Music: Dark Harbor, Two Steps From Hell
"Pirates?" Katara's shrill voice rang through the dense forest and she checked her step in the middle of the road.
Zuko looked over his shoulder. His traveling companion was rooted to the spot, her eyes filled with horror.
Turning around to face her, Zuko suppressed a wry smile. He had expected as much. Katara held no fond memories of her encounters with pirates in the past. Nor did he, for that matter.
After a moment of deliberation, Zuko walked back and invitingly held out his hand. "Come on. You walk, I talk."
After days of steadfast rainfall, the forest was damp and a heavy scent of moist woodland soil hung between the trunks. Weak sunlight peeked through the intricate lattice of bare branches, the subdued beams no longer able to expel the chill in the air. In places, late autumn flowers had their little purple or pink heads tilted towards the few rays that managed to reach the ground. A quiet had descended upon the woods that heralded the upcoming grim season.
The silence was oppressive, and even though Zuko had promised to explain, the travelers refrained from speaking for a long time as they kept up a good pace following the neglected path to Senlin Harbor, their footsteps muffled by the springy woodland soil. Sometimes they passed a weathered wooden signpost along the roadside - usually leaning to one side, always in bad repair. It was clear that the people of Senlin Village didn't take this route if they could help it.
The realization added to the silence between them.
Katara listened to the sound of Zuko's Dao swords clacking against his back as he walked next to her, the repetitive clanging of metal against metal having a calming influence on her nerves.
Pirates... She had hoped she would never come across the likes of them ever again. And now she was walking straight into their arms and there was no avoiding it - they had no choice but to follow the Spirit Princess's trail towards Senlin Harbor. If only she had picked a safer place to land. A shiver ran down Katara's spine when she thought about the pirates she had encountered before – the ones she had provoked by stealing a waterbending scroll from their ship. The thought of meeting them again scared the living daylights out of her.
She was pulled from her thoughts when Zuko's husky voice broke the thick silence.
"A few days ago, I told you about the smugglers of Crescent Island," he started while maintaining his even stride.
Katara nodded silently.
"As you correctly pointed out, Senlin Harbor lies across this island. Senlin Harbor is as troublesome a place as Senlin Village is peaceful. For more than a century, the area between Senlin Harbor and Crescent Island has been a safe haven for pirates, smugglers and worse."
His features darkened. "The Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation have been neglectful of their duties. They should have checked the growth of criminal activities in this harbor town, but Fire Lords Sozin and Azulon ignored the problems in the region, as they were keeping themselves otherwise engaged. I also can't rule out the possibility that they found Senlin Harbor's destabilizing influence to be beneficial to their cause."
Katara let this sink in for a moment. She had never realized that the problems Zuko had to face as a result of the war extended this far. And he had to face them alone, what with his uncle living in Ba Sing Se and his friends scattered all over the world. Seeing the worry in his gaze, she wished she could help him.
Subconsciously, she touched her necklace and asked, "And what measures have the current Fire Lord and Earth King taken against Senlin Harbor now?"
Zuko had been looking at her from the corner of his eyes and had noticed the movement of her slender fingers reaching for her necklace. He set his jaw. The gesture told him exactly why there was a look of unease passing over her features right now. Yet again, he cursed his troubled past.
"We're working on it, and it has high priority, but it isn't easy," he replied grimly. "The seaport is sheltered by a bay, and the power structures are old and very well developed. This town has the potential of becoming a lively, thriving trade hub that will benefit the entire region, but until then..."
He collected his thoughts and then added in a hard tone, "If it hadn't been for this lead, I would never have considered going anywhere near Senlin Harbor. But as it is, we don't have a choice."
Zuko cast a look at the trail back to Senlin Village as he listened to the frustration in his own voice. He shook his head. "I guess I just want you to know that we have to be very careful in there. The atmosphere in this town is highly dangerous and very hostile towards Fire Nation authorities. It is of the utmost importance that we stay incognito while we're there."
His eyes almost pleaded with Katara to understand the delicacy of the situation. He had picked his words carefully for the impulsive Fire Nation man she knew him to be. But his gaze told her what his lips had failed to express. With him being the Fire Lord, his life was in danger in this shady town. And because she was accompanying him, he feared for her safety, too.
Katara bit her lip, cursing the warm feeling that spread through her chest, and nodded wordlessly.
A grateful expression passed over his features and he made a movement to continue walking, when his eyes flashed across Katara's necklace. He hesitated and then lowered his gaze.
"Katara, for what it's worth," he started. "I am deeply sorry for putting those pirates on your path and..."
He was cut off when Katara suddenly put a finger to his lips and said, "Shush, I know. You don't have to say anything."
Her ocean blue eyes glistened, not allowing him to finish his sentence.
The moment he'd felt the touch of her fingertips against his mouth, Zuko froze. Much too soon, the feeling was gone, leaving only a tingling sensation he knew he would savor for the rest of the day.
A wry smile appeared on his lips. "I suppose this won't be the last time I have to thank you for your forgiveness."
Then he turned and resumed his quick stride and as Katara hastened to catch up with him she heard him say softly, "That brilliant plan of mine backfired anyway..."
