Where The Sun Meets The Moon - A Zutara Fanfic

Chapter II

Zuko

"What time are they arriving, again?" I asked absent-mindedly as the maid tugged at the sides of my suit and brushed off the dust from my shoulders.

"They'll be here soon, your highness," she said quietly. I sighed and she quickly added; "It's quite a walk from the Water Kingdom."

"They could've taken a carriage," she frowned at my answer.

"No need to be pessimistic, brother," Azula's voice echoed through the chamber, sly and venomous like always. I glared at her, not able to move my body due to the adjustments being made to the outfit. "I heard she's a pretty little thing. You're in luck."

"I don't need to be in luck," I snarled, gaining a raised eyebrow from her. "Our parents' intention isn't for us to start courting. It's to help calm father down so he doesn't slaughter anyone in the Water Kingdom."

"So there won't be a wedding?" She asked and I sighed with a nod. Her groan was filled with disappointment.

The maid finished her job and bowed, leaving me and Azula in the room. I fixed my collar and moved around a few strands of my hair, trying to look as put together as possible. I wanted the princess to know, whoever she was, that I wasn't someone she could just underestimate.

I'd heard she was the most powerful waterbender in her family. Stronger than the king. But I just passed it off as a rumor and didn't take it that seriously. After all, if a war were to ever take place, I doubted her family would even allow her to leave the security of their palace. They seemed protective of her, maybe even overprotective, which contrasted with my father barely caring about what I was up to the entire month.

"Your majesties," I heard a familiar, gruff voice call out. I turned to see Jaruk, the head guard, standing at the doorway with his arms crossed. With his stubble he never shaved, thick hair in a high bun and tall, muscular build, he was definitely one of the most, if not the most intimidating guard of them all. "It's time."

Azula and I shared a final glance before following Jaruk who was waiting for us to walk out after him, and he led us to the throne room where father sat. The way his eyebrows were pressed down on his face, accompanied by his dazed, unfocused eye-contact with the floor told me he was irritated with something, but I knew asking him about it wouldn't lead to anything, so I just quietly took my place beside him, Azula walking over to his other side.

We seemed to be just in time, as the throne room's doors soon opened, and one of the younger guards who couldn't be older than twelve rushed in with bright red cheeks and messed up curls of orange hair.

"King Hakoda of the Water Kingdom has made his arrival," He called out, his voice not loud enough to echo through the room the way ours did. But the fact that he was trying his best was impressive for his age. "And so have the heirs; Princess Katara and Prince Sokka, your grace."

He stepped aside quickly, and I noticed father's back straighten beside me when he saw the familiar figure walking down the hall towards him.

I already knew what King Hakoda looked like; chin-length brown hair in a half-up style, two strands put at the front with blue beads at the end of each, with a beard that only covered his chin and jaws and a blue, well tailored attire that proved his wealth. Though his clothes lacked the gold and ruby accents of our kingdom's, they were still crafted to look luxurious, with sapphires and pearls adorning it instead. He was always quite a sight to see, a complete contrast to our people.

My eyes then peeled away and landed on the boy next to him. Sokka, was it? Both sides of his hair were shaved and he'd put the rest up in a tiny ponytail. It reminded me of my old hairstyle. He had big ears that were even more apparent with the lack of hair on the sides of his head. And his facial expression was hard not to laugh at; he was trying so hard to look angry and sure of himself, with the typical pout and narrow eyes of a toddler who was trying desperately to intimidate an adult. Trying to be serious and scary didn't suit him.