Cause Some Trouble, Nightfall Interlude
CAUSE SOME TROUBLE
INTERLUDE-- NIGHTFALL AND SUNRISE
And so the Day of Black Sun ended. The fortress was theirs, and the prisoners of the jail had been released-though not by the rebels, as Quan had planned. Hideki was their captive, though his fate hadn’t been decided yet. The uninjured Fire Nation soldiers fled the base; the wounded ones were patched up along with the injured rebels. Quan hadn’t initially liked the idea of giving aid and comfort to the enemy. He’d relented after Daiyu pointed out that letting wounded men suffer would make them no better than the Fire Nation.
The rebels not tending to the wounded set about searching the base for supplies. Kuei hadn’t wanted to go back into that tower, so he’d volunteered to help with the injuries-after getting his own wounds tended to, of course. Zafirah had volunteered as well, as had Basam.
Of course, what he really wanted was to sleep. Kuei was exhausted-he was sore all over, his skin felt sticky from dried sweat, and his various cuts and bruises ached. Looking around, he could tell he wasn’t the only one: the Sandbender twins both looked like they were struggling to keep going; the rebels passing by their work area all looked bone-weary as well. But there was still work to be done, and they had the thrill of victory to keep them on their feet a while longer.
The three of them were working side by side when he heard it-a loud roar echoing across the courtyard. He leaped to his feet and turned around. Joy flooded through him at the sight of a familiar mass of brown fur lumbering through the crowded courtyard.
“Bosco!” he cried. He broke into a sprint, weaving around people until he reached the bear’s side. He flung his arms around the animal’s neck and buried his face in Bosco’s thick fur, tears welling up in his eyes. Bosco roared happily. Kuei looked up and saw Daiyu nearby, her arms folded and a smile on her face. “Thank you for finding him,” Kuei said.
“Glad to help,” she said, chuckling. She turned and walked off. Kuei hugged his bear again.
“I missed you so much, my friend,” he murmured.
///
Once the most serious injuries had been tended to, the rebels had one more important task: bringing down the Fire Nation banners that draped the tower. They all gathered in the courtyard for the big moment, cheering as the flags fell to the ground. Now it was official-the fortress was truly theirs.
Zafirah wove her way through to the front of the crowd and knelt by the flags. Kuei followed her, more than a little confused. He became even more puzzled when he saw her cutting a long strip of red cloth from one of the banners. She stood up, tucked her dagger away, and tied the cloth around her upper arm.
“You’re taking a trophy?” Kuei asked, bemused.
“You’re damned right, I’m taking a trophy!” she said with a sharp grin. Kuei chuckled and shook his head.
///
The rebels made camp in the fortress that night. They’d claimed the soldiers’ barracks for their own use. Kuei was rather looking forward to having an actual bed again, even if it was just a simple, wood-frame cot.
And they’d found his Water Tribe war club in the armory, along with the twins’ belongings. Kuei and Basam had immediately gone off to the washrooms to take turns with the shaving kit. Linh said that soldiers often claimed the personal effects of prisoners, but apparently none of the soldiers had wanted the twins’ things. I imagine they thought themselves too good to wear a Sandbender’s clothes, Kuei thought derisively.
The washrooms had baths, too. The rebels had fired up the fortress’s water boilers, and they’d all taken turns enjoying brief, but warm, baths. And then Kuei had gotten another treat, as well-fresh clothes. The rebels had found a few crates of Earth Kingdom uniforms-leftovers from the ousted Earth Kingdom soldiers-stored beneath the tower. They handed them out to anyone who needed new clothes. Kuei now wore a green, sleeveless tunic with a brown belt and a pair of brown pants. They were a little too big for him, but he hardly cared. And he had two sandals this time.
Kuei rejoined his two friends back in the courtyard after his bath. The twins had a clean change of clothes, as well, from their belongings. Basam seemed quite glad to be rid of his stolen Fire Nation disguise. He noticed that they’d both made a few alterations to their Sandbender garb. They’d shed a few layers of cloth from their arm wraps; the cloth that had draped around their shoulders was gone; and their leg wraps now ended at the ankle, instead of coming down to wrap around the middles of their feet.
Now the three of them sat around one of several campfires out in the courtyard. They’d made a celebratory feast out of the troops’ food stores. They had spicy roasted meat, fresh vegetables, and a seemingly endless supply of tea. Bosco huddled behind Kuei, gnawing on a slab of cured meat. Zafirah sat to Kuei’s right, leaning against Bosco’s flank. Basam sat next to her; the siblings had been all but glued to each other’s side all evening.
Shen sat at the fire as well, resting from his wounds. Kuei had been relieved to find the teenager alive after the battle. And now the spy wandered over to their group, wearing her own change of clothes-a simple, green and brown tunic with brown pants. She sat down across from Basam.
“It’s so good to be out of that uniform,” she said with a deep sigh. Basam looked over at her with open curiosity.
“So, do I get to know your name now?” he asked teasingly.
“It’s Suyin,” she replied with a smirk. Linh joined them as well, sitting down next to the spy. She, too, had gotten some fresh clothes from the rebels. She smiled and nodded to the group as she settled down.
“Hey, there you are!” Basam said. “I was just about to tell these guys about our daring and heroic jailbreak. You were great back there, by the way! It was mostly her idea, you know. We never would’ve made it out without all her knowledge about jails,” he added to Kuei and Zafirah.
