Meanwhile in Ba Sing Se...
"We have to get to Yu Dao - the sooner the better," Aang said getting up with Katara. "Hopefully, we can convince the colonists to evacuate before General How gets there."
"Those people would be leaving their homes maybe even their families. Aang, what happens if they refuse to go?" Katara said as the two began to jog out of the palace attracting the curious glances of passerby.
Aang did not want to think on that possibility. "The Earth King is right you know. Not about sending his army, but about Zuko breaking his promise. Promises shouldn't be broken. Not ever," he said as they reach Appa that was sound asleep without its saddle.
"Sorry buddy," Aang patting his giant air bison awake, "we've got a long night of flying ahead of us." As he and Katara were about to put the saddle onto Appa, the handsome attendant appeared before them.
"Avatar Aang, why don't you and Miss Katara stay the night. And then you can leave in the morning."
"No thank you. We should really get going," said Aang.
"But it is dangerous while flying at night. Rest here for just one night and then you can leave when you are fresh in the morning," the handsome attendant stepped closer to the two.
"Actually, I think that sounds like a good idea," said Katara.
Before Aang could say anything there was high pitch scream from behind the handsome attendant.
"Oh my! It's him! It's really him!" squealed a young women with a large group of even more young women who rushed to crowd around Aang, pushing Katara away in their excitement.
"I can't believe it, it's really the Avatar with the flying lemur the giant air bison, and everything. I had this recurring dream where I would wake up one day and you would be there. A-and here you are!" gushed the girls.
"Pinch me am I dreaming!?" squealed another, her friend dutifully pinched her on the arm.
"I'm sorry, have we met?" asked Aang.
"Oh, I am Hei-Won, Co-President and Co-Founder of the Official Avatar Aang Fan Club, Ba Sing Se Chapter. And this Won-Yee, my fellow Co-President and Co-Founder."
"Wow! Did you hear that? They started a fan club for me!"
"Wonderful," droned a unenthusiastic Katara as she picked herself up from a pile of hay. The handsome attendant being quite chivalrous, was helping her to her feet picking straw from her hair and clothes.
"Nice to meet you both! I'm Aang! This is my lemur Momo," Aang bowed in greeting.
"Momo is so cute!" The girls gushed over the flying lemur.
"Ahem," Katara coughed.
"Oh! And this is Katara!" Aang said a tinge of guilt.
"Ahem!"
"My girlfriend Katara!" Aang added with embarrassing guilt.
"Hi," said Katara uncertainly as she was trying make sense of the situation.
"What an honor it is to meet Avatar Aang's first girlfriend," Won-Yee bowed politely.
Katara returned the polite gesture. "Why thank you I-Wait, what do you mean, 'first?'"
Won-Yee replied with a devious grin.
Katara then decided to make a prompt retreat, "Uh...Aang, you know what I changed my mind, let's just go!"
"No, I think we should stay," said Aang.
"That is a good idea," the handsome attendant added. "His Imperial Majesty King Kuei have already prepared rooms for everyone, so you all can have as much fun as you want!"
The fan girls squealed and gushed with delight at their emperor's boundless generosity.
"Come on Aang, we brought together authentic Air Nomad relics!" said Hei-Won. "We have also been learning how to do flower arrangements."
"Flower arrangements? My master Gyatso used to do flower arrangements. Come on Katara, let's check it out!"
The handsome attendant followed the young Avatar's new entourage from afar, being sure to pick up the rear and urge everyone to go inside. He stopped momentarily and turned to look at Appa whose eyes stared back at him with something that resembled intelligence.
"Go back to sleep big fella, it looks like you will not be leaving anytime soon," the handsome attendant patted Appa tenderly. Why didn't I think of this sooner? the handsome attendant thought to himself whistling.
Needless to say Aang was very excited to meet people genuinely interested in his culture. He was animate in showing Airbending techniques while Katara watched from a corner of the room.
"...And this is a technique called Air Scooter! I invented it when I was training at the Southern Air Temple. It's part of how I earned my tattoos!"
The young women oohed and awed as Aang levitated from the floor. "Wow. Look at him go. How does he do that?"
