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Push and Pull	By : AngelaBlythe Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female > Katara/Zuko Views: 19400 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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
- 6
- 7
- 8
PUSH AND PULL
CHAPTER 07: Silver Tongue
Part I
Katara sat silently before their small campfire. She had her blanket over her shoulders, and she had yet to do up her hair again after her ‘battle’ with Captain Fong and his Dai Li agents. She and Zuko had met up with Zuko’s uncle not far away from Captain Fong’s camp, and they’d ‘borrowed’ two ostrich horses. Zuko wanted to take three, but Katara had convinced him to let the Earth Kingdom soldiers keep one more. It was very late, but Katara couldn’t sleep. Every once in a while she would hear the raised voices of Zuko and Iroh.
When they had arrived at where they wanted to rest, Zuko and his uncle built a fire and went off into the woods. Katara knew they were talking about her…and what to do about the solar eclipse. She never caught words, but Zuko sounded really angry. Once or twice the fire before her flared and Katara knew that wasn’t a good sign at all.
She was absolutely devastated to see Zuko again. She had hoped to run away from him, run away from the guilt she felt over her betrayal; not only for hitting him with an ice club, but for her message about the eclipse. She knew it wasn’t rational, but she felt such grief at the thought of Zuko’s people dying – at what HIS reaction would be – that she didn’t feel right about making the decision herself. It would have been different if he’d never saved her. She frowned. Yes, it would be different. Because she would be dead. She had no illusions; she would have died at Azula’s hands if Zuko had not rescued her.
Part of her wanted to hate him for that, but she couldn’t. She was coming to understand him – not fully. She wasn’t sure she would ever FULLY understand Prince Zuko. But she was coming to like him. And perhaps…with time…maybe even love him. The thought of love, so foreign to her, made her shiver. Zuko wasn’t completely immune to her. She knew he felt something for her, though if it was disgust or something more kind she didn’t know.
The thought of betraying him and the thought of him hating her had driven Katara to throw herself at him. Perhaps it was cowardly, but she would rather be a coward than a monster. And she would be a monster if she betrayed someone she felt so strongly for, betrayed them and led to the deaths of countless of their people. Zuko might be banished and labeled a traitor, but she knew that he still felt like a prince, that he dreamed of ruling the Fire Nation, and that he still felt a connection to his people.
That, if nothing else, stayed her hand…or her mouth… Now the decision was Zuko’s. No one would ever know he made it, so that was perhaps why it was so important to him. He could protect his nation with a word. “Katara, I don’t want you to go to the North Pole.” That was all he had to say, and Katara would not go. She had promised to go. She had sworn. She had suffered more than she ever thought possible for that promise. But if Zuko told her not to go, she would go wherever he told her instead.
She wished she could hear them. She wished she knew what they were saying…what they thought of her… But she stayed pinned to her sleeping furs. She really didn’t have any room to make mistakes right now…and getting caught eavesdropping would only anger Zuko more. Not that she really feared his anger…but she did fear his hate…
When she looked up she saw Zuko and Iroh emerging from the woods and walking towards the fire. Both had serious looks on their faces, and Katara could tell they were none-too happy about any of this. She steeled herself for anything that might come, her nails biting into the palms of her hands.
For a moment, no one spoke. But when Zuko did speak, he sounded more like a prince than Katara had ever heard. “If we’re going to do this, I’m going to want a few insurances.” Katara’s eyes widened, but said nothing because of the look he gave her. “Firstly, I want a strict attack-to-wound policy. I won’t stand for outright slaughter. Many soldiers are firebenders, and they’ll be almost completely incapacitated. Second, all new recruits should be treated as gently as possible, even sent home, as they have not been involved long enough to cause trouble. Third, all high ranking officers are to be given fair trails after the war is over by a joint court of all nations.”
Katara looked up at him with bright eyes, feeling her heart soar. “Zuko –” she began breathlessly.
“I’m not finished,” Zuko said quickly. “In addition, you will not let the Water Tribe chief know the date of the eclipse until the last possible moment, so that he cannot change his mind at the last moment. And when we have delivered your message…you have to come back with me to the Earth Kingdom.” His jaw clenched. “And promise you will take no further actions in the war that will place you in physical danger.”
