Fire Lilies
Firelord Zuko x reader
Chapter 9: Where the cycle stops
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Summary: You have Zuko a bit of surprise after he left on his adventure. With that, there came more to follow as well.
A/n: last chapter yall!
2.2k word
—***—
The day after the wedding, you had more duties as Queen. Azalea piled you up with the latest politics, wanting to catch up. You knew some things, but not all. Because as Queen, you're not just there to bear the heir, but to rule equally with Zuko.
And as a few weeks pasted, you quickly got used to meetings, events and ceremonies. You sat beside Zuko whenever there were any important matters to discuss. But as of now, the counsel agreed to have you work on something small, like looking through the people's notice board and passing bills.
"My lord! My lady!" A guard quickly comes by, bowing.
You two turned your heads to the guard.
The new grand chamberlain glares at the guard. "Can’t you see we're in the middle of something—"
"I-i- know but—" the guard clears his throat. "I have an urgent message!" He gets on one knee.
"You can't just—"
"There's one person who can interrupt the Firelord's counsel meeting," Zuko said, pouring more tea into your tea cup as you worked. "Is it from the Avatar?" He asked.
"Yes, my lord." The guard nods.
"Read it to me," Zuko orders.
You sat in silence and listened.
The guard clears his throat, opening the letter. His eyes widened at the words on the paper, finding this 'urgent' message unprofessional. The Grand Chamberlain huffs. "What are you doing? Read it quickly."
"Uh." The guard cringes. "Y-yes, Grand Chamberlain."
The guard clears his throat once again and speaks, his eyes scanning every word on the letter. "Flameo Hotman, how's ruling the fire nation? I hope boring Chamberlain you and (Y/n) mention in your letters isn't still… annoying you."
You tried not to laugh while Zuko rubs his face in tiredness. The guard continues. "Anywho, to cut to the chase, I need your help. Can you please come immediately? Oh and don't forget to bring some firecracker buns!"
Zuko sighed, still caught off guard by the nonprofessional in Aang's letter and the fact that he needs him. Zuko turns to you, seeing a concerned look on your expression. He looks back at his adviors. "Everyone leave," he orders softly.
As everyone left the meeting, he turns to you. "I suppose you're worried."
You sighed and nodded. "It's only been 3 weeks of me being Queen. With your absence, I'm not sure I can handle taking care of the fire nation without you," you explained. Yes, it's entirely selfish on defending yourself. That you need Zuko around to guide you. But this is the Avatar that needs help as well, asking help from Zuko. "But, though I'm a bit doubtful, I don't mind it. Aang needs you. I can't keep my husband to myself all the time."
Zuko smiled softly, understanding your perceptive and glad you understand. "Wow, look at you being Queen," he praises.
You chuckled softly. "Learned from the best." you shrugged before adding. "And I'm worried too! Don't worry, I am worried. Because if the Avatar himself is asking you, then it's clear that it must be dangerous—!"
"So I have your blessing to leave?"
"My blessing?" You blinked in surprise. "You're King, you don't need anyone's blessing, nor mine."
"I'm under your command, my queen." he smirks. "You're more important than you think."
You sighed and rolled your eyes. "Fine then, you have my blessing Zuzu."
—***—
The very next day, Zuko orders servants to put supplies in his newly fire flying ship. Of course, he remembered to bring some fire cracker buns.
"Yes, put those over there and— have those at the lower bunk." Zuko points at multiple directions.
He looks up at the Palace, specifically your guys' bedroom window, where you watched him down below. You smiled sadly, waving at him.
He waves back and gestures you to come down and say goodbye. You rolled your eyes and left the palace. When you got there, you carried a boxed wrapped up in clothes. "These are only for you." You handed them to him.
He smiles softly, pecking your forehead. "Thank god, I'll actually have something to enjoy other than firecracker buns,' he jokes.
You giggled. "Don't say that, firecracker buns are good." You hummed. "Especially with coleslaw," you said randomly.
He raised a brow, smirking. "Since when did you start liking coleslaw?"
You shrugged nonchalantly. "Since now…"
"Mhm sure sure." He has someone take the box to the flying ship before wrapping his arms around your waist, pulling you close. "So, I'll approximately be back in a month or two."
You nodded, smiling nonetheless. "That's fine."
He rubs his nose against yours. "I'm missing you already…." he hums.
You closed your eyes and let him snuggle up against you for the last few minutes before he is told to leave. No one can go with him, so he's going to be entirely alone. In the ship without any assistance or help. And the only way he can contact others is by a trained Phoenix that can send messages to whoever he needs.
You frowned softly, worried for him. If Aang needed him, then it's highly dangerous. But you knew Zuko is strong and has desires to stay alive, he has to.
He takes a step on the dock that connects the bridge and the flying ship. You suddenly grab his hand, the wind picking up. He turns to you. "Missed me too?" he teases, in hopes to lighten the mood.
You smiled softly. "You better come back before our child is born," you said before letting his hand go.
He blinks in confusion, taking a step back. The dock closes as the flying ship starts to rise. Wait, what? he thought. He gasped, going back to the edge of the railing, gripping them. "You're pregnant?!"
"Bye!" You waved with an evil smirk. That'll give him another reason to come back to you.
"No! Don't 'bye' me!" He glared, pointing a finger at you. "That's why you started eating funny!" he shouts. How did he not notice this sooner?
"Bring me back a souvenir!"
"Stop changing the subject!" he huffs, the flying ship going higher to the point he has to yell at the top of his lungs. "What happened to communication?!"
"It's supposed to be a surprise!" You laughed.
He glares harder. He's not angry, just very surprise that you spit this out now to keep him up at night. Now he definitely has to come home, knowing his queen is pregnant. "Watch her, Grand Chamberlain and Azalea!"
