Katara felt the wind pass over her skin and her eyes fluttered open, she was relatively warm. When her eyes opened she lost her self for a moment as she watched the shadow of the great air bison speeding over the water. A small smile graced her lips, she was flying on Appa, what a strange dream. Tired she closed her eyes and returned to sleep.
Aang stared at Katara's sleeping form, he'd landed back at the Southern Air Temple and he was unpacking Appa when he found her sleeping in the baggage. He quietly moved all the bags from Appa's saddle and waited for her to awaken.
Katara blinked, she saw a glow of orange and yellow and said sleepily, "Where are we now Aang?" She stretched with a sigh as she moved to her feet. "We're back at the Southern Air Temple, why are we here?"
Aang hadn't moved, "This is where I live Katara."
"I had the strangest dream," she smiled, "I dreamed I married Zuko and became Fire Lady, then my father refused the union and allowed Zuko to divorce me. What did we have for dinner last night and where's Sokka?"
"Katara come into the Temple and have breakfast," Aang said softly.
"Did you let Sokka make breakfast?" Katara asked stunned.
Aang smiled as he shook his head, "No, it's much better than that."
"Thank La, that would have been stranger than my dream." Katara smiled as she slipped off Appa, then moved around to his face and said, "thanks Appa."
The bison licked her then grumbled for his breakfast.
Aang landed lightly on his feet as he waited for Katara, he had heard what happened with Hakoda and her brother. The divorce was news that he didn't understand but, she was here with him and that made him happy. "Breakfast is this way Katara," he smiled sweetly.
Katara followed Aang deeper into the temple, surprised by the amount of people present. "Who are all these people Aang?"
"The new Air Nomads," Aang replied, "come breakfast first."
Katara was led deeper into the temple and finally to Aangs household.
"Avatar," an old man bowed, "you have returned, is this another wife?"
Katara's eyes widened, "Another wife?" she asked. "Another wife?" she muttered. Then all at once a memory of meeting Aangs wives, and the Ball and her disgrace. "No," she replied in tones as warm as the ice she was raised on, "I am not another wife of the Avatar, I'm not anyone's wife."
She retreated the way that she had come, ignoring Aangs plea's to come with him. As soon as she was able she ran through the passage ways of the air nomads and into the main temple. There she climbed into the fountain and rested in her element as her tears continued to add to the fountain.
Women brought her food and water, for three months she barely ate and existed only in her misery and her memories. The entire village of nomads had tried to help her past her grief and just when Aang had lost all hope that Katara would recover herself, she disappeared from the temple.
The only thing that marked her presence were her haunting cries and the red leather pendent with the carved black stone that she had worn. She had shredded and burned her gown the first week.
The night Katara realized that she was pregnant, she left the Southern Air Temple. If anyone knew then she would be returned to Fire Nation and that was not something she would survive. She'd felt the water far below her and wearing Earth Kingdom colors she dove toward the distant source of her element. As her body plummeted through the air she found the strength to bring her and Zuko's child into the world and love it for the rest of her years.
It was with a lighter and determined heart that she called the water up to her and let herself be brought gently to the shore of the river. She could be a healer and a midwife, towns always needed healers. She walked to the town at the base of the Mountains and arrived at dawn. In town she sold the rings and earrings that Zuko had given her and purchased a heavy cloak, it would be winter soon. A pack, a basket, a blanket, a spark stone and food for traveling were all purchased at different stalls. She ate lunch at a tea house, then started on her journey.
She wandered through Earth Kingdom for three months and once she reached a corner far from the sea and the Fire Nation she stopped. The healer of the small village was an old woman, bowed by age. The village had once been prosperous but, the well had dried up and the only water came from the winter snows and the spring rains. Katara had been reminded of the abandoned town that they'd fought Azula in and she'd wanted to keep moving. The babe had kicked after her visit to old Raya and she asked the old Healer if she needed an apprentice.
The woman smiled as she said, "Young woman, do not waste your life in this dying town."
