A/N: So here's my second installment of Zutara Week! I actually had something completely different in mind when I saw this prompt, but I just couldn't make it happen. So I decided, since Legendary and History are pretty much the same thing, I could change it up a little and put it there. You'll see. So this was the result of a last minute change. I hope you enjoy :]
Zuko stared forward into the mirror of his dressing room blankly with his arms outstretched horizontally. The royal seamstresses were moving around him like pretty little serpents as they measured his body. Every so often one of them would ask him a question, but he would only nod once in response.
In three days time, he would be married. Married to someone he wasn't sure was right. He would be forever bound to someone he felt like he barely knew. He would say promising words he wasn't sure he meant to a beautiful girl he was positive he didn't deserve. All because the wedding was supposed to make history to the world.
Zuko scowled at his reflection. Why did the world not understand that when he said he was ending the war he meant it? Instead they demanded that on the year anniversary of the comet he take a princess from another nation to marry instead of a girl from the Fire Nation. A girl that he thought he was meant for.
He could still remember the look on Mai's face when he told her. Even though the transition from her usually stoic expression to heartbroken was almost impossible to catch, he knew her well enough to see it. And he had felt completely terrible for what he was doing to her and to the girl he was marrying. Could he never please anybody?
"My lord," said his adviser from his doorway. "The princess wishes to see you." Zuko nodded and motioned for the seamstresses to stop. With a bow, they stepped away and left the room. In their place, walked in Katara, wrapped in a beautiful red robe that flowed at her feet. Her hair was pinned up in a traditional Fire Nation style and makeup covered her face. Zuko wouldn't have recognized her if she wasn't wearing her mother's necklace.
She bowed slightly to him and made sure that the adviser left before she slumped her shoulders and relaxed her poster. Zuko almost laughed, but held it in when he noticed the expression on her pretty face. Instead, guilt and regret filled his stomach and made him feel sick. He dropped his gaze to the floor and sighed quietly. This is all my fault…
"I still haven't heard from Aang," she said finally and he slipped his eyes back up to hers. He suddenly knew what was truly troubling her and he nodded as he walked over to her and grabbed her hand. She gently squeezed it and looked away.
Zuko remembered all too well how the avatar had reacted when he got the news as well. The boy had destroyed most of the palace courtyard before he opened his glider and rushed off into the sky. A few days later Zuko had received a small letter that had just two lines written on it:
Take care of her.
Aang
No one had heard anything from him since then, and Katara was taking it hard. It had been almost three months sense the announcement of their engagement and Zuko found that with each passing day, Katara was withering away. He knew she missed her home and family. He knew she hated the heat and humidity of the Fire Nation. He knew she hated having to always keep her mouth shut and manners in line around stupid noblemen and their petty wives. And, most of all, he knew that she hated having to marry someone she didn't love.
"I'm sure he'll come back. He just doesn't know how to take this. He'll be here for the wedding, don't worry," Zuko reassured gently and Katara sighed softly in response. She then looked up at him with big eyes and smiled softly. Zuko felt his heart speed up and he smiled back as he reached up and cupped her cheek with his hand.
"I'm scared," she admitted quietly as she leaned into his touch and he nodded.
"Me too," he told her. "And I'm sorry."
"For what?" she asked and he swallowed.
"For not being what you deserve… Ow!" Zuko pulled back and rubbed his shoulder where she had punched him. "What was that for?" he shouted nervously. Has she finally lost it?
"Don't you for one second think that!" she growled pointing a finger into his face. "You are perfect for me and I'm not letting you think you're not." Zuko stood still as her words set in.
"You mean you don't mind marrying me?" he asked after a moment and she slowly shook her head. "But…why?" He watched her cross her arms over her chest and look away, something he noticed she did when she was embarrassed.
"I've been thinking about that a lot. I mean, when I was first told that you would have to marry a princess from another nation, I was completely confused when they said I was a candidate. I never thought of myself as a princess. And I never saw myself marrying a prince." She glanced over to him and he quickly looked down at the marble floor.
"So when the council said I would be the one to marry you, of course I was shocked and angry and scared. I didn't know what to think, or how I was going to tell Aang. But him being gone has left me to think about you and me. Reflecting on our friendship has opened my eyes in a sense."
Zuko's eyebrow rose and he watched as Katara moved towards him. "So what does that mean?" he asked her.
"You're a good person, Zuko. I've seen you struggle with so much, but you grew from it and became a stronger person. And when you love something, you love it passionately and will fight for it. You're also the most honorable person I know. You never give up and will always do what's right," she told him with a wide smile and he gazed down at her happily.
"Thank you," he told her and she reached up on her toes to kiss his cheek.
"I know that we will grow to love each other very much. I already see us as best friends, so I've come to understand that our marriage will be wonderful," she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and stared up into his face.
"I was terrified that you would hate it here; that you would hate me. And that I wouldn't know how to take care of you like a husband is supposed to. The majority of our friendship has been, well, a battle. Literally," he said and they both laughed gently. "I'm just glad you don't feel that way."
"So you don't mind marrying me either?" she asked innocently and he shook his head.
"I think that secretly I've been kind of excited. I was just afraid you didn't want to. But, now that our feelings are all cleared up, I'm looking forward to it."
Katara stared up into Zuko's face and beamed. Zuko could feel the giddy feeling push away the regret and guilt, but he still felt like something about their situation wasn't right. As he looked down into her expectant face, he suddenly knew exactly what was out of place.
"Stay right there," he told her and she watched as he quickly disappeared into his bedroom. She could hear him move about and mumbled words she couldn't make out before he finally come back into the dressing room with a sly grin. Katara looked at him suspiciously and noticed his hands behind his back as he stepped over to her.
"What are you doing?" she asked him as he loomed over her, but he carefully leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. She stood stunned for a second and when he pulled away, he pressed a small box covered in red silk into her hands.
"This is for you. Open it," he whispered and, with a quick glance at his face, she undid the tiny latch and lifted the lid. Inside was a small silver pendant with a sun and moon sketched into the metal. It was connected to a blue silk ribbon.
Katara looked up at Zuko with watery eyes. "You made this?" she asked and he nodded. "Zuko, it's beautiful…" He chuckled as he took it from the box and tied it loosely around her neck, right under her mother's.
"I know that I had to give you a ring since I'm Fire Nation, but, you're Water Tribe. So I thought this might be more special. And I never really got to ask you. We were just kind of told," he explained as she stared at him quietly.
"So, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. Will you marry me?" he asked her and she immediately flung her arms around him.
"Yes, Zuko. I would love to."
"Lets make history then."
A/N: Well there you go! I really hope you liked. But once again, I feel like I could've done better. Idk…I always like the beginning of my chapters, but after a bit I feel like I lose it. Oh well. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please review!
Happy Zutara Week 2011! :]
