Wow, I just realized something, everyone: has been taking out my dividers! So, I invented some new dividers that they wouldn't take out. They look like this: OOOOOOOOOOOOO. I've been taught by publishers to put three asterisks to denote dividing, but they won't allow it here. Oh well. I hope this clears up some of the confusion you may have felt while reading, or a sense of choppiness, as dividers denote a lapse in time, or a change in location that sometimes goes unspoken in the actual story.
Chapter 31
The tea felt good going down. I hadn't had tea in a long, long time, but the kindly old man had insisted. The kindly old man, it turned out, was Zuko's uncle and the savior of the battle that morning. He sat across from us now, a wide smile on his pleasant, wrinkled face.
"So, how did you know where to find us?" Zuko asked. I noticed that he pointedly avoided the tea.
Iroh leaned back on his cushion on the floor and stared up at the ceiling, gathering his thoughts. "Well, after your mysterious disappearance, nephew, I combed the woods looking for you. I spent a week picking through brambles and stumbling over vines, only to find that you'd somehow vanished, leaving only a pile of bloodied armor." Distantly, through a haze of fuzzy memories, I remembered Aang and Sokka removing Zuko's armor as we carried him back to the cave.
"So..." Iroh sighed, "I brought the armor back to your father." There was a pause as Iroh took a breath, his eyes shifting as he seemed to search for words.
"I heard there was a celebration." Zuko said bitterly, staring at the tea cup as if it held all the pain he'd ever experienced in his life instead of just tea. Iroh sighed and rubbed his forehead with his fingertips.
"It's not like that, Prince Zuko... It wasn't a celebration-"
"Call it whatever you like, Uncle. My father was glad I was gone." A look of agonized pain crossed over Iroh's face as he looked at his nephew. The old man looked as if he'd been physically struck.
"Nephew..." Iroh began, but Zuko raised a hand, his eyes closing as he spoke softly.
"It's okay, Uncle. Please, continue."
"I stayed at the palace. Since everyone believed you to be dead, I was not considered a threat, just a doddering old man with nothing better than to drink tea and play games under a sunny window." Iroh's eyes glinted mischievously. "But it's amazing what a man can learn when he sips tea and plays games while listening to the conversations of gossiping generals and commanders."
Iroh then lifted one eyebrow as he continued. "I soon began hearing some incredible stories. Stories of an unstoppable earthbending army that appeared and vanished like smoke in the night. Some said it was led by a demon that could spew fire. Some said it was a strange dragon that could scream like a man. Other claimed it was a witch with seven snakes for arms that could snatch the fire right from their palms." At this point Iroh glanced at me. I smiled a little and blushed, realizing the weight of what he'd just said.
I was a legend.
"Naturally, this piked my interest. Unfortunately, it did the same for your sister." Iroh's face lost its mirthful expression. I looked over to Zuko, and saw that a dark look had settled in his eyes, too. I leaned back, feeling suddenly left out. There was so much that I didn't know, although by the looks on both men's faces, I probably didn't want to know.
"I traveled about for a time, visiting all the towns and villages along the border of earthbender territory. Sadly, I was unable to find anything of great help." Iroh looked at his feet, as if apologizing to them for the long roads he'd had to travel.
"But then I came to one small town...what was it's name?" Iroh thought for a moment. "Well, I can't remember the name of the town, but there was a woman there who offered me the most delicious soup, as well as a bit of information. Kindly lady, had very nice cushions."
Wait... soup, cushions, little town... "Heishing!" I cried out in sudden revelation.
"Bless you." Iroh said, handing me his handkerchief. Before I could correct him, he continued.
"She recalled meeting a certain young waterbender who was far from home... as well as a... what were the words she used? Ah yes, a 'moody, golden-eyed firebender boy with a crush on the waterbender as plain as the scar on his face.'" Iroh looked at Zuko triumphantly. Zuko blushed a little, but turned his face quickly away from his Uncle. The old man was sharp though, and I could tell from the smile on his face that he'd caught the reddening of his nephew's cheeks.
"I have yet to see how this led you to our door, and at the same time Zula attacked." Zuko said hastily.
"It didn't. But it did give me hope. With every snippet of rumor I heard about the earthbender army and its strange leader, I became more and more determined to do something." Iroh took a long sip of his tea, drawing out the suspense. Zuko sighed in annoyance, but I grinned. I could see that the old man was purposely taunting Zuko.
