outside and seeing how normal everyone still acted.

Pihi Street was less of an actual street and more of a widened alley connecting two parallel streets. Like most of the Lower Ring, every inch of valuable space had been converted into something useful. The buildings on Pihi were no exception.

Surely the Fire Nation could have taken any building it wanted –– something a little bigger, maybe more centrally located.

Other than the red and b lack banners hanging from the roof, the building had not been painted red or showed any outward sign it had been taken over by the Fire Nation. The building looked as worn as when it belonged to the Earth Kingdom. The wood at the base of the outer wall fell to the ground with age and the hinges of the door shrieked in protest.

Lee questioned the invading army's choice, as he entered.

Everything was red. Used to green, yellow, and brown tones, it assaulted his eyes. A chill ran through his gut at the wrongness of the color as he stared at a flag on the wall and all it stood for.

Lee hesitated, unsure if he were allowed inside.

Though the building wasn't wide, it was deep. He saw a small line of regular people (wearing patched green and brown robes just like himself) waiting to speak to one of two officers behind a counter.

As he stood in line, it occurred to him that Mom would have a heart attack if she knew he gone near the building, much less in it. But if he got the pass she would have forgive him for drawing attention to their family. This pass could be their ticket out.

When it was finally his turn, Lee stood in front of a rushed looking official, an abnormally tall woman waiting to hear his request.

Lee had never spoken to the Fire Nation invaders. Her eyes burned a bright copper color.

His mother owned a small hand mirror, and though the edges of it rusted with age, Lee looked into it enough to know his own eyes were gold, just like Mom's.

"I need a pass to cross the gate into the Third Quarter."

Most people avoided looking directly at the healed scar over his eye, and this woman was no exception. She kept her gaze at his chest.

"You got a signature from General Shu?"

Of course not. He shook his head.

The Fire Nation woman sighed. "Passes are only given to civilians working for the army, the Fire Nation army," she clarified. "If you are interested in that line of work –– there are always civilian positions available –– fill out this paper, leave it with us, and come back in three days. Filling this out does not guarantee a job nor a pass into the rest of he city. Any questions?"

Lee shook his head, dismayed, and took the paper. He had no intention to fill it out, but thought better than to risk the Fire Nation's annoyance.

As soon as he stepped outside he crumpled it before shoving the paper in a pocket.

One job was bad enough, he didn't need another one. Especially not from the Fire Nation.

He turned back toward the tea shop preparing for Jeng's lecture. The man would be angry he hadn't gotten the pass. Lee was angry he didn't get the pass.

He kicked idly at trash as he walked.

On the other side of the gate, Jin must have been thinking he stood her up, or worse, knew he couldn't see her and worried. He and Mom were stuck inside the Fourth Quarter hiding in plain sight.

This whole trip was a waste of time. He failed to get the pass; and he was still stuck inside the gate.

Jeng would be furious when he found out. Mom on the other hand didn't need to know.


The next morning Lee woke up to the sound of rain drumming against the wooden building. The wet season may be good for the fields between the city's outer and inner ring, but it just made a mess of the city.

The water soaked through the walls and roof of the apartment leaving everything damp. Leaks dripped steadily onto the floorboards of their top floor residence. Lee avoided the wet areas with familiar practice. Only, this time, his mom hadn't bothered trying to catch the water. The bowls –– all six if them; wait, No, there were eight now. (Where did the extra come from?) –– were filled with her mixture of medicines, leaving nothing to catch the water.

Lee wrinkled his nose at the pungent smell as he walked through sloppy streets. Puddles pooled in tracks left by cart wheels and the city smelled more foul than fresh. Even the air was thick with heaviness that had nothing to do with the rain pelting his shoulders. Lee expected everyone to be in a sour mood at the teashop.

Sure enough, Jeng pitched a fit yesterday when Lee returned empty handed without the Fire Nation army's pass into the Third Quarter. This morning Lee grit his teeth and ignored his boss as much as possible –– hard to do in the small tea shop.

But by now Jeng seemed over the disappointment. Distracted was a more accurate description, since the teashop owner nodded in acknowledgement when Lee first walked in, and hadn't looked at him since. Jeng spent the majority of the morning sitting with customers, postures stiff as their heads bent close together whispering.

