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Borealis: A Zutara Story	By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 33555 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, any historical figures or events, or easily recognizable persons, places or things. I make no profit from this work of fanfiction

Chapter List
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Chapter 226
Amayu was in the infirmary when Katara and Zuko found her. The medical officers from the other divisions were arguing with her over the best way to treat what had been coined “colonial injuries”. An ingenuous new weapon had been used in the last battle using the skills of an Earthbender and Firebender. Dirt would be hardened to the consistency of rock and wrapped around a fireball; the projectile would explode on impact causing more damage than a separate attack.
“I don’t care if you are older and have a penis! I have a brain! These wounds do not need to be wrapped! They need air so they will not rot and fester! Unless you want to tell these soldiers they were amputated because of your ego! Or would you prefer to tell their wives, mothers and children they died of blood poisoning because you refused to listen to reason because the person speaking to you lacked a penis!” she screamed at the top of her lungs to the other doctors. “And the next one of you idiots to say anything about a hysterical woman will become one. I have a scalpel and know how to use it!”
“Are you forgetting there are insects here? The quartermaster has yet to arrive with the mosquito netting. Or do want them to lay eggs in their wounds and for the poor soldiers to become food for maggots?”
Zuko’s eyes widened at the mention of dying from blood poison. Katara stepped behind him and placed her face against his back so no one would see her laughing at Amayu’s antics.
One of the officers who’d grown tired of participating in what had begun as a treatment discussion took a different route, “Prince Zuko, please tell this woman she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. These wounds need to be wrapped.”
“I don’t have any medical knowledge. You should ask Katara,” Zuko sputtered stepping to the side and pulling her around him.
“Finally someone with sense,” Amayu exclaimed in relief as she pulled the other female forward and began describing their injuries.
“Surely you aren’t going to let this uneducated savage take a look at our soldiers?” the most vocal of the men yelled.
“If you call my Katara a savage or any other derogatory term you will need medical treatment for yourself,” Zuko growled grabbing the man by his collar and roughly pushing him backwards.
“I’m sorry for the insult your highness,” he said bowing. “I meant no disrespect or offense towards you only to protect our soldiers. They need the best medical care we can afford them. She has no medical training and she,” he said motioning to Amayu, “has no sense.”
Katara ignored the squabbling behind her and looked at the injuries. The outer portion was a bruise and a minor burn. It sloped downward into the flesh with varying degrees of burns until it reached the severe burn in the middle.
“Well have you ever seen anything like this before?” one of the men asked sarcastically.
“Yes, I have,” Katara replied sadly. “Twice. This is the same type of injury that occurs when someone is hit by one of the fireballs launched by a catapult. Treat the burns; the bruises will heal on their own.”
The one who’d asked Zuko to intervene asked, “So did the injured people survive?”
“Some of them,” Katara replied. She couldn’t tell them the ones at the north did only because of the healers. The ones in her village left a survivor; her friend Taruk. His parents had thrown themselves on top of him when the fireball crashed into their home. His father died instantly but his mother lingered three days before succumbing to her injuries. Physically he was unharmed.
“So do they need to be covered?” another asked impatiently.
“Yes you jackass, they need to be covered. I never said they didn’t; only that they didn’t need to be wrapped! Why is it that you men never listen?” Amayu grumbled as she picked up the gauze. “One layer to keep away insects and dust. Not several layers thick enough to support a broken limb - one.”
Once she was certain the patients would be taken care of she followed Zuko and Katara outside. She rolled her eyes and swore when Katara explained why they needed her help and the likely degree of Zuko’s blood poisoning. “Men! What is it about what’s between their legs that keeps them from using what’s between their ears? This is why I’ve sworn to never get married. Ever. Be careful Katara. Their stupidity might be catching.”
Amayu remembered she was in the presence of her nation’s prince after calling him stupid. She bowed formally, “My prince, please forgive me. I did not mean to insult your intellect, only your actions. Any man that is willing to risk his health for his pride can only be called stupid. I would say the same to my own father.”
“Based on what Katara told me I would suggest eating a light meal, something with liver to fortify your blood. I would also suggest getting enough broth and rice to sustain you for the next twelve hours. You will not feel like moving after your treatment and you will need food to prevent the medicine from upsetting your stomach. You will need to bathe before we work on you. Once you have been treated you must refrain from strenuous activities for several days as your body will be weakened,” she advised resuming her professional demeanor. “That means no sex if you need me to say it plainly. Do you have any questions for me?”
Zuko shook his head. Being inside the infirmary reminded him of one of the men they’d been transporting from a small port in the Earth Kingdom to the colony he was from. He’d been kind and told Zuko he reminded him of his own son. His son also had a facial scar but his was from a training accident. He’d found a woman to love him and they were expecting their first child. He’d promised to introduce him to Zuko. He took a nap and never woke up. One minute he was laughing and talking, the next he was making the journey to the spirit world.
