Pairing: Zuko/Katara

Rating: T

!I am currently in the process of editing this story! I published it a few years ago, and I feel that it needs to be improved. You know, so it sounds less childish. All chapters that have been updated so far will have UPDATED after the chapter title. If it does not, I strongly suggest you do not read it, and wait for me to update it. I am changing some key things. Save your eyes!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, nor am I in contact with any of its creators or those involved in the creation process. ATLA belongs to Nickelodeon. I'm just borrowing the characters for awhile.

Chapter One: Promises Of What's To Come UPDATED

"Katara? We just got a hawk message from the captain of Prince Zuko's ship. We should be arriving near them in an hour or so. You should get ready." Katara managed to flash the head maid, Daja, a weak smile, standing up and walking over to her dressing table. Her personal servant, Trinity, appeared by her side, hair brush in hand.

"Hiya Prin-"

Katara shot a glare in her direction, her face radiating irritation.

"I mean Katara!" Trinity giggled nervously and began brushing her mistress' hair. Katara sighed quietly, gazing intently at her reflection.

"I can't believe I actually agreed to marry him..." Katara's face was grim. Not a single glimmer of happiness shone in her normally bright azure eyes. Trinity only smiled, maintaining her cheerful exterior. Katara had said this many times, and her answer was always the same.

"Come on now, like anybody would have listened to you if you disagreed." Trinity cooed, sticking her tongue between her lips as she tried to maneuver Katara's thick hair.

"And I did disagree! I told them right away what I thought of it –"

"Oh, it was pretty obvious what you thought of it, Princess. You demolished the eastern wing." Katara blushed and ducked her head, not wanting to remember her outburst. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to get the whole "princess" thing down.

As if to emphasize her thoughts, she groaned loudly when she glanced at the elaborate bun Trinity had wrestled her hair into. Her hair was curled and twisted around a glittering silver hairpiece, keeping it high on the back of her head. She looked like she was about to attend a ball.

"Trinity, I'm just greeting him! It's not like he's never seen me before; please, can I just look…normal?" She pleaded. Sometimes she found it odd that she begged with her maids: one would think a princess was in charge. But her grandmother had given Daja express orders that Katara was to be whipped into princess shape, and when it came to fashion she was left powerless. Trinity, her good friend, understood her discomfort, and Katara saw her victory on the girl's face before she even spoke her consent.

"Oh alright..."

"Yes!"

"But only the hair!" Katara groaned at this, sighing deeply. "Katara, you're the water tribe Princess! You cannot wear peasant clothes! For training, it's okay, but for greeting your fiancé, it's a big no-no!" Katara nodded and allowed Trinity to help her into a deep sapphire silk dress that had a halter style top and closely hugged her nicely developed form. Trinity giggled, eyeing the princess. "Well, isn't Zuko gonna think you're one tasty piece of eye candy!" Katara blushed scarlet at this, shrieking and beating Trinity with her pillow, the both of them laughing the whole time. The ship suddenly came to a halt, and Katara's gut lurched along with it.

Out on the deck, Zuko had already transferred over to their ship. His face remained reserved as he watched Katara glide out onto the deck, her maids following in her wake. He allowed himself a small smile as he examined his wife-to-be. She looked radiant in her elegant blue dress. When she halted the customary ten feet before him, Zuko straightened and bowed, fist over his heart. Katara smiled, rather dully, and curtsied to him in turn. She looked on him coldly, clearly demonstrating what she thought of the pending match. Zuko had been expecting this, however, and he brushed the disdain off easily.

"Eh-hem." Yolane, the noblewoman of the ship, cleared her throat for attention. Iroh stood at her side, smiling brightly and humming to himself quietly. Zuko sent him a lethal glare and the humming seemed to increase slightly in volume. They had only just had the 'no humming' conversation. Zuko rolled his eyes at his uncle's immaturity. "Since the two of you will be getting married before the end of spring, the retired General Iroh and I have been talking about your relationship." Both Zuko and Katara got an uneasy feeling in the pits of their stomachs, knowing very well that nothing good would've come out of their guardians' discussion.

