Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA.

A/N another commissioned story! Inspired sort of by Game of Thrones, arranged marriages, and some Painted!Spirit action (aka assassin ninjas by my commissioner's request). Enjoy!

If you guys like my work, consider getting a commissioned story, too! The link for the information is on my page or my tumblr at pearlynn59!

It was announced a week after Prince Lu Ten's funeral and Prince Iroh's grieving had taken him to the barren lands of the Earth Kingdom:

Prince Zuko was set to wed Lu Ten's widow, Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe. It wasn't uncommon for noble family members of to wed a widow after the death of their spouse, mostly to secure alliances and to ensure the family line. It wasn't like Yue had been pregnant or had any children, but Fire Lord Azulon was adamantly wanting to keep the alliance between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes secured in this tumultuous time.

And now Princess Azula was set to wed another from the Water Tribes: Prince Sokka of the Southern Tribe.

Zuko scowled as he looked at the letter, letting the parchment crinkle in his hands as he read the bit of information regarding him and Yue for what was possibly the hundredth time. They had always been cordial with each other, after all she had married his favorite cousin and Zuko felt the need to keep her entertained when Lu Ten was out serving the people. Unfortunately, she was stuck in the palace to ensure her and her body's safety. Azulon wanted her to produce heirs, and soon.

But that never happened.

Lu Ten was murdered on the road towards the archipelago, slaughtered in cold blood by rebels who hated his family and wanted them out of power and out of the capital city. Yue was still mourning, for she had become truly fond of her wedded husband and was determined to carry his child within her.

Now she did not have the chance.

Instead, she was carted off to the next Prince in line: Zuko. Now that Iroh had no more heirs, he abdicated out of grief and fled across the sea, determined to never return. So Zuko's father - the second-born son of Fire Lord Azulon, Prince Ozai - was set to become the next ruler of the Fire Nation, with Zuko as his first heir.

Zuko was never comfortable with the idea of ruling. He was always under the impression that Lu Ten would fill the mantle of Fire Lord and Zuko would be at his side as his most trusted adviser and general, but that future vanished with Lu Ten's head. Now he was expected to fill in the role that Lu Ten had once occupied: future Fire Lord to a nation rifled with conflict and husband of a member of the Water Tribes.

That fact was more daunting now that he found out that Azula was to wed one, as well.

The entourage from the Southern Tribe was set to arrive in a fortnight, and Zuko was expected to greet them alongside Azula and his parents. After all, they were to be his in-laws, he had to learn to be genial to them as long as they needed to keep the peace.

Agni save him.

The morning of the arrival of the Southern Water Tribe's entourage was quiet. Many in the palace knew of the Tribe's former reputation of being barbarians: whittling bones to be used as weapons and forcing their women to remain plump and pregnant to replace the population that dwindles with every winter, so the announcement of their arrival made many wary. Zuko knew the Northern Tribe did not have such an uncivilized culture, for they separated from the Southern Tribe millennia ago and developed a more elegant and acceptable lifestyle similar to the ones in the Fire Nation.

Only they still had to whittle bones to make their weapons.

Zuko ate his breakfast with his family in silence, ignoring Yue's imploring stares from across the table and Azula's growls of frustration as she stabbed her fish and rice a little too forcefully with her chopsticks. When the steward came and told them that ships from the Water Tribes were mooring in the harbor, Zuko sighed and followed his father and mother out of the small dining hall to make their way to the palace courtyard. Azula tailed behind him and Yue behind her, a sign of her demotion in status until she wed Zuko in a month.

They filed out onto the stairs, Crown Prince Ozai and Duchess Ursa followed by their first-born Prince Zuko, their daughter Princess Azula, and Zuko's intended Princess Yue. Zuko glanced over Azula's head to see the shock of white hair that Yue possessed and noticed a sort of eagerness in her bright eyes at the arrival of their guests. He frowned, curious yet cautious, but turned his head back towards the main square outside of the palace gates.

Soon, the gates opened and revealed a blue-clothed retinue surrounding a small family of four; just like his. A graying man stood in front, tall and broad like Ozai, so Zuko figured that was Chief Hakoda, the man that had led the invasion of Omashu that ended the war between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom over twenty years ago. He apparently saved Ozai from being crushed by falling rocks, and they had been friends ever since.

At this point in time, the marriage between their children was mostly a formality to secure the alliance, as per negotiations made by the Fire Lord.

Behind him stood a slender woman with sorrowful eyes, the face of a mother about to send off her child to marry a stranger. She must be Chieftess Kya.

To her right stood a young man, as tall as Zuko but noticeably slimmer even under his summer parka. His face was carefully neutral, observant as it scanned his surroundings and the family he was approaching. As soon as his eyes locked onto Azula and an uneasy look crossed his features, Zuko knew that was Prince Sokka.

He had to repress his amused smirk at Sokka's awkward attempt at schooling his features at the sight of Azula's scowl.

Though, to his surprise, the blue eyes of the Water Tribe Prince moved to Yue and widened with shock. There was a recognition there that told Zuko that they had met before, and the blush on his bride-to-be's tanned cheeks told him that it was a little less than innocent.

He had to tear his eyes away and refrain from rolling them in an attempt to keep protocol, and forced himself to gaze upon the last member of the entourage. She was slight, shorter than Prince Sokka but in her summer dress he could see toned arms that spoke of her abilities as a warrior. Her hair was long, sweeping across her back in dark and thick waves that shined like polished leather. However, those things were wiped clear from his mind when his eyes locked on hers, a vivid blue that put Yue's to shame.

Zuko had to stop himself from gasping at the sensation of them peering to his very soul.

"Chief Hakoda," Ozai spoke, breaking the silence as he stepped forward. He and Hakoda bowed to each other in the Fire Nation fashion, then stood and leveled their eyes. Zuko noticed that they were the exact same height, like their sons. Silence reigned again and Zuko swallowed past the thickness that built in his throat. He looked out of the corner of his eye to see the girl was still staring at him.

