A/N Hello again, you're only getting one this time but I'm pretty certain its the length of the last two put together so hopefully that makes up for it. I'm vaguely concerned that this one is less Zutara-centric which might be a tad off putting (they do have some nice interactions around the middle which I'll just let you read rather than building them up). I really struggled to write this one and I got a bit frustrated with it so it probably isn't as proofread as it ought to be. Sorry! Anyway I'll shut up for a little while and let you read, tell me how you feel about the less relationship centric Zutara that's kinda going on.
I hope you enjoy xo
Heal the World
Perhaps it's the fact she is an actual princess from a faraway land.
Or perhaps it's just because her eyes are blue.
Katara finds during her routine visits to orphanages that the children are drawn to her. She's different and they can sense that (she'd talk with Zuko about how forthright they are and he'd tell her that children have no filter and look forlorn. She'd prod at him later until he'd confess the story behind it.) but at some point they must've decided it was good different. Children were far more malleable than adults. The younger they were the less they'd been indoctrinated by the propaganda of the war years and less afraid of her.
A small boy, Kwan, was particularly fond of her. He was three and a half, born after the war had ended. His father had passed during a tropical storm, he was a fisherman, and his mother had been killed during a mugging in a poor district of the Caldera. Kwan wasn't even 1 yet. He was staying with his aunt when his mother was taken but because she was a war widow and already had 4 children she couldn't afford to keep him. Instead she brought him to the orphanage with the best reputation in the Fire Nation.
Established in one of Fire Lord Zuko's first actions as leader, the LADY URSA HOME FOR CHILDREN was built. With the help of War Hero and Earth Bending Master, Toph Beifong, he completed rigorous interview processes before selecting the most compassionate, honest and accepting staff possible. Rumour has it, before the staff were selected there were 30 children, some recent and others longer term orphans from destroyed or out of date establishments, living in the Fire Palace's nursery and guest wings. Although it was never confirmed some of the councilmen would note the sound of singing, children's laughter and the presence of rough drawings on parchment left around during a month in the early days of the new leadership.
Katara would go fairly regularly to visit the Lady Ursa Home and others like it since their engagement. She'd taken on some of the roles usually undertaken by a Fire Lady, in the health and education sectors, but was also highly involved in most other decisions with Zuko seeking her opinions not out of obligation or because she'd complain that he wouldn't tell her things but because he valued her insights and alternate point of view. She'd come to be accepted among his court, despite them being so cruel when they first discovered the relationship that regardless of the truly moving address she made to the people she was forced to return to the South for a few months. She was also the Fire Lord's unofficial speech proof reader.
Whenever she'd visit the Lady Ursa home Kwan would greet her with a toothy smile and a hug. She'd make a bubble which Kwan would chase, giggling sweetly. Of course he was not the only child in the home. The first 5 minutes of her visits were usually with him then he'd ghost her, holding her hand with small sticky fingers, for the rest of the day as she'd talk to the other children.
On one particular visit she was faced by an unfamiliar face. Kwan was getting fussy when Katara saw the girl, pulling on her arm in the opposite direction.
"Sorry Kwan, sweetheart, go play with the others," she bends to his level and he made a face, "I'll find you later."
He mumbles reluctant approval and toddled away to the toys.
Hua, one of the carers that reside in the orphanage, approached the Princess, placing a hand on the water bending master's arm. "She's a recent addition to our little family here." The worker was rather soft looking for a native Fire Nation woman. Her lines were rounder than the sharp angles their people were known for. "Her name is Shula. She's about 14. She tends to keep to herself. We do know both her parents are in the spirit world and they passed during the war but we don't know when. She was transferred here after she ran away from the old orphanage in Fire Fountain City for the third time. Word is she was wandering around alone before that..."
Katara nodded and decided to approach the girl. She looked younger than fourteen and older simultaneously. She's notably small and gaunt, making her seem like a small child. Her brown eyes looked seasoned and troubled which was enhanced by the heavy bags beneath them. Her slender shoulders were hunched over as she sits cross legged on the floor staring at something in her lap. Her skin tone was darker than the average Fire Native but her bone structure and sharp nose were archetypal.
