Disclaimer: The series belongs to the Bryke. I merely wish upon a star that I could magically own it. If I did, I would create another series with a Zutara ending.
Note: Thanks to Reviewers, alterters and readers.
"A Promise Kept"
Chapter Two
The young Avatar berated himself over his previous conversation with his girlfriend. He paced back and forth in the stables, Momo flying ahead thinking somehow that his young master was racing him. "What should I do?" He questioned a puzzled Momo, when he stopped. The flying lemur chirped his response and flew off in search of Appa.
"Even Momo doesn't know!" Aang muttered angrily, "he usually has something to say about everything." He cursed in his head. Turning his attention to a Kamodo dragon, Aang asked the same question he'd asked three of the other large scaly creatures.
"Do you think I'm being to possessive over Katara?" The large beast turned from its feed and gave the Avatar a blank stare. "Okay..." Aang said shyly. "Not much of a talker are you fella?" He chuckled before adding. "Appa's like that around new people, but once they give him a pat. He's all over them." The Kamodo dragon opened its mouth and gave a bark, Aang smelt its breath and nearly fainted from the stench. "I think I might talk to Zuko about having your teeth cleaned." He said amusingly.
The Kamodo dragon barked again, this time Aang believed it was a response. "Do you think I was? It's just ever since the war has ended, she's stayed near Zuko." Aang blushed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, the Kamodo dragon barked again and grabbed a mouthful of possum chicken and offered it to Aang. "No thanks buddy. I don't eat meat." Aang responded by air bending the offered meat back to the Komodo dragon who greedily gobbled it up.
"She's only been back home for visits and they last no longer than a month." He continued his rant, the Komodo dragon chewed it's meat thoughtfully while listening. "We've gone to visit Toph in the Earth Kingdom and Suki in Kyoshi Island with Sokka..." He paused to catch his breath. "But after that she always followed me back to the Fire Nation. At first I thought that she wanted to be with me! But since Zuko gave her the title Ambassador Water Tribes, she spends all her free time arguing with old men about what state the world should be in!" He took a huge breath and looked at the beast.
The Kamodo Dragon barked again. Aang reached over and rubbed it's dry scaled neck. "Do you think I'm over reacting?" He questioned. It nodded and went in for another bite of its dinner. Aang sighed, "I guess your right." He said softly, watching it eat.
"Who are you talking to?" A seductive female voice asked. "I hope it's not your girlfriend." She added.
Aang jerked his head excitedly in the direction of the familiar voice, seeing that it was only Tylee in her Kyoshi uniform his disappointment set in. "Oh. Hi Tylee. How's Kyoshi going?"
Tylee strode over to the Avatar, her hips swaying hypnotically. Aang mesmerized for a moment, quickly caught his weakness and chided his new found hormones. Tylee giggled as Aang blushed. "We're best friends!" She said excitedly. "
"Why are you in the Fire Nation? Suki was bringing the warriorshere for the summer Fire Nation Festival." Aang said quickly trying to cover up his uncomfortableness. "Think about Katara." He told himself. He allowed his mind to drift for a moment, thinking about her lovely blue eyes, her Water Bending, the way her curvature body seem to sway like the water itself. He thought about her Scar, how it marked one side of her face...wait "Zuko?!" Aang thought alarmed. Zuko's eyes always gleamed with something when he talked with the Water Bender. "Jealous?" His subconscious teased. "No" The air bender yelled.
"Aang, are you feeling well? Maybe its the warmer weather. Have you had enough water to drink?" Tylee asked worriedly, she almost sounded like Katara for a moment, Aang noted. He took a deep breath and calmed his mind. "I'm fine. Tell me about Kyoshi Island."
Tylee giggled and jumped up and down a few times. "We have to wake with the sun. I don't mind. Azula was always up before it, she use to look so pretty in the morning. She never had messy hair like Mai did or bad breath like me. She was perfect."
"Tylee." Aang repeated until he gained her attention, they had both started to walk out of the stables and in the direction of the Palace gardens.
"What Aang?" She asked innocently.
"About Kyoshi. Not Princess Azula." He saw the acrobat blush as he spoke.
"Sorry Aang. I slip up sometimes." She blushed deeper and looked away, "hey isn't that the Earth Bender....Haru?" she asked suddenly, Aang looked and saw Haru pulling up on a Kamodo Dragon.
"Haru's here with his report on the Fire Nation colonies." Aang explained, Tylee wasn't listening. "When did he grow a moustache?" She blabbered blushing more red than the Fire Nation flag.
"Great. Just great."Aang thought as he watched the evil turn good Kyoshi warrior almost fly up to the unsuspecting Haru.
* * *
"I need to discuss it with the Council, before I can make my leave." Zuko explained, his voice lowered.