Lee didn't care what the owner heard as long as the current discussion didn't send him back into the hands of the Fire Nation soldiers.

In fact, everyone whispered, much to Lee's annoyance. The room was quiet, too quiet compared to the usual chatter between friends and neighbors. Usually, News and gossip flowed as naturally as tea and conversation.

The walls protected the secrets spoken inside from judgment and wandering eyes. Lee glanced around looking for a red soldier, but only saw familiar faces.

Not a single Fire Nation soldier had stepped foot into their tea shop, and until one did, Lee figured, the customers would loudly continue to say anything they wanted about the firebenders –– They deserve to pay for their war crimes, every single firebender. Drown them in the bay. Or burn them alive, they like fire. Let's hear how much they like it when it's eating their flesh on the pyre.

Lee shivered uncomfortably at the thought. Their hate wasn't directed at him. But it could be.

People came into the tea shop for lots of reasons, none of which (Lee was sure) were the teas. Jia Ming's pastries sold out faster than most of the dried tea leafs in the kitchen's storeroom. Often they tasted better than they looked. However, Lee knew with certainty, everyone came to the teashop for the gossip.

Rain pelted softly against the front windows, yet the room was subdued for a reason that had nothing to do with the damp air. Everyone was tense, not just Jeng.

Unfortunately, Lee only heard snippets of conversation. Firebenders … burned … night … searching … the rest of their words faded into mumbles.

Most customers declined to order and shooed Lee away from their table. Only five of twenty people in the room decided to order tea. Though frustrating, he couldn't blame them. No one had spare coins. Purse strings across the Fourth Quarter tightened since trade between the other sections of the Lower Ring were cut off.

Less tea served meant less busywork. However, there was only so many times Lee could wipe down a clean table.

The rain drummed lightly against the roof, making Lee grateful the tea shop only leaked in one corner of the kitchen, unlike home which must be sopping wet by now. How did Mom deal with walking around a wet room all day without going crazy?

He walked toward the back to check if the drip pot needed to be emptied.

Without making tea to keep her busy lately, Jia Ming focused on baking, though now she made half as many sweet rolls and pastries as she did to before the invasion. Earlier in the week Jeng told her to cut back on supplies and stop baking. She ignored him.

Yesterday she and Lee ate the six sweet rolls that didn't sell. She believed that if the weren't working, they might as well eat.

The scent of fresh breads met Lee in the doorway. So did the humidity and heat of the ovens. They washed over him like a familiar warm, welcoming wave. Never too hot. He used to pretend, even at home, that the heat came from fire he created from his own bending.

But it didn't. He told his mom when he was younger. She scolded him for such a dangerous fantasy. There are no firebenders in Ba Sing Se. Do you understand, Lee? Yes, he understood his firebending would get them thrown in jail or kicked out of the city, until he was old enough to realize worse could happen than being homeless.

Besides, the biggest fire Lee ever made sat in the palm of his hand, not even hot enough to leave a trail of smoke. The teashop ovens burned hotter.

As usual, Jia Ming stood nearby as her pastries baked. Old weathered hands gripped tightly to the countertop for stability while she waited.

"Do you want a stool to sit? I can go get one." Lee offered as he slipped past the older woman to look at the drip pot. Slow, rhythmic plinking of water filled it halfway in the past twenty minutes. It didn't need to be emptied yet.

"Thank you, but I'm fine." She waved the idea away. "Sitting's not going to keep me any younger."

"Do you know what happened?" The odds of Jia Ming knowing were slim unless Jeng told her early this morning. "Everyone's talking about something?"

When Lee passed through the main square last night he didn't see any newly hung wanted posters or decrees. It had been too wet this morning to notice and besides, all their ink would have bled in the rain, making them unreadable. What could have happened during the night to make everyone so uneasy?

"Sorry, Lee. I haven't heard anything back here. I watched them whisper all morning too. Why don't you ask someone directly. Ginzan's an old windbag, but Boan's up front and he'll give you an answer. Let me know if it's something important, will you."

Lee nodded as he dampened his rag again in the washtub and walked back into the tea shop's main room.

He approached one table in the middle seating four men, all regular customers that treated drinking tea and swapping stories as if it were full time work.

