Chapter Text
There wasn’t a lot Katara remembered from before the Fire Nation became the Fire Empire. She remembered Sokka, her father, and her mother used to share a tent. She remembered Gran Gran teaching her how to mend for the first time, even though her mom had thought she was too young to work a needle. Katara even remembered dinners with the rest of the tribe, everyone working together and sharing what they all had. But Katara also remembered the raids. The raids that slowly took women of age away. The raids that killed men and hurt those that fought back. The raids that took her mother away from her. Then her father. Until the raiders decided it wasn’t enough and took what children were left to prize to wealthy military leaders for their services, and slaughtered everyone else. Even her Gran Gran. Until all Katara had left was Sokka, until he was taken from her too. Then Katara had no one but her masters.
“I’m still not sure how long Uncle will be staying in the palace. He said a month or two in his letter, but he never seems to sit still for long.”
The Fire Prince and his slave- concubine Katara… you have standing now -knelt in the dining room of his private quarters, eating a meal prepared for them by the prince’s actual slaves. Both dressed casually, at Prince Zuko’s seemed preference, Katara noticed. She in a simple red wrap with loose-ended sleeves, the prince in what Katara deemed his bending apparel.
“And you don’t think you can convince him to stay in some sort of advising role?” Katara asked as she ate the meal before her, nibbling on the rice in her bowl, and drinking the water before it. “Or maybe it’ll take a woman’s touch to realize he is wanted in the palace?”
“Believe me, Uncle’s never had any issues finding a woman’s touch,” Prince Zuko responded dryly. Katara choked on her water at the Prince’s words. Zuko smirked at Katara as she coughed, getting her heart rate back to normal and air back in her lungs.
“I’m not sure if that was something I needed... or wanted… to know about General Iroh, Your Majesty.” Katara joked once she was able to breathe again.
“Believe me, thirteen-year-old Zuko didn’t want to know about it either. At least you never had to see it.”
“There can’t be that much harm to seeing your Uncle flirt,” the prince looked away from Katara and blushed. Sudden realization hit the girl as the prince abashedly blushed in front of her. “You didn’t…”
“It’s not as if I wanted to!” Prince Zuko exclaimed defensively. “All I wanted was to show Uncle the bending move I had mastered. I never thought he would be-“
“I can’t believe you walked in on the Dragon of the West having sex,” Katara interrupted with mirth, laughing at the man in front of her’s story.
“It was midday on a ship, and I was thirteen!” The prince’s face was flushed as he took a sip from his water. Katara couldn’t stop that little part of her wanting to know just how fast his pulse was beating as he embarrassed himself. You were born with this power, Katara. It is your right as a water bender, the one voice she wished she’d never hear again whispered. Katara shook off what was going on inside of her at the prince’s next words. “You’re telling me you’ve never done anything like that?”
“Any embarrassing thirteen-year-old story? Or walking in on someone having sex?” She tried to specify after a pause. Katara drank her water, waiting, trying to figure out just how she wanted to answer. The prince’s eyes gleamed at her words, taking his sweet time to answer her as he ate, only to smirk at his girl.
“Both.”
“Please no…” she accidentally said out loud, she squealed, and covered her mouth with her hands. The prince laughed, openly laughing I can’t believe it , at her slip in decorum. He’s not angry I said no to him?
“You don’t have a choice, my Sapphire. Spill it.” Oh. Right.
“...Which one do you want first, my prince?” Katara asked. The prince sat there, seemingly thinking.
“You tell me, Katara.” His smile was less sharp, but that gleam in his eye was still there. That’s revenge… isn’t it? Well fine, she thought, you want my stories you’ll get my stories.
“When I was probably eight or nine… I walked in on my master’s wife with someone who was definitely not her husband… and very definitely a visiting general’s wife.” Katara nibbled at her food as the prince’s eyes widened at her words.
“Who was it?” He asked, mouth open as he dropped his chopsticks back into his bowl.
“I wish I could tell you,” Katara said teasingly courteous. “I was only allowed to call her mistress, so now I don’t remember her name, and I never learned the other woman’s. I was never caught though. I snuck out quietly and then ran to go ask Sokka what I saw. He was so mad that he didn’t see it, he didn’t speak to me for a week.” Katara giggled at the memory of her older brother pouting at her.
“Sokka?” The Prince looked at Katara strangely, in a way she didn’t quite understand. Fuck.
“Oh, forgive me my prince, that was my brother’s name.” Katara couldn’t pinpoint the shift in the prince, but at her words he almost seemed… relieved?
“You’ve never mentioned him before.”
“No, I don’t…” she said. Katara went to reach for her cup, then noticed her hand trembling with the motion. She hid her hands in the sleeves of her dress. “He um, he died. A couple of years ago. Before I ever came to the islands. It’s… it’s part of why I came, actually. I thought the distance would make it easier.”
Katara couldn’t look the prince in the eye, too focused on staying calm and not losing control in front of the fire bender.
“It doesn’t though, does it?” Prince Zuko asked. Katara shook her head, still not looking at him. “I lost my mother a couple of years ago. And my father and sister... I thought the distance would help, but the memories, they don’t leave.” Katara looked up at his words, taken aback. Does he think it’s even close to being the same? His family is the reason mine was slaughtered. Katara halted her own inner monologue. But… he’s trying. He’s trying to connect with me, to make me feel better.
“I still owe you an embarrassing story, don’t I, my prince?” Katara smiled. He smiled back at her, putting his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his hands.
