A/N Thank you guys so much for all the reviews! They mean so much :D
Katara's mouth fell open when she saw the dress sprawled on her bed. No way could she wear that. It was too nice. She walked over and gently let her fingers drag over the soft, shiny fabric. Never in her life had she worn something like this. The reds and golds of the fabric shone brilliantly together. This was something that a noble Fire Nation lady would wear. And she was definitely not that.
"This is what he sent over?" Katara asked, her eyes not leaving the dress.
Yzona nodded, a smile on her face. In the last few weeks, Yzona had easily become Katara's best friend in the palace besides Zuko. When she had agreed to help Katara get ready for the banquet tonight, Katara had been so relieved. "Yes. He stopped me earlier today to make sure you got it."
Katara had just gotten back from the school and hadn't seen Zuko yet. With only a few hours until the banquet, she realized they weren't going to be able to see each other before then. She wasn't going to have the opportunity to tell him that there was no way she was wearing this.
In the few weeks since she'd agreed to come as Zuko's escort, the idea of this banquet had not become any more exciting to her. In fact, at seeing this dress, she was even starting to feel some dread. She was not good at talking with people she didn't know well, and this entire evening she would have to talk to people she probably didn't know at all. She groaned internally.
"Come on," said Yzona. "Tell me you are not at least a little excited to wear a dress this beautiful. It's going to look so good on you."
Katara turned to her friend. "Maybe…"
"Come one. Let's get you ready," Yzona said with a mischievous smile. "When I'm done, no one is going to be able to take their eyes off of you."
That's exactly what I don't want, thought Katara.
After almost an hour of roughly scrubbing Katara with highly scented flowery soaps, Yzona was satisfied with her cleanliness. At first, Katara was embarrassed by the long scar on her arms and the large one on her middle, but Yzona didn't ask any questions and worked around them graciously. "There. I think I got all the dead skin off."
"Dead skin? Are you sure I still have any skin?" joked Katara.
Yzona laughed. It was a pleasant, sweet sort of laugh, and for some strange reason, it reminded Katara of her mother's laugh. The thought made her both happy and sad. "Here," she said, handing Katara a robe. "You can dry off and change out of your bindings."
"Thanks," said Katara. Yzona left to get some more supplies and Katara slipped into the soft robe. She vaguely wondered how expensive it was. Definitely more than anything she'd ever owned before. And it was just a robe. After a moment, Yzona stepped back into the small bathroom that connected with Katara's room.
"Great. You're changed. I thought I might do your hair next." Katara nodded and sat down in a chair that faced a large mirror. Yzona set down all the supplies she had found. "I thought since you are wearing a Fire Nation dress you'd want your hair done like Fire Nation ladies, but I can also do it how you usually have it if you'd prefer."
Still wanting to blend in as much as possible this evening, Katara felt it would be best to do her hair like most Fire Nation women did. Yzona agreed and began brushing out Katara's long chestnut colored locks.
"Thank you for doing this," said Katara. "I don't know what I would've done without you."
Yzona laughed. "I'm sure the Fire Lord would've made sure you had someone to help you."
Katara shrugged. "Maybe. But I'm glad it's you," she said with a smile.
"Well, I'm glad you asked. I haven't been able to do anyone's hair like this since my older sister and I were young."
Katara had always wondered what it would've been like to grow up with a sister. Would she have looked like Katara? Would she have been a waterbender too? Hearing Yzona speak of her childhood suddenly peaked Katara's interest in her background a little more. She decided to press to see if her friend would open up.
"What is your sister like?"
Katara thought she saw Yzona's face turn a little sad in the mirror, something she'd never seen on her before. Yzona continued to work Katara's hair while she spoke. "Extremely brave. And kind. She…she came to work at the palace a little before I did actually. She was the one who got me the job here."
"Oh, that's amazing. Is she still here? I don't think I've met her." Katara thought she knew the answer to her question before it had even finished leaving her mouth.
Yzona shook her head. "No. Not anymore." A beat passed. "She...she'd been forced into a bad arranged marriage and the man was not good. She had to leave the Fire Nation, and I haven't heard from her since."
