Katara's first time seeing inside the ship's magnificent great hall was when she made the final inspections before the summit. The gold shellacked walls nearly blinded her when she stepped out of her platform getas at the threshold; after being used to the dreary, utilitarian cabins with dim lighting and bare walls, her eyes needed to adjust to all this brightness and splendor. The golden walls painted with blossoming fruit trees were like stepping into a garden on a sunny day.
Her slippered feet glided across the bamboo mats on the floor as she lit pots of jasmine and sandalwood incense and rearranged oil lamps so that they looked more symmetrical and harmonious, whatever that was supposed to mean. The tea ceremony symbolized purity and harmony. The room where it was performed had to reflect these virtues, especially when that room was the setting for a summit that would decide the entire South Pole's future.
Katara brought the tea utensils over to a basin of water on the table. "Two lovers, destined for one another," she sang. "But the war still divides their people." Using her water-bending, she rinsed off each utensil: the dipper, the scoop, the whisk, and the bowl. She could easily wash them by hand but bending felt like a satisfying act of rebellion in a situation where she was otherwise powerless. "They build a tunnel through the mountain so now they can be together forever. Secret tunnel, secret tunnel, through the mountain, secret, secret tunnel."
"A pretty song." Katara's singing and bending had prevented her from hearing Zuko slide the door open and enter the great hall. He was dressed in his formal robes and looked regal and imposing.
Katara gasped and dropped the utensils back in the basin of water. She lowered her eyes like a guilty thief caught in the act of stealing. "Prince Zuko, is there something I can do for you?"
"It's just the two of us, Katara. There's no need to call me Prince." He joined Katara at the table and knelt down by her side.
"I know." Katara picked up the tea scoop and dried it off with a towel. "I was just practicing for later."
At the summit that evening, Katara would be expected to hold her tongue and be respectful.
Zuko circled around Katara and looked her over. "You look beautiful," he said.
"Thank you." Katara's cheeks blazed. Since their kiss all those weeks ago, she'd known that Zuko found her attractive. This was the first time he'd said so.
"I've heard Azula's taken you under her wing. What do you think of my sister?"
Katara laughed a little and dried off the whisk. "I trust her about as much as I trust black snow." Black snow was the first sign that Fire Nation warships were approaching, and a raid was imminent. Katara still had nightmares about black snow. "But I have other things to worry about."
Today she would have to make the greatest sacrifice of her life: her freedom for the continued existence of her tribe. Princess Azula's cattiness looked insignificant in comparison.
"Like the summit?"
"Like officially being handed over to the Fire Nation as a war prize."
"A royal consort."
"In the Water Tribe, we prefer to call a fishhook a fishhook instead of fishing tackle. It makes things less confusing."
Zuko gave a little bow of the head, which he often did when conceding that someone else had won the argument. "Speaking of confusing. Your brother, what kind of a beast am I dealing with here?"
Katara patted the water dipper dry. Sokka had been a thorn in Zuko's side since Zuko arrived at the South Pole. First, by responding to Zuko's letters with thinly-veiled insolence, then drowning a Fire Nation soldier during a skirmish, and finally seeking an alliance with the Northern Water Tribe behind Zuko's back.
"Like most Water Tribe people, he's blunt," Katara said. "He'll tell you what he thinks of you right to your face. I wouldn't expect it to be anything good."
Zuko picked up the tea bowl and dried it off with another towel. "Honesty and straightforwardness are honorable qualities but not necessarily in diplomacy."
"Sokka is many things but diplomatic isn't one of them."
"He must have been pretty damned diplomatic to have betrothed himself to Chief Arnouk's daughter." Sokka's betrothal to Princess Yue was one of the terms of his alliance with the Northern Water Tribe.
Katara spread out all the tea things on the table and tried to arrange them with enough crisp precision to live up to even Mai's exacting standards. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you have something more important to do?"
"I came to see how you were doing." Zuko straightened the tea scoop, which was at a crooked angle. "You never know when world peace depends on the feng shui of a tablescape."
"Then world peace must be as fragile as this tea bowl if such a little thing can upset it." Katara bent water from the basin into a snake-like tendril and used it to give the tea bowl a little push off the table.
