"can you hear the calling of the raving wind and water?
we just keep dreaming of the land 'cross the river
we are always on the way to find the place we belong
wandering to no where, we're paddling
down the raging sea"
- to nowhere
"I am now quite cured of seeking pleasure in society, be it country or town.
A sensible man ought to find sufficient company in himself."
- Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights
reset destiny; chapter IX: "Tai"
I
In the shadows of the towering stone building of the city, four people spoke in the darkness - two young men, two young women.
"Tomorrow, The Deep Blue leaves for Ba Sing Se," comments one of the young women.
"That is true," said another young man, "and we will be on that ship - posing as nobles on a trip,"
"It is disgusting," commented one of them, "to think that people take war as a joyride,"
"It is their way," said the other young woman, "Never forget the objects of our mission. As spymaster-"
"I am very aware of my goals," snapped the young man, "One - board The Deep Blue. Two - locate Ozai's so-called secret weapon and capture it. Three - locate Ozai's granddaughter and capture it as well. Four - make ransom demands for control of Ba Sing Se, Omashu, and installment of our princess as ruler instead of the Fire Nation regent,"
"Good. Now we must be on our way. We will use Earthbending to communicate. Understood?" said the other young man.
"Understood," agreed all four of them and they took off into the night.
II
"...Hishigata, Mushiboro, Kyoshi, Omashu.." The ship captain paused to catch his breath. "...and Ba Sing Se! All boarders for Hishigata, Mushiboro..."
Tai could feel the words blurring against his ears. He already knew where they were going, so why pay attention to hearing the same news all over again? The carriage came to a jolting stop a few feet away the docks of the ship. Tai got out of the carriage, overjoyed that he could once again stretch his legs after the long ride and rubbed the feeling back into them. Behind him stood his mother, who chose this as another opportunity to whack him in the back of the head with her head with her fan. It was always humid for her - despite all seasons - and always had the fancy, expensive, one-of-a-kind (as she loved to brag so) fan in hand.
"Look proper, my son," she eagerly whispered, "up ahead is your golden future if you get close enough to her,"
He yawned a bit in reply, hoping to turn his mother off of her usual fit over his actions. His mother, in reply, snapped the fan in a direction and Tai looked to see the Fire Lord himself and a girl standing nearby him.His motherhustled over to the Fire Lord in all eagerness, dragging Tai by the scruff of his shoulder. In back of them, a man and maidservant dragged their heavy luggage across the docks and towards them. His mother was in a flutter as soon as she was within a few feet of the Fire Lord. Tai had seen the man before and gave an unimpressed, uninterested look. It was the folly of uncaring youth.
"Lady Hudie," commented the Fire Lord, "I am glad to see the wife of my oldest friend is present,"
"Oh yes," commented his mother, the biggest of smiles plastered onto her face, "I'm more than excited to see the friend of my dear husband - who sends you his regards and regrets he cannot come, for he is bedridden, my lord - accompanying this trip to Ba Sing Se," She gives a nod towards Tai. "This is my oldest son, Tailin,"
Tai gave a shrug and the Fire Lord smiled down at them, "He looks like a fine young man. This is my granddaughter, Sadako,"
A girl walked towards them. Tai studied the girl's appearance and found something oddly eccentric about her. There was no look of extreme beauty or extreme ugliness about the girl, nor an air of authority or high power. She was an average looking girl, but there were odd things that stood out. One eye was cerulean in color, the other was saffron. The hair was long but was peppered with a strange mixture of black and white. She was a tall and bony - almost thorn-like the way her limbs stuck out. Her eyes stared down Tai, almost hypnotically.
Yet, there were crowds of worshippers and followers all around this ragamuffin girl. Manservants held luggage, maids with clothes, and peasants offering gifts of gratitude towards her. The girl seemingly took no notice of what was being offered or the power she was holding. Her eyes seemed dazed and far-off. The Fire Lord had to nudge her to finally get her to focus on Tai, but all she did was fixedly look at him.
"I'm afraid Sadako is not used to talking. She has been sheltered most of her life," the Fire Lord breathed. The girl - Sadako - suddenly turned away and rushed from them, the ends of her exquiste red and gold robe flapping in the air.
