1The Meaning of Forever

Knowing When to Worry

Chapter 2/?

By Paperkat

01/29/08

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Story Synopsis

Just because the war is over doesn't mean the story ends. Mainly Katara and Zuko centric.

Chapter Synopsis

Zuko knows exactly when to be worried.

Zuko divided his focus between Kuzu's droning voice and the third flame to the left of the receiving room's curtained double doors. He kept the fire constant, not allowing it to flare or dim as he shifted it through the colors; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, lavender, over and over again. He and the Avatar had used it as a form of mediation and conditioning during their training together. Thought it wasn't particularly visually impressive, it took an insane amount of concentration and skill, and right now it was the only thing that kept him sane during the monotony that was court life.

"And in the Tento District…"

The court attendant continued on, seemingly without having to take a breath, for which the Prince was at least partially grateful. The sooner the official announcement of the schedule was over the sooner the day could actually begin. Zuko already knew that was on the agenda for the day because, as the Fire Lord's First Advisor, it was his duty to arrange the day's duties by order of importance.

"And with great apologies my Lord there is a guest that bids an audience with you."

The unexpected change in the routine snapped Zuko out of his calming trance. From his position just to the side of the traditional wall of flames that separated the Fire Lord from the court officials, Zuko could see that his Uncle had slid down a little in his throne with his chin resting upon his chest. At least he isn't snoring.

Knowing that his Uncle had not heard the court attendant in his slumber, Zuko took a loud step forward and forced the flame curtain to surge upward. There was a sleep muffled grunt of surprised protest from behind the curtain as Zuko addressed the attendant himself.

"And who would be so bold as to request an audience without giving formal announcement?" Zuko asked forcing more displeasure into his voice than was really there. While annoyed that the schedule was in jeopardy (Agni, help him, he was starting to sound like Sokka?!) the Prince was glad for a slight distraction.

The attendant seemed to shrink where he stood and Zuko inwardly cringed realizing that maybe he had gone a little too far. Though he was heir to the throne by both lineage and by his Uncle's own decree, Zuko still felt that he had to earn that place. And scaring the pants off my subjects isn't helping, Zuko grumbled to himself. He was about to correct his mistake when a small voice from behind the guards standing at the receiving room door spoke up.

"Excuse me… I didn't mean to cause a fuss, I just wanted to… uh… let you know I was in town?"

The shadows, the midnight blue robes and her petite frame had helped to keep her from sight, but now that she was standing in the middle of the room with nothing to shield her from the hundreds of flames lighting the room, Zuko wondered how he could have missed her at all.

The color of her robes indicated her status as a Master of her element among her people but was uncommon in the Fire Nation and stood out strikingly, but the robe's design itself was very common in the township surrounding the palace. They were made to be light and airy to account for the heat his nation was known for, and left her arms and midriff exposed. Her hair was pulled back in braids that disappeared into a bun at the back of her head and Zuko immediately thought of Toph, whom she must have used as a reference for the blending of Earth and Water hairstyles. At her throat was, of course, her mother's necklace, but in her hair was a set of four gold and ivory hair sticks, carved and forged to resemble summer fire blossoms and on each arm were twining gold dragon armbands enabled in azure. His Uncle had gifted Katara with the royal gifts upon the formal announcement of her status of Master and they did a lot to make her look less… peasant-like. Of course it would have work a lot better if she didn't have a worn overstuffed seal leather pack the size of a bagger mole strapped to her back.

It had been three years since he had seen her last. His wedding had afforded him very little opportunity to actually spend time with his many guests, but he had watched her from atop his elevated seat of honor. His Uncle, the Fire Lord, had commanded a dance in honor of his nephew's marriage, and for a moment no one had moved. Dancing had not been allowed for so long none of the Fire Nation guests knew what to do, but the Avatar had.

Zuko didn't know how it had been possible, but at sixteen Aang had been even more boisterous than he had been at twelve and he had no trouble talking a reluctant Katara out into the center of the room. His Uncle's musicians had immediately followed the Fire Lord's command for a lively tune and the two dancers had fallen into step as if it had been something they had done all their lives. But that was the way it always was between them. Zuko was never sure who led and who followed, but they always stayed in step.

By that time Aang had finally gained some height and was a half head taller than his dance partner, however Katara hadn't looked like she had changed at all since the moment Zuko had first seen her in the South Pole. But Zuko had always felt so much older than the 'children' he had chased across the world. And even when they stood by him in the final battle, Zuko had a hard time seeing past their young, unblemished faces to the maturity they had gained that was beyond their years, and most likely beyond his own level of maturity at the time.

Zuko was stuck again at how little time seemed to affect Katara. She was certainly no taller, but Zuko had to admit that she seemed leaner almost slight and she moved with a lithe grace that had been just starting to show itself three years ago when she danced all night with the Avatar. But her emotions still showed brightly from her eyes, like a book open for anyone to read. And that alone made Katara seem so much younger than she actually was. How old was she? Zuko wondered suddenly, but he pushed that thought to the side, focusing on the girl… woman before him.

