Dangerous Ground
Chapter 10
I jumped up with a scream and looked around in bewilderment. All I knew was that I had been sleeping peacefully, lost in a blissful world that knew nothing of wars or enemies or prisons, only blessed darkness and warm, strong arms wrapped around me, and the next thing I knew that world had shattered for me at the sound of a horrible, grinding, metalic scraping. I realized, as the fogginess of sleep began to leave my brain, that the sound was from the cell door opening and shuddering against the rock walls.
Zuko was on his feet at my side, hands and eyes blazing in the pale light of dawn that seeped through the cell vents. I turned, clutching the cloaks as if they could somehow provide some protection. I felt naked without my element nearby. I'd gotten so used to having the handy water-skin always at my fingertips. Now I was at their mercy, with only my physical strength to protect me, which, looking down at my less-than-impressive biceps, was not something I was happy about.
"Get dressed. Teikei will see you now." The Earthbender guard growled as peeked through the open door.
"Who is Teikei?" Zuko demanded, raising his fire-engulfed hand threateningly. But the guard had already closed the door, and we were left alone to our wondering.
"Well, we'd better do as he says." I resigned myself. I gave Zuko his tunic back and wore only one of the cloaks. Hopefully it would be warmer wherever we were being taken. Gruesome thoughts filled my head as I finished dressing. What will they do to me? Torture? Execution? My hands trembled slightly as I tied the cloak under my chin. I hid them and looked up at Zuko, trying to catch a glimpse of what he might be feeling. Is he afraid, also?
Zuko's face was as stony and emotionless as usual. He didn't even seem nervous. His movements were calm, purposeful. I bit my lip and tried harder not to show my fear. I would not disgrace my people by appearing weak and afraid in front of the Fire Prince.
A guard came shortly after, bringing with him five others who tied our hands and led us through a maze of underground passageways. The red dirt and clay that formed the walls were made redder by the flickering light of torches placed at intervals down each hall. Shadows lept and nipped at my feet while cold drafts swirled around my neck and ankles and anywhere else my bare skin touched the air. I shivered, whether in cold or fear I didn't know, but the movement caught Zuko's attention, who frowned in disapproval.
He thinks I'm weak. I seethed quietly in anger. How dare he judge me!
Maybe he's just concerned about you getting too cold again. Yeah, right. Zuko, concerned? That was almost enough to make me start laughing right then and there. But all amusement I may have been feeling immediately died at the sight of a pair of sturdy earthen doors guarded on each side by Earthbender guards. They looked at me like a Komodo rhino might look at an offending mosquito.
I steeled myself as I was led inside. My insides sunk and my heart increased its tempo until all I could hear was the blood pounding in my ears. I swept the room with my eyes. An enormous, vaulted ceiling yawned so far above my head that the quivering light from the torches barely touched its surface. The room was undoubtedly a war room, as it was decorated in several Earth Kingdom tapestries and symbols. The walls were hung with maps, which bore circles and lines indicating past or future war strategies. Grim-faced men sat in circles, pouring over parchments and more maps, faces drawn and fingers steepled in concentration.
I took a deep breath. No matter what terror awaited me here, I would not scream or beg or cry. I would bring honor to my family and my nation. With this conviction pounding in my head I lifted my chin, staring defiantly at the backs of the guards in front of me.
"Bring them forward." A voice boomed from the back of the room. I jumped and turned to face the sound. A dark figure wrapped in a green hooded cloak sat against the far wall, surrounded by a circle of rough-looking warriors. I felt myself propelled forward into their midst. Faintly I heard Zuko's footfalls and watched in silence as he walked around me and stood before the hooded man.
Zuko looked unflinchingly at the man, his back as straight as a walking stick and his chest puffed out in an attempt to look more threatening. His hands were clenched at his sides and I thought I could see wisps of smoke curling from between his knuckles, though he managed to contain the fire.
The hooded figure accepted the challenge and stood also, crossing his arms and leaning forward. The two were now inches apart and staring into each others eyes with such intensity that I thought one of them would surely drop dead at any moment. The tension increased and the air seemed to crackle, neither of them backing down, neither giving any ground.
I rolled my eyes. I'd seen Sokka do this with other boys back home, each one puffing himself up as much as he could in an attempt to look bigger than his rival. What was it with men? An eternity passed and I thought surely the Earthbender would wave his hand at any moment and have Zuko killed. But, despite my fears, the unexpected happened...
The hooded man laughed! It was a light, carefree laugh that reminded me greatly of Aang. But it wasn't Aang. The man threw back his hood, revealing a mop of greying hair and a leathered, weathered face that seemed to have seen many days and many struggles. This must be Teikei, the leader of the Earth Kingdom rebels.