"What happened last night? Lee asked, directing the question at Boan whose hair had just started to white with age. Though the top of his head began balding years ago, his traditional Earth Kingdom styled braid was long and well cared for as the other men he sat beside.

"Mind your business, boy," another man, Lan snapped at him for interrupting.

Lee remained persistent, looking back to Boan. "Everyone's whispering. About what?"

Lan looked at Lee warily, trying to figure out if he were dumb or just unaware of news as important as the invasion. Eyes of all four men scoured over his apron, up his chest toward his face, and of course, flashing briefly over his burn.

Boan silenced his friend with a dismissive wave before Lan opened his mouth again. "You haven't heard yet?" He asked genuinely.

No. Everyone had been whispering all morning while he did his job. Lee fought the urge to answer sarcastically.

He settled for the truth instead. "I've been working." Not a complete lie since Lee managed to keep most of the place dry and clean while everyone gossiped.

Boan leaned closer conspiratorially. "Last night Fire Nation soldiers searched every home on Hesin street. Didn't announce they were coming, nothing. They broke down the doors and went through each building, each home. Terrorized the street while everyone was in their beds."

Lee's breath caught in his throat. Oh spirits. That was only six streets from here, located in the middle of the Fourth Quarter. Nothing made Hesin street special. Like anywhere, a few stall set up along the street. A well sat at the end of the street, accessible to everyone who lived on the street –– and that was a lot of people.

No wonder everyone in the tea shop whispered about it, fearing their homes were next.

"What were they looking for?" Lee asked. Did they take anything? Was anyone hurt?

The man's face went tight as if he drank stale bitter tea. Lee knew for a fact he hadn't –– the man stopped ordering tea four days ago. Boan shrugged. "Don't know. The fire roaches didn't take anything –– not money or food or nothing. In and out just like that. Must not have found what they were looking for."

Unease settled in Lee's gut. Mom wouldn't like hearing this. Not at all. Lee wondered what were the soldiers looking for? They had access to everything in the city now that their princess sat on the Earth King's throne. Rocks, ore, money, food, cotton, wood? None of those were in the Fouth Quarter, definitely not in anyone's home.

The Upper Ring had all gold and jewels, why not steal from them? The Fourth Quarter had nothing valuable.

A chill crept up the back of Lee's spine. If the Fire Nation wanted things they would take them, maybe buy them if the army felt generous. That meant they didn't want things. What was left to take? People, a voice at the back of Lee' mind whispered.

Lee tried to brush away the thought. Don't be ridiculous, he scolded himself. Jumping to conclusions only caused panic. No reason to worry.

The Fire Nation soldiers were probably looking for a specific item (or person. No! Don't think like that). Except, why did the Fire Nation try to find it late at night when everyone slept? It didn't feel right. Wouldn't it be easier to find things when people weren't in their homes to stop them?

At least no one had been harmed. Nothing had been stolen either. This was good news as far a Lee was concerned, though he was sure his mom wouldn't see it the same way.


"You're sure no one knew what the soldiers were looking for?" Mom asked. Somehow the bowls on the floor multiplied yet again. There were twelve lined against the wall when Lee came home right before curfew. Where were the bowls coming from and the nasty smelling paste inside them coming from?

"No," Lee said impatiently. "No one knows, I asked." He hated being treated as if he were a stupid child. Of course he tried to find out!

His mother's mouth tightened as she looked at him sternly, warning him to stop his attitude. He looked away and took a deep breath, trying to reel himself in. He knew she only wanted to keep them safe.

"I don't know either, but I have an idea," she murmured more to herself than Lee. "It's not good."

He sat a little straighter in his seat. "How do you know?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

"The Fire Nation has been conquering land and people for 100 years," she explained. "Everything they are doing now they've done somewhere else before."

"Like, what they did to our village when we left for Ba Sing Se?" Lee asked hesitantly. His mom didn't like to speak about that day, and honestly, Lee never heard the details of the night they left. But it had to be the same situation, right?"

"Yes." She said tight and clipped, making it clear she didn't want to talk about it today either. "They didn't hurt anyone yet, but they will soon. It's only a matter of time."

Lee was confused. "Then what are they searching for?"

"Women, men, anyone to join their army or workforce."

"But they didn't take anyone?"

