12.26.12

Pride

Zuko was a proud man, and he had many reasons to be. He was the Fire Lord of, what he considered to be (and is), a powerful nation. He was able to meet very little resistance and transition his country to the era of peace everyone craved for after a hundred year conflict. He made reasonable treaties and pacts with other countries as a way of guaranteeing the amity of the Fire Nation without draining the resources and funds of the treasury and people.

Formal matters aside, he was most proud to be the husband of the greatest water bending master on the earth, and the most celebrated, generous and elevated Fire Lady the Fire Nation ever had. And right now, she was giving birth to their first child.

"Zuko! I swear upon the Tui and La that you will never touch me again! If you ever so get near, I promise with every fiber of my being that I will bend your-AHH!- off your body! OH YUE!"

It was going well.

Zuko was pacing back in forth in front of the delivery room. He tried to sit down, but every time Katara cried, he sprang up to run in there and comfort her, only to be stopped by a closed door.

He continued his pointless pacing for Agni-knows how long. Suddenly, the moment came when Zuko heard the shrilling cries of an infant, and his heart almost stopped. The midwife came out of the room with a weary but satisfied face.

"They're both alright. Her majesty is just a little exhausted, but she will be fine."

Zuko didn't even wait for the midwife to finish before he ran through the doors. When he had entered the most ethereal sight he had ever seen stopped him in his tracks.

Katara was sitting up looking absolutely fatigued, but a content smile graced her lips. She was looking down at the bundle of blankets in her lap with such a loving gaze that Zuko almost felt like he was intruding on a sacred moment between mother and child.

The child. Zuko swallowed his nervousness. Katara finally looked up, her eyes a little vailed with emotion but smiled brightly at her husband. She stretched out one hand and invited him to come closer.

"Zuko, please come and meet our daughter."

Daughter. She was a girl then…perfect. It would have been perfect either way.

He took slow but steady step towards the bed, and sat on the edge next to his wife. Katara tenderly lifted the baby and offered her to Zuko. He looked at Katara slightly alarmed.

"Just hold her head, like this," she gently instructed him.

When Zuko finally held her, he lifted the blanket from her face to see her clearly.

A tuff of ebony hair stuck out from her head. Her delicate skin was like his, porcelain white. She was so tiny. Then the baby held out a little tiny fist and Zuko offered his finger, which she grasped so firmly. The small babe opened her eyes ever so slightly and revealed deep, cobalt blue irises, before closing them again. In that moment, for the first time, Zuko experienced euphoria like no other. His lips quivered, and before he could stop them, tears feel from his eyes.

Never before had he experienced this feeling. He felt absolute love and devotion to a little person who didn't even have a name yet. Already, he knew that this baby had managed to become the center of their world. She was the result of the love he shared with his other half; his wife, partner and beloved, Katara.

Now, Zuko's heart swelled with pride for his new daughter. He silently swore that nothing will hurt his new little family. Absolutely nothing will hurt them without receiving the deadly wrath of the Fire Lord. His pride would not allow it.