How have all you lovelies been?

I want to thank each and every one of you for your reviews! They truly are the fuel that keep me going, the encouragement that keep me writing: (The Prince's Choice) tt76, Macrobianfire, Aetzfeder, Mr. Meowington, and Creeper Keaton (Ch 15 TWG/Ch 16) Guest, Guest, sophiecambellbower, lucel18, KnightOwl247, Zutarawasrobbed, Saturnhotoru, SlythindorRen, storyoftheunknownfangirl, Guest, alueria, raven . creech16, Auri Kvothe, tt76, Chevalier Lecteur, Moonflier, StarlightSoulWriting, LittleMargarita, Kawaii25, Katrina, Aetzfeder, Guest, cherokee96, Zutarawasrobbed, SlythindorRen, storyoftheunknownfangirl, Sophiecambellbower, Aetzfeder, samuel adams17, kawaii25, and Mr. Meowington!

Creeper Keaton: I enjoy long comments. Don't worry yourself at all over it :) I'm glad you're enjoy it! Know that I am a huge fan of happily ever afters, so, keep that in mind as things get dicey. As for your comment about wanting to see some Zuko and Hakoda bonding, that will happen. Perhaps not in this next book, but the third one! So, hopefully you stick around.

Guest: Oof, if you were hoping for some Ty Lee x Zuko, you're for sure sniffing around the wrong story ahh, yeah, not gunna happen here XD

Guest: Unfortunatly, things need to get a little bad between Zutara before they can get WAY better (and I mean WAY). For how long this is gunna be? It keeps changing, tbh, but right now I'm looking at around 35-40 chapters!

Katrina: Long is always good! I'll have to check that out!

Katara wouldn't say she was counting down the hours until Zuko returned, but she sure as heck missed him. And those that he'd brought away with him too. Without Suki or Toph, her two closest friends here, Katara felt more than a little adrift. It did encourage her to spend more active time with some friends that she didn't hang out with as much, like Alcina or Yue, and she was given time to write letters to her family and to Eva. Still, she would admit freely that she really missed him.

There was no exact guarantee on when he'd return. She knew the date, but what time was a little unclear. On the day that the Royal convoy was set to return, Katara felt antsy. She had not realized how pathetic she was, she berated herself mentally, for feeling such a need to see Zuko again after only three days! It was preposterous. She had gone months without seeing Sokka and she hadn't missed him nearly as much.

Sokka was grumpy too, which Katara didn't even want to touch. When Sokka was in a bad mood, everyone was in a bad mood. Unlike Katara, who usually excused herself from activities to pout in her room, Sokka actively sought others to share in his woes...whatever the heck they were. She wasn't really sure what ailed him. He insisted on bugging Katara but refused to tell her why.

After managing to escape Sokka after breakfast, Katara locked herself in the Women's Hall, knowing full well that Sokka couldn't follow her there. To her surprise, it seemed most people were down in the gardens. Katara stripped herself of some of the layers she'd worn to the Royal Meal and stepped lightly down the stairs to the first level gardens.

The first thing that she saw was Avizeh sobbing, with Jin and Ty Lee attempting to comfort her.

"You'll get it, Viz," Jin said, patting her back. "You nearly had it that time!"

"What's going on? Are you okay?" Katara asked, hastening across the grass to the trio of girls. As Avizeh blubbered, trying to formulate words, Nadhari gave a disgusted noise and rolled her eyes.

"She's disturbing our practice, that's what. If she wants to be melodramatic, she could do it over in her own room," Nadhari said, pinching the bridge of her nose as she glared. "Do you think that we want to hear your pitchy wailing?"

Katara opened her mouth to snap at the dark-haired girl, but someone else beat her to it.

"Nadhari, shut up."

To Katara's great surprise, and everyone else's, it was Mai who had spoken. Mai was a foot away, her bow notched but waiting between her fingers as she turned toward the commotion with something a step above apathy in her expression.

"I'm just saying-"

"Then don't." Mai cut her off with a narrowed expression. "No one really cares about what you have to say anyway. I'm managing to shoot just fine. It wasn't until you started talking that my head began to hurt."

