„For you it is forbidden to enter this palace ever again!" A soldier said hardly and pushed the girl through the big doors. "You can't do this! I will tell it to the Fire Lord!" she screamed towards him, but the soldier only shook his head. "It was his command, why should he change?" The door closed before the girl could answer.

Tears were swimming in her eyes. In her heart was such a big pain. Slowly she is staring to understand. He just kicks her out of his palace without a word. "Have I done something wrong?" she asked herself, but found no answer.

Like it must be a dream, she walked until she was surrounded by big ships. An old man was walking in front of her and she asked him "When the next ship does drives to Ba Sing Se?"

With the face turned to stone, when he saw her tears he answered. "In 10 Minutes. It is that one." He pointed at a small one and she thanked him, buy a ticked and think about what she is going to do in the capital of the Earth Nation.

Meanwhile in the palace the same soldier that pushed the girl out of the palace kneels in front of the Fire Lord, who was really upset. "Why does she leave?" he wanted to know harshly. "I don't know my Lord. I tried to sop her, but she was to fast." Regretfully the soldier cut his head. He knows that it was wrong what he has done, but his mistress told him to do it.

With a big sigh the Fire Lord sank into his chair and put his head into his hands. "Leave."

The soldier goes without saying a word.

Zuko, that was the name of the Fire Lord, thinks of things that happened. Three months ago Katara appeared before him with big tears in the eyes. She and Aang break off after two years, because she founded out that he was betraying her with a normal women from the Earth Kingdom.

Zuko let her stay as long as she liked to. He have done everything to cheer her up, sometimes he had because of that no time for his own girlfriend Mai. He doesn't understand why Katara leave so fast. That was not like her normal acting. She even hadn't thanked him for everything. He asked himself, if he had done something wrong.

A few weeks later Katara find herself sitting in a teahouse somewhere in Ba Sing Se without knowing how to go on. In front of her stands a cup of tea steaming because of his high temperature. With an empty glance she stirs her tea when suddenly hearing a well knowing voice. "Miss Katara, what brings you her in my modest teahouse?"

Katara looks into the smiling face from Iroh, the uncle of the guy, who makes her headache. "It's nice to meet you Iroh, but I don't really know what I'm doing in a teahouse."

With frown forehead he looked at her. "Tell me what makes you depressed."

Katara smiled tired and shake her head. She can't talk with him now. "Maybe I will tell you later Iroh, but for now I have to manage my life." She stands up, pay for her tea and leave the old man with a bitter smile on her face.

A small number of days later Katara finds a job in clothing shop. The old owner was very friendly and talks to her like she is a good friend. The days are always the same. She wakes up, make her ready, go to the shop where the owner welcome her with a happy "Hello Alana" and when the sun goes down she see off the old woman. She changed her Name because she doesn't want that everyone only know her because she was the Avatar's girlfriend.

In her free time after work, she always walked to a little spring and bends the water. Not knowing that someone is watching her, every time she plays with the water.

The pain in heart was still growing with each day on which she didn't know why he banished her. An indescribable longing hat crushed on her. She missed her room in the fire palace and the turtelducks. But on top of everything she misses Zuko. As a friend and as a listener but also as a person who has a big place in her heart.

Two month passed without any changes.

But in the middle of the third month she lives in Ba Sing Se, the man, who always looks at her, when she was water bending at the spring, talked to her.

"I'm sorry Miss, I don't want to interrupt your little play, but I have a favor to ask."

Katara make a jump because of the sudden interrupting and the water fall to the ground.

With a small smile she looked at a man, middle-aged and very friendly looking. "What is it?" she asked interested. "You know, I'm the leader of a theater and with your bending skills you really can make your own show."

Katara blushed and looked awkward away. "Why do you ask me? You have only seen me once." He laughed loudly and cleared his throat apologetically after that. "I saw you countless times since you've come here the first time."

Now Katara's cheeks are all red. "I would love to have my own show, but things like that will never happen."

"They will. You will see." The man said mysteriously and walked away, leaving a confused Katara behind.

Meanwhile the servants in the Fire palace have been confronted with a very depressed Fire Lord. Since the leaving of Katara his mood was bad like never. Zuko fight with Mai every time they see. Mai always yelled at him that he looked like a man who lost his happiness along the way. Often he yelled back that she always looked like that and it was too exhausting to catch a small smile from her. After such a fight they didn't talked a few days with each other, then have a few good days before they fighting again.

Zuko take a deep bitter breath. Mai don't' understand that it really had hurt him. Katara is one of his best friends. He's angry but also worried at her, because he don't know if something happen or not. He never felt so useless and helpless before. Frustrated he hit a wall with his fist.

A few weeks later Katara is three times in a week on stage. The man she met at the spring makes her own show, and now she is performing in front of hundred of people water bending actions with colored water. She formed it into countless things, froze them and let them dance in every little step she knows.

