Wow… I cannot believe I started writing this story in 2015. It has really been a long ride. But I am glad I didn't give up on this story, and I have all of you amazing readers to thank for that. I did come to decide that I will not be continuing into the comics. I'd rather just leave Crystal and Zuko's story as it is. I also am not familiar with the comics too much and just don't want to mess up any details. So this will be the last chapter of this tale. Thanks again for your comments and support. This was a long ride, but I can finally say that "Blazing Crystal" is complete.

Also, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

-Faith


Chapter 72: Fire Lady Crystal

The world was in celebration as news started to spread about the hundred-year war finally coming to an end. After over a hundred years of bloodshed, destruction, and imprisonment, the darkness was finally over. Zuko's coronation, and the news of our marriage, brought to the world a sign of hope for a brighter future ahead. Harmony was starting to be restored.

The evening of Zuko's coronation, we received more good news from Piandao by a messenger hawk that Ba Sing Se had been reclaimed by the Earth Kingdom. The White Lotus had been successful in their mission and had taken back the city, running the Fire Nation soldiers out and freeing the Earth Kingdom citizens at last.

We were also told in the letter that The White Lotus had received word of my coronation, and Iroh was departing from the Earth Kingdom to come see the ceremony along with Pakku. They were taking an airship which they had hijacked in the city, and were going to stop by the South Pole to pick up Gran-Gran to bring her to see me as well. The thought of seeing Gran-Gran again filled me with elation. I hadn't seen her in months. Zuko was nervous about meeting her, scared she'd smack him for what he did to her when he invaded our village so long ago. I let him know I'd try to protect him and smooth things over.

In addition to receiving news about Ba Sing Se on the day of Zuko's coronation, my father also confronted us about our secret marriage. We had just gone down into the plaza to greet everyone after Zuko was crowned when dad walked over to us. He wasn't angry; just surprised. He didn't understand why we couldn't have waited one more week to get married. I explained to him that we weren't even sure we would have another week, and we didn't want to die before we had the chance to become more than just engaged.

"I love Zuko, dad. I love him more than anything... my heart told me to marry him that day on Ember Island. I know it's not the original plan, but we both wanted this. I'm so happy and don't regret our decision."

My dad seemed to still be trying to understand everything, but instead of arguing, he placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Well… I suppose I should welcome you as my son-in-law then. I'm not thrilled this is the way it happened, but I can see you two are happy. Clearly there's nothing I can do about it. All I ask is that you both come to the Southern Water Tribe once things settle down so that our people have a chance to celebrate your union as well. Crystal has been away from home for far too long. Many miss her and would love to see her again."

Zuko put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to his side. "I'm certain as we start to repair the world we will be heading to the Earth Kingdom. The South Pole will definitely be the first stop we make."

My dad was glad to hear this. He hugged me then, kissing me on the forehead to let me know he was happy for me. "Just don't forget that you are of the Southern Water Tribe. That will never change. I love you."

"I'll never forget," I promised. "I will always be part of the Water Tribe and your daughter. I love you, dad."

After my father didn't kill my husband, we relaxed and continued to greet others in the crowd. Teo and The Duke gave me their congrats. Teo also introduced me to his father who was the mastermind inventor behind the airships. The Mechanist was thrilled to finally meet me, having heard much about me from his son and the others. I also met Haru's dad, Tyro, who congratulated Zuko and I as well. He and Haru planned to leave the next morning to head home and return to Haru's mom. They apologized for not being able to stay for my coronation, to which I quickly told them I preferred them to go home and be reunited with their family.

Things were going great as we greeted more of the war prisoners and Fire Nation citizens. However, a certain Fire Nation girl approached us causing my excitement to fade. I immediately went stiff beside Zuko, feeling uncomfortable with her presence. Zuko, who had an arm around my waist, noticed my body had gone tense and looked over at the cause.

He was surprised to see the girl who he hadn't seen since escaping the Fire Nation prison. "Mai… You were released from prison?"

She nodded and stepped closer. "My Uncle pulled some strings for me. Glad he did. I'm happy I was able to see you finally get to be Fire Lord like you always desired. Congrats, Zuko." As she spoke, she was doing everything in her power to keep her eyes on Zuko and not look my way.

"Thanks," he said with a tone I couldn't decipher. "Are you staying in the area?"

She crossed her arms before responding. "That's actually what I wanted to speak to you about. Ty Lee is begging me to come to Kyoshi Island with her, but I was hoping I could get permission to stay here in one of the guest rooms. Just until my parents relocate back into the Fire Nation Capital. I heard they had to flee Omashu after that crazy king escaped and took back the city on the day of the eclipse."

Her words horrified me. My heart pounded hard as I waited for Zuko's answer. I wanted to shout a thousand reasons why her staying at the palace was a horrible idea. I wanted to tell her to leave and never come back. I didn't want such a dark memory from my past staying in the same place as me. However, I knew this was a friend from Zuko's childhood which caused me to feel conflicted. I didn't want to tell Zuko what to do, but I also wanted to beg him to make her leave.

