The Concubine's Apprentice (an Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction Zuko x OC)

Chapter 26: Tales of Ba Sing Se (Part 4)

The Tale of Quinta

She had been travelling for quite some time now. It's been five years to be precise since she left the Fire Nation to explore the world in search of new flavours and new passions. And though she had crossed the waters, far and wide, she kept in touch with her sisters back in the Salinja Troupe.

Finally the monorail slowed to a halt and she stepped out, her handmaidens carrying her luggage after her. She had been to the Earth Kingdom capital before. It was still the same fortress as it had been before. After all, the war has not breached its walls yet. Ba Sing Se, the Impenetrable City, was the last stronghold of the Earth Kingdom.

"Lady Quinta!" An Earth Kingdom eunuch bowed at the waist as he greeted the ceremonial tea mistress. "I am so honoured to be at your service! My name is Duk!"

She smiled and gave a slight nod of her head. The Earth King himself had requested the presence of the travelling entertainer, going so far as to send agents of the Dai Li in search for her.

"The carriage is this way, my lady!" Duk scurried forward, taking some of the luggage and loading it into the wagon. He opened the door of the carriage and the lady stepped in, followed by her handmaidens. Once everything was ready, they set off to the upper ring.

Quinta looked out the window as they travelled through the lower ring. There were so many refugees displaced by the war. All of them, uprooted by the Fire Nation's raids on their towns and villages. Here they are in Ba Sing Se, seeking sanctuary inside the stronghold, trying to live, to survive.

A crowd caught her eye as they clamoured to get inside a teashop. She knew this particular shop, for she once was a guest there. Pao's tea was horrible to say the least. "Then why is there an excited crowd outside its doors?"

"Stop the carriage." She ordered the eunuch and he complied. They halted in front of the shop and Duk jumped down from the front of the carriage to open the door for Lady Quinta.

A man from the crowd noticed the beautiful woman who had come down from the carriage and he stopped clamouring to get in. Soon, everyone else has followed suit, staring in awe as she strode towards the teashop. She was decked out in an emerald kimono, lined with silver threads at the hem and sleeves, embroidered with small, silver butterflies. Her long, greyish hair had been braided and put up in a halo around her head, nestled between the braids are small floral ornaments made from jade. She may have been older than most women, but her beauty was compared to wine as she had aged gracefully throughout the years.

The crowd parted as she approached, craning their necks to get a better look at the entertainer. Her handmaiden opened the door for her and she stepped into the threshold.

There were gasps of shock and awe as she sauntered to the counter. Pao's eyes widened as the famous ceremonial tea mistress had decided once again to grace his humble teashop. "L-lady Quinta!" he stumbled forward and bowed. "W-what brings you here to my humble tea shop?"

"Pao." She smiled, making every men inside the shop swoon. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?" She looked around and was surprised to see that not a seat was vacant compared to the last time she'd been there. "It looks like business is going well!"

"W-why yes! I had the luck of finding a new, talented brewmaster—"

"And who is this brewmaster you talk highly of?"

"Hold on just a second... Mushi!"

"Mushi? What kind of name is that?!" She laughed internally, waiting for 'Mushi' to come out.