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Kiss of Fire	By : Spleef Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > General Views: 75165 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 12
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- 14
Kiss of Fire

Chapter 13 – Rise of a New Day

o0o0o0o
Katara

I lay in bed silently the next morning, thinking about the previous day. It had been one of the biggest and most important days of my life, and even now I was still trying to process everything that had happened. It was not yet dawn, though I could see the sky lighten just a little. My husband was still sleeping, and when I pulled myself to a sitting position, I was careful to not wake him up.
This quiet moment was no different from the times I had woken up before him, or fallen asleep after him. I often took this time to think about the man beside me, and the life that I had started to accept. I was now consort and wife to the Fire Lord, which made me the most powerful woman in the nation, although to me that did not mean much. I had no desire to exert my will over affairs of state. The Fire Lord was not one to be swayed by others, that much I knew. I had no experience making the kind of decisions that the Fire Lord and his advisers made on a daily basis. All I wanted was a happy and productive life. Could I really do good here? My life so far for the most part had been quiet, as I had not been formally introduced to the Court yet. My meetings with the important people here – Ging Lei, Jeong Jeong, Kamas among others, had been private, so the meetings had been more comfortable for me.
I was nervous about being in Court and having so many critical eyes upon me. I prayed that it would go well, and that I would maintain myself with dignity and please my husband. That important day was tomorrow, and my heart pounded at the thought.
I looked back at my husband. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping, as if he was meditating on a happy thought. Meditation was of utmost importance to him, and he often went to the chamber he used for that purpose before he came to bed. Whenever he came out of the chamber, he always seemed so calm and peaceful and he would look at me more gently. But when I had ventured to ask him about us a few nights ago, he answers were as evasive as ever. It seemed that what was between us would remain a mystery, at least to me.
I had no desire to interrupt him when he was like this, so I remained in my thoughts for a bit as the sky lightened more. Soon enough, I was unable to ignore the way my body was feeling. The area between my legs was sore, and I thought about the attention that the Fire Lord had given me. I would never forget how his lips or hands explored my body, or how I had surrendered so wantonly to him. I could not help but wonder if he had been such an ardent lover to any of his previous concubines. A sudden surge of jealousy stirred within me at the thought of my husband sharing such passion with other women, even though he had none others now. Zuko had told me that I was special to him, and I hoped that he gave me more pleasure than he had ever given any other woman. I found myself surprised at such thoughts.
He stirred but did not say anything, so I said nothing. I rested my chin on my knees and continued looking outside as the sky grew even lighter. I started to get out of bed, but an arm wrapped around my middle, pulling me back down. I found a warm body snuggled up to mine, and a muscular leg draped across my own as if he was afraid that I would suddenly flee.
“You’re not leaving me, not ever.” the Fire Lord said in a husky whisper, as if he was still asleep.
I felt a firm nuzzle to the side of my face as his embrace tightened. Part of me was happy that he greeted me with such affection in the morning, and I hoped it would always be this way. I may have been afraid by him and what he offered me, but the fact remained that I was a human being, with the need for comfort and safety. And I did indeed feel both when he held me. I had no desire to lose that, which meant that I wanted to keep his attention.
“Good morning, my lord.” I said softly, nuzzling him back. His hand slid along my body, as if to reassure himself that I was here. I shivered a little as his hand slid along my stomach, traveling down to my thigh and what lay between the two points. His hand traveled back up to caress my face gently, and I could not help but lean my head into his hand. This brought the barest hint of a smile to his face, and he continued stroking.
“Sleep well?” he whispered in a voice almost too soft for me to hear. I looked up at him and nodded.
“And you?” I ventured to ask.
“I did, indeed.” my husband whispered as he continued holding me. One arm cradled me, while the other caressed my cheek. I could almost cry at this tender moment that we were having. At this moment, I forgot that he was the Fire Lord. Right now, he was just my husband, a man who had ensured that I shared his pleasure, a man who sought my attention and caress, a man who was now administering to me lovingly.
I lay there silently as I looked down at the fancy quilt and taking in the ornate design, letting my eyes travel along the dragons and children sewn into the red satin. I relaxed, feeling him hold and stroke me as he pleased. It was a cool morning, and the bed was so warm and cozy. I pulled the blanket up to my chin and snuggled closer to him. He hugged me tightly, resting his chin on the top of my head. I was becoming addicted to his body heat, for it felt nice to wake up in the mornings like this.

