It was in the middle of the night that the treacherous Prince Zuko – shame of the Fire Nation – was roused urgently by loyal agents of the Fire Lord, invited suddenly from his imprisonment to attend a secret audience in the throne room. They informed him that there was no time to change into more appropriate attire, and that he needed to join them at once.

On occasion he was paraded around the palace under guard as a show to the nobles that they need not fear treason from within the royal family, but this occasion was an exception.

The halls were silent as he marched on with a heavy lounge robe tied tight around his bare waist, pale bare feet slapping upon the polished marble as he was escorted clandestinely to the Fire Lord himself.

The walk, though long in distance, was short in execution, as he and the Fire Lord's guard traveled briskly toward the conclusion to this mystery.

Prince Zuko pushed his way through the enormous throne room doors with his escort not far behind, and for a moment he was struck by how small the great hall seems in comparison to his childhood memory of it. He was taken aback for a moment.

"Come, Prince Zuko – I am glad you could make it," a kindly voice rasped over the crackling pyres lining the Fire Lord's perch at the head of the hall.

Beyond the bright glow of flames, Zuko recognized the features of his cousin in the older man – the crinkles in the corners of his eyes and the patience within them. For a moment he wanted instantly to trust the king, a man who he thought fondly of, but whom he had to admit he did not know well, but restrained a small rising hope that he might be forgiven his past treasons, in favour of the possibility that things were, in fact, about to get worse.

It could go either way, in his predicament. He knew nobles didn't like him hanging around, a rebellious possible future usurper – apologist to the Avatar himself. He also knew that Ozai, despite his own personal dislike for Zuko, was far too arrogant to allow those he considered beneath him to influence the fate of his firstborn. In that way, his father's ego had protected his life.

Once Zuko got over his initial awe of the entire ambience, he came to realize he and the Fire Lord were not alone. At the edges of the great hall, there were dozens of Fire Sages, holding small incense baskets, swinging resolutely and silently before them. At the foot of Fire Lord Iroh's pulpit, Prince Ozai and Crown Prince Lu Ten stood some distance apart, at attention to the king, but also unadorned and dressed only in their lavish night robes, befitting high royalty – and between them stood a man some decades older than even Fire Lord Iroh, a grand Fire Sage, who stepped back and disappeared behind the pillars as he neared.

Prince Zuko found himself padding cautiously toward the royal party before him, hearing faintly as his attendants shut the throne room doors behind them. He set his eyes on his cousin, looking for some kind of explanation for all this. It had been suspicious enough when Lu Ten had run out earlier, but this summons in the dark of night was unsettling.

"I regret that I am incredibly surprised by how much you have grown, Zuko – but I'm sure you will understand that the Fire Lord can not be seen to fraternize with his enemies," the Fire Lord mused aloud, some mirth in his voice.

Zuko came near enough to speak, and blurted, "I am not your enemy, your Majesty."

Iroh smiled, but the shadows cast by the fire framed him in an intimidating light. "Of course. Here in my throne room this night, I am surrounded only by family. But to those who would undermine the throne, family cannot escape suspicion. You were tried once for your crimes, and sentenced to your punishment – a sentence which has served to show your atonement and distance your … particular political views … from the reigning Fire Lord's own."

There was a beat of silence, where Zuko only frowned and took this in.

"You mean that after all that effort to save me from execution and step away from what I did, it would have been foolish of you to come visiting your traitorous nephew every once in a while," he finally translated, an unbidden bitterness settling on his tongue. "That it would have made you look bad."

Fire Lord Iroh looked genuinely pained, but replied steadily, "There were those who pushed for your end, Prince Zuko."

As if knowingly, Prince Ozai's eyes narrowed, as if a cold fury had shot through him for being reminded of his own momentary rashness all those years ago. Zuko wondered if his father might one day come to regret marring half of his firstborn's face, but doubted it in this moment. He wasn't completely sure he was not being belatedly sent to his death.

"Am I here for you to tell me that they have finally pushed hard enough?" Zuko asked earnestly, his good brow furrowing as he glanced down from the Fire Lord to his two princes.

"Of course not, Zuko," it was Lu Ten who responded, aghast at the accusation.

A moment later, Ozai added, "It would behove you to keep your bitterness at bay, my son. Imprisonment is hard on any man, but you forget that yours is well deserved for such a mistake."

"You forget I never admitted that it was a mistake," Zuko tested, the aforementioned bitterness thick in his voice.

Ozai bore his teeth briefly in threat, but halted when the Firelord spoke again.

"You are still serving your penance for that act, Prince Zuko; so I advise you do not further incriminate yourself," Firelord Iroh said, sounding ill at ease. "With that brought up, I would like to discuss how you may … expedite the conclusion of your sentence."

Zuko felt his face brighten in surprise. Then his eyes shifted to his father again, and he thought on what he had been offered the prior night, realising that this was Ozai's doing. Once he recognized this was something he had already accepted to, he felt a small amount of his anxiety ebb away. He knew he oughtn't have put too much faith in something offered by his cruel and unscrupulous father, but imprisonment is hard on any man. It had been hell on Zuko.

"I remain a loyal son of the Fire Nation, my Firelord," Prince Zuko found it in himself to bend at the waist and offer his respect. "If it pleases you, I will hold my tongue. I will kneel to the floor. I will join your military. Anything, your majesty," he vowed, with his head still lowered.

"It is good to see such cooperation in you, nephew. I can understand your desire to be free, but I must confess you may be trading one prison for another," the Firelord warned him kindly, "So you may withhold your acceptance until you fully understand was is expected of you."

