Epilogue 10: Child's Lullaby
As the days shifted to weeks and the weeks stretched to Spring, Mu-Tan reassured Faelin that Zuko was well. Zuko and Iroh were in a bit of a bind, but both alive and Zuko was on a mission and would return as soon as he could. Mu-Tan watched the boats sail that day, having observed the struggle and failure of Zuko to stay behind. He wished he had known sooner. Mu-Tan would have arranged for assistance, they might have been able to take advantage of this situation and get the two fire dragons (Zuko and Iroh) away. He hoped he could truly trust Zuko. He knew the bond between Silver Circle Guardian and Priestess. Faelin's survival ensured Zuko's loyalty. Buy, did Zuko have the strength to actually fight these people, his father and his sister. Mu-Tan doubted it. Even though Zuko succeeded in his chakra rights, overcoming his initial fears of them, it did not mean he had the strength or skill to beat them openly. He did not voice this to Faelin though. The fire haired priestess with the honey-colored tattoos was still badly wounded, healing, and pregnant.
Mu-Tan taught his classes in the dojo, now with Travahar's help. Hwa Lan and Travahar roamed the city of Ba Sing Se carefully meeting members of the White Lotus and arranging a network of informational exchange. In the basement of the dojo, they planned a coup. They only needed a significant amount of the Fire Nation army and Dai Li to leave the city or die. They also needed perhaps some careful sabotage. A letter was written and sent through secret ways to a young assassin in place in the Fire Islands, Kozu daughter of Ling. Ling quietly assisted in the older classes at the dojo.
One night, after Zuko had left Ba Sing Se for the Fire Islands, Mu-Tan sat in the dark like a dangerous shadow on the roof of the dojo. It shamed him to see the walls of Ba Sing Se gone. He sorted his troubled thoughts on how the war was progressing and how poorly things seemed at the moment. A wailing shriek was heard within the dojo and Mu-Tan nearly earthbended through the roof into the room below to save the screamer when he realized who it was.
He recognized the crying of the child, Ty-Min. She had had some nightmares since Zuko had left. This was another night fraught with them. He sighed heavily. His muscles relaxed a little at a time when a familiar tune was hummed by a less familiar voice. Mu-Tan closed his eyes and sank into the memory. His beloved hummed this tune three times before softly singing the words. He priestess tattoos glowing faintly as she stroked their son's cheek, soothing the boy into sleep. He breathed a sad long breathe for the sense of loss he then felt. They were both gone now.
Inside the room, little Ty-min had woken screaming from a nightmare and crumbled into tears in Faelin's arms. She cried for her mother. She cried for her father. She begged to see "Lee" and asked when he was coming home and why she could not see him. She asked if he went to war too like her other father and if he was going to die like her other father. She didn't want him to die. She wanted to see him NOW! Faelin understood how this young girl felt. She missed Zuko too and wanted desperately to see him. She knew he was doing something important and prayed for his safety. She patted her bed to encourage the girl into her bed. Ty-min dragged her blanket with her and climbed in, still sniffling. Faelin traced her fingers through the child's hair and began to hum. It was the same tune she hummed to a similar orphan when she was on a Fire Nation exiled ship seeking the safety that Zuko had promised her and her small temple's survivors. She hummed it over and over as her priestly tattoos glowed the soft golden of sunlight through honey. The song she could not yet sing, uncertain about trying to speak yet. She had tried a little here and there after Travahar had metalbended the silencing bolt out of her tongue, but she was not ready to sing a full chant of tranquility. When Ty-min's breathing shifted into steady long intakes and exhales, she kissed the child's brow and return to sleep herself.
Far across the ocean, Zuko lay awake in the room given to him for the journey. Resonating in him was a soft hum as he could feel Faelin soothing another child into slumber, smoothing away nightmares. Zuko reached under his pillow and pulled out his tiny tin flute and played the tune delicately. Mai paused outside his door. He had been so melancholy that day, more so than usual. She rested her hand on the door but didn't open it this time. She let him have his solitude as she listened to the gentle lullaby played on his flute. She wondered when he had learned to play so beautifully.