Flameheart | Zuko

EPILOGUE

In the Fire Nation Capital, lots of people had gathered. The streets made of cobblestone were crowded and a few citizens were watching from the balconies as people from all nations had gathered, dressed in their usual attire or wearing colourful and impressive masks to celebrate the day Fire Lord Ozai had been beaten by the Avatar, ten years ago.

The celebration hadn't yet started but in a few hours, it would. There was only one important person missing; the Avatar himself.

Standing in the front of the palace, a woman stood with her eyes trained on the sky. She was wearing clothes made of the finest silk, dark red and black and gold adorning her dress, her dark hair cascading down her back with half of it set in a bun on the top of her head. A gold accessory in the shape of a flame kept her bun in place, marking the woman's true position in the Fire Nation. Beside her stood a woman dressed in red and black and even though she was looking at the sky as well, her eyes lacked the anticipation of her companion's. After a while, the woman with the crown spoke up.

"What's taking them so long, Mai? Last month they came a whole week earlier to attend my wedding."

"Your wedding only happens once, Homura," Mai spoke up, her eyes never leaving the sky. "The celebration for the Avatar's win during Sozin's comet happens every year."

The corner of Homura's lips twitched as she nodded. "That's true. I still think they should have been here. I find it hard to believe Ty Lee and Suki didn't try their best to make sure they got early."

"They'll come," she assured her simply. "They always do."

Homura grinned as she turned to face her, "No need to sound so disappointed."

The corner of Mai's lips twitched into a smirk as Homura turned to the sky once more. After a while, she spoke up again.

"You know, Mai, there's something I felt I needed to talk to you about. We are friends now and I think I can talk to you about this." Mai turned to face her, expectant, as Homura refused to look at her. "There have been some kind of...rumours around the palace."

"I've heard some of them," she mused, "apparently, the Fire Lord is thinking about getting a dragon tattoo."

Homura's eyes widened. "I can vouch that's not true."

"I guessed it wasn't. Zuko wouldn't dream of being close to a needle."

She couldn't help but smile as she shook her head. "That's not the rumour I wanted to talk to you about. It's about what you believe about my wedding."

She raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"They say...They mentioned something about you being..." she braved a look at Mai, "...jealous?"

Both of Mai's eyebrows rose. "You believed them?"

"No, of course not," she shook her head at once, "I trust you and I know whatever happened between you and Zuko is over now but I thought I should mention it to you. Just in case."

"Just in case," Mai mused as she turned to face her fully and to Homura's surprise, she realised she was smirking. "After Zuko had a battle with Azula and he was shot with that lightning, I made him promise me he would never leave me. Of course, we broke up. But he didn't break his promise."

Homura's eyes widened. "You broke up with him?"

"Obviously. He didn't seem too shattered by it."

"Zuko never told me," she admitted as she turned her attention to the sky once more. "So, nothing about the rumour is true, right?"

"I'm not involved in the Fire Lord's love life, no," she admitted as she turned to the sky as well. "Although I should say, it's better he married you and not just a noble. I'd have no one to train with in the mornings."