"The cruel angel's thesis
will soon take flight through the window,
with surging, hot pathos,
if you betray your memories.
Embracing this sky and shining,
young boy, become the legend!"
- The Cruel Angel's Thesis
muted fate; chapter XVI: "a land of vermillion, part one"
Aang remained alone in the inn while Beelzebub and Morningstar went to feed on unsuspecting victims in the now dark city. Aang couldn't fully bring himself to feed on people and was content with feeding on animals, which made him feel bad enough considering his past vegetarianism. Iwatansei remained in the hotel room, still unseen by the people.
"Why don't youcome to the palace with us?" Aang asked him.
'I'd rather not,' answered Iwatansei, flatly,'I sense an unsettled force in that place and it bothers me too much to set a foot near it,'
"Yeah, it creeps me out too," Aang said, "Hey, the Fire Nation wasn't here when you were alive, was it, Iwatansei?"
'No, but that was years and years ago,' Iwatansei said, 'when I was alive, there were no separate nations or kingdoms. Everytihng was together in harmony on giant land. Trouble only arose when an earthquake caused the continents to separate and severed the people's bonds to each other. An Avatar is only used to keep a balance when light starts to overpower dark or vice versa,'
"The First Avatar – do you know what caused her to be born?"
'I know not. She is a spirit far older than our full ages combined,' Iwatansei said, 'and she is a spirit from ancient times who rarily speaks. She is ancient – almost as old as time itself. She may not even remember her past hersel. She comes from a world, you or I or many other knew not. A world forgotten by all, but I remember her saying that it was very peaceful and very simple, as were the people,'
At this moment, the window oepend and Morningstar and Beelzebub entered the room. They smelled like fresh blood. Aang notcied that all the blood they must have taken gave their skin a somewhat rosy coloring – as if they were actually human.
"Let's get going!" Beelzebub said, giving Aang a whack on the back, "I just came up wit da most perfect plan ever on how tah get in tah dat palace!" He smirked. "Ya gonna love it too, kid!"
"Good luck," Morningstar said as he flopped down onto a bed in the room, "I've just want to sleep off all that blood,"
"I'm going to need your help for this plan too, Morningstar..." Beelzebub began.
"Why didn't you ever tell you had a sister?" Katara said to Zuko.
It was while Zuko was getting ready to go to sleep. He had been quiet all evening long after his father's revelation. He found Katara resting in a bedroom in the east wing. Seyvan, Pepper, and Ashes had one of the guest room next to them and had two beds.
"I try to not think about her that much," Zuko replied.
"Why not?" Katara asked.
"We don't have–"Zuko began. The sound of noisy laughter ruptured from the next room and Zuko yelled, "GO TO SLEEP IN THERE!" and then he turned to Katara, "My sister and I really don't like each other,"
"Well, all brothers and sisters fight once in a while," Katara said.
"No, no, you don't get it," Zuko said, "We really don't like each other,"
"As in mutual dislike?"
"As in hate. If we weren't related, we'd probably plan on killing each other eventually,"
"You can't be serious–"
"Listen, Zula – my sister – is a serious little bitch,"
"Don't say that about your sister!"
"Do you know my sisterbroke my leg on purpose? And tried to strangle me?And purposely try to drop a pile of bricks on me? And drown me?"
"Why? Is it becauseyou two had a misunderstanding or–"
Zuko shook his head and laid down next to her in bed as the lamp nearby went out.
"It was all about favoritism," Zuko sighed, "Mother liked me best and father likes her best but it was sort of – I don't know – the other way around. I don't really know. We were just kids. Mother liked me, and Zula wanted her to like her, but I didn't want to share. Father liked Zula, and I wanted him to lke me, but she didn't want to share. Then mother died, and the first thing Zula did was try to strangle me. She was just seven, and I was eight, but she had strength. I guess she thought it was my fault Mother died. It sort of went downhill from there. She would have killed me if our governess at the time hadn't yanked her off of me. I still have the mark on my neck,"
A loud thud came from the next room and the sound of Seyvan yelping in pain.
