[AN] Howdy folks, another chapter for your enjoyment.
Kor's head throbs as he becomes aware of voices nearby.
"—increase in patrols."
"Aye, my Lady. The new catapults have worked perfectly to keep them away from us. Thank you again."
"Of course, Your Highness."
"You know I no longer have any right to that title."
"Perhaps again, soon."
There's a long pause as Kor struggles to open his eyes. As he swims towards consciousness his stomach roils and he finds himself slumped sideways, retching into the damp sand.
A warm hand rubs his back. "It's alright, son. You're alright."
Kor groans as he sits back. A cup is pressed against his lips and he swallows the cool water gratefully.
"Small sips, Brother Kor," he's advised.
When he opens his eyes he's sees Lady Sato kneeling before him, the strangely familiar man next to her. The other fishermen are clustered around them, their faces ds.
"Who are you?" Kor rasps finally, staring at the man.
"My name is Tonraq," the man replies.
Kor gasps. "My… father?"
Tonraq smiles broadly, his hand gripping Kor's shoulder. "Oh my son, I have waited years for this moment!"
"But," Kor begins slowly, his stomach starting to churn once again. "Father Superior said my father was dead, executed for treason!"
"As you can see, I'm no corpse," said Tonraq, his grin unabated. "And I have no doubt Unalaq has said a great many things, very few of them true."
"That's a lie!" Kor shouts, and they are taken aback by his sudden fury. "Father Superior is a holy and righteous man. You are not my father! My father is dead, a traitor and heretic!" He staggers to his feet, pushing everyone away. "This is a trick!"
Tonraq moves towards him but stops as he feels Lady Sato's hand on his arm. She shakes her head and he sighs.
"Kor," he says slowly, his face intent. "Look at me, son. I am no trick. The trick was in the lies your uncle fed you."
"I don't believe you," Kor grinds out. His gaze focuses on Lady Sato and his eyes narrow in anger. "You're a witch, aren't you?" he demands in a rage. "You've done something to me!" He whirls to his feet, his hands rising as he stands. He bends a bloom of fire straight at her but to his shock she neatly rolls under the flames, then knocks his legs out from under him with a quick sweep of her leg. A moment later he feels the prick of a knife point under his chin and she smirks at him over the hilt of her dagger, one eyebrow raised in challenge. Slowly his eyes drop under her hard gaze and his legs and hands start trembling as the adrenaline drains from his body.
"My Lady," pleads Tonraq, his voice breaking.
"You have a lot to learn, Brother Kor," she says softly. She looks over her shoulder. "Captain Mako, please escort him back to his room. Gently, please."
Mako's face is angry but he says nothing, merely offers her a quick bow then firmly grips Kor's arm, half holding him and half ensuring he causes no trouble.
"Try anything and I will not be nearly as gentle as our Lady," he growls and Kor nods, his face now miserable. His brain is whirling with confused thoughts and he blindly follows Mako back to the manor house.
I attacked a woman!
But she's a witch! She has to be!
She didn't even respond with witchcraft.
That man can't be my father. My father is dead.
To doubt Father Superior is a sin.
Oh Spirits, what am I to do?
What am I to believe?
Bolin does not bring him his meals; he hadn't seen the man since the morning. Kor assumes he is still angry and finds himself missing his cheerful company. His midday meal is brought by another man who doesn't speak, merely sets a tray of bread, cheese and meat down at the table near the fireplace and departs. Captain Mako had held the door for him, apparently now stationed at Kor's room. At the thought of that Kor's mouth turns down. He apparently now was more of a prisoner than before, despite Bolin and that woman's assurances to the contrary.
He had slept most of the afternoon away and now paced his room, restless and hungry. However, no one new had shown up to his room bearing his evening meal and he was getting hungrier. He glares at the door of his room, but it stays closed.
"If I am no prisoner then I may go search for food," he declares to himself and makes his way to the door. He stands for a moment, listening, but hears nothing. Finally he steels himself and opens the door, peering into the corridor. Across the hall Captain Mako sits on a wooden chair, his feet propped on a nearby window sill. A small loaf of bread stuffed with cheese sits half-eaten in his hand, and he looks at Kor with disdain.
"Am I to be starved now?" Kor demanded.
Mako rolls his eyes and wraps the remains of his food in a handkerchief before standing to face Kor. "No, you little git, you are now expected to join everyone else in the hall if you wish to eat."
"No one told me this."
"You don't seem very receptive to anything anyone says," Mako retorted. "So I decided to just let you sit there until you were done pouting."
With that he turned on his heel and gestured for Kor to follow him down the corridor.
"I wasn't pouting!"
Mako shrugs. "Whatever. I certainly had better things to do today then keep an eye on you but I wasn't going to subject any of my soldiers to your tantrums, so here we are." He pauses before large wooden double doors and glares at Kor. "I will tell you one thing though, you so much as bend water out of the pitcher into your cup and you'll be full of arrows. I will tolerate no aggression in my Lady's hall and you have lost the right to bend in this house." He steps closer. "And if I hear you call her a witch again, I'll make you wish you'd never been born," he growls, his eyes burning. "Do I make myself clear?"
