Thank you so much for all the reviews. I love the way this story is going. I love it a lot more than my other one which is now complete. THANK GOD!!! It was getting very tiring just looking at a blank page that was supposed to be a chapter. But something neat that happened this weekend was that my Fiance found my Ever After DVD. It went missing and I've been having to write this plot from memory but now I don't have to. I think I've prattled on enough, here is the next chapter... Enjoy...

Chapter 6 Feelings?

Katara was awoken early the next morning by Azula. "Get up you nasty little thing," she scolded, "You need to get up and clean. And then go outside and wash up in the back. I have some clothes for you to wear."

Katara opened her eyes sleepily. She looked at Azula for a moment, and then rolled over and went back to sleep. Azula's jaw dropped. "How dare you disobey me!? Get up or I'll use my whip on you. NOW!"

She kicked Katara in the side. Katara sat up instantly. She tried not to cry. Azula smiled. "Now that I have your attention, I need you to clean the house and clean yourself."

"What for?" Katara asked smartly.

Azula pretended not to hear her. "Just do it," she ordered.

She went upstairs leaving Katara to nurse her bruised side. Katara winced when she touched it. It was already turned a dark color. She cursed under her breath and began to make her way upstairs. Mai and Tylee had already cleaned themselves and chosen their finest clothes to wear. Mai looked very beautiful in her red silk dress. Tylee looked like a giant pink cake in her dress full of ruffles. Katara tried not to laugh at her appearance. Azula threw a pile of green robes at her. "Here these are some of Tylee's old clothes. She can't fit into them anymore, so you will wear them when we have company like today."

Although Katara already knew who was coming she felt like giving Azula a hard time. "Who is coming madam?" she asked.

Azula gave an angry sigh. "The Prince of the Fire Nation if you must know. Now then get to work. He will be joining us for dinner as well so make something edible."

Katara ignored this last comment. She tied her hair back with the green sash Azula had given her. "Why are you covering your hair like that?" Tylee asked.

Katara thought quickly. "Why, do you like it?" she asked.

Mai smiled slightly. "Oh yes Katara. It looks wonderful you should wear it like that all the time," she said in an approving voice.

Katara smiled and touched her hair gently. She went into the kitchen. As soon as she was out of the room Mai and Tylee laughed. "It's amazing that she could look so bad without our help," Mai told Tylee.

Tylee giggled again. "Yes I know, I think it's funny that she's actually going to wear her hair like that more often."

The two of them sipped their tea and giggled some more. Azula smiled approvingly at her daughters. The two of them were slightly opposite so surely the Prince would call on one of them. She sealed the letter she had been working on and looked towards the corner that several candleholders had been. She sighed. Those were missing too. If she didn't do something soon everything she'd brought from the South Pole would be missing. Azula looked out the window at Sokka and Suki. It wasn't fair seeing them together. She had been happy with Hakoda. She loved him enough to leave her Nation and travel back with him to his. Now all she had left were a few trinkets and an ungrateful step-daughter who was so much like him.

Zuko yawned as he and his retinue rode out to meet Miss Azula and her daughters. The rhino he had taken from them growled at several of his men. He thought about the servant he had bribed into not telling on him. Hopefully he wouldn't get her into trouble. Zhao boomed with laughter. He seemed excited about something. Zuko touched the small package he had brought with him. It contained the necklace he'd bought for Kana. He knew he wouldn't be seeing her today but carrying the gift made him feel closer to her. For some reason he kept thinking about Kana. He had to keep reminding himself that she was his friend. A wonderful friend who had changed him from a selfish boy into a caring man. Since their encounter he wated to help his Nation as much as he could. He had even asked his uncle if it was possible to invite the whole capital. His uncle had agreed. "Zuko," Zhao called.

Zuko looked back at his friend. Zhao rode along side Zuko. "What do you know of this family?" he asked.

The rhino he was riding slowed just a little. He sighed, "I know that she has two daughters and has lived in the South Pole for the past few years."

Suddenly a thought hit him. "Zhao do you remember me telling you that Kana was staying with her cousins?"

Zhao nodded. Zuko felt a smile spread across his whole face. "Perhaps they are the cousin's she was talking about. After all Miss Azula married a Southern Water Tribe man. Maybe they are family."

Filled with anticipation Zuko quickened his pace. He had to get there so he could ask about Kana.

Katara had just finished making a loaf of warm bread. She placed it on the table with some milk and butter. Outside she could hear Zuko's retinue. He was here. She ran to the kitchen and out the back door. Sokka looked at her with confusion. Suki shrugged her shoulders and went back to pulling carrots from the ground. Katara splashed water on her face, arms and legs. The flour and dirt mixture melted away. She turned around and ran back inside through the kitchen. Azula nodded at the sight of her daughters. She gave Katara a glance and grimaced at her appearance. Even in rags she looked beautiful. She would just have to keep her locked in the kitchen. Azula opened the door to an amazing sight. Prince Zuko was dismounted from his rhino and was smiling at the open door. Azula noted he was looking at Mai. "Your highness," she said bowing.

