Chapter 3.
"Great, now I've lost Katara too." Sokka muttered under his breath as he wandered around the docks. They had lost Aang. He'd been captured by Zhao and was probably halfway to Zhao's homeport by now. Going into fire nation territory after him was the only option, but doing so on a giant flying bison was suicide.
Sokka scanned the crowd, looking for his sister. If he knew her, she was probably off doing some silly girl stuff when they should have been finding a ship to take off after Aang. Admittedly, they had little money, but if Sokka could find one that happened to be heading in that direction he could hire himself out to the crew until they got there.
Sokka scanned the crowd until he saw his sister. She was walking down towards the docks and looked as if she didn't have a care in the world. Sokka rolled his eyes and went to go grab her.
Katara looked around the market. "The least he could do is keep up." She muttered to herself. Sokka was missing, and she didn't see him anywhere around. He would probably say that she had wandered off doing some sort of 'girl' thing in the marketplace. Katara knew though that what they were planning wouldn't work without some help.
Katara went back to shopping.
If they were going to get a ride on a ship bound for a fire nation port, then they were going to have to look like something other than people from the water tribe. Passing for fire nation would probably be out so Katara looked over the earth kingdom clothing before her. It didn't help that their budget was going to be tight.
Katara stopped as she saw something that attracted her attention. There in the stall in front of her was what looked like an ivory bracelet. It was the symbol for air that attracted her attention. It was a whalebone bracelet carved from a single piece, and reminded Katara of the scrimshaws made by her people. It looked a little large for her, but etched around the outside where the symbols for all four elements.
"Do you like it?" A young voice said behind the stall. Katara looked up to see a young water tribe boy working behind the counter.
"Yes, it's very pretty. Where did you get it?" Katara asked.
"I made it myself. I've heard that the Avatar has returned, so I started making these bracelets for people who believe in the Avatar." The boy said smiling.
"What you SHOULD be doing is selling tunics." An old man said as he walked up behind the boy. "You spend too much time on those silly trinkets. Now stop dawdling and get back to work."
The young boy nodded and the old man wandered away to go growl at someone else. He looked back at Katara and sighed. "I guess he's right, you're the only person who has shown any interest in it."
"I'll take it." Katara said reaching for her pouch.
The boy looked stunned for a moment, before looking around. "Actually, I haven't thought about what to charge for one. Why don't you take it with you, if someone sees a pretty girl like you wearing it, they might want to come buy more."
Katara was blushing when she heard the commotion behind her in the market. She sighed. How do I know that's going to be Sokka?
Katara thanked the boy and ran off towards the noise. As certain as the tide, there stood Sokka trying to pull some poor girl off towards the docks.
"Let go of me!" The girl cried indignantly.
"Sokka! What in the name of the ocean spirit, are you doing?" Katara said looking at the scene in front of her.
Sokka stopped immediately and looked at her incredulously, then he looked at the girl he was pulling against. His head swung back and forth for a moment in shock.
Katara turned to apologize to the young woman, and found herself staring into a mirror. "Who… Who are you?" She asked the young water tribe girl who had a shocked look on her face matching Katara's.
The girl shook herself for a moment, and then looked at Katara again. "Your name wouldn't happen to be Katara would it?"
Katara didn't think she could have been more surprised. She was wrong. She stood there with her mouth hanging open trying to make sense of the situation. "How do you know my name?"
"Let's just say I met someone who holds you in VERY high regard. My name is Sienna, by the way, from the northern water tribe." The girl said looking Katara over. She then looked at Sokka. "So are you the Avatar?"
Katara and Sokka both clamped hands down on the girl's mouth simultaneously. They glanced around for a moment, half expecting fire nation soldiers to pop out from behind the nearest buildings, then the two each scooped the girl up under arm and dragged her into and alley.
"How do you know about Aang?" Sokka demanded.
"I just know that Zuko is searching for him." Sienna told him.
"Zuko is HERE?" Sokka said running back to the mouth of the alley to watch the street.
Katara looked at Sienna. She was dressed in an elegant silk gown and her hair was done up in a bun differently from her own, but the resemblance was remarkable. They could have easily passed for sisters… twin sisters.
"How do you know Zuko?" Katara asked dumbly.
"He… helped me." Sienna said shyly, as she was blushing.
Katara was in shock. The idea of Zuko helping anyone was absolutely foreign to her. The idea he would help someone who looked exactly like her was even more astounding. "How?"
