Katara could taste blood on her teeth. She didn't know how long it had been there, collecting in her cheeks or trickling down the side of her mouth. It could have been days or maybe a week. She'd been whisked away to this dank dungeon the moment Azula had picked her out of the prisoners of war. The shackles keeping her in a kneeling position also restricted her ability to water bend. The metal bit into her skin and pulled at her shoulders, adding to the pain raging over her body from the days of torture the princess had been putting her through.
The pain wasn't anything she wasn't used to, though. The captain had made sure that she'd trained with water bending and fighting for long hours until she was able to use them in any condition at any time. He trained her to survive by any means necessary, including locking everything away behind her mental walls when she had to fight. She'd powered through and finished the fight because others would have died if she didn't. That had been her motivation; protect the crew, her family, and her home.
Zuko and Iroh flashed in her mind's eye. She loved them both more than she had ever thought she could love someone. They'd become her home and she hadn't needed her past to feel cherished or whole. That was what she was fighting for now. Through every slash of knife, burn of fire, or injury Azula delivered, Katara kept silent. That psychopath wouldn't get a single word from her lips; she'd die before that. But even she knew that she couldn't keep this up forever. She'd have to escape soon.
The door opened, the sudden light making Katara cringe as the guard entered. They came infrequently and gave her the bare minimum of care. A rough hand pulled her hair, forcing her head back as he poured a cup of water into her mouth. She let him and watched him walk out. Once the latch was put in place, Katara spat the water over her shoulder and as close as she could to the shackle on her feet. Without the use of her arms or legs, water bending was impossible, but she couldn't accept that now. Taking a deep breath, she focused on the puddle and moved whatever part of her body as she could. The water didn't so much as ripple for a long time. Slowly, the liquid started to slide toward the lock. She could feel her energy wavering but kept her attention on the water moving in the mechanism. It took a few minutes, at which point her energy was nearly gone, but the shackle finally fell open.
A breath escaped her as she gingerly moved her leg. While it was still numb, she added the limb's movement into her work, sending the water into the other shackle. Once that lock was open, Katara stood. Her legs protested, burning at the sudden circulation. If she hadn't been so locked in her mental walls, she might have cried out. But she pushed on, shakily drawing the water up to the metal on her wrists. Once she got one hand free, it was much easier to unlock the last lock. The pain started to take over but shoved that back behind the walls. She could feel things once she was safely out of here.
She turned to the door and raised her hands. The water rose as she commanded and she added the sweat that had formed on her forehead from her earlier bending efforts. Her fingers stretched and flexed as she worked the feel of the water as her eyes took in the lock. She could used the water to knock the door down but without knowing what was facing her on the other side, stealth would have to be her first plan. Working the water into the metal, it didn't take too long to open the door.
A shocked guard looked at her from next to the doorway. Before he could sound the alarm, Katara grabbed his collar and dragged him into the room. She yanked his helmet off and wrapped the water around his head. He struggled, trying to breath in a bubble with little air. His hands reached for her but she kept away, watching him fade into unconsciousness. He hit the floor. Katara waited a moment before removing the water and checking his pulse. It was strong and steady. Katara pulled his uniform off and quickly changed. It was loose in a few places, but was good enough for her to walk the hallways. She tucked her hair into the helmet and secured the face mask before leaving the cell.
There were a number of guards patrolling the area but gave her nothing beyond a slight nod. She returned them and kept going. She'd known Azula would want her close by in the instances she wanted to hurt something, but it was strange that she would choose the same prison Iroh had been locked away in. She knew this place like the back of her hand. She passed the guard's lounge, a few more cells, and finally found herself outside. No one questioned her as she walked the dirt path down the hill and made her way into town. She even made it to the docks without anyone taking mind. This felt too easy. Katara looked around her but there wasn't any sign of danger or of her being followed. Either they'd allowed her to escape or something bigger was keeping the guards preoccupied. She would have to think about that later, though. The guard she had knocked out would either be awake or found by now. She had to get out of here before they found her.
"Need a lift out of here, Katara," a familiar voice asked in her ear. She stiffened and turned. Captain, his face unchanged from the last time she'd seen him, smiled back at her, the skin crinkling in the corner of his eyes. He still had the large hat on and his lizard parrot was perched on his shoulder.
