DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED ATLA. I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED THE CHARACTERS IN ATLA. I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED NICKELODEON. HAVE NO AFFILIATION, NOR HAVE I EVER HAD ANY AFFILIATION WITH THE WRITERS OR ANIMATORS OF ATLA. I HAVE NO AFFILIATION, NOR HAVE I EVER HAD ANY AFFILIATION WITH NICKELODEON.
I have written prequels to Together Again, they are part of what I call my TAU (Together Again Universe) here is a list of them along with its Summary
A Second First Date; Aang wants to take Katara out for the perfect date, their first date was so bad Aang want's this one to be perfect… Aang wants to take Katara out for the perfect date, their first date was so bad Aang want's this one to be perfect… You don't always get a second chance.
Nightmares; A One-Shot Prequel to Together Again. Aang saved the world, he faced Ozai on his own. Everyone kept saying that he was a great hero, that he was so brave. He wore a brave face and acted all the hero they thought he was. But at night in his sleep he was a scared boy, scared for his life as he tried to get away from a psycho Firebender. The Battle came back at night.
Anila's Story; She was ready to travel the world the moment she turned 16. Little did she know, life never goes as expected and that a young Airbending Master just starting out on her own is no exception. Will the winds of change bring her happiness and fulfillment? Or will she only to bed led to sorrow and regret?
I have a new collection of One-shots called Dear Diary: They are Katara's thoughts that take place during the time they traveled the world before the Hundred Year War ended.
Other stories I am currently working on (Together Again Universe are marked as TAU)
A Warrior's Path; Suki wants to be the best warrior she can be and follow in her mother's footsteps. Life comes with so many choices to make, will she always make the right choice? Will life teach her to be the best leader she can be or is there something else in store for her?
Across the Wastelands; (TAU) Aang is sent on a journey by King Bumi… One that only he can take… To search for something very important, except Bumi wouldn't tell him what he needed to find! What will he find? (Completed, takes place during Chapter 132)
Chapter 3
Zuko was up early, like every morning; he was going about with his morning routine. First he did a little bit of controlled breathing, meditation really, then he would get dressed for the day. He made a trip down to the helm to get updated on how much long until they reached the Capitol, the Palace, home. Then he would have the Galley prepare their breakfast, then finally, his favorite part of the morning, Getting his baby girl up and ready for the day.
"Good morning!" He said as he woke her up. "I love you!"
"Morning Daddy, I love you too!" Ursa said as she stretched her small arms.
"We should be back home by this afternoon!" He told her.
"YAY Daddy!" Ursa said as she climbed out from under her blankets. "I miss home."
"I miss home too." He told her as he looked in her closet for the prefect dress for her.
"Daddy, I hope Taryn likes our home." Ursa said as she dressed behind a folding wall.
"I hope so too." Zuko told her. The closer they got to the Capital the more anxious he was feeling, he wasn't afraid of reaching the palace, he was afraid that Taryn wouldn't like it, or that it would scare her.
"Daddy, Taryn is gunna love it at home." Ursa must have sensed her father's feelings. "She said she likes red, and we have lots of red!"
"Yes, we have lots of red." Zuko couldn't help but laugh, his daughter was so smart. "Now come on, breakfast will be served soon."
"Okay, I'm ready." She said as she came out from behind her dressing area. The pair walked down the grand staircase together.
"Good morning!" Taryn said, she was staring out a window. "Everything is so beautiful." Zuko came up behind her and wrapped his arm as around her, deeply breathing in her sent of jasmine and honeysuckle.
"Not as beautiful as you are." He told her then kissed her cheek. "See right there?" He pointed to a greyish figure off in the distance. "That's the Gates of Azulon, we will be reaching the Palace in just a few hours."
"Really?! It hasn't even been a week!" She was surprised at how fast they were traveling.
"Air travel is the fastest way to travel." Zuko told her.
"How long will we have to wait before the wedding?" She didn't want to have to wait too long.
"Aang and Katara should arrive before the rest of your family gets there." Zuko told her. "Air travel is really fast, but the Air Nomads figured that out thousands of years ago." He laughed.
He reference to the Avatar and his wife was so casual, she could tell that to him they were like family. "It would be very nice to meet them." She nervously told him.
"They'll love you." He reassured her. "Don't think of them as dignitaries, I think of them as family."
"Family?! That's reassuring…" She laughed, "Your sister is…. Well…" She didn't want to offend him by choosing the wrong words to describe his sister.