Katara smiled sadly, "If not here, then where? There is no place for me in the land of my husbands people and my own father has refused me."
Raya bowed her head, "Then you are welcome to train as healer, though few will come to you, we are too poor for more than prayers."
Katara smiled for the first time, "Then I have a place to call home."
Raya stared into the young woman's eyes, "You are too young to despair."
Katara's eyes hardened, "I have lived through too much to not."
Raya nodded, "I have little to offer but a leaky roof and a small fire."
Katara smiled as she removed her cloak, "It offers more protection than the roads."
Raya nodded and moved the curtain. Katara followed the old woman into the house and settled into the room she was given.
The next months were filled with work for Katara, she learned herb craft, poultice making and she cleaned Raya's house. By the time she was too big to move easily she had fixed the house, re-worked the sleeping pads, chased the bugs and vermin out of the house and filled the holes in the walls. With the first snow she scrubbed the house clean with her bending and directed all the snow into the well.
Her daughter came into the world mid-winter, she wept when she opened her golden eyes and named her Kazua. When Spring came finally to the village, Kazua was in her forth month of life. Katara carried her daughter, upon her back as she worked the ground in the small garden. She'd spent the winter pulling the snow from the ground, turning it into water and filling the wells.
In exchange for her help the other seven families helped with fixing the Healers house, plowing and seeding her garden and one even gave her four hens and one breeding cock for a small flock of quail-rabbits. She and Raya ate the eggs and winter tubers from the woods surrounding the small village.
Katara sipped cool water from the well as she stood in the small garden and enjoyed the soft warmth of the sun. It was mid spring, Kazua was healthy and her first ever crop of short-peas was harvested. Raya was going to show her how to preserve them for mid-winter.
"Katara!" young Yukko yelled as he came tearing around the back of the house and launched himself over her small fence.
"What is it Yukko?" she asked as she watched him run toward her.
"Father's been injured by the bull-deer!" He cried.
Katara moved quickly with the boy as she filled a small bucket with water from her well. Minutes later she was on her knees next to the injured man. She covered her hands with water as she said, "Wash the area with water Yukko."
The boy gulped, but did as the young healer asked.
As soon as the water flowed over the older farmers skin, Katara pulled the water to her and started to heal the man's injuries. It was dark out by the time she pulled herself away from farmer Ven and he was resting quietly. Her daughter was resting playfully in Yukko's mothers arms. She accepted her child with a smile and said, "He'll sleep for some time, let him wake on his own."
The woman bowed and wrapped her arms around Yukko, who was her eldest child.
Raya returned to the spirits days after Ven woke from his three day sleep. Katara had found her sitting in her chair by the fire, she'd moved on during the night. All seven families honored the old healer as they returned her bones to the earth. Each one also presented Katara with a basket of produce or the meat of an animal.
Spring turned to summer and Kazua kept Katara busy as did the small garden. Katara would let her daughter crawl around her garden and often they ended up playing with the fruits and vegetables instead of attending to the weeds.
Katara's small farm flourished under the care of the other villagers, as did her small flock of quail-rabbits. By the time the first snows came the eight farms had had their most productive and bountiful year since the wells dried up. That winter Katara once again pulled the snow from the ground and filled the wells of the villagers. In thanks, she and Kazua spent one evening meal with each family on a rotating basis.
Mid-winter came and Katara hosted a small celebration in honor of her daughters birth. The other families gave their youngest villager hand carved toys, new cloths and blankets. Later, after the others left for their own homes, Katara wept in appreciation for the villagers gifts; these were exactly the kinds of celebration gifts that she would have received at the South Pole.
With the Spring rains Kazua started walking and would hold on to Katara's skirt as she funneled the rain into the wells. It was during an intense spring storm that change once again came to the small village. This time it traveled by caravan and stopped before Katara.
Katara kept her place in the middle of the road, in the middle of the Village as she directed the water to go where she commanded it. Kazua was staying with Valia and her children, her closest neighbor. She ignored the caravan, they'd either get boared or impatient and go around her.
