The Dragon and The Ocean // Zutara

Aftermath

Katara's POV

This whole thing almost feels impossible, but the kiss said it all. This one is slow and shared. It is a kiss that can only be made between two lovers, destined to be together. The Sun and the Moon. Fire and water.

None of my kisses with Aang were like this one. The best part was that it was two sided, while the ones that Aang and I shared were forced and all one-sided, his side. It was perfect, and it is broken up only when Zuko pulls back in pain.

I can't help but laugh at him. He's so in love he forgets that he was literally on death's door a few minutes ago. He pouts before joining me with a grin of his own. The conditions of the courtyard become more apparent to me. It's hot and smoky from the Agni Kai, not ideal conditions to be sitting in.

"Let's get you inside." I say to him as I start to hoist him up.

His weight is quite cumbersome as I help him stand, but I don't mind it. Once I get him standing, I wrap his arm around my shoulder and we start to walk. Well I walk. Zuko mainly hobbles along with me, his face scrunched up in pain.

When we get to the base of the stairs, I can see the Fire Sages walking down them. A few royal guards follow behind them. The royal guards kneel down, and the Fire Sages bow when they get to us. I stare at Zuko, confused.

"What shall we do to now Fire Lord Zuko?" one of the sages asks.

"Fire lord?" Zuko asks, sounding just as confused as me.

"Well soon to be Fire Lord. You have beaten Azula in the Agni Kai. She said that if you beat her then you will be given the role of Fire lord." the Sage clarifies.

"R-right, okay then." Zuko says, still surprised.

"What would you like us to do with Azula, your majesty?" one of the royal guards asks Zuko. "Would you like us to... eliminate her?"

Zuko's face changes to one of distress. I know that even though he hates Azula and it's hard for him to even consider her family, he knows that Azula is mentally ill and she doesn't deserve to be killed just because she is sick. I hate Azula too, but if Zuko doesn't want her killed, then I don't either.

"Send her to the mental health facility. She is sick and needs to be helped." Zuko says as if he was reading my mind.

"Yes sir." The guard says as him and another go over to Azula.

"She is very powerful, be careful." I warn them.

The two give me a respectful nod before running over to her. I look over to where Azula is chained to the sewage grate. Before she was screaming, but we had both ignored it. Now she is just lying there, quietly sobbing into the floor.

The guards approach her cautiously, prepared for any sort of attack, but Azula just lies there, almost completely motionless. One of the guards untangles the chain from where it was tied around the grate and Azula still doesn't move. The guards then continue to heave her up, looping her arms around their shoulders.

I catch a quick glimpse of her face as she is brought back towards us. She looks miserable and defeated. I have never seen someone look so broken and frail. The guards carried her in the opposite direction of where we are headed and Azula didn't even try to escape from their grasps at all.

Zuko's POV

I'm glad that I was able to save Azula's life. She is sick and suffering. It wouldn't be right to kill her. Even if I don't want to admit it, she is my sister after all. I'm surprised that she doesn't even struggle against the guards. She must have hit her breaking point.