He came back with a souvenir as promised.
—***—
Many many years later….
"And that's how I found out your grandmother was pregnant with your mother…" Zuko hummed softly. He clears his old and dusty throat and brings his hand into a fist. "Still mad at her till this day!" he huffs.
As years passed, Zuko's hair turned grey, and his posture started to lean forward. He aged like any many. Your daughter, Izumi is now the Firelord of the Fire Nation, leaving Zuko to rest.
He sits with his young grandson in a room filled with your old things. He had caught the little boy snooping around your precious things. Even finding your pendent, which he thought had been stolen.
Iroh hummed softly. "Is that why you announced Fire Lily day?" he asked, playing with a few of your old wooden figurines that you made more Izumi in the past. "On your wedding anniversary day?"
Zuko nodded, rubbing his white beard. "Precisely…." He then continues. "I created that holiday so if I started to forget things…. Fire Lily day is how I will remember her and what came after. I wanted the world to know her…. to show that a queen with a carefree and gentle heart… with no powers, is still a strong human being."
Like today, it was Fire Lily day, where the Palace and Nation would decorate their homes in flowers. The people give their full attention to those who don't wield fire bending or any bending at all and honor them. As they're still humans, healthy and strong.
Iroh goes back to looking through your old drawers, finding big old papers that were rolled up. He picks up one and blinks. "Is this one of grandmother's old paintings?" He asked Zuko.
Zuko leans forward, squinting his old eyes. The paint was very simple, like you like to be. It was a painting of a red glass vase that had fire lilies inside, while your pendant sat right beside it. "Huh… I don't know. I've always seen her paint, but never that one." He touched the paper. "Looks like it's been smudged or ruined?"
"I remember that one." Izumi appears at the door, adjusting her glasses.
Zuko smiles softly. "Meeting ended early?" He asked her.
She nods before looking at the painting Iroh is holding. "She was just about done with that painting." She walked over and gently take the painting off Iroh's hands. "She started to have contractions when she was 9 months pregnant with me. So after she was almost done writing on it, she fell to the floor which caused the black paint to smear her work," she tells the story.
Izumi turns to Iroh, her eyes widening when she sees your old pendant on the floor. "Is that…?"
Iroh nods triumphantly. "It wasn't stolen after all, mother!" He hands her the pendant.
She smiles softly, looking at her father and son. She rubs Iroh's cheek gently with her thumb. "I think if we return this to her, we might have red bean mochi buns for dessert as a reward."
Iroh gasped and jumped in happiness. He grabs Zuko's hand, usher him to come with him. "Grandfather come on!"
"Wait! I'm not as fast as I used to be!"
Izumi laughed softly, watching her father being dragged away by her son.
Although you had servants, you wanted to set the table by yourself. Recently because of your old age, you wanted to at least keep cooking for your family before you ever pass.
While you set the dinner table, with a happy smile, Iroh and Zuko come in.
"Grandmother! Grandmother!" Iroh jumps in excitement.
"No running around the dinner table, Iroh," you scolded softly. You blinked in confusion, looking at his hand. "Oh, what do you have there?"
"Mother said that this belongs to you." Iroh hands you the pendant.
You gasped softly. "You found it?" you beamed softly. "Where?"
Zuko stands near the door frame. He clears his throat. "Caught the young man snooping around your stuff!" He grabs Iroh, picking him up.
Iroh kicks his feet and giggles. Zuko tries running around the room, while Iroh makes airplane noises. "Uh I just said no running… never mind."
Izumi walks in next, holding that rolled up painting of yours. "Iroh found something else too, mother." She unrolls the painting, revealing it to you.
You gasped, touching the painting. "I remember this too!" you cooed softly. "I was too busy to even frame that when I gave birth to you. You were such a big bundle of joy…" you sighed.
"I can frame it for you."
"No right though, you should sit and eat first!" You ushered her to sit. "Go sit down, I'll bring the food over— Zuzu! Put Iroh down!"
Dinner was lighthearted, a few talks of the past, a bit of laughter and Iroh begging you to take out the red beam mochi from the cool pantry. And after dinner, you finally allowed your family to help you put the dishes away.
Then came dessert, though mostly for Iroh. He ate his red bean mochi while you and Zuko cut some fruits on the dinner table. Izumi stayed busy with reports and official business paper beside you. Recently she's been more busy than usual and you wished she took the day off to spend time with you.
You peeled some oranges and poked her cheek with one. "Here."
She looks at you momentarily before opening her mouth for you to put the orange in her mouth. She chews softly and goes back to work.
You looked at her softly. "Izumi, look at me," you said.
"What is it, mother?" She asked, still chew the orange. She looked like your little girl again.
But now she's a woman, a Firelord, ruler of the Fire Nation.
You bring the pendant to her and put it over her head. "There, much better." You pecked her cheek.
"But mother this is yours, I can't—"
"It's passed down by generation to generation. Only for women, so take it. You deserve it," you assure her. "And put that work aside, have some more fruit."
—***—
The next day, Izumi ordered servants to frame your painting. It was placed on top of her throne chair. A symbol of your delicateness and beauty.
"What do you think?" She turns to you and Zuko.
Zuko claps his hands, nodding. "Wonderful."
You wrapped your arm around hers. "Aw, you put there?"
"The world loves you, mother. As they should," she states.
"Come let's go have some fruit." You nudged her to follow, Zuko doing the same.
Zuko hums, rubbing his beard. "Should I try painting?"
"I highly doubt you'll get to Mother's level, father," she jokes softly.
The three of you laughed and headed to the garden, where they found Iroh playing. A blanket was placed on the grass, fruits and snacks ready.
You four spend your time in the garden, while eating fruits and snacks.
"Iroh! Get down from that tree!" You spat out.
The end!
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