Note: I made a change to the end of Chapter 18. The Avatar's return has been put on hold...sorry for the boo-boo!
-R
Chapter Nineteen
The first thing Katara noticed when she walked into Zuko's study was that Iroh had a bag with him. The second was he looked weary of it all and he was sitting on the cushions, leaning forward with his hand over his eyes.
"Uncle," Katara said quietly.
Iroh looked up with a start. She went to sit next to him and she pulled the bag in front of her. The knot that had formed in her stomach tightened when she pulled out a torn piece of clothing stained with blood. Tightened some more when she pulled out a broken sword. What remained of the blade was jagged and the hilt was cracked down one side showing just how much force it took to break the sword in the first place. Katara didn't have to look at the bottom of the hilt to know that there would be a carving of a faceless mask there. She'd seen it the hilts of the double swords often enough in his scabbard.
"Where?" she asked.
"A campsite," he answered. "It looked like he was ambushed but fought back. No blood on the ground, only a lot of trampled plants and broken dishes. We lost their trail."
"He has only one sword. He needs them both."
"He's resourceful. He'll find another," Iroh said wearily. "But I think we need to stop reacting and start thinking about this, Katara. We've been chasing and chasing, but what we should have been doing was trying to get ahead."
"We've been thinking. At least I have. All I'm doing is thinking," Katara said, unable to keep the frustration from her voice. "Zuko's out there, risking his life to fight a battle someone who clearly knows more than he should, while I'm stuck here, waiting like some housewife."
"No. He trusted you to keep the Fire Nation together while he was risking his life fighting a battle he shouldn't have to fight alone."
"Then I'm not alone in thinking he made a stupid move."
"No, you're not."
They lapsed into silence. Katara automatically began to look for Iroh's always present pot of tea but there was none to be found. Her eyebrows rose at the discovery. He was more shaken by the discovery of Zuko's broken sword than he'd let on.
"How can we get ahead?" Katara said. "We have next to no information about this man, besides that one important bit about his being a man."
"Then we have to start making our own information," Iroh answered. "Time is running out and the Fire Lord is running around the capital like a vigilante. We need to put an end to all this, starting here. The generals are beginning to whisper about his disappearance, as are the councilors. They're already making moves to replace him, jostling for position and working to better their situations even as they're trying to maintain the status quo."
Katara gritted her teeth.
"They're about as loyal as rat-weasels," she said.
"Maybe even less. So we have to think. Who could do this? Who has the means? Who knows the Fire Nation well enough to hit it where it hurts?'
"A Fire Nation subject," Katara said thoughtfully. "Someone with a grudge. One of those rat-weasels."
"Perhaps," Iroh said but didn't sound convinced. "The places he's hit aren't exactly a big secret though. They are grand monuments that celebrate our heritage and history, a little hard to miss. No, it's not necessarily a Fire Nation subject."
"But we're having a hard time finding records of an outsider coming in who's got a motive to do all this," Katara pointed out. "And we've looked everywhere, Uncle. You know that. Whoever's doing this is too good, too knowledgeable of our practices and habits. That's hard to ignore. I can't rule out the Fire Nation altogether."
"Never rule anything out unless you're one hundred percent sure you can. But if you have a list, put a Fire Nation suspect at the bottom. I have good reasons," Iroh said, holding up a hand when she was about to argue. "I know Zuko isn't exactly everyone's favorite Fire Lord, but to do something like this...it's treason and you'd have a hard time finding a Fire Nation subject who'd risk it. They'd find other ways to make him look bad and then get their way, but not this. Not attacking their own country and heritage. Even the ones who are on the losing end of his policies wouldn't try something like this because they'd lose more than their land and their lives."
"Honor," Katara finished for him. "They'd lose honor. They'd lose their birthright."
"Whoever's doing this has neither."
That gave Katara pause. She'd been here long enough to know that Iroh wasn't exaggerating. When it came to matters of honor, a Fire Nation subject would rather fall on his own sword than stain his name. That was simply their way.
"Zuko said that he was being taunted," Katara murmured. "Maybe the enemy isn't Fire Nation, but he knows us."
Iroh picked up the broken hilt Katara put down. He studied it, frowning with worry.
"My nephew was never one to back down from a challenge and his opponent knows that. One or the other won't be coming back from this."
"It'll be the right one," Katara said fiercely. "I won't let it be otherwise."
"I don't think he would let it either."
"Azula won't stop asking about him," Katara said. "I don't think she's going to leave until she sees him."
