Chapter 27
The dinner table at the royal palace was particularly laden with gourmet foods on the evening of a very special occasion. Made from expensive Earth Kingdom ingredients such as platypus bear egg and lobster crab, the menu featured dishes such as ginger-infused pea tendril and hibiscus-root salad, the idea of which alone made Zuko wince, but he was willing to go along with the changed menu if it meant pleasing the honored guests of the evening. Still, the guests seemed mostly excited about the simpler staple foods such as cabbage soup and cabbage noodles, paying little attention to anything else.
The guests in question were, of course, young Teo and his inventor father. Zuko had learned that the elderly man's name was Okashi, which was just as well, because he was starting to become uncomfortable from constantly having to refer to him as the Inventor. For almost a week now, since their arrival at the Fire Nation capital, Katara had taken upon herself to entertain their guests, showing them around the city and doing everything she possibly could to entice them into staying. This whole plan was Katara's idea to begin with, and she was fiercely determined to see it through to a successful outcome. When Katara applied herself to any given task, she didn't know any other approach than to give it her all. Realizing how important it was for Katara, Zuko was happy to give her free reign, even if it meant that he didn't get to see her as much as he would have liked.
The last person at the dinner table was Katara's brother, Sokka. Zuko had raised some objections with Katara in private, aware that Sokka wasn't exactly committed to secure Teo and his father's services for the Fire Nation. Katara had argued that because of Sokka's previous experience of working with Okashi on some of the inventions that were used during the failed invasion on the Day of the Black Sun, Sokka had an already established good rapport with their two guests. So far, the plan appeared to be working out, and Sokka's presence actually seemed to be helpful.
"So, how are you enjoying your stay in the Fire Nation so far?" Zuko asked as they all took a small break from eating.
"It's amazing!" Teo gushed. He stole a quick glance at Katara, the young waterbender smiling back at him. "And Katara has been the best guide ever, taking so much time to show us around!"
Zuko smiled himself at the reaction of the young man. He could definitely sense some one-sided attraction there, not that he had any reason for jealousy. Anything that swayed Teo or his father towards remaining in the Fire Nation was a good thing, and he was intrigued at how Katara was slowly starting to realize that she could use her charm and her looks to a very good effect.
"My father isn't one for sightseeing, I'm afraid," Teo added when Okashi hadn't commented on his earlier statement.
"Ah, but you must have found our facilities at the military research base impressive, Okashi?" Zuko asked hopefully.
"Quite so, quite so, Lord Zuko," Okashi nodded, twirling his scraggly dark moustache. "I think I saw quite a few of my own inventions lying about the place! You know, the ones that awful War Minister Qin forced me to create for him. That scoundrel isn't still in your service, Lord Zuko?"
"Certainly not, he made the wise decision to resign and remove himself from the public eye before I could get around to removing him myself," Zuko explained quickly.
"Good, good," Okashi nodded. "But yes, very nice facilities, so much more space than what I am used to! And it didn't even look like it was being put to very good use, we didn't see much activity... that's a real shame."
"Well, our research center is currently looking to fill the position of its chief inventor," Zuko continued to press the matter. "I would be very happy if you were to consider taking up this position, Okashi."
"Hmm... working for the Fire Nation," the old man frowned, his face scrunching up as if he had tasted something foul. "Doesn't put a good taste in my mouth, I'm afraid. I don't want to end up making more machines for yet another war."
"We are not interested in starting or participating in any wars," Zuko shook his head. "I sincerely hope that the Hundred Years War will be followed by hundred years of peace. If you were to accept my offer, you would have absolute freedom to create whatever you wish." It would be a great win even if he never invented anything of value. As long as he doesn't end up working for the Dai Li and the Earth Kingdom.
"Okashi, I would never agree to be in this position if the Fire Nation planned to invade one of its neighbors," Katara implored passionately. "Last war took too much from me and my brother already. Everything I'm doing is with the goal of maintaining and strengthening the peace."
"Well, I believe you, Katara," Teo gave her a heartfelt nod of support. "My dad and I watched you and Sokka fight the Fire Nation while giving your all. I know you wouldn't be working with Fire Lord Zuko if he had some evil plans for the world."
"It's true, the young lady has been nothing but trustworthy," Okashi nodded. "And those facilities are better than anything I've seen before. You're really making a good pitch, Lord Zuko!"
