Chapter 13
Zuko moved between the trees, staying a safe distance from his sister while still keeping her and the ship in his view. They loaded Iroh but Azula stayed behind to talk to a woman. By the looks of it neither were having a delightful chat. The need to make himself known almost overrode the rational part of his brain. Not for the first time he was shocked to find he had a rational part. He thought it was the shock that kept him in place and had nothing to do with the fact he was in no shape to start a fight. To start a fight with Azula at that.
He watched as they dragged off the woman, leaving her alone. She seemed frozen in her place, shoulders tense. Was it so bad? If it made her worry how could it not be? Zuko stepped forward the same time as her shoulders fell in defeat and she moved towards the ship. He was now less sure it was about Iroh. He knew Azula better than that. She wouldn’t worry about him. What could make his sister nervous then? Was she going home?
Zuko left the tree line and ran down the shore. The ship had already sailed when he made it inside. Luckily, the Fire Nation princess’s ship was as enormous as her taste for luxury. Sticking to the shadows, he made his way downwards. With each level the light became dimmer and the corridors dingier as expected. He found a changing room which was completely deserted. Grabbing a uniform that looked his size, he quickly got out of the wet clothes.
His disguise must have looked better than he imagined because the moment he walked out wearing the stolen uniform, he was put to work and by the time the ‘shift’ ended he was too exhausted from shoveling coal around to find his uncle. The thick dust that had settled on him felt like a permanent edition to his body but his plans to head towards the showers to try and rub some of it off were halted by the incoming crowd. He was forced to follow the people heading out of work. They shuffled towards the dining hall as if a well-oiled machine. Zuko looked back, trying to see if there was a way to retreat but the corridor was packed. The crowd pushed him forwards allowing no other movements. They were at the basins when he found a place to slip through and hide until the place cleared.
Zuko left his hiding spot once he was sure everyone was eating and paying no attention to even the person who sat next to them. He moved towards the showers and stopped dead at the door to the servants stairwell. It was unguarded and open. He didn’t know why the door pulled at him but he was halfway up the ship before he knew he moved.
The living quarters were even quieter than the lower parts. He stood in front of Azula’s door without one obstacle in his way. He needed a plan and nothing was coming to him. Did he care either way? How many more chances would he get? How many more could he ignore? What if this was his last chance? She was so close. Unsuspecting. Right in his reach. The fire in his veins drove his actions. Zuko stepped forward and out of the shadows.
What happens after you take out your sister? whispered the rational part of his brain.
Take out his sister. He couldn’t believe his chest felt like someone was sitting on it. He wasn’t exactly sure if it was the sister part or the take out part but something in that question stopped him in his tracks. Fighting with Azula could only end in one way. He had always known that. Why was he now hesitating? What were the other options?
Yet he wasn't the same. Going back home was a different matter now. A strange sensation awoke in his stomach, something surged inside and drenched the fire. He stumbled backwards, shaking his head to clear it. Thoughts flooded his brain. What would he do once he entered? What was next? Not tomorrow or the next day, what was the next step right about now? What was he doing? How would he get Iroh out? How would he get himself out? It wasn’t like he would suddenly become in command of her ship.
The doors to her room opened. He scrambled to hide behind a pillar. Azula appeared in the doorway, hair sticking to her face and eyes halfway open. She scanned the area with a yawn, moving over Zuko without a pause. It looked too easy. Once again he struggled with himself to stay hidden.
“What is that smell?” she said, opening the door wider and stepping out.
His mask hanging on the wall inside the room was the last thing he saw as he melted back into the shadows and tiptoed out of her view. He didn’t relax until he had reached probably the bottom of the ship and was as far away from her as he could go. Standing still, he waited to see if anyone followed him. Water hitting the sides of the ship was the only thing he heard. Which was oddly calming. He took a few deep breaths, concentrating on the loud whooshing sound water made and found the fire that had built in him from hours of being around it draining out of his body.
He was forced to move when his stomach started to growl with hunger and he could no longer stay put. Zuko went to the kitchen but everything was closed and locked. Before he could stop himself, his foot made contact with the metal wall. His injured foot. When blinding pain shot up his leg and traveled towards his brain, he lifted his hand to beat the wall but luckily came to his senses. Instead he leaned his forehead against the cold surface, breathing through the pain. On top of all, now he couldn’t walk without limping either.
After roaming around and finding nothing to eat, he walked to the prison section and hid in one of the rooms. It wasn’t long before the continuous movement of footsteps drew him out of the hiding spot. The footsteps were coming from above him where the kitchen was. Too curious and too hungry to ignore it, Zuko followed the sound until he saw a group of similarly dressed people in one of the corridors.