"Dad!" Seyvan yelled, "Pepper pushed me!"
"Seyvan, you stupid crybaby!" Pepper yelled. The sound of her wrestling Seyvan on the ground.
Katara had noticed that Pepper and Seyvan were becoming signifigantly more aggressive with each other. Their light little games of tag often escalated into full blown fights – either Pepper or Seyvan being the root of the problem. While the two didn't seem to hate each other, there was an odd amount of either spite or play that just went overboard. While Seyvan was more likely to tell, Pepper was more likely to beat the living daylights out of him.
"If I have to come in there one more time, both of you are going to have a lot more to worry about than that!" Zuko yelled. The noise instantly turned to silence. He looked at Katara, "Katara, this is the last straw. We have to do something about them. They're too wild right now,"
"Well, my brother and I were like that when we reached that age," Katara explained, "When you're about Seyvan and Pepper's age, you're sort of muddled between childhood and adolescence. It can be hard to move to the next and sometimes problems happen,"
"Yes, I know, Katara, I was their age too once, but it's getting out of hand," Zuko sighed, "They should be taking all that energy and doing something with it," An idea popped into his head. "Katara, I was talking to my father and he thinks it would be a good idea to send them itno the military,"
"What?" Katara said, "That's insane! They're just kids!"
"I'm thinking at this rate, it's a good idea," Zuko answered, "I was there age when I went to the military. They could use the discipline and the training, and not to mention that it would stop them from being so aggressive with each other. And they can't spend the rest of their lives not doing anything. Most children their age are either in school, or learning a trade,or in the military or on a farm or something. And there are other children there age in the military as well, they won't be alone. Ashes can even be with children like her – that can't speak or hear. They'd probably be happier there than they are here,"
Katara made a face. She was having mixed feelings. On one hand, she wasn't sure it would be wise to let Seyvan, Pepper, and Ashes go alone towards the military. She remembered how badly it felt to separated from her parents for a very long time, even at slumber parties. On the other hand, they were getting a little rambunctious and with her constant mood swings, she wasn't in the mood half the time to discipline them. Also, it would probably be nice for them to be with others their own age once in a while. Not to mention that since they were adopted, they most likely wouldn't suffer too badly from seperation anxiety.
"I don't know…" Katara said.
Another thud came from the other room, following by a loud crash and Pepper crying and Seyvan panicking and apologizing to her.
"Send them to military," Katara sighed.
"That's it! I'm going to strap those two down to their beds if it gets them to sleep!" Zuko growled as he angrily left the room.
The top of the palace walls had pointed parts on top and there were towers nearby as well with guards watching things, so it was ill advised Beelzebub and Aang enter by flying. Beelzebub suggested an idea of stealth.
"Ya'll be what I like tah call a gentleman caller," Beelzebub explained.
"What's that?" Aang asked.
"A lady's man,"
"Huh?"
"A boytoy? A rentboy? A callboy?"
Aang blinked in reply.
"A male concubine, kid. Ya goin' tah be a male concubine fer a noble lady," Beelzebub flatly said.
Aang despised the plan, but it seemed like it would logically work. Beelzebub had observed Aang's effect on the women and speculated that a noble woman would probably want to buy him off ("Ya'll fetch a good price kid!" Beelzebub joked. Aang wasn't very amused by it). The plan was to take Aang to the palace gates and enter so that he could be sold off to a noble woman. Once inside, Aang could easily sneak about and figure out what was going on. Aang's main concern laid with two things: his dignity and virginity.
'It's for the greater good I guess,' Aang thought, 'and hopefully I won't get someone too old or weird,'
Beelzebub bought a cart off a farmer with glamouried stones and had Aang sit in it. Aang was clothed in all sorts of elegant clothing and Morningstar – who seemed to enjoy his misery at the time – even helped him with his hair so that he looked like a very expensive male concubine.
"What do we have here?" asked a guard.
"Just some wares for some noble woman to enjoy," Beelzebub said, smiling at the guard.
'Why am I sensing I should have just said 'no' to this whole thing?' Aang thought.
