Ta Min was in all ways a normal Fire Nation noble. She was born into one of the wealthiest families in the nation, and it was pretty much expected that she would marry into the royal family someday.
She was allowed to roam around the castle garden, as well as the castle on special days, and she loved it. Not only because of the beauty of the place, but also because she was able to watch two certain boys all she wanted. So long as she didn't get caught all the time.
They always looked like they were having such fun together, and Ta Min couldn't help wanting to join them. She'd watch Prince Sozin as he joked around about something that happened to him recently, and tried her hardest not to laugh out loud along with them.
The one he always walked with, talked with, and had fun with was his best friend: Roku. He was kind, intelligent, and seemed to be enjoyable company. But she noticed that whenever she was noticed to be near by he would freeze up and look rather nervous. She figured he was simply awkward around girls and didn't give it much thought after that.
But then it was revealed that he was the avatar, and she could honestly say she didn't see that coming. It was true that he was a very skilled and powerful firebender, perhaps equal with Sozin in that aspect, but no one ever would have guessed that Roku was the one that could bend all four of the elements. Nevertheless, she was delighted and very happy for him.
Currently, he had been gone for years now. It felt like forever, both to her and Sozin, and the two wondered every day now when they would see him again.
But she was about to get her answer. It was in the early days of Summer that she learned of his home coming, but she never imagined what news would follow.
Ta Min had just come in from a stroll in the castle gardens, and to her surprise she saw her parents and Sozin sitting in her living room. They were sitting down, and from the looks of it they had previously been talking about an important matter. Now, though, their attention was on her as she entered through the door.
"Fire lord Sozin!" she exclaimed in surprise, and fell down into a low bow.
"Ta Min, I'm glad you've returned! Rise and come sit with your parents. I have a proposal for you." he said, a cheery smile on his face as always.
Ta Min's face lit up with blush at the mention of a proposal. She certainly wasn't expecting it, and now a million thoughts were running through her head as she sat in a chair next to her parents.
"Firstly, Avatar Roku will be returning from his long years of training in a few days, and I would like to surprise him with some special news." he announced, and Ta Min couldn't help the bright smile that appeared on her face as she heard the great news of his returning.
"And I was hoping that news could be you." he explained. The look of complete happiness on her face was gone now, and replaced with a look of confusion. What exactly he was trying to imply was beyond her current understanding.
"How do you mean?" she asked politely, hoping to get a clear answer.
Sozin nodded, understanding her confusion upon him being so vague, and replied, "I mean I wish to have you and Roku married."
Ta Min had what felt like a million thoughts of what he could have meant earlier, but what he said was not one of them. Her? Marry the avatar? A million new thoughts flooded into her mind as she processed it all.
It had been two weeks since the news, and everyone was in agreement and very excited. Now all they had to do was wait for Roku, and he was expected to arrive sometime that night.
"What exactly do they plan to tell him anyway?" she asked herself aloud as she walked in the garden that night, "Something like... Surprise, Avatar Roku! We have found you a noble lady to marry, and you've never even spoken to her! Hope you don't mind that we set this up without your consent or knowing."
"Spirits, I hope he doesn't get so angry that he floods the nation or something..." she sighed worriedly as soon as the idea had come into her mind.
Needless to say, Ta Min was very nervous about the matter.
As her heart filled with more worries she came across a small pond and decided it was very suited for one as nervous as she to pace in front of. Her mother always told her that when she paced she would over-think things, and that it was rather unladylike. As right as she was at the moment Ta Min threw lady-likeness out the door and worried as much as she could get out. Keeping it in wasn't helping, that was for sure.
"I mean, I was raised and taught in the ways of what to do and how to act if I married into the royal family, so does that make me suited to be an avatar's wife? I doubt it... And why in the world are there no lessons or books that can prepare anyone for marrying the avatar!" she complained as she paced, looking at the moon-lit ground as she did.
Ta Min wasn't mad about the arrangement for sure, but without a doubt she was mad at anyone who thought she would just magically know how to be an avatar's wife. That was far beyond any knowledge she had, she was sure of that much.
