Without a word Princess Ursa disappeared. No one mentioned her and it became as if she had never existed to begin with. At the same time Fire Lord Azulon passed away into the next life and with the disappearance of the two, Zuko's life was spared.
I couldn't help but feel a warm pleasure spread over me as I heard about Princess Ursa's disappearance. She was gone and Zuko could live, everything was perfect. But just like an inextinguishable flame, the bloodshed was to continue. All the money in the world couldn't have stopped it.
"Have you ever wondered why the cherry blossoms are our symbol? They represent the transience of life…odd for a family that is obsessed with immortality, my family that's obsessed with power at whatever the cost," Zuko fingered the nimble branches as tears filled his golden eyes.
"Zuko...I," my apology was stuck at my throat and I hung my head. I didn't know how to congratulate him for his father's coronation.
"I'm sorry Kara…you've been tainted by our family. I wish I knew where she was…do you think she's still alive? Father couldn't have possibly, right?" his golden eyes quivered with fear and naivety.
"Take care of yourself Zuko. Like you said life is too short," I touched his cheek with a smile.
"I don't know what to think anymore…but I still…I still feel some hope when I see you. You make it easier…to cope with this world," he hung his head as sorrow filled throughout my body.
Without saying another word, I leaned and pressed my lips against his. I no longer cared about Azula, Calantha, Princess Ursa, or even Kail. All I felt was pity for the broken prince in front of me, the weak prince who was in love with me.
"Will you wait for me Kara? Will you wait until I can place you right beside me and call you my queen?" he smiled earnestly at me as I stroked his ebony hair.
I didn't reply. All I did was smile, for I wished to believe it too. I desperately wished for this as well but there was a thorn in my heart and it nagged me. We would never be able to be together. We both knew this but it was nice to pretend, even for a brief fleeting moment.
He elegant fingers picked off the tangled cherry blossoms, which were caught in my scarlet waves and pressed his cheek against my hair. He breathed in deeply as he looked sorrowfully out at the dying gardens. Everything was disappearing right before our eyes.
As I sipped lotus blossom tea, Ayanna dropped the golden teapot when another maid rushed to her side and whispered something in her ear. She looked stricken as she told me about an agni kai match being held in the western courtyard at the main palace. I silently continued to sip my tea until she announced that it was between the new Fire Lord and Prince Zuko. I didn't even hear my teacup shatter against the marble floor for I fled to the western courtyard.
A great number of nobles were present as they greedily looked down at the stage. I hurriedly pushed them aside as I ran to the corner of the stage. Zuko was steadfast and confident when he saw my stricken face. He smiled with assurance and I realized that he didn't know who his opponent was. I opened my mouth to warn him when Azula's sharp fingers pulled me back. Her evil grin spread across her pale face as she silently warned me. With silent desperation, I turned back to look at him rise and fall with the revelation. A look of horror cast across his porcelain face and I felt my knees weakening. The Fire Lord, his father, looked furious and I knew that Zuko would not be forgiven.
He fell to his knees and humbly hung his head. I wished to shout at him to rise but I couldn't. Before I could think another useless thought a bright scarlet slash of great flames blinded me and tears flooded my eyes. When I opened them again, all I saw was Zuko's collapsed bleeding body on the polished floor. I couldn't breathe and I quickly turned away from the horror and ran towards the women quarters.
As I fled underneath the decaying floral arches, I fell to my knees when I realized what led to this. I had forgotten the map I had stuck in the Thalassan book I had given him. I had blissfully forgotten my betrayal and now all that was left was this. The map Azula had acquired for me…the map that held the betrayal of the Generals against their own armies…the map was it.
Zuko and General Iroh boarded a ship, a small modest ship as Zuko was given an impossible task, a fool's chase, for a second chance to regain his crown. He was to find the long lost avatar and we knew that he would never return from exile.
I waited to watch him leave and as he passed by me veiling his face, I reached out and handed him a note with a dried blue rose. Even through the veil, I could see his golden eyes glittering.
"I'm sorry," I whispered as his shoulder brushed past mine.
He didn't say anything to me. No parting words, no sweet nothings. My father-in-law, General Iroh, glared at me as he supported his nephew and I was left standing alone in the violent wind.
"I believe this is yours," a steely voice interrupted my thoughts and I turned to see a tear-rimmed Calantha.
She held out an impressive book, my book. The familiar gold decorations of my home…graceful dolphins and elaborate sprigs of exotic flowers scattered the immaculate page. I smiled as I remembered how Kail and I used to brush our fingers over these elaborate covers and marvel at the delicate inundations.
"I know it was you…and I promise you, I will make you regret everything you did," she glared as tears poured out from her slate grey eyes.
I stared at her angry expression and smiled.
"I already regret everything…but please do so. You must keep your promise…make me regret every action I ever committed, and never forgive me," I smiled wearily as tears pooled around my own stormy blue eyes.
Her eyes ablaze, she angrily stalked away as she dropped that magnificent book. Ayanna hurriedly knelt to pick up the priceless treasure but I stopped her and I slowly knelt to pick it up myself. Tears splashed on top of the carved cover and I gently opened it. As my fingers flew over the faded ink, a large teardrop splashed onto the page, smearing the calligraphy K…Kail's initials.
I had lied when I had given the book to Zuko. It was not my father's book…it was my brother's. I had not meant to lie to Zuko then…I don't know what I meant by giving him my most treasured item. I didn't know what I was doing anymore.
I snatched the book up and departed from the palace. As the winds moved Zuko to the vast oceans, I ran back to my empty home…our glittering palace by the sea where Kail was to sleep for an eternity.
