The royal suite looked like a treasure vault built around an egregiously oversized circular bed in a domed chamber—supposedly the most armored part of the whole vessel to boot.
Zuko only made it three steps inside before succumbing to overstimulation on account of the apparently deliberate decision to clash offensively.
A carved blackwood screen painted with red-gold flames divided the room from a wash alcove big enough to drown a komodo rhino. Braziers set low into dragon-clawed stands gave off a deep even heat that had nothing of camp smoke about it.
The bed—still frankly offensive in its scale even after being told off—sat on a raised platform under heavy red hangings threaded with tiny gold beads. Captain Shoko crossed to it at once and collected a silky robe caught in the slightly rumpled blankets. They could only guess the robe belonged to her, as did the shiny things she was plucking from a tiny lacquered chest with inlaid brilliant green jade.
"Those yours?" Zuko flatly asked as Shoko and her clenched jaw both appeared to miss a pearly pair of earrings behind the jewelry box on the smallest of three vanities.
Shoko glared at him like a weirdo for only half a breath before hurrying to fetch them. "I apologize," she breathed, but faced Raven to give her a nod. "It's just a few things."
"Uhh—it's alright!" Raven awkwardly tried to sound nice, complicated by keeping her heightened noble and arrogant tone along for the ride. "I would have been fine with the captain's quarters, really." And she strode over to sweep up a pair of metal tipped boots. "I've seen these up close enough to know they're yours."
Zuko was mildly distracted by the Air Nomad decorative silks with cloudy spirals along the ceiling, which had to be absurdly rare and valuable in such good condition, but still muttered, "didn't your dad just say this room is only for the leaders of nations, Raven?"
"Well, I-I—" Raven started, sounding far too frantic for Shoko's sake, and then it got worse when Zuko instantly swiveled his suspicion her way. "Shoko, why you in here?—ahem!—Shoko, why are you in here? Sleeping here?"
Shoko just raised an eyebrow at that.
And Zuko spoke instead, "Raven, how are you guilty of something here? What is going on between you?!" Not even entertaining the notion she wasn't after that display.
"I'll get out of your way now," Shoko stated as she snagged the boots, folded things over her arm as best she could, and made for the corridor.
With a clack! Zuko tapped an ebony comb on the middle-sized antique vanity.
Raven froze like she halted even though she wasn't going anywhere, but at least didn't look like a total fool with Shoko also turning back. For a moment she and Shoko simply looked at each other in a silence that had far, far too much history in it for Zuko's taste.
Then Shoko inclined her head. "My lady, shall I explain?"
Zuko frowned. "And what is it with this room? Did you people loot a dozen cities and just throw all the fanciest stuff in one spot?"
"Yes," Shoko stated.
Zuko blinked at her.
Raven gave a shrug, apparently calmed instantly with any distraction from the last line of conversation, and she said, "Ask Arzayans an Arzayan question in an Arzayan room and get an Arzayan answer, Zuko."
"Well it looks terrible," he said sharply.
Both women had their gazes flicker at how serious he sounded.
"What?! You all stuck a spear in my hand and declared war and marriage on my behalf, and I'm not refusing," he barked and huffed, then finally grumbled, "I'm not keeping my opinions to myself, and I don't care if that offends anyone."
Zuko's sharp glare cut to Arzayanagi where he'd set it just inside the door against the wall.
"Including you!" He started to shout, sounding like he wanted to say something insulting, but bit his tongue and instead spit out, "Lady Arzaya."
"Please stop tempting her to kill you," Shoko sighed with utter dismay as she stepped toward the spear and into the hall. "She actually does it sometimes."
Zuko and Raven both hitched their breaths at the sight of Shoko quickly but casually removing a glove and placing her bare hand on the spear.
"We'll—" Shoko uttered, then halted.
Her gaze swiveled to Zuko, with an almost bitter expression. She took one long breath and composed herself before standing upright again, and Zuko was actually starting to be a bit entertained by how weird Shoko and Raven were being for no obvious reason.
"Oh, what is it now…?" he scoffed and smiled, running his hand through his hair.
