Disclaimer: I don't own anything of A:TLA, only my OC.
Chapter 4: The Scent of Freedom
A few more days passed and my situation in Zuko's ship did not change much, but I sensed a change in myself. The gratitude I felt towards Iroh and Zuko for extracting me from between Zhao's claws had not disappeared, and although I did not trust anyone entirely –except perhaps for Iroh– I felt my animosity against all the members of the ship decrease a little. I began to remember names, and faces, and personal histories that Iroh told me about. I began to understand the system aboard the ship, the hierarchies and who represented what, or who felt a particular way about something, from snippets of conversation I caught between the soldiers when they walked past my cell, or when I crossed them in my way to the bathroom.
I also began to devote more and more time to listening, and trying to gather information from the sounds of the ship. From the few times that Iroh had taken me to walk, I had drawn a sort of diagram in my mind of the ship's structure, and I had gathered important information, such as that the engine room was only a level below the cells', and that it was practically beneath my cell. The anchor was at the other end of the ship, but I had learnt to detect when they were lowering it, from the vibration on the outer wall of the ship. I couldn't see the water, since my cell had no windows, but I had found out I could hear it faintly splashing against the iron wall. I learnt to use that to detect the flotation level of the ship. When we were heavy loaded, I could hear the water slapping the hull at the level of my feet. This always happened whenever we left an island, after getting supplies, I guessed.
I hadn't had much chances of testing my waterbending skills, but every time Iroh let me try it, I found it was easier for me to feel the water and channel the necessary energy through me to manipulate it, move it, and subject it to my will. This made me confident that I'd be able to bend when I escaped, which of course, made my chances grow.
The custody Zuko had imposed upon me had not changed, though, and even if Shui Feng was mad at me for the first week after Dawn Island, about a fortnight later he began to be gentler to me. I played my part as well, trying to convince the men I had accepted my situation. I was the prisoner, the waterbender girl who owed Zuko, if not her life, at least her virtue. I began to practice laying low instead of voicing my thoughts openly. Unfortunately, I kept failing. Although I had not changed my mind about escaping, the fact that now I knew more about the crew members and their lives made me feel slightly guilty at knowing that I would be deceiving them, specially Iroh.
I began to grow fonder and fonder of the old General. He did not miss our meetings a single time, and some days he'd take me to walk over the ship, or he would come to visit me at any time of day, and he'd even started to teach me some lessons about geography, history, reading and writing. And when I learnt enough about Pai Sho to become a good match for Iroh, he showed up the next day with a strange wooden thing he called guitar, and he told me it was an instrument for making music. I had won my first game of Pai Sho the day before, and I was looking forward to Iroh's visit to see how he had handled the disappointment, just to see him enter with the guitar on his hand and announce that "it was time to change my hobbies". I laughed and accused him of being a bad loser, but from that day on we alternated the Pai Sho matches with music lessons.
He was an excellent teacher, and after a month I realized I had forgotten that he was the Fire Lord's brother. I found that circumstance especially intriguing. How could a man like Iroh –gentle, patient, wise– belong to the Fire Lord's family? I thought many times about asking him why he supported the Fire Nation, although it was not hard to figure out the reason. I knew by now that Iroh professed a deep love towards his nephew, and that whatever Zuko chose to do, Iroh would support him. I could understand that, but what I failed to understand, however, was how he reconciled with the idea that there were people suffering because of Zuko's decisions.
Not to mention my confusion about Zuko himself.
After Dawn Island I hadn't seen him again, and so I had not been able to prove my theory right about him. Was he nothing but a stuck-up, arrogant, spoiled Prince? Or did his eternal scowl hide a gentler soul? That did not seem likely, but the fact that he had decided to fight an Agni Kai against Zhao to save me kept making me think. After a few days of consideration, I had come to the conclusion that I had probably been an excuse more than a reason. It was plain as day that Zuko hated Zhao, and sooner or later their enmity would have ended up in a fight anyway. Besides, in all the time that I had been on Dawn Island, he hadn't looked at me even once, and he had not been to my cell ever since, either.
But the truth was that I didn't know what had actually happened, or how did he convince Zhao to give up on custody of me if he lost the duel, so I couldn't really know, and I didn't think I ever would. Also, some of the things Iroh said hinted that there was more to Prince Zuko than met the eye. I was tempted to think he was exaggerating, but something inside of me –call it intuition if you will– kept telling me that those words were true. From what I gathered of Iroh's chatter, Zuko seemed to be quite secretive about his true thoughts and feelings, and he'd die before letting anyone believe he was weak. I had questioned Iroh about the Prince's scar and his quest for the Avatar, but other than insinuate that they were related, he refused to talk about it. I kept remembering that conversation Zuko and I had had on deck, the day I had insulted him, and I tried my best to remember his expression when he asked why I had left my Tribe unprotected, but my memory would yield no answers. Prince Zuko represented an enigma even harder to understand than his Uncle's behavior.
But if there was one thing I knew about him, was that he was prone to inexplicably intense anger, or, as Sokka would put it, he was an angry jerk.
One morning, Iroh entered my cell with a deep frown settled between his eyebrows and a dark look in his eyes, and I instantly read that something was wrong. I shot him a quizzical look.
He sighed. "Prince Zuko is upset because we can't find the Avatar."
