Ok another chapter! Please review! I want to know what you guys think! Again, I don't own Avatar or any of it's characters.
Night fell over the palace and all the lamps in the courtyard were lit. Katara found herself in the far corner with the rest of the water tribe citizens. She had uncovered a few distant royal cousins to welcome the guests at the door. This was a fire ceremony and the fire nation citizens should be seen organizing the event.
The fire sages walked onto the stage and the lights around the room seemed to burn just a bit brighter. The crowd settled down and everyone got into their seats. Zuko got onto the stage in full royal regalia. He was also wearing his old prince's crown. This would be the last time he would wear it. He kneeled down at the front of the stage and made a small bow to the congregation. Aang walked up behind him, took off his old crown, and stepped to the side of the stage. Then, an older priest walked out with the fire lord's flame.
"I now crown you, Fire Lord Zuko, first of his name. May your flame shine brightly in even the darkest of times," the man declared. As Zuko stood, Katara was filled with an inexplicable amount of pride. Then she turned to the servant lined along the walls and waved her hands. They rushed forward and started setting up tables and chairs while someone else opened the side door to usher in the musicians. They quickly set up and began playing the Fire Anthem. Everyone remained standing and the fire nation citizens sang the song and Aang joined them - he must have learned it when he went to school in the fire nation.
When the song ended, Zuko smiled at the crowd. "And now, we eat."
"Good call," Sokka exclaimed as Zuko stepped of the stage and sat down at the table closest to the stage. It had been set aside for the gang, but it was soon surrounded by well wishers. Katara meandered to the tables where the Kyoshi warriors were sitting and listened to them laugh and gossip. She didn't try to get herself involved in the conversation. She was too busy watching her friends.
Sukki was closest to her and she glowing with happiness. She was back with her sisters-in-arms and they were all enjoying their freedom. Sokka was sitting at one of the center tables with a pile of food and laughing with some of their father's warriors. Aang was trying his best to be a proper avatar. Someone had found traditional robes and he looked like a tiny child in such formal wear. He listened to everyone who came to talk to him and was wearing his most somber face. Toph was standing with Pipsqueak and The Duke and they looked like they may come to blows. Katara wasn't too worried about, because Long Shot was sitting at the next table watching over them. Zuko looked fairly overwhelmed, but still happy. He was finally getting the acceptance he had always wanted. He looked up to scan the room and he focused on Katara in her little corner. She turned her head away and focused on the food someone had pushed into her lap.
"He's going to do a great job." Katara looked up to find Mai standing above her.
"Yes he is. Won't you take a seat?"
"Thank you. Even when we were kids, I always knew he would be good at being a king. He always did the right thing and tried so hard to make sure that everyone was happy. I could never understand that. I hated everything. Well, not everything. I never managed to hate Tai Lee or Azula. And I'm pretty sure I liked Zuko."
"You two must have missed each other so much these last few months. I'm surprised you're not next to him right now. He could use the support and everyone would probably be happy to see you guys together."
"We're not together. Zuko certainly hasn't suggested anything like that."
"But you guys were together…"
"Yes, we were. We aren't anymore."
"But aren't you upset about that? I mean you saved him at boiling rock. And I know that he missed you a lot. He used to talk about how he betrayed you and how terrible he was to have left you."
"All I ever want was for Zuko to be happy. My brand of dismay wasn't suited for him. He is happy. And yes he did regret leaving me at boiling rock, but I heard he jumped in the way of Azula's lightning when you were in danger. I wonder what I should take from that." Katara wasn't able to respond, because she was interrupted.
"Mai!" Tai Lee exclaimed. There you are! Come sit with us. I've been looking for you!" Mai strolled towards her oldest friend without looking back at Katara.
The musician's finished up their song and the lead singer stepped to the front of the stage. "Can the delegations from the earth kingdom and the water tribes please come to the front of the room." Katara met Toph's eyes from across the room and they both hurried to the stage. The Kyoshi warriors followed Katara. Katara bowed at the crowd.
"Hello, everyone. We're here to show our support for Fire Lord Zuko and the Fire Nation he is trying to build here. All the nations have suffered over the past 100 years and we are here to celebrate more than just a coronation. We are here to celebrate the beginning of a new era and our return to a state of balance. It gives me great pleasure to present the Kyoshi Warriors, but first. A seat for our new Fire Lord." She bowed again and then moved to the side of the stage. Toph stepped up and drew a slab of stone up out of the ground and quickly sculpted it into a tall throne. She next pulled a block of solid gold from the side of the room. She bent the metal into delicate flames and wound those flames around the throne. The metal caught the light of the flickering candles so that they seemed to glow like real tongues of flame. Zuko stepped up and sat down on it.
"Thank you, Toph."
"I just wanted to wrestle the Boulder in front of everyone, but Miss Prissy said it would be undignified," Toph murmured to him. Zuko smiled at her and silently thanked Katara.
Suki and her girls staged a fight displaying proper Kyoshi method in proper uniforms and makeup. The girls were graceful and Mai Lee performed a very convincing death scene at the end. The girls kneeled in mourning at the end of the scene. Then they all stood back up and bowed to the crowd before moving back into the crowd. The crowd clapped for them and Zuko stood up and cheered.
Then it was Katara's turn. "Your Majesty," she said, kneeling before Zuko's throne. A thousand years ago there was a flame of living ice that sat in this very room. At the beginning of the Hundred Year War, you ancestor - Fire Lord Sozin - shattered it and threw the pieces in the bay. I am here to replace that loss and remind us of an ancient harmony and peace between our people. Master Pakku. We're reading." The old waterbending master joined his pupil on stage, but Zuko's eyes didn't move away from Katara.
Master Pakku drew a wave of water from the fountain outside and got it to hover over crowd as a large sphere. Katara started swaying from side to side and the water within the sphere began to ripple in response. It was like she was dancing as she slowly raised her arms and twirled faster and faster. The sphere started stretching out and soon their audience could see the shape of flames. Katara's head snapped up and Zuko caught her gaze just as she twisted her arms and the water froze. The ice crystals did not stop moving. They kept wavering up and down and what was left was beautiful sculpture of flames in motion.
The crowd gasped in appreciation of the beautiful new sculpture, but Zuko didn't see it. All he saw was the beautiful woman before him. She slowly relaxed and let out a slow breath. Zuko knew that motion. She always made that motion when she had finished bending. She was always so in control. She had control over her breath, over her emotions, over every muscle in her body. She was so beautiful.
Katara had tried so hard to blend into the crowd all evening, but she couldn't any longer. Everyone wanted to talk to her and congratulate her on a job well done. Zuko made his through the crowd and bowed over Katara's hand to brush her knuckles with his lips. Katara felt a shock go up her arm.
"This room is too crowded. You want to go out to the patio? I need some fresh air." Katara nodded her head and Zuko took her arm to lead her out of the hall.