The ship moved left and right according to the movement of the sea however Katara didn't feel nauseous at all, but felt worry. The Avatar whom she'd assumed would be much closer to her after ten years of being together, seemed to be farther from her.
She could still remember when Aang had landed on the shores of the Southern Water Nation ten years ago with his small bag that contained his monk robes, some scrolls and a couple of fruits for the probably long journey, on his Bison and with tears running down his cheeks. She'd been thirteen years old then and had been "fishing" with her brother when he literally crashed into the ice with a dead tired Bison and had been asleep.
She could still remember how shit scared she'd been and how she yelled at her brother and the guards to rescue the airbender. It had taken a week before he awoke, during those times she'd ensured he remained well fed without leaving his side.
It had been after her self imposed lockdown that she heard of the burning of Ba Sing Sae, the death of the Earth Royal Family and the takeover of the Fire "Empire".
Aang had seemed so angry and scared at the news but that didn't compare to the sacking of all Air Temples a month later. That had triggered a lockdown of both Water Nations while they sent soldiers to assist the Freedom Fighter led by Captain Jet, the Earth King's former guard.
Aang had wanted to fight but her mother had insisted on him remaining within their walls while he was taught waterbending, only after learning that would he leave. Of course he'd learnt it fast, but his age made her mother say no to his attempt at fighting in a war.
However after some victories by the Resistance, he relaxed and agreed to learn everything he could about being an Avatar while training the airbenders who had arrived at their shores three years later, in aggressive airbending which he'd learnt from the forbidden scrolls Monk Gyasto had given him.
Since then he'd become more hardened, sorta, and also more proactive in his own way. Uniting the North and South Water Nations had been one of his great accomplishment, even though it has taken a betrothal between Sokka and Yue to make it more permanent. Rescuing many Island cities under the defunct Earth Kingdom has also been another accomplishment.
He had done so much to resist Ozai and aid her father that she began to fantasize more naughty things about him that led her to kissing him in public. Aang hadn't taken it so well but faked it in public, in private he gave her the silent treatment with an enviable patience. It had taken her brother and Yue to get him out of his funk and ask her to be his girlfriend.
With a sigh she stood up from her bed and walked out of her room, with a towel over her shoulders covering her breasts under her nightgown, towards the shower room. The headache in the form of Aang was one that could keep her awake all night.
"Is anything the matter your highness?" Suki, Head Kyoshi Warrior who'd joined them after some persuasion from Aang, asked her as they showered backing each other.
"Yeah everything is fine, why?"
"Well, the constant sighing since you got in here is a dead giveaway that something's wrong"
"It's Aang, he's being distant with me." Katara said. "When we began dating he was so sweet to me even though he spent a lot of his time sending messages to a female friend that replied as quickly. At first I ignored it but now, he no longer kisses me and hasn't made love to me since we began dating a year ago. I fear the secret friend of his may be turning him against me."
"That's ridiculous, everyone knows how in love the Avatar is with you." Suki said with a confusing voice.
"I fear it's all an act. Almost as if dating me keeps the waterbenders on his side while he tries to get the stubborn earthbenders on his side." Katara insisted, Aang had always bring a tad distant but now it was worse especially with how close they were to the Fire Empire capital.
"Maybe you should ask him why the distance. Perhaps he's scared of taking the next step, fearing he could hurt you."
Katara sighed at Suki's words before she hurriedly finished bathing and left the bathroom.
Azula ducked and spun around and in one motion sent a bolt of lightning at her opponent who dodged it to send yellow flame at her. She created a ring of blue flame in one motion to absorb the fire before she ran then ducked before a ball of flame in favour of sliding between her opponents legs to jab the thighs hard.
Her opponent fell down with a yell before rolling to flip up, but his legs failed him. "Damn it Azula, I told you no Ty lee moves!"
"Really Zuzu, so when you go hinting the Avatar you'll tell him not to go into the Avatar State, or not to use waterbending?"
"I'm prepared for bending, Azula. I'll handle the kid." Zuko said.
