Yamato, Kei, and Sokka slipped off the ship in the early morning. Once they were on land, Yamato asked, "where are we headed?"
"The Forgetful Valley. I want to find Zuko's mother," Sokka replied happily with a smile on his face.
"Kei," Yamato declared. "Hold me back so I don't kill him."
"Why?" Sokka asked, confused.
Kei sighed. "The Forgetful Valley is back in the Fire Nation. Why would you think it would be here?!"
Sokka shrugged and made an arching motion with his arm as he explained, "I said Epic. Side. Quest! Not a little jaunt. What did you expect?"
"Not to be further away than when we started!" Yamato said, frustrated.
"You can get back on the ship," Sokka pointed out.
Kei laughed. "I'm in if you are Yamato. After all, why not try to return from one place on earth that no one has returned from? Where's your sense of adventure?" Yamato couldn't keep himself from smiling at her and mumbling, "fine."
They started to walk and noticed Sokka wasn't following. They looked back, and his mouth was hanging open comically wide. He blinked and said, "no one has ever returned?"
Azula smiled wickedly. "He's really that strong now?"
"Yes," the man replied. "I saw my Captain lose to him, and he didn't even have to work that hard. And…" he held out trying to draw out the suspense. "Avatar Szeto is with him."
He then bowed and added, "you are more powerful than your brother by far, but the Avatar? He will fight with them."
She drummed her fingernails on the throne, deep in thought. "Even if he loses, and he will. He could put up a worthy battle now."
The man added his best bit of information. "Your father has officially made him the heir."
She shot out of the throne, pissed. "Lies!"
"No. I even brought an official decree."
She spun and ripped it from the man's hand, read it, then turned it to ash in her hands. "No, that's my title! I am heir. Me!" She stomped her foot, and smoke rose off her body.
She looked around the throne room, and all that was left were her closest friends. The others fled. "I will destroy them!"
Mai pursed her lips. "He brought Katara."
Azula rolled her eyes. "Then kill her."
"But your father…." Ty Lee said, trailing off when more smoke rose from Azula.
"He made my brother the heir. I gave him everything! Everything dammit! I conquered Ba Sing Se! Even my Uncle failed at that!" She stomped her foot again. "That's my title!"
She then angrily stormed from the room, leaving scorched footprints behind.
Tohru groaned and rolled over in bed. "Ugh. I don't want to get up. I'm exhausted."
Kyo started kissing her body. "Oh? And why is that?" He asked with false innocence.
She chuckled. "Like you don't know. We had so much sex last night. You kept me up late."
He licked her breast and smiled at her. "I can't help myself around you. You're wildly tempting." He then nipped her tit. "And you make all these delicious noises as I fuck your hot body. Not to mention that you weren't complaining one bit. Actually, I believe I had you begging at one point." He started kissing all over her breasts.
"Ugh," she moaned in frustration and sweet surrender. She then slid her legs apart.
He chuckled into her breast and moved and thrust into her. "I knew I could persuade you again." He sucked her tit and then said, "you know you love me buried inside of you."
She laughed. "It's just my way of not having to get out of bed yet."
Zuko frowned, looking at the land from where they stood on the deck of the ship. "I'm not looking forward to this but it's necessary. I'm sure there was a point when we got along as children."
Katara wrapped her arms around him lovingly. "You are so strong. I'm sorry you have to be now. I wish I could take this from you."
He leaned into her embrace. "I was a weak man before you. You are my strength. Everyone sees it. Even your brother."
She kissed his cheek tenderly. "I merely help you see your true strength. I am blessed to be able to do that for you."
His eyes slipped shut, and he smiled. "You are my calm."
"And you are my hope."
Zuko sighed, "and I will battle her. I just lament the destruction of this choice. Once I defeat her it's over. There will be no hope of reconciliation between us."
Katara stayed silent, and he chuckled. "You already believe there isn't hope," he said.
"I wouldn't let you destroy a chance to have your sister by your side. I already believe there is no way she can be made to care for you. The death of Ozai will be the nail in the coffin, not this battle."
"And I let her live?"
"Can you kill her?"
"No, not now. Probably not ever without an excellent reason."
Katara said, "then tomorrow we capture her."
Mai walked out of the throne room with Ty Lee. They had made an excuse for why they had to leave, and Azula had grudgingly accepted it.
"She's not herself," Ty Lee dared to whisper.
Mai shook her head. "She's not, even as much as I want Katara out of the way. I don't want her dead."
"And if Zuko loves her?"
"How could he? She's not one of us?" Mai said. "And he's… He's supposed to love me."
Ty Lee left that alone for now. "What do we do about Azula?"
"Try and help her find her way. She's too close to losing her mind. I want to help her back," Mai admitted.
That night Katara couldn't help herself; her broody prince looked dark and dangerous. He was practicing Firebending with his shirt off, preparing for the coming battle.
He let out an arch of blazing flame and spun, ready to shoot out the next one, when he caught Katara's eye and saw the simmering passion in her. He could tell her whole focus was on his muscled body. And she was taking pleasure in the view.
He paused and turned to face her fully, and still, her eyes were glued to his muscled chest. "My eyes are up here," he teased.
"That's nice," she teased back. "I'm enjoying your body."
"Yours is such a temptation," Zuko commented. "And I'm feeling like giving in."
She gave him a heated look, finally raising her eyes to his. "You said everyone had to behave in public. We are on the deck of the ship."
He walked towards her, then kept walking, passing by her. As he did he said, "We do have a room." She was by his side instantly.
They got to the room, and Katara's hands went to his chest. "Watching your rippling muscles drives me so wild. You're hot, and I'm wet," she said, licking the salt from his pec. "So wet."
He grabbed her breasts. "Your clothes are getting on my nerves. I like your chest too. I want to suck on your perky tits.
They tore at each other's clothes and tossed them to the floor. They were haphazardly scattered around the room.
She pushed him on his back on the bed and rubbed her hands over his rippling muscles as he flexed for her. His hand went to the folds over her pussy, and she moaned. "Zuko, I'm so wet for you. You might be a Firebender, but you get me wet constantly. Can you feel what watching you did to me?"
"Yes, Katara, you're dripping wet. I did this to you, Firebending?"
"Seeing your raw power in fire and your muscled body? Oh yeah. It gets me every time. And when you dominate someone at sparring, it's an added thrill." She wrapped her fingers around his engorged cock and pumped.
He flipped her on her back and hovered over her muscles, flexing. She arched her back and moaned at the very sight of him. "Please. I want to feel your power dominate me."
He fisted her hair, tugging lightly, and angled her head, giving him access to her neck. He nipped and sucked his way down. He didn't leave marks, but he left a trail of goosebumps in his wake.
He looked down and smirked. "Your nipples are pebbled already."
"My whole body is reacting to you, Zuko. My toes are even curling."
He slowly penetrated her, moving into her inch by glorious inch. She moaned and locked eyes with him. "I love the way it feels as you enter me. You're so big, and I love the stretch I get from you. I'm yours. Use me if you want to. I don't care as long as you never leave me."
"Katara," he said while setting a slow, steady pace. "I love you, but I will use your body for my pleasure. I'm just glad you get pleasure out of it too." He grunted from the strain of keeping a slower pace. "I'm thinking of sitting on the Fire Nation throne late one night and having you on your knees sucking me off."
"Sounds exciting."
"You're mine until death. I won't ever grow tired of you. I love you and need you too damn much."