Chapter Twelve- Escape
June had been correct; they did dock two hours later. Zuko curled his fingers around Katara's to catch her attention, she seemed to be napping.
"We're here," he told her and she nodded. "Are you sure?" he asked her one last time, guilt filling him at their only means of escape.
"Yes, just do it fast," she bit her collar once more.
Zuko inhaled deeply, concentrating his fire at the front of his wrists. He smelled the smoke and felt his hands loosen, maybe if he was fast enough he could catch the fire before it reached Katara's wrist. Pulling free, he turned, just in time to hear her hiss in pain. He extinguished the fire with his hands and untied her.
He pulled her wrists up and glanced at the small burn marks. Bringing her arms to his lips, and gently kissed the burns. He jerked back in surprise at the blue glow that appeared a moment later.
"Thank you," she told him, holding her wrist before him and smiling. The burns were gone.
He took her in his arms and hugged her fiercely, holding her for several moments, afraid to let her go. For a short time Katara forgot the danger they were in. She felt tears, weighed by tender moments, drift down her cheeks. When Zuko saw them he kissed them away. She reached for his kiss, but he set her down once more.
"Later," he whispered and she nodded, taking the promise to heart. "We need to go now."
Zuko breathed deeply and extended his hand. The fire came slowly, but that was what he intended. It extended from his wrist in a thin strip and struck the bars at the hinges. Katara took in his practiced form, realizing that his bending had grown more precise, he had much more power and control. Katara gasped as he heated the fire, watching the colors changing from red to purple to blue and then finally a blinding white. She had to take a step back from the heat and noticed that even Zuko had a small trace of sweat upon his brow. The metal slowly gave way to the heat and melted to the floor in a dark reflective pool. Zuko dropped his hands and stood from his stance, smiling at the results.
"Would you mind cooling that?" he said to her and Katara glanced at the bars, still glowing red from her husband's fire bending. She stepped forward and exhaled deeply, the smallest amounts of ice floating in the air as well.
"Amazing," Zuko said quietly as he pushed the door open, holding it for Katara to step through. She beamed at him.
Katara moved in front of June's cell, silently observing the woman. If they didn't need her help to rescue Zuko's mother, she would be happy to let the older woman stay in the cell and rot.
"If you betray us again, I won't hesitate…" she trailed off, so full of anger. If she hadn't led the pirates to them, they would still be on their way home.
"Point taken your Highness," June said in a sarcastic tone. "If you wouldn't mind, make with the fire, Hothead," she said motioning the bars in front of her.
Zuko took an annoyed step forward, but Katara stopped him by placing a hand on his warm chest.
"Allow me sweetie," she told him and bent water from a nearby bucket. She splashed it roughly against the bars, freezing it where necessary and letting the rest land over June's face.
Zuko raised a foot and kicked the bars, snapping the metal like dry wood. June stepped forward, wiping the water from her face.
"Strike one," she told Katara, who rolled her eyes towards the door.
They exited quietly, staying relatively low as they made their way onto the upper deck of the pirate vessel. The ship looked pretty scarce, the only sailor around was a wiry man half asleep on a barrel with a bottle of Fire whiskey in his hand.
"It's barely noon," Katara said, wrinkling her brow in disapproval.
"Well they are pirates," June told her.
She opened her mouth preparing for a retort, when Zuko placed a large hand over her mouth and motioned with his other for her to be quiet. He moved forward silently, removing the man's weapons, a thin jian sword and a dagger at his waist. He tapped him on the shoulder and the pirate roused grumpily.
"What's this then?" he asked confused, Zuko had the blade pressed right between his eyes.
"Where's the captain?"Zuko barked.
"He and some of the men went into town for supplies," the man replied with a slight drunken lisp.
"And where is my ship?"
"We towed it in," the man pointed behind them. His royal vessel was chained to three pirate ships, a truly ridiculous sight.
"And my crew?"
"We dropped them off on an island a few hours back, well, at least we think they made it to the island, it was a ways of and we weren't sure that all your men could swim. Captain said it was all better for the turtle sharks anyways."