This did not bode well, so he straightened with a perplexed look screwing up the unmarred side of his face. Before he could question anything, the throne room doors were thrown open with little ceremony, accompanied by hoarse shouts of protest in a young woman's voice. The doors clapped to the walls, kicked open by a flailing, unwilling prisoner suspended between two soldiers of the royal guard. It was Zuko's almost-cellmate, dragged here by guards in the silence of night, still in her bedraggled water tribe combat gear, a leather gloved hand clamped over her mouth to keep her from screaming.

Suddenly, the implications of 'anything, your majesty' seemed more daunting. The fire sages made a little more sense now, though. This had to do with their prophecy – he was sure of it. But why was he here? What did he have to do with the next Avatar's mother?

Fear was plastered on the girl's face – clearly Zuko's age or perhaps even some years younger. The strange and personal insinuations made by his father in the dark of the night came back with sickening connotations. She was dragged into the chamber, closer and closer to the staring prisoner prince. Finally, the chamber doors were shut and barred behind them and the water tribe girl's voice came tumbling out, enraged.

"Unhand me! Release me back to my people! I've done nothing!" the girl seemed to come to life when she recognized the highest power of the Fire Nation – the Firelord himself. Instead of with fear, she met the image with bargaining and rage, and the intent to bargain some more, but she was shoved to her knees with a grunt at Prince Zuko's feet, but she ignored him entirely and stared directly at Iroh, behind his wall of fire.

"We all know that's a lie," Prince Ozai chortled in response, his laughter an unnerving force to Zuko's already fraught senses. "You are a secret waterbender, are you not?"

Zuko stepped back and aside to gaze from the girl on her knees to his father, some twelve feet from the two of them, and to clear the distance so that she could look more clearly upon him.

The girl fell silent and motionless in the clutches of her guards, glaring at her accuser. "Bending isn't a crime," she said flatly, but she seemed to know it was little defence to her.

"Not officially," Ozai agreed, striding forward. Zuko unwittingly took another minute step backwards, not wanting to be remotely in his father's path to his captured prey. Ozai passed the fearful boy and came to stand over the water tribe girl dominantly. "But using your bending on the Firelord's soldiers, the men who protect your village, well … that's a very serious offence."

The girl's defiant expression went a little wan, and Zuko could see that his father clearly had something on the poor girl.

"Would you like me to share with his Majesty the foul acts you performed upon your journey here?" Ozai taunted, leaning down a little to seethe his threat.

A horrified expression flashed over the girl's momentarily resolute self righteousness, and she let her fear show brightly in her eyes. The Firelord frowned in concern, leaning forward slightly, ready to demand the information should his brother not offer it up willingly. As it turned out, Ozai could not bear to delay any longer in continuing his adventure into intimidation.

Prince Ozai straightened and turned toward the Firelord, his chest puffed and his distaste for the water tribe written clearly on his pale, regal features. "She bends water only frivolously, my lord. It is not her true talent, as my men quickly found upon transporting her aboard the imperial cruiser. This witch bent the blood in my guard's very body, Firelord!" he declared at a spit, fire burning on his tongue as he pointed menacingly at the prisoner.

Firelord Iroh's eyes widened for a beat, and he stared at his brother in disbelief. Crown Prince Lu Ten too, it seemed, was unaware of this – it could be an outright lie, and yet even if it was untrue, it did not go over well with his majesty.

"Prince Ozai," Iroh growled, distressed, "You brought your son as a solution to this problem, knowing his life may be endangered by what you suggest?"

Zuko's eyes shot open as much as they could and he jumped a little at the realization that his father could be telling the truth, not just outlandish stories fuelled by his hatred of the other nations. He settled his eyes on the water tribe girl again, but she was still staring only at his father, her expression defensive but not far from defeated.

"I have heard nothing from the other crewmen of such abilities," Crown Prince Lu Ten spoke up tensely. "She was a difficult prisoner, but travelled without incident beyond the first day of sailing," he stood more proudly, standing by his words as he advised his father.

Even as they discussed what was clearly a security issue with their plan, Zuko found his mind turning over the only true reason he could possibly be here, a 'solution' to their problem with the girl – who, as far as he could see, was certainly not with child.

"Would you like to know what she did on that first day?" Prince Ozai retorted.

The water tribe girl suddenly let out a small whimper of protest, and Zuko felt his blood run hot as it dragged his father's attention back to the waterbender on her knees. Even in only his bed robes, Ozai seemed frightening and severe. His hair hung loosely around his face, creating a dark hood around his expression, which could only be amused as he gazed over the dark skinned girl for a moment longer.

He reached out a hand to the girl, and she gasped, reeling backward, but her guards held her fast. He bent at the waist and stared, like a vicious moose-lion, into her shimmering blue eyes.

"Ozai," Iroh warned, a sharpness in his tone that let Zuko know that even the Firelord was unsure what his younger brother might do.

"It was just like this, wasn't it, girl?" Ozai formed a claw with his hand in the space between them, brought it close to the girl's cheek. "Just a quick ..." he paused and his hand jerked as if tightening on something, "twitch."

The waterbender turned her head away as if in shame. "It was an accident," she argued mildly. Her voice was different when she wasn't shouting; soft and raspy.

There was a soft gasp at the admission, from the Firelord and some of the fire sages.

"Yes. I'm sure it was my neck you intended to snap, and not my young steward's," Prince Ozai sighed through his nose thoughtfully. A moment later, he grasped the girl's chin and turned her head back toward him. "Admit it, witch. Admit it and we may spare you the executioner's block!"

