The next few days at the Palace were hectic. Things had gotten back to a relative normal, but everyone was on edge and the attack was all anybody could talk about. Overall, twenty-six people had been killed, including two Council members. On top of that, there had been dozens of injuries. Most of the casualties were soldiers and guards, but a few servants and civilians had gotten caught up in the attack and resulting panic as well. Katara was most shocked to learn that Akame had been injured in the attack. Apparently when the alarms sounded, Akame had run to Katara's room to check on her only to find an assassin ripping the room apart in an apparent search for the Waterbender. Akame had caught him by surprise, and in his attempt to flee, he had roughly thrown her aside and she had broken her arm in the fall. Katara felt horrible that Akame had been injured because of her, even though Akame insisted it was not her fault and she had no reason to feel bad.

Katara had spent nearly every waking moment treating injuries and comforting the families that had lost loved ones in the attack. Zuko on the other hand had been in constant meetings with the remaining Council members, trying to formulate a plan to find and recapture the escaped prisoners. They knew that they were still somewhere on the main island of the Fire Nation, as they had sent word to each portside city and town to warn them. So far nobody had reported seeing the escapees, so it was assumed that they were hiding out in the mountains west of the Capital. Scouting parties had been sent to search the area, but the mountains were dense and so far they had found nothing. Their only clue was a series of footprints that had confirmed they had indeed gone into the mountains, but the trail went cold once they hit the rockier terrain. Zuko wished Toph was still around; she could have tracked them down.

The guards in both the Harbor and Caldera cities as well as in the Palace were doubled, and frequent patrols moved through the streets. But everyone was still scared. The attack had come out of nowhere, and they had all grown accustomed to feeling safe and at peace.

Upon interrogation of the assassins who were caught, it was discovered that the Royal Guard had traitors in their midst. It was revealed that these guards had taken shifts both at the Palace gate and the entrance to the prison, and when the time came they had knocked out the guard on duty with them and let the group that they had revealed to be called the 'Phoenix Initiative' just walk through the doors. These guards had been searched for, but it seemed that they had fled with the rest of the Initiative when they took off for the hills. It made Zuko paranoid, knowing that these people had been a part of his staff. He couldn't help but wonder if there were any more of them just waiting to stick a dagger in his back. The guard captains had done a thorough investigation upon this discovery however, and they assured Zuko that the remaining guard were all loyal.

The worst part of it all was that he still didn't know exactly why these people had turned on him. After his coronation, there had been small pockets of people who were against his rule and had tried to fight. But Zuko had thought that was over. He couldn't figure out what had made these people suddenly turn on him, though he couldn't help but think it was because of his relationship with Katara. He kept thinking of General Kohoku's protests in regards to her, and wondered if these Phoenix Initiative people felt the same and were angry that Zuko was breaking from tradition. That thought made him terrified; not for himself, but for Katara. If they were truly angered by the thought that she would be Fire Lady, then surely Katara's life would be in even more danger than his own, though he wasn't so sure of his own safety either. They had broken Azula out for a reason; she was the only member of the Royal Family left who was still fit to rule, by Fire Nation tradition. Their father could no longer Firebend, so therefore he was useless to purists like them. Crazy as she was, Azula was someone they could rally behind, and someone who had a legitimate claim to the throne.

It had been another long, busy day, and he had hardly seen Katara at all. She had healed the people injured in the attack as best as she could, but she had been spending a lot of her time out amongst the citizens, trying her best to alleviate some of their worries. Zuko wasn't sure how comforted the people were, but he knew they appreciated that Katara made the effort nonetheless. And she was genuine in her attempts to get to know them as well; every day she returned to the Palace with stories about all the interesting people she had met. Zuko couldn't help but love her more for it, and despite everything it only strengthened his resolve to ask for her hand in marriage. He knew without a doubt that the people of the Fire Nation would be thrilled if they were engaged, and those who opposed their relationship were vastly outnumbered.

It wasn't until dinner that he saw her. She entered the dining room where Zuko and Iroh sat together chatting and greeted them both warmly. Katara gave Zuko a quick kiss then took a seat, filling up her plate hungrily.

