Katu, Son of the Avatar – Chapter 4

A/N: I'm really sorry for the long wait, but university started three weeks ago, which is why I have been busier lately. So I don't have that much time for this story anymore. I'll still update it, but it's likely just going to be slower.

Thanks for the comments!

Disclaimer: 'Avatar' does not belong to me.


Zuko followed the servant to a small courtyard off the side in the palace grounds. He immediately spotted Appa, surrounded by two guards eying him warily. Katara was next to him, helping a boy get off the bison. Her son, Zuko realized, even though he had never seen the child before.

"Katara!" She turned around, and a hint of a smile appeared on her face. "Zuko." She paused. "I mean, Fire Lord Zuko." She started to bow to him, but he stopped her. He laughed, waving his hand to dismiss the guards. "Don't, you don't have to. It's good to see you again."

Finally, she smiled, a weak smile, breaking through worry and fatigue. "You too."

The boy standing next to Katara started coughing, and Katara immediately crouched down. Zuko looked at him; his hair was black, but in his eyes he could see the same brilliant blue as in his mother's. He was very pale, however, and Zuko guessed that this was no natural complexion. "I'm sorry to barge in like this." he heard Katara say. "I have bad news, and on the trip here, my son became sick."

Zuko nodded. "I thought so. I'll have you brought to your guest room. After you've rested, you can-" Katara cut him off. "It's urgent, really." She stood up again, a hint of concern in her eyes.

The Fire Lord thought for a moment, then turned to his servant. "If anyone wishes to see me, send a message to the royal guest room." His servant bowed, then left. He looked at Katara again. "I'll go with you, we can talk on the way."

* * * * *

The palace was the same way she remembered it from all those years ago. From the direction they were going, she could tell that Zuko was leading them to the same guest room they had used during their previous visits. It was the most lavish one in the entire palace, and Aang had even objected to the luxury the first time he had seen the room.

They walked in silence. There should have been a lot to talk about, but after Zuko had received the news, and with the severity of the danger having settled in, they couldn't bring themselves to speak. Zuko was carrying Katu, who had fallen asleep again, exhausted by his illness. She had declined his offer at first, but after just a short distance the toll the journey had on her showed, and she had given in and placed her son in Zuko's arms, suddenly lightheaded and tired. Katara hugged herself and shivered, despite the warmth of the day. How could she take care of her son if she couldn't even take care of herself? Trudging behind Zuko as if in a trance, her thoughts went back to Aang and her other children, but in her state, they only made her feel sick. She closed her eyes and stopped, supporting herself against a pillar.

The missing sound of her footsteps made Zuko turn around. "Are you alright?" he asked. She didn't look at him. "They'll be fine." It sounded like she had said this more to herself than to answer his question, but it was barely a whisper, lacking confidence.

* * * * *

"Zuko, we can't stay here! This room is too... too..." Grinning, Zuko finished for him. "Luxurious?" Aang nodded, eyes wide and still staring at the room from the doorway. Katara was already inside, moving about and looking at the various decorations and the exquisite furniture. Thick red satin curtains with the Fire Nation insignia hung from the wall, muffling all sounds along with a plush carpet covering nearly the entire floor. The wooden furniture had masterful carvings, and the wood was lacquered in a deep red and even gilded with gold foil in some places. There was a desk, two big chairs, a wide cupboard, and a large wardrobe. But the most imposing piece was a gigantic bed against the wall, big enough to fit three, perhaps four people, with many pillows piled against the headboard and large silken blankets covering it. Katara turned around with a smirk and looked at Aang, who shook his head. "Zuko, you're going to spoil us."

The Fire Lord laughed. "It's only fitting for the Avatar. Really, people will see me as a bad host if I don't give this room to you." Slowly, still unsure, Aang stepped into the guest room, still in disbelief. Zuko had told them beforehand that they would get the royal guest room, but this wasn't what Aang had expected. Never in his life had he even seen such luxury, and now this was going to be his and Katara's room for the time they were spending at the palace. Granted, it was really just for the wedding celebrations, but the thought of having such luxury for the week or two that would take was novel to Aang. And he wasn't sure how to take it. Last time, after the war, the palace was still being refurbished, mostly due to the damage it had taken from Zuko and Azula's Agni Kai, and Aang was sure that this room hadn't existed back then.

Zuko's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Well, I'll have to welcome the other guests, you two just make yourselves comfortable." With that, he closed the door and left. Aang was still dumbfounded. "How can Zuko afford something like this?" Katara came up to him. "Well, he is the Fire Lord." He frowned slightly. "You know what I mean. The war has been over for four years, but there's still rebuilding to be made. How can he spend all this money on a room like this?"

Katara sighed. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe he made this room for you? To thank you, you know?" She smiled again as she hugged him. "Besides, I'm sure you're just not used to sights like this. I kind of like this room." She backed away and sat down on the bed, bouncing on it, as if to test it. "And I really like this bed."

Aang looked up at the change in her voice, a change he had come to be very familiar with. "Katara, we just got here!" He held Katara's gaze, a mischievous glint in her eyes. But after a moment, he gave in, smirking. "You keep reminding me of why I married you."

* * * * *

The water on her hands glowed softly and she moved them along Katu's chest, feeling the pain in there. It broke her heart to see her son like this. They have been at the palace for four days now, too long. Katu's condition had become better, but he was still recuperating, and Zuko warned Katara against traveling again while her son was still not back at full health. Katara had agreed, knowing that she would just put more risk on Katu.

But it was tearing her up inside.

She placed the water back into the large bowl on the nightstand, and closed Katu's shirt again, before tucking him. Placing a kiss on his forehead, she stood up and went to the window, looking out at the afternoon, the brightness outside contrasting the gloomy interior of the room. She couldn't calm the turmoils in her mind, and lowered her head into her hands. "Why? Why?"

"Don't blame him."

Katara turned around to the sound of Mai's voice at the door. She was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed, a serious expression on her face. Katara sighed. "Blame whom?" Mai pushed herself off the frame and walked into the room, looking straight at the other woman. "Your son."

Katara opened her mouth to reply, but then closed it again and bit her tongue. Mai's simple statement had stirred something in her. She wanted to blame someone, something, on their delayed departure. She wanted to scream at the unfairness of her life. She wanted to...

She didn't know what she wanted to do. She only knew what she could do, and that was not enough. Her son was still sickly, asleep in the large bed, and Aang, Tenko, and Kya were in danger's path in the Earth Kingdom. She had never felt so unsure, so uncertain. She could see the army of rebels moving to the towns around their home, she could hear the villagers screaming and fleeing, she could see Aang rushing in, trying to help. With all her might she willed these images away, tried to calm down, to tell herself that everything would be fine, that Aang was the Avatar, that he had defeated Ozai at twelve, and could handle an army. But Katara feared the worst.

Defeated, she sat down on the bed, and Mai came over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. No words were spoken, no words were needed, no words could help. And Katara, one of a small group of people who had saved the whole world so long ago, suddenly felt so powerless and insignificant.