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Chapter Text

The wind howled and whistled outside of the windows ratteling against them harshly as big raindrops spray the glass trying in vain to wash away all despair that had consumed the entire room inside.
Loud piercing screams of a woman battled against the deafening sounds of the storm as she birthed her first child.
The clock stroke midnight as screams of a baby joined the cacophony of noise.

Near silence follows.

Heavy breathing.

The cry of the childe.

Meanwhile the moon managed to fight its way from behind the heavy clouds and shone through the darkness into the dimly lit room to cast a light glow onto the newly born child.

"My dear Zuko" Ursa held her baby in her arms and kissed his head lovingly. "My precious boy".

Firebenders were born on summer days, basking in the heat of the sun and soaking up its energy. Loved by their proud parents, they grew up to become strong fiery benders.

Zuko was born at midnight in the deepest winter the fire nation had ever experienced.

Ozai was sure his son was his punishment of the spirits, lucky to have even been born, without any potential of a future. Not worthy of being called a child of Ozai. He stood in the corner of the room his arms crossed. He would not accept this punishment. He had nearly the whole world under his control. A bastard child would not stop him from razing down everything in his path until he reached his goal of taking over the world. His gaze swept over the ugly and wrinkly thing in his wifes arms. He made his decision.

"Prepare a boat" Ozai called harshly.
"B-but my Lord with the storm outside it would be very dangerous to go out to sea."
"ARE YOU QUESTIONING THE DECISIONS OF YOUR FIRELORD?!" Ozai screamed, the candles flickering to the barely contained rage. "N-no of c-course not my l-lord i-it will be done."
with a bow the terrified servant fled the room.

"What are you planning?" Ursa asked, suddently thrown out of her little bubble of happiness. Her voice a mere whisper holding on tighter to her baby. Dread began to pool in her stomach as she met her husbands eyes.

"The fire nation is a proud empire and this winter is already making us look pathetic in the eyes of our remaining enemies. Fire doesnt draw power from ice and cold. We have to get rid of this prophesized bad omen before it weakens our bending."

"Give me the child."

"What?! NO.. please... dont take my baby"
Ursa began to cry desperate tears as she looked around the room for help but every servant avoided her eye contact, not willing to bear the wrath of the fire lord. Her cries turned into sobbing and panicked breathing while the Fire Lord just looked at her in barely contained disgust.
He had really married a pathetic bitch. She was getting on his nerve now.

"STOP CRYING" Ozai yelled and ripped the now louder crying zuko from his beloved mothers arms and quickly handed him to the nearest servant as if burned.
"Take him to the prepared boat and let it drift out on the ocean"
"Prince Zuko is hereby banished from the fire nation"

Ozai left the room with a slam of the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm sorry little one..." the shadowed figure said as they placed the crying babe into the tight lowered space of the wooden boat. Their voice nearly drowned out by the rolling boom of thunder. It was getting difficult to keep holding onto the boat as the waves got angrier and wilder.

The heavy rain soaked through the child's flimsy blanket. It would guaranteed catch a cold, thought the figure before it remembered that these were very likely its last living moments

The figure removed the hood of their cloak reveiling a young woman underneath. She reached for the back of her neck, pushed away her long black hair and unclasped a neckless.
"Take this young Zuko. It was created by your mother. She hoped to gift it to you upon your birth for you to always have her close to your heart if she wasnt."
She opened the locket and inside was a picture of Ursa sitting in the gardens next to a pond looking at the little turtleducks swimming around. On her face was a smile, a wave of calmness and promise of peace she longed to grant her child.
On the other side was a little text engraved into the metal. The flowing cursive read:

To my dear
Zuko
Be forever in my heart
For I am always close to yours
Your loving mother

She closed the locket and clasped it around the childs neck, the chain way to long for the little childs neck.

"Remember that you were loved little one...."

"Goodbye...."

With a soft sigh and heavy heart the woman let go of the boat and it was instantly carried away by wild waves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

blasterous thunder.

heavy rain.

wild crashing of wave against wave.

lightning.