"How did it go today?" Iroh asked.

"Well, people keep asking if we have found the escaped prisoners yet, but otherwise I think things are getting back to normal. At the very least, they feel a bit safer with the increased security in the city. Do we have any news on the escapees?"

Iroh shook his head with a frown. "We still have scouts out combing the mountains, but it's possible they aren't even there anymore. It's also possible they took a private ship out to one of the other islands, though I don't think it is very likely. If Zuko is their target, I doubt they will go too far."

"Have the captured assassins said anything more? Do we know who these Phoenix Initiative people are?"

"Unfortunately no," Zuko replied. "All we've managed to find out from them is that they are a group of people who want to put Azula on the throne, but either they are unwilling to tell us anything else, or they simply don't know."

Katara let out an annoyed sigh. "There's always something, isn't there? It's been five years since the end of the war, you'd think things would have settled down by now."

"The unfortunate reality is that it will take generations for things to settle completely, and even then it will be a tense subject. People do not just forget a hundred years of war and the mass genocide of an entire culture," Iroh said regretfully.

"I just wish it wasn't my own people turning against me…" Zuko said with a sigh.

Katara reached out and took his hand in hers. "Your people love you Zuko. This is just a small group of insurgents who wish things could go back to the way they were when your father ruled the Fire Nation. They do not represent the citizens as a whole."

"Katara is right, nephew," Iroh said with a nod. "I have never seen the people of the Fire Nation so prosperous, happy, and free. There are very few people alive who can remember the last time music and laughter flowed through the streets and the people of this nation flourished as they are now."

Zuko nodded. He knew they were right, but it was hard to not feel like he was failing somehow. Logically he knew that there would still be people who disagreed with his reign, and there likely would be for the rest of his life. These people were just angry that they no longer had the power they had gained through war and terror, and they would never accept him as Fire Lord. Yet he struggled to convince himself that it was not his fault that these people prefered war to peace.

He spent the rest of dinner in contemplative silence, listening to Katara and Iroh chatter idly. After everyone had finished, Katara convinced him to take a walk through the gardens, knowing that he needed to clear his mind. As soon as they were alone, she turned to him with a smile.

"Get out of your head and stop doubting yourself," she said bluntly.

He blinked at her, then grinned sheepishly. She knew him so well, and it always warmed his heart when he was reminded of that fact. Katara seemed to take his grin as cooperation, and continued along the path in satisfied silence. After a while, Zuko changed direction and headed towards the pond under the tree, which had become their favourite spot to sit together after the palace had settled down for the night. They sat back against the tree, hand in hand and watching the reflection of the rising moon glimmer on the still surface of the water.

"I'm sorry you are getting caught up in all of this," Zuko said, finally breaking the comfortable silence.

Katara furrowed her brow at him. "Zuko, I love you and I chose to be here. Not only that, but you are still my best friend, and I would be here for you no matter what. Even if I was miles and miles away, if I had heard you were in danger I would have come to help you. So don't be sorry."

"I know… but I still am. After everything we have been through, it would have been nice to have some peace and quiet."

"Weren't you complaining just a few weeks ago that you missed having adventure and danger?" Katara asked with a sly smile.

Zuko chuckled. "I guess I spoke too soon. I think more than anything, I missed having all of our friends together; I really enjoyed having everyone here and I don't think I realized just how much I missed them all until they left again."

"I know what you mean. Despite all the bad things and the hard times, we really did form strong friendships and I have so many great memories."

"It's crazy to think how things have changed over the past five years, especially considering none of us were sure we would even survive the end of the war. Maybe once all this business with the Phoenix Initiative is over, we can take a trip together and go visit all of our friends. We will have to take time away for Sokka and Suki's wedding anyway, so we should make a trip of it."

"That's a fantastic idea," Katara said, beaming.

Zuko smiled in return, silently admiring her for a moment before taking a deep breath to muster his courage and calm his racing heart. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object wrapped in silk cloth. He caught Katara's eye and swallowed hard.

