Sokka's torn. He should want to avenge his mother, he should want to see her murderer brought to justice and he does. He just doesn't have the anger in him the way Katara does. It's been so long that it hurts yes, but…he had GranGran, Katara, all the other moms in the village. He wasn't the one who saw the body. Sokka looks at his little sister impatiently pacing on the shoreline in the predawn light, waiting for Zuko to sail up with the chartered boat.
She has enough food the trip in her bag. She even has a tiny glass bottle from Azmia. Katara scrunches her face, trying to rid herself of the flavor of tea from earlier. It had been extra awful, extra strong today. The servant had pressed her to drink the whole thing though, with a warning that she may get sick but she needs to 'flood her system' to ensure the tea works as quickly as possible.
Finally, Zuko comes into view, steering a small, rented steamboat not dissimilar to the one he'd had on his ship what seems like a lifetime ago. Toph hangs back, giving the Water Tribe family some privacy. They'd already shouted at each other about it. Katara had accused Sokka of not missing their mom and Sokka hadn't responded. When Sokka thinks of his mom, there's nothing there, just memories of Katara trying to make sure everything was alright for everyone. Maybe he doesn't miss her. He knows he doesn't miss her the way Katara does. "You don't have to do this if you aren't ready, Katara." Sokka pulls his younger sister into a hug. "But I do understand. Just make sure you come back in one piece, okay?"
"Will do." She squeezes him tighter. "I'm sorry about yesterday."
Sokka shrugs in response. "Don't worry about it." Before he knows it she's off, sailing into the horizon with the prince of the Fire Nation. Sokka's struck yet again by the bizarre shift from mortal enemies to trusting that Katara is safer with that man than with anyone else in the world. Azmia watches the pair sail away through narrowed golden eyes, grim determination clear on her face.
. . . . .
"All of the islands are close together from here on out with the exception of one strait. So, as long as we keep the shore on our right hand side we should be good."
Katara nods before turning her eyes to the sea. With a wave of her arms the boat shoots forward as the waves add to the engine's power. "Let's get there as quickly as possible." Soon she'll be looking at her mother's killer. Soon she'll get to see what kind of man murders a defenseless woman.
The sun hangs high in the sky when Zuko locks the helm in place and they break for lunch of dried fish and rice, both peppered with fire flakes. Katara grimaces. "I'll just stick to the fruit."
"You can try again, maybe you'll like them this time," Zuko ribs. Katara smiles at him but munches on her fruit quietly, picking seeds out absent mindedly. "We're making great time with your bending. We should actually reach there early tonight," he comments.
"Good."
He's right, Yon Rha's village on a rocky outcrop comes into view just as the sun dips down behind it. "You must be tired after bending all day. Why don't we drop anchor and rest for the night? We can look for him in the morning."
"No," Katara responds, very little emotion in her voice. Her stomach hurts, a deep ache in her core. She didn't even know how badly she wanted this until it was put in front of her. Now, every fleeting thought, every day dream about facing this man that had haunted her since childhood, was about to come true.
Zuko doesn't say anything, just pulls the boat up to the pier, dons a cloak and pulls the hood over his head. He gives Katara his hand, helping her out of the boat as the wind tries to push them back out to sea. He doesn't remark on the fact that her hand is shaking. They start at the stalls, mostly closed for the night but a few – mostly the ones serving drinks – are open. Zuko asks about Yon Rha while Katara gazes at the village around her. It's nice enough. It's nothing like Ember Island, but there's still more here than at the South Pole or the Painted Lady's village. Shutters creak in the wind and weeds grow in cracks in the square. Katara shivers. An air of mistrust hangs over this town on this windy, desolate rock. These people are cold and hard, just as windswept as the brambles that 'decorate' house stoops.
"This way," Zuko mutters, putting his hand protectively on Katara's waist, shielding her, her blue eye, and her dark skin from these people. Yon Rha lives well outside of the city and by the time they're near, it's well and truly night. A drizzle that began at the beginning of the walk threatens to turn into a proper storm.
