IT WAS 60 DEGREES HERE TODAY. SPRING IS COMING. I KNOW IT IS.
"Well, go on, pick one up," Sword Master Piandao instructed. "Attack me."
Katara sat on the pile of cushions a maid had taken care to drag out to the zen garden where Sokka would be meeting his instructor. There was an array of swords shoved into the sand, and Sokka wound around their hilts with a careful examination, wiggling one or two there, flicking one here. Katara resisted the urge to roll her eyes; she knew exactly what sword he'd go for. This was all for show, to act like he was some great connoisseur of metal weapons.
Katara, of course, was not allowed to formally take part in these lessons. She was left to sit against the wall, in the shade, sipping iced tea while attempting to soak up any and all information she could. It would only be later, after the official lesson, when she could pick up a sword of her own to spar against Sokka. This way, Piandao could examine Sokka's stance as an observer, and correct to the best of his ability. Katara, however, was going to learn despite the hoops she had to jump through to even be here.
As it was, she was fairly sure Sokka was ignoring her.
She had thought, once they'd disembarked from the ship, that drunk Sokka was the best Sokka to ask about that 'girl' he'd almost told her about. However, at the very mention, he'd clammed up. Katara had pestered, to little avail. He'd lied (very unconvincingly) that it didn't matter, that this girl didn't like him anyway, that he was already over it. Then he'd barfed on her shoes, and that had pretty much ended that sisterly confrontation. She still wasn't sure he hadn't done it on purpose.
Since then, since Katara smelled bullshit a mile away, he had been harder to pin down than Toph usually was. This should have given her an indication that whatever, or whoever it was, it was dangerous. But weren't they all playing with danger, even knowing who Aang was? What was one more ticking time bomb of a secret to add to their ever growing collective list?
She would edge it out of him sooner or later. She was his sister; she knew exactly which buttons to push.
Case in point; Sokka finally settled on a sword near the back of the sand bowl, one that resembled a Southern Carving Axe most prominently. The one Katara knew he'd gravitate toward. Southern Carving Axes, while mostly used to cleave off meat from the carcasses of whales and seals, made terrifying weapons in the heat of battle nonetheless. This wasn't exactly one of their axes, but it was shorter than a traditional sword and curved a little in the blade.
Sokka picked it up, switching it between his palms to work out the equilibrium, before looking at Piandao.
"Please," he repeated, "attack me. I'll even give you a leg up and turn around."
Sokka gave a haughty chuckle. "Okay, but don't say that you didn't ask for this..."
Sokka raised the sword above his head, gave a battle cry that would make the spirits quiver before him, and ran right at Piandao. Katara watched as Piandao, moving lightly on his feet, easily side-stepped Sokka. Before Sokka could turn, Piandao had hooked his heels with the hilt of his own sword, sending Sokka face-first into the sand. Sokka lifted his head, shaking the particles from his hair and wiping them from his tongue. He went to grab his sword, but Piandao put his heel on it, shoving it just out of Sokka's reach. Piandao drove his own sword inches away from Sokka's head, and knelt down. His whole face was bright with amusement.
"How'd I do?" Sokka asked.
"Dismal," Pinadro said, grinning. "But not hopeless."
"Hear that, Katara? I'm not hopeless!" Sokka said, puffing out his chest as he sat up.
"I do have some preliminary notes that I can give you, right now." Piandao helped Sokka into a standing position. He kicked the sword Sokka had picked with the heel of his foot, handing it back out to the young warrior.
"Okay, lay it on me."
"It may serve you well to not scream prior to attacking, thus alerting your opponent, the rest of the opposing force, and any dogs of your presence."
"But...it's tradition. The wolf's cry." Sokka scratched his head. "To terrify, you know?"
"Very well as that may be," Piandao tilted his head, "May I offer you this to think about? In a whole group, it might be terrifying. One on one? Less so. It also does little to dispel the rumors of the Water Tribe being savages, with their guttural un-human cries. Also, while I don't mean to disparage the Southern Water Tribe's way of fighting - you have managed to stay autonomous - the method in which you wage war, on flat ground and cold temperatures, is to your benefit, but the world around you has progressed. You will find that fighting in a war now is very different. Much more tactical, if you will. So, I will not stop you from your traditions, but if you learn from me, you will be learning the Fire Nation way. Is this something you can accept?"
Sokka swallowed. "Sir, yes. I mean, to say, I didn't-"
"No offence taken." Piandao patted his shoulder. "Let's just move forward, shall we?"