Linh chuckled. “It was a joint effort, you could say,” she agreed. Then she glanced down at her new shirt, looking thoughtful. “I must say, I’ve never worn green before. I could grow to like it, though.”
“Yeah?” Basam asked. “You’re gonna stick around here, then?”
“Yes. Quan has agreed to let me join his band of rebels. He says that having a Firebender on their side could prove advantageous.”
Basam grinned widely. “That’s great! Glad to hear it.”
Linh lifted her chopsticks and took a bite of roasted meat from her bowl. She chewed slowly, a contented smile on her face. “This is quite good. This Captain Hideki must have had a fair bit of influence, to get these supplies for his troops.”
“I know, right?” Basam gushed. “So nice to have real food again! I mean, those prison rations weren’t as bad as they could’ve been but, y’know… still prison rations.” He took an enthusiastic mouthful of rice and meat, washing it down with tea.
Zafirah leaned sideways and nudged her brother. “So, let’s hear about this jailbreak.” Basam gladly launched into a very enthusiastic retelling of the tale, gesturing wildly. Kuei sat back and listened happily, sipping a cup of rice wine from the fortress’s stores. He had his friends back, and their eclipse plan had been a total success. They had won a great victory for the Earth Kingdom today. For the first time since arriving at the fortress a month ago, he felt truly content.
/////
As the night wore on, people drifted off to the barracks one by one. Eventually, only Kuei and the Sandbender twins sat by their dwindling fire. The three of them huddled close around the flames, drinking tea. Kuei looked at both of them; he studied their faces and relished in the simple joy of their presence.
Basam spoke after a while, just as Kuei’s eyelids were starting to grow heavy. “So what happens now?” he asked idly. Kuei leaned back against Bosco’s shoulder, frowning a little.
“I hadn’t really thought about that,” he admitted. He looked at his two friends again, suddenly worried. What if they wanted to part ways with him now? The thought was like a physical blow. They’d just reunited! He couldn’t imagine leaving them now. He shifted uncomfortably, wincing at his bruises.
“I guess we keep traveling, right?” Basam mused. “Go off and wander wherever the wind takes us, that kind of thing.”
“What about your home? The desert?” Kuei prompted.
“Well, our shop’s probably been ransacked by now, so no use in going back there. Besides, the oasis’ll still be deserted,” Zafirah said, shuddering. A look of sadness crossed her face, but she pushed it away. “So we’ll just keep goin’.”
“Just the two of you?” Kuei asked hesitantly.
She shrugged and glanced down at her bare feet suddenly. “Well, I was kinda thinkin’ that maybe we could keep traveling together. All three of us.”
Basam leaned forward and raised one pointed finger. “When I said ‘we’, I meant the three of us. If you want to go off on your own, though, I guess that’s fine.”
A wide smile crossed Kuei’s face. “I’d love to continue traveling with you,” he said.
“Really?” Zafirah asked, sitting upright.
“Yes, of course!” he said, nodding vigorously. Zafirah grinned.
“Good answer,” she said. The three of them fell silent again.
Zafirah glanced back over at Kuei after a minute or two. “This is gonna take some gettin’ used to, y’know,” she commented. “This whole thing with you being the Earth King.”
“But you do intend to stay around long enough to get used to it?” Kuei prompted hopefully.
There was an almost shy quality to Zafirah’s smile. “That seems to be the notion,” she agreed.
Now it was Kuei’s turn to grin. “That’s fantastic,” he said. Basam looked back and forth between them, an odd look on his face, and coughed rather pointedly. “What is it?” Kuei asked, puzzled.
Basam smirked at him. “Oh, nothin’,” he said lightly. He gave a loud yawn and stretched his arms above his head. “Well, it’s been an awfully long day. I’m dead tired. I think I’m gonna call it a night. See you two in the morning!” He stood up, waved to them, and walked off towards one of the barracks.
Kuei glanced at Zafirah, sitting next to him and leaning against Bosco. She turned her head to look at him. The corner of her mouth turned up in a half smile, and he smiled back.
“What a day, huh?” she commented.
“Yes,” he agreed, chuckling a bit at the understatement. She gazed into the dying flames of the campfire, looking lost in thought. Kuei wondered if she was thinking about the confrontation in the storage room-or perhaps, about that moment in the tunnel. He certainly was. Both events had been swirling through his mind all evening. The memory of that confrontation still made him shiver; he’d come so close to losing her down there. And the incident in the corridor… well, part of him wished he hadn’t pulled away. The sensible part of him knew otherwise. It wouldn’t have been right, kissing her in the heat of battle. Or at least, that was what he was telling himself.
“Y’know, there’s one thing you still haven’t told me,” she said softly.
“What is that?” he asked, somewhat hesitantly.
“How you really ended up in the desert. I know about the Fire Nation taking over Ba Sing Se, but how’d you get here from there?” she asked. Kuei sucked in a breath. He’d known that they would come to this moment.
“It’s a long story,” he murmured.
“Yeah, well, I don’t think I could sleep yet, anyway. I’m all wound up,” she said. She shifted sideways so that she faced him.
