A/N: This will be a multichapter fic that takes place right after Zuko's coronation, without the Ba Sing Se epilogue from the show. At it's heart it will be Zutara, but there's some Kataang and Maiko thrown in for good measure. Also, Suki/Sokka.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

She wondered if stars could tell the future. She would like to find out before… before too long. When she was young she was taught how to see all kinds of patterns and designs hidden amongst the stars. Constellations, they called them. She became very good at finding them, having months of darkness in which to perfect her skill. There were stories in the stars. One of them might be hers.

Katara found herself near a pond. Perhaps she was unconsciously drawn to the water, or perhaps she had made a wrong turn down the hall on the way to the dining room. She would have liked to think it was the former, but the latter was much more plausible. Regardless of her reason for being there, she took in the tranquil setting. The clear pond with nary a ripple, the soft grassy banks surrounding it, and the shade of the trees that guarded the water. It was a much too pleasant place to abandon.

She sat down, leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree. There was a soft breeze and, coupled with the shade, the heat of the summer sun was tempered. The Fire Nation was a strange place, so different from the icy landscape of her home. But it was beautiful, undeniably so. She took comfort in its beauty despite its foreignness. That was why she didn't mind staying there a while, waiting to return home until her brother's leg had healed completely. It wasn't that he was completely immobile, but walking was difficult for him and her healing skills did not extend to mending broken bones. She had managed to ease the pain and reduce the bruising and swelling. The healers at the palace had set his leg, but it would be weeks before the bone would mend fully.

Katara had expressed concern over her brother traveling while injured and she knew the icy climate would be detrimental to vulnerable joints and bones. Sokka looked skeptical when she explained her reasoning, but didn't object. It gave him more time with Suki who had decided to stay with him until he returned to the South Pole, at which point she would return to her home on Kyoshi Island. Their separation would not be permanent, but neither was eager to endure it.

Aang and Toph had decided to stick around as well. The latter was still reluctant to reunite with her parents and the former was graciously assisting the newly crowned Fire Lord maintain the fragile peace. Things were good now that the war was over. Things were better than good; things were great. Katara was great, wonderful, so ridiculously happy that a smile never left her lips. Except when she was alone.

Her solitude left her with a small frown on her face, coupled with a tiny crease in her brow. She did not know why, but frowning felt right, more so than the smile she plastered on her face when others were around. She thought it might've started a couple days ago, on the day of the new Fire Lord's coronation, but that was such a happy day. It didn't make sense. It was the day her father returned, along with the Duke and Teo and Haru. And Ozai couldn't bend anymore and Azula was taken away and Aang had come back and Zuko was alive and crowned Fire Lord and kissing a tall girl with black hair.

Yes, everyone was happy that day, everyone had a smile. But that night Katara sobbed quietly into her pillow until she fell asleep. She couldn't say why.

The pond was just a momentary refuge, a place where her cheeks didn't hurt from a false facial expression. Maybe she could spend some time there without interruption.

"Katara!"

She turned around to face the intruder, but not before fixing her face to mirror everyone else's.

"Hi, Aang," she replied. The boy bounded up to her, jubilant as always.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," he said. He took her hand in his and pulled her to her feet. "We're having lunch, remember? Everyone's waiting for you. Well, not Sokka…"

"I know, Aang," she said softly. "I guess I got a little lost and ended up out here. It's so peaceful, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it's nice." He tugged at her arm gently, but persistently. "Come on, Katara. They have spicy noodles!"

She chuckled quietly. "Okay, Aang. Let's go." As she followed him inside she noticed that her stomach was rumbling. Spicy noodles did sound good.

"There she is," said the small green eyed girl sitting at the table. "Finally."

"Where?" The boy with blue eyes looked around confused for a moment. "I can't see her, Toph."

"Neither can I," Toph replied dryly. "Twinkletoes found her. They're down the hall."

"Good, then we can eat," he said. "I'm starved."

Everyone else at the table was too polite to point out that he had already eaten half of his bowl of noodles.

Katara entered the dining room behind Aang, and indeed everyone was waiting. Her brother Sokka and his girlfriend Suki, Toph, General Iroh, the Fire Lord Zuko at the head of the table, and to his left a tall dark haired girl. Mai, she reminded herself.

"Sorry," Katara said as she took her seat. "I got lost."

On her left General Iroh patted her hand reassuringly. "The halls can be quite daunting, Master Katara, but I'm sure you'll find your way around soon enough."

"Maybe someone should draw you a map," Mai said. Katara blushed and looked down at her plate.

"Never mind that," Iroh replied. "Let's eat." The diners picked up their chopsticks in relief, and Sokka looked at his half empty bowl in what could only be called adoration. But before anyone could raise a noodle to their lips, the Fire Lord cleared his throat.

"I have an announcement to make," he said. All eyes turned to the head of the table respectfully, though the water tribe boy looked as if he were about to cry. "You all know that you have my undying gratitude for ending the war and overthrowing Ozai. I can't ever repay your for what you've done." His eyes traveled around the table and was it Katara's imagination, or did his gaze linger on her? She quickly dropped her eyes to her plate again. "So in your honor I would like to have a party," Zuko concluded.

"A party?" Sokka cried. "For us?"

"Yes," Zuko replied. "I thought it the least I could do."

