Need of Guidance
Ceres had her head tilted back as her lips moved silently. Her eyes were closed as she floated a foot above the ground as she sat in the lotus position with her black silk robe hanging from her thin form. The dagger floated out in front of her, tied to her neck by the chain still. It glowed fiercely as she silently chanted.
'The girl will be mine.' The demon thought, continuing with her task. After a moment she lowered to the ground and sat with her eyes closed still. A satisfied smirk crossed her face when she heard a cry the echoed through the ship as her necklace fell down against her, its glow fading. It was Zhao's cry. Finally opening her eyes, Ceres stood up. She rested a hand on her hip before staring down at her dagger. She caressed it with a wicked glint in her eyes. Zhao would know better than to mess with her. That nightmare was enough to get her message through. Ceres made her way over to her bed and fell onto it with grace as a laugh escaped her. All she had to do was give him a memory of one of her last victims. It was easy to do. Not to mention fun.
- - - - -
'Mother . . . .'
Zuko breathed in and out.
'. . . . why did you leave?'
The candles grew and shrunk with each breath.
'. . . . mother . . . . .'
Zuko opened his eyes slowly.
". . . . I need you . . . ."
- - - - -
Brenda walked slowly over to the railing of the ship and glanced over her shoulder at Katara. Iroh was a little ways off, out of earshot, but still in sight. The night air was crisp and clean around the two women.
". . . . do you know who taught Prince Zuko how to control his flame?" Katara started at the question. It was strange, to say the least. The admiral continued before Katara could say anything. "Do you know who held Prince Zuko when his mother died?" Brenda turned around to face Katara.
". . . . Zuko never told me."
"I see." Brenda closed her eyes and gave out a soft sigh. "My brother Ozai was not the man who took care of Zuko." Waiting a few minutes, Brenda hoped that Katara would understand. And she did.
"Iroh . . ." Katara whispered to herself and glanced back at the old man with a new found respect. She had told Zuko that Ozai was not his father based on the way he had treated Zuko when the boy spoke out. All she knew about Ozai was what Iroh had told her. While he had not spoken against his brother, he did not praise him either.
"Yes. Iroh has taken care of Prince Zuko. But Iroh was a general so he went to battle many times. Iroh only retired after Lady Leila died." Katara looked up at Brenda, confused.
"Lady Leila? Was she Zuko's mother?" A nod from Brenda confirmed Katara's question. "Zuko has only once spoken about her to me. He didn't tell me her name." Brenda sighed and looked out over the sea.
"My brother, Lord Ozai, was never affectionate with his own son. Lord Ozai rarely had time with Prince Zuko. And when he did, he spent that time instructing the prince on how he should try hard in his studies and not fail the Fire Nation. He was always hard on my nephew." Brenda smirked as she remembered Zuko's childhood. "But Lady Leila always snuck her son out of those boring studies. She would make up some excuse to the tutor and spend the day with Prince Zuko." Katara bit her lip as she stared at Brenda.
"Why are you telling me this?" Brenda looked over at Katara.
"Because my nephew has had a hard life. I don't want him to go through more pain."
"I don't understand."
"You don't?" Brenda smirked. "Then I'll spell it out for you. Leave my nephew alone. You are doomed girl." The admiral crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto one foot. "Ceres will come and take your body. The only way to stop Ceres then will be to destroy your precious little body. Knowing the prince, he will want to do it to give your soul peace. It will break him. I can't allow that. So what will it cost to have you leave my nephew alone?" Katara backed away from Brenda with her eyes narrowed.
- - - - -
Zuko breathed and controlled the flame. He had to find answers. He couldn't go on without them. Things were too hard. Too complex. Too difficult.
'Mother . . . if only you were here. I need your guidance . . . .'
He didn't know who he was anymore. Was he Prince Zuko, loyal heir to the Fire Nation? Or was he Zuko, teenager in love?
'. . . I wish we had more time together . . . . . then maybe you might have told me what to do if something like this happened . . .'
The fire grew as he breathed in. Exhaling, the fire shrank. He could go on for hours like this.
