A/N – First of all, I changed the date of the wedding from 100 ASC to 101 ASC. Because it occurred to me that Sokka was 15 at the end of the series (thus at summer's end), so his birthday is likely to be in fall or winter. With that in mind, he would turn sixteen towards the end of 100 ASC and I stated that his and Yue's wedding would be six months after Arnook announced it (to factor in travel time and preparations). This would mean the wedding would take place sometime in 101 ASC.

Also, I've been basing my dates according to the Avatar wiki, but now they've changed from the BSC/ASC to a BG/AG (Before/After the Air Nomad Genocide) label, which while more accurate, isn't fitting for this story, so I will continue with the Before/After Sozin's Comet.

And in the prologue, I have changed the underlined text to normal text – in retrospect, it looked kind of tacky to me.

The only other change was also minor – increasing Lu Ten's age slightly (based on Zuko's flashback in "The Beach;" Zuko appears to be a toddler in the flashback while Lu Ten looks to be under ten years old).

Is anyone else looking forward to Kataang Week this year? I know I am (despite still needing to finish most of Kataang Week for last summer).

So, in a month overflowing with Zutara fics, here is my belated Valentine's Day/Birthday gift to all of my wonderful readers and Kataangers everywhere – the next chapter of "To Win Her Hand!"

Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed, and/or favorited this story, it means a lot to me! For those of you who left a review for the last chapter, I have saved my responses for the end (this won't be a usual occurrence, I just realized I hadn't replied to any of them like I usually do, my sincere apologies). You all are awesome! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko; I own nothing.

Lastly, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my friend and senpai, BaSingTei.

She is an amazing human being and an incredibly talented writer.

So if you haven't read any of her stories, please do!
(And if you have a tumblr, go follow her!)

Chapter 2 - Wind and Water; Ice and Snow

(Union of the Moon and the Wolf, Part 2)

(The Wedding of Prince Sokka and Princess Yue, Northern Water Tribe – 101 ASC)

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Aang," the Water Tribe girl began with a grin, "I'm Katara."

"Nice to meet you, too, Katara," the boy replied, his lips still set in a friendly, crooked smile. "Thanks for helping me up."

"You're welcome," Katara glanced up at the walkway a level above them, "you had quite a fall, I had to make sure you were alright, especially when you didn't move for a moment there."

The young Air Nomad grinned sheepishly, "I guess I was a little dazed from the fall; thankfully there was more snow than ice where I landed."

"You're sure you're feeling alright?"

"I mean, my head hurts a little bit, but nothing too major."

"That's good to know, I was worried." Since her friends had been drafted into helping with making the tea for the wedding, Katara suddenly had a lot of free time on her hands. And since a certain Air Nomad had literally landed at her feet, she decided there wasn't any harm in getting to know him. "So, Aang, you're here for the wedding, too, I assume?"

"Sure am!" The younger teen replied. "I feel a little out of place here, though; like I said, first time in the Northern Water Tribe and all."

"It is a pretty big place," Katara agreed. "Where are you from?"

"The Southern Air Temple!" Tilting his head slightly, he turned the question on her, "What about you? Do you live here or are you from the Southern Water Tribe?"

"Oh, um," she replied, "I'm from the South Pole."

Katara shouldn't have been so surprised; she didn't know any Air Nomads other than the high Monk or Nun from each of the four temples. So why would Aang know who she was? Especially since, of the two Water Tribe royal families, the Southern one was still establishing itself. She knew Monk Pasang was in charge of the Southern Air Temple, but knew nothing else of it, so, conversely, the young monks born there probably only knew that her father was in charge of the Southern Water Tribe.

"Cool! It's kind of funny, I've never been to the Southern Water Tribe despite how close my home is to it," Aang grinned, "and now we're meeting at the North Pole." The Airbender shrugged, "The universe is funny sometimes."

Katara chuckled, "It sure is. Well, as it turns out, I've never been to the Southern Air Temple either." She paused, adding, "Or any Air Temple, for that matter."

"Well, I'm not really surprised," Aang responded, "they're really hard to get to if you don't have a Flying Bison and with the exception of the Acolytes, not many outsiders are let in."

The Waterbender's smile fell, "Oh."

Katara's disappointed tone immediately caused the Air Nomad to amend his previous statement, "But friends are always welcome!"

Despite having numerous friends at the Southern Air Temple and among the Air Nomads, Aang felt that his closest friends were, ironically, those from other nations. With Bumi and Kuzon, he had felt a powerful bond immediately, and he was feeling the same way about Katara. And if he was honest with himself, the pull he felt to this girl was just as strong, if not stronger, than the initial bonds he had formed with either Bumi or Kuzon.

