"Yipee!" Sokka cheered loudly as we walked down the path. He jumped up and down through the scattered white streets ridden with fallen snow in his Watertribe robes that looked warmer than a Firebender's touch. White specks covered his dark brown hair that was pulled into a small ponytail and they melted into his tan skin.

"Christmas is here!" He shouted causing the vendors from the shops to stare at him. We were in the marketplace in the Fire Nation's Palace city. Katara rolled her eyes at her brother's excitement, but I couldn't help but let out a giggle. It was the typical Sokka. He was one of the happiest people I had ever met. I didn't blame him for being excited. This time of year was my favorite, the presents, the cheer, the lights.

This year was particularly special. The war had ended only months ago. Everyone was resettling into their homes and into new lives. Celebration was what everyone needed, giving gifts, spending time with family, enjoying their traditions.

"Sokka," Katara, his sister, grumbled. She had the same dark skin and hair Sokka did. Her locks were pulled back into a single braid. She was a Waterbender and the last in her tribe. Lately she had been unpleasant to be around, "Christmas is twenty four days away! December just started." Clearly Sokka didn't care as he stuck out his tongue eating snowflakes. Today was the first day of December but the cold had started in November. The frigid air bit at my pale cheeks causing them to redden.

I tightened my grip on my cloak as I stared at him enjoy the atmosphere. Pushing a lock of my long, black hair behind my ear I looked over at Toph, Katara, Sokka, as we took a stroll.

Toph, a young Earthbender with jet black hair and pale skin, smiled as she heard the aggravation in Katara's voice. The Earthbender was blind, but used her Earthbending to see. She used the vibrations in the Earth through her feet.

"Yeah, but now Sokka needs to think of presents to get his special friend," Toph nudged him with her elbow in her green coat, causing him to turn bright red, producing another laugh from my lips. Since Suki, Sokka's ex, went back to Kyoshi Island, Sokka had found a new interest, however, he wouldn't tell anyone who it was. "Oh don't laugh Ember. You have to think of what to give your boyfriend, The Fire Lord." It was my turn to become red, as if they hadn't been already from the cold.

Earlier this year I had been kidnapped by Zuko, the Prince of the Fire Nation and his Uncle and taken on quite the adventure to find the Avatar, Aang. At first it had been to capture and kill Aang, but then over time, the Prince decided he would help the Avatar defeat his father, Fire Lord Ozai. The Prince and I had gone through many emotional times including loathing, tough decisions, and romance. He and I had officially confronted our feelings toward each other after the war. Now, I was currently being courted by the Fire Lord Zuko.

"I already have his present." I said quietly hoping they wouldn't question further. But of course Sokka jumped in front of me causing everyone to stop walking. I stared into his blue eyes seeing my own gold ones within.

"What did you get him?" He asked curiously.

"It's a secret. I know you guys. Sokka will tell him, Toph will tell everyone in town, and Katara will tell Aang who will tell all four nations. I'm keeping this to myself. Only Iroh knows." I said firmly. General Iroh was Zuko's uncle. He was the first son in the line for the Fire Nation throne, but when his son Lu Ten died in the war, Zuko's father took the role after a mysterious meeting. General Iroh was shunned by the Fire Nation. He and I had grown close over the adventure as well sharing our mutual enjoyment for tea and it helped that he had been good friends with my father.

Sokka made his bottom lip quiver. I couldn't help but smile. "Fine, Sokka I'll tell you if you tell me who that girl is you fancy." His eyes widened and he shook his head.

"Well I'm sure whatever it is he'll like it," he said waggling his eyebrows, trying to change the subject. "Since you already have your present for Zuko, you should help me buy a few presents."

"What? Ember gets to know who?" Toph complained and punched Sokka in the arm. He cried out in pain and rubbed the area she punched.

"No!" He denied immediately. "She's a girl, so she knows what girls like!"

I laughed more, "Thank you for noticing I'm a girl. But Sokka, we're all girls." He shrugged.

"Yeah but Katara still needs to buy Aang's present and my birthday present!" he jabbed his finger against her shoulder. She gave him a look. "And Toph, well, I just don't think she'd care." Toph didn't deny it.

"Fine, I'll help you but not today. I have to meet Zuko at the Palace. He told me he needed to talk with me about something." Again Sokka wiggled his eyebrows. I rolled my eyes and looked over at the sundial on one of the vender's wooden stands.

Midday, I was late.

"He's going to kill me." I said quickly. "I have to go guys!" They all nodded and I rushed back up the path towards the palace. People stared at me and I knew exactly what they were thinking, there goes the Fire Lord's absentminded girl, and she was making a fool of herself.

