They were making good time, Sokka reassured her, but Katara still found herself sat beside Aang at Appa's head, silently urging them onward, faster, onward.
The sooner they met up with her father and the others, the sooner Sokka's rescue plan could be confirmed; it hinged too heavily on too many unknown quantities. They didn't stop for long at any of their planned rest points- just long enough to check that Zuko wasn't there and to sleep. Or pretend to sleep. Appa would rest and Aang would vent his silent frustration by fighting trees. Katara knew she should be helping to train him further, but she was too focused on playing through the variables of Sokka's modified invasion plan.
The guilt that Iroh didn't know about his Nephew's capture gnawed at her. "Hey, Sokka," She hissed through the darkness. Sokka turned to face her immediately, meaning he wasn't sleeping properly either. "Do you think we should use Hawky to let Iroh know what's happened?"
Sokka hummed. "We should give Dad an update on our progress too, but what if it gets intercepted?"
"We could write it in code," Katara suggested, took out a scroll. The light of the waning moon was good enough for her to see but it would be easier with a proper light- Zuko's usefulness was, again, missed.
"Hi Dad, please tell Uncle that Lee has gone to visit his sister for a family reunion, but he doesn't like his new rooms." Katara wrote carefully. "We are still on our way home but were delayed by old friends. Making good time now, and will see you before you leave on holiday."
Sokka shuffled closer, still in his sleeping bag, and squinted down at it. "Maybe add: Would be nice to visit Lee and his sister, we are hoping to visit with Uncle's… uh," He paused. "What's a good word to refer to the old crew?"
"Friends?" Katara asked, but Sokka shook his head.
"How about 'band'?" He pondered, "That way Iroh will know we mean the crew- remember he used to run music nights on the ship?"
Katara grinned. "That's great, Sokka," She finished the letter as dictated. "I wish we had better news, though... Iroh will be devastated."
"Yeah," Sokka sighed. "I keep thinking it over in my head- how could we have gotten out of there together?" He smacked his head against the floor. "I keep seeing his face, and wondering if I left him because I'd never really forgiven him?" Sokka's voice broke a little. "But I had, I'm sure I had. He was my friend, Katara- it's hadn't been long but he was my friend and I left him."
His voice was strangely gasping, and Katara realised he was on the verge of tears, if not already crying. Katara reached out a hand, but there wasn't much she could say to him other than simply "I know."
"I can't stop thinking about it. I keep trying to do something else or think about something else but all I can think about is how Azula can make lightning and I said we'd face her together but I left him alone anyway."
And I said I'd never turn my back on people who needed me, but here we are. Katara had nothing to say to make Sokka feel better, so she found his hand in the dark and looked up at the stars in silence as he gasped breathlessly into the grass.
It was just a few days later that they made it to the rendezvous point. Seeing the ships come through the fog towards them lifted their spirits a little- especially when Katara made out the Northern Water Tribe ships travelling at the side of the Fire Nation ship with Hakoda, Bato and Iroh at the helm.
The Fire Nation ship docked first and Hakoda led the others, all dressed in Fire Nation armour, down to meet the kids on the shore. He brought his children in for a tight hug. "I'm sorry," He said, stroking their hair. "I'm so sorry."
Katara risked a look over his shoulder at Iroh, who was pallid and sad-looking. Aang approached him and spoke in low, hushed tones. Katara hadn't seen Aang pick up Zuko's belongings but when he passed them to Iroh the old man bowed his head and sobbed.
Something about seeing the old Firebender weep this way brought it back out of Katara, and she pulled away from her dad to throw her arms around Iroh, Aang stood with his head bowed and Toph held onto Iroh's arm. They stayed like that for a long time, letting the other ships dock and the fighters Hakoda had gathered disembark. Hakoda and Bato coordinated the preparation of the various campsites. If Katara had looked up, she would have been gratified to see so many of the familiar faces Sokka had asked for were present.
"I'm so sorry," Sokka said miserably, and they all turned to look at him. He bowed low to Iroh, his face crumpled in pain. "It was my fault. I left him behind."
