A.N

By the way the characters listed below the title correspond to who the chapter focuses on.

Disclaimer: I do not own avatar, nor do I make any profit from this story

Rating: T

Arc I

Chapter I: Moon Vows

Katara, Jet, and Zuko

"Katara!"

The piercing shriek broke Katara out of her haze. She ignored the voice, rolled over, burrowing into the sheets of her bed.

"Katara!"

She lifted her head, glaring at the door, as if it was the cause of the anguish that made her feel so pathetic.

"I'm coming in!"

Katara's head snapped up. She leapt off the bed and rushed to block her door. After three days she thought they would've figured to leave her to stew. She'd be drained of tears eventually, right?

The door burst open, startling her, and making her jump. Toph stood in the doorway shaking her head. "Honestly Sugar Queen, you're a disgrace." She glared at Toph, and turned away from her. As usual, her long time friend had decided to forgo the proper dressings that decorum demanded.

"I came to Kyoshi and found a wenching bastard, so I thought it would be best to come assure everyone of their safety from your wrath, and I find a master waterbender cowering in her bed sheets!"

Of course. Way to console a shattered heart, Toph.

Katara sniffled and walked towards her wardrobe to place a shawl around her shoulders. The ice and sturdy wood of her home blocked the wind, but a good amount of chill seeped through at all hours.

She knew her behavior was reflecting poorly on her station and bearing, but at present time, she hardly cared. Concerning herself with making herself more presentable, she crossed to the vanity that had been a gift from Bumi. Thoughts of Bumi brought a fresh stab to her wounded pride.

Toph sat on the bed, her feet barely brushing the ground, "So why are you drowning yourself with salt instead of charging onward?"

"It's not quite that simple, Toph." Toph stared at her solemnly in the way that frightened the nobles and dislodged suitors. "Of course it is, he's a whoreson, you feel humiliated, and we castrate the bastard."

Katara couldn't contain her laughter, but it bubbled forth as a choked sob. Toph slipped off the bed and padded across the chamber. "I know it hurts, believe it or not I understand," her eyes downcast for a moment before she raised them again, "Your brother's tearing his hair out, over this. Do you have any idea the scandal this has created? Girls from every court are talking of his shameless inconsistency, and of your pure devotion, you're a martyr."

Katara snorted, "Forgive me if I am less than pleased."

Toph's eyes hardened suddenly. "No, I won't forgive you. For three days your father has paced the halls. For three days your grandmother hasn't spoken a word. There are children in the street bringing drawing and toys to comfort you! And yet here you sit, wallowing in your misery, moving your people to grief at your situation. Coward."

Katara choked back tears. How could Toph ever know, how could she even think Katara could walk away, unbruised and whole?

"And that's hardly why you're in here anyway."

Toph was right, and Katara wasn't fool enough to ignore that, but she had felt unprepared and terrified at the thought of facing her father and her people. Her father, who had laid his misgivings about Jet on her ears, only to receive an assurance of her caution and of Jet's utter devotion.

An infatuated fool. Someone so convinced that she was woman, able and prepared to handle dealings of the heart, and able to soothe away all the rough edges and shadowy angles that sharpened her father's gaze.

You won't have to ever fear me leaving again.

Possessive, intense, overbearing and consuming. She'd shooed away Sokka and called it passion. The kind her grandmother told her about in the princes of her childhood.

The kind her father held for her mother.

She'd seen the signs, and ignored them. She was Katara! Eternal optimist. Of course it would be okay. She didn't know of anything else.

"I was a woman, with Jet," she whispered brokenly before slumping onto the floor. Toph knelt before her, mindless of the cold, hard floor. "I don't have to see you to know you're there do I?" Toph's question caught her off guard. She often forgot her dear friend's lack of sight, but supposed it was better than pitying the girl. "Of course not Toph, but what…" Toph never let her finish.

