Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Book Three: Fire ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

-Chapter Two-

 

A/N: Sorry this took so long to get this out! My internet's been down for a while, but it's back on now.

 

“Zuzu,” Princess Azula asked impatiently, “have you heard a single word I've said?”

 

Zuko jumped slightly. They had finished dinner a short while ago, and all of the other nobles had left, leaving just Mai, Ty Lee, Azula, and himself. Azula had just completed a monologue about why the Fire Nation needed to draft as many men as possible into the army, and his mind had once again wandered to the Catacombs, and all that had resulted from it, as it always did when he was bored.

 

“Not really, I was was thinking about something… else.”

 

“Of course you were. Yu always are lately, Zuzu. What's on your mind?” He was saved the trouble of answering for the moment by a distraction in the form of that girl from last night- what was again? Kesh? Yes, that was it. She stepped into the room, and upon seeing that they were still there, she promptly sank into a deep bow.

 

“I apologize, I did not know that there was anyone in here,” She said politely, keeping her eyes on the floor.

 

“Oh, it's alright!” Ty Lee said, her usual, bubbly self. “You know, that shade of red is really nice, Azula, what do you call it?”

 

“I call it red.”

 

“Er… would it bother you if I cleared the table?” Once Azula gave her approval, she began to remove the dishes. Picking up a stack, taking them out, then returning for another. She did it as quietly as she could, as the four continued talking.

 

“So really Zuko, what is on your mind?” Azula asked again.

 

“I guess I'm just…” He thought for a second. “Excited to be home. It's been a long time.” He invented, although it was partially true. Though, he thought it was more of an apprehensive feeling.

 

Azula nodded skeptically. “That is to be expected. Just, try to keep your attention on the conversation next time, okay?”

 

Zuko was about to reply, but he was distracted by a small `Whoa!' from the direction of Kesh. The girl was carrying the last pile of glass plates, and she was dropping one. “Ooh!” Ty Lee squealed. Kesh grabbed right before it hit the ground, but as she did another one slipped, shattering on hard floor with a loud crash. She grimaced saying, “I'm so sorry! I'll go get a broom.” She said with an quick apologetic bow, and rushed to the kitchen to retrieve one.

 

“Oh, Mai, Colonel Zungai told me to give this to you to give your father,” Azula said carelessly, handing Mai a note. Kesh returned, appearing slightly disheveled, swept up the mess, bowed again, and left towards the kitchens once more.

 

Azula stood smoothly. “Well, it's getting late.” The other two girls stood as well, but Zuko replied, “No, I think I'll stay awhile longer.” Azula's eyebrows raised, but she made no objection. Once the three were safely away, he stood and walked down the hall into the kitchen.

 

Kesh was standing at the large water-basin, scrubbing the dishes vigorously. He watched her for a moment before saying, “Hello.” She turned towards him abruptly, curtsying. “Hello, sir.”

 

“Listen, I'm sorry about last night. Are you okay?”

 

She waved her hand airily, “Oh, I'm fine. Thank you, though, your highness. I just have dish duty for the next two weeks.”

 

“Okay. By the way, you make good tea.” He gave her a small smile.

 

She returned the smile graciously. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

“I'd better go, or Azula might get suspicious and come see what I'm doing. Goodbye, Kesh,” He said, and she looked pleasantly surprised when he remembered her name.

 

“Good night, your highness. Thank you for visiting me,” she finished shyly, with yet another small bow.

 

“You're welcome,” he said. He walked back to his chambers, wondering what it would be like to grow up a servant.

 

<><><><><><><><>& lt;>

 

“K-Katara, water,” Aang said weakly, lifting his head slightly off of her lap.

 

“Sh,” she said soothingly, reaching for the water-skin. “Don't move.” She helped him drink for a moment, and then eased him back into a laying position. Her brow furrowed as she looked at his slightly scorched clothes and the wound in his back. It was smaller than it had been originally, but it was still quite large. Once again she fumed as she thought about the events in the Crystal Catacombs. How could Zuko do that to her! After she had forgiven him, even offered to heal his scar? She still felt a twinge of pity for him along with the anger, though she tried to deny it.