"She thinks you're amusing. Lucky you," Shoko stated with as little emotion as possible.
"Really?" Zuko too quickly replied.
Shoko strode out into the corridor. Again. And didn't like it, but said, "yes, really."
It didn't pause the prince long enough to forget to stop her, however, and he insisted, "wait, wait. All the mysterious looks. You two are deciding things without me, you need to stop doing that if you want me on your side."
Shoko just stared at him but Raven had that comically blatant guilty look on her face again.
"Should we just tell him?" Raven quickly spit out.
Captain Shoko visibly relented almost immediately.
"It's nothing dire, Your Highness," she said. Then, with the faintest hesitation, "Very well. We don't share details of House Arza with outsiders, but you're married to the heir now." She straightened almost imperceptibly, like bracing for a blow. "My full name is Shoko Arza. I am Raven's cousin—Lord Arza's niece."
Zuko blinked.
That explained… not much?
"Why would that be a secret?" he asked, and his eyes bolted wide open. "And that reminds me! Why does Arzaya's mask look like my mother?"
Shoko somehow didn't miss a beat, saying, "Because the Fire Lord spends a great deal of time scheming against House Arza—and that's just what Our Lady looks like, we all noticed."
Raven shrugged. "It's true, I did right away. Your mother looks weirdly similar to her, but like, you are supposed to be related to Arzaya. It's not that weird."
"I am?"
"She was married to Fire Lord Renji! The first Fire Lady that wasn't a dragon? Tons of people on the northern islands are descended from her!" Raven scoffed. "What'd you think you were Nagi's descendants?"
"She was Fire Lord Renji's wife?! No way, I would have heard about that!" and he stopped to think for a moment before angrily declaring. "He was married to the Avatar, not that… lady!"
Shoko subconsciously moved to her jian sword, but she hesitated to touch it with her bare hand.
"That's why the Arzayans are separate from the rest of the nation, Prince Zuko," Shoko stated with disappointment. "We do not believe that version of history."
"Look, I'm not saying I know for sure one way or another," he quickly said.
Raven saw wavering of the intense desire to disbelieve on her fian—er, husband's face, and went in for the attack. "She does look just like your mother. You said it yourself."
"Okay, fine!" he threw up his hands. "Stop ganging up on me!"
"Mm." Shoko did not even pretend delicacy. "Happy to."
Captain Shoko took one last look to make sure she hadn't dropped anything. Apparently satisfied, she turned for the door—
—and nearly collided with Iroh coming in with a gilded tray in both hands.
Shoko stopped so abruptly her jewelry pouch swung and jingled.
Iroh, of course, looked delighted to be doing anything while basking in tea fumes.
"Captain Shoko," he said warmly. "I must praise your galley. A fine selection of teas for a warship. Very fine, actually. This jasmine is excellent, and the roasted white dragon blend—ah!—hard to find outside the Earth Kingdom."
"A gift from King Bumi," Shoko dipped her head.
She was too polite. That she didn't so much as smirk made Iroh's blood curdle.
She was also, Zuko noticed, leaving with a speed just shy of emergency withdrawal.
"I have business to attend to," she added.
Iroh smiled and shifted aside so she could pass. "Of course."
Iroh set the tray down on the largest-sized of the antique vanities. The surface was smooth clear lacquer over engraved vines and flowers that were almost as twisted as the tense looks on everyone's faces.
"I hope I am not intruding on your abrupt honeymoon," he said.
Raven made a tiny sound halfway between a cough and a choke.
Zuko stared. "Uncle."
Iroh raised both hands. "I apologize. But I wished to see you both myself."
That took some of the heat out of Zuko's annoyance right away, which was unfair; he'd been working all day on that.
Iroh's gaze moved between them. "That was all rather sudden, wasn't it?" His tone gentled further. "I do not want to insult either of you by pretending this happened in a simple or romantic way. You were both strong-armed into a marriage over politics much bigger than either of you, and I am very sorry you are so wrapped up in all of this conflict."
Raven visibly cringed.
Then, with all the dignity of a tactical decision, she moved directly to Zuko and clung to his arm in a braced defensive position.
