Ch. 12
Zuko sat at his desk replaying the events of last week. They had decided not to say anything to anybody until Zuko had asked Katara's father for permission. For the return trip, Katara wore a long sleeved shirt that hid the bracelet from view. They acted as they normally did when traveling together, Zuko lounged against the edge of the saddle, his arm draped around Katara's shoulders and she snuggled against him.
As they neared the South Pole, everyone donned their winter wear and Zuko upped his body temperature, making it comfortably warm in the frigid winds. When the village came into view, Zuko leaned over the edge in awe while Sokka and Katara watched him and exchanged a satisfactory look of pride. The grand entry wall had been fully erected, artfully inscribed with water nation symbols. What had been small snow huts were now large and spacious. There were building that stood a few stories high, connected with long stretches of craftily built bridges.
It was coming along at a stunning rate and everything had the polished look the ice brought to it.
"It's amazing." He said in a hushed awe.
"Yup, sure is." Sokka said, allowing his ego to inflate.
"You do some of this?" Zuko asked, turning to Katara. She nodded modestly and she could see the admiration in his eyes.
"So you had important business with Hakoda?" Aang asked, ever curious.
Zuko nodded solemnly.
"I'll take you to see dad." Sokka offered.
"I'll go too." Katara added, but was quickly approached by one of the head water benders in charge of building.
"Princess Katara." She flinched at the title while the boys watched her sour face in amusement. "We need your help. There's been some… confusion on one of the designs."
Katara gave a tired sigh. "Alright." She gave a meaningful look to Zuko. "You okay on your own?"
"I did intend to talk to him by myself."
She gave him a weak smile. "Good luck." She walked away with the water bending man, leaving Sokka and Aang to ponder over the vague conversation.
Sokka led the way, pointing out the new buildings of the ever growing village. Aang and Zuko obligingly asked questions and were very interested in the recent developments. Eventually they were led to the water chief's new headquarters near the center of the village. "Dad?" Sokka called through the door, knocking. "Dad? Zuko's here to talk to you about something."
"Come in." Called a strong and friendly voice.
Sokka opened the door and Hakoda stood from his desk. "Ah, Prince Zuko, it's nice to see you again." He came around from his desk and shook hands with the fire prince. "Aang, looks like your travels are suiting you well." He moved to embrace his son momentarily. "Good to see you son."
"Chief Hakoda." Zuko greeted formally. "Do you have some time? I have something very important to discuss with you."
Hakoda looked from Sokka to Aang before bringing his attention back to Zuko.
"Uh…" Sokka stammered at a loss.
"We'll go find some otter penguins or tiger seals." Aang offered, tugging Sokka's sleeve as they left awkwardly.
Hakoda waited patiently until the door shut and Sokka and Aang had walked down the hall a bit before offering Zuko the chair across his desk before sitting in his own. "So," he asked, folding his hands under his chin and studying the nervous young man before him. "What brings you here?"
"Well…" Zuko fidgeted. "Katara and I have been together for about a year and a half…" He trailed off, venturing a look at the older man across from him.
His lax stance had tensed a bit, his blue eyes intent on Zuko now. "Go on…" He said.
"I was wondering… I want your permission to, to marry your daughter." He exhaled loudly, watching Hakoda carefully for any clues.
He exhaled and leaned back in his chair. "You want to marry my daughter?"
"Yes sir." Zuko sat rigidly in his chair
Hakoda nodded his head slowly. He had a solemn look as he thought things over.
"I love her and I'll protect her no matter what." His hands clenched at the flash of memory in that one room in the bottom of his ship.
Hakoda made a show of standing from his seat and coming around the desk till he was just in front of Zuko. "I know you will." The smile cracking his somber façade. He offered his hand and Zuko stood and took it. "Take care of my little Katara."
"I will sir."
"Welcome to the family, son." He said, resting a heavy hand on his shoulder and Zuko could feel a warm sensation start in his stomach and spread throughout his body.
That night, they had a large dinner with all their closest friends and family. Hakoda welcomed them all and turned it over to Zuko for his big announcement. "With Chief Hakoda's express permission, Katara and I," he said, squeezing her hand as she sat next to him, watching him with loving eyes. "We're getting married!" There was an explosion of applause and cheers and admittedly some groans from a few of the water tribe boys. Sokka's mouth had fallen open and the half chewed food fell back onto his plate. Aang's eyes nearly popped out of his head before rushing to hug and congratulate his friends. Toph exhaled loudly, making grossed out faces at the sheer amount of emotions in the room. The rest of the night, they were surrounded by happy supporters, showering them in congratulations.