Katara watched forlornly as Aang attracted so much unwanted attention; their little party had turned into a social event as young and available daughters of the nobility joined Aang's growing number of admirers. She was not blind to see the lecherous look in Won-Yee eyes, nor the shy Hei-Won blushing when Aang chose her flower arrangement for first place in an impromptu contest.
Aang deftly landed on his feet and then refocused his chi in his palms, bending the air to his will. "And here's a brand-new technique I've been working on! First I make a handful of Air Marbles and then I turn them all into Air Scooters!" He blew and the air obeyed as the Air Marbles flew from his palm, instantly they enlarged themselves as they rolled across the floor.
The girls were instantly delighted as they were literally swept off their feet.
"Um, Avatar Aang?" Hei-Won asked timidly.
"Hey Hei-Won! Come join the fun."
"Yes, that looks so much fun," said an elderly woman old enough to be their grandmother. "Could I try one?"
Aang smiled and obliged the grandmother.
"May I introduce you to Yee-Li, she is my fellow co-president and co-founder. She's always wanted to meet you. She's part nomad like you."
"You are?!" Aang eyes were animated with excitement.
"Hei-Won please. I'm sorry Avatar Aang, but I'm only one-sixteenth nomad."
"Oh," Aang said a little dejectedly.
"But it's such an honor, Avatar Aang! I want to show something, it's been in my family for years. My mother said that it belonged to her grandmother..." Yee-Li paused reaching from her handbag, pulling out a flute wrapped in embroidered silk, "it's only thing that she had from her home...before she and her family fled from the Fire Nation."
Aang looked slightly forlorn as he gently picked the flute. "Where did you family come from?"
"From the South."
Aang furrowed his brow noting something carved into the flute. "This belonged to my teacher, Monk Gyatso. I'm so sorry," said Aang his eyes welling up with unshed tears. Katara straightened up in her seat worried that her lover would breakdown.
"Who's Monk Gyatso?" asked Yee-Li completely oblivious to Aang's internal conflict.
"Nothing, let's dance!" Aang said jovially he played the flute and everyone danced. Only Katara could that it was half-hearted. Inside he was hurting.
"He is quite talented isn't he?" asked a regal voice causing Katara to jump.
"Oh!" cried Katara turning to see an unfamiliar face, whose bright clothes, hat and shawl almost covered her from head to toe. In her arms she was holding her bundle of joy, and had aura that only a proud and content mother could possess.
"Katara, of the Southern Water Tribe, am I correct?" the older woman smiled softly.
"Yes I am and you must be Iroha...hime, did I say it right?" Katara smiled timidly trying to remember the proper honorifics when addressing a princess.
"Yes, you did," Iroha said brightly that made Katara relax.
"You do not seem to be enjoying yourself. Is everything alright?"
"The Avatar's even more dreamy when he's playing music!" one of the young women cried out.
Iroha shook her head knowingly.
"So what's your name?" Katara peered Iroha's bundle of joy.
"Tiānkōng zhī guāng."
Katara's face was blank.
"Light of Heaven," Iroha supplied.
"Tian," Katara rolled the unfamiliar name and cannot but feel that the full name was too elaborate for such a tiny thing. But she was too polite to say anything in the choice in name. Fortunately, the Air Nomad Princess saved her the trouble.
"Her nickname is Ai-Bao, Precious Love."
"I wonder what it would be like to have a child?" Katara thought aloud dreamily.
"I love you Aang!" a young girl screamed obliterating the mood.
"I'm going to get some fresh air," said an annoyed Katara.
"How rude! She did not speak properly to you!" said Princess Fuyou when Katara was out on the balcony and safely out of earshot. "I cannot believe that the King's Royal Attendants should allow uncivil peasants in the palace."
Iroha was about to speak but her little bundle of joy awoke and started crying wanting to be fed.
"Ooh Ai-Bao, don't cry, don't cry, it's alright, Mommy's here," Iroha gently bounced her bundle of joy shushing it.
"Why don't you give her to her nanny?"
"I am not giving her to some stranger," Iroha said defensively covering herself as she fed her daughter.
