Chapter Text
At first Katara genuinely thought he had gone insane.
Being called into the council chambers wasn’t unusual for her anymore. Most days, her father summoned her to weigh in on tribal matters, usually regarding the waterbending classes she taught to the women of the Southern Tribe. Even after all these years, some men still had opinions about the growing number of female healers choosing combat training over traditional healing practices.
Then when she heard it was regarding the fire nation she didn't think anything either. Letters regarding trade routes, shipping disputes, and political agreements arrived almost weekly these days.
But when she heard her father say it was about “Zuko” and not “the fire lord”, Katara knew something was wrong.
“We knew this would eventually happen.”
The chiefs quickly began discussing the matter amongst themselves. Katara’s mind was still reeling, but she managed to catch fragments of the conversation through the noise.
“Still, asking for women from our tribes is… unexpected.”
“But think of the advantages if one of them were chosen.”
She could feel her father’s gaze lingering on her, waiting for her to say something, as the Fire Lord’s friend, as someone who knew Zuko better than anyone else in the room.
To make sure she truly wasn’t hallucinating, Katara looked back down at the letter in her hands and read it again:
“It is with the highest honor that the Fire Nation announces the following:
His Majesty, Fire Lord Zuko, has formally begun the search for a future wife and Fire Lady.
To commemorate the occasion, a ceremonial gathering will be held during the Summer Solstice at the Royal Palace of the Fire Nation. In the spirit of unity and continued peace among the nations, invitations are hereby extended not only to the eligible young women of the Fire Nation, but also to the principal daughters of noble and leading families across all nations.
May this occasion mark a new era of prosperity, harmony, and enduring alliance.”
Katara's frown was obvious even to the men who were far too busy discussing how to take advantage of the situation and which women to send.
It was just so… weird.
Sure, Katara had wondered when (or even if) Zuko would eventually take a wife. After all, he was already twenty-four, and surely the fire sages had begun wondering the same after all the assassination attempts he had dealt with during the first year of his reign. Having an heir to secure the line had to be important to them.
But asking for women this way… it just didn’t feel like him.
She began to think back on the letters they exchanged. Maybe he had hinted at it and she simply hadn’t noticed? But she knew he hadn’t. Zuko’s letters always went the same way:
I hope you’re alright. Everything here is fine. I hope we can meet again soon.
They were always so polite.
‘Almost too polite,’ she caught herself thinking before quickly dismissing it.
But it was true. One time she had accidentally read one of the letters he sent to Aang and couldn’t believe the contrast. For starters, it was more than just a couple of lines. He talked about things happening in his own life and not just matters concerning the Fire Nation or Republic City. Spirits, he even joked.
Katara remembered thinking maybe it was simply because of Aang and the bond they shared, but after asking Sokka and Toph, she quickly found out that she was the only one he wrote to in such a… diplomatic way.
It wasn’t like he was cold with her. The few times they had managed to meet over the last year, he acted just as she remembered him.
Which somehow made it worse when, after all that, he went right back to being distant through letters.
“Katara.”
Her father’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
“…we asked if the Fire Lord ever mentioned any of this to you. Or maybe to one of your friends?”
“Uhm… not really.”
“Surely if he is looking for a water tribe woman he wouldn't mention it so soon in fear of giving an advantage.”
“One has to wonder if master Beifong didn't know either.” The councilmen continued.
Katara doubted it.
“Was the Avatar aware of this?”
Their attention shifted toward Katara.
“I wouldn’t know,” she replied evenly. “As you all know, Aang has been busy lately.”
She had no intention of indulging them in the details of her relationship.
Though… could it even still be called a relationship when they had technically been “taking time apart” for months now?
“Either way we must send a reply as soon as possible, and write to the chiefs with single daughters, arrange a bird for the north. A marriage alliance with the Fire Nation could—”
“Wait.”
Katara’s voice cut through the room before she fully realized she had spoken.
The council quieted almost immediately.
“Doesn’t this seem strange to anyone else?” she asked, frowning. “This doesn’t sound like Zuko.”
