Chapter 30
The smell of sweat and smoke and burnt earth and fire filled the training room. With the Firebenders and the Earthbenders both practicing together, the room had grown hot and dusty. We'd opened the vents as far as they would go, but it only barely took the edge off the stifling air.
The men practiced tirelessly. When they weren't practicing they were building boats to carry us to the Fire Nation capital. They were being built in the same inlet where I'd first helped the earthbenders win a battle against a Fire Nation attack. I smiled with nostalgia as I watched the process being carried out, standing on the same outlook I had, almost a year ago, on that day when I'd made a decision to stay, despite my chance to run away after the fireball knocked my guard out.
What if I had run?
Where would I be now?
What if I had left Zuko, as I was tempted to do?
I would have never known that a firebender's touch could be warm with love, not just anger. I would never have known the intimacy of true love. I would never have known how beautiful Zuko's eyes were when I looked past the pain that haunted them.
I would never have become a warrior, helping to lead a rebel earthbender army.
I wrapped my arms around myself and closed my eyes, listening to the sound of trees being felled along the inlet. The sturdy old trees would make strong boats, which would then be coated with a fireproof substance to help protect us from the fireballs that would surely come our way during battle.
It was risky, but thankfully we had a few waterbenders in the army now. Zuko had sent out our fastest messengers to the four corners of the earth to recruit soldiers before the great battle would take place, and had managed to attract a few small troops of surviving Water Tribe warriors. Of course, I had rushed to them when they had arrived, hoping that my father might be among their numbers. Sadly, not only was he not with them, but no one had any news of him, either.
Everyone had a job to do. Aang was mastering his bending and overseeing the training of the new recruits. I was put in charge of instructing the healers and new waterbending recruits in the ways of the army. Even Sokka had a job: the care and maintenance of the Komodo rhinos. I'd almost laughed out loud when I'd learned that this was the task Zuko had assigned him, but then had rebuked the prince. "You're not going to make friends with him that way, you know!"
But though everyone was worked to the bone, it was Zuko that pushed himself the hardest. I'd had to sleep without him for two nights in a row as he stayed up, planning strategies and marking our maps with lines of defense and attack positions. His eyes were red and rimmed with purple circles, and his shoulders sagged under the enormous weight of his task. It twisted my heart each time I saw him. He was so burdened. I wished there was something I could do to help him... some way I could lessen the strain.
But there was nothing I could do. I had my duties, and he had his. I could not help him plan war strategies any more than he could help me train the waterbenders, but... perhaps...
"Quick, go get Commander Zuko." I told Shing, the young messenger, as I stood outside the door of mine and Zuko's room. Shing bowed and hurried off in a cloud of dust kicked up behind his fast little feet. I watched him go and then turned and entered the room.
I let my robe fall from my shoulders and land in a heap at my feet, revealing a cascade of blue beneath it. I was wearing the dress I'd worn in the village the night I'd danced with Zuko. I lit a row of candles that bordered the room. I'd spent my entire lunch time going from room to room begging candles from any soldier that might have one. They were surprisingly hard to find among the earthbenders, though the firebenders always had one or two to spare.
I laid out the food in dishes on the floor. Cook had graciously allowed me to take out the most prized things from the larder: smoked fish, garden tubers and vegetables, fresh berries, and honey. He hadn't asked who it was for, he'd simply smiled at me and told me "I hope you can relax 'im. 'E's been workin' awful hard."
Relax him. That was exactly what I intended to do. The door was hurled open with a thick thudding sound and Zuko stood in front of it, panting and looking at me with eyes glazed with weariness but wide with concern for me. "The messenger told me it was an emergency." Zuko said. He wobbled a little bit and caught himself. He was so tired, and it echoed in every move he made.
"Shing told you exactly what I told him to tell you." I said, emphasizing the boy's name. I would break the Prince's habit of referring to people by their titles eventually.
"So there is no emergency? You called me in here for nothing?" Zuko yelled, fire dancing around his fingertips. "I was in the middle of-"
"When is the last time you ate?" I interrupted Zuko, my voice calm and soothing, as gentle as the swirling of water in a tidepool.
