Zutara reaaaally soon :D I do my best to not make empty promises, so believe me that it's worth the wait. It just took a little longer to get the plot going than I thought, so I'm really sorry about that :/ but I truly believ it's all information that can't not be in it. If that makes sense. Thanks for sticking with me though :)

Chapter 6: When Wolves Descend

His meeting with the emissary from the Earth Kingdom had gone as dismally as he anticipated it to. He was at odds with the Earth King Kuei and – to his surprise – Aang as well. The Harmony Restoration Movement Aang had established with Kuei sought to rid the Earth Kingdom of all Fire Nation citizens in what were the Fire Nation colonies, especially Yu Dao. But Zuko found that preposterous – they were his people after all and they weren't bothering anybody. They had made the colonies their homes, so why should they be forced from them? He didn't understand, he still didn't, but he had heatedly voiced his opinion to the Avatar and the Earth King, which eventually led to him withdrawing his support from the movement. Aang was angry about it, no doubt, but the monk always seemed to look for compromise in the worst of situations.

And yet it worried Zuko. How long could this movement continue on unsolved until one side became angry enough to act out? It seemed Zuko had no one on his side.

Just like old times. A blue dress entered his mind. Would you have sided with me?

At any rate, the emissary had arrived shortly before Zuko returned from visiting the villages and sought to speak on behalf of the Earth King in encouraging Zuko to "see reason" and "accept the pretenses of the Harmony Restoration Movement". Zuko wanted so badly to scoff at him, but he saw his uncle watching him sternly and so he kept his voice as level as physically possible. The meeting had taken not even a half hour and, to his surprise, not many voices were raised, but by the end, the emissary was visibly frustrated for Zuko refused to change his stance. His people would not leave the colony. Yu Dao would remain his.

The emissary wasn't angry for too long, however, for the celebration of the Hundred Year War anniversary started and before long, over half the crowd was drunk, including even the most distinguished of nobles in his court. It was after his grand speech to rally the excitement that Zuko slipped away, eager for solace and solitude.

The night was warm. It was an empty warm, devoid of the usual humidity of the Fire Nation and that was how the Fire Lord liked his nights to be. He enjoyed the solemn breeze that occasionally rustled his hair, freeing the dark strands from his crown and letting them lick gently at his face, tickling his skin in a gentle dance. He liked the wind. It made him think of the open sea; it brought a strange sense of nostalgia to the years he spent looking for the Avatar to regain his honor and he looked back on those memories sometimes and they didn't…They didn't make him feel bitter. It was a bizarre feeling. Those years were the beginning to everything. He couldn't hate them.

The storm earlier had left the gardens and, it seemed, the entire visible world greener and friendlier – it was a vibrant, staying color that broke up the monotonous reds and golds of the palace; drops of rain still clung to each blade of grass, the leaves of trees were dripping quietly from the shower and it was beautiful, it all looked beautiful, for water was life and it came and it went, but it always had a way of returning and filtering itself into new soil.

The music was loud, the laughter even louder and the night was brilliantly lit with lanterns and torches and occasional fireworks but the noise didn't bother him as much as he thought it would.

Zuko tilted his head back slightly, letting his eyes close as he leaned against the railing of the balcony, sighing deeply. It felt good to breathe, just breathe. It was something he missed, as odd as it sounded. Out here, on this side of the gardens, there was nothing that could remind him of things that caused him pain. Out here…There were no turtle-ducks. There was no pond of water to mock him as it reflected only his angry eyes. There was no emissary from the Earth Kingdom rattling his brain with political intrigue and scandalous details and plots of treason. There was no Mai, no Uncle, no Ty Lee, no servants, no nobles, no-

"Your Grace."

It was a small voice, one he faintly recognized. He opened his eyes unwillingly, turning to see a young servant girl – the one from the visitation to the villages? – bowing deeply in the entryway to the balcony.

"Please, Your Grace, I do apologize, but…"

Oh, yes. The one who spews apologies every other sentence.

"What is it?" Zuko asked gruffly, irritated at the disturbance.

"I received word of a search party sent back to the villages, for a dear object you have lost." She straightened up, fumbling around in her pocket. "I…found this on the floor of the room where you took your luncheon after you left." Blue silk and a blue stone dangled from her fingers.

The Fire Lord lurched forward, snatching it out of her grasp. Her cheeks flushed a deep scarlet when their skin grazed and she bowed again.

"Please, Your Grace, I searched for you incessantly to bring it back to you. I…I could not find you. Not for hours; not until I saw you take leave to come out here, so…I hope it's alright. The guards will be angry at having searched for something that had been in my possession the whole time, but…"

His heart was pounding, his grip tight around the necklace as he closed his eyes, feeling his boiling blood slowly simmer in relief.

