It was still dark when they reached land, but they gathered their supplies and started their journey inland.
"We should change clothes," said Iroh.
"I have gold," said Zuko. "But it's not like I can just walk into a village dressed like this," he said of his Fire Nation attire.
"Princess Chiara and I will go."
They walked along a path and were relieved when they came upon a farm with several ostrich horses.
"If it weren't so late, we could offer to buy what we need," said Iroh. "But I think it will be okay to leave gold in compensation."
Chiara cut part of her skirt to make a bag for the gold, and while Zuko took two of the animals, she hung the bag from the barn door.
After packing most of their supplies onto Iroh's animal, Zuko and Chiara shared the other.
---------------------
They traveled for hours before finally coming to rest near a river just as the sun was beginning to light up the sky.
"Chiara, why don't you get water," said Iroh. "I could use a nice cup of hot tea."
Zuko held a bucket out to her, so she took it and started towards the river. Iroh began setting up a small campfire, while Zuko unpacked a teapot, dried tea leaves, and three cups.
"I'm glad, Nephew, you know how to pack necessities," beamed Iroh when he saw the teapot.
"You taught me well, Uncle."
Zuko stood up and went down to the river where he found Chiara gathering flowers growing along the bank.
"Chiara."
She turned to him.
"Jasmine," he said when he looked at the flowers in her hand. He could smell the sweet scent. "Uncle'll love that."
He raised his eyes to look into her soft green ones. Her disheveled hair and bruised skin did not lessen the beauty he could see in her. He tenderly touched underneath the bruise on her cheek bone feeling responsible for the condition she was in. Overwhelmed with guilt, he knelt down before her again just as he had done on the boat with his face to the ground.
"I don't deserve to be called your husband," he said. "But if you'll have me back, I promise I will never break my vows to you again."
She said nothing, and he grew nervous with her continuing silence as he suspected she was about to reject him, but as much as it hurt him, he knew that she would be justified in doing so.
She was quietly considering his sincerity. Life had been difficult the last time they traveled through the Earth Kingdom, and she feared he might come to regret suffering through another exile. But after all he had gone through to rescue Iroh and her and giving up his life in the Fire Nation, she was sure his promise was sincere.
"I love you, my Prince," she said softly.
He looked up at her. "That-that's not my title anymore."
"You'll always be my prince."
Her words sent a jolt through his heart, and unable to resist, he stood up and took her in his arms gently pressing his lips against hers. Despite the lingering worries she was trying to ignore, her eyes filled with tears of happiness at being reunited with him, and she relaxed in his embrace, enjoying his affectionate kiss. After indulging his desire to taste her soft lips, he reluctantly released her. Removing the cord from around his neck he pulled the other end out of his tunic and held it up showing their wedding rings at the bottom. She placed the flowers in her pocket and allowed him to return his ring to her finger before she replaced hers on his hand. He kissed her one more time before picking up the bucket of water and carrying it for her as they returned to Iroh.
"I found jasmine flowers," she said pouring them into Iroh's hands.
"Oh, Princess Chiara...," he said thrilled. "You...you are a treasure. I told you you might one day make it out of the prison alive. You must have a special destiny ahead of you."
"Maybe it was all for this moment of providing you with jasmine tea," she said.
He let out a joyful laugh. "Then I hope there are many more such moments."
Zuko was smiling to himself as he listened to them while he was laying out their sleeping mats.
After having been up all night on the boat expecting to reach land, they were exhausted, and finishing their jasmine tea, they lay down to sleep for a few hours.
============================================
It was late in the morning when the sun's rays began shining down on them through the trees rousing them from their sleep. Chiara started making their tea while Zuko pulled out dried fruit and salted meat from their supplies, and after their small breakfast, they began traveling again.
Hours into their journey, they neared a village with a marketplace.
"We can get clothes there," said Iroh.
They found an isolated spot in the woods nearby where Zuko could wait while Iroh and Chiara went to the market to purchase clothing.
"I'm going to clean up first," she said.
"Good idea," said Iroh.
She went down to the river while Iroh and Zuko sat down next to the ostrich horses and waited for her. When she returned, her clothes looked cleaner despite a few tears and scorch marks, and her skin was clean, as was her hair, the loose curls flowing beneath the sparkling silver of the diadem around her head.
"Chiara, you look like the most beautiful lotus flower among the lily pads," said Iroh.
"You say that to all the girls," she said.
Zuko laughed at her response.
"Only to the most beautiful," said Iroh.
Chiara shook her head at his comment. "I'll need your measurements," she said to Zuko.
