Dear readers (and reviewers),
I'd like to say that my story is coming along quite nicely. This is one of my favorite chapters I've written so far, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

You may now continue reading...
Disclaimer!! I forgot to add this...anyways I dont own anything about or any of the Avatar characters or anything Avatar, I do however own...nothing actually Im deprived...

--Invitations and the Dinner Party

All but one servant left Katara's chamber. She was supposed to be Katara's lady maid while Katara stayed in the palace. Chongde was supposedly once a concubine in the royal courts. Now that she was older, she decided to become a ladies maid to women guests. She was skilled with hair and styling.

"You must get your hair trimmed, such lovely hair. I will cut it for you!" When Chongde cut Katara's hair, they chatted about the flowers and who supposedly sent them. Even though they both knew it was Zuko, Katara wanted to pretend that Aang had sent them. If only to be discreet.

"How do you usually do your hair, Miss Katara?" Chongde had inquired. Katara looked at her lady maid through the glass mirror.

"I roll part of it in a bun, then I braid it. Leaving two strands of my hair connected to my bun. It is how my mother taught me to do my hair." A brilliant smile escaped. Chongde was charmed instantly.

Chongde was an easily persauded woman. "Well, I could put your hair in a braid. Then wrap it atop your head. Leaving two braided strands of your hair to flow down your cheeks. Does that sound good?" Chongde waited expectantly, hoping that the beautiful young lady before her would say yes.

Katara's cheeks turned pink with pleasure. This was the happiest day Katara had had for a long time. "I woulsd like to try something new. But I thought we werent entertaining." It was Chongde's turn to blush with pleasure.

"You are not our only guests. Mr. Iroh has decided to throw a party for the return of the Avatar and his companion, Master Waterbender. Which is you of course. All of the Fire Nation has been invited. Even the poor, though they must dress appropriatley if they are to be let in..." On and on she went, babbling.

Just when Katara was getting comfortable, Chongde had decided to surprise her with unwanted news. Katara suddenly felt nervous. If the whole Fire Nation was to be invited, it must have been Iroh's doing. She couldn't do it, she could not face all those people watching her.

Not without her friends. But her hair was already done. And a dress was picked out for her, laying down on her bed. The dress had been made from the finest silk. It was a long gown, with long sleeves that puffed up at the shoulders. The color of the dress was an azure blue. And it looked magnificent on Katara.

Letting out a shuddering breath, Katara decided that once she got this over with, the faster she could send out invitaions to her friends to come to the palace.

Chongde helped her into it, then said with eagerness, "Now time for make-up!"

Trying to refuse, Katara put her hand up in plea. "But, Chongde, I don't wear-" Once again, Katara was interupted.

"Don't be silly, my girl. Chongde will make you so beautiful, even the Fire Lord will stop and stare!" The ridiculous but not-so-ridiculous comment made Katara's face flush with heat. Forced to sit back down at the vanity table, Katara inwardly groaned. She was getting fed up with being interrupted.

Aang had waited paitently outside of Katara's door. Ocasionally, he had heard bouts of giggles and loud voices. It made him worry if Katara was ok, but she was sure to be fine. Aang knew deep in his heart that Katara could take care of herself.

But she had been acting extremely weird lately. Katara jumped at every noize. Or worse yet, she had stopped responding to his carreses and kisses. Not that he did those things often. But when he did, he meant to touch a cord within Katara.

He had failed miserably. He was looking forward to when Katara sent out the invitations. He needed to confide in someone. No one knew Katara better than Sokka. Who was at this moment at Kyoshi Island, With his wife, Suki.

Suki was currently pregnant with their first child. After the war, Sokka and Suki hit it off and decided to get married. After five months of a blissful mairrage, Suki got pregnant. She was on seven months so far if Katara had counted right. Sokka must be paranoid more than ever.

And Toph...well, what was Toph up to? She had to be fifteen by now. A suitable age to get married for Earth Kingdom ladies. Then a door creaked open, though the door wasn't Katara's, it was Lady Mai's. Zuko had been waiting for his fiance as well?

Maybe Aang hadn't noticed him standing there because he was too lost in thought. Oh well, maybe Zuko hadn't noticed him either. Aang shrugged. Zuko was wearing a long black robe with stitches of red dragons embroidering the hem. It was very regal and very much like Zuko who loved dragons. Mai, however looked bratty and snooty, with her head held so high you could see the inide of her nostrils.

She was wearing a matching robe only hers was red with black dragons. Aang looked down at his own undress, he was wearing his usual orange and yellow outfit. Only this one was clean. On the way down the hall, Zuko and Mai stopped to where Aang was standing.

"My friend, are you waiting for Miss Katara?" Zuko already knew the answer was yes, this was his way of making small talk. Zuko hated making small talk, and he'd be doing that plenty tonight.

