"A pleasure to see you, Fire Lord Zuko. It's been too long between visits."
Katara smiles at me with great warmth. She looks great. It has been a while since our last visit, eighteen looks good on her. I wonder if she is thinking the same thing. I do feel a little manlier. I find myself puffing out my chest subconsciously.
"Far too long, you look great." As if that were some kind of queue she leans forward and hugs me tightly. I lightly pat her back for a moment before gently pulling away.
"Thanks," She smiles politely. "You look good too…" There is a pause and I think she is waiting for me to respond but then continues. "Listen, I'm sorry Aang couldn't make it this trip. Something came up in the earth kingdom. It's fine though, I'm perfectly capable to fill in for him… I just wish there were Two Appas to travel with." We both laugh lightly for a moment. It feels good.
"Don't worry, I know you're capable." I feel like for a moment I see desperation in her eyes. "Before we head in to the war room would you like to have some lunch? It's really embarrassing when your stomach growls in there." She giggles again and I begin to lead her down the main hall.
"I would love something to eat. You pretty much starve on these voyages across the globe." She rubs her stomach. "So where is Mai today? How are things with you guys?" I don't like talking about my wife, it reminds me how miserable things are.
"Today she is spending time with Ty Lee in the market. She doesn't get involved with political discussions, Fire Ladies usually don't. They probably could if they wanted to, but no one has ever showed an interest… or was too afraid to. I don't think that's the problem here though." I don't want to complain about my wife but it is so easy to open up to Katara. I poke my head into the kitchen briefly to tell them to bring lunch to the garden. Katara takes my arm in hers and smiles as we continue walking.
"Is everything okay with you two?" She asks look into my eyes. I don't make eye contact. We exit the palace and enter the gorgeous garden. We sit in the grass next to the pond. I'm muddling over how I want to respond to this. It's hard to lie to her.
"We are sleeping in separate rooms now." I confess with regret. I can't take it back now that it's out there. Her face is of slight shock but mostly empathy.
"I'm sorry…" She touches my hand with her own and leans in slightly. I feel myself grow anxious of the contact. "I guess this is what it's like to grow up." She muses and pulls away.
"We've had to grow up too fast." I lean back onto my hands and look up at the clouds.
"Are you going to stay with her?" Katara asks. I don't respond. She knows the answer. "Zuko... sometime you are going to have to start making decisions for yourself and your happiness. What good is going to come out of your personal misery? Are you ever going to be happy?"
"I doubt it." I smirk a little bit hoping to lighten the mood. I've grown weary of talking about these things. We don't say anything for what seems like forever. We both just stare into the motionless pond. I think about where the turtle ducks might be hiding.
"Zuko…" My name cut through the silence like a sharp knife. It snaps me back to reality. "…do you ever think about the night before the comet?" Silence comes again, this time it's painfully heavy. I feel a little warm.
"All the time." I breathe out at last. I can see her head turn sharply to look at me through my peripherals. I don't look back. I know it was what she was hoping to hear but no what she expected. I instantly regret saying it.
"Me too." Now I look back and her eyes are as wide and unblinking as that moonlit night in the trees. Silence returns to the scene once again. We just stare at each other. I want to reach out and touch her face. I can feel the muscles in my hand tense and ready to spring into action. I'm almost there.
"HEY! There you guys are!" Sokka's voice makes us both jump out of our skin. "Man I have been wondering around this place for hours looking for you. When did you get here Katara?"
"Less than an hour ago." She responds. She lifts her body up off the ground to greet her brother in a hug. "Did no one greet you and guide you in?"
"No." He frowned. "It's like these people don't respect me or something. Do they not know who I am?"
"I'm sorry, they must not have been expecting an air ship. Katara arrived by boat." I reach a hand out to shake his firmly. He still pulls me into an uncomfortable one arm hug.
"Whatever, I'm already over it. Discovered your kitchen on my hunt and the cook let me eat stuff."
"Where is Suki? And Toph? I thought they would be with you?" Katara looks around him as if he's hiding them behind his back. He ignores her as he picks his teeth with his boomerang.
"Suki is doing her own thing with the Kioshi Warriors, we don't both need to be here…. Toph I'm really not sure about. You know how she is now; she's a total wild card. She could show up in the middle of the meeting or maybe next week." He leaned in towards the two of us and raised a hand to his cheek as if to tell a big secret. "She's gotten a lot taller since the last time we saw her."
My kitchen servants step out into the garden carrying three plates of food. We each take a plate and begin picking at them with our fingers while we talk. Sokka goes on and on about life on the island. He confesses to hoping Suki will want to move back the Southern Water Tribe with him when they are ready to settle down but he isn't sure she will be happy about the idea. Katara listens intently and nods here and there to prove she's soaking in all he information. I want to ask her about life at the Air Temple but I know it's a tender subject. I already know she misses her family greatly and feels extremely segregated but understands it's important to Aang and his culture to be there. I wish I could tell her to leave that mountain and join me.
Another servant approaches us in the garden to inform me that everyone has arrived and is waiting in the war room. We follow him inside.
Sokka sits on a stool in the kitchen stuffing his face with whatever food is lying close to him. The cook sweats anxiously as he is trying to prepare lunch for the Fire Lord.
"So listen is there going to be a lunch at this meeting?" He spits out some bread as he talks.
"I am preparing lunch for the Fire Lord and Lady Katara to bring out to the garden right now." Another drop of sweat drips off of his forehead as Sokka reaches for a pig-chicken leg.
"Oh great, send me out a plate too." Sokka hops off the stool and exits the kitchen with the leg hanging from his mouth.
A/N: I don't think I've written anything in over 5 years... feels good! Reviews really keep the fire lit to write and help me know if I suck or not. So thanks! :D