"What did you do?" I finally asked.
"I started talking to people. You'd be amazed how many Fire Nation men are tired of this cursed war, and how many are willing to admit it to a sympathetic ear, given enough time and ginseng tea." Iroh leaned back, looking pleased with himself. "And, strangely enough, pretty soon soldiers and officers began to disappear, seemingly into thin air, never to be seen or heard from again." Iroh grinned.
"I had hoped to gather more, for more were surely willing. But, through the ears I'd placed in the palace, word got back to me that your sister was moving, having gotten a report from one of her spies, and was planning an attack on your fortress. I rounded the men up and followed her from a safe distance away. And that is how I came to be here." Iroh finished.
"But you have many men with you, not to mention three Fire Navy ships! Didn't my father notice so many defectors?" Zuko asked.
"A mere two thousand out of thirty thousand was of no great consequence to your father, who was too busy to notice anyway, with grooming your sister for..." Iroh's voice dropped and I saw the pained expression again. Zuko turned away, as if physically wounded from the last sentence and the bitter implications that went with it.
"The crown." Zuko said softly. "He intends to give it to her on her birthday, doesn't he?" Iroh's shoulders slumped as he nodded.
"I fear... nephew. I fear that if she takes the crown..." Iroh did not finish his sentence, but the weight of the darkness that had descended onto the room spoke with more power than a thousand words could ever express.
"Then we'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen, won't we?" Zuko smirked and played with a flame on the edge of his palm.
"How are you planning that?" Iroh asked. Zuko quickly outlined our plan of attack, and I watched as Iroh's eyes widened with surprise and admiration.
"That is very good, nephew. And to think, you planned it out without a bit of help from me." Iroh said, a small chuckle barely hiding the disappointment in his voice. Zuko noticed his Uncle's expression, and his eyebrow furrowed.
"Uncle, it was your teachings that I relied on while I was planning the attack." Zuko protested. Iroh peered through hooded eyelids at Zuko skeptically.
"You know, I was listening to your lectures. Whether I acted like I was or not." Zuko admitted reluctantly. The old man's face dissolved into a sea of wrinkles around a wide, wide smile.
"Ah! So you were listening to my proverbs after all! I must get out my books of wisdom and brush up on them, now that I know you are willing to hear them!"
At that, Zuko laughed out loud, his mouth dropping its signature smirk and widening into one of his beautiful, genuine smiles. I smiled with him. However, a quick glance in Iroh's direction surprised me. He was not smiling.
"Zu- Zuko," He stammered. "I have not heard you laugh since... since..." I saw tears shimmer in his eyes and his chin quiver a little, but the old man did not turn his face to hide his emotion, only continued to stare at his nephew, as if Zuko had sprouted wings. He shook his head in disbelief.
"Commander, I am deeply sorry to interrupt, but your judgement is needed in the hiding of Retired General Iroh's fleet of ships." Zuko nodded at the guard who had stepped into the room as got up from his seat.
"Excuse me, Uncle. Katara, will you show Uncle Iroh to his room?" He put his hand out to help me up. Though I didn't need the help, I accepted it, just to feel the warmth of his hand against my skin and the familiar tingling of electricity that always thrummed through our veins when we touched.
"Of course, Zuko." I said, smiling and capturing his eyes in mine. I wanted to kiss him, and ordinarily we would have, but with his Uncle sitting so close by that it would have made for an awkward situation. So, we tried our best to content ourselves with a brief glance.
Zuko's hand left mine with much reluctance and he headed out the door. I watched him leave, admiring the view from behind.
Mmmm, yes, a very nice behind... so tight and...
I blushed when I realized I'd been thinking these thoughts in the presence of his Uncle. And I suspected the old man had some strange mind-reading powers, for when I turned to him he was beaming with a mischievous, knowing smile.
I blushed and rubbed my hands on my tunic, feeling suddenly guilty and slightly paranoid.
"Shall I take you to your room now?" I asked, hoping to hide the uneasiness in my voice.
"Yes, yes, please. These old bones get tired much faster than they used to." He wearily got to his feet as I helped him up.
It was a long way through the mountain fortress from the war room to the bedrooms, and the old man walked slowly. I tried to think of things to fill the silence. We talked of the best ways to prepare a good pot of tea, and of the critical importance of a lotus tile in a game, and of how beautiful the Earth Kingdom looked in summer. But soon our conversation turned to darker things. To the war and to battle and to the coming struggle. Finally, we arrived at his room.
