The world came back to Katara in blurry, incoherent bits and pieces. She was dimly aware of the ongoing flurry of activity happening around her. Crewmen running here and there. Soldiers barking orders.
She hoped that they didn't hurt any of the crewmen they had been so kind to. She wished she could just get up and do something to help. But the pain in her arm was blinding, it had instantly brought her to her knees. She would've screamed if she could get enough air in her lungs.
Katara laid there as the world continued to spin around her. And in spite of the pain and everything happening her mind briefly flashed to Zuko. For a moment she wished he was here to just hold her like he had back in the catacombs.
She thought back to that moment, the glowing jade gave the entire scene a surreal feeling. Not to mention the person who had been her greatest enemy for days on end, the one who chased her through all of her longest days and darkest dreams was now looking at her with a tenderness that would've made her pull away in shock in any other situation…
Wait, why was she thinking of Zuko at a time like this. She needed to stay focused on what was going on.
She slowly tried to move into a sitting position but instantly regretted the decision as white hot pain shot through her body.
Her mouth began to fill with a metallic taste and she realized she had bitten a deep gash into her tongue when the pain had hit her. She managed to spit some of it out, dripping blood down the side of her mouth. She had to escape this, it felt like she was drowning. In the back of her mind, in a faraway place, she logically knew this wasn't happening but that did nothing for her panic at that very moment.
The space directly in front of her darkened, and through blurred vision she could tell someone was standing in front of her.
It was Gua.
"Oh Katara." He said with a deep sadness she didn't understand. "I'm sorry it had to be this way."
What was he talking about? They had been attacked. She wanted to ask but she couldn't get her body to respond to even the simplest of commands.
Gua dropped to the floor beside her and grabbed something behind him. He fumbled behind himself for a moment before Katara felt the cool edge of a cup touch her lips. She tried to turn her head away, spitting out a little more blood. She would surely drown in the taste of her own blood and whatever was in this cup if she tried.
"Shhh. It's going to be okay." Gua said gently cupping the back of her head. He was sitting cross legged next to her and reached over slowly to pull him onto her lap, like Zuko had done once before.
He slowly guided her into an included position and pressed the cup back to her lips tipping it backwards. Without making the decision to she slowly let herself drink. She wasn't sure what it wasn't, definitely not water. It tasted sweet like honey with a soft burning after sensation. Seconds later her eyes began to feel heavy and although she knew she needed to get up, she needed to do something, she gave in to the darkness.
—-
By all accounts it should've been a peaceful morning in the little hut on the cliff by the sea. The midmorning sun had just begun to peak out above the trees in the east and the entire area was alive with the sounds of the forest. Birds sang their morning greetings from the branches of the tall trees. Gophers and squirrel possums chittered in the grass around the house, scavenging for food to take back to their Zuko had been outside he may have even noticed fox deer that had wandered into the clearing near the houses just a bit ago.
It should've been a picture pretty enough to hang up in the palaces of Ba Sing Se or the Imperial City, an image meant to convey the idea of escape. Running off to nearly the edge of the world to get away from it all.
At least this was Zuko's opinion as someone who was there to witness the scene in all its beauty. He wondered for a moment if some talented artist in one of the nations, perhaps earth or water had already done this? Or he could even see one of the wealthy noble families of the Fire Nation commissioning something like this.
He quietly resolved that should he make it through all of this, should he ever see a painting like that he would incinerate it on the spot. He would turn the entire thing into nothing but a pile of ash.
Because after he left this place and once he got Katara back, he wanted to forget that this place even existed.
The thought of Katara pulled Zuko from his reverie, he needed to get moving. Whoever had her already had a headstart and he didn't know the first place to look. At that he unconsciously looked down at the two bodies laying on the ground in front of him.
He shouldn't have killed them both, now there was no chance of getting the information he needed from them.
He glanced at the body closest to him. Zuko thought he'd feel a sense of revulsion at what he had. Contrary to what everyone probably thought, Zuko had not always been comfortable with the chaos and blood of battle.
