Steam Will Rise

8. Legacy

Zuko's mouth opened and closed but he was unable to give voice to any of the thoughts that raced through his mind. He stared at Katara waiting for her, or someone to object and tell Katara's Gran-gran she was insane, but no one did. They all seemed convinced that he and Katara were going to have a child that could bend all four elements.

Bato broke the silence. "I believe it, but at the same time I can't believe it."

"There was a time I didn't believe it either." Kanna confessed. "Yet everything Madame Wu told me has come to pass."

Katara shook her head. "How though? How can one person bend all four elements?"

"That's what I want to know." Sokka chimed in.

Kanna stood up. "We'll discuss it over dinner once it's ready. I'm sure everyone is hungry."

Sokka licked his lips. "I've been thinking about roasted goose-auk all day."

"I am hungry." Zuko's stomach chose that time to growl as if punctuating the point.

"Me too." Katara said. "It's been a long journey getting here, and I'm ready for some home cooking."

"Well that settles it then, Katara and Zuko go unpack, and when you're done Katara can help me finish preparing dinner."

"What can I do to help?" Zuko asked.

"You can help us check, set, and bait the traps." Hakoda said.

Katara took Zuko by the hand and guided him towards her room. "My room is just like I left it not a single thing is out of place."

Zuko looked around drinking in every minute detail. "So this is your bedroom? It suits you or at least what I know of you so far." He walked over to her dresser and looked at a photo of her mother. "You look a lot like your mom. I wish that I could have met her."

"Sokka looks more like her than I do, but I wish you could have met her too, and I wish I could have met your mother."

"I have a feeling our mothers would have been friends." Zuko said.

"I'm sure they would have. I'm going to visit my mother's grave would you like to come?"

"I would be honored to."

Katara busied herself putting away their clothes. "We only have one dresser but it has enough drawers for the both of us."

"We? So this is our room? This is where we're both sleeping?"

"Of course. We're married my room is your room, and besides where else would we sleep?"

Zuko shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't think your dad and Gran-gran would be OK with me sleeping in your house let alone your room."

"Our house, and your my husband which means you're family, and in this family we take care of each other. Besides when we finally get back to the Fire Nation we'll have our own bedroom,right?"

"I haven't even thought about which room will be ours. I guess that's something we should decide together, but no matter what room we choose I'm sure the The IHA will have something to say about it."

"What, who?"

"The Imperial Household Agency. They're one of the oldest agencies in the Fire Nation."

"Why would they get to have a say in where our bedroom is?"

"That's just the way things are done. There's about a million and one little traditions and ceremonies I've had to take part in as long as I can remember."