The house looks nice enough, at least in comparison to the ones in the village. Lanterns hang under the eaves, illuminating gardens surrounding the house, beautiful enough to make Katara pause for just a moment. A large, pristine moonflower shines, not even the rain bouncing off of it could distract from its beauty. She ignores it, instead striding right up to the door.
Zuko catches her arm, "Wait! We don't know how many people are in there."
She glares at him. For a moment he's taken back to his room on his ship. The absolute loathing and disgust she'd had for him then pale in comparison to the cold fury in her eyes now. "It doesn't matter." The master waterbender wraps sharply on the door.
Unintelligible shouts respond only to be shouted down by another voice. The door opens a sliver, just enough for an old man with grey, stringy hair to look out at the pair standing in the rain. "Yeah, what do you want?"
Katara's blood runs cold. She remembers that voice. "You're Yon Rha."
"Depends who's asking."
"No," Katara whispers. "It wasn't a question."
The door opens wider, not out of a desire to let them in but only to get a better look at the strangers on his doorstep. "Do I know you?"
"Yes, don't you recognize me?"
"No," he squints. "I'm not sure."
"You'd better remember me." She grabs him by the collar, pulling him out into the night. "Remember me like your life depends on it!" He throws his hands up, fire coming to his aid only to have Zuko yank Yon Rha away from Katara and throw him down into the mud.
Zuko ignites flames of his own. "I suggest you don't try firebending again."
Yon Rha squints, looking from Zuko to Katara, confusion written on his face. The prince has a scar like that and was last traveling with member of the Water Tribe. His eyes widen, rain running down his face. "You're the little Southern Water Tribe girl, aren't you?"
"You were there looking for the last Southern Waterbender, weren't you? Weren't you!" She screams.
"Your mother was a bender, she's lucky I chose to kill her instead of taking her prisoner. You don't know what they do to waterbenders."
"I know exactly what they do!" She can feel it even now, his blood pumping through his veins. She could. She wants to. "She lied to you," Katara breathes. "She was protecting the last waterbender."
"What! Who?"
Lightning flashes across the sky and the rain stops. Each drop hangs suspended in the air, catching the light of the lanterns and Zuko's fire. Katara holds it for a moment, gathering more and more water around them. "Me," she snarls. The water rushes forward, solidifying into spikes of ice, all headed towards Yon Rha's head.
"Please!" he screams. "Please! I did a bad thing! I know I did and you deserve revenge, so why don't you take my mother? That would be fair!"
The ice drops and Katara just looks at him, surprise morphing into disgust. "For so long I wondered how you could kill a defenseless woman. I hated you but you're nothing," she spits. "You're sad and pathetic, a weak man with nothing inside him." She shakes her head. "You're not worth it."
"What's going on here?" Yon Rha's unkempt mother screeches.
"Nothing," Katara responds. "We were just leaving." She walks off, Zuko following close behind, keeping his eyes firmly on the retired commander.
Yon Rha slowly gets to his feet, heading for the door when Katara whirls on him again. With a shout, a roar filled with a lifetime of anguish and loss, the last Southern Waterbender follows Hama's teachings. Every flower, every vegetable, every weed is sucked dry. The beautiful moonflower and all the others wither, crumbling under the onslaught of the storm. It wasn't facing the woman whose mother he killed and it wasn't the thought of his own mother paying for his crimes that elicited a response from him. No, it was his precious garden lying desolate. Katara walks off, listening to his heartbroken howls behind her.
The walk back to the boat is a quiet one. Zuko wraps his cloak around her shoulders and holds her hand, keeping her close. Katara thought the ache, the deep throbbing in her belly would go away after confronting Yon Rha but it continues. Once they're back at sea, out of sight of the town, Zuko pulls her in tight. She returns the hug with as much intensity. Into his shoulder she whispers, "Did I do the right thing?"
Zuko nods into her drenched hair, "Yeah, you did the best thing for you. You did the right thing."
Just to be on the safe side in case Yon Rha told the guards or anyone with a boat, they dock at a small village up the strait, the pier well out of sight of the open ocean. A three room inn with two rooms available sits near the shore. The beds are soft, the rooms are dry, and the innkeeper ensures they have food in them before letting them turn in for the night. Quickly Zuko and Katara drift off to sleep, Katara safe in his arms.
