There was no sound in the longhouse; every man was holding his breath. The only whispers came from the sputters of the old messenger, who hastily rose and strode to where Hakoda and Aang stood.

Aang felt as if his mind had been wiped completely blank. Why would the Fire Lord…why would Zuko do this? No answer sprung to light; the only thing he could focus on were Hakoda's words echoing through his ears.

"Sirs," The messenger was saying. He sounded far away to Aang, as if calling from a distance. "I am sure that the Fire Lord was not aware that the Lady had an intended already. This is all a grievous misunderstanding."

Aang didn't respond. He turned and pushed through the hanging furs, emerging into a swirl of snow. The threatening grey skies had opened up and flakes were drifting down in large clumps. He turned his face skyward and closed his eyes.

The betrayal stung him. Was Zuko trying to steal Katara out from under him? Was it a political move by the Fire Lord's cunning advisors? Was Zuko even aware of the offer? Was Katara? There were too many questions, questions that would not be answered in the South Pole. He needed to find Katara.

"Aang?" Sokka's voice came from behind him and he turned, his eyes blank as he considered his next move. The ferry had taken near to a week; getting back to the temple would take longer than that with the currents. "Are you okay?"

"Of course he's not okay." Toph's voice snapped as she came to stand beside Sokka. "How would you feel if Zuko had asked Suki to marry him before you could?"

Sokka snorted. "She'd never even consider it. I'm much handsomer than Zuko."

Toph rolled her eyes and laid a slim hand on Aang's arm. "It's not a proclamation of marriage, Aang. Don't panic yet."

"I know." Aang said softly, his voice barely audible to his own ears. "I just…"

"Hey," Sokka laid a gloved hand on his shoulder, its heavy weight jogging Aang back to the world. "we'll find out what's going on. Well," he paused. "You guys will. I have to stay here. But you better tell me as soon as you know!" He searched Aang's eyes with his own. "Are you going to go right away?"

Aang looked at Toph. It was Katara who usually made their plans and he wasn't sure what he should do.

She shrugged. "Don't look at me, Twinkletoes. This is your mess."

"Aang." Hakoda's deep voice preceded him as he walked over to lay a heavy hand on the Avatar's shoulder. "I want to thank you for trying to respect our culture. While this is the way things are traditionally done in our sister tribe, it is not how the South handles marriage."

"What do you mean?" Aang frowned.

"I am surprised Katara never told you. I would have assumed you would have talked this over with her." Hakoda raised a brow at Aang's lowered eyes. "The Southern water tribe has always held the practice of marriage for love. Traditionally, the woman presents her chosen suitor to her father after he first gives her a carved betrothal necklace. It is her choice who she marries." Hakoda lifted his hand from Aang's shoulder to give the young monk a hard thump on the back. "I told that messenger the same thing. I would advise that you talk to her."

Aang nodded mutely. He turned to Toph, his mind still going in different directions. "We'll stay for a while. It's what we had planned."

"Don't want to race for Katara's hand?" Toph joked, her seafoam eyes watching him warily. "Fine. Let's see if Zuko turns up next!"

"Probably not the best thing to say, Toph." Sokka whispered loudly. "Hey, if he does, you can always freeze him into a glacier!"

Aang smiled finally, the thought of Zuko frozen in an iceburg cheering him up unreasonably. "I love Katara, and I trust that she loves me." The words sounded hollow, as if he didn't believe himself. It was a cold feeling. "I'm starving. Any food in there that isn't meat?"

It was a desperate plea to change the subject, and Sokka jumped at it. "We have ocean kumquats! And pickled sea cucumbers."

"Great." Toph groaned, ignoring Aang's reproving look as she trudged after them into the longhouse.

ooo

Zuko sat with one knee drawn up lackadaisically, his other leg straight out in front, his foot braced against the bars of the cage. He wore his old pointed toe black boots from his days on his ship; they were covered with mud to conceal them in the night and it bothered him. He itched to reach out and flick the dried clumps from the shiny leather but knew he was being watched. Instead of rough travelling clothes, he had chosen the reds and gold customary for members of the royal family. Loose red pants were impeccably tucked into his boots while a gold-trimmed tunic fell past his hips. Underneath he wore a tight fitting thick black shirt that ended sharply at his wrists, concealing two flat hidden daggers. His swords would have been taken instantly.

