So sorry it's taken so long, beloved readers, since my last update. I was mapping out the last phase of the story (Yes, we're nearing the end) and it took some time for me to outline the ending thoroughly. Remember where we are? Katara and Zuko have met up with Sokka and Aang in the village of Aunt Wu, and Sokka has just found out about Katara's relationship with Zuko. Let's see what happens now...
Chapter 29
I arrived back at the house tired, sad, and frustrated. Aang was already asleep, snoring his blissfully unaware little heart out by the dwindling fire. Zuko must have had the good sense to sleep somewhere else, as he was not the in house.
Sokka was lying on his side on his mat, his back facing me, completely motionless as if in sleep. But I knew better. When we were children he used to pretend to be asleep, and then when I'd tiptoe into bed he'd jump up and yell "Booga booga!" and make me scream and chase him around the tent. Eventually, he'd let me catch up to him and tackle him to the floor and tickle him until he apologized for scaring me. We would lie, laughing like that, until our parents chased us into bed.
I sighed. There would be no laughing tonight. Sokka would not jump up and scare me and let me chase him around the house. We'd grown up. I'd made that abundantly clear to him tonight. I felt a painful twisting in my heart as I sat by the fire and stared at the few small flames that still licked at the embers. Part of me just wanted to go up to him and slap and tell him to grow up and stop being such a jerk, and part of me wanted to run into his arms and cry and forget that the whole thing had ever happened. Forget the war and the blood and the screams of the dying. But I couldn't. There was no way to turn back time, and even if I could, I didn't want to.
Though I would never loose my sisterly love for Sokka, I'd found someone that I could share more than just embraces and tickle-fights with. My heart tingled with a familiar warmth when I thought of Zuko. After a year of fighting side by side, confessing our secret thoughts in the dark of night, rejoicing together in the victory of daylight, sharing passionate kisses beneath a twilight sky, we'd formed a bond that would not be broken. Could not be broken.
Not by Sokka. Not by Ozai. Not even by this cursed war.
Needless to say, that morning was awkward. When I awoke, Zuko was already strapping our things down onto Appa's back, his figure a tiny silhouette against Appa's hulking frame in the early morning sunlight. I made as little noise as possible as I crawled past Sokka and Aang, who were still curled up in sleep on their mats.
"You slept past sunrise again." Zuko grunted his usual morning greeting to me. Ordinarily, it would have made me smile and tease him back, but today the words fell flat and lifeless at my feet under the weight of what had taken place last night. Wordlessly, I climbed onto Appa's back and began to help Zuko strap our things down.
Eventually, Aang stumbled sleepily from his mat and stood in the doorway, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
"I guess it's time to go, huh?" He said.
"That's right!" I tried to sound cheerful, but my words sounded dull even to me. Aang slumped his shoulders and began airbending packages onto Appa's back. I didn't need to ask the young Avatar why he looked so sad. He was going to have to say goodbye to Meng today. But, if there was one thing I loved about Aang, it was that he was never so lost in his own suffering not to care about that of others.
"Good morning, Sokka." I murmured as Sokka stomped out of the house and into the forest. His eyes were still red with sleep, or the lack of it, and his hair and clothes were so disheveled that he looked as if he'd been sleeping in the middle of a stampede of komodo rhinos instead of just his mat. He glowered at me and stormed into the forest. "I'm getting some leechi nuts for our journey." He shouted over his back.
"What's with him? I know Sokka's not a morning person, but he's not usually that rude." Aang looked up at me, questions written all over his face. I sighed. I would have to tell him eventually, and it would be better to get it over with now than to have it spill out once Sokka and I invariably got into an argument.
"Come with me, Aang." I said, taking the boy's shoulder and leading him to the open meadow behind the house, the meadow he and Zuko'd used to practice firebending in over the past week. I sighed, bringing to memory the many sunny days we'd spent in the meadow, practicing bending and enjoying the break from the war. Now here we were, not even out of the village yet and already we were beset with problems and troubles.
"Aang," I sighed. "Sokka is upset because he found out something..." I leaned against a tree, hoping to gain some support from its sturdy trunk.
"What?" Aang seated himself in the grass and stared up at me with wide, trusting eyes. My heart wrenched inside of me. What would he think? Would he think that I'd betrayed him by falling in love with Zuko? Would he hate me? Be disappointed in me?
"Aang...Zuko and I like each other."
