I do not own the character Zhao or Avatar: The Last Airbender. Kayla, Kamaria, and Douglas, however, are my own characters.
From that moment on, I trained with Kamaria at whatever chance I had. We had to be careful about how long our training sessions were, to avoid arousing suspicion from the guards; I used the excuse of an interrogation technique to explain my visits to the guards. All in all, lessons were semi-regular, but each lesson was often very short. Often, Kamaria would teach me something that I would have to practice and master on my own, which ended up working well. My meetings with Kamaria and the others, however, weren't always about training. When we were being too closely watched to train or just on the random occasion, I would learn something far more mentally challenging: the history and culture of the Northern Water Tribe.
"Girls aren't technically allowed to learn waterbending, not for fighting anyway. The only thing we were allowed to learn was healing," Kamaria informed me distastefully.
I inquired, "How is it that you know waterbending then?"
"Well," she responded, "girls tended to learn and master healing at a much younger age than when the 'men' started learning. The solution was simple really. I would just spy on their lessons and train in secret."
"Secret, huh? Kinda what we're doing," I laughed. More seriously, I added, "How did you manage it without anyone finding out? I mean, you couldn't exactly practice at home, could you?"
"And we're training in a prison tower. Not any better than training at home. And actually, I was allowed to practice at home. My mom hated the rule, and my brother, who was also a waterbender, loved to have someone to practice with. Thankfully, he learned from one of the more average masters. If he'd trained with Pakku, I don't think it would've been safe to practice at home."
"Who's Pakku?" I asked curiously.
At that Kamaria smiled. "I forget how much you don't know." I would've been offended if she wasn't right. "Pakku is the greatest waterbending master in our tribe. I don't think there's a single person in the tribe who doesn't know him. Along with his fame, he's also the most sexist person in our entire tribe. That stupid law I mentioned? I'm almost positive we could've had it repealed if it weren't for him." There was a moment of frustrated silence before she added, "I also heard he likes noodles, a lot…"
"Really?" I asked, the conversation taking on a lighter tone as we began talking about the differences between the foods of the Water Tribe and the Fire Nation.
As much as I loved training and learning waterbending, there were times where I'd found myself enjoying those history and culture lessons more. The only thing I could remember ever knowing was Fire Nation (and even my knowledge of that was lacking), so I felt content, like I belonged when we talked about the culture that I truly belonged to, and one I planned on joining. I couldn't just get up and leave, but I had every intention of going home to the Water Tribe and surviving on what I learned in the lessons, some day.
There was something so freeing about training in illegal practices in a prison, ironically enough. Feeling the flow of the water, the push and the pull, deep within, like a beast waking from a long slumber. I just knew that it was right and that every time I improved my waterbending, the closer I came to the truth of who I was supposed to be. Not to mention how much better off I would now be if I got into a fight.
I had to be very careful though, especially when I had to sneak home without my soaking wet head being noticed. And Douglas would always be home waiting for me with a "What did you screw up this time?" He was oddly supportive of my illicit studies, considering his link to the Fire Nation. He seemed more than happy to see me practicing waterbending; he acted like there was nothing wrong at all about me doing it. Maybe I would've been suspicious if I weren't so grateful that he was neither scolding me nor worrying about me getting caught. However, I knew I would eventually have to ask him about his lack of concern.
That time came a little over three months into my training. We had been practicing with selective thawing and freezing, so I was able to leave the lesson without getting completely soaked, although I had sustained a small bruise on my forehead from slipping on a patch of ice and ramming into the cell bars; however, I was able to sufficiently cover it up with my hair. Therefore, I was rather frightened when, upon entering my house, I was met by a man with a rope. I made to run for it, instinctively thinking I'd been figured out, but the man grabbed onto my arm. "Calm down. Stop moving," said a familiar voice. I swirled around to discover the attacker to just be Douglas, wielding a not-so-scary measuring tape.
"What…are you doing?" I questioned, regaining my composure.
Douglas measured the arm of mine that he was still holding before replying. "I'm composing a symphony," he answered sarcastically. "What does it look like? I'm taking measurements." He proceeded to measure around my arms, waist, and neck.
