The Tale of Amara

by faithy waithy

Amara... daughter of two nations. father: A Fire Nation Admiral. mother: an imprisoned waterbender from the South Pole. Her half-brother Zhao sees her as nothing but a mistake. Abused both physically and mentally for sixteen years, Amara begins to lose hope that she will ever know happiness... but then a tea loving man arrives and her life changes forever. Full summary inside

39. Ba Sing Se

Chapter 39: Ba Sing Se

The monorail came to a stop, and for that I was very relieved. The shaking of the ride was making me a bit queasy. I preferred flying on Appa so much more because his ride was smooth. When we finally got off the monorail onto the stone platform of the Lower Ring, I had to do all I could to not run off our transportation.

Finally getting onto solid land, I let out a breath of relief. Yuna had moved to my arms at this point because the area was very crowded and she kept getting bumped on my shoulder. Zuko kept an arm around my shoulders to try and move me through the crowd to the more open space on the platform. Eventually we got over to an open area by the steps that led to the streets of Ba Sing Se, and finally we all relaxed.

Iroh spoke once we were out of the loud crowd and could hear. "My contact let me know that they would be here soon with a carriage. We have a few minutes to rest."

Zuko had let go of me at this point. "I'm guessing this is another member of your secret club."

He smiled. "Like I said: I have many old friends."

As we waited for the carriage to come and retrieve us, I took in the sights and sounds of the city. Ba Sing Se was definitely bigger than Omashu, and I was amazed by the amount of people and buildings that stretched out on both sides. I could tell we were definitely in the Lower Ring though; many of the people I saw were in tattered clothing, resting against buildings in the sun begging people who passed by for money. While I had never had much growing up, I still felt bad for the people before me. Many did not have homes. Most of them were refugees that had been forced to flee from the Fire Nation and seek safety in the city. I prayed that by winning the war we could make their lives a little better.

"Mew-Hoo!" Yuna suddenly let out a cry. I jumped a bit, and glanced at her where she was in my lap as we sat on the steps and waited. Her eyes were looking at something across the street, and I followed her gaze to see another cat-owl sitting on a perch built into a wooden cart. The white feathered cat-owl gave a "Mew-Hoo" back.

Iroh chuckled from where he sat beside me. "Looks like Yuna has a new friend."

I smiled slightly. "She hasn't seen another of her kind since her mom died. I'm sure she's just excited to be able to talk to someone."

Zuko, who sat on the other side of me, said, "She probably just misses Ping."

His words made me think about the ostrich-horse we had left behind. Then, as I thought about the ostrich-horse, I thought about Appa again. Zuko caught my smile fall, and he quickly became worried.

"Amara… What's wrong?"

I pet Yuna more as I thought about the gentle flying giant I had come to care about. "I just hope Appa's okay… He's such a sweet boy."

Iroh placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "I will reach out to my connections while we are here and see if I can get any information. I am certain the Avatar and your family are already making plans to search for him."

I looked around at the busy city again. "If he was brought here though, there's no telling where he could be. This city is so big."

Zuko tried to reassure me. "That bison survived a hundred years frozen in ice. He can survive anything at this point."

I smiled slightly again. "Yeah… he can…"

A few moments later a carriage came towards us made out of fine wood. The wheels were custom made, having been carved to look like a white lotus. A brown ostrich-horse pulled the carriage, and on the front was a young man in a green robe with a brown hat. The carriage pulled up to the steps where we were sitting. Iroh stood just as the door to the carriage opened and a man a little older than him stepped out.

The man was in a fine green robe, with a balding head, and a gray beard. As Iroh approached him, Zuko and I stood to follow.

"Kyro! It has been such a long time!"

Iroh bowed to the man, who returned his gesture with deep respect.

"It has been a long time indeed, dear friend," Kyro agreed. Both men stood straight again. "When I received the message I was delighted that you would be coming here. I have made all the preparations. I believe you will find your new accommodations a fine change from what you have experienced."