I felt a sudden thrill of joy. I had been particularly worried about Aang and my siblings. I feared they would attempt rescuing me, or that Prince Zuko would find them. Being locked in my cell, I would be unable to help them. But they seemed to have decided to stay well away from the Fire Nation Prince. For some reason, at the back of my mind I felt a tiny flash of sadness at that. Had they forgotten about me? But then I mentally slapped myself. Of course not! They had probably realized they couldn't rescue me by themselves, and perhaps they were trying to gather more people who could help them. They knew me well enough to know I would find the way to survive my imprisonment. And maybe I could even spy a little for them. Which I had actually done. Fortunately now I had a better knowledge of everything related to the Fire Navy, and I had gathered important data. For example, I knew that if the ship was in danger, they had a whole system of flares, which had different meanings. And that they communicated through hawks that carried messages all over the sea.
So there was nothing to worry about. Zuko couldn't find the Avatar, and that was definitely wonderful news for me. But I looked at Iroh and I realized it would be disrespectful to celebrate. Besides, I saw real concern behind those golden eyes, and I suddenly understood there were things he wasn't telling me.
There was something else behind Zuko's desperation to capture Aang.
But I didn't have the right to know what that was. I was no one in that ship. I should be grateful enough that Iroh treated me like an actual person, and had somehow convinced the rest of the crew to do the same. I was well aware that that must probably be an unusual situation. I had seen soldiers from other ships at Dawn Island after all, and all of them looked at me like I was shit, garbage, less than a cockroach. It was Iroh who had given me a special status in Zuko's ship, and I owed him my comfort. Therefore, I wasn't entitled to demand anything else from him, specially not things that concerned Prince Zuko's decisions. Whether I liked it or not, the reasons for the Prince's chase of the Avatar would remain a secret to me.
Iroh sat on the mat and put his hands together, his over-size sleeves covering his wrinkled fingers, and he raised his eyebrows towards the guitar he had just placed between us.
"Today we will practice scales," he announced, and with just one glance at his eyes I knew that both his previous comment and his concerned look were to be ignored.
I sat down and placed my fingers at the guitar like he had taught me, and the lesson began.
A few hours later, I was sitting on my bed, my legs crossed, my hands lying on my thighs, my body slightly swaying at the rhythm of the sea waves, in what I called my "meditation position". I was once again mulling over the significance of Iroh's words and attitude. Iroh had never seemed particularly concerned about Zuko's temper, he rarely took him seriously. But today he had appeared to be truly worried, and I couldn't figure out if he was worried about Zuko being angry –afraid that Zuko would do something irresponsible or get on his crew's bad side– or if he was worried about the situation itself, meaning, he also wanted the Avatar captured as soon as possible.
The most probable thing was that he wanted Aang caught. He was the Fire Lord's brother after all. But for some reason I didn't find that answer satisfying. Something didn't add up. Why was he suddenly worried about that now, after a month or so of sailing after the Avatar?
I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes, and at the back of my mind I sensed the water outside faintly respond to my presence. The feel of the water, so close to me, was a natural tranquilizer for a waterbender, I had realized, and the cold helped me think. Then, I suddenly had a glimpse of an idea, but it faded before I could catch it. I opened my eyes, and tried to grasp it. It was important, I knew, but it had slipped through my fingers like water. I thought hard. It was something about the cold… the cold helping me think… cold water… relax… Argh! I couldn't get it! It was frustrating.
And then I was distracted by the sound of feet running down the stairs that led to the prison cells, down the hall. I stood up immediately and tiptoed to the door. If someone was coming in, Shui Feng would tell me to sit on my bed before the person entered, but if it was just a message for him I could hear it through the door.
I heard a man panting outside.
"What is it?" Shui Feng asked anxiously. Not many soldiers came down this path, unless they wanted to go to the boiler room, which only happened during the shift change. It was not the shift change, which could only mean that this was an important message. Thank the spirits, Shui Feng seemed to have forgotten to tell the man to talk somewhere far from my cell where I couldn't hear.
"It's… the Avatar…" the man panted, and I felt my heart stop. No.
"Prince… Zuko… got a lead… He's on Kyoshi Island…"
"You're kidding me."
"No… I'm not." The soldier took a deep breath. "Lieutenant Jee confirmed it to Ming about an hour ago. He told me. The rumor's run all over deck, and the Prince hasn't denied it yet!"
From Shui Feng's side came only stunned silence, according to what I heard.
"Feng… we're going home!"
I heard a sudden intake of breath. "Are you serious? Really?"
The other soldier couldn't contain his joy. "Yes! Yes! We'll capture him and go home! If Prince Zuko could beat Zhao, he'll certainly be able to bring down the Avatar, I'm sure! We also have General Iroh to help! And Kyoshi Island is far away from Omashu, they'll never send help in time! Kyoshi Island and the Avatar will be ours!"
Shui Feng let out a long sigh, and his voice softened up, almost as if someone had lifted a weight off his shoulders.
"I will get to meet my son… My wife was pregnant when we sailed away… I haven't seen her in three years…"
There was silence between the men. And then the unknown soldier cleared his throat.
"I should get going now. It's almost time for the change of shifts on deck, and I go next."
"Right," Feng answered, and the booted feet ran back to deck.
I bit my nails in sudden anxiousness. I didn't know what this Kyoshi Island was, but if it was not too populated –like Dawn Island– and far from the Earth Kingdom like the soldier had said, Katara, Sokka and Aang might get in serious trouble, not to mention the people of the island. I had to do something, but what? I was trapped in here and I could never leave the cell without my handcuffs. It was obvious that they wouldn't let me out when they invaded the island, and if my siblings or Aang dared to get inside the ship to find me, they'd be captured. Zuko would perhaps include me in his plans. Maybe he would even use me as bait. That would be ideal, because I could waterbend enough now to get rid of him and my guardians and escape. But no, Zuko was not an idiot. Even I could see that it was far more risky to get me out. It was a cost-benefit analysis. Using me as bait would surely lure the Avatar into the trap, but it involved the possibility of me escaping. If I were him, I'd keep me locked in the cell, and only use me as a last resort.
