Firelord Zuko sighed in contentment as he eased himself onto the chair. The voyage throughout the world had taken a greater toll on him than he dared admit. Seeing Katara, however, was great. The two hadn't seen each other since a meeting the two had attended as to the training of Avatar Korra. After that, they had parted amicably, and had gone their own ways.
After Mai had died, Zuko had relinquished the throne to his daughter and embarked on a voyage to the different nations as an ambassador. In the wake of the Republic City crisis, the Earth Kingdom had needed Zuko's advice on quelling the Equalist rebellions that had broken out in the Kingdom. While nothing close to the scale of Amon's revolution in Republic City, the rebellions had proved a thorn in the Earth Queen's side. Zuko had advised a diplomatic solution, and the Equalists had dispersed, after their leaders had been imprisoned.
Since then, he had spent a long time in the Northern Water Tribe, attempting to negotiate with Chief Unalaq's advisors on retreating from the Southern Water Tribe. Many times, he had reflected on the irony; years before, he had come to both Tribes as a Fire Nation conqueror, and was now fighting to save both. The Chief's men, however, would simply not listen, and Zuko had even been forced to firebend at some assassins he suspected had been sent from Unalaq's men.
His knowledge of Spirits wasn't great, but news had reached him of Avatar Korra's fight with "The Dark Avatar", as his guards called it. The time he had spent with both Aang and his Uncle had given him a cursory knowledge of spirituality, but even he found it incredible that the events that had taken place in Republic City were factual, and not from a fictional storybook.
Zuko sipped at the tea, and was pleased to find that it tasted almost exactly like the tea that Iroh had brewed.
"The tea tastes just like it did in Ba Sing Se," he said, grinning at Katara.
She shrugged nonchalantly, smirking slightly. Then, having poured the tea, she sat, sipping at her own tea. They sat like so for several minutes, deep in thought, simply enjoying each other's company, until Katara spoke.
"It's been quite a while, Zuko," she said, setting her tea down.
"Five years, to be precise. But, I suppose that when we get this old, five years is barely anything."
She nodded, smiling at him.
"I was remembering the time when you came to this village, asking for the Avatar. It seems so long ago…"
Zuko nodded, smiling sheepishly.
"I oftentimes cringe whenever I think of what I was like back then; a ponytailed, one-eyed teenager who had lost his way, and was too blind to see his way out of it. I did bad things back then. I've never formally apologized for having-"
She held her hand up dismissively, smiling.
"That won't be necessary. Once, perhaps, when I was younger, I would have demanded it, but now, It's all 'water under the bridge', so to speak."
Zuko smiled. "I see your brother's wit rubbed off on you after all," he said, and lifted his teacup in salute.
"To friends," he said.
Katara lifted her glass, and both took a drink from their tea.
Then, in after a minute of silence, Zuko looked at Katara sadly.
"And we're the only ones left," he said, a solitary tear running down his scarred cheek.
Katara looked at Zuko in sadness. The sobering fact that she and Zuko were the only ones left weighed on her mind every minute of every day. Not a day went by that she didn't miss Toph, Suki, Sokka, and Aang. Each one had been like family to her, and each death had killed her a little inside. Reaching over, she put a hand on Zuko's shoulder.
"Zuko- be at peace. They're in a better place now, and I am completely sure that we will all meet again in the Spirit World."
Rubbing his eye, Zuko nodded. She was right, and while he didn't particularly relish the thought of death, he certainly believed that what Katara said was true. Then, a timer rang in the kitchen, and Katara stood, smiling.
"That would be the pastries. Give me a second to get them."
"Alright," Zuko said, clearing his throat.
He remembered that his Uncle had once told him, as they stood in the ruins of the Western Air Temple and as Zuko's face had stung almost constantly from the burn mark, that destiny had a funny way of working. Funny indeed, as he was at the home of someone that had previously been an enemy and was mourning the death of the very person he had tried to hunt down. He missed them all; Aang, Toph, Sokka, Suki, Mai, and his Uncle. Each one had been family to him, in their different ways.
Holding back tears, he drank deeply from his teacup, draining the cup in a single gulp. Katara reentered the room, holding a tray of bean buns. Gingerly taking one, Zuko placed the bun on his plate and cut a small section of it, eating it slowly.
"So, Zuko, I've been meaning to ask—how is your daughter doing? Being a Fire Lord is undoubtedly hard work- It certainly was for you."
"Fine, all things considered. I suppose I'm just still in shock that my little girl is a grown woman now. Compared to me, though, she took the throne in relative ease. I suppose that bodes well. I took it when I was seventeen, she took it at thirty nine. She'll be a fine leader."
The Fire Nation Palace
Three Years before Avatar Korra's arrival in Republic City
Princess Iria, daughter to Firelord Zuko, was looking at herself in the mirror dejectedly. She was particularly upset by the existence of gray hair in her long, flowing black hair, and she pondered whether she should dye it or keep it. She had to admit, as she smirked slightly, that the gray made her look kind of... well, good.