And so they did. Piandao was far less morose than Pakku, Katara noted. He joked around with Sokka, he willingly and often gave advice to correct his technique, and he just overall seemed like a more pleasant person. He commented that he'd been the Royal Swordsman for both of the Royal Children, and he also taught Mai how to use her shirkins. Anyone who had been the master of those three was someone truly terrifying, at least in Katara's mind. Zuko's double swords skills were nearly better than his firebending, and he was indeed a bender that had a strong teacher. Azula, well, Katara had never seen Azula use anything but bending, but she was sure to be horrifying. And Mai? Mai was arguably the one that, out of the three, Katara wouldn't want to meet alone in a dark alleyway.
The first day was instructional, in the way that Piandao took care to go through and discuss all of the swords in the ground. Katara had the forethought to bring a piece of parchment and some ink and furiously took down notes one each of the weapons, knowing Sokka was just going to 'commit this to memory' and likely forget it in a week.
"Each sword or weapon here has a story. A different use, a different history. To pluck a sword from a pile randomly will only take you so far. It is up to you to pick the sword that best fits your needs. Who you are, who you want to be, what you want to use it for. At the end of this session, we will make you your own sword, to all your own qualifications. In the meantime, though, I encourage you to play around with the ones here. Prince Zuko has been so kind as to book this garden patio for the extent of my stay. No one will disturb the swords or training figures set up here, and you will be welcome as you come and go." Although he spoke to Sokka, he looked at Katara, at least fleetingly. She nodded; this is how she'd practice.
The lesson ended after the descriptions of the swords. That, in itself, had already been about two hours. Sokka was gone like a jackrabbit, before Katara got a chance to grab him.
XXxxXX
It seemed impossible to Katara, that with everything going on, that the ladies were still expected to attend meals with the Royal Family as they had before the attack. Or, possibly, the Royal Family was doing this to restore some sense of normality.
Some of the girls, like Maiha and Anasemla, breathed a sigh of relief to be able to return to 'sensible' and 'logical' things. Which was funny, for Katara personally thought that getting entirely dressed up for one meal- food that was usually a little bit too ridiculous for her taste- was the antithesis of sensible. It was downright crazy, and something that Katara would not miss once she left the Palace.
At home, meals were a group event, yes, but it was so much more casual. There wasn't the air of stiffness that seemed to linger here, the baited questions from Ozai or the intense glares from Azula.
Zuko was the only thing that made these meals bearable, but more often than not, he was skipping meals to keep up with the insane amount of work his father expected of him.
Katara thought they'd be dismissed on those days, but instead, they were told to sit through meals with some of his less desirable family, trying not to answer anything wrong. It felt like a test that Katara was never prepared for.
A few girls liked the challenge of impressing Royal Family members. They thought that, maybe, if they made a good enough impression on Ozai, were able to form a daughterly bond with Ursa, or charm Lu Ten, that their rank would shift. Katara thought that was stupid, but all power to them.
The groups had been shaken up once again, and this time, Katara's group was much better. Toph certainty got the short stick, having her designated meal time with Mai, Nadhari, and Avezieh. Smellerbee joked there was some god out there that really didn't like Toph.
Katara was with Suki, Maiha, Ratana, Jin, and Soairse. A respectable, albeit quiet, group. She was grateful Suki was there, otherwise she didn't know who she'd talk to. Well, she'd make friends with others, she reminded herself, as she'd done with all of her other companions here.
She was picking through her lunch, talking to Suki about something sort of silly- the history of tea in the Earth Kingdom- and not something fun like swordplay or fighting stances, ready to accept that it would be another meal without Zuko in attendance. It was the norm, recently. Katara knew she wasn't even the only one to feel this disappointment. In fact, she had less reason than any to feel so morose about it, considering she saw Zuko much more regularly than anyone else, but Katara was so selfless sometimes she allowed herself to be selfish with him.
"I apologize for my tardiness, ladies."
Katara choked on her soup, which was the average response from around the room. Zuko hadn't been to a meal in days.
"Of course not, Prince Zuko, no need to apologize," Suki spoke up first, a sigh of relef escaping her shoulders too, "We know how much you have to do of late."
"Still, I had not wished to have been ignoring any of you," Zuko replied. When he smiled, it really did feel like he was smiling at all of them.
"Why don't you sit, dear? You've only missed the appetizier," His mother said, coming to kiss his cheek. He smiled and blushed a little at her affection, the red on his cheeks such an adorable softness that Katara thought she'd never tie of seeing. The love for his mother was refreshing, comforting.
Zuko rubbed his mother's hand as his eyes gazed around the table, trying to find a seat. There was only one seat left, one next to his father and far away from any of the ladies.