"Prince Ozai," Hakoda replied, the stern look not leaving his weathered face. His eyes took in the Crown Prince and a slight smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth. "You've gotten some grays in your hair, old man."

Before Zuko could process the insult, Ozai started chuckling and extended his arm towards the other man as he exclaimed cheerfully, "Says the man with more silver than brown these days!"

Hakoda grinned and they clasped arms in the Water Tribe fashion.

The tension dissipated completely and the two leaders conversed lightly to themselves, forgoing protocol since the Fire Lord was not in attendance at the time, and they rounded towards their families for introductions.

"My wife, the Duchess of Hira'a, Princess Ursa," Ozai stated as he gestured to his wife. She bowed respectfully and gave their visitors a smile, then Ozai moved to Zuko. "My son, Prince Zuko. And my daughter, Princess Azula."

Hakoda looked at Zuko and bowed respectfully as Zuko mirrored his movements. When his eyes went to Azula, the Princess gave him a shallower bow, and he frowned only slightly before stating, "Princess Azula. It is an honor to meet my future daughter-in-law."

The tight smile on Azula's lips spoke of her distaste of the situation.

Ozai made no mention or correction of her behavior, and instead went to Yue's side and placed a light hand on her shoulder. "This is Princess Yue, though I am sure you have already met. She is the widow of my nephew, Lu Ten, and is now my son's intended."

Something flashed in Hakoda's eyes, but it was quickly masked by a pleasant smile and an extended arm towards the Northern Princess. "Of course. It is a great pleasure to see you again, Princess Yue. And I extend my condolences for the loss of your husband."

Yue clasped Hakoda's arm with her own, and she smiled more sweetly than Zuko has ever seen. "Thank you, Chief Hakoda." Then, her eyes went to Sokka as she dropped his father's arm. "Prince Sokka. It is nice to see you again."

Sokka bowed his head respectfully to her and in a soft murmur, he said, "Likewise, Princess."

Zuko's eyes narrowed. They had definitely known each other more intimately than first he assumed.

"May I introduce my wife, Kya?" Hakoda cut in, probably sensing some tension in the air, and he gestured to the woman next to him. She bowed, and he moved to Sokka. "My son, Prince Sokka, and my daughter, Princess Katara."

Zuko moved his gaze to the Southern Princess, awkwardly realizing her eyes were still on him. He swallowed and bowed his head to her in greeting. She bowed as well, her eyes never leaving him, and he tried his best not to take it too personally. After all, she was also a Princess and she had every right to look wherever she wanted.

When they were ushered inside, Ozai declared the meeting to begin first and then lunch to be served after they met with Fire Lord Azulon. They wanted to get all of the details out of the way before presenting them to the leader of the country.

Since Zuko was set to wed Yue on the eve of the autumn equinox, Sokka and Azula were to wed during the Harvest Moon some days later. The marriages would coincide with the Harvest Festival, as well as prevent any favoritism between either nationalities. After the weddings, Zuko and Yue were to honeymoon at Ember Island while Azula and Sokka were set to go to Whale Tail Island and then venture south afterwards.

Azula was not too keen on spending the rest of her life on an iceberg, clearly by the way she grumbled under her breath at Hakoda's read-aloud of the plans. Though she was silenced by a sharp look from Ursa. Neither of them were thrilled with the idea of marrying someone chosen for them, but it was for the sake of their country's peace, so they had to go along with it no matter how much they disliked it.

At the far end of the table, Yue sat next to Princess Katara, and they frequently spoke to each other in soft tones, not listening to the planning of the weddings. Occasionally, they would glance at him or Sokka, but they did not let their gazes linger. Perhaps to prevent an outburst or more tension, considering the cool stares Princess Katara gave him under her lashes.

"Ursa, Kya, you are prepared to finish the planning for both weddings?"

Zuko perked up and watched as his mother and the Water Tribe woman grin and nod at each other, as if they were conspiring like teenagers. Once again, he resisted the urge to roll his eyes today.

Ozai set aside a paper and cleared his throat. "Now, we will take a short recess. I will go inform the Fire Lord that we are finished and are ready to present our initial plans for the weddings to him. Why don't you five go to the gardens? We will summon you when its time to meet with him. We will have lunch afterwards."

Silently and obediently, Zuko stood and walked around the table to escort Yue to the gardens. She took his proffered elbow and daintily hooked her fingers into the crook. Behind him, Sokka went to lead Azula but she merely glared at him and stomped ahead. Behind them, Katara followed with that same carefully blank look in her eyes, all while she kept staring at him.

"You'll have to excuse my sister."

Sokka perked up from where he was slouched against the tree trunk. Above him, Prince Zuko loomed with a friendly smile on his too-handsome face and a loaf of bread in his hand. He sat down and ripped the bread in half, extending one section to Sokka before ripping the other into smaller pieces and tossing it into the pond in front of them. Before the bread pieces could really soak up any of the water, five little turtleducks swam out from behind the cattails and gobbled them up.

Sokka followed his lead and replied, "What do you mean?"

Zuko shrugged - an oddly fluid gesture on someone so unnaturally stiff - and said, "She hates the idea of being married off so our Father can secure his position in the country. Having an alliance is more important to him than us being happy, so she refuses to be okay with the idea of marrying a stranger."

Sokka glanced over to where Princess Azula was thoughtfully staring at a Pai Sho board, alone under the gazebo, and he frowned. "I'm not too fond of the idea, either, but my dad says its for the best of the tribe, though I think it's just to prevent us going to war with you guys. When I become Chief, I won't ever marry off my kids for political gain. It's too harsh."

"It's all we know here," Zuko stated, his voice solemn and accepting despite the depressing statement. He tossed another piece of bread into the water and sighed. "Yue had been married to my cousin because Fire Lord Azulon wanted to secure the alliance with the North, as well. Now that Lu Ten has died, he declared that I was the next best candidate."

Sokka had to bite his tongue and do his best not to curse the man next to him. Before Yue had been promised to Prince Lu Ten, she had been promised to Sokka. They had met several times, kissing in a few of them, but right before their wedding she was shipped to the Fire Nation to marry the man who was second-in-line for the throne. Today was the first time he had seen her in over two years.

