Chapter 7:
The Council of Nations part 1: The Departure
Agnia Palace.
"You kids are in so much trouble!" Katara yelled at the seven kids seated in the living room.
"We're sorry," Kya said quietly.
The kids were busted by Katara not even a minute after sneaking back into the palace. Katara, Mai, and Ty Lee returned home after hearing the news about Ozai and Azula. They were home for a good ten minutes before the kids showed up. It was bad luck for the kids that Katara was just on her way to check up on them when Rozin opened up the secret door.
"You're sorry?" Katara repeated back, "You could've been killed."
"Especially after what had just happened with Azula's breakout," Mai added.
"We didn't know about it to later," Rozin explained, "When we heard about it we came running home."
"You shouldn't have left in the first place," Mai scolded.
"You're right, Mom," Rozin looked down and said quietly, "It was my fault. I told them to come with me. If you're going to punish anyone, punish me."
"Don't try that with me," Mai shook her head, "Far as I'm concerned, you're all grounded."
"You can't ground us!" Kya yelled.
Mai scowled at her.
"Fire Lady, ma'am," Kya added quickly.
"No, but I can," Katara looked down at her daughter and then to her brother's kids, "Everyone who's related to me is grounded."
The kids groaned but were immediately silenced by Katara.
"Go to your rooms," Katara pointed upstairs.
"Us, too?" Zek asked.
"Yes, move," Mai ordered.
The kids sulked upstairs with their heads hung low. Though, after nearly a half an hour of yelling and scolding by their mothers, it was a relief to escape it all.
"Why didn't you tell them about the attack?" Kya asked Rozin once they got out of earshot.
"You want to be in more trouble?" Rozin raised an eyebrow.
"Not really, but still…"
"Listen, we beat those goons to a pulp. Let's just keep it our secret, okay?"
The rest of the kids nodded and agreed.
"Good," Rozin turned in to his room, "I'm going to bed."
The other kids dispersed and went into their respective rooms to end a very eventful night.
Aang, Zuko, Sokka, Toph, Suki. Agnia Palace, the next afternoon.
"Honey, we're home," Sokka called as the five of them walked into the palace.
"You don't live here," Suki rolled her eyes.
"Eh," Sokka shrugged.
"Where are all the servants?" Zuko wondered.
"Hey, Dad," Rozin sulked over to them, "May I take your bags?"
"Where are the servants?" he repeated to his son.
"Mom gave them the week off," Rozin took his father's bag, "We're filling in for them now."
Zuko glared, "What did you do?"
Sokka couldn't help from laughing.
"They got your kids doing servant's work?" he wiped a tear from his eye, "Classic."
"Your kids are doing it too," Rozin added.
Sokka got serious and straightened up, "What?!"
"It's true, Dad," Jian walked in and grabbed his bag.
"Stop doing servant's work," Sokka grabbed his bag back, "Fire Lady or not, Mai can't make my kids do this."
"No, but I can," Katara walked in and handed his bag to Jian.
"What did they do?" Aang asked and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek.
"Oh, they thought it would be a good idea to not only give me andMai the biggest headaches of our lives, but also to disobey us and sneak out of the palace."
"Well, to be fair," Jian explained, "We didn't give you a headache intentionally so technically it wasn't our fault."
"Ha, ha," Suki mock-laughed at her daughter's sarcasm and threw her bag to her, "Now take our stuff upstairs."
"Likewise," Zuko glared at his son, "We'll talk later."
"Wait, Rozin," Katara called to the young prince.
Rozin turned and Katara grabbed Aang's bag and threw it to him.
"Take Aang's bag upstairs, too."
"Why can't Kya do it?" he complained.
"She's mopping the dining room, now move."
"Fine!"
"Don't talk back to her," Zuko scolded him.
"Sorry, Miss Katara," he apologized before walking up the stairs, mumbling something incoherent.
"So, how did they all get along?" Aang asked as they made their way into the sitting room.
"For the most part, all right," Katara sat in one of the chairs, "Except for one incident with Shaola and Zek. Plus, Kya and Rozin were at each other's throats almost the whole time."
"Did they fight again?" Zuko leaned against a bookshelf.
"Verbally and physically."
