Chapter 2

In the Fire Nation One month earlier. Zuko and Mai are lounging in the garden.

"Nephew. I need to have a word with you and Lady Mai." Iroh said.

"What is it Uncle?" I asked sitting up.

"Mai you might want to sit in a different seat. I have a feeling Zuko is going to lose his temper." Iroh told the girl.

Mai stood up from her seat with Zuko and walked over to a chair a few feet away. Something she had learned while living with Zuko and Iroh was that if Iroh told you Zuko may lose his temper than she needed to move out of his way.

"What is it Uncle?" The worry in my voice was apparent. It can't be that bad. If it was my father he would have told Mai to stand behind him for safety. Same with Azula. I thought

"As you know Zuko some of the older councilmen have discovered a document in the archives. Well it was a deal with the water tribe. It was created back when your grandfather was Fire Lord and meant for my son Lu Ten." Iroh said.

"So what was the deal?"

"That they would send one girl of Noble birth to the fire nation to wed our prince or next Fire Lord."

"So? What's and old law to me?"

"Zuko they are have decided to follow up on the arrangement. It is out of both of our hands. You are to wed a water tribe girl."

"What!" Both Mai and I yelled. Flames appeared around both of my hands as I jumped up from my seat. I have to act the part. Mai cant know I found the document. She can't know yet that I love Katara.

"How can they do this? Isn't he Fire Lord? He can do whatever he wants." Mai said.

" Not really, with most of the Council against him he has to follow their wishes."

"Who is the girl? Uncle?"

"You know her. Lady Katara." Excellent

Back at the North Pole

"Katara, General Iroh's ship has arrived. Are you ready?" Gran Gran yelled.

"Almost." Came my reply.

I looked in the mirror. My hair was down and half pulled back. I wore my usual parka and a new pair of boots. I can't believe this. How am I supposed to face them? Zuko? Mai? And someday Aang? She thought.

I stood up and walked out of my room picking up my bags as I went. There wasn't much there. Most of my cold weather clothing would be of no use in the Fire Nation and I didn't know how long it would be until I was home again. As I walked into the living area of the house I noticed two Fire Nation soldiers waiting near the door.

"Katara these men were sent to carry your things to the ship." Gran Gran said.

"It's ok I can carry them there isn't much and it's not heavy."

"My Lady we were told that you would say that. General Iroh said that you were a very independent girl." One of the soldiers said. "My name is Hiro."

"Thank you Hiro." I thought for a moment. "Well I guess you can carry it if it's not too much trouble."

"None at all." He said. I turned to my grandmother and hugged her one last time. The next time I would see my grandmother I would be the Fire Lady, I am the first Water tribe girl to hold a position in the Fire Court.

"Bye Gran Gran. I love you. Take care of Dad for me alright." Kana tried to hold back the tears as she saw her only granddaughter leave.

The walk down to the docks took only a few minutes and as soon as I saw Iroh, I took off into a run.
"Uncle Iroh!" I hugged the old man.

"Lady Katara it is so good to see you. How are you?"Iroh asked as he led me onto the ship.

"I'm fine thank you. You look well yourself." I smiled assessing the old man "Though there is no need to call me Lady, I'm hardly one."

"I do feel good. And you soon will be my country's Lady so I must address you as such! I know my nephew is looking forward to seeing you also. He was sorry he couldn't come and fetch you himself but his work wouldn't allow him to get away." Iroh held the door open for her and she stepped into the ship's hold.

Iroh led me down a dimly lit hallway. "Here is the dining room where we will have dinner. And right down the hall here is the training room. I will have some water put into it for you"

"Thank you, this means more to me than you know." I said as Iroh led me down the hall.

"Here is you room. I hope everything is to your liking the men brought in your things and set them on the bed. Dinner is in two hours if you would care to join me. Though I must warn you that since tonight is your first night in the ship dinner will be fairly formal."

"I'd love to. Thank you" I walked into the room and slightly gasped. The interior was a mixture of both Fire Nation and Water Tribe. The bed was clearly of Fire Nation design but the bedding and blue sheets were of Water Tribe silk. The dresser and vanity were wood but with a flame and water waves mix.

I walked over to the desk and carefully opened the drawer. I noticed a note written on a sheet of paper.