"Sokka-"
"No, Aang," Sokka met Iroh's eyes with determined humility. "I did. I made the choice to get out of there when the Dai Li showed up. Zuko got captured and I made the choice. I'm so sorry, General Iroh." The use of Iroh's former title felt odd, out of place for this man who had served them all tea and told gentle stories by firelight. But they were at war, and Iroh was a General.
Iroh stepped forward and took Sokka into a tight hug. "You made a very difficult decision, my boy," He said, voice thick with emotion. "But I am sure my nephew would not want you to be so hard on yourself. I'm also sure that if you had been able to save him, you would have."
Sokka simply clung to him, muttering feverish apologies as Iroh stroked his hair like a child.
Maybe that's because they were just children, Katara mused as she finally took in the small army that had gathered to invade the Fire Nation- so many older, more seasoned warriors were here, ready to take over and save the world. What right did a small group of kids have to tell them what to do?
But they had all been born in war, and it was the children who had to build the world to come, so once Sokka had calmed down Iroh gave him a deep, solemn bow and handed Zuko's swords to him. "I have a feeling that you'll need these," He said gently. "For when you get him back."
Sokka took the swords and bowed again.
"We're ready when you are, if you'd be so kind as to tell us what we can do to help Prince Zuko," Katara turned in surprise to see Jee stood behind them, his helmet in hand. It looked as though all the captured soldiers were here, waiting for Sokka's orders.
In his surprise, Sokka nearly dropped the dao blades, but with a warm, proud smile from Hakoda, he drew himself up and squared his shoulders. "I'm glad you've joined us, Lieutenant. We have a much better chance of succeeding with you on our side."
"I sailed with that boy for three years," Jee said softly, "He is difficult, bad-tempered and stubborn, but he is our country's best hope for a future worth having... And a good kid." Jee and Iroh exchanged small smiles. "Your letter mentioned that you might need our help."
Sokka nodded. "A group of Fire Nation soldiers will have an easier time accessing Zuko than insurgents whilst the invasion is going on and we'll need Zuko freed as early as possible so that he can help with the fighting. I've been trying to think of the best excuse for you to be visiting him during the invasion and the best I can figure is you'd take over at shift change?"
But Jee was shaking his head. "Shift change wouldn't happen during any battle- it would be too transparent."
"What if you were bringing in a captive?" Katara asked, but Sokka held up a hand.
"If Azula knew one of us was being brought in, she'd know we were coming for Zuko."
"Not one of us ," Katara grinned, reaching into Zuko's bag and pulling out a wooden mask. "The scourge of the Fire Nation colonies, the Blue Spirit."
She placed the mask over her face and looked through the eye holes at Jee. If he was surprised, he didn't let it show. He simply stroked his beard thoughtfully and looked to the other men. "That would also explain our return from the Earth Kingdom to anyone who recognised us," They chatted away and hashed out their plan well into the night.
Iroh seemed fairly confident that he knew where Zuko would be kept and, for the first time in days, Katara felt confident. Sokka's invasion plan was good, and the rescue plan was coming together.
It was decided that Katara would travel with the Fire Nation soldiers and Iroh, on the ship, slightly ahead of the invasion force. Iroh went through Zuko's pack and gave her the dark clothes to wear with the mask, and Sokka handed the dao blades to Jee.
"Zuko will be needing these." He smiled up at the soldier. "Make sure he gets them, and look after my sister, okay?"
"On my honour." Jee bowed, and Iroh put a heavy hand on Katara's shoulder. It was a bit of a shock to realise that Katara felt perfectly comfortable surrounded by these former enemies. The armour still gave her a creeping sense of foreboding, but in their faces, she saw friends and comrades rather than simply yellow-eyed enemies.
It was nice to see that Hakoda seemed to trust Iroh's judgement too, and he gave Jee a warrior's farewell as they prepared to board. The sight of the Southern Water Tribe Chief and a Lieutenant of the Fire Nation holding each other's arms with a firm smile gave Katara a curious lump in her throat. This was what the future could be if they gave it a chance.
If they won.
