Chapter 3: Explanations
Zuko sat in a corner of his cell, the cold metal of the room no longer biting into his skin thanks to Katara. He was dressed properly for the cold weather now. Though everything she had brought him was a bit snug. He had heard her mumbling about Sokka, the big oaf he assumed, being surprisingly smaller than him. Though Zuko was not surprised.
After Katara had healed his wrists, he had consented to her healing abilities and she had gotten to work quickly on his other injuries that littered across his upper torso. She worked meticulously and he had noted that no injury was too small for her attention. Once she had moved onto his torso leaving his arms alone, he returned his attention back to the food she had brought. Content with the thought that, for the moment at least, she was not going to try and kill him. He felt everything she did though, and marveled at each disappearing pain as she continued.
"This might hurt a bit." She suddenly warned from behind him, and he tensed. "I believe you have a few broken ribs." She said as if that explained it. Then he heard her mumble under her breath. "Amazing you were able to fight."
He winced when she pressed her hands against his skin, moving the water to knit the bone, as he was gasping for breath. But in the next instance her touch was gone and he gulped in big deep breaths.
"Sorry," she said hesitantly. "I warned it could hurt." But the angry retort died on Zuko's lips when he realized that he was able to take in deep breaths that did not result in coughing fits that led to more pain. He was finally able to breath again.
He still did not understand why she was helping him out the way. Why heal the enemy, better to keep them in poor conditions, barely holding on so that they could not fight back and were more compliant. No mercy, as his father drilled into him. He knew that no one else or anything of the other Nations would be treating him this way. He was sure that Chief Arnook would not be the last to give him a death sentence. So, he could not understand why she was helping him.
And she had confused him even more when she said she was finished for now but then had retrieved a couple bandages and proceeded to wrap his wrist. 'To protect your skin.' She had said, explaining that chief Arnook was requiring that she keep him restrained at all times. She had then replaced the manacles around his wrist, though she kept them in front of him, but made no move to restrain his ankles.
She had then left, with a promise to check on him tomorrow. And Zuko had watched her leave silently, more puzzled than anything on her treatment of him. They were enemies, that he was sure of. The life debt did not change that fact. Once the debt was paid, he would go back to capturing the Avatar and be restored back to his father's side.
Assured of his course of action, he closed his eyes, finally allowing himself to turn his thoughts to his uncle. Then he fell into the darkness of sleep.
Aang woke Katara the next morning for their training with Master Pakku. Then after lunch she continued lessons with the women in the healing huts. She did not start to notice the glances and sometimes stares from others until she met up with Aand and Sokka in the dinning hall.
"Why do people keep staring?" She whispered to Aang.
"Most are curious about you." Chief Arnook answered, having overheard her.
She turned her gaze on him surprised, she thought she had moved past this. "But why?"
"You are a small celebrity Katara." Chief Arnook explained. "The girl who fought for the right to be trained to fight with the men."
"And who is picking it up rather quickly." Master Pakku joined in, taking his place near her.
"You still train with the women in the healing huts. You have been traveling with the Avatar. And most recently, save the exiled prince of the Fire Nation from death invoking a life debt." Chief Arnook finished.
"Life debt?" Sokka asked between bites. Well between shoveling the food into his mouth.
"I have heard of that." Aang jumped in. "Each nation has had a variation of it. But the Fire Nation Law states if a person's life was saved by another, the saved person was obligated to pledge their life to their savior. They were bound by servitude to their savior until the savior deemed the life debt repaid and released them. Or they saved their saviors life in return. Or the savior or they themselves died."
"You are correct your Avatar." Chief Arnook confirmed.
"So, what…" Sokka asked around another mouthful of food. "Zuko is like our slave now."
"Katara invoked the life debt by saving him." Chief Arnook continued. "So, the servitude falls only to her wishes, desires, and needs. He is bound by his honor to serve her now and only her. Do not expect him to help either of you two." He leveled his eyes at the two boys.
"Ok so he is bound to serve Katara and follow her orders." Sokka continued. "So, she can order him to do something and he must do it. Like walk off a cliff or stay underwater to drown himself."
"Sokka." Katara gasped out as she smacked his arm with a water whip from across the table. Bringing out a delightful yelp from him.
"No Sokka." Chief Arnook sighed. "Katara cannot wish or order for Zuko to harm himself. This would dishonor her and cause the life debt to become void. As the saved is bound to servitude the savior is bound as well to making sure the saved is looked after. Though if we complete the binding ceremony, it would not matter the order, Prince Zuko would be compelled to obey."
"Binding ceremony?" Katara asked.
"Fire Nation have or at least had a binding ceremony that once completed would compel prince Zuko to obey any command great or small. He would not be able to refuse." Master Pakku informed the group. "And given his nature and his heritage as Fire Nation, we highly recommend that you complete the binding ceremony so you do not rely solely on his given word to obey you."
"I don't think we should have to go that far." Aang interjected. "People have abused that before."
"What does that mean?" Katara asked Chief Arnook.
"Like master Pakku stated, he will not be able to refuse you. No matter how you treat him." Chief Arnook stated. That meaning was not lost on Katara, she could treat Zuko horribly she guessed, but with the binding he would be unable to defend himself. "The spirits have given you a powerful playing piece in the war. His honor binds him to serve you well, though I am sure there will be struggle in the beginning. The binding would eliminate the need to be worried about retaliation on his part. Conducting yourself honorably as well Katara and maybe we will find that you have the piece that will tip the scale. A Fire Nation prince bound by a life debt may be very handy indeed."
