Epilogue:

Katara found Zuko in the library. It seemed they had had the same idea. He flinched when he heard her come up behind him, but relief washed over him when he saw it was his bride-to-be.

"I was worried one of my advisors had finally caught up with me," he said. He set aside the scroll he had been reading and stood to embrace Katara. She fell into his arms with a tired sigh.

"I hope this is a good hiding place."

"Rough day, my love?" Zuko chuckled. Katara smiled at the way Zuko's chest rumbled against her cheek.

"I've been training Nukilik to take over my duties," Katara told him. "He's a real piece of work. Condescending, arrogant, rude. Your typical Northern Tribesman to the core. He thinks because I'm younger than him, and a woman, he knows more than I do. Never mind that I've been doing this job for nearly two and a half years, and doing it well, if I do say so myself. I can't believe he's the best the Water Tribes have to send."

Zuko scowled. Katara felt him stiffen and looked up at him. Zuko forced a smile and kissed her forehead.

"You have done an amazing job as ambassador. Do you want me to remind him that you're about to become the most powerful woman in the world? I mean, officially." Katara let out a quick bark of laughter.

"Don't ever let Toph hear you say that," she said only partially joking. "No, Zuko, it's fine. I handled it. "

"Uh-oh! I'm not going to find Nukilik frozen to a wall, am I?" Katara hit Zuko on the shoulder.

"I don't solve all my problems that way. Honestly, I only did that one time when I wasn't actually in a fight or sparring with someone. Once!" Zuko cleared his throat and looked away innocently.

"Whatever you say." Katara gasped and pulled away indignantly.

"Smart aleck!" she chided. She moved over to the window. Zuko followed and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder and buried his nose in her hair.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. Katara smiled and leaned back against him.

"Uncle's secretary found me after I was done with Nukilik," Katara told him. Zuko shuddered. "He spent an hour going over the guest list with me. As if I haven't got enough to do already without organizing seating charts. I don't know half the people on the list! A third of the ones I do know, I don't like." Katara craned her head back and looked up at her fiancé with pleading eyes. "Zuko, would you mind very much if we just eloped?" Zuko kissed Katara's nose.

"I wouldn't mind at all. Your father might, though. He invited basically all of the Southern Tribe and most of the officials from the Northern Tribe." Zuko laughed when Katara sucked her teeth in disgust.

"I hate all this fuss."

"But you love a party," Zuko pointed out.

"I love a good party," Katara corrected. "This is going to be another boring state function. If it wasn't for the fact that you'll be my husband at the end of it, I'd be looking for any excuse to skip it."

"Well, I'm definitely glad you think that's a good enough reason to show up," Zuko teased. He grinned at Katara's pouting reflection in the window. "Don't forget, my love, you're marrying the Fire Lord. Boring state functions full of people you don't like is part of the package."

"Yeah? Well…you're just lucky you're cute." Katara grumbled.

The library door opened, and a small, mousy man came in carrying a burden of several bulky bags. He looked at the couple in relief.

"You're here!" he exclaimed. "We were worried you wouldn't make it."

Zuko froze as the man kissed him on both cheeks, and then did the same to Katara. He shared a bewildered look with Katara and knew immediately that she had no idea who the man was or what he was talking about either.

"I'm sorry," Katara said, wiping her cheeks discreetly. "I don't believe we've met." She smiled pleasantly at the man who waved his hand broadly, with a look of good-natured long suffering.

"Well, our first meeting was postponed," the man laughed a little." I'm Duan. I'm helping Hana with the wedding planning." Hana the couple remembered. She was a woman who made quite an impression. But neither Zuko nor Katara remembered scheduling a meeting with their wedding planner for that day.

"A-are you sure we were supposed to meet today?" Zuko asked. Duan confirmed that he was sure as he cleared scrolls and books from the table.

"We spoke with General Iroh," Duan told them, "and he assured us-that is Hana and I- that we would be able to begin the plans for the wedding today in earnest. We will make sure that your day is absolute-" Duan kissed his fingers "-per-FEC-tion! " Duan set his bags down and pulled out fabric samples, color swatches, menus, dance cards, and a myriad of other things that the couple hadn't thought of that were apparently essential to planning the perfect royal wedding.