"Hi there," Katara offers her a small smile and bent at the knees so she won't feel patronised, "My name is Katara, what's yours?"
The small girl's eyes lock onto Katara's and narrow intensely; she starts to ball a fist and sparks flicker from it. There is something the Fire Lady to-be recognises in the girl's eyes.
Flaming anger.
She saw it in Zuko's eyes every time she saw him before he swapped sides in the war.
From one glance she could see the resentment and possible hatred emanating from the adolescent.
She saw that in her own eyes at that age when she looked at her reflection.
Katara tried to ignore the fact the kid was giving her major stink eye and reattempted to start a conversation. The girl had hidden whatever she'd been looking at under her skirt and was evidently not at all interested in speaking to the young woman in blue.
After almost ten minutes, most of which was spent in a deadlock staring contest, Katara started to get up.
"You'll talk to me eventually." She asserted. If she was honest with herself Katara would admit that the rejection and ignoring hurt. It felt like when she first moved to the Fire Nation all over again. It felt like every second shop owner would send her away or charge her double because they lost a son, a daughter, a parent, a grandparent, a cousin or a friend in the war.
As the ambassador walked away, tense, she heard faint whispering.
"It's ok Lady … didn't become a sea monster…"
Katara peaked over her shoulder and Shula was quick to her feet and walking in the opposite direction. She was taller than she'd looked but also seemed even more malnourished. She remembered being that age and angry and terrified of the world. She noted to herself to talk to Zuko about having the orphanage in Fire Fountain City reviewed and renovated.
The Water Tribe Ambassador (she had refused to give up that title just because she was affianced to the Fire Lord) returned to the other children. They congregated on a carpet with a design representing all four nations, sitting and chatting amongst themselves excitedly in anticipation of story time with the war hero princess. This was a part of her visits' routine, 'story time'.
She read them an ancient legend about Wan Shi Tong, the spirit had a bad attitude even how many hundreds of years earlier it was written. The story told of the power of knowledge. She recalled when she first read it, finding it amusing that even the procurement of an education needed to be sweetened by the idea of it making them more powerful for them to take an interest.
Shula sat at the back of the group throughout, her body turned so she was half facing Katara but she paid no attention to the princess. When they did make eye contact, albeit briefly, there was an immense sense of resentment and blame in the girl's eyes that ran a chill down Katara's spine.
This would exist in the back of the young woman's mind for the rest of the evening.
Katara had dinner at the palace that night, which was happening with increasingly frequency as both she and Zuko were so busy and wanted to work out a way to make sure they still saw each other.
There are some things she couldn't quite decide her attitude towards.
Was it a good thing or a bad one that her fiancée knew, without her saying anything or doing anything she was consciously aware of, that something had upset her? Was it right or wrong for her to off load her troubles onto the beautiful man that was already carrying the weight of a nation on his back?
She loved him for it though, the way he fussed over her. It felt like she hadn't been fussed over since before her mother died, so the last (close to) 4 years that she and Zuko had been seeing each other was him making up for every time she was forced to be strong and brave without leaning on anyone else. To be fair, she was doing the same for him as well.
So she told him. She told him there was a 14 year old girl who was terrified, alone and full of fear and hatred. She told him despite the chills and the irritation her interactions with her were creating she was glad that the girl was in that orphanage, with Hua and all the other lovely people and kids.
Zuko would hold her hand as she struggled to vocalise the strange connection she felt with the quiet orphan.
"She said something about a sea monster…not to me but-"
Zuko's lips formed a straight line which made Katara's brown furrow.
"Alright Zuko, you know something. What does it mean?"
She looks wild, her hair has been systematically falling out of her bun and her loopies have loosened with half of one completely out and hanging limply by her face. Her hands come to rest on her hips. Her blue doe eyes stare at him unblinkingly and he brushes her hair behind her ear.
"It means she probably knows something about the Siege of the North… when Aang merged with the Ocean Spirit. Also, and you have to understand 'Tara there was propaganda about water benders over that 100 years. Your people seemed so different to ours, in ways primitive. The idea of someone being able to put out someone's fire or freeze them is kind of terrifying. They didn't even know about all the other incredible abilities you have." or terrifying ones, he left it unsaid but she heard it. "It's the Fire Nation so I guess it's natural that we have an acute fear of drowning or freezing to death. Those soldiers that day… that's what they did…"
Katara frowned and felt remorse wash over her.
