Chapter 3

This chapter will be a little bit different, usually I'll try to put 2-3 POV's in each chapter. It'll be usually Zuko's POV or Katara, but it will differ as the story goes on.

Ursa

She loved the sea. It was a strange thought for a person born in the land of fire, and it was even more strange for a Fire Princess to feel this way. But as a child, as the daughter of a merchant, she would always have a place in her heart for the sea itself.

The sound of the ocean calmed her, even now. The rolling of the ship along the waves, the boisterous laughter of sailors as they managed the furnace and even the low clanging of the equipment that kept the ship running. The captain of this ship reminded her of her father's right-hand man, and how he used to tell her stories on the long nights around the fire, and she'd sit on her father's lap until she fell asleep and had to be carried to bed.

The trading towns along the coasts of the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom were always a welcome sight, and glorious fun. While her father was in meetings at the local marketplace, she, her sister, and brother would walk along the sandy shores, picking up little seashells and anything that looked remotely interesting. They would stay at a port for a day or two before setting off again, the call of a seagull fresh in her ears.

Even now she could still hear her father's deep voice as he gave his children money to buy trinkets that caught their eye in the world's marketplaces. He'd often remind them to be prudent with their money, because there were always those without.

And it was then, during those trips that she was the happiest. In those cities, out in the open, with no one around but the people she loved the most. No one knew that her father was a high-ranking noble in court, and he preferred it that way.

But that was a long time ago.

The very first year she came into the palace, she made a trip back home to see her mother and father with her entourage. The people in her village, people she had known all her life stopped and stared at her before sinking to their knees. She had never been more embarrassed.

before she could speak a word, or better yet, give her parents a hug, her father, her own Papa, had knelt before her and said, "You honor us with your visit, Princess."

It was like he didn't even know her; he could no longer speak to her as a loving daughter. What she'd hoped would be a delightful family reunion turned into a farce, all because of the crown she wore on her head. She hadn't seen her family in the 18 years she'd been in the palace. The last she heard, her brother was a general in the army, and her sister was married off to a rich man that lived a thousand miles away on the other side of the Fire Nation. She had no news of their father or mother, or even if they were still alive.

She would probably never know. Now, her son was her life. He was the reason she lived day to day in the shadows, in quiet acquiescence. Everything she did, was to ensure his happiness and success.

"Zuko." She called out to him as she saw his retreating figure. He stopped and turned. His face had begun to harden with the lines of manhood, but he wasn't a man yet. For now, he was still her little boy, if only barely.

She reached her son, and he bowed to her as she walked closer. "Mother."

Even now, the sound of her son's deeper voice made her uneasy. She stopped and took him in. His eyes had lost his youthful optimism that he'd once possessed, his jaw more defined, and she could detect a hint of a beard when the sun hit his face just right. His muscles were more pronounced as he threw himself increasingly into his training almost to the brink of exhaustion. Eventually, she was forced to realized that yes, her little Zuko, wasn't so little anymore.

He was seventeen years old now. Old enough to be married.

The thought was frightening. Yet she still smiled. Zuko was her son until the end of time. Ursa held out her hand. "Zuko dear, take a walk with me."

Zuko thought for a moment, before shaking his head, but he grabbed her hand anyway. Their fingers were even in length now, how much longer would it be until he surpassed her in size? "A walk?" He continued, though they started to walk anyway. "Mother, I have training with Lu Ten in a few moments, can this wait?" Her son protested. Her smile only grew, as the twelve-year-old that couldn't get his way came to the surface of her memory.

"Lu Ten can wait. Your mother, can't." She told him, gripping his hand tighter and leading him along the raised walls of the vessel. Discreetly, she motioned for the two servants behind her to keep their distance. They had been walking for a few moments in complete silence, listening to the splash of the ocean waves on the hull of the ship when she asked him. "How are you feeling Zuko?"

He stopped walking and laid his hands on the railing, sighing deeply. "I'm fine." The grit in his tone, however, said otherwise. He glared at the ocean, as if the waves had somehow caused his suffering.

"Zuko…" She started, but he rolled his shoulders, letting go of her hand in the process.

"What do you want me to say?" He asked her. She didn't respond. She didn't know the answer she was looking for, exactly. But he continued. "I thought Uncle Iroh would help me. I thought he'd…"

She placed a comforting hand on his arm, but he shook her off. Ursa recoiled, stung. But still she pressed unto her son. She looked out at the rolling sea with him, looking at miles and miles of endless ocean, she told him calmly, "Zuko, you know you're Uncle is trying to get the law changed, but it's not easy. He's only been Fire Lord for 3 years."