"I barely even know him... I've learned plenty about Prince Sozin, but no one has once bothered to tell me anything about the avatar." she continued and sighed in frustration. It wasn't exactly the end of the world, she knew that, but even knowing that wouldn't keep her from feeling nervous about marrying the most powerful bender in the world.
"What does an avatar's wife even do? Try to keep him from destroying the world? Make sure he goes where he is needed? Or does he already know how to manage it all himself and I'm just an offering from the world he protects?" she wondered aloud, all her questions swirling around her mind and causing quite the headache.
Just then a large shadow swept across the garden. Ta Min looked up into the sky and saw a dragon flying over head. It was Roku's dragon.
"I guess it's time..." she said softly as she watched the dragon land in the front of the palace. She walked closer to the entrance, and smiled when she saw Sozin come out and hug his best she got closer she was able to hear the conversation.
"How have you been, old friend?" said Roku, who Ta Min noticed had gotten taller and very handsome since the last time she saw him when he left years ago.
"Quite alright! And you? How was your training?" Sozin replied eagerly, releasing Roku from the hug.
"Very tough, but doable. My journey has been amazing, and I don't think I'll ever forget it. I doubt anything I experience after it will be quite so amazing." Roku told his friend happily. Sozin then began to grin ear to ear it seemed.
"Well, my friend, I think I have a surprise that will top all surprises you've ever received." the fire lord said proudly and excitedly, getting a curious expression from the avatar. Ta Min wasn't sure if she would be able to watch much longer.
"And what might that be?" the avatar asked, wondering what his friend had been up to while he was away.
"You remember that girl you had a strong liking for back when we were young boys?" Sozin asked, and Roku nodded in response. Ta Min's jaw dropped when she heard the sentence, and now her mind and heart were racing more than before.
"Well it just so happens that I have engaged you to her. Surprise!" Sozin announced joyfully. Roku starred at him in shock, unable to get any words out. And anything that he tried to say always ended up not being said.
Now that she was fully uncomfortable with the situation she retreated to the back of the castle and went in through the backdoor. As she came to the staircase she was just about to head up to her room for the week to get some rest, but all of a sudden she heard her name called by the fire lord.
"Ta Min! Is that you on the staircase I see?" Sozin asked as he came into the castle with Roku. Ta Min froze and wasn't sure what to do or how to answer. If she said no she would be lying to his highness, and if she said yes she would have the awkward pleasure of officially meeting her fiance for the first time.
'The wife of the avatar should not be a liar, nor a coward.' Ta Min told herself inwardly as she swallowed her nervousness and turned around, giving the two men a pleasant smile.
"Yes, my lord. It is." she replied simply, not saying more that what was needed to be said, as she was taught. She walked back down the few steps that she had only started to climb a moment ago. Sozin looked like he was plotting something, as she could tell by the look on his face, and Roku looked a little nervous.
"I would like you to officially meet the avatar, Roku." Sozin said and formally introduced them to each other. Ta Min tried to be as graceful as she could, and hoped that her nervousness was not showing through. After getting through the nice-to-meet-you sentences Sozin said something that clearly alarmed them both.
"I think you two should go out to the garden and talk. You know, get to know one another since in a week you'll be married in holy matrimony and spend the rest of your lives together." he suggested, practically beaming with amusement at the reactions he got.
Ta Min's face began to fill with blush, and Roku looked to be mouthing that that was a terrible idea. But despite the protests of the avatar they were escorted outside and had the door shut behind them. With Sozin grinning and bidding them both good night.
So they began their walk around the garden. Ta Min hated awkward silence so she began going through all the polite questions she could say to make their conversation worth their while. Unfortunately Roku never said much with his answers and she had little to go on. Such as:
"What was it like in the other nations?"
"Different, but very pleasant and enjoyable."
"Did you make many friends on your journey?"
"Yes, a few."
"What were your teachers like?"
"Strong and wise."
"Were they friendly?"
"Yes, sometimes."
This conversation was beginning to frustrate her as his answers remained short and never left much for her to respond to in return. True, this was their first time talking to each other so it was bound to be awkward, but she thought they might've found something interesting to talk about by now. She didn't want to pry if he didn't want to go into detail, so she simply had to drop it and had to think up new questions.
"What food did you most enjoy that you've never seen in the Fire Nation?"
