"What are you going to do with it?" Azula asked me, snapping me out of a daydream. During our flight, even after all this time, I needed to distract myself from noticing our altitude. I often found myself drifting into the memories of my time in Ba Sing Se. It was more peaceful for me then. Even though I'd an awful employer (before I began working for Iroh, that is) and an equally horrendous home in the lower ring, I still had a small sense of longing for that quiet life again. My friendship with Jin was something I truly missed, as well as the Freedom Fighters. I hadn't heard from Smellerbee or Long Shot in a long time (I'd never heard anything from Long Shot, now that I think about it). Or Jet. I never heard from him after it was discovered that the Dai Li had brainwashed him. I wonder, what ever happened to him? The others certainly don't bring him up anymore. Maybe he chose the quiet life, as well. I made a mental note to write a letter to Jet.

Now focused on reality, I looked at Azula with a puzzled expression. "It?"

"It," she reiterated and pointed her finger at me. "The thing bulging from your torso, growing inside of you."

"Oh, you mean the baby," I sighed a bit, tiredly. "Well, there isn't much to do except raise and take care of the child. I just want her to be healthy and happy. That's all I can really ask for."

"Nonsense," Azula responded. "You should expect power from this child if you intend to raise it within the palace walls. You wouldn't want it to become weak like ZuZu and my fuddy duddy Uncle, would you?"

"That's enough, Azula," Zuko snarled at his sister. "Leave her be. Saki needs to rest before we land." I wished he would stop saying that. I'm not some helpless damsel. I never have been.

The group became silent again, and I thought about her words. What would I do once the baby is born? As much as I loved living in the palace with my best friend, it seemed wrong to stay. I was about to become a mother, and I was a wife. Bao...

By the Spirits, I hadn't spoken to Bao in so long. I found myself questioning our relationship more and more, day by day. I felt bad for doing so. Was I ungrateful? I mean, he was there for me during the voyage for the Avatar. He was, after all, my first kiss. He was a good friend to me and he had a good heart. He was one of few that I had on my side when I was forcibly brought back to the palace as Azula's maid. Yet, I felt almost reluctant​ to sleep in the same bed as him. lt was like he was a stranger now. The logical part of my brain screamed, He is practically a stranger! You knew him for three years on a ship, then you attacked him before running away with your other friends! He is a stranger! You were in a coma for a year and married him only a month after waking up. What is wrong with you?!

The other side of my brain, the side that was still a child, argued otherwise: He was your first kiss and he loves you. If you didn't love him, you wouldn't have a married him. You're having his child! You're to have a family together and live happily ever after.

Even so, I wondered if I even felt the same for him.

"Peasant!" Azula barked. She snapped me from my thoughts. I looked around and noticed that everyone had dismounted Appa, and I was sitting alone in the saddle. "Peasant!"

"Would you stop calling her that?" Sokka said.

I released a sigh and climbed down from the saddle with assistance from Zuko and Katara. The others were digging in their belongings and pulling out red clothing from our bags. Once I reached the ground, Mika held onto my hand and back to support me.

"We need to hide our identities," Zuko said as he pulled a hood over his head. "We'll get mobbed if people figure out that we're the Avatar and the Fire Lord."

"Zuko," I chuckled. "You have a very... distinguishing scar. I don't think a hood is enough to hide your identity."

He assured me with a half smile, saying, "I'll keep my head down."

Sokka had changed into Fire Nation attire, then collected a bundle of Appa's fur and tucked between his nose and his upper lip. He styled the fur in the fashion of a beard and mustache, a proud grin on his face. I smiled at the sight, as did Mika, but Azula grimaced. "Get away from me!" She cried in disgust. "You smell like wet possum-pigeon!"

"What?" Sokka frowned. "It's a classic! I'm Wang Fire!"

Azula rolled her eyes, and looked at me with a puzzled expression. "Aren't you going to put yourself in some ridiculous disguise?" She asked. "Aren't you worried about being spotted?"

I shrugged. "Aren't you?" This twisted her face even more. I paid her no mind. I turned to Zuko and asked, "What's the plan once we enter the town?"

"That is the plan," he said. "We get into the town... From there, I have no clue. I'm not really sure what to do from there."