The entirety of the girls just stood there in silent shock, staring at Mai. Nadhari, more than anyone, was nearly bright scarlet for being snipped at like a child. Avizeh hadn't gotten a hold on her crying, but hardly anyone noticed. Mai turned back, aligning her arrow and shooting with grace and precision.

This snapped everyone back to what they'd been doing. Nadhari stormed off, furious, sending murderous looks to Avizeh.

"Perhaps we should move," Katara suggested quietly, herding the girls over to a shaded area near the edge of the gardens. Avizeh filled a cup of water, holding a small sword in her fingers. She stared at it dejectedly.

"Are you feeling...better?" Katara asked, unsure.

"No," Avizeh said emotionlessly, now that she had dried her tears. "I just have to accept it, though."

"Accept what?" Katara asked, sitting next to her.

"That I'm not going to win any of those stupid fights, even if I'm put up against Prince Lu Ten or Cousin Kuzon," Avizeh mumbled, her voice quiet and faint.

"But you were doing really well with the knife," Jin said with a bright, slightly forced smile. "I wouldn't give up hope."

"So I nearly hit a tree that's unmoving and five feet wide. Big whoop. Let's just face it...I'm never going to be good enough by the time the competition turns around." Avizeh sniffled. "And it's just so...unfair. I love Prince Zuko so much, and he might come to love me too, but we'll never get the chance. It's so tragic!" she cried, throwing herself onto the tabletop as her sobbing resumed.

While Katara thought her dramatics were a bit much, the heart of her problems truly hit hard. Katara was as unconcerned as they came about the fights. She had reason to believe she'd come out as a winner, whatever that meant. Or, she wouldn't. To worry about it seemed so stupid, compared to the real atrocities that Katara knew lay at home or in the cities around them. To Avizeh, this competition wasn't so simply put aside. Avizeh annoyed Zuko thirty percent of the time, but he was fond of many girls that Katara knew couldn't have a chance in hell at winning a fight against a Royal family member. It did seem terribly unfair that he'd never get to explore that further with them, and that these girls would be put through the stress and rigor of this stupid rule just to fail.

Katara rubbed Avizeh's back comfortingly. There wasn't much she could say. Avizeh, by her own announcement, was correct. She wasn't going to win one of these. She could hardly hold a spoon without it quivering and she screamed for ten minutes when a bug flew into her mouth once.

Looking out on the girls, who she now realized were all practicing some form of defensive or fighting techniques, Katara truly did wonder how many would be packing their bags. Maybe Avizeh had it right. Maybe letting the pieces fall where they were now, realizing that her chances were slim, was the right way to go. She'd at least spend her time doing things she'd prefer instead of trying to become a seasoned warrior in less than a moon. As it was, Avizeh's days here were set to expire.

Jin's face was set into a worried scowl. Katara had a feeling that, unless Jin pulled something extraordinary out of her, she would lose this fight too. Yue as well, she realized, looking at her light-haired friend.

While Avizeh's possible departure was met with a small hint of sadness, Jin's possible departure was a bit more depressing, and the thought of Yue having to go because of something so stupid made Katara equal parts angry and sad.

Katara could manage without Avizeh or Jin in the palace. Letting go of Yue, when she knew how highly Zuko regarded her?

It may be completely stupid, but Katara could not idly sit by.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" Katara murmured to Yue once it seemed Avizeh had calmed down enough to be left with just Jin. "Maybe...in your room?"

"Is something the matter? Can I help with anything?" Yue asked, immediately concerned.

"No, not really. I just…" Katara was unsure how to phrase it. "Please?"

There must have been some sort of desperation in Katara's voice, for Yue nodded twice. She hugged Avizeh and promised that she'd be back down in just a moment before leading Katara upstairs. Yue's room was washed in the same blues as Katara's, but more muted, like the view outside during a blistery snow-storm.

"Would you like anything?" Yue asked, clasping her hands in front of her. "I have some candies from the North, or I could always summon a maid to make us some tea. My father just sent the most aromatic brew. I believe it's made with-"

"You can waterbend," Katara blurted, wincing hard at her shit handling of the matter. "Erm, sorry."