A few of the chiefs exchanged glances.
“People change, Katara,” one of them replied.
“Not that much.” One of the added.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Katara asked with a sharper tone than she expected.
“Forgive me, Master Katara, it’s just…” the older man hesitated. “Well, we’ve all heard the stories of how the former Fire Lords filled their harems with women. I suppose many expected the current Fire Lord to eventually do the same—”
“Zuko isn’t like that,” she said immediately.
The man shifted uncomfortably beneath her stare.
“…perhaps not with one of his female friends — and certainly not with the Avatar’s partner involved,” he corrected carefully. “But objectively speaking, it wouldn’t be strange for the Fire Lord to be searching not only for a wife, but concubines as well. Why else ask for such a… wide variety of candidates?”
Katara felt her stomach twist.
She had heard the stories of how Fire Lord Ozai and Azulon surrounded themselves with beautiful women. Zuko himself had once admitted how uncomfortable it made him — and even Azula, though Katara doubted she would ever openly say so.
And sure, Zuko was a grown man now. Surely he understood what people expected of him as Fire Lord.
But still…
“There has to be another reason,” Hakoda interrupted suddenly.
He paused.
“Zu—” he corrected himself. “The Fire Lord has never shown interest in anyone since Lady Mai. Katara’s right. Something else is going on.”
“Either way, we must reply quickly before the earth kingdom makes an announcement. We’ll send the letters and hopefully by tomorrow we will have chosen a candidate.”
The chiefs got up and one by one began leaving the room.
Outside Katara quickly approached her father.
“Something is up, we know he must have a reason right?”
“Katara, don’t get me wrong but… maybe it’s just what it seems.”
“What?”
“I don’t buy for a second that Zuko is looking for a pretty wife, much less a harem, but he is the Fire Lord, daughter. Sooner or later, this was always going to happen.”
“Then why…?” Katara frowned. “Why did you back me up in there?”
“Because I also find it suspicious that he wouldn’t mention any of this to you or the others.” Hakoda crossed his arms thoughtfully. “Maybe he’s being pressured by his council, or maybe it’s something else entirely. But the fact that this came out of nowhere is worth questioning.”
Katara looked down for a moment.
“…What should we do?”
“For now?” Hakoda placed a hand on her shoulder. “We wait until we hear more. Surely Zuko expected his friends to react to this announcement.”
He gave her a small smile.
“Let’s hear him out first, alright?”
Then he walked away, leaving Katara alone with the weight settling uneasily in her chest.
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“HE IS DOING WHAT?!”
“Sokka, don’t yell!”
The early evening found Katara sitting by the docks beside her brother.
She had thought maybe he could bring some clarity to the situation.
Clearly, he couldn’t.
“Okay, so let me get this straight…” Sokka said slowly. “Zuko is inviting noblewomen not only from the Fire Nation, but from the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes too… to look for a wife?”
Katara nodded.
“Damn,” Sokka muttered. “I thought he was still with Mai.”
“Sokka, Mai broke up with Zuko years ago.”
“I know, it’s just— after that stunt she pulled against Azula, you’d think they would’ve found their way back to each other eventually.”
It was true. Katara had seen how badly Zuko took the breakup.
Sure, maybe Mai wasn’t exactly the kind of person people imagined Zuko ending up with, but once you got to know her, she was actually… pleasant.
‘Especially when she wasn’t throwing knives at you.’
Katara almost smiled at the memory of their first meeting.
“Maybe she’ll be there too?” Sokka suggested.
“I doubt it,” Katara replied. “If he still wanted to be with Mai, he would’ve just married her.”
“I guess.” Sokka frowned. “Still… this doesn’t feel like him at all.”
Katara looked toward the dark water.
“He hasn’t said anything to you?”
“He wrote to me a couple months ago, but we mostly talked about how Suki and Ty Lee apparently have to physically keep noblewomen away from him whenever he takes Kiyi to the palace gardens.”
Katara’s jaw tightened slightly.
‘So he is capable of talking about things other than the weather and peace treaties.’
