DISCLAIMER: I own nothing associated with Avatar: The Last Airbender. However, I do lay claim to my character Kaida.DONT FORGET TO REVIEW!

Jin blinked, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her? Go with Zuko to a royal party? A party where only the best of the best were? Leaders from all over the would would be there! Heroes, kings, aristocrats, princes and princesses! Then there would be Jin, just a common little girl from the earth kingdom. "Zuko.. Zuko I.. I wouldn't fit in." She said shaking her head, trying to see herself around the most celebrated people.

He chuckled, the red scar wrinkling under his eye as his smile widened. He placed a hand over Jin's and shook his head. "Don't worry Jin, you will be dressed in the finest clothes the Fire Nation has to offer. It's to celebrate the summer solstice. You'll fit right in, everyone will be dressed in reds and golds. It's to symbolize the unity of all four elements. Please Jin, it would mean so much to me." He said, a slight tinge of pleading in his tone.

She laughed. "Zuko, look at me. I'm no fire nation girl." She continued. Of course she wanted to go, but she just knew how different she would be from the others.

He continued to shake his head. "Please Jin? You will be treated like a princess, I would feel awful if you didn't come." He wasn't going to let this one slide.

What came over Zuko? What ever happened to the passionate love he had for the water tribe princess just miles away? Did he really just stop loving her? There was just something, something special about Jin. He was drawn to her like a moth to light. WAs it love? No, he couldn't answer that. But he just knew that Jin had to be there. Something inside him told him that it was the right thing to do.

Iroh then approached them, placing more tea on the table. "I overheard your conversation, nephew. The party is planned to be as soon as you arrive. The others are preparing this week. The ships will be here by the end of the week, it appears that the solstice is closer than we thought. He turned his attention to the girl. "I do so hope you have accepted the Fire Lord's invitation." He said with his fatherly grin.

Jin couldn't resist it anymore."Of course I'll come." She said with a smile, and Zuko laughed happily. Now he could hardly wait until the ships were to arrive.

~Meanwhile~

Kaida sat in the library with Katara. "Do you like my brother?" She asked with a childish tone in her voice. Kaida loved Katara, she was so much like her in a way. She sometimes thought she saw a bit of herself in the younger one.

"Of course I do Katara." Kaida replied with a smile, her pale hands folded delicately in her lap.

Katara nodded. "Do you love him?" She continued. She blinked and leaned back in the chair. She couldn't really say that she loved him as she should. True, the two were to be married soon. Yet somehow she couldn't actually say that love was what she felt for Sokka.

"Katara, you know I, ah, I love him like my brother." Kaida finally said, hoping the answer would satisfy the waterbender.

The tan girl stood and walked out of the room without another word. She was taller than Kaida, and built much more like a fighter. Kaida was as frail as a sheet of glass when she stood next to her.

She sighed and pushed her light brunette hair back behind her shoulders. The braids weren't as comfortable as she had remembered. She tugged at them for a moment before standing up and gliding out of the room to meet with Sokka or Aang, whichever she came upon first.

As always, things didn't go according to plan. One of the nurses rushed up to her and for a moment she thought she was going to give her more medicine. However, the nurse just bowed and held a letter up to her. "A message for you, princess." She said in a shrill voice before skittering down the hall.

Kaida delicately opened the letter and read it. The paper was red with gold letters. Her blue eyes scanned it quickly before she flded it back and put it in the envelope. "Summer Solstice, already." She said with a sigh, turning to go to her room and begin packing.