Chapter 58

They would be there soon. One of king Bumi's rangers had spotted them a week ago. By the time he returned he estimated they were only two days behind him. That news was now two days old. Ursa paced around the outer courtyard in the palace waiting for word that they'd arrived. As she paced, she fretted over her imminent reunion with her son. Would he be happy to see her? Would he be able to forgive her?

When she had first reunited with Azula her daughter had been angry. It hadn't taken them long to get past but Zuko was different. He had likely felt even more betrayed than Azula by her abandonment. Her decision to stay near his sister rather than seek him out after his banishment likely only further alienated him. Now he had a family of her own. Would he be able to forgive her like his sister had?

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts she didn't notice the servant until they were practically shouting at her.

"Lady Ursa, excuse me, King Bumi sent me to find you. Prince Zuko and his family have arrived at the city gates. They are making their way to the palace now. Would you like to join the King to greet them?"

The knots in her stomach pulled tighter and she felt sick. This was it. He would either be glad to see her, or not. If he was, everything would be ok and they could all be a family again. If not well… She couldn't dwell on that. Clenching her fists and taking a calming breath, Ursa pulled her shoulders back and nodded. She could do this. If Azula had forgiven her and accepted her back into her life, surely Zuko would too.

When she reached the hall where they had gathered, what she saw stole her breath.

He looked different than the picture on the wanted posters and death notices. The scar was just as terrible as she'd imagined but his hair was long and the dark green he wore flattered his coloring. Most shocking was how much older he looked. When Ursa had left him behind he had been a boy. Now he was every inch the man. Standing beside King Bumi, Zuko looked tall and strong. A shrill cry that could only have come from a baby broke her from her reverie. She had to fight back the tears when a smile split her sons face as a beautiful young woman placed a wriggling baby in his arms. Zuko laughed and made a show of introducing the child to King Bumi.

Tearing her eyes from her son, she took in the others in the room. A more careful look at the young woman and Ursa knew she could only be the waterbender, Katara. Zuko's wife was lithe and beautiful as she smiled fondly at her family. Ursa could tell at once that she must love her son and she wanted very much to know this girl. Beside her stood a younger girl that looked Earth Kingdom and a young man that could have been master Katara's brother they looked so alike. She smiled when she saw Iroh, noting how well the years had treated him. He was chuckling at something King Bumi had said and wrapping an arm around… Azula!

Azula had come with them. Whatever had happened between her and Zuko, he hadn't hurt her and she had traveled back with them. Ursa had agonized over how he would react when Azula found them in Ba SIng Se. While she had faith Zuko wouldn't kill his sister, a crystal lit cell in some dank dungeon wasn't an impossibility. To see her with her uncle and unrestrained filled Ursa with relief. Perhaps her dream that they could be a family again wasn't so ridiculous after all.

Deciding that she'd lingered in the doorway long enough, Ursa wiped her eyes and stepped into the room. The Earth Kingdom girl noticed her first, turning to face her with downcast eyes. Her movement drew Azula's attention and her uncomfortable frown melted into a smile when she saw Ursa.

"Mother!" Azula was across the room with her arms around her before she could think. "I missed you. I lived for years without you but now that I'm used to you again these two months were lonely on my own."

"I missed you too my dear girl." Ursa pulled back to look her daughter over. "Your hair is growing out, you look healthy." Azula smirked and looked back over her shoulder where the others stood, a slight blush coloring her cheeks when the Water Tribe man smiled at them. Ursa would have to remember to ask her about that later.

"Mother?"

His voice, so much deeper than the last time she had heard it, washed over her like a welcome rain. She had spent so long believing him dead, and then he was alive again but out of her reach. When their eyes met, for the briefest of moments she was back at the palace and he was a little boy asking to feed the turtle ducks again. Her throat was tight and tears spilled down her cheeks and she found she could not move. It was Azula's hand on her arm that brought her back to herself. Suddenly where her innocent boy had been a man now stood. His broad shoulders and stubbled chin so different than the way she remembered him.

And the scar.

The terrible, twisted, burnt flesh that marred his handsome face and made her curse her own cowardice. It taunted her, 'all her fault' it seemed to scream at her. If only she had taken him with her, if only she had protected him, if only she had killed Ozai like she'd killed his father. Before she knew she had crossed the room, Ursa was standing in front of Zuko. Anger at herself and at Ozai raged beneath her breast as she reached a hand up to cup his face, her thumb running along the edge of the too-smooth skin. Sharing the burden of both of her children's suffering, Ursa had been able to help Azula. As she traced her fingers over her sons ruined cheek she knew there was nothing she could do for this wound.

"Oh Zuko, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you from him. I'm sorry I abandoned you." She wasn't sure how she had thought their reunion would go but now that she was here the guilt she had felt when she had found Azula threatened to consume her all over again. She could no more stop the apologies than she could the tears. "I'm sorry I never tried to find you." There were tears in Zuko's eyes too as her other hand rested tentatively on his chest. "Oh my son, I'm so… I'm sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"

A strangled laugh broke free from her son before she was crushed against him. Zuko clung to her, his own tears dampening her hair.

"I missed you so much."

Ursa held him back just as tight, belatedly realizing how tall he had grown when she noticed he had pulled her nearly off her feet. When they finally pulled apart, Zuko was smiling down at her.

"Please don't feel guilty over this." He gestured to his face. "If it hadn't happened, if I hadn't been banished, I wouldn't be the man I am today. I wouldn't have my family, and I wouldn't trade them for anything."

It was too much. Ursa sobbed openly and hugged him tight again. That he could forgive her was wonderful, but to have such a positive view of the pain and suffering he'd endured as a child? He was right of course, who knows what he would have been if he hadn't escaped Ozai when he did. Now he had everything she'd ever wanted for him. She was so inexpressibly proud of him.

"It's everything to me to see you again, Zuko. I missed you more than you can know. I'm so, so very proud of you."

He looked back over his shoulder towards his family before replying, the wide smile not leaving his face.

"Mother, I have so many things I want to tell you. So much has happened, so much has changed since you left but first, I want you to meet my family."

Ursa smiled at that, overjoyed that not every moment her son had lived these last few years had been painful.

The young woman she had rightly guessed to be Katara stepped around him and smiled nervously at her, her face as wet as Zuko's.

"This is Katara, my wife."

The pair shared a look for a moment that spoke more than words. Ursa knew at once that Yun Sui had been correct in his assessment of their bond. It was obvious from that brief interaction and the proud smile her son wore how much they cared for one another. Although she would never admit it out loud but Ursa had worried slightly that they had only married out of duty when Katara had gotten pregnant. She knew all too well what a marriage of duty was like. The lingering anxiety evaporated knowing that hadn't been the case. Ursa was only slightly surprised to find herself suddenly embracing her daughter in law. Her voice came in a rush against Ursa's ear.

"I'm so happy to meet you. Zuko has spoken of you often. I can't tell you how happy it makes me that he has you again." Ursa's heart squeezed at the honest joy in her voice. When she pulled back, the two women smiled at one another.

"And I thank Agni for your life, you have made my son so happy. When this war is over I look forward to getting to know you."

Katara's dark skin reddened slightly at the praise but any further conversation was cut off by Iroh's jovial interruption.

"As delighted as I'm sure you no doubt are to see me Ursa, I am positive this little lady would love to meet her grandmother."

Iroh handed the little girl back to her father, his broad smile displayed his own happiness over the reunion.

A girl. A granddaughter.

She was a beautiful little thing. Her silky dark hair was just beginning to curl over cerulean eyes, a perfect blend of her parents. Ursa loved her at once.

"Her name is Kya, after Katara's mother."

Azula caught her eye with a smug grin, she had been correct about the name after all. Ursa smiled with sudden jubilant laughter as Zuko handed her the girl. Kya looked up at her with wide, curious eyes as she spoke to her in a silly voice.

"Hello you precious girl." She kissed her soft temple and was rewarded with a slobbery smile. "I am your grandmother, your daddy's mummy. What a miracle you are." Ursa looked up at her son and his wife, tears burning the corners of her eyes. "She is beautiful, I am so happy for you my son. Agni has truly blessed you."

With an amused snort, Azula stepped up to her side as she passed Kya back to Katara.

"You don't know the half of it mother." Azula reached a finger out to poke her niece on the nose as Zuko cast anxious eyes around the room.

"Azula.. not here."

Something passed between the three of them that had Ursa's gut tightening uncomfortably. What had happened? Taking a moment to observe the three of them interacting, it was clear something rather monumental had to have. Neither Zuko or Katara seemed at all fussed as Kya tugged on Azula's finger. Noting the tense air that had suddenly fallen on the room, Ursa looked to her former husband's brother with a question on her lips.

The strange man that was called king made himself known for the first time since she had joined them.

"Perhaps we should adjourn to my private parlor, fewer ears for sensitive matters."

Iroh nodded and gestured for the others to follow the older man from the room.

"That sounds like an excellent idea old friend. There is much to tell indeed, and one can never be too careful these days."

Was Iroh implying there were spies in Omashu? A cold dread settled over her as his words sparked a terrifying thought. Had Ozai somehow reached them in Ba Sing Se? Kya was hardly more than half a year old and already her young life was filled with uncertainty and danger.

Once they were safely sequestered in King Bumi's private chambers, Iroh set about making them tea while Katara and Zuko took turns telling her all that had happened since the comet. Ursa could tell by the way she glared into her lap that Katara had been as horrified by Zuko and her brother's brush with death the year before as she was. While she had known it must have been a close thing to convince Ozai, knowing just how close her son had actually come to death nearly had her in a fit. Then they had fled north, and everywhere in between it seemed, reached Ba Sing Se at last and Zuko had married his bride. Ursa wished terribly that she could have been present.

By the time they finally got to Azula's arrival in the walled city, they were on their second pot of tea and every one of their faces were grim.

It was Katara that spoke at last, ending the tense silence.

"I don't know what all you did for Azula, but… thank you so much for sending her on ahead. I know it must have been difficult given what you knew of Zuko and her relationship." She paused, seeming to have difficulty speaking around her obvious upset. Zuko took her hand in his and after a long sigh, she continued. "While she was with us in Ba Sing Se, some of Ozai's spies managed to kidnap Kya. If it hadn't been for Azula and her knowledge of the underground tunnels from her last stay in the city, we never would have found them in time. If they had made it beyond the outer wall… Azula and my brother Sokka got to them first. They were outnumbered and Azula was very nearly killed but they managed to get Kya away from them just as we finally arrived."

Ursa was stunned. Whatever she had imagined had happened, this wasn't it. Her ever present hatred for her former husband stirred at the idea that he would try to hurt their family again in this way. Although, why would he? Surely he didn't know about Kya, and she couldn't imagine his spies would have risked exposure over a baby when there had to be more important information for them to learn.

"Why would they kidnap her? I doubt Ozai, bastard though he is, would approve his spies revealing themselves just for her. He already assumes both of my children are dead, did he somehow find out about her?"

Beside her, Azula was nearly vibrating from holding back. Zuko straightened and looked ready to say something when his sister beat him to it.

"As far as we know, Father has no idea either of us are alive nor does he know about Zuko's daughter. He did however, likely have orders to find the next Avatar. Katara is from the Southern Water tribe, and they all sought refuge in Ba Sing Se after the comet."

It took a solid minute for Ursa to comprehend what Azula was saying. When she finally spoke again, it was with all the haughty airs of a former royal and the very smuggest of grins.

"Well, so much for the end of my weak line. The arrogant bastard would die of shock if he knew, and it would serve him right."