Zuko, Chiara, and Azula journeyed back to Noren's house in Hira'a.
"We'll just tell them we finished our business so we won't be staying overnight," said Zuko as he knocked on the door.
"What about the villagers?" Chiara asked him reminding him of their plan to visit the villagers they met with during their last trip there.
"We'll camp in the forest and return in the..."
"Prince Zuko," greeted Noren who appeared in the doorway. "Please come in."
"We just came to say we won't be staying here tonight," said Zuko sadly. "We...we wanted to say goodbye..."
Kiyi was suddenly wrapped around his waist. "You're back!" she squealed.
"Kiyi, it's good to see you again," he said as she was detaching herself and then hugging Chiara.
She took their hands. "Come eat dinner with us!" she said pulling them both inside.
Zuko was hesitant. "I don't know if..."
"No, please join us," invited Noren smirking at Kiyi's attachment to the royal couple.
Azula reluctantly followed them inside.
When Noriko saw them she bowed. "Prince, princesses," she greeted them before she began busily setting more places at the table.
"We were getting worried," said Noren as they all knelt down. "It was getting so late, we weren't sure if you were coming back."
"Did you finish the business you came here for?" Noriko asked them.
"Um...yeah...," said Zuko. "We...uh...finished most of it."
He and Azula were unable to eat as they stared at Noriko. Noren was eyeing them as he ate his meal.
"You haven't touched your food," said Noriko feeling worried that they were displeased with her cooking. "Is something wrong?"
"Do you do this every night?" asked Zuko.
"What? Eat dinner?" she asked. "Doesn't everybody eat dinner every night?"
"No. I meant eat dinner together," he clarified. "Like this.
"Yes, of course," she said. "That's why we're eating so late. I insisted we wait until Noren came home."
"I appreciate that, dear," smiled Noren. "Rehearsal ran over."
"We would like for you and Princess Chiara to take our room tonight," said Noriko. "And Princess Azula may have Kiyi's..."
"We...we won't be staying here," said Zuko looking down. "We found what we were looking for." He met Noriko's eyes and tried to imagine his mother's face. "Tell me, Noriko, are you happy?"
She was puzzled by his question. "What an odd thing to ask."
"Just answer me. Please."
"Yes, of course," she smiled. "I'm where I belong."
Azula continued staring at her, but Zuko gently smiled before standing up and helping Chiara to her feet.
"We've bothered you folks enough," said the prince. "We should be going."
"No. Stop," said Noren. He turned to his wife. "Noriko, I knew this moment would come sooner or later."
"What's going on?" she asked looking at him curiously.
"Go ahead, Prince Zuko," he said. "Do what you came here to do. Tell her you haven't forgotten who you are."
Chiara's grip tightened on Zuko's hand as they realized Noren knew. He gave Noren an understanding nod before turning to face Noriko.
"I am your son," he said. "And Azula is your daughter."
Noriko felt confused and glanced at her husband. "Noren?"
He looked up at Zuko. "When you stopped me a few months ago, I recognized you immediately because of your scar. I had learned all I could about Ursa's life in the royal palace. I knew it would come back to haunt us someday." He bowed his head. "Forgive me for not confessing the whole truth when you and your wife were here then, Prince Zuko. With the war and Ozai still as Fire Lord I only wanted to protect my home here with Ursa."
"Ursa...?" asked Noriko still not understanding what was going on.
"That was your old name, my love, from your old life," he said to her. "You were once a princess of the Fire Nation. These two are your children."
Azula's eyes followed Kiyi as the little girl ran over to Noriko and was clinging to her. "Mommy, what's Daddy talking about?"
"You don't remember any of this because a powerful spirit altered your memories," explained Noren. He looked back up at Zuko. "I also have an old name. I used to be known as Ikem."
The three teenagers all reacted.
"Ikem!" said Zuko. He and Chiara knelt down at the table. "Then...then maybe this is where I belong too...with my mother, my sister..." Zuko's eyes moved back to Noren. "...and my father..."
Azula was shocked to learn that Noren was Ikem and that he was alive despite her father saying otherwise, but hearing Zuko speak of belonging with their mother, his father, and his new sister made her feel empty and out of place. Anger quickly began filling the emptiness.
Noren's eyes grew big by Zuko's assumption that he was his father. "No...that's not possible...Ursa and I...we never..."
Suddenly, Azula jumped to her feet and kicked Zuko in the chest. As he fell backwards she leaped on the table facing Noriko. "Tell me, Mother, did you have to have a new daughter because your last one turned out to be such a monster?!" she demanded angrily.
Kiyi quickly ran into her father's arms.
"Azula, stop!" demanded Chiara.
Noren, holding Kiyi, stood up and stepped towards Noriko.
Chiara stopped him. "Don't...," she started.
"I need to help my wife!" he said.
"Prince Zuko and I will take care of her. You keep Kiyi safe."