"I-I don't know them."
She stood in front of him. "Put your arms out."
He did as she directed. She walked behind him and stood up against his body while stretching out her arms along his taking note of where they reached on him as well as mentally noting his shoulder and waist height. Then she wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Hold still; I'm checking your waist size," she said.
His heart started beating faster with her arms around him.
"Really?"
"Yes. I'll have to do this to the merchant too to make sure I get the right size."
"What?!"
She softly giggled as she moved in front of him. "I'm just kidding." She wrapped her arms around him again and rested her head on him.
"Are you still checking my waist?" he asked.
"Nope."
He smiled as he put his arms around her and held her. After she let him go, he gave Iroh a bag of gold.
"Be careful," he said to them. "Keep her close to you, Uncle."
"When we return we'll go back to the village together," said Iroh.
Iroh and Chiara left for the market while Zuko sat quietly and patiently waited for their return.
----------------------
It was not long before they returned, and they all changed into clean new clothes.
"This fits good," said Zuko, impressed that Chiara's measuring technique worked so well.
He held a rolled up canvas out to her, and after untying their wedding ribbon, she unrolled it.
"Aww. I'm so glad you got this," she said gazing down at their wedding portrait.
He leaned down and kissed her, and then taking the canvas, he rolled it up and put it away.
"They have a good selection of food down there," said Iroh as they started walking towards the market together leading their ostrich horses.
As they neared the village Zuko stopped and pulled out a cloak with a hood in order to cover himself to hide his scar.
"I hate having to wear this thing," he grumbled.
"Would you like to go blind?" Chiara asked him.
He looked at her curiously. "What?"
"You can cover just your eyes and we'll lead you through the market like you're blind, but we can fix it so you'll still be able to see a little bit."
"That's a good idea, Zuko," said Iroh.
He sighed. "Fine."
Chiara cut off part of her apron from her old clothes, and then she carefully placed the strip over his left eye and part of his right.
"This is so humiliating," he moaned.
"Think of it as an adventure relying mostly on sound and touch," said Iroh optimistically.
She tied the fabric fixing it so it covered most of his scar, and she carefully pulled his hair out around it to be even more concealing. She waved her hand in front of him.
"You can see a bit?" she asked.
He nodded as he was able to see with his right eye. He gave more money to Iroh to make the purchases, and then Chiara took his left hand and placed it on her elbow and they headed towards the market.
"We'll use our old names, Lee and Lin," said Iroh.
"Fine, Mushy," said Zuko dryly making Chiara giggle.
-----------------------
After leaving their ostrich horses at an animal enclosure, they strolled through the food sector of the marketplace.
"Is there any fruit you'd like?" she asked Zuko as they walked among carts of produce.
"Do they have mangos?"
A merchant held out a mango. "For him."
Chiara took it and placed it in Zuko's hand.
"How does this feel to you?"
He was thinking about the feel of her hands on his as he cradled the fruit.
"Feels good."
She looked at the merchant. "My husband likes this one."
Zuko felt chills through his body hearing her call him her husband, and he was surprised by how she said it so naturally.
"What about this?" asked the merchant holding out another one.
Chiara took it and placed it in his hand, but she was not touching him now as she was holding the other fruit out to Iroh who was carrying a basket.
"Is that one okay?" she asked Zuko.
"No," he said as he did not feel her hand on his anymore.
"Really?"
"Oh...yeah," he said refocusing his thoughts. "It's fine."
When Iroh was paying for the fruit, the merchant looked at Zuko.
"What happened?" he asked Iroh in a low voice nodding towards him.
"Oh," said Iroh, "my...son-in-law...uh...lost his eyes...to...to a...a goat gorilla."
Zuko sighed as he listened to Iroh's explanation while Chiara kept calm, despite wanting to laugh at Iroh's words.
"It was a large creature," Iroh went on. "It-it just ripped his eye right out of his head..."
The merchant's eyes grew wide in an expression of horror.
"Now, Father," started Chiara softly as she placed her hand on Iroh's arm, "you know how sensitive he is about it."
Iroh looked at her. "Oh, yes, yes." He looked at the merchant. "He doesn't like to talk about it," he whispered.
Zuko suspected they were enjoying themselves too much, but a part of him was enjoying it too, though he would never admit it.
They continued walking through the market buying any supplies they thought they might need that Piandao had not already provided them. When it seemed like they had what they needed, Iroh turned to Chiara.
"Here, Lin," he said handing her several coins. "I have some things I need to do while I'm here. Get whatever else you think we might need. We'll meet at the corral."
