Chapter Four: The Fourth

"Awww, they're so cute!" Suki exclaimed, leaning over Sokka to point at the raised table on the dais where Katara and Zuko were sitting solitarily in front of a large table of dishes.

Zuko leaned close into Katara to say something in her ear. Their close proximity allowed Suki to smile—she was confident that her friends were a match made in heaven and would be happy in the future.

Beside her, Sokka grumbled unintelligably, muttering incoherently as he shoveled food into him mouth with a frown. He refused to look up at the dais—refused to acknowledge the fact the Zuko, Zuko, had taken his sister! How could his father have agreed to this?

"Oh, shut up Sokka," Sukia commanded, suddenly slapping his upper arm. He catapulted forward into his place.

"OW, SUKI!"

Zuko excused himself from the table after telling Katara he'd be right back.

Shoulders suddenly tense, he turned from the table to the managerie of sages set up behind him like a chorus. Stiffly, he garnered the attention of the one he was most familiar with among all the others and pulled the man over the side, hiding them both behind the curtains that were off the side of the ritual stage.

"Look—I did what I was told to," he said to the Wu Tan. "The second and third rituals."

Wu Tan nodded in approval, his arms folded within his sleeves and eyes closed apathetically.

"But," Zuko began tensely, "I don't think I can do the next one."

"Why Fire Lord Zuko?" the aged man asked of him. Zuko despised all the Fire Sages, but at least Wu Tan was one of the ones who were more patient with him.

"Be—because," Zuko stuttered, his jaw set but words hesitant, "She—she's not ready." Zuko paused for a moment and then spoke once again. "I'm not ready."

Wu Tan opened his eyes and stared thoughtfully at the young Fire Lord in front of him. Zuko was clothed in a light, silvery tunic and looking very uncomfortable. Wu Tan frowned. Surely, he understood his predicament, Zuko thought. He knew Wu Tan understood him.

Yet, the old man sighed, his shoulders dropping.

"You must, Fire Lord Zuko."

The teenager shuffled awkwardly in front of the man, looking decidedly conflicted. Zuko dropped his voice and leaned in closer to him.

"Look—I—I can't do that to her," he whispered in desperation. He was fidgeting in nervousness. "She—she hasn't even—I don't think she knows..."

The truth of the matter was that Zuko suspected Katara was beyond totally inexperienced. Way, too, beyond inexperienced for this to happen tonight. They were both tired after the entire day and he, himself, was also too inexperienced to make sex an enjoyable experience for her. It would be terrible for her, he had suddenly concluded at their table. That would make it equally as terrible for him. Today was just not the day, he had concluded.

Obviously, he wouldn't last more than 30 seconds. Obviously, it would be terribly uncomfortable for her.

And all this would be exacerbated by the fact that there would be so much pressure on them. It would be cruel to take a girl's virginity away on the basis of a ritual. Fire Ladies in the past had not always been virgins, but the occasion was much different as the wedding initiated her as the Fire Lady. In the past, the crown prince received the throne after having already married. In the past, the Fire Lady only became so after the prince's mother or aunt passed.

Wu Tan sighed. He understood, but there was nothing to look past right now.

He put wrinkled fingers on top Zuko's shoulder before shaking his head sadly.

"You must, Fire Lord Zuko. It is a 1,000 year old tradition. She cannot claim her throne otherwise. You will be barred from yours if you do not participate in this ritual."

For a moment, Zuko's anger flared. How dare they force him to do this to the girl he was in love with? Had spent so long courting, hesitantly approaching Katara. And suddenly they're making him have sex with her? But before he knew it, the Fire Sage had walked away and he was left alone in the side corridor of the hall.

With a deep sigh tinged with ardent longing, he turned himself and walked back in the direction of the table at which Katara was seated.

If he had to do it, he would have to make it as easy for her as possible.

In the chambers, Katara felt her cheeks grow ruddier than ever, heat flooding into her, assaulting her senses in the most pleasurable way she had previously never felt or imagined.

Zuko's hot breath, coupled with the intensified heat of his body temperature, fanned across her skin.

He leaned forward, so that his hard form pressed fully against her softer one. Her heart leapt when she felt the hard bulge of manhood pressing against her thigh. He was naked.

When he pulled her against him and his arms wrapped protectively around her waist, a frisson of fiery sensation sparked from the surface of his skin to her own virgin flesh. When he trailed his fingers over the arch of her back in a slow caress, Katara's senses skittered once again. Then, he whispered in her ear, "Just relax," before moving slightly and wedging his knee between her thighs.

He had been hesitant about doing this before. But, he decided, if he could make her accustomed to the idea, perhaps it wouldn't be so terrible for her.

A flaring arc of awareness suddenly shot through her. She didn't know how Zuko was doing it. The sensation was scaring her. She shut her eyes, her fingers curling slowly into fists as she struggled to breathe evenly, but could feel moisture gathering in her most secret feminine place.