"You have my thanks," he said quietly. "And my protection. The guards will understand."

The girl smiled widely, blushing as she bowed her head quickly. The Fire Lord quietly wondered what he would give to be able to speak with someone who was not constantly apologizing or bowing to him, afraid of offending his position. A flash of dark skin and tumbling chestnut hair crossed through his mind.

You never treated me as nobility. No, if anything, you treated me as a lesser being until the very end… Am I perverse in enjoying the way you held my company, so different than everybody else?

She made to step forward, but Zuko noticed the falter in her step and she remained where she was to his slight annoyance.

"What is it?" he inquired.

"If I may speak, my Lord… I was only – I was only wondering who that gemstone belonged to. Please, Your Grace, if it too forward you may send me away and I will accept my punishment. I do not wish to pry; I was merely curious."

Zuko regarded her oddly, his eyes unreadable and still. She had the golden eyes of the Fire Nation people – gold and amber and wide, with midnight hair that framed a pale, heart-shaped face. She was very pretty, that he could not deny, and perhaps were he a different man, were fate not so relentlessly troubling and his golden crown so heavy, he would have taken a fancy to her.

He turned away sharply, looking out over the gardens of the main courtyard.

"Someone very special," he muttered.

"Forgive me, Fire Lord."

Zuko held up the necklace, turning the stone in his hands so it caught the light of the sunset brilliantly. There was a strange look in his eyes: glassy and empty, but dark and unstable. He laughed once, a low, guttural sound.

"It is the work of a Water Tribesman," he said vacantly. "Beautiful, isn't it? She told me many times this belonged to her mother. Before I knew her, I had stolen it in order to track down someone very important. Funny…the way fate works." The servant made no response, but he was acutely aware of her shifting somewhat uncomfortably behind him. The Fire Lord's eyes slowly closed, his scar feeling suddenly heavy and he remembered, he painfully remembered, what it was like when she touched it for the first time. Her hands, they were…so soft. So soft and gentle, like her eyes which were so blue like water, like the stone in his hand, so serene, so…

His eyes snapped open and narrowed into slits.

But she died. Did you know that? Yes, five years ago. She died in my arms and I didn't do anything to help her. I might as well have killed her myself; so you see, this is why I cannot lose this pendant. It keeps me from peace, from solace, because I deserve only suffering and hell.

What grave gratitude I gave her.

He turned to see the girl bowing deeply, her hands fisted at her sides tightly. She stood upright suddenly and he could tears in her eyes before she whirled around and fled, running away down the hall. Her footsteps became fainter with each passing moment and once they too left him, he gently held up the necklace to see how the stone caught the remaining light of day and turned back towards the gardens. He remained that way for another hour, turning the stone over in his hand and admiring the colors that filtered into its etchings, when the sound of pattering slippers on the balcony turned his soft gaze into a scowl.

"Someone better be dying, if I am to be bothered again," he snapped.

Iroh stood in the doorway, giggling quietly.

"Your temper never fails you, nephew," he said amiably. "You have changed so much, but I fear that is the one trait that will never leave you. That, and your stubbornness."

"Lucky me. They've done me so well in the past."

"I think so." Iroh was smiling and Zuko couldn't decide if it irritated him or not.

"So, what is it?" the Fire Lord asked. His uncle gestured to the necklace, asking, "May I?" to which Zuko nodded and placed it in his hand. Iroh held the stone up close to his face, sighing softly as he smiled.

"I remember this well. It is truly remarkable," he said, "how something as simple as a piece of jewelry can so closely resemble the essence of a person."

Zuko leaned against the railing, looking out over the gardens. There was a muscle twitching in his jaw, but he didn't feel angry. No, it wasn't anger, but he could not truthfully tell what it was and that alone was frustrating in itself.

"It is…just like her," Zuko said, his voice low and husky. He could feel Iroh's gaze burning holes into his robes, but he refused to look at his uncle – he couldn't.

"Is that why you will not let it go?"

Iroh returned the necklace and Zuko kept silent. He reached up, pulling out his crown and letting his hair fall and he ran his hand through the dark strands, sighing with the freedom and he let his head hang, his bangs hiding his eyes.

"I believe she wants you to move on," Iroh said softly. Zuko laughed once, replying,

"And which one are we talking about now?"

"Actually, I believe the both of them. Mai wants only to be with you, Zuko, and Kat-"

"Don't say her name," Zuko snapped suddenly and his fingertips left slight burn marks on the railing on the balcony.

"Forgive me, my nephew, I only wish to ease your suffering."

"Is that so?"

