A/N. Well, this chapter's quality is better than the few before! I had a small writer's block these last few weeks. But this feel so good, and we are coming to the end of the story. I think I still have 10-15 chapters, and then, I'll have a sequel, that I have finished planning!
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
P.S. : I used Nepalese as a base for some sentences. I'm sorry if I used it incorrectly.
Watching the airbender disappear into the theatre, Katara's throat was dry, and she didn't know if she should cry or laugh.
Aang had just showed her all his fears… In case he would die. She didn't want to think about that possibility… Not again. But he had been telling the truth. It was a possible outcome of the following days. One she would rather not even consider, but a possibility, nonetheless. And he was right, of course.
Him dying… It would break her. And she understood why he was trying to make her promise not to fight on if that happened. Aang was trying to make sure she would survive the aftermath of their defeat. But Katara knew that the moment he would fall… She would be gone too.
She had felt it when he had been hit by that lightening. It had felt… horrible. As if everything that could make her happy in her life was gone, and the only thing left was an empty shell that was bent on revenge. Her father had seen it and had recognized the symptoms.
Closing her fingers around the smooth stone on the silken band, she knew, without looking, what it was. Aang's question had been… unexpected. Katara had not thought he would be thinking about that again. Marriage… It had been far from her mind these last few days. Well, not entirely, as they had talked about their ideas of the future these last few nights. They had danced around their shared future, preferring to talk about what they wanted to do if the world was at peace.
She had talked about helping her tribe, and the airbender had daydreamed of restoring the temples… But they had not talked about what they would do together. Sure, she wanted to marry Aang. It had never been the question. The first time, on the Day of Black Sun, Katara had wanted to say yes… But her fears had made her say later.
Not because of not being sure. She was! The waterbender didn't want to wait, to hurt him… But it had been the better choice. The Fire Nation would do anything to disable Aang. And if their feelings were known… But he was right. The Fire Nation knew it. Azula had given orders, and this play confirmed that the whole country had to know one thing: The Avatar loved Katara of the Southern Water Tribe.
They had to know how to hurt Aang…
How could she be responsible for so much pain? Katara didn't want to be the reason they lost… But at the same time, she didn't care, for if there was a choice between winning this war and keeping Aang safe… She would choose to live in a world destroyed by war, if it meant that Aang was alive.
It was selfish.
That, she knew.
But as her father had probably guessed, she didn't care. That had been the reason her dad had tried to stop this relationship. He had known she would do anything to keep Aang safe. So, hurting the airbender was keeping him safe… Even if she hated to do it.
Without looking at the necklace, she let it slip into the pocket of her red dress. It broke her heart, and she knew Aang had a point when he said that the Fire Nation already knew… But that didn't mean they needed to make it worse than it already was.
Looking at the horizon, Katara saw that the last rays of sunlight had just disappeared, making the sky orange and yellow. It looked… unnatural. Sure, she had seen sunsets before, but this one… It looked like the sky was spitting a poisonous gas into the world. All the beauty of the sun was gone, being replaced by this. Was it the coming of the comet? The summer had been hot, and, if Aang was to be believed, it had been the worst summer he had ever lived through.
Sighing, the waterbender turned to the door, and walked through it, back into the theatre. The corridor was empty, meaning that the play had started once more… Tui and La, she didn't want to go back in there. She had hated it so much… But this act was the one that mattered. The first had ridiculed them, the second had made them criminals, trying to murder the glorious and kind princess Azula.
Oh yes, so glorious. Shooting someone in the back. Oh yes, so kind. Threatening to abuse someone just to mess with someone's feelings.
Such a compassionate person. Katara nearly gagged at the thought of Azula being anything but evil incarnate. The waterbender hated Ozai, for what he represented… But the princess? No, that, that was personal.
