Teaser: With you, I share
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Chapter 26 Uharer Ed-em
Laughing, Aang jumped from stone to stone. It was a fun game, you had to pass the ball, then jump to receive it back and, as it seemed, the goal was to make patterns with the ball's path as quickly as possible. One of the kids laughed as they stumbled, fell, and walked out of the field to return to the starting point. You had to jump after every ball pass, but only once, as you were only allowed one jump at a time.
Aang hadn't quite realised just how much he'd missed group games and relished being part of one now. After the third misstep in five moves, they decided that they had tired themselves out enough to take a break. They sat down in a group and the kids quickly huddled around Aang, asking him questions.
"What's your name?" One asked, just as another asked about where he was from and they started giggling.
"I'm Aang, and I'm from way south."
"Cool, I'm Sarnai." the girl replied.
"I'm Enkhjargal." a little boy piped in. Aang quickly got introduced to the lot before they continued to ask holes into him.
"Is that indigo on your hands and head?" Temujin asked.
"Oh, don't be stupid, have you ever seen indigo that light on skin?" Etugen crossed his arms, sure of himself.
"Uhm, yeah, it's mixed with some white pigment though."
"Oooh, that's amazing, look, I got some indigo designs too, Mum drew them on to celebrate my lost tooth." Enkhjargal smiled wide to show off the missing tooth and held out his arm, and sure enough, there were fading blue patterns that were peeking out from the loose, beige sleeves.
Aang complimented the young boy, who was obviously proud of his mother's work. His eyes had moved to inspect the embroidery that he'd only caught glimpses of while playing with the kids. It was made of stitched lines, light blue and deep ocher. The light blue lines were swirling, with pointy tips, moving around the ocher shapes. It was simple and playful. He hadn't seen ocher shades in clothing since he woke up, he suddenly realised with a deep surge of longing.
"Why are you bald?" Sarnai asked suddenly, leaving Aang no time to dwell on his thoughts.
"Uhm, because I shave my head?" Aang replied, it irked him to not be able to just tell them what he was, but they had agreed on trying to stay under the radar.
"I've never seen anyone dressed like you are," Etugen said, then snickered. "Orange is weird to wear all over."
"What's wrong with wearing orange? And I am not all orange, there's some yellow and ochre here too," Aang said, mock offended.
"Good question, most people that visit here are boring and wear green, you are a colourful bunch, it's weird to see so much blue on people, too," Sarnai said, arms crossed, she obviously was the mother hen of the group.
"I'd love to wear so much colour." Etugen sighed.
Temujin rolled his eyes. "There's good in everything, I guess. I prefer the embroidery in ours though, it's not pushy, but it is personal, and you can add to it if you want."
"What does the embroidery mean?"
"Well, mama said that each part has its symbols. Like, the sleeves are there to remind us that we should live like grains of sand, stay light, and travel where the wind leads us. And that we're never alone, cause when there's one grain of sand, you can always find another."
"Living together in harmony, living for the community" Aang whispered.
"Yeah, listen to your mama, and take only what you need, share what you have."
It shuddered Aang, there were too many details here that reminded him of home, the details were somewhat removed, changed, not the same, but it was almost as if… no, it couldn't be.
He eyed over the kids, who had returned to discussing amongst themselves, looking at the embroidery on the chest area in particular, where it was most dense. There were a variety of ornamental patterns, some indeed had simple arrows, some had whirly shapes and there were some dotted ocher groups, dashed lines, forms, so much variety in those two colours.
"What do your benders command?" Aang asked, his voice weak.
The kids stopped and looked at him, their faces suddenly guarded. Before Aang could apologise, Enkhjargal spoke up "Sand of course."
He said, his arms crossed, expression closed off.
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"What happened to your eye?" The woman who had confronted Zuko and Sokka pointed directly to the thick bandage over Zuko's eye. Her tone was a tad more neutral after she had returned the half bow, a single grey brow raised in questioning.
"Firebender."
Her eyes softened further, nodding, then threw another glance at Sokka. "What are you looking for here?"
Zuko grimaced. "I don't want to be stared at for my scar. Especially not when I perform."
"Yeh, we're a theatre group." Sokka continued. "Since his injuries a couple of months ago, we've been looking to create a character costume that covers the face. And then we heard about the Sand Nomads. We gotta protect the scar from the sun anyway, and having a Sand Nomad will fit in nicely with our retelling of the return of the Avatar."
"Aah, really?" The woman didn't seem convinced, her hands crossed her chest as she hmpf'ed. "Where are you going to present that? Ba Sing Se?"
"Yeah, that's where we're headed." Sokka nodded.
"The Nobility looks down upon us. We're not interested in ridicule. I almost feel you should be gone, Khüükhed, though I do understand your friend's wish for a headscarf."
"That's why we came here," Zuko spoke, trying to salvage the situation. "We want to create a decent costume that actually represents this part of your culture. And have the Sand Nomad as part of the Avatar's travel companions. There won't be any ridicule, I promise Khairt Eej."
If the inclusion of the title surprised the elder, she didn't show it, her expressions were very schooled. Sokka too tried to keep his face neutral as he wondered where Zuko knew this all from. Meanwhile, the elder, no the Khairt Eej continued, "You have dao, are they just decoration, or are you any good with them?"
Zuko rubbed his neck, bashfully, "I am decent with them, or at least, I was before this." Zuko pointed at the bandages again and Sokka kinda just threw him a glance.
"Dao are quite popular in our culture, show me!" she stated, her voice as steel as the blades themselves.
"Alright." Zuko took a couple of steps back, took a precautionary glance to check his surroundings, and pulled the blades out of the scabbard, before separating them in a swirly movement. His form was perfect and theatrical as he moved through the forms, stabbing, twirling, going low, slicing high… and then he misstepped slightly and stumbled. Quickly he caught himself, halted, and straightened, sheathing the blades.
It looked like he'd lost his balance, and it struck Sokka as strange. Zuko did many things, but slip up, that wasn't one of them. As it came to him why Zuko had done so, Sokka nearly missed the Khairt Eej's response.
"Why did you learn the Dao? Why not a single sword?"
"Because it gave me freedom."
"Interesting. I do see the teachings of my grandfather in your movements. You learned well, and I hope you'll learn to handle the impairment. Are you a bender?" the lady's tone continued to be blunt.
"No," Zuko said curtly, matching her mood. "If I was a bender, why would I learn the Art of the Sword?"
"Some benders do, they find it gives them more precision, more control… or so I'm told." her words hid more than she was telling, thought Toph from her distant listening point, but said nothing. She could sense a business transaction when it was right before her.
Zuko nodded. "Will you sell us some clothes?" he requested, nudging Sokka as he did so. Sokka quickly looked into the money sack, and discreetly passed Zuko a share of the coins, hoping that it might be enough. Zuko briefly looked down, did a mental tally and nodded in acknowledgement.
The wisewoman eyed them discreetly as this went on, but she continued as if nothing had happened, and spoke with a clear voice, "Let me tell you a story or two first. If you're going to wear our clothes and be us, you should know where you come from."
Zuko nodded his head. "I'd be honoured to hear."
