Finally, the sun set.
Finally they were but a day away from the Beetle, or a night as it were.
He stood at the mouth of the cave watching as the final light disappeared into the sand. "We should go soon," he said quietly to Jee, who stood a few steps behind him. "Double time people," Jee tuned back and yelled, "We're nearly there, lets not waste the darkness!"
"Sir," Yuu their messenger turned guide had a quiet way of walking, of being really, that struck Zuko as familiar. At first the rest of the unit had found it a bit disconcerting. The tall thin man would be nowhere in sight and then from entirely too close behind them would come a soft clearing of the throat to signify his presence. For warriors always ready for an ambush it was almost stressful. Iluq, an older southern tribesman and warrior, had actually snapped at Yuu at one point. But Yuu was so unfailingly polite and soft-spoken that it was difficult for anyone to stay upset with him for too long.
"Yuu," Zuko glanced over at him, taking in the man's perfectly groomed mustache and sideburns. He stood with hands clasped behind his back, and something about his excellent posture made Zuko realize what it was about Yuu that he recognized.
"Would you like to go over the route-"
"Did you have any sort of job before you were a soldier, Yuu?
Yuu blinked in surprise, but did not falter in his answer, "Yes sir. I was a butler."
Zuko smiled, "Ah, I thought you seemed familiar."
"Sir, I – I'm sorry Sir but I never had the honor of serving at the Royal Palace."
"The honor?" laughed Soyoung, a fire bender in her mid thirties, "Serving the Fire Lord his breakfast?" Soyoung, was by far the most political of them. Her father had been a governor until he'd spoken out against Ozai – a crime for which he was imprisoned and later executed.
"Yes," Yuu said calmly.
"To serve at highest level is something all good servants aspire too."
"Even if those at the highest level are evil bastards?" Iluq asked as he sharpened his favorite blade.
"Well yes of course. It is not ideal of course but the best sort of butler does not judge or question his employers outside business. He concerns himself with the affairs of the household. The character of one's master is of little consequence."
"You can't really believe that," Soyoung interjected, "You'd never have defected."
"I – Yes well, it is more difficult to adhere to such codes when the direct results of your master's, or rather you're military superior's orders, are right in front of you."
"Direct results?" Said Hong, the young archer.
"Yes, the General I served under in the Fire Nation Army was a brutal sort of man with his civilian prisoners and uh, well there are things a good servant, or rather a good soldier can turn a blind and there are things he cannot…" Yuu's voice trailed off and he looked down at his feet for a short moment, but recovered quickly enough.
"But back to my original point Sir, I never served in your house hold so I don't see how—"
"When you're raised by servants, you can generally recognize them out of context is all I meant Yuu."
"Now," he turned away from his view of the desert to survey his group. "Are we ready?"
"Yes Sir." Said Jee, as a few nodded at him.
"Good. Let's get moving."
He pushes the sheet down further so that the smooth skin of her back is exposed to him. His fingers trace the line of her spine and she shivers and smiles at him.
They have been lovers for four months and this is the first time they've shared a proper bed. Compared to their thin mats pushed together in damp caves, the threadbare sheets and the lumpy mattress are a luxury. This shack of a safe house is practically a palace.
It is middle of the summer in the Fire Nation and brutally hot.
"I heard a rumor about us in the village today," she says, sleepily.
"Us?"
"Well, the disgraced prince and his water wench."
He rolls his eyes and lies down on his side, so that he is facing her. He wants to pull her to him again, but its too damn hot, so a cool space remains between them.
"I knew we should have just waited till night fall and stolen what we needed."
"They're poor Zuko."
"So are we."
"Theft wasn't necessary," she says in a tone he knows not to contradict.
"So what did they say? About the prince and the wench?"
"Well," she says, with a little smirk, "apparently I have bewitched you."
He sorts.
"I could have told them that."
"No, no, no, not – you know with my feminine wiles or whatever. With my water bending powers."
"What?"
"I don't know, they thought I'd cast some sort of spell or something."
"So you're a witch then? I suspected as much."
She shoves at his shoulder weakly, too sweaty to really punish him.
"They kept talking about the moon."
"Ah, well there's where it comes from."
"What do you mean?"
"Well us children of the sun have always been rather sensitive about the moon."
"Sensitive?" She says, her tone skeptical, her eyebrow arched mockingly.
