The Fire Nation was more than hot this time of year and the waterbender was afraid her garments didn't fit the weather. She could feel the sweat pooling up between her thighs and under her arms. And of course the immense layers worn for such occasions as meeting nobles did nothing to ease the situation. She was stuck in a bureaucratic mess, meeting after meeting and request paper after request paper for an audience with the Fire Lord and it was getting on her nerves. She had been his friend for over five years and these people needed to know every single intention she had when meeting him. Damn, she just wanted to ask him about Toph and if he could pretty please give her a room so she could spend what would end up being a whole month convincing the blind earthbender to go home. The water maiden frowned. This was ridiculous. The elegant old man in charge of foreign policy stared at her, as if trying to perceive how much of a threat she really was. Maybe, just maybe, if she had spent more time acting as a liaison between the Southern Water Tribe and the rest of the world, this wouldn't be happening. But no! She had settled down in her little tribe, helping along, living the normal, uneventful life she had always dreamed of (with the occasional vacation with Aang, but nothing too much). Sokka had been the one in charge of the task. His father was proud, and, although Water Tribe tradition claimed only the best warrior succeeded the chieftain, her brother was on a very straight path to becoming her father's successor. He was smart and brave and he now knew more about tradition and politics in the Fire Nation than everyone else from her tribe. So why was she the one there? Oh yeah, Toph! Katara fumed. If it hadn't been for the blind girl, she wouldn't be in this Tui forsaken land with no chance of changing her outfit until the palace liberated her a room. Yes, she could go and find a seedy motel, or an inn but after spending over three hours trying to get the Fire Lord to meet her, she wasn't about to give up.
But as time dragged on, Katara clearly understood she wouldn't see Zuko anytime soon. And she wouldn't be getting a room any time soon. And for that fact she wasn't going to be able to talk to Toph and actually make her go back home. And instead of spending a whole month in the dry heat of the Fire Nation she would have to extend her visit, something the waterbender wasn't too keen on doing.
She sighed and glared at the tall man. It wasn't his fault, she was sure. Perhaps a measurement the young Lord had installed to minimize the risk he was taking upon meeting people he didn't know. Katara couldn't help but think that the former General, Iroh, would be an asset at the Fire Lord's side. But he was content with his tea shop, and knowing Zuko as she now knew, it was clear he would never ask his benevolent uncle for help. Ever!
"My Lady?" Katara shook her head slightly and looked up at the man, his dark brown eyes boring into her, concern upon his face.
Spirits! The female thought. She had been drifting in her own thoughts and made no effort to listen to what the man was saying.
"I'm sorry."She bowed, deeply embarrassed. "Can you, please repeat what you said?"
The man sighed. He had no time for crazy little girls.
"My Lady, the Fire Lord is very busy. There have been some matters of utter urgency that he cannot ignore. It's going to be impossible for our mighty Lord to give you an audience for at least four months."
Four months? Were they kidding her? She was not going to wait to speak to him for a whole four months.
"Can't I at least get a room until he is able to speak to me? You see, my business isn't with the Fire Lord, but a guest he is housing."
The man, Wun, she latter remembered, rose an eyebrow and eyed her quizzically.
"I am a close friend of Lady Toph Bei Fong, and her parents sent me to retrieve her. They are worried sick and were unable to travel to the Fire Nation, themselves."
It was a plain white lie, she knew, but perhaps referring to people of such high status in the Earth Kingdom would reassure the man of her importance. She had none, she knew but this was the only chance.
"It is highly unorthodox, but I can send note to Lady Bei Fong about your presence."
Katara smiled and nodded, thankful at the breakthrough.
"I would very much appreciate it, Sir." She was dead tired, and hot, and sweating. A warm bath and a bed would be wonderful right about now.
Wun sighed. This woman was too stubborn for her own good. She would never wed if she kept this up. Nobody wanted a woman which didn't know when to back down and be quiet. None the less he nodded and, in an elegant bow, he found his leave.
Katara, mentally, did a small victory dance. Her body was worn out from journey, and she probably stank right now, so getting a room was everything she was concentrated on.
o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0
"My Lady, I'm sorry but Lady Bei Fong claimed she didn't know you!"