A Crash.

Zuko was thrown overboard as the boat breaks apart, leaving nothing but little pieces in its wake.

Silence arrived once more this night.

The force of the ocean holding still to await the following moments. As if it recognised the significance of this childs death the ocean mourned by granting it one last moment of peace.

The last breath exited the childs mouth and it at last mirrored the motionless waves around it.

Suddently. A light at first distant near hidden benath the storm appeared.

Growing closer, two shining figures approached and caressed the baby's cheek. A glow appearing at the touched spot, spreading slowly throughout the rest of the body.
Two melodic voices intertwined in a duet of spoken words.

"Dear Child.
You have experienced great injustice and brutality.
We see your pure heart for what it is.
Be our favoured."

With a kiss to the cheek the spirits departed and the glow reached its brightest point, holding for a moment before the child's hair turned a pure white and its eyes opened to reveil deep blue eyes.

With a thud the child was washed up onto the cold, slippery shore by a wave as sleep overtook the exhausted babe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Text

The sun started to rise over the horizon of the frozen lands, casting a soft glow that reflected on the fresh fields of snow and icy mountains in the distance.
The white powder sparkeling like millions of crystals, pure and untainted like nature intended it. A peaceful ambiance and freshness of the new day awoke the animal habitants of the south pole breathing in the crisp and cold morning air.
The silence was only interruped by laughter and crunching sounds of footsteps on ice of two brothers only seperated by blood.

"Hakoda you should have seen her face when you tripped on the log" Bato cackeled while clutching his stomach. Meanwhile Hakoda only play shoved him with an embarassed look.
"This is all your fault why did you even let me get so drunk man..." Bato just laughed even more, the laugh so infectious that after a little while, Hakoda joined him.

They were walking back home after their sucessful hunt before sunrise, dragging two dead rabbits bound on a stone strecher behind them. The icy winds and harsh temperatures of the south pole during the long hours of the night were starting to lessen as the sun began to radiate some warmth. Hopefully their efforts to go out during the end of the night would be worth it because the results were supposed be an attempted apology for Kya after Hakoda had gone a little overboard with the rum at celebrations yesterday.
But really who could blame him, his wife just gave birth to his first child Katara.

Except well, said wife.

But Hakoda was overjoyed, life at the south pole was not easy but he had his family, his best friend and everyone at home was safe.
The fire nation had not been seen at the south pole after all despite all their war attemps. They rarely got any updates of the other nations however since they were really secluded and only a small civilisation. Their camp only held a few dozen people which was really nothing compared to their sister tribe in the north.
But even from them they've not heard in a long while.
Despite that Hakoda didnt want to spent all his time worrying so he tried to enjoy his life to the fullest. Some unease he couldnt shake though.

Bato had finally calmed down after a while and spotted a small cave at the edge of the floe.
"Look" he pointed in the direction of the cave.
"Lets have a quick rest there before we continue our way back. I am starving"

They made their way over, set down the strecher and went inside the cave which was really more an alcove than a cave.

As they sat down on some of the larger stone and ate their dried seaweed, a quiet sniffeling interruped their conversation.

"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"The noise"
"What noise?"
"The sniffeling."
"What sniffeling?"
"The sniffeling you dumbass!"
"What are you on about??!"
"Are you deaf?!?!"
Their voices rising as they argued only made the quiet sounds louder so Bato finally heard it as well.
"Oh you mean that sniffeling?"

Hakoda only rolled his eyes.
Carefully he made his way over to the spot the noise came from. Now that it was louder it sounded like crying. But that could'nt be.
No child could survive on their own in the icy cold of the south pole. The crying only intensified as he approached as if sensing him and begging to come closer. Upon closer look he saw a little lump in the snow that he could have and would have easily mistaken for another layer of the white powder.
But it moved ever so slightly.
Even more cautious than before to try and not disturb the child, Hakoda lifted his hand to the spot and noticed the white covering the child was a flimsy blanked covered in snow.
Carefully he pulled the blanket back, reveiling a small crying babe that could not have been older than a few days. Their hair a striking white and big blue teary eyes staring up at him. Bound on his neck was a necklace with a pendant that was really way too big for the small babys neck.

