Author's note: Wow, I can't believe it's been another week already!
Another round of thanks goes out to my reviewers: hg-always, secretsofadarkangel, Katey123, storm2011, meggie-moo s, AnnaAza, Jumpingbeans480, sokkantylee, InItToWinIT, The Summer Breeze , temariXshikamaruluva , darkpassion89 , and XxSparklesxxBrightlyxX. You guys are awesome!! Your reviews make my day!
Okay, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
Chapter 5: Message
Long lost words whisper slowly to me
Still can't find what keeps me here
When all this time I've been so hollow inside
I know you're still there
Watching me, wanting me
I can feel you pull me down
Fearing you, loving you
I won't let you pull me down
-Haunted, Evanescence
When morning broke, Katara was the first to stir. Her eyelids felt as if they had a layer of sand underneath them. Her lungs felt raw; her chest felt bruised from the wracking sobs she had suffered only hours before. Her face burned with embarrassment at the weakness she had shown in front of Zuko last night.
And I let him comfort me…
Leaning forward, she let her head drop into her hands. The silk sheets covering the soft bed felt strange on her skin. Everything was so wrong.
I shouldn't be here. I should be with my people, fighting to survive. Fighting against him.
Lifting her head, she ventured a glance at the sleeping form of Zuko. The pillows and blankets were rumpled around him. He had not had a restful night either. He began to stir, and groaned slightly as he sat up. Once again, his bare chest caught her attention, and it wasn't just the bruises marring his skin that caught her eye.
Oh Tui and La, I wish he would put a shirt on!
She tried to smother the feelings that rose in her at the sight of him. Katara quickly looked away as he caught her staring at him.
"Good morning," he greeted, his voice raspier than usual. He absently rubbed his eyes.
She didn't respond. Her mind concentrated on the movement of the ship through the water. Anything to distract her. Anything to keep her from thoughts of him. It was a bit difficult when he was in such close proximity.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
She nodded absently as his question jerked her from her thoughts. He rose from the couch to call for breakfast. He carelessly dropped his crimson blanket on the floor. It was odd seeing him like this, she reflected. She was used to seeing him put together in his robes of state or in full battle armor. His hair was usually pulled up into a top knot, with the Fire Nation crown perched perfectly atop his head. He always looked perfectly in control; never tired or weak.
At the moment, however, he was dressed only in a simple pair of pants. His hair was unbound, and fell into his eyes. The lack of sleep had not left him unscathed – dark circles lined his eyes. He was still sleepy, and wobbled slightly as he stood up. She felt slightly guilty as he obviously winced at one of the wounds she had given him. She was probably one of only a handful of people who had seen him like this…he looked like a normal fallible person.
He called for breakfast, and a servant knocked at the door within a few minutes. Steaming trays were brought in, and Katara's stomach rumbled as the tantalizing scent hit her nostrils. After the food arrived, a servant entered with a small bundle of blue cloth. He handed it to her, and she realized her clothing had been laundered and mended.
The small act brought a smile to her face. She had figured her clothing would just be discarded, and she would be forced to wear the too-large Fire Nation garments. Now she could continue wearing the comforting blues of her homeland. She thanked the servant, and risked a glance at Zuko. He was consuming his breakfast, but looked up when he felt her eyes on him.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
He nodded at her, looking surprised that she had thanked him. An awkward silence followed, and they both busied themselves with finishing breakfast.
Katara gathered their plates and utensils when they finished, despite Zuko's protests that the servant would take care of it.
She rolled her eyes. "Zuko, what else have I to do? Believe me, I'm happy to help the servants out. I've been one, remember?" she asked sarcastically.
There was another knock at the door as he tried to formulate a response.
A soldier stood at the door, and handed a scroll to Zuko.
"My lord, this is an urgent message from General Kuro in the Earth Kingdom. The messenger hawk just arrived," he said quickly.
Katara's ears perked at the mention of the Earth Kingdom. During her brief stint back in the Water Tribe, she had heard rumors that there was uproar in the large nation, and Zuko's sister was at the head of the chaos.
Zuko read the message, and his hand suddenly clenched down on the parchment in fury. Anger clouded his features, and he began to pace the room. Katara looked at him curiously, and was surprised when he wordlessly handed the missive to her.