That led me to one conclusion: I had to get out of here by myself. But I had had a month to think, and I had come up with nothing! Damn it! I felt sudden anger rising on my chest, and I kicked the door in frustration.
"Hey!" Shui Feng called. "Easy in there!"
I didn't answer. I was suddenly very angry with myself. How come I hadn't been able to think of something? This would probably be my last chance, I had to think of something! Anything! I had to get myself out and help Aang! I began to pace my cell up and down, and I felt a sudden need to break something.
"Kira! Be quiet!" Shui Feng warned me, his voice harsher this time. But I couldn't control my anger. When I felt myself about to explode, I held my breath and closed my eyes for a moment. And then the soothing sound of the waves filled me, and I felt my anger subside a little.
I climbed on the bed, and sat on meditation position. I needed to analyze my situation carefully. It wasn't like when I had been captured. My captors had relaxed a little about me, I had achieved that much. But it was pointless if I couldn't make it out of that damned cell!
Okay, I seriously needed to relax. I stood up and walked to the external wall, placing my hands on it. It was cold. I took a deep breath, and my anger faded as I felt the push and pull of the waves, outside, one level below. This was what I needed. As my mind went back to the day that I had been captured, trying to remember each and every plan I had devised that night, a small corner of my mind wondered at the fact that the cold helped me relax. Maybe I had never needed to relax before because I lived between ice and ocean, I had everything I needed.
And then I saw light. That was it! Ice! That was the idea that had eluded me earlier! I needed ice!
A plan began to form in my mind. I climbed back to the bed and meditated, analyzing pros and cons, and, just as if I was playing another game of Pai Sho, tried to think of what moves the enemy could use and how to avoid them before hand. By sunset, the plan was complete. I just needed two or three days. It could be done in less time, but it would be quite more dangerous.
I knocked on the door.
"Shui Feng, I need to go to the bathroom."
The man outside sighed, and I heard the familiar noise of the manacles as he prepared them.
"Sit on your bed."
I did as he asked, and after the creak, he entered the cell, closing the door behind him. I noticed his moves had become mechanical, and he wasn't as careful as the first days. After he had handcuffed me, he opened the door and pushed me through it.
As he led me to the bathroom, I thought hard. I needed to know how much time I had before we reached Kyoshi Island, but if I asked, he'd get suspicious. Feng seemed distracted, though. His eyes were glassy as he led me through the hallway and I guessed he was thinking about his son. Maybe if I caught him off guard he'd give me the information I needed.
"So… your son, huh?"
He raised his eyebrows in alarm. "You heard?"
I nodded, and looked down, trying to appear depressed. Then I gave him a faint smile. "Two more days, you get the Avatar, and then back home, right?"
His eyes scanned my face, trying to detect something. I swallowed hard. "At least you get to go home. I'm going to prison."
He blinked, and looked down, his expression clear as water as he fell for my act. He understood why I was depressed, and he felt a little sorry for me. A part of my brain realized how unusual that must be in a Fire Navy soldier, but on the outside I kept the act.
Feng shook his head. "It's three days to Kyoshi, and then two months till we get home. I'll arrive just in time for my boy's third birthday."
I smiled to myself. Gotcha. So I had three days' time.
Shui Feng let me inside the bathroom, without taking the cuffs off my hands, as usual. I didn't worry. I could waterbend anyway. Instead of sitting in the cup, I flicked my hands, and a few drops of toilet water floated upwards. I focused on dividing the particles of water from the rest, wrinkling my nose at the foul smell. A minute later, I had a floating ball of clean water in front of me. I maintained the water in the air with one hand, and with the other I carefully spread drops of water over my clothes. I almost lost concentration when Shui Feng knocked on the door.
"Everything right in there?"
I answered instinctively, "Yeah!", but then I realized that it was stupid and decided to buy myself some more time and more visits to the bathroom. "Actually, I think something I ate affected my stomach… I'm not feeling so well…"
There was a momentary silence outside, and I guessed Feng probably didn't know what to do. I hurried to finish the job and then I quickly inserted two fingers in my mouth. I had learnt that you could provoke your own vomit, when once in the South Pole I had accidentally swallowed a spine while eating fish and I stuck my fingers in my throat to take it out. I had ended up throwing up all over the food. Sokka had had to run outside, barely keeping from throwing up himself, and Hakoda had been the next to run, but both Katara and Gran Gran had immediately tried to help me and see if I was alright. Then they helped me clean everything up, and Hakoda had apologized for running away. Sokka had been pretty angry, because it happened to be the first meal he had fished himself, but I had promised to make it up to him, and the next day I had brought him an artic hen. I remembered his grin when he saw the hen, and a tiny smile formed on my face, which made me throw up faster.
Shui Feng rushed in when he heard the sound, and he found me on my knees, face inside the toilet. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve, and offered him a weak smile.
"It's alright, I'll be fine, it was just a little–" but then my stomach expelled a new surge of acid liquid, this time all on its own, and I leaned over the toilet to let it all out.
Shui Feng disappeared, and I tried to get on my feet, but I felt weak. I remembered Gran Gran had warned me that throwing up made you feel exhausted, because "the effort of expelling things down the wrong path" was too much.
Two more soldiers appeared to carry me to my cell, and they deposited me on my bed. After quickly removing my handcuffs, Shui Feng left through the door, claiming loudly that he'd call Iroh. As soon as the door slammed shut, I sat up. With a quick flick, I withdrew the drops from my clothes and created a tiny floating ball of water. Then I clenched my fists and watched the water freeze, turning into a slightly larger ball of ice. I considered it for a second. Still too small. Dang.
