A/N. So sorry it took so long! Family was visiting, and then work had some interesting ideas of how to ruin my week and my sanity lol!
She still couldn't believe that he was actually awake, breathing and talking… Tui and La, she had looked to this moment with so much longing that it had hurt. And now that it was finally, finally here… They couldn't take any pleasure from it. As soon as she had heard the melodiocous voice of the airbender grumble angrily at Shoji for dropping him, Katara had felt a horrible weight being lifted from her shoulders.
She had hated the fact that his life had been in her hands, even though the injuries had not seemed too severe… Still, as she had examined him, trying to concentrate on that instead of his eyes, she had been filled with pure relief. Sure, he had grimaced as she had poked him in the ribs, and the waterbender had not been blind. He was in pain, more than he had been trying to let on, but she knew him better than that.
And the way he inhaled the air, in such a wheezing, slow way, was not natural to him. She had actually never heard him breathe before, except for some sighs and when they had… Well, when they had been together, when he had not been able to control his breathing so much.
So, now that his breathing was a constant reminder of what had happened, she still looked at him as he removed the cloak from his shoulders. The soldiers standing at the entrance of the alley faltered visibly, clearly confused at the sudden appearance of someone looking so foreign to them, clad in a blood-drenched tunic… And with the tattoos they had been told to hate and to despise.
And now their enemy, the only person left of a people they had murdered, was standing right in front of them. Katara knew Aang hated it, even loathed the fact that people were afraid of him, but at this moment, she couldn't help but feel grateful for it. The hesitation of every soldier would mean they had more time to attack them.
But before she could even move the water she had pulled from one of the puddles in the alley, the ground underneath her feet began to tremble. Not like when it moved with earthbending, but rather a soft murmur in the ground. Before she could even look at Aang, she heard the shout from the other side of the wall. A shout that filled the air, consuming every other noise that could have been heard. It was wordless, but the meaning was clear enough.
The soldiers on the other side, those under Piandao's command, were crossing the mile of open country separating the siege camp from the town.
"Monkeyfeathers…" She heard Aang groan, and even at that situation, she had to hide the smile that formed on the corners of her lips. In the most serious situation, the airbender could sometimes come out with such a ludicrous answer that it was funny… But even so, she heard the shout come closer, and the trembling of the ground intensified. Looking at the airbender, she saw that he was concentrating, a foot on the ground.
"How many?" She mouthed, keeping an eye on the soldiers at the entrance of the alley, who were very clearly hesitating between running for their lives or going to the gates to defend them. What was for certain was that they were not thinking of attacking them at least. And Katara couldn't blame them and was actually a little bit relieved. How had Aang been supposed to fight with his wound?
"Outside?" He whispered back to which she nodded, "A few thousand… Piandao had eight thousand soldiers, the others are at Fire Fountain."
Eight thousand. Piandao had told the truth to the council when he had said how many soldiers he had… And eight thousand was not enough to break through those walls… At least, not if the garrison fought back. But then again, a part of the troops were actively burning the town… Probably those Azula ahd brought with her… So, that meant that at least half of the five thousand would fight, while the other half would create confusion…
But she had been told that the besiegers had not been working on siege ladders… Only that they had built their catapults to fling rocks to the wall… So, how was Piandao even hoping to break through? There was no way in for him, and his only hope would be if Toph, who was outside with the soldiers, would break the wall for him. Why had he not done that? It made no sense… Why not use one of the best earthbenders in existence to break through those walls?
"Toph?" She whispered. Surely the blind earthbender could take down the walls… Still keeping an eye on the soldiers at the entrance of the alley, Katara saw that they chose to run…. But not towards the gates, but rather to the southern part of the town, towards the harbour…
And the one who had been armed with a spear had thrown it down. Of course, those men were probably part of the original garrison, and they were no real, professional soldiers. So they had chosen to run instead of fighting them… And to be honest, Katara couldn't blame them.
"Toph?"
"Can't she bring down the walls?" She asked, looking at the confused airbender.
