AtLA Rewritten: Edition 1

Chapter 49

As they returned to the Palace, the Team split apart. Zuko headed for his room. He dismissed Athlea's Helpers.

As he entered the room, Athlea turned to him, her arms folding over her chest and a stern look crossing her face as he told her everything that had happened. Her gaze turned icy. Katara looked between the two and blinked, standing and leaving the room. Zuko winced.

"Really? ...You just went off to explore more and put yourself in danger when you said you'd relax. Not to mention all of the unfinished duties you must attend to," Athlea started.

"Yes, really, Althie," he said calmly. "We didn't even go into the cave. And making sure we don't get assassinated is more important to me than telling a newspaper what Team Avatar is doing back together or all that other petty Fire Lord stuff."

Athlea's eyes were still stern and icy, not leaving him. "Really? ...Did you even check your duties for today?" She took a few steps closer. "Iroh managed to do the majority of them, but some require your full attention! You can get assassinated outside the cave, too--even in front of your own Palace!"

Zuko crossed his arms. "No! I was choosing for myself what I did today--you know, relaxing? I ask you to take a week off, yet here you are working all day, and Katara has to heal you again." His voice started to rise, earning a glare from Athlea, but he bit his lip and collected himself. Zuko sat down next to her, gently putting his hands on her shoulders. "The point of resting," he said gently, "is to rest. And that includes daily assignments."

Athlea stood, glaring and stepping away from him. He returned her glare, snatching his hands away. "You're raising your voice at me?" She turned toward him, looking down at him. "You said everybody has to rest, not just me. Besides, we can't just ignore our duties!" Her voice was calm, yet trembling. She took a deep breath and walked to her vanity, setting down her crown and letting her hair loose, taking her pins out. Zuko came to stand next to her vanity, his eyes cold. "Okay," she said more calmly, turning to face him. "You choose what you do in terms of relaxing. Fair. I am sorry for going against your word, Lord Zuko."

His jaw dropped a little as she addressed him by his full title. His voice went from gentle to cold. "Maybe if you had followed my word before, you wouldn't have lost our baby." Without waiting for a response he left the room, slamming the door.

Athlea stopped in her tracks in front of the bathroom door hearing his words, biting on her lower lip. "No one commands me..." she mumbled to herself and threw a vase, causing it to shatter.

Dai leaped from Appa, throwing a couple of sandwiches at Sokka's head.

Sokka closed one eye and caught them. "You had them all along!" he exclaimed, opening one and eating it as they walked down the hallway together.

Dai smirked. "Sorry!" She stole a piece of his crust and skipped away.

Sokka leaned over the sandwich, glaring at her. "My food."

Dai snickered as she popped the crust into her mouth, sliding backward on a layer of her crystal's water.

Aang saw Katara approaching in the distance and they came to a stop. "Katara, everything okay?" He asked as he looked her over.

Katara nodded. "Yep, I was just doing another healing session with Athie. Zuko told us what you found." She took a tiny step closer to Aang. "Are you okay?"

Aang smiled at Katara and nodded, "All good." he said. "How is Athlea?" he asked.

Katara pursed her lips. "Not resting," she said bluntly. "She isn't overworking, but she's still... working."

Aang looked at Katara and nodded, "Right..." he said with a sigh.

"Why are we babying her?" Toph asked suddenly. Sokka blinked a few times. "Everyone is. You, Aang, and even Zuko himself," she stated. "She lost her parents at a young age, learned firebending on her own, became a master firebender, and helped teach Zuko and Aang," Toph stated. "She's a tough cookie. Yeah, what happened is harsh and traumatizing. But I don't think she likes being babied around. I wouldn't like it, Dai wouldn't like it, no one would... Maybe Sokka would."