Chapter eight. I'm really really sorry for how long this took. I know it's short and b/c of it's length, I should've gotten it up long before now but it's been difficult. For one thing, my characters have been rebelling and it's difficult to write when your characters are making it difficult to string a few words together.
Also, I have a fanpage on Facebook now. Tari J Deiter. You'll get updates on chapters like exerpts, quotes, pictures, and the whole shebang. Also, you'll have the insider scoop on some future stories I'm brewing up. hehe. go ahead and like me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: Legend of Korra and anything that appears. However, if you haven't heard of it, it's mine.
VIII
The upper echelon, which was where Sidious resided, had been cleaned of all evidence of the young Waterbender's presence. Once Kam was done washing everything, there was nothing to suggest the child had even been there. Kam had been quick about the washing as though he didn't want to be there any longer than he had to be and Maul could see the fear in his eyes as he wiped down the alter and cleaned off the knife and rinsed the crystal bowl. The fear was natural. Kam couldn't help but wonder if he was next.
Maul and the other Firebenders had become attached to the boy and while Maul wanted to assure Kam he wasn't next, there were other things he had to worry about. Sidious disapproval for one thing.
"You have failed me, Maul." Sidious said, sitting inside his meditation circle.
"My apologies, Master." Maul said. "I had watched the Waterbender for a time. He was gifted in his people's way."
"Gifted? Maybe that is so, Maul, but he was not strong enough to accept Bael's blessing." Sidious said. "Weak ones cannot be blessed by Bael."
Maul nodded, still shamed. "I will get you another one, Master. A strong one."
"Yes. Strong." Sidious repeated. "Very strong. An Earthbender, this time."
"I understand, Master. It will be as you say." Maul said. When he received from Sidious. Maul made his leave.
-A-
"A pity." I heard Tekumseh, chief of the Northern Water Tribe, say as he shook his head. "A life taken before the throes of manhood could be experienced. Lotek, my deepest condolences."
"Thank you." Lotek's low gravelly voice met my ears and I heard him clasp hands with Tekumseh.
It had been a few days since Miakoda discovered Komanchi's body by the creek. Water Tribesmen work quickly when it came to delivering their own into the afterlife. I sat with Sokka, Miakoda, and Cherokee in the funeral home, listening to the visitors weep and give their condolences and prayers to the family of the boy now dead. Lotek, Komanchi, and Sokka's father was in the front room with Lotek's brother, Lutok, and Yorie. Us kids were sent into a cushioned area of the room where he couldn't be bothered. I sat here in hopes they wouldn't notice me and only a select few actually came over to talk to Sokka.
Miakoda sat next to her cousin, holding him as best she could. Sokka blamed himself for a lot of what happened to Komanchi. After all, they didn't go find him when he went missing and now Komanchi was dead. Katara, Miakoda's healing arts instructor, said it looked like Komanchi was killed by having his heart cut out—a fact I was thoroughly disgusted by and I wasn't the only one.
I sat in my overstuffed chair by the fireplace, picking at the dark, mourning gown I had dressed in only hours ago. My dark hair was let down from its bun and was braided down my back by Miakoda's swift fingers. I kept my eyes downcast and my ears alert; listening to anything that could help me figure out who did this.
The procession of visitors included classmates, friends of family, tribe members, councilors, and others. My grandparents, Lin and Saikhan, came. So did my brothers and parents. My brothers greeted me as though I had never left the house. But I couldn't stop feeling aggressive toward my parents for showing up dressed like they were headed to a party. As per usual, this was another publicity stunt—something to show the masses that they cared enough to actually show up at all. I wanted to Earthbend them out the window but didn't out of respect to Komanchi and his family.
In a way, I wanted Mom to see me sitting there and admit she had made a mistake and invite me home. I knew that was impossible, however, because there was too much bad blood between us. Besides, as Mom and Dad came around to the sitting room to tell Sokka how "sorry" they were, Mom completely ignored me.
Fine by me. I thought, a nasty edge to the words.
Zephir, Abinsur, and Asherah found us and joined us in the sitting room. Sokka actually got up and hugged Asherah tightly. Asherah returned the gesture, holding him as long as he did. I hadn't realized how close my Firebender friend was to Miakoda's family until then. I blamed Mom for the wedge she created between me and Asherah, but we hugged anyway.
As the visitors continued to come, I grew more and more surprised by the number of people I knew. Teachers from both Beginner's and District Five schools came. So did two, rather, unwelcome Earthbenders: Flint and Shard. They ignored Komanchi's body and came back to the fitting room to bug us. Not even Miakoda was pleasant with them as they couldn't even take a single minute not to look so smug. They stood over me and laughed.
"So, you're named Avatar and already someone dies right under your nose." Shard said.
I felt my fists clench.
"Some job you're doing." Flint scoffed.
My knuckles turned white.
"What next? Is the Air Temple going to sink?" Shard quipped.
I didn't know what that meant but I was so close to smacking them both with a rock. Fortunately, Asherah beat me to it. A tongue of flame came out of the fireplace and formed a whip in her hand. She lashed out, catching Shard squarely across the back. Shard yelped and moved out of the way as Asherah flicked the whip at Flint. Both Earthbenders ran out of the room, spewing threat at Asherah. The Firebender shrugged and dismissed the fire-whip.
