Arranged Marriage

[bostonhowler]

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

Comments

[restoredhonor]

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.

[dropwaterdroplet]

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."

[restoredhonor]

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.

[dropwaterdroplet]

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.

[restoredhonor]

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.

[dropwaterdroplet]

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.

[restoredhonor]

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."

[dropwaterdroplet]

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."

[restoredhonor]

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."

[dropwaterdroplet]

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

[restoredhonor]

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.

[dropwaterdroplet]

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.

[restoredhonor]

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.

[dropwaterdroplet]

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.

[restoredhonor]

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.

[dropwaterdroplet]

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.

[restoredhonor]

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.

[dropwaterdroplet]

The strange thing was, if he tried to kiss her, she probably would have let him.

Glancing up at the sound of the servant nearby, Katara frowns before looking at Zuko. "...Do you really need to?" she asks. It was late, after all, so how much more work could he do right now?

[restoredhonor]

He knows that he should sleep, but obviously something is going on. "I won't be long." He says, softly. "But if they're asking for me this late something is going on."

He turns to the servant. "I'll be right there." He says, giving them a bit of privacy for the moment. The servant backs away, giving them space. "Join me for breakfast?" He whispers.

[dropwaterdroplet]

Her frown deepens, both concern for him and whatever the situation might be. "...yes, of course," she agrees. "You sure you don't need any help right now, though?"

[restoredhonor]

He smiles. She's already acting like the Fire Lady. "No. If something comes up that I need help, I'll come find you." He says, stroking the backs of his fingers along her cheek. "Get some rest. I won't be long."

[dropwaterdroplet]

She feels oddly warm as he strokes her cheek, her heart skipping a little. "All right," she concedes after a long moment. "But come get me if you need me for anything, okay? Even if it's just to help soothe your eye a bit."

[restoredhonor]

He smiles a little. "Of course. Go get some sleep. I'll handle this then sleep myself." He promises. He goes to turn away, then turns back and drops a kiss on her cheek.

Finally, he turns and leaves her, going to see what the servant needed from him. He spends an hour taking care of the minor emergency, and then goes to his room to collapse.

Early the next morning, he's leaning against a column, waiting for Katara to go to breakfast.

[dropwaterdroplet]

She takes in a breath when he kisses her cheek, watching as he heads off before she can say anything. In a bit of a daze, she isn't sure how she manages to get back to her room. But she does, and as she drifts off to sleep that small gesture is all she can think about.

After being woken by a servant in the morning, Katara washes up and gets ready for the day. Seeing Zuko waiting for her, she feels her face warm a bit as she smiles.

"Good morning," she says, trying her best to sound normal despite how her heart suddenly skips again.

[restoredhonor]

She's beautiful in the morning light, her damp hair glistening in the sunlight. He wants to say so many things, whisper things to her, about how it will be alright, how their marriage doesn't have to be only political.

But he doesn't. Instead, he just smiles a goofily ridiculous smile. "Hi." He says, a little surprised that he sounds normal.

He offers her his arm. "Ready for breakfast?" He asks. There's been some laid out for them in the Fire Lady's former quarters. Quarters that Katara is going to take over, eventually, he hopes. Then... he'll finally stop dithering and take his father's former quarters. He just wants to gut them first and remove all traces of Ozai.