Cause Some Trouble Chapter 12
CAUSE SOME TROUBLE
CHAPTER 12-- PICKING UP THE PIECES
Quan turned down Zafirah’s request to be moved to another tent. He said he didn’t see any reason to inconvenience one of his people with a stranger’s personal problems. Zafirah knew what would happen if she went back to the tent she’d been sharing with Kuei-they’d both be in for a night of silence even more uncomfortable than the last one; or worse, more arguing. She couldn’t stand the thought of that. With all the anger and hurt boiling inside her, she just knew it was a bad idea. So she went right to Daiyu, who let Zafirah into her tent without a moment’s hesitation.
“What happened?” Daiyu asked gently. Zafirah opened her mouth, all set to let fly about the argument… and then, she just couldn’t. The anger seeped out of her, leaving her exhausted. She shook her head.
“Can I just stay here for the night?” she asked, her voice hoarse.
“Sure. I only have one sleeping bag, though,” Daiyu pointed out.
“Oh. I’ll just, uh… go and get mine then,” she mumbled. She dragged herself out and forced her feet to move across to her tent, praying to the Spirits that it would be empty.
It wasn’t. Kuei’s shoulders tensed as she pushed the flap aside. He shot a glance at her; his eyes were red. She froze, mouth half-open, and then recovered herself.
“Just gettin’ my sleeping bag,” she said under her breath. He nodded jerkily. She grabbed the cloth bundle from the floor and quickly backed out of the tent again. The tent flap dropped back into place, blocking Kuei from her sight. She retreated from the tent, clutching the bag against her chest as her throat tightened. A twinge of regret gnawed at the pit of her stomach, but she clenched her fingers in the soft fabric of the sleeping bag and pushed the feeling down.
This is his fault, she told herself harshly. Besides, I’m better off without a liar like him… But that feeling of regret lingered no matter what she told herself. She trudged back to Daiyu’s tent as tears stung the corners of her eyes. The rebel wasn’t there; Zafirah was grateful for that. She unfurled her sleeping bag and curled up inside it.
It was still kind of early in the night, and she could hear people moving around outside-laughing, talking, playing music and singing songs. She closed her eyes, imagining she was back in the desert… but it was just so different. That wasn’t the Janan Tribe outside, or the Aqila Tribe. The desert was miles and miles away. She was in the midst of strangers. Her brother was gone, and Kuei-
She scrunched up inside her sleeping bag, unable to stop the tears that spilled from beneath her tightly squeezed eyelids. Her insides felt like they were tying themselves up in knots. She suddenly felt very lost, and very, very alone.
////////////
Daiyu was waiting for Kuei when he left his tent the next morning. She stood with her arms crossed imposingly over her chest, her eyes narrowed.
“What, exactly, is going on between you and the Sandbender?” she asked bluntly.
Kuei’s temper flared a little at the intrusion. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid that’s really none of your business,” he said coolly.
“Well, I’m afraid you two are making it my business,” Daiyu barked. “From now until the eclipse, you two are part of this team. After the eclipse, if you’re still alive, you’re welcome to do whatever you please. But until then, anything you do that affects me and my team is definitely my business. I don’t know what happened last night, but it cannot interfere with your training-for either of you. Is that clear?”
“I… y-yes,” he stuttered, taken aback. He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders. “Yes, I understand. I promise, I won’t let personal feelings interfere,” he said as evenly as he could manage. He only hoped he could keep that promise. Daiyu nodded.
“And don’t think I’m singling you out here, because Zafirah heard the same thing from me not five minutes ago,” she added. “Now go on and get some breakfast.” He nodded and walked with her to the cook hut. He was on dish-washing duty again after breakfast, and then it was off to training with Shen.
“Today, we’re gonna work on taking the offensive,” Shen began. “Yesterday, when we were sparring, I noticed that you were just waiting for me to attack, then blocking and counterattacking. You need more than that. So, today, you’re gonna practice attacking first.”
Kuei took up a fighting stance, raising his fists and bending his knees, but Shen stood with his hands behind his back. Kuei straightened up a little, confused. Shen just inclined his head. He dropped back into his semi-crouch, considering the best way to attack.
“You’re thinking too much about it, aren’t you? Don’t do that,” Shen said flatly. Kuei fell out of his stance again, his jaw dropping open slightly.
“But how---“
“Just attack, smart guy. Don’t think, just do it,” the rebel boy told him. Kuei took a deep breath and lunged across the short distance between them, his right fist thrusting forward. Shen immediately shot out of his relaxed posture, swinging his arm to block. Like lightning, he struck back and Kuei was on the ground before he could blink. He looked up, winded, and saw Shen’s hands were behind his back once again. He scrambled to his feet and took a couple steps back, reassessing. He went for a feint this time, his right leg snapping up in a kick. But once again, Shen sent him sprawling.
“Too timid,” the boy proclaimed. Kuei jumped up again and went right into another attack, and this time, he blocked Shen’s counterattack. “Not bad, that time,” he said approvingly. Kuei was suddenly reminded of another training session, back in the desert-but he pushed the memory away. He couldn’t think about that now. It was just a reminder of everything he’d lost in the last couple of days-of the mistakes he’d made. He couldn’t get distracted.
He feinted again and came in with a right hook. Shen’s eyes widened and he brought his arm up just in time to block. He twisted his arm outward and swept Kuei’s fist aside, driving his own fist in towards Kuei’s stomach. He freed his wrist from Shen’s block and deflected swiftly-he spun and kicked, and his foot hit its target. Shen stumbled back and fell, hitting the dirt.
He rubbed the back of his head with a wince, then smiled up at Kuei. “Much better,” he said approvingly.
/////////////////////////
Basam stared up at the ceiling of his cell and sighed. Now that the fear had worn off, being in jail was pretty boring.
“Hey, Linh,” he called.
“Yes?” she answered.
“What’re they planning to do with us? Am I just gonna sit in this cell for the rest of my life?”
“Not necessarily. You’re young and strong, so they may send you to a labor camp,” Linh said in a dry tone. “Most of the prisoners here are political prisoners, like you and me. Run-of-the-mill criminals in the colonies rarely get trials. They are sentenced and punished in the same day, usually. But political prisoners are a different matter. Their offenses must be catalogued properly, and the military likes to make examples of them. A life of hard labor in the camps puts the fear of the Fire Lord, as they say, into the villagers who live nearby.”
“Great,” Basam muttered. “How long have they kept you here?”
“Two years,” came the reply. He glanced sideways at her in shock. She shook her head, making strands of lank black hair sway around her worn face. “Prosecuting one traitor isn’t terribly high on the priority lists of the colonial garrison commanders. I’m sure that eventually they will get around to court-martialing me for treason. Then I will either be sent to the labor camps, or executed.” She sounded amazingly unconcerned by what she’d just said.
“Huh! Wish I could have your level of confidence while staring down those odds,” he said wryly.
“It could be worse. If my crime had been both violent and treasonous, they would likely have sent me to the Boiling Rock.”
“What’s the Boiling Rock?”
“It’s the highest security prison in the Fire Nation. It is located in the center of a volcanic island, in the middle of a boiling lake. It’s inescapable.”
Basam whistled. “Wow. They don’t do anything halfway, do they?”
“No,” Linh agreed. Basam frowned; he hated the thought of either of those things happening to the kind Firebender. And he wasn’t thrilled with the thought of being worked to death as a slave, either. He sat up and scooted closer to the bars, beckoning her over.
“We have that big day coming up, you know,” he whispered as Linh leaned in towards the bars. After telling Linh their story, he’d decided that it was best to keep from talking too much about the eclipse or Kuei’s identity. As far as he knew, no one had overheard them that night. He thought that maybe he should try to keep it that way. “Maybe that’s our chance. We could try to escape, you know?”
“We’re not very likely to succeed,” Linh pointed out.
“Yeah, but still…I think I’d rather die taking a shot at freedom than in some labor camp,” he insisted. He dropped his voice even lower. “And besides, we may get help from the outside. My sister and the-“ he caught himself before saying Kuei’s title. “My sister and my friend are still out there,” he said. “I saw them disappear with those people that ambushed the soldiers. They might be planning something. I know the three of us were sort of, well… our little trio was in pretty bad shape last time I saw them. But I know my sister, and she wouldn’t let that stop her. And I don’t think it’d stop him, either. So, who knows? It’s worth a shot, right?”
Linh considered it silently. “I suppose so,” she agreed slowly. “So, how do you suggest we go about this?” Basam thought about it for a few minutes, and then grinned.
///////////////////
Zafirah was on her own at breakfast the next morning. Daiyu had taken her bowl and gone to talk with Quan. She didn’t really mind; she had no particular urge to talk to the strangers that surrounded her. Once she was done, she went off to her morning duty, which was laundry. Daiyu found her by the laundry basins just as she was finishing up.
“Come on, it’s time for Earthbending lessons,” Daiyu said. Zafirah dried her hands on her sand-colored tunic and tagged along behind the rebel. “Quan agreed to let you share my tent for the rest of your stay here. He’s swapping us into a two-person tent later on,” Daiyu added as they walked.