"I can move, of course," His mother offered. Katara tried not to look too excited; Ursa was sitting on her other side, which would mean that Zuko would sit next to her.
"No, that's quite alright," Zuko said. Katara ran her nail across her palm under the table, "Lu Ten, do you mind?"
"Of course not, cousin," Lu Ten said, bowing. Katara sipped her water, hiding her face. She couldn't help it. She felt sort of tossed aside, a little forgotten or unwanted. Which, she considered, is what she told him he should do, not to draw attention to them.
It still hurt.
Lu Ten wasn't a long way away, more or less across and to the left of her seat. Far enough away so that his dismissal to sit next to Katara was still...noticed.
Suki, under the table, patted Katara's leg comfortingly. Jin sent her a winsom smile. Maiha looked pleased, and whispered something in Soaire's ear, who had a grin that Katara had never seen on her face, one of vicious glee.
Luckily, just as Zuko was sitting, the salads were arriving, meaning that there was a flurry of maids and servers, letting the burn settle and ease on Katara's mind.
Zuko talked with almost everyone, except Katara. It almost seemed like he was going out of his way to snub her.
No, snub her wasn't right. He still would glance over to her, like when he was talking to Suki, and he'd get a warm look in his eyes. It was obvious he cared. This was just...strategic. Something Katara repeated to herself over and over.
It was nearing the end of the meal, when a fruity dessert was served, that Katara felt it.
At first, she just thought it was Suki's long dress robes brushing against her leg, and she ignored it. It was a mild tickle, a slight touch near her ankle.
However, when it happened again, it was much more forceful of a touch and ran up the length of her leg, under her dress, from he ankle to her knee.
Katara yelped, thinking it was a spider or a bug, grabbing her leg...nothing was there.
"Princess Katara?"
"I just...poked myself on the knife, my Lady," Katara said, looking to Ursa.
"Are you bleeding?" Azula seemed much to excited at the idea.
"No, it just startled me."
When the feeling occurred yet again, Katara bit her lip to keep from crying out. She felt it rise up higher, on the upper part of her thigh.
She was ready.
Her hand clasped the foreign object under the table and found it...foot-like?
She ran her fingers across what felt like a sock, trying not to frown or make a face. She chatted with Suki, trying not to draw attention to whatever was occurring under the tablecloth.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zuko give a nearly unnoticed shiver.
She would bet all of her fancy jewels she was drowning in who was on the other end of this mystery foot.
Zuko glanced up her way only as Suki asked him a question.
There was clear amusement, boy-like enojyment, in his eyes. Behind his hand, a shit-eating grin.
His foot rose higher.
Katara startled again, unable to help herself, as his foot went dangerously high. Her face was as hot as the soup they'd been served earlier. Zuko's foot retreated.
"Princess?"
"Knife, again," Katara muttered sourly.
"My, my, you're just an accident waiting to happen today," Lu Ten laughed, completely unaware.
"Something like that." Katara said.
Zuko got up a moment later, apologizing for his early exit, claiming he had some papers to look over. Katara wondered if this was true.
She was a little irked he'd gotten the best of her.
As she watched him leave, she knew it was on. She was absolutely going to find a time to make him as red as he'd made her.
"Katara, you fine?" Suki asked kindly, "You have a war look on your face."
"I'm fine," Katara agreed, but her mind was already forming a game plan. If there was one thing that could be said of Katara, it was that she never quit. Katara liked winning things.
XXxxXX
As it turned out, she'd have a reason to find Sokka later, what with the arrival of a certain letter from GranGran addressed to not just Katara and Sokka, but Pakku as well. Apparently, Pakku had also sent her a letter after the sparring lesson, though perhaps a little more colorful than her grandchildren's. The letter paused all thoughts of how to devilishly get back at Zuko.
She went and banged on Sokka's door.
"Seriously, it's important! GranGran sent me a letter. Stop ignoring me!" She pounded on his door with each word.
"You're not kidding, are you?" He creaked the door open.
"Is this how to get you to pay attention to me?"
"I'm not ignoring you," Sokka muttered sourly.
"Oh, you so are, but we're not going to bicker about this now. We have important family revelations to read," Katara said. She held the letter away from him. "It's addressed to Pakku as well."
"That doesn't bode well. I mean, 'spoiler alert' much? He's totally our grandfather," Sokka said.
"Shh!" Katara shushed him. "Not so loud."
He ran his fingers through his hair, at least looking a tinge embarrassed. "I'll meet you in the arena in like five while you go find Pakku."
And so they met. Three Water Tribe members, all staring at the letter in Katara's hand like it was going to bite.
