'Ello all! Hope you're all enjoying your weekend, and I hope this chapter will make it a little better :)
Thanks to all my lovely reviewers, IceQueen794, aLegendary, KnightOwl247, , Guest, Guest, kawaii25, googly gummy worms, luce18, JoinTheDarkSideofMagic, CutestTrex, Guest, StarDust1897, TheWinterGoddess, Jayfeather is my spirit animal, XxShadowfangxX, lovelyradical, Avidfan13
Guest: I mean, who wouldn't want dessert and Katara needs some girl-bonding...
Guest: I hadn't really. I mean, I hadn't thought much about it, tbh. But, just know they had a much more fun evening. Zuko probably took her to an underground fighting ring or something...maybe had to stop Toph from jumping in there herself lol
Guest- Yeppers.
Avidfan13- She'll pop up again, don't you worry. And yes, I did write that thinking of 'The Headband'. And yes, there will be a chapter coming up in which Katara sees Zuko's room. But that's all I'll say!
Major thanks to my beta hepchaton for making these chapters better for all of you readers!
"I personally don't even like tea," Nadhari whispered to no one as the group of five girls were escorted down the hall for their 'Top Five' award.
"Last I checked, no one asked you," Mai said evenly.
"You could have always stayed behind," Katara added, annoyed. Annoyed at Nadhari, and annoyed (but mostly surprised) that she agreed with Mai on literally anything.
"Well, perhaps you've never had tea done right," Toph said, "I for one, like tea." Slowly, Katara could see 'normal Toph' slip under the 'good Toph' ruse. Katara figured that Toph thought that since Zuko knew, and was fine with it, why pretend anymore?
"I've had it done right," Nadhari said, tugging on her dress, "And I'd be an idiot to say no to a private meeting with the Prince's family, even if it is the weaker faction," She added softly.
"'Private' as in four others," Toph rolled her eyes. Katara bit her lip. She disliked how Nadhari talked, especially when it was so clear that Zuko adored his uncle and cousin. Besides, she had it on good authority that what Zhi was teaching them went down within Zuko's family wasn't all that had happened. Zuko would tell her, one day, but it seems like a touchy subject. She just has a hard time imagining someone seeing Iroh as 'weak'.
"Haven't you heard about how powerful his uncle is? And don't you live in Ba Sing Se?" Yue asked, a tone of slight mocking even poking through her usually kind voice.
Nadhari stiffened. "Why?"
"Well, we all know why," Mai laughed behind a hand, "Weaker, Iroh is not. You'll do well to bite your tongue." She instructed sharply. Katara wondered if Mai knew what had happened at the infamous fight. Either way, she'd grown up with this family, so she would know that Iroh was more than he seemed.
Nadhari muttered something no one paid attention to. Toph, walking behind her, stuck her tongue out. Yue even had to hide a laugh as a cough.
"What a treat, I don't know what Nadhari's talking about." Yue murmured to Katara, "And two Water Tribe in the top 5! This is unprecedented."
"So I've heard," Katara said. In fact, that's all she'd heard- from Aiga, Zhi, the papers, the girls. She'd gone around to ask how she could have possibly made it to number one when it seemed she hadn't done much at all. She asked many girls and got many different answers.
From Aiga: "Before the competition started, a newspaper was released with a little bit of information on each girl- like their age, their tribe, where they live, and such like that."
From Yue: "The public likes the Water Tribe. They don't know much about us."
From Suki: "There's always someone here watching, reporting back. Even if it's in the shadows for extra money. Just because you don't see a 'reporter', doesn't mean that the public doesn't know almost everything about us and what goes on here."
From Toph: "Word got out about your punch-punchy fighting. I like these people. They seem to appreciate a good warrior."
Katara wasn't sure if she believed any of them. But, here she was, number one. And, Nadhari, Mai, and Bhairavi (who didn't even make top 5) were not, which made it all a little better.
"She's probably just bitter she's not number one." Katara waved a hand, referring to the way Nadhari was still arguing with Toph about what constituted 'good tea'.