She quickly scanned through the formal greeting to get to the body of the message.
Your sister has moved much more quickly than we anticipated, and has much more influence than we feared. She has rallied the Dai Li and most of the remaining Earth Kingdom military to her cause by claiming that through her, their nation will be free again. The small resistance cells have united against her, and they are growing desperate.
Lady Toph Bei Fong is the leader of the united resistance effort, and she has been in contact with our forces. She wants Azula removed from the Earth Kingdom, and is willing to work with us to reach that goal. The girl is young, perhaps aged seventeen, and her ways are unorthodox, but her earthbending skills are unrivaled. It may be difficult to believe, but the girl is blind as well.
She claims she merely wants (excuse the impertinence, this is a direct quote) "to give you a chance to get your sissy butt over here to take care of your family problem" before she does, but the Earth Kingdom resistance must be desperate if they are enlisting our help in their efforts to defeat your sister.
Our combined intelligence indicates that Azula is gathering her army together and massing weapons. I fear she is preparing for an invasion of the Fire Nation. I respectfully request immediate aid. The situation is growing dire.
Katara realized her mouth had dropped open, and she quickly closed it. The Earth Kingdom resistance was notorious for its hatred of the Fire Lord, and until now, the various cells had worked independently of one another. The logic dictated that if one cell was captured and disbanded, the others would still be intact to carry on the cause. If they had been forced to unite, the situation was indeed desperate. The true measure of the situation, however, was that they were willing to work with the Fire Lord himself to defeat Azula.
She took a deep breath and expelled it slowly in an attempt to clear her mind.
Zuko had already gathered his clothing and was changing behind the privacy screen. When he emerged, he was once more clad in his armor. He once more looked like the consummate Fire Lord, but Katara was disturbed by the worry that now etched his features.
"We will not be returning to the Fire Nation yet. I am going to tell the helmsman to set course for the Earth Kingdom," he explained. After a slight hesitation, he said, "We will be headed to a port city. I will buy you passage to a destination of your choice – but only if it is far from my sister." He kept his gaze firmly on the floor.
Katara's mouth nearly dropped open. After everything that had transpired, he was going to let her go? She looked at him in confusion, and her mind replayed the contents of the message. The Earth Kingdom could use her help.
I will never abandon people who need me.
Besides, she was rather curious to meet the Lady Toph Bei Fong. She had heard rumors of the girl. It was said that she was a genius at the manipulation of her element. And she was blind. Yes, she would very much like to meet the young girl who was now the leader of the Earth Kingdom resistance.
Zuko looked at her strangely when she replied.
"No, I want to help the Earth Kingdom. I will come and-" she stopped as he interrupted her.
"Katara, I don't want you near the fighting. You've seen my sister. You know she's-" he was cut off by Katara.
"Zuko, you were trying to kill me just days ago!" she cried.
She was satisfied when he looked properly chastised. Once more regret covered his features. She still wasn't used to seeing that particular expression on him.
"I know," he said quietly. "I nearly took your life before I realized that I couldn't do it. I need you, Katara," he said fiercely. "Agni knows why. You have done nothing but cause me trouble," he finished.
"I've caused you trouble? You're the one who imprisoned me, remember?" she argued, her eyes flashing in anger.
A hesitant smile crossed his face at her fiery response, and he crossed the room to pull her into his arms. She tensed, but relaxed as he held her. Something had changed between them the previous night. The barrier between them was disappearing. It was not completely gone, but it was melting more quickly than either of them cared to admit.
"You've got it backwards, water peasant. I think you have imprisoned me," he stated.
She lifted her head from his chest to look at him curiously. It was strange to hear him use the term "water peasant" as an endearment rather than an insult. He smiled down at her, and Katara decided she liked seeing a genuine smile on his face. She let his statement go without a response and rested her head on him once more. She relaxed as she listened to the rhythmic sound of his breathing. She allowed herself to shove the feelings of guilt deep down inside herself, if only for the moment.
He spoke once more, and she heard his voice deep in his chest.
"I'm glad you're staying for now," he admitted.
She pulled out of the comfort of his arms to speak to him.
