Katara POV
I turned my attention toward Dad, as did everyone else. I saw Sokka out of thr corner of my eye looking sad and grumpy, but I ignored it for now.
"As you all know, as the South Pole is rebuilding our trube and culture, I would like to also like to rebuilding and strengthen our relations with the Northern Water Tribe by carrying on one of their oldest traditions," Dad said. He paused before he went on. "This idea was brought to me by my Head General of Northern Wolf Warriors, and although it is sudden, I feel that recent events have happened so that this may happen. Hahn."
That's when the Wolf Warrior next to me stood up and took off his helmet. Just as Dad had said it was, Hahn was the mysterious warrior next to me.
"Thank you, Great Chief Hakoda. It is a privilege to be welcomed into your home, but is an honor to be welcomed into your family," Hahn said to Dad. He then turned to me while reaching behind his back. "And I must say I promise to be a good husband to your beautiful daughter. Making her happy, whole, mother within two years. Dear, sweet Katara accept my token of marriage."
By the end of his speech he had pulled out a betrothal necklace. I looked at him is disbelief. Then I looked at my dad, and he just had a stern look on his face.
"Katara, take the necklace. This would revive the traditon that has been lost to us for generations. As future princess it is your job to set the example of tradition and culture being brought back to us. Therefore you are the only one who can restore this tradition," my dad said with pride in his voice. Shocked, I touched my mother's necklace.
"Haha, that's not a funny joke or prank Dad. Please," I said to my dad. I looked back at Hahn and he began speaking again.
"Katara, I know right now that you don't have feelings for me, but I must say that I have had feelings for you since the end of the war. Your strength, skills and kindness knows no bounds. I am sure that within a years time by our wedding, that you will love me the way I love you," Hahn said. The way he was looking at me made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. He was laying it on thick and it was disgusting.
"Dad, a word please. You too, Sokka," I say to Dad and Sokka. I get up, throw my napkin onto the table, and walk out into the hallway. As soon as the doors close behind them, I cross my arms over my chest and glare at the two. "Explain. Now."
"Katara, after Sokka came back to the meeting announcing your arrival, I asked him why you had returned without Aang. He told me that the two of you broke up, so when Hahn brought it to my attention that this would be a great way to bond the two tribes, I couldn't think of a better way. Think of it, your brother will be my successor and will one day become Chief of the two tribes, and you can be mine and his ambassador in the Northern tribe. Brother and sister working together to heal the bond of the two tribes," Dad said to me. I wasn't very convinced of his answer.
"Sorry Dad, but no. I won't go through with it. Firstly, because I do not like Hahn in any particular way, also he was Yue's fiance. I know she is no longer with us but still."
"Katara, as your father and Chief of the Tribes, I order you to go through with the arrange marriage. You are right, he was Yue's fiance, therefore making him the best option. If he was good enough for the first princess, then he is good enough for you. I will not here another word of this and my desiosion is final."
"I'm not a child anymore. I'm almost eighteen, you can't keep making decisions for me. You also can't make me do anything I don't want to do."
"Trust me, I tried that and it didn't work out for me. Dad, Katara is right. This isn't something that should be chosen for us," Sokka said in my defense. I was glad someone was on my side.
"I've been traveling the world with Aang for the past three years and you never brought up the idea of marriage. Im home for five minutes after breaking up with Aang and you already have me in an arranged marriage. Dad? Come on?" I say to my father.
"Young lady, don't you dare defy me or my orders. The two of you will married within a year and a half. Is that understood?" He shouted at me. His face was growing red and my temper was rising. Since I saw that this was going nowhere, I walked away furiously. I couldn't believe it. Once I got to my room, I didn't give the guards a chance to open the door for me, instead I use my icebending to move the doors much faster. I slammed the doors shut behind me and fall onto my bed. I started to cry my eyes out.
"I'm so confused. I know that this is not what you want, but what else can I do." I ended crying myself to sleep.
