Advisory: Please be advised that I'm like dear old Bumi - I'm crazy. You've been warned.
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Chapter Seven: Ship of the Line
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"Having trouble with the missus, Sacha?" said Sokka wryly as Katara's earthbender husband deposited his gear into the basket neath the hot air balloon.
His right eye blackened, Sacha smiled at his brother-in-law and then glanced carefully back to his wife standing a short distance away with his twin sister Suki and their six-year-old twins Tui and Lan.
Katara, with both arms crossed, was still glaring at him. She was not happy at all. Suki looked very amused while their children appeared worried by their parents' squabble.
He looked back at Sokka, who laughed when Sacha confessed, "It is at times like these that I am profoundly grateful that she isn't an earthbender."
"What did you do this time anyway?" asked Sokka after clearing his throat of laughter. He blinked when Sacha answered, "She found out I had been taking Silphium."
"Huh? Why were you taking Silphium?"
"… Do I really need to answer that question, Sokka?"
Sokka's brow furrowed as he thought it out. A few moments after, he was laughing again.
"Oh Spirits, no…"
"I'm glad you find it so amusing."
"I'll never understand you, Sacha, or any of the other men on Kyoshi, for that matter. This obsession of yours to have your women…" Sokka couldn't complete it, and Sacha's demeanor turned amused when the other man shuddered at the unfinished thought.
"The Avatar is a great man, Sokka. Actually, we, men of Kyoshi, think you strange that you wouldn't want Suki-"
"Oh no, don't say it. Don't say it! Yes, I agree that Aang is a great guy. He's brilliant, marvelous and everything, but I'm not about to let him or any other guy touch Suki."
At this, Sacha just shook his head and remarked, "How peculiar."
"Speak for yourself," said Sokka immediately, smiling. He went back to prepping the balloon for travel as Sacha took a deep breath, preparing himself to say good-bye to his family.
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I love you, Katara
Sacha's green eyes twinkled with amusement when she merely glared back at him in reply.
You're supposed to say you love me too and then kiss me good-bye.
You are an idiot, Sacha.
I know.
Finally, she allowed herself to smile back at him. Uncorking her waterskin, she drew out a dollop of bended water and healed his injured eye.
Thank you, my wife.
This isn't over, you know. We're going to have a very long discussion about this when you and Sokka get back.
Understood. Until then, I will miss you.
I'll miss you too.
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Katara woke up to find her face damp with tears. With a soft sigh, she sat up, wiping at her eyes.
That dream again, she thought wearily but not complaining for by far she preferred it to certain other dreams that often frequented her in her sleep these days.
With another sigh, she laid back on her bed and stared at the shadowed ceiling, thinking of how she also kept dreaming of her desperate efforts to save Zuko's life and how for some strange reason she always ended up seeing herself failing to save the FireLord even though she had actually managed to heal him with her son's help.
Then, there were the dreams of Aang, standing at a precipice overlooking a black crevasse.
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It's been two weeks since Bumi's birthday and Omashu, and a week since she had last seen Aang, who was busy stamping out unrest in the Earth Kingdom caused by widespread rumors of a new class of iron-clad warships said to be being constructed in the Fire Nation.
Katara and her twins were at the Southern Water Tribe while Sokka and Suki were at the North Pole. All were kept busy counseling both tribes to stay calm.
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Dear Katara,
It's been crazy here. Nearly all of the Earth Kingdom has launched trade embargoes against the Fire Nation.
I've spoken with Ambassador Bei in Omashu, and he says that the huge warship Kinto had seen was a leftover from FireLord Ozai's reign. According to him, the ship was never completed nor launched. Unfortunately, only Bumi and those in Omashu believes him. All the other cities believe Jet instead.
I trust Bei; however, I will still have to confirm his story with my own eyes; otherwise, I'll never be able to convince the rest of the Earth Kingdom to believe the firebenders instead of Jet.
I'll be heading off to the Fire Nation on Appa after I send this letter. In the meantime, please convince your father, Master Pakku and the other elders in the Southern Water Tribe to stay calm.
Missing you and twins,
Aang
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Days passed slowly with increasing worry. Katara found herself dwelling on the very uncomfortable fact that they hadn't been able to guarantee Zuko's safety in Omashu and thus it would be too much to expect that Aang would be completely unharmed in the Fire Nation.
