4-6-06

OMG! Lau is a girl! No.phffting.way! Yes, really Sam, she is. Sam like was shocked to see that Lau was a girl, maybe it was surprising, maybe it wasn't I don't know as I know the complete story. muwhaha! Well, I don't have chappie 4 typed out yet and I might need to get a few of my friends to type it for me as I will be in San Antonio this weekend. But I do have chappie 18 typed...why 18 and not 4, I don't know, but it's done. I also don't have too much extra time as I have One Act Play to practice for, but I will make time. I am on page 5 of chappie 20, and it's going to be explosive-it's the finale of Act 1. Yeah, all my friends agree that it is HUGE! Well, at least those who know what happens in it. And Britt, I want you to introduce yourself sometime as they have no idea who you are! See ya at the bottom of the page and thank you that one person who put this on their favs. I am too lazy to go and check your name, but thank you. And please, please, REVIEW!

Scene 3: A Plea and a Warning

Lau's POV

I studied the head, checking for imperfections. My father had taught me well – very well. I took out a vial from a pouch and emptied a few drops of it into a well on the side of the head. I closed the end with my finger, trapping the air, pushing the liquid into the head. I slipped the vial back into my bag and set it on the floor. I looked at my arrow. The feathers were of Ribbon Hawks – blood red with a black stripe through them. I checked the head one last time and it passed my test. I knocked the arrow and held my bow at my side. I was working on speed accuracy. I was already almost able to give the YuuYan a run for their money, but I needed to get better to beat them. I spun around and quickly raised my bow, shooting towards a target I set up across the deck. It hit the target square center.

"Lau! Watch where you're shooting!" Zuko yelled from the doorway. I had 'conveniently' set up the target right next to the door. I looked back at him, his face ghastly white.

"Zuko – did you realize that I could have killed you?" I asked him loudly from the other end, jogging to him. Zuko reached out and grabbed the arrow by the shaft and tugged. "Zuko! No don't!" But it was too late. He had pulled it from the target. He looked at its tip. I sighed in annoyance.

"How could this thing have killed me? It doesn't even have a tip!" He pointed out the obvious. I rolled my eyes, laughing in my mind at his ignorance. I took out a dagger that I always slid in my belt when I was shooting. I stabbed the target where the tip was at and dug the head out. I took it out and put my dagger back. I held the tip up.

"This, Zuko, Prince-of-the-misconceived-obvious, is an Assassin Head. It could have killed you because I fill the tip of it with poison." I explained as I dripped what little poison was left in it, onto my palm. As soon as Zuko saw it, I wiped it onto my pants.

"But why did the head come off? It doesn't do anything then." Zuko said, still examining the shaft.

"Because, it is made to do that. The thorn is attached with thin twine. When someone tried to pull it out, the head detaches and gets pushed further into the victim." I said, and stopped explaining into fuller detail when I saw him grimace at it. "And before you ask, the poison kills within a few minutes, depending on how diluted it is. It's a complex paralysis conjure. This – luckily was very diluted. Maybe would have left you numb for a few hours or more. But the biggest affect of a non-diluted batch is that you get a fever quickly and your bending ability disappears."

"That's…interesting…" Zuko said, trying to find the right words. "Well, luckily, we should be out of this port in a few days." I shifted uncomfortably. He held out his hand and offered me my arrow back. I took it and held it at my side awkwardly. He didn't respond for a moment, almost unsure of what to do or say.

"I-I should be up in the helm. Go into port if you need to occupy yourself." He said eventually. He walked away back into the ship and down the hall and disappeared. I dropped the arrow into my quiver, fletching up and I slung my bow over my neck. I walked to the side of the boat and looked onto the water. I saw my reflection, one of nobody important. Why was I like this? What had made me this way – hiding what I really felt, what I really endured, but no letting it out, not using it? I punched a flame into the water that hit the top and dissolved into steam. I looked down and frowned. This is what I have become – I can never change now.

I started to walk back inside when I felt something on my shoulder. I turned my head to see a Ribbon Hawk on my shoulder. I took him off of me and held him. I walked quicker down the hall to my room, but I first went to the stables. There were our 5 Kimono Rhinos, our few messenger birds, and our 2 horselks. I walked in and as soon as I was in sight, my elk, Yuuga, whinnied at me. He was bay and had 2 long, light brown horns sticking out of his head near his ears. His black mane and tail stood out against his brown coat. His white breast also stood out against his coat. He had a black nose on the end of his muzzle which was usually pushed against me, looking for treats or food. I stroked his muzzle lightly and went to our cage of hawks. There were two others – one of my own, and one of the royal family. I took the message off of the bird and left him in the cage, allowing him to rest and took out mine. I perched her on my shoulder. Her name was Touitso – unity – and she was really my aunt's. I walked back to my room with Toui and sat at my table, Toui staying on my shoulder, looking down as if he was a guard bird. It was from my aunt. She always sealed messages to me in wax, a way of knowing if someone has intercepted the message. I opened the scroll after I broke the seal. Inside was my aunt's frantic handwriting.

