zutara week 2012 | day one | serendipity

The Fire Lady's robes flutter as she hurries through the halls.

"Have you seen the children? The ship leaves in an hour and they still haven't packed their things!"

"No, Lady Katara, I haven't." She lets out a frustrated sigh and rushes past the servant, right into Lo and Li.

"Oh, good. Have either of you seen the children?" The twins smile and glance at each other secretively.

"I believe they and Fire Lord Zuko are in the gardens, Lady Katara," the old women say in unison. Katara, no longer unnerved by the twins' synchronized speech and proverbs, thanks them and marches out into the Palace Gardens.

Three shaded figures come into view at the edge of the pond.

"Zuko! What are you doing? The ship leaves in an hour, and the children haven't packed yet, and – why are you still in your royal robes? If you plan to wear them to visit the South Pole then be my guest, but don't complain when–"

"Lady Katara, I don't think he hears you," a gardener interrupts. She walks closer to see why her husband is ignoring her.

The Fire Lord is slumped against a cherry blossom tree, hair caught on the bark and silk robes pressed into the wet grass. The Princess is nestled into his left shoulder, motionless as pink petals float down onto her face; the Prince is lounged against his father's right shoulder, crown askew and tangled in his hair. The Fire Lady kneels to straighten it, only to disturb the family of turtleducks sprawled across the laps of her family.

Watching the slow rise and fall of their shoulders, Katara beckons over a guard.

"Please have a messenger hawk sent to the Southern Water Tribe. Tell my father that we'll be a day late." She folds her family into her arms and falls asleep.

"Moments of serendipity come at the most inconvenient of times." Lo and Li ignore the questioning looks that the servants cast at them.