Disclaimer: I do not own avatar, nor do I make any profit from this story
Arc II
Rating: T
Chapter 8: Silver Ends
Katara and Zuko
Zuko led Mai to the gardens. He wanted to finish with her quickly so he could find Katara before she went to sleep for the night.
Mai seemed perfectly content to leave their conversation alone until he started it. He felt a surge of annoyance over her lack of haste, and then he chastised himself. It wasn't like she had any idea what she was keeping him from.
She sat on the stone edge of a fountain. Zuko watched as she pulled her skirts away in distaste upon seeing the water and the small fish swimming around in the fountain's basin. For some reason he felt vaguely offended.
He remained standing and surveyed Mai in silence. She was rather pretty, with dark hair and pale skin. Her smooth even features reminded him of the porcelain dolls young girls were so fond of. The perfect example of Fire Nation Nobility. Her father was a powerful governor in the court. He managed the Fire Nation's largest province, Ji Lung.
Mai had been close friends with his sister as children, so he knew her better than he did most nobles. For the same reason he had avoided her after his sister's self exile. She lacked the blatant cruelty of Azula, but he was wary of the malicious amusement he sometimes saw in her eyes.
She smiled up at him very slightly, and out of courtesy, he smiled back.
"What did you need Mai?"
Mai smiled again. "Its been so long since we talked, and I wanted to inquire after you, especially considering the recent…disruption in your life."
Disruption? What did she mean…Oh.
Katara.
"I'm perfectly fine. This union will benefit the Fire Nation greatly." He really was unsure why she had wished to speak to him of, typically, this kind of useless pandering was usually done where people could see royalty's favorable response.
Mai stood, standing only a few inches below him and she looked into his eyes.
"It's such a shame the sacrifice you have to make for your country." She smiled. "I greatly admire you for it. I wouldn't have been able to give everything I want for some...one."
Zuko raised an eyebrow at how easily she had slipped in an insult without outright offending.
Clearly she had been prepared to enunciate a different end to her sentence.
Musing on her meanings for the meeting, Zuko missed her hesitant step forward.
Lips not his own pressed coldly to his mouth. He had shut his eyes in an effort to muster his patience and the contact caught him off guard. He pushed her away abruptly.
"Control yourself, Mai." His anger was building, but he could little afford any strife between her family and his.
She stepped back and a shadow crossed her face. She paused. Almost as if preparing to say something she found distasteful. "Why do you deny yourself? There is so much more I could give you that she could only dream of. I'm your willing servant." She got on her knees before him, her head bowed. "Use me." She took his hand between her own and kissed the back of it.
He pulled it away as if he had been was unlike Mai to throw herself at him. She was far too proud.
He narrowed his eyes.
What put her up to this?
Or better yet, who?
"You shame us both with your conduct. I am engaged, and you will do well to remember it. Lady Katara is my fiance. I expect," his eyes narrowed, "you will give her due respect in the future."
Mai's eyes hardened at his obvious rejection. "There is no love between either of you. Why would you deny yourself pleasure from a woman," she lowered her eyes, "who loves you?"
He started at her confession. He had never determined any sign of affection from her. He was fairly certain he had not encouraged any either. It was true that most of the court had expected him to choose her as his bride, but that was merely because of her father's wealth and high standing, and because of her close association with the royal family as a child.
He would hardly be surprised if her father hadn't been the one who encouraged this advance. Bold confessions were not the norm for Mai.
"Mai…"
She turned away harshly at his tone. She spoke in a low voice. "I was raised to be the next Fire Lady. My father was going to approach you with the offer on the solstice." She looked over her shoulder at him, snickering."Would have been auspicious, he said, Imagine our shock and dismay when we learned of the treaty. I had always admired you from afar, and your kindness to me when we were children made me hope…" She took a shuddering breath. "I would still have you. Even now. Your marriage means nothing to me. "
Of Course.
Even without a title, a position as his Mistress would go a far way to securing favors for her family.
Zuko's eyes narrowed.