Yue blinked at Katara with wide, liquid eyes. Not confused or disbelieving, but also without any sort of reaction. She was just looking at Katara like she had been moments ago, as though these seconds had not elapsed.

"You can...waterbend…" Katara echoed a bit more unsure. "Please, don't ask me how I know," she said, closing her eyes, trying not to imagine how furious everyone would be with her. "Just believe me. I want you to stay. I want to help you win the fight."

When she opened her eyes, Yue's delicate brows were creased and her head slightly cocked. Katara's fingers fumbled as she grasped for a water jug, pouring a sloppy tea-cup.

"Just try it!" Katara said, "And you'll see that you can."

Yue fixed Katara with an infinitely deep gaze for a few quiet moments before she said, ever so softly, "I already know."

The teacup slipped from Katara's fingers, as though it had transformed into a slippery fish, smashing on the floor. The delicate pottery shattered and the water seeped into the rug, growing wider between her and the woman standing in front of her.

"But I've never seen you practice it! And you can't just…" Katara broke off as Yue gave an expert flick of her wrists, picking up the water from the ground effortlessly. She wiggled her fingers, configuring the water into brilliant mid-air shapes - galloping ostrich-horses, leaping koi, soaring eagle-cats - before she dumped the water back into the bin. "I've been trying to do those sorts of tricks for ages," Katara murmured, licking her lips self-consciously. "And you just...did them."

"I'm not using waterbending in the fight," Yue said decisively, smoothing her dress front as she sat on a chaise lounge.

"Yue!" Katara choked, "How can you not? You're a natural!"

Yue looked at her hands, deep in troubled thought. "Katara, have you ever stolen something from a family member or a friend, even just to borrow it?" she asked.

"Well, sure." Basically, the entirety of having a sibling was stealing and re-claiming cool things back and forth. It used to be a game in her youth to see how long she could get away with sneaking Sokka's boomerang and throwing it at icicles hanging from caves.

"Back when I was eight, my father had this pen that was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It was a gift from the Earth Kingdom King, but it was carved in seals and snow flowers. I took it, just wanting to write to one of my friends, just to see what it would feel like to use it. But even as I had the ink in front of me and the pen between my fingers, I could not use it. Even though I had it in that moment, it was not mine to use. It would have been wrong," Yue explained, settling herself in this choice.

"You can't possibly be equating-"

"This waterbending is not mine to use. I was not born with it, it was shoved into me. It belongs to the spirits," Yue said, her tone hardening enough to show that she wasn't in the mood to argue about this. Unfortunately, Katara very much was.

"It's not like it's a spirit who can come and go! If the spirit leaves you, you die. I'd say it's pretty intertwined with your being." Katara made a vague motion with her hands. "And honestly, I don't think it would complain!"

"I've spent many nights debating this, ever since I woke up a couple weeks ago in the palace with this ability. It was opened, though I don't know how," Yue said, trailing off and sighing.

"So by that argument, the Avatar should not use the elements, since he is a mixture of a bigger spirit in the body of a boy...er, or girl?" Katara quickly covered.

Yue laughed. "Well, don't be silly. The Avatar was created especially for that. I was a byproduct, an unintended mistake."

"I don't think a spirit enters a dying body by any mistake," Katara muttered.

"It's quite final, Katara. While I understand waterbending with a brilliance I could have never imagined, I am quite content to just experience the knowledge," Yue said, smiling warmly at her.

Katara huffed. She had never realized it before, because Yue was always so cordial and kind, but Yue was unflappably stubborn. She wondered if it was a Water Tribe trait, or born of being the daughter of a leader?

"You'll have to leave." Katara decided to try one last time. "And I know Zuko...he cares for you. You'll have to return home and marry-" Katara could not stop the shiver that ran through her body. "-Hahn."

"Katara," Yue reached out, clasping Katara's fingers in her own. They were just as cold as Katara's usually were, now. "I am honored and warmed to see you worry so for me. But if Prince Zuko's adoration is as pure as you claim it, I could not imagine that he would allow me to leave because of something like this."

