Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, I just love it!
"I can't wait to get home," She crooned, chin left to rest over her folded hands and elbows planted on the windowsill, "I miss the snow."
"It'll be okay, Katara. We'll be on our way home by the end of the week!"
Katara turned from where she had been perched at the window, turning her glance to Aang. Fire Lord Iroh had asked that she stay a few extra days to pan out a diplomatic and unbreakable truce between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes, and as much as she wanted to, there was no way she could've refused. And now, poor Aang was stuck here with her, due to her little white lie.
"Besides, who woulda' thought we'd ever be guests in the Fire Lord's palace? It was awful nice of Fire Lord Iroh to put us up." Aang seemed to beam and she thought, that maybe this little vacation for him, though it was work for her, might not be so bad.
"He had to put us up, Aang, it would've been rude of him not to." She had a gentle smile, approaching the young man and unlacing the braids that restrained her prettily set hair, "What're we going to do about the one bed, though?"
Aang found himself unable to hide the blush that immediately stained his features, "Uh, well…I don't know. I mean, I always could ask for another room."
"No. You can't. That's the problem. If I hadn't told that stupid lie, you wouldn't have to stick around here." She stood a foot or so away from him then, looking up with miserable eyes. Aang placed a hand at her shoulder.
"Katara. I would've stayed, regardless. I can sleep on the floor." It was the gentlemen's thing to do, regardless of the fact he'd prefer to share her bed.
"I don't think that's fair. We'll take turns?" She sighed.
"No, we won't. You need your beauty rest, madam ambassador," he teased, "Not that you need to work on your beauty or…anything." Aang gave a nervous chuckle.
The young woman leaned forward, resting her head against Aang's chest and giving him a friendly hug, "Aang, you're amazing. Thank you for staying and doing this for me."
He was tentative at first, but he fought threw his nervousness and returned the innocent affection, "Besides," he began, "Sokka would've never left if I hadn't stayed. You know how he feels about you being here."
Katara sighed into his chest, relaxing her arms, "I know. And, I wish Iroh would hurry up with that change of clothes he promised us. This dress is killing me."
Aang eased her back; looking at her with those sea-storm eyes, "Tell you what. I'll go find out what happened to our change of clothes, and you just relax, alright?"
At first, her lips pursed, as if to argue but the air bender had slipped from her and out the door so quickly, she hadn't the time to argue, so rather, she sighed.
Katara began to turn, soaking up her surroundings. The room was beautiful, she'd have to admit, minus how dark it seemed. A lovely canopied bed, gilded with red silks and gold flakes, and a deep, dark armoire to match with the carved history of the fire nation over its panels. The window, which was adjacent from the door, had sheer curtains that kept out a small bit of light while still allowing ambience. There were pillows and silks thrown everywhere, and a pretty thatched screen against the wall beneath a display of antique fire nation weapons. It'd be hard to sleep without her furs, with weapons in the room, and she wondered how Appa was fairing in the stables and if Momo was still keeping him company.
She returned to the window, leaning back on her elbows as she had been before and brushing one of the pulled sheer curtains to the side for a clear view. She found the inner courtyard of the palace very beautiful. A koi pond that shimmered with the moonlight and was neatly decorated with water lilies and a pagoda that rested in the middle of it all, small stone path leading to it.
She stood like that a long while, wistful and lonely until two figures appeared a good way beneath her window and by the brim of the pond. Katara was sure if she listened closely she would be able to hear what they were saying, but it was of no use. She gave up once she heard the door creaking quietly behind her, revealing Aang and two young maids whose hands were full of cream and crimson silks for both he and her.
"Ambassador," One began, bowing her head with respect, "Fire Lord Iroh has ordered us bring you two night dresses, one dressing robe, four shawls, two overcoats, five layered dresses, and three pairs of shoes. Where shall we put them?"
Katara blinked, all those clothes they held didn't look much unlike her fanciest dress. She wondered how it was women of the Fire Nation got anything done, "Um, in the cabinet, please."
The two women bowed, quickly going to work to put away the clothes and retreating from the room.
"What about you, Aang? Where are your clothes?" The young woman canted her brow in question.
Aang laughed lightly, placing a hand behind his head, "Oh, I told them not to bother! I can stay in this!" He looked himself over. His finest attire was near identical to his usual look, minus slight embroidery upon the sleeves and tunic. He heard Katara give a light chuckle, "If you say so, Aang."
She drifted past him towards the armoire, pulling open the doors and removing a nightdress and the robe, "I'm supposed to sleep in this?" she whined, looking over the flimsy thing of cream silk, decorated with falling lily blossoms and red threading, "It looks to fragile." But, she shrugged all the same, retreating to the screen and swiftly ducking behind it.
Aang watched her, as there was little else to do and he couldn't resist. He heard her let out a relieved sigh as she loosened the tight blue wrapping about her mid section, and piece by piece, skirt by skirt, she threw parts of the ball gown over the panel.
