Chapter 23: It Was Your Song
Celebrations for the ended war were over. Ozai had to leave Kyoshi to meet with the nation leaders to negotiate the formal peace treaties, and Iroh went with him, for moral support. Sokka went with Atilla back to the Southern Water Tribe to help them in the post-war repairs. Soon, Katara and Anzha were the only ones left in Kyoshi, though everyone had promised to return as soon as possible. Several hawks were left with them so that they could stay in touch.
Good-byes were less than cheerful for the group that had quickly become closer than family. Ozai and Iroh's displeasure at leaving was clear, and worry was written in Sokka's face as he boarded the ship with the other Water Tribesmen. After waving good-bye to the departing men, Katara and Anzha turned their backs on the water and returned to the infirmary, where the healer had long since tending to the patients within.
It had been nearly 10 days since Zhao's death, and neither Zuko nor Aang had woken.
Slipping into the silent hut, the two boys' beds had been pushed together so that Anzha and Katara could be close to them both. The two girls were beginning to contemplate the fact that neither of them might ever wake up.
Silent tears ran down Katara's cheeks as she laid down between the boys, but Anzha's eyes were dry. Her eyes were dry and emotionless, but her heart was breaking. She listened to the Water Tribe girl until her breathing steadied and then went and sat next to Zuko. She traced his scar with one hand and then kissed each closed eyelid.
Her heart wasn't breaking. It had broken, shattered, into thousands of tiny pieces. Only one could heal her. Her precious brother, who now lay in a coma and it…it seemed only a miracle could save him. Following Katara's example, she crawled into the bed and wrapped an arm around Zuko's prone form. Slowly, she began to hum a quiet tune.
Katara's eyes snapped open and she looked at Anzha.
"Are there words?" Anzha nodded with her head against Zuko's chest. And she sang softly.
Lately I've been trying
To fill up my days since you're gone
The speed of love is blinding
And I didn't know how to hold on
My mind won't clear
I'm out of tears
My heart's got no room left inside
How many dreams will end?
How long can I pretend?
How many times will love pass me by…
Until I find you again?
Tears filled Anzha's eyes, but remained mercifully unshed. Katara on the other hand, sobbed into Aang's shirt.
"Oh, Anzha, what if they never wake up?"
Anzha sat up and moved away from the boys' bed. "Then we'll just have to take care of them. They'll wake up, someday." Unable to bear it, she turned and walked out.
That night, the people of Kyoshi celebrated the end of the war once more. They were so happy. Somebody pushed a cup of sake into Anzha's hand, and she took a tentative sip of the alcoholic drink. It burned her throat, but cut out some of the pain she felt. She thought about the next verse of the song she'd sung to Katara.
Well, the arms of hope surround me.
Will time be a fair weather friend?
Should I call out to angels?
Or just drink myself sober again?
I can't hide this truth
I still care for you
Your memory just won't let me go.
Memory? Anzha nearly slapped herself. Zuko was not a memory. He would wake up. Stealing a viola from the mixture of instruments thrown around, she carried it back into the infirmary.
Katara was startled when Anzha came roaring in with the instrument in her hands. She sat behind Zuko and pulled his limp form into a sitting position and placed his hands on the instrument.
"Remember Zuko?"
"Anzha." Katara said softly.
"Remember? You used to play all the time. You loved it, and wrote songs and would sing them for me. Here, let me remind you of one."
She took the viola from his hand and placed it on her neck properly. Slowly, after a moment of tuning, began to play.
Katara listened to the slow song and felt tears forming, but her heart broke even further when Anzha dropped the viola and threw herself onto Zuko, sobbing uncontrollably. Katara pulled her away from the prince and guided her from the room out into the festivities.
Zuko was locked in a mental battle. He and the Avatar were being dragged down a cliff by golden chains. The Avatar fought desperately against his, but the chain had worked its way around his neck and was cutting off his life. Zuko knew the chains had to be connected to Zhao, somehow, due to their connection to him in their final moments, but Zuko wouldn't let Zhao destroy his soul…or the Avatar's. The blue tint of the Spirit world hovered around them, and Zuko grabbed onto the sheer cliff, refusing to give in. He caught the now unconscious Avatar with one arm and held on. The boy lolled against him, his eyes closed.
Below them were rolling waves of fire, and all of it was surrounded by a harsh golden light. Searing heat sent sweat rolling down Zuko's face.
His grip was fading on the cliff and his eyes were closed in exertion. Suddenly, he felt himself being watched, and opened his eyes to behold a naked woman hanging onto the cliff next to him. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and over her left eye was a scar. Another woman was on the other side of her. This woman was also naked, but bald and had blue arrows identical to those of the Avatar.
The scarred woman spoke to him, her voice strangely echoing.
"Zuko, give me the chains. Put them on me! I will face Zhao! We can defeat him, but you must go!"
"Sacrifice yourselves for us? No! I won't let you! Wait…who are you?"
The scarred woman and the arrowed woman both looked at him with gentle eyes.
"We are your Sources. Zhao's Source is trying to destroy you. He placed a request before he died, and his Source needs our magic to complete it. But we can defeat him with our combined strengths, but you must let us go!"
Zuko looked at his Source, and it was like looking into a mirror.
"What will I do without your guidance?"
She smiled at her, golden eyes glowing with unshed tears.
"You don't need me Zuko. You have the strength within you to be great. And perhaps, I might return. You never know."
Zuko turned from her, watching as the Avatar's chains encircled his Source, but she held on, waiting for her partner. He sighed, and let go of his Source. The chains left him, and wrapped around his Source, but she smiled at him.
