Chapter 14

The villagers gave the stormy Fire Prince a wide berth as he made his way to Yung's house. Yung's son, Neshi, watched him approach and ran inside ahead of him, apparently to inform his father. Sure enough, Yung came out the door to meet him.

"Good morning, your highness," Yung said respectfully with a deep bow. "I hope you are well."

"I am not here for small talk," Zuko responded. "We must return to the capital. Now."

Patiently, Yung began explaining again that the only oceangoing vessel the island possessed was now at the bottom of the harbor. "Come with me," he instructed and led the way out of the village to a mountain path. Several minutes of climbing brought them to a lookout post built on a platform. "From here, you can see the entire harbor and the ocean beyond," Yung explained.

Zuko looked out past the harbor where he could see additional islands in the distance. They were close enough to reach by one of the fishing boats, but only if the weather held good. The tropical waters were usually calm, but one could never tell when a storm would spring up. All his sea experience had been on larger Fire Navy vessels, and he'd seen storms of enough ferocity to batter them apart, much less a smaller boat. Reaching the mainland in a fishing boat would have to be a plan of last resort.

"Who else knows of this settlement?" Zuko asked.

"A few colonists in the capital," Yung answered evasively. "Those we trade with."

"The black market," Zuko stated without question.

"Since we cannot openly trade our goods for fear of giving away our position, yes, we deal with the black market," Yung answered defensively. "This island is perfectly safe, Prince Zuko. Why not let us colonists settle here and make the farms and fishing profitable again?"

"You cannot know that this island won't explode tomorrow," Zuko answered. "The colony communities in the city have affordable houses, jobs, and schools. Fire Lord Iroh worked very hard to make certain that you would have homes in this country."

Yung walked to the edge of the post and gestured out across the valley below. "This is where we belong—not stacked up in little boxes in the city. We are farmers. We are learning to be fishermen. Yes, this island is dangerous. Villages closer to the volcano have been consumed. But we deal with it. We adapt because the freedom is worth the risk," Yung's voice was passionate. "I want my son to walk his own land and be able to supply his family's needs with his own labor."

"We have a good life here," Yung continued softly. "If only we could trade freely and have access to the medicines we need. But as long as these islands are officially closed, we too are closed off."

"And when the volcano does erupt? Can you be certain that rescue will come in time to keep all of you from dying?" Zuko asked as he moved to stand beside Yung against the post's balcony rail. "What kind of leader would I be to knowingly allow hundreds of innocent people—women and children--to risk dying in such a horrible way?"

Yung didn't answer, but stood in thought.

"Have you ever seen a volcano explode, Yung?" Zuko asked pointedly. Yung shook his head. Zuko then proceeded to describe as vividly as possible the destruction of the island that housed Avatar Roku's temple. "I was there," he said solemnly. "I barely escaped with my life. Avatar Roku himself died in a volcanic eruption—not even the Avatar was able to stop it."

As if to reinforce his point, the volcano on the other side of the island gave a low rumble that they could feel as well as hear. "You can't stop that," said Zuko sadly. "You can't predict it. All you can do is run from it."

Yung's head hung dejectedly as he considered Zuko's words. Then with a sigh, he looked up toward the ocean again. Suddenly his eyes narrowed in anger. He cursed, then took Zuko's arm, dragging him back to the path. "Prince Zuko," he instructed, "go get your young lady and take this path across the mountain. There's an abandoned village on the other side."

Zuko pulled himself free of Yung's grasp, one hand going reflexively to his dagger. Yung pointed out to the horizon where Zuko could see the twin smokestacks of a Fire Nation destroyer. However, instead of the Fire Nation symbol, the ship bore a different image that he couldn't quite make out. "Who are they?" he asked accusingly.

Yung looked him in the eye. "Pirates led by a man named Deizhoun." At the name, Yung saw Zuko's eyes narrow in recognition. "I see you have heard of him. They are coming ashore, maybe for only a day or so if they get everything they want quickly. You do not want your young lady to fall into his hands. Please, just leave the village for now. I will send Neshi back with a message before nightfall."

Zuko hesitated. "If they knew you were here, they'd kill us all to get to you." The urgency in Yung' voice made up Zuko's mind. The ship was entering the harbor. Time was running out. He ran.

Back at the beach house, Toph found herself idly picking through pieces of volcanic glass she'd discovered on the beach. She had just sat down on the veranda steps to examine her finds when Zuko burst into the house.

"Come on," he said breathlessly, then grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door at a run. They ran through the village and up a winding forest path. When she slowed to try to see where she was going, he just picked her up and continued his punishing pace up the hillside. At the top, he paused at a wooden platform to catch his breath and look back.