"Oh, I'm sure she's just a little bit on the shy side," stated Tai's mother,"I was like that when I was her age,"
"No one has ever gotten close enough to become Sadako's friend, so I hope she can have one," stated the Fire Lord, directed at Tai, "so you should try and talk to her. I was hoping you two would become especially close,"
Tai knew what the hidden message was - he was more than sure his mother had put him up as a prime example for an arranged marraige. He gave an unintered grunt in reply to the Fire Lord's statement and followed his mother inside of the ship. The ship was grand - large, eloquent, and had several levels and rooms for the many guests - most of them nobles who were willing to sight-see in the Earth Kingdom, most soldiers who's purpose was to secure the city even more.
He found he had his own seperate room, far from his mother's (thank the gods), so that he could tend to his business and she to her own. "You're fifteen now, almost a man," had stated his mother earlier when he first entered the room, "so you must learn how to manage on his own," Tai was all too sure that his mother wanted to socialize with the other ladies without the burden of watching her layabout son. The room was a little on the small side, but Tai - unlike most young noble lords - wasn't picky as long as it had a bed and a window. His manservant, Ael, unpacked Tai's things.
"Someone explain to me what's the fuss over the daughter of the Fire Lord," Tai asked.
"There are rumors, my lord," stated Ael. He moved away from the walls of the room and whispered quickly to Tai, "I hear that shehas strange powers that go beyond Bending. I will listen more in the servant's quarters, Tai," Ael then went back his manservant duties.
Tai let out a sigh, going over his reasons for why he has journeyed on this trip in the first place. Ael unpacked his large collection of plants that he always travels with, and laid them on the dresser in the room. Tai stepped over to them and held the head of a bloom. It tooka lot ofability, concentration, and energyto use the blooms as a two-way communicator between him and his fellow but it was worth it in the end to have a way of speech amid them.
"Ears to hear, tongue to talk, mouth to speak, eyes to see," Tai whispered the password.
"Eyes to see," came the reply. It was a female voice, "I'm on the above deck and I must be quick. The oher noble ladies here want me to join them in their talk,"
"I'll be quick then," whsiperd Tai, "is there anyway you can get close to the Fire Lord's granddaughter?"
"I fear not. I am closer to the female commander - Zula is her name - and I wish to exact my revenge upon her for the fall of my homeland. Tongue-to-talk is after her fellow and Mouth-to-speak is picking up on rumors and gossips with the captain of this ship," she answered.
"I suppose I will have her then," answered Tai.
"May the Earth gods protect,"
Tai turned away the bloom and pondered over what he had to do. At times when he thought as deeply as he did, he remembered Lady Hudie's son - Tailin - lying dead in one of the rivers of Omashu, and easily replaced by a look-a-like from one of the rebel rings in the then collapsing city. He smiled.
Ael accompanied him to search for the Fire Lord's granddaughter, but the search resembled more of a wild goose chase around the boat. They followed conversations, statements, and rumors about the whereabouts of the girl but found they were all for nothing. Two whole hours passed and before they knew it, it was time for dinner on the ship and the girl was nowhere to be found. Tai was forced to eat with his mother and the other nobles at a table. While the nobles talked business and gossip (the usual uninterests to Tai himself) he overheard a conversation that did inherit his interest.
"...wants her meal taken to her in her room. She states feeling ill," stated a woman to a maid. She was a strict lookingold crone, gray hair tied into a proper bun, clothes pressed and straight, and a wooden cane in hand.
"Yes, Madam Oriblei," said the maid, with a nod, "give Mistress Sadako my regards,"
The crone - Madam Oriblei - turned onn her heel and marched out of the room. Tai wiped some gravy from his mouth and fought the urge to smile at the news. He excused himself from the table and ran out the room before his mother could protest. Quickly, quietly, and cautiously, he followed Madam Oriblei in the shadows. The woman walked loudly enough - her footsteps echoed down the hall - and Tai followed her through the many hallways and levels of the ship until Madam Oriblei stopped in her tracks at a door and entered a room. Tai squatted nearby and listen in.
"Your dinner is being prepared and brought up here," Madam Oriblei stated in an icy and unforgiving tone to the other person in the room, "and I will assure you that I will not tolerate this behavior again. Tomorrow, I expect you to be done below and eating at the table with everyone else or no meals,"
The other made no reply to her and Madam Oriblei let out a grumble and left in a huff. As soon as he made sure she was gone for good, Tai snuck towards the room and peeked through the crack made in the door. He could make out that someone was sitting in the room. He gave a gentle knock at the door and there was no reply. He pushed the door open even more, but only a smidgen so that he could get an even better look. It was Sadako. Good. He slipped back into his character - "Young Lord Tailin Hudie" - and cautiously stepped into the room.
"Is anyone in here?" asked Tai.
"Go away," came the answer.