“Oh, uh... good, thanks,” Zafirah said. Relief welled up within her-but at the same time, there it was again, that twinge of regret. She shoved it away again just as quickly.
“I’m doing this mainly to keep you and Kuei out of each others’ hair,” Daiyu explained. “I’m not sure what happened, but you two are obviously having some problems. I’m sorry things are bad between you, but you need to put it aside. If you want to join us in the fight on the day of the eclipse, then we need you two focused on your training and on the mission. We can’t afford to have people distracted on a mission this big.”
“I understand,” Zafirah said quietly.
“Good,” Daiyu said. “All right then, come on, let’s take another crack at that boulder.”
It was the same boulder as the day before, Zafirah noticed with a scowl. She’d certainly spent enough time flinging herself at it yesterday to recognize the Spirits-be-damned thing.
“Don’t cross your arms like that,” Daiyu told her. Zafirah dropped her arms to her sides with a start. She hadn’t even realized she was doing it. “We’re going to meditate first. I thought that might help you to feel the flow of your chi better. Have you ever meditated before?”
“Sorry,” Zafirah said dryly.
“Okay. Well, just sit down and do what I say.” The two women sat beside the boulder. Zafirah followed Daiyu’s lead, crossing her legs and placing her hands just so on her knees. “Usually, people meditate with things like candles or incense, and cushions to sit on. We’ll just have to make do,” Daiyu began. “Close your eyes and breathe in and out deeply, and try to relax your whole body.”
Zafirah shut her eyes and breathed as deeply as she could, feeling more than a little ridiculous. She’d never really held with mystical stuff like this; that was more her brother’s thing. Her heart clenched at the thought, and she felt a sudden urge to reach for the leather pouch in her tunic pocket. She kept the prayer talisman to remember her father by, but she hadn’t prayed with it since she was a kid. And she didn’t plan to start again, honestly. But if she knew her brother, and if he was still… if he was okay, she knew he’d be keeping his own talisman close at hand.
“Zafirah, I told you to sit still and relax,” Daiyu said.
“I need to get something,” she shot back. She retrieved the little pouch from her pocket and clutched it tightly. She shut her eyes again and put her hands back on her knees. She went back to breathing deeply, in and out… in… out…
Soon, the tension in her muscles started to fade. For the first time in days, she actually felt calm. She would’ve been surprised at how well this was working, but she was too relaxed for things like surprise. The pain and confusion of the last couple of days were still there, but it was like watching it happen to someone else.
Daiyu’s voice reached her as if from a distance. “Okay, now I want you to reach inside and feel the energy in your body. Feel the flow of it.” She focused her mind inward-slowly, she noticed something warm within her. It swirled around inside her like a desert breeze.
“I feel it,” she murmured.
“Good,” Daiyu said. “Picture it in your mind as a stream and follow it. See where it leads.” Zafirah let the feeling well up and surround her; as she did, it shifted in her mind. It became a hazy stream of light, almost, with an earthy, bronze shade to it. She let it carry her along until it grew, spreading out into a pool of light. “Are you there?”
“Yeah, I-I think so.”
“Okay then, open your eyes and stand up. Hold onto that flow of energy.” Zafirah took up her Earthbending stance and eyed the rock, sizing it up. As she drew back her right fist, she felt like something was different. Maybe there’s something to this meditation stuff, she thought. Maybe it’ll work this time… She struck the rock with her fist-and once again, she went flying backwards and got the breath knocked out of her as she hit the dirt.
She let out a strangled cry and thumped her fists against the ground. “It didn’t work! Ugh, what is wrong with me?!” Daiyu reached down to help her upright, but Zafirah batted her hand away and clambered upright on her own. The rebel sighed and scratched her head.
“Let’s put this aside for now. You said you know how to use a knife, right? We can practice that for now,” she said.
“Not till I get this right,” Zafirah muttered, retaking her stance.
“That’s an order, girl. I outrank you here, and I say you’re done with this for today,” Daiyu said firmly. Zafirah bristled, but she knew better than to argue.
“Fine, get the practice daggers. At least that’s something I’m actually good at.”
//////////
Three weeks until the Day of Black Sun…
“Where are we going?” Zafirah asked. She’d gone with Daiyu for her daily training, as usual, but the rebel led her right past the dirt sparring ring.
“I want to try something,” was all the answer she got. Zafirah huffed out an annoyed breath, but she followed anyway. Daiyu led her all the way out to the edge of the camp and into the forest beyond. Soon, they arrived at the bathing pond (which was thankfully empty at the moment).
A thin smile curled the corners of Zafirah’s mouth as she stepped out of the trees. This pond was the one place in the camp where she felt any measure of peace. There was a thin strip of sand running all around the water’s edge. It wasn’t much, but the feeling of those rough grains under her feet always eased the knot of hurt twisting up her insides. It was like a little piece of home. And then there was the pond itself; baths in the desert had been scarce, to say the least, so she enjoyed the chance to soak in the cool water.
“Is it bath time already?” Zafirah asked dryly, turning to Daiyu.
“No, it’s meditation time.” The rebel seated herself on the sand and gestured for Zafirah to do likewise.
The Sandbender frowned. “Why? It didn’t even do anything last time.”
“I’m not so sure of that, actually. Just try it, all right?” Daiyu asked. Zafirah sighed and sat down, secretly delighting in the feel of her element beneath her. She shut her eyes and focused, just like before. She found the flow of her chi much more easily this time, though. It felt stronger, too. She let out a deep breath and opened her eyes. Daiyu nodded to her.
Zafirah stood up and lifted her hands, sweeping them forward. She smiled again as a small whirlwind of sand rose up beneath her hands, twisting and swaying at her command. She lunged sideways and sliced her hands through the air, and she could feel the energy flowing down through her arms as the sand followed. And just like that, something clicked in her mind. She remembered training with the Aqila Tribe before the Fire Nation’s attack-going through those Bending katas, side by side with her fellow Sandbenders…
She’d felt it then-the energy racing along her limbs as she’d gone through each stance-that was the flow of her chi! Her heart thumped against her ribs at the sudden understanding. All of Daiyu’s talk made sense now! Her smiled widened and she spun, whipping a trail of sand around her. The rebel just sat and watched, nodding appraisingly.
Zafirah leaped into the air and came down on the shore with a thud, raising a column of sand inches from Daiyu’s left knee. She hurtled up and down the shore, fists flying and kicking up her feet, sand flying around her. She threw herself into the Bending, letting herself get lost in it. The knot inside her loosened, and it was like all the hurt and chaos of her mind came flooding out. Finally she stopped, breathless and disheveled. She was worn out, like she always was after her training sessions, but it was different this time. The exhaustion didn’t bring with it the sense of hopelessness that her failed Earthbending attempts did. Instead, she felt… light. It wasn’t happiness, exactly; she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. But for the first time since arriving in the rebel camp, she didn’t feel useless.
Daiyu pressed to a stand and put a hand on Zafirah’s elbow. “How about you take one more shot at that rock?” she suggested. The Sandbender groaned.
“Can’t we quit while we’re ahead? I’m actually in sort of a good mood now.”
“Just give it one more try. I’ve got a good feeling about this,” Daiyu insisted. Zafirah sighed heavily, but then she nodded. A few minutes later found Zafirah standing, once again, in front of that same rock.
She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, then pulled her fists back and struck. The force of the strike pushed her back but she dug in her heels, gritting her teeth against the sharp pain in her knuckles and she damn well made herself stay upright. Her feet sank into the soft soil as she pushed back, resisting with all her strength. The struggle seemed to last forever, but then-
The energy pulsed through her arms and she was the one doing the shoving. The boulder slid back with a low rumble. It startled her so much that she lost her balance and fell forward, sprawling against the rock before tumbling to the ground.
Daiyu ran forward and helped her upright. “You did it!” she exclaimed.
“I did it,” Zafirah echoed, stunned. “Son of a beetle! It actually worked!” She laughed breathlessly, and a stirring of hope rose up underneath the despair that had taken up residence in her heart. Things were looking up.
////
It was dinnertime again, and Kuei moved mechanically towards the cook hut. As he stood in line, he saw a pair of familiar faces in his peripheral vision. Zafirah and Daiyu were heading his way, and the Sandbender was actually smiling. It wasn’t as big and bright as usual-the way it had been before they’d arrived at the base and everything had gone so horribly wrong. But it was still that familiar smile. It still shone with that confidence of hers that he admired so much.
But then she spotted him and the smile faltered. He looked away quickly; but before he did, he could almost have thought that he saw a flash of guilt in her eyes. No one else had gotten in line behind him yet, so he was still at the end of it when they reached the cook hut. He couldn’t have said for sure, but it seemed that Daiyu slowed down a few paces away. Regardless, Zafirah reached the line first and sidled into place behind Kuei. Daiyu took the spot behind her.
Zafirah’s eyes were locked on the ground, and he did his best to do the same. It wasn’t easy, though. He’d been doing an admirable job, he thought, of following Daiyu’s command not to let his personal feelings interfere with his training. But now Zafirah was standing right next to him and it was so hard to ignore the tension in the air between them… and even harder to ignore the fact that this wasn’t the way things had been before. And after a couple weeks of hardly ever seeing her, it was also hard to ignore her-the way those shorter locks of hair framed her face, or the curve of her waist, or-
“So,” she said awkwardly. Kuei jumped at the sudden sound of her voice.
