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A Koi called "Bird"
By FyreFlower
Chapter 3
Not in the cage
(Two days later)
I felt different as I awoke. Warm, comfortable…and safe? Was I still in Masters cage? This is not right. The air smelled of cleanliness and rubbing alcohol. I opened my eyes. I stared up at a metal ceiling instead of chain links. Wall torches that were stationed on the opposite side of the room lighted the room. I was not in Masters chambers, but where was I?
"You're awake." Said a voice. I jerked my head towards the voice. Bad move. A stab of pain streaked through me. I cried out in pain. I shut my eyes, trying not to cry despite the pain. The pain turned into needle pricks, all over my legs and arms.
"Don't do that. Don't move, you are still in critical condition." A man appeared, looking down at me. He had gold eyes like many other people from the Firenation; his red hair was pulled up into a tight bun on the crown of the head. He looked to be in his late 20's.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
I didn't reply. I just stared at him, trying to figure out if he was sincerely concerned or if it was all just a cruel game Master was playing with me. The man frowned, "Can you talk?"
I didn't respond. Did this man work for Master? If so where is he? The man didn't look angry by my silence he only looked at me in pity.
"I need to go inform the General anyway." He said, "Don't move. I'll be right back. You're safe here."
The man left at a fast trot out of the room to go inform the General, whoever that was.
'I'm safe here? I'm safe…from Master?' I couldn't believe it. Master is everywhere. There was no way to get away from him. When he finds me, he'll punish me worse then he has ever done. 'Did that man bring me here?' Thinking about the man in the blue mask. 'Did he think that I would be safe here? What could be here?' I listened intently. I could hear the faint cry of gulls and a gently roar of waves. I was on a ship!
I heard a noise, and a fat man walked in.
"Hello Miss," He said, setting a tray of cups on the nightstand beside me. I watched him warily; he looked kind and friendly, but throughout my life, I have learned that looks can be deceiving. He was big, width wise, and wore half toga/armor that looked like it would burst from his giant girth. He had a gray beard and hair pulled up in the traditional bun.
"I'm General Iroh, retired General actually. What is your name young lady?" He asked kindly. I said nothing, not answering his question. Iroh shrugged as if not caring if I answered or not.
He handed me a cup of something that smelled wonderful, I took it, aware that I was hungry and thirsty, I always was, I gulped the drink down, not caring if it was poisoned or not. A vague taste of ginseng was recognizable.
Iroh smiled, "Are you hungry, Miss?"
I nodded. I was handed a bowl of stew and a spoon. I dug into it, disregarding that it was hot, I went through two bowl of the delicious food. But Iroh stopped me as I was reaching for a third, "I know that you are hungry," He moved the bowl out of my reach, "But if you eat anymore you will get sick."
I settled back, knowing what he said was true. The food settled like a warm blanket on my stomach, for once in three years, I felt full.
General Iroh pulled a chair up to my bed and sat down. He looked at me sadly, looking at the bruises on my arms and face.
"What happened to you?" He asked softly, "How did you get those wounds? Who did this to you?"
I couldn't answer; tears welled up in my eyes and trailed down my cheeks. No, I did not want to say, Master would kill me if I told anyone, it hurt even to think about him… I got out of bed away from Iroh and I opened a door that led into a bathroom and locked myself in ignoring Iroh's protests. I hated anyone seeing me cry. It was a sign of weakness as Master called it. I sat down, slumping against the door and wept. I held my face in my hands and cried, it was to terrible to bare, I could see his face whenever I closed my eyes, why couldn't he just disappear! Leave me alone!
I heard a knock on the door, "Miss?" Iroh called out to me, "Please come out. You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry I asked. Please unlock the door." He asked calmly.
I cried silently, not doing what he requested, after a few minutes of Iroh begging my to come out of my temporary sanctuary, I heard him leave. I sucked in a shuddering breath, my chest hiccupping painfully. My body was still sore, but I could move a lot better. I used the restroom and washed my face. Looking into the mirror, a ghost looked back at me.
