First, some of you may find it interesting that how I portrayed the Kyoshins is inspired by Ancient Sparta. Yes! Ancient Spartan gents did give permission for their wives to have other men as lovers. Not only that, they actually encourage this practice. Won't blame you if you don't believe me.
Second - again, nothing explicit or violent in this story, but please only readers who know what fanfictiondotnet's "M" rating means should read on.
Third - this chapter is dedicated to Rashaka because if it weren't for her, there would have been a 99 percent probability it would never have been written. She also helped me improve it. Thank you so very much, Rashaka.
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King
Bumi's Birthday
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As Katara stepped out unto the balcony, bright sunlight glared down upon her, forcing her to raise her hand over her eyes and to squint in order to see what King Bumi was so eager to show to them.
"Wow," said Aang, standing beside her. And Katara mentally echoed the sentiment for at a distance from behind the walled city of Omashu were three huge wooden towers jutting out of the desert sand with four more under construction.
"How much rock oil does Omashu produce?" Sokka asked King Bumi, who answered simply, "A lot but it's still not enough for the Fire Nation. Really, I have no idea why they need so much rock oil."
"You didn't ask them what they needed it for?" asked Katara, her eyes acclimating to the glare and allowing her to lower her hand.
"I did, but all they say is that they need it for fuel. They wouldn't say for what. Certainly couldn't be for their ships; they need coal for them, and rock oil doesn't produce as much power."
"What is rock oil used for anyway?" asked Aang in a curious tone; he was now hovering over them in order to get a better view of the oil fields.
It was Sokka who answered, "Like King Bumi said, it can be used for fuel, but it's very inefficient compared to coal. Your people use it to evaporate brine for salt, right King Bumi?"
Bumi nodded. "Yes, but we haven't even been using it for that ever since the Water Tribes started supplying us with salt. Rock oil can be used in lamps, but it smells terrible. Candles are better."
"Maybe the Fire Nation need rock oil to make salt?" Aang suggested, still overhead. King Bumi and Sokka didn't look convinced, but they couldn't come up with another idea of what the Fire Nation was using rock oil for. Soon after, all four of them went back inside the cooler confines of the palace, much to Katara's relief.
---
It was King Bumi's one hundredth and twenty-fifth birthday, though that was debatable for Bumi has been celebrating his one hundredth and twenty-fifth birthday for the past eight years or so. A world famous annual event, King Bumi's Supercentarian Silver Anniversary Birthday actually lasted a week. During which time the citadel of Omashu was opened to all and any visitors without having to undergo the walled city's infamous inspection at the front gates. However, it was the opinion of the far majority of Bumi's advisors that the aforementioned courtesy should not be extended to the Fire Nation delegation currently en route to Omashu.
"Are you really sure this is a good idea, Aang?" asked Bumi again, referring to the fact that the Avatar had somehow managed to persuade the FireLord himself to pay a personal visit on this fine occasion. How Aang ever got Zuko to agree was still a mystery, even to Aang, himself.
Regardless, Aang again was quick to reassure his old old friend. "I trust Zuko, Bumi. Besides, sooner or later, the Earth Kingdom has to open diplomatic ties with the Fire Nation. Omashu can be the first to lead the way for the other cities to follow."
At this, Bumi made a small twisty smile. "Well, if you say so... But... hmm...still, couldn't you just have chosen... oh... let's say... Bai Seng Sei for your we-can-all-be-friends-with-the-Fire-Nation-and-live-happily-together experiment. Hmm?"
"Stop pretending to be senile, Bumi. You know very well I already tried Bai Seng Sei and all the other cities. Everything will be fine. Don't worry. I'll make sure nothing bad happens."
Bumi sighed loudly. "All right, Aang. All right. Well... At least, they can't bring three dozen warships with them through the desert."
"Bumi, how many times do I have to keep saying this to you - don't believe the rumours. They only brought seven warships to Kyoshi."
---
Katara tried not to show open dismay when her seven-year-daughter Tui, with much pride, showed her full waterskin to the other children in the palace's sand garden. Ranging from the ages of five to twelve, all were earthbenders, except for Tui's twin brother Lan who was a waterbender. Unsurprisingly, they weren't impressed with being presented with a fat bulging bag filled with water. However, when they found out that it was actually full of dust and not boring old water, they turned puzzled and curious. When Tui began bending a ball of dust similar to how a waterbender would bend a glob of water, the other children scattered to look for their parents in order to ask for their very own waterskin.