"Well, get on with it," Sokka urged.
Carefully, Katara broke the seal.
The letter was more like a novel, but perhaps they'd finally get some answers.
"Dear loves; Katara, Sokka, and Pakku," Katara began. Both her and Sokka looked up at Pakku. He did look a bit more flushed than Katara had ever seen him.
"Well, get on with it," he grumbled.
"Right. Uh, okay. By now, it seems you've already guessed a secret I only thought I'd be revealing on my deathbed."
Once again, Sokka and Katara looked to Pakku to see his reaction.
"We're going to be here all night if you two look up at me like damn meerkat-seals every half a sentence!" he griped.
"Well, he's right." Sokka rubbed the back of his neck.
"Fine. I'll read it straight through, no stopping." She stood up on the arena seats, turning her back toward Pakku so as not to be tempted to see the faces her mentor was making. She cleared her throat, and began to read.
Dear loves; Katara, Sokka, and Pakku.
By now, it seems you've already guessed a secret I only thought I'd be revealing on my deathbed, if at all. I should have foreseen it; Katara and Sokka, you two are far too intelligent for your own good. And, as soon as I saw Pakku, a part of me knew that this was not going to stay buried for long. So, I've had time to think of how I wanted to write this letter. With that being said, I think I have re-written the letter itself time and time again, never quite finding the right way to explain something that, frankly, has no valid explanation.
But I owe it to all of you to at least try.
I suppose the beginning is a good place to start.
When I was betrothed to Pakku in the North, I was young. I was 16, and he was a good match for me, considering his family was in the upper class of citizens, whereas my family - your ancestors - were in the poor class. I was told I was lucky to have such a match. But, even more unique, we were in love.
I was set to have it all, or at least all that most girls could have ever wanted. A husband who would care for them, security, their future children's lineage set...yes, it seemed to all be set perfectly. Except, it wasn't.
I was very much like you, Katara; too stubborn for my own good, and worldly. I was not blind to the ways that the North was that was so antiquated, so backwards. I was enraged often and dismissed even more so. Among the many, many issues within the North, one that I recognized was that I - as a woman - would always be a second class citizen. My greatest achievement would only ever be the children I bear and I would fade into the background, a faceless and nameless generic woman, despite having so much more to offer. I was interested in politics, in health, in weather, in astrology...and, as soon as I became of marrying age, I was told to put these 'silly things' aside, whereas the men were only encouraged of this.
Pakku and I would fight constantly over this. Of all the wedges in our relationship, this was the biggest. He had no reason to see my views. He was who the system supported, who the system was built for and by. I knew that as much as he loved me, and I never doubted that, I was not going to change his mind.
And that was a life I could not live.
At this point, the North had a new and burgeoning relationship under the Fire Nation rule. We'd cut off communication from our sister tribe nearly eight years ago. I managed to find some letters kept that described the South as a more welcoming society, one in which women were treated the same as men. I had no way of knowing if the South still acted as such, or if the plan forming in my mind would end in disappointment, but I knew I would hate myself if I never tried.
There were some women who were, like me, disenchanted about the way the North was, but too scared to try to leave. They were instrumental in helping me leave, however, and I'll always remember them. Even if they did not think themselves to be brave, they were, more than they gave themselves credit for. One woman stole food for my journey, another a boat. One planned the route I would take. One listened in on her husband's lessons and then taught me, in secret and against the law, how to navigate by only the stars and the wind. My best friend sewed me the warmest parka I've ever put on to this day, so I would not freeze on the journey.
On the first day of the Summer Solstice, I left. I knew the festivities would give me the best chance to leave without any notice, as most people would be starting to get drunk and feed on the year's harvest. I was also set to marry Pakku on the third day, and I was terrified if I waited any longer and married him, I would convince myself into living this life, as so many other women before me had done. That I would be charmed by him, that he would give me all the reasons in the world to stay.
It was the most terrifying thing I'd ever done, but I pushed myself out into the sea and sailed to the South. I kept the betrothal necklace, because despite it all, I still loved Pakku and knew it was unlikely I would ever love someone as much. He was not a bad person; he isn't. He may be grumpy, but he was just a person who grew up in a way that he was taught to be normal. I knew I was breaking his heart. My heart, as I went farther and farther from home, was breaking too.
Arriving in the South just days after the Summer Solstice, I was met with enthusiastic warm welcomes. I was put to work immediately, and taught along the way all the things the North would have never allowed; hunting, battling, ship mending, astrology, sailing...my gamble had paid off.
