AUTHOR'S NOTE: I own nothing in the ATLA universe! Long time reader first time submitting my own writing so super nervous! Enjoy!

Long ago the four nations lived as one. Balanced, happy, and worked together to help the fellow man regardless of his birth. That all changed when the Earth kingdom elected a new leader who decided that unless you were a bender, specifically an earth bender, you were beneath everyone else. A civil war began in the nation, elitist benders versus everyone else. Sadly the wrong side won and to show off the victory they decided to show other benders of their excellence. The world has been at war for 45 years.

Having grown up in fear the three remaining nations came together in an alliance. New Leaders were appointed and met to try and figure out a way to bring the world back to peace as the Avatar had been killed 8 months prior and the new avatar was just a crying infant somewhere in the air temples.

Ozai and Iroh attended for the Fire Nation, Gyatso and Pasang for the Air Temples, and Hakoda and Noa for the Water tribes. The men met for nearly 4 days before coming up with some plans to put into action. Each nation would provide a few of their benders to another nation for protection. Noa would send a master waterbender to train in the southern tribe. The final solution was to reinstate the value of unity amongst the nations and to do so the six men decided on two arranged marriages. Two of Ozai children, Hakoda's daughter, and Gyatso's pick of a new air nomad monk. The children would spend their summers together to create a unity amongst them all and to help a bond build between the four betrothed.

Ozai and Iroh offered the family beach home on Ember Island, it was both large enough to home everyone and also the furthest point from the earth kingdom. The leaders all left for their home on the fifth day so they could begin the plans. A month later Ozai, his wife, and their 3 children, Hakoda, wife and their 2 children, and Gyatso and his young monk all arrived to Ember Island.

Ozai's three children, Zuko, Azula, and Sozi were sitting in the courtyard with their mother, Ursa, and Hakoda's wife Kya and their two children Sokka and Katara. Kya was holding the little Nomad Aang. The three men stood together looking out to the women and the children.

"They are just children, I don't think we should tell them this young." Hakoda said looking to his three year old daughter Katara. He didn't want this life for her but he knew it was the only way to make sure she didn't grow up in a war the way he had from before he was born.

"I agree, Sozi is only 4 months old and won't understand for years, and Zuko is 5 and just a boy. Aang is merely and infant as well." Ozai said. He knew his wife was upset with the arrangement and that two of their children were apart of it.

"What if you waited until they were old enough to understand and then tell them before Zuko's 18th birthday?" Gyatso suggested

Before the men were able to respond one of Ozai servants was running up to them with something in her arms.

"Fire Lord, look what we found in the woods!" she moved the cloth she has been holding and revealed a little baby girl sound asleep. She couldn't have been much older than his daughter Sozi. Ursa had heard the servant and came running over to the girl.

"She was just in the woods? All alone? Who would do such a thing?" Ursa said taking the child into her arms.

"She has nothing with her, no note, no one around for miles." The servant told Ursa with a sad look on her face.

" Then we will keep her." Ursa said. Ozai looked at his wife like she was crazy.

" Darling, we can't just take in a stray child we know nothing about." The girl began to stir in Ursa's arms. Upon opening her eyes the adults gasped.

"She's blind! Ozai we can't not help her! She has jet black hair like our children, she will fit right in. I'm not letting you tell me otherwise." Ursa began to walk back over to the other children before her husband could respond.

The families continued this tradition of meeting at Ember Island so the children could play together and grow up as friends to insure the future of the nations would be peaceful. All three of Ozai's children discovered to be firebenders, his adopted child Toph, was an earthbender, adding a difficulty of her being blind Ozai sought out his rebel friend in the earth kingdom to help her learn basics. As she learned though she became so much more. She learned how to use her bending to help her see using the earth's vibrations. Hakoda's daughter was a waterbender and the little monk Aang was an airbender.

Growing up the children got along especially the boys as they were outnumbered. Sokka would feel left out in the afternoons when the rest of the children would meet with their bending masters, so he would watch his father with his swords and hand combat. As teens they began to bring friends. Zuko brought his friend Jet, a non-bender, son to one of the teachers at the local Academy. Azula brought her friend Ty-lee a nobleman's daughter with a knack for acrobatics. Aang's friend Teo and his older brother Haru came and Haru acted as Toph's instructor. Finally Katara's friend Suki would also come, as a Kyoshi warrior she would help Sokka with his hand to hand combat skills.

