Charred //ZUTARA

Chapter 1 - ''You may go.''

The knock on the door definitely spooked Katara. She was almost falling asleep with her neck bent in the strangest position;half leaning over the papers she was reading, half propped up on her hand. To say they were boring was an understatement. She loathed having to read so much unnecessary research that was mostly outdated anyway. The medicine of the South was something she has had the hardest time adjusting to. Or believing in.

''Come in!''

The doors opened and her father peeked into the room. Katara noticed he was wearing his formal uniform with carefully plaited braid draped over his shoulder. To her surprise, he has also shaved off his beard which if she remembered correctly, he has sworn to never do last time she saw him.

''I hope I'm not interrupting,'' he stepped into the room, pointing at the papers scattered around Katara's blue and white blankets. She waved him off, dismissing such stupid assumption. She could use any excuse just to get out of reading this nonsense. Hakoda closed the door behind. She frowned, sitting straight. ''There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about, Katara.''

She nodded to prompt him to talk, but the Chief of Southern Water Tribe looked very uncomfortable. Almost as if he was nervous.

This did not happen often. She always thought of her father as the most fearless and honorable man in all the nations. He was so strong, Katara often envied him. She wished she could be more like him.

''Dad, it's okay. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not bad,'' she rolled her eyes, giving him a reassuring smile.

Hakoda looked around the room one more time, as if there was many things to memorize other than the empty walls and very little furniture. Then he released a heavy sigh. His eyes finally stopped wondering and set on her face.

''I'm going to need you to do me a favor. Before I say anything else, I want you to know that you can always decline and I will find someone else to replace you,'' when Katara didn't reply, allowing him to continue, he looked away once more. Just briefly, but Katara could see her father's hesitation. The weight of whatever he was going to ask her was so clearly resting heavily on his shoulders. She immediately decided to help him in any way she could. ''As you know, the 'All Nations' meeting is in a few days time,'' Katara nodded. ''I was going to go myself like I always do, but unfortunately I have more pressing matters to attend to. Something I cannot tell you about just yet...

''Of course not.''

Katara could taste the bitterness on her tongue. It wasn't the first time her father or her friends kept secrets from her. Just because she somehow ended up being a Spirits-damned healer, it for some reason excluded her from leaders' meetings, councils or important decisions.

''Katara, I-I know... I know, okay? It is not my choice to keep you in the dark,'' shadows covered Hakoda's eyes. The only proof that he actually felt bad to treat his own daughter like this. Even if she did not believe he couldn't change the way things were. ''But I am trying to give you a bit of a free hand here. That's why I've come to you now. You must be growing bored within these walls, this constant routine of healing people of minor diseases, being so far away from your friends.''

''I am,'' she's admitted. She looked down at her hands. So soft, unlike her fathers or Sokka's. As if she hasn't done any hard work at all in her lifetime. All thanks to being a waterbander and beauty of self-healing. ''What is the favor?''

He was painfully dragging the conversation, she's realized. She didn't like when people did that. She liked to get straight to the point. Especially since she was now intrigued what got her father that nervous.

''Okay, good. Then here's your chance. I need you to attend the meeting in my place. As Chief's daughter, I believe the other leaders will accept it,''he scratched his bare chin. Katara blinked, smile spreading across her face. A chance to get out of this damn place and finally reunite with her friends?! How could he ever be so afraid to ask her?