I got so many people decrying my request for 100 reviews on The Gift that I decided to be kind and halve the number of requests. Curse you, democracy! The people have spoken!
At 50 reviews, I received requests that were all over the map, from elaborate multi-chapter stories, (including an awesome continuation written by Ambrant Arandel called The Prince's Gift) to brief synopses of what should happen. I divided the categories up into the most requested items. The votes were cast as follows:
Zuko spends the
night but does nothing except talk with Sienna: 8
Zuko does nothing
with Sienna and/or leaves: 12
Zuko nearly does
something with Sienna (almost kisses, almost has sex): 7
Zuko goes all the
way with Sienna (request for lemon/lime): 8
Zuko realizes how
much he loves Katara: 13
Katara (and gang)
make an appearance: 11
So it looks like Zuko really does love Katara (would Zutarans proclaim anything else?) and everyone wants to make sure they end up together. But as this story comes after Bent, (now complete and online!) this'll all still have to fit in with the storyline, so, sorry folks, no Zutara lemon/lime for you!
Anyhow, here's how I figured it happened… hope you've all waited long enough!
Quick note: this story takes place after Episode 16: The Deserter and before Bent. It doesn't take too much from my universe, but figures a little later on in the storyline and is briefly mentioned in Captured! The Zutara Musical. Just sit back and enjoy.
When we last left Prince Zuko on his seventeenth birthday, he was faced with an awkward choice…
She had the look. She had the eyes.
She was smiling. She was willing.
She could be his.
And suddenly Zuko found himself standing at the edge of a gaping void. To take that one step would mean he'd lose... a great many things.
A strangled sound left his chest like vapour on the wind.
"Uncle…?" Zuko breathed slowly, uncertainly.
"It's all right, Zuko." Iroh said comfortingly. "It's all right."
"Come, Zuko. Why not join us on the veranda and we can share a nice cup of tea, hmm?" Madame Mai recomposed herself and gestured the water girl, Sienna, forward. The girl demurely sidled up next to the stunned prince. He let her lead him by the arm and out to the garden, followed by a grinning Uncle Iroh, who genially took the bordello's manager by the elbow, patting her hand.
Zuko had no idea what he was getting into. Moreover, he wasn't sure he didn't like it.
Much, much, much earlier that day…
"I'm—"
"Starving, we know! Now will you please shut your food hole Sokka!" Katara snapped irately. "We're all hungry, and we're out of food and money, plus these woods don't have much to eat. The only thing we can do now is go into town and see if we can't get some work and scrape together some cash."
"Man, I wish I were a bison. Then I could eat grass and leaves and stuff and be fine," the water boy whined, watching as Appa chewed contentedly on a nearby shrub. Momo looked equally as happy, nibbling on a fat bug. The lemur looked up and proffered half to Sokka.
"Stop taunting me!" He cried, his stomach gurgling. Momo wrinkled his nose at the picky water boy and continued munching.
"Guys, I don't know if we should go into town. I have this… feeling." They stood on the hill overlooking the town spread out before them, the early morning sun casting a warm orange glow over the picturesque scene below. It was much bigger than many of the towns they'd visited. From their vantage point they could see clusters of tall, multistoried buildings, and lush green gardens enclosed within stone walls. The marketplace near the centre of town was bustling, and the scent of fruits and roasting meat on the wind made their stomachs growl loudly.
"Look, if we don't go down there, we'll starve out here," Sokka reasoned. "Just put on your hat and cloak and we'll stay for a day and see if we can't get some work and buy us some food."
"I have to agree with hungry boy here, Aang. We don't have a choice right now. If we go any further, we could all drop dead from starvation."
Aang sighed. "Okay. Just… everyone be on the lookout. I don't want to be recognized."
"Oh, so now you're learning not to attract attention after the Fire Festival?"
"Shut up Sokka. Save your strength until we get to town. We'll need it if we want to find work." Katara stomped ahead. She had been moodier than usual of late, mostly because of the hollow rumblings in her tummy.
They started down the path, and Aang told Appa and Momo to stay hidden in the forest while they were away. The monk did as Sokka instructed and pulled on a dark cloak and his rice paddy hat to hide his Airbending tattoos. The Water Tribe children went on without disguises.
In short time, they entered the village and began wandering about, asking shopkeepers and vendors if they had any work they'd be willing to pay one of the three children to do. No one had anything to spare.
They walked on, growing more and more hungry and tired as they neared the city centre.
"Maybe we'd be better off splitting up," Sokka suggested. "I could go down to the docks with Aang and see if the two of us can't help haul some crates or fish or something."
Katara arched an eyebrow. "And what am I supposed to do?"
"Look Katara. We'll all have an easier time getting work if we didn't walk altogether. People take one look and think they'll have to pay all three of us. Trust me, it just works better this way. We can meet up at sunset back where Appa's waiting."
Aang bristled. "Sokka, I don't think we should split up."
"Why not?"
"It's just... I have a bad feeling about this. Any time we split up, something bad always happens." He eyed Katara worriedly.
"This isn't like Ho'Wan Island. Look, I'll give Katara the bison whistle. If anything bad happens, she can call Appa and get out." Sokka proffered the whistle and Katara took it a little uneasily.
"Maybe I should stay with Katara," Aang said.
The Waterbender smiled down at the little monk. "It's okay Aang. I can take care of myself, and Sokka's right: it'd be easier to get a job if neither of you were around to cramp my style. Besides, two strong, young men like you could get good work at the docks."
Aang looked both proud and crestfallen at once, but he conceded to Katara's wishes. They said goodbye and good luck, and promised to meet back on the hill at sunset.
As the boys headed toward the docks, the Waterbender looked about, planning her next move.
If I were a job, where would I be?
She ambled up one street, politely inquiring about a day's worth of work. One man offered her five coppers to muck out his emu-horse stalls, but the amount of dung she'd have to handle was hardly worth the measly pay. She'd keep it in mind, though.
As she spoke with a fruit merchant, who sadly turned down her offer of help, a rotund Earth Kingdom woman called to her.
"Excuse me, miss? Did I hear you say you were looking for a little work?" She asked smilingly.
Katara's heart leapt. "Yes! Yes I am!"
The woman smiled. "I could use a hand for a day or two with a few kitchen chores. One of my girls has fallen sick, you see. I just need someone to fill in for her. You can cut and clean and chop, I assume?"
Katara nodded enthusiastically and quickly told the woman about her culinary skills.
"Sounds perfect. I can pay you three silvers for the day. Sound fair?"
Three silvers! Katara smiled and nodded again. That would be enough money to get them a few meals.
"Wonderful! If you wouldn't mind helping me carry this basket, I work over at that building there." She pointed to a five-storey pagoda that sprawled into a huge complex ringed around with a tall stone wall.
Katara's eyes and smile widened at the sheer grandeur of the establishment. As they walked toward it, she wondered what it was; it looked to be some kind of lavish inn for the wealthy. A bath house, maybe?
But it didn't matter at that point. All Katara knew was that she was going to get paid, and then she could buy meat and bread and rice and vegetables in the market, and the three travelers would get to eat and continue on to the North Pole.
She had a great feeling about the place.
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