"I uh… I have a gift for you," he mumbled.

"A gift? What for?" she asked, surprised.

"Because I love you," he replied with a chuckle. "Do I need a reason?"

Katara blushed. "No, of course not. This is just unexpected."

Zuko smirked at her and handed over the folded silk. She took it gingerly, running her fingers over the smooth fabric curiously. He watched her silently, his heart pounding as she unfolded the fabric and uncovered the gift hidden within. It was a necklace; a red ribbon embroidered with a delicate design in deep blue. Attached to the ribbon was a circular charm that looked to be carved out of the inside of a seashell, the pearlescent surface shimmering in the moonlight. On the surface of the charm was the engraved symbol of the Fire Nation. Katara sat silently staring at it for a long moment, at a loss for words. It was clearly a Betrothal Necklace, but it was also a perfectly represented both her Water Tribe heritage and, if she accepted, her future as a member of the Fire Nation. She had definitely not been expecting this.

Zuko shifted nervously, her growing silence fuelling his nerves. He watched her run her fingers over the necklace gently, then she looked up at him with wide, excited eyes. He breathed a sigh, and finally spoke.

"Katara… You… you are everything to me. You make me a better, happier person, I can't imagine my life without you. Will… will you marry me?"

Katara's face broke into a happy grin, tears springing to her eyes. She threw her arms around him and held him close, burying her face into his neck. "Of course I will!"

He let out a relieved sigh, and wrapped his arms tightly around her. After a few moments he pulled away, then picked up the necklace with a smile. She pulled her hair out of the way and turned around, allowing him to fasten the necklace around her neck. Once it was secure, he let his fingers graze the bare skin on the back of her neck, causing her to bite her lip as the sensation sent a shiver through her. He leaned in and pressed his lips to her skin gently, laying gentle kisses down her neck and across her shoulder. She grinned and leaned into his kisses encouragingly. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close as he continued to kiss her. Katara wrapped her arms around his, letting out a happy sigh.

"Shall we retire, my future Fire Lady?" Zuko whispered, his breath tickling her ear.

She could feel hot desire pulsing through her, and his words seemed to ignite her body. "I think that's a wise idea… before I start undressing you here."

Zuko chuckled and stood, helping her to her feet. She turned to him and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him into a passionate kiss. He smiled against her lips, letting his hands wander over her body for a moment before pulling away gently. He took her hand and led her back towards the palace at a quick pace, wanting to get somewhere more private before he could no longer resist his future bride. Together they entered the palace, laughing and kissing as they made their way through the halls, not caring who saw them. By the time they had reached Zuko's room, they were kissing feverishly, tearing at each other's clothes. The moment the door closed behind them their clothes were abandoned altogether, and they tumbled onto the bed in a tangle of limbs as their bodies came together hungrily.

XXXX

The next morning, Katara woke as the first rays of sunlight began to seep through the cracks in the curtains. She looked over at Zuko, who was sleeping peacefully beside her, then reached up to touch her necklace with a happy smile. She gave him a gentle kiss, then slipped out of bed and slipped into Zuko's robe. She crossed the room to his writing desk, nearly tripping over their discarded clothing in the processes, and sat down, pulling parchment and ink towards her. She began to write a letter addressed to her father, Sokka, and Suki, determined to inform them of her engagement before it became public knowledge. She wrote for several minutes, making sure to include updated information about the Phoenix Initiative, as they would have almost certainly heard about the attack by now. When she was finished she rolled up the letter and sealed it before setting it aside and grabbing a fresh piece of parchment and starting a letter to Toph. It always felt strange writing to Toph, as the Earthbender had to get someone to read the letter to her, but she didn't want her friend to learn of their engagement through word of mouth.

By the time she had completed both letters, Zuko had begun to stir. He reached out for Katara sleepily, his eyes opening when he met nothing but empty sheets. He sat up and spotted her across the room, rolling up her second letter. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and searched for his pants, spotting them on the floor. He slipped into them and then joined Katara at the desk, kissing her forehead affectionately.

"What are you doing?"

