The Fire Prince's Bride

Chapter 7

"Zuko!" Iroh calls from the other side of the prince's room.
"I'm busy," the prince responds and Iroh can hear the prince's companion grunting.
"Your father needs to see you," Iroh says, impatient with his nephews ignorance.
Immediately the fire prince groans but pulls himself away from his mistress, he dresses and then joins his uncle out in the hall.
Iroh takes Zuko out into the gardens.
"I thought you said father needed to see me," Zuko says, clearly annoyed.
"I intercepted this from your wife," Iroh says, pulling a letter from his sleeve and handing it to Zuko.
"The fool," Zuko curses as he reads the letter.
"If your father had gotten this, who knows what would've happened," Iroh says, watching his nephew closely, "do not forget why she is here and why she cannot leave."
Zuko sets the letter aflame, burning it to ash.
"Well what am I meant to do?" Zuko scoffs.
"Befriend her, be kind to her," Iroh says, "she is your wife and you blatantly love another in front of her eyes. Zuko, you will need her and her family on your side if you hope to take the crown."
Zuko looks around hesitantly, shocked by his uncles bold words.
"Remember Ba Sing Se," Iroh says and Zuko's face falls.
The once proud city of Ba Sing Se stood untouched by the Fire Nation, but then a drill breeched the walls and princess Azula charged through with an army, an army which slaughtered thousands and crumbled through the outer ring. At the time, Zuko and Iroh had been refugees, hiding within a tea shop in the capital. When they heard that the city was under siege they made a choice. A choice which they had hoped would spare the residents or Ba Sing Se. As the drill and it's army inched slowly towards the second ring, Zuko took the earth king as his prisoner and surrendered the city in attempts to put an end to the fighting before more were slaughtered. However, them capturing the earth king only led to their pardoning, Ozai still allowed Ba Sing Se to be ransacked and burnt to the ground.
It was at that time that Zuko fully realised how purely evil his father is. As he watched the earth king be burnt alive he made a silent promise to do everything in his power to make sure that no other city endured such horror as what befell Ba Sing Se.
A day of black son, that is when Zuko intends to strike, that day is approaching fast and if he hopes to succeed he will need his wife's army at his back to support his claim to the throne.
"Zuko, you are becoming entranced by your fathers words," Iroh says candidly, "if you let this water tribe princess out of your grasp, her entire nation will be wiped out just like the earth kingdom."
"But her father supports mine," Zuko says with a tight scowl drawn on his face, "they support the fire nation's supreme rule and plan to help bring their sister tribe to heel."
"That is because they do not know that there is another option yet," Iroh retaliates, "persuade the girl to your side, make her love you and you will have the largest military in the world on your side."
The northern and southern tribe combined is much greater than the Fire Nation. 
With the north being so far from the fire nation, Fire Lord Ozai knows that he cannot reach the north under the comets power, so he must tame the north before they have a chance to over throw the Fire nation.
Zuko sighs and knows that his uncle is right, he then hangs his head and then begrudgingly goes to the water tribe girls room, where she has been locked inside of for three days now.
Zuko feels guilt and shame hanging on his chest, he hasn't come to collect the princess since their falling out and she has been all alone in her room, her only company would've been the servants that brought her food and drink.
However Zuko is shocked when he hears laughter coming from the other side of the door.
The door is unlocked and when he enters his face falls when he sees a fire nation soldier sitting with his wife, having tea as if there were best friends.
"Oh, Zuko," Katara says, smiling when she sees the fire prince enter, "hello."
The fire nation soldier stands and bows low.
"What is he doing in here?" Zuko asks, his face pulled hard into a scowl.
"He's having tea with me," Katara says with an innocent smile, "he has been very kind to keep me company."
The soldier still remains in a low bow.
"Leave us," Zuko says rather sharply.
The soldier flees quickly, not saying a word.
Katara crosses her right leg over her left and then bats her pretty eyelashes innocently.
"So what are you doing here?" Katara asks, her lips slightly puckered.
Zuko takes a breath, he lets his uncles words resonate within him as he breathes out whatever anger he may feel. But the thing is, Zuko is not angry, instead he feels a stabbing anguish in his chest, is he jealous?