Yue made a quiet noise of agreement that only Katara and Toph were privy to.
"Ladies!" Iroh was waiting for them, grin as wide as his face, "I'm so pleased you could come today."
"Our schedules aren't so full that we couldn't enjoy tea," Toph said, looking genuinely excited.
"There's always time for tea," Lu Ten came out to welcome them as well, "as my father says."
Inside of the tea room, there was a traditional tea setup: a low table with seven large pillows arranged around it as seating.
"Can I take off my shoes?" Toph took no time asking. Katara thought it was a bold move. She wasn't sure if she'd ask the Royal Family if she could undress.
"That's unsanitary," Mai said in a low disapproving tone. Instead, Iroh looked bemused.
"Whatever for?"
"Well, I'm blind," Toph made an exaggerated motion, "And it's sort of how I see, you see?" Now she had the attention of the group. She took off one slipper, slammed her foot onto the ground and wiggled her toes on the carpet. She then proceeded to describe in perfect detail where everyone was in the room, including furniture.
"By all means! What an amazing trait. You must be quite self-sufficient."
"Yeah," Toph stuffed her slippers into her dress, "It's the least I could do. Otherwise, I'm not sure how I'd survive...people always trying to help me." She winced.
Iroh and Lu Ten each took an end of the table, likely to talk to the most girls, and Katara sat on the left side, next to Toph. Lu Ten was to her right. Yue was on Toph's other side, next to Iroh. Nadhari and Mai sat on the opposite side. Katara couldn't imagine having to sit next to either of them.
As the tea was passed around in a couple of different pots and servants came with little finger-food treats, Lu Ten grinned broadly. His uncle's face was just as jubilant. It was hard to imagine that this side of the family was related to people like Azula or Ozai at all, and even Zuko at times. Katara rarely saw him smile aside from when he was with her or other girls.
"I just love having you all in the palace. It makes the halls so much livelier," Lu Ten commented.
"But don't you get dignitaries and visitors often?" Yue's forehead crinkled. Katara sipped her Silver Needle tea, looking up with interest. Yue was correct; Katara often saw a parade of finely robed people traipsing through the palace. Sometimes at her meal with the family, someone would join, and it wasn't often the same person more than once. There seemed to be a never-ending stream of visitors. It wasn't like the South Pole, where there were hardly any visits. Once, the North used to come down every couple of months, but that had stopped years ago.
"I suppose," Lu Ten tilted his head, "But those people are gone so quickly. It's different, with this, I'm gaining a family member. It feels so much fuller."
Katara hadn't considered what this competition was to the others other than Zuko's wife. Lu Ten would have another cousin, Azula a sister, Iroh another niece. Azula didn't seem all too excited with this, but Iroh and his son certainly did. Katara hadn't seen a 'family' much in her time here, but she felt it already with these two. Once, she'd mourned the poor soul that would end up tied to these relatives, but with someone like Iroh or Lu Ten on your side, it had to be manageable? And something told her that these two would back the winning girl, for Zuko.
"Wouldn't you have gone through The Prince's Choice?" Nadhari asked, "Since you were to…" At Mai's hard glare, her question teetered off. Lu Ten seemed hardly offended.
"I just found a great many reasons avoid it," he laughed, "Zuko wants to be here, which I'm not surprised about, considering." Katara had a feeling he was talking about Ozai. Yue looked confused, but Lu Ten moved on, "But I made myself very unavailable. I took trips to the colonies at any chance, spending elongated months settling the Fire Nation in and keeping the peace. Azulon could just never quite pin me down long enough for it."
"Do you not believe in its system?" Toph crossed her arms, scrutinizing him.
"Spirits, no!" Lu Ten widened his eyes. "I heard about my father going through it and he found true love, may my mother rest in peace," he said, and Katara saw Iroh bow his head for a momentary reflection, "But, I just don't think I'd have the same results," he added, his smile wry.
"What's that-,"
"So, both your father and uncle went through it. Is that common?" Katara spoke over Yue's question. While she probably meant well, innocently, Katara was sure Lu Ten didn't want to talk about that, not now. Not with Nadhari watching him like a hawk, for whatever reason. It was a cunning look she held, not an attracted one.