Of course Zuko's sudden reappearance into her life had spoiled her future plans, more or less, and she acknowledged this. But being the intellligent woman she was, Zula was determined to rise above this problem. She had been planning for this moment only after consulting her astrologist, who had prophesized someone unexpected would come back into her life. (Zula, like her father, had a very superstious side) But, not only had her obnoxious sibling returned – he had bought the whole family along as well! A wife (with child and of low birth, no doubt) and three kids (also of low birth).
"He must love peasants!" Zula chortled to herself. She was in her silk gown, her hair down, and thinking the usual darken thoughts as she did before bed. She sat in a chair nearby the elegant wooden dresser she had (complete with mirror and jewels). Her room was large and she had separate places as well since her father had given her one of the towers in palace area specifically to her.
The bedroom was elegant, and perfect for a young woman at her age of sixteen (she had just turned fifteen some weeks ago). Not to mention that she deserved that room – being the famous Firebending child prodigy she was. Yes, a girl as beautiful and well know as she was–
Zula froze.
She could hear the familiar giggle of the other noblewomen in the palace – distant cousins, closecousins,aunts, and the like gathered in the courtyard, which was directly underneath her east bedroom window. Zula rushed over to it to gasped. A man had arrived with a young man about her age in a cart.
The man was gorgeous. As if there was some sort of ethereal quality to him – as if his beauty was above being human himself. No doubt – she could tell by his elegant clothes, appearance, and mannerisms – that he was male concubine and possibly one of the most expensive ones she had seen so far.
'He looks like an angel,' Zula thought, smiling.
Now, Zula, being a young woman of high birth, had a wide choice of men to marry but never really cared for settling down or becoming a mother other than moving up in the world or simply for bragging purposes. To put it frankly, she, like many young noblewomen with nothing better to do and raging hormones, just liked being pampered, held, and spoiled by a man instead of having to deal with the pain and frustration of having a healthy relationship.
Logically, she was well know among the high class male brothels and its members within the uppercrust of society, and as long as she remained with her father's good graces and did as he commanded without fail, the Fire Lord would turn a blind eye to his daughter's personal exploits – which would often be looked down upon by the elder nobles in the family.
Thus, Zula had a very bad relationship with all the other elder nobles in the family and was always scheming and dreaming about how to show them up since they smiled in her face but whisper "whore" and "hussy" behind her back.
She was dressed and down in the courtyard within a matter of minuets.
"Hello! What do we have here?" Zula said with a wide smile, looking towards the man and the boy in the cart, pushing her female relatives out of the way. She looked towards the man, "We rarily have the sellers come up to the courtyard so openly – there is a backway,"
The seller looked at her with a big smile, "Well, miss, let's just say I'm a bit new in town! So, how much are ya lovely ladies willin' tah pay for a night with my brother!"
The boy in the cart hid his head, abashed, but a fight soon broke out among the noble ladies over who was getting him first. The seller nudged him and encouraged him to speak out. Zula soon found herself punching her pushy cousin in the nose – blood streaming from the older girl's nose.
"You stupid whore!" the cousin yelled. She then wailed, "My nose! My delicate and lady like nose!"
"Aw, shove it up your ass, Lu! "Zula answered. She then turned to the other women, "Anyone else want some?" The noble women – who weren't as rough and tumble as Zula – quickly backed away and left the courtyard in a hurry. The boy in the cart gulped and paled and the seller smiled at her.
"Congradulations, miss! Ya just one yaself afirst classcallboy!" the seller said. He gave the boy on the cart a little bit of a nudge.
"Beelzebub, don't leave me with this psycho!" the boy whispered to the seller, inaudible to Zula.
"Lighten up, kid. Just spendda night wit her 'n find out what ya can 'n I'll see ya inda mornin'!" the seller whispered back to him. He then pushed the boy towards Zula, "He's all yours, miss!"
"Which brothel should I have him returned to?" Zula asked as she fished out gold coins from her pocket and handed them to the seller.
"I'll come fer himda morning, miss! Have fun!" the seller answered.
