Chapter 3
The Blue Rose
(An all Zuko and Katara chapter)
"Come on we better be moving." Zuko said and he packed up his bag.
Katara picked up bag and said, "Ready."
Katara and Zuko walked through the woods and to the road. Zuko was in lead for alittle, the Katara caught up ,and was walking by his side. There was a long awkard silence that finally ended when Katara chose to talk, "So, where are we going?"
"We are heading to Omashu."
"Why?"
"Well, it's close by and we could really use a place other than the woods to sleep in."
"Okay." Katara responded. "Would we ever be able to go to the Fire Nation."
"Do you want to go?"
"Yes I do."
"I'll have to think about it."
"Okay."
They walked through the open plains and towns until was time for lunch, so they stopped by a shop to eat. It was a nice little shop, it was light brown on the outside and a sort of beige color on the inside. It smelled like oranges inside and the food looked delicious.
Zuko and Katara walked inside and asked for a table for two. When they were seated, the looked at the menu. They chose on meal, it was pretty big, when the food came Katara and Zuko ate in silence until Zuko broke it, "You like the food?"
"It's good, you?"
"It's okay." He said while shrugging his shoulders.
Katara yawned, "I don't know why I so sleepy, I got a good night sleep."
"I don't know why, maybe it's the food." Zuko said staring at the food and poking it with his fork.
Katara chuckled "Yeah probably."
It was to leave so they payed for the food and left. Zuko headed them in the direction of Omashu, they walked with back and all. When Katara saw things that were familiar she started to lead, Zuko watched from behind. He watched he hair sway from side to side. She looked over her shoulder to see why he was going, she was confused about his dazed expresssion.
'hormones?' she thought while rolling her eyes and facing forward.
Before she knew it she was at the walls asking to get in. Zuko had to come forward and state his business there. "We are here to stay the night and to have a roof over our heads instead of sleeping under trees."
"Is this true?" the guard asked Katara.
"Yes, it is." Katara said confidently, that guard was freakin' creepy!
"Very well." the guard said, "Open the gate!!"
"Thank you." Katara and Zuko said in almost unison.
Katara walked in first, followed by Zuko. They walked around alitte and then Zuko asked Katara where they should sleep for the next few nights.
"Why don't we try a hotel."
"There's a decent looking hotel." Zuko said while pointing to a nice looking building.
"Let's try there."
They walked over to the building and walked inside and went to the front desk. "Have any open rooms?" Zuko asked the man.
"Yes only one open. It's a one room, one bed hotel room."
"Katara, is that okay?" Zuko asked Katara.
"Yeah, we'll take it."
"Come with me, I'll show you to your room." the man said humblely.
(The 'hotel building' is actually condomiums.)
They walked down hallway after hallway taking a right turn here and then a left turn there. Then they stop at room number twelve, walked inside it was nice, but Zuko has seen better.
Katara yawned again and went to go lay down on the bed, when she layed she figured out it was very soft. "Hey Zuko, want to take a nap with me?"
Zuko hesitated, "Yeah sure."
"If you don't want to you don't have to."
"No, I'll take a nap."
"Okay."
Zuko closed the door and walked over to her bed and layed down next to her. "Is that okay."
"Almost." The blanket had been folded up at the end of the bed, she unfolded it and covered herself, "Do you want covers too?"
"Sure."
Katara put some blanket over him and rolled over to her side and fell quickly asleep, Zuko however just stared at the ceiling and thought.
'Why does she want to go to the Fire Nation? Well if she wants I might as well take her and show her around. Why am I in bed with her? Oh whatever I don't care I like it. Why am I sleepy? The light is too bright I should close the blinds.' Zuko yawned got up and went over to the window to close the blinds. When the blinds were closed it was pitch black so Zuko went to find a candle to light. He formed a small fire ball above his index finger and went to find a candle. He looked in the bathroom, by chance, and found a small candle,he lit it put in on the nightstand and slid into bed. He fell asleep a few minutes later.
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While asleep Zuko rolled over onto his side and slid his hand under one part of Katara's torso and the other arm over her the other side of her torso, and held her protectively.
Katara put her hands on where her stomach where Zuko had his hands, her mid-tummy. They were so comfortable they sleep right through the night and woke late in the morning, they slept for a long time, they slept for almost a whole day.
Katara was first to wake up she found herself in Zuko arms, she turned around and saw his peaceful sleeping face. She slid out of his grasp and went into the bathroom.
"I think I'll take a bath." Katara said softly to herself as she turned on the water and took of her clothes and got into the water.
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When Zuko woke he was in bed alone, he sat up and rubbed his eyes, he got up and got a glass of water. Katara was in her towel in front of the mirror, she was fixing her hair. "Good Morning." Zuko said while walking over to Katara.
"Good morning." Katara said while walking to the bathroom, "I'm going to go get dressed."
"Alright."
Katara went into the bathroom and put on her undergarments. "It's quite warm in the hotel I think I'll just stick in this.", Katara said while looking down at her partly clothed body.