Aang sought her out before they finally departed. "Hey, Katara," He asked gently, "Can I talk to you a sec?"
"We need to get going, soon, I don't want to risk not making it in time," Katara glanced over her shoulder at the ship. "But of course, Aang. What did you want to talk about?"
Aang eyed her carefully, and she grew a bit uncomfortable under his steady stare- he'd not changed per se since he'd unlocked the Avatar State, but there was something odd in his expression that she couldn't place. Eventually, he smiled a little sadly. "I just wanted to say good luck."
"Thanks, Aang," Katara smiled back at him and pulled him into a quick hug. "Zuko and I will see you on the battlefield in no time, got it?"
He looked as though he had something else to say, but simply nodded and gave her a cheerful wave. Katara grinned and headed up the gangplank to where Jee and Iroh stood, waiting. Dressed in the Blue Spirit get-up, she felt conspicuously out of place amongst the deep reds and golds of the other shipmates.
.
The journey to the Capital was a generally quiet affair, Iroh would keep mostly to himself, thinking deeply over a pot of tea, and most of the soldiers were nice enough but awkward around the teenage girl in their midst. One woman, a soldier called Kei, tried to make idle conversation with Katara every now and then, but didn't seem able to find a good topic beyond "We're lucky with the weather," and "Can I get you some tea?"
When they began passing other Fire Nation ships more frequently, Katara was kept below deck with Iroh, where neither of them could be spotted. With little to do but think, Katara found herself sat in the gymnasium, meditating as she had with Zuko and Aang during their bending practice. It felt strange being back on this ship without her friends, especially wearing Zuko's clothes. Here on the ship, it seemed like everything reminded her of him and she couldn't focus on anything else. Despite her repeated assertions that he would be okay, the fact was they had no idea what condition he'd be in when they found him, or whether he would even be where Iroh thought he was.
She was violently hoping for the best case scenario. Taking a deep breath, Katara buried her face in the sleeves of Zuko's top to try to calm herself down. There were so many ways this could go wrong. The confidence that had filled her during planning had all but vanished, and all she could feel was her heart pounding painfully against her ribs.
Eventually, she heard a gentle knock at the door. Looking up, she saw Kei standing apologetically with manacles in hand. "Master Katara," She bowed. "It's time."
Iroh appeared at Kei's side in plain robes. His hands were chained too. There was a deep, instinctive rejection in Katara even as Kei locked the manacles and gave her the key to hide under her tongue. These were not her enemies, but it was difficult to tell herself that when the mask was fixed in place and her chains were in the hand of a fully helmeted Fire Nation soldier.
Iroh gave her a small, encouraging smile as a bag was placed over his head. "So I'm not recognised," He shrugged, and his voice was deliberately light to put her at ease but it just made Katara feel more alone.
.
Today, Mai and Ty Lee were guarding Zuko. He wasn't sure why they were here, rather than the usual firebending soldiers and Azula's repeated visits to hurt him, but he had a suspicion. Ty Lee was making cheerful attempts at conversation, whilst Mai sat in relative silence, occasionally frowning in Zuko's direction.
He had no idea what to do. If he was right, and today was the day of the eclipse, then his friends were walking right into a trap.
Oh , he thought to himself a little dizzily, I just called them my friends.
A fat lot of good it did him, now. He sighed, catching Mai's attention. He hadn't been fed or watered for a few days and he felt dizzily delirious. He struggled to keep track of the days down here.
Mai glanced to Ty Lee. "He doesn't look right," She muttered, barely loud enough for him to hear. "Did you bring anything?"
Ty Lee rummaged through her pockets. "Just a flask of fire whisky, in case we were down her a while," She smiled at her friend, embarrassed but Mai just took it without saying anything. She gave it a sniff and frowned.
"Can't make him any worse, I guess," She sighed and approached Zuko's bars. "Zuko, look at me."
He narrowed his eyes at her, but she simply held out the flask through the bars. Reluctantly, Zuko leaned forward to take the flask and took a swig of the fire whisky. It burned his parched throat but it felt good to drink, and he nodded gratefully.
