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Chapter Seven: The Shai Li


The campsite erupted in walls of flame as all of the division's blasting jelly exploded. Iroh was thrown clear off the camp by one of the blasts. He sat up among the debris and stared in horror at the blaze that was once his men.

"Iroh!"

His heart almost stopped beating at the sound of Mimi's frantic screams. "Mimiko!" he cried, climbing to his feet despite the pain of his burns. He ran towards the inferno, bending the fire to make a path through it. To his great relief, he saw several of his men do the same to escape the campsite. "Mimi!" he called again.


"Here!" came the reply, a little less frantic. Iroh scrambled to reach the voice.

Mimi was pinned under a pile of wreckage, but to Iroh's shock, she was untouched by fire. In fact, every time a flame grew closer, it would turn. She was bending it!

"Mimi," he gasped out, at last by her side. He pushed the wreckage of someone's tent off of her and took her into his arms. "Thank the spirits," he murmured. He picked her up and started back through the flames.

They collapsed once they were clear of the engulfed campsite. Iroh winced as his body reminded him of the burns. Mimi was completely crumpled on the ground, consumed by heavy sobs of fear and relief. He let her cry while he took a visual inventory of the scene. More men than he expected had made it out of the fire, but none of them had escaped without injury.

He touched Mimi's shoulder gently. She collected herself as best she could and sat up. "Iroh," she sobbed, falling into his arms. "What happened? What set off the blasting jelly?"

"Men from the Earth Kingdom army," one of the survivors told her. "They must have snuck into the camp."

"See about putting those flames out," Iroh ordered him. The man saluted him and was gone. Iroh turned back to Mimi. "You were firebending back there, weren't you?" She blushed and nodded. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"It never occurred to me," she said. "I'm not very good at it." Suddenly, she screamed and pointed to the camp. Iroh had only enough time to turn around before another series of explosions ripped through the camp.

Iroh sat up in bed with a start, the echo of explosions of more than 37 years ago still ringing in his ears. He put a hand to his aching head and groaned. Those memories were determined to haunt him. It was one of the worst surprise attacks he'd ever been caught in. More than half of his men killed in an instant. They might have had more survivors if not for the second round of explosions.

He supposed, as he climbed from his bed, that the only good thing about the attack was his discovery of Mimiko's firebending abilities. He'd set up a job as a fire-dancer as soon as he was able. He couldn't chance losing her in the crossfire again.

It doesn't matter now/, he told himself. /It's in the past and we're safe here. /But it almost made him laugh to think that he'd gone through all the trouble to keep her /out of trouble and she had so willingly jumped back into it later.

"Iroh?" came a gentle voice from the other side of his door.

"Come in,' he called, recognizing the voice immediately. He smiled as Mimiko entered the room, closing the door behind her. "Morning."

"Good morning," she said, smiling too. "Did you sleep well?"

"Well enough," he said, lying through his teeth. Judging by the way she smirked, his lie did not convince her. She sat down on the bed and crossed her arms. He simply smiled and sat beside her. "How is your apprentice today?"

"Well enough," she said in reply. "She's been in the training ring since false dawn. Suoh and I have tried talking to her, but it's like she gone deaf." She sighed rather heavily. "Things were going to well before this."

"They'll get better again," Iroh assured her. "Zuko and Cade are young; their tempers will have to cool off eventually. And I'll try and speak with my nephew again."

Mimiko smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "Optimist," she accused. He chuckled softly and put his arm around her.

They sat for a few minutes in silence, simply enjoying being beside each other.

"Marry me."

Mimiko started at the unexpected words. To tell the truth, Iroh had surprised himself. "What did you say?"

"Marry me, Mimiko," he said again, taking her hand. She closed her eyes and shook her head at the surge of memories that came with those words.

_______________________________________________________________________


(/35 years ago...)/

Mimi stared at him in shock. "You cannot be serious."

It had been two years since the camp explosion and her new career as a fire-dancer had begun. It was also the first time she'd seen Iroh since.

"I'm serious," he said, smiling happily, taking her hand in his. "Marry me, Mimiko. I'll give you the best life possible, I swear it!"

But she pulled away from him. "You can't marry me. You're a war hero. War heroes don't marry fire-dancers. You have to marry someone....someone who isn't so far below your station."

"Mimi, don't be ridiculous," Iroh said, trying to take her hand again. "I'm a son of the Fire Lord; I can give you status if I need to."

"There's more than that standing in our way," she said quickly.

Iroh refused to give up. "I'm being sent home to the Fire Nation soon. Come with me...as my bride. Please, Mimi."

"Iroh, I'm the half-breed daughter of a whore."

He faltered, not understanding. "What...what did you say?"

Mimi looked absolutely miserable. "My father was from the Earth Kingdom. My mother told me when I was old enough to understand. She was traveling with an Earth Kingdom troop when she got pregnant with me." She shrugged helplessly, tears welling up in her eyes. "You may be able to change my status, love, but you can't the blood in my veins. My father was a soldier in the Earth Kingdom army and he was nothing but a job to my mother."

"Mimi..." Iroh reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek. "I don't care about your blood or your past. I love you."

"Oh, Iroh," she turned her face away from him. Her eyes strayed to the fresh tattoo hidden from her lover's sight on her wrist. "I can't marry you. An entire world stands in our path, my dragon dear."

"Do you love me?" he asked her.

"I..."

"Do you love me?"

"Of course I love you!" she cried. "I do. I may always love you, Iroh, but that isn't the point and you know it!"

"Then what is the point?" He was at a loss, grasping at any chance he had to convince her.

"You trust me, right?" she asked him.

"Yes," he told her.

"Then trust me on this," she said firmly, "we can't get married. I cannot be the wife of the Fire Lord's son. I can't give you anymore reason than I already have and I know it isn't enough. But you have to trust me."

She ran away.

______________________________________________________________________


(/Present/)

"Iroh," Mimiko began.

"There is nothing standing in our way, Mimi," Iroh told her. "Not our nation, not my family, not even the Shai Li. Marry me."

"We need to talk about this, my dragon dear," Mimiko said. "We're not as young as we used to be. Certainly not as young as we were when you first proposed. There are things we need to take into consideration."

"But we can do it," he said.

Mimiko smiled. "I think we can and if that's so...then I will." She leaned over and kissed him gently before standing. "We should see to our wards. Who are, by the way, one of those things to be considered before we leap into matrimony."

"Agreed," Iroh said, also standing.

________________________________________________________________________


"P...please," the former captain begged his captors. "I've told you all I know."

"I think you're lying," the high female voice was bitterly cold. "I think you're hiding something still."

"I don't know anything else!"

"The other men have already admitted to carrying the prince to safety," she informed him. "And you and the helmsman were the only ones trusted with the coordinates. The helmsman made the mistake of fighting back when we captured your ship, which leaves only you. Now.../where is the island located?/"

________________________________________________________________________

That night Zuko hid away in his room, not anxious to see his uncle or the women. It wasn't until the sun had sunk behind the trees that his uncle returned to check on him.

"Nephew?" Iroh called, cautiously sticking his head in the door. When Zuko didn't tell him to go away, he entered the room. "I think we should talk about this, Zuko," he said to the prince.

"About what?" Zuko snapped.

"You and Cade. You and me." The old general sighed and continued, "And us and this war."

Zuko sat up and moved to the edge of the bed. He didn't say anything, but he was listening. Iroh rubbed the back of his neck and sat before his nephew. "As far as you and Cade, nephew, where do you stand?"

Zuko shrugged. He didn't feel like being helpful. However, Iroh seemed to be waiting for an answer before he'd continue. Zuko knew he couldn't outdo his uncle's patience, so he replied, "She's an enemy of the Fire Nation and therefore an enemy of mine. That's where I stand, uncle."

"Zuko... "

"Why are you defending these people, Uncle?!" Zuko exclaimed, flushing with anger and frustration. "Have you forgotten who we are?"

"No." Iroh's voice was firm as stone. "Let me finish before you attack me again, Prince Zuko." His nephew had rarely heard Iroh use that tone before. The young prince fell silent and Iroh continued, "Now, I am defending Mimiko and Cade because I understand them. I know why they're the way they are. Of course Cade is against the Fire Nation, nephew! Look at the harm we've caused her. Open your eyes, Zuko. What do you see when you look at her?"

Zuko shook his head, "I don't know."

"Would you like to know what I see?" Iroh asked. Zuko looked at him, listening. Iroh smiled gently, "I see someone very much like my beloved nephew."

"What?!"

Iroh only smiled at Zuko's shock and resentment. "Forget about nations and blood, nephew. Look at her past and at yours. What do you see?"

Zuko sat back and closed his eyes, seething at Iroh's words, but still doing as he asked. "Mostly disappointing families,' he said dryly.

Iroh laughed lightly. "There's that, yes. You and Cade are a great deal alike, Zuko. You are both very bright. Neither of you can stand the thought of losing," he said with good humor. Then he became serious. "And you have both been deeply hurt by those you trusted and loved."

His eyes still closed, Zuko felt his stomach knot. He could almost feel the fire burning his skin again. The pain... the humiliation... even the long passed fear that he'd never see out of his left eye again. It all came rushing back again. Then came the sight of the long, jagged scars covering Cade's back and the empty look in her eyes. He opened his eyes just slightly, stared at the wall a moment, and then asked, "Do you think you'd have been a better Fire Lord than my father?"

Iroh sighed heavily. "I honestly don't know, nephew. When my father passed, I was still grieving for my own son. If I had taken the throne, would I have been able to rule with a clear head? I don't resent my brother or my father for revoking my birthright, if that's what you're really asking." He placed a comforting hand on Zuko's shoulder. "I love the Fire Nation, Zuko. Never doubt that. But I have come to realize that I do not like this war." Zuko started and looked at his uncle with surprise. Then the shock faded and the prince nodded sadly. Iroh felt a stirring of hope. "Let's go down to supper," the old general suggested. "Mimiko is playing host to some important guests tonight and I think it would do you some good to meet them."

________________________________________________________________________


The dining room was obviously one of the largest rooms of the house. The table in the center stretched out across the entire length of the room, able to seat dozens of people. That night, however, it only served seven people, including the prince and his uncle.

The 'important guests' sat next to each other and across from Mimiko and Iroh. A woman introduced as Akilah, with short, very curly, steel gray hair, aged face, and thin body. She looked about seventy years old, but there was fire still in her amber eyes. Those eyes locked onto the prince when they were introduced and had yet to release him, even as they all were seated. She made Zuko feel like he were a creature in a menagerie. The other 'guest' was a man in his late twenties whose name was Jiehsin. He looked like more of a scholar than the warrior that Akilah had obviously been. At first glance, these two seemed to be as different as night and day. But looking carefully, Zuko realized that they shared more than a few facial features. Could they be related to one another?

Mimiko spoke with great respect in her voice when it came to Akilah, almost like she was a queen of some sort. It confused Zuko, but he had to admit that the old woman had the air of a leader about her.

"Prince Zuko, have you ever heard of the Shai Li?" Mimiko asked as they began the meal.

Zuko nearly choked on his tea and coughed, earning him a glare from Cade and an amused chuckle from Akilah. She pushed the sleeve of her shirt back to her elbow and offered the prince her wrist. Tattooed on the thin flesh was the symbol for 'loyal'. Below that, was the symbol for 'faithful'. The man, Jiehsin, also offered his wrist, but he only had the 'loyal' tattoo. "What's the second symbol for?" he asked Akilah, his face looking permanently unhappy.

The old woman gave him a cheshire grin. "I received the second mark when I became the Matriarch of the Shai Li." She grinned ear to ear as the prince choked again.

Mimiko sighed patiently and looked at Zuko thoughtfully. "What do you know about the Shai Li?"

"They're assassins," Zuko replied, glaring at Akilah. "Traitors to the Fire Nation."

Akilah snorted and shook her head. "Traitors to the Fire Nation? Not at all, little prince," she said. ""You'll find no one more loyal to our Nation than the Shai Li. No, the Shai Li are not against the Fire Nation; we are against the war begun by your great-grandfather's greed." She sighed heavily and turned her gaze to the table. "History is never kind to those cloaked in shadows, no matter their intentions."

Iroh and Mimiko shared a quick look before Mimiko offer her wrist to Zuko. She too had the 'loyal' tattoo. Zuko looked at her sharply before asking, "Is that tattoo the reason you and my uncle parted?"

Mimiko smiled sadly. "Very astute, Prince Zuko. Yes," she said, "my joining the Shai Li led to our parting."

Akilah slapped Jiehsin on the back of his head, causing him to swallow the soup in his mouth quickly. "How about a little history lesson, Jie?"

Jiehsin took a sip of tea and set the cup down slowly. He cleared his throat and began, "A hundred years ago, when the war first began, the daughter of a very prominent Fire Nation noble rebelled against her father and the Fire Lord. She was very outspoken against the war, did her best to undermine the Fire Lord's war propaganda. Her father tried to rein her and her opinions in, but the more he put her down, the more she fought. Eventually, her words reached Fire Lord Sozin's ears and he had her locked away. He thought a few years of imprisonment would tighten her tongue, but he was wrong. While in prison, the young noblewoman began her education in the more... illicit fighting arts. She practiced these assassin arts at night, while at the same time presenting a repentant face in the daylight. After three years, Fire Lord Sozin released her to her family. Again, she kept her façade as a proper noblewoman and daughter during the day, while training at night. She very carefully found allies among other noble families. One night, she and her allies disappeared. Her name was Khamsin Shai Li.

"Over the next few years, Sozin began to notice a pattern. Strange deaths among military officers and such. Security tightened and an assassin had the misfortune of being captured. This assassin was a shock to Sozin and his men. For one thing, she was a young woman and had been acting as a dancing girl. For another, she identified herself as a Shai Li assassin. Through information tortured out of the girl, Khamsin's first assemblage of assassins was wiped out. The issue was thought to be dead. But Lady Khamsin and a few others managed to survive and live on. Since then, the Shai Li have been quietly rebuilding and continuing their mission to end the war from the inside."

Akilah clapped her hands slowly and then turned to Zuko. "Khamsin was our creator and first Matriarch. In the beginning, the ranks of the Shai Li only held women, but these days they do include a few men. 'But no man will ever lead us', so said the Lady Khamsin before she passed the leadership onto me."

"She was a very proud woman," Mimiko said thoughtfully. "She died shortly after I met her, but there was no denying her pride."

"Very true," Akilah said, nodding.

Cade had been silent through the entire meal, but Zuko noticed the small smile that graced her lips during the talk of the Shai Li and Khamsin. When he looked again, she was staring intently at the flame of the candle between them.

The talk shifted away from the past as Mimiko and Suoh began to ask after people from the mainland. Zuko, tired from the conversation and getting restless, stared at the candle flame as well. Then he noticed that the flame was dancing very strangely. He frowned and looked at Cade. She was still staring into the fire, but her hand resting on the table was moving very slightly. She finally saw him staring and shrugged. Zuko was relieved to see that she didn't seem angry with him still. Perhaps she was on her best behavior because of the guests or had simply burned her anger out.

"Bored?" he asked her quietly as the adults continue their own conversation.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" she replied, smirking. Her smirk became a small smile as she glanced at Jiehsin. "I didn't know all of what he told us about Khamsin before," she said. "He makes her sound like a human being and not just a legend."

"Have those two been on the island since my uncle and I arrived?" Zuko asked.

"No, they arrived this afternoon," Cade said. "It isn't often that Akilah can visit the island. They can't draw attention to this place. The last time I saw her was five years ago when I first arrived on the island." She put her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand. She seemed to be deliberately avoiding his eyes. "Look... sorry about yesterday."

"Huh?" Zuko was completely caught off guard.

"Master Suoh and Mimiko gave me an earful this afternoon before Akilah and Jiehsin arrived," Cade explained, still not looking at him. "I won't take anything I said back," she added. "I meant every word...but it wasn't fair to push my views of the world on you."

Zuko, unsure of how to respond to something so unexpected, remained silent for a moment. Cade lifted her eyes to his when he didn't say anything, looking very uncomfortable herself. Finally, he cleared his throat and looked away. "I'm sorry too. I'm sorry about accidentally seeing your scars and defending the soldiers who gave them to you." There, he said it. To his surprise, he actually felt better for it.

Cade looked better as well. She smiled slightly and offered her hand. "Truce?"

He smiled too and took the offered hand. "Truce."

Mimiko and Iroh shared a delighted look.

________________________________________________________________________


It was getting rather late when Akilah announced that she and Jie needed to be on their way. Everyone saw them to the door, including Cade and Zuko.

Zuko received another surprise when the former leader of the Shai Li pressed a small coin into his palm. Looking down, he saw the 'loyal' symbol embossed on the coin's surface. Akilah gave a similar coin to Cade as well. "For when you leave the island," she told them both. "These will give you more allies than you could guess and safe passage among the Shai Li."

Cade tucked her coin into her sleeve and bowed to Akilah. "Thank you."

After a moment's hesitation, Zuko also bowed and thanked the woman. She and Jiehsin fixed him with that same piercing gaze Akilah had graced him when they'd met. Why did they have to look at him like that? Finally, Akilah's harsh face was soothed by a kind smile. She placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder and squeezed slightly. "Take care of yourselves," she said to him and Cade. She and Jiehsin then turned and disappeared into the pitch black of the forest.

Zuko looked at Cade, wondering if she'd noticed the odd way the two Shai Li had stared at him. She shrugged, but a knowing smile was fixed on her lips. "I'm going to bed," she said before he could ask anything of her. "Till morning," she called as she stepped back into the house. Iroh and Mimiko followed shortly after. Suoh nodded to the prince before heading towards the forge.

What was that all about? Zuko shook his head, annoyed at not knowing.