"Piandao… Well, first, the walls are built on some sort of fused stone foundation, making it harder to bend it. And Piandao refused to have other people than the domestic army fight this siege. Something about not making this another war between nations." Aang explained, and the waterbender could see the logic in that. The Fire Nation hated the other nations, and were hated by them too. So of course, if Azula learned that the other nations were fighting on Zuko's side, she would use that to bolster her own support.
Now that the soldiers were gone, she let the water fall back on the ground. Katara heard the hard breathing from the airbender, something she hated so much that she looked at him, concerned. It had been so obvious that he had been making an effort to hide his true pain from her, but she had observed it nonetheless. Now, looking at him, she could feel her heart begin to beat faster.
It was Aang, battered, wounded and covered with blood and sweat… But the idea that the only thing standing between now and a normal life was today, and the fight that was going to happen… It gave her hope. If they lived to see the other side of that damned wall…
"Alright, what now?" Shoji stepped towards them. Katara resisted the urge to scowl at the young man, who had been hiding behind them and now had the audacity to try and ask them what they should do.
"The gate!" On J spoke, joining them, "Those soldiers were guarding the gate…"
Katara understood what the girl meant before the others. The soldiers had been stationed at the gate, but had fled towards the south, away from the gate. And that meant…
"The gate is undefended…" Aang whispered, staggering slightly. Concerned, she looked at the bandages, but didn't see any new, brighter blood staining those white linen… So, that meant he was just weak from the previous loss of blood… Hopefully.
As she studied the bandages from her place, a step away from the airbender, she let her eyes wander higher, to his face. Two wide grey eyes fixed her, clearly aware what she had been doing.
Alright? She mouthed, to which he nodded. Katara didn't actually believe him, but she also knew that their only hope was to get away from the town. Aang couldn't fight, and the three people with them were not much help either… So the only thing they could do was flee, and let the army on the other side of the wall know what was happening in…
Inside.
The gates were undefended. Not only would it serve them to get out…
But if they could open them…
The army outside could get in.
"Aang, would Piandao let his soldiers plunder?" She asked him, not for her own benefit, as she knew the answer, but so that On Ji, her mother and Shoji would understand.
"Of course not. He…" She saw his lips move downwards in a clear sign of pain before composing himself, "He has forbidden anything of the sort. No plundering, no killing of the people, no…" At the last part of his sentence, she saw his cheeks grow slightly red, and the words died in his throat, but Katara knew what he meant. Piandao had forbidden the soldiers of committing the typical crimes that happened during war.
"Come on then." She grabbed his arm, so that he could lean on her if needed. Gesturing for the other three people to follow them, she pulled the airbender to the corner of the alley. The shouts were growing ever closer, coming from just down the street now… And the smell of fire and ash was thick in the air. Azula's soldiers had probably managed to get to the town's centre, and were now burning the richer parts of town.
Glancing into the street, she saw that the southern part, far into the town, was a blaze for fire and people running in their direction… But judging by the distance, they still had one or two minutes before the street was crowded…
"Quickly!" She ordered them, pulling Aang with her as she turned northwards, to the gates that loomed at the end of the street. As thought, there was no one in sight, no soldier guarding the great structure… Katara could nearly smell the freedom that awaited them behind the wooden panels of the gate… She pulled Aang once more, forcing him in a slow run.
The shouts coming from further into town changed. Where first, it had been terrified screams, the shouts of people dying, it changed into high wailing. Gritting her teeth, Katara knew that the northern part of town, the poorer part where the harbour was, had probably suffered the beginning of the attack, and was now experiencing what happened after the killing and burning. They had to open the gate… That was the only chance of saving what was left of the town… Which, judging by the smoke of hanging above, wasn't much…
"Oh Agni…" She heard On Ji groan, and as she turned to her, the girl pointed to the gate. Looking back, Katara saw the great gates were locked by an enormous metal bar, locking the gate into place. No way they would be able to lift that…
"Aang!" She looked at the airbender, who had turned slightly paler than usual, "Remember how we attacked the drill at Ba Sing Se?"
