Author Note: Oh man, I totally watched Titanic before/during some of the typing. I almost killed Zuko just from being so depressed (I'm sure I'll find it funny after a half hour or so…) I guess mass death and poignant music does that to me…
Next Day: Guess what I'm watching again? Titanic…It's like I don't ever learn…-click- Ok, maybe I have learned something.
Breakfast that morning was a subdued affair. Zuko looked like he might be pitying her, but Katara couldn't really tell. Maybe it was just that newfound gentleness he had adopted only minutes before. Or maybe it was both, where did gentleness stem from, if not pity? People were only gentle about things that looked like they hurt.
Katara held in a sigh, forcing herself not to start pitying herself as well. What was there to pity? Nothing. Breakfast was good, the sun was warm at her back, and she was sitting with a friend. A friend she intended to marry, if she could just get the words past her tongue. Didn't the man usually propose? Katara almost let out another sigh, this time in frustration, Zuko had already proposed, all she had to do was accept.
"Fire Lord," a slightly breathless servant entered halfway through their meal and bowed so that his forehead touched the floor.
"Mmm?" Zuko seemed to have been off in thought, and came back sluggishly into reality.
"General Iroh has decided to pay you a visit, Fire Lord, I couldn't keep him-"
"Fire Lord Zuko," Iroh appeared behind the servant, beaming.
Zuko stood rapidly, "Uncle." His eyes were round with excitement. Katara stood as well, surprised.
"Since when have you barred me from breakfast?" Iroh took on a hurt expression. Although he had never quite regained his old pudge, Iroh never quite let go of his appreciation for good food either.
"I wasn't expecting you, Uncle," Zuko embraced his uncle warmly, and then turned to the servant. "You may go, and in the future, when I ask not to be disturbed, family is exempt."
"Of course, Fire Lord," the servant stood and backed out of the courtyard, bowing. Katara found his obeisance a bit extreme, having seen no other servants kowtow on quite that level.
"Why didn't you send word you were coming?" Zuko asked, his surprise barely showing through his happiness as he turned his attention back to his uncle.
Suddenly Iroh grew serious, "because I rushed here as soon as I got the news," he looked at Katara.
Katara blushed, "news of the wedding?"
"Yes, among other things," Iroh looked pointedly at Zuko, who looked grimly back.
"Other things?" things Zuko and Iroh knew of, but not Katara?
"Nothing you need to be concerned about," Zuko smiled at her, thereby insuring that Katara grew concerned. She could ask Iroh later, he'd cave under the right pressure. Zuko would cave eventually, but she would cave first; he tended to have that effect on her.
"How's the tea shop?" Zuko returned the conversation to something safe.
"Wonderful," Iroh's happiness seemed to permeate the courtyard, "I found a lovely young lady to help make tea, she's taking care of the Jasmine Dragon while I'm away."
"Mei Hua?" Katara broke in, remembering the last time she had been through Ba Sing Se. It had been recently, not long before Zuko's proposal. Iroh and his new helper had a lot in common, between a penchant for tea and pai sho, although Mei Hua had a considerably dourer outlook on life. A little like Zuko, actually.
"Yes, Mei Hua," Iroh nodded, "She can brew the most delicate jasmine tea," he sighed happily, obviously remembering the sweet, flowery flavor.
Katara nodded and Zuko went on to his next question, "and the Earth King? Is he still having trouble with the remainder of the Dai Li?"
"Of course," Iroh shook his head sadly, and then his eyes took on a glint, "although they have been quiet lately."
Katara was about to ask about the small but powerful group when Iroh changed the subject, "Katara, before I left, I had news of your brother and grandfather."
"Oh?" Katara asked, puzzled. Her old Water Bending Master, Pakku, had finally married her grangran not long after the war. He and Sokka still didn't get along very well, but Katara knew they loved each other as well as is they were real grandfather and grandson.
"They are coming here, not right away, but soon," Iroh nodded.
"What?" Katara took Iroh's hand, "Really? How soon?" she was so excited it was hard to think. "Why both of them and not my dad? They'd never travel together, will dad be coming too? Will-"
"I don't know," Iroh waved his free hand around, denying intimate knowledge of Katara's family. "I only received word that Master Pakku and your brother were coming here before the next full moon."
A month? Katara dropped Iroh's hand, dejected. It had been a full moon the night before, why must she wait so long to see her family? If they left right away they could make it in a week, Pakku's Bending would speed them to the Fire Nation almost as fast as Appa could fly.
