The Face That Launched a Thousand Ships

AN: So, I'm still working on several stories...but I couldn't help but want to try this story line. I've always been fascinated by Greek Mythology and was always enchanted by the mythology of the story 'Helen of Troy' and I couldn't help but want to write a Zutara after it. The god's aren't Greek, after all Avatar isn't a Greek TV show! So, I took the god's from the Hindu religion. So, here is the list of characters, the names in ( ) are the true Greek characters from the Myth. Ones without the ( ) are ones that were added due to my own ambition. So, I hope you enjoy this and please, let me know what you think of this idea. This is the first chapter and I hope you enjoy it!

The first chapter depicts the events that lead up to where the characters are later on in the story. Please, enjoy. Also, btw, this story idea came to me while actually studying in my mythology class at the university. So please, enjoy the story. This is the prologue.

Kiya – Goddess of Love (Aphrodite)

La – Goddess of Women and Marriage, Wife of Tui (Hera)

Song – Goddess of Wisdom (Athena)

Kali – Goddess of Destruction and Discord (Eris)

Tui – Supreme God, Husband of La, father of Katara (Zeus)

Hakoda 46 – King of the Water Nations, Father of Hahn, Sokka, and Yue (Tyndareus)

Kya 42 – Queen of the Water Nations, Mother of Hahn, Sokka, Yue and Katara (Leda)

Hahn 25 – Crowned Prince of the Water Nations, Son of Hakoda and Kya, Brother to Sokka, Yue and Katara (Pollux)

Sokka 23 – Prince of the Water Nations, Son of Hakoda and Kya, Brother to Hahn, Yue and Katara, lover of Suki (Castor)

Ozai 46 – King of the Fire Nation, Father of Lu Ten, Zuko, Azula and Mai (Priam)

Ursa 43 – Queen of the Fire Nation, Mother of Lu Ten, Zuko, Azula and Mai (Hecuba)

Iroh 49 – General, Father of Ty Lee, Brother of Ozai, Uncle of Lu Ten, Zuko, Azula and Mai

Lu Ten 28– Crowned Prince of the Fire Nation, Son of Ozai and Ursa, Brother of Zuko, Azula and Mai (Hector)

Azula 26 – Princess of the Fire Nation, Daughter of Ozai and Ursa, Sister of Lu Ten, Zuko and twin to Mai (Cassandra)

Mai 26– Princess of the Fire Nation, Daughter of Ozai and Ursa, Sister of Lu Ten, Zuko and twin to Azula (Helenus)

Zuko 21 – Prince of the Fire Nation, Son of Ozai and Ursa, Brother of Lu Ten, Azula and Mai, lover of Katara (Paris)

Ty Lee 22 – Daughter of Iroh, Cousin of Lu Ten, Zuko, Azula and Mai, Niece of Ozai and Ursa, lover of Jet (Briseis)

Bato 44 - Adopted father of Zuko (Agelaus)

Katara 20 – Queen of Omashu, Wife of Haru, Daughter of Tui and Kya, Sister of Hahn, Sokka and Yue, lover of Zuko (Helen)

Haru 27 – King of Omashu, Husband of Katara, Brother of Long Feng (Menelaus)

Long Feng 32 – King of Ba Sing Se, Husband of Yue, Brother of Haru (Agamemnon)

Yue 23 – Queen of Ba Sing Se, Wife of Long Feng, Sister to Hahn, Sokka and Katara (Clyemnestra)

Jet 24 – Infamous Warrior of the Earth Kingdom, Cousin of Longshot (Achilles)

Longshot 21 – Cousin of Jet (Patroclus)

Aang 21 – King of the Air Nomads, Husband of Toph (Odysseus)

Toph 19 – Queen of the Air Nomads, Wife of Aang (Penelope)

Suki 22 – Friend of Katara, Servant to the household of King Haru, lover of Sokka

And without further ado, I introduce to you "The Face That Launched a Thousand Ships"

The Fire Nation - Birth of a Prince

Sweat beaded the Queen's brow, long, curled, black tresses tangled together in a sloppy, sweaty mess that stuck to her head. Knuckles, white by nature, turned a ghostly white as her hand clutched to the larger hand to that of her husband's. Nurses rushed in and out of the room, gathering sheets and wet cloths to keep the Queen's high temperature under control. A small water basin, once clear and clean, now littered with body fluids and fresh blood. She had been in labor for several hours; soon, she would give birth to the son that would change the course of history itself.