“Hm,” was all the response he could manage. He scratched his chin awkwardly. He was starting to grow a beard again-the shaving kit that he and Basam had been using was with the rest of their belongings, somewhere in Hideki’s base. And he hadn’t wanted to inconvenience anyone here by asking to borrow theirs.
“How’s it goin’?” she asked. She shifted her weight, a forced air of nonchalance about her posture.
“Ah. My training is going well,” he said cautiously. “And, uh… yourself?”
“I moved a rock,” she said.
“Oh. That’s good.” Kuei cringed inwardly and turned back to the line ahead, grateful to see that it had moved ahead. They didn’t speak again as they passed through the line. And once they’d gotten their food, Kuei went off to sit in his usual spot and he lost track of the two women. He stared down at the spicy roast pig-chicken and rice, but he wasn’t feeling particularly hungry anymore.
Kuei didn’t have any assigned chores after dinner, so he took the opportunity to go for a walk. He wandered through the woods outside the camp until he reached the pond. The sand around its banks was all torn up, he noticed, scattered in heaps and gouged in deep ruts. Memories of Zafirah and Basam’s Sandbending moves rose up and a smile came to his face. Then he sighed and pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead.
“I can’t believe I let this happen,” he murmured, sitting down beside the pond. “Everything has fallen apart-and it’s all my fault. I let the Fire Nation into Ba Sing Se… I lied to Zafirah and Basam…” he groaned and thumped his hand against his forehead lightly. “Why did I do that? It was so... so stupid! I should have known better!”
He flopped gracelessly back onto the sand. High overhead, a gap in the forest canopy gave him a glimpse of the cloudless night sky. A familiar constellation peeked through the gap: it was the Archer, a folk hero of Earth Kingdom lore. Kuei lifted a hand and traced its shape with a fingertip.
He had a vague memory of his father pointing out the constellations to him. What would father have done? he wondered suddenly. Sometimes, he would try to imagine what his father was like, or how he would have handled various situations. He’d wondered many times how he would have dealt with the fall of Ba Sing Se. Kuei couldn’t help but tell himself that his father would never have allowed it to happen at all.
He had very few memories of his father-but the man in them was kind and wise, yet firm when he needed to be. It was Long Feng who had been more of a paternal figure to Kuei. The man had always insisted that he had Kuei’s best interest at heart-that he wanted nothing more than for Kuei to become a great ruler.
“You needn’t concern yourself with matters like those, Your Majesty,” he’d always said. “You should devote yourself to your studies, so that you can become the magnificent leader you are meant to be. Leave these messy political issues to me, Your Highness.” As Kuei had grown into a young man, it had changed to, “You don’t need to worry about the minutiae of the military, Highness. Your duties are to the citizens of Ba Sing Se.”
And Kuei had bought every word of it. He’d trusted the man whole-heartedly. He’d looked up to Long Feng-even admired him. Long Feng had been very good at playing the roles of indulgent mentor and loyal advisor. And so it had been all the more painful when the man had betrayed him, when he’d learned that all of it had been a lie! His fists clenched in the soft sand at his sides as the pain of the moment resurfaced, like a wound reopening. What a fool I am! he fumed inwardly.
And now he was here, cut adrift in a world he could never seem to figure out. He’d ruined the only real friendship he had ever had. Zafirah and Basam had offered him something wonderful, something he had never known before-and he had taken it for granted.
“I never should have lied to them,” he said softly. “I should have trusted them more and told them the truth.” But it was too late now. The past was done, Basam was gone, and Zafirah could hardly even stand to look at him now. Surely, it was far too late…
He sat up slowly. “There has to be a way of fixing this,” he whispered. “I have to try. I can’t do anything to help Basam right now, but I can put my all into fighting on the day of the eclipse. And if nothing else, I should at least try to apologize to Zafirah. I have to give it a shot. I owe it to her. And if she doesn’t accept it… if I’ve lost her for good… well, I’ll just have to live with that.” He rose up from the sand, dusting himself off.
“Perhaps there’s a way to make up for my mistakes, after all,” he said. He looked up again into the starry sky, and he smiled.
////////////
Two weeks until the Day of Black Sun…
Life had more or less settled down for Zafirah. She still hurt inside, but it had dulled to an ache. The Earthbending was going… not really very well, but at least it was going. She’d moved the rock about ten feet in that day’s training. They’d been spending more time on knife-fighting practice than Earthbending, though. With time running out quickly, she knew she needed to stick to what she was good at.
And as for her messy personal life…she and Kuei mostly stayed out of each other’s way. But sometimes she’d see him around the camp, and their eyes would meet for a second. A couple of times, he’d started to walk towards her, and she would suddenly find a reason to be busy. And every time it happened, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.
He’d been right, the night of that argument-they had been good friends before this had happened. True, they’d only known each other for a little less than a month; but when they were together, it felt like she’d known him for years. And the truth was… she hated to think that it was all over.
She thought back to the conversations they’d had, sitting and talking about all sorts of things; she remembered the sparring sessions before the battle, and the night of sand surfing. She was coming to miss all of that, and it got worse with each day that passed since their argument.
And just to make everything even more of a mess… she couldn’t ignore the turn that her feelings had taken. She couldn’t deny the fact that she felt drawn to him in a way that went far beyond friendship. That hadn’t gone away just because she’d been angry. Him being the Earth King hadn’t gotten rid of it either, for that matter, even though he was so far above her station that he might as well have been walking on the Moon.
The anger had faded. It seemed stupid to hold onto it now, when there was so much at stake. She knew she couldn’t carry that anger with her into battle on the Day of Black Sun. And she didn’t want to hold onto it anymore. She didn’t want to be mad at Kuei anymore. It was too exhausting, and she’d need all her strength for the fight ahead.
And if she was honest…she needed to know she had someone to rely on. Sure, she’d have the rebels fighting next to her, but she didn’t know these people that well-except for Daiyu. How much could she actually rely on them?
Zafirah considered herself to be pretty strong, but she knew there were some things you just couldn’t do alone. This was one of them. She needed a friend on her side. What she needed was that quiet intensity she’d seen in Kuei back in the desert. He’d proven himself to be dependable out in the desert, and much stronger than he looked.
But with each passing day, the idea of patching things up seemed less and less likely. And with each day, she felt that pang of regret grow.
I hate this, she thought. There’s gotta be something I can do about it. Spirits, I can move a rock around with my mind, why can’t I save a friendship?
//////////
Eight days until the Day of Black Sun…
Zafirah held her wooden training knife in a loose, easy grip. First rule in holding a blade: don’t keep a death-grip on the hilt. She stood in a half-crouch, knife held just above her waist, eyes locked on Daiyu-never on her blade. The older woman stared right back. Then Daiyu shifted her weight, just a little, right before she attacked. Zafirah flew into movement-her left hand shot forward to strike Daiyu’s wrist and smack it aside, knife thrusting ahead. But Daiyu grabbed Zafirah’s left wrist with her free hand and twisted aside, dodging Zafirah’s attack and trapping her arm. Zafirah twisted with her and broke the rebel’s grip, then flipped her blade around and slashed at Daiyu’s face.
They were pretty evenly matched, Zafirah had to admit. But she’d been swinging a dagger since she was old enough to lift one. She’d been handling blades for almost as long as she’d been Sandbending. She might not have been much of an Earthbender-but if there was one thing she knew she could do, it was this. Daiyu ducked under Zafirah’s next swing and her shoulder dug into Zafirah’s stomach. She hit the ground, rolled, and swept Daiyu’s feet out from under her with a well-aimed kick.
“All right, I surrender!” Daiyu groaned. She chuckled breathlessly as she sat up. Zafirah grinned and reached down a hand to help her up. “You did a good job today, Zafirah,” Daiyu went on. “You’re already very skilled with a blade, and your Earthbending skills are progressing nicely.”
Zafirah smiled thinly. “Thanks, but I don’t know that I’d call moving a rock fifteen feet to be ‘progressing nicely’.”
“You’ve got a good point, and I actually wanted to talk to you about that. I agreed to teach you Earthbending because I thought I could teach you quickly enough to use it during the attack. But that’s just not happening, and we both know it,” Daiyu said. Zafirah frowned and nodded in agreement. It hurt to admit, but it was true. Then Daiyu smiled a little. “Luckily, I don’t think you’ll need it.” She turned and walked to the edge of the training ring. She came back with a knapsack in her hands.
“What is it?” Zafirah asked, her curiosity roused. Daiyu opened the sack and pulled out a small cloth bag, tied shut at the top and with a strap attached to either end.
“This is a sand bag. I’ve heard that Waterbenders used to carry skins of water on them when they traveled abroad-of course, they mostly stay holed up at the North Pole now, from what I hear, so I don’t imagine it’s much of an issue anymore,” Daiyu said, smiling good-naturedly. Then she pulled out a cloth-wrapped bundle: it was a dagger, not much to look at but very well made. “You may not be an Earthbender yet, but you certainly know your way around a blade. I think you’ll do very well with this on the day of the eclipse,” Daiyu added. Zafirah took the two objects, nearly speechless from gratitude.