He spared a glance at the man next to him, then over towards where Yue and Katara were sitting next to the fountain. Katara was subtly bending the water, he could tell, and Yue was speaking softly, like she always did. He yearned to hold her and have her speak to him in those soft tones, but she was not his anymore. His betrothed looked as if she wanted to bite his head off instead of cradling it in her lap.

Though, maybe if she got to know him she would be more likely to be agreeable regarding their arranged marriage.

Sokka set down the piece of bread Zuko had offered him and gave the other man a smile when he stood. "I think we both need a better perspective."

With that, he strolled away from the pond and towards the gazebo where Princess Azula was staring at him with her wide and hard golden eyes. Silently, he sat across from her and moved his first piece on the board. Azula kept staring, confusion clear in her gaze, and slowly she lifted one of her pieces and placed it in a new spot.

He quickly moved another tile and grinned. "Your move."

Her golden eyes, sharp and keen, narrowed and she quickly placed a piece in a new place on the board. "I never would have pegged you as a player."

He resisted the urge to smirk. "I try to play when I can. It's an excellent game to teach tactics."

Sokka noticed Azula's eyes flashed as he moved his piece. She mirrored him and moved another, followed quickly by his next move. She took out one of his pieces and snagged it off the board, her tapered fingers plucking it up like talons on a falcon snatching its next meal, and dropped it casually on the side.

He swallowed at the thought of him being the one she snatched up and eaten alive, then took out one of her pieces as retaliation. An amused glint in her eyes told him that she was surprised, but thrilled at the idea of some real competition. He watched her observe the board, silently figuring out her next move.

With a quick snap of her wrist, she moved a tile and looked as if she was trying to suppress a grin.

As firmly as he could muster, Sokka finally stated, "This marriage is a stupid idea."

He moved another piece.

Azula scowled, her mood instantly souring, and replied, "Absolutely."

She moved her piece.

"I love someone else."

Another move.

"I do, too."

Sokka glanced over to the fountain where Yue was still sitting with his sister and he sighed, "But my father is my leader, and what he says goes."

Azula's fingers froze on her piece and she followed his gaze. When she spotted Yue, she scowled again and laid her last piece upside down, signalling a forfeit. "My father is not my king, but he always knows best. I hate the idea of marrying you, but I will do what is necessary to bring my country honor."

Sokka whipped his stare back to his intended and frowned. "Is that all you care about?"

"I have no say in the matter," she hissed back. He noticed her golden eyes flashed and he couldn't tell if he was scared or a little intrigued. "Just because I marry you doesn't mean I have to like you. My parents tolerate each other for the sake of keeping their line honorable. If that means I have to do the same, then so be it. But you can bet your leather hide that I will not be subservient and quiet just because that's how you barbarians live. I am my own person, and I may have been forced to marry you but that doesn't mean I'm no longer going to have any agency."

As she heaved her breath, eyes wild and bright, Sokka decided then and there that he might not mind being married to this spitfire.

The Fire Nation was a miserable place. It was too hot, the air was always thick with moisture and the sun beat down too heavily on her back. Not to mention Prince Zuko had the uncanny ability to knock the breath out of her with just one look with those stupidly gold eyes and an aura that just begged her to look at.

Katara was glad she would be out of here as soon as Sokka married the Fire Princess.

However, as she glanced over to where Prince Zuko was sitting under a willow tree, she reckoned it couldn't be so bad. After all, they had been incredibly hospitable, and Zuko had never been anything short of pleasant. Especially to Yue, her old friend. Yue spoke of his kindness and his soft heart that had been hardened over the years of high expectations thrust upon him by his father and grandfather.

She told Katara of how she was afraid that he would not be happy with her, because he felt like he was the backup plan.

Katara sighed and dropped the water back into the fountain. Yue had left to go freshen up, having cried over rehashing her husband's recent death, and left Katara alone at the fountain to observe Zuko feeding turtleducks. She looked over to Princess Azula and Sokka, seeing they were starting another game of Pai Sho, and she realized that her brother may be adjusting to this whole arranged marriage stuff better than they anticipated. Especially since Yue was here, Katara thought that he would have forsaken his father's order and sweep Yue away to live his life with her as they had originally intended.

But learning that she was to wed Prince Zuko now probably deterred him from making any rash moves.

Katara looked to the brooding Prince again to see he had been staring at her first. As soon as their eyes met, she felt that electricity under her skin and he averted his eyes. She frowned and decided she needed to get to the bottom of this strange energy she felt between them.

Standing, Katara gathered her skirt and marched over to him. He glanced up from where he had moved his eyes and they widened at the sight of her approaching him. If she didn't know any better, he looked nervous of all things. But she ignored it in favor of sitting where Sokka had been before and took the half loaf of bread that was left on the ground.

"Do they prefer big or small pieces?"

Zuko stared at her like she had grown a third eye on her forehead, mouth still gaping slightly. "Small..."

"Alright," she conceded with an easy smile. She ripped off a piece of bread and tossed it out into the water, and one of the little turtleducks gobbled it up. She looked back to Zuko, who was still staring at her. "Do you usually stare this much or are Fire Nation royals not taught manners?"

His jaw clicked shut and he ducked his head as he tossed the rest of his bread into the water. "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

"Staring."

Her eyebrow quirked up. "I never said I wanted an apology."

"I was just being polite," he declared with an aghast frown.

Katara fought the urge to laugh and she replied, "No need to get upset. I just thought that seeing your sister is marrying my brother, we're going to be sort of family now. So I thought I'd get to know you."

"Is that so?"

Their eyes met and she blinked a few times, her smirk growing at his confused unease. "What? Is that a problem?"

Seeing his lips pull into a smirk mirroring hers made her stomach do something odd. It wasn't like she hadn't been around other boys her age before. There were plenty in the tribe that vied for her attention, others going as far as asking the Chief for her hand in marriage. Though, Hakoda has so far turned every single one down. He wouldn't tell her why, but she suspected he was preparing to arrange her marriage like he had with Sokka. After all, she had no place in the line of succession in the Southern Water Tribe, but her position was desirable for political gain.

