The night is cloudy and quiet. All that can be heard throughout the halls of the immense temples are the snores of bison and the chirp of crickets. Reporters in their small rowboats are barely recognizable as they sail back to the mainland. The lanterns aboard them are dim and no doubt being used as light for scribbling pens and hushed whispers of gossip.
The Avatar's second child, Kya, has discovered her Waterbending abilities.
The six year old child spent hours posing for pictures at the pond, showing off her new found skill. She was all smiles for the flashing cameras, her toothy grin alight as she tried her best to hold the water for as long as she could so that a quality picture could be snapped. Katara had watched from afar, smiling at how well Kya's stance was and how excited she was. However the Master Waterbender hated reporters and before dusk rolled in, she pulled Kya away and told the paparazzi that it was time to leave. She shooed her daughter away to avoid hearing their questions...
"What does Avatar Aang think of having yet another non-Airbender?"
"Do you and Avatar Aang plan on having more children?"
"Katara, do you realize that you have failed the Airbending culture again?"
At that, Katara nearly launched the man into the sea. Thankfully the White Lotus guards intervened before she lost her nerve. She turned away and lead Kya back into the temple, trying to ignore the red that clouded her vision and the complaints of Kya that she was holding her hand too tight.
Now she stood at her window sill and watched the boats until they docked. Looking away and closing the curtains, she turned to the bed.
Empty.
Just like the night before.
She liked to think that her husband was snuggled up in a hammock with both Bumi and Kya somewhere, lulling them to sleep with stories of giant badger moles or Ocean spirits. But sadly, both of her children had been tucked in. Bumi, a rambunctious ten year old, had zonked out quite easily wheres Kya had demanded to stay up longer to practice her bending. Katara made a note to check on her daughter later.
And Aang?
Meditating in a distant corner of the temple. He usually didn't come to bed until late into the night. Some mornings she would wake up and he still wouldn't be next to her. Katara knew that tomorrow morning would be one of those mornings.
On the day that Bumi was born, there was great joy among Republic City. The first of many Airbenders had been born! There was talk of having a national holiday created in his honor and the island had been mobbed with reporters. Katara, only twenty six years old at the time, had been dealing with reporters since the day of her wedding. So she knew what to expect. She and Aang had sat with a fussy baby on her shoulder for three hours, answering questions from each nosy person. Aang had his arm around her shoulders and a twinkle in his eye, he talked of grand plans for Bumi and how he would show his first born all the wonders of the Airbending culture.
Four years went by and not a lick of air -or water- went bent by Bumi.
The year she turned thirty, Kya was born.
Again the reporters came, but this time there was no talk of a national holiday but plans of expanding Airbending culture did arise again. Aang had rested his hand on her knee and smiled weakly at his second born. Bets were made on their daughter and what her bending ability would be. Air? Water? Or yet another non-bender?
Katara knew the Air Acolytes whispered behind her back. They thought Aang could produce better offspring with a non-bender to increase the chances of the Airbending gene being more dominant. Some suggested he have a harem and produce multiple children in hopes that one would be an Airbender.
The distance between her and her husband had been increasing for weeks. He was so caught up in his city that Katara barely saw him, she liked to stay at the temple and take walks with Bumi and Kya through the gardens. She would see Aang in passing and they would nod at each other. Smiles are attempted, almost forced.
"You're up late."
Katara blinked and turned in her bed to face the doorway. Aang stood there with his hands behind his back. Still wearing his robes, Aang looked at her pensively with his grey eyes. She regarded the Avatar with a simple shrug.
"Sleeping alone has its benefits, Avatar Aang" she replied coolly.
She saw him grimace "I know I haven't been around much."
Katara glowered at him "We haven't slept in the same bed for five months. You think-"
"'You think I don't know that?" Aang snapped, his eyes narrowed into slits "You think I haven't missed you?"
She stood up from her bed "Don't give me that, Aang, you don't care about me."
Her husband looked at her as if she had slapped him. Closing the door behind him, he walked closer to his wife. Katara took a few steps back in retaliation and waited.
"How dare you!" he hissed "How dare you say that! I care about you more then you know!"
"I don't care if you do or not!" she bit back "I care about whether or not you accept your children for what they are!" She could see he knew what she was talking about.
"I love both of them" Aang exclaimed "They're both my children!" The pitch in his tone had raised.
Katara threw back her head and laughed "That's bullshit, Aang, and you know it. They're not Airbenders, they're not what you need!"
"You know how important it is to me that I have an airbending heir and you know-"
"Is that all I am to you?" she snapped "Hmm? A heir producer?"
Aang grimaced, "You don't understand..."
Katara felt tears beginning to form "I don't understand how you look at your children as failures because they aren't Airbenders" she choked out "You barely know Bumi and you tolerate Kya, all because of something neither of them can control."
Aang was close to her now but wouldn't meet her gaze. Katara turned her back to him and stared out into the ocean. Would it be so horrible to take her children and run back to the Southern Water Tribe? To leave the isolation of the island and be with her father and tribe? Bumi could be trained as a warrior and be surrounded by other non bending children. Kya would fit in perfectly as well. This life of loneliness and heartbreak was not what she imagined with Aang, not at all.
Katara wiped away the tears before turning back to him "I can't keep doing this, Aang" she whispered "I can't keep living on this island with you if something doesn't change."
Aang walked forward and tried to cup her cheek but she turned away, his touch didn't do anything for her anymore.
"While you're out in the city playing cops and robbers with Toph, I'm here raising our children while listening to gossip about our marriage" Katara said "At night, I tell our children how much we love them and yet I know you don't."
Aang's eyes were red, he looked almost embarrassed at her words "We can try for another child" he murmured "I need Airbenders, I need-" Katara stared at him open mouthed before shoving him away.
"And my children need a father who loves them!" Katara yelled "I need a husband who supports his family no matter what!" She felt the water in the pitcher next to her stir "Get out!"
Aang barely made it to the door before a water whip struck the door frame. The door slammed shut and Katara fell to the floor with a sob. Were they truly damned?