“Thanks, Daiyu. I… It means a lot to me.” She looked down, feeling ashamed. She’d been thinking a lot about the last few weeks, and she’d realized that they didn’t cast a very good light on herself. “I’ve been acting pretty badly, haven’t I? I never really thanked you for teaching me Earthbending, and Kuei… I’ve been horrible to him.”
“I guess you have been a little ungrateful,” Daiyu agreed wryly. But then her expression turned serious. “You’re grieving for your brother. Everyone has a breaking point. But if you really want to make things right, it’s never too late to apologize.”
“You sure about that?” Zafirah asked with a rueful grimace.
“Well, I suppose sometimes it is too late. So you’d better not waste any more time, then, huh?” Daiyu suggested.
/////////////
Kuei went looking for Daiyu after dinner that night. He’d wanted to find her sooner, but he and Shen had been discussing strategy. She looked up and nodded as he approached her.
“Good evening, Kuei,” she said pleasantly.
“Good evening,” he replied. He hesitated before speaking again. “Would you happen to know where Zafirah is?” Daiyu set down the dagger she’d been cleaning and considered the question.
“Hmm. Try going to the pond. I’ve noticed her going there some times at night. She likes the chance to Sandbend, I think,” she said.
“Thank you,” Kuei said. He took his leave of her and headed off into the woods. As he walked, he reflected with some amusement on the fact that he and Zafirah seemed to have developed the same habit-he’d been going to the pond at night to meditate.
He’d just arrived at the pond’s edge when he heard a rustling in the brush behind him. He turned and saw Zafirah emerging from the shadows. She froze in place when she saw him.
“Oh,” she blurted. “Shen said you might be here, so, uh…”
Kuei’s eyebrows went up. “You were looking for me?” he asked, trying not to get too optimistic.
“Yeah, actually,” she admitted.
“Ah. I was looking for you, as well,” he replied, his eyes darting nervously towards the sand at their feet. Did he dare hope…? Silence fell between them for a moment. Zafirah perched on a rock next to the pond, and Kuei sat down beside her.
“Kinda like old times, huh?” Zafirah commented. “Waitin’ for the fight to start. Only this time, we know when it’s gonna happen.”
“Yes,” Kuei agreed awkwardly. The words he wanted to say were straining at the back of his throat; he just had to say it, before lost his nerve. “Zafirah, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I lied about my identity. It was childish, and selfish, and-and stupid,” he said urgently.
Zafirah blinked in surprise. “Kuei-“
“I never should have kept it a secret,” he went on, words spilling out in a rush. “I just didn’t know what to do! I was traveling in disguise, you see, and then the Fire Nation attacked the oasis and everything was happening so quickly…” He ran out of steam and heaved a sigh, running his hands over the top of his head.
“So why did you keep it a secret?” Zafirah asked. “The real reason, I mean.”
“I’ve been asking myself the same question. And I think, honestly, well... You and Basam are the first real friends I’ve ever had. And you… you’re also the only people to know me by my true name.”
Zafirah’s brow furrowed. “I, uh, don’t follow,” she said. There was an edge of concern in her voice.
“The Earth King gives up his birth name upon ascending to the throne,” he explained. “From the day he takes the crown, he is known only as ‘the Earth King’, or by his succession number. Mine is fifty-two, as I’m the fifty-second Earth King. His family can address him by his name, but never in public. But, ah, I had no family.”
“And when did you take the crown?” she asked, a little warily.
“At the age of four,” he said. Zafirah’s eyes widened.
“Spirits and ancestors,” she muttered.
“I think that’s why I kept my identity a secret,” Kuei said quietly. “As selfish as it is, I wanted to see what it was like for someone to know me as just… myself. I suppose it’s sort of ironic that that desire almost cost me the friendship I’d wanted so much. I’d always wanted to have friends, but I never really knew what I’d been missing until I met you and your brother. You are both so important to me…”
A faint, soft smile curled the corners of Zafirah’s lips. Once again he felt the temptation to lean in close and find out what those lips felt like. He glanced down to keep himself from doing anything impulsive. He wanted to tell her the true extent of his feelings, wanted to let her know exactly how much she meant to him, but he didn’t dare push his luck. It was enough, for now, to know that he might regain her friendship.
“I owe you an apology, too,” she said. “I shouldn’t have been so cruel to you about Bosco. I know you must be worried about Basam, too, it’s just-I was so torn up inside about losin’ him, and I was still mad at you for lying. I guess I just took it all out on you. I don’t deal with loss very well.”
“No one does,” Kuei pointed out.
“Maybe, but some people can at least handle it with dignity, or grace, or whatever. I just fall apart, and I get mean,” she said bitterly.
“Even so, it’s not your fault,” Kuei insisted.
“I guess so. But still, I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” Zafirah sighed and tapped her heels against the rock they sat on.
“How are you faring, by the way?” Kuei asked gently. “With, well, you know.”
“As well as anyone could expect, I guess,” she said. “I’m just holding out hope that maybe he’s still alive, you know? Maybe they’ve got him in that jail, somewhere. If he’s not there, then, uh, I don’t know what I’ll do, to be honest. But I have to keep hopin’ he’s alive.”
“I’m sorry you have to go through this,” he murmured.
“Yeah, me too,” she agreed grimly.
“I said some unkind things to you as well,” Kuei said after a minute of silence. “I’m sorry I called the desert ‘the middle of nowhere’.”
“To be fair, it probably does seem like the middle of nowhere to a city boy like you,” she teased gently. He chuckled lightly and looked over at her.
“I didn’t mean it, when I said that I didn’t want to be here. It’s true that I led an easy life in Ba Sing Se-I never wanted for food or water, I was given anything I asked for-but I was always lonely. And I’d never had any real freedom before.”
“Well, you got it now. How’s it feel?” Zafirah asked.
“It’s nothing like I expected,” he said. Then he added sheepishly, “I do miss being able to take hot baths, though.” He winced as he thought of the icy pond water in front of them. Zafirah laughed at that.
“Hah! Must’ve been nice, having your own baths whenever you wanted ‘em,” she said airily. “We had to make do with water collected in metal barrels during the rainy season!”
“Hmm.” Kuei tried very hard not to picture her in the bath. “What did you do when the rainwater ran out?”
Zafirah grimaced. “Let’s just say, you really don’t want to be in a Sandbender tribe in the middle of summer,” she said.
“Ah.” He glanced back up at the stars; after a moment, though, he felt Zafirah’s eyes upon him. He turned to see her looking at him with a warm smile on her face. “What is it?”
She fiddled with the end of her braid, and unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, her cheeks looked a little red. “I… I missed you, Kuei. I missed this.” She swept her hand in a gesture that encompassed both of them.
“This?” he echoed.
“Y’know, being together-being friends, I mean!” she said quickly. “You’re important to me, too. Honestly, I really would’ve hated losing you for good, and I... I just… aw, Kuei!” She threw herself forward and flung her arms around his neck.
A startled breath escaped him as she collided with him. For a moment, all he could do was sit frozen, his heart racing. He settled his own arms around her waist, hesitantly at first. In that moment, all the tension that had been between them burned away like mist in the morning sun. He pulled her closer, his arms tightening around her as if of their own accord. She buried her face against his neck, clinging to him now.
“Zafirah,” he murmured. She let out a deep, shuddering breath. The feel of her warm breath against his neck left a tingle on his skin and sent warmth flowing through his veins. He turned his head, feeling the softness of her hair against his cheek. Sitting there, holding her in his arms, felt better than he ever could have imagined. It felt… right, and he never, ever wanted to let go.
But he was going to have to, though. He loosened his grip and pulled back as he felt his body starting to react to her closeness. He smiled nervously at her, hoping he didn’t look as flustered as he felt. She sat back on the rock, beaming at him.
“C’mon, let’s get back to camp,” she said. She hopped down off the rock and stretched out a hand to him. He smiled and took it, gripping her fingers in his.
///////////////////
Daiyu nearly jumped out of her skin as Zafirah barged into their shared tent suddenly. She grabbed her sleeping bag, sand bag, and dagger, and smiled brightly at the rebel.
“You can have your tent back,” she announced. And with that, she swept out again. Daiyu stared after her, puzzled, and then realization dawned. She shook her head and chuckled.
“I guess they made up,” she said under her breath. She shook her head again and slid into her sleeping bag.
///////////////
Yay, no more angst! And next up: The Day of Black Sun! 8D Are you excited? I’m excited!
For the first time in many chapters, we have a playlist! The songs for this chapter:
1) Endless Night [The Lion King, Original Broadway Cast]-Kuei’s thoughts by the pond. (I just love this song so much, and it fits so well for Kuei! And if you listen, the actor kind of sounds like Kuei’s voice actor! So it’s fun to listen to it and imagine Kuei singing it, heh.)
2) My Life Would Suck Without You [Glee Cast Version]-Kuei and Zafirah apologize to each other.