“All right, then.” He took another breath, and then began. “It all started, really, after the death of my father. As I told you, I took the crown at the age of four. My father, the previous Earth King, had died of an illness. But because I was too young to rule, I was appointed an advisor to rule in my stead until I grew up. His name was Long Feng…”
And so he told her everything. He told her of Long Feng’s manipulation, of his tight control over every aspect of Kuei’s life. He told her of the way Long Feng kept him in the dark on political matters and how he filled the naïve boy’s head with frivolities-how he’d kept young Kuei busy with minor matters related to the cultural aspects of running the city. He told her of meeting the Avatar, of learning about the war and the eclipse, and of leaving the palace for the first time in his life. He told her about the brainwashing and the conspiracies; he told her about Azula’s infiltration of the city and how she seized control of the Dai Li. And finally, he told her about his decision to leave the Avatar’s group and travel the Earth Kingdom in disguise, so that he could learn more about his people.
“I must sound awfully weak to you,” Kuei murmured bitterly. “It’s my fault that Ba Sing Se fell. If I had been more vigilant, if I hadn’t been so blind…”
Zafirah stared incredulously at him. “What, are you kidding? Look, maybe you were too gullible in the past, but that doesn’t mean you’re weak. It just means you’re gullible. Look at everything you did today! Those’re not the actions of a weak man. You saved my life-again!” she insisted.
He smiled thinly. He wished he could be as certain of it as she was. “Thank you,” he said. And then he sat bolt upright suddenly. “The invasion! Oh, Spirits, that was supposed to have been today!”
“What invasion?” Zafirah asked.
“Before I left the Avatar’s group, his friends told me that they were going to revise our invasion plan for the solar eclipse. They still wanted to launch an attack on the Fire Nation capitol, but with a smaller group, obviously. They had some friends and allies that they were planning on finding to help them out. I wonder if they went through with it.” Unease rose up within him again. Zafirah patted his arm comfortingly.
“Tell you what, we’ll ask about it at the next town we get to. If there’s been any news about the war, I’m sure we’ll hear it there,” she suggested.
Kuei sighed and rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand. “All right,” he agreed. “I suppose that’s all we can do, really.”
“Exactly,” Zafirah agreed. Then she sighed and glanced at the fire again. “Well, it’s getting late. Let’s get some rest. We got all kinds of adventure waiting for us tomorrow!” she said with a grin.
“Indeed,” he agreed happily. The two of them stood up. “You’ll have to stay out here, Bosco,” Kuei added to his bear. Bosco growled sleepily. Zafirah smiled fondly and patted the bear’s head.
“It’s good to have you back, Furball,” she said. She put out the remains of the fire and then they walked to the barracks. The three of them had managed to get three cots side by side. Basam was already sound asleep in his cot, his brown hair untied and strewn over his face. Zafirah chuckled at the sight as she sat down on her own cot. She unwrapped her arm and leg bindings, rolling them up and tucking them in with her belongings.
“Good night,” she whispered to Kuei. Then she smiled at him. “This is gonna be fun, traveling together again.”
“Yes, it certainly will be. Good night, Zafirah,” he whispered back.
////////////////
Exhausted though he was, Kuei simply couldn’t fall asleep. His mind was buzzing with the promise of new adventures to come. He truly hadn’t given much thought to what would happen after the eclipse. He’d said as much to the twins earlier, and he’d meant it. But now the eclipse was over, and tomorrow, he and his friends would depart. He had no idea where they might go, but he wasn’t terribly worried about it. Wherever they ended up, at least they would be there together. The thought of it filled him with warmth.
And there was another thought foremost in his mind, as well: Zafirah. Once again, images of the day’s events flashed through his mind’s eye. His stomach churned at the mental image of the dagger against her dark skin. It had been amazingly easy to trade himself over to Hideki for her sake. He liked to think that he’d have done the same for Basam, or even Shen. What sort of person would allow a friend die for their own survival? He couldn’t have lived with himself if that had happened. But he knew there was more to it than that. Basam was his friend, true, and he owed Shen quite a lot for all the training. But Zafirah was different, because, well…
Zafirah was different because she’d stolen his heart. His experience with women was minimal, to put it mildly, but if this wasn’t what falling in love felt like, then he couldn’t imagine what would. The happiness he felt whenever she was near, the way she could reassure him with a touch on the arm or a smile, the way her bravery inspired his own-and of course, the more physical desire elicited by her smile, or the gleam of her eye, or the curve of her hips.
He rolled onto his side to glance over at Zafirah’s cot. She was stretched out on the thin mattress, her face just visible in the faint moonlight falling through the window above her. He smiled at the sight and wished fervently that he could take her in his arms. He felt his face redden at the thought of sharing a bed with her, and possibly sharing more than that…
Before the eclipse, he’d opted not to tell her of his growing feelings for her. He’d had the chance, on that night when they’d both apologized to each other. He’d told himself that it was the wrong moment. Perhaps he’d been right about that; or perhaps he should have taken the risk and told her anyway. Either way, the eclipse was over and he and his friends were out of harm’s way for the time being.
Maybe it’s time to take that chance, he thought. There was only one problem: he had no idea how to court a woman. He’d read stories about love in books and scrolls, and he’d watched noblemen courting elegant ladies at the parties he hosted. How very helpful, he thought dryly. He’d had very little opportunity to speak to girls his own age as a boy-and on the few occasions that he had, shyness had taken over. And Long Feng had done all he could to discourage Kuei as well. It hadn’t seemed like it at the time, but now he recognized the manipulation. Whenever Kuei had gone to the older man for sympathy about an unrequited crush, Long Feng would tell him that kings couldn’t allow themselves to be distracted by matters of the heart. Kuei suspected that the older man had feared the influence that a young woman might have had on him-that she might have interfered with Long Feng’s plans.
