So you may be wondering what the hell I am doing posting something in this story? Well let's just say that the follow up sequel will no longer be happening and in order to please myself and hopefully my readers with a happy ending i decided to re write the ending how it was originally meant to be without the sequel. I will be taking down the first ending to replace this one and removing the sequel in maybe a month or two. I know it's a bit drastic but I am actually so much happier with this ending and I feel it will satisfy nearly everyone. I know people are going to be mad that I havent finished the sequel but I do apologise. But without further ado, enjoy the alternate ending to The Lost Princess!

The Lost Princess: Epilogue

I was floating. Nothing mattered anymore; I couldn't remember my name, who I was, what I was doing here. I was just…floating. An endless void stretched all around me as my fingers danced around in the air. A soft hum came from my lips as I remembered a tune from my childhood. Someone used to sing it too me, I couldn't remember whom.

There was a breeze, and suddenly I was standing at the edge of the Northern Oasis pong, staring down at the koi fish swimming their endless circle. I remembered who I was, I am Hana, Princess of the Northern Water tribe. I was sick as a child and was cured my the Ocean Spirit, La. He's be inhabiting my body for the past seventeen years, keeping me safe and providing me with the ability to waterbend while he secretly plotted my destiny. My destiny was to sacrifice myself for the future Fire Lord, Zuko. I had originally abhorred the idea of loving someone and leaving them in pain, but I realized that it was the right thing to do. Because isn't that what love is? Loving someone so much that you would be willing to do anything for them? I had made my decision; I had chosen to give my life for my one true love, Zuko.

Zuko…

Where do I even begin? We had started out as neither friends nor enemies. Just two acquaintances who happened to be travelling in the same direction at the same time, at the time I didn't know who he was or just how important of a role he would play in my life. But at the same time, we were drawn to each other, like moths to a flame.

…We never stood a chance.

Our love was never meant to last, at least according to Destiny, or fate. It had always been my Destiny to die, just like it had been Aang's destiny to become the Avatar and save the world. Just like Zuko's destiny was to help Aang shape it. My biggest regret would be not telling Zuko how much I truly loved him.

I hoped that he would find someone, someone who is kind and gentle and understanding, Kami knows he needs someone with a lot of patience…someone who is not like me.

As I stared down at the Koi fish, I remember my sister, Yue. The sister I never got to meet, yet who had been watching over me this past year. She has been the rock that I didn't know I needed. I regret not knowing her, but the time that I did, I will cherish forever. And who knows, maybe now we can spend time together.

I heard gentle singing to my right as my eyes trailed slowly over to the figure. He was sitting at the edge of the pond, his feet barely touching the water, his silky black hair streamed down his back and onto the floor. His white robes glistened in the full moon light. I felt a smile break out over my face as I slowly walked to him. My bare feet sunk into the soft green grass as I relished in the contact, it made me feel alive. The flowing skirt billowed around my legs as I approached La.

"I expected you to find a way out of this." La said as he tilted his head to the side. I furrowed my brow in confusion as I lowered myself down onto the ground next to him.

"What do you mean?" I asked him. La faced back to the pond as he sighed.

"You're a clever girl, Hana, don't ever forget that."

"I don't understand," I said to him, placing my hand on his shoulder. La reached up and enveloped my hand with his.

"You used my Spirit to heal Zuko. The prince will live."

"But I didn't take the lightening for him. I failed." I said to him. La suddenly rose to his feet as he dragged me with him. He held my hands in his.

"You didn't fail, Hana. You proved that you could change your own Destiny. I apologise for everything that I have put you and Zuko through." I could feel the stinging of the tears behind my eyes as I blinked them away quickly. "Even though my Spirit is gone from you and healed Zuko. There is one other thing that can heal you. Water from the Spirit Oasis, controlled by a powerful waterbender."

"Katara…" I gasped. I met La's silver gaze.

"Pakku gave her a vial before you all departed. As of this moment, she is using it to heal your body."

"It seems all too easy." I said to him, not believing that I had averted my own death.

"It wasn't meant to be hard, Hana. The Spirits didn't think about transferring the power to someone else, they just needed someone to make sure that Zuko lived. You were just caught up in the middle of something bigger." I could see the tears pool in La's eyes. I smiled at him softly, hoping to relieve some of the guilt he was feeling over me.

