A/N: Those who have read Captured Hearts, you may proceed to the beginning of this chapter.

For those who haven't read closely and attentively. If you have not read Captured Hearts, there is not much of a way to read this fic without being confused. Therefore, I suggest that you go to my profile and read Captured Hearts first. If you really, really, REALLY don't want to do that, then I will give the beginning synopsis of the first part in this trilogy.

BACKGROUND: Princess Katara? Yes. She is royalty of the northern water tribe, along with Princess Yue, and Prince Sokka. Here's the tricky part: Yue and Sokka are sister and brother, but Katara is their half-sister. How's that? Well, Gran-Gran stayed to marry Pakku, so Katara's grandfather is the well-known Master Water Bender! Let's see… so Katara's mother's first husband died, so she married Yue and Sokka's dad, leader of the water tribe. THEN she had Katara. Do you understand this complicated mess? Lol So in essence, Katara's mom, let's call her Shira, is still alive and well. Her dad, leader of the water tribe will be called, Nasu. They have NOT discovered Aang. That is a major key to this. They are just living normal lives, wondering when the Fire Nation will attack. Here comes Zuko into this fic. His mission IS NOT to capture the Avatar. He is Iroh's son, and his cousin Zula is heir to the throne, so basically he is second-rate royalty. His mission is to find out as much as possible about the water tribe and report back, but really he is banished because he attacked Zula.

One more thing, everyone is a year older, so Zuko- 17, Katara- 16, Sokka/Yue 17. Right off the bat, I'm going to tell you that their personalities are different.

I won't say anything more, because I still think it would be wise to go check out Captured Hearts first. Okay then, I guess I'll start now :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or anything associated with it. That right belongs to Nick :D


OH! HOLD ON! IMPORTANT! EVERYONE MUST READ THIS!

I have two new OC's for this fic! They hail from the earth kingdom village of Denati and they are brother and sister. Their names are Naoki So, he's seventeen years old, and Emi So, she's his younger sister at sixteen years of age. I've asked a favor and I got a good friend to make me a fanart of these two! SO GO TO THIS LINK! www. deviantart. com/view /35909757


Earthbound

"There are those that are bound to the earth, by power and strength. There are also those who wish to gain this influence, and themselves become earthbound, as they seek what is like to be one with the soil that gives us life."

Chapter 1

The soft green grass rolled along as the wind poured through the clear blue sky. Only wisps of white were seen from the warm ground that they laid on. In three months, many things had changed. For instance, the three travelers had flown into the beautiful vast lands of the Earth Kingdom. An increasing shock and awareness flowed through the beautiful woman's arms and legs as she walked through the fields of long grass and as she inhaled the wonderful scents of numerous flowers that she hadn't seen before. A man with a scar on the left side of his face smiled as he observed the woman's actions. He had traveled through these lands before, but for the ex-princess, this was a completely new experience.

"Hey! Look at me guys! I just learned a new trick!"

The young avatar twisted himself around and created a small ball of cycling air underneath him. Zuko and Katara looked over their shoulders and smiled as they shielded their eyes with their hands. There were a few trees nearby, and they were beginning to show their tiny green leaves. Aang flew upwards with his staff, and once he was above the tree, he let his legs fall freely, allowing the spinning ball to drop straight down onto the tree. The branches bowed simultaneously and then reverberated back up. The avatar swooped down near his friends and then bowed himself.

"Aang, that was so cool! It looked like the tree was bowing down to you!"

Katara laughed slightly and Zuko let out a tiny chuckle. The three of them sighed and Zuko wiped the beads of sweat off of his forehead. The sun was bearing down on them and he couldn't take much more, even though he was indeed a fire bender. His added hair length didn't help him that much either. After they left the North Pole, Katara convinced Zuko to get rid of his ponytail, because it would attract too much attention and someone could recognize them quickly. Following her advice, he had cut his hair and he had grown it out so that it was a little over an inch long. Zuko now ran his hands through his hair quite often, and it had become a habit of his.

"Is there a stream of water nearby? I really need to drink some water."

Katara craned her neck around and then closed her eyes. She breathed in deeply and a second later, opened her eyes instantly.