Zuko looked down at her, and she stared back unblinking, and clung harder.
"Uh," Zuko said with unique eloquence. "I mean… I already accepted I'd probably end up married to Raven eventually before I was even banished."
Raven looked up at him at once, as if he could have worded that better. He frowned back at her like, no, in fact, he couldn't—he's Zuko. Anyone could practically see her deciding whether it counted for or against him.
"Yeah, he wants to be married to me," she grumbled at Iroh.
Iroh's head tilted.
Zuko squeezed her wrist back, insisting, "nobody's saying I don't want to be married to you, Raven."
"So you do want to be?!" She blurted, immediately brightening into an almost incomprehensible combination of defensive anger and sudden joy.
"...yes?" Zuko whispered.
Raven deflated, relaxing her grip on her prince, and let out a long sigh. "Okay, good. Me too."
She flickered her gaze at Iroh, who was either bewildered, charmed or despairing at how awkward she was being, and her pale cheeks went pink.
"I'm embarrassed and have to go hide now," she stated with a return to her trained noble poise, spun about on her heel, and marched off behind an extravagantly over-decorated divider to sink to her haunches where she incorrectly thought they couldn't see her.
Zuko was an expert on Ravens comparable to a professional ornithologist, however, and knew to just not even mention or call out what she was doing at all. He turned to Iroh like nothing was askew.
"The point," Zuko stated, "is I'm not stupid. I can see what they're doing. House Arza needs me if they want any hope of getting enough of the Fire Nation to join them in a rebellion against Ozai to actually win. I get it. The Arzayans would get stomped flat without me."
He hated how easy that was to say.
"Very astute," Iroh quietly replied.
"They're treating me like a piece in a Pai Sho game," he said, mouth twisting. "And I'm annoyed about it. But after what Ozai and Azula did…" He looked away, jaw tensing. "What else am I gonna do, huh? Hide the rest of my life and pretend I don't know? Like…"
Zuko almost sounded like he was choking as he gritted his teeth. His fists clenched as tendrils of smoke curled from his nostrils.
"I'm trying to save it for them. I'm not calm, Uncle. I… I really liked Asha, it's not just the betrayal. I expect that from Azula. But… why her?! Why Asha?! If they'd kill her, they'd kill anybody!"
Iroh's eyes softened. "I don't understand it either," he gruffly said. "She was a very sweet girl."
From behind the dividers they heard a choking, croaking noise.
"But hiding is not always such a terrible fate," Iroh said quietly. "You might not survive the day if you stay on this course."
"No!" Raven and Zuko said instantly.
That made all three of them pause.
Raven was the first to recover. "I am not hiding. I will throw them both in the goblin closet myself or die trying!"
There was a pause.
"I don't know what else to call it!" Raven ranted as they could see her boots twisting to face them under the divider. "It's not in the texts!"
A second pause.
"I feel fucking weird! Husband?!" she flailed her hands visibly above. "Don't laugh!" she barked.
"Well," he said, adjusting the teacups on the tray to pour. "It was very… interesting… to witness a traditional Arzayan wedding."
Raven peeked out, sideways with her frazzled hair swaying.
"They're usually much longer and far grander than that," she blurted. "There are normally banners, and a proper procession, and fellow warriors recount the battle. The swords sliding just sounds creepy without the music." She stopped, noticing both Zuko and Iroh looking at her oddly. "I just mean we were in a hurry," she finished.
"Recount the battle?" Zuko wondered.
"Traditional weddings like that are very rare!" she snapped, for some reason.
Iroh handed Zuko a cup of steaming white dragon tea and calmly said, "do not ask questions unless you are sure you want the answer, Prince Zuko."
Zuko gave up and took it, and simply filed it under 'Arzayans are insane' for the time being.
"One related question, if I may," Iroh said as Raven slowly retracted behind the divider, forcing her to pop her back out.
"The Arzayans call you Arzaya's heir," Iroh said, amusement light in his tone, as though he assumed there was a perfectly harmless answer. "Surely they do not expect Arzaya herself to die in your lifetime. Is it only because you are Lord Arza's daughter?"