With Katara were Haku and Shori, both of whom could barely maintain a straight face when they were accosted by their two sons and one daughter, all three clamoring for waterskins like Tui's.
"I'm sorry," an embarrassed Katara apologized to Shori after Haku left with the trio to go in search of waterskins.
Shori, surprised, said, "Whatever for, Katara- Ah..." Her eyes lit with amused realization. "You still think dirt is dirty."
"Well, it is," said Katara in a very dry tone, causing Shori to giggle.
"Katara, you are funny. Sometimes, you make me wonder why you ever agreed to marry an earth-" Shori broke off when Katara visibly flinched at the reminder of her late husband."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Katara," said Shori quickly, reaching over to give Katara's left hand a comforting squeeze.
"It's okay, Shori," said Katara with a smile which she hoped didn't look forced.
Much later, Katara was walking through the crowded main byway of Omashu, busy with merchants advertising their wares and services to customers deciding whether to spend their money or not.
Noisy as it was, Katara didn't dislike the din. It was a welcome distraction from dark, dreary thoughts eager to occupy her mind.
Moving on their own volition, without any thought from her, Katara's feet led her down the main byway to the gates where they automatically turned left to walk the pathway following the curve of the inner wall. At an intersection, she made another left and was about to go into a narrow crooked street when someone grabbed her shoulder.
Instinctively, Katara reached back, grabbing her attacker's arm and propelling her upper torso forward at the same time in order to throw her assailant over her shoulder. The defensive maneuver worked but wasn't entirely successful for the stranger twisted in mid-air and landed crouching right in front of Katara, who upon seeing her attacker's face, frozed.
"Not bad," commented Suki with a smile. She stood up, rubbing her injured arm. "A little more training and you'll be as good as I am."
"You scared me," whispered Katara, her eyes transfixed on Suki's unmasked features.
"Sorry about that. I had to get your attention. I called you several times, but you didn't-" Suki broke off, realizing that Katara was staring at her with an expression akin to longing.
"Katara, snap out of it. I am not Sacha."
Katara blinked and moments later - turned as red as a tomato.
---
"You really -really- need to stop thinking about my brother. He wouldn't have wanted you to pine after him like this," Suki told her as they headed back to the palace.
"I am trying not to. And you know you are not helping me by not wearing your usual outfit," said Katara, feeling quite miserable by the fact that she kept sneaking glances at Suki, walking beside her. Without her warrior dress and face paint and wearing baggy green Omashu robes, Suki reminded Katara too much of her late husband who was also Suki's twin brother.
Suki halted and responded with a low chuckle to Katara's peevish complaint, and Katara wanted to shut her ears. When Suki laughed like that, she also sounded like Sacha.
"Katara, for the past year, I had to wear face paint almost all the time just so that you wouldn't accidentally see my real face and get upset. You're my friend. My brother's wife. My sister. My family. I love you dearly, but one year of mourning is enough. Actually, it's too much. How can your people stand to be this gloomy for so long, I do not know, but I know that I'm at my limit. I grieved as much as you when my brother died, but I know and accept that death will always be a part of life, and there is nothing we can do about it except to go on living and enjoying life. Katara, you are allowing death to run your life, and I will no longer stand for it. You will stop thinking about Sacha, and you will find yourself another husband or a lover or both. If you won't do this for your own sake, then at least do it for my sanity."
Speechless, Katara could only stare at Suki, who continued to glare at her with a rather ticked-off expression until Katara nodded meekly.
---
At midday, Katara and the twins with Sokka and Suki went to the main dining hall which was beginning to fill with guests lining up at the sumptuous buffet. Sokka was quick to stand in line, gesturing for the others to hurry and join him.
Sokka soon grew impatient with how slow the line was moving. "By the time we get there, there will be no more food left."
There was a distinct silence afterwards, and Sokka looked to Katara questioningly, surprised that his sister didn't say anything.
"Katara, you okay?"
"Huh? Did you say something, Sokka?"
"Good grief. What is wrong with you lately? We should have your ears check or something. Maybe you're going deaf."
"Sokka, I'm not going deaf."
"Can check your ears for you if you want," said someone behind them. They all turned to see Kinto.
---
"That can't be true."
"Yeah, it is, Sokka. Saw it with my own eyes. A Fire Navy ship ten times bigger than the biggest ones we've seen so far." Kinto shook his head, disbelief still marked on his face.
"I told Chief Arnook and the other elders at the Northern Tribe, but they didn't believe me," he said, his face crestfallen. Katara and Sokka looked at each other.
