AN: Oh dear, oh dear. This chapter was in desperate need of some cleaning up. Can you imagine traipsing about in silk in a frozen tundra? Apparently I hadn't, because that's what I had everyone wearing (beneath thick furs, but the fact remains the same). Also, I made Katara a hair too gushy about a dress. Don't get me wrong, she likes pretty things and all, but the attitude in the context was allllll wrong. Besides, she'll have another opportunity to traipse about in silk later... perhaps somewhere a bit warmer...
Anyhoo, editing has been done. Quality has been upped. And yeah. It only took me around six or so months to get this chapter re-vamped. Whatev's.
The point is that it was done! (As of 12-18-2011)
Pragmatic
An A:TLA Fic brought to you by:
Electric Risk
Arc I: Ice
Scroll One: An Invitation
The sun gleamed off of the hull of the impertinent Fire Nation ship. It was a huge monster of a thing, dominating the tiny huts and homes of the village like a beast poised before its prey. The unseasonably clear day made everything unnervingly still, the low sun casting a harsh glare off the bright white snow. Katara, Sokka, Chief Hakoda, Suki, and Bato stared silently at the ship, no one voicing the troubled thoughts all coursing through their minds. No one wanted to admit that its presence was unwelcome, regardless of the peace the Fire Nation claimed it wanted to make. None of them knew what to make of it, this scene that welcomed them home.
Once the group disembarked, two figures waited to greet them. One was a tall, bony man, just slightly passed his prime, but not all together too old. His hair was white and he kept a well-maintained goatee. He stood ramrod straight, hands folded behind his back like a soldier. He stared at them as they approached, his dark gray eyes never stirring. Next to him stood an old woman. She was considerably shorter and slightly hunch-backed. She held a white bone cane. Her white hair was tucked into a neat bun and she held herself (despite her plights from age) with an air of wisdom and regality.
"Gran-Gran!" Katara rushed to envelop the older woman in a tight hug. Her grandmother looked smaller somehow, after two months away, but there was strength and vitality present in her arms and she held Katara tight.
"Much has happened while you were gone," Gran-Gran said as she patted Katara's head affectionately. She perfunctorily turned to Sokka and said, "Come here, boy, give your Gran-Gran a hug."
He readily obliged, grinning.
"It does my heart such good to see you two again." She sighed wistfully before nodding to their father. "Hakoda, I trust you've been taking good care of them?"
"Of course." Hakoda's tone was light, but with the way his eyes kept flicking over to the hulking Fire Nation vessel, it was obviously forced. "I kept them at least a hundred feet away from all platypus-bears, saber-tooth-moose-lions and elephant koi."
"Good, good," she replied in her craggy voice with a decisive nod. "Can't have you ruining the children after all."
"'Course not," he agreed absently. Then he addressed the man. "So Kuto, I take it my letter made it in time?"
Kuto nodded. "Yes, we received it yesterday morning and-"
"Uh, this is Suki." Sokka awkwardly pushed the girl forward.
Suki blushed and said a timid 'hello' to the two strangers. Then she discretely elbowed Sokka hard in the ribs.
Kuto sent Sokka a calculated glare for the boy's interruption.
"Ah, yes," said Bato, placing a bracing hand on Suki's shoulder. "We picked up Suki from Kyoshi Island a while back. She's done an excellent job of keeping Sokka in line so far." Suki and Sokka both flushed pink. "Suki, this stunning woman here is Kanna, Sokka and Katara's grandmother. And this depressing fellow here is Kuto."
Kuto stepped up, choosing to ignore Bato's blatant insult. "Undoubtedly, you are wondering about the Fire Nation vessel." No one would deny the almost perverse delight Kuto found when all the cards were in his hands. Yet… just the same, he knew when to be serious. Now wasn't the time to goad his Chief. "I would have told you before, had I not been interrupted."
Sokka grinned sheepishly, which Kuto ignored.
