The Hundred Year War had been over for two years. The peace between the nations had been shaky and countless rebellions had broken out. Being Fire Lord of the newly reformed Fire Nation was a very difficult task for Zuko to face. He was constantly meeting with peace-keepers and ambassadors, there was never a shortage of paperwork for him to do, and his council of advisors was driving him up the wall. The only relief he got from all the stress and work was a few stolen moments by the turtle-duck pond in the royal garden with the Southern Water Tribe ambassador, Katara.
They would sit together in silence, just enjoying each other's company. At first, this time had been awkward for them, but they grew used to it and each other. Eventually the distance between them, both physically in the garden and emotionally in their hearts and minds, grew smaller. The time came when they would sit by the pond hand-in-hand, with her head rested on his shoulder, or with his arms around her and their lips locked in a passionate kiss.
The noblewomen of the Fire Nation started talking about a marriage and a grand wedding. Everyone knew it was coming, that is, everyone except the two lovers. Months passed, and as the world seemed to rise into more chaos, the two lovers fell more in love. One night, as they both sat by the turtle-duck pond, destinies intertwined, history was made, and the world balanced itself out.
She sat with her head nestled between his collarbone and his chin. His arms were draped lazily around her. She closed her eyes and breathed in his smoky scent of cinnamon and firewood. She could hear his heartbeat, slow and steady. She felt the warmth radiating off of his skin, slightly warmer when he exhaled and cooler when he inhaled. The pulsing heat made her relax against him.
He felt her cool skin against his own. His senses were flooded in her perfection. She smelled of the ocean and wildflowers. Her heartbeat seemed to match his. Her eyes were as blue as the sky and just as big. He drank her in; loving every second they had spent together. He slowly lifted her face and kissed her gently. She tasted so sweet that he never wanted to stop kissing her. She pulled away from him slowly and smiled her sweet smile.
She mentally traced the outline of the scar that marked his otherwise perfect face. She actually liked the scar; she thought it made him look strong. She reached up and lightly kissed the red skin around his left eye. He closed his eyes as her lips touched his skin. Then opened them again when her lips left.
He looked down at her beautiful face and swallowed the fear that had been building in his throat.
"Katara…," he began.
"Yes?" she asked.
"I love you so much."
"I love you too, Zuko."
"Katara, will you be my Fire Lady?" he asked slowly, the fear returning.
Without hesitation, she answered, "Yes! Of course I will!"
He sighed in relief and kissed her again. He hooked one of his arms under her legs and the other around her back. Without breaking the kiss, he stood up with her in his arms. She pulled away for a moment and looked at him questioningly. He smiled at her and walked away from the garden. He carried her through many corridors and into the heart of the Fire Palace.
"Zuko, where are you taking me?" she asked as she clung to his shirt.
"You'll see when we get there," he replied. They came to a large, engraved door. He turned and pressed his back against the door, and it slowly opened. He turned back around and she gasped in his arms. The room was very large and decorated in Fire Nation finery. In the center of the room was a raised platform with a meticulously carved four-poster bed.
She looked up at him again. "Where are we?" she asked.
"Welcome to the royal suite. This is where the Fire Lord lives, and soon, it will be where you live too," he said as he looked into her deep blue eyes. She smiled at him as he placed her on her feet.
"It's beautiful," she said as she walked around the room. He reached behind his back and pulled the door shut silently. He watched as she stopped by the window and looked up at the full moon. He walked up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. He kissed her shoulder and worked his way up to the side of her neck. She moaned in pleasure and leaned back against him. He wrapped his arms tighter around her waist. He traced the outline of her jaw in kisses. She turned in his arms so she was facing him.
He pulled her closer. She placed her hands on his chest. He leaned down and kissed her. She shifted her head up, deepening the kiss. Her hands traveled from his chest and linked behind his neck. He reached up from her waist and pulled her Water Tribe braid loose. Her hair unraveled and fell in gentle waves down her back. His hands moved from her hair to her hips. She pressed her body against his. They broke apart for a moment to catch their breath.
"Zuko…," she sighed into his chest.
"Yes?"
"Don't ever let me go," she smiled up at him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and raised her feet off the ground. He made his way over to the large bed in the center of the room. He laid her down on its soft surface and, without letting go of her, lay next to her.
"I don't ever plan on it," he said before kissing her again. She pressed her hands against his chest again as he pulled her close to him. His hands traveled down her back, stopping at the bow that held her wrap-around dress in place. His fingers fumbled with the ribbon as he untied it. She gasped against his lips as she felt her dress loosen around her. She gently pulled away. She reached behind her to retie her dress, but his hands stopped her.
"Zuko, what are you doing?" she asked cautiously. He smiled at her mischievously.
"I just think that you look so beautiful in that white waterbending outfit of yours," he said with a gleam in his golden eyes.
"Well I like it when you don't have a shirt on," she said, the same gleam reflecting in her eyes. He released her for a moment and slipped his tunic off over his head. He wrapped his strong arms around her again. His eyes were begging her to grant his wish. She sighed and pulled her arms from the sleeves of her dress. She pulled her dress over her head, revealing white waterbending wraps.
