Disclaimer: Neither Avatar the Last Airbender nor it's characters belong to me. :( :(
Chapter 8
Sitting beneath the Willow tree and letting the breeze lull her to sleep, Katara, now four months pregnant, closed her eyes sleepily. A week after she and Zuko got engaged, Katara learned that although the people were happy to have her as their future Fire Lady, the council seemed skeptical. Zuko, being worried for Katara, told her not to worry over serious matters just yet. Sighing comfortably, Katara placed her hands in her lap, cradling her small but growing bulge. Sokka had gone home three weeks ago, with Aang and Toph following him a week later. However, with Republic City under some construction, Aang was due back here in the Fire Nation any day now.
Katara felt exhausted as she let the cool air relax her. Gone were the days of morning sickness and nausea, but were replaced with exhaustion and a sky high libido. Katara smiled when she remembered how late she made Zuko to this morning's meeting.
"Katara" a voice called.
Opening her eyes sleepily, Katara's eyes focused to see Zuko, dressed in his royal robes and looking at her with a slightly confused look.
"What are you doing out here?" He asked softly taking a seat next to her.
"The breeze felt wonderful..." she said softly.
"Why didn't you ask or pillows for something? You shouldn't strain your back like this"
Zuko reached and put his hand on Katara's baby bump and smiled proudly.
"Getting used to the servants is...proving to be harder for me than I thought..." Katara smiled sheepishly.
Zuko chuckled and kissed her saying,
"You've got time. At least let them make the bed or set out your clothes"
"How did the meeting go?"
"Nice change of subject"
"It's a gift" Katara smiled proudly as she batted her eyes.
Zuko handed her the scrolls he had almost forgotten he had been holding.
"These are for you to look over so you're up to speed on what is going on"
Sighing, but taking the scrolls, Katara unraveled the ribbon,
"I still don't see why you can't just let me sit in there with you"
"Because I'd rather have you stay out here and be away from any arguing that ensues in there. The healers emphasized you shouldn't be stressed. Especially since you carry my heir"
Katara shook her head and read through the normal topics of the scrolls. She noticed that a couple of the paragraphs seemed to jump topics. Dramatically. One paragraph read about how to protect the people in one of the outer villages of the Fire Nation, but then Katara noticed the very next sentence explained the proceedings for the royal wedding to take place in a week.
"Well this doesn't seem to flow very well" Katara said.
"What? Oh that? It's nothing" Zuko said stroking Katara's thigh.
Feeling skeptical, Katara eyed Zuko who only smiled back at her. Dammit, where was Toph when you needed her?
"You don't believe me?" Zuko asked.
"I don't..." a voice said.
Katara and Zuko looked up suddenly and Katara's face beamed.
"Dad!" Katara exclaimed.
Zuko helped Katara up and watched her run to her father's open arms. Zuko looked behind the pair and saw Katara's grandmother, step-grandfather, and Sokka with Suki on his arm.
"Gran-gran!" Katara laughed hugging the old woman.
"Palace life seems to be fitting you too well, Katara" Hakoda said pointing to Katara's mid-section.
Everyone froze. Dammit, she forgot to write that letter to her father. Gran-gran stepped up to Zuko smiling sweetly and pulling him into a hug. When she pulled away, she smiled brightly, looked at Hakoda and said,
"It seems that Fire Lord Zuko is going to be a father"
Hakoda's smile dropped and Sokka startled everyone by yelling,
"Run Zuko!"
Ignoring the flinching Sokka, Hakoda stepped up to Katara almost angrily, but was blocked by the protective Zuko. The two men stared at each other silently. Zuko stared at the blue eyes Katara and Sokka inherited, not daring to flinch.
Hakoda was surprised when the fire bender dared to step into his path, but held his gaze on into the golden eyes. He tried to look for any kind of sign this man would be anything like Ozai, but found no trace of the tyrant. Taking a step back, he only bowed his head slightly to Zuko and held out his hand.
Master Pakku laughed as the women let out breaths of relief,
"Times may continue to change, but young men never will"
Katara showed her family to their rooms at the Fire Nation palace. When she returned to her bed chamber, she saw Zuko laying on the bed with his arms spread out. He had already stripped out of his robes and wore only his black pants.
"Did you see the way he looked at me? I think if I wasn't Fire Lord he would have broken my jaw" Zuko said staring at the ceiling.
"You did great!" Katara laughed getting on the enormous bed.
