'Ok so, for a boy….'
'Isn't it a bit early? You said you didn't want any announcements until at least one month in.' Zuko embraced the top of his wife's head against his cheek, her silky hair brushing his scarred skin. Katara lay in the bed with him, As Zuko sat up against the velveted head board, and she laid soothingly a top his taught chest, gently caressing a hand along his ribs.
'Male Family names then; Sokka, no- we would never here the end of the future Fire Lord Sokka. Hadoka, I don't think my father would be all to flattered or offended. Ermmm….'
'How about Ozia?...Or Azulon? Maybe Sozin?' Zuko tried his best to keep his voice as serious as he could manage, staring down to see Katara's reaction. She flicked her eyes up and back towards him.
'Best not aye? Tempting fate and all.' She traced tantalising circles in the flesh of his abdomen with her fingertips.
'Iroh.' She stated simply, a ring of realisation in her voice. Zuko smiled,
'There was always meant to be a Fire Lord Iroh. Uncle may actually explode though, when he heard. We should remember to have all scalding hot tea pots removed from the room before-hand.' The pair chuckled softly. He squeezed Katara's shoulder and stroked her slender skin with his thumb, sending shivers down her spine. Katara's stretched out at his touch and buried her face deeper into his torso.
'Okay then, a girl?' Katara spoke softly into his warm, enticing flesh.
'Kya.' Zuko almost whispered, before placing a subtle kiss into the water benders hair. He felt her smile blossom across her beautiful face.
'Not Azula then?' She queried half-jokingly, turning to lay her head flat on his torso, to look up into at those golden eyes.
'My sister isn't the sentimental kind,' he smiled 'I feel that the gesture would be somewhat wasted.' Zuko stroked a hand through her dark hair, capturing a strand and twirling it around his fingers. Katara caught his hand in hers, holding his intense gaze. She bought his strong hand down to rest upon her flat, tanned tummy. His warmth spread through her, radiating from her core and stretching from head to foot. Zuko's face broke into a grin as he gently caressed, her hand still lying firmly a top his. A moment of perfect calm passed between the two until Katara stirred.
'My mother would have burst with joy.' She smiled looking down at her expectant belly, before fluttering her eyes back up to the fire benders.
'But I do think…' she squeezed tightly around his hand that lay blazing upon her tummy. '….it is high time that Ursa was reinstated to the royal house hold.' Zuko's eyes glimmered wildly. He bent down and pulled his loving wife into a soft embrace of a kiss, cupping her cool cheek in his free hand as he gently stroked the skin of her stomach.
He stroked a gentle thumb over the back of his wife's blazing hand. Her skin was always naturally so cool, the heat worried him. Feeling as good as useless sat holding her hand as her fever raged. Katara had not yet stirred. She lay in her canvas bed, a thin cotton sheet tucked up to her midriff. Her tanned skin was dull and pale, dotted with beads of sweat from her feverish brow. Which quivered gently as her eyes cautiously flickered open.
'..Z-Zuko…' She half-heartedly smiled, as her vision came into focus on the dishevelled Fire Lord.
'Tara! Thank Agni!' Zuko knelt at his wife's bed side, cupping her face and pressing his head to hers. 'I…I thought I would lose you.' His words where barely audible as he spoke softly against Katara's face. She grimaced and a slick tear rolled hurriedly down her slender cheek, dripping deafly onto the cotton pillow that cradled her head.
'I thought I had lost…' She trailed shakily from her sentence, blinking her eyes tightly shut. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, and then proceeding to wipe the offending tear from her warm cheek, Zuko smiled proudly.
'…her. Katara…. Our daughter is strong. And so will you be.'
'Daughter?!' Katara beamed up into her Husband's glowing golden eyes. 'Our Ursa?' The couple smiled and let out a chuckle of relief and happiness. When the door to the ward swung open, breaking that beautiful moment of joy between them.