And like lightning, the seller was gone – leaving Zula with the boy. The boy gulped.
Seyvan was restless in his bed, most likely because of the rope was was keeping him tied down onto the bed. Pepper was tied down as well. Ashes was the only one who was free to move around as much as she liked. Seyvan looked over at Pepper. She was sleeping peacefully – even after he accidentically pushed her into a hard wooden stand in a fit of childish anger towards he.
"Pepper," Seyvan whispered, "Pepper, wake up,"
"Mm?" Pepper said. Her eyes flickered open and she looked towards Seyvan. They were tied to their bedposts by the waist, but it still allowed some minor movement, "Seyvan, we have to go to sleep or Dad'll yell at us again,"
"Yeah, but Pepper," Seyvan whispered back, "I just thought about something,"
"What?" Pepper asked. Ashes was sleeping next to her and rolled over in the bed.
"If we have the same parents, that would make us brother and sister," Seyvan said.
Pepper shrugged, "Yeah. So?"
"But, Pepper, we're not really related!"
"…so?"
Seyvan groaned, "Pepper, that means that evne though we have the same Mom and Dad, we're not really related at all! Even Ashes isn't related to us!"
Pepper blinked, "Can I go back to sleep now?"
Seyvan grumbled and pulled the blanket over his head, "Yeah, sure, go back to sleep. I guess I'm just thinking weird thoughts because I'm sleeping,"
Zula laid on the bed and looked at Aang. Aang was positioned nervously on a chair nearby the bed. 'I knew this was a bad idea. I should have said no. I should have said no…' Aang thought over and over again. He was on the verge of a panic attack. Zula smiled and got off her bed, walking over to him.
"You look really nervous for a boy who's in the business," Zula said to him with a smile.
Aang gulped, "Let's just say this is a whole new frontier for me,"
"But there's something weird about you," Zula mused – more speaking to herself than to Aang, "Your eyes are so dark and your skin is so pale…it's like you're not even human. In fact…"
Zula suddenly grabbed Aang's hand before Aang could even protest or move away. Her eyes widened in horror and she moved away from Aang in one full swift jerk and back towards her bed. She looked at him with suspicious eyes.
"You're not human," Zula said in a quiet tone, her voice not even above a whisper. Aang's eyes widened in a panic but Zula continued, "I know what you're about to say – how did I know?"
Aang swallowed and looked at Zula, "What makes you so sure I am?"
Zula laughed – a big hearty laughter and smiled at him, "I have a sixth sense. It's in our blood, from my father. My brother would have inherited it if he wasn't so closed minded to the other forces at work in our lives. I've been able to spot ghosts, demons, angels, and others ever since I was a babe, but now my question is what are you doing here?"
It was like a game of cat and mouse. Zula had made her move and now Aang had to make his. He knew this girl could tell he wasn't human, so it would be futile to try and lie about it. Plus, he was here for a purpose.
"So, what brings you to the Fire Nation, eh?" Zula asked, cocking her head at him, "Are you seeking something here? The ghosts I often meet have something to fulfill that they couldn't do while living,"
"I'm on a mission," Aang said, flatly.
"A mission? That would make you an angel then? A messenger and worker for the gods?" Zula said, interested. She smiled at him, "What kind of angel are you?"
"A bad one, if I am an angel to begin with," Aang said, quietly.
Zula smiled at him and kneeled into his lap with her arms wrapped around Aang's neck and looked him into his eyes. Aang felt blood – or whatever fluid was going through his undead veins – run suddenly cold as she remained so close to him.
"Aren't you a little young for this?" Aang breathed.
Zula's smile stretched out even more, "You have no idea. You can't be that far off from my age, either,"
"But–" Aang began.
Zula put a finger to his lips, "Don't think. Don't speak. Just act," and she kissed him on the lips.
Aang pushed her off of him and looked at Azula, "Miss, I've think I've misled you," He then sighed – feeling very wound up at the moment. "I'm not human. You know I'm not. I don't think I can give you what you want,"
"You're so..innocent," Zula commented, with a playful smile on her face, "You're the first boy I've met that seems to be afraid of a little fun and games," She undid the robe she was wearing and let it fall to the floor. Aang gaped at her natural beauty but then realized what this meant.
