There are certain times it's inadvisable for a servant to disturb her master unless it is a matter of life and death though and as the sun sets and dinner is wrapping up, it gets closer to that time. Azmia grits her teeth, unable to come up with any kind of plot that would prevent those two from going up the stairs to bed together. Yes, it would be smarter to wait and slowly wear the waterbender down but the idea of sitting by and doing nothing while Prince Zuko makes a mess of his life makes her stomach turn. The last time she saw him he was a child and she's so proud of the man he's become but this, this waterbender, she'll undo everything he's worked towards! If he fathers a bastard, especially a waterbending one… Azmia shudders at the thought.
Thankfully, an opportunity to undermine them presents itself rather quickly.
"Here, let me help." The waterbender begins rinsing off dishes for the servant, thankful for the Fire Nation's novel indoor plumbing that lets her do this inside.
"Oh, thank you. That's so kind of you. Are you the one who does the dishes normally?"
"There are only so many of us so yes."
The older woman looks Katara up and down before simply replying, "I see."
The master waterbender grits her teeth but smiles. "So, what made you interested in Prince Zuko's cause? Afterall, you worked in the palace, I'm surprised you don't support Ozai."
Azmia laughs coldly, "Ozai is a power hungry fool who won't be stopped until he's dead. He's got a powerful personality though. You should get used to people like him. The Fire Nation court is full of them and there are so many people who won't even bother stabbing you in the back. They'll gut you with a smile on their face then say you tripped and fell." She pauses, not wanting to push her luck but the thought of them in bed together makes her sick.
"That's good to know. I'll keep that in mind," Katara responds, unsure of what else to say to that.
She has to say something, this has to end tonight! "I'm sure Prince Zuko will help you as much as he can but you must take care and be distrusting of everyone. There's only so much he can do to protect a mistress without openly insulting his wife."
The water that had been rinsing a pot only moments before drops. "Excuse me?"
"Yes?" Azmia blinks in feigned confusion.
"What do you mean his mistress?"
The servant shrugs, "Mistress, concubine, there is hardly a difference at times. He is engaged so that's all you could ever be."
Katara grasps the edge of the sink, clenching her jaw, trying to force herself to breathe. "He's engaged?" she chokes out.
"Oh! You didn't know?" She pats Katara's shoulder with a soapy hand. "It's been set in stone for years. I can see how much you love him, but really you need to think about if you want to put up with the gossip to only get to see him once every week or two. And it's doubtful you'd ever get to keep your children too, what with them being only half Fire Nation."
At that exact moment Zuko pops his head into the kitchen. The waterbender whirls on him, her nostrils flared and anger blotching her cheeks. "What the fuck, Zuko!" She snaps before storming out of the house.
Zuko stands there, unsure of what just happened, mouth slightly agape before coming to his senses and roaring at the woman in front of him. "What did you say to her?"
"Nothing, My Lord!"
"What the hell did you say to her? For Agni's sake, what was it?"
Azmia gulps, he was such a sweet tempered child, always eager to please. She should have known the years would change him. "I thought she knew you were engaged. I didn't think that it would be a surprise. I thought she knew!"
Zuko squints at the woman, "I'm not engaged. Where would you even get an idea like that? Why would you say something like that?"
"Yes, you are, My Prince. You're engaged to Lady Mai, daughter of Ukano and Michi. Your parents decided this when you were a baby. It was all already agreed upon."
Zuko's lip curls. "As far as I'm concerned, anything my parents had planned for me ended when I was banished. And if it didn't then, it will when I take the throne."
"You would go against the wishes of your mother?"
Zuko grits his teeth. "Get out," he snarls.
"What?"
"Get. Out. Tell my uncle that your skills are more useful elsewhere, tell him you don't like me, tell him whatever you want, just get out. I'm going to go tell Katara that you're wrong and by the time I come back I want you gone." His tone leaves no room for negotiation as he turns on his heel and runs after his waterbender.
The scarred woman stands over the dirty dishes in shock. Gripping the sink just as the waterbender had a moment ago. She'd miscalculated.
