A/N:

So I've recently discovered the awesomeness that is Avatar: The Last Airbender (only recently?! Yup, sadly I've been living under a rock all this time...) And then this idea for a Zutara fanfic just popped into my head... It will be different, I think, to a lot of fics out there just because of its setting (a different kind of Fire Nation, shall we say?). Romance will not come into play until after a long while, but it will eventually happen! Anyhow, the prologue might seem a little odd- but it's what sets everything up, I hope.

So, I hope you enjoy reading this story, and please share your thoughts with me! Reviews are always appreciated~!

-Damien Cross

Oh, and, yeah, I don't own Avatar, or Katara, Zuko, Sokka, Toph, Iroh... might be a shorter list as to what I DO own... a packet of chips and this computer. Yeah.

A Soldier's Promise

-Damian Cross-

Prologue: The First Pieces

Ten Years Prior

South Pole

It was over in a matter of seconds.

She raises a trembling hand, reaching out to where they had stood just moments before, but it grasps only emptiness. Their foot prints is all that is left- that, and the memories of their last words coursing through her mind.

"I'll only be going for a short while this time."

…Promise?

"I promise."

I'll be with Toph. Be safe.

"Hey, Sweetness, where's that bag of seal jerky?"

Get it yourself.

"Fine, if you don't mind me going through your stuff."

…Okay, alright? I'll go get it. Watch over Aang. Be back soon.

And she was, but they weren't.

His laughter, her knowing smirks. Will she ever see them again?

Katara hugs the food tightly against her chest, tears threatening to slip down her cheeks, but she grits her teeth and refuses to give up. She flings the bag away and kneels on all fours, using her bending to carve a deep hole into the ground. Soon she is covered with snow and ice, but she doesn't feel its coldness seeping through her fur lined clothes, doesn't realize she's shaking with a deathly tremor. All she feels is a hollowness, the feeling of being left behind.

The tip of her nose glistens as she bows her head, and she chokes back a sob.

You promised, Aang.

-ཁས་ལེན་པ-

The Royal Palace of the Fire Nation

"What is the meaning of this?"

He's seated in what he thinks is his rightful place- upon the throne behind the curtain of flames, but the men gathered before him is claiming otherwise.

"We found this letter, Your Majesty. It proves to be quite….problematic." The general addresses him with the facade of respect, barely masking a contempt sneer.

Fire Lord Zuko beckons for one of his servants to hand him the piece of paper. When it reaches him, he takes notice of how creased it is, how the ink smears in places, making several lines illegible- but the most important part-the sentence they are showing him-is still frightening clear.

He chokes out, wanting to burn those words- but he can't. They're all watching him with their smirks and sidelong glances. All waiting for him to fall, to crumble, to give into anger just as they wanted him to, just as Ozai had done.

Instead, he meets their triumphant faces with a raised eyebrow, leaning against the hard wooden back of his chair and crossing his legs with a calm nonchalance.

"This certainly was rather entertaining," he says.

"Entertaining…Sir?" The same general - the leader of his hungry pack- eyes the young lord with undisguised fury.

"Why yes, of course," Zuko examines his fingernails, a perfect imitation of his sister. She may be strapped in a straitjacket and spewing crazy nonsense, but no one could deny that she exuded power. He needed to show that now, even if he was trembling inside.

"You have presented me with a handwritten letter claiming that I'm not my father's son- any scribe could have forged that. It's hardly something to worry about, my good council men. Surely we have more pressing matters to discuss other than a poor imitation of my mother's handwriting?"

"It is not forged," The general spits out, "but if you want more proof- why don't you visit Ozai?"

Zuko smiles wryly, "oh but I have, General. And with each visit my burden gets heavier."

The general ignores him, taking a step closer towards the throne. He's at twice Zuko's age, and his experience shines through with every moves he makes. His fellow generals follow him without a signal. They are well trained, Zuko notes, and are loyal to him.

Not for the first time, Zuko wonders how people like this General and his sister do it- do they instill so much fear that people mistake it for respect? Or was it really as Azula had said it was- that true leaders are born, not made, and that he, as one who was lucky to be born, has no such makings in him? The reminder of her bitter words makes him angry, and the wall of flames roars until it obscures his face from the treacherous council.

The general looks through the flickers and his smug expression is the last thing Zuko sees before his servants springs from behind and binds his hands together. The flames fade away in a smoky hiss, and he is brought onto his knees, with the men he thought was his smirking down at him.