She found the door leading to their small balcony, and, trying to think of anything except the weight in her pocket, she opened it just a notch, just enough to sneak inside without letting too much light in. As she closed the door behind her, Katara looked at their seats. Aang and Sokka were sitting on the first row. The airbender turned around as she entered, but she couldn't see the expression on his face as it was too dark.
On the second row, Toph lay flat over the bench, eyes closed and clearly not wanting someone to sit next to her. And just on Katara's right, the third row was occupied by Suki and Zuko, sitting as far away from each other as possible, leaving only a space between the two.
Sure, the waterbender knew she could sit next to her brother… But she also feared what this act would do to her, so she preferred to be with the two people she knew least of all. So, awkwardness awaited her.
Shuffling past the Kyoshi Warrior, she sat down on the third row.
"Hey, where were you?" Suki whispered very quietly, so that no one else could hear.
"Outside." Katara answered shortly, in the same kind of murmur. She didn't want to elaborate on what had happened, "What happened?"
"Ehm… Well, you and the others apparently made it back to your father. With Aang dead." Suki looked at her with wide eyes.
Shit. Of course, the pamphlet had sais there had been prisoners of war who had helped the writer. So, that was going to be so horrible.
"Well, how did they explain Aang surviving?" She asked through gritted teeth. This wasn't going to be fun, was it.
"Water Tribe sorcery. Apparently, Hakoda can raise the dead." Suki sighed. Of course. Of course this play wasn't going to show the healing powers of waterbending. That would be too civilized for savages like her. Spirits, how she hated that her people were portrayed this way…
"It felt like that. But it was the Spirit water that did the trick." Katara admitted.
The waterbender put her elbows on her knees, and put her fists underneath her chin, watching what happened on stage. In the half an hour that followed, she watched as they stayed with the Water Tribe. The taking of the ship went… Well, as it had gone in real life. The Fire Nation didn't need to change details of that to make it appear bloodthirsty. For it had been just that. Katara had killed that captain just… Well, just for being the person he was.
It hurt to see that her character didn't care for what happened to Aang. She had been glued to his bedside nearly all the three weeks. But here, in this Tui forgotten play, they made it look like she didn't care. As if Aang's healing had not been her top priority.
"How did it go… really? Sokka hasn't told me about it." Suki whispered to her as they watched. Katara glanced at the first row, but her brother was just looking stubbornly at the stage, while Aang was clearly irritated, looking at the play with a serious look with his fingers pressed against his cheek.
"Like that… But with a lot more emotions, all over the place." The waterbender responded. She didn't want to explain the hurt, the fear and the uncertainty she had felt… At least, not with Zuko next to her. The firebender was not as bad as she had thought him to be… But still, it was not perfect.
The Kyoshi warrior didn't answer that statement, but there was nothing to say to it. Katara turned her attention back to play, where Aang just woke up. She had to restrain herself when she saw that they didn't hide away in the Fire Nation. That had been the best few months of their travels! It had finally been… peaceful. A lot less fighting, and they had been able to relax a lot, training Aang and… and being able to live a little.
But of course, the Fire Nation wasn't going to show those parts, Katara understood. They had fomented revolt and dissent among the ranks of the Fire Nation civilizations. At the school, the airbender had shown the students how the Fire Nation used to be, and what they had. At the Jang Hui river, she herself had helped the villagers to resist against the factory… Even at Fire Fountain City, they had provoked enough ruckus to make the authorities hunt them down.
And of course, the Fire Nation was going to hate that.
So she watched as the play made her hate her character even more. Fake Aang was clearly trying to talk to her about that scene in the barn, but her actress just brushed it aside, ignoring it and going to make out with the first Water Tribe warrior that walked about the minute Aang's character was out of sight. Spirits…
Casting a glance at the airbender, she saw the fingers against his cheeks were clearly pressing hard into the skin, as where his fingertips made contact, the skin was milky white. He was angry. And after hearing what he thought about it a few moments ago, Katara knew he hated that they treated her like that. He was jealous, or angry at her. He was vengefully angry with the writer for hurting her feelings and making her into something she was not.
