Yin & Yang

Chapter 9.

Zuko was blissfully unaware of the intruision until Sokka cleared his throat. He broke the kiss slowly and looked to the group. Sokka stood there with his arms crossed in front of his chest, looking very angry. "You know, if you wanted to court her, you shoulda done it sooner. And certainly not like this!" His hand gestured to the ripped clothing everywhere and then to his naked sister in his arms. Zuko looked around, realising just what it looked like to them. He let out a groan and a sigh. "You can let her go any time." His jaw was set and he was tapping his foot impatiently. Zuko turned Katara around and picked her up once more and place her on the bed. Grabbing the blankets, he covered her up and then sat on them as she tried to stand again.

"What is it that you want?" His gaze was hard again, like it always was. The softness in his expression had disappeared at the suddenness of company. His excitement died down. "I take Buumi or Toph failed to mention that all the servants were permitted the day off. That's why I was batheing her. I went to replace the water when she'd woken up and tried to get out of the bed. I was stopping her from exiting the room or hurting herself when she kissed me."

Sokka stepped foreword when Toph stopped him. "He's telling the truth, Sokka." Her face expressionless as usual smiled suddenly. "Katara's having a hard time right now. She doesn't know who we are. And apparently can't comprehend what she's doing either." Everyone had turned to the blind girl. "You saw what happened at the lake with Aang, Sokka. She'd be in worse condition if Zuko hadn't told us what Aang wanted to do!" Sokka's defenses fell and he admited defeat.

Zuko let out a yelp that startled everyone to look in his direction. "Katara! What are you doing?!" Her arms were wrapped around his waist, hands groping at his crotch. "She's sicker than we'd thought! Some one get her off me!" He struggled with her hands. Though in a daze, she was still strong. "You see now, Sokka?" He finally caught her arms and held them away from his body as he looked to her brother. He shivered visably when she leaned foreword to run her tongue over his bicep. "Well are you guys going to just stand there, or are you going to help me out?" He demanded. Admitedly, he liked the attention from the mocha skinned blue-eyed beauty. But in front of her brother was just too much for him. A fevered giggle escaped her lips.

Suki stepped foreword first to help her lay down more. Zuko stepped away quickly as the woman replaced him. They looked at Katara curiously as she immediately ceased all actions when Zuko had removed himself from her vicinity. Sokka cleared his throat again and Zuko turned to him. "Excuse you." He pointed down to Zuko's waist.

"You can't tell me this hasn't happened to you when in the presence of an attractive lady!" Zuko defended himself.

"So you find her appealing?" Sokka questioned as Suki began to finish Katara's sponge bath.

Zuko scoffed, "who wouldn't?" Sokka's eyebrow raised towards the fire bender. "Not that I find her attractive enough to do stuff with her!" He quickly added in.

"Ah-ha.. so she's not good enough for you?" Toph giggled as Sokka trapped Zuko with his own words.

Zuko stuttered. "I.. that's.. she... Damnit! Sokka! That's not being fair about this situation!" He gestured to Katara now sleeping again. "You saw what happened and Toph even confirmed it for you. Don't be turning me into the badguy with this."

Sokka sighed and nodded as Toph began to giggle more. Suki stood, done with the bath now. "She needs sleep. Let's leave her be for now." Zuko looked at Katara, his good eye showing concern for her.

The group slipped down the hallway. "So what did you mean by what you said in there, Sokka? It sounded like there was more to what you were saying when you first barged in." Zuko's voice was quiet, staying with the small group as they walked outside.

"A man from the northern water tribes came to the party. He saw her and asked around. He's offering salvation for the southern tribes for her hand. The north tribes have enough supplies for the south to survive on for at least a decade. He also offered to send some water benders to our village and give us better protection from the elements. A few other things too.." His voice trailed off. Hand balling into a fist, he forced out his next sentance. "Father agreed to do it." Closing his eyes tightly, Sokka was obviously hurt about his fathers' decision. Zuko gasped. "He said it was for the best and that Katara would understand."

He knew people would sell their daughters as concubines to nobles in the fire nation, but didn't know of the practice to be in the other parts of the world. His mind wandered a bit as Suki and Sokka talked about how they would break the news to Katara that she'd been bartered off. Zuko then thought about making a counter offer for her.. Shaking his head wildly he smacked his tmeples. "No! I can't!" He screamed at himself. The others looked at him questioningly. "I.. uh.. I mean I can't let that happen. To her, that is. She deserves better than to be sold away to some one she doesn't know. I'll.. I'll talk to her. Then I'll have a word with your father." He turned on his heal and walked off. Toph smiled mischievously again.

Zuko returned to his room where Katara lay still asleep in the bed. He began picking up the clothing shreds around the floor and cleaned up the water basin and towels. Turning his attention to her, he sat on the bed's edge again. Moving a hair from her face, he studied her silently. His usual hardened expression was soft, caring. As a husband to his wife. "What did this to you?" Zuko wondered aloud. Then he recalled his uncle giving her tea. He didn't know what disturbed him more. The fact that Iroh had given Katara an aphrodesiac and premeditating this feverish delusion that Zuko would try to take care of the young lady.. or the fact that Iroh even had an aphrodesiac in his possession! He shivered visably. Not really wanting to think about the latter, he preoccupied himself with getting ready for bed. Changing his trousers, then looking forelornly at Katara before the flames in the lanterns on the walls were doused with the wave of his hand.

The night was warm. Too warm, in fact. He shed off his night pants and clambered into the bed opposite of Katara. He always woke early so he'd have time to dress himself and be out of the room before she rose. Inhaling deeply, holding the breath, and exhaling slowly, Zuko could only try to get some sleep. Katara stirred and mumbled next to him. "Zu..ko.." His eyebrow quirked up. 'Did she just...?' He reclined his arms behind his head, shaking it. She was too out of it right now. She probably wouldn't remember any of this in the morning. A quick jolt on her side of the bed and her body was halfway onto him. Her leg thrown on top of his, resting in between his thighs. Head on his shoulder she'd just healed and arm drapped across his chest. He stared blankly at her in the dark. Though asleep, this wasn't helping his case much. Especially if Sokka decided to come back into the room.

'She'll change positions soon enough.' Zuko's mind reassured him. 'I'll get up before her and everything will be fine. Nothing to worry about.' He soon became a victim of exhaustion and fell asleep, Katara half straddling him in the night.