It's a family reunion, Katara finally decided as she made her way into the Fire Lord's palace. It had been a year since the great war and Toph and Sokka had insisted that they celebrate at Fire Lord Zuko's "house."
Everyone knew they were just wanted to go for the royal treatment and food. Zuko cleared it with his officials anyway, and hopefully everyone would enjoy their time there even though the officials made it clear that they and the spokesperson for the media would be there as well. Of course everyone wanted to know the details of the famed Gaang's social gathering in the Fire Lord's house.
Truthfully, it was no house, it was a mansion for only the finest man of fire nation royalty. For the precious Lord Zuko, leader of the Fire Nation and one of the may peace-bringers to the upcoming new world. He was also know to be a very attractive bachelor.
Katara sighed inwardly, his romance with Mai had looked like it would last, they certainly conquered great feats to protect each other and they had a long history with each other. But it ended exactly how her relationship ship with Aang did.
Friendship.
And it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, Aang still liked to talk to Katara when he was feeling insecure and young and Zuko confided in Mai when he felt overwhelmed by all his duties to his people. Both of their breakups had coincidentally occurred only about a month after the war.
However, what was complicated was the love that had blossomed between the Fire Lord and herself. That was completely an accident, Katara and Aang had decided to separate when Aang decided to travel the world. She momentarily had thought about returning to the Southern Water Tribe, but with everything that happened, Katara wasn't quite ready to return home. Zuko easily opened up his home, with the large amount of rooms and staff, it was only logical that he invite his friend to recuperate and plan out her future.
What had not been planned was the constant contact the two would later have. Zuko had his job and his priorities to think about, sure, but he often found himself alone in some room in the palace with the young waterbender. Sometimes they would talk sometimes they'd be doing their own things, and other times Zuko would fume into her room unannounced and just vent for however long.
Their first kiss occurred during one of the Fire Nation festivals, when Zuko had took off for an evening to spend time with Katara. From there things slowly progressed, and word of their relationship spread as a rumor in the palace. But for the most part their relationship was known officially only to few close friend. The first surprisingly being Aang and Mai. Eventually through letters from Katara the Gaang came to know of it. It took a while for everyone to accept it, but they knew the two were happy, so they left it alone.
Katara found work as a ambassador for the Southern Water Tribe to the Fire Nation, and from there decided on having a permanent residence in the Fire Lord's palace. She traveled home every so often, and for the last few months of the year, her relationships involving her friends, job, and her precious lover were incredibly stable.
Zuko and Katara were close before, but now it seemed they were inseparable. Leaving the palace for the south was always a painful process emotionally for the two, but their reunions were always sweet and intimate. And with the anniversary of the war drawing near, the officials were looking for a new Fire Lady. When they learned of the Fire Lord's special lady, the immediately jumped on him to seize the opportunity.
Zuko didn't really mind asking for Katara's hand in marriage, and he knew she wouldn't either, but he just felt that the officials' request was sudden. He had talked to Katara about it on more than one occasion, and she surprisingly disagreed. In fact, Katara reminded him that marriage was also a duty to his country.
"You wouldn't mind marrying me so suddenly?" he asked, astonished. Katara attempted to feign nonchalance with a shrug, even though her cheeks were burning.
"I guess you're right when you said we're kind of young. But we've been through so much, that I feel kind of old anyway." She swallowed before turning to catch his eye. Her blue orbs were searing into his, "I do love you, so I guess it is sort of my dream to get married to you one day. Even if that day ended up being tomorrow or something." Her face was completely red and she turned away before murmuring, "If that's what you want too."
Zuko grinned from that memory, he had been so surprised and elated by her words that he kissed her senseless. Of course he wanted too, it was his dream too, and of course he loved her back.
It had been somewhat unofficial, their agreement to get married. Neither of them told their friends and Zuko didn't even bother to bring it up with the officials. At the moment the only other person who knew was Mai, and that was his fault.
He gulped reaching into his pocket to finger the wooden box that contained such a precious cargo. Mai had helped him craft it, giving quiet criticisms of his artistic abilities from behind a book as he carved away at it. Zuko felt the need to give something memorable and intimate to his new fiancée, since most of the marriage would probably involve many Fire Nation customs and required the attention of the entire world.
When he had called on Mai to ask for ideas a couple months ago, she made a motion to Katara's neck at dinner, Zuko immediately noticed that her mother's necklace was absent.
