The drugs weren't working very well anymore.

Katara had been keeping Mai sedated for over a week. Mai didn't mind this at all; waking was uncomfortable at best and excruciating at worst, and she had no desire to stay conscious any longer than necessary at this point. But the high doses required to knock her out, and the regularity of them to keep her that way, had taken their toll. What had once guaranteed her six or seven hours of uninterrupted sleep now gave her little more than three, and Katara was reluctant to increase the amount of the dosages. So Mai had been doomed to consciousness for five or six hours a day, as well as a couple during the night. And now she was beginning to suspect that the muscle relaxants weren't working so well anymore, either.

She jerked and hissed as her neck spasmed. Katara's dark face appeared over hers. "Your muscles are seizing already?" She slipped her hand underneath Mai's neck, feeling it spasm against her palm. She looked grim. "I just gave you a dose two hours ago. This isn't good."

"So sorry," the assassin muttered through her teeth. Her illness was not improving her disposition. "I'll try to be more accommodating."

A fleeting smile passed over Katara's face. She turned to the small army of bottles and packets arrayed out on the bedside table, and sighed. "Well, I'll mix you another dose," she said, "but after that I think I'll have to try something else." Her lips were pursed anxiously as she began to pour various herbs and tinctures into a cup. "I don't quite know what I'll try you on…most of the strongest relaxants aren't working very well anymore, and I'm not sure that the milder ones will do the job."

"Great. Nice to know I've got so much to look forward to." Mai grimaced as she felt the muscles of her back begin to cramp. "Please, hurry!" she blurted, a sudden note of panic in her voice. She was in no rush to relive the agonizing seizures of a few days before.

"You'll be all right, Mai." Katara's voice was soothing. The cup of bitter herbs was held to the invalid's mouth. The assassin gulped them desperately, heedless of their foul taste. They seemed to have been taken in time; the spasms grew weaker, and finally stopped a few minutes later. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Better?" Mai nodded. "Good." The Water Tribe woman rose. "You should be okay for a while, then. Why don't you try to sleep? I'm going to go start the soup for supper." She glanced over at the corner of the room. "Ty Lee's here. If you need anything, just call me. Okay?"

"All right." Mai shot her a rueful look. "Thank you." Katara smiled; then she was gone. The assassin sighed and turned her face to the wall, trying to sleep.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Ah, the gods are smiling on me. Azula was in a singularly good mood. She grinned to herself as she sat by the door of the house, watching the tall earthbender fastening straps on her rucksack.

Toph was going away. She was traveling to Dazu to compete in an Earth Rumble tournament, and also to organize an event to be held later in the year in Taonan. She wasn't going to be gone long – less than ten days, probably. Azula thought it would be long enough. Her smile grew. She was, however, careful not to let her breathing or heart rate spike. Toph always noticed these things. "I've never seen an Earth Rumble tournament," she said out loud. "It sounds rather interesting."

The blind earthbender paused in her work, turning her ear toward Azula's voice. "I like it," was all she said.

"Pity you can't take Katara with you," Azula said sympathetically. "I wish that we weren't such an imposition on the two of you."

"Not your fault, I suppose. Mai didn't exactly choose to get stabbed in the gut just outside Taonan." Toph went back to her packing.

Damn it. She didn't take the right bait. Azula had to squelch a wave of irritation. That bloody earthbender! She's harder to lead than Mai. The firebender thought quickly. "Isn't it rather lonely, competing by yourself?" she asked innocently.

Toph shrugged. "Not really. I did that by myself for seven years." She paused as Azula cursed inwardly. "It would have been nice to bring Katara, though."

There it is. That's the opening I want. The exile examined her nails absently. "Yes, that's very true," she said. "It's always good to have people you care about to support you." She cast the earthbender a sidelong glance, gauging her mood and choosing her words accordingly. "So how long have you two been together? I'd heard rumors that the Avatar wanted to marry Katara."

"About a year." Toph's brows lowered in suspicion. "Why?"

"Just curious. I suppose it doesn't really surprise me to find you with a woman – you seem like the type. But I confess that Katara surprised me. The last time I saw her, I was quite convinced that she was in love with the Av – with Aang." Azula continued to keep her heart rate under tight control.

The earthbender frowned. "They were engaged," she said curtly. "Katara broke it off, though. She loved me first."

"Really?" Azula let some surprise and disbelief into her voice. "And that doesn't concern you at all, Toph?"

"What do you mean by that?" Toph turned on her, dark brows lowered over clouded green eyes that were beginning to flash.

"Oh, nothing," the former princess said meekly. "I'm sure you know your business much better than I do, after all. You're Lady Bei Fong, the Blind Bandit, and I've fallen pretty low in the world. But I'd be quite," she paused as if searching for the right word, "leery of a relationship with someone who would just up and break something so lasting as an engagement." She shrugged. "It's probably nothing. Ty Lee always tells me I'm far too suspicious of people. I'm learning to be more trusting, of course, but…" She let her voice trail off into a sigh.

Toph said nothing. She jerked the two remaining straps of her rucksack tight. Rising to her feet, she slung it over her shoulder. Although the firebender watched her closely, she couldn't tell whether her words had taken root or not. "I'll see you later, Azula," she said curtly. "Tell Katara the same when you see her, all right? Tell her I'll be back in nine or ten days."

"Of course, Toph." Azula smiled. That smile grew as she watched the earthbender stride off toward the city gates of Taonan. With Toph out of the way, I can work much more quickly. She stood up and stretched leisurely. I wonder when Katara will get back from Kailas and Hova's? And she sauntered back into the house.