"There, now," Iroh noticed Katara's dejection and patted her shoulder, "I don't know when they'll be here, all I know is that they're organizing something first. Maybe they'll be here in a month, and maybe they'll be here tomorrow. There's no telling what the future holds."
Katara forced out a weak smile, and Iroh gave her a genuine one in return, then turned to Zuko. "So, I hear you will be having a feast tonight."
"Yes," Zuko didn't seem all that excited about it, "and we'll have to stand through whatever old Zongxian decides is an appropriate speech."
Iroh winced, "It is an honor that he would speak for Katara," he looked at her as he spoke.
"A great honor," Zuko sighed, "I didn't want to turn him down when he offered."
"Who is Zongxian?" Katara asked, picking up on the pained atmosphere.
"The High Priest of the Fire Temple," Zuko replied, "He's as old as the Fire Nation and prone to talking about his youth for hours on end."
"He doesn't like tea," Iroh sniffed, seemingly disgusted that anyone could be against tea.
"Right," Zuko may have added a little sarcasm to his addition. Then he smiled just a little, reassuringly, "we won't have to do anything but stand there, we're not expected to speak, although I suppose some people hold hands."
"I see," it'd be nice to hold hands, although Zuko probably wouldn't expect her to do so. Katara had been wondering if she'd be expected to do anything, it was a relief to know there wasn't anything to learn.
"There is the bow," Iroh commented, "don't forget that." Then he switched topics, "why don't we all sit down?" He smiled sweetly, darting a glance at the rapidly cooling food.
"Bow?" Katara asked, nervous, while following Iroh toward the table. At some point someone had slipped in with a spare set of flatware and it's accompaniments for Iroh.
Katara began to sit when Zuko stopped her, "It's the same as any bow, we face each other and bow for a count of seven. Here," He left her side and walked just far enough away that they wouldn't hit their heads together. "Ready?"
Katara nodded and Zuko bowed. She quickly followed suit, and stood straight just after he had finished his own bow.
"Once more, I'll count so we keep the same time," Zuko paused, "ready?"
"Yes," Katara replied out loud this time.
"Now," Zuko stated calmly, and they both bowed. He counted quietly to seven and this time they straightened together.
Zuko opened his mouth but was interrupted by Iroh's clapping, "perfect. You were meant for each other."
"Uncle," Zuko reddened just a little, "that's an old wives' tale."
"What is?" Katara sat down at her place.
"The perfect bow," Iroh began mysteriously, then lightened, "indicates the perfect match." He laughed, "Zuko is right of course, I remember my betrothal bow, and it was far from perfect."
"I heard about that," Zuko snickered, "weren't you allergic to something? You sneezed in her face."
Iroh turned a little red, but smiled, "ohhhh, whoever told you about that was a kind soul indeed, it was much worse. Half the court was certain it was an omen of such ill nature that one of us would be dead within the month. Hmph, it was a wonderful marriage, silly superstitions."
Zuko rolled his eyes.
"I'd like to hold hands," Katara blurted suddenly, then added, "if you don't mind." She knew her cheeks were pink, but it was a small price to pay if she didn't have to stand in front of a crowd alone.
"Nervous, are you?" Iroh nodded sagely.
"Of course, Katara," Zuko nodded. His eyes betrayed nothing, but his knuckles went white around his soup spoon.
"You don't have to," Katara muttered nervously, picking up Zuko's unusual distress.
"No, it's fine," Zuko's smile was just a little off, "I'll lead you through it."
"Thank you," Katara replied awkwardly. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but didn't want to draw Iroh's attention to it if Zuko didn't want him to catch on.
Suddenly Iroh sniffed, "a niece," then he paused, realizing something, "A sane niece. I am so happy for the both of you. True love is very important, and not everyone can find it."
Zuko and Katara both avoided looking at each other.
"Thank you," this time it was Zuko's turn to express an awkward thanks.
"No need to be shy about it," Iroh chided, noticing their discomfort. "Love is a beautiful thing."
Katara ignored the rest of the conversation, turning her thoughts inward. Love didn't seem so beautiful at the moment, it was confusing and awkward. Especially when she didn't know what Zuko was thinking. Katara hadn't let herself entertain the idea that he might love her in return, the likelihood seemed so small, and yet was rapidly becoming something she craved. She wanted to be loved in return. Katara didn't think she could bear it if she loved and married a man who didn't feel anything beyond a casual affection for her.
Could Zuko love her? He was the one who wanted the marriage first, and he had told her that he meant to marry for love. He had also told her that political marriages happened, and that love might not happen. Then again, he seemed to only want the marriage if love came first.