"Let us sit down." The Khairt Eej led Zuko away from the rest of the group, into a shaded building behind her.
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Toph felt Zuko enter a house with the lady that he'd been talking to, when he simply sat down, the woman walked around a bit before sitting down as well, quite sure that Zuko was safe for the time being, she turned away to explore the small settlement through her senses.
Relaxing, she focused on the world around her. She always enjoyed learning more. She could feel sand in every corner, familiar sand she cared nothing about. Instead she explored the built structures as she walked back across the square and soon noticed a new shape, not rectangular at all, instead, it was round.
"Is that a well?" Katara asked, having joined Toph after doing her own visual detour, pointing Toph towards the structure they had both just noticed.
Reaching out with her earth sense, Toph gripped the side of the possible well "If it isn't, I'll be surprised, it certainly reaches deep into the ground. So yeah, it should be a well. Ah, some fresh water would be lovely." Toph said wistfully.
Toph reached farther to feel out the structure. It was definitely made with earthbending, the walls were smooth except for some steps within them. Its shape stood in stark contrast to the houses, which were all different forms of rectangles or squares. It stopped at once, she was surprised to note. The layer of earth that was there at the end; it wasn't loose by any means, but it wasn't porous either. From her time on her family's estate in Gaoling, she could remember feeling this sort of thing before: at the bottom of wells, that layer of earth held the water that supplied the well.
To avoid suspicion, Katara didn't bend the water up, instead, she handed Toph the ladle in the bucket so she could drink some of the refreshing water, before calling out to Aang if he wanted any. But the boy had started talking to some younger kids and seemed absorbed in some sort of hopping game. Likewise, Sokka seemed to be talking to some other women where Zuko had left him, clearly immersed in some items, as typical.
Katara rolled her eyes and refilled their waterskins carefully. They had come across a small stream just outside of the settlement, but she wasn't surprised that the village relayed on a well, it took way longer for a well to dry out after all, whereas she'd seen quite a few creek beds that had been reduced to tiny trickles if not cracked through, nearby.
Toph in the meanwhile, sensed the houses more closely. She could almost discern with her bending the individual bricks of limestone. She found that the main buildings were round and their roofs were sort of dome-like. The windows were tiny slits. She could detect the influence of earthbenders, but Toph couldn't be fooled, a lot of this work had been done by manual labour, the earthbending was mostly for reinforcement, fusing the stones, not for making it.
She detected some other weird things, there were circular inlays in the ground on one part of the village square, they were made from granite, if she had to take a guess, and some kids seemed to be hopping from one to another while holding a ball. With a smile she felt Aang hopping on the playfield and participating, as always, quickly making friends with the kids.
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The cool of the shadows inside the building subdued the seemingly ever-present heat of being this close to the desert, and otherwise, it offered privacy to their conversation. The carpet was woven richly in complex maze patterns, in as many colours as different patterns.
The structure was of simple mud brick, but the inside was painted brightly, and the carpets he now sat on were spread with finely woven cushions, all of them gathered around a single fire pit, which was positioned directly beneath an opening in the roof above, presumably to allow smoke to escape.
With a pointed glance, the Khairt Eej looked at Zuko, and then the pit. With an awkward gesture, Zuko ignited the sparse fuel in the pit, struggling to hide his surprise at her knowing straight away he was a Firebender. The Khairt Eej smiled as she gestured to a particularly fine cushion near the fire. Zuko sank gently into the seat, consciously aware of the fire and the extension it was of his ki. As he did so, the Khairt Eej returned, holding a particularly ornate pot, the gilt just starting to flake off of its enamelled blue surface, as she placed it above the firepit. She placed two finely blown glasses between them. Zuko waited, the host had the right to speak first here, and so she did, after a particularly long pause.
"You know much, and yet, you travel with a Negni Tengert. How is it that you come to us?" She stated, her eyes never departing his own.
Straight to business then, no time for him to ask his own questions, Zuko thought, while he smoothly answered, "He came and took me in when cause and need arose. I am fortunate to be under his protection, but more is needed for those who would seek us harm. I confess, my eyes are dangerous in these parts, and we seek your assistance to help us."
She hmph'ed and poured the first round. Being used to his Uncle's sweeter preferences, it was a shock for Zuko that the taste was so bitter. He forced himself to pace himself with swallowing. The Khairt Eej replied:
"Risky, but you know too much, and though I cannot fathom how one such as he survived the Yargachin, he has, and likely will get some ideas too quickly."
She took a shuddering breath, as she refilled each of their small cups. It seemed he hadn't done wrong with drinking it all so fast, and the cups were small.
The Khairt Eej took word again. "I cannot stop this, and I fear that if you do not know, that boy will ask questions he will not want to ask, and get answers he doesn't want to get. So tell you of us, I feel I must, however much it breaks my mother's bond, and her mother's, and all those of my kinswomen who swore to hold this secret to our hearts closer than any love for husband or child."
She breathed, and gently sipped and finished her second cup. Zuko followed her example. She stood up and away from him, drawing some more water from one of the pouches hung in the house. She also procured some sugar, which she ended up gently stirring as she spoke, her words steeped in history.
"Many centuries ago, when the world was whole and another Negni Tengert was named Avatar: the Lady Yangchen of the Western Temple. In those days, we of the Dgondung were one with our brothers and sisters there. However, there came a time of great shaming for us all. Our Lady Yangchen apprehended persons who sought to challenge the divine order of Tengri, our Holy Father of the Sky, blessed be he and the brown Earth he provides. These individuals were said to be able to warp air and fire into energy, and inflict great damage to their targets." She paused, steeling herself by pouring a third round of tea for Zuko and her to drink. Thankfully, this portion was notably sweeter, though still laced with underlying bitterness, he wondered why sugar was added only now. There had to be some significance to it.
"In our shame, some of us called for them to face the punishment for their crimes, regardless of their nationality. They were under the jurisdiction of Air, so they could face the punishments of Air. This wasn't viewed kindly by the Abbot and Superiors of the Temple. Our Lady Yangchen suffered her own punishments for bringing them, cast from the temple where she harboured them, but we were cast further still. For our actions, those of so-called virtue cast us to the four winds and struck our belief and our identity from name and memory. To them, we are Lost, caught in our crime and never able to redeem ourselves. We moved, as we were told to. But no one could or would take us, a vagrant dust cloud caught on a cloudless day, a dark stain to a white sheet. No one wanted us, and so we moved. We eventually were allowed here, caught on the edge of civilization, but, at last, able to survive. The Lord of Ten Thousand Things has granted us safe passage in his lands, and in return, we have given him the knowledge he so greedily covets. Those other Nomads settled in their temples and were slaughtered for it, and we who had moved survived."
A final drink was served, as she raised her head, moving out of her shame, and like hardened steel, her grey eyes appraised Zuko.
