Hello Readers. I thought I would try a new approach to the Zutara ship. Alright, so the only thing I think people will want to know before going in is how to pronounce Kakoa.

( Kay-Koh-Uh)

Please Enjoy, and Review at the end.

I like this idea, but will only continue with some reviews ;)

The library was a vast room, with three floors, all with open balconies overlooking the other levels. Any person would have been more than happy to be able to explore the immense knowledges written on the yellowing pages of scrolls and leather bound books. Anyone would have been pleased to seek the wisdom of the old sages and tutors that often found themselves in the back of the room, practicing their writings at the sturdy desks. Anyone would have embraced their chance to learn from their elders, anyone except for Kakoa.

The fourteen year old crown prince could care less about the failed trade attempts between his however many times over great grandfather, Fire Lord Zorion, and the northern Earth Kingdoms. He often thought to himself that studying for six hours a day with his tutor, Hao, wouldn't be so bad if perhaps the subject matter was more interesting, like the Hundred Year War that had only ended sixteen years ago. He loved hearing his mother and father's stories about their adventures taking back the world from his grandfather, Fire Lord Ozai, with Avatar Aang and Uncle Sokka. If that were what he was learning, he would be far more apt to pay attention. Instead Kakoa let his mind wander to other, and in his opinion, more exciting things while Hao continued to drone on in his stuffy, boring monotone voice.

He wasn't even sure Hao knew how to smile; Agni knows he had never seen it happen. The man wore long dark red robes with black embroidery along the hem and sleeves. His graying hair was pulled back into a severe topknot, only adding to the conservative and stuffy aura surrounding him. It was all in a stark contrast to himself, a handsome youth. Kakoa was a spitting image of his father, or so he had been told on many occasions. Everything about his stature and the way he held himself he got from his father. His face, the nose, the thin mouth that often found itself upturned in a smirk, and the eyes, so golden people had to apologize for finding themselves staring into them, they were all Zuko. The only traits that made him his mother's son were his dark brown hair, and his darker skin. It was lighter than hers, but darker than his dad's.

Kakoa's mind wandered far from Hao's lecture, and his eyes caught the bright blue flags carrying the Southern Watertribe's emblem flying high above a ship in the harbor in the distance, past the entire city. Upon this sight, his whole face lit up, knowing that it was Taro's ship. He had missed his cousin dearly, and considered being excited to see him was an understatement. He and Taro had gotten themselves in and out of so much trouble over the years. As Uncle Sokka's son, Taro was a proud waterbender, just like Katara, and was coming for the entire season to train with her in the advanced sets. Though the other prince was technically here on business, it would be good to have his best friend back. He was sure despite the training with his mother, he and Taro would still have fun with their elaborate escapades, just like they always had.

The candles mounted in sconces on the walls began to flicker with the Prince's agitated excitement, as he sat quietly and turned back to catch the end of Hao's lesson. His foot was bobbing up and down under the desk rapidly, vibrating the whole table with his anxiousness. Hao sighed in deeply, clearly not in the mood to put up with the prince's lack of attention any longer.

"I suppose if Your Highness has no intent on listening to anything I have to say, then the lesson is over for the day." He had Kakoa's attention now.

The prince's ears perked up at the mention of being dismissed. He was careful to remember his manners, and to be respectful to his elder, as his father would stand for nothing less. He stood, back straight, and bowed at the waist thanking his tutor for the interesting lesson on the Fire Lord's attempts at trade with the earth kingdom almost two hundred years ago. Hao could tell he was trying to make it sound as if he had paid attention to anything he had said. The tutor shook his head, before bowing back to the prince, and thanking him for his time. Kakoa stood and practically ran for the door.

"Wait, I expect you to be able to discuss today's subject matter in depth tomorrow morning!" Hao yelled, as an afterthought. Unfortunately for him, the prince was already half-way to the throne room on the other side of the palace.

~(-=-=-=)~

The guards barely had enough time to announce Kakoa's arrival before he flew through the doors of the throne room where he was told he could find his parents. His father, Fire Lord Zuko, sat proud and tall in his throne while his mother stood tall behind him as they discussed something with the housekeeper, who he was sure would be sure to relay the message to the rest of the palace staff. All three sets of eyes turned when they heard the prince's name announced. The housekeeper bowed deeply at the waist, her gnarled old hands folded in the traditional manner.

Kakoa ignored this gesture as he practically ran to his father's feet, where he then bowed.

"Father, Taro's ship is in the harbor. He will be here soon, probably within the hour!" He could no longer hold in his excitement for his cousin. His parents looked down at him, letting smiles crack on their faces.

