A/N: I love the series of Avatar: the Last Air bender and I've written plenty of stories before, but never of Avatar, so I've decided to give this a try. I hope you'll enjoy my story, but I must warn you of one thing. I like to write my stories as such like novels; I'm very serious about my work. I'm a Zutara fan, but I like my stories to have plots, action, and romance all mixed together. Not every chapter of my stories will have romance; please don't be discouraged, it'll get better as it goes along. I hope that you'll continue to read my story just because it doesn't have as much romance as you'd usually like. Also, in particular story I'm writing, all the character's personalities are different. The ending isn't going to be the greatest, and you'll probably hate me for it. In my story Sokka and Katara are prince and princess of the Northern Water Tribe. The avatar has not been found yet, and Zuko has been banished from the fire nation, but for a different reason, that's all I'm going to say. However, please continuing reading anyway. Thanks for taking time to read this, and once again, please enjoy my story.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar: The last Air Bender. This is the one time I'm going to say it. However this plot line was my original idea, but Avatar isn't mine to own and neither are the characters, however a few of them are mine of my own creation. Thank you.

Chapter 1

Katara smiled at the blue pond, closing her eyes. This was her tranquility, her special place. She could hear the reoccurring sounds of the two fishes encircling each other inside the pond, splashing about. She opened her eyes and stood up, her feelings now calm; it was time to resume her duties.

Using her hand she removed the glass of ice from the wall, and crawled, quickly replacing it. As she was turned around, she bumped straight into a figure. She gasped, fear striking every nerve inside or her, a million excuses flowing inside her head. She glanced up and let out a sigh of relief, it was Sokka.

"You should be more careful!" he scolded, shaking his head. "You never know who's watching you!"

"I know, and I am careful!" Katara insisted as she began to walk towards the palace front doors.

"Yet, you didn't even see me there."

"That's different, you snuck up on me."

"You never know if someone else will sneak up on you either!" Sokka mumbled, throwing his hands up in the air.

Katara rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but laugh as she opened the palace gates. Even though Sokka was overprotective, he was funny too. "So why were you here anyway?"

Sokka smiled broadly as he answered her question, "Haan's here."

"Really?" Katara perked up. Haan, Sokka, and Katara had grown up together ever since they were children as the best of friends. Haan would visit daily from the earth kingdom and would stay weeks at a time before going back. However, Haan decided to enlist into the army to help fight against the war a year ago, and he hadn't been seen since.

Sokka nodded, and together they rushed down the long hallway into the back yard where Haan sat at a picnic table. When he heard the back door open he glanced up and smiled broadly at the two figures before him, his two best friends. Katara smiled broadly and made her way towards him, running into his outstretched arms.

"Haan!" she exclaimed pulling back. "It's so good to see you again!"

"Likewise," he smiled down at her as Sokka approached and gave him a quick hug too.

"So what are you doing here?" Sokka asked.

"Well, I've been fighting in the war for over a year, and they've given me a week off before returning to the front lines."

"The front lines?" Katara gasped. "That'll be dangerous."

Haan shrugged and nodded his head, "Yes, it is, but I'm willing to die for my nation."

Katara smiled at him as he held out his arm to both of his friends and together they sat down at the table and began to eat there lunch.

A man with a strong build, pale skin, dark brown hair, golden eyes, and a red scar across his left eye ran through the forest, his gates strong. His breathing was steady and strong and he continued to run even farther, the branches of nearby trees slapping against his face, his footsteps light.

As he neared another tree, he lightly jumped onto the nearest branch and hoisted himself up silently. Getting himself higher on the tree he glanced down at the ground. Fire nation troops were up ahead, walking down a dirt road. Behind them trailed horses pulling massive metal boxes. Zuko's eyes narrowed slightly seeing them, hatred burning through everything inside of him. Placing his hand lightly over his lips, he breathed through it slightly twisting his fingers. A beautiful whistle resembling a bird's escaped his lips. The fire benders paid the calling no heed, thinking it simply a bird's whistle. After a moment two bird whistles responded to his. He smiled to himself, and watched as some fire benders walked beneath his tree. He silently counted in his head, "Three…two… one!" He jumped down from the tree and landed on a nearby fire bender. Two figures landed near him, knocking out other fire benders.

The fire nation troops noticed them and quickly began to charge, forming fire in there hands. Zuko smirked and formed fire in his own hands inside clenched fists. As they got ready to throw it upon him, he surged his arms forward, sending out flames that gripped towards them like outstretched arms. The flames reached the soldiers, burning them; they screamed as there flesh burned away.

Zuko glanced over his shoulder and noticed a girl with ear length dark brown hair in a Keioshi warrior's uniform flip a soldier over her shoulder. "Sukki, behind you!"

The girl whipped around, and saw a man running towards her, a flame growing in the palm of his hand. She quickly pulled out two fans out of her kimono and spread them open. Moving in a circular motion she spread out her arms. Wind began to pick up around her, and she stopped spinning and threw the gust of wind before her at the man. He flew back and rammed against a tree, knocked unconscious. Sukki glanced at him and nodded her head. Zukko quickly glanced around and motioned towards a girl standing in front of a tree, two fire nation soldiers cemented with mud against it.

"Toph!" Zuko shouted. "Quickly, we need to help the prisoners."

The girl nodded her head and left the two soldiers, and made her way to the metal cases. Feeling them with her fingers, she concentrated. She placed her palms firmly against the metal and suddenly without warning ripped it apart. Zuko followed up behind her along with Sukki and looked inside the case. Inside were many earth bending soldiers, there heads held high with hope.