"Thanks." I muttered.
"No problem." Asherah said, grinning. "It was fun." She looked back at Sokka. "Sorry if I offended you."
"It's okay." Sokka said. "I would have water-whipped them if you hadn't fire-whipped them."
"Me too." Miakoda and Cherokee agreed.
"Twister." Zephir said, making a swirling motion with his hand.
"Air-whip." Abinsur countered.
I groaned. "Why can't Earthbenders have a cool offensive bending style like a whip?" I pouted.
"Because you're not cool like us." Zephir said.
I flicked a pebble at him from the hearth.
"You could invent one." Miakoda suggested.
"You're right. I could." I said, grinning.
Once the funeral home had cleared out, we gathered by the lake that separated District Five from Air Temple Island. I stood alongside Lutok's clan and watched as Komanchi's casket was lowered into the water and set adrift. From my spot wedged between Miakoda and Sokka, I could see Komanchi's body in the waterproof casket. He looked peaceful despite having his chest cut open. His face and hair were cleaned and he was dressed in a long tunic and trousers and boots. Gifts from the living to the dead were arranged around him, among them were Water Tribe gifts to guide him into the afterlife and a stone I picked up from the stream.
Tekumseh and the Southern Water Tribe leader stepped up and sent the casket downstream with a few, basic Waterbending tricks. Sokka twisted into me and placed his face into my shoulder; sobbing quietly as I wrapped him protectively in my arms. I remained stoic, because Earthbenders don't cry in public and I hoped Sokka and Lotek would forgive me for being what I was.
But I wasn't just keeping the tears at bay. I was making a promise. Avatar or no, I was going to find the bastard who killed Komanchi and stop him before any more lives were destroyed.
"Avatar Toph. A word?"
I looked up and saw Roku standing over me with his vastness. I wondered if the Grand Lotus had either assigned himself as my guardian or if the others thought he was the better choice for watching me. Either way, I simply didn't care and decided his timing was lousy. He crooked a finger at me.
I passed Sokka off to Miakoda and joined Roku away from the crwds of people where the Lotus members were waiting.
"Make it fast." I said. I knew Lutok would never leave without me but I didn't like leaving the clan there.
Bolin stepped forward. "Avatar Toph, due to the circumstances that have arisen, we feel that it is best that we move you to our facility as soon as possible. It is our solemn duty to protect the Avatar. And, since young Komanchi disappeared near your location, the White Lotus is uncomfortable with your current living quarters."
I swallowed. I hadn't actually thought about it that way. A few days ago, I was all for getting out of the house, but now that I was living with a Water Tribe family who had done nothing except love me like one of their own, I was in no hurry to leave. I liked the townhouse. And I was half-hoping the building wouldn't be finished so soon.
"How soon will the compound be finished?" I asked.
"Not long. We have only a few things to do before it is ready to be lived in by you." Katara said.
No such luck there, apparently.
"So, when do you want me to come?" I asked.
"In a few days." said Jinora, Avatar Aang's Airbender granddaughter. I hadn't realized Jinora was a Lotus member until now and kicked myself for not figuring out out to begin with. "Your room will be finished by then."
"Is there anything else you needed?" Roku said, addressing me. "Anything at all? We're allowing you some preferences."
"What kind of preferences?" I pressed.
"People you'd like to see. Subjects you'd like to learn, teachers you'd prefer to have. That sort of thing." Roku answered
I thought about it. "I'd like my friends to come see me and help with my bending, if you don't mind." I said.
"Of course." Katara said.
"And I'd like my brothers to be allowed in the building as well." I added.
Bolin frowned. "But not your parents?"
"In case you haven't noticed, my parents and I are on no-communication terms. As far as Mom's concerned, she never gave birth me." I said. "Or rather, that I never survived in childbirth. Or, that Dad never—"
"That's quite enough, Toph." Roku said. "We get the picture."
I nodded, glumly. It hurt a little to realize that Mom now wished she hadn't birthed me. I wonder if she thought about that often after I disappointed her on a regular basis.
"Anything else?" Jinora cut in.
"Yeah. I want to be able to leave the compound at my choosing." I said. I get too restless if cooped up for too long.
"No deal!" said the other Water Tribe representative. I suddenly realized I didn't know the guy's name. "The White Lotus is meant to protect the Avatar. Your safety is our number one concern."
"I was just going to stay with Lutok and Yorie sometimes. And go riding on Ichiru on a daily basis." I said.
The Water Bender looked at Roku as did everyone else. Roku nodded after tugging at his whitening beard a moment. What an impressive beard it was, too.
"Very well. But that is all we will allow you to do outside the compound. You will be accompanied by a guard until you reach your destination." he said.
I wanted to argue but I knew it wouldn't get any better than that, so I just nodded. "Fine." I said.
"Very well. We shall see you in a few days. Until then, try to stay out of trouble." Roku said.
"No problem." I said, watching them go.
I started wondering if they were getting a little overboard with this. I mean, a protection detail? They didn't think that whatever killed Komanchi would come after me next . . .
. . . did they?"
Chapter Seven:
Kam= Kam Solusar, Dark Empire II
Sedriss= Dark Empire II
