-𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙚⊰

-Chapter 22༉

Zuko sat propped against the headboard, listening to Katara's soft breathing as his mind raced with uncertainty.

It had been almost a three months since Chae declared war on the Fire Nation, yet nothing was happening.

At first he thought that maybe it was a bluff, that she really was all talk and no action. But he just got this feeling; something in his chest was telling him that her threat was not a bluff. She was just waiting for the perfect time to strike and the Fire Lord had an ill feeling that it was going to be when they left for Sokka and Toph's wedding in a few weeks.

Katara moaned in her sleep as she rolled onto her back and Zuko looked at her, a smile forming as he placed a hand on her swollen stomach.

"Why are you always awake?" he heard Katara ask as she rubbed his arm, her eyes still closed. "It's much too early."

"It's not too early to be awake when you never went to sleep," Zuko said.

Katara opened her eyes and looked at him; worry clear as day in them. "You need to rest Zuko," she said softly as she placed a hand on his cheek. "Staying up every night in worry like this isn't healthy."

Zuko turned his face and kissed her palm. "I can't sleep when I have a lot on my mind."

Katara sat up. "I know," she said. "But what good is a Fire Lord when he's ill?"

The young Fire Lord looked at his wife. "What if something happens while we're gone?"

"Then the people you leave in charge will know how to handle it, that's why you made them your councilmen and generals. Not to mention that you made three other plans they could follow in case of an attack. I think they got it covered."

Zuko gave her a small smile. He knew he was being a bit extreme and slightly paranoid, but he had worked so hard to fix this nation, he wasn't about to let some heartbroken harpy destroy it.

Katara sighed in tiredness as she laid back down, placing a hand over her stomach. "It's not going to be too much longer before we can't keep the pregnancy a secret," she said. "As it is, people are already speculating."

"I know," Zuko said as he laid back with her, he was very hesitant in letting the world know that they were expecting again, especially now that they were on the brink of war and their enemies had already threatened his son. But Katara was right; her stomach was getting to the point where she could no longer hide it underneath her dress. "We'll announce it at the court meeting in the morning."

Katara hummed in agreement as she slowly returned to sleep and Zuko closed his eyes as he tried to let her slowing breaths lure him to sleep, anxiety still lingering in his mind.

.0.

Katara fanned herself as she smiled at another person congratulating her on her pregnancy.

The July heat made the court hall unbearably hot, even the wind blowing through the open windows didn't give the inhabitants of the room any relief. Also being almost four months pregnant didn't help with the heat either. She didn't remember feeling this warm with Kai.

She felt Zuko gently grab her hand as he looked at her, giving her a small sympathetic smile.

"Do you want to go lie down? The court meeting is over."