I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender…
The title of the chapter is named after a song by Barlow Girl called She Walked Away. The song was the inspiration for this chapter and since I wanted to write this chapter it was the reason I wrote this entire Fanfiction! I hope you enjoy this chapter.
once again the spaces between paragraphs are now (- -)
Chapter 4) She Walked Away
Katara walked down the hallway towards the dining room in the palace where dinner was about to be served. She had already sent Kasumi to go and tell Tsun to come and eat. The girl had only nodded at her request. Kasumi had yet to speak since she told her the secret she was supposed to keep less than nine months ago. Katara moved down the hall at a faster pace, each step brining her closer to her still thriving family. No harm had come to Tsun or Kasumi; Katara rested her hand on her enlarged stomach. At eight and half months pregnant, the young prince and princess had no reason to fear their lives would be ended by some hired assassin – or however those women would have done it.
Katara sighed as the door came into view and she heard Tsun's rough cough. The boy, now seven and a half, had suffered from two more colds and some illness that caused him to have trouble breathing for a week since the new baby's conception. The waterbender took her seat and was glad to rest her feet. She looked at the food on her plate and then to the others at the table. She was surprised to see Zuko watching her. He seemed to be overly busy within the past year and hardly ever joined them for meals. Kasumi and Tsun watched the silent exchange between their parents; Tsun shrugged it off, but Kasumi stared at her mother, her golden eyes trying to decipher the unspoken language.
"Mom," Tsun said. He coughed loudly between his words, "when can I start practicing again?" Katara was silent. She watched him carefully. He had just recovered from a bought with a cold, but his coughing remained. His breathing seemed even, but he had mastered faking health so he could play outside with the other children. Katara would have inwardly grinned at the irony of it; normally, children faked illness, yet Tsun faked healthiness.
"When your father is free, you can practice," Katara responded as she nibbled on the noodles in her bowl. Her appetite came and went; tonight it seemed to have gone missing.
"But dad's always busy," Tsun complained even though Zuko sat only a few feet away, "why won't you let me practice with-"
"No," Zuko interrupted. He knew Tsun wanted his sister to resume her teaching. She had been a good teacher when Tsun was healthy and up to her challenges, now he doubted she would have any patience with him. Apparently Tsun disagreed. He pouted and played with the food in front of him, a frown marring his childish features. The four ate in silence until almost all their food had been finished. Katara noticed Kasumi staring in her direction, as if she had something to share but could not find the words for it, if she would talk.
"What is it Kasumi?" questioned Katara. She could usually read her daughter's face, but her expression puzzled her this time. Zuko sighed.
"She's probably thinking about the meeting today," Zuko spoke. Katara raised an eyebrow in confusion. She knew the court had requested Kasumi come to the meeting this afternoon, but she had not been informed why.
"How was it Kasumi?" asked Katara. The fifteen-year-old princess flushed slightly then let a frown come over her face. She slowly turned to look at Zuko and then Katara, cool indifference and the want to please clashing in her golden eyes. Katara was surprised for the second time that night with her daughter's expressions. She could read the embarrassment followed by her displeasure at whatever topic had been discussed, but her final expression had confused Katara. She read it as if Kasumi showed no preference to give her opinion on the matter and would follow whatever her parents said without a sound. Katara drew a blank for what the matter at hand had been.
"What was the meeting about?" asked Katara. She spoke to Zuko as Tsun excused himself from the table. Kasumi sat, even though she could not add to the conversation, she wanted to hear her mother's opinion. Zuko hesitated, unsure at Katara's reaction.
"Marriage," he finally stated. It was a good thing that Katara had finished eating, or she would have dropped her bowl in shock.
"Kasumi's marriage?" Katara questioned. She would have jumped to her feet, but it would be slightly difficult in her present condition, "she's only fifteen!"
"Girls get married younger than her," Zuko sighed as he closed his eyes.
"They do in the watertribe too," Katara stated, "but still-"
"You were her age," Zuko said gently. His golden eyes refused to meet Katara's blue ones.
"I didn't have a choice!" Katara shouted, "I don't want Kasumi in the same situation as me!"
"The court has decided already," Zuko said, malice laced in his voice, "none of us have any say in the matter." Katara shoved her chair away from the table. She rose and moved as swiftly as she could from the room. The child she carried now, for all she complained, was the smallest one. Her clothing was large; pockets of empty space for her expanding body would probably never be filled. Kasumi, Tsun, and Tala had all been born in just a little over nine months. If this child stuck with the pattern, it would be born in next three to four weeks. For as much as Katara complained with this baby, she looked nowhere near as pregnant as she had before. She could hardly move when she carried Tsun for his last months. She felt now, if she was pressed to, she could manage some slightly complex water bending stances.
She stopped and leaned against the wall near an open window enjoying the early spring breeze. She sat on a small chair that someone had neglected to return to the library and contemplated what was happening. Kasumi and Tsun would be headed to bed soon. Zuko would probably be in the library before heading to their room within the next two hours. Katara had no urge to sleep; she had taken a long nap earlier in the day and was still awake. None-the-less she headed to the bedroom she shared with Zuko and leaned on the windowsill. The moon had risen a short while ago, slowly moving to its zenith in the sky. Its crescent shape opened upwards, reminding Katara of her tribe's saying that it meant good oceans for sailing. An upside down crescent moon meant the water would be rough. The memory brought a smile to Katara's lips, some new light to her eyes. She sat on the wide window ledge and braided her long, brown hair while watching the moon rise.
Katara was unsure for how long her task of braiding and unbraiding her hair only to re-braid it again consumed her. The moon had just reached the apex of its nighttime journey when two voices floated up to her. Katara leaned over the windowsill to hear them better.
"Did you hear?" asked one voice. It sounded like a young woman who was speaking.
"About what?" asked an older voice. Katara guessed they belonged to two of the servants of the palace.
"The princess is getting married!" the first woman said happily.
"It's about time," muttered the second woman. Katara looked down into the courtyard to try and see who exactly was speaking. The grass was bathed in candlelight from some open windows on the first floor under the room, and the small balcony obscured anyone directly below her window.
"How old is the princess now, sixteen?" asked the older woman.
"I think she just turned fifteen," the first woman whispered. Katara wondered how these women heard about the marriage, but she was glad they decided they decided to stop under her window. She had not bothered to light the candles, so they must have thought the room was empty.
