Weariness dragged Katara's shoulders down as she trudged into her room and crumpled to the bed. Not many people had been injured in the attempt on Zuko's life, but she had healed every blister, intent that no one would carry scars from a day that should have been the beginning of the first peace in a century. Then she had helped Zuko and Admiral Liang question everyone at the celebration about the would-be assassins. And for what? No one would admit to seeing them before they attacked the new Fire Lord. No one would admit to recognizing any of the assailants. And the person best equipped to bring peace and order had abandoned them.
Aang. Why had he left them? Why had he left her? She had felt so certain of his affections, so secure in his love. For months his every action made it clear he loved her. Or so she had thought. Did their dreadful confrontation on the balcony at the Ember Island Playhouse make him believe she did not and could never return his love? She thought she had been clear. It hadn't been the right time to think of romance, with the fate of the entire world to occupy them. She had not said she couldn't love him, only that she was confused and that it wasn't the right time. But their relationship since that conversation lacked the ease of the time before. Perhaps his interpretation of what she said was that she would never be interested in a romantic relationship with him.
And here she was, once again allowing romantic thoughts to supersede more pressing issues. Someone was trying to undo the good Aang and their friends had accomplished by killing one of the people who embodied their victory. It was not the time to be distracted by love. Especially when the object of her love had fled into the night, headed who knows where.
Katara resolutely pushed all of her tangled thoughts out of her head. She had not spent every day for nearly a year beside Aang without picking up some of his meditation methods. She concentrated on her breath and gradually her mental distress eased and she was able to relax enough to sleep.
She awoke uncomfortable and sweaty in the clothes she had neglected to change before sleeping. The sun shone brightly through the window and Katara started, wondering how late it was and what was happening with the investigation into the assassination attempt. She rose and readied herself for the day.
Hours later the remaining members of Team Avatar met in the same room where the peace treaty had been negotiated. Like most of the rooms in the Fire Nation palace, this one was swathed in red and gold wallpaper and accented with dark wood. Being surrounded by Fire Nation colors and symbols was beginning to wear on her. She counted Zuko a good friend now and had learned that there were many kind people in the Fire Nation, but her first response to symbols of fire was always a racing heart and a swell of nausea. She had hoped to leave the Fire Nation capital soon after the coronation. Of course, she had hoped to depart with Aang by her side, ready for their next adventure. And now her plans lay in shambles, Aang gone and Zuko under attack.
Katara examined all her friends' faces as she entered the room and sat at the table that had seen such progress only the previous day. Mai and Zuko sat side by side, with dark circles around their eyes and hands clasped together. Toph stood nearby, one hand pressed to the stone fireplace, an expression of deep concentration on her face. Suki sat with her elbows on the table and Sokka stood behind her, rubbing her neck.
Between them, they had interviewed every senior member of the palace staff. They had lists of everyone who had been inside the palace or its grounds the previous day and were working through questioning all of them. But so far their questions had netted no new information about the assassination plot. It was as though the attackers had sprung full-formed from a nightmare. No one recognized them. Though they had a few names of people who had expressed doubts about Zuko taking the throne, the political prominence of some of the names necessitated a deft hand in their questioning. Admiral Liang had volunteered to conduct discreet inquiries into those people and how deep their resentments might run.
Facing her friends, Katara finally voiced the issue that bothered her most. "The navy healers who examined the bodies found shards of glass in the men's mouths. They're saying the men held vials of a poison between their teeth until-"
Here her voice faltered as she relived the horror of watching the men take their own lives. Closing her eyes and gathering her composure, she continued "until they decided to use it. None of these very experienced and knowledgable healers had ever heard of any poison that works so quickly."
Katara looked at the faces turned toward her, waiting to see who else now recognized the most worrisome facet of this plot.
Not surprisingly, her brilliant brother caught on first. "Isn't it surprising that people involved in a hastily-constructed plot would happen to know about and have on hand such a little-known and deadly substance along with five firebenders willing to die if they didn't succeed?" he asked.
