As they stepped gingerly into the canoes, Zuko looked over to see Sokka and Katara in a different vessel. Katara waved enthusiastically while Sokka snapped at her over something. She retorted and Zuko chuckled as he watched them bicker.
Sokka had explained that his relationship with Katara had been tense after their father left. For how Zuko had seen them, it was hard to believe. But if this was how it had been for them, it didn't seem too bad. It was definitely preferable to the relationship he had with his sister.
Well, not this Zuko and this Azula. They apparently got along very well.
Zuko sat back in the canoe, wedging himself into the corner on a polar bear dog pelt. He watched as his mother talked excitedly at Iroh, not looking to be in real conversation. Zuko couldn't figure out what their relationship was. Iroh treated Ursa like a niece sometimes, but other times the intimacy of his touch made Zuko's skin crawl.
As he watched Iroh tug Ursa's collar upward and she quieted, turning her face away demurely, Zuko finally realized what it was.
Iroh wasn't treating her like a niece, he was treating her like a much younger second wife.
He doted on her, but lingered in a possessive way.
Bolting upright, Zuko turned to look out at the other canoe. Katara was yanking Sokka around, pointing at things and not paying attention to any other human being. Still, her excitement distracted him and Zuko smiled a little to see even from the distance how bright her face was.
When they finally docked, Zuko again turned to watch his uncle and mother. Iroh got out first and then turned, holding his hand out. Ursa took it gently and stepped up with such grace, the canoe barely rocked. Even as she stood on her own two feet, Iroh kept hold of her hand and said something to her that Zuko could not hear. His mother laughed, the same clear laugh he knew from his childhood, and took her hand back to slip it into her muffler. Iroh smiled at her and then turned to Zuri, giving them a curt nod.
"Alright Highness, your turn." Zuri said and yanked Zuko forward. With a grunt, Zuko was unceremoniously shoved upward and he stepped lightly on the balls of his feet to make it onto the ice. Apparently, this bit of agility was uncommon for this Zuko. Ursa stared at him and Zuko paused before straightening up and clearing his throat.
"I had to learn how to be dexterous on the ships." He said nonchalantly. Iroh laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"That is the kind of excellence I would expect of my nephew." He said and Zuko smiled, looking to his mother for approval. She smiled back, but he could see the faint lines of worry around her eyes.
"Zuko!" Katara called and he had barely turned before she jumped on him. Wrapping both of her arms around one of his, she yanked on him as she looked back and up at the kingdom.
"It's all ice!" She said excitedly.
"It is." Zuko remarked, smiling with a softer look.
"You're gonna rip his arm off Katara." Sokka snapped as he walked up. "And that's not ideal since he's a prince."
"Oh he's fine." Katara retorted, but still loosened her hold on Zuko. "He's not a big baby like you."
"I can imagine you're excited." Zuko said and Katara turned to him, the full force of her glee blinding him.
"Well of course! Our dad is probably here!" She replied.
"I keep telling you to not get your hopes up." Sokka interjected. "There's a lot of enemy territory between home and here."
Katara, with her back to Sokka, rolled her eyes.
"Even if he's not, I'm sure someone here will know something." She said and then turned to her brother. "Plus I can probably find another teacher here."
"Zuko would be a better master for you than Hama." Sokka said and then shuddered. "That old lady gave me the creeps."
Something about the name brought up something in the back of Zuko's mind, but he couldn't figure out what. When Katara had brought up her old Waterbending master before, it sounded ominous, but Zuko knew she hadn't had one in his timeline.
Hama, whoever she was, might be another divergence, like Zuri.
"Come now, it's time we went up to meet our hosts." Ursa called and the three of them turned at once. Without a word, they all walked over to the main group, Katara still holding onto his arm.
The Waterbenders who had propelled the canoes now controlled literal ice sledges that supported their luggage and a few that would presumably transport them. What was unexpected, from Zuko's visit and Katara's own telling of the place, were the women who stood ready to haul the sledges. Apparently women were not taught any practical or martial Waterbending in the North Pole, yet these women were clearly accepted as peers with the men.
None of them, men and women both, looked pleased to see Katara holding onto him.
