"This is your room dear," Lo and Li brought her to her room later that day as Katara spent it wondering the palace she'd never call home.
"Thank you," she nodded and walked in but closed the doors behind her. Katara rather be alone from the overwhelming day.
Katara sighed walking in as she took her hair out and brushed it over her shoulder looking around at the draping silk curtain around the balcony. The walls where of course red as well as her large bed in the center of the room but pressed against the wall. It was the nicest bed she's ever seen as it had roses in a vase on the night stand as well as some sort of beautiful lilies mixed.
Her hand trailed across the soft bed and to the wooden post on the corner, it was a weird feeling of thick, smooth, dark wood unlike at home where everything was basically ice and snow, they didn't have trees so they used animal bones for support, they'd get a few supplies such as wooden spoons for soups but that's from trading with their sister tribe once in a while but that trade stopped when the South Pole didn't have much left to offer.
"I'm doing this for my people, I'm doing this for them," Katara told herself softly, closing her eyes as she sat on the bed but made a small sound of distress when she sunk to much and fell back.
"Whoa..." she breathed with wide eyes as she was in the bed it felt like, sinking into the mattress.
"That's going to need some getting use to," Katara pushed herself up but heard a knocking at the door.
"Um come in?" She called and saw the fire lords daughter from before walk in.
"Azula right?" She stood up quickly as Azula looked around in the room. She was going to be her sister in law, might as well try to get along...
"Ty lee said you should get some friends around here since the servants are annoying, would you like to join us in the garden?" Azula smirked slyly as she leaned against the wall crossing her arms.
"Oh um..." Katara trailed off, Zuko said something about her being snake like. Not like she liked Zuko by any means...
"Yea okay," she smiled and put her hair back up in the fire nation half up bun but Azula stopped her at the door.
"If you want to fit in you should drop the necklace, big give away of water tribe peasant," Azula flicked the necklace around her neck but Katara touched it.
"No, the necklace stays," Katara defended.
"It's my mothers..." she sighed and Azula looked at her flatly.
"Miss mommy from your icy hell?" Azula scoffed.
"She's dead, been dead since I was little," Katara shot back and walked past her. Azula smirked a little and walked ahead to lead the way. It was only a few twists and turns until Katara saw the garden the fire nation princess mentioned.
It was the most beautiful thing she's seen since she's been here, it was a small pond with a cherry blossom tree as there was stones around it as the green grass covered the ground and a small water fountain trickled in the middle, as there she saw ty lee and another girl talking and by the cherry tree she saw Zuko reading to himself as he had a loaf of bread next to him.
"You don't like my brother much do you?" Azula smirked darkly at the water bender.
"You be forced to marry someone you never met before and still have a smile, after being torn from your home," Katara blew some hair out of her face.
"If your tribe was the superior I would've married your brother instead, sokka right?" Azula hummed and Katara rolled her eyes.
"Lucky me," Katara sighed.
"Katara!" Ty lee waved excitedly at her as the girls walked over.
"This is mai I told you about," the acrobat smiled motioning to the gloomy looking girl with silky black hair and bangs.
"Oh hi," Katara put her hands behind her back but mai glared at her.
"This is zuzus ex," Azula smirked back at her and mai sent her a glare.
"It's none of her business," mai shot and Katara gulped nervously.
"Don't tell me you still love Zuko mai, it's never going to happen," Azula glared back.
"Fuck off azula," mai snapped harshly as she looked at Katara.
"Not like it's much of an upgrade from me anyways," she hissed and ty lee frowned worriedly.
"Katara isn't here to make your life hell mai, please be nice," ty lee stood up to calm them all down as Katara just seemed uncomfortable.
"So did you and Zuko break up cause of the betrothal? If it is I'm really sorry, it's not exactly a choice I made," Katara sat next to mai as Azula crosses her arms looking at them.
"It's not because of the stupid betrothal water tribe," mai glared at her.
"Oh..."
"Mais just jealous cause Zuko can't break up with you like he did with her," Azula waved them off as Katara looked down. This wasn't going so well anymore.
"Why not play a game for us to all get along," the princess offered raising her voice after a few seconds of silence. Katara notice Zuko glance up at them and frowned at his sister. Did he know something?
"Ty Lee your with me, mai and Katara your a team," she smirked at them as mai scoffed but made her way to Katara.
"It's simple really, you have to protect your partner before yourself," Azula explained and mai finally smiled knowing the game but ty lee hesitated but finally nodded. Katara just listened.
"Benders and non benders, your a water bender right Katara?" Azula hummed.
"Yea But I haven't really ever practiced much, I'm the only one in my tribe," Katara sighed hugging her arms to her stomach. Something feels off.
"Good enough, mai protect her as I attack, Katara no bending, you have to trust mai,"
Katara felt her face turn white knowing Azula was a fire bender. She can't be serious. She's going to get grilled.
"Let's get started," mai smirked as she stepped in front of Katara and Azula stood in front of ty lee.
She kicked a wave of fire at the two girl and mai kicked under Katara and she fell on the grass with a grunt as Fire was only a foot away from her face. So maybe mai won't let her die, just push her down a lot...
Katara got back up but gasped when a ball of blue fire almost hit her arm but mai used a knife to pin Katara to a tree but out of the way as it was stuck against her skirt and her strap against the tree.
"H-hey mai can you help me out?" Katara felt her heart pick up speed as Azula hummed amused as she kicked another fire ball at her and mai failed to do anything so Katara bender the water from the fountain to shield herself from the burning fire.
"Guys!" She cried out trying to get the knife out of her skirt but it was in pretty deep.
Azula smirked as she narrowed her eyes only to punch another blue fire at her but Katara was frozen in fear.
Suddenly Zuko jumped in front of her and parted the fire into orange flames as they separated on their sides.
"Azula enough tormenting," Zuko said sternly as he sipped the knife out of Kataras skirt and then the one in her strap.
"I'm only playing Zuzu," Azula whistled innocently.
"Until someone gets hurt, Kataras only been here for a day, leave her be," Zuko threw the knife at her but Azula caught it with her fingers.
"Your not married yet, you can control her," Azula groaned boredly putting her hands on her hips.
"I'm not-" Zuko cut himself off as he rubbed his forehead frustratedly.
"I just don't think it's smart to go and try burning her alive when she just got here," he sighed shaking his head. Katara crosses her arms narrowing her eyes at him.
"I don't need your protection Prince zuko," Katara huffed.
"I know, you obviously have this all under control," Zuko growled annoyed and stormed off. She could hear him mumbling 'why do I even bother' and 'Azula always is the one who wins' or 'what's the point' along with some cusses under his breath.
"I wouldn't just go run off to uncle again Zuzu, dad might get the wrong idea of you," Azula called with a sly smile on her lips when Zuko stopped.
"Seems like I'm right, like always," she flipped some of her hair out of her face.
"At least I know I can rely on him," Zuko glared back and left the outdoors, slamming the door shut making Katara jump.
"That Zuzu, never can control his temper, he gets it from dad I think," Azula sighed bored and Katara was already walking away as well. She couldn't handle it all.