"So, now you know our shame and our truth. I trust you to hold as much as you can to the truth our ancestors split blood for, and that you honour that legacy. Why? You hold with the One of Tengert, but you are apart from him, unlike your other companions. Our story is one of woe, but it is known that in darkness, light will help you find your way. Hold firm, and live as we live, and I accept you as kin. However, to truly accept you as one of our own, you must swear to a new life and a new name. As we cast away all binds to those of Air, so too you can cast aside your ties to Fire, and be reborn as one of us. May you always find shade amongst brothers, ünsnii khüü, but know this, your mind must be as sharp as a sword, and swing as true. You shall defend the right path, and uphold and protect noble causes. Defend those who can't, and punish those who must be. Otherwise, you are no better than those who cast us out for thinking to protect that which was our own. This Information requires payment however, a name for a name."
Zuko carefully drank the last of his cup, placed it down, and breathed. The Khairt Eej looked at him expectantly. In some ways, he had expected this, but also, it daunted him. His ancestry was the reason these people would never get their absolution or freedom from their believed crime. But at the same time, the Khairt Eej was female and had sworn by her mother and her mother's mother, so perhaps he might be safe. His maternal line was one that even he himself had been unaware of before that cursed day trapped in Wan Shi Tong's knowledge snare. He took a deep breath and revealed:
"I am Prince Zuko, First Light of the Morning, Lord of Shuang Lao, Son to Lady Ursa, Lady of Shuang Lao, Daughter to Lady Rina, Lady Consort of Shuang Lao, Daughter to Lady Ta Min, Lady of Yújìn."
If the titles shook the Khairt Eej, she did not show it more than a single raised eyebrow, which Zuko noticed rose slightly more at the mention of Ta Min. Of course, with their ties to Yangchen, it would make sense they were aware of other Avatars, or at least those widely known about, unlike Aang. Mentioning her was like saying "descendant of an Avatar" to her face, but he appreciated that she did not move any further, as he suppressed a wince.
"I am Khairt Eej Rigzin, Daughter of Táozǒu, Daughter of Achala Héfēng, Daughter of Ama Jamyang."
With that she simply turned, encouraging Zuko to follow her, as she left through a different entrance. Zuko could only follow, his mind deep in thought, as he pieced together the details.
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How Sokka wished they had more money, to indulge. The urge to shop was strong. There was a smell of food, good food, coming from across the square, for one, which made him hungry, and then there were the clothes and fabrics. There were woven fabric belts, in orange, in blue, in red, in yellow, and some were a bright magenta even, each as colourful as the last. But there was also this deep blue one with off-white patterns in it. He just knew it would match so nicely with his summer wear.
In his browsing, he also took the opportunity to ask a question or two. The red dye apparently was obtained from crushed insects that grew on a kind of cacti. They also sold the dye directly to the Fire Nation apparently, which surprised him and he was about to kick up a fuss, but they just pointedly said business is business, which he could, just about, see the reason in. They apparently tried to use as little water as possible for dying, instead forcing the dye into wool and fabric in other ways, as water was too precious to waste all the time on dying. He noticed a woman, a younger one, pounding leaves into a piece of fabric, resulting in greenish-blue leaf-shaped patterns. The idea was so alien to him, but recalling their own difficulties in the desert itself, Sokka understood.
The women didn't seem to mind him wandering over to watch them work either, which was quite different from back home, where women's work was women's work, and man's work, man's. One of the women, a younger woman with a headscarf wrapped tight around her head, so as to avoid sand, was dunking fabric into a murky green-yellow liquid in a pot, then kneading it before hanging it up. Sokka was shocked to notice that her hands were stained bright blue from her work. How did that murky colour become such a bright blue? She explained that once the fabric hit the air, the blue colour took shape. Intriguing.
Another woman was pulling a bright orange bundle of thread out of a murky brown pool of liquid, which was hanging over a low fire. Sokka had never seen orange dye outside of Aang's clothes, so he asked how it worked. The lady showed him some red, hair-like, roots, and a bright yellow powder, and explained how they mixed these into the water, heated it, stirring as you do so, before leaving the wet fabric placed inside to dry. The ladies explained that these dyes could not be easily made without water, so this was one of the exceptions to their limited water usage.
There were also uncoloured, beige fabrics. Apparently, they lacked the basic green dyes, and when Sokka asked, he was informed that their green was a multistep process: First getting a yellow from specific flowers. Once it had taken the right base hue, then it could dipped in indigo as many times as needed to get the shade of green wanted. As many of the surrounding towns and villages of the Earth Kingdom knew how to dye green, and, more importantly, had the flowers to do it easily, their tribe didn't make greens often unless they needed the fabric for themselves. They just sold the plain fabric to other Earth Kingdom towns that coloured it into the desired colour and shade, each town liking their own hue. Dyeing in other colours was a side hustle, as not many people in the surrounding regions were experienced in dyeing colours other than green and brown.
Curiously still piqued, Sokka asked how such trade worked. The other lady told him that the tribes would trade the fabrics and some of the rarer goods of the desert, such as exotic gems, for money and food, which was difficult to grow this close to the sands. Occasionally, there was the need to trade for weapons, more so in recent times, it was noted amongst the women with a shared sad nodding of their heads. Other tribes could simply use the raw metal to make their own weapons. "One example is that dao your friend carries," she noted. "But this village does not have a weaponsmith, the nearest one is quite some way away."
The smells of food blew over to him again in a short, sharp breeze, overwhelming the strong smell of the dyes briefly, reminding him that he'd wanted to check out what was being cooked. He had just walked over and had involved another young lady, who was standing over a pot of lovely smelling stew, in a discussion about desert food, when Zuko re-emerged.
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"So, you'll need a headscarf, robes, trousers and probably sandals, and let's also see if we can find a decent belt for that dao of yours." The Khairt Eej nodded to him and then called out to send for someone. Then went back inside to pick out appropriate clothes for Zuko.
In a surprisingly quick turnaround, she returned, carrying a wide selection of clothes in a neat bundle, which she handed to Zuko gently, who nodded in appreciation, before she fell into step, motioning for him to follow.
Before long, Zuko stood before another building, where they met another individual. Wrapped in his robes, all that could be easily discerned were his eyes, which critically observed Zuko, who felt small next to this new individual.
"Toqto'a will show you how to dress correctly." The Khairt Eej said after exchanging a few quiet words with the man, who Zuko guessed, had been summoned. The man looked at him with a curious look in his eye, before he turned away, clearly expecting Zuko to go after him.
Zuko shuffled his grip on the bundle of clothes the women had picked out for him, and carefully followed. The man held the door open for him, scrutinising him as he walked past. The eyes that watched him seemed old. Toqto'a was tall, and dominant, the flowy clothes that hid his physique did not assure Zuko that he was safe. Mai was proof that loose cloth could hide any number of concealed weapons after all. After passing by Toqto'a, the other man followed him inside the same hut and directed Zuko to put down the clothing he'd been given to try on.
Zuko was used to having cold, hard eyes that watched his every movement, but it didn't make him feel any more comfortable with the circumstances in the least. Not being able to see the face behind the headscarf properly did not help matters either. Toqto'a eyed up Zuko with calculating slate eyes, then picked up two pairs of trousers from the pile of options and held them out to see if the length was appropriate.
"These should fit, put them on to check." The voice under the veil suggested gruffly.