"It's been gone since we made our agreement," Katara laughed at Zuko's flustered face when he apologized for not noticing. "I don't want people to think I'm already married to some water tribe boy or something!"
Zuko sighed, Mai's idea for a traditional betrothal necklace was perfect, but to find the perfect timing was a whole different story.
From inside the palace, he watched through the window as his friends entered. Katara had been on another trip to the south and picked up her brother and Suki before returning to the Fire Nation. Toph and Aang met up with them on the way and now they were all filing into the grand dining room of the palace.
Zuko felt his chest constrict when he saw Katara. She had changed back into her Fire Nation clothing, as had everyone else, but she knew what the revealing attire did to him. That tease, he groaned, but smirked anyway. Tonight will be night, he decided, to give her his gift and make things official to everyone, and finally give her something worthy of her.
He hurried downstairs to dining room greet everyone, surprising them all with his own attire. The officials looked horrified, but his friends laughed in delight.
"Hey Sifu Hotman, where'd you find those old clothes?" Aang joked catching his breath.
"Yeah, you would've thought they were burned to smithereens by now. Especially with a temper like his," Sokka commented, one arm around Toph and another around Suki.
"I take it he's not wearing Fire Nation royal robes or whatever," Toph commented.
"Nope," Suki and Katara chorused together before turning to grin at each other.
"I found ones similar to my old clothes, and these are a bit less stuffier and more comfortable," Zuko defended, brushing off fake dust from his shirt.
"Yeah, sure there are," Katara giggled before running up to give him a hug. Zuko sighed, and most of the guessed noticed that his body relaxing into her touch. The officials finally resigned, deciding to start dinner and try not to cringe to much at the Fire Lord's casual attire and his weird friends.
"I missed you," Katara whispered gently, kissing his cheek. Zuko felt his face flush but ran his fingers through her hair and repeated those same words back to her. The rest of the Gaang gave the pair encouraging smiles before seating themselves down to dinner.
The meal went without a hitch, though disapproving noises could be heard by the officials whenever Sokka said something a bit too suggestive and crude. Which was often. They did appreciate Katara's ladylike behavior in front of their Fire Lord, though they didn't notice her running circles with her fingers across his thigh under the table. The two talked to mostly themselves, thought sometimes someone from the group would drag them back into the overall conversation. The spokesperson for the media was seen busily instructing her team to draw certain parts of the scene in front of them, as well as taking notes on some interesting topics that were brought up at the dinner table.
Sokka and Suki decided for everyone that desert should be served on the gigantic balcony that over looked the kingdom, and much to the officials' dismay, Lord Zuko agreed.
Everyone mostly separated once outside. Suki, Sokka, Toph, and Aang falling into conversation right near edge, which overlooked large crowd that was cheering in front of the palace gates. Zuko sighed, wondering if they were bombared on their way to the palace.
Katara smiled though, "It's kind of amazing, how much they look up to you." She looked at back at him and it constricted his lungs for a second. Sometimes her expressions just caught him off guard. The officials watched wearily as the Gaang shouted back to the crowd.
"I AM HERE MY LOVELY FIRE NATION BEAUTIES!" Sokka yelled at them, which caused an dead silence throughout the crowd and a slap on the back of the head from Suki. Everyone entertained the crowd enthusiastically excluding Zuko, who was by now sick of all the attention.
"Alright let's give them a show, Twinkle Toes," Toph yelled at Aang. They were clearly going to duel. Suki and Sokka immediately back up while the officials threw Zuko desperate looks.
"You're going to have to deal with it. There's no stopping - " Zuko was cut off by a large block of earth hitting him square in the chest. He knocked into the railing of the balcony, vaguely hearing something wooden hit the ground. He blinked, staring into the sky and immediately feeling into his pocket. Empty. Cursing to himself, he sat up.
"Sorry didn't see you there Sparky," Toph piped up, but everyone ignored her. Eyes were all on the wooden box that was now in Katara's hands. Suki quickly walked over to go whisper what was happening to her.
The size was familiar enough that Katara immediately realized what it was and her eyes widened in shock. She looked frantically at her lover, begging that it was what she was sure it was. Zuko flushed, rubbing his forehead and motioning to the box.
"Just open it," he told her, giving up on trying anything romantic. It's not like luck ever followed him anyway to ever give him perfect proposal opening.
Wordlessly she did, eyes shining when she looked at his hard work. Blue stone carved into a waterbending symbol, with a pure gold fastener that held it to the rich blue fabric that was her chocker. She picked it up, transfixed by its beauty. Zuko rose up and walked quietly behind her, fishing it out of her hands. By now the crowd could see the object that had everyone in the balcony going silent, and they too watched quietly and anxiously.
"I'm sorry I can't get any of this stuff right and make it perfect," Zuko began, his chest pressing in her back. His voice was barely loud enough for Katara to hear. "But I wanted to get you something that will remind you what we're really doing, why we're really getting married." He took a deep breath to steady himself, feeling the eyes of everyone on him. Zuko was suddenly aware that barely anyone knew of their previous official agreement. He ignored them, soon it was going to be official anyway.
"Its because love each other," Katara finished softly, breaking him from his train of though. He glanced down at her, smiling at her love struck expression. He kissed her gently on the lips which made the crowd cheered, but not loud enough so they could still understand the Fire Lord.
"Marry me?" he shouted so everyone heard him. Katara laughed while the others waited in anticipation. She kissed him again.
"Of course!"
With that there was a loud uproar, and Katara brushed her hair out of the way so Zuko could fasten her necklace. When he had, she turned toward and gathered him into her arms.
"Thank you," he murmured, kissing her hair. He felt Katara's giggles vibrating against his chest. She poked her head out to look up at him, blue orbs still shining into his.
"I love you," she replied pecking him quickly on the lips. The crowd was still going wild, as was the rest of the Gaang, and even the uptight officials.
"I love you too." Zuko smiled, almost intoxicated by his own happiness. They broke apart and were immediately bombarded by everyone on the balcony, everyone screaming their own congratulations.
The officials were the first to get a hold of themselves and immediately ushered everyone on the balcony inside. Once there, Top shut the large glass doors which blocked the deafening noise of the crowd outside.
"Well that was just amazing," Suki laughed sitting down on a near by couch. Sokka collapsed next to her, huffing to himself.
"Just as long as Sifu Hotman over there treats Katara right, I'll be okay with this. Though you really should have asked me first," Sokka snapped glaring at Zuko.
"Oh lay off of him! I can't even believe anyone would want to marry Madame Fussy Britches anyway. I think she got lucky with Sparky." Katara shot Toph a nasty glare, but obviously the earthbender didn't notice.
"I think it's great!" Aang put in his two cents.
"Well if the Avatar says it, it must be true,": Sokka grumbled. "But I'll still kick your butt the minute something bad happens." He suddenly stood up, defiant." Toph snorted and Suki both snorted.
"Yeah sure, I'd love to see you take on Fire Lord Zuko, master of firebending," Suki told him.
"Plus Sparky goes pretty insane with those swords of his," Toph put in.
"I'd be more terrified of Katara, she's pretty scary when someone doesn't let her get her way," Aang piped up, making everyone laugh.
"Fine! I'll let the dynamic duo get married, happy? You have my blessings!" Sokka yelled at the couple.
"Yeah sure, we're so thankful," Zuko answered sarcastically.
Sokka grumbled returning to his seat on the couch, "I'll show them that stupid firebender one day..."
The officials that overheard him glared, obviously not pleased.
xXxXxXxXxXx
It was a month after the wedding and Katara was once again traveling back to the Southern Water Tribe. It was the third day out at sea, and her crewmembers, as usual, kept to themselves. She locked herself up in her room, annoyed and bit depressed about her current state.
She fished her necklace from underneath her jacket and looked down at it.
Katara smiled, cheeks burning with the thought of her husband.
xXxXxXxXxXx
Zuko sat in his study, overwhelmed with work involving politics, important people, special events coming up, and of course those pesky officials that always managed to get on his last nerves. It had been three days since he last saw Katara, and he felt alone and simply frustrated without her.
Fed up, he stormed out of the study and down the hallway that lead to the kitchen. Might as well get a good snack from the cook and try to calm down.
He stopped abruptly in the middle of the hallway.
"What are you doing?" he asked one of his staff members, who had just finished putting up a gigantic painting. A large white sheet covered the front of it, and staff member was clearly about to take it down.
"Your marriage portrait came back from the royal painter. The officials told me to put it up here. You're just in time," he informed Zuko, before dropping the sheet.
Zuko's mouth dropped, eyes wide as he look up at the almost replicas of Katara and him in their ceremonial wedding robes.
Suddenly his face broke out into a grin, cheeks red from the thought of his wife.