Freedom

Chapter 21: The Glutton for Punishment

Katara pulled herself from the warm bed sheets that next morning, blissfully wishing she could stay in the safe haven that was the bed. She pulled on her Fire Nation robes, wincing in disgust as she did so.

If she could pretend to be anybody else, it would be a hundred times easier.

But these were the people who killed her mother.

These were the people who were trying to kill Aang.

These were the people who were trying to kill her.

But still she slipped the robes up and over her shoulders and let them fall down her body. The silk fabric slipped against her skin, leaving soft gentle touches. But it may as well have been a burlap sack, it would feel the same.

A knock at the door roused her attention. She tried her best to gather her character. She mustered up her courage and opened the door.

A familiar guard stood at the door, "Good morning my lady" he spoke in a voice that was clearly trying to hide his childlike tone.

Katara looked past him down the hallway, making sure no one was in sight before yanking his arm into the room.

Aang yelped as she dragged him inside, slamming the door shut behind him.

"There you are!! How did it go? Did you and Toph make it in okay?" Katara spoke a million miles a minute, trying to cram everything in during the few short moments that they had.

Aang let out a breath, "Toph stayed behind with Appa" he told her, "We spent a long time trying to break the soles of these shoes and we couldn't get them... there was no way she could see" he pointed to his shoes, showing her as he spoke, "But no one seems suspicious, we found out when their daily guard meeting was last night and just snuck in this morning"

Katara nodded, pacing for a moment, "That's good, that's good..." she rubbed her chin, looking quite like Sokka in the moment.

"Have you seen him?" Aang spoke darkly, not mustering the courage to say his name.

Katara looked back at him, "We saw him last night... he's... not well..." she tried to find the words, "He'll need a lot of healing after this is all over"

Aang nodded curtly, "Let's just focus on getting out alive first..."

"Aang..." Katara sighed. But Aang's face held no room for argument. She paused for a moment before speaking again, "Have you seen Sokka? They took him to the guards quarters last night..."

Aang chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck, "Well..."

Katara raised an eyebrow at him, looking suspicious.

"Ya see..." Aang did everything he could to not meet her eyes as he explained what he saw.

Aang hopped over the fence, after searching all day for a blind spot in the guard towers. He reached back and helped Toph down from the wall.

They walked quietly along the wall, listening for the sound of any feet moving or voices, ready to sink themselves underground in a moments notice.

They kept moving until they found the guards courters. Luckily, most guards had already turned in for the night, shut up in the rooms and tucked into their beds.