disclaimer:Me no own no avatar
Katara sighed as she sank into the heaven of her bed. Ea tucked snuggly in her crib next to the bed; Katara finally got a chance for some sleep. She thought back to the day's events and pondered about her future. She never imagined falling head over heels in love with her enemy, much less in three days. Sure she'd known him for three years, but she never knew anything about him.
First off, she didn't know how and why he got his scar. Or how he became bitter and cold. She sensed a change in his personality, but no matter what, even if his scar healed, his emotional wound would remain; a mark of his dark past. Drifting off to sleep, Katara never noticed the stranger slipping into her room.
"Katara wake up." Sokka called groggily from outside. "I will never understand why our costume chooses to do hangings in the middle of the night." He muttered, practically crawling away as his sister flung the covers off of her weary body. Forcing herself into the tepid water of her bath, she wiped the sleep from her eyes and heated the water up with her bending. She had discovered a new little trick of changing the temperature of the water.
Gently setting Ea in the now comfortably warm water, she rubbed her tenderly. Grabbing the soap, she proceeded to wash herself as Ea crawled out and wandered onto a mound of fluffy towels.
Getting out and off-handedly extracting a towel out from under her form, she dried herself and picked out her attire.
Choosing a black silk skirt that slit up to the thigh and a stiff midnight-blue corset, she reflected the unexpected visitors. Zuko and Zula were staying with them until their uncle sent a ship to harbor them back to the fire-nation.
Katara wasn't quiet sure how she felt about that. In her short time with Zula, they had become something as friends. Now, Zuko was a whole different matter. As she concluded last night, she didn't know a lot about him, just the general facts. Set on sparking an enlightening conversation with him, she walked out of her door, leaving Ea to the nurse-maid.
Katara sat regally on her make-shift throne, watching unemotionally as the beautiful Tamal and his father were hung for plotting murder on her. She stared at their dangling bodies, a gagging feeling growing in intensity every second she gaped at the corpses. She touched the diamond necklace around her slender neck and decided she'd go to the library and research Neelam. How she came to that thought, she had no idea.
Rising swiftly from her perch, she slipped unnoticed to her destination. Unnoticed, that is, until a little ran up to her.
"Pwincess Katara, Pwincess Katara, I wanna be just wike you when I gwow up!" She squealed, her vocabulary not that articulate, as well as her pronunciation. Katara smiled sweetly and kneeled down to the girl's height.
"What's your name, young one?" She asked, smoothing back the child's chaotic curls. The girl stared into her eyes with surprise.
"Alana, my wady." She whispered, her voice full of awe. Katara smiled reassuringly and took the silver band off of her crown.
"Well, I dub thee Princess Alana." She announced, setting the silver band on the girls crown. She groped the band unbelievingly, causing Katara to bite back a laugh. She looked truly comical, her robes too big- like Meng's- with the too big silver crown drooping on her head, her purple eyes wide in giddiness.
"Now, Princess Alana, you must keep this secret to all but your best friend." Katara whispered, winking at the girl who beamed. Straitening, she held the Alana's hand. "Let's take you to the princess's quarters, shall we?" Katara asked.
"Yes, Katara. But I need to ask my Mama." Dragging Katara to a weathered young woman, she asked, "Mama, can Pwincess Katara take me to my qwarters?" She asked, her eyes shining brightly. The woman's thin face broke into a smile.
"Will you, my lady?" She asked hopefully and Katara nodded. The woman bent down and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "You behave now, you hear me, Alana?" She asked warmly, but let her skip down the hall to the water fountain.
"Come to my rooms and your daughter will be there. Tell her she can come over any time. I adore children." Katara said, gazing fondly at Alana as she played with the other children until the mother turned to her.
"I know, I heard about Princess Ea." She said, a knowledgeable smile lit the woman's features. Katara smiled, her eyes glazing over as she thought about how she came to foster Ea.
"If I may ask, what is your name, miss?" Katara asked. The woman looked flattered and replied,
"Arexia, my Lady. And you need not call me 'miss'. Aria will suffice." She looked at Katara with keen eyes. "I sense my daughter kept you from something. If it's any consolation, may I fetch it for you?"
"Well…." Katara trailed off, tugging lightly to her necklace. "I was on my way to the library to research Neelam. If it's no trouble, and if you have time to spare, will you get me a book on her?" Katara asked, blushing slightly at her forwardness.
"Yes, Lady Katara." Aria murmured, bowing in respect.
"Please, I insist you call me Atara." Katara said, wishing her old nickname renewed. Aria smiled.
"As you wish Atara." Walking down the cavernous halls to only the woman knew where, Katara watched her leave. Grinning merrily, she pounced down the hall, acting as she did when she was Alana's age. Grabbing the small girl's hand, they skipped up to her room, singing child's' songs.