 

“Katara?” Toph asked, not even remembering to call her `Sugar Queen', “I just thought, what happened to the uncle? I mean he helped us, so…” She trailed off sadly.

 

“I- I don't know, Toph,” She said, her voice cracking slightly. She had been so caught up in caring for Aang that she had forgotten all about the man that had helped them escape. Toph's blank eyes looked a little watery, but she quickly turned away, wiping them.

 

“We're going to be landing soon,” Sokka said from Appa's head. “There's a nice clearing down there.” He, Katara, Toph, Aang, The Earth King, and his bear had escaped from Ba Sing Se just about two weeks ago, and they had been flying from place to place every two days or so.

 

The Earth King- they had discovered that his name was Kuei- was sitting with Momo on his lap, and Basco plopped next to him. “Now that the avatar is a bit more stable, perhaps we should gather some disguises from that town?” He asked, pointing to a small city about a mile and a half from the clearing. They touched down smoothly, and Sokka patted Appa's head with a “good job, boy”.

 

“Maybe…” Katara said, she wasn't sure if Aang could be considered `stable' yet.

 

“We could put Aang in a wheelchair, like the one Teo had, and say he's our ill cousin!” Sokka burst out.

 

“One problem in your master plan, Sokka: We don't have a wheelchair,” Toph teased.

 

“Well,” He thought for a moment. “Then Kuei and I go in this evening and get one inconspicuously, and we use it tomorrow. See? Perfect.” There was a moment of silence, as the little group thought about it.

 

“That could work,” Katara said hesitantly. “But you'd have to be beyond careful.”

 

Sokka waved a hand dismissively. “Of course we will. When are we not `beyond careful'?”

 

Katara grumbled. “About ninety-nine percent of the time.” Sokka chose to ignore that. “Well Kuei, let's go.” The two walked out into the forest as he checked that his boomerang was secure, and headed towards the town.

 

After almost an hour of searching for the desired item, Sokka was beginning to think that they wouldn't find one. After all, they weren't very common. His gaze drifted casually to a merchant on his left, and he brightened immediately. “You there! How much you asking for the wheelchair?” He asked the man.

 

“Twenty silver pieces. This is my only one,” he said gruffly. Kuei reached into the pouch of money at his side, counted out twenty, then placed them on the wooden counter. “We'll take it.” The merchant looked surprised, but handed over the chair. When they were safely out of earshot Sokka asked, “How'd you get that?”

 

“I had it in my robes, but I forgot about it until this morning.”

 

“Oh, well I guess that's handy. Listen, Your- Kuei, you stick out- possibly more so than the rest of us- because your clothes basically scream `I'm rich, come mug me!'. So I was thinking, maybe we should get your new stuff now. It might make things easier tomorrow.” The former Earth King nodded, and after a while longer, they picked out some brown- and- green clothes, similar to what the others they had seen in the streets wore, and he changed into them.

 

“There you are! I was getting so worried!” Katara exclaimed, setting Aang gingerly onto Appa's side and rushing to embrace Sokka. “You got one! That's great! And Kuei, you look nice.” He flushed slightly. “Thanks, Katara.”

 

“Well,” Sokka said. “it's getting pretty late, let's set up camp and go to bed.” Everyone, even Toph, helped to unload Appa and spread out their possessions. Once she was satisfied that everyone was settled, Toph put up her usual A-frame earth tent, and went to sleep. Katara helped Aang to get more comfortable, then she too succumbed to the tiredness that had tugged at her all day.

 

****A/N: Hey there! This one's a bit longer, I think. I have a couple things to say:

 

Thanks for reading, even though it took me so long to get up. :blush:

 

While I may use a few things from canon Season Three, this fanfiction will not have much in common with it.

 

Every time you read and don't review, the Dai Lee brainwash a… a pumpkin-headed gopher-bear. So review! : p

 

 

Jessica