*************************CHAPTER 11*************************
"The Boiling Rock." Zuko winced as he said the words, leaving a sharp feeling in Sokka's chest.
"What's that?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"The highest security prison in the Fire Nation. It's on an island, in the middle of a boiling lake."
Sokka turned away, not wanting to face the horrific reality.
"It's inescapable," finished Zuko
"So where is this place?" Sokka made sure Zuko couldn't see his face
Zuko started, "Why do you need to know! What are you planning!"
"Nothing," insisted Sokka, "You're so paranoid!" he turned back to Zuko, shrugging.
Zuko gave him a look, "It's in the middle of a volcano, between here and the Western Air Temple."
"Thanks Zuko!" Sokka gave an exaggerated yawn and stretched his arms above his head, "Just knowing makes me feel better!" He headed towards his bed.
Zuko watched him carefully.
"Yeah, I'm sure it does," he muttered.
As soon as he lay down in his sleeping bag Sokka began formulating his plan. He had to go save Suki. Even though he loved Kya, he still felt responsible for Suki. If it wasn't for him she probably never would have been captured.
'That's not true!' a little voice in the back of his head echoed, 'She's a warrior, she would have been captured eventually!'
Still, he needed to save her. They needed her for the invasion.
It was just something he had to do.
I ran until I could run no longer. My legs and my lungs burned, and I felt like collapsing in a little heap. I didn't remember it being so far away. What if they had moved? What would I do? Just as I was ready to give up I saw smoke from a camp-fire. A few more feet and I saw the light of the fire. The shadows flickering around it gave me new energy, and I started running again. As a result, when I reached the camp I couldn't breathe. It took me ten precious minutes just to catch my breath, during which time Katara and Toph helped me to a log by the fire, Iroh gave me a cup of tea, and Aang hovered around asking nervously what was wrong. I looked around for Sokka, and Zuko, but I couldn't see them anywhere. They must be off hunting or something.
When I finally was able, I spoke angrily to Aang.
"Settle down Tuaq. Stop talking. You're driving me crazy."
He blushed, "Sorry!" and sat down next to me.
"So what's going on?" he asked for about the fiftieth time.
Taking a deep breath in order to keep from hitting him, I began my tale of finding my mother, and what she said. Their faces grew more and more depressed as I went on.
"So… there is no Day of Black Sun?" Katara sounded like she just didn't want to believe it.
"That's what she said."
"Look, Kya, don't kill me, but can we trust your mother? I mean, I know she's your mom and all, and that is about fifty points automatically, but she's also Fire Nation, and nobility at that. She might have been turned…"
I whirled on Toph, and I'm pretty sure my eyes were flaming, though I couldn't see them myself.
"My mother is nothing but trustworthy! How dare you even –" Iroh's calm hand on my shoulder stopped me. He said nothing, simply gave a look from kind eyes. I sighed,
"Sorry Toph. I thought the same thing at first. But no, she isn't lying. I would know… I can just tell."
Toph nodded.
"Sorry that we have to think it, but… ya know!"
"So, you want to take us to her?" Aang brought us back to the point.
"You and Katara." I turned to the other two, "Sorry guys, but it'll be hard enough with just those two, and I really need them."
Iroh and Toph nodded, understanding.
"So, do you want to leave now?" Katara had stood up, and she was packing a few things into a knapsack.
"When I am able to run again," I replied.
"I'll go get my stuff and say goodbye to Appa." Aang ran off in the Bison's direction.
"I'll get you some more tea, eh?" Iroh smiled and I realized that I had finished my tea.
"So," I turned to the girls as soon as the other two were gone, "Where's Sokka? And Zuko." I almost forgot Zuko.
My two friends exchanged a look.
"They're fishing," said Katara, the same time as Toph said,
"They're shopping."
I narrowed my eyes and looked from one to the other.
"What's really going on here?"
They exchanged another look, and this time it was Katara who spoke.
"They went to save Suki."
About a trillion thoughts flashed through my head.
I remembered Suki. I had met her when we were going to Ba Sing Se. She and Sokka had been pretty close… of course back then I hadn't really cared. I didn't know what went on between them then, but she'd left and we hadn't seen her since. I didn't even know she was captured… but I guess that was a logical assumption.
"Wha… H… Why?" It took me a minute to figure out what I was trying to say.
"Sokka said they needed her for the invasion." Katara gave me a sympathetic look.
Why did she do that? I didn't need her sympathy? So what if they needed her for the invasion, that didn't affect me!
"Where did they go?"
"The Boiling Rock."
Toph explained.
"So, basically they are voluntarily going into an impenetrable fortress?"