"Katara!" Zuko shouts into the night, running towards the beach. She's there in the ocean, the moonlight reflecting off her skin and the icicles being thrown at nearby trees. "Katara!"
"What!" she seethes, "Here to humiliate me some more? Here to what, make me look like some common whore?" A wave crashes into him, threatening to drag him out to sea. "And to think, I trusted you! I believed you when you said you loved me. All this time, you're engaged!" Waves crash higher and higher on the shore, ice left in their wakes.
"Katara, I'm not. You have to believe me. I'm not engaged."
"And why would I believe you?"
He eyes the maelstrom growing around her. "Because I told you the truth. I'm not engaged. Azmia told me I was when I was a child but dammit we're rebuilding the Fire Nation. I know I'll have to get married but I'm not going to marry someone that I don't like. I'm not going to marry someone that isn't you!" The words slip out by accident. He'd thought about it, he'd imagined her at court with him already. He'd thought about waking up next to her every day for the rest of their hopefully long lives. He'd never said it though, never admitted that if it's not her then it's no one.
The waves falter. The ice begins to melt. As quickly as the anger rose, it begins to fade. "What did you just say?"
Zuko blushes, hardly able to say the words now. "I, uh, I'm not going to marry someone that isn't you," he stammers.
"Zuko, that's a big deal. What you just said, that's a big deal." She'd be a liar if she said she hadn't thought about it, if she said she hadn't decided that day in Chameleon Bay that she wanted to come to the Fire Nation, stay in the Fire Nation with him if possible.
"I – I know. I just," he shrugs, "I don't know."
"Zuko," Katara wades out of the water, drawing closer to him. "I want to be with you, but I don't want you to ask me something like that until we've won the war. I don't want you to become the Fire Lord and realize that being with me would just be too much."
"It won't be too much. Being with you could never be too much."
"I know you say that now, but please, Zuko, ask me once we've won and you know what you're up against. Besides, you have to have children, I don't want them soon."
"I don't either."
"They won't be fully Fire Nation, they won't be accepted, especially not on the throne. What will happen?"
"I don't know, Katara."
"What if the firstborn was a waterbender, what then?"
"I don't know but we would figure it out." He grabs her face in his hands, pleading plain on his features. "All that matters in that we're together. I will make them accept you and whatever children we have, I promise."
Her bottom lip trembles. "Zuko," she whispers, leaning her head against his, "I don't want this to ever end."
They stay out on the beach kissing, talking, and kissing some more. He looks over at her, amazed that not too long ago he hadn't dared even hope that she could return his feelings. Now, he can kiss her, he can hold her, he can make plans that have her in them. Even with the war hanging over their heads and the fears of what's to come, he couldn't be happier.
Eventually, when the moon is high Katara stretches and yawns. "Zuko?"
"Yes?"
She pulls him in for a long, deep kiss. "Let's go to bed?" Her heart pounds as she asks and even harder as they walk back to the beach house and up the stairs. Her hand in his, both slick with nervous sweat. In the privacy of their room, with the doors firmly shut, Zuko pulls her in for another kiss. This kiss doesn't stop until they're in the bed, clothing trailing behind them.
. . . . .
The wide open windows light up the room with the morning sun and let the sleeping pair wake up to the birds greet the new day. Katara of course promptly rolls over, buries her face in Zuko's bare chest, and drifts off. Zuko is more than happy to let her lay there as he slowly wakes up but her bare skin against his is a call that's difficult to ignore. His fingers trace down her back and he feels her beginning to stir. "Zuko," she groans, "it's way too early to be awake, let me sleep more." As she readjusts, hiding her face from the light, their state of undress breaks through the fog of sleep.
An hour or so later the couple gets up, casting oddly shy glances at each other as they get ready for the day, as if they can't quite believe what happened. A loud crash echoes throughout the house. Zuko sighs, pulled out of this quiet, perfect moment. "I guess everyone else is awake."
No one downstairs asks where Azmia is, they'd heard it all last night. Toph smirks, trying to gauge just how much she can tease Zuko about his unknown engagement. "So Sparky, you were supposed to marry the girl with the knives, huh? I think Katara's a better choice, she'll keep you on your toes. You know, make sure you get plenty of exercise." She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.