"Katara, I don't have time for games! We only have-"
"Or slept? When was the last time you've slept?" I interrupted him again, ignoring the anger flashing in his eyes and the smoke that was wisping around his palms.
"I can't believe that you would be so foolish to-" He evaded, his voice rising.
"Foolish? Well, I may be foolish, Prince Zuko, but at least I'm not weakened." That was the magic word. Zuko stopped shouting and looked at me in confusion and fury.
"How dare you call me weak!"
"I didn't call you weak. I called you weakened. It's what happens to anyone who doesn't sleep or eat a solid meal for days in a row." I raised my chin defiantly, staring into his blazing gold eyes, daring him.
"I am not weakened, I am-"
Before he could say another word I was up and across the room. Just as I suspected, his reaction time was delayed, giving me enough time to grab his shoulders and flip him over my hip and onto the floor. He landed with a thud and immediately tried to stand, but I threw myself over him, straddling his waist and putting as much body weight as I could spare on pinning his wrists to the ground.
He growled in frustration and pushed against me. His wrists heated up, but I didn't let go. I knew Zuko would never hurt me with firebending, even if I was being an insolent little water peasant.
"See? Defiantly weakened." I smiled at him triumphantly and bounced a little on his stomach to emphasize my point. He growled at me again and narrowed his eyes. I knew I was on dangerous ground, but I'd learned long ago how to tread carefully on such ground, and his threatening glares no longer frightened me.
"What's your point?" He asked in a low, sharp voice.
"My point, Zuko, is that you will not be able to fight a war if you are so exhausted you can't even put up a descent fight against one waterbender girl."
"And this is helping? Get off!" Zuko squirmed beneath me, but his attempt was a little more half-hearted than last time. I smiled inwardly. Good, all is going as I planned.
"Nope. Now, you can either cooperate, or I can call Sokka in here and tell him you're trying to take advantage of me."
"I don't think he'll believe that story while you're on top of me." Zuko smirked at me.
"Oh really? Would you like to test that?" Zuko's smirk fell. He knew my brother well enough by now...
"Now," I continued, taking his silence for an agreement to cooperate, "since you will not feed yourself, I suppose the duty falls to me." Like a rebellious child, Zuko narrowed his eyes and closed his mouth. I sighed. Everything had to be so difficult!
I reached into one of the dishes and dipped my finger in a well of honey. I brought it to his mouth and smeared it over his tightly-shut lips. He smirked at me arrogantly, as if to say 'if you think you're going to get me to open my mouth just be doing that, you're an idiot.' But I had a smirk of my own on.
Leaning forward I began to kiss and suck the honey off of his lips. Zuko moaned. He might be able to resist food, but he was not able to resist me, and his mouth opened obediently to receive my kisses.
We finished the entire dinner together, feeding each other with our fingertips. I saw Zuko's strength return to him somewhat as his cheeks regained their color and his eyes brightened. I knew that his muscles must be regaining their strength, as well, but Zuko did not push me off of him. In fact, he seemed to be quite enjoying it.
"Feeling better?" I murmured, placing my cool hand against his warm cheek. He smiled, a breathtaking, genuine smile as he raised his hand to place it over mine.
"As long as you are with me." At that moment I loved him so much it hurt. I traced the edge of his face with my hand, delighting in the beautiful smile that I'd so rarely gotten to see. It had taken so long for him to let go of enough pain to allow himself the simple pleasure. And now, in only a few days, I would risk losing him.
"What's wrong?" Confusion and worry flickered behind Zuko's amber eyes.
"I don't want you to fight him, Zuko." I whispered. I shut my eyes, willing away the sadness that was building in my chest. I heard Zuko sigh beneath me, felt his chest rise and his arms wrap around my shoulders, bringing me down next to him on the floor.
"I have to, Katara." He whispered into my hair.
"I don't want him to take me away from you." I whimpered. I knew I sounded like a child, but I couldn't help it. I felt as powerless and helpless as when I'd watched my father sail away to fight the Fire Nation. He'd never returned.
"I won't let him take me from you, Katara." Zuko spoke my name with soft tenderness. He pulled away far enough to look me in the eyes.