CHAPTER 12-- PICKING UP THE PIECES
Quan turned down Zafirah’s request to be moved to another tent. He said he didn’t see any reason to inconvenience one of his people with a stranger’s personal problems. Zafirah knew what would happen if she went back to the tent she’d been sharing with Kuei-they’d both be in for a night of silence even more uncomfortable than the last one; or worse, more arguing. She couldn’t stand the thought of that. With all the anger and hurt boiling inside her, she just knew it was a bad idea. So she went right to Daiyu, who let Zafirah into her tent without a moment’s hesitation.
“What happened?” Daiyu asked gently. Zafirah opened her mouth, all set to let fly about the argument… and then, she just couldn’t. The anger seeped out of her, leaving her exhausted. She shook her head.
“Can I just stay here for the night?” she asked, her voice hoarse.
“Sure. I only have one sleeping bag, though,” Daiyu pointed out.
“Oh. I’ll just, uh… go and get mine then,” she mumbled. She dragged herself out and forced her feet to move across to her tent, praying to the Spirits that it would be empty.
It wasn’t. Kuei’s shoulders tensed as she pushed the flap aside. He shot a glance at her; his eyes were red. She froze, mouth half-open, and then recovered herself.
“Just gettin’ my sleeping bag,” she said under her breath. He nodded jerkily. She grabbed the cloth bundle from the floor and quickly backed out of the tent again. The tent flap dropped back into place, blocking Kuei from her sight. She retreated from the tent, clutching the bag against her chest as her throat tightened. A twinge of regret gnawed at the pit of her stomach, but she clenched her fingers in the soft fabric of the sleeping bag and pushed the feeling down.
This is his fault, she told herself harshly. Besides, I’m better off without a liar like him… But that feeling of regret lingered no matter what she told herself. She trudged back to Daiyu’s tent as tears stung the corners of her eyes. The rebel wasn’t there; Zafirah was grateful for that. She unfurled her sleeping bag and curled up inside it.
It was still kind of early in the night, and she could hear people moving around outside-laughing, talking, playing music and singing songs. She closed her eyes, imagining she was back in the desert… but it was just so different. That wasn’t the Janan Tribe outside, or the Aqila Tribe. The desert was miles and miles away. She was in the midst of strangers. Her brother was gone, and Kuei-
She scrunched up inside her sleeping bag, unable to stop the tears that spilled from beneath her tightly squeezed eyelids. Her insides felt like they were tying themselves up in knots. She suddenly felt very lost, and very, very alone.
////////////
Daiyu was waiting for Kuei when he left his tent the next morning. She stood with her arms crossed imposingly over her chest, her eyes narrowed.
“What, exactly, is going on between you and the Sandbender?” she asked bluntly.
Kuei’s temper flared a little at the intrusion. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid that’s really none of your business,” he said coolly.
“Well, I’m afraid you two are making it my business,” Daiyu barked. “From now until the eclipse, you two are part of this team. After the eclipse, if you’re still alive, you’re welcome to do whatever you please. But until then, anything you do that affects me and my team is definitely my business. I don’t know what happened last night, but it cannot interfere with your training-for either of you. Is that clear?”
“I… y-yes,” he stuttered, taken aback. He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders. “Yes, I understand. I promise, I won’t let personal feelings interfere,” he said as evenly as he could manage. He only hoped he could keep that promise. Daiyu nodded.
“And don’t think I’m singling you out here, because Zafirah heard the same thing from me not five minutes ago,” she added. “Now go on and get some breakfast.” He nodded and walked with her to the cook hut. He was on dish-washing duty again after breakfast, and then it was off to training with Shen.
“Today, we’re gonna work on taking the offensive,” Shen began. “Yesterday, when we were sparring, I noticed that you were just waiting for me to attack, then blocking and counterattacking. You need more than that. So, today, you’re gonna practice attacking first.”
Kuei took up a fighting stance, raising his fists and bending his knees, but Shen stood with his hands behind his back. Kuei straightened up a little, confused. Shen just inclined his head. He dropped back into his semi-crouch, considering the best way to attack.
“You’re thinking too much about it, aren’t you? Don’t do that,” Shen said flatly. Kuei fell out of his stance again, his jaw dropping open slightly.
“But how---“
“Just attack, smart guy. Don’t think, just do it,” the rebel boy told him. Kuei took a deep breath and lunged across the short distance between them, his right fist thrusting forward. Shen immediately shot out of his relaxed posture, swinging his arm to block. Like lightning, he struck back and Kuei was on the ground before he could blink. He looked up, winded, and saw Shen’s hands were behind his back once again. He scrambled to his feet and took a couple steps back, reassessing. He went for a feint this time, his right leg snapping up in a kick. But once again, Shen sent him sprawling.
“Too timid,” the boy proclaimed. Kuei jumped up again and went right into another attack, and this time, he blocked Shen’s counterattack. “Not bad, that time,” he said approvingly. Kuei was suddenly reminded of another training session, back in the desert-but he pushed the memory away. He couldn’t think about that now. It was just a reminder of everything he’d lost in the last couple of days-of the mistakes he’d made. He couldn’t get distracted.
He feinted again and came in with a right hook. Shen’s eyes widened and he brought his arm up just in time to block. He twisted his arm outward and swept Kuei’s fist aside, driving his own fist in towards Kuei’s stomach. He freed his wrist from Shen’s block and deflected swiftly-he spun and kicked, and his foot hit its target. Shen stumbled back and fell, hitting the dirt.
He rubbed the back of his head with a wince, then smiled up at Kuei. “Much better,” he said approvingly.
/////////////////////////
Basam stared up at the ceiling of his cell and sighed. Now that the fear had worn off, being in jail was pretty boring.
“Hey, Linh,” he called.
“Yes?” she answered.
“What’re they planning to do with us? Am I just gonna sit in this cell for the rest of my life?”
“Not necessarily. You’re young and strong, so they may send you to a labor camp,” Linh said in a dry tone. “Most of the prisoners here are political prisoners, like you and me. Run-of-the-mill criminals in the colonies rarely get trials. They are sentenced and punished in the same day, usually. But political prisoners are a different matter. Their offenses must be catalogued properly, and the military likes to make examples of them. A life of hard labor in the camps puts the fear of the Fire Lord, as they say, into the villagers who live nearby.”
“Great,” Basam muttered. “How long have they kept you here?”
“Two years,” came the reply. He glanced sideways at her in shock. She shook her head, making strands of lank black hair sway around her worn face. “Prosecuting one traitor isn’t terribly high on the priority lists of the colonial garrison commanders. I’m sure that eventually they will get around to court-martialing me for treason. Then I will either be sent to the labor camps, or executed.” She sounded amazingly unconcerned by what she’d just said.
“Huh! Wish I could have your level of confidence while staring down those odds,” he said wryly.
“It could be worse. If my crime had been both violent and treasonous, they would likely have sent me to the Boiling Rock.”
“What’s the Boiling Rock?”
“It’s the highest security prison in the Fire Nation. It is located in the center of a volcanic island, in the middle of a boiling lake. It’s inescapable.”
Basam whistled. “Wow. They don’t do anything halfway, do they?”
“No,” Linh agreed. Basam frowned; he hated the thought of either of those things happening to the kind Firebender. And he wasn’t thrilled with the thought of being worked to death as a slave, either. He sat up and scooted closer to the bars, beckoning her over.
“We have that big day coming up, you know,” he whispered as Linh leaned in towards the bars. After telling Linh their story, he’d decided that it was best to keep from talking too much about the eclipse or Kuei’s identity. As far as he knew, no one had overheard them that night. He thought that maybe he should try to keep it that way. “Maybe that’s our chance. We could try to escape, you know?”
“We’re not very likely to succeed,” Linh pointed out.
“Yeah, but still…I think I’d rather die taking a shot at freedom than in some labor camp,” he insisted. He dropped his voice even lower. “And besides, we may get help from the outside. My sister and the-“ he caught himself before saying Kuei’s title. “My sister and my friend are still out there,” he said. “I saw them disappear with those people that ambushed the soldiers. They might be planning something. I know the three of us were sort of, well… our little trio was in pretty bad shape last time I saw them. But I know my sister, and she wouldn’t let that stop her. And I don’t think it’d stop him, either. So, who knows? It’s worth a shot, right?”
Linh considered it silently. “I suppose so,” she agreed slowly. “So, how do you suggest we go about this?” Basam thought about it for a few minutes, and then grinned.
///////////////////
Zafirah was on her own at breakfast the next morning. Daiyu had taken her bowl and gone to talk with Quan. She didn’t really mind; she had no particular urge to talk to the strangers that surrounded her. Once she was done, she went off to her morning duty, which was laundry. Daiyu found her by the laundry basins just as she was finishing up.
“Come on, it’s time for Earthbending lessons,” Daiyu said. Zafirah dried her hands on her sand-colored tunic and tagged along behind the rebel. “Quan agreed to let you share my tent for the rest of your stay here. He’s swapping us into a two-person tent later on,” Daiyu added as they walked.