Nothing was said when Katara pulled Zuko onto a sledge, sitting behind him while Sokka took the rear. A woman with her braids looped together at the back of her head stepped up to a runner and waited. After everyone was seated, the Waterbenders called out and pushed forward.
The gliding was so smooth and the dark was so total around them, Zuko got motion sick from the sudden shift of his physical momentum. It was like seasickness except this crept into his head and threatened to make him violently ill.
"Close your eyes." Katara whispered and he did. Water moved back and forth past his ears, not to simulate any sound but, surprisingly, to heal. The tingling in his head dissipated and his stomach calmed.
When the water was pulled away, Zuko sighed.
"Thank you." He said.
"Keep your eyes closed. It's the only way to get used to it." Katara replied and Zuko squeezed his eyes shut.
Except for the sound of ice on ice, Zuko wasn't able to tell that they were moving at all.
When they did stop, there was enough momentum that it jostled him, letting him know the ride had ended. He opened his eyes to glitter of illuminated ice crystals. Flames, kept low, were enhanced by silver discs and fractured into diamond light by an ice cover. They were hung everywhere, not giving off any usable light, but certainly pretty. The actual illumination came from the towers of fire, impossibly housed within a framework of snow and ice. Other Water Tribals came to meet the sledges holding lanterns aloft on tall staves.
Everyone was framed around one man who stood in a richly embroidered parka, watching them all silently. As Iroh disembarked, he moved quickly to the man and bowed.
"Chief Arnook, King of the Two Tribes, I thank you for your hospitality." Iroh said.
Arnook bowed solemnly in reply.
"It has been an honor to host your son and my daughter's bridegroom. I am glad you could join us." He said. Looking at the rest of the group, Arnook's eyes landed only briefly on Zuko before turning to Sokka and Katara.
He was not as good as Ursa about hiding his emotions, and Arnook's anxiety was plain on his face.
"A lost daughter and son." He said softly.
Zuko saw Katara take a step out of the sledge, holding onto her brother instead.
"Returned to you by the Fire Nation." Iroh added and then stepped to the side. "The girl is a Waterbender."
Arnook's face tightened and Zuko clenched his jaw. Something swam just under the surface of this ice and he wondered when it would breach.
"Father!"
Lu Ten's call broke the tension and the group turned to see him approach. Zuri took in a sharp breath while Iroh chuckled at his son's attire.
He was wearing tribal wear.
"Father, this place is must try this thing they have, it's called jerky. Dried meat that is smoked! Incredible!" Lu Ten said and embraced Iroh.
"Chief Arnook has shown remarkable patience with me as I've gone stumbling about. As I have to admit, this darkness is bound to drive any Firebender a little bit nutty." He continued.
"Ah, auntie!" Lu Ten said, breaking away from Iroh and turning to Ursa.
"Hello nephew." Ursa replied congenially.
"And cousin! I heard you got a little bit kidnapped." Lu Ten said, heading now for Zuko.
"It wasn't anything I couldn't handle." Zuko retorted and Lu Ten laughed.
"Are you sure? Or did the Waterbender save you?" He asked and moved his arm around Zuko's shoulders before he squeezed them.
"Excuse me." Katara said and Lu Ten paused to look at her.
"Sorry," She went on. "But, is my father here?"
"Your father?" Lu Ten blinked and Zuko shoved him off.
"Not you." He said to his cousin and Lu Ten looked around.
"Your father, child?" Arnook asked. Katara stepped forward, moving through the Fire Nation contingency.
"My father, well, all of the men of my tribe left a few years ago to come here. To support the kingdom." She said. "His name is Hakoda and I am his daughter, Katara. And my brother is Sokka." Katara spoke quickly and gestured backward to where Sokka still stood.
Arnook looked at him when she did, but shook his head and refocused on Katara.
"No, I'm sorry. You and your brother are the first ones from the South Pole to come since the time of the Avatar." He said. Katara's head fell and Sokka rushed to her.
"But," Arnook said and Katara lifted her face to look up at him. "Now that you are here, we will try to find him."
"Ah but before that," Iroh interrupted. "Someone has to get married."
Arnook's face soured and Zuko had to fight his urge to wince. The man had to do better about masking his emotions.
Because he could now see fault lines in the ice.