Chapter 6
Fire Lord Zuko made his way to the southern wing of the palace. Several members of the palace staff had tried to offer things to the monarch as he came through the hall: cooling baths, back rubs, music, food and anything else they thought could ease the troubles from their leaders shoulder, but Zuko mostly ignored their attempts and continued to make his way to the Southern Garden. The Southern Garden was a beautiful garden that was actually built inside the palace. It had a lovely artificial pond, fountain and waterfall. It had gentle trees that held cherry blossoms. It had dainty red and gold flowers that blossomed all year long on bushes. White stones were arranged like calligraphy over green parchment. It had been a secret place to him. He and his cousin Luten would swim there from time to time, he would practice his firebending in secret there away from the critical eyes of his father and the cruel remarks of his sister. His mother would pack picnics for just the two of them there.
He gave it to Katara as an engagement gift. "I don't know if I will ever memorize all the rooms in the palace," Katara explained laughing as they came from dinner. She and Zuko had only announced their engagement a few months ago at that time but the members of the Fire Lords Council were determined to make sure that their new Fire Lady would be equipped to handle the task. She had been assigned a tutor in Fire Nation history, customs, art and academics. It amused the young Fire Lord to think that hi bride to be was most overwhelmed by memorizing the design of their home.
"of course you will," Zuko said mildly. "in 50 years you've got to get it down," he joked.
"50 years," Katara swooned as she wrapped her arm around Zuko's and snuggled coser next to him. "I'm not sure if I can live you for 50 years," she teased.
"Well I'll give you a place where you can go when I'm getting on your nerves," He winked.
"One place of my own? My lord you are too gracious" she said giving a bow.
"In deed I am. This is a very special place. At one time it was cosidered one of the wonders of the world," he explained to her.
"This whole place is a wonder" she way Katara had grown to love the Fire Natio was a marvel to Zuko after all the pain and devastation his people had caused to her and her tribe. He thought that she would be horrified by the thought of living among them permanently, but she embraced it with her whole heart. She found beauty in the mountains and beachers, in the enormous buildings and monuments. Se loved to go out on the holidays and partake in the festivities. He knew the court gossip. Jealous noble women called her an ensnaring Water Tribe witch. Hey thought that she was not like them, but they were wrong. They stepped through the doors that seemed as if hey were made from nothing but diamonds and rubies and entered a land of enchantment. The sound of exotic birds making their wild a beautiful calls filled the room. The smell of fresh fields full of flowers exploded into her nostrils, butterflies and fireflies came out and danced around her. The gorgeous waterfall took her breath away.
"Zuko what is this place?" she asked breathlessly.
"Simply stated it's the southern garden," he shrugged trying to sound nonchalant, but as he watched her glee as she beheld this spectacle he couldn't help but smile. She reached her hands out and and tried to touch the friendly insects that played around her. She laughed as a butterfly landed on her nose. She slipped off her shoes and allowed her feet to feel the luch green grass. Katara was matureshe had needed to for her father and brother and even her tribe and for Aang and Toph and so many others who had for years needed her to take care of them, but sometimes with Zuko she could allow herself to slip back into the innocence of childhood and let someone else hand the responsibilities.
" It deserves a better name than that," She called as she rushed over to one of the fruitful trees. She peeked through its branches and found the bird that was singing its beautiful song. "It's like a paradise," she said smiling as she picked up the small sparrow and cradled it in the palm of her hand. It was a bird with beautiful plumage of red and gold bright as the sun. She looked at him and her smile grew even brighter.
"It's all yours," Zuko whispered tenderly. He came up behind her and placed both hands on her shoulders. "You can call it whatever you like."
"Oh Zuko," Katara gasped quivering with emotion, "I love it!" she bent her head up to look into his mesmerizing golden pupils. Zuko smiled slightly and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "I love you," she mouthed back breathlessly. Words weren't needed anymore at that point. He turned her around to face him. It was forceful, but she liked it. His hands slipped down to her lower back and he kissed her long and deep on the lips. The beautiful bird few from her hands and she wrapped her warm brown fingers around his neck and played in his jet back hair. The tiny bird took flight and it's wingspan was impressive. So much bigger than what she had imagined. Her eyes grew wide as she watched the angelic creature soar like a kite across the garden. "it's like a phoenix, she stated in we sill wrapped in the arms of the man she loved.