Katara felt her lower lip tremble. Inside she was smiling broadly, her emotions a rainbow of pride and love and adoration. This was Zuko. This was Prince Zuko. Here was the man that could lead the Fire Nation…save his people…and save the world…
Despite the fact that his uncle was watching (a proud beam on his face) Katara rose from her sleeping furs and walked around the fire to the sitting prince. She smiled softly and knelt down, winding her arms around his shoulders and hugging him. He didn’t respond, but Katara didn’t care. After a moment she smiled into his neck. “Thank you, Zuko,” she whispered.
Then she rose and slipped quietly into her bedroll. A small smile graced her lips as she fell asleep.
Part II
Their journey north was long and…agitating. Zuko was constantly torn about his decision concerning Katara and the solar eclipse. And to top it all off, he shared an ostrich horse with the one person he wanted to kiss silly…among other things…and he was unable to. Not because of his uncle (though that might be uncomfortable), not because he was disgusted with her because of her solar eclipse talk, not because he was apprehensive about her reaction (she’d been fairly clear that she felt something for him), but because he was acutely aware that now was not the right time.
If that was a lame reason not to kiss someone, then Zuko felt pretty lame. He had never let women interrupt him when it came to his duties before, and he wasn’t about to start now. Sure, he had never had someone like Katara around to distract him, but if he couldn’t resist one woman when he had a job to do, what made him think he could run a country? His first and foremost duty was to ensure his country’s welfare, while balancing the knowledge that if something wasn’t done, his country would attack and slaughter countless people when Sozin’s Comet came.
Discovering a happy medium with his uncle had not been easy or pleasant. His uncle railed about the balance of the universe – the balance that the Fire Nation would disrupt if they were able to harness the comet. He pointed out all the innocent deaths that had occurred the first time around – nearly every single Air Nomad. He mentioned all the things that Zuko had tried so hard to shut out about his nation. All the pain and suffering they had caused the people of the Earth Kingdom in the last hundred years.
Eventually Zuko had to face the clean facts. If something could be done to halt the efficiency of the Fire Nation by taking advantage of the solar eclipse, then perhaps something would have to happen. But Zuko still couldn’t allow Fire Nation soldiers – his people – to be coldly slaughtered during their time of weakness. When Zuko was a young boy there had been a partial eclipse over the Fire Islands. It had been the worst thing that had ever happened to him. Many were sick for weeks afterwards, and even Azula had cried. It didn’t affect normal people, but all firebenders were incapacitated almost completely for days.
If the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom were able to attack on the solar eclipse it would be slaughter. Katara had said it herself. So the stipulations Zuko put in place were there to try to save as many of his people as possible. They would probably be jailed, possibly treated poorly until the war was over – and who knew how long that would be – but at least they would be alive and unable to harm anyone until then. And officers would receive trials. That was important, too.
But something that weighed equally as much to him was Katara. He wouldn’t see her harmed because of this war. She had suffered too much already at the hands of his sister, and she was constantly putting herself in danger. That would have to stop. He didn’t know his exact feelings for Katara, but he knew if she were taken from him or harmed in any way, the chances that he would never recover were great. Of course, he cared for her. He wasn’t heartless. Whether he loved her…whether she loved him…he didn’t know.
Zuko took a deep breath of sea air when they first came in sight of the ocean. Down the hill was a port town with several ships docked. He could not see their make or national symbols, but none of them were made of steel. That gave him hope. Perhaps the war had not yet reached these lands as they were as far away as anything from the Fire Nation and her ships.
Katara’s arms were slack around his waist. They had been for an hour or so, and he thought she was asleep. She didn’t know how much she tortured him, how much her constant contact was on his mind for hours and hours, how he imagined her lips and breasts and hips… Zuko closed his eyes against the images, but they were rather insistent. He knew she couldn’t be doing this on purpose. She was asleep, but he desired her more and more with every hour she was perched behind him.
She suddenly inhaled and withdrew her arms, yawning as she pulled them over her head. Zuko clenched his teeth as her stomach stretched against his back and she yawned again. “Oh, the ocean,” she whispered breathlessly against him. She smiled. “Those are Water Tribe ships – I’d know them anywhere.”
“We’ll be able to find transport in no time,” his uncle said from behind him. He gave Zuko a sly smile and Zuko glared. His uncle had been quite smug the whole trip, explaining that he could certainly not share an ostrich horse with Katara, because his back was bad and his shoulder hurt just SO much. Not that Zuko wanted Katara to share an ostrich horse with his uncle; he just couldn’t stand the delicate prods at Zuko’s feelings for her. And the teasing. And the knowing smiles. And the not-so-subtle hints.