"You underestimate this, I think," Katara said, shoulders falling.

Yue pulled Katara an inch closer, looking at her with a gentleness that was almost criminally unfair. "Have faith, nayak," she advised. "I trust that everything is going to happen exactly how it should."

Katara, on some small level, wanted to agree that things happened in strange and mysterious ways. She didn't know how to convince Yue, though, that sometimes effort was required on the part of the person to achieve what one wanted.

But, she realized there would be little budging her. Yue hugged her, thanked her again for looking out, and then said that she figured it would be best she go back to check on Avizeh.

Katara wandered back to her room, feeling more than a little defeated and disappointed. She should start preparing herself for those that would lose now, so it was easier to accept that they would leave.

The door was open and Katara was a figure in the shadows. Her heart leapt as she opened it with excitement. It must be Zuko, waiting for her back in her room!

The door hit the wall as she paused, realizing it was not.

"Pan?" she asked. She hadn't seen her advisor in quite some time. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting…" Aiga was probably looking for her right now to tell her of the man's arrival.

"I've hardly been waiting," he assured away with a wave of his hand.

"Usually, it's something incredibly good or incredibly bad when you see fit to visit me," Katara observed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm not sure what you would classify this as. You're being summoned by the Royal Court of Justice."

Katara felt her heart nearly jump out her throat. Oh, fuck, they knew, didn't they? About Aang, about the airbenders, about the Avatar...she was so in trouble. Still, she kept her voice level. "Oh?" She couldn't manage more than that.

"About Bahiravi, and the attempted poisoning. They'll bring in Lady Bei Fong when she returns."

Katara relaxed. Oh, right, this was only about the person who had tried to kill her. Funny, with all that was going on, that this was literally the least concerning thing. Obviously, it was meant to be a very trying experience, so Katara put on her best serious face for her advisor.

"Of course. I assume they wish to hear my statement?" she asked.

"Indeed so. I'm sorry to dredge up such awful memories, Princess…"

"It's fine." Katara's smile was tight. In truth, she'd more or less put it behind her. It was something that was being pulled from the deep pools of the back of her mind. "She should be properly tried." Katara believed strongly in giving everyone, even awful offenders, a chance.

"You'll be asked to come in tomorrow. Does that work for you?"

Well, it certainly wasn't like Katara had a choice. Pan bid her goodbye and Katara put the notice on her desk.

While it's true that so much had happened that this seemed very inconsequential, now that Katara was being forced to think about it again, and she was looking at it from a non-emotional viewpoint, there were things she hoped would be answered.

Bahiravi was crazed, this was true, so how did she manage to think up a highly eloquent and sophisticated plot? To poison someone wasn't new, but to use that specific poison? It was odorless and would have killed Katara hours after tea, which would have made sure that nothing was tied to that place and time. It was unlikely that anyone would have figured out what the culprit of her death was, meaning that Bahiravi would have gotten off scot free. It was far too organized for her, Katara realized, it just seemed strangely out of place.

And how did she manage to get the poison to begin with? It wasn't a common poison; rather, it was one of the most obscure ones out there! Katara could hardly recall if Bahiravi's family was wealthy, but even so, she'd have to have some shady connections to buy it. Once again, the ability that Katara felt Bahiravi possessed didn't indicate a possibility to orchestrate such careful transactions.

Katara had little doubt that Bahiravi had attempted to poison her and Toph. What she wasn't sold on was that the entire plan had been thought up by the delusional contestant.

More than ever, Katara hoped the trial would shed some light upon her musings or, even better, prove Katara wrong.

XXxxXX

Zuko was the first one through the doors. He thanked each girl for accompanying him on the trip but made himself scarce quickly. It was right around lunch time, so with any luck he could slip right into the end of the meal. He felt like he was drained, and what he needed to see was Katara's smile. It was a little silly; he'd hardly been gone three days. Still, since realizing and pursuing his feelings for her, it was the longest he'd gone without physically seeing her and it was difficult. Even if they couldn't talk, Zuko was very single-mindedly determined to sooth his mind and his aching heart.