"But we just met," Katara protested, despite her excitement at the thought of finally visiting an Air Temple, "do you really consider me a friend?" And she was even more excited that Aang was calling her his friend, when only minutes before they had been complete strangers. While making friends wasn't difficult for her, it wasn't exactly a routine occurrence either, being a princess and all, so she cherished the possibility of making another one.

Aang's brow furrowed as he thought for a moment. The Airbender then relaxed and smiled reassuringly, "Well, all friends have a moment when they've 'just met.' They just never think of it that way at the time."

"Thank you, Aang; I'd be honored to call you my friend," Katara returned the younger teen's warm smile. "And that's a really wise way of looking at it."

"Thanks," the boy answered sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't really know where I got the idea, but…," the Air Nomad trailed off. "Anyways," he smiled brightly, "if we're going to be friends, we should probably get to know each other better."

Katara laughed, "I think that's typically how it goes. So, do you want to start, or should I?"

Aang gestured towards the older teen, "Ladies first."

Katara smiled as she thought of what to say – while she was disappointed she wasn't able to spend time with her Fire Nation friends, being able to make a new one was just as thrilling.

Besides, after weighing her options, getting to know a new person seemed like the best choice. The other two alternatives were to wait in her seat, bored until she was (potentially) asked to assist with the wedding preparations again, or help General Iroh and company with the tea-making (which did not sound pleasant, considering the state Iroh was apparently in).

"Alright," Katara smiled as she used some general arm movements to hide her subtle bending of the snow behind Aang, "I'm fifteen years old and a Master Waterbender."

"Really? That's so cool!"

Whereas others, both children and adults, had praised her for mastering her element before adulthood, only a handful of people actually gave Katara genuine admiration for her abilities. And if the Water Tribe girl was honest with herself, Aang's sentiments had felt very, very sincere. "I'm glad you think so." Indicating for the Air Nomad to turn around, she added, "Why don't we sit while we talk?"

The Airbender looked over his shoulder and saw a simple, yet beautifully-crafted ice bench just behind him where only moments ago there was nothing but snow. Aang walked over to the bench, his fingertips ghosting over the cold backrest, "Wow," he whispered. He smiled at Katara, his tone reverent, "It's beautiful."

Katara felt her cheeks flush ever so slightly at the compliment, "Thank you." She moved to the bench as well and after sitting down, the young Airbender sat beside her. "So," she prodded, "now that you know something about me, tell me something about yourself."

"Well," Aang stared at his hands, absentmindedly twiddled his thumbs, "I'm a Master Airbender and I'm thirteen."

"You became a master at thirteen?" While Katara had known the boy was a master by his obvious tattoos, as well as guessed he was around that age, it was still shocking to actually hear him say it. Honestly, she shouldn't have been that surprised – she herself had mastered her own element at the age of fourteen. But from what she had heard, Airbending required the most spiritual discipline of all the bending arts, so it made Aang's accomplishment even more impressive.

Aang began to rub the back of his neck awkwardly with his right hand. Blushing, he turned away slightly, "Actually, I was twelve when I got my arrows."

"That's even more incredible, Aang!"

"Thanks," he abashedly replied. Trying to get the attention away from himself, he turned back towards his newfound friend. "What about you? When did you master Waterbending?"

"Just last year," she replied, "I was fourteen. It would have probably taken me longer, but my grandfather was a huge help." She smiled fondly at the memories, thinking especially of the day when Pakku had declared her a master, his eyes shining with how proud he was of her hard work.

A wistful look developed on Aang's face as well. "I know what you mean," the Airbender began, "if it weren't for my mentor, I know I'd never be where I'm at today." His gray gaze met her azure one, "My turn – what's it like living at the South Pole?"

"A lot like this," Katara answered, watching as her breath froze as she exhaled. Being a native of the cold, polar winds and temperatures, she was quite used to the effect, but she still held a childlike fascination for it. She watched as Aang mimicked her, before asking somewhat bluntly, "Aren't you cold?"

"Huh?" The boy glanced down at his clothing – thin robes of orange and saffron yellow that appeared useless against the icy weather. Compared to Katara's thick blue, purple, and white parka, the Air Nomad seemed unprepared for a stay in the North Pole.

Aang quickly explained, however, "It's hard for us Air Nomads to get cold easily. We use special breathing techniques to keep warm for a few days in really cold weather, so I'm perfectly fine. If we were staying for several weeks, however, we would have brought thicker robes."

He referenced his earlier question, "So, you said the Southern Water Tribe is a lot like this – is there anything different?"

