Chapter Sixteen
Some part of his subconscious must have registered the heavy footfalls approaching. His eyes opened slowly and he pulled the arm draped over Katara up and gently shook her shoulder, rousing her from sleep. She mumbled something but shifted, ears catching the sound she quickly scrambled to her feet, Zuko following her lead. Katara ran her fingers through her hair, trying to work out the worst of the tangles and Zuko slowly flexed the arm she had used as a pillow, getting the circulation going again.
Cain strolled up to the bars looking positively gleeful. A few guards followed at a slight distance, ready for their orders. "Are you getting excited yet?" Cain asked his malicious grin stretching.
"Can hardly wait." Zuko muttered.
"Peasant!" He snapped. She was used to his bellowed insults but she still couldn't help the small flinch. "Come here." He added a bit softer. Her posture went rigid, but she complied as per their agreement. She waited against the bars as the chi blocker approached and she took the blows, knowing exactly where they would land and bracing herself.
"You too boy." Zuko approached as well, a sneer curling his lip in disgust at the man. He locked his burning gaze with Cain as the chi blocker did his work. "Take them to the latrines." He lazily ordered his soldiers as he unlocked the door. The guards flanking Katara seized her upper arms out of habit and led her as the others handled Zuko with less care as they marched them off to attend to their business.
They were returned with another large serving of glop waiting for them on the dented tray. "You'll need your strength for later." Cain leered at them before pacing back down the tunnel.
"I don't like this." Katara said, spooning up some of their breakfast and letting it fall back with a dull splat.
"And the food's bad too." Zuko said quietly, a tired attempt at humor. She met him with a tired smile.
"What do you think it'll be?" Her voice rose a bit timidly, looking to him for answers.
He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I don't know."
She nodded and took a listless bite. She stared at the tray. "Zuko…" He looked at her. "I'm scared." She admitted reluctantly.
He laced an arm over her shoulder and pulled her into a side hug. "I am too." He confided. She turned her face so it was buried in the crook of his neck, her breathing slowing as she calmed herself before pulling away.
"We'll be together though, right?"
"That was the impression I got."
She looked a little more relieved. "Good. That'll make whatever it is better." She paused to consider what she said. "Well… it won't be as bad if you're there at least." She amended.
"We'll get through this," he laced his fingers in hers. "Together."
Her eyes shone in the torch light and a real smile tugged at her lips for the first time in days. They finished their meal in silence and retreated to the back of the cell. Zuko sat and leaned against the stone wall and pulled Katara next to him, arm around her shoulder again, sharing body heat and comfort in each other's presence.
Time passed, hours even and they could feel their bending coming back to them. "Do you feel that?" Katara whispered, afraid to lose this advantage.
Zuko flexed his fingers and sparks flickered from the tips. "Good."
It wasn't much longer after that when they heard Cain returning. Zuko took her fingers and gave them a squeeze before pulling her to her feet and they stood, not touching, but facing the bars united.
"It's time." Cain said as he sauntered up. He cracked his knuckles and grinned at them. "Let's go." He unlocked the cell and four guards stepped in, grasping their upper arms and guiding them out of the cell following Cain's lead. A few more followed behind them. Zuko glanced over and saw Katara's eyebrows knit in concern and she must have felt the heat of his gaze because she glanced up and met him with a weak reassuring smile. They were led through unfamiliar tunnels, being taken further and further, it felt as if it was getting warmer and Zuko stiffened, Katara worried her lip at his reaction.
They found themselves in front of a massive metal door that filled the entire passage way. Cain made a gesture and the men behind the prisoners pushed their way to the front, putting their shoulders to the door and working together to make it swing open. Behind it was a large cavern with torches lining the stone walls, casting bright flickering light about.
"Leave us." A dark command echoed off the walls out of sight.
Katara gasped, reeling back in the grasp of the men holding her. Zuko growled and lurched at the sound of the voice only to be tugged back by the guards holding him.
Azula strode around a bend on the opposite wall; arms crossed behind her back, dressed in her old armor and her hair pulled back in a messy topknot, several strands escaping. "Are you deaf?" She demanded, glaring at Cain. "I said leave us!"
"But princess…" Cain stammered, hunched in a diminutive stature, twisting his hands together nervously.
"Now!" She barked. The guards all flinched at her command and left the room in a hurry. "Oh and get the door."
"Yes princess." Cain said bowing low and the sound of the metal door slamming echoed hollowly off the walls.
