A/N:
Slightly earlier update simply because I'm graduating from university at last and I didn't want to keep you guys waiting on our promised double update for a whole day xD here you go, hope you enjoy it!
She had nodded off at some point, though she didn't feel any more rested for it: Song jerked her head back up and glanced about herself anxiously… only to find nothing had changed within the deep catacombs underneath the Fire Nation's Capital.
The network of underground caves was meant to be a haven for all the civilians, but it proved to be a rather cramped one, too: even though there was more than one cave chamber, there didn't seem to be enough room in the tunnels to fit everyone as comfortably as most of them – namely, the nobles – would have liked. Song had overheard countless arguments so far between the highborn and the commoners, bitter bickering that had even resulted in one fist fight so far, which had been broken up by some of the soldiers assigned to keep them safe underground.
Their intervention didn't pacify the citizens altogether: the soldiers constantly avoided answering questions, whether because they were under orders to keep quiet about what had happened above ground, or because they had no idea what was going on. Children cried, older people complained, younger ones complained even more… all in all, Song had inevitably longed to go above ground just as badly as they did, though most of all to get away from the exasperating, demanding people who didn't seem to understand they had been sent underground for their own protection.
"Oh. You're awake again?"
Haru's voice broke Song out of her bitter ruminations: she hadn't noticed he was conscious too, though she hadn't seen him attempting to sleep at all so far.
"Hey… was I out long?" she asked. Haru shook his head.
"I don't think so. Though… it's hard to tell how much time has passed while we're down here" he admitted, glancing about himself fruitlessly for anything that might reveal how many hours they'd been underground.
Song hadn't settled down in the first chamber she had been guided to. In hopes of finding someone she knew, anyone who might understand a little more about whatever was plaguing the Fire Nation right now, she had taken to wandering the tunnels until she finally bumped into familiar faces: Ty Lee, Haru, Shoji, Ran, Mai, Ruon Jian and Yuudai had gathered at an empty space near a cavern wall, safely away from the louder and more obnoxious people who kept complaining to the soldiers over how they had been sent underground without any prior notice, just before bedtime.
"You should get some rest too" Song told Haru, but he shook his head.
"I can't feel at ease like this" he whispered "I know, as an earthbender, I ought to be the one who finds it most comfortable to sleep underground, but I just…"
"You have a bad feeling about what's going on" finished Ruon Jian: only then did Song notice Mai's husband had stayed awake too, his son sleeping with his head on Ruon Jian's lap.
Song winced, lowering her gaze upon hearing Ruon Jian's words. Yes… perhaps it was a simplistic way of putting it, but she had a bad feeling as well. Rui Shi hadn't contacted her beforehand, Sokka hadn't given her any warning that danger might be stirring either… had it taken them by surprise as well? Or had the threat been so severe they couldn't spare a single moment to warn her that something bad was about to happen?
She knew she had no place amongst them in the middle of violent confrontations, she was only a healer, a cook… but she couldn't contain her unbridled anxiety. If only she knew what was happening with the man she loved, with her closest friends… but instead she was stuck underground, fearing the threat above was far more serious than anything they'd faced so far.
"Still no sign of Toph?" she asked. Haru shook his head.
"She's probably with the Palace's group, I'd hope…" Haru said. He remembered that the first time he had been sent underground, barely a short time after becoming Ty Lee's gladiator, Mai had suspected Azula would have been in the Fire Lord's safe room…
But they hadn't been there at all on that occasion, despite all sense said they should have been. Would Toph be in that safe room or was the earthbender above ground along with the Princess and her gladiator? It shouldn't be worrisome if she was, all three of them were amongst the most dangerous and powerful fighters Haru had ever known… yet, all reasonable logic be damned, Song wasn't the only profoundly apprehensive person in their group. Whatever was happening, Haru was deeply unsettled by it too.
Ran had fallen asleep, despite everything, her head on Ty Lee's shoulder as she rested as well. Mai had stayed awake for a little longer, but she had dozed off a few minutes ago. Shoji, the last member of their group, had been fretful for most the night, but he as well had given in to the exhaustion of a long night spent in veil, waiting for something to happen. And maybe a lot of things had happened… but for as long as they were down here, they wouldn't know it.
Song sighed, dropping her head against the wall, her thoughts traveling to Rui Shi again. Was he safe? Would he come get her as soon as the danger was over? Perhaps it was too selfish to wish for that… whatever was happening had to be serious enough that Rui Shi couldn't reach out to her. If anything, she should be the one looking for him, as soon as they were given free rein to return above ground.
"Unbelievable!" exclaimed a nobleman, at the other side of the cavern. As much as a soft muttering was constantly heard in the deep chamber, his outraged voice reached Song all the same "It's not bad enough that we couldn't rest properly the whole night, but you still won't let us out?!"
"We will let you return above ground as soon as the order is issued, you must calm down…" said the Domestic Forces' officer, uncomfortably attempting to soothe the older man before him.
"I have to open my shop" said another one, stubbornly.
"What for? 'S not like anyone's gonna go buy your junk if the whole city's here…" retorted the second man's teenage son.
"I'm sorry, but I fear all your activities of the day will have to be put on hold until noon, at least…" the officer said, only for more outraged voices to join the argument.
Someone had an important class to teach at school today, someone else had an appointment in the Royal Physicians' Institute, another one had intended to spend their day off work in Ember Island and had missed his transport, one more had meant to bet on her favorite gladiator in today's scheduled match… everyone had a problem. Everyone had a life. And not a single one of them seemed to understand they had been sent underground so those lives could be protected.
Song glared at them bitterly, her knees up to her chin. The people who risked their lives to keep them safe were the last thing any of them were thinking of… the people she treasured most, no less. Whenever she pondered something could have happened to them, that a disastrous situation might await outside these caverns…
She buried her face in her knees, trying to chase those thoughts away. Everything had to be fine. There was no reason for it to be any differently. Everything had to be…
A sudden hitch in the argument that had boiled over moments ago took Song by surprise, most of all upon noticing the many voices had risen, then dwindled and settled into silence. She raised her head to find two new Domestic Forces' officers had arrived, speaking to the first one candidly.
"What's… going on?" Shoji mumbled, waking up beside her and rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms.
"I don't know, but… those Domestic Forces' officers got here just now" Haru said, his voice hopeful and filled with dread at once "I guess something's happened?"
The members of their group seemed to wake one by one as the strange situation with the officers remained utterly confusing: as silent as the cave was right now, they weren't speaking loudly enough to be heard over at where they sat.
"Is it time to go back yet…?" Ty Lee asked, groggily.
"No idea, but hopefully it is" Ruon Jian answered, swallowing hard. Mai had woken too, and he reached out to clasp her hand gently.
Then, a sudden rush of conversation, and several people bolted to their feet, despite the Domestic Forces' officers were shouting orders for everyone to remain calm. Either they'd given out an outrageous command… or they had finally received orders to bring everyone above ground again. Going by the suddenly hopeful and relieved behavior of all the nobles who had been so tense and prone to protesting, it seemed the latter would be the truth…
And then they began guiding the group of frantic nobles through the tunnels. They rushed towards the exits far more hastily than they should have, for safety's sake, but they were leaving. Whatever had happened above ground, whatever threat they had been sent to hide from, it had to be over now.
"We should wait until the worst of them are gone, otherwise they'll likely run us over on our way out" Ruon Jian grimaced.
"Almost happened the last time we came down here, too" Ty Lee sighed, shaking her head "But it's done, then? We can finally go home?"
"Seems like it. Though…" said Mai, her brow furrowed.
Relief flooded Song upon finding that someone, besides from her, wanted answers instead of merely wanting to return to their daily routines. She breathed deeply, lowering her knees into a lotus sitting position, watching as the desperate nobles were guided outside gradually. More Domestic Forces officers were appearing throughout the cavern now, seeking to guide the populace back above ground, and within five more minutes, one of them approached their group.
"I'll guide you back to the city, please follow me" said the young man. Song rose to her feet quickly, far faster than the others did.
"Can you tell us what's happened?" she asked "Is everything alright?"
"Well, uh… the threat has been dealt with" said the officer "But beyond that, I… I, uh, can't really share any information with you, I'm afraid. Still, the Fire Nation is secure again. Please, follow me…"
The man's lackluster answer disappointed Song immediately. She hung her head as the officer urged the other members of the group to follow him too, and Haru took to rousing his still drowsy mother while Ruon Jian picked up his son so his head would rest on his shoulder.