Zuko shrugged off his swords and carefully leaned them against the wall. This was going to be awkward, he wondered if the other guy was going to stare at his pale skin and numerous scars. At least he had undergarments now though, so he didn't feel quite as exposed. Zuko looked at Toqto'a pointedly, who huffed but did dutifully turn away.
The first of the trousers thankfully were the right length, doing a decent job covering his ankles, ensuring he could be protected from the elements. The material, though rough to the touch, was surprisingly soft once worn. The undershirt that came next was simple. It was also made from light, soft, sand-toned, wool, or something close to it, Zuko recognised. It wasn't hard to put on, simply layer on like a normal tunic might. Indeed, up till now the clothing had been self-explanatory. Then came the outer tunic-like shirt, which was made from coarser linen. Fitted loose, Zuko reasoned it would allow for much airflow, and it did have some embroidery, much in the style he'd seen the rest of this village being decorated with.
Finally, Toqto'a went to the back and brought out a near-floor length sky blue outer gown that was embroidered richly with blue and ocher threads, as Zuko noted, when he struggled through the voluminous fabric. Cut on the sleeves in indigo, and scrolled in orange whirls, like a breath running through the fabric. Zuko looked down at the fabric, running it through his fingers across the cuffs, the weave was sharp, the blue ridges of embroidered thread dancing across it in that distinctive blue.
So caught was he in his ponderings on what this could imply, he had to ask Toqto'a to repeat himself, after the man coughed politely, having noticed Zuko was done.
Those curious eyes rolled as he repeated, "You can wear the everyday tunic loose like this, or you can wear a sash or belt around your hips, the sash you have already should work fine, but for this attire, I have a matching one." Having a chance to hear the man speak more than a short sentence brought some surprise to Zuko. Despite his mature appearance, the voice stood in stark contradiction to eyes that were now looking at him as if he were an enigma to make sense of. He was surprised that the guy hadn't asked the questions that were clearly on his mind so far.
"Okay, thank you." Zuko said while binding this new, orange, sash into place.
The guy went over to a cabinet and pulled out a drawer. He grabbed some items and straightened.
"You must have made quite an impression…" The guy said grumpily, "Come here, bring your swords." The man stated, putting his hand out, his head lowered.
Zuko wordlessly stepped up to the table, the loosely fitting clothing still being a foreign feeling, though not uncomfortable. The clothes had settled well, even with his thinner-than-normal frame. Toqto'a put the items he'd gathered on the table. They were a selection of colourfully woven bands of fabric in different lengths. Some were two feet, and worked in rich yellow, others were longer, and in that same indigo tone, and one, right on the end, was the longest still, and appeared to match his outfit most closely. With a deep indigo hue, so deep it looked blue as a summer's day, and richly stitched with apricot patterns.
"What kind of scabbard is this?" queried the man as he reached out to inspect it. Zuko pulled it away, not willing to risk being separated from his blades. The hand had looked young too, Zuko thought that this guy may be only slightly older than he was, which was a shock. Most of the men he had seen in the camp had been older. This Toqto'a was closer in age to those they had encountered outside of the library. Why wasn't he out in the raiding parties Zuko wondered. He collected himself and spoke aloud:
"I made it."
"You didn't get a scabbard with the swords?" Toqto'a remained critically doubtful, a lone brown eyebrow arching in consideration.
"I lost the scabbard, so I made a new one." Zuko sighed, making a show of a dejectedly dignified slouch.
The look he got for that was incredulous, those curious eyes widening, impressed. "Check the length and pick one of them to replace that string, it's ugly." said the voice, further revealing what the rest of the body could not.
"I worked with what I had at hand." Zuko defended his makeshift cord, drawing his swords close to him.
Now that they had broken the ice around conversation, the guy pushed more.
"You say you can use those swords, yet they look rougher than a komodo-rhino's skin, I don't believe you." he challenged in turn.
Zuko looked down at the blades. Although true, they were looking rougher than he had wanted, he had made a point to care for every weapon he had ever owned. "And what would you know of komodo-rhinos? For your information the oil I have used isn't exactly designed for steel, if you can call these blades as such." he snipped back.
Toqto'a raised his hands in pacification, his head dipped," Woah, didn't mean to push a nerve, just seen blades in better nick than this, so had to ask. Have you decided on which belts you need?" he said, gesturing firmly to the woven goods in front of them.
Zuko nodded and picked the matching ornate cloth, as well as one in simple blue. Although useful to have finery occasionally, especially if they were to meet the Earth King, it wouldn't do to shout to the world that he was better than them. It was one of many differences he realised lay between him and most of his family, Uncle included. He was just tying the last knot in the belt when his partner in the tent voiced again:
"What happened to you?" There had been a hint of accusation in every question he'd said so far, but this one held little heat. In fact, it held some form of obedience, which shook him a bit. The Khairit Eej surely would not have expected this of her chosen inquisitor. Zuko could tell he did what he was ordered to, but didn't understand why.
"I was captured and held prisoner." There was no point in denying it, the scars on his wrists looked older than they were, but they still were starkly visible, many on his back still very red. Katara had done much to help, but some wounds were too deep or too old to fully remove, and this was ignoring the ones that had occurred before his capture. Those from the ship explosion, the many fights he had chasing the Avatar, and times before that, times when his mother couldn't be there. The tone he used, suggested that he didn't want to talk more about it and thankfully the other didn't try to dig. Instead, he turned to pick up the headscarf that the Khart Eej had handed Zuko.
"This is the part I have to teach to you. You'll have to trust me with touching your head." he pointed out, lowering his head, before raising it again, eyeing the sword handles Zuko had so eagerly protected moments before.
Zuko nodded, grimly. His head briefly got caught in memories of the market square, and that fateful decision by the stream. A man's hair was his honour, and touching that, especially for a commoner to a noble, could almost be a death sentence. He would not be surprised if that was why Azula or their father went through so many hairdressers in years gone by.
"I don't know what you told our Khairt Eej to earn this honour, but I do hope you understand its significance." That tone again, caught in respect and grumpiness. "This is a ritual that would normally induct you into the tribe and with it into adulthood. And yet you are all but a stranger to us. You break tradition at every turn, and yet, this seems right somehow." he said as he arranged the thin fabric in his hands.
Zuko looked closely with his unbandaged eye, focusing deeply on the deft motions that were being performed.
"Here, fold the scarf in half and tie a loose knot about a foot into it, like so. Next, spread it out like this," he put the scarf on top of Zuko's head, who had tipped his head forward slightly. Toqto'a continued, his experienced hands were light in pressure on Zuko's temple as they started to twist. "You twist it like that, then wrap it around your head and tuck the ends in, then loosen the knot in the back and cover your face with the excess and tuck the end in."
Zuko suppressed his desire to squirm throughout the whole process, the increased pressure and weight brought back uncomfortable memories, only releasing his breath when Toqto'a was done.
"Now, it is your turn. Take it off and do it yourself."
Zuko wordlessly did just that and, with some corrective commentary, successfully wrapped the scarf around his face. He'd even had enough extra cloth he found to be able to pull part of the turban down over his bandage enough to cover his forehead almost completely, which he was glad for, it would make the disguise that much easier.
"Thank you."
"You're very pale and I've never seen that shade of eyes." Toqto'a said testingly, his lips quirked in confusion.