Noriko tried to run, but Azula jumped towards her. "You're not going anywhere!" She pushed her against the wall while raising a blue flame in her hand. "It all ends right now!"
"I don't know...what you're...talking about...," said Noriko terrified by Azula's threat.
"Oh really, Mother?! So you haven't been trying to take me down from the moment I was born?!"
"Azula, let her go!" demanded Zuko.
"Stay back, Zuzu! I'm warning you!!"
"If what you say is true...," started Noriko, "...if I really am your mother...then I'm sorry I didn't love you enough." She gently caressed Azula's face.
Azula's eyes seemed to soften slightly and her flame dimmed.
"Get away from her!" yelled Zuko grabbing Azula's arm while stepping between her and Noriko.
Once Noren and Kiyi were safely out of the room, Chiara ran next to Noriko and pulled her away from the fire Azula punched towards Zuko. He stepped aside avoiding the blue flames before turning around and kicking his own orange fire at her. She flipped over and sent more fire at him which he easily evaded. She punched blue flames at him again and again, but he continued dodging her.
"Oh, for crying out loud, stop moving!" she yelled.
She drew her arms in the familiar circular motion.
"Don't do it, Azula," he warned her taking a defensive stance. "I know how to deal with your lightning."
She sent the bolt at him, and Zuko caught it, guided it carefully through his body, and sent it back out towards her just shy of where she was standing. The explosion sent her flying backwards where she crashed to the floor.
"Enough, Azula!" he yelled at her.
"Why don't you just kill me already!" she screamed. "Then you can all be free of Ozai's little monster!"
"I'm not going to kill you, but I'm not going to let you hurt anyone!"
She jumped up and threw a fireball at him, but he smoothly dissolved it.
"I don't belong here!" she cried. "You all hate me!"
"Stop talking like that," he demanded. "You...you do belong here." He sighed. "Azula, our relationship is so messed up. It's been like this for so long. And maybe it'll be like that for the rest of our lives. But one fact never changes. No matter what, you're still my sister."
"Shut up," she said softly. "Shut up!" she yelled sending fire at him.
While he split her flames around him, she quickly dashed out the door and started running away.
"Azula!" he called, running out after her. "Come back!"
Chiara and Noriko followed him, and they all ran down the path that led out of the village.
"Come back!" he yelled.
Azula continued running turning down the path the led to the Forgetful Valley.
"Azula!" called Zuko as they followed her into the forest.
"Prince Zuko," said Noriko, sounding breathless.
He stopped and turned to her.
"Look," she said pointing to their left.
They looked up to see the Mother of Faces approaching them.
Chiara turned to Zuko. "You stay with your mother. I'll deal with Azula."
He grabbed her arm. "Wait...are you sure?"
"Yes. I'll take care of her."
He was not comfortable leaving Chiara to deal with his sister, but he trusted that if anyone could help her, it was his wife. He let her go, and she continued running through the woods looking for Azula.
"Human," said the Mother of Faces to Noriko, "do you wish to return to who you once were? Do you wish to remember?"
Zuko stepped towards Noriko. "No, you don't have to." All that mattered to him was that his mother was alive and safe. He would never want her to sacrifice her happiness, even if it meant having her back. "You have such a beautiful life here."
Noriko could not imagine ever choosing to forget her children. She wanted to know what would have driven her to do so, and if Zuko and Azula truly were hers, she wanted to remember them. "Yes," she said, looking up at the Mother of Faces.
The spirit reached towards her. "Hold still."
Zuko watched as the Mother of Faces placed her hand over Noriko's face. Bright light emanated from beneath it as memories flooded into her mind, followed by heartbreak, joy, anger, sorrow. When the spirit pulled back, Zuko looked upon the face of his mother. Ursa, filled with the mixture of emotions, started sinking to her knees. Zuko immediately went to her catching her, and he took her gently to the ground holding her in his arms.
"Mom..."
The last time she recognized his voice, he had been just a child, but even through the deepened tone and after so many years there was a familiarity that touched her heart. Looking up at Zuko's face, gazing into his golden eyes, tears filled her own. "My son."
Her tears fell as she wrapped her arms around him and held him, Zuko clinging to her tightly with tears in his own eyes.
"I've missed you so much," he said holding her trying to feel every hug he missed since she left.
"I'm so sorry, Zuko." She pulled away from him and gazing at his face, she placed her hands on his cheeks. Her fingers brushed his scar and she broke down in tears. "Look what he did to you," she cried. "I'm so sorry."
"No...Mom...it's not your fault..." He held her again as she cried into his shoulder. "Everything's all right now. It's...it's great. I know you're okay...you're safe." His mind suddenly went to Chiara and he let go of Ursa. "Mom, we have to find Chiara. She went after Azula."
Ursa wiped the tears from her cheeks as he helped her to her feet.
--------------------
Running through the forest, Chiara spotted Azula near one of the pools. She was on her knees sobbing.
