ZUKO'S POV:

We were running behind. The entire ship had repairs to make in the middle of the southern sea, it delayed us two days, and it pissed me off to no end. Uncle told me that things would be fine, there was no need to get upset, but that was two less days I had to practice my gift to Katara. I didn't have the right materials on board to practice, and while I knew that it wasn't going to be a huge deal, it had to be perfect for her.

I sat and thought about what would happen when I got back to the south pole, how things would turn around quickly. By the time we get there, there would only be 1 evening before the party. I worked my shoulders as we were coming into port, the sun had set a while ago and the stars were out and bright. As we docked I saw the sleds waiting for me with a big snowpuff that had to be Azula. I laughed as I tugged on my own parka and walked with my uncle down the dock. I saw Azula and went in for a hug and she held on very tight to me.

"What? Did you miss me?" I asked her and she nodded.

"I miss warm people. I miss the sun staying up all day." She whispered to me and I pulled back and let my uncle warm her up as we got into the sled. Katara and her family would be together for now, since it was so late I was sure that she would be having her last fitting, her last party checks, and maybe before bed I could seek her out.

Azula told me about how she was quiet the past couple days, she went out of the palace to do all her bending needs, something Katara said helped calm her down from being nervous. I was the first out when we stopped and I helped my uncle and then Azula hung on my arm as we entered. Sokka met us and we hugged briefly before he said they had held dinner off knowing we would be here after dark and that we were welcome to come and eat as we were.

Uncle didn't protest so I walked into the dinning hall with him and my sister and noticed Katara and her father talking right away. They didn't seem to notice us until Sokka said that someone could bring out the dinner. Katara looked around right away, her eyes meeting mine and she smiled before my uncle caught her attention with is apology about our delayed absence.

"I won't hear an apology. We understand it was no ones fault repairs take time. Thankfully you didn't miss the big party. But even if the ship was stuck still I am sure the Avatar would pause on his way down here and pick you up, or your father would have." Hakoda told us and I nodded knowing that while it would have delayed their time getting there to find us exactly, it was all a possibility.

"Are you cold?" I heard Sokka and I looked over to answer him but he was looking down at Azula who was shivering.

"I am. Freezing." She looked to Uncle and he gave her a lesson, one that she didn't ever get correct. A dragons Breath. I learned it a long time ago. it would keep my insides warm, my hands warm, everything on my face wouldn't go numb as long as I controlled my breathing as I slowly got cold. Azula on the other hand, she could never stop shivering to control her breathing.

"Here." Sokka went over to the candles and supplies, slipped one in an empty cup and let her light it before she was holding it like a warm cup of tea. "Soup and the duck should be out soon."

"Good. I can sit with my brother." They didn't make eye contact, her aloofness made me wonder if she had gotten into a squabble with Sokka, but seeing Katara look concerned made me wonder what was really going on. Was Azula making a mess of things here? Eventually we all took seats, and I was beside Katara, asking her how she had been, what her plans were for the night, and then she told me she had to sleep at a certain time because Azula was making her do a hair mask.

"Yes brother dear, we are doing a girl night so she can look her absolute best tomorrow as the crown princess of the water tribe." Azula told me and I looked to me right at her and she gave me a wide smile. "Give you plenty of time to practice what you couldn't on the ship." She told me a little more quietly and I nodded slowly.

I sat there through dinner, heard Hakoda get on Sokka for not having a wife yet, telling him he needed to settle down and claim his Northern title as well as take over the south for him. After Princess Yue had turned into the moon spirit her mother ended up dying of a broken heart, and the king, he took another wife.

He now had two sons, both so young, so while the king of the North was old and getting too senile for the crown, Sokka would take over until his sons were able. He would be in the north while Katara and I spent our first vacation together. Hakoda would handle the south for a couple more years but after Sokka handed the throne over to the rightful heirs he would come down to the south and take over.

"And you Zuko, are you prepared for the next couple weeks?" I hadn't realized that I had spaced off for an entire conversation.

"I am, deeply noted and you'll get our step by step deeds." I told her and he smiled and nodded. I respected the man, therefore, he and my father, and Azula will know where and when we go somewhere. Katara would be the only one in the dark, being surprised left and right. I just hope they would all be goo surprises.

