XI. Scions
Dear Spirits, captivity was boring.
Barely a day into her capture and containment and Katara was ready to climb the walls in frustration. Outwardly though, she was the picture of serenity, still seated placidly in a meditative pose, trying to draw every drop of groundwater within reach to pool in the earth beneath her cage. She made a mental tally of anything on her body she could possibly use to hold the liquid. Cursing, she allowed the water to be absorbed back into the dirt. She could draw it back out again, if worst came to worst, but it would take more time and concentration than she might have in an emergency.
Heroines were forever getting kidnapped in those trashy romances she loved to unwind with, but the scrolls never mentioned the tedium. Probably because the beauteous protagonist was never in jail for more than half an hour before she had a lecherous but handsome guard make an attempt on her virtue, or she was rescued by her brave prince. Katara's own prince had disappeared hours ago and she was beginning to think he might need a rescue of his own. Muttering under her breath about ruined fantasies, she readjusted her position and tried to stretch out her legs one by one. She licked her parched lips and contemplated drinking her emergency cache of water. Her captors hadn't brought her food or drink since they'd shoved her unceremoniously into prison, and Katara was starting to feel almost desiccated in the autumn heat.
Closing her eyes, Katara reveled in the sensation of her muscles tugging gently as she stretched her arms. She remained like that, enjoying the sensation of the sun warming her face until a shadow left her in darkness again. Sighing, Katara snapped her eyes open and could barely stop herself from recoiling in surprise at the sight of the dour woman looming above her.
She was tall, though not outrageously so, heavily muscled and carrying a hammer that looked like it could pulp bone. Her face was careworn but the fine lines that creased the corners of her eyes spoke of a pleasant disposition, despite her current ominous frown. She was also carrying a battered tin plate. Katara's nose caught the scent of food and her stomach growled at an embarrassing volume. The woman sneered and set the plate down just within range of Katara's hands. She turned without speaking to leave, and Katara noticed that though there was meat, cheese and bread, there was nothing with even a drop of liquid in it.
"Excuse me, Ma'am."
The woman rounded on her with a glare that could have flash frozen a firebender, but Katara would not be deterred. "I realize that this is going to sound rather suspicious, but might I have something to drink?" She could see the woman was about to walk off and kept speaking. "I promise, I'm only thirsty. I give you my word."
"The word of a snake like you means nothing," the woman snorted. "Or do you consider yourself a virtuous, witch?"
"I am not a witch," Katara insisted, forcing a leash on her anger. "Being a bender doesn't make me a liar."
"Are you saying all those with the taint are honest?"
"No," she thought of Azula. "No, we are not all honest."
"So you admit that 'benders' are dishonest by nature." Cruel triumph rang through the woman's voice.
Katara stared her down with the cool eyes of one used to hotheaded diplomats. "Are all non-benders honest by nature?"
The woman's face went tight with anger. "Why are you here?"
"I was told you'd been attacked."
"And you were here to defend the helpless villagers?" the woman mocked, holding up her massive blacksmith's hammer for emphasis.
"I am a powerful healer," she replied shortly.
"And you came to win us over because you witches knew we were a threat."
"No one had any idea what was happening here."
"Then why bother with us at all?"
"Because, a long time ago I swore never to turn my back on people that needed me." Katara explained. "And I always keep my promises."
The woman stared at her for a moment and then left without a word. Two hours later a boy with the same dark green eyes appeared at her bars with a cup of tepid water. Katara gave him a wide grateful smile and was thrilled to see him smile tentatively back.
Progress.
Zuko remained unconvinced when he finally reappeared, looking grave and troubled. He explained what Gamen had told him and what was happening to the earthbending children.
"Katara, we have to do something about this. The man is a monster."
"I am doing something, Zuko."
"Sitting in a cage trying to make friends is not going to get us anywhere," he protested, completely ignoring her outrage. "It's too slow and too risky. We need to drag this out into the open. Once the people are free of Gamen's influence they will come to their senses."
"We can't just force change on these people. Then we're no better than that Elder. We have to present our side with as little bias as possible and trust each person to make the right decision. Otherwise it's not growth, it's tyranny."
"Each person – fine, if we had the time. But I am not about to trust people with your life. We need to dismantle this operation and prove to them that what is going on here is wrong."
"And what exactly is there to guarantee they won't turn on us for destroying a beloved leader?"
"They can't possibly like living with this kind of oppression."
"Well they certainly seem to believe in it. Are you planning to martyr Gamen for his cause and whip up even more support for the Black Fist?" Katara demanded. "If we destroy him we're only proving their prejudices correct."
