Chapter V - Bind

Though the fire burns hot,

And the water runs fast,

Forget the chains not,

That bind to the past.

"Well," Mai rasped. "What did you think?"

They were back at her house, in the safety of her room. Just her and Ty Lee. Katara had retired to her own rooms back in the Palace, and Zuko and Shen Li had vanished into the former's study. The hour was so late (or so early, depending on your view point) as to be abominable. With her sleep-deprived mind, Mai recognised distantly that this little personal, political gathering rather frighteningly reminded her of the sleepovers she'd had with Ty Lee and Azula years ago.

Minus the lightning, of course.

She turned her head a little, facing her friend. Ty Lee was sprawled on the other half of the big bed, her arms clutching a pillow. Her big gray eyes were focused in thought. "I thought it went pretty well, all things considering," she commented, smiling. "I mean, my first Court dinner I almost broke that dish, remember?"

Mai felt the pallor of her skin darken, and something in her chest tightened. "You mean you caught it when Azula knocked it off the table with one of her new firebending tricks."

Ty Lee hesitated for a moment, and then the smile vanished. When she spoke next, it was like a gust of wind had deflected off the mixed bitterness of their memories. "Honestly? I thought she did pretty well. I was half expecting them to eat her up along with the entree."

Mai snorted. "Yes, well. I'm not liking what I'm seeing in general. There's a lot to be done here. Zuko's playing with fire."

Ty Lee giggled before sobering a little again. "It wasn't all that bad. It probably would have been better with Chief Advisor Hui. From what I've gathered, he's been a real help to Zuko recently."

Mai sat up a little, leaning on her elbow. The sharp point dug deep into the mattress below her, and she felt a little unstable. "Hui?" She suddenly felt like an idiot. She had been so caught up making sure Katara wasn't politically burnt alive that she hadn't kept her eye out for other details. "Do you know why he wasn't there tonight?"

The acrobat shook her head. "Sorry, I don't know. I'm sure someone will, though. There's no way he could have not shown up tonight without some really good reason. You can't have a Court dinner without the Chief Advisor!"

"No," Mai said darkly. "You can't have a Court dinner without the Fire Lord."

Ty Lee fell silent. The room was nothing but their breaths for a while, and Mai began to feel the smoke of sleep prick her eyes. Despite her body's exhaustion, though, she couldn't rest; her mind was racing too fast. She found it odd that throughout the entire dinner, none of the gaggle of nobles had directly challenged Katara and her presence. Of course, there had been the snide comments, the ones whispered under the breath and meant only for specific ears. But the presence of such easy prey would normally warrant far more than that. The only noble or Minister who had really picked on Katara was General Sheng.

Mai didn't know much about the man. Their families had never been close, and most of her recollections of him were from a distance. Her father had never had much business to do with the man who would be Minister for Security, and she only vaguely remembered one or two dinners when she was much younger.

She frowned and cast her mind back, trying to trace his history. She knew that General Sheng was a relatively recent appointment. Now that she thought about it, Ozai had selected him only right after the Day of the Black Sun. Which was rather odd, seeing as that day had been a triumph for the then Minister of Security, Noble Lang.

The unknown troubled her, formed a maze of half-formed conjecture that she couldn't find an answer to. Her mouth tightened. She couldn't work with little to no information.

On that note, unbidden, her mind turned from the General to his son. The maze became a labyrinth that half of her didn't want to touch with a polearm, while the other half seemed inexplicably drawn to it.

Shen Li. Her mind ran back over the night and selected the images of him. He'd sat away from his father, as befit his position of Chief Bodyguard. But that hadn't stopped her from detecting the slightly odd twitches in his body language that sometimes coincided with the moments General Sheng spoke. Not to mention, the guard captain was a walking conundrum. Fire Nation military hierarchy and pride meant that he couldn't have been in his father's favour serving as a lowly guard captain in the Capitol. And yet he was far more in tune with the politics of the Court than many were. At the very least, he was capable enough to have been chosen as Zuko's Chief Bodyguard without being a firebender.

Her eyes narrowed. That was an anomaly that she was pretty sure had never been seen before in Fire Nation history. Then again, perhaps he was a firebender, he just never used his fire. But that seemed just as ridiculous, especially given she'd already seen him fight three times.

Not to mention, he was just an anomaly. She hadn't ever known anyone like him. One second he had his Court mask on, and she felt him mirror her. The next he was asking, talking about... friendship, and she could see the chasm in his eyes. Then the next he was whipping forth with those wires of his, and she felt that odd, fluttering, soaring sense of freedom in her chest...

