Author's Notes: I ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT YOUR SCORN. It has been far too long, but I went through a bit of emotional turmoil and some pretty bad stress. I am so sorry. It really affected my ability to write this story. My muse still hasn't recovered, but I've been trying. I really am so, so sorry. Hopefully this will make up for it?
…
Several cloaked figures darted in and out of alleyways. The general populace ignored them; businesses often sent out pages to various buildings, and those pages often chose the alleyways to skirt around the crowds. But today, these men were not employed, and they were carrying missives from renegade guerilla warriors.
An officer in this corps of guerillas accepted a missive from a page and dismissed him immediately. The officer then opened the letter and scanned the letter. A feral grin pulled at the lips that slashed across his ugly face. He turned to his elite group of warriors, his eyes alight with battlelust.
"It's nearly time," was all he said. Those under his command started to paw at the ground, shifting restlessly, their hands on their blades. They, too, wanted to begin this holy war against the impudent little pup that called himself the Fire Lord.
…
The room was full of muted chatter as the elected town leaders of the Fire Nation gathered for the yearly meeting with the Fire Lord in the capital city. None knew what to expect from him; he was a young monarch, the youngest in the history of the Fire Nation, and his reign was still quite new, and while he had done quite outstanding things so far, most were still wary of him. Each town mayor or city councilman knew that the general population loved him and thought him the greatest Fire Lord to date, but knowing the importance of image to the people, they knew better than to fall in love so quickly.
The royal guards already posted in the room were regarded with distrust; even the fiercest supporter of Fire Nation superiority could not dismiss the long history of crimes committed against the people by the armed forces, including the Fire Lord's personal guard. Claims of abuse, however, had dwindled in the last nine months.
All in all, the air in the room was generally relaxed and very positive. Everyone was excited to begin work and to see how the country was rebuilding itself from the most rural of villages to the great areas of commerce.
All chatter stopped abruptly and everyone stood when the door to the room was opened and Fire Lord Zuko walked through, flanked by his Head Advisor, Treasurer, and a procession of various assistants, secretaries, and important nobles. The Fire Lord's party seated themselves in the open chairs around the head of the table, where Zuko lowered himself into a chair, the same ones that his nobles and the town leaders sat in.
"Please, sit down," Zuko said with a polite smile, accepting a bundle of documents from Daiki. "Thank you all for coming," he said, "and I hope we will make much progress today. First, I would like to address members of this group about the reports I have received from all of you – for clarification and elaboration, of course – and then I would like to hear requests. Nobleman Bo-Lin," he referred to the young noble to his left, down several chairs, the same man who had challenged his desire to be with Katara, "is the head of our Appropriations Council and will make any necessary changes to the budgets as we deem fit."
"Fire Lord," the elected Speaker of the Council, who spoke for the entire group on formal matters, addressed Zuko, standing up to speak, said. He bowed. "We thank you for this opportunity to speak to you outside of formal requests, and we would like to answer any questions you may have and accept your suggestions."
"Thank you, Speaker," Zuko said. "First, Mayor Jiang?"
The stately man in his late forties nodded. "Yes, Fire Lord."
Zuko consulted the document in front of him, scanning over a few sections before speaking. "You mentioned in your report, fourth paragraph, second line, that there have been instances of royal representatives accepting bribes and siphoning off money for their own purposes, and other instances of general misconduct, such as gambling while on duty and supporting the brothels in the area with government money. Have you identified the culprits of this reprehensible behavior?"
"Yes, Fire Lord," Jiang responded. "There were four out of the eight men you sent to us who were engaged in bribery and taking money, and three of those four were involved in gambling and prostitution. I have their names here," he said as he passed a document to an aide at his shoulder who took the paper and walked to the Fire Lord.
"Thank you," Zuko murmured as he made a mental note of the four names and their crimes. He set the paper on top of all of the other documents he had received from the mayors and elected officials. He would deal with these criminals, he would deal with them justly, and he would deal with them quite publicly. Their crimes affected the public, and there would be no judgment in the privacy of the throne room. Their punishment would not be harsh, but it would be fair. If they pled their guilt and showed true remorse, then their punishment would be to serve the public in some way, as their crime had been against the public, not him.
"News will be sent to you, Mayor, if you wish to view their trials," Zuko said. He merely glanced at Daiki, but the Advisor was already scribbling down notes in the official logbook of meetings.
Zuko settled back into his chair and addressed another town leader. His thoughts were mostly consumed by the meeting, but every once in a while, an errant thought would steal over his mind, and he would think of Katara and hoped all was well with her.
