The Moon & The Sun

Chapter 9

Zuko kept shifting in his sleep as he felt Katara dig deeper and deeper into his chest. He frowned seeing tears run down her tan face.

He rubbed his thumb across her cheek softly as he gripped her brown hair in his hand and pulled her close against him.

"I've got you baby girl, it's all okay you're safe now." Zuko whispered to her as he kissed her forehead softly as she drifted off to asleep again.

-•-

Katara woke up the next day with her face buried into her spouse's chest, as she nuzzled her head out she looked up to see Zuko still sleeping.

She felt bad that she had probably kept him up all night, when Katara looked out the window to see the tip of the sun peaking out of the sky.

Quietly she crawled out of his grasp and slipped off the large bed, she opened the drawer and slipped one of the robes on before walking out of the room as quietly as she could.

As she tip toed down the stairs she walked out to the garden, she let out a small sigh of relief seeing nobody there.

She walked to the small bench that faced the balcony with the small stream surrounding it, as she sat down she looked to the sun which peaked out more over the horizon and took a deep breath.

-•-

Zuko woke up about 20 minutes after Katara had left, as he shifted to pull her closer his eyes widened as she wasn't there. He looked around the room to see her nowhere.

He quickly shot out of the bed and grabbed his robe from the chair before running out of the room.

As he made his way down the stairs he saw the guards on the ground sleeping, he rolled his eyes before shouting at them causing them to shoot up and face him.

"Have you seem Princess Katara pass by here?" Zuko said sternly as he looked at them.

"Oh uh.. no prince we were uh.." One of the guards stumbled looking to the ground embarrassed.

"Asleep.. right." Zuko growled turning his back to them.

"Do not fall asleep again or there will be consequences." Zuko said before hearing them both say yes sir.

As Zuko moved outside he saw a figure sitting on a bench toward the edge of the balcony.

Zuko smiled seeing his bride staring to the sky, he started to run to her until he slipped falling on his back.

As he looked down rubbing his head annoyed he saw ice all on the ground.

Ice? In the Fire Nation?

Zuko thought as he looked around he saw the trees frozen around him as well. He raised an eyebrow as he walked to Katara trying to stay on his feet as he walked to her.

"Hey Katara are you okay-" Zuko started before a piece of the stream lifted up and turned to a sharp icicle, it then moved straight to his neck in a matter of seconds.

Katara jumped at the sound of his voice as she spun around to see Zuko with his hands in the air and the ice to his neck.

"Oh my spirits I'm so sorry Zuko!" Katara exclaimed as she moved her hand down to lower the ice back into the water.

"Katara uh.. are you okay?" Zuko asked a bit cautiously as he slowly sat next to her.

"Yes, I am fine." Katara said smoothly as she kept her eyes set on the horizon.

Zuko looked down to see water coming from the stream and wrapping around the pillars before it froze. He looked back up to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Katara you clearly aren't okay." Zuko said softly before she spun her body to him.

"Zuko I said I'm fine!" She said before she looked behind him to see the ice everywhere.

"Oh my.." she whispered as she looked around before she looked to Zuko with tears in her eyes.

Zuko saw her tears and frowned as he quickly pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

"Katara it's okay, he's locked up and he can't get you. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, I should've been to protect you." Zuko said as he kissed her forehead.

"I should've been able to protect myself." Katara mumbled as she looked down.

Zuko looked down to her as he grabbed her chin softly and faced it to him.

"Katara nobody expects you to be able to protect yourself on your own. Even though you could've handled yourself, all you had was a small vase full of water." Zuko said to her as she looked up to him almost understanding what he was saying.

"Could you imagine if you were outside with this stream? We would've heard his girly screams from a mile away." Zuko said to her, causing her to giggle softly.

"Thank you Zuko, you always know how to make me feel better." Katara said kissing his cheek softly.

"Well, anything for my princess." Zuko said softly as he pulled her chin closer to his and kissed her softly.

Katara smiled kissing him back softly as she moved closer to him. As the two kissed the ice began to melt causing it to fall back down into the stream. The trees were back to normal and the ground was the regular stone and grass it was before.

When the two broke away from the kiss they looked around and smiled.

"All you need is a little love." Zuko whispered as she stood up and offered his hand.

When she took it he smiled as they walked toward the palace.

"Let's go see what's on the menu for breakfast." Zuko said with a smile on his face.