I stood up and walked to the opposite wall of my cell, the one that separated me from the ocean. I kneeled at the corner and placed the water over the wall, very gently. Then I closed my fists, ordering it to freeze. The water turned into a thin layer of ice over the wall, barely distinguishable from a bit of winter frost. I observed my work for an instant, checking that it wouldn't melt, and then I ran back to my bed.
I covered myself with the sheets and curled up, clutching at my stomach. As I remembered the sensation of throwing up, I felt some more nausea. Perfect. A few minutes later, Iroh burst in through the door.
"What happened?"
"Nothing, Iroh. Just something that didn't sit well with my stomach."
He narrowed his eyes with suspicion. "But it had never happened before."
I shrugged, trying to look very tired and in need of sleep. I let my eyes close, as I shifted between the sheets.
"I just need to sleep…" I whispered, acting as if I was about to pass out. I felt Iroh's warm hand on my forehead, and I relaxed visibly, trying to fall asleep. Soon after, I heard the door being closed.
I waited a few more minutes and then opened my eyes. I moved very slightly, trying to avoid the creak from the bed, and paid attention to the noises around. I listened for about half an hour, and all I could hear was the shuffling of someone's feet outside the door. The soldier that took the night shift was already guarding my door. Great. I smiled with satisfaction. Kira's Escaping Masterplan, Phase 1: complete.
The next day I asked for the bathroom twice, repeating the process of bringing water to my cell. Each time, after returning to my cell, I collected all the water I had and checked the size of the ice ball, deciding that I still needed more. Shui Feng didn't seem to suspect anything, but when Iroh came at sunset, I noticed a gleam of distrust in his eyes I had never seen before.
"Feng says you know that we're docking on Kyoshi Island the day after tomorrow," he casually said while I was practicing with the guitar. I felt chills running down my back, but I managed to keep my poker face and my fingers steady. I looked away, as if saddened by the reminder.
"Yeah, I… I overheard the soldiers talking…"
Iroh examined me with his golden eyes, and I felt tempted to squirm away from his gaze, because I had the unpleasant feeling he knew I was up to something. But I focused on the song I was playing at the guitar.
"The Avatar is in Kyoshi Island," Iroh added, and I saw him studying my reactions carefully.
I swallowed hard, and my fingers stopped playing. I looked up.
"Iroh, can you promise me something?"
He just stared at me.
"Can you promise that if I go to jail, you'll still come and visit me?" As I imagined the possibility, I realized it was actually very likely I'd end up like that if I didn't escape, so it wasn't hard to pretend I was scared to death of that. I was scared. I blinked a few times and felt my eyes go wet. Yes. That's right. That's what I need.
Iroh looked at me, but he didn't react to my emotional scene. He nodded curtly.
"Of course I will."
I looked up and gave him a weak smile. "Thanks." I wiped my eyes with my sleeve and continued to play the guitar. But inside I was shaking. That Iroh wasn't impressed meant that he didn't buy my act, and that was not good. And to be honest, I thought my performance was pretty lame too.
After finishing his tea, he stood up, and he gave me a true smile, the first since he had entered my cell.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Kira."
When he disappeared through the door, I stumbled backwards, suddenly exhausted after the tension, and I felt the adrenaline stop pumping through me. Without another word I went to bed and fell asleep.
The next two days were spent in complete tension, as I had to pretend to be sick so that they'd let me out to the bathroom more often. Shui Feng seemed truly concerned about me, but I knew that Iroh knew I was up to something. When he came the following night with the board of Pai Sho, he was cold and distant. What kept bugging me was that I didn't understand why he did nothing. If he knew I was planning something, what was he waiting for? For me to escape? Did he want that? I didn't think so. That would be a terrible set back in Prince Zuko's plans, and Iroh would never allow it. So what game was he playing at?
It was scary to know I was gambling no less than my freedom, and the opposite player was Iroh, the very best.
Even so, I knew that I had to keep the Avatar from being caught. That was the primary objective. Aang needed to be warned about Zuko's plans, and actually, I wanted to escape not so much for me but for him. I had valuable information I could pass on, and I could be helpful to him. The Avatar was the key to ending this horrible war and stopping the Fire Nation. I had lived most of my life with a family that had been ripped apart by the Fire Nation, and I was an orphan myself. I had seen what kind of misery they were bringing upon the world, and the moment I had stepped between the Avatar and Prince Zuko I had made the decision to help to stop this war, even if it cost me my life.
The day that we were supposed to dock at Kyoshi Island, I devoted the entire morning to listening. The ship seemed to be boiling with excitement and movement. Booted feet ran past my door several times, up and down the hallway, and I sensed the floor vibrating when the engines were put on maximum speed. The waves kept slapping against the hull, and I heard Shui Feng sigh many times. Undoubtedly he didn't want to be here, and he was nervous about the whole thing. Today he'd know if he was going to see his wife and son after three years. For a moment I felt sorry for him, but he wasn't my responsibility. Even if he had been forced to enroll in the Fire Navy –which I couldn't be sure of– it wasn't my problem.
It was because of this stupid war, I thought with anger. But the cold ball of ice in my hands brought me the peace of mind I needed.
At about noon, I felt the engines die suddenly, and then the sound of many feet trotting over the ship became audible to my ears. Five minutes later, the hull vibrated when the anchor went down, and a heavy bump made the ship tremble. I waited, listening, and heard how the sound of feet marching faded to my right, towards the bow. I smiled. Zuko was leading his men down towards the island.
