A/N: Woah! Its my first fic! I've honestly loved writing forever, and have created so many little stories here and there, but I have the worst attention span and never fleshed anything out. This is the first story I have a good outline for, and a loooot of writing already done. I am so excited to post this and go on this journey! I agonized over how to start this story (I literally have three versions of the first chapter now), as its sooo much exposition. Oops. But I'm ready to just post and get it out there for someone to enjoy:)
World notes:
This is obviously canon-divergent in many ways, that I can explore in more author's notes later, but I don't want to write too much off rip. Characters are aged up a bit for starters, and there is no avatar, or airbenders for that matter. It is in Katara's POV, however I am still deciding if I want to switch it up on occasion. There is also going to be a lot of world-building politically, not modern real life politics of course, but more so how different Nations stand in the wake of war and survival. I'm really looking forward to developing this. Second, Zuko never got banished. He has his scar, but there's no point in him being banished since the avatar was his form of redemption, but with no Avatar, there's no quest he could go on to redeem himself. Not yet at least! And, of course, this is a Zuatara story! It is still a good amount of plot though, so don't expect solely fluff. But there will be some. Fluff, angst, character development, questioning of morals, thats the idea.
Enough said for now, please enjoy (or don't, but thanks for giving it a chance)!
The Betrayal
It was on my walk back to my room, when I noticed it.
The black snow.
Seeing it made my heart jump in my chest, and I had to take a few steadying breaths; I needed to stay focused.
Yue had warned me, albeit not that much in advance, so I shouldn't have been surprised to see the soot-stained snow. It wasn't also particularly uncommon; every few months Fire Nation delegated paid a visit. But every time without fail, the black snow triggered unpleasant imagery of giant metal ships, of men with skeletal helmets, and of fire. I touched my necklace in a self-soothing gesture, although it too, along with the black snow, was linked to bad memories.
'It's okay,' I thought to myself in an attempt to steel my nerves. 'You have time. You're one step ahead. It's okay.'
I didn't even have time to process feelings of betrayal, as I was now trying to focus on survival mode. I was sure the anger would hit me later, but I simply didn't have the time to process that whole beast. Those emotions, hurt, anger, and betrayal... they were tucked away for now. Only one thing was at the front of my mind; survival.
'Okay. How much time do I have?' I asked myself. I recalled my conversation with Yue.
"They will be here by sunrise." She had told me. "Katara, I'm so sorry."
She shouldn't have apologized. It wasn't her fault her father chose to rat me out to the Fire Nation. In all honesty, although I was disappointed, I couldn't fully blame him. It still hurt though of course. But at the end of the day, Chief Arnook's loyalty was to the survival and well-being of his people, and I wasn't technically, or probably never would be, of the Northern Water Tribe. I was an outsider. Also, to his benefit, he probably didn't even come to this decision on his own. He likely gave into the building pressure from his council that had been accumulating over nearly a decade.
They all hated me, and the threat I posed to their idea of peace.
While the Southern Water Tribe had no qualms in declaring themselves enemies of the Fire Nation, the North Pole was not the same. The North opted for 'neutrality,' although that was a word I despised using and hearing. I don't believe in the idea of remaining neutral in times of war. The North never sent us aid during the Fire Nation's raids on the South, and that was something I could never forget or forgive. That to me was not neutrality; it was enabling. But still, it was the very foundation of the North Pole's peace. And neutrality of course, did not include harboring a wanted enemy of the Fire Nation.
I was seen as one of the biggest threats to the success of their war, and the Fire Nation was not keen on having living threats.
There was a threat of an Avatar, one who was supposed to be born from the Air Nomads. As legend had it, the Avatar was supposed to master all four elements, and restore balance to the world by reestablishing power to each nation. As soon as that legend was so much as speculated, very quickly the Airbenders ceased to exist at the hand of Firelord Sozin, one hundred years ago.