She hated the idea of being married off like Sokka was so they could ensure peace. Especially when a man as handsome and friendly as Zuko was made her heart do something akin to fluttering while being forced to marry his cousin's widow.

It was so unfair.

"Not at all," Zuko replied after a short moment. He leaned back against the bark of the tree and gave her that relaxed look, so different than how tense and uneasy he was when they first arrived and throughout the wedding planning. "How are you enjoying the Fire Nation?"

Katara took a deep breath and looked up to the clear sky, debating on whether or not she wanted to tell him her honest opinion.

"You can say you hate it, I won't judge."

Their eyes met again and his smirk returned. "It's nothing you're used to. Not that you'll need to get used to it, but I know that it's not something you have dealt with before."

Katara shrugged and tossed another piece of bread into the water. "It's not bad... just not to my liking. Too humid."

"I thought a waterbender would like being around so much moisture."

She stiffened and she felt shock cross her face. She never told him...

"I saw you bending the water in your goblet during the meeting," he stated, answering her silent confusion. A wry grin spread across his face and she was stunned at how effortlessly beautiful this man was. "I, too, was awfully bored."

After a long moment of sizing him up, Katara pulled a tendril of water out of the pond without disrupting the turtleducks and hovered it in the air like a clear ribbon. "Can you bend, Prince Zuko?"

Silently, he leaned forward and a jet of bright yellow flames sparked out of his extended index finger, then it disappeared as he poked her clear ribbon and it erupted into steam. It answered her question, but not enough. She smirked and pulled more water out of the pond, a playful glint in her eyes, and she asked, "Would you like to spar with me?"

He let out an airy laugh and shot a little fireball at this orb and it exploded into more steam. "Not now, Princess. We have to meet with the Fire Lord soon."

She feigned disappointment and dragged her hands through the little cloud that formed around them. Water droplets gathered on her fingers and she tossed it back into the pond, barely causing more than a ripple in the surface. "I suppose I can expect you coming to me soon, then."

Zuko gave her that questioning look, curious and piercing, but when he opened his mouth to reply, he was cut off by a servant approaching and giving him a deep bow.

"Many apologies, Your Highnesses, but Prince Ozai would like to inform you that the meeting with Fire Lord Azulon is to begin soon."

Zuko sighed and he glanced at her again before standing and nodding at the servant. "Inform him that we will be there shortly."

"Of course, Prince Zuko."

As the servant scurried away, Zuko looked down to her and extended his hand with a smile on his face. "Shall we?"

Tentatively, Katara clasped his hand with hers and he helped her stand. In the first seconds their skin touched, she marveled at how warm and rough they were, despite his cool demeanor and clean-cut appearance. That electricity sizzled under her fingertips and she fought the shiver that cascaded over her skin.

There was so much more to this Prince than meets the eyes, and she felt a compelling need to figure it out.

Zuko led her over to where Azula and Sokka were still playing Pai Sho, informed them of the meeting starting, and Katara saw Azula's keen eyes dart to where Zuko's hand held hers. Katara did her best not to squirm under the scrutinizing gaze and instead let go of Zuko's hand.

He probably didn't realize they were still holding hands, considering how easy it had been.

The four young royals walked back inside and headed towards the Fire Lord's throne room, where he would be waiting for them and their families. Ozai and Ursa were already inside, as were Hakoda and Kya. The throne was empty, but Katara knew Fire Lord Azulon would sit when he arrived. Katara also noticed that Yue was also already in attendance, sitting behind Ozai with her head ducked. Zuko went to her, sitting silently when he reached her side. Azula sat to his right, closest to the Water Tribesmen, while Sokka basically sat next to her right behind Hakoda, while Katara sat behind her mother.

For what felt like ages, they waited for the Fire Lord to arrive. When he finally did, walking up the dais and setting alight the flames that guarded him from plain view, his family bowed completely to the floor, while Katara's merely bowed their heads in respect to a fellow sovereign.

"Have you all reached an agreement?" Azulon's craggy voice came from behind his wall of flames.

"Yes, my Lord," Ozai replied, voice low and even in subservience. Katara cringed at how this man spoke to his own father. "Princess Azula and Prince Sokka will wed during the full moon after the Equinox. We decided to keep both weddings close to each other to keep the festivities and moral up for the entire week."

His reply echoed around the chamber, causing shivers to run down Katara's arms. This seemed so... wrong. Something about this whole situation just gave her the wrong vibes. She spared a glance towards Zuko, and he seemed to sense her eyes on him as he looked at her over his sister's head. His eyebrows shot up in a silent question, and she tried her best to convey her unease.

Something about him made her comfortable, as if she could trust him despite barely knowing him. She felt like he could understand the sudden dread she felt in the pit of her stomach at being in this room.

Right as he turned his face towards her even more, the unthinkable happened.

The wall behind Azulon exploded, collapsing entirely on top of the aged Fire Lord. The force of the explosion caused everyone to fall back, Katara even hit her head on the marble floor and felt the onset of a concussion make her vision swim. Through her doubling sight, she saw the flames from Azulon's throne rush out towards the occupants of the room, but were deftly bent away by Prince Ozai.

"Run!"

Katara was pulled from where she had been sprawled on the floor and recognized Zuko's warm hand clasped around her bicep. He held Yue with his other hand, doing his best to protect both girls from the flames that erupted from another explosion at the far wall. With her spinning vision, she saw Azula bending the flames away from Sokka and her mother, while Ozai protected Hakoda and Kya.

Another piece of walling collapsed, followed by the ceiling and blocked the main entrance with rubble. Katara wished someone in their group was an earthbender to get it out of their way, but she knew that kind of wishing wouldn't help anyone. So, she took the only water she had in her pouch and used it to sweep the rocks to the side as best as she could. She noticed Zuko's eyes on her as she did, but she tried to ignore it as best as possible.

The palace was being attacked and they needed to get to safety.