The night went on well, no snark from Azula, no more shivering either. Once dinner was over Katara and I talked for maybe five minutes as most before my sister whisked her away. That was okay though, tomorrow we would have most of the day to talk and dance and she would probably love her gift. Sokka was the one that sort of gave me the idea about it in the frist place. Being a firebender gave me a slight advantage.

KATARAS POV:
I was a long night, Azula and I didn't talk much but she busied herself with ordering the servants around to do my hair, my masks, my everything. I would be wearing blue tomorrow, the lightest under the darkest. we got a good nights sleep, and I was served my regular morning breakfast in my room this time Azlua joined me and then she left to get ready and I had the maids helping me into my dress and getting my hair done took about an hour.

I had all the beads and peals in my hair so it looked like there were stars in the darkness, when the lights went out tonight they would look like they glowed and I would feel just a bit magical.

I got done with everything, my hair was done, my dress was pristine. I walked out of my room and saw my father there. He always walked me out, and while he thought Zuko would do it this time, I said that he had to do it until I was married. He held my arm proudly, and after a second he paused and he looked at me and gave me soft eyes. "What?"

"I think... for the time being, you need to wear nothing around your neck." He told me and my hands went right up to my mothers necklace. "You're not engaged, nor betrothed. You're a free woman, and even though you are courting, Zuko might want to place something around your neck one day, and your mothers necklace needs to be safe when he does." He told me and I took a deep breath and ran my fingers around back and unclipped it before looking it over for a moment before my dad took it and set it in his pocket and kept his hands over it.

"You really think Zuko will give me a betrothal necklace? Don't they do something different?" I asked and he seemed thoughtful for a moment.

"I guess, but if he really wants to win you over, he'll give you a new necklace. Besides, you can't keep hers on when you're married. Bad luck." He told me and I nodded, but almost right away my neck felt empty.

We walked on, him leading me down the stairs, and when we got into the room where the mid day feast would take place I saw everyone right away. The Avatar came over first, bowing, wishing me a very happy 19th birthday before Toph got her chance, she walked past them, accepted the wishes from the Earth King, the Beifongs, the most influential people. Then I finally got to Azula and Fire Lord Ozai. I was just about to hug them when Zuko crossed my eye line and he was wearing blue. I covered my laugh since he seemed uncomfortable, but he bowed to me, and I realized him and my brother were almost matching in clothes.

"Don't you look different." I told him and he bowed low and took my hand, kissing it and pulling me in closer.

"You wore red, and I am wearing blue. Sokka told me that he would handle it since I didn't know what to actually ask for." He told me and I smiled wide and looked him up and down. He didn't have the same markings to distinguish him as our royalty but he did have the marking to be important.

"You look nice." I told him and he smiled down at me as he stood up properly.

He walked me to the head of the table where we would sit, and he started telling me about his past meeting, about how he was nervous about getting here when the ship started to have problems. We talked until it was time to eat, and we talked around the food in our mouths, and then he excused himself to get the things ready for my present.

While I was gone I opened more presents, the Avatar graced me with a shall to always keep me warm, Toph gave me shoes. Sokka gave me a scroll with our mothers handwriting on it. Azula gave me a red robe that was silk and expensive.

When Zuko came back, there was drumming, and the lights were pushed down. He came out in the same blue suit he was wearing earlier and he did a sort of concentrated fire dance and when it was done, and the lights came on, he lifted something that wasn't bigger than a coin and when me father started to clap I was still confused. What did he do?

He came closer and I saw Sokka hand him a ribbon. I watched him for a second and then when he got across from me on the other side of the table. He knelt down and held out the coin sized necklace now and I saw what he did.

I almost cried. It had the waves, a moon, and the northern star. I looked back at him and saw he looked nervous. "Will you promise yourself to me as long as you want me?" He asked me softly, not everyone in the room heard him, which was good, but I took his hand with the necklace in it and nodded. He walked around the table, slipping my hair over my neck. He was careful of the beads and pearls, and once it was tied into place he kissed my cheek and the room erupted into applause.

He slipped into the seat next to me and took ahold of my hand and that's when I remembered something.

"You knew." I accused my dad and turned to him and he just laughed and took a sip of his wine. "Did everyone know?" I asked and looked to Zuko who just shrugged at me and went for his own glass.