Just when I feared the worst, Zuko pulled me closer to him, and spoke with a firm tone. "Actually, Mai… I don't think you being here is a good idea. I appreciate what you did for us at the prison a few weeks ago, but I'm still not over all of the pain and cruelty you inflicted on Crystal. You should probably go with Ty Lee... or I'm happy to find you a place to stay in the city until your parents get back to the area. Staying here is not an option though."

Mai was shocked by his rejection. "You're kidding? I used to practically live here as a kid, Zuko. What's the issue?!"

Zuko had moved his hand from my waist, but only so he was able to inch in front of me slightly in case Mai lashed out. "That was before you tortured the woman I love. You've done a lot of things I can forgive you for, but what you did to Crystal is something I can't forget. I'm glad you're okay after what happened at Boiling Rock, but that doesn't mean I'm comfortable with you being near my wife. I don't trust you when it comes to her safety."

Mai had looked like she wanted to argue. However, she must've realized there was nothing she could say to change Zuko's mind. Instead, she stepped back and gave a glare to both Zuko and I. "I guess this is goodbye then. I'll go with Ty Lee to the Earth Kingdom. Clearly my presence is unwelcome."

Zuko stayed firm. "I'm sure Ty Lee will be glad to have you. Maybe you'll meet up with your parents in the Earth Kingdom and can return home with them."

She scowled in response and turned on her heel, storming away. Once she was gone, I felt the tension in my body release. Zuko turned and looked at me with worry as soon as the moody girl was gone. "Are you okay?"

I could do nothing but stare at him in bewilderment. I finally said softly, "You… you didn't have to do that just because of me… I don't want to make things tense between you and—"

He pulled me into his arms, brushing a hand through my hair. "Mai isn't my friend, Crystal. I'm grateful she saved us when we helped your dad and Suki escape prison, but I don't forgive her for the wrong she has done. She lost my friendship the day she hurt you in Ba Sing Se. She's lucky I'm not crazy like my family and didn't banish her from the Capital City."

I shut my eyes as I took in his warmth, and I felt relief. "Thank you… I… I don't think I could've handled her staying here… she just reminds me too much of those awful memories…"

He spoke with sincerity. "I promised I would protect you. I'm not going to break my word. Mai's never hurting you again. No one is."

After our confrontation with Mai, we were both relieved that the rest of the evening passed with much more merriment and peace. The next day, we spent most of the morning saying goodbye to our Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe guests who were heading back to their homes after weeks and years of being away. Our Fire Nation guests had already returned to their homes the night before, so the plaza started to empty out by each passing hour.

The waterbenders of the Foggy Swamp Tribe were the first to depart that morning, being granted a small ship by Zuko to give them passage back into the Earth Kingdom. They did not like the airships, preferring to be closer to the water. I was still amazed that my family had met such a curious group of people, and wondered if there were more Water Tribe groups residing in the Earth Kingdom we were not aware of.

The rest of our guests were planning on heading out in the airship that my father had originally come on. Dad planned to stay the week for my coronation, while Bato and the other Water Tribe warriors boarded the airship to head home. Bato did congratulate me and Zuko on our marriage before his departure, although I could tell he was still bitter that I had rejected his son and chose a firebender. He tried to keep his opinions to himself though, bowing respectfully to Zuko and giving me a hug goodbye.

The rest of the group boarded with the Water Tribe warriors. Suki was staying for my coronation as well, but the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors headed on the airship to go home. Ty Lee gave me a hug good-bye, apologizing that she was not going to be here for the ceremony. I let her know that I was excited she was getting to start her training as a Kyoshi Warrior and that I would hopefully see her again soon. She hugged Zuko good-bye, and then she raced over to where Mai waited at a distance. Mai looked disappointed that things had not gone her way, and with defeat she followed Ty Lee onto the airship. She did not look back.

Haru, Teo, and the Duke gave me hugs good-bye next, wishing me luck as the new Fire Lady. After they said good-bye to Zuko as well, they followed Tyro and The Mechanist onto the airship. The Boulder and Hippo went onto the vessel as well after they said their good-byes to Toph. As soon as the last person boarded the airship, the giant machine started to fly away to return everyone to their homes.

The rest of us watched our friends depart until the airship could no longer be seen. Toph of course couldn't see the airship, decided she was bored, and headed back towards the palace. Once we no longer saw the airship, we also made our way back onto the palace grounds.

However, we were aware that the moment we entered the plaza we would have to face our next challenge. The remnants of our group (Sokka, Katara, Toph, Suki, Aang, Dad, Zuko, and I) stood in the plaza as we waited for the guards to arrive from the prison cells in the palace.

"Are you sure, Aang?" Katara was greatly concerned for our friend. "What if something goes wrong?"

Aang, who was wearing his normal air nomad clothes, let out a heavy breath. "If Ozai's energy didn't destroy me then I'm confident Azula will be easy." He looked at Zuko with concern. "The question should actually be, are you sure about this, Zuko?"

