Very Important - Please be advised that the rating for this story has changed. Though it doesn't have explicit or violent scenes in it, I've decided to play it safe and give this chapter the fanfictiondotnet rating of "M". You have been warned.
'Tween a Rock and a Hard Place
"I have to agree with Pakku. You two are crazy to trust Zuko," said Sokka, frowning at Katara and Aang.
Katara returned an even deeper frown back at her brother and didn't bother to explain how she couldn't just had refused to heal Iroh. Frankly, she was dead tired of having to state again and again of how she, as a healer, couldn't refuse a patient in dire need regardless that he was a firebender.
She had to explain her actions to the village elders, then to Suki, then to her neighbors, then to each and everyone of her patients who demanded explanation for her 'treachery.' After being branded a 'traitor' multiple times by people whom she didn't even know and by patients she didn't even charge for healing, Katara was all but ready to accept Aang's offer to leave Kyoshi with her family and move into the Southern Air Temple.
Sokka looked expectantly at them. No doubt waiting for an explanation for their actions. He was to be disappointed for Katara just stood up and began clearing the table while Aang just sat there, smiling and radiating innocence. Unlike Katara, who was beginning to have doubts about healing Iroh, Aang was still totally certain that helping the firebenders was the right thing to do.
Katara wished she shared Aang's confidence. Then again, the villagers weren't being as judgmental of him as they were of her.
Busying herself with cleaning dishes, Katara tried not to dwell on the ingratitude, the unfairness of it all. She lifted her hands over the sink filled with water and dirty dishes; the water began to swirl - behind her, at the kitchen table, Aang was putting forth his reasons to Sokka.
"If Iroh had gotten worse or... even died and had Katara refused to heal him, Zuko would never forget, much less forgive us. The Fire Nation could wipe Kyoshi off the map."
"Oh please." Sokka wasn't the least bit convinced by Aang's explanation. "The Fire Nation wouldn't dare attack Kyoshi or anywhere else with you around, Aang. You can do ten times any damage they do-" Sokka suddenly broke off. Katara turned back to them and fought down the urge to hit Sokka when she saw the pain in Aang's face.
Thinking quickly, she asked out loud if they wanted dessert. Glancing at her with gratitude, Sokka quickly said, "Sure. That would be nice."
"What about you, Aang? How about a smoothie?" said Katara when he didn't answer.
He blinked and looked towards her. Another blink, and then he gave her a wan smile.
"Please, Katara."
"Okay. Start slicing fruit. A lot of it. The kids will want smoothies too." While Aang and Sokka began peeling, slicing and dicing fruit, Katara took out bowls which were soon filled with sliced banana circles, juicy mango and peach cubes, pineapple chunks, chopped kiwifruit, halved strawberries. All bowls were then filled with water and frozen. While Sokka cleaned the knives, Aang and Katara bended the frozen fruits until they crystallized into fruit-colored powdery snow.
"Hmm... yum," commented Sokka after tasting a spoonful of what was basically mango-flavored shaved ice. Katara was about to slap his hand for taste-testing before they had even begun making the actual smoothies when Aang also joined in and told Sokka to try the strawberry bowl.
Katara fought back a sigh as she took out honey and yogurt. She began lining up all the cups she had on the table.
"Sokka, Aang, you two make the smoothies. I'll go get the kids. And please don't make a mess."
"Sure, Katara," said Aang, cracking his knuckles in preparation as Katara went out the backdoor. Sokka began filling the cups with fruit bits, ladling in yogurt and dollops of honey while Aang carefully bended a tiny twister in each cup to blend in the ingredients.
Outside, Katara headed towards the shed where Appa was stationed. As was usually the case, he was surrounded by children, climbing all over him and begging Tui and Lan to tell them the secret command that would make the bison fly. However, it was of no use, Aang had made Katara's children promise to him to never to tell anyone about 'Yip Yip' unless it was a matter of life or death. Thus, on Kyoshi, Appa was effectively grounded; Tui and Lan would never break a promise to their hero.