"Azula," said Chiara softly, slowly approaching her.
"Everyone thinks I'm a monster," she cried. "Like my father."
"No one thinks that," she said kneeling down next to her. "You are Azula, not Ozai. Don't let who he is dictate who you are."
Azula kept her head bowed; her disheveled hair had fallen from its topknot. "But when everyone looks at me, they see him. My own mother even."
"No, we don't. We see you," said Chiara as tenderly as possible. "And I know you don't want to believe it, but we love you, Azula. Your mom may not remember, but she does love you."
"How can she love me?" she asked lifting her head to scowl at her sister-in-law. Her eyes were red and her face was wet with tears. "She was forced to marry my father and forced to have me..."
"Azula, she's your mother. I saw nothing but love for you from Aunt Ursa. It doesn't matter that Ozai's your father or whether or not he forced her to marry him. You're her daughter and she loves you." Chiara took Azula in her arms embracing her and holding her. "And I love you too."
More tears fell down Azula's cheeks. "You...you can't love me." She wanted to pull away from her but could not. "You have to hate me."
"Why do I have to hate you?"
"Because I really am a monster," she cried, her head resting on Chiara's shoulder.
"Stop saying that..."
"But I tried to kill you and Zuko."
"And we still love you," Chiara said softly, gently rubbing her back.
"You can't...," she continued crying.
"Azula, I spent years watching your brother insist his destiny was to capture the Avatar all so he could prove something to Ozai. It was destroying him—destroying the man he was meant to be. It took him a long time and some big mistakes to realize his destiny did not revolve around Ozai. Despite the things you've done, you are someone unique and beautiful, and you have the free will to decide your own destiny, and it doesn't have to be whatever will please that man." Chiara tenderly ran her fingers through her sister-in-law's hair trying to give her as much motherly comfort as she could. "You're not a monster. Somewhere inside you is that sweet little girl who used to dance with us at the royal balls."
"Ugh, I hate you for saying that," she half-heartedly groaned.
Chiara let out a soft giggle. "Remember the sand palace building contest on Ember Island? You and I against Prince Lu Ten and Prince Zuko."
Azula gently nodded. It was a happy memory not long before her father placed on her shoulders the burden of perfection.
"Theirs was taller, but ours was stronger," said Chiara.
"They were too concerned about showing off instead of building a real palace," said Azula.
"That was you, Azula. That's the person you can be again." She continued caressing her hair as Azula relaxed against her. "And I haven't forgotten your beautiful singing voice. You used to sing with me."
"Father hated that," she sniffed. He had hated everyone but himself, and he insisted that no one inferior was worth loving. "He hated you."
"I know he did," said Chiara softly. "And you don't have to be what he expects you to be. You can be so much more, so much better."
They sat quietly by the pond, Azula still resting against Chiara, though she was no longer crying. Chiara was anxious to find Zuko, but she refused to move as long as Azula was content to remain where she was.
Azula still felt lost and alone despite Chiara keeping her company. "I don't want to go back there," she said softly.
"It's okay. I'll stay with you," she said, still rubbing gentle circles on her back.
"I...I can't look at that happy family...Zuko bonding with his father..." She rolled her eyes at the image.
"I'm not so sure Noren...Ikem...is his father."
Azula sat up and looked at her. "But the letter..."
"Before you...got upset with Noriko, I heard Ikem say that he and Aunt Ursa never...well, he said it was impossible that he was Prince Zuko's father."
Azula could not help feeling a little comforted knowing that she was not Ozai's only child. It gave her hope that if Zuko could be his son and not be a monster, then she had a chance to break free too.
Suddenly, Chiara gasped as she placed her hand over her stomach.
"What's wrong?" asked Azula, genuine concern in her voice.
"I...I think I felt the baby move."
"So soon?"
Chiara nodded, smiling.
"What does it feel like?"
"Like...like a butterbee-fly buzzing around."
"May I feel it?" Azula asked timidly.
"I don't know if you'll be able to." Chiara took her hand and laid it over her stomach where she could feel the movement inside.
"If it wasn't for your firebending I wouldn't even be able to tell there's a baby in there." She moved her hand around. "Are you sure Zuzu's been feeding you enough?"
"Between him and Amiku it's amazing I'm not as big as a goat gorilla."
"I don't feel anything."
"Chiara! Azula!"
The girls turned to look behind them where they saw Zuko stepping out of the forest.
"Over here," Chiara called out.
Zuko ran over to them followed by Ursa.
"Mom?" said Azula, her wide eyes taking in her mother's true face.
"Azula," said Ursa, her tone filled with longing and relief as she fell on her knees taking her daughter in her arms.
Zuko knelt by Chiara. "Are you okay?"
"We're fine."
"The Mother of Faces changed Mom's face back."
"I'm so sorry, Azula," said Ursa in tears. "I never meant to hurt you so. I love you so much."
"Mom...," she cried softly, holding onto her.
