A/N: Hey guys! I recently had someone question the fact of why and how Zuko and Katara were becoming a thing so quickly. I originally wrote these chapters a year or two ago and posted them on Wattpad. However, my little fangirl-self was too excited about the story to give time for them to be accustomed to each other. Also Zuko didn't have a huge change in heart or anything. Zuko had always been one to please his father in the show to gain acceptance, but he was never one to hurt innocent people without some kind of mental karma. With this story starting in Book 4, Zuko has already grown a lot mentally, and I feel like with him seeing Katara as she was, he would feel ultimate guilt if he didn't do something to get her out of that bad situation. Because unlike Ozai, Zuko does have morals thank god. I hope this helps the rest of you out thru out the time of reading my story. However, I was thinking about possibly rewriting this story in the future. One, because I have grown as a writer and consider myself to write a lot better than when I first started writing this story, also because now that I look back and reread everything, I wish I would have paced myself a bit more as far as how quickly Zutara is becoming anything. Anyways, read on and please review! (: 3
Chapter 4
I struggled severely as I lived with the fact of knowing that I couldn't save Aang, one of my best friends. After Zuko had told me, we distanced ourselves from each other for the next few days after. Not necessarily because it was awkward or embarrassing to be around the other, but because he was constantly attending what he called "War Meetings", even though I knew it was something else. Although, every night, he offered me a place in his chambers, I always refused him. Technically speaking, I was supposed to be with Aang, and I felt I wasn't allowed to have any feelings for Zuko. I had to push them away deeper. But feelings? They weren't much of actual feelings for him. It wasn't a crush or a love, just more of a deeper liking or attraction, I guess. I couldn't have feelings for Zuko. It was an absurd thought, just as crazy as siding with Azula, which really was insane. Refusing him even sometimes hurt, a little more than it should have. The lack of feeling loved, as well as being comfortable, made me desperate to sleep in a normal bed, and with Zuko. Even though it was so strong and tempting, I couldn't do it. Adding to that, the want to be held almost overcame me and my senses few times. If I were to let him hold me again, to cry in his arms, being so defenseless, it would show how weak and mentally scarred I am. I couldn't be weak around him, even though I longed too, especially after what happened in Ba Sing Se. And if I wanted to bury and lock away whatever… liking… I had of Zuko, I needed to isolate myself from him as much as possible.
Before Zuko and I finally had a real conversation, it had been a full, long, week, though it felt like months. I sat in his room, staring out from his bed to the window, in wait of his return, so I could ask to wash my clothes, or get new ones. When he did arrive, he came in rushed and out of breath. He shrugged off his robe, letting it fall to the floor, baring his chest and muscles, and ran into his bathroom, slamming the door quietly behind him. I listened in, hoping to find out what might be going on, maybe get a sliver of information. I heard a stone slide back into place in the wall, and then something being pulled along a rack. I freaked myself out, imagining everything he could've pulled out from behind the stone; a knife, something harmful to me. As I ran and jumped back to the bed, my body bounced wildly on it, and forced a small squeak from the wood of the bed. Suddenly, the door opened, and Zuko appeared wearing all black, which happened to shape groin more than he probably intended. I forced myself to look into his eyes.
"I'm leaving for a water village, and you're coming with." He didn't sound too enthusiastic about it, yet he sounded so intent on leaving for his destination. There was no smile on his face, but I was excited to be around my environment.
"Okay," I replied, "When are we leaving?" The Fire Bender looked at me and smiled, guiltily.
"Right now." He said, his grin giving away how he really felt about the situation, and he was, in fact, excited.
I slid off of his bed, landing on the cold flooring, and walked by the window, a little nervous about why he was so happy to go to a water village. I hoped he wouldn't hurt any of the people or the town itself..
Out of nowhere, he pulled out long, old, and ancient-looking, Fire Nation swords, looked to be meant for sneaking in and killing silently. The brightness of the moon reflected off of them, illuminating a glow on a spot of the floor. he stuck them on his back, sliding them into their proper places, and attached a mask to his left hip. The mask was blue, like Water tribe colors, and it had white marks on it's surface to define and detail the face. I recognized it as 'Blue Spirit'.