Katara lowered her eyes. "Oh. I'm sorry." She could tell there was more to the story, but also sensed that she shouldn't ask anything else.
Yzona smiled kindly. "It's okay. It was a long time ago."
After a few more minutes of lighter conversation and laughing, Yzona declared she was done with Katara's hair. Katara looked up into the mirror and was stunned. She'd never seen her hair so sleek and shiny. Yzona had intricately woven it into a beautiful mass of hair at the nape of her neck and had also somehow managed to make it look like Katara had more hair on the top of her head than she actually did. It was beautiful.
"Oh, spirits. How did you do that?" Katara asked wonderingly, her amazement evident in her tone.
Yzona just laughed. "Please. It was easy when you had such thick, beautiful hair to work with already." Katara blushed. "Okay. Now for makeup."
"Makeup?" Katara laughed. She hadn't worn any since Ba Sing Se when she'd gone to the spa with Toph. She was pretty sure that was the last time she'd smelled this good too, and the last time her skin had been this soft. Yzona nodded, and went to stand in front of Katara, turning her away from the mirror.
With her eyes closed, she felt her friend outline her eyes with some kohl, as well as add some rouge to her cheeks. Then she added a little bit of color to Katara's lips. Katara also felt her do more things to her face, but she didn't know what.
"Okay, open up," said Yzona. Katara obeyed and was astounded by what she saw in the mirror. This wasn't like the makeup she'd had in Ba Sing Se. Her skin was sparkling. Her blue eyes seemed brighter than usual. She recognized herself, but just barely. Somehow, Yzona had made her look older. More mature. She felt like she was glowing.
"You are a magician, Yzona. Truly." It was Yzona's turn to blush.
"Come. The banquet's soon. You should change." She was right. The sun was already setting. Guests would be arriving soon for the big feast.
Katara stood and grabbed the dress. She walked behind the screen and slipped the red and gold silk on over her soft skin. Yzona came and helped her tie it in the back.
When she looked in the mirror, she sucked in a breath. Unlike her normal blue dress, this dress hugged her in all the right places. The skirt had a straight silhouette from her hips to the floor. It also had a flattering high neckline. Surprisingly, the red and gold complemented her darker skin tone. She felt feminine in this dress.
"You look beautiful, Lady Katara."
"Oh, please. I'm not a lady."
"You are if you wear a dress like that," said Yzona, handing Katara a flat pair of red shoes. She slipped them on and rolled her eyes playfully in return. "Do you want the wrap?" Katara saw she was holding up a long piece of material that matched the dress. On the one hand, the wrap would cover the long crackly scars that ran up both of her arms, but she also felt it might be annoying to deal with all night. And potentially hot.
"No. I should be okay," she replied. "I'll be sweating enough as is." Yzona smiled and placed it back on the bed. "And this?" she heard her ask a little more hesitantly. Katara looked up to see Yzona holding her mother's necklace gingerly in her hand. Instinctively, Katara reached out for it. Then she thought the better of it. She needed to blend in tonight. Nothing blue.
She shook her head. "No. Not tonight." Yzona nodded in understanding and placed it gently on the table next to Katara's bed. Katara saw her look up at a time candle and let out a small cry.
"You're going to be late." Yzona grabbed Katara's hand and pushed her out into the hallway. "Also, remember. You have to stand up straight if you're going to wear a dress like that. Have confidence. You look stunning."
Katara blushed again. "Thank you so much, Yzona."
Yzona winked. "And have fun, too." With those words, the woman slipped back into Katara's room to clean up and Katara was left alone in the empty hallway. She could already distantly hear that guests had started arriving in the foyer. With a deep breath she walked in that direction.
She saw Zuko before he saw her. The foyer was brightly lit, and the front doors of the palace were opened wide, as were the doors to the large, royal dining room. A warm breeze was following a few of the guests into the palace. Zuko was standing at the front door, greeting a family that was walking in. His hair was tied up and he was wearing formal robes. He was also bouncing ever so slightly on the balls of his feet, which was something else Katara had come to learn usually meant her was nervous or anxious.
She watched the family leave Zuko with a bow before heading towards the dining room. Katara walked towards him. He noticed the movement and looked in her direction. She smiled at his double take. His eyes locked onto her and scanned her slowly from the bottom up, his mouth open just slightly and his eyes wide. When he focused on her face, he smiled. Katara's eyes locked onto his and she smiled back, continuing the rest of the way towards him.
When she reached him, she laced her arm through his easily.
"You…look amazing," he whispered in her ear. Katara could feel the admiration in his voice.
"Thank you," she replied. "And thanks for the dress."
Zuko shrugged. "I'm glad it worked out. I had no idea what I was supposed to be looking for. Luckily, your friend found me while I was looking through the collection the palace has and told me what would be best."
Katara chuckled. Yzona had conveniently left that little detail out. It seemed Katara owed her entire look for the evening to her friend.
"Oh, and happy birthday," she said, standing on her tiptoes and whispering into his ear.
Before he could reply, another family walked through the front door. She felt Zuko stand a little straighter and she followed suit. The family bowed and addressed Zuko formally. Zuko nodded his head in return. It was strange to watch him. He was always much more serious when he had to do Fire Lord things like this. It was liked he slipped into a different version of himself.
Zuko gestured to Katara, whose grip on his arm had tightened significantly. "Master Katara, of the Southern Water Tribe."
The mother and father of the family eyed her with a strange look that she couldn't quite place. The young daughter of the family made no notice of her. The older boy, who looked about sixteen, smirked and scanned her up and down slowly. She felt Zuko pull her a little closer to him.
"Pleasure to meet you," the mother said, her voice emotionless. There was no trace of a smile on her face.
Katara nodded like Zuko had done. "Likewise." Spirits, should she have bowed? Were they nobility? Do you even bow to nobility? She finished off with an awkward half curtsy half bow sort of thing as the family walked towards the dining room.
Zuko laughed. "What was that?"
"Don't laugh. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing." He just smiled. "By the way who's all coming to this?"
"All of the council members and their families, and all of the noblemen and their families too."
Katara's eyes widened and she nodded. That sounded like a lot of people. "How many noble families are there?"
"Too many," he replied jokingly. Katara decided to ask the question that'd been in the back of her mind for a few days now. One she hadn't had the courage to ask him until now.
"Will Mai's family be coming?"
Zuko tensed just barely, his face completely blank. He didn't look at Katara when he shook his head. "No. Her father is retired, and they live far from here. The journey would be too hard for her mother." His voice was calm for the most part. Katara couldn't tell what he was thinking. For her part though, she was a little glad Mai wouldn't be here. She'd tried asking Zuko exactly what had happened there, but he'd always just brushed it off. Just then another family walked in, interrupting both of their thoughts.
For the next 45 minutes or so, they continued to greet families. Each family greeted her with about as much happiness as the first family. Katara was starting to feel antsy. She hadn't moved from this spot for so long. How did Zuko do things like this all the time? Maybe she could understand his bouncing a little better. After the last family had made their way into the dining hall, Zuko led her in that direction too. He paused right before stepping in front of the opening to the dining hall.
Katara looked up to him and saw he was already looking down at her. His eyes were wide, and his one eyebrow was raised. She knew what he was asking. Ready?
Katara pulled the most convincing smile she could manage on her face and nodded. She didn't want him worrying about her the whole evening. Zuko smiled back and winked, leading her into the hall.
When the families kneeling around the long table noticed them, they stood, just like she remembered them doing at the last dinner she'd been to in this hall. She wished this dinner could be more informal like that one had been. Katara held her breath and gripped Zuko's arm a little tighter. Every single person in that room was looking at them. Zuko led her slowly down the right side of the table, nodding at different people. Katara just stared straight ahead, focusing hard on each of her steps. Her heart pounded in her chest. She could feel multiple pairs of eyes burning into her skin.
