Lay Me Down

What's Left?

  A few days had passed since the avatar informed me that they would be splitting up briefly to complete personal business. Aang dropped Sokka off at his father's war camp before heading to an air temple to study under a guru there. Toph left to meet her parents, and Katara stayed to advise the Earth Kingdom on war strategies for the upcoming Day of Black Sun. I remained her companion while she was here. She tried to convince me to remodel her temporary home for her... A built-in steam bath, a backyard pool. I think she thought that was supposed to be "bonding time".

When she asked about the best tea shops, I made sure to leave out the Jasmine Dragon.

Whenever he could, Zuko visited me. He walked me to work and back, even early in the morning, and ate meals with me. I enjoyed it and ate at the tea shop whenever possible- a little less obviously desperate than Zuko, of course. He talked quite a bit while with me, and often I found myself speaking more than I normally do. He taught me fire bending moves, and I taught him to use the water bending style.

One afternoon when I went to the palace to retrieve Katara, she didn't show up. I waited for a while, skeptical of the situation. She would have let me know if she were going to be late- maybe sent Momo with a message. But there wasn't much I could do. The guards wouldn't let me pass without her vouching for me, even though they know I'm with her anyways. Perhaps she's talking to the Kiyoshi Warriors she was so excited about.

"Iwa! How are you?"

I turned from the palace to see Zuko and his uncle walking up the many stairs. General Iroh waved with one hand as the other held pottery and tea supplies. Zuko walked a little more swiftly to meet me. "Uncle's been invited by the King to serve tea. We're on our way now." By this time he stopped in front of me. His body leaned toward mine as if to hug me, or plant a kiss on my cheek, but he stopped himself. I'm glad. The General might have been nice to me in my younger years, but there's no telling how he would react to having his nephew and heir to the throne of the Fire Nation in a relationship with a nobody like myself.

"Do you mind if I accompany you inside?" I wiped some beads of sweat from my brow. The sun was extremely relentless today. "I'm waiting for someone and need to make sure she's alright."

"Of course!" He made to hold my arm, but before he could I took the tea things from the General's hands. "Allow me to carry these for you," I said stiffly, my heart pounding. What did he think he was doing?? Zuko pouted at me and I nodded pointedly at his uncle. He rolled his eyes and walked as closely to me as possible on our way inside.

We were escorted to the throne room where I helped them set up. Katara should be here... What could have gone wrong in the Palace though? It's completely secure at the heart of the city.

Just as these comforting thoughts crossed my mind, the Dai Li surrounded the three of us in the center of the room, their faces shadowed by the circular headgear. A woman in battle clothes and war paint of some kind I'd never seen stepped before the throne. My muscles tensed, and so did Zuko's beside me. Something obviously isn't right.

"It's tea time." The woman spoke, and immediately I recognized her voice as Azula's. I had only encountered her a few times as a child when she visited General Iroh's estate in the palace. She was cruel even in her younger years. My throat tightened at what this could mean. Why was she here? Why are the Dai Li under her control? What have they done with the earth King?