“If it cant beat your lesbian affair I don’t think I want it.” Katara positioned herself to be mirroring Zuko.
“Thirteen-year-old Katara?” She grinned. “Horrible. Awful. If you had known her, you never would have chosen me.”
“Was my Sapphire a diamond in the rough?” He grinned back, a fire in his eyes.
“I was self-righteous, my constant back talk couldn’t be beaten out of me, and I cried. Constantly.” She laughed.
“Really?” He questioned, seemingly amused. “Because that sounds just like thirteen-year old Zuko.”
“But you’ve had more time to distance yourself from that person than I have, your majesty.” Katara quipped. “I also doubt that thirteen-year-old Zuko tried and failed to handmake a hat for the boy he was obsessed with.”
“You… what?” Zuko unfolded himself, leaning back on his arms. He swept the hair that got in his face away and looked at her. Katara watched him do this, distracted from the story by the bare arms he showed in his casual outfit. “Katara!”
“Hm?” She looked up at his face, blushing as he looked at her knowingly.
“I’m guessing subtlety was never your strong suit?”
“No… definitely not.” She laughed as he flexed his arms for her.
“Tell me more about this boy you were obsessed with, then. How did he take your confession.”
“That wasn’t even my confession-“
“That wasn’t your-“
“No,” Katara interrupted, hiding her face in her hands. “I’ve never told anyone this please let me stop.”
“No you’re gonna keep talking.” The prince said, laughing.
“Please no-“
“Now, Katara.”
“Fine!” She exclaimed, sitting up. “He was older.
And a terrible person, cocky, but so charming I didn’t notice.”
“That sounds like your type, please continue.” He joked.
“No… you’re not… stop that,” Katara responded, flustered. “Anyway, I thought it was love at first sight. Everything he said made so much sense and he was so smooth. I thought it was love at first sight and he was incorrigible. And like you said… subtlety, not my greatest gift.” Now how do I adjust this next part for him… “ It had been two weeks. He was my first kiss and I thought he was really good at it and that we were going to get married, because what else do you think about your first kiss.”
“Naturally.” The Prince responded.
“So I thought that in honor of our love and his bravery I’d make him a gift.”
“You made him a hat.”
“The ugliest fucking hat I have ever seen in my entire life,” Katara realized her words and stopped. She looked at the Prince, his eyebrow raised.
“What exactly made it the ugliest fucking hat you’ve ever seen?” He responded. Katara calmed a little at his acceptance of her language, before she continued.
“I made it with these orange and brown leaves and twigs that I had found. Added an orange flower to it because I thought it matched. And then it ended up being too big for his head.”
“And that was it?”
“Besides the fact that he pat my head and I never saw him again after that day.” That’s close enough… “Yes. That’s it.” The prince laughed wholeheartedly at her.
“Yes I know it’s very funny, please keep laughing.” Katara said sarcastically.
“You… never saw… him again…” Zuko got out as he continued to laugh. “But you were in love!”
“Yes we were madly in love at first sight and I made him a hat to represent that love.”
“And he rejected your love hat?”
“Well he took it with him so I don’t know what he did with it.”
“Obviously he’s still in love with you,” the prince quipped.
“Yes that has to be it.” How do I get out of this now? I shouldn’t have told him…
“Katara you practically proposed to him. I don’t know how I feel being with a woman who’s already married.”
“Probably about the same as the lesbians felt?” Katara suggested. Zuko stared at her, dumbfounded for a second, before he started laughing even harder than before. Katara watched as he fell back onto the floor they had been kneeling on, chuckling.
The two were interrupted by a knock on the door. They both looked at each other. Together they both straightened up, getting into their protocol claimed positions. Katara looked at the prince’s change in personality. His suddenly stiff demeanor that radiated authority. You just did the same thing too. A couple of actors the both of you. Katara nodded to him and he looked towards the door.
“Enter.” He ordered. The door was opened and an attendant walked in.
“Your Esteemed Majesty,” the man said with a deep bow. “General Iroh, the great Dragon of the West, prince of the Fire Nation, will be docking shortly. If Your Imperial Highness so chooses now would be the time to begin preparations to travel to the docks.”
“Have my palanquin prepared, enough men to carry three.” Prince Zuko ordered, standing up. “Have something brought to my quarters for my Sapphire to wear to meet the general.”
“Of course Your Esteemed Majesty. Shall I have servants brought in to assist in dressing?”
“No.” Katara, who had been watching the prince’s face since he stood up, noticed the slight smirk he sent her way. What is he thinking? “That won’t be necessary Li. You are dismissed.”
The advisor left, leaving Katara alone with the prince once more. In the silence of the attendant leaving Zuko held his hand out to her. Katara took it, gracefully unfolding her legs and standing as she was trained to do, before the prince pulled her against him.
“I don’t know if I’m nervous or excited for you and Uncle to meet. Maybe both.” Prince Zuko cradled her to him, holding her head into his chest as they stood there. “You’re both… I just… I know you would get along.”
“I’m very nervous to meet him.” Katara said to the prince honestly.
“You shouldn’t be. He’ll love you. How could he not.” Katara looked up at the prince realizing his words. His cheeks flushed as he avoided her gaze.
The two were interrupted by the announcement of the servant with Katara’s wardrobe. After she had her clothes and the servant left, the girl placed them on the prince’s bed.
“What do you think, ‘Your Esteemed Majesty’,” Katara tried to joke, “would your uncle approve?”
“I think he might,” he replied, looking at Katara as she stood before him.