Our Eclipse (Zutara)

Chapter 8

As I walk down to the dining chamber, I listen to the echoing patter of my feet against the stone floors. I walk, taking in the large marble pillars stretching great lengths to the high ceiling. The beautiful tapestries hanging along the grand hallways. It's beautiful here, almost makes you forget the reason I'm here.

I step into the dinning room and see Iroh already sitting at the head of the table. I bow then walk over taking a chair close to him. I notice the chair in front of me at Iroh's right is empty.

"I hope my nephew has made sure you settled in." I cringe at the mention of the arrogant prince. I keep my head down but nod. "Speaking of Prince Zuko, do you know where he is? This is extremely rude of him to not be here. Making his bride to be wait." His voice trails off. "He's on a date." I say coldly, taking up a spoonful of the soup in front of me.

Iroh's fist slams against the table. "I am terrible sorry, and quite frankly embarrassed for him." I just nod at him and continue eating. I watch him as he gets up and walks to one of the guards by the door whispers something in his ear then sits back down. I pretend I witnessed nothing as the guard walks out of the dinning room.

"So I hope you settled in alright?" Iroh says, trying to keep up conversation. "Yes I did, a very kind women helped me to my room and made sure I was comfortable. I didn't catch her name though, but she's one of the chamber maids I assume." Iroh smiles at me, "That's great." We continue eating in silence, both of us giving up any sentiment of conversation.

A few minutes later a furious but composed Prince Zuko is shoved through the door. "Nice if you to join us." I say quietly, trying to bite my tongue. "Agreed. Nice of you to join us." Iroh says coldly. Zuko nods, his face contorted in a controlled anger and takes his place next to Iroh, across from me.

As dinner finishes up Iroh breaks the tension in the room. "Zuko, why don't you show Katara the back garden." Zuko looks up at his uncle. I can sense hesitation. He looks hurt that his uncle would offer such a thing.

He looks to me in anger then back at the Fire Lord who holds a stoic look in his face. "No." Zuko whispers, his voice cracking like he's in the verge of tears. "I wasn't exactly asking." Iroh said, holding a hand out in my direction. "Take this lovely girl to see your garden." He said, a demanding tone in his voice that frightened me.

I could feel the temperature in the room rising and I looked down at my bowl of soup, and let my hair fall into my face. "I said no!" The Prince bursts with anger standing up in defiance of his kin. I winced and cowered, I felt vulnerable and as if his anger was my fault.

Before Iroh could get another word out, the Prince stormed out of the room. I watched as Iroh dabbed the sides of his mouth with his napkin. "Li," Iroh said, summoning one of the door guards, "Escort the princess to her room. It's getting late." The man nodded, and walked over to me and escorted me out of the room.

-

There was a knock at my door, it was late, the moon had already risen, and I could feel it's pull on me. "Come in." I said, setting a book down that I had taken from the library. Prince Zuko was the one that opened the door.

"May I come in?" He mumbled, just loud enough. "I suppose." He came in, and allowed the door behind him to click shut as he walked towards me. He stopped at the foot of my bed and looked down.

His hair was out of its topknot and flowed freely down to almost his shoulders. He wore a simple Royal robe, like what Iroh wears, not the armor he had adorned before. "I came to apologize." I scoffed and turned my head to the side. "Did the Fire Lord send you?" I said, annoyance dripping from my voice.

He shuffled awkwardly and stepped closer to me. "No. I came on my own accord." He said softly. I looked up at him. I placed a bookmark on the book I was reading and set it down on the bed. "Really now? Well what is it you have to say, Prince Zuko?" I said, standing and crossing my arms over my chest.

He looked at his feet again, then back at me. "Just call me Zuko. Formalities are uncalled for. I won't ask them from you." He said looking up at me. "I wanted to apologize about earlier today." He continued after I said nothing. "About being brash and rude, leaving you to find your own way. About my abrupt anger at dinner."

I looked away out the window, the moons light piercing through the trees. "Allow me to do something. To show my apologies." He put his hand out to me. "Please."

Zuko takes my hands and leads me through hallways and past large rooms till he stops at a double door, with windows on it that lead outside. He pushes open the door. "This is my garden." I walk out into the moonlit scenery.

Beautiful flowers grow in small walls leading to a beautiful pond, shaded partially by a single tree. I walk out to the pond and lean down to it, touching my fingertips to the water. Little quacks come from the other side of the small pond as a little family of turtle ducks swim out to me. I sense Zuko standing behind me. He sits next to me in the grass and offers me a roll of bread, "Would you like to feed them?" He says. I smile gently at the small gesture and break the bread in half, handing him back a piece.

We both crumble up pieces and throw them to the baby ducks in silence as the sky slowly lights up with more and more stars.

We both lean back against the tree side by side. "It's beautiful here." I say looking at the distant prince. He nods. "Yeah. It is isn't it?"

We both sit there in content silence till the moon stands high in the sky. "We should head to bed. It's getting late. Uncle might worry." Zuko states, standing and offering me his hand. I take it and he helps me from the floor. I brush off my dress then follow him inside to my room.

"Thanks for showing me the garden, Prince Zuko. It was lovely." I say as he stops at my door. "Your welcome." He says. I begin to open my door when his hand stretches out and grabs the handle pulling it back closed, pushing me close to him. "I wanted you to know, I'm calling things off with Mai. You deserve that much." He said softly, his breath warming my face.

"Thank you, Prince Zuko." I say to him. "Again. Just Zuko." He says sweetly, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth before he pushes off my door, walking into the room across from mine.

I stand there staring at his door. Feeling the sudden absence of his body inches from mine. I shake the feeling and walk into my room. Stripping myself of the dress and wrapping my self in fresh bindings. I slip into the cool bed and drift into a deep sleep.