"How are you holding up?" She asked. "Not that I care."
Zuko shook his head, laughing harshly. "I've been better," He took another hefty gulp.
"Yeah, well," Mai sighed. "You guys have always known how to hurt each other the best." Zuko frowned into the flask and Ty Lee made a strangled sort of noise in the background.
"Mai," She implored, "What are you doing?"
"Please," Mai snorted. "Azula's busy in the palace tunnels. Besides, my family and I are loyal to the Fire Nation."
"Azula's at the Palace?" Zuko breathed if she was in the tunnels, that meant Ozai was hidden away as planned, and the Avatar was walking into a trap.
"Anyway, today's the eclipse. You won't be able to bend fire at all in… what, a few hours?" Ty Lee checked, and Mai nodded. "So guarding you, a firebender, should be easy." He glared at her through the bars but she simply gave him an uncomfortable smile.
"I need a break," Mai sighed heavily, and Ty Lee stood. "I'm going to get some air. It's stuffy as hell down here, and this room is depressing."
"Mai?" Ty Lee went to follow her but Mai glared over her shoulder. "I'll uh, I'll stay with the prisoner then."
"Zuko," Mai said, stood in the doorway, she looked back at him with an odd expression but shook her head. "Forget it. I'll see you around."
She slipped into the shadows and Ty Lee sighed. "Give me that," She took the flask and drank greedily. "You could be a bit nicer to Mai, you know. She's always liked you."
"I am nice. Why is any of this my fault?" Zuko frowned. Ty Lee had always irritated him growing up; she was too eager to help, eager to make friends, eager to please… just too eager in general. She was eager to serve Azula and never seemed to have any desires of her own.
"A girl's heart is easily bruised," Ty Lee pointed to him. "And having you around with this brand new heartbreaker face is just dangerous."
Zuko didn't respond, too busy thinking through his options. Whatever Azula was busy doing in the tunnels probably meant she was preparing something for the eclipse, which meant the others were walking into a trap.
.
Katara was grateful that most of the soldiers remained on the ship, ready to help with the invasion when the others arrived in a few hours. Jee led the way through the crowded streets of the dock, filled with soldiers. Plenty of soldiers gave the chained prisoners curious glances, but as they'd hoped, Jee was able to lead them through the city unmolested. Every now and then he would be acknowledge with a respectful bow but everyone seemed otherwise occupied.
The steady climb up towards the Caldera was torturously slow. Katara could feel the heat beating down on her back, and it seemed to radiate upwards from the very earth beneath her feet, and she was glad of the lightness of the clothes she wore, which wicked the sweat from her body and kept her cool.
It was strange, but she couldn't see many civilians even when they'd left the bustling docks behind. Maybe everyone in the Capital was a soldier, if they weren't nobles. She didn't know much about the Fire Nation's Capital, or the people in it, and maybe she'd been naive to think it would be anything like the other places in the Fire Nation that she'd seen,
It certainly wasn't like anywhere else she'd seen, Fire Nation or otherwise. As they climbed up, the tall, narrow buildings of the dock gave way to more functional administrative buildings, and eventually the prison loomed ahead. "It's ok," Kei whispered to her. "We're nearly there."
The guards at the door stood to attention as Jee led them over the drawbridge. "Sir," One saluted and Jee gave him a courteous bow of the head.
"Lieutenant Jee, bringing two prisoners from the Earth Kingdom colonies." The two guards exchanged an unsure glance but led the way inside anyway. One flirted half heartedly with Kei as they entered the prison warden's office for check-in.
"So the Blue Spirit, huh?" He smiled. "What is he, some Earth Kingdom dissenter?"
"Something like that," Kei hummed noncommittally as the guard opened a ledger. "Where are the other guards today?"
"Eclipse duty," The guard shrugged, "Except for some reason the princess has her friends down here today with the banished prince- ack!" Kei had her sword at his throat and Jee had disarmed the other guard in the blink of an eye. Katara took the hint and quickly shed her manacles.
"Where's Prince Zuko?" Jee demanded. The guards swore and thrashed about as they were chained to the wall. "Tell us."
