Sunny

After our return from Kayseri, I spend the next three months in 'beauty school,' which actually isn't all that bad. I mean, it's kind of nice to not have to think about Azula killing Zuko or being tortured or something for a change. They put me in the East Wing of the palace, where I'm held prisoner (I mean, where I'm staying) until Zuko and I are married.

Because of tradition, I haven't been able to actually see Zee so we've been writing letters to each other instead. Apparently, the 'beautification' process includes being completely and utterly deprived of seeing any man, especially Zuko, with the exception of my father. And that's only because he's my only family member. Otherwise, I wouldn't be allowed to see Dad either. I think it's a little overboard but then again it's actually kind of nice to read and write letters to Zee.

Azula, Katara, and Toph come and visit me a few times a month and Suki comes down to the spa for a facial or a mud bath almost every day. She says it's to keep me company but I'm sure she actually enjoys being pampered as well.

Sokka has proposed to her so we get to talk about wedding planning all the time. I'm happy that I get to share this experience with her though her wedding planning seems like much more fun than mine considering she gets a lot more creative freedom (and freedom in general) than I do. They plan to get married four months from now at Kyoshi Island. They thought about having it at the Southern Water Tribe but then decided that Kyoshi Island is a much more colorful place. Plus, that's where they met so it makes sense to have it there.

Thankfully, Sokka has decided to move to Capital City and start a 'swordbending' (as he calls it) school after they are married. I'm glad since that means I'll have a place to hang out when Zuko is busy working. Though, Zee insists that I help re-vamp the national firebending curriculum and continue to train the Special Forces with Dad and General Mak. So, I'm guessing I won't have much free time for a while. I don't mind of course, since I'm pretty sure I'd go crazy if I had nothing to do.

Azula seems to really like her new role as the Ambassador to the Earth Kingdom, which makes sense since she's obviously way too young to retire and play Pai Sho all day with the rest of the Order of the White Lotus. Plus, it works out really well with her dating General Hyeong, whom I have yet to meet. I wonder if she bosses him around like she did with the rest of the Dai Li? Though, from what she tells me, I doubt it.

"You ready, sis?" Azula asks as she enters my room.

"Azula!" I reply. "I was just thinking about you."

"I hope they were good thoughts," she says with a smile.

"Of course. I was just wondering when I'd get to meet your boyfriend."

"Well, he's not allowed to miss my brother's wedding, so you'll meet him soon enough."

"Great! I was also wondering if you boss him around like the rest of the Dai Li?" I ask playfully.

She rolls her eyes and then steps out of the room. I follow her to the royal hair washing room (or whatever they call it) and they wash our hair. Then they spend what feels like hours prettying me up for the big event. I don't understand why they have to go through such a long process but if I had to guess, I bet it's tradition.

Afterwards, I'm dressed in a traditional Fire Nation royal wedding gown and put into a palanquin to be transported to the garden.

"You look really pretty," Azula says before she hugs me goodbye and heads over to the ceremony.

"Thanks, sis."

Funny how different Azula is from the Azula I met a lifetime ago in the asylum. She seems so happy now; so at peace with herself. And the thought of her actually hugging me just now is kind of amazing. I laugh to myself as I reminisce about how she nearly burned my hair off the first time I tried to hug her.

My father takes my hand as I climb out of the palanquin and he walks me down the aisle, toward Zuko at the other end. Seeing him makes me so happy I could cry but I try and force myself not to since it would probably ruin the makeup they put all over my face this morning. Between us are all of our family and friends - Uncle, the gAang, Azula (and her boyfriend), and people from all over the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. Even Earth King Kuei, who never leaves Ba Sing Se, is here (although, thankfully, he seems to have left Bosco at home)!

I focus my attention on Zuko, who is staring at me with the cutest grin ever, and I smile. I think about the first (well second) time we met - at Uncle's tea shop so many years ago. Before I knew he was the Fire Lord (or, more accurately, the Crown Prince at that time); before I found my Dad; before I became the Ambassador; before everything.

If someone had told me then that I would be standing here today, in the royal palace (a place that I had tried so hard to wipe from my memory), in a wedding gown, walking towards the Fire Lord, I would have thought they were absolutely insane.

But, as I look up at my Fire Lord, all I see the boy who I met in Ba Sing Se; the friend who I was able to open up to when I had no one else to talk to; the person who sort of indirectly helped me find my father; the best friend who let me go and find my destiny even when it hurt him so much to do so; the person who believes in me even when I don't have the courage to believe in myself.

When I look at him, all I see is the man whose arms are my home.

Zuko

I watch as Sunny and her Dad walk down the aisle toward me. I feel my heart beating uncontrollably as I admire how beautiful she looks in her red dress. She smiles at me as tears slowly run down her face. I smile back. It's strange to think that after all this time, and after everything we've been through, that I could fall even more in love with her than I already am. But, as she walks towards me, I feel myself melt into her radiance.

Her Dad gives me her hand and I look into her beautiful golden eyes as the official goes on and on about something. He takes our rings and gives them to us.

"I love you, Sunshine," I whisper as she puts my ring on my finger.