Suddenly, he shouted and Katara looked up to see a frightened look in Zuko's eyes as he reached towards her. Time slowed and she turned as an explosion erupted right behind her. She saw the arc of bending as it spread, but it did not cover her well enough to stop them from getting knocked back. They soared through the air, crushed against each other, and Katara watched through his shield that the flames had engulfed the space they had once occupied.

Where Yue was still standing.

It was the last thing she saw before she whacked her head against a pillar and her vision went black.

Zuko woke in the hospital wing three days after the incident.

When Azula had to tell him what happened, to their family and to himself, his jaw clenched and he stared out the window with his unbandaged eye. He did not speak for a whole day, not even asking for food or water or anything. He just sat in his room, pitifully, like the weakling he was.

Turns out finding out that half of his face had been burned and the Fire Lord, his betrothed, and mother were all dead was not a good thing to wake up to. Not to mention the fact that Ozai had yet to wake from his coma, all of these things could put quite the strain on the now-Crown Prince.

Azula left his room, still dressed in the mourning white of her nation and her own injuries redressed, and was greeted by Sokka in the hallway. His eyes were sad, almost pitying, and she scowled at him. "What do you want?"

"I want to see if you're okay," he murmured, almost gently enough for Azula to think that he cared.

"I'm just fine," she lied. "What about you?"

"Fine," he replied quickly, lying as well. He took her hand and started guiding her away from Zuko's room. "How is he doing?"

"He still won't speak." She paused and chewed on her lip, debating if she should share this with him. After all, he was to be her husband still, as determined by Hakoda and the Fire Lord's council. And he seemed friendly enough to care. "Zuko was very close with our mother. Much more than myself. I knew he wouldn't take it well. Though I think with Yue he might just be stunned because Lu Ten just died a few weeks ago. There's been so much death... he's becoming desensitized to it all."

"And you?"

Azula stalled her steps and looked up at Sokka. There was a genuine sincerity that made her question all of her reservations towards him. First with the Pai Sho, now with this concern over her family. He had no reason to be so caring when they were practically strangers.

"The Fire Lord is dead," she declared as she resumed her walking. Sokka never let go of her hand. "His firstborn son fled the country after his firstborn died, while the second born is now in a coma, and his heir is in shock. The Royal Family is in shambles, as is half of the palace. What do you think?"

Sokka stopped and put his hands on her shoulders. She suddenly felt so small in his larger-than-life eyes. "I think you need to get your mind off of it all. Would you like some tea?"

Turns out, "tea" in the Southern Water Tribe meant a lot of things other than actual tea: food, pipes to smoke, alcohol, or - in Azula's opinion the best thing - sex. Though, she was sure she initiated it, but she would deny it later should Sokka question her about it. It seemed he was okay with her taking advantage of his willing and enthusiastic nature, using him to forget the pains of losing almost half of her family in rebel attacks.

Maybe he was trying to forget some of his pain from losing Yue, too.

Sokka was stripped down first, per her order, followed quickly by herself. His body was sculpted, yet still lean. The life of hardship in the extreme conditions of the South showed in the way his shoulders were broad and strong but his muscles weren't incredibly bulky like some men in the Fire Nation. There wasn't much definition as much as there was strength, which showed in the way he moved to kneel between her legs.

His eyes glanced up at hers, a silent question in their darkened depths, and she nodded as he slid his hands up her thighs and hooked his fingers under the waistband of her underwear. She was unskilled in this field - a rare admittance - yet Sokka showed her the ropes awfully fast.

He was willing to please his future wife, wanted or not.

The stubble on his chin grazed against her folds as his tongue opened her wide. Azula couldn't help but press herself against him and cry out in surprise as he zeroed in on a particularly sensitive bit of flesh. Her legs trembled and her hips bucked, but Sokka kept her in place, his head bobbing between her legs. She grabbed his head when he licked her in the right spot, and her fingers gripped his hair like it was the only thing that would keep her on this earth as he pleasured her.

A few more rubs of his tongue and she was tumbling over a cliff, crying out in pleasure and shivering with the aftershocks of her orgasm.

He sat back, smugness shining in his bright and unnaturally blue eyes, and Azula looked down to see his erection stand full and proud. There was no room for bashfulness, not in this competition, so she climbed down onto the ground with him and straddled his hips. The shocked look on his face was wiped clean with a new look of stunned pleasure as she sank down on him. Since he had serviced her, she knew that their coupling would be easier. In fact, it was not painful at all. She thanked him for that by grinding her hips down and kissing him hard on the mouth, tasting herself in his throat.

She rode him hard, soaking up the sounds he made and the way his hands splayed on her hips. His mouth liked to latch onto her tits, sucking on her nipples and squeezing them when she moved her hips a certain way. All it did was spur her on even more.

Azula sped up, causing Sokka to sputter and bite her on the neck.

"Zul- I-I'm gonna-"

She quickly got off of him and wrapped her lips around his cock, sucking and stroking with her hand. She tasted herself again and licked her essence away, not minding the way it stuck to her throat every time his head hit her back there. With a few more strokes he cried out and came, releasing himself in her mouth and coating it with his seed.

The least she could do was swallow.

Once he calmed down, they laid on the bed they had disregarded and Azula noticed Sokka fell asleep almost immediately after. She let herself smile, only slightly. Because he had distracted her from the despair that rampaged through this palace. And she realized that marrying him wouldn't be half bad if they got to do that all the time.

After all, they would need a way to stay warm in the frigid wasteland that was his home.

He slid out of the hidden hatch right as the full moon reached its highest point in the sky. The borrowed mask that covered his face prevented people from seeing him and the injuries his face suffered during the bombing, but more importantly it would do a hell of a good job of scaring the men responsible for the deaths of half of his family before he killed them himself.

Turns out loose lips truly did sink ships, especially now that the boats he sabotaged were about to suffer horrible malfunctions.

He leapt off the deck and rolled to his feet on the docks, then quickly raced back into the shadows of the harbor town. He winced at some of his injuries, but chose to ignore them in favor of making his way back up the mountain to take care of the men he knew were responsible. Whoever he didn't kill tonight would unfortunately be lost in an explosion as soon as the boats they fled in hit a certain speed.

