HELLO, READERS!

Well, before I let you read my new story, I'll explain a little bit about what is it about. So, you see, I don't know what happened to me, but one night I had this crazy Zutara dream (Tell me I'm not the only one that dreams about Zutara, or else I'll feel like I'm as mad as Azula) where Zuko and Katara knew each other since they were kids and then some awesome stuff happens (if I tell you my dream then you'll know all the story, and we don't want that to happen so fast, do we?)

So yeah, this is an AU, Avatar world AU, actually. I'll try to update every week. I have two more chapters done already, they just need to be read by someone that can correct my mistakes. Ah, English is not my language so sorry if you notice any mistake. I also apologyze beforehand if you see something off in the characters (specially in Zuko). I'm not used to write A:TLA fanfiction.

Anyways, give it a try. I hope you'll like this.

Remember I don't own A:TLA, otherwise I would have kicked Mai's ass (she is so dull! She exasperates me so much it hurts.) and Zutara would have been a reality!

Enjoy!

I

She was a child when she met him. She was barely a teenager when the war torn them apart.

It had been a coincidence. A trick of fate that she would never understand. But somehow she was happy that it happened, and she will be forever thankful to the spirits for the invaluable gift of the experience.

But thanks to this, she understood at a very young age, that happiness will always come along with a bit of sadness.

But as we said, she was a child and he was a kid too, and they didn't understand the world. They didn't truly understand what was going on between the four big nations and the tension between them. They weren't old enough to know or understand the meaning of it, anyways.

But that had been an advantage, too. They had been friends for a period of time and they had been happy, without having to worry about Fire or Water; without having to worry about war. And although their romantic story is a little bit more complicated than that, their childhood and friendship was a wonderful gift. At least she saw it that way.

She might have been 7 or 8 years old, Katara couldn't remember very well. He was 9 or 10, but that is not what is truly important in the story. They were both innocent kids, exploring the world of friendship and love.

They were two kids that the crossroads of destiny got together and then in some moment, torn them apart for a while. They were born in different nations with different bending abilities –he was the son of fire; she was the moon and ocean, offspring of water–, both descendants of important men in their respectable countries –of course, the fire didn't respect the water, or any other element for that matter. The fire was superior. "Water tribes are full of peasants" Zuko's grandfather used to say "fire is wealthier and stronger; Fire will dominate them sooner or later."

But she was no other that the Southern Water Tribe little princess. Katara, daughter of Chief Hakoda and Kya; and he was the little honorable Zuko, son of prince Ozai and lady Urza from the Fire nation.

But, how did they meet each other? As I said before, it had all been an accident, a wonderful and, somehow, tragic accident.

Oh, believe me, beloved readers; we are getting to that. See, there was no war in those memorable days and Chief Hakoda used to travel a lot. One day on his various journeys, he took his beloved children with him, Katara (and her older brother, Sokka) to the wonderful land of the Earth Kingdom, to visit the breathtaking city of Ba Sing Se. Katara and Sokka had convinced their father to take them with him. They wanted to travel and visit all the four nations.

Chief Hakoda knew times where getting difficult those days and peace was slowly fading away. It could be easy if the Avatar was present to bring and maintain balance to the world. But there was no news about who the new avatar was; and even if there was a way to know it, he would be too young to take care of the world's political conflicts. What a tragedy, don't you think, that the previous avatar died?

Even if it was dangerous, Chief Hakoda felt that it was time his children knew the world, while it was good and whole. So when they arrived, she was fascinated. The city was enormous; much bigger than the Southern Water Tribe village, and there were so many things new for her that the feeling had been overwhelming.

But, when Katara and Sokka had to accompany their father to a formal meeting, there was something that made her more curious than the city itself, and eventually, the world.

She had to be a true lady, so her father demanded that she was to be prepared in the most elegant blue dress for the so called meeting. She had been curious, of course, for her father had never acted this way for such thing as a meeting. But of course, people, she was a smart girl and she understood that this had to be some sort of important meeting. And so, she felt important.

Katara had to admit that she had been unsure of attending –Sokka didn't want to either– but her father had demanded it, so when they entered the large hall and all pair of eyes of the most powerful men and women in the four nations where fixed on them, she acted like a true lady (so that her father would be proud of her later); and, after all the introductions and polite greetings had been made and the large circled table was set, there were a pair of golden eyes that called her attention.

That night had been the first time she'd ever seen him in this story, my beloved readers. He was a boy. A wonderfully handsome boy –she did not like boys that much yet, but she had to admit that he was a quite unique boy– with white skin, long dark brown hair that was tied tightly in a ponytail with a curious ornament (she would later know it was a sort of crown that defined him as high novelty) and the most piercing golden-brown eyes that she had ever seen –not that she had seen any other eye color but blue eyes– and his gaze was specially powerful; so powerful that she had to look the other way shyly.

But his eyes did not move and his gaze kept studying her – just like a curious cat.

She had blushed when their gaze met several times (she was the one avoiding it and searching for it anyways) but the boy didn't seem to care. He was just interested in her and her features.

But as I said, Katara was a clever young girl, and the last time their eyes met in that way that night, was when she broke his impassive concentration on her.

Katara covered a small, blushing smile behind her tiny hands –now, years after the memory, she embarrassedly realized she was flirting in some way with him– and the boy's eyes opened widely, blushed furiously and broke the contact immediately, face glowing like fire and eyes looking for something –anything– to continue starring at but her.

While the old men and women chatted and discussed things that she couldn't understand at the moment –something about a war not being a solution and fire arrogantly exclaiming that theirs was the best option–, she played a staring contest with the boy, whose eyes spoke to her as clear as water, and mischievous smiles made her burn inside.

This is one of the best memories Katara and Zuko will ever share. And it was one of the few beloved and golden memories they shared…

Before all hell broke loose.

A big hug to ~ZuEra (Admin from a Fb Zutara fanpage) for reading and checking this chapter's spelling and grammar. I'll send you Ecuadorian roses one of this days! haha

Reviews! Come to ME!