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everythingloveandanimated · 4 years

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Zutara Month 2020 Day 1- Flowers

The festival had begun. Fire lilies had been put into vases in windows, woven into wreathes hanging in windows and on doors. Some were woven into chains to wrap around the posts of the sales stalls.

Citizens wore them in crowns either around their forehead, or over their heads like half circle headbands. Some even had full crowns that went under their hair. Some wore a single flower on the front of the clothes or on their wrist like bracelet. To Katara’s delight, some blossoms had been made into hairpins, which she promptly bought.

“It looks better on the side of your head than behind your ear,” Zuko commented.

“I think we agreed on that last year.”

Through the afternoon, artists displayed their works. Poems, paintings, works of art using strips and bits of ripped paper recreating the image of the fire lily. A new display had shown stained glass work which drew in quite a crowd, Zuko and Katara included.

Poetry readings were open in the mid-afternoon. Like Katara remembered from her first festival last year, most them were love poems or poems about beauty that either included the fire lily, or alluded to its symbolize of fiery innocence and passion. She was thrilled, but not completely surprised when a young man read a poem that ended with a marriage proposal to his girlfriend. The proposal was happily accepted.

As the sun set the festival drew to a close. However the the Fire Lord and his girlfriend had a special surprise for the citizens gathered in the town center.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

“Yes.”

Normally this kind of routine wouldn’t be something Zuko would participate in, but Katara, Iroh, and Ursa convinced him to do something expressive to celebrate the festival.

They started at opposite ends of the circle outlined by the local guard and the gathered crowd.

As Katara pulled water from the large jars provided for her, Zuko produced a stream of fire from his fist and guided it to the center with his other hand.

Water met fire at the base.

A combined stream of twisting fire and water moved upwards from the base and created the gentle curve.

Water formed the shape of the petals, the filaments and the grass.

Cold red fire outlined the water and gave a wider shape to the rest of the petals.

Warmer yellow fire topped the filaments.

The Fire Lord and his girlfriend walked slowly in a circle rotating the flower to match their pace so everyone could see it.

The crowd “ooh”ed and “aah”ed at the bending art. Smiles of delight or open mouthed awe we’re on everyone’s faces

Zuko looked from the flower to his girlfriend. She found his eyes moments later and smiled.

“If we do this again, we have to arrange it so that we can kiss in the center.”

Their last circle drew to a close. The couple slowly stripped away each stage of the their flower. Fire from the anthers joined the fire from the petals, which joined to the central stream of fire.

The water petals thinned and returned to the center, the filaments shrank also returning to the central stream of water.

The base that symbolized the ground was drawn back to its native benders. The twisted stream was unwound and followed the base.

Amid the cheers from civilians and the applause form the guards, Katara returned the water to jars. Zuko drew his stream in a circle, dissipating it as he made the customary “flame” with his hands. Katara drew her hands into the flame and the couple bowed to each other.

She smiled at her boyfriend when they came up from their bow. She walked towards the center extending her hand out to him. He met her in the center and took her hand. She turned to the crowd and made the flame with her hands. Zuko caught on, did the same and they both bowed to the crowd. The crowd bowed back. Katara directed him to turn around so they could bow to the crowd behind them. When they rose, Zuko turned to her, placed his hands on her face and gently kissed her. She happily returned it.

“I know he likes to keep affection private and fire lilies represent passion, but that kiss would have better under the flower,” Katara thought. “I’ll have to bring that up if and when there’s a next time.”

Taking her hand and they exited the circle heading for the pair of guards. The crowd separated the let them through, the guards fell in step behind them.

The rest of the evening, chatter and praise of their routine filled the air. Several times they were respectfully stopped so the citizens could personally give their compliments.

A small family came up them, the younger son said “That was beautiful! Will you do it again next year?”

Katara and Zuko looked at each other. “We’ll have to see about next year,” Katara said. “I’m so glad to you enjoyed it!”

An elderly couple came up to them soon after.

“That was simply breath taking, my lord. In all my years I’ve never seen anything like that!” the woman said.

“Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Zuko answered with a nod of his head. “It was actually Katara’s idea.”

“That was just the breath of fresh air we needed at this festival.” the old man added. “We were just talking about how everything’s been done when it comes to art and the lilies. We almost didn’t come. Thank you for giving us something new.” Her husband bowed to the young couple, his wife followed suit.

“You’re very welcome,” Zuko answered.

“It was our pleasure,” Katara added.

“Bless you both,” the woman said gently taking Katara’s hand. “She’s a keeper, Your Majesty.”

Zuko blushed as he took Katara hand. “Yes she is.”

A young man nearly knocked into them later. After a hurried, flustered, but respectful apology, Katara recognized him.

“Wait, aren’t the one who proposed to his girlfriend this afternoon?”

“I am. Though I have to say I really should have done it under that flower you two made. The joining of opposites to create something beautiful, that’s us in a lychee nutshell.”

“Thank you. Be careful where you walk, have a good night,” Zuko said dismissing him.

“Thank you, my lord. And I will!”

Zuko and Katara looked at each other. Their thoughts written on their faces.

Next time.

#zutara2020 #zutaramonth #fire lilies #fire lily #Zuko #Katara

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