Fire Heart

Chapter 17

I sigh and follow Zuko along the path towards Azula's ship. I still haven't told anyone about the baby. A maid caught me getting sick in a bathroom and few days again. She took me to a doctor and that's when I found out. I haven't even told Uncle yet. Sadly I don't think he's coming with us.

"Uncle! You're coming with!" Zuko exclaims happily, snapping me out of my thoughts. I look behind me and smile at Uncle.

"Family sticks together, right?" Uncle says with a bright smile. Zuko nods and continues down the pathway. Uncle looks at Azula's ship.

"I know. I don't think she really means that we're gonna go home as family." I agree with Uncle. He looks at me.

"Stand alert. You never know what Azula could be up to." Uncle says. I nod. He starts walking along the path.

"Uncle?" I ask. He looks at me.

"Yes, Ivy?" Uncle asks. I sigh.

"I need your help." I say. Uncle looks worried.

"Is everything alright?" Uncle asks. I nod.

"I think so. It's just that...I don't know how to tell Zuko something." I reply.

"Well, what is it that you need to tell him?" Uncle asks. I bite my lip nervously.

"I'm...I'm pregnant." I tell Uncle. His jaw drops in shock.

"How long?" Uncle asks.

"I only found out a few days ago." I reply. Uncle smiles and hugs me.

"I consider you as my daughter. And I will tell you right now how proud I am. You're the strongest person I know. And I know that your strength will be passed on to your children. Zuko will be happy when he finds out. He will be blessed with a daughter or son in nine months." Uncle says. I smile and hug him back.

"Thank you Uncle. For everything." I whisper. Uncle pulls out of the hug.

"Of course. Now let's catch up to Zuko." Uncle says. We hurry after my husband. Zuko smiles at us. I smile back. Uncle nods at me. I sigh and walk next to Zuko. Zuko takes my hand and I look at the ground nervously.

"Are you okay?" Zuko asks. I look at him.

"I guess. But I kind of need to tell you something." I reply.

"What's up?" Zuko asks curiously. Azula's ship isn't too far away.

"I'm pregnant." I reply. His eyes light up and he pulls me into a tight side hug. He kisses the side of my head lovingly.

"Why would you be worried about that, Love?" Zuko asks softly. I sigh and realize why I hadn't told him sooner.

"I'm afraid that I might not be a good mother." I admit, both to myself and to Zuko.

"You'll be an amazing mother, Ivy. Don't doubt yourself. I mean, you've put up with me for as long as I can remember. A baby will be easy compared to me." Zuko jokes. I smile.

"Thank you." I say softly. He kisses the side of my head again. We reach the dock and Azula smiles at us. But I notice something...uneasy about the whole greeting.

"Welcome Uncle, Brother, and my new Sister! I'm so glad that you decided to join us!" Azula exclaims in a fake happy voice.

"Zuko...something doesn't feel right." I whisper.

"I know. I feel it too." Zuko whispers back. Uncle watches the soldiers carefully.

"Princess, shall I take your prisoners to their cells?" The Captain asks. Azula looks furious.

"Princess, I'm sorry. Please forgive me." He pleads.

"Grab them!" Azula commands. Uncle and Zuko fight the soldiers while I cartwheel onto the ship and prepare to fight Azula.

"Azula, please. I don't want to fight you." I say. She glares at me.

"You should've thought about that before you betrayed me!" She yells before attacking. I block her flames and punch some fire at her. We fight back and forth until she starts to create lightning. My eyes widen.

"Ivy!" Zuko shouts. He runs up to me and pulls me to his chest, blocking me from Azula with his back to her just as she was about to hit me with lightning. But Uncle manages to grab her fingers and direct it away from us. Uncle pushes her to the ground. We run off the ship and into the forest. We just keep running. But I begin to feel tired and I stop beside a river. I place my hands on my stomach and sit down by the water, trying to catch my breath. Zuko and Uncle stop running when they realize I'm not beside them.

"Ivy?" Zuko asks gently as he sits beside me. Tears fill my eyes. Uncle sits on the other side of Zuko.

"We could've lost the baby. Azula could've ended a life that hadn't really begun. We could've never got to see our little baby." I say shakily before turning and sobbing into his chest. Zuko wraps his arms around me tightly.

"I will never let anything happen to you, or our son or daughter. Ever." Zuko reassures me. He gently pulls me away from his chest.

"For now we have to stay hidden out here." Zuko tells me. I sniffle and nod. He pulls out his knife and cuts his ponytail off before handing the knife to Uncle, whom then cuts his half bun off. Zuko takes the Princess hair piece out of my half bun and the hair band, letting all of my hair fall on my shoulders and back. He wraps them in a cloth before putting them in his bag.

"How are we going to live out here? We don't know what plants are safe or anything." I sniffle. Zuko takes my face in his hands.

"I'll do the best I can to keep you and the baby strong and healthy. Everything will be okay." Zuko reassures me. I pull him into a hug and we stay like that for a while as Uncle goes off to look at plants.