Ursa gently caressed her head allowing her to cry on her shoulder. "I...I understand if you can't forgive me for what I've done, but please let me explain," she begged. "You both deserve to know everything."
Azula slowly sat up and Ursa tenderly wiped the tears from her daughter's cheeks.
"I'll build a fire," said Zuko. He started gathering branches lying around.
Ursa's eyes were drawn to Chiara. "Oh, Chiara," she said leaning over to embrace her. "It's been so long."
"It's good to have you back, Aunt Ursa."
Zuko built a campfire and Ursa sat quietly watching the flames flickering, but her mind was filled with scenes of the past, memories and emotions that had been absent for years.
"I...I'm not sure where to begin," she said.
"How about from the beginning when you first met Ozai," said Zuko. "I want to know everything. I'm sure Azula does too."
Azula's first instinct was to snap at her brother for presuming what she wanted, but she found herself unable to do so...or maybe she just felt more in control of herself...she was unsure.
Ursa nodded. "It was the night my boyfriend Ikem proposed to me. When I arrived home Fire Lord Azulon was there with Prince Ozai." There was sadness in her eyes as the memories played in her mind. "Ozai also proposed that night." Tears fell down her cheeks. "It was not a choice. For my parents' safety, I accepted his proposal and left with him to Capital City. Our wedding day was the last day I would see my mother and father. Ozai insisted that I was to never speak to them again or even mention them or Hira'a."
Zuko and Chiara were appalled by Ozai's actions. Even Azula felt unnerved by her father's cold demand.
"My marriage to Ozai was just so...so...awful. He was such a cruel man." She looked at Azula on her right. "That last night when you told me what Azulon ordered Ozai to do, I confronted him. I knew he wanted the throne, so I made him a deal. My mother was a master herbalist, and in exchange for your life..." She turned her eyes to Zuko on her left. "...I offered to make him a colorless, odorless, untraceable poison to use however he wished."
All three were relieved to finally know the truth about that night. Learning that it was not Ursa who killed Fire Lord Azulon, but Ozai himself who committed patricide only added to his list of abominable atrocities further disgusting the teenagers. Zuko was also reminded of Ozai's insistence of switching their teacups in the prison, and he could only imagine the scene of an unsuspecting Azulon sealing his fate with a cup of tea offered by his own son.
"He accepted my proposal on the condition that I leave Capital City," continued Ursa. "I insisted on taking you two with me, but he refused and threatened to hunt us all down if I tried...so I left...alone. I returned here to Hira'a, but my parents had passed away. That's when I met Noren who turned out to be Ikem. He had been given a new face by the Mother of Faces."
Zuko, Chiara, and Azula realized that the Yuyan archer sent by Ozai to assassinate Ikem never accomplished his mission, and they now understood why.
"I thought that if I had a new face, I could return to the Capital and see you both again," Ursa continued, looking away wistfully. "But how could I watch you both from afar knowing I could never hold you or hug you or speak to you?" Tears slid down her cheeks. "When the Mother of Faces offered me a new mind as well, I accepted, not because I didn't cherish the memories of my children, but because I couldn't live knowing I could never be with you again." She put her face in her hands, and Zuko moved to put his arm around her. "I'm so sorry," she cried. "What kind of mother chooses to forget her children?"
"Mom, it's okay. I understand."
Even Azula put her arm around her and leaned against her. Ursa moved to take both of them in her arms.
"I can't believe I can hold you both now and tell you I love you without fear of Ozai..." She gripped them more tightly.
When she released them, she wiped the tears from her face.
"Mom...," started Zuko who still had questions. He pulled the letter out of his tunic and handed it to her. "I need to know more about this."
She took it from him and held it so the fire cast light upon the words. "What I wrote here...isn't true." She looked down. "For years I secretly wrote letters to my parents, but I never received any in return. I suspected Ozai might have been intercepting them." She held up the letter. "I wrote this to prove it. When he admitted it, I made the mistake of telling him it was wishful thinking and that I hoped you would never turn out like him." She sighed. "He swore to treat you as if you were another's son." She closed her eyes. "Ozai is a wretched man. To treat his own son like that just to get back at me, especially when you were so young and so undeserving..."
"But he's still my father," said Zuko softly, his eyes on the fire.
"Yes." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "But you are nothing like him."
Azula sniffed and looked away. "I'm just like him," she whispered.
Ursa turned towards her. "No, sweetheart, you're not," she said placing a hand over hers.
"But I am!" Her voice was rising as she pulled away. "I was glad he punished Zuko. I even tried to kill him myself. I tortured Chiara."
Ursa looked shocked. Chiara moved around the fire to sit next to Azula and placed her arm around her back.
"Remember what I said earlier. You are not like him. You can be someone better. You're here with us now, your family, who loves you more than you can ever know."
The tears that built up in Azula's golden eyes fell.