“Oh, uh... good, thanks,” Zafirah said. Relief welled up within her-but at the same time, there it was again, that twinge of regret. She shoved it away again just as quickly.
“I’m doing this mainly to keep you and Kuei out of each others’ hair,” Daiyu explained. “I’m not sure what happened, but you two are obviously having some problems. I’m sorry things are bad between you, but you need to put it aside. If you want to join us in the fight on the day of the eclipse, then we need you two focused on your training and on the mission. We can’t afford to have people distracted on a mission this big.”
“I understand,” Zafirah said quietly.
“Good,” Daiyu said. “All right then, come on, let’s take another crack at that boulder.”
It was the same boulder as the day before, Zafirah noticed with a scowl. She’d certainly spent enough time flinging herself at it yesterday to recognize the Spirits-be-damned thing.
“Don’t cross your arms like that,” Daiyu told her. Zafirah dropped her arms to her sides with a start. She hadn’t even realized she was doing it. “We’re going to meditate first. I thought that might help you to feel the flow of your chi better. Have you ever meditated before?”
“Sorry,” Zafirah said dryly.
“Okay. Well, just sit down and do what I say.” The two women sat beside the boulder. Zafirah followed Daiyu’s lead, crossing her legs and placing her hands just so on her knees. “Usually, people meditate with things like candles or incense, and cushions to sit on. We’ll just have to make do,” Daiyu began. “Close your eyes and breathe in and out deeply, and try to relax your whole body.”
Zafirah shut her eyes and breathed as deeply as she could, feeling more than a little ridiculous. She’d never really held with mystical stuff like this; that was more her brother’s thing. Her heart clenched at the thought, and she felt a sudden urge to reach for the leather pouch in her tunic pocket. She kept the prayer talisman to remember her father by, but she hadn’t prayed with it since she was a kid. And she didn’t plan to start again, honestly. But if she knew her brother, and if he was still… if he was okay, she knew he’d be keeping his own talisman close at hand.
“Zafirah, I told you to sit still and relax,” Daiyu said.
“I need to get something,” she shot back. She retrieved the little pouch from her pocket and clutched it tightly. She shut her eyes again and put her hands back on her knees. She went back to breathing deeply, in and out… in… out…
Soon, the tension in her muscles started to fade. For the first time in days, she actually felt calm. She would’ve been surprised at how well this was working, but she was too relaxed for things like surprise. The pain and confusion of the last couple of days were still there, but it was like watching it happen to someone else.
Daiyu’s voice reached her as if from a distance. “Okay, now I want you to reach inside and feel the energy in your body. Feel the flow of it.” She focused her mind inward-slowly, she noticed something warm within her. It swirled around inside her like a desert breeze.
“I feel it,” she murmured.
“Good,” Daiyu said. “Picture it in your mind as a stream and follow it. See where it leads.” Zafirah let the feeling well up and surround her; as she did, it shifted in her mind. It became a hazy stream of light, almost, with an earthy, bronze shade to it. She let it carry her along until it grew, spreading out into a pool of light. “Are you there?”
“Yeah, I-I think so.”
“Okay then, open your eyes and stand up. Hold onto that flow of energy.” Zafirah took up her Earthbending stance and eyed the rock, sizing it up. As she drew back her right fist, she felt like something was different. Maybe there’s something to this meditation stuff, she thought. Maybe it’ll work this time… She struck the rock with her fist-and once again, she went flying backwards and got the breath knocked out of her as she hit the dirt.
She let out a strangled cry and thumped her fists against the ground. “It didn’t work! Ugh, what is wrong with me?!” Daiyu reached down to help her upright, but Zafirah batted her hand away and clambered upright on her own. The rebel sighed and scratched her head.
“Let’s put this aside for now. You said you know how to use a knife, right? We can practice that for now,” she said.
“Not till I get this right,” Zafirah muttered, retaking her stance.
“That’s an order, girl. I outrank you here, and I say you’re done with this for today,” Daiyu said firmly. Zafirah bristled, but she knew better than to argue.
“Fine, get the practice daggers. At least that’s something I’m actually good at.”
//////////
Three weeks until the Day of Black Sun…
“Where are we going?” Zafirah asked. She’d gone with Daiyu for her daily training, as usual, but the rebel led her right past the dirt sparring ring.
“I want to try something,” was all the answer she got. Zafirah huffed out an annoyed breath, but she followed anyway. Daiyu led her all the way out to the edge of the camp and into the forest beyond. Soon, they arrived at the bathing pond (which was thankfully empty at the moment).
A thin smile curled the corners of Zafirah’s mouth as she stepped out of the trees. This pond was the one place in the camp where she felt any measure of peace. There was a thin strip of sand running all around the water’s edge. It wasn’t much, but the feeling of those rough grains under her feet always eased the knot of hurt twisting up her insides. It was like a little piece of home. And then there was the pond itself; baths in the desert had been scarce, to say the least, so she enjoyed the chance to soak in the cool water.
“Is it bath time already?” Zafirah asked dryly, turning to Daiyu.
“No, it’s meditation time.” The rebel seated herself on the sand and gestured for Zafirah to do likewise.
The Sandbender frowned. “Why? It didn’t even do anything last time.”
“I’m not so sure of that, actually. Just try it, all right?” Daiyu asked. Zafirah sighed and sat down, secretly delighting in the feel of her element beneath her. She shut her eyes and focused, just like before. She found the flow of her chi much more easily this time, though. It felt stronger, too. She let out a deep breath and opened her eyes. Daiyu nodded to her.
Zafirah stood up and lifted her hands, sweeping them forward. She smiled again as a small whirlwind of sand rose up beneath her hands, twisting and swaying at her command. She lunged sideways and sliced her hands through the air, and she could feel the energy flowing down through her arms as the sand followed. And just like that, something clicked in her mind. She remembered training with the Aqila Tribe before the Fire Nation’s attack-going through those Bending katas, side by side with her fellow Sandbenders…
She’d felt it then-the energy racing along her limbs as she’d gone through each stance-that was the flow of her chi! Her heart thumped against her ribs at the sudden understanding. All of Daiyu’s talk made sense now! Her smiled widened and she spun, whipping a trail of sand around her. The rebel just sat and watched, nodding appraisingly.
Zafirah leaped into the air and came down on the shore with a thud, raising a column of sand inches from Daiyu’s left knee. She hurtled up and down the shore, fists flying and kicking up her feet, sand flying around her. She threw herself into the Bending, letting herself get lost in it. The knot inside her loosened, and it was like all the hurt and chaos of her mind came flooding out. Finally she stopped, breathless and disheveled. She was worn out, like she always was after her training sessions, but it was different this time. The exhaustion didn’t bring with it the sense of hopelessness that her failed Earthbending attempts did. Instead, she felt… light. It wasn’t happiness, exactly; she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. But for the first time since arriving in the rebel camp, she didn’t feel useless.
Daiyu pressed to a stand and put a hand on Zafirah’s elbow. “How about you take one more shot at that rock?” she suggested. The Sandbender groaned.
“Can’t we quit while we’re ahead? I’m actually in sort of a good mood now.”
“Just give it one more try. I’ve got a good feeling about this,” Daiyu insisted. Zafirah sighed heavily, but then she nodded. A few minutes later found Zafirah standing, once again, in front of that same rock.
She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, then pulled her fists back and struck. The force of the strike pushed her back but she dug in her heels, gritting her teeth against the sharp pain in her knuckles and she damn well made herself stay upright. Her feet sank into the soft soil as she pushed back, resisting with all her strength. The struggle seemed to last forever, but then-
The energy pulsed through her arms and she was the one doing the shoving. The boulder slid back with a low rumble. It startled her so much that she lost her balance and fell forward, sprawling against the rock before tumbling to the ground.
Daiyu ran forward and helped her upright. “You did it!” she exclaimed.
“I did it,” Zafirah echoed, stunned. “Son of a beetle! It actually worked!” She laughed breathlessly, and a stirring of hope rose up underneath the despair that had taken up residence in her heart. Things were looking up.
////
It was dinnertime again, and Kuei moved mechanically towards the cook hut. As he stood in line, he saw a pair of familiar faces in his peripheral vision. Zafirah and Daiyu were heading his way, and the Sandbender was actually smiling. It wasn’t as big and bright as usual-the way it had been before they’d arrived at the base and everything had gone so horribly wrong. But it was still that familiar smile. It still shone with that confidence of hers that he admired so much.
But then she spotted him and the smile faltered. He looked away quickly; but before he did, he could almost have thought that he saw a flash of guilt in her eyes. No one else had gotten in line behind him yet, so he was still at the end of it when they reached the cook hut. He couldn’t have said for sure, but it seemed that Daiyu slowed down a few paces away. Regardless, Zafirah reached the line first and sidled into place behind Kuei. Daiyu took the spot behind her.
Zafirah’s eyes were locked on the ground, and he did his best to do the same. It wasn’t easy, though. He’d been doing an admirable job, he thought, of following Daiyu’s command not to let his personal feelings interfere with his training. But now Zafirah was standing right next to him and it was so hard to ignore the tension in the air between them… and even harder to ignore the fact that this wasn’t the way things had been before. And after a couple weeks of hardly ever seeing her, it was also hard to ignore her-the way those shorter locks of hair framed her face, or the curve of her waist, or-
“So,” she said awkwardly. Kuei jumped at the sudden sound of her voice.
