Disclaimer: I absolutely, DO NOT OWN ATLA and /or characters, places, peoples, or things, except some of the characters such as servants ,are made up by me. If I owned the cartoon, everything else would fall into place, Zuko would be with Katara, Azula would be better, Ozai would die, Ursa would see her son again, Aang would be Toph's sissy boyfriend who gets whopped all the time, Sokka and Suki would have a thousand ,sarcastic-meat eating, boomerang-throwing, coloring-enthusiastic, Kiyoshi- warrior, warrior- wolf tail like haired children starting from the middle of the third season and I would be able to run with wolves for all eternity. This is my second story, I'm still working on the other Zutara fanfic, I'm like multi-tasking, I wouldn't post this one story up, but if I get an Idea and I look forward to it, I intend to just post it. I know, a tiny, wee-bit of stress, but I'm a girl, I multi-task (No cliché, or stereotype pun, intended). I hope this story is better than what I usually write, and please, I would really love it if other people that read this and actually like it, to please review, it means A LOT, it makes any authors at heart their days and it seriously tells me how I'm doing my favorite hobby. If you do review, please make it be at least positive, no need to bash my story only because you did not expect it to be the way it is. If you never liked it, then why bother reading it in the first place? Let me tell you now, DON'T BOTHER IF YOU DID NOT LIKE! Just leave me be with my passion. Also, I will always be appreciating readers for their positive feed-back and suggestions, your names will be posted up on the next chapters or so, and I will also promote your stories on the top of my chapters and try to encourage other readers to check your stories up. Any suggestions on what should I put next are greatly taken into consideration and you can leave a suggestion on a privet message. But like I said, I will thank you all:]! If anyone loves wolves as much as I do, please do make a shout-out, "I Run With Wolves!" lol.
[The most precious treasure]
[Zuko, age :one]
"Princess Ursa, breakfast is ready," A servant named Yian, ran to Ursa, as Ursa was walking down the red hallway of the Fire Nation Palace. She smiled over at the young female, with much appreciation. "Thank you Yian, I'll be over there in a minute, I have to go get my son ready."
"That's alright Princess Ursa, I'll tell Fire lord Azulon and your husband, Prince Ozai you'll be joining them shortly." Ursa nodded as the young, pale, brown- long haired servant bowed down, and then disappeared down the hall where she came from. Ursa kept walking, passing family portraits, torches, flowers, and prized weapons held on the walls for décor. At last, she came across her son's room. Ursa opened the door and found her one- year old, rubbing his eyes as he yawned. Ursa smiled as she walked in, and sat on the kid's bed. "Good morning, Zuko." The little boy smiled, "Mama!" as he hugged Ursa. His little frail arms wrapped around her neck. Ursa hugged her child back. "Zuko, we have to get you ready. Breakfast is served and grandpa is there to see you."
"Gwanpa?" asked the child. Ursa got up, walked over to the curtains and let the rays of the sun, illuminate the dark, red room.
"Yes honey, grandpa Azulon. Your father is waiting as well," Ursa said as she smiled at her little boy. He yawned, "Yay! Daddy!" Ursa giggled, "Ok Zuko, I'm going to get your clothes for today, and you can't take them off! You know how mad grandpa is going to get if he sees you throw your clothes all over the place." "Ok, mommy." Ursa smiled. She couldn't contain herself, she was so happy to see that Zuko was growing. It seemed to her as if Zuko was still a newborn, wrapped around his red, warm, fleece blanket, crying for someone to feed him. Indeed, Zuko did grow. His skin, pale, white and soft. He was always warm, a sign for Ursa that the boy was most definitely a fire bender. His beautiful, golden eyes, seemed like if they bathe in the sun all day. His hair, ebony, but shiny, made his complexion more beautiful to stare at all day and night. Ursa took out his clothes for the day, his usual little red, fire nation robes fit for a little, adorable, fire bender prince. Ursa brought them over to Zuko's bed. Zuko looked at them, at his mother, and then looked at the bed, sighing. "Now, Zuko, we have to hurry up, we can't keep your grandpa and your father waiting." "Mommy?" he whined.