So here I am, Kuei thought. I’ve fallen for a lovely, courageous, daring woman, and I haven’t the faintest clue how to do anything about it. Nevertheless, he had to try. He was determined to prove himself worthy of her affections. He took one last look at Zafirah’s sleeping form before exhaustion overtook him. He closed his eyes and drifted off.
/////////////
The three of them were up bright and early the next morning, along with the rebels. They quickly gathered their belongings and packed everything up. Kuei smiled to himself as he strapped the Water Tribe war club to his belt. It felt good to have the club’s familiar weight against his hip again. He might not have been a particularly skilled warrior, but it was comforting to know that he had a means of defending himself-it reminded him that he wasn’t as helpless as he had once been.
At breakfast, they found Quan sitting with Daiyu and told the two rebels of their intention to depart.
“When do you plan on leaving?” Quan asked.
“This afternoon, preferably. We can stay and help you clean up the base, if you’d like,” Kuei said.
“Yeah,” Zafirah agreed. “We helped make this mess, after all.” Quan waved her off.
“Nah, that’s fine. We have it covered. You three go and have your fun,” he said gruffly. “Besides, most of the cleanup’s going to be Earthbending. Last I checked, Sandbender, you still weren’t much good at it. No offense.” Zafirah rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth twitched upward slightly.
Nevertheless, they did stay a while to help with the wounded again. By midday, they were ready to depart. Quan provisioned them with food, money, three sleeping bags, and two tents taken from the tower.
And then Kuei, Zafirah, Basam and Bosco stood in front of the base, on the same road
that had led them there a month ago. They planned on following it along the coast, northwest of the fortress. Daiyu, Linh, and Suyin had come with them to say goodbye. Shen was there, too, leaning on his crutches.
“Thanks for everything, Daiyu,” Zafirah said, pulling the other woman into a fierce hug.
“You’re welcome, Zafirah. You’ll remember everything I showed you? And practice your Earthbending?” Daiyu asked.
“I will,” Zafirah promised.
Daiyu placed her hands on Zafirah’s shoulders. “You keep at it, and I have a feeling you’ll turn out to be a very good Earthbender,” she said.
“Just ‘very good’?” Zafirah asked with a smirk. Daiyu chuckled.
“No one’s perfect,” she joked. She turned to Kuei next. “It was an honor to have met you, Your Highness. I know you think I shouldn’t say that-I can see the self-doubt in your eyes. I saw it the last time I said that, too, when we first met. I want you to know that you have people who believe in you, even if you don’t. But I hope you’ll learn to believe in yourself, anyway.”
Kuei smiled, warmed by her words. “Thank you, Daiyu. It was an honor to have met you, as well, and to have fought by your side.” Then he turned to Shen and smiled fondly at the wounded teen.
“You did good here, Kuei,” Shen said, smiling back at him.
“Thanks to you,” Kuei replied.
“Yeah, well, you learn quickly. Anyway, it was nice knowing you. Keep out of trouble, yeah?”
“I’ll do my best, but I make no promises,” Kuei said lightly. He held out his hand to the boy. Shen shifted on his crutches and reached out his own hand, grasping Kuei’s forearm. Kuei returned the gesture.
Off to his left, Basam was saying goodbye to his two jailbreak partners. He and Linh hugged tightly. Kuei noticed that he actually looked a little teary-eyed.
“You take care of yourself, okay?” Basam said to her.
“I will, and you as well. Maybe the Spirits will let our paths cross again someday,” Linh said.
“I’d like that a lot,” Basam said fervently. And then, impulsively, he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled brightly.
“It’s been a long time since I got a kiss from a handsome young man,” she teased. Basam grinned and patted the back of her hand.
“Anything for you, Linh,” he said with a laugh. Then he turned to Suyin, who smirked at him.
“My turn,” she said. She grabbed the front of Basam’s tunic, yanked him forward, and kissed him hard on the mouth. He stumbled back from her when she released him, red-faced and more than a little stunned. Suyin cleared her throat and brushed invisible dust off of her shirt. “Just had to get that out of my system,” she said.
“Heh,” Basam laughed weakly, grinning and rubbing the back of his neck. Suyin lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers in a little wave, and then turned and walked back towards the base. Zafirah grinned and punched Basam’s upper arm lightly.
The three of them waved one last goodbye to their friends. Then they turned and started off down the road. Kuei looked at the Sandbender twins and at Bosco, and felt another crest of joy well up within him. He had the whole Earth Kingdom ahead of him, his best friends by his side, and he was eagerly looking forward to the days that lay ahead of them.
//////////////
Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please do tell me your thoughts! I have some fun things planned for the next two chapters. Chapter 16 in particular promises to be pretty awesome. :D
Playlist:
1) Life is a Highway, Rascal Flatts-This is really the theme song for the fanfic as a whole, actually. I was waiting for the opportune moment to introduce it, and this seemed like the time.
2) Something That I Want [Tangled]-Chapter theme. (This song works so well for Kuei and Zafi, and it works especially well if you swap the genders in the first verse and the chorus: “He’s a man with the best intentions/ She’s a girl of her own invention {etc}”. Here’s the lyrics so you can see for yourself!)
