Full summary: Not long after Sozin's comet, it seems like it would take more than defeating the former fire lord to restore peace in their hearts. Katara looses herself after a tragedy and the least expected person has come to help her heal. In the mean time, other problems surface. Will peace really reign again?
Authors note: My first Avatar fic, feedback is well appreciated!
Katara sat contentedly under the shade of a tree with her legs crossed under her. She leaned on the study bark and grinned as she watched Suki feed the turtle-ducks. As one of them neared the edge of the pond, Toph reached out to jab the creature in the face. A tiny wave rolled the duck away and it squeaked as it tried to regain its balance. Katara glared and Toph, but she just grinned back. Despite the occasional quack from one of the ducks, the palace was oddly quiet. Katara sighed and her eyes fluttered shut. She smiled to herself as she thought of how she would have reacted if she had been here in the time of the war. She used to flinch at every sound the echoed through her ears. There was no screaming, or crying anymore. All she heard was the sound of the water as it rolled beneath the ducks.
"I'm bored." Toph announced, flopping onto the carpet grass. No one answered. Suki sat quietly feeding the eager animals while Katara basked in the peaceful silence. But they were all content.
-
Zuko squinted at the stacks of scrolls on his desk. Each day there seemed to be more and more scrolls; it almost seemed as if they were multiplying on their own. There were scrolls from all the nations. Each problem had to be solved carefully, considering every tiny little detail. He had been doing this all morning. Zuko massaged his throbbing head and groaned.
"Sire, are you alright?" The guard from the door poked his head in. Zuko jumped then paused to laugh.
"Yes, I am. Thank you." He replied, picking up his brush again.
"Would you like some tea?" The guard offered. Zuko looked up and considered it.
"Ahh, that would be refreshing, thank you." Zuko nodded. The guard smiled, bowing slightly and walking away to carry out the order. Zuko heaved a sigh and leaned onto the back rest of his chair. He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. He stilled for a few dragged moments before sitting up and picking up the nearest water tribe scroll. He removed the copper ring and unrolled the scroll. Zuko's breath hitched, and his face hardened. He read the letter once more, praying to the spirits this was some kind of joke. It wasn't.
Zuko stood abruptly, scroll in hand he set out to look for Sokka.
-
Katara stretched her stiff limbs and grinned playfully. Toph had fallen asleep, while Suki was picking at a flower. Suki glanced at Katara and raised an eyebrow. She brought a finger to her lips and crouched down. With a flick of her hand, she sent half the pond water flying to Toph. The earth bender screeched and jumped up with a start. Katara and Suki burst out into fits of giggles. Toph flipped her fringe off her face and with a swift stroke of her hand she sent a huge boulder speeding towards the both girls. Katara's eyes sparkled. She twirled out of the way without a single hair out of place. Suki whipped out her underused fan and sliced the charging earth in two. Toph let out a laugh. Katara smiled, lifting both her hands she blasted a wave of water at Suki, a few ducks swam on the wave, only to crash onto the carpet grass. They waddled back into the almost empty pond, disappointed. Suki gasped and glance down at her clothes, dripping wet.
Toph laughed and the earth beneath her trembled. The Kyoshi warrior was thrown off balance and she lay flat on the grass. Katara raised her eyebrows and stopped laughing. After a few moments, Suki groaned.
"I give up." She laughed, poking a finger to the sky. Katara opened her mouth to answer but was cut off by a loud, gruff voice.
"Madame, the Fire Lord would like to see you." The guard announced. Toph placed her hands on her hip.
"What, I'm not invited?" She huffed. The guard looked at her and shook his head slightly. Suki laughed.
"I am to lead you there, Madame." He continued. Katara glanced at her two friends before shrugging and trailing after the guard. She heard Toph complain.
"So now he gets to order us around?"
-
Katara marvelled at the enormous pillars that held the palace in place. She still hadn't gotten used to all the luxury. Back home in the South Pole everything was ice. Katara bet that if the entire palace was turned to ice it'd be much, much grander that it already is. She smiled to herself. The guard opened the decorated doors and bowed. Katara wondered if she should curtsey, but the look on her brother's face sent shivers down her spine. She frowned and stepped into the room.
Sokka was sitting, crumpled on the antique wooden chair in Zuko's study. His shoulders were hunched over his knees and he sat silent on one corner. Katara sucked in a deep breath. She turned to look at the Fire Lord who sat at his desk, hands on his temples, silent just like her brother. Katara opened her mouth to speak but was stopped when Zuko stood up and walked over to her. Sokka didn't move. Katara frowned and studied his face. Zuko looked away as he held out a scroll to her. Frightened, unsure if she should take it, Katara kept her hands by her side. Zuko ran his free hand through his hair.
"It's from your tribe." Zuko's voice was low. It was lower than Katara remembered. My tribe?
Taking the scroll she removed the copper ring off the paper and unrolled it slowly.
"Please tell my children," it began, "that their grandmother died yesterday, on the Eight day of the Fifth Lunar Month. She died three days after I returned home. She looks a lot thinner from when I first left. She died from a high fever. Master Pakku says the funeral should be held as soon as possible but we will try to wait for you. There are only the two of us at home now, Pakku and I, and he cries a lot. Please tell my children to come home as soon as they can. Sincerely, Hadoka.
The room was still. It seemed as if no one was breathing.
The tortured silence was broken by the sound of sobbing, choked and muffled. For a moment Katara thought she was crying, but then she recognized the familiar sobs coming from her brother. She felt her throat tighten.
"I'm sorry," Zuko mumbled, his arms hanging from his sides. Like a useless rubber doll. He clenched his fist as he watched the water bender read the letter, over and over again. She was quiet and still. Sokka was crying openly now, his face a pained grimace. Katara wished she could cry like that. Zuko felt things in his chest he never thought he's ever feel. His heart tightened as he watched Katara's lower lip tremble slightly. It was torturing. Katara stood up and walked to the window where the potted orchid hung. She watched Suki and Toph laugh with each other. Everything has changed, Katara thought, and yet nothing has changed. She reached for the single orchid in bloom above her, and twisted it off its stem. Petal by delicate petal, she crushed it between her fingers and dropped it to the floor.