"Oh! That feels so much better," Katara claimed as she came from around the screen, pulling the crimson dress robe over her shoulders to hide the long, though thin and sleeveless nightdress. She frowned as she glanced at her feet, noting the train that the negligee had, threaded with gold, "Even their robes are over the top!"
The young man gave her a starved glance, watching as she shook out the wild, long, mangled mess of chestnut curls, and though she looked like a fire nation woman, he was certain he'd gone brain-dead. He was sure he'd never seen a prettier girl in his life, and it took her acknowledging him to snap him from his trance.
"Aang, are you okay?"
Mai wriggled uncomfortably under the glare of the Fire Prince, "What do you want me to say?"
Zuko's disdain was plain in his amber irises, as he stared at her long and hard, "It wasn't a difficult question! Why would you ask me such a thing?"
The woman's face twisted in slight irritation and her voice was soft and smooth, "I may be an obedient fiancée, but that does not make me stupid, Zuko. I saw how you looked at her."
"Do you realize how ridiculous you sound, woman? She's a water-bending peasant, and the fact that you would accuse me of something so degrading as interest in her is absurd. We will never speak of this again, do you understand me? You will never doubt me again."
Mai turned her face away, tipping her nose up and making no ackowledgement of his former statement. Zuko thought that, that was a very stupid thing for her to do. He grabbed her arm roughly, forcing her face to him, "Do you understand me, Mai?!"
The emotion in her face was hidden as always it was, and she very quietly responded with a sincere 'yes' before pulling herself away, and bowing slightly, "I'll be going to bed, Prince Zuko. I'll await you in chambers."
He said nothing to her as she retreated, but rather turned his glance to the inner-courtyard of the palace, sighing to himself. She was right to doubt him. She was right to ask him if she should be weary of the water bender. He was wrong to be angry with her, but his pride had gotten in his way, and he'd set her in her proper place. A place he knew Katara would never restrict herself to. He resented Mai, for how easily she obeyed him.
Zuko began to walk towards the pagoda that rest in the center of the koi pond.
Katara had found herself entirely too restless to sleep. She could tell by the moon's position outside her window that it was close to morning and she'd barely rested at all. Tossing, and turning, she finally slunk out of her sheets, trying desperately not to step on Aang, who'd created a bed of blankets on the floor beside her, and was sleeping as soundly as he ever had. Katara smiled down on the young man, and she thought as she crept around him, the way the moon shone in on him, he looked very much like a little boy again.
Finding her shoes and robe was the most difficult task in her trial to be silent. She didn't dare put on her slippers over the wood floor of their room, so rather she looped them in her fingers and searched about for her nightdress. Finally, she made her way to the screen she'd previously dressed behind and pulled the silk thing from it's corner, dragging it out the sliding doors with her, slipping through them as if she herself were water. She shut sliding screens as silently as she could manage, and pulled on the training, trailing robe and slippers, which were soft, and red as the robe, and tipped up slightly at the toes.
She was tentative at the first, taking a right rather than a left and slowly making her way down the long, darkly lit hallway of the palace. She glanced here, and there, but few decorations graced the walls other than a weapon now and again, or lantern. To busy her hands as she crept, Katara got to braiding her hair, lazily lacing one braid over her left shoulder, and one over the right before pulling each up and knotting them into buns atop her head. It was a messy job, but it worked. Aside from the falling strands that laid themselves over her lashes.
There was really nowhere to go, Katara realized, as she continued to wander. Every door she came upon was either locked, or housed a room filled with relics and papers, scrolls, and stories. Eventually, she came upon the inner-courtyard.
Katara thought that the garden looked like some sort of enchanted forest in the night, the way the lanterns lit the flowers, and fireflies lit the water. It was dim, and still, and lovely. An utter center of peace, and she ventured towards the pond, carefully stepping over each stone as not to fall into the water as she made her way to the pagoda, trailing robe and nightdress soaking in the ripples behind her, but her she caught the winged toe of her slipper on the last step, she found herself tumbling into the little house.
Zuko shot to a standing position, startled by the loud thump of whatever had awoken him from his lazy, brooding sleep in the pagoda.
"Ow…" he heard, and he looked down, squinting his eyes to adjust to the low light of his surroundings.
"What're you doing here?" he seethed, glancing down to the woman bender who'd fallen, sprawled over the tile of the little house.
Katara gave an irritated glance up, wincing as she pulled herself from the floor, "Thanks for helping me up, your highness."
Zuko sneered, "As if you would've accepted my help. I'm not a fool." He crossed his arms over his chest, turning his face away, slightly but taking in the glance of her. Lit by fireflies, he'd never her seen look so, so…no, lovely wasn't the right word. Ethereal was more like.
She 'hmphed', "You're right, I probably wouldn't have taken your help." She began to brush herself off before giving the prince a suspicious glance, "What're you doing out here?"
He turned away from her completely, facing the inside of the pagoda, "That's none of your concern."
