Friendship flourished between Zuko and Katara like the first fire lily of spring, hesitant at first then blossoming without restraint.

Two weeks had passed since the awkwardness of their first collision, but Iroh already noticed something special had occurred between the two children. Despite being contradictions in every way, it seemed to Iroh that they balanced each other in completely unexpected ways. It brought happiness to his heart as he watched his confused nephew try and match an animated Katara in her latest game.

Their differences surpassed the underlying makeups of fire and water. Where Zuko was reserved and polite, emulating the propriety learned through his life in the Fire Nation, Katara laughed without the shackles of a noble upbringing. Where Zuko was a little unconfident, a little unsure, Katara was an unstoppable force, dragging Zuko into new games and discoveries.

For Katara, she seemed to have controlled her explorations, allowing the presence of Zuko to make up for the restriction to Iroh's wing. There was a spark in the girl that brought startling level of joy to Iroh and the longer he spent with Katara, the more he feared the response from the Palace's court when she would begin to emerge from the safety of his quarters. The daily visits from his nephew seemed to have reduced the urging from Katara to allow her to spread her wings and he was immensely grateful for this postponement in having to deal with the rest of the court.

The visits appeared to have awakened something wonderful in Zuko as well. At first, Iroh had been a little uncertain how his nephew would cope with the exuberant waterbender. Zuko had continued to look a little shocked and unsure of how to react to some of the light teasing instigated by Katara. Iroh was aware that his nephew had sustained teasing from his sister and had initially harboured reservations that this would affect Zuko's relationship with the girl, especially considering his nephew's awkwardness often earned him more bubbling giggles from the girl.

But despite Iroh's worries, Zuko kept coming back and Iroh had noticed a shy smile would often emerge on his nephew's face.

Iroh longed to see more of that happiness in Zuko.

For what it was worth, Zuko appeared to be starting to return the teasing, although it was often with a corresponding red face and awkward glances at his feet. Iroh had always suspected how lonely his nephew had been in the Palace but his fast attachment to Katara illustrated that he was appreciating feeling like he was part of something, even if it went against everything Zuko had been brought up to believe in.

Iroh was roused from his contemplation by a specific part of the conversation between the two children.

"– there was no one to teach me and apparently we couldn't visit our sister tribe for me to learn," Katara's voice contained a note of frustration.

"I can't imagine not being able to learn firebending…" Zuko said. "So, do– do you know any waterbending at all?"

"Only a very small amount…" Katara said, flushing. "I should practice more."

"Maybe you could learn here?"

"There aren't any waterbenders here, are there?" Katara asked uncertainly.

Zuko frowned, brows furrowed as he thought. "Maybe you could teach yourself?"

"Yeah, maybe…"

Iroh eased himself out of his chair, causing the two children to jump in their seats. Smiling to himself, Iroh had the sneaking suspicion they had forgotten he was still in the room.

"I have to head out for a bit, I will be back in an hour or so. Are you both ok staying here?" Two heads nodded at him in unison and Iroh quickly exited the room, making his way for the library.

"There must be something…" Iroh implored the wizened librarian, who fixed him to the ground with an unimpressed stare.

"We have a number of recovered waterbending texts…" Iroh raised his eyebrow at the use of the word "recovered" but allowed the faltering man to continue, "…but they wouldn't be stored here, they would be in the Dragonbone Catacombs. You will need to speak to the fire sages."

Nodding, Iroh thanked the man, exited the library and made his way to the catacombs. He knew he did not need the assistance of a Fire Sage to enter the sacred tombs below the Palace but had decided a diplomatic approach was best with the already obnoxious librarian.

After meeting with the Fire Sages, Iroh made his way into the heart of the temple. Stepping onto the intricately designed circle situated in the middle of the floor, he took a deep, settling breath and forced his fire downwards. His flames ignited the locking device, causing the hidden entrance below his feet to slowly spin and fashion into a circular staircase, heading below the temple.

The winding paths guided Iroh to a main hallway. Flickering torches cast a warm glow over the imposing skulls of dragons featured prominently to the sides of the hallway, and revealing portions of the murals lining the walls. As Iroh strode towards one of the metal doors situated around the hallway, the torches closest to him flared, uncovering fragments of his predecessor's history. Eventually reaching a large metal door, Iroh pushed his chi forward. He sent flames into the four large dragon heads extending out towards him from around the door and triggered the locking mechanism, causing the door to creakily open.