INTERLUDE-- NIGHTFALL AND SUNRISE
And so the Day of Black Sun ended. The fortress was theirs, and the prisoners of the jail had been released-though not by the rebels, as Quan had planned. Hideki was their captive, though his fate hadn’t been decided yet. The uninjured Fire Nation soldiers fled the base; the wounded ones were patched up along with the injured rebels. Quan hadn’t initially liked the idea of giving aid and comfort to the enemy. He’d relented after Daiyu pointed out that letting wounded men suffer would make them no better than the Fire Nation.
The rebels not tending to the wounded set about searching the base for supplies. Kuei hadn’t wanted to go back into that tower, so he’d volunteered to help with the injuries-after getting his own wounds tended to, of course. Zafirah had volunteered as well, as had Basam.
Of course, what he really wanted was to sleep. Kuei was exhausted-he was sore all over, his skin felt sticky from dried sweat, and his various cuts and bruises ached. Looking around, he could tell he wasn’t the only one: the Sandbender twins both looked like they were struggling to keep going; the rebels passing by their work area all looked bone-weary as well. But there was still work to be done, and they had the thrill of victory to keep them on their feet a while longer.
The three of them were working side by side when he heard it-a loud roar echoing across the courtyard. He leaped to his feet and turned around. Joy flooded through him at the sight of a familiar mass of brown fur lumbering through the crowded courtyard.
“Bosco!” he cried. He broke into a sprint, weaving around people until he reached the bear’s side. He flung his arms around the animal’s neck and buried his face in Bosco’s thick fur, tears welling up in his eyes. Bosco roared happily. Kuei looked up and saw Daiyu nearby, her arms folded and a smile on her face. “Thank you for finding him,” Kuei said.
“Glad to help,” she said, chuckling. She turned and walked off. Kuei hugged his bear again.
“I missed you so much, my friend,” he murmured.
///
Once the most serious injuries had been tended to, the rebels had one more important task: bringing down the Fire Nation banners that draped the tower. They all gathered in the courtyard for the big moment, cheering as the flags fell to the ground. Now it was official-the fortress was truly theirs.
Zafirah wove her way through to the front of the crowd and knelt by the flags. Kuei followed her, more than a little confused. He became even more puzzled when he saw her cutting a long strip of red cloth from one of the banners. She stood up, tucked her dagger away, and tied the cloth around her upper arm.
“You’re taking a trophy?” Kuei asked, bemused.
“You’re damned right, I’m taking a trophy!” she said with a sharp grin. Kuei chuckled and shook his head.
///
The rebels made camp in the fortress that night. They’d claimed the soldiers’ barracks for their own use. Kuei was rather looking forward to having an actual bed again, even if it was just a simple, wood-frame cot.
And they’d found his Water Tribe war club in the armory, along with the twins’ belongings. Kuei and Basam had immediately gone off to the washrooms to take turns with the shaving kit. Linh said that soldiers often claimed the personal effects of prisoners, but apparently none of the soldiers had wanted the twins’ things. I imagine they thought themselves too good to wear a Sandbender’s clothes, Kuei thought derisively.
The washrooms had baths, too. The rebels had fired up the fortress’s water boilers, and they’d all taken turns enjoying brief, but warm, baths. And then Kuei had gotten another treat, as well-fresh clothes. The rebels had found a few crates of Earth Kingdom uniforms-leftovers from the ousted Earth Kingdom soldiers-stored beneath the tower. They handed them out to anyone who needed new clothes. Kuei now wore a green, sleeveless tunic with a brown belt and a pair of brown pants. They were a little too big for him, but he hardly cared. And he had two sandals this time.
Kuei rejoined his two friends back in the courtyard after his bath. The twins had a clean change of clothes, as well, from their belongings. Basam seemed quite glad to be rid of his stolen Fire Nation disguise. He noticed that they’d both made a few alterations to their Sandbender garb. They’d shed a few layers of cloth from their arm wraps; the cloth that had draped around their shoulders was gone; and their leg wraps now ended at the ankle, instead of coming down to wrap around the middles of their feet.
Now the three of them sat around one of several campfires out in the courtyard. They’d made a celebratory feast out of the troops’ food stores. They had spicy roasted meat, fresh vegetables, and a seemingly endless supply of tea. Bosco huddled behind Kuei, gnawing on a slab of cured meat. Zafirah sat to Kuei’s right, leaning against Bosco’s flank. Basam sat next to her; the siblings had been all but glued to each other’s side all evening.
Shen sat at the fire as well, resting from his wounds. Kuei had been relieved to find the teenager alive after the battle. And now the spy wandered over to their group, wearing her own change of clothes-a simple, green and brown tunic with brown pants. She sat down across from Basam.
“It’s so good to be out of that uniform,” she said with a deep sigh. Basam looked over at her with open curiosity.
“So, do I get to know your name now?” he asked teasingly.
“It’s Suyin,” she replied with a smirk. Linh joined them as well, sitting down next to the spy. She, too, had gotten some fresh clothes from the rebels. She smiled and nodded to the group as she settled down.
“Hey, there you are!” Basam said. “I was just about to tell these guys about our daring and heroic jailbreak. You were great back there, by the way! It was mostly her idea, you know. We never would’ve made it out without all her knowledge about jails,” he added to Kuei and Zafirah.
