Author's Note:

This chapter was co-written with Robyn Stroll (Coyote)

Chapter 54: Fei & Lan Gossip

Sun Fei knocked on Hwa Lan's door at the university residences, in hopes of finding her friend. Lan had not come to dance practice in a couple of days, and Fei was worried.

After a few moments, Hwa Lan opened the door and smiled to see Sun Fei there. "Oh, hello! Do come in. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, except that I've been worried… no one has seen you around in a couple of days and…" how could Sun Fei explain her concerns without revealing that Lee was really Prince Zuko?

Hwa Lan interrupted her thoughts. "I'm alright. I've just been taking the past couple days off to recover. I had a very bad sparring match with Lee, and I've had a lot to think about."

Sun Fei's eyes widened with worry. "With Lee?! Are you alright? What was your teacher thinking?" What if Zuko had lost control and burned her?!

Hwa Lan chuckled as she sat down in a chair. "I think Sifu Mu-Tan was trying to teach me a lesson for having boasted in class, and so pitted me against his best to keep my ego from getting too inflated. It was a very painful lesson, but I will recover." She was amazed at how easily the lie came, and felt immediately ashamed for not speaking the truth with her closest friend.

Sun Fei sat down uneasily and let out a slow breath. "I'm glad you're alright. He has… quite the temper."

"Yes, but Travahar was there… he kept things from getting too out of hand." She paused. "Can you keep a secret?"

Sun Fei nodded, "Of course."

Hwa Lan bit her lower lip in glee. "He asked me to marry him."

Sun Fei's jaw dropped. "What? He did?! What did you say? Lan! How could you have kept this quiet?!" She got up again and nearly tackled Hwa Lan in her excitement.

Hwa Lan grinned as Sun Fei hugged her, returning the embrace. "I've been dying to tell someone. I haven't given him an answer but…"

"Lan, please don't tell me that after all your pining over him that you would dare to say no!"

Hwa Lan shook her head. "I didn't answer him. There was too much going on all at once, and I wanted to… to think with a clearer head. We both know that my family is… we're not exactly the highest born, and it will create quite a scandal once word gets out."

Sun Fei giggled, "As if you ever backed away from a scandal in your life."

Hwa Lan snickered. "This time is different, okay? For now this is just between us."

"Of course. But I'm coming to the wedding no matter what," Sun Fei insisted.

Hwa Lan bowed deeply to Sun Fei from where she sat, taking on very serious tones. "Of that there is no doubt. Will you stand as my most honored maid?"

Sun Fei bowed deeply in return. "I would be honored." And then both girls collapsed into giggles. "I can't wait to help you shop for what you'll need for the wedding. There is so much to plan!"

More then you know, Hwa Lan thought. This will be a royal wedding….but she wasn't ready to tell Sun Fei that secret yet.

"I suppose Travahar will ask Lee to be his best man?" Sun Fei asked suddenly.

Hwa Lan gnawed her lip. "Oh Fei… I don't know, but… I'm afraid that I've news, on that front... he is… involved with someone else." Among other things. Other very dangerous things.

Sun Fei almost smiled. "It's alright. I don't think he and I could ever really be more then friends anyhow. We're too different."

Hwa Lan caught something in Fei's tone, and looked at her quickly. The two sat in silence for a moment.

"Do you know?" They both began the question at once, and laughed. "Yes, I…"

Sun Fei blurted, "How did you find out?" relieved that she wasn't alone in keeping Zuko's secret.

Hwa Lan explained rather frankly, "He all but spelled it out for me himself… He asked how I knew his name was Huo Long. And I put the pieces together from there."

"I found out when we were doing research together at the library and he over reacted to news of what his family had done in the past. I take it that Travahar knows too?" asked Sun Fei and Hwa Lan nodded that yes, he did.

There was another long moment of silence as both girls sorted out their thoughts.

Hwa Lan took Sun Fei's hand, worry filling her eyes. "They can't keep this a secret forever. I mean, looking back I wonder how we could have overlooked all the hints that were there all along. His scar alone…"

Sun Fei picked up the conversation, "What he must have suffered, when his father attacked him… or when he was exiled…"

Hwa Lan spoke with conviction, "We have to help them keep this as quiet as possible for now."

Sun Fei nodded gravely. "Of course. Another thing we will keep just to ourselves for now." She sighed. "All these secrets… they can't be good for the soul…"

"Don't worry, Fei, everything will be alright. We just need to have faith. Come, let's go get some tea. I feel like I've been cooped up forever, and I could use the air." She stood and turned with the grace of a dancer, not as smooth as Sun Fei, but still.

Sun Fei chuckled. "Let's hope no more trouble finds us on the way there. Ba Sing Se has so many walls and so many secrets and twists… one has to wonder how many more plots are going on all around us that we don't know about."

Hwa Lan rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic, Fei. Come on." But as the two headed out to the teahouse, Hwa Lan couldn't help but wonder what more was going on, and whether Travahar was in more danger then even he had let on.