"Crazy?" He laughed.
"Yeah." She laughed too. "What she did to my mother was funny, but don't tell her I said that."
"Daddy breakfast is here!" Ursa told them.
"Well then let's eat." Zuko told her as he picked her up. "You look yummy!" He told her as he playfully munched at her tummy. "Num, num, num!" The little girl erupted in laughter as he tickled her belly.
"NO!" She squealed. "Daddy stop! Please!"
"Only because the food looks yummier!" He told her as he set her down on her seat, planting a kiss on her cheek.
Taryn laughed with them, she loved how good of a father Zuko was, how much he loved his daughter. She knew he would be a great father to their children, when they came. Taryn couldn't help but love her soon-to-be-family. However she was still a little frightened that she, a simple girl from Ba Sing Se's middle ring, was about to become Lady Taryn; but Zuzu's love for her, (not The Fire Lords love for her) and her love for him was like nothing she could ever imagine in life. The most she had ever expected was a tolerable relationship like all her older sisters had. All her mother's planning and parties working to elevate her own status through her daughters. Marrying them off to rich older men, Taryn was happy the day her father told her mother to leave her alone.
She joined Zuko and Ursa at the table for breakfast. "Where's your Mother?" Zuko said dryly, he really did not like Dyna.
"She has become accustom to sleeping in and being spoiled." Taryn told him as she picked out a couple of sausages and put them on her plate.
"I hope she enjoys it while she can, she is not moving to the Palace with us, I don't know how much more I can take from her." Zuko told Taryn.
…
"Ryn, come here." Zuko said as he took her hand and lead her to the helm. "I want you to see this!" The Palace just came into view, its tall spires were magnificent to see.
"Oh wow!" Taryn exclaimed, it was more beautiful than she had imagined. "It's so pretty!"
"I thought you would like to see it." Zuko told her. "We're almost there, we will be landing in the courtyard in about half an hour."
"The last couple days have felt like a dream." Taryn told him.
"A good dream I hope." Zuko told her. "I would hate for it to be a nightmare."
"A very good dream." Taryn told him. "It feels like a fairytale really."
"I'm so happy to hear that!" He told her. "I will give you anything you ask for."
"The only thing I want is you, Zuzu." She told him. Calling him by his nickname made him grin like a goofy kid.
"You already have that." He laughed.
"Sir?" One of the crew members said to him. "The woman has entered restricted areas again, we escorted her to her quarters."
"That woman… I swear." Zuko said.
"I'm sorry, I'll talk to her again." Taryn told him as she shook her head.
"It's not your fault Ryn, she acts like because she's you mother she has an all access pass to anything she wants." Zuko told her.
"I will be very happy once we are married, I can't take much more of her either." Taryn told him. "She can return to Ba Sing Se with the rest of my family."
"That sounds so wonderful." Zuko sighed.
"I'm going to go talk to her now, I love you." She told him.
"I love you too." He pulled her against himself and kissed her deeply, the chances he had to be alone with Taryn was while Dyna was snooping around in the restricted areas, it gave them no time to share their love for each other. Her body pressed against his and she sighed as her hand came up to rest on his cheek, then she softly caressed his scar.
Zuko watched her as she walked up the stairs, he thought about the huge differences between Taryn and Mai. Mai hated his scar, and flinched every time she even slightly touched it. Taryn showed no disgust or dislike for it. Mai was always so gloomy and drab, Taryn was so full of life and laughter and love; she brought those things to him, to his life. He realized that Ursa was the only real source of happiness in his life before meeting Taryn. He could tolerate a few more weeks of Dyna, with Taryn being his reward.
…
Zuko with Taryn by his side and Ursa on Taryn's hip watched impatiently as the airship descended into the stone courtyard of the Palace; servants were already lined up to unload the airship and see everyone to their quarters. At the top of the stone stairs he could see his mother and Kiyi awaiting their arrival. Zuko had told Azula in the letter he sent to her to leave their mother in charge until he got back, only a few days really, and why. He was so happy to see them, Kiyi looked like she was about to explode with excitement, as she bounced up and down. She was growing up quick, she was now the same age as he was when he hunted the Avatar to regain his honor. What a joke that was, it was his father that had lost his when he hurt his children.
"That's my mother." Zuko said proudly as he pointed to the beautiful woman. "And that is my little sister Kiyi."
"What's your mother's name?" Taryn asked him.
