Work Text:
The day started as most did in Peiling’s village. The sun rose from the East, gently illuminating Peiling’s room and forcing her eyes open, the rays unfortunately catching her directly in the eyes. She let out a hiss, swiftly covering her dark brown eyes with a yank of her blanket. Under the blanket, she attempted to force herself back to sleep, squeezing her eyes shut in a desperate plea for just a few extra minutes of sleep. Truly a fruitless endeavor.
“Peiling! Let's go! We need to leave soon, or we won’t make it to Ba Sing Se before nightfall!” Lihua called from the downstairs hall of the cottage. Peiling let out a weak groan and begrudgingly let her blanket slip from her face. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she stood from her bed and ventured to her dresser, pulling out a low-effort outfit for the day ahead. She slipped on her outfit with ease, braiding her side bangs and gathering the rest of her light brown hair into a messy low ponytail.
The wooden floorboards creaked beneath her feet as she walked downstairs, hopping down from the last stair onto the floor. “Good morning, baba!” She exclaimed with a smile as she stood at the memorial shrine at the end of the hallway before running along to slip her boots on. Two large woven baskets sat near the doorway, already filled to the brim with an assortment of herbs. Peiling donned one of the baskets, the leather straps lying firmly against the linen of her clothes as she grabbed the other basket, balancing it against her hip bone.
She quickly joined her mother outside, giving her a bright smile, “good morning, mama!” The younger brunette exclaimed before feeling Lihua gently ruffle her unruly hair. The two began their journey, walking side by side, beginning their hours-long trip to the city of Ba Sing Se. The sun beat down on them as they continued to walk through the plains until they reached their first stop, an older couple in need who had promised to take Lihua and Peiling to Ba Sing Se via carriage in exchange for medicinal herbs. Lihua handed over the herbs, giving the couple instructions on how to use them while Peiling happily climbed into the carriage. The lack of sunlight beating directly overhead felt wonderful after the few hours of walking through the plains.
Peiling watched the rolling hills as the carriage began to move, passing by other villages as their journey continued. Of course, some sights weren’t as beautiful as others. The war had ended a year ago, yes, but many Earth Kingdom villages were still either destroyed or in the process of rebuilding. The sight of the burnt homes and destroyed wilderness made Peiling’s heart hurt with grief, her eyes briefly welling with tears. She let out a sigh and moved away from the carriage door, letting herself rest against her mother.
As sunset began to paint the sky in shades of orange and red, the carriage reached the walls of the Upper Ring. “This is your stop, nǚshì; thank you for the herbs.” The older man spoke to Lihua as he opened the carriage door for her and Peiling. The women stepped out of the carriage and onto the ground below, with Lihua thanking the man for the ride. Peiling stood close to her mother as they approached the guards. She had been through this process countless times, yet the guards still seemed to intimidate her every time. Lihua handed over their paperwork, and the guards were quick to look over it, ultimately letting the women through.
Ba Sing Se was bustling as usual, the many sounds, sights, and smells twirling together and filling Peiling with curiosity. The urge to venture through the markets swelled, though she knew better than to leave her mother’s side. Lihua guided Peiling to a small and frankly understated teahouse, opening the door and guiding her inside. “Now, Peiling, remember where we are; this will be a frequent stop for us, okay?” Lihua spoke softly, though her attention shifted as a grey-haired man walked in. “Iroh! It’s wonderful to see you again. This is my daughter I told you about, Peiling; she’ll be delivering most of your herbs from now on.” Lihua informed him, handing over the woven baskets she had been holding.
“Ah, an herbalist just like her mother, I see! Well, I am happy to make your acquaintance, Peiling. Would you care for a cup of tea?” Iroh asked, his voice low and gentle. Peiling nodded with fervor; she hadn’t realized just how dehydrated she was after such a long day. “It’s wonderful to know that you have an extra pair of hands to help you, Lihua. You know, my niece will be staying with me soon, so hopefully I will have an extra pair of hands to assist me as well. I’ll certainly need it in my old age.” Iroh laughed as he poured a cup of ginseng tea, placing it on the table in front of Peiling.
Then, as if the universe itself had heard Iroh’s words, the bell above the door rang out through the teashop. In the doorway stood a girl around Peiling’s age. Long, pitch-black hair seemed to flow around her with choppy bangs accentuated by her piercing, almost cat-like yellow eyes. Peiling couldn’t seem to take her eyes off the girl. She was breathtakingly beautiful. “I see the spirits have decided to bless me with the gift of timing. Lihua, this is my niece, Azula. She will be staying with me and helping around the teahouse.” Iroh informed, crossing the room to bring Azula further inside.
“I didn’t come here to work like some lowly commoner, uncle. I’m only here because Zuzu wants me exiled from the Fire Nation so he feels better about his own exile.” Azula grumbled in response. Peiling simply looked down at her tea, deciding against any quick judgments of Azula. Maybe she was just having a bad day, and everyone has those! Besides, Azula’s personal life was really none of her business.
Lihua seemed more on edge after Azula’s entrance, though she kept it subtle enough that her daughter wouldn’t notice. She glanced between Azula and Peiling before letting out a sigh and looking towards Iroh. “Well, if you ever need any more assistance, I’m sure my daughter would be more than happy to help. You should see how she gets about her tea.” She smiled, giving Iroh a nudge. Slipping her now-empty basket back against her hip, she looked to Peiling and signaled that it was time to go back home.
Peiling frowned and begrudgingly finished her cup of ginseng, handing the empty porcelain to Iroh and grabbing her baskets. She looked towards Azula and gave her a small smile, waving as she left the teahouse with Lihua. Azula simply rolled her eyes and continued to ignore both women. Beginning to walk back towards the walls of Ba Sing Se, Peiling couldn’t stop thinking of the girl she had just met. “Mama? Did that Azula girl seem… off to you?”
“She did seem lonely; maybe you can try talking to her next time we have to deliver to Iroh’s teahouse,” Lihua responded, giving her daughter an encouraging smile. Lihua’s idea made Peiling smile in return, with the girl quickly nodding in agreement. Lihua watched as Peiling excitedly rushed ahead, though her smile faltered for a moment. She couldn’t help but worry about her daughter; Peiling had a habit of biting off more than she could chew. Lihua just hoped that this wouldn’t be another one of those times.
“Oh! What if she’s homesick? She said she was from the Fire Nation, maybe I can bring some spicier herbs! I bet she would love a blend of ginger and chamomile! Doesn’t that sound like a great idea, mama?” Peiling proposed excitedly, turning around to walk backwards so she could continue facing her mother.
“Perhaps, we can certainly prepare some extra chamomile and ginger for you to bring next time. Just remember, Ling, not every unhappy creature is your responsibility. We healers, can’t always heal everyone. Especially if they don’t wish to be healed.” Lihua gently reminded with a soft smile. It was times like these that Lihua’s heart strained with grief, when Peiling would say something that Haru would have said. She missed her husband dearly, even all these years later.