The Southern Air Temple
Chapter Three
The next morning, Lian was the second person to awake that morning after rolling off of the patch of grass she had found to sleep on the night before, and was rewarded by sputtering and coughing when she accidently inhaled an unhealthy amount of dirt. Aang had watched with wide, curious eyes as he toyed with Appa's reigns, and Katara looked up from her sleeping back groggily with hair that strongly resembled a rat's nest.
Sokka looked up for a moment as Lian sat up and began frantically wiping her tongue off with her shirt, and scowled.
"Could you cough a little more quietly?" He grumbled before rolling over in his sleeping bag, and falling back to sleep before he could see Lian glare at him. Katara sat up in her sleeping bag, rubbed her eyes, and looked towards Lian, who was still spitting and wiping her tongue, blinked at her with a raised eyebrow, and then turned to look at Aang, who was still watching Lian with wide eyes.
"Well…." Lian grumbled before spitting one last time. Katara looked back towards her as she moved to get out of her sleeping bag to roll it up, and prepare for the day ahead of her. Aang's gazed turned upwards from his work on Appa's reigns and looked at Lian as she wiped her face. "Now I know why my Mother always told me not to eat dirt…It tastes disgusting." Lian groaned as she stood, and dusted off her scarlet and gold clothes with a huff.
Aang laughed, and Lian looked up at him as she began to walk towards the lake the quartet had camped out in front of last night. It was a nice place to camp- minus the fact that this was Lian's first time ever camping in her entire life, and also the first time Lian had slept on anything less than a turtle-duck feather filled mattress with a pillow under her head.
It was foreign, and it was also safe to say that Lian did not enjoy it.
Lian sat down in front of the water on her knees, and reached down with cupped hands to wash her face.
The water was cold, and even though it was a bit discomforting, it helped take the sleep out of her eyes and shock her body out of the sleepiness that clung to her after her abrupt awakening.
Lian dropped the rest of the water back into the lake, and sighed in content as she looked up with water still dripping off of her face, clinging to eyelashes as if they were clinging for dear life as her light amber eyes scanned the horizon.
So what have you decided after a night's rest? Lian asked herself as she gazed off into the distance. At the thought, Lian raised an eyebrow, and reached up to rub her achy neck. If you could call it that…
Lian heard Aang speaking to Katara behind her, and Katara moving about to pack her things, but she didn't pay attention to any of it as she held out a wet hand, and gazed down at it for a moment.
What about Zuko? Uncle? They'll miss you. Lian pondered. You can't leave them.
Yesterday evening when the three had been waiting for an answer, Lian had answered them with uncertainty, and asked if there was any way she could consider their offer after a night of rest.
Sokka had shot her down without a second thought, and demanded she be tied up again. Lian was about to argue when Katara and Aang both agreed to her offer- which promptly shut Sokka up, and caused him to brood for about two hours before he fell asleep.
Lian looked back down at her hand, and with a flick of her fingers, a small, orange fireball ignited, and remained there under her command.
Your nation destroys everything it touches, Lian. You have the option to mend that destruction. You can help the Avatar. You can teach him. She thought as she gazed down at the flame in her hands, and carefully began to roll the fire between her fingers like a girl would twirl her hair.
A hand suddenly touched Lian's shoulder, and she jumped at the sudden touch, causing the fire in her hand to disappear, only leaving a puff of smoke in its wake.
Lian looked up with wide, amber eyes, and spotted none other than the Avatar himself with a concerned smile on his face.
"You don't have to stay with us, Lian. You won't hurt our feelings if you decide to stay with your brother." Aang said softly as he gave Lian's shoulder a gentle, reassuring squeeze. Lian sent Aang a small grin, and then looked back towards the lake as water continued to drip down her face. There wasn't much left, but there was still enough to cause her face to glisten in the sunlight.
"I know, Aang." She sighed as she gazed at the sunrise. "I'm just a little… conflicted." She wasn't sure if that was the right word. But it worked nicely for now.
Aang took his hand off of her shoulder, and sat down with his legs crossed next to her, and watched with curiosity as the firebender began to explain her inner turmoil.
