London 1885

The first thing she noticed when she stopped crying was the change of light, it already started to darken outside. She laid on the bed and thought. How could she possibly go back down again, after everything she said. Screamed, she added, you screamed at the man you love, the father of your child, but he did not do anything but doing your work, so you can rest.

She covered her face with her hands and cried out to the ceiling, "I'm terrible! Such a fool like me shouldn't be allowed to be!". With a deep sigh she stood up from the bed and looked in the mirror. She looked like a ghost, pale with loose strains of hair almost covering her face, red eyes from crying and thin, at least for a pregnant woman. Akiko straightened he dress, fixed her hair, it had to go through as it was. Sighing again she opened the door and silently prepared herself for the apology she owed to him.

Slowly, careful not to trip again she went downstairs, expecting him to be in the front of the shop or with his customers. But as everything remained silent she felt a little bit more nervous. The shop was empty and the door was closed, she leaned out of it and saw the "Closed"-sign. I must have really hurt him…, she thought sadly.

Akiko then went to the "guest rooms" to see if her husband was there, but he was not. As she searched the whole building she go aware of the fact that he left her and sadly almost crying walked back into the front shop. There she saw the letter, sealed with red wax, addressed to her. It was his handwriting, no doubt. She opened the letter and had to stabilize herself on the counter to not fall to her knees like someone had delivered her a death blow.

The content of the letter was written with black ink, he told her that she was absolutely right, about what she said about him hiring her back then, but she should know that he loved her, no matter what and that it would be cared for her and the child. But she should feel like she was an unmarried woman if she wanted to date someone or even remarry, he would not claim his rights. He understood her in everything she said and therefore chose to leave her alone, she should have the house and she could rent the shop to somebody or even sell it if she wanted to. He wrote that she should not worry about him, he would be somewhere, but he did not want to disturb her with his unimportant problems. He then wrote about she being a far too wonderful woman for him and that she only deserved the best… As a last sentence he added another "I love you", but a tear had blurred the writing.

After she read the letter she gasped for air and read it two times again until she believed it. Afterward she sank to the bottom and cried again.

On another end of the city Zuko and the rest of the group finally agreed to search for some person ruling this strange country and ask for help. He had to admit, the proposal came from his father.

So they walked among the people clothed in often brownish, strange clothing., trying to find someone standing out.

And finally they found one. A man went around the next corner clothed in black with a black helmet and silver on it. Aang tried to do the first move. "Uhm, sorry, mister? Can you help us? We are searching some kind of King who is ruling this land."

Suspiciously the Bobby looked down at the little monk. Then he answered with a snaring voice, "Why do you search for a King? We have a queen that is better than any King before or ever after. She lives in Buckingham Palace in the city center, just follow this rout", he pointed to a wide street that ended far in the distance, "But I highly doubt you will receive an audience."

Happily Aang beamed, "Thank you, Mister!", "It's officer, you know?", but they were following the street already.

Unexpectedly they really got to dine with the Queen of this so called Great Britain this day. She was and elderly woman, going by the name of Victoria. She talked with them for two hours or so, she was really interested in their world and how the two worlds could profiteer from each other, especially in "chinese-looking stuff" and porcelain, before they could manage to change the subject towards their sister. She shortly gave them a letter for some "Earls of Phantomhive", and said he knew what to do once he saw it. The Queen of Great Britain ordered one of her butlers, Lord Charles Grey, to take them to this Earl's estate.

After another three hours they arrived at the surprisingly young Earl's place. When he saw the Queen's letter he finally agreed to help them and called Sebastian, his butler, to take all of them back to the city. The Gaang looked at each other suspiciously, except Sokka, who found this place even more spectacular than the Buckingham Palace, "because of the Mystery-Atmosphere all around".