She worked through the night and into the next morning, until the storm abaited and stopped dropping it's water to the earth. She glanced at the caravan leade, he had steam rising from his still seated form.
"You've become more patient Master Katara," the gravelly voice said in the quiet morning.
Katara stared at the hatted figure, his voice tugged on her memories and once he removed his hat from his head.
She sighed, "Master Jeong-Jeong."
Jeong-Jeong stared at her for a moment then said, "You are this village's healer."
Katara simply nodded.
The white haired man looked severe, "A woman, under my care has fallen ill. Will you care for her?"
"My house is further through the town, bring her there," Katara sighed. She walked toward her house and opened the door. She'd just shed her parka when she heard footsteps in her house. "There's a room off to the right, toward the garden I will attend to her there." She filled a bucket with fresh water and followed the three men into the room. When none of them made a move she said only, "You may wait for her in the largeroom and make tea while you do so, the kitchen is easy enough to find."
The men bowed then disappeared from Raya's old room.
Katara stared at the woman laying on the bed, her skin and hair proclaimed her to be Fire Nation, under the unnatural hue of bronze. She pulled the water to her hands and began her examination. At mid day she closed the door to the woman's room behind her and faced Jeong-Jeong and a narrowed eyed Valia. "She is very ill, how long was she poisoned?"
Katara's voice carried over the room as she picked her daughter up and rested her head against the dark haired girls.
Jeong-Jeong bowed his head, "We do not know, she has been like this since we found her mid-winter."
"The bronzing of her skin is due to the toxin flooding her blood, soon her organs will fail and she will die painfully." Katara said in a soft voice.
"Can you help her?" a young female voice asked.
Katara glanced at the girl, "Is she your mother?"
The girl nodded her head.
Katara stared into the hazel eyes of the girl tucked into Jeong-Jeong's side, "Is she not Fire Nation?"
Jeong-Jeong nodded, "She escaped Fire Nation the same time I did. We traveled together until it was too dangerous to do so. She contacted me after her husband died and she became ill, I promised to bring her daughter to her family in Fire Nation."
Katara nodded, "Will you remain during her treatment?"
Jeong-Jeong nodded even as he looked around, "We will make camp with the caravans, will you keep her and Arilla in your house."
Katara smiled, "Of course they are both welcome." She glanced at the hazel eyed girl and said, "I am Katara and this is my daughter Kazua, you will sleep in her bed while you stay with us." Katara held out her hand, "Come I'll show you where it is and we'll let master Jeong-Jeong and his men settle the caravan."
"Katara, will you be coming for the evening meal?" Valia asked the water bender in a suspicious voice.
Katara glanced at the older woman, "If it is not an inconvienince to bring Arilla."
The woman smiled at the younger girl and replied, "Of course not, Tuvo will be delirious to have someone to speak too."
Katara smiled, "Thank you Valia."
The older woman waved her thanks off as she left the healers house.
"Master Jeong-Jeong, I will return in a moment." Katara nodded at the man as she guided the young girl toward Kazua's room. She let the girl laydown on the bed and watched as the hazel eyes were slowly covered by the long dark lashes of her eyelids. She let the young girl sleep and returned to the main room of her house.
Jeong-Jeong waited for the young waterbender to return to her mainroom. He looked around at the well worn, but well tended house and wondered what had brought the water bender out into the middle of Earth Kingdom. He had recognized her as soon as he saw the water flowing un-naturally toward this small town and into five different currents. He'd remembered her glowing hands and her abilities to heal. When she returned he and his three men bowed to her, "Fire Lady."
Katara stared into the golden eyes of the former admiral, "I was divorced or didn't you hear that as well." Her voice hard and filled with an icy anger that she rarely expressed.
Jeong-Jeong kept his surprise to himself as he said, "I did not know my Lady."
