First burn

The Beginning

A sixteen year old girl with dark chestnut brown hair braided down her back with two loops near her tan skin as her blue eyes so similar to the ocean scanned the red walls.

Her father and his right hand man, Bato, walked next to her in blue clothes as she felt under dressed in the fire nations palace as everyone wore robes and silks while they dressed in warrior clothes.

The girl walked into a large room as there where guards as well as a row of fire above a table as two figures where there. The fire lord and a girl that stood on the side smirking darkly. Must've been his daughter, the same glint of the Devil lingered in her eyes.

"Chief Hakoda," the fire lord said calmly as the girl gripped her father's hand tightly.

"Fire lord Ozai," Hakoda nodded at him as he didn't bow.

"This must be your daughter for the betrothal," the fire lord stood up as the girl looked at him in disgust. "A fighter I sense," he smirked.

"My youngest child and only daughter Katara, this is my most trusted man, Bato," Hakoda told him sternly for the respect.

"Katara," the fire lord nodded getting up as he walked down, the flames separating to let him pass as his daughter watched knowing to stay silent.

"I'd like to meet the man my daughter is betrothed to, if she is to stay here," he glared as Katara pursed her lips nervously as Bato set a hand on her shoulder. She wished they'd let sokka come but they all knew he'd try to stop it, they had to leave earlier so sokka wouldn't fight his way here with them. She missed her brother... But this was the only way for peace...

Her brother had to focus on getting ready to become the next chief as he is of age now, granted her father and sokka agreed for it to be only if something happened to Hakoda. But with the war and this alliance, they had to do something before the southern water tribe could be attacked with no alliance with the northern water tribe.

"Of course, Azula please go get your brother dear," Ozai looked at his youngest daughter as well.

"Of course, Zuzu is a perfect match for this water tribe peasant," Azula flipped her bangs out of her face, smirking as she walked out.

"Azula is a fire nation prodigy, she may not show it but she's happy to have a sister in law, she grows rather bored with her current friends and brother," Ozai looked at the water tribe calmly.

They heard more than one pair of footsteps and turned to see a young man following his sister as his hair was up neatly but it showed a large scar on the half of his face that made Katara almost sick to her stomach when it was the side of his face that was all she saw when he passed her. It looked painful, it made him seem older, she didn't remember how old the prince was...

"Prince Zuko," Ozai looked at his eldest and the two siblings bowed to their father.

"Father," his voice was young but raspy as he bowed to his father but got back up and stood on his right side.

"This is the southern water tribes Chief and his daughter," Ozai motioned to the blue clothed warriors and Katara caught her blue eyes with gold, she was expecting harsh, cold, and angry eyes but the man she was betrothed to seemed them to be shy as he was anxious next to his father but stood strong.

She studied the rest of his face, smooth pale skin with a sharp dark eye brow, he didn't seemed to be the kind to smile to much... but then the scar was painful looking as his left side, maybe he did smile at a time.

"Prince Zuko this is Katara, your wife," Ozai glanced at his son as as Zuko looked at Katara.

"Not his wife yet," Hakoda put his hand on his daughters shoulder protectively. "You will treat her with respect including how you introduce her as,"

Katara stiffened as Zuko walked towards her but stopped only two feet away from her.

"Katara, it's an honor to meet you," he bowed to her as she gulped slightly.

"Um l-likewise prince zuko," she put her hands behind her back awkwardly.

"Excuse prince zukos lack of manners and words, ever since his redemption..." Ozai looked at his son annoyed and Zuko sent his father a glare but the firelords glare was harsher. A warning.

"Chief Hakoda," Kataras father walked passed her and held out his hand to Zuko. The young man gripped his hand back and nodded with a shake.

"If I hear a breath of pain from my daughter you will see war again," Hakoda whispered to him and Zuko smiled a little at that.

"I expect no less sir," Zuko nodded again as Hakoda looked at him stern.

"This is where you say your good byes, my servants will clean you up my dear and will show you your room," Ozai smiled slyly at her as Katara touched Hakodas arm for comfort from her father.

"Father please give them a minute," Zuko turned to him calmly.

"Of course, come Azula," Ozai nodded as the royal fire benders left the room. As soon as the doors closed, Katara ran into her fathers arms as he embrace his youngest tightly.

"Dad please don't go," Katara clung onto him tightly as Hakoda held her head to his chest trying not to let his own tears fall, leaving his little girl in the fire nation to be wedded with the next firelord, and he couldn't even stay with to protect her from them.

"I'm so sorry Katara, I'll write to you every day," Hakoda rasped kissing the top of her head as she whimpered a sob when Bato even touched her shoulder, a man that was like an uncle to her.

"It's only six months until the wedding, I wouldn't miss it for the world, I wouldn't miss seeing you again," he whispered as Katara felt a tear slip down her face.

"Your our only water bender, wewill send you scrolls and anything to help you become better, use that to protect yourself, use your bending Katara, show that your still water tribe," Bato smirked at her knowing she's a fighter by heart and Katara touched the necklace around her throat and closed her eyes.

"I will," she smiled at the family friend as Hakoda kissed her forehead again smiling.

"Your brave and strong, I love you," her father held the side of her face gently and Katara hugged him again.

"I love you too dad, please get sokka out here for a little too, a compromise, just a visit," Katara sniffled looking up at him.

"I will," Hakoda smiled proudly at her.

"Are you ready Chief Hakoda?" A woman walked in as she had grey hair mixed with black.

"Yea," he let out a shaky breath and the woman escorted the men out of the room leaving Katara alone in the fire nation palace.

She saw Zuko walk back in and glared a little.

"Um father wanted me to escort you to get cleaned up," Zuko told her and Katara wiped away her tears quickly and harshly.

"Look, Prince Zuko, I get we're suppose to get married and all but I don't care who you are or anything that you do, but I will only do this for my people, got it? We're not friends, and we're defiantly not lovers so don't even try anything like that," Katara stormed up to him as she looked him in the eyes, poking his armored chest. Changing herself from the timid girl to a determined woman.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Zuko said with a quirked eye brow.