"We can't allow an evil man to continue doing evil things because of our ideals."
"Our ideals?"
"Okay, okay, your ideals. I'm trying to grow some, they just seem impractical." Zuko seemed to suddenly remember he was in midstream of an argument. "He is torturing children, Katara. We have to stop him."
"I agree."
"I know you think we can't – wait, you agree with me?"
She quirked an eyebrow at him. "No Zuko, I'm for the continued torment of children."
"Well I obviously didn't think you were – I mean ...good," he trailed off lamely."So the moon starts waxing again tonight. Do you think you'll be strong enough to fend off a few dozen guards?"
"You memorized the moon cycles?"
Zuko froze like a deer before a hunter and the tips of his ears turned ever so slightly pink. "It's important for you."
She leaned sideways against the bars so that they were touching shoulder to shoulder through the gaps in the metal. "Thanks. So we take out the guards in the dead of night, free the children and you spirit them away in the war balloon."
"I take them away? What about you?"
"I'm staying here. I think that I can fix this."
"Katara!" His shout of frustration was loud enough to attract attention from the opposite side of the square. "Who do you think they're going to blame when the children go missing?"
"Me."
"You!" Zuko cried, his gesticulations becoming wilder with his rising anxiety. "They will blame you and then they will kill you! I cannot understand why you insist on putting yourself at risk like this-"
"Zuko!" She turned and reached through the bars to seize his face in both hands. "Keep your voice down," she told him slowly. "If we don't fix this here, the problem will spread and they'll be able to add that we stole their children to the list of grievances. These people don't care about the truth, they care about blame. Until we get them to stop blaming us, nothing will help."
His eyes flicked from hers down to her lips and she automatically darted her tongue out over their chapped surface. "Then what do we do?" His breath was soft against her face. Katara wanted him so badly she could almost taste it.
"We … ah, we have to win them over. At least one or two; and then we get Gamen to tip his hand."
"How."
She laughed. "Well first I have to not kiss you so we don't blow our cover. After that I'm not sure; I'm making this up as I go."
"Katara, you drive me insane."
"Short trip." She placed her hands on the bars and pushed herself away from Zuko and the emotionally charged madness he invoked.
He reached through the cage to wrap one hand around her wrist. "If we get out of this-"
"When, Zuko, when we get out of this. Now go scout, if we're going to break those children out we need a better plan than 'wait till its dark'."
"I thought you didn't like that idea."
"It never hurts to have a backup plan."
"One of these days I will finish that sentence," he warned her, rising to his feet.
Katara winked at him. "One day I might let you."
Zuko grinned in answer and stalked off. Katara allowed herself one long appreciative glance before smoothing her skirts and standing to pace the edges of her tiny cell, hoping to clear her head.
"You know, it doesn't look much like he wants you dead, Water Witch." Katara started at the noise and whipped around to see the female blacksmith she had argued with earlier, the edges of her face limned in red by the setting sun. "If that boy is planning to cross Gamen he's going to be sliced up and fed to the dogs."
"La only knows what he's planning. Sokka never tells me anything." Which was true, but not quite in the way that this woman might think. "Thank you for sending your son with the water."
"Don't. The boy did it on his own; inquisitive whelp. I should have tanned his hide." Her voice sounded so much like Gran-Gran going after the real Sokka that Katara had to stifle a giggle. "You are skilled at planting your thoughts in others' heads, I will grant you that."
"I have practiced a long time to become an eloquent speaker."
"A tainted one with practice in manipulation, what a surprise," she remarked with enough sarcasm to make Toph wince.
"I'm a diplomat," Katara explained. "Part of the council of four nations."
"More of your people ruling and making decisions for the rest of us." The blacksmith set down the meager plate of food decisively.
"Actually, I'm the only bender on the council. Have you been to the council seat on Whaletail Island?" She asked, trying not to offend the woman with the large hammer. Katara knew it was infuriating to have everyone assume you were an ignorant peasant just because you were from a small village.
"No."
"Ah, we are trying to improve communication between the provinces, but the Earth Kingdom is so large…" Katara continued while the woman seemed to be in a mood to listen.
"The ancestors rest in heaven and the Earth King is far away." The Earth Kingdom saying was absently muttered, quiet enough that Katara could barely hear it.
"The council is one of the reasons I'm here. Our mandate is to improve the lives of everyone, no matter their nation or abilities." The woman's face was inscrutable and Katara decided to push at her just a little bit more. "I'd be happy to answer any of your questions. I am sure you teach your son the value of hearing both sides of an argument."
