Happy Update Day!
I know typically I post in the mornings but this week has been just a tad crazy. I am leaving town at the end of the week for Christmas to visit family and I will be gone two weeks, so trying to get everything ready meant not a lot of time editing.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed and add this story to their favorites/alerts! Seeing how many of you enjoy this story every day is what encourages me to keep writing :)
Please forgive any mistakes in this chapter, I hope you all enjoy it.
Chapter Eight
"Did you and Haru talk yet?" Zuko asked his friend as they set out that morning. The two walked side by side through the Lower Ring. He had asked her every day since their conversation if she had spoken to her lover, each morning hoping for her to finally say yes.
They had been in Ba Sing Se for almost a week now. Jun had informed the Fire Lord that Nyla couldn't get an exact location for his mother because her scent was constantly all over the Lower Ring. The bounty hunter was confident that Ursa was somewhere in Ba Sing Se, it would just take some time to find her. After that discovery, the firebender had expected the Earth Kingdom woman to leave, but to his surprise, she stayed and spent most of her time at the Jasmin Dragon.
Zuko and his guards had been asking around for the past few days for Ursa. They suspected she was most likely going by another name since no one had heard of her. But almost every refugee asked verified that the woman in the picture they were shown looked like Noriko, a healer who ran an apothecary.
The firebender and earthbender had asked which apothecary Noriko owned but they could never get a clear answer. Their search was now isolated to visiting every single apothecary in the Lower Ring to find his mother.
"Yeah," Toph answered as they walked through winding streets. Her nose wrinkled at the putrid smells coming from an ally way. "We decided that we need some space for a little bit. So I told him I would return to the Fire Nation with you and we will meet back up before the anniversary."
"Is that what you want?"
"I think it's necessary," she shrugged a little too stiffly. The earthbender much preferred when she was the one asking the difficult questions. "At some point, I need to go home and deal with my family."
"Just remember, stop letting your father's twisted view of success distort what is right for you," Zuko reminded her as they stopped walking. He looked up at the familiar sign, he was confused. "Didn't we check this one already?"
The two benders stood in front of an apothecary on the far edge of the lower ring. The Fire Lord could have sworn they had visited it previously. In fact, he remembered it well, the woman working the counter had been extremely rude. Judgmental for the fact he was a firebender, he wasn't exactly leaping for joy to recheck.
"Yeah, but there is someone different inside today. I can sense two heartbeats," Toph explained, she had an odd feeling last time they were here. "Plus I think people are starting to believe we don't have the best intentions so they haven't been completely honest with giving the name."
Turtle Duck Apothecary, the sign read. Zuko had admitted to himself when they originally visited this shop that he was almost sure it was his mother's. But the young woman who was tending the shop had said Noriko was not the owner and it was run by a man. Toph had mentioned briefly she thought the woman was lying, but Zuko brushed it off as she was nervous because he had two guards with him.
"I guess it doesn't hurt to try again," the firebender shrugged as he looked at the sign. His friend's words were right, it made sense that most of the refugees wouldn't trust him. Zuko didn't dare let himself have an ounce of hope, he took a quiet deep breath and held it as they crossed the threshold.
The two walked in quietly and saw the same woman behind the counter, he could sense the hostility as he walked in the room. He shuddered, he hadn't faced this blatant hatred since his father had burned him. The Fire Lord reminded himself that Toph had said there were two people in the shop, perhaps the other was in the back.
"You again," the woman behind the counter hissed, arms crossing over her chest defensively. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the firebender. "I already told you, she doesn't work here."
"I'm just here to purchase a tea to help me sleep," Zuko quickly lied, he resisted the urge to hold his hands up in surrender. He needed to stay in the shop long enough for the person in the back to come forward. He had a funny feeling growing in his belly, the hair all over his body stood on end.
"I know you are staying in the Upper Ring, why didn't you go there?" The young woman interrogated, her nose slightly turned up as she asked the question.
"I was told this was the best apothecary in all of Ba Sing Se," Zuko shrugged, he willed every muscle in his body to relax. The air crackled around him, "Even better than the one's in the Upper Ring."
"We don't like your kind here in the Lower Ring," she sneered placing her hands flat on the counter as she leaned toward him.
"My kind?" The Fire Lord faked his confusion. He had a feeling she was implying her dislike for Fire Nation Natives, he waited to see if she would admit her true feelings. This was not the first time he had seen the bias against his countrymen, but it was the first time it had been so blatant since he took the throne.
"Fire Nation."
"Yin! That is quite enough," the woman from the back scolded as she moved to the front of the store. Her hands on her hips as she reprimanded her employee. She had been listening to the conversation from the back, hoping that Yin would have been polite. But the young girl still harbored much distaste toward the Fire Nation from the war.
The firebender's heart stopped as he looked at the woman walking over to Yin. The corners of her eyes held some light wrinkles, her face showing some laugh lines and a few specs of grey were littered in her hair. But her eyes were the same gold as he remembered, the exact same as his sister's.
There was no question, the woman standing in the shop was the Fire Lord's mother.
"Mother," Zuko whispered once, twice, then louder on the third time causing his voice to crack. The room went silent at his words.
It was the crack that made her pause, so familiar to her ears. Her eyes shut tightly, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Ursa opened her eyes and turned to look at the man Yin had been rude to. Her legs felt weak and her heart pounded in her chest. She took a step forward but had to quickly grab onto the counter to not fall.