By Appa was another item that drew considerable attention from the children as well; Sokka's own flying machine - a currently deflated hot air balloon, which he had mostly made by himself. Though certainly not as fast as Appa or a boat for that matter, it was still a respectable form of transportation, currently unique only to Sokka since most people still held fast to the belief that 'people weren't meant to fly'. In addition, the air conveyances drew bad memories of the Hundred Years' War, which was why Sokka had intentionally colored the balloon a bright happy friendly yellow with a caricature of a knocked-out firebender on it.
Seeing Sokka's hot air balloon when it was fully inflated always filled Katara with a uncomfortable mixture of gladness, irritation and embarrassment.
Momo, stationed on Lan's head, was the first to spot Katara heading towards them. He chirped, making her son glanced up at the flying lemur and then around to her. He smiled upon seeing her and told Tui, whose expression became curious as their mother reached them.
After nodding and smiling at chorus of hello-s from her children's friends, Katara asked if any of them would like smoothies and received a barrage of yes-s, yays and please-s.
"All right, all right," laughed Katara, profoundly glad that the village children didn't seem to think differently of her after the fracas several days ago.
Over the next week, things returned to normal on Kyoshi. Mostly normal, at least. The Southern Water Tribe convoy under Bato's command continued to patrol in Kyoshi waters, and Aang, having been persuaded by the village elders, was busy in earthbending a defensive wall round the harbor.
"I've seen him do a lot of amazing things over the years, but he still surprises me," Sokka commented, shaking his head in awe as Aang earthbended three-storey high rock formations straight out from the seafloor. Standing beside Sokka and watching Aang as well, Katara simply nodded her agreement with her brother while the twins and the rest of the watching Avatar-struck crowd on the docks cheered, whistled and yelled praises to Aang, who once in a while, stopped in his labors to give an embarrassed smile and a wave to his admirers.
To show gratitude to the Avatar, the village elders decided that festival was in order, to be held on the day the wall was completed. Much to Aang's discomfort and to Katara and Sokka's amusement, there were also several competitions, most of which the Avatar would be the sole judge of and the main one in which he was the prize.
"This is why I went into solitude," Aang muttered, staring at his as of yet uneaten salad.
Sokka, whose plate was already half empty, swallowed before saying, "Cheer up, Aang. It isn't that bad. Having girls compete with each other to be your escort for the festival is a good thing."
Aang glared at him, and Katara decided that now would be a good time to inform her brother.
"By the way, Sokka. Suki told me she would be joining the tournament."
Sokka choked and coughed bits of raw tuna at Aang, who retaliated by airbending his salad unto Sokka's face.
Katara also was having competition-related headaches. Namely, her children were determined to win in the only contest they were old enough to participate in - the fishing contest. The rules were simple - whoever catches the biggest fish wins and gets a special autographed portrait of the winner posing with the Avatar. It didn't matter to Tui and Lan that they were already in several portraits with Aang which Katara had commissioned from local artists; they wanted to win the contest because the Avatar was judging it.
Actually, Katara wouldn't had been concerned about her children joining the contest had she not overheard them planning to catch a Giant Koi Fish.
On the second day before the fiesta and wall completion, a curious sight entered Kyoshi harbor, a single Fire Nation iron ship being escorted by a dozen Water Tribe boats. Much to everybody's surprise (and relief), it was merely a trade delegation from the Fire Nation, who - after much argument amongst the village elders and only with the Avatar's recommendation - managed to lease a trading space in the docks.
"Remind me again why we are doing this," said Sokka, stopping in his tracks just two dozen paces away from where the Fire Nation was berthed. It was the sole vessel on the pier which was the farthest from the village and the most deserted.
Aang was doing his utmost to be in his most patient Avatar manner with Sokka, who has been acting jealous-of-Aang lately. "Sokka, we just want to show the rest of the villagers that it's okay to buy goods from the Fire Nation."
"So that I think otherwise doesn't matter?"
"Of course what you think matters, Uncle Sokka," said Lan immediately, but then he added that what Avatar Aang thinks matters more.
While Sokka looked down to his nephew with a sad expression, Katara shook her head and decided to go on ahead. Aang with Momo toting on his shoulder immediately followed her. He, in turn, was tailed by Tui and Lan, with Sokka very reluctantly taking up the rear.