"I love you too, Zee," she says, warmly looking into my eyes.

The official continues and I wait until he says that I can kiss her before I reach over and kiss her more deeply than I've ever kissed her before. We kiss for a while as the crowd cheers. It's weird for our love to be on display but I guess that's what weddings are - a public display of the love between two people. I'm not sure if I like it or not. I think for a moment that maybe we should have just eloped instead. But then again, I guess it's more fun for everyone else this way. Plus, I wouldn't want to piss off her Dad or Uncle. That would really burn (literally).

We have a three day celebration out of tradition. Obviously, there are firebenders and food. But, and I'm sure this has never happened at a Fire Nation royal wedding before, there is also earthbending, waterbending, and airbending, dancing, actually fun music, dragons (yeah, dragons), and an air bison.

Weird.

When I imagined being Fire Lord when I was young, I never imagined that people from every nation would be at my wedding or that there would be dancing and... dragons. I mean, I didn't even know dragons still existed. I guess that explains why Sunny was so captivated by those dragon fireworks at the dragon festival we went to years ago. She must have been imagining Ran and Shaw.

Before my banishment, all I wanted was to continue my 'father's' legacy. But now, what I want to do most is to reverse it. And, I'm so grateful that I get to marry the most beautiful and free-spirited person I've ever met, my Sunshine, who I'm sure can help me achieve that goal. Not only is she dedicated to the peace between the nations but she's obviously able to put aside her feelings and objectively evaluate what's best for my nation. Her calm cools the storm within me and her tendency to think things through balances my natural inclination to jump into things.

At the end of the third day, we thank everyone for coming and then head up to our room.

While she was 'locked away' (in her words) for beautification, I took the liberty of moving some of her personal items from her home in town to our quarters so that she would feel more at home here in the palace. I tucked Ran and Shaw (the stuffed versions of course) into our bed, put her family photo next to mine on the desk, and placed her potted dragon-roses on a table in the balcony.

"It's nice and homey in here," she notes as we enter our room.

"Yeah, I had to break into your apartment and steal some things. I hope you don't mind," I reply playfully.

"Oh, breaking and entering, huh?" she says with a mischievous smile. "That sounds like fun."

"You've been hanging around Azula a lot, huh?" I say as I kiss her. "Don't worry. I'll be sure to invite you two next time."

We kiss for a while before I decide to take a shower and enjoy the view from our balcony. I like to sit out here and look out at the city, especially when I'm thinking.

She takes off all of her make up, takes a shower, and then gets into one of my robes before she joins me on the balcony. I look up at her as she happily walks over to the bench. She looked really pretty these past few days all made-up like a beautiful Fire Nation doll but she's even more beautiful now, without all the make-up and fancy dresses.

"Man, I love this robe," she says as she cuddles up next to me. "I think I'm going to live in it from now on. It's much more comfortable than all those traditional dresses, no offense of course," she adds as she looks up at me with a smirk.

She's so cute that I reach over and kiss her.

"I think I'd like you out of that robe better," I reply with a sly smile.

She laughs (though I was totally being serious) and then kisses me. We sit and stare out at the city for a while. I think back about the first time we sat here together, so many years ago, when she pointed out all the various places from her childhood. It's funny how, at that time, I dreamed that she'd be my wife though I was fully convinced that I'd never hold her again.

"Funny how we sat here, watching the sun set in this exact spot years ago, talking about how we could never be together. And now, here we are - together," I say as I hold her in my arms.

A smile spreads across my face as I imagine the rest of our lives together (little Zeva and Iroh included of course). Maybe, after our children are grown, we could travel the world together and continue to promote peace and love between the nations. Okay, I know that's thinking way too far ahead but I think she'd like that.

"Destiny is a funny thing," she replies.

"It sure is, Sunshine. It sure is."

THE END

Thanks for reading! This is my first attempt at writing fiction and it's been really fun. I hope you liked it and much as I enjoyed writing it~!

Some final thoughts:

There are people who come into our lives and change us forever. They don't all necessarily stay forever but that doesn't mean that the love that was shared wasn't real or that the impact that they had doesn't last a lifetime. Destiny is a funny thing and loss is a very real part of each of our lives. But the loss of a loved one is never a complete loss altogether. Sometimes people come into our lives for a season to help us through things that we wouldn't have been able to make it through alone.

This story is a combination of the many loves and losses that I've had in my life (lovers, family members, friends, etc.) and I hope you got something out of it beyond just a cute love story.

A little bit about me (in case you are wondering):

I was born in Hong Kong, raised in New York City, and currently reside in Los Angeles. I love to travel and have lived in Beijing where I had the opportunity to visit many different cities in China including Ping Yao and Tian Jian (real places). Also, Kayseri is an actual city in Turkey. I live a pretty scattered life and have personally discovered that 'home' is more than just a physical location. I've been lucky enough to have visited Africa, Asia, Europe, and Central America. And I hope to continue to travel and explore the vastly different, yet eerily similar, cultures and religions of the world. I also hope to continue writing.

Special thanks to Magee123 for all the feedback and encouragement. :)