Chapter 3

The naval vessel crashed gently against the shore of the Southern Water Tribe. It had grown considerably in the last several months, mostly due to the income provided by their tributes. Several people were gathered outside, watching the ship solemnly as it docked.

"Something isn't right," Kya murmured, eyeing the crowd. Katara couldn't help but agree. They were all staring at the boat from their safe distance, no visible excitement arising from them. Butterfly-frogs crept in Katara's stomach.

"Only one way to find out what," Zuko interjected. "I'll go down first, make sure it's safe. Katara, you stay with Kya if things go wrong. Okay?"

Katara raised an eyebrow. "If things go wrong, I'm coming down after you." She quickly glanced at her mother. "No offense, Mom."

Kya shook her head. "I'd make you go." She gazed at Zuko tenderly. "Be careful."

Zuko nodded and gave the signal to lower the boarding platform. Kya and Katara watched anxiously as Zuko strode down the platfrom, flanked with guards. He crossed the distance to the camp all too quickly.

The moment the village recognized him, cheers arose. A masculine figure that could only be Sokka crossed the distance to him quickly. Kya sank back visibly with relief. Katara released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Zuko gestured them down, and they soon found themselves meeting in a small group away from the main village. Sokka greeted his mother with a hug, followed by Katara.

"Thanks for coming so quickly. We have a problem." He took a step back. His brows were furrowed in concern and looked as though they may have been that way for some time. Her brother was growing up.

He was interrupted by one of the women. "That can wait." She bowed to the family, who returned it. "I am Joesi, leader of the Kyoshi warriors." She stood tall and firm, with soft brown hair tracing her sharp features. She looked as though she couldn't be older than thirty.

Zuko's eyebrow rose in surprise. "What are you doing here? Suki's been worried sick!"

The older woman just gestured to the woman standing next to her. This one had long, black, flowing hair that covered her back in a curtain. Her eyes were blue like a member of the Water Tribe, but Katara didn't recognize her. She bowed as well. "I am Yue, formerly of the sister tribe."

Katara's mouth dropped open. "I thought the Northern Water Tribe was destroyed years ago!"

Yue nodded. "Some of us escaped. We lived on in a village in the northern part of the Earth Kingdom, along with other…" she hesitated, "refugees."

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "What happened?"

Yue, with the help of Joesi, explained the situation. A strange man that called himself the Son of Sozin stormed the remnant of the Northern Water Tribe and chased them across the Earth Kingdom. They went to the Kyoshi warriors for help and protection, but were ultimately defeated.

"By one man?" Zuko asked incredulously. "Just how powerful was he?"

Joesi shook her head. "Not powerful, though he was a skilled firebender. He won with tactics and stealth." Her gaze hardened. "Fire has an impressive tendency to get out of hand."

"What happened to everyone else? Are they safe?" Kya wondered aloud.

Joesi and Yue shared a look. "The Kyoshi warriors are scattered, but I have hope many of them escaped and survived," Joesi offered.

Yue merely dipped her head. "The Northern Water Tribe lost its last family line in that attack. I saw him die with my own eyes."

Sokka jumped in. "Don't worry, we're taking care of her." He and Yue shared a look that lasted a bit too long. "In any case, you guys had better come inside so we can talk privately." He shot a look at the Fire Nation guards.

Puzzled, Zuko agreed. On their way to one of the igloos, Zuko whispered "If you guys want some protection, you're going to have to trust my guards."

Sokka shook his head. "That's not the problem," he said quietly. They were interrupted as they entered the igloo, which only allowed for single file.

Seated in the igloo was a small figure with a cloak draped over it. It flinched as they entered, but otherwise made no movement. Once everyone was inside and seated, Yue spoke. "It's okay, Ila. They can all be trusted."

Katara gasped as the hood pulled back to reveal… an airbender. Her tell-tale tattoos were nothing like the cheap imitations found at festival. Her bright gray eyes were stormclouds of grief and fear, despite her age clearly being no more than Ty Lee's.

Sokka sighed. "This is the problem. He's an assassin, and she's his target. He won't stop until he's dead." He shook his head. "We can't defend her here. From what they've told me, we can't stop him with out resources. Ice is just not going to cut it, even against a Firebender. And I doubt an army will stop him either."

He looked to Zuko. "We need you to protect her."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "Wait, slow down. The whole reason the planet hasn't fallen out of balance is because there are surviving Airbenders? How many are there?"

Before Sokka could answer, Ila spoke. "None but me. I'm the last Airbender." She spoke solemnly, but calmly.

Katara bit her lip. "So if you die…" No one finished her thought. The tales were as old as the spirits themselves. When the first Avatar was made, a balance was established. When the cycle ended, so too would the reign of humanity. When that didn't happen, speculation began. Some did claim that some airbenders had survived, but they weren't given much credit. Some said that the cycle didn't end until the next Airbender avatar was supposed to be born. Some thought the war was supposed to bring the end of humanity. But very few ever doubted the prophecy outright.

Here was the answer. And it was terrifying.

Zuko hesitated. "I'll do it," he said finally. "I'll take her home with me. If," he looked to Ila, "she agrees."

Ila eyed him warily. Katara figured she probably didn't have the best experience with firebenders so far. But Ila nodded.

Joesi seemed visibly relieved. "So that's settled, then? You return home with Ila and keep her safe from this Son of Sozin?"

Zuko gave a half-smile. "We're pretty good at dealing with Firebenders back home."