Zuko turned, still holding the sword at the man and shook his head in frustration. Swinging a fist forward he punched the man directly in the nose. Katara winced at the cracking of bone.
"Serves you right," she said as his eyes rolled back and he slipped to the floor unconscious. Zuko grabbed her hand and led her to his vessel.
"Get your shirshu and meet us below that dock," he pointed to the wooden structure. June nodded and took off.
"Do you think she'll be there?" Katara asked him as she watched Zuko take hesitant steps on the chain leading to the Firenation vessel.
"I'm not sure," he said honestly and slipped a little.
"Hold on," she told him, slightly annoyed that he had ignored her bending at that moment. Rising up some water she made an ice bridge and crossed if quickly. He dropped from the rope and followed suit. Katara let the water fall a moment later.
They ran aboard the ship, dismayed to find that the pirate had spoken the truth, not one of the crew was left.
"Will they be alright?" Katara asked.
"They should be fine, all naval soldiers have to learn to swim; it's one of the guidelines for graduation from the Firenation Academy."
Zuko led her to their suite next, noting that they both needed clothes. Opening the doors to their closet he swore loudly, it was completely bare.
"Of course they took our clothes, for Agni's sake," he swore and pulled Katara after him. Something caught her eyes and she pulled from his grasp.
He looked back at her as she knelt down and held something in her palm. Zuko doubled back and took a closer look. It was the betrothal necklace he had carved, and it had a large crack down the center of the stone, probably from when it had fallen to the metal floor. He swore again.
Katara cast him a curious glance as she held it; slowly tears fell down her cheek.
"It was supposed to be a surprise," he said after a moment. "And now it's ruined."
"I think it's perfect," she told him and inched up on her toes and kissed him soundly. "Where did you find such a beautiful stone?"
"Your dad found it actually. Four years ago after Sozin's comet. He gave it to me to make a necklace for you," He turned the stone over in her hand and brushed some dirt from the polished black surface. "He told me to think of the most beautiful thing that reminded me of you and carve it."
"And what did you choose?"
"The evening star," he told her wistfully.
"Why?" she asked him, glancing into his eyes; her lips mere inches from his. Somehow they had become tangled in each other's arms.
"I'll tell you later, but right now…" he trailed off as rapid footsteps came up the hallway. Zuko pulled them against the doorway, handing Katara the small dagger he had taken from the sailor a moment before.
The man jumped in the room, this time with a pair of antique twin dao blades. Zuko stood from behind the door, sword in hand and bent fire at the man's feet.
He jumped in surprise and attacked with much strength, but very little grace, Zuko stuck out his foot and sent the man towards the wall. Another large thump was heard and this time the Firelord assumed that it was his skull.
"He'll feel that tomorrow," he said as he turned to the exit.
"Zuko, what about clothes?" Katara asked, motioning to her robe, he could see every line of her body.
He frowned, "we'll just have to get some in town."
"But we haven't any money."
"Well…" he began, wondering just how to explain this to his innocent wife. "I didn't mean for us to purchase them, more like borrowing them," he added a smile for good effect.
"We're not stealing from poor market folk," she said, frowning. Zuko scowled.
"Well if we don't take them, what do you suggest? I highly doubt June has anything in my size."
"I'm not averse to stealing from pirates," she told him with a smirk, motioning to the man unconscious on the floor. Zuko grinned at that and began to remove the man's clothes.
Ten minutes later they both seemed pleased enough with their attire. Zuko had "borrowed" the man's boots, black slacks and jacket and Katara claimed his red and black striped leggings, grey shirt and socks that she rolled over her feet several times as a pair of makeshift shoes.
"I'm not sure about this," Zuko told her, glancing at his reflection in the broken mirror in the far corner of the room. "These pants are long enough, but they are way too tight."
The previous owner, much to Zuko's dismay, had very little leg muscle and Zuko seemed to be blessed with an abundance of it. Katara could not contain her grin. Taking him by surprise, she smacked him lightly on the rear.
"I kind of like this look on you Firelord," she said as she straightened the black jacket, then ran a hand across his bare chest and bit her lip. "It's very tempting."