WHAT? THEY HAD TO BE KIDDING HER!
"That is impossible, Lady Bei Fong and I have been close friends for many years now." She frowned. That little wench.
"I'm sorry, my Lady but there is nothing more I can do." Wun looked at her with an apologetic bow. I'm so going to water whip Toph on the head! If she was a firebender steam would be coming out of her every hole. "Isn't there a way I can get a time with her?"
"I'm sorry, but it is not my duty to arrange for someone other than our great Lord"
"Hmmm." Katara was getting sick of this game. "Please. I'm sure there must be something you can do."
"I really am sorry, my lady. But I'm also very busy and if neither the Fire Lord nor Lady Bei Fong are available to meeting you then there's nothing more I can do" His tone was firm. She was sure he was also fed up with the situation.
"Fine!" She bowed and walked away. Her bags had been left at the end of the room and she grabbed them. It was very fortunate she was used to travel light or it would make her sweat even more.
Katara left the large red room and walked through the corridors. It had been easier to find the room than the exit and she found herself lost in the huge palace. It had been more than five years since she had visited and her memory wasn't enough to navigate her through the huge hallways. Her mind was elsewhere when she bumped into someone, being sent straight onto the floor.
"Ouch!" The waterbender exclaimed, looking up to see who she had bumped into. "I'm so sorryI was dis….."
Lady Mai, Zuko's girlfriend was looking down at her, expression as neutral as she had always been.
"Master Katara, it's an honor to see you again!" She claimed her upbringing very much evident in her tone.
"I'm really sorry, Lady Mai!" She said taking the other woman's outstretched hand and getting herself to her feet.
Mai tilted her head to the side and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"I'm here to see Toph, but I had no luck getting a room since Zu…." She caught herself. "Fire Lord Zuko is very busy and couldn't receive me."
"Hummmm." The other woman eyed her as if accessing her. "Perhaps I can help out. As much as I…enjoy…" Katara didn't really like that tone. "her company, I feel she should go back and resolve things with her parents."
Katara nodded as she looked up at Mai. Even though the waterbender had grown to her full height she was still at least 10 centimeters shorter than the Fire Nation woman. She had become more beautiful that Katara remembered. Her hair was longer and somehow she looked even more regal than she had years ago. Still she was as nonchalant as she had always been.
The Water Tribe girl followed the other, always a few steps behind her, but close enough not to get lost.
Mai walked slowly, her back as straight as humanly possible, her hair swinging around the small of her back.
"I'm sure no one will mind if you have this room." The female pointed towards the door. "Make yourself at home, Master Katara. I'll be sure to inform the Fire Lord of your presence tomorrow. If you feel like it you can join us for breakfast."
Katara nodded. She would need to polish up on her vocabulary for her presence here at the palace. Everyone seemed to be better at words than her.
"If you need to find Lady Bei Fong's room just ask any guard around. Tell them Lady Mai sent you to find her and no questions will be asked." The waterbender nodded and Mai bowed slightly, as befitting of a woman with her status, before retreating. Katara watched her leave, before pushing the tall wooden doors open. The room was probably one of the smallest rooms in the palace. There was a bed in front of her, leaning against the far wall. Of course the wallpaper was in red, but this was a lighter shade of red, one she wasn't accustomed seeing in the Fire Nation. There was a bedside table on the right side of the bed and a candle atop of it. There were a few unlit torches scattered around the room, a vanity and a big wooden wardrobe near a door on the left side of the room and next to it a screen for her to change. There was a carpet in front of the bed and a few plants in precise places. Katara dropped her bags and walked towards the door. Inside there was a small bathroom, with one of those shower things she had heard of, pool for bathing, a toilet, a sink and some shelves with many bottles of colored glass.
The girl sighed and walked towards the bed, letting herself fall on the very soft mattress. She was so tired from her journey. Katara loved the ocean but almost three and a half weeks on a ship were tiring and boring and left her smelling very strangely.