"Well, well," A sneering, low pitched voice said. Zuko turned his head to gaze serenely at the two men approaching him. They were dressed like soldiers but he doubted that they had never held aspirations higher than farmhands. "bait a trap with a pretty slut and the Fire Lord walks right into it."

Zuko fought to keep his temper from his face as he looked them over, trying to discern whether he had ever seen them before. The one on the left was a chubby teen, his face covered with boils and rough stubble, as if he were trying to grow a beard. He was the one who had spoken and was leering down at Zuko with a broad stick in his hand. The other one was tall and lean with a pointed face and several years on his companion. His greasy hair was pulled sharply back from his face, giving his eyes a stretched too-wide appearance. His two front teeth protruded over his bottom lip, square and large.

"Where's the girl?" The greasy one asked, his eyes darting across the surrounding foliage.

"The girl means nothing to me." Zuko answered, his voice pitched low and raspy.

"Then why'd you come save her?" The chubby one demanded, striking the bars of the cage with his stick.

Zuko trained his golden eyes on him, knowing the look on his face was dark. "I do not appreciate my subjects being placed in harm's way for a fool's errand."

Both soldiers shrank back from the menace in his voice. Zuko smirked inwardly, even though he knew the two were only grunts: easily intimidated.

"Well, Kutzo won't be happy." Greasy sighed. "He said she was starting to listen to him."

"Hear that, traitor?" Chubby smacked the bars again, glowering when Zuko didn't flinch. "The bitch you gave yourself up for is on our side anyway."

Zuko didn't respond, only continued to watch them silently until they started to shift from one foot to the other.

"Um, maybe we should go get Kutzo." Greasy whispered, turning away.

"Yeah, okay." Chubby followed after, giving the bars yet another smack. As his stick passed, Zuko flicked his fingers nonchalantly and sent a lick of fire streaming through the bars. Chubby yelped as the fire quickly ate up his dry stick, singeing his hand. "Ahh!" He flung it to the ground and stomped on it.

"A fire nation soldier afraid of fire." Zuko intoned. "Pathetic."

"You shut up!" Chubby shouted, but Greasy dragged him away, glaring at Zuko.

Zuko watched them go, trying to cool his inner fires. He reminded himself that he was no longer the hot headed exile from years ago. He was the Fire Lord. And this would be very delicate.

ooo

Katara watched from between the branches of the bush, her form obscured by the thick leaves. She watched as the two fire nation men walked hurriedly away from Zuko. She wanted desperately to go down and free him now that he was mostly ignored, but she knew he wouldn't go anywhere anyway.

She huffed. He was being stupid. Letting himself fall in to their trap could be a deadly mistake. They didn't even know how many of them there were. Maybe she could at least find that out. She rose, slinking half-crouched backwards into the woods. She crept through the dry leaves almost soundlessly, glancing warily around for any stray soldiers. The path they were following led onwards through the woods, twisting and turning for as far as she could see. Katara wondered absently who had made the path as she brushed aside a low branch, trying to peer ahead through the trees. She could hear the noises of the camp coming to life, hear the stretches and groans of the soldiers, the clanking of their armor as they pulled it on. Campfires were being lit and breakfast was being broken out.

Katara tried to count them but gave up after she reached fifty. This group had to be at least a hundred strong, enough to create a minor problem but nowhere near enough to overthrow a country. It made no sense. As she had travelled the world with Aang, she had helped put down rebellions and disputes in fire nation occupied villages and towns in the Earth Kingdom. All of those towns hadn't had more than several hundred residents, and a hundred soldiers would have made a tremendous impact. But against a nation full of Zuko's supporters, how could they hope to make any sort of difference before being wiped out? Unless…

She ducked as footsteps approached, hiding behind a large stump growing with green sprouts. She heard the man relieve himself a few feet from her, groaning with relief. She stayed hunched down, her heart beating fast in her chest as she hoped her cloak hid her well enough to escape notice.

"Hey! Enzo!"

Katara curled further in on herself as a second man joined the first. She listened as leaves crunched beneath his feet until he stood two feet from her hiding places.

"Ready to be home?" The first man's voice was low and gravelly, rough and hard.

"More than." The second man sighed as he released his stream into the woods. "Shouldn't be more than a day by now."

"Hope not." The first man snorted. Katara heard him shuffling with his pants.

"This pace, we'll be there by dark."