It doesn't need long and she become popular as the masked lady. When she is on stage she never show her face. The only things you can see from her face are her bright blue eyes.

Everyone is puzzling who the masked lady can be really.

She gets an invitation from the Earth Lord. He is giving a banquet and wants her to entertain his guests.

She accepts and before she has realized she stand on the stage where she should perform. As soon as the first guest arrives she started with her show. While she acts on stage, she saw Iroh serving tea to persons. So he was here to.

Once the half of the evening has passed, her show was at the end and an earth bender shows his little tricks to the laughing guests.

Katara went to the restroom for the employee for this evening and take her mask off as soon as she stood in front of a mirror. While she takes a towel and exempt from the welding that had taken place on her forehead, the door opened.

Surprised Iroh looked at the young woman that stand in front of the mirror. "I know that the water bender was still talented." He said loud and smiled while Katara wince.

"I bet that you would find out." She smiled back.

Iroh looked seriously at Katara. "I've got an invitation from Zuko. I want you to ask to come with me." Hardly the words were spoken the masked lady froze. She never told Iroh about her reason to stay in Ba Sing Se. He doesn't know that she had been banished. She can not refuse his invitation. She smiled a fake smile and nod. "Sure why not? It will be funny. But I want to ask you for a favor."

"What is it?" he asked suspicious. "I want to go there as the masked lady. Not as Katara. I will be the masked lady." There was a big moment of silence between them. "You're hiding something." Iroh said and this wasn't a question, so Katara don't answer.

"Fine!" Iroh said offended. "I will ask Zuko about this later."

She nodded and the conversation was finished.

Temporarily Zuko was walking up and down in his room. His uncle was coming soon and he wants to ask for an advice. Until then a few weeks must passed first, but he is already so nervous. His mood have gotten a lot better since he know, his uncle could help him.

The things with Mai are still terrible. He already thinks to break up with her, and he will make it before his uncle arrives, so that he has a lot of time to work out his problem without having annoying fights.

Weeks later Iroh and Katara were standing in front of the big doors, where she has been pushed out once. It was a bad memory for her and she was glad to cover her face with the mask she always wear on her show.

Together both go throw the big palace until they saw Zuko coming fast to them. The Fire Lord pull his uncle in a though hug, before he saw the other guest he get. "Oh, you bring someone with you uncle," he said curious. "It should be a surprise. This is the masked lady. I thought you would like to see her show. She is really talented."

"What is she doing?" Katara was shocked. They talked as she wasn't there. It was ridiculous.

"Water bending." Iroh said conspiratorial. Zuko narrowed his eyes and ask the girl with the bright blue eyes, what her name is. "My name is Alana."

Iroh looked really surprised. "Why don't you know her name uncle?" asked Zuko suspicious.

"She is a mystery. No one knows how she looks like, too. She appeared one day, and she is famous since then."

After dinner Katara shows a little of her water bending, but Zuko was still suspicious.

As soon as the show ends she was confronted with questions. "So you must be from the North pole?" Zuko asked strangely. "No, not really" she answered. Iroh looks at this still interesting.

"So you come from the South pole?"

"Yeah, something likes that."

"Why have you gone without a word?" he shouts at her. Katara's eyes widen. "You ask me why I leave. It is your fault!" she screams back. "I haven't done anything!" he yelled back.

Katara stands up and her chair fall to earth. "You haven't done anything? You hurt me! You hurt me so much! How could you forget! Your soldiers kick me out! You banished me!" she yelled and put her mask down. He should see how much he hurt her!

"I never banished you! I never told anyone that you should leave! I want you by my side ALL THE TIME!" She was too angry to understand it.

"At that day I want to speak with you. It was so important for me! Then one of your little puppets come in and took me to the outside. He hardly kicked me out with the words that it was a command from you!"

Their breath comes out fast and hard. Iroh takes this pause. "I think there has been someone who wants that you to no longer see each other, maybe someone who was jealous?"

"Mai." Zuko is mumblings angry.

The called one steps inside and saw Katara standing opponent to Zuko. "You shouldn't be here little peasant. You have been banished!"

"So it was you! Why have you done this?" Katara yelled and Mai gets angry. "You have ruined our relationship! He was always there for you! Never have time for me! He was my boyfriend! You aren't good enough for him. You're such a failure!"

"You will leave the palace and I hope for you that this was the last thing I heard about you!" Zuko said coldly. As a result Mai vanished.

"I'm sorry Zuko. I don't want to yell at you." He sights.

"I have yelled too. I think it is ok then." Katara blushed. "Do you really mean it?" shyly she bites at her lower lip. Zuko knows what she means and blushed too.

Without making any noise Iroh is leaving.

Slowly he walked to her, hugged her and softly pressed his lips on hers. "Sure. I was so worried about you."

"And I missed you so much," she whisper at his chest.

Once again their lips meet and this kiss shouldn't end.

hey guys. This is my first story, so don't be to hard. I hope my english is not as bad as i think it is xD