Daughter of the Moon - Book Two: Earth

Capter 9.1: The Great Escape

- Elara -

It was strange being on the road again, especially now that Iroh had officially rejoined our group. We were once again being jostled to and fro by the methodical rhythm of the ostrich-horse's trot, only now there three people on the poor creature's back instead of two, and one of them was still recovering from a fresh battle wound (and he wasn't handling it too well). We rarely stopped despite the old man's complaints, but the few times we did, we found ourselves at the mercy of multiple Fire Nation mercenaries, all of which were either trying to turn us in for some kind of reward (whether from the Fire Nation or the Earth Kingdom, I wasn't sure), or they were trying to make a trophy of our heads for betraying the Fire Nation. Long story short, we couldn't catch a break.

After what felt like weeks of running for our lives, Iroh had the genius idea to finally find some of his friends who weren't too keen on killing us. I had known that Iroh had many connections to many notable people around the world, so I had assumed he was going to take us to some kind of mansion in the Earth Kingdom where we could stay and live the high-life for a time. However, I wasn't surprised in the least when we ended up stumbling into some run-down bar in the middle of the desert instead.

"No one here is going to help us," Zuko grumbled as he shrank in his seat, trying his best to keep a low-profile. "These people just look like filthy wanderers."

"Yeah. A bunch of filthy wanderers that probably wouldn't hesitate to kill us if we provoke them," I pointed out as I surveyed our surroundings, and judging by the harsh scowls and battle scars that seemed to litter the face of every ruffian in that bar, an erupting fight would be no easy task to escape from unscathed.

"It does not do well to say such harsh things about a stranger," Iroh chastised the two of us, drawing our attention away momentarily from the people around us. "Besides, have either of you taken a look in the mirror recently?"

At Iroh's remark, I turned to look at Zuko only to find his gaze piercing me, and I instinctively tore my eyes away from the boy to stare at the floor as my heart slipped a beat. Of course, I was embarrassed that I had been so easily flustered by something so simple, so I tried my best to redirect my thoughts to what Iroh had so discreetly invited us to look at.

And he was right. Zuko and I looked like a couple of filthy, bloodthirsty wanderers, just like any other gang member in this slum. For the first time ever, Iroh was probably the odd man out by looking like he was nothing less than a streak of blue sky amongst the clouds of darkness in the way he had somehow carefully manicured his ruffian appearance.

"Ah, this is interesting," Iroh continued as he pointed to an older man sitting at a Pai Sho table. "I think I've found our friend."

Iroh then promptly stood up and began walking towards the stranger, to which Zuko and I quickly followed with an air of suspicion.

"You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?" Zuko asked angrily as Iroh sat down to play a round with the strange man.

"I think I'm going to have to agree with your nephew on this one," I added as I shuffled uncomfortably in place. "We're not here to play games, we're here to...well, I'm not entirely sure why we're here."

"Don't worry, I'm not here merely to gamble," Iroh chuckled as he reached his hand into one of his pockets. He then looked at the man across from him and smiled. "May I have this game?"

The man nodded and gestured at the board. "The guest has the first move."

As per the man's invitation, Iroh pulled his hand out of his pocket and placed his infamous White Lotus tile in the center of the playing board, tugging at something stored deep within my memory reserves.