Katara and Toph nodded.
"Wonderful."
"C'mon, we need to get going. Your mother needs to be healed." Katara shot one last dubious glance at Toph before grabbing my arm and dragging me towards Aang. When she was sure I was following her she smiled and let go of my arm.
"Don't doubt his care. He really worries about you, Kya." I realized she was echoing my parting words to her, what I said when I was leaving for the capitol.
"How do you know?" I gave her a look full of despair.
"I just do. I'm his sister. I know things!" She gave a final nod of her head, to show she was right, and I had to believe her. There was simply no other option.
"Mother, this is Katara and this is Aang." Sneaking them in had been easy enough. I told the guards that they were some healers I knew from the city, and I'd had to go get them. That explained the time it took and the clothes they were wearing.
My mother tried to sit up, "Oh it is such an honor to meet you both! Never did I imagine that I would get to meet the Avatar or any of his friends!"
Aang smiled, "Not only did you meet my friends, you birthed one of them!"
Katara snorted at his use of the word 'birthed' and I smiled at his claiming me as his friend.
Li was looking at the two with gigantic eyes. I remembered her and grabbed her hand,
"Li, this is Katara and Aang, guys this is Li! She's become one of my closest friends in the last few days, and she's eager to help you."
Li smiled shyly, and nearly fainted when Aang shook her hand. As soon as he turned back to my mom she whispered, "Is he really taken? He is as awesome in real life!"
I almost laughed out loud, but I managed to keep it to a snicker.
"Yeah, sorry," I whispered back.
She shrugged and sighed, mock depressed.
I turned my attention back to my mother, who was talking excitedly to Aang.
"-Black Sun. I can feel things like that. I can feel the comet's approach."
Aang frowned, "But I can't feel it! Shouldn't I be able to? I can somewhat firebend."
Mom shook her head, "No. It wouldn't be a shock if you did feel it, but it isn't expected that you do. You're different."
He sighed, "Yeah, I get that a lot."
She put a hand on his, "You are different, yet the same. That is what makes you who you are. If you were too different you would be incapable of doing your job. Be strong Tuaq."
He frowned, "Kya called me that too! What does it mean?"
Mom smiled at me, "Literally it means, 'Old lump of ice frozen into new.' I believe we use it to call you 'Avatar' basically."
"Oh." He shrugged, "Ok. Well, thank you."
My mother began to speak but she stopped with a grimace, and clutched her stomach.
Katara immediately went over and opened her tunic, wincing at the sight of the giant wound.
"Kya, fill that basin up with water please." She waved her hand toward a basin in the corner. I nodded and followed her wishes, bringing the sloshing basin back to her. We bent the water onto our hands in a healing manner and moved them over Mom's stomach. It was amazing how the wound knit back together, and the red turned to normal flesh tones.
As soon as it looked fairly normal we pulled our hands away.
"We'll do that again tomorrow to make sure we didn't miss anything inside. For now you should be good." I smiled at my mother and she returned it.
"Thank you! I feel better already."
"Ok crew, let's head out. Hey Li, do you mind if Katara and Aang stay the night with us?"
She giggled, her eyes on Aang, "Not a bit…"
"Li!"
"Just kidding!" She grinned, "I'll show them the way. You can stay a few more minutes with your mom."
"Thank you!" I hugged her, "That really means a lot."
"See you later," called Aang
I nodded to them.
"You were wonderful. I'm proud of you, Kya." I turned back to my mother as she spoke
"Thank you, Aga. I did my best." I sat down beside her, "I'm so glad I found you. I've been waiting to see you for… months."
"I've been waiting to see you too. I knew I would see you again. I didn't know how, but I knew it would happen. It had too." She held my hand, like when I was little.
"I wish Liluye were here," I sighed.
"I know. And… your father." She gave a sigh of her own.
"I'm sorry Aga. I should have been able to save him. I should have…" I felt tears in my eyes, and fought to keep them from falling.
"No, Buniq. It wasn't your fault. If anything, it was mine. I was fighting right next to him. If only I would have fought harder… perhaps I could have broken free and saved him."
We sat in mournful silence for a while, releasing our tears. Suddenly my mother turned to me, a shocked expression on her sorrowful face.
"Kya, what about Helaku? Did he… survive?"
I shook my head, not wanting my voice to break.
"Oh Kya… c'mere illamareit." She pulled me into her arms and held me, rocking me like a little baby.
"I got to talk to him… before he died." I started sobbing.
"Shhh, you don't need to tell me now. It's all right." She continued to rock me for a bit, and then she whispered, "Tarralikitak sorartok?"
