Alright the new chapter of Forbidden Love is here! I am so excited and happy right now. I feel so accomplished that my first ever multi-chapter story, or any kind of story has over 100 reviews in only eight chapters! Thank you guys all so much! I'm glad you enjoyed my story!
Well, I guess I can almost say I've come a long way with this story, and you guys all helped me through the story with your encouraging reviews. Telling me to write differently for the better, or the same for the better. I'd like to thank all of your reviews. I was scared to get flames, but I think I only got one. I'm not sure though. I don't like paying attention to pointless and rude things like that when usually flamers didn't even read the whole chapter or story!
SweetStories11- Thanks. I usually am not one to go for the leaving-with-a-single-chilling-quote but I think that it is kind of cliché and it usually never makes things a cliffhanger (at least that's my opinion), but I decided to try it out. I don't approve of it still and that's probably the last time you'll ever read one of my stories like that, but still. There is a first- and last- time for everything. In my case, it was both. Anyway, thanks for reviewing my story.
Boylessgirl52941- Okay, hope I got the right numbers in the right order. Anyway, well here you are. Thanks for reviewing; I'm sorry it's a few days late of notice since I usually enjoy updating around Friday night. It gives me a week to spread out my writing and proofreading and a week to get those extra reviews in! Like yours! Thanks for reviewing!
SovereignxXxBrunette- Thanks. I was kind of going for that sweet and sad kind of thing. I believe that it sort of wets the readers appetites so they will come back to find out if the character staying sad, or became happy. It's a long run kind of thing, really. Thanks for reviewing.
Monito- I know, right? Thanks for reviewing.
C.A.M.E.O. 1 and Only: It's true, I do. But it is always amusing to see what the readers think or want or both to happen. But I can give you a heads up that Zhao has had his time with Aang. He and Aang won't even be in the same room together alone or with others ever again in this story. This is where it starts to get dramatic.
ElfLuver13- That's okay. Short reviews are fine too. Besides, I like to do my reviewing late at night (or very early in the morning) as well. It's more fun, I think. But hey- that's just me.
Seya492- Um…interesting in the good way or the bad way? -Confused-
Chocolate Swirlz- Yeah- you do always say 'this is my favorite chapter!' in every chapter review you well- review. But it's amusing to see you debate. My favorite chapter was the one with the Zukara fluff. The Prince and The Pauper I think it was.
Fairy Frost- Yeah, well. Thanks! It takes a real perfectionist. Lol. Just kidding. Your stories are amazing, too. I think maybe you should give it a go with writing Avatar stories. They are really fun to write!
Inuyashachick04- Thanks. Yeah- I guess you really COULD say that they are in love. And Prince Zuko is the one more in love, really. That and he didn't want to let another person down by breaking a promise. He just wanted to the right thing- for him. It was really sweet, what he goes through in this chapter.
Tiffany- Yeah, thanks for reviewing.
Jerseygrl246- Yeah- suspense. I'm thinking I like that word more than 'cliffhanger'. Suspense sounds more mysterious. Lol. ANYWAY, thank you for reviewing, Jerseygrl246.
Avafangirl- Yeah, well, I though it seemed kind of rushed. One chapter they fall in love with each other quickly then the next morning the girl's ready to fight and then just walk out and leave him. I was hoping nobody would mention it. I guess I'm just being insecure or something, though. Thanks for reviewing.
Freita- Thanks for reviewing. I never thought I was much of an action writer. I thought I sucked at that genre and romance. I just can't describe their body parts and lusty junk that some people get into. I can describe a kiss and where the people's hands are and everything- as long as they aren't in completely inappropriate places.
Sleefmistress: Thanks for reviewing. I'm glad you liked it.
So here I am with the new chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. Still. Damn.
Chapter Nine: Part Two: Proof
"I still do not understand why you must do this, Prince Zuko." Iroh sighed as he sat on the edge of Zuko's bed. Zuko uncrossed his legs and rolled off the side of the bed placing his feet on the ground and standing up.
