Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 46: Those Who Do Can Always Find a Friend

The trio continued riding on for nearly a week, stopping only to sleep for the night. Finding a place not far from a river that seemed isolated enough, they decided to make another camp as they had done before. Towards the end of the day after setting up the tents, they had time to relax.

"I'm going to the river," said Chiara.

"I'll go with you," said Zuko still worried about what happened to her at their last campsite.

When they reached the river, she walked into the water while Zuko followed her, and they both started swimming. After enjoying their swim, they sat in the water near the shore and talked.

"I want to practice your waterbending moves with you," he said to her surprise.

"Really?"

He nodded. "You always practiced firebending; I think I should learn waterbending. Uncle said he learned lightning redirection from waterbenders. There's probably so much more that I could do as a firebender if I practiced with you."

"I would love that," she said.

He splashed her. "So does that count as waterbending?"

She softly giggled. "As much as throwing rocks counts as earthbending."

He laughed at her reply.

"Remember when you waterbended at Azula?" she asked him.

"No," he said, with a puzzled expression. "I was waterbending?"

"It was after she threw rocks at us."

"Oh, I remember," he grinned. "I did waterbend." He thought about it. "What...what were you thinking when I said that?"

"I thought you executed your form perfectly."

He was laughing.

He had rarely wondered about her past when they were growing up together, but since learning she was a waterbender he had been more curious but was often hesitant to ask.

"Do you remember the village where you came from?" he finally worked up to courage to ask her.

She thought about it for a few seconds.

"No."

"Really?"

"The only thing I remember is my mother, but the only image I have of her, her throat had been cut and she was burned."

He was shocked, and he thought back to what Iroh had told him about her mother. "I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you think about that," he said regretting his question.

"It's not something you really forget. It seems to be the oldest memory I have. I remember the General's first words to me. 'This is something you should not see,'" she said imitating his voice.

Zuko found her imitation of his uncle adorable.

"He took the diadem off her head and placed it around my neck," she continued. "Then he picked me up and carried me away from the village telling me not to make a sound. I thought I was going to end up like my mother after he stuck me in a bag. I remember hearing other men talking, and then I felt something stab me in the arm." She lifted up her sleeve and showed the faint scar. "But I didn't make a noise. I just kept my hands over my mouth and held as still as I could. I expected another more painful one."

"I-I remember that," he started. "I mean, I remember you having a bandage on your arm when I met you."

She nodded.

"You must've been terrified."

"I was, but looking back I guess I was kind of...resigned to my fate. Even at that age I knew if I screamed there would be no one to help, and I certainly couldn't fight the General, so I just waited to die."