The Highest Bidder
Chapter Fifteen: The Avatar is Sighted
General Iroh and I kept a look-out for the flying bison on the ship; though we had scouts located at other corners of the world—people who were still loyal to the banished prince. If they saw a flying bison, or two Water Tribe peasants traveling with it, the spies were supposed to send a messenger hawk to our ship and alert us of the sightings. Of course, the Avatar traveled so evasively that it was more difficult to track him like we would if he were a traveler on land. We were on the sea for three more weeks, and the Avatar's locations were scattered madly across the map of the world. He had been to two locations by the Earth Kingdom, and another which had been the island that I had resided before I met Zuko.
At first, I considered that the 12-year-old boy had no idea where he was going (later, I found out that I was right) but I assumed that the Avatar was heading some place where he could master the other four elements: water, earth then fire.
General Iroh and I sat on the foredeck; he was playing Pai Shoi with Lt. Jee as I perused the map of the four nations in confusion and disarray.
"Perhaps," General Iroh suggested, "you should try thinking from a different angle."
"That would be something an Airbender would do," I muttered. I had resolved the situation from all points of a person could sit in order to concentrate harder, but alas, I had become something of an overbearing person, seated with my hands clasped hard against my temples, cross-legged, and practically staring at the map as if it just shows me where the Avatar was residing now.
The lieutenant glanced between General Iroh and me, and he said with a very regrettable tone,
"So…who is going to be the one to tell Prince Zuko that we have no idea where he is?"
I looked up at him and laughed nervously,
"Ah, Lieutenant, that's just negative thinking."
Iroh smiled.
"I enjoy your optimism, Commander, but you can't keep Prince Zuko in the dark."
"Where is he?" asked Lt. Jee. "I haven't seen the angry jerk in some time."
"Mind your mouth," I said curtly. I rolled up the map and jabbed him hard in the shoulder. "He may be an angry jerk, but he's your superior officer. At any rate," I said patiently, "I suppose it won't do any harm to let him know that we're still working on picking up the Avatar's trail."
"If I know my nephew," said Iroh, "I can guarantee you that he will be angry to learn that we lost it in the first place."
"He's angry anyway," I sighed.
Lt. Jee stroked his goatee in thought.
"Let me glance at the map for a moment."
As I drank my tea, he perused it for a few minutes. He smiled brightly and handed it to me, still smiling. I gave him a curious look.
"Did you find anything?" I asked hopefully.
Still smiling, now forcefully, he said,
"I have no idea where he is."
"Damn…" I muttered. "It's because of the provider with the rhinos."
"It's nothing to do with what happened earlier," Iroh dismissed my guilt. "The Avatar travels light, and his friends are just as desirable to get out from underneath Zuko's radar as the Avatar himself. I'll let him know. Come with me, Mura."
I grumbled regrettable words under my breath as Iroh tugged me along.
When we approached Zuko's quarters, we took turns pushing each other in front of one another in order to decide who should open the door first.
Let me just say this: I wasn't afraid of Prince Zuko, but who really wants to make a hot-tempered Firebender angry as living hell?
Iroh and I whispered encouraging words to each other,
"You open the door, and I'll tell him."
"No, you're opening the door, and I'll tell him."
"You're his uncle; you're family, you'll be more apt to be forgiven."
"You're his lady friend; just kiss him and it'll be all over."
"I'll open the door and—"
"Oh, no, I'm opening the door."
It was only a minute that we did this; however, at some point during that fast pace talking, I opened the door and Iroh and I appeared in the door way together to deliver the news.
Zuko was sitting in the lotus position in front of an altar. Four white candles burned in front of him. The light from the candles increased and decreased with Zuko's rhythmic breathing; and his eyes were closed in meditation; his face was calm and concentrated. When we opened the door, he said in a dangerously silky voice,
"The only reason why you should be interrupting me is if you have news about the Avatar."
General Iroh entered before me with the map in his hand. I closed the door behind us.