It was so frustrating, wondering whether or not Zuko would give her the affection she craved, seemingly a side effect of falling in love. There was just no good way to tell without asking. But didn't he want her to love him? If her own experiences were any example, wanting to be loved came after falling in love. But that was only one possibility, more likely he wanted someone who would love him as Mai had. Why had they split it off anyway? Katara glanced at Zuko, only to find him frowning at her.
"Is something wrong?" Katara asked, surprised.
"I was about to ask you the same thing, we addressed you four times," Zuko replied.
"Oh," Katara looked away, "I'm fine, just a little tired." Actually she was wide awake, but there was no need to tell him of her thoughts.
Zuko's frown deepened, "then perhaps you should rest, I can't imagine last night as restful for you."
"Last night?" Iroh asked, suddenly serious, "what happened last night?"
Zuko looked at Katara, who refrained from speaking, and then back at his uncle. "Last night Katara fell asleep in a fountain."
Katara spent the next few minutes listening to Zuko's perspective of her night, and ignoring Iroh's looks.
"Yes, well," she interrupted when Zuko seemed to be finished, "I really am tired, do you mind?" She stood up.
"No, no, go and rest dear," Iroh stood up as well, and then Zuko.
"I'll have someone wake you when Chun Hua gets here with your robe," Zuko bowed, "can you find your way back to your rooms?"
"Yes, thank you," Katara bowed and left. Now what would she do? She felt well rested, but didn't want to get in Zuko's way, not when he was telling stories on her. Besides, he and his uncle probably wanted some alone time, they could chat about whatever secrets had brought Iroh to the Fire Nation. Then, once they'd forgotten her sleeping arrangements and had their speech and come to their conclusions, she'd waltz back into their lives. Until then, well, she'd find something.
Katara found her rooms readily enough, but didn't stay long. She snatched up the exhibition Fire Bending scroll from the small table someone had placed it on, and took off to find the crispy courtyard. Katara tried to retrace her steps exactly, and managed to find herself in the unused corridor, unsure of where to go next. She had run from the very room in front of her, which, oddly enough, was open.
Now why would that be? Katara crept forward and peered through the opening, uneasy. The room was empty of all but shelves and dust. The green bundles were gone. Feeling braver at the lack of reason to keep out, never mind the lack of reason to enter, Katara allowed herself to slip inside, looking for a clue as to what had been inside. She was disappointed.
No sooner had Katara decided to leave than she stumbled over something.
"What?" Katara bent to look at the small object. Stones. A small bag of stones. For a slingshot perhaps? Did Zuko's warriors use slingshots? Feeling a bit guilty, but following the mindset of finders keepers, Katara took one of the stones, she'd ask Zuko about it later. Katara almost giggled, she waited to speak with Zuko about quite a lot of things.
Katara was reaching to place the stone in her pocket when it slipped through her fingers and hit the floor with a flash.
A flash?
A small fire was rapidly growing larger on the rug beneath Katara's feet. It didn't take any effort at all to put it out, but the shock left her staring wide-eyed at the char for quite some time. Or what she could see of the char anyway, her vision had gone white and was slow in returning. That was no rock.
Cautiously, her adrenaline not quite settled back to normal levels, Katara bent to take a closer look at the fire stones. They were dark and almost perfectly round. There were no seams, which seemed odd since her first thought was that there was gunpowder inside. They were fairly heavy, and pinching them between her palms didn't force them to give way. Very odd, since landing on carpet from a few feet up managed to break them. Definitely something to ask Zuko about.
Katara picked up the entire pouch and laced it firmly shut, carefully tying it to her belt. Worry about jostling them kept her pace slow as she carefully picked a direction and followed it.
It seemed silly for Fire Benders to use fire stones, although Katara knew the entire army couldn't be made up of Fire Benders. It might be reasonable for the section of the military that couldn't bend fire to their will to use something else, although storing it in the middle of the palace seemed like an odd idea. The palace quartermaster surely couldn't have that much trouble finding space?
Unfortunately, Katara arrived at the crispy courtyard without having paid any attention to where she was going. She sighed in frustration, glad to have reached her destination, and annoyed that she had allowed herself to be distracted from the journey.
Katara entered the courtyard with more excitement than she had shown upon arriving outside, intent upon teaching herself exhibition Water Bending. She placed the fire rocks in a corner and pulled out the scroll she had borrowed from Zuko's limited library.