Linh chuckled. “It was a joint effort, you could say,” she agreed. Then she glanced down at her new shirt, looking thoughtful. “I must say, I’ve never worn green before. I could grow to like it, though.”
“Yeah?” Basam asked. “You’re gonna stick around here, then?”
“Yes. Quan has agreed to let me join his band of rebels. He says that having a Firebender on their side could prove advantageous.”
Basam grinned widely. “That’s great! Glad to hear it.”
Linh lifted her chopsticks and took a bite of roasted meat from her bowl. She chewed slowly, a contented smile on her face. “This is quite good. This Captain Hideki must have had a fair bit of influence, to get these supplies for his troops.”
“I know, right?” Basam gushed. “So nice to have real food again! I mean, those prison rations weren’t as bad as they could’ve been but, y’know… still prison rations.” He took an enthusiastic mouthful of rice and meat, washing it down with tea.
Zafirah leaned sideways and nudged her brother. “So, let’s hear about this jailbreak.” Basam gladly launched into a very enthusiastic retelling of the tale, gesturing wildly. Kuei sat back and listened happily, sipping a cup of rice wine from the fortress’s stores. He had his friends back, and their eclipse plan had been a total success. They had won a great victory for the Earth Kingdom today. For the first time since arriving at the fortress a month ago, he felt truly content.
/////
As the night wore on, people drifted off to the barracks one by one. Eventually, only Kuei and the Sandbender twins sat by their dwindling fire. The three of them huddled close around the flames, drinking tea. Kuei looked at both of them; he studied their faces and relished in the simple joy of their presence.
Basam spoke after a while, just as Kuei’s eyelids were starting to grow heavy. “So what happens now?” he asked idly. Kuei leaned back against Bosco’s shoulder, frowning a little.
“I hadn’t really thought about that,” he admitted. He looked at his two friends again, suddenly worried. What if they wanted to part ways with him now? The thought was like a physical blow. They’d just reunited! He couldn’t imagine leaving them now. He shifted uncomfortably, wincing at his bruises.
“I guess we keep traveling, right?” Basam mused. “Go off and wander wherever the wind takes us, that kind of thing.”
“What about your home? The desert?” Kuei prompted.
“Well, our shop’s probably been ransacked by now, so no use in going back there. Besides, the oasis’ll still be deserted,” Zafirah said, shuddering. A look of sadness crossed her face, but she pushed it away. “So we’ll just keep goin’.”
“Just the two of you?” Kuei asked hesitantly.
She shrugged and glanced down at her bare feet suddenly. “Well, I was kinda thinkin’ that maybe we could keep traveling together. All three of us.”
Basam leaned forward and raised one pointed finger. “When I said ‘we’, I meant the three of us. If you want to go off on your own, though, I guess that’s fine.”
A wide smile crossed Kuei’s face. “I’d love to continue traveling with you,” he said.
“Really?” Zafirah asked, sitting upright.
“Yes, of course!” he said, nodding vigorously. Zafirah grinned.
“Good answer,” she said. The three of them fell silent again.
Zafirah glanced back over at Kuei after a minute or two. “This is gonna take some gettin’ used to, y’know,” she commented. “This whole thing with you being the Earth King.”
“But you do intend to stay around long enough to get used to it?” Kuei prompted hopefully.
There was an almost shy quality to Zafirah’s smile. “That seems to be the notion,” she agreed.
Now it was Kuei’s turn to grin. “That’s fantastic,” he said. Basam looked back and forth between them, an odd look on his face, and coughed rather pointedly. “What is it?” Kuei asked, puzzled.
Basam smirked at him. “Oh, nothin’,” he said lightly. He gave a loud yawn and stretched his arms above his head. “Well, it’s been an awfully long day. I’m dead tired. I think I’m gonna call it a night. See you two in the morning!” He stood up, waved to them, and walked off towards one of the barracks.
Kuei glanced at Zafirah, sitting next to him and leaning against Bosco. She turned her head to look at him. The corner of her mouth turned up in a half smile, and he smiled back.
“What a day, huh?” she commented.
“Yes,” he agreed, chuckling a bit at the understatement. She gazed into the dying flames of the campfire, looking lost in thought. Kuei wondered if she was thinking about the confrontation in the storage room-or perhaps, about that moment in the tunnel. He certainly was. Both events had been swirling through his mind all evening. The memory of that confrontation still made him shiver; he’d come so close to losing her down there. And the incident in the corridor… well, part of him wished he hadn’t pulled away. The sensible part of him knew otherwise. It wouldn’t have been right, kissing her in the heat of battle. Or at least, that was what he was telling himself.
“Y’know, there’s one thing you still haven’t told me,” she said softly.
“What is that?” he asked, somewhat hesitantly.
“How you really ended up in the desert. I know about the Fire Nation taking over Ba Sing Se, but how’d you get here from there?” she asked. Kuei sucked in a breath. He’d known that they would come to this moment.
“It’s a long story,” he murmured.
“Yeah, well, I don’t think I could sleep yet, anyway. I’m all wound up,” she said. She shifted sideways so that she faced him.
