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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He nods. "It does. Thank you." He whispers. She's done him a great service, honestly. Maybe tonight he'll be able to get some of this damned work done. It's piled up over time, and most of it is people wanting to ingratiate themselves to the new Fire Lord. Some need to be dealt with - old cronies of Ozai. He needs to handle them, and does, but most of them, he wants to see face-to-face.

"You've done more for it, than anyone ever has." He's still holding her hand, his golden eyes watching her.

She manages a faint smile at that, glad that she was able to do something at least. And while he's still holding her hand, she's able to reach up and gently brush the backs of her fingers across his cheek.

"Good," she says softly. "Just...let me know if it starts hurting or getting tired again, okay? Please don't try to keep it from me."

He smiles at her, wanting to turn his head and kiss her hand. Instead, he raises her fingers to his lips and kisses the back of them gently.

"No, we'll have no secrets between us." He says, softly. He doesn't want secrets between them. Little ones, sure. Everyone has their own thoughts that they keep to themselves, but secrets had led to his mother being banished, and him living in hell for years. Zuko isn't going to allow that to happen to them, or to any children they might have.

"Want to help? More nobles wanting to get on my nerves and be ingratiating while they do it." He takes his other hand and holds up a stack of papers, grinning teasingly.

Her smile softens at that, and she could feel her cheeks warm ever so slightly at the gesture. "Good," she replies, her voice just as soft.

She knows there will be some thing that he won't tell her, just as there will be some things that she won't tell him. But if they were going to be married at all, she was glad that they could at least agree to be honest with one another.

Looking down at the paper work littering the table, she pretends to consider it before sighing a little. "I guess," she says with a teasing smile. "If I don't, you'll probably be here all night."

He chuckles. "Not all night." He denies. No, he'd fall asleep at some point, probably with his face on the desk. He's done it far more often than he'd like to admit.

"All you have to do is decide who I need to see face to face and who I don't." He passes her a pile of letters. "Any questions?" He grins, dumping them in her lap. It feels... nice, comfortable, to be teasing her, to be laughing just a little.

"Sure," she giggles, teasing him.

When he dumps the letters in her lap, though, she snickers and nudges him a little. "No, I think I can handle that." Taking all the letters, she drops them beside her. "No one. There, all done."

She's also obviously joking, just trying to get him to laugh a bit more. Because it is nice, and she knows that with all the pressure he's been under, he could definitely use it.

He chuckles. While that would make things simpler, it isn't going to work that way. "If only it were that simple." He plans on sending his uncle to see a few. He'd wanted to send Aang as well, but that may be out of the question.

He sighs, looking at the pile of papers. "You know what?" He says, sitting back. "You're right." He says. "Let's get out of here." He pushes himself up. He's a good leader, but even they need a break.

She laughs, and she is definitely just playing around. But just as she's about to actually look at the letters, he rises to his feet, and she looks at him with pleasant surprise.

"Yeah? Okay." She gets up as well, brushing off her clothes. "Where to?"

He offers her his hand. "Outside." He says, decisively. He doesn't have an idea from there, but he needs to be outside for a while. After spending several years in the outdoors, being inside is almost confining.

If it weren't for the wind, he'd work outside.

"Where would you like to explore?" He asks, gently.

She thinks for a moment, then hesitates. "Well...I don't want to tempt fate or anything, but...we did get interrupted when we were looking at the garden."

He chuckles. "And you did soak it." He teases. And he set it on fire a little, so.

He takes her hand, and jerks his head. "Then, to the garden it is." He says, softly. Several servants bow as they pass, headed for the garden. There are a few singe marks on the garden, but nothing too horrible.

She laughs a little, taking his hand and walking with him to the garden. Even as they're just stepping out, she can already feel the water in the area calling to her; from the little pond to the water in the plants themselves, it reaches out to her and she could almost feel it at her fingertips.

He opens the door to the part of the garden he'd gifted her. A few plants are ashed, but some are fine. The water is a bit clearer than before, but there are still lily pads and stagnant water.

"The servants will help, with whatever you need." he says, gently. "I know you don't need their help." He knows that. She's more than capable. "But they are used to the garden." Meaning growing things, something she probably didn't do much of in the south pole, or on her travels.

"But, never forget, this is yours, not theirs." He doubts she'll let them push her around, but he wants her to be clear, just who he would side with.

She takes a few steps forward, looking around. It certainly does need a lot of work, and he's right in his assumption that she hasn't had much experience with growing things. But she finds herself excited to try.

Turning back to him, she smiles. "Thank you, Zuko," she says softly.

He relaxes just a little. "You don't have to thank me. I've given you a lot of work." He teases, smiling. He rubs the back of his neck. "I want you to have it. I want it to be brought back to life. This palace has seen too much destruction." His father had done that.

He takes her hands. "You're going to be the Fire Lady. It's only right that you make a place here."

Looking up at him, she smiles gently. "Thank you...I know it won't be easy. But I think I can manage it, with your help."

He chuckles. "My help?" He asks, amused. "And when shall I find time to offer this help?" But he's being a shit and knows it. "Running the country is a full day's work, you know."

Katara snickers, being careful of his injuries even as she nudges him. "Such a jerk."

Zuko chuckles. Cautiously, he takes her hand. "You know, they're going to expect us to dance at the feast." Nothing traditional, thank everything, but they'll be expected to dance anyway. Something together. Gently, he pulls her against him. "We could practice?" He suggests softly.

She's surprised when her heart skips a little, and it takes a moment to find her voice. "Y-Yeah...that sounds like a good idea," she replies, leaning into him carefully, mindful that he's still injured.

He may still be injured, but she's done good work, and he's ready to push himself a little. Besides, a dance with her shouldn't be too hard. He's not looking to do anything too acrobatic.

Gently, he begins to move, wrapping an arm around her waist. He starts humming a tune he'd heard the royal band practicing. It's a slower song but it's nice.

She smiles as she follows his lead, pleasantly surprised when he starts humming. As they continue moving to his gentle song, she finds herself unable to resist resting her head on his shoulder.

He's comfortable with her. Comfortable in a way his mother never was with Ozai. He wants her to be happy, and for that happiness to reflect onto the people. Or perhaps it should be the other way around? Should he make the people happy to have her be happy? He can't tell.

He keeps humming softly. While his singing voice isn't great, he can carry a tune. Her head on his shoulder is nice. He likes it.

She finds that she likes it too. And the most surprising thing is that she's only mildly surprised by that.

It's...comfortable. Being here with him, listening to him softly hum, dancing with him. It's strange, how not strange all of this is.

He's just holding her and moving slowly around the garden. They're the only two people in the world and it's wonderful. He almost wants to kiss her. But he doesn't dare. They have too much between them yet. Too much of the past, the present and the future.

So, he just holds her and keeps moving, their bodies moving in synch.

The mood is suddenly broken when someone clears their throat. Zuko sighs, recognizing the cough of a close servant. He stops dancing and looks over his shoulder. "Looks like I have to go." He says, softly. He looks at Katara, not wanting to. If she asked him to stay, he would, but he knows that he should go.

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