"I can't change the way I look."
"You can't hide it either. Not completely."
"I'm not trying to."
"Why do you want a headscarf then?"
"Because I'm disfigured and people stare."
"The roughest pebble, with enough time, will be worn into the smoothest quartz. People indeed will always stare, but it is up to you to decide whether you let them see the pebble or the quartz. Think on that," Toqto'a said with a smile, patting Zuko on the back.
"Come, your friends will be waiting, Udirdagch, You'll do us proud, if you but listen to the sands, and tune yourself to its rhythm. All is one, and one is all." He said, leading Zuko out of their tent into the bright daylight.
Udirdagch, Zuko thought, Leader, Chief. The word harboured much meaning, and Zuko was dazed slightly at the title. He was only using the Nomads as a disguise, but somehow, despite everything, and all that Toqto'a said, the young man knew more than he let on. Or at least, he seemed to. That would explain the reference to Komodo Rhinos he mentioned. But those eyes, and these colours, didn't make any sense. He and Aang had much to talk about, that he knew. Whispers of distant texts caught his other thoughts as he walked on. No, best to wait until he could speak with Aang before making any conclusions. Knowing what he now knew, saying what these people were hiding in plain sight, could be a death sentence on all of them.
00000
No sooner than Zuko stood outside again, the weird old Lady, whom Zuko seemed to respect, ushered him out of sight again. Sokka sighed, where were they taking him now, he wondered. Zuko didn't seem as tense though, so it was probably fine. Sokka's mind was in a different place, anyway, as he gazed longingly at the piece before him.
Dad had trusted him to be a tribesman, and to lead where he couldn't, but in his used summer garb, he hardly felt it. The piece before him was finely cured leather, that had been soaked in indigo, and etched in white. He felt the calling of home upon looking at it, as he ran the smooth hide against his cheek adoringly.
"Are you going to just smooch it, or are you actually going to buy something?" said the trader, eyes glaring at Sokka, who jumped, and nearly dropped the belt in his hand before he pulled himself together and straightened up.
"Why do you design things like this? It doesn't blend in with the desert and the Water Tribes usually make their own leathers, so…"
The trader hmpfed "Just because the Water Tribes don't want it, doesn't mean other people don't, there are other nations that wear blue. Besides, some people in Ba Sing Se would pay good money for a novelty fashion piece such as this, especially if it is in limited supply."
"How much?"
"Oh, for one of my best pieces," the trader said, pointing to a green belt, one of the few green items he saw, marked in what looked like genuine gold, "you could be looking at 5 gold pieces for one, perhaps ten, depending on the market. That one," pointing to the one in Sokka's hands, "hmm, maybe 20 silvers, name your price."
Sokka looked carefully into the money back. He bit back a careful sigh as the money would cover it. But he had learned some things since that time with the pirates.
"How about… ten silvers?" he wagered.
"Ha, are you joking, the filigree is far too good quality for that, eighteen at the least."
"Twelve, and I wear it every day." Sokka countered, his voice level.
"Sixteen, and I'll be nice and give you this ointment for it" sighed the trader.
"Fifteen, with the ointment, final offer," Sokka said, showing the money.
"As you wish, fifteen silver with the ointment. Pleasure doing business with you Mr…" the trader said, putting his hand out to shake and receive the coin.
"Sokka, Sokka of the Water Tribe" Sokka declared, his grip firm as he shook the other's hand. No sooner had he done so, then he heard the old lady speaking. Besides her was a brightly clothed figure, looking somewhat uncomfortable in the surprisingly tasteful, airy, clothes. With a start, he realised the figure must be Zuko. Clearly, his dealing had gone much better than Sokka's, he dejectedly thought as he made his way over to the clearing. A crowd of Nomads was gathering there, So Sokka walked over, grumbling under his breath about how hot he was, and he wished he had nice robes.
00000
The Khairt Eej called for the village to gather and for a candle and a torch to be brought. Her wrinkled face was calm and scrutinising as if this was a test. Zuko was confused as to what was going on. They had just finished haggling the price for the clothes he now wore after he'd selected them with the help of Toqto'a and had handed over the money and the spare outfit he had managed to bargain for, and as so often of late, he felt trapped.
Instead of the blue robe she had on when she and Zuko were talking, the Khairt Eej now looked every bit the matriarch of the tribe. She wore a striking, orange, over robe, with fine details picked out in intricate, indigo, stitchwork, outlining new patterns, and accenting the cuffs and hems of her garb. On her head, she now wore what appeared to be a woven gold circlet, threads of the metal twisted together to be like one piece, interspersed finely with miniature river pearls. And, above the centre of her forehead, rested a fine, thumbnail-sized, sky-blue gem, surrounded in even finer twisted goldwork, almost like it was cradled. A Crown fit for her position.
The candle that had been brought was out, so the Khairt Eej rekindled the flame with the help of the torch as Toqto'a held the candle tray. The little flame shook Zuko out of his reverie of observation. Zuko had to be careful to refrain from reaching out to the fire. It wouldn't do good for it to be pulsating. The woman exchanged the torch for holding the candle instead, then raised her head, looking him in his one visible eye.
"Nomad! Do you trust us for shelter? Do you join us under shade? Do you join us as one?" The Khairt Eej spoke, voice strong and clear.
Zuko furrowed his brows, a bit confused.
"Uh," he harrumphed. "Yes"
"Give me your hand." She requested, ignoring his reluctance as he held it out, she suddenly held a blade. Zuko hadn't seen from where she'd pulled it and its sudden appearance sent shivers down his spine. The blade wasn't pointing towards him, however. Thankfully, she instead was holding out the handle for him to take.
"Draw my blood," she ordered, holding out her hand. "Here." she pointed where she wanted it done and Zuko had to steady his hands.
He made the cut deep enough for a bit of blood to well up after which she held her hand above the candle letting a few drops fall through the flame, onto the tray.
"Now hold the candle and hold out your other hand."
She didn't have to explain what would happen next and Zuko held out his hand once she'd dried the knife on a cloth. The nick was just as small and didn't hurt much, for which he was grateful for.
Zuko copied her motions, holding his hand above the candle and letting his blood drip through the flame, onto the tray. He felt the heat on his hand and knew there was soot collecting on the underside of it.
Sand was whirling between their feet, Zuko felt a gentle wind tugging on his new clothes as they all stood there.
"For your Journey, you will need a name."
The Khairt Eej raised her hand which she held as a fist, holding it out beside his hand above the flame, sand trickled out of her hand, the wind carrying it through the flame and eventually snuffing it out. She waited until the wind had settled again, then dragged her fingers through the blood on the tray that had mixed with the sand and raised it to paint.
"You shall be called Oktai, He Who Understands."
Zuko raised his head, and she moved the headscarf up and marked a horizontal, then a straight line down and, keeping her finger on his forehead, made a crescent, and marked down again, and then one final crescent, and it was complete. A small pair of glasses was placed between the pair, much like what Zuko had drank from with her in private, she raised the glass, inviting Zuko to do the same.
"With this," she intoned," I trust you will be safe, Oktai. Go with us in pride, and in safety. May your return to the sands be as safe as your arrival. Leave in peace, and peace shall follow you."