He smiled at her then, a knowing husbandish smile that made her insides warm. Shaking the momentary desire off, he held her hand, picking up the dao swords as they left the room. On the main deck Zuko pointed to the dock, where the captain and about twenty pirates were boarding the ship.
"Time to go," he told her and Katara nodded, motioning to the water. They jumped into the ocean; Katara bending the water to meet them so the splash would be relatively silent. They swam the short distance to shore, slightly out of breath once they stepped on land again.
Katara bent the water from her clothing as Zuko raised his body temperature and steamed himself dry. Silently they ran to the dock.
Much to Katara's surprise, June stood there against a pillar, her shirshu lying down by her side. Grey patches of hair could be seen on the beasts back, the animal was definitely beginning to age.
"You two took long enough," she snapped, she held out her hand to Zuko. "Well?"
It took them both a moment to realize what she wanted. Then Katara moved her hand to her wrist and untied the knot to the charm. She passed it to June a moment later.
"Nyla," she cooed to the shirshu, who stood and approached her master. The animal took a sniff and walked directly over to Katara. "Not that scent, the older one," she instructed as she held the charm in front of Nyla's nose once more. She took another sniff and reared back on her paws.
"Let's go," June told them, swinging a leg up onto the saddle then pulling Zuko up as well. Zuko grabbed Katara and swung her behind him as they took off. Not up the coast, towards the Firenation, but east, into the heart of the Earth Kingdom.
/
Aang and Toph stood in their best attire on the steps leading to the Fire Palace. The Earthbender shifted uncomfortably next to him.
"Did Iroh say why we had to be all slicked up? Sparky's not back yet, is he?" Toph ran her hands over her dress, taking in how much fabric adorned her body.
"I don't think so," he trailed off. Looking into the distance he was able to make out the royal procession. He jumped when he felt Toph place her small hand in his.
"What is it?"
"The General is coming up the road," he said, a frown met his features. "Toph, we need to talk about something."
"Now would seem a convenient time, as we are holding a conversation."
Aang took a breath, preparing his speech. Katara, he reminded himself, you just broke up with her.
"It's about the trip we are taking," he began and dropped her hand from his. She let it fall to her side, a slight grimace upon her face. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea about us traveling together."
"And what ideas am I supposedly getting?" Toph asked, moving her hands to her sides.
"That, you know, we'll be a couple or something, I just broke up with Katara a couple months ago. I'm not really ready to move on."
Toph creased her brow and gave deep sigh.
"I'm sorry; I must have blacked out when I asked you to be my boyfriend, Thanks for letting me down so gently."
Aang's frown increased.
"Well, I…" he began and Toph continued her blind glare at him. "We we're holding hands, I thought you thought—"
"We're friends Aang; I hold your hand, Katara's hand, Sokka's, Suki's. Hell, I've even held Zuko's hand on occasion," she said acidly. "I apologize for sending such mixed signals."
Aang frowned. He turned forward and noticed the palanquin was only about a hundred or so yards away.
"I just wanted to be sure you understood that, that I'm not ready to give up—"
"Azula?" Toph said suddenly, her attention drawn to the palanquin that had just been placed on the ground.
"No, Katara," Aang said exasperated.
"No Aang, Azula is with Iroh, someone else as well," she said, running from the steps down to the courtyard.
Iroh stepped from the palanquin with his hands out in warning.
"General Iroh, what's going on?" Aang asked as two servant came around them with a stretcher, reaching in the curtains and gently moving out a dark haired girl. Iroh moved his hand into the curtain and helped out an older Firenation woman. Aang gasped in recognition.
"May I introduce you to Fire Princess Ursa," Iroh said. Aang bowed deeply, still with his mouth agape.
The servants carried the girl forward and stood in front of Aang and Iroh.
"I believe you remember Princess Azula."
Aang took a step back, raising his arms in defense. He lowered them a moment later at the perplexed look upon the girls face.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Avatar," she said, holding out a hand and smiling genuinely. Aang's confusion doubled, it was if the girl had no memory at all.
"Zuko's going to flip," Toph said as she laughed aloud. Azula seemed to find Toph's reaction amusing as well and giggled softly.
Silently Aang agreed. There was no way the Firelord would believe this.