Love on Fire - Book 3 // Zuko

Chapter 19

Above is the painting of ZUko and Shira's family:)

Zuko sighed as he slowly walked up the steps to the palace. He paused on the 88th step.... The same step that Shira always stood upon when she awaited his arrival.... And if she wasn't the one waiting, it was Yakira. Zuko turned his head to the side to look at the small building that stood to his right. Slowly he walked into the building and smiled fondly at each painting, walking by each one by one, trailing his fingers over them.

When he reached the final one, his hands paused on the petite pale girl in the picture....at her side, two young boys: one blond and tall, the other more strongly built with dark hair.

"I miss you...."
His hands paused on the portrait when his eyes traveled to the small back door nearby which lead out to the small garden where Shira would sit so many times with the children. Zuko walked over to stand in the doorway, looking upon the garden which had changed so much. The apple and peach trees not yet blossoming even though they were overdue. Zuko remembered watching Shira sitting upon the grass by the pond, Chika in her lap, Katsu leaning against her side as he read something aloud to her. He could just imagine seeing Roku's little body hanging from the limbs of the tree, playfully teasing his brother on his book knowledge.

Rekka and Izumi would play in the water or practice their bending. Yakira would run around the garden, filling her skirt with flowers only to dump them all into the water and watch them float away.

Sighing, Zuko turned on his heel and returned to his slow journey up the many steps to the palace. There was no one really around. The guards were like stone statues as usual so Zuko's journey to his chambers seemed to go unnoticed. When he entered the room, he found Gau and Dagny sitting on either side of the door, waiting for his arrival. Zuko stroked each of them in turn before walking to his desk and sitting down. Drawing out his pen, he carefully wrote something down on the sheet of paper there before folding it and writing a single name upon it. Leaving it alone upon his desk, Zuko strode over to his bed and sat down on the edge of it, sighing at the relief it gave.

"Zuko," a soft voice whispered from behind him.
Zuko turned and found himself gazing upon the sight he had been waiting to see for almost forty years. Long golden locks fell to her waist, eyes as blue as the sky sparkled and her smile seemed to make her face glow with light.

"I am ready," he whispered, smiling at her.

The girl slowly crossed the room before holding out her hand to him, just out of reach, "You are."

Zuko slowly leant back before laying down on the bed. Dagny and Gau came to curl up around the base of the bed, intertwining their long bodies together in a protective manner around the fire lord. Zuko covered himself with the sheet before looking at the girl who still had her hand extended to him.

Reaching out, he touched it and found in shock that he could feel it.... warm....gentle.... and so light that it felt like it was not yet real.

"It is time," the girl whispered. "To come home."
Zuko smiled happily at her when suddenly he saw three faces appear behind him.... Young faces.... And behind them.... More faces that had long been lost to him for years....he was going home.

Meanwhile, Izumi had been standing near the docks, watching as the familiar Ba Sing Sa ship approached, carrying her three sisters. She saw the three girls poke their heads over the side before walking down to greet her. Yakira's hair was beginning to gray slightly but Ena and Chika still looked as young as the day.

"It is so wonderful to have you home!" Izumi said, hugging her sisters. "I am sure father will be overjoyed to see you."
The three girls beamed at the prospect of seeing their father when suddenly a shiver ran down Izumi's spine and she clutched her chest.