Chapter 42

The next morning Rangi staggered into the kitchen only half aware of her surroundings. So she jumped a bit when her mother cleared her throat and she spun to see her sitting at a table.

Hei ran had given her daughter a skeptical look, not that she was sure that Rangi had computed that. Rangi was still in all her armor covered in grime and dirt. About half of her hair was still in a top knot, the other strands were sticking up and out in various directions.

“Did you sleep well?” She finally asked and she nursed a cup of hot tea. “I can make you a cup as well” Hei Ran offered when Rangi didn’t reply at first. But her daughter finally nodded and sat down across from her.

“Another healer is in there with Kyoshi now,” Rangi said, looking down at the table.

“I’m sure she’s in good hands” She tried to reassure her as she placed a cup in front of her.

The two sat in silence until they were both done with their tea, when Rangi got up and looked like she was going to head back to the room Kyoshi was in.

“Why don’t you go get washed up, there’s no need to be dragging that armor around” Hei Ran spoke as she stood.

Rangi and looked like she had wanted to say something but ended up closing her mouth and looking over to the room.

“I can sit in there with her until you are back if that would make you feel better.” Her mother offered.

When Hei Ransaw a small spark of light in Rnagi’s eyes she knew she had said something right. “You don’t have to do that”

She rested a hand on Rangi’s shoulder. “I don’t mind, go it won’t take too long”

“Thank you” She said softly as she took off in the other direction to her room as Hei Ran went to enter the makeshift imfermy in one of the living rooms.

As she entered she saw the healer by the tub, giving her nod she went to sit down on a chair across the room. Hei Ran wasn’t sure she’d ever seen the girl sit still for so long, granid the conditions weren’t ideal but at least this time she was forced to rest.

Gradually she began to make small talk with the healer, who was from the southern tribe and was older than her girls but younger than herself. She moved slowly, but with precision. Hei ran could appreciate that.

Eventually she was able to get a better understanding of what was going on, the healer had told her that Kyoshi’s body temperature was back up and they were now healing any other minor injuries, such as broken ribs and bruises that were put on the back burner when they first started.

“I’m afraid you’ll probably see her again.” Hei Ran commented. “She’ll always be the first to give herself up, and pays the price”

The healer nodded. “I would be honored to treat her again if something were to happen”

“Oh I know you will, as much as I hate it. This won’t be the last you’ll be seeing of her. I can guarantee it”

I wish you didn’t have to go through all this so young Kyoshi. I wish you had the chance to truly be a child or even a teenager really. Hei Ran finds herself thinking. By the time things were turning around for you, you suddenly had the weight of the four nations on your shoulders.

Hei Ran wasn’t sure why she was thinking about this; there was nothing she could do about it now, and it was hardly the time. Though part of her always wanted to strangle Kyoshi’s parents for leaving her there in that town, if only they had known what she would become. Then maybe they would have stayed, but if they were just sticking around for that well they didn’t deserve her anyways.

She would make sure Kyoshi was welcomed into their family, whether it was traditional or not. She would make sure both of her girls were happy.

Not too soon after Rangi walked back into the room, now out of her armor and into more comfortable attire. Her hair was wet like she had just gotten out of a shower, but still tied into a topknot.

Hei Ran had spoken briefly with her before she headed out, she had other things to tend to. Plus it wasn’t like she was worried that Kyoshi wouldn’t be well looked after.

Rangi sat there for hours perched in her chair as she watched the healer work. She watched as the woman paused gently holding one of Kyoshi’s hands examining the extensive scarring.

“It was from a lighting incident” Rangi suddenly found herself saying suddenly. The woman nodded looking back over Kyoshi’s hands which started to worry the firebender more.

“Did she break a finger or something?” The fire bender asked. But the woman shook her head. “Oh no it’s not that”

A frown formed on Rangi’s face. “Is there something else wrong then?”

“Do you know if she’s married? I don’t ever remember people saying anything of the Avatar’s engagement” The healer asks. Rangi had to stop her head from snapping back to look at her, the woman had seen Kyoshi ring. “She’s engaged actually” Rangi replies, remembering that here she is only the Avatar’s body guard.

For a moment she wanted to say that she was the one who had the other ring, that she was one that Kyoshi was engaged to but something stopped her.

“You must know who, right? As her bodyguard I mean, you must know something”

Rangi looked skeptical at first, still not sure what she should say, or if she should say anything at all. “Oh I won’t tell, it’s just such a beautiful ring. I was curious is all”

Rangi sighed, “I don’t know” She forced herself to say. The last time someone had truly found out about them it had ultimately led to being used against them, against Kyoshi. She never wanted her to be put in that position again. They had used the firebder as leverage against Kyoshi which led to the portal being created in the first place, and ultimately landed them here.

