Hi! :D I wrote this story because I was studying Medieval times in school, and...well...yeah... Inspiration hit me like a train and I kind of needed to write this XD

Rating: T BECAUSE OF: Occasional swearing, dramatic-ness, lotsa romance, smidgens of violence

NOTE: I use French throughout this story. Not so much that it's unreadable to all my non-French-speaking readers, just sometimes *coughwhenIfeellikeitcough* . And when people cuss. Because that's just hilarious. XD I don't think it'd be anything absolutely crucial to the story, so please don't get all scared xD

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar.

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The throneroom shined in all its glory, throwing brilliant flashes and gleams of light in all directions whenever a stream of light grazed any of the surfaces that were pure gold. Luxury screamed from the royal blue tapestries hanging from the walls to the luscious velvet cushions and carpets. Two figures drenched in brilliant fabrics and riches were seated on two magnificent gold thrones at the edge of the room. A man knelt before the king, seated on the left, quietly sobbing.

Princess Katara arranged her legs so they were underneath her hips, and she combed her hair over her shoulder with her fingers. She lounged in her throne while her father, King Hakoda, spoke sternly with one of the commoners. In these types of pleas from her people, normally Princess Katara sat and waited while her father decided their fate. King Hakoda's speech slowed as the Royal Adviser began whispering to him.

Bored with her life, she played with a bead on her beautiful royal bracelet. King Hakoda, after listening to the adviser for a few more seconds, uncertainly told the poor man to leave the city at once and to never return. Princess Katara perked up in shock and watched the man nod quietly, bowing and leaving the room. Pity struck her heart, wishing that she could tell the man to come back. She inwardly cursed that evil Royal Adviser, Adviser Zhao.

Before she could spiral into a mental tirade about the adviser, her father turned to her.

"Katara?"

"Yes, Father?" Katara replied, looking up from her hands.

"The next person that walks in..." King Hakoda didn't quite finish his sentence. It was as if he was trying to word something correctly. He glanced up to the tapestries hanging from the high castle ceilings.

"Yes," Katara prompted.

"I would appreciate it if you would keep an open mind with whatever they say," he finished, unable to meet her gaze. Katara knew that line. She had heard it over and over; it was the line she had come to dread whenever she was in the court room near the end of the day with her father.

Katara groaned loudly, trying to show as much displeasure as possible. "Not another caller! I don't want to get married yet, Father!" she protested, wishing she could ward off the caller waiting outside with her words. She was clinging desperately to her single days, and she wanted to rule the kingdom ALONE, not underneath some Princey Idiot. If it was a prince from her own country that was kind and good-hearted, then maybe. She wanted someone that cared for her, and was not self-assured and stuck-up. She wanted someone that liked her for who she was, not for what she looked like. Princess Katara wished there was one man on the earth that would marry her for the love they shared, not for her title.

"I'm sorry, daughter, but it's the law!" Hakoda looked at his daughter with utmost sympathy, knowing full well that he didn't have to say anything more as she sighed in annoyance. "Now, you don't wish to marry Prince Haru of the Earth, correct?" King Hakoda clarified. He certainly wanted to honor his daughter's wishes, but there wasn't anything he could do about the law that was set in place. However, he decided to do everything in his power to let his daughter marry whomever she wanted, as long as he was of royal blood. Anything else would anger the people of France.

"I did like him a bit, but his facial hair!" She laughed at the memory of his cute mustache. "He was a fine man, but I definitely wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life with him. He would be a good friend, but nothing more."

"And Prince Jet-"

"Don't even say his name!" Katara gasped. He was a handsome, dashing man at the beginning of their courtship, but there was definitely something wrong with him. As their love progressed, he became obsessed with showing Katara how much he hated society. The day she ended their relationship officially, he had attempted to destroy an entire town to simply impress her. She shook her head at the thought of the poor townspeople screaming as their streets were flooded rapidly.

"Prince Teo?"

