The Last Airbender is not my creation, the people at the Nickelodeon Studios created it, but that will not stop me from making my own little episodes of excitement and romance.
The only thing I own is the plot on your screen. If you plan to take my ideas and put them into your own fanfic, claiming to be your own mind that thought them up, get a hobby. Plagiarism is wrong, don't do it!
A tall chef, dressed in white, entered the loud kitchen with an empty tray in his hands. His face showed his tired state and his eyes slowly scanned the busy room, searching for the person that Lady Katara had told him to get for her. Finding the shy girl, he smiled and approached her, setting the platter down on the marble counter. "Tai," he said quietly and became surprised when she heard his faint voice through all the commotion in the kitchen. "The Lady wishes to see you. She said to bring some warm tea to her bedroom." The man swiftly cleaned the tray with a towel and handed it to his friend.
"Oh?" the young servant asked and placed a small teapot on the silver platter as she watched the man nod at her small question. "Did she say anything else?" She set three empty teacups beside the large teapot after filling it with warm water.
"Nope, she said nothing else. Just that you go over to her room as soon as you can." He watched Tai add the herbs into the teapot and crossed his arms in a mocking sort of way. "So tell me, what did you do?" he asked, a smirk upon his face.
Tai laughed shyly at her friend's joke and shrugged. "...Nothing. I don't think..." she answered and gracefully picked up silver assembly.
"Do you need help with that?" he asked as he walked her to the exit of the kitchen.
"I'm fine Toke. Thanks anyway." The servant gave one last smile to her friend and departed the kitchen.
"Trust your heart before your mind." -unknown
Lady Katara sat silently in her room as she waited patiently for Tai to arrive with her tea. Truly, there wasn't a real reason for the servant's arrival, but Katara had decided that she needed a girlfriend to talk to. Sokka and Aang couldn't really understand her predicament. She needed a woman's point of view. She needed a woman to tell her what she should do about Zuko.
Because she couldn't go on like this any longer.
She was continuing to hurt herself by living in the same room with him. By living in the same house with him. She wanted to forgive and forget the whole thing, but she couldn't. The unwelcomed doubts continued to enter her mind. She needed advice on what she should do. Stay or leave?
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts and she allowed a smile creep onto her lips after she yelled a "come in" through the door. The door slowly opened and a small figure walked into the large bedroom with a smile on their face. "Good day my Lady," Tai said pleasantly and set the tray of tea upon Katara's vanity set.
"Good day Tai," the young waterbender returned and watched the servant stand patiently beside the teapot. "...Please Tai, have a seat." She pointed to a large comfortable chair in front of her.
The servant nodded and did like she was told, taking a seat upon the chair that Katara had suggested she take. She watched the Lady gracefully stand from her place on the bed and walk over to the tea that she had brought in. Katara placed two tea cups before her and poured the warm drink into the cups using her waterbending. Then, she gently lifted both mugs and walked towards her friend.
"Tea?" Katara asked quietly and passed a small cup towards Tai.
"Oh...thank you," the worker answered surprisedly and grabbed the drink with a shy smile on her face.
Katara sat before her servant, sipped the warm tea, and then set it down on a small table beside her. "The reason I called for you was because you said that if I ever needed anything, just ask you and you'll do it gladly."
Tai nodded, confirming the information and watched the Lady think of what to say next.
"I need a friend," she said simply and smiled. "I need somebody besides my brother and the Avatar, who I can talk to and actually understand." Her smile faded and her eyes fell upon the closed door. "Of course, you don't have to be my fri--"
"I'll be your friend my Lady," Tai intercepted and offered her a smile.
"Please...call me Katara."
"Of course," the servant whispered shamefully and sipped a bit of her tea. A wave of uncomfort crashed upon Tai as she sat quietly in front of her mistress, waiting for her to say something. Anything at all. It felt so awkward to be in the Lady's presence without any real reason to do so. Well, there was a reason, but it had nothing to do with taking orders or maintenance check-ups. She was simply there because the wife of the Fire Lord needed a friend, and she found it upon herself to choose her. There was nothing wrong with needing someone to talk to, but it was highly uncommon for someone of her status to choose a plain commoner. You're forgetting that Lady Katara used to be a commoner before she married the Fire Lord, she reminded herself and eyed the woman before her.
"...I don't know what to do about Zuko," Katara hesitantly began and gently twisted her hands in her lap.
"What do you mean?"
"You saw what happened. You must have some sort of idea of how I feel right now. ...How I've felt for the past month." Katara paused and sighed heavily. With a frown, she continued, "I thought he loved me. He's said it to me so many times and it seemed that he meant it."