"What have we here? The Fire Prince himself! I am honored to accept such a distinguished guest into my humble home." The Earthbender said as he bowed low. A stunned look crossed Zuko's face. I'm sure my expression was just as amazed. I'd been expecting a monster. A huge, burly Earthbender with meaty fists and a gnashing, snarling mouth. But this man... well, he was anything but.
Zuko, meanwhile, had recovered and now took a step forward. "I demand that you release me."
The Earthbender laughed again. The laugh was nice. It was gentle and light, a great contrast to my present surroundings, and entirely unexpected coming from the lips of an earthbender.
"My apologies, Prince, but as you know, a war is raging right now and that war happens to be with the Fire Nation, which makes you my prisoner."
"You will release me or I will kill you and all of your men!" Zuko shouted. Well, at least I knew his ribs were about healed now.
"That's a mighty big boast for one young man." The Earthbender said in a jovial, friendly manner, as if he were speaking to a sulky child.
"I am not just a man, I am a Firebender and the son of Fire Lord Ozai!" Zuko challenged, taking another step forward. I felt anxiety twinge at my stomach. What was Zuko doing? He was going to get himself or both of us killed! What did he think would happen if he killed their leader? That the rebels would just pat our heads, hand us a fruit basket and send us on our merry way?
But Teikei didn't seem nervous. In fact, I could see a touch of amusement light his eyes. He waved his hand as his guards, who grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back with them, leaving only Zuko and Teikei in a ring of about twenty feet.
More quickly than anyone could react, Zuko let out a ferocious yell and sent a ball of fire hurtling at the older man's head. Teikei raised his fist, bringing a wall of earth in front of his face so fast that the room shook. Zuko leapt on top of the wall and sent another attack raining down on Teikei's head.
The old man stepped back, letting the flames fall harmlessly at his feet, and then slammed his hand into his fist, sending the wall of earth crashing beneath Zuko's feet. The Prince arched his back and flipped in the air, landing gracefully a few feet from Teikei. In rapid succession Zuko sent flames spinning from his hands and feet, but Teikei blocked them all without even breaking a sweat.
I watched in breathless wonder as Zuko twisted and spun across the fighting ring, fire rippling around his body as if it were some exotic and deadly dancing partner, following his every move, obeying his lead. I'd seen him fight before, but always I had been more focused on Aang than Zuko. I'd never had a chance to truly appreciate the graceful, powerful moves of firebending.
It would be such a beautiful element if it wasn't always being used to destroy. I thought to myself as I watched Zuko throw attack after attack at Teikei, who only smiled and dodged. I realized suddenly that the old man had much more skill than I'd given him credit for. He hadn't made a single move to attack and yet he remained untouched.
He's tiring Zuko out. I thought to myself as I watched. And it seemed that that was indeed the old man's plan. Zuko was now breathing heavily and his skin had begun to glisten with sweat. The three weeks he'd spent unable to move because of his injuries was no doubt hindering his fighting ability now, and I was beginning to wonder if he would lose the match.
That is, until, with a lightning-fast move that earned a ripple of appreciative gasps from the guards, Zuko landed a kick against Teikei's face. The older man stumbled back a few paces and put a hand to his jaw, wiping away the trickle of blood that ran from his lip.
Teikei once again surprised me, as he his mouth widened in a delighted smile. Getting into an attack stance, he began to unleash a merciless set of attacks on Zuko, who blocked and evaded them as best he could. He tried returning attacks, but the effort only earned him a crushing blow to his shoulder. The two fought for several minutes before, finally, the older man came at Zuko with a combination of Earthbending forms that trapped the Prince beneath a pile of soil. Zuko let out a animal-like growl and burst through the earth, but by the time he freed himself Teikei was upon him. Knocking him again to the ground, Teikei straddled him.
Zuko twisted beneath the man and tried to throw him off, but Teikei grabbed his wrists and held them firmly beside Zuko's head. "I wouldn't struggle or firebend if I were you." Teikei warned, his voice losing it's jovial tone for the first time since we'd met him. "I am holding a three hundred pound boulder over your head, and any break in my concentration could mean death for you."
Zuko looked up and immediately stopped squirming as he noticed the rock floating just feet above him.
"You're good. I have to admit, you're the first person in twenty years to land a kick on me." Teikei rubbed his bruised jaw gingerly against his shoulder. "Most of the Fire Nation soldiers are poorly-trained boys still wet behind the ears. It was nice to once again face someone who's mastered the art."
"Yeah, it was real fun. Now what do you want?" Zuko spat.