She finished her tea quickly, and Zuko followed suit. They returned the glasses to the tray.
"I hand you this," she continued, as she offered Zuko a neatly scripted piece of paper, the ink freshly dried, "to you, to give you safety. Return to us, brother of the flame, may your hearth be as warm as your heart. Goodbye."
With one final bow, Zuko departed. He accepted the sheet of paper the Khairt Eej presented to him, as she regarded him with what approached a warm smile. Then, he picked up the bundle with the spare clothes and turned. The Gaang simply followed him, murmuring amongst themselves, trying to understand what had just happened, but getting no answers from Zuko. Aang walked ahead and alone, his head full of confusing thoughts.
00000
When they arrived at the clearing they had left their stuff at, Appa was nowhere to be seen and Aang's heart dropped. Zuko had seemed to notice at the same time, as he spoke the question out loud.
"Where's Appa?"
There were no signs of struggle surrounding their campsite, all their stuff was still there. Aang grabbed his staff and jumped into the air, flying upwards to gain an overview, he grabbed the whistle and blew.
There was a groan from a slight distance out of sight, at which Aang immediately relaxed as he finally spotted the pile of moving foliage with spots of white fur poking out of it from behind a few low trees.
Appa was munching on some of them also. Aang laughed and reassured Appa that yes, now he was allowed to shake things off, he didn't need to look like a walking bush after all.
Still, though, they still had to help pick out quite a few of the branches before they could put the saddle back on, but then thankfully they could take off. They continued flying low, so as to not be seen too far into the distance, and avoid being spotted by any hostile elements. Katara noted, also, that it helped them to see the ground, making it easier to find the bay.
No one spoke.
Before too long, the trees grew taller and greener again, and they dared to fly higher. Eventually, there were rolling hills, then mountains they circled around, staying far away from any visible paths and roads.
Zuko had taken off the headscarf and was removing the bandages, rolling up what could be rolled up. His hair, which had become slightly sweaty and plastered to his head, had already dried and tousled again in the flight's wind. He seemed to be waiting to put it back on, enjoying the air on his face while he could, having closed his eyes and relaxing.
He did look vastly different in these new clothes, no dark vest anymore, the sky blue overrobe contrasting with the sandy underrobe, going over his arms loosely, the fine dark indigo cuffs and hems. Not to mention the belt. Finely threaded yellows and oranges stood out, embroidered exceptionally, and with a golden eight-spoked sunburst, twisted so it looked like it could spin at the lightest touch, as its centrepiece. It was a lot, but Zuko seemingly had become comfortable with his new attire, although he was carefully taking off the fine outer robe, storing it beside the other clothing he had gotten, as Aang observed.
Aang turned away, he wasn't able to think and piece it together. Deep in thought, he couldn't look any more at Zuko without thinking back to this village. That game, the embroidery, the blue stains on the kids's skin. He wondered what Zuko thought about it. And then there had been that slight breeze that had felt out of place. That had come out of nowhere, twirling the sand just a tiny bit, eddying between that woman and Zuko.
He looked to the other members on the saddle, trying to distract himself, but he was unsuccessful. Thoughts continued to eat at him, troubling his mind.
00000
After a prolonged period of flight, they set up camp around dinnertime, halfway up a mountainside. The weather was getting windier and more clouds were looming overhead, some of which were rising in distinct patterns that Aang recognised as potential thunderclouds. Oh well, maybe they'd be lucky and it would pass them.
They had hoped to reach Full Moon Bay on this day, but it just wasn't reasonable to go any longer, Appa was tired, and so were they. They had achieved much, but wearing themselves for potentially an extra half day in the city was not worth it, they all agreed.
Zuko started the fire in his normal fashion, with a casual flick of his wrist. There was no one around for miles, so why hide? He hadn't put the headscarf back on yet, either, though he did take the time to fully change out of the robes given to him by the Nomads, slipping into his old clothes, might as well use those as nightwear now, he reasoned when asked. It would be too soon when once again he would have to hide his identity, so having the chance at freedom while he had it, was in itself liberating.
They all were weary from the events of the day though, so conversation trickled by slowly. By the time twilight set in, they all were ready to turn in, the weight of the day pulling down on their eyelids. The siblings had built up the cloth tent and crammed themselves in with Aang. Toph had slapped up her tent next to theirs, her earthbending making the task much easier than the fumbling that the siblings made of their put-up. Although they had become used to softer ground in their time since leaving home, the slope of the mountainside clearly was a challenge. Nothing they couldn't figure out though.
Zuko set up camp under the sky, rolling out his sleeping bag. He had just taken off his outer garment so it wouldn't wrinkle while in the sleeping bag when he looked up. The deep grey clouds loomed above, making the encroached twilight nearly as dark as midnight.
Finally, just after he had slipped into the fur flaps and gotten settled, he felt something wet hit his face. The clouds had finally opened and released their big, heavy drops. Zuko groaned aloud. Of course, he couldn't catch a break, and this sleeping bag wasn't made to get wet, no matter the fact it came from a ship. What was he to do now? There were already three people in the group's two-man tent, and, well, Toph had barricaded herself into her little tent bunker.
He stilled when he heard a commotion in the tent.
"It's raining," Katara said, by the sound of it sitting up, the sound of cloth getting jostled alerting him to their activity. "Zuko is out there, and going to get soaked. Let alone his sleeping bag. It will get wet too, and that will damage the fur. We can't just leave him out there."
"Ugh, you're right, it's gonna be a tight fit in here though." Sokka groaned, clearly he was already well settled and not moving.
"Yeah, but we can't leave him out there," Aang chipped in. Zuko heard more shuffling, like someone shimmying out of a sleeping bag, and then the tent flap opened, at the same time they all heard stones shift and Toph poked out her head, her hair somehow already as messy as a boarqupine's spines.
"I can make another tent. If you want to, Zuko," she said, her eyes looking awkward. A bit dumbfounded, Zuko nodded.
"Or you can come bunk with us." Katara offered, smiling pleasantly as the rain dripped through her hair.
By this point, the rain had taken a decidedly sharply worse turn. It was pouring down. The floodgates had opened and the first flashes and rolls of thunder shook the earth. Zuko shivered as the coolness of the rain stood in contrast to the sharp heat from earlier in the day.
"I'd appreciate that, Toph." He said aloud, knowing that the blind girl wouldn't make a nod at the best of times, let alone when the ground they were on was quickly turning slick and to mud. He quickly slipped back out of the sleeping bag and moved to the tent that was being stamped out of the ground, rain and mud sluicing off of its newly formed sides.
"I'll take care of the water." Katara offered, having stepped out to help, raising her hands to make a clean path for herself, and avoid making her clothes sodden. As soon as everyone was re-settled in their new, and thankfully, dry quarters, Katara pulled away the moisture from their clothes and hair, which led to a few laughs as Zuko's hair stood up almost as wild as Toph's had, and then returned to her own tent. She sighed in contentment, glad that Zuko would be safe from the rain and be able to sleep dry.
