Warning: Mild sexual contact

Book 5 Water

Chapter 7 Farewell

Servants packed the remainder of their Lady's luggage along with a long coat of warm fur from the rare fire marten. Preparing their trip to the docks, Katara was seen walking down the entry hall. "Please be careful." The woman said as the men nodded their heads while they carried the chests out to the courtyard.

As soon as the men left, Katara sighed inaudibly. There was so much to do and so little time. Katara thought as she kept a regal posture and presented a lady like grace as she turned to her head after she heard gentle footsteps close by.

Just then she looked up to see the tall Fire Lord before her. He was standing formally with his hands clasped together in front of him. His face was emotionless as Katara took a deep breathe. Lifting her long dress up to maneuver her way down the hall, Katara entered into a narrow hallway. She gestured for the man to follow her before disappearing into the room. Zuko slowly followed as they both ended up in the royal library.

Walking to the shelves stacked with scrolls and books, Katara finally lost her posture as tears fell down her face.

Zuko stood firm as he spoke softly, "Why are you crying?" Zuko asked as Katara turned and looked at him with watery eyes.

"I-I don't know how long I'll be…and…Y-you know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Katara said with a pause as she recollected herself. Zuko's lips thinned as his body tensed.

Katara noticed his reaction as she then sighed out, barely smiling as a slight curve formed on her mouth. Katara's lips parted, "You knew before I did." Katara said with a low tone.

"Didn't you?" Katara said as Zuko kept himself still as his eyes glistened with emotion.

"Yes…I know exactly." Zuko said as he then charged at his wife with a passionate kiss.

Slightly brushing against the wall, Katara kissed Zuko back as he cupped her cheek. Scenes flashed of cloth disrobing revealing bare shoulders and quicken grunts.

Zuko slowly parted from Katara's lips as she spoke his name softly, "Zuko."

"Katara." Zuko replied as he looked deeply into the woman's enchanting blue eyes.

"I love you." Katara said almost breathlessly.

"I love you." Zuko replied as he claimed her lips with another passionate force.

Propping her legs against the hard wood floor, Katara braced herself as Zuko positioned closer to his wife. The two began panting while they slowly made love against the book shelf.

Katara wrapped her arms around her husband; her fingers running through his hair, messing up his neatly pulled back hair.

The Zuko's hand was seen pressing against the wall as he gripped the edge roughly. Thrusting against the dark skinned woman, the Fire Lord grunted with pleasure as Katara moaned out.

The couple's hands entwined as the scene backed away focusing on a single candle, flickering its faint light casting a romantic glow in the room.

Pacing down the hall, the sight of man dressed in royal armor and robes entered into the office quarters of the palace. Labeled as the guards' wing, the general continued down the hall until he met up with a tall figure.

The man bowed and spoke in a decorous tone, "I bring news from the White Lotus Society." The man said as the tall figure shook his head.

"What could the White Lotus possibly offer in this crisis?" the tall man said with a pause, wavering his trust in the secret society.

"It is not terrible enough that our Lady is going to travel in such dangerous conditions?!" The man said with frustration.

The general lowered his head before speaking, "I understand the concern that disease has been spreading more quickly that we anticipated, Imperial Ryuan. But it was Fire Lord Zuko's order. We can not deny his request." The general said as Ryuan narrowed his eyes.

"But at what cost? For the life of our Lady…? I think not." Ryuan said as he wished to dismiss this discussion.

"Please Imperial Ryuan, at least see what the White Lotus has to recommend. It may be promising." The general said as he pulled out the scroll and handed it to the man.

With a deep sigh, Ryuan took the scroll and read its context.

There was information for a different route for their Lady and fellow members to travel, clear from any area ridden with disease or potential threats. Feeling the fine rice paper, a wax coating was carefully painted over the scroll. Ryuan narrowed his eyes as he lifted his palm open and released a flame from his hand.

The general gasped, "Imperial what are you doing?!" the man asked in shock as the Imperial spoke firmly, "Calm yourself, General Jee. This scroll carries a hidden message." Ryuan said as the scroll soon revealed a second mark across the page. It was a map showing the course to take on the journey to the Southern Territories.

"How did you know of this?" Jee asked as Ryuan rolled up the scroll. "It is a common technique that the White Lotus Society uses when sending information. They are useful for those who know its purpose. For anyone else who is unfamiliar with this technique the information becomes pointless. Thus keeping they're secrets safe. It is a very perplex method, I find it rather interesting." Ryuan said with a hint of amusement in his tone as he then handed Jee the document, "Give this to Commander Wei, he will analyze the map and pin-point the new route." Ryuan said as Jee nodded his head.

"Yes sir." Jee said as he then left down the hall.

As Jee was out of sight, Ryuan closed his eyes and turned to his office.

Once inside. The imperial stepped up to the large glass window and gazed at the clouded skies ahead.

'May Agni, watch over them…' Ryuan prayed as the scene drifted away slowly as his hands were seen clasped formally behind his back.

As Aang and Toph walked deeper into the hallway of the temple, Aang discharged a small flame from his hand leading the way into the dark passage. When they entered into an opening, Aang looked around for a useable source to brighten the room. Looking at the side of one wall, the young man soon found an oil lamp that still carried an ounce of liquid.