He was tall, taller than her husband had been. Though he was still growing into his limbs she noticed. His hair fell into his eyes in a messy but endearing way, reminding her of when he had been a baby. Ursa had prepared herself to see the scar she knew he had, but her eyes never fully registered it. All she could see was that her son had grown into a handsome young man.
"Zuko? Turtle duck," she whispered in awe. She was afraid to break the silence, almost if she did that the man in front of her would disappear and she would realize this was just a dream.
"Mother!" The Fire Lord rushed to his mother and instantly wrapped her in a hug. The two quickly fell to the floor as they embraced. He turned his nose to her hair as he breathed in smelling fire lilies, spiced tea, with a hint of cherries — the scent of his mother.
"Turtle duck how I missed you," she whispered as she hugged her son in an almost too tight grip. Tears fell down her face.
"I missed you too, Mom."
"I had your old room prepared and redecorated," Zuko explained as he walked with his mother through the palace. It still felt a little surreal to have her back in the Fire Nation, "If you want to change anything just let me know and we can."
"I'm sure it will be fine, turtle duck," Ursa assured her son. She placed a comforting hand on his arm.
They had stayed in Ba Sing Se for a week so Ursa could close her shop and pack her things. About a month after finding each other in the Lower Ring, they had finally arrived in the Fire Nation earlier that morning.
As the Fire Lord's mother looked around the palace she dared not ask the question that had been on her mind since they boarded the ship.
Her son had also explained everything that happened after she had left the palace; Ozai becoming Fire Lord, his scar, and banishment. The search for the Avatar, living as a refugee with Iroh and how he became the firebending teacher to Aang. Zuko had informed her that Ozai was in prison and facing trial for his crimes within the next couple of years. He even told her about his upcoming marriage to the Southern Water Tribe Princess happening in the next year. But he had neglected to mention his sister.
The mother and son walked into the family wing of the palace in silence. While both were ecstatic to be reconnected, there was a lot that had happened in the almost decade she had been gone.
"Remember we can change whatever you like," Zuko reminded his mother as he opened the door to her chambers.
Ursa looked around and was pleasantly surprised to see that there was nothing that would remind her of her husband. Her son had been very thoughtful in what to include in her room.
"It looks wonderful, turtle duck," she thanked her son. The Fire Lord took a seat next to the window and nodded at his mother to join him. Ursa sat down and looked out at the garden, pleased to see that her son had made sure it was well taken care of.
"Mother, I need to tell you about Azula," he began softly. His mother's eyes turned to look at him, the garden was completely forgotten. This was a conversation he had been avoiding since he saw her. There was no easy way to begin, "When you left, it was hard on me but even harder on Azula. I don't think I truly appreciated how difficult it was for her until recently. The only person she had to guide her was Ozai."
"My poor Zula bug," Ursa whispered a hand covering her mouth as she listened. She knew first-hand how cruel of a man Ozai was and she felt extremely guilty for leaving her daughter to be subjected to the horror of her husband.
"She suffered greatly from mental and emotional abuse at the hands of Ozai and I'm not entirely sure, but I think some physical abuse," Zuko continued, his hands flat on his thighs as he resisted the urge to ball them into fists. His eyes became glassy as he remembered the end of the war, "The day of the comet, she had a breakdown. Katara and I fought her, she shot me with lightning. I almost died, but Katara healed me. Azula was inconsolable, she had to be sedated and her bending blocked."
His mother sat there quietly as she processed his words. Her hands felt cold and clammy, she could feel a bead of sweat drip down the back of her neck. She did the best she could to swallow the lump in her throat before she spoke. The firebender watched as she took a few calming breaths.
"Is she alive?" Ursa asked her voice sounding much stronger than she felt.
"Yes, she is in the North Pole," the firebender explained. He reached out his hands to comfort his mother and she grasped them tightly in her own. "I employed a physician to help her heal. For the first few months, she barely spoke, but she had a relapse on the anniversary of the day you left. After that, we began having a breakthrough. Katara suggested that she could benefit from a waterbending healer. So during the anniversary summit, I made arrangements for her to be sent to the North Pole. She has been there for the last eight months and is doing very well."
"And the healers in the North Pole, do they believe she will ever be able to come home?" His mother questioned softly, tears falling of their own volition. Her heart was constricting with each new piece of information. She looked down at her hands enveloped with her son's.
"Yagoda believes that Azula is not ready to return to the Fire Nation just yet, probably for at least another year perhaps even two," he responded trying to catch her eye. He knew this was going to be difficult for her to hear. "I know it is hard but this is the best thing for her. I promise the moment Yagoda tells me you can see her I will have a ship ready for you."
"Thank you, turtle duck," she whispered nodding slightly. She released his hands and brushed the tears off her face. "If you don't mind, I think I would like to be alone and have an early night. I will see you in the morning."
"Of course, Mother. If you need anything, I have assigned Giya to you for the next few days."
The Fire Lord stood, the conversation they had just had was very emotional. He was unsurprised his mother wanted to be alone and spend time with her thoughts. He placed a quick kiss on her cheek before leaving her to her own devices.
Zuko entered his office after leaving his mother's room and almost groaned at the sight of paperwork littering his desk. Having been gone for almost a few months, he knew it was bound to happen. But he had hoped there wouldn't have been that much.
The young Fire Lord quickly began sorting through the piles on his desk categorizing the work into two piles, immediate attention, and non-immediate attention. He would begin working fully tomorrow, but at least this evening he could have everything sorted.
As he was moving through the papers and scrolls a light blue one caught his eye. Dropping the papers he held in his hand, the firebender snatched the blue scroll up almost tearing it in the process to unravel it.