"Oh, right," Katara giggled, "Sorry about that. Well," she gestured at all the grand structures around them, most notably the palace, "it's not as extravagant or large as this." She pointed at a nearby canal, "We also only have a few canals and they're mostly used by businesses and not for public transportation. It's similar, but there are also a number of differences."

The Water Tribe girl suddenly thought of another question to ask her companion. "Aang," she glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, "What were you doing exactly that caused you to fall off that upper walkway?"

"Oh, that!" Aang replied, his cheeks flushing once again, this time in embarrassment. Rubbing the back of his neck again, he explained, "I was running away."

"Running away?" Katara asked curiously, "Away from what?"

Before the Air Nomad could answer her, a shadow descended over Aang's head, quickly followed by a chattering white and brown form. Aang laughed as a creature perched on his right shoulder, its tail wrapping around his neck as it nuzzled the boy's head.

"Alright, alright," Aang giggled, "you found me!" Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a handful of lychee nuts, some more broken than others. The animal's large ears flared back and it seemed to chitter angrily towards the boy. "I'm sorry!" Aang protested, "I was trying to hide from you and I fell. If you don't want the broken ones, I'll eat them." At that statement, the critter shoved as many of the dried fruits into its mouth, regardless of how whole they were, causing its cheeks to puff out comically.

"Um," Katara paused when the animal turned around to face her, startled by her voice. Its large green eyes bored into hers for a few seconds before she finally asked, "Aang, what is that?"

"Oh, sorry," Aang chuckled, "I haven't introduced you guys." Aang scratched the animal between its ears, its eyes closed in contentment as it chewed on its snack, "Katara, this is Momo, my pet winged lemur." The lemur's eyes opened as Aang pulled his hand away, gesturing towards the girl beside him, "Momo, this is my new friend, Katara."

"You have a pet lemur?" While she had heard of the creatures before, Katara never thought that any Air Nomads would keep them as pets.

"Ever since I got my tattoos last year," Aang responded. "While I was recovering, Momo here would come and sleep in my room, since I was the only one in the temple at the time who wouldn't shoo him away. Eventually he just kept coming back to visit and now he follows me wherever I go."

"Is it alright if I pet him?" Katara asked hesitantly.

"Of course," Aang replied with a smile, "he's not picky about whose attention he gets, as long as he gets it."

Katara reached over towards the lemur, and true to Aang's word, the animal didn't move away when she moved a gloved hand towards him. Momo purred contentedly as she petted him and scratched behind his ears, "I've always wanted a pet."

"You've never had one?"

The Waterbender shook her head, "No, my parents say they don't want any animals running around the house." She laughed, "But then again, maybe that's because my brother and I never had the most reasonable requests."

"What animals did you ask for?"

"I wanted a polar bear-dog and my brother wanted a saber-tooth moose-lion." At least her request had been something native to the South Pole; Sokka's request, however, was a completely different story.

Her brother had even gone as far as to draw up plans on how to get the Earth Kingdom animal, code-named 'Foo Foo Cuddlypoops,' to the South Pole. At the time, nine year-old Sokka had been neither artistically-inclined nor understanding of the fact that the temperate-weather creature would not survive in the Antarctic. If anything, his drawings only confused their parents more – the boy was saying moose-lion, but the drawings were more reminiscent of a camelephant.

And while her older sibling now understood the logistics and improbability of his childhood request, his drawing skills had sadly yet to improve. A testament to this was the betrothal necklace he had made for Yue – a crude carving of the Water Tribe emblem that Sokka was quite embarrassed with, but Yue had found it to be quite endearing.

"Well, what about a smaller, more docile animal? Like an otter-penguin?"

"I've never heard of anyone keeping an otter-penguin as a pet," Katara said. "People really just use them for sledding." Ever since the Southern Water Tribe had been established, people of all ages had found that if you could catch an otter-penguin, you could use it as a sled of sorts, leading to a popular pastime.

Aang's face lit up, "I've always wanted to go penguin-sledding!"

"Well," Katara returned her friend's bright smile, "if you go to the South Pole, I can take you penguin-sledding."

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

"Anything for a friend," the Waterbender replied sincerely. "Besides, you already said I was welcome to visit your home sometime, so it's only fair for you to be welcome at mine."

"Thanks, Katara!" He smiled at her before glancing at his pet, "You hear that, Momo? We're going to visit the South Pole someday!" Aang's eyes widened and he added, "We've got to tell Appa!"

"Who's Appa?"