Then, at the coronation of Firelord Azulon, long before I was born, a fortune teller had foretold of a Southern Waterbender who would possess a unique ability that no other bender would be able to match, and that that Waterbender would be stronger than even the Firelord himself. I hadn't heard or read the prophecy myself, as I had serious skepticism about fortunetellers especially when my own future was involved, but it was enough to raise anxiety among the Fire Nation leaders. Again, and just as quickly as the Airbenders, the Fire Nation sent raids to the South Pole, to ensure there were would be no Southern benders; because if genocide worked once for them, why not again?
The South Pole didn't even know that such a prophecy had existed yet. The Waterbenders were taken and killed before even understanding why. And the Fire Nation returned every year for a few generations, to make sure they didn't miss anyone. The last generation to be filtered out, was the generation before me. The raid where my mother was taken from me.
For a while, everyone thought the Fire Nation succeeded as Azulon's reign ended, and power transferred over to the current Firelord Ozai. Before me.
It seemed like I was a non-bender, much to my family's relief of course. But at eleven years old, while watching my father teach Sokka how to fish, I remember the look of dread on my father's face when I had bent the water to help Sokka make his catch.
I was then sent to the North Pole because my father thought I would be safer. He thought I would be able to learn my element and to defend myself, and live in one of the last non war-torn cities left in the world. It had hurt, to feel banished from my home, but I understood. I'm sure it hurt for my dad too. Sokka didn't talk to him for weeks when he found out.
After nearly eight years of living in the North Pole, I began to think he was right about starting a new life here. I was learning my element (after years of overcoming a sexist society who initially refused to teach women, another North Pole 'quirk'), making friends, (well, one friend, Yue, the only person besides the Chief and his cabinet that knew I was from the Southern Tribe) and I felt safer.
And then everything changed, Yue had found me, and she warned me of my betrayal.
The white-haired princess had found me earlier today in my room, after one of my training sessions. She had barged into my room without even so much as knocking, extremely out of character for a prim and proper girl such as Yue. She hadn't pulled any punches with her words either.
"I don't have that much time to explain, Katara." She had said immediately, quickly closing the door behind her. "This is going to be a lot." She had looked over her shoulder in paranoid gesture and her voice lowered to barely above a whisper. Her blue eyes stuck out against the white of her hair and tan skin, concern evident in them. "I need you to know that the Fire Nation was tipped off that a Southern Waterbender is here. There have been Fire Nation officials here for weeks. That in itself isn't abnormal...In order for us to keep out of the war, they occasionally send delegates to ensure we don't have any plans to blindside them. But they've been visiting for longer, and more frequently...my father has become increasingly paranoid that somehow they will catch wind that he's been sheltering you, and he's afraid of that consequence." Yue hesitated and squeezed her eyes shut. A tear slipped down her tanned cheeks. "So he told them before they could find out on their own. Katara, my father told the Fire Lord about you months ago."
Months. Plural. I had been going about life as normal for months, completely unaware.
"What do you mean, months?" I started to raise my voice, but Yue gripped my shoulders and shushed me. She looked incredibly on edge.
"I know you're angry, but listen to me," she said firmly. "I found out from letters exchanged between the Fire Palace and my father. I had seen parchment with the Fire Nation's stamp, and I..." her cheeks turned pink in shame as she began to admit that even herself, a Princess, got nosy from time to time. "I read them. He informed Firelord Ozai that a Southern Waterbender is here. My father lied and posed this as a recent event. He did not share that you've been here for years. Ozai has tasked his children with finding you, and returning you to the fire nation as a quest. They're...competing with each other, making it some sort of..test to see who is the most worthy. I don't know Fire Nation politics well yet. I don't know if it is typical for a younger sibling to petition for the throne over an older, living successor. All I know is that this is their plan. I'm not sure if my father shared your name or identity yet, or if the Fire Lord shared it with his children. All I know is I saw the letter from Ozai thanking my father for his transparency, and that he would be sending someone to retrieve the bender. Now they're here, and are scheduled to meet with my father by sunrise. I think that is when they are planning on finding you."
"So they've made a competition out of killing me." I said numbly.
Yue looked ashamed. "Katara, I promise you, I did not know. I read the letters and came to you as fast as I could. I wish I had read them earlier." She said, clasping her hands in her ornately embroidered sleeves.
