Aang woke up and found himself in an igloo with blue curtains for partitions. Animal pelts decorated the place. He winced a little at this, secretly glad that this wasn't his home. He smiled as he realized that his beautiful fiancee had grown up here... and that in turn made him realize why they were here. He sighed as he walked out of the igloo and into the snow covered terrain. But before he could go any further, someone had placed a hand on his shoulder. He smiled as he looked at his future brother in law.
"Today's the big day!" Sokka said happily.
Aang simply nodded. A month ago, he'd asked Katara to marry him... At the time, it'd been such an easy thing to do... He loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her... But being the Avatar and a master waterbender who had defeated Azula didn't make it easy for them to keep this quiet.
"It sure is, Sokka!" Aang said with a smile.
"I'm really glad you decided to get married here, Aang! Katara's just ecstatic about having a Southern Water Tribe wedding!" Sokka said.
Aang smiled a hollow smile as he considered this.
"It's not like there are other airbenders to perform an authentic Air Nomad ceremony," Aang said lightly.
"Aang, I'm... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean it that way," Sokka said.
"I know you didn't. It's alright. I'm glad we're doing this, too, Sokka... The arbor looks beautiful!" Aang remarked as he looked at a beautiful structure in the distance.
Sokka smiled as he said, "The tribe outdid itself when they heard whose wedding it was!" Aang winced as he looked sideways at his friend. "No, don't worry... We were all happy to do it. The two of you deserve the best. I want you guys to have the perfect wedding!" Sokka finished.
Aang placed his hand on his best friend's shoulder as he said, "Thank you, Sokka."
Then his smile faded as he looked at the arbor again... Sokka noticed this as he followed Aang's line of vision.
"You worry too much," Sokka said.
"With good reason!" Aang said angrily.
"Come with me," Aang heard a voice say. He turned around to find Hakoda standing there with a smile on his face. Cursing himself for not being more discrete, Aang walked up to him. Even though Aang was as tall as he was, there was still something about Hakoda that intimidated him a little.
"Gee, I guess it's not because he's the father of the woman who's life you'll be responsible for from now on," Aang thought to himself. They walked in silence for a little while.
"I see you're a little worried about the wedding," Hakoda said calmly.
"Not about the wedding, no," Aang said sadly.
"Then what is it that you're worried about?" Hakoda asked kindly.
"The same thing I was worried about a month ago. I won't be able to forgive myself if anything happens to her just because she's married to me," Aang said.
"Katara knows what she's getting into, Aang... And frankly, there's no one else I'd trust to take care of her," Hakoda said with a smile.
"Thank you, Sir... I just hope I don't disappoint you," Aang said sincerely.
Hakoda nodded and left. Aang then looked back at another igloo not too far away and smiled at the thought of who was inside it...
Katara smiled as she got ready for the wedding. She'd been dreaming of this day her entire life... How many years had she spent wondering what her husband would look like? How she'd feel about him? And most importantly, how he'd feel about her. But what really brought a smile to her face was the man she was about to marry. Aang had been nothing but loving, kind, and considerate when they were just seeing each other. She was looking forward to finding out what he'd be like once they got married. In fact, she couldn't wait to be married to him.
Honestly, she'd thought they would've been married by now... They'd been seeing each other for quite a while before he'd asked her to marry him a month ago. Not that she doubted him for a second, but she had to admit it was hard for her to not wonder once in a while about why he hadn't asked her yet.
"Come on, Katara... Time to go!" she heard Suki say. Katara smiled as she got up and faced her sister-in-law. "You look beautiful, Katara!" Suki finished as she looked at Katara.
She was right... Katara did look beautiful. Her beautiful, blue and white dress made her look like Water Tribe Royalty. The way her beautiful, brown hair was styled today was reminiscent of Princess Yue.
"You look lovely, Katara," her grandmother said as she hugged her. Katara could only smile.
"Thanks, you two! Let's go," Katara said as she made her way to the arbor with Kanna and Suki.
Before they got there, though, two people stopped her. Katara smiled as Mai and Zuko enveloped her in a warm hug.
"Congratulations, Katara! We couldn't be happier for both of you!" Zuko said happily as he held her by the shoulders. Mai nodded in agreement as she smiled at Katara.
"Thank you!" Katara said as she smiled at them and started walking with them until her father extended his hand for her to take.
"Look at you!" Hakoda said as he smiled at his daughter. Katara smiled at him and hugged him. "Let's go, now... Aang's waiting," Hakoda finished as he wrapped an arm around Katara's shoulders and walked her to the arbor.
Aang had just finished getting dressed as Sokka came in.
"Good! You're ready... Let's go!" Sokka said as he walked him to the arbor.
Bato was already there... He was going to preside over the ceremony. Bato had agreed to take up the mantle of Pipe Carrier upon Hakoda's insistance.