"Quick, get out," Zuko motioned to them and helped them out.

The three friends helped all the benders get out of the box before one soldier turned around and bowed slightly. "Thank you for saving us. I am General Danta. If there is anyway we can repay you, do tell us."

Zuko spoke up quickly. "Why were you captured?"

Dante lowered his eyes slightly. "We have a message for the Northern Water Tribe. We were on our way there before we got captured from some fire bending scouts. Unfortunately, we were supposed to have the message delivered by tomorrow morning. We've been inside that cage for two days now, but I need to get them the message."

Zuko nodded his head as he listened. "I can deliver the message. I know many shortcuts and routes that my crew and I can take."

Dante nodded his head and handed him a scroll of paper. Zuko nodded before nodding to Toph and Sukki that it was time to go. He nodded bye to the earth soldiers and waved for the two to follow him a little ways into the woods. Putting a fair amount of distance between them and the benders, the two girls huddled around him.

"What does it say?" Toph asked excitedly.

Zuko ignored her, and pulled off the thread of the parchment. Opening the scroll gingerly, he began to read silently at first. The corners of his mouth turned down before he began to read aloud:

Saang Baow, chief of the Northern Water Tribe,

I have very sad news to inform you about.

The fire nation has created a surprise attack on your village in the North Pole,

I'm afraid to say that they've rallied there troops up high this time.

I strongly suggest you take the citizens somewhere else;

perhaps to your sister tribe in the South Pole.

The attack is due very soon, perhaps in a week.

Please consider this warning.

Signed,

Kashew Fang, chief of the Western Earth Tribe.

The three friends looked at each other before Zuko finally spoke up, "We should get going."

Zatara scrunched up her nose, looking at the game pieces in front of her, she was losing… badly.

"What the matter, Katara?" Haan teased. "Am I too much for you to handle?"

Katara shot him a death glare before looking back down at the board. Gingerly, she pushed the blue marble onto a black spot, and slowly took her hand away. A wicked smile appeared onto Haan's lips and quickly he threw his white marble over her two blue marbles, and collected them.

"You lose," he said simply with a smile.

Katara groaned, "Not again!" She shook her head, and got up, letting Sokka take her place. As they began to start the game again, a nearby gong came from the other end of the palace. She sighed with relief and motioned for the other's to follow, "Come on, time for dinner!"

The two boys followed her towards the other end of the palace and pushed open the heavy wooden doors at the end. They were greeted with the scent of steaming plates of food, servants milling around and the royal family sitting down at the table. Katara and Sokka took there places next to each other on the left hand side of there father, the chief of the northern water tribe. Haan sat beside Katara, and each was placed food in front of them. Hungrily they all began to dig into there food but with manners. The room was filled with the sounds of munching for a few moments.

Eventually, after everyone began to slow down, Saang glanced over at Haan. Haan saw the look and nodded his head. Haan looked over at Katara and smiled. "Katara," he began, taking her hand in his. She looked up surprised, and placed her fork down. "We have been friends ever since we could remember, and I've loved her since the day I've met you. However, I never realized so much as to now, when I realize that I'm going off to war, and I might never come back. I want to spend the rest of my short time with you … as my wife." The whole room became silent as Haan got up and kneeled to one knee, pulling a wooden box out of his pocket. He opened it to reveal a large blue pearl engraved with her initials, hanging from a blue ribbon, much similar to the one around Katara's neck now from her grandmother. "Katara, will you marry me?"

Katara stared at the box before her and looked into Haan's eyes before she fainted and fell to the ground.

Zuko, Toph, and Sukki made there way through the forest until they came to a nearby tree that was all too familiar. Pressing his hand to his mouth, he made a different type of bird whistle, much sweeter and softer. Suddenly, three ropes were tossed down to them. Each grabbed one, and was soon lifted high into the air. Sukki glanced up and saw the wooden flooring coming closer. Finally the flooring was close enough for them to jump off and land onto a wooden floor. Zuko promptly headed for a pair of stairs that were built against the side of the tree. Racing up them, he stepped upon the second flooring, and raced down to a room at the end. Reaching the doorway, he took a deep breath before knocking.

"Come," a voice called.

Zuko pushed open the door and looked at the man sitting on the ground before him. His hair was a long tangled mop with dark brown eyes and a strong build. When the man saw him, he smiled. "Zuko!"

"Jet," a smile formed across his lips.

Jet got up from the floor and patted his back, "Come," he began, "we're having a feast. You and your friends should join us."

Zuko shook his head and turned away. "I can't, I actually came to ask you a favor."

Jet studied him for a moment before nodding his head, "Okay what?"

"I'm heading for the Northern Water Tribe to deliver a message from the earth kingdom. I have to get it there by tomorrow morning; I was hoping we could have a few small bags of food for our trip."

Jet nodded his head, and snapped his fingers. A maid quickly came into the small room. "Get me three small bags of food." The woman nodded her head and quickly left.

"I can't thank you enough my friend," Zuko smiled warmly.

"It's the least I can do," Jet smiled back as the woman returned with three small bags. She handed them to Jet who in turn handed them to Zuko. He took them and bowed slightly before quickly leaving the room, and ran down the stairs to be met by Toph and Sukki.

"Let's go," Zukko nodded his head.

Now, I know you're probably thinking I'm like the worst writer in the world, but I promise it will get better, and remember this is a Zutara fanfic, so don't worry too much. Lol depending on how many reviews I get depends on how quickly I'll update this, so REVIEW!!!! Lol Thanks for reading, and tell me if you like it or not