"Well there's the legend."
"What legend?" She asks impatiently.
"Well, I mean, Uncle tells it better than I do—"
"Well, Uncle's not here, and I want to here it."
"Alright." He clears his throat and does his best Iroh impression, "Long ago!"
"Zuko." She says, playful warning in her voice.
"Ok, ok, here we go: Long ago," he says in his normal voice, "The sun fell deeply in love with the moon. He loved her so much that he followed her across the sky – wherever she went he would follow. Then one day the sea spotted her and stole her away. The sea was clever and always kept her just out of reach, but the sun did not give up and he still searches for her through the sky. Every so often he manages to find her and the whole world looks to the heavens in awe of their love."
She is quiet, when he finishes.
After a moment he softly says, "I told you Uncle tells it better."
"I like the way you tell it," she whispers and despite the heat she shifts closer to him.
"Do you think—" She stops herself mid sentence and looks away.
"What?" He presses.
"Do you think they all think that? Everyone in the fire nation thinks I'm some sort of temptress? I mean, that I'm influencing you in some way—"
"Katara, stop. Its just gossip. Old ladies talking at the market."
"We have to be careful."
"We're being careful."
"I know, I know. I just…"
He touches her face and she looks at him, her expression worried.
He wants to tell her that he loves her then, in that moment. That he's been in love with her for years. But it's still all so new. So, instead, he kisses her.
Outside, a summer storm starts, and though the thunder is loud and the wind strong, they manage to forget for a little while about the many people who speak their names.
Suki arrived about a week and a half after Hakoda. And she actually did bring some meat with her, in fact she brings much more – vegetables, some fruit, and of course tons of rice.
"Stole it from right under their noses, too," she said and told them the daring tale as Sokka stared adoringly at her.
Their little family sat in a circle in Sokka's quarters, munching on last few bits of their meals. It was much tidier now, as Katara had been stopping by frequently in the past few weeks, to help Sokka out with the girls and generally clean up after him. Amala slept in her grandfather's lap, for it had been late when Suki arrived and it was later still, now. Jaya was doing her best to keep her eyes open. She had not left her mother's side since she'd arrived, and when her eyes weren't drooping closed against her will, they were watching Suki's every move.
Katara watched as the little girl finally succumbed to sleep, her head in her mother's lap. Suki smiled softly and stoked her daughter's hair away from her face, before covering her mouth to yawn quietly.
"I think," said Hakoda in his gentle authoritative way, "That is our cue to exit."
Suki nodded gratefully and after some whispered goodbyes Katara found herself alone with her father walking through the torch-lit hallways away from Sokka's room.
"They've gotten so big," he said, after they'd walked a little distance away.
"Yeah," she quietly agreed.
"Amala will be walking soon. She can already take a few steps, did Sokka tell you?"
"Sokka's told everyone Dad," She chuckled lightly, "He's written all the generals about it."
Hakoda smiled and nodded, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes ahead.
"I am glad that Sokka has found such happiness," he said, in a fatherly tone of voice that made Katara nervous. He looked over at her, "Even in these dark times."
"Me too," she nodded too quickly and looked away.
"I wish I could see you experience that sort of happiness."
Katara closed her eyes tightly for a moment. Spirits, she didn't want to have this talk again.
"Dad-"
"You were very quiet tonight Katara."
"It's late, Dad. I'm tired."
He frowned slightly.
"Yes, but… you were very quiet yesterday and the day before, since I've been here it seems as if –"
"Things have been very busy here Dad. I have a lot of responsibilities."
"Yes, of course," He smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him as they walked. Despite her dislike of the conversation, she could not help leaning her head on his shoulder. "And I am so proud of you… But… There is more to life than this war Katara... You know, there is a very nice young man from the northern tribe under my command."
"Dad."
She stopped walking and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Hakoda smirked down at her.
"He isn't a bender but I think—"
"No."
"Katara—"
She pulled away from him.
"Dad, I don't want to be set up with anyone, I've told you before."
"Okay, okay." He put his hands up in surrender, his voice light, "Just saying."
She sighed and rolled her eyes at him.
They walked the rest of the way to her room in an easy silence. It was not until after she wrapped her arms around him in a good-night hug that whispered, "I just want you to be happy Katara."
"I know," she said as she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.
Some hours later she laid awake, staring up at the elaborate carvings on her ceiling. She had the room to herself until Toph showed up and was quite glad for the solitude.
She thought about the way Amala giggled when she tugged on her grandfather's beard. Hakoda liked to gently toss his granddaughters up into the air in a way that would make them shriek with delight. He liked to sit with them while they played or drew pictures – they would show him their little toys and pictures and he would laugh and praise every silly little thing.
Will he do that with you? Will he tickle a little golden-eyed baby's belly?
She closed her eyes. Her body seemed to win the fight with her mind and she started to doze off. Unbidden, a memory of Iroh holding little Jaya when she was just a few days old flashed across her mind. And this image, somehow, soothed her into sleep.
They made it to one of the secret entrances just as the first rays of the sun snuck up from beneath the horizon. He basks in its energy for a few sweet seconds before Jee beckons him to follow the rest of the group down into the tunnels.
"Underground again," said Iluq, ruefully.
"It's not so bad," said Bian.
"Says the earthbender." Illuq replied.
"We're almost there," Zuko said, and felt of the reality of it at last. They were here. He would find her and everything would be all right.
Yuu lead them trough the tunnels quickly – turning here and there – a pattern Zuko was sure he wouldn't have remembered on his own. And then they found themselves emerging from the barely-lit passageways into a large hall full of light.
"Thank Agni for ancient ruins with high ceilings," said Hong happily, looking up at said ceiling.
There was a commotion in front of them – someone had arrived just before them with a large amount of supplies. Someone must have dropped a large crate, for there were pear-apple everywhere – scattered across the floor. There was a mess of people picking them up, trying to save the precious fruit.
A woman in her forties, carrying a huge armful of them, accidentally dropped a few as she carried them over a wheelbarrow someone had just rolled in. She looked down at the escaped fruit with frustration and Zuko, quickly stepped forward and picked them up for her.
"Oh, thank you, young man." The woman looked up at him with gratitude, but the instant she saw his scar, she gasped, dropped all her pear-apples and fell down to the ground – prostrate before him.
"My Prince," she whispered, and peaked up at him from the ground.
"Oh, no, please, you don't have to—"
He leant down to help her back up but then he realized that the hall had gone silent. He looked up from the woman and saw that the whole crowd was staring at him.
Then there was a rush of whispering ("his scar," "The prince!") Several more kneeled and bowed before him. It had been a while since he'd been among a large group of fire nation refugees and for a moment he froze, unsure.
"Please," he said in a clear commanding voice, remembering who he was, "Please get up, you need not…" He trailed off and then knelt down in front of the original woman who he'd meant to help.
"You don't need to do that," he said, as gently as he could.
She looked up at him with something like wonder as he took her arm and helped her stand. The crowd started to murmur again and move to continue their task of gathering up the stray fruit.
He sighed with relief and was about to turn back to speak with Jee about finding out where to go next, when a deep, familiar voice yelled out, "Prince Zuko!"
Chief Hakoda was making his way through the crowd towards him, grinning openly. Zuko's stomach clenched.
"Chief Hakoda," He replied, hoping his voice didn't betray his nervousness.
The older man strode forward and clasped Zuko's forearm in the water tribe way – the way warriors greeted one another. Zuko clasped back.
"It is good to see you again, son."
"And you, Sir."
Hakoda nodded, seemingly in approval, and then looked over at Zuko's unit, standing a few feet behind him.
"You and your men must be hungry after your journey, do you know the way to the cafeteria?"
Zuko managed to shake his head and before he knew it Hakoda was leading them all down another passageway. He was talking about the increase in supplies. How Suki had arrived a day before with all sorts of wonderful stolen food and now this morning a few earth kingdom generals had showed up at the same time, with goods of their own.
He joked with Iluq, who he seemed knew quite well, about Zuko's leadership skills.
"Hasn't gotten me killed yet, Chief."
They all laughed at that one. Zuko chuckled along with them but inside he might as well have been screaming. Where was Katara? He had to find her.
They rounded the corner and then they were in another huge room. The smell of food was in the air, and people were standing in line and sitting at tables – talking, eating breakfast.
"Katara!" Hakoda suddenly yelled. And Zuko saw her. She had been talking to someone. She looked up at her father's call.
Their eyes met.
"Look at what I found!" Said Hakoda, happily as he led Zuko towards his daughter.
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