Eye of the Storm

Page Thirteen

Quila woke up early the next morning, and sat with her mother to eat an early lunch before heading out. "Oh, before you leave, there's a special delivery you have to make."

"Oh?"

"Someone commissioned a pot from me." She gestured to a wooden box. "It's to an apartment here in the lower ring. I'll head to the market while you take care of it."

"Okay, I'll come relieve you after my delivery." Her mother shook her head. "You've been working since you got back. I want you to relax here today."

"But, mom--"

"No. You're resting today after that delivery."

"Okay, fine. Where is the address?" Her mother handed her a slip of paper and walked outside after saying goodbye. Quila took the box and carried it carefully to the apartment.

She knocked on the door, and almost dropped the box when Mushi answered the door. "Tiger Lily, thank goodness you're here. I need your help." He took the box from her and set it down. "No. Wait. What's going on here?"

"It's my nephew. You said you know how to heal?"

"Only some basics."

"He's got a very high fever. Could you help him?" Quila looked past him to see Lee laying under a blanket on the floor. It was obvious he was not well, and his longer hair was sticking to his head from sweat. She sighed, and although it went against her better judgement, she stepped inside. "Thank you, Tiger Lily."

"I can't cure him, I can just ease his discomfort a bit. There's not much I can do."

"Any help is appreciated." Mushi sat beside his nephew, and Quila sat on the other side. She bended some water with each hand and placed them on either side of Lee's head, the water beginning to glow. "While we're here, could you please tell me why you haven't been back to the shop?"

"What does it matter now? Gopan told me you have a deal to move to the upper ring." She replied, not taking her eyes off her work. "Still, young Tiger Lily, I have not seen you since you came looking for my nephew some time ago." She sighed. Might as well come out with it. She looked up at him. "Because I know who you both really are."

"What do you mean? We're both just refugees--"

"No. Not what you tell everyone. That boy who was taken by the Dai Li wasn't crazy when he said you were firebenders, was he? He was right." Mushi was silent, Quila's intense stare burning into him. "I want the truth. Who are you both?" Mushi's eyes drifted down to Lee. "My nephew and I are from the fire nation. My real name is Iroh, and this is Prince Zuko."

"Prince? Like the prince of the Fire Nation? Heir to the throne? That kind of prince?" Quila's eyes went wide. Iroh nodded. "Although we have both been named as enemies of the Fire Nation. We are here just like everyone else, hiding from those who pursue us." He went on, explaining how Zuko's own father was the one to burn and banish him, sending him on a fruitless search for the avatar. While he explained, Quila looked down at the boy. He was a troubled young prince, but still not the refugee she had grown close to. It was getting late by the time Iroh was done explaining. Any fool could tell how much Iroh cared for Zuko, obviously thinking of him as his own son. When he was finished, Quila sat there silently for a while. The only noise was Zuko's occasional groaning, and the warbling of the water against Quila's hands.

She finally returned the water to her bending pouch, and Iroh looked at her expectantly. She stood. "I've done all I will." Was all she said, but as she was about to leave the small home, she looked over her shoulder. "Your secret is safe. And I understand, now, but do not expect that I will forgive you so soon." She slid the door shut and walked back home.

A few days passed and Gopan was going to attend the grand opening of the Jasmine Dragon in the upper ring, owned by Mushi and Lee. Although he wanted nothing to do with Lee since he hurt Quila like that. When he arrived, he felt stares from people in his lower ring attire, even though he was in the nicest outfit he owned. But Mushi still greeted him with a smile. "Gopan, thank you for coming."

"Of coarse! The place looks great."

"It just shows what can happen when you follow your passions."

After having his tea, and enjoying talking with Mushi, he walked back outside and was about to head home when his half-brother approached him. "Hey! You!"

"What." Gopan replied, bored. "You're going to regret talking to my mother like that!"

"For what, telling the truth?" The bow growled. "Meet me here in an hour, then you'll see how sorry you are!"

"What exactly are you challenging me to?"

"A fight! Here! I'll bring my earthbending, you bring your...whatever you have." He said with a scoff. "You're on." Gopan marched off to get his bow and arrows from his home. When he stepped out of his house, Quila caught him. "Whoa! Where are you going with those?"

"I'm going to fight my half-brother."

"WHOA. What? Why?"

"I talked to my mother the other day, and met my siblings."

"You talked to your mother!? Does your father know?"

"No. He challenged me to a fight, I can't back down."

"And why not?"

"I don't have time for this, Quila. He's waiting." He walked past he and found his way back to the upper ring outside the Jasmine Dragon. Kanan was already there waiting for him with some of his friends. "There you are. I thought you would have chickened out."

"Shut up, let's just get this over with." He prepared an arrow against his bowstring, and the fight had begun. Out of nowhere he kicked up some earth and shot it out at Gopan, who tucked and rolled to the side, shooting a dulled arrow at his opponent, which was blocked by his earth bending. Gopan shot two more arrows, taking a few steps closer. One was deflected, and the other was misdirected and cut his brother's left arm. Kanan lifted some earth up two feet underneath Gopan, but he used it to give him momentum and shot another arrow from the air, but he didn't quite stick the landing and tumbled to the ground, hurting his knee. He got up and crushed an oncoming rock with his arrow. Then out of nowhere a wave of water rolled by their feet, and suddenly froze around them. Kanan tried his best to swivel around it, but ended up falling on his butt. They both looked up to see Quila relaxing a bending stance from in front of the fountain. She walked down the steps with a stoic anger to their level. She placed her hands on her hips. "What do you two idiots think you're doing!? Gopan, you're the smartest, most cautious person I know. You're the last person I would have expected to get into a fight in a crowded upper-ring square!"

"Hey! Who do you think you are? We were in the middle of a fight!" She turned her head. "And you must be the brother. I don't know what rich-kid mindset you were thinking under, but you do not challenge my best friend like that." She crossed her arms. "Now. Even if you both come from different fathers, you're still brothers. Both of you, go home." She unfroze the ice, soaking their shoes, and Kanan's butt. She stepped up to Gopan and snatched the bow from him. Kanan looked like he had more back-talk for her, but his friends collected him and urged him to keep it to himself. Quila felt eyes burning into her and she looked up to the ledge to see Iroh and Zuko standing there, looking down at the commotion. Her eyes locked with Zuko's, who looked like he was going to call out to her, but she scowled and turned away before he could and walked her best friend home.

"Thank you." Gopan said as she used her bending to heal a bruise on his knee. "You're an idiot."

"I know."

"You're welcome."