"Your guilt has eaten you alive."

Zuko whirled around to face his uncle, snarling, "Because I let her die!" He reached forward, snatching the necklace from his uncle's grasp and it swung in his hands violently from his outburst, but then he shrank back, looking down so as to keep himself from having to look his uncle directly in the eye. "She…saved me. When Azula hit me, she didn't waste a moment in saving me. She was my friend, yet in return, I let her die."

"Is this why you will not marry Lady Mai? Is this the reason for your constant postponing of the wedding?"

"There is no reason, Uncle, it's just not the right time yet-"

"Because you believe that something could happen to her, too, and you would not be able to protect her?"

"Love is a burden," Zuko blurted. "I want nothing to do with it. Mai should not want to marry me." His cheeks were burning and he tugged his fingers through his hair in annoyance.

"Excuse me, Uncle," the Fire Lord said vacantly, turning away from the balcony and heading towards the door. "I'm tired."

"Zuko, there is something you should-"

"Goodnight."

"Zuko, wait-"

But the Fire Lord was gone; his mind felt heavy, his chest even heavier. He couldn't bear to speak any longer.

Not tonight, Uncle. I'm sorry.

It didn't take long for Suki to find her. She had fled the celebration after the Kyoshi Warriors performed their routine. It was just as exciting as Suki promised it would be – the girls were sharp, fast, and unbelievably strong. The way they moved so crisply was phenomenal and the stomps they made on the ground, one collective beating of the earth, made Katara's hairs stand on end. She was disappointed when it ended, but it was for the best, for the constant flow of people, the reminders of Aang, the sheer amount of noise and commotion was starting to get to her and so she slipped quietly away, aimlessly wandering until she came to a quiet bridge overlooking the city's canal. There was no one around, and that was her solace.

But then Suki found her. It wasn't as annoying as she thought it be – if anything were to have tracked her down, she was grateful it was her and not the feisty earthbender or Aang.

Sea prunes, Aang… I'm sorry.

"You used to like parties."

Katara smiled, draping her arms over the railing of the bridge. Suki leaned over and gently bumped her shoulder into Katara's.

"Hey… are you alright?"

"Peachy," Katara sighed.

"You were always bad at lying."

"Did you… know me well?"

"I like to think so," Suki said, smiling faintly. "We were a family. We drove each other insane – that's how I know it was real."

Katara's hands clenched fists and she bowed her head, her brows drawing together in frustration.

"I wish I could remember," she whispered angrily. "I feel like I've failed everyone. I don't… I don't even remember Aang and I get the feeling he was there for me more than anyone."

Suki leaned backwards against the railing, crossing her arms in thought, saying, "He waited for you. I stayed here for a while after that last battle, hoping you would wake up. You never did and I couldn't stay, but he did."

"Thanks, I feel so much better."

"I'm sorry, I only meant – well – he cares for you. Like, cares for you-"

"I already know," Katara said quietly. Suki's eyebrows shot up and Katara gave her the "Oh, shut up" eyes and the warrior giggled into her hand.

"What did you say?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

Katara shrugged, cheeks burning. "Nothing… I, ah, sort of ran away."

"You did not."

Katara bent over and let her forehead hit the railing noisily.

"Oh, sea prunes," her muffled voice grumbled. "It was horrible."

Suki shrugged, standing upright. "He understands. He's a monk, after all. I think understanding is in the job description. Either way, it'll be alright. He knows you need time. You only just came back. Listen, I better head back inside – the moon is almost at its peak and that's when you Water Tribe folk get the craziest."

"Hey, Suki."

"What is it?"

"Who is Zuzu?"

Suki looked back oddly, at a loss for words. She came to rest next to Katara slowly, her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Where did you hear that name?"

Katara lifted her head, absently moving her fingers to bend the water in the canals below, causing little ripples and streams to wind around one another. It was tiring, though, like always when she tried to bend and so she let the water drop back into the river and internally scowled at herself for being spent so quickly.

"I have dreams, I guess, sometimes," she said. I killed him. I dreamt I killed him – so tell me, is it memory or is it Azula toying with me? "I heard the name in one of them, that's all. Why?"

"It's just a nickname that was used by someone we weren't particularly fond of."

Katara looked up at the moon and the stars, silently counting them in her head. She got to forty-seven before she realized she was counting the same stars over and over again and so she looked at Suki, biting her lip softly. "Can you tell me who Zuzu is?"

"Well, his name's not really Zuzu," Suki said softly, as though the name made her paranoid. "His real name's Zuko, but his sister called him that to piss him off and belittle him. She was always doing things like that."

Katara curled her fingers into her palms, watching the muscles pulsate beneath her skin with each movement.