"Water Witch, I don't know you, and I don't want to know you. You are the enemy." The woman rolled her eyes and spat heavily towards the path.
Maybe a different tact. Katara noted the woman's distended stomach, but the way she distributed her weight indicated that she no longer carried the child. "Congratulations," she offered. "Was it a boy or a girl?"
The woman clutched at her lower abdomen, a gesture of protection over something that was no longer there. "It doesn't matter."
"Oh." She lost the baby. "I'm sorry. Were you ill?"
"No," she choked out a bitter laugh. "I was 'bending' as you called it. Five months in rocks started to move when sh – when it kicked. The child was tainted and corrupting me."
Katara hoped desperately that she was misunderstanding something. "And you got rid of it?"
"Elder Gamen decreed that allowing the creature," the woman winced unconsciously when she said the word, "to live was a danger to the village. He and some of the men gave me ...something."
"That's... that's just beyond horrible." Katara felt as though she might be sick. "To force you - How could - I am so sorry. I wish I had been here."
"To defend a woman you don't know from something she might have chosen of her own will?" the blacksmith spat back.
"Would you have chosen it?"
"It... it was the right thing to do," she responded, the words flat, almost rote.
"It was not!" Katara was shouting now, unable to stop herself. "It was a terrible thing to do! I mean if it had been an accident or you were too ill, but because the baby was an earthbender? That's insane!"
"Shut up!" the woman screamed. "Don't you dare speak to me, Water Witch. Your kind is to blame for this! If she hadn't been tainted, she'd still be alive." She wrapped her arms around her midsection, her eyes wet.
Katara wrapped her hands around the bars as though she could tear the metal apart, willing the woman to look at her, to listen. "She wasn't tainted," the waterbender insisted softly. "She wasn't evil. She was special. And they took her from you because they are afraid."
"I'm not listening to any more of your vile lies." The woman snatched up the plate she had dropped, food sliding away as she whirled around and stalked off.
Katara slid down the bars, letting herself crumple into a heap. She had let her anger take over, she had pushed too hard and ruined her best chance. Killing bender children in the womb. It was beyond comprehension. Twisting her anger and grief into power she pulled at the water absorbed into the dirt, creating a thin thread of liquid. The falling darkness was enough to keep her from being seen by the guards across the square and it wasn't as though anyone was getting close to her cage. Spinning out the stream of water she whipped it forward, slicing at the metal of the lock.
She was getting out of here; then she would find Zuko and she would freeze Gamen into an iceberg.
It took a long time to cut through the door with such a small amount of water but the guards were surprisingly easy to slip past. Katara had stripped off her pale blue outer robe, shivering slightly in the damp night air, and laid it across the bottom of her cell in the closest approximation of a sleeping girl she could manage. Hopefully it would fool a casual observer and the darker colour of her underdress would hide her better in the shifting shadows. Stepping beneath a laundry line strung across the gap between two houses, she snatched down a cowled cloak and covered her distinctive skin.
Carefully she picked her way from the square to the town hall building that Zuko had described and swore in frustration. The main door was lit up like midday by torches and a pair of guards stood vigil. Doubling back so she wouldn't be seen, Katara came up around the rear of the building looking for an open window or another entrance.
A carved lattice provided the answer. Taking firm hold, she hauled herself up, wedging her toes into the gaps in the design and clambering spiderlike over the scoops and spikes that ought to have kept intruders away, but were far too ornamental for the job. Katara was beginning to wish she had kept up the rigorous training regime that she had been accustomed to while travelling with Aang. Too much soft living had yet to damage her figure, but it was apparently murder on her muscles. With an unladylike grunt she swung herself bodily over the lattice, through the small gap between the carving and the window frame.
She landed with a muffled thump inside some sort of office and quickly made her way to the door. Katara paused, hand on the knob at the sound of voices growing closer. Heart in her throat, she dashed across the room, sliding over the empty desk to roll behind a set of shelves in the far corner. She tucked her shoulders in and tried to breathe silently and listen over the thumping rush of blood in her ears.
"…and that's why." The speaker's words became distinct as the door opened. "We will ultimately succeed. Despite their powers, the tainted are false at heart."
The lantern light pooled across the floor and Katara forced herself closer to the wall, deeper into the shadow of the bookshelf.
"I understand, Honored Elder."
Zuko!
"But this can't be a long term solution. It would just get too unwieldy."
There was a rustling of fabric Katara took to mean a nod. "Of course. The Tutor is only a stopgap solution."
She craned her neck around the shelf, risking a brief glance. Gamen had his back to her, seated at the desk facing a standing Fire Lord turned tribesman. Almost like he knew she was there already Zuko's eyes flicked towards her and widened ever so slightly. He gasped and tried to cough and hide the noise.