"Uh, Mai?"

She blinked, fully awake now. "What?"

Ty Lee peered back at her in the semi-darkness, her eyes sleepy. "Are you all right? You're fisting the sheets."

Mai looked down slowly, blinked again, and relaxed her grip.

"I'm fine," she said at last. "I just have a lot to figure out tomorrow."

"You and the waterbender, right?"

She'd almost forgotten about that. Katara's promise to Zuko. The rioters in the jail. The would-be assassin and his poison. The guard captain and his secrets.

And she'd just gone straight back to that. In a display of inexorable will, Mai decided to resolutely ignore that part of herself and focus back on Ty Lee. "I suppose. We'll see how she is and what she's good at."

"Speeches about hope, apparently," Ty Lee offered. "If the play that Zuko commissioned is right about anything. Oh, and she's a good listener. Scary when she's angry, though. It almost reminds me of..."

Mai's lips curled up, a knife-like smile. Before she could help herself, she spoke. "I'm sure Azula would have enjoyed tomorrow." Interrogating prisoners and all.

And there it was again. Mai felt a tightness in her chest, and wondered just how long she was going to feel it. Forever? The Fire Princess' reach had always extended far, extended deep. Somehow, she wouldn't put it past her old friend to jerk her puppet string, even from beyond the grave...

No. She exhaled, slow and deep. The waterbender was different. Katara was different. She'd proved it time and time again, from the first moment she'd opened up groggy eyes and stared into one of the most expressive faces she'd ever seen. Somehow, she was fairly certain that that same face could not stare cruelly down at a cowering prisoner and fill his insides with electricity.

Then again, she'd been surprised before.

"She would have," Ty Lee surprised her, her voice soft. She laughed then, and it sounded a little sad. "But then again, she probably would have enjoyed the entire situation."

An assassin at Zuko's coronation. A court balanced on knife's edge. Riots. One of her friends having... suspicions about the Chief Bodyguard.

Mai finally fell asleep with the rather disturbing thought that Azula would have loved this.

"I hate this," Aang said miserably.

Toph scowled. "I hate this too."

He turned sidelong and gave her a wan smile, and he knew she understood even though she hadn't seen it. A small fist came out a punched him gently in the shoulder before she turned her blind eyes to Iroh, her small face grave. "So what do you think's going to happen?"

The Dragon of the West sighed. His tea was lukewarm in front of him, and he channeled a blast of warmth through his fingers before drinking again. "The simple lack of combustible materials shouldn't be enough to convict a firebender," he said slowly. "Unfortunately, it is the tension in the city that will. And, as much as I hate to say it, they will probably be right."

Aang slumped further in his chair. "So you do think a firebender did it?"

Iroh furrowed his brow. "We don't have much evidence, Avatar Aang. But yes. I do."

The airbender frowned. "But Zuko had such strict orders on his men, and that Commander Makoto seemed so... you know."

"He was telling the truth," Toph said slowly. "He didn't seem to believe any of his people would have done it. But then again, maybe he just didn't know. It would have just taken one firebender to get drunk or something, right?"

Iroh sighed. "Yes. It would have been as simple as that." His shoulders straightened at his next words. "But we cannot sit around and simply guess. What we need now is a course of action to make sure this city does not fall down around our ears. I think the world's seen Ba Sing Se on its knees far too often in the last few months."

"It's not even that big a problem right?" Toph scowled sourly. "I mean, if all of those dunderheads just stopped fighting, it'd be fine. Then Twinkletoes and I could hunt down whoever did it."

Aang perked up. "Do you think if we found out who did it, and it wasn't a firebender, then it would be all right?"

Iroh lifted a heavy brow. "And if it was a firebender?"

Aang subsided. Toph spoke up. "We could put them on trial." She slapped a fist into her open palm, green eyes now determined. "Heck, that might be the only thing that settles this city down. A nice, open, public trial. And people could throw stones afterwards!"

She felt their silence, and bristled. "Hey, seriously. A trial is just the thing to separate whoever did this out. Stress that they're not the same as Zuko's army. They're just a criminal. If we bring Earth Kingdom justice down on their heads, rock-style, then I'm sure that everyone will get the idea. At the very least, it gives us a chance to narrow the blame down to one person as opposed to everyone who likes red."

"Hmm." Iroh sat back, thinking. "It's a start. But what do we do in the meantime?" He turned a weary gaze upon both of them. "It's been difficult enough without you, Aang. Many of the Earth Kingdom people have refused to listen to me, so all governmental matters have pretty much ground to a halt. People have begun taking things into their own hands."