It took me a second to realize that the ghost in the mirror was me. My limp black hair framed my face, making my pale gaunt face look even paler and the bruises on my cheeks stood out sharply. Tears began falling again, cutting little paths down my face.
I collapsed on the wooden floor and curled up into a ball and rocked on my heels. 'No more' I thought as I saw masters face in my head, 'I hate you….I hate you….' I thought over and over. Master grinned and I could feel his hands on me—I shook myself, No! I looked around at the room, reassuring myself that he wasn't here.
'I'm not there anymore. He's not here. He's at his fortress. Not here. Not here. Not here.' I told myself over and over.
I heard a door open, and then voices.
;Zuko;
"When I asked her what had happened to her, she locked herself in the bathroom and will not come out." Uncle Iroh informed him and the doctor.
"Has she said anything at all?" Zuko asked. Uncle Iroh and Col shook their heads.
"Not a word." Col replied.
Zuko sighed, and went to the bathroom door and knocked loudly, "Girl! Come out of there right now! Come out before I knock this door down and bring you out myself!"
Uncle Iroh stopped him, "Don't say that! Now she won't ever want to come out. You need to be nicer. We don't know what she has been through nephew."
Zuko stopped mid-knock. 'But I know who did it to her!' He thought angrily. Using a softer voice he called out to the girl.
"Miss, I do not know your name, but can you please come out? You will not be harmed. We just want to talk. You can trust us, we do not hurt women." Zuko waited to see if she would come out. Col and Iroh couldn't believe their ears! Zuko was actually acting nice.
But still, no answer came, the door didn't open.
Zuko knocked again, "Please come out. You can't stay in there forever." He reasoned. He heard the girl move away from the door and scoot farther from it.
He sighed, shaking his head, 'This is not going to work.'
Iroh laid a hand on his nephews shoulder, "Come, let's leave her alone. Maybe she will come out when she's ready." But Iroh held a finger to his lips, motioning for silence. He gestured for Zuko to wait by the bathroom door. Zuko did without question and Col and Iroh left the room so that Zuko and the girl were alone.
Zuko understood what his Uncle had in mind. He sat silently, barely breathing, he heard the girl's crying from behind the door.
'Stop crying please.' He prayed silently. He was now feeling guilty that he even brought her here. But what was he suppose to have done? He couldn't of left her in that cage. 'Please come out' he asked her silently.
He heard the girl move around in the room. He waited, unmoving, wanting to see what the girl was going to do. He heard her move near the door, was she going to come out? He got himself ready. He heard the lock withdraw.
She was coming out! Zuko was still. The door slowly opened and the girls head poked out. She looked around the room, seeing that 'no one' was around; she was about to come out. But she glanced down and saw Zuko by the door. Her eyes went wide and she pulled her head back to shut the door. Zuko thrust his foot in the doorway as the door slammed shut. The door banged on his metal boot. Despite the protection Zuko grunted in pain. The girl fell back away from the door, her eyes wide with fear.
Zuko pushed the door open and saw that the girl was backed up against the wall farthest away from him. Zuko stepped in the doorway, blocking her escape. The girl was thin from lack of food and her eyes had a scared, defeated look to them.
"I won't hurt you." Zuko said, coming towards her cautiously, "Come with me, I will not hurt you."
The girl shook her head, "N-NO!" She cried, then suddenly ran at him and knocked him out of the doorway. Zuko fell and the girl ran out of the infirmary.
Zuko pulled himself up off the ground, "Dammit!" He grunted. 'We're on a fucking ship! Were could she possibly go!'
Iroh was outside on deck when he heard a crash and a door slam. He turned just in time to see the girl run out of the infirmary. She looked like a scared rabbit, trying to find its burrow. She looked around frantically and ran to the ships rail at the water, trying to find a way to get off.
'Where's Zuko?' Iroh wondered. As if in answer, Zuko stumbled out of the infirmary in pursuit of the girl.
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