"Zuko…" she murmured.

"Yeah," Suki said, lowering her voice as a solitary boat drifted lazily through the canals. She didn't speak until it was gone, making Katara's skin itch with anticipation, but finally: "He is Azula's brother."

Yellow, lupine eyes… And there's lightning. The lightning is coming!

"He used to be the banished prince of the Fire Nation," Suki muttered on. "He burned down my village and he chased you guys all across the world to find Aang before I joined you. Something about restoring his honor by bringing the Avatar back to his father."

Katara frowned. "Fire Lord Ozai?"

Suki nodded, continuing, "Zuko was interesting like that, always talking about honor and pouting in his corners of solitude. You hated him" – she smiled with the memory, chuckling lightly – "and by his own right, he hated you, too. The Avatar was elusive and you were always there, protecting Aang and showing Zuko a good fight, testing his strengths and weaknesses. You made him question everything about himself and why honor was so important in the first place."

"It's hard to imagine myself strong like that."

"You will be again; you still are," Suki said. "You just need time to understand what you went through. You're still the same stubborn, hot-headed waterbender that looked after us all. You cared. Some people would say you cared too much and that it was your weakness, but I believe it's what made you unstoppable."

Katara flushed, smiling as she muttered, "Thanks, Suki."

"Anytime."

"So…what exactly happened to Zuko and me?"

"You became friends in the end," Suki said softly. "Spirits, did you make him try, though. It was fun to watch. Some days I wondered if he was about to give up, since you were never lenient. I think it was good for him, though. You showed him who he could be, who he was supposed to be. His father ruined him, but, in a way, I think you brought him back and saved him."

"I sound impressive when you put it like that."

"You are." Suki sighed, letting her head drop gently against Katara's shoulder, winding her arms around the waterbender's. "I'm so glad you're back, Katara."

"Maybe Sokka will be soon, too."

Suki smiled sadly. "I believe he will come back. It was hard for him to see you in the Spirit Oasis-"

Katara's head shot up, her eyes narrowing in revelation as she spluttered, "He was there when they brought me back?"

Suki blinked. "Yes, I thought you knew. He stayed with us, looking after you for about six months…but-"

Katara grabbed the warrior roughly, her fingers trembling with their hold around her arms as she pulled her close.

"So, he is alive!" exclaimed Katara. "What happened to him, Suki? No one will say a word about him. You have to tell me where he is!"

Suki's widened eyes blinked slowly and she shook her head so softly, Katara wasn't sure if she had seen it happen or not. It was almost as though the warrior could not keep her gaze locked onto Katara's for too long, for her eyes were focusing on the ground as her brows drew together in what looked like sadness.

"The truth is..." Suki murmured. "I don't know." Katara let her go, stepping back as the girl's shoulder slumped. "One day, he just disappeared. He loved you more than anything in the world, but something about seeing you lying so still in the Spirit Oasis sent him over the edge. He wasn't the same after what happened. I don't know where he is. I really wish I could tell you. I don't think even Aang knows." Suki shook her head bitterly. "Yue, he's so stupid! If we knew where he was, we could tell him you are alright! He could know you're safe. He… He left all of us."

Suki looked away, but not before Katara could see wavering tears in her eyes as her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. "He didn't even say goodbye."

Katara straightened up, an eyebrow darting upwards as she asked, "Were…" – oh gods, do I really want to ask – "Were you and…my brother…?"

Suki blushed deeply then, ruffling her hair as she giggled softly, replying, "Ah…Heh, yeah… Yeah, we were. I, ah, didn't really know how to bring it up before."

Katara's nose scrunched up, her face twisting into one of mock disgust. "Oh, sea prunes, why?"

"He was interesting," Suki laughed. "At first I couldn't believe how sexist and arrogant he was, but…The more I saw him, the more I realized he was trying to fill his father's shoes. He wanted to be a warrior, unstoppable and strong. Someone who could protect you. He ate way too much and his jokes were ridiculous, but that was what I loved about him." Suki looked down at the water in the canals, smiling faintly. "I wish he would come back."

Katara watched the girl in front of her, so strong and steadfast, and she came to rest beside her, winding her arm through hers.

"Me too."

And then she smiled; it was a soft, broken smile, but it was there nonetheless, though her heart was clouded and her mind was teeming with woeful thoughts.