As he turned a corner, he saw his mother. She smiled warmly at her son and Zuko kissed her cheek as he passed, murmuring a quick greeting.

"Oh, actually, I was wishing to talk to you."

Zuko turned on the balls of his feet, resisting the urge to groan.

"I was actually about to pop into lunch, so-"

"We can have food brought to my room, it's no bother," his mother said, grasping his hand and patting it.

Zuko inhaled. He didn't know if his mother was trying to annoy him, or if she did so unknowingly. That was maybe the bane of a mother, though, wasn't it? Not that he didn't adore her, but she often seemed to want to chat about his life at the most inconvenient of times.

"Actually, you know the girls in the competition haven't seen me in quite a few days, so…" He trailed off, hoping that his mother would understand and encourage him. Instead, his mother studied him.

"You mean you wish to see Katara, who is currently in that dining room?" she surmised. While Zuko may be sufficient enough at lying to fib to most others, his mother was one of the few people he knew better than to even attempt it with. His mother watched the changes on his face and hummed. "Yes. I see. Even more so that I wish to talk to you, then," she announced.

It was a tone he knew well: an 'end-of-discussion' sort of tone. Zuko may be the heir apparent, but his mother still wielded a great amount of power over him and Azula, far more than either would like to admit.

Defeated, Zuko tore himself away from the dining hall door. Ursa stopped a passing servant, requesting whatever was being currently served to be sent to her study.

Once inside, Zuko sank down onto a red cushioned chair. As a child, it had swallowed him. He'd often found himself in this office with her, scrawling on bits of parchment or setting paper airplanes on fire while she worked. It was the right size for him now, but he felt like a child from the way his mother commanded the room, and he felt so small. Instead of sitting behind her desk, his mother sat on a chair next to him.

He wasn't sure what to expect.

She chatted quietly with him about how Kyoshi was until their food arrived. He could tell that this wasn't why she'd stopped him, so it aggravated him even more. The food was delicious, he was sure, but he couldn't recall the taste at all. He was just anxious. He wanted to see Katara, he wanted a moment alone, he wanted to decompress and talk to Aang about what he'd just acquired for their cause. While he adored his mother, now was not the opportune time.

"Zuko, you have not yet picked a wife," she finally said, as suddenly as a flash-flood, in the middle of Zuko explaining how the Kyoshi fought in their ceremonial dresses.

"No, well, yes...I…" He was flustered, caught off guard.

"I would have expected you would have asked Princess Katara by now," Ursa continued, frowning slightly. "It is obvious to me – and most others – that you are completely enchanted."

Zuko leaned on the arm of the chair, resting his elbows on the velvet as he placed his fingers over his lips while he scowled. He considered playing it off, until he saw his mother's kind face. His mom had only ever wanted the best for him, supported and loved him all his life. She had the sort of face that made people confess, even without meaning to.

And so he did. He knew that she'd take the fact that he'd proposed to her grave if he asked, and it felt nice to tell someone other than Aang. His mother listened without interrupting once, her face expressionless as she sipped her tea and watched him try to work through his feelings about the whole affair.

"-and she says she just needs more time, and I do believe that. Which is why she's not…" Zuko finished awkwardly, licking his lips self-consciously. "I know in my heart of hearts that she cares for me and wants to be here."

"But does she not love you?" Ursa asked, her first comment since he'd begun talking twenty minutes ago.

"I...not yet maybe. She's not like me. She doesn't just…" Zuko made a waving hand motion. "Fall into feelings."

"This is a little distressing to me," Ursa admitted. "I quite liked Katara. I had begun to imagine her as my daughter-in-law."

"It's not over yet," Zuko reminded, sinking lower.

"No, but-" Ursa started to speak but stopped herself. Zuko saw her stare down into her tea-cup and sip almost angrily before she looked back up. "I adore her. I think Katara is a warrior and a fine young woman. I do not even hate her for denying you, which as a mother, I was sure I would."

"But?" Zuko knew that tone too, and she was not done talking.

"But as a mother, my first priority is to you and your happiness."

