AN: Ok first off let me thank each and every one of you that have reviewed, favorited and story alerted this story. It means so much that you guys actually read this. Well chapter is kind of short, but it came to me in a dream...idk why but it did. There is a more tenderness side of Zuko, one in which begins to shine in this chapter, slowly but begins to show much more often in upcoming chapters.

For those of you who are reading my other story To Never Forget, do not worry I am not abandoning that story. I am simply writing a very long chapter.

Which brings me to my next announcement. I am looking for a beta reader to help me with my three stories, someone who would like to edit, help with ideas when my brain decides to shut down and turn to mush. So if you are interested then let me know. So without any more rambling, I give you the next chapter to "The Other Boleyn Girl"

-Turion


The sun rose slowly towards the heavens. Today was going to be a long day.

Zuko stretched out his stiffened limbs then relaxed back into the bed while gazing out at the few rays of light that poured into his chamber. Every morning his body stirred when the sun peaked over the eastern boarders for the earth, but today it seemed as though the sun itself struggled as it staggered towards the skies. His eyes traveled from the view back towards his bed where he saw a woman sleeping peacefully next to him. Her dark locks trickled down the side of her pillow, her arm dangled over the bedside, and her legs were inner twined with the dark rich silk sheets beneath her.

Zuko smiled as he watched her for a few moments. Waking up like this was peaceful; waking up with her at his side seemed to be perfect in every way. But then as always, Song came to the forefront of his mind and he could not help but feel as though he were betraying his wife by spending time with this woman next to him.

Life was a mess, it was confusing and irritating. But it was also blissful and peaceful. Shaking his head, he sat up roughly burying his face into his calloused hands.

What was he going to do about Song?

Standing now he walked over to the other side of the room, placing on a loose fitting silk shirt, with a v-neck lining. He then made his way over to Katara, gently brushed the strands of hair from her face before kissing her gently on the lips.

"Good morning my love," he whispered before he left the room, leaving a sleeping Katara alone.

Closing the door gently behind him, he scanned the halls as if he were an intruder then made his way towards Song's private chambers where they would discuss their future together once and for all.


Stretching from her hours of stillness, Katara sat up gently as she looked about for the young Fire Lord. Her eyes remained fixed on the mattress where he had lain but soon found herself laying back down, her face buried into the sheets where he had just laid.

His scent filled her as her eyes rolled back gently. She sighed, he smelled so beautifully that she wished she would never forget that scent, ever. After acting like a fool she decided to see if the Fire Lord was anywhere in his chambers, but her search ended in vain.

So finally after cleaning herself up, she wrapped herself in a silk robe and made her quiet escape where she was met by Haru Stafford, asleep on a bench just outside the Fire Lord's chambers.

"Stafford?" she demanded in a hushed whisper.

Upon hearing his name, he bolted from his position to see Katara standing before him in a white silkened robe, hair wrapped round her shoulders and her crystal blue eyes narrowed at him.

"Your father requests your presence," he stated as he turned to lead her to her uncle's chambers.


"Song," the young Fire Lord whispered as he sat on the edge of his sleeping wife's bed. He cupped her face as he studied it carefully.

She was still so young, yet she no longer bled. It was if her body withered like an old woman within, but only perished slowly on the outer shell. He sighed as she did not stir.

He sat there for several moments studying her fragile features. The doctors told him an illness took control of her body, one in which there was no cure. It would cause pain as it continued to consume her slowly, like a flame licking the flesh ever so often. It would be painful to watch.

As he continued to study her face, his hand traveled from her cheek, down her jaw line, resting lightly on her lips. Once lush, colorful lips, now paled by death rested beneath the pads of his fingers. His eyes clenched shut as he felt somewhat responsible for her fragile state.

Guilt consumed him every day. And the one person he could always go to for relief and comfort was dying before his eyes and he knew not how to cure her.


"Did he have you?" her uncle questioned, venom staining his words.

Katara peeked up at her father and uncle before bowing her head once more, trying to not look them in the eyes, "No uncle," she stated softly.

"Damn you girl!" he cursed aloud as he forced himself up.

Though his temper flared, Katara did not flinch, "Do you not understand that without him taking you, our plan shall not work?" he yelled forcefully.

She was not stupid nor was she naive. She did not wish to do anything that would compromise her newly established relationship with the Fire Lord let alone be diminished because of her family's ambitions.

"Yes uncle I understand. And I also understand that he and the Fire Lady can no longer bare children," she stated coolly, she watched as her uncle jerked his up at her, shock written on his face, "the Fire Lady no longer bleeds. An illness has overcome her and they do not know how much time she will have left," Katara finished softly. Her eyes glued down to the ground.

'What have I done?!' she cursed herself. The Fire Lord confided in her this information and now she just told two of the palace's gossip kings as it were. She would lose his trust for sure after this.

"The Fire Lady no longer bleeds, and if Katara can birth a child of the Fire Nation, of royal blood, the Fire Lord shall surly marry her," her uncle began. His harsh cold stare piercing through her very soul.

"You may go," he said finally.

Katara bowed then quickly headed for her rooms where she met Mai who began to dress her accordingly to their services with the Fire Lady.


It had been a few mere moments that Zuko had been at his wife's bedside before she stirred slowly next to him.

He watched attentively as she stretched, then opened her eyes to see his face staring at her with the gentlest of expressions. She smiled as she cupped his face.

"Good morning my lady," he whispered as he kissed her gently on her lips before parting their faces.

"Good morning my lord," she whispered back, "I must admit this is quite a surprise to see you here," she bowed her head hoping she had not disappointed him by her words.

As she began to rise, her husband placed a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back into the bed, "No you need your rest," he stated as he now appeared at her side on the bed, pulling her closer to him, "I promise you that I shall be here with you until the very end," he whispered in her hair, causing unshed tears to stream down both their youthful faces.


Mai and Katara sat in silence for the rest of the day. No one had seen nor heard from the Fire Lady after it was reported that the Fire Lord went to see her after he woke earlier in the day. Katara had been sitting in her favorite place in the Fire Lady's lounging chambers, the window sill, gazing out at nature. She sighed as Mai's words rang clearly in her head.

"You will always be second best Katara. As long as you do not give him the love and desire he needs, he will always turn to Song, even if she is a dying woman."

Katara shuddered at the very thought. She understood why he had left her that morning for his wife, and she did not blame him if he wished to spend every waking moment with her before she passed on. As she continued to think, her eyes scanned the room to see Mai's cold eyes staring back at her.

At first she did not know what she saw hidden in them, but something told her that Mai beheld a dark secret, one in which she was almost too afraid to discover.