Iroh nodded. "We look forward to some rest."

Kyro looked over at Zuko and I then. "I see you have all been through quite an ordeal. I have made the arrangements for you to be able to clean up and have new attire."

Zuko looked over at Iroh. "Arrangements?"

Iroh smiled. "Well we can't stay in the Upper Ring looking like we do. We'll be kicked out for sure."

I stared down at the clothing I had taken from the abandoned Earth Kingdom village. I could see the dirt and wear from our journey. I didn't know much about Ba Sing Se's system, but from Kyro's clothing I could tell that our style was not the normal Upper Ring fashion.

"Come along. We don't have all day," Kyro urged, grabbing the door and gesturing for us to get into the carriage.

Once we were inside, I kept Yuna on my lap as we started to be pulled through the city. Zuko sat beside me, while Iroh sat beside Kyro. As we headed through the Lower Ring, I looked out the window beside me at the small wooden buildings we passed. Yuna peeked her head up to see the area as well, curious about the sights and sounds.

"As you can see," Kyro spoke. "This area is where many of our recent arrivals reside. Many of them are able to find work around the market square, and some even find themselves promoted to live in the Middle Ring."

Iroh sighed. "Yes. I remember the system here is not much different than the one at the Fire Nation. The Upper Ring is much like the Fire Nation Capital. Those on the outer islands are much more impoverished like the ones in the lower ring."

As Iroh spoke about the Fire Nation, I couldn't help but think back to my past. I had not seen much of my home in the Fire Nation. All I knew was that the place I came from was called Shuhon Island. I was aware that we lived outside of the city there in the wealthier parts, and that we weren't too far from the ocean. I didn't know much about the area though. I just caught a small glimpse when Zhao took me away from the estate.

I shivered at the memory. Those were such dark days. I had been so alone. So scared. So caged. The world had felt so small to me. I didn't know anything about the Earth Kingdom, or the North Pole. I had seen more of the world now than my mother ever had. In a way, this made me feel guilty… I was freed, but my mom hadn't been given the chance.

A tear suddenly fell. I quickly tried to wipe it away, but Zuko noticed. He grabbed my hand gently with concern.

I shook my head. "Nothing… I just got lost in my thoughts. I'm fine."

He looked like he wanted to pry, but he could see I didn't want to talk about it. He nodded, dropping the conversation.

Eventually we arrived at a large gate. Kyro spoke again. "I will be giving you all some passes so you can get into each area. You cannot get into the Middle or Upper Ring without the proper identification. Our law enforcement is very strict about that… As well as the Dai Li."

"The Dai Li?" Zuko's ears perked. "Who are they? I never heard about them in my studies."

The man frowned. "People you don't want to get involved with. The organization was founded by Avatar Kyoshi a long time ago… Its initial goal was to preserve the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se, and protect the Earth King against corruption. Unfortunately, it has become corrupt in the process. They see to it that the Earth King has no knowledge of the war outside of Ba Sing Se. Their leader Long Feng arrests anyone who attempts to share knowledge of the war with the Earth King."

I shivered. "They sound like a scary group…"

Kyro nodded. "They are… I advise when your friends arrive that you all do not get involved with them."

Zuko sighed. "Some king… doesn't have control over his own city…"

"A good lesson for when you become Fire Lord soon," Kyro added.

Zuko looked at Iroh with disbelief. "Does your secret club share everything?"

Iroh nodded. "Of course!"

Kyro added, glancing over at me, "Yes. Especially when it comes to our special dualbending friend here."

I blushed a little at his acknowledgment.

"When I heard about your existence, I was astounded. Never before in history has there been someone who can bend two elements except for the Avatar. You are truly talented."

I glanced down at Yuna who was still peeking out the window. "I'm still learning. My cousin taught me some waterbending moves, but I still have a lot I don't know."

"You have definitely improved since I first met you though," Iroh reassured. "I'm proud of how far you've come."

