Chapter Three

Sorry bout before, but reviews are very helpful….you don't have too…but I'd like some to know what you guys think and some pointers (if you have any) as well ^.^ Thank you for reading, I don't own nothing.

The Royal Fire Palace was on a cliff looking over Ember Island. It was a large white, gold, and red structure that has four layers and a large decorative roof. There were many windows, golden and red dragons and designs on it. Once the carriages and wagons arrived, the staff came out to greet everyone. There were at least two dozen guards at attention as well as over three dozen maids, manservants, ambassadors and the usual collection of people who worked in large residences.

The Fire Emperor stepped outside of his carriage and helped his wife out. Ursa looked at her daughter Azula as she stepped out and her two friends, Mai and Ty Lee. The Fire Empresses was wary over how her daughter seemed to have more violent tendencies like her husband and tried to curtail it. She did not expect her daughter to be a delicate flower, but she wanted to counter her violent ways with gentler ones. Azula, Mai and Ty Lee went inside the grand residence and headed the West wing of the palace, reserved for the Royal family and their noble guest. The East wing was reserved for visiting dignitaries and their families.

The Water Tribe were given the top floor, allowing for the best view of the ocean and able to feel the air. In the past it had been given to the air benders, but since they did not 'exist' anymore, it was now the Water Tribe, who normally had the middle floor. On the bottom floor was for the Earth Benders. They were able to feel the earth and have the scent from the gardens reach their room. The visitors were given the rest of the afternoon to relax before the informal welcome banquet tonight. The next day would be the official welcoming ceremony and after that they would begin to progress to the Capital for the game ceremonies and then on their way to Royal Forest where the game would be held. The entire progression would take over two weeks and there were to be many lavish parties and meet and greets.

Katara walked inside her room and stopped just inside the sitting room. The room was quite large and lavish. The room was done in blue, white, grey and soft orange. There was a sitting area with a small fire place, two blue and grey chairs and a dark wood table. Past that was a desk that matched the table, and a doorframe that had two thick white drapes that separated the rooms. Inside was a large bed with blue, grey and white linen. She touched the sheets and they felt soft like silk, but had the texture of cotton. There were many pillows that felt so soft and she walked over to the dresser, two side tables, and dressing table. There was a wardrobe and a room that led to a privy. Throughout the whole apartment there were windows that had ocean and garden views. The balcony was not too big, just a small area to stand and admire the view.

Katara heard a knock on her door and went to it. A woman in her mid-thirties stood there, two other females, barely twenty, were behind her carrying her travel bags. The older woman had her black hair pulled in a tight bun and had gold eyes the held intelligence. The two other girls, both with black hair in one long braid down their backs held curiosity and polite interests. They all wore a uniform of a red skirt and blouse, a black apron and gold piping on the hems of the clothes.

"My name is Rutsa and these are my assistants, Mysra and Zulin. May we please come in?" She asked politely, Katara moved to the side and beckoned them inside. The two younger women went into the bedroom and Katara heard the sounds of them unpacking and arraigning her personal items. Rutsa indicated Katara to sit on one of the chair and she did so.

"Do you have a maid to accompany you here while you are in the Fire Empire?" she asked.

"No, I do not have one and normally do not require one unless there is need to dress in formal robes…" Katara said, starting to get an inkling she didn't like.

"I see, I have been instructed by my Lady, Empress Ursa to be your Lady's maid while you are in the Empire. She said to help you through understanding all our customs you may not know, help you to dress properly for formal occasions and to help you in general, should you need special items during the month."

Katara began to blush at that and smiled weakly. "Thank you so much, please know that I shall be grateful for the help as I have not had much chance to practice the customs of the Fire people and dressing for so many formal occasions will be needed. I do not know where I could house you in this small apartment though…"

"That is not an issue, the door over here connects to a chamber where we three will sleep."

"Oh, very good, thank you. I don't suppose you could help me find my practice clothes? Prince Zuko said he would like to have a practice spar this afternoon." Katara said as she stood up. Rutsa froze where she was, a surprised look on her face.

"Excuse me Princess, but did you just say you are going to fight his highness? Why would you want to do that?" she asked, genuinely surprised.

"Well I am fighting in the competition along side my brothers and I am a Master Waterbender myself. Did you not know that? And how do noble ladies act here in the Fire Nation?" Katara asked, sitting back down and knew she was about to get her first lesson in Fire Nation culture.

"Forgive me for being so blunt, my lady, but very few women from noble families do anything that involves violence, of course if they are benders, that's a different story. Most ladies are schooled in the arts that revolve around running a household or business and finding a husband who will bring them honor. Though some women must be careful because of that dreaded law. There are women such as Her Highness, Azula, and her friends, who are all skilled in the arts of men. Azula is a master Fire Bender and can even bend Lighting. Her friend, Ty Lee, is a master martial artist who concentrates pressure points; she can block bending abilities for a short time. And then there is Lady Mai…she and Prince Zuko at one point were engaged, but that has since broken off. No one says what the official reason is, but rumor has it that one of them had cheated. She is a skilled knife thrower and has an accurate enough throw to take the wings off a fly! But since you are not from Fire Nation and a Bender, I suppose you are one of the lucky noble ladies who can do some things. However, do not win against the prince, most people know better than to try to beat him. Also it is punishable by death if you physically harm him, even if it's just a scratch." Rutsa said, mixing both culture and gossip.