Katara nodded as she reigned her anger back inside of herself, "You are welcome to harvest eggs from the quail-rabbits and to butcher a mottled boar-sheep. The early short-peas will be harvestable in a months time and the woods near here are filled with tubers and early berries."
Jeong-Jeong nodded as she informed his men of their provisions.
"There is little to trade in the village and you will find few coins and no tavern to relax. If any of you play an instrument or are willing to tell stories, I could let it be known and you'll find yourself invited into the other villagers homes for the evening meals."
Arillia stood in the doorway to her mothers room and watched as the dark skinned woman hands glowed blue, "What is that?" she asked in a quiet child voice.
Katara glanced at the door and smiled at the hazel-eyed girl, "This is a form of water bending," she replied, "it's used to heal."
The girl stayed in the doorway.
Katara kept her focus on the woman under her hands, the poison was fighting her and refusing to pass out of the other womans system. "You can come closer," she said as she focused on trying to cleanse the organs of the poison.
Arillia moved quickly next to the seat woman and peeked over her shoulder. Her eyes widened when her mothers body spasmed, "Is she ok?"
Katara shook her head, "She is very ill, she was poisoned for a long time and it stayed in her body. Did she eat anything special that you weren't allowed to?"
Arillia thought, "Father always gave her a special tea, before they retired."
Katara nodded, he was either delivering the antidote or poisoning her with the tea and since he was not here to answer her questions; the information was of limited use. She'd have to wait for the fullmoon and hope that she could keep the woman alive that long.
Arillia leaned against the sitting woman, "Does it hurt?"
Katara smiled, "No, sit in my lap and I'll show you."
Arillia climbed onto the other woman's lap and sat patiently.
"Slowly slide your hands over mine, start before the water covers them," Katara said softly.
Arillia slowly let her smaller hands slide over the older womans, she giggled, "It tickles," when her hands fully rested ontop of Katara's.
Katara smiled, "That's your mother's chi that you feel, that's what tickles you."
Arillia's smile was brilliant, "Mother's tickling me in her sleep?"
Katara laughed, "Chi is energy that flows in your body, waterbenders use that energy to help the body heal itself."
Arillia said, "ohhh," as the water tickled her hands, "I like water healing, can I learn to do it?"
"Only waterbenders have been able to use Chi to heal," Jeong-Jeong replied quietly from the door, "they are the only element that understands the flow of the body's fluids."
Arillia pouted, "But I like it, I want to learn."
Katara replied, "Arillia, we do not pout when we are healing and aren't you helping me do it now?"
Arillia stared at their combined glowing blue hands and nodded.
The woman spasmed under their hands and Katara sighed, "That's enough for today my little apprentice." She pulled their hands from the woman's body and returned the water to a pale.
Jeong-Jeong waited for Katara to rise from her position on the floor before he spoke, "She looks little better."
"Until the fullmoon, all I can do is ease the burden of her organs so they do not fail her once the poison is removed from her body." Katara replied.
Jeong-Jeong didn't understand, Katara could see it in his eyes. "I'm strongest under the fullmoon and it will take all three of the nights of the fullmoon for me to pull the poison from her body. The poison has been inside of her for years and fed to her for years, it has hidden everywhere."
Jeong-Jeong nodded, "we will stay."
Katara nodded, she hadn't really expected him to decide otherwise.
The first night of the fullmoon, Katara closed the door to the room and stared at the pale woman; this was going to be hard on both of them. She let the power of the moon fill her and she slowly eased herself into the feel of the womans blood. She could feel the permeating wrongness of the poison and started with the organs. She followed the blood with one hand as she harnessed the poison with her other. She cleared the womans lungs, heart and liver of the poison.
She'd managed to hold the poison in an area of the womans left arm and she could see the pooling buldge. She couldn't release her focus long enough to pierce the womans skin so she called out, "Jeong-Jeong!" and continued to keep control of the accumulated poison.
The white haired fire master opened the door to the room.
"Close the door," Katara snapped. Once she heard the door close she asked, "Can you see the buldge on her left shoulder?"
