I own nothing! Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to Nick!
Fire Lord Zuko strode through the walls of his palace. He was glad to finally be home after his two-week stay in the Earth Kingdom. His stay in the Earth Kingdom consisted of him meeting with the Earth King and working on diplomacy. Even though the war had ended twenty-two years ago, there was still much to be done and still some resentment to the Fire Nation. However, everyone knew that Zuko was making great efforts to make peace, and these efforts were aided by the Avatar being by his side and helping him bring peace to the world. Zuko was glad the he got to see his uncle while in Ba Sing Se. He was the man that gave Zuko the courage to do what was right those many years ago. The great General Iroh was the one that made Zuko the man he was. However, all the good things that occurred in the Earth Kingdom aside, Zuko was just glad to finally be home and glad to see his family again.
As Zuko walked past the pond, on the way to his house, he heard a small boy scream excitedly and yell "Daddy! Daddy, your home!" Zuko turned and saw his seven-year-old son run full force toward him. "Hey Iroh, buddy." Zuko said picking up his son and hugging him. "How are you?"
"I'm good, Daddy! I'm glad your home. I missed you!" Iroh said happily. Zuko just smiled. He was glad that his children did not have to grow up in a time of war. He was glad that he was able to raise his family in a time of peace. "I, where is your mother?" Zuko asked.
"I'm right here." said a voice from behind the Fire Lord. He turned to see Katara standing there with a smile on her face.
"Katara," Zuko said as his face lit up at the sight of his wife. He put Iroh down and embraced his wife. "I missed you." He whispered in her ear.
"I missed you too, Zuko." She replied. "Things just aren't quite the same around here when you are gone."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Zuko asked. "What things are different since I left?"
"Well, Khana has been for starters." Katara said simply.
"What's wrong with Khana?" Zuko said in a worried voice. His eldest child was usually happy and content with her life. He could not imagine what could have happened in the last two weeks that would have changed that.
"Nothing is wrong with her. She just decided that she was going to train extra hard while you were gone so she could get good enough so she could finally move up to advanced training. She told me that she felt like a failure because she wasn't in advanced training yet. I have barely seen her. When she is not training she is practicing or meditating working on her breathing."
"I told her that Fire Bending took longer to learn and master than any of the other elements did because it is so hard to control." Zuko said.
"I know, but there is no telling her that. She may look like me, but she has your determined, stop at nothing attitude." Katara said with a slight smile. "In fact she is training right now, and speaking of training, I have to go and give Satirah her lesson. I am so sorry."
"No, don't be. I'll spend time with you after you finish." Zuko said with a mischievous smile, as he leaned down to kiss his wife.
"It is so good to have you home." Katara said before she ran off to train her niece.
Zuko decided that he would go and watch Khana's lesson before he told her what he had decided.
"Khana, Khana!" Khana heard her little brother, Iroh call down the hallway. She was attempting to focus on what Master Jang was saying but she was preoccupied. She was worried that the guards were going to let him into the training room. Fire Bending was dangerous and Iroh was not able to protect himself. She was glad to hear the guards tell Iroh that their father had said that Iroh was not allowed in the room.
"Princess!" Master Jang said snapping Khana back to her lesson.
"I'm sorry Sifu. I was worried that the guards were going to let Iroh in the room." Khana said apologizing for not paying attention.
"I understand, Princess. Now attempt to concentrate. We are now going to practice the new move that I taught you. Are you ready?" Master Jang told his pupil.
"Yes, Sifu." Khana said absolutely sure of herself. She took a deep breath and prepared for the fight. Jang threw the first flame. Khana blocked it and then reciprocated by sending two fire balls back at Jang. This continued for a few minutes. During the fight, Khana thought she heard the door open and close. While she was turning during a move, she saw an outline of a man. The outline was too tall to be Iroh so her worry immediately disappeared and she put all of her focus back into the fight. Jang shot a large burst of fire at Khana. She gathered its energy, added even more energy and propelled it back at him, just like he taught her to do. That was the final blow of the fight. Jang was knocked off his feet. Khana was breathing heavily but she had a smile on her face. She was proud of herself as was Jang judging from the smirk on his face. Khana knew that her father would be proud of her when he got home from the Earth Kingdom.