As the weight of the situation wrote itself on the water wench's young face, Lu Ten spoke up, finally done with all this contention in the middle of the night. "Spare the girl your empty threats, Prince Ozai. You know she is more valuable alive than dead, and you serve only to build more distrust with our guest," he rebuked, affecting the grace of the true heir to the throne, and reclaiming Ozai's attention to the matter at hand.

"I'm afraid I must disagree, your highness. I seek only to remind the girl of the great mercy already afforded to her," Prince Ozai whirled to face his own nephew. Then gestured grandly to his older brother, "The Firelord's mercy, of course."

Firelord Iroh, presiding over them all, was silent and thoughtful. Zuko remained silent, still unsure whether this was further than he is willing to go for his freedom.

The silent sage, standing now off to one corner of the room, steadily wandered back to his position central to the hall, before the Firelord's perch. Ozai beckoned him closer with a motion and a sly grin, glancing to Lu Ten once more to gauge his reaction.

"High Sage Gozen, you have my thanks for joining us at this late hour," Ozai bowed only his head, as the man came close enough to join conversation.

The high sage was a keenly aged man, but still perhaps an inch taller than Zuko, withered and yet sturdy and stoic, the bottom half of his face hidden by a silver beard, the top of his head adorned by a large conical headpiece. He settled dark eyes on Prince Ozai and then laid them intently on the water tribe girl, still bewildered, on her knees before them all.

Lu Ten suddenly took two long strides toward Ozai and the Sage, and in mirror, Zuko came nearer too, emboldened by his cousin. The Crown Prince came almost to Ozai's side and seethed, "Is it not dishonourable to continue this without at least being honest with both parties?"

Zuko suddenly felt both his cousin's and father's gaze shift to him, before Ozai argued, "It is very late, my Crown Prince – I'm sure we all would like to get to our beds soon. Wouldn't you?"

Lu Ten managed an unaffected smile. "Not at the expense of my family, Uncle."

Prince Zuko could see a vein pulse in his father's jaw, but watched this comment go by without retribution.

"My son speaks wisdom," Firelord Iroh resounded in agreement. "Come forth, Zuko, and you, waterbender," he hesitated, and her guards scurried forward, hauling her to her feet and marching her ahead. A concerned frown crossed his face and he raised a hand. "No, this is no way to treat this girl – guards, at ease."

Almost instinctively, all in the room paused – including those guards ordered to stand down. They looked to one another, and then to the girl, who was suddenly still, awaiting her release. They slowly eased their grip on the girl's arms and finally let go altogether, taking a meagre step back. She stood, a little ruffled and clearly shaken, with a wary look pointed at Prince Ozai.

"Girl, what is your name?" Firelord Iroh put an elbow on his knee where his sat, cross-legged on his cushion, and smiled gently – but even Zuko had to admit that the flames did little to emit reassurance.

She looked a little taken aback, and then even more so when the room turned its attention to her. After a moment of consideration, she stood a little straighter and said clearly to the Firelord, "Katara."

The Firelord smiled a little more, and nodded, before his features became a little pained. "You have come here with little explanation, and much uncertainty. I will understand that you may have no interest in trusting your enemies, as you have cause to consider us," he admitted, with some remorse in his tone, "But I am afraid I must inform you that due to a prophecy, Katara, you have become invaluable to the Fire Nation."

The girl's expression became guarded once more, and she glanced fleetingly, suspiciously to the people – specifically the sages – around her. She placed one hand into the other and wrung them gently. "I don't understand," she replied, willing him to go on.

The Firelord looked very uncomfortable for a second, then looked away pensively. "I'm sure even the water tribe have heard that the Avatar is dead, yes?" he asked, a little coldly.

Katara swallowed and clenched her hands together. As he looked back to her, she simply nodded.

"Mm," he put his own hands together, interlocking his fingers in distaste, "The cycle of the Avatar is once more in play, and the Fire Nation must keep a close eye on the water tribes, going forward."

The girl seemed to balk a little at this, Zuko thought. "What do you mean, 'close eye'? You mean to find the next Avatar? To kill it?" she asked hotly, her ire returning. Her guards jerked toward her, but the Firelord raised his hand and shooed them again.

"Perhaps," Firelord Iroh replied calmly. Before she could speak again, he followed up, "But you, my dear, have come here with the power to save your people."

Prince Lu Ten looked once more discomfited, and Zuko was like to take on his cousin's approach. Even without it, it was difficult to reconcile this intimidating force with the kindly and cajoling presence always described by Lu Ten when Iroh had been discussed.

"We don't need to find the next Avatar," Prince Ozai was finally the one to declare it outright, turning to face the girl, now standing at her full height, a foot shorter than his own. Her breath quickened as he took a pace toward her, somehow feeling more vulnerable without her attached guards. He steadily circled her, "Should you agree to cooperate, that is."

She frowned again, feeling a little more intrigued than she was fearful. "I'm not the next Avatar, I'm sure even the Fire Nation aren't stupid enough to think that's how it works."

Ozai laughed. Zuko hated the sound of it, longing for his bed. As if he could sense his nephew's growing impatience, Firelord Iroh boomed his name.

"Prince Zuko," he addressed him sternly, perhaps feeling the weight of tonight's actions and wanting to be done with it, "you too have come here tonight with a great opportunity. To affirm your loyalty and ..." there was an awful look that flashed over the Firelord's face, and he could not meet the young prince's eyes when he continued, "to restore your honour, you make sacrifice for your Nation."