"It," he gestured disdainfully at the ship, "arrived two days ago. We were very much shocked to find the Fire Lord himself on board. It seems the Fire Nation is on a bit of a publicity stint, trying to improve their international relations. In fact, you have excellent timing in your return, Hakoda. The Fire Lord has expressed his wish to solicit a meeting with you and your family. Apparently he has heard much of your… conquests..." His goatee twitched as a smirk snaked its way onto his lips.
Hakoda's gaze shifted uneasily between his family and the mischievous glint in the master waterbender's eyes. Kuto thrived on drama, but he was mostly harmless. It was best to take everything he said, or rather, implied, with a grain of salt. "Hmm. Well I hope he realizes we aren't in any position to entertain someone of his magnitude. Under different circumstances I would be happy to host him, but I haven't the room or the resources to do so."
An armored guard appeared at that moment, clearly of the Fire Nation's keep, sprinting towards them. He fell to his knee as he reached the group and held up a small, folded piece of parchment while his head remained bowed in an almost comical parody of deference. "An invitation from His Majesty, The Dragon of the West, Fire Lord Iroh to the Honored Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe and His Family to dine this night on His Lord's Distinguished Ship, The Lotus." The voice sounded unmistakably young and the armor fit his form a bit loosely, but his other oddities more than distracted from those features- the way he spoke for example.
"Ah," Kuto jeered rocking on his heels, "Seems His Majesty of the Flames has already heard word of your arrival. What say you then, oh Honorable Chief Hakoda; accept or reject?"
Hakoda glared at the master water-bender. "You are wearing on my last nerve."
Kanna then took it upon herself to smack Kuto's arm with a painful force only a pitifully frail looking old woman could possess. Scowling, Kuto rubbed his arm and pulled away from the group, standing a safe distance from Kanna and her Freakish Old Lady Strength. Kanna nodded curtly at him as if to say "serves you right", before haughtily turning heel and focusing exclusively on the exchange between Hakoda and the Fire Nation soldier. She hadn't ever been fond of that Northerner (what she had taken to calling him when he behaved it such a way as to remove his privilege of a name), especially with the disrespectful way he spoke to Katara and Hakoda. She felt particularly inclined, in her old age, to have a few prejudices around her belt, especially at the expense of the Northern Water Tribe.
The Chief, noticing the young man still bowing low at the waist, retrieved the parchment from him, then folded his hands behind his back deciding to inspect the invitation later. He cleared his throat a little awkwardly, and said "On your feet, soldier." Once the messenger rose, Hakoda added, "And uh, please inform your Lord that I graciously accept his offer."
The soldier bowed, again, his balled fist resting just below his right palm. "Great!" his voice pitched slightly, prompting the young soldier to clear his throat. "How many shall His Majesty expect for Tonight's Festivities?"
Hakoda considered for a moment. "Kanna, would you be interest-"
"I'm not going near that ship," the old woman snapped.
"Of course not," Bato grinned. "In fact, I shall insist that you dine with me tonight, Kanna. I've missed your meals while we were away."
Hakoda nodded, accepting the arrangement though bemused at his mother-in-law's curt behavior. "Well I suppose that just leaves my son, Sokka, and daughter, Katara, then." He put a hand on the shoulder of each child as he said their names. "Oh, and Suki of course. I don't believe you'd feel too comfortable without us in a strange village, would you, my dear?" He grinned at the girl.
The soldier's head dipped again, too low, his arms were in that same pose again, parallel with his head and back. "I mean no disrespect, Sir, but His Majesty's Invitation was strictly for Your Honored –and immediate- Family."
This only held Hakoda up for a second as he quickly found a loophole in the family-only ruling. "Then there is no problem at all, for surely the Fire Lord would consider my son's fiancée to be family." He placed his hand on Suki's shoulder and nudged her forward slightly, in a similar but much more tactful manner than what Sokka had done earlier.
