That, however, was looking impossible.
The palace was a grand structure, reaching over five stories in most parts and ten at its height. It was red with gold trim, the colors of the Nation. Great stone dragons lined the cavernous gates that stood in the giant wall that surrounded the entire palace.
All the courtyards, dungeons, rooms, kitchens – everything was surrounded by that wall, and the guards that walked non-stop across its top.
Katara couldn't help but look around her with awe as she rode through the gates behind a faceless soldier on a rhino. Everything was much more magnificent than at home. She heard the cities of the Northern Water Tribe were great, but somehow she couldn't imagine anything of the Water Tribe's making being as so grand as this.
No wonder they think we're so uncivilized, she thought wryly. With palaces like this, there's not much to compare to.
A fanfare blew up and the steady pounding of drums accompanied the group's every footstep. Katara could feel the thumping march in time with her heart.
They walked down ornate hallways in splashes of red, orange and gold. Katara felt like she was walking down hallways inside an oven. She fiddled with her fan until they came to a great set of doors.
They opened onto a magnificent room. The ceiling was two or three stories up in the air and everywhere were people dressed in beautiful dresses and handsome robes. They all turned at the opening of the door and watched with stolid faces as the procession walked down, led by General Lee.
A large man with dark hair sat in a grand, golden throne on a dais. He was so large that Katara expected it was not possible for him to be human. He seemed greater than that and when she looked again to the nobility crowding the room; it was as if they had lost their twinkle in light of such a presence.
"You were banished," rolled out a voice. It was deep and frightening like thunder.
Zuko kneeled down on one knee and bowed his head. He held a hand out behind him and Aang was brought forth.
Katara's heart jumped in her throat. He looked well enough, she supposed. It wasn't as if he had been starved, and he looked fairly clean. Aang himself had said to Katara once that it was like being a guest in someone's house except the host didn't feel like talking to him and he wasn't allowed to leave his room.
But still.
Tears welled up in Katara's eyes. Despite the guilt that racked through her, and the churning in her stomach that made her feel like she was going to throw up, she did nothing as Zuko presented his prize to his father.
"I am aware of that, Father," Zuko said, his head still down and his hand still out. "But it was decreed that as soon as I brought the Avatar to you, I would be welcome to return. This is he."
"This is the Avatar?" Fire Lord Ozai demanded. He did not sound pleased to have his son back and Katara could see Zuko take the slightest trembling breath. What would that be like to have a father that just didn't care?
"It is he," Zuko responded. His arm must be getting tired, holding it out like that all this time, Katara thought.
There was a silence after Zuko spoke. No one moved and the air seemed heavier. Katara could have sworn that if there were any flies buzzing in the room, that they would have stilled in the air, even their wings would have stopped buzzing.
But then there was a thunderous laugh that shook the ceiling. Fire Lord Ozai stepped down from the dais, walked across the room, lifted his son up by his shoulders and hugged him. And while Prince Zuko's face lightened considerably, Katara couldn't help but feel that such a strong hug from such a large man had to be painful.
"Welcome back, my son," The Fire Lord boomed. "You have done what no other Fire Nation soldier could, even Admiral Zhao. And he was competing for this honor, were you not, Zhao?" The Fire Lord turned back to the dais and Katara noticed, for the first time, the two people standing there.
One was a young girl, about the same age as Katara. Her black hair was pulled back into a knot at the base of her neck and adorned with a golden hairpiece in the form of the Fire Nation insignia. Two black bangs fell down porcelain cheeks. Her lips matched the blush in her cheeks, and her eyes were like tawny lioness eyes. The smiled on her face, however, looked forced, much like that on the face of the taller man behind her.
Zhao – Admiral Zhao – was standing in a military position, hands behind his back, feet apart, much like Zuko did whenever he was nervous or angry and trying to control it. Katara thought he was standing a bit close to the younger girl but neither seemed to care. His eyes were burning daggers thrown at Zuko and Aang, but his thin-lipped smile was meant to appease the Fire Lord.
Who either didn't notice or didn't care. Katara was smart enough to believe it was the latter.
Zuko gave the Admiral a small smirk. Zhao couldn't retort, but he did respond, his voice tight and even.
"I am glad for the Nation, that Prince Zuko was successful," he said with a bow. "The country will be pleased to have their prince home again."
"They are, Admiral Zhao," Zuko threw Zhao's title at him. No matter how far he advanced in the ranks now, there was no way he could out-position the Crown Prince, the next Fire Lord. "Did you hear them as we sailed into port? Did you see them waving flags and cheering?"
The Fire Lord waved the conversation away with a hand. "Take the prisoner down to one of our nicest dungeons," he commanded the guards holding Aang. "Chain him to the wall with irons he can't break and do not allow him to bend, no matter how insignificant the bending may seem. But don't forget, boys," the Fire Lord smiled but his eyes were serious. "He is our honored guest, and we don't want him to die of any accidents that might occur while he is with us. If you touch him in any manner that has not been commanded by me you will pay."
He did not have to say how they would pay because everyone in the room knew.
As Aang was dragged away, he caught Katara's eyes. Katara felt like she was melting into a big slimy pile of nasty goo. She was a horrible person. Just look at those innocent brown eyes!
"And who is this?" the Fire Lord's voice, while still powerful seemed to have lost some of its force.
Katara whipped around to find all the eyes in the room focused on her. The Fire Lord was waiting for an answer. She glanced at Zuko and Iroh who both nodded, Iroh gesturing for her to bow with his hand at his side.
She bowed deeply, her neck bared. If he wanted, he could break it right now. When she rose, the Fire Lord was smiling in a strange way that frightened her. Katara didn't know what to say.
"Brother," Iroh stepped forward and addressed Ozai. "This is Prince Zuko's honored guest, Lady Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. She has been traveling with us since before we captured the Avatar."
The Fire Lord stepped forward and took Katara's hand in his massive one. She couldn't help shivering but she didn't think he noticed. He was looking into her eyes in such a way that made her want to cry.
"It is a pleasure to make you acquaintance, Lady Katara," he said, bowing slightly.
What? Katara asked herself frantically. Why did he bow to me? Does he think I'm important? What will he do when he finds out I'm just pretending?
"She is merely a friend of the Avatar's," Zhao spoke up angrily.
The Fire Lord straightened quickly and spun around, still not letting go of Katara's hand. "You will speak when spoken to, Zhao," he roared. "And not a moment sooner!"
Zhao bowed hurriedly and stepped back, hiding behind the girl. "Yes, my Lord. Of course. I sincerely apologize."
The Fire Lord returned to Katara, somewhat appeased. "We will have to make your stay very pleasant, shall we?" he said, smiling again. He gestured to a guard standing by the door. "Take the lady Katara to the Butterfly Room. We are sure you will find it pleasurable there."
He smiled into her eyes once more and finally let go of her hand to clap.
"This Court is over!" He called to the people standing there. "We are through with the day, and I must catch up with my son!"
He put his arm around Zuko and shook him. Zuko looked as though he had reached heaven.
Katara turned away and was led down many opulent halls to a beautiful room, filled with paintings of butterflies, and paper kites hanging from the ceiling and walls. The room was huge with much space and though there were many red and gold butterflies, there were also many blue, green, and purple butterflies. It was like an oasis of familiar colors in the red and gold palace.
It did suit her and she was pleased.
But, she thought, later that night while she was in her bed. Why was he smiling like that at me? Why did he bow to me? Why was he so nice to me and why did he dismiss Zhao in favor of me?
The thoughts worried her, and along with her guilt over Aang, she did not sleep well her first night in the palace.
Wow, it's getting hard to think of things to say. Review and then read on!