And she loved him even more for it.
"Katara!" Looking up, she saw that it was the fake airbender on stage, who stood on a set of water and ships, grinning dumbly at her own character. Oh no… Not that scene. Not now. Not after what Aang had asked.
"Yes?" Her character turned to "Aang" and quickly put on a fake smile on. Spirits…
"I thought… I had been thinking…"
"Please Avatar, come back!" Katara nearly groaned at the formal way her character suddenly addressed the fake Aang. She heard chuckles coming from the crowd in the theatre, and wanted to drop all the water of the ocean on these people. They had no right to laugh about this! It had been a sweet and loving moment! And the play was ruining it, once more!
"The Fire Lord is certainly going to defeat you, but you will need to run. I don't wish to lose someone as close as a brother!" Her character spoke dramatically, a hand on her chest and another against her forehead.
Seriously? Really?
That was their take on this?
A hand grasped her wrist, and, looking down, Katara realized she had begun to stand up. Suki, holding her fingers closely around her wrist, shook her head.
You can't do anything.
Spirits, she hated this!
Letting herself fall back in her seat, she saw how Aang also stood, and he just turned around and walked away. As he walked past them, she felt the heat radiating from him. It was clear those words had hurt him. The door opened, and thank to the light streaming into the balcony, she saw that her brother was also up, following the airbender outside. As the door fell close behind Sokka, Katara was surprised to hear Toph speak up.
"Great Spirits, this is painful to watch. What happened?" The blind girl had opened one of her eyes, even if it didn't change anything for her.
"They completely ruined…" She realized that Zuko and Suki didn't know what had exactly happened on stage, "They ruined that moment we had before the invasion."
"Oh, that." Toph understood. Toph always understood, even if she acted like she didn't care or even wanted to know. The blind girl sat up straight, ignoring what was happening on stage.
"That?" Suki asked softly, obviously thinking it was just a sweet moment that the play had ruined.
"Aang… Aang did something sweet, and the play is making it out as if I didn't care. But I did!" Katara grumbled, ignoring the voices of the characters, who apparently were busy fighting in the invasion. And getting their asses handed to them by the good and brave soldiers of the Fire Nation.
"What she means is that Twinkletoes proposed, and she said no." The blind girl explained to the others. Katara nearly hit her at that moment. Why had she told them that! The waterbender had been careful not to phrase her own answer so that would stay a secret!
Looking at Suki, she saw the wide sad eyes. In that expression was only compassion and understanding. But beside her, on her right, Katara heard a chuckle.
Whipping her head around, she saw Zuko sitting in the corner of the bench, just chuckling away. As if it was the funniest thing in the whole world.
"What is your problem?" She asked him, irritated.
"Agni…" The firebender stopped laughing, sat upright and looked her in the eyes, "What a mess."
Was that all that idiot had to say? Katara turned her back to the firebender, choosing not to listen to him. But as she turned, she faced Suki once more. And the girl's clear blue eyes widened as she saw the waterbender turn to her once more. But Katara had seen the expression that Suki was trying to hide.
Worry.
"Ehm… Why did you say no?" The Kyoshi Warrior asked, uncomfortable.
"I didn't say no!" Katara protested, realizing that she what she was saying, "I mean, I did! But not like, No way in the cold hells of La that I will marry you! Rather… That we should wait until after the war." The waterbender felt slightly embarrassed to talk about this with anyone other than Aang, but now that the others knew what had happened… Well, it was probably better to talk about it.
"That… sensible." Suki smiled tentatively, clearly not convinced by her own words.
"Yeah, no need to marry to fuck, right?" Toph butted in, with a grin on her face. Katara knew that the blind girl meant well underneath all the graceless remarks, but it was not the right moment. This was not about physical attraction, this was about the whole mess the war had created, and Katara did not have the patience to deal with the earthbender's words.