At this, Katara laughed (disguising it quite cleverly as a coughing fit), Suki turned beat-red –casting her eyes downward and obviously wishing to disappear-, and Sokka impressed everyone by barely managing not to faint, grabbing on to Bato's arm for support. The Fire Nation soldier was blissfully unaware of the reaction that transpired, still bent over at the waist.
"Of course; your son's fiancée will be an honored guest; I apologize for my assumption," the soldier dutifully replied in his grand manner to the snow beneath his feet. "I shall alert His Majesty immediately to expect four for dinner. Your invitation holds all else you should need to know for the Occasion."
"Thank you," Hakoda replied dipping his own head slightly.
"I shall now take my leave and inform His Majesty, the Dragon of the West, Fire Lord Iroh of your decision." With that, the strange soldier bowed once more and sprinted off at a remarkable pace given his size, the evident weight of the armor and the treacherously slippery landscape, in the direction of The Lotus.
Kuto watched the soldier's retreating figure, with a slight awe in his eyes. "What an odd-ball. My goodness, Iroh must have them scared stiff to behave like that, or else that man was a stupid fellow to begin with, easily trained… could be from the blood rushing to his head so often, what with his constant bowing –rather a bit young too." He shook his head with a chuckle and looked to Hakoda. "So Chief, what does the illustrious Fire Lord's invitation say, exactly?"
"Now is not the time Kuto," Hakoda replied, stashing the elegant looking parchment into his pocket. "I told you when I left that I would expect a full report upon my return. You and I are going to have a chat about the village affairs." With that, he led the man by the arm back into the walled village. The others followed, all eager to get home.
The villagers greeted them with much vigor, clearly elated to have their beloved Chief back. Katara noticed changes immediately as they walked through the crowds. The walls, for example, which had once been nothing more than fancy snow drifts, now were made of sturdy looking ice blocks. The main entrance into the village even consisted of a paved roadway of sorts, also constructed of ice, though these blocks were rough to ensure traction. In all, the village looked far more like a village and far less like a refugee camp as it had before, granted it still looked as poor as ever. This would change soon though, Katara believed.
The Chief's new dwelling was a pleasant surprise. Kuto had organized the whole project while they were away, as a peace offering, Katara supposed. As much as he was pompous and conceited, he really wasn't a bad man. Sexist yes, but not malicious –most of the time, anyway. The home was a spacious, yet inviting place with three bedrooms that had curtains of tanned hide in each doorway for privacy. And there was a study already fitted with a desk fashioned of bone and wood recycled from an old war ship. Opposite these rooms was moderately sized dining hall and cooking area.
Given the additions to their group, it was decided that Sokka and Hakoda would share one bedroom, Kanna would have her own, and Katara and Suki would share the third. Katara supposed this was also a clever way for her father to keep an eye on Sokka, and ensure that he and Suki would never go unchaperoned. Despite whatever ulterior motives he may have had, Katara had no problem with her father's decision as she enjoyed Suki's company and relished the thought of having a girl her own age around the village for once.
She sighed as she unpacked her well-worn rucksack, taking her time and giving the new bedroom a thorough once-over. It was spacious, despite the large trunk, the small desk, and two sturdy cots (the second cot had been donated by the chivalric Sokka, choosing to brave the floor himself rather than let Suki go without). It was definitely a far cry from the small ice shelter she'd grown up in, which consisted of nothing more than a small fire pit and a floor of furs and hides.
For now, Katara was alone. Hakoda had pulled Suki and Sokka into his meeting with Kuto at the last second, claiming Sokka needed to observe the way to handle such things and also to give Suki a chance to learn a little something about their culture. Katara had been invited as well, but declined claiming fatigue. In reality, she was too distraught thinking about the presence of the Fire Nation ship- she wouldn't have been able to pay any attention during the meeting. In fact, she wondered how the others could be so seemingly blasé about the whole thing. It was a known fact: nothing good ever came out of the Fire Nation- even their proffered peace was shaky.