It was Kanora, the young healer who had assisted Fire Lord Zuko this morning. She stopped dead in her tracks as she realised his presence, her face flushing a violent red as she quickly lowered her eyes to the humble way of a servant in the royal palace.
'Most Honourable Fire Lord Zuko, Lady Katara, please forgive me, I did not know…. I-' Kanora struggled to find the words to pardon her intrusion. Zuko decided to stop the young girl's misery.
'Kanora… of the…Northern? Water Tribe.' He spoke out across the room.
'Yes, Fire lord Zuko.' Kanora spoke to the marble floor as she bowed her head low.
'Please, continue your work Miss Kanora. I am most grateful for your healing skills.' He offered a rare smile towards the nervous Tribes-girl and pressed one fisted hand into the palm of his other as he bowed slightly in traditional Fire Nation manner. Kanora cautiously regained her stance and strode gingerly towards the bed. Producing a leather water skin from the belt around her waist and setting it upon the side table at the head of the bed. She glanced obediently at Katara, before speaking.
'Fire Lady Katara. I have come to dampen your fever and administer healing to the Royal Child.' She beckoned to the thin sheet that covered her swollen belly,
'If I may Your Majesty?' Katara nodded politely, letting her eyes flutter shut. Zuko rose from his knees and sat back in the chair that had been placed for him by his wife's bedside. Kanora peeled back the simple sheet and revealed the Fire Lady's protruding belly. Katara wore only her white bindings as she lay. The strips of pure white fabric sculpted its path around the swell of Katara's breasts, as another wrapped beneath her belly, down her thighs and stopping a distance before her knees. Her pregnant stomach clearly exposed, A long thin scar blazed its trail down the centre right of her bump. Zuko's eyes grew wide. He knew there would be a scar, but the sight still stirred in his mind. The young healer reached for her water skin, uncorking the leather pouch and drawing from it a delicate skein of gently pulsating water. The liquid spun restlessly upon her flat out laid palm until it became a single thin disc of glowing water. Carefully she placed it upon Katara's navel and Zuko watched in awe as it melted softly into her flesh, radiating a dull blue glow through her stretched tummy. Kanora then turned her attention to The Lady's fever, gloving one hand in the same pulsating water. She cupped her cooling hand along Katara's sweltering forehead, a hiss of water meeting the blazing heat, echoed around the quiet room. As Katara's eyes slowly fluttered open, Kanora removed her hand and smiled and she inclined her head into a subtle bow. She pulled the cotton sheet back up over Katara, flinching slightly when she shuddered as the thin materials came to rest again against the raging scar.
The scurrying shuffle of footsteps clattered in the corridor outside. Yenna appeared, flustered and clearly a little out of breath at the doorway.
'My Lord Zuko. Masters Jun, Lin- Teng and Beau Sao are awaiting your meeting in the throne room.' Zuko aimed an angry scowl at the elder woman.
'I hardly think this is the time Mistress Yenna.' He barked. 'Inform Masters Jun, Lin-Teng and Beau Sao, that their meeting will be re-arranged.' Katara wrapped a warm hand around her husbands, gently caressing the back of his hand.
'Zuko, please. I know how important this meeting is…You've been preparing for it for months now.' Zuko gazed down into those blue pools that pleaded up at him.
'But Tara I-'
'I'm not going anywhere.' Her grip tightened around his hand. 'I'll -….We'll….be right here when your meeting has finished….promise.' Katara inclined her eyes towards her belly and smiled meekly. Zuko couldn't stop his face from splitting into an uncontrollable grin.
'Okay. If My Lady wishes.' He lowered to her, and placed a tender kiss upon her lips. He noticed the lack of response from her own lips that only quivered weakly under his touch. He stroked her face with one of his own warm hands before raising his gaze back to Mistress Yenna.
'Have my robes prepared. I will meet with Masters Jun, Lin- Teng and Beau Sao shortly.' Yenna bowed rather more quickly than usual, a shiver of relief running through her.
'Yes My Lord.' And she led the two of them from the Infirmary Tower towards the Royal family quarters.