Zuko reached over and caught the tea bowl before it hit the ground. "Aren't you a big girl now?"
Katara dried off the bowl and placed it next to the scoop. The arrangement of her tea utensils was meant to create and represent harmony. This harmony was as precarious as a leaf trembling on a vine: the slightest bit of wind could upset it. She might knock the dipper over while reaching for the whisk or forget to put the scoop back at the correct angle. Everything depended on her getting each detail perfect.
"You and everyone on this ship think I'm a silly little girl," Katara said. "And maybe that's true. But when people think you're a silly little girl, they say things when they don't think you can hear or understand. You learn a lot that way about how the land lies and the way the land lies right now, I have no choice but to be a big girl."
I can't be like the bowl or the scoop. I mustn't shatter or lose my composure.
A cacophony of voices outside the door of the great hall signaled that the summit would begin shortly.
Zuko stood up and bowed to Katara. "I don't think we'll be able to spar tonight, but might I still join you for our evening cup of tea."
Every night before they sparred, Katara would join Zuko for a cup of ginseng tea in their chambers.
"If you wish." Katara went over to the door and let everyone in.
Princess Azula was the first person to enter, closely followed by Mai and Ty Lee. Katara bowed her head to each of them in turn. Zuko came and stood by her side.
Princess Azula smirked when Katara and Zuko bowed to her. "Don't they make a handsome couple?" she said. Her eyes flicked towards Mai, who lowered her head and sighed.
Zuko took a step back, and his glance shifted around the room.
"How are you, Mai," He scratched the back of his head. "I hope you're doing well."
"As well as you could expect in this icebox." Mai rolled her eyes.
Katara flicked open her fan and used it to cover her mouth as she giggled. Mai had done little but complain about the cold since she'd arrived. Why did she even come here?
"Little Wolf." The newly-minted Admiral Zhao charged like a bull into the great hall. He leered at Katara then clapped Zuko on the back. "Looks like you've tamed her well, my boy."
Thankfully, Katara hadn't heard much from Zhao since their initial meeting. Zhao would meet with Zuko from time to time to discuss military and political matters that bored Katara to tears when someone tried to explain them to her.
Zuko scowled. "You forget yourself, Admiral."
Katara didn't like the insolent way Zhao treated Zuko. In the Water Tribe, it was common for people to be casual, even a little irreverent, with their leaders, but this was usually tempered with respect. Zhao talked to Zuko as if he were some young punk who needed to be put in his place and not the future Fire Lord. Whenever Zuko had to work with Zhao, it left him in a terrible mood, and he took out his frustrations by practicing his fire-bending out on the deck. Katara kept out of his way when he was like this.
Zhao simply clapped Zuko on the back again, then walked over to pay his respects to Princess Azula. She rolled her eyes and walked away from him. Her sleeve and the train of her robes brushed against him as she passed. Zhao gave the princess the same leering smile that he'd given Katara.
According to Ty Lee, the Admiral had his eyes on Princess Azula. Of course, Zhao desired her; most men and some women who came across Princess Azula did. And being the son-in-law of the present Fire Lord and the brother-in-law of the future Fire Lord would certainly advance his career. Princess Azula didn't appear to be interested in this suitor (he was old enough to be her father, after all), or if she was, she was playing hard to get.
Acting the gracious hostess role to perfection, Princess Azula stepped in and greeted the Water Tribe delegation with a bow and a blindingly white smile.
"Chief Sokka, Lady Kanna," she said. "It's an honor to finally meet you.
Sokka looked every inch the strapping Water Tribe warrior-chief in his ceremonial wolf armor. Ty Lee almost swooned when she beheld him. Gran-Gran was resplendent in her best beaded parka. Underneath the creases and wrinkles of age, the famous beauty who'd scandalized both the South and North Poles by jilting a Northern water-bending master and running off with the Southern chief was still visible.
Katara couldn't think of anything she'd longed to see more.
Gran-Gran turned up her nose at Princess Azula. "Let's skip the pleasantries, Princess," she said. "I'd like to see my granddaughter, though I don't think my stomach can handle whatever depravities she's been subjected to."