Zuko nodded beside me. "This is for the best. Azula is a risk. As long as she can firebend, she will be dangerous to everyone. We can't allow her the chance to escape and hurt someone again. She already almost killed you, Aang. Not to mention she got a good hit at me. She may try to strike one of us again. We can't allow her the opportunity."

Aang nodded. "Okay. Everyone will need to step back when I do this. It's a lot of energy, so you could get hurt from the blast."

Toph sighed. "Kind of bummed I won't be able to see what's happening. This probably looks really cool."

Sokka, who was still using a crutch, patted her on the shoulder. "No worries, Toph. I'll describe what's happening to you in detail."

Not even five minutes later, a scream was heard from the small door that was to the side of the stairs. Azula was carried through by four guards, her feet restrained by cuffs and her whole upper body wrapped up in tight cloth to keep her from bending with her hands. She wasn't able to shoot fire due to her lack of movement, so thankfully no one would have to fight her and possibly get hurt. Two guards were carrying her around her arms and waist, while the other two were keeping a firm grip on her legs. It was truly a pitiful sight to see.

Once they got her in front of Aang, they placed her down on her knees and stepped away. She was crying, her eyes wild as she looked around in a panic. Her pupils were dilated, and I could tell she was still in a state of insanity. "You all will pay for this! Just wait until I break free! I will kill every single one of you peasants and the throne will be mine!"

Zuko sighed. I hugged him from the side to offer him some comfort. I couldn't imagine how hard this was for him to see his sister reach such a horrible state. They had never had a great relationship, but she was still family.

Aang stepped towards her. His arrows started to glow on his head and hands. The rest of us took a few steps back. "Princess Azula," his voice was mixed with the voices of his past lives. The psychotic teenager looked up at Avatar Aang with sudden terror. "For too long you have used your ability to cause harm and pain on others. Your time of cruelty and power ends today."

Aang placed his hand on her head so his thumb was on the center of her forehead, right at the temple, and grabbed her shoulder with his other hand. Azula gasped as her eyes widened and her whole body lit with a red light. As the light surrounded her, Aang was also surrounded by a blue glow consuming his body. Azula's head shot back, as did Aang's, and red and blue beams shot towards the sky from their mouths and eyes. As the energy was forced out of Azula to remove her bending forever, I looked away as the light became too intense. There was a hot gust of air blown our way from the surge of power. Zuko pulled me closer to him, and I wondered if he was forced to shut his eyes as well.

Finally, after the longest minute of my life, I could see through my eyelids that the light had faded. The hot air from the beams stopped. Opening my eyes again, I saw Azula was still on her knees gasping from what had just occurred. Sweat covered her forehead, and her eyes were wide with terror. "Wha… what did you just do to me?!"

The glow around Aang had faded, and his tattoos were no longer lit. He came out of the Avatar state, and answered, "I took your bending away. You are no longer able to control fire or lightning."

She was horrified. "NO! YOU CAN'T! Give my bending back! Give it back to me!" She dropped onto her side and broke into sobs. "NO! I want it back! I want my firebending back!" She kicked her restrained legs out to try and bend some fire but nothing happened. She screamed and cried.

Aang stepped back, while Zuko took his place in front of his sister. "You don't deserve to be a firebender after everything you've done, Azula. As your brother, I did this to help you. You won't have to be so heavily restrained anymore. I've also spoken to the palace physician, and he knows of a doctor from one of the central islands who deals with your type of condition. Once we get you some help and calm you down, then maybe we can see about finding you better accommodations than the Capital City Prison."

She snarled and shook her head. "Just kill me! I am nothing without my firebending! You will all pay for this! Every single one of you will die by my hands!" She broke into sobs again. She really had no control over her emotions.

Zuko stepped back from her, shaking his head in disbelief. He turned away from her, coming back over to me. He grabbed my hand and started to walk us away from Azula towards the stairs. "Take her away," Zuko ordered. His hand tightened around my own as he felt pain for his sister. I squeezed his hand back, wishing there was something more I could do to comfort him. As much as I hated Azula, I knew that she was still family to Zuko.

After the challenge with Azula passed, things got much lighter. Zuko gave us a tour of the palace the remainder of the day. He showed everyone his quarters, the throne room (which took every ounce of my courage to step into), the battle arena, the war chamber (which I didn't go into since that was where most of my torture had occurred), and then he brought us to the palace garden.

Zuko had told me about the palace garden, especially when he reflected on stories about his mom, but it was even more precious than words could describe. The pristine pond sparkled in the sunlight, and a mother turtle-duck with four turtle-ducklings crossed the water peacefully. Around the pond were more turtle-ducks and ducklings resting in the reeds. There were massive trees that provided shade, and a stone bench for someone to sit on. Flowers and plants of all colors sprouted out of the green grass around us. There was also a fine red wooden gazebo with more seating inside.

Toph couldn't see the beauty, but she could feel the massive area. She whistled. "Wow. Nice place. You may have to drag Crystal out of here in the future. She might get stuck befriending the Turtle-ducks."