Iroh walked off leaving Chiara and Zuko on their own.
"He's probably going to get a massage or something," said Zuko sounding annoyed.
"He could use that after the way they had him restrained in the prison," she said.
He felt ashamed that the discomfort his uncle had suffered in the prison had not occurred to him, but he was relieved that Chiara had been able to serve him in the cell.
"At least he had you to take care of him," he said.
"But he was still restrained. A massage will do him good. Is there anything you think we need?"
"I think we have everything. I just want to go."
They started walking back towards the enclosure where they left their animals. Turning down an empty lane, two men approached them.
"There's a toll for using this road," said one of them.
"Then we'll use another road," said Zuko dryly.
As they turned back, two more men blocked them.
"By toll, he means give us all your valuables," said another. He pointed at Chiara's diadem. "Starting with that pretty jeweled chain."
Zuko instantly felt heated. "Maybe we should rob them so they can see what it feels like," he said deeply.
Chiara shrugged. "Sounds good to me."
The men started laughing.
"Oh, that's real funny," said the first guy. "A blind man thinks he's going to rob us."
Chiara stepped back when Zuko pulled out his swords, and turning to the one who spoke, he deliberately looked past him as if he could not see exactly where he was.
The man let out a laugh. "Get him!"
Three of them went after Zuko while the fourth attacked Chiara, but she had pulled out her own sword and immediately and easily disarmed him as he was not expecting her to resist. Zuko was expertly holding his own against the other three, but Chiara joined in helping him. Fearing they were not going to win, three of the men escaped leaving only the leader whom Zuko pinned to a post with his swords against his neck.
"Empty your pockets slowly," Zuko demanded deeply.
The man nervously reached into his pockets and dropped jewelry, gold, and other coins on the ground. After Zuko stepped back and slowly withdrew his swords, the man quickly took off.
"Let's just turn it in and get out of here," he said as he helped Chiara gather it up.
---------------------
They met up with Iroh at the corral, and after leaving the village, they spent the rest of the day traveling.
"That was quite adventurous," said Iroh as they rode along the road.
"You have no idea," said Zuko.
Chiara started softly giggling and Zuko joined her as they thought about their own adventure.
Iroh was happy to see the two laughing together, and he wondered what might have happened that made them share a laugh. He did not ask, but he was happy to see them smile.
"And between losing your eyes and...uh...other...things to the goat gorilla, they'll be nothing left of you," said Chiara as she caressed his arm around her waist.
Now it was Iroh's turn to laugh while Zuko smiled and shook his head at their teasing.
-----------------------
When the sun began nearing the horizon, they stopped to set up camp for the evening. Chiara went down to the river to get water while Iroh and Zuko started a fire and prepared their dinner.
"She looks very much like her mother," said Iroh softly.
Zuko looked at him. "You-you remember her mother?"
"I will never forget her face," he said in a sad, serious tone. "Even with her throat cut open and her body badly burned, her face was very beautiful."
Zuko was shocked to hear the details of her mother's death.
"Little Chiara was on her knees next to her pouring water over her neck. When I saw later that she had the power to heal, I realized that she had been trying to heal her mother's wound, though it had been too late."
Zuko had never known exactly what Chiara had been through when it came to the loss of her family, and he wondered if she remembered.
"Thank you, Uncle," he said softly.
Iroh gave him a puzzling look. "For?"
"For bringing her to the Fire Nation," he said.
His uncle smiled. "It's a decision I have never regretted."
When she returned from the river, she began making the tea, and then they relaxed after eating dinner.
"It's time to treat your wounds," Iroh said to Chiara as he pulled out the salve.
She turned around and he treated the wounds on her back and arm while Zuko pulled out the sleeping mats.
==========================================
After a few days of riding during the day and resting at night, they found a spot where they decided to set up a campsite where they could stay for several days, even weeks, rather than hours. Zuko unloaded the tents and began clearing two areas where he could erect them while Chiara went to the river to collect water and Iroh built a fire.
"Only two tents?" asked Iroh.
"Yeah. One for you and one for Chiara and me."
"Hmm," said Iroh thoughtfully while arranging the sticks in the fire pit he set up. "I'm not sure it would be a good idea for you to share a tent with her."
"She's my wife. We haven't even spent one night together."
"I know you were waiting for your vacation, and this is like a vacation, but I believe I made a mistake in giving you my blessing."
Zuko stopped working and looked at him. "What do you mean?" he asked deeply as he stood up.
"I believe your destiny is to become Fire Lord..."
