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It was sweltering hot more so than Jaha was used to back in her home, Caldera City. Though she love the warm climate, the desert might as well have been something like a ‘horse of a different color’ for her, since she kept messing with her hair. She first had it in a braid, a long single braid that reach to the end of her back. Then after some hours pass she mess with it again, while she was walking alongside her animal. Since as they enter the desert, she had an idea of it look on the map, and knew this desert was a huge land mass, a huge part of the Earth Nation, but to see the never ending expanse of sand for herself was impressive to say the least.

And the sand swirling about, and on the dunes, and the ground they were walking on if one look at it from a certain angle, and depending on the angle of the sunbeams hitting the sand, it almost look to Jaha like the stars from the sky came crashing down, and broke into million of pieces still having their shine on them, and into this extent that’s what made it beautiful to her.

The reason why she was walking next to her animal, the tiger monkey whom she love like the rest of her animals she took with her on this trip was like her: tired, a bit hungry, in need of water, which she has ration her supply to share with her animals though for them it wouldn’t be much, it was at least something. And jaha knew something was better than nothing, from previous experiences of hers. So to give her animal a break she would every so often jump off her animal, and walk next to it. For her the heat radiating through her sandals was something she could handle, and didn’t mind as long as it meant her animal that she rode in wouldn’t suffer too much. She saw as she was walking that her hawk that she let loose from her glove found some food, somehow, and seem to try, and chew what t could find from it, which she didn’t fault it for. And she hope they could find the town that is suppose to be in the desert, or if not an oasis to give the animals a break they so rightfully deserve.

Then after some more time pass they finally came to a stop, and Jaha breathe a sigh of relief as she felt a wind pass through, something finally was what she thought. Even a bit of relief made her felt a bit better though...not by much, she was happy she decided to wear one of her light dresses though she had to admit, they were one of her more skimpier outfits since they might as well have been see through, but since she heard they would be traveling the desert soon, she change into it....

Then she watch as Zephir made his way to the top of a dune, which made her lips twitched in a bemused smile wandering what he was thinking of doing that instead of resting, and enjoying the temporary reprieve from the blistering heat. Then she took a canteen, and some wooden cups she got from a store way before they reach the desert and pour some water first for her tiger, and then the mongoose and a by for the bird who just came flying through for a quick sip, before flying off again.

After that she headed towards Zephir to see what he was up to. “And what are you doing zephir? Looking for a place for us to rest? I hope so everyone is...well...at their wits end just about, like why are we even in the desert?” Asked Jaha quietly as soon as she was standing right next to him, and smile a small smile as she was fixing her bun again that she made her hair into, so as not to add extra layer of heat and sweat into her, since her clothes were sticking onto her, showing off practically everything of hers.....

Weeks ago......

It was some nights after they left the Fire Nation that Zephir came into her room just after she finish a cup of tea that a maid came in with. At first Jaha wasn’t concern at all, she was actually glad that he came to keep her company even for a bit, which recently seems to be a rare treat for her.

She was about to ask about something she read in a book of hers, when out of the blue Zephir grabbed the closest wrist he could reach easily, of hers, and all she had time to do was grab a bag, and thank the spirits she was wearing one of her warmer robes, since as soon as they hit the deck of the ship, she felt the change of weather from pretty warm to a nice cooling temperature, and some wind, when she saw they were docked somewhere, her guess was Whale tail Island, and wander why they really needed to stop here. Then again, before she could ask zephir he was dragging her once again through the entrance of the base, and after sometime she found herself in a warehouse full of supplies mostly what appear to be foodstuff, and such in the cellar. If she thought that was something look at as she was moving her head to try, and see as much as she could while keeping up with Zephir’s walking speed that was a bit faster than hers.

She was in for a surprise as Zephir release her hand from his vice like grip for a bit, and watch as he touch some stones in a wall, and heard, not to mention saw the wall move to reveal a short tunnel that was pure darkness. And the only comment she made at that moment, “Now who wants to enter the creepy tunnel of doom?”, while smiling a bit, while not really talking to Zephir as she knew, or guess that Zephir was going to grab her arm again, and she wasn’t disappointed in the least.