The carriage moved again. We headed into the Middle Ring which was already much nicer than the Lower Ring in appearance. As we made our way through the area, I could see the houses were made out of finer wooden material and there was a lot more open space. We also passed by a giant stone building with green slanted roofs and a stone wall around it. Kyro explained that the place was Ba Sing Se University where the finest scholars in all the Earth Kingdom went to school and studied.

Once we passed by the school, we passed by a giant fountain with a statue of some Earth Kingdom general. There were other large stone buildings, and people dressed in nice light green clothing. Banners hung up in one area, and a bunch of stalls were set out. There was a crowd of people who were setting things up for something.

"There must be something festive occurring tonight," Iroh commented.

Kyro nodded. "Yes. There is a festival in honor of late Earth King Yi Ming's birthday."

Iroh smiled widely. "Excellent!" He looked at Zuko with delight. "Once we get settled you will have to take Amara to the celebration."

Zuko argued. "Once we get settled we need to wait for word about the Avatar."

Iroh waved him off. "The Avatar can wait until tomorrow. Festivals only happen every now and then. You two could use some fun tonight. I'll watch Yuna so you can have some alone time. And Amara needs to experience more of the world anyway."

Zuko covered his face in disbelief. "You're just trying to make me take Amara out on a date, aren't you?"

Iroh grinned. "Guilty!"

I smiled slightly. Time alone with Zuko did sound fun… but he was right… I did think we needed to focus on other things. "I'm okay… We need to focus on–"

Zuko cut me off, speaking to Iroh. "Fine. We'll go tonight. But only because I want to distract myself for a little bit."

His cheeks were a little red when he said this. I felt my heart flutter when I realized why he was saying it. He wanted to take me on a date. My cheeks burned, but I smiled slightly at the thought.

Eventually we passed through another gate into the Upper Ring. The houses in this area were far more extravagant than the Middle Ring. They appeared to almost be estates, and there were large fountains in every direction. We then passed by a huge brown painted stone wall that stretched for what felt like miles, with massive green banners that held the square symbol of the Earth Kingdom. I could see golden slanted roofs above the walls, and was amazed. The arched gate to enter inside was heavily guarded by Earth Kingdom soldiers.

"The Earth King's Palace," Kyro explained. "The center of Ba Sing Se."

Zuko seemed amused. "I don't think the Fire Nation palace's wall is even half that size."

Iroh agreed. "Walls are very important in this city. Having earthbenders to make them does help though."

When he said this, I thought about Toph. Then I thought about my family again. I looked back down at Yuna with worry once more. I really hoped they were okay.

The carriage finally came to a stop in front of a large stone building with a wrap-around porch. The carriage driver opened the door for us.

"Leave your belongings and we will have them delivered to your new residence," Kyro stated, and then got out of the carriage. Iroh followed behind, leaving his small bag of belongings.

I hesitated, not wanting to leave my mother's necklace which was inside my own bag. Zuko was about to get out, but he noticed my discomfort and understood. He reached into my bag for me and pulled out my necklace. He spoke to me with reassurance. "It's okay. You can probably wear it now. We're safe from bounty hunters here, so hiding you're Water Tribe isn't necessary anymore."

I smiled slightly and nodded. I went to take it, but he made me turn on the seat so he could put it on for me. I was relieved when I felt the familiar stone on my skin again.

"Come on," he encouraged. "Uncle looks impatient."

We got out of the carriage. Yuna perched on my shoulder again now that the crowds were gone. Kyro gestured for us to follow him up the porch steps and into the building once we were outside. We stepped through a large wooden door into an open room with an indoor fountain. A lady, perhaps early twenties, wearing a beautiful green dress, stood in front of the fountain. Her hair was done up in a bun with a gold pin sticking out.

"Allow me to introduce you to my daughter, Ami," Kyro said. "This is our home. We will have some dinner prepared for you all before we take you to where you will be staying."