He could over power them easily- the robes can be burnt to crisp with a well placed fiery breath, and these old men and servants are no match for his strength- but he knows that he has lost this battle. In their hands they hold evidence that people will believe, even if it might not be true. The generals taking leadership are well seasoned veterans who have acquired a loyal following from their years at war. Compared to a scarred seventeen year old, it was no contest.

Zuko bows his head as the General takes over.

A new record, he thinks, as he is stripped of his birthright, his power, his home. Father had five. I had one year.

"You are undeserving of his nation," the General states, "You are too naive and stupid. Have you not noticed that none of us are loyal to you or to the throne? Your father was just as blind- we suffered through his inane tactics, his foolish desires, we endured your sister's tyranny and madness, but we can no longer stand to see this great Nation be destroyed by people whose only accomplishment is to be born. We deserve better. We deserve leaders who have fought and striven and lost for our country. The Council of Five has acted upon the people's wishes, and strips this nation of its Fire Lord."

He doesn't want to hear this, but he is forced to. The servant on his right- the one person in his entourage he thought he could friendly with- is looking at him with such repulsion Zuko feels ashamed. He is beginning to believe that the General is right. Not that he approved of his methods- but he understands what his family has put his people through, and it seems almost fair that they are voicing their hurt.

"I understand," he chokes out. "What will you do with me?"

The General seems surprised at his admission of defeat, but hearing the battered words only makes him look at the beaten Fire Lord with more disgust.

"You can do whatever you want, Zuko," he says, turning away. "I have a son your age; and it is with his face in my mind that I advise you to leave this country. Not everybody will settle their disputes with words and paper."

Zuko recalls the crowd of people bowing down to him when he was crowned. Did they do that for him? Or did they bow because it was tradition and they had no other options?

It wasn't the piece of paper they gave him that shook his resolve. That was just a small catalyst- the closing move of a long game he wasn't aware of. For an entire year treacherous rumors had reached his ears, but he had always ignored them as the whisperings of a minority. He realizes he was- is- young and naive, and he does not deserve to lead his people. He has no experience, no medals of honor, only a tainted bloodline.

As he rises to his feet and walks away to pack his belongings, he glances out the window to see the people gathered around the palace gates, hungrily waiting for the news. In their eyes, he is not worthy of their love and loyalty. He has not earned it.

But he will.

It is not the royal blood coursing through his veins as he clenches his fists and strengthens his determination, it is that gut feeling- the surety of his very soul, that one day he will emerge as a person of his people, and he will lead them to a better place. Azula was both right and wrong; leaders were born, but they also need to be shaped and moulded to be the best they can be. The Generals may have the support of the public behind them, but Zuko knows that they don't have the best interest of their people at heart. All they see is their own power, and how far it can extend to.

His crown he leaves sitting on its velvet pillow. He spares it no glance as he sheds his formal robes and dons commoner clothing. He takes nothing but a change of clothes, a water skin, and a small box containing ginseng tea of the finest quality.

It was time to visit his uncle.

-སྟོབས-

Ba Sing Se, Earth Kingdom

The Jasmine Dragon is still bursting to its seams with customers, despite being a mere hour away from closing. The old man dressed in muted green colors and a content smile dashes around the shop as he takes orders, pours tea, jokes with his patrons, and spares a few moments here and there to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

At long last, the final table is wiped clean, and he allows himself to prop his feet up with a weary but proud sigh, and sip delicately at his latest favorite tea blend. It isn't very long until he splashes his front with a startled muffled curse and stands to face the person who so rudely barged in.

His eyes widens as he recognizes the newcomer, and hastily pulls out a seat for her to collapse into. He hasn't heard a word from her for almost a year, and their reunion isn't the cheerful one he had envisioned it to be. He busies himself with another another pot of tea, making a show of selecting the perfect cup, giving her time to compose herself.

"They're gone," she whispers, her voice cracked with sorrow and loss.

He wants to know who, and how, and when, but knows that she needs more time, that he shouldn't push her. The urge to hug her and rock her to sleep with a lullaby like he used to with his own son is overwhelming, but she is too grown up for that now, and he's not sure what position he takes in her heart.

Katara stares down at the steaming cup, watching the amber liquid gently lap against the sides as she tilts it this way and that. She senses the old man's curiosity, and is grateful that he just sits there, waiting. It was for this reason that she came to him first, and not to her brother. She needed peace and quiet, a place to sound out her thoughts, her findings, a place where she won't let emotion cloud her judgement. The tea he always provided was a welcome bonus as well.

