Sorry this has taken so long. I've been out of town for two weeks. It was really fun, but exhausting. So here is the new chapter.

Chapter Two: A Long Night

Amaria trembled throughout her wedding feast. Although she knew she appeared delighted with her wedding, she was on the very brink of control. Her occasional glances at her brother did nothing to help. His face was an emotionless mask, which Amaria knew he was using to hide his nervousness. He had been as unhappy about her marriage as she. Truly she supposed it could have been worse. Zuko did not seem cruel or neglectful. He did not look like he would beat and abuse her. Although the hidden look in his eyes suggested he'd like nothing more than to drag her up to their room and "do the dirty deed" right now.

She looked at the man who was now her husband. He had eaten his food-had even had seconds-but had not even worked his way through one glass of wine yet. Most likely a good idea considering the hangover he had suffered yesterday. With a start she realized most of the guests had left, and Zuko had arisen from his chair offering her his hand. Taking a deep breath to steady herself she reached for his hand allowing him to pull her from her chair, allowing him to give her a kiss on the forehead as he did so. She knew her place, knew her duty to her kingdom. It was her job to produce a healthy heir to the Fire Nation, preferably more than one, and princesses to be married off in political alliances. She could do that. It wasn't that hard.

She allowed Zuko to lead her to what had once been only her room. Now he would share it until he left her island home-and her-in a week. That week could not end soon enough. She was distracted by Zuko undoing the knot her hair had been tied in, allowing the silken strands to caress his hands. He turned her around to pull her into the deepest most passionate kiss she had ever encountered, his hands sliding up her body to start pulling her dress down. Despite her earlier conversation with herself about her duty to her kingdom this was too much.

"Get your fucking hands off of me!" she jumped away, her breathing fast, her heart pounding in her ears. Zuko looked at her confused then shook his head, chuckling.

"Amaria, we are married. And you have a duty to give the Fire Nation an heir." He moved to come closer.

"Just because we're married doesn't mean we have to do anything. And the Fire Nation doesn't need an heir tonight." Despite her direst attempts her voice shook, an octave higher than it normally was.

"Us being married means I can force you to my will." He arched an eyebrow at her daring her to respond. And it was true in the Fire Nation she was considered inferior and he could do what he liked to her. However she was too stubborn to allow this.

"You do that and I guarantee your life with me will be a living hell from this moment on." She crossed her arms and glared at him resolutely. Let's see if he could force her to his will. To her consternation he only chuckled at her once more.

"Do you really think I'd do that? You will need to rule at my side one day, and for that I'd prefer we cooperate. I'd rather my married life be pleasant."

"As would we all." She responded wryly.

"Amaria. Come here." He sat on the bed patting the space next to him.

"No."

He was startled at her blatant refusal. Her stance showed her resoluteness in the matter. Her legs were set in a solid stance, her arms crossed over her breasts, her brows pulled together glaring at him.

"Stop being difficult and come here."

"No."

"Goddammit Amaria stop being so stubborn and come over here!"

"No."

As Zuko's temper rose Amaria stayed calm, growing more confident in herself as he grew angrier. He began to see red, and his blood was pounding in his ears. He could feel the air around him began to heat up and it began to shimmer as he fought to retain control of his flame.

"Amaria, you have until the count of three before I force you to come over here." To worsen his temper she did not look the least bit upset, and only grinned at him.

"Try it. I dare you to."

"One…"

She did nothing only stared him down coolly.

"Two…"

Now the flame was flickering around him, wrapping around his torso.

"Three."

The flame flew towards Amaria, not enough to kill her but enough to burn her mildly. Her eyes widened at the fact that he would dare attack her then settled into a determined grimace. In the split second before the flame touched her, the air around her shimmered and his flame wrapped around her body, coiling around his wife's slender flame like a snake. It was wild and writhing at first but it calmed and after a minute of brief struggling it disappeared altogether.

Zuko stared at her in shock, his anger apparently forgotten. She was a better firebender then he could have expected.

"How…how did you learn to do that?"

"Firebend? I went to school for it."

"Feeling sarcastic today."

"I'm only as sarcastic as you are horny."

"Low blow."

Amaria caught a glint in Zuko's eyes but before she could think on it he had traveled across the room and trapped her hands behind her back. He pulled her roughly to him. He kissed her, using his free hand to pull down her dress.

"Not fair!" Amaria yelled out, her flamed leaving her body in her anger to scorch against his chest. He jerked away but would not let go the hold he had on her hands. She twisted and writhed the whole time he dragged her over to the bed, which he threw her on rather unceremoniously. She attempted to escape but he pinned her under him, and thinking fast tied her wrists tightly to the bedposts with the sheets. She began screaming obscenities at him as she fought to break free. She looked at the amusement on his face and knew her situation was hopeless, but she would not go down without a fight.

Zuko awoke early, just as the sun began to rise. He stretched out, grinning to find Amaria with her head and arm curled on his chest. Her other arm was caught between their very naked bodies, her legs entangled with his. She was sleeping soundly, as well she should. He grimaced as he shifted, his back covered with deep scratches. Amaria had at some point burnt through her bonds to claw at his back in one of her many attempts to escape him. Later on she had held onto his back tightly because she could not help herself.

He wrapped both arms around his wife's waist, pondering how natural it felt to do so. She was not like any woman he had ever met before. He could think of no woman so strong in body and spirit, so stubborn, and lovely all at once. Hell, he could not think of any men this stubborn. And adaptable. Once she realized she could not win against him, she had bent to his will, even ceasing to fight back after a while.

He considered her in her sleep. She looked lovely and innocent in her sleep, almost like a child. The thought of innocence disappeared as in her sleep she slapped his chest over one of the burns she had caused last night. She was a damned good firebender, on par with his own skills, but her control over her fire was different. It was better first of all. Her very mood had affected her bending last night, and the fire she generated was so minutely controlled it was astounding.

Shrugging he grabbed a cover her pulled it higher over his and Amaria's entwined bodies. She snuggled deeper into the warmth against his chest, and he felt a wave of sudden affection for the sleeping woman before him. His eyes closed slowly as he dozed off. He needed the sleep. It had been a very long night, and he had the feeling that being married to this woman meant many more of them.