She had been waiting for near an hour. Her legs were starting to cramp up, but she stayed where she lay, moving the silken fabric of the Fire Lord's robes off of her thighs to better show her fine skin. He could not reject her, no, especially not in this form. His doors had been unlocked – something that never occurred – so she found herself nonchalantly slipping into her fiancé's chambers as the night sky broke through the clouds, thousands of brilliantly shimmering stars dotting the infinite blackness. Initially, a part of her had the perverse desire to sift through his belongings, perhaps in an effort to look at that waterbender's necklace and hold it in her hands, but she remembered that the Fire Lord took the damned thing with him wherever he went and so she decided instead to wait for him in the most surprising of manners.

And so she undressed – slowly, deliberately, letting her skin shudder in the sheer excitement of disrobing herself in his chambers, her bare skin sliding across his silken sheets as she wrapped his nightrobe around her body. She brought it to her face, inhaling deeply his spiced scent and it sent her heart racing, her blood boiling and she closed her eyes, picturing his body as naked as her own, so close to hers, his skin hot with fire – and she fidgeted, feeling a tingle erupt between her legs.

But that had been at first.

Now, the hour approached and she was tired and stiff and agitated. He should have been there – she knew he did not know of her secret presence in his bed, but…still. Still. She did not deliberately try for anyone. She never had. She waited until they came to her; Agni, she had never made such an effort for someone before. And why should she? She once held him in her grasp…So close and his lips, they were so warm, and yet…

No.

Not anymore would she be alone – he would come to her tonight and then he would know, he would finally know. Marrying her could never be a mistake.

And one day, he will watch the rain and wonder why it seemed so familiar. But it will pass, just as your time has, and you will be no more than a faint memory:

Kata-

The handle turned.

Mai straightened instantly, her heart leaping into her throat and her muscles tightening beneath the Fire Lord's robes. She fumbled with the silks for a moment, draping them perfectly off her legs before leaning back onto the plush cushions, willing her heart to slow.

The door opened slowly, revealing a dark face shadowed in deep thought, but she could see the familiar red hue of wrinkled skin partially hidden by his unkempt hair. It sent chills to her toes, electrifying her blood at the realization their bodies could be closer than they had in years. And she liked his hair when he let it fall loosely – the crown was noble, yes, but when his hair was shaggy and free, it reminded her of his six-and-ten self and she suddenly felt so young again.

She bared her shoulders back, her eyebrows narrowing in a silent attempt at seduction, but she wondered if she just looked ridiculous. But she had to take a chance, she had to; there… There were no other options.

The Fire Lord stopped in shock, his fingers lingering on the door handle as he stayed in the doorway, frozen with widening eyes.

"Mai…?" he whispered, looking back towards the hallway to make sure no one else could see her in this fashion.

And would you be jealous if someone did?

"What are you doing?" His voice was a low growl and she could sense his agitation rising as he strode quickly further into the room, closing the door behind him. Mai stretched out a leg slowly, letting her eyes rise to meet his. She cocked her head, inspecting her nails as she sighed elaborately.

"I was bored," she said monotonously.

The Fire Lord blinked.

"Is that…my nightrobe?" he asked. Mai looked at him sideways, letting her hand fall to her bare thigh.

"Is it?" she countered. "…Oops."

Her fiancé angrily pinched the bridge of his nose and Mai smirked slightly, biting her lower lip softly. She leaned forward, sliding delicately off the bed, the silken robes pooling around her feet as she stood.

"How did you even get in here?" His voice was heated; his frustration rising.

Good.

At least I can make you feel something.

"The door was unlocked," she said simply. "But will this not soon be my room as well?"

"The Fire Lady has her own chambers-"

"And they are lovely. A little too much color, but the room service is…incomparable." She took a step closer. "Surely, the great Fire Lord can learn to share."

"Mai."

Another step closer.

"Are you afraid of me?" she asked flatly, but her eyes were glinting with mischief. The Fire Lord looked confused and she could hear a mumbled, "No," before she stepped forward again until they were a mere foot apart.

So close. At what point will you back away, I wonder?

I can…feel your heat from here.

"Then just marry me already."

Her voice was as stoic as her face, as pallid as her skin, but her heart was secretly pattering quickly beneath the robes and there was a wild moment where she wondered if he could tell.

"This is not something to discuss right now-"

"I disagree-"

"Mai-"

"What are you so afraid of?"

"What is the matter with you?" the Fire Lord suddenly shouted, his hand balling into fists at his side. "I asked for your hand, what more do you want from me?"

"I want you to stand by your word," Mai snapped and the robe slipped off of her shoulder. She could see his eyes dart down to her revealed skin for a moment before he looked back up at her, glaring angrily.