"No need," Iroh sighed as he flicked through the ledger. "I know where he is."
They quietly snuck out of the office and began to head downstairas into the lower levels when a flash of metal caught Katara's attention. She had to spin to catch the silvery senbon needles in a quick blast of ice and beside her, Kei launched into action with her sword, deflecting further needles with the arm guard of her armour.
"Go!" She hissed against Mai's onslaught. Jee nodded and Iroh led the way downstairs but Katara paused.
"Be careful- Mai's a lot tougher than she looks."
"Yeah?" Kei grinned back at her. "So am I. Go rescue the Prince."
Katara nodded and followed the older men into the darkness.
The good news for them was that if Mai was out here, then it was hopefully only Ty Lee guarding Zuko at present. Katara's skin crawled as she thought back to previous encounters with the circus freak who could block chi. If she had a choice of who to face, it was probably Mai, but if Ty Lee was with Zuko, then that's who she'd fight.
Jee and Iroh each handed her their flasks of water and she strapped them to her hips, taking a deep breath as they approached the room where Zuko was being held. "Oh good," Ty Lee stood and turned to face them. "I was beginning to worry you wouldn't make it."
The room they'd entered was dark, with a small table and two chairs against the wall across from a large, barred cell. Katara felt like she'd lost her breath and for a few moments she barely even registered Ty Lee's presence.
He looked awful; in captivity his beard had grown out rough and patchy, he looked tired, unfocused and there were marks where his manacles had rubbed the skin raw... but after days and days of picturing him being used for target practice she was immeasurably relieved to see he was mostly unscathed. Iroh seemed to feel much the same. "Zuko, it is very good to see you." He smiled.
"Uncle? What-?" Zuko glanced between Iroh and Katara realised they probably looked an odd sight- Iroh in simple peasant clothing between a Fire Nation Lieutenant and the Blue Spirit. But within seconds his eyes sharpened and he tugged his body forwards, urgently. "You have to tell the others, Azula has something planned-"
"Sorry!" Ty Lee cartwheeled in front of him. "Azula would really rather that you don't do that."
Iroh glanced to Katara. "We'll keep her occupied, you get Zuko free." He turned and sent a torrent of fire at the girl, who swung this way and that to avoid him, and Jee circled her with Zuko's swords in hand.
Rolling to one side, Katara brought water up to the lock of Zuko's cell and froze it hard. Seeing this, Zuko's eyes widened. "Katara?" He hissed. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with the others?"
"How are you?" Katara demanded. "Have they hurt you?" She chipped away at the frozen lock, trying not to focus on the fight happening behind her. She could feel the heat of Iroh's fire and tried not to think about how close the clashing of swords were to her back; she had a job to do and she had to trust that the two Fire Nation men behind her wouldn't let a hit land.
"No, I'm not hurt. Just a little battered." Zuko answered, watching her carefully. In frustration, she grabbed the Blue Spirit mask from her face and used the edge of it to pry at the lock. "We don't have time," He urged. "When the eclipse starts, Uncle will lose his advantage over Ty Lee- I don't know where Mai is but if she gets back and I'm still here you need to get out ." He was watching the fight over her shoulder and the honest fear nearly tipped her over the edge.
"Look at me," Katara gripped the bars and pressed her face against them, startled, he met her glare. "I am not leaving you behind again. Ever. We're getting out of here, and we're going to find the others and save the damned world. Trust me."
He stared at her for a moment, before setting his jaw and nodding in determination. "Freeze my handcuffs."
She glanced at them and shook her head. "I can do the chains but I don't want to injure you by accident- if I get too close to the skin-"
"It's faster, and I can help you with the lock if I'm not chained to the floor. Freeze them," So she did. He hissed as the ice made contact with blistered skin but she kept cooling the metal until he was able to smash it open on the flagstones. His hand finally free, he worked to open the cuffs at his ankles, shivering violently.
