A/N: WOW I'm late on my update! I apologize that I have fallen behind and made this extra long. This chapter is a series of flashbacks over the next two years. I hope you'll still review even though I took so long..your feedback is most helpful and appreciated. Enjoy!
10-12 years old
"You're going to come across people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right times. But in the end, it's always their actions you should judge them by. It's actions, not words, that matter." — Nicholas Sparks
Chapter 4 - Into the Fire
"I won't come until he apologizes!" Katara bellowed at the door to her chamber, which was closed and would remain so as far as she was concerned.
There was a sigh from the other side of the door. "He won't, Katara, you know that."
"Then he can attend lessons alone. I won't be going."
"But I thought you wanted to learn Waterbending?"
There silence, and then a loud huffing sound before the door was wrenched open. Katara crossed her arms looked as though she were contemplating what type of knife to dig into her chest.
"Fine," she said, dragging out the word. "I'll go."
"Can't you do anything right?"
The water splashed to Katara's feet. "I'm trying, you know."
"Not hard enough, obviously," said Prince Zuko, glancing down at the small droplet of water that landed on his pointy boot with a sour expression.
"We've been at this for weeks but I need a real Waterbender to teach me. Not you demonstrating techniques your cousin showed you. And badly, might I add."
"Do you really think it'd make a difference?"
"Of course it would!"
"Well then," said the prince, now looking smug and more arrogant than ever. He leaned close to her ear. "You better go and find one."
Katara punched him square in the nose.
And then she ran.
"Again, Prince Zuko," said General Iroh, crossing his arms tightly across his chest and regarding the prince with confidence.
Zuko looked annoyed. "I've done it twenty times!"
"You lack fluidity," said Iroh. He moved toward his nephew and dropped into a squatting stance with his fists out and clenched. "When Firebending, you harness desire and strength. From the breath, we use our energy to exert our precision and power." He then stood straight and moved his arms gently through the air. "But when Waterbending, you must not be so direct. This is the element of change and movement. While not as powerful and straightforward, water will always find its way with persistence."
"And how exactly does this help me learn how to generate lightning, Uncle?" Zuko's tone held nothing but contempt, clearing finding Waterbending beneath him.
"Because my nephew, to guide lightning is like guiding water," answered Iroh, straightening up. He then gave a chuckle. "I do not expect you to learn just yet. We're simply going over the basics."
Zuko scoffed. "We always go over the basics."
"Come in here, Katara."
Hesitantly, the Waterbender poked her bright blue eyes into the princess's chamber. She had been on her way back to her room when she overheard the giggling voices.
Princess Azula's chamber was much larger than Katara's, and certainly better kempt. It could have been painted from a book. Everything seemed to be in its rightful place and not even a spot of dust on one of the large, black wardrobes, which sparkled as though freshly painted. The enormous bed dominating the center of the room featured a golden canopy and the balcony glass doors were propped open; a cool summer breeze ruffling the ivory colored curtains.
"How are your Waterbending lessons with Iroh?" asked Ty Lee, propping herself up on her elbows. She was sprawled across Azula's bed while Mai sat at the foot, wrapped in dark burgundy pajama robes.
"Fine," answered Katara, fiddling with her fingers as she approached the girls, immediately feeling out of place.
Azula, who looked oddly surreal in silky ivory pants and a matching shirt, sat up from her bed. Katara noticed her hair was down, making her look more her own age.
"I overheard mother last night that Lu Ten wants to get you a proper Master," she said, throwing more emotion into her voice than what called for it.
"That's nice of him," supplied Ty Lee, beaming at the prospect.
"Quite." Azula's tone was blank.
"What's wrong, Katara?"
The Waterbender turned her gaze upon Iroh, who had taken what he liked to call a 'much needed tea break' and was sitting in one of the wooden chairs in the gardens. Oddly, Katara found the General took a lot of these breaks for holding a high reputation in combat.
"Nothing," she shrugged, twirling a bit of water between her fingers.
