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As evening fell, I found myself striding up and down the deck of the ship, trying to bring the fire back to my hands again and thinking about dinner with the Captain. Why was he taking such an interest in me? And why on earth would he want to have dinner with a runaway Firebender from the Water Tribe?
I was terrified of slipping up, revealing something about Firelord Ozai that would get me into trouble. There was no doubt that Song Etka was trying to get more information about me, and I slowly and carefully rationalized what was safe to say to him and what wasn't. My story had to be believable, and my alibi airtight.
As the day blended into evening, I had other things running through my mind, Etka's invitation to dinner being number one. Was it formal or informal, were we dining off of the ship or on it? Would it be only us eating together or in a group?
I returned to my quarters, and mulled over changing my clothing. A long dress and a tunic hardly seemed appropriate to wear if the dinner happened to be a formal occasion, and since the Captain had invited me, it only seemed right to wear something nicer. I sighed in frustration, running a hand through my hair. Back at home, meals like this were rarely held on a regular basis. The only time I ever remembered having to dress up was when my Uncle Nakko got married, but it wasn't nearly as fancy as the clothing I had spread out before me.
What would my family think of me, dressing like a princess and dining with naval officers? I remembered Naheel ranting about the Fire Nation, calling them greedy bastards who only pursued their own self-gain. What would he think of me living amongst the enemy? I was a traitor to him and my whole family. With that in my heart, the last thing that I wanted to do was meet the Captain for dinner, but I had made a promise.
I reluctantly chose a sleeveless fur-lined overcoat in a deep red, and pulled it over my grey dress. It was nicer than just a tunic, I thought, as I carefully tucked the dagger under my clothes, and went to the helm to find the Captain.
"Anahi," I heard him call, and turned to see the Captain striding down the corridor of the ship. He was dressed in finer clothes too, robes of deep red and black that matched my clothes. I didn't feel as self-conscious as I had before, and smoothed my dress out. We bowed to each other, and Song Etka smiled.
"Are you hungry?" He asked, and I strode alongside him down the corridors of the ship. "I've made reservations at the Rongyu Pearl."
"Reservations, sir?" I repeated in surprise, and the Captain chuckled. "You didn't think that I would invite you to dinner on the ship, would you?" He asked, and I looked down to hide the flush in my cheeks. We departed the ship and began to stroll on foot through the streets. The sky had begun to blend from blue to black as the sun sank deep into the sky, and people had begun to light up the lanterns and windows on their shops and houses.
"It's not far," The Captain explained. "I thought that a walk would be pleasant."
"It is, sir," I said politely, looking around at the people around us. I caught the eye of a couple of small children who were playing in the street, and I saw a little girl's face instantly change from happiness to fear. She turned quickly to her older sister, and they quickly took their things and ran off. I watched them go, my heart heavy and uneasy. I hadn't done a single thing to her, and still she had been afraid.
With a jolt, I realized it was because of the clothes. I was dressed as a member of the Fire Nation, walking down the streets of Rongyu with the Captain of a Fire Nation warship. The little girl had every right to be afraid - the Fire Nation had invaded her city.
"This way," Etka touched my arm, and I was jolted from my thoughts. My glance went to his hand on my arm, and he quickly pulled it away, smoothly transitioning his touch to gesture towards the door. I nodded, and went inside before the Captain, where a host hastily hurried to greet us, bowing so low that I could see the hair thinning on the top of his skull.
"Welcome, sir and lady," He said, keeping his head bowed when he spoke to us. He never looked either of us in the eye, and it was making me uncomfortable. He was treating me like someone I was not. "Right this way."
I followed him, Etka behind me, to a private room, away from the rest of the customers. The host slid open a door to a room lit by a plethora of red lanterns, and told us our waitress would be with us in just a moment.
Slowly, I walked into the room, staring at the fine paintings on the walls, and the ornate table already set for us. "Sir, this is too much," I turned back around, to see the Captain taking a seat on a mat at the head of the table. Just then, our waitress, a tiny young woman in a dress that looked a little too big on her hurried in with water, and I took my seat across from the Captain.
"I'll have the white mountain sake," The Captain said, and the waitress turned to me, keeping her head bent and her eyes down.
"And for you, miss?" She asked, her voice timid and shy. I felt guilty, as she was most likely afraid of us as well.
"I'd just like tea, please," I said, trying to sound as gentle as possible. She bowed and hurried off, shutting the door behind her. I was alone with Etka, and I looked across the table at him. We really weren't that far apart, and the soft lighting and elegant setting made for a surprisingly intimate experience.
"This is certainly very generous of you, sir," I smiled coyly.
"You are my guest," Etka leaned back, placing both hands on his cross legged knees. "It would disgrace my name if I were to have left you to die on that island. Consider it my honor."
"Forgive me, sir," I said, lowering my eyes. "I just...I have no way of returning your generosity."