"Urghaaaaa!" an agonizing scream ripped from her throat, she bucked forward slightly, her swollen belly keeping her from moving all the way forward. Her husband had pinned her down, trying to calm her as she pushed with all her might due to the nurse's order.

His hand caressed her sweat coated forehead, his fingers tracing over her brow tenderly, "Shhh my love," he cooed, "shhh."

Ursa gulped heavily, the pale skin stretching over her throat moved up then down in a painful motion, suddenly there was another contraction. She jolted forward, her face scrunching in contortion as Ozai's strong arm wrapped over her chest, her fingers digging into his forearm. Her screams echoed violently throughout the palace, labor was agonizing, one of the worst pains anyone was forced to suffer through.

"Push my lady, push!" the nurse commanded, her hands cupping near the Queen's vaginal.

Ozai held onto his wife, praying to the gods for another son and for this birth to move along. He hated seeing his wife in pain, after being there for her through three other births, this was without a doubt the most painful. Again she relaxed in his arms, slowly leaning back down onto the bed, her chest heaving in a rapid pace. Her hands gripped onto his, her golden irises scrunched in pain and her plush lips quivering furiously.

Sighing, Ozai bent over, his lips brushing against hers before he felt her tense beneath him, her breathing quickening even more and felt her buck forward before he had to get a grip on her.

"That's if my lady! Push!"

Running frantically through the palace, the young Princesses, Azula and Mai ran hand in hand. Palace guards chased after them, calling out their names as they ran down the halls frantically. The girls were upset, their brows knitted together wearily as the bolted through the palace in search of their father.

Rounding the corner, the girls came to opened alcoves that lead into the birthing chamber, "Father, father!" the screamed for Ozai, watching as he quickly turned from their mother who was screaming in agony.

"Girls!" he snapped harshly. He didn't want them to see their mother in this state and knew he ordered the guards to keep a careful eye on them. Where was their brother? And where in Agni were the guards he had assigned to them.

Quickly he bolted towards them, kneeling before the twin girls he wrapped his arms around their tiny waists, pulling them closer to his chest, "What are you doing here?"

The five-year-old twins looked up at him with wide, fearful eyes, "Father," Azula's hand reached out for Ozai's cheek, "kill him," she whispered harshly.

Ozai's brow knitted in curiosity and confusion, "Kill whom?" he asked tenderly.

Suddenly, Ursa screamed again, this time a child cry mixing with hers. Ozai turned back to his wife, his daughters' still in his arms, "Father," Mai called to him, her eyes narrowed softly as she held onto the other cheek of his face, "if he lives, the Fire Nation will fall."

Ozai didn't understand what they were talking about, but before he was able to ask the twins what they were talking about, the nurse called to him, "My King!" she yelled, a small bundle held in her arms, "A son! You have a son!" she rejoiced as she handed the child to Queen Ursa who was breathless, joyful and yet, almost to the point of slipping unconscious.

A fearful look overcame Ozai as he glanced from his newly born son to his twins in his arms, it couldn't be. Turning on a dime, he gripped the girls' arms a bit rough as she shook them softly, "Who was it you spoke of! Who?"

Mai and Azula both pointed to the child in their mother's arms, who at the moment was being clutched onto for dear life. Slowly Ozai turned to face his wife, seeing the fear in her eyes as she timidly glanced between her husband and children. She shook her head wearily as she saw the determination in her husband's eyes as he rose from his knees. Ozai snapped his fingers for the maids to enter. Emerging from the hall behind him, breathless guards bent over as they saw the Princesses with the King and the Queen holding the second son of the Fire Nation.

"Bato," Ozai's voice quivered as an overwhelming sense of heartache took over him.

A servant dressed in adequate attire, bowed for a moment before regaining his posture, "My King?"

Ozai's eyes rested tenderly on his wife as she clutched their newly born son to her heaving bosom, "Take the child away," his gaze flickered from Ursa's as pain crossed her features, "take him to Mount Ida, where you are to leave him there. If the gods see him fit to survive, then they shall," his nodded his head towards the babe cradled in his mother's arms, "take him away!" he hissed, turning his back from the scene that was about to take place.

"Ozai!" Ursa screamed, "Please, no! Not my child! Please!" she gripped the babe tighter as Bato approached the Queen.

His dark calloused hands reached out, slipping between the babe and the Queen, "Forgive me, your majesty," he whispered softly, his eyes pleading her to let the child go. He watched as tears formed, spilling over gingerly for a moment before bearing down like waterfalls.