He moved again, purposefullly, pressing the sinewed flesh of his thigh slowly against her in a rhythmic fashion; his own breathing growing damp. Katara's breath fled at the primitive sensations he suddenly aroused in her, and a shuddered breath escaped her lips. He seemed to revel in the sound, for he pressed her closer to him. Subconsciously, she rose her hands to grip his shoulders.

He interpreted this as an invitation to proceed; a hesitant smile formed on Zuko's lips. Relief. His hands slid to grip beneath her buttocks, and he lifted her onto his thigh. Releasing his initial doubts, he ventured to hope that perhaps hecould be successful with this.

His movement alone had more than enough impact to send sharp and riveting semblances of pleasure in her already damp, secret folds. The warm moisture Zuko felt on his skin from her made him struggle to stay in control. He kept in mind that she was still new to all this and that the coming situation would probably be most impacting for her.

Katara made a final murmur of protest, as if she was trying to escape the effects of his spell, but he pulled her body totally flush to his, pressing her voluminous breasts against the plane of his chest. Settling his hands at her hips, Zuko began to undulate her slowly against him.

"Move against me," he instructed, showing her how.

Katara squeezed her sea blue orbs shut and instantly obeyed. His voice had something commanding in it right now. Almost instantly, uncontrollable desire flared through her body, tightening her sensitive breasts and kindling a fierce ache between her own abdomen and his own. In a helpless gesture, she wound her arms around his neck and moved her pelvis against him, gently guided by him, with heavy need. Sheer instinct swept away her inexperience, driving her.

Zuko nurtured her excitement, rocking her, arousing her, rubbing her swollen and wet clitoris against his muscled thigh until her skin burned with fever.

The speed of her breath turned frantic and desperate—loud. Her hips bucked, but he held her in place mercilessly, letting her twist and strain against him. Up until now, Katara was unable to suppress the moans threatening to rip from her throat. The pleasure built unbearably; the heat became excruciating. Was this how a firebender felt each day? Now her breaths came in ragged gasps, she dug her fingernails into his shoulders as intense pulsations began in the depths of her core.

However, she was still shocked by the explosion that wracked her body. The hot burst of sensation made her jolt and arch in his arms, while her low moan became a gentle, helpless cry.

"Shhh," Zuko murmured gently, covering her lips consolingly with his own.

He may not have had the most hands-on experience with girls in the world, but he was still a 19-year-old; he did indeed know what it felt like to go through an amazing orgasm, even if by his own hands.

Her whole body coiled around him, spasming with the wrenching pleasure, her thighs desperately clenching around his, her breasts so utterly sensitive against his chest, all her senses burst as searing brightness enveloped her mind and body. Awareness shattered her.

As the unbounding sensation fled gradually, Katara sagged against him, burying her hot face in his shoulder in near embarrassment. Her insides turned into mush as she felt Zuko's lips pressing against her hair, attempting to calm her trembling. Zuko's ability to make her feel different sensations, both in and out at the same time, was amazing.

After a while of simply holding her against the wall, he withdrew slightly to gaze into her eyes, assessing her before moving forward.

Noticing she was still a bit speechless, he set her onto her feet, careful to support her due to her trembling legs. Bending his head, Zuko cautiously feathered kisses along her jaw and lower, along the column of her neck. His warm lips sent a sweep of sensation surging over her skin. He had never done this before with her, but he was cautiously stepping forward with the affection and hoped she wouldn't find it sudden or contrived.

His tongue caressed the jumping pulse in the hollow of her throat, while his fingertips rose to her abdomen and skimmed the underside of her full breasts. Unable to resist her, his hands cupped the swells, the coaxing of his thumbs causing the sensitive tips to engorge painfully under the teasing touch. Not long after, his mouth took part in the nurturing, grazing her breasts with arousing caresses.

There it was again. The urgent longing. It gathered in the deepest pit of her stomach, forming in her loins. When his lips closed over one peaked nipple, shuddering heat infiltrated her veins. Katara arched against him, shutting her eyes at the glorious spasm shooting down to her loins. Flaming desire churned inside her, awakening a wonderful aching weakness that pulsed in her nether parts.

Still suckling her nipple, Zuko reached down, his hand brushing to find the sweet warmth of moisture between her thighs. He touched the wet cleft, his thumb gliding over the folds of soft flesh, parting them, stroking rhythmically.

Again, Katara gasped aloud.

Her eager response brought Zuko to take her mouth again, his kiss turning hot and hungry. She was trembling again, and became forgetful of how to breathe as her skin burned.

When he slipped a knowing finger into her, the moan of pleasure coming from her was hoarse and raw.

Zuko's jaw clenched, feeling her inner walls contract tightly around his probing finger. He pulled in a deep breath, shuddering in his restraint. The reins he had over his primal desires were becoming undone, so he paused, withdrew. But her trembling movements continued to affect him heavily, to the point of no return. Unable to control himself any longer, he lifted her and brought her over to the bed. Laying her down, he pulled her body quickly and roughly to his erection.