"I'm going to kill that kid," Zuko grumbled, "He shouldn't be picking fights with girls."
"No offense, but you did fight me and Suki when you were only a couple of years older than him," Katara reminded him.
"That was different," Zuko tried to explain himself.
"Not really," Katara said, "Rozin is almost exactly like you, minus the Avatar hunting thing. Makes sense he would act the same way."
"And Kya's like you," Sokka said, "That's probably why they don't like each other."
"How so?" Zuko asked.
"I don't know if you remember, but you and Katara hated each other for the longest time," Sokka shrugged, "Makes sense that your kids would carry it on through them."
"I guess," Katara said then looked at Sokka, "When did you get smart all the sudden?"
Sokka was about to answer then caught on to the full meaning of the question and glared at his sister.
"Hey! I'm smart."
"Anyway, I think we all raised a bunch of trouble makers because that's all they seemed to be causing," Katara said ignoring her brother.
"So glad I do not have kids," Toph said.
"It's not all bad," Katara assured.
"Sorry but after I've seen what you all go through has made me never want to have kids."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Sokka said, "I don't think the world could handle a bunch of little Toph juniors running around."
Sokka chuckled at his own joke and so did Toph. Then she slugged him hard on the shoulder.
"Ow!" he rubbed his shoulder, "Jerk."
"So what happened?" Mai asked as she appeared through the doorway.
"Toph hit Sokka, but that happens all the time," Aang said.
"I meant on Igneous Island," she rolled her eyes.
"I'll tell you about it later," Zuko walked over to her and gave her a light kiss.
They parted and Mai stroked his chin stubble.
"What happened to your double beard?" she asked.
Zuko freaked out and started feeling around on his chin for it.
"What? What the hell happened to it," he said franticly.
"I think one of those guys burnt it off when we got into a fight with them," Aang shrugged, "Thought you would've noticed it by now."
Zuko was furious but Mai put her hand on his shoulder.
"It's ok," she soothed him, "You look a lot better without it."
"Wait, I thought you said you liked it," Zuko stared at her.
Mai shrugged, "We all make mistakes."
Mai then looked to the rest of the group, "The cooks said dinner will be ready in twenty minutes. The kids are setting the table right now."
"Thank the spirits," Sokka stood up and stretched, "I'm starving."
"When are you never hungry?" Suki got up and rolled her eyes.
Sokka shrugged and they got out and began walking upstairs for some much needed alone time.
"Let's go, Fire Lord," Mai tugged on Zuko's tunic, "You got some work to do."
"It never ends, does it?" Zuko groaned while walking out with his wife.
"Well, I'm going home," Toph got up.
"You won't stay for dinner?" Katara asked.
"Naw, I've got way too much work to do, sorry," she explained.
"Well, bye," Katara got up and waved as she walked out.
Once everyone was gone Aang got up and wrapped his arms around Katara from behind.
"Did I tell you that you look beautiful today?" he whispered in her ear and kissed the back of her head.
Katara turned in his arms and wrapped her own around his neck, staring into his deep, gray eyes.
"No," she smirked, "But it can't hurt to say it."
Aang smiled and pulled her into a kiss. What started as a light kiss quickly turned into a passionate one as Katara pulled her self as close to him as possible. With their eyes closed and their breathing heavy, they hungrily sucked on each other's lips and tongues, engaged in pure ecstasy. Aang's hands slid down her back and to her rear and pulled her even closer than before earning a gasp from her.
"Uh hm?" Kya cleared her throat as she saw her parents making out in the sitting room.
Aang and Katara, who were so blinded and clouded by their ecstasy, shot their eyes open and jumped at the sound of their daughter's voice.
"Oh, hi Kya," Aang scratched the back of his head nervously.
"Get a room," she rolled her eyes and shook her head before turning to walk away.
Aang and Katara chuckled at what just happened.
"Well?" Aang suggested.
"Well, what?" Katara raised her eyebrow.
"She does have a point," he raised his own eyebrow suggestively.
"We only have, like, fifteen minutes," Katara whispered.
"That's plenty of time."
"For you," she smirked and started to walk away.
"Hey!" Aang called after her, "That's not right."
She stopped and turned towards him.