During this time, I became close friends with the chieftain, Kesuk. He was not much older than I, having taken over the majority of the tribe along with his younger brother after the passing of his father in the battles against the Fire Nation. He was actively looking for the third addition to the trio of leaders, a partner.
I look back onto now and think that it was kismet. So many things just fell into place for me. I was already giving him council on a variety of things two weeks into our stay, and we were simply inseparable. He was my best friend and I was his. Thus, when I realized the state I was in, he was the first person I told.
If I had known then that I was pregnant, would I have left the North? It's uncertain. I hate that I took away Pakku's opportunity to know his future child, but this life was already so much better, so much fuller for me, that it's hard to regret too much. It's something that would keep me up at night, as I wondered, what sort of father you'd be, Pakku. I know in my heart you'd be a good one, but maybe it only brings you pain to hear such things. I never wanted this to happen. I had thought I had watched my moon cycles better, so for this not to happen. Especially because if the North had knowledge about what Pakku and I had done prior to our marriage, they would have been horrified and we could have been punished. But alas, to be young and in love and have far too many emotions and hormones...well, I won't horrify my grandchildren any more than that.
It was the day that I told Kesuk my secret he told me his...he did not favor women, but men. This in the South, in itself, was not frowned upon. It was that he was expected to further the line and find a third council member, as his brother was merely 10 and years away from even thinking about his future like that. It was then a plan was hatched, one mutually beneficial. We would marry, I would help as the third council member, and this child - boy or girl - would give the South the heir they so desperately needed after losing so many members and so much hope in maintaining their independence.
Most of the members of the tribe were young. There were only a few elders around, and they agreed that this solved more problems than it made. It was easy enough to lie from that moment on that I had arrived after the Winter Solstice the year prior, repeat it and repeat it and repeat it until that's what the tribe itself believed. It helped that your father was born wailing, and strong, on the Winter Solstice six months later. A true leader, they said.
By the time that your father was sixteen and starting to like Kya, everyone believed without question I had arrived about four months earlier than I actually had. No one questioned that your father was not Kesuk's. Of course, there were whispers as to why we never had another, or that he seemed to linger too long sometimes on a particularly hearty warrior, but it didn't really matter, not with a strong heir to bring them into the future.
I loved Kesuk, not even as a brother, but as something hard to describe. I love Pakku in a romantic way, but my love with Kesuk was none less real because it was built on friendship. I miss him constantly. We were well matched. Had I been a man or he liked woman, we would have been perfect together. The day he died still stands out in my mind as one of the darkest days of my entire life.
And oh, did he love your father, children. Hakoda was the light of his life. I have no doubt had he lived to see the birth of the two of you, he would have cared just the same. I know he's watching over both of you. Even if he was not biologically your grandfather, he is still your family and will always be there for you.
I never intended to tell anyone. Or, at least, not now.
In all, it's out to the people that matter now. I sat down with your father yesterday, for he deserves the truth too. He's hurt, but I know he will come through it.
There are a few positives, or so I hope, to this. One, that I do not have to hold such a lie in my heart anymore. And, two, that you two may get to know your true grandfather. He may seem grouchy, but deep down I know he's a man that has much love to give. And Pakku, I pray you do not hate me too much.
Forever yours,
Kanna.
Katara finished reading. She licked her lips, turned, looking hesitantly at Pakku. She'd known, somewhere, but hearing it out loud was just...
"Grandpa!" Sokka said, breaking the tension. "Or would you prefer Grandfather? Or maybe Grandpappy? GrandPakky-"
"I'd prefer Pakku," Pakku broke in cooly. "And you will not refer to me as your grandfather again."
"Ouch, man." Sokka looked a little crestfallen.
"You childish boy," Pakku snapped. Katara raised an eyebrow, re-rolling up the letter. She knew somewhere, deep down, Pakku was showing love. "You are referred to as a Prince and Princess due to your lineage. Have you no forethought to what would happen if they found out you are not from the chieftain's line?"
"But, GranGran married Chief Kesuk." Sokka scratched his head. "So, I mean, technically..."
"The Fire Nation cares little about technicalities. It's blood itself that matters. Your father's claim to the nation could even be argued. If there is any weakness..." Pakku pressed a finger to his temple. "It would have been better for this secret to stay buried. Kanna had the right idea. You understand?"
"Yes," Katara said, "We do."
There was a flash of pride on Pakku's face, so fleeting Katara thought she might have imagined it. Sokka, however, was not done and wanted to argue.
"So, what? We just go on like we never heard any of that?" Sokka asked, slouching low, clearly hurting a little bit.