"It'll be a few days before Aang is back. Do you want to go back yet?" Zuko asks as they lay in bed in the morning.
"Not really," Katara responds. "What do you know about this island? Are you safe here?"
"My mother's family is farther inland," he blurts then grimaces. "They know me though, I came here occasionally when I was younger. This town is small enough, it might be safe."
The town is much warmer and much friendlier than the village from last night. A gentle breeze rolls through town, spreading the sweet aroma of mangos through the town square. It's small enough that instead of guards or any kind of patrol, the portly mayor, denoted by the fire hairpiece slightly larger than everyone else's adorning his greying hair, simply walks around, taking his morning stroll and checking in on everyone. "Ah, visitors! Welcome to Shji!" He calls as soon as he sees the pair sitting in the square digging into a breakfast bought from a nearby stall. "It's not often we get new faces here."
He claps them on the shoulders, entirely too friendly for Zuko's liking. "I'm Xi Yuno, the mayor here." Yuno smiles at them before his eyes widen and he quickly removes his hands, stepping back. "Prince Zuko!" He starts to bow but Zuko quickly stops him, glancing around, looking for an escape route. How many people noticed? How many of these people are firebenders? How many will try to stop them? "Please My Lord, I have no ill-will towards you. You and your uncle saved my sons at the North Pole! I promise, our town loves you. Your mother's family is nearby too, they'll love to see you."
"Thank you, but we're trying to not draw attention to ourselves."
"Ah, I understand." They mayor nods excitedly. "In that case my lips are sealed." He notices Katara, seemingly for the first time. "You're the waterbender aren't you?" His eyes bug out. "So the rumors are true! I told my wife just the other day 'during the attack on the caldera there was a waterbender. There was a waterbender on Prince Zuko's ship when he was trying to capture the Avatar. There's even rumors of a waterbender healing Fire Nation soldiers. I'll be it's all the same woman.' I told her that and she didn't believe me. She didn't believe any waterbenders would be trying to put him on the throne but you, you are aren't you?"
"Uh, yes?" Katara responds, more than a little stunned.
"And you did all those things right? They said you could take out ships on your own. Is that true?" Yuno claps his hands together, looking for all the world like a child with his first candies.
"Oh, I don't know about all that," Katara laughs, more than a little uncomfortable at the unexpected hero worship.
"Well, either way, when Prince Zuko is the Fire Lord please come back. We could use some help with a new irrigation system."
"Oh, of course. I can do that." She pauses, about to say more but a flash of concern crosses her features.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, Zuko. I just…" her voice trails off as her breathing get heavier. A spasm of pain shoots through her, making her double over.
"Katara!" Zuko grabs her as she groans, her arms crossed tightly over her stomach. "Katara, what's wrong!"
"What's going on?" Mayor Xi questions as another groan escapes her lips, deep and guttural. Zuko kneels beside her, trying frantically to help but unsure of what to do. A smell, sharp and coppery, hits his nose. Blood.
Pain throbs deep in her belly. Where is the ocean? Her muscles spasm. Where is the water? Bile rises in her throat.
"Somebody do something!" Zuko shouts. "Somebody help!"
Mayor Xi snaps to attention, ordering nearby villagers around. They try to help her up, try to get her to the inn so she can lay down but it takes time to find a stretcher, a cot, anything to transport her on. It's taking too long! Zuko scoops her up and runs.
Where to go?
The inn has a bed, she can lay there. Someone can help. Someone can fix this.
No. She's a healer.
The ocean.
He bolts past the shops, the houses, the inn, and doesn't stop running until he reaches the shore. Zuko wades out into the waves, cradling her in his arms as the salt water sprays coats him. The town doesn't matter, he doesn't care what they see. Only she matters. He's seen her do it before, seen her heal without trying. "Please," he mutters.