"You'll see!" He grabbed ahold of one of the sleeves of Katara's fur coat and began to drag her along. The Waterbender noticed he was pulling her further away from the Palace Dining Area – where the wedding would take place. She was about to protest, but she realized that if her mother and Ahnah needed her, they would send someone out to find her.

Walking at a quick pace beside the Airbender, Katara asked, "So, this Appa, is he another friend of yours?"

"Sure is!" Aang replied with a smile, "Appa and I go everywhere together!"

"Do we have to jog?" Katara glanced at the boy beside her, "The wedding isn't going to start until sundown." The Water Tribe girl was thankful for that fact because Aang seemed to be leading her across the city.

"I guess not," Aang responded, slowing to a more leisurely step. Turning towards the lemur still perched on his shoulder he instructed, "Momo, could you fly ahead and try to wake Appa up for me?" The winged primate chirped in response before jumping into the air and zooming off.

"I thought you said you'd never been here before, how do you know where you're going?"

"Oh," Aang laughed, "well, I don't really know where everything is specifically, but I remember how to get to where we landed and the reception area. But that's about it."

"So, where are we heading?" Katara was going to hazard a guess that it was the tribe's stables – assuming Aang and the other Air Nomads all traveled on Sky Bison and not by the new airships like some of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation guests had.

Aang confirmed her suspicions, "The stables – it's where Appa should be, as long as he hasn't wandered off."

Katara was looking forward to meeting this Appa, she assumed he was in charge of caring for the bison, and if he was as friendly as Aang, she might end up making two new friends by the time the day was over. As they walked, Katara realized they still had so much left to talk about, so she decided to change that. "So, Aang, you said you got your arrows when you were twelve, but what exactly did you have to do to earn them?"

"In Airbending, there are thirty-six tiers to master," Aang explained. "When I was twelve, I had mastered all but the top tier." His brow furrowed, "I was so frustrated – no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't master the necessary forms."

Katara sympathized – it had taken her many months to master the versatility of Waterbending. In her bending art, a master was defined by the ability to use water in all of its three phases – solid, liquid, and gas, as well as being able to flawlessly and effortlessly transition between those phases. For Katara, the transition from liquid water to ice had been very natural and she was able to freeze or thaw almost anything from a young age (which had led to some interesting family meals when any liquids were involved).

What had been difficult for her was grasping how flexible water could be in its gaseous form. And while her grandfather had been very helpful, Katara would credit Master Hama with helping her achieve her breakthrough – for whatever reason, Hama's technique got the idea to finally 'click' in Katara's head. And now, Katara could bend water from vapor to ice and back with no problem at all.

Aang smiled, "But one day, when I was just messing around, I accidentally found a solution to my problem. It wasn't that I mastered the thirty-sixth tier that day, but I managed to invent my own technique."

"You invented your own Airbending technique?" While they had been equally impressed with each other's mastery of their respective elements, Aang was impressing Katara more and more with each story.

The Airbender became bashful once again – he really was humble, despite all of his remarkable achievements. "Yeah, and after some refining, I presented it to my mentor. And after showing it to the Council of Elders, they decided that between mastering the first thirty-five tiers and inventing my own technique, mastery tattoos were in order. I'm still working on the last tier, though."

"That's pretty incredible Aang." The Water Tribe girl smiled hopefully, "Could you show me your technique?"

Aang returned her smile, "I'd be delighted to!" Taking a deep breath, he began to move his arms in a series of circular motions, creating a large ball of air. He then pushed his hands towards each other, compressing the ball and pushed it in front of him. Finally, with a large grin, he jumped on top of the spinning sphere of air, crossed his legs, and rode it like a top.

His laughter echoed through the open pavilion they were passing through, and after circling around Katara a couple of times, he none-so-gracefully smashed into a pillar of ice. Thrown backwards by the impact, he tumbled until he lay on his stomach, his orange shawl now covering his head. Thankfully, he quickly stood up with a laugh, reassuring the worried Waterbender that he was fine.

Katara giggled, "I was concerned I'd have to heal you there for a second. That looked a lot stronger than the fall you took earlier."

"Wouldn't be the first time I've done that. And you can heal?" When Katara nodded in response to his question, the boy was amazed, "That's awesome!"

"It comes in handy, that's for sure." Quirking an eyebrow, she asked, "So, what's that move called?"

"I call it the Air Scooter!" Eager to learn more about Katara, he turned to her, "What's your most interesting healing story?"

"Oh, that's a tough one," she answered. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she replied, "I'd probably have to give it to something dumb my brother did." She started laughing, "One time, he got two fishhooks stuck in his thumb!"

Aang cocked his head to one side, slightly confused, "How did he manage to get two fishhooks stuck in his thumb?"