Ty Lee approached Song, wrapping her shoulders in a one-armed hug, and she offered the healer as reassuring a smile as she could muster.
"It's over now. I know it's been a dark night, and you must have worried lots about Rui Shi… so just imagine how happy he will be to see you again, once we're above ground"
"Right" said Song, smiling a little at that thought. Yet her concern still seemed to win out, above all other emotions "I just wish I knew what he's faced… what he's dealt with. I can't seem to stop worrying…"
"I don't think you'll get an answer from the likes of this guy, though" Mai added, stepping closer to the two women "The way he answered you implies that, regardless of orders, he really doesn't know what went down last night either"
"Huh…" said Song, grimacing. Well, that wasn't any more reassuring, even if it surely was true…
"Come on, come on, please follow me…" the officer was saying now, and the group, all on their feet and ready to leave, finally took off through the underground tunnels.
It wasn't a long walk, though it was a long wait at a line by the doorway they had been guided to. Song's anxiety didn't decrease at all as they took slow steps to the exit, and when the doorway was finally in sight it became apparent that they hadn't merely spent the night inside the caves… it had to be close to midmorning by now. Song gritted her teeth, bowing her head gratefully in acknowledgement of the Domestic Forces' officers just before she finally climbed out of the tunnel, about half an hour after the orders to vacate the underground had arrived…
Where she had dreaded she'd find torn-down buildings, signs of a dreadful battle that would have done away with the city she had somehow grown to see as a home, Song found the Capital appeared spotless, just as it always was. She stepped out of the way quickly, allowing the rest of their group to leave through the tunnel's exit… but her focus went to one of the officers who stood watching over the evacuation, quietly.
"Excuse me…" she said, and the officer sighed.
"We can't tell you what happened" he said, quickly, but this time Song clenched her fists and frowned.
"I understand that" she said "I don't need you to tell me that, if you can't, but I do need to know if Rui Shi… – if the Imperial Guards are alright"
"The Imperial Guards?" asked the officer, startled by the question the young woman had asked him.
Only then did he stop to study her appearance: she wasn't a local Fire Nation woman, surely a slave or an Honorary Citizen, at best… why would she be concerned with the fate of the Imperial Guards, of all people?
"One of their members, Rui Shi, is my fiancé" Song answered, without hesitation "If you know where I can find him, or who to ask so I can know whether he's safe or not…"
The rest of her friends had left the tunnels by now, and Ty Lee had gasped in giddy surprise upon hearing Song and Rui Shi were engaged by now. They hadn't seen the Princess at all ever since she had returned from her long trip abroad, so they hadn't heard of the big news until then.
"O-oh. Oh, well, damn…" said the Domestic Forces' officer, straightening himself out immediately: word that one of the highly respected Imperial Guards had a relationship with a commoner had spread rather quickly through the armed forces, as mere fun gossip and nothing more… but confirming that reality had turned the young woman he had meant to dismiss into a remarkably respectable one instead, in the blink of an eye "I, uh, I don't really know, I'm afraid, but… oh! Raon! Can you give this lady a hand?"
A female officer of the Domestic Forces was rushing down the street just then, but she paused when her fellow officer had called her name. She blinked blankly at the plain-looking foreigner's group, surprised by her slightly more noble-looking companions, before raising an eyebrow at her fellow officer.
"What does she need?" she asked.
"She is looking for Rui Shi, the Imperial Guard" said the male officer, smiling awkwardly "He's her fiancé, so… can you maybe guide her and her friends to the Palace? Surely they'll be able to help her…"
"O-oh! Right! Right away, yes, of course!" exclaimed Raon, bowing her head at Song quickly.
While she welcomed the rapid response her request had received, Song was immediately confused by the unexpected, highly respectful behavior of these officers. She blinked blankly, glancing at her friends, who appeared just as perplexed as she was.
"D-do you guys want to come along too, or…?" she asked, with a small voice.
"Why… sure!" Ty Lee said, smiling, as Mai shrugged "We never do get to find out what's going on until ages later, Azula never tells us anything…"
"Huh" Song smiled sympathetically.
"I-if you're going to the Palace, well, I… I probably shouldn't go, should I?" Shoji said, blushing and grimacing.
"Shoji and I can go home" Ran offered, smiling as she placed a hand on his shoulder "The rest of you can go find your friends and see to it that they're safe"
"Well… I'd like to go along with you guys. If Yuudai wakes up while we're there, I'll just take him home by then" Ruon Jian suggested. Mai smiled and nodded approvingly, raising a hand to caress his.
"Then… let's go! Lead the way" Ty Lee said, turning to Raon with a grateful smile.
Raon nodded and turned towards the Palace: Song, taking a deep breath, followed with determination as the others lagged ever so slightly. Ty Lee watched the short healer with unabashed curiosity, and she raised a hand to cover her mouth as she whispered to Mai, who strode beside her:
"I always did think we had friends in high places… but I never thought Song would be the most useful amongst them" she said.
Mai snorted and smiled at Ty Lee, who seemed just as amused about the notion as she was. That a slave, an Earth Kingdom woman who hadn't even become an Honorary Citizen, would prove so helpful in gaining them access to the Palace, as well as vital information about whatever had happened in the Fire Nation's latest incident, was strangely ironic. Back when Zuko was home he never seemed to know what was happening and Azula, of course, was always in the middle of the chaos, so busy she never seemed to think to reach out to her friends and let them know she was fine.
That things might have been more complicated than that this time around didn't even cross their minds: it was Azula, after all. With so many victories and great achievements under her belt, there was no way anything significantly bad could have happened to their friend this time around, either…
Though the sudden shadow that covered the sky ominously suggested otherwise.
Even the Domestic Forces' officer stopped on her tracks when the sun was blocked by the large airship that kept flying lower and lower yet: it was headed for the Palace, Song realized. Her eyes widened as she watched it, but a gasp of astonishment burst from her lips when she glimpsed a familiar, swirling tail just next to the airship.
"Xin Long… that's Xin Long!" she exclaimed, pointing at the dragon, who came into full view slowly as the airship progressed towards the Palace grounds.
The group was far more restless now than before: Azula's dragon had been involved in whatever this business was, then? Though once the black silhouette was contrasted against the bright blue sky rather than the airship's dark colors, something else became apparent, too…
"It's… Sokka riding him?" Song said, frowning.
He wasn't alone, though. Azula had to be there too, she always was… surely, at these heights, it was impossible to see her properly, not with Sokka's larger frame covering hers…
"Those… are Azula's boots?" came Mai's voice, surprising Song.
She was pointing at something that seemed to protrude over Sokka's right, something that hung over the dragon's saddle. The gold highlights gleamed under the sun… Mai was right. It had to be Azula, and yet… Azula had never ridden Xin Long sideways, not as far as Song could remember. That saddle wasn't built to be ridden with both legs on the same side…
"Something's not right" Song concluded, as a flooring sense of dread took hold of her chest "Something's… oh, goodness, we have to get there, now"
"Right! Let's keep moving" Raon said, tearing her eyes away from the shrinking dragon's shape and the airship, both of whom were aiming to land at the very place they were headed towards.
By now, the easygoing, calm atmosphere they had felt upon knowing they'd find answers in the Palace was gone. They walked faster than before, even if exhaustion and hunger weighed on them, too. Still, the fear of discovering disturbing news upon arriving at the Palace was too overpowering, more than any mundane needs might be.
The airship had landed about ten minutes before they finally reached the Palace's entrance. While they were weary after a mostly sleepless night, the energy and tension within those tall walls chased away any thoughts of rest and relaxation.
Raon stopped at the gates, where a few soldiers were supposed to stand guard, though they were far too busy gazing inside the Palace grounds and the chaos within the area. Song and the others had a glimpse of it too, even from outside the building's premises: soldiers were injured, many of them with terrible spikes protruding out of their bodies, while physicians raced back and forth between them, trying and failing to tend to every injured officer. One of those injured officers, Song noticed, wore the robes of the Imperial Guards… but his face wasn't Rui Shi's. Her heart clenched, regardless.
"Excuse me?" Raon spoke, attracting the attention of one of the soldiers.
"What is…? Hey! Why did you bring civilians here?" he asked, astonished and disapproving at once. Raon flinched.
"I was ordered to!" she explained "I was told this lady here is the fiancée of that Imperial Guard, Rui Shi…?"
The soldier by the door scowled until he heard the explanation. His eyes traveled towards the young woman behind the female officer… a young woman he had seen once before. In fact, a young woman he had tried to chase away with his spear many years ago, only for the then-Captain Rui Shi to forcibly stop him before letting the girl inside the Palace.