He could remember when he was first learning to dual. A prince at the time he was taught fire bending during private lessons. Afterall, his firebending prowess was a symbol of The Royal Honor. The family would never risk mistakes in front of others, even if those others were just Fire Nation Children. No Zuko, Azula, and his cousin Lu Ten would each learn from a private tutor- the best in the entire nation
He wasn't always alone during these training sessions, there was the son of a high ranking guard. Chiko was about the same age as Zuko and they got along well, better than most training partners. Chiko was always a little bit better than Zuko at bending, just as Azula and Lu Ten had been. But that didn't matter at the time, they had been friends.
He remembered spending long afternoons with Chiko running around the palace grounds, even though they had usually just got done with a grueling training session they couldn't help but spend their remaining energy exploring the world around them.
There was once Chiko and Zuko had even snuck out of the palace to go into the city during the Lunar Holiday. It had been one of the best nights Zuko had ever had. It was one of the only times he had felt normal growing up. They had run around the brightly lit streets, spending the coins they had hastily jammed into their pockets before running off into the night. They quickly ran out of money having sampled some type of dish at each of the first three stalls they had visited.
It was nothing like the food usually served in the palace. He was accustomed to nothing but the finest, dining on expensive meats only found in the far corners of the other nations, vegetables only grown in faraway lands, and seasoned with expensive spices only the wealthiest citizens could afford. There were several kitchens stationed throughout the grounds so that no one ever wanted anything.
The festival was the exact opposite, every stall was filled with brightly colored sweets or fried something or other. Zuko lost track of everything he ate, trading tastes of their finds Chiko and Zuko stayed out all night wandering the streets, soaking in life.
He hadn't remembered having that much fun in a long time, nothing could've ruined that night. Well that had been until they had almost made their way back, they were just beyond the gates of the palace. Near a back corner of the wrap-around structure was a trellis that had been affixed to the stone from years of overgrown ivy making its way across the delicate structure.
That's how they had made it out undetected and how they would get back. They were both exhausted from the night but still filled with excitement, without a care in the world. Maybe it was the foolishness of youth or the sweet sticky candy that still stuck to their teeth, but they were both completely unaware as a group of guards fell upon them.
At first Zuko was shocked with fright at the thought of getting caught and being in trouble, he knew his father would have angry words for him later. He would talk about all the dishonor and trouble Zuko had brought upon their family. If he was angry enough he might even feel the sting from the backside of Ozai's hand
But all of those thoughts were quickly shoved aside when 2 of the guards grabbed him and started dragging him back to the palace, the other four set upon Chiko viciously beating him. Zuko has always known Chiko to be a strong individual, when they sparred he almost never cried out in pain. He would push himself for the sake of Zuko's training, but now as the guards beat him mercilessly Zuko was subject to his only friend's screams. One of the guards used what looked like a bat with small sharp points studded around the top to ensure the weapon inflicted maximum damage.
Zuko screamed for them to stop and tried to pull away from the guards, he didn't know what was happening but he had expected them to pause or at least slow down at his orders. But they acted like they couldn't hear him, dragging him away from the melee. Then it clicked in his head, he wouldn't feel the wrath of Ozai's hand this morning. No, worse than that, Ozai would punish him through Chiko. The thought made him burn with a rage he had never known before. Time seemed to slow then almost stop, the tension in the air felt like the build up before the explosion before a volcano erupted. Zuko finally felt like he understood what it was like to feel the rage of battle, to have so much anger built up inside of him that there was nowhere else to go with it, other than into the enemy.
When it was over he remembered walking over the bodies of the men that had been beating Chiko, their unmoving forms laid out in the blood stained glass beneath them. He then helped his bloodied and bruised friend to the infirmary and collapsed in the chair by his side as healers ran about doing their work.
When he awoke the infirmary which had been brightly lit when he first arrived and when the healers initially started working was dark save for a single lamp on the bedside next to him. The first thing he noticed was that the bed next to him was empty, the only proof that Chiko had been there was a few blood stains that had been left on the tattered sheets.
"Oh you're finally awake?" came a low voice in the doorway. Zuko almost fell out of his chair in fright, not realizing anyone else was there. "What a nice night to be out. I would say this has been the best weather we've had for the Lunar Holiday in years." Ozai's voice was light, almost as if amused. But Zuko knew better, this was his father teaching him a lesson.