"Nobody understands. Nobody will ever understand." Zuko said. Iroh knew he was going to 'rescue' as Zuko so put it, but he also knew when he had just said that he was talking about his past- not Katara. The reflection of the Prince's eyes showed the tears of a broken child crying out for love and understanding. But nobody would answer his call no matter how hard somebody would try.
He was easier to get inside of when he was younger. But as time grew, and his sister was born, his mother was murdered, and his father banished him, his dark past that wouldn't stop growing deeper and darker and the young boy had turned into a closed, dark, stubborn, hard core young man that wouldn't let anyone in.
"Then let me understand." Iroh pleaded.
"I must do this." Zuko said not allowing his uncle to attempt to change the subject to something he doesn't like to think about, but always does anyway.
"You spend one night with her and all of the sudden you fall in love with her? Is that even possible?" Iroh asked throwing his arms in the air for a second being more dramatic than needed.
"It's not just that. I made a promise to her. I made a promise to her." Zuko insisted.
"But I still do not get it. It's okay for once in a while you break a pro-"
"No! I've let too many people down in my life! I'm not going to let another one down! I'm just not! I won't!" Zuko spat in rage. Iroh closed his eyes with a sigh as he rested his arm on his knee and rubbed his temples.
"But there must be a more efficient way to handle this situation." Iroh said opening his eyes. Zuko had taken off all of his armor and was now stripping his shirt off only leaving his uncovered abs, biceps, and abdomen. Iroh clamped his hand over his eyes as Zuko walked behind a curtain hanging off the wall by only a golden pole in the shape of a dragon with its mouth open.
A few zipper sound and buckles and snaps came from behind the curtain where Zuko was dressing. Iroh got bored so his hand flapped down away from his uncovered eyes. His maroon pants that were apart of his young man navy ensemble were off of his body and hanging off of the golden pole, straight down on the dark violet velvet curtain covered Zuko's unclothed body.
Iroh fell backwards onto Zuko's bed; spread out like a star, the idiot that he is. The small grinding squeak came from the curtains rings sliding back on the golden dragon pole. Iroh lifted his body up and sat up.
Zuko was dressed in all black. His boots were black, with pure gold sole, only to show off hoe rich and royal he truly was. His pants were the same like his old ones, just black this time. He had a short sleeved black shirt on, with tiny gold tight bracelets on his wrists. His hair was down as well.
The last thing missing- Zuko snatched a chocolate brown strap carrier off of the hook on the wall next to his little dressing corner. He strapped it over his back and pulled the buckles to tighten it to his chest. Then he opened two big chestnut doors. There was a big shelf full of spears, swords, Dao swords, and two silver daggers with the fire symbol on them, line with emerald gem stones on the handles.
He grabbed the two daggers and cupped them into the carrying holders strapped to his back by a chocolate brown strap across his chest. "Wow." Iroh spat out. Zuko, eyebrow arched, turned around.
"Wow, what?" He asked.
"Just wow." Iroh said covering up his mistaken word that slipped out.
"'Just wow' what?" Zuko repeated himself.
"It's just that you look very…very-"
"Very what?" Zuko was trying to keep his temper. He felt like his beloved uncle was keeping a secret from him. Zuko hated when people kept secrets from him. Especially when they were about him.
"You look very…"
"WHAT?"
"….Nocturnal?" Iroh suggested.
"Nocturnal." Zuko repeated.
"Yep."
"What's wrong, Katara?" Aang asked as he watched Katara slip his legs into her wooly and furry sleeping bag. Her eyes were anxious and hollow. She took a deep sigh.
"It's nothing." She tried to assure her friend Aang, whom was just trying to help her.
"But you look so sad. You should be happy! You should be rejoicing! Your our of Zuko's reach! Your with the people you love now." Aang said clearly. But Katara felt like Aang had purposely emphasized 'love'.
"Am I with the people I love?" She questioned slipping fully into her sleeping bag and closing her eyes shut leaving Aang dumbfounded and breathless.
"Are you sure you want to do this? It'll be dangerous with all of admiral Zhao's guards creeping around in the nights shadow of the forest." Iroh explained as he followed his newphew onto the front deck. It was around 11:00.
"It's not a matter of wanting to do this, which I do anyway; it's a matter of needing to do this." He tried to calmly explain. Iroh sighed. He still did not understand.
"Well, are you ready to also capture the Avatar?" Iroh asked him placing his hands in his long sleeves. Zuko faced towards his uncle.
"What?" He responded.
"Aren't you going to capture the Avatar?" Iroh asked innocently.
"No, I'm going for Katara, didn't I already tell you that?" Zuko replied.
"Well, I just figured you were also going to grab the Avatar." Iroh told him.
"But that wouldn't be truthful." Zuko looked a little displeased in himself. Iroh grabbed him by the pony tail and walked him over to the starboard side of his ship, the side that the waves crashed against in the choppy water.
"What do you see?" Iroh asked him.
"You, me." Zuko replied.
"Now, focus on you. And what do you see?" Iroh asked him.
"My face." Zuko replied.
"And look at the details."
"My scar-"
"Your hair, your eye color, you mouthing expression." Iroh pulled him away from the side of the ship. Then he pulled Zuko's short sleeve up on the right side of his arm. There was a symbol with a flame on top of it.
"Do you know what that represents?" Iroh asked him.
"That I'm Fire Nation Royalty." Zuko responded matter-of-factly.
"Exactly. Everyone in the Fire Nation Royalty has one of those and everyone is in it. You are made up of part of your father, sister, mother, ancestors, and the royalty that hasn't been born yet." Iroh explained.
"So, part of me is my father? And my sister? But I'm a year old than my sister. How can she be apart of me?" Zuko asked him sincerely and innocently, actually quite interested and distracted by his symbol.
"Once you are born, your mother and father take a part of their symbol and put it onto you. Zula is a part of your parents and that is why she is apart of you as well." Iroh told him.
"So-"
"So basically you're a walking 'Royalty Family Tree'." Iroh joked.
"Well, what does this have to do with being truthful?" The quizzical Prince asked his uncle.
"You're a Fire Nationer! You father was never truthful! He always got what he wants! He put a part of him into you, so you are not truthful as well." Iroh said.
"But I want Katara. And my mother- she was always truthful." Zuko argued.
"True. And she also trusted her heart."
"Then can I trust my heart and go get Katara." Zuko asked him sounding a little impatient.
"Zuko- if you want to trust your heart, do what feels most right to you. You have a choice, go get the woman you love, or go get you honor back to the Fire Nation." Iroh said.
"I will." Zuko said walking over to the bow of the boat and jumping off.
"Be careful, Prince Zuko!" Iroh called waving his arm up in the air as he watched Zuko disappear into the thick forest.
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'Trust my heart, trust my heart. Trust my heart. Trust my heart. Trust my heart. Trust my heart." Zuko got distracted by a silk white line falling in front of his face. 'Oh super. I'm only sixteen and I'm already getting gray hair.' He thought. Then he noticed white silky lines all over his black night ninja suit. 'What the-' He turned around and all he saw were two trees about three feet apart. At each side of the tree was the only thing left of a giant spider web.
"Ew." Slipped out of Zuko's mouth.
"What was that? Was that a bear?"
Zuko clamped his hand over his mouth with one hand. With the other hand he wiped all the webs off of his body. 'I really hope that 'giant spider web' doesn't mean 'giant spider'. And I hope that giant spider isn't on me.' Zuko heardmore voices and leaves cracking under feet. 'So uncle was right- Zhao's still got his goons looking for the Avatar. Stupid oafs.'
Zuko kept walking silently and headed for a mucky pond. He was doing good, until he tripped over a rock. A grunt and the sound of rustling leaves and snow chunks flew up in the air after the Prince's lethal fall.
"You search over hear, I'll go over here." He heard a guard say. Crackling snow and leaves under the guards feet came closer and closer towards Zuko. Zuko leaped up and grabbed a silver dagger out of his pack.
"Got'cha!" The guard leapt out of the woods. Zuko turned around at the speed of light with his dagger out far, not even bothering to see who it was. A strangled cry slipped out of the guard's mouth. Zuko had decapitated the guard. Zuko wiped the blood off of his dagger onto his suit, not thinking at all. Then he put his dagger away and dashed into the water as he heard the other guard race over.
Zuko tried opening his eyes under the water, but it was too dark and mucky to see anything. He felt a turtle swim near the waters surface, across his back. His feet were sticky from walking on the soft mud at the bottom of the pond. Some of the blood off of his suit and dagger was coming off in the water, but most of it was already stained on permanently.
He jumped out of the water and began running. Reinforcements were on the other side of the lake. Zuko found that out when he zoomed right past one. Then they began chasing him.
"Hey, get back here!" A guard in front called.
It was hopeless. Zuko couldn't keep on running all night. He reached one arm up in the air and caught onto a branch, swinging himself up onto a big tree. He shot up towards the top of the tree and jumped to another.
"Well I'm never doing this again." Zuko said aloud to nobody as he jumped a few more trees.
'Urghh! Great! Now I have no clue where I am! Now I have no clue where Katara is!" And Zuko must have said that last part out loud because a sweet girl's voice responded calling his name. "Katara?" Zuko looked down Katara was standing up out of her sleeping bag with Sokka and Aang by the side of her with Appa sleeping with Momo and his back and the camp fire's fire going down. "Katara! I found you!" Zuko climbed down a few branches then jumped down to the ground. Katara raced over and hugged him.
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"So you risked you life, swam through a disgusting swamp, climbed up a tree, went through a giant spider web with probably a poisonous spider living on it just to give my proof you love me?" Katara asked. Zuko blushed with a sensitive smile but nodded yes. "Well, that's all the proof I need." She said. Then she grabbed him by the shirt and pressed her lips against hers.
The fire at camp was about dead now, but neither of the two cared. Momo and Appa were awake and watching them make out, but neither of them cared. Sokka was awake (barely) and was out of his sleeping bag, but neither of them noticed. But Sokka noticed them. And he silently watched from across the camp fire, with a look of death in his ears. A growl almost slipped up his throat as he watched A Fire Nation Prince inhale his little sister's mouth, and most likely spit. Sokka didn't want to know if he was sure about the spit part. But he knew he despised it.
"Let's go, now." Katara said breaking the kiss with a smile. Zuko stood up with a sincere smile on his face and reached his hand out letting the girl take it and lift herself up.
"Aang! Aang wake up!" Sokka said shaking Aang hard as the sun rose high in the sky. "Aang! Katara is gone!" Aang shot up straight. "Aang, Katara is gone. Aang so is her sleeping bag. All I found was a mark in the dirt. Like something was pressed against it." Sokka showed Aang what he was talking about.
A symbol of a letter with the markings of a flame around it was dusted into the powdery dirt floor covering.
"It's a Fire Nation mark. A royal one." Aang in a raspy voice.
"Well, how do you know its royalty?" Sokka asked him kneeling down next to him.
"I don't know. But I know its royalty Fire Nation markings. Prince Zuko has her." Aang said standing up. "This means war." Aang said he folded up Sokka's sleeping bag, grabbed Momo and jumped on Appa's back.
Sokka turned the other way. 'How can I tell Aang that the girl he loves loves the man he hates?' Sokka asked himself.
"Appa, yip, yip!" Appa rose into the air leaving Sokka on the ground.
"Hey! Wait!" Sokka called. Appa circled around towards the ground again.
"Sorry, Sokka."
I cannot freaking believe Zuko cut his hair off in the season finale! I completely died! In fact, this is my ghost writing this. Okay, not really just kidding, but seriously I couldn't even believe it. And honestly, I have no clue why he did it . I have a few ideas why involving Azula, but I'll leave them alone until this Friday. When the new episode and the new chapter of Forbidden Love comes out!
Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter.
And you'll get a cookie if you review!