I walked out into the garden, and I heard the others follow behind. Stepping up to the pond, I saw the turtle-duck mom glance my way for a moment, but then keep moving along.

"Yeah," Zuko said. "My mom loved this place. She'd get lost here for hours. At least if Crystal goes missing I'll know where to find her."

A sudden thought hit me. I turned to look at him with excitement. "When Zan gets here can this be his home?!"

Zuko was surprised by my question. My father was confused and asked Katara softly who Zan was, to which she answered him. Zuko finally found his voice and argued, "I still never agreed Zan could live here! And he'll be staying in the stables if he does come!"

I pouted. "But Zan's family!"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "And this is a garden! Ostrich-horses don't live in gardens!"

I tapped my chin. "Then our room?"

"No!" Zuko stepped over to me and grabbed my hand pulling me away from the pond. "We're moving on with the tour. You're getting too many crazy ideas! Soon you'll be naming all the turtle-ducks!"

I was horrified. "They don't have names! That's terrible! You just call them Turtle-Duck?"

The group laughed behind us as Zuko and I continued to argue about our future pets. I knew I would have to find ways to sneak Zan into the palace garden when Zuko wasn't watching. I had a feeling Zan would love the area.

Later that night, Sokka finally got his chance to initiate Zuko as his brother-in-law. The two sat in the dining room, drinking glasses of wine to see who would knock out first. Zuko was enjoying himself as he watched my brother get wasted. The rest of us sat at the table watching with disbelief. My dad did join in on the initiation ceremony, but by the third glass the only one seeming to be affected by the alcohol was my brother.

"You… you know what, Zuko. You're a great guy," Sokka said, a grin on his face as he tried to stay in his chair but was failing. "I didn't like you at first… your hair was always weird. You look better now." He then glanced over at Suki. "What do you think, Su… ki… Should I keep my hair like Zu…?"

Suki sighed. "I think you've had enough wine, Sokka."

Toph laughed. "No. Give him more! This is getting good!"

Zuko was smiling with amusement, while my dad was shaking his head in disbelief.

"Boy can't hold his alcohol," dad muttered.

"I warned him," Zuko said. "I started drinking this stuff at parties when I was ten."

"You should've seen when he drank the cactus juice," I muttered. "He was hallucinating for hours."

My brother pointed at me suddenly. "You! You never got me my mushroom!" His eyes widened and his mouth dropped in horror. He then started to pout. "You lied to me! Where's my mushroom?!"

I sighed. "Great. The mushroom worshiper is back…"

Katara spoke to Aang as Sokka continued to scold me for not getting him his mushroom. "When we get married, you are never allowed to participate in this ceremony."

Aang blushed when Katara mentioned them getting married, and I coughed on the water I was drinking as a laugh tried to come out. Suki giggled too.

Eventually, Sokka passed out dropping his head on the table, and the initiation of Zuko into my family was complete.

The next few days were just as eventful. We received numerous guests from across the Fire Nation. Meetings about peace were also held by Zuko and Aang with other Fire Nation officials. Soldiers were still being ordered home from the Earth Kingdom, and we were discussing how to proceed on deciding who should be released from prisons around the world. Repairing a world so broken and divided would definitely take a while...

It seemed with everything happening, the week flew by quickly. Before I knew it, the day of my coronation had finally arrived.

When I woke up the morning of my ceremony, I found Zuko was already out of bed. His absence had not helped my angst as I thought about the day to come. When I finally got out of bed, I saw on the low table in our room a note and a bowl of moonpeaches. Zuko knew they were my favorite fruit, and I smiled at the affectionate gesture. Reading the note, I saw Zuko's handwriting:

Crystal,

You were so at peace this morning I didn't want to wake you. I have to greet our guests who have started to arrive, but I will see you at the ceremony. I know you're nervous… eat something. You have a long day. I cannot wait to have you in my arms again, not just as my wife, but as my beautiful Fire Lady. I love you.

Zuko

Kneeling at the low table, I placed the note down and grabbed one of the moonpeaches. I wasn't hungry, but I ate one knowing everyone would scold me if I didn't. I also was aware I probably wouldn't eat again for hours.

After I ate, I started to head to the washroom connected to the bedroom to freshen up. Before I made it to the entry, a knock sounded at the bedroom door. I quickly scrambled to pull on my robe, and then headed to the door with more angst than I originally had. Opening the door, I was surprised and relieved to see Katara in her normal Water Tribe wear. I'd been worried it would be an unfamiliar face, so seeing my sister calmed my racing heart.

"Katara… what—"

"Look who finally decided to wake up," she interrupted. She grabbed my arm and pulled me out into the hallway. "We have so much to do, and you just want to sleep the whole day away!"

Her statement had confused me. "The sun just rose like thirty minutes ago…"

"Yes! That's thirty minutes I could've been doing your hair!" She led me through the sunlit halls, and as we passed the servants they all bowed to me with respect. I wished they would stop bowing, but when I complained to Zuko about the gesture earlier in the week he had told me that was one thing he could not stop. "You're royalty now, Crys… and soon you'll be Fire Lady. Palace staff are taught to show respect from the day they are hired. You can't change that. Trust me… I've tried…"

Soon we arrived at the Royal Palace spa. I was horrified to see at least ten female servants and Lady Sun waiting in the room. I gasped and tried to leave, but Katara kept a firm grip on my arm and pulled me in. "Really, Crystal?! What did you expect! This is your ceremony today."

