Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 61: Breaking the Rules

The next day Chiara was out of isolation resuming her usual duties Zedak set her to. That night right after lockdown, Nai entered her cell.

"I can't stay long," she said. "I brought some burn salve for your back."

Chiara started removing her shirt.

"Sozoh told me you can't heal your own wounds," said Nai.

"He's right."

"Why is that?"

"I was told my gift wasn't for me. Most waterbender healers can heal themselves, a few can't."

Nai was curious about her ability to heal, but she was suddenly distracted when she saw the old scars on her back.

"What are these scars from?" she asked.

"Most of them, Princess Azula."

"Because you're a waterbender?"

"And because I'm married to her brother."

It disgusted Nai to learn that the Fire Lord's daughter was as heartless as the Fire Lord, yet she was not surprised that the royal family could be so callous, especially being one of the few at the prison who understood the sacrifice of the Crown Prince and his punishment at the hands of his own father.

Chiara suddenly tensed up as Nai began dabbing salve on the fresh wounds.

"I'm sorry," said Nai softly.

"It's okay."

"I heard you were executed in the Capital," she said.

"Princess Azula intended to, but she wanted to punish me first," said Chiara.

"How did you get away?"

"Prince Zuko found me."

Nai smiled to herself at the unfailing honor of the Crown Prince, and she thought it promising that at least one of the Fire Lord's children had a sense of integrity.

"Your...your ability...," Nai began, sounding hesitant as she tried forming her question, "...can you heal anyone or...or anything?"

"It depends. If someone loses too much blood, I can't help them, or if there's too much internal damage."

"What about illness? Can you help people who are sick?"

"Yes...well, most of the time...," she corrected, remembering Zuko's unnatural illness in Ba Sing Se. "It depends on the cause."

Nai finished applying the salve. "I hope this helps."

"It will. Thank you so much."

That evening Chiara remained in her cell, but the next night she began sneaking out again to help those who were sick or injured that she was unable to help during the day.

==========================

A few days later, Chiara was kneeling at a bucket washing laundry late in the afternoon. Watching the water splash around as she rinsed the garment in her hands, her mind became lost in thoughts of Zuko and Iroh.

"I was wondering where you were," said Zuko walking up to her while she was kneeling on the riverbank working on washing the dirt stain out of Iroh's tunic.

"I told the General I'd be at the river."

He knelt down next to her. "That hog you caught yesterday was really good."

She was relieved she could catch something that had given them some respite from their hunger pains. "We were so hungry, tree bark would've tasted good yesterday."