Iroh rubbed his palms together until they sparked, letting a little fire escape his fingertips. It wasn't easy for the Fire Nation expatriate to get accustomed to the frozen landscape and frigid temperatures of the South Pole, and he didn't exactly enjoy being cramped into a tiny room made of ice blocks. Still, he couldn't complain. After all he'd been through these last few months, he was lucky to be alive. Besides, the simple hospitality of the Southern Water Tribe was better than being locked up in a Fire Nation prison.
He watched as tendrils of steam curled upwards from the pot over the central fire. The tea was nearly ready. It's not exactly the Jasmine Dragon, the once-great general lamented, indulging in moment of self-pity. Fate must get great pleasure from taunting a poor old man. Every great joy I have ever known has fallen short, lost before I ever really had it in my grasp. My beautiful wife Fujiko, lost in childbirth. My beloved son, Lu Ten, his life cut off like a flower not yet blossomed. My ambitions of conquering Ba Sing Se, shattered in the wake of losing Lu Ten. Even my own tea shop, the simplest dream of all, was short-lived. I know that the spirits need my help to restore the world to a state of balance, but sometimes, I wonder how much longer I can will myself to keep fighting when every hope of my own happiness is thwarted…
Iroh's brooding thoughts were broken as he heard soft, padding footsteps approaching. Katara, he realized, recalling now that she had promised to come and join him. He remembered the half-desperate look on the young waterbender's face in the healing chambers, when she had asked if she could talk with him. He's been on my mind, too, Iroh thought, allowing himself a brief, almost parental pang of worry over Zuko.
When Iroh had explained how Azula might be overthrown, the doting uncle had had his doubts about whether his nephew could pull it off. Azula was a formidable opponent, yet even she did not pose the threat to him that the Dai Li could if he were to make one false move with them. Azula might hesitate to kill a member of the royal family. The Dai Li would not.
The decision to leave him alone had required some soul-searching. Iroh had mournfully watched as Zuko's pride and impatience caused him to fall on his face time after time. The urge to stay and mollycoddle him every step of the way was difficult to resist. Still, he knew that for Zuko to be an effective leader, he had to take the next step on his own. Iroh had set the example, and for all his mistakes, Zuko had been an attentive student. The old general could only trust that his nephew would grow up in his absence in a way that he could not while Iroh was still there to be leaned upon. Besides, I have plans of my own to fulfill, Iroh thought darkly, feeling up into his sleeve where his lotus tile was concealed.
Katara poked her head in through the open door. "Iroh? Can I talk to you?"
"Of course. Come in," he replied with more cheer than he felt, "you are just in time for the tea. Have a seat and I'll join you."
Katara closed the door behind her, then came and sat on the bearskin rugs before the congenial old firebender. "Thanks," she smiled softly, taking a sip from the cup he offered. "You really have a gift with this stuff. It's -" She stopped herself short. She had wanted to say it was a shame that he couldn't have kept his tea shop, but in hindsight, that had been her fault. Of course, I guess it was just a matter of time before Azula found out they were right under her nose, Katara mentally vindicated herself, still… ouch. "It's really good," she complimented at last.
"Thank you," Iroh replied. "So, what's on your mind?"
"Well… " Katara hesitated, her fingers drumming nervously on the edges of her cup. "There's something I've been wondering about for awhile. I really don't know how to say this, but… are you trying to woo my Gran-Gran?"
"What?!" Iroh nearly choked on his tea. That was the last question he had expected to hear. "What makes you think that?"
"I need to know," Katara insisted. "What's going on with you two? You've been by her side nearly every minute since we got to the South Pole."
The old firebender blinked with surprise. He had not thought Katara would have noticed his growing friendship with Kana; he'd felt sure she was too busy planning defenses with the Water Tribe Council. It seemed that her eyes missed little - either that, or she was asking on someone else's behalf. If the latter was the case, he had a sneaking suspicion he knew who wanted to know.
"Your grandmother is a charming lady," Iroh admitted, "much as I imagine you will be at her age. I have enjoyed our conversations immensely. But if you're trying to protect her honor by finding out my intentions, you can save yourself the trouble. We're just friends."
His answer apparently caught her off guard. "Really?"
"I was rather spoiled in my first marriage," Iroh revealed, "to have a woman who understood and accommodated me. She knew that I needed someone I could take care of - someone who would let me baby her and indulge her every whim. Kana is far too independent for my taste. Oh, I respect her highly for it," he soothed when Katara raised a surly eyebrow, "I just think I would get in her way, and she'd soon tire of my tendency to take care of her every need. A bit like Zuko did."