"Yolane and I have come to the conclusion that the two of you just aren't close enough." Katara suppressed the urge to scream 'well duh!' biting her tongue and forcing herself to listen. "Now this wouldn't have been a problem if it weren't for the fact that you two need to attend formal events together. Not to mention how you must behave in public. If they think you're faking it, the wedding might not go over so well. That's why you won't be faking it." Zuko rolled his eyes and looked away. He knew that he wouldn't be able to make any progress with his princess if she felt like she was being forced. But sometimes it was better to let old people think they were right.

"We want the two of you spending a lot more time together, and getting much more intimate. By the time this wedding comes around, you'll both be saying your vows with bright smiles." Iroh grinned as if in example, and Katara grimaced back. At that point, she believed the only thing that would make her smile on her wedding day was seeing a select few people fall overboard.

"Now, this means that you two shall be staying with each other as often as possible." Yolane's voice was hesitant – it seemed that she hadn't quite agreed to this part. "Zuko, arrangements have already been made so that you can travel with us for a week. You and Katara will be sharing quarters. At the end of it, Katara will start traveling with you, bringing Trinity along with her." Yolane motioned to the young girl in the corner. "I will also be there, but that shouldn't make any difference. The only thing that matters right now is getting you two a bit closer." She paused and studied them closely. A sense of hopelessness washed over her, and she added a passion to her voice, appealing to the both of them. "Sometimes, monarchs need to do things that don't quite please them, for the good of their people. You've been placed in such a situation. Being stubborn and angry about it will only make your life more miserable! The two of you will be spending the rest of your lives together – please, try and accept this!"

Katara bit her lip and clasped her hands together. Yolane was, unfortunately, right. She held back a sigh and glanced at Zuko, whose short black hair was shifting lightly in the ocean breeze. He didn't look angry or hesitant at all; no, Zuko looked thoughtful, and at peace. Surprised, Katara looked forward once more. Was she the only problem?

~*~

The afternoon passed by slowly. Musicians from the Northern Tribe had set up on the deck of Katara's ship, playing pleasant music as the crew and other occupants moved around. Iroh swept up many partners, bringing about a light mood as he laughed and danced. Katara giggled as Iroh tugged her into an old Earth Kingdom folk dance, spinning her about. The sky and the sea spun around her as she laughed and danced, feeling her spirits lift. Soon she was gliding across the deck, into the arms of another partner. She knew who it was before she could turn about to see him. Shoving back her desire to push him away, Katara kept her smile glued to her face and continued dancing. Zuko, it turned out, was talented on the dance floor. They had fun, moving every which way, and by the time Katara finally did step out of his arms, it was for sheer exhaustion, not dislike.

When the sun began to set the ship docked at a market where the couple was warned they would see both Water Tribe and Fire Nation merchants. Knowing their responsibilities, the two stayed close together. Katara allowed Zuko to wrap his arm around her shoulders as they walked along the lantern lit alleys, looking upon wares and striking up conversation. It was surprisingly easy to relax in his strong arms and warm embrace, she found, and as the night wore on she found herself leaning closer.

A few happy merchants offered them free samples, enjoying the sight of the two. They were to always offer a smile and graciously accept, claiming their approval no matter what. It was crucial to make sure people accepted them in the troubled times.

As they spoke to and saw more and more people, Zuko increased the intimacy he offered Katara. She felt warm kisses on the top of her head, and his hand tightening gently on her upper arm as he hugged her closer. Even with her mind set to make an effort with things, it still made her uncomfortable. She hadn't really had that kind of attention from any boy – and she barely knew Zuko! Yet the princess knew what had to be done, and she bit back her discomfort. Feeling brave, she stood on the tips of her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek after a particularly charming comment he had made, giggling after he touched her nose in response. The faces of the people watching warmed at their affection, and the couple moved on to find their guardians.