'I'm not ready for this…' Aang thought, feeling himself starting to sweat.
But Aang found it hard to leave. He found himself – for the first time – torn between what to do, as if there were two different Aangs inside of him arguing: the child and the teenager – Aang and the new identity Suryan. Aang was a twelve year old boy and he wanted out. Suryan was a seventeen year old demon and he wanted in.
Zula wrapped her arms around Aang again, "Tell me – is there some rule in Heaven against being with mortals? Did the gods tell you to stay away from us because we're trouble,"
'If they did, they were right,' Aang thought. He then began, "I really don't you under–"
Zula kissed him again before he could fully reply, and that kiss was enough to get any young man up and ready.
Daylight streaked across the sky but Zuko was already up. Katara laid asleep in bed. Zuko sighed and looked at her. 'How can I tell her that our baby is going to be the next Avatar?' Zuko thougth, 'And another thing is bothering me – how did father know? Even I didn't know it,' Katara sleepily murmured something and rolled otno her side. She looked feverish and was sweating. Her eyes opened after being stung by salty sweat and she looked at Zuko.
"Are you okay?" Zuko asked her.
"Is it me…or is it really hot in here?" Katara said.
Zuko sighed, "You're from the Water Tribe. You're probably not used to the heat here. I feel fine,"
"I'm melting," Katara said as she sat up in bed. She groaned as she struggled to get out of bed, "and I can hardly move!" She eventually got out of bed and headed towards the door. "And back is killing me!"
'At least we're both suffering on some level,' Zuko thought.
She laid in his arms and he looked at her and sighed. She had to be about Katara's age, maybe a bit older, or was that just coming from how she presented and carried herself? Her glossy black hair spread out over her smooth body. Aang sighed again and stared up at the ceiling.
"Why?" Aang breathed in an almost inaudible whisper. He was more asking himself about the situation he was currently in.
Was it because he knew that by being close to this girl, he could remain nearby Katara and be sure of her safety? Was it that seeing Morningstar and Beelzebub's romance made him feel a mixture of loneliness and somewhat jealous that they at least had each other? Or was it just that his longing love for out of reach and out of the question Katara left a vortex in his heart that needed to be filled by someone else so that he could numb the pain of losing her to Zuko through his own death?
"Good morning!" Zula said to Aang cheerfully. She smiled at him, "Funny. My governess used to say angels didn't like mortal girls, but I guess she was wrong," She then sat up and looked at him. "But are you an angel or a devil?"
Sun light filtered from the window in the room and shined on her naked ody. Aang looked up at her female beauty and took in a shallow breath as he looked at her. She smiled at his reatction, and kissed him. He showed dislike, but didn't resist.
'I hate myself,' Aang thought, 'I hate myself for doing this,'
"What's your name?" she asked him.
"Suryan," Aang breathed.
"I'm Zula," Zula said, "Have you heard of me?"
Aang shook his head, "I haven't really been around that long,"
"The Firebending prodigy? The daughter of the great Fire Lord himself? The beautiful and talented lady of high birth?"
Aang choked, "…the daughter of Fire Lord Ozai?"
Zula smiled at him and left the bed. She started to get dressed. Aang sast up in bed and looked at her.
"Well, you did me a favor and I'll do you another favor," Zula said to Aang, "What is your mission for? I doubt you came here just to be a lady of high birth," She winked at him. "or did you?"
Aang paused – not sure how to reply to Zula. He then realized he was going to have to tell Zula his motives if he was going to use her to his advantage.
"I'm looking for a necromancer," Aang said.
"Ah. A sinner against the arts and works of life and death, eh? That's to be somewhat expected," Zula said, not surprised by his request.
"There's an evil spirit on the loose because of him being resurrected to his former powers and only a necromancer can do that," Aang said, "and I need to know how and why,"
Zula smiled, "That's easy enough. Look in that closet and get some clothes. They're from a boy page of mine – you look about his size. If anyone asks, just say you're my manservant. Now, when you get dressed, follow me,"
"What?" Seyvan said, "You're sending us to the military? What'd we do?"
