Chapter Seven - The Final Chapter

"Ozai..." she sighed in relief at having been rescued by the slew of servants.

"How dare you!"

"Huh?"

"How dare you use that tone with me!"

"What are you-?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I only just found out I didn't-" Ozai had kissed her.

"Do you know what this means!" He thundered when he pulled away.

"No..."

"It means...that...I have an heir...and you're positive it's a boy..."

"No...not entirely..."

"Well you better be..." Ozai left. Tala was alone in her chambers again.

"Was I a cute baby?" Zuko asked stupidly.

"What did I say about interrupting?"

"I thought that-"

"SHUT-UP! The story is almost through!"

That night when Ozai came in, Tala was still awake. "I need to talk to you." He said sternly.

"What is it?"

"It is obvious that you knew you were pregnant and refused to tell me. So-"

"What!" Tala protested. "You have as usual refused to believe the truth and come to the wrong conclusion."

"LET ME FINISH WOMAN!" As Ozai shouted, the baby inside her turned. It knew fear.

"Don't shout! You're scaring your son." She could so use her pregnancy to get him calm, for at least nine months.

"Fine...tell me...everything...EVERY SECRET you've ever had since you meet me, every excruciating detail." With that Tala told him her story. When she was finished Ozai looked at her.

"You've made me out to be a total jerk!" He slapped her, and then he kissed her. "I've done everything I could to make you happy! And this is how you repay me!"

"Make me happy! Name one thing you've done to make me happy!"

"I gave you servants."

"Then you took them away."

"I gave you a home."

"Because you refused to let me go."

"I gave you food; I even cured your hideous scar!"

"Because you didn't want to marry someone with a scar the size of Texas!"

"What's Texas?"

"I don't know!" (couldn't resist)

"I showed you love!"

"As you did every other girl in your life, I just happen to be the one you married!" Tala still was attached to him, because he was her first.

"That's it!"

"What!"

"The day that child is born, you are out of here! Dead, caput, end of your life!" He left. The next nine months were pure agony to Tala. He only got harsher towards her. Despite her real feelings. When the baby was born, sure enough, it was a son. She never got to hold him, because Ozai snatched him away. After the birth she stood in the dungeon awaiting her arriving death. She cried for the first time in who knows how long.

"Tala..." Came a voice, it was Iroh's.

"Iroh..."

"Yes...I need to tell you something..."

"What?"

"Remember that day in the forest several years ago, when you joined the army, and someone caught you as you fell...that was me."

"You...what, how did you-"

"I'd know you anywhere in a heartbeat...but remember...A heart once imprisoned, is now it's own in full measure." And with that Iroh left, and Ozai came.

"Come to butcher me out before you kill me..." Tala said.

"No. actually..."

"What then...jerk?"

"I came to set you free..." Ozai opened the cell door. "I want you to run, run away and never return, and this time, don't come back." He held the baby in his hands.

She started to leave as she glanced at her son. "May I?" She held out her arms, Ozai handed her the child. She held it in her arms. She felt a sensation in her stomach, she was a mother! A mother! After a few minutes she kissed the child and handed the baby to Ozai. She started to leave.

"Tala, wait!" Ozai walked up to her.

"Huh?"

"I want to apologize; I've been a real jerk to you. When you told me your side of the story a few months ago it got me thinking on how cruel I was to you...and I just want to say I'm sorry."

"I forgive you..." She said as Ozai drew her close and kissed her with more passion than he ever had before. He almost felt sorry he let her go. But he watched her leave, and he never saw her again.

"Then after that...I felt so bad that I called you Zuko...her military name..."

"But father..."

"Yes son..."

"You were supposed to tell me who I was named after, not the whole story. Some of that stuff I really didn't need to know."

"Whatever...I tried to entertain you, and you shove me away...typical...come on." He and Zuko left the room. But there was someone else in the room listening to the story. A hooded figure in a cape, and mask.

"Zuko..."

(yes there will be a sequel for Zula...working on it now)