Honor, Love, and Dragons (Zuko x OC)

The Headband

Another Argument

~~~

Ivana woke up the next morning in her bed to find Zuko gone. She had a pounding headache. Ru said he stayed until after dark before needing to get back to the palace. With her help, he was able to move Ivana into her bed without waking her. Hearing of the gesture made her smile.

She felt so much better after releasing her grief. She also felt ready to go through her brother's room without breaking down again. But that would have to wait.

Ivana's grandfather wanted to have tea with her, so she went up to his room with a tray. "Good morning," she smiled.

He looked at her, still as worried as the day before. "How are you, dragon lily?"

"Better," she said with a tired smile. "I'm ready to accept their deaths, I think. I want to look forward to my future."

"That's wonderful. I'm glad Prince Zuko was able to calm you down," Tu Sung said, smiling at her. "Do you think perhaps, he is your future?" He raised an eyebrow, with a teasing smile.

"Grandfather, I haven't had a crush on Zuko since I was thirteen," Ivana said, lying through her teeth. "Although... Zuko did offer me a position at the palace. He wants me to be his advisor."

"Ina, that is wonderful! When do you start?" He had always hoped she would find success.

"I turned it down..."

"Why?" he asked, unable to hide his disappointment.

"I need to be here and don't tell me to take the position. Zuko understands that I need to be here for a while. In a few years, I'll take the position," Ivana explained, trying to justify her thinking.

"I don't want you to lose an opportunity like this. You have a chance to make something of yourself," her grandfather tried to convince her.

Ivana looked away from him, ashamed. "You're just disappointed that your last grandchild is a girl. You had big dreams for Botan and Quin. What if I don't want to make something of myself?" Ivana said, feeling attacked by his words. She really did want to be something, but she also didn't want to do it because someone else wanted her to.

"Ivana, that's not what I meant-"

"I'm going to visit the palace," she said, standing up. She closed his bedroom door behind her before breathing fire down the hallway. Ru peaked out from her room.

"Ivana-" she was about to scold.

"I know. No firebending in the house," Ivana grumbled before going into their room. She packed a small bag with essentials before putting the golden hair comb in her hair. She looked for something nice to wear. It wasn't until she looked at her closet that she remembered none of her clothes fit her. She sighed before going to her brother's room. "You can do this," she whispered to herself before opening Botan's closet. She pulled out his nicest robe and tried it on. It was a little loose in the arms and was just an inch too short. She smirked, remembering that her brother hadn't gone through a growth spurt. That soon turned to sadness when she realized her brother went to war without even having completely gone through puberty.

She shook her head, trying not to dwell while she had things to do. She headed out of the house making the somewhat short walk to the palace.

After making it through the wall, the gate, and the front door, Ivana took a breath, finally being in a familiar place. She recognized the corridor she was in and smiled. Memories of her and Zuko running through the halls with their siblings passed through her mind. She saw and servant with a basket of laundry and stopped to ask where Prince Zuko was. Ivana thanked her before heading to the royal garden. She found Zuko sitting next to the turtle duck pond.

"I missed these little guys," she said, watching the turtle ducks swim around feeding on the bread Zuko threw in the pond.

"How are you doing?" Zuko asked, not that surprised to see her.

"Better. How are you? Figure out that stuff with your sister?"

"Yeah, it'll be fine," he said, rolling his eyes a bit.

"You seem upset. Did anything else happen?" Ivana asked.

"No," Zuko huffed. 

"Zuko, what happened?"

"Can't you just mind your business for once, Ivana?" he snapped. Ivana stepped back from him, surprised by his outburst after she had such a vulnerable moment with him the night before. "Believe it or not, your nagging is annoying."

"You're really going to talk to me like that? After all this time? After everything we've been through? With all due respect Prince Zuko, get bent," she snapped back. Ivana stormed away. She decided to take a walk up the side of the volcano, needing to numb the anger rising in her chest. She passed the guards which she had only seen a few minutes ago as she left the walls of the palace.

When she reached the top of the edge of the volcano, she went through her usual moves when she used her firebending as a release. Ivana hadn't firebended like this in almost two months. She was angry and hurt and needed to get rid of the feeling the only way she knew how.

~~~

Nearly a month had passed since Zuko had snapped at Ivana. She continued with her old sleeping patterns, causing her to be tired for most of the day. She busied herself with having tea with grandfather every day and taking trips to the lower part of the island to teach at one of the servant's housings. She tried a few hobbies, but none captured her interest.

She spent more time than she should be staring up at her bedroom ceiling, deep in her head. She was startled when someone knocked on her door before entering. "I thought I told you to get bent," Ivana huffed, rolling her eyes as Zuko came into her room.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking anywhere but her.

"I'm not sure if sorry is enough, Zuko. I want an explanation," Ivana sighed.

"Fine..." Zuko shut the door behind him and approached her. "I went to see Uncle that night. He refused to speak with me. I was still angry about it. You don't deserve that," he said, quietly.

Ivana looked him over before averting her eyes. "I forgive you this time, but I can't keep forgiving you. You have to stop blowing up at me for your own problems. It hurts me when you do that," Ivana explained. She wasn't sure if she really forgave him because she still felt hurt looking at him.

Zuko nodded. "I'll do better. I promise."

"Good, now why are you here?" Ivana asked, getting to business.

"Father ordered everyone out of the palace while he meets with advisors. Azula, Ty Lee, Mai, and I are going to Ember Island for the weekend. I wanted to know if you want to come to."

"Sure. I could use some sun."