"Azula! What are you doing?!" Zuko yelled across the expanse.
"Why Zuzu," she said in mock hurt. "I thought you'd be happy to see me. It has been a long time since you locked me away."
"What do you want?"
"I want many things Zuko." She said, beginning to pace. "So many things. But you took them all away from me!" She accused, halting and stabbing a finger in the air at him. "You and that peasant!" Katara bristled, but never took her eyes off the crazed woman across the cavern. "I was to rule the fire nation and when father stepped down, the world. But no, everyone started conspiring against me, plotting my downfall. I should have defeated you, the failure of the family and that savage. Today, I will do what I should have a long time ago. I will kill you and reclaim my rightful place on the throne."
"You've lost your mind!" Katara yelled.
"Shut up!" She screeched and shot a fireball at them, causing Zuko and Katara to dive in opposite directions. Zuko rolled to his feet and returned fire while Katara searched for water. Over the sounds of battle she could just barely make out a distinct sound of water dripping into a puddle. She navigated towards the sound, keeping an eye out for blue flames as they occasionally licked at her heels. In a slight alcove, water dripped off the stone wall into a pool. Katara gathered it to herself and launched into battle to aid Zuko. She froze the water into a circular pillar, waving her hands across the surface, rapidly firing off sharp discs of ice at Azula as she danced around them, avoiding her brothers flaming fists at the same time. She was almost as nimble as Ty Lee, making it near impossible to land a blow.
Azula flipped into the air, twisting and sending out massive streams of fire that burned so high, they licked the ceiling. Katara pulled the water up and ducked behind the wall it made, protecting her from the heat, steam erupting. She pushed her hands forward and the steam became thousands of needle-like icicles whizzing through the air towards the princess as she landed. Azula spun her foot in a wide arc, blue flames hungrily lapping up the projectiles. She then smoothly slid out of reach of her brothers fiery punches. Katara was tiring, her endurance after a week here had diminished along with her strength and she could tell Zuko was slowing a bit as well. She sheathed her arms in water and lashed at her with the water whip extensions. Azula met her water with twin streams of fire, kicking a foot at Zuko to send a stream at him as well as he dove out of the way.
Tired of the defensive Azula sent out a sweeping wall of flame to engulf the whole cavern. "Katara!" Zuko cried out and he rushed in between her and the extensive curtain of blue flames, cutting through it with an infuriated cry, the flames parting in the narrow expanse, rushing on either side of them. It was only a moment distraction, but enough that Azula was ready to fire lightning. It crackled loudly from her fingers and then launched at them. Zuko quickly took a stance, two fingers extended to catch the bolt and he brought it in, down through his stomach and out his other hand, sending it into a distant wall. She was already shooting wild fireballs at them, whizzing all around them. Her decent into madness had made her movements almost sloppy making her even more unpredictable and far more dangerous.
Katara threw more deadly icicles and Zuko shot daggers of fire after Azula, keeping her occupied enough to minimize her return fire. "Zuko." Katara panted as she whipped the water across the cave. "I have an idea, but I have to get close to her. Distract her." With that she charged Azula, twin streams of water lashing to keep herself from being hit.
"Katara!" Zuko called, stunned for a moment. He knew how devastating his sister could be in close quarters. So far they had been keeping the stretch of the cavern between them. He didn't have much of a choice though. His feet pounded the ground as he followed her lead.
Zuko was fast and he passed Katara, directly engaging Azula, jumping and lashing out a foot, sending a fireball her way. She easily dodged it, but it gave Katara the opportunity to flank her. Zuko struck ferociously, trying to keep his sister's attention as Katara dodged, trying to gain her back. He witnessed Azula's eyes flash and slide to Katara as she made an all too familiar gesture.
"No!" He cried, seizing her wrist and jerking it up just as Azula unleashed a bolt of lightning. The distraction was brief but it gave Katara a chance to land a few quick blow to Azula's body, just before the lightning struck the cave ceiling and rubble collapsed all around them. They all threw themselves in different directions out of the way, but a great chunk struck Katara, sending hr sprawling, temporarily stunned.
Katara lay on her stomach gasping for air after having it knocked from her lungs as she tried to rapidly blink the black from her vision. An insane peal of laughter broke next to her and she turned her blurry eyes to see Azula approaching, Zuko too far to be of much help and looking horrified. Azula struck a bending pose as Katara watched helplessly, too stunned to flee or bend. She was about to witness her own demise in blue flames at the hands of a mad woman. Azula punched, aiming her attack straight at Katara and she heard Zuko yell something from what sounded like very far away as the blood pounded in her ears.