It didn't take long until Katara was sound asleep, safe in the dream world.
o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0
She could feel the moon rising in the night sky. Her hair was tousled and her head was bursting with a mind grain. She could smell the foul odor of sweat and walked towards the small bathroom. The Fire Nation was very technologically advanced, and that meant life was a lot more comfortable here. There was an intricate web of pipes that fed the kitchen and the bathrooms with hot water. She opened the faucet and smiled as the water run into the pool she would bathe in. Katara moved to the shelves and smelled the content of each container. She settled for the orange flower fragrance (one of her favorites) and poured a few drops into the water. Undressing slowly, she stepped into the warm water sighing contentedly at the feel of her element. Her muscles were to tense and she rubbed them to loosen the knots that had formed during her journey. She rested her head on the brim of the pool and closed her eyes. Her ex-boyfriend flashed into her mind. They had shared a very intimate, but clothed, moment in the baths at the Western Air Temple a couple of years before. She blushed and looked around the room. Nobody was expecting her. And since Mai had installed her without telling anyone, she wouldn't have to worry about servants, at least for now. Flicking her wrist she made the water move against her bud, massaging it with some pressure. The waterbender bit her lip not to moan. She couldn't have anyone finding out about her "activities". The water kept moving, increasingly faster until she reached her zenith. Katara felt a bit ashamed and after washing herself profusely, she got out of the pool, bending the water faster into the drain.
She bended herself dry and put on some clothes. She would probably have to go to the market and buy some that were appropriate for this weather for as soon as she put them on she could feel the heat taking over her. Yes, Water Tribe weather was so much better.
She walked out of her room determined to find her friend. Judging by the pull of the moon, she estimated it was dinner time. Yep, she had overslept, as usual. Katara frowned as she once again got lost in the intricate hallways of the Fire Nation palace.
"Hey Sweetness. It's been a long time no?" She heard the earthbender's voice from behind her. Her pitch had changed, but if Aang had grown so had Toph, Katara supposed, turning around.
"Toph. It's so nice to see you!" She hugged her friend, who was taller than her now. It seemed Water Tribe people were shorter than everyone else.
"Yeah. Nice to see you too!" The Earthbender sounded amused.
"I'm not Sokka!"
"Thank the gods!" Toph chuckled. Now that Katara could fully see her, she couldn't help being amazed at the change Toph had suffered. Not only was she taller, she was also very, very feminine. Her breasts had developed fully, and although they weren't as big as Katara's, they were very noticeable. Her hips now protruded to the sides and her waist had slimmed down. Her hair was long and straight, like an ebony sea of silk threads. Toph's lips were also fuller, plump and her face had lost the distinctive girlish roundness. For a moment, Katara wondered if she had changed that much. She frowned.
"You told that man you didn't know me!" Her tone was pitched. Toph just snorted.
"I know why you are here. And I don't need it."
The waterbender crossed her arms. "Toph this is just crazy. You can't run away every time you and your parents have an argument. Especially to the Fire Nation. Zuko cannot afford to meddle in business like that. Your parents are powerful, Toph, if they decide he kidnapped you…." She was cut off by a retreating Toph. "Can it Sugar Queen. I told you I don't need it. I'm and adult now. I don't need sermons. Besides it's time for dinner and I'm still hoping Sparky will make it out of those stupid meetings he has." Katara followed her, a frown still gracing her features. "And he didn't mind taking me in. He was actually very hospitable."
"He is your friend. Of course he wouldn't say no." The waterbender rolled her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Yes. But he is the Fire Lord first and, I'm sure you'll notice Zuko changed slightly. He thinks really hard before making any decision. And like you said this one could potentially put him in a soft spot."
Katara opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. When had Toph developed such a mature train of thought?
o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0
The food was placed upon the table, the five servants running around it, serving the three people sat for dinner. Mai was there with them, but no sign of Zuko. The soup in front of her was steaming and she could feel the sweat beading around her brow. There was fish and vegetables scattered all around the table. It was a small one. Good for, probably six people. She was sure this wasn't where the Fire Lord held his famous banquets. She had to admit, she was curious about them. A few years after Zuko took the throne, word of his famous political feasts had travelled the world and reached as far as the Southern Water Tribe via Sokka. They were said to be luxurious and amazingly entertaining. Mai sipped her soup quietly, and while Toph had apparently grown into the eighteen year old girl she was, her manners had yet to be improved. Her slurping sounds invaded the silent room and Katara had to bite the inside of her cheek not to wince at the noise. Nonetheless, the Fire Nation noble seemed unbothered by the sounds and lack of finesse, never averting her eyes from the soup.