"So? I like him too, now that he's not chasing us and trying to capture me anymore." Aang rubbed his bald little head.
I sighed. "No, Aang, I don't mean like that. Zuko and I... love each other." I turned my face from the young avatar, not wanting to see the horrified, betrayed expression that would surely warp its innocent features.
"I know. What? That's it?" I whirled to face Aang and almost toppled over my own feet as I stared at him in surprise.
"What do you mean, 'you know'? You knew that... that Zuko and I... that we love each other?" I stammered, sliding my back down the tree so that I could sit. The ground didn't seem so stable a thing anymore.
"Yep." Aang nodded, giving me that cheeky smile of his.
"But... how?" I put my hand to my forehead.
"You forget, Katara, I'm the Avatar. I have thousands of years worth of wisdom in my head." He beamed, puffing out his chest proudly. I raised an eyebrow at him, which earned a sheepish smile from Aang as well as a little confession.
"Well, there were also a few little things that I noticed. It was kind of hard to believe that you would come back to the house blushing and smiling after going out into the woods with Zuko to 'discuss war strategies'." Aang grinned. I felt a blush overtake my face.
"So... you're not upset?" I asked.
"Why would I be upset?"
"Well, Zuko is a firebender..."
"I'm a firebender, too, Katara."
"I know, but... he-"
"Do you trust him?" Aang cocked his head to the side and looked at me sincerely, all forms of childish humor gone.
"Yes, I do." I was able to look him straight in the eye as I said it.
"Then I'm not worried." Relief spread like a wave over me and I smiled at Aang. He smiled back, and in that moment I realized something. He'd grown up a little, too. There was wisdom in that bald little head of his. For the second time that week, I felt a stirring of hope for the world.
To her credit, Meng didn't cry as she waved us goodbye, though her lower lip trembled a little and her dark eyes drooped.
"I'll be back by fall!" Aang's ever-hopeful voice called to her as we rose into the sky.
"Yip yip!" Aang flicked the reigns and Appa's great tail swung at the air, propelling us up into the clouds. I felt my heart jump a little. I'd not flown in almost a year, and the sensation made my stomach perform somersaults inside of me.
Zuko seemed to be experiencing the same effect. Although he managed to keep his usual stony, expressionless face, I could see his knuckles turn white as he gripped the edge of Appa's saddle and his face pale of its usual fiery glow. I so badly wanted to go to him and lean against him, lend him some silent comfort, but Sokka's eyes were flashing darkly across from us in the saddle, and I feared that even looking too long at Zuko would incite a fight.
And a fight was the last thing we wanted. Especially now, at who-knows-how-many feet in the sky. I sighed and tucked myself into a ball, trying to ward off the cold of the high atmosphere. I pulled my parka tighter around my shoulders, trying to trap what little body heat I had and keep it close to my skin. Body heat. I moaned inwardly, knowing that Zuko would have plenty to spare.
Curse Sokka!
I immediately relented of my thoughts. My brother could be maddening, but I loved him nonetheless, and at least he was holding his tongue and not fighting. Yet.
We arrived back at the mountain fortress sometime late that night. Zuko directed Aang on where to land Appa, and helped the earthbender rebels lead the great shaggy animal into a pen that had been built especially for him. Appa sat down with an exhausted 'huff' in the center of a mattress of hay.
"Poor Appa." Aang said, patting the beast's enormous head. Sokka joined him, hugging Appa and turning his back on where Zuko and I stood in the corner. I rolled my eyes.
"Are you the Avatar?" A seven-foot tall man addressed Aang. I saw a flicker of fear pass over the boy's face as he looked up at the burly earthbender that had suddenly appeared. The man's tree trunk-like arms were crossed in front of his barrel chest, and he looked imposingly down at the small boy.
"Y...yes." Aang straightened and tried to put on a brave face. I smiled. Aang had never met Okan, our head security guard, before. The big man took a little getting used to, but he was really as gentle as a kitten. This was demonstrated as the hulking figure bent into a low bow.
"It is an honor, Aang the Avatar, to have you visit our small army." A blush spread over Aang's face and he grinned and bowed his head modestly.
"Yeah, well, Aang the Avatar is tired now. Where do we sleep?" Sokka grouched at the guard, who raised one eyebrow and turned to look at Zuko as if to ask "Would you like me to squash the insolent boy now, or wait for later?" Zuko shook his head and made a little dismissive gesture with his hand. Okan nodded at the hand signal and turned back to Aang, ignoring Sokka.
