Rakia wrung her hands together, steeling herself for the afternoon to come. The deep blue waves of the vast sea lapped at the side of the boat where the young woman stood, gazing off toward the great mountainous continent that lay out before her ship. She sighed as she listened to the song of the sea. At the rear of the ship, another song carried across the waves. Rakia listened close, as she heard the mournful notes and tried to savor them, sung in a language long forgotten to this land the ship plummeted ever faster toward. The Fire Nation tended to trample things underfoot, and one of those things was language.
Zertako eraitzen duzu adios sekulako?
Uste duzia eztudala amodio zuretako?
Zuk nahi balin banaizu,
Enukezu bestentako.
This may be the last time she would hear the language of her people, she realized, as the ship was brought into port. Her father, Cheif Lu'Kaa, climbed up the stairs from beneath the deck, the gigantic man snapping to his men to look alive and, "You, put an end to your nonsense, were in the Fire Nation, you speak their language or you don't speak!"
Lost in her reverie, she ignored the gangway that opened to let her and her father off the ship, went through the motions when the guide came to retrieve them, forgot the trip from the bay to the city, and she hardly noticed the ostrich horse skidding to a halt before a massive gold stucco wall hiding layers of hard stone. Rakia dismounted, and walked with the guide and guards assigned to her and her family, ignoring pretty much everything the guide was saying on their way to the Royal Plaza. Rakia was sure she'd have to learn all this at some point if things went well today, but now was not the time.
She was too busy thinking about him. What was he like? Was he kind? Violent? Good-looking? Ugly, like a demon? Rakia sighed, whatever he was. she would try to deal with it. There was a certain amount of sacrifice tied to these things.
After taking a roundabout way, around the slums and unsafe parts of the city they arrived at a massive-looking palace, deep red and tallertl than any building she'd seen that wasnt a lighthouse. The interior was no less intricate. In fact, the intricacy and detail of the inside far surpassed that of the outside facade. Great Marble pillars gave way to granite floors, a long corridor leading to a large, thick, velvet curtain, and behind it the sound of a roaring, crackling fire. They stopped before the threshold, and her father turned to her.
"My daughter," he smoothed some hair away from Rakia's face. "Are you ready?"
"Yes father." she nodded after a few deep breaths.
"I will love you no matter what happens within that room. You know that?" Lu'kaa took his daughters face in his hands gently. She nodded and smiled softly. No sooner than when his lips touched her forehead did Lu'kaa turn to the guide and declare, "We're ready."
The court attendant rushed into the throne room to announce their arrival. They parted the thick, velvety curtains after the guide and the guards filtered in after them. Rakia wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it wasn't this. The Throne Room was incredibly dark, lit only by the Fire Lord's own flames, so tall she could only make out his outline. The room was vast and seemed so very empty. Beside her, Lu'kaa prostrated himself before the throne, and Rakia followed his lead.
"Fire Lord Ozai, thank you very much for inviting us to your home. It was so very gracious of you to open the palace to us for this occasion, your majesty." her father said as he stood and helped his daughter off the floor.
"Ah. Welcome." The Firelord greeted from behind his roaring flames. The figured cloaked in said flames stood, moving aound to the outside of them to walk around. She could already feel this man eyeing her like a prize. "Do stand a little taller, Chief, grovelling does not become you. And after all, with a little luck and no small amount of tact, it will soon be I who owes you thanks." His voice had a gravelly note to it, but it wasn't unpleasant to listen to. He sauntered over to her father and they exchanged a firm handshake. It was cordial, but even when the two men were surrounded by fire, the exchange held no warmth behind it. "I trust you found your way well." The Fire Lord drawled.
"Oh, yes your majesty, very well. The weather was fair and our sails held true." Cheif Lu'kaa explained cheerfully as Rakia sized up Fire Lord Ozai, smartly keeping her gaze turned down to avoid making eye contact without permission.
Fire Lord Ozai was tall, she could tell, but not impossibly so, and definitley not taller than her father, very few were. His light skin practically glowed in the darkness of the throne room, and though she would not yet look upon his face, she caught a glimpse of long, pin-straight, raven black hair.