Forgetting all the etiquette instilled into her during her weeks in Fire Nation custody, Katara picked up the train of her robes and ran over to Sokka and Gran-Gran. Sokka swept Katara up into a big bear hug, and his familiar scent of smoke and seal jerky filled her nostrils.
Katara threw her arms around his neck. "Congratulations, I heard you're getting married."
"We all have to make sacrifices," Sokka replied with a smirk. He scratched the shaved part of his head underneath his wolf-tail.
"Oh yes, what a sacrifice. Having to marry a girl said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world."
Katara heard Princess Yue described as being every bit as radiantly lovely as the moon spirit she'd been named after.
"She's a princess. They'd say that even if she looked like a platypus-bear."
Gran-Gran cut in and tapped Sokka on the shoulder. "Sokka, stop hogging your sister." She kissed Katara's forehead. "My little dew-drop."
"I missed you more than I can say," Katara said. She squeezed her grandmother's hand.
Gran-Gran looked Katara over, then Princess Azula, still hovering a few steps away, and furrowed her brow. "What on earth are you wearing, Katara? You look like some Fire Nation tart."
Princess Azula, who was dressed similarly to Katara, laughed. "I'd respond to that comment, Lady Kanna," she said. "But I was raised to respect my elders."
"Drop the little miss perfect act, Dear. No one's buying it."
The Princess straightened her spine, tossed her head as if to say "I'm too good to stoop to your level," and walked off to join Mai and Ty Lee. She managed her heavy robes and flowing train as if it were second nature.
On the other hand, Katara's robes overwhelmed her delicate frame like a tsunami and fell in heavy pools of silk at her feet, making it difficult for her to walk.
A/N Azula and Katara's looks are inspired by the Japanese Heian Period junihitoe- beautiful but quite impractical.
"I borrowed these robes from General Iroh," Katara said to Sokka and Gran-Gran. "They belonged to his late wife. I feel like a little girl playing dress-up in her mother's clothes wearing them."
Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what you are? A little girl playing dress-up."
As much as Katara hated to admit it, Sokka was right. She was playing a role that was, quite literally, too large and too heavy for her.
"My poor little seal pup." Gran-Gran kissed Katara on the cheek. Tears spilled out of the poor old lady's eyes.
"Please don't cry." Katara dried her grandmother's face with her sleeve. "It's not like you're never going to see me again. Prince Zuko says that he will open up trade and diplomatic negotiations between the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation. You, Dad, and Sokka will be welcome at the Fire Nation royal court."
Sokka crossed his arms. "But men often make girls promises they don't intend to keep."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. Just because we get Zuko what he wants, that doesn't mean he'll keep his end of the bargain."
"It's better than deliberately provoking him."
"Why? Because Zuko gives you jewelry and fancy robes?"
How dare he! Was he accusing her of being the type of woman who could easily be bribed by pretty baubles? Was he calling her a traitor?
"That's enough," Gran-Gran said. She stepped in between her two grandchildren. "We won't get anywhere fighting amongst ourselves."
Katara turned away from her family. "Gran-Gran's right. Let's not argue." Her train fanned out behind her like a fishtail as she walked over to the tea-table.
The eyes of all the delegates were on her, waiting to see how she'd do. Zuko nodded for her to proceed with the tea ceremony. Mai raised an eyebrow as if to say: "don't mess this up." Taking a few deep breaths to steady her heart rate, Katara bowed to her guests. Come on, you can do it. Get this over with. She knelt at the table and opened up a small box that contained green tea powder. Three scoops of powder went into the bowl.
"She's exquisite," said a young ensign.
The lieutenant sitting next to him nodded in agreement. "She must be, to have distracted Prince Zuko from his honor."
Like everyone else in the crew, these two officers were aware of Zuko's refusal to return to the Fire Nation until he had the Avatar in his custody. This impossible quest was the only thing that would restore his honor in the eyes of the Fire Lord. Since Katara came into his life, Zuko'd had the more pressing problem of the Southern Water Tribe to worry about.
Katara took a ladle-full of water from the kettle and poured a little into the tea bowl. She whisked the powder and water together until it formed a paste. Some more water, and she had tea.
