Eight Years Later
Zuko
Today is my daughter's sixteenth birthday. She looks so radiant and elegant in her mother's red gown. Save for her amber eyes, she is the spitting image of Katara. It takes my breath away. My son, who is somewhat anti-social, sits beside me in a grand, ornate chair as we watch Kya dance.
The beautiful young woman who I can proudly call my daughter is spinning and laughing as she dances with the various young men that ask to join her. But one young man in particular seems to capture Kya's attention, and she seems to capture his. In fact, he looks as if she's put him under some kind of spell. They dance longer than any of her other partners. In fact, the crowd of guests slowly backs away from the couple as they dance to give them more room.
It's then I avert my eyes to find a beautiful young girl looking straight at Ren. She looks to be about his age. She gives him a smile, and with a small movement of her head, invites him to join her.
"Hey, there's a girl trying to get your attention," I tell him.
He gulps. "But dad…"
"Go."
He gets up out of his chair and I smile as he timidly asks her to dance. The girl that Ren is with has long brown hair and golden eyes. She's quite pretty if I do say so myself. But it's the man my daughter is dancing with that holds my focus more than my son and his dance partner.
He's quite handsome; with semi-short black hair, golden eyes, and the muscles I had when I was their age. He says something into her ear, and she laughs before replying. Shortly after, though, they are making their way over to where I am sitting alone.
"Dad, this is Akiro. He's the son of Councilman Kai," Kya says, gesturing to the man holding her hand.
He bows before me. "It's an honor to meet you, Fire Lord Zuko."
"It's nice to meet you, too, Akiro," I say. "Your father is a wise man."
"I am aware, sire," the young man says. "I was homeschooled and taught by him after my mom died."
"So I heard," I say. "He wasn't the same for quite some time. He would hardly speak in meetings. But in the meantime, it is time for Kya to receive something that her mother wanted to give to her today."
I pull out from behind me a long, red box. I hand Kya the box, and she opens it.
"It's Mom's engagement necklace," she says breathlessly.
"I made that for her all those years ago when I wanted her to be my wife. I hope that, even though she's gone, this still has meaning for you. Happy birthday, Kya," I say.
"How can it not find meaning for me?" Kya asks. "It's beautiful!"
"It really is," Akiro says. "Like you."
He and Kya look at each other and smile.
"I think it's safe to say that this is the man I want to be around for a while," Kya says.
"So be it," I say. "You've got my blessing. So long as you treat her like the princess she is, Akiro."
I spend the rest of the evening watching my beautiful son and daughter dancing. Ren introduced me to his chosen partner, Lan Chang, and I gave them my blessing as well. My children, my daughter especially, being the stars of the ball that I held in honor of Kya's sixteenth birthday.
And even now, as I walk down the aisle with her at her wedding six years later, she's still wearing her mother (and grandmother)'s necklace. She and Akiro get married, and I look up to the sky, where I know Katara is, and I smile.
"You would be so proud, Katara," I murmur. "Our daughter is more beautiful and radiant than we could ever hope for."
Somewhere, I her voice in my head telling me, "More than you know."