Disclaimer: If I had any rights at all, there would be Zutara shipping in Avatar: The Last Airbender and we Zutarians would be happy. But sadly, I am in no position to attain such a farfetched fantasy in the real show. ): So, I own diddly squat.
--
'My Fire Lord, Fire Lady Mai is here. She wishes to be graced with your presence,' one of the guards announced, bowing down.
'Send her in,' Fire Lord Zuko mumbled distractedly, his eyes rapt with attention at a piece of parchment. He was sitting in the grand chair, the very one his own father had sat before, and the one he had battled with his sister about five months ago.
'Fire Lord Zuko,' Fire Lady Mai greeted, as she glided in, the hem line of the long traditional Fire Nation robe sweeping across the marble floor. Zuko glanced up to look at her, and gave her his full undivided attention.
'What is it, Mai?' he asked. His pale skin was blotchy, and his forehead crinkled with the lack of sleep. His eyes were tired, his golden pupils no longer danced around, for it showed a depth of fatigue and worry.
She began to speak, but when she glanced up to look at him, she was slightly taken aback. However, she remained her calm composure, her emotionless stature snapping back into place. 'Fire Lord Zuko, you need to get some rest.'
Her mutter was soft, but it meant a lot to Zuko. She was one of the last few people here that actually cared for his well-being, since he had to undertake a vast number of duties since his recent coronation and his war advisors were busy preparing something else; to relinquish the previous Fire Lord Ozai's past orders and dictations.
A weak smile lit up his handsome face, his eyes now bright. For a moment, he looked just like before, when the Avatar was still around, when they fought the ruthless Fire Nation together. However, even Mai knew that the happiness in his eyes was a mere façade, and she looked down at the parquet pattern, feeling sad that he had been having a rough time all his life, even when he was the Fire Lord himself now.
She kept her eyes trained on the ground. 'Lady Katara and Lady Toph are here in the Fire Nation, and they wish to see you,' Mai continued after slight hesitation, her voice emanating formality.
There was a pause; Zuko didn't answer. She glanced up, and saw his face. He stared listlessly ahead, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes widened. He was reminded of the good times, when they were one happy gang, laughing and enjoying every moment together. Memories started running through his mind again, which even the Fire Lord, king of one of the most powerful nations ever, couldn't control.
'K-Katara? And Toph?' he heard himself utter.
'Fire Lord Zuko, I suggest you invite them here for a meal,' Mai suggested carefully. Silence. 'Shall I prepare the invitations and preparation?' Still silence. Then a loud thump.
She looked up, her eyes wary. Then they widened in shock.
'Fire Lord Zuko has lost consciousness!' she shouted, turning her head around to the grand doors. It was only a matter of time, before a group of doctors rushed in and attended to the slumped figure that lay in front of the throne.
--
He walked down the aisle, and stopped in front of the red Fire Nation curtains. He faced Aang, who sat nearby.
'I can't believe a year ago my purpose in life was hunting you down,' Prince Zuko spoke, looking at the Avatar meaningfully, in a meditating position. 'And now – '
'And now we're friends,' Aang interrupted, smiling up at him. He glanced at the floor.
'Yeah,' he agreed. 'We are friends.'
'I can't believe a year ago I was frozen in a block of ice,' Aang admitted. 'The world's so different now.'
Prince Zuko stepped forward. 'And now it's going to be even more different.' He smiled. 'We'll build it together.' The young airbender returned the smile whole-heartedly. They hugged warmly, before parting away at disappearing through the curtains, which led to an open balcony.
Prince Zuko stepped into light, as the royal drums echoed. The Earthbenders, Firebenders, Waterbenders, fathers of them, mother of them, even the Freedom Fighters, were standing below, cheering the once banished prince.
'Please,' Zuko declared, raising a hand. 'The real hero is the Avatar.' Aang stepped out of the shadows, bringing about more cheering from the crowd. Smiles of happiness, some of warmth, and even some that showed pride, were on the people's faces.
It was a day to remember.
Zuko groaned and fidgeted in the double bed he shared with Mai.
'Are you alright?' Mai asked cautiously, sitting on a chair by his side, holding a glass of water.
'I was just remembering an unforgettable event,' Zuko assured, looking at her. 'I'm too stressed out. And I missed Aang and the rest. It's almost surreal now; that I'm just one step further away from seeing the people I love again.' Mai kept quiet, and offered the glass of water to him and helped prop his pillows up so he could drink it properly. He finally got himself settled, and took a sip of water, letting the soothing liquid trickle down his throat. He had forgotten how thirsty he was.
'This is the first time in five months I've felt so relaxed,' he joked, enjoying the comfort of his only sanctuary; his bed. 'And I've got a pretty, mature woman taking care of me.' He smiled at her, his tone light and teasing. Mai continued to stay silent, clearly mulling over something.