And what possible reason did the Fire Lord himself have to come out all this way? Didn't he have a blood-thirsty country to run? Where were his dignitaries? Where were his diplomats? Perhaps the rumors were true and the Fire Lord's mind had cracked from the pressure of his stunning military coup, and he was reduced to a doddering old fool with nothing better to do that visit the tiny shambles his armies once dominated, offering pompous-sounding invitations to dinner? As much as Katara would have liked to believe his motives were benign, it just didn't seem likely. The Southern Water Tribe simply didn't have that kind of luck. Just what then, were their intentions?
Soft snores interrupted Katara's reverie; it was strangely comforting to know that her Gran-Gran was peacefully sleeping off the excitement of the day just across the hall. It was comforting how normal and familiar the sound was, despite the veritable upturning of her world. It was so good to be home again, Fire Nation ship or no.
The young waterbender idly thumbed through her freshly unpacked clothing, wondering which outfit would be the most fitting to wear to the dinner. Katara was torn because on the one hand, she did want to make a good impression on behalf of her people, but on the other, she did not want the Fire Lord to think that his presence was so important as to warrant so much pomp and circumstance. There was also a slight pang of dread in her gut that she couldn't seem to shake; perhaps this whole arrangement was a trap, and they were planning to assassinate her father…
The Northern Water Tribe had undergone a similar tragedy only a year prior to the end of the Great War. Yet, instead of Chief Arnook, it was his daughter, Princess Yue who greeted the Spirits. Fantastic rumors circulated after that, claiming Princess Yue's soul was tied to Tui, the Moon Spirit. It was said that when Tui's form as a koi fish was killed, Princess Yue had to take its place –restoring the Moon and its power. A Fire Nation soldier had managed to kill Tui, and without the Moon on the night of the siege, the Northern Tribe would have surely lost. Rumor had it that the North was able to turn the tables because the murder of Tui angered La, the Spirit of the Ocean. In a move of raw vengeance, La took on a gargantuan physical form and single handedly drove the Fire Nation armada away, managing in the process to kill the soldier responsible. No one knows exactly what happened, but if not spirits, then who could have managed such an attack? This was the turning point in the Great War, the stepping stone General Iroh used to garner support of the growing numbers of disenchanted Fire Nation citizens which was organized, rumor had it, by a secret Order with members hailing from all the nations.
Yet, the tragedy of Princes Yue prompted the Northern Water Tribe to steadfastly refuse all peace offerings from Lord Iroh. Some speculated that there might be another war if tensions did not ease in a timely manner.
Though the thought was horrifying, there was always the possibility that Lord Iroh planned to kill Chief Hakoda as a way to establish dominance and assert its power over the North. In some convoluted fashion it made sense: beat down the sister tribe to establish a threat. Katara tried to brush these thoughts aside; paranoid conspiracy theories were Sokka's forte, not hers. She decided to distract herself by focusing once again on what to wear… though the sick feeling in her gut refused to go away.
She then came across the cheongsam dress her father bought her at a port town (it was supposed to be a birthday present… just a few months early). It was a lovely, dark blue silk with a red dragon embroidered on the left hip. Unfortunately, it was a thin dress, though it was long, and only had capped sleeves. She doubted the collar would even keep her neck warm. Katara loved the dress, but had been apprehensive about her father buying it for fear she'd never be able to wear it in her icy homeland. She hadn't even had a chance to wear it on the last leg of their journey in the warmer climates. Katara frowned thoughtfully, running her finger along the silken lining.
No, much as she wanted to wear it, it would not do. Tonight Katara would be a representative of her people, and she would dress in the traditional way. In fact, she had the perfect thing in mind; it was a new robe, one she'd gotten from the village as a reward for completing her training under Master Kuto. It was more adult than her usual fair, more delicate with stitching along the hems that resembled rolling waves, mimicking the insignia on her mother's necklace. It came with a white silken sash, while not necessarily Water Tribe in origin (her father had picked it up somewhere in his wartime travels as a souvenir, and it was a miracle in itself that the cloth got there in one piece), it was elegant and flowed soft as water between her fingers. She hadn't taken it on the truncated world tour to avoid the temptation of wearing it and ruining it. It was elegant without being ostentations; the tasteful representation of her status in the village, and of the quality of its people. Tonight, it would be perfect… If only she could find it.
