Summary: Fire Nation!Katara AU After being kidnapped as a young child by the fire nation, Katara is raised by Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa as Princess Katara of the Fire Nation. Katara/?
ARC 2, CHAPTER ELEVEN
The first Earth Kingdom village Katara ever saw was beautiful. Beautiful green grass, fluffy white clouds and citizens in green and brown doing their daily business. No one seemed to look towards her which made Katara figure that her disguise was working.
Both Zhao and Katara had decided that the best way to scout ahead would be to send someone who didn't look Fire Nation at all which was why Katara was walking through this specific town where a long green dress with black flats. Ahead of her, she saw a small family walking towards what looked like a house with a boy around her age. He was tan with dark hair and twinkling eyes and was chattering loudly at the older man.
She took her eyes off of them to study the makeshift guardpost. Several men and women stood at attention, eating food and laughing loudly not knowing what would happen to them shortly. Katara almost felt guilty but reminded herself that it was all for the sake of peace.
"Never seen you around here," Katara spun on her toes and scowled at a boy a few years younger than her. His face was dirty and his eyes were the brightest shade of green that Katara had seen. The untamed brown hair reminded Katara of Zuko's own hair when he cut it short.
"I just entered town." Katara said coolly.
"Oh?" The boy smiled and Katara noticed that there was a front tooth missing. "Name's Kichi. What's yours?"
"Uh...Isha." Katara said, stumbling for a noticeably Earth Kingdom name. "Do you live here?"
"Yup, me and Chichi." Kichi said with a grin. Katara frowned deeply at the name, until a strange little creature appeared at his feet. It was small with a fluffy orange face with pointed, soft looking ears on top of its head. The fur stopped at it's back and turned into dark red scales. A long scaly tale flicked back and forth impatiently.
"What is it?" Katara asked as silver eyes looked coldly at her.
"Dunno," Kichi shrugged. "But he's a pretty good pet. Just last week he bit the pants off of some Fire Nation scum!"
"He means that in a literal sense," A voice came from behind Katara. She spun to see a very tall man with the same unkempt brown hair and vivid green eyes as Kichi. He also sported a scruffy beard and had many more wrinkles than either of the two. "Who's your friend?" He asked, flicking his eyes to Kichi.
"This is Isha!" Kichi said brightly. "She just traveled into town, Papa."
"Ah," The man nodded. "Where's your parents, Isha?"
"Gone now," Katara faked a sad face, looking at the ground. "I heading towards my auntie's village." The man's eyes softened and he nodded.
"I see," The man said. "I insist you stay for the night with our family, though. Roads can be rough at night especially with Fire Nation soldiers running around. My wife will be happy for some female company as well."
"Oh, I don't-" Katara started.
"If you're worried about the Fire Nation scumbags," Kichi said loudly. "Then don't be! Papa's the best earthbender in the ENTIRE world. He does super cool stuff, right?"
His father did not look happy though and gently flicked Kichi on the forehead. "Don't call them scumbags, Kichi. We not like what they are currently doing in the world but they're still human and deserve our respect. How would you feel if the Fire Nation called us barbarians?"
"I wouldn't," Kichi said quietly, flicking his eyes sheepishly at Katara. "Will you stay for the night, Isha? Please?"
Katara thought about it seriously. While Zhao did want her to come back to the ship tonight to report on the townspeople, this man seemed to be higher up in the town's hierarchy and she could learn about the defense system more to properly take it down.
"If your wife is alright with that, sir." Katara said shyly, tucking a lock of brown hair behind her ear.
"Oh, call me Thago." Thago said kindly. There came a shout from the guardpost and he looked to them. "Kichi, head back home and keep an eye on your mama. Tell her we have a guest today."
"Ok, papa." Kichi said brightly. He quickly grabbed Katara's hand and began pulling her through the streets as Thago went the opposite way. Kichi led her halfway out of town to a slightly larger house. There was a small garden outside filled with vegetables and pretty flowers alike. Inside the house, chopping something up was a petite woman with messily thrown up black hair wearing a pretty grass green dress.
"Mama," Kichi said happily, throwing his arms around her.
"Oh, hello my sweet," The woman smiled. Green eyes flashed to Katara and she rose an eyebrow. "We have a visitor?"