o0o0o0o
Zuko

I ran my hand along her hip under the blanket, relishing the soft curve of flesh. It seemed almost impossible to believe, that we were now truly married, that she really was here with me. I was tempted to climb on top of her and take her again, but I had no desire to break this loving moment. I liked how she snuggled up to me, and hoped that she would become even more comfortable around me in the future, as she had been so long ago.
She remained silent as I caressed her arm, and I wished she would talk to me openly, like we had done before. I wanted her to tell me that she enjoyed last night, that she enjoyed being with me, that she wanted more of my touch. She seemed afraid to make her wishes clear to me. I kissed her forehead before sliding my hand between her legs. She whimpered a little and I paused, glancing at her face.
“Does it hurt?” I asked. Hesitantly, she nodded.
“It is not that I did not enjoy last night, my lord. But it was my first time and I am quite... unused to your fierceness.”
“The dragon is fierce because you fill it with such passion.” I shot back.
“You call it a dragon too?” she asked. She gave out a squeak and put her hand over her mouth, her cheeks pink.
“So... you think it's a dragon too?” I asked with an approving purr. She blushed even more and looked away.
“When you are... aroused, it is not hard to see it that way.” she finally admitted after a few moments.
“Well, you are a beautiful treasure...” I whispered into her ear. “My most precious treasure, and the dragon is very passionate about it...”
She looked up at me calmly for a moment before a smile spread across her face. “Well, I still need a bit of time... but the dragon is welcome to check on his treasure tonight.”
Ah, that's the Katara I know and love. I grinned and nodded.

o0o0o0o

Katara approached me, wearing her blue robe as I finished heating the water in the bathtub. I wanted to relax with a morning bath before breakfast, and motioned for her to take off her robe. She untied it and it pooled around her feet. I had to make a conscious effort to keep the dragon at bay, so to speak.
I sat there in the hot water, beckoning her forward. She smiled, blushing a little as she stepped into the water. I wasted no time in pulling her into my lap, rubbing my hand along her back as she leaned her head on my shoulder. I have to be honest, I was supremely relieved when she wanted to have sex with me last night. Turns out that giving her a choice was all she – and I – needed. I smiled as I stroked her hair.
When we were done, I draped her in one of my soft and thick bathrobes. She regarded me with a sweet smile before wrapping her arms around me. I scooped her up in my arms and carried her back to bed. This day off had been a long time in coming, I had been so busy getting caught up since our arrival in Sozun that a day alone with my wife was overdue. Katara had never complained about the time I spent away from her, but I didn't have to be told to see that she was a bit lonely despite her getting used to her new life.
She snuggled up against me, almost looking like a child in a robe that was too big for her, but it was an endearing sight. I stroked her cheek. My wife whimpered softly and leaned her face into my hand, nuzzling it as if she were a kitten seeking comfort. I took her hands into mine, kissing them as I looked into her eyes. My hand was gently tugged to her lips and she kissed and nuzzled it, as if thanking it for the gentle touches it had given her. Her small hand caressed mine and she held onto it as if she was afraid to let go. My heart skipped a beat, for she had done this, a long time ago. It almost seemed as if she was remembering how much I had enjoyed it when she did that.
Her hand gently traveled along my palm and down to my wrist and I paused, glancing at her. A slight shiver passed through me as I felt her fingers slide along the inside of my arm, pushing the sleeve of my robe down. Her touch was almost maddening, but I held back, letting her explore my arm and hand. Her fingers gently ran up and down, the pads of her fingertips featherlight on my skin.
I felt her lips on the pulse point of my wrist and remained silent, though I closed my eyes. I concentrated on the pleasure of her touch. When she set my hand down, I felt a twinge of disappointment. It seemed that the moments of pain lasted far too long, and the ones of pleasure were far too short.
But I felt her hand on my face, and leaned my head into her touch. Her fingers explored my face, and I opened my eyes a little, noting the concentration and curiosity on her face. Her fingers traveled along the edge of my scar. The nerve endings were pretty much dead, and I could barely feel a caress if anything. But to know that she was touching it, and that she did not look at it with revulsion soothed me. I lay my head back on the pillow, staring up with half-lidded eyes.
For a moment, I thought I saw sadness in her eyes. I felt something fall on my cheek, and realized it was a tear. I opened my eyes all the way and focused on her face, seeing her wipe away another tear with her free hand. I blinked and touched her cheek, very concerned with her tears. Did the sight of my scar make her cry?
“What’s wrong?” I asked softly. She whimpered and shook her head, turning her face away.
“Is it my scar?”
“No, my lord.”
“Then why do you weep?” I demanded.

