This fic is going to be a series of oneshots. Based on Katara learning how to be Fire Lady for Zuko. Aw, Zutara. Such a sexy pairing. Anyways, here's the prologue thingy. You're welcome.
"If it's not real, and you can't hold it in your hand,
Can't feel it with your heart, then I won't believe it.
But if it's true, you can see it with your eyes,
Or even in the dark,
Then that's where I want to be."
-Brick By Boring Brick by Paramore
Katara had never seen the inside of the Fire Lord's palace before. Nevertheless, she always figured there would be a lot of flames-Fire Nation, duh-and a lot of red. She reckoned that there would be multiple sages and servants bustling about, carrying out orders the Fire Lord gave them. She'd also suspected that there might be concubines, too. She didn't know much about Fire Lords Ozai, Azulon, and Sozin, but all three of them had ruled without their wives beside them. Surely, even the cruelest of rulers needed company?
The thought of old, wrinkly Fire Lords getting it on with young submissive women sent a shiver up Katara's spine. Thankfully, she didn't have to worry about concubines getting in between her and the new Fire Lord.
Katara indeed witnessed the flame-shaped insignia of the Fire Nation everywhere in the royal palace. Indeed, there were red carpets, drapes and floor tiles in just about every room. Lady Li and Lady Lo, her new ladies-in-waiting, had given her a tour of the building, as she would one day rule as the Fire Lady, queen of the Fire Nation.
She remembered being taken to the portrait hall, where paintings of past rulers were hung up on the red walls. Lady Li was giving an awfully boring speech about Fire Nation history when Katara passed by the painting of Fire Lord Ozai.
He looked nightmarish, to say the least. His black hair was strewn out in different directions, his hands were holding orbs of fire, he was giving a piercing stare; overall, he looked nasty. Katara fought the urge to spit in the portrait's direction. His immortalization fit his personality; evil, frightening and nasty. The past Fire Lord had been the source of her own people's discomfort and sorrow for many years.
Ozai led a siege on countless villages scattered across the world, and even took down the grand city of Ba Sing Se. He slaughtered hundreds of thousands of people, and he wasn't exactly a great father, either.
Fire Lord Ozai favored his daughter Azula over his first-born, Zuko. Zuko vied for his father's love his entire life; Ozai barely cared for his existence. In his cruelty, he burned his son's face and banished him without honor. It was only three years later when Katara's best friend, Avatar Aang, was able to confront the Fire Lord and defeat him. Zuko restored his own honor, saving the world alongside the Avatar and his group of vigilantes. Soon after, Ozai's son took the throne as the new Fire Lord.
Katara remembered watching him receive the crown with pride. Her heart threatened to burst with joy at the sight of his standing tall, waving to his countrymen and promising to help unify the four nations. She and Zuko had grown quite close, and very soon, Zuko made her a betrothal necklace; as Northern Water Tribe tradition required.
Then, slowly, things began to change. Katara was not just a Water Tribe member, not just the Chief's daughter, not only a water bending and healing master; she was Fire Lord Zuko's wife to be. As such, she was assigned Lady Li and Lady Lo as her maids; they followed her everywhere and gave her instructions on how to act like a proper Fire Lady.
She didn't want to tell Zuko how much she lamented being trained in the traditional ways of the Fire Nation. Of course, she wanted to be his Fire Lady, just not the Fire Nation's archetype of their new queen.
She had new ideas. She wanted to integrate untold history into the school systems, she wanted to hold ceremonies for the people of other nations, and she wanted to add new color in the palace. She thought that red-on maroon-on black looked boring. Where was the blue, the white, the green and orange?
Apparently, it was not the Fire Lady's place to say such things. Katara sighed with disdain after realizing that she was going to be one of those "seen and not heard" queens.
But Zuko must have sensed this because one day he snuck up behind her and kissed her ear, whispering, "You're going to be the greatest, Katara. I'm confident in that."
After that, Katara didn't quite complain as much. After all, she was going to marry Zuko, and take her rightful place beside him, as the new Fire Lady.
Aw x3, can we just all group "AWWW" for Zuko, cause he's so sweet?