"Isn't tomorrow your birthday? You're turning eleven. That's very exciting."
Katara kept her gaze on the swirling liquid but scowled. "Yeah…every year I celebrate my birthday here…away from my family. And I always miss the Southern Lights."
"What's the Southern Lights?"
Turning with astonishment at the new voice, Katara watched as Prince Zuko made his way toward them, wearing his customary dueling outfit. He must have just finished practicing with Lu Ten in the Agni Kai arena…not that Katara had ever actually seen the place, but she knew the attire from the books Lady Cho had shown her. Katara didn't feel the desire to look upon a place that settled arguments by fighting.
She was about to answer when Iroh spoke,
"The Southern Lights are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere," he said, setting down his tea. "The Aurora Australis, as they are properly named."
"So what's the big deal?"
"The big deal," Katara cut in angrily, "is that they only occur for a week every year during our darkest of winter, which happens to be your summer here. And the week falls on my birthday and I loved watching them. And well, I can't anymore."
Zuko still looked confused. "But…what are they?"
"Well I don't know exactly what they are, but you see all different colors painted across the sky at night. Blues, reds, greens…it's…it's beautiful," She sighed, momentarily back at home. She missed the chilly air, the snowy grounds, and the comforting feeling of family. She missed her annoying brother and her loving father. She missed her Gran Gran's stewed sea prunes and she missed her birthday.
But mostly, she missed her home. Her real home.
"Why don't you go and talk to him, Mai?"
Azula's voice was goading, her words dragging out sharply. She was circling her friend like a predator ready to pounce, while Mai fidgeted uncomfortably.
"Why would I talk to him?"
"Because you think he's cute. And he's a prince. You'd be part of the family should you marry him."
Mai spluttered and Katara's eyes flew open, while Ty Lee merely choked back a giggle. The four girls were seated at long oak table in the grand library, supposedly working on their geography maps. Though the princess, Mai and Ty Lee attended the Fire Nation School for Girls during the school year, they had private tutors in the summer and were still given worked to do. Katara was given similar assignments set by Lady Cho.
"Marry him?" Mai finally said after a moment, looking horrified and embarrassed. "He's much too old, Azula."
The princess waived her off and glanced across the library. Lu Ten and Zuko were huddled together at another table, appearing to be deep in conversation.
"He's six years older," Mai whispered. Her pale cheeks were now flushed scarlet. Katara found herself pitying her, never before hearing her quite so worked up over something. It was no secret Mai was smitten by Lu Ten; heck, every girl was.
"So what?" Azula supplied. "Wouldn't you want to be a princess like me?"
"I…"
"Well?"
"Leave her alone, Azula."
All eyes snapped to Katara, completely shocked and the princess looking the most surprised. Something flashed in her golden eyes before she sat back in her chair.
"I was only teasing," she said smartly. "Stop taking everything so seriously, Mai, or your face will freeze all scrunched up like that."
Katara moved aimlessly down the corridor, carrying a stack of heavy tombs. She had just finished her lessons with Lady Cho, and had been assigned a fair amount of reading to be done for the following evening. Katara couldn't believe so much Fire Nation history had been documented, more than she ever wished to want to know. She was finding with a small amount of horror that she was learning more about their history than her own. There were no history books at the Southern Water Tribe, and she had never been to the North.
It wasn't until she knocked into something hard and hear a little squeal, that she snapped back to reality. She tumbled to the ground and her books crashed on the marbled floor with a loud thump.
Glancing up, Katara's eyes went wide.
"Mai?"
The dark headed girl got up hastily and patted down her dark burgundy gown that swallowed her in size. The sleeves fell a few inches past her pale fingers and her pointy shoes looked expensive, glimmering inky black against the candlelight.
"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," said Mai, fiddling with her sleeves.
"It's okay," said Katara. She began gathering her books when Mai dropped back to the floor, handing her a leather bound book.
"Here," she said.
"Thank you. Are you staying with Azula tonight?"