Katara frowned, tuning out the rest of their conversation. She wouldn't have another chance to talk to Zuko before they were deep in enemy territory. Should she continue up the path, or stay to keep an eye on his situation?

As she peeked up over the stump, having heard the men tramp back to their fellows after exchanging several lewd jokes. They looked like they were mobilizing, though many still sat around fires eating. She searched through the crowd for Kutzo, but couldn't find him. Making her decision, she stole back along the treeline to where Zuko sat caged. She could always scout ahead later. Her green dress, snagged and torn from the branches, swished quietly around her ankles as she ran half-bent, hoping they hadn't done anything to him. She felt anxious and helpless, desperately wanting to take action but unable to discern the best course.

ooo

Zuko looked up as he was approached, his glare darkening as he noticed Kutzo leading them. Treasonous bastard. He was the reason Katara was involved with this at all. If he hadn't taken such a strong interest in her, she wouldn't have been put in danger in order to capture him.

Kutzo was flanked by four other soldiers and they all stopped together around him, standing silently as they looked down on him.

"The mighty Fire Lord." There was no trace left of the cajoling, soft tone he had used around Katara. His voice was flinty, laced with derision. "How humiliating it must be for you."

Zuko chose silence, observing the younger man. He was handsome, there was no denying it. The kind of handsome that reminded him of Jet: dangerous and cunning, the type that could encourage a girl to madness. He had hated him the moment he saw him with Katara and that hatred had only intensified.

"I bet you're wondering why you're here. What our reasons are for capturing you." Kutzo taunted, crouching down to come to eye level with the disgraced Fire Lord.

"The antics of lunatics have never interested me." Zuko said evenly. He smirked as Kutzo's smug face slid into a scowl.

"You're the lunatic, thinking you could pretend to be a Fire Lord." One of Kutzo's backers jeered.

"You're pretty brave for a Fire Lord with no heir." Kutzo murmured, looking Zuko in the eye. "How would does it feel, knowing that we intend to end your sullied line? And you will makae it possible."

Zuko's eyes narrowed as a chill shot through his heart. "What do you mean?"

Kutzo smirked at him. "We know as well as you do that a nonbender can never hold the throne. There needs to be no contest for the rightful ruler."

Azula. It was always Azula. "You serve my sister."

"So clever." Kutzo sneered, standing. "But not clever enough." He walked away from Zuko, pushing through the four men. "Bring him."

Zuko allowed himself to be roughly led out of the cage, his hands forced into conjoined metal gloves in front of him. The men around him jeered and threw insults at him, insulting his blood, his name, his mother. He ignored them as well as he could, though he could feel the concentrated heat building in the metal cuffs. Zuko fought to control his temper, blowing steam from his nose as they marched him into the woods, thrusting him forward through the viney brush. His cloak caught and tore, thorns ripping inch long gashes in the fabric. The two men gripping his arms smelled like sweat and sulfur. Their hands were encrusted with filth as much as their armor was. Grumbles and grunts served as conversation as they turned onto a dirt footpath. Zuko raised his head slightly, hoping to catch a glance of their destination. In response, one of the men behind him cracked him over the head with his armored forearm, barking a warning.

Zuko grit his teeth against the throbbing ache, resisting the urge to turn and melt the man's face off. He shook his head and glanced to the side, his golden eyes widening when he glimpsed a pair of equally wide cerulean eyes staring out at him from the bushes. Katara.

As much as it heartened him to know she was following him, a thrill of fear shot through him. If she was caught, she would be returned to the wooden cage to await whatever fate Kutzo had in mind for her. He glanced away hurriedly, his mind returning to the night he had found those same blue eyes peeping up at him from beneath the tented fort of blankets she had built around herself.

ooo

It had been one of the longest council meetings of his life, the only distraction coming from when Toph and a heavily intoxicated Katara had burst into his chambers, laughing and muttering about glowing worms or something equally unintelligible. Her eyes had connected to his immediately, a mix of unfocused embarrassment and glee dancing in them. Toph had dragged her back out, leaving a wake of grumbling councilors and a muted Fire Lord. The council's further discussions had been marred with a sense of awkwardness, with snide comments being said aside in hushed tones about the Avatar's girlfriend and her miniature friend. Zuko had endured, but when his fingertips began singeing holes in the scrolls, he called for dismissal. The councilors had left solemnly, each bidding him a good night.