"Here you are, General Iroh." I said, opening the great door. Iroh turned to me and smiled.
"Thank you, Katara. I wish you a good night. And don't worry about the war! You have nothing to fear." He smiled at me.
I shook my head. "I wish I could be as sure as you are. Fire Lord Ozai's army is so strong..."
"Ah, but there are things in this life that are even stronger than wars and armies." Iroh said, his eyes meeting mine and speaking of a hidden truth behind his words.
"Oh? And what is that?" I smiled, knowing in my heart the meaning of his unspoken wisdom.
"I think you know, Katara. I think you and Zuko both know." With that the old man turned and walked into his room, closing the door behind him.
I turned also, heading for my room to wait for Zuko to come back so I could give him a massage and he could lull me to sleep with his warmth. As I was leaving, though, I could hear the old man speak from behind the door. The walls and door were thick, preventing me from hearing what Iroh was saying, but I did manage to catch delighted giggling along with one word...
"Grandchildren"
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
I pulled off the scratchy earthbender tunic and slipped on my robe as I headed for bed. I turned down the cover and slipped between the sheets, shivering in the coolness. Though it was late summer, the fortress was underground and stayed very cool. I waited, but Zuko didn't come.
Finally I threw the covers off and decided to go looking for him. Taking torch in my hand I began to pad down the long, dusty halls. Most of the soldiers were already asleep, and I could hear the muffled sounds of their snoring behind the heavy doors.
I followed the hallway to the rhino pens, through the kitchen, around the war chambers, all the way to the secret exit of the mountain labyrinth. There, in the cool air, I heard Zuko's voice. He was dismissing the last of the soldiers, sending some to take up guard around the perimeter of the fortress, as always, and some to their beds. When the soldiers had departed, I began to walk forward to meet Zuko. That is, until another voice stopped me.
"Why are you doing this?" The voice was young, male, familiar. Sokka! What was he doing?
"Excuse me?" Zuko's voice was cautious, but far from backing down. I peered in the darkness, trying to make out their shapes, but night shrouded them.
"What are you going to get out of this? You think you're going to be some big hero? You think everyone is going to like you now? Pretend that Fire Nation didn't destroy their homes and families?" Sokka's voice was acerbic. Oh no. I prayed that Zuko would keep his temper.
"There are grievances to be forgiven on both sides, Sokka. It will take many years for the nations to heal." Zuko said. Thank you, Zuko. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Heal." Sokka snorted. "And they'll have a chance to heal with you on the throne? Why should I believe you'll be any better than Fire Lord Ozai?"
"Well, let's see. For one, Ozai would have turned you into crispy peasant toast by now for speaking so disrespectfully, but I've managed to keep my temper in check." I smiled in the darkness at Zuko's words. "And two, I'm risking my life, remember? I could just capture Aang and bring him to the Fire Lord. I'd be in his good favor and I wouldn't have to fight him. That's a safer route for me, don't you think?"
"Then why don't you take it?" Sokka asked. I realized suddenly that Sokka wasn't picking a fight with Zuko. He was testing him. It was a dangerous game. So very dangerous. But my fears relaxed a little when I heard Zuko speak softly, with great tenderness.
"If I do, I will lose everything that matters to me." I knew what the everything was that he spoke of, and my heart tingled with warmth.
"It sounds like you lose something either way." Sokka said in a skeptical tone.
"But if I chose this way, I have a chance to regain the honor of the Fire Nation." Zuko's tone was low, firm, determined. There was silence for some while, and when Sokka spoke again, his voice had lost some of its accusatory edge, curiosity replacing its reproach.
"What do you mean?"
I heard Zuko sigh. "It is in our nature to be aggressive, dominating, fierce. But, whether you are willing to admit it or not, the firebenders posses good qualities too. The Fire Nation was once known for its honor, and its people for their creativity, passion, and grace. Unfortunately, my father has ensured that we are only known for our destruction." Zuko paused, letting silence fall around us like a shroud.
"I am tired of this war, Sokka, just as tired as you are. I bear scars that I do not want my children to ever have to bear. I want them to grow up knowing peace." A little jolt of surprise and happiness filled me. Children? Zuko wanted children? A smile and a blush adorned my face in the darkness.