"It will save you countless sleepless nights. You can stay as late as you want to. And you wouldn't have to worry about looking after her. Isn't that what nannies are for." Fuyou watched with interest as her sister in spirit performed her natural task.
Princess Iroha frowned ruefully at her sister in spirit. "I will not hire a nanny because I want to be there for my daughter, just as my mother was for me. And should I be properly be married to the king, she will become a princess I want to make sure that she is raised properly."
"Not if I marry him before you."
Katara stood at the balcony the warm summer night inviting her to look out to the great city of Ba Sing Se. Her mind wandered as she lost interest in the night lights as she looked down, noting the sprawling gardens at her feet. Smiling to herself she willed the water from a nearby fountain to create a pathway for her to glide down. It was a simple enough task as it was a full moon, Yue a poignant reminder of the great sacrifices made to bring them final victory, in a great war that have claimed the lives of countless. It was though she in a moment of Zen as she sat perfectly still by the reflecting pool, watching as the falling cherry blossoms fell causing small ripples in the water as they lightly touched the still water.
There a crash from above probably an expensive vase smashed to pieces by the merrymaking. But had it not been the vase she would not have noticed a shadowy figure blow out a torch, and then moved quickly through the hedges. Curiosity overtaking her she pursued confidently, as she and Aang often played in the imperial garden during their long stay at the palace. When the shadowy reached the pagoda at the center of the hedgerows, she stopped short at the entrance to hide the shadows cast by Yue. The shadowy figure was looking furtively from side to side, and then pulled out something from its robes.
"In the name of God," the shadowy figure said in a masculine voice and threw his hands in the air, a messenger hawk immediately took flight into the moonlit sky.
"Stop right there!" yelled Katara the shadowy figure ran to a hedgerow and crashed through another entrance. She pursued and the chase was on.
The shadow sprinted through the garden, his dark clothes made him difficult to track even from Yue's bright light. Katara willed the water from the reflecting to form a whip, and struck at him aiming for the legs. But he jumped out of the way just in time higher than a normal man. Not to be refused she borrowed Yue's power and bent the reflecting pool to her will, and sent a small tidal wave to capture her prey.
The man turned to see the wave come crashing down him, but instead of freezing on the spot he sprinted towards the door. And to her astonishment, he made to the door and shut it closed just before the wave crashed against it. Gliding over to the door with the undulated grass she cautiously opened the door to see a trail of water puddles down the hallway. She followed the trail that led her back to the servants' quarters.
She was tempted to say "Hello?" loudly as she did not want to earn the reproach of the servants for her troubles. Fortunately the back room was empty. Inside was a locker room in which men could change clothes with complete privacy. In the center was a pile of dark clothes soaked through with what smelled like pond water. She heard a door close and she followed, opening another door to another hallway.
"Why are there so many doors?" she thought aloud and caught sight of some movement and chased after it. She was close she knew it as the figure walked calmly back into a loud room that she was all too familiar with. The shadow that she had been chasing had led her back to the party in her boyfriend's honor. Katara tried to contain her excitement as her stomach sunk and her chest tightened. She sent furtively glances from one side to the room to the other.
Is the shadow a spy? Who could do it be, a nobleman, a gentleman, a servant? Yes it must be a man servant.
The doorman who stood at the door cocked an eyebrow at the breathless young woman with muddy clothes.
"Hey Katara!" shouted Aang from across the room still surrounded by young and available woman.
"My dear, what happened to you?" asked Iroha with genuine concern who looked at her from head to toe.
"I was chasing someone," replied Katara so focused on catching her shadow.
"Whatever for?" asked an older gentleman.
"He had a messenger hawk that he sent away in the garden."
"And how do you know this?" The older gentleman asked seriously.
"I was in the garden and I followed him. I do not know what he looked like because it was so dark. He had a messenger hawk that he hid in his robes and I yelled stop but he ran. I followed him to the servants' quarters and then led me here. And I think he is one of the servants."
"Surely it must of have been some sort of misunderstanding," said Iroha skeptically.
"Perhaps," said the older gentleman.