She swallowed before speaking. "Zuko, you must know that I am not staying out of any allegiance to the Fire Nation. My goal is to help the Earth Kingdom, and at the moment, this is the way to do it. I am curious to meet Toph Bei Fong as well," she stated. She saw a fleeting look of hurt cross his face.
"And while I am not loyal to the Fire Nation, I am also staying because of you. You hold me prisoner as well, in more ways than the obvious one," she said quietly. "I should hate you," she protested, anguish filling her voice.
She once more felt his strong arms around her. For the first time since parting ways in the Fire Nation, their lips met in a tender kiss. He brought his arms up around her, and immediately shuddered and grunted in pain. They broke apart, and Katara realized one of his battle wounds was the cause of the pain. She looked at him in concern.
She was prepared to offer.
"Zuko," she began hesitantly, "I can heal your battle wounds."
He looked at her, surprise filling his amber eyes. He protested. "I need to go speak to the helmsman," he said, grasping the scroll once more.
"Fine. I'll heal you when you get back," she said stubbornly.
Zuko sighed and left the room without another word.
The journey to the Earth Kingdom took longer than Katara had expected. The city they were supposed to meet the rebel leader in was midway down the coast. Katara hadn't realized just how large the nation was. The days passed much the same as her first few days on the Fire Nation ship, although she was distracted by her initial despair by a new sense of purpose. She would help the people of the Earth Kingdom.
Zuko had continued to rebuff her offers to heal his wounds. The injuries obviously pained him, and Katara decided that by denying himself healing, he was punishing himself for his actions. The issue became moot as the wounds healed, albeit slowly and naturally.
She had suffered a few more nightmares, and each time she had been awakened by Zuko, who pulled her into his warm arms until she once more drifted to sleep. Although she appreciated the comfort he offered, she insisted that once they set up camp on Earth Kingdom soil, she wished to be housed separately from him. She felt unease at living in the same quarters as him. He had grudgingly agreed, but only on the condition that she have her own tent – next to his.
She stood on the deck of the ship alongside Zuko as they pulled into the harbor. There was an assortment of ships in the harbor – anything from small wooden fishing dinghies to large trade vessels – and now Zuko's metal fleet joined the mix. Although it looked quite different from the frozen harbors she was familiar with, the feel was the same. There was the same hustle and bustle – ships unloading their catch, tradesmen trying to sell their wares, young men trying to get a paying job onboard a ship. The comforting cacophony of sounds greeted her ears.
Of course, the appearance of Zuko's fleet caused quite a commotion. Subsequent messages from Lady Bei Fong assured them that the village was aware of their impending arrival, and the people would refrain from open hostility. Of course, just because the Earth Kingdom villagers had agreed not to attack the new arrivals from the Fire Nation didn't mean that they were pleased to have them there. Katara was certain none of these people wanted to play host to the Fire Lord.
Katara looked at her surroundings with curiosity. This was her first visit to an Earth Kingdom village. Once they exited the marina district of the town, they entered what she presumed was the commercial section of town. Small shops lined the dusty streets. Vendors with strange-looking produce watched them with suspicious eyes. Soon, they began to pass what must have been a residential area, but all the homes looked deserted. Beyond the town, Katara caught glimpses of golden grasslands. Small farmhouses dotted the distant landscape. Beyond the rich grasslands lay a thick forest that bordered the sea.
They had been instructed to make contact with the rebel leader in a meeting house on the edge of the town square. Soon they approached the square, and Katara realized why the rest of the village had seemed deserted. All of the people were in the square, presumably curious about the arrival of their temporary allies.
If only she was not here in conjunction with the Fire Nation. Her face burned with shame as she walked. She heard the flags snapping in the wind overhead, and she knew she walked beneath the Fire Nation symbol. Tui and La, she was walking beside the Fire Lord! His honor guard surrounded them, and she knew she looked out of place – a spot of blue in a sea of red. Zuko hadn't explained her presence to the guards. He had merely stated that she would be joining them, and was no longer a prisoner. Katara had suppressed a shudder when he informed them that she was there of her own free will.