"Be nice and maybe we'll finish this up later on tonight," she smiled seductively.
"You got it," Aang grinned as she walked away.
Rozin and Kya. Kitchen Wash Room
"This is so degrading," Rozin complained as he dried a plate.
Him and Kya were assigned by Katara to wash and clean the dishes after dinner was over.
"Shut up and keep drying," Kya handed him a wet plate, "You don't have to scrub all this nasty food off."
"Still, this is servant's work," he roughly dried the plate and set in a stack he'd been working on, "And why do our parents keep forcing us to work together?"
"I don't know," she shrugged, "Maybe they want us to get along or something."
"We're going to kill each other, aren't we?"
"That's what I told my mom and you know what she said?"
"What?"
"She said fine, just do it together," she handed him another plate, "Can you believe that?"
Rozin snorted, "Whatever. I have better things to do than pick fights with you."
"Like what?" she struggled to scrub some gunk off her uncle's plate, "The only thing I've seen you do other than fight was practice your firebending. Don't you have any friends?"
"Don't you?" he glared at her.
"I live in the Southern Air Temple with just my brother and my parents," she finished with her uncle's plate and handed it to Rozin, "What's your excuse?"
"I'm not a people person," he dried and set the plate down.
"Aw, is Rozin shy," she teased.
"No," he yelled, "I just don't like people. I don't like talking with them or anything."
She started scrubbing a salad bowl in silence and handed it off to him when she finished.
"What about the other night?" she asked.
"What about it?"
"You went out of your way to talk to me," she said, "You even helped me."
"Yeah, and look how that turned out," he set the bowl on the counter.
"Well, you did act like a nice, normal guy and not a jerk. I liked that."
"Yeah and I screwed that up," Rozin said quietly, "See now why I don't like being with people? I constantly mess things up."
"And what about when we snuck out?" she started on another plate.
"My way of making it up to you guys," he answered, "And even that got messed up."
"It wasn't completely your fault," Kya handed him the plate, "Just bad timing."
"Well it still blew up in my face!" he yelled, "Nothing ever seems to go the way I want it."
"Quit whining for once," she yelled and threw the washcloth in the sink, "You're the Prince of the Fire Nation. In what way could you have a bad life?"
"You don't know what you're talking about," he yelled back, "You don't have to spend your life training and preparing to lead a nation that's responsible for a hundred years of war."
"And you have no idea what it takes to live up to your father like I do. My dad's the Avatar. You think that's easy?"
"At least he's a symbol of good. Millions of people around the world still think my family's evil."
Kya held up her hands, "Just stop. We're not going to fight anymore."
"And why not?" Rozin sneered.
"Because it's pointless!" she exclaimed, "Are we that desperate to fight that now we're complaining about how our lives are? Compared to what our parents had to go through when they were our age, I think we've had pretty good lives so far."
Rozin sighed, "You're right."
Kya nodded, "No more fighting."
She held out her hand.
"Truce?"
Rozin nodded and shook her hand, "Truce."
Kya turned back to continue washing dishes while Rozin waited to dry them.
"Maybe our parents were right about forcing us together," she smirked.
"Don't tell them that," he smirked back.
They both laughed and for the first time since they met, they actually enjoyed each other's company.
Zuko and Mai. The Study
Zuko and Mai were both in the study reading over various reports and other political papers that were strewn across his desk. In addition to the assortment of random papers ink wells, reed pencils, and a stamp of the Fire Lord's seal were also throw about. Zuko read over one of the reports, clenching the parchment in a vice-like grip.
"You know, when I took the role of Fire Lord, on one told me that I would be up to my neck in paperwork," Zuko grumbled.
"What did you expect?" Mai asked as she looked for a clear spot on the desk. The cleanest spot was near the corner and she chose to sit there and watch her husband labor over his paperwork.
"There are reports of armies massing on every island west of Ember Island," Zuko picked up two more papers not even noticing his wife sitting on the desk.
"So what do you want to do?" Mai awkwardly leaned over through the mess.
"We need to pull the military back to friendly territory for the time being," Zuko kept reading over everything, "At least until after the meeting."
"What about the civilians?"
"They'll just have to wait it out for the time being, unfortunately," Zuko sighed, "As much as I'd like to evacuate them, I don't want to risk losing our military in case full out war breaks out."
