Zuko POV
Dawn came all too quickly. Celebrations in the street could still be heard from the open balcony doors. Yesterday was gone but the proof of it all was curled up against my side. My arms were wrapped tightly around my new wife, my fingers tracing lazy patterns against her smooth skin. The morning sun was rising too fast for my liking. I did not want to sit in on a council meeting or look over the new earth kingdom agreements; I didn't even want to get out of bed. Just to lay here and enjoy waking up with Katara in my bed for the first time would be a bigger pleasure then any. However the time came and I looked down at my sleeping wife before kissing her forehead and tucking the covers over her slim form as I made my way to the bathroom.
The council meeting went smoothly; the Earth kingdom agreements were tiresome but successful in the end. The Earth King was still getting used to his duties now that Long Feng wasn't there anymore, taking on the more unpleasant parts of the Earth King's job. He was a wise man, albeit strange, although strange was a good thing, at least in the case of King Bumi. He negotiated fairly; it was his generals that were the problem in coming into a full peace. Every year they had a thousand more complaints about how the Fire Nation was cheating them out of things or getting off to easy for what was down to the world and every year we had to go through the same thing, a month of peace talks. I grew tired of them after the first. I was glad they were finally over.
As I left the war chamber I stopped by the kitchen to grab some breakfast, Katara would be awake soon and I wanted to surprise her. The head chef was a gentle, quit man preferring his pots and knifes to people. His counterpart Maze ran the kitchens and most of the palace staff. She was stern, loud, and not to be messed with although she always seemed to have a soft spot for me. I came here often for tea or midnight snacks or just to sit and watch the hustle and bustle of the kitchen when they were preparing large meals. The smells and familiar faces took my mind off things, especially paperwork. Maze spotted me,
"Firelord, don't you have a wife to tend to now? What are you doing in my kitchens?" She said while putting down the knife she was using and putting a tray of pastries and tea knowing exactly what I was doing in 'her' kitchens.
"I do believe Maze that these are my kitchens," I said with a small smile. "I had an early meeting with the Earth Kingdom and hoped to bring my wife breakfast, she is still asleep, waterbenders do not rise with the sun as we do and I hope to awake her with some of your delicious food." She smirked
"Here, I know you to well my Lord." She handed me the basket and shoved me out of the kitchen.
I chuckled slightly startling two maids. Most had never seen me smile much less heard me laugh, not until Katara came.
I reached our rooms and softly opened the door to the parlor and set the basket down on the table making my way to our bedroom. There she was, just as I expected, fast asleep. I took off my armor, and undid my top knot and quietly made my way to our bed. Slipping beneath the covers and wrapping my arms around her slim form. I began to kiss her shoulders, her neck, her hair, the side of her face and finally her lips. Her eyes opened and she smiled.
"Hello husband." She said softly
"Hello wife."
"I like that. What I don't like is how early you've decided to wake me." She fixed me with one of her infamous glares.
"I brought breakfast." I said hoping that would make her less grumpy.
"Well I guess that makes up for it." She laughed, I shook my head, Sokka and she were both testy without their morning meal.
She slipped on her discarded robe and came to me.
"You burned my bindings last night." She said simply.
"I'll get you more for me to burn off tonight!"She smiled and swatted my chest, then I took her hand and led her to the parlor were the tray off tea and pastries awaited.