The several sleepy-looking firebenders on duty were clearly startled when they came on board. Upon realizing that they finally had customers, they bowed and greeted to the arrivals in unison. Katara barely had time to notice that each and everyone of them had Sintering Bracers round their wrists when a short rotund firebender came up from below decks, greeted them warmly and bade them to follow him down to where the trade goods were stored.
Ironically, it was Sokka who was first to find something he wanted to buy, a set of what to Katara looked like long silvery shiny metal pieces with handles on one end and different shapes on the other ends. While Sokka haggled with the firebender, Katara and the others went further into the hold which were filled with all sorts of goods from bolts of cloth to barrels of strong-smelling spices to glass covered cases displaying jewelry. There was even a hawk in a large cage whose dark yellow eyes startled Katara when they peered out at her in the dim light.
"Mother, look at this," Tui suddenly said. Intrigued by the excited note in her daughter's tone, Katara went to where Tui was standing, and a delighted gasp escaped from her when she saw her clear reflection and that of her daughter on a long shiny gilded object braced against the hold's wall.
"What is this?" asked Tui, slowly extending a hand to her reflection.
"It's a mirror, Tui," said Katara, smiling as she examined herself. "Only the Fire Nation know how to make mirrors of this quality."
"How much do you think it is?"
Katara's face fell slightly. Mirrors such as these were prohibitively expensive. Usually what Katara did when she needed a clear reflective surface was to freeze water in such a manner that its surface became mirror-like. Not as good as a Fire Nation-wrought mirror, but good enough. It was a trick she may one day teach to Lan, but Tui was an earthbender.
Her mother's reticence showed all too clearly on the mirror, and Tui shrugged to indicate she understood. Katara; however, decided to purchase the mirror. It was seldom that Tui indicated interest in something other than earthbending and, of course, the Avatar.
"Let's ask how much it is. If it's too expensive, we'll ask Aang to negotiate for us," said Katara in a low tone, her mischievous grin surprising her daughter, who couldn't recall ever seeing her mother being so. She was usually so serious. After a few moments, Tui returned her mother's smile. They headed back to where they had left Sokka and the firebender merchant.
Sokka was still haggling, and the firebender had a very bored expression on his round face.
"Fifty gold pieces."
"Ninety gold pieces, milord. These are very high-quality tools."
"I can get tools just as good at Bai Seng Sei for twenty-five gold pieces, but since you've come all the way from the Fire Nation, I'll pay you double."
The firebender looked pained by this and was very relieved and eager to turn his attention to Katara when she asked how much the mirror in the back cost.
To their surprise, he replied, "You are the Lady Katara, are you not? For you, no charge."
"... I beg your pardon."
"Of course you would be surprise since I did not explain first. FireLord Zuko has commanded me to let you take whatever item on my ship that you desire. You may even have my entire stock if that is what you wish."
"Zuko?" said Sokka in a strangled tone; the merchant glanced at him with mild disapproval for speaking of the FireLord without his title.
"Yes, the FireLord. He wishes to repay the Lady Katara for the services she had rendered on Lord Iroh's behalf. The FireLord does not take such favors for granted. He is eternally grateful to Lady Katara for curing his uncle of his debilitating ailment."
"Is that why you came here? To repay my mother?" Tui asked out loud. She looked very seriously at the merchant, who smiled at her.
"Our intention is also to begin a trade route between the Fire Nation and Kyoshi, but for now - repaying the FireLord's debt has the highest priority."
Suddenly feeling very embarrassed, Katara told him, "Please tell Zu- I mean the FireLord that this isn't necessary. I don't charge for healing."
Wide-eyed, the merchant stared at her. He was very shocked that she cured people without payment. Sokka then decided to take advantage of his sister's good fortune.
"Well, since I'm the brother of the healer who cured the FireLord's uncle - don't bother wrapping up those tools. Just put them in my bag."
"The tools are ninety gold pieces, milord."
"Didn't you hear me? I'm related to the Lady Katara."
"That is very unlikely."
"... And just what exactly do you mean by-"
"Guys! Guys!" Aang and Lan suddenly appeared, both whose arms were brimming with items. "There's a lot more stuff in the decks below!"
"The Avatar gets a fifty percent discount on all items," the merchant said.