I argued. "Give me a dress and brush my hair! A full blown makeover is not necessary!"

Lady Sun laughed. "Miss Crystal! You always keep things entertaining." She turned to the other women. "Alright ladies! Let's turn this pretty waterbender into a beautiful Fire Lady!"

For the next three hours I was tortured. They forced me into some recently heated water in a tub, and scrubbed me from head to toe, making me blush bright red. Then they forced me over to a fine wooden chair in my robe again, and after Katara took the water out of my hair they started to style it. The hair seemed to take the longest. It felt like there were a thousand pins in it, and the band they used to put part of my hair in a bun felt like it weighed more than my head. After my hair, they moved on to my make up. Thankfully they didn't do a ton with this area. They just gave me a thin spread of lipstick and some blush on my cheeks.

Once my pampering was done, Katara put a blindfold on me. "I don't want you to see the dress yet!"

As I was blind, they started to put the material over my body. Katara had told me that Lady Sun was working on the dress with the palace seamstress over the week, and she had caught glimpses of it. She let me know it was perfect for me. I could feel the dress was made of expensive silk, and the sleeves covered my arms. The light fabric brushed past my ankles. After the back laces were pulled and tied to tighten the dress, and I was given some soft cloth shoes, Katara guided me over to what I could only assume was a mirror. The blindfold was removed, and I saw my appearance in full.

If it wasn't for the scar on my right cheek and collarbone, or the azure blue eyes, I would've not recognized the woman before me. My hair was still down mostly, apart from the bun necessary for my diadem to be inserted in. The long brown waves seemed to settle against me in perfection.

The dress I wore was indeed custom made. The color was a fine maroon. The back of the dress seemed to spread out behind me. On the dress were designs of dark blue swirls of water flowing from the bottom to the top. The collar of the dress was low, and had blue trim. The sleeves which were flared had more water designs trailing down them.

Water and Fire… in perfect harmony... the dress showed what I was about to become. Not only would I be the waterbending daughter of Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, but I would also be Fire Lady Crystal, wife to Fire Lord Zuko of the Fire Nation.

No pressure...

I smiled as I let my finger trace one of the water swirls. "Wow… it's beautiful," I said.

Katara smiled as she stood behind me in the reflection. She placed a sisterly hand on my shoulder. "No, Crys… you're beautiful. Mom would be so proud of you." She pulled me from the mirror and walked me to the fine cushioned sofa in the room. We sat down, and I was relieved the torture was over.

"I was out in the plaza this morning. Dad, Sokka, and I greeted Pakku and Gran-Gran. The rest of the tribe sends their congrats," Katara spoke. "Gran-Gran is really excited to see you. She also met Zuko. That was pretty comical. She grabbed him by the ear, saying, 'Where are you hiding my new grandson-in-law? He'd be about this age… known as the Fire Lord.' She got her payback pretty well. The guards were even laughing."

I giggled. "I'm glad she didn't swat him. I was worried she'd give him a beating."

Katara shook her head. "No. They are getting along well. Iroh and Gran-Gran seem to be chatting a lot too. I think they're exchanging embarrassing stories about Pakku."

I nodded. "As long as it's Pakku and not me." My hand fiddled with my necklace as I pictured the crowd outside starting to form.

"Don't be nervous," she said. Her hand grabbed my own and she gave it a squeeze. "You are going to be amazing, Crystal. After everything you've been through, you have the strength and courage to take this step. Sokka and I are so proud of you."

I smiled. "I'm proud of you and Sokka… you both left home to journey with the Avatar and help him learn all of the elements. You two have grown so much. You're a waterbending master, and our brother is a master swordsman. Not to mention you both saved the world. I'm the luckiest sister to be related to such amazing people."

Katara argued. "We saved the world together, Crystal. And you had a giant role to play. You turned an enemy into our ally. You helped the Fire Lord's son find his happiness and Aang was granted a firebending teacher. If it wasn't for you, we may have never gained Zuko as a friend."

I shrugged. "He may have found his way without me. Eventually Iroh would've told him about Avatar Roku, I'm sure."

Katara thought over what I said for a moment. "It still amazes me he's related to Avatar Roku… that was one big twist during this journey. It does explain why when Avatar Roku took over Aang at the temple the chains around Zuko were burned off too when we were released. Roku was protecting his great-grandson."

I pondered this. "Yeah… that would make sense." Then I let out a sigh. "I just hope I can be the family Zuko needs right now. With Ozai and Azula both behind bars, Zuko only has Iroh… I can't imagine how hard it is for him."

Katara hugged me suddenly, saying softly, "Zuko only smiles when he's with you, Crystal. Trust me… you're definitely what he needs right now. He loves you so much."