"I know, I know, but no one understands. I'm just…It feels like I've lost a part of myself. I…" He made a noise and grit his teeth, and she thought she might see a cloud of smoke leave his mouth She shook her head and

Her face fell. No mother wishes to see her child in pain, and Zuko was her only, her life's blood. "Oh, my darling…"

"It's fine, Mom." He attempted to give her a smile that looked more like a wince than anything. 'It's nothing I can't handle. Besides, I spend most of my time out here, training with the sword. It's peaceful, the sea air smells crisp and makes me feel…better. Speaking of training…" He nudged her, gesturing to where he and Lu Ten usually spent training.

She laughed. Her son was so much like her sometimes. "I know, Zuko. Being out on the ocean was one of my favorite things when I was a child." A seagull flew overhead, circling around the ship as they walked. "Seagulls are actually my favorite animal. They remind me of my sister." She stared out at the sea, and all its briny deep, lost in memories from the past.

"I've never met her." Zuko said, absently and melancholy washed over her. One more thing to regret.

They were silent for a moment. She led them to the stern of the vessel, where she could see figures engaged in a sparring match as a few of the crewmen and servants watched. Sporadic blue and orange flames lit up the area. Azula and Lu Ten, most likely. A cheer went up from the small crowd as Azula pushed Lu Ten to the edge of the ring. Above them, two figures, happily intertwined watched from the raised dais. Though the figures were hidden behind the silk screens protecting them from curious eyes, she knew those outlines better than she knew her parents.

Zuko followed her gaze and scoffed. "Why did he bring her?" Zuko asked. Ursa's face tightened, and she willed herself not to cry in front of her son.

"Zuko..." the Princess began but stopped when her voice broke on his name. One…two…three… deep breaths later, she'd forced herself to be stoic in both expression and manner. "Tiang is your father's wife as well as I in all but name. She has honored the royal bloodline and produced an heir." Zuko rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. Ursa responded with a glare. "I'm quite serious Zuko. Treat Tiang with the respect she deserves, the way you did as a child. And the same goes double for Azula."

"Why do I have to show them deference?" He spat, ever the moody teenager. "I'm older! I'm next in line after Dad! You're the one married to him! Why don't you insist that she bow to you…ever?!"

"Because…" She struggled to find the words. "Because it is sometimes better to turn off the fire than stir the pot and watch it boil and burn." She straightened her back as they approached the crowd, a pleasant smile forming over her features. "We must take each day as it is and as it comes, facing it with honor and dignity."

Her teenage son let out a sigh. "I know, I know." Zuko said, resigning himself to believing his mother's words. " Everyone already knows how much Azula is trying to copy Father, with Tiang pushing her at every step..."

Ursa agreed, though she let the subject matter drop. "Come, let's visit your cousin. Let us see how well he is training you."

Katara

"Okay this is the third time I've come back and Katara seriously, you've been doing your hair for at least an hour." Sokka groaned from her doorway. She turned to glare at her lanky brother from her position on a cushion and he frowned back. "When are you going to come down so we can eat?"

"I told you—go eat without me, I have to make sure I look perfect when I talk to Mom and Dad tonight." Katara said pointedly, gazing at her reflection in the mirror, the polished bronze providing a somewhat distorted image as she adjusted the loops of hair to different heights on her head. She finally clipped the beads into the bun at the back of her head and sat back on the pillow, satisfied. But she just as quickly unclipped them. "Maybe I should move them higher…" She murmured, half to herself and half to Sokka who let out another obnoxious disinterested sigh.

"Up—down—cut them off—whatever—you wear them literally every day. It's not like Mom and Dad have never seen you with hair loopies before! Why does it matter so much? Ugh…Girls…" He muttered the rest of his sentence under his breath, so she couldn't hear.

"Gee, with that attitude towards girls, it's no wonder you haven't had a girlfriend yet." She shifted again, reaching for rouge to apply on her skin before thinking better of it and putting it down.

"Shows what you know! I've had girlfriends!" His voice cracked on the words and his cheeks reddened and he cleared his throat before continuing, "Lots of girls! Plenty of girls!"

