From Katara's POV
------------------------------
"Katara, dear," Inara called, "the Headmistress would like to speak with you."
Silence. Then, from inside my room, I answered, "Coming."
"Ah, Katara," said the Headmistress, beaming as she took my hand. "Come in. Sit." She gestured towards a plush, plum-colored cushion on the floor.
While I made myself comfortable, she began, "You've been training here for a while now under the guidance of Inara and myself. And I think you're ready to begin taking clients."
"You really think so?" I asked. This wasn't what I'd expected to hear, but the news excited me.
"Yes," she said with a smile. She continued, "You have excelled in every aspect of your training. I know you are ready." Inara, who was standing behind the Headmistress, nodded encouragingly.
I smiled broadly at both of them. "Thank you." I gave a small bow and exited.
Once I was back in my room, I lit some incense and breathed deeply. This was great news...I could finally start my career as a registered companion. I heard a knock at the door, which pulled me from my thoughts. Once again, Inara was at my door. "May I speak with you for a moment?" she requested.
"Of course," I said, stepping aside to let her inside.
"Katara, I wish to offer you some advice. I know training involves removing yourself from emotional attachment with your clients. And I want to emphasize the importance of that. For a while, I resided aboard a transport ship, a Firefly. I came to love the ship, the crew, and, most deeply, the captain. Leaving Serenity was the hardest thin I ever did, but I couldn't bear to stay there with Mal anymore…not when I knew we could never…" she trailed off, and a pained expression took over her usually flawless face. "Just make sure you don't get too attached…be careful."
"I—uh…thank you," I said appreciatively.
Slightly changing the subject, Inara inquired, "Do you have a client yet?"
"No, but I'll search the cortex tomorrow."
The following day, I sorted through my video messages, searching for an acceptable client. There was one that particularly intrigued me. His eyes were hidden in the shadows, but he seemed a handsome man. His voice seemed distantly familiar to me, but I shook off the feeling. He said, "Hello, Katara. I recently heard you were training to become a companion, and I want to see you. I'll pay well. I…I can't wait."
I sent a reply immediately. "Hello, mysterious man. I am honored to have you as a client. Let us arrange a day and time."
"So when is your mystery man coming?" asked one of the other campanions at breakfast.
"He'll be here the day after tomorrow," I answered. Then I lowered my voice and added to Inara, "I must admit, though, I am quite nervous. He said I know him, which adds to the allure of the situation. Plus, he'll be my first..."
"You'll do fine," she assured me. "It's only natural to be nervous, but you'll get the hang of it soon enough."
My client would be arriving in a few short hours. I laid out my outfit carefully on my bed; I wanted everything to be perfect. I placed the candles around the room and made the finishing touches to the bed itself before asking Inara to make sure I hadn't missed anything…
He'll be here within the next 15 minutes. The last step was preparing the tea, which was very important in the companion greeting ritual. "Katara, he's here." Okay, this is it. I looked myself over in the mirror for a final time, noticing how far I'd come from when I began my training. My deep skin contrasted with the sapphire-colored dress I'd chosen. I wore my mother's blue betrothal necklace (though I would've worn it regardless of the dress) and earrings to match. Finally, I looked at my dark brown ringlets draping around my face and bouncing lightly on my shoulders.
Being satisfied with my quick glance, I went to the porch to greet my first-ever client. he was a tall, muscular man, from what I could see, and he wore a hat that covered much of his face. Who is he? I will know soon enough...
I led him to my quarters where the candles were not yet ablaze, but the tea was ready. "Please, sit." I offered him a place on my couch and a cup of tea. He smiled and took it graciously.
"You said I know you...but I have not yet recognized you..." I trailed off, seeing that he still just smiled. As I stood to light the candles, a fireball zoomed through the room, igniting all of them. I gasped and turned to stare at him. Could it be...?
"Zuko?" I asked, barely above a whisper. He took off his hat, revealing the large scar around his left eye.
"Hello, Katara," he replied.
"I...I don't believe it!" I didn't know whether to be happy and excited, or nervous and horrified. "How did you know I...?" I stammered, turning my back to him. All my poise and grace seemed to evaporate.
"I told you I would always find you," he said definitively. "And I have." He finished his tea and stood, walking to stand behind me. He wrapped his strong arms around my midsection, causing me to shudder slightly. He was warm...always so warm. I could feel his breath in my ear as he whispered my name. Say it again, Zuko, please... "Katara..."
I turned to face him and buried my lips in his. In that moment, I forgot all about emotional detachment. All the passion we had once shared came flooding back in an instant. Suddenly, he scooped me up with those amazing arms and carried me to the bed. I reaching behind me, grasping for the covers and pulling them back. He ran a few fingers down the sides of my entire body, and I yearned for him as much as I know he yearned for me.
he slipped off my blue dress, then it was my turn. I undressed him slowly, kissing his newly exposed skin. His arms held me close, pulling our nude bodies together and entering me. He began slowly but sped up as the tension grew. My hands ran the length of his back as I approached my climax.
"Z-Zuko!" I panted. His came soon after, and he lay on me, also breathing heavily. My disheveled hair now stuck to my sweaty shoulders and to his pale chest.