The three leaders were very pleased at the bonds the children were forming. Everything was going according to plan, well, minus Zuko and Katara. At the beginning the two always butt heads but as the got older it only got worse. It was as though they liked fighting with each other and annoying each other. When Katara was 5 and Zuko was 7, he put a fake dead fish in her bed, resulting in her putting sticky jam in his pants.

A year later when Katara developed her bending she water whipped Zuko making him fall into the courtyard water fountain, to retaliate, he set her doll on fire. As teens when Zuko was 15 and met a girl on the island and tried to flirt with her Katara froze his drink to his tongue. To pay her back Zuko set Katara's date to the Ember Island players pants on fire.

The summer had come for the leaders to tell the children of the arranged marriages. While they knew they were betrothed they did not know to whom they were promised. At dinner Ozai and Hakoda were nervous about telling the 17 and 15 year old the news. Sozi and Aang had developed small crushes on each other over the years so Ozai and Gyatso felt confident they would take the news well. Everyone was in the dining room ready to begin the meal. Ozai and Hakoda at each end with the boys on one side and the girls on the other.

As usual there was small conversation amongst the table. Katara was using her waterbending to move Zuko's tea away from his mouth leading Zuko to heat hers up until it boiled over.

" Everyone, I have an announcement" Ozai said clearing his throat to get the table of 18 to quiet down. " Today is the mark of Zuko's 17 1/2 birthday. Meaning in six months time he will be wed and begin his training to take my place as Fire Lord. As you all know, four of you were chosen to keep the peace of our nations in arranged marriages. Well today you will all meet your future spouses."

Katara looked to her father nervous, she never wanted to be married but she understood it was her duty to her people and the world to do so. Sozi, just 12 years old was incredibly nervous, she had been raised with all these people and was still so shy around them, she had no idea how she'd manage meeting someone new to marry one day. Zuko and Aang both had strong faces on trying to hide their nerves. While Aang was only 12 and wouldn't marry for another 6 years the idea still made his stomach jump.

" Sozi my little darling, your betrothed is of the Air Nation, you will stay in the palace at home until six months prior to his 18th birthday but will spend part of your time there to get accustomed to your future home and husband, Aang." Ozai smiled at his youngest child. Sozi and Aang looked to each other stunned at the news and both immediately turned red.

Katara smiled knowing they would both be okay as they had a very close bond and she knew they each secretly had a crush on the other. She took a deep breath and looked at her father waiting to hear of her news.

"Zuko, it is your duty to your people to show them unity and peace amongst not only themselves, but other nations, with that being said, you have been promised to a woman of the Water tribes."

Katara looked at her father wide eyed, putting the pieces together praying she was wrong.

Ozai took a deep breath. " Zuko you have been promised to Katara."

"WHAT" both teens yelled. " I can't marry her" "I can't marry him" Hakoda and Ozai each gave their children a look to sit down and be silent.

"Katara you will move into the Fire Nation Palace with Zuko in two days and begin planning your wedding and taking lessons to become the next Fire Lady, understood?" Hakoda said with a stern voice.

Katara crossed her arms, " Yes father" while she was incredibly angry about the situation she didn't dare upset her father. Hakoda gave his daughter a small smile knowing she was unhappy. Zuko looked to his mother who sat across from him. She was smiling at him with her typical warm hearted smile. She loved Katara so of course she wasn't going to take his side.

The dinner continued uneventful, Katara barely touched her food, to caught in her thoughts to focus on eating. As she looked around at everyones plates and noticed they were nearly done she stood and walked out of the room not able to stay and hide her feelings anymore. She began to run to the front door and down the steps to the beach. She needed to be in the water, she felt to hot and upset and needed the comfort of her element around her.

Back in the dining room everyone looked at the doorway Katara had walked out of.

"Father should I go after her?" Sokka asked looking to Hakoda.

"No son, let her go, she just got some rather large news and needs time." Hakoda responded sighing.

As dinner concluded, the girls all proceeded to the front door to find Katara knowing she was out in the ocean and the boys all went to the courtyard. Haru and Jet carried Teo down the few steps and they all walked over to the fountain and sat in their usual spots. It was silent for a moment as none of them knew how to respond to what had just happened. It was Sokka who broke the silence.

"Aang congrats on your engagement to Sozi, I bet you're relieved it's not some stranger with weird teeth, and you too Zuko, think about it, what if you were engaged to a girl with bad breath, or who had no personality."

" Yeah man, Katara is full of personality" Jet laughed elbowing his friend who smirked at him.

