A little note: I'm a total Taang and Zutara fan so if you don't support them BEWARE!
Chapter 1:
The Arrangement
"Fire Lord Zuko." said a guard as he walked into the dinning room interrupting the twenty-one year old fire lord's dinner.
"Yes?"
"You have guests in the war room." replied the guard as he bowed.
"Who is it?" asked Zuko curious of who would want to meet him at this time in the morning.
"They didn't say sir."
"Tell them I'll be there in a minute." replied Zuko as he went back to his breakfast.
I wonder who would need to see me before nine its only seven thought Zuko as he finished his meal and walked down the hall toward the war room where he meet with anyone from the Avatar to one of his many generals. Realization dawned as he came to the two massive doors and opened them to reveal the person he suspected and three he hadn't.
"Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph it's good to see you here." said Zuko as he hugged his friends.
"Well I figured I was due for a visit to the fire nation before me and Toph went home until after Christmas and when I stopped to visit the Kyoshi Islands and told Sokka and Katara that I was going to stop here they said they would like to come visit." replied Aang as they sat down at the table.
"So how's the South Pole?" asked Zuko as he thanked a servant who'd brought some tea and some snacks.
"Good I actually started sort of a water bending and warrior academy." said Katara as she sipped her tea and glanced at her brother.
"That's great I bet I know who the water bending teacher is." Zuko smiled as the water bending master blushed and hid her face behind her cup. "Sokka how's Ty Lee?"
"Good she's just having morning sickness."
"She's pregnant again?" Zuko raised his eyebrows as he said this. Since their twins, Pak and Kanna, were only three, he hadn't expected her to be pregnant yet, not to mention their third child was only two.
"Yeah she thinks its twins again." Sokka smiled as he said this, since his wife was so sure.
"So how's the peace here in the firenation?" asked Aang as he started eating a firenation dessert.
"Good I'm thinking of building a new academy that would be for girls and boys. It would teach everything from manners to how to use weapons and firebending."
"That would be good to allow even girls to participate." said Sokka as he stopped eating to avoid getting a glare from his sister.
"Yeah that's what I figured too." replied Zuko as he and the others stood up. "Would anyone like to see the construction site?"
"Sure." replied everyone in unison and as everyone else rushed ahead to the construction site Zuko and Katara walked slowly behind talking about their nation's problems.
"Zuko I need to tell you something." whispered Katara as she grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop.
"What is it?" asked Zuko as he looked ahead to make sure that the others weren't noticing them lagging behind.
"I can't tell you here can you meet me near the rose maze after dinner?" asked Katara as she nervously looked back between him and the others.
"Sure but can you tell me what's the matter?"
"No." said Katara as she started walking fast to catch up with the others.
I hope this isn't something big thought Zuko as he followed her and prepared himself for an interesting evening spent with the blue eyed water tribe girl.
Later that evening…..
Katara practically wolfed down her food at dinner in fear of what she had to tell Zuko and as he wiped his mouth at the end of dinner she quietly excused herself and walked to the place where they had agreed on and waited for Zuko to arrive.
"Zuko thanks for agreeing to talk with me in private." said Katara as they started walking until they came to the bench they always sat on when she came to visit.
"No problem butwhat's wrong?" asked Zuko as he reached to take her hands.
"What's wrong? Your nation contacted my tribe and arranged a marriage between me and you without asking us." hollered Katara as she pulled her hands from his and started pacing in front of the bench they had sat down on.
"Why us?" asked Zuko as he walked to the edge of the bridge they were on and looked down at the water.
"That's what I asked them and they said that we were the best candidates for an arranged marriage because we've known each other since the war and that we're from opposite nations." said Katara as she continued to holler his ears off.
"I think we can make it work." said Zuko quietly when she stopped yelling.
"What?" asked Katara as she stopped pacing and leaned next to him to see his face.
"I would thank that because we're friends we could make it work and also because I don't know how you feel, but I have stronger feelings for you." said Zuko with a sigh as he pushed away from the railing and turned to face her.
"You do?" Katara looked at his face and blushed. "I thought you thought of me as a little sister."
"I don't think brothers want to kiss their sisters when they step off the ship looking so cute." Zuko smiled at her shocked face and shocked her even more when he leaned and kissed her on the lips.
"Well while we're admitting our feelings, I have to admit I think I've felt something ever since you helped Sokka save my dad but I didn't know until you became Fire Lord and I saw how you dealt with the people how I felt for sure." Katara smiled as she hugged him. "I'm glad I knew you before you joined us."
"But I was so, well, bad." Zuko pulled back and grabbed her hands.
"And because I knew you were bad, when you really became good I knew. Well I guess Sokka and Aang knew something we didn't." Katara stopped laughing as she thought of something. "Are you nervous?"
"Yeah I'm diffidently nervous. Are you?"
"About being married to you? No, I'm nervous about being the Fire Lady more than anything." Zuko laughed at her and had to duck to avoid being hit over the head.
"If I can be Fire Lord than you'll do fine. Did you know that Mai's father asked me a week ago if I regretted not marrying her and you know what I told him? I told him I regretted breaking her heart but not that." Zuko smiled at the sky and told her that it seemed like opposites were marrying each other a lot here lately.
"Zuko promise me one thing." Katara looked up at the sky and took a breath. "Promise that we'll always visit my family and Aang and stay close with them."
"I promise." said Zuko as they wished on a star that they'd be blessed.