Author's Notes: Last chappie… read on and review… please… hahaha!
Disclaimer: Not mine. :(
"No, I'm sorry Your Majesty…" she bowed slightly and looked away…
"I suppose you're from the northern water tribe?" The royalty asked. Katara's brows furrowed. Northern water tribe? Oh, must be because of my dress… so he doesn't know it's me?
Katara coughed again, making her voice sound higher than usual…
"Well, yes. Your Majesty… but what brings his highness out here in the porch?" she asked, as she moved slowly toward the railings…
"I was looking for someone…" Zuko replied.
"Who is this person?"
"My guest of honor…"
Katara's heart slumped. I knew it… he already had someone… nice getting my hopes up…
"Have you seen that person already?" Katara asked. Zuko just shook his head…
"Unfortunately for me, she didn't come…"
"She?"
"Yes…"
"Who is she?"
"I'm sorry, but aren't you asking too personal questions?"
"I know, I'm very sorry Your Majesty…" She spoke as she stifled a laugh…
Then silence dwelled…
"She's a peasant, a low-life… an annoying selfish brat… she thinks she's so mature but she's too childish… she acts hard but is soft… I was her enemy, and she was mine as well… she comes from the southern water tribe… we're total opposites…"
Tears fell hard onto Katara's dress as she sobbed silently beside Zuko… she tried to speak but no words came out… her heart seemed to stop beating and she felt like running… Hearing those words was enough, she needed to go away…
She wanted to go away…
The mask fell with a loud crack, her face was greeted by the soft, cold wind…
"Well, I'm so sorry if I'm a peasant or a low-life… I'm sorry if I just annoy you… I'm sorry if I'm your enemies… I'm sorry that we're opposites…"
With those words, she was gone… Zuko's eyes widened and he felt his heart ripped from his chest…
That girl…
Iroh stood and watched from the upper porch… So it was Katara… She's the one he was waiting for… He smiled but frowned when Katara ran away crying… He fixed his composure and sat on his bed…
My nephew, if you truly are ready… then you will go after her…
Leaves from the vine falling so slow
Like fragile tiny shells drifting in the foam
Little soldier boy, comes marching home
Brave soldier boy, comes marching home…
"Katara, wait. You don't understand…"
"Why should I understand?! You never wanted me here in the first place!!!" She cried. Tears fell like rain on the cobbled floor…
"Listen…"
"Leave me alone!"
Zuko fell quiet. He tried to speak but couldn't find the right words…
"Jerk…" Katara whispered… somehow, she wanted to go back to her tribe… but something was urging her to stay and listen…
"Listen to me…" Zuko whispered as he walked slowly towards Katara…
"Listen…?"
"You know… That girl from the southern water tribe… she totally annoyed me… but as time passed, I learned how to appreciate her… never was there a second that I stopped longing for her touch… she gave me the courage to stand and be braver… she changed me through her words… and I know I've scarred her with my words… but I believe that even the deepest scars can be healed… you're true. I'm a jerk… it's because… I loved that girl…" Zuko stopped behind her and placed a hand on her shoulders…
Stream of tears kept flowing from her eyes… her face was red and hot… she was happy and mad at the same time…
"You were never a peasant to me…" Zuko whispered in her ear as he turned her around to face him… She could feel his breathing touch her face… he looked at her as he held her closer, hugging her petite build close to his…
"You were a…" He drew his face closer… Katara blushed harder as tears gushed harder…
"A Cinderella…" Katara's eyes closed when Zuko ended the gap between their lips… Her mouth tasted like strawberries while his are chocolate and almonds… They parted and she smiled…
"She must be a lucky girl… because her prince has come to rescue her…"
"From what?"
"Boredom…" Katara grinned as she rolled her eyes. Wrapping her arms around his neck…
"I was wondering, why Cinderella?" Katara asked…
"Because she left her heart in my possession…" Zuko replied, with a smug look on his face…
"I couldn't agree more…" and with that, they kissed once again…
The ball ended with a lot of girls disappointed… but most of them are happy… being forced to go to a ball by their parents and leave their true love behind…
Katara soon bid farewell to the fire nation to go back to her tribe… She has given them the good news and everyone was happy… But the story doesn't end like that…
"Daddy! Daddy!" Young Kana ran towards her father and was greeted by a long warm hug…
"What is it, dear?"
"My waterbending lessons with mommy's finished… she t-told me to tell you that it's your turn to teach me firebending…" The girl spoke… Zuko just tilted his head and kissed his daughter…
"I thought it was your aunt Toph who's going to teach you earthbending today?" He asked.
"No, no daddy… it's Thursday today… so it's you who's going to teach me…" Kana looked at him with a pouting face… Katara stood smiling in the doorway, staring at her husband and daughter…
"Well, have you forgotten the day, honey?" She said… her arms folded…
"I thought it was Sunday today… you know… 'sleep-early-and-enjoy-the-bed-with-your-wife' day…" He smirked… Katara chuckled…
"My, my… so I am the one forgetting…" she replied…
Their daughter stood between them… shifting gazes from her mother to her father… she smiled and turned away…
"I better leave you lovebirds for a moment…" she whispered and she was gone…
It was an ordinary day in the Fire nation palace… all was well…
Author's notes: it's short… but at least, it's finished! I had the idea of this story from the movie of drew Barrymore… it was like a Cinderella story of some sort and I was crying because I thinking of making this fic… pathetic huh? Anyway… please read and review… if you didn't like the ending… I'm so sorry and flame freely… hahahahaha!!!!
Anyways… that's all… and I better go! My first avatar fic… fin at last!
BYE! BYE!!!