"We cut the structure with waterbending." He answered softly, smiling before it turned to a grimace, "But… Well, I don't think I can… I can't…" He didn't need to finish that sentence, because she understood. The gesture needed to make that bending movement was to lift your arms high, and bring them down with force… It had been tiring, and with his injury…
"Hey!" A new voice added his own sound to the chaos behind them. Turning to the sound, she saw that it was Hide… Hide, with a glass in his hand, coming out of the tavern next to the gates…
"What are you doing here!" The man clearly had not recognized Aang or her, because his eyes were fixed on On Ji, "You should be at home."
Katara gritted her teeth, but she stopped with the rest of the group, and glanced at the Fire Nation girl, who stood next to her mother, with such an annoyed expression on her face that the waterbender could have laughed if the situation wasn't this serious.
"The town is burning." On Ji gestured, "And Azula burned my home!"
"Fire Lord Azula. My father said that there were traitors in the town." Hide, leaning against the doorpost of the tavern, glanced towards the burning south of the town, "I would guess your father was part of them."
Katara didn't know what annoyed her more. The fact Hide didn't seem impressed by the fact that someone was burning his town, or by the fact he so carelessly spoke about Orsu, who was worth hundreds of Hides.
"Shut up." On Ji suddenly shouted at Hide, clearly having enough, "Shut you stupid, horrible mouth and just fuck off, for Agni's sake!"
Katara heard Aang chuckle softly beside her, a sound so foreign in this situation that she herself couldn't hide a smile at the sudden outburst. On Ji was right, of course, but the girl had never been the type to actually get angry. But the waterbender saw that it was the case now. Masi and Shoji were staring at the girl with open mouths, clearly not used to her shouting.
Hide suddenly moved, grabbing On Ji's wrist, twisting it in a painful angle, making the girl cringe.
"I'll teach you a lesson about talking like a bit-" Before he could finish, Katara lifted her hand to bend water at him, but before she could even do more than pull some droplets from the ground, the glass in Hide's hand exploded, the liquid inside of it forming a hard ball, and flying upwards. The icy ball hit the man squarely on the chin, making him stagger and release On Ji. The girl, wide-eyed and rubbing her wrist, quickly joined her mother and Shoji.
"Don't you even dare." Aang's voice sounded cold, and Katara, glancing at the airbender, realized it had been him who had bent and hit Hide. The man, who was recovering from the attack, also looked at Aang, and for a second, the waterbender saw recongiztion in the ember eyes of the man.
"Kuzon. What are you doing here?"
Spirits, how stupid was this guy? Someone who looked like the description of the Avatar had just bent the liquid, and Hide was seriously thinking it was someone else… Stepping in front of Aang, for she knew that if Hide had a mind to attack the airbender, that Aang would need help, she raised her eyebrows at the man.
"Get away from the gate, if you want to live." She spoke, and she heard that she sounded just as cold as Aang had done. Katara had hated Hide, but it had been more of an annoyed hatred. Now, she had seen what he truly was. A brute, who would have beaten On Ji the first chance he would have got. And she tolerated idiots. But she didn't tolerate this.
"You." Hide sounded scornfully. Tui and La, had he still not understood who they were? "Your place is inside this," He gestured his head to the tavern behind him, "On your back, where you bel-"
The rest of his sentence was drowned in the wet crack of the water whip Katara sent his way, having heard enough of this. As the water hit Hide right across the face, she could have sworn she saw the earth shift beneath the man's feet, making him fall even harder than she had planned. As Hide hit the ground face first, the waterbender heard the hard crunch of a nose breaking against the cold wet ground.
Good.
"Earthbending is a bad idea Aang." She said, as if she had not just hit the second most important man of the town onto the ground. Looking at the airbender, she saw that he was grimacing from the effort, but also had a satisfied glimmer in his eyes.
"He should not have insulted you." Aang shrugged. Katara glanced back towards On Ji, who seemed alright, her mother having draped an arm around the girl's shoulders.
"Everything okay?" She asked the girl.
"Yeah. Thanks…" On Ji whispered as a groan sounded from the ground. Looking back into the street, Katara saw that the people who had been running towards the gates, the people of the town trying to escape the attack on their homes, were coming ever closer. Just one more minute, and they would be engulfed in the great horde of fleeing people…
And that would hamper them, for most would hate Aang, and recognize him… And in his state, the airbender would not be able to protect himself. She would have to, and if there were too many… Well, she wasn't sure how long they could survive the anger of the townspeople, who surely believed the attack was coming from the siege camp.