Katara gazed into the Fire Lords expecting amber eyes, unexplained emotion filled them, she felt her body temperature rise slightly as her cheeks pinkened. Her blue eyes trailed to his scar, her hand was still in place, they then slowly travelled to his suddenly desirable lips. Her thoughts became hazy as she imagined the Fire Bender slowly leaning towards her own, placing his warm hand on her cheek, and looking into her eyes, almost like waiting for permission. Her eyes lashes fluttered close and she felt Zuko fill the gap and answer her questions with his own longingness. Her heart fluttered wildly and her stomach flew....
"Katara?" Zuko's shrilling voice brought back to the land of the living. She jumped and blushed embarrassed. "What must he think of me?"She wondered. The Water Bender banished the silly fantasy from her mind. "Zuko's my my friend." She scolded herself. "I'm just a little tied. Aang and I have been visiting the infirmary. I've been healing several of your injured soldiers." She half lied to him.
Zuko throaty chuckle reached Katara's ears and made her blush even more. She realized that her hand was still located on his scar, retracting it quickly almost like he had burnt her, she placed it in her lap. "You always find a way to keep busy in the Capital." He stated softly.
Katara nodded in response, she was tongue tide. "Zuko why?" Her voice screeched in her mind.
Zuko cleared his throat as he scanned his mind for something to say, usually it was Katara who did all the talking, yet today she seemed distracted. "Has it something to do with Aang?" He wondered fleetingly. "Should I ask? Do I dare?" He gazed at his friend, her attention was on the Turtle ducklings. "Hav-have you heard from your brother?" He blurted out and silently scolded himself for his belatedness.
Katara tore her eyes away from the animals. "I have. Master Pakku is helping with the restorations of the Southern Water Tribe. He frequently sends word to our sister tribe asking for help."
"And?" Zuko asked, almost guilty. Some how, even though he wasn't involved with the destruction of the world. He still felt the blame.
Katara smiled sadly up at him. "They won't answer. Princess Yue's anniversary is coming up soon, and their busy preparing for it."
"Princess Yue?" Zuko said aloud, but raked his brain for her name.
"Sokka's ex-girlfriend. The one who sacrificed her life after Zhao killed the moon spirit?" She reminded him.
Zuko smiled, guilty again. "They still should send help." He exclaimed. "The Southern Water Tribe looks more dismal than the Northern."
"That's my home tribe." Katara scolded the Fire Lord in good nature. It was Zuko's turn to blush, once he realised he may have just insulted her. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that."
Katara waved her hand to excuse his apology. "It doesn't matter really. Several members of our sister tribe have come to help."
"That's good." He replied, and took her hand, Katara startled glanced up uncertain. "If they ever need any supplies or help. Just ask!" He continued.
* * *
Mai jumped when a servant cleared their throat. "Don't you know who I am?" She snapped, but inwardly cringed at been caught spying on their lord. She composed her self and gracefully tilted her head upwards and eyed the servant, a short girl, no older than her self was dressed in a plain maids outfit, consisting of red clothing covering her torso, legs and arms, lined with gold stitching. On her head she wore a small bandanna type hat to keep her hair away from her face. On her feet she wore pointed slippers, much like Mai's, only made from poorer material and more adjusted for her line of work.
The women looked scared. "For-forgive mme, My-my lady." She stuttered and flung herself to the ground to bow.
Mai smirked at the reaction. "What?"
"I-I-I." The servant stuttered again to the ground.
"For Agni's sake servant. I can't hear what you're saying." Her tone slightly harsher than it meant to be, but frail servants irked the Noble women.
The servant looked up to Mai's sleeves and said. "I was merely wondering if My Lady would like a refreshment."
Mai thought momentarily. "What I need." She said angrily, the servant flinched without knowing it. "Is" Mai continued, "is the Fire Lords hand in marriage."She thought, and chided the borish thought. "Is a strawberry puff-tart covered in delectable fruits and sweets. The ones the Fire Lord order to have made up for me." Mai emphasised her boyfriends title, to give herself importance. "And I want a message sent to Tylee."
"What will the message say, My Lady?" The servent asked softly.
Mai's eyes narrowed. "Tell her... That I demand for her to come at once and see me, while she's staying in the capital. We have much to discuss." The servant stayed bowing. "Get moving!" She snapped.
The servant squeaked and scurried away. "With all my heart I hope our Lord doesn't marry her." She thought. The servants name was Hisachi, she was half Water Tribe and half Earth Kingdom, yet her features served her as Fire Nation. She had been abandoned by her family long before she could remember. Taking a job in the Palace when she had been a very young child, it had saved her life. Hisachi was a member of the Ladies Court, she also took a personal job to serve Mai what ever she desired.