A long silence dwelled between the two. She's lonely, the girl observed as she moved to the edge of her seat. "Don't be sad..."
A melancholy smile fell upon the waterbender's face. "I try not to be. I've tried to forgive Zuko. I've even asked the Gods take away that horrible image from my mind. I want to forgive and forget, but everytime I see him, I think of that stupid woman. That stupid woman who ruined my marriage," she reproached angrily and paused for a moment. "I sometimes wonder if Zuko still sees her."
"...Have you heard his side of the story?"
"No. And I don't want to. I don't want to hear his lies. I just want to run away and forget everything." The Lady rubbed her eyes when she felt the familiar prickle of tears forming in the back of her blue orbs. "Many times, during the night, I want to get up, grab Luna...and run away. Just change my name and appearance and never come back. But it wouldn't be fair for my daughter to grow up without her father. And even though I doubt the love that Zuko has for me, I know that he loves Luna."
"If you want my opinion..." Tai began shyly and looked down at her lap. "I think that you should talk to him. If you're feeling that doubtful and betrayed, you should tell him. He is your husband, Fire Lord or not. And as his wife, you should listen to him. Let him explain himself to you."
Katara considered her friend's words until the disgusting doubtful part of her mind interfered. "I'm already heartbroken. I don't want to listen to his lies and make it worse."
"Many say that love is blind. But I think that once you've been hurt by love, it makes you see better. You grow a sixth sense that tells you when a lover is lying or not. I think that if you sit down and listen to the Fire Lord with an open heart, you'll know. Trust your heart. Listen to it. And if your mind tells you that he's lying to you...ignore it. Only listen here," Tai said and patted her chest. "If your hearts aches more with every word that leaves his lips, he's lying. If his eyes refuse to meet yours, he's lying. If your soul doesn't connect with his' at that moment, stop and start the conversation over, you're being too stubborn..."
The Lady let out a large breath, shifting her eyes to the door and then back at Tai. The uncertainty in her mind was overwhelming. Tai could be right...could be...maybe not...
"But remember, only talk to him when you're ready. Don't rush," Tai warned and sighed considerably deep. "Prepare yourself for anything that you might hear or feel. The outcome might be good...or bad."
Katara smiled. "You're so wise."
The servant returned the Lady's smile and shook her head. "No, I've just been in a similar situation, that's all. Wisdom has nothing to do with it. Just a bad experience," she said. "My nightmare."
"Oh...I'm sorry," the waterbender said regretfully. "I didn't mean to--"
"Don't worry about it," Tai assured her quickly. "That happened a long time ago, I don't dwell on the past anymore."
Katara nodded and quietly cleared her throat, breaking the momentary silence that had settled between them. Tai's words had finally sunk in. She would talk to Zuko and hope to high heavens that he would tell her the truth...no matter what it was. She sighed. To think that if she had not wanted tea that one day, none of this would have ever happened. "Thank you," she graced and patted the worker's hands, "for everything."
The young servant nodded and stood up when she realized that their conversation had come to an end. "Anytime my La--Katara," she replied. "...Well, I better get back to the kitchen and clean up. Those boys can get really messy," she laughed and grabbed the Lady's teacup, as well as her own.
"What is it that you do in the kitchen?"
"Clean the basins, floors, walls, dishes, silverware...pretty much everything that needs to be cleaned." She set the teacups and the teapots onto the platter and picked it up.
"You don't cook?" asked the Lady confusedly. She could've sworn that Tai did the cooking.
"No. I can't cook to save my life. ...Probably why I never got married," Tai considered as she opened the bedroom door. "Do you need anything else?" she asked meekly and waited for Katara's answer. After seeing her shake her head 'no', the servant stepped outside of the royal room and smiled. "...Thank you for treating me like a real person and not just your maid."
Katara nodded at her thanks. "No Tai, thank you."
The young worker grabbed the expensive golden knob and shut the door, trying not to drop the platter that she was balancing with one hand. Having succeeded, she began to walk down the hall, towards the kitchen, thinking about the conversation she had had with the Lady.
Katara sat on the bed, thinking over Tai's words. Her eyes scanned the wide room, her mind trying to find some sort of secret comfort. Nothing. Just the empty tired walls surrounded her lonely being, reminding her of a time when she was in a similar situation. A time that revolved around personal gain and hurt feelings. A memory that wasn't made within the everlasting walls of the palace.
...three years ago...