Hakoda picked the locket up, opening it as it reveiled a blurry picture of what must have been a woman but that was already washed out as if it stayed too long in water. On the other side was a small text ingraved.

"Zuko?"

"What it is Hakoda?" Bato asked peeking over his shoulder. "wha-.... a child?! how on earth did they get here?!"
"I've got no idea, but he does'nt really look water tribe to me and we'd knew if one of us lost their newborn child..."

Meanwhile Zuko calmed down and was staring at the two men in front of him.

"It's a bit unnerving isnt it? The eyes I mean and the hair. It looks so unnatural." Bato contemplated as he stared down at the child, who stared right back.
"Yes it does." Hakoda sighs. "But whatever it was that happened to him we can't let him stay here in the cold. He is still a child after all, he won't survive much longer on his own."
Bato finally broke their little staredown to look at Hakoda with resignation. His raised brow very telling.
"Are you sure you want to keep this random child and bring it home? He might be fire nation for all we know. Zuko isnt exactly a water tribe name."
"I think we should atleast take him to my mother, if anyone can tell, she will know what happened to him."
Bato only shrugged as he picked up the strecher again to continue their way home, settling to his fate of now having to carry the weight alone since Hakoda was too busy talking to the boy he just took in his arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The brothers arrived at camp as the sun fully rose from behind the mountains.
They passed the low snow dike and made their way to the biggest igloo set in the middle of camp. The habitants of the other igloos and tents, were busteling around, herding their children, cooking breakfast or washing clothes. The sound of giggling, crunching of snow from walking, talking and pan scraping joined the accompanying smells of seaweed soup and sizzling meat.

Leaving the stone strecher in front of the igloo, they passed the leather curtain to enter. Immediately the sounds from the outside muffled and the heavy smell of burning torches and white smoke wavering at their feet changed the atmosphere. Low humming and whispers entranced them in. When they went past another leather curtain the inside of the igloo was finally reveiled.

The inside seemed bigger that the outside showed.
The floor was covered in thick furs and carpets and on it sat about 10 people spread across the room. In the middle of all not to be confused since he was the only male was the current chief of the village.
Around him the council of the eldest stopped speaking when they noticed Hakoda and Bato standing in the entrance.

Kanna, Hakodas mother, beckoned him forward.

"Step forward Hakoda, what is it you need?"
Hakoda shifted as suddently all eyes were on him.
That however made the covered bundle in his arms move which drew everyones attention.

"Is something wrong with Katara?" Kanna asked, her voice turning worried as she stood up to step closer.

"It's not exactly Katara so no..." Hakoda answered.
The council looked at each other with raised brows as the Chief finally decided to speak up.

"And where, pray tell did you get another newborn child from Hakoda?"

"We found him in the snow miles off camp. He was all alone. We could'nt just leave him there."

"Hand him over Hakoda I need to make sure there's no permanent damage on the poor child."
She said and swiftly took the child out of Hakodas arms before he had a chance to react and scramble to get him back.

"Mama something happened to him you need to-"

But she already uncovered the child from its blanket and stared down at it.

"...."

"Hmmm... This is most unusual"

"I have seen what can happen when someone gets in contact with a spirit. The streak of white hair marks them as spirit touched however this one has clearly been favoured and the ocean eyes can only be gifts from Tui and La themselfs."

"His name is Zuko"

Kanna looked up at Hakoda, her eyes narrowing.

"Zuko is a fire nation name."

"But he's just a baby how could he hurt anyone?"

Kanna looked around the council and once she received a nod from chief Tonraq she beckoned Hakoda and Bato forward.

"Sit down both of you. I believe its time you learnt about our history with the fire nation."

Hakoda and Bato sat in front of her while the former was handed Zuko back.

