Borealis: A Zutara Story

Chapter 196

Things were finally starting to settle down when another large group of soldiers walked in. These were also bloody and appeared to have recently been in battle but unlike the group they encountered en route these bore the signs of a well disciplined unit.  They bowed as customary and the leader politely requested an audience with the ranking officer on behalf of his commander.

Chu-hua said something to her second in command before following him out. 

The soldiers he left behind took seats and placed their orders.  Jin brought out the water as it was one task she could do with a broken arm.

“Well aren’t you a pretty little thing,” one of the men commented while pulling her into his lap and pawing at her breast. The men at his table laughed but everyone else gasped. The Prince’s order of protection hung outside the door and was posted on all the walls.

Zuko slid out of the booth and walked towards them.

“Well if it isn’t Prince Zuko. It is an honor to finally meet the newly returned prince,” he said in mock politeness extending his left hand in a grand flourish.  In the Fire Nation the left hand was used to wipe after defecation and offering to another was an insult.

Katara had not realized Zuko was wearing his swords until the man’s hand was on the floor and the blade was dripping blood.

“That was for extending your left hand towards me,” Zuko said raising his blade and bringing it down on the man’s right shoulder. “There is a royal decree posted on the door of this establishment. You would still have your right arm if you had bothered to read it.”

Jin stumbled from his lap and backed away. Zuko helped her up. “Go in the kitchen and refill your pitcher.  I’m sure the others are thirsty.”

The Earth Kingdom girl mutely obeyed.

Zuko looked at the shocked faces in the room jovially stated, “Eat up, I’m paying.”

He stepped outside and swung his sword to remove the blood before retaking his seat by Katara. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap praying it would be enough so no one would notice how badly he was shaking.

 

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Mu and the Zhao twins arrived in time to see what happened. They took the empty seats in front of him. Fan and the group of soldiers who’d teased Zuko for forgetting them were already seated but claimed to need a larger area to play Pai Sho as excuse to move to a larger table that further blocked Zuko from the view of the room.  They had seen the young prince trembling. Katara leaned back against Zuko. She pulled his arms tighter around her and closed her eyes wishing that would be enough to make the nightmare end. The screaming outside had started again.

“Katara are you okay?”

Zuko’s voice was rough against her ear. She shook her head then slowly parted her eyelids to look at him. “What about the other girls Zuko? Jin, her cousin, her mother and her aunt are safe, but what about the other girls? Didn’t you hear them?”

“Katara…”

“What about the other girls, Zuko? You can do something to help them.  You have to help them,” but even as she said that, Katara knew it was too late. There was nothing he or anyone else could do.

 

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The ship’s engineer fingered her pai sho tile as the Waterbender’s sobs filled the room.

“Bad for the concentration ain’t it?” Fan commented nudging her elbow attempting to get a better look at what was hidden in her other hand.

“Not really. You forget where I grew up.  I’ve grown immune to the sobs of young women,” Bong Cha shrugged.

“Aww dammit, not this again,” one of the others groaned.

The engineer smiled. She had never lost leading with the Red Orchid Gambit.