"Shut up." She said, hearing the same words being uttered by Suki.
"Right, right, just trying to ease the tension a bit. I'm going to look what Aang is doing. He is much easier to tease. And it calms him down." The blind girl let her feet touch the ground and walked out of their balcony.
That left Katara with Suki and Zuko… Two of the people she would rather not discuss these things with. Well, Suki would be all right… But not the prince. He was not a sensible and intelligent person when it came to feelings and emotions.
"Ehm… Do you want to tell me what happened?" Suki asked gently, and, sighing, Katara knew it would probably be better.
"Well… Aang gave me a necklace before the invasion. In the Water Tribes, you give one when you ask someone to marry you. I… I-I wanted to accept it after the battle, the moment we had won… But we lost. And Azula made Aang scared out of his mind for me. So… we only talked about it at the temple, and we had a misunderstanding." Katara felt that saying it in a matter-of-fact way was the best option, because she didn't want to think about those few days… At least not too much.
"He thought you said no?" Suki asked softly, while Zuko was listening without saying a word. All the better.
"Yeah… But we resolved it. It is just… This play. It has been messing with everything!" She didn't want to talk about what Aang had asked between the two acts. That was something between her and him. But at the same time, she could really use some advice…
"Do you think I was wrong?" Katara asked, not looking at Suki. She had been afraid that she had been wrong. Aang was right. The Fire Nation already knew everything, so why not… But Katara knew why not. The Fire Nation would put far more pressure on finding the Avatar's wife than the Avatar's… whatever she was in their eyes. And if she was captured, while Aang was alive… She would never see him again, for he would be locked up in the darkest place underneath the Royal Palace, with the threat looming above his head that in case he tried something, she would be hurt.
But… That would work either way. Even if they were not something official, Aang would never let something happen to her… Not voluntarily at least.
"I don't think you were wrong Katara. Aang asked, and he got an honest answer. And he respects it, so why worry?" The Kyoshi Warrior smiled cautiously, putting a hand on her arm.
"Because he hated the answer?" Suddenly, Zuko spoke.
"What?" Suki asked, irritated. Katara didn't say anything. Had Aang spoken about this with the firebender? No… probably not. If he had confided in someone about this, it would have been with Sokka.
"I mean, underneath his idiotic behaviour… He is kind of an honourable and kind person." Zuko began. Katara sat up slightly at the idiotic behaviour part. Sure, Aang had his moments, but those had nearly disappeared into nothingness these last few weeks… Regretfully. She had loved his less serious side. But the worry and stress of everything had brushed aside that part of his character.
"So?" Suki's voice cut her off before Katara could berate the firebender for insulting Aang.
"He wants to do that before he dies." Zuko answered harshly, his ember eyes piercing into her own blue ones.
"He is not going to die!" Suki answered angrily.
Katara sat between the two. Zuko had just said what Aang had been trying to get across while they had been on the balcony outside. That it didn't matter anymore… And that he wanted to do that before he went to fight Ozai…
"Maybe, maybe not. Don't get me wrong, I don't wish him dead, but we need to get into our heads that it is a real possibility. If Ozai is not defeated before the comet, we will all die. So, we have two real options. Fight Ozai, and win. Or fight Ozai, and lose. Either way, we all live, or we all die. There is no scenario other than that." Zuko sighed, rubbing his fingers against his temples. Katara frowned. There was a third option…
"What about the whole capturing Katara to get Aang to surrender deal?" Suki asked, before slapping her hand in front of her mouth.
Katara's eyes widened. She had not told Suki about that. And sure, maybe Sokka had told the girl all about that… But how did Zuko know?
"What did you just say?" The waterbender squinted her eyes towards the Kyoshi Warrior.
"Well, you know… Sokka told me, and Aang kind of admitted to it when you were away a few days ago…" Suko smiled, but it was clearly a fake smile.
Turning to the firebender, Katara looked into his pale eyes.