I suddenly started to feel a tingling sensation in my fingertips; I looked down quickly, seeing my skin turning translucent as I met La's gaze nervously.

"Don't be afraid. Everything is how it should be…welcome to the new era, Hana." La said. He leaned forwards, and I felt the briefest of touches to my temple. I shut my eyes slowly, feeling his cool lips upon my skin as I tried to reach out to hug him. I was stunned when La disappeared from sight as an unknown force pushed me into the pond. I wasn't scared as I felt the icy water envelope me, it shocked me as I gasped desperately.

And then suddenly I was awake.

I could hear screaming, a man screaming.

"She's not—"

"You can't take her—"

"Hana please wake up!"

My eyes snapped open as my mouth opened wide and sucked in a deep breath, my lungs filling with glorious fresh air. I could taste sulfur and ash in the air as I hacked and coughed.

"Oh, thank goodness!" A woman cried as I felt a hard object attach itself to my side. My eyes darted around the scene, all I could see was fire and red and tears. My gaze finally focused as I recognized the woman standing before me. Katara. I looked down and to the side and saw a mop of unruly black hair and pale skin. Zuko pulled away as he held my face in his large hands. I stared into his amber eyes, relieved that I can look at him again, that I can see his face, feel his body and know that he is safe.

"Zuko?" I croaked out, my voice raw from the fumes in the air and from, you know, being dead. Zuko had tears in his eyes as he crashed his lips against mine. I could taste the saltiness from my own tears and his mixed together as he pulled away and caressed my face.

"You…stupid woman," he mumbled to me as I felt myself smile.

"I've been called worse." I admitted. I heard Katara chuckle from behind me in between her incoherent sobbing as Zuko managed to smirk. I wrapped my arms around his neck as I pulled him to me. Our bodies connected as his arms secured around my waist as Zuko held me.

It was then I knew.

Everything was how it should be.

In the year that followed, Aang and Zuko changed the world in many different ways. They worked together to bring peace to this war torn world. They disbanded Fire Nation colonies, allowed loved ones to return home. They began to unite the world once more and bring the peace that everyone so desired. The peace that Zuko and I had dreamed about.

During the peaceful time, I had returned to my home, no, not the one in the Northern Water Tribe; to my home in the Earth Kingdom. I saw my parents, the people who had raised me from a measly one years old. I saw both of my brothers, safe and sound. Even my Ostrich-horse was there. They had been shocked at the fact that the boy they had met two years ago was indeed the Fire Lord, and even more shocked that we were together…and don't even get me started on the reactions they had when I told them I was the Northern Water Tribe Princess.

I then took my travels North, to see my birth parents. Master Pakku was at my side the entire time through the journey. My birth parents were delighted to see me, they had cried and I had cried. It felt good to finally know where I belonged. They had asked about everything, from my childhood to my family and brothers, to Zuko and the others. They wanted to know everything they had missed out on. There was no animosity on either end and I was grateful for that.

I spent six months in the Northern Tribe, it was a wonderful time, I had met my people, met my parents and had seen many things I had wanted to see, but in my heart…I longed to see Zuko again. We wrote constantly back and forth. He was travelling around the Fire Nation with Aang; they were hoping to bring a more peaceful presence to the Nation. They even expanded their travels to the Earth Kingdom and Southern Tribe to issue formal apologies and negotiate peace treaties.

When it was time for me to depart, it was a sad but joyful occasion. My birth parents wished for me to stay with them, and I wished that I could, but my home and heart was with Zuko, and in the end they understood that.

With a tight hug to both of my parents I climbed aboard Appa as he took me home.

I arrived back at the Fire Nation palace to an awaiting Zuko. He had hugged me so tightly I thought I was going to pass out. He had missed me so much, and I had missed him terribly. We spent hours talking about everything we had seen and done over the next few days. Zuko had told me about everything he had seen and all the people he had met that seemed joyful at the prospect of eternal peace between nations. As I looked at Zuko, I saw the Fire Lord that should've been from the very start. He was kind and just, and brought the law down on those who threatened the peace that he and Aang had strived to create.