"Well," said Iroh cautiously, "there is news, Prince Zuko, but you might not like it. Don't get too upset."
"Uncle," said Zuko calmly, "you taught me that keeping a level head is a sign of a great leader. Now whatever you have to say, I'm sure that I can take it."
"Okay then…" Iroh said. "We have no idea where he is."
"WHAT?"
The four candles flared to the ceiling with Zuko's wrath; he rose quickly and turned to face us, his anger was evident on his face. Iroh threw a hand out to me and pushed me away from the flames; he raised his right arm to protect his face. As the flames subsided, Iroh pulled a fan from out of his robes.
"You should really open a window in here," Iroh said, fanning himself.
"Give me that map!"
Zuko studied it. He looked up at me, for I had said nothing.
"We left as soon as possible," he told me. "We couldn't have been that far behind!"
"He's on a flying bison, Prince Zuko," I said quietly. "Don't batter yourself over this sort of thing; anybody could understand why it's difficult to find him. His friends board the bison and they probably alert him when we're near…"
"There have been multiple sightings of the Avatar," said Iroh, "but he is impossible to track down."
"How am I going to find him, Uncle?"
Zuko looked down at the map marked with circled Xs and dotted lines connected to the reported Avatar sightings. The lines zigzagged all over the landmass drawing. I hadn't expected it to be a simple task to track down the boy; he was barely a teenager, and at that age, the Avatar would have had a hard time to focus on one thing at a time.
"He's obviously a master at evasive maneuvering," Zuko muttered.
General Iroh left the room quietly.
"Well," I proposed off-handedly, "he's obviously got to rest sometime, doesn't he? And he'll need supplies as well."
"So you think he'll be visiting a marketplace soon? I 've already thought about that, Mura." Zuko said crossly.
"I'm not talking about some random marketplace, dear," I muttered as he sat back down in front of the candle-lit altar. "Perhaps we should stop too."
"Why?"
"The Rhinos are running low on their feed. It'll be less than two days that they'll run out of food. And us as well," I added timidly. "We've recruited a few messenger hawks from the sightings of the Avatar. They won't leave the ship until they're offered payment for their services; and at this rate, we can't spare more than what it is offered for the naval officers."
Zuko glanced at me.
I smiled.
"While you've been sitting in the dark," I said coolly, "I've been talking to some of the other soldiers. They suggest that the rhinos will want some time to wander, and I agree with them. They're patient animals, but no mammal wants to be cooped up in a cage forever. Three weeks is quite a lengthy time for big animals in a fit cage," I added quaintly.
"So, another pit-stop, hm?" Zuko grumbled unhappily.
"It's not so bad where we're headed," I informed casually. "There a few very popularized merchants that port the harbor by Kyoshi Island. The island isn't too far from there, actually."
"By popularized merchants, you mean wealthy suppliers?"
"I mean that they have very good products for a mutually agreed price," I answered.
He beckoned for me to sit down beside him, so I did without a word.
"Your father was a merchant," said Zuko thoughtfully.
"Mhm."
"So you must know a few things about…gambling?"
"I don't gamble."
He gave me a doubtful smirk.
"It's a bit too easy for me," I said lightly. "Playing the dice game just takes a few minutes for me to win a bucket load."
"Because you're good at it?"
I smiled at him. I withdrew a gold piece from my robes and steadied it on the low table. Zuko watched with mild curiosity as the piece twirled on its slender edge, flipped across the table, and twirled again.
"I cheat." I whispered.
Zuko watched the gold piece roll away from him to land in the palm of my hand.
"The merchants are no doubt a friend of my father's from when I was a child," I sighed. "They won't be a problem in the trade. If there is, I'll just smile and pull down my top."
Zuko stared at me.
"I'll pretend that I didn't hear that…"
I kissed his cheek swiftly and stood up.
"I'll make a course then?"
Zuko confirmed my request with a stiff nod.
"I'll let you know when we port," I reported, and turned to walk out the door.