My heart fluttered from her reveal. "I've always wanted to make him smile. From the beginning that's all I ever hoped for."

She pulled away, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You accomplished what others may have never been able to do. He'll probably be smiling like crazy when he sees how beautiful you look too."

Katara left me after a few more minutes of talking to go check and make sure everything was ready. Once she was gone, I continued to sit in the palace spa room feeling my heart pound harder by the second. I had to resist the urge to brush my hands through my hair, knowing Lady Sun— who was still in the room with me— would scold me heavily.

It was right around mid-day when my dad finally came to retrieve me. He was wearing his formal attire that Gran-Gran brought him from home, which consisted of his finest white fur cape, a fine blue shirt that had a section on the front that hung past his waist with a white belt. His pants were a very dark blue, and his sleeves matched the color of his pants. His boots were a dark brown.

I stood when he entered, and his eyes immediately watered as he took in my appearance. "Crystal…" He stepped over and placed his hands on my arms. "You are truly a beautiful sight to see. You look so much like your mother did the day we were wed. I can't believe today my little girl is about to become Fire Lady."

I blushed at my father's compliment. "Thanks… You look very nice in your Chief wear."

He sighed. "I wasn't going to, but your grandmother told me I couldn't look like a slob when I walked you to the coronation platform today."

I smiled. "Sounds like Gran-Gran." I hugged my father then, saying, "I'm glad you're here though. I think I would be a lot more anxious if you weren't."

He hugged me back, careful not to mess up my hair. "Of course, Crys… I'm your father. I technically was supposed to give you away at your wedding, but since I missed that the least I can do is give you over to the Fire Nation as their new Fire Lady."

A female servant suddenly stepped into the room and bowed. "The ceremony is about to begin, my lady."

Lady Sun clapped her hands together. "Great! Let's get moving then. We need Crystal to enter from the front of the plaza, so we are having her leave the palace area through the servant passage to get her positioned."

Her words horrified me. "Wait! I'm expected to walk up the steps?! Why did Zuko only have to come out of the palace entrance?!" My heart accelerated again as I thought of every possible thing that could go wrong. Me tripping as we headed to the steps. Me tripping as we headed up the steps. Me tripping at the top of the steps!

My dad laughed. "You don't need to worry, Crystal. I'll be holding your arm until we get up the steps so I'll do my best to keep you from falling."

I calmed slightly by his reassurance. "Okay…"

Soon we were walking through the servants' passage. I only vaguely recalled small memories of the dim lit narrow hallway from when Zuko helped me escape before. Thankfully we didn't go far through the passage, and we got outside back into the sunlight.

Lady Sun walked us around the perimeter of the palace and through a secret side entrance that she had a key for. As we got outside the palace, a guard met us on the other side to offer protection until we got to the plaza entrance. When I saw who the guard was, I was brought to a stop and speechless. I probably stared at him with disbelief for a good minute.

"Hul?!" My eyes were wide as I stared at the man who had helped me escape Zhao's ship so long ago. He was the man who I had saved from falling off the ship during the storm. The man who had been good company in the days after the storm as we headed north. He was my friend.

Hul smiled at me and gave a bow. Then he stood straight again and placed a kind hand on my arm. "It's good to see you again, Miss Crystal."

I was still bewildered. "Wha- When did you get here? I thought you were imprisoned?"

He nodded. "I was. After we were held at the Northern Water Tribe for a few days, we were transferred to an Earth Kingdom prison near Ba Sing Se. General Iroh came to the prison after they conquered Ba Sing Se and had some of us released. King Bumi granted him that authority."

I was so glad to hear. "Do you know if Jiho and Lieutenant Jee are okay?"

He answered with a smile. "Yes. Jiho was able to escape on one of the fleeing vessels that day we attacked the North Pole. Lieutenant Jee was captured and released like me. He is actually in the plaza to see your coronation. Fire Lord Zuko personally asked me to escort you to the ceremony. He had a feeling you were nervous and seeing a familiar face would help."

I sighed with relief. "Good… I'm so glad to hear you all are okay… and he's right. Seeing you does help my anxiety a lot." I then introduced Hul to my father. Dad quickly thanked the man for helping me escape at the North Pole, although I could see he still was a little uncomfortable around people of the Fire Nation. Bringing the Water Nation and Fire Nation to good relations would definitely take some time.

As we made our way around the palace, we arrived at the entrance to the plaza grounds. I could hear chatter from beyond the wooden doors before me. My heart started to pound like crazy again. Lady Sun placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, while my dad took my arm into his.

He kissed me on the cheek, and whispered, "You are beautiful, daughter. Just relax."

I took a deep breath, listening to my father. Hul gave me a reassuring smile, and he and another guard pushed open the double doors to start my entrance. The gong sounded, and the crowd fell quiet. As the doors swung open, I was bewildered when I saw white. The whole plaza was covered in snow, and a cloud hovered above creating flurries. Resting in the snow were red Fire Lily petals, which lined the path towards the steps on both sides. I looked around the crowd, and spotted my Gran-Gran, Aang, Toph, Suki, Iroh, and my brother and sister. Pakku was with them and was the cause of the cloud that hovered above. My friends and family smiled at me with thrill, and I smiled back to let them know I was happy to see them.