"Who's she getting married to?" asked the older woman.
"My friend was unsure, but I heard from someone else it might be the boy from the family that visited last year right before the drought. They spend most of their time on Ember Island, but if he's the same boy, I pity the poor girl; he may be an excellent firebender, but he doesn't seem very polite. He's got a few years on her too. He might be seventeen or eighteen now.
"That girl will probably need a strong husband being raised by that mother of hers," the second woman stated bluntly.
"Hush!" the younger woman panicked, "don't say bad things of the lady. It won't be looked upon too kindly if you're heard." The two women stepped out from under Katara's window and moved across the courtyard. Their words had left Katara silent. She now knew who Kasumi's would be husband was, more or less. She remembered the boy the two women had talked about from when his noble family had visited the palace to talk with Zuko. She could imagine the dreadful situation; him, strong willed and used to getting what he wanted paired with her silent, shy daughter who was so obedient it almost hurt Katara to watch her. Kasumi would be miserable and Katara could think of no way to save her from this horrible fate. Katara looked to the moon, hoping Yue could give her some ideas. The boat-like moon triggered a memory of long ago.
The whole village had gathered outside the snow walls protecting the tribe. Aang and Katara stood surrounded by the children who had run to greet Aang; they probably wanted him to give them rides on his glider or play with Appa with him. Katara heard her brother shout for them to come back and they listened with sullen expressions on their small faces.
"The foreigner is banished from our village," Sokka continued. Aang looked more disappointed that the children were sad then the fact he was no longer welcome. Katara frowned at her brother. She told him he was making a mistake. Sokka disagreed with her and mentioned something about his promise to Dad. Katara could not see how her brother saw Aang as the enemy. The enemy was the Fire Nation, not Aang. Aang was just a young boy who happened to be an Air Nomad, the race in which no one had seen in over a century. Why couldn't her brother see that all Aang had done was bring joy back to their little tribe. All Sokka cared about was fighting; he had been obsessed with being a better warrior ever since the others had left to go fight, leaving him behind.
Katara looked to Gran Gran and asked her to tell Sokka he was making a mistake. When she refused to admit that Sokka was wrong and that she agreed with his decision, Katara's clenched her fists in her gloves and shouted.
"Fine, then I'm banished too!" Katara turned and pulled Aang towards Appa. Her voice held hints of choked back emotion as she said, "come on Aang let's go!" Sokka was furious with her decision. Katara did not show any sign that she cared.
"Where do you think you're going!" he shouted after her.
"To find a waterbender. Aang is taking me to the North Pole," Katara said as she looked to Aang while she pulled him along. Aang looked up in confusion.
"I am?" he asked. He realized what she had said and smiled, "great!"
"Katara!" Sokka shouted. Something in his voice made Katara stop and drop Aang's hand. They both turned around to look back at the tribe. They all stood watching, Sokka in front of them.
"Would you really choose him, over your tribe?" asked Sokka. Katara looked back to Appa. Sokka's voice sounded hurt as he continued, "your own family?" Katara stood, her blue eyes closed, her back to her brother and her whole village. She opened them as Aang walked up to her. She turned to him.
"Katara," he said, "I don't want to come between you and your family." Katara guessed that family was a big deal to him. She watched him walk away towards Appa. She took a step forward and stopped. After a brief goodbye she watched Aang and Appa walk away.
Katara had decided that running away would solve everything. It was only because Aang had told her to stay that she did. Aang had not wanted anything to come between her and her family. Would he feel the same now? There was no way she could help Kasumi, unless she turned her back on everything she had worked for the last fifteen years and run away. The peace of the world would fall apart if the smoke and mirrors hiding her relationship with Zuko fell away. The peace that Aang had worked to restore, that she had worked to keep, would be gone when the court realized she was gone.
Katara's blue eyes shown with renewed determination; she would protect her children, they were her family. Only one questioned buzzed in Katara's mind. Could she get out of the Fire Nation with two children in tow and a third on the way? Before, she had run towards something: becoming a master waterbender- even if it had been the first thing that popped into her mind. She knew where she was headed if she went: the North Pole, and she knew how she was going to get there: Appa. She had nothing now. How would she get to where ever she was headed? The moonlight shifted and an idea came to her. Good sailing, a boat, the Southern Water Tribe! The plan sounded perfect in Katara's mind; she would return home after almost sixteen years. She just had to convince Tsun to come, Kasumi would come without complaint.
Katara stood and opened the bottom drawer of her dresser. She pulled out her water skin which she had dug out of her old things and a draw-string pack. She packed it full of clothing, she could not think of anything else they would need on a boat. She remembered to grab an assortment of coins, gold being the predominant color, and let them roll into the pocket on her cloak. She mentally praised herself for having it made a few years back so she could go walking outside at night in the winter. Not that the Fire Nation got cold, but it kept out the rain and the chill nicely. It would be perfect for sailing. She pulled the thick fabric over her arm and frowned when she remembered it was heavily embroidered. Even if she turned it inside out, the expert stitching and waterproofed material would have people asking questions once she was outside the city.
Katara sighed but held onto the cloak as she hurried towards Kasumi's room. She opened the door to find her daughter blowing out the candles to get ready to sleep. At her entrance Kasumi paused, her lips puckered to blow out the last few flames.
"Kasumi, help me pack some of your clothes," Katara said, she added, "we're going to take a trip." Kasumi's golden eyes lit up the pleasant surprise and she jumped up to help her mother pack some of her clothes into another bag. After changing and slipping on some shoes, Kasumi and Katara made their way to Tsun's room. The boy was already asleep. Katara touched him gently on the shoulder as a cough spasmed through his body. He looked up at her touch.
"Mom?" he asked, still half asleep.
"Tsun, get up," Katara said gently. She lifted him into a sitting position by pulling on his shoulders; his head bobbed slightly.
"Why?" he asked more coherently. Katara saw he was fully awake now and fought to come up with a good reason.
"Why is Kasumi here?" asked Tsun.
"We're taking a trip," Katara explained, "you need to pack." He looked at her through the darkness for a moment before an idea sparked in his eyes. He smiled and jumped from his bed to gather up a pile of the type of clothing Katara insisted on. With his bag packed he grabbed his cloak and smiled; he almost radiated excitement.