"Zuko," she whispered, "his name is Zuko," was all she could say before Bato took her son from her arms, nodding softly before swiftly disappearing from the room.

Slowly, she realized that she would never see her son again and the reality set in. She fell back against the bed, screaming wildly to the gods, cursing them for her daughters' visions.

The Water Nation - Concievement of a Demi God (the same eve)

Majestically, a swan glided through the air, its wings rising and falling gracefully as it made its way lower towards the ground. Sand shifted beneath its weight as it landed, its feet padding softly against the ground as it made its way towards a female, swaying with the gentle ocean waves. Slowly, the swan transformed from a majestic bird to a breathless, handsome form of a man. Slowly he waded out into the water, the waves crashing against his bare rugged form; he was sculpted to perfection like a statue.

His soft, tender palms reached out, caressing the bare belly of the woman before him, feeling her relax beneath his touch. Her soft curls invaded his face, the bare nape of her neck exposed to his thirsting lips. Slowly he lowered his head, his soft lips made contact with her flesh. He was responded with a sharp intake of breath, fingers tightening their hold on his arms and a lustful moan escaping the woman's lips.

"Kya," his voice was like cool water, her name on his lips sounded right.

Her heart raced beneath her chest as she turned in his hold, her bare body pressing against his as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into her even more. Tenderly, seductively, her lips clashed against his, igniting a passionate, lust filled kiss that sent spine tingling chills throughout her body.

Pulling away, the man brushed away the curls that blocked her beautiful face from his sight, a soft smile tugging at his lips, "You are the most beautiful mortal I have ever beheld," he cooed, "Kya of the Water Nation." She blushed slightly, receiving a chuckle from the immortal that held her in his tight embrace.

"And you are the most seductive immortal I have known," she buried her face in his sculpted chest, "Tui. Your wife," she sighed heavily, "I envy her terribly."

Tui chuckled as he held Kya tighter, sighing heavily as he commanded the waves to move them towards the beach, "Kya," he whispered softly, he watched as she pulled her head away from his chest, her eyes searching his for a moment or two trying to find something, anything that would tell her what he was thinking.

"Lie with me," his voice was pleading, his hands fell from her waist to grip her hands tenderly.

Kya smiled, but her smile evaded when she glanced upward at the palace that hung off the bluff before shifting her gaze back at the god before her.

"I don't know if I sho—" before she could finish, his lips crashed against hers as he pulled her towards the beach in a flurried movement. As he pulled away for a breath, he lowered the mortal woman down on the sand beneath them, his lips showering her body in heated kisses. For hours he ravaged her over and over, not wanting to lose the warmth of her sinful flesh. But he knew that this was only a one-time occasion. Though he desperately wished, no, longed for more.

In the afterglow of their passionate love making, Tui cradled Kya's tender body; his hands slowly ran up and down her back as she sighed into his chest. Her fingers gingerly traced over his course, sculpted torso, padding softly as she hummed a tune. Tui sighed, the tune reaching his ears and softly he began to hum in unison with Kya.

As they lay there, he could feel the sun threatening to raise, the stirring confusion that dwelled in Kya's husband's mind as he fretted over her absence. Tui sat up slowly, his hands running over his face before turning to face Kya as she lay there in the sand, her dark curls pooling around her shoulders. She smiled softly up at him as she watched his eyes grazed over her naked flesh.

"Do you have to go?" she asked.

Tui sighed, his chest making a visible shudder as he crawled back over her, "You know I do," he whispered, "but I promise to leave you a gift," his lips grazed her forehead, "for being such an admit lover."

Kya shivered under his touch, "You don't need to do that," she whispered, "you gave me a generous gift enough," her brow raised up slightly, hinting at their moments of lovemaking.

He smiled down at her, "It will be the greatest gift of all," his hand reached down tenderly, his digits padded tenderly over her bare stomach, his eyes gleaming in joy, "her name shall be Katara," slowly he inched down her body, his lips making contact with her stomach, "and she will be the most beautiful woman in all the world."

Kya sat up slowly, her brow furrowing as she leaned against her elbows, "A child?" Tui looked up at the Queen, a devious smile etched into his wry lips. His eyes sparkled in the moonlight as he gave her a playful wink, only to vanish before her eyes.

The Fire Nation

Bato did as he was instructed. He took the newly born babe to the Mount Ida where he perched him there at the very top, offering the child's fate to the gods. He knew that if they spared him that the boy would need a home, someplace where he could grow up and hopefully one day reclaim his birthright. But, with the two prophetical sisters, Bato wasn't sure the King nor his Queen would allow the young Prince back home. Not after being told that he would cause the destruction of the Fire Nation.