"Not yet," She reminded him.

Lee finally voiced a question nagging at the back of his mind all afternoon. "Could they be looking for us and other people that made the Fire Nation angry?"

Mom looked over at him, eyes softening. She shook her head. "No. I don't think so. No one knows we're here, we wouldn't be recognized. That said, "she amended, "They could still be looking for traitor and wanted persons. It's not their priority right now but stay safe out there, Lee. Don't attract their attention."

"I won't."

"Good, get ready for bed, it's late."

"What is all this stuff?" Lee finally asked pointing to the bowls on the floor.

Mom walked away. "Medicine, don't touch it. Get ready for bed."

Lee sighed.


The next morning the rain ended, leaving the streets humid, but slowly drying in the spring sun. Everything smelled foul from the dirt and waste stirred up yesterday. Lee gagged and covered his nose twice while walking to the teashop.

A new poster hung from the square advertising civilian work for the Fire Nation army in black letters big enough to see at a distance. As Lee walked past it a small crowd gathered. Some scoffed at the notion of working for the invaders. A few padded their empty pockets and silently considered the idea. Lee pretended not to notice. Right now any income was better than none.

Before Lee even tired his apron at the tea shop, news of another Fire Nation search circulated across the room in private pockets of conversation. Lee listened closely, cleaning besides customers as they spoke.

Another block was searched in the dead of night. The Red Army came, bearing torches and lit palms as they burst into home, scaring families from their beds. Two people were arrested and taken away –– at least that's what several people in the tea shop claimed after witnessing the arrests firsthand. Someone else awakened by the search believed their money was stolen, but couldn't say who did it. Lee remembered his mother's warning last night.

"Then what are they searching for?"

"Women, men, anyone to join their army or workforce."

"But they didn't take anyone?"

"Not yet,"

The two arrested, a man and a woman of no relation, were unlikely victims. Witnesses claim they never interacted. Why there were arrested –– no one knew. Were they Earth Kingdom spies or part of a secret underground resistance against the Fire Nation, or just unfortunate souls in the wrong place? Someone argued the man was a firebender and that's why he was arrested. Everyone else in the room shrugged, unsure.

Though the population inside the tea shop expanded since the searches, but the amount of paying customers plummeted. Only a handful bought tea now, both to Lee's delight and annoyance.

He didn't mind having less to do during the day, and as long as he did what he needed and looked busy in front of Jeng he could do whatever he wanted. He talked (or rather listened) to Jia Ming in the kitchen and ate her sweet rolls. The kitchen's backdoor gave him an escape into the alley behind the tea shop to sit on a stack of old crates for fresh air.

As much as Lee enjoyed not serving tea, he was bored.

Jeng, on the other hand, took a more panicked and angry approach to his business failing. Sales dropped dangerously, making the owner's already agitated state more irritable. Lee watched Jeng's dilemma (from a distance). When the gate to the other Quarters closed, money stopped circulating. Prices on basic goods rose. Jeng (and really all the businesses in the Fourth Quarter) couldn't compete prices, not without risking all sales disappearing.

In the afternoon Jia Ming took inventory of their dwindling supplies by herself in the kitchen as Lee swept underneath a table. Small piles of dirt left behind from an earthbender brushed into his dustpan easily. They needed to be removed before wet feet from another rain turned them into mud.

A woman gasped. The tea shop silenced instantly.

Lee turned to look from beneath the table as best as he could.

Two Fire Nation soldiers in full armor, without their helmet, stood in the doorway. Lee watched from beneath the table, broom and dustpan forgotten as they walked forward into the tea house.

Jeng rushed from his seat to meet the soldiers. The reality of Fire Nation soldiers in his tea shop made him look like he just swallowed a particularly bitter sip of tea. Lee realized the owner was probably more afraid of bad publicity than the wrath of the Fire Nation. If the Fourth Quarter knew he Red Army had been there, he'd lose even more business. All the gossip he enjoyed would find elsewhere to go.

"What can I do for you?" Jeng asked the soldiers, eager to remove them as fast as possible.

"Not here for business. Just want some cheap tea," said one soldier.

Lee couldn't see Jeng's frown from where he crouched under the table, but he knew the man didn't like anyone calling his tea cheap (even if it was).

