Chapter 16: Blame
A breathtaking landscape stretched out before them, a picturesque scene that seemed to defy the turmoil that lay ahead. An expansive beauty of rolling hills, majestic approaching mountains, and a vast expanse of lush forests. The world was alive below them as the sun crested above the distant mountains, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. The world around him was a masterpiece of nature's design, but its beauty was lost to Zuko.
The night had been cruel to him, a relentless parade of restless thoughts and haunting memories that clung to him in the shadows. As he looked at Sokka and Katara, slumbering peacefully at the front of the saddle, he could not help but feel a twinge of envy. They had found solace in sleep, while his mind had been haunted by the ghosts of his past.
He wished for sleep, or rather to black out into a world of unconsciousness and not dream. For dreams were just another form of torture, transporting him back to the infernal chair beneath the military base. In his dreams, he could still feel the cold metal restraints, still hear the voices of his captors, and still see the disdain in the eyes of the General. His mind was also playing tricks on him, interchanging the soldiers with his father and sister, them doing nothing as they watched him suffer. The crackling of flames, the anguished cries of his past, and the relentless pursuit of his destiny tormented him in the darkness of his own mind.
Zuko shifted uncomfortably in his restraints, the cuffs biting into his wrists, a constant reminder of his captivity. The transition from one form of restraint to another had been a recurring theme throughout his tumultuous journey, each set of bindings marking him as an enemy, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
As the sun continued its ascent, casting a warm, golden hue over the landscape, Zuko turned his gaze to the young Avatar, who had moved atop Appa's head, guiding the massive beast down in a slow descent. The rolling hills gave way to the looming mountains, and the forest below gradually thinned out. Zuko could feel the anticipation building in the pit of his stomach as they drew closer to their destination, a knot of tension that refused to let go.
His gaze fixed on the Avatar.
Aang, he corrected himself.
As Appa's massive form glided gracefully over the treetops, weaving between mountain peaks until the city's silhouette etched against the pale pre-dawn light came into their view. He watched Aang's shoulders slump and heard a small cry mixed with sorrow and anger. Unable to see the city fully from his vantage point in the back of the saddle, Zuko could only guess at what had torn the sound from the young monks' lips. And as Aang pulled the reins to the left forcing the bison off course, Zuko beheld the source of Aang's anguish.
In the distance, he could make out the large banners that hung over the walls, bearing the unmistakable emblem of the Fire Nation. Sokka and Katara, who had been forced awake by the sudden change of direction were staring out over the side of the saddle in bewilderment. The saddle beneath Zuko became increasingly uncomfortable when Sokka turned an angry glare in his direction.
Aang guided Appa down into a clearing, their destination now in view through the tree line. Dismounting Zuko watched the trio as they walked through the trees and stared out at the ominous sight that lay before them. The large Fire Nation banners billowing proudly over the towering walls of the once-proud Earth Kingdom city. The vibrant green and earthy tones of Omashu had been replaced by the imposing red and black of the Fire Nation, thick tendrils of black smoke rising from different sections of the city. A place of strength and resilience, now bore the wounds of a conquered giant, a symbol of oppression, its people subjected to the ruthless rule of the Fire Nation.
Aang, unable to hide his anguish, fell to his knees, his eyes welling with tears as he took in the desecration of the once-proud city. The laughter of children, the clang of metalworkers, the songs of the benders – silenced. The vibrant culture and resilience, are overshadowed by the red banner of the Fire Nation.
Katara sank to her haunches beside Aang, placing a hand comfortingly on his back. Sokka stood rigid as he stared at the city, his fists tightening in frustration. Aang's fists were clenched too, his knuckles white with tension, and his eyes filled with unshed tears.
"We have to help them," Aang whispered, his voice trembling.
"We will," Katara reassured him.
"We can't just rush in there. We need a plan." Sokka reasoned.
"Let's make some breakfast and come up with a plan," Katara suggested.
They sat in silence for a while, absorbing the harsh reality of their situation. The city they had longed to reach was under Fire Nation control, and their quest to find a master earthbender for Aang had hit another roadblock.
As Katara prepared the simple breakfast of oats topped with fruits, the group sat around in a small circle, their expressions a mix of concern and determination. The forest canopy provided a dappled shade over them, and the birds sang in the distance, a stark contrast to the somber atmosphere that surrounded them.
Katara bent the oatmeal, her movements steady and deliberate as she sent the contents into each awaiting bowl, making sure they each received an equal share. The colorful fruits she had added to the dish seemed like a small taste of sweetness in a world filled with bitterness.
Aang, his thoughts still troubled by the sight of Omashu, took a deep breath before picking up his spoon. He glanced at Sokka and Katara, his eyes filled with gratitude for their unwavering support. "Thanks, Katara. This is great."
Sokka, although less expressive, nodded appreciatively. Zuko stayed quiet as they all ate silently.
Sokka's voice broke the silence as he set down his bowl, "We need to discuss a plan."
"I need to find Bumi," Aang declared, his voice tinged with urgency.
"We will," Sokka reassured, "But we need to find out how to get into the city without anyone seeing us."