Zuko's face turns pink. No one's quite sure how to take that comment and it's plain on both Zuko's embarrassed and Sokka's disgusted faces. "Toph!"
"What?" She asks far too innocently. "I know you two like to spar. What did you think I meant?"
"Oh, um, nothing!" Zuko splutters.
"Now, since we don't have a maid, let's go rustle up some grub. There's plenty of fruit for breakfast but-"
"I need meat!" Sokka interjects.
Katara rolls her eyes, "You'll be fine without it for one meal. We can go into town and get some more while Zuko and Aang train."
"My Lord," Azmia calls from the courtyard's gate, "I would be more than happy to go into town for you and fetch whatever is needed."
Zuko looks up at her, his eyes flat as his arm instinctively moves in front of Katara. "You're not welcome here."
The serving woman drops to her knees, prostrating just outside of the courtyard. "Please forgive me, Prince Zuko. It won't happen again, I promise I won't interfere in your personal affairs again." Real tears begin to collect in her eyes as her voice cracks. She can't leave him, she just can't. "I'll do whatever you ask, just please don't send me away. Please forgive me."
Zuko scowls but Katara watches the woman, watches the tears run down her face. It wasn't an honest mistake she's sure but the pain is genuine. "Zuko." She touches his arm, glancing from him to the kneeling woman.
The prince grits his teeth, "Are you sure?"
Katara nods hesitantly.
"Fine." The turns to the scarred woman, "You can stay, but I don't want you speaking to Katara. If you talk to her or do anything to upset her, I won't let you in again."
"Yes, My Lord. I understand." Azmia slowly gets up, her knees not at all what they used to be, and heads to the market.
Sokka purses his lips. "I don't trust her." He doesn't trust anyone who goes out of their way to make his baby sister cry like that.
"Yeah," Zuko growls, "I don't really either."
"She was telling the truth about who she was and that she's part of the resistance. She's not lying," Toph comments.
"Yeah, but that still doesn't mean she was telling the whole truth." Zuko's foul mood carries on into training. His punches a bit sharper than strictly necessary. Toph heads out to the beach to practice sand bending, leaving the Water Tribe siblings alone together for the first time in what feels like ages. They sit under the shade in the courtyard watching the firebending practice.
"You know, Dad's not going to be happy about this." Sokka grimaces at his own thoughtlessness, if they ever see their dad again.
"About what?"
Sokka gestures vaguely at Zuko. "Azmia brought up marriage last night and you two seemed to have worked that problem out. I guess you're staying in the Fire Nation after all."
"Uh, yeah. Maybe, we'll see."
Sokka's eyebrows scrunch. "What do you mean, maybe? Obviously you two – and you know how much it grosses me out to say this to you – but obviously you two really like each other. Of course he's going to ask you to marry him and of course you're going to say yes. Anyone with eyes can see that. He even got you a betrothal necklace. Now, I didn't say anything, I was hoping maybe things were different here and that's not what it's for but since you haven't started wearing it I guess I was wrong." He rolls his eyes and groans theatrically, "Now I've got to go threaten the guy again, sheesh you're really making this difficult for me! It's going to be really difficult to beat him up if he hurts your feelings when he's the fire lord. You just had to make things hard for me, didn't you?"
Katara completely ignores the last part. "He got me a necklace?"
"Yeah, right before I went to train with Piandao. Huge rock on it and the blacksmith completely overcharged him. Dude didn't even try to haggle just said," Sokka puts on his best Zuko impression, " 'Yes, I'll take it.' Didn't even try to get a good deal, was perfectly content getting ripped off."
"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? I haven't heard about any necklace."
"Oh, I don't know. It might be because I try to stay out of my sister's yucky love life."
"Ugh!" Katara shoves him, rolling her eyes in the process.
Sokka just laughs until Azmia enters the courtyard, baskets of fruit and delicious smelling meat in her arms. Not even that sweet aroma could tempt Sokka to smile at the woman. "I know what Zuko said, but I want you to tell me if she says anything to you, anything at all."