"Well," It was Iroh who answered, "Ozai and I were born years apart. He was a child when I went through mine. But he seemed so excited about it, even at 20, and Azulon couldn't see a reason not to allow it. I must say, Ursa is a wonderful sister-in-law so I cannot complain about it," Iroh gave a soft smile. Katara wondered what Ozai was like when he was 20. Was it age that soured him? The power he gained?
She suddenly had a million questions about Ozai's Choice, answers she would never get from Zuko. Was he young and maybe a little ambitious when he met Ursa, and she once saw something in him, but he's been hardened? Or, was he always like this and somehow Ursa got caught up in it. She couldn't decide which was worse: to have once been good or never at all. Ursa had to have picked him for a reason, didn't she? Or was this more of an arranged agreement?
"But do you think he just went through it so he could claim the throne?" Katara said out loud and was instantly mortified. She said it quietly, but unluckily all heads turned to her. Iroh just looked thoughtful.
"That was always a possibility, in the back of my mind. One must be married or engaged to become Fire Lord, to ensure the next generation. I had hoped that wasn't his intention..." Iroh stirred his tea. "What has happened has happened," he said after a long moment.
"Will Azula go through a Princess' Choice?" Nadhari asked. Katara swallowed hard, recalling the fight in the dining room.
"It is most likely. It's now a thing for all children to go through it, reasons covert or no," Iroh seemed very aware of Azula's not so subtle wishes, "But, soon Zuko will be the Fire Lord and that will be up to him. I imagine so, she is a princess and she can't just marry anyone, at least, not without the support of the people."
"This competition humanizes you to our nation," Lu Ten added, "Which is why we wanted to meet with the five of you. It means a great deal to be the top five. It's usually very telling. Rest assured, the order matters little at this point - it's as fluid as the sea - but the five usually stay the five."
Yue and Nadhari both blushed, before Nadhari turned to Katara in a sort of 'I'm coming for you' way. Toph grinned. Mai even looked a little pleased. Katara smiled too, for appearances. But, in reality, she was grateful to be here, in this tea room. As Sokka and her father had both pointed out, being the number one choice wasn't a bad thing, but rather, a blessing.
"Do you all have your own picks for who you think will win? Or who you like?" Toph asked, nudging Iroh. Katara stiffened, and everyone else held a breath seeing that Toph had touched him so casually. Iroh just laughed, as though delighted by her persona.
"Oh, of course, we do! You'll never get us to tell, however." There was a light glimmering in his eye, "We want this to turn out well just as much as anyone."
Toph tilted her head. Katara knew she could tell if someone was lying. She wondered if she could get feelings too, such as who Iroh or his son were rooting for.
After this, the conversation lapsed into little groups. Iroh made a point to ask Mai how her family was and this seemed to engage her for a while. She seemed a little more animated whilst talking to Iroh, that is to say, a step above a solid corpse, and it softened Katara toward her. She could just be shy, Katara figured.
Katara talked with Yue, while Nadhari badgered Lu Ten about this and that. Lu Ten took it in stride, but then again, he had a lot of practice with annoyingly pressing people, living in a castle, as the nephew of the Fire Lord.
Soon, Nadhari realized he wasn't stupid, but merely being purposely obtuse and her attention flittered over to Iroh.
"I lied." Lu Ten's very soft voice made Katara jump a little. He had scooted closer to her side than Nadhari's, and Katara shifted in turn to hear him.
She asked about what.
"The top five being so fluid. The four bottom is, but number one," he waved a finger, "She usually remains there."
"Thank you," Katara wasn't sure what else to say or why he was telling her.
"Most girls would be dying over this." Little got past Lu Ten, Katara realized. He was quiet, watchful, and pensive. He was neither of his two cousins - neither Zuko, who was quick to anger, nor Azula who was sly and calculating. She had a feeling Lu Ten was like Iroh.
"I recognize this honor, I do," Katara said, "But...I dunno." She shrugged, unable to come up with an answer.