Prince Zuko sat quietly across his new wife as he took a small bite from his rice bowl. The sun was setting and the heavens held a soft purple and pink tint, creating a beautiful soothing swirl amoung the white clouds. The young man saw two small seagulls fly in the sky and he yawned as though if the birds had cast a magical sleeping spell upon him.
"Tired?" a girl's voice asked, interrupting him mid-yawn.
Zuko nodded and smiled. "Very," he answered and took a lazy sip of water. After the long day of training, his entire body ached. Katara had spent her time watching him and in one instance, she had sparred with him, only to lose miserably after five minutes.
A young looking guard walked through the kitchen entrance, a nervous expression laid upon his face. "Sir," he paused and looked at Katara, "...and Maam. We've sited the Avatar and his companion overhead. Do you wish us to attack them?"
"N--" the waterbender started to say but was interrupted Zuko's own command.
"Yes!" The firebender ordered and stood from his place at once. "Lift the catapult, we'll shot them down!" He began to walk past Katara but a soft hand grasped his arm, stopping him.
"Zu--"
"Katara, we have already discussed this. You won't be a traitor if I capture him, alright?" He pulled his arm out of her hand and began to head out the door, after the guard.
"Why are you doing this?" Katara asked sadly. Her voice was quiet and miserable, the side-effects of her tiredness. Because she was tired...of everything. The war. The endless hunt for the impossible. The constant arguing between Zuko and her. The on-going rant that fire was the ultimate element.
"I've told you why."
"...I can't believe that you still love your father after what he did to you..."
That sentence slapped him hard in the face. Never had Katara said anything so bold. So hurtful. What has he done to me? he asked himself when he turned to see the waterbender's beautiful cerulean eyes on the verge of tears. He's caused you to hurt your wife everyday with your constant Avatar talk... "Leave my father out of this Katara. He has nothing to do with this. I'm hunting the Avatar to restore my throne, country, and honer. I could careless about my father."
The Water Tribe girl shut her eyes and shook her head in somewhat denial. "Why would you want your country back? Didn't it turn its' back on you, when you were banished? Why would you want a group of people who don't appreciate you? You, the boy who wanted to save them!" A strong disgusting odor filled the sea air, causing the Princess to breathe through her mouth.
"They have to follow the Fire Lord...they had no choice."
"And your throne, why do you want that back? That throne turns honest men into tyrants! ...I don't want you to turn into a man who's hungry for power, Zuko. I don't want a selfish man for a husband..."
"I won't Katara," Prince Zuko assured, his tone sounding apologetic.
"Can you promise me that?"
A guard arrived and stood uniformly behind the young husband. "The catapult is ready, sir."
The firebending Prince nodded indifferently. "I'm sorry," he mouthed and followed the guard out to deck.
In the distance, Katara could hear Prince Zuko yell: "Fire!"
The long corridor seemed everlasting as Tai's thin arms began to ache from carrying the heavy assembly. The door to the kitchen appeared in the horizon and she fastened her pace, wanting to rid herself of the weight in her arms. As she passed the servant's bedrooms, she noticed a door slightly ajar, and although on any other occasion she'd ignore it...she didn't this time. An angry voice rang within the room, the sign of a heated argument. How odd...this is Atar's room, she thought and surreptitiously neared the opened door, completely forgetting how much her limbs ached.
- "...She's still here...Why hasn't she left...palace"
- "I don't know...I know...they haven't made-up"
- "...You must try again"
- "No I won't...too much...risk"
- "...If you want the other half of...pay...Get her out of here!" - "But"
- "Do it! ...Zuko and Katara...not be happy"
- "No, I can't...kill...adultery"
- "Do it"
- "...Yes..."
Tai's heart skipped a dreaded beat as she realized the topic of the conversation. She had to warn to Lady that Atar was planning to do more damage and that she was working with someone else. She had to tell Katara that the Fire Lord had done nothing wrong...
Zuko sat in his study as he finished writing a letter to the Express, informing them about the protest that had broken out in the city of Kajing. Three men were arrested...he thought as he wrote out the words on the piece of yellow parchment.
"Da?" Luna asked and grabbed a pen.
The Fire Lord looked up and gasped. "No Luna, don't touch that...you could hurt yourself," he warned and pulled the sharp pen out of her small vulnerable hand. He had completely forgotten that Luna was sitting on his desk, waiting for him to finish his work. Katara had told Zuko that she had wanted to rest and gave the child to him for the afternoon. "I'll be done in just a minute Lu, just be patient." He wanted to spend time with his daughter, but his wife had chosen a bad day to give him Luna. He needed to finish the letter by today.