I sighed, but I nodded anyway. We walked in a herd into the town of Hira'a. I walked with the support of Sokka, who had already come up with a back story for our disguises. He'd decided that my name would be Lily Fire, his pregnant second wife after he'd left his first wife Sapphire — who, I discovered, Katara had portrayed when they were all living undercover in the Fire Nation. Mika only laughed at her boyfriend's antics.

When we reached Hira'a, it was not as quiet as I'd expected. In fact, it was loud. Very loud. There was a crowd cheering on whatever had grabbed their attention.

"I thought Hira'a was supposed to be a small town," Katara said, vocalising all of our exact thoughts. "Why is it so crowded?"

Sokka sneezed and his disguise flew into the air. Bits of the "beard" landed on my face, triggering my own attack of sneezes. Just as it did, an angry kick bounced against my belly. I grunted, catching the attention of Zuko and Katara. "I'm fine," I waved them off, rubbing my nose.

As we walked to join the crowd, I took note of the excitement shared among the people. They were all engrossed in a play on the stage in front of them, one that I vaguely recognised.

"I recognise this scene," Zuko whispered. When I looked at him for further explanation, he said, "It's the final battle in Love Amongst Dragons." While this didn't help much, I simply nodded as if I understood (I didn't) and watched. Ribbons flew, red and blue, to represent the fighting between a water spirit and a dragon emperor. The show ended with a kiss between a blue dragon and the emperor, which was when Mika gently elbowed my arm and made a teasing face at me and Zuko. I gave her a confused look as well, but she only smiled and turned her attention back to the show. Applause erupted upon the kissing of the dragon masks.

The show was over.

"Everybody is leaving," Aang pointed out. "What do we do now?"

Zuko suggested, "We ask around." And he did. He asked an older couple for information, which attracted the attention of a masked man. The mask was incredibly similar — if not identical — to Zuko's old Blue Spirit mask. It sent a shiver down my spine. It was the first secret Zuko had tried to keep from me, though I suppose I couldn't be upset about it. I've done far worse.

Like not tell him the truth about how I...

"I didn't mean to startle you," said the voice from behind the mask. A pair of hands pulled the mask away and revealed a face, middle-aged and dark facial hair. "My name is Noren. I'm the director of the Hira'a acting troupe. Ursa was once a member."

"Really?" Zuko and I asked in unison.

Noren nodded. "We should find a quiet place to talk, away from the crowds. You're all welcome to come to my home. We'll share some tea and I'll tell you everything I know."

Zuko smiled and bowed his head. "It would be an honor. Thank you."

By sunset, we were all settled into Noren's home. Katara, Mika, and Aang sat with the man's wife and discussed whatever it was that they were discussing. Azula and Zuko were keeping to themselves for a while, remaining quiet. Sokka and I assisted Noren in being cuts for tea and preparing a snack for everyone.

As I washed out cups for us to use, I could feel Noren's eyes fixed on me. More specifically, my stomach. "Please, let me do that," he insisted for the third time. "Join my wife and your friends. I would much prefer you be comfortable."

I smiled at him and shook my head. "Honestly, I'm happy to help," I told him. "Lately, everyone has been trying to keep my from any physical activity, and it's made me feel more ill."

Noren frowned a bit, but didn't put up much of a fight. I had expected more questions but he didn't ask any. Quite frankly, it was bittersweet. I had become so accustomed to answering the standard questions: "How far along are you? Are you and the father excited? Any names?" I hate to admit that I was a little disappointed to be deprived of giving my short, sarcastic replies. Instead, he asked, "Why are you looking for information about Ursa?"

Sokka and I shared a glance. This was one question that we hadn't prepared for. Actually, we hadn't prepared for any questions. Still, this one in particular sent us into a short-lived panic. "Well," I started, but Sokka finished for me.

"We're drama historians!" He blurted with a proud grin.

Noren's eyebrow perked up in interest. "Is that so?" He asked.

I nodded and glared at Sokka when Noren turned away for a split second. "Of course," I said, setting ten cups on a tray. "We've been traveling across the world discovering hundreds of talented actors and wonderful shows. We're working on the comparison between old and modern theatre! We've heard rumors of a beautifully talented woman named Ursa from Hira'a, but we weren't sure if these were just rumors."