"Sacrifice?" Katara suddenly yelped, unable to stop herself. Prince Ozai finally stopped his circling to gaze intently at his brother.

Firelord Iroh shook his head firmly. "Not that kind of sacrifice," he dismissed. He fidgeted briefly before tucking his hands into his sleeves and lowering his gaze to the High Sage below, now looking only to him for guidance. "For many it is a blessing, but for you it will be in service of your nation. There are those who say that marriage is the ultimate sacrifice."

And suddenly it all became very clear.

"What?!" Katara shouted, visibly horrified. She suddenly laid her eyes very singularly on Prince Zuko, this time with a little more interest than she'd had in him before, looked him up and down, any impressions not reaching her face, and then looked angrily back to the Firelord. "You want me to marry him?" she demanded, scandalized.

The Firelord fell silent, but then looked to his younger brother and solemnly gave him permission to explain the rest, finding it too gritty for his own tastes.

Ozai turned his back to the girl and laid his eyes on his son, whose hackles rose at the attention. Zuko didn't mean to feel a surge of fear as his father drew near, but still had to swallow it back and put on a brave face. Ozai stopped halfway between them though, and spoke it directly to Zuko, even as his voice carried to all in the chamber. "This girl will bear the next Avatar into this world," he announced, "It is foretold by the dragons themselves. Firelord Iroh has decided to steer toward peace, and to bring the bridge between worlds into our very own family."

The creeping reality of what it was that his father expected of him became far too squeamish for comfort. His eyes danced to the water tribe girl, and suddenly a flush of embarrassment burned his ears and his neck and he had to look away instantly.

The girl was shockingly silent, expression unreadable, although steadily turning bright red, as she took this in, and Ozai took the moment to laugh at his son. "Speechless, are you?" he wandered aimlessly this way and then that, seeming to enjoy this midnight game of human chess.

"This is no joke, Prince Ozai," Crown Prince Lu ten reminded him sternly, imposing even at his young age, his eyes echoing the confident military tactician that his people knew him as. He looked directly to his cousin, and neared him in only a few steps, to put a hand on his shoulder. "Zuko, I remind you that you may still decline to be a part of this. It is … understandably untoward," he reassured as warmly as he could, given the circumstances.

Zuko was still finding it hard to look up from the floor, but he glanced to Lu Ten gratefully, before feeling his face tighten a little as he looked to his father, Prince Ozai. "You don't even need me for this," he reasoned simply, his voice an accusing rasp. "If I walk out of here right now, I'm sure you have another plan to ..." his mouth twisted, "breed the next Avatar."

He could feel the girl's eyes on him for a moment, and felt that burning in his ears again. Then she was looking in accord with the scarred young Prince to Ozai, awaiting his response.

He clapped his hands together, pleased, and peered at them through amusement. "There is always a back up plan," he affirmed evenly.

"Okay, just hold on a second," it was the water tribe girl who spoke up, somehow maintaining a certain sense of decorum. When all the men in the room looked to her, she tensed all over, but turned to gaze up at the Firelord himself. "I'm willing to bet none of those back up plans includes sending me back home, but your Majesty, if you did, I can promise that … when I do have a family," she stumbled on, looking more panicked, "that I would ..." she hesitated.

Prince Ozai interjected, "What, hand over your own child willingly?" with a bemused chortle. "I find that unlikely, peasant. You are just as like to disappear into the tundra!"

Katara shot him a glare, but keeping her eyes on the prize, looked back to Firelord Iroh with meagre hope in her gaze. If he considered her offer, he did not show it.

Lu Ten breathed a sigh through his nose, letting his hand fall off his cousin's shoulder to settle in the palm of his other, clasped behind his back reservedly. "The fact remains that although sanctioned by the dragons' prophecy, and the will of the Firelord, this marriage will be unsavoury to those who support our rule," he looked to Zuko with an intensity in him that the scarred boy wasn't sure he'd faced in Lu Ten before. "And our greatest experiment in … keeping a dirty little secret, as you would say … well, that's you, Zuko."

Zuko looked instantly wounded by such a phrase, but he had to admit he understood what Lu Ten meant. People had forgotten about him entirely, and yet he lived tucked away here in the palace, right under their very noses. But he still found a scowl in him and replied dryly, "So I'm being promoted from prisoner to prison guard, with my wife as prisoner."

Lu Ten retreated a little, unsure how to pave over this discord.

"Now he's getting it," Prince Ozai cheered, after a brief yawn and a small chuckle.

Katara was balling her fists irately, starting to become clearly distressed, and she whirled to face Prince Ozai, fury on her face. "I'll never stay a secret," she spat out desperately, taking a step toward him. The two guards, nearby, rushed to stop her, but she made her way to stand right in his face and glare up at him. The guards grabbed her shoulders in warning, but as Ozai's mouth curled to a grin, she continued, "I'll escape. I might even kill your son. I'll die, cursing your name, before I help the Fire Nation," even as tears begin to shimmer in her eyes.

Ozai's eyes flashed in dangerous delight, even as Zuko paled just a few feet beyond him. "We shall see," Ozai mused.

"Enough!" Firelord Iroh commanded decisively, and they all jumped a little to attention. He peered at his company and scowled a little, before he put his hands on his knees and hoisted himself up to stand over them all. He was not particularly tall, but his dark regal robes and his wide shoulder pieces cast a tall shadow behind him, and Katara shivered a little, shrinking away from Prince Ozai at last. "Zuko, Katara, approach."

