#worldcralwer

When Katara’s ship pulled up in the North she was greeted with much formality - which she found quite frankly sickening. Now that the South was back together and stronger she had settled into the informalities of her people, the warmth of their laughs and the generosity of their hearts. She already knew from experience that the North, holed up behind their high walls and imposing structures, lead lives of icy stiffness just like their surroundings. The thought of spending the rest of her life there was sickening to the core, and she almost physically threw up when she spotted Haan dressed as Water Tribe royalty and with his own escort of guards. She could not believe Chief Arnook had taken the odious boy under his wing after Yue had left them.

However, her eyes skimmed over the Chief and landed on Zuko. He, too, was dressed in Water Tribe dress, but his clothes were a different shade to the dark blue of the North; his dye had been mixed with red to create a deep purple, and the fur he wore was exclusively from red fox so had a deep orange tint. On his head he wore his Fire Prince Crown, and his retinue were at ease behind him, signalling no threat from the approaching ship.

As Katara drew closer she found herself thinking that he looked good dressed in Water Tribe. She felt her cheeks blush. Well, it would help the charade if she was at least a little attracted to him. And if she was willing to admit things to herself she would need to acknowledge she had always found him attractive.

As she descended from the ship she decided to forego the North’s formal structure when it came to her crew and instructed her men to act as Southerners; there was no danger, and they could be seen to talk to her and share jokes. She smirked in satisfaction at the frown of distaste on her betrothed’s mouth at her familiarity with the rest of her tribe.

However, when addressing her future family, she would upload the highest decorum, as she knew they expected. Firstly, she bowed to Chief Arnook in Southern Water Tribe style and then in Northern style, appropriately lower than the Chief. That garnered her a half smile of approval. Next, she was expected to bow to her betrothed, but instead she turned to Zuko and again gave him a Southern Water Tribe greeting, offering her arm out to him as equals which he took with a warm smile and a mischievous glint in his eye. She noticed how much more sure of himself he was now, how he seemed relaxed in his position. She offered him the smallest of smiles while bowing Fire Nation style, before moving on to a bristling Haan.

To him she bowed once again in Southern Style, but did not reach out her hand as equals, and hardly bent when greeting him in Northern style. This signalled her expectation that he bow lower than her. She could hear Zuko’s soft cough as he covered a laugh but held her face steady.

The Southern Tribe did not have a royal family as they did in the North, but if they did recognise it as such, she would out rank Haan.

“Princess Katara,” started the Chief softly, “Haan is recognised as my son-in-law here…”

“Oh, apologies, I did not realise. As if he had married Princess Yue?” she asked innocently, but made sure to talk to the Chief and not Haan.

“Yes, indeed. He had been trained to be the next Chief already,” explained Arnook, looking uncomfortable but keeping a confident posture about him.

“Then I am to be his second wife?” She asked sweetly, cocking her head to one side.

Arnook’s lips thinned but he nodded.

Katara turned back to Haan and instead greeted him as an equal. He did not look impressed.

“Sweet Princess Katara, I have made this for you,” he announced, in a well rehearsed voice, lifting two fingers and calling a guard over. The guard opened a box with a betrothal necklace in it.

“That is much appreciated Prince Haan. Noret? Could you please put Prince Haan’s beautiful present with my things?” she called, smiling warmly to one of her guards, who easily bounded over and took the proffered box.

“It is tradition in the North that the betrothed wear her necklace,” Haan told her, steel in his voice.

“And when I become part of the Northern Water Tribe I will see to abide by their traditions,” answered Katara. “It has been a pleasure to meet you again Prince Haan, I congratulate you on your… rise in fortunes…” she said sweetly before moving past him to follow the Chief. She could feel his cold stare boring into her back.

That evening there was an elaborate banquet held in her honour. She sat between Haan and Zuko, since they were all of the same social status according to the Northern Tribe. Her conversations with Haan were polite and short, but those with Zuko were warm, full of laughter and merriment. Katara found that her friend had only grown more into himself during their time apart, and he filled his skin nicely. She had never seen him chuckle so much, and the light in his eyes that she had only ever glimpsed in the latter part of their time together during the war was out in full force. It softened his whole face, allowing him to become as warm as his element.

