┊𝑰𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆┊

chapter 15

The next day, most of the gang woke up at sunrise to the sounds of the festival on the streets. Zuko could hear the children running around and laughing in the streets below his window. He just laid there for a few minutes after he woke up, listening to the sounds and smelling the foods wafting up through his open window from the vendors' booths. He sat up on his bed finally and looked around.

Sokka, of course, was the only one still sleeping.. and snoring loudly. Zuko rolled his eyes and left the room with his swords on his back. He had made it known to the others that he wasn't going anywhere without those swords, especially in towns in case there was trouble. He knew his firebending could get him arrested.

"Zuko, wait up!"

He turned around to see Katara just coming from her room. She had on a dark green robe and pants that she had bought the night before and her hair was pulled back for the first time since before the island. Zuko felt his stomach doing cartwheels as she neared him, smiling.

"Come on, let's go play some games!" she said excitedly, grabbing his hand and dragging him downstairs.

"Wait, what about breakfast?"

She laughed and pulled him into the dining hall, grabbing a couple biscuits and running back out. "Now come on!"

They ran outside to see all the decorations covering the streets and buildings. There were all kinds of bright colored streamers everywhere and booths all along the streets. A few of the games were going on already down near the docks, but there were a few up near where they were. The smell of festival foods were almost enough to suffocate one, but they smelled so good that Katara wanted to throw their biscuits aside. Instead, she ate hers quickly before she really did throw it away. Zuko ate his a little slower, looking around at everything.

"Wow, I guess they love summer," Zuko said calmly.

"Or they just love this summer. This is the one that determines the fate of the world, remember?"

"Yes, but don't you think they're overdoing it a bit?"

"Maybe they're just trying to make the best of it."

"Our town tries to make the best of everything since the war," Aki said, coming up behind them. "We try to live life to its fullest for there's always the chance that we may be overtaken any day. So tell me, why do you need those swords, Prince Zuko?"

Zuko and Katara both looked at her in complete shock and surprise, both of their hearts pounding and each scolding themselves for their lack of words.

"Don't be alarmed, young ones. I'm not going to harm you for I know you are helping the Avatar. I'm sure you're teaching him firebending and, judging by your blue eyes, you're his waterbending teacher?"

Katara nodded, still a bit nervous. She looked back to Zuko for help and he understood, though he didn't like discussing it much, especially with strangers in public.

"The swords are for when I'm out in public and I can't use my bending," Zuko sighed. He hated when people knew who he was, it was risky. "You never know when trouble will happen."

"You are an honorable person for what you're doing, despite what people may say," she smiled, calming the two teens some. "You are going against your own nation to help save the world instead of destroy it. I have to admit that you're not the same person I've heard about. I expected you to come through here blasting everything down, but you're quite the opposite of what I thought you would be."