o0o0o0o
Katara

I was not sure why I had cried. He certainly had done nothing to warrant my tears, but when I had stroked his scar I had been struck with such poignant familiarity that I had no idea how else to react. My heart had skipped a beat and I had been overwhelmed by the stirring of emotion deep within myself. I saw the concern in his eyes, and quickly composed myself.
“I’m sorry, my lord. It just happened. I don’t know why. Please, forgive me.” I whispered. He said nothing, but he wiped the tears from my cheeks with his fingers.
After we ate breakfast, he took notice of the gifts that I had wrapped for him. Hana had left them for him, and I prayed that he would enjoy them.
“I… bought you a few gifts when I was in Omashu. I would have bought more, but there wasn’t much time and… and I did not know what else you would like…” I said hesitantly. My husband had said nothing about me giving him gifts, and he had demanded no dowry from my father, but I hoped to please him. He opened the first package to reveal a book. I remembered his mention of his interest in books, and had scoured through the shops for books or other things that I thought might interest him. He looked at the cover and the first few pages without saying anything. The book was carefully set down, and he unwrapped the other packages.
“I hope you enjoy them… You said that you enjoyed books, and it seemed the best gift to buy you…”
“I am very pleased with these gifts. You obviously gave a lot of thought when you picked them, and I shall enjoy them.” my husband replied, and I saw that his expression was gentle. I almost slumped with relief, but maintained my posture and bowed my head.
“I hope you will enjoy your gifts too. I have a surprise for you.” I heard him say. I looked up at him curiously. What did I not have that he would give me? I had my own luxurious apartment, fine clothes and jewelry, my own servants and guards, access to his library, and freedom to roam about the grounds. Not to mention his attention, the attention that he promised I would always have.
He drew closer and stroked my cheek, and I looked up at him quietly. I always felt better around him when he was more soft and loving, instead of aloof or distant like he could be at times, as he always was when others were around.
“Court is not in session today, so we have the Palace to ourselves.” he grinned. “Go get dressed.”
After the two of us were properly dressed, I wandered the halls of the Palace with him. I had for the most part remained within my apartment, other more private parts of the palace, and the grounds. I had not seen the throne room or other more public areas yet. It was nice to see new parts of the Palace, and have my husband show me around. This was the first time he had done such a thing – usually it was Kuzon or Ging Lei who showed me around. The first level of the Palace was impressive, and the throne room was huge. I could barely see the ceiling. There was a majesty to Fire Nation architecture and decoration that the palace in Omashu was lacking, and I had been fascinated by its art since I had come here.
It was empty at this moment, although I knew it would be full tomorrow. And I would be part of that as well. My heart thudded as I considered that impending event.
“You will sit near my throne, there.” the Fire Lord stated as he motioned to an area near said throne, off to the side, and I nodded.
“As you wish, my lord.” I said softly, blanching a little as I saw that I would be out in the open even if I was located to the side, in very public view. I had been hoping for something out of the way. But I held my tongue, and followed him as he led me to the Council room.
I looked around curiously I stepped into the room, realizing that I was most likely the first woman to come here in a very, very long time. There was a raised platform against the opposite wall, where I knew that my husband sat as he presided over meetings. Along the right wall was a large map of the world and I could not help but stare at it. I had seen maps before with my father, but none such as this.
The map seemed quite new, or it was at least well-taken care of. The lands that belonged to each Nation was signified in a color – red, yellow, and blue, but the colors were muted and subtle, done in a thin wash of watercolor. My eyes traveled along the map and its lands. I had never seen such a superbly crafted map, and with its size, it was easy to place islands and other smaller features upon it. Cities were marked with small but neat calligraphy, as were rivers, mountains, and other such features. I knew that my father would be impressed with such a map, and appreciate its artistry.
“You like it?” I heard my husband ask as he came up behind me.
“I’ve never seen such a map!” I admitted.
“It took almost a decade to craft. I sent many of my people out to map and survey the world, and with all the information they gathered, this is the result. Possibly the most accurate map in the world.”
“I won’t contest that.” I replied softly. I saw a small smile appear on his face, his eyes brightening faintly.
“Are there any other maps like this?” I asked.
“Copies have been made, but none to this scale. And all the information is stored in the library, copied and shared with the Water Tribes.”
I nodded, looking back at the map. The islands to the west were all Fire Nation, this was common knowledge. Most of the western shores of the Great Continent were also Fire Nation. Along the northern and southern shores, much of the land was marked blue, with a bit of red here and there, and the area around the Foggy Swamp was also surrounded in blue.
Along the other wall were smaller maps, many showing only partial views of the world, or the Nation itself.
“If I may ask a question, my lord?” I asked hesitantly, hoping that what I wanted to ask did not seem too nosy to him.
“Yes?”
“What is it like being Fire Lord?”
He stared at me for several moments with a bit of surprise, but I detected no displeasure.
“Hmm…” he whispered after several moments.