"Hm…."Katara started lightly. "What's the soup made of?" She hoped she wasn't making a fool of herself. Mai looked up at her, her expression always neutral
"Lotus Roots with Mung Beans in Dried Octopus Soup. It's a delicacy here in the Fire Nation."
"Oh!" The waterbender breathed as she took a spoon full of soup into her mouth. It was delicious. The lotus roots gave it a very flowery taste but it wasn't unpleasant. It was actually very light, as opposed to what she thought she would encounter in the Fire Nation palace. Usually Fire Nation food was heavily spiced. Too much for her taste, seeing Water tribe food was almost always bland.
Dinner was awkward, and Katara couldn't help feel like she was intruding into someone else's established life. But she had needed to leave the South Pole if only for a little while and of course she had been worried about her friend. It was a bit selfish of her, she supposed, but the thick air of hearsay that had fallen upon her tribe about her was too uncomfortable for her to bear. Maybe when she got back, people had forgotten about her marital status, and perhaps she would meet a nice Water Tribe man who would make her very happy. But that was very wishful thinking. Almost every single man her age was from the North, and she had to admit she hated the way they perceived women. Not only that but they usually never compared to Aang. Yes, he plagued her mind at every single moment. She was far from being over him.
Katara still remember the inner courtyard of the palace. She and Aang had made out one or two times there a short while after the war ended. In the beginning the Avatar had to make sure the Fire Nation, that meaning Zuko, would keep its word. It was stressful, but the young firebender had changed his mind so many times, they had to make sure he wouldn't this time around, after inheriting so much power. And responsibility. The Fire Nation was advised, more like forced, to pay settlements to the nations victims of war. And that meant every single one. They had to pay both Water Tribes, Omashu, Ba Sing Se and every outer province of the Earth Kingdom a monthly fee to make up for the hundred years of war. They also had established trade routes, and apart for its own protection, the Fire Nation was force to dismantle their army. Zuko never spoke against any of the other's demands, and Aang, always the peace bringer had to almost coerce the offended nations to diminish their demands.
And that was the beginning of the end for her relationship. The constant flying around, bringing peace and healing to the world had taken a toll on their relationship, even though they still loved each other very much. But the distance, the neglect and the growing up was too much for love alone to bear. So they split their ways.
Katara stood in front of the large pond in the courtyard. Zuko had shown her and the Gaang his favorite part of the palace, and just like the young Lord, she had taken a special liking to the place. It wasn't as much as it was made of water but it was so meaningful. The little turtle ducks, that now were absent (she took a mental note to ask Zuko about it later) were a symbol of life and happiness and that meant a lot to her. In a swift motion of her arms and hips, she lifted a decent sized sliver of water and bended it around her. It was fresh and clean and mixed with the scent of her orange flower oil, it spread an addicting perfume through the air.
She heard rustling behind her and taking a defensive stance she turned.
"Who is there?" She said voice fierce and unwavering. She had grown into a very confident woman. She was a master waterbender, after all.
She was met with no answer and upon catching another sound she sent her water whip in that general direction but no one was there.
Katara bended the water back into the pond and hugging herself, she walked back to her room. Maybe she had imagined it.
It took her a couple of hours to find her room. "This place is like a maze" she thought.
Undressing quickly and throwing her robes atop of the chair near the vanity, she slumped in her warm bed.
"Tomorrow I must pay a visit to the market. Perhaps I can try and talk some sense into Toph as we walk together. I'll invite her along" The female smiled to herself at the thoughtful plan.
But as she drifted off into sleep, she couldn't help but feel like she had actually been watched back at the pond.
Thanks for the reviews. I've decided to make some changes to the first chapter. I hope you like this one and please review.