He touched her pendant that hung from his neck on a black string idly and focused back on what another mayor was saying.
…
Katara awkwardly waddled through the halls on her way to one of the gardens after several hours of attempting to distract herself with knitting, studying the texts Ursa had given her, and fending off Sokka and her father, both of whom were getting more and more worried as each day passed. She had been increasingly anxious and irritable – especially today, though this was not much of a change from the past nine months, it seemed – and it didn't help that Zuko was gone. Sokka's ear definitely felt the increase in her ire.
She wanted Zuko here, not off talking to stuffy old men. She just wished he were with her now. He always knew exactly what to say, where to touch her to soothe her, what to do to remind her he was there for her but to not annoy her in the process. She'd gotten used to that, and now that he was gone for the day, everything seemed bleak.
She paused in her walking, touching her hand to the wall to steady her as pain assaulted her again, especially in her lower back. It had been doing that all day, and it was just getting worse. She rested her other hand against her back, rubbing slightly, trying to ease the pain if it was a muscle ache.
"It'll be worth it when it comes, it'll be worth it when it comes," she chanted in her mind as the pain inundated her senses again, not too long later. The pain attacked her for almost half a minute and then it eased. Katara took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She'd been so uncomfortable for so long; this would be over soon. Even though the baby was already so late.
She tried in vain to amuse herself at the thought of embarrassing the kid relentlessly once it hit the teens, but, in the end, the thought of ever actually giving birth to her child seemed impossible.
She started to walk again, thinking that sitting outside would do wonders for her disposition, when the pain started again. Katara felt like breaking something as she clutched a nearby pillar, trying not to scream or do anything that would severely embarrass herself in front of the staff that went about their daily business around her. But it hurt so badly, and it seemed to last forever.
Eventually, she felt as though she could breathe again. It was definitely the most awful back pain she'd ever had throughout her entire pregnancy. It was as if the child within her was tired of just lying around and was pummeling her spine.
Hey, she thought to the infant inside her, I'm not exactly thrilled that you're still inside either.
Katara sighed. She was just being silly. Some fresh air would do her a world of good. She was just uncomfortable because she was nearly due to have her child, and both she and the child were antsy. Except she kept having a niggling feeling that maybe, maybe this was it.
As she continued towards the gardens at an abominably slow pace and the need for frequent rests, she saw Daiki at the end of the hallway, which confused her. Wasn't he supposed to be at that meeting? She called to him, and he turned to see her. He smiled reservedly in greeting.
"Lady Katara," he said.
"Head Advisor," she returned, resting a hand on her prominent bulge. "Aren't you supposed to be at the meeting of the towns' leaders?"
"Yes," he nodded. "However, one of my aides left behind some sensitive material that I didn't trust anyone else to retrieve, so I took my leave of the proceedings and returned to take it. How are you?"
"Oh, I'm okay," she lied pleasantly – she most certainly was not okay – and shifted on her feet.
"That is wonderful to hear," Daiki said with a true smile. "The Fire Lord has been noticeably uncomfortable all day. He has been worried, I can tell."
Katara couldn't help but smile. Any mention of Zuko seemed to lift her spirits, yet, at the same time, it seemed to make her a bit sad. She really wanted him by her side right now. "Well, if you get a moment, tell him – !" a groan forced its way through her teeth as she was cut off by a blast of pain –– the same tension and spasming she'd been feeling more and more often as the hours had passed. It had gone past annoying – this pain was getting excruciating as the contraction wracked her body.
Daiki immediately dropped the bundle of papers on the floor and grasped her arms. Luckily, the papers were tied together with string so they didn't become the newest floor decorations, not that Daiki really cared. His voice was colored with concern as he asked, "Are you alright?"
"I don't think so," Katara finally managed to say, once the pain had ebbed away, as it had done. "I think… I think I might be…"
"What? You think you might be what?" True to his almost implacable self, Daiki sounded concerned but not at all out of control. She clung to the fact he sounded calm.
"I think I might be getting close to having the baby," she replied, her voice tinted with panic.
…
Fire Lord Zuko leaned back and sipped at a glass of chilled water, watching several towns' leaders begin to debate over a subject that irked them all: a disputed boundary. During the last stretch of the war, their towns had been damaged, and their farms had been raided and, ironically, burned by Earth Kingdom soldiers. Because of this, no one could seem to remember where one town's farms should end and another's should begin.
A map was spread out on the table showing the area that was in question. He didn't quite understand why they couldn't just evenly divide up the land, as all of the farms were relatively the same size and the livelihood of the farmers would not depend on this small plot.