"Oh, sweetheart...," cried Ursa pulling her into an embrace. "Chiara's right. You're here now. Whatever you've done...you've grown past it. You are so much better than Ozai."
While Ursa was still holding Azula, Zuko held his hand out to Chiara, so she took it moving next to him again.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her softly.
She thought about. "I'm feeling really happy for you and your sister."
He let out a soft laugh, and the joy in his fiery eyes made her smile.
"It feels...like a wonderful dream," he said.
Grabbing his tunic, she gently pulled him towards her kissing his lips. "Still feel like you're dreaming?"
"That always feels like a wonderful dream," he said with a dreamy smirk, making her giggle.
"Ugh," groaned Azula. "They're at it again."
Ursa looked over at them. "Oh...," she said suddenly, her eyes lighting up as realization sank in. "...you're my daughter-in-law..." She stood up and stepped in front of Chiara where she knelt down and embraced her. "I remember you both being in Hira'a a few months ago—the prince and his wife...but I...I didn't know...now I do..." She reached over and hugged Zuko too. "My son is married..." He was chuckling as he returned her hug. "You two were always so close." She released them and looked at Chiara. "He always adored you...and now you're his wife...and my daughter-in-law." The excitement in her voice made Chiara laugh. "I'm so happy for you both."
"If you're happy about that, wait 'til you find out you're a grandmother," said Azula with a playful eyeroll.
Chiara did not think Ursa's eyes could grow any larger...until they did.
"Is that true?!"
Chiara placed her hand over her stomach and barely nodded before she was wrapped in her arms again.
"That's so exciting!" laughed Ursa holding her tightly. Letting go of her she turned to Zuko hugging him again. "One of my babies is having a baby!"
Zuko was laughing at her reaction.
She let him go but continued holding their hands. "When is my grandchild due?"
"Over five moon cycles," answered Chiara. She looked up at Zuko. "And I felt him move earlier."
His golden eyes grew brighter. "You did?"
She nodded.
"What did it feel like?"
"A butterbee-fly."
"Oh, I missed so much of your lives," said Ursa. "But I'm so happy I'll get to be a part of this...if...if that's okay."
"Of course," said Chiara. "That's why we came here."
"We were looking for you," said Zuko.
"That's the business you had in Hira'a?" she asked.
"Yes."
Ursa lowered her eyes. "Noren...Ikem and Kiyi must be so worried." She looked up at them. "I know it must seem so...awkward, but you will stay with us? He really is a wonderful man and a wonderful husband, and Kiyi adores you."
"You're the reason we're here, Mom," he said. "Of course we'll stay."
Zuko put out the fire before they left the pond to find their way back to the path that led to Hira'a.
"So how long have you been married?" asked Ursa as they approached the village.
"We just celebrated our one year anniversary," he said caressing Chiara's hand as it rested on his arm.
"Aw, one year, so sweet."
Azula looked over at them. "You couldn't have been married that long. A year ago I conquered Ba Sing Se."
"Our wedding was the day before you lured us to the Earth King's palace," said Zuko softly.
Her mouth dropped open. "You were married then?"
He nodded. "Uncle and Fire Sage Shyu were the only ones who knew."
"You had a Fire Sage officiate?" Azula had no idea they had been married at that time or that they had a genuine Fire Nation wedding. Months ago she would have been thrilled and proud that she convinced Zuko to side with her the day after his wedding. She felt neither of those now. Instead there was a different emotion inside her, one she was not used to feeling. She did not like the way it felt, but somehow she found that remorse was better than the hatred.
"Uncle arranged it all," said Zuko. "Sage Shyu was hiding in Ba Sing Se at the time. There were also a few Earth Kingdom guests, but none of them knew who we really were."
Azula let out a laugh. "Even fath...Ozai didn't know you were married then." She found it comical that they managed to have an official wedding without Ozai ever knowing.
"I heard some of the news from the Capital," said Ursa. Her eyes were downcast. "I...I heard that the young prince had been burned by the Fire Lord and banished from the Fire Nation. I wasn't sure what was true or not, but when I saw you a few months ago, I knew it was the truth." Tears filled her eyes and she stopped walking. "I'm so sorry, Zuko."
He turned back to her. "Don't apologize, Mom. You saved my life. And there's nothing you could've done if you had been there." He took her hand in his. "Besides, Ozai may have thought he was punishing me, but what he did allowed me to learn things I otherwise wouldn't have known, and I'm better for it."
Ursa was not sure if his words made her feel better or not. She had never looked into any other options to escape with her children. One woman alone against the royal family—at the time, she had been sure there was no other way to save her son. But it did little to alleviate her guilt for leaving her children behind and even less so for having her memories of them removed from her mind.
She tenderly placed her hand on his left cheek. "But to burn your face, your eye...," she said sadly, tears still in her eyes.
"Coming from someone who was willing to kill his own son, who killed his own father...it shouldn't be so surprising."
She shook her head in disgust. "The other villagers said it was because you defended our people."