"What do you know?" She asked, trying to sound as severe as possible. Zuko, to his credit, didn't flinch.
"What my sister threatened to do. What my father has ordered to." Behind her, she heard Suki groan. Katara guessed that that meant that the Kyoshi Warrior knew what the fuck he was talking about. Arching an eyebrow towards the firebender, Katara nodded for him to continue.
"Ozai has ordered the domestic forces to capture you. After Aang, you are the public enemy number one." Zuko said, not without some semblance of kindness and concern.
Katara didn't answer, choosing to look at her hands. As she watched her finger begin to tremble, she realized what this meant. This meant that all her worries… Everything they had tried to avoid, was for nothing. She had thought that if she was captured, she would be able to hide her feelings for Aang. No one had known… But now, it was clear. The Fire Lord himself knew, and had ordered his troops to find her. And this play was meant to show the people of the Fire Nation that the Avatar loved her.
Everything had been for nothing.
All the hurt, all the fighting… All for nothing.
She had hurt herself and Aang to protect them… But it had been for nothing. If it had been just Azula hunting them, she would have been able to fight that… But the whole domestic army of the Fire Nation knew and was trying to find her. So that Aang would have no choice but surrender himself.
"Hey… Are you okay?" Suki asked softly, putting a hand on her shoulder. Katara nodded, but didn't say anything else, for the door opened once more and Aang, Sokka and Toph entered. The waterbender observed that her brother was holding the airbender's arm in a tight grip, as he put him down on the bench of the second row.
Toph and Sokka sat down on the first row, leaving Aang sitting just a few inches beneath her.
Trying to calm down, Katara turned her attention to the play. This was going to be the important part. She had missed the invasion, but the set was still the Fire Nation capital. Looking at the stage, she saw the actor who had played her father grovel in front of a large, muscular man earing red and orange robes, with an ornate hairpiece in his topknot. It was clear that that was supposed to be…
Ozai.
Rolling her eyes at the pitiful display, Katara knew her father better than that. He would have been silent, ignoring the insults and just letting it all wash over him without reacting to it. But he would not have begged for mercy. That, she knew.
"Well, that it's… right?" Her brother turned around, to speak with them, but the theatre didn't do the same. The crow stayed sitting, clearly waiting for the rest of the play.
"I don't think so…" Aang groaned, pulling the hat her had been wearing further over his head. Katara's heart nearly broke hearing the tone, for it sounded so tired and defeated that it hurt to hear it.
"Tui and La… They are going to do the future, aren't they?" As Sokka said that, their father's actor walked off stage, and a big orange lantern crossed the stage. Ozai's actor turned around, watching the lantern, and smiled happily.
"With the energy harnessed from that comet, no one will be able to stop the Fire Nation!" He shouted, triumphantly, as the actress playing Azula entered the stage.
"Father, Zuko and the Avatar are in the palace." She said, and the fake Ozai turned to her, smiling.
"You deal with your… brother… And I'll deal with the Avatar."
They didn't sound stressed, or scared! They should be afraid, but of course, Katara knew that this wasn't going to be a happy ending… So, she watched as what she was afraid off unfurled in front of her.
"I'm the rightful heir to the throne!" Zuko's actor screeched, before being engulfed in the blue flames of the princess, "Hoooonnooorr…" The pitiful shout resounded through the theatre, and, casting a glance at the real Zuko, she saw that the firebender had gone pale, and that his fists were balled up on his knees, slightly smoking from withheld anger.
"So, you have mastered all four elements?" Ozai's actor suddenly spoke, and Katara turned her attention back to the stage. "Aang" and "Ozai" stood facing each other.
"Yes, and now, you are going down."
"No… It is you who are going down! You see, you are too late, the comet is here. And I'm… unstoppable!" Ozai shouted, before attacking.
