A Broken Bond Part One

Hey guys! This is the first part of a story called A Broken Bond. It's really long, so I had to split it up into parts. ;)

A Broken Bond, Part One

The Wedding

Zuko
I tossed and turned, unable to shake the dream from my mind. Why was I having these dreams so often? I sat up, running my hand over my face. I had been remembering the two months I spent with the Avatar’s group. The time I spent with Katara. We had become friends in the time it took for Uncle and me to teach Aang to firebend, (Less time then I had expected) I had grown fond of her, and I thought we would still be friends when the war was over. But she went home to the South Pole and I hadn’t seen her since. I had decided to take a trip to see the world, now that the war was over, and I had planned on dropping by the South Pole. Uncle was in charge of the Fire Nation, and I knew all would be well until I went home. I was halfway to the bottom tip of the Fire Nation, and it was getting cold. I sighed and turned back over, wrapping my blanket around myself.

Katara
“Now, this is what she should wear!” Suki held up a dark blue and black short-sleeved dress with shells embroidered down the sides. “No, she’d freeze in that! She should wear this!” Gran-Gran handed me a cream colored sleeveless dress with a fur coat. “Please just stop, you’re giving me a headache.” I shouted, rubbing my temples. “She’s nervous, she needs food! I’ll get the smoked penguin fish!” Gran-Gran said. “No, she needs tea.” Suki countered. “You know, that’s fine. I’ll just pick out my earrings.” Suki hand shot into her bag, and Gran-Gran opened a sack on the floor. “These will match the dress perfectly!” Suki held up a pair of shell earrings. “What is it with you and your shells?” Gran-Gran snapped, holding up a pair of furry hoops. “Ick!” Suki cried, holing her nose. “What is it with you and your furs?” Suddenly I had a brilliant idea. “You know, I am feeling a bit hungry.” Both faces lit up. “I’ll get the fish.” Gran-Gran rushed out. “I’ll get the tea!” Suki turned and tripped on a fur rug. I laughed, shaking my head. I opened the basket that contained what I was really wearing. I looked in the mirror, chewing on my lip in the way Suki hated. My dress was long and white, with a low neck that hung on my shoulders, and my hair was pulled back in a bun. ‘Zuko liked your hair down.’ The thought surprised me. Why was I thinking about him? This was my day, not his. I realized I hadn’t heard from him in over three years. I shook my head, banishing the thoughts from my mind. “You look as beautiful as your mother did in that dress on our wedding day.” My father had opened the flap to my tent, letting in a gust of cold air. “I wanted to wear something of hers.” I said, smoothing a wrinkle down. He held out an arm, and I took it, my two blue necklaces resting on my neck. We walked through the isle of watching villagers, Northern and Southern. Kenai was standing at the end, a smile on his face. I took a deep breath, bracing myself. And then it began. “Great spirits, we have gathered here today to join these two members of the Water Tribe together as one. We hope this pleases you!” The crowd fell silent, Sokka clutching Suki tightly, Aang holding Toph’s hand. “Then Kenai may now-” CRACK!!!! Suddenly the ice broke out from underneath me, creating a great crevice between me and Kenai. I stumbled, falling against one of the now askew poles. The people began to scream, running about in a frenzy. “It’s a sign!” Some of the women whispered. I looked helplessly at Kenai then at my father.

Zuko
I was having a bit of trouble crossing the River Unceasing in the lower Fire Nation. It was ice cold, and I was not particularly fond of freezing water in the middle of winter. I dipped a toe in before pulling it out with a yelp. I huffed in frustration. I tried to make a small patch of warm, but instead just made a big steam cloud that made it impossible to see. Then I tried crossing over on a log, which ended in me falling head first into the River Unceasing. The freezing River Unceasing. In the middle of winter. I climbed out on the other side cold, wet and without my supplies, which had fallen out in my head-first plunge.
It was going to be one of those days.

Katara
I sat in the shaman’s hut later that night, waiting for her to help me with my problem. I huffed quietly. I had been waiting for twenty minutes. “Yeah, yeah, alright!” She shuffled out of the back flap with a small bag in her hand. “Why won’t the spirits let me marry Kenai?” I asked, hearing the wining tone come into it. “The ice just cracked right out from under you? Are you sure you haven’t been gaining a few pounds?” My mouth fell open in indignation. “No! My weight’s been constant.” She snorted. “Well lucky you, miss constant weight.” She sounded more sarcastic than Sokka usually did. “Let’s just ask the Spirits, ok?” She opened her small bag and threw a handful of its contents onto the fire. A small image of a pair of clasped hands appeared in the fire. One pair was small and tan, the other large and pale. From them dangled a small amulet, an image of the moon overlapping the sun. “It looks like the spirits already have you matched up.” I blinked. “What? You mean….” She blinked. “That’s who you’re matched up with.” I felt my heart give a jolt. “He gave you an amulet under the first break of the Southern lights during the Winter Solstice. You were bonded by it.” I drew a breath. “Is there no way to break the bond?” The shaman shook her head. “Absolutely positively no possible-” Suddenly the fire flared up, sending sparks around the tent. “Well, there is one way.” I nodded, all ears. “You must go to the place where you made the bond and burn the amulet during the Solstice before the lights fade.” I started. “What? But that happens in three days!” The shaman nodded. I stood up and headed for the door. “Thank you!” I had to pack if I was going to get to the Air Nomad’s temple before it was too late. “Oh, and one more thing.” I stopped mid-step. “You have to go with the person who gave you the amulet.” I stopped. “What?” She nodded. “You must go with him to the temple, and when the lights shine down on you, you must burn the amulet.” I bit my lip. “We were just kids!” I protested. She snorted. “I’ve heard that one before.” I huffed. “I don’t know where he is! He could be anywhere!” The shaman tossed another handful onto the fire. It sizzled, flaring up. A small image came into view. A person dressed in brown sitting by a small fire shivering violently. “Stupid River.” I frowned. I could hear his voice? It sounded just like it had all those years ago. He rubbed his arms, shaking. He shook his head, causing his hood to fall back. I couldn’t help but stare at him. He hadn’t aged a day! His hair was longer, hanging in his face, but he still had the permanent look of sadness and anger on his face, but it seemed deeper than before. I wondered if he had moved on, maybe even married. “Isn’t that the boy who broke down your brother’s watch tower three years ago?” The shaman was staring at the image like it was a pile of rotten penguin meat. I nodded guiltily. She stood and brushed specks of ash off her lap.
“I suggest you go look in the woods.”