Polar Opposites

3 - Meetings & Hatred

When Zokkik was sure the woman was in a deep sleep, he quietly put away his journal, which detailed every little thing he knew about Elora's health, and slipped out the door. He figured the woman would be asleep for many hours after her strenuous adventure today, plus he had given her some herbs to help with the pain that could also cause drowsiness, so he was not concerned about leaving her alone in the healer's room. He was sure other crew members would be, but for all his calm and patience, Zokkik was not a pushover or someone to talk down to and everyone knew it.

The healer made his way to the chief's office. It was a decently sized room where Hakoda worked and slept, and where they held meetings with the older crew members. There were about eight men on the ship that the chief kept in close confidant. Technically, Hakoda could make every decision for the crew by himself, but he wasn't tyrant material. He always wanted his crew's opinions and hardly ever made a decision without the eight men's input. It was probably one of the reasons why men older than him didn't mind that he was the chief and not them.

Zokkik knocked on the office's door before entering. He was greeted by the seven other men who were already there. Hakoda smiled tiredly at the healer as he took his normal chair, "Welcome. I was relaying to everyone the information we received from the woman. Did she say anything else to you?"

Zokkik shook his head no, "She said only a few words after you left." He sighed softly, "She's very frightened and obviously confused. I am afraid the injury to her head is going to make retrieving information from her very difficult." Yunok, ever the pessimist, spoke, "She could be faking it. I'm sure the Ash Maker's spies are master deceivers. And I'm sure they experience more torture than the woman's injuries when they're trained." Loka, ever the optimist, spoke, "I don't know, Yunok. I saw the look in her eyes when she stormed out on deck. She was terrified. I think the pleasure boat theory about her makes more sense."

Innaq hummed slightly, "I haven't seen her in a normal state, but she seems pretty enough to be on a pleasure boat. I don't know how attractive the Fire Nation allows their spies to be. Plus, her features are too rare to be a spy, I think. Normally spies blend in. However, they're rare enough to attract a nobleman who loves oddities." Norlem added to his thought, "I wouldn't put it past the Fire Nation to send a pretty woman to weaken a group of men. Either by seduction or pulling at their heartstrings." Innaq recounted, "The Fire Nation wouldn't waste a pretty face on the Water Tribe – they would save it for the Earth Kingdom." Norlem snorted, "Innaq's right. They think we're too barbaric to care if a woman is attractive or not – that our only instinct is to fu-" Hakoda cut him off by clearing his throat.

Hakoda tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in his chest as they spoke about Elora in crude manners. They were just talking about very real possibilities, but it still felt wrong to speak about a woman using her body for their enemy when said woman was so badly injured, and it may not be true. Maybe that uncomfortable feeling was why the Fire Nation sent a woman.

The chief redirected the conversation, "I think this discussion has confirmed that we can't decide until we know more information. Maybe the woman will remember more when she wakes up." Norlem added, "If she's not a spy." Hakoda held back the urge to sigh, "If she's not a spy."

It was quiet for a moment before Yunok asked pointedly, "Who's with the woman now?" All eyes found Zokkik, who did not appreciate the accusatory tone and looks. He spoke in a voice just as pointed as Yunok's, "No one is with Elora. She is deeply asleep in the healer's room. She's too injured to be a danger right now." Normally, when Zokkik spoke in a tone that wasn't pleasant, everyone stopped trying his patience. The high stakes made a rare occasion where that didn't happen.