"I spoke out against a plan that sacrificed our soldiers."
Ursa shook her head at the reason for his punishment. "I'm so proud of you," she said, her tears now falling down her cheeks.
They continued towards the village.
"What did you do during your time away?" she asked him.
"The first three years I searched for the Avatar, and then I pursued the Avatar, and then I didn't want anything to do with the Avatar, and then I joined the Avatar."
She laughed softly at his humorous summation of his adventures, as did Chiara.
"You were about fourteen or fifteen?"
"Thirteen when I was banished," he said.
She was overwhelmed with sympathy. "On your own at thirteen..."
"I wasn't on my own. Uncle Iroh and Chiara were with me." He gently caressed Chiara's hand again.
Ursa looked over at her. "You were with him all those years?"
"Yes, Aunt Ursa. When he was banished, I didn't want him to be alone."
Ursa appreciated her love and care for her son. "I heard you traveled by boat. Is that true?"
"It is," said Zuko. "Until Zhao hired pirates to blow it up with me in it before his attack on the Northern Water Tribe."
"What?!" His mother was appalled to learn of the attempted assassination. "Were you hurt?"
"Not really," he said tenderly caressing Chiara's hand again.
Chiara huffed softly, disapproving of his downplay of his injuries, but hearing Ursa breathe a sigh of relief she decided not to mention just how hurt he had actually been.
"We heard about the attack on the North Pole," said Ursa. "So many soldiers. Where were you when that happened?"
"I was on Zhao's ship disguised as a soldier."
She looked worried again. "You were there?"
"I intended to catch the Avatar, but...well...it didn't work out."
"Is it true what some of the men say they saw?" she asked softly, wondering about the soldiers' tales she had heard. "A giant spirit destroyed the fleet?"
"Yes. Zhao murdered the moon spirit, and the ocean spirit exacted revenge killing Zhao as well."
"Did you...did you see it?"
The image was still engraved in his mind. "Yes," he answered, his tone low.
She could hear the trauma in his simple answer.
"How did you escape?"
"We left the pole on a raft," he said. "Uncle, Chiara, and I..."
"You were there too, Chiara?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Where did you escape to?"
"We floated on the raft for a couple weeks until we reached the Earth Kingdom where we lived as refugees," said Zuko. "Uncle was blamed for the failure of the Siege, and we were considered traitors to the Fire Nation."
He deliberately withheld Azula's role in trying to capture them. At first she felt suspicious about his intentions, but then she suspected he was just being considerate because despite all she had done to them, Zuzu was still her dum-dum of a brother—her stupid brother who could still forgive her. He was so unlike their father who only used her but had never truly loved her. Had she been like Zuko, or even defended him against their father, she understood now he would have discarded her without remorse.
"Eventually we ended up in Ba Sing Se," Zuko was saying.
"And that's where you two decided to marry?" Ursa asked with a smile.
"Not until we moved to the Upper Ring. We lived in the Lower Ring for a while until Uncle opened the best tea shop in the Earth Kingdom in the Upper Ring. He told me that I should settle down and start a family."
"Aw. I wish I could've been there."
"It's probably best you weren't," he said, his voice somber. His regret over his past transgression would never leave him. "Uncle and Chiara were taken as prisoners to the Fire Nation the day after our wedding."
"What? Prison?" Like many others in the Fire Nation, Ursa had heard the rumors of Chiara's execution, but she had not imagined her sitting in a prison cell.
"I conquered Ba Sing Se," added Azula, finally breaking in. "I took them prisoner for fighting against the Fire Nation." Her tone was neither arrogant nor proud.
Ursa had no need to ask why she had taken them prisoner. She understood it was on the orders of Ozai.
"Uncle was condemned to be executed and Chiara to life in prison," continued Azula.
Ursa gasped.
"There's obviously no tragic ending, Mom," said Azula, "since Uncle is Fire Lord and Chiara's here."
"I know, but that my daughter-in-law was in prison...how awful."
Zuko felt that reemerging sense of guilt whenever he thought about her first time in prison.
"It's okay, Aunt Ursa," said Chiara. "My wonderful, brave husband, your most honorable son, rescued us."
Zuko's face flushed at her compliment, and he felt embarrassed, especially when his mother looked up at him.
"I'm so proud of you," she said. She turned to Azula. "Both of you."
"You have no reason to be proud of me," her daughter mumbled glancing away.
Ursa put her arm around her back. "But I do. Look how far you've come. Breaking free from Ozai takes a lot of courage."
Azula slightly leaned into her mother.
They walked up the small path to Noren's house and she opened the door. Noren was still in the process of cleaning up most of the damage left by Azula's breakdown. He turned around when he heard the door open.
"Ursa!" He ran to her, surprised to see her original face, but then he embraced her.
Kiyi, rubbing her tired eyes, appeared at her bedroom door. "Daddy?" He turned to her. "Who's that?"