“She has always liked to keep to herself” Rangi looked down.

But the healer smiled, “Well whoever they may be they are very lucky”

“Yes” Rangi started, she couldn’t stop herself from looking back up at Kyoshi. “Yes they are”

Later Hei Ran returned with a plate of food and Jinpa, they both wore the same look. They wanted answers.

“Where’s Kenna Rangi?” Hei Ran said firmly. “Is it related to why you have set up a makeshift hospital in my house?” She asked, she had figured that the fact the group had avoided the hospital, the same hospital that Kenna had worked at and instead setting up the makeshift infamy that it was no mere coincidence.

Hei Ran knew her daughter well, and she knew that Rangi would want the best care for Kyoshi. So it made no sense not to go to the hospital, unless of course something had happened.

“Kenna didn’t make it” Rangi found herself saying looking down to avoid both the monk’s and her mother’s gaze that would make her that much sadder for the loss of who she thought was an ally, and a friend.

She felt like she had run through how she was going to tell people about the mess with Kenna a million times by now and she still didn’t know where to start.

Hei Ran’s face fell. “I’m so sorry”

“It wasn’t just that, she- she betrayed us” Rangi continued looking out a window suddenly feeling rather fidgety.

Rangi started to explain the whole thing, how Kyoshi ended up killing the balanced nation’s leader, how she still couldn’t close the portal, and then how Kyoshi and Kenna appearely had tried and failed to close it together. Then how Kyoshi froze herself, so that nothing else would be standing in Kenna’s way. Only then that Kenna had revealed that she was never going to help them.

“But you closed the portal, didn’t you?” Jinpa asked, Rangi nodded.

“Kenna didn’t close it, Wren did”

Her mother had remembered the name. And Rangi told her about the siblings’ fight, and Kenna’s sudden change in motive. Then how they fought, and how they both fell. They had the same fate just as Kenna had wanted to prove.

Once the full story was out in the open it still didn’t hurt any less than it had yesterday. A part of Rangi was mad at herself for grieving Kenna’s death so harshly. She was one of the main reasons, if not the main reason for the state Kyoshi was in. If Kenna had even just tried to close it, everything could have been different. Rangi found herself thinking. There’s no reason to spend another second dwelling on it. Was the lie she kept repeating herself.

As night comes Rangi helps the healer get Kyoshi out of the tub, amazed at the practically of the healer being able to bend the water out of Kyoshi wraps so that she could lie perfectly dry in the blankets.

When the healer left she had told Rangi that Kyoshi would be fine overnight, she could probably go to sleep for a couple hours.

“I think I’ll watch over her a while longer, it is my job after all” She replied.

Although she had every intention of sleeping in here with Kyoshi through the night. Even though Kyoshi hasn’t been conscious for over a day, but Rangi knew how much Kyoshi hates sleeping alone. So maybe this would somehow put her subconscious at a bit more ease.

…

“How are you still not asleep?” Rangi asked as she entered the room of the air temple that she and Kyoshi were allegedly sharing.

“I was waiting for you” Kyoshi replied as she set a book down and finally made her way to the bed.

“I was just doing paperwork that needed to be sent back home, I promise you didn’t have to wait for me” Rangi insisted as she got ready for bed herself.

She had sensed a wave of uneasiness from Kyoshi when she had first entered the room, but it seemed to be subsiding as time went on.

Once they were both settled in the bed among the blankets and covers, Rangi snuggled up against Kyoshi, her head resting over Kyoshi’s chest listening to the soft thud of her heart beating.

“Is something bothering you?” Rangi asked with a yawn.

Kyoshi pressed a kiss to the firebenders head before speaking. “No, not anymore”

Rangi shifted a bit at her words. “Anymore? What was going on then?”

“Like I said I was waiting for you” Kyoshi replied as Rangi took her hand under the covers.

“I guess I just don’t like sleeping alone anymore, cause well I always used to be alone whether I wanted to be or not”

“I promise to always keep you company then” Rangi had declared in the darkness.

…

Rangi snapped out of her thoughts as she gathered up the blankets before plopping them next to Kyoshi’s cot. “You’re not alone, I promise” She whispered. “I’ll be right beside you, just like I promised”

Soooooooo little baby flash back that I think is canon. Also does the way I write the flash backs make sense or would it be helpful if I made it more clear when they were happening? Sorry for the shorter chapter but there is more to come I promise! Anyways hope you enjoyed