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"What do you want for breakfast?" Katara asked Zuko while walking out of the bathroom.
"What do you want?" Zuko asked, "I can go get pancakes."
"No pancakes, can you just go get some eggs."
"Okay, be back in alittle." Zuko said while walking out the door.
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Katara chose to read a magazine, Earth Kingdom Girl, she read some articles about fashion, dating and boys. "I doubt they have anything on Fire Nation guy. I'm not even sure if I like Zuko like that.", Katara said to herself while standing and going to lay down on the bed, "I think I do, there's some weird feeling in my heart. God, I'm bored. There's nothing to do without Zuko around."
Katara got up and got a drink of water and went to the bathroom. When she was washing her hands, she heard a knock on the door, is that Zuko? She grabbed her robe and slung it over her shoulders and answered the door.
It wasn't Zuko. It was some dressed up guy. "Yes, may I help you?" Katara asked.
"Is Prince Zuko staying here?"
"Yes." Katara answered confused, "Did he do something wrong."
"No, the Fire Lord just has a message for him."
"The Fire Lord?"
"His Uncle."
"Okay, but Zuko is not here at the moment."
"Then can you give him this?" the man asked while giving her a piece of paper.
"Sure." she said while taking the paper.
"Have a good morning."
"You too." Katara said while closing the door.
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Zuko was wandering the city looking for a place that sells eggs. People were staring at him left and right, he was dressed in Fire Nation clothing, the people weren't too used to that. When he came upon a market he walked inside and walked around, he came to this one part of the market that sold eggs. He grabbed a half dozen, bought them and walked out.
He headed back to the hotel and went to his room and walked inside. "Finally, I'm hungry." Katara said as he was walking in.
"Yup, I'm back, with eggs."
"Thank you." Katara responded, "I'll cook them."
Katara got out a skillet, cracked the eggs and started frying the eggs. "You got a note." Katara said to Zuko while holding up the piece of paper. "It's from your uncle."
"I did." Zuko said while grabbing the note.
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Zuko opened up the note it said:
Zuko,
Just checking up on how you are doing?
Have you found Ms. Katara yet?
Everything is doing well here,
but there is a need of a new Fire Lord,
I'm getting too old for this.
-Uncle Iroh
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When Katara was done frying the eggs she put them on plates and set one on Zuko lap, he was sitting on the couch, and Katara sat next to him and started to eat. They ate in silence for a few moments. "I've been thinking." Zuko said.
"Yeah about what?"
"We're going to the Fire Nation."
"Awesome! When!" Katara exclaimed.
"Soon."
"When, come on tell me when." Katara begged.
"We'll stay for a couple more days and be on our way to a ferry and on the way to the Fire Nation."
"Will I be able to go into the Fire Palace?"
"Yes, I am the prince."
Katara quickly set her plate on the coffee table and jumped up and yelled, "YAY!!!" She went to a different part of the room and did a strange little happy dance while saying 'I'm going to the Fire Palace.' when she was done she said with a giant toothy and really goofy grin, "As a guest."
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Katara was in the mood to where her nice robes, unlike her regular robes, which were a worriors outfit, they were nice and princess like. It reached to floor and had a slit, one slit not two, that went all the way up to her hip, she wore tight leggings that went to her mid-calf. The sleves are wide and went to the middle of her forearm.
"How do I look?" Katara asked.
Zuko blushed, "You look nice."
"Thanks."
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When it came to sunset, they weren't tired so they went for a walk through Omashu. They found the rose gardens in the peaceful part of the city. Katara walked inside and Zuko followed. "Come on it'll be fun." Katara said to Zuko as he refused to go inside, Katara was pulling on his arms trying to get him to go.
"Please." Katara begged.
"No."
"Pretty please."
"No."
"Now you're just being a butthead."
"I am no butthead."
"Then prove it, come in with me."
"Fine."
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Katara dragged Zuko inside the gates and it was so beatiuful. There were foutains everywhere and roses of every color, red, yellow, pink, and white. Katara gasped at the pure beauty of it. She headed over to a bench, pulling Zuko behind her. She sat down and Zuko sat beside her, Katara wrapped her arms around his and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Is this okay?" Katara asked, Zuko nodded is head in return, he was blushing. Obvisously he liked the attention, that made Katara's cheeck turn a pale pink and made her grin.
Katara let go of Zuko's arm and he stood up and held out a hand, to help her stand up. When Katara was standing they walked around looking at roses, while holding hands.
Zuko came upon a rare blue rose, he picked it. The rose was not quite fully bloomed yet. The bottom of the rose was a deep ocean blue and faded to a light sky blue.
"Katara." He said while giving Katara the blue rose.
"Oh, it's beautiful." Katara said taking the rose. She put it up to her nose and smelt the sweet aroma, "Thank you."
Zuko smiled, "You're welcome."
Katara gave Zuko a big hug. "I mean it."
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Zuko asked if they could go home and Katara responded, in a sec. She went and picked a bright red rose and put it with the blue rose. They walked back to the hotel room, Katara grabbed a glass and filled it with water and put the roses in it.
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