She couldn't explain the pain suddenly stinging her heart.
They spent the night on the cold, damp woodland soil, with Katara resting in Zuko's tight hold. The pouring rain had returned and steady drops fell in a monotonous rhythm onto the canvas cover the travelers had thrown over a low branch to create some shelter for the night. Katara had tried bending some of the water from the ground, but it was still very uncomfortable. Tomorrow, they would arrive in Senlin Harbor.
Before they went to sleep, Zuko removed the gold and silver lotus claps from their cloaks, replacing them with plain strings.
"They're valuable," he explained with a solemn expression on his face, "and we mustn't show our bond to the Order of the White Lotus. There are very few members of the Order in Senlin Harbor."
Katara nodded her understanding and watched as he carefully wrapped the precious clasps in a piece of cloth and hid them under his shirt, close to his heart.
She felt strangely moved by his gesture, as if he expressed a silent wish for their bearers to stay safe. Katara hesitated, then bowed her head and reached behind her neck.
The expression on Zuko's face went from surprise to something akin to shame when she held out her necklace to him. The antique stone shimmered weakly in the light of the campfire.
"It's familiar to at least a few of the pirates," Katara said softly, "and the stone has much value."
He didn't respond, and when he didn't make any movement to take the necklace, she gently took his hand and placed the jewel in his palm. Protectively, she folded his fingers around it.
"Please, keep it safe."
Zuko's heart made an odd little jump as his fingers closed around the necklace, reminiscent of the moment he had found it so long ago, when Katara had lost it. He had missed the feeling of holding the Water Tribe jewel in his hand, and knowing that this time he was to keep it by request of the owner made him look up determinedly.
"I will."
The following day was spent crossing the remainder of the woods between them and Senlin Harbor. Darkness was already closing in when the travelers became aware of the scenery changing around them. Tamarisks had replaced the grand pine-trees along the twisting path, and the air became lighter. They had almost reached the woodland borders.
The sun had almost disappeared behind the horizon when Zuko suddenly stepped off the road and swiftly climbed the hill across from it.
Katara had turned around in surprise the moment he'd disappeared from her side, and she looked up to see his silhouette on the top of the hill, dark against the last rays of the sun. She couldn't tell what he was looking at, but in the way he slightly bowed his head, she could tell that he spotted something important - and not too pleasant.
Warily, she followed him uphill and looked down. Her stomach clenched.
In the bay below rested a large port town, mostly consisting of dilapidated wooden houses, a considerate part of which sat on high stilts in the water with rickety wooden walkways between them. Hundreds of ships, most of them poorly maintained, were moored in the harbor, despondently awaiting the darkness to cloak their departure. A low mist was creeping upon the city with the arrival of nightfall.
Katara drew in a deep breath as Zuko's gaze darkened.
"Senlin Harbor," he then said grimly.
The bleak, far-away sound of a weary bell tolling was the cue for the old, crippled man to shuffle towards the gates of Senlin Harbor and close them for the night. It almost sounded as if the molded wood's sighing came from the old man himself as he closed the left door and dragged himself to the right one.
This evening, however, he came to a shaking stop when two strangers suddenly appeared from behind the old door. His milky eyes narrowed, but as the gates were not closed yet, he had no choice but to let them enter.
A pair of cold, uninterested eyes passed over the tall, broad-shouldered man and the elegant, slender woman as they slipped past the old man and his right door, gracing him with a courteous nod. Then the gate came to a creaking close behind them. The cold eyes noticed that the strangers were dressed in dark traveling clothes, and while they were still very young, they looked like seasoned warriors. They moved with the confidence of high nobility but nothing could be told from their nondescript clothing.
However, when acknowledging the guard, they had pushed back their hoods a little, providing onlookers with a shaded look of their faces. The young man had messy black hair, which partly hid his guarded features. He had positioned himself closely behind the young woman, an exotic beauty with big blue eyes that stood out against the delicate tan of her skin. Her long braid was draped over her shoulder and swayed softly as she followed the man's gaze. A few strands of her dark brown hair, curled in loopies, framed her face.
The piercing, bored eyes narrowed.
Zuko vaguely remembered the city plan from the sole time he had visited this dreadful place. It had been one of those times his uncle couldn't lay hands on his favorite kind of tea on Crescent Island, and therefore had felt forced to go to Senlin Harbor instead. A fourteen-year-old Zuko had demanded that his uncle take him into town and as always, a worried Iroh had capitulated. Today, he understood his uncle's reservations towards his nephew accompanying him to this place. Needless to say, the visit had made a big impression on the young prince.
Feeling grateful for the older man's indulgence at that time, Zuko was relieved to notice that he still recognized the street pattern because of that one visit all these years ago.
Restlessly, Zuko's eyes wandered across the jumble of streets joining the square, searching for the right street to disappear into, when the hairs on the back of his neck raised. They were being watched. Reflexively, he bowed his head and schooling his expression into an unreadable look, he turned toward Katara.
"We have to get into the streets as soon as possible," Zuko stated in a low voice. "Try not to look them in the eye."