“Hm,” was all the response he could manage. He scratched his chin awkwardly. He was starting to grow a beard again-the shaving kit that he and Basam had been using was with the rest of their belongings, somewhere in Hideki’s base. And he hadn’t wanted to inconvenience anyone here by asking to borrow theirs.
“How’s it goin’?” she asked. She shifted her weight, a forced air of nonchalance about her posture.
“Ah. My training is going well,” he said cautiously. “And, uh… yourself?”
“I moved a rock,” she said.
“Oh. That’s good.” Kuei cringed inwardly and turned back to the line ahead, grateful to see that it had moved ahead. They didn’t speak again as they passed through the line. And once they’d gotten their food, Kuei went off to sit in his usual spot and he lost track of the two women. He stared down at the spicy roast pig-chicken and rice, but he wasn’t feeling particularly hungry anymore.
Kuei didn’t have any assigned chores after dinner, so he took the opportunity to go for a walk. He wandered through the woods outside the camp until he reached the pond. The sand around its banks was all torn up, he noticed, scattered in heaps and gouged in deep ruts. Memories of Zafirah and Basam’s Sandbending moves rose up and a smile came to his face. Then he sighed and pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead.
“I can’t believe I let this happen,” he murmured, sitting down beside the pond. “Everything has fallen apart-and it’s all my fault. I let the Fire Nation into Ba Sing Se… I lied to Zafirah and Basam…” he groaned and thumped his hand against his forehead lightly. “Why did I do that? It was so... so stupid! I should have known better!”
He flopped gracelessly back onto the sand. High overhead, a gap in the forest canopy gave him a glimpse of the cloudless night sky. A familiar constellation peeked through the gap: it was the Archer, a folk hero of Earth Kingdom lore. Kuei lifted a hand and traced its shape with a fingertip.
He had a vague memory of his father pointing out the constellations to him. What would father have done? he wondered suddenly. Sometimes, he would try to imagine what his father was like, or how he would have handled various situations. He’d wondered many times how he would have dealt with the fall of Ba Sing Se. Kuei couldn’t help but tell himself that his father would never have allowed it to happen at all.
He had very few memories of his father-but the man in them was kind and wise, yet firm when he needed to be. It was Long Feng who had been more of a paternal figure to Kuei. The man had always insisted that he had Kuei’s best interest at heart-that he wanted nothing more than for Kuei to become a great ruler.
“You needn’t concern yourself with matters like those, Your Majesty,” he’d always said. “You should devote yourself to your studies, so that you can become the magnificent leader you are meant to be. Leave these messy political issues to me, Your Highness.” As Kuei had grown into a young man, it had changed to, “You don’t need to worry about the minutiae of the military, Highness. Your duties are to the citizens of Ba Sing Se.”
And Kuei had bought every word of it. He’d trusted the man whole-heartedly. He’d looked up to Long Feng-even admired him. Long Feng had been very good at playing the roles of indulgent mentor and loyal advisor. And so it had been all the more painful when the man had betrayed him, when he’d learned that all of it had been a lie! His fists clenched in the soft sand at his sides as the pain of the moment resurfaced, like a wound reopening. What a fool I am! he fumed inwardly.
And now he was here, cut adrift in a world he could never seem to figure out. He’d ruined the only real friendship he had ever had. Zafirah and Basam had offered him something wonderful, something he had never known before-and he had taken it for granted.
“I never should have lied to them,” he said softly. “I should have trusted them more and told them the truth.” But it was too late now. The past was done, Basam was gone, and Zafirah could hardly even stand to look at him now. Surely, it was far too late…
He sat up slowly. “There has to be a way of fixing this,” he whispered. “I have to try. I can’t do anything to help Basam right now, but I can put my all into fighting on the day of the eclipse. And if nothing else, I should at least try to apologize to Zafirah. I have to give it a shot. I owe it to her. And if she doesn’t accept it… if I’ve lost her for good… well, I’ll just have to live with that.” He rose up from the sand, dusting himself off.
“Perhaps there’s a way to make up for my mistakes, after all,” he said. He looked up again into the starry sky, and he smiled.
////////////
Two weeks until the Day of Black Sun…
Life had more or less settled down for Zafirah. She still hurt inside, but it had dulled to an ache. The Earthbending was going… not really very well, but at least it was going. She’d moved the rock about ten feet in that day’s training. They’d been spending more time on knife-fighting practice than Earthbending, though. With time running out quickly, she knew she needed to stick to what she was good at.
And as for her messy personal life…she and Kuei mostly stayed out of each other’s way. But sometimes she’d see him around the camp, and their eyes would meet for a second. A couple of times, he’d started to walk towards her, and she would suddenly find a reason to be busy. And every time it happened, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.
He’d been right, the night of that argument-they had been good friends before this had happened. True, they’d only known each other for a little less than a month; but when they were together, it felt like she’d known him for years. And the truth was… she hated to think that it was all over.
She thought back to the conversations they’d had, sitting and talking about all sorts of things; she remembered the sparring sessions before the battle, and the night of sand surfing. She was coming to miss all of that, and it got worse with each day that passed since their argument.
And just to make everything even more of a mess… she couldn’t ignore the turn that her feelings had taken. She couldn’t deny the fact that she felt drawn to him in a way that went far beyond friendship. That hadn’t gone away just because she’d been angry. Him being the Earth King hadn’t gotten rid of it either, for that matter, even though he was so far above her station that he might as well have been walking on the Moon.
The anger had faded. It seemed stupid to hold onto it now, when there was so much at stake. She knew she couldn’t carry that anger with her into battle on the Day of Black Sun. And she didn’t want to hold onto it anymore. She didn’t want to be mad at Kuei anymore. It was too exhausting, and she’d need all her strength for the fight ahead.
And if she was honest…she needed to know she had someone to rely on. Sure, she’d have the rebels fighting next to her, but she didn’t know these people that well-except for Daiyu. How much could she actually rely on them?
Zafirah considered herself to be pretty strong, but she knew there were some things you just couldn’t do alone. This was one of them. She needed a friend on her side. What she needed was that quiet intensity she’d seen in Kuei back in the desert. He’d proven himself to be dependable out in the desert, and much stronger than he looked.
But with each passing day, the idea of patching things up seemed less and less likely. And with each day, she felt that pang of regret grow.
I hate this, she thought. There’s gotta be something I can do about it. Spirits, I can move a rock around with my mind, why can’t I save a friendship?
//////////
Eight days until the Day of Black Sun…
Zafirah held her wooden training knife in a loose, easy grip. First rule in holding a blade: don’t keep a death-grip on the hilt. She stood in a half-crouch, knife held just above her waist, eyes locked on Daiyu-never on her blade. The older woman stared right back. Then Daiyu shifted her weight, just a little, right before she attacked. Zafirah flew into movement-her left hand shot forward to strike Daiyu’s wrist and smack it aside, knife thrusting ahead. But Daiyu grabbed Zafirah’s left wrist with her free hand and twisted aside, dodging Zafirah’s attack and trapping her arm. Zafirah twisted with her and broke the rebel’s grip, then flipped her blade around and slashed at Daiyu’s face.
They were pretty evenly matched, Zafirah had to admit. But she’d been swinging a dagger since she was old enough to lift one. She’d been handling blades for almost as long as she’d been Sandbending. She might not have been much of an Earthbender-but if there was one thing she knew she could do, it was this. Daiyu ducked under Zafirah’s next swing and her shoulder dug into Zafirah’s stomach. She hit the ground, rolled, and swept Daiyu’s feet out from under her with a well-aimed kick.
“All right, I surrender!” Daiyu groaned. She chuckled breathlessly as she sat up. Zafirah grinned and reached down a hand to help her up. “You did a good job today, Zafirah,” Daiyu went on. “You’re already very skilled with a blade, and your Earthbending skills are progressing nicely.”
Zafirah smiled thinly. “Thanks, but I don’t know that I’d call moving a rock fifteen feet to be ‘progressing nicely’.”
“You’ve got a good point, and I actually wanted to talk to you about that. I agreed to teach you Earthbending because I thought I could teach you quickly enough to use it during the attack. But that’s just not happening, and we both know it,” Daiyu said. Zafirah frowned and nodded in agreement. It hurt to admit, but it was true. Then Daiyu smiled a little. “Luckily, I don’t think you’ll need it.” She turned and walked to the edge of the training ring. She came back with a knapsack in her hands.
“What is it?” Zafirah asked, her curiosity roused. Daiyu opened the sack and pulled out a small cloth bag, tied shut at the top and with a strap attached to either end.
“This is a sand bag. I’ve heard that Waterbenders used to carry skins of water on them when they traveled abroad-of course, they mostly stay holed up at the North Pole now, from what I hear, so I don’t imagine it’s much of an issue anymore,” Daiyu said, smiling good-naturedly. Then she pulled out a cloth-wrapped bundle: it was a dagger, not much to look at but very well made. “You may not be an Earthbender yet, but you certainly know your way around a blade. I think you’ll do very well with this on the day of the eclipse,” Daiyu added. Zafirah took the two objects, nearly speechless from gratitude.