"I shall show you to your room, now, Master Avatar." The guard walked from the room, expecting Aang to follow, but the boy was more than a little intimidated, and looked back at me for reassurance.
"Don't worry, Aang, he'll take you to a nice room close to mine. Go get some rest." Satisfied, Aang turned and walked wearily away, his little shoulders slumped with exhaustion.
"I suppose I'm sleeping in the hay with Appa." Sokka grumbled. I sighed and walked forward to take Sokka's shoulder.
"No, Sokka, I wanted to take you to your room, myself." I smiled, hoping that the gesture might mend a little of the broken feeling between the two of us. It didn't.
"Here it is!" I said brightly as I pulled the door open. It was heavy, as all earthbender doors are, and took the last bit of my strength to open it.
"Wait. Where are you sleeping?" Sokka narrowed his eyes and looked suspiciously around.
"Don't worry, Sokka. I'll be close." I evaded.
"No, take me to your room first. I want to make sure that disgusting firebender isn't there waiting in the shadows for you once you close the door." Sokka gripped his boomerang. I felt anger well up inside of me. I was tired of Sokka's childishness, and I was not about to get into a shouting match about sharing a room with Zuko. Sokka would certainly take it the wrong way, though he would certainly know that I would never sully my virtue or honor in doing anything with Zuko beneath the covers other than sleeping. But, knowing Sokka, he'd blow up and demand to stand guard over me while I slept or something.
"Sokka, go to bed."
"Maybe I should stand watch outside your door..." Sokka mused, fingering his boomerang.
"IN!" I pushed my brother into his room and shut the door behind him. I tiptoed up the hallway until I saw a tall, masculine figure leaning against the wall ahead of me. I beckoned him with my hand, and walked quietly from the hall and into our room.
"I feel like a little girl that is sneaking out of school!" I laughed, letting myself fall against Zuko as soon as the door was shut. Zuko didn't laugh, but I could see the amusement in his eyes.
"You snuck out of school?"
I blinked. "Well, actually, no. But if I had, I think this is what it would feel like." Zuko laughed openly now, a low rumble, like a lion's throaty purr.
"Oh, and I suppose you skipped your lessons all the time?" I tossed my hair in a little flick of indifference.
"Actually, yes. You cannot comprehend the meaning of boredom until you've sat through Master Chong's readings of the laws of the Fire Nation." Zuko curled his lip in disgust.
"And what did you do with your freedom? I seem to remember a certain friend of your uncle's mentioning something about a young prince mooning a courtyard of his father's royal guests?" I teased. Zuko shifted uneasily.
"Why do you have to bring that up?" He frowned.
"Because I like seeing you blush." Zuko raised his eyebrow and came closer to me, so close to my face that I could feel his breath touch my lips and cheeks with the caress of a long-lost lover. The hunger lighted inside of me with a sudden, burning intensity.
"Let's see if I can do the same for you." Zuko said, his voice low and husky as he took my chin in his hand and lifted my face to meet his. The warmth of his breath spread over my lips, making them tingle in anticipation. I looked up into his golden eyes and found myself transfixed. The magic that could entrance a person to stare into a fire for lengths of time was the same magic that danced in his eyes now, pulling me closer, closer.
His arms wrapped around me, drawing me against his body and I went willingly, a happy captive in his gaze. Relief spread into my body like water spreading over sand as his familiar warmth soaked into my cool skin. Slowly we brought our faces closer together, nuzzling against each other before bringing our lips together into a gentle, soft kiss.
We stood like that for a long time, assuaging the hunger that had built over a week of hiding our affection. Finally, I broke away and laid my head on Zuko's chest, panting and listening to the steady, rapid thrum thrum of his heartbeat. Zuko ran his hands up my shoulders and tangled them in my hair, teasing my braid out and causing my hair to fall around my shoulders and down my back in long waves.
"Let's go to bed." Zuko said softly, leading me to the mattress, where I slipped between the course earthbender sheets. Oh, how dearly did I miss the soft furs I'd slept beneath at home! But, even though my warm bed and Gran-Gran and my village were far away, I wasn't so bad off here, was I? After all, if I'd never left home I never would have known Zuko.
The Prince crawled into bed beside me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close as he buried his face in my hair. "I love you, Katara." He whispered. I closed my eyes and let peaceful happiness fill me inside.