"Yes my Lady," he replied.
"Pierce it," she commanded.
Jeong-Jeong stared at the young woman.
"Do it, I can't hold on much longer the moon is setting."
Jeong-Jeong pierced the woman's skin and to his surprise it wasn't red blood that erupted from the wound, but a foul smelling grey fluid that slowly trickled into the waiting bowl.
Katara milked the area by forcing blood to push toward the hole and as soon as clean blood streamed from the wound, she released her hold on the woman's blood and covered a hand in blue water to sooth and heal the wound.
Jeong-Jeong watched as the woman's color became less bronze and a healthier fire nation pale.
Katara collapsed next to the resting woman as her energy finally gave out.
"Fire Lady?" Jeong-Jeong asked as he squatted beside her.
"It is the wicked side of waterbending," Katara replied.
"It is true, what Princess Azula claims you did control her through her own body." He said softly.
"Yes, Zuko dove in front of the lightening that she shot at me, I was so angry I almost stopped her heart when I thought she'd killed him." Katara confessed for the first time since the battle, "Then Zuko moaned the slightest bit and I chose his life over her death."
Jeong-Jeong stared at the young water bending master, "What happened?"
Katara knew he wasn't speaking of the fight, "My father refused to acknowledge the union and told the Fire Lord how to divorce me. They arranged it right there at the end of the Peace Summit and I was to be returned to my father's house, disgraced and dishonored. To be punished like an insolent child."
The sudden chill in the room made the woman on the bed shudder and even Jeong-Jeong increased his own temperature to the ice that crept away from Katara's seated form. "I will continue her treatment tomorrow night and on the fourth day I'll know if it is safe for her to continue to travel with you." She moved from her seated position and out the room.
Jeong-Jeong stared at his friend for a moment, then knelt beside her when her eyes fluttered open, "I am here my Lady."
"No longer, another took my place," the woman sighed, "and I am thankful for it."
"Sleep," Jeong-Jeong replied as he caressed her head.
"You still have no humor Jeo," the woman sighed as her eyes closed.
The next night Katara continued her cleansing of the woman and with Jeong-Jeong's assistance was able to capture more of the poison by doing it in smaller increments. The end result was almost a dozen bleeding wounds for the woman but, more than half the poison was removed from her body that night. As Katara healed the small incisions, Jeong-Jeong removed the poisonous fluid and from a distance set fire to the bowl and made ash of the deadly fluid.
The third night they worked together once more and just as they finished the woman moaned, "No more please Terro I beg of you, I won't leave you I promise…please no more."
That was the first time Katara heard the woman speak and her voice was so bereft of hope that Katara couldn't help but comfort the woman, "Shhh now, we're removing the poison, shhh you are safe." She let a water covered hand sooth the woman's feavered brow and smiled into golden eyes, "You're almost well."
The woman's golden eyes stared into the soothing blue ones of the healer and she said, "Arillia?"
Katara's smile was warm, "Your daughter is well, she is asleep now, you may see her tomorrow. Rest, your body needs sleep to heal."
The golden eyes were slowly closed under the water bender's soothing touch.
Jeong-Jeong bowed his head, "Thank you Master Katara."
Katara smiled at the white haired man, "You will be able to continue your journey with in days, she is not to exhert herself."
Jeong-Jeong bowed.
Katara was only mildly surprised when she woke the next day to find her patient and the caravan had left. Valia said they left early in the morning to get a full day of travel in.
Life in their little village settled back into a familiar and comforting routine. Summer heat came and the vegtables and fruit in her garden needed constant attention as did Kazua who often could be found playing in the muddy watering trophs in the garden.
Late that fall a weary young family knocked on Katara's door, just as the first snow appeared on the ground. The young woman was heavily pregnant, tired and had contracted a cold in her chest. She opened her door and said, "take her to the room on the left, the kitchen is further toward the garden in the back; there is bread and stew."