"I was also able to hit him with some pond water from the reflecting pool, but he changed his clothes before coming here."
The older gentleman called to one of his aides ordering that the servants be quietly gathered. As to cause a disturbance in the party, he improvised by asking a few young, handsome, and earnest nobleman to play music. Like pipers, they led the charming young women and their parents away to another part of the palace.
"Um, may I use the bathroom?" asked one of chambermaids timidly raising her hand when the room was deserted of visitors.
Katara, who had changed her clothes at the insistence of Iroha was about to speak, but the older gentleman ignored the chambermaid who said, "One of you was secretly sending messages from the palace. As you all aware our country is at war, and any suspicious behavior in the imperial palace is to be scrutinized by the Head Inquisitor." The older gentleman implied by tapping his chest with his index finger.
Katara glanced at the Head Inquisitor with marked surprise.
"Whoever sent those message come forward. If it is nothing, a simple love letter or a letter home, then just say so and it would simply be a simple misunderstanding. No harm done."
The ranks were motionless.
The Head Inquisitor gave a disarming smile and stepped forward to the Head Butler.
"Tell me good sir, are you patriot?"
"Yes of course I am," the butler said indignantly.
"Don't lie to me good sir. You do remember what happened a few years ago at the city gates?" The Head Inquisitor said with a wry smile.
The butler blanched. "I do not know what you are talking about."
"I think you do and I am sure your close and intimate friend remembers as well," the Head Inquisitor said who was now almost nose to nose with the butler.
"What do you want?"
"The truth. Where were you one hour ago?"
"I was here speaking to Princess Fuyou; she requested that I bring her rice wine."
"Can you prove this?"
"I can," said the head maid, "we were shorthanded given most of the valet had been constricted into the army. Even this imperial house hasn't been affected by the war it seems. He had asked me to retrieve the wine from the cellar, as he had to promptly return to the party to serve one of the Royal Attendants."
"It's true," man servant chimed in, "I was with them the whole time. I wanted to help by getting the wine, but I was told to help serve at the party."
The Head Inquisitor's face was unmoved by this information as he moved down the line, until he stopped in front of his victim. His nostrils flared.
"What is your name good sir?"
"Li Zipheng. A doorman."
"Li Zipheng, your hair smells like pond water. Where were you one hour ago?"
Li's eyes widened slightly glancing sharply to a shy pretty young woman beside him. "I was with Ms. Kim, tell him Kimmy."
The chambermaid Kim paled.
"Tell him the truth," smiled Li.
"Kimmy were you together with Mr. Li?"
"Well, n-no. I-I mean, yes."
"Kimmy," the Inquisitor said a little harder compelling her to look him in the eye. "Were you together with Mr. Li?"
Kimmy averted her eyes.
"Kimmy," the Inquisitor gently moved her face with both hands, to peer into her brown eyes.
"No," she said finally.
The Inquisitor searched her face satisfied he smiled turning to Li Zipheng. "Where were you Mr. Li as Kimmy was not able to confirm your alibi?"
Li Zipheng did not answer right away but smiled. "I am embarrassed Head Inquisitor. I see that I cannot drag this out further. It was I who was in the garden. The message that I sent out was love letter to express my affections to another."
"You-you've been cheating on me?!" said Kimmy.
"Forgive me my dear, but I wanted to save you the embarrassment."
"Then why did you bless the messenger hawk unless it was something very important?" asked Katara and Li's face fell like a rock.
"May we talk somewhere a little more private good sir," said the Head Inquisitor with a charming smile grabbing his arm.
Li grabbed the offending hand and swiftly twisted it, turned him to face Katara, and placed a steel blade against the man's throat. Katara began to use her waterbending and he shouted, "Stop, or I'll kill him!"
"You think I'm going to let you walk out of here?!" shouted Katara as she stepped forward.
"You're killing him," warned Li drawing blood from his victim's throat.
"Do as he says!" shouted the Inquisitor.
"Okay, just take it easy," said Katara but Li did not wait and started walking backwards towards the balcony. "You have nowhere to go," she said once they had reached the ledge.