I put a hand on her shoulder. "I believe you." I said honestly.
I knew of the Fire Siblings, in brief. Pakku, not only my Waterbending teacher but also my mentor, would often times lecture me on the world beyond the North Pole. That included information about the outside world, of the other nations. I was surprised to learn Pakku shared my impressions of the North neutrality, and Pakku was open about his hatred for the Fire Lord.
He had told me about a Prince Zuko and a Princess Azula, so I wasn't completely in the dark when it came to the fire siblings. This knowledge prompted me to ask a very important question.
"So which one will be here by sunrise?" I asked, recalling to my mind all of the information about each heir Pakku had given me.
Yue's hesitation was my answer. She nervously fiddled with a necklace of her own, her betrothal necklace.
"Azula." I answered myself based on Yue's reaction.
From what I knew, Azula was the younger sibling. I remembered what Pakku had told me about her: "Do not get it wrong, both fire heirs are talented and dangerous. There has been stories, however, of Azula killing her own mentors in sparring sessions. She had apparently rejoiced in the death of her namesake Firelord Azulon in hopes of being one line closer in succession. She has also expressed joy in her cousin Lu Ten's death in the siege of Ba Sing Se so that she may one day achieve the feat herself. She is the duplicate of Firelord Ozai. It is said that if she reigns, it will be Ozai's second term."
That is who would be pursuing me by sunrise. Betrayal, anger, and now: intense fear.
"I have to go, Katara." Yue said, standing up. "You need to leave as soon as possible, tonight if you can. The ships might be docked as early as midnight, but the letters said they intend to leave their ships by sunrise." She ducked her head, and took off a necklace, a second one to her betrothal necklace. "Keep this. It was given to me for safety. It's water from the spirit oasis with special healing properties. I'm sorry this is the only way I can help you now." She gave me a small bow, clasping her hands in her sleeves. I wanted to tell her 'it's okay' or that there was no need for an apology, but i couldn't bring myself to lie.
I just slipped the necklace over my head, and started to formulate a plan.
I at least knew where to start.
Step one: find Pakku.
It was the middle of the night, and I had collected my belongings in a small backpack; my waterskin, a humble pouch of coins, a brush, some wrappings. I honestly didn't accumulate very many things over the past two years.
Despite the late hour, I needed to see Pakku as there was no one else I could trust save Yue, who was in a complicated position as daughter of the one who betrayed me. At first, the irrational side of me thought, "is Pakku apart of my betrayal? Did he know?" but as quickly as those thoughts came, they went. If there was a world where Pakku could do that to me, there was not a world where Pakku could do that to my gran-gran.
I had slowly left my room, and made sure to look as unhurried as possible as I walked through the streets.
All of the townspeople were lazily walking around, not even concerned with the black snow, used to Fire Nation visitors apparently. I would never get used to it.
I reached the main training plaza, and was dismayed to see Pakku was in the middle of a lesson. Sometimes he held lessons late at night fully dedicated to meditation, taking advantage of when the moon was at its peak.
Pakku must have heard my labored breathing and approaching footsteps; speed walking was still embarrassingly winding. "What are you doing here?" He asked, creaking open one eye at me.
What do I say? How could I convey that it's important, in front of his small audience of students?
"I have a message from Chief Arnook." I said, hoping my eyes sent a silent, desperate message to Pakku. "He said it was personal." I added, blue eyes quickly darting towards the group of male students eyeing me with annoyance for having interrupted their meditating.
Pakku stared for a long time. Was he taking in my desperate body language, and finally getting the hint? His eyes flicked down to the bag slung over my shoulder, and I could visibly see the thoughts forming in his mind. He grunted, pushed up from his cross-crossed position, and started walking a few paces away from unwanted listening ears.
