The Warrior's Gambit (Zutara)

XXXX

Katara walked around in a half-daze the rest of the time Zuko was gone. She was gaining her strength back, slowly, slower than she would like. Maybe her body was just rebelling from taking one too many beatings here and was refusing to do what it was supposed to.

Still, she felt like it may be something else. She couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible had happened, or was going to happen, while Zuko was gone. What, she couldn't say.

One thing she did know, however, was that she had to tell Zuko about their reincarnations. It wasn't fair to him anymore and trying to get answers on her own had nearly killed her. He deserved a straight answer, lest he tried something stupid like she had. She knew she shared this trait in Zuko...unrelenting drive when they wanted something.

This would force the moment to a crisis; she knew. It would change everything, whether or not he believed her.

For this reason, and after her conversation with Yue, Katara made a promise to herself. She has considered that Yue was idealistic and a romantic and reading into cues that weren't there. She had asked if maybe Zuko had made some vague gestures and Yue had taken it as gospel. She considered that perhaps Zuko was lying to Yue. But even if all of this conversation was false, it gave her a reminder she sorely needed...even with all of her own troubles, the competition and those that demanded a Fire Lady bride were still present and Zuko had to abide by this.

She would figure out what she wanted to do by the end of this moon. She would either say yes or ask to leave...but she could not continue on as she had been. It was not fair to anyone; to herself, to Zuko, to the contestants, heck to the Fire Nation...She must make a move.

She supposed that if she were still between a rock and a hard place by the end of the moon...well, that would be it. Some part of her ached for home and she told herself it wouldn't be all bad leaving. She would see her family, she would bring back so much knowledge, she would likely bring Sokka home with her...and maybe, once she finished licking her wounds and once she had news of the Royal Wedding, she'd go and try to find Aang and help him.

Or she'd be sure. Or, her heart would not allow her to leave, and she would talk herself out of the riddles she'd caged her heart in. She had thirty sleepless nights to consider it all, she told herself.

Yes, a moon.

One more moon and things would be chosen.

XXX

When Zuko returned, he took a date with every contestant left, spread out over the entire day, beginning with breakfast and ending with late desserts. Katara was not slated until the last slot, and whether this was intentional, a slight, or a coincidence she couldn't be sure. All she knew is that by the time she was slated to meet with him, her entire stomach was flip-flopping between considering all the different paths that this night could take. Zuko would believe her; he wouldn't. He'd be mad if she didn't tell, he'd be fine. He'd grant her a month to deliberate more; he'd demand an answer tonight. He'd be pleased to see her; he would be sending her home.

She knocked on the Tea Room door hesitantly.

"It's open, Kat, just walk in," Zuko said with a laugh, and at least one thing was answered. Someone was not that friendly moments before telling you to pack your bags.

"It was a good trip, then?" Katara guessed.

"Awful, truly awful," Zuko corrected. He was grabbing a dessert cart from a side door and had lit a fire under the teapot. "But do you really want to hear about that?"

"Of course!" Katara insisted, sitting on the floor pillow, reaching for what looked like mousse, "Zuko, you can talk to me about anything. Even the most boring details."