"Mm-hmm," the corner of Katara's mouth pulled into a grin as she smoothed down the lone flyaway. "Like whom?"

"Um…um…" He paused. "Suki!" His voiced cracked again and he cleared his throat before glaring at her again. "You're the worst sister ever, Mom and Dad won't start eating without you and I'm starving and you're in here doing your hair and make up." He'd started pacing during the rant.

"You really call one kiss a date, Sokka? And I'm not putting on makeup…" At Sokka's pointed look, Katara rolled her eyes "Besides, I'm to be a married woman soon."

Sokka's eyes opened wide. "I don't know if I'm more scared of Dad's reaction or scared of the nightmares I'm going to have." He shuddered.

Katara snorted. "You get nightmares when you don't eat?" She said as she clipped the last bead into her hair.

Sokka went morosely serious. "Every time."

She burst into laughter. He narrowed his eyes at her, mouth turned down into a scowl.

"Did you even hear what I said?" She asked him.

"I did. You said you're getting married. I assume Hahn proposed." Sokka shrugged.

"He did, and I accepted." She paused for a moment, eyeing her brother skeptically. "What, you don't care?"

"Oh, trust me, I care." Sokka snorted. "I think you'll see the error of your ways; I'm not going to interfere. For now."

Katara stood and lunged at her brother, enveloping him in a hug. "You're the nicest big brother ever!"

Sokka pried her arm from around her, looking like her touch disgusted him. "Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know." Stepping away from her, he sighed. "Now, I'm going to eat. You want to starve, be my guest."

"I'll be fine Sokka. Don't worry about me." She quirked a smile at him. "You'll see, Sokka. Hahn's a nice guy."

Zuko

When they reached the dais, Zuko understood completely how the small crowd could stare, enraptured by the match between the two fiercely matched competitors. It appeared that even the family's servants were given leave to watch them fight, and the way they'd enthusiastically cheered and whistled, it had been an exciting one.

On the raised dais, behind a silk gossamer screen, Zuko's father the Fire Prince Ozai, sat with Lady Tiang in his lap, exposing her increasingly as the match continued. Though they'd tried to preserve her modesty somewhat by erecting the screen, as the ship moved through the water, the feather-light silk would blow, exposing her to those that happened to be looking in that direction. Zuko's father fiercely kissed the concubine's neck, leaving bite marks where the flesh was revealed. Her simple gown, tied only by a silk sash was parted up so high as her legs spread wide for her lover. It was hard to believe that this was the same woman that birthed Azula, the most reserved princess in the world.

Zuko looked at his mother as she took in the pair and the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes. And she loves him. Him! Why, Mom? Why do you love a man who obviously doesn't love you?

Zuko's attention now moved to the two fighters in the center of the crowd. Zuko himself had sparred against both opponents, at some time or another and knew the fighting styles of both. Azula favored a more aggressive, with periods of analysis and waiting followed by lightning fast direct strikes on her opponent's weak areas. Lu Ten favored a laxer approach, waiting until his opponent had exhausted themselves before using their weakened body against them, using subtle moves to throw the other person off balance. The fire surrounded them, whipping around in a dance of color, Lu Ten's flames bordering on a yellow. Though the colors were pretty, this wasn't a match to be taken lightly. His sister would never spar for fun. Every day presented a new challenge, every match a new competition.

Lu Ten appeared to be getting winded but seemed to be enjoying himself. The 23-year-old was hardly unfit, but he had been ill recently, which may have been why a match against Azula was a bad idea.

Suddenly, Azula slid to the ground in a crouch, her foot tripping Lu Ten and her fingers poking right into his abdomen knocking the wind out of him. He stumbled, losing his balance as Azula cartwheeled over his falling body. As annoyed as he was with her, Zuko couldn't deny that her form was beautiful. Pivoting over him, her right leg swung around her body, and she leaped into the air.

Blood pulsed in his ears, a hush rocked the entire deck as the crowd tensed and Azula soared higher using her flames to propel her, before aiming her foot straight for their cousin's face.

The killing blow.

Lu Ten's body tensed, ready to roll himself out of the way if necessary. He probably could escape, Zuko figured, he was trained enough to do so. But how could Azula have the audacity to attempt this move? No one would dare… was she threatening to end the life of the crown prince?

