Zutara Week 2021/ Zutara Smut Week 2021

Day Five: Mend

A/N This is inspired by the episode from season one of Downton Abbey where Mathew and Branson rescue Sybil when she gets injured during the Ripon bi-election. I've been wanting to do an Avatar Edwardian au for a while, mostly because as I wanted to make the Kyoshi Warriors militant suffragettes.

Zuko had forgotten that tonight was election night. If he remembered this, he wouldn't have stayed late at the office.
The results of the bi-election were being read aloud in front of the town hall. The crowd gathered in the town square was already getting out of hand when Zuko left the office. Most rowdy of all was the group of young women wearing purple, green, and white sashes, pushing their way to the front of the crowd with a banner.
"Votes for women!" they shouted.
Zuko picked out a distinctive straw hat loaded with bunches of blue silk hydrangeas at the edge of this group. Its wearer looked out of place at a political rally. On the other hand, her stylish blue jacket and skirt were appropriate for a garden party. She seemed unphased by the violent shouting, pushing, and shoving around her but took it all in as if it were the most marvelous thing she'd ever seen.
A green uniformed chauffeur tapped her on the shoulder. "Milady," he said. "We should leave. Things are starting to get a little rough."
The Irish brogue of Haru, the Kuruk family's driver, was unmistakable. So that must mean the girl with him was...
"But Haru,"  Katara gave the chauffeur the pout that made everyone from her father, Lord Southpole, down to Meng, the kitchen maid, putty in her hands. "They're only just beginning to read the results."
Zuko approached her. "Katara, what on earth are you doing here?"
Lord Southpole had expressly forbidden Katara from attending any more political rallies after a servant let it slip that she snuck out to go canvassing with her friend, Suki.  Suki was a member of a particularly militant branch of the WSPU called the Kyoshi Warriors after their leader, Mrs. Kyoshi.
Haru, of course, had been complicit in all this. The chauffeur quite obviously had a hopeless crush on his master's daughter. "I don't like the look of this, Milady," he said.
Around them, bottles were being smashed, and rocks were being thrown. But to Katara, the event had lost none of its shine.
"Do you think I'd miss this?" she said.
A drunk bumped into Zuko, causing him to accidentally push Katara into Haru. Katara's hat was askew from being knocked about, her chignon was disheveled, and her blouse was rumpled. She looked like a flower that had been crushed.
"Couldn't you," Zuko said. "I bloody well could."  He put an arm around Katara to lead her away.
A fistfight had broken out between a socialist and a tory agitator (the tories had started it). The tory agitator threw a punch which hit Haru.
Zuko stepped in to confront the tory agitator. "Excuse me," he said.
"What's your problem, Mr. La-Di-Da?" The tory agitator grabbed Zuko by his starched collar.
"My problem is you."
"Oh aye?"
A different scuffle nearby caused the tory agitator to shove Zuko, who in turn knocked Katara over. Katara fell to the ground like a rag doll and hit her head on the paving stones. Zuko and Katara rushed to her aid. Haru cradled her head in his arms while Zuko felt her temple. His glove was stained with blood.
"Oh no," he said. "Oh god no."
They lifted her up to carry her away.

They brought Katara to Uncle's house, where Uncle cleaned her wound with alcohol and cotton wadding. Zuko sent for Katara's brother. Lord Sokka's face went pale when he saw his sister lolling on Uncle's sofa, barely conscious.
"You stupid, stupid girl," Lord Sokka said. He knelt by his sister's side and squeezed her hand.
Zuko stood behind the sofa. "I didn't know what else to do, so I had Haru bring her here."
"Quite right. Mamma would faint if she saw her like this and Papa---"
"There," Uncle said. "The bleeding's stopped." He rose from where he'd been tending to Katara's wound, using Sokka's shoulder to help him get up.
Zuko helped Katara to sit up upright. "Are you feeling well enough to go home?"
"I am if you'll bring me," Katara said.
He helped her off the sofa and offered her his coat to cover up the blood on her clothes.
"Lean on me," he said as he led her out the door.