Maida nodded and the two girls stood. Katara bit her lip and glanced down the corridor."Well I ought to be going," she said. "It's getting late."
She was at the end of the corridor when she heard Mai's quiet voice,
"Thank you," she said. "For the other day. Saying something to Azula."
Katara's brows shot up. She hadn't even thought about it.
"Oh," she said, "sure. I'm sure you would have done the same for me."
It was a lie, but she didn't know what else to say.
"Before," Mai went on, as though unable to stop, "I didn't think you'd fit in, being Water Tribe and all. But now…" her voice trailed off and she shrugged. "I think maybe you can do it after all."
She turned away, her dark robes flowing behind her and Katara could only stare after her, surprised and a little elated.
"SOKKA!"
Katara flew off the ship and tackled her brother. The blinding light that reflected from the snow was welcoming and warm.
"Good to have you back sis," said Sokka, pulling out of the hug. "Another summer down and you're back home."
Katara smiled as Hakoda approached from behind, placing a hand delicately around her shoulders. "Let's get you something to eat, Katara. Gran-Gran's been fixing your favorite stewed prunes."
Dinner was peaceful and the icy hut was illuminated by a soft golden light from the fire. Katara, Hakoda, Sokka and Gran-Gran sat around it on their furry blankets, and the only sound apart from the crackling fire was the soft clinking of utensils against metal.
"This would taste great with a little cayenne pepper," said Katara suddenly, licking her lips.
"Caya-whatta?" asked Sokka, glancing up from his bowl. His hair was shaved shorter than Katara had ever seen it, but his eyes were still a radiant shade of blue and held the same amount of curiosity as she remembered.
"It's a spice in the Fire Nation," she said. She turned to face her grandmother. "Maybe I can bring some back for you, Gran-Gran."
"Nonsense," said Gran-Gran. She was wrapped in a heavy parka and her eyes shone much in the same was as Sokka's, two large blue orbs in a mass of wrinkles. "Much too spicy for Water Tribe."
The flap of the hut was suddenly pushed open and a young solider bowed apologetically as he entered. He was short and stout, with dark brown hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. He wore thick fur around the collar of his parka, something Katara knew meant he held some type of high status amongst the tribe.
"Chief Hakoda, I apologize for the intrusion but you have visitors."
"Visitors?" Hakoda stood at once. "I received no notice about this. Did your men let them through?"
"We did," said the warrior. "It's Master Kami of Kyoshi Island, along with her daughter and a group of women warriors."
Sokka gasped. "Women warriors?"
"I never thought I'd see you again," said Katara. She was seated at a round table in the Royal Palace's ballroom next to the blind girl she met a few years ago. The Fire Lady had explained it to be some event about uniting parts of the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, but Katara hadn't really been paying attention.
"I'd say the same but well, I didn't really see you the first time we met," said Toph. She tossed her chopsticks to the side and began shoveling dumplings into her mouth.
"You're not missing much."
Katara turned harshly in her chair, glaring at the prince. "Do you ever get tired of insulting people, Prince Zuko?"
"Not you," he said, smirking as his golden eyes gleamed.
Katara scoffed and turned away. There were four other kids at their table, all from the Earth Kingdom, who seemed quite keen in not speaking at all. It couldn't be more obvious they had been forced into this event, and by the looks on their faces, didn't see eye to eye with the Fire Nation. The two girls were identical, both black haired and pale skinned with deep grey eyes. The boy was tall and lanky, and he wore a thick set of spectacles across his pointy nose.
"So you're to be the Fire Nation princess then," said Toph, remaining as blunt as ever. "That's a little weird, since you're from the Water Tribe."
"Yeah I know," sighed Katara. She held up a hand at Zuko. "Don't even comment."
"What's your name again?" asked Toph, leaning forward and aiming her stare at Zuko. Katara found it marvelous how accurate her glance was considering she was blind. "Prince Zuzu, is it?"
"DON'T call me that!"