Zuko was already slipping back into his sleeping bag, safe in his little hut. Toph had made sure there was still space to get in and out but had made a little dam so that his belongings and where he was sleeping would remain dry. It was clear that she didn't want the tent to remind him of those early days when he was trapped inside a glorified stone cell. Things truly had changed.
00000
Zuko woke up sweaty and panicked. The sound of his breathing was rebounding, the sound trapped, and the darkness was all-encompassing for several moments and he just lay still. The remnants of the nightmare still sat in his neck and body.
Slowly, he became aware of the sleeping bag and the memories of the last day came back. He was in an earth tent and it was cloudy outside, that was why it was so dark and loud.
There was a noise outside, now that he was listening. It sounded like someone had stepped into a puddle. Zuko tried to go back to sleep, but there it was again. Someone was outside.
Gathering his dao together, Zuko made sure his clothes were okay, before he stepped outside.
The moon was bright overhead, and the rain clouds from earlier had disappeared, so, after adjusting to the light, Zuko could easily make out the small figure huddled on themselves. It was Aang. Walking over, making sure to gently go through the puddle, so as not to alarm him, Zuko stooped down to speak with him.
Aang, who was caught deep in thought, still jumped. Realising at once that it was Zuko, he whispered: "Hey, sorry, I didn't know anyone was awake, and… I am sorry, I should be asleep too."
Zuko could see the anxious set of Aang's shoulders and held him back from retreating.
"No, don't worry, I just had a bad dream, are you ok?"
"Oh… well, yeah, I am fine, see ya." Aang tried to walk away, but Zuko's grip was firm.
"No you are not Aang, I can see it in your posture, in your eyes."
Aang slumped. "It's nothing. I'm just… thinking."
"The village?" Zuko asked gently. It had to be that, Zuko knew that Aang missed his people. He could relate to that, he still missed home dearly. The Khairt Eej had seen Aang as a risk. They needed to talk about this. They weren't Aang's people.
"Ok, yeah, fine, but please, don't tell the others, I… don't know if they will understand."
"Ok, I promise."
"Well, back in the Nomad village, while you were getting all acquainted with the Amma Blama, I was speaking with the kids. We were playing games together, and their clothes, they're not green, they're… bright, and… one kid had indigo designs on his skin…"
Aang spoke quickly but kept having to stop to find words. Zuko just listened and nodded.
"... One of the kids said they bend sand. Zuko, you know as I do that Toph doesn't bend sand, she moves it together, but not bit by bit. And again, that ritual thingy with you joining them, the hand motions, they were all wrong for earthbending, they were open, light, free. What I am saying is that they are…"
"Airbenders. Yes, I know."
"You know!? How… Did she tell you, the Amma?"
"The Khairt Eej and no. Aang, listen, back when I was a different person, back when I so wanted to be my Father's heir, the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation when I was hunting you, I would search high and low for any information for the Avatar. That meant learning. A lot. Far more than even my time in the Palace taught me. And I could see it just as you could. But, I can't say much, for which I am so sorry Aang, but they are not Air Nomads."
"But…"
"Listen to me Aang, they fear you. You are a relic to them, a time relegated to history and one that they don't want to remember." Zuko continued, hating having to break the hopes of this paradox of a child next to him.
"I don't want to harm them. That is abhorrent, deplorable, heresy nearly," Aang near whisper-shouted, his voice etched in lonely grief.
"I know, but they have moved on, please let them. They share your blood but are not what they were. You are such an encapsulation of that past, treasure it, and record it like your ancestors did. I remember reading that the libraries of the Air Nomads were second only to the Great Library of Ba Sing Se, and that of Wan Shi Tong. Tell me about them, the Air Nomads, and we can treasure their memory for now and always."
And so they did, Aang mentioned much, such as Gyasto's recipe for custard tarts which he sorely missed, to the rules of Airball, which Aang wasn't the best at, but had been excluded from playing, due to everyone thinking he could cheat, being the Avatar and all. That turned the mood sad, but Zuko merely patted his back and encouraged him to continue, so he did.
Before they knew it the moon had shifted and they were stifling back yawns, the pair of them.
"Thank you," he said, eyes shining with tears, "I really needed that." Aang wrapped his hands around Zuko, who awkwardly returned the gesture, tapping him on the back.
"You're welcome," Zuko said. "If you need to talk again, I'll be here. I understand… And don't forget that Sokka and Katara have lost much of their culture also, so it might do you all good to share those memories with them, also. Now, get some sleep."
"Yeah, you're right. I'll think about it."
With one final goodnight, Aang left, his heart lighter than earlier, and Zuko returned to his bed too, a smile on his face as he went out like a light.
00000
Katara wasn't surprised to see Zuko up and about already, though she was surprised that he was stifling a yawn or two, and his eyes looked weary by the time she emerged from the tent. Her brother and Aang still slept, but she felt decently rested and was looking forward to some time alone to enjoy the push and pull of waterbending. As it had rained last night, water was everywhere to be found. Still, she walked to a stream nearby to get fresh, clean water to heat up for later.
With the new flowy clothing, Zuko's silhouette had changed. His bony stature was veiled by loose fabric. His shoulders couldn't quite hide his exhaustion, but overall, he looked peaceful, holding a flickering flame in front of him as the wind played with it.
"Did you sleep alright? You look tired" she asked, but he brushed it off with a small, content, smile. She shrugged, she had hoped that he'd be sleeping better, now that they had left the Water Tribe. She just wanted him to know that she was there if he ever wanted to talk. She started adding ingredients into the boiling water, cooking for the morning meal.
Once breakfast was done, she woke up the two sleepyheads in the tent and knocked on Toph's housing as well, and soon they were packing and on their way.
Flying was boring, and entering the city was going to be dreadful. Toph had complained more than once that they were going to feel trapped, and so, when they saw this lovely waterfall with a pool. Katara got giddy with wanting to bend again, so what if they had only flown an hour, she snipped. They must be getting close.
Zuko put on his headscarf again as they were landing, he hadn't put the fancy overrobe back on, instead was wearing a more everyday one, and he did not firebend once. He didn't look particularly bothered by it, instead practised with his swords, and after a while, did some hand-to-hand training with Sokka once more. After maybe an hour, he did demand to move on, however, claiming that they really should be going. Sokka just nodded, and they climbed onto Appa again. Katara mentioned that she saw a path going off from the waterfall and pointed in the direction she noted, and so they flew. Quickly, however, they lost track of it, because the foliage was too thick from above to easily do so, but any lower, and they risked hitting a tree. They knew the direction now, however, so they weren't too worried.
Suddenly, they were confused when the forest they were seeing underneath suddenly dropped off to nothing but water lapping at a sharp cliff face.
"I guess it's hidden?" Sokka shrugged, a tad dejected.
"Well, how do we find it?"
"We could fly along the coast."
"East or west?"
"Good question. I guess east? If we miss it, we'll probably realise it faster."
"Hmm, yeah, if we come across the Serpent's Pass, we know we've gone too far."
They flew along the cliffside now, paying close attention to the shadows and potential openings. The shadows, in the morning sun, turned out to be misleading. There were a few actual openings, now and again, but most were too small, and some housed waterfalls. They did go to investigate them all however.