Khana walked over and helped Jang to his feet. Once she did she heard clapping coming from the corner of the room. She had completely forgotten about the person that had come in during the fight. Khana turned around and a smile spread across her face when she noticed who the man was.
"I'm impressed Khana. Your bending has improved greatly since I have been gone. You have done well Master Jang."
"Thank you, My Lord, but I cannot take all the credit. The Princess has been practicing a lot." Jang replied. Zuko was just smiling, He was proud of his daughter.
"Papa!" Khana said running toward him. Zuko wrapped his daughter in his arms. "I missed you, Papa."
"I missed you too, Khan," he said kissing the top of her head. "Is your lesson finished?"
"Sifu?" Khana asked turning back to Jang.
"You are done for today, Princess." Jang replied.
"Thank you!" Khana replied bowing to Jang. Then her and Zuko exited the room.
"Let's go for a walk, Khan." Zuko said simply.
"Okay, I guess the fact that you are home is what Iroh want to tell me while I was training." Khana said smiling.
"I would assume so. He was by the pond when I came in." Zuko said. "So Khana, what is this that your mother tells me about you training and practicing like crazy the past two weeks?"
"Nothing really, Just making sure I am mastering the moves that I have learned. You and Uncle Iroh always told me that practice made perfect." Khana explained. She had a feeling that her mother was going to tell her father about her all day and night practice sessions.
"That is true and this time it has paid off." Zuko said.
Khana gave him a quizzical look, "What do you mean?"
"I think it is time that I take over your training. It is time for you to move on to advanced training and I want to be the one that teaches you, so that I can pass on the family traditions. How would you like that?" Zuko said.
Khana was in shock. This was the moment that she had been waiting on for months. "I would love that. It would be such an honor to be trained by you, Dad. Any Fire Bender, would give their right arm to be trained by the Fire Lord." Khana was thrilled. Not only was she moving on to advanced training, but her father, Fire Lord Zuko, was going to be the one training her. "Thank you so much, Papa." Khana said hugging him. "Finally! Satirah can stop making fun of me about still being in regular training! So when do we start training" Khana was so eager.
" Well I think you need to take a break on the training. You look warn out. So I was thinking that we could start training after we get back from Ember Island." Zuko replied.
"We are going to Ember Island? When did this happen?" Khana said half confused half amused.
"Yes we are, we are leaving in two days. I am thinking we could stay about two weeks. Not to mention I have to host that annual ball thing that we all love so much" Zuko said simply.
"Oh Yes, that thing." Khana said with a groan. "But other than that, it sounds like a good plan."
"That is good. Now, I am going to find you mother. I only got to see her briefly when I came in." Zuko said with a smile.
"Say no more, Dad. I get it. I'll go find Iroh and keep him occupied." Khana said leaving with a semi frighten look on her face. Zuko just laughed at his daughter's look. Khana wandered to the pond where she knew Iroh would be.
Zuko went to the back of the house to where Katara would be training Satirah. Sokka and Suki had two children, the twins Satirah and Syn. Syn was a Earth bender train with Haru and Satirah was a Water bender training with Katara. He watched for a bit as Katara showed Satirah a new move. He waited until she was finshed and then went and grabbed his wife from behind, dipped her down as he leaned in and kiss her. At first Katara was taken by surprise but then deepen the kiss. They kissed until Satirah interrupted them.
"Really Uncle Zuko. I understand that you haven't seen Aunt Katara in two weeks but still interrupting my lesson. How rude!" Satirah said in a mock angry voice.
"It is good to see you too Sati." Zuko said laughing.