Just like him, they were unwashed and looking exhausted. He slipped between them, keeping his head low. He grinded his teeth against the pain and tried to walk normally. No one would mistake his walk as normal. They passed the entrance to the dining hall, still very much closed, and they passed the entrance to the kitchen, again still very much closed and locked, and kept moving. They almost made a circle around the place before they stopped in front of a passageway between two rooms that you could never see if you didn’t know what to look for. One by one, without exchanging a word, they went through.
He was the last one. No one had questioned his existence. But no one seemed to question the other’s presence either. They had been walking with blank faces, not looking around. Was this a trap? Should he really follow? His stomach growled with urgency. Rolling his shoulders, he jumped in place a few times, preparing himself for a fight. Taking a deep breath, he went through the small corridor. They stood with their backs to him, still not paying attention to each other or him. But their faces had definitely switched from blank to relief.
They had stopped in front of a large metal hatch, which opened from the inside without any prompt. He almost wanted to ask why no one cared about his existence. He stepped through the hatch and drew up short, eyes darting around the dining hall. Wherever he looked there was a cluster of people chatting and smiling. They smiled. Like they were happy or something. Did he fall asleep? Was this a nightmare? A delusion? He blinked a few times to check if it would disappear. Definitely not an illusion. Did they know whose ship this was? Weren’t they afraid? If he hadn’t seen Azula with his own eyes he would think she wasn’t on the ship.
He stood by the hatch which was now closed but occasionally someone walked by and opened it, letting people in. How they knew was still unknown to him. He lowered the cap to cover his scar even more. discouraging everyone from lingering too long. A few passersby still tried to smile at him but largely he was ignored. The relaxed atmosphere was an utter contrast to the blank faces they all wore during the time he spent working with them. No one seemed to mind that some were still dirty from their duties and others were clean and neatly dressed.
“Here.” A shot glass appeared in his view.
Zuko’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. What was this? Did they know who he was? He took the glass to stop them from staring at him rather than planning to drink it. He brought it to his nose and sniffed it. The sharp smell of alcohol made him cough. The other guy laughed. He glanced at him under his cap. He looked a few years older than him or maybe it was the buzzcut that made him look older.
“What is this?” Zuko asked despite warning himself not to speak.
“New here?” he asked, tilting his head to the side to get a look at him. Zuko averted his face and spun around to go back the way he came from when the guy continued, “Wait. If you wait a second you’ll see what this place is.”
“Why do you care?”
“I don’t.” He lifted his glass to Zuko and knocked back. Did the crazy guy want something from him? Did he know who he was? He couldn’t imagine anyone approaching him for any other reason. The guy wiped his mouth on the sleeve before he answered his silent questions. “Your uncle says don’t do anything stupid and see me when we get to Omashu.”
Zuko was stunned. He expected everything but his uncle’s name to come out of the guy’s mouth. When he came around it was too late. The guy was gone. The only trace he existed was the glass Zuko still held. He wanted to go after him but the people in the room had shifted closer to each other, blocking his way. A bell chiming stopped his movements.
Zuko looked around with a frown as all conversations ceased and the crowd shifted even closer to each other and towards the center, where a small space remained clear. The bell was joined by a deeper sound and then by another and another, then someone somewhere started humming. He stared mesmerized as people pulled out makeshift instruments from their pockets or under the tables. And if they didn’t have an instrument they made sounds using their mouths.
Did his sister know this was happening on her ship?
Zuko remained there longer than he intended. Partially to see how it would progress, partially to find the guy who delivered Iroh’s message. After he had walked all corners searching for him he gave up. The place was too packed. And he drew attention by moving around. Making sure no one was looking at him, he slipped out when another group left and headed towards his hiding spot. Why did his uncle need to be always dramatic? Was it really him? Or was it another sick game his sister wanted to play?
He was too impatient to stay still when he knew nothing of Iroh. Why Omashu? Why was Azula going to Omashu? What was there for her? Questions circled his mind as he paced around. He didn’t kid himself. He knew he was restless mostly because Katara was in Omashu. It had been weeks. They couldn’t still be there could they? He couldn’t believe he was almost wishing they had already moved on. But the internal compass told him, he was heading straight for her.
A door squeaked open. He spun around the same time as something zipped passed his ear and another hit his leg. He was able to avoid the next one but the two after sunk right into his chest. He stepped forward, blinking rapidly. Drowsiness and nausea crept inside him at the same time as his legs gave out and he fell forward. Hands grabbed him but he barely felt anything.
Zuko woke up in utter darkness with a pounding headache. He wasn’t sure if the smell of mildew was the cause of his headache or whatever made him mouth dry and limbs numb. It took a long time before he could sit upright. After his eyes got used to darkness he could make out shapes of things in the room. He was glad to know he hadn’t lost his sight. Fumbling around, he found bottled water and a sandwich. Not caring about anything, he tore through the sandwich.