"Hana asked me to start with the color selection," Duan explained. "She'll be here a little later."

"Where is she?" Zuko asked.

"She's going through the ballroom with the head of the palace staff." Duan clasped his hands in front of his chest, his eyes lit up with unabashed admiration. "She wants to meet the space. I'm honored that she has entrusted me with starting you on your journey towards wedded bliss. Oh! And you're such a beautiful couple. Especially, you, my Lady. That face! That skin! That body to just die for… I can tell already you're going to be our favorite bride this year! Possibly ever!" Zuko and Katara exchanged a glance, and quickly decided to avoid looking at each other. Their faces were red from trying to hold in the laughter.

"Your marriage will be more than merely a ceremony," Duan said, waving his hands as if conducting an invisible orchestra. "Your union will be a symbol of hope to the masses. A joining together of two peoples that signifies the Fire Nation moving forward from its dark past and stepping into a bright future. And that bright future looks..."

"...Bright?" Katara supplied. Zuko covered up a laugh with a cough. Duan was flushed, but whether it was from embarrassment or excitement, neither Zuko nor Katara could tell. He pushed on without missing a beat.

"Our theme- our vision! - is..." Duan paused for dramatic effect. Katara and Zuko leaned forward in anticipation. Suddenly the door burst open and a voluptuous, statuesque woman entered in a swirl of bright orange and crimson and gold silks.

"Legendary Love!" She announced theatrically. The couple stared at her, completely bewildered. Her salt and pepper hair was piled high in sculpted curls, making her look even taller. Hana's make-up would have made the Kyoshi warriors do a double take. Her eyes were covered in a metallic gold shadow and her lips were done in a dark wine color. Her cheeks were rouged to a shade of red that Katara thought only existed in the Fire Nation's flag. But, heavy as it was, the make-up was artistically applied, Katara had to admit. With a shudder of fear, she wondered if she would be expected to wear her make-up as heavy for her wedding.

"Hana!" Duan fawned, taking Hana's plump hands in his own much slimmer ones. Hana flushed and managed to turn her already rosy cheeks even redder. She wrapped her arms around Duan and leaning down, planted a loud kiss on his lips. Zuko and Katara blinked in surprise. Hana giggled girlishly and put her hands on her face bashfully. It did not match her larger than life presence at all.

"You'll have to excuse us," Hana said giddily. "Six years of marriage and we're still not past the honeymoon phase."

"I only hope you two will be as happy as we are," Duan sighed, gazing up lovingly at his wife.

"I didn't realize you were ...ah... married," Katara said. Hana giggled again.

"Oh! Very few people do at first," Hana told the younger couple. Her voice was booming, but conversational. She was an actress playing to the back row of the theater. "But you know how these things happen. When I hired Duan on, I never thought I could fall for a man like him. Don't misunderstand me, dear. I thought you were an absolute dish, but a bit bland."

"No offense taken, my love," Duan assured his wife. "You have added spice to my life." Hana patted his hand and continued her story.

"I thought Duan would only be helpful with the boring business stuff. You know, finances, keeping schedules, that sort of thing. That's why I hired him, you see. But then one day, while I was having just the most awful time with planning the wedding of a noble family with seven identical daughters- seven! Have you ever heard of such… Anyway, darlings, to make a long story a bit shorter, four of the girls were getting married on the same day and wanted a joint ceremony, but they all had such wildly different tastes, it stretched even my creative abilities. That's when Duan here…Oh! Duan, love, be a dove-finch and tell them what you did." Duan blushed and waved off Hana's praise.

"It was nothing really," he insisted. "Hana would have thought of it herself given time, but you know creative genius often has trouble with smaller details. I merely suggested that she use one neutral color scheme and incorporate aspects of each sister's taste."

"It was a stroke of absolute brilliance!" Hana declared. She stared tenderly into Duan's eyes. "And that was the day I saw this tender little novice with new eyes." Duan and Hana held each other's gaze for a long moment. Finally, Katara cleared her throat awkwardly to remind the wedding planners that she and Zuko were still there.

"Oh! Dear!" Duan gasped. "Hana, we've done it again. Gone and made like we're the only people in the room. I'll have to stop coming to consultations with you."