"Good to see you back. Now maybe Khana will slow her roll and actually hang out with me." Satirah said
"Oh she will. I just told her that she is moving up to advanced training, and she is all excited. She is out by the pond with Iroh. Why don't you go see her?" Zuko suggested. Satirah obliged and went off to find Khana.
Khana was sitting on the pond's edge watching Iroh, when out of the corner of her eye she noticed Satirah coming toward the pond. Khana turned and greeted her and Satirah came bounding her way and sat next to Khana.
"How was training Sati?" Khana asked.
" It was good until your father decided to interrupt it by making out with your mom. I didn't even know he was home."
"I didn't either until he came and spied on my lesson, but I got something out of my interruption." Khana said proudly.
"I know Papa Z said that he was going to start training you. He said you were starting advanced training… Finally."
"Hey, no stabs at me. Papa said that fire takes longer to master because it is volatile and it is hard to control. He said if you do not know how to control it properly bad things can happen." Khana said in her defense. Satirah was just being smug because she had been in advance Waterbending training for nearly a year.
"yea, yea, I know I just like to pick on you. You know that."
" Yea, I know. So what has Syn been up to?" Khana asked inquiring about her other cousin.
"Well, Mr. Earthbender is training at the moment with Haru, but other than that I mean he goes out all the time with his friends and picking up girls. He is such a playboy."
Satirah said a bit disgusted.
"I still can't be Haru married Mai!" Khana said
"I know it is so weird!"
"I know! But hey stranger things have happened. Look at my parents, I mean they hated each other and he almost burned down her village, and then something changed and now they are married for almost 20 years and have two kids."
"You're right that is weird. But speaking of parents, My dad is angry that you haven't been over to the house lately." Satirah said.
"I went over there last week, not to mention I saw him the other day when he was here for a council meeting. I think Uncle Sokka is going crazy." Khana said laughing.
"Going crazy? I think he already went crazy." Satirah replied.
"You said it not me, but to appease Uncle Sokka I will walk you home."
"That sounds good!" Satirah said excitedly, but Khana had the feeling that something else was up. Khana motioned for a guard to come over.
"Watch Iroh please, and make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble."
"Yes, Your highness." The guard replied dutifully. Khana and Satirah walked back to the house and to the front breezeway where Khana knew her parents would be.
"Mom, Dad!" Khana called. They both turned around and waited until Khana and Satirah caught up with them.
"I'm going to Sati's house for a while, okay?" Khana said.
" Okay that is fine, just make sure you are home for dinner." Zuko replied. "Chan!" he called to a guard walking down the breezeway. "Escort Khana and Satirah through the city." Chan merely nodded. He was used to having to guard the princess. He has been the princess's personal guard since she was three years old. At first he wasn't happy about having to protect the princess, but he soon grew to love his job and adore Khana.
"Dad!" Khana whined she thought that she was too old to be escorted through the city. She felt that she could handle herself.
"Don't agrue Khana." He had good reasons not to let Khana go around the city by herself.
"Fine" Khana said.
"alright, well you two run along. Don't be late Khana!" Zuko said know that his daughter had a habit of being late.
"I won't dad! Bye" Khana said turning to leave with Satirah and Chan in tote.
"Bye, Khan." Khana heard her mother call, which made her smile.
Once Satirah and Khana were outside of the gates of the palace the two of them felt a sense of freedom, even with Chan following close behind them.
"Khana, I have something to tell you." Satirah said a bit nervous.
"What is it Sati?" Khana said a bit concerned.
"I met this guy the other day, while I was in the market. He lives down the street from me. His name is Wren. He is friends with Syn's friend Jai. But anyway we have been talking and we kissed a few days ago." Satirah said a bit embarrassed.
"Sati! That is so wonderful!" Khana said excitedly.
"Yea, it is. It is just that no one knows anything about this. Papa and Mama don't know anything. I think Syn might have a clue, but he hasn't said anything."
"So Uncle Sokka doesn't know? Wow that is not going to be a good day when you tell him. "
"I know, but I was tired of keeping it a secret that is why I told you, but please don't tell anyone."