"You're the best Fire Lord ever!" Sokka proclaimed. And really, at least in living memory, Zuko was.

"Wow Zuko, that's really nice of you," Aang said.

"Yeah, Sparky," Toph added. "Will there be booze?"

"Only the finest Fire Nation spirits," Iroh said with a sly grin.

"Count me in," Toph replied.

"Me too," said Suki. "I haven't been to a good party in ages."

"What about the beach party where I made a sand sculpture of you?" Sokka asked. Suki quickly took a bite of her noodles and made a noncommittal noise.

"You've been awfully quiet, Sugar Queen," Toph said.

"What?" Katara asked, her head perking up. "Oh, yeah. A party sounds great."

"Excellent," Zuko said, smiling at her. She resumed her downward gaze. "We'll have it at the end of the week."

The luncheon resumed, and though the others partook in friendly banter, Katara remained silent. No one seemed to notice.

She shouldn't brood, she chastised herself. There's nothing to brood about. Zuko's throwing a party, for La's sake! This was a time for celebration, not melancholy. She tried to make her way back to her bedroom, but found herself lost again. It wasn't that the palace was so intricate, but Katara couldn't seem to concentrate. She barely remembered which turns she had made when Aang had led her to the dining room. Her abysmal sense of direction was becoming humiliating.

"Lost again?" a bored voice echoed from a corridor to her right. She turned toward it and saw a tall girl standing there, leaning against a wall.

"Um, yeah, I guess," Katara admitted. She gave Mai a pitiful smile, but the Fire Nation girl's face remained as impassive as ever. "This is so embarrassing," Katara added.

Mai shrugged indifferently. "The guest wing is straight ahead, second hall on the left."

"Thanks, Mai," Katara replied. She began to walk away, but Mai's voice stopped her.

"I suppose I should thank you," she said.

"Why?" Katara asked, nonplussed.

"Zuko told me that you saved him from Azula." Mai left her spot on the wall and approached Katara languidly.

"Oh, well I just did what I could," Katara replied, not slightly unnerved.

"You saved his life," Mai said. Her eyes met Katara's, a dull amber meeting a brilliant blue. "You have my gratitude." Before Katara could blink, Mai walked past her, down another corridor and out of sight.

"You're welcome," Katara murmured to no one. For a moment she stood there, hardly comprehending what had transpired. Mai's voice rang in her head as she swiftly made the journey to her room, feeling her eyes burn with hot tears.

She welcomed the quiet of the guestroom, relieved to be away from everyone. But the refuge she sought in her quarters was quickly disrupted by a blind little earthbender. Toph entered the room without knocking and for once Katara was glad her friend was blind. Katara didn't have to hide her teary eyes from Toph; as long as she sounded normal Toph would never be the wiser.

Toph had scarcely closed the door behind her before she confronted the waterbender. "All right Sugar Queen, what's your problem?"

"What?" Katara asked, keeping her voice level.

"Ever since Sparky's coronation you've been shut up tighter than the gates of Ba Sing Se," Toph said. Her eyes seemed to land on Katara, but the water tribe girl knew better. It was unnerving though, the accuracy with which Toph could stare.

"I don't have a problem, Toph," Katara replied.

"Which is why you haven't said one word to Sparky in two days." Toph neared the girl seated on the bed and fixed her with a scrutinizing, but ultimately useless glare.

"I talked to him today at lunch," Katara said.

"Hardly," Toph snorted.

"What does it matter anyway?" Katara asked. "He's really busy now so it's not like he has time for lengthy conversations. He probably doesn't want to be bothered." She glared down at the earthbender as if realizing something. "You haven't been bothering him have you? Because it's not very nice to harass your host, you know. We're only staying here because he's nice enough to let us, but if you're making trouble for him—"

"Whoa, Sweetness, slow down," Toph said, effectively cutting off her tirade. "I'll have you know I've been the perfect guest. I've even been helping Lord Sparky with his ministers."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, turns out he had need for a lie detector," Toph explained. "Not everyone around here is so happy with the new Fire Lord's policies."

"But he's doing okay, right?" Katara asked, trying not to sound too concerned. "I mean, no one's tried to… tried anything funny or something like that, right?"

"I don't know, Katara," Toph said innocently. "No one tried anything yesterday, but I guess that doesn't mean someone won't try something today, or tonight, or tomorrow." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I haven't seen him since lunch so who knows what he's up to, or where he is, or who he's with. He could be surrounded with advisors who all secretly want his head on a pike, or a stake through his heart, or a dagger—"

"Toph!" Katara cried, looking quite ashen. "Why aren't you with him?" Toph shrugged again and opened her mouth to answer when Katara grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her out of the room. "We have to go find him." Katara didn't notice the sly grin on the earthbender's face.

They went careening down corridors, a streak of blue and green, in search of the Fire Lord. They flew past servants, guards, and what may have even been Sokka fighting with Momo over a peach. Strangely, Katara seemed to have no problem navigating the halls of the Fire Nation palace. She quickly and correctly found herself at the door of the Fire Lord's study. There was a sentry posted outside of the door, but after seeing Toph he hardly spared them a second glance.

Katara released her friend's hand as she went to throw the door open. Toph moved away from the frantic waterbender, discreetly closing the door behind Katara. She had a very pleased smile on her face.

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