The Sea of Ice (Sun and Moon Book 2)

Chapter 9 - Name

I hate sneaking off in the middle of the night, but if it's what I have to do, it's what I have to do. I didn't even go to see Aang and Twila off, for fear I'd see Zuko there. This is getting ridiculous.

I walk quietly through the courtyard, my pack slung over one shoulder. The food I took from the kitchen should keep us for awhile. Now I just have to wake Lia, and we'll be on our way.

"Planning to go without saying goodbye?" I freeze in my tracks, my heartbeat speeding up. I know that voice- the raspy roll that snakes over my spine, sending shivers through my body. The arrogant, sarcastic tone that I grew so familiar with on our journey from Sen.

"Zuko."

I turn slowly, and there he is. Leaning against the fountain, as if he belongs. His usual travel clothes have been replaced by a deep blue Water Tribe shirt, open at the neck and loose at the wrists. His bare feet make no sound as he walks towards me, and I don't know why I can't move, why I can't do anything but stare at him.

"Bastard." The word is forced from my lips, hissed out in the late night air.

He sighs. "Look, I know you're angry, Kara, but-"

"Don't call me that. It's not my name!"

"Katara, please, just listen to me-"

"I'm not listening to ANYTHING you have to say." I don't have to deal with this. I don't have to deal with him. Maybe I'm being a coward, but this... this man took everything from me. My life, my friends, my memory.

And my soul. I'll never be the way I was before. I'm reminded of what this man did to me every time I look in a mirror.

I hate him. HATE.

"We need to talk, Katara, just let me explain-" Without a word, I turn and run.

"Katara!" I hear him behind me, chasing me. I know he'll catch up soon and I can't have that, I can't...

I lift my arm and throw it behind me, and ice from the wall moves with me. It forms to water and catches Zuko broadside, freezing him in place. I don't stop to see the look on his face.

I'm gone.

**__**

Toph and Iroh sat in the empty tea shop, drinking in the silence. The day was long over, and the shop had been closed for the night ages ago. Despite this, the two friends remained in the front room of the Jasmine Dragon, staring at nothing. Saying nothing. Doing nothing.

It wasn't that they had nothing to talk about- in fact they had a lot to talk about. It wasn't that they were alone, or that they were in pain.

No, it was the absence that caused their silence.

The absence of the presence they'd both become so used to over the past months-Aang. Toph was silent, but inside she kept asking herself the same question, over and over again.

Why didn't I go? She knew why, of course. She hated the poles, hated the snow and ice that made everything fuzzy, and froze her feet.

But she hadn't realized how much she would miss Aang. He'd become a huge part of her life in the past few months- no, the past few years. And she hated knowing that he was off on some adventure, possibly in danger, without her.

Iroh was silent, because he could sense the turmoil in the young earthbender's heart. And for once, he wasn't sure if words of wisdom would help or hurt the situation. The walls were down, Ba Sing Se was finally completely free. There was no reason for Toph to stay. But the girl was a part of Iroh's family, and he wanted her to stay.

So both were silent, and their individual silences combined to form a greater silence that filled the Jasmine Dragon, enveloping the tea shop in a melancholic aura.

The silence slowly grew heavy and thick, so thick you could've cut it with a knife- until the sound of flapping wings and the sharp caw of a hawk shattered the silence like so much ill-tempered glass.

A messenger hawk landed on the windowsill, and Iroh moved quickly to catch it and remove the letter from its pack. He recognized the red ribbon and the Fire Nation seal on the letter, and opened it as fast as he could, reading aloud.

"Toph- Aang left this afternoon for a place called Araden, to meet a people who say they're descended from spirits. They want something, but we don't know what, and they wouldn't let me go with them. I don't expect this to reach you until several days from now, but when you get it, I'd like you to come to the South Pole. Whatever is going on, I want to be close in case Aang needs us, and it'd be a great time to get the Gaang together again, anyway. I know you won't want to leave the tea shop, Uncle, so I won't ask you to come, though you're certainly welcome. Sokka, Suki, Hakoda, and everyone else send their love and well-wishes.

-Zuko."

Toph raised her head slowly, her blind eyes staring into the nothingness she saw. Suddenly, she grinned.

"Yeah! You coming, Uncle?" She grinned at the old man, even though she already knew his answer. She'd be faster on her own, anyway.

________

Check out the new .gif on my bio. That's... all I have to say, aside from this: you guys know the drill by now. Five comments, ten votes, and then when I write the chapter you'll have a better chance of it being uploaded. I shouldn't have to re-write that every time...

-Eon