The first thing he noticed as he began to read the words, were areas that looked like they had been wetted and dried. He knew, even before he read her words, that she had cried when she wrote this letter.
Zuko,
I'm sorry if I made you feel that I resented this marriage.
I miss you too Zuko. Remember when we were on the palace roof, you asked me if we could have our late-night roof talks when we were married? I told you I wanted us to continue the tradition. I promise you won't be losing me as your best friend.
Zuko, you are terrified I will grow to hate you? I'm scared out of my mind you will grow to resent me! We both know I was not raised for life in the royal court, I have no idea what I'm doing. I am entirely too stubborn for my own good and we both know I will disagree with you publicly at some point. I'm afraid I won't be a good wife to you nor a good Fire Lady to your people and that will cause you to despise me.
You are worried about not being able to survive losing me as a best friend? I'm worried about not being able to survive in an unknown land as my only friend grows to hate me.
You are right, I hadn't ever expected to enter an arranged marriage with you. I had always pictured falling in love with a man and that would be the reason he asked for my hand. I wanted the relationship my parents had one filled with love, passion, and respect. Before we ended the war, I never thought my status as Chief's daughter would mean a political marriage.
But on the trip to Omashu, my father had a long conversation with me about political treaties. I fully expected to leave Omashu engaged, there was too much damage done to the world. Alliances needed to be created, treaties needed to be signed and I knew that if it was the right thing for my tribe I would do it. I was thankful it was to you and not some Earth Kingdom Noble or Northern Tribesman.
I hope I can be a good wife to you,
Katara
The Fire Lord's heart dropped, his breath coming in harsh pants as he read her words. It seemed that they both had their own fears when it came to their marriage. The past two letters that had been passed between the couple were the most honest they had been since before their engagement.
Zuko vowed at that moment, he would do everything in his power to get Katara to fall in love with him. She deserved to have the marriage she always dreamed about.
"I hear congratulations are in order," a bored voice brought Zuko out of his inner thoughts.
He turned around from looking at the view from his office window and found Mai seated at one of the chairs across his desk. He hadn't heard her come in, though he had asked for an appointment with her.
The young monarch had been awake most of the night. The conversation with his mother about Azula had been emotionally draining, coupling that with Katara's emotional letter left him feeling restless. Zuko had spent most of the night thinking of how he could ease Katara's fears in herself. He also wondered how he could begin making her look at him as more than her friend, perhaps even fall in love with him.
Finally, after hours of tossing and turning, he had left his bed to write a response to Katara.
"About?" He questioned cocking his head. He was still slightly uncomfortable being in the noblewoman's presence after walking in on her and Ty Lee.
"I heard Lady Ursa returned with you from Ba Sing Se," she elaborated an eyebrow-raising as she looked at him. She felt a spark of amusement at seeing his discomfort. After a moment she decided to put him out of his misery, "I'm happy you found your mother, Zuko."
"Thank you," he nodded with a smile to her as he moved to sit at his desk. He could feel himself relaxing. "I'm happy for you and Ty Lee too."
Mai grinned happily, an expression Zuko hardly saw on her face. "Thank you. I know it might have felt sudden, but we just wanted to keep it between us for a little while. Though next time you should know to knock."
"I did knock," the firebender defended himself, his cheeks coloring in both anger and embarrassment. "I thought I heard you tell me to come in, I was wrong."
"Next time, unless I answer the door don't come in," Mai chuckled as he shifted in his seat.
"I don't think I will be seeking you out in the middle of the night anymore," he replied looking anywhere but at his oldest friend. The young noblewoman felt the sense of pleasure grow at seeing her old lover squirm in discomfort.
"So was that all you called this meeting for?" Mai questioned. She was eager to return to her time in the training arena with Ty Lee.
"Not quite," the Fire Lord shook his head. He braced himself to make his request, he could have ordered the noblewoman but he hated commanding his subjects. "Katara expressed to me in her last letter how she feels unprepared to be Fire Lady. I was hoping that perhaps you could visit the South Pole and help ease her fears."
"I guess I'm the best option," Mai nodded thoughtfully. She had spent some time with the waterbender after the first-anniversary summit and had helped answer a few questions for her. "I was bred to be Fire Lady, so was Ty Lee. When would you like me to go?"
"I was hoping you wouldn't mind leaving tomorrow," he admitted, his gratitude was apparent. "Ty Lee is more than welcome to go with you, I expected she would honestly. But I had hoped to send you both on my flagship tomorrow morning. I would join you for the second-anniversary summit in a few months."
"Tomorrow, that is very soon," she commented her brow furrowing. She had a lot that needed to happen to make his planned departure date.
The Fire Lord nodded, "It is, but Admiral Jee is heading out with some specific items tomorrow for the Southern Tribe and since he was already on his way I thought it would be a good time."
"I'll let Ty Lee know," Mai agreed instantly. She could read how anxious he was to send her. "Would you like me to bring anything specific to her?"
"I have a letter." Zuko handed two letters over to his friend who accepted them instantly. "There is one for Sokka too."
The noblewoman could sense the conversation was finished, she stood and began making her way to the door. She knew how difficult this arranged marriage was for Zuko, but she had a feeling that it would benefit him in the long run.
Now if only the couple could admit how they felt about each other, Mai decided that she would work on getting Katara to confess her feelings. Somehow she suspected it would be easier for the waterbender to admit than the firebender. But granted she didn't know how stubborn the Water Tribe Princess was.