So then, she heard more than saw the wall closing behind them as soon as they step inside the tunnel, and next thing she knew, the way he held her wrist change into a certain downward angle, which meant to jaha in this particular situation they were going to go down a flight of stairs. To think that without that strange lamp that zephir found, we would be in trouble in this circlingat an angle staircase.

With that thought sending internal shivers throughout her body as she try to go down one step at a time, while also trying to keep up with Zephir’s pace. When they landed to the bottom if the stairwell, she sighed in relief, before her ears perked up, when she heard the sounds of splashing, which meant some source of water was most definitely nearby. If it wasn’t that her wrist was caught in a vice grip of Zephir’s hand, she would have ran to find out where the splashing sound came from. So she waited patiently till he decided to walk again, which took a couple of minutes, which killed her ‘cause her curiousity wanted to know badly, what was making that noise.

After those minutes pass, she saw something to her awe, and amazement an underground waterfall, and what appear to be a lake, she knew this wasn’t the end of this surprise, enigmatic trip Zephir took her to, but it was a sight to see, and es;ecislly hearing the roar of the waterfall, and in a strange sense it made Jaha feel calm inside as if everything will be fine at the end of this long tunnel called her life. And she like the thought of that. As they kept moving, she saw a a small rowboat no one seem to use anymore, and saw that perhaps it had one more trip in its life, but then again she could be wrong...

So this was finally when Zephir release her wrist for the rest of this ‘trip’ of theirs, and for that she was glad, since now she had some freedom to sate her curiousity, and yet again it was piqued by what Zephir just did, which was making another set of stairs show up, this time from the ground, not a wall, and thankfully it was only a few steps towards a steel looking door.

And this time she just stay a while longer near the steps not going down as she watch Zephir right, and pulled the door open, which she didn’t mind giving him space to do, but she watch in awe that he had actual strength not just powerful bending to depend a upon. After Zephir was successful in opening the door was when, she climb down the steps, and enter into a small room with him. She took in her surroundings a room full to the brim of books, and scrolls...too many to pack in her shoulder bag, of course, so as she was listening to Zephir, she went through skimming mostly the titles of the books, and a quick check of the text on the scrolls, and started picking up books, and scrolls and gently placing them in her bag in a certain way to keep the integrity of each item she took till her bag was full. She chose books, and scrolls that had certain words she recognize from the journal, and log book she found in those secret compartments in her room. Then she close her bag, after that she saw something that should have made her scream in terror, but instead she just felt pity.

She heard what Zephir said about what she was looking at a dead body still sitting on the desk with just a bit of skin left holding it together, she step closer for a look, and saw that the white bones were starting to yellow with decay, the clothes were not even rags more like just threads, and the skull was still in one piece, which surprise her the most. But this wasn’t horrid for her to see in the usual way if thinking, it was horrid that Zephir’s organization, probably had a few members, who somehow knew of this man’s work, and yet didn’t even gave him a proper burial after seeing that he pass away. For her that was beyond wrong, it anger her, and sadden her heart at the same time. She knew what she had to do, and she had the determination to do it though the first part might be a bit, one could say not of her liking, but she wouldn’t let that stop her to help a poor, forgotten soul that needed to have a proper send off to peace.

So she saw a metal container that didn’t look too heavy to carry, and also from her books she learn a body like the one left in this room wouldn’t weigh too much to make her task any harder than it was already. So she set the few books, and scrolls from the container to the desk. Just before she took a deep breath, and move the chair that the dead body sat on, and then not caring if she dirty her clothes, she gently remove the body, careful to keep as intact as possible to the container, which she move next to the chair to make her life a bit easier. Then after she was sure the body was secure in the container, she pick it up by its handles, and left the room, went up the short flight of steps without turning to see if Zephir was following, or not even after hearing him ask a very peculiar question, indeed.

After a few minutes pass she was kneeling on the edge of the small, flat dock that was situated very close to the lake, and near enough to the small, old rowboat. It was at this moment that Jaha slowly, but carefully in such a painstakingly manner was able to move the body mostly intact onto the boat gently, then when she saw it was going to stay still, she threw a small fireball at the rope attach to the boat, and watch as it move away toward the center of the waterfall’s pond.