It took only thirty seconds' worth of debate more for Zuko to raise his hand to interject. "Can we not merely divide the land up evenly? It would be both fair and efficient, two things I am very fond of," he stated as the towns seemed to agree with his suggestion.
If Katara had been present, she would have suggested it in a heartbeat. She was far better at this diplomacy thing than he was. Agni, he missed her. She could be having his child at this very moment, and he would have been stuck in this meeting.
Zuko touched her pendant again as the topic changed to another one entirely.
…
Sokka was eating a spicy meat floss bun when a servant rushed up to him to tell him the news. He nearly choked, requiring the servant to pound on his back, before tossing the bread aside in panic and sprinting off to find his sister.
…
Kanna and Hakoda were leisurely walking in the gardens when Daiki nearly smacked into Hakoda as he cut through the gardens on his way to Zuko, and he shouted the news over his shoulder as he continued on.
…
Toph and Aang's lips almost fused together in shock when a servant came upon them in the kitchens, a half-eaten chocolate cake between them, and explained what was going on. Leaving the evidence of their snack behind, the two followed the servant to Katara's bedroom. They seemed to arrive with the rest of the group, and Sokka, Aang, and Toph tried to fight and squabble to get into the room first, so panicked and worried and excited that they all were about to become aunts and uncles. Kanna gave an amused chuckle and set a grandmotherly hand on Aang's shoulder, and the three paused in their panicked fumblings.
"Everyone," she addressed the group with a voice of authority, "Katara does not need us fighting or pushing or causing any sort of chaos or discomfort to her. She is doing one of the most important jobs anyone can do; she is bringing a child into the world. Now, if you cannot act with respect due to a mother in labor, then you will not enter that room. I know it is exciting," she said with a hint of understanding, "and I know you all just want to help, but help by staying quiet and out of the way."
"Yes, Gran-Gran," Sokka answered as the other two nodded. Even Hakoda, who had remained silent out of barely-containable worry and fear and anticipation, seemed to be calmed by Kanna's words.
"Good," Kanna said brightly and opened the door, walking in first and immediately going to Katara, followed quickly by her son.
Despite what Hakoda expected, she looked rather calm and comfortable. She was walking in large circles, garbed in a light, blue dress, both of her hands on her back. Worry tightened her brow, but the answer as to why was given when she kept glancing over their shoulders to see if Zuko was just behind them. She smiled in greeting.
"Hi, everyone," she said as she hugged Gran-Gran.
"Um, Katara?" Aang looked uncertain as he looked at her. "Shouldn't you be lying down?"
"Actually, walking around really helps," Katara answered. She hadn't paused in her walking since they had come in. "The pain isn't as bad, and I hear it makes labor shorter." Her voice hitched slightly as she mentioned labor. She, again, looked at the closed door. "Has anyone seen Zuko?"
"I'm sure he'll be here soon," Kanna soothed, lacing her arm through Katara's and walking with her. "Your father and I saw that nice young man – Daiki, isn't it? – going to find him." Hakoda nodded in agreement.
"Okay," Katara conceded. "But… it's just, it shouldn't be taking so long. Zuko would leave immediately, I know he would."
Where was he?! She wasn't just worried or anxious; she was just barely able to keep all of her more violent emotions inside! He was supposed to be there! Of course, the one day he actually leaves the palace is the day that she has the baby, of course! But it shouldn't take so long! She needed him. Had something happened? Her heart nearly stopped at the thought that something had happened, someone had tried something, someone had managed to do something to Zuko…
"Your young man will be here soon," Gran-Gran soothed. "And everything will be just fine, and your baby will be here without any problems. Then you will finally have your child, and nothing will seem wrong with the world at all, Katara. Zuko will be here."
Katara nodded, as seemed to be expected after such a statement, but she didn't believe it at all.
…
Zuko looked away from the ongoing debate about new trade routes from city to city when the door opened and Daiki walked in. No one else really noticed; people had been walking in and out all day, and there was no reason for alarm. Zuko, however, was irritated because the documents he had requested were, in fact, not in Daiki's hands.
"My Lord," Daiki whispered into his ear, "Lady Katara has started getting birthing pains."
"WHAT?" Zuko exploded, anger and fear and excitement and a million other emotions coursing through him with every beat of his heart. He didn't even know what to think or feel or say. His blood pulsed frantically through his veins.
Everyone looked to him in shock as he shot out of his chair. He turned slightly to his audience. "Please, excuse me, and forgive me that I will have to leave this meeting. Katara is giving birth," he babbled out, feeling entirely not himself and incredibly irritated that he was still here, that he had to somehow get through the entire capital, and then rush through the Palace until he found where Katara was.
