Summary: Fire Nation!Katara AU After being kidnapped as a young child by the fire nation, Katara is raised by Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa as Princess Katara of the Fire Nation. Katara/?

ARC 2, CHAPTER NINE

The only sound Katara could truly hear was the sound of fire rising slowly with Ozai's feelings. Katara knew that he was not expecting her to request for a formal meeting to ask him if she could see leave with a barely promoted naval officer. Katara kept her eyes on his shadowy face as she thought of the circumstances that had lead her to this exact meeting.

Katara had thought over Zhao's offer that very night and decided that she truly did want to do. So she requested this meeting, found her best fitting golden dress and made her way to this spot. Father hadn't spoken for many minutes, mulling the request in his mind.

"You wish to leave?" Ozai finally spoke, a gravelly tightness in his voice.

"No, father," Katara said. "I wish to serve the great Fire Nation. My talents are being wasted here. Allow me to help Zhao, to bring the other nations down on their knees. You know I can."

"I am well aware of your abilities, Katara." Ozai said. "But, you are a child and I am hesitant to send you to war."

"I haven't been a child in a very long time," Katara said quietly, "Or else you wouldn't send me to torture and kill war criminals." Ozai was silent at her answer.

"I will think on the subject, Katara, but you are dismissed for now," Ozai said.

"Father, please!" Katara started. The flames rose high with Ozai's anger and Katara watched them flicker blue for a moment.

"You will listen to your Fire Lord!" Ozai roared.

"I am listening," Katara said curtly. "I just don't agree with you. Listen to me, father, I love you and our country but I cannot help in the palace like I can if I travel with Zhao. Please, let me serve you and our great nation!"

There was a quiet in the throne room, the only thing that Katara could hear was the flicker of flames. She couldn't see his face but she saw his eyes, cold and angry amber-gold eyes. She wondered if this was a mistake, if she shouldn't have even considered Zhao's offer. What would father do with her impertinence? Would he punish her greatly? A cold thread of fear caught in her throat but she shoved it down. There was no room for fear.

Ozai sighed. "You are growing up and it terrifies me, Katara. You are becoming a great woman and a wonderful warrior. I fear that I will lose you soon."

"You could never lose me, Father." Katara said softly.

"I understand why you wish to leave." Ozai said. "I was once like that, long ago. I will think on it tonight and give you an answer." Katara studied his shadowy figure closely before nodding her acceptance. She took her leave with his dismissive wave.

It was only once she exited out of the throne room, she was relieved and sighed deeply. Scowling at a set of staring servants, she took off for her room where her grandmother's journal was hidden. She was positive after their half-fight that her father would allow her to go with Zhao and she eager to go as well. She wanted to venture out of the Fire Nation and fight for her nation, make her father proud.

She couldn't do that trapped in a comfy prison.

"Katara?" Katara paused and turned at seeing her sister, eyes narrowed. "Did you just leave the throne room?"

"Yeah," Katara waited for Azula to catch up with her. "I had business with Father."

"What sort of business?" Azula asked.

"Nothing you should worry about," Katara shrugged. "What are you up to?"

"I'm bored," Azula whined. "And Father's angry with me. A teacher at school gave me detention."

"Why did they do that?" Katara asked, looking at her sister oddly. It seemed strange to her that Azula would receive detention.

"I lit a girl's hair on fire." Azula shrugged.

"Then you rightly deserve attention," Katara said, exhaling deeply. She shut her eyes for a moment before casting Azula an unimpressed stare.

"I do not," Azula said with a sneer. "She is an idiot and she didn't deserve beautiful hair."

"Ah, I see." Katara said.

"Besides, she insulted Ty Lee," Azula sniffed.

"And it all makes sense now," Katara said in a teasing voice. Anger flickered in Azula's eyes and before Katara knew it, Azula was shoving Katara hard. She stumbled back but caught herself, grinning widely.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Azula said, scowling. She stopped and crossed her arms.

"Oh, nothing," Katara waved a hand away but her eyes were sparkling. "It's just...you and Ty Lee are quite close, aren't you?"

"What are you implying?" Azula said, her voice a cold whisper.

"I would enjoy her as a sister-in-law, that's all I'm saying." Katara said, waving a hand. She expected the blast of fire to her head and easily dodged it. She began laughing as Azula shot blast after blast, scorching the beautiful red walls behind Katara.

"Princess Azula!" The booming voice of Uncle Iroh stopped both of them and both girls turned to see their angered uncle staring at them. "Go to your room. I will inform you father of this."

"Oh, Uncle..." Katara started but Uncle Iroh shushed her with a look. Azula scowled at him but took off towards her room. Katara had a guilty frown on her face as she watched her sister go. "That was my doing," She said to him. "Don't tell Father, he's already angry with her."

"I wasn't planning on it, but what she doesn't know what hurt her." Uncle Iroh said, a slip of a smile on her face. Katara laughed and took his arm. "I hear you plan on leaving us, my niece."

"Who told you that?" Katara asked in surprise.

"Your distressed father only minutes ago," Iroh said in amusement. "He cares about you quite deeply, Katara. It will hurt him to see you go."

"It's not like I won't come back," Katara exhaled, rolling her eyes. "He's too protective."

"Once you have your own children, you'll understand." Iroh said in amusement. His voice turned sober quick. "You must understand that in one week, he lost his father and nephew and wife. You, Zuko and Azula are all he has now."

"Not quite, Uncle." Katara said, smiling at him. "He has you."

"Yes, I suppose he does." Iroh chuckled. "Just, please remember his feelings as well, my dear."

"I will, Uncle, I promise," Katara said softly.

The days changed quick for Sokka. It wasn't long until his father informed him that his parents had gotten a divorce (which did not happen often in their tribes) and she was now in a relationship with a local healer named Tarkik. It wasn't long after Hadoka had told him that the man had went off back to war and Sokka and his mother moved into Tarkik's home.

Tarkik was a taller, older man with greying dark brown hair and a light shade of blue eyes. He was strong looking and had kind eyes and gentle hands. It was obvious that Kya loved him and Sokka could see it in their interactions but he didn't like Tarkik. The man was too good. He often showed his distaste for Tarkik to his friends and occasionally Arnook.

Not a few months after his father's departure though, his mother and Arnook approached him and told him the news. They wished for a strong alliance between the two tribes and Arnook had offered his daughter for marriage to Sokka.

This stressed Sokka out.

Yue had changed over the years he knew her. She was beautiful now with perfect white hair and perfect blue eyes. He and Hahn were among the only ones to see her real side, though. The snarky, quick witted girl that Sokka had unknowingly fallen in love with.

This stressed him out even more.

So he was off to make her an engagement necklace, a beautiful one. First he needed stone for the piece which is why he was where he was, with Hahn by his side.

Hahn was not pleased to be on a boat in the rapid waters heading for a local cave where most men got their engagement pieces. Hahn was growing his hair out and Sokka couldn't but notice the trouble the boy was having containing his new long locks.

"Sokka, iceberg!" Hahn yelled. Sokka had it under control, though, and easily avoided the large iceberg.

"So dramatic." Sokka laughed. "How you doing back there, Hahn?"

"I have hatred for you." Hahn said dimly. "I can't believe you and Yue are gonna get married."

"Not for quite some years," Sokka admitted. "But some day, yes." Hahn shook his head in disbelief. "Kya is happy," Sokka said, distaste in his voice.

"Does this mean you're going to be chieftan of the Northern Watertribe?" Hahn asked curiously.

"Technically, yeah." Sokka sighed. "There's not much of a Southern Watertribe left anyways." Hahn winced at Sokka's dull tone. He'd never been to their sister tribe but hearing Sokka talk about it made him depressingly sad.

"Well, that works out for both of us then," Hahn said, leaning back and kicking up his feet. "I'll be the greatest waterbender in our tribe, and you'll be our greatest chieftan."

"Think so?" Sokka asked.

"I KNOW so." Hahn replied. "You're brilliant, Sokka, and you're incredibly skilled as a fighter. You even mastered the sword and that's something not many of our brothers can do. It's not a typical watertribe weapon." Sokka reached out to touch the iron sword on his back, face flushing as he thought about the hours and days of training he put in to master the sword.

"I hope I can make Yue happy," Sokka said softly.

"I'm sure you will," Hahn said. "In the meantime, you'll help me with Kyalo, right?" Sokka paused thinking of his friend's crush.

"She hates you," Sokka said dryly.

"Ah, but that can change," Hahn said, winking. "I mean, she's smart and witty and funny and not to mention, gorgeous. If I don't have her in my life, I may die!"

"Dramatic." Sokka confirmed.

"Shut it." Hahn said shortly. "Hey, is that it?" Sokka looked forward where Hahn was looking and beamed at the small cave up ahead. He quickly stirred the boat in it's direction and it wasn't long before they had entered the cave.

Light flickered off the beautiful stones embedded in the stone walls around them as Sokka tied the boat to a makeshift post and hopped out. He frowned at the seeing the different stones. They were all different colors, shades of blue and white and green. He needed the perfect one though.

"Wow, did not expect this, did you?" Hahn asked, looking around in awe. Sokka looked over at him and sighed at him holding a bag of seal jerky, and casually eating it. "What?" Hahn asked. "I didn't know how long we'd be gone."

"It's a two hour trip, Hahn." Sokka sighed. "We'd be back before dark."

"And we would get hungry," Hahn said. "Don't you want a piece?" He waved a piece of jerky in front of Sokka and Sokka couldn't help but drool at the sight of it. Hahn began cackling at Sokka as he snatched it out of Hahn's hands and began chewing loudly on it.

Sokka's eyes flicked across the cave and he began to look at the different bits of stone embedded in the walls. He needed to find the perfect one, and of course then he'd have to engrave the perfect symbol on the stone as well. He was sure he could silk somewhere in the city and he wanted it to be nice, fancy silk too.

Sokka paused. There was a single stone half out of the wall. It was a beautiful shade of blue, a shade that was identical to Yue's eyes. It was loosely hanging from the wall so it barely took much pressure from Sokka's nice to pop it out. It was a fairly large piece and he knew he'd have to get down to a size that was just enough. Small enough that it didn't weigh down on her throat but big enough that you could see it.

"That was quick," Hahn said, leaning over Sokka's shoulder. "Oh wow, that's perfect."

"Yeah, I know," Sokka laughed. He quickly wrapped the stone up. "Let's get going."

"Sounds good to me." Hahn said, heading towards the boat. Sokka smiled, clutching the stone in his hand. This was his future now and he was ready to embrace it.