"I want to help you because I feel as though what my brother is doing is… well, wrong." Lian began as she moved her hands about, creating a tiny fireball that she was tossing back and forth with ease. Aang watched carefully as Lian played with the fire in her hands, but continued to listen intently.
"But at the same time," Lian stopped tossing the ball of fire, and sighed as she held it in the hand closest to Aang, who was still watching the fire with wonder. "Zuko is my best friend. My family. He's always supported me and I feel as though if I left him- I would be abandoning him at a time when he needs my support the most."
Aang looked up at Lian's last few words, and watched as the teenage girl gazed down at the ball of fire in her hand, and suddenly made her hand into a fist- and extinguished the fire without a second thought.
Aang didn't say a word, but just waited patiently for Lian to continue as Katara watched carefully from Appa's saddle.
"Aang, I know that you've been gone for a long, long time." Lian started as she stared down at the hand that had just enveloped the flame she had created. Aang nodded solemnly, but continued to listen to Lian. "But do you know what the fire nation- My nation, has done to the world?" She asked as she finally looked up, and met eyes with Aang.
Aang gave a shrug, and continued to meet Lian's gaze.
"I know a little. I know that there's a war that's been going on for a hundred years." He answered as he looked away towards the sunrise. The thought of him not being there to protect the world for so long hurt him.
Lian looked back towards the sunrise as well, sighed. He didn't know the half of it.
"Aang, my father has singlehandedly left this world scarred and broken. He's destroyed nations. Killed millions, and worst of all, he's destroyed families." She spoke as she looked away from Aang and the sunset. "Even his own." She muttered.
"I'm not sure that I want to be a part of his destruction anymore, Aang. It's painful to watch and-" She paused, and Aang looked towards her. "I've been telling myself that since you first asked me if I wanted to join that I could help you. I could help the Avatar heal this world."
Aang watched Lian contemplate her words for a moment, and then suddenly gave a soft smile.
"Lian, you don't always have to feel obligated to do things for your family that you're not comfortable with. You can do anything with your life." Aang spoke as Lian looked towards him with her wide amber eyes. "It may not be the easiest decision, but it may be the right decision."
Lian stared at Aang for a moment, and then smiled at him.
"Well Aang, aren't you wise for your age?" She chuckled as she playfully reached out, and punched his arm gently, causing Aang to laugh.
"Well, technically I am a 112 years old." Aang shrugged as he continued to giggle. Lian laughed quietly, and looked back towards the lake. The sun was up completely by now, and it was gazing down at them from its perch in the sky.
It may not be the easiest decision, but it may be the right decision.
Lian looked at Aang, who was still watching Lian, waiting for her answer.
"Aang," She said with a strong voice as she stood, and looked down at the boy with the arrows.
Aang looked up at the Princess, and watched as she held out hand, and followed the length of her arm up to her face, where a smile rested underneath her glittering amber eyes.
"I think I have an answer for you."
-0-
"Uncle, I want the repairs made as soon as possible. I don't want to risk staying too long and losing his trail." Zuko spoke as he walked down the gangplank and onto the dock with his Uncle trailing behind him.
"You mean the Avatar?" Iroh asked with a questioning look on his face.
Zuko stopped abruptly on the dock, and then whirled around to face his Uncle with a look of fire in his eyes.
"Don't mention his name on these docks!" Zuko hissed quietly through gritted teeth, causing his Uncle to lean back slightly. "Once word gets out that he's alive every firebender will be out looking for him and I don't want anyone getting in the way!"
"Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?" A voice asked nearby. Zuko's eyes widened, and he spun about to face the man who was speaking to them.
Zuko's expression turns dark as he spots the man who has spoken to him, and his body tenses with distaste.
"Captain Zhao." Zuko practically spits as he watches the man with approach them.
Zhao smirked as his name left Zuko's throat, causing his sideburns to twitch with the movement.
"Its Commander now." Zhao sneered at Zuko, causing the Prince's features to twist slightly. "And General Iroh!" Zhao bowed at Iroh, who smiled humbly at the man whom his nephew despised, and watched as he stood once more. "Great hero of our nation."