Katara noticed upon leaving Tsun's room that Kasumi would need a cloak or something similar to wear. Tsun only had one to try and protect him whenever there was a chance it would get cold so he would not get sick again. As they walked past the kitchen in an effort to steer clear of the areas of the palace that would probably have people around, Katara grinned at her luck. Five plain, brown traveling cloaks hung silently from their pegs outside the kitchen door. The cooks and other workers could not have them in the kitchen in case they caught on fire. Katara grabbed three of them and handed one to Tsun and one to Kasumi. She slipped the remaining one on over her own. Kasumi mimicked her mother's actions and buttoned the front to keep it from falling. The sleeves were large, hiding her hands in their lengths.
"Put it on over yours Tsun," Katara said when her son hesitated. He frowned but soon complied, pulling the flaps across his shirt and crossing his arms over them to keep them from coming undone instead of buttoning it closed. The three of them slowly made their way to the edge of the palace ground. Most of the rooms and hallways were dark, but Katara had walked the building enough to know her way around without light. The memory of sneaking through the palace at night brought tears to Kasumi's eyes as she thought of Tala. Katara noticed, but said nothing.
After slipping out a window that led behind a row of bushes, Katara led her two children into the shadows cast by the buildings in the market. The only door that led to the outside was the main gate and the servant's entrance, which had a posted guard as well; that only left windows.
The moon watched them depart, yet it was not the only witness. Golden eyes silently followed their movements until they became one with the shadows from a second story hallway window. Zuko made no move to take any action; he simply stared at the spot where the three of them had disappeared. He turned away from the open window to the sound of footsteps on a thick rug behind him. His expression did not change as he locked gazes with his sister, an amused grin on her face.
"You're not going to stop her?" Azula asked, she seemed generally curious with her brother's actions. Her voice turned spiteful, "what would the court say about this?" Zuko was silent for a moment.
"She's lucky," Zuko said as he turned back to the window. He had ignored Azula's question.
"She won't get far you know," Azula said as she rolled her golden brown eyes, "and the blame will fall to you for letting her go."
"They don't know that," Zuko said.
"They'll assume," Azula sighed, "they don't have much patience for you." Zuko continued to watch the dark city from the window. The crescent moon meant little to him as it bathed the rooftops in gentle moonlight.
"You don't give her enough credit Azula, she'll get farther than you think," Zuko said. Azula frowned and shrugged her shoulders in an uninterested manner. She turned away from her brother and began making her way towards her bedroom. Zuko heard her next comment without much difficultly.
"She's taking two children with her, how far can she really get?" Azula mused.
---
Tsun and Kasumi followed their mother down to the dock. Neither of them had ever been this far from the palace. They did not voice their concern out loud, but Katara could feel their tenseness behind her. As they reached the dock, Katara noticed a small crowd, peasants and nobles alike gathered around one man giving directions. Keep her blue eyes to the ground Katara joined the mass. It was past midnight, and Katara could see no reason for all these people to be waiting at the dock. The lower class citizens in the throng were dressed similarly to Katara and her children; they wore long brown cloaks and milled about quietly. The few nobles in the crowd were easily distinguished by their boisterous and argumentative voices and their beautifully embroidered cloaks. Most of the nobles were men, but a few couples stood back and kept to themselves. Katara grabbed Kasumi's hand in her own and slowly wove her way towards the action. The man who seemed to be answering all the questions appeared to be the dock master. As Katara neared him she heard him respond to an angrier nobleman's question.
"The boat is almost ready to set sail," the dock master said, "one of the sails needed to be repaired before it could depart. The men have almost completed the task. You will be able to board soon.
"I need to be at Whale Tail Island next week," the man complained, "the boat has been delayed for almost half a day now. I'll surely be put behind."
"The captain apologizes but the repair must be complete," the dock master stated. His hair looked silver grey in the moonlight as he turned away from the man and walked into Katara.
"Excuse me," he apologized as he stepped around Kasumi to pass them by. Katara hesitated then called out to him.
"Sir!" she shouted. He turned to look at Katara and she averted her eyes to the ground. She would hate to be caught now without even getting off the mainland; her blue eyes would give her away in a second, "is this ship headed to Whale Tail Island?"
"Yes it is," the dock master nodded, "the delay will be over shortly."
"Is there still open-" Katara paused in her question. What would normal travelers call the spots on a boat? She had always traveled with Aang, Sokka, and Toph on Appa. Would the boat have rooms and a bed? Now that she thought about it, she could not even see the boat docked in the harbor.
"The boat still has rooms for more passengers," the dock master answered, "I'll inform the caption to confirm that there are still openings." He looked to the two children linked to Katara by hand and turned to inform the other passengers that the wait would be over soon enough. Katara sighed; she lifted her blue eyes and watched the moon over the inlet.
- -
The boat arrived sometime within the next hour. Each moment that passed made Katara more uneasy; she needed to get on the boat and get on the water. Only then would she feel safe. The boat turned out to be a beautiful craft made for the luxury of transporting passengers through the lands. Katara let herself smile as she saw a blue flag flying just below the Fire Nation's own red one on the tallest mast. Beneath them, a green and a yellow flag for the Earth Kingdom and the Air Nomads, which consisted wholly of Aang now, flew proudly. The dock master kept his promise and led Katara aboard to find the captain to see if there were still any rooms to stay in. The captain met them on one of the upper decks.
"We only have one room left," the man stated. He looked at the brown cloaks that hung around Katara, Kasumi, and Tsun's shoulders and sighed, "it might be out of your budget though, it's a high-class room."
"How much?" asked Katara. She knew she could afford it; the only question was should she? Would pulling out a handful of gold coins alert anyone's suspicions? She decided it would be better to be in the fancy room them to be cramped with the other passengers and have her identity revealed to them if she refused to pay.
"The week's journey will be twenty gold coins," the man said. Katara though she heard sympathy in the man's voice, but she was not sure, it could have as easily been disgust, "I'm sorry-"
"Here," Katara said. She reached out her hand and dropped twenty shiny, golden coins into the man's hand, "twenty, right?"
"Y-Yes," the man stuttered, "I'll show you to the room." Katara sighed, she did not think a boat fare would cost her that much; she still had a small pile in her pocket in the cloak but she did not know what might need to be paid for later on.