"But how could it be anything but hastily constructed?" Zuko asked, perfectly imitating Sokka's intonation on the last words to Sokka's visible irritation. "No one knew I would be Fire Lord before the agni kai with Azula four days ago."
Silence greeted his question.
"Unless" Suki ventured "it wasn't aimed at Zuko in particular, but at the office of Fire Lord or the Fire Nation itself."
"They were firebenders, though." Mai rebutted, "They had to have been Fire Nation themselves."
Then everyone started talking at once, offering theories and passionate arguments and useless speculation. Katara could only make out every third or fourth word amidst the hubbub until Toph stomped her foot and caused the floor to shiver underfoot.
"Shhh" the earthbender hissed, "someone's coming."
In a moment the teens shifted from noisy discord to a deadly silence, weapons gripped. Katara removed the stopper on her water skin and she saw Zuko raise his hands to kindle a small flame.
A sharp knock sounded. When Zuko called "Come in!" two older women hesitantly entered the room. They wore identical pink and red dresses and their long white hair was gathered into the same crescent-shaped buns.
"Lo? Li? What are you doing here?" Zuko demanded as he rose and moved toward the women.
In eerie unison the women replied "Your sister banished us before your agni kai. We have come back so we can continue serving the Fire Nation."
One of the women spoke alone "We can offer you bending instruction as we did for your father and for Princess Azula."
Zuko grimaced and took a few steps back from the women. He started to shake his head but stilled when Mai also rose and placed her hand on his chest.
"Fire Lord Zuko accepts your kind offer, Auntie Li and Auntie Lo." she spoke before Zuko could gainsay her.
Li and Lo bowed politely and, in unison once again, intoned "We will return to our former residence in the palace, then. We expect to see you for firebending practice tomorrow at sunrise, Fire Lord Zuko." So saying, they turned and left the room.
Mystified, Katara looked toward Sokka. He shrugged, equally confused.
Toph remarked "There was something weird about those two."
"That is an understatement" Zuko agreed.
"Are they on the list of people in the palace yesterday?" Sokka asked.
"What?" Zuko sounded incredulous. "They are not under suspicion in this."
"Why not?" Toph demanded. "Knife-girl there just insisted that the attackers were Fire Nation. Don't you think the people who planned the attack are too?"
Zuko sighed as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "I guess they must be. But not Li and Lo! They're Fire Twins!" He looked at Mai for reassurance and she nodded in agreement.
Katara felt her brow wrinkling, but Sokka beat her to the question.
"What are Fire Twins?" he asked.
Mai and Zuko both looked surprised. She spoke before he could. "Don't your people have Water Twins?"
"What? No. I don't think so. What are those?" Katara demanded.
"You really don't have Water Twins? Huh." Zuko mused. He looked toward Toph and asked "But there are Earth Twins, right?"
"No idea what you're talking about, Sparky." Toph replied.
"Okay. Huh. This is surprising. So, Fire Twins share a special connection to fire. They can't bend it, but they're immune to its effects. They have a mystical, instinctive understanding of bending and are great teachers for strong benders because they can't be hurt even if the student loses control of their fire. There used to be a lot of Fire Twins, enough that most of the noble families hired them to teach their bender children. But Lo and Li are the only ones discovered in the last century."
"So, this Li and Lo taught Ozai and Azula? And you think they're trustworthy?" Suki wondered, shaking her head.
"They're Fire Twins!" Zuko defended.
Mai nodded her agreement and added "Maybe you have to be Fire Nation to understand."
Katara huffed, never liking the implication that she lacked understanding. Sokka caught her eye and raised one eyebrow, a silent agreement. She smirked back at him and wiggled both her eyebrows in opposition. Sokka stifled a laugh.
Toph's next words brought an end to their moment of humor. "Okay, so the Weird Sisters are out as suspects. We're talking in circles here; we should probably go back to questioning the people who were in the palace yesterday. Any of you can call me in if someone seems shifty and I can tell you if they're lying."