"Your behavior is ridiculous," he spat. "This is not how a Fire Lady-"

"How a Fire Lady should act?" Mai finished for him. Something within her hurt, making her angry – is he rejecting me? – and she struggled to keep composure, but after everything, after all she had done for him, it was difficult. She had done so much for him! She had done her waiting. She had come to take what was rightfully hers, so how could he deny that of her when he denied her of everything else? "And when, one day, we at last share our bed, will you have me wear that waterbender's necklace to indulge in your perverse fantasies?"

He pulled back sharply. For a brief moment, she wondered if he were about to cry, for even his damaged, scarred eye widened in the shock. She knew…She knew it was horrible, what she had said, but he – he wouldn't respond to anything else! She needed to see his emotion, to feel it, she needed-

"Get out."

She looked up at him, her gaze drilling into his eyes, which were so golden and angry and they began narrowing. His heat had increased, she could almost feel the boiling of his blood, the raging fire that swam through his veins and he lowered his voice, venomous and dangerous as he repeated so quietly she almost couldn't hear, "Get out."

And so, in her rejection and hurt, she reached up suddenly to slap him.

He caught her arm before her skin touched his and he held her at bay, his face dark and she glared up at him, forcing her tears back. They remained that way for a matter of seconds, but he would not loosen his grip on her arm and so she lunged forward in one last futile attempt, crushing her lips against his and as her eyes closed, she could feel the wetness of tears on her lashes.

But then he pushed her back, this time gentle. She knew her eyes were reddening; it was…all she could do to stay expressionless. Her lips quivered slightly, giving her away, and her heart, it hurt. Was it possible for it to hurt like that?

"I have done everything," said Mai, her voice cracking. "I have waited for you, given you your space. I have been loyal and strong and everything a wife is meant to be. Why must you keep me away?"

And then he looked away, his shaggy hair hiding his eyes and she yearned to see what was in them – you always spoke more with your eyes than with your lips – and he was rigid, but his hands began to loosen from their tight fists as his fingers relaxed, almost in resignation.

"I just…" he began, and there was a sudden rapping upon the door. They turned as Admiral Jun of the Fire Nation Guard opened the door, bowing his head as he spoke urgently,

"Fire Lord, please, forgive my intrusion. There is an emergency regarding-"

The admiral stopped abruptly, blinking in surprise and confusion at the Fire Lord standing so close to a bared-shoulder Mai wearing his robes. She almost smirked at the blank look on his face, but she remembered her professional duty and instead nodded to him in greeting.

"I…ah…" he began, clearing his throat. The Fire Lord looked at Mai and then back to the admiral, stepping backwards sharply as he realized the strange image they portrayed and swiftly strode over to the panicked man, inquiring, "What is it?" to distract him from Mai's absurd near-nudity.

"It is the Earth Kingdom, my lord. There are…rebels. They have advanced upon your fleet stationed near Yu Dao."

"Why?" The Fire Lord spluttered.

"The Fire Nation citizens in the colony don't want to leave-"

"As well they shouldn't. It's been their home for generations."

"Yes, my lord, but it is known the Earth King Kuei is angry with your opposition to the restoration movement. He wants to reclaim the colony as Earth Kingdom territory."

"Well, that is treason," Zuko replied heatedly. Mai watched silently, crossing her arms in a hidden interest.

"Treason or not, someone is resorting to violence-"

"We do not yet know if Kuei sent the pirates to my ships. They could just be earth kingdom citizens angry with the Fire Nation for refusing to vacate our people on their orders. Has the Avatar been informed?"

"I do not know yet, we are waiting the arrival of a hawk. The Avatar was not supportive of your opposition to the Harmony Restoration Movement, however, so…"

"You don't think I know that?" Zuko growled, pinching the bridge of his nose, which sparked a small smirk out of Mai. "He was against my choice from the start. But those in the colony are my citizens – they shouldn't have to leave! They finally found peace in their homes after the war. And now, pirates and damned rebels seeking to overtake my ships in a plight to put fear into my people? It seems my father is still mocking me from whatever parts of hell he has succumbed to. And yet…This does not matter, no, not right now. If Kuei is forcibly ejecting my people out of our colony, I cannot ignore this." The Fire Lord straightened up, regal and strong, turning to his captain. "Ready a small fleet. I would like to meet these rebels and see exactly who put them up to the task of stealing from me. If it indeed was the Earth King, the Avatar may side with him and if he does, so be it, yet I still have hope Aang's sense of justice will ring true in the end."

"Right away, my lord. Will you stay here?"

"I intend to seek truth with my own eyes. Explain the situation to my uncle. He must hold the palace in my place until I return. Blasted Earth Kingdom boulder-heads and their stubbornness."

"Kind of reminds you of a stubborn someone, doesn't it?" Mai spoke, her dreary voice cutting through the air and he started as though he had forgotten she was there. She saw him tense up, wondering if he was picturing a brown-haired girl in a blue dress in his mind at that moment. He sent the captain away before turning to Mai.