Katara bit her lip, watching as the "flames" were now bigger sheet of red silk, probably showing off the amplified power of firebenders during the comet. But the actress playing Aang didn't use firebending, which surprised her. Of course, Aang would fight with fire if he was battling the Fire Lord during the comet! Why let such an advantage go to waste!
One of the red silk banners hit the actress, and she fell down, closing her eyes. Katara felt her lip tremble now, realizing she had just seen what she was afraid of happening…
"It is over Father! We have done it!" Azula's actress spoke, as in the background, Katara saw herself, her brother and Toph, all in chains, being escorted off the stage.
"Yes… We have. The dreams of my father… And my father's father, the great Sozin… Have been realized!" A huge fire red banner, with the emblem of the Fire Nation, dropped down, and suddenly, the crowd beneath them exploded into a cacophony of shouts, cheers and applause.
Her friends stayed seated, clearly not happy about the end. Of course not!
"A Royal Announcement, before we close the theatre." A man climbed onto the stage, where the actors were bowing to the ovation. Katara heard Zuko groan, and the theatre went silent.
"Fire Lord Ozai and Fire Princess Azula!" The man began, and the waterbender realized what that meant. Fire Prince was the title of the heir to the throne. They had erased Zuko from the succession!
"Want to recall to everyone that the criminals known as the Avatar, Katara and Sokka of the Water Tribes, Toph of the Earth Kingdom and Zuko, traitor to his people, are not the good people you saw on this stage. They are dangerous and will stop at nothing to kill our glorious Fire Lord. Anyone knowing about their whereabouts and their activities will be rewarded. Also, information about the traitor Iroh will be rewarded in the same way. Long live the Fire Lord!"
Cheers went up again.
Katara stood up, having enough of this whole debacle. Her friends followed her example, and they went outside. As Katara marched off towards the exit, she tried to remain calm.
Aang had been right. It was no use. They might die the coming days. He might die fighting Ozai. Fuck the world, fuck the responsibilities. Screw being careful! She had enough. Katara had always thought of the greater good! She had let Aang go and fight the Fire Lord, alone, during the invasion! Because it was the sensible thing to do! She had let her life be dictated by fears and illusions. No more.
The Fire Lord, with his orders, could go fuck himself. Azula, with her killing and threatening, could go jump down a cliff. Her father, with all his sensible advice and fears, could just leave her be. Her brother, her friends, with all their good and kind advice, were wrong.
She didn't want to let others decide her life, and certainly not if it was going to be a very short one.
Aang had been right. They should do what they wanted to do.
Feeling the cool summer night air in her face, Katara stopped and let the others walk past her. She earned a gentle nod from Suki, as Sokka was insulting the writer. Toph and Zuko walked past her then, not saying a word. And then, after a few seconds, came Aang. He was looking at his feet, and she heard him mutter something in the Air Nomad language, underneath his breath. She didn't understand it, for her Air Nomad was rusty… at best. And she guessed that whatever the airbender was saying, he hadn't taught her.
Taking his hand, Katara saw how he was startled by the contact. Katara put a hand in her pocket, taking out the necklace and showing it to him. Suddenly, she realized what it looked like. Like that time in the temple… When she gave it back.
Closing her fingers around it, she looked the airbender in the eyes. He saw apprehension, and a little fear.
No more.
"Ma timila dherai maya garchu" She struggled through the words, cursing herself for not having learned more of the language of Aang's youth, "Sansara rahos. Ma… Ma timi… sanga bihe… garna."
"I love you so much… Let the world be, I… I want… to marry… you."
Answers:
Jjsmith103: Oh, I think Aang was kind of breaking the 4th wall lol! Yeah, Aang was much more patient and intelligent in this version than he was in the show, because I didn't want to do that to him, and it would have been weird to make him suddenly childish. And indeed, keeping it a secret doesn't make sense anymore. I hope you liked this chapter!
Rak: He just wants to do what he thinks is right, now that he still has a chance to do so. And Katara is throwing caution in the wind… Which may or may not be a good plan, but that, we will see.