"Elder Gamen." His voice was strained. "Sir, I've kept you far too late with my questions. I should let you get your rest."
The man stood and Katara pressed herself back into her hiding place. "Indeed, you are right. Come, let me walk you back to your rooms."
"I just want to thank you again for providing me with a place in your barracks…" The rest of Zuko's obeisances were muffled as the two of them exited the office. She sighed in relief and uncoiled her body from her hiding place. Too close. That had been sloppy of her.
Wasting no more time she crept out into the twisting narrow hallways, running her fingertips along one wall to keep herself from tripping in the blackness and listening for the sounds of children. The first two rooms she entered were storage, and the third contained a squad of sleeping guards. Hardly daring to breathe, Katara backed silently from the room and wedged the door closed with an unlit torch.
A heavy hand clamped down on her left shoulder and she nearly shrieked in surprise.
"What in Agni's name are you doing here?"
She sagged against him for a moment, waiting for her heart to slow down. "I'm doing what you wanted. Let's get those kids out of here."
She began tugging him forward down the hallway.
"Wait, Katara." He pulled her to a halt.
"You changed your mind?"
"No, it's this way." He smirked, barely visible in the dim light and she couldn't help but laugh softly. Things with Zuko were always so clear when they had a job to do.
"I thought I was going to get to break you out of jail," he remarked.
"Since when have I ever needed you to rescue me?"
""Never." He tugged her into a shadowed alcove moments before a lantern-carrying guard crossed the hallway ahead of them. "But I thought it might be fun."
They ducked along another passage and into the largest room Katara had seen yet. Bunks lined each wall with a double row down the middle. There had to be at least a hundred of them in the room, but most were empty. Instead a group of beds had been shoved together in the center of the room. The youngest children were congregated on it, piled together like puppies for warmth and comfort, surrounded on the outside by anyone who looked older than ten. There was a low noise like a bird call, and she and Zuko suddenly found themselves surrounded by a group of protective looking children.
Zuko held up his hands, calling a tongue of flame up on one while he put a finger to his lips with the other. Katara bent the water from a nearby washbasin and tugged it up over her arms.
"We came to help," she whispered. "We'll get you out of here."
She sent a surge of water forward to tear through the horrific contraption on the closest child's back just as Zuko neatly sliced through another. The young boy grimaced in pain as blood began to flow freely into the abused points on his body. Katara reached out with healing water and the bruises receded. He grinned and kicked up a tile from the floor, shattering it midair and sending the pieces out in a perfect ring to imbed themselves in the walls.
Excited whispers built into a dull roar as the children clamored for release, but the only sound Katara heard was men shouting outside.
"The Water Witch is gone!"
She shot Zuko a despairing look. "Get out of here." Without waiting for a response to her command, Katara took off, sprinting back to the office where she had entered.
"Find her!"
She could hear the thunder of running feet behind her; the guards she had trapped in their room were pounding at the door. Almost tripping over her robes, Katara yanked them away from her ankles and scrambled back to her feet. Skidding through the office door she slammed it behind her and threw herself into the tall carved chair. Smoothing her hair and forcing herself to breathe slowly, Katara had just enough time to regain her composure before the door burst open and Elder Gamen swept in, flanked by angry looking soldiers.
"Ah, Honored Elder," she said, striving for nonchalance. "I was hoping we could chat."
"Snoozles you made it!"
"I've been here half an hour!" Sokka protested to the two women. "Where have you been hiding?"
"Training," Toph said simply. Mai gave him a smile that was as sharp as her knives. He repressed the urge to shudder. Mai might not have tried to aim any of her pointy things his way in years but she was still slightly terrifying and when combined with the unpredictable aggression of Toph, they were a combination to make a hardened warrior run for the hills.
"Explain to me again why you sent me an urgent message to drop everything and race to the Fire Nation for a small court function?"
"Because it's not really a small court function," Mai drawled.
Toph cackled in a way that Sokka found profoundly disturbing. "That's just what Sparky thinks." Sliding herself into the seat beside him she propped her bare feet up on the table, a move totally at odds with her court-appropriate silk robe and flowing trousers, but so everyday for Toph that even the status-conscious Mai didn't bat an eyelash. "What we are witnessing now is the first of Uncle Dragon's attempts to marry Zuko off before he becomes Fire Lord."
Sokka fought the urge to spit his wine all over the very fine tablecloth. "All these women are here to meet the Jerkbender?"