Please let him be safe please, Katara thought again and again until it was like a mantra to her. She had also sent a letter to Zuko via the hawk he had gifted to Tui, asking him to keep Aang safe. Barely a day after Chiko arrived with his reply.
Dear Katara,
The Avatar arrived here yesterday. He is well, and he will remain well. On this, I give you my word. We have shown him the infamous ship which have troubled so many a heart in the Earth Kingdom and have requested him if possible to airlift the rusted monstrosity and drop it in the middle of Bai Seng Sei.
I am of course merely making light of this ridiculous situation. The ship which this Jet has made so notorious can soon be made sea-worthy; however, I do not think that will comfort those who worry about it so.
Unfortunately, we seem to be at an impasse. We cannot completely deny the rumors of a larger class of warship since it does exist nor can we show that it is completely harmless for it wasn't meant to be so.
On a much more pleasant subject, I hope you and family are well. Tell Tui that I will be sending Toto back as soon as he is well-rested and do remind both of your children that they still haven't informed me on what they would like as a reward for helping to save my life. This bad habit of theirs to offer service without payment is I believe your fault, Katara. You're raising them to be the sort unscrupulous people would take advantage of. This, I do not approve.
Yours sincerely,
Zuko
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Katara also corresponded with Sokka, whose letters though not exactly encouraging nevertheless made her smile.
Hey Katara,
I'm beginning to see why Aang gets so uptight about getting people to get along when they do not want to get along.
Things over here at the Northern Water Tribe don't look too good. Remember that idiot, Han? He's been telling Chief Arnook and the other elders that he should lead an assassination force into the Fire Nation to get rid of Zuko. That has to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Hello...! Uh... Han, remember what happened with Zhao?
Not only that, he's been hitting on Suki! I swear if he wasn't a member of the Council, I'd gag, tie him up, get into my balloon and drop him somewhere in the middle of the ocean, preferably where there are walrus-leviathans, a LOT of them. He and Jet should go on a date or even get married. They would go so well together. On their honeymoon, they could compare notes on how to kill the FireLord.
Anyway, don't forget to tell the twins, dad, gran-gran and Bato that me and Suki said hi, and if you're going to write to Aang, tell him we'll keep things from going crazy at the North Pole even with idiots like Han around.
Your big brother, Sokka.
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It was like Kyoshi all over again when a Fire Navy vessel was spotted on the horizon. A furious Master Pakku called Katara to join him, her father and Bato in the watchtower.
"See? This is why we cannot trust the Fire Nation," said Pakku to Katara in such a stern tone that it was fairly obvious he was holding her responsible for this situation. Uncharacteristically, Katara didn't react defensively to the unfair insinuation, and all three men were taken aback when her eyes suddenly filled with tears.
"Pakku, that's enough," her father told the waterbending master in a tight voice. Bato quickly helped Katara down from the watchtower to her grandmother's hut where she silently wept in her gran-gran's arms, all but certain that Zuko had lied to her in his letter and that Aang was either captured or dead.
"Aang isn't dead, Katara," said her grandmother reassuringly; her hand felt warm as she caressed her granddaughter's hair comfortingly. "We would know if the Avatar was killed; there would be a sign. You have to have hope." Her softly-spoken words did little to ease Katara's pain, and it wasn't long before she fell into a restless sleep on her gran-gran's lap.
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"Where is she? Where's Katara?"
She woke up to the sound of Aang's voice urgently calling her name. Blinking her reddened itchy eyes quickly, she sat up on the floor furs of her gran-gran's hut just as Aang's head poked through the door flaps.
"Katara!" She could scarcely believe she wasn't dreaming when Aang rushed inside to kneel beside her.
"Aang-"
"It's okay, Katara. I'm here. I'm okay," he said quickly, giving her a fierce hug as though determined to reassure her that he was really there. Tears again sprang to her eyes, this time of joy and happiness, as she returned Aang's embrace.
"I thought you were dead-"
"I know. I know. They told me. I'm really sorry for frightening you and everyone. I didn't realize the ship could be spotted from even so far away from the South Pole."
"... The ship?"
"Yes, the ship that has been causing all kinds of trouble," sighed Aang. He then tried to pull away from Katara, but she wouldn't loosen her hold.
