The group was all gathered for lunch, and Sokka walked in with more food and shut and locked the door. "The Captain ordered me to bring you food. It worked perfectly."

"Good," Zuko said, nodding. "Everyone, please sit. Our first meeting is beginning. If you haven't met him, that's Sokka, Katara's brother." Everyone who hadn't shook hands with him and greeted him.

Katara was sitting at Zuko's right hand, and he used it to take hers in his hand and kiss her knuckles. "What next, darling?"

She looked around the room and smiled at them all, her brother, Aya, and Haru, Iroh, Nozomu (with his comical look of shock. He had no idea about a brother.), Kyo, Tohru, Yamato, and Kei.

"I think the beginning. Well, timeline-wise. Fire Lord Azulon ordered the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe murdered. My mother was killed, and the General came home in honor." A gasp of shock went up from around the table. She frowned and said, "my mother died protecting me." She bent the water in her drinking glass and made an ice sculpture of a Fire Lily. That drew even more shock. She was unsurprised that Kyo was just as startled as most of them. She knew Tohru wouldn't have given away her secret.

Nozomu whistled out. "Wow, you're a shock. That's for sure."

Zuko laughed. "There's more. My father's powerplay with Chief Hakoda worked better than he knew. Katara is his daughter, and Sokka is the heir to the Southern Water Tribes."

"Wow. No wonder he was so pissed," Yamato commented.

"As for the rest, you all know or strongly deduced. I intend to kill my Father and take the throne and make Katara my Fire Lady. Azula will need to be arrested, and I haven't decided about Mai and Ty Lee. I might just arrest Mai for annoying me."

"Well, there is more," Katara added. "I'm going to change the harem. There will be no marking of the women and Kei; I will need your help. You have access and know them well too. So I'd like to start making some of the women who are willing into spies and teach them to read and write code. And obviously, some will marry, and if any want to leave, they can."

"And Ozai's mistresses?" Kyo asked.

"A house in town for those two, and the palace picks up the bills. I don't think I want them around, and they saved all those girls so much. Even the wives benefited."

"And me?" Tohru asked.

"A room in the palace. I want my friends close, and you will be. You are set for life. You have choices, though."

She laughed. "Did everyone have an extensive conversation and decide to use that word? I don't need choices. I need self-respect. Something you're all working hard to give me. I want a place where I'm valued. I'm not running. I'm staying here." She turned her head, "And dammit, Kyo, I'm falling in love with you embarrassingly fast!" She crossed her arms and glared at him. "And, you were acting like I wouldn't want to be your girlfriend. Moron."

"Wow," he whispered. "That was hot. You look sexy, all hot and bothered. Can I get you to yell at me tonight?"

She chuckled and gave him a sly grin. "Oh yeah."

Sokka looked at Nozomu. "I know he's not getting laid," he said, pointing at Iroh. "Are you? I don't want to be the only young man not having fun."

Nozomu rolled his eyes. "What other women are on the ship?"

"The Lieutenant has one hidden in his room. You could too." Sokka pointed out.

"I can't believe I'm having this conversation. I sleep alone."

Sokka smiled. "Good!"

He then grew serious. "Zuko, Katara, I had an idea, and I think I need an epic side quest."

"To do what?" Zuko asked.

Sokka fidgeted. "That's the thing. I don't want to say. Can you trust me and let me take Yamato and Kei? They would be a huge help." He then frowned. "After all, I got figured out pretty easily by the Captain. I don't want to risk that again."

Tohru couldn't help herself. As much as she wanted to stay quiet and make everyone like her, she couldn't. "And what's wrong with Kyo?! Is it because you object to me? I can stay behind. He deserves to be asked!"

Sokka smiled. "I get it. I like you too. You're loyal. I was under the impression that you were starving before. We would have to forage for food sometimes and might not always have full bellies. I thought Kyo would kick my ass if I put you in that position. He's freaking scary! I don't want my face beat in; I'm too pretty. And as for staying behind, I wouldn't punish Kyo like that. I get the impression he would miss you too much." She blushed prettily at that.

