AN: Alright, so here's where Zuko kicks Hahn's butt!

DISCLAIMER:

I do not own "Avatar: the Last Airbender."

CHAPTER 26: DUEL TO DEATH
ZUKO'S POV

I carried Katara one of the small pools we used for bathing. Toph Earthbended four tall walls around one to give Katara privacy. The Gaang was called away to an emergency council meeting. I refused to leave Katara, and Toph stayed with me as a guard.

"Come to the Council Tent when Katara is done, okay?" Sokka said, looking at his sister with sad eyes. "We need to figure out what to do." Katara stared at him with unblinking eyes, and I pulled her to me, stroking her hair.

"You can bathe in here." I told her, setting her down near the pool. "I'll get clean clothes for you, okay? If you need anything, I'll be outside with Toph." She nodded slowly, stepping into the secluded area.

I turned to get her clothes, but Toph was already holding them and pushed them under the rock; Toph lifted one of the walls a little. I sighed, sitting down.

Poor Katara...Hahn just had to ruin everything! She was so happy and excited just a couple minutes ago, but now she was afraid and quiet. I swore I would kill Hahn...slowly and painfully.

"Zuko, calm down. I can't hear anything over your heart thudding in my feet." Toph said. She was sitting next to me, both feet planted on the ground to sense if Katara was okay or if Hahn was coming back.

"How can I calm down? My fiancé was almost dishonored!" I fumed as flames danced around my fists. "This is my fault! If I hadn't left Katara alone..."

"Zuko, you can't blame yourself. Katara is fine. And even if you didn't leave Katara, Hahn might have still tried to do...it. He's determined and never gives up. But you can content youself to know that Hahn still hasn't woken up." Toph patted my arm. "Katara's strong. She's just stunned and scared by all the shock. But she'll move on. After Ba Sing Se, she locked herself in the cabin and only came out to heal Aang. But after three days, she was better. She ate, she slept, she talked. Katara will get through this, and she'll be your wife."

"The wedding! Damn!" I cursed. "We can't have the wedding tomorrow!"

"Sparky, they're delaying departure for it! I don't think they'll like you postponing it."

"We can't just marry after all of this. We'll push it to two more days. The day after tomorrow. It'll feel wrong if we just ignore what happened to Katara. It'll be like attending a funeral wearing festive clothes." Toph nodded. "You really care for her. It'll be weird seeing Katara married...but right. You two were made for each other."

I smiled at Toph's unusual coaching, assuring talk. "Thanks, Toph." She slugged my shoulder in response.

Katara came out, dressed in clean clothes. I walked over to her, taking her hand. "Are you okay, Tara?" She nodded softly.

KATARA'S POV

"Katara should decide the punishment for Hahn." my father said. Everyone nodded, turning to me. I looked down. "I...just want to never see him again." Zuko squeezed my hand in comfort.

"That can be arranged." Pakku said.

"What's the Water Tribe punishment for this offense?" Zuko asked angrily. Hahn was awake, injured quite a bit. He did not look regretful.

"An honor duel." Hakoda said. "The woman's husband, brother, father, or engaged-depending on the circumstances-would engage the offender in a duel. It ends when the opponent surrenders or is too injured to carry on. Then the man who dishonored the woman is castrated and ostracized from the tribe."

"Stand up if you wish to duel Hahn." Sokka, Pakku, and Dad stood up. Zuko rose to his feet.

"Who shall duel him?" Arnook asked.

"I believe Katara's fiancé should duel Hahn. Hahn tried to take Katara from him, and did it out of spite for Zuko." one of the Council members said. Everyone nodded in agreement. With disappointed faces, my brother, grandfather, and father sat down.

"Prince Zuko, you are allowed to use Firebending and your broadswords. Hahn, you are allowed to choose two weapons." Hahn picked his sword and a club.

I stepped towards Zuko as we went outside to finish this once and for all. "Zuko, you don't have to do this."

"I want to." he answered, and gripped my hand again. "I want to murder him." His voice was a low, feral growl; I imagined a tigerdillo snarling and ripping apart its prey. His tone scared me; it was the old Prince Zuko. The scary, angry, fearsome Zuko, the same one who used to keep me up at night, worrying about our safety. The same one who tied me to a tree, whom I feared that he would torture me for Aang's whereabouts.

I stood back as Zuko and Hahn approached the fighting clearing. Zuko held his swords tigthly in his hands, flames dancing along the blades. Hahn stood in a warrior's stance, albeit slightly stiff from his injuries.

They charged, metal singing and clanging, shouts and grunts, moving feet dancing in rhythm. Zuko had several advantages-he wasn't injured, his anger fueled his energy, and he had Firebending. Hahn was trained, however, in the Water Tribe way-"fighting until the last breath," as Sokka once said during warrior training in the South Pole.

Zuko stumbled, and I gasped. Hahn's club had hit Zuko's leg; he limped slightly. I heard a little crunch. Definitely fractured, but bot broken. Zuko was in pain, but he refused to show it. His teeth gritted as he swung his flaming swords at Hahn. Hahn dodged and blocked it with his remaining weapon-the club. Zuko had disarmed Hahn's sword easily.

"I will have your Waterbending woman!" Hahn taunted as Zuko blocked his club.

"Katara is my fiancé! And she will never consent to you!" Zuko hissed. Hahn laughed. "She did not. But have you noticed how soft her skin is, how perfectly rounded her-"

With an angry, horrific yell, Zuko Firebended a massive wave at Hahn. It happened so fast that if you blinked, you would have missed it. Hahn fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

The duel was over.

AN: Review! Next chapter is Sokka's bachelor party! Any ideas, guys?