It was only a short walk from the harbor to the town square. Therefore, Zuko had declined both palanquin and komodo rhino, preferring to use his own two feet. He had also mentioned that walking would make him seem a bit less intimidating to the townspeople and the resistance cell they were meeting. She certainly couldn't argue with that.
Even so, they traveled with a full honor guard and all the pomp and circumstance of the Fire Nation.
Suddenly, a young boy broke from the crowd. A woman, presumably his mother, started after him, but stopped to look on in horror as her son ran up to Zuko and spit at his feet. He looked up defiantly at the Fire Lord even as Zuko's honor guard moved to strike at the boy.
Katara had already uncorked the water skins that Zuko had procured for her to protect the boy when the Fire Lord's authoritative voice cut through the chaos.
"Stop!" he said, the tone of his voice daring anyone to question him.
The men who had rushed to his defense looked up even as they roughly held the boy's arms. For the first time, fear came to the boy's face as Zuko calmly approached him. Katara's fingers twitched as she readied herself to defend the young boy.
He wouldn't hurt a child, would he?
Her shoulders sagged in relief as Zuko leaned down to the boy's level. He impatiently ordered his soldiers to unhand the boy.
The Fire Lord spoke. "Tell me, what is your name?" he asked calmly.
The boy, who looked to be around twelve or thirteen years of age – just on the cusp of manhood – glared at Zuko.
The Fire Lord sighed. "I haven't come here to harm your people," he explained calmly. "In fact, I am here to work with them."
Still glaring, the boy finally spoke. "Li. My name is Li," he said, his young teenage voice cracking.
Zuko nodded. "Li, it took much bravery to stand in defiance of me. I doubt any of your townspeople would have done the same. In a few years, you will be a formidable warrior," he said graciously.
The expression on the boy's face turned from hatred to confusion.
Zuko continued speaking. "Is that your mother?" he asked, gesturing to the woman who was steadily inching closer, a look of terror in her wide brown eyes.
Li glanced back and nodded.
"Return to her. You will need to protect her in the coming weeks. I fear there is a long battle ahead of us. You will need to be prepared," he warned.
Katara watched as Li gave Zuko a look of confusion. Katara knew how the boy felt. She had expected to hate Zuko for all of eternity, and his actions had caused her to drastically alter her opinion of him. He could very well have had Li arrested and punished, but he had shown the boy understanding and mercy. In her heart, she knew Li no longer blindly hated the Fire Lord. Zuko had given the boy a reason to question his beliefs.
Li nodded, still glaring, but with less fervor than before. He turned and ran back to his mother, who quickly gathered him into her arms. The boy's mother warily kept her eye on the Fire Lord, as if she still didn't believe her son would remain unharmed for his impertinence. For the briefest moment, her brown eyes caught Katara's blue ones, and confusion covered her face. Katara knew she was wondering why a Water Tribe woman was traveling with the Fire Lord.
Katara was relieved when they reached the building in which they were to meet Lady Bei Fong. The place was obviously used for town meetings. Inside was one large room dominated by a long table. A tense feeling radiated from Zuko's guards. They readied themselves for an attack. After, this whole thing could have just been a ruse to attack the Fire Lord.
The entire group seemed to relax when they saw there was only one occupant of the room. Katara looked at the girl curiously. She was young. Zuko's general seemed to have guessed correctly – she looked to be about seventeen years of age. Her black hair was pulled back by a headband, and she wore utilitarian green and brown clothing. Despite being distinctly feminine, her form was muscular and sturdy. The strangest thing was the girl's eyes. They were a pale green, and were clouded over with obvious blindness. However, the girl seemed to follow where everyone was in the room.
How can she tell? Moreover, how does she fight? How does she lead an entire rebellion?
A lighthearted, slightly mocking voice cut across the room.
"Hey Sparky! It's about time you got here. You kept me waiting long enough," she said.
Katara nearly choked at the girl's use of the nickname "Sparky".
Zuko merely raised his good eyebrow.
"My apologies, Lady Bei Fong. Entire fleets cannot move as quickly as a single ship," he said graciously.
