Ember Island, the ultimate tropical paradise, holds the summer homes of the Fire Nation's wealthiest citizens. Only the richest, most influential courtiers have managed to secure a parcel of land here while the rest must simply stay at the local, incredibly expensive, inns. Nestled beside a strip of trees and hidden by a wall over twenty feet tall with a long strip of private beach, the Fire Nation Royal Family's mansion sits, looking almost exactly the same as it did when Zuko last saw it nearly a decade ago.
"Are you sure it's safe?" Sokka asks as they approach quietly.
"Yeah," Zuko responds gruffly, an emotion he doesn't want to name sticking in his throat. "We stopped coming here years ago, back when my family was happy." Katara gives his hand a squeeze. "It looks like there are handymen that keep it in decent shape but with it being the middle of summer, they shouldn't be anyone here."
Slowly, cautiously, they approach the villa. A massive courtyard with benches around the edges and a decorative fountain in the middle welcomes them. The wealth of the Fire Nation is on display with large gilded dragons and deep, rich ipe wood floors. Thin rice paper screens separate the rooms. Zuko frowns, "That's not right."
"What?"
"The screens, they shouldn't look like that." He crouches down, touching the floor, "And there's no dust. Someone's been here, recently."
The floor creaks behind them.
"Who's there!" The group all whirls around ready for a fight to the death only to find an older, unassuming woman with a large, brutal but aged scar across her neck and soft gold eyes staring at them. "My lord," she bows respectfully to the prince, "Your uncle asked me to get the beach house ready for you."
"Who are you?" Zuko growls.
"My name is Azmia, I'm on your side." The older woman states calmly. Zuko squints, something about her looks vaguely familiar. "I used to work in the palace for your mother. It's good to see you so well, you've grown up so much, my prince."
"Toph?"
"Why don't we take a walk, lady?" The little earth bender decides, marching out of the wooden house to the stone outside, everyone else trailing behind.
"Do you recognize her?" Katara mutters.
"A little, but there were so many servants it's impossible to know for sure. If she was one of my mother's ladies in waiting then I wouldn't have seen too much of her anyway. No one had a scar like that though, I'm sure of it."
Katara nods, "Maybe she got it after you left?"
"Maybe." Zuko turns to look at the woman being interrogated by Toph. Her hair is pulled back in a simple topknot. Her robe is plain, not worn but not fresh from the tailor either. Overall, there's nothing remarkable about her, nothing except the scar bisecting her neck and her deep, sad eyes. They're tired, like she's seen too much of the world for her liking.
Toph shrugs. "Alright Lady, if Princey's uncle vouches for you then I guess you're good to go. What do you say, Sparky?"
"We can use the help around the house. I suppose I should thank you for getting it ready for us."
Azmia bows in response. "It's an honor to serve you, my prince." She retreats back into the house, leaving the group in peace.
"Well that's nice, you have someone already looking after us. Is this what it feels like to be royalty," Sokka quips. Zuko rolls his eyes.
"It's good we have someone to go to the market for us and everything. We probably shouldn't be out and about too much," Aang sighs, looking at the high walls.
Katara smiles. "Maybe she can help with meals! It'd be so nice to not have to worry about that!"
"Well," Toph stretches, "That's all well and good, you guys go enjoy the house and the new company. I'm not going back in there, all that woods makes my skin crawl." She sprawls out on the nearby bench, perfectly content to lay there and soak up the sun.
Inside the mansion Aang quickly gets distracted, following dragons painted on screens. Sokka, of course, finds the kitchen where Azmia is already laboring over an afternoon snack. When he reaches for one she quickly smacks his hand away, conscripting him into helping her instead of just letting him eat. Zuko and Katara walk side by side down the hallways. Zuko's hands brush over the wood, his fingers tracing patterns from years ago. "I never really thought about what it would be like to be back here."
Katara squeezes his arm affectionately. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," he responds automatically before pausing and shaking his head. "It's a lot to process."
