Chapter 9

Zuko's POV

He is an arrogant fool, who has no right in doing this to his daughter.

"My daughter is more than just some bargaining chip, and I know that what I am asking of her is wrong, but she knows and understands what she must do. She is willing to give up her life for her people. I do not like the fact that she was so willing, but I can't stop her from what she is going to do. Katara is the Princess of the Water Tribes, not just one over the other. She has duties to her people."

Steam blew out from my nostrils as I tried to calm myself, "I have always hated her hard-headedness when we were younger. I do not want your daughter any angrier with me, but I will look for another solution to this. I will try to fight for her freedom, even if you and she will not. Please I need to be alone, just leave."

The Chief and his right hand man walked out of the dining hall without another word. As soon as the doors were closed and their footprints were heard down the hall, I released an angry yell, and all of the available fire in the room, meaning the sconces, burned more brightly and fiercely.

I sat in my room, trying to calm myself down. Mai was already asleep in the bed, and I didn't want her waking up to only interrogate me about the events after she had left, so I just hushed all of the lights in the room and lay down on the silk sheet bed.

My heart was pounding, and if I didn't have Mai in the room with me, I'm pretty sure that I would be breathing smoky fumes.

Katara did not deserve to be treated as if she cannot make her own decisions. What was Hakoda thinking?

I stared up at the canopy over the top of the bed. Red silk and satin drapes came up from the top at a tip and then hung down framing the outside of the bed onto four wooden beams overseeing the four corners of the bed. It wasn't but about five and a half years ago that I was traveling with Uncle throughout the Earth Kingdom, starving and depressed.

Mai was also in the Earth Kingdom about then…

I looked over to where Mai was lying, her eyes were puffy and red, and she had makeup running down her face. Her breathing was so quiet, but it was solidly even.

I can't keep torturing her like this… I do still love her… She was the only one who helped me whenever I was in pain, or when I was in turmoil about my father.

My eyes began to feel heavy, and soon I was dreaming, dreaming of her… Katara…

She danced around me, circling around seductively, wearing colors of Fire Nation red. I went to grab her by the waist, but she only moved about, swinging her hips about to the music.

She suddenly shifted, and then she was standing still, balling her hands into fists on her hips. Her face was stern, and soon she was yelling at me.

"I can make my own decisions Zuko. You don't get to choose my life for me; I can take care of myself. I broke up with YOU remember?"

"But Katara, I love you…"

"No I am tired of having to listen to you Zuko. You need to move on."

She walked away from me, and I went for her again, but only to have grabbed air because she disappeared.

"Move on Zuko. MOVE ON!"

I sat up straight in the bed, my heart was racing, and I felt like I was going to die. The dream felt too real, and I had to look around to make sure of where I was. Looking over to where Mai was, I saw that she was still asleep. I wasn't sure, but it felt like she was giving me the cold shoulder. The coldness in the room was overbearing, and I decided to go to the Palace Garden. It had always soothed me.