"Isha's travelling to her auntie's house but Father said she could stay the night because of the Fire Nation soldiers," Kichi explained in a quick, childlike voice. The woman nodded understandingly.
"I see," She turned to Katara with a gentle smile. "My name is Ora, welcome to my home. I won't say we have a lot but I'll make sure you have a full belly and warm place to put your head."
"Thank you, ma'am," Katara said, bowing her head respectfully.
Ora nodded and turned to her son, "Go set up the guest bed, sweetheart."
"Yes, Mama." Kichi said. He ran off into the house leaving Katara alone with the older woman. She motioned for Katara to take a seat at the kitchen table and Katara did, stretching out her legs as she did.
"Where are you travelling to?" Ora asked as she went back to chopping vegetables.
"My aunt's village," Katara said. "I can't remember the name."
"Hmm," Ora hummed quietly. "You don't look Earth Kingdom, you look watertribe," Ora noticed, flicking a look back to her.
"I am, on my father's side." Katara said quickly. "He was a soldier and fell in love with my mother."
"I see," Ora nodded. "Watertribesmen are good people. I met one once when I was younger and he was very kind. They don't often leave the tribe, though, do they?"
"I wouldn't know," Katara shrugged. "I didn't grow up with him. He left soon after Mother gave birth to me." Ora nodded, giving a soft hum. "So..is Thago in charge of the town or something?"
Ora gave a laugh. "Bao and Kan called him to the tower, didn't they?" Her eyes were twinkling with amusement. "He used to be a soldier, fought against Fire Nation troops, but decided to settle down after we met. His earthbending skills are amazing."
"Are you a bender?" Katara asked the woman, but this time with true curiosity.
"I am," Ora smiled gently. "I'm an earthbender but I prefer not to use my gift. I like being Thago's wife and allowing him to do our heavy lifting." She patted her stomach and it was now that Katara could see the very slightest bulge on her stomach. "Besides, the doctor in town would be quite angry if I began earthbending right now."
"You're pregnant," Katara said, eyes wide.
"I am." Ora nodded. "Two months along. Kichi is hoping for a little brother but I have a feeling he's going to get a sister instead."
"Can Kichi bend?" Katara asked.
"No," Ora said sadly, "And you can tell he's upset about that. He wants to be a great warrior like his father was but he thinks that you have to be a bender to be a warrior."
"It helps," Katara murmured softly.
"I suppose," Ora replied. "Would you like to help me with supper, Katara?"
"I've never cooked before," Katara admitted to the woman, eyes flicking down sheepishly.
"That's alright," Ora's smile was gentle and kind and Katara almost felt bad for what she and Zhao were about to do to this family's village. "I can teach you, sweetheart." Katara and began to make her way to Ora.
"Sir?" Zhao didn't remove his eyes from the far off land, scowling as the sky began to darken and yet the princess still did not make her way back to the ship. He finally turned to the captain who was nervously eyeing the land mass. "Princess Katara still hasn't returned..dare we attack the village?"
"No, that would blow her cover." Zhao said, although his worry was itching at his chest. She may be a powerful bender but she was still only a child and his responsibility as well. And Zhao didn't like to imagine what the Firelord would do to him if the princess was hurt on their first mission. He felt sick at the thought. "She may be staying the night to get better information." He offered but it was an incredibly weak answer.
"Yes, sir," The captain replied, bowing his head. His eyes flicked back to the land, eyebrows creased with stress before he turned back to yell something at his crew.
Zhao rubbed his forehead tightly, his mind filled with both irritation and stress now. Then again, she was the Bleeding Princess (as many soldiers and generals liked to nickname her for her waterbending skill)...perhaps she could take care of herself.
Zhao groaned, smacking himself in the head. But she was also Firelord Ozai's (who was not a kind man) favorite daughter and weapon. Zhao turned away from the railing and began heading to his room. He made it there quickly and slipped in.
"Everything will be fine," Zhao said outloud, in a tight voice. He nodded, convinced of his statement and looked to his bed. A nice, long sleep would be good for his nerves and he was sure by the time that he awoke that Princess Katara would return and all would we well.
Well, at least he hoped so.