"Ayeshi?" It was Han, coming downstairs. "Dinner's ready. Oh, is he out again?"
Ayeshi nodded. "Judging by his injuries, he probably has a concussion. That's on top of his broken ribs and broken leg."
"Well, Mom says to tie him up again and come have dinner. Here, I'll help you." Han picked up the ropes. "What's his deal?"
"His name's Lee. He got hit by a boulder. That's all I found out."
"Some talker he is. Hey, we could get the secrets of the fire nation from him! We could torture him!"
"Han. I don't want to torture him. Let's just tie him back up and go have dinner." Ayeshi took the ropes and bound Lee's feet together, being careful around his wrapped leg. Han tied the soldier's hands back together and the both went back upstairs.
"How is he?" Miyo asked as she set out bowls of noodles. "As soon as he's healed, he's out of my house."
"Mother, he's got a broken leg. He's not going anywhere for at least a month. He's concussed too."
"Great. Just great. That's a whole month with a fire bender in my house. A whole month we have to feed him and keep him tied in the basement. I ought to finish the job right now."
"Mother, let him heal up. We'll see what he's made of." Ayeshi slurped her noodles.
"Hrm. You've just taken a shine to him because he's pretty. You think he's some kind of bad boy who'll sweep you off your feet."
"I do not! But he is mysterious. And he knows more about what's outside Ba Sing Se."
"There's nothing outside Ba Sing Se! Nothing but death and destruction, Ayeshi. We know that. And I know you're dissatisfied with life here but the wall is there for a reason. We're safe here."
"I know, Mom. I was just hoping maybe he could tell me about what he's seen."
"He's seen death and destruction, that's for sure. He caused death and destruction. Fire benders are the reason your father is dead, Ayeshi. Don't forget that."
Ayeshi ducked her head and slurped her noodles down, tears pricking at the edges of her eyes.
"And what are you planning to do when he's healed? Just let him go? He's fire nation, he'll let his fire nation friends in and that'll be the ruin of everything. He'll learn out secrets. But we can't keep him here, he's another mouth to feed and we're barely stringing along as it is. The fate of the world hangs in the balance because you had to be a big softie."
"Well I'm sorry if I was so sick of people dying."
"Death is a part of life, Ayeshi!"
"Not this kind of death!"
"You've seen it before, what makes it different now?"
"I don't know." Ayeshi was trying not to cry. "I don't know, Mom. I feel like fate brought him here."
"That's ridiculous."
"I can't explain. I feel like our destinies intertwine."
"Well, we can put a stop to the destinies intertwining. We'll have to get rid of him. Get rid of him now or the whole kingdom will suffer. You have the knife. Do what you have to do."
After dinner Ayeshi went back to the basement, gripping the knife in her left hand. Lee was still out, bandaged and tied up on their little cot. "I take you out and all my problems are solved. Ba Sing Se is safe when people like you are dead. My mother's right. Death is a part of life. Thousands of soldiers die in the war. What's one more?" She took the end of the knife and placed it against the soldier's breastbone. "For the greater good, Ayeshi." She pressed the tip down and a tiny trickle of blood appeared. "I can't do it!"
She stood back, panting. Lee's chest rose and fell as he slept, despite the little trickle of blood Ayeshi had drawn. Looking at him, Ayeshi realized how much bigger he was than her, how she'd have to fight to draw the last breaths out of him, how she'd have to drain the life from his body. He was strong. Would he give up without a fight? "I can't do it." She whispered. Her left wrist went limp.
"It's all your fault!" Ayeshi threw the knife to the floor. "It's your fault my childhood home burned down! It's your fault we had to move to Ba Sing Se! It's your fault we all have to work in the family noodle shop just to stay afloat! It's—it's your fault my father is dead." Ayeshi put her head in her hands and began to sob. "The world is ugly. Everything is wrong because of people like you. Why can't I return the favor to you? Am I too weak?"
Ayeshi looked up again to see Lee still peacefully sleeping. Death came in tanks and ugly black ships that spewed smoke and ash everywhere. Death danced on red flames and left nothing but ash in its wake. Death flew with fireballs and echoed from beneath those red helmets that looked like skulls. But surely death did not come from a young man with bruises on his face who lay tied up on a cot while his broken bones healed. Neither, then, did death come from a young girl who clutched a knife she'd never used on anything bigger than a chicken.
"Lee. I'll let you live. But you have to be good. You can't be like them." Ayeshi sighed softly and sat down, ready to keep watch for another night.