"Retired General." Iroh corrected with a smile.
Zhao only continues to speak.
"The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcome guests any time." Zhao smiled as his eyes flickered to Zuko's ship. "What brings you to my harbor?" He questioned.
Iroh is the first to speak.
"Our ship is being repaired." He answers as Zuko narrows his eyes at the memory of exactly how the incident occurred.
Zhao leans over slightly to eye the heavily damaged bow of Zuko's ship, and raises an eyebrow at the sight.
"That's quite a bit of damage." Zhao purrs with an almost uninterested tone that causes Zuko to glare at him from the corner of his eyes.
"Yes! You wouldn't believe what happened." Zuko spoke suddenly, causing both Zhao and his Uncle to look towards him. Zuko then elbowed his Uncle, and motioned towards his downtrodden ship. "Uncle! Tell Commander Zhao what happened.
Uncle seemed to stumble at Zuko's sudden pass, and his eyes widen, and blink a few times before he speaks.
"Yes…I will do that. It was incredible!" Iroh began as he rose up his hands for effect, and then leaned over towards his nephew, and whispered; "What? Did we crash or something?"
The color in Zuko's face drained suddenly, but thankfully, he didn't stumble as terribly as his Uncle.
"Uh… Yes!" He spoke uncomfortably. "Right into an Earth Kingdom ship!"
Zhao raised an eyebrow at this answer, and gave a knowing smile.
"Really?" He begins. "You must regale me with all the thrilling details." He finished as he leaned close to Zuko's face with an obvious challenge.
"Join me for a drink?" The Commander asks as he backs away from Zuko's scowling face.
Zuko quickly answers.
"Sorry, but we have to go." Zuko snaps as he turns to leave. But his Uncle reaches back, and grabs his nephew's shoulder, causing him to stop short.
"Zuko! Show Commander Zhao your respect." He scolds before turning back towards Zhao with a kind smile. "We will be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? That is my favorite." Iroh questions as he moves to follow Commander Zhao.
Zuko growls in fury behind the two men, and two bursts of fire fly from his hands in anger before he begins to stomp after them.
"I'm sure we do, General Iroh." Zhao answers smoothly as he leads them to his tent. "But I've just noticed that someone is missing!" He says as he feigns interest. Zuko's eyebrows shoot up behind them, and he nearly smacks himself in the face.
Of course Zhao would notice that Lian's missing. Who wouldn't?
"Where is your lovely sister, Prince Zuko?" Zhao asks as he turns to look at the Prince, who quickly composes his features, and glowers at the Commander.
Zuko quickly thinks, and spits out an answer.
"She was not feeling well today. She's in her quarters back on the ship." Zuko spews as he follows the two men inside of the tent, and takes a seat.
"Ah," Zhao says as he takes a seat, and snaps his fingers. "I'm sure she is."
-0-
"Hey stomach, be quiet, alright? I'm trying to find us some food."
Lian's amber eyes turned from her fingers where she had been firebending a miniature dragon through, and turned towards the boy who was now speaking to his growling- or more like snarling stomach. With a mixture of interest and boredom, she watched as he picked up a food bag, and dumped out the contents onto his gloved hand, revealing only a pile of crumbs.
"Hey!" He shouts, causing Lian's eyebrow to rise as her miniature dragon turned back into a line of fire due to her lack of concentration. "Who ate all my blubbered sea jerky?!"
Aang sat up a bit straighter, and turned slightly towards Sokka from his place on Appa's head.
"Oh, that was food?" He speaks as he adjusts his hold on Appa's reigns. Lian raised both eyebrows as the exchange continues. "I used it to start the campfire last night. Sorry." He shrugs as Sokka groans.
"WHAT? No wonder the flames smelled so good." He groaned as he reached up, and pulled down his eyes in frustration.
A small laugh escaped Lian's lips as she looked back down what was now a ball of fire in her hand, and attempted to focus on turning it back into a small dragon as Sokka glared at her.
"What?" He snapped at Lian, causing her to lose her concentration, and look up at Sokka with wide eyes.
Lian gave a small smirk, and scoffed quietly.