"One more thing," Zuko called softly. She turned to look at him and was surprised by how small his voice sounded at his last request. "Could you help her see that I'll be a good husband to her?"
"I will do everything in my power to make her see that," the young noblewoman promised with a bittersweet smile before she left.
The Fire Lord let out a breath he had been holding for a long time. He hoped that Mai would be able to adjust Katara's view of him, so she could see him as a romantic partner. He wanted his future wife to love him the way he loved her. Perhaps that was wishful thinking, but it didn't hurt to try.
He was brought out of his thoughts by Malu entering the room abruptly, the guard didn't even knock as he entered. The Fire Lord was unused to seeing his guard so tense, something was not right.
"The Avatar's Sky Bison was spotted, Fire Lord Zuko," the guard immediately informed his lord at his entrance.
"The Avatar? I don't remember expecting him," the sovereign stood suddenly. He was concerned that Aang would come straight to the Fire Nation without writing. His mind raced with questions. Did the White Lotus uncover something about Lao Beifong? Did Aang find out who was behind the threats to the Fire Lord? Had something happened to any of his friends? His sister?
The Fire Lord flew out of his office and quickly made his way to the stables knowing that's where Aang would land Appa. He was hoping there was nothing wrong, Zuko didn't think he could handle any more stress.
Within minutes the firebender was able to spot his friend.
"Sifu Hot-man!" Aang greeted as he ran up and hugged his friend tightly. The firebender was shocked that their height difference was much less than before.
"Aang, what are you doing here?" Zuko questioned once he was released from the death grip of the airbender. No sooner had the words left his mouth did Appa licked the firebender from head to toe and grumbled happily.
"I came to see you," Aang replied in a tone that suggested his response was obvious. He looked up at his friend confused.
"So nothing is wrong?" The Fire Lord inquired, his voice hard and eyes piercing. He crossed his arms over his chest. He felt like he was back at Ember Island all over again.
"No," the Avatar shook his head with a grin. "Just wanted to visit, take a peek at the documents on airbenders."
"Aang," Zuko groaned as he rubbed his hand over his face. "We talked about this! You can't just show up unannounced unless it's an emergency. Some warning would be nice next time, it takes two minutes to send a hawk."
"Oops!" Aang shrugged and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I forgot."
"Twinkle Toes!" Toph called as she joined the two men. She had felt the vibrations of the landing sky bison. The earthbender delivered a quick punch to her old pupil. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, Iroh wrote to me and told me you found your mom, Zuko," Aang explained looking back at the firebender as he rubbed his arm. "And since you did that I thought I could talk to you about helping with my search for airbenders?"
"Haven't I been doing that already?" Zuko questioned, he was still slightly annoyed with his friend. Aang was acting very much like the child he was, he needed to remember that as the Avatar his sudden presence was cause for alarm.
"Well yeah, but there are just so many records I need to go through," Aang began almost lamenting. He looked up at his friend with sad eyes hoping the firebender would help him.
"And Twinkle Toes can't sit still long enough to go through them all, yup makes sense," Toph finished for the Avatar.
Zuko shook his head, of course, that was the case. He turned and beckoned his friends to follow him, telling the stable hand to take care of Appa as he walked through the building. The Fire Lord had a feeling this was going to be a long conversation and did not want to be in the stable to do it.
The firebender led his friends into one of his private sitting rooms, calling Giya to bring refreshments.
"Okay, so what do you need from me?" Zuko asked gruffly. He had a feeling he knew the answer already but, he wanted to hear what Aang had to say first.
"I want access to the Fire Nation records on airbenders," the young monk confirmed. He had been doing his best to find any indication of his countrymen across the world but the only nation who had kept track was the Fire Nation. "I know you said Sozin and Azulon, had tried to track them down. And that you have been sending me scrolls as you find them. But I also need help going through all of them."
"Aang, as much as I want to be able to help you go through them I don't have the time," the Fire Lord admitted rubbing a hand on his scar. The time required to comb through the records would leave him not able to lead his country. Forget about wooing his betrothed. He did want to help his friend though, "But I can see if Shyu is available to help you."
"I guess that will work," the Avatar agreed with a nod. He would have preferred Zuko's help but he liked the Fire Sage and would be glad to have his help. "Does that mean I'll have access to the Fire Lord's library?"
"Yes," Zuko replied with a shake of his head at the excitement his friend displayed.
"I'll help you too, Twinkle Toes, I just love reading," the Blind Bandit chimed in from her spot next to the monk.
Giya glided into the room silently and sat down a tray of refreshments on the table in front of the group. Zuko thanked her before he brushed the servant away as she went to pour the tea decided to do it himself, passing cups to each of his friends.
"Thanks!" Aang responded without thinking. It took a moment but finally, "Wait!"
Toph cackled as the dots connected for the Avatar. "Never gets old!"
"Zuko, there you are," Ursa greeted as she walked into the room. She had been looking for her son for the past hour when she heard voices.
"Mother, come meet my friend," her son called over to her. Beckoning her toward him, "This is Aang, the Avatar."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Ursa said with a respectful nod as she sat next to her son. He poured a cup of tea and passed it to her. "Zuko has told me so much about you, Avatar Aang."
The Fire Lord watched the mannerisms of his mother, she would have made a perfect Fire Lady.
"It's nice to meet you too Lady Ursa," Aang replied as he loaded his plate with the delicacies only offered to the Fire Lord. "Zuko was so excited that he found you."
"I was thrilled that he found me too," she admitted with a smile. She took a sip of her tea before commenting, "I hope I'm not interrupting your reunion."