"Uncle! Katara and I have what we need, and it's starting to get dark. We should be going." Zuko called as he guided Katara to the pair.

"Yes, I suppose so..." Iroh sighed, looking longingly at the market. He hadn't bought very much at all.

"Of course!" Yolane chirped, clapping her hands together in excitement. "You two need to be ready for the festival later tonight!"

"Festival?" Katara was surprised, and a little apprehensive. She had half enjoyed her 'bonding' time with Zuko so far, but a festival meant that it would continue for many more hours. She could only make so much progress in one night! A little voice in the back of her head pointed out to her that she had many more nights like this ahead.

"That's right." Iroh smiled and went as if to pet her head, but was kept away with a glare from his nephew. "A Fire Nation town is having a festival this evening. According to Trinity, you've been to one before, so you know what they're like. But this is a nighttime event, and don't be surprised if you and Zuko end up having to flirt around quite a bit." Katara bit back a groan, walking with Zuko back onto the ship. They had been flirting all afternoon – what did Iroh expect them to do, strip each other when a big enough crowd gathered around? Just how intimate did people of the Fire Nation get when there were eyes to see?

~*~

"Wow, so you two, like, have to be all snugly and stuff?" Trinity wasn't helping matters much. Katara grimaced at her reflection. She had been swept away almost immediately to get ready – she just knew Trinity would go all out dolling her up. 'For public appearances', of course.

"Yeah. We did a pretty good job in the market, but apparently that wasn't good enough for Iroh or Yolane. They can't expect me to fall in love with him over night, though…" she whispered, half to herself. Sighing, she stood up and moved to the center of the room.

Katara smoothed out the wrinkles on her newest dress, spinning around once slowly. This one was midnight blue and sleeveless, the glittering bodice wrapping around her chest and rising no higher. The skirt belled and swayed out around her, the material sighing as she moved. Being royalty certainly had its perks, even for those who preferred their fighting gear. She was still a girl, after all.

Trinity sighed as she checked over her mistress, once again dazed by her beauty in even the simplest of things. She had convinced Katara to have her hair in the twist she had attempted earlier instead of her usual bun and braid. She looked stunning.

There was an abrupt knock on the door, and Trinity rushed to answer it. Moments later, Zuko walked in wearing a black sleeveless satin vest, trimmed with golden thread. A fiery bird was depicted on the back, its wings out spread and its head titled upward. His pants were made of loose black satin, and he wore plain dark boots that clung all along the lower portion of his leg. Trinity brought her hand up to her mouth, checking for drool, and shot a sly look at her princess, wriggling her eyebrows. "Cute!" She mouthed, before bowing and exiting the room.

"Katara, there is something that I would like to give you." Zuko walked over to her, a small, long black box in his hand. Katara stuttered a bit, surprised. "I thought it would compliment your blue outfits nicely, and it will look good with any red you end up having to wear." He explained as Katara opened the box to reveal a gold and silver necklace with a similar bird design hanging from it. Two separate chords, one silver and the other gold, had been woven tightly together to create the chain, meeting at the head of the silver bird.
"The symbol…it represents a part of my culture that means a lot to me. It is something that I will tell you more about later, but for now…know that there has always been some good in my nation." His mind drifted slightly, bringing him back to memories of somebody else who had worn such a necklace. He forced the thoughts back, not wanting to upset himself.

"It's beautiful..." She whispered softly, through parched lips. Zuko smiled, placing a light kiss on her forehead.

"I realize that you're partial to your mother's necklace, but this will look nice with formal outfits, and everything, and…" He trailed off, suddenly nervous. Truthfully, he hadn't remembered Katara's mother's necklace until he had handed her the box, and he wasn't sure if she would like the present any more. Katara smiled up at him, dipping into a quick curtsy.