Though there were answering groans, they all agreed and divided up to return to the task.
A week's efforts gained no additional information. No one had seen anything unusual. No one had been able to identify the attackers. An artist who enjoyed the patronage of the royal family made detailed sketches of the dead assailants. These had been reproduced on flyers that would be sent throughout the nation offering a reward for any information about the men.
Katara slumped at the table with the others in the room adjacent to Zuko's bedroom, beginning to hate the site of so many fruitless meetings. Nobody really had anything to say. All of their interviews were done and there wasn't so much as a single loose thread to pull to unravel the mystery.
She cleared her throat and ventured "So what happens now? Where do we look next? Who do we talk to?"
Zuko sighed disconsolately. "We leave this in Admiral Liang's hands. There's no one left to talk to. The healers still haven't identified the poison, so there's no following that lead. I think-" Zuko broke off as a sharp rap on the door interrupted him.
With no pause for a response, Hakoda entered the room wearing a tight expression.
"Fire Lord" he greeted Zuko shortly.
Zuko stood at the older man's greeting and bowed slightly, pressing his right fist against his left palm "Chief Hakoda, it is a pleasure to see you again."
Hakoda smiled briefly, a twitch of his lips that failed to convey even a hint of warmth. "I have started to receive reports about the waterbenders who were imprisoned." He looked to Katara and she saw immense compassion in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Katara. The one you asked about, Hama? She was executed the week after her capture. There are no reports yet of any who escaped or survived."
Katara's breath froze in her throat. Many late-night conversations with Suki about Boiling Rock had slowly reshaped her antipathy toward Hama to a worried sympathy. Katara had only briefly been incarcerated and by her own choice, but the experience and her conversations with Suki had shown her that, ultimately, imprisonment stripped away the humanity of the imprisoned. Was it really surprising that Hama had not behaved with much humanity? If she herself had suffered for the amount of time Hama had, she did not know what she might have become. She blinked rapidly as she felt her eyes burn.
Her father continued, addressing Zuko again. "I have spoken to all the Water Tribesmen in the city on your behalf. While there are many who hold the Fire Nation and you in low esteem, no one can tell me anything about the attack. It's too bad the Avatar abandoned his duty and his friends. He might have been of some help here." Katara had never heard such rancor from her father.
"Dad! Aang didn't-" Katara protested.
"Then where is he? He left, with barely a sentence spoken to each of you. Are you also going to claim that he didn't wound you and Sokka, Katara? And your other friends?" her father asked.
Katara cast her eyes down. She didn't want her dad to be mad at Aang, but she certainly couldn't deny that the airbender had hurt her and all of their friends. She said nothing.
Hakoda added "Fire Lord Zuko, I understand the situation has changed here. Do you still want me to take the treaty to Chief Arnook?"
Zuko appeared confused for a moment, then his features firmed in decision. "Yes, if you are still willing. It feels even more important now to establish peaceful international relations. I have been a bit" he paused with a rueful smile "distracted lately. However, I will speak to Admiral Liang to make sure the airship is prepared for you as soon as you wish to depart."
"In that case, I think I should leave as soon as possible. Perhaps tomorrow morning? Bato is fine overseeing the rest of the boat construction." Hakoda looked directly at Katara, then at Sokka. "Katara? Sokka? Will you come with me? Since you've been to the North before, you could let me know about cultural differences on the way and introduce me when we arrive."
Sokka blanched and shook his head, "I can't go back there. It's too-" he trailed off, looked toward Katara and shook his head helplessly.
Katara felt an aching understanding fill her. Of course her brother would not wish to return to the place where he'd held Yue as she died. She didn't know if their father knew what had happened. She would not tell that story if he did not, though. Only Sokka could relate those events, when and if he felt ready.
She appealed to Zuko "I shouldn't leave with this assassination attempt still such a mystery. What if there are more attacks?"
"Do you think me unable to defend myself?" Zuko queried in an affronted tone.
Mai snickered "or me? I seem to recall holding my own against you even when you had the Avatar fighting at your side."
