howlingplayground | Arranged Marriage

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Arranged Marriage

It's a trope near and dear to our hearts. Arranged marriage.

Maybe it's for the family. Maybe it's for a friend. Maybe you know the person and have been expected to marry them for years. Maybe it's the wedding day and you have no clue who it is you'll be tied to for your natural life. Maybe you've been married a while, and you're just now starting your life, away from the expectations of others. Or maybe, the "others" are watching, waiting, making sure this marriage sticks.

Prompts for those who need them:

Reasons:

1. Station → You come from a royal, noble, or otherwise distinguished family who has chosen a suitable spouse for you.
2. Feud → You are being married to put an end to the bitter enmity between your two families.
3. Economics → Your economic state and/or your station will improve through the union, though one of you may be marrying down.
4. Empire → You and your spouse are merging your businesses and/or property to create something more influential or profitable.
6. Tribute → You have been offered as a gift or appeasement, alternately you're the spoils of war.
8. Bloodline → Carrying on your distinguished family name has fallen to you and the equally well-bred spouse of your family's selection.
7. Disapproval → Your marriage has been arranged to keep you away from the person with whom you truly wish to be.

Scenario:

1. First meeting → This is the very first time you're meeting your future spouse.
2. Courtship → To get to know each other and encourage affection, your family has approved of you going on dates.
3. Engagement party → Be it a huge, formal affair or a small, intimate get together, you're celebrating (or pretending).
4. Wedding day → The big day!
5. Reception → The big party!
6. Wedding night → Every meme needs a smut prompt, right?
7. Honeymoon → Where will you go with your new spouse and what will you do there?
8. Been at this a while → Just starting to get to know the other person

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"Why?" That is what he doesn't understand. "I did horrible, terrible things to you, to Aang. I betrayed you more than once." And those times pain him. More than his chest. He's pained and exhausted by all of his emotions. His eyes flick to the necklace that she wears so proudly. He'd taken that from her, taken it and used it against her.

He sighs. "I thought you loved Aang." He says softly.

"You did," she agrees, her voice just as soft. "You did terrible things, and you hurt me, Aang, and a lot of people. I've seen you at your worst...and at your best."

The glow between them fades as she pulls her hand back, and the water hovers and dances around them before retracting back into her bag.

"That's why I'm agreeing to marrying you. Because I know you. I know what you're capable of...all the terrible and wonderful things you can do. You've hurt me in the past...but you've also saved my life. And I know I can trust you with it, no matter what we do or where we end up."

The mention of Aang has her hesitating a moment, her hands folding across her chest as she glances away.

"I do love Aang," she replies. "But I'm not...I'm not sure if it's the same way he loves me. When we were talking, when we went to see that play on Ember Island, I was...confused. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. And so much was going on after that, I didn't have much time to really think." She gives a soft sigh herself. "I think I could have loved him, but...it doesn't really matter now."

He sighs and takes her hands. Zuko isn't a hugger. No doubt someone else would hug her at this point. But he doesn't. He just takes her hands in his and studies her for a moment. "I will spend my life making sure you are happy." He says softly. "I know you'll always put the needs of others ahead of your own, including our people, but if there is ever anything you want, say so, and I will get it for you."

He's not making the promise lightly. It's something he's been mulling over since his advisor had mentioned the idea. He looks down at their hands. "Anything, Katara." It's a soft vow of honor, but one none the less. He'll take down mountains if that's what she asks for.

There are things he still has to do, things he needs to find out, before he can become fully the Fire Lord, despite his coronation. But first, he has to be sure his nation is stable, and safe. And that his wife is the same.

She smiles, and while she is certainly more physically affectionate - and has actually embraced him before - she doesn't now, due to his injury. Instead she reaches up and gently cups his cheek, feeling the rough skin of his scar against her palm.

"Thank you," she says. "But if we're going to do this, then we're doing this together, right? We'll work together to make our own happiness."

"I -" He stops. She's right. He shouldn't just think about her happiness, but their happiness. And that means doing things that he wants to do too. There are things that they can do together that won't require him to go at it alone.

"Alright." His first concession to her being right. It won't be his last. "We should eat." He says, softly, turning for the table. But he's gently tugging her along with him, having not released one of her hands. He settles her on one side of the table and eases himself down on the other.

She follows him, and takes a seat as he guides her. As he takes his own seat, she tucks some of her hair behind her ear as she looks over the food before them.

"Mmm...it all smells really good," she says, as her stomach reminds her that she actually hadn't eaten much that day. What with everything going on.

He smiles, just a little bit. "The kitchens have been attempting to learn how to make a lot of different dishes." He says. He dishes out some for himself, after passing it to her. "If you want anything, perhaps they can learn how to make it?" He suggests.

He pokes at his food for a moment. "There is one thing I want to do..." He says, almost tentatively.

She smiles as she accepts the plate of food. "I'll have to make some requests then," she says with a small laugh. She's definitely going to find a way to have some Water Tribe dishes introduced.

About to take a bite of her food, she glances up at him curiously. "What's that?" she wonders.

He has no problem with that. That's why he mentioned it. He wants her to feel more at home here, to feel more like this is the place she's supposed to be.

He pushes the food around more. "My mother." He finally says. "I don't know where she is, if she's alive." He whispers. "I need to know." He says, finally looking up at her, his golden eyes hard. "I've asked June to the palace. There are things of my mother's still here. I have to try."

She nearly drops her utensil. "Your mother?" she repeats, her eyes wide. "There's...a chance that she is alive?" The last time they had talked about his mother was when they were both imprisoned in the crystal caves. By the way he had spoken, it had sounded like she had been killed.

That had been what had hurt the most about his betrayal that day. Because they had formed a connection, and for a moment he had become more than an enemy.

