Zutara Week 2013 - Spark

Zutara Week 2013 - Spark

   Zuko decided to take the rest of the day off his Fire Lord duties and to spend some time with his wife and daughter. After searching all the usual rooms he went outside into the lush gardens. The sun was high in the sky and the air was warm. A light breeze kept the garden at the perfect temperature.

 Katara was sitting beside a pond in the gardens. She was feeding bread to the turtle ducks while their daughter cooed and giggled on her lap.

 The scene reminded Zuko of all those times he sat at that very pond feeding the turtle ducks with his mother. He smiled at the memory.

 Katara lifted the one year old off her lap and set her on the soft grass beside her. The toddler sat and looked up at her mother. Katara started bending some water from the pond into her hands. She tossed the water from palm to palm and made little shapes that made her daughter giggle and reach out for the water.

 “Are you going to be a water bender like mommy?” Katara cooed.

 Zuko walked over to the pond and sat down beside Katara on the cool grass. He put an arm around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.

 “I think she’s a fire bender, look she has my hair colour.” Zuko pointed out by patting his daughter on the head. Her coal coloured hair fell in waves to her little shoulders.

 “No way, her eyes are as blue as a water bender. She loves the water.” Katara said bending more water into her hands. The toddler reached out for the water in fascination. Katara tossed the water high up into the air and spun it around a few times. More giggles erupted from the child’s mouth.

 Zuko couldn’t help but smile as he looked at the two of them. His smile turned into a playful pout as the water Katara had been tossing around flew directly into his face.

 “Katara!” Zuko said rubbing away at the water with the edge of his robes.

 Katara laughed with her daughter. The toddler clapped her hands together. Katara heard a crack; she looked back to her daughter. The toddler clapped again. As the little hands came together a spark of yellow and orange flew off onto the grass.

 Katara’s eyes widened and mouth dropped.  Zuko was still trying to get the water off his face and didn’t notice what was going on around him.

 “Z-Z-Zuko, did you see that?” Katara stuttered.

 “What?” Zuko looked at his wife and quickly became concerned by her shocked facial expression. “What’s wrong?”

 Katara pointed at the little girl who was clapping her hands trying to make the sparks happen again. Zuko looked but saw nothing but his beautiful daughter amusing herself by clapping.

 He was about to ask his wife again why she was so shocked by the little girl clapping when she succeeded in getting another spark to fly from her fingers and onto the grass. This time Zuko saw it.

 Zuko couldn’t contain his happiness. A huge smile broke out across his face. He turned to Katara who was now pouting.

 “Yes! She’s a fire bender!!”  Zuko teased.

 “I was so sure she was a water bender.” Katara said.

 “The next one will be a water bender for sure.” Zuko promised drawing his wife into a hug. Katara returned the hug.

 Katara picked up her daughter and set her on Zuko’s knee. She ran her fingers through the little girl’s hair. Zuko gave his daughter a big cuddle. Katara smiled whishing she could still this moment and frame it.

 “She’s going to burn down the palace isn’t she?” Katara said half-joking.

 “With a water bender around she won’t.” Zuko said taking his wife’s hand and squeezing it. Katara rolled her eyes playfully and rubbed circles onto the back of his thumb.

 “I’ll leave you two to play; I have to go write to Sokka. I think he had a bet going with Aang about what kind of bender she would be, if any. He’ll be so disappointed.” Katara laughed. She stood and smiled down at the two most important people in the world to her before turning and heading into the palace. Katara couldn’t have imagined a better life.