Dust filled Iroh's lungs as he trawled through the accumulation of knowledge and writings held within these ancient walls, not all of which had a Fire Nation origin. Iroh was aware of the nature of how many of these foreign texts had been obtained. However, at this moment he hoped he was correct in his assumption that one of the raids on the Southern Water Tribe had produced something he could use to help Katara learn at least some waterbending. For Katara to maintain her freedom, she would need to demonstrate either a capability to heal or at the very least an ability to provide a sparring partner for Azulon's grandchildren. Finding a way for Iroh to teach her was crucial.

Hours passed, and a mountain of Earth Kingdom scrolls were slowly suffocating Iroh's hope of finding anything that could be useful. As he was beginning to despair, a scroll fell out of a pile he was shifting. A light blue wave curling in on itself bookended the curled parchment and Iroh's spirits lifted at the tell-tale mark of the water tribe.

Sighing, Iroh opened the scroll and relaxed as he saw a series of drawings depicting a number of movements he recognised as being those of waterbenders. Hope restored, further searching found one more scroll and Iroh decided that was enough for the moment. Realising how long he had been down in the catacombs, Iroh blew the dust off the scrolls, shoved them in the sash at the back of his tunic and returned to the children.

Excitedly bursting onto his balcony, he found them once again lost in conversation. When they looked up curiously at his beaming face, Iroh placed the two scrolls on the table in response before looking intently at Katara.

"My dear girl, we are going to teach you some waterbending."

Despite the enthusiasm from Katara, Iroh had been able to convince her that learning to bend was exhausting and it would be best to wait till the following day to try and teach her. As much as Zuko had wanted to watch, he had been expected to attend his own lessons the following day. Iroh had noticed the disappointment in his nephew's eyes and promised Zuko that he would be able to come to the next lesson. Nudging him, Iroh had quietly reminded Zuko what his first few lessons had been like and that Katara may in fact prefer to not have an audience if it ended up being as frustrating for her. Glumly, Zuko had agreed.

By the next morning, Iroh had been able to locate a space where they could practise bending for a few hours without being disturbed. Upon arriving, they found that servants had placed an enormous jug of water in the middle of the floor. Katara had barely been able to stomach half of her breakfast and as they walked into the prepared room, she felt a little lightheaded and unable to stop herself from quivering with anticipation.

"Just a little excited, are we?" Iroh asked teasingly.

Grinning up at him and holding back tears, Katara said, "I've waited for this day my whole life. I finally get to learn waterbending."

"Don't get your hopes up too much, Katara. I'm not a waterbending master. And the first few times bending can be immensely frustrating for a young learner," Iroh paused. "I don't want you to get discouraged if you don't get it straight away."

"I understand," Katara said, her body shaking with excitement and her face betraying her real thoughts despite her seemingly calm response.

Iroh sighed. This was going to be a long morning.

Argh! Why couldn't she get it?!

An hour had passed and all Katara had been able to achieve was a slight ripple across the surface of the jug. Twice. Both times involved so much concentration that her ears were ringing and her head was starting to throb. Frustrated tears threatened to overflow as her arms began to feel the effects of overuse.

"Katara, you have to clear your mind. A waterbender's movements should be smooth and effortless, you can't force it," Iroh placed a hand on her tense shoulders, trying to calm her down. "I think we should take a break."

"But I can't even move it! I've moved water before, I don't understand…" her voice trailed off as she hung her head, the feeling of failure washing over her.

"You've been through a lot the last few weeks, it would be expected for this to have had an effect on your mind," Iroh explained. "I think after a break, we may try some meditation to help you focus. I know that is something that Zuko's tutors have used with him."

Both of them sunk down into seats placed against the wall of the room as servants brought them some tea and pastries. Katara took a sip of the tea before placing it back down, pulling her knees to her chest and letting her chin drop to her knees. She couldn't believe how useless this morning had made her feel.

She hadn't been able to learn a lot of waterbending in her life so far, let alone have any formal training, but she had at least been able to move water when she had been at home. Accidents had occurred, such as causing tea to spill from her mother's cup or upsetting the simmering sea prune stew her Gran Gran was brewing. But she had also successfully pulled off pranks on her unsuspecting brother or other children around the village. On one particular occasion, she had dropped snow from the roof of their home onto Sokka's head after he had just finished perfecting his warrior's outfit and face paint. Infuriated and embarrassed, Sokka had refused to speak to her for the rest of the day. But after he had stormed off, her Dad had laughed uproariously with her and she remembered how warm she felt when he told her how proud he was to have her as a daughter.

Iroh interrupted her memories, asking if she was sure she didn't want to eat something. Katara raised her head, shaking it, but returned to her cooled tea. Sipping at it, she asked if meditation had helped Zuko.

Iroh chuckled. "Ah, somewhat…Zuko does not seem to enjoy sitting still as long as the tutors instruct him to. He's improved a lot since I was last at the Palace though, he just continues to get a little frustrated when the fire doesn't work with him."