Finally, they reached the head of the table. Katara went to sit on the first seat of one of the long sides, but Zuko jerked her slightly and she continued holding on to his arm. He sat them both sat down at the head of the table, side by side. Everyone followed suit and kneeled at the table.
Zuko stood again to make a speech to all the guests, but she didn't hear a single word of it. Katara noticed some people were whispering to each other, while others were staring her down. Very few were paying attention to Zuko. She tried not to imagine what they were saying.
Zuko finished after another few moments and immediately, servers whisked through the doors and began serving people food. A hum of conversation filled the room as guests began talking aloud to each other.
"See, that wasn't so bad," Zuko said so only she could hear. Katara's body relaxed. But only a little.
"If you hadn't been there, I think I would've forgotten how to walk," she joked. Zuko smiled.
Katara ate her food in silence, letting Zuko fall into easy conversation with the guests sitting around them. There was a man on either side of them, one of which was a councilor and one of which was a nobleman. Neither of them paid Katara any attention, but she didn't mind.
At one point during the meal, she felt Zuko's hand fall onto her leg under the table. The gesture was small but comforting.
After about an hour, most of the people had finished eating. Without warning, Zuko stood. Conversation slowly quieted as people noticed. Katara looked up at him and realized he was waiting for her to stand too. Katara stood and slipped her arm through his again. Zuko walked towards the door. Again, Katara could feel numerous pairs of eyes on her, and her heart began pounding loudly. She focused on her steps again. Luckily, they were walking a little faster than last time.
They made their way out into the foyer before turning into another room that Katara had never seen before. Well she'd seen it, but the doors had always been closed. It was a spacious room filled with lots of fancy couches, chairs, and tables with drinks on them. Clearly the rest of the guests were used to how evenings like this went, because they filed in after Zuko and Katara and began talking amongst each other. The room filled quickly with people and conversation. The smaller children grouped off to play with each other.
Zuko looked down at her. "Only a few more hours," he said.
Katara smiled. "Then I can give you your present," she said. Zuko looked surprised.
"You didn't have to get anything," he said. "I'm just grateful you came with me this evening. And especially grateful you came in that dress." He smirked at his last words.
"Zuko!" she said with wide eyes. He laughed and she shook her head and smiled. They both took a moment to look around. All the guests seemed to have gathered in the room now. Many of them were talking in groups and catching up with friends they hadn't seen in a while. Katara took a closer look at the group of children and realized she recognized some of them. She turned to Zuko, and he looked back at her when she spoke. "Hey, I think I know some of those children from the last time I was here."
Zuko nodded, understanding that she wanted to go talk to them.
Maneuvering through the crowd was harder than she thought it would be. She lost count of how many times she said, 'excuse me.' Eventually though, she caught sight of the children again. Yes. They were definitely the children she'd shown her waterbending to all those years ago. Except they were three years older now. Would they even remember her?
"…acting like he's already married." Katara froze when the words reached her ears. She didn't move her head to see who was talking. "I mean really."
"He is rather brave in bringing her here and dressing her up the way she is. Showing her off, almost. Who does he think he's fooling? She's not a Lady," said another voice. Katara didn't recognize either of them. They clearly must not see her amongst all the people walking around close to them.
"It's not over until there's a crown on her head," said a third voice roughly. It sounded like an older man. "And that's not going to happen on my watch. I refuse to bow to someone like her." Anger boiled up inside Katara.
"Looks like the Zhao's agree with you," sniggered the first voice. Katara finally turned to look at them. The three people were looking in the opposite direction of her. She followed their gaze, her heart stopping when she saw what they were watching.
An older couple was standing and talking with Zuko. Beside them was a girl that seemed about Katara's age, who she could only assume was their daughter. The girl was wearing a long tight fitted dress with a neckline that cut clear to the top of her stomach. It was almost disgusting the way her eyes roamed Zuko, her mouth curling in a smirk. Someone made a joke and she teasingly pushed his arm as she laughed.