"I... I didn't expect to hear... I mean, I thought firebenders-"
"Were cruel, heartless monsters?" Zuko's voice held a laughing quality to it.
"Well, yeah."
"I hope you learn to let go of your misconceptions, Sokka. Good night." I heard Zuko's footsteps draw closer to where I stood by the door. I realized, with a blush of shame, that I'd been eavesdropping. I pulled away and ran back to our room.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
I was waiting under the covers for Zuko when he came back. I gave him a soft, happy smile. "I heard what you said to Sokka." I admitted. Zuko frowned at me and growled.
"I suppose your primitive people don't teach their children not to eavesdrop."
"Oh, they do, but those rules don't apply when dealing with spoiled princes." I snipped back at him.
"Hmm. In the Fire Nation, you could have had your hands cut off for listening in on a secret conversation given by royalty." He stripped off his shirt and climbed into the bed.
"I'm not afraid of you." I said boldly, giving Zuko a teasing, daring smile. He crawled forward and wrapped his long, masculine fingers around my wrists as he straddled me.
"Maybe I need to teach you how to respect a Prince of the Fire Lands." He said in a sultry voice, his mouth close to my ear.
"Really? How would one go about doing that?" I asked breathlessly.
"First, I'll teach you to obey me." He said, his voice dropping into a throaty rumble. It sent shivers up my body.
"What did you have in mind?"
"Kiss me."
I was more than happy to oblige.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Zuko's body had grown hot with passion by the time I pushed him off of me. I didn't want to. I longed for him, yearned for his touch not only on my lips and arms and shoulders, but everywhere. I wanted to keep kissing, to see where our passion would take us, given the time and encouragement. I wanted to.
But didn't. It would bring dishonor upon myself and my family to come together with the Prince before we'd been wedded in a traditional ceremony. And now was not the time to bring a child into the world, anyway, not with the war upon us and death surrounding us. So, with much reluctance, I rolled off of bed and began massaging Zuko's shoulders, comforting his frustrated body with my touch as I tried to focus on things other than what my body was begging me to do.
"You fought well today." I said.
"As did you." Zuko sighed, relaxing into my kneading fingers. I smiled at first, but then my smile fell.
"No, I didn't."
"What do you mean?" Zuko twisted so that he was looking into my face. Puzzlement hovered over his brow. I dropped my eyes into my lap in shame.
"I... faced someone today. I was not able to beat her. I... I was so weak compared to her!" I said. "I've never faced anyone like her before. She was even faster than Master Paku! And the way she looked at me! As if I were the most vile, pathetic thing she'd ever seen!"
"What did she look like?" Zuko's voice was low.
"She was... about my age, I think. Golden eyes, of course. Longish hair tied up in some sort of bun. She gave commands to the men, too. She wasn't that girl you were talking about, was she? She wasn't-"
"Zula." Zuko sighed. "Yes, Katara. You fought my sister."
Sudden realization hit me like a wave. No wonder Zuko was so concerned about keeping the crown off of her head. If she became Fire Lord... a little shudder ran through me as I remembered her malicious, wicked stare.
"Don't feel bad, Katara. I was never able to beat her, either." He grinned a little at me.
"But I should have! I was surrounded by my element, after all. She was just so fast, Zuko! I felt like I was moving in jelly compared to her."
"She is a bending prodigy." Zuko said with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "Just stay away from her. Whatever you do, don't challenge her to a fight." He smirked and rubbed his forearm. "She broke my wrist twice when I was younger."
I cringed and felt an enormous hate well up inside of me for the woman. I took the offended wrist in my hands and stroked it, pulling Zuko up into bed with me, figuring he'd had enough time to cool down.
With a wave of his hand the candles in the room dimmed and then went out. I snuggled into his embrace, enjoying the feeling of his arms around me, the steady rhythm of his chest rising and falling as he breathed, the warmth that emanated from his body. I focused on the feeling, trying my best to ignore the reality that in just three days we would be setting out for the Fire Nation.
In just three days, the fate of the world...
...would be decided.
I know, my beloved readers, I know that this chapter was mostly dialogue and character development, but it really really needed to be done. I needed to explain some things, and develop Sokka's character. I hope I didn't bore you too much. Don't worry... next chapter:
THE REBELLION BEGINS.
See ya there?