"Nonsense!" Hana said. "They know what it's like when you're young and in love." She turned to Zuko and Katara. "It's easy forget the world when you gaze into that special someone's eyes, isn't it?" The younger couple flushed and looked at each other almost involuntarily.

"Well, he does have unusually pretty eyes," Katara admitted, smiling up at Zuko. He smiled back and rested his forehead against hers.

"Yours are prettier," he assured her.

"Stop it!" Katara laughed and playfully pushed him away from her. Hana grinned at their antics and Katara's face flushed a deeper red.

"It's wonderful to work with a couple who is so genuinely in love!" she gushed happily. "You wouldn't believe how many marriages of convenience and business I get called upon to plan. They are my bread and butter, you know. After all, most of the couples with the freedom to marry for love can't afford my services-" she tutted sympathetically, "-poor little woodchicks. But these mercenary society weddings are so unutterably stiff and depressing. They may as well be funerals for all- But, I'm not there to judge." Hana sighed. Then an instant later she brightened up and clapped her hands. "You don't want to hear about that while we're planning your happy day, though. Why don't I begin by showing you some concepts? Now, I've been reading up on my Oma and Shu lore…"

The sun had long set by the time Hana was finished laying out her ideas for Zuko and Katara's wedding. Iroh had poked his head in at one point, but quickly retreated after seeing the sea of fabric samples and table settings. He did, however, send up a few trays of food and strong tea for the group, to his nephew and niece's boundless gratitude. Eventually, late into the evening, Hana and Duan felt they had gathered enough information from the young royal couple to commence the execution of what was sure to be an extravagant affair worthy of their "extraordinary love story and the momentous alliance of the Fire Nation and Water Tribes". Zuko and Katara thanked their enthusiastic planners and saw them off with twin sighs of relief. Zuko looked at Katara and shook his head.

"Is it too late to go through with that eloping idea?" he asked.

"And rob them of all this fun?" Katara scoffed. "You had your chance to run away with me, buddy. The wedding's on." Zuko groaned and wrapped his arms loosely around Katara.

"You'd better be worth all of this hassle," he said. Katara leaned up and gave him a quick kiss.

"I am," she assured him. "Now go to bed. You have more staff to appoint and I'd like for you to be done before our honeymoon."

"Yes dear," Zuko said sarcastically. "I'll see you tomorrow. Oh! And try not to kill Nukilik. I'd hate to have to find another replacement Water Tribe ambassador." Katara shrugged as she headed towards her rooms.

"I promise nothing. Good night!" Katara walked off down the hall, stopping once to turn back and wave at Zuko. "I love you!" Zuko couldn't help the grin that spread over his face.

"Ditto!" he replied.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The five weeks leading up to the wedding passed in a blur and at a crawl simultaneously. On the morning of the ceremony, Katara couldn't decide if she couldn't believe that it was here already or if she couldn't believe how long it had taken to arrive.

A little of both, she decided, rolling over to face the window. She was up uncharacteristically early. The sun was just peeking over the horizon. Soon, an army of maids would arrive to prepare the bride and her two bridesmaids for the wedding. Katara smiled and threw her blankets off. She grabbed a sheet of paper from her writing desk and scribbled a note, and then went to call a servant to deliver it.

"OH!" Hana stood at Katara's door, her arm raised and prepared to knock. The surprise on her face mirrored the surprise of the bride in finding her there. Then Hana saw the envelope in Katara's hand and smiled knowingly. "A love note?"

"Um…sort of," Katara said, blushing.

"Oh, my dear!" Hana giggled, snatching the envelope from Katara's hand. "Please, allow me! Duan is overseeing the preparations for Fire Lord Zuko and his party. He and I can be your go-betweens today. Now, I won't take no for an answer. Hachiko, your manicurist, will be here any moment, and I've already ordered breakfast for you and the girls. And oh, look, here they come now," Hana spared a wave towards Suki and a very sleepy looking Toph ambling towards her room. Hana laughed. "I have plenty of time to pass this along to Duan to give to the Fire Lord." Katara started to protest.

