The Price of Peace

Interlude Twenty-three

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“Well?” Zuko looked at the young Earth Kingdom girl. “What did she say?”

Looking from the Fire Lord’s hopeful expression to Aang’s skeptical one, Meng dithered. “She, uh, told me to tell you that she will attend dinner.”

Zuko tapped his knuckles onto the tabletop in triumph. “See! I told you I didn’t need to write words of prose or other such nonsense in my letter.

Sokka, who stood in one of the corners of the room, snorted. “You came to me and asked me for help. You didn’t take my advice. That’s your first mistake. It’ll probably be your last mistake.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” retorted Zuko defensively.

“He means that you haven’t survived dinner yet,” Aang stated.

Zuko winced. The Avatar was right.

“Fine, don’t take my advice.” Sokka’s voice cracked in its usual manner. “I’m only the most experienced –”

“Braggart in the entire Earth Kingdom…possibly the whole world,” Toph cut the Water Tribe warrior off. “What you need is advice from a woman.”

Zuko nodded, desperately trying to come up with a plan to win his wife back. He did need her back and he didn’t know how he was going to convince her. He needed Katara by his side if he were to head off Azula’s claim to the throne.

Sokka pushed away from the wall and sauntered toward Toph. “So what do you suggest, Oh Feminine One.”

Pointedly looking at Sokka’s waist, Toph grinned when he cupped himself. It wasn’t like she could actually see “it.” In all honesty she was so used to seeing people in their natural state that she paid little attention to it. Sokka was the exception to the rule. He annoyed her. Therefore it was her goddess-given right to annoy him. Now that she had ammunition she was going to torment him.

She cleared her throat. “Firstly, dinner is not a good idea. You don’t want to be sitting around the dinner table with Mister Health Nut and his companion ‘Rude-Bodily-Noises.’”

“Hey!” Sokka crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s considered bad manners in some cultures not to –”

“Manners!” Toph baited Sokka skillfully. “What would know about manners?”

“I –” He took a step toward her.

“Will you two stop it?” Aang commanded angrily, positioning himself between them. “Zuko and Katara need our help. Listening to the two of you bickering is not helping.”

Sokka stomped back to his corner and sat down in a pouting manner that would rival even the most spoiled child.

Toph sighed, appreciating Sokka’s “naked” backside as he walked away. “As I was saying…”

At this point, Zuko was sitting down. His head was bowed and he was praying for guidance from any entity who would listen. He couldn’t believe he had asked for advice from Katara’s brother. Now he was listening to Toph, who had as much tact as a rabid platypus bear. The only people whose opinions mattered were strangely silent. (His uncle wasn’t here and the Avatar wasn’t always forthcoming with words of wisdom.)

“You need to have a private dinner with your wife.” Toph started pacing back and forth as if the process helped her thought processes. “You should plan a menu that has meaning for the both of you. Try to recreate a special setting.”

Zuko’s had snapped up. He stared at Toph in disbelief. “I can see it now. ‘Sorry about the smoke, Katara, but I thought it would be fun if I recreated our wedding night. You remember our wedding night, right Sugar Plum? That’s the night we burned down part of the palace to make it look like we died.’”

“Please tell me you don’t call my sister sugar plum,” Sokka stated drolly. “That’s just wrong.”

Zuko rolled his eyes in answer.

“Either way…” Toph raised her voice to keep from getting drowned out by Sokka’s useless prattle. “You need to have a private dinner. You need to apologize to her for whatever you did to her.”

“I didn’t do anything to her!” Zuko railed irritably.

Misty sea-green eyes stared at him. “Oh really? Well, she seems to think so. It must be pretty bad, seeing as she won’t even talk about it.”

Blanching, Zuko bowed his head in shame. He had wronged Katara. Just as Iroh had lured her into the marriage, Zuko had exploited her weaknesses to seal the deal. He did everything under the pretense that he was protecting her, but he knew the truth.

He wanted Katara for himself. He should have pushed her away. He never should have involved her with his problems. But with each halfhearted push, he gave a mighty pull. He wanted Katara to be a part of his life. He needed her in his world…not for the “greater good…” but for himself.

His selfish nature wouldn’t let her go again. He wanted this woman by his side for all times. He couldn’t discern between right and wrong any longer. It just wasn’t possible. He told himself lies to hide the truth. He told himself that he needed her to protect everything he held sacred.

But all he needed was Katara.

The urge to quit his duties and run away with her was growing. He wanted to shield her from the ugliness of his life. To embrace Katara’s love and his responsibilities invited madness. The duties of being Fire Lord were insurmountable. They suffocated him. Katara’s love offered him respite from those duties, while adding to the pile.

He had to find a way. He had to find the balance between what he desired and what was right.

“You’ll have to help me,” Zuko mumbled sheepishly. “I don’t know the first thing about planning a menu.”

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TBC


Author’s notes – The next chapter is the long-awaited reunion. Please be patient. Zuko has a lot of apologizing to do it and a lot of pride to swallow. Moncapitan refuses to let him off the hook easily. As he keeps reminding me, Zuko messed up big time and Katara should not forgive him easily. Thanks to all who have reviewed!