"Happy now?" she asked almost sarcastically.
"Very much so," he said, pulling her body closer to his. Her fingers traced the jagged scar over his heart where his sister, Azula, had shot lightning through him.
"I think that was the day I realized that I cared about you a lot more than I let on. I realized that if something happened to you, I would not be able to survive," he said, remembering the day the war ended. She moved her gaze from his scarred chest to his face. "I was willing to die to save you that day, and I still am."
Tears came to her eyes as she looked deeply into his. "You almost did die," she whispered.
"But I didn't. Because of you."
"I love you, Zuko," she whispered as she buried her face in his chest.
"I love you too, Katara," he said as he rubbed her back. He felt her body shake as she sobbed silently. He held her close and whispered comforting nothingness into her ear. He kissed the top of her head gently and she looked up at him with teary eyes. He smiled one of his rare, radiant smiles. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled back at him. He kissed her forehead and she rested her head against his chest. He quietly hummed a Fire Nation lullaby. She closed her eyes, and soon she was asleep. He looked at her peaceful face and brushed a stray hair behind her ear.
They spent the night in each other's arms in perfect peace. The next day, they announced their engagement to the world. Invitations were sent out, and preparations began. In a month, they would be wed.
They wanted their wedding to be a small one, so they invited only close friends and family. Aang, Sokka, Toph, Suki, Hakoda, Iroh, and a few select others were among the main guests attending the wedding. The planning process took about a week, due to the fact that two cultures had to be pleased in the joining of the two lovers. The whole world seemed to prepare itself for history to be made right before its eyes.
After weeks of preparing and guests being attended to, the day of the wedding arrived. The Fire Palace had been decorated for a traditional Fire Nation wedding, and the guests all wore their respective nation's finery.
"You look just like your mother, strong and beautiful," Hakoda said to his daughter.
"Thank you, Daddy," Katara said with tears in her eyes as she wrapped her father in a hug. She smiled up at him and noticed that he had tears in his eyes. "Dad, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Then why are you crying?"
"I'm just so happy and proud. My little girl is all grown up, and now she is getting married…," he choked out the last words and started crying harder. She stood there for a moment trying to reassure him that his little girl wasn't completely grown up yet.
"I still need you, Daddy. I will always need you. I might be grown up, but I will always be your little girl, no matter what." He smiled at her and took her arm. Together, they walked into the large room where the ceremony was about to begin.
At the sight of his bride, Zuko's eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped. The pale red, almost pink, dress that she wore clung to her curves and flowed beautifully. The plunging neckline outlined a beautiful gold necklace. In her hands, she carried a beautiful bouquet of fire lilies and white roses. Her hair, which was usually in a braid, fell in gentle waves down her back. Sokka, who was Zuko's best man, noticed the groom's stunned look and nudged him in the ribs. Zuko's face returned to normal and he swallowed the anxiety building in his throat. Aang, on the other side of Sokka, had a similar reaction to the girl he had once loved.
"You look absolutely stunning," Zuko said to Katara when she stood in front of him. She smiled and blushed a deep scarlet. Together, they turned to face the Fire Sage that was performing the ceremony. Next to the Sage was Zuko's uncle, Iroh. Iroh held a small silk pillow that two golden rings sat on. The Sage proceeded with the traditional wedding ceremony, but with a few extra components added to it to please Katara's Water Tribe heritage. When the Fire Sage finished speaking, Iroh stepped forward with the rings.
Katara turned and handed her bouquet to Toph, who was one of her bridesmaids. Behind Toph, Suki smiled at Katara in encouragement. She turned back to Zuko and Iroh. Zuko picked up the smaller ring from Iroh's pillow and took Katara's hand.
"With this ring, I promise to love and care for you for as long as we both shall live, especially since you could do some serious damage if I don't," Zuko said the last part with a gleam in his eye and a smile on his lips. "I promise to be there for you through the good and the bad, sickness and health. I promise to be your lover and your best friend. I promise to be your faithful husband."
Zuko slipped the ring onto Katara's finger and smiled at her. She smiled back and took the remaining ring from Iroh and Zuko's hand.
"With this ring, I promise to love and care for you for as long as we both shall live. I promise to always be there for you, no matter what life puts us through. I promise to be your lover and your best friend. I promise to be the mother of your children. I promise to be your faithful wife and Fire Lady," she spoke as if reading a poem. She slipped the ring onto Zuko's finger as a happy tear ran down her face. They then turned back to the Fire Sage. He said a few more ceremonial preachings and looked down at Zuko and Katara.
"By the power of all the spirits I now pronounce you Fire Lord and Lady, husband and wife," the Fire Sage smiled and looked at Zuko. "You may now kiss your bride."
Zuko took both of Katara's hands in his and pulled her closer to him. His lips met hers gently. They could hear the sounds of people sighing around them.