Chapter 7
Katara sat there on the edge of the bed. She really didn't know what to do. Everything that had just happened kept re-running in her head. The images of him, of the anger, the fire, the hatred… the want to be forgiven. Her vision became blurry, she wasn't looking at anything in particular- just space and so everything around her started to blur. And the worst part was, she missed the warmth he gave off and felt loss when she had scrambled away.
Why had she opened her mouth? The whole time she knew it really wasn't his fault that they ended waking up like that- but she needed to yell at something. Everything that has happened has made her confused and angry. And she has been yelling at him for everything.
Yes he took her prisoner, but he saved her life. And he didn't just take her and throw her into the prison. He let her stay in his room, on his soft comfortable bed. He has been sure that her stab wound has been carefully kept clean and that no infection made it way threw. And she knew he had worried for her when that terrible nightmare had happened. But that was it- Why?! Why has he worried for her? Why does he care?
Though everything that had just happened clouded her mind. He had let his anger overwhelm himself and almost killed her. He defiantly wasn't caring for her then. Katara placed her hand to her neck and felt the burn. It was still warm and her throat felt like a bee had gone in there and stung multiple times. But the look on his face when he realized what he was doing left her speechless but made her have thousands of questions float threw her head. She just didn't get.
'And your part of the Fire Nation,' how stupid was she to actually say that? Right at that moment when she had spoke those words; it was like she had signed her self up for a death sentence.
She didn't know if she hated him. She felt a bit sad for him that he couldn't keep his own anger down- that he had to regret it after he had done whatever he had done.
She stopped looking into space and everything around her went back to its normal non- blurry self. How could she say she didn't hate him? He just tried to kill her! Why did she have to always be so forgiving? Everything was making her so confused, she started to cry. She didn't know what to do, what to think. She bent her head and covered her hands over her face and just cried
She almost didn't hear the sound of knocking at the bedroom door over her loud cries. She was startled by the sudden appearance of another person that she started choking on air.
"Lady Katara?" the worried and very familiar voice came from outside the door, another knock came but was more louder and urgent, "Lady Katara are you ok?"
Katara looked up at the door with happy uncertain eyes.
"Hito? Is that you?" Katara's voice cracked from the crying. She quickly wiped her tears and hoped he wouldn't notice she had been crying.
"Yes it is I, Hito," his voice came again. It was friendly and warm and full of concern, "Are you alright Lady Katara?"
"Yes," she pulled herself up, only to come crashing back down onto the bed from the pain and yelling out.
"Lady!?" Hito's startled voice came, "I'm coming in."
She heard him unlock the door and fling it open. She started to sit back up again only to find gentle hands guiding her back up in the sitting position. How the hell did he get over here so quick? She looked up at him and smiled and said thank you, but she saw his eyes widen and knew he was looking at the burnt mark Zuko had given her earlier today.
"What happened?" he said now looking in her eyes. She didn't know if she should tell him the truth or not, but she felt like she couldn't and tried telling him in least amount of detail.
She couldn't keep staring at him like that and looked away. "Zuko and I had a fight," she looked back up to him and he was the one to look away. She heard him say, 'oh.'
"I see," he nodded his head and she saw that he was hurt that she was hurt- especially because the reason was by his prince.
They sat in silence for a few moments when Katara wondered how he had gotten in and why he was here.
"Hito?"
"Yes," he sat down next to her and looked at her, his eyes drifting to the burn mark but quickly blinked and was now looking at her face.
"How did you get in?" she asked with curiosity, her voice cracking in parts from the still burning mark- made by Zuko.
"Oh!" he quickly jumped up from the bed and startling Katara, "how silly of me to forget. Prince Zuko-," he stopped short by the name of his prince but quickly started talking again, "was requesting for people to volunteer to come and give you food, medicine and all the necessities you need and when I heard this I told him myself that I would be honoured to do it."
Katara was grateful that he had volunteered, she wouldn't want anyone else to come and give her the things she needed. "Thank you Hito! I happy you did that."