"Nothing." She answered innocently before looking back down at her string of fire that Sokka promptly glowered at.
"I thought I said no firebending!" He snapped as he pointed at Lian's fingers. Lian looked up at him with a deadpanned expression, and just when she was about to snap back at him, Aang intervened.
"Come on, Sokka. That's like asking me not to airbend. Or Katara not to waterbend." He reasoned as he glanced back at his friends. Katara was the next to stand up for Lian.
"Yeah Sokka, just calm down. She's just keeping herself entertained." Katara spoke as she sent a motherly look at her brother.
Sokka just stuck out his lower lip like a child, and then slumped in his seat, causing Lian to chuckle slightly, and then turn back to her firebending. The passenger's of Appa's saddle went silent for a while longer, but Lian could still feel Sokka's heated glare from his seat nearby her.
Then she wondered, if he despised her so much, then why in the world was he seated so close by?
"The Batola mountain range!" Aang suddenly shouted out as he pointed at the mountain range. "We're almost there!"
Lian frowned at the words, and swallowed hard as she allowed her flame to go out in the wind.
Sokka noticed Lian's sudden change in demeanor, and narrowed his eyes at her as Katara began to speak.
"Aang, before we get to the temple, I want to talk to you about the airbenders." She spoke uneasily, as if she were trapped on ice. Lian looked up at her words with a surprised look in her eyes, and realized- Aang didn't know exactly how much the Fire nation had destroyed.
He didn't' understand that his people were gone.
"What about 'em?" Aang asked as Lian reached up, and placed a hand on her chest as a little bird called guilt began to build its nest in her ribcage.
Lian looked over at Katara, who seemed to be planning her words carefully, causing Lian's blonde eyebrows to furrow.
Don't lie to him, Katara, just tell him. She thought in a desperate plea.
"Well, I just want you to prepared for what you might see." She spoke gently as she watched Aang carefully, and then glanced at Lian, who quickly averted her eyes down towards her lap. "The Fire Nation is ruthless. They killed my Mother and they could have done the same to your people." She said softly as she continued to watch Aang for any sign of response.
Lian felt the bird in her chest suddenly take a peck at her heart, and tug sharply.
The Fire Nation is Ruthless. She repeated in her head as Aang responded to Katara.
"Just because no one has seen an airbender doesn't mean that the Fire Nation killed them all." He chirped optimistically as he turned to look at Lian with a smile. "They probably escaped. Right Lian?"
Lian jumped at the sound of her name, but none the less, she looked at Aang with wide eyes, and felt her chest tighten at the sight of his happy-go-lucky face.
Thankfully Katara intervened, and Lian was able to slip by without saying a word.
"I know it's hard to accept." Katara pushed just before she bit her lip. Lian only sunk slightly in her sitting position, her face now out of Sokka, Katara, and party Aang's view as she reached back, and pulled up the thin hood attached to her shirt.
"You don't understand Katara. The only way to get to an airbender temple is on a flying bison, and I doubt the Fire Nation has any flying bison. Right Appa?" Aang chimed as he reached down, and lovingly pet Appa, who grunted with approval.
Lian pulled her head further over her face, and sighed, causing Sokka and Katara to both look at her.
They didn't need flying bison Aang. She thought darkly as she tried to ignore the nest of guilt that had taken place in her ribcage.
Sokka watched Lian for a moment longer before exchanging a look with his sister, who simply gave him a poignant look, and a shrug.
"Yip yip!" Aang commands Appa as they begin to approach the mountainside.
It's when Lian feels the sudden shift in Appa's angle that she bolts straight up, and clings to the saddle next to her, and holds her hood in place with her other hand as Sokka and Katara strain to keep themselves up along with her.
"I don't think I like flying!" Lian shouts over the howling wind as she squeezes her eyes shut.
But just as soon a Appa sped up, he rose above the rocky outcropping and the tress, and the tall spirals of the Southern Air temple were revealed.
When Lian hear Katara and Sokka gasp as they reveled in the sight before them, she opened her eyes, and took in her own gasp.
"Its… amazing." Lian breathed as she sat up on Appa's saddle and gazed at the temple with her wide eyes.