The water around them begins to glow, racing up towards the master waterbender. Zuko kneels down, standing firm against the waves at his back, letting the water envelope Katara. It doesn't take long, a few mere seconds, for her grip to loosen. A few moments more and her eyes open, no longer squeezed shut trying to block out the pain.
"Katara?"
"I'm okay," she responds shakily.
Zuko breathes a sigh of relief, tears mixing in with the ocean spray. "Thank Agni." There, in full view of the Shji, with practically the whole town there to see the commotion, Prince Zuko kisses Master Katara, grabbing her face and pulling her close to him. "Thank Agni," he whispers again. "What happened?"
"I don't know. Can we go sit somewhere?" Normally the tug of the ocean would be a welcome reassurance but now the motion makes her dizzy.
Zuko eyes the shore, wondering what those people saw, what they think happened. Would Katara be safe? It's either here or wait to get help until they get back to Ember Island which will take much longer without Katara's bending. The mayor waves him forward. He has to try. He pulls Katara close, preparing for a fight as they get back on solid ground, just in case. "Let's get you back to the inn, my dear." The mayor insists, clearing a path through the crowd. They hear more than a few hisses of waterbender.
Once inside, Katara almost sits on the bed before looking at her wet and bloody clothes. She could bend but she's so tired. Her arms feel wobbly from the sudden changes. "Here you go," Mayor Xi announces, bringing a bundle of clothes into the room just in time. "Those clothes should fit, you're close to my niece's height. You two are safe to stay here as long as you want, I promise."
"Thanks," Zuko responds before shutting the door to help Katara undress.
"I've got it." She tries to wave him away but the clothing sticks and her fingers slip. Eventually she relents and lets him help with some of the ties. When he fumbles, his hands shaking, she grabs his shoulder. "Zuko? Are you okay?" He grits his teeth, not responding and just keeps untying the many cords keeping her outfit in place. What would have happened if he hadn't been there?
Finally, Katara relaxes onto the bed. Her old clothes lay in a sopping heap by the door. Xi Yuno's niece has good taste as the new outfit is soft and light with a rich crimson tunic lined with intricate gold embroidery that nearly reaches her knees. The sides are split, not too dissimilar to the style of her old Water Tribe blues and deep wine red pants are visible underneath. She toys with the gold sash around her waist as Zuko bustles around her, fluffing pillows and pulling the blanket up around her as she lays back. "I'm fine," she tries to reassure him.
"You're not fine!" Zuko snaps. Blood, there had been blood!
A knock on the door alerts them to the mayor's presence. "This is my brother Kyou, he's the doctor here." Mayor Xi bows low, introducing an old, thin man with deep wrinkles carved into his long face.
Kyou appraises the pair, taking note of the woman's pallor and the man's protective stance. "I'm going to pretend I didn't see you waterbend in the middle of the Fire Nation and that you simply recover very quickly," he remarks dryly. "What happened?"
"I don't know."
"Well, when did you start feeling unwell?"
"Yesterday. I thought I was just upset but it hasn't gone away," Katara replies.
"And have you eaten or drank anything unusual?"
"We've both had the same food, the same everything and nothing's happened to me!" Zuko answers. "What else could it be?"
"Actually, I've, uh, started drinking a different tea that he doesn't drink." By the slight stammer and her inability to look him in the eye Kyou can easily guess what it's for.
"Ah, I understand." He turns to Zuko. "Would you please excuse us? I'd like to talk to my patient in private."
"I'm not going anywhere!"
"Please, I'm afraid I have to insist." The doctor fixes the younger man with a level stare but the prince doesn't budge. Only when Katara reaches out and nods does he begin to acquiesce.
"Katara, I don't want to leave you here alone."
"I'll be fine. I promise."
Zuko grits his teeth. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Fine, but I'll be right outside." He glares at the doctor. "If I don't hear anything in five minutes I'm coming back in."
"Of course." The doctor bows to him. Once the door is shut behind the prince the doctor resumes his appraisal of his patient. "Am I right to assume that you're taking this 'different tea' to prevent any unwanted pregnancies?"
"Yes," Katara squeaks out.
"When did you start and do you have any with you?"
