"Hail to the King
Hail to the Queen
Hail to the Princess Aurora."
("Hail to the Princess Aurora," Sleeping Beauty)

The Fire Sages had determined that the northeast corner of a house in the northeast part of Caldera would be the luckiest spot for Katara to have her baby. Lord Tanaka, whose mansion stood at the perfect location, gladly prepared rooms for her. Having the Fire Lady give birth to an heir to the throne in your house was a great honor, and Lord Tanaka spared no expense to ensure his royal guest had everything she needed.

The softest futons for her to lay on.
The most potent amulets to ward off the evil spirits who threaten newborn babies and women in labor.

And plenty of fuel to keep both mother and child warm since the little crown prince or princess would make their arrival during the winter solstice.

Katara wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. "I want to sit by the window," she said. Lord Tanaka's wife, Lady Sayo, helped Katara to the window bench. Her daughter, On-Ji, placed a cushion for Katara to sit on. Groaning and rubbing her back, Katara sat down.
She was as big as a whale, and everything ached. All day, she'd felt like she was being constantly punched and kicked in the stomach. If only Zuko and his fire bender's hands were there to help soothe her cramps. But men, even the woman's husband and the baby's father were barred from the birthing chamber.
Thank the spirits; all this would soon be over.
Lady Sayo brought Katara's sewing basket over, and On-Ji slid open the shoji screen to let in more light. On-Ji clapped her hands in delight. "It's snowing," she said. "The first snow of the season."

As she worked on a romper for the baby, Katara watched the white flurries fall on the windowsill. How striking they looked against the black lacquered wood...a blow to the stomach made Katara prick her finger on the needle. A drop of blood landed in the snowdrift.

"Shit!" On-Ji and Lady Sayo rushed to her side. A hot, wet rush went through Katara's whole body. Her skirts were drenched as if she'd pissed herself. "It's time."

Katara squatted on the floor next to her futon. She faced west, deemed the luckiest direction to give birth, but it did nothing to make the ordeal less painful. Lady Sayo left Katara in the capable hands of Gran-Gran and the midwife while she sent word to the palace. The two venerable ladies held Katara in her squatting position and barked orders at On-Ji as if she were a lowly chambermaid.
"Tui's hairy ball sack!" Katara screamed into her grandmother's shoulder. Two demons pulling her apart couldn't have been more painful. "...fuck."
Gran-Gran stroked Katara's hair and kissed her forehead. "I know, sweetheart, I know," she said. "But it's going to get worse before it's over."
Katara groaned. Then, the torments of hell must await her.
An endless stream of people flowed into the room. Their forms and faces were hidden behind a tall, gilded screen, but their voices were still perceptible. Katara could pick out Lord Tanaka and Zuko's uncle, General Iroh, speculating whether the child would be a girl or a boy as if they were betting on the outcome of a pai-sho game. Dad and Sokka were the loudest of the bunch.
"All this for a baby," Dad grumbled.
Sokka clapped their father on the back. "This isn't just any baby," he said. "One day, it's cute, little ass will sit on the Phoenix Throne."
Sages and shrine maidens from the Temple of Agni chanted spells and sutras to protect Katara from the evil spirits hovering around her. Their efforts must have been in vain because those evil spirits had already descended upon Katara, tearing her insides out.

"Throw some poppy seeds on the brazier," Gran-Gran shouted at On-Ji. On-Ji obeyed her right away.

Katara breathed in the smoke. It dulled her senses and robbed her of the ability to keep squatting. She fell to her knees. The painted dogs and puppies on the partition screen frolicked across its gilded surface.

The midwife squeezed Katara's hand. "Almost there, my lady. Just a few more pushes." She was right. With a gut-wrenching scream, Katara's baby girl slid into the world—the sages and shrine maidens celebrated by smashing clay plates to scare away demons.

"I'll do whatever it takes.
I'll make a million mistakes.
I'll make the world safe and sound for you."
("Dear Theodosia," Hamilton)

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Hours later, after Katara awoke from a poppy smoke-induced nap, Zuko visited her and their newborn daughter. Katara was sitting by the window, nursing the baby when he arrived.
"Izumi," Katara said when Zuko asked about the baby's name.
Zuko knelt by her side and kissed Izumi's head. "Izumi," he said. "Our little princess."