Without thinking or watching anything else, Katara ran. Her mind was flying a million different directions and if she didn't move, it was going to explode. Tears stung behind her eyes, but she felt too much anger to let them fall. She'd had enough. Of all of this.
She ran roughly through the crowd to the empty foyer. Her legs carried her out the front doors and into the dark courtyard. She didn't know what she was looking for or where she was going. Just away from everything. After a while of running around the palace in her constricting dress, she stumbled and nearly fell to the ground. The pain in her ankle told her she'd rolled it. She tried to stand again only to stumble once more. Frustrated now, she ripped her shoes off.
Katara noticed a stone bench and walked to sit down on in, angrily throwing her red shoes to the ground. Her face fell to her hands, and she finally let her tears fall. Her body shook with soft but angry sobs.
Who had she been kidding? She did not belong here. In this moment, Katara wanted nothing more than to feel the crunch of snow under her boots and the bite of cold wind on her face. She longed for the comfort she felt being bundled up in thick furs, enjoying a fire with her family.
The pang of homesickness hit her stronger than it ever had in her life. Never had her home seemed as impossibly far away as it did right now. She felt trapped. Trapped in an unfamiliar country, in unfamiliar clothes, and in the wretched, never-ending heat of this place.
Angrily, she wiped away her tears, willing herself to get a grip. She took a deep, shaky breath and looked up. It seemed she'd made almost a complete lap around the palace. From the garden area she was sitting in, she could see the light from inside the palace flooding out the large, open front doors.
When she was finally calmed, her thoughts from before came racing back. All the worries she'd had since the first time she'd overheard some of Zuko's councilors talking a few weeks ago. A relationship between them could never work. The tides couldn't be changed. They had such different backgrounds and childhoods. Staying with Zuko meant becoming Fire Lady, and she couldn't do that.
"I'm not sure if this is a good time to announce myself," echoed a voice into the night air. "But I feel it may be strange if I wait much longer."
Katara whipped around, her eyes wide and body tense. To her surprise, Iroh was sitting on a bench across from her, partially hidden under the shadow of a tree. He was watching her and smiling kindly.
Katara let out a small, nervous laugh when she realized who it was. Her body relaxed. "I'm sorry. I didn't notice you."
"It's no matter. I was just enjoying the quiet evening."
"Are you not a fan of banquets either?"
Iroh let out a deep, belly laugh that made Katara smile. When his laughter slowed, Katara noticed he was still watching her closely. There was a twinkle in his kind, old eyes. "What is wrong, my dear?"
No one ever called Katara 'my dear' except for her grandmother. Maybe it was an old person thing. The endearment was just as comforting now as it was when her grandmother used it. And, just like with her grandmother, Katara got the feeling Iroh already knew exactly what was troubling her. She took a quiet breath. Should she share?
"I'm just feeling a little homesick is all," she said with a small smile. Iroh raised an eyebrow at her and didn't respond. He was still smiling though. Katara realized she was going to have to tell him everything. She opened her mouth to start but paused when she realized she didn't know how to put it all into words. How could she explain that even though she wanted to be with Zuko more than anything, she knew these people would never accept her? How could she explain that she wished more than anything that she could just be with Zuko without all this extra work? Being with him meant she would have to fight, every single day. And she just couldn't do that. She didn't belong here. She belonged with her own people.
"May I share an interesting story I heard from a friend?" asked Iroh calmly.
Katara didn't know what to say so she just nodded. Iroh continued with a smile.
"It's actually quite entertaining," he started. "He told me about a young girl who he'd denied entrance into his school. It was a waterbending school I believe." Katara looked down with a smile. "He said he told the young girl at least three times that she couldn't learn waterbending from him. He is a master, you see. But the girl was determined. More determined than any student he'd ever had. Still, though, he told her it was impossible to learn from him."
"Iroh…"
"No, this is the good part. The girl refused to accept the rules of the school. She was so determined to learn waterbending that she challenged him to a fight. A 14-year-old girl against a master waterbender!" He paused. "From what my friend shared, the girl held her own pretty well in that fight." Katara looked back up at him, a more genuine smile on her face now. She remembered that fight perfectly. "And now, she's the most skilled waterbender in the four nations."