Katara rolled her eyes, "Alright…well, I couldn't sleep, before you even ask."
Zuko cast her a backward glance, "Fighting with the Avatar?"
She shook her head, "No! I just couldn't sleep, is all. You have no idea how hard it was to get out of bed without waking him up."
The prince placed his hands on the guard rail, tightening his grip, "Ah," he gritted his teeth, slightly, "I had a fight with Mai."
The young woman let out a light chuckle, quickly racing to cover her lips with her hand, "I'm sorry," she said both miserably and elated. He turned to face her fully, fire in his eyes.
"Why is that funny, wench?" His voice was a bit harsher than he'd intended, and it was obvious it had done no good as Katara's grin had immediately fled her lips.
"I don't know. It just is. The great Prince Zuko, fighting with his fiancée, is left to sleep outside. It sounds like you two are well on your way to being a perfectly normal married couple." She let her shoulders roll with her words, nonchalantly approaching the rail he held, and leaned over it, crossing her arms as she perched beside him.
He said nothing, though his eyes remained on her. He wasn't sure how he felt with her in such close proximity. Well, he knew how he felt, just wasn't sure how to approach it.
"The sun will be up soon," she spoke, more to herself than him, but she soon turned those crystalline eyes his way, "I can't imagine growing up here, in the sun, in the garden. It must have been wonderful."
He turned his face to hers, "It was. My mother and I used to sit in here, and she would tell me the great stories of our nation." He lifted a finger towards a tree that lay in the corner against the courtyard wall, "Azula pushed me off that branch, when I was a boy. Broke my arm."
Katara nodded, smiling slightly, "She must have been a real trouble maker. When Sokka and I were younger, we would torture eachother, as well. Not quite to that extreme, but, he would throw snowballs at me when I was sleeping, and I'd let his underwear freeze in the snow."
Zuko nodded, eyeing the sunlight that was lining itself over the garden wall.
"So," he heard her pose, "Why were you and Mai fighting?"
The prince grunted at first, before deciding it better to confide in someone neutral, than just yell more at Mai, later, and Katara could be neutral, if he left out key details, "She's insecure," he began.
"About what?" Katara canted a brow.
"About me, and her, and us. She's an intelligent woman. She knows I'm only marrying her because Uncle has deemed it good for me, and I believe he really does think it's good for me. He thinks I need a woman to take care of me, and he very much wants children in these halls again, and in this garden. Mai and I have known eachother since we were children. He knows she'll be devoted to me, and that she will someday, be a great wife to the Fire Lord. But, I'm not the fire lord, not yet, and I very much doubt she will be a great wife to or for me." His words finished with a begrudging sigh.
Katara nodded, "I'm sorry you're in that position, Prince Zuko." And, he was shocked to hear how perfectly sincere she sounded. His stern face broke into a very faint smile, bowing his head slightly, "Please, just call me Zuko."
The young woman smiled, "Alright." Though she still had resentment for the man, she had to admit that he was completely endearing in this moment, albeit a bit weary.
"And, what about you, Lady Ambassador, how is it you became betrothed to the Avatar?" He fought to hide the bitterness in his voice.
Katara thought just then, perhaps, since they were being honest with eachother, she should fess up, tell him that it's all one big mistake and they're not really to be wed, but thinking and doing are two completely different things, "He asked me."
Zuko nodded, "And, you said yes."
She grinned, "Of course I said yes, we're getting married, and…he's the Avatar. No girl would refuse him." She joined his glance, trailing the growing light over the wall.
"Do you love him?" It was a bold, but honest question.
"I do," Katara began, "Aang and I have been through so much together, but, I don't think I'm in love with him. However, I'm sure I'll fall in love with him one day. Someday." An honest answer, to an honest question, "He's the only man in my life that's ever made me feel like a girl. Like, I could be someone's wife, or mother. Aang has such a gentle way of making me feel beautiful."
"You are beautiful." Zuko said, with no shame.
Katara let out a soft sigh, "Thank you, Zuko. That's kind of you to say, but I've seen the girl's your nation breeds. Snowy skin, and sable hair. They all have perfectly pink lips, and eyes the color of fresh honey."
"But, they're all drones of this Nation. Not a one knows how to think for herself. Mai is a prime example. She's very pretty, but she's at best, a lifeless puppet."
Katara shrugged, standing straight and yawning, "Maybe so, but she is lucky to have you to take care of her. I remember how much your honor meant to you, and still does. You'll treat her well, I know it." She tipped her head slightly, "Goodnight, Prince Zuko. Sleep sweet."
For a long moment, Zuko watched her retreat, until she was a fading memory of what had just transpired, her image ducking back into the hallway that led to her room.
"…Goodnight."
A/N: I just wanted to say I'm so sorry I've taken so long, and I appreciate all the patience I've been afforded. I've been sick.
Now, I haven't had the chance to proofread, so I'm greatly sorry for that, but I hope you all enjoy.