The delegates all sat at a large round table, one that had been especially designed for the purpose of politics. Only one chair at the end remained empty. The Avatar's chair. They all waited expectantly and with a gust of wind a distant blur passed before them and Aang appeared in his chair. He still wore the monk's attire she had seen of him in his youth but he had gotten much taller. His height was even a little more than Sokka's and the only one standing to meet him eye to eye with Zuko. If nothing else he was no longer a boy but a man but his features, beside older were relatively the same. He was still bald and he still had his many arrow tattoos.
A hush fell over the delegates as he stood leaning against the table.
"Sorry, to keep you, I had other matters to attend to, but I hope everything has been satisfactory so far?" He stopped and looked around, his eyes resting slightly longer on those he recognized, no doubt reliving memories of old. His voice was a lot deeper, the childish high pitch no longer evident. He took a deep breath and continued his speech, everyone waiting anxiously to discover the purpose of the meeting.
"This meeting of the nations is important for many reasons and I want it to be the first of many. I feel only with cooperation of all the nations can peace truly be achieved. The people will follow the example set forth by their leaders. One of the first orders of business I would like to discuss and one very important is succession. A lot of our nations are without rulers and proper guidance and I wish today to elect new ones to replace those who have moved on." He began to name several Earth Kingdoms like the one his old friend had once ruled and debate broke out among the Earth Kingdom lords. Katara realized Aang's quiet reserve as he watched them wearily. He had chosen specific people for a reason. The people who stood before them were stewards of kingdoms or were potentials that Aang considered the most appropriate candidates. The water Tribes and the Fire Nation were most quietly reserved with the exception of her father, the chief of the Northern Tribe, and Iroh. They spoke only a little, the matter of Earth Kingdom royalty were not within their expertise, but they wanted to prove their worth and standing.
She turned her head and saw Aang staring at her, he gave a slight smile in reassurance and left her gaze when his opinion was required suddenly. Her eyes wondered around the table and she focused them on Zuko for a moment. He was quiet and stoic, sitting rigid, his ears heavily attuned to the words that were being passed in front of him. He may not have been providing input but he was listening attentively. Suddenly his gaze met hers for moment as if he knew she had been watching. He regarded her coolly, almost with indifference and turned his head away slowly. She felt a blush run up her throat and turned her eyes to Toph who was speaking vehemently inputting her own advice. She saw Aang smiling at the blind earthbender expectantly apparently impressed with her knowledge.
She looked around the table and saw before her the four elemental masters. Aang the last airbender and master of all four was their leader. She sat at the opposite side for the circular table from him as the waterbending master. At the other point of the table to her right was Toph, the earthbending master. She looked hesitantly to her left and saw Zuko seated exactly opposite of her, the firebending master. She saw how Aang had mapped the four points of elemental representation and had carefully managed to place the delegates in accordance. It made her proud to see how perceptive Aang had become. He had truly embraced the Avatar within him.
It came as no surprise Haru was voted in as king in one of the instances of the Earth Kingdom. She saw Toph smile at this and then a few other powers were passed out and by dusk the matter had been settled.
Aang then stood up and then for record and clarification purposes announced all that the council, if you could call it that, had decided upon.
"Tomorrow, I hope will be the last day of the council. The last of our important matters will be discussed." Katara took a deep breath. She thought she had seen Aang's eyes flicker to her momentarily but she refused to think he had done it intentionally.
She went to bed with all the cordial hugs and goodbyes to her friends and politicians and went to sleep wondering if the look Aang had given her was intentional or not and what it would mean for her.
Once again at dawn the nations' leaders were ready and prepared but when they got to the room Aang was already waiting from them. They started promptly once more at the rising of the sun.
"Today, I wish to once more review successions. This time within the Water Tribes and the Fire Nation. Also I would like to reiterate on the status of the Airbenders." Everyone gasped at this and Aang was silent for a moment. His breathing almost seemed to harden but Katara could not be sure.
"As you all know, I was once the last of my kind. The last of the Air nomads. Since the war ended, I have been on a quest to rebuild my culture. After a few years of traveling I had almost lost hope but then I heard of a few children in a very small and remote island that had begun to observe certain traits. The genes for airbending had not disappeared but now they are resurfacing slowly. With the help of an old Guru I know, I have begun to train the new airbenders. There are only a handful of them and they are young, but I have every hope that as the years pass and the balance is once more restored, more airbenders will begin to be born. As of now the oldest of my pupils is only five years old." A few of the Earth kingdom people gave a weary eye to the Fire kingdom and she watched as Iroh took a well timed sip of tea and Zuko ignored their gazes with a chin held high. His golden eyes were cold and hard in defiance and pride. He would make a strong ruler someday.
"Now as for the Water Tribes," She jerked back to reality and saw Aang watching her. She wondered what he was thinking but he had built a mask to hide his thoughts that she could not break through. His gaze turned to the present king of the northern Tribe.
"I believe you are without a successor since the sacrifice of your daughter, Yue. Are there any prospects for an heir?" Although Aang tried to remain neutral on the topic of Yue he had tried to constrain his words to as few as possible. A flicker of despair crossed across the king's eyes but was even more perceptive was Sokka who stiffened. His whole body was rigid and his eyes showed agony. Sokka sat next to her on her right and it was easy to see his pain. She took a deep breath for Sokka but she saw Suki's hand rest on his lightly. She had sensed his pain and more than anything Katara could do, it consoled him enough for him to smile up at her in thanks.