"Well, since someone else is in here I suppose I'll stay," was Tai's uppity answer.
Taidid a quick scan around the room and realized this was the most impressive room in the entire ship.He made note of the various windows, expensive silk bedsheets and bedding, clothes, toys, food, stuffed animals, singing birds in cages, and more laid out on the floor as gifts - unopened, unwrapped, uninterested and overall neglected by the receiver. In the corner of the room, a single candlelight flickered on a wooden desk and there was Sadako.
Sadako wasn't curled - she was too bony - but was more...jackknifed...into position with a thick book placed neatly in her lap. The hair was strangely beautiful in the single light in the room. It had a beautiful shine that reminded Tai of several things.Night rain over the forests back home, black silk, charcoal spun into threads, with dashes and bits of sterling juxtaposed on the side. The amber and azure eyes giving her a wild look - a sort of hidden beast behind the calm and quiet girl.
"It isn't proper to entire a young lady's bedroom without knocking," said Sadako. There was a cracking in her voice, to denote some sort of emotion - perhaps sadness in this case.
"I've never been that strong on etiquette, so forgive me," Tai answered, "but I crave some company,"
"And I crave my house, my mother, my father, my family, and away from the sea, but you don't see me whining about it!" snapped Sadako. It was obvious she was battling sea and home sickness.
"The best cure for sea sickness is to eat pickled ginger," Tai said.
"I'd rather not eat at all, thank you," answered Sadako, "Aren't you supposed to be doing some worthwhile? Like talking to the other nobles or something?"
"You should be doing it more than me," Tai stated, "You're more royal than I am. Your blood is so blue that it could blend in with the sea!"
"I hate the sea," was her answer, "and I doubt my blood is that blue," She stood up and walked away from her bed. She took one glaringlook at Tai and suddenly hefound himself pushed out - as if by invisible hands - and the door slamming, locking from the inside.
'What was that?' Tai was left pondering as he went to rejoin his mother and the other nobles, 'Some sort of spirit...or her Bending?'
III
It was more than obvious Young Mistress Sadako of the Fire Nation Imperial Family had no wish for the company of others, so Tai was forced to do his own little research on her. Begrudgingly, he had to do as his mother often had suggested and (he shuddered) mingle with the young noble men, who spent most of their time fencing, Firebending, or any other sport so that they could show off for the young noble ladies nearby and their prospective arranged brides. Tai found a few good friends in Qiwen and Xiaoran, who were both sons of lords and natives of the Fire Nation capital. The first wave of discussion was on their arranged marriage.
"This summer, my father hitched me to this girl - Meiling," commented Xiaoran
"My parents haven't chosen yet," said Qiwen, "but they want me to be married before they send me off to the battlefield, so they can at least have some grandchildren, just in case I get killed or something,"
"Hey..." Tai said, stirring the subject away, "...what about Ozai's daughter? I mean, the point of marriage is how much property or money or status it brings into the family and marrying her would be good, right?"
Qiwen and Xiaoran stared at Tai and broke out into a laugh.
"That little girl?" Qiwen said, "She's as thin as a bone! She'll probably be dead before she's even marrying age!"
"Someone told me," said Xiaoran with a scandolous whisper, "that her mother wasn't a noble, but a peasant. And that her father, who was then our exiled prince, had knocked up a farmer's daughter. I'm suprised our Fire Lord even let him back after such an...action,"
"Well, no one realizes that the Fire Lord is old, even though he may not look it," Qiwen replied, "and his daughter, Zula, wasn't going to get married any time soon- though she proved us wrong later. Though, he was surely hoping to have a son inherit the throne,"
"Wait..." Tai said, "...so you're telling me it's no big deal that Sadako is a princess since she's female,"
Xiaoran scoffed, "Well...of course! Females don't inherit titles! 'Princess' is only a way of saying that she's our Fire Lord's lady descendant! She'll never be the Fire Lord or anything like that. The man she marry will be so, if she survives that long the waythe girl looks,"
"Then what's with all the gifts and stuff?" Tai said.
Qiwen rolled in eyes and looked at Tai in a disdainful manner, "All peasant stuff - servants, maids, and more. They won't cease giving her things but she won't take them, and who would? They worship the girl for some reason. Peasants. All they have in their lives are their crop fields and their wages and their shacks!"
Qiwen and Xiaoran threw back their heads and laughed at the notion. Tai soon joined in, but the gears in his mind were turning. He saw Sadako walking in the shadows of the deck, in which the young men tightened their lips. Sadako looked around. Her mismatched eyes were caught in a piercing glare. Tai could see Qiwen and Xiaoran sweat and suddenly Sadako was gone.