"You didn't do anything," Zuko said, "but I think all of you could use the training and it'll be good for you in the end,"
Ashes' face was blank. Pepper looked concerned but Seyvan was outright refusing the idea of being sent away. Katara was off in the kitchen eating and Zuko remembered how tempermental she was being a the moment and left her alone.
"Can't I do something else?" Seyvan asked, "Like learn a trade or something?"
"I think you being an archer or a swordsman would be far more helpful, considering we're at war," said Zuko, "and the military isn't all that bad. It builds character, and there's others your own age,"
"You said getting me getting a scraped elbow builds character!" Seyvan protested.
"Don't argue with me, Seyvan," Zuko growled.
Pepper, who had been silent the entire conversation, suddenly spoke up, "Are you sure there will be other children?"
Zuko looked at her, "Why, of course. They don't send kids to the battlefield, you know. When you get there, you'll be split up by gender and perhaps current status, considering Ashes. You'll be able to talk and make friends – sort of like a school,"
"A school that teaches you to hurt people," Seyvan scoffed.
"Oh, don't start, Seyvan," Zuko growled.
While Seyvan was no longer hostile towards people, he had developed a habit of talking back. While Zuko and him argued back and forth about the ethics of teaching children to grow up and becoming killing machines, Pepper paused in thought. She then looked at Pepper.
"Okay," Pepper said.
Zuko and Seyvan both looked at Pepper.
"What?" Zuko and Seyvan asked.
"I'll go to the military," Pepper said.
"Pepper, you can't go! You're a girl!" Seyvan said.
"You're not the boss of me," Pepper huffed.
Zuko couldn't help but smile at her. 'She's a pain sometimes but she's a child after my own heart,' he thought. He then looked at Seyvan, "See? Pepper has the right idea,"
Pepper stuck out her tongue at Seyvan. Seyvan made a face and folded his arms, "Fine. I'll go if Pepper goes, but that's the only reason why,"
"That's good," Zuko said, with a smile, "because you'll be leaving in seven days at the crack of dawn, so I suggest you start thinking about what to pack,"
Pepper rejoiced. Seyvan growled. Ashes just stared.
After stuffing herself with at least triple portions of food for her breakfast. She still found the heat to be unbearable and had to go back up to the bedroom and change her clothes soaked with sweat. On the bed, she found a thin, red and gold, cloak that ppeared to be made of some sort of silk. There was a note on it that said 'wear this to keep cool'. She figured it was from Zuok. She put the cloak on and found it fit nicely and did keep the sun off of her skin and out of her eyes. She did feel a little bit cooler. She then left the room and decided to explore the castle.
The room smelled like mold and dried blood. Zula stepped in it and Aang followed her. She had led them to an old tower in the back of the palace that was abandoned and slowly crumbling apart. Zula closed the door behind them and a lamp in the room flickered on. Aang looked around the room. Ancient scrolls laid around the room alongside potions and ancient books. Aang looked at the scrolls and it appeared to be written in blood. Several things had been depicted in the scrolls – a circle with missing fragments, symbols for all four know elements and three unknown ones, Avatars from long past, angels, demons, and other things. Rats and spiders crawled from under the scrolls and around on the ground.
"I supppose it would put me in the gods' good graces if I told you all I know," said Zula with a smile. She sat on a window ledge and pushed away the dusty and cobweb filled curtain. It was sunny outside and thick lines of light came intot he dismal room. The private courtyard was right nearby the old tower. She then said, "This is the only place we can talk openly. Father has spies everywhere in the castle. He sees and knows almost everything that goes on, one way or another, but no one dare comes here,"
"It most likely would," Aang said, "but I can make no real guarantee,"
"I can't tell you the whole story. You'd probably have to go tomy fatherfor that," said Zula, "One day, my father went on a search for any man who was a master of necromancy, stating that they wouldn be paid in full for serving the imperial family through their actions Some days later, an old man came from the lower city – where all the peasants and low bloods live – with a cart full of scrolls and such, all you see here. All of this was his. He was a small little guy, blind in one eye, and baldingbut he knew his stuff,"
"What happened to him?" Aang asked.