Jeng treated the insult as if it were a compliment to save face.

"Well this is the place to be. Have a seat please." Jeng's eyes searched the room for Lee with the desperation and precision of a mad man as the soldiers sat at a front table.

They were only here for tea, not to arrest anyone. Satisfied, Lee climbed out from under the table with the broom and dustpan. Jeng silently snapped his fingers, directing him to get over to the customers and do his job.

Lee left the sweeping supplies behind and wiped his hands on the rag in his apron pocket. Grabbing little menus from the back counter, he made his way over. Why was he nervous now? He'd taken orders thousands of time. But never from an enemy, especially one that tried to kill him (even if he didn't remember it).

Lee didn't remember that night (or was it day?) Mom never talked about. Still, he spent hours digging through his brain trying to come up with something from that event. He remembered being tired. And a man he guessed was his dad . He screamed –– and that was all. His father died protecting him and Lee couldn't even remember the man's face.

His hands felt more damp than usual as he approached the soldier's table. He offered the men menus, but they waved them away, knowing what they wanted. One wanted oolong, the other white tea.

Lee paused and ran a mental check through the kitchen trying to remember if they had any leaves for white tea left. Right now in spring was its' peak season. They should have had plenty, but cutting off trade with the rest of the city meant Lee hadn't bought any in weeks.

"Let me see if we have any," he told the soldier.

Quickly Lee went back to the kitchen, green and gold eyes alike following him across the room until he disappeared into the kitchen. "Do we have any white tea?" He asked Jia Ming.

She frowned, then looked at all the leaves they had left spread across the counter in front of her before shaking her head.

Lee returned to the front.

"How can you not have any?" The soldier scoffed at the news. Maybe people from the Fire Nation were too used to getting everything they wanted.

Lee nearly bit his tongue trying to restrain himself. He wanted to shout it was their fault no one had anything, but getting arrested wouldn't help. "Supplies are limited," he said.

"Too bad. You got green tea?"

Lee nodded.

"I'll take that. And some pastries too. Spirits, I've missed those," he told the other soldier.

"Anything else?"

At that moment, both soldiers caught sight of his ruined face. Most strangers ignored the burn across Lee's eye, but not these two. They stared at him openly.

"Someone got you good, kid." One soldiers said. "Not even the army's got scars like that. You do that to yourself or piss off a firebender?"

Before Lee could answer, the other soldier spoke up.

"He would have defended himself if he was a bender. Only nonbenders get scars like that."

The answer pacified both soldiers.

No one had ever been this direct about his injury before, at least not to Lee's face. Everyone knew it must have come from a firebender, but no one said it aloud. If it wasn't for touching the leathery skin across his face himself, he wouldn't know it was there.

War injuries just weren't spoken about. Not publicly.

You know who did it kid?" The first soldier asked. The entire tea shop was still watching and Lee struggled to find his voice to respond.

He shook his head. "It was a long time ago."

"Too bad," the soldier remarked.

Lee didn't like being under their scrutiny. Their gaze drew to his bad eye to examine it, then drifted over to the right, his good eye, seeing the pale gold color. Both the soldiers themselves had darker copper eyes. Lee felt uncomfortable so close to them.

"The tea will be ready soon, made fresh." Lee returned to the kitchen, grateful to get away.

Lee served their tea without drawing anymore of their attention until he returned to collect their empty cups. The soldiers sat comfortably relaxed, chatting about their own lives. Lee wished they looked more … official or something. Not like normal people.

He was about to walk away when one of the Fire Nation soldiers spoke to him.

"Hey kid, we're looking for firebenders. You see anymore rogue benders going around burning faces or kids, you let us know, you hear."

Lee froze in fear as their words sunk in. The horror must have flashed through his good eye for the soldiers to see. They wanted firebenders. They were searching for firebenders. Why were the looking for firebenders?

Both teacups slipped through Lee's sweaty hands and shattered on the wooden floor. He scrambled to pick up the pieces of broken clay, apologizing. Jeng heard the breaking and jumped from his seat on the other side of the room to placate the soldiers if necessary.

Both soldiers watched Lee suspiciously. "You don't know any firebenders, do you?"

"No," Lee stuttered. He hurried to the kitchen to throw the broken teacups away.

They knew he was lying.