Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 44: Voluntary Exile in the Earth Kingdom

"No," he said as he did not feel her hand on his anymore.

"Really?"

"Oh...yeah," he said refocusing his thoughts. "It's fine."

When Iroh was paying for the fruit, the merchant looked at Zuko.

"What happened?" he asked Iroh in a low voice nodding towards him.

"Oh," said Iroh, "my...son-in-law...uh...lost his eyes...to...to a...a goat gorilla."

Zuko sighed as he listened to Iroh's explanation while Chiara kept calm, despite wanting to laugh at Iroh's words.

"It was a large creature," Iroh went on. "It-it just ripped his eye right out of his head..."

The merchant's eyes grew wide in an expression of horror.

"Now, Father," started Chiara softly as she placed her hand on Iroh's arm, "you know how sensitive he is about it."

Iroh looked at her. "Oh, yes, yes." He looked at the merchant. "He doesn't like to talk about it," he whispered.

Zuko suspected they were enjoying themselves too much, but a part of him was enjoying it too, though he would never admit it.

They continued walking through the market buying any supplies they thought they might need that Piandao had not already provided them. When it seemed like they had what they needed, Iroh turned to Chiara.

"Here, Lin," he said handing her several coins. "I have some things I need to do while I'm here. Get whatever else you think we might need. We'll meet at the corral."

Iroh walked off leaving Chiara and Zuko on their own.

"He's probably going to get a massage or something," said Zuko sounding annoyed.

"He could use that after the way they had him restrained in the prison," she said.

He felt ashamed that the discomfort his uncle had suffered in the prison had not occurred to him, but he was relieved that Chiara had been able to serve him in the cell.

"At least he had you to take care of him," he said.

"But he was still restrained. A massage will do him good. Is there anything you think we need?"

"I think we have everything. I just want to go."

They started walking back towards the enclosure where they left their animals. Turning down an empty lane, two men approached them.

"There's a toll for using this road," said one of them.

"Then we'll use another road," said Zuko dryly.

As they turned back, two more men blocked them.

"By toll, he means give us all your valuables," said another. He pointed at Chiara's diadem. "Starting with that pretty jeweled chain."

Zuko instantly felt heated. "Maybe we should rob them so they can see what it feels like," he said deeply.

Chiara shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

The men started laughing.

"Oh, that's real funny," said the first guy. "A blind man thinks he's going to rob us."

Chiara stepped back when Zuko pulled out his swords, and turning to the one who spoke, he deliberately looked past him as if he could not see exactly where he was.

The man let out a laugh. "Get him!"

Three of them went after Zuko while the fourth attacked Chiara, but she had pulled out her own sword and immediately and easily disarmed him as he was not expecting her to resist. Zuko was expertly holding his own against the other three, but Chiara joined in helping him. Fearing they were not going to win, three of the men escaped leaving only the leader whom Zuko pinned to a post with his swords against his neck.