"Really? Thanks!"
"Aang," said Sokka impatiently, "Zuko is giving the entire ship to Katara."
Aang and Lan turned wide-eyed simultaneously while the merchant corrected Sokka, "Milord, the ship isn't included."
Much to everyone else's disappointment, Katara refused to take the entire ship's stock. She would only take for free the mirror for Tui and allowed Lan to pick one item for himself. Sokka though did managed to get the tools at forty-five gold pieces, thanks to the Avatar's discount. Of the lot, Aang made the most purchases, the far majority of which he intended to give away as gifts at the festival.
Zuko's all too generous gift weighed uneasily on Katara's mind, so much so that she was distracted all through out the festival and barely registered Sokka's constant state of irritated anxiety during the awards ceremony.
"Suki is not really interested in Aang, is she?" he muttered to Katara; they were standing at the front of the crowd, watching the proceedings on the stage, upon which stood the village elder and Aang with a strained smile on his face. They had just handed the award for the cooking contest to Koko's mother, who kept saying that her daughter was the Avatar's biggest admirer.
"Huh? Did you say something to me, Sokka?"
Sokka chaffed at having to repeat himself. "I said 'Suki isn't really interested in Aang, is she?'," he said in a louder voice, drawing amused looks from the people standing with them.
Sokka was visibly tensed when the village elder called out Suki's name.
The crowd applauded with enthusiasm as Suki climbed the stage. Widely considered as the best warrior in Kyoshi, Suki was popular and well-liked by the villagers, some of whom -much to Sokka's dilemma- began calling out for the Avatar to give her a kiss.
Aang laughed and tilted his head down to plant a kiss on Suki's left cheek. The crowd broke into wild cheers and hoots as Suki smiled roguishly at him.
The feast that followed was a somewhat embarrassing affair for Katara as Sokka, seated beside her, kept craning his neck up to see over the heads of the other diners in order to beadily watch Suki and Aang, who were seated at the mid-section of the long line of tables and benches that had been set along the village's main thoroughfare.
"He's flirting with her, Katara," said Sokka to her in a low irritated voice that somehow managed to carry his words to the diners seated near them. Pretending not to see the amused looks thrown their way, Katara, in another bid to reassure her brother, also looked over to Suki and Aang, who were just having an animated conversation with each other.
"He's just talking with her, Sokka."
"You call that 'just talking'? He's obviously trying to seduce her."
Katara fought down the urge to sigh as well as the near-impulse to remind Sokka that if Aang really so inclined, he wouldn't have to do 'seduce' Suki or any of her warrior sisters. As far as the Kyoshi warrior class was concerned, the Avatar was 'common property,' a term Kyoshi women loosely applied to all unmarried able-bodied male islanders. Though Aang technically didn't reside in Kyoshi, he was considered as an honorary Kyoshin and so long as he was unmarried, Kyoshi's famed female warriors considered the Avatar fair game.
All too obviously, this particular social more was still difficult for Sokka to accept. This Katara could understand as she also had trouble understanding it when she first found out that, in Kyoshi, women were encouraged to be prolific and have several lovers.
"You know how things work here, Sokka."
"That's easy for you to say. How'd you like it had Sacha played around?"
Fortunately, irritation kept despondency at bay. Katara didn't bother to answer Sokka as she remembered the amused look on her late husband's face when she had finally realized why Sacha always excused himself whenever Aang paid her a visit.
------------
We're just friends, Sacha. Not lovers, not at all.
The two of you should be, Katara. The Avatar clearly cares deeply for you.
Only as a friend.
Friends make excellent lovers, Katara.
At this, another concern demanded her immediate attention, and Katara found herself wondering if Sacha had been with other women, despite being married to her. He was popular with the village women. However, before she could verbally question his fidelity, Sacha, anticipating her suspicion, had gently reassured her that married men were generally considered off-limits by the womenfolk in Kyoshi.
But married women aren't? she had asked him, still disturbed by what seemed to her a casual disregard of the sanctity of marriage.
He had hesitated at her question and then slowly explained that husbands have a say on whether their wives may or not have other lovers. Wives are usually expected to ask permission first from their husbands who would then judge on whether their wives chose suitable men for lovers.