o0o0o0o
Zuko

A long time ago, she had asked me what it had been like to be Prince of the Fire Nation. Now she was asking me almost the same thing. What was it like being Fire Lord? How do I answer that question? Mentally, I scrambled for something to start with.
“It’s not easy.” I stated. And it was not. Some of the Fire Lords in the past were more self-indulgent, concentrating on their pleasures and showing less concern and interest in affairs of state. The responsibilities were then foisted off on more capable relatives or advisers while said Lord merely used his title to improve the luxury of his life. I refused to be like that, and though my responsibilities weighed very heavily upon my shoulders, I bore them.
“I can only imagine. But… does it make you feel good? Making all of these decisions and guiding your country?” she asked. I relaxed a little and nodded.
“Yes. It feels good to know that you are doing your best and making the correct decisions that your Nation needs. But it is not easy. The decisions made affects countless people, so I have to consider each one carefully. Military, economic, trade… one wrong decision can negatively affect many lives. It very difficult at times to make decisions where you do not even meet or know the people that it will affect.” I replied. Her eyes glimmered with compassion, and she touched my arm.
“My lord, I have no doubt that you try your best. You have been ruling for a long time, and my father speaks highly of your reign. I agree with him. I’m no expert in history, but I know that the Avatar is not solely responsible for the current state of the world.” she stated. I nodded briefly.
“Thank you for your kind words.” I replied simply.
“I wasn’t trying to be nice. I’m just stating the truth. I thought you wanted me to always be honest with you.”
I could not help but smile a little.
“I know. But it was still nice to hear.” I said, and she smiled back at me.

