Prophecy of Ice and Fire

A/N: My first Zutara. I don't ENTIRELY support the couple, seeing as how I'm rather passive about Avatar (haven't watched it in ages), but they seem good together. (I think some of you are familiar with my odd yin-yang couplings xD) I'll TRY to update every Thursday or Friday, preferably every week, but if not, at least once every two weeks.

Another thing: the chapter verses are parts of the prophecy, and, as it goes on, you'll see how it all fits together. Just a warning: the prophecy DOESN'T go in the order of the chapters!!

Chapter Two—Zuko's War Aftermath

After a hundred years of pain
The fire comet will return
Bearing with it a boy
Born of fire and flame

Zuko was busy helping out in his uncle's tea shop. The great city of Ba-Sing-Se had been restored to its former greatness after the Fire Nation was defeated. After his father had died, he had claimed the throne, using his power to marry his sister to someone who he felt would be fit to run the country—and resigned his loyalty to this man. Zuko was currently his most trusted advisor, and exchanged letters with him at least once a month.

When asked why he had decided to resign, he had simply stated, "My uncle gave me a love for tea, and I would much rather continue the shop he started in Ba-Sing-Se during our refugee time period. Ah, ginseng! My favorite!"

To an outsider, he seemed happy. But he wasn't. How could he be? His father had died damning him, and he and his sister were far from sibling love. Iroh, his uncle and surrogate father, was dead, as was his beloved cousin. Mai and Tay Lee had become Azula's maids, and so he couldn't even get in touch with Tay Lee, who had long liked him.

However, there had been many good results coming from the end of the war. Among these was the friendship of the Avatar and his friends. Zuko's face softened into a smile as he thought of Sokka's bumbling warrior ways, Toph's straightforwardness, Aang's kindness, and Katara's understanding.

The former Fire Nation prince glanced at the water clock beside him. "Oh, I'm running late," he muttered, and tossed his uniform onto his bed in the room above the shop. He was supposed to meet up with Sokka, Aang, Toph, Katara, and Suki an hour ago. Five years ago the day before today, the Fire Nation had been defeated. The real ceremony would begin tomorrow with everybody coming, but today it was just the six friends.

He could scarcely wait to see Katara again. After the war, Zuko had gotten rid of his one-time girlfriend Mai and gone to Ba-Sing-Se to find Jin, the girl who had kissed him. However, when he arrived, he was told that Jin was betrothed. Instead of seeing her as a betrothed woman, Zuko had chosen to walk away with the memory of her as a happy young girl.

With no other paths to take, Zuko had written to the Avatar and met up with the gang at his tea shop three months later. After the misunderstandings had been cleared up, they became fast friends. He had been grateful to find that they understood his circumstances more than he thought they would, and he surprised himself by empathizing with most of their experiences as well.

Then again, he mused, it wasn't that surprising to find that Aang understood him the most. Zuko's great-grandfather was, after all, Avatar Roku. A quick frown crossed Zuko's face as he marched across the streets to get to Aang's house. Why does it have to be that my best friend is marrying the love of my life?