"Sati you know I won't. It's Chan you have to worry about. He has a big mouth." Khana said poking fun at the guard.
"I think, princess, that the big mouth that you are referring to is your own." Chan replied.
"Oh, Chan got you there Khana!" Satirah said smiling. Khana was smiling as well.
"So tell me about this guy!" Khana said wanting to know more.
"Well, his is a firebender. His parents aren't noblemen but they are pretty influential and they aren't really concerned with he is doing and because of that he has a bit of an undeserved reputation."
"Okay, I see. That is why you are worried about telling your family." Khana said as they turned down Satirah's street.
"Sati," the two girls heard someone call from the house that they had just passed. Satirah and Khana turned around. Khana was a bit upset because someone outside of the family had just used the pet name that Khana had given Satirah all those years ago. The person who had called was a tall handsome teenager with light brown hair. Khana noticed a smile spread across Satirah's face and she knew that this must be the boy that Satirah was talking about, Khana knew that this was Wren, and Satirah's exclamation was only a conformation.
"Wren!" Satirah said as she ran and embraced him. Khana glanced to the side and caught Chan's eye. She knew that they both felt awkward.
"A Palace guard? Sati are you in some kind of trouble?" Wren asked.
"No, My uncle just insists that we be escorted through the city." Satirah said simply.
"But I have seen you come back from the Palace before and you haven't had a guard."
"I know. That is because my uncle was in the Earth Kingdom and my Aunt Katara, doesn't really require it, unless Khana is with me. Anyway, Uncle Zuko is back and Khana is with me. This is Chan, he is Khana's personal guard." Satirah explained.
"Unfortunately." Chan said in a joking manner under his breath.
"Really, Chan, What is with all the hate today?" Khana asked.
"Payback, that is all I'm saying." Chan replied with a smile on his face.
"I guess I deserve that." Khana said with a smile as she hugged Chan.
"I guess you are Khana." Wren said.
"Yep, the one and only. It is nice to meet you Wren." Khana said with a smile. Khana honestly didn't care about his reputation. He made Satirah happy and that was all that mattered to her.
" I have to get home Wren, but we are still meeting up tonight, right?" Satirah asked unsure.
"Of Course we are." Wren said, They hugged once again and Wren turned and went back into his house. Satirah had a glow about her which made khana happy. However, the happiness was short lived. When the two girls turned around to head to Satirah's house, they noticed that Syn was outside of the house. He had seen everything, and he wasn't too happy about it.
"Satirah! What are you thinking? Messing around with a guy like that? Are you out of your mind?" Syn ranted.
"like you have room to talk! You are with a different girl every week."
"Satirah, you know that boy has a reputation." Khana couldn't take Syn anymore. He was spoiling Satirah's good mood.
Khana launched forward and slammed Syn against the wall and pinned him there. "Listen Syn, You know nothing. You are judging a guy based of a reputation that is probably made of pure rumor. You have no room to talk. He is making Sati happy so he can't be that bad. So if you know what's good for you, you will stay out of this and you won't mess with Satirah and Wren, or not only will you have to deal with Sati, You will have to deal with me." Khana said with venom in her voice. Syn looked a bit frightened "Now, when we go into this house, we are going to act like nothing is wrong and you are not going to breathe a word of Sati and Wren's relationship to anyone. Got it?"
" Got it." Syn said.
"Good." Khana said releasing Syn from the wall, then the three of them went inside the house.
"hey you three, I heard a thud. What happened?" Suki asked.
"Khana slammed me against the wall." Syn said simply.
"He made me angry." Khana replied. Suki just laughed.
"Well, Syn all I can say is that you shouldn't have made her angry. She is the daughter of the two most violent people I know." Sokka said with a shiver. "It's been a while since you have been over here Khan."
"Uncle Sokka! I saw you the other day, and I was over here last week! But anyway, My dad is back from the Earth Kingdom!" Khana said excitedly.