"He was quite the entertainer," the Princess mused, recalling his goofy eyegear and his amazing sense of humor. "However, I can't really see him as a husband."

"Okay, so none of the callers have satisfied you, I see. This prince is the final prince that is coming to call; I have called him because he is the last major prince, and he is from the Fire Nation. If you marry him, it would bring peace between our two countries. If he doesn't meet your requirements, I will require that you marry him or the other princes you have seen already. Do you understand?"

The words rang throughout Katara's ears, over and over and over. No more choices, she would have to choose out of four princes, none of which would probably care as deeply for her as she wished. She looked away from the doors, struggling to keep her thoughts under control. Katara just couldn't picture herself with any of the princes she'd seen so far and-

She winced as the doors opened, and in walked a nervous-looking boy in his late teens. His golden eyes glinted under the late-afternoon light streaming in, his wild, untamed black hair swishing about his face. He examined all the walls before resting his eyes on the two thrones before him, his muscular figure rippling under the thin fabric of his scarlet silk shirt. His eyes met Katara's for a split second, and his face twisted up slightly with disgust.

His head snapped over to meet Hakoda's curious eyes. "I'm very sorry, King Hakoda, but I don't believe for a second that this relationship would work."

And with that, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation turned on a heel and left the throneroom in a flurry as Katara's jaw dropped.

Hakoda reached concernedly over to Katara as she made a choking sound.

"Are you alright, my dear?" Katara's face was a mix of emotions, but the front and foremost was definitely furious.

"What the hell was that?" She was obviously trying to keep a tight rein on her language. She gripped the throne until her knuckles began to turn snow-white.

"Katara," Hakoda warned, alerting her that she was starting to snap off some of the jewels encrusted on her throne. "I think it would be wise if you cooled yourself down with a bath and then return to your chambers and get some rest. I'll send dinner up if you wish."

She looked wildly over and met her father's worried gaze, and instantly she looked as if she were going to cry. She nodded twice while gulping, then bolted down the hall and hurried up the spiraling stone staircase to her room.

King Hakoda couldn't help but feel sorry for her; he would definitely like to do something about the disgrace she felt, but technically he couldn't take the Fire Nation to war because Zuko hadn't shown any major disrespect.

As Katara burst into her room, she kicked her door closed and collapsed onto the bed. Her stomach was twisted into knots upon knots, and she knew she should probably go bathe and calm herself down.

Not in all of her almost-sixteen years had Katara been so insulted. Sure, she had been rejected before, but this blatant rejection had done nothing less than slap her across the face. She was expecting...

Expecting...

What was she expecting? A handsome young man to walk through the door and sweep her off her feet? No. She was expecting him to at least look at her for more than five seconds before rejecting her. As she fisted her fingers into her blankets, she pulled herself up so she could rest her head comfortably. She then shut her eyes and willed herself to sleep, but no sleep would come. The thought of Prince Zuko kept on floating around her head, persistent and refusing to leave her distraught thoughts.

All of a sudden, she let out an annoyed sigh and sat up straight on her bed. Sliding off her bed, she began searching around her room. Grasping the velvety-soft fabric with trembling fingers, she lifted a good-sized drawstring bag out of the rags on the floor. Shaking at the thought of what she was going to do next, she stuffed a tunic, a pair of her father's pants, a dress and some jewelry, and a dagger.

"Au revior, Father! My pride is broken as are my feelings... I will return, but I must depart," she whispered, climbing out her window.

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::EDIT:: Okay, okay, I know I re-wrote basically all of this chapter. I needed to because I was wincing uncontrollably as I re-read most of this story... *shifts uncomfortably* So, anyways, I will be re-doing most of the beginning of the story as well as adding new chapters, mmkay? Don't worry, I won't change any important story points (maybe a few names, but that's it) and I'm mainly just adding details. I hope that in the end, the story turns out to be a piece of writing that all of you will be able to enjoy. :)

~Momo