First, Katara moved exactly as the scroll indicated, trying three times before deciding that luck was not on her side, and she'd have to do a little thinking. Then she created a small swirling ball of water above her palm, hoping to use it as her base. Obviously she could send it around the entire courtyard in a fishlike manner if she so chose, but how to actually shape it into a fish? The scroll indicated some very delicate finger movements and a surprising fluidity of wrist for the details. It wasn't unlike anything she'd ever done; she played her fingers through water in a similar fashion all the time.
It didn't take long for Katara to manage an admittedly sloppy fish, which she duplicated a few more times until the fins were an appropriate size and scales began to show up. She was quite proud of her achievement, as fire fish didn't even have scales.
Next Katara set to creating a much larger fish, shifting her movements up a joint to provide strength. The fingers became the wrist, the wrist the elbow, and so on. She started at her base, this time with quite a lot of water, and moved from there. She needed her fingers for the detail work, but other than that, moving everything up a joint had been a good idea. Naturally, it took her a few tries, but soon enough there was a giant fish swimming about the courtyard.
Could she create two at a time? Perhaps a separating motion with the arms? No, that was likely to send the fish splashing down over the large burn mark it currently hovered above. Could she create both at the same time then? In all likelihood she could manage it if she had the patience to learn to create one fish with stronger mental influence. Complete mastery of the one would lead eventually to the mastery of two.
Katara sighed, while it would be fun to get two going at the same time, it wasn't a technique she really needed. Nevertheless, she set out to learn the shortcuts for the smallest fish.
Time passed by quickly, leaving Katara to her efforts undisturbed until, very suddenly, a fire fish joined her own. She had been sending it in small circles, getting it to move as she pleased with only the smallest of finger twitches. She nearly dropped her fish in surprise, but instead let it swim through the air in a circle with Zuko's fish until he snuffed his flame. Katara sent her fish back to the water and turned to face Zuko, who leaned casually against the door. When had he come in? She hadn't heard him at all, and the hinges were not as well oiled as they perhaps could have been.
"Tired, huh?" Zuko's voice flirted with sarcasm, although managing to sound just normal enough that it might have been a polite remark.
Katara was lost for a moment, then reddened, her excuse for leaving breakfast would seem rather weak upon his discovering her in a training yard.
"A bit, yes," Katara managed to reply, sending Zuko an apologetic smile, recognizing that she had been caught.
"Chun Hua awaits you in your chambers," Zuko plowed right through to the next subject, "I'll escort you there if you'd like."
Was it just her, or was Katara suddenly being babysat?
"Please, I'm still not altogether sure where my rooms are from here," Katara picked up the scroll and bowed, as did Zuko. Katara discreetly bent her sweat away, and they left together, arm in arm.
They had just turned the first corner when Katara remembered the fire stones, "wait, I left something I meant to show you in the courtyard." She immediately yanked her arm free and jogged back to the courtyard, followed closely by Zuko.
"What is it? The fish?" Zuko asked, confused, "I saw that already."
"No," Katara ran to the corner where she had left the small green bag of rocks and brought them back to Zuko. "I found these in the palace, in an unused corridor," in a forbidden room, "they create a fire when thrown to the ground. Here, close your eyes," Katara demonstrated the very bright ability of the stones and opened her own eyes, pointing to a newly charred piece of courtyard. "What are they?"
Katara looked at Zuko questioningly and found him very pale. It also appeared that he had not closed his eyes, as he was blinking rapidly and swaying a bit from the dizzying flash.
"W-where, exactly, did you find this?" Zuko's voice managed deadly and dizzy at the same time.
Uh oh, the room really must have been off limits. "Well, like I said, in an unused section of the palace, a very dusty place, only a few of the wall lamps were lit. I found it while exploring," Katara stuttered, rushing her speech.
Zuko closed his eyes, whether from the nasty visual experience he was sure to be having or from some sort of strong emotion, Katara couldn't tell. "I know the place."
Was she in trouble?
"The flash bombs, please," Zuko held out his hand.
So they were called flash bombs? A suitable name. Katara handed the flash bombs over without a complaint and Zuko tucked them into his belt.
Zuko and Katara both partook of an awkward silence for a while, then Zuko broke it, "Chun Hua is waiting."
"What?" Was that all he was going to say? He was going to turn pale and panic over his guard leaving flash bombs in the palace, and then tell her nothing but that she ought to make sure her robes fit properly?
"Chun Hua is waiting," Zuko repeated more firmly, looking at her coldly.
Katara didn't know what she had done to merit such an uncivil look, and did something she would forever be ashamed of, she avoided confrontation, "then let's go."
