*drum roll* chapter 9
"Katara, wake up…" Zuko nudged her gently.
"Hmm mmh…" She rolled over and curled into a cocoon surrounded of the blankets.
"We're going shopping" he tried again.
"Yeah, I'm getting up" Katara growled.
Zuko smirked, "I knew the magic words."
Katara got dressed in the robe quickly. She used one of his belts to hold it shut. She had no shoes no she was barefoot. She quickly pulled her hair into a high ponytail on the top of her head.
"I'm ready" she said, running past Zuko and grabbing his hand. He sighed and ran along side of her. When she reached the deck she breathed in the fresh air.
He hadn't realized she stopped and toppled right over her. Just her luck, she had turned around to see where he went when he crashed into her, she landed with him on top of her.
"Sorry" he said, helping her up. She tried to walk away, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her up to the observation deck.
"Out" he said to everyone. They just looked at him, "I said out!"
They scurried away, but he pulled his arm out in front of a man.
"Not you Maiku, you stay."
The man looked absolutely terrified, and she realized why he brought her here. This was the General that told him assassins would come after her.
"Ye-yes, m-my l-l-lord" he stuttered.
"Do you know anything about what happened last night?"
"What about?" he glared at Katara as he said this, hoping Zuko would not notice, but he did.
"It's about the attempt at the Fire Lady's life."
"The Fire Lady? She is but a lowly water peasant. You used to say so yourself!" Zuko did not look mad, he looked pissed.
"She is my Fire Lady now! You must apologize for insulting her."
He glared, "my apologies my lady" he spit out as if it were poison.
Katara nodded and looked at Zuko. "You are dismissed, but if I find out you had any part in the attempt, you will deal with me, and me alone."
The General nodded and walked out of the room.
"There is another reason I brought you up here Katara" Zuko said, leaning against the rails. His fist was closed around something.
She walked up beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder. She rested her hand on his.
"I love you," Zuko whispered, "and you mean everything to me. I just want to do this right."
She looked at him. Blue eyes met gold ones.
"Will you marry me?" He opened his hand. On his palm was a red satin chocker, dangling from it was a pendent with the moon and sun on it. Katara gently touched it, than touched the necklace than hung from her neck.
"Yes" she whispered, just as quietly. Zuko grinned and held up the necklace. Katara nodded and turned around. Zuko placed it around her, and held it before her neck, "remind you of old times?"
Katara struggled against the ropes holding her to the tree.
"Go jump in the river!" she shouted.
He looked down in thought.
"Try to understand. I need to capture him to restore something I lost, my honor," the banished prince made his way around the tree, to stand behind Katara, "perhaps in exchange maybe I could restore something you've lost."
His hot breathe tingled the back of Katara's neck. He held a necklace in front of her, "my mother's necklace!"
He tied it around and untied her mother's necklace, placing it in her hand. She turned around, "beautiful" he murmured.
"Can we go shopping now?" Katara asked, "I need cloths." She pointed to Zuko's robe she was wearing.
He laughed, "of course."
They walked down the ramp to the village of Komati. The market was buzzing of gossip and shoppers.
Katara smiled while Zuko groaned.
Aang looked around the market of Komati.
"You sure you saw a Fire Nation ship stop here?" he asked the older boy.
"Yeah," Jet replied, "they should be here somewhere."
"How are we going to find her with all these people?" Sokka looked around at the busy market.
"Smellerbee and Longshot, take the east side, Sokka and Aang, the west. I'll search north and south. If someone finds her, grab her. Fight off as many soldiers as you can."
They nodded and split up.
"We'll find you Katara" Aang said to nobody, running along side of Sokka.
"We will," Sokka replied.
Jet ran down the street and into the crowd. I will find you Katara, he thought darkly, and kill that prince too.
and so it begins.......