The young man nodded and half carried his wife to the room the healer directed him to and laid her gratefully on the bed. He returned to the main room to find his other children gone and followed their voices to the kitchen. He sat next to his eldest daughter a small girl of four and smiled in thanks as a bowl of warm stew was handed to him.
Katara's sharp eyes watched as everyone ate, "You may rest in the mainroom, by the fire. The children will sleep in my daughters room once they are finished."
He nodded as he ate the warm meal.
Katara moved swiftly toward her healing room and covered her hands in water gloves, then knelt next to the fevered woman. The infection in the woman's lungs was deep and it would take many treatments to pull the infection from her, without damaging the lung. She removed what she could from the lungs and brought the fever down.
The babe kicked under her glowing hands and she smiled, "Hello little one, you are very eager. Be calm for your poor mother, she needs to rest and heal."
When she returned to the main room the man was asleep by the fire. She checked on Kazua who hadn't even roused when the other children laid down next to her to sleep. She covered them with an extra blanket and returned to her room.
The next morning she woke to the smell of quail-rabbit eggs being fried and eager voices moving all over the house. She roused herself and slowly made her way toward her kitchen. She was surprised to find the man making breakfast for the children, under the quiet guidance of his wife.
"Good morning," Katara said from the doorway.
"Momma!" Kazua yelled, "Pee-ool!" as she moved quickly toward her mother.
Katara laughed at her daughters pleased smile, the little girl loved being around other people.
The other woman smiled, "I hope you do not mind, I woke early."
"You need to be resting, you are not well enough to attend your duties yet," Katara chided the other woman gently.
"I am Waya, my husband Erro, our children Roa and Yan," she smiled as she spoke. "Thank you for letting us stay, we'll be on our way after the morning meal."
Katara frowned, "Where are you going?"
"Shung-yu, Erro is a bender there is work to be had at the mine," Waya replied softly.
Katara shook her head, "You will not make it to the mining mountains before the pass closes because of the snow."
Waya's hope sank.
Katara glanced at the young man, "Can you build wells?"
Erro shrugged, "I can move the earth, but I have no gift for knowing where water rests under the ground."
"You can stay with me until the spring, then continue on your way." She held up her hand, "I will expect you to help with the spring planting and build wells. I will help you find the water."
Waya stared at the young blue eyed woman, "You're a waterbender!"
Katara smiled, "A healer. Do we have an agreement?"
Erro looked to his wife whose hopefull eyes pleaded with him, he nodded.
"Good. We will start after Waya is healed," Katara glared at the woman.
Waya flushed and replied, "Yes Healer."
Katara moved the snow into the existing wells as she sought to catch the feeling of larger bodies of water under the ground. It wasn't until she was at full strength under the fullmoon that she felt the water.
The next day she and Erro returned to the place she had found for the new village well. It was not with in the central portion of the village it was in fact across the road and almost into the fields of corn-squash. Katara figured the other families could determine where they wanted the village road and arrange it with Erro.
That winter four new wells were created by the combined work of Erro and Katara. As Katara funneled the snow into water and continued to fill the established wells, Erro re-worked the road so that it passed around the village and shifted the established road into workable soil. The village decided that a joined ornamental garden would surround the old town center, a verdeant place to hold celebrations.
Each of the small farms would have their own household gardens for their families and that the earth around the village would be used to grow crops for export to larger villages to the south and west.
Kazua turned two and Waya gave birth to her third child, a healthy young girl, they named her Tara. Katara was deeply honored.
Spring came and the villagers planted their gardens and began to sow their fields knowing they would have enough water to bring the crops to life during the dry summer.
Katara and Kazua played in their garden and planted what ever took their fancy. They had flowers mixed in with short-peas, onion-hearts, ruby-plums and a variety of other fruits and vegetables.
That spring three new families came to the village. Erro arranged to help build their homes and Ven and the others worked out an equitable exchange of land for their help in tending to the village crops.