Katara felt a hot rush of embarrassment. "No, I know you can defend yourselves. I only want to help!"
Zuko smiled warmly. It was amazing how sweet a smile he had when he chose to use it. "You will be helping. Your dad is right; having someone along who is known by the Northern Water Tribe could ease things. And think of what Aang said about spending time with your family. Haven't you missed your father? Wouldn't it be good to be with him?"
Katara slid her eyes to her dad quickly. He caught her gaze and the love in his eyes loosened a tightness in her chest that she'd lived with for years. With the ache of missing her father easing, everything else felt suddenly overwhelming. Aang gone. The only other Southern Water Tribe bender she'd ever met executed in a Fire Nation prison. Unknown people trying to kill Zuko. A part of Sokka still damaged by Yue's death. The inside of her nose tingled and she fought to keep the tears welling in her eyes from spilling over. Pressing her lips together, she nodded quickly.
But her dad always recognized when her tears threatened. Hakoda crossed to Katara and gathered her into his arms. She let a few of the tears fall, pressing her face to his tunic so they would be absorbed. She recalled these arms holding her when she was five and lacerated her foot, big hand stroking her sweaty hair back from her face as her mother sewed the gash closed. In happier times, his arms swung her in dizzying circles while she giggled helplessly. She sniffled discreetly before tilting her head up to look into her father's concerned gaze.
"I'll come with you" she told him, voice decisive. "Zuko is right. I can be helpful on your journey." She turned her face toward her brother "Are you sure you won't come with us, Sokka?"
Sokka shook his head, but his color had returned to normal. He smiled toward Suki and said "I would really like to spend some time with my girlfriend when we're not in the middle of a war." Suki shifted in her seat at his words, and clasped her hands together tightly. Sokka looked anxiously toward Hakoda "You don't mind, do you, Dad?"
Hakoda told him "Well, I would love to spend more time with you. But I understand if you can't resist Suki's innumerable charms." He winked at Suki with the statement and she blushed. He continued "I'm going to let Bato and the other men know that I'm leaving tomorrow, and then I'll pack some provisions for the journey."
Squeezing Katara tight, Hakoda asked her "Do you want to come with me to see Bato and the others again before we leave?"
Katara smiled up at her dad and nodded. The two of them departed after everyone promised to see them off in the morning.
Katara fought hard not to collapse on her bed at the end of the day. She still needed to pack, but she felt such a cumulative fatigue from a week of fretting over Aang's departure compounded by worry about Zuko's situation that she wasn't sure how she'd manage. Instead, she relaxed into one of the cushiony tufted chairs placed by her room's single large window and allowed her eyes to close. Just for a moment, she thought. Just a moment to not feel pain and worry and sorrow.
She awoke with a start when someone cleared their throat.
Lin, a former laundress who had very recently been promoted to something or other—Katara could not keep straight the bewildering array of titles and hierarchies within the royal household—stood just inside Katara's room, looking sheepish. Katara smiled sleepily. She and Lin had questioned the entire laundry staff together the day after Zuko's coronation. They had worked well with each other and she respected the woman's intelligence and ambition. And Katara would always have fellow feeling for girls who left their homes looking for opportunities to do and be more.
"I'm so sorry, my lady. I knocked and when there was no answer I came in to leave this on your bed."
This was a hefty-looking scroll that Lin handed to her with a twinkling smile. "It's addressed to 'Master Katara' and I guess that's you."
Katara stifled a yawn as she replied "I guess it is" and took the proffered scroll. "Thank you, Lin."
Lin grinned her irrepressible grin and asked "who's it from?" excitedly.
"I don't know any more about it than you do!" Katara responded with a chuckle. "But let's open it and see."
Katara carefully studied the scroll. The paper was thick and slightly rough. Her name was written in an elegant, flowing hand. It wasn't her grandmother's writing, but who else would write to her? Wax sealed both ends of the paper with an additional blob of it holding the roll closed. Katara impatiently pried the wax free from the paper. As she unrolled it, something small fell free and dropped to the floor where it rolled under the edge of her chair. Katara felt another small object sliding across the paper and quickly caught it.
