Disclaimer: I really like the Avatar characters but I did not make them up. The people who work for the people who create the show did. And I am not worthy to kiss the paper they draw on or the pencils they use.
The searches continued and we continued living. The palace was being rebuilt and what was not destroyed was being repaired. The rest of the palace shared houses with relatives and friends. Life went on.
And still no one had found the Avatar.
The Fire Lord must have been crazed. He had sent every soldier throughout the Fire Nation to look for the Avatar and whoever his accomplice was. Sokka, I could see, was aching to leave. Whenever he was not doing work, he sat next to one of the windows and stared at nothing. Sometimes I caught him crying, thinking about his sister, now dead like so many others. My heart went out to him and I knew there was nothing I could do to help him or comfort him. Several times, I caught myself thinking about letting him go, but what would that have done? He would have been caught and killed for sure and I would never forgive myself if that had ever happened. So I let him be, and maybe that helped him a little, just knowing that we would not disturb him.
Sometimes Yoko came by and we walked through the palace gardens, still lovely and bright even if the walls around them weren't. Most of the nobles avoided the palace now, but I had been hoping to see Prince Zuko for some time. Yoko told me that he had been training with the soldiers every day and had surpassed many of them, even their teacher. Yoko had also told me that the Fire Lord blamed his son for the Avatar's escape.
……………………………..
It was a nice day, so I decided to take a walk by myself. Outside, the sun shone with a graceful brilliance that made even the burned palace look majestic. I sighed as I turned the corner to enter the left wing of the palace, one of the only places spared by the fire. Ren would have called my being alone in the house of the Fire Lord "dangerous" but I continued on my way, nodding politely to the other nobles wandering around.
A garden.
I entered the deserted area only to discover that is was not exactly empty. There, with his back facing me, was Lord Iroh. I bowed to him and he turned around. When I looked up, his face was a mask of sadness and I immediately though of his brother, Fire Lord Ozai, the one who had brought so much sadness to us. He smiled, although forcefully, and I stood slowly while smoothing my dress.
"You are Lady Aya, I believe?" I nodded and looked at one of the bright flowers drooping from a tree.
"I'm sorry if I have disturbed you, Lord Iroh." He shook his head.
"No, Lady Aya. In fact, I think we would rather enjoy your company if you wish to stay." I raised my eyebrows slightly. Was there someone else here?
"My nephew and I have not had very much company these last few days." He sighed and I did a double-take. Prince Zuko was here? Iroh moved slightly to the right and I could then see the Prince, sitting silently on a bench beside one of the flower-laden trees. His head hung desolately between his drooping shoulders. I took a tentative step forward and bowed. He looked up once and stared at me, his eyes having a far away look as if was looking right through me. Iroh smiled slightly, but I could still see sadness in his eyes.
"Zuko, this is the young lady you told me about once, I think." Zuko nodded absently and Iroh put a gentle hand on his nephew's shoulder. Zuko flinched, but didn't move or pull away. Iroh looked up at me.
"Excuse me, but I think I will go get some tea." He left silently, the sun's golden rays reflecting off of his red robes. Zuko was now looking at some of the large orb-shaped yellow flowers waving faintly next to him.
"May I Prince Zuko?" I asked motioning towards the bench. He nodded, not moving his eyes off the flower. I sat, watching him with worried eyes. He looked paler than I had seen him last and he seemed more…distant. Then, with one hand, he slowly reached out to touch the bright yellow petals of the flower. His fingertip touched it gently and then his whole hand encircled it. He let out a short breath and pulled his hand away. The flower was burning up like a candle until it fell off its stem and smoldered on the ground next to us. I watched his hands; long slender fingers, pale thin wrists, and short bitten nails. I almost laughed out loud then. A Prince who bites his nails, who would have thought? His face, however, was solemn and looked much older than just a sixteen year old. We were silent for a long while until I began to wonder where his uncle had wandered off to.
"My father still wants me to get married." His voice was hoarse and quiet. I could only just hear him. "He's eliminated the last ten girls and told me that I have to pick someone soon." He put his head in his hands and I let out a short breath. The last ten girls.
"Prince Zuko…" I started but my mind went blank. What was I supposed to say? That I was sorry? He looked up at me with a questioning look and I shook my head, muttering that it was nothing. We sat in silence for some time I remembered the conversation that took place the last time we were alone. I could hardly believe that it only took place a few days ago since so much had happened throughout the last few days. Silently I counted the days that had gone by. My eyes widened in surprise. That meant that there were only seven days until the Prince's birthday. I squirmed uncomfortably on the seat. That would not be a very pleasant ceremony. Zuko suddenly turned to me.
"There are three girls that I chose." His yellow eyes were boring into me and I couldn't look at him at all.
"Are you going to tell me who?" I wondered quietly as I gripped the cold stone bench. He sighed.
"Natsumi, the first girl my father picked." I wrinkled my nose and frowned. She was at least three years older than him, but her family was rich and powerful. It would be a perfect match…politically.
"There was also a very quiet girl by the name of Naomi. She is one before you." I smiled, cheered up by this. Naomi was quiet but she was very smart, even if her family did not have as high of a status as Natsumi's. I felt him shift next to me and I relaxed.
"I also choose…you." My heart missed a few beats and my head turned quickly to him. He was watching me steadily. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. Why had he chosen me? I didn't think that I would be a good match for him.
"My…father…has to approve of my choices, however." I nodded, taking deep breathes, hoping that just maybe the Fire Lord would not approve of me. He was still watching me and I smiled with what I hoped was a little happiness. A noise at the door distracted both of us. I first expected it to be Lord Iroh back with his tea but I was taken aback. Standing, with a small smile on his face, was Fire Lord Ozai. I bowed low to the ground until he walked up to us and stood beside the bench.
"Ah, Lady Aya, I see you are getting to know my son better?" I stood slowly and kept my eyes on the ground.
"Yes, my Lord." I muttered quietly. Prince Zuko was standing perfectly straight next to his father and I could tell that he was as nervous as I was.
"Please, Lady, will you excuse us?" He spoke so kindly that it scared me. I bowed again and walked gracefully to the entrance of the garden. I took one quick look back to see Prince Zuko's panic-stricken face, and then swept out before the Fire Lord got angry.
As I continued down the palace halls, I heard several voices coming from a room close by. I slowed down to listen; not to eavesdrop, but because one of the voices sounded like Yoko's. The door to the room was slightly agar and I was eager to see Yoko and tell him about Prince Zuko. Pushing the door with one hand I smiled and opened my mouth to greet him.
My breath caught in my throat at what I saw.
Yoko was standing very close to the one person that I expected the least; Natsumi. He was close enough to be touching her and her long, thin arms were wrapped tightly around his shoulders, as if they were about to kiss. She saw me over his shoulder and backed away quickly. Yoko, wondering what was happening, pushed her away a bit and then whirled around.
I left.
If someone called after me, I ignored them. I couldn't hear anything over the sound of my heart shattering to pieces as I ran through the hallways. Tears were streaming down my face and I didn't bother to wipe them away. Behind me, I could feel someone following me but I continued on, ignoring the stares of the other nobles and tripping over my dress.
"Aya! Aya, please wait!" Yoko's voice carried after me but I went on until I came to a maze; the same one that I had first seen Yoko when he came back. Why does everything happen in gardens around here? I hesitated, heard Yoko coming after me, and rushed inside. He wouldn't know his way through the maze, would he? He had been gone so long that he might not remember. I turned several corners, could still hear him close by, and continued on, tears still running down my face. As I came to a dead end, there was complete silence and I slid onto the ground, covering my face with my hands. There was nothing I had to look forward to now. I would have to tell my father that I could not, would not, marry Yoko anymore. Not after…after what I had seen. I cried quietly for what seemed like hours, sobbing into my hands, my shoulders shaking, until I could not cry anymore. I wiped my face with a soiled sleeve and stood up shakily. I brushed the dirt from my dress and straightened it as best as I could. A few stray tears slid down my cheeks and I hurriedly wiped them away.
"I have to…confront Yoko." I whispered to myself, convincing myself that it was what I should do. I took one step forward and began making my way out of the maze. I kept thinking that maybe this was a big mistake, maybe something happened and it was just a misunderstanding.
"I have to talk to Yoko. I have to talk to Yoko. I have to give him a chance…" I kept repeating this to myself as I walked slowly out of the maze garden, seemingly so empty now. I would have to try to let Yoko explain himself and his actions. I had to try to put my shattered heart back together.