In order to explain Zuko to Ji Li, she said he was Kana's (Katara's) assistant. That meant, when Katara would go with Su and Kiena and look for herbs to use in a sleeping potion in case the rosehips mixture failed, Zuko had to follow. Usually, he would just stand and look moody, but there were times he would offer a bit of advice. Everyone was wondering how on earth he knew all of this information on herbs and their uses.
One day, Zuko and Katara were in their room after a day when Zuko piped up with a lot of information. Katara had removed her kerchief and was putting her necklace back on (she removed every time she left the room, in case a soldier recognized it) when she turned to Zuko, confusion in her eyes.
"Prince Zuko, how do you know all that stuff about herbs and which flowers can be used in sleeping potions? It's not something I expect a Fire Prince to know." Zuko looked at her, opened his mouth to say something, and then turned away.
"My mother told me before she was killed," he muttered.
"Killed? I thought she died from the flu or something. Who killed her?" Zuko tensed and faced Katara.
"I did." Katara gasped, paused, and then put her hands on her hips.
"I doubt that, Zuko. What could you do to kill your mother? Why would you kill your mother?" Zuko sat down on the bed.
"It was accidental. She had given me an…art scroll for my tenth birthday. My father saw it and later poisoned Mother for given it to me. He…said it was treason." Zuko sighed, frustrated. "If I hadn't been reading it, my mother would still alive." He put his head in his hands.
Zuko heard Katara sit down next to him. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard come out of a man's mouth," she told him. "And, living with Sokka, I've heard some stupid things come out of a man's mouth. It isn't your fault that your father poisoned your mother; he was the one that killed her. If he killed her just for giving you a scroll, he was probably trying to find something to have her killed for anyway." She brought Zuko's face up out of his hands. She stared straight into Zuko's golden eyes. "You aren't a killer, and you know it."
Zuko looked away. "Maybe I'm not now, but I will be later on. You've seen my people; you know what we're like."
"I know what your soldiers are like, but I know that you are different. You wouldn't harm a defenseless captive who's tied to a tree," Katara pointed out, smiling. "Just because your element is powerful and destructive doesn't mean the Bender is. And besides, fire is also a fiercely passionate, strong element, and I've seen those traits in you more often then not."
Zuko looked at Katara. "And I've seen traits of water in you. Gentle, caring, stubborn…"
Katara laughed. "Me? Stubborn? Nah! Steadfast, maybe, but I'm not stubborn. You, Prince Zuko, are stubborn. And driven. And fierce. And passionate. And…" The Waterbender trailed off.
"And?" the prince urged, whispering. He moved closer to Katara.
"And the most honorable Firebender I have ever met," she replied, also whispering.
"You haven't met many," Zuko pointed out. Katara brushed his face, her hand lingering on Zuko's cheek. The prince reached for the Waterbender's hand.
"I don't want to," Katara whispered, falling into Zuko's embrace. "Though your uncle seems nice," she added.
"If you can handle proverbs, tea, and eccentric-ness, then yes," Zuko replied. Katara laughed.
"I've met who has got to be the most eccentric one hundred and twelve year old man there ever was, and he's King of Omashu, okay? I'm sure your uncle will be normal compared to Bumi." Zuko gave her a look that clearly said he doubted it. "I'm serious! No one takes a mutant rabbit, makes it a pet, and calls it Flopsie! And I don't think your uncle would use rock candy to imprison people!" Zuko laughed.
"Good point." Zuko paused. "He called a mutant rabbit Flopsie?" Katara nodded.
Just then, a knock at the door startled them. "Come in," Katara called, slipping out of Zuko's embrace. Su came in.
"We have a problem." Zuko rolled his eyes.
"We always have a problem here," he muttered.
Su ignored him. "Ji Li is ordering a roll call of all Benders. I don't why and I have a sinking feeling I don't want to know. He already has Katara's alias, but we haven't thought of one for you, Zuko. And he's making this mandatory unless there is a very good explanation for your absence. He said only very contagious illness and death would qualify."
"Okay, what's a very contagious and not deadly illness?" Katara asked.
"A fever," came the weak reply. "And he knows you can heal those."
"But not instantly," Zuko pointed out. "There is this fever in the Fire Nation; once you get it, you won't get it again. Usually young children get it, thought some older Firebenders have been known to get."
"Have you had it already?"
"Yes, but Ji Li doesn't know that."
Su nodded. "Then we'll use it. D'you want me to tell Ji Li you're tending Zuko, Katara?" she asked, turning to Katara. The two teens looked at each other. Katara nodded, not looking back at Su. Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko saw Su switch from him to Katara and back again a few times, smirk, and shake her head, walking off. Once the door shut, he heard Su crack up. Katara looked at the door.
"What's so funny?" she asked Zuko.
"I think it's us," he replied. Su's laughter increased.
"O-kay, what's so funny about us?" Katara looked at Zuko with a confused look in her eyes. Zuko touched her shoulder and leaned in to whisper in Katara's ear.
"We make an odd couple, Katara." Katara smiled.
"So?" she asked, smirking. "I've heard of…wait, no I haven't. Unless that couple who lived in Omashu count, but I'm not going to go there. It was just too weird."
"Weirder, you mean, than a Fire Prince and a Waterbender?" Zuko asked. He listened as Katara whispered something in his ear. "Okay, that's weird," he agreed, turning to face Katara.
The Waterbender's face was very close to his. He could feel her breath on his face. (Surprisingly, it wasn't hot, like you'd expect. It was cool. Zuko assumed that, as a Waterbender, Katara's body temperature was lower than a non-Bender, similar to the way his was much higher.) The prince gently took Katara's face in his hands.
"He what?" Zuko asked.
Su sighed. "Ji Li said, unless I can prove you were ill and still alive, he will assume you have died and cut off your rations, even though I told him you were not going to die."
Katara groaned and fell back on the mattress. "This is great, really great. Have the Fire Roses bloomed yet?" Su shook her head.
"The buds are starting to open, but they're not going fast enough in my opinion." Su complained. "And I can't bring Li Se to the garden because it would be suspicious to have a Firebender in the gardens."
"Is it still frigid out there?"
"You betcha. I have to wrap up in my coat my mother (the Waterbender) left me, and it's made from beaver pelt, and one those funny white and black striped cat's pelts, dyed blue. I'm still shivering!" Katara turned to Zuko.
"Did your mother tell you any way to speed up the blooming process?" Zuko shook his head.
"Constant heat was she told me. How big is the fire?"
Su thought about it. "About the size of a campfire. Why?"
"Make it bigger, about the size of a small bonfire. And keep it burning throughout the night," Zuko said. Su looked at him as though he was crazy, but she nodded. Kiena's head appeared around the open door.
"Su, it's him!" Su's eyes open wide in panic.
"Quick, you two hide! It's Ji Li!" she mouthed silently. Zuko nodded and grabbed Katara's hand. He led her behind the curtain. They listened as Ji Li came in.
"So, this is where the Healer and her assistant are staying?" he asked Su.
Su's silhouette bowed. "Yes, Ji Li. Kana is getting some more herbs from garden. My gardeners are watching her."
"I see. And the assistant? Where is he?" Thinking fast, Zuko let out a low moan.
"Soaking, trying to help sores," Su explained.
"Why wasn't the Healer at roll call?"
"I believe I told you. She was tending to her assistant, and asked me to vouch for her absence. Kana told me that it would take some time to get the herbs cut the right way, so she will not be back for several hours," Su said.
"Very well," Ji Li sighed. "Tell her that as soon as she can get it made, I need more of that potion she gave me to help the pain." Zuko and Katara carefully peered out and saw Ji Li's arm was in a splint and was hanging at a funny angle. Su nodded.
"Very well." Su bowed and walked out of the room with Ji Li.
"Oh, Ming Su Li, when you see the Healer, tell her that, if she does anything to the potion other than make it a pain killer, I'll kill her, her assistant, and anyone I might think are connected to her."