"I prefer this," Lu Ten said, "I've had my fill of squealing girls, even just since this has begun. I've always found it distasteful. I think to be like you, however, is to recognize that my cousin is a person...sometimes a flawed person, but someone with feelings. He is imperfect."
Katara laughed a bit, "You sound like family," She teased.
"Don't get me wrong. I love Zuko. I hold no ill will toward him and I will always feel terrible about his scar." Lu Ten looked very upset. "Never mind. Anyway, I think you've likely experienced one of his famous fights. I think most girls would be horrified to hear that tone, to see him angry," he explained.
"Yeah, there's been one or two," Katara winced slightly.
"However, I imagine you're the type to give it right back to him," Lu Ten continued. Katara felt her face redden. It wasn't lady-like to be a spitfire, Zhi had said. But, Lu Ten just looked contented at her lack of answer, "He needs that. He needs someone to tell him when he's fucked up, when he's being unreasonable."
"Ah, well, we might be perfectly matched then," Katara said, who knew she wouldn't hesitate to yell right back.
"I think you'd be good for him," Lu Ten decided. Katara felt a whole slew of emotions, mostly guilt. Here was his cousin, so looking forward to what Katara deduced he thought was a done competition, and she was going to leave them. She was using him for food. It was so much easier when the Fire Nation were faceless monsters.
She had a feeling Lu Ten recognized her silence as something more, but he did not push. Even if he had wanted to, Toph yelled a question to him across the table, and his attention was diverted.
The tea session went on for about an hour more. Near the end, Lu Ten stood up, thanked them for their time and excused himself to go to a meeting. Iroh did the same, and the girls lined up to leave.
Halfway back, Katara groaned. Yue turned.
"I forgot I bought a shawl today," Katara grumbled. It was cloudy out. "Should I just wait for someone to bring it back to me?" she asked.
"We can pick it up," one of the guards offered, "Let's go." Katara nodded, and the pair returned back to the tea room. When she arrived, she was quite surprised to see Iroh methodically cleaning the table. She'd gotten so used to having maids or servants clear and serve that seeing the older man picking up tea cups and plates made her pause in the doorway.
"Ah, Princess Katara," Iroh saw her out of the corner of his eye, "Missing this?" He held up her shawl.
She nodded once, coming to pick it up. She bit her lip, tying it around her waist. "Would you like some help?" she asked, unable to just walk away. Iroh blinked, then smiled.
"That would be lovely."
Katara was sure others would have stayed had they known, like Yue, but all the same, Iroh seemed pleased with her offer. Katara helped him gather the plates and the teapots. In a little room to the side, Iroh began scrubbing the plates off before heating them to dry the water from them.
"It gives me a chance to think, clearing plates," Iroh said at Katara's surprised expression, "The servants can't control me. They stopped years ago."
It reminded Katara of her relationship with Aiga. So, Katara came over, using her bending to more effectively scrub off the remaining crumbs and sauce before handing it to Iroh.
"It is a treat to see you water bend," He said, watching her.
"I'm doing dishes," Katara shrugged, "Hardly special."
"Oh, but it is. So many people assume bending is for fighting. Its applications are wide-spread, however," he said, which Katara wholehearted agreed with, "I, for one, like to get my tea to just the right temperature."
"At home, it's easy for me to help build structures of snow because I can pack it in just right," Katara said out loud.
"I also hear you are a fighter, though," Iroh said, "And I've seen it."
"I like to be prepared," Katara said, but did not specify. She was talking about being able to fight off a grizzly-moose just as much as preparing for the Fire Nation attack.
"Once, a long time ago, when Zuko was young, a fortune teller came and read his palms. She later told the adults he was destined to marry a powerful fighter."
Katara scoffed. She might believe in spirits and pray to the moon, but 'fortune telling' just felt silly to her. "You believe it?"
"There a great many things I am unsure of. This is one. I am open to it being correct. Until now, I hadn't much thought about it. But, seeing you, I am more inclined to believe."
Katara bit her nails, thinking.
"Have you ever told Zuko?" she asked.