"Her eyes..." Qiwen murmured.
"Yes, something strange about her," Xiaoran added and they said no more on the subject of Miss Sadako.
Tai was more curious (and maybe a bit bold and haughty at the same time) and chose to follow her. He saw the ends of Sadako's robes turning around a corner in a hall and followed them, only to come to a dead end. 'Where did she go?' Tai thought, 'She was here just a second ago,' He found himself turning around and going back the other way. On the way back up to the deck, he bumped into a woman.
It was Madam Oriblei from before. Her eyes glared down at Tai, "Have you seen Lady Sadako?"
Tai studied the woman. She was one of those old military type nannies that were often used for Fire Nation noble children. They were strong on discipline and more than willing to whack you to prove it. He made sure he stood up straight and didn't look her in the eye, "I have not seen her, madam,"
"I am Madam Oriblei and I am Lady Sadako's mistress and if you see her tell her that I am very displeased in her behavior," stated Madam Oriblei. Her eyes shifted from right to left, left to right, as if making sure that Sadako was not around and scampering away as she spoke.
"I am Tailin Hudie, son of Lady and Lord Hudie, and I am pleased to meet you," said Tai,"I will inform her of such, Madam Oriblei,"
Madam Oriblei gave a firm military nod, "You are a proper young Noble. I will make sure Sadako and you will have a play date,"
The woman didn't walk - she marched away from Tai. Tai heard the sound of light footsteps and saw Sadako standing in back of him. Tai blinked as if he had seen a ghost and walked over to Sadako.
"Where did you come from?" Tai asked.
"Up above," came Sadako's jittery answer. She gestured to the ceiling and Tai gave her a quizzical look. Sadako was in an odd mood - she was twitching, shaking, and jerking oddly, as if her body couldn't stop spasming, "Thank you for...not telling her I was...there,"
"Are you...are you okay?" Tai asked.
Sadako gave a fidgeting nod, "Yes...I'm...I do this...I..it's normal..."
Despite her words, Tai could sense something was wrong. The way the girl walked and talked like a broken puppet suddenly, holding herself and taking deep shuddering breaths. A few minutes later, she was fine again. She straightened her hunched over back and stopped shaking and jerking around. Sadako then began to walk off again as normal but Tai caught her at the shoulder.
"What was that all about?" Tai asked.
Sadako pushed away his hand, "Don't...don't touch me. I don't like being...touched by...you," She drew a deep rbreath and said, "It's something that...happens...sometimes...to me. It's none of your concern," She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're that same man from yesterday,"
"Tai," Tai said. Sadako snorted and started to walk away but Tai caught up with her even more, "...so, do you even like that lady? I mean, why is she always around you?"
"She's my nanny. I can't be trusted alone with so many young men on the ship," Sadako sniffed, sounding more offended at the idea.
'Ah. A cautious reason for any concerned Noble parent,' considered Tai. He took notice of how fast Sadako was walking and her pace was picking up incredible speed. She rushed to the top of the stairs that led the other level. Tai asked, "Hey, why are you running away from me? It's not like I'm going to hurt your or something,"
Sadako had her back to him and she turned and looked at Tai, her eyes growing small and beady looking, "I'm not afraid of what you will do to me. I do not share the common concern over a young lady's welfare, but I do fear what I may do to you in turn,"
And then she turned on her heels and left.
The next few weeks went without major event. The young Nobles of the ship had parties and dances and more and Sadako was absent from all of them. While this was relief to some ("That girl wouldn't know a good time if it booted her," commented one young woman), Tai was left with a strange curiosity about her. There was some hint of bitterness and a vacant hole about Sadako's life that fed his curiosity even more than before. He couldn't help it. It was his own personal curse to explore evey single angle that could be made out with people and Sadako was an unexplored angle.
'Angel or devil? Friend or foe? Ally or enemy? Pro, con, or neutral?' mentally mused Tai, when he was being himself and not "Tai Hudie, the layabout Noble boy".
"My lord," spoke Ael, "your mother requests your company,"
"My company?" huffed Tai, "If she only realized who I really was!"
Ael made a face, "It is not wise to speak so sir. These walls are thin like paper,"
"I'm very aware," said Tai. He spoke in a whisper, "What have you learned?"
"Much," whispered back Ael, "there is a strange secrecy among the nobles. They are keeping something away from us. I would learn more had the Fire Lord been around even more than before,"
"We will reach Ba Sing Se within a few day's time," said Tai, "We must regroup before then,"
"Yes, but let's not forget our objectives," said Ael.