"No Zuko, you can't put them on yourself, you need me to help. Now come on big boy, let me put your clothes on for you, then we'll be ready to go." Zuko, reluctantly brushed some of his red sheets off him, as he got off his bed and stood in front of his mother wobbling. Ursa chuckled, as Zuko smiled at his mother. His small talk made Ursa's day. Zuko seemed like a very shy creature, but around his mommy and daddy, everything was happiness, grandpa Azulon was a very scary, he was always a very grumpy old man, and it scared Zuko. There was, of course, funny, fat, uncle Iroh, who seemed to enjoy being around little Zuko. And there was cousin LuTen, Zuko's favorite eight year old cousin, who made rainy days seem fun in the palace. Zuko enjoyed the rest of the day with mommy and daddy, watching the turtle-ducks swim around, under the cherry blossom tree, as his daddy chased him around. Ozai was always too fast for the little boy and always caught up to him. Ozai would pick up his little boy and throw him up in the air. Little Zuko would cry with excitement, in that instant, the world seemed to freeze around the little boy, the air, cool, fresh against his face. A light sensation would overcome Zuko and suddenly, Ozai wasn't big anymore, infact, the whole world seemed small and Zuko was big. Zuko felt that he could grab the whole world in his hands as he pleased, everything around him was so pleasant and stood in it's place. The world looked beautiful and Zuko just wished it could've stayed that way. Suddenly, time caught up to its pace, and what goes up, must come down. Zuko came back down into his father's loving embrace. A smile would appear on both father and son, their love was undeniable, untouched, never spoiled. Ursa would smile and kiss both her husband and her son telling them how much she loved them both. Nothing would ever compare to those moments. Ursa was done helping her son put on his clothes as the child played with his fingers. "Zuko! Don't put your hands in your mouth, that's nasty." The little boy looked up at his mother, feeling a warm rush in his cheeks out of shame, but then, grinned shyly. Ursa giggled as she grabbed a comb that lay on a nearby shelf. Zuko saw the comb and immediately began to whine. "No! Zuko! I have to comb your hair, were getting late." The little boy saw that, even though he was the Fire Nation Prince, he wasn't going to have it his way, when he usually did. But not around mother. He surrendered; Ursa grabbed him and sat him on the edge of his bed. This was the part where Zuko struggled to get himself out of the "evil" clutches of the comb. But this time, he didn't move. Ursa smiled and ran her white, slender fingers through the dark locks of her son's hair. She brushed, and brushed some more until she lightly pulled all of his hair into a little ponytail, high up on his head, like a top knot, only he didn't have enough hair for a top knot. "There, let's go off to eat!"
"Yay! Eat!" Ursa laughed as her son rubbed his tummy with both hands and closed his eyes as he licked his lips. Ursa picked him up and carried him into the hallway. Both mother and son smiling, walking towards the war room. Two guards were standing outside the room, guarding it. "Guards, let me in, my son and I need to eat with the Fire lord and my husband." "Yes, Princess Ursa, and Good morning." The two guards, heavily dressed in their armor bowed and then opened the doors. Ursa smiled faintly as Zuko starred at the men in sheer awe. The guards then closed the heavy, doors behind them, engraved with big, dragons made out of real gold. Ursa stepped inside carrying Zuko. The war room was enormous, the floor shined as Ursa walked by. Torches were lit, Azulon's throne wasn't lit, he was standing in front of Ozai and next to Ozai were Prince Iroh, or General Iroh and his lovely son, LuTen.
"Oh, Iroh! LuTen! I didn't know you guys were coming!" Ursa said as she walked fast with Zuko in her arms.
"Where are your manners woman!," Azulon yelled as he stopped Ursa dead on her tracks as Zuko covered his ears and turned away, burying his face onto his mother's neck.
Both Ursa and Zuko were afraid. Ursa bowed, "I'm sorry Fire lord Azulon. Good morning to all of you."
"Very well Ursa, may I ask why so late?" Azulon rubbed his goatee. Ursa grabbed Zuko tightly against her; she could feel his erratic breathing, his silent sobs, and his warm tears. "I was getting Zuko ready for breakfast." "That kid is a burden!" "I'm sorry father, I'm sure Ursa was trying to help our child with his clothes, to look presentable, like the young Prince he is, for his grandfather, he's still a baby and it takes up time.", Ozai jumped in for his lovely Ursa and for his adored son.
"Non-sense! He's just as worthless as you are!" Ozai closed his eyes, pained by his father's constant rejection, "Yes father, I'm terribly sorry."