"Why do you think meditating will help me? Isn't it possible that too much has happened and I've lost it…my ability to bend I mean?" Katara asked, head slumping back down to her knees in resignation. "I haven't been this useless in more than a year."

"Cheer up little one," Iroh smiled at her, reaching over to pat her head before leaning back, his eyes kind as he continued. "Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything," his smile broadened as she lifted her head at his words. "You will get through this block, you have been through a lot for one so young but you are also far stronger than you realise."

Katara couldn't help it, the corners of her mouth quirked upwards. Iroh's encouraging words had helped, she could feel the bonds of despair at her morning's effort falling away ever so slightly. Before she could remember the emotional barriers from earlier, she pushed herself to her feet and determinedly marched over to the jug.

Feeling Iroh's eyes on her, she breathed in deeply and closed her eyes, pulling strength from the abundance of her element in front of her and allowed herself to be drawn back to her memories.

She was back at home, within her cozy igloo with the sizzles from the fire and surrounded by furs and warm rugs. She could hear the howling winds outside and the smallest of drafts fluttered the escaped strands of hair falling around her face. All she wanted to do was show off to her mother what she had learnt that day, something so wonderfully exciting that she had tripped over her feet dashing back home, falling face first into a pile of snow in front of some of the younger children.

Deep breath in. Breathe out. Slowly, hardly registering her movements as she focussed on the memory and her breathing, she lifted her right hand across the surface of the water. Hearing a gasp behind her, she opened her eyes to watch a globe of water that had formed above the surface of the jug, her lazily moving hand its guide.

Slowly allowing the small ball of water to re-enter the jug, Katara spun around, a triumphant grin on her face.

"Now that was impressive Katara!" Iroh enthused brightly and pride washed through her.

It was the first day that Katara and Uncle had let him come along to watch and he could see why.

It was so boring.

Zuko stifled another yawn as he watched as Katara slowly raised a ball of water from the surface of the jug, held it there for a few moments then lowered it again. It had been two hours and after participating in the meditation at the beginning, he had been subjected to witnessing the same motion, over and over. Zuko understood that Uncle was trying to instill control in Katara's movements and he had to admit that the lesson did bring back memories of the repetition taught in his early firebending lessons.

But basic forms were understandably far more interesting when one was able to follow along. Which Zuko was no longer allowed to do today. It wasn't his fault that it had made Katara giggle at his exaggeration of the forms. But Uncle had said that it turned Zuko into a distraction. So he had to sit and watch if he wanted to stay there. Leaned his head back against the wall, Zuko tried not to roll his eyes as he listened to Uncle praise the completed motion, the ball having been successfully and yet predictably returned into the jug.

So bored.

Frustration fading, Zuko must have dozed off because the next thing he knew, Katara was prodding his cheek. Blinking through heavy eyelids, he heard the girl tell Uncle that despite the snoring, Zuko looked like he was dead when he slept.

Rude.

Glaring at the girl, Zuko sat back up and cracked his neck, wincing at how tight his right shoulder was.

"Welcome back to the world of the living," Katara teased, ignoring his glare as she prodded Zuko's cheek again.

"Oh good, you're ready to have a break from the world's most boring bubble making factory," he snarked back.

"Why did you even come if you were just going to complain?"

"I thought waterbending would be cooler than this."

"Better than finding out you can singe your own eyebrows!"

"I told you– you know I didn't– ugh–I should never have told you that story!"

"Are you two going to stop your bickering and come over for tea?" Iroh interrupted them, raising an eyebrow at Katara's tongue poked out in Zuko's direction. Katara looked a little embarrassed to have been caught out but still elbowed him as Uncle turned his back. Scowling, Zuko watched as she innocently skipped over to where afternoon tea had been set up for the three of them.

Zuko huffed as he followed. Girls are crazy. How was that considered normal behaviour?

A week had passed; a week of meditating, pushing water around the surface of a jug and lifting a small amount of water out of a jug.

Over and over again.

Katara couldn't figure out if she had improved at all.

Every time she expressed her frustration to Iroh, he would just smile back and say these things took a lot of time to perfect and not to get impatient. That she was improving and she would progress eventually. That mastering the basics was the key to bending. And then to meditate.

Meditating was boring.

Spirits, Zuko was right. Not that she would inform him of that fact. She wouldn't hear the end of it if she did.

Katara came out of her mood to find Iroh curiously watching her. A tired smile graced her face and she raised the teacup to her lips, sipping on it to deflect the inevitable questioning of the origin of her sulking. But it didn't come.