"I'm sorry Master Lao wasn't satisfactory," said Lu Ten as he led Katara back to her chamber. His tone was sad, even a little disappointed.
"Oh no," Katara said quickly, her cheeks blushing. "It's just, well, he made me a little uncomfortable. I don't think he normally teaches girls, does he?"
"No," said Lu Ten, chuckling. "I had to pay him double to come meet you."
Katara looked horrorstruck. "You did? Oh I'm sorry, I'll have my dad pay you back."
"Don't worry about it," said the prince, waiving her off. "I promised you a Master and I won't stop looking until we find you the perfect one."
Katara's smile caught in the candlelight of the corridor.
"But, until then," said Lu Ten, a slight smirk appearing on his lips. He was so very cute. "You'll have to practice with Zuko when I'm not around."
Katara groaned.
"Katara she's so great, I can't wait for you to meet her! She's pretty and she's smart and she's a fighter! Can you believe it? A girl and a fighter!"
"That's great, Sokka," said Katara, rubbing her temple. Her brother had decided to visit for a week during her summers stay. She had been so elated but found his visit now more tiring, for all he spoke about was this girl named Suki.
"Well, you remember her, don't you? I mean you met briefly when they came to our village last year."
"Sort of," said Katara, shrugging. She was guiding them through the palace, giving him the royal tour, pointing out places like the library, the various dining halls, the throne room, and even the Agni Kai Arena.
Sokka paused outside the twin oak doors that were outlined with heavy gold.
"Can we go inside?"
"No!" Katara said, her voice hitching. "It's for dueling, Sokka. I've never been in there."
"And if you're lucky, you'll never have to go in there."
Katara and Sokka sharply turned to find Prince Zuko leaning against the wall several feet away. He must have arrived soundlessly or had been following from behind.
"And why's that?" Sokka asked, pulling himself up to his tallest form. It did no good, as he was still a few inches shorter than Zuko.
"It's not just for dueling, Katara. It's called an Agni Kai. A fight to the death."
Katara gasped. "You fight…till someone dies?"
Zuko shrugged and pulled himself away from the wall, making his way toward them with a confident stride. "Or until the other surrenders, though that doesn't happen often. It isn't in our blood to surrender."
"Or else the war would be over," said Sokka dryly. "And my sister wouldn't have to marry you."
"Our nation won't surrender when they've done nothing wrong," said Zuko, narrowing his eyes. "The Earth Kingdom will eventually. They'll have no other choice."
"Happy birthday Katara!" cried Ty Lee, swooping down and placing a two-tiered cake in front of her. "Twelve, just like me!"
Katara smiled as a round of "happy birthday's" echoed in the dining hall. The Fire Nation royalty was here, along with Mai and Ty Lee, Katara's usual guests in attendance. She always celebrated with her real family – her father, brother and grandmother – whenever she got back home, but it was still odd not being surrounded by snow even though this was now her fifth time.
She had already opened her gifts: a magnificant tea set from Iroh, a gold dress from Ty Lee and Mai, a pouch from Lu Ten that could be worn and filled with water, and five new Fire Nation outfits from Lady Ursa, Zuko and Azula. It was a little strange, getting more gifts from them than from her actual family.
The Fire Lady placed a single candle in the center of the cake and lit it with her finger. "Remember to make a wish."
One candle, one wish. The tradition in Katara's tribe was to drink an unfiltered glass of water from the ocean. It tastes of salt and rust, and was a tradition Katara hated, but it was said to bring luck on their day of birth.
The candle was definitely more appealing and so was cake over ocean water.
Katara closed her eyes and thought of the Southern Lights. Her wish every year was different, but this year she wished she could see the lights on her birthday, something she missed wholeheartedly.
She blew and opened her eyes. The candle was still lit. Surprised, she blew again.
Still, the flame didn't flicker.
There was an echo of hushed giggles when Katara glanced up. Lu Ten was the first to break through and fell forward in his seat, roaring with laughter.
