Summary: Zuko welcomes his mother home, and begins to contemplate repairing the relationship with his sister, Azula. No Zucest or anything, just a simple fic on their relationship and character development on both of their parts. Slight Maiko.
Author's Note: Okay, I know this has been done before, but I have written this for quite some time, I just never had the guts (or the urgency) to put this up here. So please, read, review and enjoy. I would love to have some constructive criticism. This is my interpretation, and I understand most of you might not agree with how I write certain characters. I understand that, and criticism is appreciated. Just be nice
Chapter 1: The Reunion
The royal procession entered the gates and into the courtyards. I sucked in a breath as the palanquin bearers laid the palanquin on the ground, and pulled the curtain back.
Her hair was streaked grey and her face was lined from age. Her eyes though are still the same, pools of melancholia. As she laid those melancholic eyes on me, on my face, my scar, she stifled a gasp with her hand as the tears spilled out from her eyes. I reached out my arms, and she collapsed into me, hugging me with such veracity that is only borne and grown with years of longing. If the recounts of this day said that Firelord Zuko was strong and calm during the reunion, they could not be more wrong. I weeped Firelord tears, and I held my mother like she was going to disappear again. She turned my cheek, and kissed my scar.
Then she looked me in the eye and said "Zuko, I have missed you so much,"
Great celebrations were thrown to commemorate our reunion. The feasts were sheer gluttony and the dances, led by the Avatar, were possibly the most fun that anyone had in the Firenation for 100 years.
After the celebrations, right before I decided to retire to my chamber to turn in for the day, I headed to my mother's chamber to see her. She sat by her dresser, her hair was undone.
I smiled at her, and said "Welcome back, mother". Then, I regaled her with the stories of what happened in her absence. I told her my banishment and about being out at sea, life in exile and my travels in the Earth Kingdom. She listened intently, tearing at the beginning, but eventually she smiled and laughed, particularly with my stories together with the Avatar. It was just like back to my childhood, when I was a little boy again. Every day, as a boy I would tell her what happened in school, or at Firebending training. Today felt no different.
After I finished my recount of my life in the past few years, she asked "Zuko, where is your sister?"
I looked away; I did not dare to answer her question.
"Zuko," She laid her hand on my shoulder.
"Mother, it's not good news, Azula broke down during Sozin's comet, she's… not herself anymore," Truth be told, sitting here with my mother made me feel guilty. I felt responsible for Azula's state. Even though I know she's no angel, she had to be stopped. She has even tried to kill Uncle, and myself multiple times.
"I want to see her," My mother said.
"I don't think that's quite possible. You see, she is in an asylum now,"
"Zuko, why did you put your sister, Princess of the Firenation, in an asylum?"
"Mother, she is dangerous, she has tried to –"
"Zuko, she's your sister. Show her some mercy."
"It's not like she's shown me any mercy! Do you have any idea what she did to me?" I flared.
"Zuko, calm down. Don't lose your temper, it is dangerous for a Firelord to do so," It's amazing what effect her words have on me. I felt myself cooling down obediently.
"Will you take me to her tomorrow?" My mother asked kindly.
"It is not advisable for a non-bender to visit her, mother," I rationalized. "It's better if I went tomorrow, to check on her condition. If she's stable, I will take you to her," I felt uneasy about acceding to my mother's requests. She remembers Azula, her young daughter, while I remember the Azula who tried to kill me.
Nonetheless, I will visit my sister tomorrow.