They did, a little unsteadily – and unmentioned, the High Sage joined, stopping just behind Prince Zuko. Lu Ten also came to Zuko's side, and the water tribe girl stiffened as Prince Ozai came along behind her.

The Firelord lowered his arms to his sides, then clasped them together behind his back. "I can see that I ask both of you for much on this night," he said solemnly, clear disdain on his face, but he gazed upon them with clear demand, and concluded,

"But understand that as Fire Lord of this Nation, I am not asking."

At this, even Ozai looked a little taken aback. Zuko, having already decided that he planned to cooperate, was nonetheless somewhat dismayed that his uncle now recanted the offer to decline. Perhaps it had been misguided of him to see only the girl as a prisoner, and to not consider that he too may have no option. Beside him, the threat of tears dancing behind the waterbenders' eyes dissipated, and she pasted on a grim look of consideration, resigned that she had no way out.

"High Sage, you may commence," the Firelord allowed, then glanced a little reluctantly to his brother. "Prince Ozai, I leave this to you," Iroh laid eyes on his son, "Prince Lu Ten, will you join me for a moment?" he requested wearily.

Crown Prince Lu Ten did not move, remaining a half-step behind Prince Zuko. "I will be along shortly, father. My cousin needs me here," he said, with clear disappointment in his tone as he glared at his father.

Iroh fell silent, then turned away. "Very well," he said mildly, upon his exit.

As the Firelord departed, Crown Prince Lu Ten and Prince Ozai dropped instinctively to give a respectful bow of the head. Zuko joined in a half second later, unpractised at his court manners. Katara stood surrounded, looking at the lowered backs of all the men's heads in slightly starstruck distraction for a moment.

The High Sage came around from behind the party and took his place at the centre of the intended couple. As soon as he did, Katara bolted backwards like a cagey animal, but was caught by one elbow by the very man she loathed the most, Prince Ozai, rising and turning to face her from his bow. This caused her to panic a little more, and she yanked herself back, only to be grasped by the shoulders again by her guards.

Prince Ozai whirled her around and in but a moment, she stood at Prince Zuko's side, panicked eyes pointed at the elderly sage, who began in a withered voice, to speak.

"We stand here under Agni's watch, blessed by our burning god, who fought so valiantly against wickedness on our behalf ..."

Zuko stared to one side at her, face squirming in concern as he watched her struggle uselessly against the large, pale hand wrapped around her elbow. When she stopped, her eyes had found him looking, and he met her gaze with a slight turn of the head. Her curious stare seemed to falter into a flash of fear, and he realized that she was looking – probably not for the first time – at the scar over his left eye. He tore his eyes away to look to Lu Ten, standing at his side. His cousin let on a sympathetic frown.

"... This union, sanctified by his Majesty the Firelord, and the will of Long Ra, the great dragon, is fated to bring peace to the empire and ensure the righteous passage of rule in our nation, bringing the future Avatar into the Fire Nation's own royal family. We thank you for your wisdom, Long Ra."

At this point, the other sages – a dozen or so – lining the great hall, began to chant some unintelligible tribute to the great dragon, their incense baskets spinning in synchronization, their voices sounding as one. Katara looked about at them, clearly concerned, but Prince Ozai pinched or prodded her in the ribs, from where Zuko stood, and she jolted, and returned her attention to the sage, expression matching that of a komodo rhino ready to bolt.

"The important bits, your holiness," Prince Ozai pressed keenly, his grin small but evident even in his voice.

The High Sage paused, mouth open, ready to continue to the next section of Fire National marriage sermons, but withered a little at the impatient look he got from the eldest prince present. "Er, yes …" he croaked a little, eyes flitting to the cagey bride, who drew an anxious inhale as his eyes settled on her, before he turned his attentions to the young Prince Zuko, who, though silent and obedient, looked no less guarded than the water tribe prisoner. "Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, I ask you to confirm your age for the validity of this marriage," he declared serenely.

Zuko felt the attention of the room turn to him, he opened his mouth and nothing came out. He was sure he remembered this part of a wedding ceremony – even if he was only remembering a wedding ceremony in a players' show on Ember Island. Zuko shut his mouth and swallowed, trying to keep his eyes pointed on the sage and not the girl next to him, her guards close enough for even him to feel them breathing down her neck. And Ozai …

"I think I can hold onto my own bride, father," he blurted out suddenly, and before he could think of anything else, he extended his arm a little gracelessly toward the water tribe girl. He still didn't meet her eye – he genuinely just couldn't. It was too strange. But he could manage to snap his gaze from the high sage, who fell silent for this exchange, to his father, eyes meeting over the top of Katara's head.

She was held too tightly to accept the offer of his hand, even as she looked at it, and then him, a little distrustfully, and a little bravely, Zuko leveled a demanding glare at his father.

Ozai tutted and rolled his eyes, releasing the girl's arm slowly and lowering his hand to his side. The other hand gave a begrudged wave that invited the two royal guards to loose their hold on the waterbender's shoulders.

She stood free for a second, affirming with her eyes that she had been unhanded. Then she turned back to look at Zuko, and his offered hand.

She was the girl from the other balcony, of course. And now the girl in the prophecy. The last southern waterbender, he had learned. Zuko had spent some time trying his very best not to identify with those his country battled for dominance, but he found her, in this moment, inspiringly striking. Her eyes sought truth from his, even as she seemed fearful of his scarred left side, and in her moment of brief freedom, she must have longed to run – but he could see the dawning realization that it wouldn't work. He had been there before.

Perhaps he recalled the fight that still surged in her, to defy her captors and be free. Perhaps, in his heart of hearts, he was a rebel like her, and he realized if he married her, that he became complicit in the something far worse than the fate of Avatar Aang. Could he do it, he wondered?

