A Princess' Destiny ✘ZUKO ✘

Soana (So•ah•nah)

"I'm betrothed?" Soana gasped.

In the castle of her home, Soana, Princess of the Northern Water Tribe, stared down her father, Chief Arnook, and his advisors as they gave her a stern, serious look.

Arnook and his advisors sat on the floor with the advisors surrounding him. With their legs crossed and arms tucked together in the sleeves of their parkas, they hung their heads low in pity.

"I'm afraid so," Arnook said to his daughter.

Appalled by the news, Soana became wide-eyed as her heart sank to her stomach.

"To whom?" She managed to choke out.

"Fire Lord Ozai has come to an agreement. In exchange for his trust, I have given your hand in marriage to his son, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."

Soana's breath had been stolen but shocked. Her mind started to spiral as her ears began to ring.

"Soana, the Prince and his uncle will be here in a few days to meet you. By the end of the fortnight, you both will be married."
Arnook said as he watched his daughter walk backward towards the archway that led outside.

The princess shook her head and ignored her father by turning around and sprinting out of the throne room.

"Soana, come back!" Arnook shouted, but he was too late. She was too far away to hear him.

Soana's eyes blurred with tears of sorrow. She knew her life as a princess of her tribe was coming to an end very soon all because of her father wanting peace.

She knew her father had tried everything from sending fish and penguin meat to supplying animal furs and blue dye, however, nothing worked.

Soana had known for a while that betrothal would come into play, but she figured the thought was inevitable.

"Soana!" She heard her younger sister, Yue, call to her. "Wait!"

The princess was now running towards her bedroom where she was stopped by Yue. Her vision was still blurred beyond all circumstances, but the younger princess had managed to wipe them away for her.

"What happened? What did father say?"

Soana took a shaken to relieve her of her anxiety.
"I'm betrothed to Prince Zuko."

Yue furrowed her brows and shook her head.
"This can't be. There must be a mistake."

"There's no mistake." Soana sighed.
"I'm to be married to him for the sake of my people. I don't know if I'm capable of doing this after what his nation has done to our troops and Niko."

Yue frowned.
"Niko is in a better place. He would want you to move on for him. To be married and to have children to provide Zuko in case if he needs an heir."

Soana felt too stunned to speak any more to her sister. Just hearing her say things of marriage and having children with someone who comes from such a destructive family was just too unruly.

"I need to be alone." Soana rushed her sister with her words.

"But Soana,"

"I'm sorry."

With that said, the princess pushed out of her sister's way to spring towards a set of double doors that led to her bedroom.

That day had been the third-worst day of Soana's life. The fourth worst was when Prince Zuko had arrived at the Northern Water Tribe.

It had been a few days after Soana heard the news of her engagement to the prince.

When she saw the Fire Nation battleship arrive in the port at the front gate, Soana showed no emotion.

Nothing made her crack. Not even when the prince, his Uncle, and a few soldiers arrived at the palace later that day.

Soana and Yue were seated at dinner with Arnook at the head of the table. The Prince and his Uncle sat across from Yue and Soana, talking amongst themselves as Prince Zuko and her stare silently at anywhere but themselves.

Soana gazed at the steam floating off of her tea when she heard the Prince speak personally to her.

"I like your eyes."

Soana's brows knitted. She didn't know whether to be confused or disgusted by his words. One thing she knew for sure was that she didn't like Zuko. Not at all.

When she would look at his scar all she could think was how much trouble he had to make to get it.

Prince Zuko saw the failure he had created from her reaction and scrunched his face then leaned slightly towards his Uncle Iroh's ear.

Soana turned her head and saw Yue glancing at her with a cup of tea placed at the edge of her lips that pulled into a grin.

She sent her sister a glare before turning her focus back to her steaming tea.

"Well? Do you speak?"

She heard the tone of his voice becoming annoyed which made the corner of her lip pull up.

That had been the first time she had shown any emotion in days. Now was not the appropriate time for her to smirk, but inside she never felt of a more perfect time to do it.

Just as she had hoped her smirk made him more irritated than when she didn't speak.

"You think you're so clever, huh?"

"Zuko," Iroh warned.

The prince huffed angrily at his uncle.

Soana watched as Zuko kept his face scrunched in annoyance. To the princess she thought he resembled a pouting child; she thought of his attitude almost as ridiculous as his bald head with a high ponytail stuck in the middle of it.

After some more time had passed, Soana's tea went cold. Almost as cold as the freezing temperature of the North Pole.

Zuko didn't like the quiet between them. He had enough of his Uncle and his warnings of causing an outburst.
"It's useless talking to you! You won't say anything! What's wrong with you?"

Calmly, Soana stared at the prince as he waited for her response. She was silent which caused him to huff.

"Figures," He said.

Soana's posture straightened to create intimidation.

"I am the princess of the Northern Water Tribe, so don't you ever speak in that tone of voice with me again, hothead."

She quickly lifted her hand and flicked her wrist to lift the tea from the cup and sent it splashing on the Prince's face.

Zuko fell backward from his cushion but caught himself and wiped his face to rid of the tea.

"Soana!" Arnook scolded his daughter in a deep voice and smashed his fist on the table, making the dishes on the table rattle.

Zuko screamed.
"How dare you!"

Soana abruptly stood up, ignoring Iroh's chuckling, Arnook's stiff jaw, and Yue's appalled look.

She only kept her sights on Zuko as he now gazed at her from the floor in fear. To him, she looked powerful and overbearing which made Zuko have a spark of admiration ignite in him.

"No! How dare you!" Soana spat.

Zuko felt hurt for a second of seeing his soon-to-be bride looking more threatening than he ever did in his entire life.

Soana noticed her father's face turning beet red, so she ignored him and dismissed herself from the table.

When the princess turned and left the dining hall, Iroh chuckled while Yue and Arnook looked shocked by the outburst Soana had caused.

"She stings like a buzzard wasp." Iroh chuckled.