He kept me safe and loved.

When the year anniversary came around for the ending of the war, Zuko and I were walking in the large gardens.

I was garbed in beautiful blue robes that had been made especially for me, the dress was silky and adorned beautiful intricate silver designs. He wore his traditional Fire Lord robes. In the year Zuko had grown taller and even more handsome, his face had thinned out, loosing all of his baby fat. His facial hair he kept tidy, even though I detested the goatee that he had insisted he grew. My own hair had been cut short shortly after returning to the Fire Nation. It sat just to the middle of my back, instead of to my waist. It was pulled up into an intricate braid with half the hair up and half down. Zuko had teased me about the two white strands that I had received from the process of transferring La's Spirit into his body, but now he loved them. I would always find him feeling the hair and holding it in between his fingers when I was pretending to be asleep. He had told me it reminded him of the sacrifice that I had made for him; it was a declaration of my love for him, I thought.

Zuko had us walk through the garden together as we came to a stop under the cherry blossom tree, a few feet from the pond which had a family of turtleducks swimming happily in.

"My mother and I used to sit out here all the time when I was a child." Zuko said to me as he bent down and held his hand out to the turtleducks. I smiled and watched him as a baby duck waddled over but became frightened and hurried back to its mother. "They never liked me back then, either." He said with a pout as I giggled and knelt down next to him. I extended my hand as I watched with great satisfaction as a baby duck waddled over to me. I could feel the intense waves of annoyance flowing off Zuko as I cradled the duck in my hands and brought it up to my face.

"They're just scared of you," I said to him with a giggle as I released the duck back into the pond. It quacked happily and returned to its mother as Zuko helped me stand back up.

"No, I was a brat to them. The mother used to come and bite me on the finger."

"Well, there you have your answer," I said smugly to him as Zuko smirked at me. He took my hand as his amber gaze rose to watch a cherry blossom fall from the tree and land in the pond. I followed his gaze as I reached up and picked a blossom from the tree. "I used to wish that these grew in the Earth Kingdom. I had seen them in the books I read in the Library every day." Zuko took the flower from my hand as he tucked it behind my ear, his fingertips caressing the side of my face gently as he gazed into my eyes. I could see a question burning behind his golden orbs. "What is it?" I asked him.

Zuko was silent as he continued to stare. I could tell he was nervous, by the way his jaw was tense and how locked up his shoulders were. I hadn't seen him this nervous in a long time. "Zuko?" I asked once more. Zuko sighed softly and I saw all of his nerves melt away. He reached for my hand as I saw Zuko delve into his pocket.

"I wanted to wait until we were at the celebrations for this." He explained.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. I was nervous, looking from his face to the hand that was digging in his pocket.

"Hana…" he began. "The last couple of years I've spent knowing you have been the best in my entire life. We've been through so much, and we always find a way to come back together in the end." I could feel my mouth dropping and my eyes widening as I watched Zuko drop down on bended knee. From inside his pocket he pulled out a traditional water tribe necklace. Instead of the gem being blue it was ruby red, and the water tribe symbol had been carved into the stone. "I know this isn't traditional for either of us. And people will say that we're too young, but I know in my heart there isn't anyone else I'd rather spend the rest of my years with. Hana, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Zuko's proposal was reeling in my mind as I continued to stare. The tears sprung up to my eyes as I watched Zuko's face change from nervous to down right terrified.

"…Yes."

Zuko's face changed instantly. His worrisome face turned into sheer joy as he grinned and jumped up. I threw my arms around him, my heart elated with love and happiness as he spun me around in the air. The both of us laughing together. When he set me down I had turned so that he could reach around and fasten the necklace against my neck. The ruby hung at the hollow of my neck as I reached up and felt the smooth stone. I felt Zuko press a gentle kiss to my exposed collarbone as I turned in his arms. His hands came up to caress my face as he leaned ever so slightly forwards so that our lips met in a simple yet passionate kiss. It felt different now, now we were betrothed. I was going to spend the rest of my years with Zuko, and I couldn't wait.

"Stop squirming." Suki ordered as she stabbed another pin into my hair.

