A/N: First, I want to thank everyone for being patient these past two weeks. It wasn't my intention to leave you all with a cliffhanger like that, I promise! While I'm still not where I wish to be with my chapters, I'm posting this one because I said I'd only skip one week of updating this time, and meant to keep that promise. Writing has been tough for me recently, but I hope that this chapter makes up for the wait.

Thank you, Sarah, for editing.

Chapter 10

Blurred faces and heat plagued Katara's mind and body for the hours she lay in half-consciousness. She thought she saw flames, which would account for the sweat running over her cheeks. Amber eyes blinked at her through the smoke, but when she looked again, they were replaced by golden ones.

When she finally forced herself awake, the yellow eyes were searching her face worriedly.

Himitsu broke into a relieved smile and cupped Katara's face in her hand. Katara registered shifting shadows to her left. She turned her head, wincing at the ache in her neck. Gisō stood beside her, looking down at her with wide eyes.

"Katara?"

Her name. She winced again at the sudden sound. Gisō knelt down and took her hands in his own. "Katara," he tried again, quieter than before. "How are you feeling?"

Katara swallowed against the desert in her throat. Himitsu held something to her lips and she drank greedily. She coughed. "I'm warm."

Gisō appeared to sag. "The fever. It broke about an hour ago; you're going to be alright now, love."

"I was sick?"

At the question, Gisō's face went rigid and he stood. Katara watched him pace around the room. She belatedly noticed Lana perched on a stool in the corner near some of Himitsu's medical supplies. The maid was silently crying, but there was a small smile on her face. Katara nodded gently.

Gisō continued walking back and forth. They were all in the royal bedchamber. Himitsu must have been summoned from across the palace. Katara rubbed her silk sheets between her fingers, oddly amused with the vanity of her sickbed.

"What happened?" She asked again. Himitsu wasn't looking at her. Lana's head was bowed. Finally, Gisō came back to her side.

"You were poisoned."

Silence followed the revelation. Katara blinked at her companions. Lana squirmed on her seat. Katara felt the blood drain from her face. "Who?"

Her husband's face became even grimmer. Katara regained control of her limbs all at once and began struggling to rise. Himitsu reached out to stop her. "Who poisoned me, Gisō?"

The Fire Lord held her gaze for a few seconds longer before he averted his glare. "We do not know."

Katara ignored his begrudging tone and collapsed back into her pillows. Her head and heart were pounding in equal measure. Himitsu clucked in a motherly fashion as she rearranged the blankets. Katara set herself to breathing deeply and waited for her husband to go on.

"The Avatar and Sokka are taking troops around the palace now. They've been through the kitchens twice and have apprehended the cook and serving crew for questioning." Gisō remained standing and crossed his arms. "I've also commanded your precious artist to be guarded until we might interrogate him."

Katara's nostrils flared. "Nonsense. What reason could Zuko have for poisoning me?"

"Why don't you tell me?"

Katara opened her mouth to deliver a quick rebuttal, but her mind rebelled against her intent. She realized, horrifically, that she couldn't answer truthfully. She loathed Gisō's triumphant expression.

"Honestly, Katara, what do you really know about the man? Some sad back story? In fact, Master Zuko is very lucky that I had the guards placed on him so soon after you collapsed, because I might have done something impulsive."

Katara lay in non-ambulatory agony. She desperately wished to rise and strike the violent sneer off the Fire Lord's face. Her beastly husband ignored her silent fuming. "Even so, I must consent that it is highly unlikely that your honored guest owned the hand that spilt the poison. There wasn't nearly enough of that already weak substance in the cream to kill you. Zuko is far cleverer than that, I think."

"You might as well put your gavel down," Katara spat sarcastically. "There will be no judgment until proof is found, and I am well enough to preside."

Both Lana and Himitsu had retreated neatly to the end of the ornate bed stand, but Katara did not pay them any mind. Gisō was smirking nastily at her, the angelic dimple a meager memory. "Oh, I will be dropping the gavel. And very soon."

