Ephemeral Days
By Danielle Franklin
Chapter One: History Beckons
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Hello! Danie here!
This story has been floating around in my head for the longest time. Just to forewarn all of my newer readers, this story ties in with the "Tomodachi" drabble I wrote a while ago. Think of that story as the prelude to this one. You can find that drabble in my profile. :3
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The place held a lot of history for her. For them. The icy blue of the hand-carved buildings that lined the snowy waterways. The dingy blue-gray sky high above their heads, filled with puffy white clouds, ready to burst with fresh snow. The way the watery sunlight of noon refracted off of the water of the endless canals. This place, she reminded herself, was where she had become a water bending master.
Old snow crunching under her leather boots as she walked, Katara ran her hands over her new parka, savoring the feel of the soft blue suede on her skin. It had been years since she had worn a parka. After living in the Earth Kingdom for so long left her more susceptible to the biting cold of the Northern hemisphere, something she sorely regretted. Her attention once more on the fabric she ran her hands over, Katara gave a delighted laugh as she ran her fingers over the fur of her collar, reminiscing in the feel once more.
As unusual change of scenery as it was, Katara hadn't been summoned here to reminisce upon her days as a novice water bending student. She, along with the other members of her past gang, had been called back to the Northern Water Tribe in hopes of gaining reports on the post-Elemental Apocalypse world. That, and, her father sincerely hoped, that she and her brother would find spouses and settle down.
That, she told herself, was something she was scared of happening to her. Sure, she loved the thought of having that special someone to hold and to cherish until death do they part, but it was the thought of raising a family that scared the water bending out of her. Just the thought of being responsible for another life, a helpless life at that, terrified her.
Shaking the thoughts of child birth and mothering from her mind, Katara focused her gaze on the picturesque palace that lay in front of her. Two sets of stairs led up to an impressive, guarded entrance. Heaving a deep breath and burying her fears change, Katara took the first step of the massive stair case. As her leather-bound foot came into contact with the icy surface, her balance gave way and she went falling down to the ground, landing on her knees.
Her bare hands hitting the icy ground below her, Katara's cheeks burned with embarrassment as she stood, wiping the powdery snow from her legs. Attempting to salvage what was left of her courage and dignity, she continued up the stairway, her face still hot with embarrassment.
Finally reaching the top of the stairs and only halfway to her destination, Katara took a moment to survey the area around her. Still, try as she might, her memories came flooding back to her. Stolen moments to practice her water bending alone. The first time Toph had ever visited the North Pole. Yue's death. All of these things, the good, along with the bad, where moments in time engraved in the ice that surrounded them and the city.
Breathing in a long held sigh, Katara headed towards the intimidated entrance of the palace, her heart pounding in her chest at the thought of seeing her old comrades and her brother. In her humble opinion, it has been to many years since she had seen them. Her brother, Sokka; the earth bending genius that was Toph; and Aang, savior of the free world and her very soul. Bringing her hand to her neck, Katara felt around for the weaved necklace that Aang had given her so many years ago. The weaving was superb and had lasted for five years now, the small Peony bud that he had fastened in the middle of the necklace had long since dried, yet none of the petals had fallen from the bloom. The necklace, as always, was underneath her robes, laying against the bare skin of her neck. For many years she had worn it along with her mother's necklace in the vain wish it would bring it closer to the one she called her first love.
"You still wear that?" asked an amused voice, familiar, deep, and masculine, that of her older brother, Sokka. At hearing him speak to her, Katara's blue mood instantly turned golden. Turning around quickly as she hastily place the woven necklace back into the folds of her robes, Katara let out a squeal of joy as she rushed up to her brother and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I didn't know you'd be so happy to see me. Maybe we should separate more often..." Sokka speculated, taking on a look of thought before he hoisted his sister up and squeezed her tight. Letting his little sister back down onto the snowy ground, Sokka was amazed to find that his little sister wasn't so little anymore.
"Katara! You're...you- you-" He stuttered, amazed at the difference five years had made in Katara. "I know. I'm not tiny any more." Katara said, her voice amused as she took her brother in. His face and height where really the only things that had changed about him. He now towered above her, well of six feet she thought. Somewhere in the five years they had been separated, Sokka had grown a goatee. His eye brows had also grown thicker, much to her dismay. Just as she and Sokka had grown into a conversation, one of their past, a female voice called to Sokka from half-way down the stairwell.
"Sokka! Katara!" The voice called again, drawing the attention of the water tribe siblings. "Suki! Oh my gosh!" Katara hollered in happiness as she bounded down the snowy, slopped stairs to her brother's long-time girlfriend. "Look at you! Your hair!" Katara said as tears formed in the corners of her eyes.