"Well that is good. Council meetings are somewhat unbearable without him." Sokka complained
"Council meetings are unbearable any time." Khana replied. Khana looked at the time and noticed how late it had gotten. "Oh lord! I am going to be late!"
"When aren't you late." Syn commented.
"Good point, but I have to go. If I am late for dinner my dad might just have a moose-cow. Oh! By the way Syn, You should come over tomorrow and we should throw some rocks around and stuff."
"Will do!" Syn replied. Khana told everyone goodbye, grabbed Chan and then started to move quickly through the city. Even Chan was having a little trouble keeping up. She wasn't really paying much attention to where she was going until it was too late. Khana ran straight into someone coming out of one of the shops in the market. The person caught her and stedied her. Khana glanced up at her savior and was taken aback. He was a tall boy with brown hair, brown eyes and tan skin. He was absolutely gorgeous. He smiled down at her and she smiled back.
"I am so sorry, I didn't mean to run into you like that. I was in a bit of a hurry, I should have been paying more attention." Khana explained with a slight giggle.
"It's okay. I should have been looking where I was going as well." He replied sweetly. Then he moved to the side and allowed Khana to pass. By that time Chan had caught up with her.
"Did you know that boy, Princess?"
"No, but I intend to." Khana said with a devious smile.
"Well, let's go slower the rest of the way to the palace. I can't go as fast as you anymore. I am getting too old for this." Chan said smiling. Khana laughed and smiled as well.
Jai watched as the girl who had just ran into him walked away with her guard following her. He figured that she must be pretty important to be escorted by a guard. He determined that he would ask his friend Syn, the next day when he came over. Syn knew pretty much every girl who resided in the capital city. Jai knew that Syn would be able to put a name to the beautiful face that he had just seen. He had never seen a face like hers. She had the deepest blue eyes that he had ever seen. He was entranced by her.
"Jai, what are you doing just standing there. We need to get home. Mom and Dad don't want us to be late. It is the last night that I am going to be here before I leave to start my job in the Earth Kingdom." Jai's older brother, Min Lu said. Jai snapped out of his trance and followed his older brother out of the market and back to his house.
….
Dinner that night was a lovely affair for Khana and her family. Even though Zuko was only gone for two weeks he was greatly missed. He brought a certain spirit to the family. Zuko began to complain about something that occurred during his trip, which prompted Khana to say, "Dad, you sound like a teenage girl."
"I get all my inspiration from you, Khan," Zuko replied with a smile. Everyone laughed. Even Khana.
After dinner was over, Khana went to the training room to practice just a little. Practicing relaxed her and allowed her to clear her mind. When she was bending she felt fulfilled. When she got back to her room she tried to fall asleep but sleep would not come, so she went over to the window hoping that the fresh air would clear her mind, but it didn't work. She just could not get the boy that she had run into out of her head. Finally she felt tired enough and she fell asleep, still thinking about the boy.
The next day Syn and Khana were out on the back lawn of the palace practicing. Syn sent a rock into the air and Khana did a kick-turn and sliced the rock in half then she sent to fire blast to the separate pieces turning the rock into dust. This process continued for a bit until Syn got annoyed from being beaten. Khana and Syn decided to stop and the two of them went to sit by the turtle-duck pond.
"Syn, do you know any of the boy's in town?"
"Yes, of course I do, you know that. But why do you ask?" Syn replied.
"Because a boy that I saw in the market on my way home yesterday caught my eye. I literally ran into him." Khana explained a little bit shyly.
"Oh, well then did you happen to catch a name to this mysterious person?" Syn asked.
"No, I was a little embarrassed that I had run into him."
"Well, what about a description?" Syn asked.
"He was tall, tan, with brown hair that he wore in a top-knot and deep brown eyes. " Khana said dreamily.
"Congratulations Khana, you just successfully described every Fire Nation boy in existence." Syn said laughing.