“Gods,” she whispered from behind him, her body no longer touching his quite so much. Her hands rested on her own thighs and her head was facing the ocean. “It smells wonderful.”
Zuko snorted. “It smells like fish.”
She laughed. “It smells like home!”
“Why does it not surprise me that your home smells like fish?” he asked sarcastically.
“Well, that’s not fair,” she retorted hotly, bristling against his comment. “Sokka can hardly help how he smells…”
And Zuko couldn’t help but laugh. Katara laughed, too, and they made great time into the small village. The smell of fish and ocean was stronger here, and people looked at them cautiously as they dismounted their ostrich horses and headed for the docks. Seeing a girl from the Water Tribe obviously eased their suspicion of outsiders. Apparently, members of the Water Tribe were frequent visitors to this northern Earth Kingdom town.
The first ship they went to Katara told them to stay behind. Zuko let her go. After all, they were her people. Two suspicious characters (not that he thought his uncle was terribly suspicious-looking) with a young girl from the Water Tribe might arouse some unwanted attention.
“We don’t really have a lot of money,” she was telling the captain of the ship. “But we can give you our ostrich horses… I just want to get home to my fiancé,” she said with a certain amount of tearfulness. She fingered the gem around her neck.
The captain looked sympathetic, but at the same time doubtful. “They don’t really look like people of the Water Tribe,” he said with a frown.
And he really couldn’t be more right. Zuko and his uncle had pale skin, and their eyes weren’t the right color. Nearly all people from the Water Tribe had blue eyes…they were the only peoples in the world… To see some without was rare. Katara didn’t seem bothered by this comment. “Well, the young man is my cousin, Hahn. My father and I went to go retrieve him and his grandfather – they’re my mother’s nephew and her sister’s father-in-law. Hahn’s mother had married a man from the Earth Kingdom, and of course Hahn’s grandfather is from the Earth Kingdom, so sometimes people find it hard to believe they’re Water Tribe. And –”
“Yah, that’s fine,” the captain said, obviously trying to shut her up. “Don’t worry about the money. We have room for three people. The ship leaves with the tide in an hour.”
Katara was smiling to herself as she walked back to Zuko and his uncle. She looked at the ground…and appeared to be quite proud of herself. Zuko was amazed by the ease that the lies slipped from her tongue. Not even he could think up something so elaborate on the spot.
“Since our ship leaves in an hour, Hahn,” his uncle said to him jovially, “we should probably sell these ostrich horses, or trade them for warmer clothes.”
Katara still had a smile on her face as they walked away from the docks into town. They picked out some food, and warmer clothes with what the ostrich horses bought them, and met back at the docks for the voyage north.
Part III
Katara smiled broadly as the walls of the North Pole appeared before her once again. The huge seal glittered in the sun, but the chill kept it from melting completely. The voyage had only been a day – though they sailed through the night. The ship was carrying weapons and supplies, and not much else. No other passengers save Katara, Zuko, and Iroh. And the crew was small, busy, and didn’t seem to pay too much attention to the three people camped in an inconspicuous corner of the speedy ship.
When the portal opened for their ship, she saw Zuko’s eyes go wide. Though they had both been here before, he had probably never seen the North Pole from this perspective. Katara was quite pleased with his reaction. The canal locks rose and fell, carrying the ship through the passageway into the city of white and snow. People still wore their anoraks in the middle of the summer – there was no real summer in the poles after all. Katara pulled the inadequate covering over her shoulders, wishing for her anorak more than anything. She noticed, however that Zuko and Iroh didn’t seem to be cold at all. Firebenders, she thought to herself darkly. They could probably regulate their body temperature with ease.
They settled into the docks and Katara thanked the captain again, and he wished her luck for her marriage. Katara blushed at this, her lie half forgotten until he said that. She had to remind herself that her necklace was a symbol here. When she looked up at the palace – the highest point in town – she frowned. It was very far away, and most gondolas were privately owned. They would have to walk. It was rather cold, and she’d not slept well the night before because of it. She chided herself for not being more tolerant of the chill – she’d grown up in the South Pole after all. But there she’d had furs and things to keep her warm.
“We’ll have to walk,” she said finally, keeping her gaze on the palace. “It shouldn’t take too long.”