"Ouch! I would if you would stop hurting me!" I whined to her as she scoffed.

"Pain is beauty, my friend. Besides, we don't want you looking like a washed up bride on your wedding day, would we?" Suki said to me, I met her gaze in the long mirror as she waggled her eyebrows at me. I sighed and let the onslaught continue as Suki finished piling my silky tresses up on my head. The two white strands I had come to love over the past two years were the main feature of my hairstyle. They were weaved through the sides of my hair and pulled back on each side, while the rest of my hair had been curled and piled up in a beautiful bun with cherry blossoms placed delicately into my hair. Suki was now pinning a Panda lily onto the side of my head, a Fire Nation traditional flower that symbolized the eternal flame that beats between two lovers.

"Ok! And I am…done!" Suki yelled triumphantly as she stepped back and admired her work. I was impressed. I never expected Suki to be this talented with hair. I gazed down at the beautiful white and blue kimono that had been made for me for this day. It was a traditional white yukata, with long sleeves and silver panda lily decals had been woven into the fabric. The obi sash was light blue, symbolizing the water tribe on my part, the outer fabric layer was a lovely silk that had blue panda lilies woven into the fabric and tied at the waist. The veil that I had opted to wear was pinned into my hair and was yet to be pulled over my face. I had a chance to examine what Suki had done with my face. She hadn't done much, she had been complaining that I had a complexion that no one was allowed to have, the only thing she did do was apply a gloss to my lips and accentuate my lashes with kohl.

"I'm…impressed…" I said in amazement as Suki swiftly smacked me lightly on the arm.

"Don't sound so surprised. I am part of the Kiyoshi warriors, we are known for our beautiful fashion style." Suki said as I nodded and looked at what she was wearing. She was dressed in a moss green yukata and had done her hair in a neat bun. "You look great though." She said softly as I thanked her. She indiscreetly wiped a tear away as she clapped her hands. "Ok, I'm going to get Sokka and then we'll get you hitched." She said excitedly as I cringed.

"Please don't use that word, it sounds tacky." I said to her. Suki merely laughed and waved her hand and disappeared from the room. I took another look in the mirror as I took a few deep breaths. My nerves were staring to hit me. I wasn't nervous about marrying Zuko, I was nervous about how many people were going to be out there. I mean, it's not every day that the new Fire Lord gets married. And it wasn't everyday that I was about to marry one of the most powerful men in the world.

With shaking hands I reached up and draped the veil over my face, my vision wasn't impaired but it was weird to have the obstruction in front of me.

"Are you ready?" I heard Suki ask as she poked her head back into the room. I turned around, I could hear Sokka asking about something but Suki 'shushed' him loudly and turned back to me.

"Yeah, I'm ready." I said to her as she beamed.

"You look…great." Sokka said to me as we waited around the corner of the shrine. I could hear people talking near as I fidgeted with my yukata and nails.

"Thanks," I said to Sokka.

"Stop fidgeting!" Suki snapped at me as I hastily held my hands behind my back. Sokka was dressed in a traditional water tribe hakama. Suki and Sokka were acting as our official witnesses in the ceremony and would be walking out before me. I wanted to poke my head around the corner and see just how many people were hear but Suki dragged me back. "Stop this, you look beautiful. Everything looks beautiful, stop worrying."

"What if he runs away when he see's me? What if he decides that he doesn't want to marry me?" I gushed out in nerves as Suki rolled her eyes at me.

"If it wasn't your wedding right now, I'd slap you…" she rubbed her forehead and grumbled. "Zuko is there; he is waiting for you. You are both going to get married and have lots of babies and I'm going to be the godmother, understand?" Suki pointed a finger at me as I nodded. The prospect of having children terrified me a little though, why did she have to bring that up now of all times? Suki turned her head and nodded, signaling the band to begin playing the traditional Fire Nation music as her and Sokka linked arms. Before the left me alone Suki turned back to me.

"You better follow me out there or so help me I will drag you out by your ear." She threatened as I shooed her off. In a split second her threatening gaze turned happy as she plastered on a smile as Sokka led her down the white carpet that had been laid out.