"Writing letters," Katara answered vagely.

Zuko raised an eyebrow at her, smirking. "I can see that."

Katara returned his smirk, then held up the letters. "This one is for Sokka, Suki, and my dad, and this one's for Toph. I wanted to let them know about our engagement before all the royal proclamations and such got out."

"Fair enough. I'm sure Suki would murder you if she found out through gossip," Zuko said with a laugh.

Katara chuckled and nodded. "She would definitely not be happy. But if I send these out today, they should hopefully reach them before word travels that far. We can tell Ty Lee and Iroh in person, thankfully. But otherwise, I think that covers everyone…"

Zuko gave her a questioning look, then realized that she had left out Aang and frowned. Their wedding would be a huge affair, and word of their engagement would spread quickly. There was no way to keep the information from him, and despite everything, Aang was still their friend. They couldn't leave him out of the loop, as difficult as it may be to include him.

"Why don't I handle the letter to Aang? Even if he has been tossing all my letters into the sea, at the very least we can say we tried."

Katara gave him a grateful look and nodded. "I would appreciate that. I honestly don't even know how I would start to tell him, and considering I haven't sent him any letters at all since he stormed off, I don't think it would be a great topic for my first correspondence."

Zuko leaned down and kissed her, letting his fingers run through her hair before pulling away. "Why don't you leave these letters with me, and I will write Aang's now and send them all together. I'm sure Akame will be waiting for you to sneak back to your room any time now anyway," he said with a laugh.

Katara blushed and grinned. "We really aren't subtle… are we?"

"Not even a little bit," Zuko replied with a grin. "At least nobody will be surprised when our engagement goes public, if they don't suspect we are engaged already."

Katara laughed, then stood and started gathering her clothing and getting dressed. Once she was ready she returned to Zuko and gave him a kiss. "See you at breakfast?"

"I'll meet you there," he replied with a warm smile.

Once Katara had left, Zuko settled himself at his desk and pulled out a fresh piece of parchment. He stared at the blank page for several minutes, trying to find the right words. Finally he decided there were no right words, and simply began to write.

Dear Aang,

I hope you are well, and that you have received my last letter. I wouldn't be sending you another one so soon, as I don't want to harass you if you would rather not speak to me, however I have some news that I would rather you hear from me instead of through gossip. I honestly don't know how to tell you this, so I will just put it bluntly. Katara and I are engaged. I asked her to marry me last night and she accepted. We have yet to announce it, as we wanted to make sure our friends and family knew first, and that includes you. You are still our friend Aang, and I really hope that one day you can be happy for us. I understand if you are still hurt, but I know it would mean a lot to us both if you could be supportive, or at the very least let us know that you are doing okay. We miss you, and if you are willing, I would love to sit down and talk to you in person. Maybe that would help.

Wishing you all the best.

Your friend,

Zuko

With a sigh, Zuko rolled up his letter and sealed it, hoping that Aang was actually reading his correspondence. He would feel terrible if he had found out about his engagement to Katara through someone else.

He got up from the desk and got himself ready for the day, tying his hair up and pinning his crown atop his head before scooping up the letters and leaving his room. As stressed as he was lately, he couldn't help but smile to himself as he strode down to the rookery. He couldn't stop thinking about Katara and the future they now had to look forward to. Their wedding, her coronation, and maybe someday soon, their first child. He blushed at the thought, but it was certainly not an unwelcome one. Ever since General Kohoku had made a fuss about the possibility of a Waterbender heir, he had been thinking about the topic frequently and imagining what his and Katara's children would be like. The idea of starting a family was intimidating, but he also found himself eager to give it a shot. He was determined to be a good father, and to give his children all the love and praise that he never got from his own.

After stopping at the rookery to mail the letters, Zuko headed towards the dining room. As he entered he spotted Katara, who was sitting with Iroh and Ty Lee, who had come up from the Villa for breakfast. She hadn't been up to the palace since her school opened, so Zuko hadn't seen much of her and he was happy to see her.

"Hey Ty Lee, I wasn't expecting you this morning," he said, taking a seat next to Katara.