The captain led her to the room and held the door open for her and her two children. She nodded and the door closed behind her. Katara almost forgot what it felt like to be treated as a normal person sometimes; not once had anyone bowed to her or greeted her a with proper title, and she liked it.
Katara pulled off her two cloaks and laid them over a chair which faced a desk and mirror, like a small vanity. The bed was large, but plain and sturdy. It was bolted to the floor, as were the other pieces of furniture that were supposed to be kept in place on a ship at sea. Tsun jumped onto the bed and pulled back the covers to jump in. Kasumi watched her brother then joined him, deciding sleep was a good idea. That night would soon give way to morning. Katara watched the two of them snuggle under the covers; if she had felt like sleeping, she could have easily fit beside them. Sleep was not on her agenda though. Katara walked to the door and found the key hanging on the knob. The water bender locked the door and stepped outside. The water lapped at the boat's sides as it moved away from the dock and out to sea. Katara felt the waves under her feet, a feeling she had almost forgotten after all these years of staying on dry land. She resisted the urge to waterbend, reminding herself she could practice all she wanted back at home. Katara turned to the crescent moon.
"Guide me home Yue," Katara said quietly. She let the moonbeams bath her smiling face in gentle light then turned and walked back to her room to try and sleep.
---
The ocean and winds sent the ship south towards Whale Tail Island in a hurried manner. The moon slowly waxed each night, but the upward facing crescent remained, meaning more good sailing for the next few days to come. Six days into the journey, Katara felt a familiar pain spam through her body. In a split second her blue eyes opened wide in realization, the baby was coming. Katara lay herself on the fainting couch in the corner of the room and called Tsun over. He complied readily, not understanding why his mother looked so frightened all of a sudden.
"Tsun," Katara ordered as calm as she could, "go and find someone who can help me with a new baby. Hurry. Go."
"Ok," Tsun nodded. He rushed from the room leaving Kasumi to comfort her mother alone. Katara focused on her breathing as she held onto her daughter's hand. Kasumi offered it in the only way she knew to try and comfort her mother. Kasumi had noticed Katara's panicked voice as well. The waterbender had a right to panic; she had planned to be back home to deliver the baby, but instead the infant was roughly three weeks earlier then she had expected. Katara hoped the child would be ok. She had no physicians like in the palace to help her and tell her what to do if something went wrong. Another contraction ripped through her body as she squeezed her blue eyes closed. Kasumi made no sound as her mother gripped her hand tighter.
Several more closely spaced contractions later, the door was flung open as Tsun pulled in a startled woman. The woman took one look at Katara and rolled up her sleeves.
"I bet you weren't expecting this," she smiled gently.
"No," Katara had to laugh. She turned to look at her son, "thank you Tsun." Tsun nodded and shyly went to sit in the chair at the vanity, his back to the action.
Through the next few hours, Katara kept her blue eyes closed tight. The woman assisting her had explained that she was a maid accompanying her lady to met someone at the island. She was an experienced midwife and Katara had nothing to worry about. The fact that the baby was early did not faze the woman in the slightest. While she guided Katara through the familiar mantra of deep breathing, she recalled how Tsun had found her in the hallway. The boy had told her something was wrong with his mother and a baby and that she needed help. Between breathes Katara managed to laugh before pain contorted her face once more. Kasumi stood silently, her hand still held tight by her mother. The maid worked her best to keep Katara breathing steadily and calm.
A piercing cry split the air. Katara collapsed into the tiny couch as her body un-tensed in one motion. The maid pulled the extra sheets from the bottom vanity drawer and wrapped the newborn in them. Katara lay with her eyes closed on the couch; she let go of Kasumi's hand and rested both her hands on her stomach. Her chest rose and fell as her breathing returned to normal. She heard the maid fusing with the crying baby; the sound of fabric over wet skin filled the room under the screaming. The crying faded slowly and the woman rocked the infant in her arms for a moment.
"Congratulations," she praised, "you have a beautiful baby girl." Katara opened her eyes for the first time since the woman entered the room and put a face to the voice who had been guiding her. The maid was watching the baby lovingly. Katara was about to ask if she could hold her newest daughter when the maid let a gentle gasp escape her lips.
"What?" asked Katara, fearful that something was wrong with the baby.
"She has… blue eyes," the maid stuttered. The woman looked to Katara and was met with another set of cerulean orbs. The maid looked around the room and saw the cloaks with the royal insignia embroidered on them hanging off the chair Tsun had seated himself in. The boy turned to look at his mother and the maid caught a flash of gold in his eyes. She noticed Kasumi again and saw the same eyes as the Fire Lord's staring back at her. She turned to Katara with shock in her own brown orbs.
"Your highness," she muttered. She fumbled a curtsy and turned to the baby. Katara reached out and took her; she cuddled the newborn to her chest for a moment.
"Please," Katara looked up as she spoke, "don't tell anyone who I am and that you saw me here."
"But wont the Fire Lord want to know about-" the woman asked, referring to the baby in Katara's arms.
"He'll find out," Katara promised. The room fell silent as the woman watched Katara rock her daughter.
"What will her name be?" she asked quietly. Katara smiled. The baby was so small compared to her others. She seemed so much more fragile and delicate, like a porcelain doll. The baby girl blinked her eyes open and closed them again; Katara caught a flash of blue. Not a grey blue, the kind that would turn to another color with age, but a pure blue. A blue that could rival the ocean, an azure color to match her won. She smiled again as she drank in the sight of her newest baby.
"Jia Li," Katara replied.
"It's a beautiful name," the woman smiled. She bowed her head and left the royal family to themselves.
---
The next morning, the boat pulled into the harbor on Whale Tail Island. Katara stood on deck with her two children beside her and her new baby in her arms. Each one of them was wrapped in their cloaks, Katara and Tsun in both of theirs. The baby was wrapped in a plain red blanket from the bed that Katara intended to keep until she reached the South Pole. The waterbender had left a gold coin, more than enough to pay for it, on the dresser.
The other passengers joined them on the deck as the boat began to dock. The man who had been in a hurry paced the portion of the deck where the gangplank would be lowered to let everyone off. When the boat was secured the man hastily made his way off the boat but never broke into a run. Katara, Tsun, and Kasumi made their way with the crowd off the boat. Once they stepped back onto solid ground Tsun and Kasumi wobbled slightly after being on the boat for a week. Katara held Jia Li closer to herself as they moved aside to let the crowds clear.