"We have to open the gate. The army has to get in, and we need to get out." She spoke quickly, knowing that now, time was of the essence, "Shoji, keep Hide here. And if he moves, kill him like you tried to kill Aang." Katara knew she sounded cold, but they had no time to be nice about it.
As she turned to the gates, she had to groan as the locking bar looked even more formidable from up close. No way that they would manage to cut through it with waterbending, and certainly not with Aang being wounded…
"Open the smaller gate, and hope they have a battering ram?" On Ji suggested, hesitatingly, "I don't know, but perhaps…"
"Piandao doesn't have siege equipment… He thought the town would surrender." Aang sighed, "Spirits." The last part was accompanied by a groan as the airbender put a hand against the side of his chest.
"Tui and La, I said no earthbending." Katara gritted her teeth as she saw the airbender stagger. The sound of hundreds of feet was still coming closer, and the waterbender quickly supported Aang's weight once more.
"I like this. I missed you worrying about me." Aang's voice sounded softer, and Katara felt her heart beat slightly faster.
"Someone has to, you idiot." She murmured back, shaking her head.
"Well… I have an idea to open the gates, but I think I would need your assistance, after." Katara saw the crooked smile on his lips, and had to hide a groan. What had he planned now?
"I hate you, you do know that, right?" She shook her head, "What is the plan?"
"Remember when I… knocked… On the doors of the throne room in Ba Sing Se?" From the corner of her eyes, Katara saw the confused, and surprised looks on On Ji and Masi's faces.
"Yes…" She did, and she didn't like this plan, "but I also saw the movement you did then. And if you even try, the wound may open."
"I know." He sighed, "But I don't see how else… And at least it would only hurt one moment."
"And if we try to cut it like we discussed?"
"Too late, those people need to get out…" Aang pointed one side of his head towards the south, and Katara understood. Better to have one moment of pain, and save as many people as humanly possible…
"I don't like it."
"Believe me, me neither." Aang sighed, and Katara stepped aside. It was dumb. Stupid. Horribly stupid! But the only way to quickly open them…
"What is he…" On Ji began, but Katara, joining her and Masi, just shook her head, pointing her chin to the airbender. Both women had never seen airbending… And Katara was not going to tell them what it could do. If the Fire Nation was to learn what Aang was capable of… Well, let it be this way, saving the people of a town… Instead of learning it through fear.
The airbender walked a few steps, so that he stood right in front of the gate, in the middle of the street. The sound of the feet running towards them falter as soon as he lifted his hands, and no wonder… The townspeople probably thought they were trapped between an enemy burning their homes… And an enemy standing in front of the place they thought to flee.
A few anguished screams could be heard, and Katara could have sworn to hear someone call The Avatar! From further down the street. Not looking towards the screams, the waterbender kept her eyes on the airbender as he lifted his arms high above his head, putting his open palms against each other as if he was going to dive into water. Even from a few steps away, Katara felt the air shift, the wind changing direction. As she also saw the strained, pained look on the airbender's face as he was probably stretching the muscles in his chest, his wound hurting him…
As he brought down his hands in a hacking movement, putting his hands right in front of his chest, the air suddenly pushed towards the gate, and Katara felt her feet take an involuntary step forward. As the great force hit the gate, the waterbender heard the wood crack and splinter, and a great scream of metal being wrung the entirely wrong way. Cracks appeared in the walls, and several bricks began to fall down from where the hinges of the gates were being ripped away.
The gate began to fall outwards, slowly at first, before splinters flew into the air and the hinges that had fixed the gate against the wall separated from the wood. As soon as that had happened, one of the two doors fell down completely. One of the hinges of the other had also given way, making it lean dangerously into the open space… But Katara saw the mile of open country behind it… For the first time in weeks, she saw the other side of the world behind the wall…
"Aang! She called, quickly running to him. The airbender had fallen to his knees, and she saw him hammer one hand against the ground, while he gritted his teeth into such a painful grimace that she herself could feel the pain he was probably feeling.
