A Match of Ice and Fire

Chapter 3: Zuko

"Princess Kaya will be along shortly, my lord." Chieftan Arnook bows obsequiously. "I can only apologise for the wait... " he repeats until I feel  uncomfortable.

"Please..."  Iroh interceeds on my behalf. "We are in no rush..."

Trying to match my uncle's easy tone, I put on my best, wise, patient, ruler smile and return the chieftains bow.  In reality, I'm stiff and akward.

We stand in silence on the prowl of the imperial vessel, facing the gates to the Northern Watertribe, awaiting offical consent from the docks to pass through  into the city. A modest welcome committee headed up by Arnook greeted us about 5 miles out. And now we are  surrounded by a small fleet of canoes moored against the hull.

"Thank you for understanding. Our tribe can not express how honoured we are to host the new Firelord. You have travelled far from your home nation. It must have been a taxxing journey..." Chieftain Arnook continues to make small talk.

"Not at all. I've actually..." I trail off thinking back to the chaos at home; the constant presence of team avatar, breaking up with Mai, visiting my father in prision, managing my psychotic sister, and dealing with the looming tower of royal documents waiting for me back in my study. I pause, taking a deep breath. "... I've enjoyed getting away."

Conversation ebbs back into silence, and It's my turn to make small talk. "So I hear she's an accomplished healer?" I bring the conversation round to Princess Kaya.

Chieftain Arnook jumps at the opportunity. "Yes! Yoguda calls her a progeny. She's very talented, but..." their is a strange undercurrent to his words, "frustratelying my niece has never seen herself as a healer..."

"Oh?" She must be Modest. It makes sense. Katara said the culture here was stiffling. The more meak and feeble you are as a woman, the more men admire you. Independence, capability, and ambition are not desirable traits here. Modesty, innocence, and obence are all the elders care about, according to Karatra.

This attitude is carried home in the Chieftan next excuse for the Princesses' absence. "You how the women are, with their dresses and their make up, they have no sense of time management!" Arnook laughs. "That's why they have us men."

I battle every insinct, not to grimance. I shoot my uncle a sideways glance and know he is doing the same. We both force a half-hearted chuckle.

After all, its not Chieftan Arnook's fault, it's the way everyone here was brought up, and it's the way they've survived for so many years. It's a culture. One that I don't particularly like. But, for the sake of keeping this tenious peace, I have to play along with national customs.

Following the war, my country needs stability. As bad as it sounds, someone modest, respectful, and obient, who will quietly enjoy ruling by my side, is just what I need. The symbolic importance will also be vital to regaining my family's honour. In the face of my father's atrocities against the watertribes, Princess Kaya is the perfect  choice. She's Princess Yue first cousin, which is in itself a gesture. But Her heritage also means she has links to both the northern and southern tribes. She's from a very long line of powerful waterbenders. And, as dictated by the Avatar cycle, when Aang is eventually reincarnated as a waterbender, my descendants will be in an optium position to aid the new avatar. It is as the Fire sages say, the best possible political match i could hope to make, but right now, I would really just like to meet her.