"Yeah, there's one just over that horizon."

She pointed to her right and then Aang mounted up on Appa's back. They followed him on top and then with a grip of the reigns, the enormous white flying bison pushed off the ground and began to soar in the air. Zuko and Katara had grown accustomed to this type of traveling; the air flowing through her hair, feeling it zip right past their faces, and most of all, the best feeling was that of freedom. The open skies allowed them to soar as far away from their past as possible. Little did they know that they were being followed.

In a matter of a few seconds, a cool blue line darted across the vast fields of green. Appa slowed down and soon enough, the three of them were on their feet again. Zuko practically ran to the stream and cupped his hands in the flowing water. He smiled happily as he poured the cool liquid over his head. As Katara stepped next to him, Zuko shook his head violently and drops of water spilled onto her.

"Zuko! Watch it! You got me all wet!"

Aang appeared near their side and nodded his head.

"Yeah, you're even worse than Appa!"

They heard a loud grunt come from the bison and the three of them laughed. Katara closed her eyes and then started to move her arms in repetitive wavy motions. A smile crept on her face and then she twirled herself, causing the trail of water to follow. The liquid glistened in the sunlight and she laughed cheerfully. Suddenly, she had an idea and stopped right in front of Zuko. Her arms pushed forwards and the water splashed all over him. Aang let out a burst of laughter and a smirk replaced the smile on Katara's delighted face.

"Oops, I'm sorry Zuko! Did I do that?"

He narrowed his eyes as he stepped towards her and then breathed out, exhaling all of the temper forming inside of him. Zuko shrugged his shoulders and closed his eyes.

"No need to apologize. I thank you for doing that. It is very hot you know."

She watched him walk away from her and sit down in the shade of a tree. Katara huffed and put her hands on her hips. Aang stifled a laugh and she growled angrily. The splash of water should have started a fight between the two of them; of course she liked it when they fought, it brought their elements close to each other. All of a sudden, Zuko didn't feel the breeze blow by against his soaking clothes. He opened his eyes and then sat up, patting his clothes surprisingly.

"What just happened? My clothes are dry!"

Katara cocked her head and shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh I have no idea."

Zuko narrowed his gaze as Aang and Katara laughed merrily together. He waved his hand and then lay back down. The day was wonderfully relaxing and he would just sit and do nothing for once. Katara and Aang started to play around in the river, letting some water bending practice come in for the day. They each moved their arms in symmetrical motions and then suddenly Katara let her water drop.

"Aang, I think it's time you learned the final move."

He let his hands drop to his sides and his mouth parted open.

"What? I don't know if I'm ready yet!"

She smiled and cocked her head.

"Just go inside the river and close your eyes. Think about the water and do what you feel is most powerful. Remember, powerful doesn't necessarily mean that the attack is strong."

He nodded his head and then stepped into the river. His arms rose over his head and then he put his hands inside the cold water. He felt the sting of the liquid rushing against his bare skin and then he pulled his arms up. A gigantic waterfall rose and sprouted through his outstretched arms. Katara clapped her hands together and her mouth spread into a joyous grin. Even Zuko opened his eyes to see what the Avatar was doing. Suddenly, his eyes widened as the water came falling out of the sky. The drops turned into spikes and then all he could do was shield himself with fire. But after a few moments passed, and the buzzing sound of the daggers piercing the air subsided, he looked up and saw that the water had melted onto the leaves of the trees. His mouth hung open as Katara ran up to Aang and hugged him fiercely. Zuko crossed his arms and looked away. He hadn't been afraid, and to give that image off, he laid back down as if nothing happened.

"Aang! You did it! You used the water and created a natural flowing attack! I'm so proud of you!"

"Thank you Katara," he put his hands together and bowed, "thank you for all of your help and for training me to think like a water bender!"

They smiled and walked back onto the grass. The sun poured over them and Appa rolled over as the wind came flowing through the rustling trees. It was good to feel so warm, inside and outside.

..:-:..

