Author's Note: Unfortunately Katara and Zuko won't meet in this chapter like I had originally planned. This chapter is a bit of a filler chapter but it does serve the purpose of showing Zuko's side of the preperations and his feelings towards the whole marriage.

Chapter 3: Zuko's Thoughts

Zuko was in his room, thinking. He had finally resigned himself to the fact that he was getting married. Now he was trying to conquer that he was getting a wife. Who ever this girl was, he was going to be stuck with her for as long as they both lived. Zuko groaned audibly as he rolled over in his bed. From his position Zuko stared at a wall in deep concentration.

What did she look like, was she extremely pretty or ugly? Was she taller than him or extremely shorter? Smart enough to make him feel stupid or dumb enough to drown in the rain?

Zuko shook his head; he was getting too negative. He rolled over onto his back and began staring at the ceiling. His thoughts drifted to the girls he already knew for some examples of what the Water Tribe princess might be like. There weren't a lot to go by, pretty much just Azula, her friends, and his mother. Zuko frowned as he thought over each of them.

Azula's friends were nice girls he guessed but he had never cared much for them. Ty Lee was just too cheerful and energetic for his tastes. He couldn't see himself married to someone who preferred to cartwheel around instead of walk. As for Mei, she was okay, but she had the habit of complaining far too much.

Zuko got out of bed and walked into his bathroom. He was about to open the curtains of the window when a rather disturbing thought froze him in place. 'What if she's like Azula?'

Conniving, lying, vicious, and greedy. If his soon to be wife was anything like that Zuko just knew the marriage would end in death; his or hers he didn't know. Zuko yanked opened the curtain and began getting ready to take a shower. He decided that he'd accept his wife as long as she wasn't like Azula. Finally able to accept that he would soon have a wife, Zuko stepped into the shower.

It was while Zuko was putting on the final piece of his armor, that a knock was heard at his door. Zuko walked over and opened it to reveal a small servant boy of about ten years of age.

"What is it?" Zuko asked his voice steely in the manner that the royal family often used with the servants.

"Um… Prince Zuko the Fire Lord wants you for a fitting," the poor servant boy mumbled out.

"Tell him I'm on my way." Zuko scoffed closing the door as the boy hurried to inform the Fire Lord.

Zuko waited until the servant was gone before setting off in the direction of the room he knew that bothersome seamstress was in. He absoultly hated being fitted. It was the most boring task he had ever been made to endure and on top of that his father often sat in on these sessions.

Dealing with Fire Lord Ozai was stressful enough, especially if he considered you his failure of a son, but being in his presence highly upset the seamstress. She became so nervous her hands shook and she would end up stabbing Zuko repeatedly with the needles. Zuko let out a deep sigh as he arrived at the room. He steeled himself for the ordeal that lay ahead and entered.

Two hours later found Zuko standing as still as his anger would permit. Zuko bit back an oath as the seamstress accidentally stuck him with a pin for the umpteenth time. If his father had not been in the room supervising things Zuko would have already slapped the woman's hands away from him and burned the clothes to tatters.

Zuko had been standing there staring at the door as the seamstress did her work. His father sat in a comfortable chair behind him making comments here and there on the progress of the outfit. The garments were to be for the welcoming ceremonies that were to take place in a few days; at these ceremonies Zuko would meet his fiancée for the first time.

Zuko growled inaudibly as the seamstress poked him again after being startled by a comment from Ozai. Zuko had to restrain himself from glowering at the trembling woman just in case his father happened to see. When he managed to regain his composure the door to the room swung open.

"Oh Zuzu, you look fabulous!" Azula gushed in an all too warm and caring tone as she entered the room. It was an obvious act for their father; why she even bothered playing sweet Zuko didn't really know; after all to their father she could do no wrong.

Zuko, making sure his father couldn't see him, repaid her false compliment with an icy glare. Azula, immune to her brother's glare, just brushed it off and turned to address the Fire Lord.

"Father you are needed down stairs. There are a number of items that need your attention."

"Thank you for informing me Azula. Zuko after this is finished you can have the rest of the day to yourself." Ozai said as he got up to leave.

"Thank you Father" Zuko said giving his father as much of a bow as he could without disturbing the seamstress' work. Once the Fire Lord was far down the hall all of Azula's charms were cast aside. She started circling her brother like a bird of prey ready to strike.

"You know what Zuzu, such fine clothes are wasted upon you." Azula stopped in front of Zuko and fingered the fabric. "I pity your fiancée as if being from a country like the Water Tribes wasn't bad enough she has to marry you. If I were her I'd jump off the ship on the way here and drown myself."

"Why don't you do me a favor and pretend you're her." Zuko managed through clenched teeth. The seamstress, noting Zuko's clenched fists and fearing the siblings would start fighting fire with fire literally, decided to intervene.