"Give up, if you kill me you'll sign your own death warrant. Just let me go," the Inquisitor said nervously.
Katara held Li's unyielding gaze, for the first time she saw that his were stormy grey eyes. "Forgive me," said Li unexpectedly causing everyone to chuckle nervously except for him.
The Inquisitor's widened as though they were about to pop out, a crimson streak lined his throat and sickening bubbles formed, his hand reflexively grasped his throat in vain. He violently stumbled forward as Li and his bloody knife jumped from the balcony.
"He jumped!" yelled the butler.
"NO!" shouted Katara going straight to the Inquisitor who fell awkwardly, and rolled him over blood spraying her full in the face. She forgot if tonight was a full moon, but she knew she had only one choice, the only choice that she was left with, Bloodbending.
"Katara!" Aang's voice shouted over and over as he got closer, "Katara! What happened to you are you all right?"
"Aang, I'm trying to concentrate," she replied with her eyes closed as her level of concentration was so great that the vein on her forehead was now visible.
"Do anyone see him where he fell?" asked the butler.
"There I see him, he's jumping over the wall! He must be a bender," yelled a valet.
The Inquisitor gurgled something causing his body to writhe with effort, making his condition worse.
"Don't talk," ordered Katara but the Inquisitor grabbed Aang's hand and traced his finger on his hand as though writing in big writing characters.
Aang was confused but quickly understood, "The doorman was at all of the meetings wasn't he? That means he knows everything."
The Inquisitor managed a nod and Aang ran back inside to grab his glider, ignoring the handsome attendant and flew out of the palace in a gust of wind. Flying overhead he saw the illuminated city far below, the inner circle of the Imperial Palace started to fill with the torch lights of the palace guards as they searched for the fugitive. But he saw Li swiftly leaping from rooftop to rooftop.
"Stop!" Aang yelled as he flew towards him, Li turned to face him. He momentarily hesitated as though surprised to see the Avatar himself in pursuit of him, but his face grew dark and swung a fan in front of him. A gale of wind was summoned knocking Aang out of the air, but he deftly recovered landing in a courtyard just below from where Li stood. Their eyes met once again, there was no doubt that Li Zipheng was an Airbender and in a cloud of smoke he was gone.
Aang's stomach churned, his legs gave way and he fell to his knees. "Why?" he thought aloud.
"Why indeed?" said the smooth voice of the handsome attendant.
"How did you-" began Aang.
"I am an Earthbender," the handsome attendant explained.
"But thanks to the Dai Li, we shall have an answer soon enough," the handsome said as shouting and scuffle sounded off in the distance. One voice shouted, "Halt, in the name of the Emperor!"
"The Dai Li? I thought that the Earth King Kuei had gotten rid of them."
"No he changed his mind. Afterall your friend Mao has the Kazekage to challenge the Earth Kingdom, His Majesty must have the Dai Li."
Aang tried to walk past but the handsome attendant blocked his way. "There is no need for you to involve yourself in this the Dai Li will handle this and pry whatever secrets he may possess."
But Aangpushed past the handsome attendant to where the scuffling occurred, what he saw shocked him. As the Dai Li apprehended Li they tried to wrestle the dagger away from him for their own protection. But sensing the inevitable, he had stabbed himself in the heart killing himself instantly.
One of the Dai Li swore loudly.
"Why did he kill himself?" asked Aang quietly.
The Di Li looked up and saw him. "Avatar Aang, what are you doing outside the palace? It is not safe here."
"I'm fine I can handle myself."
"But the Kazekage may make an attempt on your life, there is no telling how far they are willing to go to get what they want."
"He is right Avatar Aang, they are desperate men who have become enemies of the emperor. These traitors may one day attack you."
Aang looked at Li's death gaze whose face was filled with rage and hate, "So I guess the reason why he didn't attack me or Katara was because he was trying to escape?"
"Yes, that's right. That man is a traitor to the empire who only wish to see the Earth Kingdom burn. But we will not let him do that will we? We will make them pay. We make all those traitors pay dearly," said the handsome as he placed a hand on the young Avatar's shoulder and led him away from the bloody scene.