Propping herself up on her side, Katara smiled and ran her fingers over the scar on her future husband's chest.
"I'm sorry I forgot to send the letter. My mind seems to made of clay these days"
"Maybe now you'll find an excellent use for a servant" Zuko chided.
"I suppose so" Katara said leaning down to kiss Zuko.
The two were happy guards were posted out their door for privacy.
The morning of the wedding a week later, Katara stared at herself at the mirror. Turning to each of her sides, all she could think of her reflection was if her bump was more noticeable or not. The blue and white wedding gown draped over Katara's figure like a curtain. The sash that hugged her just under her breasts was a deep red with golden swirls sewn on it. The long sleeves that hung just off Katara's shoulders reached just passed her knees. To Katara's surprise, jewels had been sewn intricately onto the dress. Katara's hair had been washed, combed, curled and half of it pinned up to hang down like a waterfall. The necklace Zuko had given her wrapped around her neck and shined like a light.
"Fit for a queen" Suki said coming into the chamber dressed in her Kyoshi warrior attire,
"Everyone is ready whenever you are"
"I just need another minute. I think I'm more nervous about being Fire Lady than being Zuko's wife"
"Wow, Sugar Queen, that dress looks gorgeous on you"
"Do you really think so? I feel like the front is-Dammit Toph! That quit being funny years ago!" Katara said trying not to laugh.
Toph, on the other hand, laughed hysterically. She walked in wearing a surprisingly beautiful forest green gown. The elegant, transparent sleeves hung off her shoulders and almost reached the floor. A soft green sash reached across her torso from her shoulder to her hip, and her wrists were wrapped with her usual green and white bracelets. Suki narrowed her eyes on Toph and touching her friend's shoulder, asked,
"What's this mark on your shoulder? Is that- ow!"
"What's that mark on your shoulder!" Toph said punching Suki in the arm.
"Toph!" Katara exclaimed.
"Don't look at me! Fan girl's sticking her nose in-"
"You're the one who punched me!"
"Alright! Alright! Let's get this ceremony started before we start beating each other"
Katara stood next to Zuko as flowers floated through the air in the same large courtyard where Zuko was crowned. Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Sukki stood behind them as the fire sage and water tribe priest married the two royals. Katara knelt down before Zuko as gracefully as her body would allow so Zuko could place the gold crown in her pinned hair and help her stand up again. Facing the priests once more, Zuko and Katara had a red and blue sash wrapped around their joined hands.
"Fire Lady Katara, Fire Lord Zuko, we now pronounce you husband and wife" the priest of the water tribe smiled.
The courtyard exploded into applause when the couple turned to face the crowd. Zuko looked at his wife, to see her beaming at him. Unable to resist her, Zuko pulled her into a kiss, only to receive an even louder applause.
The last of the Fire Nation nobility paid their congratulatory respects to Zuko and Katara, when the music began playing and couples reached the dance floor. Katara beamed when she saw her grandparents stepped onto the dance floor sweetly.
"So, a cat fight almost started before the wedding huh?" Sokka asked sitting at the royal banquet table with the newly married couple drinking his wine.
"What? Why?" Aang asked picking at the grapes on the table.
"Apparently, Suki was antagonizing Toph" Zuko replied handing a glass of mango nectar to Katara.
"I was not!" Suki denied.
"You touched me!" Toph cried pointing to the warrior.
"Because you have something on your shoulder!"
"Oh you noticed?" Toph asked sarcastically.
"You guys enough. This is a wedding, not a bending match. Now please, Toph, no teasing people. Suki, don't touch Toph you know she doesn't like it" Katara said pointing to the women like they were children.
"I was just wondering what it was!" Suki tried to defend herself.
Laughing, and putting his wine down, Aang stood up, walked to Toph saying,
"They noticed your hickey?"
"Unfortunately. It's your fault for not putting it where I can usually hide them" Toph said with a smirk and leaning her head up towards Aang's voice.
Aang smiled and leaned down to kiss Toph right on the mouth. Katara and Suki's jaw dropped. Sokka just stared and Zuko started choking on his wine. The group could only stare in utter shock when they assumed Aang and Toph had to be twirling tongues. When Aang pulled away, he planted a kiss on Toph's cheek and pulled her up to go dance. Still watching in awe as the earth bender and Avatar wrapped their arms around each other, the group looked at each other in disbelief.
"What the hell just happened?!" Zuko cried.