Icy dread spread over the recumbent Fire Lady. She shivered fiercely as her fever-exhausted body reacted. She remembered teasing winks and covered laughter. "You can't sentence an innocent man."

Gisō was straightening his sleeves which had become lopsided in his wrath. "Oh, I think you'd find I can do a lot of things."

He was turning to leave when Katara remembered the ship. "I have information that might identify the assassins."

Gisō's bronze eyes flashed. "And it is?"

"On the ship, a man called Zhao—he was sneaking around outside my room."

Her husband paled so drastically that his lips looked almost blue. He stumbled toward the bed. "Why did no one tell me this? Captain Long will have me to answer to."

"Do not blame Captain Long for my discretion. I did not tell you anything because, for one, you were distracting, and two, nothing happened. I simply saw him looking through my window when I woke up from a nap. He was sent away after the ship landed and told not to bother me anymore."

Great agitation marked Gisō's movements as he took Katara's confession in. "You are certain that he might have something to do with your poisoning?"

"No, but he's a much more likely candidate than Zuko. They don't even know each other. I suggest you find him and his sister."

Her husband spontaneously grasped her limp hand. "But how," he pleaded, "How do you know that Zuko isn't connected to this?"

Katara felt alarmed as she looked at her hand where it disappeared in Gisō's. She couldn't answer honestly, because her answer would only condemn Zuko more in the eyes of her jealous husband. She could not admit that she did not think Zuko capable of murder because she truly believed otherwise…and because she could not let Gisō know just how much time she had spent with the other man.

She pursed her lips. "I don't. I can only say that Zhao and his sister carry a much more sinister air than the artist."

Katara knew, deep down, that Gisō sensed the half lie. But her husband merely nodded and dropped her hand.

"Lana," he snapped over his shoulder.

Lana scampered nervously forward. "Yes, my Lord?"

"Call the guard in."

Lana vanished only to reappear a few seconds later with Cale. The boy looked years older. His eyes were bloodshot and his fingers gripped his sword mercilessly with white-knuckled anxiety. He swept a scared eye over Katara and sighed in relief.

"Soldier, I want you to assemble a small group and find the man and woman from the ship. Zhao. I trust you know whom I mean."

Cale affirmed the Fire Lord's words and rushed from the room. Katara's husband shot her one more mixed look. "I'm going to find your brother. Get some rest." And then he was gone.

The toxic atmosphere gusted from the room with his departure. The three women sighed as one. A sheepish giggle tumbled from Lana's lips. Himitsu busied herself fetching more water for Katara while the latter watched. Attempting to temporarily forget recent events, Katara beckoned Lana forward.

"Can you please retrieve Himitsu's gift from my bags, Lana?"

The maid curtseyed and went to the bags. Himitsu looked on with reluctant interest from her spot across the room. Katara grinned when Lana presented the gift to the nurse.

A reprimanding eyebrow arched when Himitsu looked once more at Katara. Katara shook her head, telling her nurse that there was no other choice but to open and accept the little surprise. Himitsu heaved a sigh and glanced heavenward. But then she regarded the package a little excitedly, and set to work splitting the wax. When the red cloth fell away, Katara relished the awe on her friend's face.

The little turtleduck once again looked as if it were about to quack and swim through the air. Himitsu walked to Katara's side and sat on the bed without taking her eyes off the little glass bird cupped in her palms. The nurse carefully transferred it to one hand so she could trace the tortoise shell with a curious finger. Then she turned the piece over and admired the faint lines that gave the glass a slightly feathered appearance. Her thumb brushed over Zuko's signature, and she looked at Katara. Her smile held all the thanks she could not speak. Katara felt weightless with appreciation: Zuko had certainly suggested the right figurine for mild Himitsu.

"You'd like Zuko," Katara told her.

A sharp, remonstrating glance warned Katara that she was on dangerous waters. It was loud and clear that her friend found Katara's acquaintance with the artist edging on inappropriate. Katara waved her hand to push the silent protest to the side.

"Zuko's art will liven up the palace," she continued nonchalantly. There was no reason why she should not talk about the art; that was why she had invited Zuko. No one could blame her for wanting to expand the palace's collection.