LuTen cringed as he held on to his father's robes. Grandpa Azulon wasn't mean to him, but he was to Uncle Ozai, some-what to Ursa, and now to the newest member of the family, Zuko. "I'm sure they didn't mean it father. Its right that the newest member of the family, Prince Zuko, is still a baby. He needs all the patience, care, and attention a loving mother like Princess Ursa, can give him. Not to mention all the love a mother has for her child. Second, Ozai is great Prince and father. He's helped me with LuTen and his fire bending. Ursa and Ozai have helped me take care of LuTen. So father, please, pardon them." Iroh was the best at convincing his father to consider things. Fire Lord Azulon was less harsh towards Iroh and his son, Prince LuTen. Azulon scratched the back of his topknot, "Alright Iroh, even though you were practically faster than Ursa at changing your son's clothes, and you are a single parent. But I'll excuse your brother and his wife's carelessness. Now, enough of this, let's eat over at the dining room." Fire Lord Azulon walked out of the room first, Ozai next to his brother, LuTen with his Aunt and little cousin. "Thank you brother, for defending us." Ozai said as he scratched the back of his head, his long black hair covered his back.
Iroh laughed, "No problem little brother, anytime." He socked Ozai on his arm as Ozai chuckled and touched his brother's bald spot. Ursa giggled to see Ozai and Iroh act like they were little kids again.
"I'm really glad to see you Auntie Ursa!" LuTen said as he hugged Ursa.
Ursa smiled as she leaned down to hug her favorite nephew back, "I'm glad to see you too LuTen. Were you in Ember Island?"
"Yes, and dad got you guys some gifts." "That's really sweet of you guys. Remind me to get you guys something for the New Year's festival."
"That's ok auntie, you don't have to. Umm, why doesn't Zuko want to look at me?" Ursa looked over at Zuko, who still covered his face onto his mother's neck. "Zuko, LuTen came back with Uncle Iroh, don't you want to play with LuTen?" Zuko didn't move.
"Well, well, he's a little shy right now. But since he knows you, he'll loosen up quickly." LuTen smiled as he tried getting his little cousin to look at him. LuTen gently poked Zuko's ribs. At first, it didn't work. But after a while, he would jump. Ursa giggled. "Oh, Zuuuukoooo, Zuuuukoooo, c'mon, play with cousin LuTen!" LuTen sing- songed, trying to capture his little cousin's attention. He got Zuko to giggle; he covered his face with his tiny hands. Ursa smiled, "You're getting it LuTen. I think you might need to tickle him to get more results."
LuTen, then tickled Zuko. Zuko uncovered his face to cover his stomach, as he laughed. "There! Got ya little Zuko! Come to LuTen!"
LuTen stretched his arms out towards Zuko. Zuko refused at first, as he pouted and shook his head "no". "Awh, c'mon Zuko. Don't you wanna play with me?" LuTen asked with a toothy grin. Zuko covered his face with his hands again. Ursa tickled him, this time making it unbearable for Zuko to contain his beautiful, sweet, childish laughter. Ursa couldn't help but laugh. Zuko then reached out towards LuTen as he took him in his arms.
"Let's go LuTen, your Grandpa might yell at us again if we don't hurry up." LuTen nodded as he carefully held Zuko tightly against him and walked with his auntie Ursa into the dining room to eat some breakfast.
Ok, umm yeah, like I said, some servants names I made up because I really don't know Chinese names like other people do, but anyways, about the plot. This is strictly a Zutara story, which right now, will start off with one of my favorite characters from ATLA : yes, obviously Zuko. Its gonna go slow at first, starting with his childhood. So the Zutaraness will come a little towards the end. The chapter's name comes from the lyrics of Flyleaf, "Treasure" which has nothing to do with the story, but I like the sound of it, if you don't know them check' em out they're AWSOME! So yeah, I'm also up for like making other stories for any other character or ship you want. Just hit the 'Privet messaging' button and feel free to tell me what character from the series you want me to make for you, that's right, you heard me, you! Thank you and please good reviews, it motivates me., and if you do review, also feel free to put down the name of your favorite character from ATLA, I'm curious to see which characters tickle your pickle…. Lol didn't mean to make it sound wrong. Peace.
