(Katara POV)
The world stopped swirling once more and different shades of red took over my vision. Red drapes, red rugs, red walls, red guards! I mean come on! Just as I was mentally ranting about the color a black haired boy came striding down the hall. I smiled and studies him. Zuko had grown much more, he look about 13 or 14. Handsome. He wore Firenation armor, and he held a small smile. Very different from the distressed look when his mother left. I was glad he was feeling better. He came up to some tall guards that were standing by a curtain, red curtain. Ugh. They stepped in front of him and blocked his path.
"Hey, let me through!" Zuko shouted.
I giggled. He sounded like a mixture between his voice now and a mouse. It was kind of cute. Roku smiled at me, but as he looked at Zuko, his smile faded. I wondered what was wrong. His face was still flawless and his beautiful molten eyes still managed to make me melt. Whoa whoa whoa. Uh uh, not going there.
"Zuko, is there a problem?" and old wise voice called out from down the hall.
Zuko turned towards his uncle with an exasperated look on his pale face.
"Can you tell them to let me through?" he asked.
Iroh smiled a curious smile.
"Why would you want to go in there?" he said.
"It's very boring, a bunch of old people talking about polotics and things we already know." he continued.
Zuko didn't wait a second before responding.
"But don't you think I should learn about the war and start now if I'm going to be Firlord one day?" He asked with a hopeful smile.
Iroh chuckled warmly and held up his hands.
"All right."
He put his arm around Zuko's shoulders and led him past the curtains into the war room. I smiled, even then Iroh looked out for Zuko. BUt what made me giggle was when Zuko stuck his head back out and stuck his toungue out at the guards. Roku chuckled as well. We floated past the curtains. The war room held a table with the four nations drawn on it. A wall of fire hid the throne. A bunch of old people, as Iroh said, sat around the table, and then there was ZUko. He sat next to his uncle with a smile on his face. He looked like a little king. I smirked. He was a little king.
The old sages started disscussing war plans that I almost fell asleep through. So I studied Zuko. He smiled and nodded at every sugestion, he focused and stayed alert. I smiled, he would be such a great leader. When his beautiful smile turned into a deep frown was when I tuned into the conversation.
"... we take the new troops and send them to the outer wall, a distraction." the general said.
"You can't do that!" a voice called.
I looked back at Zuko with, pride.
"Their loyal and they fight for our nation, you can't just take away their lives for giving us their loyalty!" he shouted in disbelief.
My heart swelled, he was right. I can't believe he didn't think he had honor. But when I looked around at the sages dissapointment and the general's shocked face, I understood why Roku had brought me. The trap, he spoke out of turn, his father.
"Agni Kai!" The world started to swirl again and we were brought to an arena.
It looked like all of the Firenation was there. I looked around and spotted a dark, masculine figure at the end of the arena. I looked towards the other end and saw Zuko step up. He was shirtless and shoeless, his hair tied back into a ponytail. He took a fighting stance and waited for his opponent. The dark figure stepped foward and took his fighting stance. Ozai. Zuko looked shocked and dropped his stance. He dropped to his knees and dropped his head.
"Fight Zuko." his father called.
"No."
"Stand up and fight Prince Zuko!" he yelled.
"I won't fight you." Zuko's voice wavered.
I heart broke when he loked up at his father, tears streamed down his face.
"Please Father, I only had the Firenation's best interest at heart." he said.
"You will learn respect," his father stated, venom dripping in his voice, "and suffering will be your teacher." he strode towards his son.
Zuko skook from where he kneeled. I tried to look away but before I could, his father shot a fireball directly at Zuko's face. He screamed on impact, and was knocked back a few feet. I choked on my sobs and I looked at the fallen boy. I then spotted Iroh crying in the stands. He was more of a father to him then Ozai will ever be. Everyone gasped and smiled. How could they? Then Ozai did something that really made me want to punch him.
"Everyone, on your way out, please come and see the true disgrace of the firenation at his worst!" he yelled with glee.
My jaw dropped, as did Iroh's, and much to our surprise, almost everyone walked by and laughed at the fallen prince. He didn't move, just stared out of one good eye and a pool of blood trailed from the left side of his face. His mouth hung open and his eye stared out in shock and pain. His breathing was labored and a single tear slid down his cheek. He looked up at his father before quickly looking back down. I wanted nothing more than to run over and heal him. Comfort him and make him smile again. After everyone had left, Iroh scrambled up and and knelt before Zuko.
"May I take him?" he asked, glaring at Ozai.
"Yes, I have no use for him any more, he may be your new son, eh Iroh?" he laughed evilly.
Roku had to lay a hand on my shoulder so I wouldn't try to attack him. Iroh picked up Zuko and carried him out of the room. The world swirled again and we were back in my tent. Tears were rolling down my cheeks and I choked back soft sobs.
"Please give him a chance." Roku said before he dissapeared.
I sat for minute before running out of my tent towards Zuko's. I dove in and tackled him in bed.
"What?-Katara, what are you doing?" he asked my groggily.
I looked at him and saw the small boy who lost his mother, the brave young man who stood up for his nation and the little toddler who loved his mother more than life its self. I teared up and and brushed his messy hair out of his face.
"You are so beautiful." I whispered.
He looked up at me questioningly. I smiled and knew just what to do. I leaned down til our noses were touching and...