Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or the characters.

A/N: As of 8/26/18 I have rewritten chapter one. Also came across several mistakes and run-on sentences that should have been fixed as well. There is also more "content" to chapter one than there was before. Chapter one has also been reformed into a chapter as if you were reading it from a book. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Rating: Mature, lemon/adult situations.

Promoting Peace

Chapter One

The war had been going on for hundred years, three nations have been rebellioning against the one nation that had started the war. The Fire Nation has been trying to control the war since the Avatar's disappearance hundred years ago. We find Katara and Sokka in their homeland, this is where her story begins.

"Katara?" She heard her father call to her. She was practicing her waterbending techniques that she had learned while in the Northern Water Tribe. She was grateful to have had someone to be her teacher, as she had been self taught for so long. Shifting, swirling the water through the air, she moved it a pouch at her side, bringing in, then topping it off with a cork. She turned her attention her father, to find her brother was also with him. He seemed almost uncomfortable to be there. Immediately she felt as if something was out of place in her world. She remained rooted to her spot as her father came to stand directly in front of her. He started by placing his palms against her shoulders and bringing her into a tight hug, she felt as uneasy as her brother looked. She forced herself to look up at him, and he placed a gentle kiss atop her head before she wiggled her out of his grasp.

"Father? What's wrong? Why do you both look so pale?" She couldn't keep the worry from her voice as they both tensed, though her father spoke and she gave him her full attention.

"Katara, you know I love you and I wouldn't ask you of this if there was another way." Her father spoke. She stood stock still, attention high alert. "You remember that envoy we received from the Fire Nation two weeks ago?" She nodded her head carefully, a pit forming in her stomach. "It seems that the Fire Nation's prince, as I know you're familiar with, he's coming to be coming of age in a few months..." He paused, he could see the wheels clicking, "...and his father has demanded a trade of sorts for peace."

She definitely did not like where this was headed. The pit had gotten heavier and she felt like she was going throw up at any given moment, she croaked out "what sort of trade?" She felt ill at any possible negotiations that could come from that demon.

"That's the thing, Katara. He requests that you marry his son; Prince Zuko." She saw her fathers expression falter on that sentence, she also saw him regain his composure just as she lost hers.

Katara's expression turned into a scowl, her anger flaring up. "There is no way I would marry that pompous jerk!" Her voice causing the water to shift around them, the waves quivering around them as they stood on that chunk of ice with her, that could break off at anytime leaving them to suffer with her rage. Sokka stepped back, he knew her temper well enough to know that could happen when she wasn't in control of her bending. He knew that their father knew that they had encountered Zuko during their journey with the Avatar and Toph, the Gaang as he liked to call it. Amidst their travels, himself and his sister had returned the Southern Water Tribe, thus temporarily saying goodbye to their friends. The Avatar had gone to visit an Airbender they had discovered in one of the Earth Kingdom towns, who was going to help him develop his skills to beat Firelord Ozai. Toph had ventured back home to confront her parents, to announce her independence and tell them off, as she had phrased it.

Sokka shivered as wisps of water began to dance around them.

Though, that didn't stop their father from saying what he had to. "I understand your anger, daughter, however this is for the sake of our tribe, your home. Whether you dislike him or not, it is in your best interest to reconcile with Firelord Ozai's son. Who knows, maybe you'll even fall in love?" His voice stern, as his leader qualities emerged.

"No! He is a childish idiot! I will not marry that hot headed, arrogant, annoying brat!" Her voice raising an octave as her anger began to bubble over, the water around them became more volatile just like her emotions. Hakoda glanced toward Sokka to see him inching away. He stepped back toward his son, grabbing him by the arm and pushing him to the front lines to aid his battle.

"Hey there, Katara." Sokka started out, uneasy about this entire situation, even more so for his father's betrayal to face her wrath. "I know this is a shitty situation, a shituation, if you know what I mean." He smiled at his pun, she did not, "okay, not funny." He held up his hands in defense as her scowl deepend.

"Look if this were to not happen, then the envoy that was sent here probably has orders to destroy our home. You don't want that, I don't want that, our family wouldn't want that. Please reconsider, if not for you, for the rest of us who can't rely on bending to save our people from extinction." Sokka seemed both proud and saddened by what he said. She could see it in his face, she saw the deep worry lines etched in both his and their father's face, as if they had been talking about this for days and this was the only situation they could come up with that ended positively.

She felt herself waver for just a moment, until an image of Zuko popped into her head, that caused her anger resurface instantaneously. "Oh! Sure! Let me just go right on up there and sacrifice myself to be that jerk-face's wife, when that probably wouldn't stop the Fire Nation from attacking while you're defenseless. Yeah, because that sounds like a great plan." She emphasised her sarcasm as she spoke.

Her father and brother stood before her as she began to tremble, instead of exploding, she dropped to the ice and began to cry. She didn't want to be his bride, anything but that. She would rather fight Firelord Ozai than marry his son. The two stood there for a moment, shocked that they weren't being attacked by her waterbending. Sokka took this as the perfect opportunity to flee before she could regain any semblance of control. Their father, Hakoda approached her calmly, dropping to his knees to calm the weeping girl before him. He felt tremendously bad for even asking her to do this for them, for her people. He brought her into another tight hug, whispering to her, "you're a strong young woman, just like your mother was. You know the path you must take. I just hope it is the right one."

"You welcome me back to my homeland only to tell me this? Is this some sort of joke?" Zuko voice told his peers that he was furious, the candles around them burned brighter and higher with his new found rage. His attention turned to his younger sister as she spoke, his brow narrowing, he knew she had to be behind this. She would do anything to get back at him for nearly betraying her back in Ba Sing Se. He had been back in the Fire Nation for a week before his father finally summoned him.

