It was nearing the evening and Zuko was sitting in front of the fireplace in their apartment, staring idly in flames. At one moment he heard the sound of doors opening, but it didn't surprise him - it must have been a couple hours already since they left.
"I'm back! Anyone's here?" Sokka's voice sounded from the doorstep.
"Just me." Zuko replied, turning his attention to the boy who, to his surprise, was standing there on his own. He got up and walked towards him, and asked with surprise "Is your leg already healed?"
"Yeah! Well, mostly." Sokka replied sheepishly, showing off his leg like it was brand new "Master Yugoda said I should still go easy on it, but I'm allowed to walk. Isn't that great! But now seriously, I'm dead on my feet. Heh, on my feet, get it? Hmm, so maybe not actually dead, because I can walk now. But, I mean, I could use some sleep..."
Zuko stopped listening to him as he went on, but he kept staring at his leg in thought.
"Is this what a skilled healer is capable of? I was healing my wounds for hours and they still don't look so good..."
He cleared his throat "She must be a master healer indeed. Did she use any... uhm... special techniques?"
Sokka looked at him surprised "What? I dunno, a glowing water...? How many healing techniques are there?"
It gained him a little frustrated look from the prince "How would I know? Nobody taught me to heal. But, she did it so... Efficiently"
"Well, maybe she could teach you too?" the Water Tribe boy asked "I kinda already asked if she will be teaching Katara, though come to think of it, I probably should have waited for the chief to talk to her first... Anyway, she said it's not a problem at all because her class is open for any willing student."
"I don't think it means-"
"Hey, she said any, right? I don't see why it would exclude you." Sokka said confidently, though Zuko felt like he could give him a very sound reason why it could exclude him. But the boy continued "The classes are every morning, I checked it on my way out. For Katara obviously, but you could go there together. It'd be even better!"
"Right..." the firebender replied, without much conviction.
"What? The worst she could say is no. Then you'll be no worse than if you didn't ask at all."
"You know nothing of diplomacy, do you...?"
"Oh, come on. There's no need to be so formal everywhere." Sokka countered, adding "Oh, think about it - if you show that you're interested in something so harmless and good, it would put you in the good light, right?"
Zuko's brows furrowed in thought. It was tempting, and maybe it could be justified like this. But they didn't mention it to Chief Arnook, and he knew the man was probably watching him.
Seeing his hesitation Sokka became a little more serious "Come on. You're not a prisoner here, we're just guests. The chief didn't say we couldn't do something in particular. So you can as well give it a shot."
He couldn't argue with that. Well, he could, but he didn't really want to. The thought of actually learning to heal was so tempting that he decided to go with the Water Tribe boy's reasoning. The only thing that he was worried about now was talking to Katara about it, especially after the argument they had earlier.
It turned out he worried needlessly. When Katara came back with Aang in the evening they were both in such a good mood that the conversation was actually easy, even more so when Sokka explained what he was able to establish at Master Yugoda's hut. In the end the girl gave a snarky comment about Zuko wanting to see that water doesn't hurt after all, to which he chose not to reply. He told them about the map Yue had dropped when they were gone before they all, and they decided to put it to use the next day, and they settled for the night.
In the morning Zuko was still a little nervous, when he waited for Katara to get up so they could leave together. He already finished his first-light meditation before she was ready, which helped him calm a little. Aang and Sokka obviously chose to sleep in as they were used to, so they left without waking them up.
The palace guards were surprised to see them, but they didn't ask any questions either. On the streets it was a little easier, because they blended in the crowd - only Zuko's brown coat stood out as all the locals were wearing blue clothes, but it could be dismissed - it seemed like everyone was already busy with some kind of work, and nobody wasted time watching them.
After a few blocks, they reached an intersection where Katara paused, glancing down one path confidently.
"I think we should turn here." she said, gesturing to the left.