In the light of Iroh's fire, Katara could see how his lips were chapped and the dark shadows under his eyes. "Here, drink this," She passed him one of her flasks and he drank it quickly- too quickly. Then he fixed his eyes on the door to the cell and rose shakily to his feet. "What-" But he threw his body against it, hard.
The door burst open and Jee tossed him his twin swords. He looked a little unsteady on his feet but threw himself into the foray nevertheless. Jee drew his own, longer sword and Ty Lee pirouetted out of the way. Katara sent a blast of ice to where she landed, forcing her to slide to one side, unceremoniously crashing into the table.
Ty Lee lifted herself onto her hands atop the table, and Katara sent another blast of ice at her hands, attempting to fix her to the table but Ty Lee leapt away easily and a graceful arc of senbon came sailing through the doorway. Mai entered the room, looking a little bruised but clearly having beaten Kei.
"Oh, good!" Ty Lee grinned. "You're back."
"Ran into some trouble on the stairs," Mai replied, eyeing Zuko. "Clearly you're struggling without me."
"Just waiting for you," Ty Lee chirped, and they separated to either side of the small room, attacking in harmony together as the four allies fought back to back in the middle. Katara could feel how clumsy Zuko's movements were, compared with normal, and she wasn't sure he didn't need any proper healing but, as he'd said- they didn't really have time.
Katara managed to deflect a couple of slim daggers and glanced to the doorway. It was totally unblocked. Mai and Ty Lee, oddly enough, seemed to have moved away from the door. Zuko noticed it at the same moment she did. "Uncle! Lieutenant!" They escaped through the door and Katara iced it over before either girl could jump through.
She didn't take the time to wonder why they dropped their fighting stances, and looped one of Zuko's arms over her shoulders. "I can walk," He muttered, affronted, and she rolled her eyes.
"Can you run?"
"... No."
Iroh led the way and they hurried up the stairs. When they came across Kei's slumped form, Katara ran a hand over her injuries to ensure she was alright. Thankfully, she didn't appear seriously hurt, and Katara was able to get her up and walking without using up too much water.
"We have to stop the invasion," Zuko breathed, and Katara looked at him in alarm.
"What?"
"Azula has something planned- they'll never reach my Father and Azula... Do we have time to get to the others?" She looked up at his pale, drawn face and the thinly veiled panic in his face. Whatever he knew, it was vitally important that they get to the others and warn them.
"Okay," She nodded, squeezing his arm around her shoulder. "Okay. We can get there- I think we can get there in time. Let's go." And he nodded in grim determination.
They unhitched some military mongoose lizards from the prison stables. Jee climbed on with Kei, who was conscious still fairly out of it- she would need a proper healing session soon, Iroh mounted another and Zuko held the reins of a third. "Do you know how to ride one?" He checked, and she shook her head. "Come on, then. I'll probably need someone to hold me steady anyway."
He climbed on first, and the effort it took him was obvious. He groaned and pitched forwards slightly when the mongoose lizard twitched beneath him. "Yeah, no kidding." Katara sighed, in concern and climbed up behind him. She wrapped her arms around his middle and tried to feel with a handful of water for any signs of injury. They rode down to the harbour and she could feel the deep tissue bruises and small burns- despite what he'd said in the cells he had been hurt while being held there.
She focused on keeping him upright and healing what she could find on his torso. The blisters on his wrists and ankles looked nasty, and a little dirty which was concerning but she'd have to address those later. They rose at breakneck speed; the sun shone bright up ahead, but the shadow of the moon could be seen approaching steadily. Zuko seemed to crackle with anxious energy, urging his mongoose lizard on, and pulling well ahead of Iroh and Jee.
The invasion was just beginning as they reached the harbour, the alarms were ringing and the submarines had made it to the sea walls. Zuko pulled his steed to a sudden halt as they reached the high walls above the harbour. "Oh no," He breathed. Tanks powered by earthbenders crawled up to the gates beside them, flanked on each side by Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom warriors. "We have to stop them."
"Why?" Katara urged, trying to look up at his face from behind him. "It could work. We can win this."
Zuko looked to her in desperation. "Don't you see? Where are the rest of the soldiers?"