I waited five more minutes until it was all more quiet, and then I took action. Kira's Escaping Master Plan, Phase 2 was about to start. I positioned myself in front of the door. I melted the ball of ice and then re-froze the water over the door's lock. Then I moved to the opposite side of the cell, I ran two steps and then jumped with both feet. This was the decisive moment. This was when the metal was supposed to break, and the door would open. But I wasn't sure it would work.
Miraculously, the door swung open and I heard a muffled cry as Shui Feng was crushed between the door and the wall. I muttered a "sorry" as I got up and ran down the hall, as silently as I could.
I sneaked all the way up to deck, unnoticed, and I lifted the hatch one centimeter to look around. The deck seemed deserted, but I knew better. I located some crates to my right. I took a deep breath and opened the hatch, climbing out. Then I closed it silently, and as I was about to spring up and ran to the crates, my blood froze. Iroh was standing ten feet away from me, looking towards the island. I stood there, in a crouching position, frozen, for a few seconds, not daring to even breathe. But since Iroh was giving me his back, I realized this would be my only chance. Without a sound, I sprung to my feet and ran towards the railing, jumping over it. I quickly pulled some water up to receive my body, so that the fall wouldn't kill me, and I gracefully submerged in my element.
I felt as if I was coming back to life. I let it fill me, the energy of the water, enjoying the cold contact with my skin, as I let my own weight pull me down. Then I opened my eyes and I looked up. The ship loomed over me like a huge metal monster, but I couldn't see the railing. Someone had probably heard the splash and they would come to check. If they saw me in the clear water, I'd be in trouble. I turned around and swam deeper, and towards the shore. Now that I was in my element, I felt optimistic. I was free! I'd help Aang. Nothing could stop me now.
I swam to the shore in frog style, my arms pushing more water behind with waterbending. Aided by my bending, I reached the shore in almost no time. I broke the surface with a gasp, throwing my head backwards, and inhaling the sweet salty air of the Southern Ocean.
Okay, I was free. Stage 2, complete. Now I needed to find out what had happened with Prince Zuko, if he had found Aang, and what could I do to help. I ran up the shore, and bent the water out of my clothes, drying myself before the breeze made me cold.
As I reached the end of the beach, I stopped to look around. I was in a deserted spot of the beach, which had no constructions on. Zuko's ship was about 300 feet to my right, and I gave a few steps back, taking cover under the trees. Suddenly, a fresh scent hit my nose. It smelled like earth, and water, and life. I turned around and stared at the jungle before me. Only then it hit me that it was the first time in my living memory that I was so close to the trees. I had lived in the South Pole for as long as I could remember, and I felt suddenly bewitched by how alive the earth felt here. The earth was humid, the trees were huge, and as I placed my fingers on a tree I was surprised to feel how rugged it was. The roots of the trees stretched over the ground like earthly eels, and I could hear the buzz of insects and the cries of birds, and the soft roar of the waves licking the beach behind me. The beauty of it all was simply stunning, and it wasn't without difficulty that I tore myself away from it and I focused on the next step in my plan: finding Aang.
I threw myself to the ground, and rolled over the wet earth, drawing some water from the ocean to make the mud stickier, and I didn't stop until all of my clothes and my skin were covered in mud. Then I crawled closer to the ocean, and I stared at my right. The Fire Navy ship had anchored in what looked like a small bay, but there was a path between the trees that led inwards, to the heart of the island. I crawled back to the trees and walked about ten feet into the forest, and then I turned to the left, following the shore line. I made my way through the woods until I saw a clearing ten feet ahead of me. Fire Nation soldiers kept running back and forth, and I heard low grumbles and heavy breathing, that could not belong to a human. And then I saw a soldier carrying a huge animal back to the ship. My jaw dropped: I wasn't counting to fight against animals like those. But the poor monster seemed to be resigned to his fate, and other than a few loud sighs it did not do anything. I turned right, following the path into the island.
As I walked from tree to tree, swiftly, close to the ground and silently, I could hear screams and explosions far ahead. It seemed Zuko had begun his attack. After about a mile, I saw roofs ahead, and the screams became more audible, along with barked orders and the whooshing sounds of firebending. I clenched my teeth. They were destroying this island and its people! I wanted to just burst out of nowhere and punch Prince Zuko's head until they decided to leave, but I forced myself to remember my target: Aang.
I turned right again and followed the forest's edge, surrounding the clearing, until I was at the other end of the small village. Then I saw a bunch of girls dressed in the strangest attire I had ever seen, wearing some white make up all over their faces and wielding nothing but fans, running towards the Fire Nation soldiers, who were led by Prince Zuko himself. I wanted to shout to the girls, tell them not to be stupid, but yet again, I had to keep quiet, for Aang's sake. Damn it!
I ran out of the woods to the closest house, and took cover behind it. And then I felt my heart stop. Aang and Katara were just two houses away from me. My heart leapt in my chest at seeing my sister in all her beauty.
"Katara!" I shouted, but my scream was muffled by an explosion close nearby. I saw Katara put her hand on Aang's shoulder, who seemed depressed, and she said something reassuring to him. He nodded, pouting, and whistled. A loud, somewhat familiar roar filled the air.
Aang and Katara ran away from the house, towards where Zuko and his men were surely fending off the girls.
"Aang! Katara!" I screamed again, but when I turned around the corner of the house, I saw Appa the bison, Aang and Katara already perched on the saddle, and I watched in awe as one of the girls ran towards Appa's tail and hoisted herself up.