"Well they've already met him," Mai explained. "They're from high ranking families of impeccable bloodline. The lord regent will have invited every single woman within five years of Zuko's age, and they'll all be doing their best to snare his attentions."
"Well that explains why no one would talk to me," he muttered, though it soothed his wounded ego to know that the Water Tribe charm wasn't wearing off. "Wait," Sokka turned to Mai. "You're okay with this?"
"I broke up with Zuko," she shrugged. "And even if I hadn't, this should be at least mildly entertaining."
Sokka watched from his seat near the food as Zuko entered, all decked out in the fripperies and shoulder pads that men in the Fire Nation seemed to be so fond of. The second he stepped through the door every female in the room was watching him like a flock of falcon crows tracking a prairie dog. Iroh stepped down from the dais at the back of the room - the smaller flame ornament that marked him as prince-regent lending the older man a regal air that Sokka still found a bit strange on such a relaxed and approachable person – and welcomed everyone to the party. 'An opportunity for the nobility of the Fire Nation to reacquaint themselves with the newly risen members of the royal family', he said.
Reacquaint themselves is right.
But Zuko actually seemed to be taking the party at face value, touring the room like an experienced host and attempting to speak to everyone he came across. It wasn't until the potential Fire Lord had made it halfway through his circuit of the hall that he seemed to realize something was amiss. There was a gaggle of ladies forming behind him and every time Zuko would approach someone new, one of the flock would call out to that person as though they had only just seen them, ingratiating herself into the conversation and trying every trick to keep Zuko's attention. Bewitching smiles, fake giggling, fluttering eyelashes and plunging necklines, there was no tactic too ridiculous for these ladies to attempt.
By this time Toph was practically howling with laughter and even Mai looked amused.
"I owe you an apology," Sokka said to her. "You are by far the least scary woman in this room."
Mai quirked an eyebrow at him but Toph agreed. "Damn right Snoozles."
"It is so good to see my nephew making friends." Iroh sat down on Sokka's opposite side.
The Water Tribe boy watched Zuko getting steadily more flummoxed and panicky; moving as though his clothing chafed him and he couldn't quite remember what he was supposed to be doing. There was none of the easy confidence of movement that Sokka had long associated with Zuko's fighting. He was starting to look like Momo in a room full of toddlers. "Are we watching the same party?"
"Zuko seems to respond well to adversity. I thought this might be the best way to get him a new lady friend since he was not worthy of your attentions, Lady Mai."
The elegant Fire Nation girl inclined her head with a demure smile that would have been a girlish giggle from anyone else. Sokka looked at Iroh with a new appreciation. Here was someone who knew how to charm the ladies. Not that he didn't love Suki, but it never hurt to keep one's proverbial weapons sharp. "Speaking of ladies, where is your lovely sister?"
"Katara?" Sokka knew Katara was reasonably pretty but hearing her complimented like that was just strange. She should still be ten years old and concentrating on waterbending and penguin sledding as far as he was concerned. "She said she wanted to change. That was ages ago."
"Oh good," Toph remarked. "She's just outside. This will be so much better with Sweetness here."
Katara did seem to have surprisingly good comedic timing when it came to making fun of Zuko. She was announced by the herald – a ridiculous idea Sokka thought – as the doors opened, the only spot of blue in an ocean of fiery colours, wearing that waterbending master dress she'd gotten recently with her hair up like a Fire Nation lady's.
Sokka watched his sister glide smoothly into the room and lock eyes with Zuko. He didn't move, just nodded his head to her and drew himself up, looking confident and poised and every inch the prince once more.
"Ah," Mai said softly.
Toph slapped the table in triumph. "Called it."
The girl Zuko had been talking to had noted the shift in his attention and was looking around for her rival, ready to do battle in that secret girl way where they said nice things to one another for half a minute and then were both furious, but new confident Zuko was apparently suave enough to notice this. He snapped his attention back to her just long enough to distract the chit from Katara and extricate himself from the conversation with dignity.
They did not approach one another but Katara's presence seemed to be enough to relax Zuko into his role as host and chief entrée on the meat market.
"It was worth a try, Dragon," Toph consoled Iroh.
"I think my nephew has chosen rather well, actually."
"She's probably the least dull person here."
Things came together with an almost audible click in Sokka's head. "No way!" he cried, leaping up and knocking his chair backwards. Too late he realized that the attention of the entire room was now fixed on him. "Mai," he demanded quietly. "Where are your whetstones?"
"Why?"
"I need to go sharpen my boomerang."
A/N Just want to thank Cantare again for being an amazing superfast Beta! I would be lost in an ocean of spelling mistakes without her.
And as always, much love to those who review!