"I had the morning free, so I decided to come up and check on you guys! I know it's been crazy around here lately; Katara has filled me in on all this Phoenix thingy stuff."

Zuko smiled, appreciating her ever carefree attitude. "well, your timing is very convenient," he said, glancing at Katara.

Iroh raised an eyebrow and gave him a curious look. Zuko just grinned at him in response, then began filling his plate. Katara noticed the exchange and hid her laughter behind her hand. Iroh put down his fork and fixed his gaze on his nephew.

"What are you hiding?" he demanded.

Ty Lee shifted her gaze between the two men, now curious herself. Katara moved her hand away from her mouth and cleared her throat adjusting her necklace as she did so. Iroh looked over at her and for a moment he didn't seem to register her clue. But then it sank in, and his face lit up with joy. Ty Lee however merely blinked at her with a confused expression, so Katara decided to just fill her in.

"Zuko and I are engaged," she said with a grin.

Before anyone else could speak, Ty Lee let out a shriek that Katara was sure was heard throughout the entire palace. She leapt up out of her chair and practically divided onto Katara, enveloping her in a tight hug. Iroh got up as well, wiping a happy tear from his eye before moving to the other side of the table, giving Zuko an equally tight hug.

"I am so happy for you, Zuko. I knew it was coming, but still, I am so very happy."

Zuko grinned boyishly, returning the hug. "Thank you uncle."

Once Ty Lee had finished crushing both Katara and Zuko in excited hugs, they all sat back down and finished off their breakfast while Ty Lee bombarded them with questions about how Zuko proposed, what kind of dress Katara wanted, when the wedding would be… until she ran out of questions and merely let out another excited squeal. Katara laughed, overjoyed that her friend was so excited. She only hoped that everyone would be so happy for them.

XXXX

"This tastes like swamp water!" Azula shouted, tossing her bowl across the cavern and into the wall opposite her. She had been broken out of prison by the Phoenix Initiative and they had escaped into the mountains, but now they were hiding out in a series of dank, dirty caves far up in the peaks. They had made the hideout as comfortable as possible, but cots only gave so much comfort, and poorly made stew only did so much to satisfy. Azula should have been grateful, but she was finding her accommodations to be no better than her prison cell. "How long do we have to stay in this hole anyway?"

"Azula, you have spent the past 5 years chained up in a cell. We have to make sure you are in fighting shape before we take action, or we will be defeated before we even begin. You are the rightful heir, and if we lose you we have nobody to rally behind," Mai replied, her voice monotone and bored as usual.

"I am not weak, Mai! I can fight right now!"

"We have to be patient. The people still rally behind Zuko, we need to shake their trust in him before we can go for the throne directly."

Azula huffed and crossed her arms in agitation. She was going stir crazy, and needed to get out and blow off some steam. "Then let me go on the mission. I'll prove that I'm in perfectly good shape."

Mai raised an eyebrow. "My uncle said…"

"I don't give a damn what your uncle said. I am your Fire Lord, and I demand that I participate in this mission!"

Mai sighed, knowing it was pointless to argue. "Fine, I will let him know."

"Good, you do that. While you're up, tell someone to bring me more food, mine is all over the floor."

Mai fought the urge to roll her eyes, and instead gave Azula a curt bow before heading off to find her uncle.

XXXX

A few days had passed since Zuko and Katara's engagement, and now that the royal proclamation had been made, the entire Fire Nation seemed to be abuzz with excitement. As Zuko had predicted, the common people were ecstatic when they learned that Katara was to be their Fire Lady. The day the announcement was made, Katara couldn't walk from one end of the palace to the other without the servants and guards stopping to offer sincere congratulations, and when she walked down into the city the next day to make her usual rounds, she found herself unable to walk anywhere at all. The moment she was spotted, people crowded around her to kiss her hands and offer her gifts. Katara was both overwhelmed, and incredibly touched.