Suki too had began to sniffle, amazed at what time had done to one of her closest friends. "Katara, you look so beautiful. A true woman." Suki said, dabbing at her eyes with the back of her green sleeve. "Me? Suki, look at you. Your hair is long now! Why the change?" Katara asked as she envied the rare shade of brown her friend's hair possessed. "Would you really like to now? Why I've let my hair grow out?" Suki asked with a wry smile as she took her friends hands in her own.
"Katara. You're going to be an aunt. Sokka and I...we're getting married. I'm pregnant." She said, the errant tears forming in her eyes again. Katara, her mouth agape with awe, looked from Suki to Sokka. "Wha- you can't be serious? A baby!" Katara laughed happily, wrapping her arms around Suki.
Sokka watched on from the landing of the stairs, unable to here what the girls where currently gabbing about. He finally got his answer as his sister squealed and hugged Suki tightly. Letting out a sigh, Sokka gave his sister a crooked smile as she looked his way, the same, happy beam of smile still displayed on her face.
"..so I left the Kyoshi Warriors. Setsuka took my place as the chieftain. The girl's are in good hands." Suki reassured her friend. "But don't think this kid is going to keep me from fighting. Oh no- I will not become one of those women. The kind that fuss over their children and their home." Katara was no longer listening to Suki prattle on about the woes of her impending motherhood. Part of her father's wish had come true. Her brother was going to take a wife and start a family. Now, it might turn out to be a family of little barbarians, but it was a family no less. Her eyes cast down and fogged by thought, Katara had now completely tuned Suki out. What if her father saw her as a failure? No. She thought...he wasn't like the other sexist men who ran rampant in the city.
"Hello? Katara? Are you listening?" Suki asked with a smile as she waved her gloved hand in front of Katara's face. "I- oh! Yeah. Sure!" Katara stumbled over her words as she attempted to take in what her friend was saying, but still unable to come to terms that her brother of all people was settling down before her.
"Katara! Suki! Can we go inside before my butt freezes off?!" Sokka moaned from the landing, the tip of his nose had began to turn red from constant contact with his hand. Katara gave a laugh at her brother's request. "Yes, your royal whiny-ness!" She called back to her brother as she and Suki began to ascend the staircase.
"Oh! I forgot to ask, how are you and Aang?" Suki started up again, another series of questions. "I- Oh... I haven't seen him in years. Isn't he supposed to be here though?" Katara asked in a nonchalant way. She appeared to be wholly unconcerned with the Avatar's arrival, which surprised and shocked Suki in more ways than one.
But what shocked Suki more than anything else was that Katara and the Avatar had not yet married. Or even had kids for that matter. For as long as she could remember knowing them they had been like an old couple, highly attached and inseparable. "Is he arriving soon? Are you excited?" Suki asked, her lightly colored lips turning upwards in a warm smile. "When are you two going to tie the knot?" She continued to push her friend for answers.
Quickly becoming annoyed with Suki's never ending questions, Katara's brow furrowed in indignation as she continued to listen to Suki ramble on. "No. We aren't getting married." Katara muttered, relived that they finally reached the landing of the stairs.
"Finally! Took you guys long enough!"
Katara froze. Her throat closed and her stomach dropped at hearing that voice. Cheeks burning and her stomach fluttering, Katara drew her eyes to where her brother and another figure stood. The other figured looking completely out of place draped in orange and yellow cotton fabric. Unable to speak, let alone utter a greeting, Katara let her eyes slowly take in the tall figure that loomed over her and Suki.
He held the familiar lithe form of his childhood, only now he was somewhat gifted with more muscle mass. His face no longer held the cherubic look he had as a child, but was now that of a man. Prominent cheek bones, a strong chin, a good nose; the same soft-looking skin. The all too familiar arrow that ran the length of his body, still blue and proud as ever. "Katara. You look so beautiful." The man said, his voice smooth and velvety as he extended his hand for her to take.
"Aang! It's so good to see you!" Suki pipped up as she ran over to the two men, playfully punching the monk in the chest. Katara, still unable to speak, simply gave a weak nod, acknowledging Aang's presence.
Her eyes still took in Aang's appearance. He was so different. She came up with a number of words to describe his appearance. Statuesque. Godlike. Angelic. Ethereal. It was as if she had been stunned silent at his very appearance. But it wasn't his beauty that made her tongue-twisted. It was the warm, delicious feeling that formed in the pit of her stomach as her eyes roamed over his sculpted body. It was a feeling she hadn't felt in five years.
"Katara? Hello? Anyone in there?" Aang playfully mocked her, brushing his shoulder against hers in an attempt to gain her attention. Again, she was dumbstruck, only able to mumble a few incoherent words as their little group slowly walked into the palace.
It was going to be a day Sokka would never forget.