He put on a smile and nodded. "I have your breakfast outside the door. I put it down when I heard you in pain. I'll go get it."
She watched Hito scurry over to the door and watched him hurry threw it to retrieve her breakfast… And then it hit her. Who exactly had put sleeping powder in her drink? She had heard the doctors talking about it before they had left her that day she had the nightmare. Was it… Hito?
She didn't know why all of a sudden it came to her, but it did and now it was raging threw her head. If it was Hito could she trust him with her food? Did he actually care for her at all? Zuko had probably told him to do it- and he went threw with it. They were all the same! They always hurt you one way or another. She felt like crying again, Hito was the only she felt like she could trust and now she goes and figures this.
"It might not be him," she thought as she saw Hito coming back into the room holding a tray, smiling at her, "but there's nobody else who could have done it." She remembered sitting in Hito's bed after Zuko had left and only a few minutes later Hito had come into the room and had given her a drink… and she drank it. Now she really felt like crying but somehow she kept it in.
Hito placed the tray on the bed beside her. "Now be careful, the eggs are still a bit hot," he said and she looked down at the food. There were eggs, and orange and a glass of milk. She wondered if anything was wrong with them and she also wondered why Zuko hadn't ordered for her to be given just a piece of burnt toast.
She just stared at them trying to see if there was any kind of trace that any drugs had been put in them. Hito must of noticed that she was looking at them funny and waiting a bit to long to dig into a real meal she really hasn't had for about a week because he did a small cough and said, "Aren't you hungry Lady Katara?"
She looked at him, looking at his yellow golden eyes and the one thing she thought was- Fire Nation. She was going to ask him- and it was going to hurt him and her.
"Who put the sleeping powder in my drink?" her voice had hope in it- hope that he would say it wasn't him. But she watched him freeze and it was apparent that he was shocked by the sudden question and her hope she had, was slowly draining away.
"And why would you want to know?" Hito replied, trying to overcome his shock and that was of course was the only thing his mind registered and when he said it over in his mind he wish he took it back. Hito never knew why he cared for everyone. Ever since he was a child he thought everyone needed to be cared for and should always have a second chance- even the other nations. He never understood it though, his father was a very proud power-hungry fire nation citizen and his other siblings only thought of the Fire Nation and not of any of the other Nations- they looked down on them, thought they were scum- except him. Though his mother never really said anything about the other nations- but one day he had found drawings of all four nations, they were beautiful- elegant, detailed and simple and they inspired him so much.
And then a couple days before his mother had died she had come up to him and told him, "Hito you must listen to what Im about to say," she watched him nod his head, "Treat everyone with care and friendship. We are all the same, the only thing that separates us is our elements and even then we are more alike then we could ever imagine. Everyone has family, has friends, emotions, has a mind- do you understand Hito?" he nodded his head because he did, but he didn't know why she was telling him this all of a sudden when she usually had never said anything about that. Now he knew. His mother knew she was going to do die and made sure that he knew what she knew. All his thoughts washed away as Katara's startled voice rang in his head.
"What do you mean, 'why would I want to know'? Someone had put sleeping powder in my drink and made me end up here," she threw up her hands, "in your prince's room and guess what Hito, I have a strong suspicion it was you."
He swallowed hard and hung his head. The sound of her voice made his heart sank and he knew he could to lie to this girl, "Your right. It was me. But you must trust me, I feel very bad about it! It's just that Prince Zuko had asked me and I can't disobey his orders!"
Katara watched him confess and try to say he was sorry and she felt like he truly was. "How- How can I trust you Hito? Especially now that you're handling my food and everything."
"I know I've hurt you but it was only for that time. It seemed like you weren't going to move at all which was angering the Prince and I'm sorry to say but I was in need of my bed. I promise this food and the rest of the food I bring you will have nothing in it."
"but what if Zuko asks you to put something in it?" katara asked trying to believe what he was saying.
"Then I will not bring it up to you and hopefully you'll know that something's wrong with it when I don't bring your food."