After a couple of days, they received replies to the letters they had sent. Katara's father sent them a congratulatory letter, stating how happy and proud he was. Sokka sent Zuko a threatening letter, informing him that if he hurt his sister, he would hunt down his space sword and use it to gut him like a fish. But he finished the letter by saying he was very happy for them both. Suki's letter was addressed to them both, was written entirely in capital letters, and mostly contained phrases like, 'I TOLD YOU SO!' and 'I AM SO HAPPY!'. Toph's reply was short and to the point, and merely said, "It's about damn time. Congratulations… no I will not be a bridesmaid."

The most shocking reply they got was a letter from Aang, which neither of them had expected. It was addressed solely to Zuko, and merely said:

Zuko,

Thank you for having the consideration to tell me personally, and before I found out from someone else. Congratulations… I wish you both happiness.

Aang

It was short, but it was something, and Zuko found his reply to be rather positive, considering everything. Even Katara couldn't help but feel like maybe he was coming around a little, though it would likely be a while before he would properly talk to either of them. They were both encouraged by his reply however, and they were both in high spirits.

One afternoon a few days after receiving Aang's letter, Zuko had found himself with a rare few hours alone. Katara had gone to the Villa to visit Ty Lee and the Kyoshi Warriors, who were already making great progress, and there were no visitors, scheduled meetings, or anything important that needed his immediate attention, so he took the opportunity to relax for a while. He spent some time meditating by the fire, practicing his breathing techniques, then once he was satisfied, he grabbed his swords off of his bedroom wall and headed out into the gardens to practice his fighting and bending forms. Iroh always made fun of his idea of 'relaxing', but Zuko found that it the best way to clear his mind and recenter himself. He had wasted so many years being angry, so taking a few hours to be calm and disciplined was the perfect way to help keep his more explosive emotions in check.

It was a bright, sunny day and the whole palace seemed to be taking the day off. As he walked out into the gardens he saw nobody but the two guards on duty, and even they seemed to be nodding off. It was a perfect lazy day, and it had been ages since Zuko had gotten to enjoy such a peaceful afternoon.

He was halfway through his bending forms when one of his guard captains came rushing up to him, a letter in hand. "My Lord! Urgent news!" he said as he approached.

Zuko sighed, disappointed that his peaceful afternoon was over, but immediately gave the man his full attention. "What is it?"

"My Lord, we have just received word that the village of Hei Yanshi was attacked. It seems the Phoenix Initiative was behind it…"

"Isn't Hei Yanshi near the Black Cliffs? How did they get there unnoticed? I thought the Initiative was in the mountains west of here."

"They were my Lord… they must have travelled south-east through the mountains where there are no settlements, which would explain why we have had no word of them since the break out."

Zuko sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose in agitation. "Do we have any more information? How are the villagers?"

"It seems most of the village was set ablaze during the attack and there were quite a few injured, though the report did not mention any details. However…" the man paused, looking nervous.

"What else?" Zuko prompted.

"My Lord… it seems that Princess Azula was among the attackers."

Zuko clenched his hands into fists, trying to restrain his rage. He took a deep breath to steady himself, and when he spoke, it was with calm authority. "I want you to gather twenty of your men and as many healers as you can find and have them all be down at the docks and ready to sail within a half hour. Also, send word to the Villa and ask Lady Katara and Ty Lee to head to the docks immediately. Fill them in and tell them I will meet them there."

"Yes Sir!" the man said, giving Zuko a salute before turning on his heel and marching back into the palace.

Zuko took another steadying breath, then headed inside himself, in search of his Uncle. Iroh wasn't hard to find; he was up in his room bent over a Pai Sho table, studying the tiles with intensity. When Zuko knocked he called for him to enter, never taking his eyes off the table.

"Uncle, I must speak to you immediately," Zuko said, striding across the room.

Iroh waved his hand, indicating him to go on, but his eyes remained on the table. Zuko gave him a confused look, but continued.

"The Phoenix Initiative has attacked Hei Yanshi. I am taking a small group of soldiers and heading there immediately, and I would like you to keep everything under control here while I am gone."

