The Dragon and The Ocean // Zutara

Adapting

Katara's POV

I leave Zuko's room and wander around the palace hallways for a few minutes. It's weird being without Zuko. I, for one, have never felt this feeling before, not even with Aang. The relationship that I had with Aang was all one sided, his side. It was very weird when he would just randomly kiss me. It was like being kissed by my little brother. It kind of just grosses out just thinking about it.

I push those thoughts aside, deciding that I didn't want to think about that now and I realize that I don't really know where I'm going. The palace is huge and coming from a small village surround by snow and ice, I have no idea where everything is or even what I'm supposed to do. 

Soon enough, I find a guard who is patrolling the hallways. He asks me who I am and what I am doing in the palace. I tell him my name and that I am healing Prince Zuko's wound.

He immediately understands and quickly apologizes for seeming intrusive. He tells me that they have already picked a room out for me. I follow him as he leads me back toward Zuko's room and to a door about three doors away from Zuko's.

"Here's your room. It is one of the many guest rooms in the palace and this one is the closest to Fire Lord Zuko's room, just in case." the guard explains. "I will personally inform you as soon as we get word on the Avatar's whereabouts."

"Wait, Aang is alive?" I ask him, surprised. He caught me off guard. 

"The airship fleet that took off this afternoon was completely taken down and the Phoenix King was last seen fighting the Avatar. No one knows where that fight has gone, but we should be getting information soon." the guards replied.

"Oh ok. Thank you." I say to him as he bows and starts to walk away. 

"One more thing," I say to the guard, which causes him to turn around, "why are you telling me this stuff. Why are you helping me? Aren't you with the Phoenix King?"

"I serve the Fire Lord which is now Prince Zuko. But even if I didn't, I would still tell you anyway. The Phoenix King is an awful man along with a horrible tyrant and I refuse to serve under him." the guard says with a genuine look in his eyes.

"That's very brave of you," I tell the guard, "thank you." 

"You are welcome," he replies before walking away down the hallway. Apparently, Zuko wasn't the only who truly hated Ozai.

I walk into my room to find that it is just as big as Zuko's. Through my own set of double doors, I can see that there is a magnificent bed with red silk sheets. I walk into the bathroom and quickly discover what it is like to be royalty. There are expensive soaps, warm towels, and spotless counters. It's more than I have ever gotten in my entire life. It's way more then I could ever ask for. 

The sun is setting and from what I saw, Zuko is going to be asleep for a while. I do want to give him another healing session tonight, but not right now. The first thing that I would love to do is take a nice warm bath.

I turn to the tub to find that there is no bucket to fill up with water. The only source of water is the sink, which I guess will work. As I am about to bend the water out of the sink pipes, a knock coms at the door. I exit the bathroom and go to the door to open it. In the hallway is a girl who looks about five years older than me.

She is dressed in a simple, knee length, red dress with a white apron over it. Her hair is put up into a tight bun with a few strands falling into her face. She is wearing old shoes that almost look too small.

"Do you need anything m'lady?" she asks me with a quiet tone. 

"Actually, I was trying to figure out how to fill the tub with warm water." I tell her, shocked at the way she dressed me.