Katara's eyes flitted nervously around the room, first along the wall of flame that hid his Uncle from view and then to him. Her gaze locked with his, her blue eyes looked silver in the firelight. It took a moment for her to recognize him in his full court regalia and backlit by the still roaring fire, but when she did she relaxed. With a small smile of relief she gave a graceful bow, despite the bulbous pack tied to her back.

"Prince Zuko," she acknowledged with a final lowering of her head, eyes downcast.

It still surprised him how formal she was with him. After all, this was the same girl that had stood just inches from his face and threatened his very life should he ever cross her. This was the same girl that had refused to call him by anything resembling his name for nearly a month after he had joined the Avatar. Aang said that Katara was just giving him the respect she felt he had earned. Zuko would have rather she call him just Zuko or even Hotman like Toph, but he supposed it was better than her calling him Jerkbender like her brother still did on occasion.

It had happened so fast in the end, her forgiveness, and her acceptance that Zuko still had a hard time thinking of Katara as a friend and not some form of rival. It had maybe been two weeks since he had started teaching the Avatar when it happened. Tension in the group had been high. Whether it had been from his unexpected arrival or from the core group of Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph restlessness of staying in one spot too long, being hunted tending to do that, Zuko hadn't known, but one morning the little group had finally snapped.

He and Aang had just returned from a rather successful training session to find Sokka, Haru, the Duke and Teo cowering in one corner of the courtyard that had served as their common room. Zuko had known immediately that something was wrong, the air had been too heavy with silence, but the Avatar had been blissfully unaware and had inquired about breakfast. It had been the wrong thing to say.

If it was possible, Toph had become even more stiff and unyielding seemingly turning to stone as she continued to look blankly away from their direction. Katara had immediately descended on the Avatar, like a great fox-eagle with talons extended. The boy had tried to cringe away, most likely knowing what he was in store for him, but the waterbender would not be denied her prey. With a hand on Aang's shoulder, she had steered the poor boy in front of her and towards the make shift eating area they had made, and then she had turned her burning blue eyes on him.

She had been glaring, but for the first time it had not been because of, or for, him. She had given him a quick once over, before setting her jaw so tightly he thought her teeth would crack and then she grabbed his wrist. Too shocked to protest or even put up resistance, Zuko had been dragged behind the waterbender, while she had pushed the Avatar in front of her.

The very first thing that Zuko remembered thinking was how strong her grip was. Not truly accustomed to being handled, Zuko had almost every touch he had received since his mother's banishment memorized. Some like from his Uncle or Mai, had been hesitant, light, loving, even affectionate. Some like his father, Azula and even Toph, had been controlling, forceful, and demanding. But Katara had held his wrist in a death grip as if he would vanish or run away if she let up even the smallest amount.

It shouldn't have made that much of an impression. After all, at the time, she had only been using him in whatever power struggle her and Toph were in at that moment. But to realize that she had accepted that he was there, that he was apart of them, and just as worthy as the Avatar as emotional leverage against her current opponent was in its own way staggering.

To this day, Zuko couldn't remember what the argument had been about or if anyone had actually won, but he remembered quite clearly the mud fight that had ensued between the girls, and how the rest of them had been drawn in when Katara and Toph decided to gang up on them. That was when he learned that Katara had a temper that was ironically very similar to his own.

Everyone had to pitch in to get the common room into anything remotely useable after all the mud slinging, and the whole while they had continued to fight. Not like they had been, but teasingly, comfortably, and lovingly. And he had been silent throughout, drinking it in, wishing his Uncle could have been there to see it.

It had been the turning point or the breaking point however you wanted to look at it, but after that day, Katara had started giving him the same mothering glares she gave the others when she would discover an injury you had forgotten you even had, or the same exasperated sigh when he would not side with her during a fight of wills. He had finally been apart of something. A part that didn't fit perfectly or that well, but one that they had decided they didn't want to go without.

"Leave us with our quest."

Zuko was so lost to his memories that he stiffened when his Uncle made the command. It was rare that the Fire Lord raised his voice, but it commanded obedience whenever he did. The room emptied quickly then, the attendants giving final bows as they exited behind the heavy drapes over the door's entrance.

"Katara my dear!" his Uncle exclaimed, almost skipping across the room after the curtain of flames had been extinguished. He swallowed the young woman in a hug that she eagerly returned. Even though it brought a smile to his face to see his Uncle so pleasantly surprised, Zuko couldn't resist rolling his eyes at the site. At least Iroh had dismissed his attendants before they could see their Fire Lord dissolve into the equivalent of a panda-wolf pup begging for its belly to be scratched.

"How have you been Iroh?" she asked, ignoring both protocol and his Uncle by dropping the 'Fire Lord' and shyly refusing to call him just 'Uncle' despite the Fire Lord's insistence.