Gently, he took the child swaddled in purple cloth and laid him down upon the rocky terrain of the mountain. His weary eyes looked up at the cumulous clouds that seemed to quickly gather overhead and silently he prayed to the gods, "Spare him. He is but an innocent child!"

With one last longing look, Bato quickly tumbled down the mountain, swearing on his life that he would return five days time. If the child survived, he would take him in, if not, then it was the will of the gods that he dies and that Azula and Mai's vision was true.

Rain poured down on him as he trudged back to the palace city. There the King, who was frantic with worry and anger, greeted him. He noted the purple cloth that was lapped in the King's hands, watching as he churned it with such an angered passion. It was no surprise that the cloth looked like it was about to tear. When Ozai caught glimpse of Bato's soaked form, he gestured for him to enter, wanting to know exactly what had been done with the child.

"I took him to Mount Ida as you commanded my lord," Bato kept his head bowed, never making eye contact with Ozai as he paced before him, "I left him there for the gods to determine his fate."

Ozai hummed in agreement, frantically before addressing Bato, "You've done well," his hand clasped down on the servant's shoulder, before speaking to him further, "thank you."

Bato, astonished by the King's gratitude glanced up at him for a brief moment golden irises met liquid blue before the gaze was broken when Bato bowed his head. In that moment he saw a tormented soul replacing the once joyful and lively King. He saw a man, who had taken the very life of another and all because his twin oracle daughters' prophesied the doom of the Fire Nation, should his son live. Bato didn't know whether to be disgusted or grateful for the King's decision. He knew that if it were he, he would have kept the child from death, would have told the gods to keep out of his mortal affairs and to leave the child be. Should the Fire Nation fall, well, it was only meant to be.

The Water Nation

Days passed after her tryst with Tui and she could already feel her body changing. She was with child; his child and she knew that once her belly began to show. Whispers would surround her, weary gazes would follow her and talks of betrayal would haunt her. For her husband was currently away on important matters, matters that determined the state of their nation and those that allied them. War was in the air, according to the Air Nomads, the clouds were a sign of such horrors to come and by the looks of it, they were right.

Long Feng and his younger brother Haru were merely boys when their father died…abruptly of unnatural causes. Long Feng being the eldest, took the throne of Ba Sing Se, while his younger brother was shipped out to govern Omashu. The king there, beheaded for his incompetence to keep the city, under control. But the truth was, Haru was merely a child, one who did not even begin to understand the formalities of court, lies of politics, let alone how to walk and feed himself much less. Yet, when born into royalty, there never was really much choice in the matter. Things were done as they always were, even if others did not seem to like, nor understand the strange perplexity of the situation at hand. But Kya thought it odd that a mere boy of six was already ruling over a city under his brother's governs. This was the troubling news that forced her husband away.

Kya stood out on her balcony that overlooked the majestic palace gardens. Her weary, tiresome gaze shifted from the lush vegetation, to the fountains where she found her three children playing harmlessly together.

'My children,' she mused as her hand absentmindedly reached for her flat stomach, her digits tracing the contours of her toned abs, 'soon I shall have another, but she will only be half of who they are.'

'Or they half of she,' a voice echoed softly in her ear, the wind carrying it from the east. Quickly she spun on her heel, trying to find the owner of the voice, but to her avail there was no one in sight. What would she do when Hakoda returned? Would she be able to tell him of her deceit? And if so, would he allow her to keep a child given to her by a god?

The Fire Nation

Five days passed by in an agonizingly slow fashion for Bato. He requested his masters to relieve him that morning due to an illness that had overcome him in the night. Reluctantly, they allowed him leave, not knowing his true intentions. After being dismissed from the palace, Bato sprinted his way towards Mount Ida where he left the child Prince to find him still there, wrapped in the royal silk and sleeping soundly like the baby he was. A thankful smile breeched the servant's lips as he hugged the child closer to his chest. The gods had plans for this baby and it was up to him to keep him safe until they had use of him.

Looking down gingerly as he walked the atrocious walk towards his farmland, Bato removed the silk from the babe's face, revealing a creamy complexion with rose tinted cheeks. Tiny slits formed his eyes, while a cute button nose wiggled slightly as his face contorted from the movement, then relaxed as he slipped into an even deeper slumber. Bato figured the young Prince would be famished seeing how he was not fed from the moment he left his mother's womb to this point in time. But what would he feed the child? He had no milk from a mother's breast, nothing to nurture him to health. What would he do?

