The Magnaks' Forest

Book 4: Air

Chapter 2: The Magnaks' Forest

A sorrowful Zuko was sitting with Azula in her room. It was planned especially for her, so she couldn't hurt herself. There was everything that a young princess could want. They weren't alone – Azula's guardians were always there, taking care of her. Azula was dangerous. She was mad. No one really knew when her madness began. Azula always wanted to be in charge of everything. Earlier she had had two friends - Ty Lee, who was now a Kyoshi warrior, and Mai, Zuko's former girlfriend. It was hard to call it even a friendship – Azula was using them to reach her own goals. She was already behaving strangely earlier, but after Mai and Ty Lee attacked her in the Boiling Rock prison, Azula was left alone with her ambitions. When Ozai went to fight in the war, he made Azula the new Fire Lord. Azula then dismissed all her servants, thinking that she could take care of everything alone. When Zuko and Katara came to the Fire Nation' s palace, she was completely mad. Zuko won against her without any problems in their Agni Kai duel and put her into prison. Fortunately, he soon recognized her madness. He wanted to help her. The Avatar used his power; even Katara wanted to heal her… Zuko still remembered that day. My power can't heal mental illnesses, said Katara. They decided to shut the mad princess up in the palace, with special guardians caring for her at all times.
Zuko sometimes visited her, but he knew that she didn't understand anything. He did it when he had a problem and he didn't have anyone to talk to about it. He missed his uncle Iroh. What he wouldn't give to have him here! But his uncle wanted to open a tea-shop in Ba Sing Se called The Jasmine Dragon and now he was the best tea-maker in the town…
-I really miss him- Zuko said to his sister. She was looking for something under the table. Perhaps for something that had never existed.- Do you remember uncle Iroh?
Azula blinked. She started to laugh. Zuko didn't like it; it was the very high laugh of a madwoman.
-Our fat, old uncle!- Azula was still laughing. She came out from under the table, took a cushion and put it under her shirt. She said in a deep voice:
-Would you like to drink some jasmine tea? Tea will always help!
Zuko took no notice of her.
-The whole Southern Water Tribe hates me! How should I know that giving somebody a necklace is such a bad thing? Stupid peasants!
-Peasants!- laughed Azula.- Bad brother, bad Zuzu!
-How can you still call me like that?- Zuko got angry. But only a little. He was still thinking about Katara. Her tribe had turned their backs on her. And it was his fault.