Katara got up and Rutsa followed her into her bedroom. "I will be careful, but I promised him. I don't think it'd be wise to break it. Maybe we can just do some forms or something, that way no one has to worry about hurting the poor prince." Katara said mildly. The women looked horrified and yet tired not to laugh. 'It will take some time, but I think I might win these ladies over…they seem to have a sense of humor.'

"Ok so where is my uniform again?" Katara asked pleasantly, the women began to help her remove her formal robes and into more comfortable clothes.

Katara had on her training clothes, a long and lose light grey tunic that reached her knees and had slits to her hips. The sleeves were normally loose, but she had on her arm guards, only allowing the sleeves above her elbows to be loose and allow her move movement. Her grey baggy pants matched, black boots going just under her knee. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun and she had her brown water skin around her back. Toph and Suki also accompanied her, wearing their own training clothes. Toph wore her yellow and green tunic with leggings and no shoes. Suki wore a green tunic and baggy pants combo like Katara.

The girls looked around the practice area, deciding on where to set up their own warm up area. The area was the size of a small market with lots of clear spaces that people could do one on one match. There were also trees to practice evading tactics (and for greenery in general…). Weapons racks were on one side of a long building that was the men's in-door practice area. Across the way, where the girls exited, was a female only in-door area.

"This place feels as good as any." Suki said as she took out her fan and began her wrist exercises with it.

"Yea, so many rocks to play with." Toph said as she started to make her own area, moving a four by four section of rock up a few feet and began to summon the minerals out. She then started to make the minerals separate and go into a group of their own. She was working with a professor back home to create new metals that earth benders could use and always got samples wherever she went.

Katara stretched and looked around the practice field, it seemed that almost all the contests that were present were also practicing, at least it wouldn't look weird if she and Zuko were practicing. She heard his voice and looked up. Zuko, Sokka and Aang were walking out of the men's practice gym. All three wore baggy training pants and boots, Zuko wore a deep red, Aang and Sokka's grey like Katara's. For a moment Katara felt like pinching herself when she saw Zuko with out his shirt. His chest had no hair and she would have swore it was solid like rock from the way his muscles bunched and had a six pack.

"Hey Katara, might not want to drool…could give your brother ideas." Suki whispered and giggled evilly. Toph snickered and came back down to level ground and poked her friend in the ribs. Katara shot her an annoyed glance and smiled at her brothers.

"Wondered where you ladies were, thought you got lost." Katara shot at them. Aang and Sokka both shot her a silly face while Zuko had a small smile on lips. His hair was pulled back into a high pony tail and Katara noticed the two gold arm bands around his biceps made them look bigger. 'Must not think of what I could do…where the hell are these thoughts coming from? Its like I've turned into a sixteen year old horny girl? I am a fucking mature twenty year old woman! I can stop acting like this…I really can…' she thought.

Sokka went over to Suki and wrapped his arms around her hips and began to whisper in her ear. She was giggling and smiling, enjoying the attention from her fiancé. Aang and Toph both shared a blah face and went over to look at the samples she separated. Aang held open a bag and with Toph hiding his hands, he was able to carefully bend each substance into a bag. Zuko and Katara wondered over to a vacated dirt practice section. The sun was nearing the edges and from the looks of it, only a half hour more of sunlight. They sat down under the shade of a tree and watched the other fighters using both weapons and bending.

"Katara, how are your rooms? Is everything comfortable? I know we are here only a short time, but i believe mother sent you some help?" he asked pleasantly. Katara turned to him and smiled.

"Yes thank you, please let your mother know everything is perfect and the help is a blessing I did not think to ask for." She replied, trying to seem diplomatic.

"That's good, and of course I'll be happy to tell her. She loves to do things like this, though if anyone asks she'd tell them she'd rather be at embroidery or managing house hold accounts."

"But why would she say that? I mean she's the Fire Empress, she needs to be smart to be in a position like that, not a piece of eye sweets." Katara said.

"Heh, I wish. In the Noble circle, it is better to be a pretty woman, than a smart. My mother and sister both are smart and capable women, which I think has spoiled me." He said. Katara gave him an inquisitive look. "I don't like the women my father keeps insisting I see, they are…they are …I don't know how to say without sounding like an ass…they just don't measure up in the intelligence guild. I mean who wants to be stuck with someone who only talks about thread and stuff?"

"I know what you mean; some of the guys who've tried to court me only want to talk about hunts and the best hand to hand combat. A girl can only take so much before she dumps them in the ocean." She laughed and they sat in companionable silence for a short time.

"Think you're rested enough for that spar?" he asked, standing up and dusting off his pants. He offered her a hand up. She took up and walked to the center of the ring.

"Sure, you ready to lose?" she asked, a glint in her eyes. Zuko was intrigued by her, he didn't understand why. They've only met two or three time before this at formal events and never had spent so much time together in each other's company, but he liked her as a person and respected her as a Master Bender. But right now, looking at her, he didn't have such pure thoughts about her.

"You wish."

"Bring it sparky." Katara said, using Toph's nickname. He smiled and summoned up his fire and shot one at her. She easily moved to the side and let her water whip turn it to steam. She then sent her water whip to smack him on his ass.

Thanks for reading, will post more, but have three exams this week! Gah mid-terms…..-.-' anyway I know the characters are a little ooc but I'm getting back into the swing of things! Please review, it makes me work ever so much harder (and makes me happy and jump up and down for joy….though my boyfriend looks at me funny when I do that…lol) anyway I always appreciate honest criticism. Thanks ever so much! Ja ne!