"Who are you calling a kid? If you missed the memo, let me remind you that he's not ten years old, but twenty." Azula said. And his age is obvious when we go undercover, the Avatar is no boy but a man."Don't underestimate what he knows as you just did here to me, else he'll destroy you." I know 'cos I trained him in everything I know.
"You sound a bit defensive, does someone have a crush on the Avatar?" Zuko asked with a smirk.
Ten years ago she met Aang. She had been watching the waves at the beach alone on her thirteenth birthday because her father had been busy planning a war and her mother had left her alone with Zuko who always made her feel like a child with his insults and jabs at the fact that she couldn't bend fire as good as he could. She'd been crying silently, believing that no one would ever love her when he appeared in the sky.
It was very common to see the occasional airbender around since they loved to travel from the tense age of twelve as long as they had a Bison and could use a glider effectively as well as defend themselves in case they ran into trouble, so seeing Aang hadn't been strange. What had been strange was how he boldly approached her to ask for a place to stay that night at Emerald Island since night had been fast approaching.
Here was a boy her age bracket that didn't fear her unlike many boys, and also a boy that said only the nicest things to her unlike Zuzu. He was so respectful and had even decided to keep her company when he saw her tears. Of course two hours later her maids came for her and sent the sweet boy on his way after telling him the name of the nearest inn.
After her dinner she looked out the window to stare at the stars only to see a bird fly towards her to deliver a letter. The letter it later read was from her new friend who introduced himself properly and shared a joke with her. Of course she'd instantly with a letter of her own and a story, from that moment on they became pen pals, always talking about everything.
Through her he was able find out her father's plan, share it with his elders and then leave the Air Nation for the Southern Water Nation while the others went into hiding. Through him she knew he was the Avatar. Through her he learnt firebending and lightning bending, through him she learnt airbending fighting stances that she implemented in her fight.
From friends to best friends they moved before she began to develop feelings for her only most trusted friend in the world. With her wicked smart brains she convinced him to kiss her on the lips and finger her before it moved to her giving him a blowjob, all the while convincing him that what they were doing was what best friends did. Then they made love on his 18th birthday and soon the became a fully fledged beat friends with benefits.
Of course her guilt was soothed whenever he confessed his love for her, so she had no doubt he enjoyed their rare sessions as much as she did.
"Oh please, I'm not part of his fan club, but if you are I advise you to be careful, heard he eats male firebenders for dinner"
"Hahaha very funny sis" Zuko said before he looked towards the sky. "I'm to begin my search for him tomorrow, If all goes well I'll be back in a years time with him in chains"
Hopefully all will not go well.
Captain Jet looked up from his map when a guard entered his tent."News?"
"Sir, the Imperial soldiers have moved from Shazan and are heading to the next village to conquer."
"Which one?" Jet asked as he motion for the guard to show him on the map.
"That's the problem Captain, we are not certain. There are about three villages from Shazan which they've yet to conquer"
"Have you heard the news Jet?" The Southern Water Nation King asked as he walked into the tent with General Bato and other Earth generals.
"Just did your grace, do you suggest we split our forces three way to cover all ground?"
"Its not a bad idea Jet, problem is they might hope we do that so that they would attack King Bumi and his family in the capital." Hakkad said with a frown as he looked at the map.
"We could send word for them to evacuate?" Bato asked. "But that would defeat the purpose of this Rebellion."
"Let's take a gamble and send our men to one village." Jet said.
"The other two would be vulnerable to attack." An Earth general said.
"Let me take a hundred waterbenders to the first village while you send a hundred to the other two villages." Hakkad said. "This will leave the capital with enough men to defend her King."
"A hundred men against ten thousand? That's madness!" Another Earth general said.
"There is a river bank close by, once we are overwhelmed by the Imperial men, we burst open the bank and flood the villages which will kill the firebenders." Hakkad said.
"I'm assuming removing them from their homes will be the first thing we do once we arrive there?" Jet asked.
"Yes it will be."