I waited a minute and rubbed my hands together, trying to be rid of the sweatiness, but it was no use. I sighed and folded my hands together in the sleeves of my yukata as I stepped onto the white carpet and followed it around the corner.

I had to contain my happiness when I saw the dozens, upon dozens of people that I saw before me. There must have been close to two hundred people present here, all from different nations coming to celebrate Zuko's and my marriage. Dozens of yellow lanterns hung from the ceiling and red and white curtains draped along the roof. Cherry blossoms fell from the sky as I grinned in excitement as I heard the gushing of women and men all around.

I recognized some people in the crowd as I walked up to the front of the shrine. I had been putting off looking at Zuko, as I wanted to see him up close. When I reached the base of the stairs I looked up and met his amber gaze. I felt my heart soar at seeing him; he was so handsome. His hair was left down and tied up with his crown pinned into his hair. He donned his traditional Fire Lord robes and I could see the adoration and love in his eyes as he watched me. To my left I spotted both pairs of my family sitting together. My mothers were crying and my fathers were trying to hold it together. My two brothers were both grinning like mad. I looked to the right and saw my friends sitting together. Katara was bawling her eyes out with Aang's arm slung around her shoulder. Suki was crushing Sokka's hand in excitement as he tried to pry her off him but she didn't relent. Even Toph was smiling at me as she stood in between the pair of couples.

Zuko descended the stairs, extending his hand for me as I smiled up at him. He mirrored my expression as I reached out as his large hand enveloped my dainty one. The two of us walked up the small stairs as we stopped, facing each other before the priest.

The ceremony was a blur to me, all I could focus on was Zuko's gaze, and our eyes never left each other. Not even when I heard Suki start to bawl her eyes out. Not even when Zuko reached out hesitantly and pulled the veil from my face and back so that we could now fully see each other properly; and not even when we said our vows to each other. It was only when Sokka presented us with the golden bands that symbolized our commitment to each other that we looked away from one another. My hands felt strangely cold without his contact as Zuko took the band from Sokka as he held out my finger and slipped the band on perfectly. It felt unfamiliar and heavy on my finger, but it felt right. Now it was my turn, I took the band from Sokka as I reached for Zuko's hand and slipped it onto his finger. I could feel the tears spring to my eyes as I tried not to let them fall, but I failed and I could feel the tears roll down my cheeks.

"By the power vested in me," the priest said loudly as he raised his arms out to us. "I now pronounce you, Fire Lord Zuko, and Princess Hana, man and wife." He announced as Zuko's face broke out into the most handsome smile I had ever seen him share. I could feel my cheeks hurting from my own smile as Zuko cupped the side of my face and pulled me to him.

Our lips met in a sweet and passionate kiss, our first kiss as man and wife. I could hear the crowd behind us erupt into applause and cheers as I wrapped my arms around Zuko's neck and deepened the kiss, earning a chuckle from my husband.

Zuko pulled away, much to my chagrin as he took my hand in his as we faced the crowd. More cherry blossoms fell from the ceiling as Zuko and I walked down the stairs together and met with my family and our friends. All the while Zuko's hand never left mine. As I scanned the crowd and looked up at my husband I couldn't help but think.

We made it.

10 Years Later…

It was a warm summers day. I was sitting by the pond, feeding the ducks as I tossed the breadcrumbs into the water to be eaten by the turtleducks.

"Mother?"

I titled my head to the side, seeing my eldest child staring up at me. She was a beauty, this one. She was the spitting image of her father, with glossy black hair, amber eyes and a beautiful creamy complexion. "Do you think I'll become Fire Lord?" She asked me. I frowned at her.

"What do you mean, Izumi?" I asked her as I drew her to my body, wrapping my arm around her. She looked away, pouting.

"Kazia said that she'll be the Fire Lord as she's better at Firebending than me." Izumi said to me. I rolled my eyes at her.

"That's nonsense, Izumi." I told her. "You are both wonderful at Firebending, better than me."

"Mother, you aren't even a Waterbender," Izumi said with a blank face as I nudged her lightly.

"My point is, darling. It's your choice if you wish to be Fire Lord. You could give it up to your sister if you wished, or you can become the Fire Lord after your father steps down." Izumi was silent for a minute or two. This was pretty heavy stuff for a ten year old to be thinking about.