His jaw dropped for a moment before he shook his head rapidly, hoping to do away with any hesitation he might still feel. While his face was covered with his helmet, he still smiled nervously and bowed to Song quickly.
"Oh, I see! Greetings!" he exclaimed, heat rising in his face. He had heard that Rui Shi had a fiancée… he would have never thought it was the girl he had tried to scare away from the Palace on that very day, though "Is there anything we can do for you?"
"U-uh, I just… wanted to find Rui Shi, if I could" Song said, smiling awkwardly. Naturally, she couldn't recognize the helmeted soldier, no matter if his sudden, agreeable demeanor suggested there was more to him than met the eye "I can tell things are complicated, but I just wanted to make sure he was fine…"
"Ah! If that's so…!" said the soldier, tapping the ground with the butt of his spear "Rest assured, I saw him heading inside the Palace's main building just a short time ago!"
"You did?!" Song said, relief flooding her already. If he had been walking, then surely he was okay…
"Yes, I suspect he's on his way to the physicians' wing, inside" said the soldier "All their physicians have already been called back from the royal safe chambers underground, they arrived about half an hour ago… yet most of them didn't come to work out here, despite there's so many wounded, huh? It's quite strange…"
"You think he needed to have any wounds tended?" Song's relief was once again replaced by overwhelming concern "Did he look injured, or…?"
"Well, he was too far away to tell, I'm afraid… but I can guide you through the Palace, if you like. I'll make sure to take you to him!" the soldier offered, his voice ringing with pride. He doubted the former Captain would think more of him just for guiding his fiancé to him in the midst of this mess, but it might be a way to make amends for his behavior when he had first met her.
"You would? Thank you. Truly, thank you" Song smiled, nodding quickly as she glanced at the rest of the group. They seemed apprehensive, but they were determined to follow her through the chaos-streaked terrains of the Palace nonetheless.
The soldier asked Raon to take his place temporarily at the gates before proudly guiding the group inside the Palace: a few soldiers, namely the less injured ones, cast dubious glances at them, but most people barely seemed to notice their presence as they treaded across the Palace's front yard.
"It happened again, huh?" said Ty Lee, smiling at Mai "Song's our golden ticket into the Palace…"
"Hopefully that's the last hurdle before we can really find out what's going on" Mai said, breathing deeply as she kept up with the pace of their guide.
The soldier led them through the long trek between the walls and the Palace's building: some officers merely seemed to be resting, but even in their case, heaviness hung in their features. Whatever battles they had faced surely had been quite fierce, Song reasoned, gazing at them with compassion she had never expected to feel for so many Fire Nation soldiers. Rui Shi had faced those battles with them, too… as had Sokka and Azula, from the looks of it. Whenever she recalled that glimpse of the flying dragon, carrying his rider in such a strange manner, a very unpleasant weight in her stomach almost convinced her to close her eyes and pretend everything had been a dream. To shut down and wait until this, whatever it was, had long been over.
But those impulses were easily ignored when her concern for her lover and friends overcame everything else. The soldier guided them cautiously inside the building at last, glancing about himself constantly in case Rui Shi might be lurking in the hallways somewhere. He truly hoped not to guide the young woman to the wrong place, though he dreaded that even bringing her inside the Palace would be a bad idea. Generally, civilians were discouraged from visiting the Palace in emergency situations, but perhaps since she was connected to such a highly ranked guard, an exception would be made for her…
Finally they turned the corner towards the royal physicians' wing in the Palace: someone stood outside it, shoulders hunched, head hung, as he paced before the closed door with his head in his hands… but it wasn't Rui Shi.
"Sokka?" Song exclaimed breathlessly, startling the rest of her group and her guide before she gathered further strength to shout: "Sokka!"
Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts, if just for a moment. The gladiator whipped his head up abruptly, his eyes unfocused as he tried to take in the presence, not only of his trusted healer, but many of his and Azula's friends too, as well as the soldier who had brought them here.
"Song? You guys…" he asked, his voice small. He knew all protocols and logic dictated his friends ought to go home… yet a tinge of relief and comfort surged in his chest: he wasn't sure he wanted to be alone right now.
Strangely, Sokka didn't appear wounded. If anything, he seemed to be in better physical shape than most people outside… yet Song wasn't sure she had ever seen such despair streaked across his features. Even in his darkest moments, he had never seemed so sorrowful, so terrified… so lost.
Without knowing what was happening, Song impulsively rushed in for a hug, one Sokka reciprocated weakly. He was trembling underneath his armor, and when Song pulled away to gaze at him, his eyes were filled with tears.
"Rui Shi's… he's not hurt" Sokka told Song, his voice frail "He's inside right now, but… he said he was fine"
"Really?" Song said, relieved again… but only temporarily. It was difficult to find comfort in any words when her friend appeared more devastated than ever before. So, even if she knew she wouldn't like the answer to her upcoming question, she knew it was one she had to ask him: "Sokka… what on earth happened?"
"Is Azula okay?" Mai asked, point-blank: it wasn't hard to tell that the gladiator couldn't possibly be so anguished over something unless it was related to his secret wife. Sokka flinched at the question, averting his gaze from hers.
"A-Azula…"
Noise within the physicians' wing startled Sokka: his eyes widened, and he seemed to forget everyone else was in the hallway as he turned quickly towards the door. Voices spoke somewhat agitatedly, then footsteps…
The door swung open, revealing none other than a disheveled Rui Shi, his Imperial Guard uniform unusually filthy, his helmet in his hand. Yet, as unrefined as his appearance was for once, the determined frown on his features was fierce… until his eyes fell upon Song's lithe form.
"Song…?" he said, his voice hitching at the sight of the woman he loved.
"Rui Shi!" she exclaimed, allowing herself a small, triumphant smile upon rushing to his side, her hands reaching for his arms, for his torso: he was fine. No apparent injuries, at least, not serious ones…
Rui Shi dropped the helmet as soon as Song stood before him, though, taking his chance to indulge in his emotions for once. He reached down to envelop her in a relieved hug, his eyes shut tight as he held her in his arms. Song sighed, breathing him in, taking in that he was safe and sound after all… whatever he had faced, he had been victorious. He had returned to her.
"Song, my love…" Rui Shi said, gritting his teeth as he parted from her most involuntarily "I'll explain whatever you need to know once I get back, but I have to…"
"How is she?" Sokka's voice broke through his friend's words. Rui Shi raised his gaze to Sokka's, unsurprised by the despair he emanated. It reminded him starkly of a certain catastrophic trip to Yu Dao, only the roles had been reversed this time… "W-what do you have to do now? If she needs anything…!"
"I have to go get the Head Sage" Rui Shi said, and Sokka frowned.
"The Head Sage…?" he repeated.
"Seems they want a thorough reading of her chi. I don't really know what they're doing yet, I barely know what's happened myself, but… that's what Fei Rou asked for" Rui Shi said, eyeing Sokka apprehensively.
Sokka swallowed hard but nodded, turning towards the hallway.
"The Head Sage, then. I'll go, you can stay here and…" he said, but Rui Shi reached out to clasp Sokka's shoulder and drag him back towards the door "R-Rui Shi…?"
"You need to stay here" Rui Shi said, though his voice was surprisingly kind. Sokka gritted his teeth.
"I… I have to do whatever I can to help her, Rui Shi" he said breathily, as though he didn't dare use his voice properly in fear it might shatter.
"You brought her this far. You've helped heaps. And now you'll help more by staying here, in case anything else happens" Rui Shi said, patting his shoulder "I'll be back shortly anyhow"
With that, Rui Shi turned to a confused Song, stroking her cheek gently with his still-gloved hand before rushing past the rest of the group, running as fast as his firebending-powered legs could carry him, through the Palace's marble halls. Everyone watched him go, including the soldier that guided them, who appeared most disappointed that his efforts to bring Song and her friends to the physicians' wing seemed to have gone unnoticed by the soldier he had hoped to impress.
"Okay, uh… can you please explain at least the slightest thing about whatever's going on with Azula?" Ty Lee asked Sokka, with an anxious, uncomfortable smile "I know it can't be easy to talk about, but…"
Sokka gritted his teeth, lowering his gaze again, his hands balled into tight fists.
"I… I'll try" he whispered, shaking his head "There… there was a strategic attack by a group of rebels against the Fire Nation. The pieces of shit had no better idea than to attack when Azula was serving as Interim Fire Lord… their leader's someone I knew. Someone I fought before…"
"Wait, the leader of this incursion was a gladiator?" Song asked, perplexed.
