After leaving the palace, they make their way down to the darker part of the middle ring. Aya leads Zuko down a dark alley to a mid-sized house and walks in.

"Wait here, I'll inform Lady Ursa you're here," Aya commands softly before walking further into the house and up some stairs.

Zuko sits in the foyer looking around at the decor and wondering if his mother was the one who chose the decorations. In one painting, Avatar Roku's temple and isle is depicted at sunup, another shows a stunning scene of the Northern Water Tribe's complex city. There are many other paintings, several vases, and some boxes and trinkets. On one table is a particularly beautiful flower arrangement, at which Zuko only briefly sniffs before sitting in a chair that is next to the recption room's couch.

Several minutes pass and his mother is finally seen descending the stairs. She walks toward him, slowly at first not really recognizing him, then more quickly as she realizes it really is her Zuko. After a touching few moments of "My son i missed you so much," and "I missed you too mom," they move into the living room and Ursa calls for Aya.

"Yes ma'am?" Aya asks as she walks into the room dressed in a beautiful red silk-like chinese style dress.

"I believe Zuko and I will have some tea and snacks," the lady states kindly.

Aya only nods before moving into the kitchen to make some tea and prepare some snacks for the recently reunited.

"Mother, what happened? Why'd you leave?" Zuko asks anxiously.

Ursa begins slowly, "Your grandfather grew angry with your father after he requested that he be made heir to the throne instead of Iroh. At first he wanted your father to kill you, then he decided it would be more painful for him if he had to kill someone he loved for many years rather than a son he wasn't entirely happy with. Thus, your grandfather ordered your father to kill me." She pauses before going on, "However, your father did truely love me and could not kill me. So, he smuggled me onto a fishing boat and arranged for transport for me from there to the Earth Kingdom."

Zuko looks away relieved his father couldn't bring himself to kill her.

"What about you, Son, How'd you get that ghastly scar?" she inquires.

Just as Zuko is about to regail her with the story, Aya comes in with the tea and sets the tray down on the table and serves the tea and leaves them each to pick their own snacks and talk in private.

Zuko then begins to tell her how Azula became even more cruel after she left. He goes on to explain abou the meeting in the war chamber and about the Ag-Ni-Kai with his father.

When Ursa hears it was her husband that gave him that scar, she gasps in shock and sighs.

Zuko goes on to tell her about his search for the Avatar, and his travels after that. When he gets to the part about betraying Iroh, Ursa stops him.

"You betrayed him after all he's done for you? After he travelled with you for so long and treated you like his own son?" Ursa is absolutely appalled.

He looks down in shame and continues, "I feel horrible about it. I've been looking for him since then. I'm sure he escaped from the Dai-Lee remnants. I didn't mean to, but he really gave me little choice. It was betray him and capture the Avatar and take over the city to regain my honor, or keep serving tea in a shop on the run from the Fire Nation forever. Mom, do you hate me after what I've done?"

Ursa smiles softly at him. "Zuko, I may hate the things you do, or the things you say, but I could never hate you. You will always be my beloved son."

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A/N: I know i'm late in getting this out. Sorry!! I'll post another one tonight for you!! But then it'll be a few days, as I have caught up with myself. Also, that last line... that's something like what my grandma says to me... So it is my tribute to her!