I'm sorry for the late update T_T ... I'm sick and thankfully I got the strength to post this chap up..
So Chapter five is dedicated to all of the readers.. Lovelots and I apologize for any mistakes with the grammar, misspellings, and some missing words from the chapters. I'll edit it as soon as I get well.
Chapter 5
"Good morning." Katara giggled as she watched Zuko flatter his eyes.
"How long were you up?" Zuko asked.
"Long enough to hear you mumbling my name." Katara smiled.
"I was actually having a nice dream but well typical dream, I woke up before even knowing the end." Zuko spoke in disappointment.
"What was it about?" Katara asked with a teasing smile as she climbed on top of Zuko, resting her forehead against Zuko's.
"I was asking you to marry me." Zuko answered and attempted to kiss her but she immediately rose her head.
"And what was my response?" She asked.
"I told you, I woke up before I could know." Zuko replied.
Katara shifted her gaze and stared into space, thinking of something.
"What'll your response be if I asked you?" Zuko asked curiously.
"Isn't it too early for that?" Katara asked, pointing out a fact.
"Fire Lord Zuko, it's time for breakfast." A woman spoke after she knocked on the door.
"Breakfast?" Zuko asked to the lady currently sitting on top of him.
"Shouldn't we take a bath first?" The waterbender asked.
"We are, want to join me?" Zuko wiggled his eyebrows.
"Pervert." Katara threw a pillow at him before moving out of the bed.
Zuko laughed and stood from the bed.
"You can go ahead and wash up first." Zuko spoke as he did push ups.
Katara nodded and entered a door that stood across the bed. After drying herself up and slipping into new clothes, Katara walked out of the room. Zuko was already eating breakfast and has changed into his old ragged maroon pants and shirt, his usual attire when he was traveling with the Gaang.
"Now you look manlier." Katara complimented.
Zuko smirked and took a sip at his goblet.
"Breakfast." Zuko pointed at the tray placed on the table.
"Thank you." Katara thanked and took a sit beside him.
"I like it better, you in your rogue prince outfit." Katara stated.
"That's because you get to see my muscular body unlike my 'Fire Lord uniform' that wrapped me like a blanket with its large robe." Zuko uttered.
"And he admits it." Katara smiled.
"Admits what?" Zuko furrowed his eyebrows.
"Admits that you don't like your Fire Lord uniform. You're wearing it for the sake of being Fire Lord." Katara mocked.
"So, do you have any Fire Lord matters to attend to?" Katara asked.
"Unfortunately, I have." Zuko answered.
"Okay, that gives me more than eight hours in the market. I also have to head to the port." Katara said as she ate.
"And after that, you're coming back here." Zuko instructed.
"And if I don't?" She asked.
"Then you'll be missing a spectacular sight." Zuko winked.
"We'll see." She shrugged.
o0oOo0o
Afterwards, the Fire Lord got picked up by the General.
"I'll see you after sun down." The Fire Lord bowed to Katara before closing the door.
"Gosh! Talk about Sokka the second." Katara shook her head and sighed.
Katara then took her leave and just before sundown she went back to the Palace in new pairs of water tribe clothes.
"Hi Miss Chiu is Fire Lord Zuko around?" Katara asked after greeting the head maid.
"The Fire Lord's currently in his meditation room." The woman bowed.
"Thanks." Katara bowed back.
Hearing the creaking of the door, Zuko opened his eyes.
"Did you miss me?" Zuko asked as Katara entered the room.
Katara bit her lower lip.
"What's wrong?" Zuko asked, noticing the lady's facade.
"Nothing maybe I will miss you. Were leaving tomorrow." The waterbender sadly spoke.
"Then it's not too late for my gift." Zuko smiled and lend his hand.
Confused, Katara placed her hand above his.
"Where are we going?" Katara asked after Zuko dragged her out of the palace.
They were heading deep into the mountains and after skipping, jumping, and walking onto logs, rocks, and dirt they stop in a vacant circular area which was right under the moon. What caught Katara's attention was the five iron rods that stood around the area.
Zuko pulled her to the center of circle and smiled.
"I never showed this to anyone before so I hope you'll like it." Zuko whispered.
Raising his right hand, Zuko flicked lightning to one of the poles. The electric charge returned to him, making Katara squeal. He redirected the lightning immediately and it struck to another pole. The lightning kept hitting Zuko and he easily redirected it, making the lightning current dance thru transferring from one pole to another.