"I wanted to know if you would have lunch with me," Zuko says, his wife is shocked by his words, "I wanted to apologise for my words," he continues, "and for my disrespect of your honour."
Zuko bows and Katara'a look of shock turns to confusion.
"Lunch would be nice," Katara says, standing as she stretches her arms over her head.
The midriff she wears pulls up and Zuko has to look away before his heart explodes at the slight peak of his wife's breasts.
Katara and Zuko lunch in the gardens by the pond, he makes an effort to talk to the water tribe princess, he listens to her when she talks and finds himself losing track of time in her presence.
Although he knows he shouldn't, he finds himself comparing Katara and Mai. Katara is light and bubbly, she is kind and smiles often when she's around him. Katara is gentle, she doesn't belittle him when he makes mistakes; when Zuko trips up on his words she just smiles and continues on whereas Mai would've ridiculed and mocked him.
When Zuko makes a suggestion as to what they should do next, Katara nods along and is happy to compromise or try something new. With Mai, Zuko hardly ever gets to do what he wants, she's controlling and at times cruel.
By the end of the day, there is a lightness within his chest and a permanent smile on his face that he doesn't have to fake.
"Will you come in for tea?" Katara asks after Zuko walks her back to her room.
Zuko hums in the back of his throat and looks out the nearby window, he knows that there is someone waiting for him in his bedroom, he knows that he should return to her least he rest her wrath. But he finds himself trapped in the princess's eyes, unable to tear himself away. Her eyes are cerulean blue and remind Zuko of the pond he used to sit by with his mother, her eyes plead with him to say, and how can Zuko say no to such beautiful eyes?
Zuko steps into the princess's room and sits with her for an evening tea.
"I should go," he finally says, clearing his throat after finishing his first cup of tea.
Katara blushes and she sucks in a deep breath as of to instil some courage in herself.
"...or you could stay," she says.
Zuko stops cold in his tracks, he turns to face Katara and she is staring at him with those wild entrancing eyes.
"What?" Zuko gulps.
Katara stands, she sensually crosses over to him and places her delicate hand on his chest, right over his racing heart.
"Stay," she says, looking up to him, her lips puckered and her chest so close to his, "spend the night with me."
Zuko swallows the lump in his throat and tries to regain his composure.
"I... why?" Zuko asks, confused by his wife's seduction.
"Is it so wrong of me to lust after my husband?" Katara asks, her voice low and sultry.
"Lust?" Zuko echos his mind barely functioning.
"I... I'm married to you," Katara says, "and I at least want to know what it feels like... I'm afraid."
"Afraid?" Zuko says, unable to stop himself from caressing her soft cheek with the back of his hand.
"I'm afraid I'll be unloved for my entire life," she murmurs her eyes glossing with soft tears.
"There is no place for love in war," Zuko says, finally able to form a coherent sentence.
Katara hums in thought, then she mimics Zuko by brushing a small strand of hair off his forehead and then letting her hand caress the sensitive scar tissue that covers almost the entirety of the left side of his face; the side that Mai refuses to even acknowledge.
Katara's touch sends a shiver down the fire prince's spine and he takes a step forward.
Zuko walks Katara backwards until her back is against the wall and his hands are placed on either side of her shoulders.
Katara let's go of a shaky breath but keeps her eyes on Zuko.
'Kiss me,' she seems to say without even opening her mouth.
Zuko has a moment of hesitation and his wife can see the thought pass in his eyes.
"Do you love her truly?" Katara asks, her voice soft as her hand remains on Zuko's scar.
As soon as she asks, Zuko knows the answer. After all, if he truly loved Mai, how could he be having such lustful thoughts for the water tribe girl? If he loved Mai, his heart wouldn't be racing and his lips wouldn't me aching.
Zuko doesn't answer his wife, instead he leans in close.
Katara goes up on her tip toes as her lips brush with Zuko's.
"Kiss me," she breathes, trying to ignore how her heart races like a cheetah-stallion.
There is no more hesitation, Zuko cups Katara's face and kisses her and it's like the entire world melts away.