"I am happy," Zuko defended. Stressed as hell? Yeah. A little tired? Sure. But depressed? No, he didn't think so!

"I'm not sure if I believe that. I see a boy who is head over heels for a girl who he's waiting on to love him back. It's draining you. More than that, others are beginning to notice how much you're favoring her. The people are wondering why you haven't proposed? If this continues and it gets out that Katara said no…" Ursa scowled, putting down her cup. Zuko winced. He hadn't even considered that. It would be a fiasco. Katara would be ridiculed and shamed in public, and the Fire Sages may call for her removal. It was unprecedented that a contestant had denied a proposal and remained to tell about it.

"Spirits," Zuko hissed under his breath, rubbing his temples as he dropped his head.

"But more than that," Ursa continued, taking only a small breath in. "You are denying yourself the opportunity to fall in love with someone else. I want to see you married with children, living a good life, and you're never going to get there like this."

"I've tried," Zuko groaned. "There's just no one like Katara, mom!"

"I don't think you've tried," Ursa snorted. "Not an honest attempt, anyway. But I can see your issue. If every time you try to eat brussels sprouts immediately followed by chocolate, it would be hard for you to like eating brussels sprouts, wouldn't it?"

"And Katara's chocolate," Zuko said dully. "Uncle Iroh knocked, Mom. He wants his ambiguous and indirect philosophy quotes back."

"She is," Ursa said, face stony. "So I think we both know that the only way to truly give brussels sprouts any fighting chance is to stop eating chocolate."

Zuko stood up, furious. "I won't send her away! You cannot make me, Mother. This conversation is over!" he snarled, ready to slam the door.

"Zuko, come back," his mother snapped. "I'm not advocating to send Katara away at all." Zuko paused by the door, turning around. "Come, please, sit and finish your tea."

He hesitated, but knew that he couldn't disobey his mom. With his father, he'd gladly do so, but it was different with Ursa. Grumpily, he returned to his seat.

"I'm asking you to try something, my son," Ursa said, patting his cheeks lovingly. "There are only a few weeks before the tournament. In that time, I would like you to spend less time with Katara and spend more time with other girls. Whenever you have the urge to speak to Katara, try to talk to someone you haven't talked to much. This will help you narrow down who you truly do want, as it's been a while since a culling. Sometimes, when we stop gorging ourselves on that which we feel we cannot live without, we find we can," she said quietly, almost sadly.

"And if I can't?" Zuko asked, swallowing. "If I do this and I still can't get Katara out of my mind and I've tried as hard as I could?"

"Then we will visit other options," his mother said. "Including, possibly, a long betrothal or stopping the competition. But, before we do that, I need you to be sure that she is unquestionably the one. Which means you need to give the effort to this competition that you haven't been giving," his mother lectured sternly. "Will you promise me, Zuko?"

Zuko swallowed hard. His chest ached at the thought, but like usual, his mother's sage wisdom was undeniable. It wasn't that he couldn't see Katara at all or talk with her, but he needed to treat her like any other contestant. He needed to give Katara the same sort of attention he gave Kilee or Suki.

Which, he could now see, would be incredibly difficult. And he could see as an outsider, in that moment, why his mother was asking this of him. It seemed impossible now, but to prove to his mother that his love for Katara was unquenchable, he had to do this.

"Yes," he said after a long moment, "I swear to you that I will."

XXxxXX

Zuko sat in his room in the worst mood he could recall in a very long time. He was trying to read and re-write some edicts his father had insisted he looked over, but he wasn't getting very far.

He swirled a small glass of amber liquid, tilting his wrists as he stared down at the parchment with a mixture of frustration and resignation.

It wasn't the legal document that was the source of his anger - the title being 'New Proposition on Housing in the Middle Circle' - for that didn't sway his emotions one way or another, but it was a piece of paper slipped right underneath it. Taunting him.

A letter sent via Aiga from Katara asking if they could see each other tonight.

For a second, he'd forgotten his chat with his mother and gone to eagerly reply. As he was just about through, he recalled.

And then he burned his own reply with a slam of his fists.