"Just a couple days ago. I took some this morning, not in tea but straight. It's in my bag. The maid gave it to me."
The doctor easily fishes out the glass bottle, uncorks it, sniffs it, and finally tastes it before returning the bottle to its home at the bottom of the bag. "Well, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it. You're fine to continue taking it. But you said the maid gave it to you. Does she prepare the tea or do you?"
"She does. You don't think she did something did she?" The sudden change in demeanor when Katara had asked for her help, the eagerness to prevent any pregnancies even after telling Zuko she wouldn't interfere, surely Azmia didn't mean to do this. Surely.
"I can't say for sure. Considering where you were bleeding from, I don't want to dismiss it."
"What she gave me yesterday was stronger than the day before. She said it might make me sick but it was just to make sure the tea started working sooner." Katara looks at the man a little wide eyed. "That is how this works, right? She didn't try to hurt me, I'm sure." Not really.
The doctor doesn't answer, weighing the possibilities. "It could. She could have given you too much by accident in an effort to get it to go into effect earlier, or she could have given you something else that is far more potent and was meant to," he pauses, wanting to put this as delicately as possible, "Something that was meant to get rid of any unwanted guests. Either way, the best thing to do now is just rest. The worst seems to have passed."
Katara blanches. Surely that's not what happened. Azmia may hate her, yes but she knows what Zuko would do if he found out and Azmia must know there's no way he wouldn't find out. It must have been a mistake. Besides, the tea had just tasted stronger, it hadn't tasted like a different drink altogether. "Thank you," Katara mutters.
The doctor simply bows, leaving the room. He doesn't answer Zuko's questions, doesn't give into his demands, reminded so much of the ferocity of his mother when she'd come to him all those years ago. She'd been wild with worry until the news of Zuko's safety reached their little town. He'd treated her for the gruesome wounds Ozai's agents had left, proof of a failed assassination attempt. Now, Zuko's eyes reflect the same worry, that same fear that someone was going to hurt the people he cared about.
When Kyou doesn't answer his questions, the Fire Nation prince storms past him, rushing to Katara's side. "What's going on? Why won't you tell me? What's that tea? Were you poisoned?" The questions fire off in rapid succession, almost tripping over each other in Zuko's haste.
"Zuko, I'm okay, just tired now."
"But what's going on?"
"I wanted to talk to the doctor privately because," she lowers her voice, "I needed the tea since we've started, you know," she glances at the open door and lowers her voice even more, "having sex. I don't want to get pregnant."
"And it made you sick like that?" He grips her hands, sincerity shining in his eyes. "We'll never have sex again, don't worry. You don't need to take that anymore."
"No, Zuko. That's not the problem. I took way too much of it, that's all." She doesn't want to tell him everything, not about this. That damn woman. She'd been the first one to say not to trust anyone in the Fire Nation court. Katara won't say anything until though, not she knows if it was an accident or not, but that woman isn't going anywhere near her tea again.
"Don't do that again, please. I can't, I don't," he sighs, "Just please don't."
"I won't, I promise."
"Is there something else you can take, something I can take instead?"
"I don't know, I don't think so."
"Damn," he mutters, unsure of how to make things better. For now, he just wants to hold her in his arms so he does, his fingers running through her hair. Chang's ribs crunched under his foot and he just kept kicking. Katara's blood had been on that butcher's hands. Katara's blood ran thick enough the air tasted like copper. She'd been bleeding again today and he couldn't do anything to stop it.
They fall asleep like that, Katara nestled against Zuko's chest and Zuko's head resting on her hair. He dreams of fire, not the warm inviting kind he'd sat around with his new friends but the hungry, consuming inferno he'd grown up with. Even in his sleep his arms tighten around the woman leaning against him. When they wake shadows are short and their stomachs are grumbling. "How are you feeling?" Zuko asks and again Katara responds that she's fine. Zuko doesn't believe her.
A light rap on the door frame interrupts their barely awake conversation. Mayor Xi bows, "There are some people who are here to see you if you're ready for visitors." Zuko tenses. "Nothing ill intended, My Lord, I assure you." The mayor grimaces. "I promise I didn't tell them who you were." That doesn't relieve the knot in Zuko's stomach.