Katara crinkled her nose in dismay, realizing that it was most likely in the trunk… beneath all of the clothing she'd just finished unpacking.
When Suki finally returned to the room, she was surprised to find Katara carefully placing her clothing in the trunk. She quirked an eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip. "Katara?"
Katara looked up at Suki and smiled.
Suki smirked. "Look, I know you're meticulous and all, but how in the name of Kyoshi are you still unpacking? I've been gone almost two hours!"
The waterbender rolled her eyes and shut the lid of the trunk, having just placed the last article inside. "I had to find the right thing to wear tonight," she explained. "And unfortunately, when I figured that out, I'd already buried it." She gestured to the outfit laid out on her bed.
Suki walked over and inspected it, carefully adjusting the sleeves and sash. "It's… really lovely," she commented. "You'll look like a real princess in this, I bet!"
Katara laughed, "That's kind of the point! Gotta look my best for his Fire-y Lordship, after all. And what better way than to march onto his ship like a true lady of quality, decked out in traditional Water Tribe colors?" She placed one hand behind her head and one on her hip. She sauntered back and forth across the room, pursing her lips and batting her eyes.
"Yes, and that's exactly the walk you should use when you get there, too!" Suki laughed, collapsing in a heap on the thick furs of her own cot. She reached her arms straight up over her chest, laced her fingers and gave her knuckles a satisfying crack. "I can't believe I'm going to be having dinner with the Fire Lord tonight. Who'd a thunk?"
Katara sighed and sat down cross-legged on her cot, careful to avoid the outfit. "I know. It's so surreal."
"Your father seems to think it will have something to do with smoothing things over between the Water Tribe and the Fire Nation." The girl shrugged haplessly from her reclined state, "But who knows?"
"Yeah," Katara replied, toying nervously with the delicate sleeves of the robe. Then she stopped as a thought occurred to her. "Say, Suki?"
"Yes?"
"What are you going to wear tonight?"
"Oh, I thought I'd just go in my armor and war paint, give the old man a traditional Kyoshi welcome, the way we used to greet firebenders." She chuckled. "But in all seriousness, I've got something that might pass for half-way decent."
Suki rolled herself up to a sitting position and reached under the bed for her own rucksack, which she'd quickly abandoned there before running off to the meeting with Sokka and Hakoda. She rummaged through her things and eventually pulled out a cloth parcel and set it on her bed.
Katara raised an eyebrow and smiled wryly. Something only 'half-way decent', huh?
"Well," Suki said after she'd unwound the twine and pulled out a green dress, which she then laid out carefully. "What do you think?"
"It's beautiful." And it was. The dress was made of a very fine material, thick and strong, but very soft, with a long sleeved shift in a light, creamy green color, and a bodice and skirt in darker shades with geometrical designs lining the hem and creating a sort of apron down the front.
"It was my mother's," Suki remarked fondly, running her fingers over the stitching. "She barely wore it though; she was a Kyoshi warrior too, and things were harder for her than they had been for me." She looked up at Katara, all traces of sadness suddenly absent from her features, replaced with a playful smirk, "And if nothing else, it's roomy enough in the skirt that I should be able to layer up for the cold… and you know, maybe stash a fan or two."
After the meeting with Kuto ended and he was satisfied with the state of affairs in the village, Hakoda allowed himself to give in to his curiosity. He pulled the Fire Lord's invitation out of his pocket and delicately pried away the wax seal bearing the Fire Nation's flame insignia.