It all faded away when a cool, clammy hand slipped into his and grasped firmly. He could feel all of her weight through his hand when she took it, leaning onto it to steady herself, before she rebalanced beside him, as close as she could get without touching more than his hand. This put another foot of distance between her and Prince Ozai, so he could see the appeal.

"Prince Zuko," the high sage pressed, probably about ready for bed now too, but Zuko was momentarily distracted by the sweaty, metallic scent coming off of the waterbender.

He dragged his eyes from the girl to the sage.

"Your age, if you please," the old man said in a gravelly voice.

Prince Zuko drew a deep breath and exhaled, "I am seventeen years old. I am of age, by Fire Nation standard," not really sure how else he could answer.

Both Zuko and the sage turned their eyes to Katara, who looked as if she were chewing on the inside of her cheek. The sage's eyes flicked to Ozai, like as if the older prince would know how old their water tribe prisoner is, but Prince Ozai did not pick up on this, or respond. A little reluctantly, the high sage trudged on, clearly uncomfortable having to directly address the tribeswoman. "And you, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe," he began, "What is your age?"

For a moment, Zuko tried really hard to convince himself that there was no way she was younger than maybe thirteen. Even that was uncomfortable. The Firelord may have been expecting the two of them to eventually produce the Avatar – but he found it hard to believe he was expected to bed a child in service of his nation. Although, he chastised himself mentally for finding one any worse than the other.

She had to be sixteen for the marriage to be legal, or would, if she were Fire Nation born.

Katara, though her hand shook in his, kept her voice steady. "I'm fifteen," she answered a little stoically, "And by Water Tribe standards, I am of age." Perhaps unconsciously, she raised her free hand and touched something blue around her neck. A pendant.

Zuko's eyes caught the movement and he stared, eyes landing on the necklace with a certain amount of both curiosity and hesitation. In the water tribes, he knew that certain pieces of jewellery were used as part of rituals – and the phrase 'betrothal necklace' filtered back to him from a story his mother had read him years ago. It seemed to fit, because she looked pained as she touched it.

She was already promised to another. Probably not something she should have admitted, because it made it that much harder to argue that she wasn't of official age – if her own people saw her as a potential bride at fifteen, there was no reason the Fire Nation should show her special treatment.

"Lady Katara of the Water Tribes," the high sage bowed his head briefly, "The Firelord hereby emancipates you into the custody of Prince Zuko, granting you limited citizenship in the Fire Nation and the right to marry within our borders," this seemed like some sort of legal amendment, to get around her being under sixteen.

Clever Uncle, Zuko thought.

Katara laughed a little under her breath.

Zuko looked at her, as did his father and cousin Lu Ten at his side, all a bit curious.

She righted her expression and then shrugged a little, before shooting a sour look at Ozai. "Sorry. It's just funny to hear the word 'borders' while I'm here, since you guys clearly don't know what a national border even is."

Zuko found it hard not to enjoy the slight, even though it was against his country. He thought it was probably to do with that angered, but tempered, look stretched over his father's now-less-amused features. A very quiet shudder of laughter pealed through him, and he felt his bride whip her head to look at him.

By the time she gazed upon him, though, he was very certain not to show his amusement, but it was clear she had noticed, and was not pleased.

"Enjoying yourself, ugly?" she sneered, her own amusement disappearing.

That snapped him right out of it. A hot, kind of hurt feeling rushed down his back, and he felt his face screw up defensively, even as he decided outright not to look at her and give the insult any attention. Even as her hand remained in his, he found himself wanting to pull away. But he remembered, she was his enemy – a path to freedom. Whatever he might have to do to her, it was for his own escape. Perhaps she had the right to hate him without knowing him.

Perhaps he needed to stop trying to relate to her as a fellow prisoner and focus on his task.

Even as he didn't want to appear too similar to his father, he found himself gripping her small hand in revenge. She gasped and tried to yank away, but he held fast.

He heard cousin Lu Ten draw a breath sharply like as if to chastise him, but he spoke before the Crown Prince could.

"Continue, your holiness," he said as calmly as he could, even as the waterbender squirmed against his grasp.

"Mm," the High Sage nodded dutifully, raising his swinging incense basket to his eye level and gazing at it intently. The bride and groom looked to it too, uncertain. "By the powers granted to me by the great dragon spirits, I bless this union with ashes of knotflower, to signify purity and peace; willowbracken, to bring strength and loyalty; and ginger, to protect joy and trust. May the spirits defend your marriage and your family from harm and sin."

The two teenagers wilfully avoided each other's gaze, as Zuko frowned petulantly at the incense basket and Katara glared defiantly away, to the lesser sages along the walls, who began to approach a little menacingly, in Katara's opinion. But when the high sage leant down and put the ornamental incense burner at their feet, they returned him their attention, wary and unsure.

The sages all hummed in unison, something in an ancient tongue, perhaps the language the dragons spoke, Zuko thought. It was an overbearing kind of buzzing noise, the way the twelve voices all blended together, echoing in the throne room, and the water tribe girl flinched a little, her grip on his palm tightening briefly, as they drew near, the musk of the incense growing strong.

The high sage put his hands together as if in prayer for a moment, and then gestured to the incense burner on the floor before them, a thin wisp of smoke spiralling from its top, twisting and then dispersing toward the ceiling. "You must kneel for this portion," he informed them, a tension held in his voice as though he expected resistance.