"Can you run?" Zuko mutters. Katara nods fiercely.
Running ends up not being necessary though as a little old woman, nearly bent double with age hobbles into the room. She bows so low they fear for her balance but when she straightens as much as she's able, they can see the tears running down her cheeks. "I never thought I'd see Ursa's son here again. It's been so long, Prince Zuko. I'm from your mother's clan and helped watch you when you were a child visiting Hira'a." Her voice cracks, "Thank you for bringing our sons and grandsons home. Here, please accept this gift." She bows again, presenting him with fresh oranges in a basket woven out of palm fronds.
"I can't possibly-"
"Please, Prince Zuko, it would be a great honor."
There's not much Zuko can say in response to the older woman's sincere words. Katara readjusts so he can get up easily and accept the gift with both hands. "Thank you."
The woman eyes Katara suspiciously, noting her blue eyes and dark skin before giving her a small bow as well. Katara bobs her head, about all she can manage from her position in bed. Once the woman leaves Katara smiles. "Oranges, that was so kind of her!"
Before Zuko can respond, someone else enters the room, bowing. Katara watches Zuko, sitting gracefully now on the edge of her bed, slip into the role of prince, fascinated by the change that comes over him. Instead of the sometimes still shy and passionate man she knows who sometimes stumbles over his words when he realizes he's said them out loud, he becomes the calm, confident leader who aims to rebuild his country and end the Hundred Year War. Gone is the angry boy on the warship. In his place sits the future of the Fire Nation.
Zuko is presented with a bolt of silk, as red as the setting sun with whites flowers blossoming throughout it. "That's dyed here in Shji. I hope when you are Fire Lord it can be of use to you." This man with greying hair and fingernails stained by years of dye work bows to them both as Zuko graciously accepts the gift. Zuko bows and Katara does as much as she can, her reclining position preventing her from bending too much.
She starts to get up, but Zuko motions for her to sit back. "Relax, don't worry about it."
"Zuko, I can sit with you. I'm not an invalid!"
"I'm not saying that. I just don't want you stressing yourself out about Fire Nation royal etiquette right now. There will be plenty of time for you to learn later, when we have more time."
"I might as well start now," she replies, ignoring Zuko's protests. She's a quick study and while not perfect, she follows Zuko's lead excellently. She gives small, short bows to the people who look at her through narrowed eyes and enthusiastically greets those who smile at her. Everyone has a story about Fire Lady Ursa or her clan or knows someone who came back safely from the North Pole because of the prince and his uncle.
As the pile of gifts grows from oranges and silk to include mangos, papayas, tea sets, and a new calligraphy set, the true state of affairs on the island begins to emerge. Hira'a – the hometown of Fire Lardy Ursa - may not be a large city to the rest of the Fire Nation but on this island it's held in utmost esteem. Every month people gather there to attend the renowned theatre, barter and trade their wares, and, perhaps most importantly, listen to the advice of the elders of Ursa's clan.
Those elders had watched, silently stewing, as their beloved Ursa was taken from them but her place at the palace kept them in check. When Ursa had shown up with a hideous gash and a tale of murder they'd hidden her away until she'd healed and slipped off into anonymity without telling them. Whispers of rebellion had begun to swirl around the town. When Ozai had challenged his one and only son to an Agni Kai, the whispers grew, enveloping the whole island. When Princess Azula came to 'investigate' these whispers and had laughed while having the elders - her own grandfather and uncles - flogged, the whispers became a thunderous roar all demanding the same thing – Ozai's head. For what he did to Ursa and Zuko, for what he'd turned Azula into, he needed to die. The only problem was how could one small island stand against the might of the Fire Nation military and so the roar had quieted, becoming a whisper once again. Prince Zuko, however, changed everything. He could see the fire, the anger in many of their eyes. These people would fight, he could depend on that, several of them whispered to their prince.
