Thank you to all that have been supportive of this story. I've been working really hard on it, so all your possitive feedback is wonderful. Keep the reviews coming. Now, for chapter 4...

Katara hugged herself as she sat in the corner of her room. It couldn't be. Zuko couldn't be telling the truth. It just wasn't what he said. She was no one, no one but a regular water bender. She was no princess.

But, he looked so much like he wasn't lying. She could have sworn she saw honesty in his eyes, even if they did scare her. He said she was the Water Nation princess. She couldn't be. Her father...

Her father. Could it be true that he was royal and her mother lied to her? If it was, who was the man she knew? It just didn't make sense. Her mother...couldn't.

Then how did it explain the necklace? Zuko clearly pointed out that the symbol was royal. He never did explain how he knew; that was his word. But...she wasn't the princess. Was she?

She just didn't know what was right anymore. She didn't even know up from down. Most importantly, what were they going to do with her now that they captured her? She was just the one in line for the throne, that was it. What did that mean to the Fire Nation?

"Uncle," Zuko said, with a rather harsh tone as he walked down the hallway.

Iroh had his hand on the girl's room door. He looked up and stepped away from the door, innocently looking a his nephew. "Yes, Prince Zuko?"

"What were you going to do?" he asked. "The princess is to be left alone."

The older man sighed. "Nephew, it's been hours and you've not let the poor thing out of that room," he said. "She has the faintest idea what's going on and with the news you told her, she's probably confused out of her mind. You could at least let her wander around—."

"No," the prince replied, cutting him off. "This is my way to get accepted back and I won't lose it. In the morning you can go in and tell her what it's all about," he said, turning away. "Right now, leave her be. More news, like you want to tell her, can wait."

With that, he walked away.

Katara opened an eye when she heard the sound of a metal hinge, a rather squeaky one at that. Her eyes still hazy from sleep, she rubbed them before sitting up in the cot. She looked up to the person as he set down a tray of food on the table.

It was the older one, that Zuko referred to as "Uncle" whenever he spoke. What was he doing there?

He smiled kindly and sat down next to the bed, on a chair. He looked to the window before back to her. "It's a beautiful morning," he said. "Isn't it, princess?"

She shivered at the name. "Katara," she said.

His eyebrow raised. "Hm?"

"That's my name," she said, looking at him in the eye. "Katara. Please call me it."

"Alright Princess Katara," he said.

She sighed and sat up completely. "Never mind," she mumbled.

"My name is Iroh," he stated simply. "If you need anything, you can call me that. Or Uncle, whichever you prefer."

Her eyebrow went up. "Why would I call you that?"

At the comment, he looked shocked. "Oops, well, I better explain a little bit more," he said, looking to the ground. "Can I be assured that you've seen the scar on my nephew's face?" he asked.

She nodded. "The one around his eye."

"Yes, that one. Well, there's a reason behind it," he said. "I won't say much, but he received it before being exiled from the Fire Nation a little more than three years ago," he continued. At this she looked a little bit more confused. "That is why he is after your friend so much. You see, in order to come back to our country, he must deliver the Avatar to his father."

"Oh," she said. "Well, I guess that makes sense."

Iroh nodded again. "Yes, well, you see, it has been rather difficult to capture your friend," he stated. "And with that, my nephew's patience is growing thin. Not to mention if he does not return soon, he will not be crowned Fire Lord. Someone else will take his place."

Her brow narrowed, but Iroh continued. "You know that everyone else in the Water Nation Royalty were killed and their lands given to no one," he said. "That leaves you are the only one left that can give them over to the Fire Nation."

"But...even if I am the princess, I'd never—."

"Oh, you are," he said. "You are the princess. Your father was the prince, and had you with your mother in secret. No one knew until he said it before he died. And now only the Fire Nation knows."

"But...why didn't I know about him?" she asked. "Who was the man I remember?"

He looked at her with curiosity a little before answering. "He kept it from everyone, even you," he replied. "Only three people knew about it. Your mother, the prince and the man that you knew as your father. He was a servant to the prince, told to act as you and your brother's father."

Something struck her. "Sokka," she said. "He is my brother isn't he?"

He nodded. "By your mother's first husband, I think. You two are half siblings, I suppose," he replied. Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

She looked down, ringing her hands together nervously. "Why me?" she asked. "Couldn't it be someone else?"

Iroh shook his head. "No. You're the only one who had this," he said, holding up something.

Her eyes widened and she took it. "My necklace," she said. "It was..."

"Your mother's?" he asked. "It is a royal symbol for your country. Given to the mistress by the prince. No wonder she gave it to you. It was before she died, right?"

If possible, her eyes widened further. Could it be true? Was what Iroh saying true? If it was, why was he telling her? She looked up at him. "Why am I here?" she asked. "What do you want from me?"

"It is Prince Zuko who is keeping you here, not me. If it was up to me, I'd let you go, but it's not," he stated. "You possess the Water Lands and all the power that rules over it. That is valuable. Not only that, but you are sixteen, correct?" he asked.

Katara nodded. "Yes..."

"To put it simply, my younger brother, my nephew's father, would like your land and power more than the Avatar," he said. "Much more, he said it in the letter he sent me, in reply to the one I sent him, that told what was going on. But, we all know that you'd never give it over peacefully."

She nodded again. "So, they want to make it so that they get it, legally and without a fight," he continued. "In order to do that, you must be related to one of the members of their royal family."

Katara blinked in confusion. "I don't understand...I'm Water Royalty, not Fire."

"Exactly. That means, you'll have to marry a member of the royal family," he said. Her eyes widened. "And the only one left is..."

Ha, ha, ha... you shall not find out until the next chapter, but you can probably guess who it is. don't ask, because i won't tell.