He'd then had to write another letter replying that he was busy. He was, but not busy enough he would usually deny her. However, would he have met with any other girl after hours? No, he wouldn't have.

He knew he should probably explain it to her, but that seemed worse.

Hey Katara, I let my mother convince me how to play this competition, but I swear I can make choices by myself!

So, Katara, since you won't give me an answer, I'm going to play the field and see if I can fall in love with someone else. That cool?

It was mere hours into this agreement and already it was killing him.

But, somewhere deep down, the fact that it was doing so told him that he needed to see it through, as difficult as that was going to be.

There was a knock on his door. At first, he ignored it. He wasn't the mood to have a tête-a-tête with Azula, nor talk to his father, or get weird advice from his Uncle.

"Uhh...Zuko? You in there?"

Aang. The singular person that he realized he might be able to stand right now.

"Door's open. Come in," he grumped, not getting up.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when Aang entered and there was something attached to his shoulder. At first, Zuko almost though it was a rat or a chipmunk-hawk, until he saw its wide ears. He groaned; he'd nearly forgotten about Aang's new pet, the most whispered-about topic among the maids and servants right now. And, honestly, everyone else.

"You couldn't have gotten something a little less obvious?" Zuko hissed, waving a hand to the wide-eyed monkey creature. "Fucking spirits, if you wanted a pet, I would have suggested something very Fire Nation. Like a flaming lizard or something."

"What? Oh, duh!" Aang hit his head. "You haven't met Momo." Momo hissed at him, chittering angrily. Aang petted Momo's head. "Shush, Zuko's sometimes mean, but he doesn't really mean it-"

"I do," Zuko growled.

"I didn't go out intending to get a pet," Aang said, shrugging his shoulders down so Momo could explore Zuko's study. "But I had to get him. He's the last of his kind!"

"And you don't think that this was a bad idea for you, specifically?" Zuko narrowed his eyes, "An Air-Nomad animal?"

"Look." Aang waved his hands. "It's done now, okay? And yeesh, I guess, well never mind. I wasn't going to leave him. Besides, there's little talk of that. I ranked to be 'More Fire Nation' on the Royal Family Poll than Lu Ten did two years ago. I eat, sleep and breathe Fire Nation-ness."

"I guess it can't be stopped, we'll have to watch for damage control. What did you want?" he asked.

Aang snorted. "Why are you so grumpy?"

"I'm not!"

"Riiiiight," Aang stretched out his word. "Uhm, well, I was going to show you this letter, thought it might make you happy, but now I'm just thinking that it might make you angrier or more stressed…" Aang was creeping back toward the door. He gave a whistle, calling Momo. "So I'm just gunna-"

"Kuzon. The letter," Zuko said, holding his hand out. Anything worth bothering him with this late at night had to be important.

Aang hesitated but finally handed it over.

"It's from Rasra. You know, the guy from Ember Island."

"Yeah, I know who that is," Zuko said with a roll of his eyes. He realized that he was probably being unnecessarily cruel, but Aang just rolled his eyes back. It was only his good-hearted nature that kept him from flinging Zuko's attitude right back at him.

He flicked the seal, which had partially re-melted to the letter, to read it. It was folded from where Aang had creased it as he read it.

To whom it may concern,

We wished to thank you for taking the time to visit our little island! We are so honored and hoped you had an enjoyable time.

As a token of our appreciation, we have a few gifts for the Royal Family. I have just recently acquired them and thought it would be best to send them your way. Three buffalos. One filly, aged 10. Two males, 17 and 29.

What would be the best course for these three?

I look forward to your reply.

Ever grateful,

a fRiend of roddEn

Zuko read the letter twice, frowning at it.

"See," Aang leaned over, pointing to the two strangely capitalized letters in the signature. "Rasra...his last name begun with an E, but I've forgotten it." He was speaking in old Air Nomadic. Zuko switched over fluently.

"I take it that the three 'buffalos' are-"

"Yeah."

Zuko weighed the letter, rolling it up.

