Steam: An Avatar Story

Chapter 4

Later the night of the party, Katara had returned to her room. When she got there, she saw something on her table in the outer chambers. It was a giant oval stone, blue with white veins running through it. Katara furrowed her eyebrows and walked over to it, reaching out to pick it up.

"What is this..?" She asked, lifting the surprisingly heavy stone up. It was warm, almost like it was alive. Katara held it up to her ear, and swore she heard sounds inside.

"What are you?" She asked, returning the stone back to its basket. Putting it out of her mind for now, she got ready for bed. Laying there on her mattress, Katara found herself thinking of Zuko again. The dancing, the party, the necklace, and the way he kissed her forehead. Her heart raced, a smile crept to her lips, and her cheeks warmed. Why?

She couldn't believe it, but she started to think that maybe Suki was right. Maybe Katara did have feelings for him. She thought back again to how handsome he looked in his robes, and those fluid, ever-changing golden eyes that mesmerized her. Boy was she in trouble.

~~~

The next morning, Suki woke her up. "The Fire Lord requests your presence." She said quietly. Katara yawned and nodded, getting ready to go see what her adoptive father wanted.

"Father?" Katara asked, pushing open the door to her father's throne room a few minutes later.

"Come in Katara." His voice rang out from inside the chamber. Katara walked inside, stopping to bow before her father. "Have a seat." Katara sat down, waiting for him to speak.

"Iroh tells me that you have figured out you are the Avatar. I understand that you Waterbent a few days ago?" Katara nodded. "Very good. Your training will begin immediately. However, we do not have Master Waterbenders or Airbenders in abundance, so you will start with Earth. You will also continue to train in Firebending with Zuko. Dismissed." Katara nodded again, bowing once more before she left the room. This was the nature of her relationship with her father, as well as Zuko and Azula's. They sat, they listened, and they left.

Ozai watched the young Water Tribe Girl leave the throne room. He saw her last night with Zuko from his chambers out on the balcony. He liked this new development, if she and Zuko fell in love, as the Crown Prince he would choose her to be his wife and future Fire Lady. That would just solidify the claim he had on the young Avatar, and keep that passion for the Fire Nation alive in her. They would rule the world, finally. Ozai smirked to himself.

~

There was a knock on Katara's door a while later. She was sitting on her couch, studying the stone. "Come in," she said softly. Zuko appeared a few moments later. "Hi." He sat down next to her.

"Hey. Where have you been all day?" He asked.

"Dad finally told me what was going to happen now that I'm the Avatar and I know about it. An Earthbending master is supposed to be here tomorrow, and I'm to start practicing that, as well as keeping up with my lessons in Firebending with you."

"Earth? You haven't even bent Earth yet. Why not start with Water? Or even Air? Considering that's how the cycle goes."

"In case you haven't noticed Zuko, there aren't anymore Airbenders," Katara smiled sadly. "And Master Waterbenders are also in short supply, considering we're in an all-out war with the Water Tribes."

"True. What is that?" He gestured to the stone.

"I'm not sure," Katara reaches out and grabbed it, placing it in her lap. "I got back last night and it was there. No note or anything." Katara stroked the smooth stone. "You're gonna think I'm crazy, but it's almost like it's alive. Here." She offered the stone to him. Zuko took it and his eyes narrowed.