Aang smiled at Bato and said, "Thanks for doing this, Bato."
Bato just smiled and said, "It's an honor, Aang..."
Aang looked around to find the people who mattered most to him. Iroh, Pakku, Jeong Jeong, Bumi, and Piandao were all sitting together with smiles on their faces, and Aang smiled with them... There was Zuko with Mai and his mother Ursa... He smiled at the fact that They'd found her... He smiled again as he thought about Mai and Zuko's wedding almost a year ago... Then he looked to his right to find Sokka, who was happily married to Suki... Then he found Toph sitting in right in the front. He'd known this would happen eventually... And although he was ecstatic, there was a small part of him that was terrified. Not of getting married... but of hurting these people... One person in particular. That's when he felt a slight tap on his shoulder. Sokka was smiling and pointing to a spot ahead of him.
Aang turned around and his breath was caught in his throat... He watched as Hakoda escorted Katara to the arbor... She was a vision... He watched as she walked towards him with a smile on her beautiful face. He'd known that traditonally, a wedding like this would've required her to wear her normal parka... But out of respect for Aang's beliefs, she'd chosen a gown woven out of silk instead. He had to smile at the gesture. He didn't realize that his mouth was open until she walked over to him and nudged his chin up. He simply smiled at her as she stood there. She took his hand subtly as they stood there looking at each other as if they were all alone... Sokka had to clear his throat to bring them out of their illusion. Hakoda nodded at Bato, who slowly took a small pot of ink in his hand.
"We're here today to witness the union of two beautiful souls," Bato began as he addressed the crowd. "We will first symbolize the fact that they are members of our tribe... May the Spirits bear witness to these marks... For Katara, whose courage inspires us, the Mark of the Brave," Bato said as he marked Katara's forehead with a crescent like symbol.
Then he looked at Aang and said, "For Aang, whose loyalty is an example to others, the Mark of the Trusted." Aang bowed down to receive the mark as he had so many years ago... Only this time, he wasn't guilt ridden.
Katara and Aang looked at each other as they realized that this was actually happening. Bato took the Betrothal necklace that Aang had given Katara a month ago. As part of the ritual, it had been given to the Pipe Carrier.
Bato gave it to Aang and said, "Through this ritual, you will be formally engaged. If this is what you wish, Aang, tie this necklace around her neck. Now, Katara, if you do not wish to be betrothed to him, you reserve the right to refuse."
Aang took the necklace and slowly tied it around Katara's neck as they both smiled.
Bato then took the Ceremonial Pipe and said, "May the Spirits also bear witness to the fact that the two of you have consciously made the decision to live your lives as one. Such a decision is not to be taken lightly. Like every commitment, it requires effort from both sides... You must seek those who will guide you wisely on this path... Choose your sponsors wisely."
The two of them looked at each other and smiled. Then Aang looked at Iroh and said, "We choose Iroh, whose wisdom has led us through some tough times." Iroh stepped forward and smiled at them.
Katara looked at her father and said, "We choose my father Hakoda, who has loved and supported us the best he could."
"We choose Jeong Jeong, whose timely advice has never failed us," Aang said.
"We choose my grandmother Kanna, whose courage and hope has always given us strength," Katara finished.
Once all the Sponsors had taken their places beside the couple, Bato smiled and said, "By smoking from this ceremonial pipe, you will symbolize the beginning of your new lives together. Your sponsors will act as your guides through good times and bad... Do we have a commitment from the Sponsors that they will, to the best of their ability, guide these two through good times and bad?"
All four Sponsors nodded at this in agreement. Bato offered Katara the pipe and nodded at her.
"With this ritual, you take Aang as your husband. If this is what you wish, say your vows and smoke from this pipe," Bato said.
Katara nodded and uttered the words that were traditionally considered vows in the Water tribe. "You are my husband. My feet shall run because of you. My feet dance because of you. My eyes see because of you. My mind thinks because of you. And I shall love because of you," she said and smoked from the pipe and handed it back to Bato.
Bato handed the pipe to Aang and said, "With this ritual, you take Katara as your wife. If this is what you wish, say your vows and smoke from this pipe."
Aang took the pipe as he looked at Katara and said, "You are my wife. My feet shall run because of you. My feet dance because of you. My eyes see because of you. My mind thinks because of you. And I shall love because of you." Then he smoked from the pipe and handed it back to Bato, who as Pipe Carrier, accepted the tobacco himself.
Then he looked at both of them and said, "May the Spirits bear witness to this union! You are now husband and wife."
Aang looked at Katara for a minute and smiled. But before he could do anything, she pulled him by the collar and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her waist just like hers were around his neck. They separated after what seemed like ages.
"You've been waiting to do that, haven't you?" Katara asked him in a voice only he could hear."
Aang smiled and said, "You have no idea!"
They walked with Bato towards Hakoda's igloo for the feast hand in hand amidst the cheers of their friends and family.