But he had to reach a common bond with his friend again. Even though Zuko wrote a poem and sent Katara hundreds of flowers, he still wanted guidance and friendship from the Avatar. Aang gave an amiable smile, was about to talk but the door to Katara's room opened slightly and out stepped a princess that had fallen from the sky.

She blushed as she saw everyone standing outside her doorway staring at her. Katara had begged Chongde to put only a little make-up on her. There was a pale shimmer of glitter on her eyelids and a pale shimmery lip gloss on her full lips. She wore no jewelry on except that intimidating engagement necklace wrapped around her throat that threatened any man that came near her.

Any man except Zuko.

Zuko was holding Mai's hand when he had walked up to Aang. The beauty of Katara had left him temporarily stunned, his mouth agape and his hand squezzed Mai's so tightly, she whimpered slightly and tugged to be free of Zuko's grasp. Zuko came out of his trance only when Katara looked at him in puzzlement. As if she didn't know that she looked so damn beautiful tonight.

Zuko unclasped his fingers with Mai's, murmuring his apologies. "Well, Mai its wonderful to finally see you. Do you mind telling me what exactly kind of dinner party we are having tonight?" Katara had said sweetly, obliging Mai to take her arm as if they were old friends.

Mai looked like she'd rather beg for her food than befreind Katara. Instead she had walked up to Katara, looked her nose down at her, replying, "Mr. Iroh handles all preperations. When I become Fire Lady, it will become my duty."

With a snooty sniff, Mai had continued down the corridor, not waiting for Zuko. Groaning and running a hand down his face, Zuko meant to apologise to Katara, but she had silenced him with a shake of her head.

"It's fine, Zuko. If she wants to apologise, Mai will. I have friends and if she doesn't want to be one of them, it's her loss. Ok?" Then Katara had walked off in the direction Mai went.

Aang looked up at Zuko with a grin, "She's something, isn't she?" Zuko looked at him then, and shook his head, "Yes, Aang." Then the gentlemen went to follow after their ladies, talking little and enjoying each other's company a lot.

Since Katara and Aang were the guests of honor, they would enter after Zuko and Mai. Sitting in regal chairs next to the throne chairs. It was all supposedly magnificent, but the idea of people feasting and watching her and talking and watching her and laughing and watching her made Katara very uneasy.

Aang could sense her nervousness and gave her hand a quick squeeze before turning his attention back to the door. The gesture was supposed to give Katara comfort and confidence. Instead, it left her bereft and meloncholly.

But then Zuko looked back at her, the motion swift and sly. His smirk silly and provacative. Katara wanted to giggle, to laugh hysterically. She hadn't laughed in so long, she was afraid to, in case she would drop to the floor in her own private mirth.

Blushing prettily was her second choice, the only resonable choice. And she chose it. Zuko saw it too. Unfortunately, Mai saw the silent exchange between them and decided coldness would protect her from hurt and rejection.

Fortunately though, Aang had remained oblivious to every action except his own. When the doors opened, a jeering crowd welcomed their Fire Lord and future Lady. The doors closed and Aang murmured into Katara's ear, sending cold shivers up and down her spine, "You can do this, just smile and everything will be ok. I'm positive they wont ask you too many questions about our travels."

Katara nodded her head absently. Her whole self felt trapped in her mind. Thinking of what Aang said, she smiled bitterly. Of course he would leave it up to her to do the talking then talk for her. As if he ruled the world...

"...Presenting, Avatar Aang...And Master Waterbender, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe!" The crowd went wild. Opening the doors, Katara and Aang stepped forward, she waved gracefully while Aang bowed his head in acknowledgement. Seeing all the people almost made Katara faint, then Zuko showed up by her side when Aang left to find his seat by Zuko.

"You'll be fine, Princess." She looked up at him in amazement. For so long before they were a gang, Zuko referred to her as a "peseant". Just now, when he called her a princess, Katara actually felt like one. With her head held high, Katara made her way to her seat next to Mai's side.

Mai sniffed the air like a pig snorting through the mud. Katara disn't miss it for a second, but nothing anyone said could bother her now. Katara's soul has been awakened from a long slumber and was thirsty for competition. Even if the competion was Zuko's favors.

Aang had left the dinner party early, refusing the sweet buns that were supposed to be served for desert. That didn't bother Katara much. She didn't linger on thoughts of her intended. At least, tonight she didn't.

Her thoughts had wandered all over the place. Befreinding Mai. Talkiing to other guests. Seeing Zuko. Relishing in the food. Entertaining Iroh. Sneaking glimpses of Zuko. Seeking the tasty rum. Exagerate on her tales with Aang. Then finally, almost collapsing from too much to drink...On Zuko...Most of the guests had retired for the evening.

Even Mai and Iroh had declared they needed their "beauty rest". Leaving only Zuko, a few servants, and an drunk Katara to scurry off to bed. Almost all of the servants seemed incapable of bringing Katara to her room and undressing her, getting her ready to sleep.

Undressing her...Zuko gulped down a lump stuck in his throat. He really didn't need this right now.