" Oh yes, so much personality that she hates me. Perfect."

" No no, Katara doesn't hate you. She hates hot food and birds. She only kinda dislikes you" Sokka said making himself laugh.

Zuko splashed Sokka in response, " So glad to know I rank above birds to my future wife." Wife. Katara. My Wife. " At least your future bride likes you Aang."

"Yeah.. I Guess so..." Aang's face went red but a smile was on his face. The talk of marriage left them as they began to chat about their activities tomorrow. Down at the beach the conversation was not as passive. Azula had lite the fire pit and the girls were all sitting around it. Ty-lee and Azula were talking amongst themselves while Toph and Sozi were building sand castles. Suki was sitting next to her friend waiting for her to say something.

"Katara you'll be okay, the Fire Nations not that bad, you'll have all of us, and Suki you can visit whenever you want. Don't just dwell on the negative it'll give your wrinkles" Azula said looking over to the distracted waterbender.

"You won't want wrinkles Katara!" Ty-lee said.

Katara gave her friends a defeated smile. She knew they were trying to help but she couldn't get her mind off the negatives. Suki grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"I promise to see you whenever I can. I'm sure you can visit the South whenever you need to. It will be better than you think Katara." Suki tried to reassure her. Katara let out a frustrated sigh.

" You guys I get it, it won't be so bad but you're ignoring the fact that the 'negative' is the biggest part. I have to spend the rest of my life married to a man I will never love. A man who hates me, I will be forced to leave my home, my people, to live in a Nation with a pompous jerk whom i've hated since I was 5. Zuko and I will never be happy. I'll be required to be with him at every event, attend meetings by his side, and have his heirs. Raising children in a home of no love? What kind of mother does that?" By the end Katara had tears brimming at her eyes.

" I don't think you hate each other. I think you guys just like driving each other nuts because you know how to get reactions out of each other. You put all your energy in bugging each other. Just think what you could do together if you tried working as a team." Sozi said leaving her sand art to sit on a log by the fire.

"It could work out Katara. Mom and Dad had an arranged marriage and look at them. Dad would do anything to make our mother happy. It's super gross sometimes but they are happy even though they didn't find each other on their own they are soulmates." Toph said not looking at the group. "And like Azula said, you have all of us, so you won't have to spend every minute with Zuko. You can come see anyone of us to get a break. Ty-lee practically lives in the palace and Sozi won't be leaving for four more years so you can go talk to her about how excited she is to marry Aang." She ended with a smirk.

"I AM NOT" Sozi defended, making the other girls snicker.

"Oh come on Sozi, you've had a crush on Aang for years. We all know you were so excited when father said you'd be marrying him." Azula laughed.

"I don't have a crush on Aang. We are just friends. Of course i'm happy that i'm not marrying a stranger but I'm not excited it's Aang." Sozi was turning red each moment.

Before anyone could say anything else the boys were heard coming down the path.

" Ladies, anyone up for going into town?" Sokka asked walking immediately over to Suki.

"Sure, I could use a change of scenery." Toph joked still looking out toward the ocean aimlessly.

"Funny Toph, come on we are all going." Haru said walking over to his friend and student.

Everyone got up and started walking to the path that lead to the little town area on the island. Sokka and Suki lead the charge with Aang, Teo, Haru and Toph behind them. Jet was following close behind with Azula and Ty-lee at his sides. Sozi and Katara were toward the back with Zuko behind them. Katara could feel him looking at her making her incredibly nervous. Katara glanced behind her to sneak a peek at him. He was looking right at her with a look Katara couldn't figure out.

"I can catch up to the others if you wanted to talk to him." Sozi whispered to her.

"Nope I'm good. He's the last person I want to talk to tonight." Katara said facing forward following her friends. Once to into town the group split up into little groups. Katara went with Ty-lee and Azula to the shops. Ty-lee's love for shopping would be a nice distraction from her funk.

The girls went into a jewel shop. Anything shiny always caught Ty-lee's attention. Shiny and pink that is. Katara found some blue gems that reminded her of home. Ty-lee broke her thoughts.

"I wonder what the engagement necklace Zuko will make for you will look like?"

"Probably something incredibly thought out to the point it drives him mad because everything must be perfect, I'm sure once we get home mother and Uncle will have him speak with the royal designer to get it made at once." Azula said looking through some gold cuffs.