Zuko returned slowly to his bedchamber, his mind whirling around and around the way Katara's face had been flushed with excitement, the way her hair was springing loose from its short braid. She had cropped her hair shorter, almost to her shoulders, in an effort to make it more manageable. It had only served to make her curls thicker, and her hair stuck out in a bushy poof when it wasn't in its braid. Mai was never that uninhibited. Mai was never anything but inhibited. It had been their rough patch preceding their break up and when he had found her lounging outside his bedroom, he had cringed inwardly. He was immediately ashamed; he should desire Mai in his bed, but all he could see were Katara's eyes dancing over her blushing cheeks.

"Your friends are sleeping inside." She had said in that indifferent, cold way she had. Without another word of explanation she had peeled herself from the wall and placed a dry kiss on his cheek. "You can sleep in my room."

Zuko had agreed and entered to retrieve his sleeping robes, telling Mai he would join her in her chambers. He had shut the door as quietly as he could, but Toph still sat up from her space on the floor. "What?"

Zuko lit a small flame above his finger, sending it to light a single candle. "What are you doing down there?"

Toph had shrugged. "Sugar Queen refused to leave. And I couldn't abandon my best friend in the Fire Lord's room…not when he sprouts a mental boner every time he sees her." She had snickered, rising and stretching. "And sometimes it's not mental."

Zuko had glared at her. "You have no idea-"

"Oh, but I do." Toph had chortled, heading towards the bathroom. "I'll let you say goodnight before you go to Ice Queen."

"I thought Katara was Ice Queen." Zuko had murmured, padding over to his wardrobe.

"No, no. Katara is Sugar Queen. That pointy girl is Ice Queen. The way I figure it, either way you go, you get a queen." She had cackled at the laugh he sent her and disappeared behind the thick door.

Zuko had turned his eyes to the bed, noting the huddled lump under his blankets. He walked over to where he hoped her face was and pulled back the outermost layer. Bright blue eyes had opened up at him from the shadows, the candle sending spots of golden light into their depths. She had blinked unevenly and smiled, curling in on herself further. "Zuko." His name was a whisper on her lips.

"What are you doing here?" He had murmured, sinking onto the bed beside her. The smell of Firewhiskey permeated his bed and he grimaced. "Where's Aang?"

"I dunno." She sniffed, rolling onto her back. His hand slid above her, coming to a stop above her belly. "I yelled and he went away. Didn't even say anything."

Zuko's eyes had rolled unbidden. The Avatar never fought back, not against Katara. "Well, um, where does he think you are?" This was totally out of his element. Far from his comfort zone.

"Dunno." She had shrugged, falling back to the bed. "I am…not ready to talk to him."

"Oh." Zuko had murmured, hoping that the Avatar wouldn't see this as meddling. "You can stay here tonight."

"Okay." She had sounded reassured. Then she had locked eyes with him, her blue eyes, dancing in the candlelight, catching and holding him.

He reached out to brush the hair from her eyes, tucking the short strands behind her ears. It had a certain appeal, being this short. "Good night, Katara."

"Good night, Zuko." She had sighed, her eyelids fluttering closed as she lay back down on his pillow, nuzzling against the cool fabric. Zuko had wrapped her tighter with the blankets, watching as her breathing became even and soft.

Toph had emerged from the bathroom, a sly smile on her face. "You better hope Aang doesn't ask any questions about this in the morning, Sparky."

Zuko had rolled his eyes and risen, gathering his robes into his arms neatly. "Nothing happened."

"Not yet," Toph replied. "but you and I both know that you want something to."

"No." He had rasped, striding for the door. "I wouldn't betray Mai like that. Or Aang. Besides," He had paused with his hand on the door. "she would never see me like that."

Toph had muttered behind him but he had left, closing the door softly behind him.

When they had appeared at breakfast the next morning, Zuko had raised an eyebrow at Katara's sleepy face and Toph's smug smirk, but had made no other comment. Mai had glanced impassively between the three of them before demanding another round of juice for the table from the waiting servant.

ooo

Zuko tore his eyes away from Katara's as he was pushed roughly down the dirt path. He had never discovered what she and the Avatar had been fighting about that night, feeling it would be strange of him to ask when she barely remembered the night before herself. His captors were walking him along at a brisk speed, moving around the larger, slower group. The forest ahead of him was dark and close. A sense of foreboding filled him; what waited at the end of the dirt path?

ooo

Katara grimaced at the feeling in her feet. They had been dragging Zuko down the path for hours, stopping only once. She had been trailing them as silently as possible, darting from dark bush to dark tree as the sun sank lower across the sky. The skirt of her green dress was in dirty tatters, hanging limp around her knees. Her boots were covered in mud past her ankles, sending muddy streaks up her legs every time she crouched.