Ami bowed to us, and then stood straight with a smile. "Welcome to Ba Sing Se. My father has told me much about you all and your journey."

Iroh bowed in return. "Your father has told me much about you! I hear you are a wonderful cook!"

She blushed and giggled. "Yes. Someone has to take care of this old man."

Kyro and Iroh laughed. Zuko and I watched their interaction, not sure what else to do.

"I will begin dinner shortly," she promised. "It would appear we have other tasks to complete first."

"Yes!" Kyro exclaimed. "First things first… We must get you all out of these tattered clothing if you're going to fit into the Upper Ring!" He looked over at his daughter. "Ami! Please see to it that this young lady is properly cared for while I attend to the others."

Ami smiled and gave a nod. She gestured for me to follow her. I hesitated, not sure what this woman had planned for me. Zuko gave me an encouraging push, saying, "Just go along with it. We'll see you soon."

I turned to look at him, but he and Iroh were already being gestured away by Kyro into a hallway to the left of us.

A gentle hand touched my arm. Thankfully, I had gotten better at not freaking out from being touched. "Come on dear. Let's get you washed up, and I'll find a snack for your cute friend," she encouraged. "You look like you've been through quite a journey."

I decided that there wasn't much else to do, so I followed her to the hall to the right. I was amazed at the enormity of their home. They had beautiful flower pots, wall decor, fine pillars, and multiple rooms. We stopped at a room at the end of the hall, and she gestured me inside. The room was a bath area with mirrors, a large stone tub that was filled with water, and a table full of different clay jars and glass bottles.

"Wait here for a moment, dear. I'll go find a snack for your friend," Ami said. She turned and shut the door, leaving me on my own.

The room fell quiet. I walked over to the stand up mirror and flinched. I did look like a wild child. Before, when I was a prisoner, I really wouldn't have cared about my appearance. However, staring at my ponytail which had strands sticking out, and looking at my frayed shirt and pants, I realized that I did look pretty rough.

Yuna flew off my shoulder and landed on an empty space on the table. She stared at the different bottles with wide eyes. Her tail swished and she went to hit one with her foot.

"Yuna," I spoke. "No."

She dropped her foot and just purred. I smiled slightly. She always acted mature, but she was definitely still young. I pulled the ribbon that was holding my hair up off, and then walked over giving it to her. She picked it up in her mouth and dropped it. I pet her saying, "You miss your playmate Momo, don't you?"

She purred from my strokes.

"We'll see him really soon," I promised.

As Yuna became occupied with my ribbon, I walked back over to the tub. I dipped my hand into the water, and felt the liquid was cool. Holding my hand out, I used my combined bending to heat the water just enough where some steam came off. Touching the liquid again, I felt relaxed by the warmth.

A gasp sounded behind me. I jumped a bit, and turned to see Ami had returned with a plate of fish. Her eyes were staring at the tub with bewilderment. She had seen me heat the water with no fire.

"My father told me… but I didn't think such an ability was possible!" She walked over to me with a wide smile. "That was amazing! You heated the water without any fire!"

I blushed and crossed my arms self-consciously. "Um… yeah… just something I can do."

She walked over to Yuna and set the plate down. Yuna gave a "Mew-Hoo" in delight and started to eat the fish.

Ami walked back over to me with excitement. "Sorry. I just have never met a dualbender before. When I heard about you I was so amazed. And so jealous! I'm just an earthbender. You are so lucky!"

I felt my face heat up more. "Well… it does come in handy to have two elements sometimes. But I'm still pretty novice at them both."

She smirked. "You're being humble. It's okay to brag. You're incredible!"

I was starting to become anxious from all the attention on me.

She could see I wasn't much into the conversation. Deciding to drop it, she said, "Well, anyway. Let's get you washed up. I'm sure the men will be done soon and ready for me to start some dinner." She walked over to a chest in the corner of the room and pulled out a green robe. She then returned to hand the fabric to me. "I'll go get you some fresh clothes. Go on and relax for a little bit. I'll return shortly."