Placing the flame close the simple vessel, the oil caught fire and lit the room in an amazing glow. Toph and Aang mumbled in awe as the walls were seen made of pure jade stone. Detailed carvings came into view of swirls of wind with golden lotus petals etched along the sides. The oil burned giving off a pleasant scent of flowers as the two teens looked around the chamber.

Colorful silk pillows were scattered around the floor with satin sheets and old pottery. Aang stepped in and picked up a bottle lying on the floor. Shaking the bottle, Aang heard a swooshing sound. "Hey there's still something left after all of these years…" the young man said with a surprised tone as he sniffed the inside with curiosity before pulling away with wonder. "It smells like peaches…" Aang said with a smile as Toph walked over to a low oak table that had a book bind with ribbon. The paper was fragile around the edges as Toph carefully picked up the hundred year old book. The title was ironically called 'Yu-Fang Mi Chue' roughly meaning 'Secrets in the Jade Chamber'.

Aang leaned in and read the title from left to right across the page, "I remember Monk Gyatso mentioning something about a secret book that was passed down for generations. Maybe this is it." Aang said with enthusiasm as Toph slowly opened the page.

A scripture was seen in the center of the fine paper, Toph read out loud the message carefully. Toph's reading skills were still a little shaky ever since she learned to read five years ago. But nevertheless Aang encouraged her to continue.

"One cannot avoid life by hiding in the mountains, because life exists there as well. But one can avoid the disturbance of the external world by remaining centered and calm like a mountain." Toph said as the message sank in.

Aang closed his eyes as he thought deeply to himself. 'That's sounds like something Monk Pasang would have said.' Aang thought as he remembered the head leader of the Council of Elders. Monk Pasang was a wise and patient monk who was very aware of Aang's role as the Avatar, and when forced to, sacrificed Aang's childhood for the good of the world. He was more sympathetic than the other monks, and is therefore well-respected as a decision maker.

Opening his eyes again, Aang noticed that Toph already turned the next page. Curious to find out more he leaned in closer.

"He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still."

"When you let go of what you are, you become what you might be."

"At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want."

Aang took a step back from the book, all of these quotes held meaning to his lessons in life. It was he needed to know before his journey as the Avatar. Seeing these powerful words before him, made Aang wondered.

If he had known these words, these messages of truth; would he have made better choices in his life?

Would he have defeated Ozai sooner because of that knowledge?

The monks used to say, that knowledge was power. It was more powerful than the strongest current in the air.

Unaware of the airbender backing away, Toph continued to read.

"This wisdom stands for many things. You must remember yourself not only as a bender, but as a human being as well." Toph said as she then placed the book down.

"Wow, I have to admit. That was some deep stuff. I kind of find it interesting." Toph said as she turned and smiled. Aang gave a half smile before slumping over to the pillows with a heavy sigh.

"What's wrong Aang?" Toph asked as she joined the airbender.

"Those quotes…They all described what I needed to hear during the war. To find myself, to let go and defeat Ozai. I just can't help but think…What if I knew those things before I got frozen in the iceberg? What if I had known? Would I have defeated Ozai sooner? Being able to save more lives because of that knowledge?!" Aang said as he angrily grabbed his head and sighed.

Toph smiled with understanding.

Aang…He always wondered what if? Does he still hold that much guilt in his heart? Even after he beat the Fire Lord and helped restore so many villages and lives?

Reaching out to the airbender, Toph pulled the young man in. Gasping in shock Aang soon found himself being held tenderly from the earthbender.

"I think it was fate that brought you here, Aang. Even here in the temple, you can't keep always wonderin'. You gotta just be happy with what chu got." Toph said as she then pulled away from the airbender before butting her head against his forehead lightly and smirking a cheeky smile.

"I know I am…" Toph said in a romantic almost remarkable tone. It was too soft and sweet compared to the earthbender's usual boastful talk and tough love treatments.

Aang blushed as he pulled away and mumbled lightly, "Hey, what has got into you? Did you drink that peach stuff?" Aang said as Toph chuckled.

"As if I would drink something that is a century old. Eek!" Toph said as she gagged bringing back her sturdy attitude.

Aang then laughed lightly before falling back into the soft pillows. The faint scent of enriched oils still laced in the fabric as Aang closed his eyes.

"Let's rest for a while…We'll head out to the Fire Nation tomorrow." Aang said as he kept his eyes shut.

"So soon?" Toph said with slight disappointment.

"Yea…Zuko said he needed me there for an important meeting." Aang said as he got more comfortable on the floor.

Toph sighed as she then stood up, "Well I'm gonna look around for a bit more okay?" Toph said as Aang nodded his head tiredly.

After that, the earthbender walked out of the room and back into the opened hall. Turning to the right she noticed something shining by a large ground of vegetation. Curious, she went to investigate.

HA! Hope you enjoyed that Zutara goodness! The scene was inspired from the movie Atonement. No copyright intended. It was just such a hot scene to write, I couldn't pass it up, especially after watching the movie two times!

I know there hasn't been much Taang…But you'll get something good next chapter! Please review and comment or no updates! Haha, at least not soon anyways.

The more reviews, the faster I'll update! Thanks for reading! Also the quotes are from Lao Tzu. He was a philosopher of ancient China and is a central figure in Taoism.