Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 90: Interregnum - The Hospital

It was late in the afternoon, long after lunch, and the Gaang was relaxing on the palace grounds after Zuko had given them a tour. Their planning and work were far from over, and even though making plans for peace would not be as physically strenuous as it was making plans and preparing for war, the team was enjoying the break.

The guards and soldiers around the palace, however, remained on high alert in the event that Ozai supporters might attempt a coup, but the Fire Nation's Order of the White Lotus network heard no word or whispering of any plots.

Hakoda and Bato joined the others of the Southern Water Tribe in walking the palace grounds, while Team Avatar continued relaxing in the garden. Suki and her Kyoshi Warriors practiced training moves while Chiara, Katara, and Aang stood in the fountain gracefully guiding the water around them. Toph was lying on the edge of the fountain with one foot swaying back and forth in the water "watching" the activities through vibrations. Zuko and Sokka lounged nearby, each focused on a different scene—the former on a specific waterbender and the latter on a particular Kyoshi Warrior.

What had started out as relaxing water katas among the waterbenders became entertainment for those who were watching the dazzling exhibition. Most of the guards posted around the area had never seen waterbending before the princess's post-war healing in the courtyard, and the smooth, flowing movements were quite different than what they were familiar with in firebending. As guards in the palace, seeing firebending as entertainment, especially during Ozai's reign, was rare, something witnessed mostly in villages of the outer islands, vacation spots, and the colonies. It seemed a strange, yet fascinating, sight to them now as the three teens dressed in Fire Nation clothes were bending water in the heart of the Fire Nation. To Zuko it was the most magnificent sight his eyes had ever seen in that fountain as his attention was fixated on Chiara. He took in her every movement as she drew up a stream of water, the loose droplets sparkling like diamonds around her. He enjoyed the way her long, dark coils were catching the rays of the sun as they flowed and bounced with her motions. Reminded of their day of relaxation at the river near the Western Air Temple, he was tempted to jump up and playfully attack her as an excuse to get close to her and wrestle her to the ground. He restrained himself from doing so, more out of fear of what Amiku might do to him than of his misbehaving in a manner unbefitting royalty, but he wondered if they would ever have freedom like that again.

"Sir," whispered Kaito interrupting his thoughts, "General Iroh is requesting you and the princess's company."

Not taking his eyes off his princess, the prince stood up and stepped into the fountain where she continued waterbending, smoothly adjusting her movements wrapping the water around him as if he were just part of her routine. He grinned at her fluid inclusion of him, and he was tempted to perform the familiar moves with her in a waterbending dance. As she moved a stream of water around them, Zuko reached out to it mirroring her movement while creating a flameless heat so strong the stream gradually evaporated, surrounding them with steam.

Toph sat up waving her hand around in the thickened air. "Did you guys just turn this place into a sauna?"

Chiara was giggling.

"That's a lot of steam, Hotman," said Aang. He drew up water and tried heating it into steam, but he had trouble doing it simultaneously.

"Uncle wants to see us," Zuko said to Chiara.

"Uh oh," said Toph lying back down. "Sounds like you two are in trouble."

"We'll make sure to blame it on the Avatar," said Zuko taking Chiara's hand and stepping out of the small pool.

Aang's eyes grew wide, and losing his concentration, his water splashed around him. "What? Are you joking?"

Toph was laughing. "Yeah, he's been doing that all day."