'Mai?' he asked, worry prominent in his throaty voice.
'Zuko, is there anything between Katara and you?' she asked suddenly, her tone scathing. Zuko was shocked, and shook his head.
'Mai, first of all, we're husband and wife. Secondly, she's only a good friend. Nothing more. So is Toph. Well, the whole group is. I thought you knew that.' He looked meaningfully at a now silent Mai.
'Toph's the short loudmouth earthbender, right?' she asked, rolling her eyes and busying herself with the bed frame design. She traced a finger on the intricate pattern, feeling the refined wood. It was better than looking at Zuko, which she found difficult to ask the previous question while staring at him.
'Yes, and she's not that short, don't be mean.' Mai glanced up and gave a small smile. 'Just don't say that in front of her. It can be painful.' He gave a bitter laugh.
'Trust me, I've been there and I'm not deciding to try to belittle her again.' Mai nodded reproachfully.
'I just wanted to know that the reason you broke up with me some time ago,' Mai continued, her tone distant. 'It's not because of that waterbender, Katara, is it?'
Zuko shook his head decisively. 'I hadn't thought about her until I joined them.' Mai glared, and he realized his poorly constructed sentence. 'I mean, I haven't thought about her in the romantic way at all.'
'Or have I?' he asked himself, suddenly doubting his own feelings.
'Well I can't completely trust you,' Mai announced, breathing out a sigh and standing up. 'It's not like we haven't been through a rough time before.'
'Yeah,' Zuko agreed, nodding his head. She glanced quickly at Zuko and smirked.
'And it's not like you were all so fantastic in bed at all,' she said, walking out the room.
'Agreed,' he continued, glad to have the impending argument end so quickly without any harsh words. 'Wait – What?'
'See you later, Fire Lord Almighty.' Mai strode out the room, still smirking, leaving an extremely shocked Zuko behind.
--
'Sugar Queeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!' Toph sang out loud, rapping on the door. 'Time to get up! Wakey wakey!' The earthbender's hollers fell on deaf ears, as Katara still snored away.
'Rise and shine!' Toph shouted, ripping the door open with her earthbending. 'Come on and get your butt out!' Katara stirred, and squinted at the short figure standing at the doorway. Toph stood in front of her bed, arms and legs akimbo, all dressed and cleaned up.
'Let me sleep,' Katara whined, pulling the duvet over her head.
'No way,' Toph disagreed, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her out of her warm bed. 'I want to go to town early! Or he won't be there!' Katara let out a yelp of pain.
'Fine!' she said, jutting out her chin. 'I'll just go get ready.' She walked to the dresser and began carefully combing her hair. She let her hair stay loose and wavy, and she attached two hair loops; the traditional Southern Watertribe fashion for women.
'If you take any longer he'll die of old age already,' Toph commented snidely, narrowing her eyes in anger as she waited patiently. Well at least, in Toph's version of patiently.
'I'm done now, alright!' Katara said agitatedly, tucking the last few strands of stray hair behind her ears. She walked to the bathroom, emptying out her water skin and replacing it with fresh water from the sink.
'Luckily we're living in a house on the Upper Side, otherwise you probably have to go all the way to the backwater river to get your precious water.' Katara ignored Toph's scathing remark.
'You're just cranky because of this guy,' she reasoned with a calm, collected voice.
'Katara – ?' Toph asked, her tone suddenly quiet and friendly.
'Yes, Toph?' Katara answered, facing her fully. Toph took a deep breath and sighed.
'I need you to help me with something.' Katara raised her eyebrows and agreed.
'Could you help me tie my fringe up nicely? Like that time in Ba Sing Se, when we went to spa sort of thing.' Her voice was soft, and it was clear that she wanted so badly to impress the guy she had a crush on.
'I'd love to do that,' Katara smiled, walking over to her and adjusting her long fringe so that it piled above her head. She snapped her headband in, locking it in place. 'There.' Katara stepped back to admire her handiwork. Toph looked sweeter with her fringe up.
'Perfect,' Toph grinned, her hand automatically reaching up to touch her new hairstyle. Katara slapped her hand.
'Don't!' she warned. 'You'll mess it up. Just trust me; you look a lot lovelier like this. You should do your hair up more often.' Katara said, as they began to walk to the centre of the Fire Nation city, where the heart of the city was located.
'Sure, let the blind girl do her hair.' They laughed at Toph's joke, and walked amicably down the pathway.
--
'Invite them to dinner,' Mai ordered the servant in-charge of planning banquets, in reference to Toph and Katara. The servant, an elderly woman who was an expert in culinary and food preference, nodded and bowed.
'Will that be for just Fire Lord Zuko and you, Fire Lady Mai, and the two ladies?' she asked, bowing her head again.
