Our Eclipse (Zutara)

Chapter 16

The rain lightly fell around us, the fog thick over the water. It felt as if we were in a never ending foggy dream as Zuko and I stood out on the bow of the small military boat. He stood with his hands on my shoulders, as we stared out into the endless fog that stretched over the calm waters that lightly brush up onto the sides of the boat as we cut through the large ocean.

We had left earlier that morning, Iroh had been there to say goodbye to us, he had taken me by the shoulder and stopped me while Zuko walked ahead of me. "I've noticed your betrothal necklace, Katara. Before you wore it, but now, it graces you and is apart of you, you have become a part of it. Tell me child, will you return to become Fire Lady because you must, or for my nephew?" He asked me as we stood out in the steps leaving the palace. I had smiled to him and placed my hand over his when I said, "I will return on my own will, and I will graciously stand next to your nephew and our people, Uncle Iroh." I smiled to him as he embraced me before he helped me board my palanquin to follow Zuko's to the docks.

"Do you want tea, Tara?" Zuko whispers in my ear. I lean back further into his arms and nod my head. He leads me back into the housing chambers of the boat, and into our room. We sat there in his room in comfortable silence drinking our tea, listening to the bounding of the rain upon the metal haul.

Before long, dark set in and me and Zuko laid into the small bed. He lightly snored in my ears, but I couldn't find sleep as easily. After long enough, I climbed out of bed, grabbed a small blanket and walked bare foot into the soldiers lounge. When I had arrived, about seven men, two of which I recognized, were sitting around the fire that grew tall out of an old oil barral.

"Princess Katara!" One of the men who had escorted me into my room stood, followed by the other men and bowed at the waist to me. I waved my hand for them to sit as I walked down stairs to the common area. "I am not married to your prince yet," I said as I sat down next to them in one of the clearings they had made on the metal bench, "Just call me Katara." I smiled warmly at all of them, and the tension left the room.

One of the men leaned around the fire and handed me a warm brew in a large mug. "It's probably not the royal treatment that you're used to, but I made it myself!" The husky man said as I wrapped my small hands around the warm cup. I giggled at him, and breathed in the musky aroma of the soup. "It smells amazing, thank you." I smiled to him as he leaned back into his seat. I sipped on the tasty brew and smiled as the warm liquid coursed through my body, warming me. I tugged the blanket more over my shoulders as I drank more of the delicious liquid. "This is amazing," I said to the man who smiled at my compliment, "Yeah, the guards at the palace love it when I make it. Kind of a treat for long days." He says grimly. "You work as a palace gaurd?" I ask him leaning forward to see his shadowy figure more clearly.

He grunted, clearing his throat before he sat up and stared at me with how light golden eyes. "I have worked there since Prince Zuko was 6 years old. He was always such a little spitfire." The man chuckled at the memory, earning a small smile from us. "He was always a happy kid, you know before the scar happened. Then he just dove into a depression after his parents were killed. I haven't seen him smile this much, or have such a bounce in his step in years. You really have helped him, Katara." He says, the rest of the men nod in agreement.

We sit still for a while, watching the flames dance around in the old old barrel, casting a red glow upon the metal haul. "How did it happen?" I ask to no one in particular as I stared at the brown liquid sloshing in my mug. "His scar." I clarify, looking up into the flames. The men talk in low voices to each other, exchanging glances, before the man sitting two seats from me, Hau, looked to me. "I was in the audience that day. Whatever Zuko had done to bring his father to believe that an Agni Kai was the proper punishment, I don't know, but it's always said that the young prince had been out of line to challenge a 13 year old boy like that."

He took a pause, looking down into his mug before continuing, "Being there, watching the young boy, made me feel like I was him, made me wish I was there in his place. He was too young." He leaned his head down and I watched as he wiped a tear from his face. "He fell to his knees and begged for forgiveness. But Prince Ozai refused to listen to any of his young sons pleas. Ozai yelled at him to stand and fight with honor, but where is there any honor in dueling a 13 year old boy to an Agni Kai?" He whispered to me, he looked into my eyes, and I couldn't look away, I saw the heartbreak in the old mans eyes.

"When Zuko refused to fight him, Ozai decided to teach him a lesson, and he let his flames fly. I can never get the sound of the young boys screams from my head as Ozai scorched the skin of his face. And I can never forget the look of pure genuine loathing that Prince Ozai had in his eyes as he stared down at his quivering son."

The room was quiet once again, and I could feel the weight of the room. Warm tears started dropping down my cheeks as I looked into the fire. "I think that's enough for tonight. I'll escort you back to your room, princess." Hau said as he stood to escort me. I nodded to the men, and said my goodbyes before I placed my half empty cup of soup on the chair, and walked behind Hau, out of the haul, and down the hallways, all while my mind replayed the story again and again in my head.