The Speaker of the Council merely smiled. "Fire Lord, there is no need for forgiveness; you are excused."
Before the Speaker had even finished his sentence, Zuko was out of the door, Daiki and Ji at his heels.
But as he reached the ostrich horse waiting for him, compliments of Daiki, the world suddenly seemed to erupt in fire and chaos. From every alley, from every doorway, from every nook and cranny of the city, insurgents wielding weapons emerged, screaming their mottos and waving their flags. Zuko didn't need to be told who they were; he saw his father's face etched lovingly onto many flags and banners. He swore viciously; this was his city, his country, and Agni damn him if he was going to let some rebels destroy it.
"Ji," Zuko shouted over his shoulder, "send a man to the Generals to tell them what is happening. I want them to organize our forces and stop this before too many people are hurt. Accept those who surrender and take as many prisoners as possible!"
Ji nodded curtly and pointed to one of his smallest and slightest men who sprinted off into the city, towards the Palace, as though he were an arrow from a bow. The rebels seemed to recognize Zuko, and their shouting grew worse as they rushed to attack. Zuko cursed again and ripped off his ornate robe and tossed it aside. Underneath was a more suitable outfit for battle. He saw Daiki do the same out of the corner of his eye.
Zuko settled into a basic Firebending stance, and it was as though he remembered exactly why he was the Fire Lord.
Because he had survived through unimaginable struggles.
Because he had fought for his country's freedom.
Because he had the blood of a Fire Lord in his veins that had nothing to do with what his heritage was.
Zuko pushed his fists forward, sending giant fireballs towards the opposition. With a kick, a bolt of fire severed a man in two. But even his efforts and the efforts of Daiki, Ji, and all of his guards couldn't keep the rebels far from them. Soon, quarters became too close for much grandiose Firebending.
Beside Zuko, Ji lifted his sword from its sheath and started slicing the enemies of the Fire Lord into pieces. With a punch, one man was made unconscious, and with a skilled thrust, another died with little fuss. In a space of only two minutes, five men were dead who would have killed the Fire Lord. There was a reason he was the captain of the Fire Lord's personal guard.
But the world was still chaotic, and Zuko didn't understand it. He could only focus on his movements, on the battle, on the fire coursing through his veins, and on nothing else. The rebellion would be quashed, and then there would be answers.
…
Katara tensed as she paused in her walking, another contraction coming on. It hurt, not just in her stomach, but also along her lower back, and even around her hips and thighs. She took deep breaths to calm herself as it slowly built, came to its peak, and then declined. She quirked a smile at her Gran-Gran who rubbed her lower back soothingly.
"Where is he?" she asked the air, hysterical with worry. It didn't take so long to get from where he was to the Palace.
"Who?" Sokka asked, looking up from the patch of floor he had been intrigued with..
"Zuko, you idiot," Katara answered wearily, and before she can say any more, she could already feel the onslaught of another contraction.
…
The battle was slowly getting worse, Zuko noticed as he and his entourage sprinted through the city – it would be too dangerous to ride ostrich horses with snipers with bows in many of the buildings – towards the Fire Palace. Every so often, they were forced to slow down and dispatch any unlucky rebels who recognized him before continuing on.
Zuko found his stomach turning when he saw a rebel grabbing a sobbing, helpless young woman from the arms of her lover, who was quickly killed by another rebel. He was so distracted that he didn't see yet another rebel jumping out in front of him before it was almost too late. He raised his arms to shield himself as a sword sliced through the muscle on his forearm, cutting almost to the bone. He cried out but quickly killed the man with his other hand and a fireball.
He swore when he saw all of the blood, but he glanced up and saw they were almost to the palace. "Let's go," he ordered, starting off at a sprint, weaving through the fights that had erupted at the gates.
Ji yelled above the din to the soldiers on the battlements, and one disappeared from sight. The small group went around the side of the walls, and a side door was opened to allow them in. Zuko shouted some orders as a skilled medic was at his side. The medic forced him into a sitting position against the wall before taking out a needle and thread. With stunning precision and quickness, the medic sewed up his arm even as Zuko continued to give orders to the soldiers that ran about, defending their Fire Lord. A quick splash of disinfectant caused him to hiss as his wound was dressed and bandaged.
But he soon enough stood, thanked the medic, and was about to go to the War Room when he remembered that which the fog of battle had caused him to forget: Katara. She was giving birth to their child. He should be at her side.
But his country, his rule, was under attack. His country needed him to protect it. His soldiers needed orders, his generals needed direction, and his people needed to know that he was safeguarding it from all enemies, foreign and domestic. This was his duty to his country.