"He hasn't been one for a while" Sokka nearly hissed as he spoke: talking about Rhone at all was uncomfortable, as though someone had poured sand inside his mouth and he wasn't allowed to spit it out or rinse it off… "He hated the Fire Nation, the royals… the bastard found this… this fucking spiritually corrupt spear, I doubt you guys have ever heard of it, but it was supposed to be a damn legend…"
"And it wasn't just a legend?" Mai asked, frowning. Sokka shook his head.
"It… it was a damn possessed guandao, flying about on its own accord, chasing… chasing blood" Sokka nearly spat, snarling as the memory of Azula's bleeding wound returned to mind… what was worse, the blood she'd lost, or the blackness that had eaten it away…? His stomach clenched again, and he damn near broke down in tears, feeling an unusual urge to throw up out of anxiety.
"That… that sounds like the stuff of nightmares" Haru said, eyes wide "You… you guys had to fight that?"
"Yeah…" Sokka admitted, gritting his teeth "But I… I guessed the damn culprit for this mess, Rhone, would split his group in two, and Azula asked me to take out the second group while she dealt with the first. So I… I wasn't there. I couldn't be there, I couldn't help her until the end, and by the time I reached her she was already wounded and…!"
"Wounded?!" Ty Lee repeated "B-by… by that spear?"
"No… well, not at first" Sokka said, shaking his head as he covered his face with his hands "Rhone was the one who hurt her, somehow, but she still… she's amazing, but she's so reckless too, she shouldn't have… she should've held back, but she decided to take down the damn Spear herself anyhow, but when she cut it in half, the corruption leaked out or something and… and I guess some must have clung to her open wound. I couldn't do a damn thing, I just… held her, until the other guards arrived. They tried to help clean her wound but it wasn't going to be enough, so they told me to bring her here on Xin Long, as fast as possible… and that's what I did"
"Then… she's wounded, but she's alive" Ty Lee said. Sokka swallowed hard but nodded before she sighed in relief "I'm sorry, I know you're worried, but for a second it sounded like she's beyond help or something…"
"I don't know if she is" Sokka snarled, tears surging in his eyes again.
Ty Lee's relief faded quickly at that.
Mai, Ruon Jian, Haru and Song froze, just as Ty Lee had. That couldn't be true. No, not Azula. As dangerous as the enemy might have been, Azula had to emerge triumphant, as she always did. It didn't matter how difficult, she'd overcome any challenge…
That she could falter, that they could lose her, had never genuinely seemed a possibility, no matter how miserable Sokka appeared to be, until now.
"I… I don't know what that damn corruption can do, whatever it did to her, I… I don't know. Iroh said it… it feeds off chi, or whatever, so I guess that's why they're asking for the Head Sage's help? But then, h-how… how does someone stop that damn corruption with anything but gold fire? And the only one who can bend it is Azula, s-so…"
"She's unconscious…?" Mai asked, her voice trembling, despite herself.
"Has been… since the last time she used her bending" Sokka said, shuddering involuntarily at the memory. The fire had rushed out of his body, through his hand… and this time it hadn't felt quite as strong as the usual flames Azula restrained for his benefit. Even then, the corruption had been getting to her, affecting her chi enough that she couldn't bend properly…
He clenched his fists, knowing it did no good to dwell on what had happened. Azula was still alive as he held her by the beach, as Zhao ordered the fastest member of the Imperial Guards to deliver orders to recall the evacuation at haste, with special focus on summoning all able physicians to the Palace. The guards had helped Sokka clean the wound superficially, using nearby blades of grass to do away with the festering corruption clinging to her skin… but too much of it had entered her body by then, it seemed. There was nothing else they could do to help her without a proper physician's help. Zhao had told him to ride the dragon back to the Palace, as fast as the dragon could move anymore, and Sokka had done as much, carrying Azula nervously, trembling all the way, whispering reassuring words to his secret wife as he leaned close to ensure she still continued breathing, no matter how weakly…
He had climbed off the saddle immediately once Xin Long had landed, and the soldiers had been astonished by the Princess's state: he had demanded for physicians to see her, immediately, and he had raced inside the Palace once he was told the physicians' wing was ready to receive her.
He hadn't expected to be forced to stay outside while the many health professionals took care of Azula: he had only managed to squeeze her right hand gently with his own one last time, their scars brushing together, before he found himself standing in the hallway, feeling empty, as though he had left his soul, heart and mind inside that room with Azula… Azula. She was in danger, he had known she would be, and he hadn't been able to stop it. He had failed her. He had failed her.
His failure to keep her safe weighed on him, but even then, it didn't mean she couldn't be saved anymore: the Head Sage would have to help her too, once he arrived… Rui Shi had showed up at the physicians' wing within minutes after Sokka did, carrying a badly wounded Imperial Guard with him: with one glance at Sokka's helpless shape, Rui Shi had charged into the room, caring little for the physicians' protests, and handed them one more urgent patient while demanding to know if there was anything he could do to ensure the Princess would recover safely.
Sokka had tried to overhear, hoping to catch anything useful before Song and the others arrived. Still, he knew nothing about how to chase away that corruption, not a damn thing. All he'd managed to do was stop Rhone before he could do any worse to Azula…
Yes, Rhone was dead, just as he deserved to be. His wretched Spear had been torn to shreds too, thanks to the Princess's extraordinary skills… yet reminding himself of that didn't help matters in the least. Every time that blackened wound flashed back in Sokka's mind, he felt the unbearable urge to kill Rhone all over again in retaliation, in an unprecedented fit of violent desperation and revenge. That anyone would have touched her, that anyone would have dared hurt her, to the extent Rhone and his rotten Spear had… his blood boiled to think of it, his stomach churned and twisted, and vertigo threatened to knock him off his feet every time he pondered that maybe the only person with the power to save Azula from her current condition would have been Azula herself…
"You guys won, though, right?" Ruon Jian asked, gazing at Sokka compassionately, snapping him out of his string of dark, unbearable thoughts "That guy, the one who hurt her… you defeated him? Or the Princess did?"
"I killed him" Sokka said, raw and bluntly. Every set of eyes upon him widened at his words, at the trembling that shook his whole body after he spoke "He… he won't ever hurt her again"
"Sokka…" Song whispered. Where the others appeared apprehensive, there was deep understanding in her eyes: if someone amongst them knew what murdering meant to Sokka, it was Song. He had shared his woes with her back when their friendship had begun, explaining the pain he had endured in the Amateur League, the relief of not having to kill again now that he was in the Superior one instead…
But of course, he would kill for Azula without hesitation. He wouldn't offer any mercy to anyone who brought harm to the woman he loved. He would gladly do away with his darkest side in most regards… but if it was what it took to protect Azula, he would embrace it, instead.
She swallowed hard but stepped forward, offering Sokka another hug, a far gentler one. She didn't even know what Sokka's connection with Rhone had been… but she didn't need to. Every death Sokka had delivered had shattered his soul greatly… and this one, it seemed, had shattered it even beyond what the others had. Not because of what Rhone might have meant to him… but rather, because he hadn't killed Rhone before the Bloodlust Spear could spread its corruption to Azula through the wound Rhone inflicted upon her.
"S-she… she will be okay" Ty Lee said, though her words sounded like a mantra, spoken-halfheartedly. Tears were surging in her eyes too, though she was holding them back for now "She has to be. I mean… it's Azula. She can't be… she wouldn't give up now. She has to…"
Yes, Sokka had told himself those words as well, at every step of the way. As Fei Rou and his fellow physicians laid the Princess down on a stretcher, as Xin Long struggled to fly as fast as he could from the bay to the Palace, as he watched Qiang swiping away as much of the corruption as he could – the leaves he used for that purpose decayed after a few moments, affected just as well by the rot that sought to do away with everything living. But the lively, powerful, near-invulnerable Princess he had admired for years had been pale, weak, with a crisscrossing blackened pattern slowly spreading underneath her skin. Had any of them seen her, had any of them watched her languishing on the sand, helpless as Rhone skulked towards her, intent on killing her…
Sokka snarled again, shaking his head and burying his face in his hands. It was unbearable. This nightmare couldn't be real, no matter how vivid it felt… because he couldn't believe a world could be so cruel, so violent, so wrong that it might allow such a wonderful, beautiful, extraordinary soul to wither away when she was poised to be the best hope to salvage it. It couldn't be. It couldn't be…
Song sighed, knowing Sokka was too anguished, too troubled to find comfort in any gestures she might make anymore. She entertained the possibility of entering the room past that door, to offer her assistance… but to what avail? Those physicians were far likelier to help Azula than she could. She hoped so, at least…
Rushed footsteps down the hall: Sokka jumped, drawing his hands away from his face, letting the tears that escaped him roll down his palms, sprinkling on the floor. Rui Shi was back… and with him, the Head Sage.