"This war with the fire nation has been going on for a century. It ranged from complete bloodbaths and wiping out entire nations to captivating all element benders except for fire benders and ripping apart familys.

It all began a hundred years ago with the air nomad genocide initiated by former Fire Lord Sozin. He wished to expand the fire nation empire and and see the nation prosper. To achieve that killing all air benders seemed a good start to him. But it was very clear from the beginning that he would stop at nothing to reach his actual goal of worldwide destruction and domination. His grandson Fire Lord Ozai became even more ruthless. Legends say he poisened his father just to become Fire Lord early.

Fueled by the knowledge the avatar had'nt been seen in decades, he commanded his army to attack the other nations.

They left the leaders, kings and queens inside their fortresses knowing full well the walls were indestructable. No they went a different route a whole lot more vicious but very effective. They went from town to town, looting and burning, killing every man who dared to cross them while enslaving all benders, stealing all crops and killing all their livestock.

They created great famines and waves of homelessness for all those left with nothing.
They destroyed the other nations from the inside, weakened their people, the economy and forced the leaders outside their castles, where they were easily slain. That is how great cities like Ba Sing Se and even our sister tribe the northern water tribe fell to the fire nation.

We too were attacked once. Why do you think there are no water benders left at the southern water tribe?
We managed to stay alive and grow since the last attack but even then we're only a few dozen people now.
If the fire nation were to attack us once more no one knows how we would survive it this time."

"But we have to defend ourselfs, build a greater wall and train until the day comes we cant just give up?!"
Hakoda said outraged. The only thing stopping him from leaping up and marching across the igloo was the slumbering child in his arms.

"Hakoda my dear there is sadly nothing we can do that will stop the force that is the firenation army. It is like they were brainwashed into thinking everything they do is righteous since they would be taking back whats theirs."

"What im meaning to tell you is that the fire nation is extremly dangerous and the child may be innocent now but who knows how he will grow up....."

"You shouldnt condemn a baby to their death just because of their heritage!
It wasnt his fault he was born fire nation and that ultimately doesnt make him evil because evil isnt something you're born, it is something you become.

I will take full responsibility for him and if he does turn out to be harmful towards us i will personally see him dead. But until that day he stands under my protection."

Hakoda spoke while getting up, promptly turning around and exiting the igloo through the leather curtains.
Bato followed him hurriedly.

Chapter Text

6 years later~~~~

"Come on Zuko hurry up!" Katara giggled and ran ahead. "They were just over there i swear"
"Im coming Katara stop rushing they wont go anywhere."
Zuko answered while placing the last log onto their tiny strecher.

It was Kataras favorite pass time to find groups of seals and befriend them and Zuko, though very reluctantly was somehow always roped into her ideas.
So in his musings apparently Zuko was taking too long for her liking so she grabbed Zukos hand and pulled him along with her.
"KATARA?!" Zuko was flailing behind her as he was pulled into a sprint.
They ran up a hill that, at the top formed an icy tunnel leading down. Zuko finally managed to free his hand and grabbed an ice plate from the wall.
"fine" With a twinkle in his blue eyes Zuko stepped on it and went over the edge.
"catch me if you can!"
With a cackle Zuko descended down, surfing on the slippery ice of the tunnel ground and walls.
"Wait for me Zuzu-" was heard as an echo which only made Zuko cheer more as he sped up.

Getting ready as he reached the end of the tunnel Zuko hopped of his plate as if he's done it a million times before and grabbed the edge to stop it from sliding away. However just as he stood up, plate in arms his sister came barreling down and toppled him over again.

"Katara!"

Katara began to giggle as Zuko struggled to get up from beneath her.
"How can you be this bad at ice sliding its always the same with y-"
but his complainings were interruped as a wet tongue slobbered all over his face.
A shock froze his entire body as he stared into the eyes of a seal so close to his face the whiskers were poking him.
"Zuko you found them!" Katara burst out laughing at the shocked look on her brothers face. She jumped up and began cooing at the seal in front of her.
"Look! she likes you, she even gave you a kiss" Katara said excitedly.