Kyoshi Island is located in the South Sea, off the southern coast of the Earth Kingdom, and is the home of many small villages. It's popularized by its fishing port; and it's a favorite stopping point for traders and travelers. It's well-known for the birthplace of Avatar Kyoshi; it's characterized by its seclusion and temperate climate.
My father was a merchant, as I have said before, and he would go place to place for a good deal. It wouldn't shock me to find out if he visited Kyoshi Island as part of his route. It wouldn't have surprised me if the Avatar was on the island. I thought it would be relevant since Avatar Kyoshi had been an Airbender as well.
We docked at a village that was homey to travelers and voyeurs alike: they wouldn't question a Fire Nation ship. I asked Lt. Jee to inform Prince Zuko that we had arrived and that I was going ashore to retrieve the feed for the Komodo Rhinos. Lt. Jee casually accepted that with little joy; he still didn't like to be around Prince Zuko if he could help it. General Iroh stopped me.
"You know, Mura, perhaps you shouldn't go alone without Zuko."
"Why not?" I asked out of curiosity. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"It's not about you; it's him that I'm worried about," Iroh said with a sly smile.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, no offense, Commander, but you're not the ugliest woman that I've ever seen."
I stared at him, humored while at the same time confused by his comment.
"Uh-huh…"
"Well, my nephew is the jealous type…"
I burst out laughing.
"I'm not checking out the merchandise, General Iroh, I'm going to get supplies."
He glanced uneasily over his shoulder to make sure that Zuko was standing there.
"Well, just be sure you don't make yourself available to the merchants. He might get the wrong impression."
I patted his shoulder and turned away, chuckling.
For those who haven't seen Fire Lord Zuko's protective side: yes, Zuko is a very jealous man, though he shouldn't be. As I am sure his wife will agree, he's a very attractive man, and they make a beautiful couple.
I visited a local marketplace, bought what I needed, and came straight back. Iroh might have been a tad paranoid in the matter of my shopping spree, but that was entirely it for the day. When I returned, I went below to feed the Komodo Rhinos, who all roared their satisfaction at the fresh provided source of meat. I pet their heads affectionately.
Zuko joined me as I fed them.
"You're a strange person," he said firmly.
"And you're testy, but I accept who you are," I said wistfully. I playfully threw parsley in his direction.
He wiped away the vegetation from his clothes with an annoyed expression on his face.
"How was your trip to the market?"
I beamed at him, amused.
"You're asking me that? Of all things? Prince Zuko, I'm sure that you can come up with something better than that drabble."
"Why did you leave without me?" he said curtly.
"You were occupied. I left on my accordance; it wasn't taking me a long time. If I went with your uncle, we would still be in the first shop. You know how he is."
"That's not the point."
He was being cross. At first, I thought he was joking, but that's when I realized that he was serious and that he wasn't going to lighten up.
"Oh, Zuko, I was gone for an hour. It's nothing to worry about."
"Nothing to worry about…" he repeated quietly.
I finished feeding the Komodo Rhinos and smacked my hands together to wipe off the saucy residue on my fingers. Zuko seemed uncomfortable.
"What's wrong?"
"You should always tell me where you're going." Zuko said. "I don't want the other soldiers to think that you're in any way special. That and someone might take you."
I sighed in exasperation.
"You're still on that 'Zhao' thing, aren't you?" I was partially-laughing and serious. To me, the entire situation was ridiculous. I wasn't attracted to any other man, and my loyalty was with the banished prince.
However, our argument ended briefly when he told me that Commander Zhao wasn't the type of person who could take 'no' for an answer. I didn't argue the matter because deep down, I understood that Zuko's irritation was more out of concern that jealousy. Or maybe it was a bit of both, but I couldn't be sure. Although I found it to be quite aggravating, I felt that Zuko's jealousy was touching.
The next day, mid-morning after the morning meal, Zuko grabbed my wrist and led me onto the foredeck. I thought for briefly that I had done something wrong; and I sincerely thought it, too, when Zuko handed me a sword, and he took up one as well.