Aang only smiled, and reached down to pet Appa's head.
"We're home, buddy." He smiled as he looked back up at the Temple. Lian's look of amazement suddenly fell, and her eyes snapped towards Aang. "We're home."
The nest in her ribcage suddenly grew, and the bird took another hard, violent, peck at her heart.
-0-
A rough, calloused hand waved across the map on the wall with a confident air, and then lowered back towards it owner's side.
"And by year's end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule." Zhao spoke as he moved away from the map with a glance towards Iroh, whom was inspecting some of the weapons on the wall, and then took a seat in front of Zuko, who glared at the Commander.
"The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war." Zhao announced proudly as he watched Zuko's expression, and how his eyes narrowed when he spoke.
"If my Father thinks that the rest of the world is going to follow him willingly then he is a fool." Zuko spat as he continued to glare at Zhao.
Zhao quirked an eyebrow at the young man before him, and he looked pointedly at the Prince's scar.
"Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue." Zhao retorted coolly as Zuko sat back in his chair with a sour expression on his face.
"So how is your search for the Avatar going?" Zhao asked after a moment of silence.
But then, there is a loud crash of metal clanging against each other as weapons fall, and the Prince and the Commander turn to look at Iroh, who is standing over the fallen stand of weapons with a bewildered expression on his face.
"My fault entirely." He says with an embarrassed expression on his face.
Zuko rolled his eyes at his Uncle, and then turned back to Zhao, who also looked slightly annoyed.
"We haven't found him yet." Zuko answered. Zhao eyes flashed, and he gave a retched smile.
"Did you really expect to?" Zhao practically laughed, causing Zuko to clench his hands into fists. "The Avatar died a hundred years ago- along with the rest of the airbenders." He sneered.
Zuko couldn't help but look away from Zhao, and wonder, how exactly did the Avatar live for all those years?
Zhao noticed Zuko's guilty stare at his floor, and he leaned forward with an accusing look on his face.
"Unless you have evidence that the Avatar is still alive?" Zhao asked with an underlying tone to his voice that caused Zuko to turn, and glare at him.
Agni, I wish Lian was here. She can lie just as well as Azula. Zuko thought to himself as he looked back away from Zhao.
"No. Nothing." Zuko answered carefully. Zhao didn't buy it, and he began to rise from his chair, causing Iroh and Zuko to look at him.
"Prince Zuko," Zhao spat as he stood in front of Zuko, who looked up at him with fire in his eyes. "The Avatar is the only person who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war."
Zhao leaned even closer, and Zuko narrowed his eyes.
"If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you've found out." Zhao hissed with a stern, yet threatening look on his aged face.
"I haven't found anything." Zuko hissed with defiance. "It's like you said. The Avatar probably died a long time ago."
Zuko stood, and without looking at his Uncle, he spoke.
"Come on, Uncle. We're leaving." He glared at Zhao one last time, and turned to exit- but was cut off when two guards crossed their spears in front of him, and another guard approaches to speak to Zhao, who is waiting with a smug look on his face.
"Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape, and Princess Lian was taken hostage." The guard reported as Zhao walked towards Zuko, and stopped right behind him with a scowl on his face.
"Now remind me," Zhao sneered as Zuko glared at the spears crossed before him. "How was your ship damaged?"
Zuko looks down at his feet, and gives a quiet sigh of defeat.
I really wish you were here right now, Lian. He closed his eyes, and clenched his fists. I'm sorry.
-0-
A pair of amber eyes gazed up at the Southern Air Temple with wonder as the sun shined over them.
Lian took a few steps away from Aang, Katara, and Sokka, but reminded herself not to wander too far as she reached up, and adjusted her hood over her golden hair, and continued to gaze around the Air temple.
It was gorgeous. Spectacular. And it's all built thousands of feet in the air.
This thought makes Lian slightly dizzy, but she quickly composes herself when she spots Aang run past her out of the corner of her eye, and her eyes follow him as he runs off into the Temple, leaving Lian with Katara and Sokka.
Just as Lian turns her eyes back up towards the Temple, Sokka speaks.
