I had meant to make this longer, but the way the plot was working made it feel awkward. I made a mistake last time; I had meant to include the first scene of this chapter to the very end of the previous chapter, but, as you can tell, that didn't happen.

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"Commander, I need you do something for me."

"Anything, my lord."

"That Water Tribe girl. She's become quite popular of late. I've heard rumors that she is being called the 'Champion of the Water People.'"

"I've heard the same, my lord. Only three days, and already stories of what she did at Yi Chang have spread just about everywhere. Even people of the Earth Kingdom have been talking about her."

"I can't have that. I can't have people rooting for her. I didn't expect that it would be easy to break her people's hope for her, but now I have to consider the Earth Kingdom? This wasn't supposed to happen. They were supposed to refuse this whole marriage, so I would have a reason to attack that my people would approve of—public support of the war has been fading. I never imagined that the Tribes would agree!"

"Had it been only Yue, I believe they would have refused, sir. She is the very symbol of the Northern Water Tribe, and while her father may be an adequate soldier, he is blinded by love for his daughter. He would have died before he allowed you to have her."

"That was the plan. I never imagined that someone else would volunteer! That Katara—she isn't even a true princess. But I could hardly take back my offer and say, 'sorry, I meant the other one?' Damn political jargon, I should have named her.

"…but I can still make this work. What I called you here for, Zhou. Since things are not going according to plan, it's time to change the plan. I still need my people to approve of the war. They need to believe that I am trying to put aside our differences by reaching out for this arranged marriage. That I'm the good guy. I can't have that foul water girl be viewed in a positive light. We need to disgrace her."

"My lord? I don't understand how I can help."

"The Fire Nation people love you. You are their own 'Champion,' in a way. Should my supposed bride act…inappropriately towards you, so to speak, she would quickly fall from grace in the people's eyes."

"Sir?"

"Katara is a representative of the Water people now. All eyes are on her. Should she appear promiscuous, or try to get out of the binding contract between our countries, support for the war will swell. I am sending you to rendezvous with the travelling party. Make sure you give the Water Princess a warm welcome."

XXXXX

It became an unspoken decision that every night Zuko and Katara would meet on the deck during Zuko's night shift. Sometimes they would merely go through basic training motions side by side, and other times they would have mock fights. Both of them were hesitant at first when they began to spar, but after they began to feel each other out and learn each other's styles, fighting quickly became fun as they struggled to best each other.

Three days after the first time Zuko had seen Katara training on deck, a storm brewed up and he expected to spend the entirety of his shift alone in the wheelhouse, with Katara warm and dry in her cabin. He jumped about a foot when Katara entered the tower, dripping wet and smiling. He glared at her. "You shouldn't be up here. Or even out. It's dangerous."

She laughed, gathering her hair over a shoulder and wringing it out. "You're kidding, right? Remember who you're talking to." She ruffled her hair and shook it out. "Water bender, in the middle of the ocean, during a storm, under the full moon?" Katara stepped up to the window and pressed her palm flat against it. "I live for moments like this."

"Full moon? I thought that was three nights ago."

Katara shrugged and turned to face him, leaning against her window. "I fibbed that night. It wasn't quite full. And the moon is full for three nights. It's a shame that it's too cloudy right now to see. I was out on another boat once during a storm when the moon was full." Katara closed her eyes and smiled. "It felt…amazing." Zuko stared at her for a moment, seeing the complete bliss on her face. Katara opened her eyes and looked at him. "You know what I mean? Have you ever felt like that when your element is all around you?"

He quickly looked away and took time to check his navigation instruments to ensure he was still on path. "I guess. My uncle tells stories of a comet that swings around every hundred years or so. Apparently it magnifies fire benders' ability. I haven't spoken to anyone who has experienced it—most of them aren't alive anymore—but it's supposed to be amazing. Like…How did my uncle put it? He had an old friend who saw it. All fire benders can feel the flame inside them. He said it was like that flame became a volcano."

"When is it supposed to come around again?"

"I haven't kept track of it. Sometime in our lifetime, for sure. And if my uncle didn't see it when he was child…I'm sure it's soon, then."

Katara laughed. "If your uncle heard that he wouldn't be too happy, calling him an old man like that."

"I didn't call him an old man," Zuko argued with a smile. "Just…almost a hundred years old." She laughed harder at that, and Zuko couldn't help but chuckle along.

When she finally got over her laughter, she said, "Well, you know what? When that comet comes around, let's watch it together."

Zuko couldn't help but smile. "I would like that."

Katara shrugged. "Yeah well…maybe then you'd finally be able to beat me in a fight."

Zuko snorted, and Katara began laughing all over again.

