These Little Wishes

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

"The Chief wants your presence, Princess."

A woman of snow-colored hair nodded gently, dressed in her traditional Water Tribe robe. Gently she stood up, her eyes kept downwards in humility even before her maid.

"Yes, Yura. I am ready."

By the velvet-blue curtain she stood in awareness, blocked from the outside world with the mere fabric. Another assembly had called for her presence. She could feel her fingers slightly quivering…not from fear for having to speak out against thousands, but of slight hesitation.

"You must be excited, Princess. You are now of marrying age!" Yura exclaimed respectfully.

"I suppose so…" the woman replied again, gripping the curtain somewhat tighter.

It is the flaming desire of any woman's heart to be loved…to be trusted, understood, and caressed by the man she truly loves. It was a woman's ambition to provide happiness for those around her, and it was her goal to be relied on and embraced by motherhood.

Princess Yue was such a woman. She was born with and without ethereal expectation, given life anew beneath the playful waters of the Spirit Oasis. She was the incipient reincarnation that recovered a lost legend of the Moon Spirit's rebirth, long askew and buried underneath the walls of mere superstition. Coalesced in obligations and sacrifice was she, the Lady of Subconscious Woe, even in her effortless and oblivious youth.

She was a woman of many wonders and possessions… Milky white skin tone light enough to make every ounce of darkness disappear. A pair of snow-white eyes that never sparkled, for they were sparkling white sapphires themselves. Palms that held the grace and softness of a thousand winter lilies, and lips the color of the lightest pink blossom. Lissome and fitting beauty for a fair princess of her status. Even the aid of an entire kingdom, drowned in prosperity from the grace that showered from her celestial presence, was constantly at her service. Her duty to her people was nestled deep in the roots of her heart. Her happiness was a mere route of opportunity to protect her tribe. Her royalty was an insignificant part of her ephemeral life. Even her smile served to be the emollient in destitute situations.

But she was human. An ingénue who was a stranger to happiness. She, too, had desires and wishes although they were small and simple. Ones that every normal woman yearned for so dearly…Ones that she locked away so willingly for the sake of her people.

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe-" Chief Arnook's voice boomed from the other side of the curtain, "-and they have brought with them someone very special, someone whom many of us-"

Yue smiled in delight and respect as the Avatar's presence was announced. Again her smile dimmed just barely as her maid motioned for her to enter the outside world and face her people.

"We also celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday," the chief announced with pride inflecting in his voice.

Yue made her way outside, her head held slightly higher as she greeted her people, followed by two attendants.

"Princess Yue is now of marrying age!"

She was surrounded in infinite penumbras even she didn't know existed in her world. The moonlight splintered upon her presence as soon as her father announced with a pleasantly booming voice of her arrival. With the usual smile as a masquerade, she spoke to her people with a slight bow.

Although her smile was wide and humble, it wasn't genuine. She felt her respirations increase as her restlessness slightly grew. Still she announced, "Thank you Father. May the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times."

Another applause, louder this time. Chief Arnook smiled in pride. He boomed again, "Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!"

Master Pakku signaled his students to perform the famous ellipsis technique of waterbending. Water danced under the command of his hands. The other two waterbending students excelled in the technique, lifting the water with equal pace. Their simultaneous spins awed Yue for a split moment. As the night grew apparent, leaving behind the moon's silver miracle in the center of Yue's slightly quivering palms, and the breeze grew dimmer, elusively tickling her gloved fingers, she let her eyes dance aimlessly towards the audience until they caught a glimpse of him. The wide-eyed warrior. Or his equally piercing blue eyes, rather.

He wasn't comprised of a million jewels at first sight, nor was he a dashing equivalence to the grace of the gliding water being bent. Not so much a suave gentleman or a highly scholarly man. His hair was up in a warrior's wolf tail style, she recognized. He possessed, as it seemed, neither patience nor- a lady's favorite- muscular tone. He was a warrior, so-called, and his features were sharp and defined, but he looked…funny. Humoring. Amusing. Yes, he was clapping, but he didn't seem to focus on merely the act of clapping or watching the demonstration as much as he seemed to focus on her.