Iroh was silent for a moment, then finally reached out and moved a tile before grabbing a piece of parchment next to the board and writing a note down. He rolled up the parchment, tied it, and finally looked up at Zuko, who was looking thoroughly confused.

"I figured something like this might happen, I just wasn't sure where they would strike first. It is a shame that innocent people are caught in the middle." Iroh stood up and stretched, then walked towards the door, ushering Zuko along with him. "I will inform the Council and keep order while you are gone."

"Thank you Uncle, I knew I could count on you." Zuko paused, looking at the scroll in Iroh's hand, then added, "I just have to ask… what were you doing?"

"Hmm?" Iroh followed his nephew's gaze and held up the parchment. "Oh this? I am playing Pai Sho with King Bumi," he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Zuko's confusion grew, then he realized what the parchment had been for. "Through letters? Wouldn't you have to wait days, or even weeks for a reply?"

Iroh shrugged. "Pai Sho is a game of patience."

"Evidently…" Zuko replied, resisting a smile despite himself.

XXXX

Half an hour later, Zuko stood on the deck of a small, coastal ship with Katara and Ty Lee, surrounded by twenty soldiers and a half dozen healers. The village wasn't far from the Capital by ship, but the journey felt like it was taking forever. He dreaded the scene he would find once they arrived, and he couldn't help but wonder if he was heading straight into a trap. But he wasn't about to hide behind the Palace walls while his people suffered, so trap or not, he would go. Katara was anxious as well; she was equally concerned that it was a trap, but she was more worried about the villagers. They had no word on the casualties, and she wasn't sure what to expect when they arrived. She let out a sigh of frustration, causing both Zuko and Ty Lee to look up at her.

"I just don't get it! If they are trying to put Azula on the throne, why are they attacking villagers? Isn't that counterproductive? Do they really think the people of the Fire Nation would support her when they are attacking them?"

Zuko grimaced. "I think they are either trying to lure me out into a trap, or they are trying to discredit me by trying to convince the people of the Fire Nation that I cannot protect them. Maybe both. Either way, fear is a convincing tactic when the people you are using it against are unarmed farmers."

Ty Lee frowned, idly playing with the end of her braid with an almost guilty expression. "Azula has always been extreme, and she has always used fear to manipulate people. I just hope we can stop her before any more villages get attacked."

Katara agreed, buz Zuko remained silent. Ty Lee's words were quite true, and Zuko knew this would not by the only village attacked before the end. Not unless they got very lucky.

A short while later they had docked and made their way inland. They could see a plume of smoke settled over the village, though as they approached it seemed that most of the fires had been extinguished already. The buildings were charred and smoking, and as they moved through the streets into the center of the village, they saw several bodies lined up and covered in red sheets of fabric. A middle-aged woman in armour ran up to them as they approached, bowing deeply to Zuko before speaking. "Fire Lord Zuko, thank you for coming."

"Of course. Can you tell me what happened here?" he replied.

"They attacked just after dawn… half of the village was still asleep. We have a few benders here, and some of the civilians gathered whatever weapons they could find to help fight but they didn't stay long. They set a bunch of the buildings on fire then left into the mountains. In total we lost fifteen people… no children thankfully, but we have many injured. They have been gathered in the village square to be treated."

"Which way?" Katara interrupted.

"Straight down this road, my lady," the woman replied, pointing in the direction she had come from.

Katara nodded, then waved the healers forward and together they ran off down the road towards the center of the village. Zuko gestured to the soldiers standing at attention behind them, and several of them took off after Katara without a word.

"Are you certain all the attackers are gone?" Zuko asked.

"No, my Lord. Of the town guard, only myself and two others survived, and we have been busy moving the injured into the square and… taking care of the dead, so we haven't had a chance. But there have been no more attacks."

Zuko nodded and turned to the remaining soldiers. "You two, stay with me," he said, pointing to two of the soldiers closest to him, "the rest of you, I want to do a full sweep of the village. Check for any more survivors, and for any attackers that may have remained. Ty Lee, you should go with them. You are probably the most capable at taking out Azula if she is still here."

"My Lord, what should I and my men do?" the guard asked.