I did as she requested. Once I was washed up, I used my waterbending to dry off, and then I put on the robe. It did feel really nice to get the days of dirt and grime off of me. When Ami finally returned, she held in her arms the clothing she had gone to retrieve. "I went out earlier and purchased these. I hope they fit you well." She handed the clothes over to me, and I thanked her. As I took them from her, she asked, "I heard my father mention this, so I'm just curious. Is it true you and Prince Zuko fell in love?"

My heart skipped from her question. I felt my blood quicken. "I… yeah… I mean… I do love him."

She smiled widely. "Lucky girl. He's a handsome one. And he clearly loves you from that look he gave you earlier. Of course, I can see why Prince Zuko fell for you… You're really pretty."

I blushed from her compliment. "Thanks…" I felt a bit awkward with all the attention and tried to turn it on her. "You're pretty too."

She giggled. "Aw. You're so sweet."

I asked, trying to get her to stop talking about me, "Do… you have someone you like?"

She was amused by my curiosity. "My husband. His name is Sa. He is a guard at the palace. He works the evening shifts so that's why he isn't here right now."

"Oh," I said, suddenly embarrassed. I hadn't realized the girl before me had a husband. "You look young… I didn't know you were married."

She was surprised by my statement. "Well, I was married at eighteen. That's not too young. Most girls marry when they come of age at sixteen."

Her reveal surprised me. I hadn't really thought much about marriage. Iroh had mentioned it once long ago, but I had brushed the topic aside. I knew that Princess Yue was only sixteen when she had been engaged, but my family made it sound like that wasn't how the South Pole worked. Did most girls marry at sixteen in most parts of the world? Was I behind in that too?

Then a thought struck me: Did that mean I was old enough to marry Zuko?!

My cheeks burned more if that were even possible. I hadn't even thought about possibly being old enough to marry someone. Ami was watching my reaction to her statement with amusement. "How is it in the Fire Nation? Do you all marry at a later age?"

Her question only made me more flustered. "I… I don't know."

And that was true. I really had no clue about marriage in the Fire Nation. Marriage had never really crossed my mind much. I just loved Zuko and enjoyed being by his side. Marrying him though… I really hadn't pondered over him ever being my husband.

An hour later, I sat at a large wooden table on a fine green cushion avoiding Zuko's gaze as much as possible. I had been quiet since my conversation with Ami. Once I had gotten dressed in a fine green silk long sleeve shirt with gold trim, and some darker green pants, Ami had helped me with my hair by putting it up with my ribbon. Then she dragged me into the kitchen with her and had me help her prepare food. The whole time I worked with her, and Yuna watched from a window sill, I felt my blood pound in my ears from the thought of being Zuko's wife. I didn't know anything about being a wife!

Zuko, who sat across from me, had cleaned up and was dressed in a fine dark brown shirt with some gold trim, and some dark brown pants. His hair, which had grown out quite a bit, looked to have been trimmed up a little. Iroh, who sat beside him, was wearing a fine green robe with some gold trim as well. He had on a lighter green shirt underneath, and some darker green pants. He had also trimmed his hair and beard as well.

Yuna sat beside me, napping on her own cushion as we ate. Ami was on the other side of me, and her father was at the head of the table.

"You all look much better now that you've freshened up! I'm sure you are happy to have been able to clean up after such a long journey," Kyro commented.

Iroh agreed. "Yes! Thank you! We appreciate the hospitality."

Kyro argued. "No! Please don't thank me! Anything for such an honorary member of The White Lotus." He glanced over at Zuko. "I am curious. When I heard word that you planned to join the Avatar and stop the Fire Lord, I was amazed by the change of heart. What made you decide to turn against your father and help end this war?"