Sienna looked down for a moment before continuing. "I was working in a bordello." Sienna said quietly. "Zuko's uncle Iroh brought him there last night for his birthday. I was his birthday present."
Katara's shock was growing more pronounced by the moment. Suddenly, she looked down at the silk gown, the sensual, revealing silk gown. Despite being in a heavy water tribe parka in a much warmer climate, Katara felt a chill run through her body. The implications would have been horrific enough if it weren't for the disturbing fact that Sienna looked just like she did.
"You slept with Zuko?" Katara asked quietly.
"Not in the way you think." Sienna said knowingly. "He's never been with a woman before. He didn't want to do anything… dishonorable. When he left this morning, he left me money and letters to help me get passage back home. There's enough here for me to live comfortably, thanks to him. Tell me, is he REALLY the fire prince?"
For some reason, Zuko not having sex with Sienna didn't make Katara feel much better. Instead of answering, she ignored the question and pressed on. "Why you?"
Sienna was actually blushing. "Because I look like you. Here, see for yourself."
Sienna handed Katara one of the letters she was carrying. Katara opened it and started to read.
Dearest Sienna,
I'm sorry I won't be here to wake you. I need to return to the ship as soon as possible. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciated having someone to talk to last night. Maybe someday I'll get the chance to say all the things to Katara that I said to you. I must also be honest with you because it pains me to lie. I am not just some fire nation soldier. I am the prince of the fire nation, and I have been banished from my home until I can find and capture the Avatar. I just wanted you to know. I'm going to leave to you some money and some letters. Once you awaken, take them to the docks. The letters will guarantee you passage on any fire nation ship headed north. If the money I leave is not enough, I am also enclosing a letter that you will be able to present at any fire nation port, to receive more money. I wish you luck and I am sorry for any pain this war has caused you.
Fire Prince Zuko.
Katara didn't realize she had fainted until Sokka was squatting over her trying to wake her. In the back of her mind, she tried to wrap her mind around the idea of Zuko finding her attractive. Katara wasn't stupid; she knew how boys were starting to look at her. There were times when she was glad to have Sokka along for protection. Jet, Aang, the boy from the clothing stall; they all thought she was pretty, but Zuko?
An idea suddenly came to Katara. There was a possibility here, and a plan was forming in her mind. She and Sokka didn't have a boat, and they couldn't get around inside fire nation territory, but they knew someone who could.
Katara looked up at Sienna. It could work. "Sienna, I need your help."
"What do you need?" Sienna asked.
"A very bad man has captured the Avatar. He's taken him prisoner, and we have to help free him." Katara said desperately. "I don't think Zuko would believe me if I walked up to him and tried to tell him, so I want to borrow your clothes so he'll think I'm you."
"Won't you just be trading captors? Zuko is out to capture the Avatar as well." Sienna said seriously.
"While I'm making a distraction, Sokka can sneak on board Zuko's ship. Once Zuko has the Avatar, he can sneak out and help him escape. Please, Sienna. We can't let the Fire Lord have our friend." Katara said pleading.
Sienna thought about it for a moment and nodded. "Alright, I'll help you, but you're going to need to change your hair too…"
Katara adjusted the gown and the bun in her hair. Sienna had been nearly identical to Katara except for being slightly, ahem larger. Katara just hoped Zuko wasn't THAT familiar with Sienna. She removed her necklace and put it next to the bracelet in a pouch at her side.
Sienna had actually been more than happy to get back into decent water tribe clothes and had been anxious to leave her old life behind. She and Katara had switched clothes and she had helped Katara put her hair up in the bun she wore. Katara shook herself, remembering their last words as they parted company. "Good luck, and uh… if you don't want him, I'd be glad to take him off your hands."
Katara had simply looked at her aghast, while she giggled and ran off to find a ship headed north.
Katara turned to find Sokka staring at her. "What?"
"I don't like this plan. My gut is telling me it's a bad idea." Sokka said seriously.
"Unless you've got a better one, be quiet and get into position. I'll be in and out." Katara said trying to convince herself. She felt like a seal getting ready to go hunt a shark.
Sokka shook his head and darted off behind some crates while Katara steadied her nerves. She then set off at a slow jog across the docks towards the place where Zuko's ship was still moored, taking on provisions.
