Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 99: Discovery

After breakfast with the Fire Lord, Zuko, Chiara, and Azula set sail for the island where Hira'a was located. The ship on which they traveled was not the royal barge, but a smaller one for quick travel among the islands and unlikely to attract the attention of anyone curious to catch a glimpse of the royal family.

Zuko and Chiara stood at the rail of the ship watching the main island shrink in the distance. As his home disappeared, he wondered how long it would be before he would return this time. He was once again undertaking another mission with little information to aid him in his search. But he at least had the consolation that he could return home any time he chose. He had already decided that he would not spend years on this journey; he would not lose himself in it the way he had during his search for the Avatar. For as much as he wanted to find his mother, he knew she would not want him to throw away his life searching for her, especially with a wife and child to look after—and traveling with him—again. Instead of remaining in the Caldera and being pampered in the palace, despite Amiku's insistence, she, too, was embarking on another expedition with him. He looked at Chiara quietly standing next to him. Her soft green eyes were fixed upon the sea. His golden eyes sparkled as they followed the loose obsidian spirals bouncing around her cheeks. The rest of her hair was braided for travel, and her diadem was around her neck. Neither of them wore their headpiece, and they were both attired in simple traveling clothes, but lack of adornment did not diminish her beauty as he continued gazing at her.

He softly ran his fingers down her arm to her hand. "I'm going to make your tea," he said.

She looked up into his fiery eyes and gave him a smile in thanksgiving for his tender care for her.

They had long ago run out of Nersala's tea, but Zuko made sure to pack his uncle's blend for her which they both found far more palatable. There were only three bags among him, Chiara, and Azula, and they were lying on the deck where he had instructed they be left. He and Azula had backpacks while he only allowed Chiara to carry a smaller bag with lighter supplies. Reaching for his pack to look for tea, he realized once he opened it that it was not the bag he had packed. He was about to close it and move it aside, but his eyes fell on a folded piece of parchment. It looked old, reminding him of the letters Azula had burned the night before. Curiosity getting the better of him, he reached in and lifted it out of the bag. After carefully unfolding it, he read the contents:

My dearest Ikem,

 It's taken me a long time to admit it, but you were right. I belong with you, and nothing is worth this pain. My one consolation is our son Zuko. When I look into his eyes, it's as if I'm looking into yours. My thoughts are with you always. 

Love, Ursa.

Zuko's eyes made their way back to our son.

He stood up and slowly walked over to the rail next to Chiara. Seeing his dazed expression, she was immediately worried.

"Hey, love, are you okay?"

His dazed eyes met her worried ones and he gently shook his head. "I...I don't know."

He held out the letter to her, and she took it, scanning over the words. He watched her eyes grow wide with shock.

"Where'd you get this?" she asked, her eyes still on the letter.

"I found it in Azula's bag."

She looked up at him. "This is one of the letters she found in that room."

He slowly nodded his head and turned out towards the sea, his mind turning over everything. She stood next to him not knowing what to say. Still holding the letter in one hand, she gently caressed his back with the other.