A Princess' Destiny ✘ZUKO ✘

Soana (So•ah•nah)

"I'm betrothed?" Soana questioned.

In the castle that she called her home, Soana, Princess of the Northern Water Tribe, stared down her father, Chief Arnook. His advisors had been at his side, legs crossed and their arms tucked in the sleeves of their parkas. They hung their heads low and submissively.

"I'm afraid so," Arnook said to his daughter.

Appalled by the news, Soana's heart sank to her stomach.
"To whom?" She managed to speak.

"Fire Lord Ozai has come to an agreement. In exchange for his trust, I have given your hand in marriage to his son, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."

Soana's breath had been stolen from her lungs. Her mind started to spiral.

"Soana, the Prince and his uncle will be here in a few days to meet you. By the end of the fortnight, you both will be married."

The chief watched his daughter walk backward towards the archway that led outside.

The princess shook her head and ignored her father by turning around and leaving the throne room.

"Soana, come back!" Arnook shouted, but he was too late. She was headed to her chambers.

Her eyes blurred with tears and she became distraught. She knew her life as the princess of her tribe was coming to an end. She knew her father would want to sell her off in an arranged marriage, however, she never thought her father would stoop so low as to wed her to the banished prince

Her father had tried everything from sending fish and penguin meat to supplying animal furs and blue dye to the other tribes, however, nothing worked. There were no volunteers to take the princess' hand.

"Soana!" She heard her younger sister, Yue, call out to her. "Wait!"

The princess tried to make a beeline to her chambers, but Yue cut her off.

"What happened? What did father say?" Yue wiped her sister's tears away.

Soana took a breath to relieve some of her anxiety to speak clearly.
"I'm betrothed to Prince Zuko."

Yue furrowed her brows and shook her head.
"This can't-There must be a mistake."

"There's no mistake." Soana sighed.
"I'm to be married to him for the sake of my people. I don't know if I'm capable of doing this after what his soldiers have done to our troops and Niko."

"Niko is in a better place." Yue frowned, sympathetically.
"But you must carry on."

"Please, don't speak to me like father. I don't think I can handle anymore."

"But, Soana, he would want you to carry on with your life. You must marry Prince Zuko for the sake of our people."

Soana's face contorted with disgust and regret.  She did not want to speak to her sister anymore. The idea of being a pawn in their game made Soana's stomach twist and churn.

"I need to be alone." Soana rushed her sister.

"But, Soana,"

"I'm sorry."

With that said, the princess pushed out of her sister's way to spring towards a set of double doors that led to her chambers.

That day had been the third-worst day of Soana's life. The fourth worst would be when Prince Zuko had arrived at the Northern Water Tribe.

It had been 3 days after Soana had been informed of her engagement to the prince. When she saw the Fire Nation battleship arrive in the port at the front gate, Soana showed no emotion. She had mentally disassociated herself from Yue and her father. Nothing could make her crack.

Not even when the prince, his uncle, and a few soldiers arrived at the palace later that day.

Chief Arnook had requested the prince and his uncle to dine with him and his daughters. Soana and Yue took one side of the table, Arnook took the head, and Prince Zuko and his uncle were seated across from the princesses.

Although she was mentally unengaged, Soana could sense Prince Zuko's gaze on her. What he was staring at, she had no idea. Instead of dwelling on it, she gazed at the steam floating off her tea.

"I like your eyes."

Her eyes shifted from the steam to the prince. She did not know whether to be confused or disgusted by his words. One thing she knew for sure was that she did not like Zuko. Not at all.

The scar on his face showed that he was troubled. Immediately, she wondered how much trouble he had to make to get it.

Prince Zuko saw the failure he had created from her reaction. He scrunched his face then leaned slightly towards his uncle's ear.

Soana turned her head and saw Yue glancing at her with a cup of tea placed at the edge of her lips that pulled into a grin.

She sent her sister a glare before turning her focus back to her steaming tea.

"Well? Do you speak?"

She heard the tone of his voice becoming annoyed. Somehow, his question with the agitated tone in his voice made the corner of her lip pull into a smirk.

That had been the first time she had shown any emotion in days. Now was not the appropriate time for her to smirk, but inside she never felt a more perfect time to do it.

Just as she hoped, her smirk made him more irritated than when she did not speak.

"You think you're so clever, huh?"

"Zuko," Iroh warned.

The prince huffed angrily at his uncle.

Soana watched as Zuko kept his face scrunched in annoyance. To the princess she thought he resembled a pouting child. She thought of his attitude as ridiculous.

After some more time had passed, Soana's tea went cold.

The prince did not like the silence between them. He had enough of his uncle and his warnings of causing an outburst.
"It's useless talking to you! You will not say anything! What is wrong with you?"

Calmly, Soana stared at the prince as he waited for her response. She was silent which caused him to huff.

"Figures," he said.

Soana's posture straightened to create intimidation.

"I am the princess of the Northern Water Tribe. Don't ever use that tone of voice with me ever, hothead."

She quickly lifted her hand and flicked her wrist to lift the tea from the cup and sent it splashing on the prince's face.

Zuko fell backward from his cushion but caught himself and wiped his face.

"Soana!" Arnook scolded his daughter in a deep voice and smashed his fist on the table, making the dishes on the table rattle.

"How dare you!" Zuko screamed.

Soana abruptly stood up, ignoring Iroh's chuckling, Arnook's stiff jaw, and Yue's appalled look.

She only kept her sights on Zuko as he now gazed at her from the floor in fear. To him, she looked powerful and overbearing which made Zuko have a spark of admiration ignite in him.

"No! How dare you!" Soana spat.

Zuko felt hurt for a second of seeing his soon-to-be bride looking more threatening than he ever did in his entire life.

Soana noticed her father's face turning beet red, so she ignored him and dismissed herself from the table.

When the princess turned and left the dining hall, Iroh chuckled while Yue and Arnook looked shocked by the outburst Soana had caused.

"She stings like a buzzard wasp." Iroh chuckled.