Once again he found himself locked in total darkness. Was this some sort of destiny? Were the Spirits trying to tell him something? He wasn’t sure how long it passed but one thing was certain he was nearing wherever Katara was. The connection between them felt like someone was pulling the invisible cord and the closer he had gotten stronger the cord pulled. He had never felt such relief in his life. He hadn’t even known what relief was until the weight from his shoulder was lifted. The weight that the distance between them had created.
In the time he spent locked in that room, a door opened in the ceiling and someone dropped food and water a few times. He assumed it was his uncle’s doing because Azula wouldn’t have bothered with niceties. Not to say, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from gloating. He didn’t care if Iroh was trying to protect him, he was going to get out of there when the doors opened the next time. There were no stairs but by now he knew where the door in the ceiling was. He waited right under it, which proved unnecessary.
The ship docked, he assumed in Omashu.
He waited with his heart in his throat. What if they forgot him? How long did he wait before he blasted this stupid ship open. He didn’t have to wait that long. The door opened and a wooden ladder slid down. He was climbing it before it hit the ground but when he pulled himself out of the hole there was no one in the room. Zuko didn’t waste time looking around and ran for the exit.
The current uniform would no longer do but he didn’t have time to shower or change into a guards uniform. He needed to follow Azula. Luckily everyone was too occupied with docking and disembarking the ship to notice him. He got off at the first chance he had and followed her from a distance. He was torn when Azula separated from the guards and went another direction than they were taking Iroh.
Once Zuko saw his uncle’s there was no more hesitation, he followed them towards the prison. Iroh looked terrible. He wasn’t even sure it was his uncle. Hidden in a cupboard, he waited for the guards to take a break or do something so he could sneak past. He was on the verge to give up and just barge in when the window of opportunity came.
A servant took one of the two guards, and a few minutes later a girl came and distracted the guard left behind enough for Zuko to move undetected. He all but stumbled into the prison. Iroh grinned when he saw him before it twisted into grimace. With socked hands, Iroh was scratching himself raw.
“Uncle.”
“You look worse than I do.”
“Sorry to steal your thunder. Why have they not cured you yet?”
“Eh, my luck. We have no cure. But I’m sure your sister is working day and night to find it.”
Zuko only shook his head as he eyed the metal bars. He could blow it open. The hours he spent around the fire didn’t just charge him up but even suppressed the weird feeling in his body. He couldn’t yet identify what it was but it felt like waves crashing into him. Maybe getting rid of extra energy would be even good for him. Dealing with the noise was his biggest problem. He couldn’t take on Azula on her ship and in a city full of the Fire Nation guards it was impossible.
“I’m breaking you out.” He was just not sure yet how.
Iroh glared at him. “You’ll do no such thing. Do you think I can’t break out if I wanted to?”
“Why haven’t you if you can? You know Azula. You can’t stay here.”
“Zuko, listen carefully,” Iroh said in a serious tone. In a tone that promised a lecture. He was rarely in the mood to hear lectures. Now wasn’t exactly the time for one. He was about to wave his uncle off when the old man grabbed his hand. “You need to listen to me. You can’t trust a word Azula says. You mustn’t listen to her promises. Do you understand?”
“What does Azula want to promise me?”
“Didn’t you hear what I said? You can’t trust her no matter what she says.”
“Why do you think she will catch me?”
“Because you aren’t good at using your brain.”
“Maybe you don’t need to be rescued after all,” Zuko said, removing hand from Iroh’s grip and crossing his arms.
“Thank you, my dear nephew. That’s all I’m asking. Everyone needs to stay put.”
“Did you send some guy to me? Why was I locked up?”
“Why do you think you aren’t captured? Now that you know I’ll be fine, get out of here. Preferably without encountering your sister. And if you do, remember, no word she says is to be believed. Promise me you won’t listen to her.”
“You aren’t fine,” Zuko said with a sigh. “And I’m not making any promises.”
Iroh’s eyes narrowed. “I hoped you had changed after everything you went through.”
“I have,” said Zuko. “But I never intend to make promises I don’t want to keep. How do you know what I went through?”
He wasn’t making promises because he didn’t know what Azula could offer him. Now he was too curious not to hear her. Which didn’t mean he wanted to believe her, he just wanted to know what it was. And he didn’t want to make a promise to his uncle because he was pushing him and as always Zuko stubbornly opposed. Iroh’s glower turned into a smile.
“Indeed you have changed. How is Katara?”
“What?! I don’t know what you are talking about.” Zuko almost choked on his own breath. He tried to change the subject. “Why is Azula in Omashu?”
Iroh sat on the ground, continuing scratching without a pause. “Where have you been, living in a well?”
“That sounds more luxurious than the places I’ve lived the last couple of weeks. What did I miss?”
“You won’t believe who was assigned here.”