"It was not something he'd be interested in at the age. And, now, I figure that if it's meant to be, it will happen," Iroh shrugged.
"He really looks up to you," Katara said, leaning against the sink as Iroh dried the last dishes, "You should hear him talk. He trusts you, more than he trusts...anyone else." She was about to say Ozai, but then changed her mind. Iroh nodded grimly.
"Ozai has always been tough on him. Azula inherited many things from Ozai, including his views on ruling and his ability. Things have often always come easily to Azula, like fire bending. That was not so for Zuko, so Ozai was hard on him," Iroh said, "But I do know my brother loves him."
"But...Zuko's a great bender. He won the throne." She argued.
Iroh shrugged. "He's been a hard worker, something he got from his mother. He's never given up. Ozai puts him down, he crawls back up. I think that these hardships have made him the true Fire Lord, or they will. It is this determination that I see that makes me know he will be a good ruler." Iroh said, "Azula has never understood what it means to want something and to have needed to work toward it. There are problems the Fire Lord will face that cannot be done in a day. Zuko will be wiser." Katara smiled on behalf of Iroh's warm comments. "Zuko is a good person."
"I know that," Katara assured, smiling softly.
"I know you do too," Iroh agreed, "Just as he talks to you about me, as you say, he talks to me about you."
Katara spun. "Huh? Like what?"
"He regards your opinion highly. His bond with you is already quite something. And, even if things do not work out, I hope you'll remain his friend. He needs friends. He has a great many admirers and workers, but few friends."
"Of course," This was something Katara had considered. She hoped they still wrote when she left for home. As much as Zuko had made her his friend, she felt like he was hers too.
The tea night gave her much to think about, many things to mull over in her head - Azula and her own Choice, Ozai when he was young, Iroh and Lu Ten's affinity for her.
Zuko continued his slew of dates but was gone for three days, off at the end of Fire Kingdom. To cheer the girls up, Zhi set up a full feast in the garden. Shi also appeared the day after her tea-talk, which had to mean something big.
"If I were making a theoretical dress, which color would you want it?" she'd asked Katara.
"Like...a fancy dress or a casual dress?" Katara tried to suss out the meaning of her visit.
"Eh, fancy?" Shi made a small noise in the back of her throat. "But you won't hear about what!" she added.
"Blue, blue of course," Katara said, "My tribe's color."
Katara also began watching the girls clinically, taking notes that might not be of importance, but she charted them anyway. She found she was leaving little slips of paper in the knot in the tree nearly every day or so. Nothing was juicy, and maybe Zuko already knew some of it, but she it kept her occupied and sharpened her skills of observation.
It was things such as Saya never learned how to swim, but she can ride wild Dragonmooses, or Kilee won a food eating contest she wasn't supposed to enter when she was eight. It also made Katara be social with the girls.
Zuko replied, in one of his notes, that he felt like he was learning so much about all these girls but hardly knew little facts about Katara. Katara, rolling her eyes, started putting half-sarcastic comments about her own life, with just enough bite for him to understand it.
And somewhere in there, their conversations began to divert from the girls entirely. They were passing messages about once a day, so as they wrote, it was like they were talking...almost. A very fast falcon took two days to get to the Southern Pole, so Katara couldn't ask specific questions about things that had happened because Sokka just wouldn't remember. But with Zuko? This was different. The conversation went like this:
Katara: Why don't you go out as the Blue Spirit anymore?
Zuko: What makes you say I don't?
Katara: Well, I haven't seen you on the roofs here.
Zuko: There are other ways out. I learned that going that way gets me frozen to trees. In all seriousness, I shouldn't have been going there that day. I'd been using it because I knew the wing was empty. Forgot it was full.
Katara: What's the city like?
Zuko: Haven't the girls I've taken talked about it?
Katara: They're preoccupied with what they did. Plus, they all grew up in cities, even Kilee. Mine is a tribe, and literally, it's small. Two hundred people, I can name each one and recite their family tree. We have one 'road' and the only time it's busy is when school is let out, but even then it's nothing special.