"What are you doing?" I asked apprehensively.
"Showing you how to fight with a weapon."
I winced.
"Zuko, remember what happened the last time you taught me something?"
"This is something different," he said. "I lost my temper with you the last time because I didn't fully understand your gift—that it acts a defense mechanism when you feel like you're genuinely threatened."
I smiled warmly, but still held the sword loose in my hand.
"I told you, Prince Zuko: I was born to use my powers, so that I wouldn't have to learn how to use weaponry."
"Then just do it because I want you to learn." Zuko said peacefully.
I blinked.
"All right," I sighed.
Zuko stood behind me; he clasped his hand around mine that held the sword.
"Don't treat your weapon like a solitary object; act as if it is the extension of your arm. It's not a play-thing; and if it's lost, act as if you would be useless without it."
"That's not too far from the truth," I muttered.
He sighed.
"It's always a joke with you, isn't it?" he retorted coarsely. He continued to train me; however he added, disgruntled, "You've been hanging around my uncle for too long…"
Prince Zuko was a magnificent teacher, as long as he had the patience. The entire day consisted of foot work, parries, and thrusts. It actually was quite a productive day; what's more was that I didn't use my powers at all defensively. It was a one-on-one principle between Zuko and me, and I was perfectly peachy keen all the while.
One thing that I did like about Zuko, and I still believe this today, was that even though he was a temperamental boy, he had a lovely smile when he showed it. As I said before, Fire Lord Zuko is a very handsome man. I'll even embarrass myself to say that while we trained with swords, I enjoyed every minute of it because he spent time with me.
It was a lovely day, and I still think it was one of the best ones that I ever lived.
Around mid-evening, dinner was served with accurate time. The cook had left to buy a salmon off a merchant to use for evening meal, and General Iroh, Zuko, and I waited in Zuko's quarters.
General Iroh waited with bated breath for the food. He was an amusing man, and I took pleasure in his miniseries about the wonderful ways to make a meal with only a roasted potato and leachy nuts. Considering that the potato was bland and that I really did not like leachy nuts, I was surprised by Iroh of how a terrible meal could be spectacular with a few condiments from wildlife.
"See," said Iroh, leaning in to me, "what you do is that you go to the South Sea, find some Fickleperry berries, and when you mash them into a bowl, put the potato in there, and it tastes so delicious." He held up a finger, "But make sure you don't confuse the Fickleperry berries with the Perrymickle cherries."
"What's the difference?" I asked serenely.
"My dear, if you eat the cherries, they possess a secretion that is deadly to humans. You'll die, of course!"
I glanced at Zuko, who face palmed his forehead.
The cook knocked on the door politely.
"Enter." Zuko said waving a hand as the chef opened the door.
"How are the officers doing tonight?" asked the chef courteously. "General Iroh, Prince Zuko, the lovely Commander Mura—Oh!"
Zuko grabbed the chef by his collar pointedly.
"Just serve the food and get out."
The chef glanced at me shakily and placed the food hurriedly on the table. Zuko released him. I was a bit shocked, though I recomposed myself as I retrieved the attention of the cook again.
"Oh, Commander," said the chef unsteadily, "there is news about the Avatar."
Zuko's eyes widened excitedly. He jumped to his feet.
"Where?" he demanded.
"Prince Zuko, calm down," I said, pulling Zuko's sleeve. "You're scaring him."
"Where is the Avatar? Where was he last seen?"
"Kyoshi Island," the chef said nervously.
I think my mouth dropped when he said that. Yes, I'm sure it did.
"Well, hell," I chuckled, stumped. "I was right…"
"Set a course to Kyoshi Island," Zuko said immediately. "I'm not losing him again."
"Zuko!" called General Iroh. "Are you going to eat the rest of your fish?"
Zuko walked into the room, grabbed his meal, and snapped,
"I was saving it for later!"
I chuckled at Iroh's annoyance as Zuko stormed out of the room.