In which things are lost and found.

I knew we should've drawn a map or something, thought Katara.

Seven years, a daughter and countless political nightmares later, the Fire Nation's royal couple was getting their first proper vacation away from a frantic and exhausting life at court. Their precocious youngster was left in the loving arms of her grandmother, and Zuko happily gave over the reins of the realm to his squabbling advisors. Hopefully no permanent damage would be done during the two week stay in Ba Sing Se.

Iroh had done well for himself in the seven years since Sozin's Comet, so much so that he was able to open a second tea shop, thus turning the Jasmine Dragon into a franchised institution. He had also been shrewd enough to ingratiate himself with the existing tea houses in the city, making them see him not as a competitive and insanely successful rival, but as a man who loved tea and wanted to make sure that others did as well. They were actually celebrating his new shop by holding a private tea tasting in his honor. When Iroh heard that his nephew and Katara were coming to town, he invited them to tag along (with the promise that no one would even think of asking the Fire Lord and his consort for royal patronage).

Unfortunately for Zuko and Katara, Iroh had been busy running the tea shop and an odd accident involving a hawk, three wrestlers and a wobbly chair had sent the Grand Master scrambling to the market for furnace parts. He hastily gave them some verbal directions to the tasting spot and went off to the blacksmith. "I'll meet you at the party!" He yelled as he dashed down the street. "You are both in for some excellent tea!"

"Uncle, I'm not sure we can-"

"Don't worry about the directions! I have every confidence in your navigation abilities – both of you!"

Two hours and a brainful of frustration and confusion later, Katara was just about done.

This is getting ridiculous.

"Where exactly did Iroh say this tea tasting was again?" she asked Zuko.

Zuko scowled. "Two blocks past the market, left past the woodshop, a right turn past the weird estate buildings, and straight on to 'this-place-doesn't-exist' street."

Katara gave him a quick squeeze around the waist. "I'm sure we'll find it eventually."

Zuko turned and gave her a knowing look.

Yeah, even I don't believe my own line, thought Katara disappointedly. "Okay. Hopeful optimism not really helping at this point. So…" Zuko yelped as she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the left. "…we're going this way."

"What? I don't even think that's the right direction!"

"I'll show you 'right direction,' mister! And we're hopelessly lost as it is, which means that we're more likely to stumble on it by accident."

Zuko scratched his head with his free hand while his wife pulled him by the other. "Maybe we should ask for directions one more time-"

"-and get the same answer as the other seven times? I'd rather just press our luck," replied Katara determinedly.

Their travels took them into an area densely packed with houses and forced them through a series of narrow alleyways with shadowy awnings. As they walked further and further along, the houses began to look ancient and run down.

"Looks like we've stumbled into one of the older parts of the city," said Katara.

Overhead the sky turned pink, orange and red in the light of the descending sun.

"It's getting late. We should probably head back," said Zuko worriedly. "These alleys just scream 'robbery setup' to me."

"We can take care of ourselves," replied Katara firmly. "And I'll be damned if our daughter grows up without us." She smiled. "To be honest, I kinda miss the old days. I'd take a straight-up brawl over court sniping and political intrigue any day. Back then, when you had a fight, someone won and someone lost. Now, at court, I never really know who is winning and losing anymore."

"I could run around and chase you if you like," said Zuko seductively. "You know, really relive the old old days."

"Hmm…when you put it like that, chasing me sounds posit – what was that?"

"What is it?" said Zuko, who had instantly taken a firebending stance. "Is someone coming? I knew we should've brought bodyguards on this trip…"

"No, I don't think we're under attack," said Katara, puzzled. "I thought I heard…look Zuko, steps," she said. "Come on; let's see what's making this noise." She started climbing, a wary Zuko right at her heels.

When they reached the top, they could only stare in amazement.

They had come to a large, square balcony that looked like the remains of a private garden. There was a small, empty pool in the middle; inside it stood a stone statue, broken at the waist. The grass, though long and unkempt, looked soft and inviting. Flowers of all sorts had taken root over the years – jasmine, orchids, chrysanthemums, and more – all fragrant and beautiful in the glowing twilight. There was even a small plum tree, three small fruits tenuously attached to its frail branches.

Zuko walked over and gingerly picked one. He bit into, careful not to get any of the juice on his robes (silk stains were a pain for the maids back home).

It was delicious.

"Hey Zuko," called Katara.

Still munching away at the fruit, Zuko walked over to his wife, who was pointing at something in the pool. A piece of wood, probably the remnant of an old bench, was leaning against the statue. The wind must've blown it hard enough to lift it up and knock it back against the stone.

"I think we've found our culprit," she said as she picked up the fragment and tossed it aside. When she stood back up, there was a curious expression on her face. "I think this pool was once a fountain; I might be able to get it working again. Something's blocking the pipe though – they probably closed the line when this place was abandoned. Luckily, I don't think the earth's that thick – there's a thin trickle of water streaming through. I can use icicles to try and punch through the seal. Give me a second-"

Katara gave the air an open-handed punch three times in rapid succession. Then, after taking a deep breath, she gave one last punch. There was four seconds of silence, then a gurgle, and then the fountain was suddenly spurting water around the edges. A stream also erupted from the waist of the statue, though without its original channels water started spraying everywhere. Katara shrieked and leapt back.

"Maybe we should keep our distance," she said, turning towards the worn, stone railings.

Zuko felt a tug on his shoulder. "Zuko, look," murmured Katara, who pulled him over to the edge.

It was one of the most magnificent views Zuko had ever laid his eyes on. The whole of Ba Sing Se was spread before them, and in the warm glow of twilight, the city had never looked more beautiful. The great wall in the distance had turned almost golden in the fading light, and the rows of houses seemed to glitter and shimmer. The people in the distant market still appeared small, even though the balcony itself wasn't terribly high up.

Zuko looked over at his beautiful wife, who was staring intently at the sight before them. He placed his left hand on her shoulder.

Katara brought hers across her chest to squeeze his.

The tea tasting was quickly forgotten.

(***)

After night fell, they lay on the grass and pointed out the stars, listened to the sounds of the city, the quiet trickling of the fountain behind them.

They argued about their daughter's education, going back and forth about giving her private tutors or placing her in public schooling to interact with her future subjects.

Then they were playing with each other's hands and then she was playing with his shirt and then she was removing it and he was undoing her robes to kiss her soft breasts and then she was on her back and her nails were digging into his flesh and she quivered every time he moaned her name and afterwards they lay sticky and sweaty on the grass and her head was resting against his chest.

And while not giving a shit about being naked and messy and the rulers of the Fire Nation for spirits' sake! the happy couple drifted off to sleep, nestled in their secret garden.

(***)

They made their way back to the Jasmine Dragon in the morning, both thoroughly disheveled and still thinking about the previous night. Iroh, who had been standing anxiously outside the restaurant since before sunrise, ran up to greet them.

"I was so worried! " began Iroh. "We missed you at the tasting and my housekeeper said you didn't come back last night. I slept in the shop," he added hastily. "Didn't want to walk all the way back home at such a late hour. When I went home to change clothes, Ling Tse told me of your prolonged absence. What happened to you?"

"We…" began Zuko sheepishly, "…we got lost." He gave Katara a look, one that Iroh recognized from his own romantic experiences.

The general smirked. "You two found something much nicer than tea, I gather," he said slyly.

Katara blushed and Zuko scowled in embarrassment, but Iroh merely laughed, brought them inside and sat them down at a table. "A good breakfast, that's what you two need. And some of this new tea my friends showed me last night. It's quite invigorating…"