Chapter Text
Soon after the ball, the ladies of Winterwood soon visited Miss Saunik, and a friendship was established quickly between the eldest Miss Irniq and the latter. Yue’s gentle and giving nature was very popular at Ember Isle, and it was very clear to Katara that she and the younger two were simply invited by the requirements of society, rather than Azula herself. Though Katara had no issues with Mr. Saunik, she was not a particular fan of his sister or his friend, but she loved watching the gentle flirtation between her sister and the gentleman as the friendship between the two families progressed.
Toph, however, felt there needed to be more urgency in the matter, as she expressed to Katara as they walked in the garden of the Beifong Estate, Mr. Yu trailing behind. “The fact of the matter is, Katara, that while Yue may see Mr. Saunik frequently, society makes it impossible for them to truly know her as you and I do. Her nature is so quiet that it may be impossible to see how she feels for him from his view. She should help him on now so that she does not lose him. A man like that needs to be snapped up!”
“Of course, but Yue desires more than a husband. If that were the case then she would not be unmarried at twenty-two. Mr. Saunik will either discover her character as we have or live his life knowing that my sister is the best woman in the world and he does not have her. I hope for Yue’s sake that it is the former, for she certainly is well on her way to being madly in love with the man.”
“Yes, well, if she should marry him tomorrow I am sure she would be just as happy as if they studied each other’s characters for years. It’s all chance in marriage anyway.”
“Oh, I’m sure. And you’ll be following this advice yourself, to be sure.” The ladies had a laugh, and set out to leave Toph’s guard of a helping servant behind.
As Katara had been focused on Mr. Saunik and her sister’s flirtation, she had failed to notice the focus of that friend she detested so much land on her. Mr. Suien, who had said within earshot of her that he did not think her pretty, was, upon being forced to be in her presence several times a fortnight, was begrudgingly beginning to admire the second eldest Miss Irniq. No sooner had he made it clear to himself that she lacked a single handsome feature, than he began to find the intelligence in her deep blue eyes uncommonly beautiful. A horrifying discovery for Zuko Suien, made even more embarrassing as he noticed her figure to be pleasantly curved, and her manners were playful, though unconventional. Yes, she was perfectly unaware, and to her, he was only the man who made himself agreeable nowhere, and who had not thought her handsome enough to dance with.
In his own painfully awkward fashion, when Mr. Suien decided he longed to know more of Miss Irniq, rather than actually conversing with her, he began simply standing near her when she was conversing with others. It is this odd act of his that finally drew her attention, though she just found it increasingly odd.
It was this act, actually, that wound up obliging the two parties to dance with one another, something neither of them were particularly keen to do, Suien’s interest in her intelligent eyes and all. He had been attending Miss Irniq’s conversation with Sir Beifong, at a rather large party of his hosting, when a song of his liking began playing. “Oh, what a lovely piece. It is so vibrant, an absolute dream to dance to. Miss Katara, dear, you must do me the pleasure of watching you dance!”
“Oh, I do apologize, Sir, but I am not particularly knowledgeable of this dance, and besides, I don’t have a partner to dance it with.”
“Darling, it is so simple that even one with half your talent for dancing would be able to pick it up instantly. I’m sure Mr. Suien would oblige us both to be your partner, won’t you Zuko?” There was some sputtering from both the parties, but their fate was sealed, and they found themselves hand in hand dancing a cotillion with three other couples.
Katara found herself unable to look away from Zuko’s face. The right side, she found, was impossibly smooth, looking almost too perfect when compared to the rough landscape of his scarred left eye. His eyes were a clear golden akin to a sunset, and suddenly, Katara was finding herself in a similar position of being forced to admit to herself she finds the gentleman handsome.
“Do you enjoy dancing, Mr. Suien?”
“I find it tolerable, with a good partner.”
It was meant to be a complement, but Zuko’s dry tone unfortunately conveyed an air of condescension to anyone who did not know his character well, and Katara took it as an implication that she was not a good partner at all. She neglected the conversation as the dance took them through a partner change, only for him to attempt to ignite it once again when they were brought back together.
“I do not often partake in dances, I find myself at a loss of what to say.” He would have much preferred to remark on how radiant he believed her to look in her blue party dress that matches her eyes, but was far too proud to make such a bold statement to a girl he was sure hated him, and to a girl as far below his station as she.
“Perhaps we should say nothing at all, and enjoy our dance in silence. I do believe lack of conversation can make even the most intolerable partner more bearable.”
Zuko did not know what to say to that, and resigned himself to spend the rest of the cotillion avoiding Miss Irniq’s eye, cursing himself in his thoughts. He gave her a small bow when the dance was over, turned, and left her presence as soon as he could, only to be accosted by Miss Saunik.
“When did Miss Irniq catch your eye? I thought you were disappointed with the selection of ladies here in Zhang, both in beauty and station.” Miss Saunik, though she found the elder Miss Irniq perfectly pleasant, thought of the family of Winterwood as more entertainment than acquaintances, and in fact thought rather lowly of them.
“She has lovely eyes,” Zuko muttered, barely believing he said the words aloud, but then he had always been rather close to his friend’s little sister, and she was often a confidant for him.
“Oh, well then it’s settled then. You will have the most entertaining in laws, and I’m sure you will never rid Caldera of that adorable grandmother of hers.” Azula went on in this manner, belittling the Irniq family to tease Zuko about his, in her opinion, unfortunate taste in eyes. He was indifferent to the girl’s chatter, and she continued to entertain herself with it for quite some time.