Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender
Epilogue: The Return of the Queen.
Amber's old age had finally caught up with her. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, noting the white hair that surrounded her small face. The wrinkles weren't as bad as she had supposed they would get, and she had aged rather gracefully. Most people commonly mistook her for a sixty year old, when the honest truth was she was nearly ninty-five years old. She brushed wild strands of pure white hair back into line with the rest of her hair. She sighed, tired of life here. She opened her treasured jewelry box and looked around as fast as an old lady could look, then coaxed a black satin choker out of the box. It's ribbon had not lost it's silky shine, nor had the diamond been dulled or scratched from any kind of abuse. Amber had promised someone she would come back, keeping it by never marrying, never giving herself away. Now she was just waiting to fulfill her promise. It seemed like only yesterday when she had been on the Fire Navy ship, talking lip to the infamous Prince Zuko. The series had thrived and flourished, thanks to the huge burst of fans and demand for Avatar: The Last Airbender products. She sighed and laughed softly to herself, remembering her younger self. She stared at the photo taken of her only months after she had gotten out of the hospital, getting ready to accept a horseback riding competition award. Ever since she had come back from the Avatar's strange world, she had had a renewed sense of living. A promise had been made, and knowing the Avatars, they would certainly keep the promise. Just as she was about to reminisce she felt a stabbing pain in her chest. Her old body was protesting. She grimaced and gasped as the pain throbbed, and her head began spinning. Her arms were going numb. She closed her eyes and gripped her chest in pure agony, rising only to stumble onto her bed behind the vanity. She curled into a fetal position, having still trained after coming back from the Avatar world, and allowed a new sensation to light the darkness behind her eyelids.
"Gran-Gran?" a young child said, peeking into the room at the elderly woman. His eyes went wide and he screamed for his father. Amber's brother's son-in-law stumbled in and shook the old woman.
"Grandma Amber!" he shouted. He rocked her arm a little more, and Amber's eyes opened only to flutter closed again. A smile played on her lips.
"I'm coming home my love." she whispered, her heart finally giving out under stress. The young man had his wife call Amber's youngest brother, and sobbed into the phone that Amber had finally died
It had been six years since the war had finally ended. By that time, the handsome young Prince had grown at least another half a foot taller, grew his hair into long ebony spikes that stabbed down around his face. Prince Zuko had stood triumphantly at the deck of his father's household to take the lead, seeing as the Avatar had finally defeated him. Once his father was in custody for the murder of his mother and grandfather, he ceremonially took the crown. For the next few years women came in and out of his life. He had almost pledged his love to a few of them, but could not in the end, rememberring his last words to the young woman. I will wait for you. Now as the Prince-turned-Fire Lord stood on his balcony high above the city streets of the Fire Nation's capital, he wondered how he had survived this long without her. He leaned on the rail and looked over his nation. A gust of wind blew harshly behind him as the Avatar landed on the roof behind him.
"You still haven't married?" he asked. The Fire Lord Zuko turned around and greeted the Avatar with a bow.
"No. I am still waiting for the day you will bring her back to me." he ground between his teeth. The Avatar knew the Fire Lord was still furious with him for taking away the young bride-to-be, and he decided to let Zuko in on a secret. Grinning he flashed his enormous smile at the Fire Lord, who was not amused.
"She is on the way. I promise, Zuko. She has just left her world, and is on the way here." he said before disappearing in a cloud of steam he had created using the bending he had learned. The Prince's young heart would not be quenched. He stood on the balcony, doubting the Avatar's words. Looking to the heavens he saw the sun beggining to set and the horizon go golden.
"Where are you?" he whispered. A pair of soft, rough hands enveloped his shoulders and he felt a cheek press against his shoulder. White silk flowed from behind him, and long dark brown hair curled around his abdomen.
"I'm right here, love." came a gentle reply. He turned quickly, seeing Amber's smiling face. Around her neck was the betrothel necklace he had given to her years before. It sparkled with radiance against her pale strong neck. She was wearing the white kimono she had last worn on the ship, only this time it was much longer, and the heavy silk had lightened and draped around her features. Her blue eyes shone as he took her chin and hungrily kissed her, drawing a slight gasp from her when he held her to him. He suddenly picked her up by the waist and laughed as she shrieked playfully, spinning her delicately around and placing her gently on her feet again.
"I have missed you so much." she whispered. He drew her into his arms in a protective and warm embrace.
"Not near as much as I have missed you." he answered. She laughed.
"In my world, I had to wait eighty-nine years for you!" she grinned at his gaping jaw and pushed it back up.
"You don't look ninety-five." he commented huskily. She laughed at his hungry gaze.
"Wait for the wedding night!" she giggled as he picked her up bridal style and went to announce the news of his long-lost love.
Author's note: Aawww how sweet! Sorry readers, but it had to end this way! It was a rather fantastic ending though, doncha think? Tell me if it's too cheesy! I loved working on this piece, and now that it's done, I might start another Zuko romance. Hey, maybe even a Sokka romance(the poor man doesn't get enough credit!)! Well, hoped you enjoyed the whole blasted thing, cause it took me a few weeks to write between school and this! Love you readers! Kudo time!
Credit! Jenae: Pushing me one, stomping my bum when I wasn't on it! for allowing me to post... Any reviewers(you know who you are!), and of course, some of the writers who came up with this story before I did, or at least the basic plot! Thank you so much! Godsspiker!