The old man notices her dirt-splattered clothing, her well-worn bag, and shrugs off his own coat to cover her shoulders. The shop is warm and lit with cheery fires, but she's still shivering. The hand not holding the tea is clutching something tight in its grasp. A hint of red is all he can see, before she moves and it's hidden from view.

And then, for the second time that night, tea is spilt again as the door bangs open and another figure walks in.

"Sorry for not letting you know beforehand, Uncle, but-" He stops as he catches sight of the girl. "Katara? What are you doing here? I thought you went to the South Pole with Aang and Toph?"

She stands up and brushes down her front, bending the water from her clothes. Then she walks past him and closes the door.

"Are we safe here, Iroh?" she asks.

Iroh nods while pouring another cup of tea. Zuko dims the fire in their sconces so that from the outside, only the barest of flickers can be seen. Katara lets go of her grip and places a rusted, red, metal plate onto the table.

"Something happened to Aang and Toph," she starts, wringing her hands with an uncharacteristic nervousness. "They disappeared. Three months ago."

Zuko opens his mouth, but Iroh places a hand over his to silence him. Katara doesn't notice this and continues, her gaze lowered, her hands trembling at her sides.

"We were at the South Pole- Aang had a vision from Avatar Roku, saying that he had to visit all the sacred places in the world. Since we were leaving Kyoshi Island, the South Pole was the closest place. When we reached there, Aang journeyed into the Spirit World- I went to get some food for Toph, and when I returned, both of them had disappeared."

She falls silent, and Zuko holds his breath, wanting more to this story. She spoke with an almost monotonous detachment, like a well rehearsed speech. It was only her averted eyes that spoke of her anguish.

"There was nothing left. Just footprints. Not even Aang's staff or anything. Nothing around them had been disturbed. I thought that maybe- maybe they'd fallen into a hole or something, but I couldn't find them. They just- disappeared, and- and-" she swallows, breaking.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Zuko asks, unable to keep silent, "does Sokka know?"

She shakes her head. "I spent the last couple of months searching for them. I- I wanted to make sure."

Zuko freezes, surely she didn't mean…?

"A week ago, I found this," she points to the metal plate on the table. "It was near our camp. Initially I thought it was just litter, blown from someplace else, but it wasn't. I remembered when I was reaching for the seal jerky that I had seen it, buried underneath a pile of snow."

Iroh takes it and examines it, his eyes narrowing as he recognizes the object. Zuko doesn't even need to touch it to know what it was.

"But it shouldn't have been there," he murmurs, "They only ever travelled as far south as to the Southern Water Tribe. No one would have dared to try and reach the South Pole."

"And yet," Iroh says gravely, "Katara found it."

They sit in silence for a while, and it isn't until Zuko gets up again to adjust the light that Katara turns to him and asks him why he's here.

Zuko's mouth presses into a thin line. "I've been deposed," he says shortly.

There's a brief moment of shock before Iroh composes himself.

"Katara, you have proof in your hands that the Avatar and Toph wasn't in a simple accident. What will you do now that Zuko is no longer in a position of power to investigate?"

Katara is silent. Then she turns to Zuko. "If the Fire Nation is no longer ruled by the royal family, then who will rule it?"

"The Council of Five has taken over," he replies bitterly, "High General Bujing has been declared as the Great General of the Army."

"So this is how it is," Iroh mutters, "we are no longer at war- why would they strip a country of its Fire Lord and not the power of the military instead? It doesn't make sense to break down one form of government, only to build another in the same vein."

"I left because I thought they would get something right," Zuko says angrily, "but they've changed nothing- Bujing is exactly the same as my father!"

"So what will you do now?" Katara asks.

Zuko takes another sip of his tea. Iroh and Katara watch him as his expression hardens decisively.

"I'm going to start from the very bottom," he declares.

She doesn't hesitate.

"Then I'm coming with you."

-ཁྱིམ་ཚང-

Extras

The 'dividers' I've used are different Tibetan words. I took them from an online dictionary, so there might be mistakes as to how I've used them. As there was a limit of words I could find, I've tried to use the words available to sum up the mini-chapters.

ཁས་ལེན་པ : Promise

སྟོབས : Strength

ཁྱིམ་ཚང: Family