Katara,

I hope the room is to your liking. We will be using it when we travel to Ember Island after the wedding. I didn't have much time to add to it. Please feel free to add or change things as Uncle stops at ports. I believe he would love to help you add to it.

Zuko

The thought of the wedding approaching sent a lurch through my stomach.

This would be our room? She though. Sharing a room with him would be one thing but a bed? I didn't think he planned of this being a full marriage.

I shook my head and walked to the dresser and when I opened it I found dresses of both blue and red silk. Some of it was fine dresses but the majority was everyday wear and even some training outfits. I had never had so many clothes at one time, or such fine quality. Another drawer was filled with pants and shirts that looked to be about Zuko's size. When I pulled one out and held it up to my nose it even smelled like him, smoke and some type of spice.

I returned to my drawers and pulled out one of the red silk dresses and put it on. It was high wasted and gold embroidery shaped like a dragon. I let my hair down from its braid and pulled two pieces back and secured it with a comb.

I walked back into the main living area and sat down to wait for Iroh to escort me to dinner.

Z.P.O.V.

Fire Nation Palace

"Mai can I talk to you?" I found her sitting in my room. She was lounging on my bed waiting for me to come for the night.

"Well I don't think I can refuse"

I pulled off my heavy outer robes and sat down in a chair near my bed. I pulled my hair out of its topknot and kicked off my boots and socks. Then I spoke.

"Well I wanted to clear some things up about you and I and what will happen once Katara is here." Mai looked confused which I had expected. This would be hard.

"Like what? Just because you are getting married doesn't mean we can't still be together! All you have to do is marry her and bed her a few times to get a child and send her off to Ember Island. All the other Fire Lords did the same." Mai looked dangerous. I was glad that she was in a nightgown that didn't have room for her knives, though there couldn't be much room for anything else I observed.

"I'm not like the other Fire Lord's Mai! I plan on treating Katara right and try to love her. She is going to be the mother of my children someday. I will not have Katara treated like Ozai treated my mother, she isn't a concubine and I won't take any." Mai would fight me I knew it. I cared for her but I knew I loved Katara. I have for a long time.

"So what the past few years? Have they meant nothing to you! And what of me? Were you just going to let me rot somewhere like Azula! I have almost no where to go! My parents won't take me back if they found out I was cast aside just because you were getting married! They wanted me to become Fire Lady. That should be my title not some peasant from the water tribes! I bet she doesn't have an ounce of noble blood in her!"

I cut Mai off. "I don't care Mai; you saw what happened to my parents! Ozai is as good as dead, Azula has gone crazy and I have no clue where my mother is or even if she is still alive. I refuse to let that happen to my children. They will have a mother and father who love them and love each other.

"As for your family, when you find a man whom you wish to marry tell me and I will make it happen. I won't leave you out in the cold." I turned dangerous now. "And if I ever hear you call Katara a peasant again you will never be welcome in the Fire Nation again, she is nobler than you could ever hope to be. At sixteen she put her life on the line for peace. She has killed more than you will ever know and helped save our nation. She is the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe which in turn makes her a Princess. So don't you dare say she isn't noble?"

"You love her don't you?" Mai asked.

"What?!" That was a question I wasn't expecting to hear. I didn't know how to respond

"You love her." She shook her head. "I guess I should have known, right when the nation needs a Fire Lady, this old contract comes up binding you to a water tribe princess." She paused. "So is it her you think about at night? I'm just as good as her. Maybe even more so, I defiantly am more experienced than she is. Natural born Fire Nation, daughter of one of Ozai's most trusted Lords, perfect match for you, but you don't want me. I give all of myself, heart and soul but that doesn't seem to be enough for you." She stood from the bed and put her outer robe back on. "I need to get away from here. I'll be at my parents in Ba Sing Se if you need me, but don't need me because I won't come. "She walked out the door.

"Guard. Make sure Lady Mai gets what she needs." The guard left with my orders to assist Mai and I went to my room and sat down at my desk in my room. A messenger hawk had arrived from my uncle.

They were a few days from docking.

I went to my bed and laid down. She would be here soon.


Okay I want to thank my single reviewer!!! I have alot written but some of it is being revised.

Please read my other story Solstice! This has just been my filler story when I go brain dead with that one!

Thanks!!!

Adurna Risa