"Appa, yip yip!" Aang screamed, and my heart stopped again in horror. The adrenaline started to pump through me as I saw the bison slam his tail against the ground, almost blowing me away, and set off.
"Nooo! Wait for me! Aang! Katara!"
Aang leaned over the saddle and stared at me, frowning. It was then that I remembered I had covered myself with mud, and I was probably unrecognizable. And then a strong hand pulled from my wrist. I lost balance and fell full force against someone's chest. A strong arm surrounded my waist, and I was quickly immobilized.
"Avatar! I've got your friend! If you don't want her to die today, surrender yourself!"
My jaw dropped. I had been caught by none other than Prince Zuko! I immediately turned around and began to struggle against him, but he had me in a good grip. I shrieked in rage, and raised my knee to meet his crotch. But he was prepared for that, and his thigh received the hit. Even so, I distracted him for a moment, and I was able to release one hand. I pushed him away as hard as I could, at the same time that I put my foot behind his ankle, and he lost balance, falling back. I pulled back, trying to release myself, but his fingers around my wrist pulled from me and I lost balance too, falling on top of him.
"Trying to escape, waterbender?" he hissed, and I bared my teeth as I struggled to get free of him. And then my heart froze again when I heard a familiar voice. My brother's.
"Aang, it's Kira! We must go back!"
The desperation gave me renewed forces. I kicked, punched to get free from Zuko's grip, but he didn't let me go until I bit him. I jumped to my feet and ran away from him. I saw Appa flying over me, close to the ground, just ahead of me, and the girl that had jumped on his tail reached out a hand for me to grasp.
"Jump!"
When I heard the voice I knew suddenly who the girl was. I frowned.
"Sokka?"
"Jump! I'll catch you!" he repeated, his blue eyes imploring me to trust him, but as I jumped, Appa roared and shifted course suddenly, and as I flew over the air I saw he had narrowly missed a fireball. I crashed against the ground, hard, and I almost lost conscience. But I fought desperately against myself, clutching at that little grain of hope with claws and teeth, and I jumped back to my feet. My whole body ached, and I was feeling dizzy from the concussion, but I demanded one last effort from my body. I reached a house and took cover behind it, panting. I looked up and saw Appa soaring high, turning around to come down again. A little to the right I could hear Zuko barking orders:
"Don't let them get away! Fire with all you've got! Burn the entire island if necessary, but the Avatar cannot escape this time!"
I watched Appa try to descend one more time, but the fireballs soaring towards him didn't let him get closer. The houses set on fire weren't helping, and the villagers were running around in panic now, which made it harder to locate me between them. I put a hand against my chest, and felt my heart banging against my ribs like it was my last day.
"What is our primary mission, Kira?" I asked myself, aloud. I didn't want to acknowledge the truth, so I had to say it to believe it. "The Avatar's freedom," I answered myself.
I nodded to myself once, and decided on the course of action. Then I took a deep breath and ran back towards the center of the village, waving my arms.
"Aang! Don't do it! Get away! Go! I'll distract them!"
I heard Zuko roar behind me. "What the hell are you doing?! Someone stop her!"
"Katara!" I kept yelling, "I'll deal with them! I've made it so far! You guys go away!"
Up in the air, Appa roared with frustration when the fireballs didn't let him descend. Aang leaned over from the saddle, with a determined expression, and I feared the worst.
"Noooo! Aang, noo! Get away, right now!" I waved my arms frantically, hoping he'd get the message.
I caught a glance of him frowning up there before the weight of a man fell on top of me.
"You're going to send him away!" Zuko's voice hissed in my ear. "I'm not gonna let you do that."
His strong arm surrounded my waist and he pulled me to my feet with hardly any effort.
"Avatar! If you leave, she dies!"
"No! He won't kill me! I'm useful to them! Trust me, Aang! You need to go, NOW!"
Zuko's hand covered my mouth, as he shouted to Aang, but I bit him again. He shrieked with surprise, and I took the chance to run towards the forest.
"Get her!" Zuko ordered behind me, but I was fast, and the soldiers were on top of their animals, so when they reached the edge of the forest, I had already disappeared inside.
I ran about 300 feet into the forest, and then I stopped to look behind me. No one was following me. I sat over a fallen tree trunk to catch my breath, and I looked up. The leaves from the trees didn't let me see much, but I caught a glimpse of Appa flying around. I got up and continued running towards the beach… or where I thought the beach was. Appa's roars became fainter, and the ground started to rise, as the trees began to thin. Then, the trees suddenly gave way to an open clearing, and I stopped, surprised. A few yards ahead, the ground suddenly dropped three hundred feet, opening up to the sea. I had, actually reached the tip of the island, but there was no beach there; only a rocky bottom below where the waves crashed and splashed. I spun on my heels and discovered that the cliff was higher than the little town in the center of the island, and I could see from here the tiled roofs being consumed by the firebenders' flames, and Appa flying in circles and trying to descend every now and then.
Suddenly, the bison took a different direction, and aimed to the beach, at my right. Katara, Aang and Sokka must have been looking for me. I shouted and waved my arms frantically, but they didn't seem to notice me.
I watched as Appa flew over Zuko's ship and into the ocean. And then a small figure dropped from the saddle, into the water. What the hell…? A minute later, a huge monster rose from the ocean. I gripped at my chest in horror, but then the monster spat an immense amount of water over the island, reaching as far as the village inside. When it was done, it sank back into the water, and I saw the small figure jump up in the air, and Appa swooped down to catch him between his paws. I looked back at the village, soaking wet. The fire had been turned off, and I could see men clad in red and black sprawled over the ground. Then they all started to sit up, coughing and trying to shake off the water. In the air, Appa turned around and soared towards the horizon, becoming only a small spot in almost no time.