It was what he had to do after what they did to him.

By the time he reached the lip of the caldera, he scowled and looked down at the city that was his home. In the distance, he could see the palace and the wreckage of the eastern wing, still destroyed from the attack four days ago. The people of the Fire Nation had already gathered for the joint funerals for Azulon and Ursa, and Princess Yue's body had already been sent off on a ship to the Northern Water Tribe two days ago. He would have gone on that voyage himself, but his own injuries prevented him from leaving the palace quite yet.

Zuko smirked to himself as he slid down the steep hillside. What his doctors didn't know wouldn't hurt them.

The route towards the nobility district was short and straight, no weaving tonight, and Zuko quickly found himself climbing up the side of the building so he could break into the window of what he knew was Baron Hide's room; the man he learned earlier was responsible for the planting of the bomb that killed Fire Lord Azulon.

Next would be Viscount Ukano, the father of his childhood girlfriend. He was the one who started the explosion that killed Yue and Ursa, and caused Ozai to hit his head so badly that he got a severe concussion and quickly slipped into a coma. This information was gleaned out of a loose-lipped lower noble who wanted nothing but to live and run away.

Zuko cut off his balls and assumed he had bled out by now.

He peered into the window, hoping to spot the Baron, preferably alone. With wide eyes, he realized he did. But the Baron was already dead, his body strewn across his bed and his chest sliced open in ribbons. Zuko scowled and climbed up to the roof. The blood was still flowing, so that meant his death just happened. And Zuko wanted to find who was responsible.

And maybe enlist in their help with killing the other bastards that slaughtered his family.

As soon as he reached the top, he saw another figure leaping away from rooftop to rooftop. In the direction of Viscount Ukano's home. Zuko quickly sped after them, nimbly jumping from home to home. His feet barely made any sound as they touched the terracotta shingles, not even disrupting them as he pushed off at his top speed towards the other black-clothed assassin.

He was closing in, shortening the distance between them with every stride and soon he was right on top of them. And they noticed, because they whirled around and launched a handful of senbon in his direction. He dodged them swiftly and tackled the would-be assailant to the roof.

One dao sword was lined up against their neck, blocked only by thin black cloth, and Zuko looked through the holes of his mask to see that their face was disguised, as well. White face paint streaked with red swirls and a crescent moon on the forehead. What he couldn't look away from were the eyes: vivid blue that glowed in the bright moonlight.

He knew those eyes.

"Katara."

The lack of her title gave away his identity, as well, but he didn't care. She was here, and alive. He had no clue if she had survived the attack in the throne room. The last thing he remembered was reaching out to her to protect her from the blast that started right at her feet. She was the closest to him and to the blast, so he thought as quickly as he could to protect her from the blast. He had intended on grabbing Yue next, but he had underestimated the strength of the blast and they had been launched across the room.

He cracked his head on the pillar that held up the ceiling as the fires surrounded them. As his vision swam, he saw Yue get swallowed up by the flames and them reach him and Katara, and as he fought losing consciousness in order to keep her safe from the fires, he couldn't protect himself and got burned. He thought that she died because he couldn't keep the fire away from her, too.

But she was well enough to traverse the city and kill nobles for their involvement with the bombing.

Confusion clouded the blue of her eyes and she squinted. "Zuko? What are you doing out of the hospital? You need to be resting."

"I should say the same for you," he murmured, low rough and quiet. "What happened to you?"

Slowly, Katara reached forward and pushed his mask away, revealing his bandaged face to her piercing gaze. There was pity there, and shame, as she rested her hand against his left cheek, a sensation dulled by the injury and the gauze. "I'm fine. You kept me from getting too hurt. But you... I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

He scowled, the motion pulling against the raw skin around his eye and he replied, "Why didn't anyone let me know what happened to you?"

"I don't know," she whispered, eyes starting to shine and her thumb pressing against his lower lip. "My father is willing to stick around, but there's some dissent within your court. People are wanting Ozai to wake up so he can be crowned Fire Lord, but others are wanting you to take up the mantel until he does. People are going crazy, and most of it is because those men that tried to kill you all are still running free."

"Is that why you just killed Baron Hide?" he asked, seeing the stern set return to her face. "How did you even know about them?"

"Yue told me that she had overheard some men bragging about killing Lu Ten," she replied, voice just as soft as it had been before but her eyes hardening with anger over her dead friend. "That's why she had been crying and left the garden."

Zuko gave her a once over and frowned. She was armed with two water pouches and a belt stocked with senbon and two tanto knives. There was rope, as well as what Zuko could only describe as a garrote rolled up near one of her knives.

"You're not just a Princess of the Water Tribe, are you?"

Something wicked made her eyes darken and she looked at the sword still leveled at her neck as she said, "Just as you're not just a Prince of the Fire Nation, eh?"

"Is it your job to protect your brother?" he found himself asking. After all, he learned everything he knew in order to better serve and protect Lu Ten when he became Fire Lord. Not that it made a difference, now that he was dead.

Katara nodded slowly. "Self-imposed, unfortunately. Someone tried to kill him when we were kids and he was stuck in the healing huts for weeks. I vowed to never let him or anyone else I love get hurt ever again. The attack on your family was just as bad as an attack on mine. And I won't let the men responsible get away with killing four members of your family in a matter of a month."

"That's awfully noble for a stranger," he hissed, pressing the sword a little closer to her throat. His face started to hurt from the strain of frowning. "This isn't something for you to get involved with, waterbender. I need to be the one who kills those men, not you."

"Zuko, you're still not healed," she insisted softly. She pressed her gloved hands against the edge of his sword to push it away. He imagined her palms bleeding as the metal dug into her skin. If it did, she didn't show. "I can't let you hurt yourself even further. Besides, if you get caught people won't be happy that their future Fire Lord is killing men in cold blood."