"I think I can make it an even better one," Zuko smiled, sensing the breakthrough. "How about a generous monthly royal stipend so that you'll never have to worry about having enough money?"
"Also, I will make sure that Teo has the opportunity to receive the best education that the most talented Fire Nation tutors can provide," Katara added on her behalf.
"Father, we have to take the offer!" Teo pleaded passionately with the old man. "I want to stay here in the Fire Nation. It'll be amazing!"
"Hold on, boy, don't get too carried away," Okashi chided his son. "And you'll really be alright with me creating whatever I want, Lord Zuko? You won't start to nudge me towards creating some powerful weapon of sorts after a few months?"
"I am trying to scale down our military, not to expand it, Okashi," Zuko smiled patiently, understanding the man's misgivings all too well. Just like for so many others, the wounds inflicted upon him by the previous regimes ran deep and were not easily forgotten. "You have my solemn promise to have creative freedom."
"I think you should keep working on those peanut sauce bombs," Sokka nodded excitedly. "Now there was a hidden potential if I ever saw one!"
"Peanut sauce bombs?" Zuko frowned at Katara's brother. "I'm not sure I quite see the usefulness there..."
"Have you tried to eat the peanut sauce after it has been exploded?" Sokka grinned. "I accidentally got hit in the face with it and decided to lick myself clean. It was the best thing ever! The explosion gave the peanut sauce a particularly creamy texture and extra spiciness!"
"Sokka, that sounds..." Zuko was about to say something along the lines of 'dumb', but he just about managed to stop himself in time. Okashi was a remarkable eccentric. Was it really so unbelievable that even in one of his failed experiments, he had succeeded in creating the superior peanut sauce? "That sounds rather intriguing, actually," he finished.
"Should be really easy to mass produce, too," Sokka mused, ideas already forming in his overly active imagination. "All you need to do is to just pour it into cans and bam! It'll sell like fire-cakes!"
Zuko chuckled inwardly at the mental image of telling his council of advisors and ministers that the new plan to shore up the Fire Nation treasury was to blow up massive quantities of peanut sauce. It was so amusing, that all of a sudden he couldn't wait for the next council meeting to do just that.
"I don't know about exploding peanut sauce, but I know another of your inventions, Okashi, that the people of Fire Nation and everywhere around the world would deeply appreciate," Katara added with a smile. "I'm talking, of course, about the time candle." Zuko felt his eyebrows rise a little from the mere mention of something called a 'time candle'. That definitely seemed to have great potential for profit. This man, Okashi, was absolutely worth his weight in gold and then some more.
"It is very convenient, isn't it?" Okashi agreed, nodding in satisfaction. His ego definitely seemed very much appeased. "You know what, Lord Zuko? I'm leaning towards accepting your proposal, but I have one last concern. Those men who came to speak with us in Yu Dao... grim faced, dressed in black robes with green sleeves."
"The Dai Li," Katara spoke with a frown on her face. "The secret police of Ba Sing Se."
"Quite, quite," Okashi nodded. "Very sour and unpleasant. They insisted that I should go and work for the Earth King. Patriotic duty of a citizen of the Earth Kingdom. What rot! Where was Earth King Kuei while the Fire Nation took over the whole kingdom except for Ba Sing Se? There was no sign of him! What of his duties to his subjects?"
"He didn't even know there was a war going on," Sokka shrugged. "Oh, and I'm not saying that to make excuses for Kuei," he added hastily, having noticed Katara giving him a stare.
"What use do Earth Kingdom citizens have for a king who doesn't know what's happening in his kingdom?" Okashi ranted, getting carried away. "I have nothing but contempt for this man! Hmph! Perhaps if he had invited me personally to Ba Sing Se, apologized for his ignorance and inaction, perhaps then I would have chosen to work for him. But no, instead he sends his glum, creepy goons who tried to put fright into me and my son!"
"Did they threaten you?" Katara gasped, looking shocked.
"They said that choosing not to work for the Earth Kingdom might have consequences," Teo explained. "I think that was a veiled threat."
"Not even particularly veiled," Zuko frowned. These Dai Li agents were getting bolder... or more and more desperate. "But you shouldn't be worried Okashi, not for your own sake, nor for your son's. Accept my proposal, and I will assign a security detail to ensure the safety of you both."