Eventually the stream of people is cut short as Katara starts to lose steam and Zuko's stomach rumbles so loudly the man in front of them jumps slightly. Mayor Xi shoos the man out, bringing in a tray piled high with fresh fruit and seafood for them. "I hope we can encourage you to stay with us awhile, at least until," he squints at Katara for a moment, trying to figure out the proper form of address for the waterbender, "Lady Katara feels better."
"Thank you. Master Katara," Zuko corrects, "and I aren't able to stay for long, we need to get on our way soon. The comet's coming and we need to be ready."
"Of course, I understand."
Mayor Xi bows again before leaving them to eat in peace. As soon as the door is closed, the royal demeanor drops and Zuko digs into the lobstershrimp eagerly. Katara attacks the food just as voraciously, stretching as she chews, her back sore from copying Zuko's stick straight posture. "I don't know how you can sit like that for so long."
Zuko shrugs and between bites answers, "You just get used to it. I've been doing this since I was a child."
"Fair enough, but I think Fire Nation royal etiquette is going to take some getting used to, to say the least."
"I told you that you could learn later but no, you wanted to start now."
Katara sticks her tongue out at him in reply.
He just laughs and threatens her with fire flakes.
"Let's stay here tonight," Katara decides. "These people love you and it wouldn't hurt to be away from the beach house a little longer. Unless," she throws a hesitant glance at him, "It's not too scandalous is it, you being here with me, alone?"
Zuko rolls his eyes. "If it is, I don't care." He starts to lean over, starts to pull her in close but freezes, settling for a soft kiss instead. He had managed to stop the nightmares from the ship but seeing her bleeding again…he'd rather be gentle with her today. "Let's go to the beach." Hopefully she'll heal more, just to be on the safe side. He's sure if he were to say something he'd only be met with an insistent 'I'm fine'.
Katara smiles widely at him, "Yeah, I'd like that." She's not going to admit that more healing, not only of her damaged insides but now of her sore back too, wouldn't go amiss. Mayor Xi has obviously instructed that they be left alone because, despite whispers and elbowed nudges to look over there, they make it to the beach without any interruptions. The sun is far lower in the sky than they'd expected, the midafternoon sun reflecting on the waves. It shines so brightly the ocean nearly looks like it's on fire as Katara and Zuko wade right into it.
Katara glances at the townspeople very resolutely not watching their every move before nervously pulling water towards herself. There's still tension, some kind of deep ache inside of her. The water around her glows blue and she wills its energy into her core. It had to be a mistake. No one who wanted to legitimately hurt her would have made it past Toph. The ache eases some, but only some. The pain in her back is much easier to heal. The water runs over sore muscles, pulling the tension out before falling back into the ocean.
"Here, it's been awhile." Katara doesn't wait for a response, instead forging ahead and running her healing water over his arms and chest. "You know, you've gotten more relaxed since we got to the Fire Nation. There's not as much stress on your muscles and your chi is flowing more easily."
Zuko looks at the horizon, Fire Nation water as far as the eye can see. The smell of oranges and sandalwood mixes in with the salty ocean air. Finally, Zuko looks back at the shore. People buzz around, some running their regular errands, some 'not' watching the two of them, while children run around. Laughter can easily be heard. "It's always good to be home." Maybe not necessarily the palace, but the Fire Nation at least is his home. "I suppose it's like that for you and the Water Tribe isn't it?"
Katara rolls that around in her mind as water dances around her hands. Home. Is the South Pole home? GranGran and the other women of the tribe are her family and she loves them, she misses them but after the war is won the men will return and it won't be the South Pole she knows. She won't belong there and no matter what she's done she'll always have to fight for a voice there. The same can be said of the North Pole where women are forced into even more rigid of roles. She may have convinced Pakku to let her train but that's only because of GranGran. Chief Arnook had still been preparing to marry Yue off without her say in the matter. It had bothered her before, the realization that she could never truly go home. Now instead, she finds comfort in the slowly lapping waves and the sun warming the ocean around her. "The South Pole will always be home, yes, and I'll always enjoy visiting but I don't think I'd be happy there, not after all I've seen of the world."
Zuko doesn't try to hide his small smile.