'. . . but I doubt you would have known this would have happened . . . .'
Zuko opened his eyes slowly and stared down at the flames. Nothing made sense.
'. . . no one else can understand. Not Uncle, not Aunt . . . . not Katara . . .'
Iroh and Brenda wouldn't understand. He needed his father's love. That was the man whose blood ran through his veins. His father was just busy all the time. He just had a lot of stress built up on him. That's all. That's why he couldn't spend time with Zuko. That was the reason. Zuko was so caught up in his reasoning that he didn't realize his eyelids were getting heavier and heavier. When his head dropped slightly, he snapped it back up and shook it. The tiredness stayed with him. Zuko stood up and quickly made his way to his room. The young man stripped off his armor and changed into his pajama pants. Barely bothering to pull back the covers and crawl underneath him, the prince of fire quickly fell into a deep slumber.
- - - - -
". . . . there is nothing you can offer me that will make me leave him." Brenda narrowed her eyes.
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Yes." Katara crossed her arms. "I care for Zuko."
"You don't." Brenda hissed quietly. "Otherwise you wouldn't risk hurting Zuko. Now leave him alone."
"That's Zuko's decision. I'll stay with him as long as he wants me." Brenda scoffed at Katara's words.
"That boy doesn't know what he wants. He's so desperate for love, he'd take anything. And that includes a no name water peasant." Katara steeled herself against the words. She would not back down. That was a low blow but she would not give the admiral the satisfaction of knowing that it had hurt. She would not give the woman the satisfaction that Katara herself thought that almost every minute away from Zuko. While with him, those things didn't seem to bother her, but when he was gone, she felt that fear. But that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was that Brenda was challenging her feelings for Zuko. And Katara didn't like that.
"That may be true, but as long as he wants my love, I'll be with him."
"And you exspect Ceres to-" Katara cut the female admiral off, anger rising in her.
"I exspect the Avatar to rise up and stop Ceres. And I also aspect that I can defend myself. I won't die. I will fight back. Now," Katara paused, calming herself down. "I think I should leave." As Katara walked by Brenda, the admiral's hand reached out and gripped Katara's forearm. "Let me go." Katara hissed with narrowed eyes.
"You stubborn little bitch." Brenda muttered before Katara moved a stream a water up to them and splashed Brenda in the face. Iroh had already been making his way over to the two when he had seen Brenda grab Katara's arm. He doubled his speeds as Katara broke free from Brenda's grip. "Insolent little-" Iroh got in between the two as Katara began to pull more water up from the ocean.
"Enough of this!" Iroh snapped while Brenda formed fire blades from her clenched fists.
"Move aside brother!" Her tone was deadly as she dropped into a light stance. The waterbender had gathered up a large amount of water and dropped into a stance. A wicked smirk crossed Brenda's face. "So it would appear that my dear nephew has fallen for a poor waterbender." Before Iroh could say anything, Brenda shot pass him and towards Katara. The water tribe girl brought her hands down and water rained down on Brenda, putting out her fire daggers. Angry, Zuko's aunt kicked her leg out, knocking Katara off her feet. Rolling to the side, Katara barely missed Brenda's foot slamming down where her head once was. Swinging her arm in an arch, Katara nailed Brenda with another splash of water. The waterbender was on her feet and ready to continue the fight when Iroh shoved the two apart.
"STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" He roared, angered. Brenda looked at him, surprised. After a moment, she closed her eyes and smirked at her own thoughts.
"It appears that you were right brother." Iroh looked at Brenda, this time he was surprised. Katara only stared at Brenda guardedly and confused. "She is up to the challenge of being with Zuko."
- - - - -
So, did you like the small fight between Katara and Brenda? And what will happen to Zuko? Where is the Avatar and Katara's brother? What will happen when Brenda finds out about Katara's relationship with Aang? So many questions! However, there will be some Zutara next chapter, I hope. Also, will Zuko get that guidance he needs? And from who?
P.S. I know that Zuko has a sister, Zula, but I already wrote that he didn't have one by the time that news came out. So in my story, he's an only child.