Her son, Iroh II, had left to join the United Forces several months ago, and her husband, a nobleman, had left to the Earth Kingdom to confer with the Earth Queen as the Fire Nation ambassador. For her, she was stuck here, in the Fire Nation, attending what seemed like endless meetings on crop quotas, industrial production, and world politics. Her father had been kind enough to offer her a position on the Ministry of Security, but she had refused, as it would have looked like her father was playing favorites. Therefore, she sat in on meetings at her father's side.
A soft knock came from her door, and she walked to the door, taking comfort in the presence of her trusty throwing knives and her firebending, which she practiced by letting a few small flames flicker between her fingers; after all, she had lost track of how many assassination attempts there had been over the years. Cracking the door open, she was surprised to see her father standing at the door with a serious expression.
"Dad? What's wrong?"
"Iria, I need to talk to you about something."
She opened the door, admitting him inside, and touched him lightly on the shoulder. She knew when her father was acting strangely, and this was one of those times. Her father hugged her tightly and she hugged back, slightly confused.
"Is… is there something wrong?"
Zuko sat on the corner of her bed, and Iria sat next to him. She was concerned. Her mother's death had taken a toll on her father, and even though her father was still a physically fit firebender, she knew that he was starting to feel the effects of time. She and her father had always been very close, and in her teenage years, she resented this, but with the knowledge that the rest of her father's friends, like Uncle Aang, Uncle Sokka, and Aunt Toph had died, she was always worried that something would happen to her father.
"I'm going to relinquish the throne to you."
Iria looked at him in shock.
"What? You're giving up being Firelord? But… Why? What will you do? What's going on?" she asked, panic tinging her voice.
With a sigh uncannily similar to her mother's, Zuko stood and looked out the window absentmindedly. Then, turning slightly so that the burned side was all that was visible, he spoke.
"I'm old, Iria. I'm too old for this type of job, and I've realized of late that I've spent the majority of my life here in the Fire Nation. You may not think that's bad, but I've been out before. When I was banished, I cared nothing for the world, but looking back now, I realize that the world is beautiful. Not to mention that our world is crumbling."
"What do you mean, crumbling?" she said, a tint of her temper showing through her voice. Of course she knew what he was talking about, but that was no reason to cut and run, she thought to herself.
Zuko turned, looking at Iria.
"The Equalist movement is spreading. The Nations need my help to restore balance. Avatar Korra is only fourteen; she's too young and inexperienced to change anything. The world needs me again."
Iria found that tears were streaming down her face.
"But, Dad… I need you, too. You… you can't just leave like that! I'm barely holding it together after Mom, and with Iroh in training and my husband traveling abroad... It's too much. I can't lose you, Dad... I'm all alone here as it is."
Iria held her face in her hands, sobbing, and Zuko wrapped her in an embrace. It perturbed him to see his daughter crying like this; he hadn't anticipated such a response. That, however, was nothing new to Zuko; he wasn't always the best reader of emotions. Breaking away from the embrace, he held her face gently, smiling slightly.
By the sun, he thought, she looks so much like Azula. Even as a child, Iria had always taken his sister.
After Zuko and his mother had been reunited after the war, Azula had fled. He had spent the voyage trying to be nice, understanding and kind towards his sister, but her madness had overcome any desire to be a good sibling. Ozai had corrupted his sister, and Zuko had lived in perpetual fear while he raised Iria that he would do the same—that his little girl would grow up to be… insane. Azula wasn't found until after Iria had been born, when her remains were found near the city of Omashu. He hadn't grieved, but her demise had made him wonder how things could have been different. He and Mai both, who had known Azula so intimately, had shared a moment of remembrance for the princess, and they moved on.
Looking at Iria now, however, he noticed her golden-green eyes; Mai's eyes. Regardless of if she shared her Aunt's features,she was still his daughter, and he had always loved her immensely. In that manner, he thought, he had succeeded; his daughter had grown into a strong, independent woman who was kind, generous, and wise; something he was sure would have made his Uncle proud.
"Iria, I've watched you grow from a child to a strong woman. By the spirits, you're thirty-nine years old, with a strong young son and a loving husband. I love you more than anything in the world, and I'm sorry that I must leave. I know in my heart that you will make a fine Firelord, and that you shall bring honor and integrity to our family," he said, hugging her again.
"Please, just do this last favor for your old man. I promise that I'll return as soon as I can, but it is my duty to Aang's memory that I try what I can to bring balance to this world."
Desperate, Iria held her father closer.
"Haven't you done enough? You created Republic City with Uncle Aang and you ruled the Fire Nation through its golden age, which you brought about. I… I don't understand."
Holding her closer, Zuko smiled tearfully.
"The world, the Avatar, and those that have died have given me everything. It's about time that I gave something back."
