Destiny is a Funny Thing (Zutara)

Escape

Katara felt a hitch in her throat when she felt the boat reach land. They were already at the merchant village and she had yet to convince Zuko to let her join him. Katara got up to get dressed but groaned in pain. Azula's fire would leave a scar, but thankfully it wasn't lightning (and a little healing didn't hurt). She didn't let Zuko see how hurt she got, so her speedy recovery would hopefully go unnoticed. But Katara felt drained. After getting dressed Katara opened the door and went above to see a few crewmen eating.

"Where is Prince Zuko?" Katara questioned

One soldier looked up with a shrug "He took two others to get some supplies. This is just a pitstop so I would stay on the ship." Katara was confused. Did Zuko not tell these soldiers that they were leaving Katara here? And why would he be gone and not take her so he could leave for his journey? Katara nodded and racked her brain for a reason to leave and figure out why.

"Well... you see...I need to get some things for for...lady reasons." Katara blushed.

The men looked at each other and a wave of awkwardness overcame them.

"Say no more, just be back soon, I doubt Prince Zuko would be happy about waiting."

Katara nodded and went down into the village. It was tiny, and the people all seemed to sluggishly go about their day, the looming fire nation soldiers made sure to dampen any sort of pride from the Earth nation people. Katara could feel the grief everyone shared. It was hard to ignore, and it seemed to be everywhere Katara went since the Avatar was turned over to the fire nation. Katara looked around for Prince Zuko. Thankfully, she found him, but he was with the two soldiers, heading into a heavily wooded area away from civilization. Katara narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Where are you going?" Katara muttered. She followed the trio, making sure to keep enough distance as to not make her presence known. 

"I just heard there was an herb for a tea I wanted to try out in these woods" Zuko explained.

"Don't become like the traitor. That man always talked about tea" One soldier complained. Zuko murmured in agreement as he looked at the ground in concentration. Something was troubling him. Before Katara could wonder what Zuko was doing out here, a man jumped down from the tree so quickly Katara thought she might be dreaming. A moment later, that man had a knife to Prince Zuko's throat. The soldiers lifted up spears and looked at each other with shock. 

"Let go of him," One soldier said unconvincingly

Several men, Katara didn't notice before began surrounding Prince Zuko and the fire nation soldiers. 

"Well, well, well. Just what we were looking for. I'm sure ransoming a Prince would be very profitable." One man came out of the shadows and laughed as the iguana parrot chirped along with him. The others joined in as the soldiers clutched their weapons. 

"Now. If you don't want your precious prince to not get skewered on the spot. I would suggest you back away now." The man cooed. The soldiers looked to Zuko.

"Go" Zuko squirmed. "Go back to the fire nation and tell my father what happened. GO" Zuko screamed. The men reluctantly ran until they were out of sight and Katara watched in horror. Should she do something? The Sea was too far to use and Zuko needed help. She knew if Zuko was kidnapped, Katara would be left with nothing. But a twinge of happiness was in Katara as she realized she could go home and forget this whole mess. There would be another way, maybe, to fend off the fire nation from the water tribe. 

But Katara knew if there was a chance she could find out what Zuko was originally going, it might help. Katara stood up, ready to fight, no matter what. When the man holding the knife let go of Zuko. 

Zuko rubbed his neck. "You nicked me." 

"You told us to be convincing. Now, the other half of the payment." The man with the iguana parrot held out his hand as Zuko gave him a pouch in response. 

"There will be much more, if I know I never hear a word of this from anyone," Zuko warned. The way his voice raised in anger Katara couldn't help but take a step back. She knew Zuko was the fire nation prince. But the way he glared at these men, she knew that if they talked, he'd kill them. 

The man who must have been the captain didn't seem phased, or if he did he didn't show it. 

"Of course. Pleasure doing business with you."

And just as they came from the shadows, they slipped right back into them. 

Then there was silence. Zuko stood there in what seemed like relief and Katara stood there in shock. What were her next moves? But with a sudden smile, Katara realized she had an answer.

"Do you want to tell me what just happened?" Katara yelled with a smirk. 

Zuko looked back and Katara wished she could bottle up the look of fear he gave her when he realized he had been caught.

"What are you doing here? Keep your voice down!" Zuko seethed in anger, and for the first time in a while, Katara had the upper hand against the royal family. Zuko approached her with his fists clenched.

"You're right, Prince Zuko. I should be heading back to the ship, where I'm sure your men would LOVE to know that you're perfectly safe after all." Katara turned and grinned when she heard a quiet 

"On Ji, Wait."

Katara turned with her arms crossed.

"I could kill you, you know. You're awful with a sword, and if I killed you now no one would notice." The words stung Katara, but the menace Zuko had against the pirates evaporated. She could just feel in her stomach that Zuko didn't have it in him to kill her. She didn't know why, probably his sense of honor. She was an innocent girl to him, anyways.

"Prince Zuko, I'm not going to tell anyone. But I'm a liability anyways. I've decided. Wherever you're going. I want to go."

Zuko was surprised. She had no idea where he was going, and still, she wanted to join. He was going to ask why but she went on an answered unprompted.

"Azula still tried to kill me, remember? I have nowhere to go. If I go back to the fire nation I'd just be banished. Besides, This way, you know I won't go back and trade this information for my place back at the fire nation."

She made a point. But that just made Zuko angrier. 

"It's going to be dangerous. I can't have you hold me back." Zuko warned.

"I won't hold you back. I may have lied about my sword skills. But I won't complain no matter the journey." Katara promised

"We'd be going through the desert, the mountains places a girl like you shouldn't experience"

"A girl like me will be fine. Maybe a sheltered boy prince like you should be the one worried." 

Zuko huffed in annoyance. Zuko was banished and had to roam the world in search of the Avatar at one point, what did this girl endure besides his sister? 

"Fine. But no questions about where we're going, what we're doing. And when I tell you to wait outside or stay behind. Do it." Zuko said.

"Fine. But if you leave me again I'll tell Lord Ozai what really happened. And one more thing" 

Zuko flinched. He didn't like feeling beaten, let alone by a girl he now thought he should've left to get burned by Azula in the palace. "What"

"You've got to change and get a disguise, and quick. You won't be Prince Zuko anymore, so that means for the rest of this journey, we're equals." 

Zuko looked at the girl like she grew a third horn. He knew she was hiding some confidence, but he couldn't have guessed this girl had enough aggression to start commanding her Prince around. Something about that made him scared, but another part of it made him feel more respect for her. Either way, he was in a corner and didn't have many options. 

"We have a deal."