I sighed. At least I had guaranteed Aang's freedom, for the moment. But I was in an island, about one mile away from Zuko and his men, and I had lost my opportunity to reunite with my siblings. What was I supposed to do now? I only knew one thing: whatever I did, I wouldn't return to Zuko.
Then I heard a shuffle of branches and trees right behind me, and to my horror, Iroh came out of the woods at my right. I stepped back. He stood still and stared at me. I thought he must have been furious at me, but I could see no hint of anger behind his golden eyes. There wasn't any warmth, either. I looked around me, but there was nowhere to go. The cliff's end was a few feet behind me, but there was no jumping down and surviving to tell the tale: the rocks had sharp edges down below.
I waited for Iroh to say something, but he remained at his spot, calm and collected, and in silence. Until I couldn't take it anymore.
"What are you going to do with me? Are you here to kill me?"
Iroh raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'd do that?"
I shook my head, beginning to panic. "I'm not gonna go back to Zuko, Iroh, I won't!"
"Do you see any alternative?"
"Yes, let me go!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
My breath began to hitch. "I… I… I'll do anything! Just don't send me back there!"
Iroh stared at me. "… Anything?"
I stared back, frowning at the calculating tone of his voice. My answer was straightforward. "I will do anything."
"Then we can make a deal."
I stared at him. "What?"
"A deal."
I didn't like the sound of this. "What kind of deal?"
"Well, you don't want to be stuck in a cell, and I don't want you to leave. You could be an invaluable help."
I shook my head. "No. Never. I'll never help you capture Aang."
Iroh sighed, and he pinched his chin, lost in thought. I was staring at him, completely baffled. What was he doing? I had betrayed his trust, escaped, and told the Avatar to escape. Under all circumstances, he should be furious. And still, here he was, standing in front of me, offering me a deal?
"Then how would you feel about assisting us in other ways?"
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, I don't know. Cooking, cleaning, sewing… We don't have many women on board, and they are soldiers. I think someone like you could be very useful to the crew."
I stared at him with my mouth open.
"You want me to cook?"
"Among other things. You could always spar with the men, or prepare tea… Assist us in any way we need."
"That's too broad. I told you I won't help you capture Aang. Besides, after what I did today, do you really think Zuko is going to let me stay on the ship?"
"Oh, I'll take care of that," he said optimistically.
I stared at him. What the hell was he doing?
"So if I agree to cook for you, sew, spar, and "assist" you, what do I get in return?"
"Freedom aboard the ship, and your personal belongings."
I stared at him. He had to be kidding me. Why would he even propose something like that? I shook my head, confused.
"I don't understand."
Iroh sighed. "Let me put it this way: I think your presence and personality will be beneficial for Zuko and the crew. Yes, we are annoyed at you for escaping and aiding the Avatar, and my personal way of punishing you is putting you at our service. What do you think?"
"I told you, I'm not helping you capture the Avatar," I repeated.
Iroh rolled his eyes, the first sign of exasperation I had ever seen in the patient man.
"Fine, fine, not about the Avatar, but yes to all the rest. Are we clear?"
I considered it. I would be putting myself under Fire Nation service. I'd be their pet, almost like a slave, but on the other hand, I would be able to walk around the ship and get my things. I pointed my finger at Iroh.
"You can't force me to help you capture Aang."
Iroh nodded. "Done. And you will not attempt to escape again. I want your promise."
I bit my lower lip. What would Katara do in my place?
One thing was certain. If they locked me up again in a cell, I would never get out again. And that meant that I couldn't help Aang if Zuko found him again. My chances were far better if I agreed to Iroh's terms. Besides, if I gathered more information about the Fire Nation, my knowledge would be even more valuable later. And finally, I really, really didn't want to return to that ugly little cell. Not now that I had been in the water, seen a forest, and experienced life.
"I should warn you about something, Iroh," I began. It wasn't really necessary that I stated this, but I already felt guilty and Iroh was offering me a way out. I felt I definitely owed him, so the least I could do was to be honest with him.
"If we see ourselves in a situation where the Avatar's freedom, or safety, is at stake, I will do everything in my power to ensure his freedom. I will actively pursue this objective. And I will make no deal if you cannot understand this."
I saw the shadow of doubt cross Iroh's eyes.
"I don't think you can. Zuko would kill you before letting the Avatar escape again."
I sighed. "Then so be it."
Iroh was silent for a minute, thinking. Then he looked up, straight into my eyes. "Kira, you will have to trust me. I will guarantee your safety and freedom on board, and I will not force you to help us if the Avatar shows up."
"You're gonna let me help him?" I asked, unable to believe him.
"I will see what to do when the situation arises."
"That's not good enough, Iroh."
"It's all I can offer you."
I looked at him. "I can't promise I will be a good girl if Aang shows up."
He nodded. "I'm counting on that."
I didn't like it, but I didn't really have any other choice. With a sinking feeling, I reached out my hand. Iroh shook my hand.
"Deal?"
"Deal," I sighed, and then we directed our steps to the ship.
"You did WHAT?" Zuko roared.
Both Iroh and I flinched at the fury of the Fire Lord's firstborn. The candles' fire flared up to the roof, and I shrunk behind Iroh, wondering again why the hell I had agreed to this.
"A deal, Zuko. She helps us if we restore her freedom aboard the ship."
The Prince narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm not buying it."
I cleared my throat. Better now than never. "Not when it comes to the Avatar."
Zuko's eyes widened, bewildered. "Then what good are you?!"