Zuko looked at Kyro with surprise. He glanced over at me, and then looked down at his food. "A lot…" he paused. Aftera moment, he spoke again. "When I was first banished from the Fire Nation, I thought my father was teaching me a lesson… that by capturing the Avatar I would become something of greatness. I thought that the Fire Nation was the virtuous one, and the rest of the world needed to be guided by us. However, I learned the truth about the war the more I traveled around the world. I learned about the terrible suffering my people have put the other nations through. And of course, knowing everything Amara went through has convinced me that things need to change. If helping the Avatar is one way I can redeem my honor then I'm willing to try."

Ami was impressed. "That's brave of you to turn against your people and help us. When I heard the Fire Lord's son was coming here to find the Avatar and join his mission, I had my doubts. But meeting you and hearing your sincerity has me believing you are honest about wanting to save us."

Zuko looked at Ami with sincerity. "I have so many regrets. I've hurt people and been selfish. Not anymore… I promise I'll do everything I can to stop my father and restore balance to the world."

Kyro nodded. "I can see you will be a fine ruler one day."

Iroh and Kyro started speaking with one another again, and I zoned out of the conversation. My mind was still swirling with thoughts of the future. If Zuko became Fire Lord, what would that mean for us? If I chose to stay with him in the Fire Nation, I would have to be away from my family. If I chose to be with my family, then I would be separated from Zuko and Iroh. I was conflicted then, because I didn't want to have to make that choice.

Eventually we departed from Kyro and Ami, getting back in the same carriage from before. The carriage ride took about five minutes as we were taken to another area of the Upper Ring. We arrived at a large green building that was situated at the top of some stone steps. There was a giant square fountain in front of the building, and some other buildings on both sides. As we headed up the stone steps, the carriage driver pointed to the smaller green building to the right.

"That will be your living quarters while you are here. Your things are already inside." The man then pointed to the building at the center. "That is the tea shop that has been purchased for you. Your employees will be here at sunrise to meet you."

Iroh grinned widely. "I look forward to it!"

The man handed Iroh three green passes then, saying, "These will allow you to pass through each of the rings. If you have any issues, Kyro wishes for you to notify him immediately."

Iroh took the passes and bowed. "Wonderful!" He then turned and handed two to Zuko. "Now that you know where we will be staying, you and Amara head out to the festival!"

Zuko was stunned. "We just got here! Can't we settle in first!"

Iroh gestured over to the carriage driver. "You have transportation. It makes sense to go now."

Zuko sighed. He glanced over at me, and then gave a nod to Iroh. "Fine… But we're not going to be there long. We all need to rest tonight."

Iroh nodded. He handed Zuko some money then. "It's good to relax some before the stress of tomorrow." He then held his arm out for Yuna, who understood and left my shoulder to go with Iroh. "You two have fun. Bring me back some rock candy."

Zuko pocketed the money, and then grabbed my hand with his free one. He took me back towards the carriage. I blushed from the thought of going on a date with him. Ami's mention of marriage was still replaying in my mind.

The carriage took us through the gates again, and back into the Middle Ring. By the time we got there, the sun was practically gone. There was a greater crowd of people than before, and lanterns were hung in all directions. There were more stalls too, music was playing, and laughter was in the air.

Zuko and I got out of the carriage. The carriage driver let us know he would be back in two hours to get us, and Zuko thanked him. Once the carriage left us, Zuko took my hand and pulled me into the crowd. Thankfully the festivities distracted me from my previous worries, and I started to relax. Being alone with Zuko was nice, and I felt safe with him beside me. We went to many different stalls, seeing fine crafted jewelry and beautiful sculptures. There was one stall where a man was moving a pebble around under some cups, and people were guessing which cup the pebble was under. Zuko muttered something about a scam artist. Another stall sold some sticks with sliced meat. There was a man next to it juggling rocks that a bunch of children were gathered around. Another woman was weaving a basket while people watched around her. Children ran around with straw animals or were wearing wooden masks. I was amazed by all that I was seeing, and I smiled as I watched the different acts around me. Apart from the Avatar Day festival after the Rough Rhinos attacked me and my family, I hadn't really been to many other festivals before.