Kor has no doubt he means what he says and nods, swallowing hard. "Perfectly."
Mako nods curtly to the guards on either side of the doors and they pull them open. Before them stretches a huge hall filled with people eating, talking, laughing. Kor was flabbergasted by such a raucous display; at the Citadel acolytes were not allowed to speak during meals unless spoken to by Father Superior, or sometimes his Inquisitors. Mako gestures at a nearby bench and Kor sinks down, casting nervous glances at the other people at the table. A serving girl hurries over and places a steaming bowl of stew in front of him.
"Welcome lad," booms an old man sitting across from him as he passes over a basket of bread. "Eat up while it's hot!"
"Thank you," Kor says, ducking his head shyly. Then, as is his habit, he bows his head. "Bless the spirits for this bounty. May they strengthen me and guide my steps." He dunks a piece of bread into the stew, then looks around the table as he realizes everyone has fallen silent and is staring at him. The old man is sitting back with his arms crossed, glaring at him.
"You are in the Order," he says flatly.
"I am an acolyte of the White Lotus, yes," Kor replies. Without another word the man pushes back from the table and stalks off, leaving Kor staring behind him. "I don't understand."
"Most of his family was slaughtered by the White Lotus," says the woman sitting next to him, her weathered face stern though she had many laugh lines around her eyes and mouth. "Only he and his youngest daughter survived, and she lost her sight."
Kor swallows hard and places the piece of bread uneaten onto the table. He opens his mouth to ask what the man's crime was and realizes that isn't the question he really should be asking. Instead he takes in the woman's appearance more closely; her clothes are clean but worn, and her hands are calloused. She is clearly used to hard work, yet she sits here comfortably in the hall of a noblewoman and she is clearly unafraid to speak her mind. Kor is at first surprised by her boldness, but quickly realizes until recently he's hardly ever spoken to any woman, they are so anathema in Father Superior's view of the world. Certainly Lady Sato showed no hesitation in expressing herself either.
"My name is Kor," he says suddenly, bowing his head to her. "I am new here."
She nods. "I know who you are, Brother Kor," she replies, her tone neutral as she watches him. "I am Katara."
Kor pauses to take a bite of stew. It was hot and filling, and reminded him of his hunger. After a few mouthfuls, he raises his eyes to her again a little sheepishly. There was something about this woman that was familiar and he finally realizes what it is. "Do you know a healer named Kya?"
Katara nods, still watching him. "She is my daughter."
"Oh." Kor blushes furiously. "Of course she is." At Katara's raised eyebrow, he explains, "She has the look of you." He picks up the bread and tears it in half pensively. "I'm sure she told you I am an insufferable fool."
Katara allows a small smile to appear. "Something like that."
Kor's shoulders slump. "Did you—" Kor pauses, struggling to articulate his next question.
Katara waits patiently, still watching him.
"Did I what, Kor?" she prompts him eventually.
Kor looks up at her, a lump in the pit of his stomach. "Did you also suffer because of the White Lotus?"
Katara looks around the hall, the smile slipping from her face. After a moment she sighs.
"My boy, everyone in this hall has lost something or someone to the White Lotus, including me. Unalaq's reign of terror knows no bounds these days."
The lump in Kor's stomach now burns with dread and guilt and he's noticing the surreptitious, and not so surreptitious, glances of hostility coming from many tables. No longer able to meet Katara's gaze he re-focuses on his bowl of stew but his hunger has left him.
"I'm so sorry," he whispers. "For everything."
"Master Katara," greets Lady Sato from behind him. "I see you've met our wayward acolyte."
Kor's head jerks up in surprise at the sound of her voice.
The woman rises to her feet and bows. "My Lady." She glances at Kor, still sitting silent and awkward on the bench. With a sigh, she reaches out and deftly captures his ear. "We are not as formal as most houses, Brother Kor, but we still rise in the presence of our Lady."
Kor sputters an apology and hastily rises to his feet.
"Are you sure you're up for this, Master Katara?" Asami asks, her eyes still on Kor.
"He will be no trouble, my Lady," Katara assures her. "Between the two of us, we will keep him from trouble."
Lady Sato nods, smiling. "Send word if you need anything."
"I will, Lady."
"Well, Brother Kor," said Lady Sato, continuing to hold his gaze, her own eyes twinkling. "Until we meet again."
"Where are you going?" He catches Katara glaring at him and grudgingly adds, "My Lady."
"I? Nowhere," she laughs. "You however—" She trails off, then grins impishly at him. "Have a pleasant journey."
His jaw drops as she saunters away. Beyond her he sees the man called Tonraq watching him intently, his face wistful. She approaches him and places one hand on his arm while she speaks to him. He nods, his eyes not leaving Kor, then finally his shoulders slump and he turns and trails her out of the hall. Kor takes a half step forward as if to follow, then jumps as he feels a sharp poke in his back.
"Come along, Brother Kor," says Katara in a tone that leaves no room for discussion. "You're coming with me, my lad."
He reluctantly turns back to her. "Where are we going?"
"To pray for your sinful soul."
Notes: Looking forward to the next chapter - will be my first foray using a very awesome character!
:)
See you next time!