“Thanks, Daiyu. I… It means a lot to me.” She looked down, feeling ashamed. She’d been thinking a lot about the last few weeks, and she’d realized that they didn’t cast a very good light on herself. “I’ve been acting pretty badly, haven’t I? I never really thanked you for teaching me Earthbending, and Kuei… I’ve been horrible to him.”
“I guess you have been a little ungrateful,” Daiyu agreed wryly. But then her expression turned serious. “You’re grieving for your brother. Everyone has a breaking point. But if you really want to make things right, it’s never too late to apologize.”
“You sure about that?” Zafirah asked with a rueful grimace.
“Well, I suppose sometimes it is too late. So you’d better not waste any more time, then, huh?” Daiyu suggested.
/////////////
Kuei went looking for Daiyu after dinner that night. He’d wanted to find her sooner, but he and Shen had been discussing strategy. She looked up and nodded as he approached her.
“Good evening, Kuei,” she said pleasantly.
“Good evening,” he replied. He hesitated before speaking again. “Would you happen to know where Zafirah is?” Daiyu set down the dagger she’d been cleaning and considered the question.
“Hmm. Try going to the pond. I’ve noticed her going there some times at night. She likes the chance to Sandbend, I think,” she said.
“Thank you,” Kuei said. He took his leave of her and headed off into the woods. As he walked, he reflected with some amusement on the fact that he and Zafirah seemed to have developed the same habit-he’d been going to the pond at night to meditate.
He’d just arrived at the pond’s edge when he heard a rustling in the brush behind him. He turned and saw Zafirah emerging from the shadows. She froze in place when she saw him.
“Oh,” she blurted. “Shen said you might be here, so, uh…”
Kuei’s eyebrows went up. “You were looking for me?” he asked, trying not to get too optimistic.
“Yeah, actually,” she admitted.
“Ah. I was looking for you, as well,” he replied, his eyes darting nervously towards the sand at their feet. Did he dare hope…? Silence fell between them for a moment. Zafirah perched on a rock next to the pond, and Kuei sat down beside her.
“Kinda like old times, huh?” Zafirah commented. “Waitin’ for the fight to start. Only this time, we know when it’s gonna happen.”
“Yes,” Kuei agreed awkwardly. The words he wanted to say were straining at the back of his throat; he just had to say it, before lost his nerve. “Zafirah, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I lied about my identity. It was childish, and selfish, and-and stupid,” he said urgently.
Zafirah blinked in surprise. “Kuei-“
“I never should have kept it a secret,” he went on, words spilling out in a rush. “I just didn’t know what to do! I was traveling in disguise, you see, and then the Fire Nation attacked the oasis and everything was happening so quickly…” He ran out of steam and heaved a sigh, running his hands over the top of his head.
“So why did you keep it a secret?” Zafirah asked. “The real reason, I mean.”
“I’ve been asking myself the same question. And I think, honestly, well... You and Basam are the first real friends I’ve ever had. And you… you’re also the only people to know me by my true name.”
Zafirah’s brow furrowed. “I, uh, don’t follow,” she said. There was an edge of concern in her voice.
“The Earth King gives up his birth name upon ascending to the throne,” he explained. “From the day he takes the crown, he is known only as ‘the Earth King’, or by his succession number. Mine is fifty-two, as I’m the fifty-second Earth King. His family can address him by his name, but never in public. But, ah, I had no family.”
“And when did you take the crown?” she asked, a little warily.
“At the age of four,” he said. Zafirah’s eyes widened.
“Spirits and ancestors,” she muttered.
“I think that’s why I kept my identity a secret,” Kuei said quietly. “As selfish as it is, I wanted to see what it was like for someone to know me as just… myself. I suppose it’s sort of ironic that that desire almost cost me the friendship I’d wanted so much. I’d always wanted to have friends, but I never really knew what I’d been missing until I met you and your brother. You are both so important to me…”
A faint, soft smile curled the corners of Zafirah’s lips. Once again he felt the temptation to lean in close and find out what those lips felt like. He glanced down to keep himself from doing anything impulsive. He wanted to tell her the true extent of his feelings, wanted to let her know exactly how much she meant to him, but he didn’t dare push his luck. It was enough, for now, to know that he might regain her friendship.
“I owe you an apology, too,” she said. “I shouldn’t have been so cruel to you about Bosco. I know you must be worried about Basam, too, it’s just-I was so torn up inside about losin’ him, and I was still mad at you for lying. I guess I just took it all out on you. I don’t deal with loss very well.”
“No one does,” Kuei pointed out.
“Maybe, but some people can at least handle it with dignity, or grace, or whatever. I just fall apart, and I get mean,” she said bitterly.
“Even so, it’s not your fault,” Kuei insisted.
“I guess so. But still, I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” Zafirah sighed and tapped her heels against the rock they sat on.
“How are you faring, by the way?” Kuei asked gently. “With, well, you know.”
“As well as anyone could expect, I guess,” she said. “I’m just holding out hope that maybe he’s still alive, you know? Maybe they’ve got him in that jail, somewhere. If he’s not there, then, uh, I don’t know what I’ll do, to be honest. But I have to keep hopin’ he’s alive.”
“I’m sorry you have to go through this,” he murmured.
“Yeah, me too,” she agreed grimly.
“I said some unkind things to you as well,” Kuei said after a minute of silence. “I’m sorry I called the desert ‘the middle of nowhere’.”
“To be fair, it probably does seem like the middle of nowhere to a city boy like you,” she teased gently. He chuckled lightly and looked over at her.
“I didn’t mean it, when I said that I didn’t want to be here. It’s true that I led an easy life in Ba Sing Se-I never wanted for food or water, I was given anything I asked for-but I was always lonely. And I’d never had any real freedom before.”
“Well, you got it now. How’s it feel?” Zafirah asked.
“It’s nothing like I expected,” he said. Then he added sheepishly, “I do miss being able to take hot baths, though.” He winced as he thought of the icy pond water in front of them. Zafirah laughed at that.
“Hah! Must’ve been nice, having your own baths whenever you wanted ‘em,” she said airily. “We had to make do with water collected in metal barrels during the rainy season!”
“Hmm.” Kuei tried very hard not to picture her in the bath. “What did you do when the rainwater ran out?”
Zafirah grimaced. “Let’s just say, you really don’t want to be in a Sandbender tribe in the middle of summer,” she said.
“Ah.” He glanced back up at the stars; after a moment, though, he felt Zafirah’s eyes upon him. He turned to see her looking at him with a warm smile on her face. “What is it?”
She fiddled with the end of her braid, and unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, her cheeks looked a little red. “I… I missed you, Kuei. I missed this.” She swept her hand in a gesture that encompassed both of them.
“This?” he echoed.
“Y’know, being together-being friends, I mean!” she said quickly. “You’re important to me, too. Honestly, I really would’ve hated losing you for good, and I... I just… aw, Kuei!” She threw herself forward and flung her arms around his neck.
A startled breath escaped him as she collided with him. For a moment, all he could do was sit frozen, his heart racing. He settled his own arms around her waist, hesitantly at first. In that moment, all the tension that had been between them burned away like mist in the morning sun. He pulled her closer, his arms tightening around her as if of their own accord. She buried her face against his neck, clinging to him now.
“Zafirah,” he murmured. She let out a deep, shuddering breath. The feel of her warm breath against his neck left a tingle on his skin and sent warmth flowing through his veins. He turned his head, feeling the softness of her hair against his cheek. Sitting there, holding her in his arms, felt better than he ever could have imagined. It felt… right, and he never, ever wanted to let go.
But he was going to have to, though. He loosened his grip and pulled back as he felt his body starting to react to her closeness. He smiled nervously at her, hoping he didn’t look as flustered as he felt. She sat back on the rock, beaming at him.
“C’mon, let’s get back to camp,” she said. She hopped down off the rock and stretched out a hand to him. He smiled and took it, gripping her fingers in his.
///////////////////
Daiyu nearly jumped out of her skin as Zafirah barged into their shared tent suddenly. She grabbed her sleeping bag, sand bag, and dagger, and smiled brightly at the rebel.
“You can have your tent back,” she announced. And with that, she swept out again. Daiyu stared after her, puzzled, and then realization dawned. She shook her head and chuckled.
“I guess they made up,” she said under her breath. She shook her head again and slid into her sleeping bag.
///////////////
Yay, no more angst! And next up: The Day of Black Sun! 8D Are you excited? I’m excited!
For the first time in many chapters, we have a playlist! The songs for this chapter:
1) Endless Night [The Lion King, Original Broadway Cast]-Kuei’s thoughts by the pond. (I just love this song so much, and it fits so well for Kuei! And if you listen, the actor kind of sounds like Kuei’s voice actor! So it’s fun to listen to it and imagine Kuei singing it, heh.)
2) My Life Would Suck Without You [Glee Cast Version]-Kuei and Zafirah apologize to each other.