"Your mother isn't here," the petite earthbender began, standing and blowing her bangs out of her milky eyes. "But she's hovering in the spirit realm, weeping for her strong daughter, and lamenting the loss of the woman she loves. Woman, Katara. The same woman your father is pacing the floor in concern for, the same woman whose name seeps from your grandmothers lips in her slumber. You are a woman, and you need no man to prove it."

Katara stared at her friend in amazement. Toph was not one taken to flattery or deceit, but crashed along head first and never looked back to regret. She wasn't coddling or lying.

But how do you heal pain done mostly to one's pride?

A week later, Katara watched the tides lull the ship into the soft glow of the rising moon. Toph had retired to her cabin earlier, claiming nausea from the 'horrible, swelling, deep hole you call water'.

Katara let her be and rested her arms atop the banister. Her element stretched in every direction, a constant in her life, unchangeable and dependable. Her journey to Toph's home was not a long one, but the serenity it brought would have to last, for Gaoling was far ashore.

Toph had quickly become disgusted with being truly blind and of falling on the 'ice cube' that was Katara's land. She had dragged Katara along, insisting on her companionship in order to avoid her expected appearances at court. As a high ranking heiress, every event of high society was merely a day of marriage proposals for Toph.

Being blind only increased her parent's desire to have her wedded and 'provided for'.

Toph quickly put that notion to rest, having terrified every eligible man within hundreds of leagues.

The waves gently tousled the water, and Katara gazed at them fondly, blessing the comfort they brought her. The trip with Toph had been ideal, leave Jet's echoes behind, and perhaps humiliate him in court a time or two. The seeping wound was closing, but the emptiness remained. She was angry with him, his deception, but mostly her anger was directed inward, berating herself for her blind ignorance and naive trust. Never again would she accept a man's word of love as what he meant, any affection must be a ploy to gain a prize. Her outlook of men had dimmed, where she once saw protectors she found liars, her helplessness beforehand only increased her desire to shy away from a man's romance. It was cynical, she supposed, but the consequences of her faith had been brought about by her belief in love, and the innate goodness in all people.

Never again.

She would marry of course, and spare her babes no affection, but if any man was to hold her love, his worthiness must merit it. Never again would she be swept by sweet words, whispers and promises, chaste kisses, and meaningless embraces. She had longed for passion and hated Jet for his former place in her heart. He had brought her a sense of femininity, but he held no fire in his eyes that burned only for her, and not every bosom in view. That passion, at second glance was rare in any marriage. Her hopes for love were weak, and she satisfied herself on the knowledge that, at the very least, she would bear no more humiliation bought for the expense of a man's pleasure.

She made her vow to the waves, and to her mother's soul. I will never bend for a man again, and she turned and left, her whispers carried on the wind to the moon.

Jet eyes narrowed as he took in the angry man in front of him. Sokka was sitting at the table, a picture of gentlemen manners that he usually avoided. Jet had to wonder to at the fury swirling in his eyes, icy and hard. Sokka did not speak, but watched him with a precision a falcon watches his prey.

"How is your sister?" Jet knew immediately he had said the wrong thing, Sokka's fragile hold on his countenance slipped and he hissed at Jet, "How dare you?" Jet was rather taken aback. He and Sokka were never close, and always wary, but he was the man Sokka's sister was in love with.

"How dare I what?" He knew he was treading on thin ice, but he had never been a careful man.

"Play Katara for a fool, take advantage of someone who has only ever looked at your good qualities, few as they are." Sokka's eyes flashed and Jet knew his life would have been forfeit if they were alone.

"I never would demean your sister, I love her." Of course he did. Katara was beautiful, the useful wife.

Perfect.

"LIES!" Sokka roared as he lunged for Jet's throat.

Jet startled, reached for his scabbard only to fall backward with Sokka holding his hands down. "You have humiliated her! Useless, son of a bitch! My sister is pitied by the courts the world over, she is a mockery, a fool! And I am the biggest fool of all, for letting you close to her at all!"

Jet stared at his adversary in shock and anger, "What right do you have to strike me? I can enjoy any pleasures I wish! I will return to her whenever I wish, and she will bear my children, she is promised to me! I own her!"