Everyone moved out of the way at haste, so Rui Shi could reach the door and open it for the Head Sage. The man struggled to move quickly, his long robes got in the way… but as he panted, glancing at the crowded hallway worriedly, his eyes fell upon the disheartened, desperate gladiator.
"I… I will help her. I will see to it!" the Head Sage reassured him: Sokka blinked, astonished the man would address him directly, but he nodded appreciatively anyhow.
"Please… do your best. Thank you. Just… save her" Sokka managed to say, as the sage crossed the threshold, still holding Sokka's unsteady gaze.
The Head Sage nodded, and Rui Shi confirmed with the physicians they needed nothing else at the moment before closing the door. He was exhausted, probably more than ever before… fighting a waterbender that sought to murder countless soldiers had hardly fazed him compared to the anguish of seeing the Princess in such shape. He stepped back from the door, turning again towards Song to welcome her into his embrace anew… guilt permeated him, however, upon knowing Sokka longed to hold his own lover in the same way.
"She… she'll be fine. She has to be" Rui Shi said, swallowing hard. Sokka gritted his teeth and gazed at him longingly.
"Could you tell what they're doing, did they say anything yet…?" he asked. Rui Shi shook his head, though.
"They're… doing some procedure. To clear out the rot. It's… it's not easy, but they've progressed with it already" Rui Shi said, pressing a kiss to the top of Song's head.
"Then they do have… a solution" Sokka said, breathing out in mild relief.
"Hopefully, yes" Rui Shi said, gritting his teeth.
"Can we ask… what happened to you?" Haru said, gazing at Rui Shi with heartfelt compassion. It was odd for the Imperial Guard to appear so ruffled, so unkempt… whatever he had faced couldn't have been easy either.
"The waterbender, the one leading the group that attacked the factory, is dead" Rui Shi said, his words startling everyone, even Sokka. Song pulled away, staring at him in astonished disbelief "He… he used his ice spikes, pierced through the bodies of so many soldiers, pinned them to trees… you saw it all too, Sokka"
"I know. I was with you at that point, but then I… I went to ask the airship for help, and they told me about Azula…" Sokka said, gritting his teeth "What the hell did the Stingray do later?"
"Damn near threw a full river on us all" Rui Shi said, shaking his head "He made a dam with ice… redirected the flow of a mountain waterfall and turned it towards the factory. Toph… she did amazing. She made a huge wall, and then shattered the ground so the redirected river would drain into the depths of the earth, out of the Stingray's reach. But I missed most of that, I was breaking the dam while the other guards chased the Stingray… by the time I got there he had taken out most of them and was amassing whatever water he could harness to break Toph's wall. So…"
"You fought that guy yourself?" Song asked "A waterbender…?"
"I fought him too, in the League" Sokka said, gritting his teeth "He was an assassin… a Northern Water Tribe assassin. About as obsessed with destroying the Fire Nation as Rhone was"
"Did you defeat him?" Mai asked Rui Shi, who breathed out and nodded.
"I took no chances" he whispered. Song's grip around him tightened, and he breathed out as he held her closely "He won't threaten anyone ever again"
Sokka released a breath, though his fists remained clenched: two deadly enemies of the Fire Nation had been killed today, and all he regretted was that they hadn't been killed sooner. If only he'd been strong enough, if he hadn't hesitated when he first fought Rhone, if he hadn't held back when he fought the Stingray, when the bastard had taunted him…
"It's over, though. For better or for worse" Rui Shi sighed "Toph is recovering from all the effort too… so are the wounded, I hope. Though…"
"How many casualties?" Sokka asked. Rui Shi shook his head.
"Too soon to tell" he said "But more than twenty soldiers on our side, at least. Do you know… if any who went to the bay didn't make it?"
Sokka shook his head.
"By the time I found her… she was alone" Sokka said, his voice choking up "I bet she… she decided to lure Rhone away from the rest of the soldiers. To protect them… protect the Fire Nation. That's… that's all she wanted to do"
"And she succeeded" Rui Shi said, gritting his teeth.
But at what cost?
No one dared ask that question, even though it crossed their minds all the same. Silence settled in the corridor, only broken by the sound of their breathing, or their occasional fidgeting. Muffled sounds inside the physicians' room could be heard, voices, footsteps, the clinking of medical instruments… yet no news for the next five minutes. Or the next ten. Then it was twenty…
"Where are we, daddy…?" Yuudai groaned, waking between yawns. Ruon Jian sighed, glancing at Mai remorsefully, only for her to nod in his direction.
"Go. You can make sure all the servants are fine" she said "I'll stay for a little longer, at least"
"Alright… I'll see to it that you can have something to eat once you come home" Ruon Jian said, leaning close to kiss his wife's cheek.
"Mommy…" Yuudai groaned, reaching for Mai, who smiled affectionately at her son.
"Go with your father. I'll be with you both again soon" she promised, despite she suspected it might not be that soon. She wasn't sure she'd want to leave until they knew for sure that Azula had been stabilized.
Just overhearing their conversation sent unpleasant feelings through Sokka's gut, feelings he didn't want to experience in the least… feelings unbefitting him, altogether. Mai and Ruon Jian had a child, a perfectly happy tranquil life… much like the one he had experienced with Azula in Shu Jing. A life removed from action and danger, where there was no need to fear anything too awful might happen. It was the very life they had pondered having, if only they had chosen to stay in Shu Jing, to forsake everything else…
How irresponsible was it to wish they'd done that? To wish they could've had what Ruon Jian and Mai did, or Ty Lee and Haru…? It was, he knew, something he shouldn't let himself think about, for without Azula's leadership, countless people would have died, their very friends could have been amongst them… and yet the image of his Princess's unnaturally cold body remained engraved in his mind, for this time it hadn't been a cursed dream: it had been a reality, one he had sworn he would avoid. He had discarded the duty she gave him, rushing to find her and prevent the fate that Rhone intended to force upon her… and he had failed anyways. Her life was on the line, and he couldn't do anything else to help preserve it.
It should have been him. He should have been the one fighting Rhone, sacrificing his life if need be… never her. Never Azula, no matter how certain she was that she had to be the one to do it.
Crouched against the wall, running his hands through his head, so his hair fell out of its wolf's tail gradually, Sokka waited, letting his dark thoughts fester, for he hardly knew what else to do at this point…
The sound of footsteps approaching the door.
Sokka leapt up to his feet when it swung open.
The Head Sage exited the room, his shoulders slumped despite the expression on his face wasn't quite that discouraging. Sokka gritted his teeth, stepping towards him right away, and his friends followed him with their eyes, waiting expectantly for what the Head Sage might say next.
"Is she…?" Sokka asked, though he couldn't even bring himself to finish the question.
"They are stabilizing her" the Head Sage announced, and Sokka's tight chest seemed to collapse with relief "The procedure wasn't easy, but they believe they've removed almost all the corrupting substance by now…"
Sokka gasped before released a deep breath, and then another, closing his eyes as he felt his knees would give way. She was still alive… she was safe from the corruption. As much as it pained him that she had wound up in this situation, it seemed the worst-case scenario had been averted… and that was enough for him to breathe again, for the first time in what had felt like an eternity.
"Thank you… for your help, and for telling us too" Sokka said, managing to stay upright despite himself. Tears surged in his eyes anyways, for the onslaught of emotions, whether out of relief or desperation, seemed to be too strong for his weak heart to endure them "If she's recovering, then…"
"Oh, well… that, I'm afraid, is a whole other matter"
All the relief faded away in a single sentence.
The others had allowed themselves a few smiles, and Ty Lee had nearly fallen over with a deep sigh, supporting herself on Haru's arm… but now fear streaked their faces again. Deep dread dawned upon Sokka's features, and his heart felt compressed, squashed by a cruel force that didn't seem to offer him any respite…
"W-what… what do you mean?" Sokka asked "What's that supposed to mean? She… she won't recover?"
"I didn't say she wouldn't" the Head Sage said, gazing at Sokka compassionately "But what ails her is… is something no one has ever treated before. At least, not successfully, not leaving any records behind. That corruption… it was unnatural. Alarming. Illnesses, you see, are disruptions, alterations in chi…"
"Sudden shifts in the flow of chi, or irregularities in its pattern, can be treated to smooth over bad diseases…" Song recited. The Head Sage nodded in her direction.