'Yes, that would be all.' She dipped her head to bow once again, before backing away, taking her leave. She turned around the corner and was gone, and Mai started to walk back to their room, when she heard the said lady stammer an apology, following after a loud crash of porcelain against the marble tiles.
'I'm s-sorry, M-My Lord,' her voice echoed in the corridor. Her voice spoke fear and terror. Mai walked back, standing close to the bend around the corridor, not moving. She saw Zuko standing there, in front of the lady. Broken shards of porcelain surrounded them, and the elderly woman was picking up the pieces from the floor, shaking with fear from head to toe.
'That's alright,' Zuko assured, bending down to help her. 'It was my fault, I'm sorry.' The lady gasped and shook her head violently.
'It isn't, My Lord!' she exclaimed, her eyes wide in disbelief. 'It was my fault entirely, I didn't see you coming. And please don't pick them up; you might cut your hand.' As if right on cue, Zuko dropped a shard suddenly, wincing. A long streak of blood trickled down his thumb, a single scarlet droplet falling to the floor.
'Oh – My lord, I'm so sorry!' she blubbered, flustering at the sight of blood. She panicked, and fainted, and Mai quickly stepped in and held her so she wouldn't fall.
'Get some servants to aide us, clean up this mess, and help Fire Lord Zuko dress his wound,' she ordered a servant who just rounded the corner. She gasped at the sight, and quickly bowed, backing away to follow the Fire Lady's order.
'Thank you, Mai,' Zuko smiled, trying to help hold the elderly lady as well, realising that he hadn't done anything yet, except to bleed and make a woman faint.
Mai shook her head, tutting at him in mockery. 'You just never stay out of trouble, do you?'
Zuko stayed silent, letting the question hang in the air left unanswered. Somehow that question implied something else other than the recent incident.
--
'Uncle Iroh! Ling! Hey!' Katara greeted, her and Toph walking through the curtains and into the big bustling tea shop.
'Katara!' Iroh smiled warmly, answering her from the back room where he brewed the tea. He poked his head out. 'Toph!'
A tall but thin and wiry teenager walked to them, grinning and holding a tray that balanced numerous cups of tea. He had dark brown hair, and black eyes.
'Nice to see you, Katara, and Toph,' he said, nodding his head at them. Toph blushed the way he said her name, and quickly shunned her face behind Katara so he wouldn't notice.
Katara and Toph settled at their regular table and ordered their tea. 'I'll have a pot of jasmine brewed, no sugar,' Katara smiled sweetly, looking up at Ling who now stood beside them.
'He smells so nice, of wolfberries and lychee nuts,' Toph thought, inhaling his scent.
'And you, Toph?' came Ling's deep voice, probing the blind earthbender. Toph snapped back into reality.
'Oh um, I'll have wolfberry tea, infused with lychee nuts,' Toph stammered haltingly before deciding. 'Thank you.' Ling smiled at her added thanks and went away to take more orders.
'About time you got back to thinking straight,' Katara smirked, raising one eyebrow. 'You were practically drooling back there.'
'Put a sock in it, Sugar Queen. I do not drool.' Ling came back and settled their teas on the table, careful not to spill anything. The scent of him filled Toph's nose again, and she smiled to herself.
'I only salivate,' Toph joked, picking up her tea cup that had the same smell as he did, and her grin got even wider.
--
Somewhere in Ba Sing Se, a hooded character walked down an empty alleyway, and the person stopped. What seemed to be a young woman, she opened her cloak to reveal a concealed bird. The trademark Fire Nation messenger hawk, sat perched on her hand as she took it out.
'Where's that scroll I wrote…' the woman muttered, her other hand frantically searching for something else in her cloak. 'Ah.' She drew out a scroll, bound tight with red ribbon string.
The hawk hopped further down her arm, bowing its head so that the owner could reach the compartment for the message. She flicked the lid of the container open, an evil smile playing about on her lips, and stuffed the scroll in, followed by snapping the lid shut. The hawk took off, somehow already knowing the recipient, flying higher and higher into the blue, cloudless sky, leaving its owner watching it fly away; said woman still smiling that sadistic grin of hers.
After a couple of hours later, the messenger hawk reached its destination, and perched on somebody's else arm.
Somebody, who had been expecting it to arrive.
Somebody, who waited out in the still night sky for the message scroll.
Somebody, who smelled unmistakably like wolfberries and lychee nuts.
--
Author's Note:
Done! Hmm, I'm currently writing so many in-progress fanfics. :O
Oops, but well, anyway, I had an idea for this story, so I quickly penned it down, and wrote this chapter before I had to go out for netball, otherwise the ideas won't be fresh in my mind anymore.
Enjoy!
Please R&R, much appreciated, thank you.
-Scarlet