In response, Katara lowered her gaze, and a grim expression passed over Zuko's features. She's too beautiful, he thought anxiously. Despite her nondescript attire, her elegance and her delicate features stood out against the weathered surroundings of this town. And his own appearance didn't do much to maintain a low profile either.
He pulled his hood deeper over his head and Katara followed his example, a wary look in her eyes.
The piercing eyes followed the cloaked and hooded figures as the man put his hand on the woman's back and led her into one of the many narrow streets that wound themselves through the dark city with no apparent logic. Then the owner slowly pushed up himself against the dirty wall and disappeared into the shadows of the alley behind him.
Upon entering the city, Katara let her gaze wander over the dingy streets stretching out before her as she carefully hid her discomfort behind a cool expression. The air was stale, probably from dead water and mold.
She took in the crooked, wooden houses, many of which were hovering over the narrow, muddy streets and the people around them. Some of them seemed well-to-do, but most of them barely had a thread on them. They let their eyes wander over her and Zuko suspiciously, their worn faces framed with greasy hair. Many of them were missing at least one or two limbs. The rags they wore made them fade into the background of the grimy walls. Despite her apprehension, her heart suddenly ached for them. She feared the pirates that she'd crossed paths with before but these people, she felt, deserved so much better.
Judging by Zuko's resolute stride, Katara suspected he knew where he was going. It lifted some of the dread that had nestled in the pit of her stomach when the town gates had closed behind them. He had obviously been here before, but now was not a good time to ask about the circumstances.
"Those were guards. They keep an eye on everyone entering the city and will report anyone they find suspicious," Zuko said next to her, his husky voice quiet and a bit ominous as he adjusted his pace to the crowd. Undoubtedly, he was talking about the seedy characters watching them before. Her stomach clenched at the realization.
Zuko firmly held Katara's hand as he silently led them through the dimly lit streets. He kept his head down, making sure that his hair fell over his scar, his face hidden deeply in the shadows of his hood.
"Where are we going?" Katara finally whispered under her breath as she kept scanning her surroundings through her eyelashes.
"To the harbor," Zuko's voice sounded somewhat muffled next to her. "The neighborhood surrounding it is the original fishing village, before it became the robbers' den it is today. If I remember correctly, there's a place where we can stay that is less disreputable than the rest of the lodgings. And..."
His watchful gaze swept from one side of the street to the other, "...it's also near open sea, so it will be easier to escape the city from there."
Katara shivered at his dark tone, trying not think of the many possible catastrophes making an escape necessary, although she knew he was right. With the sea nearby, the pirates would be no match for the greatest waterbender in the world. Katara could demolish this entire town if she wanted to. She could only hope it wouldn't come to that.
Pulling her cloak closer around her, Katara fell into Zuko's footsteps when she noticed it - the fleeting sensation of something or somebody touching her. She froze but before she realized what was happening she caught sight of a whirling cloak and she felt that Zuko had left her side.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," she then heard Zuko say in a low voice, his tone dripping with menace.
Katara spun around to see Zuko hovering over a nasty looking man squinting in mortal fear at a couple of crossed Dao swords, ready to slice his neck. His arm was still extended towards Katara's bag. She pulled it against her body protectively as understanding of what had happened - or hadn't happened - slowly started to sink in. She gasped softly.
Unmoved, Zuko watched as the man underneath his swords wet himself in fear, sweat dripping from his repulsive features. The man was drunk, he established disgustedly as traces of his alcoholic breath reached Zuko's nose. With an unfocused gaze, the man stared at the gleaming Dao swords resting against his throat. His blurred mind had not recognized the danger when he chose the mysterious female stranger to steal from.
He had chosen wrongly.
A dark stain started to spread across the thief's trousers while a considerable amount of people had stopped to watch the row in which an unfortunate thief was completely overpowered by the black-cloaked figure he had been planning on robbing. Although the inhabitants of Senlin Harbor were accustomed to street fights, the stranger's skill and speed had surprised them, and silence descended upon the busy street as the crowd waited.
Katara's gasp suddenly snapped Zuko out of his concentration and he looked up. His expression hardened when his gaze flickered over the crowd watching him. Immediately, he realized the amount of attention his actions had drawn to the both of them. He cursed inwardly. They had to get out of here quickly.
Instantaneously, he withdrew his swords and stepped back, his sudden retreat causing the man to fall on his back. The man clumsily scrambled back from him and put his hand to his throat, his eyes wide in fear.
With a smooth movement, Zuko brought his swords together and sheathed them.
"Consider yourself lucky today."
He cast the man a final dark gaze and reached for Katara's hand, hoping that she would understand the need to stay close to him. They would have to run.
He felt grateful when she simply put her hand into his with a nod that was indiscernible to the crowd, and he closed his fingers around hers. He didn't notice when Katara's gaze rested on his wrist for a split second.
And before the crowd understood what was happening, the Blue Spirit's stealth and agility had already allowed the mysterious strangers to disappear into the darkness.
They ran and ran and ran, neither looking up nor looking around, through countless streets and alleys as they blindly rounded corners. Remarkably enough, they were still heading for the harbor.