"No Aga," I replied, "Tarralikitak nukitarpalliawok. Just… Takrayok. Muy Takrayok, ningartok, annuttok."
"Serdlerk nunangoark kipingoyok," She queried.
"No. I… nagvarpok nutaroyok nukapiak. Krainkoyiyok Sokka. Tipsinartok, siorauyak, okradlakpok, nukilik, akiak. Ungayok. Opinnartok"
"Oh Kya. How amazing. Kuvianartok , anernerk!"
"Sungitok, Aga." I smiled at her. Suddenly the bell rang, signaling half past ten O'candle.
"I have to go. I'll get in trouble if I'm caught out past ten O'candle." I gave her one last hug
"Goodnight Kya, I love you."
"Goodnight mother. I'll see you tomorrow!"
****************
I wasn't surprised to find that everyone was still awake when I slipped into our room.
Aang was telling Li and Hitomi about how he had created the zoo in Ba Sing Se. They were staring, enraptured by the tale, while Katara was trying to hold back laughter.
"You forgot the part where people's pets got caught too…" She smiled good-naturedly, and Aang sighed,
"Oh yeah… that."
Li and Hitomi laughed.
"Well, I see you've gotten the ladies captivated." I grinned to show him I was kidding.
"Indeed." He grinned back
"Aang's stories are quite enthralling," Hitomi said, dryly.
"They really are!" Li was a bit more enthusiastic.
I smiled at her, "Toph sure thinks so."
A look of pure horror crossed her face, "I wasn't… I didn't…"
I smiled again, more genuinely, "I was just kidding! It's alright!"
She laughed, weakly, "Oh… yeah…."
"Ok kiddos, let's hit the hay! Time for bed! Aang, you can sleep in the bed below me, Katara you can sleep next to me."
They nodded their assent, and the three of us servants headed to the water closet.
As I scrubbed my teeth I listened to Hitomi talk about Fong.
"I ran into him today, and he totally said hi to me! I was just walking past, and I recognized him, but I was too shy to say hello, I was thinking 'what if he doesn't recognize me?' but he did and he waved and said hi. And then we started talking and he was really nice. He asked me what I was doing tomorrow night and I said nothing. And then…" She took a breath, probably for dramatic effect, "He asked me out! I mean, really! He asked if I wanted to skip out at dinner and go to a café in town!"
Li and I shrieked in delight,
"What did you say," Li gasped
"Yes, of course! And he smiled, and he looked so dreamy." She stared off into space and Li and I snickered.
"You're not so mad at us anymore are you?" I grinned evilly
"Nope, I still hate you!" She grinned back, "But I am thankful. I'll name our first two daughters after the two of you!"
The three of us laughed hysterically for a while, simply loving life.
"So, how was your mom," Hitomi asked, as soon as we could breathe again.
"She's great! She was wounded but Katara and I healed her."
"That's fantastic!" Hitomi smiled happily.
"She's really nice," put in Li
"Aw, thanks Li!"
"Ok guys, we better get going. They probably think we were sucked down the water drain or something…" Hitomi giggled.
"Yeah, right, as if we'd fit!" I giggled right back
"Are you saying I'm fat?" Li was mock indignant.
This set us off again, laughing hysterically.
"Ok, for real you guys! Let's go!" I was a bit worried about poor Aang and Katara.
We exited the closet and got tucked into our respective beds. Turns out I needn't have been worried. Aang was already asleep and Katara was reading a scroll.
She smiled and put the scroll down as I climbed into bed.
"I'm glad you found your mom!"
"I am too. Thanks for all your help!" I smiled back.
"Of course," she replied, "Anytime."
I tried to fall asleep, but something was still hurting my heart.
"Katara?" I whispered, so as not to wake the others
"Mmhmm?"
"Um, Sokka…"
She stopped me, "Kya, Sokka loves you."
"Then why did he go save Suki? I know they had something, Katara. I don't know how serious it was, but they liked each other."
"I don't know," she sighed, "I think he thought it was his fault. That she got captured, I mean. And don't ask me why he thought that. I know my brother, but not that well. Don't worry about it, Kya. I know he loves you, he told me so. In the note he left."
"Thanks"
"Yep"
I tried to feel better. I really did try. But there was still a nagging feeling, something telling me she was wrong. What if she was wrong? Could I handle another heartbreak? Half of me said yes, the other said no.
I suppose I wouldn't know until it happened. Which, hopefully, it wouldn't.
Hopefully.
(A/N) i-amawriterDOTblogspotDOTcom/2010/03/shila-chp11-niviorpokDOThtml
