Chapter VIII: The Sleeping Lie
In days of heat and fiery wind,
Where truth is bent to fit the eye,
And fear divides both kith and kin,
Still let the sleeping lie.
.
When worlds crash down upon your head,
And darkened blood is left to dry,
You'll seek a place that's not yet red,
Found where the sleeping lie.
.
And when it comes to words, not blows,
Stay strong on course from whence you fly,
When foes are friends and friends are foes,
Still let the sleeping lie.
Shen Li collapsed before Zuko could reach him.
An instant later the Fire Lord was by his side, staring down helplessly at the body collapsed like a broken marionette. It took him a few moments of panic to realise that yes, the guard captain was still breathing. And then some instinct or training took over. Zuko rolled Shen Li onto his back, noting with shaky relief that the man's outer tunic was dry and there seemed to be no blood. He quickly scanned over the rest of his body. There was nothing out of place. No clue that would explain why his Chief Bodyguard was out cold on his study floor. Then his gaze moved to Shen Li's face, and saw the dry pallor of a corpse that clung to his skin and his dilated eyes.
He shot flame into the golden dragon pipe that called for a messenger around half a second afterwards. And when the knock came, his message was equally curt.
"Find Lady Katara. Now."
Sokka had to admire her as she walked out of the Council of Elders' building, her shoulders set, her chin high. Then again, he had always admired her. That was one of the things that was making the iron band around his heart tighten even more. He doubted even Toph could dent that ring of hurt now. It was more implacable than stone, more stubborn than common metal. The twelve year old's sly comments and jibes that had somehow always made things inexplicably better wouldn't stand a chance.
She stopped at the end of the stairs, her nostrils flaring. Sokka stopped not two paces behind her, so close and yet so far. He felt like he was watching her through a telescope... that even though he could see her profile in detail, down to the little mole on her neck that he had kissed countless times, she was in actuality a hundred miles away.
"Sokka?" she asked flatly, suddenly.
He looked at the way her breath coalesced in the cold of the North Pole. The burst was sharp and direct and efficient. It didn't mist like the words of heartache and longing that he and Yue had shared that night on the bridge. He swallowed and said, "Yes?", and noted that the shape of his own question had not changed from a year ago.
"Where can we go to plan our next step?"
It was the first time he'd heard her use the plural for a long while, but he told himself not to feel too hopeful. "Arnook mentioned Amak could show us, remember?"
She raised her eyebrow. Even without the painted outline, it looked stark against her face. "And you don't have your own opinion? I thought you knew this city."
Sokka turned away. The movement hurt. "Not well enough, it seems," he said, resorting to sarcasm again. He was actually surprised he'd held out for so long. "So you want to go or not? Death by standing still is not the way I want to die."
He didn't wait for her to reply. Striding... well, as much as one could stride when one was using crutches on ice, towards Amak's gently bobbing gondola, he tried to refocus around the lump of pain sitting like a stone in his gullet. The harsh wind of the Poles sliced past his ears, carrying a low mutter he didn't try to decipher.
If she was done, then maybe he was done too.
He knew it was the hurt speaking. He didn't particularly care at that moment. "Amak?"
The man's head jerked up, startled at the sudden curtness. He recomposed himself quickly though. "Yes, Master Sokka?"
His need to clarify himself warred with his desire to stay silent and think. "We need to get to the eighth canal. To find an inn with a spare room. Can you take us there?"
Amak nodded, his gaze hooded with curiosity. But even as Sokka turned away and found his own place on the gondola, he knew the man wouldn't act on it. Not unless Sokka brought it up first. He sighed and sat down, feeling the gondola sink slightly as Suki stepped on gracefully. Male Water Tribe courtesy. Damn, if he couldn't use some of it now.
The gondola pulled away from the side, Amak once more poling the craft slowly and methodically down the canal. Sokka knew enough of the city to know that they wouldn't get to where they wanted to be for a while, so he closed his eyes.
Behind his lids, in the darkness, he thought. The slow push and pull of the water beneath him as they moved through the city gradually quietened his heartbeat, loosening the choke-hold his feelings had had around his throat. Able to breathe again, Sokka sighed. He didn't want to think of where and how exactly things had gone wrong, he wanted to think of how to fix them, but it was difficult when he wasn't really sure of either. It most certainly didn't help that they were in the North Pole, a city breathing with a thousand of his memories.
"Master Sokka?"
He opened his eyes to a painfully blue sky, exactly the same shade as the Moon's eyes. No, the North Pole certainly wasn't helping. "Yes?"