"No, of course not," Zuko assured her as he passed her a plate with a few of her favorite tea sandwiches. "Aang and I were just talking about his search for airbenders. Turns out Sozin and Azulon kept meticulous records on their crusade to eliminate the air nomads."
"Avatar Aang, do you have reason to believe you can find airbenders?" Ursa asked the young man in front of her. Her mother had told her stories about the airbenders she had met with her grandfather, Avatar Roku.
"I believe that the airbenders were nomads and not everyone resided in the temples. There is a high chance that some survived and have been in hiding," the airbender answered, his hope contagious. "Also please call me Aang."
He didn't include his fear that he would be solely responsible for repopulating the nation if he was unable to find any. But he held on to hope that there were still a few out in the world somewhere. They might not be trained or even know they were benders but Aang felt deep in his soul there were others still alive.
"My grandfather kept a journal for each nation he visited," Ursa replied thoughtfully. She was lost in the memories of the stories her mother told of Roku. "In one he detailed areas that airbenders liked to travel to. I wonder if I still have it."
"That's right! Avatar Roku was your grandfather," Aang jumped up from his seat in excitement.
"Yes, he was," Ursa nodded with a soft smile. It was nice for her to be able to share those aspects of her history When she came to Caldera, speaking Roku's name had been almost treason. And then in Ba Sing Se, she was trying to stay hidden. "The only thing is I had hidden the journals from Ozai, I was only able to bring a few things with me when I left. I don't know if he ever found the journals."
"Where did you hide them?" The Fire Lord questioned his mother softly. He would not put it past his father to have destroyed the journals if he knew of their existence.
"A loose stone underneath our bed," she mumbled deep in thought. "I don't believe he knew of them, I never wanted him to know I had them. I could check if they are still there."
Zuko watched his mother in silence. He knew that she was the type of person who liked to stay busy. She had offered to take over the duties of Fire Lady until his marriage, but the Fire Lord knew that she would feel more fulfilled if she did more than arranging social events. As he watched her interact with Aang an idea came to his mind.
"Mother, would you like to help Aang with combing through the records?" Zuko inquired gently. He wanted her to be sure she had an option, but he thought she would like to help. "You have a unique perspective having read the journals of Avatar Roku."
"Only if Aang would like my help," The Fire Lord's mother replied. Though her eyes sparkled with hope and happiness.
"I would greatly appreciate it!" The Avatar exclaimed, he was eager to learn what he could about Roku and if he could find the airbenders in the process he would be eternally grateful. "There are so many scrolls we need to go through!"
"I will speak to Shyu tonight but in the meantime, you are more than welcome to access the library and begin combing through the records," the Fire Lord informed them both. A quick look at the time had him standing, "Now while I would love to stay and chat, I do have a council meeting to attend. Toph are you coming?"
The Fire Lord had decided to bring his friend along to the council meeting since he had received two threatening scrolls while he was away. While the Fire Lord was confident in his ability to identify traitors and liars, he thought it was best to bring the human lie detector with him. He also knew that Toph loved to make the council on edge with her blueness whenever Zuko let her sit in a meeting.
"Yup!" The earthbender responded popping the word loudly.
The two friends walked through the palace in silence. Zuko liked to arrive early to council meetings, it always made them nervous and on edge to walk in seeing him already seated. The Fire Lord took his place on the dais bending a wall of fire as he waited for the council to arrive. Toph sat at the head of the council table per Zuko's instructions. She would be able to get a clear read with the stone floor.
Within a matter of minutes, the room was filled with the council members. Zuko had a feeling it was going to be a long meeting.
"Mai, Ty Lee, it's so good to see you!" Katara greeted the guests after they disembarked the Flagship. Sokka was deep in conversation with Admiral Jee off to the side. The Water Tribe siblings had only just been warned a few days prior to expect the arrival of the noblewomen.
Ty Lee instantly bounced over to the waterbender pulling her into a tight embrace. "It's good to see you too! I'm so excited to be in the South Pole!"
Mai gave a slight nod to their host, physical affection was something she only reserved for Ty Lee. "I'm sorry it's such short notice that we are here," the noblewoman told the waterbender.
"We are much more causal here in the Water Tribe," Katara assured them with a wave of her hand. She gestured for them to follow her. "Come, let's get you settled in. Maybe even find you some warmer clothes."
"It's so beautiful here!" Ty Lee began to prattle as they entered the canoe that would navigate their way through the new canals. "The carvings on the wall are stunning. And all the snow! I've never seen snow before, I love how white it is! How is Suki and Sokka's wedding coming along? Is she going to wear a Kyoshi gown or Water Tribe? I can't imagine how hard it must be to mix traditions like that! Oh, you have a ring! It's so pretty. Did Zuko do the etching of the dragons in the gold?"
The acrobat had pulled at Katara's hand when she noticed the ring sparkling in the light, she instantly knew what it was. In her opinion, Zuko had done an extraordinary job in designing the ring. Traditionally if the person asking was a firebender, they would be the one to carve the design into the ring. But Ty Lee was unsure if Zuko would do it now that he was Fire Lord.
"Ty, slow down," Mai commanded her lover as she wrapped an arm around her. The more reserved noblewoman was sure to reel in the acrobat. "Ask one question at a time. Your ring is beautiful Katara, I know Zuko spent many weeks trying to get the dragons just right."
The Fire Nation noblewoman knew how significant the time spent carving the betrothal token was in the Water Tribes. She had purposely elected to inform the waterbender of the time spent on the ring. She wanted Zuko to be happy and wanted them both to admit their feelings. Mai figured a good first step was informing her of the time spent.
"Thank you," Katara responded blushing slightly.
She pulled her hand back to admire her ring for a moment. She felt a flood of heat surround her body at Mai's words. The waterbender had known her betrothed had done the carving but the fact he had spent a lot of time on it meant the world to her. It might have seemed insignificant to the Fire Nation but in the Water Tribe, it was important.
"Your wedding is going to be beautiful, the wedding of the century!" Ty Lee chatted as they continued through the canals to the Chief's home.
"I don't know if it will be the wedding of the century," Katara mumbled looking away slightly.
"But that's what so many people are calling it," Mai informed the waterbender. She was unsure if Katara was trying to be modest or if she really didn't know how big of a deal it was going to be. "Your bother's wedding will be grand of course, he is the heir to the throne. But your's and Zuko's will be much more since it is opposite elements, war heroes, two nations battled in the war for a hundred years, and even more importantly it is the first Fire Lord to not have been married when he ascended the throne in almost three hundred years."
"I didn't realize," Katara whispered, her thumb going to rub the underside of her ring. She knew it would be a big deal but she didn't realize how big of a deal. She quickly distracted herself with their arrival in front of the palace, disembarking and waiting for her guests to follow.
"Last I heard, the guest count was well over a thousand people," Ty Lee added as she quickly followed her girlfriend out of the canoe. "Plus now that Lady Ursa is found, she will take over the planning."
"He found her!" The Water Tribe Princess squealed, forgetting momentarily about her nerves. "I haven't heard from him, so I didn't know!"
"Oh shoot!" Mai exclaimed with a shake of her head. She reached into her bag and handed Katara the scroll. "I was supposed to give this to you immediately upon arrival and I forgot. There is one for your brother too."
"You are fine," Katara brushed her off as she accepted the signature red and gold scroll. "You haven't even been in the South Pole an hour. I'll wait to read this after showing you to your rooms."
The three women walked quickly into the Water Tribe Palace, Ty Lee keeping a steady stream of chatter as they moved through the halls. Soon Katara was showing them to their rooms and leaving them to settle in.
Making sure she was not needed for the rest of the afternoon, the waterbender retired to her bedroom to read the letter from her fiancé.
Katara,
I found her.
She was in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se this whole time. My mother was so close to me during the last year of the war and I had no idea. I could have walked by her a thousand times in Ba Sing Se and I never knew. But she's back here in the Fire Nation and I could not be more thrilled. I cannot wait for you to meet her in the next couple of months.
I think once I arrive in the South Pole we might need some time on the roof together. I promise you that we will make it a regular habit once we are married for our late-night roof conversations.
I could never resent you. You don't think you are cut out to be Fire Lady? I think you are the perfect person for it. You will rule with compassion, grace, and a warrior's spirit. I hope you do disagree with me publicly, I never wanted a quiet wife. You push me to be better and I need that.
You are scared and I understand that, I was terrified to become Fire Lord. But I know you are facing challenges that I did not. I had Mai and Ty Lee come early to the South Pole because both know Fire Nation tradition and royal court life better than anyone. Both of them were thrust into their friendship with my sister in the hopes of becoming Fire Lady. They are there to answer any and all questions you have.
You won't be alone, I promise you that. I could never grow to hate you.
Katara, I know this is not what you dreamed of and I wish I could change the way this happened. But I will spend every day of our marriage doing everything I can to make you happy.
I hope to be a good husband to you,
Zuko
Katara clutched the letter to her chest. Her heartbeat was extraordinarily fast as she processed the words Zuko had written. She dropped the letter, quickly writing a response back to her fiancé before leaving her room to mail her response.
As she walked through the streets of her home, she left lighter and free than ever before. For the first time since returning to the South Pole, the waterbender felt at peace with her upcoming marriage to the Fire Lord.
"I think I might visit my parents before I go back to Ba Sing Se," Toph commented from her spot across the dinner table from Zuko.
It had been a few weeks since Ursa had returned to the Fire Nation. The Fire Lord's mother had taken over the duties customarily set aside for the Fire Lady, including planning his wedding to Katara. His mother and Aang had also been reviewing every single document they could get their hands on regarding airbenders. And the Avatar was confident they were on the verge of a breakthrough.
"Are you going to be okay to do that?" Zuko questioned his chopsticks paused halfway to his mouth. He didn't know if it was the best idea for her to return to Gaoling, not only because her father appeared to have tangled with some questionable business deals. But because the firebender was worried about the emotional toll it would take on the Blind Bandit.
"Yeah, I need to tell them about Haru," she replied with a nod. This was something she had been thinking about since her field trip with Zuko. "Even though they won't be happy."
"Why do you want to tell them?" Aang asked Toph from his spot next to her. He didn't understand why she wanted to see them, it confused him that she wanted their approval.
"Because they either will accept me as I am or not," Toph shrugged pushing the food around on her plate. She needed to do this to be free of them. "But I need to go in there alone and let them make that decision. I know it will probably end poorly, but I need to do this."
"I don't get it," Aang looked at her confused as he continued to eat his dinner.
"I do," Zuko nodded to her with a sad smile. His mind traveled back to when he confronted his father during the Day of Black Sun. "Let me know when you want to leave and I'll make all the travel arrangements for you."
And that's how a week later Toph found herself at the entrance of her parents' home. A few deep breaths to steady herself before she knocked on the door. Within seconds her mother answered.
"Toph!" Poppy greeted her daughter, the noblewoman hugging her quickly. "Come in, let's have some tea."
The earthbender allowed her mother to pull her into the house. If she wanted this trip to go well, she was hoping that her parents would accept her. But she was not naive enough to think it would. Toph was hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.
"Where's dad?" She asked as she sat across from her mom. The earthbender resisted the urge to slouch in the chair but failed after a few minutes.
"He's in a business meeting, he should be home soon," Poppy explained before calling a servant over to bring them tea. She was thrilled that her daughter was home after such a sudden departure during her last visit.
"Who is he meeting with?" Toph asked as she put her feet on the furniture. She could feel her mother bristle at the unladylike maneuver. But if she wanted to be accepted it meant showing her true self.
"I don't have the slightest idea," Poppy responded brushing off the question. She did not pay attention much to her husband's business. He made enough money to keep them very comfortable and that was the only thing that mattered to the noblewoman.
Toph was unsurprised by her mother's lack of knowledge. But she had hoped to find out a little bit about what her father was up to, especially considering the recent information that Zuko had shared. "Well, I hope he gets here soon. I have news for you both."
"Poppy, I'm sorry I'm late," Lao called as he moved to the sitting room. He stopped when his eyes took in his daughter, his shock taking over before his displeasure at her appearance. "Toph!"
"Hey dad," she replied not moving to get up. She didn't feel like she should change her behaviors to please him.
"You are back, I see the Fire Lord is not holding you, hostage," Lao sneered at the end as he sat next to his wife. His eyes scanned her posture and crossed his arms over his chest, he didn't like the mannerism she had returned with.
"Like Zuko could hold me, hostage," the earthbender snorted. Toph could not understand her father's extreme hatred for the firebender. Nor with how much her father disliked who she was as a person.
"Well what are we supposed to think when you go running off with the Fire Nation all the time," Lao remarked with a dismissive wave of his hand. His eyes zeroed in on her feet that were propped up on the tea table. "Am I to assume they were the ones who rid you of your manners?"
"Nah, Sparky and Sugar Queen always got on my case about my manners," Toph picked at her ear. She slouched further into the chair. "But I don't really care."
"Toph you said you had news," Poppy interrupted her husband before he could speak. She didn't want her daughter to leave suddenly like she had last time.
"Yeah I did and I would like you all to wait until I'm finished," she explained. Toph took a deep breath and began. "I am the best earthbender in the world. I love fighting and training other benders. Working with my friends in all areas of the world, helping rebuild our world is something I love to do. And I refuse to give that up just because it makes you uncomfortable."
"I wouldn't say it makes us uncomfortable," Lao scoffed, he clearly thought she was being too emotional. Just reinforcing his belief that she was not capable of making her own decisions.
"I'm not done," Toph hissed before she continued. "Lastly, I'm in love with Haru. I could see myself marrying him one day. You might say I'm young but I have lived more than most and I refuse to give him up just because you don't find him respectable."
"He's a commoner!" Lao exclaimed, standing from his chair in a show of dominance. He was taken back when she didn't show any fear or bend to his will.
"He may not have a noble title or money, but he is anything but common," Toph commanded, her voice strong and sure. She didn't feel the need to try to battle for dominance with her father. "This is who I am. You either accept me as I am or you don't accept me at all."
The earthbender waited in silence for her parents to come out of their shock. This was the defining moment for their relationship. Toph was prepared to walk away from her family if they did not accept her. She had spent many nights going over the conversation she had with Zuko in Ba Sing Se. The youngest member of Team Avatar would never truly be free if she was tied to her parents' expectations.
Unsurprisingly Poppy was the first to speak, with Lao shortly after.
"Toph, I just want you to be happy," Poppy confessed, eyes brimming with tears. It had hurt her when her daughter ran away during the war and then again when she didn't return after the war ended. "Of course I will accept you! I cannot wait to meet this Haru."
"Dad?" Toph asked her father. The Blind Bandit didn't like how weak her voice sounded as she waited for his response.
"What your mother said," Lao lied through his teeth.
The earthbender was sad to detect the deception from her father but she had expected it. Though she no longer was the young girl who ran away from home, this time she would not react. It was just the way of her father.
"Thank you," Toph responded, her voice coming out much stronger than she felt. She pushed herself out of her seat. "Well, I need to get going."
"You are leaving so soon?" Poppy asked in alarm. Her eyes darting between her daughter and her husband. There was something happening between the two but she didn't know what it was.
"I have to get back to Ba Sing Se," Toph explained as she began walking toward the door. "I'm supposed to travel with King Keui to the Anniversary Summit in the South Pole."
After her goodbyes, Toph was on the road to Ba Sing Se. She waited until she was a few hours outside of Gaoling before she let the tears fall. Her father would never accept her, he was not capable.
It was a bittersweet moment for Toph.
Zuko,
I am so excited you found her!
The important thing is you found her and she will be at our wedding. Have you explained what happened to Azula? I'm sure that will be a difficult conversation if you haven't already had it.
I think we can arrange some time on the roof when you get here. But fair warning it is freezing, so we won't be able to sit out as long as we normally do.
Thank you for asking Mai and Ty Lee to come. They have been a huge help with easing my nerves about being Fire Lady. Both of them also reminded me while you have your set of advisors, the Fire Lady has her own. I've asked both of them to be a part of mine. I figured they would help me navigate court life.
My father keeps reminding me that marriage is what you make it. Maybe once we have time away from prying eyes we can start figuring out how to make ours a happy one? I don't expect you to love me the way a husband traditionally loves his wife, but maybe we can at least deepen our friendship?
You probably won't have time to send another letter back. I know you will be busy finalizing the arrangements for the Fire Nation before you leave for the South Pole. So if it's easier, just wait and tell me your answers on the roof.
See you in a few weeks,
Katara
The Fire Lord had set the letter on his desk after he had read it. It pained him greatly that Katara didn't expect him to love her the way a husband loved his wife. If only she knew that he had loved her that way since their very first night on the roof in Ember Island. His finger traced her signature. Wooing her would be much easier in the days to come when she would be his side.
The young firebender pushed the letter aside and turned back to navigating the carving he was creating. He had to leave in two days' time for the South Pole and Katara's betrothal necklace was still not finished yet. It had taken him six months to find the right stone and another two to find the ribbon to accompany it. He understood now what Sokka had meant about the symbolism creating the betrothal token.
He secretly hoped that she would be able to tell the depths of his feelings by the betrothal necklace he would gift her. But if she didn't see it from the ring, he doubted she would see it from the necklace. Still, he put his entire heart into creating the necklace she would wear for the rest of their lives.
He shook his head before picking up the practice stone he was carving on before he began the real stone. He had yet to be able to carve the full design successfully once. Patience was not something he was known for.
"Fuck," Zuko hissed as he messed up the design for the tenth time, he tossed the imperfect stone across the room. He grabbed another practice stone and readied the chisel he was using to start over again.
"Umm, I just wanted to say hi," Aang mumbled from his spot in the doorframe. His eyes looking at wear the blemished stone lay a few feet from him.
"Oh sorry Aang," Zuko mumbled, embarrassed to be caught in such a frustrated state. He beckoned his friend to come into his office and take a seat.
"What are you doing?" The airbender asked as he sat down in front of his friend.
"I'm trying to carve Katara's necklace," Zuko admitted as he held up the practice stone, currently mistake-free. "Sokka suggested I practice to make sure I get the design right but I just can't seem to get it. This is the tenth stone I've ruined today."
"Maybe you are trying too hard," Aang commented as he watched the Fire Lord begin his eleventh attempt. He was able to see how ridged his friend was, "You are gripping the chisel too tight."
"That makes no sense," the firebender snapped as he instantly messed up again. He dropped the tool onto his desk and rubbed a hand over his face. This was never going to get done he thought to himself.
"Zuko," the airbender scolded. The Fire Lord dropped his hand from his face and looked up at his friend. "Take a deep breath and relax. When you are redirecting lightning, you need to be relaxed and centered. Remember, it's based on waterbending you need to move with the energy."
"The student has become the master," the young monarch chuckled lightly. His shoulder's dropped after he thought over his friend's words. "Okay, I'll relax."
"I also think you should skip the practice stone and go straight to the actual stone," Aang advised. He knew if Zuko spent too much time trying to perfect the design he would never move to the actual stone.
"I don't know," the Fire Lord looked unsure as he looked at the stone sitting across his desk. It was a sharp contrast in color to everything around his office.
"Just trust me okay?"
"Okay," the firebender moved the practice stones to the corner of his desk. His fingers reached for the blue jade he had purchased for Katara. He had spent months looking for the perfect stone and had found this one when he was in Ba Sing Se.
"I'm going to talk to you the entire time you are carving," Aang explained once Zuko's hands were poised to start carving. "Sokka told me once to move with the grain of the stone, don't act against it. You ready?"
"Move with the grain," the firebender mumbled after a nod to his friend. He placed the chisel at one end and began to feel the flow of grain as he worked. When meeting resistance instead of forcing the shape, he came at it from another angle. It did remind him of lightning redirection.
For the next hour, the airbender kept up a steady stream of chatter while the firebender carved the design into the blue jade. And sure enough, not one single mistake was made. It also did not go unnoticed to the Fire Lord that the Avatar had spoken only about stories involving Katara.
"Done," Zuko said as he strung the stone onto the black ribbon before holding it up for Aang's inspection. The black ribbon caused the blue jade to be the main focus of the necklace. "Do you think she will like it?"
"I think she will love it," Aang assured his friend as he took in the design. It was a perfect representation of his two friends. But what really made the airbender pause was the care that had been taken in the carving. He could see that the firebender had poured his entire soul into creating the necklace.
"I didn't want to overly complicate it," Zuko explained as he placed the necklace on his desk and looked down at the design. It turned out much better than he had anticipated, "Plus I thought the design represented the two of us well. Now all I have to do is melt the gold and let it set onto the pattern."
"If I didn't already know how you felt about her, it would be obvious from the care in your design," Aang praised his friend. He was sure that Katara would see how Zuko felt about her with one look at the necklace. "Why don't you tell her?"
"Tell her now? After she's forced into a marriage with me?" The Fire Lord scoffed with a shake of his head. The thought had crossed his mind in Omashu, but he knew it would a disaster. "Yeah, great idea Aang. She'll just feel betrayed and probably hate me more."
"For as well as you know her, sometimes you are so wrong about her," Aang shook his head as he stood to leave. He paused in the doorway and turned to look back at his friend, "You can't hide it forever Zuko."
What did we think? Did we like how Zuko found his mother?
I know this chapter is a little bit on the slower side, but there is much to come in the next few! We have our lovers reconnecting, which means there will be some sparks flying.
As always would love to hear your thoughts! Remember reviewers receive a special exclusive 100-150word sneak peek. You must have a FanFic account and be logged in to get the sneak peek. Also, be sure to have private messaging turned on!
See you on December 25th, 2021!