We would wish that our wives bear children sired by men we respect and consider worthy, Katara. Having to help take care and raise a child who may have been sired by another man whom we dislike is a difficult prospect.
... You want me to have Aang's children?
Sacha could see that his non-Kyoshin wife of two years was truly having great difficulty with the idea that he wouldn't mind another man bedding her. Quickly, he firmly told her that she would have to ask permission from him first if she would ever consider taking a man other than him or the Avatar as a lover.
If it were other men, it is very unlikely I would allow it; however, I consider the Avatar worthy of bedding you, Katara. Having children sired by such a great personage in my family would be a tremendous honor. You will find that most if not all households in Kyoshi will think similarly as I do. Sacha laughed kindly when Katara continued regarding him with absolute disbelief.
It is simply our way, Katara. You may not believe this, but many of the other village men are envious of me because my very lovely wife has caught the Avatar's eye.
Katara had turned flustered at his teasing flattery and also because it became all too obvious to her that she and Aang did treat each other in a manner which suggested intimacy. She hugged him whenever he visited, and he would kiss her on the brow. They were comfortable standing or seated close to each other, and most telling - she often touched his hand whenever she felt need to comfort him or at the very least - show him she was there to support him. They did act as though they were lovers.
... Sacha, I can't. I do like Aang, but not in that way. He's like a brother to me.
Sacha's green eyes were warm as he told her he understood.
Of course, I won't force you to couple with the Avatar if you don't wish it. However, should the time arise that you would desire him, know that I give you permission, Katara.
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She could still recall clearly the lingering kiss they had shared after their unusual discussion. Katara sighed, raising her hand to her mouth to finger her lips. She stared at the shadowy ceiling in the bedroom and again shifted her sleeping posture. It was now quiet outside; the festival was over, which meant that Katara had been uselessly trying to fall asleep for the passed three hours or so.
Restless, she got off the bed mat, paced around the room once before deciding to check on the twins, who had fallen asleep soon after being herded back home by Katara at two hours before midnight.
The children were sleeping soundly, or at least it seemed that way. Katara stopped by Tui first; she looked serious even while asleep while Lan looked even younger than his nearly-seven years. It sometimes hurt Katara to see her son's face. Though he had inherited the coloring of her mother's people, his facial features were that of his father.
Katara heard the front door open and she quickly and as quietly as possible left the twins' room.
She found Aang standing in the dimly lit foyer, muttering indecipherable words to Momo on his shoulder. At the sound of her footsteps, he turned towards her, and Katara's greeting died in her throat when she saw that his left eye was blackened.
"Aang, what happened?"
Looking disgruntled, he shook his head, gestured at his injured face and simply muttered, "Sokka. Drunk."
A giggle escaped from Katara before she could help it. Aang aimed a sore glare at her back as she headed into the kitchen to fetch a basin of water.
"Those two should get married and leave me alone," Aang grumbled, squatting on the floor. Biting her lower lip to prevent another giggle, Katara knelt beside him and in a few seconds, Aang's black eye was no more.
"Thanks, Katara."
"You're welcome, Aang," said Katara, smiling. Her smile died down somewhat when she realized that his robes were caked in mud.
"Did you fall in a mud hole?"
"Pigsty."
"Aang, get off my floor."
"Katara, I'm an invalid, remember?"
"I already healed you. Oh, look at this mess."
Katara went back into the kitchen to fetch more water, a mop and soap.
Aang called out to her, "I'll earthbend it off the floor."
"You should have thought of that before and earthbend-clean your clothes first before coming in."
"Oh yeah. Good idea." And suddenly Katara did not like the sound of that idea at all. She hurried out of the kitchen to the very unwelcomed sight of Aang earthbending muck off his robes.
"Do that in the bathroom!"
Later, squeaky clean and wearing a spare robe, Aang sat down in the kitchen table and watched with barely disguised amusement as Katara dump his no longer soiled robes into the washing tub. Earthbend-cleaning simply wasn't good enough for her.
"You know, you should really do something about your bias against earthbending."
"I am not bias against earthbending," said Katara tartly, filling the tub with water.