"Yes, but why? My clothes fit fine and are in good condition."
"But those are all fire nation clothes. I wanted to make you some Water Tribe robes. I know we've got some furs and blue dyes buried here somewhere." Douglas, finishing his measuring, began rolling up the tape.
"Why do I need Water Tribe attire? I-" Finally, the questions that had been simmering at the back of my mind bubbled to the surface. "Douglas, why do you seem so okay with this?"
Douglas gave me a confused. "I'm not certain I know what you mean by 'this.'"
"All of this. Speaking ill of the Fire Nation and of the war. Befriending and learning from people that very well may have had a part in my father's demise. And above all that, learning waterbending from them, something so opposed by the Fire Nation. Why are you okay that I'm a traitor and an outsider?" I demanded, my voice rising as I spoke.
Douglas stared at me in confusion and silence at me for a long moment. I waited patiently for his answer. The question may have seemed a bit rhetorical, but I truly wanted to understand. I had met people in the Fire Nation and attended their schools, and I had little doubt that even my best friend would have turned me in if she knew just that I was a waterbender, let alone that I was practicing. I could not understand why Douglas, who had been in loyal service to a Fire Nation admiral, would not share that devotion to his country and its causes.
Eventually, Douglas seemed to find his words. "You see…" he paused for a fraction of a second, "I was not born in one of the Fire Nation's big cities. Rather, I was raised in a small, rural community, where there were very few soldiers, and what soldiers that were around were the ones that didn't give a rat-fly's ass about the war, so the war, or any hate for the other nations, didn't directly affect my daily life. Now, way back, before the war, the Fire Nation was of great wealth and had a great allure to it for many. When the war started and the Fire Nation was, effectively, closed off, not everyone was just in their homes, preparing for war. In fact, many people from the other nations were still here paying their respects to the then recently-passed Avatar Roku."
Douglas paused briefly, whether to reassess his thoughts or simply allow a moment of silence, I didn't know. "The people couldn't leave, nor was it safe for them to stay, with the Fire Nation's superiority complex. Villages like my hometown were places where many took refuge. As I said, most of those folks didn't care about the war and could behave as equals. Growing up, my friends varied across all elements – Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, Water Tribe, even Air Nomads. In fact, being as far out in the country as we were, I think there may have even been a family that was raising sky bison. I was a part of a whole world, all within a few miles.
"I started schooling to become a butler when I was… oh, sixteen, maybe a little older. It was the first time I'd really been in the city, and it was complete culture shock, considering that I'd been immersed in many cultures my whole life. I learned quickly that if I wanted to continue doing well in school and continue breathing, I shouldn't say a single kind word about anyone but the Fire Nation. For a while, it was absolutely miserable. I got through each day by dreaming of the next break when I could return to my family and speak freely again. Eventually, over the years of hearing so many slants against the other nations and so many outrageous praises for this one, they stopped fazing me. It wasn't that I agreed with them; I'd just become very excellent at pretending that I did.
"Once I got through training, I worked for a small family for about a year. There was an unfortunate mishap with a priceless heirloom. I hadn't a thing to do with it, but I was blamed anyway, and that was the end of that. It turned out to be a good thing, though, because that's when I was hired by your parents. Your father was lower in the ranks back then, so he wasn't looking for some flawless butler with an outstanding reputation. The two of them just needed someone to help care for their rather large house, especially with a kid on the way."
I automatically pointed to myself, to which Douglas gave a smile and a nod. I hadn't forgotten my question and was still waiting for an answer, but I, nevertheless, found myself enthralled by Douglas's story. It reminded me how little I knew about him or my parents.
"Your mom blended into the Fire Nation impressively well, but I eventually realized she was from one of the Water Tribes. I didn't know if Zhao knew this, – as it turns out he didn't – so I confronted her about it privately. She didn't trust me, for obvious reasons, and she insisted that I was mistaken; she even threatened to have me fired if I continued spouting such slander. When I told her about my village and the people there, she somehow knew I was sincere. She told me that her family was from the Northern Water Tribe and that she was the first of her family to try to blend into Fire Nation. She and her family had been living in a secluded area of the city amongst other Water Tribe refugees.