"It would take longer that way. We can cross the canal here and avoid passing through the Market Square." he said, starting to walk in the opposite direction.
"What? No, we walked this way with Aang yesterday. I definitely saw the buildings that Princess Yue described as healing huts." she argued.
"I didn't say it's the wrong way. But the map clearly showed that this would be the fastest route." he explained, pointing at the street behind him.
"What map?" the girl repeated with confusion, but then she briefly recalled him mentioning something in the previous evening "The one you said that Yue brought?"
"It's the only one we have as far as I know." he responded, raising his brow "So, shall we?"
Katara rolled her eyes, but gave in "Sure. Lead the way."
Though she'd been skeptical at first, Katara had to admit that he was right; the healing huts came into view faster than expected. As they stepped inside, they were met with a dozen curious eyes. A few little girls gathered around the wooden mannequin immediately started whispering among themselves, giggling. These whispers, however, were not too quiet, as is common with girls - and all the whispers basically boiled down to "She brought a boy!"
Katara felt red on the cheeks "I- It's not-"
"Are boys not allowed in this class?" Zuko asked, giving the old woman at the front a confused look. It gained him a round of laughter from young students, as well as an indulgent look from the teacher.
"In our tribe, it is assumed that women take care of healing." she explained.
He tilted his head "But is it forbidden?"
"... No. Some of my predecessors refused to teach men, but I don't see a reason to uphold such restriction." she said, and pressed her lips in line uncomfortably "However, I cannot fathom what could you possibly want to learn here, young man. You're not a waterbender, now, are you?"
"But Zuko can heal with fire!" Katara interjected with a smile, trying to ease the situation.
This did not serve to calm the situation at all, because the Yugoda looked at him indignantly.
"Healing with fire!? What kind of nonsense is that? The only thing that fire is capable of is destruction."
"Have you ever met a firebender at all?" he defended.
"That's irrelevant" the master replied stiffly. "It's simply not possible."
"Why not? It's not the water that heals, it's the energy in it, right? So why couldn't it be passed through the fire the same way?"
Yugoda narrowed her eyes suspiciously "How do you know that...?"
Zuko felt a tinge of satisfaction "So I'm right? It felt that way."
"Did you really manage to use fire for healing...?" she asked hesitantly, and a tinge of curiosity sounded in her voice.
"I did."
"Fascinating." the woman said quietly, almost immediately regretting it. She knew she wasn't supposed to be interested in fire, but she had a feeling it was something unprecedented, and she could be one of the first who could observe it. That is, if she could work with the boy. She heard the rumors about the Fire Nation Prince coming with the Avatar, and it sounded bizarre enough itself - to bring such a person here into the Northern Water Tribe. To actually bring him anywhere, the Fire Nation very Prince. But on the other hand… If the Avatar trusted him, then perhaps she could overlook this detail as well…
She seemed to be considering her options, but that single word sounded promising. Zuko may not have known enough to pursue it, but Katara noticed the opening.
"I saw it too, it was incredible! The fire that didn't burn to touch." she said quickly. It wasn't like she was lying after all, so she wasn't doing anything wrong… right?
Yugoda hummed in thought, and finally gave a nod. "Alright."
"Does it mean you will teach me?" Zuko finally dared to ask.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves… But you can stay for now." she said, turning towards the carved mannequin she brought for the lecture "Sit down. Both of you."
"Slow down! You said these people might be willing to help us. We should look presentable to plead our case!" Lhamo complained as she was being dragged through the town by her younger sister.
But Lhawu just snorted in response "Oh, please! As if the wind-blown hair was going to change someone's mind. Don't you want to get this done as soon as possible?"
"Of course I do." she replied with a bit of indignation "But I'm surprised you're so invested in this."
"Yeah, yeah. I know. You're the only responsible one."
"I-" Lhamo started, but then she sighed "I didn't mean… You're right, let's go."
Soon they were standing at the doorstep of the small house.