The thought came far more bitterly than she wanted to admit.
“Maybe he told Aang?” Sokka asked.
Katara’s expression immediately stiffened.
“I wouldn’t know if he told Aang, Sokka.”
“Right.” Sokka winced slightly. “Because of the whole ‘taking a break’ thing.”
“I would appreciate it if you didn’t talk about my relationship.”
“Alright, alright,” he muttered. “Yeesh. What’s gotten into you today—?”
“Nothing! I’m fine!”
Sokka gave her a look.
“Yeah, because people who are fine always say it exactly like that.”
“Ugh. I’m going home.”
“Katara, come on, I was joking—”
But she was already walking away.
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Alright, fine.
Katara was, in fact, upset.
She pulled the pins from her hair a little harsher than necessary, letting the strands fall over her shoulders as she sat at the edge of her bed.
The room was quiet. Too quiet.
Usually, she liked that about the South Pole nights. The calm. The distant sound of water shifting beneath the ice. The familiarity of home.
Tonight it only made her thoughts louder.
Zuko is looking for a wife.
Spirits.
Even thinking the words felt strange.
Katara let out a long breath as she reached for the necklace resting against her collarbone, her fingers instinctively tracing the worn blue pendant.
Her mother’s necklace.
She had treasured it ever since she was a little girl.
Back then, wearing it made her feel safe. Close to her mother somehow.
Now, though…
Katara stared at the pendant resting in her palm.
Sometimes she wondered if, without realizing it, the necklace had come to represent something else entirely.
The moment she stopped being a child.
Her chest tightened immediately after the thought crossed her mind.
Guilt followed just as quickly.
How could she even think that?
This necklace was one of the only things she had left of her mother.
And yet lately, every time she looked at it, she couldn’t help but think of responsibility.
Of becoming “the mature one.”
The caretaker.
The girl who stayed behind while everyone else got to simply be children.
Katara swallowed hard.
Maybe that was why the thought of marriage unsettled her so much.
Everyone spoke of it as though it were the obvious next step in her life.
Wife.
Mother.
Caretaker.
The words fit her so naturally that no one ever stopped to ask whether she wanted them.
Even she never had.
And spirits, wasn’t that awful?
Because it wasn’t that Katara hated the idea.
She loved teaching her students.
She loved taking care of the people around her.
She loved loving people.
So why did the future suddenly feel like a room slowly closing around her?
Katara closed her eyes.
Somewhere out there, Aang was probably flying across the world fulfilling his duties as Avatar.
Sokka had his council work.
Toph had her academy.
Everyone seemed to have found a direction.
Meanwhile, Katara still felt stuck standing in the same place she had been since she was fourteen years old:
taking care of everyone else first.
A knock suddenly echoed against her window.
Katara frowned.
Then came another.
Softer this time.
She looked up just in time to see the shape of a messenger hawk perched outside against the snow-filled night.
She looked up just in time to see the shape of a messenger hawk perched outside against the snow-filled night.
For a brief moment, Katara considered the possibility that she was either dreaming or finally losing her mind.
Then she noticed the Fire Nation emblem fastened to the bird’s chest.
Her breath caught.
Could it be from—
No.
Zuko’s letters always arrived with the same plain white hawk. The very same one that had delivered the official announcement earlier that day.
This hawk looked entirely different.
Its feathers glowed deep red and burnt orange beneath the moonlight, almost unreal against the snow.
Almost like the phoenix hawks Zuko kept at the palace.
Katara realized, with some embarrassment, that she was already crossing the room before she had consciously decided to move.
She opened the window far quicker than she cared to admit.
The hawk remained perfectly still as she carefully untied the parchment attached to its chest.
And the moment she unfolded it, Katara knew.
The paper was stained with uneven ink, the writing pressed so hard into the parchment it almost tore through in places.
Not neat.
Not polished.
Not diplomatic.
Zuko.
Actually Zuko this time.
Her eyes quickly fell to the first line.
“Katara, before you assume I’ve finally lost my mind, let me explain.”