Honored Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe,
It would give me the greatest pleasure if you and your family would please consent to dine with me on my ship, The Lotus, upon this day at dusk. In these uncertain times I believe fully in the establishment of peace and posterity. It is upon such topics I would very much like to converse with you.
I must apologize for delivering this request with such short notice. Unfortunately time is of the essence, for I cannot extend my absence from the Fire Nation any longer than I must.
I do sincerely hope you have had a pleasant trip abroad.
Yours very truly,
Lord Iroh of the Fire Nation
It was a surprise, to say the least, that the invitation was in the form of a letter. Though it was uncertain if it had been written in Lord Iroh's hand or if he had merely dictated, the simple fact that it was so personal was a great compliment. He hoped very much that its welcoming tone reflected the personality of the Fire Lord himself.
And then he realized that dusk was closing in fast. He had less than an hour to get his family (not to mention himself) ready! At this, he quickly grabbed his son (who had been in the middle of a conversation with Bato) and rushed home, whereupon he shoved the boy into his room (ordering him to bath and dress in his finest shirt) and then burst into his daughter and Suki's room only to find them already preparing to leave.
Suki was helping Katara fasten a carved bone clip into her hair and he could see their dresses lying on their beds in anticipation. They looked up at him and blinked in mild confusion.
"Uhh," he announced uncertainly before backing out of the girls' room, "Carry on."
Hakoda sighed. He was getting far too worked up about this.
As the sun cast its final rays of daylight across the South Pole, everything came alive with vibrant color. Arms of warm pinks, oranges and purples reached out into the sky as though hoping to hold on a little longer. The colors reflected brilliantly on the sparkling snow turning the Southern Water Tribe's usual white into a painter's palate with all the variety of a rainbow. In her travels, Katara found no comparison for these Southern sunsets.
And it was in these fine conditions that she, Suki, her brother and her father made their way to the imposing White Lotus. A cry from a guard on deck alerted the remainder of the crew of the Water Tribe Chief's arrival and a ramp opened up at the bow of the ship. Katara shivered as she saw it, recognizing it for its purpose… The large, hinged opening was created specifically for invasions, to facilitate the mass exodus of the ship's armed and dangerous soldiers. She couldn't help but cringe at the sight of it opening before her now.
From the cave-like opening emerged a jovial looking figure (almost like a brightly colored lure on one of those frightening, sharp-toothed deep sea fish). He was clearly on in his years and, given his ornate way of dressing, clearly the Fire Lord. Katara had never seen him before, though she'd heard stories and descriptions. Most telling of that fact were the two rogue-looking guards that trailed him, expressionless behind their masked skull-like helmets. Not at all like the boy who'd delivered the invitation earlier.
Still, given his evident rank and the two imposing (and most likely armed) men at his sides, there was something bizarrely grandfatherly about the Fire Lord, something likeable for no reason. His grin was bright and above all, warm and friendly.
Lord Iroh stepped forward and opened his arms. "Welcome, my honored friends." He bowed deeply Chief Hakoda, as the young soldier had done before, with his fist balled at the base of his hand, "Chief Hakoda."
"Lord Iroh," Hakoda acknowledged in turn with a bow of his own. When they resumed standing, Hakoda gestured to his children and Suki. "Lord Iroh, please allow me to introduce my son, Prince Sokka." He gave his son a small nudge and the boy immediately dipped his head in respect (his father had taken special care to threaten him within an inch of his life, declaring that he had to be at his utmost best behavior or else). "And," he continued with his formal air, "The Princesses Katara and Suki." Each girl curtsied at the mention of their respective names (a feat they had practiced with Hakoda only moments before leaving the house).
"Ah!" Lord Iroh cried in delight, before approaching Suki and clasping his hands around hers (much to the poor girl's shock), "I have heard word of your impending nuptials! Allow me to offer you my sincerest congratulations!"
Suki flushed a deep red but managed to spit out some acceptable reply. She felt immense relief when the old man released her, in part because he was the Fire Lord, and in part because she was embarrassed about the lie.