Himitsu nodded reluctantly, still captivated by the turtleduck. Katara ventured further. "I would like you to meet him. Once this ordeal is taken care of, anyway. He helped me choose your gift."

The nurse remained impassive. Katara leaned back in her pillows and closed her eyes, settled in her goal to introduce the two. It would be good for both of them, she thought idly as she began to doze. Zuko should make friends while he was here; it wouldn't do for the man to be solitary and depressed while he remained. His nearly perpetual scowl needed replacing. The soft smile that tentatively peeked out occasionally gave his face a boyish glow…like he had been rejuvenated with Spirit Water…

Katara's eyes flew open. "Himitsu!"

The nurse had gone about her duties while Katara had been on the verge of sleep. When the woman cried out, she had jumped. Now she rushed over.

"Did you use the Spirit Water on me?" Katara was casting her eyes wildly around the room, trying to locate the little vial that had been sitting on the nightstand. It was no longer in sight. "It was for your other patients. I should have given it to you right away…I was so selfish to be home—Gisō…"

But Himitsu was shaking her head quickly, and Lana was trying to explain. The maid was holding the vial in her hands. Katara relaxed.

"My Lady, the Fire Lord wished for Himitsu to use the Spirit Water on you, but you were already on the mend. I believe we all had forgotten about it in our fear for you. Everything was a bit confused and hectic for a while. You slept fitfully for several hours. Once you were no longer in danger, Himitsu sneaked away and administered it to the patients. They're going to be fine."

Katara nodded her head, dazedly. "Is there any left?"

Lana confirmed that there was a few drops left in the vial before placing it in the nightstand drawer. Katara began to feel the full effect of her exhaustion once that alarm had passed. Her bones seemed to sink to the bottoms of her limbs. Her bed snuggly encased her, and her eyes fell closed. She was distantly aware of her friends watching over her.

Hours passed in soothing quiet as Katara slept away the remainder of the poison. Her head was clear when she woke in the early evening of the following day of the event. A respectful knock had eased her out of dreamless sleep, and she was pleased to find Aang and Sokka entering the room with Himitsu's permission.

"How are you feeling?" Sokka asked, dropping into the chair once occupied by Gisō. Aang sat on the floor beside him, legs crossing in lotus form. Katara greeted the two with a wide smile.

"Much, much better. Nothing hurts thanks to Himitsu."

Sokka looked over at the blushing nurse. "So you're the revered Himistu. It's very nice to meet you, finally."

Himitsu nodded a likewise. She bowed to Aang.

"Did you discover anything?" Katara inquired when the other ladies had left. She could tell by Sokka's face that they hadn't, but she wanted to hear about it anyway.

"The cook and servants claim to know nothing. We searched and searched for evidence of the poison and the assassin, but we turned up nothing. Through Lana we learned that Himitsu had identified the poison as coming from some plant not native to the Fire Nation. It's a dodgy method of offing someone at best, but the amount they used on you wasn't even enough to take down someone twice your size."

Sokka was rubbing his chin. "It makes me think, though, that they're capable. A truly novice assassin, or someone just looking to kill for no genuine reason, would probably have dumped a ton of it into your food. They wouldn't know how much was necessary to kill you. This person or these people made you very sick. I think something happened to make them hurry, and they were cut short of their goal."

Katara groaned. "So we're no closer to finding out who did it?" Sokka and Aang glumly shook their heads.

"I told Gisō what I just told you. Katara, he seems to think Zuko might have something to do with this."

"And what do you think?" She asked her brother pointedly.

Sokka thought for a few seconds. "I think that your judgment of him is good enough for me. Besides, he had dinner with us, and Dad did take to him."

Katara felt better. Somehow, knowing her older brother vouched for Zuko was more comforting than her own assuredness. "Sokka, could you hold off on writing to Dad and Suki about this? I at least want to see if we can find any answers."

Sokka nodded. "I won't say anything. I'll leave it to you. But if something else happens, I'm going to tell them." Katara agreed and thanked him. She turned to Aang. "Do you have an opinion on Zuko?"