"Why don't you take a rest? Get some water and food and get off your feet. You've certainly earned it."

"Thank you my Lord, but if it's all the same to you, we would like to continue to help in any way we can."

Zuko smiled at her, and nodded again. "Of course… I would do the same. Why don't you go with Ty Lee and the soldiers? You obviously know the village better than any of us, so you and your men would be invaluable to completing a thorough search of the area."

The woman nodded, and joined the soldiers as they moved out to follow orders. Zuko headed into the town square with the remaining two soldiers in tow, determined to do whatever he could to assist the people. As he left the streets into the large, open area that was the town center, he saw a flurry of activity; there was about a hundred or so villagers all grouped up around the edges of the town square, clustered into groups of friends and family as the healers from the Capital as well as the local healers ran among them, healing people to the best of their abilities. He spotted Katara nearby and headed in her direction. She was kneeling before a young boy of about 8 or 9, who was sitting in his mother's lap with his leg outstretched. He had a bad burn across the outside of his calf and thigh, and Zuko could tell right away that he had been burned as he ran for safety. The sight made his blood boil.

"Ryu, you are being so brave. I just need you to be brave for me for just a little longer, okay? Can you do that?" Katara said to the boy as Zuko approached.

Tears fell down the boy's cheeks, but he nodded with a steely determination as Katara moved the water across the burns on his leg. His mother held him tightly, watching as the blistered, bleeding skin slowly knit itself back together. Zuko stood and watched silently; every time he saw Katara heal, he couldn't help but be impressed.

After a few minutes, she sat back with a weary sigh. "How does it feel, Ryu? Does it still hurt?"

Ryu flexed his foot, then bent his knee, shaking his leg a little as if testing it for pain before shaking his head. "It feels itchy, but it doesn't hurt anymore," he replied.

Katara nodded. "I think that is the best I can do...it should heal more on its own, but the burn was very deep. It is going to leave a scar."

Ryu's mother started to cry silently, and hugged her son tightly. He frowned down at his injured leg, and his lip began to quiver. Zuko felt sympathy for the boy; he wasn't much older than him when he was given his own scar.

Zuko knelt beside Katara and gave the boy a comforting smile. "Hi Ryu, I'm Zuko," he said, extending his hand to him.

Ryu tentatively took his hand, eyes wide. "Y-you're the Fire Lord…"

"I am, and it is very nice to meet you, Ryu. You have been very brave today, and I bet your mom is very proud of you," he replied, glancing at Ryu's mother.

She nodded and stared transfixed at Zuko, hardly believing he was speaking so informally to them.

"I know it might seem scary to have a big scar like that, but don't let it make you sad or scared, okay? This scar means you are brave, and you are a survivor. Just like me," Zuko said, touching his own scar. "Will you remember that? For me?"

Ryu stared at him for a long moment, then a small smile formed on his lips and he nodded. Zuko smiled again, then reached out and ruffled the boy's hair, causing him to laugh. He and Katara both got to their feet, promising to check in on Ryu and his mother before they left, and then moved on to the next injiured villager. They moved from person to person together, Katara healing them to the best as her ability would allow, and Zuko doing whatever he could to bring them comfort. They left the people with minor injuries for the healers to mend, but by the time they had finished with the more seriously injured it was almost dusk.

Eventually all the villagers had been attended to, the town was swept from top to bottom and declared safe, and all the fires had been put out. Temporary shelter for the people whose homes had been destroyed was set up in the town hall, and Zuko had promised to send people to help rebuild first thing the following day. When they finally boarded their ship and headed back to the Capital, it was well into the night, and both Zuko and Katara were exhausted, physically and emotionally. It took all of Zuko's willpower not to curl up and fall asleep on the deck of the ship, but Katara had no such luck. Zuko sat leaning back against the rail at the front of the ship with Katara curled up in his lap, her head resting on his shoulder and fast asleep. Ty Lee sat next to them, occasionally piping up with idle chatter, though even she didn't seem to have much energy for conversation. The events of the day had taken its toll on them all, and they returned to the Capital with heavy hearts.