Zuko paced nervously, just a mere few inches behind Master Hao. His eyes grew heavy with exhaustion and worry yet they never left the sight of his paling wife, curling in agony upon the bed. His heart was hammering so furiously that he found it difficult to catch the whispering snippets of observations of Hao, as he tended to the Fire Lady. Zuko felt his temper rising, What is taking so long? Help her! Then Hao stood straight and clearing his throat quietly he reported,

'Honourable Fire Lord Zuko, I regret that Her Royal Highness, Fire Lady Katara grows ever weak with fever, I think it best that she be moved immediately to the infirmary tower, where she may be tended to by the royal healers.'

Frozen, Zuko found it hard to reply, his eyes searching his beautiful wife's faces for some sign, any sign of agreeance or encouragement. Katara summoned her voice again, leaning shakily up on one weary elbow she stammered, 'I-…. I don't know if I could make-…' The fire lady slumped back onto the bed, her face lying still and lifeless.

'Tara!' Zuko surged forward to her, cupping her feverish face in his hands.

'My Lord I will summon the infirmary guards immediately to transport Fire Lady Katara, she must be healed right away.' Hao spoke urgently, but still maintained his humble gaze downwards in respect.

'No! It will take too long.' Zuko crouched by his wives bedside and peeled back the rest of the covers from her shoulders. He pulled her into his body, his strong hands slipping slightly through the coat of blood that lined the backs of her legs and seeped traitorously through her night dress. Once he had her cradled safely against his torso, Zuko rose to his feet, holding his precious wife against his bare flesh, he felt her swollen belly slide against his chest and that sickening pang of dread hit his stomach.

'Very well Fire Lord Zuko.' Hao bowed respectfully, yet turning on his heels sharply to lead him from the chamber. The Infirmary Tower was some distance from the Royal Family quarters. There were many tapestry lined halls and corridors, stair wells and passages. Katara was well into her eight month of pregnancy. Zuko would never dare comment, for fear of a well-aimed water whip, that she had certainly bloomed to a sizable weight, which became ever more awkward and uncomfortable for her to carry around, but now his muscles strained as the made their way. They finally reached the Infirmary, where they were greeted by flanks of palace physicians and healers. The Fire Lord laid his wife carefully upon a canvas bed, and was immediately swept aside by a young healer, dressed in the traditional water tribe blue.

'Apologies, most Honourable Fire Lord Zuko.' She bowed quickly as they ushered through to an adjoining room. 'Master Hao will need to act quickly, and the area must be sterile.' She kept her head low, a sense of fear coursing through her, not knowing the Fire Lords reaction to such a brash move. But Zuko said nothing. His blank ivory face locked on the distant floor. Slowly his gaze shifted to the water tribe girl stood in front of him. Her powder blue robes reached shortly above her ankles, the traditional darker blue leggings showing through the side slit that came to her knees. However the pristine white trims of her sleeves were tucked away as the fabric rolled up to reveal her tanned brown arms. Her dark hair was tightly bound back in a single long plait, tied with a blue shell bead. Her cheeks grew hot as Zuko's gaze lingered on her.

'My Lord?...' She stammered, as Zukos eyes flicked suddenly up at her voice. 'My Lord, please be reassured that Lady Katara is in the safest healing hands in all of the four nations.' She offered a meek smile. When Zuko made yet again no reply, her attention turned to his bloodied torso.

'If My Lord would wish to clean, there is a wash room across from here' She beckoned the Fire Lord through to a small tiled room. There was a simple basin and a jug of freshly heated water beneath a rounded plate of mirror, along with a stack of neatly folded white towels.

'Thank you. I apologise, my mind is elsewhere for the time being.' The girl jumped in shock- The Fire Lord should never thank his staff, and he should never apologise.

'My Lord, it is my duty and my honour to serve. I shall have fresh clothes brought for you at once, and send for His Majesty's foot men to bathe and dress My Lord.' She returned her humble eyes to the ground and bowed gracefully.