"Exactly. That's what all illnesses are, in the end: complications in the chi flow of each person" explained the Head Sage "If the chi is halted, if the flow stops altogether, a person dies. If the chi's path is smoothed, so it flows properly, a person lives. But I… I had never seen, to this day, that chi could be sapped away, outright, from someone's chi network. And that, from what I could read of her chi paths, is exactly what happened to the Princess"
Sokka's pale face was ghastly to look at: fear, dread, terror, all of them battered away at him as he tried to reason with those words, as best he could…
"What does that mean?" he asked, his voice weak "The Spear stole her chi…? And, what, the physicians… they can't restore it?"
"What they can do, and they are doing it now, is smooth over the chi flow once again" the Head Sage said "It's the best method to ensure the Princess survives, and they're succeeding at it so far. But that corruption… it sapped away much of her energy before they controlled and removed it. A young woman with such extraordinary abilities… there's no way an energy reading of her chi before this incident would have yielded the results I saw today. At best… she may have lost about half her natural chi supply. At worst, perhaps even three-quarters or more…"
Sokka shook his head, his breathing heavy as he struggled to find his bearings once more. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be happening. She was still alive, yes, that was the most important thing… but what did it entail, to lose so much chi? Had her lifespan been shortened? Would she be unable to wake again…?
"She… she needs to regain her chi" Sokka said, swallowing hard "There has to be a way! She can't…! W-what's going to happen to her, if she's like this now…? If she doesn't have all the chi she used to, please don't tell me she's going to…"
"No, I don't believe it'd mean death, as long as the remaining chi can flow successfully, but… it could mean her life will change. Radically" the Head Sage sighed "Normalizing the flow of chi should ensure she can move again, but unless there was a way to regenerate chi indeed, a way we don't know of yet, it's… it's possible she won't be able to partake in combat, let alone in bending, in the future"
No, no, no. Oh, hell, no…
"That can't be. The Princess…" said Rui Shi, staring at the Head Sage in horror "There must be a way to help her. I don't know enough about chi, but it's only logical there can be ways to replenish it…"
"It's not the same as blood loss" Song said, her voice small "You… you can replenish blood. Sokka did, once… but chi is a little different. And… quite more mysterious. A good diet and gradual exercise might… might not suffice"
"This isn't happening. It's not happening" Sokka said, shaking his head "There has to be something we can do, we can't just…! I… wait. Wait a minute, I could…! You said she and I, our chi is attuned!"
The Sage jumped at Sokka's exclamation, at the wild, desperate expression on his face. His chest heaved visibly, regardless of the armor that covered it. If he kept breathing that way, he'd lose consciousness at this rate…
"If so… then there's got to be a way I can share my chi with her!" Sokka exclaimed "If I do… then she'll be fine! She'll be better!"
"But then you'll be the one who's…" started Haru, but Sokka snarled.
"I'd give her my entire lifeforce if that'd save her!" he exclaimed. No concern for his own wellbeing was ever going to matter more than Azula's, and he refused to hear otherwise "If I can do this…"
"Your intentions are most noble…" said the Head Sage, sighing "And I would even gladly take you up on that offer, despite I'm sure the Princess would not approve. But I can't say I know of any techniques to transmit chi from one person to another. If I knew, I'd do it without hesitating. But from what I know… it's not possible"
Sokka shook his head, tears surging in his eyes. Impotency, again, filled his head and heart and lungs with the urge to scream at full power: how was he so useless? How could he be so helpless when Azula was facing a challenge as horrific as this one? Wasn't he supposed to fight her battles for her…? Why was it impossible to fight this one?
"Still… maybe her chi can replenish over time" Song proposed, swallowing hard "Part of… of human growth since childhood hinges in increasing and refining your chi levels and pathways. Maybe it will take time… but it's not impossible or unthinkable that she might be able to reclaim her strength, just as teenagers have more chi than children… right?"
The Head Sage frowned at first, but he nodded right afterwards. Song breathed out in relief, though it didn't seem her guess had reassured Sokka much.
"I know this is discouraging" the Head Sage said, focusing his attention on Sokka again "But the important thing is the cleansing procedure that was done ensured that the majority of the corruption, if not the entirety of it, is gone. Once her chi flows again, no matter how weakened it may be, she will awaken. The physicians are closing the wounds now… once they're finished with their treatments, they'll surely let you see her"
"I… yeah. She's not going to get any worse anymore" Sokka whispered, swallowing hard "That's… that's what you're saying, right? She'll survive, it's… it's just a matter of figuring out how to help her recover…"
"Yes" said the Head Sage, breathing deeply "I know it's hard, but don't despair. Even when she hit such a low point, the Princess's soul is strong and resilient. She endured this much, and she has already achieved countless, unimaginable feats. Perhaps she will do it yet again, before we know it, by wielding her extraordinary fire before us once more…"
"I hope so…" Sokka said, his voice frail and soft "I… I can only hope so"
The Head Sage breathed out, reaching up to clasp Sokka's shoulder gently. Sokka gritted his teeth as he met the man's gaze.
"Be strong. She will need you at your best" he said.
Sokka nodded weakly, and the Head Sage sighed, dropping his hand from his shoulder.
"I'll be back to check on her progress later… all this evacuation stirred up trouble throughout the city" the Sage said, breathing out slowly "The least I can do, in the Princess's absence, is help keep the peace. I trust you'll stay with her?"
Sokka nodded, and the Head Sage glanced at the rest of the group. A few of them nodded, too.
"Good. She will surely welcome so many friendly faces, once she awakens" said the Head Sage, nodding "I will see you all soon, then"
"Thank you… for telling us all this" Sokka said, swallowing hard "And for helping her as you have"
"Anything… for our Fire Lord" the Head Sage said, offering Sokka a weak, complicit grin, before finally walking away.
If only he had stated his loyalty and dedication to Azula before this crisis, Sokka would have rejoiced upon hearing those words. Right now, he wasn't so sure that he did. All he could want, all he could ever want, was to wrap Azula in his arms and shield her from all that might harm her… and by now it started to look like that damn throne had been as good as a death sentence for her.
"Sokka…" Song called him softly, and he shook his head.
"I know… I know. It's not hopeless" he whispered, dabbing at his tearful eyes again "M-maybe we'll figure something out, right? Like… like that diet you gave me. I mean… you say it's not the same, but she lost blood just as she lost chi. So… maybe by helping her with one thing, we can help with the other. Right?"
"Hopefully" Song said, offering him a half-hearted grin "Don't force yourself, though… I know it hurts. You… you're not okay, and you're allowed not to be. You don't have to put up a strong front…"
"If I don't, I'll… I'll fall apart, Song" Sokka said, though the tears streaming down his face already spoke for themselves "If I let myself feel this, w-without thinking about how to fix this mess, of how to help her, I… I'll crumble. I can't… I can't lose her. I can't lose her…"
Again, Song wrapped her arms around him, and as small as she was, it was Sokka who seemed vulnerable and fragile, like an overgrown child clinging to any source of safety that might keep him away from the unwanted and the unknown. Merely one day ago, he had talked, walked, teased the Princess in these very halls, running errands with and for her, discussing the Enforcers' operations… and now he stood here, falling to pieces as his soul shattered upon the weight of the worst possibilities. For if the Sage and Song were wrong, and Azula couldn't recover after being touched by the rot …
He couldn't remember crying like this ever before. He had bottled up his feelings when his mother had passed away, trying to stay strong for his family, at all costs. Again, he had bottled up everything when his father had left, again staying strong for his tribe, for he was the man in charge, the only one left, forced to be a leader when he had barely been a teenager. And then all he had allowed himself to feel in the Amateur League was hatred, a numb hatred towards his circumstances, towards Huang Li, towards the town he had grown to despise with every ounce of his soul…
Everything had changed when he had found the place he belonged in… when he had decided that was where he wanted to stay. There were moments of sadness and anguish… but everything had been offset by the happiness, the bliss, the love he had never believed he could experience, let alone be worthy of.
And right now, as he stood in this hallway, falling apart on the shoulders of one of his best friends, he felt all of it slipping away. All that happiness, that bliss, that love, that purpose… all of it was in jeopardy, for she was in jeopardy. And if Azula couldn't truly recover, just as he had told her the previous day, he might as well suffer her same fate.
