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Honestly, things could be a lot worse.
In a time where most marriages were arranged or forced, Katara was lucky she had the opportunity to marry someone she actually loved, and not just tolerated. And that person was not only the love of her life, and probably her soulmate, but also her best friend in the entire universe.
Still, the pressure of being royalty was quite heavy.
They didn’t really have titles like these in the South Water Tribe. She was daughter of the Chief, but it wasn’t a title that was necessarily passed down through blood, so it didn't actually mean anything. And Sokka was going to be the next Chief, everyone knew that, so Katara wasn’t a big name back in her tribe.
And now she was going to be Fire Lady.
“You look really pale,” Suki mentioned, as they had lunch with Toph and Aang, one day before the wedding “Are you ok?”
Katara wasn’t sure. Her stomach definitely wasn’t ok.
“Do you think this was a bad idea?” she sighs.
“This lunch? Oh, definitely.” Toph made a face “I hate fish stew. Couldn’t we have fried it?”
“Babe, I think she’s talking about the wedding.” Aang corrects, in a low tone.
“Oh.”
Katara rolls her eyes, then shifts a little in her chair.
“I just… Maybe we’re rushing things?”
“You spent two years engaged,” Suki remindss her “After dating for six years. After waiting three whole years before—”
“Ok, I get it,” Katara groans “I’m just… Not ready to be Fire Lady. It’s a big step. Getting married is already a big deal, but when your husband is a world leader… It's a little overwhelming.”
“I know.” Suki nods “There’s gonna be a lot of new responsibilities waiting for you.”
“And you’re going to have to have kids.” Toph adds.
“Thanks, guys,” Katara deadpans. “That really helps, I’m feeling much better.”
Aang laughs.
“Ok, ignore them,” they say, which earns them a punch from their girlfriend “You were so excited last night, what happened?”
Katara looks down for a bit, then sighs.
“I know Zuko says the Fire Nation is welcoming the idea of a waterbender Fire Lady,” she whispers, afraid of speaking too loud “But I don’t… I don’t think they’re ready to have me in the royal court.”
The other three stay quiet for a few seconds. Toph is the first one to speak.
“Sugar Queen, I say this with ultimate love,” she starts “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Toph! Language!” Aang reprimands.
“Oh, please, it’s Katara.” she rolls her eyes.
“The future Fire Lady, yes!” They remind her.
“Twinkletoes, I’m not a firebender, it doesn’t count,” she grumbles “And it doesn’t make sense! What is she talking about?”
“Spirits, you’re all still children,” Suki whispers, in a tired voice.
“I’m talking about how I'm not suited for court, you big mole rat.” Katara says, throwing a piece of bread in Toph's direction.
It lands on her hair.
“Hey! Not fair! I’m blind!” she complains.
“What do you mean?” asks Suki, ignoring Toph’s outburst and Aang’s giggles.
“I’m… I don’t know how to be royalty” Katara sighs “I’m too loud, I tend to get too pressed when people disagree with me, and I… I’m the last southern waterbender. I want to honor my culture and I don’t know how I’m going to do that if I’m the ruler of a different nation.”
It’s heavy, and she can read it in her friend's eyes as she says it. She feels stupid, sometimes, for having those doubts but maybe it isn't. Maybe she’s panicking for a good reason, right?
“Katara, this is a valid worry,” Aang tells her “But have you talked to Zuko about it?”
She looks down, pouting.
“No,” she confesses “I haven’t. I don’t want him to think that I have doubts. I want to marry him.”
“Dude, I don’t think there's anyone in this world who understands you better than Sparky,” Toph says, playing with her stew instead of actually eating it “Like, seriously, sometimes it’s like you guys have this magical connection and bla bla bla.”
“I’m a little offended by the bla bla bla,” Aang gently pinches their girlfriend on the arm. “But, and it hurts to say this, Toph is right, Katara.”
“You don’t have to say it like you're gagging, damn.” Toph punches them.
“I also think Toph’s right…” Suki mentions.
“Aha!”
“This is a big step for him too, Kat,” Suki continues “You need to discuss things. Maybe you’re not ready, who knows. But talk to him first.”
Katara nods, but doesn’t say anything else.
After lunch, they all have things to do. Her friends have duties and so does she as the wedding was happening the next day. And so did Zuko, so she barely saw him, let alone talk about the things that were plaguing her mind.
