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The spirits were all abuzz, but none more so that the Lady of the Moon.
“It’ll be any day now!” La said again, as if she needed the reminder.
“I know,” she said happily.
“Are you excited, Agni?” she’d pester the sun.
He smiled happily at her, however, unable to shake his exceptionally good mood.
“I think that it’s about time we witness the uniting of our cultures, princess,” he said. Yue rolled her eyes, but agreed.
The Queen Consort of the Fire Nation was having a baby.
As her due date passed, the Fire Lord became more and more doting, often not even letting his wife out of the bath without him there to help. Of course, the Queen didn’t mind her devoted King, letting him smother her cheeks and belly in kisses, happily basking in the joy that was their expanding family.
“I love you,” Katara whispered quietly to her husband as they lay in bed. Yue happily provided the perfect ambient light for them.
“I love you,” Zuko whispered back. Then, he leaned to place a kiss to her belly.
“And we love you so much, turtleduck,” he murmured into her skin, before he trailed kisses even lower. Yue was forced to turn her face away after that, but it was hard to completely ignore the sounds of her friend crying out in pleasure.
Yue’s cheeks went pink. It’s not like she didn’t know what the two of them got up to in their bedroom- she was pregnant, after all.
“Boy! Gaia cried out.
“No, it’s a girl! Definitely a girl,” Agni argued back.
“What do you think it’ll be, Yue?” La asked her.
“Loved,” Yue replied.
The family all descended on the Fire Nation to celebrate. Toph flew in with Aang on Appa, and spent the most time with her hands on Katara’s stomach-aside from Zuko, of course- feeling the life move within. If she pressed down, the baby would raise it’s tiny fist, as if to try and ‘see’ her, too, much to the blind woman’s delight. Aang spent most days trailing behind Zuko, watching as his father figure became an actual father. Hakoda beamed with pride from practically the moment he awoke to the second he fell asleep. The Chief of the Southern Water Tribe was becoming a grandfather, and would tell anyone who stood still long enough to listen. He also did his best to battle Iroh for the role of grandparent- who- spoils- them- the- most, and the two men were defeated swiftly by Ursa, who was quickly becoming Katara’s favorite person with her herbal remedies for nausea. Sokka and Suki kept making glances at each other, seeming to debate whether or not they wanted to have kids of their own based on the hoopla, and would change their stance every hour. Azula would only make her brief appearance at meals, preferring to avoid the overstimulation of people. Occasionally, Mai and Ty Lee would visit the palace, if only to cause mayhem and keep the others out of the expecting parents’ hair.
Katara moaned nightly to her husband as he massaged her feet that she was ready to pop. Although she adored Zuko being extra attentive to her, having her entire family be in some sort of contest to be her best helper had her feeling more smothered than cared for.
“When can we kick them out?” she grumbled as he rubbed lavender oil into her thighs.
“Whenever you can tell me with a straight face you wouldn’t be sad if they were gone,” he said, smirking. She nearly made a reply before his hand rubbed over the apex of her thighs, and Yue sighed exasperatedly as she turned away, asking herself just how many times the man could possibly want to get his wife off in one day?
“This is number seven,” Gaia gleefully replied, having no qualms enjoying the show. Yue groaned, slapping her forehead and sighing at the Earth Spirit as she produced some popcorn. Gaia offered her the bowl, and the Moon Spirit popped a piece into her mouth.
And then, it happened. Exactly one week after her due date, at high noon, Katara gave birth to a baby girl. She had a full head of dark hair, skin the same shade as her mother’s, and pale, golden eyes. She was perfect, and her father openly wept at the sight of her. The family waiting in the hall cheered at the announcement, except Toph and Sokka, who clutched each other tightly as they cried in joy.
But something was wrong. She wasn’t crying. She was gasping for breath.
Joy quickly turned to panic. The healers moved frantically to assist as Katara placed a healing touch on her newborn’s chest, but after an hour, there was no change to the baby’s condition.
The princess was dying.
The doctors were frantic. People rushed in and out of the room in an attempt to bring some semblance of order to the chaos. Katara had tears running down her face, and Zuko watched his family, eyes desperate and helpless.
Yue had never seen Agni weep, but the day quickly became overcast.
“She has a hole in her lungs,” he explained. “Because it was there when she was born, the Queen’s bending won’t help, it’s not a wound she can fix. She’ll be gone by nightfall.”
Shock made her whole being go numb. No, thought Yue.
This strong, brave woman, who inspired the world, who fought for her people, was going to lose her daughter.
This man, who helped end a war, who cared for her people as much as he cared for his own, would never get to watch her grow.
No, Yue thought again. Her spine felt like iron, and she raged. No one she loved was going to lose anyone else, not if she could help it.
And she could.
“Agni,” she said. “Bring back the sunshine. I think it’s time for an eclipse.”
The palace staff gasped as the eclipse darkened the sky to a blood red color. They whispered to one another that it was an omen. But Sokka beamed up at her.
He raced to his sister, and told her what was happening. They had to act quickly. With Zuko carrying his wife, the three made their way to the Royal Hot Springs located deep within the palace, racing to the water's edge with the girl. It was blessed by the spirits, a natural well that ran under the Caldera, and was the holiest place in the Fire Nation.
“Please, Yue, please ,” Katara begged, as she lowered her daughter into the pool. Zuko hopped in, holding the babe as Sokka assisted his sister in getting into the water.
Zuko looked at his little girl, his tiny princess, and cried. She heaved, her skin tinted a faint blue.
Please save her, Princess Yue , he thought to the spirit. Katara grabbed his arm, placing a gentle kiss on the girl’s head as she wept. I’d give anything to keep her, take my crown, my country, take me instead, just don’t take her .
Then submerge her in the water, a woman’s voice responded. I will not let her die.
Zuko inhaled sharply, but did as the Moon commanded. For a moment, all was still.
Then, the pool burst with light.
Startled, Zuko clutched his daughter to his chest, tugging Katara into his arms, ready to jump out of the pool. Katara gasped, and their daughter wailed .
Deep, full breaths made both parents clutch their little girl in joy. Sokka wiped at his tears, and ran to tell their family what had happened.
Yue smiled, allowing Agni once more to make his journey across the sky, and the spirits cheered for the Fire Nation Princess.
The little girl’s hair, the same pale white of her savior’s, sparkled in the moonlight, as she happily cooed at her family’s undivided attention.
In the morning, mother and father allowed the Fire Sages to announce the birth of their little girl.
Agni pulled Yue into the sky, and the two created a partial eclipse, turning the morning glow a vibrant mix of blues, purples, and golds, while they watched as the Head Sage spoke.
“All hail Her Royal Majesty, Our Future Queen!” he shouted at the cheering crowd.
“Princess Luna!”