"Well... you do like to play practical jokes, Kinto," said Katara in an uncertain tone.
All of a sudden, Kinto's face turned furious.
"Fine," he snapped at them, "don't believe me." And much to everyone's shock, he finished his fourth cup of wine and left the table without another word. Concerned, Katara stood up to go after him, but Sokka's hand on her arm stayed her.
"Don't bother, Katara. You know how he likes to make up stories of his 'supposed adventures'."
"He seemed really upset though," commented Suki, watching as Kinto bumped into a couple on his way out of the dining hall. When she turned back her attention to her table companions, Suki found herself being scrutinized by Sokka, who was eyeing her with much suspicion.
She frowned at him. "What?"
'Oh no' was all Katara had time to think of before her brother once again accused Suki of liking another guy other than him.
---
Wanting as much as possible to distract her children from thinking about that disaster of a mealtime, Katara located Haku and Shori, asking them what they and their children would be doing that afternoon.
"Well..." said Haku thoughtfully, "We're thinking about going for rides on the Omashu delivery system or maybe on that funny-looking hot air balloon or go visit the Avatar's Stables or maybe join the Zhang-Ganjin Eating Contest or visit that famous FortuneTeller-"
Shori interrupted him, "In short, we're still deciding." She smiled at Katara, saying they would love it if she and the twins would accompany them. Grateful, Katara made a schedule to meet them in the palace foyer at two in the afternoon.
Having still about an hour before they would go exploring Omashu, Katara had her excited children take a nap, which wasn't easy as it sounded, and she was only able to get them to agree to take a nap in exchange that she go ask Avatar Aang if he could join them.
A while after, feeling more than a little guilty for getting the twins' hopes up, Katara slowly made her way to the Council Chamber where Aang had been sequestered with King Bumi and his advisers since morning. After requesting one of the Chamber guards to pass on a message from her to the Avatar, she had to wait a quarter hour before she was informed that the Avatar was currently occupied with more important matters and couldn't go out on a frivolous excursion.
Back in her room adjacent to her children's chambers, Katara passed time between dreading the disappointed looks on her children's face when she had to tell them that Aang was too busy to go out with them and thinking over what Suki had told her just a few hours ago.
At ten minutes to two, Katara was about to go wake her children and face the music when there was a hurried knock on her door.
Relief flooded Aang's face when Katara opened the door.
"Oh good. You're still here. I was worried I missed you and the twins," he said, entering into the room. He looked both stiff and frazzled in his ceremonial Avatar robes.
"Aang-"
"I'm sorry, Katara. I only learned about your message just now. An idiot of a chamberlain didn't think your message was important enough to pass to me straight-away."
Warmth suddenly flooded Katara's entire being, and Aang looked relieved when she finally smiled at him.
"I would never ignore you or the twins, Katara," he said gently, a teasing light in his gray eyes as as was his habit nowadays, he moved in closer towards her and attempted to steal a kiss. Aang was caught off guard when she didn't try to avoid his advance. His breath catched in his throat when she deepened the playful kiss he had started.
---
"Are you sure about this?"
She leaned back against the cradle of Aang's arms and looked up into his eyes. Hesitantly, she raised her right hand to his face, his eyes widening when Katara traced his cheekbone.
"I don't think I'll ever be sure, Aang, but I am willing to let you decide for me," she said to him very softly. She stilled when Aang took her hand in his own and kissed her palm, which began to tremble against his lips.
"Katara, I promise you it will be wonderful between us."
"I know it will be, Aang," she was alarmed to hear her voice break a little. Katara didn't resist when Aang lifted her into his arms and carried her towards the bed.
---
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The air felt cool against Katara's flushed cheeks as she tilted her head back and gazed up at the sky turning golden as the sun set in the west. She was seated in Appa's litter with Aang lying beside her with his head pillowed on her lap. They were headed to the city of Bandar which was Omashu's port link in order to welcome and to escort the Fire Nation delegation to Omashu. Apparently all of King Bumi's advisers were in agreement that it should be the Avatar who had to make sure the firebenders behave since it was his idea to invite them in the first place.
Katara felt Aang's hand on the back of her neck and sighed as she allowed him to pull her head down for another kiss.
Finally, she had to say it to him -
"I can't believe you answered the door while barely decent," she told him in a very cross tone. Her eyes narrowed when Aang just smiled up at her, not the least bit repentant.
"I'll never be able to look Shori in the face again," Katara complained rather heatedly.
"Katara, I was adequately covered," said Aang with a very straight face.