Dearest Lau,

I am glad to hear that you are doing fine and so is your journey. But I am not so enjoyed as to you asking for a report of the status here. Things are not going so well. Ozai is growing stronger everyday as the comet nears. He has gotten worse and so have the cities. We are falling into ruin – poverty is hitting wide-spread, towns are becoming run down, we almost don't have enough to eat as we have to fund this war. I fear that someone my have to intervene soon. I haven't left my estate for a few weeks in fear that they know as my suspicion grows of them. I know what they are thinking about us and it isn't good. I am in fear of your life, my life, and your uncle. Watch out for yourself and watch your back. I cannot afford to lose you – we cannot afford it. Please stay safe.

-Kai

She was worried very worried. She normally wrote to me in letters or syllables, but this time she wrote in symbols – she almost never did that. No one knows about us except her, Uncle, and my other uncle – Dentou! I never had trusted him and I wouldn't put it past him that he did tell on us. But I knew, deep inside, that he would never snitch on his sister's family – on his niece.

I tied the scroll onto Toui's leg and let her into the sky on the side of the ship. I watched her as she flew away, disappearing into the horizon. I sighed heavily and leaned against the railing. I missed my aunt greatly, as she was my second mother.

"What seems to be the matter Zeilau?" Iroh asked, walking up from behind me. He walked next to me, and laid his hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me.

"It's Kai. I'm worried about her. She said that things are getting pretty run-down back at home." I said, still staring out into the ocean. "But it's nothing. It will pass."

"She will be fine. Don't worry about her. Kaini is a smart person; she won't let anything happen to her." He said, trying to comfort me. I sighed again.

"Thanks. I think that I'll just go back inside now." I said, turning away from him dismally, turning to the door leading back into the ship.

I walked the dark halls, wandering aimlessly. Kai made me worried. What if she wasn't ok? What if she was in mortal danger? I wouldn't be there to protect her. I would let her down. I let her down by going on this journey – it was selfish of me, only doing what I wanted to, even when she begged me to stay back at the estate. If anything was to happen to her, it would be my fault – my fault alone.

Kai's POV

"Lau, please be safe. Please." I begged to myself. I was a fool for allowing her to go on that ship. How could I let her slip between my fingers? If anything happened to her while she was away, it would be my fault – my fault entirely. It is not fitting for a woman to sail with only men. But she did take after her mother a lot and her mother did sail with men too. Her uncledid send Tierm to watch after he too. She wanted to go though – she wanted to help her friend – one of her only ones. She would help him no matter the cost and consequences. I looked over the horizon, watching the setting sun. The sky was a beautiful red; it was going to be a good day tomorrow. Really clear and bright. We could use some light upon these dirty streets.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a hawk fly. By the patterns on her wings, I recognized it as Touisto – Lau's hawk. She swooped and gracefully perched on my shoulder. I petted her head lightly and perched her on my arm. I walked back to the house, grabbing a lantern from the veranda as I walked into my dark home. I sat down at the table and took the message off of Toui's leg. I broke the wax seal on the front, allowing me to read her message.

Aunt Kai

Not much is going on here besides Zuko's routine rants. I read what you wrote and I am worried too. I am very cautious of Ozai. We don't hear much of what is going on back at home as we do not have much of a connection back to the Fire Nation. Kai, do be careful. Don't do anything too extraordinary. If you have been staying at the estate for a while, it may be wise to contact Gi and ask him and Mei to stay with you. I don't like the fact that you are alone and since you think that they are getting suspicious of us, I would contact him as soon as possible and ask him to hurry and come. I am deathly worried about you. I send my protection.

-Lau

I then heard a knock at the door. Paranoid, I took the letter, and let it catch the flame of the lantern. The former message fell to the table as ashes. I slowly got up and walked to the main door. I opened it and there were the last people that I ever wanted to see.

"Master Kaini, you are under the arrest for conspiracy of plotting against the Fire Nation and speaking confidentially of the Fire Lord." The lead man said. I gulped as he grabbed my wrists and thrusted me forward.

"Lau – we're done. It's over. We lost the battle, but you can still win." I whispered quietly, praying that she would make it.

Well, hm...what happens to Kai? What does Lau do about this? I don't know why I am asking you this anyway as you don't have a phffting clue, only Britt and I do...muwhaha! lol and so do a few people. Anyway, just review and I hope you really liked this filler, andyet very important chappie.

-Rika

Preview: Scene 4: Dance of the Dragon Maiden Part 1: She's Back