"And making fireproof structures," Katara commented. "It sounds like a good idea."

Zuko shook his head in disbelief. "I'm sure Uncle will be very pleased to meet you."

Katara studied Ila's reaction. She was definitely nervous, but she was covering it up pretty well. She was pretty in a small, cute way, but she bore no presence of innocence. If she knew for sure that she was the last one, it meant that she had seen others die. Including her family.

The room fell into complete silence. Kya interrupted it.

"Who wants dinner?"

After dinner, Katara excused herself outside to practice some Waterbending. At the Fire Nation, she was always at risk of destroying something – paintings, flowers, dirt paths. Here there was nothing but empty wastelands of ice.

As she was walking away, a familiar pair of arms hugged her. "Katara!"

"Agi!" Katara laughed and swung around with her friend for a minute. Katara gasped. "You're becoming a woman!"

Agi smiled. "Not as much as you are. A good diet of Fire Nation food is doing good things to your figure!" She giggled. "And I bet your husband is too."

Katara rolled her eyes. "You're just jealous." She meant to say more, but the words fell flat in her mouth. It had rung just a little too true. She tried to change the subject. "How's it been going?"

Agi sighed. "You don't have to change the subject. You're right." She sank down into the snow. "I am jealous."

Katara sighed and sat down next to her. "I don't think there's exactly more room in the bed, if you know what I mean." She gave Agi a meaningful glance. "But I can always ask."

To Katara's relief, Agi brightened into a laugh again at the humor. "The last thing I'd want is to be in your position." She smirked. "Even with a hot piece of meat for company."

Katara shrugged. "It's really not so bad. You get used to it, and then some." Katara tried to imagine what it would be like being Zuko's only wife. "Normal marriage would be so… lonely."

Agi raised an eyebrow. "That's why you have friends."

Katara thought for a moment. "But then you still need something besides your family." She shook away the thought. "This isn't about me; how are you doing?"

Agi pouted. "Sokka still hasn't noticed me." Ever since they were kids, the three of them would play together. Agi had an unabashed crush on Katara's brother for a very long time, but Sokka was completely oblivious. Either that, or he was avoiding her.

Katara took her friend's hand. "Look, I've said it a million times, he has to marry you. You're the only girl within twenty years of him!"

Agi narrowed her eyes. "Until little miss princess showed up. Now he's only got eyes for her." She sighed and wrapped her arms around herself miserably. "And she's here for good. There goes Sokka."

Katara winced. The way they had looked at each other… something was clearly going on. Sokka had never looked at Agi that way.

Katara wrapped her arms around the young woman. "It'll all work out."

"Trust me."

Zuko shook his head. "She's going home. End of discussion."

Kya crossed her arms. "You can't just send home a girl you married. She could never live a normal life. She'd never be able to remarry."

Zuko's lips twitched. "She'll never have a normal life anyway. Besides, I think it's pretty clear Jin doesn't want to be here in the first place."

Kya eyed her husband incredulously. "Are you joking? You must be." At Zuko's eyebrow raising, she leaned forward. "She's smiling and laughing with us. She gets along with almost everyone. She's eating well, has servants… What more could she ask for?"

Zuko's face contorted in fury. "How about her own husband?! It's all fun and games until you have to pay the price!" He took a deep breath. "The counsel is pestering me about her, and I can only hold them off so long. She's just here to replace Ty Lee, who came back. She can go."

Kya huffed. "She can, but that doesn't mean she wants to." Her eyes softened. "Have you seen how she looks at you? You've hardly given her a glance, but she's been watching you." She took his hand. "She wants to be part of the family."

Zuko shot to his feet. "This isn't about her! I don't care what she wants! I'm not about to go around, sleeping with other women because I feel like it! I'm NOT MY FATHER!" His voice rising dramatically at the end of his schpeal.

He froze, shocked at himself. If he really wasn't his father, why did he yell at his wife? He cursed aloud and sank to the ground. "Maybe I am like him," he muttered bitterly.

Suddenly, he felt a soft hand on his arm. "Is that what this is about?" Kya murmured. "Zuko, you aren't being unfaithful. You must know that."

He sighed and looked up to her. She didn't seem fazed in the slightest by his outburst, too concerned about him to be offended. "I never deserved you, Kya." He cupped her face in his hand.

Kya shook her head. "Only the spirits can decide that, Zuko." She moved to sit next to him, her head against his shoulder. "And I think they've made their decision."

Zuko closed his eyes and rested his head on hers. They sat in the flickering lamplight as the night aged. After what seemed like only a few minutes, Kya lifted her head. "What if I got everyone's approval? Would that make you feel better?"

Zuko scowled in thought. "Yes. But not everyone's permission, their approval. If anyone doesn't want it to happen including her, I'm sending her home - consequences be da-"

A disapproving look from Kya made him shut his mouth. "Regardless of the consequences." Kya just sighed. "Deal."

After a few seconds, Kya lifted her head again. "Hey," she said slowly. "Katara's not here." She looked up to her husband.

"Aren't you going to kiss your wife?"

REVIEW OR ILA IS REALLY AANG IN DRAG TRYING TO SEDUCE AZULA

Finally, some plot expo. Kya and Zuko get frisky, and he has some fun with Katara, yada yada yada (since there was nothing unique about his action, I just opted to skip it). But don't worry. Unlike the last story, there won't be any buildup to get to the good stuff.

Btw, Ila is a potential for becoming part of his harem. So yeah.