Katara needed to find a boat that would take her to the Southern Water Tribe. She looked towards the market and noticed several sets of blue eyes flash her way. She smiled slightly and knew she would be more hidden here than in the Fire Nation. She pulled Kasumi and Tsun towards a man who was directing people towards different boats on the wharf.
"Sir," Katara called as she caught the man's attention. He turned and watched her walk over with the two children, a frown evident on his face. Katara pulled her brown cloak tighter around herself. Anyone would think it was because of the chill in the air. Kasumi and Tsun had already voiced their complaints about it; being raised in the Fire Nation made it understandable.
"Yes," the man snapped. Katara figured he had been working all day and was ready for a break.
"Can you tell me if any of these boats are headed to the South Pole?" asked Katara. The man looked at her like she was crazy.
"No boats sail that way this time of year," he said, "but you could charter a fishing boat to take you." Katara looked out to the harbor and spotted a lone man preparing his boat to sail. Katara turned and headed for the man as a messenger boy rushed to the dock master of the island. Katara's pace quickened as he relayed his message; the messenger hawk flapped its wings to keep steady on the boy's shoulder.
"Sir!" he stated, "we've just received news from the capital in the Fire Nation, the Lady Katara has gone missing and the court requires the help of the other nations to safely escort her and the two young heirs home. A reward had been posted for any bit of information leading to her safe return home-"
Katara and her children hurried out of range before the boy finished reciting his message.
"Mom?" Tsun asked with inquiring eyes. His question was cut short as Katara stepped up to the man with his boat as he untied the second to last rope.
"Excuse me!" called Katara. The man looked in her direction and stepped to the side of his boat. It was small and smelled of fish, but it looked sturdy enough…
"What?" he shouted as a gust of wind carried his voice.
"Can you take us to the Southern Water Tribe?" asked Katara hurriedly. The wind was gaining in frequency. The sail began to fill, but one last rope held the boat in place.
"I'm sorry, but I need to get out now before the fish are all gone," the man stated. Katara noted he did not sound the least bit sorry…
"You have to take us there!" Katara shouted. The boat begged to be free of its mooring as the wind picked up. The man sighed.
"If you could make up for my days loss of fish, then maybe I'll consider it," the fisherman said.
"Here, is this enough?" Katara asked. She held out seven gold coins, more than enough money to make up for one day lost. She knew she was over-paying him, but she needed to get off this island, the news that she was wanted back home would be spreading soon and she would not be as safe as she thought.
"Yes!" the man smiled, "where did you want to go again?" Katara helped Kasumi and Tsun onto the boat. Then with the baby in her arms, she boarded. The man removed the last rope and the boat was freed. The wind gusted and filled the old sail with wind.
"To the Southern Water Tribe," smiled Katara.
---
The air grew colder the further south the boat traveled. The fisherman hummed a tune as he sailed the boat towards the South Pole. He had not even bothered to ask them their names, which suited Katara just fine. She doubted the woman who had helped her deliver Jai Li would tell anyone of her whereabouts. No one knew she was headed home. Katara doubted anyone had seen her leave the night she did. When Zuko would have thought to look for her, it would have been midday the following day. To search the palace, even with the all the guards, would take them another half a day. Katara shook her head, trying to clear her worries from it. She would be able to see her brother Sokka soon and Suki too. She stood and walked to front of the boat to watch the waves roll by.
The boat's swift pace was brought to a standstill in a quick moment. Katara, still clutching the infant in her right arm, held onto the rigging of the sail with her left to keep from failing. Tsun and Kasumi, both who were seated on the deck, skidded a few feet before standing and looking around.
"Mom!" Tsun called as he peered over the side of the boat, "we're stuck in some weird ice!" Katara looked to the fisherman who was rubbing his head from where he had hit it on his steering wheel. The sound of boats cutting through the waves stole Katara's attention. A smile filled her face as she realized what was happening. Kasumi and Tsun wondered what could make their mother smile in this situation.
Three wide canoe-like boats, each carrying seven people, sailed up to the fishing boat. Katara noticed for the first time the ship flew a green flag on its sail. The fisherman gave a guilty smile and a shrug of his shoulders to portray innocence.
"Hey again," he laughed nervously.
"We told you before you can't fish here," one of the young men on one of the boats scowled.
"I'm not fishing today boys," the fisherman said, raising his hands to show them they were empty, "I'm simply transporting some paying customers.
"Who?" asked the boy again.
"Us," Katara stated, walking to where her two children stood. She could tell that almost none of the people on the two boats on her side of the fishing ship had seen them. All the men looked young, Katara guessed they were all waterbenders judging from the ice around the boat and some of their stances alone. The closest boys noticed her blue eyes but had never seen her face before.
"And you would be?" asked the same boy who seemed to be in charge. Katara pulled off her brown cloak and let it fall to the deck at her feet. The royal, red cloak stood in stark contrast to the blue oceans and white icebergs around her. She heard a collective gasp from some of the older men on the ships. They all knew that there was only one reason for her to have blue eyes and be wearing something with the royal Fire Nation insignia on it.
"It's Katara," she heard some of the men mumble. She spotted a familiar face in the crowd on the closest boat. Even though he was only a warrior and could not waterbend he still sat with the others, controlling the rudder of the boat.
"Bato," smiled Katara. She would have walked across the water to greet him if she did not have Jia Li in her arm. "I'm back."
"I guess this is as far as I can take you then," shrugged the fisherman. His attitude did not seem to have changed towards her, she guessed he still had no idea who she was. She nodded and knew it was better that way.
"Thank you," Katara smiled. The waterbenders unfroze the ice holding the boat in place and Bato instructed his benders to maneuver the boat closer so Katara and her children could hop aboard. The benders assisted Kasumi and Tsun and made room for them. Katara stepped onto the boat, pulling her brown cloak over her shoulders as she moved. Jia Li squirmed in her grasp and Katara held her tighter to her chest to keep her warm. Bato moved to one side and let Katara sit next to him on the bench.
"Ok, let's get back," Bato called out to the three boats. Half the men on each boat stood and took up water bending stances. The boats moved away, picking up speed with each passing second.