"I have been unhappy my entire life. I had not known a day when I was at peace, or felt safe, or knew I was... loved." Zuko paused and brushed hair from my face as he stared into my eyes. "I have just found that, and more. I will not give it all up so easily without a fight." I saw the truth burn like fire in his eyes.
"I know." I said, wrapping my arms around him and placing my head against my chest. We laid like that, giving each other strength with the simple closeness of our bodies. Finally, I heard Zuko's breathing slow and deepen in sleep. I smiled, closing my own eyes as slumber took me away, too.
"Commander! Miss Katara!" I found myself looking up into the panicked eyes of Shing. His face was dripping sweat, and his limbs trembled.
"What is it, Shing?" Zuko was already on his feet. I struggled up, a little stiff from sleeping on the ground, and took a look outside the window. The sun had already risen! I would have laughed at the irony of Zuko sleeping past sunrise had Shing's desperate stammering not sobered me.
"The boats, sir! They're burning the boats!" Shing hopped from foot to foot, as if he were still running.
"Who is burning the boats?" Zuko pulled on his tunic as he questioned Shing.
"The Fire Nation! They came by ship this morning, as if they knew right were the boats were being built."
"A spy." I whispered, already fully dressed and helping Zuko with his breastplate.
"I should have prepared for this." Zuko berated himself.
"I don't think you could have prepared yourself for this sir. They're led by a demon-woman that managed to take out five men with one punch." Shing's eyes widened as he told of what had happened.
"Are the men assembled?" Zuko barked at Shing.
"Yes, sir."
"And the Avatar?"
"He has gone to saddle the hairy beast."
"Then let's go."
It took an eternity to reach the inlet. An eternity where each heartbeat was a painful question.
Will we get there in time to save the boats?
Each breath was a condemnation.
We should have known!
Each footstep was an admonition.
Hurry! Hurry!
The sky was clouded with thick black smoke and tasted of ash. I coughed and tied a strip of cloth over my face, trying to block out the smell of burning wood. When we finally reached the bank of the inlet, our worst fears were confirmed.
Firebenders were swarming over the boats, burning them with deadly skill. The earthbender rebels rushed forward with a thunderous war cry, sending dust and earth flying in front of them.
But we were not prepared. We'd not had time to plan a counter-attack, and our force was disorganized, confused, and barely awake in the emerging sunrise. Sunrise. I rise with the sun. Zuko's words came to me distantly from memory. The firebenders would be strongest now.
As if to prove my point, the firebenders came at us, shrieking their blood-curdling war cry as they erected a wall of flames that advanced on the earthbenders. I uncapped my canteen and got ready. This was going to be messy.
We fought all morning. Everywhere there was dust and sweat and blood and fire. I wanted to cover my ears against the screams of the dying, the fighting, the wounded, but if I did I wouldn't have use of my hands to bend away the attacks. I fought for a long time before I'd finally used up my canteen. I'll have to run down to the inlet to refill it.
The inlet! A plan bloomed in my mind. Quickly, I ran through the midst of the battle, pulling away as many waterbenders as I could. The followed me down the bank to the water.
"You, Aiko! There! Siga, there! Mako, go up the bank further!" I coordinated them as quickly as I could, though each moment seemed to take forever. Finally, with everyone in place, I raised my hands. A wave surged and built over our heads as the other benders added their strength. The water rushed and foamed, roaring with a fury of its own.
"NOW!" I screamed, throwing my arms toward the middle of the battle. The wave raced forward, devouring the ground in front of it with a speed that would rival Aang's. It crashed on the shore, sending up a soaking spray and swirling around the legs of the fighters.
They were all soaked. But it wouldn't last long. Already steam was rising from the forms of the firebenders. But the earthbenders knew their opportunity when they saw it. They lashed out with earth and rock and mud, taking out ten firebenders for every earthbender.
Good, if we can just keep this up for a while, we may win. I raised my arms, signaling to the other waterbenders to begin again.
"Well, aren't you a clever little water peasant." A sharp, hissing voice sounded behind me. So much malice and evil tainted the voice that I felt I'd been poisoned just hearing it. I whirled and found myself staring into the deep golden eyes of a firebending woman. I recognized the eyes immediately. She'd been the one that had led the attack that killed Teikei. I felt anger rise in me and I brought my arm up in a lightening-quick water-whip.