Had they thought about it, they would have shrugged off the sudden bond to the fact they were the only people the same age on the ship. That they were new to each other and interesting. She had never talked to a fire bender, and he had never seen the other side of the war he fought. They reveled in having sparing partners that were so different—neither of them had been able to train with someone who used a different element than their own. Zuko loved the challenge that was in trying to defeat Katara when she clearly had the advantage in the middle of the ocean at night; Katara was always having to work her hardest to fight against such a fierce opponent. And neither of them could deny that the conversations they had—which usually dissolved into light arguments—never failed to keep them engaged and on their toes.

Had anyone else been witness to their private night meetings, however, they would have told a much different story. They would have clearly seen the excitement the teens had when together—Zuko had never truly been around a girl his age unsupervised, and the only boys Katara ever spoke to were her brother and the young warriors she met in war meetings. Any one of the men on the ship would have known what was bound to result from this, being experienced in it themselves. They would have known that the two didn't stand a chance.

But no one ever interrupted the two. The crew slept happily in their beds, confident that the prince had the helm and there was no need to worry, and that the precious cargo on board, the whole reason for this journey, was safely tucked away in her room.

So for night after night, the two teenagers continued to fall deeper into the web they had created, without a single glimmer of what they were doing.

XXXXX

The storm didn't blow over, and the next day the ship arrived at port to wait it out. The crew was going stir crazy. Used to being out on the open water, they couldn't stand being in the belly of the ship while it was docked up, waiting out the storm that continued to rage on the ocean. Many of them had fanned out into the port town, but Katara remained on the ship with the captain, Iroh, Zuko, and two other crewmates.

They entertained themselves by playing card games, sharing stories, and trying to impress each other with their skills. Katara tried her hand at impressing them by showing them techniques she had used to master water bending. They were completely useless in battle, but they challenged her focus and control and properly wowed the sailors. They all stared open mouthed as she braided water, and then froze it into a complex knot that they passed between each other, marveling.

Zuko smirked as he watched them stare at, catching Katara's eye. She smiled back. She had already shown him that trick, which was how she knew the rest of the crew would like it.

"Well, glad to see you're spending your time so efficiently."

Katara turned around and didn't see the crewmember jump in surprise and toss up the ice knot. Zuko easily caught it and turned his attention to Captain Jee, who had walked into the room. "Good morning, Captain."

He nodded in response. "I just received a message. Commander Zhou will be arriving at this port tomorrow to accompany us the rest of the way to the Fire Nation."

"Commander Zhou?" Katara questioned, turning to Iroh and Zuko. She turned just in time to see Zuko's face darken, but by the time she recognized it, his face had cleared to resemble impassiveness.

"Zhou is a decorated soldier in our army. The last time I had contact with him, he was spearheading an attack on the Earth Kingdom," Iroh said.

Katara tore her gaze from Zuko. "I think I've heard of him. I was told he was…" she paused, realizing the company she was with. They were all looking at her expectantly. She cleared her throat. "Um, rather formidable."

Was the captain hiding a smile? "Yes, well, his ship should arrive at noon tomorrow, if weather permits. This storm should have blown itself out by early morning, so we'll see." And with that, he left.

"Well, Zhou must be out of the Earth Kingdom," Iroh said, unnecessarily. He turned to Katara with a smile. "Look at how important you are! The Fire Lord himself must have asked Commander Zhou to act as convoy for you."

Katara forced a smile to her face. "Lucky me."

Zuko abruptly got to his feet and stalked out without a word. Katara watched him go, confused.

"Zuko does not…get along with the Commander," Iroh said uncomfortably. "I doubt he is looking forward to travelling a month and a half with him. Perhaps I should go talk to him."

Katara got to her feet. "Don't worry about it. I'll talk to him."

She found him in his room, polishing his twin swords. He glanced up at her when she entered, then turned back to his work. She silently entered and sat down beside him, picking up the blue mask that was on the floor. Using the hem of her skirt, she dusted it off, then held it to her face. "Are these just for decoration?"

Zuko looked at her, and pursed his lips, then started laughing. Katara lowered the mask and smiled back at him. "They're dual dao swords," he told her. "And yes, they're real."

"Are you any good with them?"

Zuko rose an eyebrow at her. "What do you think?"

She shrugged. "Well, I've never seen you use any kind of weapon besides firebending. I would have no idea how to use those."

"I started studying with them when I was young. My sister was a prodigy at firebending, and when I realized that I wouldn't be able to surpass her, I strove to learn as many other skills as I could. I can use these, together or separately, I know how to use daggers and axes," he nodded towards the other weapons on his wall. "I also know how to use a bow, but I'm not very good," he admitted. "I can fight barehanded too, without fire bending."

Katara turned the mask in her hands, thinking that she would be helpless if she couldn't use her bending. She got to her feet and replaced the mask on the wall, making sure it was secure on its hook. Right below it on Zuko's bureau was the ice-knot she had made. It had already begun to melt, water gathering in the shallow bowl it had been placed in. With a single touch of her finger she refroze it as cold as she could make it. "So….I would have to be blind to not notice what happened in there. What's up between you and Zhou?"