"Do most people still think water benders are evil?"
"Katara, sweetheart, their Fire Lady is going to be a Water Bender. Do you honestly believe 6 years after the war that nothing at all has changed? I've been, as have the leaders of all the other nations, working on encouraging acceptance and understanding between the different peoples. 85% of the Nation wasn't Ozai sympathetic anyway, most were more loyal to my uncle and just followed my father because not doing so had such dire consequences," he unconsciously, or perhaps it is on purpose - it's hard to tell, runs his hands through his hair on the left side dragging it back so his scar was in full view. Katara planted a soft kiss against the warped skin.
"I love you." She says simply and he smiled at her.
"I know. I also know it hasn't been easy…"
"No, you stuttered your way through anything remotely flirtatious for months before we got together…"
His face fell and he pointed a finger at her. "That isn't what I was talking about,"
She winked at him and he hung his head,
"I thought you said the stuttering was cute…" he mumbled, the pout he wore was audible.
"It was," she laughed; he elevated his head, rolling it to one side and raising a bow at her. His long hair was out and swinging faintly as she looked at him. "It was also worth it," she continues, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She shifts herself closer to him, "all of it. The arguments, the disapproval, the discrimination, the judgement, the awkwardness… all the things we faced, made us stronger." She pressed a kiss to the juncture of his neck.
They were alone in the dining room; after the chocolate fondue incident a few months earlier the guards started posting themselves on the outside of the room and the kitchen servants would sign confidentially and obliviousness agreements before working the dining room when the exotic Princess was dining with the Fire Lord.
Dessert was left on the table and the wait servant quickly left, not daring to look at his monarch who was currently enjoying the close company of his fiancée as she kissed down his neck, seated in his lap. The servant didn't look to see the vibrant red that had crept onto the Fire Lord's face and down his neck (he was blending in with his casual shirt). He certainly didn't notice the significant increase in temperature in the room.
It probably took the couple fifteen minutes to realise that dessert was served, in that time 3 servants have checked in and not witnessed the royal couple making out. They ate coyly, stealing blushing glances over moon peach cobbler.
Zuko revelled in her ability to make him feel like a teenager again.
Katara revelled in his ability to distract her completely, without fail.
Once he'd calmed down again and stopped looking flushed (just before she is about to leave for her apartment), he asks if he's at all helped her work out how to reach the little orphan girl.
Katara nodded
She knows what story she is going to tell the children the next time she's at the orphanage.
Katara understands the fear of the alien. She had a relatively sheltered upbringing, albeit that was mostly unintentionally and highly related to the location of her homeland. Of course she always faced it with interested and determination.
When Aang briefly attended school in the Fire Nation during the war he brought back home (to the cave) a book of the nation's folktales and spirit stories. In it she discovered the Legend of the Painted Lady, a kind and wonderful spirit of the Jang Hui river. In the times of the spirits the river thrived and the Painted Lady coloured the crops of the villagers and the scales of the fish. She was known to protect the village as long as they cared for her. The Painted Lady featured in many legends. In the earliest one the Blue Spirit was fleeing a great battle and almost drowned in her river. She fell in love with him (because in these sorts of stories love at first sight is crucial) and when she couldn't save him she painted herself with his blood and he revived (because he was a spirit and it was a story) with the purpose to protect life. Katara had found it compelling and enlightening; no wonder the Fire Nation was full of psychos, even their children's stories were morbid.
Anyway, when Katara went to the orphanage it was not to read out a legend.
Kwan greeted her at the door once again, this time with a flower from the yard. He declared undying love for her and asked her to leave the Fire Lord and marry him… in his three-year-old chattering it was positively adorable. She took the bluebell, that he said was beautiful like her eyes, kissed him on the head and said with a chuckle that she was a bit old for him but Jing, a little girl close to his age, might like it. He was reluctant but eventually took his flower to the fair, raven haired toddler building a tower of blocks.
Shula was hiding somewhere according to Hua.