Zuko: Well, next time, I'll take you outside of the walls. I'll show you the city I like, not the one I've been taking the girls to. They expect the upper circles, but there's something about the middle and low-class circles…
Katara: I'd like that.
At this point, she nearly put a smile face after, but then realized that her chest was beating fast and thought against it. She made a point in the next couple missiles to be strictly on task. If Zuko noticed, he didn't bring it up in their correspondence.
It was five days from when Shi made an appearance in everyone's room that the event was finally announced. Zuko came back from his travels and came into the ladies' room. He looked tired, Katara noticed, as he must have just returned. His hair was all mussed and it looked good that way.
"Ladies, I've heard you're all wondering why Shi was called in to design fancy dress some of your handmaids will be sewing," He paused, as though every girl wasn't already enraptured, "We will be having a small event to acclimate you ladies to the lifestyle of balls and soirees."
All he needed to say was 'ball' and the girls began whispering furiously amongst themselves. He only had to raise a hand to stop them, and he gave a tiny smirk. Yes, Katara thought, to have this much power much be a little exhilarating.
"It's not big like we might do for other events, by any means. However, it is nothing to ignore. There will be dance lessons and speaking tips because there will be some chosen dignitaries there that I'm sure will want to interact with you. There will also be a journalist there who will likely ask you some questions. It's in three nights. I hope you're all excited," he said.
Most were, and those who weren't were bemoaning the fact they only had three days to plan the perfect hair and makeup. The understanding that this would be a significant step in their process was universally understood.
Katara, however, cared very little. She cared in the sense that she wasn't going to not go or be rude, but she fully intended to wear her hair as she always did. And, as for makeup, Aiga would know what to do. Girls also moaned about their dresses, and how they didn't know what they were getting, but Shi had yet to make an ugly dress and Katara wondered why one would worry about something out of their hands?
"Ugh, balls," Toph groaned, laying on the floor and covering her face, "The bane of my existence."
"I take it you've gone through a few?" Now that Zuko and Iroh and Lu Ten had seen Toph's true side, she'd been hanging around the people she wanted to hang out with - Suki, Smellerbee, and Katara, mainly.
"Too many," She replied through a muffled hand, "It's all so pretentious. You gotta answer stupid things with stupid people. And do stupid dances."
"They expect a blind girl to dance?" Katara asked, putting down her book.
"Well, not me," Toph blinked, "But you're in for a fun time, Sugar Queen." She smirked. Katara bit the inside of her cheek. The only dance she knew was a very ritualistic one, one that she was sure would be called 'savage' if anyone saw it. It was more of a 'feel the rhythm' type of dance anyway, and Katara dreaded having to learn perfectly timed steps and spins and twirls.
"And the dresses-oh, ho!" Toph continued her lament, "Don't even get me started…" Katara smiled to herself as she listened to Toph's tirade against balls. At least she knew what to expect, sorta?
Zhi recognized that many girls knew little about dancing and only made them learn three 'easy' dances. It wasn't easy to Katara, who felt like the least graceful one there. Toph sat on the sidelines, required to be there but not to participate, occasionally throwing out a half-hearted encouragement. "That was almost the right one, Katara!" or 'This ain't a fight, Suki, don't kill your partner with that grip.' She was very quickly ejected once these began, which Katara knew was all her plan.
The 'taking with important people' class, however, Katara did with ease. It was no different than talking with semi-important people, which they'd had a lesson on, and it was things Katara had learned under her father...basically, how to not pick fights with people when discussing things, how to keep a conversation light and funny and cute. No one at this ball was looking for disparate opinions.
Aiga was up in Katara's room, hemming part of the dress when she returned. The ball was the next night.
"I was meant to be done by now," Aiga admitted, "But I'm not the best sewer."
"Well, I've done some in my time, give it here," Katara offered. Aiga shook her head, eyes wide.
"That would be completely inappropriate," She squeaked out. Katara sighed.
"When have I ever followed the rules?" She asked, shutting the door, "Just stay here so it seems like you're doing it." She said. On her way back, she plucked the dress from Aiga's hands and continued the hemline that Aiga had been fumbling through.
