Dreamers (Zuko x Yue)

Spirits

She fought past the pain of childbirth and crawled to the window, hoping to see her baby boy.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to look at one of the sages.

"Lady Ursa, one of the guards is bringing him up now. The doctors will check him over when he gets here. They say he landed in a patch of Fire Lillies, they think it was able to break his fall."

Ursa sobbed, grateful that there was a chance her baby boy was alive.

"Please take me to him, I have to see him."

"But Lady Ursa, you're in no condition to move."

"Please..."

The Fire sage sighed and helped to lift Lady Ursa off the floor and move her back to her bed. As she started protesting she heard movement outside the door.

She saw her baby boy, bleeding and laying still. She sobbed uncontrollably as the doctors moved to check the baby.

One of the doctors looked back at her and shook his head, "He is alive for now, but he won't last long. If the Fire Lillies didn't break his fall he would have died on impact. I think you should say your goodbyes, Lady Ursa."

She reached out and held her darling boy, crying as the blood covered her hands as held him close.

She prayed, prayed like she never had before. Prayed to the spirits that her baby boy wouldn't be lost.

"Please Agni... Please save my child. He is all I have. Please Agni..."

She sat there for a long time, whispering prayers as she heard the sages whisper their prayers.

Suddenly she saw a golden light, blinding and holy sprinkle against her boy's eyelids. The sages watched in wonder as the baby was healed, the life returning to his pale body as a golden tattoo the shape of the sun's rays covered his left eye.

Her baby boy opened his bright golden eyes and stared at her, smiling as he giggled.

Ursa hugged him close and thanked Agni for his blessing, for the life he had given this child she loved so much.

The sages started panicking, spreading the word of the boy blessed by Agni, saved from death by their Spirit's blessing.

Ursa ignored all of them and just held her baby close to her, promising him she would do whatever she had to protect him.

.......

Arnook was scared.

Scared for his wife who was close to having children.

The healers told them that she would bear twins, and while he was grateful it was still terrifying. She had been in labor for hours and the longer it went on the more complications could arise.

He jumped up as he heard Yogoda open the fur door.

"She is done Arnook."

He paled as he saw her downcast face.

"How is she, how are our children?"

"Your wife is making a full recovery Arnook, but there has been a complication."

Arnook paled, "What complication?"

Yugoda looked at him with downcast eyes, "It seems that you did indeed have twins. While the baby boy is healthy, it seems like the girl is not. We think the boy might have taken her share of the nutrients while in the womb. She is... she will not make it through the night Arnook. She is too weak."

Arnook felt his world shatter, his wife and him were looking forward to having children. They wished to have them for so long. They saw it as a blessing, but when they finally had them, they were now going to lose one of their children.

"Is there anything we can do?"

Yugoda shook her head, "I'm sorry Arnook, the only thing we can do now is to pray."

Arnook followed her into the birthing room, looking at his wife who slept with their two children in her arms.

He looked at the healthy baby boy in her left arm and the frail girl that was in her right.

She's so small.

He took his daughter, who didn't cry and didn't move. He held her and cried knowing she would be gone soon.

He looked back toward his wife and wondered how he would tell her, how would he tell her that they gained a child and lost another on the same night.

He looked back at Yugoda, seeing sad sympathy in her eyes.

"Let's go to the Oasis Arnook, the spirits are the only ones who can help her now."

He nodded numbly, kissing his baby boy and loving wife before following Yugoda to the Oasis.

He wanted to wake his wife, but he knew she would wish to accompany him. She was exhausted from labor, she wouldn't be able to make it there.

I'm sorry love...

The spirits were the only chance to save his daughter. He had to try and save her. If she didn't make it then he would beg his wife for forgiveness afterward. For failing to save their daughter and taking her from his wife's arms in her last moments.

Yugoda and he entered the Oasis and he knelt at the pool where Tui and La circled each other. He lay his baby slowly in the water, careful to keep her head above.

He begged and pleaded for the spirits to save his daughter. Hoping that they wouldn't take his baby girl away from him.

He watched with wonder as Tui glowed and his daughter's hair turned white. He heard Yugoda gasp as his child finally began to cry, taking in her first full breath for what he hoped was a long life.

He cried, kneeling at the edge of the pond with his daughter in his arms, alive and well.

"Thank you."

........

That night he had a dream.

He slept next to his wife, exhausted as they recounted the tales of their miraculous daughter and beautiful son. Whispering about the future and promises of what was to come.

When he slept, he saw a woman with white hair. She had the features of his wife and immediately he knew she was his daughter.

He watched as she walked away from him, ignoring his pleas as she walked into the fire that shone with brilliant gold.

He clawed his way toward her, watching in horror as she vanished in the fire that was eating his city. The Fire that was burning his city and the world along with it.

He woke with a gasp and knew that it wasn't just a dream.

He knew the Fire Nation would one day turn their sights to Agna Qel'a. It was obvious that they would never be complacent until they had conquered the world.

But now he had been warned. Warned that one day his daughter would be taken from him. Taken as the Fire Nation tried to conquer his city like they did so many others.

He looked at the baby girl in his arms and promised himself he wouldn't let that happen.

He kissed her head and reminded himself to work on  upgrading the defenses tomorrow and begin talking with Pakku about training more waterbenders.

He looked into his daughter's eyes and whispered a promise to her, one that he would take to his grave.

"I won't let anyone hurt you, Yue."