"Her name is Ursa." Zuko told her as the ship was anchored.
"Nana is Ursa like me!" Zuko's daughter announced as she started wiggling around trying to get down. As soon as the girl's feet touched the floor she went straight to the ramp, she ran straight down the ramp as it was still opening. Ursa ran as fast as her little legs could carry her out of the ship and straight up the stone steps; she tackle hugged her Nana first then her Aunt Kiyi.
"You are getting so big!" Zuko's mother told her granddaughter. "You must have grown at least two whole feet while you were gone."
"No, silly Nana, I didn't grow that much!" Princess Ursa laughed.
"Are you sure?" Ursa said. "I swear you seem bigger."
"You're so funny Nana." Princess Ursa laughed.
"What did your Daddy bring home?" Her grandmother asked her.
"He brought Taryn home," The little girl answered. "I love Taryn!"
Bask on the airship Taryn froze just inside the ship, she was too nervous to walk down the ramp. "What's wrong?" Zuko asked her.
"I'm just a little nervous, that's all." Taryn told him.
"It will be fine, don't worry." He told her.
"But… meeting your mother… your wife hasn't been gone long, I don't want her to think I seduced you or anything." Taryn told him.
Zuko pulled her into a hug. "You didn't even know who I was, besides she will love you, I know it!" The pair walked down the ramp hand in hand. Ursa and Kiyi greeted them at the bottom.
"You are very beautiful!" Ursa said bulling her soon to be daughter-in-law into a hug. "I'm so happy that Zuko is truly happy."
"Thank you!" Taryn said bowing to the woman in front of her. "I love him with every bit of myself, and Princess Ursa."
From behind them came a shrill shriek, "Be careful with those!" Ursa laughed when she saw the faces of her son and the young woman he loves' fall.
"I take it that would be your mother?" Ursa asked Taryn.
"Yes…" Taryn wasn't sure what to say.
"She has been driving me crazy the entire trip here." Zuko told his mother.
"I'll handle her," Ursa said. "One mother to another."
"Good luck." Zuko told her. "You're going to need it."
"Are you here to show me to my room?" Dyna asked.
"No, I'm Ursa, Zuko's Mother. I want to welcome you to the Fire Nation, I will personally make it my duty to see that you enjoy your stay here at the palace." She told Dyna.
"How kind of you." Dyna said as she followed Ursa out of the airship. "I'm Dyna."
"I would do anything to keep my son happy." Ursa told her. Then she waved to a group of handmaidens, "Could you please make sure Dyna's belongings are handled with care, I will be showing her to her room."
"I would like to share a room with my daughter." Dyna told her. Ursa could see the exasperated look on Taryn's face.
"I wish you could, but there is a special room in the palace meant for the Bride-to-be; your room is very close to it though. Even I stayed in the special room as I awaited my own wedding ceremony." Ursa told the woman.
The look on Taryn's face almost made Zuko laugh, it was the happiest he had seen her since this whole trip started. She was grinning widely, finally able to get away from her mother.
"I will show you to your room." Kiyi told Taryn.
"Thank you very much." Taryn said as she let go of Zuko's hand. "How well do you know the palace?"
"My Mama showed me some of it, she showed me where your room is." Kiyi told her.
"You don't know it well?" Taryn was a bit confused.
Kiyi brought Taryn to her room, the began. "Fire Lord Zuko is my brother, but Ozai is not my father, he banished my mother after the death of Fire Lord Azulon… Can I share a secret with you?"
"Yes, I promise I won't tell anyone." Taryn told the teenage girl.
"My mother made a poison because Fire Lord Azulon told Prince Ozai to kill Zuko… She made it so that he wouldn't kill Zuko." Kiyi told her. "There are lots of secrets in the palace." Then the girl exited the room leaving Taryn standing in a huge room. There was a huge bed on one wall with lots of red and black tapestries blanketing the walls. There was a huge bathtub in one corner and a large wardrobe nearby; this room was bigger than the bottom floor of her home back in Ba Sing Se. Taryn sat on the edge of the bed, she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now.
There was a knock on her bedroom door. "Come in." She responded.
The door opened and Zuko was standing in the door way. "Would you like to join me for a walk around the grounds? Unless you're tired."
"That would be wonderful!" Taryn told him as she got up and took his hand, he lead them on a tour.
A/N Now that you are at the bottom of the page, please take a few moments and leave me a review! The More Reviews I Get the Sooner I'll Update!
