Katara looked over at the kneeling man. So he was the reason for her friend's barren state. Instead of being mad at him, she felt sorry. That was something he had to live with. She looked at her husband. His eyes were wide with shock.
"Zuko, I'm going after her. You need to talk to him." She pointed to the chief. She walked out of the room and went to find Jelisa.
Knowing the one place in the North that would have a calming effect on a waterbender, she hurried to the Spirit Oasis. Hoping the other woman was there, she opened the door and smiled when she saw Jelisa sitting in front of the small pool.
"Is it safe to enter?" Katara smiled at her friend.
Jelisa looked up. Tears streamed down her face. She didn't want to be here. "Yeah, I have no fight right now. You are safe."
The Fire Lady walked over and sat down. "So, it was your brother that did it to you?"
Jelisa looked down at the koi fish that were Tui and La. "In a manner, yes, but it was my father that had him do it. Arawn and I had plans to runaway together when I became of age. My father found out, and was furious. I was a lady of the court. I was to marry a waterbender or someone of their choosing, not an airbender." She sighed and pushed a stray piece of hair out of her face. "They gave me to Ty, an Earthbender. They lived far enough away that I would not be a bother to them again. When the siege happened and Ty was killed, they decided I should be married to a well mannered waterbender and produce Waterbending babies."
Katara knew where she was going. "You didn't want that life. You wanted to be with Arawn. I have seen how you two look at each other. It is the same way someone in love looks at each other."
The other woman smiled. "I have always loved the air head. Ever since we were little. He said he would always be there for me. The one day I needed him the most, he was with his people. I loved him more than Waterbending. We had plans. I would run off and meet him. We would be married in the Air Nomad customs, and be together until we parted this world. The night he left, we became one. I became pregnant. I was overjoyed when Yugoda told me." Tears fell from the woman's eyes again.
"A baby. I was going to have my love's child. A child born of Air and Water. I ran home to pack. My father met me at the door. He told me I was to marry one of the benders from our tribe the next full moon. That was in two days. I told him I couldn't. That's when I told him he would be a grandfather in seven months. He became furious. He banished me from the house. I was not allowed to take anything except the clothes on my back. When I left, he sent Harper after me." She stopped talking. Her eyes never left the water.
Katara felt tears leave her eyes. The pain of losing a child she knew. She lost a child when she was four months pregnant last year. Since then, her and Zuko had not tried for another. "Jelisa, I know the pain of losing a child. You can finish, or not. It is up to you."
Jelisa shook her head. "I wish the water here would heal me. I wish of that more than anything, but it is no more than a pipe dream. I will not have a child of my own."
"I can try. I can try to heal you. I am a master healer." Katara began to bend a small amount of water from the pool, but Jelisa stopped her.
"No, you can not heal me. I have nothing to heal. They removed my womb to save my life. It was one or the other. There was no saving both. They chose to save me. I am half a woman, with no future." Jelisa whispered the last part, but Katara heard it.
"No, you are more of a woman than most. Do not sell yourself short, J. I have seen you with my children, plus Aang and Toph's son. You would have been an excellent mother." The younger waterbender smiled at the other woman.
Jelisa sighed and looked back at the water. "You know, still to this day, I have not told Arawn the whole truth. If I told him what had happend, I knew he would find a way up here and kill Harper. I may hate him, but he is still my brother, my blood. I culd not live with mysef if someone killed him for me. I lied when I said I woud sent an assassin after him. I wouldn't do that. If I had it in me, I would have done it years ago." Shaking her head, Jelisa looked at Katara. "To tell you the truth, I do not know who I am mad at the most. My father for telling Harper to do it, or my brother for actually listening."
The two women sat in silence, watching the ocean and moon spirit do their eternal dance around each other. Push and pull for all eternity. It was the same struggle that was going on in everyone soul.
--
Arawn looked down the corridor. According to the last man that encountered him, the general was held up in the main audience chamber with about twenty guards. Arawn just smiled as he knocked the man out and proceeded to take his keys. The weapons locker was up the way. That was where they had put his kindjal and his bow. When he had them back, the real fun would begin.
Racing up the corridor, he used his air bending to knock people out of his way. He had not done this in many ages. It was quite invigorating. He relished in the thrill of the chase, and the hunt. A smile crept onto his lips. Notching an arrow onto the bow string, he used a small amount of air bending to project it farther and faster than he would ever be able to release. It punched through the two guards that were stationed at the door of the armory. They were dead before they hit the ground. Their dead, unseeing eyes stared ahead as he unlocked the door.
Weapons of all kinds lined the walls. "Oh, I just hit the jackpot." He smiled bigger as he found his weapons in a foot locker. Placing his beloved sword on his hip, he threw the borrowed bow to the ground and picked up his. It was not damaged and was as smooth as the day he got it.
Loading up with arrows, he looked around the room to see if there was anything else he would need. There in the corner was a beautiful sword. Picking it up, it was vaguely familiar. He pulled it from the scabbard. It was defiantly a Piandao made blade, judging from the style and weight. It's silvery blade caught the light of the torches and casted a shimmer across the room.
Looking at the hilt, the memory snapped into place. He knew who's blade it was. They had it taken many years ago, when they were taken to the Boiling Rock. Lost to the tides of time, they were too embarrassed to go back to Piandao for a replacement.