"Return the favor in telling me something," He grinned, and my eyes widened.
"I thought that you told me that you wouldn't ask any further on my past, sir," I replied coolly.
"I can't help but be curious, Anahi," He smiled, as the waitress returned with our drinks. Etka's attention only frayed from me for a moment as he placed an order for roast duck for the both of us. After the waitress had hurriedly left to put in our meal, Etka turned back to me.
"Put yourself in my position," He said, taking a swig. "You're on patrol when you see a fire coming from a known uninhabited island. You send a scouting party out, who brings back a young woman from the water tribe, who claims to be a Firebender. And in spite of being extremely malnourished and sick, manages to near flawlessly execute an arch throw maneuver before falling very ill for several days. Tell me truthfully, Anahi, wouldn't you be the slightest bit curious?"
"I suppose I would, sir," I hid my face behind a sip of tea. "But how can I fairly confess to you, whom I know next to nothing about? Does that seem fair?" I was shocked at my boldness, but in spite of how warm my cheeks were, I wasn't about to take back my words.
Etka was watching me with a bemused expression. "Fair enough," He said slowly, watching me carefully. "I'll go first. My name is Song Etka, and I've been the captain of my ship for three years. I've lived in the Fire Nation my whole life, and ever since I was a boy, I've been involved in the military. My parents were born naval officers, and I've followed in their footsteps. Now, Anahi, are we on equal ground?" Judging by the smirk on his face, I decided that Etka wasn't angry with me, if only a little surprised.
"We are, sir," I agreed, bracing myself. I prayed that this would be convincing enough. "Alright. I was raised in the Water Tribe my whole life, and up until recently, I believed that I had no bending ability. I realized that I was a Firebender on accident; I got angry, and the next thing I knew, I had blasted fire from my hand." I gave a dry chuckle and realized that Etka was watching me intently. "I realized that I didn't belong in the Water Tribe, and I had to find a way to get to the Fire Nation on my own. So I ran away from home and took my family's canoe. I rowed for days, and the next thing I knew, I was being taken in by your warship, captain."
Etka was silent for a moment, and my heart was pounding against my chest. This needed to be good enough for him. "You're fascinating, Anahi," He finally spoke. "Your story seems incredulous, but you have all the evidence in which to back it up with." I gave a thin smile, and the doors opened to our waitress, our host, and who appeared to be the chef of the restaurant. The host was carrying the roast duck, and the waitress a massive array of side dishes, which were laid fashionably around the table.
"Captain Song," The chef bowed low before Etka, and then to me. "And his most honored guest. It is my sincerest hope that everything is to your satisfaction. I humbly ask that if anything is not, you notify Makya as soon as possible, and we will do our best to rectify things." I noticed his voice wavered slightly as he spoke, and like everyone else in this establishment, he did not look us in the eye.
"Thank you," The Captain said, and I noticed the waitress set down two extra glasses of sake before him. Captain Song took one and slowly drank.
"Everything looks wonderful," I said earnestly, trying to meet his eye and convey my sincerity.
"My humble thanks," The chef said, and all three bowed before leaving and closing the door behind them. My heart felt heavy, and I stared at the immense amounts of food, way more than what we had ordered. The staff of the Rongyu Pearl were doing everything they could to please us, because they were terrified of the consequences would be if they failed.
To be polite, I tasted the food, which was all delicious, but I felt so guilty eating it. My heart was too heavy, and I couldn't stomach any more. Finally, after several minutes of silence, Etka spoke, his voice quiet. "Anahi, you're not eating," He said softly. "Do you not like it? I'll send it back."
"Everyone I've seen looks terrified of us, sir," I suddenly confessed, meeting Etka's eyes from across the table. When he gave nothing but a passive gaze back, I continued, more frustrated. "The host, the waitress, even the people on the street... I feel so ashamed, sir. They're all terrified of us."
"They have reason to be," He said soberly. "The Fire Nation has occupied Rongyu for several months now - "
"But don't you think..." I blurted out, before stopping myself.
"Do I think it's wrong?" Etka looked at me with such a piercing gaze that it made my blood freeze. "Is that what you're asking?" I bowed my head, regretting my outburst. Did he think I was treasonous against the Fire Nation? Would I no longer be in his good graces?
"Then yes," He murmured quietly, and I looked up in shock. Etka was now staring hard at the grain of the table. "The brutality I have seen was not what I anticipated upon joining the navy. The way that they made things out to be... I never thought that I would have to become the man who I am now." I was stunned. This was not in the slightest what I had expected from him. "Is there any honor in razing a village to the ground, Anahi? Is there any honor in orphaning a child?" He looked up at me and I saw a pain in his eyes that I hadn't expected. My heart softened, just a little. "They tell the recruits that what we do is for the greater good of the Fire Nation, that our actions will glorify ourselves and our country." Etka sighed and exhaled through his nose. "My only defense is that maybe, someday, through this, there can be some sort of peace."