Regaining her composure, Iria crossed her arms, and nodded once, then turned towards the window. Knowing his daughter's emotions, Zuko squeezed her shoulder softly and exited the room without a sound.
The sun was high above the sky the next day, and it shone brilliantly on the Fire Nation Palace. Assembled in the courtyard were the citizens of the Capital Island. Whereas in the past, they had been compelled to go by the likes of Ozai and Azulon, attendance was optional—even though the vast majority of the fire nation showed up regardless. Rows of soldiers lined the perimeter of the Coronation Plaza, and the Fire Sages were gathered around two figures; Firelord Zuko and Princess Iria.
Both were immensely popular amongst the Fire Nation citizens and the world as a whole. Iria was known as being a kind, gentle princess who often served as the people's voice in the government, sponsoring public works projects and domestic reform. Zuko, who had already been famous prior to the war, was known as "The Peacemaker" among the world population. His establishment of Republic City, his reform of the long-corrupt and imperialistic Fire Nation, and his leadership of the Fire Nation through a Golden Age earned him the undying respect of his subjects.
The Lead Fire Sage, a man known as Hiroshi, held his hands up, gesturing for silence. In a powerful voice, he began the coronation ceremony.
"Today, we celebrate the beginning of the next era in Fire Nation history. Firelord Zuko, the man who regained our nation's honor and brought us peace and prosperity after a Hundred Years of War is today relinquishing his role as Fire Lord."
Hiroshi knelt, and Zuko came to the forefront.
"As a young man, I was troubled by my duty to my father and the Fire Nation's destructive ways. After realizing that my destiny was to regain the honor of our nation in the eyes of the world and in my own eyes, I joined with Avatar Aang to end the tyranny of our Nation's corrupt past. Now, I have decided to return to the world to once again bring peace to the world that accepted us even after we hurt them. I will not return until I do so."
With that, Zuko knelt, and Sage Hiroshi stood.
"Firelord Zuko, father to Iria, husband to Mai, now passed. Nephew to Iroh, now passed. Son to Ozai and Ursa, both passed. Do you hereby relinquish your throne to Iria, your daughter?"
"I do."
Gingerly, as if the hairpiece was made of glass, Hiroshi lifted the crown from Zuko's topknot and walked to Iria, who was kneeling, clad in the ornate robes of the Firelord. He gently placed the crown in her hair, and, with both hands, lead Iria to her feet.
"Iria, daughter of Zuko and Mai, by the power invested in me as a Fire Sage, I hereby pronounce you as the next Firelord!"
With that, the audience burst into applause, with shouts of admiration and support resounding from the crowd. Iria herself stood then, and walked to her still-kneeling father, and, in a single movement, stood him up and hugged him, earning another round of applause from the audience. When they separated, both had tears in their eyes.
"I guess this is goodbye, Dad."
"Do our family proud, Firelord Iria," he said, smiling broadly.
He turned to leave, breaking from Iria's embrace, and then he remembered something. Reaching into the folds of his robe, he pressed an object into Iria's hand.
"If you ever need guidance, go to Councilman Lee and give him this. Then, you find your way. Until then, my dear daughter, farewell; I will return."
With that he left, to which the audience applauded loudly. As cheers of 'Hail Iria' and 'Farewell Zuko' resounded through the courtyard, Iria looked at the object her father had placed into her hand. In it was a single tile from the board game that Granduncle Iroh had always enjoyed. The White Lotus.
Well that's that... Just kidding. So this series (whether anyone ends up reading it or not) is essentially going to be a series of one-shots of the Gaang after the War, through the context of Zuko's and Katara's reunion. I'm not sure how much content I'll actually put on, but I have a lot of ideas. And it won't be Zuko-centric; there'll be plenty of Katara to go around.
Zuko's daughter's name kinda came to me last night as I was writing. I know that both Honora and Ursa are both good contenders for her name, but I opted to have her be named after a significant figure in Zuko's life; Iroh. Iroh - Iria ;)
As for the White Lotus thing, I reasoned that after Iroh passed, therefore leaving the Order without a leader, who else better to lead the organization than a man who is intimately familiar with the workings and extent of the Order. Perhaps there will be elaboration on that front... hee hee hee.
EDIT: So after I initially published this, I realized that I had COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN ABOUT IROH! So I rectified this by making Iria somewhat older and changing a lot of the dialogue. I'm not the best editor, but I believe I got everything, and I changed some of her 'desperately emotional parts' to more dignified responses (I think.) The identity of Irai's husband may or may not be revealed later on. Let me know if I missed anything.
EDIT 2: I realized that I was switching between "Iria" and "Irai". Thanks to algebra123320 for pointing that one out. Almost missed that one.
Anyways, thanks for reading, please make sure to review. I have a skin of iron, so I can take criticism (I hope). Stay tuned for more!
Thanks,
-IGdude117