Dreamland

Sunlight shines through the summer sky, turning everything golden. I'm up in a tree, the king of the world, looking over the courtyard.

I'm young here, laughing merrily with my mother, down on the ground.

"Zuko, get that apple, right there… A little to the left. Yes, that one."

I pluck the apple from the tree. It's red and big, probably very juicy.

"Bombs away!" I yell, and drop the apple.

It lands hard on the ground, a foot away from the basket. Mother laughs and shakes her head, and gives me directions for another perfect apple.

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Water surrounds me. I'm swimming frantically, but I can't move my limbs. Light turns the surface white, the bottom black. I sink slowly, reaching for the top I know I'll never reach…

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Someone is sitting at a table in a yellow kitchen. Sunlight seeps through a window, giving an early morning glow. I walk over to the woman sitting there, and kiss her on the cheek. She turns and smiles at me. The woman's stomach is huge. She rubs it affectionately, and I kiss the top of it.

"Three short months," the woman says, beaming at me, "and we'll be parents of a beautiful baby girl."

"Baby boy, you mean," I correct her, sitting down next to her.

"Hmmph. That'll be the day. Although, I'll love it no matter what it is."

"Me too."

The woman looks up at me, smiling. "And I love you, Zuko."

"As I love you, Katara."

00000

I'm in a ballroom, in Fire Nation formal wear, a red mask tied to my face. I clasp my hands behind my back, and survey the ballroom.

Several sparkling crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and the walls and pillars are gold.

A woman walks up to me. She's wearing a blue ball gown. It tucks in at her waist, and then bells out. White bows hold up the blue fabric at the bottom of the skirt, revealing a lighter blue material.

The bodice is low cut and rimmed with white lace. Blue sleeves hug the young lady's upper arms. Her eyes and nose are covered with a white diamond studded mask. Dark hair curls around her shoulder, framing a sweet face and full lips.

"Hello," she says, curtseying. Her voice is beautiful, like the loveliest of melodies.

I bow low, and reply, "Hello, lady. Would I have this dance?"

She smiles and says yes.

The woman takes my hand, and places her other gloved one on my shoulder. I place my hand on her tiny waist, and we begin a dance, twirling around the dance floor.

I lean in close to her. "You do realize you completely stand out here?"

A smile curves her lips. "Let's just say I'm here for that exact reason."

I bring her closer to me, and tighten my grip on her hand.

The smile widens. "I must leave soon, sire."

"Please, one more dance?" I plead as the song ends, not letting go of her hand.

She smiles and shakes her head. I gently lift her hand to my mouth and murmur, "Until we meet again," and kiss it. She pulls her hand away and grins at me.

"Yes, sire."

Then she turns away with a mischievous smile and dances away from me.

As her feet flip the bottom of her skirt up a bit, I can see that she's bare-footed.

I laugh, a real laugh, for the first time in months.

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A/N- That last dream is a bit from a story I'm working on now that should be out by May, called A Zutara Story (maybe. Any better ideas?). It's kinda like Cinderella, but kinda different…

Tell me what you think!