"How's Sokka?" asked Katara, "I haven't gotten any letters from him in a long time."
"His bird finally died after seven years of flying between you two, quite a feat," Bato explained, "he just couldn't get any other bird to learn the route."
"I can't wait to see him again," Katara smiled, "How's my dad?"
"He's fine," Bato smiled, "he'll be happy to see you."
"I can't wait to be back home again," Katara smiled.
"You'll find a lot of things have changed," Bato stated, "the tribe has been thriving." Katara simply smiled at him and watched for when the village would come into view around each passing iceberg.
The sight that came before her blue eyes was breath taking. The small village surrounded by Sokka's simple handmade fortifications had been transformed into a large town made of beautiful sparkling ice. Katara thought to the Northern Water Tribe when she saw it.
"Wow," cooed Katara. Kasumi and Tsun were awestruck. They had never seen anything like this before. It rarely, if ever, snowed in the Fire Nation, so to have houses and walls made of the white stuff was an impossible notion to imagine. The boats docked and Katara stepped onto the snow. The crunch under her shoes brought back tears as she remembered her life here before she went off with Sokka to find Aang. Katara watched as the ice gate was opened and the city lay out before her. It was different then she remembered it, but one thing remained the same. She could tell where her brother and father were without asking anyone. The large igloo-like structure -complete with bits of architecture unlike the style built in the South Pole- stood in the center of the town. A large balcony faced the gate atop the first story in the front of the building. Kasumi and Tsun stayed close to their mother as she walked unguided through the town towards the main building. While she had not braided her hair back or tied it up in her characteristic way she used to, many of the older women doing chores recognized her from the time before her brother and her found Aang. Most of the younger girls or women a few years younger than Katara wondered who she was. Katara walked past the villagers as they began to talk about either why Katara, Fire Lord Zuko's wife had returned, or who this foreigner was and why no one was trying to stop her.
Katara pushed aside the front door and walked inside the large main building. She took a deep breath and smiled, happy to be home.
Kasumi pulled on her mother's cloak, trying her best not to shiver too violently. Her thin cloak was doing little to keep her warm in the frigid environment.
"Mom, I'm cold," complained Tsun. Katara looked down at the two and bit her lip. She needed to get them into warmer clothing; she needed to find Sokka.
"Sokka!" called Katara. She did not know where to look for him inside the large house. She pulled off her brown cloak and wrapped it around Tsun and Kasumi. The cold would not affect her as much as it did them; she was still used to it after all these years. She kept her red cloak on though; even she would feel the chill with nothing around her.
She finally heard footsteps from the second story. On the top of the staircase, a women with short brown hair appeared. She took one look at the red figure at the door and flew down the stairs towards her.
"Katara!" cried the happy woman. Katara instantly recognized her.
"Suki!" Katara smiled, "I missed you."
"Not as much as I missed you," Suki said. She released her from her embrace and met her blue eyes after looking around the room. "Did you come alone?" Suki looked around again and raised an eyebrow. Katara knew who she was looking for.
"Zuko's isn't here," Katara stated bluntly, "he doesn't know I'm here." She paused to let her words sink in. "Do you know where Sokka is?"
"Oh," Suki replied, slightly confused, then she smiled, "Sokka is this way, he'll be so excited!" Katara was pulled through the large igloo by Suki. Kasumi and Tsun, while still shivering, marveled at the fact that fluffy snow could be made into anything that stood against the weather. The icy room was warmer then outside, but not by much. Suki pushed open a door that led to a room with a large cooking fire. Tears come to Katara's blue eyes as she spotted three people in blue parkas standing a few feet away from the fire.
"Dad," Katara mumbled almost silently as a pained smile formed on her lips. She dropped Kasumi's hand and crossed the room in three large strides. She wrapped her free arm around her father. His surprise melted into happiness as he returned her embrace.
"Katara?!" Sokka questioned. Katara turned and spotted her brother. She turned and embraced him as well. He attempted to give her a tight hug.
"Careful," Katara cautioned. Sokka released her and watched as she pulled the red blanket down to reveal the face of the infant in her arm. Sokka seemed to notice for the first time that two children stood in the threshold of the room. Katara watched her brother's blue eyes move from Kasumi and Tsun and then to Jia Li in her arms.
"Is Zuko here?" asked Sokka. He looked to the door, expecting the leader of the Fire Nation to step through.
"No," Katara stated, "I came on my own." There was a long pause after her words floated across the room.
"So, how have you been?" asked Suki, breaking the silence. Katara motioned for Kasumi and Tsun to come closer.
"I've been fine," Katara said. Though it was not a complete lie, it definitely was not the full truth.
"I'm sorry I didn't answer your last letter," Sokka sighed, "but when Hawky died, none of the other birds we had knew the route."
"It's ok Sokka," Katara smiled. She rested her free hand on Tsun's shoulder, "not too much happened."
"Not too much!" Sokka exclaimed. He threw his arms out towards her in disbelief, "you suddenly have a son and a new baby. A lot of things happened, even the fact that you're here means something's going on!"
"I haven't met your and Suki's son yet," Katara smiled as she steered the conversation away from herself for just a bit longer.
"Oh," Sokka smiled, "Mizu, come here." Sokka knew he had written about his son after he was born and trying to explain his excitement in words to share with his sister. The third person dressed in a blue parka in the room moved closer and pulled the hood from his head. Sokka put his hand on the boy's shoulder. Katara stared at the boy who looked to be just younger then Kasumi. He had his mother's brown eyes and wore his hair like Sokka, and just about every other guy in the tribe. The boy smiled politely at Katara and her two children, still wondering what to make of them.
"Hi Mizu," Katara smiled in response to his. She touched Kasumi's shoulder, "this is-"
"Oh wait!" Sokka jumped, "let me guess!" Katara could not help but laugh at her brother's enthusiasm. She thought he would have outgrown that long ago.
"This is Kasumi," Sokka finally stated after a moment of thought.
"And this is Tsun," Katara announced placing her hands on his head and smoothing his black hair, "and this is Jia Li." Suki and Hakoda offered their greetings to them as Sokka paused for a moment. He glanced around the room then turned to Katara.