"Are you sure it's the right place, Wu…?" Lhamo asked, as a doubt came over her. The household was rather small…
"I am." Lhawu replied quickly, giving a knock on the door.
After a moment they opened a bit, and a little boy curiously peeked his head outside.
"Two grannies…?" he blurted, his eyes wide. The confusion on his face immediately gave way to innocent smile "Hello-"
"Who is it, Gar?" the male voice sounded from the inside, and soon the door opened completely, showing Mi Chong. "Oh, it's you. Come in, she's waiting." he said shortly, but his face didn't really look like he was glad to meet them. He invited them in, pointing towards the main room only out of politeness - Wu had already known the way after all.
"Greetings. I was told..." Lhamo started, but her voice got stuck in her throat as she took a closer look at the woman in front of her. She wasn't completely sure, until the other spoke:
"Hello, Lhamo."the woman said softly. "Long time no see..."
It was enough of a confirmation for her.
"Lhanora?" the old prioress asked, and turned to her younger sister, the betrayal clear in her eyes "What is the meaning of this?"
Wu however withstood her gaze "Don't you think that's enough? Are you two going to keep this up till the end of your lives?"
"This is between us! I can't believe you made me come here to… What, listen to some excuses?"
"Is this what you think I'm going to do...?" Nora asked, rising from her seat.
"Oh, is it not?" Lhamo scoffed "So what could you possibly have to say after you ran away from your responsibility and left the entire abbey in my hands? And-"
"You know I never wanted this responsibility! To spend a lifetime having to worry about the very survival of Air Nomads-"
"And you think I wanted it?! To-"
"I know you didn't. I-" she struggled with words "It's just- when I met Joran... when he arrived at the abbey. The more time I spent with him, the more I thought it doesn't have to be this way... So when he offered me to come with him, I didn't hestitate."
"You didn't think of anyone but yourself. Why doesn't it surprise me." Lhamo said quietly, her voice emotionless.
"I was scared!" Nora defended herself "Mother never asked if I wanted to bear the burden alone-"
"You weren't alone with this! We could have helped you! I... I would have helped you." the prioress looked her in the eyes, but there was only sadness left in them "I always looked up to you. How could you just leave without saying a word...?"
"I…" Nora hesitated, her voice small. "I knew I wasn't strong enough to look you in the eye and still walk away. And I had to leave. I was suffocating there…!"
A soft sigh escaped Lhamo, and she looked down, the tension melting slightly from her face.
"I could tell." she murmured. "Why do you think I was always learning from Mother beside you? I knew you'd need help." Her voice was quiet as she went on, unaware of the shocked look Nora was giving her. "But… you chose to go. And you never even told me where." She looked back up, pain etched in her expression. "All those years… not a single word."
"I thought you hated me." Nora whispered, her face lined with regret.
"I wanted to." Lhamo's voice trembled, thick with emotion. "Spirits know how many times I thought this over, tried to feel it. But in the end… I could't bring myself to hate you." Her eyes filled with tears as she met her sister's gaze. "I just missed my big sister."
Nora's tears finally broke free, and she stepped forward, immediately falling in Lhamo's tight embrace.
"I'm so sorry, Lhamo..." she choked out. "Can you forgive me?"
"Of course. But that doesn't mean I'm not mad at you!" she said with a chuckle. She turned to Lhawu, giving her a pointed look. "And you! You knew all along and didn't say anything?"
"Hey, I'm the irresponsible one, remember?" Lhawu grinned, joining the hug. Her job here was finally done.
The little girls were much more quiet since they realized the older boy was from the Fire Nation, but overall the lecture passed normally. When the lesson was nearing the end, younger students were excused as they were already familiar with the exercise; however for Katara and Zuko observing the energy paths on the mannequin was something new. Katara was the first to try and she was moving the glowing water along the lines.
"Good. You're a natural." Yugoda praised her as she watched it.