Aang had taken him back to the fire nation three days ago so he could get back to work. Things still needed to be done both here and back in the South Pole and they had decided to make it a long engagement. They weren't in a rush. Zuko was shaken from his thoughts. Iroh had been the one to get his attention.
"You're two o'clock meeting is here."
"Thank you Uncle. I'll be down in a moment."
His meeting this afternoon was from a small impoverished town seeking aid and he was meeting with the village's leader to see what he could do to help them. He left his office and thoughts of the last week behind to meet with the man downstairs.
It had been a month and a half since Katara had seen Zuko and though she had waited longer before, ever since they had made it official, being apart from him was becoming unbearable. Sokka was due to leave again for one of the regular meetings held at the palace in the fire nation. They were taking one of the ships that now took water tribe wares around the world and on a stop to Wale Tale Island; they would meet up with Aang and take Appa to the meeting. By the time the meeting had ended, the ship should have reached port at the fire nation and would take them back again.
This would be a surprise to Zuko though. He knew Sokka was coming, but on occasion, Katara was needed back home to help with the remodeling. Zuko hadn't been informed that this wasn't one of those times, and as far as Katara could tell, would be pleasantly surprised.
Sokka was getting annoyed with her excitement.
"Katara, would you just sit still? You're driving me crazy!"
"I'm sorry Sokka, I just miss my… fiancé." The word still sounded foreign to her.
Sokka glowered. He wasn't sure how he felt about his little sister getting married, happy, yes, protective, yes and grossed out by the idea of her and Zuko, yes. He managed to combine his feelings and it came out as a continuously grouchy mood with lots of complaining.
"Doesn't seem that way to me." He grumped, folding his arms over his chest and glared at her wrist that held the bracelet and then away, nose in the air.
"Sokka…" She warned, tired of having this argument with her brother.
"He didn't even carve you a necklace!" He said, throwing his arms in the air, same as he always did.
"Ya," she said rolling her eyes. "And he didn't have to fight off the entire village of suitors for my hand in marriage either. Sokka, those are old water tribe rituals. Besides, the bracelet is the fire nation tradition and he knows that I wouldn't want to have to replace mom's necklace." She said delicately touching the pendant round her neck.
"You gotta admit Sokka," Aang said turning around to join in. "It's a pretty neat bracelet!"
"Thank you Aang." She said and continued to give Sokka a pointed look. "Besides, you're just mad because you're having a hard time carving Suki a betrothal necklace."
"Hey! It's harder than it looks!" he sulked loudly.
"Did he try to carve another one?" Aang called back, a humorous excitement in his eyes.
"Ya, you should see it." She laughed. "You still have it with you right?" Judging by the look he was giving her, that meant yes. "Come on," she cajoled. "Show Aang. He might even be able to help you."
"I don't need help! I'm just practicing."
"Right. Practicing." Katara mocked before turning to dig through her brother's pack.
"Would you get out of my stuff!" He yelled, diving across the saddle to his pack, but she had his latest attempt in her hand and skipped out of his reach, coming forward on the saddle to show Aang.
"See." She held it out and he took the blue ribbon with an oblong, lopsided pendant and started laughing as he looked it over.
"What's that supposed to be?" Aang asked, pointed at the very roughly carved stone.
"It's a fan!" He said grouchily snatching it from Aang.
Katara peered over his shoulder. "I thought that was supposed to be the fan." She said while pointing at the very crude carvings.
"No, that's the moon."
Aang looked at it again, eyes wide, trying to understand the carving. "That's supposed to be a moon?"
"Yes!" He yelled exasperated. "A moon for the water tribe, a fan for the Kyoshi warriors. Gah! Forget it." He grumbled and stalked back to his pack and tucked it deep down and went back to sulking.
Aang and Katara just exchanged a look and tried to stifle a laugh.