Finally, Zuko decided they had put enough space between them and the crowd, and he pulled Katara into the shadows of a dusky alley, trying to catch his breath as he leaned against the wall. Angrily, he yanked off his hood and let his head hang, his ragged breathing forming clouds in the cold air.
"Idiot!" he whispered hoarsely as he clenched his fists.
Katara stayed silent and watched him struggle with his anger, which didn't seem directed at the thief so much as to himself. He blamed himself for getting her into this situation. Hesitantly, she reached out to touch his shoulder.
He looked up and she met with the fierce, hot-tempered gaze she recognized from old times. But this time it was rooted in a different kind of frustration.
Katara glanced to the side. "Zuko, I'm sorry. I didn't pay enough attention to my bag."
She felt horrible. Zuko had been very clear about the dangers this city held for him especially, and she wouldn't forgive herself if he were to reveal his identity because she hadn't been minding pickpockets. She had been awestruck, though, by his swift reflexes.
He let her words sink in and then shook his head. "Don't be. I'm just... I'm just frustrated we deliberately have to put ourselves in danger by coming to this town. This was only an unfortunate thief who probably needs to steal to stay alive. Next time we won't be so lucky."
A shiver ran down Katara's back at his ominous words.
Several moments passed by, during which their breathing calmed down and the anxiety slowly disappeared from their gazes, until a small smile formed on Zuko's lips. In response, Katara's features relaxed too, and as Zuko straightened up, she pulled up her hood, ready to go.
Zuko put his head around the corner to check if it was safe to enter the street, when a disheveled piece of parchment posted up the wall he had been leaning against caught his attention. His eyes widened.
"You can't be serious!"
His anger returned in full force as he tore the weathered parchment from the wall. "So much for remaining incognito," he growled.
Surprised at his sudden outburst, Katara leaned in to have a look. "Oh no! The painting," she cringed.
The disheveled parchment was a faded, cheap copy of the portrait that had been made of the Young War Heroes shortly after the end of the Hundred Year War.
It had been General Iroh who had pressed them into posing for the portrait. "History has to be etched into people's memories," the older man had explained serenely when the youngsters had finally reconciled themselves to his request.
It had been a disaster.
Upon their assembling in Ba Sing Se, the group had begrudgingly struggled into their formal attire, moodily waiting in strained silence for Iroh and the painter to arrive.
Zuko and Katara had secretly been grateful for the chilling atmosphere, though, as they'd both been nurturing severe headaches. Zuko had still been recovering from Mai's uncharacteristic fit of rage when she'd learned she wasn't allowed in the painting while Suki was. And Katara had just spent three days talking Toph into wearing a dress for the occasion, which Zuko had settled in mere seconds by simply telling the unwilling earthbender she would be wearing the dress Katara had picked out for her.
They had waited more than two hours for the painter to arrive, and when he finally did, he appeared to be the kind of artist that didn't care to apologize for being late.
With a haughty expression on his blasé features, he'd ignored their angry stares and immediately started to put together his dreamed composition, pushing and pulling the sullen teenagers in the right position. Finally, the boys had conventionally ended up in the back with the girls being positioned in front of them.
Much to Aang's dismay, the painter had insisted on putting Katara in front of Zuko with Zuko's hand resting on Katara's shoulder. Aang's complaints he had simply brushed aside, stating that Katara's blue dress went well with Zuko's red robes and also that Katara's height would better match Zuko's. Toph's green dress, on the other hand, complemented his oranges nicely and her height would perfectly fit Aang's. Aang had been furious, but the painter hadn't budged one inch. And so it was done.
The awkwardness and explosiveness of the whole situation still spoke from the poor copy Zuko had torn from the wall. Aang was glaring at the innocent viewer, resentment dripping from his angelic features, while Zuko and Katara's troubled expressions clearly showed their embarrassment. And the corners of Toph's mouth were pointing downwards as she stood stiffly before Aang in her lovely dress.
The non-benders in the painting seemed to have been the only ones not affected by the strained atmosphere. Sokka had taken his hand from Suki's shoulder and subtly put it on her waist instead and they both wore genuine smiles on their faces.
"Uncle has made copies and has spread them throughout the nations," Zuko groaned, closing his eyes in dismay.
"But...I've never seen one before."
Katara's frown deepened as she tried to remember the last time she had seen a notice board but Zuko shook his head. The picture was old and most likely had been overlooked hanging in this shady alley.
"I suspect that these posters were torn off the wall the minute they were put up. I wouldn't be surprised if most of these have ended up in people's homes. Anyway," he added icily, "we have to double our guard, since apparently the entire city knows exactly what we look like."
He was ready to tear up this last remaining copy, but Katara snatched it from his fingers and rolled it up, meticulously putting it in her bag.
At seeing Zuko's raised eyebrow, she stuck her chin in the air.
"I'm not used to seeing my portrait on posters like you are," she stated defiantly, the hint of pink gracing her cheeks betraying her embarrassment.
A sudden chuckle escaped him. "Yeah right, as if wearing a mask on wanted posters counts," he pointed out, conveniently leaving out that both he and his uncle had been portrayed on wanted posters before, without them wearing masks - or that his portrait nowadays hung in every single public building in the Fire Nation.
Katara flashed him an amused smile and she turned around, pulling up her hood again. "Come on, Famous, we have to find this not-so-disreputable lodging of yours."
Quicker than they had expected, they stood in front of a grubby, plastered building, one of the very few stone buildings amidst the unstable constructions bordering the quay.
"This is it," Zuko mumbled under his breath and Katara nodded, warily looking up a the ominous place. Although she could use a good night's sleep, she doubted she would get one here. Carefully, they crossed the dark, cobbled street.
Just when they were about to enter the lodging, the decayed door opened with a loud creak and an aggressive looking man appeared in the doorway. The smell of thin beer drifted into the street.
Katara didn't dare to look at Zuko, who tensed up next to her. He followed the man, a patron probably, with close scrutiny as the bulky man swayed on his feet and then spotted the cloaked figures silently waiting for him to step aside.
A faint grin passed over his unsavory features and he positioned himself before the door challengingly, ready for a fight.
Until then, Zuko and Katara had kept their faces hidden in the shadows of their hoods, but when the man refused to step aside, Zuko looked up. His amber eyes caught some of the weak light streaming onto the street from the grimy windows and the man met with a cold, authoritative gaze that made him back away slightly.
Licking his lips, he cast a nervous glance at the gleaming Dao swords on Zuko's back. Suddenly, it registered with his fuddled mind that this man wasn't just the weary traveler he'd held him for and could actually take his life.
The light of the streetlights deepened the lines of the furious scowl that appeared on the man's weathered face as he lowered his gaze and stepped aside.
"I already thought so," Zuko whispered icily and opened the door, making sure to shield Katara with his body.
When the man finally stumbled onto the street, the cloaked strangers had already disappeared inside.
"Not as disreputable as the other ones, huh?" Katara whispered as they waited to report to the grimy reception. From under her eyelashes she let her gaze wander from the dimly lit desk to the barroom, which was crowded with sinister men talking and drinking.
The tight knot in her chest was loosening somewhat now that they had managed to get inside of the lodging unharmed. She even felt a little sorry for the trouble seeker outside. Being stared down by Zuko was something very few people in the world could withstand.
"You can imagine what the other lodgings must be like."
Zuko followed her gaze into the barroom across the hallway. A provocatively dressed woman, who seemed to be waiting the tables, winked at him and sat down in some man's lap. He resolutely turned his back on the scene and then noticed the old man who had suddenly appeared behind the grimy desk, his hunched back barely allowing him to look up at his guests.
"I would like a room for the night, for my wife and myself," Zuko said curtly and casually put a hand on Katara's shoulder. She demurely bowed her head, stifling a smile as she slightly leaned into his touch. He tightened his grip in response.
"Of course, good sir," the man said obsequiously as he picked up a broken-down brush and looked up expectantly. "And what name should I register, good gentleman?"
His hand lingered in the air above a disheveled piece of parchment scrawled with hundreds of names while his eyes attentively wandered over his unusual guests. Although he couldn't quite see their faces hidden in the shadow of their hoods they kept up even inside, he had noticed that they were different from the shady customers that usually frequented this barroom.
"Lee," Zuko replied stiffly. He had noticed the old man's interest in them and wished to be free of his curious stare as soon as possible.
Diligently, the old man added the name to the overly crowded parchment and then looked up doubtfully. He didn't believe it possible that this mysterious couple would go by such a simple name and hesitated to put aside the brush.
"Any other names...?" he inquired, not completely succeeding in keeping the curiosity from his wavering voice.
At that moment, the young woman turned up her eyes and the old man met with a kind, but intense expression in glistening, ocean blue eyes. He gulped and lowered his gaze.
"The one name will do," Zuko said coldly as he put down some Earth Kingdom gold coins.
A greedy glint appeared into the old man's eyes and immediately he picked a key from the board behind him. He didn't dare to look at them again when he pointed to the worn out stairs. "Last room to the left, sir. Have a pleasant stay."
At the far end of the dirty corridor, Zuko opened a heavy, creaking door that gave entrance to a dusky room containing only a few bits of ragged furniture. The travelers looked around in the airless space silently, the looks in their eyes reflecting the hopeless atmosphere.
The large room was nearly empty but for a saggy, dark wooden bed and a small cabinet. An old patched bedspread did not completely cover the lumpy mattress underneath. The only light in the room came from a street lantern outside trying to peek through the smelly curtains.
"Looks like we got the suite," Katara smiled wryly as she put down her bag, thinking back longingly to the clean, hospitable room in the gentlemen's lodging where they had stayed before they'd boarded the Fire Nation ship to Kyoshi Island. It seemed ages ago.
Zuko meticulously locked the door and strode towards the window, checking the direct surroundings for escape routes.
"And it's a room with a view," he dryly noted, as his eyes focused on the thickening mist, showing a glimpse of the moonlit sea behind it. He was slightly relieved to establish that the body of water was close enough for Katara to reach.
Katara carefully sat down on the bed and a musty smell ascended from the bedspread. She wrinkled her nose. "I hope you're right about this place."
It seemed disreputable enough to her.
Zuko turned around and leaned against the rusty shutters, his expression serious.
"I don't like it here either, but I trust my uncle's judgment on this, Katara. I remember him saying once that this place is the only spot of light in this whole diseased city." He folded his arms. "Remember when I told you there are few members of the Order of the White Lotus in Senlin Harbor? I know about at least one for sure. Maybe he can help us because, frankly, I don't like to wander around asking about the Spirit Princess in this town."
He frowned dangerously at the idea and then added grimly, "From what I've heard, this Order member apparently likes to spend his evenings in the barroom below, so I would suggest we go downstairs tonight and maybe we can pick up on some valuable information while we're here."
They couldn't wear their cloaks inside without drawing too much attention to them, so when they entered the barroom, they tried to keep their heads down, hiding their faces from view as much as possible. Nonetheless, there were countless pairs of eyes looking Katara up and down as they passed by various tables of seedy-looking men. Zuko's features darkened. It was as he had feared when they'd entered this shady town. Her inconspicuous traveling clothes couldn't conceal Katara's natural beauty and even when she tried to avoid their leering gazes, these men were drawn towards her like moths to a flame.
Grimly, he fell in beside her and, ignoring her surprise, he firmly wrapped his arm around her, shielding her with his body as he steered her towards a small table with a wide view on the long trestles in a dusky, far away corner of the barroom. He wished he wouldn't have to do it, not wanting to take away from her dignity as a woman and a warrior, but this was the only way to quickly lead the attention away from her. To his relief, it worked. Around them, eyes averted in silent understanding of his message and they reached the table unhindered.
After they'd quietly finished a bowl of noodle soup, they inconspicuously let their gazes wander over the scenery of drunken men and an occasional woman talking, laughing and fighting as they hoped to see someone who might look like a member of the Order of the White Lotus.
"Would you like something to drink?" A waitress, barely distinguishable from the other scantily-dressed women in the room, suddenly appeared before them.
Zuko looked up to see her eyes pass over him appreciatively, his appearance obviously a far cry from the other patrons in this barroom. Then her eyes disappointedly rested on Katara, the only female customer in the barroom. He didn't like it.
"Two honey beers, please," he said a bit curtly, hoping to get the message across that he wasn't interested.
Being a man of the Fire Nation, he preferred the blood red wine his country was famous for to the Earth Kingdom ales. But tonight he didn't want to risk the alcohol going to his head, and he knew that water in these kinds of places was often a lot filthier than beer. Honey beer, a children's drink, barely contained any alcohol. It was also better not to draw too much attention to his nationality by ordering wine instead of beer in this Earth Kingdom town.
The waitress seemed surprised at his unusual order but she made no comment, having seen much stranger things in this barroom, and went to get their drinks.
When the drinks were brought, Zuko watched amusedly as Katara brought the mug to her lips, tasted hesitantly and her face lit up in surprise.
"It's good," she said, "sweet."
A small smile softened Zuko's tense features. "Well, it is a children's beverage."
Katara blushed. "This is the first time I've tasted alcohol. Children at the South Pole drink water or milk and the aquavit is so strong that you have to learn to drink it."
Zuko was aware of it. He had tasted the Water Tribe liquor in the Northern Water Tribe on his first state visit two years ago. The sensation of the aquavit burning its way down his throat had made him cringe, and his involuntary cough had set fire to the flower arrangement in front of him. The entire Water Tribe representation had roared with laughter.
He smiled derisively at the memory and Katara smirked back, sipping from her honey beer with a satisfied expression on her face.
The moment that followed was a strangely peaceful one until Zuko's ears caught fragments of a hushed conversation drifting to their table.
"....Fire Lord and the Water Princess... Traveling through the Earth Kingdom..." A scoff followed the quiet remark.
His eyes widened, and an alarmed Katara sat up straight. Then she noticed that he was focusing his attention what was being said between two shady men sitting at the table behind them.
They bowed across the table and their eyes locked as they tried to follow what was being said through the noise surrounding them.
"Appear to be coming to Senlin Harbor as well..." one man whispered in a low voice.
"... great opportunity... to abduct..." the other man mumbled in acknowledgment, a dark tone lacing his voice.
"... will destabilize the Fire Nation..." A hopeful answer.
"... lot of Fire Nation nobility won't care..." the other remarked whisperingly. "... love to see their Fire Lord dead!"
Katara's eyes widened in shock, but Zuko shot her a warning gaze and shook his head at her.
This pirate scum didn't tell him any news. He knew there was still a considerable party among his nobility who longed to go back to the old days of Fire Nation supremacy. They loathed the young Fire Lord and his new era of harmony and peace. Three years after the war, he had succeeded in marginalizing their faction, but he knew better than to consider their convictions history. He believed that they were just biding their time and wouldn't hesitate to seize the opportunity to undermine his authority if it presented itself.