“All right, then.” He took another breath, and then began. “It all started, really, after the death of my father. As I told you, I took the crown at the age of four. My father, the previous Earth King, had died of an illness. But because I was too young to rule, I was appointed an advisor to rule in my stead until I grew up. His name was Long Feng…”
And so he told her everything. He told her of Long Feng’s manipulation, of his tight control over every aspect of Kuei’s life. He told her of the way Long Feng kept him in the dark on political matters and how he filled the naïve boy’s head with frivolities-how he’d kept young Kuei busy with minor matters related to the cultural aspects of running the city. He told her of meeting the Avatar, of learning about the war and the eclipse, and of leaving the palace for the first time in his life. He told her about the brainwashing and the conspiracies; he told her about Azula’s infiltration of the city and how she seized control of the Dai Li. And finally, he told her about his decision to leave the Avatar’s group and travel the Earth Kingdom in disguise, so that he could learn more about his people.
“I must sound awfully weak to you,” Kuei murmured bitterly. “It’s my fault that Ba Sing Se fell. If I had been more vigilant, if I hadn’t been so blind…”
Zafirah stared incredulously at him. “What, are you kidding? Look, maybe you were too gullible in the past, but that doesn’t mean you’re weak. It just means you’re gullible. Look at everything you did today! Those’re not the actions of a weak man. You saved my life-again!” she insisted.
He smiled thinly. He wished he could be as certain of it as she was. “Thank you,” he said. And then he sat bolt upright suddenly. “The invasion! Oh, Spirits, that was supposed to have been today!”
“What invasion?” Zafirah asked.
“Before I left the Avatar’s group, his friends told me that they were going to revise our invasion plan for the solar eclipse. They still wanted to launch an attack on the Fire Nation capitol, but with a smaller group, obviously. They had some friends and allies that they were planning on finding to help them out. I wonder if they went through with it.” Unease rose up within him again. Zafirah patted his arm comfortingly.
“Tell you what, we’ll ask about it at the next town we get to. If there’s been any news about the war, I’m sure we’ll hear it there,” she suggested.
Kuei sighed and rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand. “All right,” he agreed. “I suppose that’s all we can do, really.”
“Exactly,” Zafirah agreed. Then she sighed and glanced at the fire again. “Well, it’s getting late. Let’s get some rest. We got all kinds of adventure waiting for us tomorrow!” she said with a grin.
“Indeed,” he agreed happily. The two of them stood up. “You’ll have to stay out here, Bosco,” Kuei added to his bear. Bosco growled sleepily. Zafirah smiled fondly and patted the bear’s head.
“It’s good to have you back, Furball,” she said. She put out the remains of the fire and then they walked to the barracks. The three of them had managed to get three cots side by side. Basam was already sound asleep in his cot, his brown hair untied and strewn over his face. Zafirah chuckled at the sight as she sat down on her own cot. She unwrapped her arm and leg bindings, rolling them up and tucking them in with her belongings.
“Good night,” she whispered to Kuei. Then she smiled at him. “This is gonna be fun, traveling together again.”
“Yes, it certainly will be. Good night, Zafirah,” he whispered back.
////////////////
Exhausted though he was, Kuei simply couldn’t fall asleep. His mind was buzzing with the promise of new adventures to come. He truly hadn’t given much thought to what would happen after the eclipse. He’d said as much to the twins earlier, and he’d meant it. But now the eclipse was over, and tomorrow, he and his friends would depart. He had no idea where they might go, but he wasn’t terribly worried about it. Wherever they ended up, at least they would be there together. The thought of it filled him with warmth.
And there was another thought foremost in his mind, as well: Zafirah. Once again, images of the day’s events flashed through his mind’s eye. His stomach churned at the mental image of the dagger against her dark skin. It had been amazingly easy to trade himself over to Hideki for her sake. He liked to think that he’d have done the same for Basam, or even Shen. What sort of person would allow a friend die for their own survival? He couldn’t have lived with himself if that had happened. But he knew there was more to it than that. Basam was his friend, true, and he owed Shen quite a lot for all the training. But Zafirah was different, because, well…
Zafirah was different because she’d stolen his heart. His experience with women was minimal, to put it mildly, but if this wasn’t what falling in love felt like, then he couldn’t imagine what would. The happiness he felt whenever she was near, the way she could reassure him with a touch on the arm or a smile, the way her bravery inspired his own-and of course, the more physical desire elicited by her smile, or the gleam of her eye, or the curve of her hips.
He rolled onto his side to glance over at Zafirah’s cot. She was stretched out on the thin mattress, her face just visible in the faint moonlight falling through the window above her. He smiled at the sight and wished fervently that he could take her in his arms. He felt his face redden at the thought of sharing a bed with her, and possibly sharing more than that…
Before the eclipse, he’d opted not to tell her of his growing feelings for her. He’d had the chance, on that night when they’d both apologized to each other. He’d told himself that it was the wrong moment. Perhaps he’d been right about that; or perhaps he should have taken the risk and told her anyway. Either way, the eclipse was over and he and his friends were out of harm’s way for the time being.
Maybe it’s time to take that chance, he thought. There was only one problem: he had no idea how to court a woman. He’d read stories about love in books and scrolls, and he’d watched noblemen courting elegant ladies at the parties he hosted. How very helpful, he thought dryly. He’d had very little opportunity to speak to girls his own age as a boy-and on the few occasions that he had, shyness had taken over. And Long Feng had done all he could to discourage Kuei as well. It hadn’t seemed like it at the time, but now he recognized the manipulation. Whenever Kuei had gone to the older man for sympathy about an unrequited crush, Long Feng would tell him that kings couldn’t allow themselves to be distracted by matters of the heart. Kuei suspected that the older man had feared the influence that a young woman might have had on him-that she might have interfered with Long Feng’s plans.
