A small pale hand trailed against the wall as it's owner crept her way down the Royal Hall. She knew exactly where the waterbender's room was, at the very end of the hall, next to the one with the gigantic golden doors with small red detailing. She glanced around at the countless amount of doors in the hall, surprised that there could ever be so much royalty in one palace. She shook her head and returned to slinking down the hall. The moon was high in the sky, making this trip easier for her as no one, not even her lover, knew that she was out of her bed, seeking the waterbender. She came to the door and slowly opened it. She peaked in and found the girl sitting at her desk, looking into the oval mirror that was in front of her. Her hands rested on the desk top and in them was her mother's betrothal necklace.
The girl smiled sadly, poor Katara, losing her mother, and therefore her childhood all because of her waterbending. She quietly closed the door behind her and steeped over to the somber lady whose gaze remained fixed at the necklace. The intruder smiled and reached her hand out and touched Katara's shoulder, her hand slowly moving upwards against her neck.
Katara jumped. "Suki! I hate it when you do that!" she exclaimed, giggling all the while.
"You do not, you love it!" She winked and sat beside her sister-in-law. "Missing your mother?"
Katara opened her mouth the speak but stopped herself. Should she mention the engagement? "Actually, I'm thinking about taking it off permanently."
Suki's eyes widened. "Why would you do that, Katara?"
She gulped. "Because Zuko..."
"Wait what?" Suki gasped
"The evening that you arrived on, Zuko asked me to be his Fire Lady, and I accepted."
"Oh La!" Suki gasped again. "Why didn't you tell us right away?"
Katara shrugged, "I guess I just didn't want to. It's not official until he gives me a betrothal necklace, right?" She glanced at her sister as she stared at her in shock.
The Kyoshi warrior shook her head to gather her thoughts. "No, not at all. Granted, the public maybe more pleased if you had one, but it's official whenever you want it to be."
Katara nodded, looking in the mirror. "I want it to be, but I'm worried. This would be the most important marriage in centuries, two opposite elements marrying each other. Everyone from around the world would be there, King Boomi, King Keui, my father, The Northern and Southern Water Tribes, and even Huu and the other swamp people. So many people will want to attend..."
Suki shrugged. "So? You love Zuko don't you?"
Katara nodded quickly. "Without a doubt, more than anything in the world."
"Then, why does the size of the audience matter? Besides, what you should be worrying about is the kids. Fire or water?"
"Or both?" Katara joked, knowing that the chance of that happening was even rarer thank Sokka not eating for two days.
"When are you going to tell Sokka?" she asked, fingering her nails.
Katara sighed, "I'll see if Zuko wants to tell him tomorrow, we'll try to do it when all three of you are together."
Suki nodded. "Now, why are you over here and not..." she pointed into Zuko's rooms.
"Oh, after nearly getting caught in the garden a few days ago we decided to lay low for a little while," she explained with a small giggle, thinking back to the embarrassing incident. She couldn't quite explain why, but that man had looked vaguely familiar. The way he spoke, stood, even stared gave her the chills. "Anyway, Suki, what's the real reason you came to my rooms?"
"Rooms? There's more than one?" she asked, looking around. "I'm kidding, just trying to pull a Sokka...but I came in here because on the boat ride over here, Toph told me that I'm carrying triplets, but that one of their hearts isn't beating as fast as the others. Katara, I'm only asking that you be there when I give birth and help this little one survive."
"Suki, just how long do you plan to stay here?" Katara asked. "You're only what...seven months along?"
"More like eight and a half..."
"Suki! You should not have been traveling! What if something had happened? You could have hurt yourself and the babies!"
"Katara, I knew the risks, but I had to take this chance, I wanted you to be there for the birth," Suki defended, shrugging as she did. "But, Katara, will you help me?"
She nodded, "Of course I will, Suki. Now, I'm tired and I think I'm going to get some sleep. You should too, Suki, you need to be ready to birth at any moment."
She nodded and hugged her sister. "Thank you, Katara"
Katara nodded and watched her leave the room. She yawned and made her way over to her bed, ploping down on it and falling into a fast slumber.
All was quiet as the love of the Fire Lord slept in her room, the curtains rustled against the soft breeze, they didn't even rustle when a dark figure pushed her way through them. The nearly full moon glowed into her room, giving it plenty of light. The fires had been extinguished, due to the waterbending master that disliked them.
