Yin & Yang

Chapter 17.

The bodyguard sat on top of the rhino on watch in the street whilst Katara and Zuko gathered tailors from the nearby shops to talk to them en mass. He made sure the people on the street kept walking, as there were people who did not approve of the young ruler and others who still wanted the war to be waged. Barking out occasionally at children and parents who wandered too close, only a few times did he dismount to exercise his power as the personal escort of the Fire Lord. A few thugs tried to bully their way to the young Lord. Zuko himself shot a fireball in their direction. It burned a moment on the ground at their feet. They scattered, screaming. The guard crossed his arms over his chest with a smile. The crowd soon dispersed. It was not common to see the Fire Lord down here. Everyone was curious.

A young mother with twins in her arms approached the guard. "Sir.. please. I hear that the Lady Katara of the Southern Water Tribe is here. My children.. Please let me see her?" Her face was dirty and hair a mess. She was obviously tired. The bags under her eyes shown deep. Black soot and red dirt stained her tan kimono. "Please, sir. She may be able to save them. My children.." tears ran down her eyes as the guard shook his head, standing firm. The children began crying and she sank to her knees, sobbing. "They do not eat. They hardly sleep."

"Back away, ma'am. I will have you arrested if you do not vacate the area." The guards' deep voice rose above the crying of the two infants. "Fire Lord Zuko is too busy to bother with slop like yourself." He pointed in the direction of the poor district. "Doctors should be down that way. Go have them see to your twins."

She shook her head. "I have no money, sir. Please.. the Lady Ka-"

"Enough!" He rose his hand to her balled in a fist. A hand closed over his wrist and he stopped.

Zuko looked sternly at the guard. "Enough is right." The guard backed away, bowing. The lady bowed her head to Zuko, not wanting to look up to him with her dirty face. He turned around where Katara and the shop owners were talking still as she instructed them. "Katara." Their conversation ceased. Zuko stepped aside to show Katara the woman with the two infants. Their voices now lost from how much crying they had been doing. She was rocking them in her arms lightly. "ssshhh.. please.. shh." Sobbing softly to herself.

Katara's kimono softly brushed the ground as she walked to the woman. She placed a hand on her shaking shoulder and the lady looked up in surprise to Katara's smiling face. Taking one of the children as it cried, Zuko smiled to himself. The child looked good in her arms. Standing, cradling the child in her left arm, she smiled to it. "Lily, please." It's mother begged the child. "Stop crying. It's going to be alright." Katara waved her right hand in the air.

People around them gasped as she drew water directly from the air around them. It floated above her fingertips then slid down her slender fingers. She closed her eyes as she placed her fingertips on the child's chest and her hand began glowing. Tracing her hand in small circles around the infant's core, then up to the collar bone, neck and head, Lily's sobs softened and the woman smiled. Along the opposite side of the head and then back down to the stomach, Lily suddenly cried. Katara opened her eyes. "Zuko." He turned to her. She held the baby to him. He looked bewildered by this but held his hands out regardless. The crowd gasped as he held the child clumsily. Both her hands worked at the stomach now in small slow circles. He cringed as the child vomited and a small plastic object floated in some water that Katara held. Katara smiled and giggled at Zuko. She took the child and held it close to her, patting her back. Lily burped and then giggled.

Bending down, Katara traded infants with the woman. She smiled widely and cried in joy as the child smiled back to her. Katara offered the new child to Zuko. He raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?" Grabbing his wrist one by one, the second child was soon in his arms and he sighed out loud.