I hate this war. It's taken away so much that I love. But... even in the midst of all the death and pain... something beautiful manages to bloom.
With that thought in my mind and his warm presence beside me, I drifted to sleep.
Zuko wasted no time the next morning in beginning the preparations for the end of summer.
"Katara. Come on. Wake up." I heard his voice in my ear, felt the warmth of his body leave my back and hover over me.
"Hmmphkrck." I said intelligently.
"Katara, I'm calling a war council to meet at sunrise. You want to be there, don't you?"
"Sunrise?" I moaned. "Why can't it be sunset, when normal people are awake?"
"We don't have time for that. Hurry." A coarse cloth landed on my face and I realized it was my tunic. I wanted to complain some more, but I realized two things: One, if I did, I would begin to sound as bad as Sokka; and two, Zuko was right. There was no time to waste. The end of summer was in only a couple of weeks, and if we were going to have any chance in defeating the Fire Lord, we would have to strike as soon as possible.
Reluctantly, I left the warm and blissful ignorance of sleep behind me as I pulled my tunic over my nightshift and prepared myself to meet the harsh realities of the day: war, strategy, armies, killing.
Zuko and I shared one last kiss before we parted to separately wake up Aang and Sokka.
"It's a simple matter of numbers, commander. One army of 1,000 mismatched benders simply will not be able to come against an army of 30,000 trained firebenders!" Okan said, frustration tinging the edge of his voice as he thrust his hand into his palm.
The war council had just begun. Fifteen of Zuko's bravest men were gathered along with me, Sokka, and Aang in the war room. In the flickering torchlight, the lines of worry and consternationetched into the men's brows were obvious.
"But we have the Avatar now! Certainly the battle will be on our side!" One of the leaders spoke, gesturing to Aang, who now looked at the many faces watching him with a kind of nervous apprehension. I could see the question written in the eyes of all fifteen men:
This child is the avatar? This child is the one responsible for saving nations from destruction?
I waited, knowing that at any minute one of them would speak up and voice doubt of Aang's abilities. But that moment was evaded as Zuko's voice broke the silence.
"No. We will not be able to defeat 30,000 men with only 1,000, even with the Av- Aang's help." Zuko looked up at me and I nodded my approval. Aang wasn't just the Avatar. He was a human being. Not a tool. A life.
"I don't understand, Commander. If you agree that the Fire Nation army is unbeatable, then why call a war council?" An older leader with a long, greying beard spoke up. Zuko was silent for a long time, and the room hushed, sensing that he was thinking. Finally, he spoke.
"Have you ever watched a school of fish?" Several eyes widened and eyebrows were raised as the men turned puzzled expressions on Zuko. "It does not matter how great a number they are, all follow the one that is in the lead." He paused, looking each man in the face as his words sunk in. "The same is true of the Fire Nation army. Yes, I agree that they cannot be defeated, not by numbers or by force. It is only through taking their leader that they will fall."
"By leader you mean..."
"I will challenge the Fire Lord Ozai to an Agni Kai. If I can defeat him, I will become Fire Lord by birthright. He will surrender his crown to me and I will then have control of the army."
Several men drew sharp intakes of breath. I closed my eyes. I'd known for a long time that Zuko was planning this, but now, in the harsh reality of the war room, the plan seemed more real, more frightening than before, when it had been nothing more than a secret plan whispered in the darkness.
"But, commander, the palace is heavily guarded and you are... an exile. You would be arrested before you are even able to sail into Fire Nation waters." The man looked uncomfortable bringing up the subject, but Zuko showed no signs of anger at the mentioning of his banishment.
"That is why we will need every last one of our 1,000 men. They must break through the barricades and subdue the palace guards so that I can challenge my father."
"What if you fail?" The leader's voice was so low that I could barely hear it. It sounded regretful, as if it pained the man to voice his question.
"If I fail, we will all die. Myself first, and then the rest of you." Zuko's words were ominous and dark, causing a shiver to crawl up my spine with sharp, spiny prickles. If I was afraid, I knew that Zuko must be ten times more so, though he didn't show it. His voice was steady as he continued.
"But if we do not do this, we will all die anyway. It may take longer, but who says a slow death is any less painful? Once the comet has come, the Fire Lord will be unstoppable, and we will be hunted down and killed, as will your families and your people." Zuko paused, taking a breath.
"This is the only way. I will defeat the Fire Lord. I must."