The Avatar's Marriage

Is Now The Right Time?

The celebrations that accompanied Air Nomad weddings started immediately and with great gusto. Being that it was the Avatar's wedding; the celebrations were only more intense.

The Air Nomad cooks pulled out most of the stops, preparing a variety of dishes for their culturally diverse crowd. The only thing they refused to do was serve meat, which was well-tolerated by everyone at the celebrations except for a certain bride's brother.

While most of the attendees partied, the bride and groom themselves were far too busy accepting a plethora of gifts from their guests to join in the festivities themselves.

Katara's parents were the first to present their 'gift', which was actually Katara's dowry. It was presented to Aang, though Katara would be the only one who used it. It was mostly made up of silks, money, and other things that were passed down from mother to daughter to insure the new bride's home ran smoothly.

Monk Gyatso was next, and he presented Katara with an Air Nomad pendent that he had made himself, to welcome her to the Air Nomad culture. Katara thanked him profusely, knowing how much Monk Gyatso meant to the man who was now her husband.

Katara's sister-in-law approached them alone and gave Katara a wrapped box, urging her to wait to open it later.

After the people who knew them had given their gifts, new people took their place, people that Aang would be working close with over the course of his life, but still did not know that well. The gifts turned into the average wedding affair… home-making stuff, and they all started to blur into one.

Aang kept stealing glances at the woman who sat next to him, hardly able to believe that he was married… much less to such a beautiful young woman. What he had told Monk Gyatso was true… he really did care about her and he felt sure that he was developing feelings for her.

Maybe I can fall in love with her. Aang thought to himself in amazement. If that is the case, this wedding really could have turned out much worse. I don't know what I would have done if I were being forced to marry someone I knew I could never love.

Unbeknownst to him, Katara also kept stealing glances his way. I've known about this marriage since I was five years old, but it didn't seem real until right now. She thought to herself in amazement. I've just become the wife of the single most powerful person in the entire world… the Avatar! But it's more than that… I've become Aang's wife. Handsome, gentle, caring Aang. He is a man that I could fall in love with.

They both glanced at each other and shared a small smile. This arranged marriage could be the best thing that ever happened to me. They both thought at the same time.

____________________________________

As per tradition, Aang and Katara snuck away from the party that night without any fanfare at all. Aang knew what would happen soon after they left. Someone would turn to find the bride and groom for some wedding game and find them gone. People would instantly know that they had left to attend their 'private' celebration, and a betting pool would start instantly as to the gender of their first child.

Aang, however, as much as he cared about Katara, had no intention of consummating their relationship that night. Yes, they were married, but they were not in love yet. Because of his engagement, Aang had refrained from dishonoring himself and his bride by engaging in a sexual relationship with another woman, so Aang was a virgin, a fact that his friends knew.

Most of Aang's friends from other nations all ready had their first experiences with sex before Aang knew them, and they occasionally spoke about the subject. One of his friends from the Fire Nation had lost his virginity by been sent to a brothel when he came of age to 'become a man' and another friend had consummated his relationship with his long-time girlfriend, someone that he loved. Listening to them, Aang learned that sex was more enjoyable if it was with someone you loved. He didn't want to give away his all-important first time to just anyone, but someone he loved.