"What?!" he shouted angrily before lowering his voice. "In Ba Sing Se you were content to have me settle down and work in your tea shop. You said I choose my own destiny, and now you insist my destiny is to be Fire Lord?!"
"When the Fire Nation took control of Ba Sing Se, I knew then that there would never be peace until the right person became Fire Lord. As long as your father and sister control the Fire Nation, there will be no peace. You are the right person to lead the Nation to a victory of peace rather than war."
"I don't...I don't want that. Chiara is my destiny. I choose her."
"By giving my blessing, I have signed her death warrant," Iroh said sadly, poking a stick into the growing flames of the campfire.
"What are you talking about?"
"If it becomes known that she is the wife of the Fire Prince, all three Nations will be after her. She will be a target."
Zuko had not thought of those consequences, and he stood silent now worrying about the danger Chiara was in because of him.
"It's not just about rejection of a Water Tribe Fire Lady," said Iroh, "but it is about her very existence."
"I never considered that it could hurt her," said Zuko softly.
"And imagine if she were to carry your child. It could hurt more than just her."
That was another concern Zuko had not considered.
He sighed. "We'll stay separate until this is over," he said. "But I won't give her up."
"You must consider your destiny leading the Fire Nation..."
"I don't want to be Fire Lord..."
Chiara dropped her bucket of water.
"Chiara...," said Iroh and Zuko simultaneously as they realized she heard what Zuko said.
"Do I need to go north now?" she asked as her eyes filled with tears.
Zuko walked over to her. "No. You're not going anywhere." He picked up the bucket which had landed upright only losing a small amount of water that had splashed out. He took her hand in his and walked her over to the fire Iroh had been tending.
"I don't want to interfere with your destiny," she said softly.
"You're not," he said. "You're my destiny. The Avatar can deal with bringing peace to the Nations."
"The Avatar?" asked Iroh. "But the cycle was broken. And even if Avatar Aang weren't killed while in the Avatar State, it would take years for a new one to learn all four elements, and Sozin's Comet..."
"I believe he's still alive," said Zuko.
"Aang's alive?" asked Chiara hopefully.
"You said so in the prison," said Iroh to Zuko. "But what makes you think he is?"
"When I was in the Crystal Catacombs with the waterbender...the Avatar's waterbender, she had a vial with water from the Spirit Oasis. She offered to use it to heal my scar."
"Can it do that?" asked Chiara.
"I don't know. We never got the chance to try it. But I'm sure she would've used it for the Avatar."
She was relieved to learn that her young friend might still be alive and that there was still hope for the world through the Avatar.
"If that's true," started Iroh, "then we need to find him and warn him of the coming of Sozin's Comet."
"I spent years hunting for him," said Zuko. "I'm tired of searching."
"I wonder if he needs a firebending teacher," said Chiara pouring water into a teapot.
"Don't you start," he said knowing what she was thinking. "If he needs a teacher, then Uncle can do it."
"I would be honored to teach the Avatar," said Iroh pulling out the tea, "but I would need to find him, and you are the expert in tracking hi..."
"No," he said sternly. "I'm not getting involved."
Iroh sighed.
"I only brought two tents," said Zuko not wanting to talk about the Avatar anymore.
He continued setting them up.
"You will take one of the tents, Chiara," said Iroh. "Zuko and I will share the other."
"He's not ready for grandchildren yet," said Zuko not wanting to worry her with the real reason.
"I guess now isn't the right time," she said softly. "If you'd like your own tents, I can sleep under the stars."
"You will not sleep outside," said Iroh.
"We've slept outside every night for the last few days," said Zuko.
"I don't mind," she said. "I shouldn't have my own tent if you two are going to be crammed into one."
"You will not sleep outside while we sleep in tents," said Iroh.
--------------------
Later that day, Zuko was practicing with his swords while Iroh relaxed and watched him. Chiara was quietly doing chores around the campsite relieved to be able to keep busy after sitting dormant in a prison cell for so long and then riding nearly non-stop for several days.
"You are quite proficient with your swords," said Iroh.
"Chiara," called Zuko.
She came out of her tent.
"Practice?" he said.
She nodded and set down her work before walking over to him and taking the sword he offered.
"Go easy on him," Iroh smiled.
As she stood in front of him holding his sword, he could not help but focus on her beauty as her long dark hair fell about her in locks.
"Aw, Prince Zuko, how can you attack something so sweet?" asked Iroh.
"Not helping, Uncle," he said.