Both teenagers paused, but it was Zuko who began to lower to his knees first, one pasty knee jutting out between the folds of his night robe before he adjusted it to better cover himself. Lu Ten's presence at his side was a balm to his nerves, as the water tribe girl remained on her feet, even as his grip did not relent and he held her hand suspended between them.

"No," she refused, but did not move.

Prince Zuko finally looked from the fire sage to his unwilling bride, who stood at his side with her knuckles white where she gripped back at Zuko's relentless grasp on her fingers. He supposed he should have expected it, but it was no less disconcerting to see those two guards marching right up their behind again, the air becoming thick and untenable. From his position on the floor, they looked large and not to be trifled with, but when a leather gloved hand landed heavily on the waterbender's shoulder, she ignored it almost entirely.

"How can you do this?" she asked sombrely, shining blue eyes flicking distastefully from one fire prince to the next, and then settling back on the sage himself. "You're a spiritual man, and this is an abomination, an insult to your spirits of love and marriage," she implored grimly, but it was clear that she was grasping at straws.

The sage seemed a little taken aback at this though, and opened his mouth, but only a faint croaking sound emerged before he was interrupted.

"The water witch schools our holy High Sage on appeasing the gods of this nation," Prince Ozai drawled sardonically, before tutting his tongue a few times deprecatingly. "In the Fire Nation, honour and duty come before all else. You will serve this nation, and your husband, as our laws dictate," his tone was pointed, but somewhat muted by coming from behind Katara's ear instead of as a direct challenge to her face, "or, like any unruly wife, you will be punished for it."

That, however, did not go over so well with the waterbender. She ground her teeth together, but not too distracted when Zuko eased his grip of her hand for a second to pry it free. She turned to face Ozai with vicious fury in her eyes. "And where is your wife now, Prince Ozai?" she spat at him, gallant enough to push his name past her lips as if it were an insult, issuing her own challenge for a change, "Or does she not share your candid perspective of a woman's duty?"

There was an intake of breath so sharp that it was near inaudible, and Zuko wasn't sure if it was his or Lu Ten's. Even the Sage himself looked away for a beat, and his timing was impeccable, because he spared himself the worst of the image that followed.

For the briefest of moments, Ozai looked as if he would let it pass, his body remaining as stone, even as his face twisted to show his ire. But almost as soon as the rage reached his face, it reached his body, and his otherwise aristocratic demeanour broke. He swung out smoothly and easily to lay a fierce, loud backhand across the waterbender's cheek, and sent her whirling back toward the high sage, her groom, and the floor.

She gasped, and a second later, the sound of her bare palms smacking the marble floor of the great hall echoed back at them from the cavernous ceiling. Zuko had been fast enough to lean out of the way as she came wheeling toward him, but now she was on her knees, picking herself up on her hands beside him. Instinct told him to ask if she was alright, but he doubted she'd grant him the same courtesy. He looked up to the High Sage, who looked increasingly uncomfortable.

"Was that really necessary?" Crown Prince Lu Ten asked behind him, dismayed, but not willing to make a scene.

"I have only so much patience for stalling," Prince Ozai remarked glibly, then raised a hand to the guards, gesturing for them to grab the prisoner. "Your holiness, I think this has gone on long enough. Complete the ceremony and let us be done with this."

The water tribe girl remained on her hands and knees for a minute, perhaps taking one final moment to try to think her way out of this. When she very quickly exhausted any remaining options in her head, Zuko was pretty sure he saw her lip curl and a small droplet drip off her cheek to the pristine marble reflecting her tears back at her.

This was only confirmed when, at Ozai's instruction, one of the guards delved down and grabbed the girl by the back of her head, fingers winding securely into the base of her braid and dragging her up into a proper kneeling position, and her face seemed to light with shock and pain, and Zuko watched as a few tears slipped down it as she was forced to look ahead at the high sage, who gazed upon her as a hare in a hunter's sights.

"Your holiness," Ozai snapped.

"E-er, yes, your highness," the sage jumped a little, and then fumbled his hands for a second before folding them together in salute to the gods, trying very hard not to look at either of the youths kneeling at his feet. "On this day, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation takes Katara of the Water Tribes, as his wife and ward," he said it quickly, perhaps discomfited at the way that the young girl was restrained. "And Katara of the Water Tribes, takes-,"

"Please, don't do this," Katara suddenly pleaded, her voice thick, screwing up her features to affect courage, even as tears rolled freely down her cheeks, but the Sage's unease seemed to be working against her, and he appeared to have decided to barrel ahead and get things done with.

"... Takes Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation as husband and protector; henceforth she is Katara of the Fire Nation, citizen of the Fire Nation and subject of the Fire Lord. I pronounce you man and wife, bound by law here upon this plane, and likewise in the spirit world," he decreed, his voice shaky but a resounding croak that echoed back a few times, unreal.

He raised both his hands, and the forgotten twisting plume of incense smoke coming from the burner on the floor suddenly stopped rising. Katara had never seen smoke bent before, and for a beat it looked only as a swirling grey snake, rising up from a metallic basket at a flautist's command, as in stories she had heard of the peasants in Ba Sing Se. The swirling snake of roiling smoke bent its billowing head to one side and swirled toward the waterbender's feet, forming a circle around them.

At this moment, the guard gripping the water tribe girl's hair released her and took a step away, backward, just as Lu Ten laid a hand briefly on Zuko's shoulder, before also receding. Ozai did the same, and before the waterbender could so much as contemplate escape, she was greeted by the sight of that whirling smoke, now winding its way around Prince Zuko at her side, completing a circle around only the two of them that settled at the height of their waists.