Aang took a bit longer than Sokka to answer, but Katara figured that was due to his monk's personality. Fairness for both sides was something Aang always aspired to uphold. "I believe you and Sokka on this account. Zuko's energies are far from murderous, but he isn't incapable of killing someone. I just think when it comes to you, he wouldn't dream of something like this."

Aang cleared his throat before they could think on the last statement. "I'm afraid that your husband might look for any reason to tidy this mess up the quickest way, and I don't think he has any love for Zuko."

"This is all so overwhelming," Katara moaned into her hands. "I never should have brought Zuko. I didn't think all of this would happen. I just thought we could use his talents."

Aang's words of comfort were cut short by Gisō's entrance. "Are you well rested, my love?"

"Yes, thank you, dear." She turned her face upward for his chaste kiss. His own servant supplied a seat for him and then retreated to the door. The four considered each other while each was lost in his or her own thoughts. Katara suddenly remembered her duties.

"Aang, I would like if you were to tell us about the issues you brought forth to the Fire Lord while I was away." She shot a glance at Gisō, whose only reply was look that said: "If you must."

Aang nodded and stood. "The problems are two-fold. The first is a bit—ambiguous—so I don't expect you to think of a solution right now." He smiled gently. "Basically, associates of mine have been feeding me information about possible conspirators. There seems to be unrest, but at best, this is all underground and contained. It spreads through the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom, and some of the independent nomes. There have been—whisperings—of ill nature regarding the politics governing the Fire Nation."

"Such as?"

"That's just it, we aren't certain. It's a mix of ideals, which of course has the potential to create a powder keg. There aren't any isolated incidents or even any set in stone plans. I am beginning to think, though, that the assassination attempt is connected. The rebels, if they are such, may be on the move, finally."

He looked at Gisō. "You dispatched a group to find the man you told us about, right? This Zhao?"

"Yes, I told them to look until they found anything important. I will give them another day or two and then demand news."

Aang nodded. "It's all we're able to do besides raise vigilance. More guards should be tasked to protecting the both of you until we can figure more out."

Aang's resignation saddened Katara. She knew that he would give anything to make sure she remained safe, but she also knew that there was little else they could do. She thanked him for his news and asked about the second issue.

An indistinguishable expression came over Aang's face. "That one is more cut and dry. Gisō, could you ask the guards to go retrieve our friend?"

Gisō rolled his eyes but sent the guards out. Katara frowned at Sokka, wondering what was going on. Her brother shrugged. Aang kindly alleviated her curiosity.

"We have the Blind Bandit."

"She's real."

Katara couldn't even phrase it into a question; the surprise was too great. Aang was nodding.

"Toph Beifong, alias the Blind Bandit. Wanted for insurmountable crimes, most of which include aggravated assault and robbery."

Sokka's mouth was hanging open, and Katara felt her own mirroring the unattractive motion. "She's legendary," her brother squeaked.

"Please," Gisō stood and went to the fireplace. "She's a crook who is just good at getting away."

But Toph Beifong was a legend, Katara thought as she stared at Aang. Notorious as she was blind, the woman had been at large for years. It was said that she could bend the earth unlike any bender in known history. It was said that she could sense movement from miles away, just like the badger moles. It was said she could bend metal, that she could smell lies, that her parents were moles themselves. Katara sniffed. A lot of things were said. In fact, Sokka was saying them now.

"It's said she's amassed a fortune larger than any seen today, and that she hides it underground. It's said she's been stealing from nobility for ten years!"

"If that were so, she'd have been twelve years old when she got her start," Gisō said, disbelievingly. "No child is that gifted if he or she isn't the Avatar."

"I don't know if ten years is quite right," Aang conceded. "But she has been on and off the radar for at least seven. The Earth King's agents finally caught up with her in the lower rings of Ba Sing Sae. She actually didn't put up much of a fight."

Katara's remark was cut off by a sharp laugh from Gisō. "How wondrous she must be. And you really think she can bend metal? She'd have been out of any cell they put her in."