"... Katara. I'm really here and okay. You can let go now."
After several long moments, Katara reluctantly let go of him and when she saw his face, she was startled by how excited he looked. Before she could question what it was that was making him so happy, he completely stunned her with his next statement.
"You like Zuko, right, Katara?"
"... What?"
"Do you think you can marry him?"
"... Aang, what is going on?"
"Think about it, Katara. You're practically a princess of the Southern Water Tribe. If you marry the lord of the Fire Nation-"
"Aang, what are you talking about?"
Much to Katara's disbelief, Aang let out a delighted infectious laugh which caused even the corners of her mouth to turn up slightly despite that at the moment she was feeling very very numb.
"Zuko was the one who proposed the exchange. He said he would allow the Southern Water Tribe to keep the ship as a sign of good faith from the Fire Nation but only if you marry him. And that it can only be you, Katara. Apparently, you're very popular in the Fire Nation because of what you did for Iroh. You're like to them how Jeong Jeong is to the Earth Kingdom."
"... You want me to marry Zuko?"
"Do you love me, Katara?"
"... Yes, Aang. Of course, I love you."
"Do you love me enough to marry Zuko for me? I know. I know. You did tell me you rejected Zuko back in Omashu for me, but I'm like the Kyoshins, Katara. I don't mind sharing- Ow!"
All of a sudden, Katara had completely recovered her senses. "Get it into your thick skull! I don't want to be shared! What's wrong with you and the men on that stupid island! I'm from the Water Tribe; men and women in the water tribes don't want to share or to be shared!"
Rubbing the tender spot on his noggin, Aang slowly and carefully replied, "Then... it's good if you marry Zuko. He doesn't seem to be the sharing-type either."
Katara stared at him and then rolled her eyes heavenward before saying, "You have no idea how much I wanted to choke you when you told me I should just have slept with Zuko."
"Actually, Katara... you did choke me- wait! Wait! Let me finish explaining first. If you marry Zuko, then both the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes will have an example to follow. And trust me, it will help! If you think it was difficult to get Earth Kingdom nobles and officials to go to Omashu during Bumi's birthday to attend a ball held in the FireLord's honor, it's ten times even harder convincing the Water Tribes to be even just a little bit more accommodating to the Fire Nation."
"... What are you exactly trying to say to me, Aang?"
"That I need help, Katara. I can't get all the nations together on my own. In just days, hours even, Jet ruined all the work that took me years to accomplish. ... It's just so much harder to work for peace, harmony even love than it is to get people on edge and start fighting each other again. I really can't do this on my own, and Bumi has been receiving a lot of flack lately because he's been doing all that he can to help me."
"... Oh Aang, I'm sorry. ... I do want to help... but me marrying Zuko-"
"I know you think we have our differences, but he's a pretty okay guy... sometimes... Anyway, Iroh tells me that he really -really- likes you, thinks about you all the time, plus, I've asked the twins what they would think if Zuko was their stepfather, and they said they thought he would be okay. They said they'd prefer me, of course, but that Zuko would be okay."
"... You told the twins-"
"I send them a letter via Toto."
"I'm not worried about how you were able to talk to my children about this, but about why you told them before me."
"Well... I know you would never agree to marry Zuko unless the twins were okay with it first. I know you very well, Katara."
At this, Katara could only stare at Aang, speechlessly.
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The End? Not Quite. There's an Epilogue available.
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Ficwriter's Note: See? I told you I was crazy. Now, if you're going to leave me feedback (which I hope you will) - I just want to know one thing - did you expect -that- to happen?
Have a lot of fun watching the rest of season 2, everyone, even if Bumi is... (whimpers)
I must be brave.
Historical Tidbits
1. Silphium - is an actual ancient wonder herb (now extinct). It was very popular and very valuable because it could do what Katara got so peeved about.
2. Rock Oil, the latin of which is petra (rock) oleum (oil). I decided to mention Petroleum because in ancient times, it was considered as not valuable stuff which the Fire Nation could trade for instead of coal, which I think the Earth Kingdom wouldn't want to sell to the firebenders because they already know what it's being used for.
3. Spartans again - yes, they were like that. So no... I didn't come up with that idea on my own; it was historically inspired.