Yue blinked innocently. Was it possible for a princess to fall for him? Maybe so…

As the additional curtain of bent water swiveled its way under the moonlit night, the man's cheeks tinted pink, and he smiled goofily like a little kid. The smile upon Yue's lips widens. Indeed, she was charmed. A slight giggle from one of her maids, however, drifted her attention forward again… back on the endless sea of audience. But already this man was starting to slip easily into her thoughts.

For the first time in her life, Yue felt like smiling in an actual girly way. She forgot about the fact that she was a princess. She seemed to be… shy… towards a man for the first time. She avoided his eye contact, though not as willingly as she would have hoped. Rumors have it that he was the "prince" of the Southern Water Tribe. 'Protector' of the southern tribe, he was known as. He must have had a strong reputation, but he dresses so simply…

Would he speak to her?

Within seconds her attention was broken. Roars and applause greeted the ice palace as Master Pakku and his students bowed in completion. The royal feast was announced. The next thing she knew, Yue could feel her feet commanding her to take her first stride across the first five yards of her curtained room. She stepped ever so cautiously after having spoken with the other guests and bidding her father a wonderful time at the party. An unknown feeling crept up inside of her as her attendants left her in the company of the dining courtyard. She felt as if being watched. Again her eyes balleted over to the familiar corner, and the warrior immediately grinned, freezing in place.

As per the intention of her feet, the princess started to walk towards the Avatar's table. Avatar Aang was speaking to Master Pakku only a few feet away. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe was right next to the warrior, observing the others enthusiastically. Only the warrior stayed firmly rigid, shoving the bread into his mouth in a way the princess has never seen anyone do. Highly entertained but feeling her heartbeat pound uncontrollably against her chest, she took her seat next to him. Her cheeks felt warm but weren't warm enough to display a clear blush.

The gesture seemed to have surprised the warrior. He immediately gulped what was left in his mouth and straightened his posture. He seemed to be having great difficulty in trying to be 'cool.'

"Hi there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe."

Yue was moved to his 'cool' attitude. Sokka… she repeated in her mind. She liked it.

However goofy Sokka may have seemed to be to her, he certainly did win her over with the charm in his voice. She was obviously oblivious to a man's efforts to impress a girl, so she was the innocent one for a while. She didn't know how to approach him at first but bowed slightly, smiling genuinely after a long while.

"Very nice to meet you."

And now, an awkward moment. Yue was ecstatic, but she was still too shy to show any sign of content.

"So... uh... you're a Princess!" Sokka exclaimed.

She nodded and smiled again.

"You know, back in my tribe, I'm kinda like a prince myself!"

"Ha! Prince of what?" Katara chimed in. Yue couldn't help stifling back her laugh.

After the momentary bickering, Sokka turned back to face Yue immediately. "So… it looks like I'm gonna be in town for a while."

There was a playful glint in the warrior's mischievous eyes. One playful enough to spark her attention. Her breath escaped from her for a second.

"I'm thinking maybe we could… do an activity together?" the man finished. He was nervous, sweating even in the midst of the cold.

Something leaped in Yue's chest. "Do an activity?" she asked shyly.

Sokka froze and stuffed more food into his mouth. A cough, followed by another of his infinite goofy grins indicated that he was waiting for her response. But before Yue could say anything more, two shadows engulfed behind her.

"Princess…the hall of private audience requests for your assistance."

Yue's shining eyes dulled for a split moment as she was pulled back into her real world. Sokka choked on his food. He attempted to stammer something in haste.

"B-but…b-but…"

Yue felt as though her chance at happiness was fading. She darted her eyes back and forth. "Has the royal court-?"

"Yes, Princess. They are waiting to discuss certain matters with you."

"I hope you have a wonderful time, Sokka," Princess Yue bowed, slipping away from her seat humbly. If she had been given at least one more second of privacy, she would have sighed. The attendants let Yue slide before them, and they both followed her as she walked back inside. Sitting by him, talking to him, being charmed by his goofiness...These little wishes were never meant to be...

She didn't hesitate, however, to turn her head and catch a last glimpse of the warrior, who still clearly disappointed. Impatience flickered as equally in her yearning eyes as in his.