"I know of some tunnels beneath the city we could use. They usually have outlets running along the outer wall that led to inner streets." Aang informed them. "But you might not like them."
"As long as they get us into the city undetected," Sokka stated. "I say we enter at night, fewer people out and about."
As the trio continued to discuss their plan, Zuko remained silent. He felt a growing sense of unease as they deliberated on their course of action. His loyalty, as tenuous as it was, still lay with the Fire Nation and his quest to regain his honor. Joining in their strategy discussions, potentially against his own nation, presented a moral dilemma he was not yet ready to confront. The betrayal of his nation beneath the military base still weighed heavily on his mind, even if he had divulged the information to protect Katara. He could only hope that the information he held, gathered before his banishment, was outdated. Since his exile, he had not been privy to his nation's military operations, leaving him uncertain about the current situation.
Aang remained adamant about finding King Bumi first. The idea of leaving an ally in captivity weighed heavily on him, and his sense of responsibility as the Avatar was a driving force.
Sokka, ever the strategist Zuko was discovering, emphasized the importance of entering the city discreetly. His reasoning was sound; avoiding detection was paramount to their mission's success. They considered the tunnels beneath the city that Aang mentioned, a hidden path that might lead them closer to their goal without raising suspicion.
Katara, her eyes filled with determination, stood firm in her resolution of trying to find a way to help free the Earth kingdom people within the city walls. Sokka argued with her that finding King Bumi was the priority. And their plan began to take shape as they discussed possible scenarios. Zuko listened intently, his mind still torn between his loyalty to the Fire Nation and his growing sense of loyalty to Katara.
Finally, the trio reached a consensus: they would use the underground tunnels to enter Omashu undetected. Once inside, they would gather information from the locals about where King Bumi was being held and formulate a plan to rescue him. It was a cautious approach, one that aimed to minimize risks. For Zuko, the agreement that he would stay behind brought a complex mix of emotions. Gratefulness for not having to confront his internal conflict and dread at the thought of something happening to Katara and him not being there to protect her. The latter feeling made him feel baffled at his response.
"I should come as well." Zuko finally spoke up, looking at Katara. "It is my duty to protect you, and I cannot do that if I am left behind."
"I will be fine Zuko," Katara reassured him, her tone gentle. "Your presence would probably confuse and slow us down with questioning the locals. It is best you stay behind with Appa and Momo."
"Besides," Sokka interjected. "It is not like we could trust you to aid us with this mission. You would probably run to your people and betray us."
Katara's reassurance was a soothing balm on Zuko's worries, but Sokka's skepticism cut through the moment like a knife. He sensed the tension rising as Sokka's words hung heavily in the air. Zuko's jaw clenched involuntarily, his nails digging into his palms. Sokka's unrelenting distrust felt like a burning brand against his chest. He could not entirely blame Sokka for feeling this way a small part of the back of his mind reasoned.
The silence that followed was palpable. Zuko wanted to defend himself, to assure them that he would not, could not, do that. But the words seemed stuck in his throat, and the fiery spark of anger threatened to consume him. The battle between his pride and his desire to prove himself to Katara raged inside him, leaving him momentarily speechless. The clinking of the metal around his wrists seemed to grow louder, weighing down on him.
"Just stick to your role fire brat." Sokka muttered with a scowl, "We don't need you sticking your Fire Nation head in and ruining our plans."
Zuko's head snapped around to the water tribe boy, his amber eyes flashing with anger as he retorted, "And what's that supposed to mean?"
Sokka, never one to back down from a confrontation, faced Zuko squarely. "It means exactly what it sounds like," he replied, his tone laced with bitterness. "Your nation has caused nothing but pain and suffering."
Zuko's fists clenched at his sides, his face contorted with a mixture of anger and hurt. "You can't judge an entire nation based on the actions of a few," he countered, his voice strained. "Especially if they are just soldiers following orders."
Aang, always the peacemaker, stepped in, his voice gentle but firm. "Guys, we need to focus on our plan. Arguing won't help."
Aang's words acted as a temporary ceasefire in the ongoing battle. Sokka, although still wearing a scowl and casting the occasional glare at Zuko, begrudgingly shifted his focus to the task at hand. However, it was evident that Sokka's newfound silence would not last long.
Zuko, attempting to quell his anger, muttered a few choice words under his breath before turning his attention back to the boy.
Sokka muttered, unable to let it go. "Your Fire Nation, even worse a Fire Nation prince. And the Fire Nation has done nothing but spread pain and destruction with everything they touch."
Katara, who had been sitting quietly during the exchange, finally spoke up. "Sokka, we've been over this. Zuko is helping us now. He's been proving himself."
Sokka rolled his eyes dismissively, clearly not convinced. "Proven himself? Please. One good deed doesn't erase a lifetime of bad ones Katara."
Zuko's jaw clenched, his patience fraying at the edges. He retorted, his tone tinged with frustration, "And what about you, Sokka? Can I trust a Water Tribe warrior who cannot let go of his prejudice?" The air in their little group grew heavy with tension, and it was clear that their conflicts were far from resolved. The argument between Zuko and Sokka continued to escalate, each word becoming a verbal blade in their heated exchange.
