Once Katara reached the small group at the end of the dock it only took one look at her face for Aang to guess something must have happened. "Are you alright," he whispered to her once she was close enough to hear.
"I'm fine Aang," said Katara a little bit more harshly then needed. She realized this when she saw Aang flinch and she sighed, "Sorry I'm just tired, after traveling so much." This was a lie and Aang knew it Katara was always fine when they traveled on Appa and that was a lot. However, he knew better then to question her. At last Zuko reached the small group and they began to walk down the streets eventually joined by more guards as they went along. Soon they reached what must have been the center of town in the middle stood a large palace like building.
"What is this place," asked Katara quietly.
"This is the fire nation Capital," said Zuko who glanced at Katara quickly before looking back towards the building. Katara remained silent though as they walked forward through a large gate and stopped before the palace doors.
"You there," Zuko called to three guards on his right. "Take the avatar down to the dungeon lock him up in the back cell."
"What about the girl your highness," asked one of the guards as the three lead Aang away.
"I'll deal with that," said Zuko who noticed Azula smirking back at him. He ignored her then and turned towards the guards. "The rest of you are dismissed," he said. The guards turned and left leaving Zuko, Katara, and Azula standing in the courtyard.
"Well Zuzu I better go now and tell father we've returned, oh and you should go find Mai," said Azula with one last smirk as she glanced from Zuko to Katara before turning and walking into the palace. Zuko growled at Azula's comment before he turned to look at Katara who refused to meet his gaze.
"Follow me," he said then and turned to head into the palace only glancing back once to make sure Katara was following. She walked silently behind him then as they went through long hallways decorated in red fire nation banners with the black fire nation insignia imprinted upon them. They also passed a few pictures of past fire lords and their families. Katara noticed then the picture of Zuko's family with his father, sister, mother, and him all sitting and looking towards whom ever was painting the picture. Katara smiled as she saw the look on Zuko's face in that picture. He looked happy to be with his whole family. She wondered what happened to that family she saw, what made them to become the family she knew of from others words. She didn't think on it long before she bumped into the back of Zuko who had stopped in front of a door. He turned around to look at her before he pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door pushing it open. Inside the room was a small stone fireplace a wooden chair by the window and a bed with red satin sheets and a black headboard. "This is going to be your room," he said without looking at her as he turned to leave.
"What no guards, no staying to lock me in," said Katara bitterly. Zuko shook his head then as he turned to glance at her.
"No you're free to walk about this hall and only this hall. There won't be guards at your door but they will be everywhere else," said Zuko looking straight at her now. She looked up at him then before turning to glance at the room that would be hers for the time being.
"Gee looks just like the room I had on the ship," she said.
"Be lucky you get a room at all," he said before turning and walking off. She watched him walk away then vanish in a room clear down at the other end of the hall.
"Hmm," she said before entering the room then. She walked over to the window then and opened the heavy red curtains letting the sunlight fill the room. It was then she noticed the dresser on the side of the bed near the window the side you couldn't see from out in the hallway. "Oh great just what I need a dresser, when I don't even have any clothes that I have to put in it," said Katara to herself as she walked over to it then and opened up the drawers.
They were all empty except for one, which held some old paper and a feather quill pen with a small bottle of ink. She closed the drawers again only removing the few things she found setting them on top of the dresser instead, where she could reach them easily if she got bored or something. It was then she noticed one of the papers had something already written on it. She picked it up and read it her eyes widening in shock. She wondered then if anyone knew this was here. She had to show it to someone, she rushed to the door then and paused.
'Wait, what am I doing,' she thought. Of course somebody knew this was here, why else would it have just been left there. This room probably had belonged to a fire prince or princess a long time ago. The paper was pretty old and it was possible that some one had just made up a story. Besides why should she care anything about it, it was only about fire nation stuff. She decided not to let it bother her then and she placed the paper back on the pile before walking over to the window to look out at the view of the city below her.
Meanwhile, Zuko sat on the edge of his bed in his room. His head in his hands as he let out a deep sigh. The day had not really gone all that well for him in fact it had stressed him out quite a bit. He heard the door to his room open and quiet footsteps walked across the floor. He relaxed when he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at whoever was there. To his not so surprise there was Mai looking down at him. Just looking at him, she never smiled and if she did it was quite rare to see. "Hey," she said as she moved to sit beside him on the bed. "I missed you while you were gone."
"I missed you too," said Zuko not looking at her now but instead at the wall across from him.
"What's wrong," she asked.
"Nothing," he said still refusing to meet her gaze.
"Honestly Zuko I can tell when something is bothering you," said Mai. Zuko looked at her then and shook his head. She sighed and said, "Fine. But at least kiss me."