"I'd imagine so. Maybe next summer you'll get to come here and just relax."
Zuko doesn't respond, wondering if there will even be a next summer. Their wanderings take them up the stairs, meandering down halls and dredging up the few happy memories that Zuko has of his family. "When she was really little, Azula was afraid of snakegeckos and she had me check her room before she'd go in at night."
Katara laughs, "I have a hard time picturing her being afraid of anything."
"She wasn't always, well the way she is." Zuko grimaces, "Father found out she was afraid so he taught her to kill them."
Katara's laughter dies on her lips. "Oh."
They turn a corner and instead of the many rice paper screens they've seen around the house, two large imposing wooden doors greet them. Katara doesn't even bother with the question, she knows whose room this was. Zuko reaches out, unsure of whether he should open the door or not. He grits his teeth and enters the room. He's only been in here once before when his mother had brought both him and Azula in here to tell a bedtime story. Grandfather had stopped coming to the beach house years before and with Uncle gone, his father had been all too eager to move in. Even here on the island heavy tapestries showcasing the wealth of the Fire Nation had proudly adorned the walls. Jewel-encrusted statues had sat on dark wood tables.
Now, the windows are flung open and light streams in, lighting up the tasteful décor. Long gone are the oppressive decorations his father loved. Instead, calligraphy scrolls with poetry, scenes of Agni visiting the Fire Nation, and the dragons teaching bending adorn the walls. The furniture has been replaced too. Gauzy screens that protect the new bed flutter in the breeze, obstructing the details of it but the light wood matches the bedside tables and chests. Even the tatami mat has been updated to reflect the change of inhabitants. The curtains just barely part and Zuko inhales sharply, pushing them to the side.
"What is it?"
"It's uh – it's nothing." Zuko chokes, trying to hide what in his hands.
"Oh come on, let me see."
Zuko, red from the neck up, turns. A tiny stuffed turtleduck doll in his hands.
"Oh Zuko, that's adorable! Was it yours?"
Zuko blushes even deeper, embarrassed that he was embarrassed to show her. Of course she wouldn't judge. "Yeah. My mother gave it to me and I hid it here at the beach house when Azula started to get destructive. I had completely forgotten about it."
"Well, it should go somewhere special then. Somewhere you'll see it."
"No." He opens a drawer in the nightstand, carefully tucking the doll in there where it will be safe. Katara doesn't say anything, just smiles.
"Well, I guess this is supposed to be my room now." Zuko gulps, unsure of himself suddenly. It's different here, in this house, a real house instead of the road or a ship. "It's a bit big for one person."
Katara nods. "Yeah," she responds, suddenly very interested the floor's wood grain.
"Maybe we should go and get our bags and unpack. In here. Together." He rubs the back of his head, his eyes darting towards her then quickly away.
The waterbender looks at him nervously, big blue eyes drawing him in. "I'd like that."
The bags are quickly grabbed and belongings put away. The necklace for Katara stays nestled in the same drawer as the turtleduck. He'll find the right moment. For the first time since he'd been forced off of his own ship, Zuko looks around, realizing he has very little in way of personal belongings. Katara it seems is having the same realization. She sets her mother's necklace in a drawer along with the water from the Spirit Oasis that she'd nearly forgotten about but has nothing else to place there.
"My Lord." Azmia enters the room, making the pair jump. "There are letters for you from your Uncle regarding the comet preparations. He thought you would like to be kept abreast of the situation." She bows, handing the neatly tied bundle of small scrolls over.
"Ah, thank you."
Azmia doesn't leave though. Her golden eyes roam over the room, stopping on the master waterbender and the obviously unpacked bag on the bed. "Lady Katara, General Iroh spoke most highly of you. I'm sure your bag must be heavy. Please allow me to carry it to your room."