o0o0o0o
Katara

We were seated in the Fire Lord’s palanquin, surrounded by a thin wall of gauzy silk. I was curious as to where he was taking me. It was nice to be out on the grounds with him, and I had to admit, I was very much enjoying my day with him. I reclined against the cushion, taking a glance outside before I looked back at him. He seemed to be deep in thought, so I did not venture to speak. I turned my attention outside again, seeing the outline of everything through the silk.
It was a relatively short trip, and the vehicle came to a stop, being lowered. My husband stepped out, and two guards rushed forward to assist me.
We had stopped in front of a small gate, which was either brand-new, or freshly repaired or repainted with gleaming red and gold colors. I wondered if we were going to another shrine. Just above it, a small plaque carved out marble bore the characters for ‘harmony’, 融合. I said nothing as I followed him through it.
It was a pleasant setting, and I saw that it was a garden. I knew there were several around the grounds. There was a large one in front of the Palace, near the gates to the Imperial city, open to the Court. There were several others, smaller but private. I learned that in the past, some of the Fire Ladies or Princesses who liked to garden would have their own small plots of land. Kuzon had shown me the garden that belonged to his great-grandmother, Aila. It had fallen out of order, but it still held a lovely quality around it, and the Prince enjoyed romping around in it sometimes when he was allowed outside to play.
I took note of the variety of lilies planted in seemingly random but pleasant arrangements here and there. Their sweet scent wafted over to me as I followed my husband along the path, which was made of dark gray stepping-stones here and there.
We came to a pond fed by a stream, and I saw several large koi swim about. A small bridge, made of ornately carved dark wood, curved across the stream and I gasped softly when I saw a small moon-peach tree on the other side. It almost seemed as if this garden had been made for me – but I had never told my husband that I loved moon peaches. Near the pond was a small building, which looked like a bungalow to me. The structure was made of dark wood, with lovely cream-colored walls, and the roof and pillars had the usual ornate decoration that was inevitable with the Palace buildings, but the design resembled water to me.
This garden as breathtakingly beautiful and I slowly turned myself around in a circle, taking in everything. I was no expert gardener, but I had learned enough from An Mei about the basics, and I could see that much of what was here had been freshly planted. It was obvious that plenty of thought had been put in its construction. It was so serene here, the way things were arranged, the lovely little house nestled in a grove of bamboo, the flowers, the stream and the pond, the peach tree. I could not help but kneel by the pond, staring down at the fish that swam around hopefully, apparently waiting for crumbs or for me to poke my finger in the water.
I sensed my husband’s presence as he sat down next to me, and I looked up at him.
“Do you like it here?” he asked.
“Of course I do, my lord. It is so beautiful here.” I stated, and I saw a glimmer of pleasure in his eyes.
“It is yours.”
“Pardon?” I asked as I glanced at him curiously.
“It is my gift to you.” he replied and I felt tears burning behind my eyes. All of this? For me? I had not expected such… a beautiful and thoughtful gift!
“You can work on your Bending here in the pond, or come here to meditate or relax. You have your own gardener to maintain it for you, and if there is anything you wish to plant or remove, all you need to do is tell him.” he stated. I nodded a little. The groundskeeping staff had their own quarters, located in a building near the vegetable gardens. I had gone over there to meet the head of the department and his staff when Ging Lei showed me around.
“All of this… mine…?” I whispered, still surprised that I had received such a gift. I was unable to stop the tears that came down my cheeks.

o0o0o0o
Zuko

I saw her cry, and raised my hand to cup her cheek, using my thumb to wipe the tear from her face.
“It’s such a beautiful gift, Zuko... How can I ever repay you?” she whispered. I shook my head as I continued wiping her cheeks. She did look beautiful with tears, but a long time ago, I had made her cry, and not in a good way. Seeing her tears reminded me of how I had hurt her before.
“This is a gift. I give it to you freely. All I ask in repayment is that you enjoy it.” I whispered as I lowered my head, pressing my lips to her cheek. I wrapped an arm around her, keeping her at my side as I wiped her face.
We remained at the pond, not a single word exchanged between us, for there was no need. I absorbed the tranquility of the surroundings, hugging my wife close.
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Kiss of Fire