"You were only wearing a loincloth!"
"As I said - adequately covered."
Katara raised her left hand to punch him in the nose, but Aang anticipated her. Before Katara could even react, she suddenly found herself underneath him and staring with absolute outrage at his mischievous face.
"Aang, get off me."
"Tell me, Katara. Have you ever made love on a flying bison?"
"Aang, no. Get off me."
"Trust me, you have to experience it at least once."
A few long moments after, Katara mumbled something about them being not alone.
"Don't worry, Katara. Appa won't mind. Won't you, Appa?" He called out to the bison, who snorted once.
"There. Appa says he doesn't mind."
"Aang, I was talking about Momo."
"Oh." Appa glanced to the flying lemur watching them with quite wide eyes.
"Momo, turn around. And no peeking."
---
Three battalions of Bandar soldiers and their commanders looked very relieved when Aang and Katara finally arrived. Katara could understand why. Even in the twilight, the dark silhouettes of seven Fire Navy warships could be seen clearly dwarfing the modest port city.
Aang told Katara to stay with Appa, and before she could object - he jumped down ten storeys to land lithely on the desert sand below. Katara watched pensively as Aang first consulted with the commanders and the city administrators before - to Katara's great concern - heading out across the water towards the Fire Navy warships.
With some amount of envy, she watched as Aang ran across the water's surface without needing to bend it into ice first. Not wishing Aang to be alone when he got to the ships, Katara grabbed Appa's reins and commanded the bison to fly in closer. Much to her surprise, Appa refused to budge.
"Appa, what's wrong?" The bison simply grunted at her. Before she try to get him to move again, she almost fell out of the litter as much to everyone's amazement (including the firebenders onboard the ships), Aang began yelling for Zuko to come ashore.
---
Zuko must be furious, Iroh decided, quite certain of it despite the hood over his nephew's face. Actually, everyone in the hundred-strong caravan, with the exception of the Avatar and the Lady Katara, was hooded.
Still high above them, Katara watched anxiously as the firebenders mounted on rhinos moved a rather slow ponderous pace across the desert with a considerable number of the large beasts often stumbling and losing their footing in the sand. Katara was becoming increasingly worried, and Aang, riding on a hopping llama, felt irritated with himself for not realizing ahead of time that Fire Nation rhinos would be unsuited to moving across shifting sands.
Barely a quarter mile into the journey, the caravan halted; an argument breaking out between Aang and the lead hooded mounted rhino rider who could only be Zuko.
"We are turning back. This was a foolish enterprise," said Zuko in a contemptuous tone.
"Zuko, just wait. Let me think of something."
"What could you possibly do? Airlift us all to Omashu?"
"Well, yeah. I can do that. ... But not all at once."
Zuko snorted at this and ordered his men to turn back. He cursed when his rhino stumbled in the sand, almost throwing him out of the saddle. Aang looked helpless as all the firebenders began turning their mounts about.
Above, Katara watched the milling chaos below and felt just as helpless as Aang. She wanted badly to go down and help him, regardless that she didn't know what she could do to help him. "Damn it, Appa! Why won't you just fly down!" she shouted at the bison, which kept silent.
Katara threw herself back to sit against the side of the litter and gazed up at the stars in angry frustration. Her mind began thinking furiously. A desert is difficult to travel across because the ground is too soft. ... It's similar to walking on snow. And then all of sudden, Katara remembered how Aang had walked across the water, and how she would have bended the water into-
"Aang!"
He looked up to see Katara leaning out of Appa's litter, waving down at him.
"Aang, you have to make the sand into something more solid!"
"... I don't understand!"
"It's like water, Aang! Turn water to ice! You have to turn the sand into rock!"
Finally Aang understood, and a smile lit up his face.
"Katara, I love you! You're a genius!" Katara turned red at his words.
Aang looked back to the caravan; the firebenders had all frozen in their tracks as though they had been listening to their exchange. With a grin at their audience, Aang shouted at Zuko to wait and after dismounting his llama, began to earthbend sand into rock with every intention of making a road for them all the way across the desert to Omashu.
Along just a third of the way; however, Aang visibly began to grow weary as foot by foot he bended loose sand into solid rock thick and strong enough to be able to support the weight of a hundred rhinos and their riders. Behind him, moving along more speedily, the Fire Nation caravan was silent as a whole as they watched the Avatar labour on their behalf.
Under his hood, Iroh glanced at Zuko watching the Avatar and wondered what his nephew was thinking. Iroh couldn't tell this time.