Zuko's back straightens as he falls once again into the role of prince. He knew what to expect from the court, but he wasn't expecting to find someone so opposing her already. "Master Katara's bag is fine here. This is her room too." His nostrils flare as the servant apologizes and bows out of the room. She quite obviously leaves the door open.
Zuko turns to find Katara sitting on the bed, looking at her feet. "I wasn't expecting, I mean, I thought since she was part of the resistance…" Katara's words trail off.
The prince quickly sits beside her, grabbing her hand in his. "Don't worry about her. If she says or does anything that makes you uncomfortable or makes you feel like you aren't welcome, tell me. Wherever I am, you're welcome. This is the Fire Nation and when we win, you're free to go wherever you like. No one will dare say a word against you."
Katara sniffles but tries to smile. "When we win…having me around will just make things harder for you won't it? I'm a waterbender and the Fire Nation nobility…I would just make things harder for you wouldn't I?"
"Katara." For once watching Uncle shamelessly flirt and compliment pays off, for once being able to say what he feels is easier, for once the words flow off his tongue. He turns her face to look at him. "I meant it when I asked you to come live with me all those months ago. I meant it when I said I love you. I mean it now that wherever I am, I want you there with me. Those Fire Nation nobles that you're so worried about are the ones supporting my father, I doubt many of them will even be in a position to oppose anything I say once the war is over."
"What about the regular people, the regular Fire Nation citizens? They won't accept their Fire Lord carrying on with a waterbender."
"I watched you charm an entire ship of Fire Nation sailors. Once they know you, they'll love you. There's no way they couldn't."
Katara smiles, a little more sincerely now. A smile lights up Zuko's face and Katara can't help but lean forward, giving him a kiss that is eagerly returned. He's home and she's at his side. The kiss deepens as he pulls her close. On the bed it's far too easy for her to lean back, her hands pulling him down until he's on top of her. Tongues flick against each other as hands begin to explore.
"Oh Goddess! What the hell! Have you never heard of closing the door? Or I don't know not doing that at all? It's disgusting and no one wants to see that!" Sokka's voice rings out clearly, followed immediately by retching sounds. The pair quickly sit up, pulling clothing back into the proper place and fixing their hair. Sokka glances at them before gagging again. "Eww. I get, this is the Fire Nation and you're the next Fire Lord but that doesn't mean you get to do whatever you want! You don't get to just leave the door open while you two carry on. It's disgusting!"
"I'm so sorry Sokka!" Katara groans. "I forgot! And um, I have to go, uh do a thing. I'm going to go." She quickly scurries out, her face as bright as a fire lily.
"Um, yeah, I need to uh…" Zuko doesn't escape as easily, his brain coming up with absolutely nothing to say.
Sokka grimaces before narrowing his eyes. "Seriously dude, doors," he states before storming off.
Azmia hadn't wandered off too far, fully intent of interrupting them before they could get too carried away so she heard the whole exchange and was able to come out of another room just in time to catch Sokka looking properly scandalized. "I couldn't help but overhear! Does that kind of thing happen often?"
"Huh? What?"
"Them, together."
"Well, you're here with us so you might as well know. They've been like that for a while. Haven't walked in on them because DOORS," Sokka shouts. "I don't know what they've done. I don't want to. I just know that anything beyond a little hand holding is disgusting for my baby sister to do." He gags again. "So gross."
Azmia doesn't press. The Water Tribe boy doesn't seem particularly bothered by the fact that his sister is getting along with a firebender, more that his sister is getting along with anyone. Iroh had told her the two were close. Either he didn't know how close or he just didn't feel the need to inform her.
Truthfully, nothing could have prepared her to see Prince Zuko not only grown but grown and in bed with a waterbender. He's the prince, he needs someone who the people will rally behind, he needs a strong Fire Nation woman. If she makes him happy though, doesn't that count for something? She sighs, running her hands across the scar on her throat. No, the prince will need someone raised for the Fire Nation court and its poisonous chatter. She's not sure how yet, but she'll make sure that girl never makes it to the throne.