"That's amazing!" Noren smiled. When he smiled, the corners of his eyes creased. "Come on, then. Let's join the others." He lifted the tray of cups and Sokka carried his tray of dumplings. We walked back into the dining area, where Zuko and Azula were occupied with a little girl. We all gathered around the tables, sitting on mats on the floor. I sat beside Noren's wife, Noriko, who shared the same warm, welcoming smile as her husband.

After pouring our tea and a bit of chatter, Noren began telling us about Ursa. Just as I had pretended to know, she was a talented actress in this town. She was the most talented actress in the troupe, actually. No one truly knew much about her. They only knew rumors: Ursa was taken from the town to live in the Capital City, leaving behind her boyfriend. That was when we began learning about Ikem. Impressed by our alleged research, Noren informed us that Ikem was also an actor in the troupe. After Ursa left, rumor has it, Ikem ran off. It was believed that he ran away to Forgetful Valley.

"Forgetful Valley?" I parroted. "I've never heard of such a place."

"A place at the bottom of a canyon," Noriko explained, "just outside of town. The heartbroken go there to forget about their lives." She paused for a moment. "You know... I vaguely remember hearing that Ursa came back to town years later, looking for Ikem. They say she went after him to Forgetful Valley."

"That can't be true!" Noren said. "No one's seen or heard from Ursa since she was taken to the Capital City!"

The two fell into a quiet back and forth of whether or not such an act would tragic or romantic. I felt a stirring in my stomach, and it had nothing to do with the baby. I looked to Azula and Zuko and I could easily see that they shared the same sick feeling of yearning for more answers. According to Noren, Forgetful Valley was a dark and dangerous place that no one had ever returned from.

I looked out the window and saw that the sun had fallen. The stars were just beginning to shine. "My," I exhaled after finishing my tea, "it's late. Maybe we should go." Everyone's eyes were on me, but I only looked at Katara. "Please, I wish to be in my own bed when this baby decides that she doesn't want to remain still." My friends nodded. Noriko and Aang helped me to my feet. We filed out of the home, then stopped outside the door for a moment. We turned to the family, who stood in the doorway, and we bowed our heads in respect.

"Noren and Noriko, you have been more than generous," Zuko said. "Thank you for the information."

Katara added, "And thank you for sharing your home with us."

Kiyi, their young daughter, ran to Zuko and tugged on his sleeve. "You'll come back again?" She spoke, not making it sound like much of an option. "Please, please, please?"

Zuko smiled and replied, "I really hope so, Kiyi."

We said our final goodbyes and ventured back through the trees to Appa.

"More than once tonight I was tempted to burn that whole place down," Azula blurted angrily, "but I resisted for you, ZuZu. I hope you appreciate it."

"How could you even think that about such a lovely family?!" Katara gasped.

"Oh, please," Azula waved her hand to shut Katara up. "Their charade disgusted me. Nobody's that happy."

Katara spat, "Aang and I are that happy!"

Again, Azula waved her away. "Because you two are idiots," she said matter-of-factly.

I looked ahead and watched as Zuko and Aang spoke quietly. The conversation looked serious, so I kept out of it. If it was absolute importance, Zuko would come to me. He always did. Instead, I focused on the bickering between Azula and Katara. Mainly, I watched Azula. It seemed that, the more and more she was around us, she was gradually becoming stable. Even if just a little.

While Mika got in the middle of the arguing girls, yelling at them both to calm them down, Sokka grabbed me by the hand and pulled me along to join the boys. He looked at Zuko and asked desperately, "How much longer do you expect to keep this crew together, Zuko? Because I give it another two minutes tops before something's either on fire or encased in ice!"

"One more place to visit," Zuko decided, "and then we're done."

Again, a sick feeling filled my stomach. "And where exactly is that, Zuko?" I asked.

Eyes trained on me and lips pressed into a line, a look of determination glowed from him. I wish I could say that it made me proud. I wish I could say that I was proud of him for pursuing this. I wish I could say that I was proud and grateful that he was trying to answer unanswered questions, but I couldn't​. I couldn't lie to myself.

Zuko parted his lips and said, "We're going to Forgetful Valley."