Mai and Tylee followed their mother's example. Katara stood stiff. She felt herself blush from her head to her toes. Zuko was wearing his royal armor and his hair was pulled back with a gold and red diadem in it. There was something different about him. Something she couldn't think of. Something she couldn't put her finger on. Was it...? No it couldn't be... Could it really be...? Azula slapped Katara's side. Katara winced and fell to her knees. "Your highness," she murmmered.

Zuko saw Katara wince. She seemed in more pain than she should have been. He noticed that the pearl he had given her was hanging from a piece of chord as a necklace. Catching her eyes he motioned at his neck for her to hide it. Right away the pearl necklace disappeared behind her robes. Zuko smiled and walked forward. Azula and her daughters rose. Katara stayed on the ground. "Rise," Zuko told her.

Katara rose but kept her eyes on the ground. She made sure her hair was covered before turning away and heading back to the kitchen. As soon as she was out of sight she let loose a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Was it possible? Was she really?

Zuko was seated at the head of the table between Mai and Tylee with Miss Azula at the other end. "So as I was saying," he continued, "I am very sorry that I stole your rhino, but I needed to get back into town in a hurry. My friend was missing as well and I was in a state of panic."

"Do not worry about it, your highness," Azula told him.

Mai smiled. "May I fill your glass sire?" she asked.

Zuko smiled. "Yes, thankyou..."

"Mai," she answered pouring him a glass of rosewater sweetened with sugar.

"Mai," he repeated.

She bowed her head and rose her eyes back to his slowly. Zuko was intrigued with this girl. She was attractive that was for sure, but something about her made him cautious. Kana floated through his mind. He shook his head. He wouldn't allow himself to think of his feelings for her. He really didn't know what they meant. "So how long did you live in the South Pole?" he asked.

Mai began a long drawn out speech about how horrid the South Pole was. It was during this time that Katara came out of the kitchen and began to set large amounts of food on the table. She hesitated as she came out. He didn't notice how close Mai had been sitting next to him, but obviously Katara had. For some reason her eyes on him made him feel uncomfortable. Almost like Kana was looking at him. She looked an awful lot like Kana. Maybe she was the cousin. Katara had to be. That meant Kana was here. Katara walked out of sight. Zuko went back to listening to Mai.

Katara leaned against the wall in the kitchen. For some reason she didn't like the way Mai was sitting next to Zuko. What was this feeling overcoming her? Was it jealousy? But why? It wasn't like he loved her. He was her friend. A good friend. She went back to gathering things to set the table. As she entered the dining area she heard Zuko talking. "In just a matter of days I'm celebrating my birthday and my uncle insists that I hold a ball. I have agreed to a masque. And at this ball I'm supposed to choose a bride or I will be forced to marry the Earth Kingdom Princess. I would like to invite the household to the ball."

Katara's face lit up. The entire household meant she could go too. Azula saw Katara's face. "Surely you mean us and not the servants?" she asked.

"No," Zuko said shaking his head, "I mean all of you."

He rose his glass in a toast to Katara who had just placed the main course on the table. She blushed again, and turned to leave. "Where are you going?" Zuko asked.

Katara spun around quickly. "I'm leaving you and the family to eat, sire," she answered.

Zuko was shocked by her answer. "Please join us," he told her.

Katara looked to Azula, who looked as though she had been force fed poison. Slowly she nodded. Katara lowered her head and sat down as far away as she could from the Prince. Throughout all of dinner she ate only a bite of bread and cheese. She drank water and stayed silent, as Mai and Tylee competed for attention. At the end of dinner and the day she cleared away the table as the others entertained Zuko with stories and jokes. He seemed very at ease with Mai. Katara thought she would scream. What was she feeling? Why was she so jealous of Mai?

Later that evening Zuko bid his goodbyes to the family and the servants. He kissed Mai's hand and mounted his rhino. "Thankyou for today," he told them.

His retinue mounted their rhinos and started ahead of him. He bowed his head once more and rode away. As soon as he was out of sight Azula turned to Katara. She slapped her across the face. "Downstairs now!" she ordered.

Katara ran before Azula could hit her again. When she made it downstairs she pulled her pearl from her hiding spot. She cradled it in her hand and cried. What was this feeling? Why did she ache on the inside? Why did she want to cry when she saw Zuko with Mai? What was this feeling? Could this be love?