Change of Heart

Chapter 3

As Zuko was Earth King Kuei for the trade restrictions, Iroh knocked on his door. "Uncle, hi did we have scheduled for today? I'm sorry I got caught up in work."

 Iroh softly smiled at his nephew "Don't worry Fire Lord we did not. Am I not allowed to visit my nephew?"

Zuko chuckled and Iroh playfully smacked the back of his head. "Okay, Uncle I do always enjoy your company. And please don't call me Fire Lord. I'm still Zuko to you."

Iroh sat down next to Zuko and looked at him with a curious look. "Your mother told me about what happened with Mai. I'm sorry nephew." 

Zuko shrugged his shoulders. "I thought I would be hurt more, but I'm not. Don't get me wrong it stung, but I feel relieved more than anything."

Iroh smiled at his nephew and said. "Personally I always thought she weighed you down." He put his hand on Zuko's shoulder and smiled until a knock came on the door. 

Zuko cleared his throat and told the person at the door to come in. A servant came in with a tray, with an envelope on top. "Your highness, your weekly letter from the Southern Tribe has arrived."

Iroh looks to Zuko and sees him grab the letter hastily and he dismisses the servant. Zuko opens it anxiously and smiles, "What has Miss Katara said this week?"

Zuko looks up at him for a moment and looks down to close the paper. "I sent her a letter last week telling her the group should go to Ember Island for a while and she said once Aang comes back with Toph from Yu Dao they'll pick me up from here and we'll go. So I better get a bag ready."

Iroh smiles at his glowing nephew. "Zuko. It seems you're very anxious to see Katara." 

Zuko tries to hide his red-tinted face but fails "Of course I am. I'm excited to see all of them. I haven't seen her for a whole year." 

his uncle raises an eyebrow and smirks, "Don't you mean 'them'?"

 Zuko widen his eyes and stood up quickly blushing. "I just said that! Goodbye Uncle I better start packing." Iroh chuckles as he leaves the room.

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It was the afternoon in the South Pole and Katara was working with her father, Chief Hakoda, with the reconstruction of the wall protecting the tribe.

"So you and Sokka are leaving for the Fire Nation to pick up the Fire Lord, to go on a trip?" Hakoda asks Katara this while drawing the blueprints for the wall.

"Yeah. Unless you need help here. If that, we won't go." Katara responded while the measurements. 

The Chief chuckles. "Katara I'm forty-three, not eighty, I'll be fine. You and Sokka have been so helpful in rebuilding. You two deserve a vacation."

The princess smiled at her dad and handed him the measurements. She kissed him on the head and hugged him goodbye and exited the room.

She started packing in her ice-covered room and then heard a knock. Aang was in the doorway with his bag on his back. "Aang! Hi! Is Toph here?" he just nodded.

She nodded back at her boyfriend and started walking toward her door with her bag. "Katara wait. I'm sorry. For trying to force you to come with me. I just always miss you when I'm at Yu Dao and you're here. I miss you so much. I was wrong and my behavior was awful. I hope you can forgive me."

Katara smiled at the young avatar and grabbed his hand. "Of course I forgive you. But try that shit again and I'll freeze your ass to the floor."

Aang and chuckled. "Alright" He lightly kissed her on the lips and embraces her in a big hug. She returned the hug and wrapped her arms around him.

The group all boarded on Appa left for the Fire Nation on Appa.

"So Snoozles, you excited to see your best friend after a year?" Sokka was sharpening his boomerang and said "Yeah! Hopefully, I can kick his ass on Ember Island."

Suki laughed and pat Sokka's head. "Oh sweetie I'm sorry but he'll demolish you." Sokka groaned in frustration and attacked Suki tickling her waist.

As they were laughing Toph moved next to Katara and asked "Are you excited to see Zuko? Aang told me you two send letters to each other every week." 

Katara looked at Aang at Appa's head guiding him to Caldera City. "Yeah, it'll be nice to see him."