Aang opened his mouth to insist that she was, but decided at the last second not too. It was wise not to argue with Katara when she was in one of her moods. Thinking carefully, he decided to change the topic.
"By the way, everyone really likes the gifts I gave away at the festival. Zuko's ship should be swamped with customers from now on."
"Well, with you doing the advertising..."
"You sound like you don't think it was a good idea, Katara."
"Probably because I'm having doubts about helping firebenders," said Katara, momentarily turning her attention from the swirling soapy tub water to Aang. His expression tinged with sadness, Aang stood up and moved towards her. Sensing his presence just behind her, Katara straightened and turned; her muscles tensing in surprise at how close he was. Aang looked surprised and hurt when she moved away from him.
"Katara-"
"I'm sorry. I've just been feeling jumpy lately." Katara forced herself to relax and didn't move away when Aang again closed the distance between them. Relief slowly seeped through every part of her being as his arms surrounded her, holding her in a loose embrace and allowing Katara to lean against him for support.
Aang murmured against her hair, "They shouldn't have been so hard on you for healing Iroh. It was my idea." He sounded irritated.
Katara shook her head slightly. "It's okay." She sighed and looked into his gray eyes. "I can deal with it. The ribbing has let up. It will pass. Everyone was just so scared and expected a battle. All that excess emotion has to go somewhere."
Aang chuckled. "So you're like a scapegoat, huh?"
She smiled humorlessly. "Something like that. They can't very well tell off the Avatar for helping firebenders."
"So they think they can just blame my best friend and the best healer in the world instead? Personally, I think they're crazy."
"They're only human," commented Katara, the smile on her face now genuine. Aang grinned back at her. His demeanor suddenly playful, he touched a finger to her nose and caused her to sneeze.
"Aang, I really wish you'd stop doing that," muttered Katara, rubbing her nose.
"Sneezing is healthy, Katara."
"Sure it is," she said in a disbelieving tone of voice. She froze when Aang breathed into the ear, murmuring that love-making was also healthy.
"Aang-"
"Suki told me that you've refused to have lovers, male or female."
Katara breathed in sharply, shocked that Suki would reveal a matter between them that was explicitly private. Disciphering the look of utmost outrage on her face, Aang was quick to say that Suki only had Katara's best interest at heart.
"I can't believe she told you that!"
"Hmm... I should have just told you that 'someone' told me-"
"I would have still known it was Suki! She's the only one who knows-"
"Actually, her sisters also know. You know how talkative females are."
"Men as well," Katara growled, pointedly glaring at Aang, who winced.
Katara's irritation with Suki didn't last long. It was difficult for Katara to remain annoyed with someone who was determined to find a lover for her.
"You don't want the Avatar," asked Suki, who was surprised and impressed that Katara had been able to resist Aang's advances.
Katara rolled her eyes heavenward and decided to just forget about reprimanding Suki for her impropriety. Kyoshi women simply didn't share the same sensibilities as she did, and in addition, Katara decided it just wasn't right of her to try to impose her social mores upon them. Besides, it wasn't as though their traditions were unfair; they were just uncomfortable with sometimes annoying consequences such as Aang also thinking similarly as Suki and deciding that it was of utmost importance for Katara to have a lover; if not either of them, then someone else. Of course, most preferably, someone they approved.
"How about Ruka who works at the pier?" Aang suggested to Suki; they were seated at the kitchen table, sharing a plate of crispy vegetables and seemingly oblivious of the large glob of water suspended over their heads.
"I've thought of him; Nuri and Pern say he's a thoughtful lover. We suggested him to Katara a month ago, but she-"
"If you two don't -mind-"
Aang shushed Katara. "Go on, Suki. What did Katara do?"
"She said she wasn't interested."
"Ouch. I can sympathized with Ruka," said Aang with much feeling. Katara's eyes narrowed at that; she dropped her concentration, but the bended glob of water miserably failed to drench their intended victims.
While Katara struggled to force the glob of water to obey the law of gravity, Aang and Suki continued to discuss potential lovers and or suitors for Katara. She had to give up when a bleary-eyed Sokka walked into the kitchen and was jolted wide awake by the sight of Aang seated right beside Suki. Immediately, he forced himself into a seat between them, spluttering when he hit the water glob face-on.
Despite that Aang and Suki wouldn't continue their irritating discussion with Sokka present, Katara left the kitchen and walked out of the house with no particular destination in mind other than she just wanted to get away from her nosy, irritating friends. She didn't care that they only wanted her to be happy; Katara didn't like it when anyone interfered in her love life. If she wanted to, she could and can find herself a boyfriend, on her own, with no one's help or recommendations, thank you very much.
Immersed in her thoughts, she didn't hear someone calling her.
"Milady! Lady Katara!"
Katara was surprised when Kiri who was walking in the opposite direction stopped her and pointed her attention to a short man with a large package hurriedly walking to catch up to Katara. She recognized him as the merchant captain of Zuko's trade ship.
"Captain?" she called out in a curious tone as the firebender huffed and puffed towards her. She nodded her thanks to Kiri, who left only after telling Katara to be careful.
"What can I do for you?" Katara said politely after the captain had recovered his breath. The large package he was carrying was actually a shrouded bird cage; Katara could hear something alive moving inside of it. She was very surprised when the cage was presented to her.
"This is for you, milady," said the firebender, looking relieved when she took the heavy cage from him.
Katara stared at it then back at him. "What is this for?"
"It's a hawk, milady. From the Royal Mews; this bird is from the FireLord's personal collection. It's trained to deliver messages between FireLord Zuko and the person it has been gifted to. That would be you, Lady Katara," he said, gesturing at her.
Katara's arms suddenly felt weak, and the captain jumped, grabbing the cage before it could fall to the ground. Inside, the hawk squawked angrily at the sudden motion.
"I'm sorry," said Katara to the firebender and to the cage. Her face turning crimson, she found herself asking in halting words why the FireLord would want to give her a messenger hawk. Katara felt very stupid when the captain explained, "He wishes to be able to directly consult with you on matters relating to Lord Iroh's health."
For a reason she herself wasn't certain of, Katara attempted to conceal her recent acquisition of a Fire Nation messenger hawk. Perhaps it was because she didn't want to give the other villagers more reason to doubt her allegiance; it did seem suspicious that she now possess the means to communicate directly to the FireLord. Then again, hiding the hawk would seem even more suspicious.
Katara was quite rattled when she finally decided to place the bird cage in Sacha's workshop. After opening all the windows for fresh air, she took the shroud off the bird cage, revealing a hawk similar in appearance to the bird she had seen in Fire Nation ship. It also had the same intense dark yellow eyes. For all she knew, it may even be the same bird.
"Hello," Katara said to it in a friendly tone. It blinked at her. Steeling herself, Katara opened the cage door and quickly stepped back, half-hoping it would try to escape and give Katara reason for not corresponding with Zuko.
Unfortunately, the hawk remained in the cage. After several long moments wherein Katara and hawk just stared at each other, it let out a rather demanding squawk, bluntly reminding Katara of the captain's instructions to feed it fresh meat and water as well as to have it deliver a message to the FireLord as soon as possible.
There were many things Katara had to ignore over the next several days. Foremost was Aang, whose flirting varied from sweet to outrageous. Katara didn't mind much when he offered do chores for her, but she was pretty much annoyed when he tried steal kisses from her whenever they were alone together. Aang had learn not to flirt with her when there were witnesses around. The one time he tried to kiss her with the twins present, he painfully learned that Katara's left jab was just as dangerous as Sokka's right hook and had to spend a considerable amount of time in coming up with a plausible reason for the twins as to how he had acquired a black eye while their backs were turned.
Fortunately for him, Lan was more than happy to heal his injured eye for his mother wasn't at all inclined to.
The second person Katara ignored was Suki, whom she considered as annoying as Aang. What with her unsolicited suggestions and for the very reason that it was because of her that Aang had became so annoying.
The villagers who still made jibes at Katara for healing a firebender made the rest of the list. Surprisingly, Sokka was no where on the list for his very presence made Aang behave and kept Suki mum.
Other than setting out fresh meat and water for Zuko's hawk (as well as a daily quick waterbending-assisted cleaning of its cage), Katara barely thought about it and had even quite forgotten that she was supposed to write a letter to Zuko for it to deliver.