Everything was so light and joyful.

Zuko was quiet as we went from place to place, but I could see he was enjoying my reactions to everything we were seeing. He had probably been to many festivals in the past, so I knew he had only agreed to come because of me.

Eventually, we both got a little uncomfortable with the crowd. Zuko bought us some mung bean cakes, and we headed away from the main festivities over to a fountain. We sat on the fountain's stone edge, ate our cakes, and listened to the music that continued to play in the distance.

"Thanks, Zuko," I spoke after a moment, resting my head against his shoulder. "This was fun."

He moved his arm around me so he could hold me to his side. He let out a heavy breath. "Yeah… I definitely needed this. Especially since I'll most likely be confronting the Avatar and your family soon. Uncle thinks he'll hear word of where they're staying tomorrow."

"I know you're worried… about how they'll react… but they are really understanding. I think once the tension dies down they'll listen to what you have to say. I'll do my best to keep them from attacking you."

He argued. "I deserve whatever they throw my way. I didn't make their life easy."

I moved my hand over to his so I could hold it and comfort him. "You've changed though. They'll be able to see that. My family may be bitter at first, but once they see how sincere you are about everything then they will come around. Aang also sees the good in people really well. He'll listen to you."

"Well… You being there will definitely help too," Zuko agreed. "They'll be less likely to kill me." He said the last part as a joke, although I could hear the anxiety in his tone.

We went quiet for a moment, listening to the music again. After our silent pause, Zuko stared up at a paper lantern that hung above us and said, "It's funny… I haven't been to a festival like this since before my mom disappeared. I forgot how enjoyable they could be."

I frowned from the sadness in his tone. "Well… Your dad probably didn't like you going to festivals…" I spoke softly. "He seems to be really strict…"

He nodded. Then he shut his eyes and frowned. "I look back at the last three years and feel like a fool… The day my father burned and banished me, I believed that I could earn back his love. But… I shouldn't have to earn back anything from him. I did nothing wrong. I realize that now. My father is just a monster… The way Uncle loved his son… I know that Lu Ten would've never been treated like I was. To my father, I was always a mistake. My sister was perfect and I was the reject. Sometimes, I wonder if my father wished I was never born."

I shut my eyes as he spoke to me. "I know the feeling…"

Zuko pulled me closer so my head was resting under his chin now. "I wish I had known about you back then. Then I could've saved you a long time ago from those monsters."

Images of my father, my uncle, and Zhao shot through my mind. All of the monsters of my past. Only one still lived. The thought suddenly made me fill with spite again. I knew revenge was not something Aang would approve of, but I honestly wanted Uncle Xi to suffer too. He had caused many of the scars my skin bore.

"Part of me never wants to see Uncle Xi again… but another part of me wants to face him and make him fear me… That's an evil thought though."

"No… It's not evil. After everything that man put you and your mother through, you have every right to feel that way." Zuko sighed heavily. "When I become Fire Lord, I promise I'll make him pay for everything he and the others did to you."

I nodded. Opening my eyes, I stared at the festival before us again. "I wish mom could've met you."

He fell quiet for a moment. Then he pulled away and smiled at me. "Your mom would've frozen me to a tree like your cousin did to Jet."

I giggled a little at that. "Probably."

He spoke on. "My mom… She would've definitely loved you… I wish everyday I knew what happened to her. Uncle told me that she was banished, but no one knows where she went."

I frowned a little when he said this. I squeezed his hand. "Maybe after we end the war we can find her."

He smiled over at me. "Maybe." Then he turned so he could look me directly in the eyes. "I've been wondering… Did you and Kyro's daughter talk about something earlier today? You seemed a bit distracted by something at dinner."

I felt my cheeks go hot again. I looked at the ground feeling embarrassed. "It… it was nothing."