Zuko sighed and set down the sword he was polishing. "I knew that was why you came in here." He put away the polish and rag he was using, tucking it away under his bed. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Katara rolled her eyes and picked up one of the swords. She carefully trailed her finger along the edge, watching as it flashed under the light. "Look, I want to know what happened between you. I'm going to meet him tomorrow, I want to know what to expect."

He stood. "From what you said earlier, you already do." He took the sword from her and set it on the wall. Katara picked up the other one, and when he reached for it she pulled it away. He glared at her. "Look, I don't like him, okay? He's a jerk."

"How so?" she asked, and let him take the sword from her when he reached again.

She heard him breathe heavily through his nose. "He's not good to his men, for starters, which immediately makes him a bad guy in my book. Anyone in a leadership position should respect the men who work for him." He hung the sword on the wall and stood back, looking at both of them. "And because of the way the stories are told, anyone who hasn't met him thinks he's a hero." Zuko cocked his head a made a slight adjustment to the sword. "Don't get me wrong, he's a great fire bender. Fierce in battle, skilled. But his ambition and greed make me uneasy."

"Good enough reason to dislike him, I guess," Katara said. "But…is that all?"

Zuko turned and gave her a measured look, deciding if he should say more. After a moment he turned away. "I don't know why, but every time I'm around he likes to take shots at me."

"Could he be jealous of you?" Katara asked.

Zuko shook his head. "He's an experienced soldier. What would a Commander have to be jealous of me for?"

Katara shrugged. "Well, you're a prince. You said he's ambitious. Maybe he's threatened by how you outrank him, that you're closer to the throne than him."

"Maybe, but I doubt it. Personally, I think he's just ass."

"Well, ass or not, we're going to have deal with him." Katara patted his arm. "So, we can smile to his face and then complain viciously about him behind his back. I'm sure if we stick together we'll be fine." Zuko only stared at her, making her smirk. "Girls do it all the time. Trust me, it makes you feel better. Now let's go find Iroh."

"But I'm not a girl," Zuko said indignantly.

"Oh, don't worry, you'll learn fast," Katara laughed. "I bet you're a natural." She skipped out of his room before he could grab her.

XXXXX

That night, Zuko and Katara met in the Command Tower again, even though he hadn't been assigned watch since the ship was at dock. Since it was still raining, Zuko brought along a pai-sho board that Iroh had let him borrow. Zuko was no great player, but Katara was completely new to the game and he enjoyed teaching her…and he enjoyed winning a game he usually was destroyed at.

After she got the hang of it, Katara grew uncomfortable in the silence and started up a conversation. She joked about how they still met even though Zuko wasn't on watch, but he merely shrugged, saying he was so used to staying awake he wouldn't have been able to sleep. Katara couldn't help but admit the same.

Eventually the conversation came around to the party that was to arrive the next day. "I just don't understand the point of all this," Zuko grumbled. "There's no reason for Zhou to come along to escort you, while we're doing it already. You'd think he'd have more important things to do."

Katara frowned. "Now that you mention it, it does seem a little strange. Didn't Iroh say it must have been…" she paused, then forced, "the Fire Lord that asked for this? Why would he do that?"

"I have no idea. Zhou is soldier, who should be spending his time in the Earth Kingdom." Zuko sat back. "To be honest, I wasn't happy with being assigned this, months of what I considered babysitting."

"Thanks, Zuko, really, you flatter me," Katara deadpanned.

He ignored her. "That's what I thought. I didn't know what wonderful company you could be," he said, sickly sweet, making a face at her. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Seriously, though, it doesn't make sense. My father is a practical man, and I can't understand his reasoning behind pulling Zhou from the battlefield, with a fully staffed warship, to meet up with a party that's already guarded. It's not like this is a dangerous journey. The most dangerous thing that is going to happen is passing through Earth Kingdom ports…and the ones we are stopping at are hardly able to call themselves part of the Earth Kingdom anyway, they're not manned or patrolled, they govern themselves." Zuko shook his head. "Unless he's trying to have a big pomp ceremony…but he's never been interested in that before."

Katara frowned and looked out the window. "Hey, it stopped raining."

Zuko got to his feet and moved to the glass. The ocean was completely calm. Katara abandoned the game to join him. She gazed at the calm ocean, then lifted her eyes to the sky. The moon was huge and full and glowing. She stared at it for a few moments. It would start to wane the next night.

"Well, Zhou will be arriving tomorrow," Zuko stated, breaking the silence. "We should probably get some sleep before we have to deal with him."

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And there you have it. Please, let me know your thoughts on this. I'm doing my best to make the relationship grow slowly between the two, because I couldn't see them going "BAM love at first sight." And just remember, the more reviews I get, the more encouraged I am to update quickly!