"Why am I up this early?" Toph demanded, ending whatever argument Katara was about to present. Hana scampered off down the hall chortling happily with the envelope in hand.

"No worries my dear!" she called over her shoulder. "I'll be back in two shakes of a sheep-hog's tail!" Katara sighed in resignation and turned her attention to her friend. Another door in the hall opened and Suki shuffled blearily towards Katara and Toph.

"Mornin'," she mumbled.

"Hello!" Toph said crankily. She snapped her fingers under Katara's nose. "It's ridiculous o'clock in the morning, Sugar Queen. The ceremony isn't until tonight."

"Oh, relax, Toph," Katara chided. She stepped aside to let her two friends into her room. She saw a servant coming towards them with a cart of food. "Look, breakfast is coming."

"It better be," Toph grumbled. She curled up on an overstuffed chair, and Katara perched on the armrest and put an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Don't be so grumpy," she chided. "I'm getting married today!"

"Yeah, yeah! Congratulations Fire Lady Sugar Queen. Now pass me a fruit tart."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

In the rooms where Zuko and his groomsmen were, the young Fire Lord was woken by a light, but steady knocking at his door. He rolled out of bed and shuffled to the door. Duan was standing there with an excited smile on his face.

"…Yeah?" Zuko blinked at him groggily. Duan held up an envelope and waved it slightly.

"Your bride wanted to be the first to wish you a good morning, sire!" the peppy planner said, handing him the envelope. "I'll go wake the groomsmen. Let me know if you have a reply for Lady Katara." Zuko was wide awake now. He shut the door and tore the envelope open, grinning as he read the note. He rushed over to his desk to scribble a response for Duan to take to her.

Sparky-

Today's the day! I couldn't be happier! But, if you want to back out, this is your last chance.

Love always,

Katara

P.S. I lied. You're stuck with me forever! Don't you dare try to back out, or I'll set Toph after you!

Katara-

You've got me wondering what I've gotten myself into, but I wouldn't dream of backing out. I don't want to end up frozen at the bottom of the pond or buried in the garden. Not to mention what your father and brother would do to me if I did. Don't worry. I'll be there tonight.

I love you,

Zuko

P.S. I can't wait to be your husband. Are you sure it's too late to elope?

Their notes- some as short as one word- went back and forth for the rest of the day until Katara saw Duan was starting to look a bit run down. Feeling a bit guilty, she sent one last note suggesting that their assistant wedding planner had had enough punishment for one day. But Zuko had one more note.

Katara pulled Zuko's final note from around the small velvet box and read it quickly. Her heat quickened as she opened the box. Inside was the pendant from her mother's necklace, re-set on a choker of delicately filigreed white gold. It was the perfect marriage of her Water Tribe tradition and Fire Nation style. It was more simple than the rest of the crown jewels in the Fire Nation treasury, but Katara fought back tears, thinking it was the most exquisite piece of jewelry she would ever own.

"Fire Lady Sugar Queen!" Toph yelled as she banged on the door. "Are you decent?" Katara nodded for her maid to let her friends in. Toph and Suki were in their bridesmaid outfits of matching kimonos in pale blue with gold trim. Katara rose from her dressing table and faced them with happy tears in her eyes.

"You two look incredible!" she almost whispered.

"Oh, honey!" Suki cried. She crossed the room quickly and threw her arms around Katara. "Why are you crying? You'll ruin your makeup!" From behind Suki, Katara's makeup artist pursed her lips in agreement. Katara laughed and fanned her face with her hand.

"I'm just so happy!" she told her friends. She held up the velvet jewelry box. "Look at what Zuko sent me." Suki gasped and Toph reached out to run her fingers over the necklace.

"Is this your mom's necklace?" she asked. "Why'd he change the band?" Katara laughed again.

"The old one snapped, and I guessed he noticed I wasn't wearing it," she said, smiling widely. "I had no idea he was doing this. The crown he had made for me is beautiful, but this…this is different."

"It's so romantic!" Suki gushed. She reached up to the beautifully carved coral pendant on her neck. "I know exactly what you mean. I felt the same way when Sokka gave me my pendant." Katara held the necklace out.

"Help me put it on?" Suki took the band in her hands and laid on the new choker, the pendant settling comfortably between Katara's collar bones. Katara smiled at her reflection in the mirror and then spun around to face her friends.