His lessened his frown - mostly because it was hurting his face too much - and he pulled his sword away from her. It was sheathed and he stood, holding out a hand to help her. Katara took it quickly and when she leveled herself she wrapped her arms around his chest. He was a little taken aback from the gesture, blinking away his surprise before gingerly patting her on the shoulder. No one ever hugged him anymore, let alone show much concern about his well-being.

"I was worried, okay?"

The awkwardness melted away and he felt himself almost sag into her. "I'm glad you're okay, too."

Against his chest, she murmured, "Now will you let me take care of the other guys that tried to kill you? Or will I have to try to convince you even more?"

He pulled away and rested his hands on her shoulders. "They're my responsibility, Katara. I shouldn't let you do my job for me."

Her eyes flickered to the bandage covering his left eye and she frowned. "At least let me help you. You've got a blind spot now and I don't want you getting killed because of it."

The complete sincerity in her eyes made his chest feel tight. No one had shown such concern for him, aside from his mother. And here was this Water Tribe girl, someone who was a stranger to him a week ago, wanting to avenge his family on his behalf because of some sense of honor.

She reminded him of himself before his idealism was scorned away by his pragmatic father.

With a grin, Zuko slid his mask back into place and offered his hand to her once more. "Fine."

For the rest of the night, Zuko and Katara slipped into the homes of the men and women responsible for the murders of four members of the Fire Nation Royal Family. Viscount Ukano's throat was slit in front of his wife and daughter. Neither of them wanted anything to do with it and fled the city soon after. Two lesser nobles that had been in the palace and spoke of killing Lu Ten were hanged from the rafters of their homes to be discovered by their lovers in the morning.

The last noble to be confronted was the Earl of Jang Shui: Bujing.

Zuko particularly hated this man, deep to a personal level. The rocks that Hakoda had saved Ozai from all those years ago had not been from an earthbender, but one of Ozai's own men, Bujing, according to Ozai. He had abandoned his post and went to the cliff that overlooked the battle, then proceeded to push the boulders over the edge with the intent of killing the Prince. If Ozai had died that day, Zuko would not exist, for he had been conceived after they returned from battle.

Bujing had not been punished, but Ozai knew. And therefore Zuko knew. He had been a loyal friend to Azulon, so he retained his status within nobility. Ozai had insisted on getting him banished, but Azulon did not budge. Unfortunately, that sowed the seeds of dissent and caused Bujing to start his plans for killing the Royal Family.

Now those seeds were full weeds that had vines strangling Zuko's family, and he was about to pull them out by their roots.

Katara tapped him on his shoulder to catch his attention, and Zuko followed her gaze to the interior of the modest home. This was where he was sent as his punishment, on the outer edge of noble district near the markets. Unfortunately the distance from the palace gave Bujing the capabilities of hosting his rebellion without many eyes on him, and now Zuko was witnessing it firsthand.

Bujing was hovering over a table of papers, his hair mussed and a frown on his lined face. Someone had just left, and Zuko overheard them tell Bujing of the deaths of Hide and Ukano. The other two had not been discovered yet, it seemed, and he was afraid he was next. He had to find a way to destroy all of the paperwork in front of him that outlined the rebellion, starting with the murder of Prince Lu Ten.

"Zuko, I can take care of him," Katara murmured from behind his shoulder. He shook his head and drew his swords, then silently stood and took a few paces back. With a steeling breath, Zuko shot forward and slammed his feet through the window. Glass rained down on Bujing and the man didn't have the time to scream before Zuko landed on him and pressed his foot to his throat.

"Beg," he ordered, voice low and muffled behind his mask.

Bujing visibly soiled himself and started sputtering out cries and whimpers for mercy, his old eyes clouded and shining with tears. Zuko wasted no time feeling the satisfaction of making this man squirm, and shoved one sword into his hand.

"Too much blood has been spilled on the Fire Nation's earth, Bujing," Zuko muttered. Bujing's cries of pain were weak and strangled behind Zuko's foot. Zuko leaned down and added, "A lot of it was by your order. Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now."

Bujing shook his head, a feeble attempt under the weight of Zuko's body, and the hand that wasn't skewered by a sword was clawing at Zuko's ankle.

"I have every right to kill you," he spat as he pulled his sword out of Bujing's palm, only to thrust it back in. Bujing's garbled shout was lost under Zuko's shoe. "And I will. But I want you to know that what you tried to do was for naught. Fire Lord Ozai lives, and so do I. It takes more than a little fire to kill me."

He removed his mask, hidden identity be damned, and he watched as Bujing's eyes bulged even more out of their socket at the sight of his burned and bruised face. Zuko pulled the bandages off in the process, revealing the weeping and blistering skin that covered the left side of his face. The smell of antiseptic filled his nose alongside the smell of the blood that permeated his clothes and weapons.

It was what his life had resorted to, but he did what he must to avenge his family.

"Any last words?"

Slowly, he removed his foot from Bujing's throat and thrust his second sword into his other hand. The man's shout was loud and pained, ending in a whine as he thrashed on the floor. Zuko felt no pity, nor did he feel mercy. This man had orchestrated his death and the deaths of his cousin, grandfather, mother, and future wife.

He deserved to die like they had.

"Curse you, son of Agni!" the old man croaked. He tried to spit in Zuko's face, but the spit was frozen in the air before it could hit him and clattered against Bujing's angry face. Zuko refused to glance up at Katara, who had saved him that disgrace, and he pulled both swords from Bujing's hands. Silently, he crossed them over the older man's throat and in one smooth motion, he pulled them together and lopped off Bujing's head.

It rolled to the side, his face frozen in a scream, and blood soaked through the old wooden floors. Zuko felt no shame as he stepped away from the body. He grabbed the documents from the table, knowing they were important, and climbed up the wall to meet Katara outside the window. With a sparing glance, he shot a fireball over his shoulder right at Bujing's disconnected head, and as he and Katara fled, the whole house was swallowed by flames and the smell of burning flesh.

His fingers clutched his swords and his mask dangled from his fists, anger seeping out of him in rivets like the blood dropping from the tips of his blades. The documents they took from Bujing's table were tucked carefully into Katara's pack, ready to be revealed to the remaining court upon their return to the palace.