Katara and Toph were sitting in the market-place. The blind girl was using her bending to throw little stones at the people standing near her.
-Yes! Another hit!- she said, when the next person yelped.
Katara didn't say anything. Toph decided to stop her game.
-Don't worry, Katara- she said.- We'll find him.
-Don't worry? Don't worry?!- said Katara, standing up.- It's easy for you to say! The whole tribe is offended at me! My dad and Sokka haven't said a word to me since my birthday! I'm worried about Aang. When did you say that he disappeared?
- When you told Zuko that you'd take his gift.- said Toph with bored voice.- At that moment, he took his glider and flew away.
Suddenly a little white animal jumped on Katara's knees.
-Momo!- she smiled. Katara stroked Aang's flying lemur.- You didn't turn your back on me…
Suddenly she saw someone's shadow behind her.
-Aang!- shouted Katara. She pushed Momo from her knees, stood up and hugged the Avatar.
-We have to talk -he said.- Toph, could you leave us alone?
-Don't work yourself up - said Toph, sad because of Aang's decision. – Momo, come with me. We'll throw stones at people.
At first, Katara was happy that Aang returned, but now she felt anxious. Aang wasn't smiling; he was looking angry.
-Let's go for a walk- he said.
They went to a big forest near the sea.
-This is a good place for a conversation- said Katara, when they stopped walking.
Aang sighed.
-Tell me one thing. Why did you take that necklace?
Katara was surprised. She didn't expect that question.
-Oh, please, Aang! You, too? Everyone thinks that I've done something bad. I know what the tradition says, but times are changing. We can't just do everything that tradition says! Besides, how could Zuko have known about that? He only wanted to be kind, but it's like he came to my birthday party just to make the tribe angry!
The young Avatar listened to her carefully, looking at her gesticulations. When Katara got angry, she was very dangerous. And convincing.
He felt happy and started to laugh.
-It's okay, Katara- he said, putting his hand on her arm.- I've been acting stupid. But you have to understand me, Katara… Back there, when I heard all those people… When Zuko was putting that necklace on you… I believed in what they were saying. That you would be with him forever.
Katara listened to him with astonishment. She turned red.
-Why would you think like that? Did I ever give you any reason to be jealous?
Aang turned away. He gave her his answer after a while, very quietly.
-It started a long time ago. First it was the cave after Ba Sing Se. When Iroh and I found you, your hand was on his face. You looked like…
-Aang!- she stopped him- I told you about it many times. I wanted to heal his scar.
-And later, when Zuko joined us? How could I know what happened when you went off together to get revenge on that guy who killed your mother? When you returned, you were so strange! So kind…
-Because I'd forgiven him- Katara got angry.- I had bad feelings about the whole Fire Nation, and about him, too. Earlier, I couldn't forgive him for his betrayal in Ba Sing Se. Why is it so hard for you to understand this?!
-And tell me- Aang continued, taking no notice of Katara.- Why, when the last battle started, when Sozin's Comet gave the firebenders such great power, and I almost died in the duel with Ozai, why you weren't with me? You were with Zuko, like he would have had any trouble with his crazy sister!
-How dare you, Aang!- shouted Katara. You're the Avatar, and you weren't alone! You had Sokka, Suki, and Toph! Did you want to leave Zuko alone? You know that he almost died! Or maybe that would be better for you? So that you could be the Fire Lord, and I would be with you?
Then Katara realized that she had said too much. She knew that by looking at Aang, who seemed terribly shocked.
-I would never think like that, Katara. Never. How could you even say that?
She wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the right words for it. She bowed her head.
-I don't know, Aang. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything.
Aang couldn't be angry at her any longer. He sat near her.
-I'm sorry, too. I love you, and that's why I'm so jealous.
They hugged for a while and Aang stood up. He offered her a hand, but Katara shook her head.
-Go. I'll come back alone. I have to think.
-But is everything okay with us?
Katara smiled.
-Yes. Now go.

There are some days when everything is against you. You've had enough of life and you want to run away and never come back.
Zuko didn't think that ruling the Fire Nation would be easy. But he thought that it would be easier than this. He was sitting on a branch of a big tree and listening to the birds. The forest was full of life and so loud! He always came here when he felt bad, to this small forest near the sea. The voice of the waves was calming for him.
He looked at the beach. It should have been empty, because it was late. But it wasn't.
There was a girl with long hair sitting there. Waves were washing far up the beach, but they were passing widely around her. The girl was only making circles with her right hand.
Zuko leaned out. There was only one waterbender on his lands.
At first he wanted to climb out of the tree and go to Katara, but he recalled her behavior yesterday. She must to hate me, he thought. Then he sat more comfortably on the branch and started to watch her.
In a few minutes the sunset began and ended. It was very dark. Zuko knew that he should go, because nights in this forest were dangerous. But Katara was still there. Luckily, in a few minutes, she stood up and went towards the forest, straight towards his tree.
He moved, trying to be quiet. Katara was now on a path going under his tree. He climbed lower to see her better. Unfortunately, he chose too thin of a branch. He heard a loud crash, and the Fire Lord fell straight on Katara. She shouted. Katara immediately took some water from plants around her and looked at her enemy, ready to attack.
-Zuko?
He stood up and tried to look astonished.
-Katara! What are you doing here?
-That's a pretty weird question for someone who just fell on you from a tree -she said. - Are you stalking me?
-No -said Zuko.- I was sitting in this tree. It's my… place of meditation. I saw you when you were sitting on the beach.
Katara looked at him sternly.
-I always come here, when I feel bad - he said quietly.
Katara's face cleared.
Zuko smiled carefully. He came closer to Katara.
-Don't worry. I'll convince your tribe that I didn't try to steal their waterbender.
Suddenly they heard growl from a bush.
-Zuko! What was that?- Katara was scared.
-Stay behind me- he said.
Katara pressed her back to his, ready to attack. They were walking carefully, looking for their enemy.
-There's probably more than one – said Zuko, when the growling became louder.- I knew that sitting in forest at night was a bad idea!
-No one ordered you to wait for me – said Katara.
-Oh yeah, I could just go away and leave you for this monsters' dinner. Sorry. Next time I'll do that…
A big, heavy beast jumped on him from the darkness.
-Magnaks! Hide somewhere!- shouted Zuko, covering her.
Katara shouted. She attacked the beast with a water whip. It only made the magnak more angry, and he called other monsters.
-Don't attack them with water!- shouted Zuko, trying to avoid the other beasts' teeth.-They're scared of fire! It makes them blind, so they attack only at night.
Katara listened to him. She ducked behind Zuko, who was attacking the magnaks with fireballs. It looked like a dance - dangerous moves between the monsters, avoiding their teeth and attacking their eyes with fire.
The Fire Lord fought like that for a moment. Some of magnaks ran away, but in their place came other beasts.
-Hide behind a tree- Zuko shouted to Katara.
-But…- she protested.
-Do what I said!
Katara listened to him. When she went deeper into the forest, Zuko took a bigger breath and threw his arms wide. His hands released flames, making a big ring of fire that hurt all the magnaks. When he finished, no beasts were left.
-Zuko!- shouted Katara. She ran to him.- Is everything all right?
-Yeah. But we have to go. It's dangerous here… And I have lots of work in the palace.
-Work?
-Letters, documents, treaties. I hate it. Usually I leave it for evenings, but I'm starting to think that it isn't a good idea.
Katara decided in one moment.
-I'll help you.
Zuko looked at her, surprised.
-You aren't going home?
-Home?- asked Katara.-In my home no one has said even one word to me, or even looked at me, since my birthday.
-I know what you're talking about- sighed Zuko. He smiled. With Katara, this work shouldn't be so bad.