She had noticed Zuko throw several glancing looks towards the forest, and she really hoped he had seen her at least a couple times. Katara wanted him to know that he wasn't alone, that he didn't have to face this by himself.

Her stomach growled loudly and she shrank back with a hissed curse, hiding herself as the group ahead of her emerged into a wide clearing dotted with sloping boulders. She hadn't eaten all day, and neither had Zuko; they wouldn't be up for a fight. Holding her belly to stifle the rumbling, Katara slunk forward, blue eyes widening. Impossible. She was locked up!

Azula sat on one of the flatter boulders, examining her nails as her brother was forced to his knees before her. Around her stood a smattering of soldiers identical to the ones they had outpaced: mismatched armor, shoddy weapons, dingy faces. Still not nearly enough to attempt a hostile takeover of the Fire Nation. Zuko raised his head and spat something at his sister; the clearing was too wide, Katara couldn't hear what they were saying. Azula's face fell and she rose, sauntering toward the captive Fire Lord. Katara's heart crashed against her chest as she loosened the cork of her water skin, ready to leap into the open.

ooo

"What do you mean, it's not a surprise Zuzu?" Azula's voice was sickly sweet, her piercing eyes hungrily searching his face. "I thought you would be thrilled to see me."

"When have I ever been thrilled to see you, Azula?" Zuko growled, shifting his arms in his captor's grip. They weren't holding him as tightly as they had on their march to the clearing. If he could only…

"I'm sure there was a time. Many years ago of course." Azula stopped in front of him, her shiny red boots glinting in the light of the sunset. "Not that I remember."

"How did you escape the tower?" Zuko snarled. Pebbles and sticks dug into his knees as his captors shoved him down further onto his knees so he reclined back against his heels.

"Mind your tone." A singsong voice reprimanded him. Kutzo stepped out from the shadows to stand at Azula's side, his handsome face turned menacing in the gathering darkness.

Zuko glared at him but did not reply. His temper had always been aggravated by hunger and now, after a long march and no food, his inner fires were stoked beyond imagination. He felt some small surprise that the grass hadn't ignited in front of him.

"I have supporters everywhere, brother." Azula sneered, returning her attention to her nails. "After all, I am the true heir to the Fire Nation. You are only a pretender."

"I am the Fire Lord." Zuko intoned, struggling to stand only to be kicked in his thighs and brought down with a grunt. "Any who deny me-"

"Would be perfectly correct." Azula interrupted. "Don't you remember Zuzu? You didn't win our little Agni Kai. You laid on your back while the waterbender did all the work for you." Zuko bared his teeth at her, seething. Before he could answer, she continued, waving her hand lazily. "Besides, it might all be for nought on your part. It would seem that you're not my brother after all. Well, not my full brother."

"Azula." Zuko ground out. "Stop playing games."

"I'm not playing." Azula hissed, striking suddenly and catching Zuko across the face with her nails, leaving bloody streaks of red pain across his unblemished cheek.

Zuko's head snapped to the side but he remained silent. He had received worse blows from his sister in the past, not to mention the Avatar's companions. "No one believes your lies any more, Azula."

She let out an insane cackle. "Obviously you are mistaken, brother. These good men all believe me. What's more, they believe that I can restore Father to the throne."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, examining her. she was insane, any fool could see that. But was it calculated insanity, or the deterioration of a once brilliant mind? "Azula…"

"See, brother," She said, beginning to pace in front of him. "the Avatar took Father's bending away. And you, well, they weren't even sure you were a Fire bender when you were born. Do you know how humiliating that was for them? Father wanted to cast you into the river." She giggling hysterically, her pacing increasing. "You've always been pathetic. So, as the true Fire Lord, I have made a decision." She swooped down, clasping Zuko's chin between steel fingers, her clawed nails digging into his skin. "I'm going to give your bending to Father." She whispered, her teeth bared in a predatory grin. "The Avatar will have no choice. He'll either do what I want, or I'll kill his precious waterbender."