The village was an explosion of color that summer, the land was hard red earth, the crops were green and the houses were multiple shades of dark brown to radiante red. The garden in the middle of the village was an explosion of color. The flowers were in full bloom and the sweet grass was a joy for children and parents to relax upon in the early evening.
The village had decided upon a celebration of the Summer Soltice, lamps rested on tall earth pillars around the garden and a large spit had been slowly cooking a bull-deer since dawn. Several farmers brought their instruments and played for their and the villages enjoyment through the evening.
Katara was laughing as she danced with Erro among other dancers, under the halfmoon and lamp light. She hadn't laughed so much since she'd stayed with Jun and Toph. She felt free and hopeful, it was a wonderful feeling. She and Erro returned to their pic-nic blanket and she lifted her daughter up into her arms and spun her around.
Kazua laughed as she said, "Momma, Pee-ool!" and pointed to a group of people on the outskirts of the garden.
Katara watched as Ven, Erro and three others closed in on the group of strangers. The music died down as everyone else in the village watched their Village council.
Erro moved toward Katara and once he was before her he said, "They are asking for the Healer, several of their men were injured." He paused for a moment, "I do not trust their motives, they stand too tall when they ask for help."
Katara nodded, "Thank you Erro." She passed the man and moved toward the village council and the group of men. She stood next to Ven in Erro's place and said, "I am the Healer."
The man stared at her and bowed, "Fire Lady Katara, King Bumi asked that we bring you to the palace at Omashu."
Katara's blue eyes snapped with anger, "I was divorced, or didn't Zuko tell King Bumi of that bit of news."
"We obey our King Fire Lady, he is not well," the man tried again.
Katara growled, "Of course he's not well he's over a 119, how could he possible be well?"
The guard blinked, he hadn't realized their king was that old, "Please Fire Lady, we don't want to harm any of this village to contain you."
Cold radiated from Katara as she faced King Bumi's men, "Don't believe for one second that you, your men or your king will be spared my anger. This village has suffered enough and was long ignored and allowed to slowly die as they lost hope. Now you threaten their peace, their joy, because one dishonored woman was welcomed into their hearts and homes."
Several of the men winced at her frost filled tones.
"I'll leave with you and I'll speak to Bumi and if Zuko comes anywhere near me, he better hope it's the middle of the day on the new moon or I'll freeze his black heart."
The venom in her voice caused the Guard Captain to back up a step.
"You will not interrupt this celebration and I will only answer to Master Katara if you wish to capture my attention, other wise I suggest you forget my name," she hissed at them. "You will also allow me to pack for my daughter and I, then we will leave."
The Captain bowed.
Katara faced Ven, "I am sorry to have brought this to the village."
"Are you truly the Fire Lady?" he asked amazed.
Katara shook her head, "I was Fire Lady for a few months, upon recommendation of my father I was divorced."
The older farmer pulled the young woman into his arms and said, "You are a gift Healer Katara, always remember you have a place here with your Earth Kingdom family."
Katara allowed herself to be comforted for a moment and hugged the older farmer, "Thank you Ven."
He grinned, "Valia is going to be upset with you for the remainder of her years if you don't allow her to harvest your blood-plums and send you the preserves."
Katara laughed as she wrapped her arm through the older farmers, "Tell her she has my blessing."
Katara returned to Erro, "You were right they are not here on behalf of soldiers, they came to ask that I attend King Bumi."
Erro's eyes widened as did those of Waya and other villagers that heard the news of the soldier's request.
"Kazua and I will leave with them after the celebration," she replied with a smile she didn't feel. "You will stay and look after the house and garden won't you?"
Waya nodded, "They will be awaiting your return to the village."
Katara smiled, though she knew she'd never be allowed to return to the village as a healer; if she was allowed to return at all. She lifted her giggling daughter into her arms and moved them out under the lamp light as she twirled them around.
The music started up again as the soldiers were fed and watered and asked to dance by the women of the village.
The next morning Katara, Kazua and their simple packs were escorted to the main encampment and transferred into a waiting carriage.