"Mm. Typical Firebender temper. Perhaps your girlfriend can tame it, eh?" Teikei said teasingly. Zuko's eyes narrowed and he growled threateningly at the man, who only laughed again. I hid a smile. It was kind of nice to see Zuko get humbled a little. Maybe his ego would drop a few pegs now.
"Stop wasting my time, earth peasant, and let me go." So much for wishful thinking.
"Very well. Now, you know as well as I do that I can't let you go. Not only are you the Prince of the Fire Nation, but you now know where our base is located, also. I'm not so stupid as to think that you'll betray your people and fight on our side, but-"
"Get to the point." Zuko said testily. Teikei ignored him and continued.
"My men are good fighters, but I have suddenly found myself with many new recruits who have never had experience fighting firebenders. My proposition to you is this: You can stay in that dank, freezing cell for the rest of the war, which could last years, or you could fight my men, giving them a chance to train against a firebender. I'm sure this will not be something your are unaccustomed to doing." Teikei smirked. "In return, you will be treated as if you were a brother. You will enjoy a bright, comfortable living space, hot meals among the rest of my men, and all your wants provided for."
"Forget it! I would rather die than train worthless earthbending scum!" Zuko snarled, flames sparking at his fingertips.
"Suit yourself." Teikei pushed himself off of Zuko and brushed off his pants as he stood up. He nodded to his guards, who lifted Zuko and dragged him away, shouting and snapping in typical Zuko fashion.
I realized at that moment that I was alone in a room full of earthbenders who were convinced I was the enemy. How long had it been since they'd seen a woman? Shivers ran up my spine as I remembered the horror stories I'd overheard my aunts telling when they thought I'd gone to sleep, stories of what enemy nations did to captured women. I tried my best to imitate Zuko's intimidation stance, straightening my back and puffing out my chest, but it in no way had the same effect as Zuko. I looked more like an overinflated duckling than a ferocious warrior.
"Don't be afraid, young lady." Teikei said with a kind smile. "We are an honorable people. You will be treated with the respect deserved of all women as long as you stay here." He sat down and motioned to a cushion on the floor next to him. I sat down silently, watching him as he dismissed the guards and then leaned against the wall in a relaxed pose.
"Though the Fire Prince's face is well known across the four nations, your fame is sadly less known. What is your name, my dear?" The quiet, gentle rhythm of his voice was welcome after the harsh environment I'd endured over the last few days. Finally! Now I could explain away this whole mix-up. Now they'd let me go and I could run back to Aang and Sokka and tell them about the Earthbender army and Aang could learn Earthbending and he could save the world and-
"My name is Katara. I'm a waterbender, not a firebender. I was just taking a walk with Zuko, because he was my prisoner, but I guess he's yours now. I'm glad, he was really getting to be a royal pain. But anyway, I'm friends with Aang, the Avatar, and I'm helping him learn how to bend all the elements. Now, if you just let me go I'll go get him and-"
I was cut short as Teikei held up and a hand and began to laugh. "Hold on there Katara. Let me get this straight. You are a waterbender. Not a firebender. That is reasonable. I could tell that much from your clothing. But what is this? You say that the Avatar has returned?"
I nodded.
"And not only has he returned, but he's also your close personal friend?"
I got a sinking feeling in my stomach.
"And somehow, while on your travels with this- what is it by now- 112 year old man, you managed to apprehend and capture the crown prince of the Fire Nation."
"Well, it wasn't quite-"
"You must be some fighter, my dear Katara, for even I had trouble beating him and I've had forty years of fighting experience." He stroked his chin thoughtfully as he gazed at me.
"I had help." I tried to explain, but he continued again before I could get any more out.
"Then, you took your prisoner for a walk with you. You did not bind his hands or put ropes on his ankles to keep him from running. My, that's quite generous of you! If only the Fire Nation were that trusting of its prisoners, a great number of my men might escape back to me."
"But he couldn't-"
"Listen, Katara, you seem like a nice girl. But I've lived long enough on this earth to know that people are not always as they appear. You must admit, your story is a bit hard to believe."
"What are you saying?" I felt anger and fear mingle in my stomach, a bitter poison that made me want to vomit. I felt my hopes die like the last rays of a sinking sun.
"I'm saying, Katara, that it is not unheard of for a bender to switch sides, for whatever reasons."
I jumped up from my seat, my fists trembling in anger at what Teikei was suggesting. "Are you calling me a traitor?" I shouted. "How dare you think that I would betray my people! Just because-"
"My men found you and the firebender walking together by the river. They also noticed that you two shared...intimate closeness while you slept." Teikei looked me in the eye and I turned away, the hot red of a blush creeping across my face like a banner.
