"My Love"
Chapter 1
Often times I would watch her sleep.
The soft sounds she made, the way her eyelashes brushed the tops of her cheeks, even the small involuntary twitches in her fingers.
I loved everything of her.
In the heat of the Fire Nation, my love would often times untangle her body from the silk blankets that were customary for the suites of the Fire Lord.
Yes, that is right.
I am Zuko, well…more preciously…Fire Lord Zuko. The woman who I speak so fondly of is the beautiful waterbender who accepted my engagement necklace.
Katara of the Southern Water Tribe.
My eyes drift from the sleeping mass to catch the sun rise above the mountains. I had been awake since the first light touched the window and my eyes. Katara, of course, would sleep around another hour.
"You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun."
Without disturbing my waterbender, I placed my feet on the lush red carpeting and made my way to the private bathroom.
After the bath had been drawn and I sunk into the water, I carefully listened to the quiet sounds of the elaborate room.
A noise caused my body to stiffen.
Was she waking up?
A few minutes of silence and I decided that she had fallen back to sleep and continued on with my bath.
The water was pushed off my body with the warm, red towel before taking its place next to the soft, pale blue of my love.
Servants came into the room to help with the tedious process of putting on robes and assembling my hair into the simple topknot. I had always noticed that it all came in a blur, except the rare mornings that Katara had decided to help me.
It ended with tangled hair, wrinkled garments and a late pass to a meeting.
Sadly, it was not one of those days.
Finally securing the Fire Nation 'crown' within the dark hair I leaned over the sleeping waterbender, pressing a kiss to her forehead and taking off into the brightly lit hallways.
I had an all day meeting today.
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I always awoke to an empty room and each time it felt as if I had been abandoned.
I hated feeling abandoned.
As my eyes scanned the room I noticed the small things that had not been there the night before; a daily report of activities and agendas for the Fire Lord, a cooling tray of hot rolls, porridge and fruit and fresh clothes to dress myself in.
Finally finding the strength to move across the room I picked up the already used piece of paper and scanned the schedule for the day.
Gone.
All day.
Not even a break for lunch and dinner.
I wanted to curse the men that took my Zuko away but I calmed the thoughts and slowly dressed in the robes of the Fire Nation.
Around the room were little things of the Water Nation. The towel, I had to fight for it, a beautiful children's book telling the creation of the sea creatures, and a statue of the original lovers carved from blue and red opal.
The /first/ fire and water lovers.
I would be alone today. Even the retired General, the backup to Zuko, was in meetings.
Yes, Iroh had been honorably discharged when Zuko took the throne and had spent his days playing Pai Sho with my lonely self; laughing when I made a move that brought me right into his clutches, playing easy when he knew I was upset, even joking with me about the character of my firebender.
Of course, there were the days that he did not have time. In these hours I would write.
Anger, sadness, happiness all these emotions were shoved into the tiny book of my life. It was something had never been read by another.
It was mine.
Pulling the leather-bound diary from under a root my fingers took to the quill and black marks appeared upon a blank page.
It was here that my day was spent.
……………………………………………………………………………….
My eyes looked toward the hourglass which was informing the group of the time. Well, really just me.
I was torn out of my thoughts by a woman of the name of Suzann. 'Fire Lord, while your council believes that marrying the Water tribe peasant would cause unrest in the Nation you must set a date.'
I looked toward the women and then frowned. Katara had insisted we wait for the meetings to dwindle and my country was under control. Turning my eyes to the council I nodded with their demand. 'I must speak to Katara.'
It seemed to sate my audience and I slumped in my chair, behind the lowered flames. A hand waved to silently move the meeting on to another topic or perhaps end the torture.
I watched as another man stood up, perhaps leading the group out.
'Fire Lord, we must discuss the matter of your sister.'
I held back the groan and nodded the approval. It was semi-important that we looked over the matter of my sister.
Locked in a dungeon in the Earth Kingdom she had tried multiple times to escape, caught by the earth bending guards and shoved into deeper and more secure cells.
This was the current life on my sister.
'Yes Maz, I would wish to keep her in the Earth Kingdom if they do not mind.' There was a shake of the head from the one called Maz, signifying that the Earth Kingdom did not mind having the evil women in their hands.
'I would also like to station a group of Firebenders in the dungeon. I feel that they would be welcomed.'
With a nod from his council he nodded to proceed to the next topic.
It was only nine in the morning…
He would be there till nine in the evening.
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Authors Note:
Well, here is my newest story. Hope you like it!
Now, I'm not going to tell you the plot till the very end but I would like to note that it is somewhat depressing…
Depending on how much you love Zutara ( 3 )
So yes, hope you like it!
--- "I'd rather sleep my whole life away then have you keep me from dreaming" - Fairytale