Road to Ba Sing Se | Zuko

07

❃ Fever dream ❃

Hot. It was so hot... Keya grumbled and groaned as she tried to find a way to cool down. Something was holding her down. It felt like she had been wrapped in a thousand blankets. Her body struggled as she tried to sit up, but a firm grip pushed her back down. She was too weak to fight it.

"Stay still." A raspy voice commanded. Keya just continued to squirm. She felt so hot. Her brain was pounding against her forehead, desperate for water. Her mind was fuzzy, as if every thought she had needed to tread through a thick sludge to break through her consciousness. Everything felt like a dream.

Her ears picked up the sounds of footsteps approaching, but it sounded like they were far away, as if she was under water. Everything sounded muffled. The smell of herbs was in the air... was someone brewing tea? Keya's mouth watered at the thought.

"How is she doing?" Someone asked. A big hand was placed on her forehead. Keya could feel the blisters and calluses on the person's skin... just like her big brother Lei after he practised his sword fighting for a long time... Big brother Lei, she missed him. And Hun and Kanak, too. Where were those guys? Why weren't they here? Where was here, anyway?

"I think she's still asleep, but she keeps squirming. She's burning up. The tea didn't help, uncle."

Uncle...? The name sounded familiar, but Keya couldn't remember for the life of her where she had heard it before. As a matter of fact, she couldn't seem to remember much of anything at the moment. She felt like a stew... hot and mushy. Mushi? What was it with that name again...?

"This is no ordinary fever, Prince Zuko. I fear that the shock has taken its toll on her body. It's best to let her rest and heal for now." The hand was removed from her forehead again. Keya frowned. The hand felt nice on her forehead- wait a minute...

Prince Zuko...?

She knew a guy named Zuko! Rugged, scar-faced and kinda cute... but that guy was not a Prince, not by a long shot. He was more like an angsty loner, always telling her fake names or complaining that his uncle didn't like him (even though he totally did). Besides, the guy she knew did not have the manners of a Prince, that's for sure! Did the Earth Kingdom even have a Prince? 

Keya's fever-drunk mind continued to pay as much attention as she could to the conversation going on in her presence (not that she could really do anything else). But despite her best efforts, her mind kept drifting off and floating away. Full consciousness always seemed just a bit too far out of reach.

"It's my fault, uncle. I should have just lied and said that- I don't know what I could have told her instead, but I can't believe I was stupid enough to tell her the truth!" 'Prince' Zuko's raspy voice took on a scolding tone directed at himself. Fabric rustled, as if someone had just sat down.

"The truth is often painful, Prince Zuko. But just because it hurts, does not mean that it was the wrong decision."

Zuko sighed at the words of wisdom that his uncle proclaimed, not seeing how it could help his situation. The girl was sick now, after all! How had this not been his fault? The way he had found her in that clearing two days ago... cold, damp and passed out. How had it not been wrong of him to admit his firebending heritage if it elicited such a reaction? Maybe, if he had told her that she was just seeing things or that it was just a trick of the light, she would have still been here, awake and well. Sure, training firebending techniques with his uncle would have had to be done in secret, but surely he could have figured something out?

Iroh noticed his nephew's deep frown and put a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. He continued to speak as the two of them glanced at Keya's sweating form, neither realising that she was listening (or trying to, at least).