" I doubt it. He doesn't even like me. I'm sure it'll be something basic." Katara said in disbelief. She had wandered over to the necklaces. She caught her eye on one that had a silk red ribbon with a gold heart with metal swirling over a beautiful red ruby. Katara grabbed the necklace and held it up against her neck and looked in a mirror. The necklace was absolutely beautiful, the way it gleamed in the light made it look even more stunning.

"Katara that is gorgeous. You must get it!" Ty-lee yelled from the other side of the store.

"No it's okay. I don't have anything to go with it." Katara smiled softly and put the necklace back. She walked out the shop onto the street and walked over to the clothing shop across the street. If she was going to live in the Fire Nation she was going to need some clothes.

"Hey you didn't think you could come in here without us helping you did you?" Ty-lee called running out of the jewel shop over to the clothing store Azula close behind.

"Yeah, Katara who better to help you pick out some clothes then girls who actually live in the Fire Nation Capital. Of course once you move in the designer will custom make all your clothes but until he gets your measurements you'll need some clothes to hold you over. Ty-lee you go left I've got right meet back in twenty."

Both girls took off already grabbing clothes off of shelves and hangers. Katara laughed at her friend enthusiasm. She knew she wouldn't get a say in the items they had chosen especially since they thought she didn't dress feminine enough and also she really wasn't sure how much warmer it was in the capital. She decided to pick out a few of her own clothes however.

A little bit later Katara walked up to the merchant with a pair of workout pants, a cropped top that came above her belly button, a skirt, and a red bathing suit. She turned to see where her friends were and saw them coming each with a worker in tow arms beyond full of clothes.

"Oh my gosh, guys, how can we afford all this? And ship it all back? I can't possibly needs this much" Katara said in complete shock.

Azula walked up the merchant and set a card down on the counter. It had the family insignia on it letting the merchant she was a royal family member.

"Please load all this up and have it brought to our family home good sir." Azula said in a cocky voice then looked to Katara. " All set, let's go find the boys." And with that she left the store leaving Katara wide eyed. She would have to get used to the royal style of luxury the Fire Nation had versus the modest life of the water tribe.

A few hours later everyone was back on the beach. Tomorrow was their last full day on the island before they'd all have to return home to their normal lives. And where Katara would start her new life. They all sat in the sand looking up at the sky watching the fireworks. Katara sat on the edge of the water letting her feet get wet and trying to memorize this feeling of happiness with her friends.

Not long after she sat she noticed everyone was running around either in the water or dancing around the fire, all, expect Zuko who was walking toward her. He sat next to her looking up at the moon.

"Hi" Katara said softly.

Zuko looked to her finally after a moment.

"I hear my sister practically bought out a shop for you. Do you think it was wise to let her and Ty-lee loose in a clothing store?"

Katara smiled, " Do you really think I could've stopped them?"

Zuko smiled knowing it was a near impossible battle, " True, hopefully she was thinking about the person she was purchasing for and not just herself. You don't exactly fit her style."

Katara furrowed her brow, "What's that supposed to mean?"

" Please, look at my sister and look at you. She's all showy and likes getting attention." Zuko said confused at Katara's tone.

"So because i'm more conservative I don't like attention?" Katara said annoyed at him.

" Really? I try to say you don't dress the same as my sister and you want to start a fight? Yeah this will totally work." Zuko shook his head annoyed that they couldn't even have a peaceful conversation.

"I can be sexy too you know." Katara yelled at him. She stood up and began to walk away but not before moving a mini wave to soak Zuko, who let out an annoyed yell.

"You are an insufferable brat!" Zuko yelled to her as she walked away up the steps to the Fire Lord's Island home. She slammed the door and went upstairs to her room. Once in her room she walked to her side of the room she shared with Suki and noticed there was a box with a note on it. She walked over and opened the note.

Let's start new.

Confused Katara opened the box and gasped upon seeing the necklace from the shop she was admiring. Katara instantly felt bad for her encounter with Zuko outside. She walked over to the mirror and put the necklace on. It was just as beautiful as she recalled from earlier. Katara walked over to Suki's side of the room and wrote a note quickly. She walked out of her room and ran down the hall quickly so she wouldn't get caught or change her mind. She opened the door to Zuko's room and placed the note on his bed and ran back out to her room for the night.

Twenty minutes later Zuko opened his door and grabbed the note opening to see its contents.

Thank you. I'm sorry. Let's try. Katara.

Zuko sighed hoping they really could try to get along, put the note in his notebook by his bed and laid down to sleep after his eventful day.