Placing it back in it's scabbard, he strapped it to his back and walked out of the room. Ten guards turned the corner and spotted him. The earthbenders launched their projectiles at him, as he ducked back into the room. "Shit! How am I going to get out of this one now?"
Thinking quickly, he gathered up a large lungful of air and dived back out into the hall. Releasing the air, he saw the men quickly pull up a wall to protect themselves and the non-benders with them. But to Arawn, the gust was just a distraction. He ran the opposite direction and slid around the corner. Leaving the men behind, he headed to where the general was. He would end this today and regroup in Ba Sing Sei. First, he had to find Azula.
--
Azula heard the commotion in the halls as she exited to door to her chambers. Why didn't that idiot leave? He will surely get killed if he keeps this fool's errand up. What good is he to the children if he is in the Spirit World?
She looked down the hallway and spotted him as he tore around the corner at speeds only an airbender can reach. He spotted her, and came to a dead stop. "Just the person I was looking for." He smiled at her and revealed a row of perfect teeth. "We have to go."
She shook her head. "I don't think so. I have to stay here a little longer."
Arawn's smile fell and was replaced by a scowl. "No, you are coming now. They will find you sooner rather than later, Azula. We have to get out of here. I will not leave here knowing I have left you to the wolves. My wife would have my head in more ways than one."
Azula still did not move from her spot. "I am a Fire Nation Princess. I can stand my ground against anything they send at me, if they find out about my motives."
Arawn threw his hands in the air. "You are as infuriating as my wife. Fine if you will not go willing, you will come over my shoulder." He surprised her by grabbing her waist and throwing her over his massive shoulder. "Now let's go Princess." He took off like a shot, and she left her stomach back at her chamber door.
She felt the bile rise in her throat. She knew if he didn't stop soon, she would ruin the clothes he had on. Forcing it back down, she yelled at him. "Arawn, put me down. I think I am going to be sick." Azula pounded his back.
He slowed down and stopped at the exit. "Here is our stop, Princess. You are going to Ba Sing Sei, and I am staying here to finish off the man that hurt my wife."
She heard the steel in his voice. Clearing her throat, she looked him in the eye. "If you are so hell bent on doing this, then I will come with you. I have not had many opportunities to fry people and get away with it."
He grinned. A feral sadistic grin. "I thought you left those thoughts in the past, Princess?"
She matched his grin. "I may have changed, but there are certain urges that you can only suppress for so long. You of all people should know that, living with Jennasa of all people."
Arawn jumped back and stared at Azula. She laughed at him. "I know about her past. I walked in at the wrong time and saw the scars with my own eyes. She could not hide it for long. Not after I slipped something in her tea for her to tell the truth. Do not worry, Haru was not there, and no one else heard. Everyone was too afraid of her to come near her rooms."
Arawn just shook his head. "Alright, let's go hunting. Show me those skills Jun taught you, or refined." He pulled out his blade and turned to look at her. "Let's go."
They ran back through the hall, blade and fire running through the underground base, heading straight for it's leader.
--
Marcus smiled as they reached the gates of the Earth Kingdom palace. Soon, he would see his mother and father again. He missed them so much. Hopefully Uncle Arawn and that nice lady, Azula, would be there waiting. He said they would meet back up here and Marcus would hold him to his promise. He would make Aunt Jelisa get him.
Walking behind the guard that helped them get this far, he smiled at his friends. They were smiling as well. Soon, they would be going home as well. They would get to see their parents and their homeland. Matthias smiled back at Marcus.
"Can you believe it? We are going to get to see our families again. Isn't it great?" The Fire Prince couldn't stop smiling. "I want to see my dad soooo much. I bet he is worried sick."
Malaya looked at her brother. "Nuh uh. I think Mom is more worried. She always worries about something. You know that. She goes nuts when something happens in our training sessions." She smiled at the memory.
Marcus thought about his own parents. "I know my parents are worried sick. I am surprised that everything isn't torn apart by now, the way my mom's temper is." He watched his mom get mad at his dad one time and half the temple's wall was blown apart. "Yeah, Dad must be keeping her calm."
Just then, there was a large explosion form the throne room and three angry voices. "No, you don't understand. Fire Lord Zuko and Lady Katara's children have been taken, along with my son. If you do not help me with some troops, I will bring this place down around your head so fast you will not know what happened." Marcus recognized the voice. It was his mother, Toph.
The other one, defiantly male. "General Bei Fong. You need to calm down. You are going to destroy the palace, and then you will not get your men. They will have to come here and rebuild what you have destroyed."
Marcus smiled bigger and ran for the throne room. Blasting the doors off their hinges, he ran straight to his mother with tears in his eyes. "Mom!" He flew into her waiting arms. She wrapped her arms around him and began to cry. The mighty General Bei Fong, cried openly in front of everyone as she hugged her son. "Mom, I missed you so much!"
Kids have been reunited with Toph and Arawn has teamed up with Azula to bring more chaos to the resistance. Man, Azula and Arawn have been tow of my favorite to write about. Jelisa's big moment with Harper and Rahab are next. You get to see what happened to their father. Hehe it will be good. Plus, the next chapter might be a little graphic with the two psychos loose by themselves. My husband wants to write and Arawn is his creation. We will see what e comes up with. Oh boy, hang on to your stomachs. I know that much. See ya later.