Chapter 49: Southern Raiders
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC.
After several hours of flying Appa finally touched down in Ember Island, by Zuko and Liling's summer vacation home where they had come with Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai what felt like an entire lifetime ago.
"Wow, camping. It really seems like old times again, doesn't it?" Aang inquired, hopping off his flying bison and twirling to the ground on a gust of wind.
"If you really want to feel like old times, Liling and I could, uhh. . . chase you around a while and try to capture you." Zuko suggests, absentmindedly breaking a biscuit in half.
"Haha. You're hilarious." Liling says dryly, playfully shoving her cousin in the shoulder.
Raising his glass, Sokka toasts, "To Zuko and Liling. Who knew after all those times they tried to snuff us out, today, they'd be our hero."
"Here, here." Sokka, Suki, Toph, and Aang cheer while Katara crosses her arms tightly across her chest, huffing irritably.
Blushing slight, Liling waves her hand dismissively. "Aw, you guys are so sweet."
"I'm touched. I don't deserve this." Zuko says, his cheeks glowing red.
"Yeah, no kidding," Katara mumbled, getting up and storming off.
Raising an eyebrow at Katara's retreating figure, Sokka inquires, "What's with her?"
"I wish I knew," Liling whispered, setting her cup aside and following Katara.
"What's with her?" Sokka repeats as Liling walks by.
Frowning at his biscuit, Zuko lays it beside Liling's cup before following his cousin in search of Katara.
Sighing exasperatedly, Sokka gives them both a quizzical look, a look that goes utterly ignored.
After a moment, Zuko and Liling finally caught up with Katara. Upon seeing their approach, she slides away from them before crossing her arms, further isolating herself.
When she doesn't say anything, Zuko holds his arms out in front of him and whines, "This isn't fair. Everyone else seems to trust us now. What is it with you?"
Whipping around to face him, Katara jabs him in the chest and snaps, "Oh, everyone trust you now? I was the first person to trust you, remember back in Ba Sing Se. And you turned around and betrayed me. Betrayed all of us."
Comprehension dawned on the two then. Zuko shook his head shamefully while Liling's worried gaze flitted from her ashamed cousin to her bitter friend.
"What can I do to make it up to you?" Zuko asks suddenly, raising his head so he was gazing directly into Katara's eyes.
"You really want to know? Hmm, maybe you could re-conquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King. Or, I know. You could bring my mother back." She hits Zuko's shoulder with her own as she storms past.
Zuko looks at her sadly but doesn't follow. Wrapping her arm around his, Liling says encouragingly, "You couldn't have prevented either of those occurrences, Zuko. Neither of us could have. We were just children ourselves when Katara's mother was killed and it was Azula who conquered Ba Sing Se. You don't need to feel guilty about either one of those events. Katara's just upset but I'm sure she'll get over it."
Shaking his head, Zuko smiled sadly at Liling before replying, "I know you're just trying to make me feel better but it's going to take more than time for Katara to trust me again. There's gotta be something I can do to make it up to her." With that, he walked over to Sokka's tent and opened the flap. After a moment, Liling ducked in after him. If he was going to make things right with Katara, she wanted to be there to act as the peacekeeper.
Upon entering the tent, both Liling and Zuko freeze. Sokka is lying on his stomach, surrounded by candles and bunches of roses. His hair down and half his clothes removed, he clutches a rose between his teeth.
"Well, hello," he greets, opening his eyes. His eyes widen suddenly he swallows the rose at the sight of Liling and Zuko. "Uh, Zuko, Liling. Yes," he splutters, sitting up, "Why would I be expecting anyone different? So what's on your mind?"
"Your sister, she hates me and I don't know why! But I do care what she thinks of me." Zuko shouts breathlessly.
Waving a hand dismissively, Sokka replies, "Nah, she doesn't hate you. Katara doesn't hate anyone. Except maybe some people in the Fire Nation." His eyes widen at the last sentence. "No, I mean, uh, not people who are good but used to be bad. I mean, bad people. Fire Nation people who are so bad, who have never been good and probably won't be ever!" he amends.
"Stop," Liling says, interrupting him. "Okay, listen. I know this may seem a little strange, but I think what Zuko wants to know is; what happened to you and Katara's Mother?" she spared Zuko a quick gaze and he nodded once, affirming what she said to be true.
"What?" Sokka gasps, not having expected that. "Why would you want to know that?"
"Katara mentioned it before when we were imprisoned together in Ba Sing Se and again just now when she was yelling at me. I think somehow. . . she's connected her anger about that to her anger at me." Zuko explained, tugging nervously on the edge of his shirt. The day he betrayed Iroh and Liling in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se was not a day he liked to remember.
"It's not a day I like to remember," Sokka says sadly before explaining what happened. "Many of the warriors have seen the black snow before and they knew what it meant. A Fire Nation raid. We were badly outnumbered. But somehow, we managed to drive them off. As quickly as they came, they just left. I was so relieved when it was over but, that's because I didn't know yet what had happened. I didn't know we lost our Mother."
"Wait. Can you remember any details about the soldiers who raided your village Like, what the lead ship looked like?" Zuko asked, eager for any information Sokka could give him.
"Yeah. . . Sea Ravens. The main ship had flags with sea ravens on them." Sokka informed them, pulling out of a deep thought.
"The symbol of The Southern Raiders." Liling whispered in recognition of the symbol.
"Thanks, Sokka," Zuko said appreciatively.
"No problem. Thanks for stopping by." Sokka says, shoving the two out of his tent.