He didn't need her to be Fire Lord. He didn't need her to fix or change the world. He didn't need anything anymore, not even a kind smile, a warm gesture… he would give up everything if it meant she would live. If it meant she would be happy, safe and healthy. He would take her place in a heartbeat, if he could…
But he couldn't. He couldn't even give her his damn chi, even if it was attuned to hers. What good was he when she needed him the most?
The others watched compassionately as he wept, though they tore their eyes away from him eventually. Mai, Ty Lee and Haru snuck away to find something to replenish their stomachs, for as tense and nervous as they were over Azula's fate, it wouldn't do to forget about their own health while they waited. Sokka, Rui Shi and Song remained in the corridor… and while Sokka was done crying after another half hour, he had returned to crouching against the wall, his arms crossed over his knees, his face buried in them: he wouldn't move an inch from this spot until he knew what had happened to her. Until the woman he loved was pronounced safe and sound. Until they allowed him to see her…
"You weren't hurt at all?" Song asked Rui Shi softly, raising a hand to his armored chest, the other touching his right hand "Your hand…"
"I blew up my own glove" Rui Shi explained "In the final attack. I… I'm not that used to wielding explosive firebending, but it was all I could think to do to stop him for good"
"Well, if it worked, good" Song sighed, taking his hand in hers. It was tender, still recovering from the power of the explosive attack.
"I'm sorry I couldn't see to your evacuation myself" Rui Shi whispered "Or… or even tell you any of what was happening. There was no time, but still…"
"All that matters to me is that you're safe" Song said, shaking her head and embracing him "You did all you had to do… and you helped keep everyone safe too. You're a hero, Rui Shi"
"I… don't know about that" Rui Shi mumbled.
No, he hadn't kept everyone safe. There were many injured soldiers, more than he could count, for sure. And that was without mentioning the Princess… even if he knew, rationally, that he couldn't have helped her either, he felt he had failed Azula all the same. It was his duty to protect her… his first duty as a Royal Guard, and his main duty as an Imperial Guard, sworn to a Fire Lord. And as much as he had obeyed her orders, just as she always wanted him to, he wished he hadn't, if only his presence could have guaranteed she wouldn't have been wounded as she was…
Sudden footsteps rushed towards the hallway once more. This time, Sokka didn't even raise his head, for they weren't coming from the room where Azula was still being treated… but Rui Shi glanced down the hallway, his heart racing.
They appeared a clumsy stampede, far clumsier than they should have been… but their concern for their Princess won out against any pretenses of dignity. Most had already removed their helmets, and the terror in their faces was plain to see when they glanced towards the physician's wing… towards Sokka, Rui Shi and Song.
"You guys…" Rui Shi said, releasing Song as she pulled away from him.
Fei Li's face fell upon meeting Rui Shi's eyes. All his insecurities, all his weaknesses, seemed to overcome him as he faced a man who, despite not wielding it for years, had been the main authority he had obeyed… the man he had tried to model himself after, and failed.
"Rui Shi, and Song…?" Fei Li said, gritting his teeth to contain his surging, unsettling emotions "Is she okay…? Rui Shi, we…"
"They're stabilizing her" Rui Shi said, nodding. Fei Li breathed out, covering his face in his hands as he reached his former Captain "But according to the Head Sage, she… she's not well yet"
"B-because of the… the corruption?" asked Taro. He, as well, appeared breathless, a far riskier thing in his case… yet he didn't seem to pay the slightest attention to the shortage of air, far more concerned for the Princess's fate than his own "That… that black thing that stuck to her… it came from the Spear, didn't it? And…"
"It's done something to her chi" Rui Shi said, lowering his gaze "She should survive… but there's consequences anyway. It may take time for her to come back to her full strength… and the Head Sage didn't even sound hopeful that she truly will reclaim it"
Fei Li shook his head repeatedly before falling to his knees, yet again. The rest didn't appear to fare any better, though it seemed some could process Rui Shi's words a little faster than others.
"We… we should've done better" Haoren growled, clenching a fist "We… we failed her, damn it, the one time she needed us and we…!"
"She took off on her own accord, didn't she?" Rui Shi guessed. A few of the guards nodded "As usual…"
"Because she knew we couldn't… she knew we'd fail" Fei Li said, hands reaching into his hair "We couldn't help her, we let that bastard hurt her and then she still took to protecting us instead…! W-we're a disgrace. I'm a disgrace… what sort of guard would let this happen?"
"Fei Li…"
"It's not your fault"
That it'd be his voice, of all voices, breaking through Fei Li's self-deprecating tirade, guaranteed everyone would stop talking at once… to gaze at the Princess's right-hand man, who had stepped towards them, appearing even more devastated by Azula's injury than everyone else was. His eyes, ever so vivacious, his mood, ever so cheerful, his stance, ever so firm and strong… all of it had been vacated, leaving just a broken man on the verge of losing all he loved and valued in life.
And yet… he wasn't blaming them. He had every right to: they had been tasked with protecting her while he was gone. And even then, he'd had to fly in to help Azula while the guards raced across the Fire Nation bay's many kilometers to reach her, only to arrive too late to give her a hand in a fight that could have cost her life if Sokka hadn't intervened.
"Sokka…" Tai Wei gasped, disbelief in his features.
"We… we had a duty" said Jianghuo, clenching his fists "We failed at it. It is our fault that…"
"The people who deserve to be blamed, to be despised for what happened to the Princess… are already dead" Sokka said, swallowing hard "They're the ones responsible. Them, and their damned spear. Azula… she wouldn't want you guys blaming yourselves for what happened"
"But…" Fei Li said, tears rising in his eyes.
"You… you really think it'd have been much different, whatever happened, if it'd been me, or Rui Shi there?" Sokka asked, his throat closing in as he spoke "She… she's always been like that… you guys know it just as well as I do. She… she protects those who should be protecting her. Steps forward… and shields us all from the worst of it, just because that's who she is"
"She's a protector… and she overcomes every challenge set before her" Rui Shi said, glancing at Sokka with earnest, reassuring strength. Sokka swallowed hard, and nodded "Even challenges no one else has faced before. Things may look grim now… but if there's someone in this world who can fight death itself and stand victorious in the end, I'm sure it's her"
Sokka gritted his teeth and nodded, reaching out to clasp Rui Shi's forearm: a gesture of respect from his people, even if one Rui Shi hadn't experienced so far. Yet he reciprocated it, clasping Sokka's arm, hoping whatever strength he had left would infuse the gladiator. He, of all people, needed that strength to stand by the Princess, to support her through her difficult recovery, as he was sure to.
"Your… your weapons, and the Princess's armor" came Shuren's voice, from amidst the group. Sokka froze, only realizing now he had left Space Sword on that beach, forsaking it as he picked up Azula's frail body, embracing her as he struggled to figure out what to do to save her…
Shuren and Wuhan were carrying everything they had discarded in the beach: Wolf's Bane and Space Sword had both fallen during combat, though Wolf's Bane had still been sheathed. Yet Sokka's eyes could only gaze upon that once immaculate gold armor… now marred by blood, torn with a massive gash that had split it open on the left shoulder. Just above the spot where Azula's heart had been.
Sokka snarled, unable to look at the armor anymore. She had been so close to death, so close, and even now, after the Head Sage's explanations, Sokka's anguish was far from cleared away: she might not recover at all. And if she didn't, Rhone, the son of a bitch, would have won, no matter if he was dead.
"Fuck him…" Sokka mumbled, shaking his head as he wiped his eyes forcefully: he ended up brushing his face too violently, causing himself pain by friction, and doing very little to do away with the tears that surged in his eyes again "I… I'd kill him a thousand times for this shit and it still wouldn't be enough. I should have fucking…"
The sound of a door, swinging open behind them, silenced him abruptly.
Sokka whipped his head around at haste, his eyes finding the physician who had tended to him long ago… the same physician who had seen to Azula's sickness, back when the White Lotus had attacked.
"Brother…" Fei Li said, and Sokka's eyes widened: he hadn't reasoned that those two could be related until now. Fei Li rose to his feet, gazing at Fei Rou with desperation "Is she alright? Is she…?"
Fei Rou held his brother's gaze for a moment before sighing and nodding. Despite he was offering a positive answer, his demeanor was far from reassuring.
"She is stable now. Her chi is flowing once more" Fei Rou said. Sokka's tearful eyes gleamed with hope, despite mere moments ago he had been overcome by hatred towards the man who had left the Princess in such bad shape "She's unconscious still… but the procedure is finished. It may take a while for her to come to, but…"
"You saved her anyway… you did" Sokka swallowed hard, stepping closer to Fei Rou "C-can… can we stay with her? Or… are we supposed to wait outside? What do we…?"