Katara removed her gaze from him and looked at the food and then hung her head, "I- I don't know what to believe Hito. I believe you but I believed you before and you did that." She looked up at Hito and the same look to be forgiven that Zuko had shone in his face. She sighed, "I forgive you but I have to be honest- I'm going to be wary."
Hito sighed to, "Thank you lady Katara, I fully understand why you would be wary, I am sorry for everything that has happened," Katara knew he wasn't just talking about the sleeping powder.
She nodded her head and looked at the food. "I promise with all my heart on my mothers grave there is nothing wrong with it."
'On my mothers grave,' so Hito's mom is gone too- that's something they have in common.
"Ok I believe you," said Katara, 'For Now'. She took a moment to pick up the fork and stab the eggs. She brought it up to her mouth and smelled it- it didn't smell funny, but it could be odourless. She hesitated but finally put it in her mouth and chewed and then with a bit more hesitation, swallowed.
She waited a few moments and she felt fine, exept when she swallowed and it burned, but she knew that was only because of the burn. She took another bite and she still felt fine. She felt Hito's eyes staring at her and it made her a bit uncomfortable but she kept eating. She was half way threw her eggs when she reached for the glass of milk and took a sip, swishing it in her mouth before swallowing. She decided then, she would wait until Hito left before she eat the rest of her breakfast and she also wanted to see if anything happened to herself in that time being.
She looked up and Hito stared at her- it was weird. "I'm going to stop eating, do you mind if I keep the food in here for later?"
"I won't mind, you can keep it in here if you like," he looked at her and then looked away. It was awkward now that she had found out but he was grateful that she trusts him enough that she would still eat her breakfast. While he had been looking at her he had noticed that she was in Prince Zuko's bed… had they slept together? He also wondered what had happened to make Prince Zuko so angry at her that he had hurt her. It wasn't any of his business though, "I think I may be going, unless you want me to stay longer."
"No, you can go… I kind of want to be alone for the time being," Katara said picking up the tray and trying to put it near the bed side table.
"Let me," said Hito, getting up from the side of the bed and taking the tray from Katara's hands. He walked a few steps and then placed the tray on the table. He then turned to face Katara.
"Thank you," her eyes darting to him and then to the door. She hoped that he didn't think that she was desperate for him to leave, its just that she desperately didn't want Zuko back.
"Your welcome Lady Katara," he saw her look at the door, "well, I'll be going. Good Bye. Hope you feel better."
"Good Bye Hito, see you later," said Katara.
He walked to the door, opening it up and before stepping out he turned around and said, "I'm sorry for everything," and then he walked out and closed the door behind him.
Katara watched him leave and say his final words of forgiveness. And then she was alone- again.
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Zuko was pissed. He kept shouting at anyone who passed him and he was growing hotter by the second. His anger had overwhelmed him and he almost killed Katara. But she deserved it! Who does she think she is saying that to him- To the Prince of the Fire Nation! She's a damn water peasant- a stupid meaningless water peasant girl! The Fire Nation is greatest nation on the World. Were in this war because that stupidweak child of an Avatar was 100 years late!
But the part about him wanting to try and hurt everything and everyone… was true. He stopped dead in the hallway. He had burned and almost suffocated Katara. And she probably would be dead right now if she hadn't somehow gasped those words. He banged his fists on the wall. She was right… about everything.
"No she wasn't!" he yelled at his own thought. His voice echoing down the hallway. He let out a yell of frustration. Why was this bothering him so much? Why the hell was he thinking about her? Why did he care? Care for her?
He heard footsteps and looked up. He squinted his eyes in a deadly glare at the man, "And what are you looking at! Get out of my sight!" his hands flared out fire which left the man running down the hallway from Zuko. He banged his fists against the wall again and after a few minutes of just standing there, hands on the wall he turned to go find his Uncle.
Not really thinking about how his Uncle would react with him telling him what had happened, he just went to find him.