Sokka looked dejected at the insult to his not so secret hero's abilities. "Well, I'm just saying we should take care regardless of what we do or do not believe."

"Well said," Aang clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "The guards are coming now."

The little group watched as the doors swung open and a circle of armed guards entered, surrounding the Blind Bandit. Katara craned her neck to see the shackled woman, and ended up wrinkling her nose in distaste.

Toph Beifong, the poor man's fable, the peasant's champion, was a grime covered, stocky woman of about twenty-two years. Her green and cream colored shirt and pants were dirty and riddled with holes. Sightless eyes were curtained by bangs of ebony, but a headband kept the majority of her hair swept back. Her pale skin was smudged, and her bare feet were an abominable mess of dust and mud. Katara mourned her carpets; she had a sneaking suspicion that Toph's appearance couldn't be purely blamed on a few days in a cell.

No one spoke while they studied her. The Bandit, herself, broke the silence.

"And what do you four have to say?"

Sokka gasped excitedly. Toph's ability to register that there were four new people apparently asserted all he had heard of the criminal as stone cold fact. He was practically swooning. Katara put her head in her palm.

The Bandit smirked in Sokka's direction. "One of you is glad to see me, at least." Her eyes went to Aang. "And how bout you, Twinkle Toes? Did you miss me?"

Sokka was eating it up. Before he could launch into an inappropriate interview, Katara addressed Toph.

"Do you know where you are?"

Toph turned her uncanny eyes toward Katara and shifted her weight. "The Fire Palace, judging by the over-priced rugs I've been stepping on."

Katara eyed the flippant girl cautiously. She imagined she could hear the girl sniffing the air, and she shook herself.

"Why are you so nervous? I know I'm pretty awe-inspiring, but I don't bite."

"You're wanted for so many crimes, we're trying to decide where to begin," Gisō deadpanned. Toph laughed.

"How about with the heist I pulled off two weeks ago in Ba Sing Sae," the woman broke off her fit of giggles with a sigh. "It was a good one."

"I was just thinking," Gisō continued as though the Bandit hadn't interrupted. "It's rather strange that she should turn up and be captured so soon before Katara's incident."

Sokka's adoring eyes went cold. "You're right."

Toph, affected by her only fan's sudden hostility, held up her shackled hands in submission. "Hey, now, I might be a world class bender and master thief, but I'm no assassin. I've heard about what's happened. It's got nothing to do with me."

The resulting quiet seemed to unnerve the woman. She was shuffling unsurely on her feet. "Sugar Queen," she looked at Katara, "You seem like you're pretty level-headed. You wouldn't make a snap judgment, would you? You don't even know me."

Each word heralded a spike of panic and anger as Toph spoke. Her feet were pointing in Katara's direction; her eyes were everywhere at once. Katara hesitated.

A loud pounding signaled a new arrival. Ty Lee, who had led the guards accompanying Toph, waited for a nod from Gisō before opening the wooden double doors. Zuko waited in the archway, flanked by two more perturbed sentinels.

It was a lasting image, to see him, chin and eyes raised as he strode forward and took in the opulence of the room. He was in his standard attire; his hair was no longer smoothed. He seemed to bristle with lack of sleep, and his veins stood out in corded alertness along his arms. His jaw clenched, and then he looked at Katara.

His tired eyes bore into her, and Katara experienced a striking flash of memory…hawkish eyes wide with shock and arms around her before she hit the floor…

"Who's the stud?" Toph tilted her head in Zuko's direction, hastily redirecting the caustic atmosphere away from her. Zuko frowned, cheeks reddening.

"Excuse me?"

Toph held her hand out in front of her as if inspecting her nails. A strangely mischievous grin was spreading across her lips. "I assumed you were quite the knock-out, considering how Sugar Queen's heart is practically exploding."

Four sets of eyes snapped to where Katara stood, but the Fire Lady could only stare into the cloudy gaze of Toph. Fear shot up her spine while comprehension slammed into her with the force of a dragon's breath. The Bandit bared her teeth in bright grin that seemed to scream, "Gotcha."