As Zuko led her from the courtyard, Katara inwardly berated herself. Even if she had been somewhere she shouldn't have been Zuko hadn't ever mentioned anyplace that was off limits to her. He shouldn't have been so angry, and even if he was only being a bit cold, Katara knew there was a rage just below the surface. She had never been afraid to confront him before. Why now was his displeasure something she wanted to avoid? Why now could she not stand the thought of his being angry with her? Zuko was angry anyway, what would a little more hurt? Why was she so afraid?
Afraid. But she wasn't afraid of Zuko. Katara loved him. Maybe that was it? She wanted him to love her too, and anger certainly wasn't an encouraging feeling.
But his anger was unjust, what sort of coward was she, to timidly ignore something when only a year ago she would have fought until it was corrected? Katara felt so despicable, hiding in such a way. She seemed only to keep hiding things. Hiding her anger at Zuko's unjust coldness, hiding her love for him, hiding, hiding, hiding.
Before long, Katara found herself being bowed to at her doorway. Almost before she had bowed back, Zuko had started off on a light jog down the hallway. It stung that he wouldn't even stay with her until she had entered her rooms, but she hid her feelings and entered.
Chun Hua and Jun were both chatting when Katara entered. She hardly had time to wonder why no one had fetched a chair for such an old woman as Chun Hua when she happened to glance at what was obviously her robe, resting on a particularly long tapestry pole designed for such things.
"Oh," Katara gasped under her breath as the two women bowed to her. It was beautifully painted with a lotus pattern in varying shades of blue. The dye was so light in some places that Katara could barely tell it was there, and in others dark enough to be black.
"Good, you're here," Chun Hua wasted no time in pleasantries, as abrupt as when Katara had first met her, "let's make sure everything fits, we've only until just after lunch before you'll need to be wearing it in public."
Only until then? That seemed so soon. Katara yanked off most of her clothing quickly, as if the few extra seconds it would create would matter.
There was almost complete silence while Jun and Chun Hua helped Katara into the layers of the robe, and what little talking took place had mostly to do with whether Chun Hua would have the honor of sewing the wedding robe as well. Katara suspected that she would be getting her wedding robe from Chun Hua, but had no answer as to when the wedding would be, and wished heartily that Zuko was the one being questioned.
Zuko. Katara sighed, wondering when she would be forgiven for whatever it was that she had done. Then frowned, she didn't need to be forgiven; she ought to be setting things straight with him, not wishing he'd just forget about it.
"What's wrong, dear?" Chun Hua interrupted Katara's thoughts.
"Oh, nothing," Katara smiled weakly, "just nervous."
Chun Hua nodded, "naturally," and stepped back, looking Katara over with a critical eye before turning to Jun, "have we the shoes she'll be wearing? I'd like to see their relation to the hem; this may be a tad long."
Jun took a pair of slippers out of a drawer and Chun Hua immediately threw up her hands in exasperation, "two inches then, no need to see how those will look."
Katara looked closely at the slippers, then at Jun, frowning, "wont those wear out?"
"The soles are leather, Lady Katara they'll last for some time," Jun bowed and offered the shoes for her inspection.
Katara took the slippers from Jun and felt the various fabrics. The soles were leather all right, but the rest felt suspiciously thin. They'd last the night at least.
Katara handed back the shoes and slipped out of everything, putting her own clothing back on.
"You needn't stay for this, we'll just fix up the hem a bit and find you when it's done, dear," Chun Hua dismissed Katara from her own rooms, and Katara, too surprised for much else, exited her room in favor of the courtyard.
Katara wondered if she should feel insulted that Chun Hua was the one in charge when she was the one marrying into royalty, but as she felt no actual offense, Katara dropped it. Azula might have been insulted. Katara grinned, imagining Chun Hua dictating Azula's life, then frowned, confused. Where was the noise she had grown accustomed to?
Where was the light splashing? Where was the mist?
The water was gone.
Katara gasped, the entire fountain was empty. She briefly wondered if the fish were all right, then moved onto another thought. Zuko was in trouble, and nothing was going to save him from her wrath.
Author Note: Uh oh! Trouble in paradise! There'll be a nice big yellfest in the next chapter. You may have noticed, I did not include the main plot twist in this chapter. Congrats, I've been convinced that a longer story is a better story, and even though it's tempting, I shall not end everything a chapter or two after the betrothal shindig. You'll have to forgive me for being slow though, and rest easier in the knowledge that I refuse to be one of those authors who doesn't finish a story. (Grrrr, it's always the good ones too!)
Also, "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" is probably the most amazing book out there. Read it or never understand the meaning of life. Your choice.