'That will not be necessary.' Zuko fingered the handle of the porcelain jug and turned. 'What is your name?'

She girl eyes grew wide and her voice faltered slightly as she spoke. 'I am Kanora, Your Majesty, of the Northern Water Tribe.' She bowed as she addressed him. Shortly after their marriage, Katara had made great political strides in her role as the new Fire Lady. Her first achievement had been to establish new healing schools in all of the major cities across the four nations. She then appointed the most accomplished of them to the hospitals and infirmaries, instating a few gifted healers to the Palace to serve under the royal physicians. It had been a great accomplishment for the bridge between the nations, supplying the war battered water tribes with more jobs and training, and spreading their healing knowledge throughout, firstly into the Earth Kingdom, where even young girls of Earth heritage strived in learning the healing ways of water. Kanora was a gifted healer, and took her place alongside her fellow sisters in the Fire Palace.

'Thank you, Kanora of the Northern Water Tribe.' Zuko embraced a slight smile, before Kanora bowed and existed. He remembered Katara, Katara from the times of the war. How she had worn the same, traditional blue robes, her hair tied back in the same orderly braid, and of course those hair loopies. He thought of her eyes, those blue and beautiful eyes. The same eyes that had begged forgiveness and cried in sorrow in his arms just a few short moments ago. He braced his hand around the stone basin. Feeling it heat below his raging finger tips. Looking up to the mirror, he took in his blood stained appearance. He reached for a a moistened wash cloth that lay abandoned over the side of the basin. Running it down his torso, he cut a sharp line through the red smears. He reached just above his belly and slowly revealed the star shape scar that embellished his pale flesh. The touch of the cloth was a numb echo of sensation through the marred skin. Wiping his wife precious blood from his body, he thoughtfully traced the shape of the lighting wound, memories flashing through his mind of that fateful night that Katara had saved his life. He remembered waking up to the tear blue eyes, looking down on him. The tender embrace of her body hugged around in as he rose from what should have been his death.

There was a sharp rap on the door to the wash room.

'If His Most Honourable Fire Lord is prepared, I have fresh robes waiting for My Lord.' It was the family head serving woman, Yenna. Yenna had served the Royal family since before Zuko could remember, she had been the only servant to allow him to retreat to his bed chambers in escape from Princess Azula and her friends when he was young. She would tell the Princess that Zuko had moved to another of the Palaces gardens, and send them on a wild goose chase around the vast palace grounds.

'Yes, Yenna. Entre.' Zuko quickly finished wiping down his torso and ringed out the blood soaked cloth into the basin, just as Yenna stepped through the doorway followed by three other male servers. She set a pile of freshly prepared clothes on a bench that ran down one side of the small room.

'I hope My Lord will not think it presumptuous of a humble serving woman, but I have prepared His Majesties training robes. They are softer and for more comfortable than His formal attire' Yenna bowed and stepped back from the bench as she spoke, concern clearly ringing her aging face.

'Thank You Yenna, this is entirely acceptable.' Zuko did not turn to face them. 'Please. I will dress myself. I wish to be left alone.'

'If My Lord so wishes.' Zuko heard their soft footsteps echo away from the wash room. He quickly pulled on the loose fitting silk pants and upper robe, neatly tying a thick sash around his waist, which pressed delicately upon his cleaned scar.

As He left the wash room, Zuko was met again by Yenna, who gently lifted her eyes from their spot on the ground between them as she spoke. 'My Lord Zuko. Master Hao informs me that they maybe sometime until there is news on Lady Katara's health. Perhaps My Lord will be better suited to await news in His personal lounge?'

'No. I will stay in the Tower.'

'My Lord there is a room through from the wards, the healers shall be told to rest elsewhere.' Yenna stepped forward and bowed and she neared Zuko, this was breaking protocol to address the Fire Lord so close to his person. 'My Lord, Lady Katara is a strong warrior. Agni, Yue and the spirits with her, she will pull through.'

Zuko screwed his eyes shut. Pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed the nape of his neck.
She is strong. She will be okay. She will. She has to be.