Apon the intruder's person were 14 knives and dagger's hidden about her body, the most obvious being the ones hidden in her sleeves. She flicked her wrist and one came out, nicking her palm as it did. She swore and dropped the knife, making it clatter to the ground. the woman froze and looked at the waterbender, who merely shifted in her sleep. She picked up the dagger and made her way to the barbarian's side
"So, finally the whore is at her weakest, sleeping soundly while her competition stands over her, ready to slit her throat," she whispered evilly, hoping that the bender would wake up. When she didn't, she climbed up onto the bed and straddled her, the dagger positioned at her throat.
Katara's eyes snapped open and the girl was thrown to the floor. Water was quickly at her hands, pulled from the pitcher that she kept at her beside. She stood, stepping away from the woman on the floor. The woman quickly sprang up and smirked, "Hello Katara."
"Mai," she hissed, flinging her water whip at the noble. "What do you want?"
She made no response but started flinging daggers at Katara while she attempted to dodge them, since there wasn't enough water for a thick wall of ice. But eventually one dagger hit its mark.
Katara cried out in pain, falling to the floor. She pulled the dagger from her shoulder and flung it back at Mai, completely missing her. She cackled and stood over the whimpering waterbender. "So quick to fall?" she sneered.
Just then the hidden door adjoining the rooms for the Fire Lord and his Lady burst open, and a ball of flame followed it, sending Mai sprawling.
"Katara, oh Agni, Katara!" he shouted, rushing to her side. "Are you okay?"
"Zuko look out!" Katara cried out. He ducked and glared at his ex. He slowly stood and took a fighting stance.
"You don't want to do this, Mai," he hissed.
"Oh, but Zuko, I do. She took my throne from me, she took you from me, she took everything!" she screamed, charging at the two for she had run out of knives. But then she stopped and fell to the floor.
"Zuko, get the guards," Katara gasped, as she struggled to keep her concentration.
Zuko did as she said and Mai was taken away, but Katara didn't get to see this for she passed out before the guards even had Mai in their grasp.
Katara woke with a gasp. She bolted upright and looked about her rooms, no one was there. There was no blood stain on the floor, and the balcolny was empty. She brushed away her hair that was plastered to her sweaty forehead. Just a dream, only a dream.
But it had seemed so real. The pain, the shock, Zuko's grasp as she laid there on the floor...it all felt familiar.
"Katara? Are you all right?" Zuko stood next to their doorway, concern apparent on his tired face.
She started to nod, but then quickly started shaking her head as tears began to stream down her face. She curled up against him as he sat beside her, chanting, "It seemed so real, it seemed so real," until she was able to speak yet again. "Zuko, La, it was horrible. Mai attacked me in a dream I had, oh La, it seemed so real."
Zuko nodded, "But it wasn't, Katara you're safe here."
She shook her head. "Zuko, I don't feel safe in this giant room all by myself. Not after that nightmare...not after that."
"Tell me about it, Tara," he said, kissing her temple
She told him about it, every single detail. He flinched when she told him about how the pain in her shoulder had felt so real, and that as the dagger sank in, all she could think about was the pain she felt when the lightning had hit his chest. She didn't think anything could feel worse than that...yet it did. She mentioned how her blood bending had caused her to pass out, and that is probably felt the most realistic.
She shook her head. "I could feel her blood pumping Zuko...it wasn't like any normal blood bending dream...what if she was really there?" she asked, her whole body shivering at the thought.
Zuko shook his head. "No, its impossible for her to get in, she would have been recognized. I banned her from the palace, remember?"
Katara nodded. "Yes, but there are still rebels, Zuko," she reminded him. "But, can I please share your bed tonight? I'm too afraid to sleep alone."
Zuko nodded. "I'll lock our joined door and the one to the balcony if you wish, Katara." He placed his arm around her and helped her off the bed.
She nodded, thankful that previous Fire Lords had been through so many assassination attempts, that their room was the only in the Royal Hall to have a door that could lock to their balcony.
The two made their way to his rooms. He locked the doors, just as he promised, and Katara fell asleep in his arms with little problem. However, Zuko laid awake, wondering if the noises he had heard were in fact the noises from someone attempting to kill his fiancee. Either way, he knew he was never letting her out of his sight until he was sure she was safe.
And for good reason, for what the two didn't know, was that a small, frail looking woman was lurking in the shadows of the Fire Lady's chambers, cursing blood bending as well as Zuko for ruining her plans. She carressed the pillow that had originally comforted the waterbender's head.
"Soon, our places will change," she sneered. She let out a cry and took her dagger to the pillow, tearing it to shreds. Then she left, escaping into the night.
By far, the longest I've done. I hope to get more than one review on this :( My story doesn't suck that much does it?
Doesn't she seem crazy like a certain girl that can generate lightning? Hmm maybe Mai has been taking to Azula a bit too much...
Anyway, review my dears and I'll get one more up before I leave for vacation :)
