A Match of Ice and Fire

Chapter 23: Kaya

"-l look Ridiculous. I know." I cut the Firelord off before he can pass comment.

Zuko smirks, leaning in. "I was going to say you look beautiful." He whispers in my ear before lifting the veil from my face in a way that makes half watertribe girls watching on the docks swoon.

I scowl.

Zuko chuckles.

Immediately, I look down at the floor, my face heating. There is something about his laugh, husky and quiet like the crackling of embers. It makes everything side me warm. I try not to curl my toes at the sound. 'Traitor.' Whispers the scroll I read this morning, and the warmth feeling inside me immediately freezes over.

All around us, the people are going wild. Watching a dream come true, the Chieftan's niece and the new Firelord. Water Nation and Fire Nation united at last. A match of Ice and Fire.

'Traitor.... You are a disgrace to the dead.' I try to shove my my brothers letter out of my head, but I can feel the words pressing in.

Someone calls my name "Princess Kaya!!" and the crowd takes it up as a chant. Distratcted, I spin to see where the call originated from, but between all the cheering and swooping and applause, my head is spinning and on the metal hull of this ship, I slip slightly.  my vision goes a little hazy around the edges as I sneeze. 

strong, warm, hands pulling me up."Kaya?"

Sniffling, I slump into the scent of cherry blossom and jasmine. I don't think there is any other scent I'd rather fall asleep to. His words are like a blanket wrapping around me. I look up to see his molten golden eyes glazing down at me. From this angle, his scar doesn't look so fearsome. Its fansinating in someways. The way it paints his face so raw and visceral, it's beautiful... I reach up a hand to touch it. But Zukl takes my arm pulling me to him. His golden eyes  suddenly wide. I can tell he's seen the bags under mine, because he starts whispering. "Kaya?" That voice. His words. I try to keep my eyes open. "You didn't sleep at all last night,  did you?"

"Hm..." I try to deny, but I dont have energy. And Zuko already seems to be moving into unprovoked panic, without me having said anything. So I say nothing.

"What is wrong with you!?" Zuko cursed "We did day-long Angi Kai yesterday, and you havent even stopped to rest?"

I try to come back with something snappy and arguementive, but I sneeze and this time, Zuko muffles the sound his robes.

"...And your sick." Zuko sighs, hot breath sliding over my skin which feels cold and feverish all of a sudden.

"I'll be fine once I have nape." I murmur, as I'm agian mutiniously distracted by the scent of cherry blossoms and jasmine.

Zuko nods, "your cabins in the prowl of the ship, so it's away from the engines noise. I'll have it prepared if you'd like to sleep. I can bring lunch you in your quarters later." Agian, I'm struck by the Firelords consideration. He is so caring, and it's digusting. "We've already loaded your belongings in the hold so you can settle in, and I'll make sure no one disturbs you..." Naturally, Zuko begins to gravitate towards the steps below deck, drawing me with him. I let myself be lead, despite the voice that still whispers 'Traitor... You'd bend to the will of our enemies so easily?'

We're both interrupted by a well-timed cough. "Your highness," A Fire sage steps forward carrying a velvet cushion, "The enagement necklace."

Laid on the cushion is it... the most hidious necklace i have ever seen. It's huge, blotted, bulging with rubies, and sa bundled in clumps of gold.  I think of my mothers engagement necklace. How simple it was in comparison, the blue ribon she wore always, a shard moonstone depicting a boat under a starry night. It was the only identifiable thing i managed to salvage  from under the ashes on the southern coast. I wondered now, if the firelords engagement necklace was submerged in the flames, would it melt? Or simply collaspe under the wieght of itself? At the centre of pentant is Fire Nation instiga, blazoned like a label, advertising to the world i'm the Firelords property.

Zuko seems to realise this at the same time i do because he grimaces as much as I do at necklace. I think he thinks it's as hidious as i do. He's probably never seen it before. It was likely commissioned by the Fire Sages as some sort of token display of the Fire Nation embrancing Water Nation traditions. This necklace wasn't made for me. It was made for the symbol of me. Pretty jewels to assuaged the Fire Nation conscience for the genocide  of thousands of innocent lives.

'Traitor... you are a traitor this tribe.'

Zuko starts to speak... "You don't have to wear it, if you dont want to, if it doesn't suit you, i understand..."

But i can't listen over my brothers words roaring in my head. 'Traitor, traitor, traitor!' To many people are watching us. I can't afford to crack now. And if let my hestiation show, Zuko will start overthinking, he'll try to back out of this enagement on my behalf, then everything I am sacrificing for this tribe will slip away without me making a difference.

"I'll wear it."

"...Kaya? Are you sure-"

"-I'm marrying you, Zuko. I'm about to be the Firelord wife for the rest of my life. I can wear a necklace for three minutes..."

Zuko tries to protest but I turn away, making a gesture to the crowd of lifting   my ebony curls up, exposing the nape of my neck to Zuko so he can chain the enagement necklace around my throat like a collar.

The audience on the docks hushes in anticipation.

Zuko's hands tremble slightly as he lifts the necklace over my head, fumbling with the clasp. He leans in so close his breath brushes my ear. The scent of jasmine and cherry blossom feels my senses. I forget about the necklace. Then Zuko retreats, leaving the wieght of it on my chest. The rubies are so heavy. The gold is a cold anchor agianst my skin.

The jewellery feels clammy despite its shiny surface. It's  greasy like blood because this necklace was brought with blood money, like everything in the Firelords palace. This wealth was built on the war. A war my parents died because of.

'You're a disgrace to the dead.'

I can't break, I can't faulter. All around us, the crowds are going wild agian, whooping and cheering our names. Though hidden in between the cheering, I catch someone jeering. Boytan and my brothers soldier are scowling up at the Firelord, at his hand wrapped around mine.

'You'd bend to will of our enemies so easily?'

I turn back to Zuko and close my eyes.

'You are a traitor to this tribe...'

The word tears me apart 'Traitor...' it's a shard of ice to the heart twisting deeper.

' ...Have you no honnor?'

I'm about to betray every principle my brother and I have stood for. But I can't let myself think about this right now, because if I do, I'll cry in front of the whole tribe. So instead, I cling to Zuko, even as I feel the tears burning behind my eyes.

'traitor, traitor, traitor...'

"Kaya?" Zuko leaning down to cup my face. "Are you alright?"

'..traitor, traitor, TRAITOR....'

No. I'm not alright. But I don't think I act, pulling my face up to Zuko's and kissing the Firelord hard, fast, with everything I have left in my exhausted body.

He tastes like cherries and posion. When Zuko returns the kiss, i bend over backwards and he follows. I run my hands over his scarlet robes, through his silk black hair. I rumb my nose agianst his, till I drown in the scent of blossom and jasmine. Zuko makes a small humming sound. like the crackling of embers, the heat of it vibrates to my core. Warming me, like a spark to a match. I let the feeling take over. Setting fire to that cold word transcribed onto the scroll this morning.

'...Traitor'

I kiss Zuko until all my thoughts burn away. In reaction to our kiss, the crowds erupts. Revelling in a match divine from the spirits themselves. I let the folktales on-lookers weave round my imaginary love-match marriage to the Firelord carry me away. And just for a moment, I can pretend there was no war, I wasn't trapped, enslaved in camp for three years, Zuko isn't the ruler of the nation that murdered my parents and we aren't both broken people. We're just a firebender boy and waterbender girl falling in love for the first time.