Our Eclipse (Zutara)

Chapter 15

When I sleepily drag my self from sleep to see I'm alone in Zuko's room with his red blanket draped over me. I stretch and walk over to the tall windows and pull back the drapes. The moon sits high in the sky. A few small clouds grace the dark blue night. As I leave Zuko's room I grab his night robe that was left on the chair and slip it over my shoulders and wrap it around my torso. I walk down the dimly lit hallways, passing guards on night watch. As I continue to walk I hear voices, more importantly, Zuko's and Firelord Iroh's voices. I walk up to the door and see Zuko standing in front of Iroh's desk. "Are you sure this is what you want to do, Prince Zuko?" There's a pause before he answers, "Yes. I'm sure. The boat is to take her to her home." He says. I slam my hand to my mouth to keep in whatever agonized sound I might make. He's sending me away. My people, what will we do without their protection? What will I do without Zuko? I thought he cared for me. "As you wish. A ship will be ready by dawn." Iroh's voice echoes into the hallway. I hear Zuko begin to leave and I run down the hallway before he catches me. I'm so furious and hurt.
I feel so betrayed. How could he make me feel all these things, then send me away like I mean nothing. I run back into his room and stand by the dim fire waiting for him to come back in the room. Within a few minutes the door creaks open and he enters silently. "Oh uh you're up." He says walking over to me. "Yeah I am." I say running my hands over his silk robe that still lays over my shoulders. He slowly walks to me and runs his hands down my neck, to my shoulders and rests on my hips. "You look beautiful." He says. He leans down and pulls the fabric back slightly towards him exposing my right shoulder where he places his lips. "Let's go to bed." He says as he leads me to his large bed. I am dazed from what I had heard I just walk and lay with him. Taking in his touch, but I know that tomorrow, he's sending me away like I am nothing to him. And I don't know what I'm going to do.

When morning came, I was alone again. The curtains were drawn exposing the beautiful Fire Nation sunrise I had grown accustomed to over the past month. I walked out of Zuko's room and across the hallway into mine, and my bag that I had come with, was once again filled with my small belongings and sitting on the edge of my bed. I walk over to it and pull out Sokka's boomerang and hold it against my chest. Tears well up in my eyes as I hold the cold, metal weapon Zuko walks into the room behind me and sighs, "I wanted to tell you first." He says slowly. I turn to him, furious, tears falling down my cheeks. "Tell me what? That you are going to send me away like I meant nothing to you? What are my people going to do without this?" I yell at him. "Your people? Is that all I meant to you, Tara?" He tells back at me. "That all this was ever supposed to be but you got in my head and now you're sending me back like nothing ever happened between us!" I sit down onto the bed, crying harder and harder. Slowly he walks over and sits next to me, and he pulls me into his arms. "Tara, please listen to me." He says in my ear. I pull away from him, "What could you possibly have to say?" I say my back turned. He walks up in front of me and wipes tears from me face. "I'm sending you back because we have been threatened by the Earth Kingdoms naval army. They are on their way to the Capitol right now. I couldn't live with my self if anything happens to you Tara! I can't be selfish and keep you here in dangers way." He says. My eyes go wide. "What about my people! What if the earth kingdom know about the arrangements and are going to attack us as well! We will never be able to fend off an attack of their scale!" He looks me in the eyes. "I know. That's why me and a small platoon are escorting you home, and staying to protect you."