But I'd not been prepared for the skill this woman possessed. She dissipated the whip and turned her own attack on me so fast that my head spun and I found myself thrown back into the water. My clothes hissed as the water put out the flames she'd ignited on the cloth. I grit my teeth, biting back the pain of the burns and gathered water in my palm, freezing it and whirling it at her in shards of ice.
With one swipe of her palm the ice had melted into harmless water droplets, which hissed into steam in a deathly halo around her. She advanced on me, an evil smirk stuck to her face as she raised her arms and brought them down, bringing with them a wall of fire that heated up the air so fast I could smell my bangs being singed. I threw up a wall of water just in time to save myself from being consumed.
She attacked again, driving me further into the water. What's wrong with you, Katara? You're a master waterbender, and you're surrounded by your element! You should be able to beat her! But whether I should have been or not was not an issue. The woman fought as if my attacks were no more bothersome than a cool breeze on a summer's day.
I gathered my strength and hurled another attack at her, screaming a roar of fury, but the water disappeared as soon as it stuck her flame, hissing into steam. She laughed, a taunting, malicious laugh that filled my ears and drowned out the sounds of fighting behind me. She threw a fire attack at me so fast that I could not block it. I was thrown into the water with such force that my breath was knocked from my lungs. Coughing and chocking on my own element as I tried to stand and breathe, I caught her giving me a disdainful look.
"You're not worth my time." She sneered, melting into the battle around her after she threw one last attack at me, almost carelessly, over her shoulder. It should have killed me, but I had the quickness of mind to freeze the water on my skin, giving me a shield of protection that saved me from my death.
I got to my feet, trembling with exhaustion. I took in deep gasping breaths of air and looked around me. The horror of the battle struck me. We were outnumbered and outmaneuvered. I watched the earthbenders fall back steadily as the firebenders wreaked a bloody onslaught on our ranks.
"Katara!" It was Okan. He was bloody and covered in mud and ashes. "Commander Zuko wants you at his side!" He grabbed my arm and, before I could protest, brought be before Zuko.
"Katara, I want you to take the wounded into the woods and tend to them there." Zuko said as he blocked a firebending attack with his own flames.
"But the battle is still going on!" I argued.
"Exactly. I don't want you in the middle of it. Do as I say." He shouted, throwing himself into an attack that disabled the soldier in front of him. Zuko turned to face me, his skin glowed with the heat of battle and his eyes flashed angrily.
"I will not leave you to fight alone!" I said, crossing my arms. Zuko looked about to argue with me when suddenly his eyes shifted and his face paled. I whirled around to look at what had caught his attention, and found myself locked in the same state of shock.
There, shrouded in the smoke and dust kicked up in battle, was another fleet of Fire Navy ships. They had just landed on the beach, and were unloading several troops of soldiers onto the banks.
"No..." I whispered. The battle was lost. We could not face that many soldiers. Our battle against Ozai was over before it had begun. Shock and horror froze my body. I could not fight, I could not scream, I could only watch as the firebenders marched up the beach and began their slaughter.
Only... the slaughter never came.
The firebenders turned their force on their own people. Anyone not wearing the earthbender green was singled out and incinerated with deadly accuracy. In a few moments, the tide of the battle had turned. Slowly but surely the enemy soldiers were pushed back, and soon their heels were cooled in the waters of the inlet. I heard a sharp command being given, and suddenly the enemy firebenders turned and ran for their ships.
It was a retreat. We had won. I turned to face Zuko, and saw that his face mirrored the amazement I felt.
"We won." I whispered, throwing my arms around his shoulders. The act caught us both off balance, and we sank to our knees in the dust.
Suddenly, I heard marching behind me, and turned to see that the mysterious firebenders were climbing up the bank. Dust and smoke still filled the air, obscuring their faces, which were hidden behind their faceplates anyway. All except for one. I felt Zuko jump beside me, his whole body wrenching in surprise. I heard him utter a single word.
"...Uncle."
Ahh, the moment most of you have been waiting for! Thank you all for your incredible reviews! You all are so encouraging. Your reviews have made me laugh, squeee, bounce excitedly, and even tear up. Thank you all!