Zuko, who knelt at Katara's right, was the first to take a sip before passing the bowl on to Iroh.
Iroh bowed his head in appreciation then took a sip. "Well done, My dear," he said, wiping the bowl's rim with a napkin before passing it on to the next person.
Katara smiled. Iroh was the ultimate tea conisseur. If her tea preparation met with his approval, then she'd certainly done an excellent job.
The tea bowl made its way around the table.
"You didn't embarrass yourself," Mai said when it was her turn. Katara figured that this was as good a compliment as was likely to get from Mai.
Finally, the tea bowl reached Sokka, who sat to Katara's left. He simply passed it back to Katara without taking a sip.
Katara stifled a gasp. Tea was a symbol of hospitality and goodwill for the Fire Nation and to refuse to take a sip during a tea ceremony was a shocking slap in the face to your host. This insult could have terrible consequences even if Sokka and Zuko were two farmers, much less representatives of two warring nations.
Mai was the only other person who'd noticed this breach of propriety. Her raised eyebrow conveyed the most emotion Katara had ever seen on Mai's face. But this flicker of a soul quickly vanished.
Thank Tui and La for small favors. Anyone else might have made a scene that could ruin everything.
No, the honor of making a scene and ruining everything would go to Sokka.
"Let's skip the formalities, Prince Zuko," Sokka said. "And get to the reason we're all really here."
To his credit, Zuko managed to keep a dignified expression and an authoritative tone of voice. "In due time, my brother."
Sokka sneered. "Fucking my sister doesn't make you my brother."
All the chattering around the table stopped and was replaced by confused glances. Had Sokka lost his mind? Did he want the Southern to end up as a pile of ashes?
Zuko was the one who finally broke the awkward silence. "But making an alliance by joining our two families does," he said.
"Since we're making a trade." Sokka stood up from the table. "Why don't you hand over your sister."
Princess Azula's ember eyes blazed.
Katara tugged on Sokka's parka and whispered. "What's wrong with you? Sit down."
Gran-Gran shot Sokka a glare like a blizzard but he was undeterred.
"Better yet, give me her two hand-maids as well. I rather like the little one in pink." Ty Lee's face went as rosy as her robes. "Katara's worth three Fire Nation whores."
Zhao' smirked at Zuko, who was taking deep breaths to keep from losing his cool, and said, "Are you going to let that savage speak to you like that?" His laugh shook the ceiling beams.
"Zuko might," Princess Azula said. She rose from the table and put her hands on her hips. "But I'm not going to."
Sokka crossed his arms. "Step aside, Princess. This isn't a game for little girls."
"Then why are two little girls playing it?" Princess Azula raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.
Katara lowered her head and pulled her robes closer to her body. Sokka, Sokka, Sokka. What have you gotten yourself into?
Circling around him, Princess Azula stroked Sokka's shoulder.
"And I haven't come to play nice," she purred. "Here's what will happen to you and your tribe if you don't play nice with us..." A small, blue flame blazed in Princess Azula's hand and singed the ends of Sokka's wolf-tail. Sokka flinched and winced. "Once the smoke and ashes clear, no one will even remember you were there."
Katara grabbed a napkin from the table, saturated it in cold tea, and smothered Sokka's burning hair.
Princess Azula blew out the flame in her palm. "Now, what do you have to say?"
"That you've got more balls than anyone else on this ship, Princess." Sokka grinned. "Maybe enough balls to think no one will remember us once the ashes and smoke clear, but I promise you this, no one will ever let you forget, just like with the Air Nomads."
The century-long war they were all still embroiled in began when Fire Lord Sozin, Azula and Zuko's great-grandfather, ordered the genocide of the Air Nomads, an atrocity that still blackened the Fire Nation's name. Katara grew up hearing fairytales about how only one Air Nomad, the Avatar himself, was the only one who survived, and he'd come back someday to save the world from the Fire Nation. After a century, this miracle seemed more and more unlikely. The Air Nomads were passive as kid-lambs and never harmed a living soul. What would the Fire Nation do to a people who'd deliberately provoked them?
A devious glimmer lit up Princess Azula's eyes, and she cackled like a fury. "Why don't we see which of us is right? Zhao..."