00000
Toph, of course, played a practical joke on them again, calling out to see something, on the side she knew the cliffside wasn't there. When would they remember she couldn't see without her feet on the ground? She felt bored to death and useless.
Then, finally, the group seemed to have found something, if the group's excited voices on the bison were anything to go by as Appa shifted and seemed to turn in the air. She felt the absence of sun rays on her skin acutely when they flew downwards, and then their surroundings changed, they were quiet now, but there was still noise, and it sounded different, and smelled different too. The hint of salt was stronger, and there was a cold, trapped moistness to the air. Then they heard the first shouts, far away and echoey, and she heard Aang say "Wow" as there was a brief return of warming sun rays.
The noise got louder, there was a range of excited shouts to terrified screams and she heard people scatter as the bison looked for a spot to land. The breaking of water was being droned out.
Toph breathed out a sigh as she felt Appa touched down and she quickly stepped over the edge of the saddle and slipped down.
The first touch of ground was a revelation. The dome was huge. They had found Full Moon Bay.
000
Some young rebels had handed out food on the ferry and Iroh thankfully took his share. The food they had been distributed through official channels had been disgusting, he was ashamed to think.
It was night time and the gentle rocking of the ferry reminded Iroh of his and Zuko's time at sea. Of course, the absence of the familiar rumble of their Fire Nation ship engine, and the wooden floor, stood in stark contrast to this, not letting him forget where he was for one moment.
Zuko should have been here with him. This had been the plan. Now he was here alone, not having had any news on Zuko for weeks.
When he had finished with the food, and drank the rest of the stale water that had been provided, he struggled up. The weeks of sleeping outside with minimal gear had not been kind to his ageing body, and he already felt the cold of the night seep into his bones, joints aching. He moved over to the border of the ship so he could lean against it and doze.
His clothes did nothing to ward off the loneliness in his heart, either. Zuko should have been here with him. They might have come here together to build a new life. A life Zuko, no doubt about it, would have hated, but at least safe from the reaches of the likes of Azula and Ozai.
It struck Iroh that Zuko likely wouldn't be quite the same. His nephew had been worryingly unhinged, distraught, and lost, last he'd seen him. Then this talk of him being tortured, and now, was he still with the Avatar? Was his boy warm? Was he safe?
He was sure Zuko remembered that going to Ba Sing Se had been the goal, Iroh hoped that he would find his way there. Iroh sighed. What if he didn't find Zuko? If he wasn't safe, what point was there in hiding?
Iroh straightened a bit, and with a wince, he moved further to try to get a crick out of his lower back. He really should get some rest, proper rest, according to the information given when boarding, they'd arrive in Ba Sing Se in the morning. He settled down again to meditate without a flame. He tried his best, but he found he had to goad his thoughts back to meditation, not Ba Sing Se, not Zuko, just the feel of his core while breathing, a couple of times before being successful. Eventually, he succumbed to dozing off, to another rough night.
The first rays of sunlight tickled Iroh awake again way too soon. He didn't feel rested. He felt tired and alone. He wasn't the only one. The whole ferry had a weary atmosphere, though there was a definite hint of hope in the air as well. Ba Sing Se was near.
Iroh struggled up and stretched. Cold joints aching from resting in a less-than-ideal position. He walked to the front of the ferry, There was land in the distance. And he saw the imposing silhouette of a tall, straight wall.
He didn't feel like a refugee, he felt like a mockery of one. He'd laid siege on this city. 600 days. The greatest military operation of the War. He'd had them cornered, men and boats trapping the Impreterable City. He'd broken through the outer wall. Held his knife at their jugular.
He sighed. His greatest defeat. His greatest loss.
If Zuko had been with him now, he would have made a stupidly cheerful comment about returning to this city as a tourist, to distract the boy.
He just could imagine how Zuko would have bristled and corrected him about their refugee status and how inappropriate it was to look at it as a tourist. But, there was some truth to the thought, to Iroh, at least. He felt like a tourist. It was hard to think of settling here in a more permanent manner. The city that he'd caused so much grief for.
The wall was nearer now, soon it would be towering. He closed his eyes and drank in the sunlight on his skin. The gate was visible now. It was opening for them.
The wall was even more imposing when being shipped through below. The light significantly dimmed, like in a short tunnel. The wall was massive. He took a deep breath, suddenly nervous. Then they were through. The ship was docking. He had arrived. Prince Iroh of the Fire Nation, Dragon of the West, Scourge of Ba Sing Se, gathered his things and was amongst the first to enter Ba Sing Se.
A/N 10.12.23:
Ystävä: Well. when we started writing this chapter, I thought it would be fairly straight forward, never did I think I'd pour hours into researching dyes. And that was just one thing. It was quite enriching. It was fun to think about how such a society's own historical recount might change over time, even if we didn't exactly include those thoughts in the end. The Khairt Eej's recount, as a direct descendant, is accurate, there was no need. I enjoyed to think about how all of the cultural details would just have changed slightly. Still somewhat recognisable, if you went looking for it, but not obvious on first glance.
The game in the beginning, i based it on the pillars of airball, but, the gameplay more along the lines of something I read in a book once, of a book about a woman that went to live with an aboriginal tribe in a desert. Their philosophy was focused on everyone playing together and having fun, and the game described was puzzling a big leaf, that everyone got a part for. Where, in the end, you couldn't tell which one had been your piece at first, anymore. To me, this mentality to games very much fit with Air Nomads, even though their canon games did divide people in groups to play against. So I gave them to their somewhat descendants instead.
Thank you so much for reading and let us know what you think!
ML8991: Hey guys, another big culture chapter, with much explored. This all started as a plot bunny going off to explain how the Sand Nomads could bend sand. Please forgive me that I didn't give you the full scene in Discord those of you there (we will try and share more, exclusive, things over there, so do join, this week will share the meanings of all the foreign terms used in the chapter, and can explain the intent behind them).
But back to the Nomads. I saw the synopsis for Rise of Yangchen, I admit alas I haven't read it so apologies if I have bungled it, of Yangchen imprisoning some individuals, and being admonished for risking her people's way of life. But what if the Nomads were not successful in quashing these thoughts. Such people can't be of the Temples no more, so they are cast out, making the first Sand Nomads. A second wave, one for example that Rigzin belongs to, are descendants, or in exceptional cases (Rigzin being second generation (her mother being a fleer of the Genocide)) survivors, of those who fled Sozin's actions, and casting their identities as Air Nomad to keep hidden, much like what Zuko has done to become Oktai. We shall find out more what this could mean going forward.
Secondly, I hope this was as interesting culture wise for you all as it was for us. We sought to merge Tuareg (the outfits, the dye work most notably), with the Nomadic peoples, in particular Inner and Outer Mongolia, of Central Asia (more culturally linked to A:TLA's world, the names, the idea of city states (See the Tarim Basin, fascinating stuff). It was a lot of work and I hope it has paid off for you all.
Still so much to come in the next few chapters, and we both look forward to hearing your thoughts here and on Discord, and can not wait to see you around. Take care, and most importantly Happy Holidays. As this will be a very busy time for us both, mostly likely also see you in the New Year. Take care and much love :).