"Ugh! You are no help Syn!" Khana said in faux frustration. Syn just laughed. Khana was left to wonder about who the mystery boy was.
…
After leaving the palace, Syn made his way to his friend Jai' s house, and Jai was expecting him. When Syn arrived Syn began to rant.
"I don't know why Khana decides to invite me over to "practice". She just ends up showing off and kicking my butt! She can be so annoying sometimes."
"Well, the Princess needs practice with the other elements and you are just an easy target Syn. I would fight you all the time, if I knew I could beat you." Jai said.
"Ah! All you stupid firebenders! I really need to get some Earth bender friends." Syn said joking.
"Hey, Fire is the best! Don't call it stupid." Jai said joking as well.
"Oh goodness, you just sounded like Khana. You know you two would get along just perfectly. You should hook up with her, that way she will stop beating on me."
"haha, I don't think that is going to be possible. I doubt she would even give me the time of day or that I would actually have the guts to speak to her."
"Na, She would give you the time of day. Khana is weird. She had a fling two months ago with the Earth Kingdom Ambassador's son, purely because he was a good kisser. Like I said a weirdo."
"Still, I wouldn't have the guts to talk to her, not to mention I am interested in this girl that ran into me while Min and I were in the market yesterday. She was beautiful and so sweet." Jai said.
"A girl ran into you in the market yesterday? Did you catch a name?" Syn said getting suspious.
"No, I didn't but she was small, only about 5' 5'', tan, brown hair, and the most entrancing blue eyes that I have ever seen on a person. She didn't look Fire Nation, but she was in Fire Nation clothes. She took my breath away." Jai said. Syn was in shock. Jai was the boy that Khana was telling him about earlier. Jai had no clue that he was talking about the princess and Syn had no intention of telling him, because he knew that when Jai did see Khana again that he wouldn't go talk to her. "So do you know who I am talking about?" Jai asked Syn hoping that he would have the answer to his dilemma.
"No, buddy. I have no idea who you are talking about." Syn quickly lied. Syn was a good liar when he needed to be.
"oh, dang. I was hoping you would know. It has been bugging me since yesterday. But anyway, I am leaving for Ember Island in the morning, with my parents. The Memorial Ball is in four days and my parents are making me go this year." Jai said
"Aw, poor Child. I have to go every year, the joys of being the Fire Lord's nephew. Anyway, Khana and them are leaving tomorrow too. Sati, my mom and dad and I aren't leaving until the day after tomorrow." Syn said.
"Well, that is good. Wren is coming to stay with me at the island, but he is not coming until the night of the ball." Jai replied
" Probably to mess with my sister." Syn said a bit bitterly.
"You still having issues about him being with Satirah?"
"Yea, a little bit, but I have decided to give him a chance." Syn said.
" that is all he wants." Jai replied
Soon after that conversation had ended, Syn headed back to his house. His parents weren't home, but Satirah and Wren were.
"You two, will never believe what I found out today!" Syn said as he walked into the main room which was where Satirah and Wren were.
"What? How to tell a good joke." Satirah said teasing her brother, he was interrupting her time with Wren.
"Haha very funny, Sati. No, I found out that Khana totally wants Jai and Jai totally wants Khana." Syn said excitedly.
"What are you talking about? The two of them have never even met," Satirah said.
"They did yesterday! Khana ran into Jai while she was walking through the market on her way home. She doesn't know who he was, and I didn't know either until I went to Jai's. he told me the same story that Khana did. His description was definatly of Khana too."
"Wow, this is great!" Satirah said getting excited.
"Did you tell, Jai who the girl was?" Wren said speaking up for the first time. He knew as well as Syn that Jai wouldn't talk to her if he knew who she was, he would be too awkward and too shy.
"No. We all know that that would only freak him out." Syn said smirking. He was proud of his work. He has decided that he wasn't going to meddle unless it was absolutely necessary, but he had a feeling that meddling would not be required.
I hope you all enjoyed! PLEASE REVIEW!