Living a Pawn

By: Seshetta

Prologue: his name

The short letter sent to my father by the Fire Nation Embassy was folded in my small, shaking hands. The red wax seal stamped with the fire nation insignia had not been broken yet. The clean, slightly yellowed surface of the official letter emitted a heart-sinking sense of foreboding that I imagined could be felt throughout the entire North Pole.

The contents of this letter would affect the entire water tribes. The homes surrounding the palace I lived in, every mother, father, and child who had probably just sat down to dinner would be affected either negatively or positively by the contents of the tiny yellowed and sealed note I held in my hands.

"Are you going to open it?" my father lay a large, withered hand on my shoulder. I should have felt comforted, but at that moment I couldn't feel anything. Behind me, my mother stood pacing and wringing her hands nervously.

It struck me as funny, as I slipped my finger under a wax seal to break it, how one letter could affect everyone from the smallest child wandering below our castle to me, Katara, princess of the northern water tribes.

The note fell open almost of its own accord after the seal had been broken. It was all I could do not to throw the letter across the room and run away.

"Dearest water Tribe allies,

Yes. Your proposal is most pleasing to the Fire Lord. The arrangements will be made to retrieve the bride's dowry. Prince Zuko is most pleased. We will send a bridal litter for Princess Katara in one week's tim and terms for the negotiation of the treaty will be discussed in one week. See to it that you can make it to the fire nation capital on time.

Sincerely,

Kaido Shan-- head Secretary to the fire lord."

I closed my eyes, absorbing everything that I had just read. It was a short note, but it meant volumes to the water tribe.

There was to be a treaty between the water tribe and the fire nation, the two most powerful nations in existence. The treaty's main clause was Prince Zuko and I's marriage.

I had never met Prince Zuko. His name, printed in black in long, neat handwriting on that yellow note could represent anybody. He could be a drooling, snot bubble blowing three year old. That actually wouldn't be half bad. Three year olds were better than eighty year olds. There was a very slim chance he was even around my age.

I should have felt happy though, as if the world had been lifted off my shoulders. The water tribe was safe from the brewing war the fire nation had been planning for so long. Those problems were gone, but a whole new set of problems had been laid on my shoulders. Marriage was imminent.

"This is amazing news, Katara," my mother said after my father had relayed the news to her and backed out of the parlor.

"I know, I look forward to the marriage," I said. My voice was subdued, and I knew my mother would be able to see through my horrible attempt at lying.

"Katara, don't pretend like you're happy to be married. However, you should be happy at this opportunity to help your country, to save thousands of people's lives. The fire nation will never attack the Northern Water tribes. You have done your country an amazing service and I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you mom."

My mother backed out of the parlor; silently save for the swish of her light blue robes against the marble floor tiles.

I threw the letter onto the shiny silver meeting table used for discussions and negotiations. Prince Zuko's name, written in that beautiful calligraphy, was burned into my brain. The name that didn't define anyone, the name and title that my fiancé bore.

I thought of what my name was to become:

Princess Katara of the Fire Nation.

That didn't sound at all right.