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Borealis: A Zutara Story	By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 33965 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, any historical figures or events, or easily recognizable persons, places or things. I make no profit from this work of fanfiction

Chapter List
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Chapter 278
After a week of good food and rest Toph and Iroh once more disappeared beneath the earth and resumed their journey. As promised the heavy sweet cake Toph requested lasted three days, the vegetable pies four, the fruit bread fourteen and plain bread with dried meat held until they reached the next leg of their journey.
Toph curled her toes as they approached their destination. She stopped when she felt the first cobblestones beneath her feet.
“Miss Toph?” Iroh questioned knowing what she was most likely feeling. This place was the first place they had visited that showed the true devastation of the war.
“I wasn’t expecting a city, or the remains of one. It was huge. What was it?” Toph replied hesitantly.
“Taku,” Iroh replied.
“Oh,” Toph whispered quietly. She’d learned of Taku during her history lessons. It was among the first Soizin destroyed during the war but there were rumors a princess escaped. She betrayed her people to spare her own life. The young Earthbender shook her head and forced herself to continue onward as the horrors unfolded beneath her.
Iroh continued to walk toward the heart of the ruined city. His steps became hurried when he heard the plaintive wails of a cat and after a while the Dragon of the West began to run in that direction. Toph followed after him. She wanted to do the other direction and avoid the horrible place but she knew if she strayed from Iroh she would instead be trapped by its ghosts. She could feel them and something that she could only imagine as death closing in on her.
Top began to tremble when Iroh rushed into one of the ruins. She could no longer feel the sun’s warmth on her skin and coldness of shadows had become palpable. She could feel them against her skin as Iroh crossed the floor to a stairwell and quickly made his way down. For the first time, descending to earth her domain was not comforting. The wails of the cat became louder and Toph heard a voice creaking to quiet her.
“Miyuki, please, don’t cry it is my time.”
Toph felt the ripple of the earth as Iroh lowered himself to his knees. His voice trembled as he spoke, “I am too late.”
“No, I would say you are just in time,” the same voice rasped, “I was afraid I would be alone.”
“Alone? What of…?” Iroh began.
“Shush, she is a child who knows nothing. I insisted she go into town and get the ingredients to make soup to warm these old bones of mine,” The woman coughed and wheezed before once again speaking, “I think she knows it is a fool’s errand but she did it to indulge me. I did not wish to be alone but I did not wish to give her that memory. I have already left her with a heavy enough burden.”
The old woman smiled, “I did not think he would send someone, let alone you, for me.”
She inhaled deeply, “I see him. Your father. He is waiting for me. He has brought me to ruin but he is waiting for me on the other side with a kind smile and open arms. I saw him…once before…after the death of your son. He came to me…told me…told me that I was …the…first…woman…he…lov-”
Iroh inhaled deeply and lowered his head as the hand gripping his went slack. He continued to hold her hand as he whispered funerary prayers to several deities until the white cat nudged his hand. He lifted Miyuki and sobbed quietly into her fur.
Toph moved closer needing to feel his warmth against her side. The shadows of death were cold. Here in this dark place surrounding by such ancient earth she could feel them passing as welcomed they old woman into their number. She waited until she could no longer feel the vibrations of the earth to ask, “Who was she?”
Iroh glanced at Toph, as if remembering for the first time she was there. His voice was firm but without malice as he spoke, “Her name is one that I will not tell you. History has not been kind to her or her legacy and she deserves to cross over without being burdened by negative thoughts. Her truth was lost to all but those who knew her well and even among those she was doubted. She was a woman who trusted the wrong man at the wrong time while trying to do what was best for her people. She was a woman loved by a man who could not show his feelings least her put her and the child she bore him in danger. She was a woman who worked from the shadows to support those she loved and in her old age a woman who became renowned for her medical treatment of any willing to come her way.”
The prince blinked back his tears and Toph could hear the admiration in his voice as he continued, “She was a queen, a true queen, mother of one whose birth was destined to reunite nations. She was Father’s paramour, the first to receive his love and protection. She bore his first child, a daughter, a child whose name was also misaligned by history.”
Iroh closed his eyes, inhaled then exhaled deeply before speaking, “Given Mother’s poor heath and tendency to miscarry, there are times I wonder if she also bore me. I had hoped to find her in better health, but somehow I think this is fitting.”
Iroh reached over and took Toph’s small hand into his and sighed, “It is the will of the spirits that we are here to witness her passing. It is our duty to tend to her burial. This city was founded as a symbol of friendship between Fire and Earth. The spirits have read her heart and sent us here to provide comfort in her final moments and give her a proper burial. This land, Taku was born of the friendship between a Fire Lord and an Earth King. For centuries this friendship has held and every five generations a marriage took place to renew our bond. All true kings and queens of Taku are buried in a way to honor their mixed heritage. Her granddaughter would not have been able to bury her properly. Neither would I or you, but together, Fire, Earth, and the next guardian of this land, we will be able to pay her proper respect and give her the send off she deserves.”

General Fong’s group was two days inside the desert when they were surrounded by what seemed like a sandstorm. They hunkered down expecting the worse when it stopped just as suddenly as it appeared and they heard, “Soldiers. Earth Kingdom.”
“You sure?”
The sand picked up once more; this time they could feel something solid inside brushing against them. It was an ambush. Several of the group, including Fong tried to bend their way out of it. It was a common tactic used to confuse the Fire Nation. The sand tightened around them until they couldn’t move and someone spoke once more.
“Earth Kingdom. No Fire Nation, women or valuables on them.”
The sand loosened and a heavily wrapped person appeared. The wraps unwound slowly to reveal a face. An older man spoke, “Sorry about that, it’s just nowadays we can’t be sure. I am Sha-Mo. What brings you to the desert?”
Fong nodded and introduced himself, “General Fong of the Earth Kingdom Army. I have urgent news regarding the Avatar and his companions that I must get to other members of the resistance.”
“The Avatar! Where? How is he? I heard he’d been captured!” Sha-Mo and several others shouted at once.
“I know his current location and have seen the Waterbender’s betrayal.”

Favour: Thank you so much. Feel free to go and spread the word about Borealis. I have several underage people that have put me on author alert at FF.Net for some of my humorous stories. I’d hate for them to stumble upon this. I’ve already been warned once and would hate for my account to be shut down.

Samueladams017: Thank you so much. I do have a lot of original characters. I’ll make a guide in the forum. This story won’t be abandoned. It might take a while before until I can get back to a regular update schedule but I am working on it when I can.

Guest: Hi Guest – does this count?

Koi: Wow. Three days. I’m floored thank you for the dedication. I know how I feel about long stories that I devour so I’m honored.

Author’s Note: thank you all for your patience and encouragement. Between working full time, looking for a new job and going to school, I don’t have as much time to write as I would like to but I am still plugging away. You keep me motivated and inspire me on my dark days.
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Borealis: A Zutara Story