But the canals of the city were set up in a certain way so that you had to cross bridges at inopportune times and places – making the trip longer than it should be. Katara had forgotten about this. It was originally set up that way to make it difficult for invaders to access the city, but now it was just a nuisance.
After about the third person that had wished her luck on her marriage, Katara was about to take her mother’s necklace off and toss it in the canal. Zuko, she noticed, was growing more and more agitated with each person that congratulated her. Eventually, when the fourth old woman offered her congratulations (a woman they had asked for directions) Zuko took a tight hold of her arm and hissed into her ear. “Why do people keep on doing that?”
Katara pulled her arm away. “I’m fifteen,” she explained. “I’m old enough to get married, and this betrothal necklace is a symbol that I’ve had a husband chosen for me.”
He frowned. “Well, take it off. It’s annoying.”
Katara pursed her lips. “It’ll be more annoying if people start coming up to us to ask for my hand in marriage.”
Zuko snorted. “That’s ridiculous! Who’d want to –”?
She elbowed him harshly. “It wouldn’t matter if I looked like a turtle seal!” she hissed in his ear. “Here, all a guy has to do is ask a girl’s father for her hand and they’re as good as married. It’s why my grandmother left…she didn’t like who she was betrothed to.”
Zuko frowned. “There are arranged marriages in the Fire Nation – especially among royalty. But usually…even if the girl is unhappy with the match…there are things she can do to get out of it. Nothing is REALLY final…and women more or less have equality in the army and stuff…”
Katara gazed up at him, catching his eye before he looked away. She hadn’t known that about the Fire Nation. An older woman passed them by and smiled at Katara. Katara smiled back genially, knowing the woman was looking at her betrothal necklace. It hadn’t been this bad the last time she was in the North Pole. Sure, a couple of people had said something…was it because she was walking with Zuko?
She glanced up at Zuko, who was looking around him attentively. She thought of marriage to him and blushed. That would never happen…even if he weren’t able to reclaim his throne…she didn’t think he would… She turned away form him and bit her bottom lip.
They were very close to the palace now, and Katara had fond memories of the icy courtyard where she had trained with Master Pakku and Aang and the other students for hours and hours a day. It was empty now – lessons were primarily in the early morning after all. The fountain, however, was flowing with pure, clean water. There weren’t a lot of people around, but a few milled here and there as Katara led Zuko and Iroh up the steps.
There were guards at the outside of the main chamber – something she was sure was a new feature. The last time…well, there weren’t as many heavily armored people patrolling the city, and no one stood guard at the doors unless the chief was present. Since it was only a little after noon, Katara didn’t think this was the case.
The guards blocked her entrance. “State your name and business, ma’am,” one of the men said in a harsh voice.
Katara straightened her back. “I’m Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, daughter of Chief Hakoda, Waterbending Master, and friend of the Avatar. I’m here to see Chief Arnook concerning the war with the Fire Nation.”
The guard smiled at her, a laugh forming on his lips. “Katara!” he said, finally laughing. “I was only kidding. It’s me, Haku.”
Katara suddenly felt very embarrassed. Her cheeks turned red and she began to laugh as well. “I’m sorry Haku. I didn’t recognize you…with all the armor…” she replied with pink cheeks. It was true; the boy she had trained with under Master Pakku was quite changed – though she though she should have recognized him by his ridiculously spiked hair.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Zuko was either trying to restrain from laughing, or from strangling Haku. She wasn’t sure which… Relaxing a little, Katara smiled at Haku. “Is Chief Arnook around?” she asked calmly. “It’s really important. I have news from the Avatar.”
Haku straightened instantly. “I think he’s in his last meeting right now before he breaks. We’ve been really busy since you and Aang and Sokka left. I imagine he’ll see you, though, Katara…of the Southern Water Tribe…daughter of Chief Hakoda…Waterbending Master…friend of the Avatar…”
Katara had the decency to blush at this. “Thanks, Haku. We’ll wait inside.”
As Katara waited inside the chambers she felt herself warmed only slightly. Zuko and Iroh were looking rather nervous, however. Not really noticeably on their faces, but their shoulders were tense, and Zuko was ready to pounce on anything that moved. Someone announced her as she entered the main hall, and she set her eyes on the great totems of her people. The Northern Tribe kept more with the fish and the snow owl, but the Southern Tribe held high the wolf.