"Oh, not from you your majesty, the children were playing hide and explode."
"Just Katara, please Hua. Thank you regardless." The Princess said with a wry smile.
Despite spending quite a bit of time helping the poor 'it' child find the other kids, Katara couldn't find Shula.
Eventually story time was announced and the children flooded into the library of the orphanage. Katara didn't take a book from the shelf or a scroll. She simply sat down on the story stool in her red dress and looked at the eager, confused little faces.
"I won't be reading you a story today," there was a collective whine from her audience, "instead I'll be telling you something that I did during my time here during the war." There were some surprised glances from the staff but Katara didn't skip a beat.
"This is the story of how I dressed up as the Painted Lady to save a town… and met the spirit herself."
With that Katara told the story. The kids laughed and gasped when appropriate. She saw the faces they pulled at the idea of a two headed fish. It occurred to her, as she begun talking about destroying the factory, that it may not be the most entirely appropriate audience. She spoke about how water bending heals. So instead of 'destroying the Fire Nation Factory' she 'Used bending to cleanse and heal the river from the bad pollution'. She spoke about helping people being crucial to being a water bender like creating light and warmth were to being a fire bender.
By the end of her story the children were laughing (apparently the fact she'd been lying and dying Appa's tongue purple was hilarious). It seemed as though the laughter was surrounding her as a sweet melodic giggle seemed to emanate from behind her. When she turned there was no one.
It was puzzling.
The laughing stopped and the children dissipated.
As quiet once again befell the library Katara sat in one of the chairs and enjoyed it. She watched as a cupboard door pushed open and little Shula got out.
She had a old painted lady doll in her hand.
She stopped when she noticed Katara.
Their eyes met.
Confusion.
Acceptance.
"I thought you were evil before." She said simply. "You people took my Mumma away in the North Sea. Then you attacked on the day of the eclipse and my father was injured and died shortly after. I never understood then. I saw the Water Tribe as to blame. But you're a person. It isn't like you wanted bad things to happen, they just did because that's what the world was like. You want to help heal the world."
She holds the doll close to her heart and Katara had a feeling it is, to this girl, what her necklace is to her.
"You're like the Painted Lady. Legends say she was a child on the moon too." With surprising boldness Shula walks straight up to Katara and draws a crescent moon on the future Fire Lady's forehead. Then she walked away with a shy smile.
Katara watched her go with a sense of accomplishment. If she could convince a girl who had lost it all, that she and her people, weren't bad then there was hope for the world yet.
A/N So there it is, Day 13 posted on the 22nd, not sure what I'm going to do once the month has actually officially ended... Will you guys be interested in reading these into January?
Not super happy with this one, I feel like it isn't the best example of my writing but I really wanted to get something else done for you guys. Christmas is now 3 (practically 2) days away, I'm working the next couple of days before it and Boxing day but maybe I'll gift you guys with an update. Sorry they're getting so sporadic but I'm trying, a chapter a day is really difficult.
And a HUGE shout out to my (I assume they're all recent ones were one person) guest reviewer(s ?). Your support and kindness made me really want to write this fast but alas it wasn't meant to be. Honestly the reviews completely made my entire day and had me all excited until I sat infront of an empty page with a loose idea and no clue how to tackle it. I'm so glad you're not finding them OOC and to answer your questions Star Wars was really good, it had a very similar feel to the original series but with better SFX and new characters. Personally Rey's accent kinda bothered me a little and I found it a tad predictable but it was still highly entertaining. Also BB-8 is just adorable and it's probably worth seeing just to watch that cute little droid roll around and beep.
I've got delightfully long holidays currently as I just finished high school! I'm not really doing anything much with it; enjoying myself, relaxing and juggling a part time job and social life. I recently got all 10 seasons of Friends as a present from a friend and have a heap of reading to catch up on (I read Eleanor & Park today, highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a sort of gritty romance with offbeat characters). I'd like to include in this reply PLEASE MAKE AN ACCOUNT! I'd love to be able to chat easier and not just ramble pointless things about my personal life that most of you couldn't care less about.
Anyway where ever you are in the world, whether it's holiday time or not, I hope you're having a great December and that you enjoy these last few weeks of 2015 xo