Nozomu asked, "what's your plan for me?

"How does the title of first Secretary to the Fire Lord sound?" Zuko smiled wide and added, "you have a sweet sister you love. She's of marriageable age, and your father is… a degenerate gambler, and her dowry is gone. I'll double what it was and bring her to the palace. And she would be under Katara's protection."

"That's honestly more than I hoped for, my Fire Lord. Being under the Fire Lady's protection would ensure her a good marriage even without the dowry."

"Yes, but then she can marry for love and not money," Katara said. "She would have her own money and a choice."

Tohru laughed. "You all love that word. What if she just wants away from her father?"

Katara looked at her, shocked. "I'm projecting. I just realized that. I started to fall in love with Zuko when he gave me choices. I wasn't trapped in the harem anymore. Because it meant so much to me, because it helped me find abiding love, I just assume it's what everyone wants."

"Don't get me wrong," Tohru said. "Choices are good. But some people are happy just to survive."

"But that's not enough for me," Katara replied. "I don't want the people I care about to compromise. Not if anything can be done about it. My hope died in that harem, and Zuko gave me a new hope."

Zuko smiled and caressed Katara's cheek. "I'm so glad."

He then added, "we're changing the palace. Start now. I don't care what you do in your bedrooms, but it stays there. I want to show up at the palace again and be completely different. I wouldn't be fondling Katara in public."

Sokka breathed out, "thank goodness for that!"

Haru snorted, "he didn't say he wouldn't keep making her scream like a banshee."

Zuko smirked, "true."

"Can we stop talking about my sister and sex?" Sokka whined. "Oh, and my epic side quest?"

Zuko looked at Yamato and Kei. She said, "we're in if you say yes. I can cook on a campfire."

Zuko looked at Sokka steadily. "Come back in one piece –all of you. I wouldn't want to have to explain what happened to Katara if something bad happened to you."

Iroh took a sip of his tea. "And how do you plan on actually killing the Fire Lord? It isn't like a solution will drop in your laps."

There was a knock at the door, and Sokka got up to answer it and pretend to be the servant. As he did, he said, "maybe the solution knocks, Uncle."

He opened the door, and in walked a man who was obviously a powerful bender. He hadn't been on the ship when they left, and they were all aware of that fact.

"Prince Zuko," he said, bowing seriously as Sokka locked the door. "I had an interesting conversation with a lion-turtle that showed up at my place one day."

"And you are?" he asked warily.

The man smiled, transforming his face into a look of kindness. "Avatar Szeto. And I was told to help you kill the Fire Lord." He had been named after a previous Avatar since it was known he was going to inherit the title.

Sokka whistled and dropped into his chair. "Well, Uncle. Don't you look incredibly foolish now!"

He rolled his eyes, "I think I'm safe from that. This is unexpected."

Katara got out of her chair and went to fetch one for the man. Zuko said, "and what do you want in return?"

"The end of this war. Although I'm promised that's already going to happen by the lion-turtle."

"It is," Zuko confirmed.

Once everyone was sitting, Avatar Szeto said, "he was quite informative and also cryptic, annoyingly so. Apparently, I need to help the heir and the prophecy gain the duel throne."

"Prophesy? What?" Zuko asked. "What prophecy?"

"They're many," Szeto replied. "I don't suppose you have any ideas. All I could think of was the prophecy that Azulon knew of. But he had her killed."

"W-who?" Katara asked, shaking.

"The Lion-turtle mentioned yin and yang. Opposing elements and it made me think of fire and water on the throne. There was a prophecy that the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe would put her child on the Fire Nations' throne. But Azulon had her killed years ago."

"Eleven, almost twelve now," Katara said with a tear tracking down her face. "He ordered her murdered, and my mother died. She died hiding the truth." She waterbent and made the flower again. "She hid the fact that he really wanted me dead."

"Well, isn't that a kick in the groin to the rat-snake bastard? I despised that man." He looked at Zuko. "Your father is even worse than him."