"I thought in your letter you said you had another daughter," he said, his eyes were locked onto hers. With a sharp intake of air, Katara closed her blue eyes for a moment. When she looked to Sokka again, her eyes were filled with unshed tears.
"Tala's dead," Katara mumbled. The room fell silent. Kasumi looked at her feet and tried not to let her own tears fall. Tsun seemed the least affected by the retelling of old news. He was only sad Tala could never play with him again.
"Katara," mumbled Hakoda. He embraced his daughter. She leaned into her father's shoulder and wiped the tears away that had accumulated her eyes. After a moment she gave her father a hurried smile and turned to Sokka and Suki.
"Kasumi and Tsun need better clothing," she stated, trying to hide the emotion still in her voice, "they aren't used to the cold." All eyes turned to the two children who were shivering slightly in the relatively warm air of the room.
"All of you need better clothes," Suki agreed. She looked at Katara who also had on Fire Nation clothing suited for another climate, "follow me." Katara followed Suki from the kitchen and up the staircase. Katara had never seen stairs in any house made of ice, she wondered if the Fire Nation Palace had been on Sokka's mind if he had been the one to suggest it. The group walked down the hallway and into a room with a single bed piled high with blankets and furs. Suki left them as she disappeared to find some extra clothing. She returned a moment latter, a stack of folded blue clothing in her arms.
"I hope these fit," she apologized, "I didn't keep a lot of Mizu's old clothing, so they might be big for Tsun. The parkas should fit though." Katara thanked Suki and handed each child a blue parka and matching warm clothing to go underneath. Katara handed Suki the baby, sleeping soundly once more, and disappeared to change. She pulled on the blue outfit and remembered her old life here, before anything had changed. The parka had a beaded design on the base and soft fur at each opening to stem the loss of heat. Katara returned to the bedroom and smiled as she saw each of her children dressed in blue. Tsun had a childish pout on his face as he pulled at the hood of his parka. Kasumi seemed more at ease with the change of color; she knew she would be warmer now.
Suki turned to the window and noticed the sun at the horizon. It would not dip any further south for another few months. It had taken her a while to get used to sleeping while the sun was still up, but now it did not bother her. Suki left Katara with the three children and walked back to the kitchen. Katara watched her go then left the room. Tsun and Kasumi would be sleeping when she got back. Katara walked in the opposite direction towards a door.
Katara opened the door and stepped onto the balcony she had seen earlier. The space was huge. Katara pulled Jia Li closer to her chest as she made sure the blanket was wrapped completely around the infant's body. The town glittered under the setting sun as Katara walked onto the ice balcony. The people below paid no heed to her as she peered over the icy railing to get a better look of the village from above. Jia Li stirred in her arms. She opened her blue eyes and squirmed. Katara pulled the red blanket tighter around the baby so she would not shrug it off in the cold. A wind ruffled her hair as she turned to face it and closed her eyes. After a moment, the wind dissipated yet Katara stood where she had before without moving. Another presence moved into the space. Katara turned and smiled at her brother. They stood in silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company, until Katara heard Tsun begin to cough. She sighed and turned to walk back to the room when he stopped. Sokka looked to his sister, worry on his face.
"Katara," he said, his voice held concern. He was trying to understand what was wrong, "is he ok?"
"He's sick," Katara explained. Her blue eyes moved from the infant in her arms to Sokka, "he was worse last year, but he just won't get better."
"What is he sick with?" Sokka asked, "maybe one of the healers could-"
"There was a strange illness that swept through the capital, "Katara explained, "I couldn't do anything for him."
"Maybe one of our healers could," Sokka suggested again "or one in the Northern Water Tribe. They still have better healers there then we do here."
"I don't know how long I'll be here Sokka," Katara sighed.
"What? You just got here! What do you mean?" Sokka exclaimed, "I haven't seen you in fifteen years and then you show up just to leave again?"
"It's not my choice," Katara explained quietly, "I just left." Sokka stared at her like she had just grown a second head.
"Why?" asked Sokka. His blue eyes went wide, "did Zuko-"
"No," Katara interrupted, "Zuko didn't do anything." Katara paused. She realized she was defending Zuko when she had no obligation to do so for him at all. She brushed it off.
"Then why did you leave?" asked Sokka. He wasn't mad or angry, just curious.
"It's the court Sokka," Katara explained, "they're ruining everything that we've worked for. They have too much control, something needs to be done." Katara paused a second, "they're the ones who want to bring me back, the ones who never let me leave."
"What?" asked Sokka.
"They've offered a reward and everything," Katara stated, "that's why I don't know how long I'll be here."
"No, we'll fix this," Sokka promised, "when Aang comes tomorrow-"
"Aang's coming, here?" smiled Katara.
"Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you," Sokka grinned, "he could take you anywhere to solve this problem. He could even take you up the Northern Water Tribe to find a healer." Tsun started coughing again in the bedroom.
"I just can't wait to see him," Katara smiled. She listened as Tsun coughed again. Jia Li stirred and opened her blue eyes. She wiggled one hand free and patted Katara's parka before reaching in the direction of Sokka. Katara gently tucked the baby's arm back into the blanket.
"Can I hold her?" Sokka asked quietly. Katara carefully handed her older brother Jia Li, reminding him to support her head. Katara watched a smile on her as Sokka watched his youngest niece as she looked up at him. Tsun coughed louder from the room and Katara turned to the door. Sokka still held Jia Li as he followed her out of the room to watch over Tsun through the night…
---
The curtains of the room had been pulled shut to keep the midnight sun from entering the bedroom. A stream of winter sunbeams filtered through the room and fell onto Katara's closed eyes. She lay alone on the bed, Tsun and Kasumi were gone.
The sun finally had its effect on Katara, her blue eyes fluttered open. She smiled and pulled the fur blankets up to her chin to snuggle under the covers. She closed her eyes again and tried to return to her dream.
Suki interrupted her attempt as she entered the room and pulled open the closed curtains. Katara groaned and rolled over to pull the blankets over her face to keep the sun away.
"Katara, get up," laughed Suki, "both Tsun and Kasumi have been up for hours!" Katara sat up in bed and looked around.
"Where are they?" she asked, slightly panicked.
"Don't worry," Suki smiled, "they're outside with Mizu in the snow," Katara relaxed and climbed out of bed. She had fallen asleep in her clothing while watching over Tsun. She thought for a moment if Sokka still had Jia Li and turned to Suki. She did not have to say a word before Suki answered her unspoken question.