"She tried to eat my face thats what she did!" Zuko protested indictably while using his sleeve to rid his face of the seal saliva.
"Oh she would never just look at that innocent face" she said while squishing the cheeks together.

Which did not help her case....

"Come on lets go find the other seals"
and she was off.
Zuko only looked at the seal with mistrust in his eyes as he did a big curve around it to follow his sister.

The gray seals apparently really liked their newfound spot as there were dozens of them casually lounging next to the ocean. There was little disturbing the seals peace as they basked in the seldom heat of the sun except for the baby seals playing around and of course his sister dancing between them.

However while looking over the place a flurry of motion caught his eyes and immediately set him on guard.
Going nearer he identified the disturbance to be one of the baby seals who stepped on cracking ice and broke away from the main floe. With a cry of shock from the baby the other seals also took notice of the danger and moved quickly near it. But they were too heavy and only caused the ice to break more. The cry of the helpless baby left abandoned shocked Zuko to the core and his body moved on its own accord.
Sprinting forward towards the commotion Zuko quickly took off his heavy coat and as he reached the end of the floe he carefully jumped on the broken piece of ice the seal was on.
The ice only wobbeled underneath him but held steady due to his little weight compared to the heavy seals. With calming gestures Zuko approached the terrified seal and gently picked it up before jumping back to the main shore and settling it down again.

A sigh of relief left him as he saw the baby was unharmed and already taken care of by the other seals.
As he put his coat back on however his sister came barreling into him once again.

"Oh Zuko you saved that poor thing!! I was so scared for it but it must have been terrified being left alone at danger of sliding away towards the ocean. I dont even want to imagine what would have happened to it once it drifted too far off. Poor baby it probably can't even swim yet...."
Katara fiercly hugged him which the seals apparently took as an invitation to join the group hugging and slobber on Zukos face once again as thanks for his help.

Which only left Zuko to look ahead grumpily as he petted the head of the closest one.
"yea yea you're welcome....."

~~~~~~~~

"Katara, Zuko!"
"Welcome back my little adventurers. Did you have a nice time?"

Hakoda was greeting them in front of their tent as Katara launched herself into his arms, got spun around and began to giggle.

"Zuko saved a baby seal dad! It broke off to a diffrent floe and nearly drifted to sea when Zuko sprinted after it and bringed it back!"

"brought it back" Hakoda corrected and gave her a boop on the nose.
"Thats what I said daaaad" Katara whined.

"Of course darling"
Hakoda set her down and pulled Zuko into a hug who looked at him with wide blue eyes.

"Well done Zuko. That was very brave and kind of you"
Zuko stiffened into the hug and flushed, very flustered.

"I- th-thank you... But it was really nothing I mean anybody could have saved it so it wasnt anything special and-"
Zuko held his fathers shoulders to try and push away but Hakoda held on.
"It does'nt matter if anyone could have saved it.
You did. And for that I am proud of you son."
Hakoda looked him in the eyes with a smile.
Speechless and with a crimson face Zuko hugged him back. "thank you dad."

"Now come on my little baby seals Mom made dinner so lets go in before she eats it all alone"
He winked at them before ushering them in.

The sun began to set over the glistening horizon of ice and snow as the clinking of spoons agains bowls, voices and laughter rang through the air.
Few people were still trekking outside through the snow and the calm of dusk settled across the southern water tribe.

"Come on, settle in my children its time for bed"
Kya sat down onto the fur bed. Katara sprinted to her side and Zuko followed. Both settled into her side encased in a hug. Hakoda leaned against a wall and watched over them.
"Sing us a song mom please!" Katara begged as she looked at her with pleading eyes. Kya only laughed softly. "Of course, darling"

Her velvet voice began to hum and fill the space of their little home.

"Where the northwind meets the sea

There's a river full of memories

Sleep, my darling safe and sound

When all is lost, then all is found."

Her voice stilled and Katara and Zuko slipped into a deep slumber.

"I love you my children."

~~~~~~~~~~~