He argued. "Didn't seem like nothing. You were avoiding my eye contact all night until we got here."

I felt my heart flutter. "It's stupid…"

"Doubt that," Zuko said. "Tell me."

I fiddled with my fingers, keeping my gaze from him. "I was just… thinking about…" I swallowed. "Marriage."

He was stunned. "Marriage?"

I blushed harder. "Ami… mentioned she was married. That most people get married at sixteen. I never thought much about marriage… and then I realized I was old enough to get married. But then I thought, I know nothing about being married. And then I thought about being your wife and how terrible I would be at it, because I don't even know what a wife is supposed to do." I covered my face with my hands. "I told you it was stupid!"

He was quiet for a moment, taking in what I had said. I refused to meet his gaze, too embarrassed by the topic. After a moment, he finally spoke. He sounded pretty composed, despite the subject.

"Don't worry about that right now. We're both still young, Amara… marriage is something you don't have to do until you're ready… most people in the Fire Nation don't get married until they are eighteen or older anyway..." I glanced over to see his cheeks were a shade of red too in the lantern light. "I mean…" He rubbed the back of his neck a bit embarrassed himself. "One day it would be great to marry you. But we're still young, and we need to focus on other things." He met my gaze with a small smile. "I like the way things are between us right now. I'll be happy as long as you're by my side."

His words made my heart warm. However, my other worry returned. "But… What happens when we stop the war? You'll go home… become Fire Lord… I'll have to go to the South Pole…"

He went quiet for a moment. Then he let out a heavy breath. "I know… I've been wondering that too. I've thought about you going back to your Water Tribe family once we help the Avatar… but… You… could always live at the palace you know. If you decide you want to. I'd make sure you are taken care of. Make you happy… and you could always visit your family when you want to…" He grabbed my hand again and gave it a squeeze. "But we don't have to worry about that right now… let's just focus on ending the war first. We'll cross that when it comes."

I squeezed his hand to return his gesture. I gave a small nod. I met his gaze again which seemed to glow in the lantern light. I spoke softly, "Okay. No more worrying about that." I smiled slightly. "Although… I would love to see the place you grew up one day."

He frowned. He shut his eyes as he thought about a place he hadn't been to in over three years. "I miss it… but mainly because all of the memories of my mom were left there. We'd sit for hours together at the pond in the palace garden, feeding turtle-ducks or skipping rocks. Back then, I didn't worry about the war. I was just a kid. Then when my mom left and my father took the throne, everything changed. I was forced to grow up so fast."

"It seems the war has done that to a lot of kids," I whispered. I thought about my cousins, Aang, Toph, Jet and his Freedom Fighters, and so many other children and teens I had met in the past. Everyone had been forced to grow up so fast. Then I thought about myself… I hadn't even had much of a childhood…

Zuko spoke again. "We're going to change that… I'm ready to fix what my father and ancestors destroyed. The fighting needs to end."

I pictured a world with no more war. I pictured the Fire Nation and Water Tribe becoming allies again. Being of two opposing nations, I felt so divided. Like there was a war in myself. I hoped that by helping Aang and the others restore peace, I would finally feel like I belonged. Like being of two nations wasn't a bad thing.

"Thank you, Zuko… I know this path isn't easy for you, but it really means so much to me that you want to help us."

He moved his hand so he could cup my cheek. His thumb was soothing against my skin. "I'm the one that should be thanking you… you're the one that opened my eyes to the truth. You helped free me from my father's control. I smiled for the first time in years because of you, Amara. Thanks for rescuing me."

I felt my heart flutter. "We saved each other."

He kissed me then, and I kissed him back. The music still echoed in the air.

—-

A/N: I wanted to give Zuko and Amara some alone time before things got into the story line again, so hopefully this chapter wasn't too boring. Next chapter will be pretty intense, so I'm not sure when it will get done. But I'm starting on it now. Thanks!