"You're so not like the others," Aiga said for the umpteenth time.
"Yeah, so I've heard," Katara said. "Sewing always has calmed me. It's so monotonous, just the same, like a wave. It reminds me of water bending," she admitted.
"Really?"
Katara thought about Iroh's comment, how most thought bending was just about fighting.
"Uh-huh. Water bending is a culture, a dance. It's very soothing in the sense that all the moves just flow together, like water. I've seen fire bending, it's all short and fast. That's not what we're about at all. It's good for meditation because you can get your hand doing one thing and your mind another." She taught Aiga, like her mother had told her. Even if there were few water benders left, the elders and adults had known water bending and even managed to find a couple scrolls for Katara to self-teach.
"Wow," Aiga sat on a stool, palms on her cheeks, "I wish I could bend." She gave a longing sigh.
Katara gave a quirk of a smile. "It's pretty great," she agreed, "But that doesn't mean you can't be strong in other ways. Suki's not a bender and I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alleyway."
"It just seems like a lot of work." Aiga leaned back.
"Well, of course, it is. Even if you have a bending skill, you got to practice it. It doesn't just happen overnight." Katara tilted her head. "Suki would be happy to teach you some steps, you know. She's always saying any girl can be a Kyoshi warrior."
Aiga looked deeply pensive. "Perhaps."
Katara stayed up late mending the dress. It had a lot of layers, but it was simply gorgeous. It was the color of the clothes she'd come in on her first day.
The next morning, she slept through breakfast. Aiga didn't even try to wake her and to be honest, Katara would have shooed her away. In fact, Katara slept in longer than she could say she had before. When Aiga finally shook her awake, it was hours past sun-high.
"Well, the only thing you have tonight is the ball," Aiga said in her defense, "Plus, you spent the whole night with that…" Their gazes both slid over to the dress hanging on her dresser, the door ajar so that Katara could see it.
"Wow." In the sunlight, it was just as gorgeous, if not more.
"You have four hours or so," Aiga peered out at the sky, "And we're going to need all of them."
Katara only briefly saw her friends bustling around as Aiga instructed her to the bathrooms. Suki gave her a nervous half-wave as her own handmaid dragged her to do her hair and she saw Yue and some of the other Water Tribe girls in Yue's room. Everyone was so preoccupied that no one asked where Katara had been all day. The nervousness was palpable, as though someone could walk through it. Katara wasn't nervous as much as she was tired. She honestly thought a night of dancing sounded plain awful.
Katara didn't think it could possibly take a full four hours for everything to be done, but there was still beading and lacing that needed to be done on the dress, her hair needed to be dried completely, and Aiga had more makeup in front of her than Katara had ever put on her face. Then, Aiga made Katara practice some of the dance steps that Zhi had attempted to teach them in her spare time.
"It says a great deal to be able to dance well." Aiga told Katara. "You're…"
"Awful," Katara muttered, "Yes, I know."
"I was going to say in the middle," Aiga wavered her hand, "There are worse girls."
"Like Toph? She's blind," Katara pointed out.
"Well, I'm sure there are others. Maybe they'll like that you can't dance. It's unbecoming to be good at everything."
Katara side-glanced Aiga, "Thanks for trying to make me feel better." She sighed.
All too soon she could hear Zhi ringing a bell down the halls, a signal for the girls to gather in a line.
"I hope you're feeling ok," Yue murmured as they go into line.
"Huh?" Katara asked, momentarily stunned by the sheer beauty of Yue's lavender colored dress. It looked regal, while Katara felt a little like a bride in hers.
"This morning. I didn't see you and Aiga said you were sleeping." Yue patted Katara's shoulder. "It's okay to be nervous. Lots of girls missed the meal this morning," she consoled.
"Oh, I was just tired." Katara yawned just thinking about it. "I was up late, er, writing my family," she shrugged. She didn't want to get Aiga in trouble. "I don't understand why these girls are so nervous," she admitted.
