Zuko's Betrothed

Hope Where None Should Be

Zulma and I walked for what felt like forever, but I didn't mind I finally got to talk to my sister that was something I never thought I'd do. I did feel the butterflies grow in my stomach the longer it took for us to make our way towards mom. "She should be here in the market," Zulma stated her eyes darting around the market trying to identify the woman. Then, I saw her. A silhouette of orange and red, an unusual color combination for our culture usually wearing only different variations of red. 

Before we called out for her, she turned and her eyes met mine. I let my arm stray from Zulma to fall to my side for my mother to take in my appearance. I saw tears brim her eyes as she charged towards me encasing me in a bone-crushing hug. "Hi mom," I tell her trying hard not to let the tears fall out. " hello my love," she said laying a kiss on my head "I feared I would never see you again," she told me not releasing me from her grasp. "No inferno could keep me away forever mom," I told her finally releasing a single tear falling from my eye as she loosened her grip on me.

She wiped the tear with her thumb, it lingering on the scar just beneath my eye. "I wish I could have protected you through so much. Both of you have had so little time to be children, I'm sorry for that," She tells Zulma and me pulling Zulma closer to our huddle. I shake my head "You did everything you could for us, and if it wasn't for you we wouldn't be who we are today," I tell her. She smiles and links arms in between Zulma and me as we walk through the market. I catch her up on everything of relevance in my life. 

Then she asks a question I hadn't prepared for "have you and Prince Zuko planned for your wedding?" nerves ran through me reminding me of our technical impending arrangement. "Nothing is really set. Zuko prefers to find the Avatar first, so we can be married in the Fire Nation," I tell her and she wrinkles her nose. My mother might not be a big fan of my arranged marriage, but she does care about tradition. "You mean the Fire Lord will not allow you home, even for your wedding?" she asks almost disgusted at the idea of such an idea. 

"I'm afraid the rules of banishment still stand even for a prince and princess mom," I announce "What will happen if you never capture the Avatar Honna?" Zulma asks putting an air of unease around us. I look down as we walk "I don't know to be honest Zulma. I assume we'll still be married to save what little bit of honor we have, but other than that I don't know," I try not to despair remembering I have met the Avatar. The two of them are quiet and I hated to see them despair at the loss. "Don't lose hope guys. I have a secret that you can't share with anyone. Even father and Runic! Zuko and I have seen the Avatar we almost captured him, and we will capture him before anyone else, and regain our honor!" I tell them.

"Honna? Are you serious? The Avatar?" Zulma asks skeptic as anyone would be. I nod "We found him in the South Pole we had him on the ship, that's why we're here in the first place he damaged our ship so we're getting repairs," I explain "Thank the spirits," my mother says smiling up at the sky. My mom looked deep into my eyes "Honna, you can do this. Come home to us okay?" she asks me hope coming from her voice a sound that I had almost forgotten. "I won't fail you guys," I promise.

I couldn't fail them. If I was Fire Queen I could move them into the palace and I would never have to go so long without them ever again. As much as I wanted to believe I felt like I shouldn't give them so much.