A FEUKING HOURS LATER... (FEWFEUKING IN MY BOOK)
"Prince Haru, she will make a wonderful wife and mother." Haru's advisor to him as they watched Katara bound up the stairs with her new friend.
Zuko walked in his cocky stride past them, making sure Haru caught his disrespect towards him. He smirked as he heard Haru growl. Waiting until they left, he quickly scaled the stairs, making his way to Katara's room.
"Katara, it's me. Open the door." He ordered softly. She opened the door and gestured for him to be silent. He walked in and peeked at her bed. Alana slept peacefully, curled protectively around Ea. A small smile graced his lips and he turned to Katara. She beckoned him to follow her and she led him into her study.
Closing the door quietly and firmly behind her, she turned to Zuko, who was already sitting comfortably on the couch. Unintentionally, her hand rose to her lips, and she snatched it away before he saw her. Sitting on the other side of the couch, she asked,
"I have many questions. I want to get to know you more before anything happens between us. First, what is the basic favorites of you?" Katara asked, blushing at her choice of words. Zuko had to let a small smile once again grace his lips.
"For starters…My favorite color is… let's see. Blue, silver and red." He paused then continued. "My favorite food is… orange chicken." He paused once more, thinking of what else to say.
"What is your favorite saying?" Katara prompted, pulled her legs up to her body. Her foot got stuck behind her and she yanked it free, a veil of hair hiding her face. Zuko reached forward and brushed it off her neck. Katara shivered in delight and restrained herself from kissing him.
"'True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing. And in knowing that you know nothing, that makes you the smartest of all.' It's one of my Uncle Iroh's proverbs." Zuko said softly, looking at the ceiling. Katara could tell he was uncomfortable speaking of himself. As if on cue, he turned to face her.
"What about you? What's your favorite poem?" Zuko asked, leaning forward with interest. Kataea blushed sheepishly and replied in a small voice,
"Natsu no yube wa
Kawa be no sato ni
Kobune ukabete
Hotaru gari" Katara spoke eloquently in the ancient Water Language.
Zuko sat in awe as he translated the words. He said with some starting difficulty, seeing as how he hadn't used the language in a while,
"In the summer, by the river
Let us sit in the evening
And watch the lights of the boats
Caught and confused
In a net of fireflies."
"You speak the Water Language?" Katara asked, impressed. Zuko nodded, mulling over the poem. "As a prince, I was forced to learn the Ancient Languages of all four Elements. I loved saying the Water Language, because it rolled of your tongue. Fire Language is sharp and tempered. Earth is the hardest. Its sounds like rocks grinding against each other." He paused watching Katara shutter. "Water and Air are the most beautiful languages to speak. Air is like a whispering wind, and Water… Water language is beautiful beyond comparison." He said, gazing wistfully at her. "Just like you." He added before he could stop himself.
Katara blushed furiously and ducked her head behind a pillow to hind her face. Zuko, thinking that he hadn't corrupted this poor girl's heart more, gently pried the fingers from her hand and lightly grabbed her chin. Katara blinked at him, her face reduced to a bright pink. He leaned forward and pressed his warm lips on her petal soft ones, engulfing Katara in dizziness.
Pulling back from their kiss, he slipped a jasmine blossom in her hair. His face emotionless, he gripped her waist tightly, bringing her to his body. Katara struggled slightly and then willingly let him pull her to him. Crushing her against his chest, he covered her mouth with his once more, forcing her to straddle him on her knees.
Katara moaned as Zuko kissed her earlobe. She felt his warm hand slowly slide under her skirt and rub her thigh. He slipped his free hand onto her other thigh, and groped her waist harder as she kissed his neck.
Katara stopped suddenly, realizing what she was doing. She pulled away hastily, gaping for breath. Zuko groaned in protest, trying to pull her back.
"No, Zuko! I- We can't do this!" Katara gasped, tears streaming fiercely down her face.
Zuko kissed away her tears and nuzzled her neck. "Katara, if the only reason you're going to wed Haru is because of your kingdom, then think about what the Fire Nation can do for the Water Tribe! Think about what I can do for you!" Zuko said sharply, pulling away from her. He stalked out of the room, leaving aconfused andheartbroken Water Princess behind.
Chigiri okishi
Sasemo ga tsuyu wo
Inochi nite
Aware kotoshi no
Aki mo inumeri
Your fine promises
Were like the dew of life
To a parched plant,
But now the autumn
Of another year goes by
Ju yoku go wo seisu.
Gentleness skillfully subdues wrath
OMFG! it took me FOREVER to get that poem and proverb above to close to what I wanted! But, nooo. The damned format is still skrewed...ne way... don't kill me if I got the translations wrong, i got it all off of a web site... I'm only in 7th grade and I'm learning French, not Japenese!