At least, that must be her father's thought process behind encouraging his daughter to make an emotional appeal.
Zuko began backing away shaking his head. He turned from her. Never had he expected to have his faithfulness to Katara tested so soon. He was a man, and to have a beautiful woman offer herself up with no strings attached, seemed too good to be true.
Her voice called after him. "It's your right as royalty! What is stopping you?"
It struck him suddenly why this meant so much to her. It was possible she even sought to upset Katara's position by bearing him a child.
He paused his steps but did not turn around. "Honor."
He left her standing by the fountain, miserable and humiliated, with the pond dancing in the silver moonlight behind her.
Katara stood in her room, gazing out into the clear night sky.
Zuko had tried to catch her, she knew that, but she was in no mood to see him, let alone speak to him. Mai's words and actions replayed in her mind. It had struck her suddenly that she knew next to nothing about the Prince. Her heart had been buoyed by the sight of him and his concern over her, but the mysteries he presented were like an arrow striking her hope and deflating it instantly.
She had been foolish. She knew better by now than to let her hope sweep her away. Zuko was a complete stranger and there was no use pretending otherwise. Such as it was, she didn't feel inclined to let him explain anything. She didn't owe him anything. She came here to fulfill the terms of a political alliance, and had let her romantic fantasies of a dashing prince lead her astray. She would be civil and honor her side of the agreement, but there would be no more wondering about who he was or about what he thought of her.
She shuddered.
She almost immediately discarded her previous thoughts.
This was absolutely hopeless. Trapped between her endless curiosity and need for companionship, there was no way to avoid becoming tangled up in his darkness and intrigue. It was not in her nature to be so numb towards a person, and she knew it would be cruel to shut herself off from him.
She hated to admit it, but she knew they had to have something between them other than empty promises and a piece of paper. Thus she would guard her heart and her easily swayed emotions.
Whatever happened in their marriage, she would think before she acted, analyze every move and choose the best course of action from there.
She wanted a good marriage, despite her doubts and his flaws, and the discord that already grew between them.
She longed for the gentle side he had shone her at first. Staring at her in quiet awe, obviously pleased at her delight in the turtleducks. That was a man she could love. She never expected romance to play out between them, but his tenderness had struck a cord within her, sending her hopes high before they crashed in a shattered heap on the ground. She had realized her biggest flaw after Jet's betrayal.
I'm still so young.
She was far too trusting. Here she was, contradicting herself every other moment, and placing complete faith in Zuko to be a good man. Where was the reason she could trust him? She had already learned that a man's words meant little, and yet here she stood, going on nothing but his word.
Katara had never been terribly patient, but it seemed that the only thing she could do was wait. The solution to her situation would reveal itself in time. Until then she would try her best to honor her people. She could not control her emotions any more than she could change his, but she prayed to Tui she would not be hurt again.
Water was the element of change. She would follow her element's example, adapting to whatever the spirits threw her way. She would learn what she could about Zuko without losing herself in him.
Zuko stopped before the door that marked Katara's bedroom.
He pressed his ear against the wood, straining his hearing to determine whether she slept.
The door opened and he fell inward, at the feet of a very surprised Katara.
She stared down at him, her eyes wide.
He studied her. She was wearing a soft, smooth looking nightgown that fell to her knees, showing small, muscled calves the same alluring color as her face and hands. His eyes crept up her figure slowly until he realized his position allowed for a glimpse higher on her legs. He jumped up abruptly, startled at his thoughts and the very real and slightly disturbing temptation they brought on.
She finally spoke.
"Prince Zuko?"
He realized that he really hadn't planned what to say to her when he finally caught her alone.
"May I come in?" It was a foolish question really, considering he was already inside.
Katara nodded, shutting the door before turning her attention to him. She raised an eyebrow.
He immediately felt foolish, but decided to press on anyway. "I wished to apologize for my actions earlier."
Katara stiffened and walked past him before settling herself on the chaise. He walked to remain in front of her, and couldn't help but be reminded of a similar situation only minutes ago.