"Remember me… To listen to you… from now on." The strained voice of the airbender spoke softly as she reached him, dropping onto her knees too. The white linen bandages were quickly staining with bright red blood, and Katara realized his wound must have opened. Ripping his tunic down from his shoulder, the waterbender quickly unwound the bandages. The wound in his chest was bleeding, but it didn't seem too bad… Looking around, she saw a barrel stand at the corner of the tavern. Lifting her hand towards it, she felt it was clear liquid, probably rainwater that had been collected to wash. Pulling some towards her, she let her fingers slide over the airbender's chest. The wound had indeed opened, but she didn't feel any internal bleeding, meaning that the parts she had healed inside of his lung were probably still fine…
"We need to get out of here." Aang whispered, and looking at him, Katara saw that he had grown even paler than before, "The soldiers… they are… coming."
Looking up, past the destroyed gates, she saw a wave of red-clad soldiers running towards them…
"Oh fuck." She cursed, "Can you stand?" She didn't wait for an answer, grabbing him underneath and arm and half pulling him up, half dragging him to the side. As she was trying, On Ji joined her and grabbed the other arm, helping her to drag the airbender to the doorpost of the tavern, where Shoji was standing next to Hide, who was still lying on the ground, forming a small ball of misery. Masi was standing on the other side of the two men.
"Wha…" On Ji's mother began, but Katara cut her off.
"Airbending, very useful. Now, help me!" She gestured at Aang, and Masi helped her by taking the airbender and leaning him against the wall of the tavern.
"Soldiers… are coming…" Aang groaned. Katara saw he had closed his eyes and was clearly not very happy about his current state.
"I know my love. Don't worry about us." She whispered, as the cries in the street grew louder. They had probably seen the soldiers coming from behind the gates and were afraid to be trapped between the soldiers coming from the camp and the soldiers burning the town.
"What now?" On Ji asked, alarm clear in her voice, "They don't know that you are on their side!" The girl gestured towards the destroyed gates.
"Aang!" Katara snapped her fingers in front of the airbender's eyes. The soft grey eyes opened once more, and she saw that he seemed slightly disoriented, "Aang!"
Before she could do anything else, the first red uniformed soldiers appeared through the destroyed gates and spread into the street.
"Get inside your homes!" One older soldier shouted at them, and Katara lifted her eyebrows. That was an insanely stupid idea, as the houses were burning… But then, she remembered that these soldiers were the domestic army of the Fire Nation… And they were probably not very well trained…
As soon as a few dozen soldiers had crossed into the town, the group began to march down the street, and Katara exhaled the breath she had not realized she was holding. At least, the first few soldiers from the camp had done as Aang had suggested they would do… But what about the second group, or the third? She knew that discipline could break down in a matter of minutes, and that only a skilled commander could actually pull off a coordinated, clean take over of a town or fort… And she was praying to Tui and La that Piandao was one such man…
"Aang, we need you." She snapped her fingers once more. The soldiers knew that the Avatar fought in their side, and he was easily the most recognizable man in the world. Undoing the knot of Aang's tunic, she pulled off the yellow and orange fabric, throwing it to Shoji.
"Here, wave at the next group. That might attract their attention."
"Do we want their attention?" The young man asked, sounding afraid.
"Great Spirits, Sugar Queen… Clawing off his clothes in broad daylight… You are getting worse by the day." A new voice spoke from their right, and lifting her head towards the sound she knew so well, she saw that the second group of soldiers that had crossed the ruins of the gates were not wearing the red uniforms of the Fire Nation… But blue and green…
And in front of them, her hands on her hips and shaking her head, was Toph.
Answers :
McChartney : Finally back together! And of course, during these chapters, they are doing very serious stuff, but I will have one or two fluff chapters! And of course, the others don't realize that Katara is an absolute beast in a fight. And Aang being super proud was so funny to write lol!
StarJem18 : But at least they have each other once more!
Jjsmith103 : I was waiting for the reunion too! Several times, I wanted to rush it, but I stuck to the plan, and made it to the 36th chapter lol! Oh… They will fully enjoy their reunion, don't you worry! And of course, Azula is going to twist this in such a way that would be good for her.
Katara2323 : Sorry I had you waiting for so long! But here it is!