"Why, exactly, are we going there? What are you wanting to even do there?" I asked this, a little frightened at whatever Zuko had in mind. I didn't want to be killed because of him being a fool, or having other people hurt in the process, unless, of course, it was the Fire Nation.
He grinned again, seemingly happy, yet it held a devious tone at the same time. "We're gonna sabotage the Fire Nation factory." Now I was listening, I got excited about this, being able to destroy important Fire Nation property. I needed a way to let out all of my pain and anger, and this would hopefully help. But I quickly hid my amusement, acting as if it didn't matter much to me. I couldn't show any sign of weakness, especially since Zuko was obviously showing his. But why did he care for destroying a factory? Especially one run by his fellow people.
He put on his Fire Nation robes, covering his suit, and prepared for travel.
"My father isn't going, and he doesn't know you're going. I can keep the guards quiet, but we have to be careful. We will leave with few of my men, this trip is mainly to check up on the factory, and I have to talk with a few people." When he mentioned talking to people, I grew suspicious. What did he possibly have to talk to others about that was so important he needed to be there in person? "Also I gathered you some things to wear. It's much fancier than mine, because you are disguising yourself as 'The Painted Lady', the spirit that the village believes in. After we destroy their factory, I was thinking that you might be able to heal some of the sick people living there, and clean out their water so it's fresh again, since the factory ruined it to mesh. Basically we're giving them the hope that they lost, including their hope in 'The Painted Lady'." I was inspired by this, and I was excited finally be able to help someone again. Dressing up to sneak somewhere also sounded like much fun, something I missed doing with Sokka and the rest of the Gaang. My smile turned into a frown.
We left the same night that Zuko had presented me with the plan. We didn't have to sneak out of the palace, since Ozai knew Zuko was leaving. I just had to keep my face hidden from the entrance to the throne room, which Ozai rested in, as much as possible when we walked by the opened doors. The docks along the clear blue waters were empty, excepting one boat, about as big as my tribe's war ships, and covered in red instead of blue.
The time it took to finally reach the village didn't take very long, only a few hours at most. As we entered the murky waters surrounding the village, I saw with my own eyes how run down and beaten up the town looked. Expectedly, the town wasn't as gross as the waters around it. However, Zuko's brief description of this place earlier was not enough to describe how frightening everything really looked. How people survived in a town where the air was almost toxic, and the water was plagued, I didn't know. But these people were survivors, and they needed my help.
Looking over the side of the boat at the turbid waters, I watched the few ripples escape from the boat and move out around us, stopping as it reached it's maximum distance (which wasn't very far at all). The water was a cloudy and a deep, swampy, green. It seemed to be so thick and so deadly. I didn't understand how we moved through the waters so easily, knowing how thick it was. My eyes trailed up the side of the boat, and I saw a flash of golden, red, and black all mixed to together. Fire benders were burning the sludge in the waters, creating a clear path for the boat to move through. I looked to my right side again, glancing down at the water. It amazed me that the village was living in this place. A large fish popped up onto the surface and then floated back into it slightly, I yelped at the sudden surprise, leaping backwards and falling onto the wooden floor boards. The guards a little ways in front of me laughed, I glared back at them in disgust. But my cheeks reddened of embarrassment as I noticed Zuko had been watching me throughout the fall. I caught him chuckling softly, and he looked at me, we made very brief eye contact. His perfect smile made me blush more, more than I should've. I scolded myself for feeling embarrassed because of Zuko. I shouldn't care what Zuko thought, I didn't care for him anyways...
I didn't get up from where I was, it was slightly comfortable, more so than you would expect. So, I crossed my legs and sat up against the siding of the boat.