"Okay, first, cut the Lady Bei Fong crap. Name's Toph. I'm not gonna call you your highness or anything, so we might as well get that straight. Second. Who is with you? There's someone besides the eight guards around you. The steps are lighter, so I'd say she's a female," she paused for a moment to let them digest that. "She doesn't feel like a firebender either. Less punch to her steps."
Zuko started to answer, but Katara stepped forward. The guards' mouths were still hanging open. They were quite obviously wondering if the girl was in fact blind, or whether it was a complicated hoax designed to put them off guard.
"You're correct," she stated. "My name is Katara of Southern Water Tribe." She hesitated slightly as she said the words. A lump came to her throat. "I am a waterbender."
Toph raised an eyebrow over one foggy green eye. "I have to say I'm intrigued. What's a waterbender like you doing traveling with the likes of him?"
Katara's eyes narrowed. She spat out the words before even thinking about her response. "It's none of your business," she hissed, feeling the shame rise up in her.
The earthbender raised her hands in a placating gesture. "Whoa there, Ice Queen. I didn't think you'd be so touchy," she said, a hint of mocking in her voice.
Katara forced herself to calm down. Getting angry will get us nowhere.
"It's fine," she said curtly.
The younger girl ignored her response, and looked over to Zuko. Katara found herself also wondering whether the rebel leader was actually blind. She couldn't see, and yet she seemed to know where everyone was in the room.
The girl addressed Zuko. "Okay, your majesty," she said with a sarcastic tone, "let's get down to business."
"First – we need you because your little sister got it in her head that she was going to take over my nation's military to take over your throne. It's too bad you couldn't keep your family business to yourself. As much as I hate to say it, she's gotten a bit out of hand here. We need your military strength," she began.
"Second – you need us because we have valuable intelligence on your sister's movements within our country, and our forces have earthbenders – which certainly comes in handy when fighting other earthbenders," her face grew hard, "especially the Dai Li. You need our intelligence and earthbending skills."
"So, we need a temporary truce. You help us, we help you, then things go back to normal with a few changes. In exchange for our assistance, I want the Fire Nation out of the Earth Kingdom when this is all over."
Katara felt Zuko tense next to her. Her heart swelled with hope. Could this be the key to winning the Earth Kingdom's freedom? Zuko was desperate at this point. He had admitted to her that he had no firm numbers on Azula's army, and her movements were erratic. If the Earth Kingdom resistance could give them that information, it would be a huge advantage.
"No."
Katara looked up at him sharply, her blue eyes blazing. In her peripheral vision, she saw Toph's face grow angry.
"No?" the earthbender asked incredulously. "I don't think you have any concept of how powerful your dear little sister has gotten. She has the backing of the entire former Earth Kingdom military. She's been storming towns and recruiting all able-bodied warriors. Her army is huge. You wanna see the numbers? Fine. I'll give you the numbers," she motioned for someone to enter the room who had just materialized in the doorway.
The burly man walked into the room, and handed Zuko a scroll at Toph's behest. The Fire Lord took the parchment and unrolled it. Katara was alarmed to see fleeting panic on his face, which he quickly controlled. However short-lived, the panic had made itself evident.
She felt it was time for her to speak. "It's bad, isn't it? Don't you see? We need their help!" Katara almost stumbled as she realized she said "we". She forced it back the recesses of her mind. She couldn't dwell on it now.
The guards surrounding her and Zuko tensed at her impertinence toward their Fire Lord. One of them moved toward her, and Zuko impatiently gestured toward him to stand down. Katara felt vague relief at that action.
Zuko sighed. "Fine. I will think on this overnight, and draw up my terms. This will give you and your senior leadership time to determine your terms. We meet here tomorrow at noon, and will come to a compromise on the terms of the treaty."
Toph gave a curt nod. "Fine. We meet here tomorrow at noon. Don't make me wait," she said snappily. With that, she brushed past Zuko and his entourage and left the building.
Zuko's voice cut through the stunned silence.
"Time to draw up a treaty."
Katara couldn't quite hide the smile that came to her face.
Author's note: There you have it! I hope you all liked the introduction of Toph. Hopefully she still came across as the same Toph (although slightly older and more battle-hardened). She's one of my faves, so I hope I did her justice! I've had some people ask if any familiar characters would be showing up - well, there's your answer :) See you guys next week!