He kissed my neck tenderly. "Katara, I've missed you...so much. Why did you leave?" He rolled off me, but still embraced me tightly.
"I wanted to explore..." It seemed like there was more, but I couldn't tell him because I didn't know.
"But why did you become a companion?"
"Zuko, you know as well as anyone that I've been a peasant all my life." At this, he blushed guiltily: he had derogatorily called her "peasant" on far more than one occasion. "And I wanted a different life. I wanted to do something by which I could make a decent amount of money and be respected in social class."
"Katara...I'm so sorry. I didn't care that you were a peasant. I loved you anyways..."
"Loved?"
"And I still do."
"Zuko, what is it you came for?"
"You."
"No, specifically."
"I—"
"Is it my heart you seek, or my body?"
"It's your heart! I've always sought your heart! Please, Katara--"
"You should leave."
He nodded, having lost the will to argue. "In the morning, I will go."
It was early in the morning when the first rays of sun crept through my window. Zuko was sitting on the edge of the bed, and as I opened my eyes, they were captured by his magnificent amber gaze. He smiled at me. "Firebenders rise with the sun, remember?"
I smiled back at him, but I felt like crying. I love Zuko! I want to be with him—and only him—forever. If only things...had been different...
"I'll be leaving soon, Katara," he said, gently grasping my arm. The tender head drew me from my daze. "You probably have other clients...and...I've already stayed too long...I probably intruded on the clients before me..."
I pressed a finger to his lips to silence his babble before kissing him passionately one last time. "You're my first, Zuko," I told him.
"I'm honored." As he stood to leave, I suddenly had an idea.
"Wait!" I called. "Before you go...I want you to have this." I unfastened my mother's necklace and enclosed it in his hand.
"Katara, I--"
"Just keep it safe," I told him simply. "It's very dear to me." I couldn't stand to look into his eyes any longer—it was too painful. Instead, I directed my gaze downward as he pulled me into a most emotional hug. Suddenly I felt hot tears running into my hair. Zuko's tears.
"I...I will keep it safe—I swear it on my life—and..." He couldn't seem to find the right words but continued anyways. "Katara, I don't know why it can't work...but I do love you. And I always will. Always." At his last word, he brought my chin up with his hand so our eyes met. With a brief, final kiss, he walked out the door.
I stood in the same place—I don't know how long—with salty tears streaming down my face. Eventually I crawled into the refuge of my bed and sobbed uncontrollably till evening. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest; it was the same heart that was breaking. Soon, a new sound came—a harder, more earthly sound. Knock, knock.
I tried to clear the sadness from my voice when I answered, "Yes?"
"It's Inara. We'll be eating dinner soon if you're hungry."
"Oh, okay. I'll be right there."
I pulled my chair out for dinner and sat. The Headmistress looked at me expectantly and said, "So...?"
"Hmm?"
"How did it go? With your client..."
"Oh, It went well, I suppose. Indeed, I knew him. We share a...long and interesting history together."
I fell forward onto my bed, remembering the night before. It was filled with so much passion; I felt his fire...and it wasn't just because he was a firebender. On these sheets, we made love...I cried into my pillow, hoping that wherever Zuko was, he could feel me.
Inara, being my mentor, entered my room without first knocking, an act that was uncommon to her—no, it was downright unheard of. "What happened between you and that man?" She demanded.
"Sex..." I said, knowing that was not the answer she sought.
"In any event, you've been distant and sad since he left. Don't you remember what I told you about keeping yourself emotionally detached?"
I nodded, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth about Zuko. She moved towards the door, when I suddenly blurted out, "I love him!" She spun around to face me again.
"What?"
"I love him. We fell in love long ago...but we were fated enemies: water and fire, friend of the Avatar and hunter of the Avatar, moon and sun, prince and peasant...complete opposites. He says he loves me, but how can I forgive him for killing Aang? Yes, it ended the war, but look what we've come to! The Fire Nation took over the earth, destroyed it, and became the Alliance so they can dominate the whole damn 'verse! And I don't know if I can..." The tears came flooding back.
"Katara," Inara spoke with a much softer and gentler tone, "in the end, it's not about with side you view yourselves on...where is his heart? Where is yours? If you continue here, you will make a wonderful companion...but is this really what you want? Or do you want a life with him?"
"I don't know! It seems so simple...that I should be with the one I love, but this is all I can do. Even you said you chose to leave the captain you love to continue this life."
"Yes, but I'm still not sure if I made the right decision." I single tear trickled down her cheek.
"Katara!" Called the headmistress. "Several men have sent messages for you. Don't allow yourself to fall behind." I nodded respectfully, but she saw my hesitant expression.
when I looked at my messages, I certainly did have a lot. I made arrangements with most of them, booking one every few days for the next month. I had to push Zuko out of my mind for good if I wanted to be a successful companion...
"What're you two doing here? I'm expecting a client soon." I asked Inara and the Headmistress.
Headmistress was first to reply, "I cancelled. I cancelled all of them."
I was shocked and somewhat angry...she had no right to do that! I looked at Inara, who was also smiling. "Go find your prince, Katara," she said. I opened my mouth to argue, but I realized she was right.
"Thank you. Thanks to both of you for everything."
I'm coming, Zuko.