So here I am, Kuei thought. I’ve fallen for a lovely, courageous, daring woman, and I haven’t the faintest clue how to do anything about it. Nevertheless, he had to try. He was determined to prove himself worthy of her affections. He took one last look at Zafirah’s sleeping form before exhaustion overtook him. He closed his eyes and drifted off.
/////////////
The three of them were up bright and early the next morning, along with the rebels. They quickly gathered their belongings and packed everything up. Kuei smiled to himself as he strapped the Water Tribe war club to his belt. It felt good to have the club’s familiar weight against his hip again. He might not have been a particularly skilled warrior, but it was comforting to know that he had a means of defending himself-it reminded him that he wasn’t as helpless as he had once been.
At breakfast, they found Quan sitting with Daiyu and told the two rebels of their intention to depart.
“When do you plan on leaving?” Quan asked.
“This afternoon, preferably. We can stay and help you clean up the base, if you’d like,” Kuei said.
“Yeah,” Zafirah agreed. “We helped make this mess, after all.” Quan waved her off.
“Nah, that’s fine. We have it covered. You three go and have your fun,” he said gruffly. “Besides, most of the cleanup’s going to be Earthbending. Last I checked, Sandbender, you still weren’t much good at it. No offense.” Zafirah rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth twitched upward slightly.
Nevertheless, they did stay a while to help with the wounded again. By midday, they were ready to depart. Quan provisioned them with food, money, three sleeping bags, and two tents taken from the tower.
And then Kuei, Zafirah, Basam and Bosco stood in front of the base, on the same road
that had led them there a month ago. They planned on following it along the coast, northwest of the fortress. Daiyu, Linh, and Suyin had come with them to say goodbye. Shen was there, too, leaning on his crutches.
“Thanks for everything, Daiyu,” Zafirah said, pulling the other woman into a fierce hug.
“You’re welcome, Zafirah. You’ll remember everything I showed you? And practice your Earthbending?” Daiyu asked.
“I will,” Zafirah promised.
Daiyu placed her hands on Zafirah’s shoulders. “You keep at it, and I have a feeling you’ll turn out to be a very good Earthbender,” she said.
“Just ‘very good’?” Zafirah asked with a smirk. Daiyu chuckled.
“No one’s perfect,” she joked. She turned to Kuei next. “It was an honor to have met you, Your Highness. I know you think I shouldn’t say that-I can see the self-doubt in your eyes. I saw it the last time I said that, too, when we first met. I want you to know that you have people who believe in you, even if you don’t. But I hope you’ll learn to believe in yourself, anyway.”
Kuei smiled, warmed by her words. “Thank you, Daiyu. It was an honor to have met you, as well, and to have fought by your side.” Then he turned to Shen and smiled fondly at the wounded teen.
“You did good here, Kuei,” Shen said, smiling back at him.
“Thanks to you,” Kuei replied.
“Yeah, well, you learn quickly. Anyway, it was nice knowing you. Keep out of trouble, yeah?”
“I’ll do my best, but I make no promises,” Kuei said lightly. He held out his hand to the boy. Shen shifted on his crutches and reached out his own hand, grasping Kuei’s forearm. Kuei returned the gesture.
Off to his left, Basam was saying goodbye to his two jailbreak partners. He and Linh hugged tightly. Kuei noticed that he actually looked a little teary-eyed.
“You take care of yourself, okay?” Basam said to her.
“I will, and you as well. Maybe the Spirits will let our paths cross again someday,” Linh said.
“I’d like that a lot,” Basam said fervently. And then, impulsively, he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled brightly.
“It’s been a long time since I got a kiss from a handsome young man,” she teased. Basam grinned and patted the back of her hand.
“Anything for you, Linh,” he said with a laugh. Then he turned to Suyin, who smirked at him.
“My turn,” she said. She grabbed the front of Basam’s tunic, yanked him forward, and kissed him hard on the mouth. He stumbled back from her when she released him, red-faced and more than a little stunned. Suyin cleared her throat and brushed invisible dust off of her shirt. “Just had to get that out of my system,” she said.
“Heh,” Basam laughed weakly, grinning and rubbing the back of his neck. Suyin lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers in a little wave, and then turned and walked back towards the base. Zafirah grinned and punched Basam’s upper arm lightly.
The three of them waved one last goodbye to their friends. Then they turned and started off down the road. Kuei looked at the Sandbender twins and at Bosco, and felt another crest of joy well up within him. He had the whole Earth Kingdom ahead of him, his best friends by his side, and he was eagerly looking forward to the days that lay ahead of them.
//////////////
Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please do tell me your thoughts! I have some fun things planned for the next two chapters. Chapter 16 in particular promises to be pretty awesome. :D
Playlist:
1) Life is a Highway, Rascal Flatts-This is really the theme song for the fanfic as a whole, actually. I was waiting for the opportune moment to introduce it, and this seemed like the time.
2) Something That I Want [Tangled]-Chapter theme. (This song works so well for Kuei and Zafi, and it works especially well if you swap the genders in the first verse and the chorus: “He’s a man with the best intentions/ She’s a girl of her own invention {etc}”. Here’s the lyrics so you can see for yourself!)