And now the Fire Lord presented the opportunity himself, he thought bitingly, by simply walking into Senlin Harbor and right into the arms of people with plans to abduct him - or worse. It was still to his advantage though, that the men had no idea who they were dealing with. The Fire Lord wasn't an easy prey, he established wryly, especially now that he knew what to look out for.
When it had become clear that they had to step into Senlin Harbor, it had occurred to him that perhaps, if he kept his eyes and ears open, he would be able to collect some valuable information about the robbers' den. Information that could used in the military campaign to bring safety to this part of the waters between Earth and Fire. The information reaching him now, however, wasn't the kind he had been hoping for.
As the noise in the barroom rose, Zuko and Katara strained their ears to listen to the hushed conversation. Apparently, the topic had shifted towards something that had happened in the past. One of the men was sniggering as the other seemed to tell him an anecdote.
"... when the brat was still a prince... Quite a temper at the time... Wench who stole that waterbending scroll from us..."
Zuko and Katara froze. This man was one of the pirates they had encountered before. One of the very people they both had hoped not to see again. Katara's eyes widened in horror.
"... Made a deal with us... Lead us to the girl and get the scroll back."
Zuko clenched his jaw as he realized what direction this retelling of this dark page in his personal history would be taking. Fate had created yet another opportunity to remind Katara of the loathsome person he had been. Miserably, he closed his eyes. Why... why did chance always turn against him?
He flinched when his fingers, which were clenching the mug of honey beer, were suddenly covered by a pair of small, cool hands. They willed him to look up at her and when he finally did, Katara rolled her eyes at him and then flashed a glance over his shoulder, motioning him to listen.
Relieved that she didn't hold what had happened against him, he looked down at her hands covering his. He braced himself for what was to come, knowing that this was going to make them extremely uncomfortable. The mumbling from the table behind him reached his ears again, and he concentrated on their eavesdropping.
"... followed the prince and his fat uncle... standing there, playing with that scroll. Tried to catch her... ran straight into his arms. 'I'll save you from the pirates' or something... Unbelievably cheesy,'' the pirate commented scornfully.
Although he should have expected this, Zuko couldn't suppress the fierce blush now rushing to his cheeks as he remembered that night on the riverbank.
It had been frightening, infuriating and in a way - seductive. The memory of Katara standing there, bending in the moonlight, still overshadowed the excitement he'd felt to finally catch the Avatar. As did the memory of touching the waterbender for the first time, and the surprising urge not to hurt her. And her glistening blue eyes following his every move.
Too caught up in his own embarrassment, Zuko didn't notice that Katara had looked away to hide her own blush. The memory of his triumphant smirk still lay fresh in Katara's memory, as was the shock of being so close to him, his grip tight but not painful. And his glistening eyes close enough for her to see that they were really liquid gold.
"... tied her to a tree and started to bribe the girl with a necklace..." the pirate had continued his story in a hushed tone.
Zuko's blush deepened even more and he lowered his gaze. He remembered it perfectly. Her defiance, her involuntary shiver when he'd whispered into her ear. The shock on her face when he'd held out her necklace to her. He remembered taking in for the first time the fresh scent of water lilies she always seemed to carry with her, and the need to tease her, to try her loyalty to the Avatar and to her brother. To have her full attention focused solely on him.
Katara in turn shivered as she remembered the whispers and his warm breath caressing her skin when he put his arms around her in an almost loving gesture, holding her necklace in place. Her anger at seeing her necklace in the hands of her nemesis, who'd been toying with it as if he didn't understand the value it held to her. Her frustration upon realizing that this encounter had only increased her curiosity about the Fire Prince instead of her loathing of him.
They looked up simultaneously and their gazes, filled with memories of this night on an Earth Kingdom riverbank, locked.
'Tell me where he is...'
'Go jump in the river...'
'Try to understand. I need to capture him to restore something I've lost, my honor.'
Katara's eyes widened as she suddenly remembered the actual words the husky voice had spoken softly into her ear. Consciously or subconsciously, he had been reaching out to her in his plea for understanding.
"Already then..." she whispered in shock and a shadow passed over Zuko's features.
He couldn't explain. He had never been able to explain what it was that made him care for the waterbender's opinions, made him enjoy fighting her and made him want her to know about the real him. He only knew that it had started almost immediately after he had met with her on the South Pole and that he'd never been able to withstand it.
The pirate, oblivious to the travelers behind them, continued his mumbled story. "...appeared to be her mother's necklace... no idea where he got it from..."
Wistfulness filled their eyes as they stared at each other silently.
'I didn't steal it, if that's what you're wondering.'
'He stole my mother's necklace!'
"... paraded around the girl... went to stand behind her... held the necklace in front of her, teased her... Could have sworn our little prince was in love with that Water Tribe girl..." The pirate scoffed and spit on the floor.
Zuko felt the blood drain from his face and Katara's hand automatically reached for her absent necklace. A sign of her trying to calm down, he knew.
She didn't say anything, just stared at him in disbelief, while he was rooted the spot - unable, for more than one reason, to deny the pirate's words. His good ear burned with humiliation and he swallowed thickly. This could not be happening.
"And the girl?" the other pirate asked.