"Allow me to introduce you to my daughter, your majesty. This is Rakia." Lu'kaa watched as Ozai strode forth to stand before her.
"Rakia." he repeated and the name was foreign on his tongue.
Rakie bowed at the man. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, your majesty." As she came up from her curtsy the Fire Lord caught her hand without warning. She could have lept out of her skin with shock. He paid her nerves no mind as he lifted her hand to his lips and bowed low right back.
"Likewise." He breathed onto her knuckles, pressing his lips to her skin.
She shuddered at the senation. She was suprised at him. He was so big and important, and yet his hand felt like any other mans hand. It was large and warm, and suprisingly rough for royalty. He lifted his eyes to catch hers and in a momenf of panic she averted her gaze once more. He straightened, hand still holding hers firmly.
"Let me look at you." He demanded, and she obeyed. Finally raising her eyes to his, she caught his molten gold eyes. The Fire Lord, though she'd been told of his age beforehand, seemed a younger man. His features were sharp and he was very handsome. She smiled softly and he remained unchanged. After a pause he announced to the room, "A moment of privacy, please." dismissing his company and her father.
After she bid quick adieu to her father, the throne room was left empty, save for two lonely figures and one guard for each.
"Come," he began to walk away and beckoned for her to follow. "Let us walk, it's a lovely day."
She began to follow him, walking at his side and slightly behind him, struggling to keep up with his longer stride. He turned a few corners in that vast expanse of corridors until they came to a screened in door that led to a large courtyard. The guards on either side opened the doors wide for them, letting in the blinding sunlight. She observed his perfect posture and broad shoulders as he turned and offered his arm to her.
"Shall we?" he inquired. For half a second she hesitated, unsure of the propriety of the closeness he offered, of touching the Fire Lord in such an intimate manner. The Fire Nation had a much different culture than her home. But, obviously, he didn't seem to mind and that is what mattered. She smiled coyly and linked elbows with the arm he gave, bending her arm up toward his shoulder and bringing the other hand up to rest on his arm as well. He set a slow walking pace, leading her around the courtyard. It was summer, and a warm wind blew through the leaves of a large tree in the center which loomed over a small pond, turtle ducks quacking happily in the cool, shaded water. In the corner, a cherry tree bloomed white-pink.
"It is a bit late in the season for blossoms, is it not?" She commented.
Ozai hummed. "That tree has always bloomed late, for as long as I can remember."
"It looks old." Rakia said as they turned the outside corner of the courtyard, further approaching the tree.
Ozais grip tightened, she could feel through the fine clothes he wore that stood between their skin that his body had tightened. He felt tense to her, but his voice was not. "I'm going to take that as a compliment on the lifespan of the tree and not an insult to me." The Fire Lord chuckled. "That tree has bloomed late for 150 years."
Rakia swallowed her nerves. "It was, in fact, a compliment on the tree, if that counts for anything." She mused. This close, he seemed like any other man. A hard read he may have been, but he seemed to relax, he didn't smile, but he seemed placated by Rakia's words.
"Did you find any trouble on your journey?" The Fire Lord asked as they turned again.
"Not much, your majesty. There was quite the storm on our second day, the men at the helm nearly capsized the boat. But the weather was fair every day after that." Rakia explained and allowed herself to be led from the sidewalk surrounding the courtyard to the middle, off the path, and past the small pond.
Ozai looked down on the woman by his side. Thankfully, she didn't trip over herself trying to flatter him, neither did she seem to cower in fear before him. It was a trait severly lacking in other suitors until now, it was one of the reasons he hadn't remarried sooner. A woman should be cool, collected, and own something of value to him. Thankfully for the royalty, thus far she seemed to have all three. She was very pretty, and, as long as he pushed the thought that she was closer in age to his children than himself out of mind, he thought he could get used to looking at her. This was a political marraige after all, her age didn't matter as much as her property.
Rakia knew he was looking her over. Though, she wasnt sure why. She tried relentlessly not to melt under his scrutiny. Those gold eyes could see through steel, she was sure. "You are staring, your majesty." she glimpsed impishly up at him.
