I dunno what to put in this space, but I feel obligated to put something!
Have fun reading my obligation sentences!(This and the one above it)
BTH
5. Harmony
Recently, Katara had found herself with time on her hands. Time she had no idea how to fill because she had done everything that needed doing. She had practiced water bending, taught Aang, cooked all the meals, done the shopping, some cleaning, some sewing, a bit of healing and all else she could think of. So, hating the feeling of boredom, Katara headed to town and found herself immersed in the books of a library she had stumbled upon. She even bought one of two books for a market that sold them.
Currently, Katara was reading a romance novel called 'Time Means Naught' and it was something she really enjoyed. A word stuck out to her though, as she was reading, one that she wasn't clear of the meaning. She had heard the word 'harmony' before as it pertained to music, but she hadn't really heard it much used in different contexts. So, the next day, she made her way to the library, found herself a dictionary and looked it up.
"har·mo·ny
Show Spelled[hahr-muh-nee]
–noun, plural -nies.
1.
agreement; accord; harmonious relations.
2.
a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts; congruity."
Satisfied with the definition, she made her way back to the camp. When she arrived, Zuko was the first person to see her.
"Katara, could you help me? I want to learn how to brew good tea." Zuko said, catching her by surprise.
"Uh, sure, Zuko. When?"
"Is now good?" he asked.
"I don't see why not. Go get the kettle, it's next to the fire wood."
He met her over by the fire place and he lit it upon her request.
"Okay, what kind of tea do you wan to make? We have chamomile, gin sen, jasmine and green."
"Jasmine." He said without hesitation.
"Alright, first we need to grind the leaves. Like this." Katara proceeded to put the leaves in a bowl and then used a small utensil with a jagged end to grind the leaves into smaller pieces, "Keep doing that until you think they're small enough. I'll get the water ready."
By the time Katara had the water boiling, Zuko had just about had the leaves made into a fine powder.
"Zuko! What happened? The leaves are practically dust!" she exclaimed.
"Well, I didn't know how small I should make them! You didn't tell me!" he defended.
"I thought it was common sense! These will slip right through the holes on the tea strainer! Just how did you make tea before?"
Zuko blushed in humiliation and turned away, "I don't need you to teach me if you're going to criticize me! Well, I should know that a prude like you had no room for error!"
"EXCUSE ME?" She cried, insulted, "I am not a prude! I'm as care free as it gets!"
"Of course you are! I can see in your worry lines how wrong I am!"
"Worry-! I DO NOT HAVE WRINKLES!" She roared, furious, "What would a royal pain in the neck like you need to make tea for, anyway? You can just keep making whatever disgusting sludge you call tea for the rest of your rude life! See if I care! Which I won't!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
And they stormed away from each other.
Katara, trying to cool her temper, picked up 'Time Means Naught' and began to read.
'Yu Fen raced down the stairs, eager to meet his love. Mi Yong's heart beat furiously at the sight of him and they embraced.
"Yu Fen, my Darling, how ever did you escape the guards?" Mi Yong asked, clinging onto his shirt as tears of relief began to form at the corners of her chocolate eyes.
"My Love, someone of mystery sent a delicacy to my cold prison cell. Within it, I found the key to my metal shackles. I unchained myself and simply used rock launches to knock down my cell's bars and the guards to make my escape."
"As my master lives! Yu Fen, that was a delicacy of my own creation in order to free you! I could not bear doing my regular duties so long as you, my light, were in torment within the cruel prison of my bitter Grandfather's creation! Thus, did I concoct a plan to release thee from such a fate! I rejoice to know I could be of your assistance, Love."
"With your own advantages from outside of the suffering house that had bound me and my own might as an honourable earth bender, I have returned to your side to take you as my own wife!" Yu fen swept Mi Yong off of her feet, the maiden jovially grasping his hair as he drew her closer.
"We each have given to the other what they lacked. Truly, we are in harmony!" She proclaimed as Yu fen bent his head to kiss her sweet lips.'
Katara once again closed the book, blushing a little. That word was there again. Harmony
She tried applying it to herself and Zuko. They didn't get along at all. There was no agreement, accord, and they were certainly not orderly. Thinking back to the tea incident, they had only just started when things went wrong. Perhaps she shouldn't have just assumed that Zuko knew how to grind the tea leaves, but his Uncle was a masterful tea maker, wouldn't it make sense for him to... to.
Oh, no. His Uncle. The person that Zuko felt the most guilt over. His Uncle's favourite tea had been jasmine, just as he had named his tea shop. Zuko was learning to make tea for his Uncle.
Katara felt the sudden urge to punch herself in the stomach repeatedly. How could she be so insensitive? She never even thought about why he might be wanting to learn. She must have really hurt him...
Katara swallowed her pride and got up. It was one of the very few times that Katara would admit that she had been wrong. She was going to find Zuko and apologize. She didn't have to look hard. Zuko saw her and ran towards her. Facing one another they each said in unison;
"Sorry!"
They blinked, staring, and then started to laugh.
"Alright, why are you sorry?" Zuko asked.
"Well, it occurred to me that I might have been a bit insensitive and maybe I could have explained things better instead of just assuming you knew how." She replied, looking at her feet.
"Yeah, well, I said some pretty terrible stuff to you. I'm sorry about that. Also, I guess I could have asked for some clarification on what I didn't understand. My Uncle always said that my pride would inhibit my learning. He's why I'm trying to learn to make tea. I've made it for him before and didn't realize how bad it was. I made some this morning and drank it and it was the grossest thing I've ever come in contact with." Zuko gagged at the memory.
"Do you want to try again?" Katara asked, "This time I'll explain things better."
"Awesome. I'll ask if I don't get something, too." Zuko smiled at her, "By the way, you don't have worry lines. Your plenty beautiful."
Katara tried not to blush at the compliment, failing and walking ahead of him to hide it, "Well, let's hop to it, then! Can't keep tea waiting!"
Clarity and understanding. Each giving the other what they lack. Perhaps, Katara thought, they were more in harmony than she could see.
Now I just need to write today's theme and I'm all caught up! On day six...I'll do better next time, I swear...