Zuko's Betrothed

A Show

We talked the entire walk back to the ships, I couldn't remember the last time I felt so happy. Having these two beside me enveloped my heart in pure joy, but the familiar dread never strayed too far. As we approached the ship where mine and Zulma's betrothed waits for us, our father stands waiting to greet us. I felt a familiar dryness coming to my throat, when I was a child I was supposed to bow to my father. He would strike us whenever we wouldn't, but I outranked him now.

 I stared at the man as we approached and while mother and Zulma did the polite bow engrained into them I remained tall. He wouldn't dare strike the Princess to the Fire Nation future Fire Queen, banished or not that still meant something. "Honna," father greeted me as politely as the man could but the anger in his voice showed through.  "Father, how have you been?" I ask as I pass by him, mother and Zulma following me up the ramp to enter Commander Zhao's ship. "I've been fine considering I've had no help from you," he spat as if I was supposed to have fixed everything being betrothed to Zuko. 

We now stood in the corridor of the ship, and when I turned to face him I stood tall like the Princess I am. "And what do I own you?" I ask him my eyebrows raised "do you assume that in my banishment I was also given a surplus of wealth to lend to you? Even if I had such wealth why would I give it to such a cruel man who treated me and the people I love like scum?" I ask him immediately I felt the heat pick up in the room. He was mad and a wave of familiar anger rose from him. "How dare you speak to me this way?! I gave you everything! You wouldn't be a Princess at all if it wasn't for me! I'll teach you respect!" he shouted raising his hand to strike me.

Before I could respond someone's hand caught his in a searing grip. It was Zuko with an unworldly scowl covering his features, I could hear the audible gasp from mother and Zulma behind me. "What do you think you're doing?" Zuko asks sounding older than his years "Prince Zuko, I apologize I just lost my temper," my father tried to explain through gritted teeth obviously trying to fight the pain coming into his wrist. "Do you know the punishment for harming a member of the royal family?" Zuko asks bearing into his eyes refusing to lose the stare down they were locked in.

"Prince Zuko, please I apologize for my actions. They will never happen again," my father begs for his life knowing full and well the consequences of harming a princess of the Fire Nation. Death. "The only person who can pass judgment in Princess Honna," Zuko says to him never releasing his grip but eyes slightly shifting towards me. I stare at my father, I want so badly for him to pay for what he's done. Something inside me won't let me kill him, even though right now my word in final "Don't kill him, but if I ever hear of Zulma or mother being injured again by your hand. I will not hesitate," I say as my first decree as a Princess. 

When Zuko drops my father's wrist he links his arm with mine. "You heard her. Although we're banished does not mean we won't be able to enact our will," Zuko says before leading me off the ship. We leave the crowd that had gathered in shock, and my father knelt on the floor clutching his throbbing wrist. 

"Thank you," I say once we are on the ground. "Don't thank me. You're my Princess, I will never let anyone disrespect or harm you. But in return for the last event, I need to attend my Agni kai." he said to me. "An Agni Kai!" I shouted fear rushing through me at the memory of the last Agni Kai my betrothed fought in. My hand strayed to my face clutching my cheek "I won't lose! Never again will I let your face be scarred," he told me placing his hand over mine cupping my face to look at him. "Okay," I tell him placing trust in him although I was scared beyond belief.

We prepared for the Agni Kai, and before we entered the place where they were to fight. Zuko and I did what every couple does before a Agni Kai, just like the first. I peck Zuko's lips in front of the gates where everyone could see. It was a show that I believed in him and had no fear, but like everything else it was a show.

It felt strange to kiss Zuko. His lips were soft but he didn't try to put anything into the kiss, he only lingered for a second before pulling away. Our kisses felt distant, and although we've only had three they were all cold because there was no flame between us.