Zuko wrapped his arm around his wife, brining her closer to him in a attempt to keep her warm. The Fire Nation did rest upon a series of volcanoes, but the capitol had a very high altitude and on top of that the sea could at times whip up snowstorms that could rival those in the South Pole. This year the winter had been very cold, and it seemed reluctant to release its grasp and let spring take over.
However, winter couldn't last forever, despite natures best attempts. Flowers were already starting to bloom, and birds were migrating back to raise their young. The onslaught of spring was most evident here in the gardens.
The young Fire Lord focused his attention on a tree in the garden that caught his eye. It was tall and graceful with thin, delicate branches. Tiny flowers that were pink around the edges and a deep purple in the center adorned the tree. Zuko thought that it was called a Black Cherry, and knew that the tree would eventually bear fruit sometime in the late spring or early summer. However, that seemed so far away. For at the moment, the tree was covered in frost, and small icicles sparkled in the dim sunlight.
Beautiful but slightly cold. That just about summed the tree up. As he thought about it, Zuko realized that the tree was very similar to Mai. For, just like the tree, she seemed to be a beautiful tree slightly encased in the eternal chill of winter...