Back on dry land Katara pulls the water out of their clothes. She almost gives Zuko a friendly jab with it but, after glancing around, decides that may not be the best course of action. Zuko's doing great at being approachable, at least in comparison to how he used to be but she doesn't need to make him quite that human right now.
"Excuse me," a little kid, no more than eight with a missing tooth and a wild mess of hair calls out, "My mom says you're a healer. Can you help?" The kid with big golden-brown eyes holds his arm out where a small cut is barely visible.
Katara laughs a little before turning a somber expression on the child, "Yes, that looks very serious. Let me see what I can do." She bends a little water from the ocean, holding it over the scrape as a woman comes running up.
"I'm so sorry, My Lord!" She bows quickly, grabbing her son. "Please forgive him for disturbing you two. I had my back turned for only a moment, he must have run straight towards you."
"It's fine," Zuko reassures her.
"I'm still so sorry!" The mother doesn't stop bowing but the child winces, the grip she has on his ear it quite firm from the looks of it. "We'll just be going."
"Wait!" Katara stops her. "Is there anyone here that needs healing?"
"Oh, thank you Master Katara but we're fine. We don't want to interrupt anything."
Katara lays a hand on the other woman's shoulders, guiding her up from the bow. "I'm here, I'd love to help."
"Katara, are you sure you're strong enough?" Zuko asks. She responds with a deadpan look. After much convincing and assuring the other woman that yes, she does in fact want to heal people, Katara is brought to the square and sat on a comfortable bench. The child is tasked with bringing buckets of water while the mother introduces a gnarled old man with hands so swollen and joints so sore his hands are practically stuck as semi-useless claws.
"Here, let me help." Katara bends the water around his hand, held in between her own. It's difficult to get so far into a joint, not a muscle, but she does. Slowly the swelling goes down and after a minute he's able to properly flex his fingers. "It probably won't stay healed like that forever, but it should be okay for a while."
The man looks at his hands, flexing them experimentally, wiggling each finger individually. "Thank you, Waterbender," he whispers, "Thank you. I thought I might never get to use my hands again."
"You're welcome. Once the war is over I plan to come back and help with your irrigation system. I'll check in on your hands then, okay?"
"Of course, Master Waterbender. Thank you!" He bows low before retreating.
"Who's next?" Katara inquires. Just like that she wins the heart of Shji.
. . . . .
On the dock, Mayor Xi presents them both with yet another gift of fresh fruit and smoked fish – the boat has already been packed with the gifts given to them yesterday and the many more that Katara specifically received when she was done healing people. She'd tried to turn the gifts down but the people of Shji were proud and insistent. An obsidian comb with delicate flowers carved into it holds up her hair while a hammered gold bangle adorns her wrist, everything else is packed safely away, including her old now-clean outfit and the one from the day before. She wears a tight maroon top and a skirt that's ruched in the front with a panel down the middle, given to her after she'd healed a particularly nasty infection that had threated a child's leg after the kid had been playing and cut themself on rusty farming equipment.
"It was an honor to meet you Prince Zuko. We'll prepare for the comet as best we can here so we can be ready to help you take your rightful place on the throne."
"Thank you. I'll make sure you're kept informed of what's going on."
Mayor Xi nods respectfully. "And Master Katara, again, thank you for all of your help. You changed lives yesterday with your healing. I wish you a speedy recovery and excellent health in the future."
"Thank you, Mayor Xi," Katara responds warmly. The mayor bows as the pair board the boat, ready to return to the beach house. "This trip turned out completely differently than what I expected," Katara notes as they sail away.
"Oh," Zuko looks over in fake surprise, "you mean you weren't expecting to be fawned over and given what, five new outfits and more food than you could eat in a year when we left?"
"Three outfits thank you very much!" She laughs, splashing him with some water. She'd left the beach house expecting to murder a man, to get justice, but instead she's returning with the knowledge that Yon Rha will be miserable the rest of his pathetic life and a whole town, if not island full of new allies. She's also returning with a throb in her belly, not often but just enough that she knows it hasn't really gone away yet.