" Something like that," Zuko gave a sigh. "Come on," he said tugging her hand as he pulled her from the spot and moving them closer to the waterfall.
"What?" Katara asked giggling.
"I want my water bender to give me a swimming lesson," he explained while stripping himself of his royal attire.
Zuko had a plaque made for her after her passing. In the Fire Nation cremation was the most common way to bid fair well to a person's remains. The Royal family had an assorted plot of land where they made tombstones for the ones that had passed on. They were magnificent monuments to the royal family who hand ruled the Fire nation for hundreds of years. Zuko had a monument arranged there for his wife as well. But he wanted something more personal a place near to him where he could go to remember his wife. So in the Southern Garden there was a little part of it where there was there was a beautiful willow tree growing and panda lilies all around and also a few moon lilies They were like no other plant he known. They were a rare flower blue as the sea. They only opened their petals in the night time. They flourished under moonlight rather than sunlight and they only grew in the Southern water tribe. The frigid harsh conditions of the South pole were hardly a habitat for vegetation, but the spirits had seen fit to allow something to grow hidden beneath the ice and snow. They grew on the high mountain cliffs far away from the actual tribal grounds. They were hard to get, but naturally the people of the Southern Water Tribe had wished to honor Katara and so they imparted the lovely plant to the Fire Nation often and free of charge. In the small hollowed corner of the private garden the Fire Lord felt he could be close to his dearly departed wife once again.
He sat and meditated for a little while. He just did simple breathing exercises but the lanterns all around the area grew in flame. Aa he breathed in and out, trying to alleviate some of the tension and the pressure that had been building up in his shoulder blades since his very loud discussion with his daughter. It was as if he could hear laughter. Soft gentle laughter that reminded him or rain or a babbling brook. "Why is the Fire Lord always so tense?" the voice whispered tenderly. He could feel a presence creeping up behind him. A presence that was sweet and happy and strong all bundled in one. The air all of sudden became fragrant with the scent of cherry blossom. It was a scent that he knew very well. He exhaled as he breathed his wife's name, "Katara?"
"A penny for your thoughts, Zuko." She said coming and sitting beside him He felt a cool hand touch his rough fingers.
"Shouldn't the Fire Lord's thoughts be worth more?" he teased good naturedly. He still hadn't opened his eyes.
"Hmph, well I am merely a humble Southern Water Tribe peasant, I haven't the finery to give you, Highness," The female voice offered a bit of attitude laced her voice.
"You are no peasant, you are the Fire Lady, Queen of a Nation, Empress of my Heart. You are my wife.. Katara . After speaking this audibly, the Fire Lord opened his eyes and he could see his wife, sitting beside him. She was arrayed in the traditional robes that a Fire Lady would wear. Part of her hair was pulled up but the majority of her soft brown tendrils fell loosely down her back. She was vision in red. Her face was smiling a sweet and serene smile at him. When he held the weight of the world on his shoulders her calmness was always soothing. She said it was the way of water. His hands clasped in her own. He squeezed tight for dear life. Her head dropped back into his lap as her brown skinned hand stroked his cheek marked with the terrible burn.
"You are the Fire Lord and my heart burns for you. I love you, my husband." The words were spoken so gently it was like a lullaby. She looked so beautiful with the golden crown pinned in her top knot. Her gorgeous blue orbs stared sweetly at him. When he looked in them he was all lost at sea and completely content to stay a drift. He bent down. He was unable to resist her anymore. How he missed her now that she had been taken from him. He missed her beauty, her warmth and her love.
Zuko closed his eyes muttering his love for her. He leaned in deeper and deeper. His lips ready for a passionate kiss, but when he opened them once more the vision had vanished. The garden was empty. Only Fireflies were scattered on the lawn now. Zuko looked around in confusion like a child who had just seen an impressive magic trick, but their had been no magic only the hopeful imaginings of a grieving king.