He was bracing her, lifting her up and pulling her legs around his hips while his kiss slanted down fiercely over her mouth again, devouring her sweetness. He lifted himself up and waited a moment before speaking.

"Katara... Do you know what sex is?" he asked suddenly. She could feel his wet lips right beside her ear. Her face reddened and she snapped out of her induced state to place both her palms on his chest and indignantly reply.

"Of course!" she exclaimed. Not only was she already 18, she was a healer!

"No, I mean.. It's a lot of... thrusting," he explained slowly, his body poised over hers.

If possible, Katara felt her face heat up even more. She knew that, too, but of course, Zuko didn't say anything.

He lifted his head from beside her ear. His hair fell forward between them as surveyed how close their naked sexes were to touching. He leaned back up to her and placed his lips against her throat before suddenly thrusting his tongue into her mouth, plunging, just as his flesh would.

The bulge of his erection throbbed against the soft yielding of her mound. He brought his hand down and slowly rubbed the head of his penis inside her labia, allowing her to feel him, before suddenly bringing it back up to her mound. Slowly and gently, he thrust against her without entering her.

As his lips lathered her neck with sweeping kisses, Zuko began to move steadily, humping her on the silk sheets. His eyes closed and mouth fell open above her in the muted pleasure the friction gave him. Katara's heart pounded as he came to move against her harshly, the feel of a naked erection pushing and pressing against her naked vulva, a shadow of thrusts. The throbbing maleness of Zuko's pulsating flesh fell onto her.

Eyes shut tightly, he bit his lip tightly as the excruciating pleasure soon became unbearable. His fists tightened from where they held him up above her. He wanted to thrust within her, but knew it was better to let her be accustomed to the size of him first, his action and movement. What was thrusting.

Zuko managed to muster his strength, to regain some control. He leaned back down again to place his lips against hers before he spoke, "I'm going to enter now," he said with a thick voice. He waited for some type of acknowledgement from her, but his impatience was grating on now. He needed her to be ready now, even if she wasn't.

Katara wordlessly nodded.

Despite her fear, she terribly needed him to appease the relentless, suddenly yearning ache inside her. She needed him deep inside her, even though she didn't quite know what that was yet. Giving herself up to the bliss his sensual assault promised, she shut her eyes tight. In spite of her feelings, Katara whimpered when Zuko began to ease the silken head of his shaft into her seeping flesh. He let out a shallow breath.

Frenzied need surged through him; it was the need to plunge himself deep inside his newly-wed wife, to feel her wet heat close around him. His mouth now plundering hers to distract her from the pain, he slowly lowered his engorged length unto her.

Katara gasped at his penetration, gentle tears rolling down her cheeks as she felt her membrane of virginity tear. She was panting softly, while her body strove to accept the fullness of him.

Zuko struggled to keep himself at bay, giving her time to adjust while he kissed away her tears. The sweetness of her deliciously curvy body was driving him to madness, but somehow he had to find the strength to master himself before he lost all control. He looked at her, as pain contorted her beautiful features, the wedding make-up applied. "...Do you need me to stop, Katara?"

At the latter question, her eyes snapped open. "No! Its Okay! Just... Just... thrust." After her last words, Zuko swallowed thickly and stared at her for a long moment. Her tightening grip upon his shoulders didn't help him any in his plight for restraint, much less the words coming from her throat.

He began to move at a slow pace at first, but it quickly became urgent.

She lost herself to the surging tempo of his body as he thrust into her with the fierce savagery of any teenage male. When he peaked, all sanity fled. He leaked into her, shaking from the force of orgasm, clutching one of her breasts tightly.

Zuko turned his head tiredly to look at her and paused for a moment, staring at her. He had warned her beforehand that it would probably be quick for him, and she had willingly accepted that. Tired and heaving as he pulled out and then fell beside her on the bed, Katara turned and gave Zuko a smile.

The two exchanged looks, enjoying the post-coital glow, before he spoke. "I don't think I've ever told you this before... but I love you, Katara."

He brought his arm forward to catch her waist and pulled her down to bring her to his chest.

Katara smiled against him, his arms around her in an embrace, but distinctly felt sudden soreness washing over her southern regions. Zuko placed a hard kiss on the top of her hair before loosening the embrace a bit to look down at her.

"Are you okay?" he whispered, shamefully feeling his bare penis hardening once again at their close proximity.

"I'm fine, Zuko," she replied with a smile. She pushed his chest and moved out of the embrace so that she could lie down properly, her head resting on his forearm.

"You're sure?" Zuko worriedly asked again, his brows furrowing and a frown forming on his face. He sat up and looked at her.

Katara laughed and removed her head from his arm, leaning over the mattress to retrieve her discarded clothing.

Eyes heavily lidded, Zuko watched the curve of her back and the profile of her breasts as she leaned over. He quickly looked away to the other side of and brought his fist up to his mouth, clearing his throat and begging his hormones to settle down.

A/N: This is the last chapter. If you guys want a sequel about what happens after, I might make one, but only if there is a TON of demand for it. :)

Sincerely,

forever2yours.