"Sokka, I can take care of myself." She'd much prefer to never speak to that horrid woman again though.
"Katara," he replies, his tone no longer even close to lighthearted, "I haven't been able to protect you in a long time. At least let me protect you from people like her while I can. I'm going to go find out more about her"
"Fiiiiine, if you insist." Katara smiles at her brothers back as he saunters into the house. Sometimes it is nice to have an older brother to watch out for her.
"So," Sokka grabs a strip of jerky out of a basket that the servant is unpacking. "you worked for Ozai at the palace, right?"
"No, I worked for Lady Ursa, Prince Zuko's mother," she replies calmly.
"Ah, right. Funny though, Zuko doesn't remember you."
"Prince Zuko was a child when I left."
"And when was that?"
Azmia looks at him, amusement dancing across her face. "About the same time Fire Lady Ursa disappeared. I saw no reason to stay since my lady was gone."
"Oh, I didn't know she left. Where'd she go? Why'd she go?"
The woman shrugs, "No one knows."
Sokka glances at the scar on her neck. After what she said last night, he doesn't care how rude the question is. "How'd you get that?"
Azmia clenches her jaw, carefully replying, "Abusive husband."
"Oh." Sokka has the decency to look away. Maybe the question was a little rude after all. "Sorry. So, what was the crazy princess like as a kid, still crazy?"
She sighs, the ache in her heart growing at the thought of what happened to both the Fire Nation prince and princess. "Princess Azula was a prodigy, she excelled at firebending from the moment her bending powers began to show. Unfortunately, that drew both Fire Lord Azulon's and Ozai's eye. She didn't stand a chance."
"Her mother tried to protect her but," her shoulders sag, "Princess Azula was a sweet kid, eager to please. Ozai saw that and corrupted the poor child, poured all of his hatred into her. It didn't take long for her to be just as cruel if not even crueler than him, all in an effort to make him proud." Azmia dashes a tear away. That poor, sweet girl had only ever wanted her father to love her.
Sokka scoffs, "I have a hard time imagining that psycho ever being sweet. It sounds like you really hate Ozai though, don't you? Is that why you joined up with us?"
"I joined because it's the right thing to do. Prince Zuko and the Avatar will restore much needed peace to the world."
"So as long as you think he's your best bet for peace you'll support Zuko, or you support Zuko and happen to think he'll bring peace?" Sokka pushes.
"I will support Prince Zuko, no matter what," She replies without a second thought.
"Then why are you trying to undermine him already?"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Sokka replies flatly, "If you support him then you support his decisions and being with my sister is one of them."
"I don't know what you mean. My words last night weren't intended to-"
"Bullshit. Don't lie to me."
Her eyes narrow. "You must know the Fire Nation will never accept her. I want my prince to have a long, eventually peaceful reign which won't happen if she's at his side. I will support him no matter what, but I can still be realistic about the situation."
"The navy loves her. You didn't see it but they treated her like one of their own when we sailed here for the invasion."
"Maybe so, but she wasn't with the future fire lord."
"Yes, she was. Anyone with half a brain knew they were together. From what I heard he even declared his love for her in front of more than a few soldiers at Ba Sing Se."
Azmia blanches at those words. He couldn't have been so foolish!
"And," Sokka continues, "the survivors of Azula's attack still came to join us. From what I've seen, your people aren't going to care that she's not Fire Nation as long as the war is over. She has a big heart, and I'm willing to bet she's going to do a lot more good for the Fire Nation than some stuffy noblewoman would."
"You have no idea what the Fire Nation needs or what the court is like," she snaps.
"No, I don't. But I know my sister and I know Zuko. Those two together are practically unstoppable. So, you should probably not try to make the next fire lady cry, okay? Or it won't only be Zuko you're answering to."
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So, quite a bit happened this chapter. We covered a lot and I'd really like to know what you think. As you know, I live for your responses and hope you really enjoyed the chapter! You and my guilt at this being uncompleted keep me going 3