"But I declared you my stand-in!" Aang objected. "There was that quick ceremony in the square and everything!"

"I'm afraid that a few words and a ceremony can't wash away my reputation, Avatar, let alone my blood. These people have had to bow to Azula and her lackeys for months now. It is hardly surprising that they are bristling at me now."

It was Toph that grasped what Iroh was trying to say in the old man's favourite but slightly oblique manner. "You mean that we have three problems. One, make sure everyone doesn't kill everyone else. Two, get the everyday political stuff moving again. And then finally three, find whoever started the fire."

Aang gulped. "All at the same time, too."

Iroh's keen eye fell on him. "You are not alone, Avatar. But this will all have to be finely balanced. If I might ask, how did your trip to the Air Temple go?"

Aang felt his throat dry up. The old general's piercing gaze was levelled at him, and at the corner of his eye, he could see Toph's head cocked in his direction. He remembered how, a lifetime ago, Sokka had asked him a similar question on Appa's back as they'd raced to Ba Sing Se.

With these two, lying was not an option.

He took a deep, steadying breath, filling his lungs with his element. He had a feeling that evasiveness wouldn't work either. Besides, he did owe it to them. To himself. That was part of what coming to terms with himself and his problems was, right?

Aang looked steadily back at Iroh, his uncertainty only visible in the way his fingers fidgeted on his robe. "I got some important answers," he said truthfully. "I think I'm going to have to work on it a bit, though."

He laughed hesitantly, scratching his bald head. "It's always easier hearing and saying things than actually doing them, you know?"

Iroh's face was lined with sympathy, but also with caution. "Yes, I know."

He looked as if he were about to say something further, and then he stopped. Next to him, Toph was also suspiciously quiet, her green eyes a reflective millpond that told him nothing about what she was thinking. He had a feeling he was going to hear from her in private later, though. He winced reflexively, and then stiffened his spine a little. He wouldn't expect any less of her.

Iroh opened his mouth again. "In any case, I believe our main problem will be to find a way to govern Ba Sing Se while you look for our resident arsonist as quickly as possible. We cannot be too sure if these will be the last attacks, after all." He gave them a measured look. "Perhaps if the two of you split up your time?"

"No," the airbender and the earthbender said almost in unison. Surprised, they glanced at each other, and then turned back to Iroh.

"No," Aang surprised himself with the firmness of his repetition. "If we want to do either of them properly, we have to do them together. That way we don't miss anything."

Toph smirked. "Couldn't agree more, Twinkles," she said loftily. "You wouldn't last five minutes in Ba Sing Se without me."

Iroh smiled faintly. "While I approve, that still leaves us with a problem. I'm afraid that we might have to just..."

Someone at the door cleared their throat. The three of them jumped. Toph didn't even think why the guards had let somebody in; she just stamped her foot. The ground erupted from beneath the intruder, encasing them in stone. Whoever it was let out a rather familiar cry of surprise.

Aang sucked in a breath. "Kuei?"

The Earth King smiled sheepishly. "Hi."

This was home.

Kata breathed in the ice. The cold crystallised in her throat, crept up her airways and forced tears out of her eyes. She saw the world like a gem, the light refracting off the multitudes of hazed angles brought by the crystal clarity of water. Grey clouds still hung over the North Pole, dimming the otherwise blinding whiteness of the snow. But she had never seen, never remembered such a beautiful sight.

She blinked, and the world spilled over for a second before clarifying once again. The tear dropped to the rim of her thick coat, and suddenly she couldn't wait to get back into a parka again, to feel the soft fur against the skin of her neck. She rushed forwards as quickly as she could, as if the dream might shatter if she took too long. She felt her breath sliding rickety in her lungs and her still-weak body protest at the movement, and she grudgingly slowed down. Behind her, Hama laughed.

It was a pure, girlish laugh. It fell softly like snow on Kata's ears, so different from the cutting, slicing saws and whips she had grown accustomed to. She felt the moment freeze inside her, and she turned to her best friend, eyes brighter than the stars. "I can't believe it!" she let loose her own laugh, and it bubbled out like a newfound spring from scorched earth. "We're here. Oh Hama, we're here!"

She could hear the smile in her friend's voice. "Despite all the odds, despite everything they threw against us, the entire Fire Nation couldn't hold us." Hama touched her own sagging cheek gently, her eyes misty. "We've made it so far."

Kata hesitated at the words, her giddiness draining. But before she had to vocalise the newly resurfaced turmoil in her chest, a polite cough sounded from behind her. She spun around to see a youthful girl standing at the head of a huddled bunch of teenagers, all wide-eyed and whispering. Kata suddenly remembered that she still looked as gaunt as a skeleton, and she froze.

"Greetings Hama Watertribe, Kata Watertribe!" the youthful girl bowed low to her waist in deep respect. "I am Palak. Chief Arnook and Healer Yugoda sent me to welcome you to our city!"

Her first few words were spoken with assurance, but now that she'd run out of pre-prepared speech, she seemed to falter slightly, shyly. "Um... we just want you to know that the North Pole is honoured to be able to host such brave survivors. In fact, we're to take you to Yugoda right away so she can make you comfortable!"

Kata felt her heart pulse once, twice, with a fierce warmth she had only ever felt ensconced deep in the wilderness of ice and sea. The warmth spread and melted her limbs, and suddenly she didn't care anymore that to the children, she must look like bone and skin. She was still weak. She could work on that here in the ice. Here in the North Pole, where she was welcome. She wanted to say something, to thank Palak, to thank anyone. To think that even the Chief personally welcoming us! What an honour. But before she could find the words, Hama spoke up suddenly.

"Would you allow an old woman a moment first?" she asked whimsically. "I would like to visit an old friend of mine."

Palak gave her an odd look, obviously unsure of how to respond. "Uh, well, Healer Yugoda told us to take you to her right away."

Hama smiled and folded her fingers. "Yugoda, is it? Don't worry, we'll be right along. You girls go and finish your chores now."

In the face of such an assured elder, Palak hesitantly nodded her head. "O-okay then. When you want to go see Yugoda, take the Tenth Canal and look for the healing hut near the end. You can't miss it."

"Thank you," Hama said kindly, before turning to walk firmly in the opposite direction. She didn't look back. Kata paused for a moment, her eyes on the younger girl. She was hovering in the air uncomfortably. At Kata's glance, Palak smiled nervously and finally left, her entourage of companions folding around her like wings.

Kata stared after her. So young. If she had to guess at her age, she could swear that maybe...

No. She wouldn't think about that now. Kata took a deep, cleansing breath and sucked in the reality of the North Pole. She didn't need to think about that now. She turned and began to follow Hama's footsteps. She could let it go. Now she was home. She could let it go...

And then the realisation hit her, and Kata stopped for a moment, confused. "Wait, Hama! You've never been to the North Pole. How...?"

Her friend paused for a moment, but she did not turn around. But when she did, she could hear the smile in her friend's voice again. "Just trust me, Kata. I'll explain when we get there."

Funny, how this time the smile reminded her of a leopard-shark.

Kama woke with a smile.

Bright sunlight spilled from the windows to the left of her bed, framing the small water garden outside where she normally spent her time. She sighed in contentment at the way the blankets held her close and closed her eyes again. She was sleeping better, finally. It had taken days to get used to such a soft bed, and then even more to stop jerking awake every few hours from a nightmare or a very real, very dark memory. Her smile broadened at the thought and she lay back. In the days that she'd stayed here, she could feel her strength coming back, feel the ocean of chi swell inside her and lap at her insides. It was an exquisite sense to know that everything was coming back together. She'd even managed to gain a little weight, so that when she looked in the mirror, something a little more human stared back at her.

She chuckled to herself, a little. A worn, contented chuckle. She had never thought she would find healing in the Fire Lord's Palace. It was funny how things turned out...

A knock sounded on the door, and she blinked. She was certain it was too early for the servants to come in and clean, and she was usually left pretty much to her own devices. Sudden fear coursed through her, made her arms wobble as she pushed herself up. She frowned and determinedly quashed it. They've shown you nothing but kindness. Breathe.

She did so, and in her exhalation called out. "Come in!"

To her surprise, the person who slipped around the door wasn't a servant. She wasn't even Fire Nation. The old woman's eyes widened as she took in the long hazel plait, the curled, beaded hair-loops, the deep blue eyes...

"Kama Watertribe?" the young woman asked. Her smile was forthright and strong, with a little wariness caught in the curve. "I'm Katara."

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A/N - I'm really sorry for the long wait. Aside from work at university, my mother was diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer recently. As a result, writing has kind of been the farthest thing from my mind.

Now that I'm back though, I am determined to keep this up, even if it is not as frequent as I might like. Thank you all for bearing with me, and I'd really appreciate it if you kept my family, and the families of everyone suffering from a disease or disability, in your thoughts.

- Shadowhawke