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Borealis: A Zutara Story	By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 34026 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, any historical figures or events, or easily recognizable persons, places or things. I make no profit from this work of fanfiction

Chapter List
- 21
- 22
- 23
Disclaimer: This isn't a crossover but Mine is the character Mine from Fruits Basket created by Natsuki Takaya. She loves dressing up girls in the dresses she makes.
Chapter 21
“Zu-” Katara began then remembered what he said about addressing him in public, “Prince Zuko, you didn’t have to do that.” She really didn’t think he’d go to such lengths on her behalf.
“I did,” Zuko explained helping her into the carriage. “Royal concubines are placed directly under the protection of the Fire Lord or prince who appointed them. Your injury is a personal insult and direct challenge to my authority. As Crown Prince how could I ever be trusted with the position of Fire Lord and protecting the nation if first as a man I am unable to protect my woman? As Grandfather Azulon’s royal concubines those hags knew that. I’m just sorry they hurt you to get to me.”
Zuko caught his error and glanced sideways at Katara hoping the Waterbender didn’t realize he’d just called her his woman.
“Well you didn’t have to be so harsh and relocate them,” Katara replied feigning ignorance to his statement. She hoped he meant it in the general sense, not that he actually thought of her as his. As soon as she got the chance she was killing him, rescuing Aang and Sokka, hopping on Appa and leaving.
“I was lenient. Great-grandfather Soizin whipped a woman for making one if his concubines break a nail. Father has killed several people because he didn’t like how they looked at or spoke to Mother. They hurt you Katara and the way they did it was so I would be the one causing the injury. I knew they had their own agenda and your presence is a threat to them but still I trusted them to give you clothing and behaved rashly afterwards without bothering to consider that they could have been plotting.”
“It’s my fault you were injured. I should have checked the clothes before giving them to you. I should have und-”Zuko stopped before he said he should have undressed her fully before forcing her. “I should have understood there was a reason they were being so helpful. They wanted to make me look like a gullible fool willing to act on anything without thinking.”
“Today it was giving you a dress that had been tampered with; tomorrow I could be participating in a plot to overthrow my own throne. I supposed I should be grateful for the lesson,” he added bitterly.
Katara decided to change the subject, “Zuko what did they do to that dress?”
She listened intently as Zuko explained it was small pieces of metal pulled into threads that mimicked the texture of koalasheep wool. She couldn’t believe they the purposely did that to children to teach them to be still until he pulled up his pants legs and showed her his own faint scars. Her parents had equally awarded and withheld treats to encourage proper behavior. Spankings were rare and used only when all other means of correction had been exhausted. She couldn’t imagine growing up with parents who deliberately tortured and banished their own children. She felt a pang of sympathy for the boy Zuko had been but this new information explained a lot about how he turned out.

They rode in silence until they reached what reminded Katara of the boutiques in Ba Sing Se’s upper district. The carriage stopped and Zuko helped her to the street and into the store. Once inside Katara retracted her initial thought, this place made the boutiques in the Upper Ring in Ba Sing Se seem like a cloth stall in the lower ring market. It wasn’t her money, but she couldn’t imagine spending enough to feed Sokka for a year on one shirt. “Prince Zuko, are you sure this is the right shop?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong with it? It was my mother’s favorite store," Zuko stated defensively. He’d never purchased women’s clothing but based on the knowledge of others he knew it was far more expensive than men’s.
“There’s nothing wrong with it. I’m just sure there are more reasonably priced stores. I can replace my entire wardrobe with the price of that one scarf,” She uttered unable to get over her sticker shock.
As if she sensed the pending loss of business the owner chose that exact moment to interrupt. She bowed and used what Toph would call her best fancy lady voice to intone, “Prince Zuko it is so lovely to see you. Are you looking for something for your sister?”
“Not unless you sell tranquilizer darts,” Zuko muttered under his breath causing Katara to smile before he returned the store owner’s greeting, “It’s nice to see you as well Mine. I’m looking for something for my companion.
“I’d heard you and Lady Mai were getting along very well. Just one moment I’ll pull her size for you,” The shop owner beamed while moving behind the counter.
“Mine, I’m not looking to purchase anything for Lady Mai. I’m looking for items for Lady Katara,” Zuko corrected placing his hand on the small of Waterbender’s back. She bristled at his touch.
“Lady Katara?” The woman asked puzzled looking from the prince to the woman she’d assumed was a servant. Mine quickly recovered and warmly extended her hand to Katara while smiling brightly, “Oh yes, Lady Katara. Please forgive my earlier lapse. Please come with me. I’ll be delighted to take your measurements.”
Water Tribe or not, she was with the prince. Mine firmly understood the value of not offending her clients, especially those with royalty’s deep pockets. He could come in ask for a dress for a dragon moose and she’d be happy to make it.
“You have such a lovely figure, no wonder you captured the eye of the prince. And your complexion, I have the perfect thing to match it!” she exclaimed genuinely. Most of the women in the Fire Nation were pale so there were some colors she didn’t often get a chance to play with.
Katara grew nervous as the bespectacled woman dancing around draping her with bits fabric in various shades of pink, purple, red, blue, white, gold, gray, and orange. The order of the colors was rearranged several times until the woman decided they were perfect and she began pinning them together to loosely fit Katara’s frame. She laughed maniacally then summoned the prince.
After a brief argument which Zuko lost on both fronts it was agreed that Katara was correct that there were more suitable places to get bending clothing and everyday wear. Mine smiled and told them to come back in three hours.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading, voting and reviewing. I apologize to anyone who saw chapter 20 posted twice instead of chapter 21.
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- 23
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Borealis: A Zutara Story