As he trudged the muddy lands back to his home, he pondered on the idea of perhaps feeding him warmed goats milk? Perhaps it wasn't as nurturing as a mother's milk, but it would be sufficient enough to make him survive babe hood would it not? And with that thought in mind, Bato continued his way home, heart filled with content and love at the idea of introducing the new addition to his family.

"Zuko," Bato murmured the name that Queen Kya had given him. It was a name fit for a Prince of the Fire Nation, the name fit for a son of his own.

The Water Nation - 6 Months Later

Months passed and her belly began to curve, it grew faster than she had ever expected. But, as expected, whispers began to reach her ears, cruel, judging glares bore holes into the back of her head and taunting rumors haunted her in her dreams. She knew she had betrayed her husband, but what was she to do? Turn down the most powerful god?

Her heart sank every moment she lovingly caressed her round belly, every time her children would come to pet it softly, or listen to the child's heart beat, or feel when it kicked violently from within. Their young, innocent eyes widening at the miracle forming within her and yet, she felt her entire body go numb under their stares. Not that they were accusatory stares, but they were those of innocent children learning of their new sister, a sister who wasn't the daughter of their father. And for that, she felt ashamed. She didn't know how much longer she could take the agony she was receiving all because she had allowed a god to adorn her with his affections. But what had bothered her most was the fact that he impregnated her in the first place. Did he not know the danger he was putting her in? Or did he and see this as a way of punishment for betraying her husband? If so, why would he trick her into lying with him in the first place?

It was cruel for the gods to interject with mortal lives. Why couldn't they be happy enough to stay put where they were in Swarga Loka (heaven) for La's sake? Why did they have to complicate things? Besides, who was she to reject him? She would have been punished either way and yet this seemed to be the cruelest yet most wondrous punishment she had ever come to know. She would be given life, in the form of an innocent babe, a babe in which she would call, "Katara," a smile graced her lips as she looked down at her swollen belly.

Wind raced around her, the ocean sprayed against her face gently. The storms only grew larger, stronger and soon, they would be inevitable to avoid. Her husband would be returning in a few months time, with that thought, she felt her heart racing with anxiety. Her cobalt eyes shifted towards the clouds above, watching as the wind swirled dangerously around their threatening forms, shaping them into an even more deadly threat. Instinctively she gripped her swollen belly tight before backing away from the balcony and into the palace.

The Water Nation - 4 Months Later

Only a few months after, Queen Kya gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Word reached her husband's ears, sending multiple furious and delirious emotions coursing through his veins. His wife, his Queen, betrayed him and now, now he was given a bastard child, a female no doubt! He was outraged, but even more so when he learned of the tragedy that followed shortly after his wife's childbirth.

Queen Kya had committed suicide. She had jumped to her appending death from the palace walls that loomed over the bluff side. Jagged, sharp rocks like teeth from a tiger sharks mouth protruded from the ocean surface, greeting anyone who was foolish enough to face them. For anyone who jumped from the bluff side never survived.

King Hakoda blamed the child he would come to know as Katara for his wife's death. For the insanity the palace staff and guards described his wife to be consumed by during that last several weeks of her life. Everything in him told Hakoda to kill the child when he would finally lay eyes upon it, but when the time came he knew it wouldn't be the right thing. He knew, deep down that the child had nothing to do with its mother's death. His wife had acted on impulse, trying to rid herself of the guilt and misery that had plagued her, leaving him and their three children behind, along with the fourth that belonged to another man. He would not claim her as his own, not unless Tui himself declared him to do so.

This Katara would be the end of them all, he could feel it. Only then he didn't realize how right he was.

AN: Ok so this was posted a while ago...and because of an issue with the names of the "Gods" I took it down and just decided to use the names of those in the show...and a few that I created myself. Alas, here you go, hope you enjoy it and stay tuned.

Also, for my fellow readers of "Shadows of the Past", "The Concubine Princess", and lastly, "Death's Calling" all of those shall be updated by the end of next week. I know it has been ages...believe me I know and I humbly apologize for the wait. I lost my desire to write, but I refused to give up on either of the stories. But now, I have my passion back and it's flowing through me baby!

Anyways, with that, I'll leave with this...PLEASE CLICK THE LITTLE BLUE BUTTON to let me know what you think...if you'd like.

Thanks, love you all as always,

Turion