"As I said, your father was a lower-ranked soldier when I first met him. He had a loyalty to his family first, and then his country. As he returned from different assignments and missions, new medals and higher ranks in hand, that seemed to be rapidly changing. He wore his uniform around more. He put more emphasis on displaying Fire Nation décor and propaganda. He was often wrapped up in meetings. What was worse, he often hosted meetings here. I mean, not here in the atrium, but in this house. More and more people, important people, became well-acquainted with you and your mother…
"Whispers. They seem so…soft, so insignificant, but they're powerful. Whispers are one of the most destructive man-made forces out there. That's how it started, how this family's life started tumbling downwards. They were just whispers, offhand comments about your mom's unusual hairstyle and decorative choices, her little quirks and habits. Then those whispers got louder, until they were no longer whispers. Then the comments turned into questions, which turned into an investigation, which unfortunately led to a conclusion that your mother was from the Water Tribe, all of which eventually boiled over into an ultimatum: Zhao had to either turn in his wife or he too would be tried for treason."
"So he turned her in?" I almost shouted angrily.
Douglas shook his head slowly. "No, though I'm sure he would have if he'd had to. Instead, he figured out a third option. He warned her that guards would soon be looking for her and told her to flee. Her plan was to return to the other Water Tribe refugees, gather a crew, and sail home. A boat was reported stolen the next morning, so to the best of my knowledge, she did successfully escape. I know how much she wanted to take you with her, but…she was a fugitive; she was sure you'd be safer here.
"So as to why I'm supportive of your actions and decisions. For starters, I am the butler to your household and thus have a responsibility to serve and protect the occupants, or in this case occupant, of the household. Second, my upbringing has taught me that a bender should be allowed to train and reach their fullest potential in bending. You are a waterbender and should be able to become a great one. I was raised to have values, not just unearned loyalties. Most importantly is that, beyond being a butler, I was a family friend. I've known you since you were an infant and have helped raise you. I've been there with you through trials, triumphs, and losses. You never officially had a godparent, but I don't know how I could be more of one. I'm being a horrible friend and guardian to keep you trapped here. You should be able to get out, travel, find the northern Water Tribe and learn about your heritage and maybe even about your family… In short, I'd be doing wrong by you and me to not support you."
I struggled to find the right words. I knew Douglas meant what he said; the story was too incredible to be a lie. It was a lot of information to process. After a moment, one of the pieces managed to materialize into words. "My mom is alive?"
"I am of the belief that she is. I know that she was skilled more than enough to make it out there, but I don't know. I've not spoken to her since the night she fled. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to find out."
"You really think I can follow in her steps, that I can escape the Fire Nation and find the Water Tribe? Of course I'd love to get to the Water Tribe. It's just…I'm neither a geographical nor a nautical genius, and I have extremely limited knowledge about what's beyond this city. After all, I've lost several years of schooling, and I figure they wouldn't have been much use anyway," I rambled, my words laden heavily with skepticism.
"If you travel by night." He directed me to one of the windows and pointed into the sky outside, where dusk had fallen. "You see there? It's a little dim in the city lights, but on the ocean you would see plenty bright. That's the North Star, and it does exactly what it sounds like; it will lead you north. With that star and the moon on their side, a waterbender can find their way home."
"Okay, so I've got a navigation system, but…but what about Kamaria and everyone else? They're my friends, my kin. I can't just leave them!" I exclaimed with some desperation and concern.
Douglas, on the other hand, remained calm. "Obviously, you're not going to leave them. Every ship needs a crew. Your mother had a crew of refugees, and you will have a crew of escapees."
I won't lie to you. A good deal of this was written around or after midnight, when my brain is not at its best for proofreading. If anybody wants to casually proofread it, or if you happen to notice a mistake and want to mention it, please feel free to.
This story may end up a bit short, but I think it may be near its end, depending on a few things. I could still change my mind, but it may only have a couple more chapters left.
As always, I hope I don't take forever to get out the next chapter, but I probably will. Anyway, thank you for reading and have a good day, evening, night, whatever.
