Chapter 6-Katara’s secret
Katara held her breath, as Zuko scooped up Kazza. Then her heart warmed as she saw Zuko bring him close. She could have had this, all of it the faint smile on his face if she had told him that night instead of meeting Mae. Unbidden the memory of why she ran surface and demanded to be re-lived;
Katara sat next to a basin in case her breakfast came up again. This was the third time in a row she had woken up to an ill stomach. Finally, Zuko had convinced her to go visit a physician, despite her protests “I’m a healer Zuko… really.”
“Just go maybe they’ll tell you something you didn’t think of.” He said and kissed the top of her head, “Do you want me to go with you?”
“No, I’ll manage.” And so there she was feeling ridicules and wanting to be snuggled in bed not in a cold room with a tummy that refused to hold down breakfast. An older woman came into the room and sat down in the chair across from her. She asked her a few questions. Most of which seemed irrelevant to Katara, then the old woman stopped and asked tentatively.
“How long have you been ill?”
“Mostly sometimes after lunch.”
“It’s just around the corner.” She answered.
“Lady Katara…have you been with a man?” She broached the subject carefully.
Katara had flushed remembering Zuko’s hands hot on her body just last night. “Yes.” she whispered.
“Then my dear, it should let up in a month or two. Babes often cause this kind of illness. Drink plenty of tea, keep your bending to a light practice make sure he rubs your feet often.” Katara had stood in shock. A child? She stared at the old woman in shock. “Please…please don’t tell anyone until I tell the father.” She managed to stammer out. The woman smiled and handed her some tea. “This will help with the nausea dear.” Katara took the wooden box the tea was in, thanked the old woman and left the room. She had wondered idly around the palace halls. How would she tell Zuko? They hadn’t discussed anything so serious, this is a child not a tryst in his large spacious bed.
How would he react? Happy? Scared? Angry? Suddenly she felt a push and she was thrown against the wall. “Katara.” A cold calculating voice assured her it was Mae who had pushed her against the wall, “You have ruined everything.” The older girl had her pin against the wall a dagger to her throat and one to her abdomen. “I heard what that old woman said. A babe, how sweet.”
“Mae let me go, you left Zuko.”
“I was going to let him make it back up to me when I say the two of you. Rutting like disgusting animals.” She pressed the point of her dagger in her flesh, Katara felt the fabric tear. “Let me Go!” She shoved Mae off of her and dropped into a bending stance, she tried to summon the water, make it bend to her will but nothing happened. “Do you really think I was with Ty Lee all this time and didn’t learn her tricks?” Her Chi had been blocked. Mae advanced on her and Katara bolted. If she couldn’t bend then she would run toward safety. Mae was faster than she anticipated. She tackled Katara to the ground dagger poised to sink into her flesh. “You will leave or I will cut this child out of you.”
Katara nodded, fully intending on tell Zuko the minute she got alone, then Mae said, “Don’t you even think about running to Zuko. How do you think I know about the child? I have people who are loyal to me. And only me. I am the Fire Lady. You are a peasant princess that could never take my place.” Mae cut a tiny line across her abdomen blood welled up, “I may just cut the bastard out anyway.”
“Mae… please don’t… I’ll go. I’ll back to the south pole.” Fear had an icy grip on her, Katara held on to the tiny life inside of her, it fluttered back and forth unaware of the drama its mother was in the midst of.
Mae let her up, “Glad we could come to an arrangement. I will make sure Zuko is very comfortable.” As quickly as the fear gripped her anger surged forward. She felt her Chi unblock. She understood there was no water near her being in the dry season. Katara bent Mae’s blood. “How dare you…” the fluttering stopped. Pain erupted from her abdomen. She stopped and Mae fell to the ground. “You Bitch!” A dagger was flung at her narrowly missing Katara.
“Katara are you okay?” Zuko’s voice brought her back to the present. “You looked a million miles away.” Katara assessed him. From the last time she had seen him, he had grown a few inches and his chest was broader. She had no doubt that under the mantle her wore his shoulders would be nothing but muscle. She managed a smile, “I’m fine. I have to get Kazza ready for tonight.”