Tai huffed and blew out thecandle for the night.
Bright and early the next day, Lady Hudie came knocking at Tai's door.
"Wake up, boy!" Lady Hudie commanded as she waltzed into the room after Ael opened the door for her. Tai was still lying in bed, curled up and still attempting to salvage a little bit of sleep. His mother dispelled his wishes by yanking away the bedsheet from him, "Today is the day you make our family go up in the world!"
Tai sat up and looked at her, "...what are you talking about?"
Lady Hudie straightened her back and looked at him, "Well, you'll be just as excited as I am as soon as you learn the news, my son. Our Fire Lord's granddaughter's maid has informed us that you are to be part of a little playdate with Sadako! It's even more perfect than I would've imagined! If you play everything right, my son, we'll marry into the family and be in that lovely palace in no time! We'll be one of the higher nobles of the nation!"
Tai scoffed at the idea. Sadako didn't seem like the marrying type. He stood up and stretched, looking at his mother, "That scrawny little thing? She'll be dead before the wedding!"
"Hush, hush, hush!" Lady Hudie hissed, "Do you want everyone in the palace to hear what you say? And what does her appearance have to do with the fact that a marriage to her would bring us up in the world? I'm tired of living in that wretched little house of ours! LadyZheng has a mansion and a hundred servants to wait on her hand and foot at all times of the day and what doI have? A lazy idiot of ason and an old husband on his death bed as we speak! We'll be thrown into the poor house when your father finally passes, so we must think of a way to stay up in the world!"
"Not everything is about you," Tai said.
"It will be as long as you live in my home and have no family of your own," Lady Hudie answered. She shuffled over to his closet and began picking out the fanciest of clothes, "I would rather kill myself than end up an old crone living on the streets with a son whose head is as empty as a flower pot," She snapped her fingers, "Ael, prepare some gifts for the Fire Lord and his daughter!"
"Right away, my lady," said Ael, with a bow.
The meeting was on the upper deck of the ship. Lady Hudie proudly strutted in front of Tai, showing off her poise and grace for all to see. Jealous noble ladies stood nearby, glaring at Lady Hudie and her son. Tai looked more bored than anything else, looking up into the sky and at his feet - at anything that would catch his eye for at least a few moments. The Fire Lord stood at the railing of the deck.
"Lady Hudie," said the Fire Lord, "I am more than overjoyed to see that you have accepted my offer,"
"Why, what proper noble would refuse our Fire Lord?" asked Lady Hudie, flittering her fan. She looked at Tai, "This is my son. You met him on the very first day of the trip,"
"Yes, young Tai, I believe," said the Fire Lord. He stepped over to Tai and studied the young man, who looked uninterested, as most young men did when given the prospect of an arranged marriage.
Lady Hudie and the Fire Lord engaged in some polite conversation but Tai realized something was missing from the picture: Sadako. A few minutes later, Madam Oriblei walked up to the Fire Lord.
"Excuse me, my lord," Madam Oriblei said, "but your granddaugher refuses to leave her room,"
"...what?" Fire Lord Ozai asked.
Madam Oriblei sighed, "I'm afraid she's too nervous to speak to anyone. She won't come out of her room. I tried to force her,but she won't budge, and I have tried everything in my power,"
"Well, make her come out," Fire Lord Ozai replied, "I won't have myself embarassed by my willful granddaughter,"
Tai felt a bell ring in the back of his head and he spoke up, "If it's not too much trouble, I'll go see her instead,"
All eyes turned on Tai suddenly and Tai realized he had slipped out of his character. He went back into it. He shuffled his feet and looked down at the floor, "Well...I'm kinda nervous too...maybe she'll talk to...someone her own age,"
"Ignore my son's idiocy, my lord!" Lady Hudie said, "He knows as well as anyone else that it's improper to have them be unsupervised,"
"I think it would work," the Fire Lord said, "Sadako can be coaxed out of anything with the right words and the right person," He gestured to Madam Oriblei. "Show him to Sadako's room, and stand near the door,"
Madam Oriblei looked displeased, but she nodded, "Yes, of course, my lord," She looked at Tai, "Come this way,"
Madam Oriblei marched off of the deck with Tai following her. She led him to Sadako's room and stood at the door.
"Enter with caution. That girl has a demon's temper," Madam Oriblei said.