"Zuko? Oh! Zuko...I'm really happy you decided to have a party tonight. It made me feel so much more comfortable when you were there to guide me through this mess of nobles..." Katara trailed off.

Her voice slurry and sweet smelling from all the wine she had drunk. Usually, Katara was a smart drinker at parties such as these. Sometimes she preferred water to wine. But something had brought this hurt into her heart.

And drinking was her only solution. It actually posed a problem for the young Fire Lord.

Picking her up, he whispered huskily in her ear, "I'm bringing you to your room now, Katara" Her name slid off his tounge like honey sliding off a honey comb. Her fuzzy attention turned toward him, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks rosy from too much wine. Katara nodded her head slowly, hardly comprehending what Zuko was saying.

She put her arms around Zuko's neck when she realized that she was too dizzy and thought she might fall from his grasp even though his hold on her was firm and reasurring. When he reached her door, he kicked it open with a powerful force. Her maid, Chongde was asleep on a pallet on the floor in a corner of the room. Zuko put Katara softly on her mattress. She gave a sigh of pleasure when she touched the downy pillows.

The sound, as soft as it was, sent playful shivers over Zuko's spine. "Hold still, Katara." he growled low in his throat.

Watching her squirm over the bed brought perverted images to race in his mind. Katara turned slightly to look at Zuko with cloudy eyes. "Thank you." Her voice slurry as it was, contained emotion too raw to express.

He was desperately trying to take off her slipper at the moment and only nodded in his effort to half listen to her and half concentrate. When Zuko was done with both slippers, he looked back at Katara. Her eyes were slitted in an attempt to stay awake. Her lips full and enticing. Zuko backed from the bed, trying to distance himself from the temptation.

"I love you, Katara..." Then he pulled the covers from under her and tucked Katara in.

She turned away from him, her back towards Zuko. "I have always loved you, Zuko..." The way she said his name was like hearing the strings of the harp play their melancholly yet peaceful charm. He stayed only a moment longer to hear her soft, ladylike snoring.

When Zuko reached the door, the shadows shifted. He thought nothing of it, his head to full of Katara to notice what lingered in the shadows.

The young airbender had seen what he thought he'd never see. Katara drunk and in the arms of Zuko.

Zuko! As he had neared closer to the door, a decleration of love was heard above the crackling in the fireplace. Aang felt heartbroken, Katara, his Katara was still in love with that son of a Fire Lord!

He scurried off to the shadows when he had seen Zuko come to the door. Aang let out a sigh of relief when he saw Zuko go off in the direction of his royal bedchambers.

Even if Katara was in love with Zuko, Aang wasn't giving up without a fight.

When Katara woke late in the afternoon she almost let out a yelp of pain. Her skull felt like it was cracked in two. An unberable migrane was making its way over her temples.

Chongde was by her side within minuets. "I heard from the Fire Lord that you got sick from drinking last night. I made you a syrup, makes the pain in your head go away. Ladies usually know only one drink is enough to last entire night. Next time be careful." Her whiny voice was only making Katara's pain worse so she drank the syrup greedily.

Within about five minuets, the ache in her temples dispersed. Katara tried to remember the events of last night as Chongde talked on about how she spent the night with a soldier. Thinking hard only brought more pain back into her head, so when Chongde said her stationairy had arrived, Katara became overly excited.

Writing was Katara's forte. She loved to write letters, so hers were full of stories and concerns. Her writing was done with a flourish that only the pages could excel at.

Opening the box of rice papers first brought startling memory to flash over her eyes. Memory of last night.

Getting drunk from too much spirit because Aang had treated her little better than a rag doll. Zuko picking her up and bringing her to her bed. Taking off her shoes for her. Then his declaration of love. Even her own.

The thoughts brought a hot sting to the back of her eyes and Katara's cheeks flushed with heat. Katara closed the lid and opened the next box, the box full of scrolls.

She told Chongde, "I need a list, Chongde. Of every important person from all the nations. And my family members and freinds also. I've decided today was the day I sent invitations." Katara's voice cracked with emotion, she didn't want to marry Aang.

Katara was still in love with Zuko, who was marrying Mai anytime now. Chongde nodded her head slowly, a furrow between her finely plucked eyebrows. Chongde left the room and a quick pace, to gather the information.

Katara struggled to not let the flow of tears distract her from completing her mission. Her mind was elsewhere as she wrote a few lines...

Dear Katara,

Always have hope...

The letter Katara had started off to herself brought a heavy flow of salty water to trek down her cheeks. The feeling between her and Zuko was startling and mutual. Perhaps that was what had caused her tears.

And perhaps that was why it had hurt so much.

Awww...So sad...This was a pretty long chapter compared to the previous ones! Anyways, another fact about me...hmm...ok ok I got one...(drum roll plz)

drum roll starts up

I

Love

Audery Hepburn!

Shes like an actress from the 50's. Amazing, inspiring lady.

thnx for reading and plz plz plz review!