And then it was too late, because there was the ball — a party to introduce her to the royal court, how fitting. She almost skipped, tempted to tell her fiancé she was feeling a little sick. And Zuko, with his soft heart, would completely understand. But she couldn’t.
So here she was.
Dressed in the Fire Nation’s finest silk — in blue, because Zuko insisted and she agreed — and with her hair pulled up in a topknot of sorts, wearing the proposal necklace Zuko had made for her years ago, and other jewelry she wasn’t really a fan of.
Katara was pretty certain she was going to nervously sweat her way out of that dress.
“Hey,” Zuko grabbed her hand “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine” she lied “It’s just… Wow. I’ve met a lot of important people before but this is the Fire Nation royal court and I just…”
“Kat.” he squeezes her hand “I’m right here, ok? I’m always going to be right here. Lean on me.”
Lean on me.
She can’t help but smile, letting out a breath of relief.
“You’re right,” she mutters “You’re here. I’m with you.”
“Yep,” he places a kiss in her hand “You’re with me. Ready?”
“Not really,” she laughs “But as ready as I'll ever be. Let’s go.”
Zuko laughs too, and it helps. She can pretend, for a little bit, that is just the two of them, and it helps. They’ve done so much together, now. They’ve faced countless threats during their lives, especially together, so maybe they can do this too.
Maybe she can.
The first hour goes by quickly. They talk to their friends and guests, people of the other nations that are too important to miss out, and even their parents — Hakoda, Katara’s stepdad Bato, Ursa and Zuko’s stepdad Ikem — and it was ok. Suddenly, though, politicians were everywhere and Katara couldn't breathe.
Zuko finds her in one of the many balconies of the palace, practicing breathing exercises and bending the wine in her glass just to distract herself.
“Yoiu know, there’s a party going on inside” he says, stopping next to her “And a lot of people noticed your absence.”
“A lot of people,” she giggles “Or just the Firelord?”
“Well, you know, both?” They laugh together, and then he gently touches her hand. “Kat. It’s me. What’s wrong?”
Her hands are shanking in his, and she closes her eyes as she lets out a heavy sigh.
“I don’t know how to do this, Zuko.” she confesses.
“What do you mean?” he touches her face gently “We deal with people all the time, love.”
“This is different!” Katara stomps her foot down “I have no royal training, and all these people are expecting me to be this perfect princess which I'm not! I tried hard to get integrated with the Fire Nation politics but… People are always going to look at me and wish you married someone else.”
Against everything she was expecting to come from him, Zuko laughs.
She frowns.
“Dude, I just poured my heart out for you!” she complains.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry. It’s just… Katara, out of all of us, you’re kind of the best when it comes to politics,” he shrugs “You’re insanely smart, you know beetle strategy and economics, and you learned it on your own. You know how to be very diplomatic, and you’re always thinking about other people. You’re the best leader a nation like mine could ever ask for.”
“But they…”
“The people of the Fire Nation remember what you did, Katara,” Zuko states “And there might be one or two assholes who haven’t accepted the idea yet, but I don’t care. I love you with every fiber of my being, and I know in my heart and soul that you’re going to be the best Fire Lady this world has ever seen.”
Katara feels a gentle tear stream down her face, but she’s smiling as big as the day Zuko proposed.
“How can you be so sure?” she whispers.
“Well, I know you,” he smiles “And so do all our friends. We all think you can do this.”
“But what if…”
“Ok, come here.”
He grabs her hands and leads out of the balcony and back into the party. Everybody is looking at them now, and Katara has half a mind to bend a block of ice around them, but Zuko doesn’t seem to mind.
“Babe, what are you doing?” she whispers.
“Oh, so it’s ‘babe’ now, huh?” he jokes.
“Zuko.”
“Let me show how much I care about what the stupid royal court thinks.”
And then he kisses her.
It’s a big Fire Nation royal ball, with flowers everywhere, expensive food and crystals hanging on the ceiling. There’s so many people that she’s not even sure if they all know each other’s names, but it doesn’t matter, because Zuko is kissing Katara like he’s going to die if he doesn’t, she’s kissing him back and nothing else matters.
Zuko and Katara, and the future they have together, the royal court like it or not.