Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Avatar characters. I do own Aya.
The room is silent as I try to focus on my meditation. Zuko says it's good for me; it saved his life when he was…away for those three years. I breathe in and out, letting everything empty from my mind. However, this is hard to do as I can hardly think of anything but the Avatar. I try harder, but his image keeps coming back to me. I shake my head and crack one eyelid open as a knock sounds on the door.
My room comes into focus; red hangings are draped gracefully across the large open, airy windows that were specifically requested by me. Several comfortable pillows are placed around a rather simple yet elegant table that is so common of the Fire Nation. A half-eaten breakfast lies on it. I haven't had much of a stomach for food these past couple weeks.
"Come in." I say, addressing the inside of my door. It opens and reveals Zuko, in a loose fitting outfit. He is holding the door open for a figure whose face I am unable to see. A smile crosses his face as he notices me sitting cross-legged on the floor.
"Meditating?" He asks lightly, a teasing smirk behind his smile. I grin and try to push myself up off the floor. Zuko soon rushes over to help and I thank him with a kiss on the cheek.
"Someone is here to see you." He whispers in my ear. A curious look crosses my face and he shrugs his shoulder nonchalantly. "I'll be in the War Room if you need to find me."
He walks out the door and ushers the visitor in. My breath catches in my throat as I recognize the face of my old friend. He looks so much older even though it has only been three years. He bows politely as according to the Fire Nation custom. I rest one hand on my swollen belly, trying to wipe the surprise from my face.
"Yoko?" I breathe, hardly daring to believe. A smile flits briefly across his face and is soon replaced by one of sorrow.
"Oh, Aya." He whispers. The room is silent as it had been before, but now it is and awkward silence. After a few moments, I decide to break it.
"How-how are you?" I ask, not moving any closer. I would invite him to sit, but I am too stunned. He gazes at me, his tired eyes searching my face.
"I've been in the Earth Kingdom." He answers simply and I nod my head. After a many more minutes of silence pass, he finally sighs and shakes his head.
"I-I came to apologize." He says quietly. I frown.
"What do you mean?"
He looks up and takes a step forward. I don't move but stare into his golden eyes. There is something there that I can see. It is his sorrow…and his pain.
"Aya, I-" He stops and I realize what he is trying to say. I turn my head slightly and look down on the floor. There is more silence and it soon seems that world is completely filled with it.
"It is alright." I say in a soft voice. He lets out a short breath and I glance up. His face is so full of hope now, but he frowns. I smile at him, trying to tell him without words that I understand.
"I've missed you." He whispers.
I do find Zuko in the War Room. The guards let me enter, knowing full well that I am allowed to go just about anywhere I please in the palace. But I merely poke my head in through the red hangings, making sure first that there are only the few members of the Alliance inside. When I see only the seven cushions placed around the table are taken, I take one step inside and bow politely to the guests. The young girl looks up and smiles slightly before she turns her head back towards Zuko, who is talking to the group in a quiet voice. I find the empty cushion next to him and try to sit comfortably down; difficult as it is, I eventually find a good spot.
The Avatar, sitting on Zuko's right, grins widely at me and I smile back. He is such a young boy yet but his eyes are already as empty as Yoko's. I frown and put the memory of my once-friend out of my head. My eyes wander over the other faces at the table. The Water-Tribe girl is one of the Avatar's companions who we thought to be dead. The other, her brother Sokka, has changed much since I knew him as my servant in our old household. He is much older now and more mature than he once was. Also there is a young man from the Earth Kingdom and his friend, two esteemed gentleman who are friendly almost to a fault. They and the entire Earth Kingdom are trying still to recover from the war that Lord Ozai had forced upon the world. Both are extremely intelligent and talkative, something that Zuko looked for when he decided to propose the Alliance.
The last seat is taken by an old woman. Her wrinkles and age are similar in number for she is nearing the ripe age of 96. Her gray hair has been pulled up in a loose bun and her blue arrow tattoo pokes out from her forehead. She is one of the few surviving airbenders that came out of hiding when the war ended. Her knowledge of history and politics are astounding and we learn something from her everyday. We were very lucky that she agreed to come and try to help the Fire Nation redeem itself.
Zuko's voice continues on as he explains the projects each nation has planed in order to restore themselves to their former grandeur. My eyes wander over to a painting on the wall closest to the meeting table. It depicts an old man whom I knew for only a little while, Zuko's uncle Iroh. It is a portrait dedicated to the great Lord who had died defending what was right. He is in all of our hearts, especially in Zuko's. I cannot even begin to understand how deep his love for his uncle flows; it is indescribable. Even though Lord Iroh is no longer with us, his death was one of sacrificial love and Zuko owes him his own life. If not for Iroh, Zuko would not have had a chance against his father's wrath.
"…and some of the Fire Nation funding will be given to the Airbenders to help restore the Southern Air Temples." Zuko was saying. I brought my attention back to the conversation and Zuko's eyes traveled around the table.
"It sounds reasonable." The old woman said in her hoarse voice. "I do hope that you are planning to come by and see how the work is going?"
Zuko smiles at her and nods his head. Aang grins and looks over at Sashay. Even though there is a considerable age difference, the old woman and the young boy have become something of great friends. One of the Earth Kingdom men raises a hand and Zuko turns his head towards him.
"Yes, Jai?"
The man frowns slightly and looks to his cohort.
"Well, we were just wondering what kind of funding would go to our projects? Particularly Omashu since it was the last city that was taken by the Fire Nation."
Zuko nods to this and looks at the girl. Her gentle face contrasts to her sharp blue eyes. Around the same age as Zuko, she gets along very well. It comes as a surprise to me seeing as not only three years ago she and her brother would have gone out of their way to kill him.
"And the Southern Water Tribe?" Zuko implies. The girl nods her head in all seriousness.
"We are fine actually. Progress is coming along very well, in fact. I don't think we'll need anything much from the Fire Nation. The only thing we would like to request is a trade route to be established between the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation. We are going to need a lot of supplies until construction is finished."
Zuko nods and turns back to the two Earth Kingdom gentlemen.
"I think we should discuss this with your King in Omashu. Should we arrange a meeting with him tomorrow?" The man nods and Zuko looks over to me.
"Welcome Aya." He whispers. "Thanks for coming."