the wedding,

prologue:

It was said that in the beginning the fire god Agni once roamed the universe looking for a place to call his home. When he came upon earth and saw that it was dark, he carved out one of his own eyes, reached out into the sky and placed it amongst the shadows to light his new home. He called it the sun. Once there was light, man came to Agni and praised him, for they had been living without seeing for so long, and were so grateful for this beacon of warmth and illumination. For their praise the god Agni bestowed upon them great power, so that nevermore would they have to live in darkness. But man did not know how to use these gifts, so the god Agni created beasts of fire to guide and teach them what he could not. This is how fire benders came to be.

It was said that once the earth was blessed with the lights of the god Agni, man, so accustomed to living in darkness, could no longer sleep peacefully. The spirits Tui and La noticed this, and together carved their hearts to join as one. They placed it up into the sky, above the oceans and declared that when each day ended, the sun would fall, and the moon would rise for the night. Man then came to Tui and La and praised them, for they had been living without rest for so long. For their praise Tui and La bestowed upon them great power, so that when the moon rose they would be able to control water by watching the ocean tides push and pull. This is how water benders came to be.

The fire god Agni was unhappy at what Tui and La had done. He declared that from that day forward those with the power of sun and light would never seek peace from those who controlled water and ice. That the two would forever be locked in an unending and battle, for water and fire were natural enemies. And from that day forward, it was so.

When the Fire Nation first began its expansion under Fire Lord Ozai's rule, the world was thrown into chaos. Fire Lord Ozai reined terror down on the people, slaughtering entire cities and reclaiming them in the Fire Nations image. The only person with enough power to defeat him was the Avatar, a young air bender named Aang. Despite his youth, and lack of training the Avatar was successful in dethroning Fire Lord Ozai, and in turn placed Ozai's estranged brother Iroh, temporarily in charge of the Fire Nation's affairs. However, the rightful heir to the throne, Zuko, would be set to claim the title within the next year. Despite the fact that Iroh and Zuko had been radically against Ozai's rule, the earth kingdom was not convinced and required extra precaution to prove the Fire Nations good intentions.

This is where we currently find ourselves.

One.

"How do I look?"

The bodice of her cheongsam was snug fitting and the pale gold pattern of the dress complemented her tan skin nicely. The high collar made her naturally slender neck look even more regal and graceful, and through the nearly thigh high slits on the sides just enough leg was showcased to make Katara blush a deep cherry red. The gown ended at her ankles, hovering over the jeweled tips of her slipper incased feet. She had never in her life shown this much skin and hadn't at all anticipated being married in such a revealing dress. But Fire Nation customs, she had quickly come to realize, were much different than in the Water Nation, and dutifully, she had adjusted.

"You look beautiful Princess, as the future fire lady should. " Her handmaiden Meifen reassured her gently, winding her long damp mane of inky black hair up into the traditional Fire Nation topknot. "As I am sure your mother did on her wedding day. She would be very proud to see you now."

Katara smiled at that, rubbing the hollow junction of her neck where her mother's necklace usually rested, before remembering that she had removed it in anticipation of the ceremony. "Your words are too kind." Stark lines of kohl rimmed her wide cerulean eyes and she gazed at her complexion in the mirror, half hoping to see a shred of her mother's fierceness and courage shine back at her. She looked pretty; smooth, tan skin powdered to perfection, the dark ruby of her plump lips and the starkness of her well-groomed eyebrows. Her normally untamable hair was sleek and polished up in an elegant braided chignon, a single golden circlet rested daintily on the crown of her head. Pretty enough to be fire lady.

Hopefully, pretty enough to please her husband.

She had never seen Prince Zuko before. He hadn't come to negotiate the marriage treaty with her father, or to greet her when her ship had docked last week. According to Fire Nation custom, it was tradition for the groom to not meet his intended until the actual wedding ceremony. She had heard stories of him though. He was said to be very handsome, tall and strong. The people admired him for the good he was doing, the good he had already done. Rebuilding the earth kingdom, resettling the Fire Nation colonies, making peace with the monks and the water tribes. Seeking redemption for his father's crimes.

When her own father, Hakoda, had first approached her with the arrangement, Katara had cried herself to sleep every night for a full week. But it was her duty, as a daughter to the chief, as a princess to her people, to do whatever she could to make things better, so she accepted.

Katara never considered herself to be royalty, not in the same way Prince Zuko was. She lived among the people of her village, shared in the work and chores. Her father was chief, and her brother his right hand, and she was by all rights a princess, but it had never felt that way. Now, draped in silks, with her hands soaking in rose water and Meifen wrapping pearls around her throat, she'd never felt more disconnected from her people.

Her sister Yue, Sokka's wife, had been helping her study, reciting Fire Nation customs and practicing her mannerisms for court. Yue was from the Northern Water Tribe and had been a much more traditional princess prior to she and Sokka's engagement. The North was well known for their keeping custom and Yue had been educated her entire life on proper poise and etiquette. They'd been working for weeks trying to get Katara prepared for her new life. She had always assumed she'd marry a nice man from her village. Hopefully Bao, a friend of Sokkas who had always been fond of her, would have reached out to her father in a few years time. When the marriage treaty had been initially proposed she'd first balked at suggestion. Katara was only seventeen and the second born child. She was in no rush to wed, unlike Prince Zuko, and she had always understood she'd marry for love when the time did come. It hurt that that was no longer an option.

Her parents hadn't married for love. Kya was the daughter of a chief and Hakoda a prized warrior in their tribes army. The match had been strategic before it thankfully blossomed into true devotion.

Meifen smoothed cream into the palms of her smooth hands and watched her steadily. "You are nervous Princess, but all is well. Prince Zuko is a kind man. The gods will bless your marriage."

Katara tried for a wan smile. "The blessings of Agni not given lightly. I hope you are right Meifen."