She refused to meet his gaze and he felt disheartened.
"Katara."
She tensed.
She cleared her throat and he shook himself out of his daze.
"Lady Katara," he began again, hoping the formality would set her at ease. "I overreacted. This situation is uncomfortable for both of us and I snapped at you without knowing the full details. It was none of my business and yet I still pressed you." He lowered his head, attempting to catch her eyes. She did not look up.
He pressed on, uncomfortable with the admission it had taken him all day to come to terms with.
"It was concern...for your well being," he continued stiffly.
His obvious discomfort seemed to catch her attention.
At her gaze, he began to ramble, awkwardly, trying to explain himself. "My uncle warned you I am prone to shutting myself off, and sharing myself with you will be difficult for me for quite some time. And I" He bowed his head. The words had come easily enough until the actual apologizing part.
Quite typical for his station.
"I am sorry."
She did not speak for a long time.
He felt awkward.
Not even a day and you've screwed up.
"You arse."
His head snapped up in surprise. That was definitely not the reaction he had suspected.
She stood, going over to the window and hugging herself.
"You have the nerve to ask for my forgiveness over a trifle case of nerves and displaced anger, and yet you ignore your conduct with Lady Mai?" She turned to face him once more, and he was pinned by the hurt he saw in her blue eyes. "She has already made your relationship clear. The least you could have done was told me, rather than choosing to lie." Her gaze hardened and her shoulders stiffened. "As you said you have the right to every woman you want."
He stared at her in disbelief. She thought that he and Mai…? He felt relieved at once. Mai's petty jealousy had caused her to lash out and mislead Katara, but such a simple misunderstanding could be cleared up immediately. He laughed at the absurdity of it all. It was much more easing to clear up something he had no fault in.
Ignoring the fact that technically you just kissed Mai.
She immediately glared at him.
He shook his head before coming to stand before her. Katara's eyebrows raised at their proximity, but she allowed it. "She lied," he said simply and he watched as her eyes widened. Apparently she hadn't even considered that.
He chuckled again. She pouted unconsciously and he suddenly realized how close they were. His breath teased the short curls that framed her face. Her eyes widened as if she too realized their proximity. His gaze fell to her lips, slightly parted to release a soft breath that tickled his neck.
He was a male after all. She had the allure of mystery all these months and now she was here.
Zuko could hardly call her unpleasing.
The urge was too strong. The Fire Prince had the random idea that he wanted to know if her lips were chapped from her icy home. He knew he found her attractive, but he thought it odd he already wished to kiss her. Had the encounter with Mai stirred something within him?
The contact with Mai had been unwanted, but he longed for companionship nonetheless.
He leaned towards her slowly, testing her limits, shocked at himself. He had not expected this in the slightest, a compelling attraction that urged him to discover the foreign entity before him.
Curiosity kills the turtleduck Zuzu.
"Katara!"
They both spun around at Sokka's voice.
He looked absolutely murderous.
Zuko bowed to Katara, before whispering, "Good night."
He rushed past her brother, unwilling to cause any more trouble than necessary.
Katara was stunned. Had they really almost…?
Sokka was glaring at her with his arms crossed. "What do you think you were doing?"
"I have no idea."
Spirits if that was not the truth.
Sokka snorted at her tone, but shook his head when he saw her dazed look.
"Don't even start. You know nothing about him! I really shouldn't have put off talking to him this long."
"Its fine, Sokka."
"No! What I he tries to…you know…"
She glanced at her brother, amused with his embarrassment. "Tries to what?"
"Seduce you!"
She laughed out loud. Sokka looked quite indignant.
"I love you, Sokka."
"I'm being serious Katara!"
"I know."
He continued to rant about the dangers of older men, not taking heed ofcurse climbing into bed and extinguishing her beside lamp.
"Are you even listening to me?"
"Always dear brother, always. Good night."
And she let him find his way out in the dark, giggling when she heard his muffled curse as he ran into her desk.
The moon glowed silver beyond the glass window panes, and Katara slept.