"Oh Katara," he spoke in the silence. "I miss you. I wish you were here. There is so much more we had to experience together. There are so many ways I still need you here now. I wish you were here with Zeta and me. It's been difficult with out you. We muddle through, but It's been difficult. She's a lot like you, you know," he said chuckling a little. "I know you think she's just like me, but she's feisty, independent and she doesn't know a woman's place!" The Fire Lord laughed to keep from crying. How he longed for his wife so. They had gotten married when they were young. He was hardly a man, Only 18, but if he was old enough to rule a fragile Nation he was old enough to marry the girl he loved. Katara was a girl, she had only been 16 when they'd wed. But she became a woman and fulfilled her duty as wife and Fire Lady. She had given Zuko and heiress, she had given him love. Zuko continued making his speech to a woman who he knew wasn't there. " Well today she asked about going to this party… I don't like the idea of her going to parties at all, but I would have let her go if I would have been in town or if the party would have been in town. The party is on Ember Island! Can you believe she'd even bring up such a ridiculous notion! Now I knopw your thinking we could trust her enough for one night, but times have been so dangerous Katara. There have been all these attacks on magistrates and nobles and even some of the Fire Temples have been ramsacked by these thugs. I don't even know who they are! How can I keep the Nation safe when I don't even know who or what is threatening us?" He asked desperately. "I don't know what to do..." he confessed. He looked down at his hands. Somehow he expected her to take it I hers and then giove him advice. Katara had given such good advice to him always. "Sometimes I feel so alone." The monarch admitted.
He almost felt bad for saying it. He knew in his acknowledgement of his loneliness he only confronted the fact that deep inside he was angry at his wife for dying. It was an immature response but it lingered many years after the love of his life had passed away. Katara had been ripped from life to abruptly. She had taken ill after visiting The Southern Water Tribe. They were having a festival and were trying to rebuild the tiny community and Katara wanted to be apart of that. But there had been threats all around her departure. She ignored them. He tried to stop her. Tried to keep her safe in the Fire Nation. Safe with in his reach, but Katara was never one who could be easily tamed. Her love for her people was great and she went. She went pregnant with their unborn child.
Zuko's mind was lost in angry memories. Memories that made him want to smack somebody. The Little candles around him burned with the fury and pain that he felt inside still.
"Zuko?" asked his uncle coming out into the garden.
"Uncle!" Zuko said quickly trying to compose himself and flick the tears away that were gathering in his eyes.
"Are you ok, my nephew?" asked the elderly fire Nation prince.
"Yes, I.. I was just thinking...meditating really." He said as he rose to his feet. His voice took on a deeper tone as he tried to show strength.
Iroh paid no attention to the Fire Lord's attempts to play off his pain. "You've designed this place beautifully." Iroh said as he looked at the flowers carefully planted by the small pool where koi fish swam. There were lanterns hanging from the limbs of the regal willow tree and stones position as a careful memorial.
"Katara deserved it." Zuko said bitterly looking around. "I must retire for the night, Uncle." Zuko announced. He continued to walk quickly, but General Iroh could see how the young Fire Lord's shoulder's were trembling and he heard him sniffing slightly as he pressed passed him.
"It is Ok to mourn, Zuko. You know that." Iroh called out to the young ruler. He difnt advance behind his nephew he stood where he was his hands folded under his robes. He faced the waterfall and kept his back to the Fire Lord.
Zuko bit his lip. He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to talk about Katara or her death because in all honesty he couldn't bear it. He was angry that his uncle would even try to bring up that matter. "There was a time for mourning" he began, "That time has now passed." Zuko stated his back still turned though he wasn't walking away anymore. "I'm going to bed." The Fire Lord declared as he left the garden and slammed the ruby and diamond coated door behind him.
Iroh, old gray eyes watched sorrowfully as he saw his nephew depart. He then looked down at the plaque. It was made of gold. And it read: In Memory of Fire Lady Katara, Beloved Queen, Sister, Daughter, Friend, Mother, Wife. May a flame forever burn for you in this life and the next. It brought a tear to Iroh's eyes. Katara had been a sweet and strong young woman. Her life had been too brief at best. He noticed that the candles had stopped burning and he lit them again. So that her flame could keep burning. He bowed before the memorial with respect. He left shortly after that.