Zuko said nothing, knowing that any words would just provoke Ozai then the thin veil of amusement would be dropped and he'd have to face his anger. Ozai continued unprompted, Zuko wondered how long he planned out what he was going to say. "Was it worth it?"
It was Ozai, his robed form took up most of the doorway. He stood there staring at Zuko, unmoving, waiting for an answer he already knew. Zuko just bowed his head in response, in submission.
"The one good thing that came from this whole mess is it seems you've finally learned how to fight, now perhaps you won't bring dishonor on all of us." Zuko couldn't help himself, those words made him cringe as though his father had actually hit him.
For as long as he could remember his father had scorned him, especially as he and Azula grew older and the difference in their mastery of the element became more and more pronounced. It was a cruel twist of fate. The Fire Nation like the Earth Kingdom particularly valued boys and being the first born, his parents' favor should've automatically fell upon him. But if that ever existed with his father he never knew, by the time he could be aware of such things Azula was walking and shooting streams of fire from her tiny hands and feet.
He didn't understand what his father meant, it had to be some sort of game or trick. Ozai sensed Zuko's confusion. "All save one guard will make a full recovery and once they do so be relieved of their duty and sent to the colonies for failing to follow orders and being beaten when the odds were so clearly in their favor. There is no place for such weakness in the imperial palace."
Zuko who had still had his head down to this point looked up at his father and asked so quietly it was just above a whisper. "All but one?"
At this Ozai's face broke into a terrible smile and he paused for a long time, making sure to drag it out, wanting Zuko to feel the pain and discomfort of every second that passed. When he was satisfied Ozai said, "The other fell upon a rock when you knocked him out and his head was laid open. By the time the other palace guards got out to the fields, that one was no more."
Without meaning to, Zuko found himself flying forward out of the chair, hitting the hard stone ground with a thump. Pain shot through his knees but it barely registered in his head. He was still trying to comprehend what his father had said, he had killed someone. Zuko, who had never ever won a duel, had now taken a life.
The world began to spin and turn in all the wrong directions. He could no longer tell up from down, here from there…right from wrong. His breathing increased and his body shook as he was wracked with guilt and disgust at the situation.
He never meant for this to happen. He didn't mean to, to…
Ozai started to turn and made a noise of disgust. "Of course, you'd still act weak like this. Instead of holding your head high after a hard won battle, you curl up and babble like a child."
Zuko said nothing, trying to hold what little remained of his composure together.
"Gather yourself you're a prince!" Ozai had snapped. You need to start acting like it, I sent the brat you snuck out with away all he did was serve as a distraction." He paused for a moment as if giving time for his words to sink in. "I will see you at my dinner table in 30 minutes, do not think about being late." And with that he left Zuko to his thoughts.
He didn't know why he thought of such things at a time like this. He knelt next to the body and searched the pockets for anything that might be useful. He found a handful of coins and crumped sheet of paper with several lines of ink scrawled into the surface.
Payment will only be delivered upon receipt of goods. Once incapacitated bring the water bender to the Chakara House in North interest will be deducted for late deliveries. No water bender, no payment.
Zuko resisted the urge to incinerate the paper in his hands, though it wasn't much he couldn't know now how it might be useful later so he shoved the coins and the paper into his pockets. The second man didn't have any money or mysterious directions on him but Zuko was able to scavenge a dagger. It was by no means "new" having a number of scratches on it but no bends and the tip was sharp.
He stowed it at his waist and rose to leave.
…bring the water bender to the Chakara House in North Chung-Ling.
Who was this note referring to? Katara? Or Him? He knew those two had believe he had been a waterbender given how they had approached their fight so it was hard to tell. After all, it had been a few days since Katara had headed out. Plenty of time for these to cause Katara trouble and loop back around for Zuko.
He figured the only thing he could do now is head to the Chakara House. Although, first he would need to figure out where North Chung-Ling is, the name sounded vaguely familiar like something he had once heard in a dream. But he couldn't quite place where it was from.
Without another look Zuko left the hut and set out in search for Katara.