Katara couldn't help but laugh at how her son, two years shy of being a man, suddenly turned back into the little boy he used to be when his cousin was concerned. She loved looking upon her Kakoa and watching him grow, and staying her little boy at the same time. She saw so much of herself in him. The way he cared so much for people, and tried to remember his manners despite what he thought was right.

At thirty two, the Fire Lady was a picture of radiance. Her chestnut hair flowed fluidly down her back, aside from the part that augustly held her diadem in a topknot. Her gown was of a light red, reflecting her calm, serene personality. Her husband often told her she was more beautiful now than she was when they married, right after the war, and he was right. She was far more a woman now than she was sixteen years ago, and she had the family to prove it.

Her son looked as if he were going to dart from the very palace at any moment in an attempt to be the first to greet his cousin. Much to his dismay, Katara knew just the way to curb his eagerness.

"Kakoa, you must go put on your best robes before you even think about going to see Taro. Surely you haven't forgotten your father's guests from Ba Sing Se? It would not leave a good impression if the prince of the Fire Nation showed up to a state dinner in his mussed tunic. "

If it had been anyone but his mother to say something like this to him, Kakoa would have rolled his eyes in annoyance, but he could never bring himself to treat his mother in such a way. He knew the other boys his age did, but he also knew better than to take the love of his mother for granted. After all, he was the one out of his peers that did not have a grandmother from either his mother or father's side of the family.

"Yes, mother," he turned to his father, "If you don't mind me asking, why are we entertaining those thugs from Ba Sing Se? Every time you have tried to do business of any kind with them, they always seem to take, but never to give."

Zuko loved how his son always questioned the system. It was a trait he had seen many strong leaders carry over the years. It was a trait that would help shape him into a good Fire Lord someday.

"Perhaps that is exactly why we should invite them to dinner. They wouldn't dare create a fuss in front of the entire court at a big dinner. Maybe this is exactly the situation we need to con them into in order to get the peace treaties signed with the capitol, as well as the bigger colonies that still reside in Earth Kingdom territories."

Kakoa gave this careful thought before nodding in agreement with his father's plan. His father had always had the best ideas on how to better their nation.

A slight man with half moon spectacles resting on the edge of his pointy nose entered the throne room, announcing that both Taro, and the ambassadors from Ba Sing Se had made port and should be expected in the palace within the next hour, and that supper would be ready shortly after the introductions.

"Kakoa, why don't you head up to your room, to bathe and dress for dinner? I would like to speak with your mother alone before the arrival of our esteemedguests." His father's tone was gentle, but left no room for negotiation.

The prince bowed to each of his parents before leaving the throne room. The halls were rather quiet on the walk to his chambers. It was almost eerily quiet with the fact that there was a state dinner to be held in a matter of hours. Usually the palace staff would be running wild, trying to get things done.

It's the calm before the storm, he mused.

~(=-=-=)~

When he entered his bedroom, the first thing he did was throw his black tunic over his head, and into the corner for a maid to find later. It felt good to have the warm air hitting his skin, instead of the humidity making the cloth cling to his skin. Kakoa went into his private washroom, and poured some cool water into a basin. Splashing it over his face felt good, he felt the grime of his morning training, and the exhaustion of the long hours spent in the library with his tutor wash away.

There was a small knock from the other side of his bedroom door. Without waiting for a response from him, the person entered the room. He was not surprised to find his handmaid, Sabri, standing there holding a set of his nicest clothes.

"Your Highness," She greeted, with the smallest inclination of her head.

After all these years, there was an unspoken respect between the two, and neither saw it necessary to bow before one another. Sabri was like the grandmother he had never had.

She was a kind widow in her early sixties, with three children of her own. Since they had all grown up and started their own families, she felt lonely and needed the love of a child once again in her life. Katara noticed that about her, and decided while Kakoa was still a baby that Sabri was the only other woman she would ever entrust her son's life with.

"Would you like me to prepare your bath?" The prince merely nodded.

As she went to fill his tub, he went back to the bedroom to look over the clothes his mother had no doubt picked out for him. He couldn't help but groan when he saw that his chest armor had also been laid out. It was too hot out for that, and if he wore it, he was sure he would die. However, he knew that the sooner he got on with things and dressed, the sooner he could be with Taro.

Sabri called out to tell the young prince his bath was prepared, and he took no time at all to ease himself into the hot water. The liquid heat ran over each of his aching muscles that he had exhausted during practice that morning. His father was pushing him harder now, expecting more out of him.