"Thank you. It feels natural, come to think about." the girl responded with a smile.
Zuko was watching her impatiently, but when Katara was finally done and he expected it to be his turn, Yugoda turned away, as if she was done.
"Wait, uh, Master Yugoda!" he called after her "What about me? I thought I could learn as well?"
She turned towards him uneasily "I… Look. I can pass theory on you, but I can't be sure the same exercise will work with firebending. The mannequin may not be fit for this."
He couldn't help the annoyance for the unfairness "So you're afraid I'll burn it? Is that it?"
"I don't know." she said pointedly "It would need to be determined first-"
"You want to see it?" he asked bluntly "Then just let me try."
Indecision danced on her face. She wasn't sure if she should actually let him, but she also knew she had already crossed a certain line when she allowed him to attend her lecture. Also, she wasn't sure what the Chief would think about it once he found out.
"Master Yugoda, I-" Katara started, but was interrupted by the Master.
"We don't know if fire will follow chi paths the same way water does. If-"
"All the more reason I should try!" Zuko argued, but he noticed the woman didn't seem convinced "Come on, I'll try it later on my own anyway. I've been using it already to heal myself, it's safe!"
It caught Yugoda's attention, though not for the reason he hoped for.
"Do you require healing? Are you hurt?" she asked, watching his face attentively. It caught him off guard.
"I- Look, it's nothing I couldn't handle myself. I just- my healing, it's not as effective as it could be from what I understand." he explained, avoiding her gaze. The fact that it was making him so uneasy was starting to irritate him, and he finally snapped "I just want to learn, okay?!"
She kept looking at him with a stern expression, and he realized he must have disrespected her. He bowed his head hastily "Forgive me. I didn't mean-"
"Alright." she said with a sigh "Get down to the mannequin. Start at the center, and move up the chest."
Her words stunned him at first, but then he quickly leaned over the doll, before the master could change her mind. Recalling the known feeling he summoned a small healing flame in his hand, too focused to note the woman's quiet gasp. Then he put it next to the dummy, hesitating for a moment before he actually touched it.
The carved lines were meant for the water flowing through them, so the equivalent of it for the fire would be… moving the flame along the paths? He decided to do that, and took a deep breath before proceeding. It felt a bit off, but he reminded himself it must feel different on the actual body and focused on memorizing the paths layout and the feeling itself.
"It's… extraordinary. But I cannot say for sure that it's working properly..." Yugoda said suddenly, and glanced at Katara who was watching Zuko as he was doing the exercise. "Continue for now, Prince Zuko. Try to keep the flame inside the carved tunnels."
She kept watching for a while to see if he was following her instructions, and then satisfied, walked over to Katara with a gentle smile. "You picked that up very quickly. I hope the theory wasn't too difficult for the start?"
"Thank you. I think I understood everything you were explaining." Katara responded with a surprised smile.
"There's a lot to absorb in these early sessions." Yugoda added. "But you've worked hard this morning. I'd encourage you to take the rest of the day to reflect on what you've learned. It can be just as important as the practice itself."
"Oh, I see." Katara responded with a surprised smile, but her gaze shifted to the firebender, who glanced in their direction hearing the exchange "But… what about Zuko?"
Yugoda paused thoughtfully. "I'd like to review some of the concepts with him, if that's alright." she explained in a gentle tone.
Katara considered this, glancing again at Zuko. He wasn't facing her anymore, which she took as a sign that he was fine with staying there on his own "Alright… I could use some time to explore the city a bit more, I guess."
Yugoda smiled, but then she added, almost casually "And if you find yourself free tomorrow morning, feel welcome to join us again."
"I'd like that!" Katara replied eagerly. "But I'm not sure if it won't collide with the waterbending training - Aang and I are starting our training with Master Pakku soon."
Yugoda's eyes widened with surprise, but she kept her tone neutral. "With… Master Pakku? I see. That's... very fortunate for you."