"This is beautiful." Katara gasped and watched the lightning channel to another direction.
"Thank you." Katara shuddered as she felt herself at the verge of crying.
She bit her lower lip and hugged Zuko.
"I'm gonna miss you." She sobbed.
Zuko hugged her back and kissed her head.
I wish you could just stay...
As my wife. He thought and comforted the crying waterbender in his arms.
The following day...
The Fire Lord escorted Katara to the harbor.
"Good your here, a scroll came in yesterday and it's for you." Sokka spoke and handed Katara the scroll.
Seeing the emblem sealed on the scroll, Katara smiled.
"It's from Toph." She opened the scroll and started reading.
"Sokka." Katara mumbled in fear as tears escaped her eyes.
"What's wrong?" The chief asked and held her sister.
Zuko red the scroll, his eyes grew wide as he saw the sign at the edge of the scroll.
"Eyes of Ozai." Zuko uttered.
"You knew about this?" Sokka yelled.
"No. I-I...just knew information about them." Zuko stuttered.
"Eyes of who?" Katara forced to speak and wiped her tears.
"Eyes of Ozai, they're my father's remaining devotees." Zuko sighed.
"I'm not sure where they're base is but if this threat is real we have to head to Gaoling now." Zuko stated.
o0oOo0o
"Fire Lord Zuko are you sure you don't want any escort? We've not yet to come upon their purpose and the scroll plainly states threat." The general asked as Zuko boarded the ship.
"Don't worry about me General. And if the scroll does present threat then we should head to Gaoling. Toph Beifong is not only a friend, she's also family." Zuko responded.
"Chief we'll proceed as ordered." The man saluted and headed to the water tribe's ship.
"Did you get to talk to her?" Zuko asked Sokka.
"She locked herself in her room." Sokka disappointedly responded.
o0oOo0o
"Toph! Thank the gods you're okay." Katara mumbled after she hugged the earthbender.
At the moment, the Fire Nation's ship just arrived Gaoling.
"I heard you were coming. Is there something wrong?" Toph asked.
"Seems like they haven't made a move yet." Zuko mumbled.
"What do you mean?" Toph asked.
The group remained silent.
"What's going on? Katara?" Toph faced her friend.
Before Katara could speak.
"Ozai's fan club is coming after us and we just received a letter from them that came here from Gaoling." Sokka responded.
"We have to leave Toph." He added.
Toph eyes grew wide. She couldn't believe it.
"I can't leave. What if they go after my parents?" Toph answered.
"I've already sent warriors to guard your family, they'll be safe." Zuko uttered.
"Why are we even running? We can take them." Katara courageously spoke.
"We can but we have to draw them away. Innocent lives will be threatened if we advance now." Zuko explained.
Having no choice, Toph agreed and boarded the ship.
o0oOo0o
"Hey." Katara mumbled and entered Toph's quarters.
"Do you think Aang's gonna be okay?" Toph asked after Katara sat beside her.
"He's the avatar, he'll be fine. Sokka already sent a warning." Katara responded.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Sokka asked after knocking at the metal door.
"I'll leave you two." Katara smiled weakly and left the room.
"I'm sorry." Sokka apologized.
"What are you apologizing for? This isn't the first time I ran away from home." Toph shrugged avoiding eye contact from Sokka.
"Ofcourse but will you be okay to fight again?" He asked.
"Don't worry about me Sokka I've fought a whole fleet of the Fire Nation army." Toph spoke as she laughed playfully.
Sokka smiled, what was he thinking? He asked himself. The earthbender was clearly stronger than him and yet he still worried about her.
"I'll be fine Sokka. Thanks for worrying." Toph smiled.
"Wh-what?! I'm not worrying, who said I was worried?" Sokka asked and waved his hand as he scratched his nape.
Toph giggled.
"I know you're blushing." Toph uttered.
"But really, thank you for coming for me." Toph thanked.
Her statement made Sokka fall silent. He inched to his friend and hugged her.
"We'll always come for you at any cost." Sokka mumbled.
This comfort made the tuff earthbender sob.
Honestly speaking, she was scared. True, she did defeat a whole fleet but that's because she had her friends with her. So, what could've happened if her friends were too late? What if the Eyes came first?
"It's okay, we're here." Sokka soothed as he caressed Toph's hair.