"Katara!" Hakoda shouted.
"dad?" Katara yelled while running out of the igloo. "we weren't expecting you guys for another month." Katara said as she ran up to her dad.
"We were in a rush, sweetheart." Hakoda said while catching his breathe. "we left early. I'm so glad to see you." he said while reaching out to bring Katara in his open arms.
"Dad…. Dad, you are crushing me."Katara said while trying to get a bit of space between them. When Katara finally was able to take a step back and look at her father she saw him with tears in his eyes. "what's wrong?" she asked.
"i need to talk to you." is all he said as he pulled her into the igloo.
"what's wrong? Is it Sokka?" Katara asked about to panic.
"no, he is fine with Suki in Kyoshi." Hakoda said as he sat down on one of their furs. "what I have to say is about you." he said trying to avoid eye contact.
"what is it?" Katara asked sitting down next to him. "come on dad, I am 16. I am no longer a little girl."
"i know." was all Hakoda said as he stared down at the floor for a moment. When he looked up at Katara it felt like he was looking through her. "the Fire Lord sent me a message to meet with him on common ground."
"did you?" Katara asked staring wide eyed at her father.
"yes, he wanted a peace agreement." Hakoda said while looking down at the ground again.
"isn't that a good thing?" Katara said while looking at her father in confusion. "you look like they have won already."
"they have. That is why they wanted a peace agreement. To make us surrender." Hakoda said while jumping up and starting to pace around their tiny igloo. "they wanted to beat me down further and make me just give up." he stopped his pacing and looked over at her. "or they would forcefully take what they wanted." he looked down and started to pace again.
"what did they want from you?" Katara asked dreading the answer.
"you." was all he said as he sat back down.
"what do you mean." Katara asked not meeting his eyes.
"they want you to marry the Fire Lord's son, Prince Zuko." Hakoda said looking down. "they want you guys to bring peace all out the world by marrying."
They were surrounded by silence for a while. Neither daring to speak.
"What do you think I should do?" Katara said looking at the side of his face.
"I don't want you to do it." he said meeting her gave. "But he made it clear if we don't what would happen." She didn't need to ask what that was. "As your chief i'm asking for you to do a service as princess to your people, but as your father i'm begging you to run. Run as far as you can go. Hide in the caves. They will be here tomorrow." Hakoda said as a tear slipped out of his eyes.
"Dad." Katara said in a quiet voice as she fell into his arms.
"go. Pack a few things and run." Hakoda said in the same whisper as he kissed the top of her head.
She quickly got up and packed a few blankets, clothes, some food, and containers for water.
She stood in front of their door and looked down at her father. "i love you." She said as she went out in the snow.
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it took a hour to get up the slopes to the ice caves. Katara walked deeper and deeper fallowing the walls.
Finally she was deep enough that it started to get a bit warmer. That isn't saying much though.
She set up some food and her bed. She silently ate her food and soon laid down to sleep.
In middle of the night she woke up to a sound coming from deeper in the cave. It sounded like whistling. She got up and started following it. The closer she got it sounded like crying.
Then it changed to a higher pitch cry that sounded like a child's. Then it stopped. She walked for another minute till she got to a bright alcove. It was silent.
She noticed a mirror in the middle of the alcove.
"why is this here?" she asked herself.
Closer she got the more she could see a women. It looked like herself, but different. A bit older.
Once she was standing right in front of it the image started to move on it's own. It looked to be getting ready. Then she heard the voices.
"lady Katara it is time to go." said a unknown voice.
"ok, i'm just finishing up." Something sounding like my voice said.
"please hurry. The Fire Lord will be angered if we don't hurry." the unknown voice said.
"don't worry, I can handle Fire Lord Zuko." my voice said while putting in the last ear ring. "there, all done."
the image shifted to me sitting on the floor in a pinkish dress crying starring at something that I couldn't see. A man with black hair that looked like split ink walked up behind her. He had a red scar over one eye. Over all he was handsome with a strong jaw. He crouched behind her and kissed her head.
"shhh, it's ok." he said as he brought her to his chest. "you tried your best." he said as he started to rock her back and forth."
"but my best couldn't save him." she said as she looked up at him.
"then the great Agni wanted to see him. We couldn't do anything about that, could we." he said softly as he gently wiped the tears that were falling on her cheeks. "it's ok." he said as he hid her head in his chest and gently rocked her like he would a child. He slowly raised his head and looked me in the eyes.
I jumped back at his scorching gold eyes starring at me. I knew what I needed to do
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"she isn't here." Chief Hakoda said.
"we were told to collect Princess Katara from the Southern Water Tribe." a soldier said.
"and you shall." Katara said while walking out from behind a igloo. "i am here and I will go with you to marry Prince Zuko."
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