He stepped towards her swinging his sword, but she quickly defended herself. She moved gracefully as if she were dancing, and her hair flowed around her as she expertly defended herself against every attack. Just like the last time they were in exile, she had no reason to hold back, but this time she was fighting him more aggressively. Zuko, having been used to her concessions, found her expertise challenging, and he found her beauty distracting, so he tried to fight a little dirty, but no matter what he tried, he realized he could not defeat her. After an exhausting battle, she disarmed him to his surprise, and he did not know what to say to her as she held his own sword up to his throat. Even Iroh held his breath as he wondered what Chiara's next move would be.
"Next time, I'm not holding back," Zuko said to Iroh.
"If there's a next time," said Chiara in her sweet voice still holding the sword against his neck. "Your call, General."
A big smile grew across Iroh's face. "I say let him live. He may prove useful to us."
Chiara withdrew the sword, bowed to Zuko, and held them out to him.
"You're incredible," he said as he took the swords.
"As are you."
"I wasn't the one holding a sword to my opponent's throat."
She smirked at him before returning to the tent to continue her chores.
Zuko took a break sitting down next to his uncle. "She's really good."
"She should be," said Iroh. "You two practiced enough."
"But she hasn't been that aggressive since...since we lived in the Fire Nation."
"She always yielded to you on the ship."
"What?" asked Zuko. "Really?"
Iroh nodded.
"How do you know?"
"Once, I criticized her for missing an obvious attack after you two had finished sparring..."
"I remember," said Zuko recalling how he thought Iroh had been harsh with her.
"She told me that she would never try to defeat you in front of the crew, so she sometimes deliberately accepted defeat."
Zuko was stunned. "I-I'm not sure how to feel about that," he said as he thought about it.
"You should feel grateful."
"But how was I supposed to improve if she didn't fight me with all her skill?"
"She did fight with all her skill. She only allowed you to defeat her towards the end of the battle if she felt she had the upper hand. She did not want the crew to see your defeat as a weakness."
Zuko was impressed and touched by Chiara's concern for him.
---------------------
After dinner Chiara went to the river while Zuko and Iroh remained at the camp. Zuko watched her long, dark curls bouncing as she walked away, and he started thinking about their battle earlier, the way her locks flowed around her as she moved. His mind wandered to his final defeat with her playful threat of decapitating him.
"Does she know that it was you who sent the soldiers that killed her parents?" he asked softly.
Iroh thought sadly about it. "She does."
"Does she remember?"
"She knows I was ultimately in charge."
"Yet she waited for your order to cut my head off."
Iroh started chuckling as he thought about it.
"Why doesn't she hate you?" asked Zuko. He was sure he would resent the person who was responsible for his mother's death...if she was dead, and he certainly could never imagine becoming part of their family as Chiara had done.
Iroh thought back to a conversation with her early in Zuko's banishment. "After we left the Western Air Temple, I told her what she witnessed wasn't any different than what had been done to her village and her family. When she asked me if I regret my actions, I answered 'every day.' She said that's why I deserve forgiveness—because I chose to lead a different life."
Zuko always found Chiara's ability to forgive extraordinary.
"She has always been such a wise child," continued Iroh. "And she's a sad reminder of the sins of our family, yet she is also proof that there is hope of forgiveness and redemption."
------------------------
Chiara had been sitting down at the river, her mind plagued with worries over Zuko's destiny and Iroh and the fate of the Nations, and she began to cry. It was not long before Zuko, worried about her absence, found her. It broke his heart when he saw her in tears. He sat next to her and put his arm around her.
"Why are you crying?" he asked.
She wiped the tears from her cheeks. "You shouldn't be here."
"I'm meant to be wherever you are," he said softly.
"No, you're not. You gave up your future as Fire Lord for me. You spent years trying to return home, and because of me you'll never be able to return. The General nearly lost his life because of his kindness to me, and now he, too, is banished from home."
More tears ran down her face and Zuko pulled her close and held her.
"Chiara, when I was in the palace while you were in prison, I knew I made the wrong decision at Ba Sing Se, but I also realized something else. I realized that being the prince didn't bring me the happiness I expected. It was empty and lonely. You always said that wherever Uncle and I were, that was home. I understand that now. I wasted years trying to go back home, but home was with me all along."
She shook her head. "No. The General's right. Your destiny is to be Fire Lord."
"I'm free to choose my own destiny. I choose you, and I don't...and I will never regret it."
"You'd be better off back in the Fire Nation."
He gently lifted her chin and looked in her tear-stained eyes.
"One of these days we're going to find a place to settle down, and we're going to create our own little Fire Nation."
Her heart melted at his words. He tenderly kissed her.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, my Prince."