"I love it, and thank you kindly." She smirked, and Zuko smiled in return. Joking was good. "So what kind of bird is it? The same as the one on your shirt?"

"It's a night hawk. The one on my shirt is phoenix. You'll notice the difference if you look at the wings, and that yours is silver, for moonlight. On mine you can see the curved feathers, twisting into different directions like flames. The edges of yours are more precise and rigid, like a hawk. Uh, here, let me help you." He offered as she struggled to put it on. Zuko stepped forward and gently took it from her hands, shifting behind her to clasp it behind her neck. The cool metal rested softly just below Katara's collar bone, and glittered prettily in the candle light. She reached up and set a finger on it, feeling a different weight with its presence: the wait of her approaching marriage.

A knock on the door pulled both benders out of their separate thoughts, and Zuko moved to Katara's side. The princess called in her visitor, offering Daja a smile as she stepped into the room. "The retired General Iroh has sent me to inform you that we have arrived at our destination, and that the two of you are to join him on deck." Katara thanked her, sending her to tell Trinity that she had the rest of the night to herself, and turned to Zuko. He offered her a wry smile and held out his arm, which she obligingly grasped as they left the room. This was going to be a long, long night.

~*~

The festival was exuding an infectious mood when Zuko and Katara arrived. Elegant, fast paced music throbbed with its own energy through the area, guiding a group of dancers in a court in front of the musicians. Numerous lanterns shaded in the colors of the sun hung around branches and booths of merchants, casting a warm glow about the scene. Fire crackers exploded every which way, followed by excited sighs and giggles of the children they were entertaining. A fire artist was entertaining a group of people far from the musicians, bending beautiful shapes of butterflies and dragons into the sky. Young couples could be seen hiding here and there, indulging in the romance of the night. Katara felt herself getting pulled into the energy quickly, her spirits lifting as a warmth settled in her chest. People curtsied as she passed by them with her fiancé, and she felt herself feeling more confident than nervous.

After an hour or so, Iroh came rushing up to the couple, smiling and laughing. "Come now, the two of you should dance! Go, go!" He chuckled, ushering them onto the polished floor. Instantly the dancers parted, allowing the prince and princess to move to the center of the crowd. A new piece started up, and they quickly fell into the steps. Around and around they spun, dipping and switching and spinning again. They danced for nearly two hours, then claiming exhaustion and moving on to explore the merchant stalls.

The fun seemed to end too soon. Katara and Zuko were becoming exhausted, finally giving up and following the adults back to the ship. When Zuko knocked on Katara's bedroom door awhile later, she was a bit surprised. "I have to stay with you tonight..." Zuko practically blurted. He stepped in when Katara stood aside, closing and locking the door since she seemed incapable of it in her little bit of shock. "Katara...? They did warn us about this earlier." He looked away and shifted uncomfortably. He really did not want to make her unhappy – it wouldn't help matters at all.

"Oh! Sorry..." She seemed to mumble it, blushing and looking to the side, Zuko doing the same thing, only the other way.

"Uh, so..."

"So, I guess we should go to bed." As they climbed into the bed, Katara secretly wished she could curl up against his warm body. While it was true that they still didn't know each other very well and she was uncomfortable with the thought of being intimate to someone she barely knew, she felt drawn to Zuko. His body was warm and strong, and he had been very easy to get along with today. Sure, his temper had gotten the best of him with a few people, but never at her.
The princess sighed and drew herself from her thoughts, looking across the bed to her husband to be. Zuko wore satin pants, with no shirt to hide his well-muscled chest. His hair was messy and clung around his face, and his eyes were closed. Apparently, he slept on his back. Katara bit her lip, moving a centimeter or so closer to him, before she snuggled into her pillow and drew the blankets tighter around her. The night's activities had drained them of their energy, leaving little room for a sense of awkwardness to keep them awake.

There we go, the first chapter of the first story I ever completed, updated and hopefully improved. This was a little tiresome – the second chapter could take me a little while. Please, be patient with me J