"It's your mother."
The little girl took in the strange looking woman in her father's arms. "That's not Mommy. Where's Mommy?"
"Oh, sweetheart, it is me," said Ursa stepping towards her.
"You're not my mother! I don't know you!" yelled Kiyi before disappearing into her room.
Ursa went to go to her, but Noren stopped her. "Let me, love. She'll need some time to adjust."
She nodded sadly before turning back to her other children. "It's late. You must all be so tired."
"We're fine, Mom," said Zuko feeling guilty. Earlier he had been content not to reveal himself when he saw her so happy with her new family, and seeing Kiyi's reaction made him regret disrupting their life.
"You and Chiara take our bedroom tonight," said Ursa. She caressed Chiara's face. "No objections," she said noticing that she was about to argue. "Zuko, take her to bed. She needs to rest." She looked at her daughter. "Azula..."
"I'll sleep out here," she said tempted to huff and roll her eyes at her lowly accommodations, but she controlled the urge.
"Azula, would you like a treatment?" Chiara asked her.
She looked at her. "That...sounds...good," she said thoughtfully, desiring the clearness of mind the technique gave her.
Chiara pulled a mat from one of their bags and unrolled it out on the floor in a far corner of the room.
Ursa gave Zuko a puzzled look. "Treatment?"
"Chiara knows a healing waterbending technique," said Zuko. "It'll help Azula relax. It's been a stressful d..."
"My daughter-in-law is a waterbender!" she said excitedly.
Overhearing her, Chiara softly giggled as she prepared to work with Azula.
"Now she'll have another reason to dote on you," said Azula playfully rolling her eyes.
"I forgot about that!" said Ursa. In the torrent of old memories that flooded her mind earlier, and with which she was trying to match up with what she remembered as Noriko, she had forgotten that the prince's wife was a waterbender. "Everyone in Hira'a was thrilled with her when she was last here." Zuko was smiling.
They walked to the small table where they knelt down.
"Did Iroh know?" she asked him.
"Of course he knew."
He could not help smirking at her surprised expression. Seeing and hearing people's reaction to his uncle bringing home a secret waterbender to live in the Fire Nation capital, and practically as a member of the royal family, was becoming funnier to him every time it came up. When he had learned of her ability in Ba Sing Se, he was so overcome by the years of secrecy, he had not given much thought to Iroh's daring accomplishment. He was feeling a renewed and profound respect for his uncle's audacity.
"He even took her to the Northern Water Tribe to be trained," he said.
Ursa was amazed. She thought back over the years trying to find some sign that might have given her secret away, but she could not remember anything that would have led her to believe Chiara had been a bender of any kind. "Did...did you know?" she asked Zuko.
"Not until she and Uncle told me in Ba Sing Se last year," he said.
"All those years you two played together you never knew?" He was shaking his head. "...even at the beach?" He was still shaking his head. "Sailing around the world, you never suspected?"
He was chuckling. "Not once," he smiled. "She hid it well. Even when she healed my injuries."
She stiffened. "Injuries?"
"My eye for one." She looked worried. "The doctor said I wouldn't have use of it. Chiara made sure I did."
She was puzzled. "How could she heal it without you knowing?"
"She told me she had special medicine and made me close my eyes. I never knew."
Ursa softly laughed finding it funny that Chiara managed to hide her ability so cunningly.
"She and Uncle joked about her being a master self-control bender," he said. "I get that now."
"That's amazing that she hid such a gift for so long," she said. "Ever since Nersala's son returned from Boiling Rock there had been talk in the village of the prince's wife. It seems so strange now that the things I heard were about my son and my daughter-in-law." She looked at him, her eyes suddenly wide. "Chiara was in Boiling Rock...and you broke in for her..." She was filled with a mixture of worry, sadness, excitement, and pride all at once. "I am so proud of you, Zuko," she said as tears filled her eyes. "You've accomplished so much, and you've never forgotten who you are."
His eyes left hers as he stared blankly down at the table. "That's not entirely true," he said sadly, feeling ashamed. "I did forget who I was for a while. I spent so many years chasing the Avatar wanting so much to win Ozai's favor, nearly sacrificing Chiara and Uncle."
She placed her fingers under his chin and gently lifted his head to look in his eyes. "But you found yourself, and look where you are now. You'll make a fine Fire Lord one day...and father...I still can't believe I'm a grandmother. I'm so excited," she softly laughed. "And Kiyi's an aunt," she added.
"I'm-I'm sorry about Kiyi being upset," he said. "When we found out who you were, we weren't going to say anything."
The excitement in her eyes disappeared at the thought that she could still be living in the dark. "Really?"
He nodded. "You were so happy. We didn't want to change what you had here, but we just wanted to see you one more time knowing who you really were."
She placed her hand on his. "I'm so glad you did. And I'm sure Kiyi will come around."
Noren came out of their daughter's room and knelt down at the table with them.