Sokka's expression twisted with anger as he let his pent-up frustration pour out. His voice was a sharp retort, like a sword being unsheathed. He did not mince words, directly attacking Zuko's loyalty and principles. His anger, feeding off his conviction that the Fire Nation was beyond redemption. "You're defending your nation, shocker. But your nation is built on cruelty and tyranny. You think one act of kindness can wipe out the Fire Nation's atrocities?"
Zuko, in contrast, responded with a mix of anger and hurt in his eyes. His emotions roiled beneath the surface, struggling to find an outlet. He was sure Katara would not appreciate him roasting Sokka alive. "You think I don't know what my nation has done? I am trying to amend-"
"Making amends?" Sokka questioned, cutting him off, his voice grew louder, his finger pointing accusingly at Zuko. "Is that what you're doing? Tell me, how does helping us change the fact that your people have hurt countless others?"
"Sokka stop." Katara demanded.
Aang, growing increasingly frustrated with the bickering, raised his voice. "Enough! We don't have time for this."
But Sokka, unwilling to back down, pressed on. "We cannot trust anything you do. You are acting under the life debt. But let us be honest here. If Katara released you, or she was killed. You would turn on us so fast I would probably be dead and you sailing back to the Fire Nation with Aang in your clutches."
"Sokka." Katara warned.
"And you, Katara" Sokka began, turning on his sister. "Why are you defending him so much? Is he more important to you than your own people? Our mother—"
"Don't you dare bring Mom into this." Katara burst out.
"We have lost so much at the hands of the Fire Nation, mom murdered, dad leaving to fight, Yue-." Sokka broke off, before pointing an accusing finger at Zuko. "A Nation he is part of. He has chased us around the world. Attacked us on multiple occasions. We can't trust him, and will never be able to trust him. He is under the influence of the life debt. His actions are not true to his character. When will you understand that?"
Zuko's temper flared, flames dancing around his fingertips as heat rolled off him in waves. His raised voice echoed off the surrounding trees. "You think you are the only one who has seen and experienced suffering." He bit out. "You do not know the meaning of the word. Were you tortured deep in the dungeons of the military base for days? Were you exiled from your homeland and given the impossible task of hunting down and bringing in a figure who had not been seen for one hundred years to regain your honor? My own father-" Zuko cut himself off.
Sokka froze, eyes widening in shock at Zuko's outburst. For a moment, the two young men stood facing each other, chests heaving, anger and pain radiating from them both. The forest seemed to hold its breath as if nature itself recognized the intensity of the moment. The rustling leaves quieted, and the air hung still and heavy.
"You are not the only one who has lost someone in this war," Zuko stated.
Katara stepped between the two heated young men, arms out pressing on their chests to push them apart. "Enough." She stated simply, her voice soft but steady, her gaze fixed on Zuko. Katara's intervention had a visible effect on him. His flames flickered and died, leaving only the embers of his anger. And even Sokka's rigid posture relaxed a bit.
Casting his gaze to the ground, Zuko turned on his heels and left, walking off into the tree line.
Katara watched Zuko disappear in the trees, before turning to her brother, blue eyes blazing. "That was completely uncalled for Sokka." She began accusingly. "What are you thinking?"
"That we can't trust him?" Sokka defended himself.
"Did it ever occur to you that treating him with kindness and trust would be a way to help him change?" Katara reprimanded. "That doing this for him might help him see the wrongdoing of his past actions and the shortcomings of his nation's belief so that he would aid us willing in ending this war."
Sokka stared at her blankly.
"I did not think so." Katara breathed out a sigh, then asked gently. "How old were you when mom died?"
"Katara-"
"He is only about a year older than you. I highly doubt the order came from him when the raiders came to our shores." She continued cutting him off. "What is his name?"
Sokka could not grasp the point she was trying to make and stared at her silently.
"What is his name, Sokka?" Katara repeated.
"Zuko, but I don't see-" Sokka began.
"Exactly," Katara stated cutting him off again. "Zuko, not Zhou. He had no part in the plan to end the moon spirit life, causing Yue to sacrifice herself to restore balance to our world." Katara added gently. "I know you loved her, and I am sorry that she is gone. But now it is your turn to understand something." She paused, allowing her words to sink in. "Those two accusations you are laying at Zuko's feet are not his transgressions to bare and he does not deserve any malice from you in regard to them. The third transgression you are placing on his shoulders about chasing us around the world. I am choosing to forgive him for that. And regardless of the life debt, I am choosing to trust him, because he seems to need someone to trust him if he is going to change. He needs someone and I do not turn my back on people who need me."
Sokka stared at her quietly. She knew, he had taken on the responsibility for protecting his family and tribe in the absence of their father, and this protective instinct had manifested as skepticism and reluctance when it came to trusting outsiders, especially someone like Zuko, who was from the Fire Nation. And then to leave some of that responsibility behind and find someone he loved, only to have her taken away as a direct consequence of the Fire Nation's actions, Sokka was carrying around a heavy burden of anger and grief with him. She only hoped he could heal and look past this.
"I am going to look for Zuko," Katara stated, heading off in the direction he had disappeared. "When I bring him back, I expect you to apologize."