"I need you to oversee things here while I am gone," he said tightly, ignoring her previous words.

"Your uncle-"

"My uncle is not going to be Fire Lady."

"Thank Agni, too, for he would look horrid in a dress-"

"Mai, this is serious," Zuko growled, gripping her upper arms. "The war has ended and yet we are still fighting like dogs. Will humans ever learn? My people cannot lose their homes and so I must fight for them. I need you to keep the palace strong in my absence – if we lose our political standing, we have lost everything. My uncle will assist you, but you must do this. For me and for your role as the future Fire Lady. Do I have your word?"

Mai stared at him, her eyebrows knit together as her eyes flickered in between his. After a while, she released the tension in her body and he let go of her arms. "Very well. For you, I will make sure the Fire Nation cannot even tell you are gone." Her voice was hoarse and quiet and she wondered if he actually heard her words, but he must have for he nodded and offered her an almost-smile before turning and leaving swiftly, the click of the closing door uncomfortably loud.

Words are so fleeting, Fire Lord.

You should have asked for my heart instead.

The eyes…

They weren't golden, no…Not like his. They were yellow, so yellow and sickly, but they glinted with madness and it was impossible to look away. They must have…been beautiful at some time, but that time had passed and now they looked so devastating and crippled with malice and…

She laughed, the sound of scraping glass and Katara wanted to cover her ears, she wanted to shut it out! It permeated the infallible walls of her mind, it shook the very core of her grievously tired existence but still she kept laughing and Katara closed her eyes tightly.

Shut it out, shut it out… Just wake up….

For it was a dream, wasn't it? It was a terrifying play upon her mind when it was the weakest and the most vulnerable, for in sleep she could not control what she saw and it haunted her. Were they memories, visions, hallucinations, or just dreams? She didn't know, still didn't know, but her mind had become tyrannous and it had become rabid against her own self and so Azula was always there, always laughing, always looking at her with those yellow eyes.

"So he is alive," Azula sneered, looking at her nails, her chopped bangs hanging in her face, wiry black strands sticking out in different directions. Katara's gaze narrowed angrily, but she said nothing.

"I could help you, you know. I might just know where to find him." Azula smirked, showing her fine teeth, but the way her lips curled make Katara feel ill.

"You're lying," Katara whispered. "You always lie."

Don't listen to her! This isn't real.

It isn't…

"Did my idiot of a brother tell you that? You're starting to annoy me with that phrase."

Katara's jaw clenched. "Tell me where he is."

Azula's fingertips began crackling as her face with lit with blue.

"You killed my brother, maybe I should just kill yours."

"No!" Katara screamed, running forward and grasping the girl by the shoulders, shaking her roughly. "Leave him alone! Just tell me where he is."

"How dare you lay your tainted, peasant fingers on me?" Azula shrieked, lividly convulsing as she shoved Katara backwards, letting sparks of lightning encircle her hand. "I'm quite skilled with lightning, you see. It must travel through a certain circuit down your body, never stopping – you need to find the perfect balance between serenity and ferocity. I've mastered it quite well, for I can let it travel through my fingers on this same circuit without having to immediately release it. Imagine, then, how much energy I can force into your body with just the twitch of my finger." The girl began growing taller, then, her shadow increasing in size as her looming face became as big as a god's and Katara felt so small, so insignificant and she stumbled backwards, tripping on her dress and hitting the ground hard. Her breath was shallow, but she reached out for water in defense, but something was wrong! Her bending…It was… It was gone, but how could Azula do this? She couldn't do this… No, there was something very wrong.

And then Azula's face seemed to cover the entire world so that no matter where Katara looked, she could still see those yellow eyes.

"I am the true Fire Lord!" the crazed girl screamed, blue fire erupting around Katara. "The throne is mine. If you want your brother back so badly, come and take him from me, but don't be surprised when I am the only one left standing in victory. I will kill you again, but this time I shall make your brother watch." And then she began laughing as the fire rose higher in its barrier around Katara and the heat was burning her skin and singing her hair and she screamed, "Wake up, wake up, just wakr up…"

Wake up!

She bolted upright, gasping with a shuddering cry. Her blankets were damp from sweat and were strewn out all over the bed and floor from her fit. She froze, convulsing with tremors that racked her body and she touched her face with her hands, her eyes wide and terrified, her hair strewn messily over her shoulders. And then she cried heaving sobs and she picked up her pillow and threw it across the room where it hit the wall, knocking over a bowl as it tumbled to the floor.

But then she froze.

Azula… the…Fire Lord?