Mai groaned. She was tired of hearing about politics. The only reason she was there in the middle of the night was to spend time with her husband whom she rarely got to spend time with. She reached out and lightly raked her finger nail over his hand.
"Why don't you call it a night, Zuko?" she whispered, "Everyone's asleep. It's just the two of us."
Mai had gotten up and walked around him to massage his back and nuzzle against the side of his head. Zuko glanced over and turned his head.
"You want something?" he asked, completely oblivious to his wife's actions.
Whatever Mai was feeling before was completely gone now.
"Nothing," she snapped and got up to walk away.
It then hi Zuko what his wife was just doing and he quickly shot up, accidentally knocking over an inkwell over his desk and his wife's dress.
"Crap," he muttered trying to mop up the mess.
"Zuko!" she turned and yelled.
"Wait," he grabbed her hand as she inspected her dress to make sure there was no ink.
"Why? You're obviously so into your work that you can't even spend time with your own wife."
"I'm sorry," he apologized and pulled her to him.
He pushed back his chair and led her on his lap.
"I'm sorry, love," he whispered in her ear.
"You going to ignore me after this?" she raised her eyebrows.
Zuko shook his head, but Mai was still not convinced. He then pulled her closer and began kissing the base of her jaw line repeatedly. As stubborn as Mai was, she couldn't be anymore. Not with him kissing her there and Zuko knew that. Finally she cocked her head over allowing Zuko access to her lips which he eagerly took. Nothing was light or gentle about this. It was rough and passionate as both of them fought each other over their lips and tongues. Mai moaned in complete euphoria as he pulled away from her lips and back to her neck. As he did this, she instinctively found his good ear and started sucking and biting. If Mai's spot was her neck, then Zuko's had to be that right ear. He pulled her wais and pulled her closer as he kept biting and sucking on her neck. His fingers then found the hem of her dress and he slipped his hand up her leg exposing her ivory skin. Mia gasped and pulled away.
"What?" Zuko panted, confused.
"Not here," she breathed, "Upstairs."
Zuko smirked and picked her up bridal style, carrying her off to the bedroom to finish what they'd started.
Agnia Docks
Four days later everyone was preparing to leave for the Southern Air Temple to meet with the leaders of the rest of the world.
"So why does Aang insist on bringing everyone to the meeting?" Mai asked Zuko.
"Safety in numbers, he figures," Zuko shrugged, "I keep telling him that the palace is a fortress but he won't listen. Won't harm anything, though."
Aang had decided earlier to bring the kids along mostly as a way to protect them from the Order of Koh as well as the possible war. For added security he decided to fly the five oldest kids on Appa with him while everyone else rode on the Fire Navy ship.
"So we can trust On Ji with running the country while we're gone?" Mai asked.
"She's one of the few politicians that I can trust with this," Zuko answered.
"I can't wait to go to the Southern Air Temple," Iroh walked up, "I've always told myself that I would see it before I die and here I am."
"We were there before, don't you remember?" Zuko looked at him.
Iroh shrugged to show that he didn't know.
"It was our second stop after I was banished. I was the only one who climbed up the slope to the temple because you would rather drink tea and play your Pai Sho."
"Oh, now I remember," Iroh snapped his fingers, "We won't be climbing up there, will we?"
"Seriously?" Sokka walked up next to Iroh, "I doubt were all going to take turns on Appa getting up there."
"Weren't you listening earlier?" Katara asked.
Sokka shook his head.
Katara groaned, "The ship is loaded up with balloons to take us up there."
"That's why we're leaving earlier," Zuko added, "The world leader will meet us there and they'll be taken up by balloon."
"Oh, now I remember," Sokka jerked his head up.
"Just get on the ship," Zuko rolled his eyes.
"See ya back at the temple, bud," Sokka nodded at Aang who was just finishing loading up the last of the bags onto Appa.
"Take care of them," Zuko nodded as Aang walked over.
"I will," Aang nodded back.
Zuko, Mai, and Iroh turned and followed Sokka up the ramp of the ship leaving Aang and Katara on the dock with Appa and the kids.
"Be safe," Katara said and wrapped her arms around him.