Zuko was walking the garden as he normally did before a meeting. The long political talks were draining and ambling through his mothers beautiful garden cleared his mind and when he neared the lilacs, he was able to completely relax. However, today was different. Everyone knew he would take time to spend in the garden, but no one ever bothered him. While he was walking under the shade of a large cherry blossom tree in bloom, he caught sight of the girl approaching.
"Mai?" Zuko was surprised to see her. When he was meeting with her father, the Governor, occasionally she would attend, but things had become awkward and mildly strained since they used to date, but now he was with Katara. She wasn't much of a talker, so any communication they had had always been very minimal. It had to be something big if she was even taking the initiative to even approach him. "Mai," he asked again, taking a step towards her as she slowly drifted his way, hidden in shadows. "What's going on?"
She finally came close enough and in the dappled light, he could see the glistening tear tracks on her cheeks. It had to be bad. Mai never cried. He rushed to her. "What is it?" She threw her arms around him; another frightening display that meant whatever it was had to be really bad.
"Mai?" He whispered softly and as much she hated to admit, she still couldn't help but respond to his voice.
She looked up, more tears welling and she shook her head and buried her face in his chest, squeezing him tightly. Unsure, Zuko hugged her too. Any who would see this, would find it incredibly odd. The two people who disliked physical contact the most embracing each other. Zuko tried to recall the last time he had even been remotely this intimate with anyone besides Katara and nothing came to mind since his mother had left. He soothingly rubbed her back and brushed a hand through her hair.
"What's wrong?" He whispered.
The voice sent chills through her and she would have cursed it if she hadn't needed it so desperately at this moment. She would also later hate that she had to come to Zuko, but he was the only person she could think of. He could make things better, even if he wasn't hers anymore. He had always been a soothing balm on her cold, scarred heart. Being in his arms already had her calming enough to explain what had happened.
"Mai…" He gently coaxed, her name sounding silken on his smoky voice.
"My father…" She choked before clutching him tightly again.
"What happened to your father?" He asked, gently tugging her face up so he could see her, cradling her pointed chin in his hands and staring intently into her equally golden eyes.
"Heart attack." That was all she managed before breaking down and sobbing again and Zuko pulled her back into his chest, trying to soothe her. He waited for her to calm a bit before he pressed even further.
"Is he alright?" She just shrugged, unable to verbally respond.
"Mai…" The pain and empathy in his voice almost palpable brought her head up once again.
"I didn't know who else to go to…" She confided and before he knew what was happening, she had reached up seizing his lips with her own.
Every part of him was screaming that this was wrong and to push her away. But she was already in so much pain; could he really inflict more on her?
He decided to not respond, let her take what she needed. Her father had just had a heart attack and she didn't even know if he was okay. A small reassurance that water bending healers had become a well used staple in the healers huts all around the world, but still, these things were serious and despite how much she tried to hide it, her family meant the world to her. He stood stiffly under her until her lips parted from his. "I'm sorry." She whispered, resting her forehead on his shoulder again.
"I understand." He whispered back, holding her tightly under the cherry blossoms.
Katara turned from the edge of the garden, placing the silver and golden bracelet on the stone bench near the entry way before running back to the stables. Zuko had held and then kissed her! Aang, Sokka and Katara had arrived a few minutes ago, the men going to the meeting room and she went around to the gardens to fetch and surprise Zuko. Well, surprise. She had halted in the shadows of a great oak and watched him intimately hold his old love and then watched as a passionate kiss was shared. She felt so betrayed and broken. She fled, she had to get away. Her sprinting feet had led her to the stables where they were just getting ready to unsaddle Appa.
"Wait!" She called. Tears stinging her eyes, but she refused to let them fall just yet. The stable men turned to her expectantly. "I need to take the flying bison. Aang will understand. Just tell them… tell them that I just remembered some important business and I'll catch a boat home and send Appa back when I get there." She was trying so hard to not let her voice shake and she prayed that none of the men caught it. The oldest man, a kind, gentle old man nodded and her stomach clenched, sure that he had caught the unsettled state she was in.
"Of course Princess Katara, we'll pass the message along."
She shot him a strained smile of relief. "Thanks." She quickly climbed onto Appa's neck, clutching the reins till her knuckles turned white. "Yip yip!"
Sarahplaintall here, I know a lot of you have some choice words for me or the situation right now. Don't worry, things will get better, but COMMENT! I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts.