AN: Here it is. The horribly sad and heart-wrenching day we've waited for - the end of this story. But never fret! For I have many ideas stored up in my
badly-in-need-of-a-pshyciatrist head just waiting to be typed and posted! Unfortunatly I don't want to use them all up at once, so for now you will have to deal with my other story Not so Simple or my short little one shot Remembering.
Also keep in mind that every story I do involving a pairing involving Katara, the other side will be Zuko, and vise-versa. Zutara Forever!
As a side note - yesterday was Friday the thirteenth, and I had a pop quiz in one of my classes. If it had not had a word bank - I would have surely failed. Hell, I probably failed anyway.
So here it is! The epilouge! Please note that this chapter does have some kid unfriendly material and it should be taken into account that I did rate this story T...
Katara's Cinderella Story
Epilouge
There had not been a physical battle that faithful day in the forests outside Sozun. Zuko had not disappeared into the forest. Uncle Iroh was not worried about Zuko. Not too much anyways.
There had been a verbal battle, mostly between Katara and Sokka. Zuko had climbed onto Appa and flown off with the gang. Iroh had been a fairly exellent actor.
So exellent, in fact, that he was able to decieve the fire lord, lady, princess, and important officers into believing that Zuko had disappeared into the forest, and the Avatar was long gone.
The Fire Lord naturally sent out ships to search for him, but Aang was always two steps ahead.
On the way to find Aang an earthbending trainer, Zuko taught him to firebend. Aang, besides being a slight bit impatient, learned quickly and was rather good.
They spent a little over a month in Omashu, where King Bumi taught Aang earthbending. He was surprizingly maturing, although still kept a bit of his goofy kid self.
They all joined the army to fight against Ozai. After two weeks, Zuko was in command of a division of two thousand, including Aang, Sokka, and Katara.
Two weeks before summer's end, they attacked. An army sixty thousand strong against Sozun's forces of forty thousand. The battle lasted until midnight, when Sozun admitted defeat. Zuko himself defeated the Fire Lord, yet handed him over to the Water and Earth Nations. Ozai was sentenced to death. Zula and Zhao were sentenced to life in prison.
Zuko took control of the Fire Nation, and set about making peace. In a heroic speech he said -
"The walls of trust were shattered through one man's selfishness. It will take years to rebuild them, but I am willing to sacrifice another one hundred years to do so."
After the battle he fought along side them, the Earth Kingdom and Water Nation accepted his offer of peace.
With that settled, ZUko had one more thing to do - he proposed to Katara in the beautiful Fire Palace gardens, at sunset.
Sokka never did quite warm up to Zuko as Katara had oh so often said he would. Yet, he knew they were in love, and so was happy for them none the less.
Four months After the wedding...
Word did not spread quickly to the Southern Water Tribe. So when the young Fire Nation messenger entered its walls, he didn't exactly recieve a warm welcome.
A man, who might have been handsome if he had not been so weathered by war, took the messenger by the collar and threw him to the ground in the center of the tribe. Everyone stopped what they were doing to gather around. An old woman came to stand beside the man.
"What is your business here?" His voice was harsh and commanding.
"I - I'm a messenger, sir."
"Yes, a Fire Nation messenger. What news could they possibly have for us? Lord Ozai planning an attack?" The boy's eyes widened.
"You haven't heard." He whispered.
"Haven't heard what?" The man barked.
"O - Ozai was sentence to death after the Battle of Sozun nearly five months ago. The war is over, and the new Fire Lord has made peace with the Earth and Water Nations." The tribe broke out in whispers.
"Then what message do you bring?" The man's voice was softer, but still commanding.
"The Fire Lady, she wishes to know if - if an Atilla and a Kana still live."
"And what would a lady of the Fire Nation want with us?" It was the elderly woman this time.
"Oh, no miss. The Fire Lady isn't of Fire Nation blood."
More whispering. The old woman and the man, whom the messenger took to be Kana and Atilla, failed to hide their surprize.
"The Fire Lady was born here, in the Southern Water Tribe."
"And how do we know your telling the truth?" Kana questioned the boy.
"The Fire Lady said you would say that. She told me to give you this for reassurance and asked that you give it back when she sees you."
The messenger reached into his pocket and withdrew a necklace, one with a small blue stone. Kana's eyes filled with tears as she took the necklace. She cradled it close to her.
"Isn't that the necklace you gave - but - she's gone. How did the Fire Lady get ahold of my wife's necklace?"
The messenger and Kana both ignored him.
"Do you have a ship?" Kana asked the boy.
"Right this way." He smiled.
Kana grabbed Atilla's hand and hurried after the messenger. The only two sentences she said to Atilla the whole way there were "Are you hungry?" and "We're here."
One month after The little chat with the messenger...
Katara leaned against Zuko as they watched the sunrise. One hand was hugging him, the other was on her round abdomen.
"Only three more months." But she said it as if that was a lifetime to wait.
"I can't wait." Zuko said into her hair.
He loved her so. And she loved him just as much.
Aang made frequent trips around the world,(he was thirteen now) and Sokka had been made the royal advisor, and a position as general in the army.
(He was now sixteen). Everyone was tremendously happy, and a few moment later, more was added onto it.
"My Lord and Lady, special guests have just arrived for you." It was the messenger, his young face grinning. "General Sokka is here also. I thought that our guests would have liked to meet him too.
Zuko and Katara reluctantly stood up and walked to the door.
"Any idea who the 'special guests' are?" Sokka asked the two.
"None at all." Zuko told him. Sokka turned to Katara.
"So, hows my little niece or nephew doing?"
"Perfect, Sokka. Now let's go see who these mysterious guests are."
The walked to the large, private study where two people were sitting wih their back to them. Katara and Sokka froze, but Zuko went to greet them.
"Good morning. I am Fire Lord Zuko. How may I be of assistance?"
The man shrugged. "I don't even know why we're here. Ask her."
"My grandaughter. I gave this necklace to her mother who passed it down to her. Where are my grandchildren?" The elderly woman spoke,
Zuko froze. A look of apparent shock and surprize and happiness covered his featues. Finally he smiled, a genuine, overjoyed smile.
"I suppose you are Atilla and Kana?" Atilla nodded slowly, Zuko's smile grew. "Take a look behind you."
They both turned around to see the two teenagers who still hadn't moved since they'd been in the room.
"Dad?" Sokka finally gasped out. "Gran - Gran?"
Katara just stood there, her mouth slightly open in surprize. Her eyes welled up with tears.
"Great Agni and Shasa!" She finally choked out.
Atilla and Kana ran to them so quickly it almost knocked them over.
"My beautiful waterbender! My handsome warrior!" Kana hugged Sokka tight while Atilla held Katara lovingly.
A sudden realization hit the man. He held Katara's shoulders and backed up a bit to look her over.
"Katara, are you - pregnant?" Atilla gaped at his daughter.
The room fell silent for a few moments, and the smile disappeared from Zuko's face.
Oh, no! He's going to slaughter me!
Atilla dropped his voice to a whisper.
"You know it is dishonorable to bed with a man you have not married!"
Katara smiled and held up a hand. A beatiful ring with a ruby and saphire.
"I am married." Her voice wasn't quiet as her father's had been, and Zuko was thinking the worst as the conversation continued.
"To who?"
"Father, I am the Fire Lady."
Atilla's eyes widened in shock. He whipped around to face Zuko.
Oh damn. I'm in for it now...
Atilla walked over to Zuko, his face expressionless. Just as Zuko thought it was all going to end - the man burst out laughing and hugged Zuko so tight he couldn't breathe.
When he finally did pull away he had a grin just as large as everyone else's.
"I'm going to be a grandfather!"
Atilla and Gran - Gran moved into the Fire Palace with their growing family. The war was over, and the world had peace and harmony.
And so, they all lived happily ever after...
For now, anyway...
AN: Ok so there was matrial in here that I might should have not put. Ah well. This story was a great joy to write and more than likely will remain my personal favorite. I will still continue to read reveiws as long as they are sent. Flames too, if you have them. Please check out my other story! I will eventually start yet another fan fiction. And now that it's down to just one again the updates will be more frequent.
Until next you review,
JAAF