Katara turned her gaze to Sokka, who surprisingly had stopped eating and was staring at her. And Aang was just smiling at her in encouragement. She turned her gaze to her plate and began eating in silence. Aang and Sokka eventually turned their attention to Chief Arnook and Master Pakku and discussed Aang's bending progress and when they may be leaving to find Aang an earth bending teacher.
It was decided that in two weeks the four of them, Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Zuko would be leaving to an earth kingdom military base to obtain an escort to Omashu so Aang could learn earthbending from king Bumi. Chief Arnook would send General Fung a message to expect their arrival at the base in two weeks. Of course, this was decided under the pretense that Aang would apply himself more to his waterbending training and he and Katara would be evaluated through a series of test over the course of these two weeks to see if they had earned the title of master. Once agreed Katara excused herself to go and check on Zuko. With the information of the life debt, she had some questions for the exiled prince.
Stopping at her room she grabbed the bundle at the end of her bed. She had obtained a change of clothes for the prince as well as some bed furs. She checked her pocket for the keys and headed out towards the cells.
Upon her arrival she was glad to see that someone had started bringing Zuko meals, as he looked to be finishing his own dinner in the corner. She unlocked the cell door and walked in, letting the door fall closed behind her.
"You came back." He seemed to exclaim in disbelief.
She scoffed at him as she dropped the bundle she carried to the floor. "I promised I would be backs to check on you. I keep my promises. Now," She continued indicating the pile on the ground. "Where would you like these?"
"What is it?" he asked, staring at the pile as though it would suddenly attack him.
"Some bed furs, and extra change of clothes." She answered with a shrug. "I could not carry much, but two furs down to lay on. Some barrier between you and the metal floor."
He looked skeptical, but pointed to the other side of the cell. She shook out the furs laying them out, one on top of the other and placed the folded clothes at one end. Then to Zuko's dismay she sat down facing him and announced. "I have some questions."
He tried to stamp down the immediate flare of annoyance. Realizing this was going to take a lot of adjustment on his part. "About what?" he managed to get out.
"What does this life debt mean to you?" Katara leveled her eyes at him. Aang's and Arnooks description may be outdated Katara had convinced herself. One hundred years of war may have changed things. If it was the Southern Water Tribe the saved person would have only had to give gifts if the savior invoked a life debt. Spices, beads, hunting gear, food, and or clothes given as gifts each year until the savior felt repaid. Most of the time the saved person's family was so greatful they to would give the savior gifts as well. Servitude was not expected or demanded. So, she had decided to ask Zuko.
"You do not know what it means?" Zuko looked at her quizzically.
"I had it explained to me." Katara conceded. "But each nation has its own variation, and the knowledge on Fire Nation law is one hundred years old. So, I believe, to conduct this honorably, I should know what a life debt means to you. Do you not agree?" She asked carefully.
"Agreed." Zuko seemed to sigh the word, before explaining. "A life debt in the Fire Nation is a bond sealed by blood and fire. I will be bound to you in servitude for the rest of your life until I either sacrifice my life for yours, or you release me from the bond, or you die. What you command me I must do. There is a ceremony to complete the binding, but we must have at least one witness. I make my vow to you, and then you place your mark on me."
"My mark?" How would I do that?" Katara interrupted him.
"In the Fire Nation everyone has a mark, usually a family symbol, or just your name mark. The sealing with blood and fire is because you are supposed to burn you mark on me after I speak my vow."
"But I am a waterbender, how could I mark you with Fire? And why would I want to mark you?"
Zuko looked at her like she was dumb. "Not everyone in the Fire Nation is a bender. You can use other objects heated hot enough to place your mark."
"And if I do not want to mark you." Katara stated.
"Then you dishonor the debt and the ceremony is incomplete." Zuko spat at her.
"Okay, sorry." Katara exclaimed in exasperation. "I did not realize how bent your Nation was on inflating pain on each other."
"IT'S NOT-" Zuko started shouting before cutting himself off. His breathing deepened as he struggled to regain his temper. After a moment he continued in a lower voice. "It is not about pain. It is about remembrance, honor, the vow. It shows everyone else the bond, if you mark me in a place visible."
"Okay, I am sorry." Katara stated again, quietly this time. Then another thought popped into her head. "Is the life debt kept even if the ceremony has not taken place yet?"
"My honor keeps me bound even before the ceremony. But until completed it is my right to refuse your orders. So, I would rather just get the binding over with Katara."
"Hey," Katara stated in disbelief. "You can say my name."
He in turn rolled his eyes at her. "I thought it obvious that my honor demands I respect my savior, bound yet or not. So, unless you end up ordering me to call you by another name, your given name is what I will use."
"Katara is fine." She said in response.
"When-" He cut himself off again, and looked to be struggling for the right words. "I mean, if I may ask?" he paused. And Katara nodded for him to continue. "How long will I be staying down here?"
Katara sighed at the question. "Chief Arnook and his advisors want you to remain down here until we leave. Since you are Fire Nation, and the prince at that, and just having an attack on the north by the Fire Nation, they all think it best to keep you out of sight." She stood to go. "Aang and I still have some training, but we all decided that in two weeks we will travel to the Earth Kingdom for Aang to learn earthbending. Though Sokka does not agree, you will be coming with us. I will talk to Chief Arnook about the ceremony."
She exited the cell, pausing to lock the door behind her. "Good night Zuko." She said quietly and then left.