"Your son has a fine taste in women," Iroh informed Hakoda, casting a sly wink at Sokka.
Sokka looked away sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. He forced a chuckle. Hakoda saved the moment by clamping his son on the shoulder with enough force to jolt him out of his embarrassment-induced stupor, "Yes," he replied good-naturedly. "We are all very pleased with the match. Suki has already proven herself to be the quintessential daughter-in-law."
Lord Iroh seemed delighted by the news. "Wonderful!"
Katara regarded the man with mixed feelings. He did seem genuine in his behavior, a very happy man to be sure… but could it all be some grand ruse? The Fire Nation had a long and dreadful track record of atrocities committed in their pursuit of world dominance. It was possible, then, that this was just some new tactic meant to catch everyone off guard… Distrust ebbed at her gut, but Katara shoved it down when she found his attentions newly directed at her.
"Ah," Iroh began, beaming at the girl as he did so, "And Princess Katara. I have heard much about you over my time in port from your esteemed Master Kuto." He took her hand gently in his own.
Katara felt a little limp and she was sure the color drained from her face. 'Master Kuto? This can't be good…' She swallowed the lump in her throat, "Not all bad, I hope."
"Bad?" The Fire Lord shook his head and patted her hand. "On the contrary, my dear, your master was filled only with compliments, though I must say he has not done justice to describe your beauty." Behind his hand, he added, "But that is a feat, I fear, not but the most gifted of poets could achieve." Then his grin widened, leading Katara to believe he was very aware of how much he embarrassed her and very amused by the fact. "Tell me, are we to be offering you congratulations soon as well? I only ask because I notice you are wearing a very lovely betrothal necklace."
Katara's hand immediately flew to her neck. "Oh! No! Sir, this was my mother's necklace. I always wear it… she died in a F-… she died in a raid." Unable to help herself, Katara cast her gaze to the ground and stepped back from the Fire Lord.
"I see," Lord Iroh replied, his voice taking on a grave quality. "No need to sugar-coat things, my dear. I am very aware of the atrocities your village and people have faced at the hands of my predecessors and younger brother." He bowed to Katara, "I apologize for bringing up such terrible memories."
The sight of the Fire Lord bowing to her, of all people sprang a blush to Katara's cheeks. This was not what she expected. Granted, it was nearly impossible for her to imagine what kind of evening awaited her on the Fire Nation ship, but this was decidedly not it. "I-it's alright," she replied shakily. "I forgive you, it was an honest mistake."
"You are most kind," he replied, good humor back in place. "And I must say I am impressed by you. An expert waterbender, very beautiful, and exceedingly obliging. One does not come across such a combination often."
Hakoda grinned down at his daughter, pulling her protectively under his arm. "Yes, Katara certainly has a way about her, doesn't she? I can tell she is destined for great things."
"Oh, certainly," Lord Iroh agreed, a twinkle of something in his eye as he looked at her. "Intriguing."
There was something about the way he said "intriguing" that set Katara's teeth on edge. It was as though he was studying her, sizing her up, and really he was being none too subtle about it. Katara suddenly wished the necklace was for her betrothal. Perhaps then he wouldn't have taken such an interest in her… for whatever his intentions were. She couldn't help by eye him distrustfully, leaning more into her father's side.
Which, of course, the ever observant Fire Lord caught. He barked with a hearty laugh, not taking her at all seriously, or so it seemed. "My," he said, this time addressing the whole group, "where are my manners? Please, I entreat you to come inside and get warm! Dinner should be ready presently!"
Everyone eagerly made his or her way into the warmth, except Katara. At this point it would be insulting for her to turn heel and run away. It was unthinkable also, because if something happened in her absence she would always regret it. So Katara steeled herself and followed the others, convinced she was walking into the belly of a beast.
AN: Hopefully it's a bit better now. But anyway, tell me what you think. I'm a perfectionist and I am willing to attack this thing as often as need be to get it all pretty and shiny.
Love,
ER