"... Water Princess now... the one traveling with him. Interesting... Didn't seem too interested back then..."
Zuko's heart made a painful jolt as Katara lowered her gaze. He silently pleaded with her to look up, and somehow negate the pirate's words.
"Although..."
Katara's head jerked up, eyes wide in panic.
"... Looked like she was playing this game with him... ... even seemed to smirk when she asked about her necklace..."
Now it was Zuko's turn to widen his eyes. It had seemed so indeed.
"...Women... always like... men... following them around," the other pirate acknowledged.
Katara's cheeks heated up violently and her gaze practically begged Zuko to not believe the pirate's words. She had not been playing with him. That was all... wrong.
But Zuko didn't care. Everything was better than those two deadly words, which had felt like Azula's lightning hitting him in the heart - not interested...
He was pulled from his thoughts when the sound of muffled words reached their table. Apparently, the pirates' conversation on his person wasn't finished yet. He pricked his ears and then paled.
"Of course... miserable failure... Avatar escaped, no waterbending scroll. Boss wasn't too happy... met with Admiral Zhao... very interested in our little encounter with Prince Zuko..."
Katara narrowed her eyes, frowning in surprise as the pirates continued with an unknown part of the story. Her gaze searched Zuko's, and suddenly she noticed that he hadn't looked up again since the pirate had continued his muffled story. He sat with his head slightly bowed and his hand involuntarily squeezed his other arm. All color had drained from his face as he listened closely. He seemed to suspect what was coming next.
"... Ship docked at the harbor... crew taken away by Zhao..."
Her heartbeat quickened when it started to dawn on Katara what turn this conversation was taking.
Somewhere after the whole ordeal with the waterbending scroll, Team Avatar had noticed that the Fire Prince chasing them suddenly didn't seem to have a ship at his disposal anymore. Now, she understood that the pirates had met with the ruthless Admiral Zhao and that he had something to do with it.
Suddenly, there was a sinking feeling in her stomach as Zuko looked up with a strange, almost absent, expression in his eyes and the pirate, oblivious to their presence, concluded with malicious delight, "...made all the preparations and waited... Saw the fat uncle leave the ship... waited and when he came on board... Boom!"
As the pirates burst into laughter and toasted loudly, all color drained from Katara's features and everything was reeling before her eyes. This could not be true.
Boom.
The word echoed in her ears. Had Zhao really asked those pirates to... had they really tried to...?
During her encounter with Zuko on the North Pole she'd noticed that face had been bruised and minor burns had been strewn around his head. But she'd remained oblivious to the reason why. Until now. Katara started to tremble as she saw the truth acknowledged in Zuko's gaze - honest and sad. A wave of nausea washed over her.
They had tried to kill Zuko. An attempt on his life which he'd miraculously managed to survive. If it hadn't been for his sharp senses, he would not have been sitting across from her now. An agonizing pain violently shot through her, cutting off her breath, and then a raging fury took hold of her. With a forceful jerk, she pushed back her chair and a murderous glint appeared in her eyes as her hand shot towards her water pouch.
At that moment, Zuko's hands shot out and grabbed her arms, restraining her as his gaze suddenly seemed to burn with fire. She froze, her furious scowl warning him to let go of her, but in response his iron grip on her wrists tightened even further.
"No!" he mouthed to her as his hands subconsciously started to heat up under the pressure. They could not risk exposure!
Their eyes locked in a silent struggle until Zuko finally felt Katara's muscles slacken under his hands. Her hands were still shaking and suddenly her eyes were glistening with tears as she allowed him to push her back into her chair.
Luckily, the pirates behind them hadn't heard the commotion, as they were still laughing and bragging over almost having killed the Fire Lord, Zuko established. He suppressed a sigh of relief.
Katara was looking down at his hands still holding her, his thumbs caressing the sensitive insides of her wrists in silent comfort.
Zuko understood what she was going through now, as he too had felt the hurt and the rage. But he had made peace with what had happened a long time ago, and the experience had actually helped him to maintain his cool when dealing with the party of nobles opposing their new Fire Lord.
At this point, he was merely relieved to finally come to know who had been behind the assault, but everything was overshadowed by the intensity of Katara's reaction. His heart raced in his chest as he was forced to realize how much she actually cared for him. He couldn't help the smile appearing on his features when he let go of her wrists and reached out to gently wipe some tears from her cheeks.
At that moment, a drunken man roughly clashed with their table, causing him to stumble and almost fall.
Reflexively, Zuko's hand shot to his swords. What he'd feared had come true - they'd been recognized. One hand clenched the hilt of one of his Dao swords as he bent down and hauled up the disheveled looking drunk that had collided with their table and now lay on the floor. With a drowsy gaze in his small eyes the man looked up at them.
Then Katara sharply sucked in her breath. It was the man who had tried to steal her bag this afternoon. Zuko's gaze turned murderous, but this time it didn't seem to deter the thief. His cracked lips widened in an almost toothless, crooked form of a smile.
"We meet again," he slurred in surprise as he staggered on his feet. He bent over, stifling the travelers' breaths with the damp of alcohol emanating from his mouth.
"The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets."