I'm back! Sorry for the long wait. These past months have been a bit difficult for my family and me after we lost my grandmother, but things are getting better little by little. Thank you for your patience!
I want to give a big shoutout to PurseMonger for going over this chapter for me! Her suggestions makes my chapters even better.
AtLA is not mine. Sadly.
*Note* For a refresher on the Northern Water Tribe family, refer to chapter 16.
Chapter Eighteen
In Which the Princess Arrives at the North Pole
The energy of the dawning sun awoke the banished prince from his restful slumber. He smiled when he felt Katara's back and firm rear pressed snuggly against his front. He murmured her name as he lightly tightened his hold of her while he buried his nose in her soft hair, smiling when she let out a sleepy sigh. Opening his eyes, he lifted himself a little so he could gaze down at his betrothed. He would never get tired of waking up next to Katara. He replayed their activities of last night, remembering the way she writhed erotically as she tried to silence her moans of pleasure so her brother and friends wouldn't know what they were doing.
The reminder of the group brought Zuko out of his awakening lust as he went over the unexpected encounter with Sokka and the others. He hadn't had much time to interact with them, but they definitely made an impression on him. Aang was nice and it seemed like he was the one who tried to keep the peace within their group. Toph also seemed nice, although it looked like the small earthbender rather enjoyed people's discomfort and embarrassment more than anything. Suki had been friendly and helpful when she guided him to the room he and Katara were sharing. They had talked a little about Kyoshi Island and she had tried to reassure him about Sokka. Although he had been a bit offended at Sokka's remarks at first, Zuko understood why the warrior was wary of him. It was easy to see how much he cared for his sister. He was not one to make friends easily, but Zuko hoped that he could at least make Sokka like him enough to support Katara and his relationship.
He was again interrupted from his thoughts when he felt Druk probing at their link. Zuko frowned. He hoped the dragon family fared well last night. Making sure not to wake his waterbender up, he quietly stood up from the futon and looked around for his borrowed clothes. It had definitely been nice to rest on a sleeping pallet and not on the hard ground. Once he was dressed, he slipped out of the room and walked toward the entrance door. He did not hear any of the other people in the small house, so he assumed they must all still be sleeping. It was early in the morning.
Once he stepped outside, he took a moment to survey the awakening village. There were some people already going about their tasks, some of them calling to each other with friendly smiles and waves. It felt strange to be among people, to be within a human settlement, after being chased out so many times when he had been a dragon…
He quickly shook his head and narrowed his eyes. That was in the past. He needed to focus on the future. Bracing himself, he began to make his way to check on Druk and his family. He had only made it a few steps when Katara's brother suddenly intercepted him, causing Zuko to stop abruptly so he didn't crash into him. The dark-skinned warrior crossed his arms and they looked each other over as the villagers walked past them with curious looks. When Sokka didn't say anything, Zuko frowned. Did he perhaps know what Katara and he were up to last night…?
"You're lucky Katara likes you or I would've beaten you up for putting your hands on her," Sokka said.
Zuko let out a snort. That answered his question.
"I'm sure," the firebender replied sarcastically.
Sokka sniffed arrogantly before he continued in a more serious tone, "If you hurt my sister, I'll kill you."
The prince stiffened, wanting to lash out at the threat, but he reminded himself that this man was Katara's brother and he was just worried for her.
"I will never hurt her. She means too much to me. I will do everything in my power to make her happy."
Sokka eyed the dark-haired man before him for a long moment before he gave him a brief nod. He could feel the firebender – Zuko's – sincerity, so for now he would try to get along with him for his sister's sake.
"Besides," Zuko added, "if I were stupid enough to hurt her, she could take care of me herself."
The men shared a look and nodded, slightly wincing now. They both had already seen Katara's temper in full swing.
"True," the blue-eyed warrior replied before he added, "All that aside, I do appreciate that you risked your life to save her from Jet and his men."
Zuko felt his tension lessen and he relaxed his stance slightly.
"I would've gladly given up my life if it meant her safety."
"I believe you," Sokka replied as he uncrossed his arms before he rubbed his chin as he added, "I mean, I'm still weirded out about everything, but I believe you. It's not every day that you meet someone who's not only supposed to be super old but still looks young but used to also be a dragon but who's now bonded to an actual dragon through some ancient ritual. Oh, and can also mentally communicate with my sister. Yep, definitely weird."
"Understandable," the firebender responded for the lack of anything else to say.
"I wish you could've roasted Jet or bitten his head off or something, though," Sokka groused.
"Believe me, I do too," Zuko replied darkly.
They grinned at each other.
"Normally, I wouldn't condone such violence...but perhaps Jet is an exception this time."
The men turned their heads at the new voice to see the bald airbender approaching them with his flying lemur flying above him. Sokka draped his arm around Aang's shoulders and waved his hand in the air.
"Leave the manly killing stuff to us, my young, vegetarian friend," the warrior said.
Aang frowned at his words and opened his mouth to argue when Momo suddenly swooped down and landed on the firebender's shoulder with a chirp. The airbender and the warrior grinned when Zuko stared wide-eyed at the small animal before he awkwardly patted the flying lemur's head, causing Momo to purr loudly.
"Looks like Momo likes you," Aang spoke up with a small laugh.
"I'm...glad?" Zuko responded uncertainly as the lemur wrapped his tail around his neck and chattered loudly.
Sokka and Aang laughed. Zuko shot them a dark look, but it only made the other two laugh even harder. The frown on the firebender's face slowly faded to be replaced with a small grin. Perhaps he wasn't so bad at making friends after all…
"Can you really communicate with the black dragon?" Aang asked excitedly, his gray eyes wide with wonder.
"Yes," Zuko responded with a nod, "Many past Fire Lords used to bond with dragons many years ago."
"That is so awesome," the young airbender enthused before he sighed, "I wish I could communicate with Appa and Momo like that." At the sound of his name, Momo flew away from Zuko's shoulder and landed on Aang's head. "Actually, I was just on my way to feed Appa."
"If he wasn't eaten up by the dragons, that is," Sokka joked with a loud laugh.
The Air Nomad's eyes widened and he looked worriedly at Zuko. The firebender could not help trying to ease the young man's concern.
"Druk assured me they wouldn't hurt anyone or anything," Zuko chuckled.
Aang visibly relaxed.
A moment later, the trio plus Momo made their way to the large stables. When they walked in, they saw all the farm animals huddled away from the dragons. Druk and Tanik were lazing around as they watched their baby play with Appa's huge tail. The mated dragons looked up to regard the young men. Zuko walked in, but the other two hesitated for a moment before they followed after him.
"I was wondering when you would show up," Druk rumbled, annoyed, as he watched the firebender approach them.
"Sorry, I got held up," Zuko responded as he tilted his head toward the wide-eyed men.
Druk rumbled again as he eyed the humans before he returned his attention to Zuko.
"My mate and I wish to hunt for our food."
"The village headman agreed for you to hunt at the outskirts of the village," the firebender said.
"Very well," the black dragon replied, "Could you watch over my offspring while we hunt?"
"Of course," Zuko responded as he looked over to where the baby dragon was clambering up the sky-bison's wide tail. He chuckled when the small dragon tripped and tumbled down to the ground with a surprised squawk.
At the sound of the firebender's chuckle, the baby dragon quickly righted himself to his feet before he happily ran to him. Smiling indulgently, Zuko picked him up when the dragon whined insistently. Encouraged by the display, Aang and Sokka approached with the latter exclaiming ear-splittingly loud over the baby dragon, causing Tanik and Druk to wince at the volume.
"Can I get rid of the annoyance?" Druk asked with a low growl.
"Unfortunately, he's Katara's brother and she'd be upset if he got hurt," Zuko replied amusedly.
"Hey!" the warrior exclaimed indignantly while Aang laughed behind his hand. Sokka sniffed as he puffed out his chest. "I may look tasty, but I'm sure there are more tasty things out there. Besides, look at me, I have a lot of muscle and I would be really tough."
Zuko and Aang chuckled at the warrior's display as he dramatically flexed his arms.
A few minutes later, the dragons went to hunt which prompted Appa to approach the group.
"Hey, buddy!" Aang greeted as he hugged the hairy animal's face. "Are you hungry?"
Appa let out a low bellow.
"But first, let me introduce you to Zuko," the airbender said as he pointed to the tall firebender. "And this is Appa."
Before Zuko could say anything, Appa stuck his tongue out and licked the firebender's entire face. Zuko stood frozen in place, gaping in both mild disgust and consternation, causing Sokka to let out a loud guffaw.
"Well, if Appa and Momo like you, then you're good in my book!" Aang declared.
"...Thanks," Zuko muttered as he wiped at his face.
Katara woke up to find that Zuko was gone. She felt a moment of panic, thinking he could be in trouble, before she relaxed when she didn't hear a commotion within the house or outside. Yawning, she stood up from the futon and went about getting ready for the day. Once she was dressed, she walked to the sitting room to find Suki and Toph waiting for her.
"Morning, sleepyhead," the earthbender greeted with a knowing grin that Katara chose to ignore.
"Morning," she replied with a smile as she sat down at the low table. She looked around the room to find it empty of anyone else. "Where are the guys?"
"Probably killing each other somewhere," Toph replied with a shrug as she picked at her nails. She grinned when she felt Katara give her an annoyed look.
"I saw them go to the stables earlier," Suki spoke up before she grinned, "They should be back once Sokka gets hungry, which will be soon, I'm sure."
Katara let out a small laugh, knowing it was true. She liked Suki. She hoped Sokka didn't mess anything up. Then with a grin, the waterbender turned to the earthbender.
"So you and Aang, huh?"
Toph crossed her arms.
"Yup," she replied. Wanting to redirect the questioning, she grinned wickedly as she asked, "So did Zuko retain any dragon characteristics...like in his pants?"
"Toph!" Katara exclaimed, "I can't believe you asked me that!"
"What?" the short woman said with an unrepentant shrug, "We're all curious. Right, Warrior Princess?"
Suki flushed.
"Well…"
"Suki!" Katara gaped at her.
"I mean, it's not every day that your man used to be the size of a dragon…" the Kyoshi warrior continued.
"You girls are unbelievable," Katara groaned as she ran a hand down her face before a tiny grin curled her lips, "All I'm going to say is that the man is blessed."
Both Toph and Suki gaped at her words before they laughed.
"If your father or brother heard you say that, they'd definitely murder Zuko," the earthbender said, which caused them all to chuckle.
At that moment, the men arrived.
"What's so funny?" Aang asked curiously.
"Nothing, Twinkletoes," Toph responded with a grin.
Katara glanced worriedly between Zuko and Sokka, but relaxed when her brother threw her a grin and Zuko smiled reassuringly. She was happy to see that Zuko seemed more at ease around her brother and friends.
"We were just talking about Sparky here," Toph continued as she smirked in the direction of the firebender.
"Sparky?" Zuko repeated with a small frown.
Toph grinned. "You'll get used to it. By the way, I love your hairstyle, brings out your eyes."
Zuko frowned uncertainly. "But I thought you couldn't...uh…"
"Handsome and smart. You're a lucky girl, Sugar Queen," Toph chuckled.
Katara and Suki laughed when Sokka and Aang protested.
"Nice to know you think so," Zuko said with a grin.
Zuko watched as the group placed their belongings on Appa's large saddle while Momo and the baby dragon played around the hay-munching sky-bison's six feet. The firebender looked back to where Druk and Tanik were waiting, passively watching the humans scramble about. He had asked Druk if perhaps the dragons should stay, worried that they might not be welcomed in the Northern Water Tribe or be attacked. However, Druk had again insisted on accompanying them. Although he was worried, Zuko was glad the dragons were coming with him.
A few days had passed since they arrived in the village. Katara's brother and friends seem to be gradually warming up to him, but he did not know if his luck would last once he met with Pakku and his warriors. Not to mention Katara's father.
He watched as Suki talked to her warriors and the village headman. Sokka had asked her to accompany them and she had agreed. He was distracted when he saw Katara approach him with a smile. He returned her smile as she stood next to him and grabbed his hand.
"Ready?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied resolutely. "I hope Pakku believes me."
"He will," she assured him as she squeezed his hand.
Zuko tried to believe in her optimism.
"Would you be okay with us riding with the group on Appa for now?" she asked as she looked back to her friends, "I would like for us to catch up some more."
"Of course," he replied, knowing that he also needed to spend more time with her brother and friends if he wanted them to approve of him.
He relayed the message to Druk who reluctantly agreed to follow behind the sky-bison and the group of humans.
About an hour later, the group was saying their goodbyes to the villagers before the dragons and Appa took to the air.
The small city port in the Earth Kingdom was abuzz with activity as fishermen returned from the sea, vendors cried out their wares, and people looked through the various stalls. As soon as the ship docked and the ramp was lowered, Yong secured his straw hat to his head as he followed the rest of the disembarking passengers. Tepi squawked as she secured her perch on his shoulder as he maneuvered his way through the crowd.
After buying a few provisions in the marketplace and asking where the nearest inn was located, the old mage made his way. A good night's rest on a bed and a warm meal would be nice after being at sea for so long. Then he would set out to find Prince Zuko early the next day. Once he found the inn and secured a room for himself and Tepi, he went to the common area for dinner, sitting at a table at the far end of the room. Tepi stretched her wings as she flapped onto the table before purring when Yong scratched beneath her feline chin.
As he waited for his food to arrive, Yong brought out the map from within his robes and laid it on the table. He frowned and hummed when he saw that the swirling purple ring had now moved further north.
I wonder where Prince Zuko is heading, he mused as he studied the map.
"Did you hear that the Fire Nation has started to attack Earth Kingdom ships?"
"I heard that they've been taking people back as slaves!"
"Those bastards!"
Yong froze at those words and looked up to see a group of men sitting around a table, muttering angrily and drinking heavily.
Oh no. He did not think Azula would be attacking so soon. He frowned deeply as he looked back down at the map, his hands clenching tightly upon the table. He ignored Tepi's questioning chirp.
He needed to hurry up and find Prince Zuko. He had to bring him back home to take his rightful place on the throne and prevent a bloody war.
Katara, Zuko, and the rest of the group arrived at a small uninhabited island to camp for the night. It was one of the last pieces of land available to them before they reached the North Pole. As they settled for the night, the group sat near the fire as they ate their dinner. Aang, Toph, Momo, Sokka, and Suki huddled against Appa's warm fur while the dragons curled around Katara, Zuko, and the baby dragon to shelter them from the buffeting arctic winds. Once they had finished eating, the waterbender turned to Zuko.
"So I was thinking that the group and I should arrive first to let my grandparents know about the dragons so that people won't panic and try to attack them," she began, "Then Aang can go and get you and the dragons once everyone is aware."
"I think that's a good idea," Zuko agreed as he glanced at Druk who rumbled his agreement.
"I can't wait to see Gran Pakku's reaction when he sees you or that you wanna marry Katara," Sokka piped up with a grin. He paused and made a show of thinking something over, "Although, Gran-Gran can be even scarier…and Dad..." He pulled a face that made Zuko think he had a lot to be worried about.
"Stop scaring him," Suki said as she smacked Sokka's arm before she smiled at Zuko, "I'm sure it'll be fine."
"Yeah, just try to keep the smooching to a minimum," Toph jokingly added.
"That will be difficult," the firebender replied seriously.
"Zuko!" Katara exclaimed as she playfully smacked his chest, causing the group to laugh and the mood to lighten a bit. "Remember that we agreed to let them know about our engagement after I talk to Dad."
"Yeah, yeah, we know," Sokka sighed.
After talking about what they've seen in their travels, the group decided to call it a night. Toph erected a stone tent for her, Aang, and Momo while the rest set out tents. A moment later, the firebender and the waterbender were lying together.
"This is it," Zuko said softly in the darkness, "I hope everything goes well."
Katara squeezed his hand, which was resting on her stomach.
"It will," she assured him confidently. "You'll see."
She felt Zuko move behind her before blinking when he produced a small flame above his palm. The way he gazed down at her made her heart swell with love and her body stir with arousal. Her eyes traced the lines of his face, the edges of his scar, the smoothness of his lips before she returned her attention to his warm, amber eyes. Without a word, he leaned down to kiss her and her eyes fluttered close as her arms slid around his torso. His kiss was slow and sweet, letting her know without words how much she meant to him. She returned his kisses in the same manner, hoping he could also feel her sentiments.
He pressed himself closer to her, their limbs tangling as their lips continued to caress, their tongues slowly dancing together in an embrace that was sensual yet unhurried. Katara loved kissing Zuko in this manner, with no other purpose but to simply connect, to convey their feelings without words. Truly, she loved the more sexual aspects of their relationship, but there was just something about the simplicity of just kissing and embracing, with no ulterior motive. It only solidified to her how perfect they were for each other and how right she was to choose this man as her life partner.
Gradually, he wound down their kiss, their quiet moans of stirring passion melted into sighs as he pressed his forehead to hers as he extinguished the small flame, plunging them back into darkness.
"I love you," he whispered as he tucked her close to his side as he did every night.
"I love you, too," she replied as she pressed herself close to him.
She had to believe that everything would turn out all right the next day. Zuko deserved happiness. He deserved to have his life back. Maybe he could not return to being the Crown Prince or to be Fire Lord, but he deserved to live a happy human life. And she planned to be part of that life for always.
In the chieftain's private quarters, the elder royal couple partook in their morning meal as they discussed their missing grandchildren's whereabouts.
"I just don't understand why Katara would leave her home," Pakku said gruffly as he took a sip of his tea, "Or why Sokka didn't try to stop her."
"Katara is a smart young woman," Kanna reminded him as she curled her hands around her teacup, "She must have had a good reason. Besides, we both know Sokka can't make her do anything she doesn't want."
The wrinkles on Pakku's forehead furrowed even more as he let out a grunt.
"She reminds me of you."
"You say that like it's a bad thing. Where do you think she and Kya got it from?" Kanna teased playfully before she more solemnly added, "Have none of your friends from the Order of the White Lotus found any clues as to where they could be?"
Pakku shook his head.
"Bumi let me know that one of his guards believes they may have spotted them in Omashu, but there have been no sightings of them after that."
Kanna felt her fear and concern increase. Where could they be? She refused to believe something terrible had befallen them. She could not lose them as she had lost her beloved daughter. She would not be able to handle another loss...She had to hope she would see them again…
A quick knock at their door brought them out of their thoughts. Pakku called out gruffly for whoever was outside to enter and they watched as their firstborn opened the door, a smile on his face.
"The sentinels spotted a flying sky-bison heading toward the palace," Arnook told them.
Both Kanna and Pakku perked up at the news.
"It could be their young airbending friend," Kanna said with quiet hope.
"I hope it's good news," the chieftain agreed.
A few minutes later, the three of them arrived at the palace's frozen courtyard, their eyes watching the sky expectantly while several guards took position around the area. Several moments later, they finally spotted the hairy creature as it flew over the courtyard's walls. Kanna let out a small gasp and she gripped Pakku's arm as they saw Sokka and Katara leaning over the saddle, waving at them enthusiastically. The elder couple and Arnook were already making their way to them before Appa even landed.
As soon as Appa's feet touched the snowy ground, Katara and Sokka quickly jumped down to meet their grandparents and uncle.
"Thank La, you're alright," Kanna breathed out tearfully as she tightly hugged both siblings to her, "We were so worried."
"We're sorry for worrying you, Gran-Gran," Katara replied truthfully as she soaked up her grandmother's warmth.
"Yeah, but we're fine now," Sokka added before he asked with a grin, "Are we in time for breakfast? I'm starving!"
His remark earned him a slight slap to the back of the head by Gran-Gran, causing Suki, Aang, and Toph to chuckle as they disembarked. The sound of someone clearing their throat caused the siblings to disengage from their grandmother's embrace and they looked up guilty at their grandfather, who had a disapproving frown on his face.
"It was foolish of both of you to leave your home," Pakku scolded them, his blue eyes staring fiercely at them, "Your father is beside himself with worry. We were afraid something terrible happened to you. "
Despite his scolding and unyielding expression, Katara and Sokka knew how worried he had been and how relieved he was to see them. Before he could say anything else, they wrapped their arms on each side of him.
"Sorry, Gran Pakku."
"We can explain."
Pakku grunted gruffly, but returned their hugs, remembering how they would do the same thing when they were children so they could escape from a scolding. However, they were no longer children and they should have known better than to worry their elders.
"You do have a lot of explaining to do," he said as he let them go to pin them with a stern look.
The siblings muttered their agreement.
"Well, I'm glad both of you are safe," Arnook spoke up with a small chuckle.
"Uncle Arnook!" Katara greeted as she embraced him while Sokka grasped his arm. "It's so good to see you again. How's our aunt and Yue?"
"They're both well," Arnook replied with a smile before he grinned at Sokka, "Yue was just asking when you would visit."
Sokka and Katara laughed. For some reason, their five-year-old cousin had become really attached to Sokka ever since she was an infant. Pakku clearing his throat again brought everyone's attention back to the chieftain.
"Well, what happened after you left?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
Katara glanced at her brother briefly before she let out a sigh.
"It's a long story," she began before she straightened herself out as she added, "Before I can explain, though, I need to introduce you to someone first."
Pakku, Kanna, and Arnook turned toward the trio waiting by Appa. They had already met Aang and Toph before so their eyes landed on Suki, who smiled uncertainly when she noticed they were staring at her.
"Um, Katara meant someone else, but now is the perfect time for me to introduce you to someone special," Sokka piped in with a large smile as he approached Suki. He took her hand and led her back to his older relatives. "This is Suki. She's the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors and my girlfriend!"
They were shocked for a moment before they composed themselves as they stared at the young couple.
"It is an honor to meet you," Suki said with a respectful bow.
"Welcome, Suki," Kanna spoke up with a warm smile, pleased with the young woman's greeting. It was about time one of her grandchildren found a partner!
"We are pleased to meet you," Pakku added before he cracked a small grin, "I didn't think Sokka would be able to ever find such a lovely girlfriend."
"Hey! I resent that!" Sokka exclaimed which caused the group to chuckle.
"Yue is not going to like this," Arnook added jokingly.
"Who's Yue?" Suki asked Sokka, placing her hands on her hips and narrowing her eyes.
"She's my little cousin!" Sokka quickly replied as he raised his hands defensively.
"Last year, she declared she was going to marry Sokka when she grew up," Katara explained amusedly.
"Oh," Suki uttered as she lowered her arms and smiled sheepishly.
"As nice of a surprise this is," Kanna said as she returned her attention to her granddaughter, "where is this person you were referring to?"
"Um, he's actually waiting several miles from the city," the blue-eyed princess responded.
"He?" Kanna asked at the same time Pakku questioned, "Why outside?"
Staring seriously at her grandparents and uncle, Katara continued, "First, you have to promise not to panic or attack."
"Why would we panic?" Arnook asked worriedly.
"And why would we attack?" Pakku added with a frown.
Katara held Pakku's suspicious stare after his question.
"It's someone from your past and he's waiting outside...with dragons."
"Dragons?!" the old couple and Arnook exclaimed.
Katara could see her grandfather and uncle ready to call for the warriors, but she quickly stepped forward with arms spread wide to divert them.
"Please, don't attack!" she told them firmly before she more calmly added, "The dragons will behave as long as they aren't provoked or threatened. Please, trust me."
They looked at her silently, sensing her determination, protectiveness, and sincerity. Kanna and Pakku looked at each other. They knew Katara would never put her family in harm's way, yet the thought of dragons invading their city made fear skitter up their spines. However, they were also curious to see who this person was from Pakku's past.
"Very well," the old chieftain finally said before he turned to Arnook, "Send word out to the warriors and the whole tribe not to panic or attack."
Arnook nodded before he left to follow his father's orders. While everyone waited until the message was spread, Toph leaned toward Aang.
"I can't wait to see the old man's reaction," she said with a grin, "Especially when he finds out about Sugar Queen's engagement. Too bad they wanna keep it a secret for now. Who do you think would win in a fight between Sparky and Pakku?"
Aang shook his head and smiled wryly.
"I will never understand your love of fighting," he said before he chuckled, "I don't think Katara or Kanna would allow them to even think about fighting."
"True, true," the earthbender agreed as she rubbed her chin, "Shame, it would be entertaining so I can still hope."
The airbender again shook his head good-naturedly before they were distracted when Katara called to them just as Arnook was returning. Once Arnook let them know everyone was ready, Katara asked Aang to retrieve their guests. With a cheery smile, Aang lifted himself with airbending onto Appa's head while Momo clung to his shoulder.
"Yip, yip!" he called out and flicked the reins.
Appa let out a low bellow before he lifted himself to the air, his huge tail sending a gust of wind to the group on the ground. As she watched them fly away, Katara clenched her hands tightly together, hoping everything came out well. She relaxed when Sokka encouragingly squeezed her shoulder. She could feel her grandparents watching her curiously. Not only did she hope her grandfather believed Zuko, but she hoped that eventually they would approve of their engagement.
Moments later, they spotted the sky-bison returning, leading two creatures behind him. Kanna grabbed onto Pakku's arm while he and Arnook stared wide-eyed at the approaching dragons. Even though they were still a distance away, they could not mistake how large they were compared to Appa.
Despite their chieftain's reassurance, some of the tribespeople of Agna Qel'a hid in their homes while others looked up to the sky in both fear and curiosity as the two dragons flew over their city. Except for Katara, Sokka, and their friends, the people in the palace courtyard shifted nervously as the creatures flew over the palace walls. Some of the palace guards gripped their weapons uneasily as they stood along the walls.
Aang guided Appa to land close to the awaiting group, but the black and silver dragons circled almost mesmerizingly overhead before they gracefully landed in the courtyard, their large wings sending snow to flurry around them. Smoke billowed from their nostrils while their scales gleamed under the sun. Their imposing frames almost dwarting everyone and everything around them.
The humans were distracted from the mythical creatures when they saw a dark-haired young man drop down from the black dragon's back while holding a small dragon in his arms, which he gently placed on the ground at his feet. Some of the warriors took a step forward, slightly raising their weapons, causing both dragons to bristle and growl. The man turned his head to say something and they were amazed when the dragons reluctantly backed down.
Before anyone could stop her, the Southern Water Tribe princess confidently made her way to the stranger. Pakku made to follow her, but a restraining arm from Arnook stopped him when the dragons' reptilian eyes shifted to them. They watched as Katara and the man talked quietly before she grabbed his hand and led him after her. Kanna raised an eyebrow while Pakku frowned at the gesture.
Pakku's deep frown, however, turned quizzical once he was able to make out the man's features more clearly. A sense of almost forgotten familiarity hit him. When Katara and the dark-haired man stopped before them, the stranger's golden eyes immediately met Pakku's. The old man could not stop the gasp that escaped him at those familiar eyes and the red scar on the left side of his light-skinned face.
"Zuko?" he blurted out before he frowned and shook his head. "No, it can't be…"
Yet, this young man resembled his Fire Nation friend so much… No, it couldn't be him. Zuko wouldn't still look so young after so many years had passed. The resemblance was so uncanny, however. Perhaps he was Zuko's grandson…?
"Hello, Pakku," Zuko greeted with a slight smile, "It's me."
The firebender watched as his once best friend tried to make sense of things as his eyes scanned him from head to toe with a shocked expression. This older version of Pakku looked more severe than the young man Zuko remembered, but he could still see his old friend in him.
Snapping out from his shock, Pakku narrowed his eyes as he again seized the young man up. What an insolent whelp calling him by his first name and not by his title.
"Are you trying to make a fool out of me?" the old chief asked gruffly.
Zuko and Katara frowned.
"It really is me," the firebender responded, "I'm Zuko."
"That's impossible," Pakku growled as he glared at the young man, "You can't be Zuko."
"If that's so, then how would I know that as children we used to sneak out of the palace to go penguin sledding?" Zuko asked with a raised eyebrow.
Pakku's mouth dropped open while Sokka snickered loudly before masking it with a cough when his grandfather glared at him.
"Or how would I know that you began carving Lady Kanna's betrothal necklace after your first encounter with her—"
"Okay, stop!" Pakku quickly interrupted, his face flushing as his son, grandchildren, and their friends chuckled.
"Why, dear, aren't you the sweetest?" Kanna piped in with a smile at her flustered husband.
Pakku cleared his throat as he glared at the young man who had a small smirk on his scarred face, the same smirk he remembered from so long ago. Pakku frowned. The only person he had told about the necklace had been Zuko. Could it really be him? Was it a coincidence that he had been thinking about his friend more in the recent days? They stared at each other silently for a moment before Pakku could no longer deny it. He was so confused yet glad to see that Zuko was alive.
"Zuko," he greeted as he extended an arm up which the firebender grasped.
"Pakku," Zuko replied, feeling thrilled that his old friend recognized him before he turned to smile at Kanna, "Lady Kanna."
"Prince Zuko, it's good to see you again," she replied with a smile before she stepped forward and embraced him.
Zuko stiffened before he returned the hug awkwardly. Kanna let him go and chuckled at his flustered face.
"It's you, alright," she said amusedly.
Watching the scene, Katara happily clasped her hands together. She had been worrying over nothing.
"We thought you were dead…" Pakku spoke up with a frown, "How are you still alive...and looking like you did forty years ago?" His eyes shifted to the dragons. "Why are there dragons with you?" Then his eyes shifted to Katara and Sokka. "And how did you meet my grandchildren?"
Zuko and Katara glanced at each other before the firebender let out a sigh as he ran his fingers through his dark hair.
"It's a long story."
A/N: Yay for reunions! I think Suki's gonna have to watch her back lol.
Thank you for reading!
~alwaysZutarian