"I'm sorry," he said, shaking with amusement. "I couldn't help myself."
Azula and her friends didn't bother holding back their hilarity and even Zuko was cracking a smile. The General gave Lu Ten a scolding look but the Fire Lady seemed amused.
Katara turned her glare on everyone but Iroh and Fire Lady Ursa and blew out the candle with more force than before, forgetting to even make a wish.
Katara gritted her teeth, trying to decide the next move on the large, circular board before her. Iroh had shown her the basis of Pai Sho and Zuko had challenged her. She wasn't about to decline, even though she was new to the game that he had probably been playing for years.
Iroh stood behind Zuko, watching the game intently. He scratched his nose with a sigh.
The prince looked overconfident like usual as Katara slid the moon flower tile diagonally to the right.
Zuko made a surprised noise as Katara claimed one of his pieces.
"Lucky move," he said under his breath, moving a fire lily tile backwards.
"You call it luck," began Katara, smirking to herself and placing a finger on the panda lily tile. "I call it skill."
Iroh chuckled and shook his head. "You both have much to learn."
Katara removed her finger and instead saw another opening for one of Zuko's tiles. She took it without mercy.
The next hour went by this way, Katara shocking Zuko with unexpected moves. He had never been beaten by anyone other than his uncle, not even Lu Ten. Katara suspected Zuko never challenged Azula for a reason, so his record remained virtually undefeated.
By the time Katara had nearly all of Zuko's pieces, he was red faced and staring at the board as though it had personally offended him.
"How can you be beating me?" he lashed out. "You don't even know what you're doing!"
Katara sat back, crossing her arms. "Maybe you're losing your touch, Prince Zuko."
"It's your move," he snapped. "Go!"
As the game was winding down, Katara found the moves were harder to make. And to make matters more difficult, Zuko was now actually paying attention. Katara put her finger on the white lotus tile and she heard a cough.
Glancing up, Iroh apologized. But was he really apologizing, but saying no to her move? She tried to read him, the way she had been the entire game. She bit her lip, putting her finger on and off the white lotus several times.
Zuko, suspicious of her behavior, glanced between them sharply and caught Iroh scratching his nose. The prince's eyes shone with deceit.
"You've been helping her THIS WHOLE TIME!" He rose from his seat and knocked the board and tiles to the ground before storming out of the room. "Betrayed by my own blood!"
Katara couldn't help but join in Iroh's chuckling as they both began gathering up the fallen pieces.
Zuko stormed into the library, knocking over a bookcase. Katara glanced up from her table, startled, as the prince continued to destroy pieces of his own home. The saddest part was that none of the servants seemed to pay him any attention or rather, found this behavior normal.
"What are you doing?" Katara couldn't help but ask, rising from her chair, when the disruption became too much. She had found a book on the Northern Water Tribe and had been trying to soak it all up, glad to have a break from Fire Nation history. Lady Cho had even encouraged her, which made it all the more better.
"Leave me alone, Katara!" Zuko barked at her.
"Excuse me?" She could only stare at him. "You came in here, where I already was. If anything, you should be leaving me alone."
"That idiot Zhao," Zuko sneered, and Katara remembered him to be the Admiral she had met on rare occasions; the one with the sideburns and seemingly plastered smirk on his lips. "Has no right dismissing me from a meeting."
"Zuko, we're not old enough to enter war meetings," Katara muttered. She remembered the times back at her tribe whenever Sokka wanted in on what was going on, and how her father never allowed it.
"Don't patronize me. I get enough of that already."
Without another word, he stormed back out of the library, leaving Katara more confused than before.
"Hey Zuko?"
"What?"
Katara didn't look at him, but continued trying to make shapes in the sky as she rested on her back. He sounded annoyed, the way he always did, but she long since learned to ignore his tone.
"Why don't you ever take normal breaks during our lessons?"
"What do you think I'm doing right now?"
"Well," she said, "you're still going over the motions." She didn't have to look at him to know so. Even when they were told to break, Zuko still kept at it. Katara wondered if Azula trained the same way. The Waterbender in fact, had never seen the princess train.