"Zuko, wait."

He stopped and glanced over his shoulder at her, the numbness settling deep in his bones, and saw she had that concerned look on her painted face.

"What?"

She rounded him, meeting him head on, and she cupped his burned face in her hands. "I can fix it, if you'd like."

Zuko looked into her eyes, searching for any dishonesty. He had no time to get used to the injury. After all, he had been unconscious for days after the incident. For all he knew, the burns were too deeply settled into his skin and could never be healed, but he didn't want to waste this opportunity. It was either try and possibly fail or spend the rest of his life with a burn scar on his face and regret over never knowing if it was worth trying.

So he nodded.

With a soft smile, she brought water to her hands, glowing as it gloved her fingers and she cupped the burned skin in her palm. He hissed at the sudden cold intrusion, fighting his instinct to curl away. After a few moments, it became more soothing and cool, a soft caress like ocean waves against his skin. He closed his eyes, savoring the touch of her skilled hand, and prayed to Agni that it would work.

When she pulled away, he opened his eyes to see the relief in hers.

"I couldn't get the more damaged parts," Katara whispered as her fingers grazed the newly formed flesh. "Mostly on your cheekbone and eye socket. It was injured for too long. But everything else is as good as new."

Something like an ache swept through him, gnawing at him stomach. The sight of her, glowing in the setting moonlight, made him yearn for more than the touch of her fingertips on his face. Whether it was to fill the emptiness of the kills, or to feel after the loss of his family, he didn't know. But he acted on it and crashed into her with a fierce kiss.

She seemed to have seen it coming, because she was all too willing to accept his lips against hers. Her fingers folded into the fabric of his shirt and held on tight, pulling him to her and deepening their connection.

A soft little moan vibrated in her throat and Zuko wanted nothing more than to coax that sound out of her again.

Katara quickly turned the tables and turned them so she could press his back to the chimney next to them. He let out a huff of air and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and melted. They kept kissing for what felt like ages, long enough for him to feel the stir in his loins from her erotic touch and the similar stir in his gut from the rising sun.

He chose to focus on the stir in his loins and spun her around so her back was against the wall.

Zuko broke from the kiss and starting kissing her jaw and neck. He pushed her shirt down so he could access her skin, savoring in the taste of her sweat as it hit his tongue. Her arms clawed at his back and her hips pressed against his when his teeth grazed her pulse, and it stunned Zuko back into the present.

He removed his lips from her and straightened up so their eyes were level. The blue in hers were blown dark, almost black in the lack of light, and it hit him right in the gut. She was so breathtakingly beautiful, something his body and soul recognized before his mind could catch up. Her glances at her on the fateful day told him now that she felt the same way, something deeper than just a superficial attraction.

They were meant to be here, now, with each other on this roof after killing the men that killed his family.

And there was nowhere else he'd rather be.

"We can do this here or in my rooms at the palace," he stated as evenly as he could. The way her eyes darkened even more told him she may not last that long. "Your choice."

Her hand cupped his groin and he sputtered out a strangled groan. His head fell to her shoulder and he got his answer, so he went back to devouring her neck while she stroked him through his pants. Every pass of her palm made him jolt, unused to this type of sensation, and he bit down on her shoulder in order to ground himself.

"I can't wait," she panted, her voice sounding something like a desperate whisper, and he pulled away to see her lift up her shirt enough to expose her chest and she started tugging down her pants. Her womanhood was revealed to him, open and glistening with her want, and he felt himself press even more against his pants at the sight. Her eyes met his and she gave him a wicked smirk as she said, "Please fuck me, Prince Zuko."

That was all he needed to continue. His pants were quickly tugged down and his erection sprang free. Katara removed her gloves and dragged her fingers through her folds, bringing with her some of her essence, and she spread it over his dick. Zuko shuddered at the touch of her fingers and quickly took her into his arms so he could lower her to the rough rooftop. As he sucked one of her nipples into his mouth, he thrust into her. Katara's keening cry was music to his ears as he keep thrusting. Her walls were heaven; hot and wet and tight, so tight that it felt like he wouldn't be able to move. The silken tissue fluttered around him with every stroke, clamping down on him and bringing him closer to his release.

But he had to get her there, too. As his tongue and teeth worked her nipples, he took one hand and snaked it between their bodies. He had remembered one of the instructional scrolls saying he should do this, so he did his best to replicate what he had seen there. As soon as his fingers found her folds and fondled the little bundle of flesh above where they were joined, Katara cried out again and her hands tugged at his hair.

"Oh, fuck yes! Please, Zuko!"

He let go of her nipple with a wet pop and murmured against her skin, "Please what?"

She ground her hips against his hand and cock and she gasped, "Please fuck me!"

He couldn't help but grin and roll her perfect little nipple between his teeth. "Happy to oblige."

Without another word, he gave her a particularly hard thrust and picked up his speed. Every time his hips hit hers, she was jarred and a gasp or moan left her plump lips. He tried to hold back from cumming, but the dazed and almost drunken look on her face made it so very hard to last much longer. So he pinched her clit between his fingers and rolled them as he deepened his thrusts, and she cried out as her walls fluttered around him.

He came brutally hard, vision going white and limbs losing sensation. He shouted and collapsed, careful not to crush her, and he pulled himself out. After a few moments of basking in the afterglow and catching their breaths, they silently got dressed and pulled themselves back together. Katara's makeup was smeared, most of it on Zuko's now-unblemished face and shirt, and his hair was a mused mess from her hands carding through it.

But he didn't care.

This connection he had with her, it was better than any other woman he had ever met. And maybe, just maybe, he could convince Ozai to let him marry her now. After all, she had just aided him without hesitation in taking out the people responsible for trying to kill their entire family. Perhaps he would be agreeable to this new arrangement. Zuko certainly wouldn't mind.

The smile on her face as they ran back to the palace over the rooftops of the city, breathtakingly beautiful against the purple and red clouds of sunrise, told him that she was thinking just the same thing.

fin.