Ch1. Snow

Ten years ago life had seemed so simple. The war was over, Oazi was defeated and they could all live happy peaceful lives from then on. But sadly things had not gone as planned. Just because Oazi and Azula were locked up didn't mean that the fighting had stopped, far from it. At first Katara had been sent by The Council to stop the rouge generals and any leftover solders that had refused to stop fighting. However it didn't end there either. Next was the Earth Kingdom warriors who wanted revenge on the Fire Nation and it was Zuko who was the one sending her. And after that is was anyone who threatened the new peace.

It seemed to her that all she ever did was fight, while everyone lived happily. Zuko and Aang sat around talking peace. Sokka had left her to move to Kyoshi Island with Suki. Ty Lee now a Kyoshi Warrior joined them in their happy lives. Even Toph had gone home to reconcile with parents and was now running her families land by day and the Earth Rumble by night. They all still train to fight, but now it was for fun. Katara couldn't help feeling a bit envious of all her friends. The only thing that kept her from running home was the slim hope that Aang would be there when she returned from her latest mission. At least that was what she told herself. This was what was passing through her mind as she stepped on to the air ship that would take her back to her home in the Fire Nation capital of Jin Se Cheng.

"Get this ship in the air NOW! And have a fresh jug of water brought to my quarters." Katara order without even looking at the soldier she passed. The solder noted the growl in her voice and took off as fast as he could. He and the other Soldiers that had worked under her command had long ago learned to do as she said as fast as they could when she growled. When angry she would make life on the ship a living hell. The captain had once told his wife that it was like working under Azula again, but without the fear of death. She would make you wish you were dead but she would never kill you. Katara knew the ship's crew feared her, some probably hated her too, but she had stopped caring. She wanted the whole world to hurt the way she did and she was going to start with her ship and work her way out.

As she entered her room she stared to remove her blood soaked clothing. She couldn't get out of her grimy work clothes off fast enough. When she was in those awful clothes she was a different person, one who wore blood like a badge. A person she had never wanted to be, a person she didn't want to be anymore.

The blood that coated her black tunic and pants didn't show, excepted for a slight shine that spoke of the cloths dampness. She was sick of wearing black all the time. She was even sick of her fire nation clothing and there color, the color of blood; thou she like them better then the black. She longed to once again wear her happy blue robes. And to be back in those happy days just after the war was over. But all that was behind her.

As the ship rose in to the air she noticed that it kicking up a lot of the freshly fallen snow. She open her window and stood there letting the snow blow on to her naked body. It felt good, and cold. It was as far from the warmth of blood that still clung to her body, as she could get. This was water, her element, in its best form. It was almost like being home, again.

The sound of the ceramic jug hitting the floor seemed to be miles away, however it had brought her back to the room and the solder who had entered it. He was shocked to see her this way and she knew it. She didn't care who saw her body or how uncomfortable it made them. That was their problems not hers. Without turning she spoke. "Put the jug by the desk. Take the clothes and have them cleaned. And get OUT." The guard did as he was told, stumbling the whole way. She was left to get back to the wind and snow. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine she was back in the South Pole. That she was just a woman of the tribe. As if out of nowhere the thought of her lover jumped in to her mind, and she was brought back to the room on the air ship. This was her life now and there was no way around it.

Many miles away in Omashu, Aang strode in the palace courtyard as the snow fell around him. He missed Katara right now. Snow always reminded him of her. A flood of memories passed though him. He remembered when they had met eleven years ago and all their travels together, before he pulled out his favorite memory of them penguin sledding. When there was time they should return to the South Pole. They had yet to return and see all the new things there. He had heard that Master Pakku and the other relocated water benders had built a great city of ice, with beautiful gardens that surround a green house so large it had yet to be filled to its fullest. It was a site to see, or so he was told.

This peace had left little time to travel just for fun. He spent most of his time in either Ba Sing Sa or the Jin Se Cheng, so he could be at meetings with The Council that had been formed in the weeks after the end of the war. He had modeled it after the gang, a representative from each nation that would meet to discuss their concerns and find peaceful solutions to the world's problems. It had taken some convincing of the leaders of the other nation to agree to it. In the end, there would be two representatives chosen from each nation and a base of operation was chosen in the Jin Se Cheng. The choice of where The Council was to be located had always confused him. He had though that the Earth Kingdom would have wanted the honor of hosting The Council of Nations, because it would be a position of power, and the North and South Poles where too far way and far too cold for most people. When it had been suggested that the setting be in the Fire Nation there had been no argument. He had let it go, as he did so many things.

He wondered if Katara missed the snow. She spent all her time working with ether the Council or acting as the Water Tribe's ambassador. She had only left her work once, when Suki and Sokka had their first child. But she had only been there a short time before returning to her work. It was her commitment to work that made him love her.

He tried to remember when he had seen her last, but he couldn't. He did wish that he had more time to spend with her. When he wasn't meeting with the leaders of the different nations, The Council kept him busy with good will tours. He still had several more places to visit on this tour, but maybe he could take a brief brake to go visit her. He was the Avatar after all.

Hundreds of miles away snow was falling on the little model of the new South Pole Capital. The globe rested in Mai's thin hand. Her attention had been drawn to it the moment she walked in to the room. As she looked at the little buildings she couldn't help but wonder what snow was like? Zuko had tried to explain it but she still couldn't picture it. She understood the sciences of it but she still couldn't wrap her mind around it. It was rain that wasn't rain. It was something that needed to be experienced. Now that she was The Fire Lady and a mother it wasn't unlikely she was ever going to get the chance.

"Did you get another gift from the Water Tribe?"

Zuko looked up from his papers, and saw the snow globe that his wife was holding. "No it isn't from the Water Tribe." He went back to his papers. He really wished she wouldn't just wander in to his office. He had work to do.

"Is there something you needed?"

"No just wanted to see how you were doing. You weren't at breakfast again this morning, your also missed dinner again and your son has been asking for you." Mai had to work to keep her voice even, when what she really wanted to do was yell at him. But years of training had told her that yelling was un-lady like. And that a Fire Lady never raised her voice above the sound of babbling broke.

Zuko once again looked up at Mai. He knew he wasn't spending as much time with his family as he should. He set his papers down and reached out for Mai's hand. "I have been busy with work and The Council has been making demand of me. I am trying to running country here." The tone was his voice spoke to the annoyance of having to tell her something she should already know. Trying to calm himself he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. She was so soft and smelled like Jasmine. He did need to spend more time with her and their son. "Why don't we have dinner together tomorrow night? Just you, me and Iroh."

Mai narrowed her eyes and gave him one of her uncharacteristic smiles. She was willing to let the sound of his annoyance in is voice and forces on the words.

"Promise?"

"Promise." He said it with a smile of his own, one that she knew was for her only. He knew why she made him promise. He had told her many times before that he would be at dinner or tea or half a dozen other events that he never shown up for. He had never broken a promise to her though. And He never would. She looked him over and knew in her heart what he would keep this and all his other promises. So she kissed him and rose to leave.

"Tomorrow then."

She silently exited the room without looking back. For several minutes after she left, Zoku sat watching the door. Her presence still lingered in the room. He wasn't going to disappoint her again. He would be at dinner tomorrow, even if it killed him.

As he slumped back in his chair his eyes fell on the glass globe of the South Pole. He took it in his hands. Snow fell on the tiny city. He missed the snow and the freedom he had had when he first experienced it. He sighed and replaced the globe.