“Uhh, your birthday….” He must have forgotten with the mess of his father and her poisoning. “I think…” He cut her off before she could continue.
“Katara, we need to talk.” He passed her the child and was struck by how much he looked like her.
“Look, I got the message from Dad…I thought you would understand…”
“Katara.” His yellow eyes bored into her, she had heard that warning before.
“You know what? Oh! I told Sokka not to get you a fire hawk!” She busied herself with the child in her arms.
“Wintermere 23rd.” She responded automatically. That was 9 months after she left him. He reached out to Katara. Several emotions enveloped Zuko then, fury for her keeping this from him, “Follow me.”
“Where are we going.” She inquired.
“I told you we need to talk.”
“Zuko.” He turned and glared at her. “I need to talk to you where no one else can hear us.” She nodded and followed him through the twists and turns of the palace. They found themselves in front of an ornate door. Zuko placed his palm on the door and shot a thin flame through the opening. Unlocking the door.
Katara stepped into the room, a burbling Kazza still in her arms. Every surface in the room was littered with paper, Katara winced. How could anyone function in the room? He followed after her and closed the door locking it. She watched him as he then went to a painting, tilted it and pressed his palm to another hole carved out of the wall. He pressed another then stream of fire through the hole. Nothing happened. Seemingly satisfied the fire lord gestured for her to sit on the paper covered couch. Katara shifted the papers and sat on the red couch. He took his spot behind the stone desk. “When were you going to tell me?”
“That that child is our son?” The silence in the room was deafening.
“Zuko don’t be preposterous.”
“I heard you and Suki!” He shouted
Katara didn’t shrink back but she held her son tighter as the flames shot up to the ceiling. She narrowed her eyes at him. “I couldn’t tell you.”
“Why?” the look in his eyes held so much pain Katara stood up and walked over to him. Debating if she should tell him the truth.
“I…I was going to.” She took his large pale hand in her small tan ones. “I was scared Zuko. I didn’t know what you would think. We had only slept together a handful of times. Then …”
The door opened and a cold voice gave Katara chills. “Zuko I…”
Katara turned to see Mae. Their gazes locked. “How did you get in?”
“I have a key…” She glared at Katara.
“What is she doing here?”
“That is none of your concern.” Kazza took that moment to squall loudly. Earning him a glare from Mae. She stepped closer to the desk, placing the key on it with a clang. Katara took a step back. Falling behind Zuko. His body radiated heat.
“I said leave!” He yelled again. Katara saw two guards appear at Zuko’s door, waiting to take Mae away if she did not comply. Mae stiffened her spine, sneered then left. The guards moved then shut the door to his study.
“Zuko.” Katara reached out to touch him.
Zuko felt her cool hand on him. In the last 24 hours, his world had been turned upside down. His father had escaped with help. His best friend had been stabbed then poisoned, then he had learned she was also the mother of his unknown child. He sank down into his chair. “I need a minute.”
He felt her leave and resume her spot on the couch. He watched as Katara played with Kazza. Making shapes out of the water, watching as his son tried to eat the floating water, giggling. How could he have just let her go? He loved her. His people loved her, what was wrong with him?“Would you like to be the Fire Lady?” he asked abruptly. Katara looked up at him startled.
“Zuko…not just because of Kazza.”
“Kazza will be recognized whether or not you wish to be my wife. He is my son and a prince.” She may break his heart into a thousand tiny pieces but she would never take his son away now that he knew he had one.
She nibbled her lower lip Zuko stood up from his chair and come over to her. “I want you to be my wife. Not for a political reason or because we have a son together. I want you to be my wife because I have loved you since I saved you from the pirates.”
“And we all thought you would be with Aang.”
“I did too for such a long time.”
“Zuko…I’ll be dead in a month with this poison.”
“I told you I would find a cure.”’