"How-"
"I know you, lass. That uniform can't fool me." His smile faded slightly. "I've been keeping an ear out about you. You've had quite the adventure."
Katara stiffened. What was he planning? Captain barely did anything without a profit to him somehow. Would he turn her back over to the guards? He must have heard how the princess hated her. He could collect a pretty good sized reward with her return.
The captain's eye darted around them and he nodded toward his ship tied up at the docks. "Best get on, lass. We've got a lot to talk about and I'm guessing you'd like to leave soon." He noticed her hesitation. "I know I'm not the most trustworthy person right now, but the crew and I still care about you. Get on."
It wasn't like she had any other options falling into her lap. She hurried onto the ship and allowed Captain to lead her into his cabin while shouting order to be on their way. As the crew got ready to sail, Katara was hit with a feeling of nostalgia. This had been her home for most of her life; a part of her had missed the rocking of the ship and the sound of the crew doing their work. Her walls started to slip but she secured them in place when the captain closed the doors and walked to the side bar. He poured two servings of fire whiskey and handed one to her. She took it but held it, watching him closely.
He sank into his seat behind his desk, staring at her. "You can lose the helmet."
She'd honestly forgotten she was wearing it. "I'll keep it on, thanks," she said.
He shrugged and leaned back in his seat. "Where can I drop you?"
"Why are you doing this? I didn't think you'd be too keen on helping me? We didn't part ways on the best terms, if I recall."
Captain chuckled. "You're not the first I've been threatened by, lass. You know that." He paused. "But yours ones one of the most sincere. I'm sorry about the prince."
"He's alive. You didn't kill him."
"I know. But I'm still sorry." Katara blinked in surprise. The captain rarely apologized. She might have heard maybe one apology in her time with him and this one actually sounded genuine. He sipped his whiskey. "Consider this a gesture. You were once part of my crew, Katara, and the men loved you. You were one of us and that means something with these men."
She paused, wanting to tell him that she'd found her real family and had found herself a different one, as well. But they weren't close like they used to be and she couldn't trust him to use the information for his own profit. Like he said, he was helping her because of what they used to be. Katara set the cup of whiskey on the desk. "I appreciate the apology and the rescue. If I tell you where I want to go, will you keep it secret?"
The captain chuckled. "I like making coin just as much as the next pirate, but this is a favor off the books. Wherever you want to go, we'll keep quiet. You have my word."
Katara nodded. "Take me to Emerald Island."
He chuckled slightly. "An escaped prisoner hiding on an island in the Fire Nation territory? Aye, it would be a long shot. Very well. We'll be there within the day." He waved to the bed against the wall. "You should rest. I don't think you've gotten any sleep for a while."
She hadn't, but she shook her head. "I'll rest when I'm safe." She saw him flinch but he nodded in understanding.
"You're free to stay in here anyway. I'll send some food up." Captain stood and left.
Katara waited a few minutes before taking her helmet off. She set it on the desk and went to stand by the windows, looking out at the ocean. She actually hadn't been planning to go to the island. She could have asked to go to the Earth Kingdom where she could have met up with some rebels. If the others had escaped, there was a chance they would have headed that way to regroup and raise an army. There were enough people there that they might have had a chance. But her heart was telling her to go to the island. Maybe it would help her recover like Lo and Lee had said it would. How long had it been since she'd been there? Months? It seemed like another lifetime. How many lifetimes had she been through? Pirate, companion, tea shop worker, bodyguard, and rebel; what would her next life be and how long would it last? Would there be a time when she would be able to stay as one person? Maybe the island would give her some perspective of what she would be after the war.
The door opened and a crewman came in with a tray of food. He set it down on the desk and smiled at her back. "Hello, Katara. I've brought some food and some medicine for your injuries. Captain says you were limping a bit and you might have some cuts."
She shrugged, not turning to look at him. She'd seen the bruises and injuries to her face in the window's surface. She was reluctant to let Nio see them. Regardless of how they'd parted last, he didn't need to see her like this.
"We're glad to see you safe," he continued. "It was really lucky we were there, huh?"
"Very lucky," she said. "Thank you for the food. I'll be sure to eat it all.
There was silence behind her but Nio didn't leave. "Are you still angry? With what we did?"
She winced at the pain in his voice. They were pirates and hardened people, but she didn't like hearing that tone from someone who she used to fight along side. "I'm…not happy with what you did. But it's not important right now. A lot has happened."