Turning my attention from my family, I finally looked up at the coronation platform and saw Zuko standing at the top in his fine Fire Nation robe he'd worn at his own coronation. Beside him was Fire Sage Ju, along with the five sages from Zuko's ceremony. I was relieved to see Fire Sage Ju had arrived. I was comforted that the one who would be crowning me was the man who had officiated our wedding.

The gong sounded again, this time three times. My father and I started to move forward. As we stepped through the thin dust of snow, I felt my heart calm as my eyes moved from the scene around me to Zuko. He was smiling, his eyes watching me as I moved towards him. He looked so strong and handsome, and I knew as I approached that I was indeed blessed to have been given such an amazing husband. As I got closer, I could see his golden orbs were shining with adoration.

Reaching the steps, my father kept his promise and made sure I didn't trip as we headed up to the coronation stage. The steps thankfully did not have snow on them, but the petals had continued on both sides.

Finally reaching the top, my father stepped me over to Zuko and pulled his arm away from me. Dad turned and hugged me to him, whispering, "I love you so much, Crystal. I am so proud of you."

Tears formed in my eyes as I hugged him back. "I love you too, dad. Always."

My father took my hand then and moved it to Zuko's waiting grasp. As Zuko took my hand, my father bowed to him respectfully, saying, "I leave her in your hands, Fire Lord Zuko." He straightened, and then headed down the steps to go join my family below.

Zuko squeezed my hand, saying softly, "You are truly beautiful, my wife." He led me to the center of the stage, and I did what I was told to do. Zuko held my hand until I was down on my knees, and then stepped back to put me center stage. My heart pounded in my ears, but thankfully my breathing was calm. I lowered my head slightly, waiting for Sage Ju to move the ceremony along.

Sage Ju stepped up behind me and started to speak. "Greetings! We have all heard the story of how our former Prince Zuko fell in love with a small village chief's daughter from the Southern Water Tribe. Today, we gather to celebrate the union of Fire Lord Zuko and Crystal of the Southern Water Tribe. I had the privilege of being present to unite these two souls together as husband and wife on Ember Island. We complete this union today, by announcing to the Fire Nation, and the world, the official crowning of our new Fire Lady. With this action, we bring a sign of hope to all that the nations no longer need to be divided, and can live together in harmony."

Sage Ju slipped the diadem into the front of my bun then. The snow flurries had stopped. Silence fell over the crowd as they watched the historical moment before them. I looked out at the crowd and saw the Fire Nation citizens, as well as my Water Tribe family, Toph, Aang, and Suki. People of all nations, coming together as one.

Sage Ju shouted out to the silent crown. "All hail Fire Lady Crystal!"

Cheers rang from the crowd then, and I felt my anxiety and fear fade. Zuko stepped over and took my hand, helping me back up to my feet. He pulled me to him and kissed me on the lips, earning more cheers from the crowd. I kissed him back, relieved the hardest part was over.

Sage Ju shouted again, "All hail Fire Lord Zuko! All hail Fire Lady Crystal!"

Echoes shouted from the crowd as people repeated his words. Zuko and I pulled from one another's lips at this point and instead stood beside each other with our arms locked. We waved to the crowd as they continued to cheer, and I felt all of my fears and anxieties of the past fade. As I stood beside my husband, I knew this was what I wanted. Being with Zuko for the rest of my life as his wife and the Fire Lady was my destiny.

The pain of my past faded as the bright future unfurled before me.

For the next hour, Zuko and I greeted people in the crowd who congratulated us on our union and on my crowning. I hugged my Gran-Gran with joy when I reached her, and she hugged me back tightly so relieved to have me in her arms again.

"I heard of everything you went through, Crystal. I am so proud of your strength and heart. You are so much like your mother. I know she is so proud of you too," she said.

"I've missed you, Gran-Gran," I spoke, feeling at peace in her warm embrace.

Her voice was tight as she tried to choke back tears. "I've missed you too."

After greeting Gran-Gran, and giving a hug to Pakku, I stepped over to my sister and brother next. Zuko stayed with me as we moved on. Katara threw her arms around me, exclaiming, "I am so happy for you, Crystal!"

I hugged her back. "Everything was so beautiful. I'm guessing the snow was your idea."

She shrugged. "I thought you'd like it. Guess I knew what I was doing."

Sokka, who was no longer walking with a crutch, came over and pulled me into a hug next. "My little sister is all grown up and a Fire Lady! I can't believe I'm related to royalty now!"

I laughed. "Well, technically you're the son of a chief. You were already royal."

Katara scoffed. "Don't put that Prince Sokka idea in his head again!"

Sokka hugged me closer. "I'm so proud of you sis. You're going to be amazing. I'm the luckiest twin in the world."

"Thank you, Sokka…" I spoke softly. "For everything. You were always there for me when I needed you growing up. I love you."

