Prelude to a Battle

Elsewhere in the palace...

A restless buzz infused the air as last-minute preparations for the first strike against Fadmon were carried out. Armor was polished, weapons were cleaned, and supplies were being loaded onto the newly refurbished war balloons.

"And such lovely colors," Azula mused, smiling at the sunny yellow and cool lavender zeppelins. Truly they were a fruity sight to behold. Who would ever suspect such gaily painted baubles to house a deadly force of soldiers bent on the destruction of Fadmon and all it stood for?

Zuko watched his sister, who cradled her damnable pet between her engorged breasts on top of her very pregnant belly. For the first time in a long, long while—ever, now that he thought about it—he felt genuine concern for her. "Azula, you don't need to go with the fleet. You're due any day now. It's not safe—"

"Pshaw, Zuzu, I'm fine." She tickled Kisu's chin, and the cat scowled at her. "Kisu''ll be right here to protect me, won't you, my pwecious puddy-wuddy cutie patootie?"

The grey cat meowed resignedly. It wasn't as though he could get away from her, anyhow.

"A cat's not going to be able to do squat if your water breaks and you start pushing," Zuko huffed. "For your sake, and for the baby's sake, I'm telling you, you need to stay at home in the Fire Nation."

"Yes, you would say that, wouldn't you?" She frowned at him deeply. "You're just trying to ensure my child isn't exposed to the glory of the battlefield." Her voice softened to a pleading whine. "When else am I going to get this chance? After we annihilate Fadmon, there won't be any other enemies to conquer, now, will there?"

Zuko rubbed deep circles into his temples, using the calming chant Aang had recently taught him to lower his sky-high blood pressure. "Ohm…don'tmakethelightningbendermad…ohm…"

He regained himself. Patiently, he said, "Azula, you did a great job planning the attacks. I mean it. In fact, I'm certain the troops could go through this fight blindfolded with one hand tied behind their backs thanks to your strategies. Won't you consider—"

"I won't leave the job half-done." She crossed her arms over her chest…except that her enlarged bosom and the cat nestled between the bulbous globes of her maternal femininity didn't give her a whole lot of room to maneuver, so she ended up resting her elbows overtop a squished, protesting Kisu. "I'll be there to oversee the operation, make no mistake."

Zuko relented. There was no use arguing with his sister. "All right. I'll let you go. But," he insisted, "Mom is going to come along to make sure you don't overdo it." It might give the two an opportunity to bond. As much as Azula had wanted her mother at home to help her through the last nine months of hell, the two hadn't spent much time together. Things were apparently still a little awkward between them despite all Ursa had promised regarding mommy-daughter time.

His sister said nothing in response, her expression shuttered. She simply nodded, then made her excuses and left to oversee preparations for the coming battle.

A great weariness settled upon Zuko shoulders, but was eased when dark, slender hands settled upon him and started kneading the knots of tension into putty.

"You look stressed."

Zuko turned and smiled weakly at the radiant visage of his roly-poly wife. He bent and kissed Katara tenderly. "I'm better when you're here with me."

She took his hands in hers. "I wish you didn't have to go. I wish I could come with you instead of staying cooped up in here. You know I'm strong enough to fight."

"I know you are. But it's best for the baby," he told her gently, placing a warm palm over her stomach. The baby kicked hard, and the Waterbender gasped when he rolled restlessly.

"Looks like someone's eager to meet Daddy," she giggled, patting her belly to quell the somersaults.

"And I'm eager to meet my son or daughter." Zuko's turned a soft gaze upon her. "I'd rather stay here than leave you alone. You know I do."

"I know. But this is your fight. You have to see it through." She placed his palm over her cheek and nuzzled his roughened hand. "Just do me a favor and keep an eye on your sister."

"I always do." Even in his sleep. "Aang and Jet will both be there, and I'm going to ask my mother to chaperone, as well. Sokka's going to stay here."

Katara was shocked. "But he's the best warrior we have!"

"He's going to stay to protect you, of course." Zuko smiled grimly. "Without my mother around, I can't trust Dad to behave himself."

"I can handle Ozai," Katara asserted mulishly.

"No doubt. Still, I'd feel better knowing your brother's here. Sokka's already agreed to stay behind."

"What about Toph?"

"She's normally spoiling for a fight, but she told me she's going to stay behind, too. Something about not tempting Fate…" He frowned. "I don't know what that means. In any case, she doesn't want anything to do with this war. She can keep you company, too."

They held each other, gazing at the enormous froufrou-colored zeppelins bobbing in the gentle breeze as people of the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and Water Tribes trickled in and out, laughing, talking, hoping, dreaming of the days ahead, looking forward to a fight they knew they couldn't possibly lose.

Their destiny was at hand. Zuko and Katara had managed to unite their people against a common foe. They'd achieved with this campaign everything the Avatar had striven for since that first fateful day when a young Waterbender had raged about her brother's smelly socks and started their journey toward greatness.

In less than twenty-four hours, the corps would land on Kyoshi and utterly destroy the ranks of the vile Fadmon.

Little did they know, victory would not come as easily as they hoped…