"Well, it's a lot of pressure," Saya - standing in front of Katara - pointed out, "With the prince, we can sort of be ourselves most of the time. And when we're at dinner with the Royal Family, there's enough so that we're not being watched the whole time. But here, we'll have to be talking to different people that are all probably just waiting to report back to the Prince about any misstep!"
Katara frowned; she hadn't considered it. Zhi had practically drilled and painted on their foreheads how important the people would be here.
"And we have an interview," Kilee piped up, "I mean, they're going to be writing exactly what we say! Totally nerve-wracking."
"On top of that," Saoirse added, "We have to dance with people. The same people that will be interrogating us with wicked tongues and sly questions." She bit her nails. "It's a lot of focus on all at once."
"Anyone's who's going to be the Fire Lady has to be able to do this, though." Nadhari waltzed in front of them to stand by Mai, who looked displeased she had placed herself so close, "So, if you can't handle it…"
"I heard you this morning." Alcina narrowed her eyes. "You're not as confident as you make yourself out to be," she hissed.
"I don't know what you think you heard," Nadhari's round eyes blinked at her.
"Ladies," Yue's calming voice floated through, "We're all a little high-strung, I know. But let's not do this."
"Oh, shut it," Nadhari rolled her eyes.
Katara sighed, sending Yue an 'at least you tried' sort of look. Katara hadn't been nervous before, but now after hearing all these reasons, she had to admit she was...a little. Only because she wanted her spot here to be totally secure. She shouldn't have been so quick to assume herself totally safe. If she made a complete fool of herself she was sure she'd be sent home.
Zhi lead them to a place in the palace it seemed no one had been: the grand ballroom. Outside the doors, she halted the group.
"Let me go in and announce your entrance. It won't be long now, girls," she said, sliding through the doors. Katara could hear the music that the orchestra was playing, she could smell the catering, and she could feel the anticipation of both parties.
"Shit, shit!" Andica suddenly slapped a hand over her mouth before breaking away from the group and vomiting in a plant near the doors. Nadhari gave a bark of laughter, and Mai looked disgusted, but most of the girls looked concerned or sympathetic. Katara was surprised when Ty Lee bounced over, patting her back and asking a guard to get a napkin.
"Poor thing," Yue sighed, "That's why many girls didn't eat this morning." Katara nodded in agreement. Andica was a blubbering mess, crying that she'd ruined everything already and that her makeup would be wrecked. Suki broke away from the group to gently console her.
"Oh, spirits," Jin whined a low sound, "Katara, does my hair look okay?" She turned her back to show her neat plaits with little flowers. Katara blinked in surprise; she'd hardly talked with the soft-spoken Earth Kingdom girl.
"Uh, great," she said honestly, "Here." She tugged here and there, straightening out the braid and making it look effortless. Jin turned around, sighing in relief.
"You have some makeup," Jin rubbed her tooth, "right there."
Katara rubbed away some orange-red lipstick Aiga had procured for her, nodding in thanks. It would have been embarrassing to walk around like that.
Around her, other girls were asking each other to touch up their makeup or check their dresses. There was a sort of nervous comradery that was washing over everyone, even Katara. It was a small gesture, Jin turning to Katara, but she was overwhelmed at the motion. It meant she wasn't hated...she had friends, or she was accepted into the group. It warmed her to be wanted, or to be liked.
The doors creaked and all the girls stopped their whispers, getting into line. Surprisingly, even Andica was able to straighten her back and dab away at her eyes enough to look semi-presentable. Suki had put herself right behind her, patting her shoulder.
"And now, the ladies of The Prince's Choice."
A lot of you picked up on the bloodbending! If you look back to chapter one, you'll see only one other SWT girl has ever competed...truth be told, RIGHT NOW, its not important, but that will be picked up later. So, remember this. I just didn't want lots of you to be like 'what? Where tf did this come from?'
If you're curious, the dress Katara is wearing is the one on the cover! Or, that's what I imagine it to be. I know it's not traditional Avatar-wear, but...
And Iroh! Lu Ten! I love writing them. Hope you guys liked seeing that scene. Next chapter will be the ball, very exciting :)
Remember to drop a review if you're enjoying this