Ozai snapped out of it and smirked. "You know, Rakia, it's just us here. The guards can't hear it if you forget to to call me 'your majesty'. Even then, who are they going to tell? Me?"
For the first time since meeting she laughed a real laugh. "What may I call you then? Your illustriousness?"
"I believe the informal way to greet a Fire Lord is 'Your kingly excellency' but illustriousness is acceptable to me." She laughed once again, finding herself beneath the cherry tree with him. The tension from before seemed to dissipate marginally, and each party breathed a little easier. "Or you could call me Ozai." he told her, reaching up to grab a blossom from the tree. "Or you could call me your husband." he offered up the flower to her.
It was a smooth kove, Ozai had to admit, and he couldnt help but feel a bit proud of himself for still having it after so long. His inflated ego was shattered, however, the moment Rakia smiled softly and accepted the blossom from his palm. "You are laying it on very thick... Ozai."
Ozai sighed. He was not gojng to let this girl play games with him. "Do you actually want to marry me, Rakia?"
"I'm open to the idea, why do you doubt?" she asked, turning the flower over in her hand, inspecting its beauty, and avoiding Ozai's gaze.
"You would not believe how many fathers come here with their daughters in tow against their will just so they can find an in with the royal family." He explained, gazing up reflectively at the tree.
"I can imagine." Rakia eyed him as she lifted the flower to her nose, inhaling its sweet scent, her pupils like the blackest cup of tea.
"I happen to know, however, that you and your father are here because youre in a bind. Because you need me. So, not that I really think it matters, because I think youd agree to marry me anyway, but it's in my best interest to keep you happy." His hand snaked to her arm, pulling her a little closer.
Rakia laughed bitterly. "How romantic."
"Forget about the romance." he growled into her ear and her heart fluttered. "It's advantageous for everyone for you to marry me. My military pulls out of your fathers land and I get all the steel I occupied your people for in the first place. Everyone wins, so what do you say?" his grip on her tightened and she shifted. He wasn't hurting her, in fact, he didn't even sound angry, but she understood now where he got his reputation as a ruthless tyrant. He was terrifying.
Rakia swallowed, keeping her composure. "And what about me?" Ozai's grip on her softened and he gave her a quizzical look.
"What about you?" he queried, as if he genuinely hadn't thought about it, and it was likely he hadn't. What was she? A prize for her father to give in exchange for safety. No, she was marrying into power, and if her husband-to-be was to throw his weight about, so would she.
Rakia mustered up the courage to step forward into him, realizing how hard it was to stare down someone a whole head taller than her. "Well, your military pulls out of my father's land like you say it will, I'm sure you're paying him well for the rights to his property, along with a hefty discount added for being his son-in-law and all... you get a pretty young wife and enough steel to raise a bridge right over the ocean in any direction you choose. But, you said everyone wins, so what do I get?"
Ozai smirked, his young prospective wife was rather quick on the uptake. He stooped low, his hand moved around to the small of her back. "You, my dear, get to be my wife, which means you can have whatever you want." He murmured to her, sending a shiver down her spine. He pulled her body flush against his and his other hand took the flower from her hand. He was impossibly close, Rakia could feel everything, his heartbeat, the heat of his body, even his breath on her ear. She felt her cheeks flush, thankful the reaction would be difficult to see on her dark skin. No man had ever held her this way. He finished his speech, "But you must first have me."
It didn't take Rakia long to respond, something about him was mesmerizing. She felt like a mouse, paralyzed by the steady gaze of a snake as she was compelled to answer, "And I would have you be my king and the king of my people."
"Wonderful." he said as he tucked the blossom behind her ear, shoving back thick black waves of hair. He placed a chaste kiss on her cheek and straightened to take another good look at her. "You look lovely, shall we go and tell your father the good news?"
Rakia didnt like something about the way he smiled at her in that moment.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
Thanks for reading all! This is a partner peice to another fic titled Ground, which is going to end up a bit more lighthearted than this one, but regardless of your taste in fic, thanks a bunch for stopping by!