CHAPTER 27
KATARAS POV
Why hadn't she seen him in days? Zuko had not come to see her since the night they had dinner after he announced her and Salai at court. Why did it seem like this palace was more of a prison than vindication? She felt like a bird, locked in a gilded cage.
"Princess Katara you have a guest" called her servant in waiting, Sho.
Sho was never too far behind Katara, no more than three paces away to be exact. She looked up from her baby laying across a plush blanket in the grass.
Since Katara was the resident of the Fire Lady's quarter's technically Ursa's garden was her space. But it still felt odd for other's entering it to be referred to as her guests.
"Who?" Katara asked curiously. She hadn't had a visitor since Uncle had lunch with her the first day she arrived and the only time she ever saw Zuko was in her dreams of him sneaking into her room at night.
"It is Lady Mai" Sho said under her breath, looking over to the side. Katara followed her gaze eventually coming upon the raven haired Lady standing in the arched entryway. Katara's heart jumped in her chest as their eyes locked, the other woman's intimidating stare piercing her. The water bender cleared her throat before gesturing in front of her.
"Please…sit" Katara nodded her head towards the iron seat next to her. She then bent forward lifting her baby up from the ground and cradling him.
Mai walked slowly toward Katara, her dark robes flowing like ink behind her.
The two shared another look as Mai settled into her seat across from the water bender. She regarded Katara with a cool gaze. Her overall expression was unimpressed to say the least. Katara furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Can I assist you with something?" the water bender asked.
"I want to be completely honest with you…because let's face it at the core of it we're both two women who want the same thing. I don't want to play this game where I pretend to like you, and we both put on a façade in front of others" she said plainly, her raspy voice cutting through the air like knives.
Katara rolled her eyes.
"Why would you assume that you are relevant enough for me to not like you Mai? In fact I have no feelings regarding you at all. I don't know you" Katara stated, matching the other woman's matter of fact attitude. Mai scoffed, her porcelain face wrinkling into a scowl.
"You would do well to get to know me Lady Katara, I am an Ukano…someone very revered by the Fire Nation people. I would not underestimate the power of public opinion" she grinned.
"It's not up to the people, it's up to Zuko."
Mai laughed aloud, startling Katara briefly. She quieted after a while before wiping a stray tear.
"If it were up to Zuko you'd have a crown on you and your little bastard's head already-"
"Enough" Katara sneered, not taking that smear against her son lightly.
"Zuko has a council to answer to… besides I want to make something very clear…I always get what I want water bender…and you are directly standing in the way of what I want most."
Katara stared at her in silence, her piercing gaze pointing daggers at the other woman.
"You barely know him" Katara bit out as she squinted.
Mai grinned slyly before readjusting her position in her seat.
"You don't understand. I've prepared my entire life to be a Fire royal. My parents promised me to Zuko the moment I became friends with Azula. I don't need to know him to belong to him Katara. I have been his since I was a girl."
Now it was the water bender's turn to glare.
"It's Princess Katara" she corrected tightly.
Mai stood up gracefully giving Katara one last stare before turning to leave.
ZUKOS POV
Zuko walked briskly across the perfectly manicured clearing with Suki close on his heels. He was practically jogging, but attempting to keep up the appearance of a regal Lord.
He was late to his first ever fatherly duty.
His council had held him over time as they argued over Zuko's marital affairs for the fourth day in a row.
And now he was late.
Katara had sent a letter through a servant to Zuko that morning stating that Song had come to visit her and she would like the morning to have brunch without the baby. Katara did not trust anyone within the palace aside from Suki and Uncle with Akuzo whom were both busy protecting the city, so she requested that Zuko watch him.
The young King felt ashamed that his wife felt that the only way to get to him was through a letter, even though they lived beneath the same roof. He had to admit he had not seen her awake in a few days. Every night he would sneak into her room to sleep and wake up before the sun. She most likely had no idea he was coming to see her at night.
Zuko had been busy…but he was also admittedly avoiding her. For some reason whenever he looked at her nowadays he felt this stabbing feeling in his heart. His gut would twist into a knot while his throat would threaten to close. Something inside of him still believed she was dead and could not process the reality of her being alive. His mind had been warped by the process of grieving only to be turned upside down. Zuko remembered a few months ago praying to every god he knew to give her back to him, even just for one day…one hour. He was terrified that the gods had answered his prayer, and that there was an expiration date to his wish. He did not deserve to have the family he was gifted. He had not protected them.
They had died on his watch.