"I was cold..." The excuse, though the truth, sounded pathetic even to my ears.
"I wish I could believe you. It pains my honor to keep a lady imprisoned, but I cannot take any chances with the lives of my men. If you are indeed a spy, or attached in any way to the Prince, they could all be killed if I let you out."
"Isn't there something I can do? Some way I can prove myself?" I looked at Teikei with pleading eyes. He shook his head.
"I'm afraid I simply cannot risk the lives of so many men. I've lost far too many as it is." A shadow of sadness passed over his face as the man was lost in some dark, haunting memory. But, like a cloud that obscures the sun for just a moment, the shadow passed and his face brightened again as he said "But I can provide a more comfortable place for you to stay as long as you are with us."
"What do you mean?"
"I can put you in one of our spare officer's rooms. It's nothing fancy, but it has a fireplace and a reasonably comfortable bed." Teikei smiled at me, his eyes surrounded by the soft crinkles of mirth. I felt drawn into his comfortable gaze. I felt as if I could trust him. That's when I heard the scuffling of soldier's feet behind me. A burly earthbender walked across the room, his massive bulk causing vibrations to tremble up through the ground and into me. Maybe I could trust Teikei, but what about the rest of his men?
"Could Zuko stay with me?" The question surprised both of us. Since when did I trust Zuko over Earth Kingdom rebels? Since he saved your life.
"I'm sorry, dear, but he'll have to stay where he is. I want to convince him to help us, and the best way to convince a firebender to do anything is to bore him into it." He smiled and winked at me.
I found myself facing a great dilemma. Should I take the warm, semi-comfortable room or stay in the cell with Zuko? Although I hated the idea of having to put up with more of the spoiled Prince's moodiness, the thought of spending an undetermined length of time alone in a locked room sounded even worse. Either way, it would be a good idea to have a firebender around in case one of the soldiers didn't hold as firmly as Teikei to virtuous ideas about honor and chastity, or if a chance for escape should pop up.
"I guess I'll have to refuse your offer, then." I sighed. He nodded solemnly and waved a guard over.
"Take her back and put her with the Prince. She says it's where she prefers. But give her anything she asks for... within reason." He winked at me again "No swords or pick-axes, though."
Each step I took closer to the cell only caused my spirits to sink further into the abyss of despair that now threatened to swallow me. I couldn't give up, but what could I do? What will happen to Aang and Sokka with no one there to look out for them? How can I sit in this filthy prison while my people die around me? I want to fight! But what could I do? I was powerless.
I watched the shadows play tag with my feet as the flickering torches lit the way down the hall. Just then, something shiny caught my eye. It was water, a small stream of it dripping out of a crack in the wall. Most of it had hardened into ice in the frigid cold of the underground cave system, forming a shimmery icicle in the crack. It was beautiful. It glimmered for a moment, then was lost in the shadows.
Finally, we arrived at the door to the cell. I should have felt despair, but instead a tiny glimmer of hope glowed in my mind. The icicle had caused me to start thinking. About water, about ice, about the nature of my element. An idea began to form in my mind.
"Excuse me, sir." I said politely as I faced the guard just before he opened the door. "But I was wondering... I've been locked in here for several days without any bathing water. I was wondering if I might be allowed enough water to wash my hair and scrub some of the dirt off my clothes." The guard looked at me suspiciously. Time to step up the act.
"Please, I just want to look pretty. You know how important that is to us women." I batted my eyelashes demurely at him.
The guard nodded and pushed the door open for me. "I'll be back with it shortly." He said as he closed the door behind me. Once again, I was locked in. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the dark. Slowly, Zuko's form became evident. He was leaning against the side of the cave, quietly simmering.
"I didn't think I'd see you again." He said, his voice devoid of all emotion.
"They didn't believe my story." I explained, squatting on the floor. I watched him as he turned toward the wall, his lithe body stretching. He closed his eyes a moment and then, in a burst of energy, he sent a ball of flame at the wall of the cave. It exploded, sending sparks to shimmer briefly in the air like fireflies.
Again and again and again he punched the wall, until he was panting and screaming in frustration. I sat there, enjoying the sudden warmth and the show of the firebender's raw power. Finally, I spoke up.
"You're not going to get anywhere doing that."
"As if you have a better idea!" He snapped at me.
"Actually, I do..."
I want to thank everyone again for their kind review. It's your encouragement that keeps the chapters flowing, much like JM Barrie's feisty pixie, Tinkerbell, is kept alive by the clapping of her audience. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I hope I have not let you down with this chapter. I know there isn't any fluff, but, as one dear reviewer said, fluff must be balanced, and this is a balancing chapter, meant to introduce a new character. More will come soon, I promise.