Chief Arnook was seated with an elderly-looking master to his left, and Hahn to his right. The young boy had a haughty air to him that had made Sokka dislike him, and by association Katara wasn’t too fond of the boy either. She wasn’t sure what had happened in her absence that gave Hahn the status to sit next to Chief Arnook, but it made her uneasy. Unless Hahn had changed drastically, he was just another egocentric jerk from the North.
Katara bowed gracefully, seating herself before the steps to the high dais that the chief, Hahn, and the master sat on. Zuko and Iroh stayed behind her a few paces, but she noticed they did not sit.
“Master Katara,” Chief Arnook said formally, giving her a slight bow of his head. “It is good to see you again.”
Katara bowed again. “Thank you, Chief Arnook. It’s good to be back…”
He smiled. “You have news about the war then? Word from the Avatar?”
“Yes,” Katara replied. “I would prefer to talk with you in private, however, Chief Arnook. It’s very sensitive –”
“Hey!” Hahn said suddenly, jumping up and pointing a finger at Zuko. “I know you! You’re the Fire Nation Prince! You’re… Zubo!”
Katara felt things fly apart. “What?” Chief Arnook asked, turning to Hahn.
“Last time I was in the Earth Kingdom I saw wanted posters for this bastard all over the place! And I’ll bet that’s his uncle!” Hahn continued.
Katara turned to Zuko and Iroh, who both wore slightly angry, slightly apprehensive looks. She could tell Zuko was itching for a fight with the guy that mispronounced his name so horridly. “I’ll handle this,” she whispered.
“Katara, what’s the meaning of this?” Chief Arnook said harshly.
“Chief Arnook,” Katara began. “Please let me explain.”
“Guards!” Hahn was shouting. “Seize these men! They’re firebenders.”
“No!” Katara yelled, blocking a frozen spear of ice before Zuko or Iroh had the chance to react.
“Katara! What’s going on? You brought firebenders to the North Pole? You brought the Fire Nation Prince?” Chief Arnook accused her. “Guards!”
Letting her anger get the better of her, Katara accidentally split the icy floor. “No!” she said vigorously. “You can’t do this!”
“And why not?” Hahn asked haughtily.
Katara glared at him. The guards had stopped their attack when Katara had sent the veins breaking through the icy floor. “Because they’re my prisoners!” she replied swiftly.
“What?” Zuko hissed from behind her.
“Go with it,” she mouthed.
“What do you mean, Katara?” Chief Arnook asked, more confused than angry.
Katara sighed. “These men are my prisoners,” she explained. Or rather, lied.
“No, they’re not!” Hahn shouted, advancing on Zuko and Iroh.
Katara cut him off swiftly. “They are,” she insisted. “I claim them in the name of the Southern Water Tribe and Chief Hakoda. These men are my prisoners.”
Hahn looked a little apprehensive about getting in Katara’s way.
“Then where are their chains?” Chief Arnook asked, his confusion very apparent. “How do you control them? These men are dangerous firebenders, Katara.”
Katara only straightened her back and said proudly, “They have given me their word that they will not escape. They are my responsibility. If you wish to challenge the Southern Water Tribe’s rights to its own prisoners, you may take it up with me.”
“You brought them here, though,” Hahn replied, his face contorted with rage. “Now they’re the Northern Water Tribe’s prisoners.”
But Chief Arnook put a hand on Hahn’s shoulder. “No, Hahn. Master Katara is right. If she has claimed them in the name of the Southern Water Tribe and her father, then we have no right to these prisoners.” Then he looked at Katara with hard eyes. “They are your responsibility, however, Master Katara. But if I find they are in any way making trouble, I will personally take them under the name of the Northern Water Tribe.”
Katara exhaled heavily. “I understand, Chief Arnook. Thank you.” Then she bowed her head.
Chief Arnook, however, looked tired by the event. “I will give you and your…prisoners rooms here in the palace, Master Katara. When I have rested I will send for you and we may speak privately.”
With that he left them. Hahn glared dangerously at them, but they were led away by some of the palace’s servants. Their rooms were much like the room’s Katara had when she was with Aang and Sokka, but a bit more…luxurious? The walls were covered in pelts, and there were piles of furs in the floor. She knew these to be beds, but when she looked at Zuko and Iroh she saw how barren and odd this must all look.
When the servant closed the door, Zuko turned on her with a half-amused, half-angry look in his eye. “So…your prisoners, huh?”
- 6
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- 8
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Push and Pull