Katara was deciding on the dinner menu for the twins' birthday and thinking on what to get for their presents. Presents from their grandfather and great-gran-gran had already arrived several days ago on the bi-monthly trade ship plying the route between the Southern Water Tribe and Kyoshi. Bato and Master Pakku had left their presents with Katara before the Southern Water Tribe Fleet left Kyoshi waters, two days after the festival and Aang's completion of the harbor wall.
An hour later, the menu was decided and Katara had made certain the required ingredients were available; however, she still hadn't thought up of presents for Tui and Lan. One of the reasons for her difficulty was that she wanted their seventh birthday presents to be better than all the other gifts she had given to them before. Unfortunately, it was quite hard to think up of presents nicer than the full-length gilded mirror and seed collection her children had picked at the Fire Nation trade ship about two weeks ago.
With a tired sigh, Katara leaned back from the low table in the main sitting room in the house and raised her arms over head, indulging in a long thorough stretch to ease the kinks out of her muscles. On the table was an disorganized pile of paper and the writing set Sacha had given to her on their third anniversary.
Should have thought ahead and picked up something in that ship, thought Katara wearily as she folded the menu and ingredients list and crumpled up the list of possible presents. Unfortunately, the ship was long gone. Aang, with much pride in his promotional work, had told Katara that the ship had sold off its entire stock in just three days after the festival (much to the envy of the other trading ships docked at Kyoshi harbor).
While Katara braced herself to have to scour the market for suitable presents for the twins, the back door slid open; there was a quick patter of running feet, and Lan showed up. His blue eyes lighting up when he saw his mother.
"Ma-a, have you brought presents for us yet?" he asked eagerly, kneeling beside her.
Curious by her son's excitement, Katara shook her head. Lan called out towards the kitchen for his sister to come into the sitting room, and their mother was struck dumb when Tui appeared, looking seemingly too small to support the weight of amagnificent hawk riding upon her thin sleeved arm.
Interpreting the blanched expression on their mother's face as concern, Lan quickly reassured her.
"Ma-a, don't worry. He's tame. He won't hurt us."
"Isn't he beautiful?" said Tui, positively glowing.
"He was on the roof of papa's workshop. Came down immediately when Tui called to him. He must be trained to deliver messages. See? He has a bag," said her brother, indicating the small pouch protruding underneath its left wing.
"Can we -please- keep him?" begged Tui.
Katara looked helplessly at her children, trapped between wanting them to be happy and dealing with a strange mixture of guilt and dread upon finally remembering that she had yet to write a letter to Zuko.
Dear Lord Zuko,
Thank you for sending the trading ship. We have never had such fine goods sold in Kyoshi before. My daughter loves the mirror she chosed though I feel I must inform you that she is far more taken by the hawk you sent. My son informs me that the seeds he had picked have already germinated.
Both wish to know if your hawk has a name. I feel I have to warn you that they consider your hawk as their pet. I hope you will not consider them impudent. They are children, after all.
Captain Barto told me that you wished to keep me informed of General Iroh's condition. I must say that I am touched by your thoughtfulness and impressed by your foresight. Your uncle is indeed fortunate to have you as his nephew. I can only hope my children will be half as considerate as you are when I am old.
I look forward to hearing from you though I also do hope that General Iroh's health will never be such as to require an urgent message.
Please stay well, you and your uncle.
Sincerely yours,
Katara
P.S. Tui and Lan have decided to name your bird Chiko.
... Needs to be continued.
Ficwriter's note: Yes, I know it's not a one-shot, and I probably have to repost it as a separate fic because the rating has changed and so has the fic categories.
This time - I really have to ask for reviews, because I just don't feel comfortable writing Humor/Romance fanfiction if people aren't interested. Yeah, you can think me weird. I can write General/Drama (with humorous undertones) on little feedback, but Humor/Romance fanfiction is a different animal for me. Plus, there are elements in this story which cannot qualify for the anyone-can-read rating. Not to mention that the second season is almost almost here - (does a happy idiot dance) - will be very distracted.
Read it? Enjoyed it enough to want the continuation? Then, please leave a note. Doesn't have to be long. Can just be - Please Continue or Just finish it!