He was out of breath by the time he reached the west wing and entered the Fire Lady's quarters. Sure enough he found Katara in the nursery breast feeding Akuzo. She sat in the white linen rocking chair, the warm morning light glowing off of her skin. She wore a simple pink dress with embroidered flowers along the hem. Her hair was down, the curls cascading down her shoulders to her waist.
"Sorry I'm late" he wheezed "the council was caught in a disagreement."
Her blue eyes looked up from the baby and locked in on him.
"Could this be the same disagreement that's kept you away for four days?"
He looked down before grabbing the back of his neck.
"Well…yes, you see I-"
"Mai came to visit me" she interrupted. Zuko sputtered for a bit, feeling a flash of emotions he could not regulate.
"What did she say?" he asked hesitantly.
"Why does it matter? What happened to sending her away at once?" she asked pointedly. Zuko took a deep breath, not prepared to have this conversation.
"That was my intention but-"
"But what Zuko? Because I didn't come here to be a pawn in some twisted political game. I came here because I love you and I want our son to grow up with both of his parents. But…but you've barely even looked at me since you found us" she cried, tears welling in her eyes "I had to write a fucking letter to you for you to even interact with your son! Zuko this is not what I signed up for and I'd rather go home to the South Pole than be ganged up on by the nasty women of your court every day and ignored by my so called husband!"
Akuzo began to cry as his mother became increasingly more upset. She was standing up now, her eyes looking ablaze with anger. Zuko stood there dumbly, completely speechless. Katara stormed over to him placing a crying Akuzo in his arms before stomping to the door.
"There's extra milk in the kitchen cooler for when he gets hungry, ask Sho she knows where it is." That was her final statement before slamming the door closed.
As soon as Katara's presence left the room Akuzo began to wail louder. Zuko looked down at his son in apprehension, not knowing the first thing to do.
KATARAS POV
Katara pushed the guilt down of leaving her crying son with Zuko as she walked through the west wing's hallways.
He had to learn.
Clearly if she did not force Zuko to step up and be a dad he would not do it on his own. Although it was painful she could deal with Zuko ignoring her. However what she could not tolerate was Zuko being absent in their son's life. If she was to sacrifice her happiness living in this hellscape of a palace then Salai would have both of his parents be active in his upbringing. She would die on that hill if she had to.
It didn't take long for her to reach the garden. Song was already there waiting for her, and the servants had laid out a spread on the iron table for them to enjoy.
"Song" Katara exclaimed as she rushed over. The other girl stood quickly opening her arms to accept the water bender's embrace.
"I thought I'd never see you again" she whispered as she squeezed her tighter. Katara pulled back slightly, surveying Song's expression. Her gentle smile still held the same infectiousness Katara remembered, her full lips pulled back to reveal her big white teeth, her round brown eyes turning into half-moons.
"Thank you for coming to visit me" Katara breathed, nearly in tears. She had been so isolated for the past two weeks she believed she'd drown in the sounds of her own thoughts. It felt so good to be amongst a familiar face who loved her.
Both Katara and Song sat down, Katara pouring their tea. As the steam wafted in the air the scent of orange and jasmine filtered through their noses.
"What brings you to the Fire Nation?" Katara asked.
"I live here now. I've been here only one week. Since my father died I find that I have no real reason to remain in the Earth Kingdom. May and Haru are engaged and Leila went off to University in Ba Sing Se. I think I just want to travel and live in different places around the world for a while" she explained.
Katara smiled, happy that she'd finally have a friend not too far away.
"Are you here in the capitol?"
"Of course! I need to be where all the action is" she smiled.
Katara giggled placing a pastry on her plate.
"So tell me…how is it being married to a King? I have not heard anyone announce your coronation as Fire Lady" Song said, wasting no time getting to the meat of things.
Katara sighed.
"We are not married anymore. And I may never be Queen if his council doesn't agree" she explained, her mood immediately going sour.
"What?!" Song choked, nearly spitting out her tea.
"Our marriage was annulled when I was pronounced dead nearly a year ago." Song was quiet for a while before she looked up at Katara again.
"Why were they so sure you were dead?"
"They found my sister in law's remains in the Earth Kingdom. She was pregnant as well at the time…she was wearing my wedding ring…so they thought she was me" Katara said in a low voice, tears surfacing at the memory of Yue's last moments.
Song offered no more questions on the topic, taking pity on her friend.