"Unlike that terrible War Minister Qin, you know how to make a good proposal, Lord Zuko," Okashi eventually nodded. "Very well, Fire Lord. Consider me signing up as your chief inventor."
"Yes! This is going to be awesome!" Teo cheered, looking at the beaming Katara.
"Thank you so much for agreeing, Okashi!" Katara gushed happily. "I'll make it my own personal commitment to make sure that you and Teo don't lack for anything."
"And I'm just looking forward to pitching some of my own crazy ideas to you," Sokka added with a chuckle. Zuko once again wanted to oppose him, before remembering that despite his mostly clueless manner, Sokka had actually come up with plenty of creative ideas during their adventures, ideas that mostly shouldn't have worked, and yet somehow did.
"In that case, let's drink to the start of a successful partnership," Zuko suggested, raising his glass, everyone following his example as the dinner continued in a more relaxed atmosphere, among laughter and happy small-talk.
A couple of hours later, following the conclusion of a very successful royal dinner, Zuko was lounging on the bed in his quarters, starting to feel very impatient. Katara had retired to her chambers shortly ahead of him, and he had fully expected her to have arrived in his bedroom by now, yet she was running late. Zuko frowned, wondering if perhaps she had laid down for a nap and fallen asleep. He was just about to get out of the bed and head over to see what was keeping her, when he suddenly recognized the unmistakable patter of light steps in the corridor outside.
Sure enough, seconds later Katara's head popped into the room as she looked around and grinned when she noticed the impatient look on his face. Within moments, she was in the bed next to him, both of them lying on their sides while facing one another. "I'm so happy," Katara admitted with a broad grin on her face.
"And I'm so proud of you," Zuko smiled back at her, running his hand from her waist to her hips and back. "You did an amazing job on those two, Master Diplomat Katara. They had already taken the bait by the time of the dinner. All I had to do was to help you reel them in."
"I'm surprised it worked so well," Katara admitted. Her arm sneaked around Zuko's waist. "But that just proves what I already firmly believed. Nothing can stop the two of us when we work together. The world better beware!"
Zuko chuckled at her infectious enthusiasm, feeling it spreading to him as well. "And young Teo seemed very taken with you as well," he couldn't resist to add.
"Don't tell me you're jealous," Katara laughed.
"I'm not," Zuko smiled at her. "But I think you're starting to realize that you have the looks and charisma to drive many men wild and crazy about you."
"Well, it's a good thing that I only care about driving one man wild and crazy about me," Katara replied.
"Well, that one man is extremely appreciative of said fact," Zuko winked at her.
"Oooh, so confident that I was talking about you?" Katara grinned wickedly.
"What?" Zuko blinked. He then grinned and forcefully pulled her tightly against his chest. "When did you become such a wicked tease, Katara?"
"When I noticed how much you love me being a wicked tease," Katara didn't miss a beat with her reply. Their mouths were only inches apart, but not for long. After four days of being parted, the kiss was particularly intense, hungry and needy. "Spirits, how I've missed this, even if it has been just a few days," she admitted breathlessly once they had parted.
"I know what you mean," Zuko whispered in reply. "Let's make up for that lost time over the next few days, shall we?"
"Let's do that," Katara smiled, but then her face clouded just a little bit. "Though... my father should be here in two days," she reminded him. Hakoda's letter had arrived some four days ago, but the Chieftain himself was not all that far behind the letter, having sent it out mere days before departing the South Pole.
"Nervous?" Zuko asked gently.
"A little bit," Katara admitted. "But I won't let anyone threaten what we have, Zuko. Not even my own father. Even should he disapprove, it won't matter."
"I hope he approves," Zuko said earnestly. "But... I'm glad that you feel so strongly. If our situations were reversed, I would feel the same way, but fortunately I already knew that my mother would adore you, and she does."
"I believe we'll be able to win my father over. And I think we can count on Sokka's help, too. He's seen enough to realize that what we have is very real, so he's stopped giving me grief about Aang," Katara smiled. "Anyway, why are we talking about our parents? I thought we had something completely different on our minds."
"Well, it was you who brought up your dad," Zuko pointed out with an annoying smirk on his lips.
"Zuko?" Katara asked dangerously.
"Yes, love?" he smiled at her.
"Shut up and show me how much you've missed me," Katara ordered. It was a command that Zuko was only too happy to obey.