Iroh interceded. "Apparently, she's a good cook."
Zuko directed his enraged glare at Iroh, who swallowed hard, and then the Prince screamed out of sheer frustration.
"I'm never gonna catch the Avatar if I have to carry around dead meat! She bit me! I should have her executed!"
Now it was my turn of swallowing hard.
"Now, now, there's no reason to get this upset…" Iroh said softly.
"There isn't?!" Zuko looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I was this close to capturing the Avatar, and thanks to her, he slipped through my fingers! Again!"
Then he sighed, and he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You're making my head hurt, Uncle. As if I didn't have enough to worry about… But fine, if you want to keep her as your puppy, be my guest."
Iroh smiled, and I breathed, relieved. But Zuko opened his eyes and stared at me for a few seconds. I felt strangely uncomfortable under his gaze. He was clearly angry, but when he looked into my eyes, I saw his anger melt, replaced by something else that I couldn't define. Was it… curiosity? Then he looked at his Uncle and his eyes hardened again.
"Uncle, I am holding you responsible for her every action. You want to keep her, fine, but if she meddles in my plans again you're going to have to punish her in front of everyone's eyes. And if she escapes, you'll respond to the Fire Lord for her."
"She won't escape," Iroh replied. "She promised."
Zuko huffed. "And you believe her?" He stared at me again. I felt suddenly annoyed that they were talking about me like I wasn't here, but then I looked at the Prince's eyes and once again, I saw this funny expression at the back of his eyes, hidden behind his anger, and my own anger turned to curiosity. What could he possibly be thinking? Why hadn't he slapped me yet for biting him and ruining his plans? What was he playing at?
Prince Zuko rolled his eyes. "Fine. But I'm warning you, Uncle, she falls completely under your responsibility. Now get out of my sight."
Iroh bowed and pulled me out of the room. He gave me a huge grin. "Well, the hardest part is done. Let's get you a bedchamber, shall we?"
He led me down the hall. But I stopped half way, turned around and looked him in the eyes.
"Be honest, Iroh. Why are you doing this?"
Iroh sighed, and looked down.
"I guess I got used to your company. Zuko is a great man, but he tends to brooding a lot. I like having you on board, and I wasn't lying when I said I think you'll be useful. I do. I am sure that the crew will see in you what I see, and they will welcome you."
I stared at him for a long time, trying hard not to melt at his words and do some actual thinking. I didn't want to believe him, and at the same time, I did. I didn't trust him entirely –he was Fire Nation after all– but I had always felt he didn't need to lie to me. I wanted to believe him, so badly…
He walked past me and down the hallway, and he stopped three doors ahead. He opened the door.
"Ah, I think you'll be comfortable here."
He smiled at me, a pleasant, warm smile, and I walked towards him, doubtful, but wanting to believe. I was sick of not being able to trust anyone. When I saw the room, I gasped.
The bed was larger, and with a thick mattress. It was made of wood, and screwed to the metal floor. There was a small space on my left that could be either a chimney or an altar, with a fluffy mat in front. There was also a wooden one-drawer night table, attached to the floor as well. The sheets looked clean, and the cover was soft. The room looked clean and airy.
But the best feature of all was a large round window, which could be opened, and that had a wooden windowsill attached.
"To tell you the truth, I had that windowsill made last week. I was intending to move you here anyway. I had it furnished for you. It's the privilege of being one of the few ladies on board. The other two women share one room, slightly bigger than this one, and with a private bath."
I couldn't speak. I turned around to stare at Iroh, my mouth open, my eyes welling with fresh tears. I didn't know what to say.
Iroh seemed very pleased with my reaction. "You see, I couldn't let you go before you saw this room. I had prepared it for you after all."
"Iroh… I…"
He simply grinned, and bowed to me for an instant before heading out. But I stopped him with a hug. I threw my arms around him, my tears wetting his chest.
"I… I don't deserve this, Iroh. I'm… Thank you. How can I ever repay you for your kindness?"
"Just cook. I hear that Water Tribe meals are delicious, and I've never tried them."
I wiped the tears away as I grinned at him too. "Well, I am actually considered a good cook in my Tribe. My specialty is the artic hen. I'll prepare one for you tomorrow, ok?"
Iroh's eyes positively gleamed with joy. "I would like that."
And just like that, he closed the door, and I knew that it was unlocked, which meant that I could go anywhere I wanted. But the first thing I did was opening up the window and sitting on the windowsill. The fresh breeze played with my hair as I inhaled the salty smell.
Too many things had happened in one day, and I needed to think about it all. Who were those girls dressed in green? Why was Sokka wearing that costume? Why was Aang there on the first place? But those were stupid questions. The important question was what would they do now that they had seen me, and then lost me in that island. Did they think I'd be there, hiding somewhere? Probably. It was the sensible thing to do after all. Once they realized I was still under Zuko's custody, would they come for me? I hoped not. I hoped they wouldn't worry about me.
And now, this deal I had made with Iroh bound me to Prince Zuko and his Uncle. I had to serve my skills for them as long as they wanted, but in exchange, I could get better living conditions. This window and the windowsill were a massive improvement. And Iroh had said I'd get my daggers, and I'd be able to spar with the men. He seemed to intend me to become one more of the crew.
I was deeply thankful to Iroh, but knowing that I had sworn to aid the Fire Nation Prince still made me uneasy. I watched the sun set over the horizon, for the first time in weeks, and when it sank I decided to call it a day and go to sleep.
I slipped between the silky sheets, and hummed in satisfaction. This was a real bed. It was even better than the bunks I'd slept on at the South Pole. Thank you, Iroh.
Aang... be careful.