Zuko. Katara knew it wouldn't be long until they came round to him. "Do you think he's all right?"
Iroh took a long drink of tea, savoring the taste. "I know he is."
Katara gasped. "You know?! How?"
"He sent me a messenger hawk while we were at sea," Iroh informed her.
"You had word from him and you didn't tell me?" She frowned, hurt that Iroh had kept news of Zuko from her.
"I didn't tell anyone. You see, Zuko is in a most precarious situation right now. It is better if no one but the three of us even knows that he and I are still in contact." Iroh hesitated, then rose and went to the corner where his Earth Kingdom clothes were neatly folded. From between the green and gold robes he withdrew a letter. He handed it to Katara. "Read this, and you will understand where my nephew is and why. But first you must promise that all of this will stay a secret between us."
Katara nodded firmly. "I promise."
ooo LL ooo
The captain was sick. The powerful earthbender's toes had been broken to prevent his escaping, and the cold nights in prison had made him more susceptible to illness. In the darkness, a young Earth Kingdom soldier imprisoned with him sponged at his brow with the little water he'd saved.
"Hold on, Captain Ling. Just hold on." The boy of seventeen bit his lip between crooked front teeth, wondering if it was worth the risk to ask for help from their Fire Nation captors. He couldn't decide if they would merely laugh, or do something horrible to him. But if I don't do something, the captain doesn't stand a chance, he thought grimly. "Guard? Guard!"
A Fire Nation soldier in his mid-forties was passing by. He came to the door and peered between the bars. His face seemed tired somehow, and the circles beneath his eyes were nearly as grey as his thick sideburns, making him appear far older than he seemed. "Is there a problem?"
"My friend is ill. Please, he needs some water."
The soldier paused a moment. "I'll be back," he murmured gruffly. He returned a few minutes later, carrying a bowl of fresh water, and passed something small through the bars as well. "Here. This is ginger root. It might help."
"Thank you." The young Earth Kingdom soldier raised his eyebrows, surprised at this act of benevolence. "I didn't know Fire Nation soldiers could be kind."
"We didn't all want this war, you know," the other sighed. His stiff knees almost cracked as he sat in the guard's chair, slumped down and folded his arms. "You don't know how many times a day I wish I could just walk away from it all, disappear and never be heard from again."
The boy's jaw hung slack. "I'm… glad you feel that way, sir. But maybe you shouldn't talk so loud, just in case. The others might think you're talking treason, and… well, you seem nice. I don't want anything to happen to you."
The middle-aged firebender almost smiled. "What's your name, son?"
"Sen Tzu. What's your name?"
"I'm Lieutenant Jee. Or at least, what's left of him." The grey-haired man exhaled, then stood and dusted off his trousers. "See to your friend. I -"
Suddenly there was an explosion, and a rumbling not far away, like a landslide. Lieutenant Jee clenched his jaw and readied himself in a firebending stance. Something was definitely wrong.
Loud crunching noises erupted and smashed from down the corridor. There were shouts, cries for help, the unmistakable sound of steel and flame against stone.
Then, he saw them. An elite team of assassins dressed all in black streamed in, their faces hidden behind fearsome black masks that revealed only their eyes. One by one, the rebel earthbenders freed the captured Earth Kingdom soldiers, who eagerly joined in the fray against their captors. Sen Tzu clenched the bars, watching in horror as a rock glove sailed past and knocked out a Fire Nation officer. Fire-blasts lit the darkness. Stones and boulders hurled in midair.
"Lieutenant Jee!" a voice called in panic. "We're under attack!" It was a Fire Nation captain. He raced towards them, two earthbenders hot on his tail. The masked warriors' hands shifted in a form, and the rock floor gave out from under him, trapping him inside. After a brief skirmish, Lieutenant Jee was knocked out by a rock glove from behind, then one of the masked earthbenders peered inside the cell.
"Stand back," he ordered. He brought his hands down in a swift movement, and the ground shook, loosening the pins until the door fell with a groan. "You're free now. Don't be afraid. We mean you no harm."
"Who are you?" Sen Tzu murmured.
"We're the Stone Fists. Have you heard of us?"
