For All Time

Chapter 2: Stable Boys

Katara Pov

The stable was a beautiful ice building on the southern end of the palace. For my 15 birthday last year Grandfather Pakku had bought me a caribou-horse pony. I was very excited to start my riding lessons, and now after a year of practice I am one of the best riders in the north pole. Walking up past Sokka's caribou-horse, Horsie, I walked over to my caribou-horse, Aurora for the northern light.

She let out a small neigh when she saw me approaching. I held out my hand for her to take the sugar cube in it, and began to pet her big head. I whispered baby talk to her as I petted her head. I promised to come ride her the next day when I would not have lessons. I was so absorbed in pampering my pet that I did not notice someone else was in the stable with me. When I heard a big BANG! I turned around and saw a boy a bit older than me on the ground a bundle of hay in his lap.

"Are you alright?" I asked reaching out my gloved hand to help him up. With a grumble he took my hand and stood.

"Thanks" He said sharply and picked the hay back up. I watched as he broke the ties holding the hay together and put hay in the various caribou-horses stalls. I looked at him more closely. He had jet black hair and pale skin, unlike anyone I had seen in the water tribe. He turned to face me and I noticed a big burn mark across his left eye, but that is not what caught my attention it was those solid gold eyes. They were the most beautiful color I had ever seen.

He had his back to me again as he poured grains in to the stalls, "I'm Princess Katara" I said holding out a hand to him.

"I know" He said gruffly

"Well can I at least know your name?" I said walking in front of him and folding my arms.

"Zuko, now can I get back to work?" He said walking around me as he went to go get water for the animals.

"Well ZUKO" I said putting emphasis on his name, "Do you need some help?"

"Won't your little princess nails get messed up?" He asked looking at me with a smirk

"My nails will be just fine thank you, but seriously do you need help" I said laughing at his comment.

"If you insist" He said gruffly as he walked away into a storage room.

I looked around the stable for something to do, but found nothing, "What do you want me to do?"

He came walking out with two rakes in hand, "well if it pleases her highness we are going to clean out the stalls."

"Clean out the stalls...Okay" I said taking the rake from him and walking to the nearest stall and ignoring the look of shock on his face. I mean there was nothing to be shocked about I mean what could be so bad about cleaning out a caribou horses stall. He unhooked the door and pulled it open, the thing in the middle of it made my stomach turn. He began raking the bad bedding into one clump in the middle of the stall, and I followed, doing exactly as he did.

"You do this for a living?" I asked a little shocked

"Well some of us aren't born into a royal family" he said as if I had struck a nerve.

"Hey if you don't want me here I can go" I told him

"Fine by me, you're the one who offered to help" He said shrugging his shoulders. I was really getting sick of this boys attitude. He started to whistle while he worked as if I wasn't there, and that sent me over the edge.

"FINE!" I barked and stomped out of the stable and did not look back. If I ever met that boy again I would scream at him.

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