"My lord Avatar, before my daughter…before she was taken into the spirit world she was betrothed to a young warrior among us, Hahn. We have decided that despite the lack of marriage and blood relations he shall still continue on in my place when I have passed into the next world." The Avatar nodded and the chief took a deep breath of relief. He sat to the left of her father and her father tried to console him quietly with a look of respect. Nobody seemed to reject the proposal put forth so the next matter was opened up.
"Hakoda," Aang addressed her father, "I have heard that an Antarctic city is being built. Have you picked a ruler for that city, yet?" Katara sat still as she saw her father inhale a deep breath. He seemed to hold it for a moment.
"No, my lord Avatar." He said simply. Aang smiled and turned to the Northern Water tribe.
"Delegates from the Northern Water Tribe, do you have any proposition on who you would like to see rule the Antarctic City." The King stood up fiercely and quickly.
"I and everyone with me will agree that Hakoda has led his people through war and reconstruction and that he and his family are the only people we could consider to rule." Hahn sat next to him and spoke for Hakoda as well. Katara sat still and did not move. Her eyes were wide and focused slowly beginning to blur. She felt Sokka quiet beside her. He too was surprised. Her father was also stiff. Before she could understand the totality of their comments, Toph and Suki stood at the same time offering their support, Iroh right behind them, Zuko bowing his head in acknowledgement and the rest following suit. It was a unanimous decision and when she looked up, Aang was smiling at her thoughtfully. She felt cold, the reality still settling in on her that when she returned home she would be royalty, instead of the peasant she had been born to.
When the shouts of encouragement and congratulations finally died away Aang stood up once more.
"Hakoda, do you accept the position laid before you with your whole heart and mind?" Aang asked him seriously. Hakoda was quiet for a moment.
"My lord Avatar, I accept this position only if my son, Sokka, will succeed me." The Avatar looked around the table and once more approval was given and the Avatar nodded his head. Katara let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and looked to Sokka who returned her look of incredulity. Once again their focus was once more directed towards Aang as he stood up once more, the people around the table quieting.
"There is still one more matter to attend to then. Lord Iroh, I believe you have already named Prince Zuko as your successor, but I hear your council of elders has declined it. I wish to understand their reasoning." Katara looked over to Iroh and Zuko and unlike the other delegates they radiated power. It was obvious why they were royal, it was in their blood. They carried it with ease in a way the other leaders could not fathom, but there was also something dangerous about them and the leaders weren't wholly trustworthy of them. She wondered what the Fire Nation council was so anxious about.
Iroh sipped at his tea quietly for one more moment and looked up. Zuko remained still in patience but she could barely make out the small tinges of a frown along the corners of his mouth.
"The council is still weary of our family. They do not believe balance has truly been restored. As you see before you, we are the last of our family. That in itself is out of character. When a previous Fire Lord passed into the Spirit World his eldest son was by that time grown and with an heir already at hand. Thus as you can see this presents a predicament within our succession. The council worries that if Prince Zuko were to take to the throne without an heir and were to die then our line would end and chaos would wreak havoc among the nobles of the nation. They cannot take that risk at a time like this." Aang nodded thoughtful and suddenly the whole room was deathly quiet and still as the Avatar thought for a moment in quiet contemplation. After what seemed like forever he finally moved forward a bit suggestion he would speak. The whole room held their breaths.
"I see your problem. Iroh and Zuko are the only rulers we know who can guarantee peace and stability while they live. I myself have not heard of anyone else in the Fire Nation who would take such a stance." Aand responded. She saw some of the other nobles begin to pale as memories crawled through their minds. They feared what Aang said and if it would come to pass. They still eyed the two Fire Nation members with distaste and mistrust but there was also something else behind their eyes. They knew Aang was right even if they did not want to believe it.
"So what do you propose then?" Asked one of the Earth Kings rather bravely. Aang was quiet again and then he turned his attention to the Fire nation corner.
"If I understand Fire Lord Iroh right, we must find a suitable wife for Prince Zuko. Is there none among your own kingdoms you would trust this too?" Aand asked focusng his gaze on Iroh. Lord Iroh began discussing possible women, among them Mai and Ty Lee but they were rejected hurriedly for their previous connection to Azula. A few other women, none Katara recognized, were mentioned but there was always some flaw or other that made them an obvious rejection. After a few hours passed and nothing happened she found herself staring at Zuko gauging his reaction. His eyes were cold and he seemed disinclined to participate, he had nothing to offer nor did he want to.
"Does Prince Zuko need to marry only those of the Fire Nation? Would not balance be restored if he married a noble girl from another kingdom?" A few of the other Kings stood up all with eligible daughters or those who would soon come to age began to offer their daughters rather too hurriedly for her liking. She was disgusted with the kings and how they offered their daughters as if they were property. She saw Iroh's frown as he too disliked the idea of most of these girls. After another hour when all the daughters' names had been given and rejected and tempers were rising, Katara had begun to zone out. She saw Suki speaking to Sokka in whispers alienating her from them. Toph became wrapped up in their conversation as well and their words became heated. She rolled her eyes in boredom and saw Aang trying his best to pay attention to the lords as best he could. She stared at him for a few minutes, but his gaze did not meet hers. She turned to Prince Zuko, the only one not involved in the debate. He seemed somber and quiet, his thoughts focused inward. She wondered what he was thinking.
"What about Katara?" Her body jerked up as Zuko's gaze swung to meet hers. His golden eyes flashed with something she could not catch but most of all they were surprised. She looked over to Toph who had spoken. The whole room was silent as eyes went to look straight at her, judging her worth.