Zuko's Betrothed

A Thousand Questions

I woke up alone in my bed and I was thankful for it, although sleeping next to Zuko was nice it's not smart. Zuko, Iroh, and I eat breakfast in mostly silence "I think I'm going to roam out of the ship today," Iroh announces as he sets down his bowl. "Either of you care to join me?" he asks us "I have better things to do than wander through nature uncle!" Zuko grumbles "I think I'll stay on the ship today. We're not going to stay here long though Iroh, so be back by noon," I inform Iroh before standing from the table. 

I leave to see if any hawks have come in today, although I know there is no way Zulma would have written back so quickly. I can't help but wish desperately to hear from her, but only one hawk is in and it's an old report of the Avatar tied to it. "What are you doing?" Zuko asks me and I sigh lightly "just checking the hawks," I tell him before tossing the old report onto a nearby table. "I know it's hard but you shouldn't waste your time in here," Zuko tells me and I nearly scoff "easier said than done," I tell him looking out the window wishing for a hawk to fly in. 

"Your birthday is tomorrow," Zuko states and I can't help but laugh "I nearly forgot. I guess we won't be getting married according to tradition," I tell him "my mom will be outraged," I add. Zuko grabs my hand "we still could if you wanted to. I mean it's only a matter of getting an official," Zuko tells me and I blush brightly. "Zuko, I-I," I try to speak but my words fumble, and I trip over every word. "It's up to you Honna," Zuko says using his free hand to tilt my head up to look him in the eyes.

He leans down planting a sweet kiss on my forehead. It felt like he held me there forever, "we should wait until we get back to the Fire Nation or until we're eight-teen. Whichever comes first, but I'm sure we'll be home before too long," I tell him and he nods "I promise I will capture the Avatar, and get you home," he tells me. I smile at him, but a familiar pang surges through me, and I wonder if this is right. "I'm going to read, Iroh should be back any minute. You might want to check on him," I remind him and he nods.

Once I'm alone in my room I let the thought trickle in, what if we're not doing the right thing. Our destiny is to be Firelord and Fire Queen, but the Avatar is meant to bring balance. Why does he threaten us at all? Why is it even important for the Fire Nation to have the Avatar? We were taught that the war is our way of sharing our greatness with the world, but if that was true then why would the Avatar be a threat? I throw myself onto my bed and feel overwhelmed with questions. It's not like it really matters, if we don't capture the Avatar my family can never have the life they deserve. I need to focus on them, and only then everything else can be handled.

I choose to escape my reality temporarily and dive into a book, and I try hard to push these questions out of my head.

Guys earlier in the story, I said Honna's birthday is on the summer solstice, but I meant for it to be the winter solstice. So I corrected it here, sorry about that lol.