Frantically trying to ignore Gisō's hateful eyes, Katara adopted an indifferent stance. "Do not deign to refer to me in such vulgar terms. I do not know what you're trying to infer, but I assure you, this whole situation is only upsetting me."

Cool, milky eyes went to Gisō's severe form. "Oh, I can see that."

Sokka muttered obscenities under his breath. Toph cocked her head in his direction. "What's that, Cuddly Poops?"

Katara's brother blustered incoherently until Gisō silenced them all. He looked at Aang, thoroughly finished with the proceedings. Zuko's arrival had been the final straw.

"Avatar, what do you advise we do with the crook?"

"Oh, honey, I'm no petty crook," Toph snapped back, her arrogance returned full force.

This woman was certainly wishing for death, Katara decided as she watched her husband's face turn purple with anger.

"Do you not understand who I am?" He asked in a strained voice.

"You're the Fire Lord, as far as I can tell," Toph answered, clearly bored with the dealings.

"Yes, I'm the Fire Lord, and I can have you thrown into the deepest most god-forsaken pit, and no one will ever remember the story of the silly little earthbender who stole one too many gold pieces."

Zuko's fingers twitched, and Katara intended to speak a warning as Gisō stepped closer to the earthbender. Toph tensed. "Another step, I dare you."

The sheer audacity was enough to halt the Fire Lord, and Katara could feel the rage wafting off of him. Flames licked at his fingertips.

"One more step in a room made of pure marble while threatening the world's most powerful earthbender." Toph was no longer jesting. "Seems like a pretty bone headed idea for the Fire Lord."

Her surrounding guard lowered their spears until the points were inches from her face. And the woman just smiled.

Katara determined that this would only end without bloodshed if she were the one to end it. "Everyone, breathe." She stepped as close to Toph as she could with the guards surrounding the thief. "Gentlemen, if you would please escort this criminal to one of the cells suitable for an earthbender. See that she is provided with food and treated fairly until we can go on with a proper trial."

The guards, led by Ty Lee, lowered their weapons and nodded curtly. Ty Lee signaled for them to fall into a protective stance around Toph. The woman was smirking oddly at her bare feet, and Katara had a flash of foreboding.

"Wait, just one moment." She chewed her lip as she studied the haughty earthbender, recalling tales of her prowess. Myths most of them might be, but Katara was in no mood for mistakes. "Put her in one of the artificial cells. No metal."

Toph's knowing countenance twisted into shock as if Katara had struck her.

"Oh, isn't Sugar Queen so smart," the woman snarled as the guards began marching her toward the door. "She thinks she's so clever. But she's not," Toph was shouting now as she was pushed through the double doors. "She's an open book, and I'm not the only one who knows it!"

The doors slammed.

Katara wanted the floor to open and swallow her. But, she would not give anyone in this room reason to dwell on the angry thief's words. She arranged her eyebrows into a knitted frown before turning on Zuko.

"And why, may I ask, are you here?"

Behind her, Gisō snorted. "I demanded his presence for when this ridiculous issue with the Blind Bandit was taken care of. It seems he did not think waltzing in here early would be frowned upon."

Zuko's body tensed even further. "I apologize, my Lord, I did not realize that such a petty meeting would take you all so long to finish."

The air pulsed wickedly with something unseen and dreadful. It made the hairs on Katara's neck stand on end, and she could tell that Sokka and Aang felt it too. The latter was studying Zuko closely; Sokka jumped and looked at his arms.

Gisō must have felt the oddity as well, but he only became more incited. He had nothing more to say, angered beyond fulfilling whatever goal he had had in mind regarding the firebending artist. Instead, he whisked toward the door, away from the scene, but stopped as he became level with Zuko. The two stared at each other, aggression a physical aura between them. Katara had the disturbing feeling that only Aang's steady approach was keeping the flames locked inside. Gisō spoke first.

"Listen well, artist. You are here under my wife's diplomacy, which," he threw an odious look over his shoulder at Katara, "isn't worth as much as it once was. Test my patience once more, and I guarantee more than broken glass."