In a small town called Denati, a tall young man pushed his clenched fists into a wall behind his house. Numerous dents marked the wall, each one made over days of practice. He had deep green eyes and a small scar underneath his left eye. It was minor and no one really paid any attention to it, but with his wispy and spiky hair, his rogue image became even more so. As he punched the wall another time, a young woman, almost as old as her brother, came outside with a jug of water. Her warm gentle smile filled her already beautiful face with even more radiance. A soft green bandanna held her dark auburn hair back and the sunlight bounced on her face playfully. She was the complete opposite of her brother, but they shared one thing in common; the two siblings were extremely hardworking and they never took anything that they possessed for granted. The So Family was poor, and their little house on the work fields was all they could afford. Nonetheless, the family lived on happily, thankful for each and every day that they lived together.

"Naoki! Are you going to help me feed the animals or what?"

He turned around and then sighed deeply as he saw his sister carrying the jug of water. A basket of seeds was placed at her heels and he walked up to her with an exasperated look on his face.

"Give that to me, you know you can't carry such heavy weight Emi. Or do you want to become even more weak?"

He took the jug from her and she looked down at the ground sadly.

"I'm sorry, it's just… how am I supposed to get stronger? I've had this problem ever since I was little and I know we can't afford to see a doctor, but I just feel so meager."

They walked over to the animal pen and Naoki smiled down at his sister.

"You're not like that at all Emi. You're always trying to help everyone around you, when really we should be the ones helping you."

She sighed and then he put his arm around her.

"You're such a good big brother, did you know that?"

He let go and then set the jug down.

"I know."

..:-:..

The three weary travelers had enough of the sun and began their journey onwards. If they didn't find a village to rest at soon, they would be overwhelmed with the heat of the sun. Katara lay back onto Zuko's chest and the two of them closed their eyes for a bit of sleep. Aang steered Appa as usual, but for a moment he looked back, and when he saw Zuko's arms around Katara, he looked away saddened. He knew that the two of them had feelings for each other, and he didn't let his own surface because he knew it would just be pointless. Nevertheless, he was still lonely. The two of them were much older than he was, and he wanted someone his own age to have fun with.

Katara opened her eyes lazily, in time to see Aang turn away with a sad look in his eyes. The sun wasn't so high up in the sky anymore and she sat up lazily. Zuko stirred and his eyes winced as her presence left him. He yawned and slowly opened his eyes, only to see Katara looking away with troubling thoughts passing through her head. She turned around when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Oh Zuko… I feel awful."

She was whispering into his ear, and then he pulled her into a warm embrace.

"Why do you feel awful, you didn't do anything wrong."

Katara glanced at Aang's back and continued to whisper to Zuko.

"I know, but doesn't it seem like Aang is a bit sad? I mean, it's not like we're the best friends that he only wished he could have. He's a nice kid, and I know he's the avatar, but don't you think he should have friends besides us, maybe his own age?"

Zuko's eyes shifted to look at the avatar and then he nodded as he gazed back onto her face.

"You're right. We will try to find someone in the next town."

Katara smiled with delight and kissed him quickly. As she pulled away Zuko looked at her with adoration and she could tell there was a bit of longing in his golden orbs for something more than just a quick peck on the lips. Suddenly, the two lovebirds took their heads out of the clouds when they heard an excited exclamation.

"Look over there! I see a town!"

Katara and Zuko peered over the saddle and tons of houses dotted the landscape underneath them. The green hills rolled onwards at all the sides of the town and without thinking, Aang reeled Appa to a stop. The townspeople started to gap and stare at the huge creature. Many people began to worry and someone left to go get the person in charge, or at least someone of a high position in their town. Aang, Katara and Zuko got off of Appa and walked into the town. Everyone moved aside and looked at them with wide eyes. Suddenly, a short man came running up to them. He was stout and round, but he wore a pair of glasses and a hat that made it clear that he was a man of authority.

"You three! What is your purpose coming to this town?"

Katara smiled and bowed.

"We are here to look for food and shelter."

"What about that thing over there?"

Aang flew up and hugged Appa's head. Gasps echoed throughout the crowd that gathered to welcome the group of travelers. The short and plump man stepped back in shock and he put a hand to his heart.