Nothing happened.
Azula blinked, surprised. Then fury filled her features. "What did you do to me?!" She shrieked, Katara scrambled to her hands and knees, strands of hair falling loose from her braid as a hand caught the back of her shirt. Azula was ready to strike, bending or not, but a fireball hit her in the back and launched her forward, spinning through the air and landing several yards away.
"Katara!" Zuko said relieved as he reached her, tugging her back to her feet. Azula was gaining her feet as well, adopting a bending stance and shot several blows that never formed.
"Blocked her chi." Katara panted. Understanding flashed across his face. She and Zuko had both been struck so many times that it was easy for her to strike the same spots on Azula to steal her bending.
"Guards…" Azula croaked, still too shocked to make herself heard. Zuko stiffened; if the Dai Lee soldiers came to her aid, there was no way they were getting out of this place alive. While Zuko froze, Katara sprang into action, surging forward, water launched ahead, winding around Azula's body, snaking up to cover her mouth and froze, leaving her cocooned in ice, her wild eyes rolling about.
Zuko approached. She stared murderously at him and he looked down at her, rife with indecision. He raised a hand, ready to strike, but it stayed where it was. A cold hand lightly wrapped around his raised wrist and he turned to see Katara watching him sadly. "We have to go." She urged gently and pulled him in the direction Azula had emerged from. He turned away from his sister, glad he didn't have to decide her fate, but worrying if he should have. They ran to the opposite wall and found an alcove with a tunnel leading up. They followed it up and out as it spit them into a heavily wooded forest late in the day.
They blinked as their eyes adjusted and with a quick shared look, ran down the hill, far from that torturous hell. The woods were treacherous with roots, brambles and rocks to trip over and they were tired and weak, but adrenaline kept them moving. Soon they found a clearing that gave way to a rocky shore.
"We have to get even further from here. As soon as the Dai Lee finds Azula, they'll be all over the place."
Zuko nodded his agreement. Katara waded into the waves and bended a thick sheet of ice that resembled a small raft. "Get on." She urged as she climbed aboard. Zuko climbed on and at her direction sat, a tendril of water snaked across his lap and froze, effectively strapping him to the ice. Katara wove the water up her calves and froze herself stably to it as well then began churning her arms in wide circles on either side, propelling them quickly out into the water. Their make shift raft bounced as it skimmed across the waves and Zuko was glad for the restraint that kept him aboard.
They traveled like this for a long time until another land mass came into view. The raft ran aground and Katara melted it back into the ocean, her arms and legs trembling from exertion. They made their way ashore and Katara pulled the tide to them, washing away their footprints on the sandy beach. They clambered into more forest and once they were out of sight of the water, Katara leaned heavily against a tree.
"I'm sorry. I just need a minute." She avoided Zuko's gaze, feeling weak as her limbs shuddered, her legs quivering so badly she wasn't sure if they would support her much longer.
"We need to keep moving." He cast his eyes about warily.
"I know, I just have to catch my breath." She felt ashamed for slowing them down.
"Let me carry you." His voice was soft, showing no signs of resentment for the hold up.
"It's okay. I'll be alright in just a few minutes."
"Katara, you're shaking. You can barely stand. You've overexerted yourself. Let me carry you."
She glanced up and shook her head, catching the bark to keep herself upright on the tree she leaned against. "I'm too heavy." She insisted.
Zuko looked at her lithe frame, thinner now than before she was taken, her cheeks sallow and legs and arms quaking so bad he was surprised she was still standing. "I'm strong enough to carry you on my back for a while." He coaxed. He stooped before her, presenting his back. "Come on."
Reluctantly she pushed off the tree. "Stop as soon as you're tired." She warned
"I will."
She bit her lip and clambered on, looping her arms over his shoulders and lightly across his chest as his arms curled under her legs, supporting her weight easily.
"You're too light." He said worriedly as he started hiking through the trees.
"It's this great new diet I've been trying." She replied with grim humor.
"We really need to eat as soon as we find a place to camp." He could feel her nod before wearily resting her head on his shoulder, her breath slowing as it tickled his neck.
Sarahplainntall here! Thank you all you fabulous people for your uplifting reviews! It keeps me tapping away at the computer. Keep up the support and comments! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!