She looked and into his golden eyes, understanding the point he was trying to make. "You've never let the world push you around before," he explained kindly. "Why are you now? The girl from the story wouldn't take any notice of what those people at the banquet are saying."
Katara sighed and turned away. "It's complicated…" A beat passed. "I…I don't belong here."
"Where do you belong?" he asked simply. Katara thought of her home. Her people. She missed it terribly. But Zuko's words to her when they'd been on his ship came to her memory. She wasn't the type to spend the rest of her life in the place where she grew up. She wanted more than that.
"I don't know," she said in a defeated tone.
A couple moments of silence passed before Iroh spoke again. "My nephew has not been the same since you've come to the palace. I believe you've filled a hole in his heart that has been empty for too long."
Katara didn't know what to say in response to such a profound statement. "I love him," she said without thinking, her voice small and her words tumbling out quickly.
Iroh nodded. "And he loves you. Is that not enough to fight? The most wonderful things of life are the things that do not come easily."
Katara nodded slowly, astounded by how deeply his words touched her heart. "I understand."
Iroh smiled. "Then go. Before you are missed."
Katara stood, hastily slipping her shoes back on and trying to smooth her wrinkled dress. "Thank you, Iroh." She wiped under her eyes, silently praying that her makeup hadn't smeared too badly.
"Of course," he replied, his eyes twinkling. After a small bow of her head, Katara turned on her heel and headed for the palace.
Maybe Iroh was right. She loved Zuko. Her place was with him, wherever that may be. She took quick steps towards the front door, wanting to find him as soon as she could. She needed to explain everything to him. All the things she'd heard and all her worries.
Katara's thoughts were swirling too fast for her to notice what was in front of her and she rammed into something large and solid.
"Spirits," she said stumbling backward a little. She focused her vision again, and realized she'd slammed right into a person. He whirled around when she hit him and caught her arm to steady her. "Zuko?"
"There you are," he replied. She looked at his face closer. Something was off.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," he replied curtly, letting go of her arm and turning away from her. He started pacing. Katara stood still. Something was definitely wrong. He was angry about something.
"Zuko—"
He forcefully pointed to the palace, still pacing. "I just heard….the most disgusting…most vulgar…to…to…" Zuko was seething now. His fists were clenched, and she could tell he was seconds away from burning something down. It wasn't hard for her to guess what he'd heard.
"Zuko," she said again, putting her hand on his arm. His body was hot. He stopped moving and whipped his head to look at her. For a split second, Katara saw a little of the old Zuko flash in his eyes. The same Zuko that had tied her to a tree and taken her mother's necklace. The anger wasn't unfamiliar on his face. But it was gone as quickly as it had come.
When he looked at her, he seemed to calm a little, almost as if he'd forgotten she was standing there. Her touch seemed to do something to him, and his breaths slowed. He looked down, covering the hand she had on his arm with his own. They stood still for a moment, nothing but the sound of their breaths filling the quiet night air.
"Sorry," he said, walking to sit down on a bench.
"What'd you hear?" she asked after a moment.
He scoffed, clearly still angry. "You don't want to know." His voice was a little sad.
Katara sat down next to him. "I can take it. I've been hearing similar things for a while now."
He looked up at her, his face livid. "People have said things to you?"
She shook her head reassuringly. She could still feel the heat radiating off his body. "No. I've just overheard things."
Zuko looked away, still mad. "You should have told me." A beat passed. "I knew people wouldn't like the idea of us getting married, but I had no idea the disgusting things they've been…calling you." His head shook. "I'm so sorry. I understand now, why you've been so nervous about everything."
Katara was looking at him curiously, a smile on her face, but Zuko didn't seem to register that he'd said anything strange. "You…want to get married?" she asked curiously.
He turned to look at her, his eyes wide now too. "Well, not right now obviously…I just thought…I guess…I don't know…that's where this was going."