"I really don't know," Zula answered, "I wasn't there the night of the day whatever spell or something was cast, but this tower was his to work in. He said there were supernatural forces present here – probably the ghosts. They're dormant during the day but at midnight, they are awake and it is a awful thing to see them if you are like me or my father. That is why he dares not come near here. The ghosts are aggressive, angry, hateful of the living, and they will hurt you and even kill you if you are foolish enough to come. A ghost broke my arm in three different places once when I was here.
"That old man was locked in here for months, many months, and he never left. Many didn't know about him. But one night, he was here and maybe he made a turn for madness. Then he went to the lower city and made a proclamation – several prophecies of what was to come in the future. They are written down somewhere here. I do not know where, but I know a bit of it. Then after that he was gone. As for the prophecies, the nobles don't believe a bit of it but the lower city believe strongly. As for me, I –"
She stopped speaking and looked out the window to see something that interested her greatly, even more than the conversation. Aang walked over to her.
"What is it?" Aang asked.
"'Lo, and behold,'" Zula breathed, "'that a woman shall walk the royal gardens dressed in the color of flames and she shall be the sacred mother. And you shall kneel before her, for she shall redeem us all of the great sins we shall have commited against the gods,'"
Aang looked through the window and into the private courtyard. There were plants of all sorts growing there. He saw a young woman down below with a gold and red cloak over her. He then cauhgt a glimpse of the woman's face and realized it was Katara. He looked at Zula's face to see she was thinking about something.
"Well, this would explain a lot," Zula said, with a bitter smile, so that peasant girl my brother knocked up is the sacred mother," She looke dat Aang's face. "What's wrong, Suryan? You look like you've seen a ghost,"
"You know…she's…" Aang began.
"That she is the sacred mother? The 'serralinde', as some would say? Of course I know," Zula said, "It was in the prophecies given by the necromancer and even father confirmed that the lady in gold and red would give birth to the next Avatar for our nation. It's a well kept secret and only those in the capital and the imperial family know of it,"
Zula then moved from the window and put her arms around Aang's neck.
"Zula, what are–" Aang began.
"You never told me what kind of angel, you are," Zula said, "Are you a good or a bad one?"
"I'm no angel," Aang said, "I'm some kind of devil,"
"But you're my devil," Zula said and kissed him.
Aang broke away from her, "I really shouldn't be doing this. I…I shouldn't be…"
Zula smiled, "Fine. I should probably go and see this new sister in law of mine. You can do as you like for now. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet an old friend here in the tower?"
The garden courtyard was lush and filled with all sortsplants. The plants were healthy and green - most of them flowers giving off a pleasant scent. A servant was wathering some of the vines on a fence and pruning some of the flowers as well. Katara walked over to them.
"Hello," Katara said to them, with a friendly smile.
The servant looked at Katara and dropped the water canister and the knives she was holding to prune the plants. There was a look of fear on her face.
"I'm sorry if I scared you…" Katara began.
The servant fell on the ground and bowed to Katara, her forehead touching the dirt, "Oh, sacred mother, forgive me! I have sinned! Yesterday, I took three apples from the dinner table! Oh, pardon me, sacred mother!"
Katara blinked, "Miss, I think you have me confused with someone else,"
The servant didn't move from the grond, "I am not confused, sacred mother. I am only a sinful human being in your divine presence. Forgive me!"
Katara looked at the servant – not truly sure what to say.
"Why do you call me 'the sacred mother'?" Katara asked her.
"'A woman shall walk the royal gardens dressed in the color of flames and she shall be the sacred mother,'" the servant murmured, "I am honored to be in your divine presence,"
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, noble men and women in real life did have concubines, both male and female, so it isn't strange at all, especially if you live in a big city. In fact, it's still done up to this very day in some countries. I enjoy being accurate, don't I? - ZeroSoul