Mai huffed, and turned her attention back to the Fire Lord and the Water Bender, she saw her boyfriend take Katara's hand in his own and mouth a few words, she noted how the Water Tribe women's face grew red and she looked away. "What's he up to?"She wondered in distaste.
For the next several seconds Mai wondered if she should walk over and offer to join the two 'cozy' friends. Except someone else beat her to the punch.
* * *
"Thanks Zuko. That means a lot to me that you offered." Katara murmured. "I'll write a letter home when the moon rises asking if they need supplies. The South Pole might need to trade. We often don't like having help from the other Nations." Fire Nation help that is."
"It's the least I can offer after.... Everything my Nation has put the World through..." He trailed off, suddenly aware he was still holding her hand in his.
"Zuko, you really need to stop holding everything in your heart and blaming yourself." Katara scolded lightly. "How's your mother?" She added, changing the topic. Katara watched as the Fire Lords posture straightened and his eyes gleamed with happiness. She was grateful that he had found his mother, Zuko deserved it.
"Mother is great! She's shorter than I remember." He confessed, Katara giggled and Zuko felt silently pleased. "But she is a great help when is comes to organising everything."
"Thats great Zuko." Katara praised. "How is she with getting along with Mai?" Katara questioned, remembering back to Ba Sing Se and the Jasmine Dragon. Mai had been cold, she'd clung to Zuko a lot. But eventually the two had become...'better acquainted, 'Katara chose to believe. Yet somehow the gloomy noble women had taken a strange interest in Toph, the two had acquired a moderate friendship and understanding between the two. Katara guessed that in someway they both could relate with their upbringings.
"Mother is, well, trying hard." The Fire Lord explained. "Mai is?" What else could describe Mai? "Mother and Mai have a mutual respect" Zuko finally said when nothing else came to mind.
"Okay. That's good to hear. I guess." Katara responded, she wasn't surprised they weren't getting along like Fire. Lady Ursa was warm, friendly and talkative around people she trusted. Mai was distant, emotionless and really had to trust the person.
"Katara! Zuko!" Both friends sprang apart as the voice interupted their conversation, Zuko released Katara's hand, and she suddenly missed it.
"Tylee." Aang warned. "You're making a habit of sneaking up on your friends."
Katara jumped to her feet and raced over to give the older noble women a quick hug. "What brings you to the capital?" She asked when they drew apart.
"I could ask you the same question!" Tylee joked suggestively, her eyes flickered from the Avatar to the Fire Lord.
"Hello Tylee." Zuko's voice said coolly behind Katara.
"Zuko!" Tylee exclaimed excitedly and left Katara near Aang to give her ex-bestfriends brother a quick hug, Zuko grimaced under her touch.
"Where's Mai?" Tylee asked as if she expected her friend to appear out of thin air.
"Mai is.. Mai's in the sun room reading a book." Zuko explained.
"See you." Tylee said as she bounded up the garden with a quick wave.
The three friends watched her in equal stunned silence.
"Fire Lord. Avatar." Haru called from behind, they turned their attention to the Earth Bender. "Katara." He blushed when he said her name.
"Yes?" Zuko asked.
Haru bowed his head in respect before continuing. "I have the reports you ordered." He said.
"And?" Zuko asked, expecting the worst.
"Just as we suspected. They are not good. Both sides are resisting and are refusing aid." Haru continued. "They demand that the Avatar make an appearance." His eyes glanced to Aang and Katara who were standing near each other.
"I will go soon." Aang said decidingly."
"Wise call." Zuko noted. "Haru, come walk with me and give me the details." He added, somehow sensing that Katara and Aang needed to talk. Haru followed the young Fire Lords lead, both continued to talk and discuss.
Aang walked towards the Palace, more in the direction of his apartments. Zuko had rooms specially designed in the Air benders fashion of many years ago for when the Avatar came to stay.
"Aang, wait." Katara called, jogging up to the Avatar.
"Yes Katara?" Aang said, almost demanding. Was he tied of her?"
"Aang. We're still friends." Katara exclaimed, she was hurt by his tone. "No matter what happens. I will always be your friend, I will always somehow be involved in your life." She reached forwards and pulled him into a hug, which for once Aang didn't move.
"Thanks Katara. For understanding." Aang said softly when she released him. "But I have to go." He turned and walked away.
For the first time in knowing the Avatar. Katara sensed that he knew it was time. "Spirits guide him well." She whispered and wiped a tear from her blue eyes, it wasn't goodbye.
Second chapter finished! Yay! It's so cold here, I half expected my fingers to almost freeze while typing this. ;) Review if you want to. Flames not minded. Cheerleaders welcomed. Until next time. ;)