"How is she?" she asked him.
"She's still understandably upset," he said. "But she's asleep right now." He took her hand in his. "I...I'm going to have to get used to this myself. I feel like I'm cheating on my wife."
She and Zuko started laughing.
"I promise your wife is perfectly okay with it," she smiled.
It made Zuko happy to see his mother in such a loving marriage, unlike the cold relationship she suffered with Ozai. He could not help but wish the man sitting before him had been his father.
Noren looked at him. "So, Prince Zuko, I'm curious as to why you thought I was your father," he said almost as if he knew what Zuko had been thinking about.
"Oh, that's my fault," said Ursa a bit sheepishly before he could answer.
Noren raised his eyebrows as he looked at her.
"Remember when I told you I was sending letters to my parents, but I suspected Ozai had been intercepting them?"
"Yes..."
"I...sort of wrote one...to you...talking about our son," she said sounding sheepish. "It seems Ozai kept all my correspondence."
"I see. I don't imagine that went over well."
She looked down. "He punished Zuko for it," she said softly, feeling ashamed.
"Mom, you don't have to think about that anymore or anything else Ozai did." He looked at Noren. "I really appreciate what you've done for my mother, Noren," said Zuko. "Or do you prefer Ikem?"
"Noren is fine."
Zuko turned to his mother. "I want you to come back to the palace...all of you."
She hesitated at the invitation.
"Are...are you sure that's a good idea...," she started.
"Ozai's in prison. And he can't even firebend."
"What about Fire Lord Iroh?" she asked. "I sort of was responsible for his father's dea..."
"No!" he interrupted. "You weren't responsible for that. You didn't poison Azulon, Ozai did. The only one responsible for his death is his own son. Uncle would love to have you at the palace. He's the one who actually insisted we come here."
"Really?"
"We just returned from the North Pole and I was going to spend time attending meetings with him, but he read Noren's letter and said we should come here. He told us that this is where you were from."
She looked up at Noren. "It's up to you, dear."
He smiled at her. "No, it's up to you.
She thought over it. "Maybe an adventure to the Capital would help Kiyi adjust better."
"Especially with her brother and sisters," said Noren.
Zuko was chuckling. It felt good to see his family happy.
"Oh, we're grandparents!" she blurted out to Noren.
He was surprised by the news, and he looked at Zuko, who smiled and nodded.
"Congratulations, Prince Zuko. When?"
"In a little more than five months." He turned to Ursa. "Another reason you should come back to the palace, Mom." Just saying the word 'Mom' to his mother made the child inside Zuko want to run around with hyperactive excitement.
Noren smiled as he watched Ursa's eyes light up. "I guess that settles it," he said. "When do we leave?"
"We planned on being here a few days," said Zuko. "We were going to search for Mom until we found her or a dead end."
Ursa gave him a smile appreciating her son's devotion.
"We also planned on spending time with the villagers," he said. "And we wanted to see your play of course..."
"Which you did," said Noren.
"How did you like it?" Ursa asked Zuko.
"It was the best version I've ever seen," he answered. "And so much better than the Ember Island Players."
She nodded in agreement.
"Chiara thought it was great too," he continued. "Even Azula couldn't take her eyes off the stage."
Her eyes were drawn to Noren. "My husband puts on the best plays in the Fire Nation."
He looked down modestly hiding his grin.
"I told you it was the best," said Zuko.
"See?" said Ursa to Noren. "I wasn't exaggerating or being biased."
"She's not," assured Zuko. "Anytime we visited any place in the Fire Nation, Mom..." He had to stifle his seven year old self. "...she always took us to the theater. This was really the best production we've ever watched."
"Well, then I guess I should trust the expert critics," said Noren.
Ursa was smiling at him. "Grandma Guchi would be so proud of you."
When Chiara finished Azula's treatment, she left her to sleep and went to the table with the others.
"We really don't need to take your room tonight," said Zuko looking at his mom and Noren.
"There will be no arguing about it, Zuko," she said sternly. "You'll do as you're told."
"Yes, Mom," he answered with childlike obedience and a slight smirk. The giddiness was still there, but it was slowly settling down as the reality of his mom's presence continued sinking in.
"It's certainly been a long day," said Noren. "We should probably all get some rest."
"Or at least try," said Ursa.
Noren and Ursa laid out mats in the living area while Zuko and Chiara retired to their bedroom, though neither felt comfortable taking their room from them.
"How are you feeling?" Chiara asked him resting in his arms with her head on his chest.
"I...I'm unbelievably content," he said, making her smile. "I still can't believe we found Mom. It's like a dream."
"I think it will really help Azula having her mother home again." She delicately ran her fingers over his chest where Azula hit him with her lightning during their Agni Kai.
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A/N: Parts of the this chapter and the previous 2 chapters are based on The Search trilogy. I borrowed some of the dialogue from the comics, but I didn't use the rest of the Gaang in this adventure.