Admiral Zhao stood up. "Yes, Princess," he replied.
"Have your men fire on Chief Sokka's village."
The cocky grin fell right off Sokka's face.
"It would be my pleasure." Zhao gave the Princess a respectful bow.
Katara gasped as if someone had knocked the air right out of her lungs. Was this how it all ends? Centuries of her tribe's history and traditions. Everything She'd ever known or loved. All going up in smoke.
Zuko shot up from the table. Admiral Zhao sneered at him as if to say, "what are you going to do to stop me?"
Katara didn't know what to do, only that she had to do something. Admiral Zhao would just obey orders from Princess Azula. From what Katara had seen, Princess Azula's weakest points were her pride and her vanity. She always had to be the most beautiful, the cleverest, and the most powerful. Perhaps these were channels Katara could use to reach her?
She rose to her feet. Her robes fluttered like bird wings and carried her over to Azula and bowed to the Princess. "Princess Azula," she said. "My dearest sister and friend. Don't stoop to the foolish and unproductive ways of men. Indeed, we women have cleverer ways to deal with our enemies? Any brute can beat their opponents into submission. Only the genuinely brilliant can make their opponents submit willingly. To make them feel like the contest was an even draw when they were defeated and humiliated."
Princess Azula raised an eyebrow and put a hand on her hip.
"What happens when you beat a servant? They fear you, yes, but they also grow to resent you, and resentment leads to disobedience and rebellion. But if you treat them well, indulge them a little, they'll love you forever and obey you without complaint, though you must make it perfectly clear that such good treatment depends on their good behavior." Katara put a hand on Princess Azula's shoulder. "You and Prince Zuko have the Southern Water Tribe Chief's daughter in your power." She pulled the phoenix pendant out from among her robes. "I wear the symbol of a royal consort and I've lived in Prince Zuko's chambers all these weeks. By custom, I belong to him, a fate that duty and honor oblige me to accept."
Princess Azula rolled her eyes. "Your point please?"
"Why waste your energy on rash actions when you have a simpler and more effective means of keeping control. I know my purpose as a royal consort is as a bargaining chip."
The official reason the Fire Lords took royal consorts was as a gesture of unity and goodwill with their allies but the reality was more cynical and sinister. Royal consorts could be put to death if relations between their homeland and the Fire Nation soured.
"She's right," Zuko said. "And Father wouldn't approve of us taking such a drastic step without his say so."
Sokka scoffed. "Your father is a plague on this world."
"My father will be dead soon and I'm determined this conflict will die with him."
The summit concluded with a rather delectable dinner of goose-pheasant tempura served with a spicy sauce over fluffy balls of rice and grilled mango.
All washed down with Water Tribe winter mead.
Katara thanked Tui and La that Gran-Gran was there to keep Sokka's mead drinking in check. No one wanted him to drink too much and cause yet another scene.
After all that earlier drama, she was grateful that the rest of the summit was mostly uneventful. Just boring politics and discussions of what would be expected of her as a royal consort. Katara blushed and lowered her eyes when Admiral Zhao mentioned that any children she and Zuko might have would be legitimate heirs to the Fire Nation throne. She'd spent enough time in the steam huts with the married women to get an idea of how women had children. Would Zuko expect that of her?
Zuko and Mai stood together at the refreshment table.
"Why don't you try the cherry blossom mochi?" he said, pointing to a tray of pretty little pink rice dumplings. "I believe they were a favorite of yours?"
Mai turned up her nose. "People's tastes change."
She walked away to return Azula and Ty Lee.
There's a story here. Katara made a mental note to grill Ty Lee, a shameless gossip, for details.
Sokka clapped Katara on the shoulder. Katara flinched a little. "How's the future Fire Nation broodmare?" he said.
"Why didn't you drink the tea?" Katara replied.
"What?"
"I saw you. When the tea bowl reached you, you handed it over to me without drinking from it."
"So?"
"Tea is a sign of hospitality and goodwill."
"Tea is a sign of tyranny."
Katara slapped her thigh in frustration. "La, you're impossible!"
Sokka turned around and walked away. "Out of all the stunts I pulled today, you're going to scold me about the tea."