"I'll take care of Azula," Iroh said, rising with a huff. "We have an understanding."
Hands curled into fists, the old general strode out of the study, leaving Katara to her thoughts and worries. She moved to her desk and pulled out a fresh piece of paper. Not minding the ink spots she made in her rush to write, Katara started a list of the most likely suspects, the people who knew the Fire Nation well enough but remained questionable in terms of loyalty. It was a short list but when she factored in the skills and knowledge necessary to commit all the atrocities that had occurred, all the names were crossed off. She also realized she didn't know the Fire Nation lackeys well-enough to count them as suspects.
It was all beginning to look hopeless and her head ached at the end of it. It seemed like the only thing they could count on was Zuko simply taking this assassin saboteur out with his bare hands.
She was about to return to her rooms for a quick supper when the doors opened and Azula burst in. She pointed two fingers in Katara's face, her golden eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.
"Where's my brother, Waterbender?" she demanded. "No more lies and no more sending Uncle to do your dirty work."
Katara started to ready her water, but then decided to take another tack. She slapped Azula's hand away.
"Remember who you're talking to," she snarled. "I'm not just any Waterbender. I'm the Fire Lady and you can't talk to me like that in my palace."
Azula laughed and it was not a pleasant sound.
"Oh, please. You've been Fire Lady for what? A week? Remember who you're talking to and if you don't tell me where Zuko is, I'm going to start asking the generals and then they'll start asking the councilors. Then what'll you do when hundreds of Fire Nation lackeys start asking where the boss is."
"Zuko's where he needs to be," Katara said, her voice hard. "That's all you need to know. If the information you have is so important, you'll tell me now. If you have any honor at all and if you love this nation as much as you say you do, you'll tell me now."
Azula seemed to be considering her words. When the princess' shoulders relaxed and she lowered her fingers, Katara let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding...and too late, couldn't suck back in. Azula noticed and she smirked.
"Alright," she said slowly. "The workmen at the Water Temple believe that someone's staying there. They've found remnants of a..."
"Wait," Katara interrupted, putting up a hand. "Water Temple?"
Azula's smile maddeningly amused.
"Oh, have I ruined the surprise? Zuzu was building a Water Temple near the sea. Either he's got a new-found love for water...or maybe that's it."
"What did they find at the Water Temple?" Katara asked, her headache beginning to throb.
"Remains of a campfire. Some...leavings. Basically, evidence of human habitation."
Iroh came storming in, his eyes flashing with irritation when he saw Azula in the study.
"You said you'd be right back," he said.
"And I was going to be right back, Uncle. I just had to have a talk with the Fire Lady first."
"The Water Temple," Iroh said. "We need to send men to the Water Temple. That's where he's staying."
"I just told her that," Azula drawled.
"Thank you for your information, Princess Azula," Katara said somberly. "That'll be all."
Azula looked as if she wanted nothing better than to turn Katara into ash but showing just how loyal she could be to the crown, she bowed and took her leave.
"Uncle," Katara whispered, when the doors closed. "I can't wait here anymore. I know where Zuko's going. You said to think ahead and I am. I need to help him."
Iroh shook his head.
"No," he said. "Your place is here. I can send out one of my teams to find Zuko."
But Katara wasn't to be deterred.
"No. No one besides us should ever know Zuko is out doing what he's doing. We don't know how the people will react. At least, we can't say anything yet. Only I can go find him."
Iroh sighed.
"You've been here too long," he said. "You're starting to think like him."
Katara silently agreed because she didn't find anything wrong with that. Iroh surprised her by pulling her into a hug.
"Be careful, my niece. Come back home safely."
"Home," Katara repeated, the word rolling off her tongue easily. "We'll come back home safe and sound, Uncle."
Katara went back to her rooms. She opened her trunks and pulled out her long blue tunic, her leggings and boots. It seemed appropriate to wear her old clothes now because she wasn't acting as Fire Lady. She was acting for herself. For her husband. It was the first time she'd thought of him in that way but her heart didn't run away from it; it did just the opposite.
Hardening her resolve, Katara focused on the task at hand. She was filling her water skin with fresh water from the basin when her front doors opened with a bang. She jumped, a part of her hoping it was Zuko, but instead was met with Azula.
"I've been looking everywhere for you. Let's go," the princess ordered. "There's trouble at the Water Temple."
Katara didn't want to have Azula at her back if there was a battle, but Azula started down the corridor and she had no choice but to follow.