Katara looked down at the scene below, confused. The wide, flagstone military harbour beneath them had no Fire Nation soldiers on it yet, just archers who shot down from the parapets. Iroh and Jee pulled up behind them and Iroh squinted up to the sky.
Aang would already be halfway to the Caldera now- soaring overhead whilst the invasion force split the soldiers between the palace and the harbour. With a sinking feeling, Katara realised Zuko was probably right, but they had to try anyway.
"Aang will already be heading to the palace," Katara confirmed. "We have to get there to help him." But her grip on him tightened when she recognised two Water Tribe warriors scaling the walls. Below them, Sokka and Hakoda burst out of the parapets, but something was wrong. Hakoda collapsed, stumbling and clutching his side. "Dad!" Katara gasped. Growling in frustration, Zuko turned the mongoose lizard and charged it downhill.
"Get to the palace!" He called back. "We'll follow you when we can!"
"Be careful, nephew," Iroh called after them, and Katara turned to see the two men steer and charge back up the side of the Caldera. The mongoose lizards were built for speed, and they disappeared up the now eerily quiet streets before Katara registered what was happening.
"There will be some soldiers inside the walls, so keep your wits about you," Zuko told her as they neared her fallen father. Sokka ran to his side and was looking around in that lost way children do when their parents disappear. Katara hoped fervently that it wasn't too late.
"Sokka!" Katara cried as they got near. He turned with his sword ready but paused and squinted at them. Despite his furrowed brow, the relief on his face when he recognised them was clear.
"Zuko!" His face crumpled. "Katara- can you-?" Before he could finish, she slid off the mongoose lizard and ran to her dad, hands at the ready with water gloving them. Her dad had a large burn mark on the side of his waist, and Sokka watched in strained eagerness as she closed the wound. "Thank the spirits."
Hakoda stirred and blinked up at them. "Oh, jeez. Did I need rescuing? That's kind of embarrassing."
"Tell me about it," Zuko grunted and Hakoda squinted up at him from the floor. His face split into a grin.
"Prince Zuko," He nodded, struggling to sit up. Katara and Sokka both put hands on his shoulders to steady him. "I'm truly glad to see you in one piece, and not just because it will cheer up my children."
Katara smiled and looked back to Zuko who, backlit by the fierce, high sun, looked every inch the prince. Then her eyes adjusted to the brightness and her heart ached a little for the embarrassed boy smiling hesitantly at her dad. "Thank you, sir."
"You look about as good as I feel, though," Hakoda held his side and suppressed a gasp.
Zuko straightened in his saddle and looked down at the tanks below, some fire nation tanks had emerged to greet them now, and the fight was beginning in earnest. "They're prepared for the invasion- I think there's a trap set for Aang at the palace."
Sokka frowned. "Of course, the palace will be heavily guarded- we expect that."
"I won't be able to lead the invasion," Katara looked down at her dad, who was still clutching his side, looking pained. "Sokka… it's your decision."
Sokka nodded and stood, meeting Zuko's eyes fiercely. "We need to get to the palace as soon as possible in order to make it before the eclipse. Are you with us?" Zuko's mouth was set in a hard, grim line and he glared back at Sokka before giving a tiny, furious nod of his head.
"I'm with you... if only to stop you getting yourself killed," Zuko said, finally, and got down from the mongoose lizard. Katara looked up at Appa who, clad in fine armour, landed beside them and gave Zuko plenty of nuzzles and licks. It seemed as though Appa was apologising for leaving Zuko behind, and Zuko had to give his nose plenty of rubs before he stopped his love-bombing of the prince.
"Dad- get yourself out of here as soon as you can," Katara urged. Sokka began to shout orders down to the others as they all climbed onto Appa. "We can still win this," She tried as they flew down to collect Toph who was causing havoc in the harbour, still. "Aang's mastered the Avatar state and if we can get past your sister…"
Zuko didn't say anything, and Katara got the distinct impression he still wasn't fully on board with continuing the invasion... but Zuko was also not the type to give up. If they couldn't save Aang from having to face whatever Azula had planned, they could at least help him win.