"Jia Li is downstairs being spoiled by your father and Sokka," she smiled. Katara led the way downstairs, Suki at her heels, to check on everything. She found her father holding Jia Li near the warmth of the fire with a blue dress. The baby, too young to understand the change into real clothing, squirmed and gurgled in her grandfather's arms.
"How is she?" asked Katara. Hakoda looked up and smiled at his daughter.
"She's been quiet," he said, "much like your other daughter." Katara's smiled faded. She could tell her father was asking her why without trying to force her.
"Kasumi thinks that if she stays silent then no one else will die," Katara replied, "she was with her sister when she was-" Katara cut herself off so she did not have to finish. Hakoda was silent as he absorbed the news. He had seen the two children earlier when his other grandson, Mizu, had dragged them outside to play in the new snow that had fallen that night. He had heard something a snowball fight and felt sorry for the two children who had been brought up in the Fire Nation. The two looked entirely like their father, Tsun was almost his miniature. Jia Li seemed to resemble Katara the most, if only for her blue eyes. He glanced at his daughter and smiled gently.
"Katara," he spoke. Katara turned to him and took Jia Li back into her arms. The master waterbender smiled back and walked off to find Tsun and Kasumi.
She only had to step foot outside the large igloo to discover what had captured their attention. Off to the left in an open expense of snow, two small forts rose from the ground. Made entirely of snow, Katara could tell bending had been involved to form them. Snowballs flew back and forth between them. Katara watched Sokka and Suki's son Mizu firing orders from atop the closest fort. A boy standing hear him fixed one of the walls with rudimentary waterbending while others launched a barrage of premade snowballs towards the 'enemy' fort. A blast of weak fire exploded from an icy window in the fort and Katara frowned. At least now she knew where to find Tsun and Kasumi. No other child in the whole Southern Water Tribe could fire bend, the flame had to be Tsun's doing.
Katara walked through the fight; she absentmindedly waved oncoming snowballs from hitting her and the baby with a flick of her wrist. Several of the children noticed her interference and gave her a wide berth with their snowballs. Katara ducked around to the relative safety behind the main wall of the snow fort and paused. Mizu stood several feet up on the tall wall, acting as a lookout and directing the three kids that were throwing the snowballs. Tsun stood next to him, ready in a firebending stance, for what reason Katara was unsure. She did notice that none of the children stood near him and put a wide margin of space between them. Only Mizu seemed comfortable at the seven-year-old's side.
Katara found Kasumi kneeling with two other children forming snowballs. For a child who had never touched snow in her life, her snowballs rivaled perfection. A small smile sparkled on her lips, though her mouth remained closed. Her voice was still a prisoner.
"Incoming!" called Mizu. Katara looked up and watched him duck his head safely behind the snow barrier. Tsun grinned and took a breath; he punched the air with open fists and fire erupted from his palms. Katara watched the flame, noticeably smaller than the previous blast, as it met a large ice ball midair. The ice melted and fell to the ground as rain. Tsun's breathing was slightly labored as he leaned against the ice wall and watched Mizu resume his position as lookout. Katara watched as Tsun closed her golden eyes and coughed a few times before resuming his task of watching for large dangerous projectiles.
"Tsun, Kasumi!" Katara called. She tried to keep her voice gentle, but it came out more commanding then she wanted it to be, "come here." Kasumi rose to her feet in an instant. She brushed the snow from her dress-like parka and pulled on her gloves before darting to her mother's side. Mizu turned and looked to Tsun who had not moved. A barrage of snowballs flew over the wall, missing Mizu's head by inches. Katara raised her hand and sent them on another path so they would miss her and Kasumi entirely.
"Tsun come down," Katara called. The two children making snowballs had stopped and watched Tsun. He stood silent while all the children watched the confrontation.
"I don't want to," Tsun pouted. He crossed his arms over his chest, hiding his bare hands from sight. He turned to Mizu, "we're playing Mom, can't I come later?"
"No, come down now," Katara ordered. Kasumi looked up at her brother, begging him to come down. Both pairs of golden eyes met for but a moment.
"Make me," Tsun frowned. Mizu looked at Tsun and then watched as Katara handed the silent baby in her arms to Kasumi. Sokka's son took a step back from Tsun as he watched his aunt step into a stance that was not entirely new to him, but one he had not seen any of his friends use. The boy decided his father must not have been lying about her being a master.
Katara stepped forward and lifted her hands, only to step backwards in a quick spin on her left foot and pull her hands together and into her chest. The children watched as a column of snow rose swiftly from the fort under Tsun's feet, engulfed his body up to his hips, and descended in front of Katara. Tsun was stunned. Unlike Kasumi, he had never seen Katara waterbend. He was always ill when she used her bending, and most of the occasions were forgotten. The other children stood in stunned silence as Katara stared down tat Tsun. She dropped her hands and the snow slid harmlessly to the ground. The silence was starting to make everyone uneasy, even the 'enemy' snowballs had stopped falling. Tsun had began to turn red.
An all too familiar sound filled the air above the village. Katara looked up along with every one of the children in the fort. A low bellow sounded again as a great flying beast descended towards the town. Mizu's brown eyes, Suki's eyes, followed the creature's descent and smile lit up his face. He pulled himself up so he stood on the highest fort wall and looked over it. His excitement seemed unmatchable by anything. The other children had similar looks of glee on their faces, leading Katara to believe that her friend made many trips here. The children around her, aside from Tsun and Kasumi, stormed the fort wall and hurried to join Mizu on the top. While they tensed for the attack on their newest playmate that stood out of Katara's view, none of them left the wall. Mizu stood and smiled.
"Let's go!" he exclaimed. The others surged forwards and slid down the outer wall and out of sight. Before Mizu jumped as well, Tsun called out to him.
"What's going on?" he called, "who's that?" Tsun's questions fell on deaf ears as Mizu disappeared.
"Who's that Mom?" asked the prince.
"Aang," Katara smiled.
She's free! Ok… What happens now? Does the court find Katara? What do they do to get her back? How does Zuko feel about what is going on? What is Aang's reaction to Katara's story? And how does Azula fit into all this?
The next chapter will tell all!
Remember to review… :)