"Appa won't hurt anyone! He's really gentle even though he's big!"

Zuko looked around curiously and then he spotted a little girl in a white dress. She was looking towards Aang with curiosity but taller men and women overshadowed her so that she couldn't see. Sadness overcame her expression and that was when Zuko pointed her out to Katara. She saw at once what Zuko noticed and then she turned back to face the man.

"You're the Avatar!"

Aang nodded happily and then suddenly he was taken away in the hands of a mob of people. They cheered and clapped joyously. Appa was given mounds of hay immediately and soon the street cleared. Dust sprinkled itself in front of Zuko and Katara, who stood rooted to the ground dumbstruck.

"What just happened?"

"Uh, I think they just welcomed us into town."

Katara took a deep breath of air and then sighed.

"Right."

They turned around and then a fluttering white dress caught their eyes. Zuko and Katara walked over to the girl who hadn't left the street to follow the crowd of Avatar worshipers.

"Hi there."

The girl didn't look up and she didn't smile. Katara smiled hesitantly and Zuko shrugged his shoulders.

"My name is Katara, and this is Zuko. Why didn't you go follow Aang and the crowd?"

She kept looking straight away into the distance and then her lips parted slightly.

"Aang…"

"Yes, that's his name. So why didn't you go? Didn't you want to meet the Avatar?"

Zuko's harsh tone caused the little girl's gray eyes to look even more sorrowful. Katara elbowed him in the ribs and he winced, pain searing into his side.

"I'm sorry about that. Zuko can be a bit inconsiderate at times, but he means well. So, what's your name?"

A small voice popped out of her mouth as she answered Katara's question.

"Toph… I'm Toph. Could you…I don't have any friends…"

Katara clasped her mouth over her hands and then grabbed Toph by the arm. Zuko's eyes flashed open with amazement. She was never this adamant about getting something to happen.

"Don't worry, I'll take you to Aang. The two of you will be the best of friends!"

Moments later, they heard the cheers of the crowd and they pushed their way passed anxious women and children. Aang was twirling a pebble in circles and the crowd was roaring with cheers. Suddenly he stopped when Zuko and Katara appeared. A faint laugh came from behind them and then he looked at the two of them curiously.

"Who's that behind you?"

Toph stepped out and smiled shyly at the avatar. Aang's eyes lit up and he ran up to his friends. The girl looked about his age and she was in a very pretty dress.

"Hi! I'm Aang, who are you?"

"I'm…I'm Toph."

Aang stretched out his hand and as Zuko and Katara watched, he put an arm around her. They smiled; Aang would finally have a friend his own age. Out of nowhere however, the girl took the Avatar's hand and pulled him closer to her. The earth around them moved up towards the sun and the crowd gasped. Aang looked at Toph with wonder and she smiled.

"You're an earth bender?"

"Of course I am. What, did you think that I was a little puny girl or something?"

Her image had changed completely. Her voice was commanding and confident, sure of everything she was doing. Aang's smile widened and he put his hands to his head.

"That is so cool! You're pretending to be a helpless little girl, when really you are tough and strong!"

"Of course. I like to get people off of their guards, just like now. Everyone is out there wondering what just happened. Hear them?"

He tilted his head towards the outside and nodded.

"Yup. That's so funny… hey! I just got an idea! Since I'm the Avatar, I need to learn all of the elements… would you be my teacher? I could stay here and we could have fun all the time!"

She crossed her arms and then put a finger on in her chin as if she was in deep thought.

"Are you sure about that? What if I told you I was blind?"

The excitement that was on Aang's face doubled and he jumped up.

"I can't believe it! And yet you can still do everything by yourself! You've just got to be my teacher Toph!"

She smiled. Her hands rose over her head and then they fell to her sides. The sun appeared above their heads once again and the people surrounded them, a hundred questions being poured over them at once. Zuko and Katara looked at Aang to see if he was all right. The Avatar levitated and everyone quieted at once.

"I am fine. My friend Toph and I were having a little fun is all."

