Avatar: Across the Earth Kingdom, Chapter 2: Seas and Storie

Avatar: Across the Earth Kingdom, Chapter 2: Seas and Storie

The boat rocked gently on the waves. Tian watched the rising sun on the horizon cast its beautiful golden glow across the sea. The water rippled and sparkled, tiny diamonds held in the light for fractions of a moment. There was barely a cloud in the sky. It was a beautiful sight, he had to admit.

He glanced toward the small cabin as Fei stepped out, yawning and blinking in the light as she moved out from the shadows. Her long hair was ruffled from sleep, and she yawned, stretching her arms high above her head.

“Good morning,” Tian greeted her. “Sleep well?”

Fei granted him a small, shy smile. “Yes, thank you,” she responded. “And you?”

Tian shifted a little as he sat by the tiller, trying to work a knot from his cramped leg. “I didn’t sleep.”

“Why not?” Fei asked. Tian was a little surprised to hear a slight edge to her tone.

“I wanted to stay on watch, make sure we weren’t chased by any Fire Navy ships. Besides,” he said with a slight shrug at Fei’s frown, “I had to steer the boat, or we could have crashed into some rocks or washed up on a beach in the middle of nowhere.”

“You could have woken me. I could have taken over for a bit.” Concern crept into Fei’s voice. “You need rest too.”

Tian smiled. “I can rest when we reach land. Don’t worry, I’ve gone far longer without sleep.”

Fei’s expression turned quizzical. “Why was that?”

Tian clamped his mouth shut, and looked out to sea. He really didn’t want to go into it right now, certainly not with someone he barely knew. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Fei hesitated, as if about to ask something else, but she remained silent. She walked over to Tian and sat beside him, gazing in the same direction, out across the sea. A few times Tian noticed Fei take a deep breath, as if she were about to speak, but each time she paused, glanced at him, and then let it out in a quiet sigh. She seemed shy and withdrawn, but a few times Tian had noticed something in her eyes, something deeper down he couldn’t read.

“Where are we heading?”

Tian checked the rudder, adjusting the boat’s course. “I’m just heading for the mainland right now. I don’t know my way between ports, but if we can find a soft beach somewhere, we can go on foot.”

A light breeze filled the sail, and the fishing boat rocked on the small waves. Tian adjusted the rudder, steering westward, placing his back to the rising sun. It hung higher in the sky now, which seemed a bright, brilliant blue above. Tiny wisps of white cloud hung lazily in the air, content to slowly move across their vast playground.

“So,” Fei began, breaking the quiet, “you’re an earth bender.”

“Mmhmm.”

Fei paused for a moment, seeming unwilling to continue.

“You want to know why I’m in the Fire Nation,” Tian stated, speaking the question Fei seemed reluctant to ask.

She nodded. “You are a long way from home.”

A long, sad sigh escaped the earth bender as he closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry, it must be hard for you,” Fei said. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s alright. I’m just…” Tian paused, sighing again. “I haven’t really spoken to anyone for a long time.”

Fei looked into his deep, brown eyes. “It’s ok, take as much time as you need.”

Tian nodded. “My village was near the eastern border of the Earth Kingdom, far outside the walls of Ba Sing Se,” he began as he cast his memory back. “We lived in relative peace. Some of the older men had gone to the capital to join the war effort, and others headed for Omashu to lend their aid to defend the city should the Fire Nation attack.” He paused, looking out to see. Fei looked at him as he continued. “My father was the most powerful earth bender in the entire village, but he refused to fight. He said his responsibility was to his home and to his family. Some believed him a coward, but he was simply protecting everything he loved by staying. He had a wife and two sons to look after, and my mother was expecting a third child.”

Tian paused again, longer this time, collecting his thoughts. “And then the Fire Nation attacked.” He squeezed his eyes shut, picturing the day as it had happened. “My father led the remaining earth benders in a defence of the village, but he was killed. My mother led my brother and me out of the village. I remember the cries and screams, and I can still smell the smoke. We hid in the forest, waiting for the sounds of battle to die down. We thought we would be safe.” Tian swallowed hard. “They found us. A group of soldiers chased us. They killed my brother first. He was only five, he was of no use to them.” Tears stung at his eyes, and his throat tightened. “They saw my mother was pregnant, and they killed her too. No use for a pregnant woman.”

Fei gasped in horror at this, and turned away, bringing a hand to her mouth. “That’s terrible.” She turned back to Tian, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

Tian looked at her, tears streaming from his eyes. “They saw me. I was ten, just big enough and strong enough to be a slave.” He laughed bitterly. “They spared my life, but they took it away what life I had when they put me in chains and sent me to work in the coal mines. It took weeks to get to the Fire Nation, and I was so scared, so alone.” He looked away again. “I hid my earth bending from them. They would either kill me, or lock me away in a metal prison if they knew I could bend.” Tian looked up again. His eyes were red, but the tears had stopped. “Ten years, Fei. Ten years I was chained to other slaves, deep in the Fire Nation, forced to dig and haul coal so the Fire Nation army could burn more homes and take more land. Ten years in a dark, terrible place.”

“How did you escape?” Fei asked, her voice filled with concern and wonder.

“I didn’t. Fire Lord Zuko ordered the release of all prisoners taken during the war when he ascended the throne. I was released two days ago. I was given these simple grey clothes, a hot shower and a few gold pieces, and told to go back to the Earth Kingdom. I was free.”

“Why didn’t you just go straight home?” Fei asked curiously. “Why wait in a Fire Nation harbour town?”

Tian sighed. “I don’t know. It’s hard to adjust to freedom when you’ve been shackled for ten years. The marks on my wrists are still fresh from the manacles.” He pulled back the long grey sleeve of his loose-fitting shirt, showing her the faint red mark on his right wrist. He turned to her, looking into her amber eyes. “I am stronger now than I was ten years ago. I can defend myself with my earth bending.” He snorted in derision. “But I can’t make a difference now. The war is over, there’s no one to fight.”

Fei placed her soft hand back on his arm. “Tian, you saved my life yesterday.” She looked deep into his eyes, her own brimming with tears. “I know you may not think there is not much left for you in this world, not after all that’s happened, but you saved my life. You made a difference to me.”

Tian looked at her, and nodded. He needed to hear that, he realised. He needed to know that his life was not a waste now. Tian couldn’t make a difference in a war already ended, he knew, but he could make a difference in a fresh, new world. Even if the only person he helped was this young woman before him, he knew it was all that he needed.

“I’m just glad I could help you,” he said finally, smiling at her. “A pretty girl like you shouldn’t have to deal with the likes of those men.”

She punched him playfully in the arm, her ears turning red, as he laughed for the first time in years.