Zuko's Betrothed

Dangerous Dreams

"At this rate, I'm going to get married on this ship." I tell Iroh as we sit watching Zuko stalk at the front of the ship. "I don't know Zuko may not marry you until you can get back to the Fire Nation." Iroh said I glare at the prince with annoyance "oh, so I've wasted my whole life for nothing, and I can never go home. My father really made the right decision giving him my hand." I say sarcasm dripping from my words. I know Iroh doesn't believe that the Avatar is out there, and I'm not sure I believe that either. 

But part of me has to hope, because if he isn't and Zuko doesn't capture him... My whole life really will have been wasted. All of a sudden we see a flash of blue light come across the sky, unlike Iroh my eyes fall on the unusual light. "Uncle! Do you realize what this means?" Zuko asks after seeing the blue glow himself. "That I won't get to finish my game?" Iroh quizzes pondering the tile he has in hand "it means, my search is about to come to an end." Zuko says narrowing his eyes in the direst where the light had shown. I let out an annoyed sigh "What makes you think this will be the Avatar?" I ask looking out to the light again. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source, it has to be!" Zuko shouts wanting for it to so badly be true.

"Or it is just the celestial lights, we've been down this road before prince Zuko, I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please sit, why don't you enjoy a calming cup of jasmine tea?" Iroh asks always trying to caterer to the angry prince, a waste of time. "I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar! Helmsman, head a course to the light!" Zuko yells his orders as the wind picks up in the cold. 

I approach the Prince who doesn't move from his spot at the front of the ship. I just stand there for a moment "if this is it Honna we'll be married on your birthday," Zuko says to me trying to be light-hearted. Part of me feels tensed by that statement alone, not that I don't want to be Zuko's wife, but I feel like it's not really a choice anymore. I smirk "And here I thought you'd forgotten about our betrothal." I say with humor dancing through my words. Zuko looked at me irritated "What do you mean by that?" he asked anger simmering just beneath the surface like it always did, but I was use to his temper and he was nothing compared to my father. 

"I mean that for the past year and a half I hardly see you, not that I'm truly complaining, but when we first left you still tried to keep up the act of pretending this was a choice," I tell him not beating around the bush. Zuko seemed to be searching for something in my eyes, and I didn't know what he wanted it to be. "Honna, I'm not going to play pretend with you. You will be my wife one day not because of choice but because of power, and that's it," he says looking away from me.

I glare daggers at the stupid arrogant prince. "You know I'm not trying to do anything but be your friend! We have no choice in our relationship status, so how about you try to step off your high horse because news flash I can't go anywhere!" I tell him fury gleaming off me. I throw my fist down flames radiating off them as I storm inside to my room.

I sat in my room fuming the air in the room being noticeably warmer from my rage. I couldn't help but think about what Zuko had said, married by my birthday. That's how it would have been if we were still in the Fire Nation. The heir to the thrown show be married when the younger of the pair turns sixteen, and I'm only a few weeks shy. On the summer solstic is suppose to be my wedding day, but unless Zuko catches the Avatar I doubt it'll ever happen. If I don't marry Zuko and become Fire Queen, I will have no honor, no home, and no purpose. 

I think of my sister, I have never seen her but from what she said she's mom's spitting image. I try to image her I find comfort in her letters, and I wish I could go home to her and mom. Dreaming was dangerous here, I was doomed and I needed to get use to that. Zuko and I permintly doomed together to chase the Avatar, and hate each other bond together by a vow two children made. But if we didn't stay together we'd have no honor, and that is worse than death in our culture.

I close my eyes and try to push the thought out of my mind, with hope Zuko will catch the Avatar and I can face my destiny.