He sniffled. "Aw. Don't make me cry, sis! I love you too!"

Once I was done with Sokka, I moved to Suki who gave me a hug as well. "You are so pretty, Crystal! That dress is perfect!"

Aang came over and hugged me next. "Congrats, Crystal! You make a beautiful Fire Lady! The Avatar approves!"

I blushed again from his compliment. "Thank you, Aang."

Toph stepped over as I pulled away from him. "Guess we'll be seeing some tiny-sparkys soon. Get started on that royal bloodline."

I rolled my eyes. "You just can't resist the baby comments, can you?"

She shrugged. "What can I say? It's my character." She stepped forward and gave me a hug. "But congrats. I would say you look beautiful, but I'm not the best judge for that. You didn't trip though, so I'd say the ceremony was a success."

I hugged her back with a laugh. "Thanks, Toph."

The last person to greet was Iroh. He was in his Fire Nation robes, and it was strange to see him as how I had when I first met him. He stepped over and hugged me to him. "Crystal… you are truly radiant. I know you will be an amazing Fire Lady. Our people will be so lucky to have your pure heart and wisdom. Keep Zuko in line."

I pulled away from him slightly to respond. "I will. Zuko's in good hands."

He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. Tears formed in his eyes. "Thank you… you brought my nephew back. I feared the happy boy I remembered from the past would never be seen again. You helped Zuko remember what happiness and love is."

I shrugged. "You helped a lot though. From what I understand you were setting us up quite a bit."

He laughed. "Yes! I am guilty. My plotting worked though!"

We spent another hour greeting everyone in the area. Music started to play then and food was served in the plaza. The snow had melted at this point and the water had dried. As everyone conversed, Zuko and I eventually broke away. Zuko said he had a surprise for me, and so I followed him as he held my hand.

Eventually we found ourselves on the backside of the place where the stables were. Apart from Appa, and Momo who was napping on Appa's head, I saw a familiar ostrich-horse grazing by the large wooden stable doors.

"Zan!" I was thrilled to see him and rushed over to give the ostrich-horse a hug.

Zuko explained behind me. "Uncle brought him as your coronation gift. He can stay, but if I find out you're sneaking him through the palace halls then I will send him back to Ba Sing Se."

I pet him, whispering, "Don't worry, Zan. I'll find a way to sneak you into the palace garden."

Zan squawked and nuzzled my cheek.

After I said my greetings to Zan, I walked over and pet Appa who was living his best life surrounded by hay and fruit galore. "Being spoiled Appa?"

Appa groaned in response. I pat him on his neck, and said, "Maybe when Aang needs a babysitter in the future you can come to the palace garden too?" Momo continued to nap. "Tell Momo I said hi when he wakes up."

Appa groaned to let me know he would.

"Speaking of the palace garden," Zuko said. "Want to go there for a little bit before we head back to our guests?"

I gave a nod, and took his hand again. We headed away from the stables, back through the halls, and into the palace garden Zuko had shown us a few days ago. The place was quiet except for the sound of turtle-ducks on and around the pond. Zuko and I sat under one of the large trees on a stone bench. I leaned against Zuko as he hugged me to his side.

We sat in silence for a moment, just enjoying our time alone without the crowds, sages, or servants around us. There was a guard tailing us, but thankfully he was keeping his distance.

Zuko kissed me on the side of my head, finally breaking the silence by whispering, "You were great today. You did everything perfectly."

I spoke with modesty. "All I did was kneel."

"Well it was the finest kneel I've ever seen," he stated.

I smiled. "I guess that will be highlighted in the history books. Fire Lady Crystal gave the finest kneel at her coronation."

Zuko laughed and hugged me closer. "Hey… it's better than tripping. Toph was placing bets on you. She was sure you'd stumble because you're such a clutz. She lost."

I huffed. "She's always picking on me."

"You make it too easy. I think you blush more than anyone in the group," he said.

I covered my cheeks embarrassed. He laughed again. Then he turned me slightly so I was facing him. "You truly are beautiful, Crystal." I had dropped my hands and his own brushed against my scarred cheek. "I'm so glad destiny brought us together."

I placed my hand over his, giving a small smile. "Actually, a silly boy in an iceberg did that."

He smiled back. "Yeah. I guess we do have Aang to thank the most." He leaned forward. "Who knows what would've happened if I never met you…"

"Good thing is, we never have to find out," I whispered.

He moved forward, and his forehead rested against my own. "I love you so much, Crystal."

My heart warmed. "I love you too, Zuko."

Our lips connected. Our breaths mixed together. Our hearts became one. Fire and Water… so different, yet so alike… two opposites coming together in harmony.

The journey to this moment had been long and painful, but despite the struggles and obstacles we had faced on the way, love had conquered over everything.

Zuko and I would be together for the rest of our days. I wasn't sure what the future would hold for us, but one thing was certain: as long as Zuko was by my side I would survive. The darkness of my past would continue to fade…

Zuko was my sun...

Zuko was my everything…

And I was so glad fate had brought us together.