The words had barely escaped his lips before a fury of powerful blows landed on him. Sokka did not stop, he gave Jet no mercy or leverage, as he avenged the sister he adored and beat the bastard who had fooled them all. The pain of breaking bones and skin, stunned Jet and he tried in vain to fend off the blows of a master.

Two men pulled Sokka off a dazed Jet. His arm was obviously dislocated, and he could put no weight upon his right leg. Sokka snarled and tried to rip free from the soldier's grasp, but a voice stopped him." I will not allow this man to be your first kill, Sokka." Suki stepped around the crowd that had gathered and stood before Sokka.

"He is unworthy of even kissing your feet, be content with his injuries and the knowledge that he will never hurt your sister again." She grasped Sokka's hand in her own and let him away from the crumpled heap that was Jet.

His steely blue eyes looked at the scum's crumpled form one last time.

"She thinks she loves you, Jet. There is no greater shame than your tricks."

Something in the water tribe warriors gaze had Jet feeling like he knew of more than just his jilting of Katara. Jet groaned, vision fading as the men and women frowned upon him in disgust. What knowledge did they hold, ignorant peasants? His sight failed him when the soldiers lifted him from the floor, jostling his useless arm.

Zuko sighed.

His Uncle's parties were becoming more and more a show of eligible young maidens, eagerly hunting for his heart. He sat in his chair rigidly, making only the necessary comments to the chattering women around him. His gaze wandered until he caught his Uncle's eye and was given a disapproving stare. At almost twenty three, it was nearly unthinkable for him to be unwed, or at the least unengaged. He had avoided the shrill 'blossoms' of court for as long as possible, but the councilor's (and his uncle's) patience was running thin. He had to choose an appropriate bride by summer's end, lest one be selected for him.

He sat in silence for the remainder of the evening, refusing any invitations of a card game, or cigar with some maiden's father. He escaped to his room, welcoming the silent, cool darkness and the relief it brought. He slipped into bed after bathing, and extinguished the candles with an indrawn breath. He'd begin worrying over marriage in the morning.

Agony

Pain

Stabbing wrenching BURNING pain

Darkness

"Coward!"

"Zuko!"

Golden eyes shot open. That nightmare. Everytime he was the least bit anxious about something. His greatest failure, thrown back in his face.

His breathing began to slow from the gasping crescendo it had been.

With a sigh, Zuko sat up and let the silk covers slip down his torso.

Judging from the sunlight creeping across his floor, he placed the time at just before dawn. Standing from his bed he stretched his knotted muscles, before dressing and joining his uncle for training.

"Good morning, nephew," Uncle Iroh had the customary tea in his hand as he greeted his nephew with an exuberance that shouldn't be in a man his age.

Jasmine, by the smell of it.

Typical.

With a curt nod to his uncle, Zuko began his stretching

"Did you sleep well, nephew?"

Annoyed, Zuko shot a glance at his uncle. He was startled to see the large grin on his uncle's face.

"Fine Uncle, and you?"

"Perfect, my lad, just fine," Iroh's grin threatened to burst from his face, "Nephew, as you know you are nearing your next birthday…"

"I'm well aware Uncle." He shuddered at the thought of a particular gift an earth kingdom ambassador had sent. Hog Monkeys. Ridiculous. In hats none the less.

"As my heir, you are required to choose a wife…"

Zuko's head shot up. Of course. His uncle had been pushing a marriage for three years, the nobles had followed his cue, and offered daughters ages nine to fifty.

"I know full well my responsibilities Uncle," a bad feeling creeping up his spine.

"Yes, but do you really wish to deprive an old man of children to spoil? I am getting on in year nephew."

Zuko snorted. Old man indeed, his Uncle was still undefeatable by any bender.

"Stop that now it's not dignified," Iroh's eyes sparkled," I've been considering a woman that was offered a few years ago by her father, a Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

Zuko blinked at him.