Raven looked rattled so fast it was incredibly suspicious.
"Forgive me, your people's traditions are very secretive, I am aware, but we're up to our necks in them now!" Iroh added with a chuckle.
"No," she said. Then, too quickly, "I mean—not like that. They just mean Arzaya chose me. It's not always the last leader's descendant, or even relative. I'm not her replacement."
Iroh held her gaze for one thoughtful breath, then bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you, Lady Raven."
And just like that, he left them with the tea and the monstrous bed and far too much to think about when silence settled again.
Zuko and Raven stood there, both clearly aware that they were now alone in a room designed for very important people who do very important things and not a couple of awkward teens struggling to rise above being perceived as weird idiots on the average day.
"So—" Raven started, gesturing to the colossal bed.
Zuko kicked the armored metal hatch shut, swatted it into locked position without looking, and strode with purpose right for Raven—so quickly her heart jolted. He reached for her with menace, but she froze, not daring to defend herself. Not against him.
"You said you weren't mad!" she declared like a battlecry as he grasped her throat like he meant to keep it.
The room blurred and twirled as she flew off her feet, and she saw nothing but raw determination on his face as he barreled her over, bouncing with her after her back hit the bed.
"Zu—mpf!"
His lips found hers, hungry, and hers just as eager before she knew what she was doing. Raven blinked, fluttered her eyes closed, and went loose.
"Ahh—mmm—ahhh…" she sighed as she slid partway off the bed, only for him to effortlessly drag her back up.
It went on for a good long while, and he wouldn't let her move, not that she tried. His hands were all over her, and her legs wrapped around behind him on instinct. When he finally took a breath, he fell to her side but dragged her into spooning position instantly, making her yelp.
But she turned that yelp into a laugh that was oddly, rarely, wonderfully joyous for her, lacking any hint of sadistic glee. "Zuuuko, haha! You weren't mad at all!"
"Mmm."
She felt him gripping her rather tightly, and it was no secret what he was thinking.
"You were just horny?" she beamed like she was very proud of herself, and twisted her neck to catch his gaze looming behind her.
He took her chin and spun her back in place. "Yes! No more cousins and uncles! Stop wearing so many clothes!" he commanded, yanking on her leggings with a hooked thumb.
"Arzaya!" Raven cried out while trying not to laugh at just how sheerly delighted she was, and also while not being allowed to sit up. "Don't you dare watch! Zuko! Let me—ack!—lemme put her somewhere else!"
"Ugh… fine," he relented.
Raven cautiously pulled away at first, actively trying to avoid resisting his embrace at all, then dashed in a scramble with her leggings already pulled off her pale butt. Arzayanagi thankfully stayed dim and quiet as the heir awkwardly flipped the golden sacred relic around and tried very hard not to bonk it on anything as she got it behind a divider.
When she shuffled back out, with her leggings having fallen to her boots, she froze at the sight of Zuko awkwardly adjusting like he thought he needed to be in some kind of pose for her return. She chose to ignore it, figuring she'd do something just as embarrassing in reverse, but still just gazed at him.
"Holy fuck, we're married," she gruffly croaked. "I was trying to kill you, like, last week. What the fuck."
Zuko slowly nodded, and quietly said, "good thing we managed to stay responsible until now."
All the terror and uncertainty was gone when she was alone with him. Her face twitched as she desperately tried not to give him the satisfaction of a laugh.
"Shut up and do stuff to me, you dumbass," she managed to say with mere amusement as she crawled back onto the bed, kicking her boots off.
He watched her get caught in her leggings, however, trying to use her feet alone to escape them. Finally all she had left was a look of plight, hoping for mercy, as he'd already taken both her wrists in one hand.
"Okay, dumbass," he stated, didn't laugh either, and reached to yank them off for her.
Steam curled from the white dragon tea as voices gave way to sighs and kisses.
Somewhere beyond the armored hull, the Sword of Ruin cut north through frigid blue water toward war and dragons and several disasters waiting in ambush under the northern lights.