"I am much better now that I have such beautiful company to brighten up this dreary place," Uncle told her quite solemnly as he pointedly looked over at his nephew. Zuko resisted the sigh that formed in the back of his throat. It was his duty and an honor to stand before the curtain silently as both protector and advisor to his Uncle. It was not, however, his job to be entertainment for the bored Fire Lord, no matter how much Iroh insisted he 'liven things up'.

"Katara," Zuko greeted with a slight nod. After untangling herself from his uncle, she gave another formal bow in return.

"Prince Zuko."

"Enough," Iroh exclaimed, hastily throwing his arms up. "Enough with all these formalities in the presence of friends and family. Let us adjourn to the garden terrace so that I may sample my present."

"What makes you think I brought you a present?" Katara asked coolly her arms crossed in what Zuko recognized as her disapproving mothering stance.

"You always bring me a present," his Uncle said with an exaggerated pout as he stared at his steepled fingers.

"Uncle," Zuko cut in despairingly, not wanting to disturb the cute little scene, but needing to get his Uncle back on track before he lost him entirely. "Your schedule is full for the remainder of the day until your dinner with the Earth Kingdom representatives."

"I thought we did that yesterday," Iroh replied, his pout turning genuine. Katara attempted to hide her laugh behind her hand but it escaped anyway.

"You postponed it yesterday for a Pai Sho game," Zuko reminded him, not bothering to add that it was the second time his Uncle had delayed the meeting.

The Fire Lord sighed regretfully before gathering up Katara's free hand not holding her pack in both of his. "I am afraid my taskmaster has spoken. But you will be staying for a while, will you not?"

"Of course," she agreed with a tight smile. Zuko didn't think he was truly a suspicious person by nature, just by experience, a by-product of being born into a family that didn't see the value of honesty, but the way Katara seemed to quickly look away from them sparked a doubt in Zuko's mind.

"How about I meet you for morning tea tomorrow," Katara suggested, her smile more genuine than the one before it had been. "I need time to find lodging anyway and…"

"Nonsense."

All three of them jumped at the voice from the direction of the curtain.

"Mai," Zuko gasped in surprise, his lady wife rarely attended any meetings and if she could help it, she didn't leave their rooms until high sun.

Mai floated into the room on the black and vermillion cloud of her formal robes, and Zuko couldn't help but just stare at her. His wife had an effortless regal quality about her that made everyone stop and notice her even when she was silent, which she often was. Mai was beautiful, loyal, cultured, and would be his perfect match when he took the throne as Fire Lord.

Mai gave him a raised eyebrow in sensor, probably for his sudden lack of proper protocol in yelling her name. She formally bowed before them, her eyes not leaving his until the last possible moment before letting them drop.

"If it pleases my Lords, I have made a room ready for Master Katara in the family wing."

"Excellent thinking Lady Mai," Iroh beamed and Mai unfurled from her bow elegantly, accepting the praise with a nod and a bit of a smirk Zuko noticed with narrowed eyes. He trusted his wife not to betray him, but that didn't mean he thought her beyond mischief for mischief. She was after all one of Azula's hand picked companions.

"You knew she was coming?" Zuko asked, as the seed of suspicion that had begun with Katara grew.

"No, but Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe is not someone that would go unnoticed in the capital, especially when she comes knocking at our door," Mai told him simply, her blank feature betraying nothing. "A guard informed me she was at our front gate. I had them bring her here for a formal invitation while I prepared her a room."

"I didn't mean to cause you any trouble," Katara protested gently and Zuko couldn't help but noticed that the water bender seemed a bit uncomfortable. But he supposed Katara had never been one to enjoy too much attention directed at her.

"Our allies are always welcome," Mai said graciously, but Zuko had known Mai for too long, as a friend, a lover and now as a husband to miss the teasing smile in her eyes even as her face remained passive. His wife was up to something, of that he was sure.

"I would be remise in my duties to not make available the best we have to offer," the Fire Princess continued as she offered a shallow bow to Katara.

"I thank you for your generosity," Katara returned hesitantly.

"Wonderful," the Fire Lord exclaimed clapping Mai and Katara on the back, making both young ladies stumble closer together. "Well Zuko, we best get going before Kuzu comes looking for us. I trust you Ladies will accompany us to dinner."

Mai accepted for the both of them even though Katara looked like she was about to protest. Zuko turned and followed his Uncle out the doors and an uncomfortable feeling settled over him. The same one he use to get when his sister would smile at him.

He looked back and found his wife lightly grazing her manicured nails along the back of Katara's arm, a predatory grin gracing her lips. The Master Waterbender was glaring back at the Fire Princess, her blue eyes flashing as brightly as her face glowed scarlet with anger. Katara stomped away in the direction Mai was indicating with her free hand, but before she followed, Zuko's lady wife turned to him, seemingly knowing that he had seen them, and then bowed her head with mock servitude.

Zuko took a deep breath and turned to follow his Uncle. If there was one thing his family life had taught him was when to worry, and right now Zuko was very worried.

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