"I don't advise all of you come in here… if anything, it'd be better if most of you didn't" Fei Rou sighed, shaking his head "She's in delicate shape even now. One visitor, perhaps, would be fine…"
Nobody even raised the question of who would do it, though Sokka hesitated to jump at the opportunity. He glanced at Song – she was a healer, perhaps there was more she could do for Azula than he, inexperienced, clumsy and emotionally compromised, could do –, but the young woman only shook her head and smiled encouragingly at him. Rui Shi next – a far more appropriate choice, seeing as he was her closest guard –, but he only patted Sokka's shoulder, urging him to step towards Fei Rou. With one glance at the group of guards, Sokka confirmed, by their nods, that they believed it should be him, too.
He swallowed hard but wasted no more time. Fei Rou didn't appear even slightly surprised by the silent agreement of the whole group that Sokka was the best suited candidate to sit by the Princess's side: he stepped out of the way, so Sokka could march to the room he had been barred from so far.
"You're all uninjured?" Fei Rou asked. The guards nodded "Fine. The rest of the injured are outside, aren't they? Please send word for the others in bad shape to be brought in here next. We may be able to salvage a few more lives now that the Princess is out of mortal danger"
That they had prioritized Azula above everyone else probably would have sat ill with the Princess herself… but as things stood, Sokka could only be grateful for it. Who knew what would have happened with one more second of letting that dreadful corruption consume her life force? By now, if she was safe from death's clutches, the worst outcome had been avoided. All they needed now was to ensure she would recover. It might take months, maybe whole years… but Sokka intended to stand by her side at every moment until she did.
Never before had the meaning of his role in her life been more apparent: he fought her battles for her. Long ago, when their journey started, she had been far stronger than him, restrained by the limitations of her role, by her obligations as a member of high society. He had been weak, and she had made him strong… strong enough to be her equal in every sense that mattered. And now, when the cruelty and madness of a heartless man had taken a near-deadly toll on her, Sokka intended to defend and shield her from anything else that might come her way. She had spent so long doing that for everyone else… it was time for him to do the same for her now, no matter if she didn't want him to.
There were many available stretchers within the first room in the physicians' wing, most of them occupied by the high-ranking injured officers who were being tended to. The stretcher that stood out most to Sokka, though, was the one the trainee physicians were cleaning: it was where they had performed their surgical procedure on the Princess. Sokka's fists tightened at the sight of linen clothes, drenched in blood, piled on a bucket… as well as one specific linen cloth where what appeared to be blood clots had been gathered. Yet Sokka knew they weren't clots… it was the corruption. The very damn thing that had drained Azula's chi…
"This way" Fei Rou said, urging Sokka to follow him to another door inside the physicians' wing. Sokka tore his eyes off the stretcher: naturally, she had been moved someplace else, to a recovery room.
It was the room furthest from the operation and treatment area, presumably a room reserved for royals, removed from the noise and hecticness that might still reach the first available recovery rooms within the physicians' wing. Fei Rou opened the door quietly, and Sokka's heart raced, despite each influx of blood seemed to hurt Sokka's soul as he knew he would see the woman he loved at her most fragile state…
On a large bed, underneath soft, white sheets, lay a Princess, now clad in the Palace's usual sleeping robes of red and gold. It would have been a soothing image, if her face hadn't been so pale. If her hair wasn't splayed in such a disorderly, careless manner. If she had breathed at her usual, regular rhythm, rather than a slow, nearly imperceptible shift of her chest…
Sokka gasped, rushing past Fei Rou to reach Azula's side at haste. His chest heaved as he gazed at her: merely a few days ago he had admired the quiet innocence of her sleeping face… she bore that same innocence now, but there was pain in her features now, in the light twist of the corners of her lips and the edges of her eyebrows. Her left shoulder had been covered with bandages that crisscrossed underneath the fabric of the robe… and her arm was kept in a sling, resting atop her body.
"You probably should clean up a little…" suggested Fei Rou, startling Sokka, who had forgotten about his guide completely "There's a basin there"
"T-thanks" Sokka nodded, glancing back at the medic "I'll let you know if she wakes up"
"I was about to ask that of you" Fei Rou sighed "That's the entire reason I'm letting you be here, frankly. She probably should rest some more before having any visitors, but… this will be for the best. I have more patients to take care of, even if she's top-priority"
"Yeah… I understand. Don't worry" Sokka nodded "I'll watch over her while you work with everyone else"
Fei Rou nodded, wasting no more time in this exchange. The door closed behind Sokka, who released a slow breath before walking to a corner of the room and relieving himself of his armor and weapons. He'd take them home with him eventually, he guessed… he sighed, having forgotten to take his sword although Shuren and Wuhan had offered it to him. He had to see to it soon, though… the blade's sharpness might be hindered if he didn't clean it after coating it in Rhone's blood.
At times, it was hard to believe he had done it. He had killed again… he had done it without hesitation, and not out of fear for his life, but fear for someone else's. He didn't regret it, even if he wished it hadn't come to that… but Rhone had made his choices. Choices that could cost Sokka the most precious woman he had ever known…
He discarded his gloves carelessly, washing his hands at the basin, as Fei Rou had suggested, then his face too. Sweat, as well as a few blood splashes, came off with the water. Yet the darkest stains, the ones in his heart, wouldn't fade away. The stain of having failed to protect Azula…
He approached her again, taking his seat by the bed, at Azula's left. Her shoulder's injury had looked bad even before the corruption, far worse than his own shoulder injury had been, when Toph had pierced through it with the Grand Royal Dome's spikes. He gritted his teeth at the memory…
"This is messed up… for a thousand reasons" Sokka whispered beside her, raising his clean, bare hand to stroke her face. Her unnaturally cold face. The contact between their skin only furthered his horror… and he could only want to hug her, to hold her, to offer her his own warmth so it more than made up for her own. Just as hers had, back when he had nearly drowned in the dragons' cave… "You hated watching over me when I was hurt… I did my best to grow stronger, so you wouldn't have to do that so often anymore. S-so your heart could be at ease, and you could send me off to battles without fearing I'd falter. And now… it's the other way around? I'm the one who… who has to watch over you because of what they did to you…?"
Sobs shook him again and he continued shaking his head as he leaned on the bedding, tears dripping on the sheet. It was wrong. Everything was wrong. This wasn't the way their week was supposed to go, and yet…
"I'd do anything if I could take your pain… if I could give you my life, all the strength I gained, because what the hell is the point…? Why be strong, if I couldn't protect you?" he said, shaking his head "That's… that's the whole reason I wanted to be a warrior… and I failed you. I did…"
It was hard to discern her shape through his misty eyes… and perhaps that was what allowed him to imagine Azula's teasing, but gentle smile, if only she had heard him right now:
"You really think something like this would be enough to defeat me?"
He whimpered as he heard her voice in his mind… as he felt her presence, soothing him even though she was the one convalescing. He clenched his teeth before shaking his head.
"Damn, I'm pathetic… Y-you've been through this, and I… I just keep whining. I keep complaining when I should be encouraging you to… to get better. Because yes, you can. You will. It's you… and you're the strongest woman in the history of this damn world. Hell, the strongest being alive, altogether" Sokka said, offering her a broken smile "You… you don't have to comfort me. You don't have to recover for me. I'm the one… the one who's here for you. I'll be with you, every second, every step of the way. So… take your time. Take all the time you need, my love. I'll be here when you wake up… and I'll stay with you for every moment afterwards, too"
He reached for her right hand, that rested over her body, and raised it to his lips. He pressed a trembling kiss to her knuckles, tears streaming down his face once more. He couldn't help in many ways that mattered… but perhaps offering her a little warmth, a little comfort, would do her good.
His scar brushed against hers: both were openly exposed today, undisguised under bandages or gloves, just as they had been on the day they had obtained them. It was the physical mark of their connection… of the tight bond between their souls.
A dark shadow had risen and attempted to deliver unspeakable damage to the Fire Nation on that day. It hadn't been an easy battle, and the cost of victory appeared too steep right now… but even if she didn't know it, unconscious as she remained, Azula had succeeded at protecting her people from the worst threat they had faced in over a hundred years of war. Sokka looked forward to sharing the news once she woke, once she was strong enough to ask about what had happened after she had fallen unconscious…
But for now, it was enough for him to hold her hand and gift her with his warmth. To listen to her slow, light breaths, focusing on them over the noise of the physicians working hastily outside the room, to watch as her lips parted in her slumber… waiting, for as long as he needed to, until she awakened anew.