"Fire Lord, do you trust me?" Ji asked, obviously seeing the indecision on Zuko's face.
"Of course I do," he answered automatically, reflexively. It was true; he did trust Ji.
"Then trust me and trust your officers to protect you and to protect all that you stand for so you can protect what is closest to your heart," Ji stated.
Zuko hesitated again, but he nodded curtly, running off towards the palace building with Daiki.
…
"Where is she?" Zuko panted once they were safely inside, away from most of the noise and chaos.
"In her rooms," Daiki answered. "May I be excused, Fire Lord?"
"Go," Zuko bid him with a wave of his hand. He ignored the pain in his arm and ran like a madman through the corridors until he reached Katara's room. He took several deep breaths, trying to get control of himself and of his racing heart before entering. He swallowed, almost dizzy with all that was happening, and opened the door.
…
"Zuko!" Katara exclaimed as the other occupants in the room stood up, rushing over to him as fast as her body would allow her. He hugged her but was mindful of the burden she carried. He kissed her passionately, his knees threatening to give out. "What happened?" she asked, pulling back to look at his soot-covered face, his dirty clothes, the blood staining his side, and the bandage on his arm.
"There's a rebellion," he said dismissively. "Everything's fine."
"What?" Katara shrieked as she clutched his shoulders, another contraction ripping through her. She remembered her breathing techniques and sucked in a deep breath to calm herself.
"It's being taken care of," he assured her darkly, glancing over to the rest of the room. "My soldiers will not allow a mere rebellion to take us down. We are safe," he stated forcefully to Sokka who stood up, obviously intent on joining the fight while his sister was in labor. "Katara needs us more than they do." He soothingly began to rub her lower back
"Are you sure, Zuko?" she said, even through gritted teeth, through the pain, trying to focus on the relaxing movements of his hand.
"If I was not, there is little we could do," Zuko answered, his voice almost dull as the high of battle and flight wore off, and it was only through the sheer force of will that he remained standing as his mind processed everything that had just happened. The pain in his arm was unbelievable, but it was competing with his blinding concern for Katara; shouldn't she be sitting down?
"Are you okay?" Katara asked, touching the bandage on his arm gently. She was afraid – a rebellion was a dangerous thing and not just because of this initial battle – but she did have other things on her mind.
Zuko nodded sharply. "I'm fine," he said dismissively. "Are you?
Katara nodded as he set his mind to rubbing away some of the pain in her back.
He looked uncertainly down at her, waiting for some kind of sign as to what to do. She touched his hand on her back. In that moment of uncertainty, she got yet another glimpse as to who Zuko was, beyond the Fire Lord crown and beyond his firebending. He was just an uncertain young man who was trying to do the right thing without hurting anyone. She drew him down to kiss him, so utterly glad he was safe and with her, and not just because of this one incident. She really did need him.
After a few more circles, Katara complained of her legs hurting. She had been walking for hours, and her feet were in agony. Zuko immediately offered more support, letting her lean more of her weight on him as he walked her over to the bed.
"Aang, send someone for Bao," Zuko finally decided as another contraction sharply shot through Katara, letting her squeeze his hand as he spoke. Under any other circumstance, he would not have pulled his best physician away from the battle infirmaries, but Katara needed a doctor to make sure nothing bad happened and to guide her through labor. From an outsider's perspective, this would have been the Fire Lord wanting the best for his future Fire Lady and for his heir, but this was Zuko, ensuring the safety of his lover and his child.
…
Ozai slowly moved to his feet when Haruka appeared, garbed in the uniform of the dungeons, before him and curtseyed deeply to him, the true Fire Lord.
"Do you have news of the rebellion?" he demanded.
Haruka nodded, her features uncertain. She did not want to be the one to deliver such news to Ozai. "Yes, my Lord," she responded obsequiously. "My guard friends and informant tells me that the soldiers are overtaking the rebels and the rebellion is being quelled as we speak. However, also, the head physician has been pulled away from the battle and was last seen headed towards the Waterbender's rooms."
"She's having her brat," Ozai spat.
"Yes, my Lord, it seems that way," Haruka replied.
"Well," Ozai drawled acidly, "I suppose I will be a grandfather soon." His expression of hate slowly changed to one of crazed glee.
...
Author's Notes: Again, I am so sorry, but I really hope you like this chapter! And I've been hearing that there's going to be a live-action Avatar movie? Does anyone know anything about it? I'm pulling for Zutara. IT MUST HAPPEN. And seriously, I'd love to hear what you think; constructive criticism is like giving someone a big hug. And everyone loves giving and receiving hugs!