"Oh Zuzu, do you not like father's generosity?" Azula snickered from her position next to their father, where he longed to be. A wicked grin splayed across her features as she sat there watching him as confusion sets into his features. He did wonder what she meant by that. "Why! You don't know do you, Zuzu?" Her voice haughty.

"Why don't you enlighten me?" He seethed out. His focus on her till his father's voice rung throughout the throne chamber. His golden eyes jumped to his father's, for a moment he felt fear course through his veins with the sort expression his father wore.

"Your honor, your home, you family, you could have it all back with this simple deal. Or would you dishonour our name further by rejecting your one and only chance at redemption?" Zuko felt himself involuntarily shiver, though he kept his composure even under the gaze of his father.

"Of all people, why does it have to be her?" He emphasised 'her' with distaste.

Azula grinned smugly from her perch. "Father could cast you aside again, instead. Would you prefer that?"

Zuko's gaze dropped to the floor. He knew that this was definitely some kind of trap to lure out the Avatar from wherever he was hiding. He knew that he and his friends had parted ways a month or so ago. His mind racing for an answer. Before he could come with one, his father spoke again, his voice less pleasant than before, and it shook him to his core.

"Is that a no?" Firelord Ozai inquired, a brow raising. He could see that his father was losing his patience with him, which this was more than what he could have hoped for. He would be home, where he's always wanted to be for past couple of years. He could regain the honor he lost, though his scar would remind him always of his past. He brought his gaze back to the floor in thought, he could say no, but he knew that would anger his father to no end and wouldn't end well for him. If he said yes, he would be bound to that water peasant that he hated almost as much as he hated the Avatar. He heard Azula snicker, whispering something to their father. Coming to a conclusion, Zuko raised his head, looking directly into Firelord Ozai's eyes.

"I will accept on the condition that you allow me back into your council and that I live in the main house." He did not waver in his words, he knew that making these demands wouldn't go his way. His father agreed to the terms, and he was left bewildered. A presence came to stand next to him, and he looked dumbly over at him, before standing straight.

"Ah, Admiral Zhao, perfect timing." Firelord Ozai spoke, voice even. "You may leave, 'son'." The way his father that made him both happy and feeling like was being deceived.

Prince Zuko hesitated before turning around, heading toward the end of the throne room, and out the large doors fixated to the wall there. His mind racing, trying to figure out what they were planning, or at least what Azula was planning.

Once Zuko was no longer in the room, Azula's malicious smirk took its place on her features, "he's walking right into our trap, father."

Kanna had been going about her duties in her hut when she heard a noise come from outside of it. She finished her task before stepping out to see what the cause was. A beautiful black hawk had perched itself on one of the courier poles bearing the Fire Nation emblem strapped to its chest with a leather parchment holder, a messenger hawk it was. Kanna took the parchment out and read it, her heart thumped against her chest in unease. She gave the bird some feed and water for it's journey and then headed to where her son-in-law Hakoda was.

It had taken her some time to locate him, and when she did he was lazing about the icy ground with his song, snoozing amidst the growing grass and warmth of the summer sun. Summers in the south weren't hot, but they were definitely welcomed as it was cold all other times of the year. Kanna came to loom over them until they stirred, from the corner of her eye she could see her granddaughter, whom the letter concerned keeping up with her forms. She had been training non-stop since the envoy arrived four weeks ago, it only intensified two weeks ago, after Katara's father had spoken to her. Kanna was so proud of her, yet so disappointed in the two who lay there without a care in the world. Kanna then used her own waterbending to drop water on the pair.

With a shock, the two jumped to their feet looking for whoever disturbed them, like two peas in a pod. Kanna with a return of her movements returned the water back into her own satchel, bringing their attention to her and the parchment in a hand. "They have sent word of Prince Zuko accepting the arrangement. There is also another envoy on its way as of a week ago. It will be here in three more weeks." Kanna told them, Katara was within earshot now, she had started toward them when she saw her grandmother drop water onto her unsuspecting victims. Kanna turned her attention toward the young woman, "it's not too late Katara, you could always make a break for it before it arrives."

Katara, though she was furious at what was happening knew that she had to take responsibility whether it was her duty or not. Though, she wouldn't admit defeat just yet, she was stubborn afterall. Katara requested to read the scroll for herself, felt disgusted reading it, handing back to her grandmother before turning away to head back to the village.

Kanna watched her go, she saw her shoulders tense, and knew that this was heavy burden to bear. "It'll be okay." She heard her son-in-law say, "my daughter is strong in so many ways, just like my dear Kya."

Katara had returned to her own hut that she shared with her family, weighing the pros and cons of this fraudulent marriage. She knew that it was a trap and was shocked that Zuko of all people would accept this. The more she thought about it, the more she realized it was likely he was being blackmailed into. She knew he would never accept her for who she was, not because she was a waterbender or his mortal enemy, but because one of her best friends was his and his fathers nemesis, the Avatar.

Grunting, she crawled across her furred floor grabbing some parchment rolls from her bag, a quill and ink. She began to write her response, pausing half way through in thought. She she be pleasant or spiteful in her response, she was wondering. Going with the latter she finished writing, rolling it up and placing a ribbon around it. She wouldn't send it out yet, she'd wait till the morning.

Kanna entered the hut an hour later after finishing the rest of her personal tasks and after reprimanding her son-in-law and her grandson for slacking off in their own duties. Kanna saw the scroll, and her sleeping granddaughter lying next to it. Kanna bent down, unwinding the scroll to read it. A thoughtful smile crossed her lips as she looked up to the shifting young girl, then back down to the paper in hand. She finished reading it and decided to send the letter herself instead.