"Yes, I'm really looking forward to it." Katara said with excitement, and her hand involuntarily went to touch her necklace - she was just so close to fulfilling her dream.
"Well, I'll be interested to hear how it goes." Yugoda replied warmly "If time allows, remember you're still welcome to join us here."
Katara thanked her again, bowing slightly before heading out. Once she was gone, Yugoda turned to Zuko.
He was getting nervous when he realized the master apparently wanted to talk to him without witnesses, but he had enough time to prepare himself for it. This conversation could go either way. If it was positive, it would be better to have it in private. It could also go badly, but he was sure he'd rather not have Katara standing in his defense anyway. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and faced the master.
She was glad to notice he realized her intention "Alright. Let's be honest, Prince Zuko. What we're doing- What I am doing right now is not going to be received well by my tribe. Not only have the men never been taught to heal here, but also your current status..."
"If it's-"
"I'm not done, young man. My decision is to teach you regardless. Of course it is not possible to keep this a secret, so I will speak to the Chief before this information reaches him through other means. It is not something for you to worry about."
He frowned a little, confused. She didn't have to do this for him, especially since she was apparently crossing some lines in the process. He tried to gauge whether he was just getting in her debt, or if she had something to gain here - maybe he was revealing too much?
She continued "Now that we have it clear - it seems to me that regular methods of teaching healing may not be as effective here, which is why I believe we need to try something different. To actually research how the fire healing should be done."
Now they were talking. She exceeded all the expectations he's had about this. The actual master healer was willing to figure out the methods specifically for the fire healing - not just him trying to adjust the water healing methods she was teaching.
"I... Of course. Thank you for this chance, Master Yugoda." he said, giving a formal Fire Nation bow.
A slight smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. The prince was nothing like she expected. "You said you were healing yourself, but have you tried on anyone else yet?"
He hesitated, but the answer was easy since Sokka had declined his offer "No. Is it different?"
"Somewhat. You can feel the energy spreading over your own body, but it's not possible when you are healing another person."
"Right, that's probably obvious. At this rate she's going to think I'm an idiot." he scolded himself in thoughts as he watched her approach the dummy.
"That's why we follow the energy paths when healing. You can learn to sense these paths in the body, that's a part of what we're learning here." she continued with the explanations the same way she did during the lecture. Then she raised her eyes on Zuko "But the fire doesn't flow the same way. So how does it feel inside the body?"
He took a deep breath, recalling the sensations from his past attempts to heal. "It feels… like the energy gathers in the area I'm trying to heal. There's this... warmth that radiates from the fire, and it's like it's sinking into the body." He paused, searching for the right words. "The wounds start to mend, but it's slow - much slower than I expected."
Yugoda watched him closely, her expression thoughtful. "It sounds like fire might interact with the body's energy in a different way than water." she said slowly, piecing her words together as she thought. She considered this for a moment, her gaze fixed on the mannequin, as if its carved lines might reveal the answer.
"In water healing," she began, tracing a finger along one of the paths "we redirect the energy from these natural energy channels, helping the body amplify its own regeneration. It's as if we're guiding the natural flow, enhancing it with healer's chi and the water's own properties, which is why the amount of water and its quality can change the effect. The body's energy responds to the flow of the water, and the result is amplified regeneration, which we call healing."
Zuko nodded slowly, his gaze flicking between Yugoda and the mannequin. "But, with fire, there's no flow to guide... it feels different. It's more like gathering energy than moving it."
"Exactly." she replied thoughtfully, watching him closely. "With water, the movement, the flow is essential. But with fire… perhaps it's more about keeping the energy contained in one place. The heat itself may act as the catalyst, enhancing the body's own strength rather than flowing through it."
To her surprise Zuko frowned with confusion. "So instead of spreading the energy along the paths, it's about holding it steady… concentrating it, so that the body can draw from it?"
"Yes, possibly." she agreed, intrigued by his insight.