"For now, yes. My interactions from here on out with you will be strictly professional, so I will take this moment to say that, you are - despite it all - intelligent young children who I am not completely horrified to be related to," Pakku said. Katara knew this meant that he loved them already. Sokka seemed to realize this because he looked almost angry.
"Until when?"
"Until..." Pakku paused. "Until things are better."
XXxxXX
"He hasn't said a thing since he returned."
Aang could hear Ty Lee talking to Zuko in a hushed whisper, just outside his door to his room. Ty Lee shouldn't even truly be in here, but she had very adamantly refused to leave his side since last night.
"Do you know what happened?" she finished. "His aura is black. Like-"
Whatever comparison she was about to make she cut herself off from saying, ending with a small cough.
You did your best.
No, Aang though back angrily to Suluk, I refuse to accept that! I could have saved him.
Aang, dear, your friends are worried.
The soft voice was the one of Udaya, one of the kindest Avatars, whose voice often was spoken over by other, more aggressive Avatars. In fact, it seemed only Suluk and Udaya were comforting him now, after Roku's and Katsata's stern 'pull yourself together's seemed to do nothing but cause Aang to recede further within himself.
"Only that it was not good," Zuko replied to Ty Lee. "Which I hope means that they did not succeed. I'll try to find more out. Perhaps Uncle Iroh will tell me. I'll be back later. In the meantime..." Aang could hear Zuko breathing behind the door. He sounded tired. "In the meantime, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."
"Stupid?" Ty Lee echoed. Aang could imagine her eyes widening in confusion. They were probably a warm hazel-brown right now. Ty Lee's eyes were so expressive, taking on the color of whatever shade was around her. Whenever they were around Aang, they were a soft gray color, just like his.
"You'll know it if you see it," Zuko huffed.
Ty Lee hesitated outside the door. Aang could just see her now, bottom lip between her teeth, fingers playing with each other as she decided what to do, and maybe she'd trail her left hand through her long braid, tugging on it when she reached the bottom of the twist.
Finally, she seemed to decide, because she entered through the secondary door, breathing deeply.
"What is Zuko afraid you'll do?" she questioned, unable to keep her curiosity settled.
Aang, who found it difficult to not answer Ty Lee, turned toward her with a blank look on his face.
"Go into the Avatar State. Kill Zhao. Recede so far into my mind that the other Avatars will have to take over."
Ty Lee's fingers clasped around his wrist. Her skin was so warm, so soft.
"You're not actually thinking of those things, are you?" Her eyebrows knit looking at him.
"They've crossed my mind," Aang replied dully.
"Aang, please, tell me what happened," she tried again.
He gave her a sad, quiet smile and shook his head. He couldn't speak of it. He wouldn't.
Ty Lee didn't pressure him, which was absolutely something Zuko would have done. He was pleased about this, and she let him just drag his knees to his chest, considering all the ways he'd already failed the world.
When Zuko returned later that night, he wasn't alone. At first, Aang just thought it was a servant pushing food into the room, food that admittedly smelled divine, from the second shuffle of feet. Then, Zuko asked them to leave, and the movement of feet multiplied.
Aang lifted his head to see the whole group staring back at him.
"Why are they all here?"
"He speaks," Zuko said dryly, shoving the cart on wheels toward him. "Eat," he commanded sharply. There was an undertone of care and of worry.
Aang rubbed his hair, scowling. The aroma of the rice and vegetable dishes were too tempting, and he angrily grabbed a bowl, trying not to make an expression of pleasure as he took his first bite.
"Why are they here?" he repeated again, mouth full of food.
Sokka sat next to him, reaching over his arms to take a dumpling and pop it into his mouth. "Because. We're all in this now, bud."
"I got the story from my father, of all people," Zuko explained, motioning for everyone to sit. Sokka scooted over to make room for Shoji and Aiga to sit with him on the chaise lounge. Ty Lee balanced on the arm, closet to Aang. Toph leaned against the wall. Zuko sat on an oversized chair. Katara, seeing no other places to sit, blushed momentarily before settling herself on Zuko's lap.
Zuko's whole face went red and Sokka made a string of noises in the back of his throat of displeasure, waving his hands.
"Do you want to sit on Zuko's lap, Sokka?" Katara shot back, crossing her arms, any trace of embarrassment she might have momentarily felt overridden by her desire to set her brother straight. Aang raised an eyebrow at the Water Tribe warrior, who just continued to gesture helplessly.
"Can't you sit on the floor?" he whined.
"Okay, okay," Zuko said, shaking his head, but his palm tightened around Katara's waist. "Can we get back to actually important things?"
