𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐎 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍 ꩜ prince zuko

ᵉᵖⁱˡᵒᵍᵘᵉ

EPILOGUE

        THE YEARS HAD BEEN kind to Yan and Zuko. Time passed and it was hard to believe fourteen years had slipped by since their paths first crossed. They'd shared countless adventures with the Gaang, exploring new lands and forging unforgettable memories. As time moved forward, so did everyone's lives; marriages, families, and new beginnings blossomed. Katara and Aang had welcomed three children since Yan last heard from them; their eldest, a non-bender boy named Bumi was named after Aang's oldest and dearest friend. Their daughter Kya, born when Katara was twenty-nine, inherited her mother's waterbending abilities and her grandmother's name. Most recently, they had a baby boy named Tenzin, Aang's choice to honor another legacy. Even Sokka and Suki had started a family of their own; their daughter Taqqiq bore a striking resemblance to Sokka, from her expressive eyes to her mischievous smile.

        Yan stood in the garden, facing a boy who inhaled deeply, eyes locked in fierce concentration on a small rock before him. "You can't force it; let it come to you." she gently coaxed as she watched the boy strain, every muscle in his face tight with effort. Slowly, he exhaled and let his body relax; his eyes drifted back to the rock which still lay unmoved. Noticing his dejected expression,  Yan tilted her head and watched as the rock flipped over onto its side. While she smiled, the boy didn't smile back; he wasn't fooled and knew he hadn't moved the rock on his own.

        "Mother, I know that was you," he said with a quiet sigh, dropping onto the grass and nudging the rock away with his foot. Yan sat beside him and sighed as well in a gentler way. She knew how deeply he carried his frustration, how hard he was on himself for his struggling inability to earthbend.

        The years had indeed been kind to Yan and Zuko; they decided a year into their marriage that it might be time to start a family. After many heartfelt conversations, they agreed to leave it in the hands of fate; if the spirits blessed them with a child, they would embrace the journey ahead. Their prayers were answered sooner than expected; before long, Yan found herself pregnant with their first child. By the time summer arrived, they welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world, a presence who brought warmth and joy into their lives. She resembled Zuko in many ways, from her striking golden eyes to her natural gift for firebending; they named her Jingyi. Their son Zhihao came next, followed by their youngest daughter, Guiying; Jingyi was the eldest at thirteen and often took on the role of protective older sister, Zhihao was twelve and full of quiet strength, and six-year-old Guiying brought laughter wherever she went.

        "You aren't going to get it right away, my love. It takes time." Yan said gently as she stroked his brown hair, the boy sighing and pulling a blade of grass out of the earth.

        "There's no point anyway; I'm not even a real prince," Zhihao muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as tears welled in his eyes. 

        Unlike his sisters, Zhihao bore a striking resemblance to his mother; he shared her brown eyes with hints of gold and green and her earthbending abilities. While his heritage was a blend of two great nations, not everyone saw it that way; when news spread that the Fire Lord and Lady had been blessed with children, the Fire Nation's response was mixed. Many welcomed the royal heirs, but others who were bound by tradition and prejudice whispered cruel doubts; to them, the children weren't truly Fire Nation, especially Zhihao. Without firebending, he was often dismissed as less than a prince, a blemish on a legacy defined by flame. The words stung, more than anyone realized; for a boy of just twelve, Zhihao was perceptive beyond his years. He noticed the sidelong glances, the hushed gossip, and the subtle ways people distanced him from his father's title. He may have been young, but he was smart; he absorbed every unkind word like a stone sinking deeper into still water.