"When you're royalty, you don't get complete breaks."
"That's too bad. Everyone needs their rest."
Zuko froze and stared at her. "What?"
Katara frowned at him. "I said everyone needs their rest."
Zuko said nothing, but after a few moments, took a seat in the grass next to her, without bothering to say another word.
"This is so boring," Azula complained, placing her head in her hands.
"This is part of our culture, Azula," said the Fire Lady sternly. "You'll do well to learn the art of the theater."
Azula stuck out her tongue through her fingers but remained silent. Katara sat between the two princes, and was doing her best to hold back her excitement. She had never been to a theater before, much less one so regal. Lu Ten leaned closer to her, his gold eyes glowing in a way neither Zuko's nor Azula's did.
"I'm not sure you'll enjoy this," he whispered as the lights dimmed. "It's about how the term Agni Kai came to be, but I guess you might see it as a romance."
"Does it end tragically?" asked Katara, knowing what Agni Kai meant.
Lu Ten grinned. "All plays end tragically, Katara."
"They don't end fast enough," muttered Zuko. He was slouched down in his seat, looking the most un-princely Katara had ever seen.
"Hush, the both of you," said the Fire Lady, though her tone was anything but harsh. "It's starting."
Katara found, despite the ending, she rather enjoyed the play. It was as Lu Ten described, a tragic romance. Two brothers of the Sun Warriors, named Agni and Kai, fighting over the love of a woman, the prettiest daughter in the village named Luna. Agni was the oldest, the more powerful and regal of the two, and immediately wanted Luna for his own selfish reasons. He wanted to show her off; him being the fondest male and she, the fondest female in the village.
However along the way, the sweeter and shyer of the two, Kai, became smitten by Luna and asked her to run away with him. By this point in time, Agni had gotten over his own ego and had truly fallen in love with Luna, who was now torn between two brothers that she loved in different ways.
In the end, the Chief of the village ordered the brothers to duel, that the winner of the fight would claim Luna as his own. The fight was brutal, each brother giving everything they had to win the heart of the girl they both loved. Their fires blazed in different colors – Katara hadn't known fire could be anything but its familiar golden orange – and the fight lasted for three days.
Luna, unable to take it any longer, took her own life, and died beneath the blood red moon. Little was known about what happened to Agni and Kai after Luna died, for no one ever saw either one of them again, but their names remain to live forever.
"If you don't trust me, how can you expect us to do this?"
Katara dropped the water into the leather pouch Lu Ten had gotten her, which was laced across her body like a purse. "I can't trust you when you don't trust me, either."
"I'm not going to burn you."
Katara snorted. "Only because your mother would have your head. You're as terrible as Agni."
Zuko raised a brow. "The Sun God? And you think you're insulting me?"
"No," said Katara, "Agni from the Sun Warriors, the one who fought against his brother. You're just like him. Just as arrogant, just as demanding, just as…terrible."
Zuko's eyes narrowed. "Agni won the fight, in the end. It's not in the play but everyone knows it's true."
"And what makes you say that?"
"That's why it's called an Agni Kai, and not a Kai Agni. Besides, he loved her more."
Katara couldn't help but snicker at hearing Zuko using the term 'love,' no matter the context. "How do you know that?"
"Because he would have lost if he didn't."
Katara arrived the following summer to find Ty Lee already waiting for her in her chamber. She was wearing her familiar shades of pink, her light brown hair pulled high and braided, and a warm smile across her face.
"The Fire Lady asked me to take you to the dining hall," she said pleasantly. "The servants will bring up your things."
"But I didn't even get a chance to rest!"
"You can rest later. You have a lunch."
Katara sighed. "With whom?"
"Your husband, of course!"
"Ty Lee!" Katara scolded, smacking her friend on the shoulder. "Don't call him that. Ugh…I hate whenever we have to spend one on one time together. He can be so awful."