Getting quite overwhelmed and impatient at this point, I could feel a lump of frustration in my throat. I cut right to the chase and tried to be as quick and brief as possible. "Yue informed me that Chief Arnook has been communicating with the Firelord's cabinet." I whispered quietly, hands shaking. Pakku's eyes flashed. "Arnook told them he has the last Southern Waterbender. I'm not sure if he shared my name. This discourse has been going on for over a month. The Firelord's children have been sent on some sort of mission to retrieve me to determine the next successor. Those ships at the harbor causing the soot are not peaceful delegates, it's likely Azula. They will depart from the harbor by sunrise."
Pakku cursed under his breath, a string of foul words that I honestly had never heard him use before. Although he definitely used colorful language when teaching, this was something else entirely. Did he feel betrayed too? He was, after all, assigned by the Chief himself to be my teacher, although it took Pakku years to agree.
"What do I do?" I whispered desperately, my eyes looking up at him, wide and fearful.
"Katara, listen to me." He said firmly, putting his hands on my shoulders, grounding me. "You are my very best pupil. Those boys back there," he jerked his chin over his shoulder in the general direction of his students, "are idiots. They're slow to learn, but not you. You have always understood and valued what a gift waterbending is. You are a Waterbender through and through, the element of adaptability." He stuck his chin up higher, looking at me with pride. I would have never expected such a glowing complement from him at a time like this. "You need to use that adaptability now. Arnook is a fool for thinking this is the solution to peace. The Firelord's children are as ruthless as their forefathers Sozin and Azulon. It is an embarrassment what a disservice our tribe has done to your people." Pakku's eyes closed with shame, but re-opend with his usual stern intensity. "You must make your way to the Earth Kingdom, one of the last places on this earth who have successfully fought against the Fire Nation."
Pakku grabbed a gloved hand, and placed something in it. I looked down, and it was a small, circular tile of a sorts. On both sides, was a painted lotus flower. Before I could ask about it, Pakku continued: "Take this with you and you will find guidance."
"How will I get there?" I asked.
"There is an Eastern part of the harbor by the city walls that is for fishing and commerce, away from the militant sections. The Fire Nation ships do not port there. That is your best chance."
I nodded in understanding.
"Thank you Pakku." I whispered. Although I never felt a whole lot of affection for my teacher before, I did now. I had the urge to give him a hug, to thank him for everything he taught me, but with his class behind him, I couldn't.
He nodded shortly. "Run like the river, Katara."
"Run like the river, Master Pakku." I gave him a deep, low bow. I had never bowed to pakku before, out of spite since he was cranky and stubborn most times. But now I felt stupid for it. Although not as low, Pakku returned my bow.
Two Months Prior..
Zuko had only felt this bad once before, and it was when he had received his scar from his father. That was a low moment for him, and so had been these past few weeks.
His whole crew avoided him as he stomped through the hallways, headed for his room. For once, no one had any stupid questions for him like "where's our next port?" "how are our supplies?" And that was a good thing, since Zuko really couldn't take any stupid questions. He had only been at sea for a couple of days, and he was already at his limit with his crew. He just wanted to be left alone. There was some irony in Zuko wanting to be alone, considering what bothered him so much was that his Uncle had decided not to come with him on his quest. Zuko couldn't stop replaying the last conversation they had together.
"Prince Zuko, I know what your father is asking of you. I know what you have at stake, my nephew. That does not make this path right. This is not your destiny."
"You have no idea what is at stake!" Zuko spat. He was breathing heavily. His adrenaline was still coursing through his veins, making his skin buzz, even though his meeting with his father and Azula had long been over by now. The meeting was over the throne, and his succession. He was no longer heir by default.
"Is this what you want? Do you want to be in the next generation of history books as the new Firelord Sozin? You want to do to the Southern Waterbenders what Sozin did to the Air Nomads?" Iroh placed both hands on Zuko's shoulders. "You are trying to do this for honor. There is no honor in genocide. This is not the way, Prince Zuko."
Zuko shrugged off his uncle's hands and stepped away. "Azula wouldn't see it that way. She would see it as the greatest honor to be compared to Sozin." It was true. When their father informed them of their task, Zuko had seen that glint in her eyes. Azula always had a competitive edge, and she was being given yet another opportunity to assert herself as superior and humiliate him. And he wouldn't let it happen again.