Katara laughed. "I understand," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder. She had no idea he thought about marriage too. In the last few weeks though, and tonight especially, a future with Zuko had started to feel impossible. She could almost feel it slipping through her fingers. Even after Iroh's encouraging words, she felt like that future was out of reach. Zuko smiled at her response and grabbed her hand, lacing her fingers through his. After a moment she asked, "What did you do?"
"When?"
"After you heard…what you heard?"
Zuko shrugged. "I fired the man and kindly asked him and his family to leave the palace and not return."
Katara breathed out a laugh. "Kindly?"
"I kept my cool. I promise. You just caught me at a bad time." She shook her head, not believing him. "Wait, what were you doing out here anyways? Are you okay?" Suddenly worried, he turned his body to face her better. Katara lifted her head from his shoulder to look back at him.
"Yeah. I'm okay."
"What's wrong?" he asked, ignoring her previous response. He knew her too well.
She slumped and looked away from him. "I think it was just everything from the last few weeks. For some reason when I saw you with that girl, something flipped. Even though I knew there was nothing you could do about it. I…I just ran." A beat passed and Zuko looked down too.
"I'm sorry you saw that," he said, his voice cold. "I couldn't believe they dared to pull something like that at a celebration like this, but some of them will go to great lengths to push their daughters or nieces onto me. They think it'll help their political career."
Katara just nodded. How many other girls had been presented to him only to be turned away? Zuko continued speaking, understanding that his words hadn't brought much comfort.
"Arranged marriages have a deep history here. Especially in the royal family. My father, Uncle and grandfather were all married that way. The council hates the idea that I'm with who I want instead of who they want. And they especially hate that that is you."
"Your uncle? And your dad?" Katara asked. Zuko nodded. "Spirits, I didn't know." She couldn't imagine what it must have been like to be forced to marry Ozai. Was there a worse man on the planet that someone could be forced to marry? Katara vaguely remembered Yzona saying her sister had forced to marry a bad man.
Katara broached a subject she hadn't dared to with him yet. It was a story she knew he kept as close to him as the story of his scar, but now felt like an okay time to ask. "What happened to your mother?"
Zuko didn't react much when she asked the question, and Katara wondered if he'd been expecting it. She felt him take a breath before speaking. "She left." Katara knit her eyebrows in confusion. Zuko looked down and away from her. "It was all so confusing. I can't even remember everything perfectly. My cousin Lu Ten had just died so we were all grieving. My uncle especially. Later that night Azula came into my room and told me that our dad was going to kill me."
Katara's eyes widened, but Zuko wasn't looking at her. "And then even later that night, my mom came into my room and said she was leaving. I wasn't awake enough to process anything. There were so many things I should've said." He paused, as if he was trying to remember more. "The next morning, she was gone, and my grandpa had died. My dad was coronated later that day."
"What? How did he die? And what about your uncle?" Katara stammered.
Zuko shrugged. "I'm not sure. It was all so confusing. I've tried asking my uncle his side of it but he doesn't share."
"And that's all you know?"
Zuko hesitated. "Ozai told me she left to save my life, but I don't understand how. He may have been lying. He said she was banished from the Fire Nation… but who knows?"
So, she was alive? Katara wanted to ask him so many other things. Had he tried to find her? Did he want to? Why had Zuko's life even been in danger that night?
But no. Now wasn't the time for more questions. It was a sore subject for him, and today was his birthday. Katara stood. "Come on. We should go back inside," she said kindly. Zuko looked up at her before standing too.
"Are you sure?" he asked, watching her carefully.
Katara nodded. "Yeah. I can handle anything they say." Zuko breathed out a laugh. "I am a little worried about you though. Are you going to lose your cool again if you hear something?"
"I can keep things under control," he replied lightly. "But people will lose their jobs if I hear them speak like that."
Katara smiled and shook her head, slipping her arm easily through his as they walked back inside.
A/N I seriously do not know how this story has gotten so long. It's taking me way longer than I thought it would lol. But I hope you all are enjoying! Please, please, please leave a review! They definitely keep me motivated.