He toys with his, not able to look at her. She had the chance to kill the man that had killed her mother and had chosen a different path, a path that was right for her. But he needs to know what had happened to Princess Ursa, to know what his path is. "She was the granddaughter of Avatar Roku." He says. "And Azula is the one that told me she was dead." He admits this all without raising his eyes. "And Azula is not trustworthy. But neither is my father. Azula says she's dead; my father says she might be alive." He sighs. "I don't know." He admits, softly. "But I need to."

"Of course," she says, almost insistently. "If there's any chance she could still be alive, then we have to check it out."

Because of course she's going to help him. There's absolutely no doubt about that, even if they weren't getting married.

"That's why I invited June and Nyla to the palace. If anyone can find her, I hope it's them." He says, finally looking at her. "If she is alive, I'd like to bring her back here." He says, offering her the chance to say no, though he knows she won't. "Even if she did kill my grandfather, the threat has passed and I'm safe."

Meaning, the reason she left is gone. He's as safe as he could be. Sure there is still some question as to if the Dai Li are loyal to anyone at this point. But, that's a problem for another day.

"I also wanted to ask Master Pakku and your grandmother to stay."

She nods in agreement. "Of course." As if she would ever turn his mother away.

His offer surprises her a little, and she frowns a bit as she thinks. "I wouldn't mind asking them, but I don't think they would stay," she admits. "Gran-Gran's already missing being home."

As much as she would've liked them to stay, she wouldn't force them to either. They were both getting old, after all.

Zuko sighs. "I was afraid of that. I want you to have family close, but if they're not comfortable here, I understand." He says, gently. Maybe Sokka will stick around and stay. He needs friends too, Sokka isn't the only one. He wonders if Aang will also stay, or if he will be traveling, helping put things to rights.

"But if you ever want to go see them, I'm sure we can arrange something." He'll use the navy to get her there, or they can call Aang. A ride on Appa never really hurt anyone.

"Yeah." Hopefully Sokka would consider becoming the official representative for the Southern Water Tribe, as their father and Pakku had suggested. That way at least he could come visit her when he had business in the Fire Nation.

As for Aang...he most likely would need to travel as well, but like Sokka, there would be moments when his duties would bring him back to the Fire Nation. So she knows she'd still see him.

Glancing up at Zuko, she smiles. "Thank you. I appreciate that." She's sure that they'd be busy and might not be able to visit too often, but it was still a nice gesture.

Zuko has a feeling that Sokka will be staying with the Earth Kingdom, and the Kyoshi warriors. Or perhaps somewhere in between. He and Suki obviously aren't prepared to call it quits yet, and while the Fire Kingdom is Ty Lee's home, he knows she'll be quite happy to leave it behind.

They will never be too busy for her to visit family. He plans on getting them a pair of eel hounds and seeing about keeping them about the palace. They'll run fast enough. One of them has no family left, and Zuko will not admit it, but he's trying to adopt her family as his own.

"You'll be Queen, Katara. There's no reason to thank me." He says softly. "With you being yourself, I'm sure the servants will come to care for you, deeply."

Considering her family had been a big part of the push to have them married, they'd better adopt Zuko as part of them, or Katara will have Words for them.

There's a touch of shyness in her smile. "I'll do my best," she says. Pakku had warned her that not everyone would be happy or accepting of the arrangement, particularly some of the old Fire Nation lords. But she would do what she can.

If some of the old Fire Nation Lords have a problem with his Queen? They can attempt to take her in a fight. He'd sit back with a nice cup of tea and let her handle them. Of course, he'd jump in, but he'd meant what he said: Katara can defend herself.

He eats, slowly, not really hungry but knowing that he needs to eat. Especially if he's going to heal at all from the lightning. "I'd like to ask my uncle to act as regent as we go look for my mother. What do you think?" She's going to be his partner. They both better get used to it sooner rather than later.

The laughs softly as she takes a bite of her food. "That sounds fine, but are you going to be able to get him to leave his tea shop?" she says with a teasing smile.

He smiles. "Well, he's already here..." He says, finally starting to eat. "If I just leave him a note, it's not like he'll have much choice, is it?" Not that he would do that, but the thought is hilarious. He is going to ask his uncle tonight. Right after he speaks to Aang. Because if Aang doesn't want to help - understandable, at the moment - then they'll need to secure other transportation.

He finishes about half his food, before looking at Katara. "I'd like to show you something, after dinner, if you wouldn't mind? Something I'd like for you to do, when we marry."

She giggles. "As long as he doesn't take off before we do." She knows Iroh wouldn't do that either, but the mental image of them all racing to escape the palace was pretty funny.

Placing down her own utensils as she finishes eating, she glances at Zuko curiously. "What is it?" she wonders.

He chuckles. "I think we could beat him out of the palace." He says, setting his utensils down. Then he stands and redoes his robes. Silently, he holds a hand out to her. "I'd rather show you." He says, softly.

There is a part of the garden that has been closed off for years. It's grown wilder, uncared for, but there are certain water elements that, no doubt, would appeal to Katara. If she's willing to restore it, that is.

Taking his hand, she rises to her feet and follows him. As they near that section of the garden, Katara can already feel the energy of the water, and even with its wildness she almost feels a connection to this area.

"Oh wow..."

The section before had been beautiful with flowers from all over the world, lovingly tended by the servants, and his mother. There is a small waterfall, tumbling over a rock formation, into a pool where lillies used to be. But now the water isn't clean and is clogged by the plants.

"If you would like it, its yours." He says softly, letting her see what he remembers. "You can change it, or do anything you want with it." He gestures back to where they'd started their conversation with the turtleducks. "If you want to join it to the larger garden, that's fine too. I just thought..." A deep breath. "I thought you'd like a place that was just yours."

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