:: the prince and the warrior ::

by thisflyingmachine

[part two: the warrior and the princess.]

"Once, years ago, there was a young warrior of the Southern Water Tribe. He was charged with a great task: to help a very important boy fulfill a prophecy."

"What was the prophecy?"

"The boy and his friends were supposed to end a terrible war and save the world."

"And did they?"

"Well, we're standing here today, in a time of peace, aren't we?"

"We are. Okay. Go on."

"All right. Their journey brought them to the Northern Water Tribe. It was there that the warrior met the princess. She was the most beautiful girl in the world, and the warrior fell in love with her instantly."

"How could she possibly be the most beautiful girl in the world?"

"You don't understand. You haven't seen her."

"Neither have you!"

"But my granddad told me all about her when I was a kid, before he died. He said she had the bluest eyes—bluer than the Northern Sea. Her hair was white as moonlight. She looked like a dream. Like a goddess."

"Hmm . . ."

"Well, the warrior fell in love with the beautiful princess. And even though he was clumsy and foolish whenever she was around, the princess saw that he had a strong heart and that he loved her truly, and she came to love him in return. But they couldn't be together, because the princess already had a betrothed."

"Really?"

"Really. The warrior was heartbroken when the princess told him. It was an arranged marriage, and the princess had no choice. Still, she and the warrior continued to meet in secret, hiding their love. This went on for a while—until the Fire Nation attempted to take the Northern Water Tribe."

"Why is it that the Fire Nation is always the villain in these folk stories?"

"Stop interrupting. Anyway, the Fire Nation attacked the Northern Water Tribe. It was pretty evenly-matched—warriors and Waterbenders against soldiers and Firebenders. But then a Fire Nation commander found the most sacred place in the North—the Spirit Oasis. The pond in the Spirit Oasis was the home of the Ocean and Moon Spirits. The commander knew that, and he wanted to use that knowledge to destroy the Water Tribe for good, regardless of the consequences. So he killed the Moon Spirit."

"That's impossible. You can't kill a spirit."

"Not in the Spirit World, you can't. But the Ocean and Moon Spirits were inhabiting physical bodies in the mortal world, and could die."

"Oh. All right, then."

"The commander killed the Moon Spirit, and the night went dark. All Waterbenders lost their power. The Fire Nation was going to overrun the Water Tribe. Then, just when all hope was lost, the princess got an idea. You see, when she was a baby, the princess had been very ill, near death. Her parents prayed to the Moon Spirit, asking for help. They brought her to the Spirit Oasis and placed her in the pond. Then the Moon Spirit touched the princess, healing her and turning her hair white."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm getting to it! Relax! Anyway, the princess thought that since she had been given life by the Moon Spirit, it might be possible for her to use that life to revive it."

"But wouldn't she die?"

"There was no way to tell. But she knew she had to try."

"She must've been very brave."

"As brave as she was beautiful."

"So then what happened?"

"She told the warrior her plan. He begged her to change her mind. He'd promised her father, the chief, that he would protect her with his life. And besides—he loved her. He'd never loved anyone but her. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her."

"Could he convince her?"

"No. It didn't matter how he pleaded. The princess loved him more than anything. But her duty to her people was greater than her love. So she said goodbye to the warrior and surrendered her life. And she became the Moon Spirit. With the moon back in the sky, the Waterbenders were able to defeat the Fire Nation invaders. The Moon Spirit now watches over the Water Tribe with special care, and it's said that she also watched over her warrior all the days of his life. And today, with this festival, we celebrate the princess' bravery and her sacrifice."