"You are not Azula, Zuko. Thank the spirits."
Zuko took another step back from his uncle. "You know that I deserve the throne. My father is giving Azula an opportunity to take it, and I wont let it happen. Do you want Azula on the throne?"
Iroh shook his head slowly and just repeated, "This is not your destiny, Zuko. This is not the way for you." Zuko took this as an opportunity to press forward. Surely his uncle had to understand what was at stake for him?
"I was humiliated in front of my entire nation, and I have this scar to continue to humiliate me for the rest of my life." He said, angrily pointing at the burn on his face. "My father doesn't see me as worthy. The throne has always belonged to the eldest, and this stupid quest is finally an opportunity for him to get rid of me for good." He rasped. "I'll prove him wrong. I'll prove everyone wrong. I'll prove to everyone I'm worthy."
"You are worthy to me, nephew." Uncle said sadly.
Zuko stared at him cooly."Thats not enough."
There was a stretch of silence between the two. Zuko could feel the shame start to creep in, a his uncle simply stared at his wordlessly, but he tried to hold it back, and keep himself grounded.
"Zuko." Iroh finally broke the silence. He clasped his hands together in his sleeves. "What do you plan on doing if you find the last Southern Waterbender?"
Zuko had not considered this. He didn't want to. "I'll take him to my father."
"Ozai will make you kill them."
"So be it."
Iroh bowed his head in shame. "Then this is where we part ways."
Zuko's eyes widened. "You're not coming with me?"
Iroh continued to look at the floor, his face set into a deep frown. He looked older in that moment. The older man slowly shook his head, and turned away. Zuko felt betrayed, and his temper began to flare. His hands balled into fists at his side, smoking.
"Fine then! You would only hold me back anyway!"
Zuko had stomped out of the room, not wanting looking at his uncle as he left.
Zuko stared at the ceiling. The guilt made him feel hollow, but he didn't know why. Zuko felt completely justified in his decision to pursue the stupid quest his father set out for himself and Azula. And Iroh was almost never disappointed in Zuko as Zuko grew up; in fact, he was always quite proud. In that moment, Zuko felt distance he had never felt before from his uncle. And he hated it.
Zuko tried to convince himself it was for the better. Azula had rejected Iroh as a mentor year ago, saying he would hold her back. And now look at Azula, a Firebending prodigy two years his junior, already outmatching her mentors. Her fire was blue. Maybe it was long overdue that Zuko parted ways from his uncle. Iroh was no longer the Dragon of the West he once was.
He tried not to think too long or hard about things. It just got complicated and made his head hurt. He wanted to keep it simple, keep a one track mind: find the Waterbender. Prove himself worthy to his country and father. Secure his succession.
There was a knock on the door, disrupting his thoughts, and Zuko groaned to himself in annoyance. He yanked open his door. "What?" He said flatly.
It was Lieutenant Jee, one of the higher ranking men on his ship. He was holding a scroll. "Prince Zuko, this letter was intercepted from the Southern Water tribe. I think you'll want to read this."
Zuko quickly straightened, his annoyance gone in an instant. "Give it here." He grabbed the scroll, his eyes scanning it rapidly. "This doesn't make sense. Why would Azula be going to the North then?"
"Perhaps she has a wrong lead?" Jee shrugged.
"Azula is never wrong."
"So what do we do sir?" Jee asked. "Continue following her lead North, or turn south?"
Zuko was silent for a moment. What would uncle do? Wait, he was done thinking about his uncle. What would Azula do? Azula was always two steps ahead. She wouldn't beeline it for the North if there wasn't something there. But there was also a chance that Zuko had an advantage with this letter with a direction that would pull him away from the North Pole.
"If we don't find success at the North, maybe Azula won't know where to go next, and we will. There's nothing to lose in continuing North since we have this," Zuko held up the scroll, "and she doesn't."
Lieutenant Jee nodded in agreement. "I'll tell the captain to continue our heading." Jee gave a bow, turned heel, and walked away.
Finally. For once, he had an advantage.