"Are you going to get up, servant girl?" My spacing out was interrupted as a guard bellowed at me, waiting for me to get up and leave the boat. I didn't acknowledge him as I stood up from where I had fallen, frustrated that I hadn't gotten up earlier, and I walked off of the boat with no help from the guards. Zuko looked at me, no smile among his "Fire Nation Prince serious face", and started walking towards the entrance of the factory, beckoning me with his hand to follow behind him. I bowed my head and stared at the ground, occasionally looking around at my surroundings, and Zuko, as I walked forward.
"Name?" One of the guards guarding *Oh, what d'ya know? A guard guarding!* said. Zuko looked up and had clenched fists.
"Do I really need to tell you my name?" Prince Zuko asked through clenched teeth. The guard cowered away whilst apologizing for his mistake, and allowed us all to go on. He gave me a death look as I passed him, and I stuck my tongue out at the coward. As soon as I looked forward in front of me, a wave of steam almost hit my face, and I fell back as I was shoved by Zuko.
"Don't walk through the steam, it's deadly and will hurt you by a single touch." He spoke softly, yet serious, into my ear as he held my arm. Yanking myself away from him, I walked on, allowing Zuko to take lead once more. We walked past many different rooms, all filled with red walls and floor, with steam floating to the ceiling and getting nowhere from there. Finally we arrived at a room.
Zuko had a meeting with everyone who was in that room, me unincluded. Apparently it was important as three men had came out, surrounded by the guards who had escorted us here, and they left how we came in.
"Zuko, what happened?" I whispered to him as I, again, stood by his side. He breathed in deeply.
"They were fired for helping the town beneath us in the water. They were giving them food and fresh water from our food supply here. Which isn't allowed." I was about to protest, but he stopped me. "My father's orders, not mine." He said regrettedly. I sighed, for once, I wished that I could have helped those guards, even if they were Fire Nation.
"Katara." I heard a sweet, deep voice speak quietly into my ear. His lips brushed against my ear, and I shivered a little, loving the touch. His voice sounded seductive, and it made me want to do bad things. "Katara wake up." When I opened my eyes, I turned my head quickly feeling Zuko's lips brush past my forehead as he pulled himself away. I blushed, hoping he hadn't noticed my smile, and my now rosy cheeks. He was grinning, though, and I was confused. But I shrugged it off. I remembered a few hours before, how I had been put in the slave quarters to sleep until the next light, in which we would leave.
"It's time to go." He whispered. Even as silent whispers, I felt like his voice was pleading for me to touch him. All I wanted to do was hug him and- I needed to stop thinking this way. I nodded, replying to him, and got up from my space, folding over my sleeping bag to make it look as if I was still lying there. When I walked out of the dark quarters, I saw that most of the factory was dark with few occasional lights enabling a view of the corridors. Zuko led me out of the factory through a different entrance than the one we had come in. He led me to a vast amount of large rocks, and we hid behind them. Doing exactly a Zuko, I stuffed my robes into a crevice of the rock. Zuko took out small paint he must have made himself, and drew markings on my lit up, tanned face, from the moon.
"Try not to wipe any of this off, it will ruin the illusion of you being the 'Painted Lady'. There will be some people up in the village, and no matter what happens, you cannot talk to them. Only nod, shake your head, or smile pleasantly." I nodded, and looked out to the village. I was about to save this village, and I was more than excited. "Also, while you're helping those people, I will be in the factory, destroying it. Be quick, and start immediately as you arrive in the town. Heal the sick and wounded first, and then clean their water as I start to blow up parts off the factory. When you're done, wash off your make up, and get rid of these robes. Nobody can have any evidence of you playing as the 'Painted Lady'."
"Okay, be careful Zuko." Why did I say that? I DON'T CARE IF ZUKO LIVES OR DIES. But honestly, it kinda hurt me to think of him like that, my mind wanted to like him, but it wasn't me. He is Fire Nation. I am Water Tribe. Fire and Water do not mix. Once again, I regretted my words. But, he smiled at me, almost making me forget anything bad he had ever done to me. And it melted my heart. I was confusing myself.
