Standard disclaimer: I don't own this and am only writing it for fun not profit.
A/N: Written for DamageCtrl. The prompt was a fairytale. (of sorts)
Snegurochka
Typical of most boys his age, eight-year-old Zuko lived for the stories of war and honor his uncle would tell him. It was only late at night when his mother would come to tuck him in that he would admit to loving her stories just as much.
His favorite was the story of The Snow Maiden.
They wanted a child so badly, nonetheless it seemed it was not to be. Saddened by her grief, the old waterbender consoled his wife and swore to dry her tears before morning. He went far into the tundra… traveling between the glaciers until he located the purest snow he could find. It was there that he worked until dawn. Bending until the sweat sparkled on his skin like diamonds. But when he was done he had created a miracle.
Watching the sunrise, his wife stirred a pot of stew on the fire and waited for her husband to return. Shielding her eyes, she stared into the distance. Finally, she saw his figure coming over the drifts. But something was wrong. He wasn't alone.
She was exquisite. Eyes blue as the deepest ocean. Skin as flawless as the freshly fallen snow. Dressed in pelts dyed azure and the pristine white furs of their people she was a vision to behold. Gifted with life by benevolent spirits that had been moved by the plight of the childless couple, she was the blessing they had prayed for. Yet when the rejoicing woman took her new daughter in her arms she felt only a warm evaporation of steam rising to the heavens.
In her haste to embrace her new mother, the maiden of ice had tragically leaned across the flames.
It had been a long time since Zuko had thought of that story, but years later when he saw the pretty young girl surrounded by the women of the artic village…
He was careful not to touch her.
Fin
For those not familiar with the story: http// en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/ Snegurochka (remove the spaces) I melded several versions together for Zuko's fairytale.