He was so distracted he didn’t notice Katara taking his hand and leading him to the restaurant until they were inside and the din of the establishment drew him from his thoughts. He followed her to their usual table at the back of the restaurant and laid his head on her shoulder.
Ming’s younger brother, Yuu, came out to take their order. He frowned when Katara asked if they had liver. He shuddered and replied, “We don’t serve it, but you may want to try the butcher. He generally keeps the organ meat.”
Katara thanked him then she and Zuko left to go to the butcher shop. The butcher wasn’t in so they walked to the back entrance of the home connected to it. After they’d knocked several times he finally came to the door.
He stared at the top of them and gruffly replied, “The shop is closed for the day. I don’t care who you are I am not slaughtering an animal just because you want steak.”
“We just want a bit of liver if you have it,” Katara said quickly as he was closing the door.
“Liver?” he repeated in surprise as he opened it. “Liver? You want liver?”
Katara nodded, “I haven’t been feeling well. I usually feel better after I eat some.”
The man sighed, “My wife also has the same problem after her, well you know. Come along. It’s chopped up and may be a little smoky. I’ve only started preserving it.”
The two teens followed him to a smoke house a few feet from the actual residence. His wife was inside. She was sitting beside a meat grinder slicing the meat from bones for what appeared would be sausages. She startled in her chair when she saw them.
“We mean you no harm. We only want to purchase liver for Katara,” Zuko stated.
She nodded but remained wary.
Katara asked her, “Are you injured? There’s a place where you can get medical attention.”
“I am fine. I have no need for that place. Apparently that crazy fortune teller was right when she said one day I’d be thankful for the ostrich horse that threw me,” She answered bitterly as she rolled her chair from behind the work station. The lower portion of her left leg was missing and her right foot sat at an odd angle.
Katara stared at the pile beside her contemplatively, “Those bones, what will you do with them?”
“Why?” she asked.
“The refugees are hungry. We’ll buy them from you. They can be used to make stock. I know it’s not much but,” her voice trailed off but her soft spoken words were heard by the room’s other occupants.
“You can have the bones. We don’t do anything with them. You can also have the silverskin, tendons, veins, blood, and organs that don’t preserve well. If you place them in a pillowcase they can be used with the bones for flavoring and easily separated,” the woman advised after hearing Katara whisper no one should have to sell their body to feed their family.
Her husband brought them the liver they asked for. It was lightly smoked but still would need cooking.
“I suppose you need cooking utensils too?” the woman asked handing them a wok that had seen better years and a bit of animal fat.
“You should be able to get chopsticks from the carpenter and a few vegetables from the garden,” the butcher advised.
“You’ll need everything in that garden. We can’t take food from you. What you have given us is enough,” Zuko argued.
“Consider it repayment for what she is doing with the water. Min-Sik and Kisa told us what you did earlier and how much water you saved us. That is more important than enough produce to feed two people. Food is not an issue. We knew the Fire Nation would come eventually but there is no way to preserve water. What you are doing will allow us to survive for a bit longer,” the bearded man explained.
Katara bit her lips contemplatively before speaking, “There is an underground stream to the south of here. Some of the Earthbenders may be able to divert it but be mindful of the Dai Li. I wouldn’t put it past Princess Azula to leave some here.”
The couple’s eyes widened as Zuko gave them detailed directions and advised them to be careful before he and Katara left.
“Wait until I tell Min-Sik. He won’t believe it,” the butcher exclaimed.
“No, you will not be telling Min-Sik anything; not even the location of the spring,” the butcher’s wife barked sharply.
Her voice softened, “You have always lived here and haven’t had much contact with the Fire Nation. I have. I was running from them when the horse threw me. The words those children spoke may have saved us but they will surely get them killed if heard by the wrong ears. She just confirmed what you, Hiro and Min-Sik suspect. You said yourself Kin married into a family of traveling merchants; all of them including Jinta and Jin have features of a mixed heritage. Yong and Sing are pure Earth Kingdom.”
“We will tell no one what they have revealed to us. This war has lasted for 100 years. I am not foolish enough to believe it will end anytime soon. I cannot speak to the true allegiance of the Waterbender but I can see what she is doing for us. She has a good heart and cares for people; that cannot be faked. The prince is under her influence. If our children are not able live in a world without war, I would rather they live under his rule than his sister’s,” she said placing his hand on her still flat stomach and looking up at her husband.
“Besides Min-Sik is not this town’s only Earthbender,” she said using her hands to lift her right foot and place it on the floor then drag it forward; it sloped just enough for her wheelchair to slide forward. “If the time comes and the well runs dry I will tell Kisa’s mother. The two of us will take care of it. I can move underground undetected and they’ll never be able to determine if her actions are deliberate or another seizure.”
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Borealis: A Zutara Story