“Prince Zuko,” started Haan when there was a lull in their conversation, and making sure Chief Arnook could hear them. “Didn’t you visit the Northern Tribe during the war? Were you not here during the invasion?” He said it conversationally, but it was meant to cut.

“Indeed,” replied Zuko, keeping his anger under check but thinning his lips. Katara was impressed at the lack of outburst.

“And didn’t you take the Avatar on that occasion too?” Haan added.

“That is so,” answered Zuko again.

“Prince Zuko,” interrupted Katara, “I do seem to remember this! I believe we sparred quite fiercely while I was protecting the spirit pond. Where were you at that point Haan - forgive me for not remembering?”

“You were a formidable opponent,” said Zuko, smiling at her.

“I-uh-believe… I must have been…” started Haan, looking embarrassed.

“And I think, Prince Zuko, correct me if I’m wrong, that you and your Uncle, the Fire Lord, punished Admiral Zhao for his transgressions on our spirits?” Katara cut across, looking him dead in the eye and telling him silently to not deny it, not tell them it was the Spirit’s own doing through Aang that took Zhao to the depths.

“Indeed what occurred was disastrous, and Zhao had no honour in him,” he murmured in agreement.

“And then, did you not teach the Avatar fire bending while also bringing the plans of the Earth Kingdom invasion?”

“Yes.”

“And I believe you fought against your family for the good of the world, helping to end the hundred year war?”

“Not without the help of some very talented friends,” he replied, looking happier again.

“It is good to talk about the old days, is it not Prince Haan?” asked Katara, turning towards him with a smile and light words but with a warning in her eyes. “It is so fortunate we are all here, three peoples at a table and being able to move forward to more peaceful times,” she added, nodding to Arnook, who was watching them carefully.

“I believe there are only two peoples here, Princess Katara,” said Haan through gritted teeth.

“Perhaps soon. There is much to rebuild between our two peoples, and as it stands we have grown into very different places,” she said sweetly, and turned to the food that had just been laid out in front of her, closing the conversation.

“Where did you learn courtly manner? You basically cut that boy to shreds with your words!” asked Zuko through a laugh later that evening. Both being guests they shared a wing of the palace, and so had a communal area to sit together.

“Aang didn’t like fighting or water bending when we went on diplomatic missions. I needed to get certain things done anyway though, so I sharpened my words instead,” Katara told him, bitterly.

“You would do well in an Earth Kingdom or Fire Nation court.”

They sat in amicable silence for a while.

“So… Sokka told you about his plan?” started Zuko, a light blush spreading over his good cheek.

“Yes. Lets get this over with as quickly as we can, alright?”

“Of course, of course. Wouldn’t want to be pretending for too long… I mean not that it is unpleasant… to pretend… or you… I just meant … lets get out of this place as soon as we can!” Zuko stumbled over his words, blushing as he spoke.

Katara laughed.

“I agree!”

“But, Katara, and I hope you’ll forgive me asking, but why isn’t Aang here doing this? I mean you were together for a while so it is far more…credible?”

“Oh! Um we didn’t actually ever… so you see Aang has a bit of an issue lying… and its still bit strange between us… so I guess Sokka couldn’t convince him to …” she mumbled, looking into the fire burning low in the room. She had gone over this in her mind a thousand times on her ship - why not Aang? She knew things would be odd when she left him but even for merely her friendship’s sake he could help her out!

“Hah! Aang’s a fool!” muttered Zuko. “He should still help you out! But really, you didn’t…”

“No.”

“I thought both the air benders and the Southern Tribe were alright with…”

“They are. We just weren’t ready alright!?” snapped Katara, feeling colour rise up to her cheeks.

“Hey, that’s fine! I didn’t mean to say otherwise, I was just curious! I guess its not my place to be curious…” Zuko suddenly looked unsure of himself like he used to.

“I’d just rather not talk about it alright? And we’re the ones who are supposed to have done it so we should probably get a sort of story straight we can hint at.”

“I’ve got a few ideas,” he said, nodding and shuffling to the edge of his seat.