"I don't know... I really enjoyed everything and never could decide on a favorite."
"Were you ever able to relax during the day?"
"Yes, sometimes."
"What did you do when you were relaxing?"
"Well, many different things. It depended on where I was and what my surroundings were."
All the other questions she had stored in her brain were about politics, and she was pretty sure that he didn't know about any political things that had happened recently so that wouldn't last long at all.
"I see..." Ta Min said softly, trailing off and looking around for anything that could give her an idea of what to say next. He had never spoken to her up until tonight so she didn't expect him to say anything to her unless she said something first. But she was wrong.
"So... did you agree to it? Or did your parents agree and you had no say in it?" Roku asked, looking rather troubled over the matter.
"You mean about the engagement?" He nodded. Then she smiled and answered, "Yes, I agreed to it."
"And you're okay with it?" he questioned further, looking over at her this time.
"Of course, it is an amazing honor for me and my family." she replied, though she admitted inwardly that she sounded a bit like she rehearsed that. And she probably had, but who could remember all those boring lessons about how to properly talk about what an honor it was anyway? Certainly not Ta Min.
Meanwhile Roku sighed quietly, and Ta Min noticed he looked slightly upset now, but was obviously trying to not show it.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, finally taking the polite smile off her face. Roku shook his head.
"Are you sure? You look a little down..." she said with concern growing clearer in her voice. She was sure now that her worst fear had come true, and that he was upset over the decision made in his absence.
She was becoming so worried that she hadn't even noticed how personal a question she had just asked, despite being told by her mother constantly that it was impolite to ask personal questions to higher ranking people when you hardly know them. It even surprised Roku when she said it.
"Well it's just that I..." Roku began as he gently scratched his nose out of nervous habit. Ta Min meanwhile tried to mentally prepare herself for whatever he was to say next.
"I don't wish to drag you into this if you don't want to do it..." he explained, looking at her with such caring eyes she was positive she was feeling heat rise to her face.
"Oh no! Of course I want to. It is a great honor and-" she began politely, but was cut off by the avatar.
"That's what I'm trying to say, Ta Min. I know it's a great honor for you and your family, but that doesn't mean you want to. Not really anyway." Roku said with hope that he didn't have to be too blunt about it.
"Oh... so you mean that you... don't want to go through with it if I'm not in love with you?" she asked awkwardly as she cheeks turned bright red.
"Yes, that is what I mean." he answered just as awkwardly. She could see his cheeks turning a little red as well.
Right then and there Ta Min knew she could've said that she understood and left to go tell her parents that because of his reasons they would not go through with it. But something kept her standing there. Maybe it was because he was tall and rather handsome looking in the moonlight, or maybe it was because she was afraid of hurting him by leaving. But she knew it was neither.
It was there in that moment she first realized what a true gentleman he was, and how caring he could be about the smallest things. She was a fire nation woman of noble birth, with almost no say in anything. He was the avatar, protector of the world, and the balance between humans and spirits.
She'd only minutes ago found out that he apparently cared very deeply for her since long ago, but even after knowing he was engaged to her he still asked her about it and told her he wouldn't be willing to go through with it if it wasn't what she wanted.
Ta Min had never heard of any kinder thing a man had done for his love in the fire nation, and she felt that if it was Roku that was to be with her the rest of her life, she would be in good hands indeed.
"I understand." she finally said as she came back to reality where Roku had nervously been waiting her response. And instead of saying good night and excusing herself like he thought she would, she stood there and made a surprising statement.
"I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with such a kind man as you. I do not love you romantically as of right now, but I believe that in time as I get to know you... I will." Ta Min said with the most honest smile she had been able to show in awhile.
Roku seemed very surprised by her words, since most noble women like her weren't so blunt, but he too smiled. He always knew she was different than the other girls back in his younger days, and he was glad that hadn't changed over time.
"Then I look forward to our time together, Ta Min." he said happily as he offered his arm to her. Ta Min nodded and happily took his offered arm, and then they made their way back to the palace.
So these two are adorable and I want to see more of them. I hope I'm not the only one that thinks these two sweethearts are adorable together.
Thank you for reading and I hope it made you smile! :)
Hugs and cake,
~Panda-chiiii