I ran down the hill, and created an ice path upon the murky waters. When my foot made contact with the wooden docks of the town, I slowed my breathing and calmed myself down. I needed to act as if I was her, 'The Painted Lady'. I walked through every house, and I healed all the broken and sick. As I finished my last home and was walking out, a boy called out to me.
"Thank you, Painted Lady." I deciphered whether or not it was a good idea to look back at him. And, regretfully, I looked back. I realized he had been sleeping with one of the mothers that I had healed. I nodded and turned away quickly, wrapping myself in fog. I wanted to say so much to that boy, how much I loved helping them, but I had to play the part of this spirit.
I continued on away from the town, back to the shore. And I, once more, slowed my breathing. I breathed deeply from my center, and closed my eyes. You can do this, Katara. My breath came out softly and deep as my hands motioned up for the water to cooperate. I had to believe that I could do this. I moved my hands in fluid motions, as if my body was water itself, and I separated some of the muck from the river, setting it away from the water. Only doing a quarter of the lake was enough to make me want to drop to the ground and sleep, but I needed to keep going. I had to keep going for them; for the villagers.
When I finished separating all of the water, it finally looked clean. Even though the village was still torn down and damaged, they could rebuild it easily compared to cleaning out this mess. My knees suddenly gave way as I became too tired to stand up any longer. I looked over to the factory and saw ash filling up the starry night sky. Men were yelling and running about as they tried to flee the factory. I knew it was time for me to return, before anyone noticed. I ran back behind the same hedge of rocks I left my robes, and I threw off my disguise. As soon as I had my Slave's Kimono on, I took the clothes to the water. I shoved them beneath the now-clean surface, and I watched them float away until they disappeared. I felt good about what I had done. I felt like I had given them hope again.
"WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS!" Zuko played his part well as all of the men running the factory were lined up facing him. He yelled at them like he was really angry, even though he knew he had done it himself.
"You." I realized was pointing at one of the men as I slipped next to the slave girl's, whom stood on the side of the scene. They were non-benders, so it would have been close to impossible for them to cause something so disastrous.
A man stepped forward as Zuko beckoned him with his finger.
In order to make himself seem innocent, he ordered a man to be killed that night. Although, the man who was had to be killed happened to have committed other crimes against the Fire Nation, which Zuko was thankful for. Yet, he did feel some sorrow for the man. It was his fault they were going to die. We ended up leaving before the sun awoke from it's slumber, and arrived at the Fire Nation palace within the first hour of the sun awaking. All of us were tired, especially Zuko and I, but it was worth it. When we had arrived at the palace, Zuko personally escorted the half-guilty man to Fire Lord Ozai, after being ordered to by Ozai himself.
Now, I awaited for Zuko in his room. I sat on his bed, reading a novel I had found at his bedside. I didn't want to fall asleep until Zuko arrived, for some reason, I felt I needed to know that he was safe. But I couldn't force myself to sleep.
As I was deep-thought into the novel, I heard the door slam. Looking up, I saw Zuko. He was staring at the ground, and his hands were clenched into fists. Was he angry?
"Zuko what's-" I stopped as I watched his knees buckle and he fell to the ground. His hands covered his face and suddenly he let out a cry. It wasn't a normal cry, like when you accidentally hurt an animals as a child. No. This cry was a cry for help. He weeped into his hands, crying out. My heart felt like it had shattered to nothing. Zuko was crying. This was something unheard of, Zuko never cried. Not unless it was something so serious. I rushed to his side and touched him. But as the skin covering my nimble fingers touched his robes, I pulled it away knowing that it wasn't wet from tears. I brought my hand close to my nose, and smelt what it was. Blood. Fresh blood. I hoped it wasn't his.
"Zuko, what happened!" I tore off his robes from his, not taking any time to admire his strong muscles beneath. And as soon as he shrugged them off, he fell into me. I held him tightly, letting a tear fall everytime he weeped. He grabbed my arm, holding himself to me even tighter, and I knew he needed this. I felt awful for him, and I hadn't even known what had actually happened yet.