Sen Tzu nodded, awestruck. He had heard of the Stone Fists, all right. Fire Nation soldiers had spoken of them in fearful whispers outside his cell, and of their mysterious leader, Lord Naga, a skilled swordsman-for-hire who never showed his face. Rumors of their exploits in the Earth Kingdom were spreading like wildfire. Within a little under a month, the bounty on Lord Naga's head had nearly equaled that of the Avatar.
He glanced down at his captain, a helpless lump writhing on the ground. "Captain Ling is ill. He can't walk; the Fire Nation broke his toes to keep him from earthbending."
"They will pay for that." The Stone Fist assassin whistled sharply, and two others came to his aid. They hoisted the captain's weak form over their shoulders and carried him away. "Well? Are you coming?"
Sen Tzu glanced dubiously down at the body of the Fire Nation guard who had shown him mercy. "He gave me medicine for the captain just now. He's different than the rest."
"He'll live," the masked earthbender sneered, curling his lip at the unconscious form of Lieutenant Jee. "That's kindness enough to show a Fire Nation officer. We have to go, now."
"No," Sen Tzu insisted, folding his arms. "Either he goes, or I don't."
The other considered for a moment; his band of earthbenders was leaving. "Very well. We'll send you both to Lord Naga in Ba Sing Se, to let him decide whether or not this Fire Nation scum is worth keeping alive. Agreed?"
The young soldier nodded quickly, knowing it was the only chance they had. Two more earthbenders were called to carry away the limp body of Lieutenant Jee, then they hurried away into the night.
ooo LL ooo
Zuko folded the last of the morning's letters and stamped it with his Blue Spirit seal. Growing up, he had never realized just how much paperwork could be involved with running a country. Sitting at his desk hour after hour, his muscles had grown stiff, his body tense. He longed to be outside, to soak in the sun's energy through his skin, to firebend. But recent developments made that practically impossible.
Tai Lan and Zuko had agreed that it would be too dangerous to make his true intentions known to the Fire Lord. Thus, arrangements had been made and a week earlier, Zuko had faked his own death at the hands of the Dai Li, who claimed he'd tried to turn against Azula. This, Tai Lan had explained, would further the illusion that the Fire Nation was still in complete control of Ba Sing Se and that the Dai Li remained loyal to the Fire Nation princess, now on her way to destroy the Southern Water Tribe.
To maintain the secret, Zuko fully embraced his alter ego as the Blue Spirit. He wore the mask in front of everyone now, save Mai, Ty Lee, the Dai Li. He also took on the alias of Lord Naga, a Dai Li agent gone renegade, who started his own elite army of mercenaries known as the Stone Fists. This meant he could be in league with anyone, if the price was right - the perfect façade to conceal his real agenda.
Zuko knew his position was hazardous. Going openly into the daylight was too risky, now that he had been declared a dead traitor. Still, he couldn't help glancing wistfully out the window at the training courtyard where some of the Dai Li were training a freed squad of earthbenders.
These former Fire Nation captives were now dressed all in black, to give them the appearance of being rogue assassins. This way, the Fire Nation would think them Lord Naga's hired mercenaries, not knowing who was truly to blame for systematically attacking their encampments. They called themselves the Stone Fists after the Dai Li technique of rock gloves. They were more than ready to storm through the Earth Kingdom and reclaim their homeland. At least they can take back their home, Zuko thought, wondering if he'd ever even live to see the Fire Nation's shores again.
A knock sounded at the door. "Yes?"
Mai and Ty Lee entered. It was still strange to see the girls in shades of green and gold instead of pink and burgundy, but Zuko was beginning to get used to it.
"Tai Lan is here," Mai droned dully, examining her long, sharp fingernails and the knives tucked into her sleeve. "He wants to see you. Should I tell him you're busy?"
Zuko shook his head wearily. "No. I'll see him."
Ty Lee's large eyes widened with concern. "Zuko, don't you think you're letting the Dai Li work you too hard? I mean, even Azula never kept us this busy. You need to get out for a minute. Enjoy yourself. Your aura's looking almost grey, like a big poofy raincloud or something."
"Ty Lee's right," Mai continued in her monotone, "you do look really stressed. You should take a break."
"I don't have time for a break," Zuko told them anxiously, putting his face in his hands. "Besides, I can't go outside, remember? All I have to do is get spotted by one person outside the Dai Li, and everyone will know I'm not really dead, and that the Fire Nation has lost control here."
"You don't have to go outside," Ty Lee said brightly. "We found somewhere you can practice your firebending inside, somewhere the Earth Kingdom army doesn't really know about."
"Ty Lee and I have been practicing there for a while now," Mai added. "It's really private."