A pale blue bead landed in her palm. With furrowed brow, Katara held the bead up to the lantern. Smooth and oblong, it was slightly translucent with wavy striations of darker blue.
Lin stooped down to retrieve the fallen item, which turned out to be a bead matching the one in Katara's hand. "Oh they're so pretty! " she remarked as she dropped the second bead into Katara's hand, where it clicked softly against the other one. "Chalcedony, I think. Who sent them?"
Katara finally looked away from the bead to the paper which lay in her lap, nearly forgotten. Her eyes sought out a signature without taking in any of the other writing that covered the page. Aang. It was from Aang.
Katara turned her stunned face to Lin's "It's from Aang. From the Avatar. Umm, Lin, I'd like to read this in private."
"Of course" Lin responded quickly. She seemed about to say something further, but then shook her head slightly and turned to leave.
Katara stared blankly at the page for a moment as she listened to Lin's retreating footsteps. She closed her fingers and gripped the beads tightly in her hand as she read.
Dear Katara,
I know I said this in my last letter, but I do hope you understand my reasons for leaving and can forgive me. You are the best friend I have ever had and I would never want to make you uncomfortable. Please say we are still friends.
I didn't intend to write before I reached the Eastern Air Temple. But I visited this village to try to get more food and saw these two lonely beads for sale. The pale blue made me think of the deep ice near your home. And since there were only two, I kept thinking of the beads you wear in your hair. It seems like they were made for you! I walked past them to look for rice, but I kept coming back and thinking that they would look so pretty in your hair. As you can see, I chose the beads over the rice.
I hope you will accept them as a token of our friendship, or at least not throw them out the window. If you don't like them, though, I understand.
The person who runs the stationer's shop is looking at me strangely. I think my hat must have slipped and now she knows who, or should I say what, I am. I don't want to attract too much attention, so I will sign off and write a longer letter once I reach the Temple.
Your friend,
Aang
P.S. Zuko can tell you how to contact me if you want to write back! Although I guess you could simply send a message hawk to the Eastern Air Temple since I will be there soon.
She traced her fingertips wonderingly along Aang's name. She had never seen his writing before. It was beautiful, spare and flowing like its creator. Katara felt torn between joy and anger, one moment furious that he left her and the next her heart fluttering at the thought that he had written her twice in only a week. What had become of the first letter? It apparently offered more of an explanation for leaving than he had given at the peace treaty signing. Would knowing more about what prompted him to leave tip her feelings further toward anger or happiness?
Wait. Why did Zuko know how to contact Aang?
A/N Struggle bus, population me. This chapter, y'all. Would not cooperate with me AT ALL. Sorry it has taken me so long to get this out. Anyone who's still out there reading—thank you, thank you, thank you! I am making no promises about when the next installment will show up, but I will work on it as I'm able to.
Wil02: Thank you! I'm kinda pissed at Aang, myself. Even though I'm the one who put him in this unenviable position. (You can be pissed at me, too, if it helps!)
anayeli12: Thanks so much for commenting. I'm super mad at Kaori, too. I just want to shake her and say "people can manage grief without becoming evil!"
TheRaccoon13: Glad you're keeping up with marjojo02's story; it's so good! And there will be an end to the angst, I promise. Not this year, mind, but eventually. And periodic lighter and more hopeful moments to ratchet things down a bit.
Hilmintonhamigh: Yay, I was hoping Kaori would make people scream. Success is sweet. Cue evil writer laugh.
Ashley Barbosa: Sorry again about the letter. Maybe the one in this chapter helps? I wanted to show that the conspiracy is way more invasive than our friends suspect and then things just happened. Sometimes these characters do things I didn't expect or plan.
Monkeyfeathers: Thank you! I do believe Katara will do some you-know-what slapping down the road.
Aangbanger: I love that idea! Rats, why didn't I come up with that?