"But, that's what I was trying to do." Zuko admitted, frustration creeping into his voice "I'd concentrate the energy, trying to keep it steady in one place. I thought holding it there would let the body draw from it, and it works, but- it never feels strong enough. The wounds start to heal, but it's slow. Like I'm missing something."
Yugoda considered his words for a moment. "Perhaps seeing it in action would help me understand what's missing. You mentioned you had some injury, is that right? Could you demonstrate your approach to it?"
He hesitated for a moment, remembering he shouldn't reveal too much, but then he quickly gave a nod. Throwing one more glance towards the entrance he set down his coat, then rolled up his sleeve, revealing the angry-red wound on his upper arm. It was mostly a surface wound now after his latest healing efforts, the marks a reddish-purple against his skin. He glanced at Yugoda, then focused on his arm, summoning a soft, controlled flame to hover just above the wound.
"Wait a moment." she said, causing him to look back up at her impatiently, dispersing the flame.
"I'd just like to see how the energy moves." Yugoda said, meeting his gaze with a calm, encouraging look. "This way, I can better sense how the flame interacts with the pathways."
She drew some water from the pool, forming a glove of water around her fingers, and gently laid it over his arm from the opposite side of the wound. He felt a shiver when the icy cold water touched his skin, but he focused on calling back the healing flame.
With practiced concentration, Zuko held the flame steady and directed it onto the injury. He kept the heat low, trying to channel the energy directly, as he'd done the last few times. The glow seemed to sink into his skin, and overall it felt right, but Yugoda frowned in thought.
"I see." she murmured, studying the faint glow. "Your energy is focused, but it's too… still. In water healing, the energy doesn't simply stay in one place - it flows and spreads across different points, working together to amplify the body's natural regeneration."
"So just keeping the fire steady over it isn't enough…" Zuko said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Exactly." she said. "You might need to maintain that steady energy but create a flow that moves within it, even in small ways. If the energy is too static, it can't stimulate the body's full regenerative response."
Zuko took a steadying breath, letting Yugoda's words sink in. The small movement... He might actually have an idea. He closed his eyes briefly, focusing on the rhythm of his breathing, then synced his flame to rise and fall in gentle pulses with each inhale and exhale. The warmth wasn't just steady - it felt alive, flowing in time with his breath.
Yugoda's water-wrapped hand pressed slightly against his arm, feeling the shift. "Yes… I can feel it. The energy… it's responding, reaching deeper than before."
Zuko opened his eyes, glancing at the faint glow where the fire and water met. "This… this feels like it's actually working, much better than before." he admitted, surprised by the sensation of his body responding to the flame's pulse. The wound tingled, as if the cells themselves were reacting to the warmth.
Yugoda removed her hand slowly, looking pleased.
"Better, isn't it?" she said. "I see you used the rhythm of your breathing to simulate the flow. Did you feel how it aligns with the healing process? A true healer doesn't force energy - they harmonize with it."
He nodded in thought. She didn't realize the importance of the breath for the firebender, and she was still able to guide him to a better solution. He couldn't help but be amazed by her skill as the healer and the teacher.
Then suddenly Yugoda's tone shifted, becoming more thoughtful "Tell me, Prince Zuko… why do you want to learn to heal? Is it to help others, or do you merely want to sustain yourself?"
Zuko blinked, caught off guard by the question.
"I-" He opened his mouth to answer, but the words didn't come as easily as he'd expected. He had told himself it was about duty - proving himself as a worthy prince, as someone not only capable of more than just destruction, but also mastering an art no one had tried before. But it felt wrong to actually say it.
"I haven't really given it a thought..."
Yugoda's gaze softened. "Then perhaps it's time you do. Purpose shapes a healer's path. True healing comes when you know not only how to use your gift, but why."
Oops, I really made you wait a bit for this chapter ;) But, it's better late than never! We still have a looong way to go