I arrived at the palace half an hour later and was greeted by Zuko's advisor, Ikem. He tapped is foot when he noticed me rush in. I knew he felt the same as the rest of the people in the Fire Nation. I was irresponsible and would never be the Fire Lady type. But everyone stayed quiet knowing that if they spoke against the Fire Lord's wishes, they would feel his wrath.

"You're late." He noted harshly. "You're lucky his meeting is still in." I nodded my head. He handed me a pin as I pulled my hair up into a tight bun and taking off my cloak I gave it to him. Making a disgusted face, he held it in the tips of his fingers not wanting to touch it further. "Why is it wet?"

"It's snowing Ikem! It's December and the most beautiful time of year." I sounded like Sokka now. "Come on, even a hard headed person like yourself has to love this time of year." He let out smirk, but cleared his throat and straightened up.

"Now is a time for rebuild. I don't know if you've noticed Miss Ember, but a war that lasted over one hundred years just ended." His voice was abrasive as he spoke.

The doors from the meeting hall opened and the Fire Lord himself walked through them. Zuko was a tall, well built Firebender. He had thick brown hair that was currently pulled into his Royal pin with the Fire Nation emblem. His eyes were golden and flashed like coins against his pale skin. However, on his left eye was a large scar. His father had given it to him in an Agni Kai after Zuko spoke out of turn in a war meeting. He bore it as a reminder of his past when his honor had been taken from him. Now however, he regained his honor through himself, and was the Fire Lord the Fire Nation needed.

He seemed exhausted, as if the meeting had gone badly. But when he looked up and saw me, a smile spread across his face. "Ember," he walked toward me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "I'm sorry I was so late. These meetings seem to get harder each time." I folded my arms around his neck. His forehead touched mine causing warmth to fill me.

"I was late too," I admitted childishly. A chuckle escaped his lips and he shook his head as if to say he wasn't really surprised. "I was with Sokka, Katara, and Toph. We were already shopping for presents." Zuko let me go and stepped back.

"That is actually why I asked you to meet me," he said and then a mischievous smile formed on his lips, "other than to see you of course." I couldn't help but grin back at his remark. Turning to Ikem, Zuko nodded, causing the advisor to step out of the room, leaving us alone. His attention fell back on me, "Christmas when I was young was very important to my mother," he started and I could see a flash of sadness in his eyes as he talked about his mother. She had gone missing back when he was a boy and no one knew where she was, except the former Fire Lord, Ozai. But of course, he wouldn't utter a word, to torture his son. "Every year our Christmas would start on the first day of December, and she would give us a present every day until Christmas." As if on cue, Ikem walked in with a small red box with a yellow ribbon wrapped around it. He handed it to the Fire Lord and left again. "Here's day one for you Ember." He passed me the box. "It's small, and not much, so don't get too excited." He said with a wink.

Placing the box on the table in the room, I pulled on the silk ribbon, causing the tight bow to fall apart. Lifting the lid off the box, I looked in to see a small maroon scrap. Looking confused, I took the scrap out. It was metal and the edges were jagged. It looked so familiar to me. On the flat surface words were carved that read, "You weren't the only one lucky to find something to escape." I let out a breath of air, realizing I hadn't been breathing, and looked up at the man staring at me.

"You kept this?" I asked disbelieving.

When Zuko had captured me, he brought me onto his ship as he searched for the Avatar. I had known where Aang and the gang were going. The first day on his ship he locked me in a cell with my leg chained to the wall, however, when I had looked around, I had found a small metal shard on the ground and used it to pick the lock and escape. The second time I was locked in the cell Zuko had grabbed the shard before I could hide it. Apparently, though, he had kept it since.

He shrugged, "It was in my pocket most of the time. When my ship blew up I still had it on me. I don't know why I kept it to be honest." A smile danced across his lips, "Now I guess I know now, it's the perfect gift for the first day. I placed the shard back into the box and walked over to him. Wrapping my arms around his heck, I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Thank you so much. I love it." I whispered against his robes and I could feel him lay his head against mine. "I can't believe you kept it all this time, and then to have it engraved." I pulled back and smiled up at him.

"You should tell me what you got me since you know I hate surprises," he said. My jaw dropped at his abruptness.

"I'm not telling you! I don't care if you don't like surprises, you're going to be surprised and you're going to like it." I jabbed my finger against his shoulder. "But," I said brightly, "I will give you a hint." He cocked an eyebrow. "Each day I will give you a clue as to what I got you."

"I'm listening."

"Today I'll give you a riddle," I smiled. "Ready? I bark but I have no mouth, I shed but I have no fur." Letting go of the Fire Lord, I stepped back and went to pick up the box. "You can think about that. I'm going home to decorate." As I passed him I kissed his cheek and he squeezed my hand. "See you tomorrow Fire Lord Zuko."

"Tomorrow, Ember," he said quietly, as if he were thinking hard about the riddle.