Chapter Text
Hakoda, though attentive to the advisors’ words, eyed Zuko’s frustrated visage from across the large tent, knowing that despite his newfound title of Fire Lord, none of this was in his hands. He felt the boy’s pain, to be sure. Arranged marriages were common in the Water Tribes, his own union being no different. He had fallen in love with his bride easily, but he doubted it would be the same for Zuko. The poor boy looked so helpless, even in his elegant royal robes.
“We cannot expect the tensions between our nations to be solved if left alone as they are. The Water Tribes and the Fire Nation have always been difficult toward one another even before the 100 Year War, and given the afflictions the Water Tribe has faced during that horrendous time, it is unlikely that the Water Tribes will ever relinquish their racism and distrust of the Fire Nation.” The old Advisor moved his hands artfully as he spoke, a clear note of concern in his voice.
“And you insist arranging a marriage is the best way to remedy these afflictions? Aside from the fact that the Southern Water Tribe is small in number, all of the eligible women are spoken for. Why not start by helping us to regain our self sufficiency? Help us to rebuild our small village to the thriving port city that it once was? If you are insistent about marriage, why not go to the Northern Tribe while sending reparations here?” Hakoda was earnestly trying to help Zuko out of this situation. He knew the boy had a girlfriend; the one time Hakoda had been able to speak to him without interruption, Zuko had spoken of her so fondly. Hakoda was not the type of man to tear lovers apart if he could help it.
“We have thought it over, and have come to the conclusion that an arranged marriage would be best, in addition to the various supplies and other reparations we will be sending. We have considered the North, but the tensions here are by far greater.Your daughter, Katara, isn’t yet wed, is she?” One of the other Advisors spoke clearly in a deep, regretful baritone.
Hakoda almost jumped at the mention of his daughter. He had hoped they wouldn’t bring her up.
“No, she isn’t, but she is in a relationship with the Avatar. I’m not sure how well that proposal would be received by either of them.” Hakoda noticed Zuko had become alarmed at the proposal. Clearly he hadn’t been informed of the suggestion beforehand. “You do know about the tensions that were once between Zuko and Katara, don’t you?” He asked uncertainly.
“Of course we do. That is the very reason we think she would be ideal. If she can get past Fire Lord Zuko’s heritage and even his involvement in the War, we believe the rest of the Tribe would be able to get past it as well.”
Hakoda sighed. “I. . . suppose I have no choice but to agree.” There was no changing the minds of these people. Here he had thought the Earth Kingdom was stubborn.
“I’m glad we’ve come to an agreement.” The Head Advisor stood, shortly followed by the other two. He shook Hakoda’s hand and turned to leave.
Hakoda followed, and reached for a crestfallen Zuko’s shoulder. “I’m really sorry about this, Zuko.”
He in turn smiled, if a bit pitifully, and said, “It’s okay. It’s for the greater good. I can’t complain about that. I feel worse for Aang and Katara than I could ever feel for myself. They don’t deserve this.”
Hakoda looked him in the eyes. “You don’t deserve this either. I wish there was something I could offer instead that would have changed their minds.”
“Thank you for trying, Chief Hakoda.”
A solid nod from the Tribesman and Zuko left toward his imperial ship.
Hakoda plopped down on one of the seats brought out for the advisors with a heavy sigh, and rubbed his palm over his face.
“How am I going to tell Katara?”
_____
A few days passed before Hakoda had decided on the most direct route of telling Katara of her impending marriage. Hakoda briefly wished he had been swifter with the news.
“You can’t do this to me! I understand what it’s for, but I can’t possibly marry him! Isn’t a good link to the Avatar just as important? Surely they can find someone else!” Katara frantically paced from one end of her father’s tent to the other. “And I really can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this first. To find it out from Aang? Of all people! I feel like I chose to hurt him, but that’s ridiculous, because you didn’t bother to ask me before handing me off to the Fire Nation!”
Her fury was accented with hysteria, and Hakoda knew if he didn’t calm her down soon, things would only turn uglier.
He took her shoulders and held her still. In a loving voice, he pleaded, “Katara, please, sit down. Let me tell you exactly what happened.”
A deep breath, and she obliged him. “Dad, I know what happened, I’m just shocked, and I’m begging you, please don’t make me do this. I love Aang, and I don’t think I can do this to either him or myself.” She was still clearly upset, but her anger had given way to despair.
Hakoda swallowed the burning lump gathering in his throat and blinked back the tears forming in his eyes, even as he pulled her into a strong embrace. “I know, and I’m sorry. I did everything I could to get them to change their minds. I can’t deny what will bring a more stable peace.”
“Daddy,” she said brokenly, as she grasped his thick coat the best she could and began to cry into her father’s shoulder, “why couldn’t you have just said no?”
“I wish I could have, my little love, and if it were anybody else, if it were any other time, I would have. Without a second thought.” Hakoda held her tighter. “I don’t want you to leave.”
“When do I have to go?” She whispered past her tears, scared of the answer she would receive.
Hakoda was silent for a moment. Because it physically stung him to say the words or because he knew it would hurt her even further, he was unsure. “You have to leave at dawn.”
Katara wretched out of her father’s arms. “Dawn? I. . . But what about Aang? What about Sokka? I won’t have time to- our family just got back together and- I-” Her tears rolled down her face and her sobs wracked her body more harshly than he’d seen since her mother was taken from them. Before he could reach out a comforting hand, she ran, stumbling out of the tent with an almost mourning cry jumping from her lips.
Hakoda sobbed quietly to himself, for causing his precious daughter so much pain.