ARC 1: The Promise of Peace
DAY 6: Quiet
The Fire Nation recedes behind them.
The ships creak comfortingly, the sun smiles down upon them. Daddy says it'll be smooth sailing all the way out of Fire Nation waters, but Katara can't bring herself to look anywhere besides the receding island in the distance. For the longest time, she could see him; a silhouette of a boy against the son. He shrinks to the size of a beetle-ant and then he's gone. The island disappears soon after.
Four years, she thinks. Plenty of time to grow and train and prepare herself for living in the Fire Nation. Katara touches her hairpins and wonders if she can convince Zuko to visit before then.
The palace it too quiet.
The Water Tribe delegation has been gone for six weeks (he knows to expect a letter from Katara any day now). It's been two weeks since his grandfather fell ill.
It's tombstone quiet.
There are those who wonder if Fire Lord Azulon will recover from his illness (Zuko has to pray that he will). There's never been a stronger man than his grandfather, but there's been talk of recalling Uncle Iroh from the front lines. The worried look in his mother's eyes and the opportunistic gleam in Azula's give him little peace (the latter gives him nightmares).
Zuko doesn't mention any of this in his letters to Katara (well, they've yet to become plural). He writes about the weather and stupid palace things and how badly great his training was going. He's asked about the South and the food they eat and pointless things (he'd sent a letter to Sokka too, although his sister is infinitely more mature and therefore more likely to reply).
He won't mention the lonely silence, or the way the turtle-ducks looked confused for days after she left (he swears they did). A prince of the Fire Nation shouldn't miss a Water Tribe peasant. Zuko should not have missed bratty, annoying Katara.
But he did.
He wished she were still here (or that she'd send a reply with that stupid hawk so it wouldn't be so quiet in his head for at least a moment).
Zuko sighs.