Meanwhile Katara, seeing to the horizon only sand, was thinking she had to apologize to Tui for not letting her practice earthbending inside the house. Henceforth, dust balls were allowed anywhere and everywhere.
Now, if they could only get to Omashu without further incident.
All of a sudden, Momo made a chittering noise. Katara looked at the lemur standing alert on the litter's back rest. He seemed to be staring at something out in the desert. As she turned to look in the same direction, Appa let out a loud thunderous roar, shocking Katara and everyone below.
Mounted firebender soldiers automatically formed ranks around Zuko and Iroh; all looking warily about them and at the large flying white bison soaring above their heads.
Aang's shoulders had slumped in despair when he heard Appa's warning. Glancing behind to make sure no one was watching him, Aang quickly executed a bending maneuver he had hoped not to use and from out of the cloudless night sky, a bolt of lightning came straight down to strike a spot barely three feet in front of him.
"Aang!" Iroh shouted, calming his frightened mount and commanding the soldiers in front of him to move aside. They scattered, Iroh immediately riding out to help the Avatar. After a terse moment, Zuko followed his uncle.
Getting off his rhino, Iroh was very relieved to find the Avatar still standing though somewhat singed.
"Are you all right, Avatar?"
"I'm fine," said Aang quickly, waving away the eldery firebender's concern. "Just a freak lightning bolt. Happens sometimes in the desert."
"You need to rest."
"I'm fine, Iroh," said Aang, this time sounding terse. He regretted immediately addressing the general by name when Zuko started visibly, no doubt outraged by the disrespect shown towards his uncle. However, Aang simply couldn't spare the energy to be polite. He had to get them to Omashu quickly.
As Aang began to bend again, he muttered under his breath, "Bumi, you better have seen that signal and get here quick. I need your help."
After she visibly made certain Aang was all right, Katara looked back towards the point Momo had been staring at. She could see nothing now. Katara wasn't certain, but she could have sworn she saw figures moving stealthily across the sand before the flash and defeaning crack from the lightning bolt distracted her.
She then look to Momo still watching the sands all around intently and at Appa, who had been keeping a constant high elevation.
"Aang asked you two to watch out for something, didn't he?" she asked them. Momo glanced at her, blinked and then looked back to watching the desert below. Appa grunted once, and Katara apologized to him.
"Sorry, Appa, I didn't know. Your -stupid- master didn't tell me anything. He knows I can't communicate with you two the way he does. I'm going to wring his neck when we get to Omashu.
At the halfway point, they met up with King Bumi and his earthbenders.
---
"Aang, you look terrible."
Aang, just barely able to keep standing, stared at Bumi with a doleful expression. Then he said, "At least I don't have an ugly mug like yours, Bumi. But right now - I'm just so glad to see you that I think I have to give you a kiss."
"Woah. Woah. Aang, please. Not in front of the firebenders."
"Aang!"
Bumi looked from his friend to the waterbender healer dismounting off Appa and running towards them. Aang smiled wanly at her. "Hey, Katara," he managed to say before finally collapsing; the healer falling to her knees by his side to check on him.
Finally, Bumi turned his attention to the waiting firebenders, watching the proceedings with a rather stony silence. It was difficult to tell who was the FireLord, seeing as they were all mounted on nondescript rhinos and wearing identical long hooded cloaks. Being very careful they were, Bumi thought with reluctant approval.
He looked back at Aang, who was currently getting a thorough check-up. Then, finally Bumi came to the decision that if Aang thought it important enough to risk his life to get these firebenders to Omashu, then the King of Omashu will also think similarly.
Bumi turned to his earthbenders and said, "Seems the Avatar never earthbended a road before. Such shoddy workmanship. Let's show him the right way to do it, shall we?"
To be continued, but only if this chapter gets at least 12 reviews please. The last chapter got 13 reviews (thank you so very much), but I'm the superstitious type.
The next chapter if any is "Drama/Romance". Conspiracy plotline w/ hints of love triangles forming. Yes -Plural LT-s.
Q. Why is there a big break in the middle of the chapter?
A. If you look closely, you'll see seven Fire Navy Imperial Warships safe-guarding the area reserved for your imagination only.
Q. Why did Suki just seem to snap all of sudden like that? She seemed pretty cool in the previous chapters.
A. Off-scene, she was under a lot of pressure because of Sokka and Katara. Yes. I love Suki.
Q. ... Aang/Bumi?
A. No comment.
I hope you all have a very happy AtLA Second Season.