Aang shot Zuko a small smirk. He knew his quasi-brother well enough to see that he clearly wanted Katara to remain there. Luckily, his distraction wasn't without merit.
"Fine," Sokka huffed.
"What did Big Bad Fire Dad have to say about Aang's torpedoed mission?" Toph threw out, head slightly turned in curiosity.
"Apparently," Zuko said, staring straight at Aang, "They found one single airbender hidden in town with a family. The family has been..." He made a face of displeasure, choosing his words carefully. "Dealt with."
The family helping him! How could I forget! Aang's eyes widened as he felt his despair start to spiral again. They were killed. I know it. Zuko just doesn't want to say it in front of me. I should have thought of that! I should have realized that-
Ty Lee brushed her fingers over his shoulder. Not enough for it to be a straight-up touch, like the way that Zuko's fingers were on Katara's side, but a comforting motion. He breathed out hard.
You'll just have to be aware of that, for next time. No one expects you to know it all, Udaya murmured in his mind. That was true. There would be a next time. Aang was sure of that.
"Damn," Toph said, raising a single eyebrow.
"The airbender, though Zhao told my father he was very careful to keep him alive, somehow still died during interrogation, before anything useful could be found out," Zuko said. He wasn't quite grinning, because a man's death was never worth a smile, but he did look almost pleased.
"Aang?" Ty Lee asked.
"I had to," Aang said firmly. "He asked me to...he asked me to kill him, so he wouldn't talk."
"Aren't airbenders all love, peace, zen, and no violence or whatever?" Toph frowned.
"Toph!" Shoji choked.
"Usually," Zuko answered smoothly. "But Aang clearly made a difficult choice. It was, I believe, the right one." Hearing Zuko on his side made things a bit better. Just a bit.
"How did your dad just offer all this up?" Sokka leaned forward with suspicion.
"Well, I might have overheard the fallout between my father and Zhao." Zuko shrugged. "Since it was clear I wasn't getting it anywhere else. Azula...erm, she was the one who told me that they were fighting."
Aang snapped his head up. He'd never liked Azula.
"Why would she care?" Aang asked carefully.
"Azula is always looking for a good fight, she likes drama." Ty Lee laughed uneasily.
"Yes, obviously, she's psychotic," Sokka snorted. "Why'd she tell you?"
Zuko gave a helpless shrug. Sokka began to theorize with Zuko, but Aang more or less tuned it out. All he thought about was Roddon's face, and the relief he expressed when Aang agreed to help him. But, if Aang had been doing his job, he would have never been in this situation.
"I should have found him first," Aang said firmly, speaking over his friends.
Everyone quieted.
"What?"
"Roddon, that's his name. I should've...I should have found him, and the other airbenders, before. I mean, Zuko managed to get Dhakiya to safety, so clearly there are options and...I just...I feel sick imagining having to make this choice again when I need to be getting ahead of it!"
"Well, it's easier said than done," Toph said, in one of the rare moments she was completely serious. "You couldn't have guessed where Roddon was gunna turn up, or where any airbender would turn up, to be honest! Seems sorta like a blind girl throwing darts at the wall and seeing where they hit."
"Is that true though?" Katara rubbed her chin. "I mean, Pakku told me that all bending his hereditary. You had to have the gene somewhere. Maybe it's not...awake," she struggled for a way to describe it, "But it's still there, like in my father."
"You know, that's not totally ridiculous," Zuko said, eyes brightening.
"Erm, thanks?" Katara said.
"No, gah, that came out wrong. What I'm saying is at first Dhakiya thought it was just a gift from the Gods that gave her her bending, that it was all random. However, her father researched his family history, and while we can't confirm it, because it's not like airbenders were painting themselves bright blue and announcing their location to the world, but the location of his mother's side of the family is fairly close to where Airbenders might have come from, if they were just off from visiting a Temple."
"So, it's not random, who had these powers 'woken up'." Sokka did air-quotations. "It's trackable."
"Not in the sense that our records are precise, but it's not nothing to go off of," Zuko said. The group fell quite for a second.
Suddenly, Aiga took a sharp intake of breath that whistled through her teeth, standing up. "The reports!"
"What reports?" Katara asked, blinking at her handmaid.
"The reports! The census reports! Oh! Remember when we were in the hidden room, during the attack? I was looking at census reports about big groups that suddenly migrated to the areas nearest to Air Temples? I'd bet you anything that those were Airbender Refugees going under the radar. They probably took on Fire Nation last names, to stay undetected, but they are there!"
Aang was on his feet at once, pacing.
"You really think we can find them?"