Then she look around, and saw lit torches around the pond on the walls of this underground area, and nodded as she firebend just a bit at first to remove a bit of fire from each of the torches located near the waterfall area, which made the area considerably darker with just enough light to watch one’s step, and above her at first was a literal ring of Fire, which she move with just a few slight gestures just above the little rowboat, then she close her eyes for a few seconds to recalibrate her focus, before bending, and after a couple of minutes of ring of Fire turn completely blue. Just as it was doing so, it also gave the cavern that they were in such an eerie, icy blue hue that would have stop anyone in their tracks out of fear, or amazement, who knows.

Then in a sift voice that seem to echo within this cavern in a solemn tone that held a rhythm of a song of sorts, she said:

Finally to rest, Finally to peace
You have work, and work
You have done your piece
Go now lost soul
I have put you to rest
You have done your duty, nothing more
With this send off, I have pay your toll
To everlasting life, there you will go
Forevermore.

Then Jaha went silent as a slight gesture, almost to a prayer position, her hands went, before she move them away from each other in a gliding motion, and watch as the ring of Fire collapse around the boat, and burn the body, and boat till they were ashes.

“Ash to Ash, dust to dust from earth we are made, to earth your body returns. You will be remember lost soul. And I promise your comrades of now won’t be forgotten as you were once, this I swear.” She said very quietly that unless you were near her, you wouldn’t have heard her promise she made to the dead. She knew such a promise couldn’t under any circumstance be broken, and she was not one to break a vow/promise that she made to anyone living, or dead.

Then without turning around, she hoped Zephir was nearby to hear her answer to his question, as she was looking at her reflection from the pond, before looking straight up to watch her fire burn the body, and boat still, she said, “ I hope this answers your question Zephir. You may scoff at mythicism, but think of it as a kind of faith. Faith Zephir was what carry me through all my years, and even still to this point, and my determination to become the Fire Lady, if the Avatar is real I will gladly help him/her, and keep them far from my family’s destructive hands. And the Fire Nation is no empire, nor will it be for it is a kingdom, Zephir, a kingdom, indeed. For an empire maybe sold to the highest bidder, but a kingdom is kept in the hearts of its people, and from among their ranks a protector comes to ensure their livelihood, no matter the cost up to one’s own life, and I would be honor to have that mantle thrust a upon my shoulders...”

Then she became silent for a moment as if in thought, then she ‘felt’ Zephir near her so she got up, and slowly turn around to face him, and in a look that didn’t betray what she was thinking, or how she felt at that moment, this also came from her own mouth, “ I am not the daughter of Firelord Enzi, I am the daughter of the Fire Nation…The fires of the caldera run through my blood…These islands are my pride, and joy…And I won’t let my home be taken from me by my own family, or those who think they are the true power, and force of the fire nation”……They have yet to meet the true, Jahanara of the Caldera”

But she said it in such a tone that could be subtly taken almost as a threat, or would it be more appropriate to say a promise towards Zephir, whom she care for deeply as a close friend, but more towards his own organization as if to say if they try to make her a puppet of theirs, or try anything that will be the last thing they will ever do. She understood she needs any help she can get, but she also knows to take any help from such people with a good amount of salt. For if things go downhill, she knows she will be the first to fall, since guessing they wouldn’t want to back her, if things go oh so wrong....
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She didn’t know why, the young man though he was obviously older than her, maybe by 10 years it seems was very adamant in his message to meet her at a particular time in her tea shop again, and well she needed his help, small help as it was, it was still was some sort of import to her. So she sat down, and since it was still a bit early for customers to arrive for afternoon tea, she was able to polish the gold mask, her friend Shayira sent her from the Dai Li’s own little postal system within the city. Tahani guess the mask was a way to give some of her future clients some ease that they were in similar company to themselves, which would make her job that much easier on her.

So she sat down just after Xun, sat across from her. As soon as they were both seated, she smile, and serve him some fresh tea, she made with some lavender that she has been drying fir the past few days. “I hope you like it, don’t worry I added a lot of sugar, than again the flavor is pretty sweet as it is. For the job now it’s simple, and it isn’t too important so take your time, I will pay you a bit more my share of this job I am sending you on. Find my friend, her name is Shay, she will answer to the name Yasirah also, if she is with the group still she told me in an old message of hers. Then stay with her, knowing her she will be asking for your services”

Then Tahani smile at him sweetly, as she petted her wolves to finish their meal, and came bounding to her happily and use their front paws to reach her lap, and lick her face as she kiss them on the head....

(Christa next post)