"Oh," murmured Ty Lee as they began to descend the flight of stairs Katara knew led to the dining hall. She hadn't even realized Ty Lee had pulled her from the chamber until now. "Well…Zuko's not quite…the same. As before."
There was an odd emotion in her voice, one Katara couldn't quite place. She furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"
Ty Lee bit her lip as she stopped in front of the set of double doors. They were at the closet dining hall to her room, Katara noted. The palace had at least ten of them.
"Don't be so hard on him, Katara. Okay?"
Katara looked at her friend incredulously.
"And don't stare."
"Why would I st—"
Her words were cut off as Ty Lee pushed open the doors.
As already predicted, Zuko was waiting for her – most likely begrudgingly – at the end of the high table. He was too busy being the gentlemen he wasn't, and continued filling his plate with the large display of food set out for lunch to notice her arrival.
And to Katara's annoyance, the place setting was for two. It was one thing to spend lessons with him, but meals were plain awkward at times and required conversation, whereas bending didn't.
Even from a distance, and even though Zuko's face was down, Katara's breath hitched in her throat as she saw a reddish scar around his left eye. It was large, taking up almost a quarter of his face. As though feeling her gaze, the prince glanced up.
Katara tried to mask any emotion on her own face. She hadn't even noticed Ty Lee's departure and as Zuko's blank stare fell into a glare, she took that as her invitation to sit down. Ty Lee was right. He certainly wasn't the same.
A young servant woman with a kind face and large dark eyes held open a chair and Katara bowed her thanks before scowling at Zuko.
"Isn't it customary manners to rise when a lady enters the room? Or I don't know, wait for her arrival before you begin filling your plate?"
"It is," he agreed, his gaze smothering. "But I don't see any ladies around, do you?"
Katara clamped her jaw shut and tried to refrain from bending the water from his glass and freezing his mouth shut with it. Zuko went back to his lunch without so much as a another glance and Katara continued to sit motionless, her anger fading with every second she stared at his face.
He had grown taller, that much she could tell even though he was sitting down. He also looked a little bigger, but maybe that was the black and gold armor he wore. His dark hair was slightly longer, still messily thrown up in a top knot like usual and his golden crown reflected the sunlight that flitted into the room through the stain glass windows. Yet even with all these changes, it held no candle to the scar on his face.
As if feeling her stare, Zuko's fists tightened and he glanced back to her with annoyed eyes.
"Well go on" he snapped. "You know you want to ask so spit it out." His tone was so angry, so cold, that Katara found she didn't want to ask at all.
She'd be lying if she said he didn't scare her a little. Prince Zuko had clearly grown into a good looking young man, that couldn't be disputed even if Katara wanted to. But his once perfect features were now marred by the reddish scar that hindered around his left eye. It made his eye appear to be slightly smaller than the right one, yet the liquid gold inside them still blazed with the same fury Katara had always associated them with.
The more she thought about it, the less the scar bothered her. In fact, she was curious about it. Underneath Zuko's hard exterior, Katara figured some amount of insecurity was locked inside. There had to be. After all, he was only human.
"You're right," she said after a moment. "I was wondering if you….would pass me the honey?"
Zuko looked taken aback. "What?"
"The honey," Katara repeated, pointing to the small bottle to his left. "I can't reach it."
He seemed too stunned to speak and slid the bottle down to her without a word. He still had a perplexed look on his face as Katara smiled at him and began spooning the honey over a biscuit.
Truthfully, she hated honey. She thought it was too sweet and much too sticky but it was the first thing that popped into her mind. And even though she didn't care for the prince, she'd let herself suffer this one time for him. After all, it couldn't be worse than the suffering that came with that scar.
As Zuko began finishing his soup, Katara thought he almost smiled.
A/N: There you have it. So the story about Agni and Kai I totally made up, haha. So just go with it, okay? :P And as you can see, Zuko has his scar. Anyone care to guess how he got it? I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. The flashes were fun to write. =)