"So where do I get something to eat?" He asks as he rubs his stomach a few yards behind Lian.
Lian's expression goes from one of wonder, to dumbfounded as she turns on her heel, and shoots Sokka a look.
"You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to ever visit an airbender temple and all you can think about is food?" Katara retorts as she rolls her eyes, and begins to walk after Aang. Sokka begins to walk after her as Lian walks forwards as well, now next to Katara, and right in front of Sokka.
"I'm just a simple guy with simple needs." Sokka replies as he shrugs his shoulders, and looks around the temple.
Lian scoffed, and Sokka snapped his head towards her with a pointed glare.
The trio finally finds Aang waiting for them at the end of a path, and he turns to flash them a smile as he points down excitedly towards what Lian could only describe as a court made of poles.
"What is that?" Lian asked as she nodded down at the court below them. Aang looks towards it, and smiles even wider.
"That's where my friends and I used to play air ball!" Aang chirped happily as Lian walked closer to the edge, and inspected the grounds below them.
Everything looked terribly overgrown, and then air ball court looked as though it had not been tended to in, well, centuries.
"And …over there is where the bison would sleep…and…" Aang trails off, and Lian looks up from the grounds, and up at the boy standing beside her.
"What's wrong?" Katara asks behind Lian and Aang.
Aang didn't answer at first, and Lian reached forwards, and placed a warm, comforting hand on the boy's shoulder, causing him to look up, and send Lian a weak smile, which she returned in full.
"This place used to be filled with monks and lemurs and bison. Now there's just a bunch of weeds." He answered as he looked towards the grounds with a sad expression on his face, and Lian frown at the boy.
"I can't believe how much things have changed." He said softly. Lian felt a pang in her chest, and gave Aang's shoulder a gentle squeeze, and Aang cast Lian a sorrowful glance in response.
Lian opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Sokka interrupted.
"So, uh, this air ball game?" Sokka began as he walked up to Lian and Aang as the Princess dropped her hand from Aang's shoulder. "How do you play?"
-0-
After Aang had begun to explain the game to Sokka, Lian had chosen to wander off on her own, exploring the temple and its vast array of carvings and the few artifacts that she could find. Most of which were in pieces- but they were still there.
Its only when she looks up at the carving on the air temple wall that she feels her heart clench in guilt, and she finally releases the pent up, shaky sigh that she had been holding in all morning, and lowered her hood.
"I'm so sorry." She whispered to herself as she looked away from the carving on the wall, and then turned her back to it.
The apology was meant for more than just Aang. More than just the lives that the Fire Nation had taken. It was for the family she had chosen to leave on her own accord.
I'm sorry Zuko. But this is for my sanity. As my best friend, and my brother, I'm sure you would understand. She recited to herself in her head.
But after a moment of contemplating- she looked up towards the ceiling and rolled her eyes at herself.
"No he wouldn't." She muttered to herself as she looked back down, and brought her hood back up over her golden hair.
When she began walking again, she realized that she had only walked in a large circle when she spotted Sokka fly off of the air ball court, and land on the ground a few feet away.
Lian continued to walk forward as she watched Sokka call his sister over, and point to an object on the ground near him. Katara rushes over, and without a second thought, she calls over Aang- just as Lian gets close enough to see the object Sokka called his sister over for.
A fire nation helmet.
When Lian is finally close enough to hear Aang's shouts, Katara suddenly raises up her arms, and waterbends the snow over the helmet- and Sokka, just in time for Aang, and Lian to approach them.
"What is it?" Aang asked excitedly as he looked around for signs of anything different.
Katara exchanges a wary look with her brother, and then looks back at Aang with a weak smile.
"Uh… just a new waterbending move I learned." She said with uncertainty that Aang didn't seem to notice.
"Nice one. But enough practicing. We have a whole Temple to see!" He said excitedly as he ran between Katara and Lian, and disappeared inside of the Temple.
Lian then faced Katara and Sokka, whom was wiping the snow off of his face and shoulders, and sighed, causing them both to look at her.
"You know," She began as she looked Katara directly in the eyes. "You can't protect him forever."
-0-
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