-𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙚⊰

-Chapter 5⊰

Before Zuko knew it, almost a month and a half had passed. To him, it seemed like just the other day he was trying to get use to Katara's constant presence and now he didn't bate an eye when she randomly barged into his room yelling at him for something he said or did that annoyed her.

The two benders were nowhere near being as close friends as they used to be, but they were making progress.

During the past month, the palace had quickly gone from peaceful to frenzied after Lady Dandan announced their official wedding day to be June second.

Zuko carefully avoided colliding with the servants that were carrying huge flower arrangements as he and Officer Kahn walked down a hallway.

"Seems there isn't a moment's peace," Officer Kahn said with a laugh.

Zuko smiled and nodded "Lady Dandan has everyone working around the clock, poor Katara had a seamstress and clothe maker in her room until the early hours of the morning."

"How are you and the crown princess? Have you two reconciled any friendship?"

Officer Kahn was Zuko's most trusted advisor, after Iroh. He was the only advisor Zuko told that his marriage to Katara was strictly political.

"We still argue more than necessary, but we're making progress. Yesterday we decided to spar with each other, helped ease the fight we were in."

"Ah, that explains the limp."

Zuko lightly blushed and rubbed the sore spot on the top of his thigh "Yeah, she threw an unexpected water whip at me."

Officer Kahn laughed "Sneaky fighters those waterbenders, never know what they're going to throw at you."

"No kidding."

The two men heard a small bing and turned to see Katara riding towards them on a metal contraption with two wheels, her ladies maids running behind her.

"Your highness, please slow down!"

"Crown princess, I don't think you're allowed to ride that in here," they said as Katara ignored them.

"What on earth is that?" Zuko asked as Katara circled around them.

Katara smiled "It's called a bike; King Bumi sent them to us as wedding gifts, yours is in your room."

"Figures, strangest man on the planet sends us the strangest wedding gift. Don't you have studies to do?" Zuko asked and he saw Katara shake her head.

"Lady Biyu gave me the afternoon off so she could go keep a watchful eye on Lady Dandan. I spent the afternoon learning how to ride this," Katara said as she stopped and got off the bike.

Zuko snorted and turned to Officer Kahn "Future queen of the Fire Nation spends her afternoons learning how to ride a strange mobile instead of making herself useful," Zuko said.

"I am making myself useful. I plan on having some of these made for the orphanage and who will teach the children how to ride them if not me?" She said as she handed the bike to Kyung.

"What a wonderful thing to do, Crown Princess," Officer Kahn said.

Katara smiled wide before sticking her tongue out at Zuko making him playfully glare at her.