Two soldiers were standing at the base of the ramp. They crossed their spears in front of her as she came running up. "Please, I have to see Prince Zuko." Katara pleaded.
The two men looked at each other and chuckled before pushing her back. "No one gets on board."
"Please. I must speak to him." Katara said louder.
"What seems to be the problem here?" Came another voice from up on the deck.
The two soldiers immediately snapped to attention. "General Iroh! Some woman wanting to see the prince."
The old man walked down the ramp to Katara and looked confused. "Sienna? What are you doing here?"
"Please General Iroh. I must talk to Zuko. It's about the Avatar." Katara said breathlessly.
Iroh glanced at the guards and then nodded. "Come with me then."
Katara only hoped that Sokka had been given enough time to stow away while she had created the distraction. Katara followed the old man into the ship. She tried to keep her heart from leaping out of her chest when she saw Zuko. She suddenly wished her gown was about a foot thicker and FAR more modest.
"Nephew. There is someone here to see you." Iroh announced.
Zuko glanced around in annoyance until his eyes fell on Katara. Katara cast her eyes down and tried to calm herself.
Zuko was quiet for a moment before he spoke to her. "Sienna, you shouldn't have come here." Zuko said softly.
"I had too. I heard some news from one of the men at the bordello about the Avatar. Some man named Admiral Zhao has captured him and is taking him into the fire nation." Katara said trying to keep her voice steady.
Zuko gasped and then he swore under his breath. In a flash he turned and bolted for the stairs leading up to the bridge. Before he got there he stopped. Katara risked looking up at him. He turned slowly, and looked at her with a warm and kind gaze. It was so out of place on his scarred face that all Katara could do was stare at him.
"Thank you Sienna. You don't know what this means to me." Zuko said softly before he turned and bolted up the stairs taking them three at a time.
Katara sighed. The old man stepped up to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Please Sienna, you've done us a great favor. Please indulge an old man by having a cup of tea with him." Iroh said warmly.
"I need to leave before the ship sets sail." Katara said glancing back toward the ramp.
"Oh, we have more supplies to take on before we leave. You'll have time for one cup." Iroh said reassuringly. He put her hand on his arm and guided her toward the galley. "I have a wonderful ginseng tea that you will simply love."
The two of them walked through the belly of the ship. Iroh babbled about nearly everything under the sun, and Katara politely listened until she felt the ship lurch.
"We're underway?" Iroh said in amazement.
Katara suddenly had a sinking feeling in her stomach. If Sokka hadn't been able to get on board…
Iroh led her up to the bridge. She stepped inside behind him, only to see Zuko giving orders. Iroh confronted his nephew. "Prince Zuko! Why are we underway so quickly?"
"Uncle, if I'm going to catch up to Zhao, I need to move as quickly as possible." Zuko retorted as he poured over some of his sea charts.
"What about provisions?" Iroh proclaimed indignantly.
"We were nearly done loading uncle. We will be able to take on new provisions once we reach our destination." Zuko shot back.
"It is not necessarily the loading that concerns me as much as the un-loading." Iroh said sadly.
Zuko seemed to catch the man's meaning and slowly turned to look at Katara. His head sagged for a moment before turning back to his charts. "I'm sorry, Sienna. I can't turn back now. Zhao has a substantial lead on us. If I'm right, he'll head back to his homeport first to gloat and write letters announcing his return to my father. If we move swiftly, we can make it there in two days."
"It's alright." Katara said meekly. Two days on a fire nation ship with Zuko and no way of knowing if Sokka made it on board or not.
"Uncle, please escort Sienna to my quarters." Zuko commanded.
Katara was extremely lucky that one of the guards chuckled and covered her brief gasp. Zuko turned on the man immediately. Katara watched as he spun and drove his fist into the gut of the soldier in front of him. The man flew backwards into the wall before slumping to the floor holding his stomach. Katara noticed Iroh looking on disapprovingly… at the guard. No one dared to move or breathe, much less speak. Iroh coughed.
Zuko turned to the rest of the crew. "The Lady Sienna will be staying with me while she is on board this ship. I am doing so because I do not wish to see her harassed by the crew. Any man that is anything but respectful to her will answer to me. Is that understood?"
There was a general nod from amongst the crew. Zuko then turned to his uncle. "Uncle, please take care of her, and see to it my orders are relayed to the rest of the crew."
Iroh nodded and joined Katara. "Come my dear. I believe I promised you some ginseng tea."