Katara, of the Fire Nation

Chapter 2

Zuko stands awkwardly in front of the water bender.

"Um," he starts, "My name is Zuko."

"Katara," the girl responds.

The two children stand together awkwardly.

"I like your... hair," Zuko says, trying to be polite.

"Thank you," Katara says, looking Zuko up and down, trying to find something to compliment him on, "I like your... palace."

"Yeah?" he says, a sparkle comes to his eye, "It has one hundred rooms! I'll show you."

"Ok!" Katara says, the boy takes her hand and leads her out of the room.

Zuko shows Katara around the palace, pointing out important paintings of his ancestors and labelling all the rooms.

"Did you want to see the gardens?" Zuko asks.

"What's a gardens?" Katara asks, her eyes round with wonder.

"Come on!" he beams, squeezing her hand and encouraging her to run with him.

Zuko takes Katara outside, and Katara's little mouth hangs open in shock. There is so much colour in the gardens; she marvels at the flowers and trees.

"Don't you have gardens where you're from?" Zuko asks, Katara shakes her head, "Here!" the young prince leads Katara to a fire lily patch and picks a red flower, "It's called a fire lily!"

Zuko hands the flower to Katara. Katara's eyes widen as she touches the petal softly.

"It's beautiful," she breathes.

A strange noise catches her attention and Katara looks over to a large tree in the middle of the garden.

"What was that?" she asks.

"I'll show you," Zuko says, taking Katara's hand again and leading her to the tree. Katara is surprised to find a pond in front of the tree. Swimming on the pond is a strange creature.

"It's a turtleduck," Zuko explains. He sits down at the edge of the water and pats the grass next to him.

Katara sits down and watches as the turtleducks swim around the pond, diving under the water every so often.

"ZUKO!" the Fire Lord shouts, storming into the gardens, "Get away from her!"

Katara and Zuko bolt to their feet, when Katara sees the look on the Fire Lord's face, she drops back down to her knees and bows with her forehead on the grass.

"She is our prisoner," Lord Ozai says, grabbing his son by his arm and pulling Zuko closer to him, "She is not some plaything to be your friend, do you understand me?"

"Yes...yes father," Zuko stammers.

"Guard," Ozai snaps, "Take the prisoner back to her room."

Katara flinches as a guard grabs her and pulls her away, Katara steals one last look at Zuko as she is escorted back to her room.

Katara is thrown inside her room and she hears the door being locked by the guard. Katara sniffles and wipes tears from her eyes.

Iroh doesn't come back to her room, Katara is left alone, she's never been alone before, she always had someone with her, especially within the small tribe, and, even on the ship there was always someone close by, but now, she is truly alone.

Katara looks around, she goes to her bed and tries to go to sleep, but it's too quiet and she is too scared.

At midnight, Katara's door is unlocked and it slowly opens, creaking softly.