Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 53: Confronting the Avatar, Take Two

The next morning Zuko and Chiara were up early with the sun, and they decided to quietly meditate by the river while allowing their guest to sleep in.

"I think we should have fish for breakfast," she said after their meditation. "She might enjoy that better than our supplies."

"Don't overdo it," he said as he watched her walk into the river.

It was not long before she froze a section of water and set it on the riverbank, where, after she melted it, Zuko began gutting the fish that had been frozen inside. When he finished, Chiara drew a bucket of water to take back to the campsite.

"I'll get that," he said as he took it from her.

"I need to get used to doing work again," she said.

"No, you don't," he insisted. "I can handle it."

She sighed softly.

"May I at least pick some of these moon peaches?" she asked when they walked by the ripe fruit.

He stopped and waited while she pulled a few from the tree. She missed having her skirt in which to gather food as Zuko's tunic, despite being long on her, was still too short to carry much.

When they arrived back at the camp, Zuko built a fire and started heating the water for tea while Chiara prepared to cook the fish.

Soon the aroma of the cooked fish drew Toph out of her shelter.

"Something smells really good," she said giving her limbs a stretch before stomping and dissolving her makeshift rock tent.

"Breakfast, Lady Beifong?"

Toph knelt down on the ground not far from the campfire. "Thank you, Princess Chiara."

She was a bit thrown by Toph's title for her having only ever heard Iroh address her as "princess." She set her own plate aside, and she put a piece of fish on another plate. After cutting up one of the moon peaches, she placed the pieces on the plate with the fish. Zuko had poured a cup of tea for her, and Chiara took it all to Toph.

"There's fish and a fresh moon peach," she said as she lay the plate in her hands. "And this is ginseng tea." She set the cup on the ground near her.

"I'm not totally helpless, you know," said Toph with a tone of defensiveness. "I could've helped myself."

"I know you could," said Chiara calmly. "But what would that say of our hospitality if we allow a guest in our camp to serve herself?"

Zuko was quietly laughing to himself as he listened to Chiara counter Toph's argument.

"You sound a lot like Iroh," said Toph.

"Thank you," smiled Chiara as she sat down with her own plate. "That's a great compliment."

"You guys must've been up early."

"Firebenders rise with the sun," said Zuko still eating his breakfast.

"But what about Princess Chiara?" asked Toph. "Because the waterbender I know does not get up with the sun," she said speaking of Katara.

"I grew up with firebenders," said Chiara. "So I rise early too."

"So this is what the others were talking about," said Toph as she ate. "They said you had breakfast ready for them every morning." She stopped eating. "Hey, you were a guest in their camp. Why weren't they serving you?"

"They saved me from a cruel fate," she answered. "The least I could do was make breakfast for them."

"I guess," said Toph as she started eating again.