"No no no no no no," she repeated mindlessly and slapped her hands on her legs. She looked around the large room and giggled when she heard her father sigh in annoyance. After a couple moments, Luna became bored with the singing and clapping, and stopped. She let out a tired sigh and decided to stand up.
Fire Lord Zuko, he signed upon the paper and smiled. "Alright, I'm--LUNA!" he yelled and grabbed the child just before she tumbled backwards unto the hard unforgiving floor. His heart began racing like never before and he held his clueless daughter tightly against his chest, protecting her from harm. His breathing became fast and shallow. If he had looked up a moment later, Luna would have fallen off the table and... He shuddered and held his daughter up to his face. "Please don't scare me like that again," he asked and kissed her forehead.
"I love you," she squeaked sweetly and placed her little hand on her father's scarred cheek.
Zuko smiled. "I love you too...even though you're going to give me a heart attack one day." He kissed her soft cheek and propped her upon his hip as he grabbed the letter he had written and placed it within one of the desk drawers. "Alright, let's get out of this stuffy room." The Fire Lord walked towards the exit of his study and sighed in exasperation when a knock echoed throughout the room just before he reached for the door knob. "Who is it now?" he whispered impatiently and opened the door.
The Avatar stood before him with an indifferent expression in his face. His arms were hanging lazily to his side and his body seemed to be leaning to one side. "Is Katara in there with you?" he asked quietly and half-smiled at Princess Luna, who was reaching out to him.
"Why?" the Lord asked curiously and shifted his daughter to his other hip.
"...I need to talk to her," Aang explained, pretending to peek past Zuko.
The former Prince raised an eyebrow at his excuse. Why do you need to talk to her? his thoughts asked suspiciously as he frowned disapprovingly at the fifteen year old Avatar. "No, she's not here. She's probably in our room, sleeping," he said. "She's had a long day."
"Oh," the boy breathed and looked to his side. "...Thanks."
Zuko nodded frigidly and stepped outside of his study, closing the door behind him with a quiet 'thunk'. The Princess, deciding that the silence between the three of them was beginning to get unbearable, began to click her tongue. Her father smiled at his daughter's habit and noticed that Aang was still standing in front of him, unmoving. "...You didn't come here to see Katara, huh?" he asked knowingly and walked past the boy slowly, not stopping to hear his response.
Quiet footsteps followed him, and that alone answered his question. "What is it that you wanted to tell me?" he questioned as he walked down the long corridor towards the palace garden, Luna continuing to click her tongue in his ear.
"...Did you..." Aang paused, not knowing how to ask the question that he had been dying to ask since the very beginning. Katara had asked him not to talk to Zuko, claiming that it would just cause more problems, but he couldn't help himself. He needed to know. "Do you have another woman besides Katara?"
The Fire Lord froze and turned around feriously, causing the young girl in his arms to quiet down. "How dare you ask me such an accusing question?" he inquired heatedly and stepped dangerously towards the boy. His attempts to intimidate him failed, Aang didn't step back.
"I know how you--"
"You know nothing!" Zuko interrupted and subconsciencely tightened his grip on Luna. "You know nothing about me. If you did, you would know perfectly well that I would never do such a horrible thing to Katara. I would never go with another woman while I'm with her. I have no reason to look anywhere else. I married the perfect woman." The Fire Lord stopped and lean closer to the Avatar. "And you're angry that your enemy, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, was able to win her heart."
Aang huffed in indignation, causing Zuko to chuckle darkly.
"Well Avatar, I guess that in the long run, I did win. Sure, I didn't get to capture you in time to bring you back to my father, but I got the throne either way. I married the love of my life and had a wonderful child with her. But you? You've got nothing. No wife. No kids. No home. Nothing." The Fire Lord smiled victoriously. "You wanted to marry Katara so badly. You wanted to father her children. You wanted to be that powerful bender that the silly old woman predicted she'd marry."
"How do you know..." Aang trailed off, his aching heart preventing him from finishing his sentence.
"Katara told me a few months after we got married," he answered indifferently. "Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to go and spend time with my daughter because my wife is a bit tired from the day's work. You know, ruling the Fire Nation isn't exactly cake." He turned around and began to walk down the long corridor before stopping to add a word of warning. "And don't think that just because Katara and I are in a rut right now, it means that she's going to go and run away with you. She loves her family too much to do anything that stupid." With that being said, he continued to walk down towards the garden, holding an amused daughter in his strong arms.
"We'll see about that," Aang whispered angrily to himself and turned to walk the other way...
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