"What," said Zuko suddenly as if he'd snapped out of some trance when she said that. Mai never ordered him to kiss her it was just something they did at times it was something that every couple does now and then. But he had never heard her tell him to kiss her. He sighed though as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek though she was clearly expecting one on the lips. When he pulled back she looked disappointed and surprisingly he just didn't care.
"What's wrong with you this isn't like you Zuko," said Mai.
"Look I've been through a lot of stress in the last few days can we not talk about this now," said Zuko a bit harsher then intended. Mai stood up then clearly angry as she walked past him then and out of the room. Zuko smacked his forehead then as he sat down on the bed again. "What's wrong with me," he said.
"Oh I can tell you a few things," came the voice of the one whom he least expected to see. He turned around to face Katara then standing in his doorway.
"What are you doing here," he asked.
"Oh lets see I was captured by you and forced to be brought here into the palace and.." said Katara before Zuko cut her off.
"No I mean why are you at my room?" he asked.
"Oh well you said I had freedom to roam the hall and your room was in the hall, but I didn't know that until I got here," she said.
"Well why are you still here then," he asked.
"I don't know, I was just leaving," said Katara as she turned to head back in the other direction.
"Wait," said Zuko suddenly though he wasn't sure why.
"What do you want," asked Katara in an annoyed voice.
"I…Uh well I'll have a maid bring some more clothes for you, you'll need a few different outfits since you'll be here for a long time." He said at last.
"Oh gee thanks," said Katara, "Now I'll have something to put in that nice little dresser in my room." She was being sarcastic and he could tell. She turned then to head back to her room and Zuko stood up and walked over to his window and looked out over the palace courtyard.
Back in her room Katara was also looking out her window when she heard a knock on her door. She paused for a moment, after all this was an unfamiliar place and that could be anyone at the door. "Hello, any one here I'm the maid sent with clothes for the lady," said the voice on the other side of the door. Katara relaxed then as she remembered that Zuko had said he would send some maids with clothes. She walked over and opened the door then to come face to face with Ling Lee the lady she had met on the ship. Ling Lee recognized Katara then and smiled.
"Hello, we have some clothes and some necessities for you," said Ling Lee. Katara noticed the other two maids behind Ling Lee held huge piles of clothes and Ling Lee held a hairbrush and some other stuff. But it was mostly the hairbrush Katara noticed because it looked to be of pure gold the handle was twisted and shaped to look like a rose. Ling Lee handed the brush to Katara then as she entered the room followed by the other two maids who walked over to the dresser and quietly put the clothes away.
"So you must be a very important guest of the prince's then," said Ling Lee looking at Katara with a smile. Katara blushed at what she must have thought and quickly shook her head.
"No I'm not really a guest as I am more of a prisoner, he captured me along with a friend of mine," said Katara in a harsh tone. Ling Lee looked slightly shocked then but quickly nodded before escorting the other maids from the room. Katara sighed as she closed the door then and walked over to the bed and laid down upon it when she heard another knock on her door. "Oh what now," she said as she walked over and opened it. There stood a young looking servant boy who seemed very timid when he saw her open the door. Katara's expression quickly softened as she asked, "May I help you?"
"Uh, yes my… my lady," stuttered the boy, "You are requested to join his.. his highness Prince Zuko for the evening meal."
"Oh thanks," said Katara, the boy nodded then left as she shut her door again, a confused look on her face. "Why would Zuko want me to join him for a meal it was never like that on the ship so why do that now?" she said curiously to herself. 'No matter, its probably just something stupid like a last decent meal or something,' she thought.
Meanwhile down in the dungeon Aang sat in his cell or more like half sat half stood since he was chained a little up off the ground. Aang wandered what had happened to Katara he knew she hadn't been brought down to the dungeon or she would have tried to find him. He hopped she was all right and that she wasn't in danger. If Zuko or anyone tried to hurt her Aang swore he would hurt them worse.
Still back on the island Toph was leaning against a tree bored as Sokka paced back and forth. It had been a good few weeks and still he had nothing planned to rescue his sister and Aang. "Ah ha, I've got it," he said suddenly turning to look at Toph.
"Got what?" she asked.
"I'll go fishing and get us some meat to eat," said Sokka happily. Toph shook her head then.
"You were trying to think of a plan to rescue Katara and twinkle toes and all you come up with is your going to go fishing," she said.
"Oh wait, opps my bad," said Sokka laughing weakly. He then turned and grumbled to himself while Toph laughed in the background.Author's Note: Hey thought I would add Toph and Sokka back in the story since I haven't had them in here for a while. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new Chapter. Please review.