"I am so sorry Katara. Even though you two are not legally married I am still happy you found each other again. And it looks like the comforts of palace life suite you well" Song admired trying to lighten the mood as she surveyed Katara's hand stitched pink silk dress.
"Song I am miserable here. You are the first smiling face I've seen in two weeks. Every woman here at court hates me, and this woman Mai… is after Zuko like a puma-viper…they made her Queen consort."
Song's smile morphed into a frown slowly.
"How is Zuko handling all of this?" she asked.
"I barely see him. He is always away with his council or doing La knows what. It seems he will do anything to avoid Salai and I at any cost. I had to force him to spend time with his own son today. He is not the same Zuko…he is different somehow. He drinks so much more and is just…angry" Katara whispered staring blanky at a spot on the table.
Song grabbed Katara's hands from across the spread of pastries. The water benders tear filled eyes snapped up to meet hers.
"Let me join the court" Song said quickly.
"What?" Katara asked in confusion.
"You need an ally here to help you. Ask Zuko to let me join his court, that way you won't be so lonely here at the palace" she smiled. Katara finally smiled and nodded, squeezing her friend's hand back tightly.
For the first time in two weeks she felt hopeful.
ZUKOS POV
Zuko stared dumbly as he watched Suki prepare a bottle of milk for the wailing baby in his arms. Her warrior's gear clanked loudly as she maneuvered around the kitchen, eventually coming upon Katara's milk stash in the kitchen's ice box. Suki unscrewed one of the jars quickly before pouring it's contents in the bottle and fastening on the nipple part.
"Here, warm it slightly" she instructed as she handed it to him.
Zuko took the glass bottle into his hands and heated it mildly so that it would be warm and not hot.
"Test it on the inside of your wrist. The skin is sensitive there…you'll know if it's too hot" she encouraged. Zuko went through the steps, discovering that he had in fact heated it too much. If Suki hadn't been there he'd have burned the inside of his son's mouth.
"How do you know all this stuff?" Zuko asked, thankful for her guidance.
"I used to nanny all the time for the older Kyoshi warriors…I've learned a thing or two over the years" she smiled.
"I thought Kyoshi warriors couldn't marry?"
Akuzo had finally stopped crying, more interested in the conversation they were having.
"If you are in active duty. Most Kyoshi retire if they want to start a family" she explained.
Zuko tested the temperature of the milk again before putting it to Akuzo's lips. His son latched greedily onto the nipple, consuming the milk rapidly. Zuko laughed, having finally felt like he did something right after an hour of wailing.
"Look at you….fatherhood looks good on you" Suki joined in the laughter.
Zuko sobered, finally looking at Suki.
"Thank you" he rasped "for everything."
Zuko wasn't just talking about her helping him with Akuzo…Suki had been his backbone for the past year. She had protected him, helped him grieve, and witnessed him at his lowest. The warrior had remained a loyal friend through it all, never giving up on him, her support never wavering.
Suki gave him a smile before stepping away towards the door.
"I think you've got it from here papa Zuko." Her voice was warm as she exited the kitchens, leaving the King there holding his son. Akuzo stared back at him as he fed, his big golden eyes tracking Zuko's every movement. He could not understand how his son managed to have the golden eye color of his people but the same clearness of his mother's eyes. They were like honey that had been filtered over and over, the gold so diaphanous, he felt that he could see into the depths of his spirit. He was a beautiful boy.
Zuko could already tell that his son's spirit was much like his own. Fiery, tenacious, but contemplative and endearing. The King very much felt as if he was looking at a reflection of himself. Zuko vowed to always protect him, and nurture him in the ways he himself should have been nurtured. Zuko was done running from his responsibilities as a father. Maybe in many ways he was terrified. He had never seen a good example of a dad until meeting Katara's father Hakoda, and even he had been absent half their lives.
He smiled down at his son, excited for his heirs prosperous future. Zuko had spent his entire lifetime trying to create a world where future generations could be safe. He felt pride that his son would grow up in a place where the nations worked together and not against each other, and when the time came for him to be Fire Lord the world would be ready for him. But the only way he could do that was through solidifying Katara's future. They had to be married for Akuzo's title to be real…otherwise any children Zuko sired with his actual wife would be placed as heir. Akuzo would be a prince in name alone…but nothing more.
Zuko could not, and would not let that happen.
He walked out of the room and through the halls towards the west wing. The Fire Lord watched as his son's eyes became glazed over just before shutting completely. His breathing became even before they reached the Fire Lady's quarters where Zuko made himself comfortable.
END CHAPTER 27