Zuko made some space for Katara at the table covered with red material. He showed her a pile of letters.
-These just need my signature- he said, signing one of them. -Could you copy it?
-With the power of water?- Katara smiled, transferring drops of ink from one letter to another.
-I think I'll hire you- said Zuko, laughing.
He took a rolled-up letter with a big seal from a silver tray. He became worried.
-Another letter from King of Omashu…
-From King Bumi?- Katara was astonished.- He's Aang's friend!
Zuko looked at her surprised.
-But he's about a hundred years old!
-And Aang is one hundred and fourteen years old. They were friends before the Avatar disappeared in the iceberg for a hundred years.
The Fire Lord opened the letter.
-Did something bad happen?- asked Katara.
-During the war, my sister turned Omashu into New Ozai. Its ruler was some governor…
-Mai's father?
'My former girlfriend's father', thought Zuko. It was a stupid thought, so he threw it away.
-Yes. They settled there, and with them came many other people from the Fire Nation. They built their houses there and they didn't want to go back to Fire Nation lands. People from the Earth Kingdom still don't tolerate them… The situation is getting worse. I don't know what I should do.
-Hmm… maybe you could convince them to like you? People from Omashu have never seen you. It's possible that if they see that you're different than Azula, they'll accept the Fire Nation and believe that everything has changed.
-That's not such a bad idea, Katara. But think… I… Would my visit change anything?
-Not officially. But show other people that you area good ruler, and you can see what the real problem is.
-What would I have done without you- laughed Zuko.- Maybe I'll really hire you as my adviser?
Katara became sad.
-You could, if I don't go back to the South Pole.
-You don't want to return?
-No. I'll be so far away from everything: big cities, other people… Even from my brother.
Sokka wanted to leave the South Pole and live with Suki on Kyoshi Island.
-And… what about Aang?- asked Zuko cautiously.
-Aang wants to go with me- said Katara. She was astonished at herself. She should be happy! She was finally going home, where there now stood a beautiful palace. And she would be with Aang. Forever…
Zuko returned to reading scrolls. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to be pushy or nosy, but he could tell that Katara's destiny wasn't life at the South Pole. Even with Aang.
He thought about it for some time, browsing a pile of scrolls. After a while, he looked at Katara. She was leaning back in her chair. From her hand were falling drops of ink. She was sleeping. Zuko stood up us quietly as he could. He took Katara in his arms. He was still afraid that she would wake up. He took her to his bed and covered her carefully with a coverlet. He looked at her, and went to sleep on a big armchair in the next room.