A Love Like This 2: Child's Play
Chapter 7 Realization
Katara pov
I led Kysa into the garden where I had seen Suki bring the other children. Zuko was there along with Aang and Sokka playing happily with all the children. Toph sat quietly by the pond, Roku in her lap. Kysa was quick to go join Kyoshi, Kya, and little Hakoda. I sat quietly beside Suki, "Have you seen my son?" I asked
She shook her head and Toph rose, putting Roku on the ground, he toddled over to Aang. Toph came and sat beside me, "He is probably off with my daughter and Kan getting into some form of trouble."
All the adults let out an affectionate laugh at the thought. I had to bite my lip to hide my worry. That's when out of the corner of my eye I noticed, Kan come running into the court yard his face was flushed and he looked to be crying. He ran in to Suki's lap and she held him close asking what was wrong?
"I went followed Nya and Azros to uncle iroh's room, that's when I saw some men. They...took Azros and Nya. I followed them and...and they took them to a ship. I came back as fast as I could. I did not know what to do." He said as he looked up and his mom, then back at me and Toph.
"Kan, what did the men look like?" I said the fear setting in now.
"They were dressed in all black and they had an arm band. It had a red flower on it, I remember Uncle Zuko showed one like it to daddy." He said confused
"The Red Lotus Society!" Zuko said, he stood from where he sat, "We need to go speak with my uncle now."
We left the children in Suki's care and dashed through the palace. Each of us kept a sharp eye out in case of an attack. Zuko led us, walking at an alarming rate, Aang and Sokka were close behind him, then it was Toph and me. Then Zuko halted abruptly outside of Iroh's room. His door was wide open and there he lay on the floor. He appeared to not be breathing. I ran past everyone, drawing my water out of it's pouch. I searched his insides for anything, then I could sense a poison in his stomach, it now spreading through his body.
"He has been poisoned. I am only able to weaken it, the only way to stop it is to get the antidote." I said, and I notice Iroh starting to come around.
"Nephew...ugh...Red Lotus....Attacked...you must stop them....they took children...call the white lotus's." He said pointing to a messenger hawk siting in a cage in the corner of his room. He then fell back into unconsciousness. Zuko and Sokka came near they lifted him and laid him on the bed. "Zuko, where did Aang and Toph go?" I asked
"They ran to get the doctors" He explained his expression blank. "They did this, the red lotus attacked my uncle and kid napped my son, but why?"
I just shrugged my shoulders, his mention of Azros made the pain in my stomach in crease. I fell to my knees and began to cry, my whole body everything hurt inside. "Momma?" Kysa, was there in the door way, she had seen and heard everything. It caused me to cry harder, I felt Zuko's hands on my shoulders as he knelt behind me. I felt Kysa come and wrap her little arms around my waist. She buried her face in my hair I heard her whispering "Its okay momma, Ros with come back."
I felt so ashamed about having my four year old daughter, comforting me. I could not believe how much she was like me at this age. She put aside her own discomfort to help me. Than I felt her tears start to come as they began to drench my shoulder. I wanted to comfort her, protect her, but how could I. I was not even able to protect her brother. After a while my tears dried, and I starred blankly and everyone. I noticed Kysa had fallen asleep against me. So I lifted her in shaky arms and carried her to her bed room. I laid her down and kissed her on the forehead before turning and leaving the room. I did not see any one in the hall as I walked to my room. Once there I removed my royal robes and climbed in between the sheets. Which were surprisingly cold for once. I laid there shivering and crying. I eventually fell victim to the darkness, but not before crying out to Yue and my mother to help me find my son again.
I woke in the middle of the night with a start. There in the middle of my room, was Zuko he was dressed in a tight black suit. He crossed the room to a portrait of our family. He removed the picture, revealing our secret vault, we did not keep anything valuable in there, just the items we held dearest were kept in there, like my mothers necklace. I watched as he reached far into the back of the vault and remove a brown paper bag. He then took a blue and white item out of the bag. "Zuko?" I said my curiosity getting the better of me.
"Katara, your not supposed to be up" He said almost with a jump
"I heard you get up, what are you do..." I then realized what exactly what he was doing, "No Zuko, your are not bringing back the Blue Spirit."
"Why not Katara, it's the only way for me to get answers with out people realizing who I am." He said trying to persuade me.
" Zuko its to dangerous. You could be killed, there is still a warrant out for the blue spirits arrest remember."
"So, I wont get caught." He said with a cocky attitude. "Beside this is the easiest way to get information on the red lotus with out being seen."
"There is no way I am letting you go alone." I said getting up and crossing the room.
"Alright than, I knew I might have trouble persuading you so..." he said reaching behind his dresser and taking out an old straw hat. "I thought the painted lady could lend me a hand."
"How did you know about that?" I asked surprised he knew
"Your brother told me a long time ago. So what do you say?" I silently cursed Sokka, but then nodded slowly to Zuko.
"Fine, but if either of us gets hurt, your royally screwed." I said poking his chest roughly. I went to my vanity and brought out some red paint. Once I fully appeared as the Painted Lady, I turned to Zuko and said "Beware Red Lotus, you have awoken the wrath the Painted Lady."
"And don't forget the Blue Spirit." Zuko said putting on his mask and drawing his duel swords from their shaft.