Before the crowd could surround them again, Toph, Aang, Zuko and Katara ran away and out of sight. They fled to Toph's mansion and when they stepped inside of it, their jaws dropped. Pools and fountains of water cascaded the entire establishment, and it was enveloped with more soft grass and plants. They spent the day playing around and getting to know one another. Zuko and Katara were as shocked with the news that Toph was an earth bender, just as much as anyone else would have been. Soon enough, the sun began to set and it was time to say goodbye.

"Aang, can we talk to you for a second?"

He nodded his head and the three of them walked out onto the porch. Toph's parents had been delighted to invite the avatar to stay with them.

"We just wanted to let you know that even though we might have only been friends for a short time,"

"that we appreciate the help you've given us."

Katara hugged Aang and she smiled.

"Learn from Toph and stay here. We'll come back in a few months and then Zuko will teach you to fire bend."

Aang nodded solemnly and then he sighed.

"I just don't understand why the two of you have to leave."

Zuko and Katara looked at each other for a second and then Katara took the Avatar's hands in hers.

"Uh…we need to go check on Zuko's family. We'll be back soon, I promise."

"Okay then…"

There was a loud crash that came from inside of the house and Aang sped away inside to check it out. Zuko and Katara picked up their bags and started to make their way out of town. The orange filled sky cast warm glows on their faces as their feet left footprints in the grass. They were heading south of the town, to a village that was called Denati. A townsperson had told them that it was a farming and mining community and that they would find board and work there very easily. As soon as the town they had left was out of view, Zuko stopped and took Katara in his arms. His lips pressed against hers fiercely and she pulled on his neck firmly. Their hearts pounded inside of their chests, and when they pulled apart, they had to catch their breaths. Katara smiled and hugged Zuko as he twirled her around.

"I haven't really tasted how sweet your lips are you know that Katara? Not until just now…"

She smirked at him and then put her head on top of his chest. They were sitting against a tree and they watched as the sky began to turn darker. Suddenly, as the crickets began to chirp, Zuko plucked a flower and observed it. Katara lifted her head for an instant and then her jaw dropped. It was the most beautiful flower she had ever seen. Its soft white petals curled slightly and delicate green leaves sprouted from the stem. Little pink buds grew inside of it and its scent smelled like vanilla. Zuko saw the smile on her face and then he handed the flower to Katara.

"It's for you Katara."

She sat up and took the fascinating flower into her hands.

"Thank you Zuko, it's beautiful! What kind of flower is this?"

He peered closely to it and then nodded cheerfully.

"It's not just an ordinary flower Katara. This is a very rare and delicate flower called Lovaris. The Lovaris flower can only be found in very remote parts of the Earth Kingdom. Because of its beauty and delicacy, not many people see it in groups. They tend to grow separately and near trees because of the shade."

Katara gazed up at Zuko and her lips curled into a smile.

"How do you know so much about a flower?"

He put his arms around her and pulled her into him.

"That's my little secret. But how could I not know so much about something that almost matches you in its beauty?"

She turned to him and tears started to form in her eyes. His hands brushed over her cheeks softly and she laughed gently.

"Look at me, I'm getting all emotional because of a stupid flower."

Zuko pulled her face into his and kissed her softly. The tears stopped flowing and when she pulled away she had a warm smile on her face. For three months, she had felt reserved when she was with Zuko. It felt so nice to just be carefree about her feelings with him. Everyday he kept to himself, and now he let her know that he still cared about her very deeply. She hugged him tightly and rested her head on his chest once more. Katara curled up to him and Zuko rubbed her shoulder. The two of them watched the sun fade into the distance and soon the stars appeared in the sky. Katara sighed and closed her eyes, the Lovaris gently grasped in between her fingers.


A/N: So? Did you like it? I had a hard time starting this fic… but I'm really glad I finally overcame my discouragement and wrote it! This is planned out for ten chapters, like it's precedent fic, and if everything goes well… there should be a third installment to make it a trilogy :D But that's very far into the future and it might not happen… but we'll see!

I know most of you are probably like, what? Aang is gone already? But I'd like to remind you that there are two new characters and I think you'll like them very much ;) Thanks for reading! Have a great day!

-Monika-