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Iroh was in the Conference room. Luckily it was empty because he had seen a very angry Zuko coming his way and he had ducked in the room hoping his nephew hadn't seen him. It wasn't that he didn't want to see Zuko- he didn't want to see him in his angry state and didn't want to have to deal with him at the moment. He jumped when he heard banging at the door and Zuko calling him. Maybe if he stayed quiet he won't know he's here.
"Uncle!" more banging came from outside the door, "Uncle! I know your in there."
Iroh tiptoed to the door. He actually chuckled under his breath at the situation. He wondered the reason was this time that Zuko was angry.
"For crying out loud, I saw you come in here from down the hall!" Zuko loud booming voice came and then Iroh heard him sigh and his voice dropped down so he was talking normally, "Please Uncle I need to talk."
Iroh heard Zuko calm down and he knew his nephew would just get madder if he didn't let him in. He unlocked the door and opened it, his eyes locking with confused angry ember eyes.
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Zuko watched as the door opened and his uncle showed behind it. He cocked an eyebrow, "What the hell took you so long?" he said stomping into the room.
Iroh closed the door behind him, "Trying to hide from you," he chuckled.
"Ha ha ha." Zuko pulled out a chair a plopped himself onto it- very unPrince like. He bent over and placed his elbows on the table and held his head up with his hands.
Iroh walked over to the table and pulled out a chair directly opposite from Zuko.
"What's the matter Nephew?"
Zuko didn't answer he was trying to get hs anger down but when his uncle said his name again he exploded. "That girl! That's my problem!" he stood up and threw up his hands, "She's always back talking me and making me so damn angry and then I always-"
"Let it off on her," Iroh finished his sentence. By the sounds of it, him and the girl had another fight and which resulted in him hurting her in some way again.
"Yes," Zuko slowly sat back down, "But she deserves it- Im the Prince of the Fire Nation, she cant be talking too me like that!"
"Does she really deserve it Zuko? Yes, I know your Prince of the Fire Nation but she is still a person who had statements and things she wants to say- even if it is to royalty, it shows us that she isn't afraid to say what she wants to say to whoever," Iroh's voice showed he was tired, he sighed about to regret what he was about to say, "Did she bleed Zuko?"
Zuko was taken back. "What?!" he was out of his seat once again, "How can you- No she didn't bleed! I only-" Only what? Almost killed her? I think that's worse than bleeding.
"You only what?" Iroh asked. He could see his nephew struggling to think of what to say and it hurt it. He sighed.
"I let my anger overtake me and I burned her, I made her cry," Zuko finally said, turning his body away from Iroh.
"How bad did you burn her?"
Zuko closed his eyes and clenched one of his fists, "I put my hands on her neck."
Iroh jumped up, "That means you could have killed her! Zuko, she is only a defenceless girl!"
"She's a prisoner! Who is friends with the Avatar" Zuko turned to face his uncle, eyes raging, "Does it really matter if she were man or a woman?!"
"Yes it does! And if it doesn't matter, why would you come to me about this- If it were a man you wouldn't have cared, you would have thrown him in prison and if he had back talked you, you probably would have killed him and you wouldn't have cared!"
"I- I Don't Know Why I Care!" Zuko's sparks of fire lighted up the whole room, "Do you know how I felt when I realized I was hurting her? The look on her face- I felt horrible and I don't know why. Uncle, please don't hate me."
Iroh walked over to his confused nephew, "I do no hate, nor will I ever hate you. But Zuko, you must learn how to control your anger." He put his hand on Zuko's shoulder, "And you care because you care for the girl. Don't argue with me- just go talk with her."
Zuko looked at him, "I don't-"
"Don't argue, Go and talk." Iroh pointed to the door.
"Fine." Zuko walked over to the door and opened it. He yelled thanks to his uncle and headed to his room, taking the long ways and walking very slow.
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So here is chapter 7! Hopefully everything makes sense and everything…lol. WHAT WILL HAPPEN? Read chapter 8 and find out… it will be up soon. REVIEW!
Oh and I must say… I just saw Batman: The Dark Knight, and I for one must say… It was amazing. I lOVED THE JOKER…. So yeaaaaaaa.
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