"Once we are gone, Zuko, you must climb out. They have been waiting for you."
With those words, the two women turned their backs on the cliff, and their hosts, and dove down into the flames below.
Zuko watched them go, and didn't notice the young Avatar slowly wake.
"Zuko…"
Zuko glanced into the hazel eyes, so tired, so worn.
"Don't worry, Avatar, just hold on to me. I'll get us out."
And so he began to climb, the Avatar's thin arms wrapped around his shoulders and his twelve-year old body hanging limply over the fire below them.
A grating sound startled them both, and they looked down. Stone was closing over the flames, and once the flames were completely covered, the air dropped several hundred degrees in temperature. They gratefully drank in the cool air, soothing to their scorched lungs, and Zuko continued his climbing. His hand reached over the edge, and pulled them into safety.
The first thing Zuko noticed as he sat up in the bed was that they were not on his ship. The Avatar, in the bed next to him, didn't move, but his eyes were open. The power of the comet had taken a toll on his body, but it was nothing that time couldn't heal.
The Fire Prince pulled the Avatar close, as he would do a younger brother, and held him against his chest. The Avatar grasped his shirt in one small fist and whimpered.
"I'm sorry…I didn't want to hurt them…I didn't mean to leave…the world should hate me…I'm a bad Avatar…the worst."
"No, Avatar. You've done more for this world than any of us have. You came just when we needed you. Everything will be all right now. Just rest."
"Aang."
"What?"
"My name is Aang. Just Aang."
"Rest Aang…"
It was barely a moment before the young Avatar had fallen asleep in the Fire Prince's gentle arms. And it was several minutes before Zuko completed his last sentence.
"…my friend."
When Anzha had finally composed herself once more, the two new friends returned to the infirmary, engaged in conversation.
"Don't you worry, Anzha, they'll wake up soon. Imagine the party Kyoshi will throw then!"
Anzha laughed. "I can, and imagine Father and Uncle's reaction! They'll be so happy!"
"Shhhh…."
Both heads jerked up, Anzha just having opened to door. Zuko had a finger over his lips and nodded towards the sleeping Avatar, who still had Zuko's shirt clenched in a fist.
But neither girl was able to remain calm. They leapt onto the Fire Prince and the Avatar, who woke with a yelp, but didn't mind too much.
Katara embraced first Aang, and then Zuko. Anzha just hugged them both, planting kisses on Zuko's cheek and Aang's forehead. Aang laughed and tried to shrug away from Anzha but she held him nevertheless, and he gave into her motherly embrace.
Hawks were sent out the next day to those who had left and it wasn't long until they returned with messages that Sokka, Ozai, and Iroh were on their way. Natalani would stay in the Fire Nation, due to doctor's orders.
Though still bed-ridden, the Fire Prince and the Avatar were quite busy with visitors. The two had become fast friends. Sokka arrived less than a week later with Appa and Momo and was also quick to trust Zuko.
The night before Ozai and Iroh were expected to arrive, Zuko and Aang made their first venture outside since the event. Zuko, much more so than Aang, missed his Source. Anzha would become a much better warrior than him he realized, and their flawless battles would never be again. But he was content to no longer be her equal, only her brother.
Aang and Zuko were seated around the huge bonfire in the middle of the village while those who had talents in music showed them off. Anzha disappeared for a moment, and then reappeared with a viola, and handed it to Zuko. Katara froze with her heart beating erratically as he took the instrument from her gently. Suddenly, she wanted more than anything to hear him play.
Tentative fingers caressed the strings. "It's been years since I've played Anzha."
She sat down next to him. "That's ok, Zuko."
Silence had fallen around the circle, and many voices rose in encouragement to the prince, who after a moment, stood. Bending, he whispered something in Anzha's ear, and she stood as well. And he began to play.
Soft, lilting notes filled the air, and the hearts of the people were stolen once more. No one but she noticed Ozai and Iroh join the circle.
Anzha closed her eyes and listened for a moment, as the notes died down to a softer pitch, and raised her own voice up to match.
When I am down
And oh, my soul so weary
When troubles come,
And my heart burdened be
Then I will sit and wait here
In the silence
Until you come and sit a while with me
Both Zuko's song and Anzha's voice rose in volume, but lost none of their clarity.
You raise me up
So I can stand on mountains
You raise me up
To walk on stormy seas
I am strong
When I am on your shoulders
You raise me up
To more than I can be…
Silence reigned around the circle as Anzha repeated these words, singing her heart out to the group. The song was heartening and sad at the same time, and not one of them had heard it before.
Anzha's voice quieted, and the notes rang out alone, capturing those who had not yet fallen and seducing those who had. Anzha prepared to rejoin the song when she felt a hand envelop hers and squeeze. Katara now stood beside her. Zuko finished the solo, and they rejoined him.
You raise me up
(up…)
So I can stand on mountains
(stand on mountains)
You raise me up
To walk on stormy seas
(stormy seas)
I am strong
When I am on your shoulders
(oooooo)
And then they raised their voices as one, fire and water, smooth as silk
You raise me up…to more…than I…can be…
Zuko held the last note until they pulled off, and the applause was great. Anzha turned to the Fire Prince inquisitively.
"Just wondering, Zuko, but who did you write that for?"
Zuko glanced up to meet Ozai's gaze; both sets of golden eyes were filled with unshed tears.
"For my father."
Anzha's first song was Until I Find You Again, can't think of who wrote it right now, but it's not mine. Zuko's song was You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban.