Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender or its characters
Pointers: 'italics' means that the character is thinking
Summary: He hadn't seen her since the day he was banished, but he could still remember the way the wind had drifted her away. Zuko x OC
The Promise Pt. 1
Jiyuu had slowly opened her eyes and sat up, looking at her husband who was constantly turning and groaning. It had been happening for several nights and it worried her. They constantly kept changing rooms, and moving the twins out of their nursery and towards the current tower they would reside in. Usually, she would just pull him close and rubbed the back of his head, whispering calming words in his ear but this time it was much worse. It was as if he was struggling to get out of his sleep and he only got so little of it in the first place. The brunette waited until he finally forced himself out of his sleep, gasping. "Who's there?!" Jiyuu arched a brow as he jumped out of the bed and sped walk towards the door and opened it, "Someone's here! I can feel it! Someone's trying to assassinate me!"
"Fire Lord, please. Go back to sleep. We're in the most secure tower in the entire palace!" One robust guard had said, obviously worried about Zuko's outburst.
"No one will get to you or Fire Lady Jiyuu, I assure you!" said the thinner guard.
"Just like no one got to you both last night or the night before that, or the night before that." The huskier guard spoke again.
It struck a nerve because Zuko gripped him by his collar, his fist cocked back. "Do not mock me! There have been five attempts on my life since I took the throne!"
It was true. Jiyuu had noticed those for herself, so he wasn't crazy about that but he was a bit delusional about the other times he suspected it. "And that's why we moved you here, you have to trus-"
Jiyuu gasped as she heard two thuds hit the ground, she immediately got out of the bed and ran towards Zuko and saw he had pushed her behind him and got into a firebending stance. He punched his right fit and a fireball came speeding out, it went down the hall but there seemed to be no one there.
"Down with the traitor! Down with the Fire Lord who betray his own people." Jiyuu's eyes widened in realization and she pushed Zuko and herself away, barely managing to get on her feet but Zuko quickly recovered and helped her up.
The assassin was surprised by their quick thinking and looked wide-eyed as her the mace ball had hit the ground, missing the both of them. "Go check on the twins, Jiyuu. I got this." He said as she nodded her head, running towards the secret room in which the twins were.
When she reached it, she had sighed of relief as she walked towards their shared cradle and saw them both asleep. Li-hua had suddenly opened her eyes, her molten-gold eyes had matched her fathers. She had looked at her mother curiously, Jiyuu brushing the back of her hand against the baby's soft cheek. Li-hua slowly closed her eyes once more, falling back to sleep much.
Now that she had seen they were fine, it was best if she went back to see if Zuko was alright. She had quietly left the room and closed the door behind her, looking both ways to see if she saw anyone coming. As she made her way back towards where the assassin and Zuko were fighting, she slowed down upon hearing the girl's words. "Yes, my home! And now you and the Avatar are going to destroy it with your precious Harmony Restoration Movement!"
So that was it? The airbender had slowed down upon realizing why this girl had come here to assassinate Zuko. It was true and she had spoken about it to Zuko before, who just shrugged her off.
The Fire Lord stood there and Jiyuu could tell that he was contemplating on whether to finish her off. Jiyuu had immediately stepped in, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Put her in the dungeon and then take her back home. Maybe you go see what she means for herself." The girl had looked at her with wide eyes and Jiyuu looked back at Kori with a smile. She then gripped the girl by the back of her hair, making sure the girl was looking directly at her. "I'm being nice to you because you didn't hurt my babies, but if you attempt to take my husband's life again I will cut you where you stand. It's because that I agree with you that I'm making sure that your life is spared, don't make me regret my choice." Jiyuu then let her go and then watched as guards came from behind them.
Zuko watched wide-eyed as Jiyuu began issuing orders. "Please take this young lady to the dungeon, but make sure she is well-fed and kept clean. Also, get a ship ready to go to, where are you from?" She then looked at the assassin, who seemed to be just as shocked as Zuko.
The girl's shock then turned to anger, "Yu Dao." Her voice was dripping with venom, Jiyuu cut the girl a glare before looking back at the guards.
"Prepare a ship to go Yu Dao, Fire Lord Zuko will be leaving at dawn and make sure this girl is with him and in chains." The guards looked at her and then at Fire Lord Zuko, who nodded in agreement. "I don't need you to confirm things with the Fire Lord, do as I say."
"Y-Yes Fire Lady Jiyuu!" They then took the young girl and soon they were out of sight. Jiyuu turned to Zuko as he looked at her wide-eyed.
She sighed as she wrapped her arms around him, "You need to get some sleep, but I know being Fire Lord comes first." He smiled at her words and pressed his lips against the top of her head.
"I'm sorry for waking you, I know you've been tired. Why don't you come with me to Yu Dao?" He asked as he pulled away from her, his hands resting on her shoulders.
Jiyuu shook her head, "I don't want to keep relying in the nannies for the twins. I'll watch over them and you do what you do best; being my husband, Fire Lord Zuko." She said as she then flicked his forehead, "Now let's get back to bed or I'll be unusually cranky in the morning. I need my beauty sleep." She then turned away from him and opened the bedroom doors.
Zuko smiled and then followed behind her as two guards appeared and stood ready to guard the door. He gave them a nod and they did so as well as they closed the doors and then stood in front of them.
Jiyuu flopped onto the bed and then turned to look at Zuko who wad adjusting himself in the blankets himself. She looked at him as he seemed to be looking up, his mind elsewhere. She had seen way too many bags under his eyes and it worried her, but what could she do? Being the Fire Lord had to be the most difficult job and even though Azulon and Ozai had been in the perfect health when she seen them, Zuko was different than them. He cared for people, he wasn't heartless. Correcting centuries of mistakes was bound to take a toll on him. "Zuko," She called him as he turned on his side and looked at her, "I'll always love you, you know that? Mistakes and all." She smiled as Zuko reached for her hand and held onto it tightly.
"I know and I love you too, crazy and all." Jiyuu's soft face then became deadpanned.
"Thanks a lot!" She turned away from him and tried to make herself go back to sleep but she could feel his warm arms wrap around her waist and pull her closer to him. She couldn't stay mad at him for long, she turned to her other side and looked up at him as he was fast asleep.
After a week of Zuko's departure. . .
"I'm so glad that you could come." Jiyuu said to the group of Kyoshi warriors. Two notable faces were Suki and Ty Lee who smiled at the Fire Lady.
"I would do anything for you, Jiyuu. You're one of my closest friends." Suki said as she and Jiyuu hugged.
Ty Lee then walked over, "We were friends at one time, right?" She said with curious eyes, almost hoping for a positive answer.
"Yeah and we can rebuild on that." Ty Lee's face lit up and she embraced the airbender tightly. The Fire Lady winced a little and then patted the girl's back.
"I'm really worried you guys. Zuko hasn't been getting enough sleep and he's paranoid. The only time I see him happiest is in the nursery." The last sentence made them all smile even though worry was still hanging in the air.
"Don't worry about anything. We'll have him protected!" Suki said with a smile as her royal friend nodded her head. "And you look like you could get a little more sleep to."
Jiyuu eyes widened and she placed her hand under her eye, she could feel a bag coming under. "Your right. Its just he wakes me up and I get worried-"
"We know." Suki cut in, not wanting the girl to stress herself all over again. "How about we all go see the twins? Did Aang Katara see them yet?"
"They were there the day they were born. Sokka and Toph were as well, we had hoped you would show but I know how busy you are." Jiyuu explained as Suki nodded her head, Ty Lee following behind while a few members of Kyoshi warriors stood behind, unsure.
The Fire Lady turned to them, "You can come to girls." The girls' eyed widened and they followed behind the three in front talked. It was a long walk since they have to travel to the third floor of the palace, the girls were nearly dragging themselves save for Jiyuu who was use to the constant walking. When they reached the third floor, she looked back to see Suki folded her arms, telling the Kyoshi warriors that they would train as soon as they could.
They kept walking until they reached the sixth corridor of the hall and the fourth door. Jiyuu opened the nursery room and see that the twins were gurgling away in their crib. Kana, the head nanny, was adjusting them, making sure that they were comfortable. "Ah, Fire Lady Jiyuu." Kana said as she smiled warmly.
The woman was in her mid-thirties and had short black hair. Her hair was chin-length and she was a good 5'4''. She had been serving here for a long time, Jiyuu maid her head nanny when she prepared the nursery. The woman was kind and nurturing and loved being around children, Jiyuu saw no one better than the woman who gave her much kindness and love like Ursa when she was young. "How are they Kana, did they have a good nap?"
"Yes, they just woke up." The woman bowed and moved away as Jiyuu waved her hands forward for the girls to come closer to the crib. Suki and Ty Lee were on each side of the crib, Isao and Li-hua looking up at them. Isao had his favorite, toy dragon that Iroh had him in his hand. The leg of it in his mouth, drenched in door. Li-hua was too busy playing with her own, short and soft curly brown hair.
"They are so precious!" Ty Lee beamed, "C-Can I hold one?" She asked as Jiyuu nodded her head and Ty Lee immediately picked up Li-hua and Suki, who was also asked for permission, picked up Isao. All the rest of the Kyoshi warriors surrounded the girls, fawning over the twins. Isao immediately stopped gumming on the dragon and pulled Suki's hair.
"O-OW!" The Kyoshi Leader yelped as the child seemed to smile at the reaction.
"Yes, Isao has a habit of pulling hair." The airbender laughed nervously, feeling a little guilty for not warning them beforehand. "He has a strong grip."
"I can see that!" Suki winced as the child yanked her hair once more, Jiyuu and Ty Lee snickering as the girl tried to make the infant let go of her hair. "Come on, its not nice to pull Aunt Suki's hair." The girl tried to reason, but Isao continued away and made no intention of letting go.
His mother soon tried to help, rubbing her hand over Isao's to loosen his grip and he immediately took one of her fingers as his eyes turned to look at her. "I see you're are going to be as stubborn as your father." Jiyuu rolled her eyes as she soon scooped him in her arms as Suki rubbed the side of her head.
"He certainly takes after him even though he has your eyes." Suki commented as Jiyuu laughed as Ty Lee was making silly faces at Li-hua.
The baby girl's smile was short-lived, she grew frightened at the crazy faces. They both turned to see the child cry as Ty Lee began to panic, unsure of what she did or what to do. Suki chuckled as Jiyuu blinked twice, "Did you try to intentionally scare her? Crazy faces with the war make-up is pretty scary." Jiyuu said as Ty Lee blushed furiously.
"I-I didn't mean to!" Ty Lee then gave the crying baby to Suki, who rocked her side to side and ceased the crying.
"Its okay, Ty Lee." Jiyuu placed Isao back into the crib and then patted the acrobat on the top of her head, "You didn't know. So don't worry, I'm sure she would love it when you're dressed out of your uniform."
The girl smiled at Jiyuu's words, "Really?"
"Really." The Fire Lady nodded her head as they soon saw Zuko coming to the nursery.
"Suki? Ty Lee?" He said their names with curiosity written on their face, Suki then gently placed Li-hua next to Isao in the crib.
Jiyuu immediately turned to her husband, "I brought them to be your guards for the time being." She took the initiative to explain, "I think they would be a more reliable and better fit."
Zuko walked into the nursery further until he was next to his wife, who looked up at him confidently. "You've told them what's been going on?"
"I haven't yet told them the one assassin that broke through in which you need to discuss to me, what happened on your trip." She poked his chest playfully, a smile forming on her face.
"One assassin broke through?" Suki said surprised as both Zuko and Jiyuu nodded, "What happened to them?"
"I took them back to Yu Dao. We've got everything cleared." He said as Jiyuu looked at him with wonder, "I'll explain everything later. I have a meeting to attend to." He informed them as he felt Jiyuu take his hand.
"Don't work yourself too hard." His wife said as he gave her a reassuring smile and she soon let go and watched him walk out of the room.
Jiyuu sat at the vanity, taking the gold fire-shaped emblem out of her hair as Zuko sat at his desk, rubbing his temples. "So, you mean to tell me that you had a change of heart because I was, right?" A smirk appeared on her face.
"Yeah, you were right." He said as he turned to look at her as she began to brush through her hair, "They have migrated so well together and it seems like there's nothing but peace between them. How could I really end it by taking them out of the only home they have ever known?" He said as let out a long sigh.
She looked at his reflection, a frown forming on her face. "But Aang didn't see it that way, did he?"
"No." He quickly answered.
"That's what I don't understand. That place is just like Aang and Katara, you and I. We are all different nationalities and we came together. Kori is just like Isao and Li-hua. Although she might not have three like them, but she still has one Earth Kingdom mother and one Fire Nation father. I figure Katara would see it, but I guess she's too busy siding with Aang to notice." Jiyuu stood as she walked over to Zuko, her arms loosely wrapped around his neck as she laid the left side of her face against his mop of hair.
Zuko closed his eyes, soaking in the warmth that radiated off of her. "I don't know how to explain it to them, but I'm going to fight for Yu Dao. I can't do this to my people."
"But what about the promise, Zuko?" He could hear the sadness in her voice. She literally cried when he told her the decision of making that promise with Aang. He was worried how it might affect her when she was pregnant and so he waited days after the twins were born. She still didn't take the news well and she didn't talk to him for three days. Even though she came around, understanding what he was trying to do he knew it still worried her and it saddened her as well.
He then stood up, her arms falling to her sides as she looked up at him with glassy eyes. She felt vulnerable at the idea of Aang having to kill Zuko, but he wasn't acting anything like Ozai. This promise was going to be broken over what was right and what is wrong. Would Aang come around? Would he actually do it? "I don't know what I'm going to do but my heart is telling me to fight for my people." His arms rested on her shoulders, his forehead pressed against her.
She couldn't look him in the eye, if she did then she would feel herself break down like she did when he had first told her. "But what about me? What about Isao and Li-hua? Are you willing to kill yourself over them and leave your family behind?"
"I'm doing this for you all." Zuko's grip tightened, "I can't allow myself to be like my father and let people suffer. That's how it begins. Do you want me to become like him?" She slowly shook her head, "Then you have to believe in me."
Jiyuu nodded her head as he pulled her in for an embrace; he placed a kiss atop of her head as he felt her arms wrap around his torso. Her hands gripped onto the back of his sleepwear top and fought back her tears. "I won't ever stop believing in you, Zuko." She managed to say which made him smile, he inhaled her scent, the smell of plum blossoms and hoping that he could smell her scent every day.
"Let's go to bed." He said as he let go of her and she slowly turned, going towards the right side of the bed and sliding under the covers and blanket. She lied down in her slide as she watched him climb in the left side, him facing her and realizing the slight glare in those hazel eyes of hers. "Don't tell me you're angry."
"Of course I'm angry." She set her jaw and then turned to lay on her back, her arms folded. "How could you not think I don't believe in you."
A deadpanned expression appear on his face, it would seem he could do nothing right in her eyes. "That really angered you?" He asked as she let out a 'hmph' in which he saw coming, he soon grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him. "Does the Fire Lord have to decide a punishment to this insolent behavior?"
The airbender felt her cheeks redden, her eyes immediately avoiding his. "What kind of punishment?" She asked shyly, now looking at him at the corner of her eyes.
There was that smirk again, that smirk that appeared whenever he was being mischievous. She had been avoiding all types of passionate encounters with him, no matter how much she had wanted it. For one, she was shy about it and second she didn't want to embarrass herself like she had before. He was always so rough, she didn't need anyone question why the Fire Lady was walking strange. "I think you already know."
"You really want to do this with Suki and Ty Lee at the door?" She countered, a smirk appearing on her face.
The Fire Lord's eyes widened, his face going red. "U-Uh, oh yeah. I-I forgot about that." He immediately let go of her wrist, now completely embarrassed.
Jiyuu giggled away at his reaction, her hand over her mouth as he somewhat glared at her. In a way, she felt guilty and maybe it would relieve him of his stress. Even though she had acted like she didn't like it, she very much liked uniting with Zuko as one. He was her lover, her best friend, and the man she couldn't imagine herself without. Being close with him like that, always made her heart feel like it was floating on air and so, she then made her arms wrap around his neck, her body pressed up against his own. "If you promise not to be so rough then I'll promise to be quiet."
It was early in the morning; the sun would be arising in five more hours. Zuko began tossing and turning in his sleep, his eyes then shooting open once more. He placed his royal sleep attire back on and then opened the door, "Do you hear anything?" He asked the two Kyoshi warriors.
"No, Zuko. Its been quiet all night." Suki answered.
Ty Lee rose her hand in the air, speaking confidently. "Honest to goodness! There hasn't been a peep!"
He walked passed them and then looked down the hall. It was still dark, the only light illuminating the hall was from the moon outside. Suki and Ty Lee looked at him curiously. "I'm sorry. It's not that I don't trust you. I know the Kyoshi Warriors are the best guardsmen in the world."
"Guardswomen, you mean!" Ty Lee smiled as she corrected him.
"Go back to sleep, you have to at least try." The Kyoshi Leader tried to persuade him.
The Fire Lord sighed and then rubbed his head, clearly disoriented. "No. I'm going to get a drink of water."
"Do you need someone to escort you?" Suki asked, concerned.
"I'll be fine. The walk will do me some good." He waved and then walked down the dark hall.
Suki and Ty Lee looked at each other, worried.
Jiyuu had woken up that morning to see Zuko staring out the window. "Zuko?" She called out to him, "why are you awake so early? I thought you didn't have much to do today."
He looked at her, "I just had a lot of thinking to do. Sleep well." There was something in his voice that bothered her. She wasn't sure what it was but she felt like he was hiding something, she watched him walk out of the room and closed the doors behind her.
"Zuko… What are you hiding from me?" She mumbled as she laid back down, still quite tired. She could feel her breast swelling up, "What am I doing going back to sleep? I'm sure they're hungry by now."
Later on that day...
Suki and then saw Jiyuu, exiting out of the nursery and adjusting her top and then walking down the hall. "Jiyuu!" Suki called her as the girl turned to look at her, "I have to tell you something."
The Fire Lady blinked a few times and then nodded her head, "What is it?"
"I…" Suki looked down and then let out a sigh, "I saw Zuko coming out of the prison tower. I think he went to see his father. He's been going there for the past couple of nights."
The airbender fell silent, her eyes wide and then she clenched her teeth. She looked away and then at the window of the halls, trying to decipher how she was going to confront of him about it. Should she act like she didn't know or come out with it? "Thank you for telling me, Suki." She said and smiled at the Kyoshi warrior.
The girl nodded concerned about what she had done by telling Jiyuu. If she hadn't, she would feel guilty and she was the Fire Lady, she had every right to know. The girl then walked down the hall and to the throne room, the guards bowed and opened the door and she had seen Zuko staring at the flames. He had soon bended them away, his face revealing his stress. "Zuko."
"Jiyuu? What are you doing here?" He asked as he then noticed her expression. There was no smile whatsoever on her face, she had a very serious expression.
"When were you going to tell me that you've been having these late night meetings with your father?" His eyes widened as she stood there, her anger becoming more intense upon seeing the guilt on his face.
"W-Who told you that?" He asked as she looked away and then back at him.
"It should have been you, but no you are hiding things from me." She then turned away from, "I'm going to be taking the twins to Ba Sing Se to visit Uncle Iroh." She started walking ahead, not bothering to hear anything else he had to say. She felt betrayed.
Zuko then exited off the high floor of the throne area and made his way after her, "You can't leave, Jiyuu." He then caught up with her and grabbed her arm, she didn't bother to turn to face him. "Why does this upset you so much?"
"Because I'm your wife, Zuko!" She finally turned to look at him, yanking her arm away from him. "You are supposed to tell me everything, there are no secrets! I just need some space and I want to see him."
Zuko had let go of her arm, "I'm sorry. I know I've shouldn't have kept it from you but that doesn't mean you should just go off like this. You and the twins are what keeping me leveled. I need you all here."
"You weren't thinking about us when you went to go see your father!" Jiyuu snapped as she walked off, not wanting to hear anything more from him. She then walked up to a guard, "Tell the servants to pack things for me and Prince Isao and Princess Li-hua. We are going to Ba Sing se to visit Iroh and I'll be writing a letter to him for our arrival."
Two days later…
"Three out of my four favorite people in the world!" Iroh smiled as Jiyuu walked in with two guards and two nannies hold each child.
"I'm so happy to see you, Iroh." She hugged him as he embraced her tightly. "You can place our things up stairs and there's already two cribs for the twins. I won't be needing all of you, I can take care of them myself with Iroh." All the nannies and guards looked at her surprised as Iroh smiled at them as well.
One guard then decided to speak, "Are you sure you don't want a few of us to stay behind?" Jiyuu shook her head. "We will be waiting a letter for you to return." They soon bowed and walked out, each telling each other of their confusion. They were worried but they knew better than to argue with the Fire Lady.
Once they had brought in the few things she brought and left, Jiyuu sighed and took a seat at the dining table. "I am so tired and stressed, Iroh. I don't know what to do with myself." She said as the man placed a cup of hot, steaming tea in front of her and one for himself on the table as he took a seat next to her, rubbing her back.
"It's my nephew, isn't it? What happened?" Iroh asked, "You didn't tell me exactly in the letter because I knew you wanted to tell me in person."
Jiyuu looked at him and smiled as she then pulled the cup closer to her. "He's been meeting with Ozai."
She could see the man's eyes narrow, "I knew that this might happen."
"But he didn't tell me. He's been keeping it a secret and why? I know I don't like Ozai and I know that I don't approve it but that's his father whether I like it or not." Iroh nodded, "I just wish he told me instead of keeping it a secret."
"You are right, he shouldn't and I supposed he was afraid of your reaction." Iroh then took a sip of his tea as he watched as she let her finger run around the ring of the cup. "
Jiyuu sighed, "I guess you have a point. I guess I would be upset if he had told me about it, but I feel much worse that he didn't. He told me about the promise he made with Aang, which is much worse than him visiting his father."
Iroh nodded his head then placed a hang on her shoulder, "You can stay here as long as you need to. But my nephew will come after you, you know that." A smile appeared on his face, "Now I must see the twins. I haven't see them since they were born. I wonder if they even remember me."
"You are unforgettable, Iroh. You're a person they will never forget." Jiyuu said as she took her first sip of the jasmine tea. She had missed his tea dearly, nobody in the Fire Nation could make tea as great as Iroh.
"You are too kind." He said with a blush, "You need some rest."
Jiyuu nodded her head as she took finished down her tea. She waited a while and then went up to steps and went to where the nursery was. She saw Iroh with the twins, one in each arm and sitting in a chair. "Isao, my little firebender, how are you?" The baby boy had let out a noise as if confirming an answer, Jiyuu watched with a smile from the doorway. "And my little airbender, how are you? You're looking more and more like your mother but I also see your grandmother Ursa." Jiyuu was surprised at his words but she had seen the resemblance. "You probably miss your father, but he'll be here soon. He needs to get himself together so that he can be a better father and Fire Lord."
The brunette side and then backed out of the room and went towards the room she had stayed in before. She opened the door and closed it behind her. She slid down against it and tried to get her thoughts off of Zuko. "Maybe I should've spoke to Ozai myself." She looked out the window and walked towards it, she could've sworn she saw something. Was that Appa?" She blinked a few times and then noticed that there was nothing. "Maybe I just need some sleep." The airbender sighed.
Jiyuu: The Japanese name meaning "Freedom"
Isao: The Japanese name meaning "Honor; merit"
Li-hua: The Chinese name meaning "Pearl Blossom"
Sorry I was so late with this! :3