"I understand. You've changed. I'm actually glad." She turned her head toward him slightly, curious about the statement. "A lot of us didn't want you to remain a pirate. We didn't tell you, of course. You were just a child; pirating was all you knew and you were good at it. But we held out hope." He sighed. "You're not a child anymore. You're a woman, now. We've heard the stories of your adventures. You've grown up and built your own family. I guess it was foolish to think that you'd leave the life of violence."
Katara frowned, her heart sinking at the loss of hope in his voice. "I, too, hold out hope that I will be able to leave my old life behind, but I know that I never will. This life…I'm grateful to it and to all of you. The fighting, the determination, the training…I've been able to keep my family safe because of it." A soft smile curled the corner of her lips as she turned to him. "Maybe one day, though, I might not have to need it."
Nio nodded. "I hope that day comes soon." His eyes narrowed in on her wounds and he pointed to the chair. "Now let me help get some salve on those. It's a while until we make Emerald Island."
She let him fuss over her like he had in the old days, mumbling to himself about scarring and how she should eat more from the tray. There was no set path before her but this was familiar and she held onto it for a while longer. If she ignored everything else, she could almost pretend that she was still a member of the crew, that this ship was her home, and that she could trust the men around her to have her back completely. But too soon they docked in a hidden alcove of Emerald Island. Katara was given a bag of supplies to get her started and she left the ship with the Fire Nation guard's helmet firmly in place. Very few words were spoken between her and the crew, but she did thank Captain before she departed the ship.
"I don't know how this war will all turn out," he said. "Know that if it gets ugly, there will always be a spot on the ship for you."
Katara doubted she would ever return to the crew but it was best to have a back up plan up her sleeve just in case. She nodded and made her way further inland. Her feet took her up back paths until she came to a large house. It looked abandoned; probably the best place for her to lay low. As she drew nearer, though, she realized where she was. This was the place she'd found Zuko on their last trip here. This was the Fire Lord's old home. How ironic that she would hide here.
She shouldered the bag higher on her shoulder, wincing as the heavy strap bit into her sore muscles, and forced herself inside. There was dust everywhere but that didn't mean there wasn't someone here. The area would have to be checked and secured before she could relax. There were a few rooms that were still livable. She claimed one with a balcony overlooking the courtyard. If she needed to run, that would be a good escape route. A few well placed trip wires connected to an alarm system would let her know when someone was near.
The next thing she checked was the kitchen. All she needed was a working stove and some clean water. The crew had given her some dried food and some fish. After finding a pot that wasn't too rusted or broken from years of neglect, she threw together a fish stew and set it to cook. The thoughts of what to do next returned and she couldn't put them off.
She had no contacts on the island and she couldn't trust the locals not to report her to the authorities if she looked for help. She could stow away on a ship bound for the Earth Kingdom, but there was a good chance that she'd be found and returned to prison once they made land. Katara sighed and winced. Now that she was in a secured area, her walls were starting to drop. Her body was starting to register the pain in her limbs and muscles. They screamed at her and she knew that it would only get worse as time went on. The stew would cook for a while; she probably had time for a healing bath if she could find a tub.
With a grunt, she pushed herself to her feet and started for the second floor. There had to be a bathroom somewhere. She'd just reached the main staircase when one of the bells from her alarms rang. Someone was here and they were headed for the front door. Katara drew some water toward her with one hand as she drew her stolen sword with the other. Her walls rose back up and her focused narrowed, her body instinctively readying for a fight.
The front doors rattled as the person tried to open them and suddenly fell off the hinges. Katara stared, shocked at the visitors. They were stared back, just as surprised to see her. It was Zuko and the others. When had he joined them? What were they doing here?
"Katara?" Zuko sounded as if he wasn't sure she was really there.
She lowered her sword and let the water drop onto the floor. Her eyes started to burn and she let the tears fall just like her walls. His voice; how she'd missed his voice. He hurried forward and collected her in his arms. His strength and smell. They were real. He was really here. There had been times during her torture that she had seen him but had known he wasn't there. But she could feel him this time, his arms holding her close. She let go of her sword and returned the embrace, not caring about the tears that were now soaking the front of his shirt.
There were more arms as the others came to join the hug and a sob escaped Katara's lips. Now she was safe. Now she was home.