"Is it time for the ceremony to start yet?" Hana slid in and smiled at the evident excitement on Katara's face.

"Almost, my dear!" she answered with a delighted clap. "And your bridesmaids look lovely. But I'm sure you don't want to stand with your groom in your bathrobe." Katara looked down and realized she wasn't dressed yet.

"Oh, no!" she cried. "Where's my-?"

"I have it, my Lady!" Katara's maid hurried to grab the bridal kimono from its place on the back of her wardrobe door. She helped Katara into it, trying not to laugh at the young bride's anxious fidgeting. Finally, she finished arranging the obi and stepped back to admire her work. Hana's smile was almost as wide as Katara's and she clapped again.

"I've never worked for a more beautiful bride!" she declared. "My dear, you're absolutely radiant! Oh, but being in love does that to a woman. We can prepare to head to ceremony in a few minutes. But first, you have a visitor." Hana opened the door to reveal Katara's father.

Hakoda froze when he saw his daughter. Her hair had been done in a traditional Water Tribe bridal style, with braids holding her thick brown hair back in an intricate design. Later, after the wedding, the Fire Lady's crown would be pinned to center of the style in Katara's coronation. The makeup artist had done her face subtly so that Katara simply looked like the best possible version of herself. She smiled at Hakoda and smoothed her hands nervously over the front of her kimono. It was a delicate silk creation of light and navy blues, trimmed in gold and richly embroidered with red lotus flowers. Hakoda blinked back tears as he stepped into the room.

"You look beautiful," he said. Katara rushed over to Hakoda and let him envelope her in a hug.

"Thank you, Daddy!" she whispered. Hana waved Toph and Suki out into the hallway, and Katara's attendants slipped out of the of the room to give father and daughter some privacy. After a long moment, Hakoda pulled slightly away from Katara and looked at her.

"I always knew this day would come," he said at last. "I just can't believe it's here so soon." Hakoda smiled with pride and a hint of sadness. "You look just like your mother. She would be as proud of the woman you've become as I am." Hakoda sighed and looked Katara in the eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this? Absolutely certain? Because I can get you out of here if you're not. We can be halfway out to sea before anyone even realizes we're gone."

"I'm sure, Dad," Katara answered him resolutely. Hakoda sighed.

"This is a huge burden you're taking on," Hakoda reminded her. "The crown of the Fire Lady is small, but it's heavy." Katara nodded solemnly but smiled with a shrug.

"I'm really scared," she admitted. "But Zuko's worth it." Hakoda favored his daughter with an exaggeratedly dubious look. Katara returned it with a sincerely pleading look of her own. "Dad, do you like him?"

"I like Zuko just fine," Hakoda answered her. "I'm still not thrilled with this situation, but I don't have any issues with him…anymore. I know he'll do his best by you, and that's really all I can ask. I just want you to be happy."

"Oh, Dad," Katara sighed. "I am happy. I've never been happier. I know it's going to be hard. I know that so, so many people don't like this, but when I'm with Zuko it's like… none of it matters. We've faced so much together already, and I know no matter how scary it gets, he'll be there, and we'll get through it. I love Zuko, Daddy. I love him, and I trust him." Tears welled in Hakoda's eyes, and he kissed Katara's forehead.

"Then I'll trust him, too," he said finally. "I'll never think he's good enough for you- I don't care if he is the Fire Lord- but I couldn't let you go to anyone less worthy. And I'll try to be civil to him, for your sake." Katara laughed as she hugged her father once again.

"I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, Katara." Hakoda cleared his throat and wiped at the tears on his face ineffectively. He grabbed Katara's discarded silk robe and dried his eyes on it. He grinned at Katara's chagrinned expression mischievously. "Don't worry. I'm sure you can order plenty more once you're officially the Fire Lady."

"Da-ad!" Katara groaned. Hakoda laughed and tossed the robe aside.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry," he chuckled, holding his arm out to Katara. "Now, we should go. You don't want to be late to your own wedding." Katara linked her arm through Hakoda's. She couldn't hide her excitement as she smiled up at her father.

"Let's go get me married."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The end.