"I'd rather die than be your slave, Zuko! This collar changes nothing - I still despise you and everything the Fire Nation stands for!"

"Nnngh... Stop... Please..."

"I... thank you," she manages to say, still unsure how to react. The guard nods and gestures for her to follow him out of the room. As they walk through the ship, Katara can't help but keep glancing over her shoulder, expecting Zuko to appear around every corner.

Eventually, they reach the dock where one of the ships is waiting. The guard helps her onto the boat and wishes her well before returning to his post.

She watches as the ship pulls away from the docks, feeling a mix of emotions: relief that she's escaping, guilt that Aang and Sokka might still be in danger, and a strange sense of loss for the brief interaction she had with Zuko. As she looks back at the departing ship, she spots Zuko standing on the deck, his face obscured by shadows. For a moment, their gazes meet, and she wonders if there was more to his actions than just a show of strength...