He's added more than honey to his tea today.

"Water Tribe…" As far as he knew, the Water tribe to the South was little more than a village.

"What use would I have of a peasant woman?"

His uncle frowned at him.

"That's enough nephew," Iroh's face sobered," There have been stirring of an uprising lately, in the Earth Kingdom Islands near our borders. "Any war there will destroy it and us too. The Earth People are by far the most populous among this world."

Zuko could easily understand the concern. An unstable Earth Kingdom was never beneficial to the fragile hold the world had on peace. Still. Uncle lit more than incense this morning.

Iroh continued his speech, watching his nephew's comprehension and suddenly tense shoulders. "Out of a way to create trade for his tribe, and discourage any conflict on the world stage, Chief Hakoda offered a marriage between his daughter and you."

The Fire lord was serious. Something that hardly sat well with the nearly twenty three year old. This was far beyond his uncle's matchmaking.

The heir apparent began to attempt the climb out of this rapidly deepening hole.

"That was years ago, and he's obviously lost interest in any alliance."

Please, please, let that be so.

"Not so my boy!" Iroh eyes twinkled, a sure sign of upcoming misery for his nephew," He has recently written expressing concerns over the unrest in the earth kingdom and his people's safety, they are small, but a powerful ally. Any trust with them opens the doors to agreements with the Northern Water tribe."

Zuko couldn't restrain his astonishment. The Northern Water tribe had taken great offense to the Earth Kingdom's way of disposing waste in ocean waters, and had since refused contact with all but…the Southern Water Tribe.

The hole was beginning to seem as if dirt was being thrown atop him. Unfortunately, as a volatile young bender, Zuko was not keen to the idea.

"You want me to marry some girl, that not only do I not know, like, or esteem, but one I've hardly heard of, from a place that benefits from this far more than I will!"

"Not at all Zuko," Iroh spoke, disappointment clear in his tone. "None of us can survive an Earth Kingdom civil war, the land is simply too vast, but any alliance would open trade and foster protection and an exchange of culture. Think of what we can learn, Nephew!"

Zuko knew he had no choice, the benefits were minimal at best, but when his Uncle had set his mind to something, let alone learning…

"And, what have you done since the offer was placed before you?"

"I agreed to meet with her Father on Kyoshi Island in a week. We'll discuss the terms of the marriage and alliance, and you'll meet the girl of course. Her father made it perfectly plain that should she refuse we would not force her."

Zuko felt a small surge of hope, his Uncle might be able to persuade (more often guilt) him into anything, but this girl, she would refuse! How could she not, what with…

Oh.

His hand briefly touched the marred skin at his face. This would be the best he could do. An arranged marriage. It was his duty to his country to have an heir, and better a girl that knew not of his glaring flaws from the start.

He despised the sycophants of the court, their pity and flattery repulsed him more than anything. An unknown girl, a stranger, could free him from all the women here.

Besides. It wouldn't be a real marriage.

"Fine," His head bowed, bent to his uncle's will, "I will consent if she does."

"Splendid!" The Firelord was beaming, proud of his Nephew's achieved sense of rational. He turned away to set his tea down, believing the matter settled and eager to continue the lesson.

"But I will not go with you to Kyoshi."

Iroh turned back to his heir in confusion.

"But, didn't you want to…"

"NO!" Zuko took a deep breath, "I do not wish to see her. This is an alliance; I have no stirring to see her any sooner than absolutely necessary."

Iroh paused, looking at Zuko in a way that was beginning to unease the younger man. He held the Fire lords' gaze as long as he could, but soon turned his head.

Iroh's voice was quiet, "Nephew," he said, the clink of a set down cup echoing in the pause, "Not everyone looks to your face first."

Zuko grimaced. Impossible to get anything past the old man.

"I know, Uncle," he sighed.

"But why give her the chance?".

Iroh watched his nephew turn, training forgotten.

"I will write her a letter," Zuko called over his shoulder, "Will you take it to her?"

Damn you Ozai.