Zuko had a bad feeling about this. Which didn’t disappear once he heard Mai’s name. Mai was in Omashu. Katara was in Omashu. Now Azula was in Omashu. What was next? End of days? He swiped his hands down his face a few times but it didn’t help him make sense of the world.
The footsteps outside made him move towards the shadows without saying another word to his uncle. He walked far enough to be invisible but close enough to see and hear everything. Mai appeared in the doorway, holding a tay. Zuko smiled at the sight of his friend. It had been too long since he last saw her. He wanted to move to her but something stopped him.
“Mai!” Iroh shouted brightly. “I had a good feeling I would see an old friend tonight.”
She smiled as she placed the tray on the floor and sat down in front of the metal bars. “Still like tea?”
“Is the sky still blue?”
“Dreadful color,” Mai said, mock-shuddering. She poured tea in the cup and handed it to Iroh who was chuckling. “How are you, Uncle?”
“I had a mishap with a deadly flower, otherwise life is splendid, my dear. I’m happy you came to visit me.” Iroh took a sip of tea and sighed in utter delight. “Good tea. Good tea. I hope you’ll visit me more often.”
He was sure Azula and himself were the only two people in the world who didn’t get along with Iroh. As unlikely as it seemed, Zuko knew Mai and Iroh were friends. They had bonding over a cup of tea and ever since she might have confided in him more than in Zuko. Which often pissed him off, since she was his only friend.
“So besides Azula, no one else is trying to kill you?” Mai asked, her eyes moving around the prison.
“Is Azula trying to kill me?”
“With her, who knows?” He saw her shrug. “Are the guards treating you well?”
“Respect for seniority in this nation is becoming a myth. Not everyone should be allowed to be a parent,” Iroh added on a louder note but there was no one to hear him.
“I’ll see what I can do about the guards.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m an old man. If I don’t have someone to dislike, what will I do all day?”
Chuckling, Mai filled up Iroh’s cup.
“So, did my niece send you?”
Was that the question he had been waiting for? When had he started doubting her?
“You know I wouldn’t have come,” she said. “But I can’t guarantee she isn’t eavesdropping.”
“Eh, one of them always is. Don’t think much of it.”
“What?” Mai’s sharp gaze searched the darkness but didn’t find him. “Is he here?”
He saw Iroh wave her off before gulping his tea. “What’s the plan then?”
“Capture both Zuko and the Avatar.”
“And your plans?”
Mai didn’t answer, still searching for him. Her frown deepened before she turned back to his uncle and observed him in silence. Zuko became uncomfortable, it took her so long to answer.
“Help Zuko.”
“And the avatar?” Iroh asked her to his surprise.
“I heard he has people to worry about him.”
“My nephew is an idiot,” Iroh said loudly, looking towards him.
“Nice, Uncle,” he said as he separated from the darkness.
Mai was on her feet and jogging to him the moment he spoke. He stumbled backwards as she smacked into him.
“Don’t you know I worry about you?” she asked him, drawing back. Then she gave him one more hug before letting go. “Sending me a letter or even just a card with ‘I’m okay, Mai’ on it won’t kill you.”
“I missed you too,” he told her with a smile. He wasn’t sure if it was the way Mai behaved herself or how Iroh always seemed to know everything, but they had never pretended to be anything other than friends in front of him. Zuko himself often forgot she had another status.
“You stink.”
“I hear it’s all the rage,” Zuko replied drily.
Mai took his hand and dragged him towards the entrance where the light was. She turned him around a few times, her eyebrows knitting. “You look different.”
“Are you making fun of me?” he asked incredulously.
Mai’s eyes darted towards Iroh before she muttered. “Definitely different.”
“I believe that’s the glow of finding the right path,” Iroh chimed from his cell. “I’m happy I can count on you to help him, Mai, otherwise I have no hope he will stay on it.”
“I’ll help you.” Mai first looked at him, then over his shoulder to his uncle. “But that doesn’t mean I will do anything that will harm her.”
“What will happen if you must choose?” Iroh asked.
“Why ask questions when answers are clear,” Mai replied with one of Iroh’s own wisdoms, making Zuko laugh.
He glanced at his uncle, who wasn’t scratching as much as he was a few seconds ago. He raised a brow at Mai. “Was that a cure?”
Mai’s lip turned up into a smirk. “Maybe I can get rid of your sister faster.” Her head cocked to the side to see Iroh. “No offence.”
Iroh was too happy to be offended. “Thank you, Mai.”
They started discussing his uncle’s rescue under said uncle’s protests. He wasn’t sure what to make of it but Iroh wanted to be Azula’s prisoner. Luckily, Mai agreed with him, they couldn’t allow it. She was telling them about her brother’s rescue mission and how it could provide a timeframe for the rescue when they heard noises outside. They scrambled out of the prison section. Mai offered to hide him until she could come and get them but Zuko had somewhere he needed to be...someone he needed to see.