Yin & Yang

Chapter 1.

3rd person pov:

Katara's footsteps hurried through the halls of the Fire Nation's Palace. Several servents bowed to her. She was known as Lady Katara in many places. An ambassador of the water tribes. She had walked the halls of the palace many times before with Zuko. Knowing where he could be was just a matter of finding him. He wasn't in his personal study, nor the audience halls. Gardens were empty. That just left the former War Rooms. Turning down hall way after hall way, she approached a large double door. She paused, her light blue robes swaying to finally meet her ankles as she stood there. A few torches lit the hallway where she'd just come from. Her hair was up in a bun but that didn't stop her from sweating profusely. It had been three months since she'd seen Zuko. "Three long months.." her voice was soft, distant even. She heaved a heavy sigh and closed her eyes tight as some tears threatened to fall.

A hand fell on her shoulder and she jumped, startled. "Lady Katara, I'm sorry but Fire Lord Zuko is to be undisturbed right now. He is meeting with King Buumi of the Earth Kingdoms as we speak." Katara turned to see a young man clad in a red tunic and pants with black trim. His hair pulled tied back at the base of his neck as it fell down his chest half way down his torso. His dark brown eyes were smiling at her. "I will notify the Lord when he is out that you have arrived." He removed his hand from her shoulder. "Was there something you needed? I can deliver a message to him if you need." Katara growled at him and turned back to the large double doors. "Ma'am! Please!" he ran in front of her to block her path as two guards stood at the ready, their spears now crossing in front of her path.

"I must see him immediately." She stated flatly. She was in no mood to be messed with right now. Her fists clenched at her sides. "You will announce my presence." The servent shook his head and she grew more angry. "When will he be out of there?" He opened his mouth and she interupted. "You know what? Nevermind." She turned around. "Deliver this to him then. Lady Katara is waiting for him in the springs. When he meets with me, absolutely no one will be allowed in the wing until further notice. Oh, mess this up.." Katara turned back around to the young man and stormed into his personal space. He stumbled back as she looked into his face. "I will castrate the three of you with an ice dagger. Do I make myself clear?" His brown eyes grew large and the two guards gulped. She turned back to the hall way and stormed off. Though she spoke angrily, she was all but mad. In truth, she was scared. She hung her head and covered her face into her hands for a soft sob. Regaining her composure quickly, she dried her eyes and slowly made her way to the wing of the palace with the Springs.

The servent turned around and his eyes pleeded with the other two. They backed off from him and allowed him into the room, slowly opening the doors. The man took a large breath and slowly walked in. He tread carefully. The last man that interupted a meeting like this was fried on the spot. Zuko had no tollerance for such disrespect. A fireball rushed by his head. "I thought I told you not to disturb me. This had better be important!" Zuko snarled at the trembling man. "Spit it out!" His right hand became engulfed in flames. King Buumi sat in a chair across from where Zuko stood. A map of the Earth Kingdom spread over the table. Three green feathers adorned a headband strapped to his head that matched his green robes. "Alek, do not make me tell you again!" Zuko yelled out to the tremorous man when he did not answer quick enough. The fire on his right hand lit up even more showing the light red color of the robes he wore with golden trim.
Alek stood up right at first and then bowed deeply to the Lord. "Many appologies for the interuption. Lady Katara said it was urgent and-" Zuko fired a ball at his feet and he jumped back with a startled yelp. Another one hit his arm and he stumbled to the floor. Terror filled his eyes as Zuko now towered over the man. Alek quickly sat up on his knees and placed his hands on the floor in a bow.

His face was shadowed now. "What did you just say?" He knelt down and grabbed the tunic, pulling the man to his feet and then lifted him up. Zuko stared into the eyes of the messenger, waiting. Alek tried to loosen the grip of his lord on his tunic as he struggled to both breathe and inform the Fire Lord. "L-lady-y K-ka.. Katara, my l-lo-o-rd..d" His sentence chopped up by not enough air, Zuko brought him down to his face.
"Enough of this. Lord Zuko, he is trying to tell you. Allow him to speak and then punish him if need be." King Buumi chuckled and pulled up his cup of tea to his lips. "Just because he mentions the Lady, does not mean you need to get so uptight. Loosen up." He sipped the warm fluid with a satisfying, "aahh"

Alek hit the floor with a thud and a loud but short cry of pain from the impact. Zuko took a few steps away from him, folded his hands behind his back and waited. The servent slowly stood up and Zuko snapped at him again, "Well?!" Bowing deeply, Alek began again.
"My Lord, Lady Katara has arrived unexpectedly. She asked me to deliver to you a message. The Lady will be at the springs when you are finished.. She.. she asked you to hurry. It sounded urgent." He flinched when he heard foot steps. Though they were walking away from him.
Zuko sat back down across from King Buumi. "Anything else?" He was highly annoyed. Alek took note of this. "No, sir." Alek spoke quickly. He was lucky so far that he hadn't been roasted like the last unlucky servent. "Then get out. Inform Katara I will be a while longer. See to her needs and leave her be." Zuko's voice had softened quite a lot. His temper calmed and his hand no longer seered with flames told Alek he was in the clear for now.

"Yes sir." He took his leave quicker than his response. The large doors closed and he shakily fell to the floor with a sigh of relief. The two guards looked at him. At least there wasn't another body to clean up after. Alek was shooken. Fire Lord Zuko never made simple threats. He always followed through with them. Had King Buumi not been there, he'd surely be a heep of ashes by now. Alek made a mental note to thank him later on. For now though, he needed to carry out his newest orders. Using the door to stablize himself to standing, he glanced at the two guards. He smiled, "we're in the clear for now.." they breathed a sigh of relief as he started to walk off. Now he just had to survive the water master. He swallowed hard, almost sorry he too up this job.