Rewrite, Rewind
Chapter 32
Iroh arrived too the riverside, aiding in the one-sided battle still scorching the city bathing in the setting sun. many of the soldiers involved in the early morning fight were lying about, exhausted in every meaning of the words. Many had burns exceeding his knowledge, he's never seen skin so burnt it was blackened to the bone. It had taken him too long to gather medical supplies and reinforcements, his own personal soldiers having left long before he had the chance himself.
"General Iroh," he turned to look at the soldier, finding only a woman coated in blood, burns, bruises, and poorly wrapped bandages. "I was apart of Lady Hai He—Wu Huo's—replacement combat squad."
"Where is she?" Iroh asked, ignoring the sinking feeling he had with the young soldier's slip up. "I heard My son was in danger, is he hurt?"
"Lady…um" she hesitated, frowning on confusion.
"Her name will do," Iroh reassured the soldier
"Lady Hai He took him to the river." The soldier informed him, straightening her posture and lifting her chin, the fire in her eyes lighting up with a familiar glimmer of defiance.
"To the river?" Iroh asked, looking at the rolling waters curiously, no one looking like his son and younger sister appeared anywhere near the river edge. The soldier turned and walked upriver, Iroh frowned at the lack of respect and followed the young soldier. Just past a stone bridge that somehow managed to survive the bloody battle between Earth and Fire, Iroh saw something glowing in the river water; with a large awkward dark shape in the center.
"We've done all we can to protect the river for Lady Hai He," the soldier said, stopping to point at the source of the glowing water. "All we can do now is pray the full moon will strengthen her healing powers and save Prince Lu Ten." He could see the figure now, a young woman half-submerged in the glowing pool, both hands circled around the head of a floating young man. It took Iroh a moment to recognize his son, his sight hampered by the bright glowing waters that surrounded his entire body save his face.
"Lu Ten?" Iroh asked, his heartbeat increasing. He's never seen his son hurt to the extent of Hai He exposing her skills as a Water Bender and not caring about the consequences. There were other soldiers wandering about, they'd look at Hai He and Lu Ten for a moment, then they'd walk away on their self-assigned routs. Iroh had never seen Fire Nation soldiers as serious as they were in this single endeavor, their eyes dark with fear and hope, their faces clear of all emotion, their knuckles white along the weapons they held, their feet sounding with sickening squashes as they walked through mush and bloody-shoes. The soldiers were injured, weakened, but Iroh would bet on his son's life that should they be attacked now, there wouldn't be an Earth Bender left standing by the end of the hour.
"Prince Lu Ten was harmed protecting Lady Hai He." The young female soldier stiffly sat on the ground beside the rolling river, sighing in relief when all her weight was finally off her burnt and half-melted shoes. "The Earth Kingdom performed a surprise attack and Lady Hai He used up the last of her strength to divert the first attack. She fainted with that and the soldiers tried to target her since she was unconscious. Everyone tried to protect her but it was only Prince Lu Ten who succeed in shielding her from the rock-shower." Iroh felt his blood freeze and his organs twist uncomfortably, his eyes widening as he stared down on the glowing water of the river. "Lady Hai He demanded a water source so we brought her here."
"How," Iroh chocked on his words
"Everyone here already knows about Lady Hai He," the soldier grunted, carefully putting her burnt feet into the glowing water and sighing in relief. "Lady Hai He has purified this entire riverbed. Most of us have been drinking it throughout the day. It's been helpful."
"You don't think she'll die doing this, will she?" Iroh asked, worry tinging his voice. The soldier glanced at him sideways, her face perfectly blank of emotion.
"Lady Hai He is a water bender," the soldier observed calmly. "Shouldn't we kill her?" Iroh nearly jumped out of his skin with the question, turning wide disbelieving eyes on the soldier but found only her cold assessing eyes in return. Iroh knew when he was being tested and while he was insulted that the test was coming from such a low-ranking soldier, he knew when to reveal his cards and when to hide behind his royal mask. It was time for a mixture of the two, now was not the time for lies and deceit but carefully veiled truths.
"I assume you've heard about my father's secret guard, Lady La." Iroh began slowly, not sure how much to reveal.
"I may not look like it but my father is a councilmember. He told me to show respect to the captain of the Imperial Royal Guard, a female water bender named La." The woman informed him; her gaze still cold. "He also mentioned that Fire Lord Azulon did not mention where or how he gained the loyalty of a Water Bender."
"…some secrets should remain as such," Iroh murmured.
"Lady Hai He is the same as Lady La," the soldier grunted in understanding.
"She is actually the heiress of the Imperial Royal Guard." Iroh clarified, coughing slightly to indicate his discomfort with the disclosed information. The soldier didn't look at him, remaining staring at the glowing water with thoughtful eyes before finally sighing an agitated huff of air.
"Ah damn, so much for that plan."
"That plan?" Iroh questioned
"I and the girls were planning to potion the council for going to the north for a healer," the soldier lifted one foot to check its progress and plugged it back in. "After what Commander Zero—"
"Commander Zero?" Iroh interrupted, "you mean Commander Zhao?"
"Yeah, him," She shrugged, not caring. "anyways after Commander Zero had insulated her and her admittance of being sterile to be a personal maid of the crown prince. I and the girls were going to convince the council to go north and get a healer. But if Lady Hai He were to marry the Crown Prince and become his Fire Lady, then who would lead the Imperial Royal Guards?" she stopped for a moment, staring at the two in the glowing river water. "Their distance lately suddenly makes sense. There can be no romance between the head of guards and the crown prince." She sighed again and pulled her feet out of the water, twisting herself around until her feet were on solid ground and she pulled herself up to stand on partially healed feet. "The girls are going to be disappointed."
"Who else wanted Lu Ten and Hai He to marry?" Iroh asked slowly
"hm? I guess most of the army," the soldier shrugged, "a lot of us were going to partition the council about the mission to heal Lady Hai He but this changes things."
"…I'd be grateful if you stopped that from ever happening," Iroh sighed heavily, taking a seat at the edge of the river.
"Why? She engaged?" the soldier joked, turning to look back at Iroh. However, she only saw a defeated looking old man, staring with hope-filled golden eyes at the glowing river. "Oh," she mumbled, cringing as she realized the answer. "I'll inform everyone else. We won't ask for the healer mission."
"Thank you," Iroh sighed heavily.
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