"I suppose we're in business now, aren't we?" he said, taking the letter and moving to his desk. With a wave of his arm, he cleared enough space away to see the map that was laid out. "I procured Kyoshi for our cause, by the way, but…." He looked at the Earth Kingdom. He needed to find a way to get them to where Dhakiya was, and it was a long journey.

This would take some careful planning.

"It's a clever letter. Most wouldn't think twice about it, though they might be disappointed that we aren't getting actual buffalos," Aang said, leaning on the other side, his finger tracing near Ember Island. "I'm just glad Azula didn't see it."

"Hmm?" Zuko asked, his attention half-way on Aang but mostly on the map.

"Well, she was around the post. She got a letter from Chan on Ember Island too. This letter was postmarked to Shoji, but I have a feeling if it was to me or you she would have opened it without a doubt."

"It was smart of him to address it to a guard," Zuko nodded in agreement.

"Actually," Aang made a tiny coughing noise, "We sort of had a weird moment."

"You and Shoji?" Zuko mumbled.

"Me and Azula."

Zuko snapped his head up. Aang bit his lip, wincing.

"What sort of moment?" he asked cautiously, his full attention now shifted to the young airbender. Aang gave a great, long sigh. He explained the whole exchange in the kitchens, about the letter from Chan and her weird attitude toward it. Then, he came to the point where she'd asked about his ancestry and how she'd gotten soft at the end.

"I usually can't figure out what's on her mind, but this morning?" Aang huffed. "I'm worried she's unraveling my...you know," Aang said, scratching his wrappings that hid his tattoos.

Zuko had another thought, one that made him feel vomit rise in his throat. He coughed on the bile, shuddering.

"Arg! Ew! Damn her," he said, reaching for his whiskey to mute the taste on his tongue.

"What?" Aang asked. "I feel like I just missed something."

"Yeah! She's not interested in how well you know our family tree, she's 'interested' in you! Not romantically. Well, quasi-romantically. My dad told me that she needs to be married off soon, so she's been pushing for an advantageous marriage, one where she can weasel her way back into power here. You know, important sons of lords who would be worthy of being Fire Lord if something 'tragic' happens to me. She was seeing how closely we're related so that she can…" Zuko felt ill again. He couldn't even finish that thought. Aang looked a little green at the thought too, but looked unsure.

"I dunno...she's smart…" he said, but shuddered too. "Is it weird that I'd rather that be the case?"

"You might be my brother, but dude, I don't want you as my brother-in-law," Zuko said, trying to banish the idea from his mind.

"Uh, me neither," Aang guffawed. He scrunched up his nose. "That's...hmm. Maybe I shouldn't be so nice to her."

"I dunno…" Zuko raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure being mean would turn her on. I'd say be as nice as possible and she'll be absolutely disgusted with you." He took a long drink. "And as much as I wish that were the most pressing issue, it isn't. We have three pieces of delicate cargo that we need to get from here -" he tapped Ember Island "- to somewhere here." He tapped the Earth Kingdom. Aang nodded resolutely.

"I hope you got a nap today." Zuko cracked his knuckles. "Because we aren't leaving until we have it figured out."

Very plot-y. But, I still hope you all enjoyed it. What do you think about Zuko and Aang's fight? Who do you think was right? What was Azula's true goal? And what do you think about Yue not using her waterbending? And Mama Ursa, gasp! Lots of things happening, eh?

So, this weekend is my birthday, and I would really love it if you would drop a review as a birthday present.

I'm doing things I love as I upload this, which is basically I'm re-watching Crimes of Grindlewald. It's not my favorite HP movie, far from it, but a HP movie is great any day. And, oof, I gotta just...just talk about it for a second. QUEEN AND JACOB IS MY SHIP yall. I know we're supposed to root for Newt and Tina, but man am I feeling Newt and Leta. And Nagini and Creedence, my heart. I wish that they'd done more about the magic about London, instead of just setting it there with little relation to the plot, ya know? Anyway, those are my quick thoughts. I have a thousand more but I just needed to say that.

Also, Nayak means little sister in Inuit!

So drop a review, tell me what you think! See you on the flip side, ya crazy Zutararian kids.