"I want to be Fire Lord." She said determinedly. I kissed her temple.

"And you'll make a great Fire Lord." I told her as she hugged me tightly.

"Kazia give it back!" I heard a little boys cry as Izumi and I looked over to our left. "Mother!" I sighed heavily as I heard Izumi giggle.

"I cannot wait until your father is back from his trip. Looking after the four of you on my own is hard work." I grumbled to Izumi as she giggled again. I stood up from the ground and headed over to my three other children.

"What's wrong, Zian?" I asked my youngest child. Zian was six and inherited most of my features. His skin was slightly darker and his eyes were a crystalline blue like mine. Zian hurried over to me and latched himself onto my legs and pointed at his two twin sisters.

"Kazia and Azara stole my teddy and they won't give him back!" Zian sobbed. I looked up at the two twin girls. They were eight years old, and were the spitting image of me when I was a child. They both had fair skin like their father but both had my eyes and wavy dark hair. What was worse is that they acted exactly like me when I was that age. It was easy to tell the two apart. Kazia's face was blemish free while Azara had a small beauty mark by her eye, even without it, I could still tell them apart.

"Girls…" I said warningly as Kazia and Azara looked at each other sheepishly.

"We were just playing a game," Azara said as she stubbed her toe into the ground. I felt sorry for Zian. He was the youngest and the only boy, his sisters always like to pick on him. I was happy that Izumi had finally grown out of that stage, seeing as she was the one who used to steal her sisters' toys.

"It is not nice to steal your brothers toys, give it back to him." I scolded them as Kazia handed it over to her brother. Zian hugged it and hurried over to Izumi as his eldest sister comforted him and was making him laugh. "And what do you two have to say for yourselves?" I narrowed my eyes at the two girls.

"Sorry, mother." She repeated apologetically.

"Go and play nice with your brother and sister, and if I hear that you're picking on him again I will go and get your aunt Suki, understand?" the two girls looked at each other nervously and nodded quickly as they ran off together. I sighed and watched them go. I stood back and smiled as I watched my four children play together. They were acting out a story as Kazia and Azara protected their brother from Izumi who was pretending to be a large monster. Their laughter was something that I would never tire from.

"You look happy," a voice said from behind me as I turned my head and leaned back as Zuko wound his arms around my waist.

"I am," I said to him as I placed my hands on top of his. Zuko pressed a kiss to my cheek. "You weren't supposed to be back until tonight." I stated as Zuko swayed us from side to side.

"I know, but I missed you all terribly. Two months is a long time."

"Tell me about it," I deadpanned as Zuko chuckled. "They've missed you." I told him as I felt Zuko nod.

"I'm back now. Though I should tell you. Suki and Sokka are visiting with Hakoda and Sylva and Aang also mentioned that he'll be bringing Bumi and Kya for a visit before Katara has their baby."

"I don't mind, I haven't seen them in forever, and the children have been asking non stop to see them." I said. Zuko moved in front of me as he kissed me on the mouth. I felt my heart soar from the contact, even after ten years I never tire of his touch or kisses. He gave me a smirk as he turned and ran over to our children.

"Dad!" The four of them screamed in delight as they finally noticed him. Kazia and Azara were the fastest and met him first; they jumped into his arms. Zuko knelt to the ground as the twins wrestled him to the ground. Izumi and Zian ran over and joined in on the wrestling match as I watched on with a happy smile.

Zuko playing with our children was the most perfect scene I could ever ask for. And seeing my children grow up happy and healthy was all I wished for.

I knew in my heart that Zuko and I would grow old together and be surrounded by our grandchildren. As I watched Zuko faint dying in front of them and the children screaming and jumping all over him; I laughed and wiped a happy tear from my eye.

To me, this was real happiness.

To me, this was perfect.

Fin.

Wow, all I can say is wow. I am sorry for not following up with the sequel, but I do hope that I have pleased most of you with tying up the loose end and giving Hana and Zuko the happy ending that they deserve. I have to say, from what I was trying to do with the sequel, i prefer this 100% better. I have immense satisfaction from reading this. I wish you all the best and hope that you understand why I did this.

myperfectnightmare