It seemed to be out of nowhere, that a seagull cawed and disrupted Azula's perfect form. She was startled out of her focus, turned unexpectedly as she hit the ground just shy of Lu Ten's stomach. Azula toppled over and landed on her rear, stunned and dazed. Lu Ten quickly got to his feet and took advantage of her lack of focus, yanking Azula up by her collar and wrapping his arm around her throat, squeezing tightly enough that she let out a cough.

Members of the crowd chuckled slightly under their breath as Azula faltered. Her expression of confusion hardened into anger. Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko saw his father let go of Tiang.

Lu Ten, still with his arms wrapped around Azula's throat chuckled lightly. "Do you submit?"

"No." Azula coughed out, her teeth clenched with rage "I will never—".

Lu Ten smirked and tightened his grip a little, Azula fought for breath as she coughed, cheeks tinged pink, and lips searching for air.

When would she give in? At what point would Azula decide that enough was enough?

"That's enough, Princess Azula."

Zuko's eyebrows rose. So, the decision was taken out of her hands, then.

On the platform, Tiang gazed angrily at the pair of fighters, or more specifically, her daughter. The order itself, however, came from their father, his voice rolling over them like thunder. Tiang's frown deepened, her perfect lips pulling down into a pout. Ozai raised an eyebrow at his daughter's scowl. "You're finished for today." Lu Ten released the princess and she fell to the ground with heavy gasping breaths.

When she'd calmed down, Lu Ten offered his hand to his cousin.

"It was a good match, Azula." He said, extending his arm to help her up. "You did well. Relax."

She shook her head, angrily swiping his hand away, her red nails probably leaving welts on his skin. Pulling herself to her feet, she glared angrily at the sky. " No! That stupid bird ruined my form! I'm going to find it!"

Her eyes scanned the bright blue sky for the seagull that caused her to lose the match. Placing her hands in front of her, electric sparks burst from her hands, and she moved them, sweeping them from left to right. Locating her target in the air, she completed the move, pointing her fingers at the small bird, the electricity arced through her body and out her fingertips, striking the seagull, scorching it to a mess of charcoal and bones.

Since when did she know how to do that?

Even Lu Ten stared at her aghast. Did Lu Ten not know she could form lightning, even though they trained together daily? Zuko stared at the charred flesh of the lifeless seagull for a lot longer than was necessary. Behind him, his mother let out a broken sob, but that was all he could hear. She wouldn't cry here, not now. But later…he'd have to bring her some tea.

"Well done Azula." The Fire Prince clapped, laughing with a voice full of pride to Zuko's shame. Tiang joined him, and the rest of the crew followed suit. Zuko remained silent. "I had no idea you were so talented as to bend lightning."

Hearing them sing her praises only lend more emphasis to his failure.

As if to rub salt in his wounds, his father's mistress, Tiang, looked at Zuko with a sardonic smile, ruby red lips pulling back over perfect teeth before turning back to Zuko's father, kissing him on the cheek. The wet smack sounded like a roar to Zuko's ears. In response, Ozai gripped her tighter to his chest. Tiang's played with Ozai's beard, twisting it and twirling it around her fingers as she murmured into his ears, "It's a pity that not all of Your Highness' children could be such a success."

"It is unfortunate." His father crooned, but didn't say anything else, and for that, Zuko was thankful. He didn't dare look at his mother. This sight pained her almost as much as it pained him.

Apparently not satisfied with the response she got from the prince, Tiang gasped and turned her black eyes onto Zuko, wide with apparent inspiration. "Why not have Zuko show you how well he can firebend, my prince? Oh, forgive me...he can't." She punctuated this with a small laugh in his direction.

"Enough, Tiang." Ozai said sharply, startling Zuko. "There is no point in bringing up old nonsense." His words were harsh, and Tiang recoiled at first, mouth silencing immediately, but she leaned further into Ozai, snuggling up against his chest, asking for forgiveness. The Fire Prince kissed Tiang then long and hard, and she latched onto his robes for purchase.

Then Princess Ursa covered her mouth and turned away, the crowd parting in her wake. On the dais, Ozai didn't turn to watch her go.

Katara

A very powerful bender…

That's who her grandmother had said she would marry once, but now her grandmother was dead and Katara was left to carve out her own future. A future she would have with Hahn. Hahn wasn't a bender, but he was the best hunter of their age, and he moved as one with his spear—was that enough? Wasn't hunting just as important as bending?

It had to be. Hahn was the one for her, she was sure of it.

Katara ate nervously, hurriedly, trying to pretend that the curious glances her parents were shooting at her every minute weren't causing the hairs on her neck to stand on end. In her quest to leave faster, she put even Sokka to shame, scooping up whole spoonsful of scalding stew into her mouth, burning her mouth in the process before the "walking stomach" had barely gotten halfway through. Finishing all of the sea prunes, Katara gulped down the broth, with some of the liquid escaping down the side of her mouth and down her neck. Feeling sheepish, Katara wiped her mouth down with a cloth on the table. Reaching for the bread on the dish to her right, Katara caught her mother's eye from her seat beside her.

Katara's cheeks heated up, and she sheepishly wiped her hand across her mouth. "Oh. I um—,"

Her mother's eyebrow arched. "In a hurry?"

Katara looked around the table and saw everyone's eyes on her. Her mother Kya, a shorter, shapely woman with the voluptuous curves that made Water Tribe women famous, curves that Katara still lacked, stared at her with piercing blue-grey eyes that made Katara shift uncomfortably on her cushion.

Well, Katara thought to herself. Here goes nothing.

Her mother's eyes were both kind and observant. Her father's wise eyes were filled with wisdom, the lamplight highlighting his dark features and strong jaw. He wore a comfortable dark robe that couldn't hide the muscles that surviving in a harsh environment had caused. He led the Tribe in tandem with her mother, overseeing things like trade negotiations, hunting, and in years past—the military. Neither her mother nor her father had higher stares than the other. They were equals. Partners. Something that Katara hoped to achieve in her own marriage one day.

Her grandfather appraised her with a critical eye, and again Katara shifted uncomfortably, like she was a naughty pupil being caught. He was a stern man, even to his family, the only kindness she can remember him showing was to Gran-Gran who'd passed on to the Spirit World only this past winter. After she died a few months ago—Grandfather Pakku withdrew into himself more, training his waterbending pupils with a vigor not seen since he was a young man, or so she was told. Sokka…Sokka didn't pay attention to her at all. He didn't look up from the pieces of arctichen he was currently shoveling into his mouth. And he was the future chief. Ugh.

"Everyone," She began with a deep breath. "I—,"

"Hahn asked Katara to marry her. She said yes." Sokka said bluntly through a mouthful of food, several pieces escaping his lips and back onto the plate.

"Sokka!" Katara gasped out. "You said you weren't going to interfere."

"What? It's true." He had the audacity to look wounded and placed his hand over his heart, feigning innocence. "As mom always says, 'We shall not tell lies.".

Her eyes narrowed at her older brother. "Yeah, but you're not supposed to just say it like that." She fired back, and he stuck his tongue out at her. "I didn't tell on you when you snuck out with Suki back on Kyoshi—,"

Sokka looked positively affronted as his hands paused on their way to his mouth. "I—Katara, you traitor."

Their mother cleared her throat as she set her bowl down. They stopped "First of all, Sokka, don't speak with your mouth full. And we will have a talk about Suki later." Sokka grumbled a response as he continued to eat. Cheiftess Kya then turned to her younger child with a curious eye. "Secondly, Katara, when did this happen?"

"And when were you going to tell your father?" Hakoda grumbled from next to Sokka. At the head of the table, her grandfather didn't say anything but continued to stare at her. It was his gaze that unsettled Katara most of all.

It took her some time to find her voice under the weight of her father's stare, but after clearing her throat nervously, she began to speak. "Today…after training. He asked me, and I said yes." Katara added, eyes going bright and starry. "He said I'm unlike any girl he's ever met and…and I love him."

"Oh, give me a break." Sokka's obnoxious voice washed over her, chilling her pleasant mood. "Anyone have a bucket? I think I'm going to throw up."

Katara opened her mouth to speak but surprisingly, her grandfather spoke instead. His tone was cold and directed towards her father. "Is that really what's most important right now?" He said, his mouth set in a grim line.

"Dad, Kya and I were going to tell her tonight but—," Katara's father said, but the old man muttered something incomprehensible from where she sat. Hakoda sighed wearily and looked to his wife.

Nervously, Katara shifted her eyes between her parents, ignoring Sokka's noise as he ate. "I meant to, honestly, but you and dad got that messenger hawk earlier, so I thought I'd wait…"

At this, her parents' eyes met, and they wore near identical looks of unease on their faces, Katara's mother, particularly. Kya glanced repeatedly from her father's anxious face to her daughter's confused one, brows furrowed in concern. It was true. They had been stressed, but about what, Katara couldn't say.

"Katara we'll speak about Hahn later." Her mother said with authority. Katara's eyes fell to her lap, dismayed. "But first, we've been meaning to speak to you about the letters we've been writing." Katara and Sokka looked at one another, then turned back to their parents.

"Is this about why you had me hunting like every day this week?" Sokka asked. "Is it Uncle Arnook? Are we under siege? Is he—,"

"Your Uncle is still quietly locked away as always and is of no concern to you right now." Hakoda said firmly, his tone bordering on harsh but still retaining its warmth.

Katara couldn't understand why her parents seemed so anxious. What exactly was going on?

"We've been communicating with Fire Lord Iroh and his wife for the past four months." Kya said. Hakoda cleared his throat before looking up at his daughter, and she was surprised to see the exhaustion in them. Something agonized him, something was causing her mother stress.

Sokka didn't seem to notice their parent's fatigue. He picked up another bite of food, speaking before continuing to eat. "What's so different about that? You guys always write letters to the other nations."

"Well—," Kya began before her Pakku interrupted again.

"Are you going to tell her or not?" He bellowed, his hand coming down on the table with a loud bang. Sokka dropped the hen and stared open-mouthed at his grandfather.

"Dad." Kya frowned. "We can't just spring this on her—,"

"She sprung the idea of marriage on you, "Pakku answered back, "Clearly the girl is ready."

Katara looked uneasily at the adults surrounding the table. "Tell me what?"

Pakku frowned deeply before narrowing his eyes at his daughter. "I don't see the point in keeping this a secret. Katara will adapt. She'll have no choice."

Hakoda sighed, and as he spoke his expression grew increasingly twisted, morphing into one of disgust and anguish, as though the very words he spoke left an awful taste in his mouth. "The Fire Nation will be traveling the world, stopping at certain aristocratic families to judge whether or not their daughters are worthy of becoming a Fire Nation Princess."

"A Hana Matsuri." Her mother said quietly, eyes looking down at the table. "The first one in a hundred years."

"And they're coming here?" Katara's mouth dropped open in shock. "We don't have an aristocracy! Everyone old enough is already married or engaged!"

"Not everyone." Her father muttered lowly, before clearing his throat. When he spoke, his voice had a deep timbre. Katara felt unease settle in the pick of her stomach. He was talking like the chief, now, and not her Dad. "To be fair, Katara. There is one noble girl."

Their eyes met. His dark blue ones seemed to bore into her own. Katara sputtered, opening and closing her mouth a few times, making no sound save a few gasps for breath. Finally, she swallowed thickly, "No. Not me. It can't be me. I'm engaged."

"Legally, you're not." Hakoda was quick to remind her. "Not without our consent. Princess or not, Katara, you're still only 15 years old."

"My birthday is in less than three months! I'm practically 16, an adult!" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest in indignation. "I can't believe this! The one who is destined to marry me finally notices me and you tell me I have to entertain this prince instead?"

"Destined to marry you?" Sokka raised a thick eyebrow incredulously before barking out a bit of laughter. She glared at him. "That's your standards? Katara you could do so much better. Hahn's a pig. He is such a pig."

Sokka's just mad that Hahn beats him in everything.

"What? I'm just saying." Sokka added at Katara's dirty look.

"We wouldn't do this unfairly, Katara. You know that." Her mother said kindly, though her lips didn't break into a smile. "And this rule doesn't just apply to you, it applies to any girl who receives a missive from the family hosting the Hana Matsuri. You can't entertain the notion of any boy in the weeks before the family is set to arrive. It could ruin the meeting."

"That's not fair." She protested, pouting, sounding like a petulant child.

"It might not be fair, but it's the way things are." Pakku hissed harshly from the head of the table.

"And the point is…" Hakoda looked weary, the lines caused by age and governance making themselves clear on her father's face. He rubbed his forehead in exasperation, letting out a loud breath. "We can't afford to take any chances. These relationships must be fostered…and if a successful meeting is to our benefit, then you must do this Katara. For your tribe."

Katara stood wordlessly, her body shaking in anger. She bowed slightly to her parents before storming out of the room in a huff. If she'd been thinking properly instead of being consumed by her anger, she could have run to Hahn—told him everything and asked him to take her away—to his house—but she ran to her room instead, slamming the door shut so hard it rattled on its hinge.

The tears came easily.