"Really?" Zuko almost smiled with relief. "Okay. Let me find out what Tai Lan needs, and I'll come and find you."
"Yay!" Ty Lee did a bouncy cartwheel.
Mai folded her arms, but gave a small smirk. "We'll be just down the hall."
After the two girls left, Tai Lan and Sato came in for their morning meeting.
"Three more camps were liberated last night," Tai Lan informed Zuko, pointing to the large map on the wall. "Here, here, and here."
"They're almost to Omashu," Zuko realized, touching the circle on the map that indicated the eastern Earth Kingdom stronghold.
Tai Lan affirmed this, inclining his head. "The Stone Fists will free King Bumi soon. I think you'll want to meet with him. They say he's the greatest earthbender in the kingdom. Not only that, his methods are - unusual. If you want to come up with a plan that's unexpected, Bumi's your man."
"That's great news. When do we head to Omashu?"
"You mean to go yourself?" Sato questioned, raising an eyebrow. "May I suggest that it would be unwise to reveal yourself outside the palace, Prince Zuko?"
"Prince Zuko won't be going anywhere." Zuko raised up his Blue Spirit mask. "Lord Naga will. He's tired of being cooped up in here like a prisoner. He doesn't want to become the next Earth King, you know."
"We can leave at dawn, then," Tai Lan agreed, unable to suppress a smile. His respect for Zuko was slowly turning into a genuine friendship. "Oh, one more thing. I heard of something that may be of interest to you. The Stone Fists raided a camp in the central Earth Kingdom and came back with some rather odd company - a young Earth Kingdom soldier who called himself Sen Tzu, and his Fire Nation guard. Apparently the kid wouldn't leave without him. Said he'd been kind to him, and that he hated the war. The Stone Fists thought he might be of use to you."
Sen Tzu. Zuko pondered that. Where have I heard that name before? "Does this Fire Nation soldier have a name?"
"Lieutenant Jee. Former Fire Navy, but he got reassigned as a prison guard after his ship was sunk at the North Pole." The look of recognition did not escape Sato's notice. "You know him?"
Zuko grinned. "I know him. Where is he now?"
"Within the palace. I'll have him sent to you. Meanwhile, I thought you might want to question this Sen Tzu. He's waiting outside."
Zuko put on the Blue Spirit mask. "All right. Send him in."
Tai Lan and Sato bowed, and as they exited, an Earth Kingdom footsoldier entered the room. The gawking young man looked about awkwardly, as though he'd never seen such grandeur. Chances were, he hadn't. The royal palace of Ba Sing Se was the ultimate in extravagance, and Zuko's chosen office - the one the Grand Secretariat had only recently vacated with his untimely death - was certainly no exception. His eyes finally fell on the masked man, illuminated and shadowed by the green crystal fire in the hearth. "Are you Lord Naga?"
"I am," the Blue Spirit replied, his voice gritty and gently commanding. "Who are you, and why have they brought you to me?"
"M-my name is Sen Tzu," the other replied nervously. "They said you wanted to question me."
Suddenly, Zuko remembered. How could he have missed it? Sen Tzu's eyes and wide-gapped teeth were the same as a boy whose life he'd saved… a boy who hated him now, because he was a firebender. "Are you the son of Gon Tzu and Sila? Do you have a little brother named Li?"
Sen Tzu's jaw dropped. "How could you know that?"
"It doesn't matter. Since you left for the war, your village has been run by a group of thugs pretending to be Earth Kingdom soldiers. They prey on defenseless women and children. I have a score to settle with them, and I understand that your family has reason to hate them as well." The Blue Spirit paused. "I have a task for you. Consider it repayment for your freedom. Go back to your village. I'll send three of my Stone Fist assassins with you. Find the thugs, and take them out."
Sen Tzu hesitated. "What about my duty to the Earth Kingdom army? Serving my country?"
"You are serving your country," Lord Naga replied. "By protecting the innocent from harm where you live. If you still want to go to war when it's done, you're free to return to Ba Sing Se, if there's an army left to join."
Sen Tzu lowered his head, understanding.
"I was told you had a captor by the name of Lieutenant Jee. I think he'll be of use to me. Thank you for bringing him to my attention."
"You're welcome, Lord Naga, sir." Sen Tzu bowed low, and Zuko bowed his head accordingly. "Do you have any more questions for me?"
"No. That is all. The Dai Li will show you out." Zuko turned and faced the window, smiling behind the mask.