"The ritual is complete," the Fire Sage said, his voice flat, but he eyed the circle of smoke is if it were some sort of omen.

Katara looked at it too, but was hastily snapped out of her reverie by Prince Zuko standing up from beside her, leaning onto one knee to support his weight as he did so. The smoke faded away, and he glanced aside toward the other sages, eyes flashing a little in confusion when he realised they had disappeared. He looked about, and wondered if they could be hiding behind the pillars or the curtains at the walls, but then supposed their duties as witnesses had ended.

Prince Ozai bowed his head to the High Fire Sage, and with this permission, he collected his incense burner and scurried away.

More out of procedure than thought, Zuko offered his hand to the girl at his side, and with only brief pause she took it and got to her own feet. She may have murmured thanks, but Zuko wasn't sure. Her hand was already leaving, but it slipped off his as a hand took his shoulder.

"Thank you, Prince Zuko," Lu Ten lowered his voice and leaned in to speak into his cousin's ear. "The Fire Nation acknowledges your service, and you can expect word in the next few days about your return to bending training."

In the moment, it seemed a hollow victory, because it was certainly loud enough for Katara to hear, and her face slackened as he met her gaze, Lu Ten pulling away and receding to Prince Ozai's side.

"The Fire Nation also rewards you, waterbender," Prince Ozai chimed in wickedly, turning his shoulder away as if already unconsciously heading to bed. "I'm told you have already been spared a cell in the dungeon, and have the royal Princess's quarters refurbished for you to return to. For tonight, at least," he trailed off, his lips curling to a smirk.

If it were possible, the remaining blood in Katara's face drained from it, leaving her a sort of sickly grey colour. She managed a defensive frown, but it did little to hide her trepidation.

"Come, Ozai," Prince Lu Ten breathed in deeply through his nose and rubbed at the silk embroidery on the chest of his night robes. He paused, and eyed up the now-married couple, before his eyes turned to the two guards that had remained to manhandle the water tribe girl. He finally returned his eyes to Zuko, and to the scarred prince, he seemed to grow more like his father within a single moment, levelling him a an unspoken demand with his eyes. "It's late, and I'm sure these two can be trusted to make it honestly back to their chambers with only two guards."

Katara seemed to perk up for a moment, but when she glanced to Zuko, she saw him watching her with a kind of wary judgment, and she scowled at him. She may have guessed correctly that he was some kind of prisoner here as well, but she was no fool and she could tell that he stood to gain from their forced marriage somehow. Even as his enemies, it appeared the marred prince was easily swayed by his imposing family.

"Relax," she put her hands on her hips and gave him a displeased once-over, "I'm about ready to sleep off all this wedded bliss," she said it as though acid dripped from every word.

Zuko frowned back at her, but then looked to his cousin with a kind of relenting expression. "I can handle it," he said grimly.

There was only a moment of pensive silence between them all, before Princes Lu Ten and Ozai stepped aside, and the crown prince gestured toward the exit. Zuko considered offering Katara his arm for a beat, but before he could, she was already marching at the door ahead of him. Zuko, taken aback, allowed himself one quick look at Lu Ten's expression – instead catching Ozai's amusement as the waterbender fled – before he rushed after her. Behind him, he heard her two guards rustling forth as well.

She was already out the door, and he raced to catch her before the guards would have to intervene.

A/N: Guess who, bitches. Bet you thought you'd seen the last of me.

First update in 5 years WHAAATTTTT? I finally remembered my password, haha.

I was gonna do a whole concubine thingy but then I realised that if Zuko is in a lowered position of nobility he's not really important enough that they'll need for him to marry well one day - since he's too much traitor to ever be put on the throne. So two birds, one stone - they both remove him from the line of succession and hitch the parents of the future Avatar in one breath.

I've had some comments about characterization and I think I need to make it clear this is a Universe Alteration story - so not quite AU but events have taken a different turn and everyone will have had different experiences leading them to the people that they are in this story.

If you find Zuko's character is off, it's because he is more socially awkward, but less embittered. Despite his own petulance about it, he's had a lavish imprisonment which hasn't hardened him as much as hunting for the Avatar would have. He will find being conniving quite difficult.

If you feel Katara's character is off, consider that this is a Katara without hope, without her family, and without training. While she is physically a bit helpless, her personality will still hopefully reflect the strength of her convictions, because I need her to swing Zuko around to her way of thinking.

Azula is going to be a bit far off the mark. I think in Azula's eyes, going off to hunt the Avatar at 13 was a blessing, not a curse - and what we have now is a Princess Azula with a small amount of sympathy for her brother. Whether she agrees with him or not, this has given her pause about throwing her royal weight around.

ALSO: the overall differing factor here is that UNCLE IROH is Fire Lord. He's an experienced and wisened General with the patience and guile to play his cards close to his chest politically. He can see that war must be waged both on and off the battlefield, and must put the needs of his nation before those of his family. Without having lost his only son to the war, he is still partial to the belief that the other nations are sub-par to the Fire Nation. If you wanna complain about someone being OOC - there's your scapegoat.

Also hun, if you're gonna pass judgment on other people's writing, save yourself some credit and don't be Korrasami shipper - soon as I saw that I knew you had no clue about decent writing XD

So, thoughts? I know this chapter seems a little chucked in and long-winded, but rather than complicate the issue with slave tropes and slow-burn drama, I thought I'd kick it off nicely so we can get some momentum, since we have 5 years of waiting to make up for. Leave a review with congrats for the happy couple! XD

- xRhiax