"We can trace lineages," Zuko said, and Aang could see his mind racing too fast for words. "And it will give us ideas of descendants about who possibly could have inherited airbending. I mean, we could start to cross reference it, see if any of those descendants in the family line have gone missing, run away recently. And, you could hit up cities where people are before Zhao gets wind of it. I mean, you're the Avatar, people will trust you. Even if they don't know, likely Air Temple communities still stick in touch, culture, so they might be aware of who-"
"Woah, Sparky, take a breath there," Toph said, eyes wide. Aang realized he hadn't actually paused or inhaled the entire time he was talking.
"I just...we can really make a difference," Zuko said, meeting Aang's eyes. He looked more excited about politics than Aang had seen him in years...no, in forever.
"How did you get Dhakiya to the safe house?" Shoji asked.
"A lot of friendly helping hands. Food merchants, friendly houses, boats...people that didn't mind smuggling her away, keeping her hidden. Her dad went with her. Sometimes, she'd be stuck at a place for days, waiting for a contact, but they always came through," Zuko explained.
"A route of safe passage," Katara echoed, eyes wide. "Do you think they'd be willing to do it again?"
"Some, because they're good people. Some, if we pay them right," Zuko responded. He nudged Katara for her to get up. "But, first, we need some documents. Toph and Aiga come with me; you'll need to open the secret room again, Toph, and Aiga knows what we're looking for," he said, motioning. "Shoji. Go into my room with Aang. You two have the most reason to be in there. The very bottom left drawer of my desk is a fake-out. Lift up the fake bottom and you'll find my scrolls about how I got Dhakiya out. Bring them back in here and we'll start going over them to figure out who we can trust, who we can pay enough to trust, and who we might need to replace. We'll come back with the census reports."
"This is going to be a whole lot of paperwork we have to wade through, isn't it?" Sokka complained.
"Unfortunately." Zuko didn't sound sympathetic though. "And, since you are the Water Tribe Representative, you probably have the most reason to be in the Royal Libraries and Records Center, which means you'll be doing a lot of it."
"Oh, wonderful."
"Sokka, we're saving lives!" Katara hit his arm.
"I get that, I get that." Sokka did look like he didn't mean it. "It's just...well, things are sort of serious now. I don't want to screw up."
Aang found it in himself to smile.
"Hey, at least you'll know that that first mission I did was rock bottom. Nothing we do from here on out could be any worse, bud," Aang said, and Ty Lee grinned broadly at him, clearly pleased he was able to put aside his worries, temporarily.
The groups split up. Aang easily found Zuko's hidden drawer, perhaps too easily. He made a mental note to make a better hiding place for that. Aang had been hiding for years. He knew a thing or two about secrets.
He spread the maps and notes all over the floor of his room, and immediately the group started pouring over them. Zuko was meticulous, at least, years of careful Fire Nation schooling meaning his notes were all flawless and ink-splotch free, as well as thorough. It was all too easy to start organizing his thoughts, as though he was in the room with them.
Katara and Sokka began listing off people who had helped, as well as discussing ways to contact them again, and then ways to keep them safe. Or, was that even a possibility? Anyone who leant them a hand was putting themselves in grave danger, and short of getting the people themselves out of the system forever, they were risking everything.
Shoji was studying the map with a concentration Aang didn't dare break. He saw his finger flit across the surface, and when Aang gathered the courage to ask, Shoji explained he was mentally trying to map different paths the airbenders could take. It would make them sitting turtle-ducks if everyone took the same route every single time.
By the time Zuko, Aiga, and Toph returned, Aang made sure to pull Zuko aside to ask how many people the safe house that Dhakiya was in could take. Would they have to find another one? How were they being fed? Somehow, Aang had fallen into a leadership position with this whole thing, albeit unexpectedly. Zuko didn't seem like he was ready to take that away from him, in fact, he looked relieved.
This was Aang's mission after all, to save these people. The rest of the group looked to him, the Avatar, for guidance.
For the first time since Aang found out he was the Avatar, he had the feeling like he sort of knew what he was doing and where he was going to go from here.
So, a few small notes!
If you all liked the meal Zutara scene, thank my beta hepchaton, who encouraged me to put a fluffy Zutara scene in ;)
And I do apologize that Gran's letter is a lot of exposition but I...well, I got a little carried away XD
Oh! So in the usual two weeks time, I will be in the Caribbean, so without wi-fi and sipping pina coladas or something. So, either expect the story very early (like next Friday, preferably) or late, if it's just too busy and my beta doesn't have time to edit or I drop the ball on writing it.
Anywho, remember to review!