"Prince Zuko I'm done with you for the day. Princess Azula would you please follow me into the next room?" The seamstress stated picking up her threads and needles. Both turned their attention towards her.

"Why in the world should I follow you?" Azula asked contempt dripping from every word.

"You're to serve as Maid of Honor during the ceremonies. The Fire Lord informed me just this morning." The seamstress stated surprised that Azula didn't seem aware of the arrangement.

"Why am I just now finding out about this?" Azula said in a whisper closing in on the seamstress.

"Well a page was sent to inform you. I have no idea why you didn't get the message." The seamstress was now trembling slightly. Azula turned and left the room with mutterings of doing painful things to the person responsible for her not knowing. If there was one thing that Azula did not like it was being out of the loop especially when the information concerned her.

The seamstress breathed a sigh of relief and stopped trembling. She had feared that Azula would direct her anger at her. "Prince Zuko when you're done undressing please place the clothes on the table over there." Gathering up her last package the seamstress left the room.

Zuko quickly got out of the ceremonial garb and back into his more comfortable armor. Checking the halls for anyone he didn't want to run into Zuko made his way to the garden. Ever since his run in with Azula and Admiral Zhao the day he found out about the engagement Zuko had made it his mission to avoid them as much as possible.

Zuko let the tranquility of the garden courtyard wash over him. No one else came to the small enclosure. Ever since his mother had died and Azula and himself had grown up the garden just wasn't a place anyone had time for. In times like these though when Zuko needed to clear his head and be alone it was the next best place to his bedroom.

Zuko walked down the path and towards a small pond in the back of the garden. It was by this pond that he and his mother had spent their last time together there.

Zuko sat on a bench near the small duck-turtle pond. It calmed him to be here where he had his fondest memories of her. Zuko closed his eyes and began doing some breathing exercises that had become second nature in the past few years.

Zuko was beginning to calm when he sensed his uncle approaching. The retired General sat down next to his nephew carrying a tray with a tea pot and two cups. Without saying a word Iroh poured them both a cup and began sipping his quietly. Zuko didn't say anything as he waited for his uncle to speak, when Iroh didn't Zuko tentatively picked up his cup and drank.

For a while they just sat there staring into the pond until Zuko eventually turned to face his uncle. He was still slightly irritated from his encounter with Azula and he was feeling like a pincushion after his treatment by the seamstress. Zuko really didn't feel like confronting Iroh at the moment but the silence was slightly unnerving given his uncle's usually talkative nature.

"What do you want Uncle?" Zuko inqueoried more exasperated than irritated.

"Just to find out how my favorite nephew is doing; after all you are going to be married soon." Iroh commented while pouring each of them a cup of tea. He had wanted to talk to Zuko for quite some time and had finally cornered him.

"Uncle, not now I've had enough of all this marriage talk." Zuko said even more irritated then before.

"Already?" Iroh said chuckling, "I remember when I married your aunt. Trust me it hasn't even begun yet."

"What do you mean by that?" Zuko was a little unsettled by this.

"Well a marriage is a union between two people. Marriage is one of the world's most sacred institutes. One must not take it lightly. Why I remember when …"

"Uncle. . ." Zuko interrupted in a warning tone; he could sense Iroh getting off topic. Iroh cleared his throat and poured another cup of tea before getting back on track.

"Well Zuko, a marriage is about the balance between two individuals and it isn't about how one person treats the other or one person being dominant over another. A successful marriage, where both individuals involved are happy, is about compromise."

Iroh paused and finished his cup of tea before continuing.

"Compromise as in what your wife can do for you as your life partner and more importantly what you can do for her as her life partner and husband. If a marriage is to succeed than both people involved must be willing to consider the needs and happiness of the other" Iroh paused to let the information sink in and to pour himself some more tea.

Iroh tilted the teapot to find that it was empty. "Excuse me Prince Zuko while I get more tea." Iroh eased himself up and grabbed the tray and walked off toward the kitchen. He couldn't possibly give a proper explanation without a warm cup of tea.

Zuko shook his head at Iroh. The retired General often left Zuko confounded. As Zuko watched a family of duck-turtles swim by he thought about his uncle's words. It had never really occurred to him that he had to tailor to his fiancée's needs. What could he possibly do for the Water Tribe princess? Zuko continued to stare at the pond as if he would find the answer within its depths. All Zuko could see was his frowning reflection in the clear water.

----------------------------------------------Author's Note--------------------------------------------

Hey, mina. Please, please, please forgive me. I'm so sorry for not updating and I would like to thank all those who have read, reviewed, and waited. Sorry Katara and Zuko haven't met yet but they will next chapter for sure. I'm kind of worried about Iroh. I can't help but feel like he's a bit out of character. So if you could review and tell me how I'm doing with him I would appreciate it. Ja Ne!