Summary: The past is a complicated enigima, it's secrets hidden by the ongoing cycle of time and love. The greatest secrets are hidden under the cover of night, locked away from truth and reality. Fantasy clouds the senses blinding those who dare to enter it's borders. Questioning the reliabilty of her past one girl decides to find what really happened and where she came from, without even knowing she would find way more than she bargained for.
AN: So this is my new story, it's a post war ZK fic. There will be slight maiko and kataang but it is necessary for the plot, I repeat necessary for the plot. But it will be heavily zutara. There will be angst and implied things so if that kind of thing bothers you then you might not want to read my story.
please R'R
Disclaimer;I don't own anything, seriously.
-Under the cover of night-
Prologue.
Night blanketed the fire nation palace in a nervous silence; the only noise was the small shuffling of footsteps across the tile. The moonlight subtly highlighted the figure of a cloaked man making his way to the occupied chamber down the hall from his own. This was to be the last of his forbidden crusades, no matter how much he chose not to believe it.
Slowly creaking open the door, he thanked the spirits for the cover of darkness and made his way into the room, startling the woman inside.
"I thought I told you not to come back after last night." She whispered, turning her head away from him.
"You know I never take your advice, or even listen to you for that matter. Why would this time be any different?" He replied, sitting down next to her. "Besides this is your last night here and I wanted to spend it with you."
"You should be spending it with your pregnant wife." She scoffed
"Please don't make me feel guilty about that, I just want one more night." He pleaded "Just one more night." Stroking his hand on her cheek
He leaned in for a kiss only for her to tear away from him. "Why do we have to do this, always sneaking around? Trying to pretend that it's okay when it isn't!" she cried "Why does-." His lips caught her own, tenderly massaging the fire that quelled inside of her.
"That's why." He replied taking her in his arms and laying her down on the bed.
"I'm leaving tomorrow, you know." She reminded him, sighing sadly. "Why didn't we ever get our happy ending?"
"Because all the world doesn't work like a stupid book of romances." He laughed
"It should." She smiled, her mind lost in a trance of fairytales.
"Then I wish I could rewrite our whole lives. I'd make you my beautiful princess and we could have everything that we've ever wanted." He nuzzled his face in her hair, inhaling the beautiful fragrance that was quintessentially hers.
"Don't be ridiculous, you know that will never happen. We live in reality, not a fantasy." She scolded her eyes downcast.
"Well than banish me to this place of fantasy you speak of."
"If there was such a place I'd want to spend an eternity there with you." She sighed "But we both now that a place like that only exists in dreams. You are going to stay here in the Fire Nation and I'm going to travel the world... forever. That's it, there is no other way."
"Then stay in the Fire Nation with me."
"What, so I can be your whore?" She yelled
"No, my Katara." He responded his gaze possessing a fierce intensity.
"Why do you have to make things so difficult?" She sobbed, her big blue eyes filling with tears that stained her face.
"Because I love you," He said, cupping her face in his hands and wiping the pain away.
"I love you too Zuzu." She said affectionately, planting a kiss on his scarred cheek.
The next morning Katara woke to her cold bed and a terribly guilty conscience. Today would be the day she left him for her fiancee, the Avatar, after weeks off "peacemaking".
As the sun slowly began to fill the room with light, she slipped on her gown and opened the curtains. The vividly colorful flowers that were beginning to bloom across the courtyard were proof of the wonderful Fire Nation spring.
'I wish I could stay here to watch the Panda Lilies blossom' she thought meditating in the gentle tranquility of the slight breeze. If only her life could have this kind of placid warmth, always.
Regrettably, the calming quiet had to be destroyed by a sudden knock on the door.
"Come in." She shouted
A small servant walked in not daring to look at the woman before her. She had heard the stories. "Lady Katara, your fiancée has arrived."
"Thank you very much, you are excused."
After taking one last look at the garden before her, she left the room. She didn't even notice that her small woven red and blue bracelet was lying on the carpet.
"Zuko, Mai! It's good to see you!" The jubilant teen yelled at the startled couple.
"Avatar Aang how was your trip?" Zuko asked slightly uncomfortable.
"It was a little windy, but still good none the less. How is your baby?"
"It's doing great, I think I can even feel them kicking!" Mai replied her hands resting on her stomach. Zuko looked away.
"Have you guys seen Katara?"
"No she hasn't come out of her chamber all morning." Zuko sternly answered "But she should be coming soon, I sent a servant to wake her."
"Oh ok...we need to leave soon if we're going to make it to Kyoshi by nightfall though." Aang said, growing impatient at Katara's belated presence.
A woman in floor length blue robes slowly strolled up, two young men leaning forward in anticipation of her arrival.
"Katara!" Aang squealed, running up and hugging his betrothed "I've missed you, how have you been?"
"Fine, just fine." A faint look of sadness present on her face.
"I take it Zuko treated you well." Aang laughed
"Oh, yes...He gave me a nice suite and we've gotten a lot accomplished during the past few weeks." She answered, briefly glancing at Zuko
"I'm glad to hear that your stay here was comfortable. But we need to leave soon or else Sokka will think something is up." Aang looked to his water bending bride and his friend, noticing the tension present.
"Well then, have a safe journey you too." Mai coincided
"Good bye Mai, Zuko" Aang cheerily responded
"Pleasant travels Aang...Katara." Zuko added, his knuckles turning white
"Farwell Lady Mai, Zuko. May your child be born healthy and strong." Katara replied. She turned towards the bison, hiding her pained eyes from her beloved.
'So this is what a broken heart feels like' She thought, trying her hardest not to cry, it didn't work.
If only she knew this was just the beginning.