Instead, Iroh asked about her father. Confused where this change in topic had come from, Katara stared at Iroh in stunned silence until it prompted an explanation. According to Iroh, she had talked about her brother a few times and had understandably refrained from speaking of her mother but Iroh was a bit surprised she hadn't mentioned her father to him since arriving in the Fire Nation. He was interested.

Hesitantly, Katara talked about her Dad. How tall he was. How tall she was when he pulled her onto his shoulders. How he had begun to teach her ice cutting and how to fish alongside her brother. How she would lose herself in his movements as she watched him carving. Her Dad had loved carving and would create complex designs on the handles of his weapons, the knives they used for the cooking and the axes they used to gather firewood. Her Gran Gran's own knitting needles had been the first thing her father had carved, her Gran Gran recalling how proud she was to receive them as a birthday present. How wise he was but how a confusing question from one of his children would cause his brow to furrow as he thought through how best to get them to stop asking.

Listening intently, Iroh had sunk back in his chair as Katara described the man who raised her. Seemingly content sipping tea and nodding at her anecdotes, he leaned forward abruptly as something caught his attention.

"…he had only gotten back from the Earth Kingdom a couple of weeks before the raid. It wasn't easy as Chief to be able to spend time back with his family for long between campaigns–"

"I'm sorry to interrupt….did you say 'Chief'?"

Katara smiled uncertainly. "Yes? He's been Chief since before I was born…" At the shocked look on Iroh's face, Katara ventured, "…are you ok?"

Placing his tea on the table, Iroh slumped back, a calmer expression returning to his face as he observed her. "I apologise for any alarm. It's just an interesting piece of information, I wasn't aware of your hereditary connection to the leadership of the Southern Water Tribe," Iroh explained gently. "Your father must be very concerned about you."

Katara looked down at her hands. "Yes he will be," she said quietly.

A few moments of awkward silence passed between tutor and student. The room felt much larger than it had a moment ago, the revelation filling the space between them and removing the ease of which they had previously reminisced about Katara's history. The gravity of her situation had crashed back into Katara's consciousness and while she sat there in a daze, she noticed that Iroh appeared to be equally unnerved with learning this new information about her.

A long exhalation brought her back. "Come on now, let's finish one more set and be done for the day," Iroh said, pushing himself off the chair and extending a hand out to her.

Trying to calm down from the renewed concern she had for her family, Katara took the offered hand. The rest of the session passed without any further conversation, both lost in their own thoughts. Unable to clear her mind, Katara's bending was shakier than before the break but she continued to move through the motions. Luckily, her complaining stomach brought a welcomed end to the lesson, loudly announcing the arrival of dinner time.

As Iroh closed the door to the hallway, an abrupt cough invaded the thoughts of the subdued pair. During an entire week of lessons, Iroh and Katara had somehow managed to avoid running into anyone else from the Palace. Unfortunately that luck appeared to have run out. Turning, they found themselves face to face with a distinguished yet stern looking man. He was tall, not only towering above Katara but Iroh as well. A manicured beard framed the lower half of his face and his hands were clasped in front of his heavy robes.

"General Iroh," the man greeted, deeply bowing before them.

"Minister Shan," Iroh greeted with a nod.

"I had been surprised to note your absence from the war council for the last few days," Shan said. His eyes flicked to Katara as he continued, a note of condescension poorly concealed in their depths. "But I now see that you may have been somewhat preoccupied?"

"Indeed I have," Iroh responded. "I will be returning tomorrow."

"Good. I was wondering, have you had any word from your brother in the Earth Kingdom colonies?"

"Not lately, Minister. However, I imagine any such news would have been brought to the attention of the war council."

"Of course, of course. I look forward to discussing some matters with you after the council meeting then" Shan politely directed at Iroh, a smile forming on his face. Katara noticed Shan's smile failed to reach the eyes that glanced back at her. "Until tomorrow, General."

Shan bowed deeply in front of Iroh again, who placed a hand on her shoulder, turning them both around to walk down the hallway away from the minister. A prickly sensation crawled up Katara's back, making her shiver. Feeling unsettled, Katara peeked over her shoulder back at the man behind them.

Dark, unyielding eyes bore through her, a fury and hatred contained in them that was beyond anything Katara had ever experienced. If it wasn't for Iroh's hand on her shoulder, bearing her forwards, the animosity from Shan's scowl would have frozen her to where she stood. As it was, she stumbled before dragging her eyes from the terrifying man.

Struggling to regain her footing, Katara realised that the minister knew who she was and it dawned on Katara what she had seen. The real meaning behind the Shan's expression and the loathing she had seen burning within those eyes.

She was not wanted here.