Borealis: A Zutara Story | By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 33965 -:- 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 58
The Southern Water Tribe spent the next week preparing for the full moon. All of the Waterbenders including those from the Foggy Swamp followed Hakoda’s chosen group to Whale Tail Island. The non battle trained benders provided cover and guided the ships while the others conserved their energy. They soon understood why when they arrived at the Fire Nation outpost.
Pakku and Huu silently pulled the guards into the water and back to the boats. Hakoda and Bato slit their throats then stripped the bodies before gently lowering them back into it. Iluak and Sangok pushed the bodies north towards the current so the gathering sharks would not alert the Fire Nation to their presence.
Once the guards were dispatched the men went inside. There was screaming and flashes of fire. All of the messenger hawks were caught shortly after they were dispatched. By the time the sun rose all of the soldiers stationed at that facility had been fed to the sharks or frozen and sank to the bottom of the ocean. A controlled wave from Pakku and expert swipes of Huu’s seaweed monster removed all the blood inside the building.
Sangok and the other healers were able to get plenty of practice healing burns and weapon injuries. He understood why Hakoda had been so quick to welcome him and Iluak to his group. Many of the men would have been dead without her immediate care and expertise to stabilize them so a less experienced healer like himself could take over.
That day several of the Fire Navy ships made a one way trip to the Southern Water tribe laden with supplies from the base. Several lighter faster Water Tribe boats returned in their stead carrying most of the tribe as well as those who’d piloted the Fire Nation ships the South Pole.
Everyone soon began working to strip the base. Children carried the smaller lighter items that had been removed while the teenagers and adults carried the weapons and heavier items to the Fire Nation ships that would be used to take them back the to the South Pole.
Once the building was gutted Hakoda proved to work just as well with The Mechanist as Sokka. They rigged the empty shell with a spider web of blasting jelly and flammable oil that would detonate with enough force to destroy the island and any ships docked to it once enough the innermost doors were opened.
When everything was safely back at the newly formed city Hakoda’s and Torluq’s groups departed in a mix of Fire Nation high speed cruisers and Water Tribe ships. Once they were two miles out to sea they circled the pole so the benders could create an ice wall fifty feet high and fifty feet thick behind them.
The Waterbenders who were remaining behind worked from the inside to create specific notch points and hidden gates that would allow for easy entry and exit so long as the navigator knew the agreed upon labyrinthine passage.
The two groups traveled together until they reached their starting point. Hakoda’s group took the Water Tribe ships up the waterway between more populous areas of the western Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. Torluq’s group took the Fire Nation cruisers up the Earth Kingdom’s eastern shore. They would most likely run into more of the Fire Navy going to Ba Sing Se but there were less ports in Fire Nation control along that route and it was the fastest way to reach the North Pole.
Zuko was awakened by the sound of knocking. He double checked to make sure Katara was tied properly before slowly making his way to the door, “What?”
“I’m sorry to disturb you Prince Zuko, but Princess Azula and Admiral Chu-hua request your presence in the state room.”
“Now?” Zuko yawned looking back at the sleeping form of Katara. He couldn’t leave her in the room by herself. He had claimed her as a royal concubine but that didn’t mean this wasn’t a ploy harm her.
“Yes sir. They would like to discuss our captives.”
“Fine, go get Lieutenant Mu and the Zhao twins and have them come to my quarters.” Zuko instructed.
Mu’s family were lesser nobles. They were often snubbed by the rest of their family since his parents married for love and didn’t follow the pattern of sleeping their way up the food chain. Mu and Mai were both shy children in a family of outgoing personalities and social climbers so they had naturally gravitated to one another. They were once as close as siblings, but that was before Mai’s parents and their Aunt Su Ying decided her time would be better spent cultivating her friendship with Azula.
The Zhao twins were the non-Firebending sons of Admiral Zhao, the man he’d fought on several occasions and tried to save at the North Pole. They hated their father as much as Zuko. If they would have seen him drowning they would have thrown water at him. All three were also members of the 41st division whose lives were spared as a result of Zuko’s humiliating Agni Kai.
Azula had given Mai all of the grisly details not expecting Mai to share the information with her cousin or for him to inform his division. The unit had been disbanded to save face and the soldiers had been dispersed to other units. Somehow the word had gotten out and every member of original 41st had met him at various ports during his banishment and had sworn loyalty to him.
He hoped they continued to hold that sentiment.
Zuko had broken up with Mai in a letter and had just thrown his intimacy with another woman in her face. He’d defeated Zhao, an older respected war veteran in an Agni Kai. Fire Nation or not, there were times when blood was thicker than water. He hoped this wasn’t one of them. All three arrived at the same time, just after Zuko explained the situation to Katara and told her to get dressed.
“Prince Zuko, you requested us?” Mu asked politely.
Zuko made sure Katara was fully clothed then checked the hallway before ushering them inside. “Yes, this is my companion, Lady Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. She is an extremely skilled Waterbender and as you can see by the state of my face, an excellent fighter. I have been called to a meeting with my sister and am unable to guard her. Can I trust you with this task?”
“Lighten up Zuke, you know we’ve got your back and yours too,” one of the twins stated turning to Katara, “I’ve heard several good things about you Milady…”
“Like how you kicked our so called father’s ass. On behalf our beloved mother you have our eternal gratitude and protection,” The other finished. “You can call me Zhao 1. That guy that wishes he were as handsome is Zhao 2.”
Mu rolled his eyes, “You’re identical twins; you look just alike. Now be quiet before you frighten her. We’re on a boat. She’s a Waterbender. I do not wish to drown today. My name is Mu. Let me assure you I am just as skilled in the art of knives as my cousin Mai, but hold none of her loyalties and pre-conceived notions. You will be safe in our care.”
“Zhao, as in kill the moon, capture Aang, Commander Zhao? And knife skills as in Crazy’s friend, Needles? This is who you trust to guard me? You may as well throw me overboard; I’ll have a better chance at surviving.” Katara shrieked not caring if she broke a whiskey bottle to get to the liquid inside of it.
“Calm down. Here, they aren’t benders. Maybe this way you’ll feel safe,” Zuko stated setting down a pitcher and basin full of water in front of her. “They’ll take care of you until I get back. Please don’t hurt them or try to escape. We’re in the middle of the ocean, you don’t know where your brother and the Avatar are being held, and the bison is injured and unable to fly. Guys, I’m sorry for asking you to do this. Just come get me if she tries anything.”
Mu nodded and the twins smiled.
“So Lady Katara, did that bastard really get eaten by a giant koi fish?” Zhao 1 or was it 2 asked.
“I heard it was the ocean spirit?” the other brother chimed in.
“Did he scream and cry like a little bitch?” both asked at the same time.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading. There's still quiet a bit of time before the not so dark part of the story but I tried to end it on a happy note. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings, and Happy Tuesday to those who don't.
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