You & I

Always

Iroh's POV
That day, I felt more helpless than I ever have in my entire life.

I had held the love of my life in my arms, whilst her breathing became weaker and her body grew colder, knowing that I couldn't do anything to make it better. She was in pain, but I wasn't like her, I didn't possess the gift of healing.

But today was a better day, a better time, today was one of those days where I found myself counting my blessings and thanking the spirits for my good fortune; because today was my wedding day- our wedding day.

It had been about a year since the attack on Republic city, my mother, the Fire Lord, had blessed the marriage and it had been approved by the elders; even Y/N's father had agreed to attend the ceremony.

I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the traditional clothes of a Fire Nation prince that I had been dressed in. It was different, and usually I'd object to wear such attire at all, but today it meant that I'd be able to call Y/N my wife, finally.

"Prince Iroh!"

I turned to the door, "yes?"

"We're ready for you."

I took a deep breath.

It was time.

Y/N's POV
I waited anxiously in my chamber with my mother, today was the day.

I was constantly adjusting my dress and checking my hair, my mother pulled my hands into hers and whispered, "don't worry! You look divine!"

I took deep inhale and nodded, "thank you, mother. I just- wow, what's taking them so long? I'm getting so hot in this dress my makeup will melt off if I wait any longer."

At that, I turned back to the mirror and slightly patted my face.

My mother stepped forwards to say something else, but was interrupted by a knock at the door, "Miss Y/N?"

My heart rate accelerated as a high pitched, "yes?" escaped my mouth, earning a giggle from my mother.

"We're ready for you!"

I took another deep breath and turned to my mother who nodded to me, walking over to me and kissing my cheek, "you'll be fine, I love you!" before rushing ahead of me towards the ceremony.

"I love you, too!"

The servant called me to follow her and I complied, following her to a part of the palace I was unfamiliar with, "you know, Miss Y/N, this is the same place that Fire Lord Izumi had her coronation."

I looked ahead to make out a familiar face before muttering, "oh, is that so?"

As my eyes met with Ursa's, hers lit up as she gasped, "Y/N! Wow! You look so beautiful!"

She ran over to me as fast as she could and wrapped her arms around me. I smiled down at her, "and you, Ursa, are the prettiest flower girl I've ever seen!"

Her grin didn't disappear as she excitedly told me, "I'm so excited! After this, we're going to be sisters! For real!"

"Princess Ursa!"

We turned to another servant who was waiting at the curtain and I gave Ursa another quick hug before whispering, "your time to shine!"

As she left, I felt another presence behind me, I turned and my eyes finally met with a pair I doubted I'd ever see again.

"You really came?"

My father inhaled before pressing his lips together and placing his hand on my shoulder, "I'm-" his voice cracked a little, "I'm so sorry, Y/N. And, and I'm so proud of you. You've proven to be so much more than I saw you as. You're brave, strong, courageous and- just, I'm so proud to call you my daughter."

I felt tears rush to my eyes as I tried to blink them back.

"Father, I-"

But before I could respond to him, the servant called, "Y/N, are you ready?"

I turned to my dad and then back to the servant, "as I'll ever be."

My dad held out his arm and led me down the aisle, before me were a lot more people than I was expecting, it seemed as though the whole kingdom were there and every single eye was on me.

But I was only looking for one person, and as I stepped closer to the end of the aisle my eyes finally met his.

I left my father, who placed a gentle kiss on my cheek as I went to stand in front of my husband-to-be.

I could feel the tears rushing to my eyes again as I chuckled through them, Iroh basically mirroring me but wiping underneath his eyes.

The ceremony went on for a little while before we were asked to recite our vows, Iroh was asked to go first,

He grinned ear to ear as his eyes pierced deeply into my soul, "Y/N, wow, I'm so incredibly blessed today, to be standing before you as the man with the privilege to spend the rest of his life by your side. When I first met you, I knew you were special, that you were so talented and had so much potential within you, and as I got to know you more and more, as both a comrade and a dear friend, I fell deeper and deeper in love with you, never for once thinking that you'd ever reciprocate my feelings and now today, I get to declare my love for you in front of you, in front of our families, and in front of our kingdom."

His voice cracked a bit, "You are by far, the best thing that has happened to me, you've shown me so much love and so much care, and you make me so, so happy. I love you. And I promise to love you and be there for you through everything, through the good and bad, through wars and through peace, in sickness and in health. I'll follow you into the afterlife and into the next. And even if we're reborn into lives that aren't our own, I'll find you, and fall in love with you all over again."

He pulled my hands into his, "I promise to love you forever, Y/N."

I felt a tear roll down my face and I couldn't contain my smile. Then it was my turn,

"Iroh, or as I first knew you, General, when I met you, you turned my entire life around and showed me a world that I didn't even know that I didn't know. You helped me find a purpose and a passion. For years upon years, I only thought of marriage as a burden, or a prison meant to keep me from my freedom; but I stand before you today, to willingly become your wife and I've never felt more free. Iroh you taught me how to love, and for that I don't know how I can ever thank you, but I promise that I'll love you through anything and everything. We've been through so much, it was almost as though the world itself didn't want us to be together. I don't even know how many times we've almost died, but I'd go through it all over again if it meant that at the end of the day I could hold you in my arms. I love you, Iroh. I love you so much. I love you more than words can describe. So I promise to be by your side, through peace and war, in sickness and in health, to stand by you as your friend, as your aide, and your wife, in this life and the next. It will be always be you and I."

I could hear muffled clapping in the crowd before the officiator continued, "So do you, Prince Iroh of the Fire Nation take Miss Y/N to be your wife, to love her, to honour her, to protect and provide for her. To have and to hold from this day forth, in sickness and in health for long as you both shall live?"

"Yes, I do."

"And do you, Miss Y/N of the the Fire Nation, take Prince Iroh to be your husband, to love him, to honour him, to protect and provide for him. To have and hold from this day forth, in sickness and in health for long as you both shall live."

I felt tears rolling down my cheeks as I grinned, "yes, yes, I do."

"Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Iroh pulled me in by my waist and pressed his lips into mine, the crowd erupting in cheer. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he gently dipped me, but still holding me tight.

—

Two years later, I was laying beside my husband when we were awoken by Lord Zuko bursting into our room,

"General! Lieutenant! Come quickly! The red lotus are back and they're after Avatar Korra!"