Tai gave a sheepish nod and knocked at the door. There was no reply. He cautiously opened it and stepped into the room. In the corner of the room, he could see Sadako lying on her side. Her hair was scattered everywhere - on the bed, on the pillows, and on her. She looked like a lump of a girl lying there. Her cheeks werebesmirchedby fresh salty tears.
"Sadako?" Tai whispered.
"Go away!" Sadako barked. In one fluid motion, a pillow went flying at Tai's head, "I want to be alone!"
"I want to talk," Tai said quietly. He was hoping Madam Oriblei didn't have a good sense of hearing. Sadako rolled over onto her other side and away from Tai. Tai sighed and walked over to her bed, making sure he spoke in a low voice,"I don't want to hurt you or anything,"
"Go away," Sadako requested.
"I won't go away," Tai said, "not until you tell me what's wrong,"
"What do you care?" Sadako asked, "you're not my mother. You don't have any reason to care about me outside of marrying me,"
"That's true," Tai said, "but you're making yourself look bad by not being out there. Why don't you tell me what's wrong?"
"No," Sadako huffed.
Tai glanced at the door, making sure Madam Oriblei wasn't peeking in at them. She wasn't. He let himself slip out of character even more, "Sadako, I want to be your friend. I came in here because that other lady was going to, and I know how much you don't like her,"
Sadako didn't reply.
Tai sighed and spoke, "Come on, Sadako. Tell me what's wrong,"
Sadako sat up and looked at him, straight in the eyes. Tai could see now that she had been holding onto something. It was a porcelain doll, elegantly clothed and the perfect toy for a noble girl. The only thing that disturbed Tai was that the doll didn't have a head. It had been yanked away.
"I hate her," Sadako said, "and I hate this ship,"
"You didn't want to come?" Tai asked.
"I did want to come!" Sadako protested, "I wanted to see Ba Sing Se. I wanted to get out of the castle. But I didn't know it would be like this..." She sighed, "I said goodbye to my family and then I looked out at the ocean and I realized..."
"What?" Tai asked.
"What a big world. What a gigantic world," Sadako sighed, "I'm seeing it...for the first time in my life. It's astounding. It's beautiful. It's breath-taking,"
"You've never been outside before?" Tai asked.
"Oh, I've been outside, but never outside of the palace walls," Sadako said, "and now I feel sick all the time. I want to go back home. I miss it. It's so cold out here,"
"That's the way the sea is," Tai said, "But it's not that horrible,"
"And I hate that woman," Sadako said, "Horrible Oriblei, that's what she's called. She's so mean and she acts like my mother but she's not. She never will be. I hate her. I wish she would leave me alone, but grandfather said I can't make her go away because I need to be watched at all times but I don't see why I have to be. I'm old enough to be left alone. My parents leave me alone and never bother me with baby stuff like that. I'm not a baby,"
"But she's your servant," Tai said, "Can't you dismiss her?"
"I can't," Sadako said, "Grandfather said that if I make her go away I'll be in trouble and I don't want to be in trouble with grandfather,"
'I wouldn't either,' Tai said. He smiled at Sadako, "You can't spend the entire trip in your room. You have to come out sometime,"
"Why?" Sadako asked, "Everytime I come out, people leave me alone and they say mean things about me and I don't know why. Everybody hates me and they say they like me. They're so cruel. I never did anything to them. I don't even know them..."
Sadako burst into tears. She rolled into a sharp little ball and cried. All Tai could do was pat her on the back and comfort her.
"You know, not everybody is like that," Tai said, in an assuring voice, "If you come up on deck with me, I'll be your friend and help you and the others get along, okay?"
Sadako looked up at Tai with melancholic eyes. She rubbed the tears out of her big doe eyes and sighed, "...okay..."
Tai lead Sadako up to the deck.
IV
That night, in the boiler room of the grand ship, four figures met in the shadows, only the glow of red hot coals was their dim light.
"We approach Ba Sing Se soon," said a girl.
"I have no knowledge of our moves then," said a boy.
"We must rejoin the other group and only then can we figure out what we must do next," said another girl.
"May the Earth gods have mercy on the Fire Nation for what they have done," said the other boy, "for when we suceed in recapturing the capital...oh...they will indeed suffer as we have,"
"First order of business," said the other boy, "capture Ozai's granddaugther,"
"I will accomplish that," said the boy from before, his voice dripping with venom. He snapped his fingers and a red hot coal jumped out of the fire and towards him. Heused his Earthbending to mold it into the shape of a young girl,"I'm more than skilled at it,"
He crushed the charcoal woman, staining his hands with ebony dust.