But doesn't Azula always lie?

Maybe… And yet, what if it were a ploy? What if she purposefully told the truth under the assumption Katara would brand it false and never seek out her brother? It could be that way, yes, but it could also be flipped around in that she would go through the trouble of trying to think the same way the crazed princess did when, in reality, she was merely lying out of sport the whole time.

Oh, it was so confusing and it made her head hurt, but as Katara crouched on her bed, watching her fingers as they clenched and unclenched into fists, she reflected on her weakness and her uselessness since she came back to the physical world. She couldn't…she couldn't live this way anymore; the once great waterbender and healer was nothing more than a fraud, for she could barely make a ripple in a pond with a wave of exhaustion sweeping over her limbs.

Her mind was weary, her body tense, but she looked up with narrowing eyes, angry and fierce as her thoughts cleared until one final desire of resolve burned heatedly within her.

She slipped deftly out of bed, pulling on a robe and padding down the hallway, her hair loose and tangled from her night terrors. She crossed the distance of the long hallway in a matter of seconds, for she was near running until she came to a door at the end. Hurriedly and quietly, she rapped her knuckles against the wood, fidgeting with impatience until a sleepy-eyed Suki with tousled brown locks opened the door, rubbing her eyes. She blinked a few times, looking as though she were confused about who it was stood in front of her.

"Katara?" she whispered after a moment.

"I need your help," Katara replied quickly, ushering herself inside. Suki stepped aside in surprise and Katara closed the door behind them. Spinning around, she lowered her voice, tilting her head toward the warrior's. "You must train me."

Katara reflected she must have looked crazy in that moment for her eyes were wild and puffy and her hair a mess but she stared at Suki with an unwavering, frenzied gaze.

"I…Wait… What time is it right now?" Suki asked, looking around. Katara lurched forward, grasping the girl by her shoulders and turning her back to face her.

"Please, Suki, this is important." The Kyoshi Warrior's eyes were wide with confusion and shock and Katara realized in that moment that it was the first time she had seen the girl without her facepaint.

You are…really pretty.

"Why do you need me to train you?" Suki asked, lifting an eyebrow. "I am not waterbender. Master Pakku would-"

"Wouldn't understand," Katara cut in. She looked down, letting her hands drop from Suki's shoulders. Her posture slumped a bit as her brows drew together in her troubled thoughts. "I am weak, Suki. I wasn't before. You are a strong warrior with a beautiful form. Even if you cannot teach me bending, you can teach me strength, for the two must overlap. I…desperately need this."

Suki released a sigh after a moment. "Alright, but I will just talk to Aang-"

Katara's eyes shot up. "No!" she exclaimed, struggling to keep her composure. "I mean… Please, don't. I'd like to keep it a secret, for my own reasons."

"You're not making sense, Katara."

"I know, I know. But can you trust me?"

Suki folded her arms, smirking as she settled into her hip. "Yeah, yeah, of course I do. I'm flattered you came to me instead of Toph – can you imagine how she'd train you if she found out?" Suki mock-shuddered. "You're in good hands. I won't tell. But you better be a good pupil, alright?"

Katara hugged Suki tightly then, provoking a small gasp from the warrior. She repeated her thanks quite a few times, amiable and relieved as she was, until she backed out the door to let Suki return to her slumber.

Katara didn't return to her own chambers, then, but rather explored the palace and the grounds. She found many balconies that overlooked the channels and many doors that were locked that reached out to her curious side, begging for answers to be found but she did her best to not cause mischief and instead left the doors unmolested. She eventually found herself back on the bridge over the waterway where she spoke with Suki earlier. The moon was near full and it was a luminescent sphere of innocent whiteness and naivety, drowning the world in a blanket of gentle virtue and she thought she could hear a woman's delicate whispering, carried through the night on the wind.

It would all change now, she knew. Her strength would return and she would fight; she would fight until death, for she did once before and she survived.

Very well, Fire Lord. I will come to you.

Katara's eyes narrowed as she stared into the horizon, dotted with stars.

I will come to you with a strength you cannot beat – for I will take back what is mine. With ice and blood and undying spirit, I will regain my memories, I will remember all you have stolen from me, and when your mind has been stripped of every thought you have ever had, my brother and I will descend upon you like wolves and come that moment, you will know true fear.

Huehue

Mai's getting a little antsy.

Poor girl, though. seriously.

ZUTARAZUTARAZUTARA it's so soooon. By the way, I die a little inside every time I write a scene with Zuko and Katara. too many feels and the fact their both so angsty just slghslkgvsmvkl;wahgha;hfwihwih I love it. I love getting to write it, especially! So I hope reading it is the same :)