Amak nodded taciturnly towards the shore. The canal here was lined with modestly sized ice lodges, and the street was bustling with activity. Sokka blinked a few times and then smirked faintly in approval. Yes, there were enough people here to blend in with, and he was sure that they could find a place somewhere.
The gondola bobbed gently to a halt, and Sokka struggled for a moment to get his balance again with his crutches. The three seconds it took to windmill around desperately before he righted himself mocked him. He'd never had to do that before. Suki had always been at his side. He felt a presence there now and turned almost eagerly, but found only Amak gesturing at the bank.
"You'll be able to find what you need here, Master Sokka," the gondolier said. His eyes lingered on the crutches. "And you can find the healing huts down that way. I suggest you visit them at least once a day. You'll find they're busiest as it gets later and the Moon's power grows."
"Thanks," Sokka tried for a grin. "Can't wait for this package to be as good as new."
They alighted, and to his surprise, Sokka actually felt a bit of a pang as Amak rowed away. It had only been a little more than a week since he'd last seen his father, since Hakoda had sailed away back to the Southern Water Tribes in preparation for Zuko's peace talks. And yet...
He shook his head and pushed the thought away. He wasn't a boy anymore, longing for his father. He was a warrior, and he had a job to do.
"Come on," he called over his shoulder. "Let's get inside and away from the cold."
"Me."
Mai gave her a flat stare of confirmation. It wasn't really that much of a change from her normal demeanour - just a slight tightening around her eyelids, but she trusted the other girl would pick it up. If she couldn't, well... Mai anticipated cleaning up Water Tribe innards after the other Fire Nation girls were through with her.
Katara just stared back at her, blue eyes wide and voluminous with disbelief. "Me," she repeated slowly.
Mai gave her another look.
The statement finally turned into an incredulous question. "Me and Zuko?"
Put like that, so boldly, so out there, Mai allowed a moment to digest it herself. "I'm just saying," she shrugged minutely, the movement barely visible. "People see what they want to see."
Katara's jaw dropped, and she seemed lost for words. Mai knew that it wouldn't take her long to find them, though. In that time, the noblewoman patiently searched through her memory and remembered the conversations less than a week ago, and the intriguing things she'd observed.
"Wait. Stop. Someone tried to kill Zuko?"
"I did kill her. For Zuko.
And it wasn't just the words. Mai remembered the girl, beautiful blue eyes narrowed to slits, the flush of anger on her dusky skin. She remembered the way her lithe form had seemed to grow, lines of protective strength sculpting themselves along her muscles. If Ty Lee's account of the final showdown between Zuko and Azula was even half true (it was Ty Lee. Mai would have been surprised if she hadn't exaggerated), then it would make sense that some of the Court had come up with their own conclusions. Not to mention, she couldn't push the memory of the way they had first been greeted not two days ago, with Katara flying into Zuko's embrace. The warmth of their banter, and the ease with which they'd slipped into it. The way the air had lit up around them with the promise of something greater.
She had no further moment to ruminate on it, though, because Katara finally found her voice again. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?" she demanded, hands on her hips. "There's been nothing to see!"
Mai leveled her with her gaze. She had to admit, she almost... liked the waterbender. There was something about the fullness of her, the way her emotions brought her to life and made things interesting. And then there was the matter of 'you're not alone' to think of. Yes, she could admit that she didn't hate Katara, but there were times when she despaired.
"Katara," she said, slowly, deadpan. "It's the Court. You were seen saving him. The first thing you did on your return to the Capitol was run to his office. Last night, you were seated high up on the table, near him, a foreign peasant dressed and treated like a Fire Nation noble. That's more than enough kindling to start a fire."
Katara's eyes narrowed with distaste. "Don't... say it like that."
Mai cocked her head. "It's the truth."
"No, I meant the 'peasant'." Katara imitated it, her tongue thick with disgust. "It... it reminds me of..."
Mai shrugged, cut her off. "But it's also the truth."
She was suddenly the subject of a heated glare. "Actually, no," Katara's hands moved from her hips to the crook of her elbows as she crossed her arms. "I'm sure that all the Water Tribe are just 'peasants' to the grand, noble Fire Nation, but if you want to get technical, my dad Hakoda is the Chief of the Southern Water Tribes."
She looked as if she was about to add a 'So there', but restrained herself. Mai was too busy thinking of the sudden implications of it all. A Water Tribe Princess... or some sort of equivalent. In combination with the rumours, now, and what Ty Lee had told her of Hang's interesting questions about Zuko's relationship status...
"Anyway, it's not like that." Katara's eyes suddenly went round. "Did you think it was like that? Oh La!"
Mai tilted her head slightly, studying the girl in front of her. It wasn't fear on her face. It was something else, she was sure. She wondered if the waterbender herself was even aware of it. "Why are you reacting like this?" she asked instead. "It's not that big a deal."
Katara flushed. "Maybe not to you," she muttered. "But you don't understand. In the Water Tribe, we don't have flings or dalliances. When we marry, we marry for life."
Mai's eyes narrowed, and she folded the sleeves of her robes together. "So? I'm not suggesting you marry Zuko."
Underneath her tan, Katara's cheeks flushed even deeper. Mai noted the colour with even more interest. That, and the lack of denial, because when she finally spoke, it was more of a challenge. "So what are you suggesting then?"
Mai opened her mouth. And never got to say anything, because there was suddenly an urgent knock on the door.
The guard captain was cold. Almost painfully cold. Zuko shivered himself and cast a desperate look around the room. There was an official over-robe hanging in the corner, along with a more mundane cloak that he changed into after meetings. He almost yanked the latter off its peg before wrapping it around Shen Li. Then, using his firebending, he poured out liquid warmth through his fingertips.
He wasn't sure if he was helping. He wasn't even sure what he was doing. Whatever was affecting his Chief Bodyguard, it was something he hadn't seen before. He could only guess that it was some sort of narcotic; with no open wound and no sign of fever, drugs or poison were the only other culprits he could think of.
He thought about calling the Royal Physician. He dismissed it soon afterwards. The Royal Physician was usually only meant to treat royalty, after all, and it would look suspicious summoning him to his office when he seemed in fine condition. He thought about calling one of the Palace physicians, and decided against that as well. Shen Li was out cold, but he seemed stable. Besides, he'd already called Katara, and he didn't want them treading on each other's toes.
There was a sharp knock on the door. Zuko was up before he even considered how amazingly quickly Katara had arrived. The distance to the entrance was eaten up in two strides, and then he pulled it open, a frantic greeting already on his lips...
And General Sheng swept in, his burning hawk's eyes instantly fixing on the sight of his son's body.
It only took him a few moments to recover, but by that time his Minister for Security seemed to have already appraised the situation. "My Lord?" he asked, making it seem more like a strangled demand than a question. "What happened here?"
How did you know something had happened at all? Zuko wondered, but he pushed it away the next second. The man was, after all, his Minister for Security, and he supposed many people might have seen Shen Li acting strangely before he'd reached the office. "He managed to knock, come in, close the door, greet me, and then he just collapsed," the Fire Lord explained, his voice a disbelieving rasp. "I've already called for Lady Katara."
"Lady Katara?" Sheng repeated slowly, incredulity dulling the anger in his voice. His face seemed alive for the first time, an emotion playing over his face that wasn't studied boredom, calculated disdain, or even sneering rage. "Why not a royal physician? My son needs help!"
Zuko was aware that he was filing away the man's reaction for later analysis even as he straightened. "General Sheng," he said, his voice no longer a rasp. He saw the effect as the man stiffened, responding unwillingly to the clear tone of command and control. "Lady Katara saved me from a mortal wound. I can assure you that I am getting your son and my Chief Bodyguard the best help that he can get."
The Minister's nostrils flared, but his next words were slow and calm and between relaxed teeth. "And what of a second opinion, my Lord?" he queried. "It is common practice to procure one so as to make sure one's path does not deviate into even greater ills."
Zuko blinked. The last sentence had sounded unnaturally stilted, almost like a quote, but he couldn't place it. He was relatively sure that he had never heard the words expressed precisely like that, even if the sentiment had often come up a few times in his traditional lessons. Or perhaps he had?
He was about to answer when a knock came again, and this time he paused until he recognised the voices outside. Thank Agni. Katara had arrived at last.
It was not a long walk to the Fire Nation Palace from Mai's home, and even less of one when there was a carriage waiting to take them to the front steps. So Katara spent the time she had grilling the unfortunate messenger the way Gran-Gran grilled cat-shrimps.
"So Zu... the Fire Lord was the one who sent you? Did he say what for?"
The hapless messenger shook his head. "He... it seemed like an emergency, my Lady," he replied. "The Fire Lord just wanted you there as soon as possible."
Mai and Katara shared a look as the carriage rolled over the flagstones of the Royal Courtyard. Katara turned back to the man. "He didn't look injured did he?"
The messenger shook his head again. "He looked fine. Just, uh, concerned."
Katara bit her lip and turned back to Mai, just in time to catch the ghost of an emotion flit across her face. Katara blinked. For a second, she could have sworn that she'd seen the customary signs of amusement on the noblewoman's placid features. But why...?
The carriage rolled to a halt and they were helped out by the suddenly grateful messenger. Instantly, Katara lost no time in striding through the corridors to Zuko's office. She was aware that Mai was following behind her, but that didn't stop her from speeding up her pace. Her stomach was a pit of fear, and she wasn't sure how to deal with it any other way than head on. For Zuko to have called for her so urgently in the middle of the day... she knew his schedule was packed with meetings and his own work in actually ruling his Nation, and if an urgent political matter had suddenly arisen, she was sure that Mai would have been the one specifically asked for, not herself. No, the only reason she could think of to call a Master Waterbender in the Fire Nation was if someone had gotten injured, and even the messenger's reassurances that Zuko had seemed fine weren't helping. That boy... no, that man, was one of the most stubborn people she had ever come across. She could imagine him hiding a mortal wound as he sent for her, only to collapse on the floor and...
She shook her head and kept going. Her imagination had a tendency to go downhill very quickly, and she didn't want to indulge it, not when her skills would likely be needed very soon. She turned the last corner instead and almost knocked the door in.
Seconds later, it was yanked open, and she was looking into golden eyes with a mixture of relief and something closely akin to terror.
"Zuko! You're all right!" she paused. "You are all right, aren't you?"
He nodded and stepped back. She heard Mai's footsteps close behind her now as the two filed into the office, but her attention was on him. Zuko's face was drawn, the pale lines of stress snaking around his features and making his scar lie heavier on his skin. The crown in his hair seemed to glint dully in the room's light, the way she knew sun sparkled on blood, and she had to repress a shiver. He did seem all right though... his movements were as strong and graceful as always. She was about to ask him why he'd called when she felt a light shove in the small of her back, and found herself looking down at the sprawled body on the floor.
Instantly, her medical side came to the fore. Katara crouched down next to Shen Li, her mind tuning out the murmuring around her. It seemed there had been someone else in the room with Zuko, and he was now hissing in a low voice, but that didn't matter nearly as much as the patient in front of her. Unconscious, Shen Li looked oddly regal, his aristocratic features sharpened in the absence of his normally casual air. But as she concentrated, focused her mind on the water moving in and around him, even that faded away to the pull and flow of his blood.
She heard her own voice come out, much more authoritative than she felt. "He's not bleeding," she said. "But his blood... it's sluggish."
There were more murmurs, but this time she concentrated on them. Zuko was crouching down beside her now, and in the light of recent revelations, she was keenly aware of his presence. "Do you know why? And if he'll get better?" he rasped.
Katara shook her head helplessly, wishing she knew more and suddenly thinking back to the offer of an elder. "I don't know. What happened?"
"He just collapsed." She knew him well enough to hear the anguish underneath that statement, the depth beneath the rawness of his voice. "I called for you right away."
Katara swore internally and passed some of her healing water over him again. "I'm... I don't know if I can help," she admitted painfully. "I've never seen anything like this before!"
Zuko opened his mouth to reply, probably to reassure, knowing the look on his face, but never got the chance. "I knew it," snapped a voice from behind her, and her instincts almost transformed the stream into a water whip. "Fire Lord, I really have to protest. We need a trained physician in here."
Zuko uncoiled, catlike, to his feet. "Very well," he said, his voice colourless. "Call for one."
"You should have called for one from the very beginning." She recognised the voice now - General Sheng, the man who'd sat across and down from her.
"I am calling for one now, Minister. And Lady Katara has been trained, in the Northern Water Tribes..."
"And pray tell, what do the healers in the Tribes know of Fire Nation medicine?"
Zuko's voice was suddenly cold. "What exactly are you questioning, Sheng?"
The heat in the room was almost oppressive. Katara waited, her breath held in her throat as she concentrated on monitoring Shen Li's blood. She wanted to leap up to Zuko's defence, but even she knew that now was not the time. As it was, in the sudden silence she heard the rustle of Mai's gown as the noblewoman stepped forwards to appraise the comatose guard captain with a cool eye. And it was her words that broke the building storm.
"There is no need to call anyone," Mai said slowly, with such perfect poise and assurance that Katara envied her for one brief, black moment. "I know what's wrong with him, and more to the point, General, so do you."
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A/N Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback people gave me for last chapter. I am definitely taking them into account. Thank you for helping me on my way to becoming a better writer, I really appreciate it.
Also, apologies for how long this chapter took - hopefully next time I'll stick to a better timetable. Thanks again for staying with me on this ride!
-Shadowhawke