Kakoa didn't mind the challenge in the least. It was something he inherited from both of his parents. Backing down wasn't an option. He knew on the training grounds, he was a superior bender to those twice his age. If it weren't for his father keeping him so disciplined in his fire bending, Kakoa would have no one to spar with. Zuko found it hard sometimes to restrain his son's raw power, and make him go through each stance with absolute perfection. The prince didn't mind though, he thought of it as a game: try and not let dad find any mistakes. It was a game he was still trying to win, even on his best day, and with all of his natural ability, his father was still better, and could always find at least one thing wrong with his performance.

Even with that, Zuko had assured his son that he would be a fire bending master before his sixteenth birthday. That would make him the first child master since Avatar Roku. Even Azula hadn't officially reached the status of master before she was defeated.

Kakoa rinsed the remnants of soap from his bronze skin, and dried off with a downy towel. He threw a pair of pants on before rejoining Sabri in the other room. She combed through his hair with a comb, then with her fingers. He loved the feeling of being taken care of like this. It reminded him if when he was little, and his mom used to lay him across her lap and sing to him while pulling her fingers through his dark tresses.

His father always said that it was one of the greatest pleasures in a man's life to be taken care of by the women in his life. He wholeheartedly agreed.

"Time to get dressed," Sabri announced in her grandmotherly voice.

Kakoa let out a large sigh partially out of annoyance, and partially for the loss of the woman's motherly hand. She left him alone to dress, stating that she would return in ten minutes to help him with his armor. Kakoa looked at the clothes lying on his bed.

He had ten minutes to change, and it really only took him two. That was eight extra minutes. He spent those extra minutes on his balcony watching the procession of Earth Kingdom nobles to the palace.

He turned his nose up at all their gaudy grandeur. There was nothing understated about their power or wealth. He had always thought that the Earth Kingdoms were the most flamboyant with their never ending displays. It bothered him that they pranced around in all their jewels and fine clothes with exotic pets on their shoulders when the majority of the citizens of the Earth Kingdoms were poor and impoverished. Even the few Fire Nation colonies left in the heart of that land were poorer than they should have been because their neighboring cities refuse to trade with them. From the homeland, there was only so much the Fire Lord could actually do.

That's what tonight's dinner is for, he reminded himself.

~(=-=-=)~

Sabri helped him finish getting ready for supper. He walked down the long corridors back to the throne room, this time with just barely enough time before the guests would finally arrive. His father had changed into his armor as well and Kakoa could see the power emanating from his being. He was dressed to do business, and perhaps use fear as a tactic. The Fire Nation did still have the strongest military, and if necessary, Zuko wasn't afraid to use it.

As usual, his mother complimented her father in dress. Her gown was a deep, fiery red, offset with pale gold stitching. It was an outfit that clearly said: there is no room for negotiation.

Kakoa sat up straight on his knees to his father's left. The wiry man from earlier that day was back.

"The great nobility of Ba Sing Se have arrived. Chieftain Taro, son of Chief Sokka of the Southern Watertribe has arrived." His parents stood together, and he followed in suit.

A huge smile broke out across his face as Taro finally stepped into the room. All his excitement from earlier flooded back. Zuko gave his son a stern look telling him to stay put until after introductions were done.

"Ambassador Shino, welcome to the Fire Nation. My wife, my son and I wish you a pleasurable stay at the palace. Hopefully when the week is over, we will have strengthened the alliance between our two countries." Kakoa smirked at his father's clever choice of words.

It was no secret that if another war were ever to break out, it would be between the Fire and Earth nations. But here his father made it sound as if they were old friends.

Shino bowed deeply before his parents. He was a stout man that stood low to the ground. His face was pudgy and red, contrasting with the glimmering green robes that he was drowning in. Kakoa thought he would something to shade his eyes from the glint of all the emeralds and diamonds inlaid in his necklaces, bracelets and rings.

"Thank you Fire Lord Zuko. The Earth King sends his regards and also gifts to each member of the royal family." He motioned behind him, and a servant stepped forward.

He carried a long sword in his hands. It was presented to his father, who took it graciously. Kakoa could tell his he was annoyed though.

"And for the Fire Lady, a diamond necklace with a beauty to rival her own." A greasy smile flashed across Shino's face when Katara took the gift. Kakoa felt his jaw clench, and saw his dad's was clenched too.

"Of course, the king did not forget about Prince Kakoa. The king picked this gift out himself," Shino said. Kakoa did not like his tone.

He motioned to the same servant that had presented his parents' gifts. The man went behind the guards, out of Kakoa's sight, and returned seconds later. The prince's eyes widened at the sight.

He couldn't believe it. Before him stood a girl in chains.

Alright, there is Chapter one. Please let me continue by reviewing!

~Sporting9