Zuko nodded, "I agree entirely."

Szeto chuckled, "I'm assuming you're going to marry her. She's pretty."

"We're in love. And I promised her a throne. I'm marrying her."

"Damn, one thing you Fire Lords all have in common are beautiful women. Your mother was stunning too." He looked around the room. "Actually, is there a law you have to be an exceptionally pretty woman to be part of this group?" He pointed at Kei, "are you seeing anyone, pretty lady?"

"Me," Yamato answered. "I'm going to marry her. But, you have good taste. I like you." And really, he wasn't threatened. He was incredibly grateful. The Avatar had singled her out over two women from the harem. She always felt lacking next to the other women. He hoped it built her confidence.

"Are you faithful?" the Avatar asked Kei unperturbed.

Yamato changed his mind, and he was pissed. "I don't care who you are; I'll knock you on your fucking ass!"

Kei rolled her eyes, "yes, I'm faithful. And you, Avatar Szeto, need to stop trying to piss him off. What's your point?"

"A woman likes to feel cherished. Either you aren't, and I can have some fun, or you are, and he can show you he desires you."

"You're testing us," Nozomu said, crossing his arms.

"Zuko would have given her to me if he was like his father. The Fire Lord has offered me many women. Even his wife –I said no. He wants power and for me to help him subdue the world. I wanted to know if Zuko was like his father." He shrugged, "and if he was, I would have had a fun time with her. And then left you to fight your own battles."

Yamato was clenching his fists, trying to hold himself back. "It would have been over my dead body. And I would never serve a man that would order her to sleep with you! Zuko is a good man, and he will be a great Fire Lord. He's more than 'not like his father.' He's the hope of this whole nation!"

"And now I know more about him and the loyalty of his people," the Avatar said.

Sokka laughed. "You remind me of my sister!"

Szeto gave him a skeptical look. "What?"

"You handled him like she does the Fire Lord. Although when she does it, she's going after a ruler. And I still feel bad for him. She always wins." He then said, "I'm going to give you a hint. Don't mess with my sisters, people. She always protects her own."

"You're her brother?" he asked.

"Yup, and heir of the Southern Water Tribe."

Avatar Szeto smiled, "and it keeps getting even more interesting."

He canted his head towards Yamato. "Sorry for riling you up. I didn't mean to pick on you; I just admire your taste in women." He held up his hand to stop a comment. "I'm old, and I can see it in her eyes. You love her because she is a good woman. That goodness is attractive."

Yamato grumbled. "I'm so confused right now. I don't know if I should be flattered or pissed."

It was Tohru who said, "I think you should just believe he has good sense. She's so freaking earnest and kind." Kei was blushing fiercely.

"So what's the plan?" Sokka asked.

"I'm with you," the Avatar said. "When you head back, Zuko, you challenge Azula, and I challenge your father. Until the right time, I pretend to be in your debt." He smirked. "Have a pretty woman for me at the palace?"

Katara smiled. "What are you into?"

He pointed at Kei, "she's my type, and I'm not into hurting women."

"Stop," Yamato grumbled. He was so glad they would be on Sokka's "epic side quest."

"You'd be good to her?"

"Yes, and I want one woman. One who will be with me the whole time."

"I have a few ideas—one more question. Would you marry her if I'm right?"

"I'm old; would she want that?"

"Two of them, yes, you're the Avatar. That's huge. One I'd like you to really consider. She's good and kind. I'll introduce you at the palace when we get back. She's twenty-five."

"I could be her father."

Katara shrugged. "She would have distinction and honor as your wife. Plus, you're older than her father."

"I tease, but-"

"No," Katara said. "I have a woman for you. She's perfect, and she would genuinely feel honored. She could give you a child in your old age. One that would be valued among the Fire Nation. You could provide her with worth and a child to raise."

He cocked his head at her. "This matters to you."

"Zuko saved me from the harem. I want to save others. It matters a lot to me. I want them to get married and be happy. And it was pointed out to me that choice is my thing. She will be grateful."