Aang planted a soft kiss on her lips.
"Don't worry, we will," he pulled away, "I love you."
Katara pulled him back for another kiss.
"I love you, too."
"Can we get going already?" Kya yelled from up top of Appa.
"I'm coming," Aang called up there and looked back at Katara, "See you in two days."
He jumped and landed on the back of Appa's head.
"I'm still at a loss as to how this thing flies," Rozin crossed his arms.
Aang turned around, "Just hang on."
He took the reigns and yelled, "Yip, yip."
With a grunt the flying bison levitated in the air and flew off.
Katara watched as Appa and everyone disappeared into the horizon. She then silently walked up the ramp and onto the ship. Shortly after, the ironclad ship cast off and followed the route to the Southern Air Temple.
Aang, Rozin, Kya, Jian, Shaola, Zek. Flying on Appa
If there was one thing Kya loved, it was flying. For as long as she's been alive she loved being in the air. She remembered when she was younger her father would take her flying with his glider. How she longed to be an airbender so she can soar in the air forever.
As the wind rushed through her hair she turned and looked at Rozin who was grasping the edge of the saddle for dear life.
"Never flown before?" she grinned.
He looked at her with terrified eyes, "A few time in a balloon. Didn't like it then, don't like it now."
She crawled over to him and sat on his left.
"It can actually get real peaceful up here," she said.
"Let me know when that happens," he groaned.
"Ok, this is too weird," Jian said from the other side of the saddle, "A couple of days ago you two couldn't be in the same house together. Now you're sitting next to each other and being nice?"
"I guess we made peace with each other," Kya shrugged.
"Good," Shaola said, "I don't think I could've taken another day of you two fighting and arguing all the time."
"You guys are going to love the Southern Air Temple," Kya looked at Rozin and Zek.
"Better not be boring," Zek groaned.
"We could play bending ball," Kya offered.
"What's bending ball?"
"It's like air ball, but since none of us are airbenders, we modified the rules to work for all benders."
"I'm not big on sports,' Zek leaned back.
"And, news flash, only three of us are benders," Jian said.
"We'll figure something out," Kya said optimistically.
"I hope so because the last time we went up there we were hopelessly bored," Shaola groaned in her attempt to sound like Zek.
Zek caught this and opened his eyes, raising an eyebrow.
"You weren't bored," Jian noted, "You took a pretty nice fall off ledge causing Uncle Aang to fly down and save you."
"Yeah, but that was traumatizing," Shaola exclaimed.
"We told you to stay away from the ledge."
"I was six!"
Everyone, including the Fire Nation Princes, started to laugh causing Shaola to blush a deep red.
"It's ok, Shaola," Rozin said, "When Zek was eight he thought he could balance on the railing on one of the ships. A big wave then hit it and rocked the ship making him to loose balance and fall down into the water. My dad had to jump in to pull him out. The ship wasn't moving or anything but Zek was shivering and crying when he got pulled out."
"I was shivering because it was the middle of winter," Zek defended himself, "And I didn't cry."
"Yeah, you did," Rozin smirked, "I was there."
"I thought you said you wouldn't tell anyone about that?" Zek sat up.
Rozin shrugged, "Must've slipped my mind."
"Well, in that case, you all want to know what Rozin does when he's alone?" he asked everyone.
"Shut up," Rozin glared.
"The mighty Fire Prince is a poet," Zek smirked.
"I don't write poetry!" Rozin yelled as the others laughed at this unexpected hobby he had.
"Well what do you write, Haiku Master?" Kya smirked.
Rozin sighed. He knew he couldn't lie and try to escape the answer.
"I'm a songwriter," he lowered his head and mumbled.
Everyone laughed harder.
"For some reason I can't picture you as a songwriter," Kya smiled at him.
Rozin lifted up his head, "Well, I am related to Iroh."
The kids laughed and joked together, telling stories of their pasts and just having a genuinely good time. Aang glanced back and couldn't help but smile as their friendship reminded him of his legendary one. Maybe this one will have the power to change the world as his did.
A/N: What do you know, I'm not late on posting this time. Nice, little quiet chapter before things start to get ugly. And as the show does, this story will have a few chapters that are split into mutiple parts. Peace, my friends.