"What is going on, Sparky?" she panted, unable to see anything on the wooden deck. She reached out for him, grateful to have her rings on so she could more easily see him. His heart was pounding and she could see as well as hear his labored breathing. He took a moment to recover.

"Pirates," he gasped. "Let's go." Taking her hand again, he began to pull her further into the forest, then down the other side of the mountain, but slower now so she could pick her way through the fallen limbs and hanging vines that obstructed the path.

After an hour or so of careful travel, they reached what appeared to be an abandoned village. The forest had begun to encroach upon the outer ring of houses and grasses had grown up between the buildings. However, even abandoned, this village appeared to be much larger than Yung's.

They walked silently through the town, Zuko peering into doorways and down different streets. Finally, he stopped at a low building set off to itself. Unlike most of the others, this one was made of quarried stone rather than wood. It was also set against a steep bank. She then realized he was looking for a place they could defend.

"Stay here," he said, then quietly opened the door of the house. When she began to follow him in, he motioned for her to stay behind.

"There's—" she began, but he shushed her and stealthily entered the house. She waited outside, arms crossed, for him to finish his exploration. When he returned to the door, she finished, "nothing alive in there."

He held up the long shed skin of a pythonpede. "But there used to be," he replied as she shuddered involuntarily.

Toph gave him an evil look as he draped the skin over the side of the steps. "It'll keep the rats and other snakes away," he explained. Not for the first time, Toph wished she could really see his expression so she'd know just how serious he was.

They entered the little house, and Zuko cleared off a wooden bench and sat down, exhausted. "Sparky," Toph began, "why don't you fill me in? What are we doing out here?"

Zuko took a deep breath and patted the seat next to him. She sat down and put one ringed hand on his knee.

"I'll tell you the truth," he said defensively.

She took a deep breath and did not slap him. "I just want to be able to see you better. Wooden floors are such a pain," she explained calmly. Why on earth had she ever wanted the old moody Zuko back? She'd forgotten what a jerk he could be.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," he said contritely. Then he actually pulled her into his lap, encircling her with his arms and resting his head against her chest. She put her arms around him and held him, mystified anew at what went on in his mind.

He began to explain what he knew about the pirate group. According to reports, Deizhoun was a former Fire Navy captain who, along with his crew, had spent most of his time during the war terrorizing Earth Kingdom communities. When the war ended, they'd simply taken their ship and vanished, continuing their activities as pirates and renegades.

"I've run into their type before back in the Earth Kingdom," Zuko added. "Yung told me that these men discovered a few months ago that the colonists were living here illegally and they've begun extorting money and goods from them as well in exchange for 'protection'. Who knows what they are doing here now, but Yung did not want them to have any idea of our presence on the island."

He didn't tell Toph just how unnerved Yung seemed to be, nor did he share details of the rumors he'd heard from the Fire Navy captains in pursuit of the band. He didn't want to alarm her unnecessarily since as Yung said, usually the group came and went within a day or so.

"All we have to do is lie low for a couple of days and they'll be gone," Zuko finished.

"Sparky, they have a ship, right?" Toph began. "How about we just appropriate it?"

"No, Toph," he was as insistent as he could be. "It's too dangerous. They are trained, armed fighters and firebenders. Besides, the villagers would be right in the middle of the fight. We don't want to make trouble for them right now. Don't think those guys will get away for long though. Yung will give me enough information on them to have them tracked down and arrested as soon as we're back home."

"Okay," she agreed, then she added, "I still think we can take 'em. How many are there?"

"The ship is made for a crew of thirty or so," Zuko answered. "But we aren't going to try to take them on our own. I've put you into enough danger," he sighed.

If at that moment he hadn't sounded so downright pitiful, Toph would have spilled a few words about her ability to take care of herself and how he hadn't gotten her into anything she hadn't jumped right into of her own accord.

She remembered Suki telling her about how overprotective Sokka could be—especially when she was pregnant. Then she remembered Su-lin's words about giving respect. Maybe there was a way to assure Zuko that she was capable of taking care of herself, him, and a band of pirates while keeping his fragile male ego intact.

"Just the same," she said, giving his hair a ruffle, "I think we ought to keep an eye on these fellows to make sure they don't get carried away."

"Okay," he agreed reluctantly. "Yung said he'd get a message to us through his son before nightfall."

"You know, we fought a whole army of firebenders once. And we won," she said gently. "You are a magnificent warrior and you know it. Together we make a pretty powerful team."

"Toph, you are without a doubt the greatest bender I have ever met," Zuko replied, holding her even tighter. "You could encase them all in stone boxes without getting a hair out of place."

She kissed him on top of the head. "I'm glad you still appreciate me," she teased. Then a strange look crossed her face and she stretched her hand out against the stone wall behind her. "Someone's coming," she said.