Katara's laughter gained volume, "He tried to get the first fishhook out by using a second one!" The Airbender's laughter soon accompanied her own. Wiping a mirthful tear away from an eye, she added, "It was probably the longest healing session I've ever had to do, because I couldn't stop laughing."

"When did this happen?"

"About three years ago – it was my brother's attempt to prove to our dad that he was able to fish on his own."

Aang chuckled, "I'm assuming that didn't work in his favor then, did it?"

"Not one bit." Katara shook her head, "It made Dad even more cautious when he took him out ice dodging a year later."

"Ice dodging?"

"It's a rite of passage in the Southern Water Tribe when you turn fourteen," Katara explained. "It's a tradition we borrowed from the northern tribe, but we expanded it to include girls." She absentmindedly bent a small bit of snow into her palm, turning it into a liquid and swirling it around in her hand. "Waterbending is strictly prohibited, except in emergencies. The goal is to navigate a ship through iceberg-filled waters."

"Wow. That sounds dangerous."

"It is; some kids get hurt," she said, bending the water back into snow and letting it fall around them in a mini-flurry. "And parents can't help, only observe."

"It sounds like it takes a lot of courage," Aang spoke after a few moments.

"Bravery is only a part of it," Katara glanced over at her friend. "You're part of a three-person team. One teen steers the boat and coordinates two others controlling the mainsail and the jib."

Aang didn't know anything about nautical terminology or boats in general, so he just nodded his head, urging Katara to continue.

"My brother, like our dad, steered his ship and earned the Mark of the Wise 'for smart decision-making and skillful leadership in a stressful situation.'" She smirked, "I'm not sure that was the right mark – my brother might have leadership qualities, but he's not known for smart decision-making."

Aang laughed, "What about you, what mark did you get?"

"I got the Mark of the Brave, which my Dad's friend Bato said is for 'inspirational displays of courage;' I controlled the mainsail. The only other mark is for the person controlling the jib – they have to keep a steady hand or the whole ship could be lost; they earn the Mark of the Trusted."

"There's a lot I don't know about Water Tribe culture…"

Katara chuckled, "And I still don't know much about Air Nomad culture. I've rambled long enough – your turn."

Aang scratched his shaved head, "Do you know why Airbending tattoos end in arrows?"

Katara shook her head, "No, why?"

"It's to honor the Sky Bison – they were the first Airbenders. By watching them, the Air Nomads were able to learn to control their powers." Both teens noticed they were finally approaching the visitor stables. A few Sky Bison were visible through the large, open doorway, "Sky Bison have a fur pattern that end in an arrow on their heads, so we modeled our tattoos after that."

"That's interesting – I would have thought there was a spiritual reason for them." Katara then felt a question pop into her head, "But why do you have them on your hands, too?"

"We have them on our head, hands, and feet," Aang clarified. "They're designed to follow the chi paths in the body."

Remembering her healing classes, Katara recalled her knowledge of chi paths and amended it with visualizations based on the arrow tattoos she had seen. 'So that would mean a tattoo from each arm pit around the outside of the upper arm, across the elbow, and down the top of the forearm, ending on each hand. And from the forehead, across the top of the head, down the spine and splitting across the-' Katara blushed, realizing exactly what paths such tattoos – like Aang's – followed.

Thankfully, Aang didn't notice as he had rushed ahead into the stables, towards a specific, sleeping Sky Bison. Katara spotted Momo perched on a ledge above said bison, so she assumed that Appa was also in that stable. She smiled as she watched Aang jump onto the bison's fluffy head, petting the furry beast affectionately. Aang lifted one of the creature's eyelids, exposing an enormous brown eye, "Wake up, buddy!" Releasing the eyelid, it immediately closed, signaling that the bison was still asleep.

Walking up beside the boy and the slumbering animal, she marveled at its size and majesty. While she had seen Sky Bison from a distance, this was the closest she had ever been to one. Glancing at her friend, she asked, "So, where's Appa?"

Aang had hopped down from the bison's head and moved to grab the beast's upper lip, attempting to push it up. Either the boy hadn't heard her or the effort of lifting the bison's mouth was taxing his energy. A few grunts later, the bison's mouth opened and a giant tongue lifted the boy into the air.

Aang laughed, "Finally!" A deep grumble came from the bison's throat. The boy immediately responded, "Alright, alright, I understand. I didn't have to fly us all the way here, I'm sorry. But I have some exciting news!" He turned around and hugged the bison's nose as the massive tongue retreated back into the animal's mouth, "We're going to visit the South Pole someday soon, Appa!"

Katara's mouth fell open, "That's Appa?" She shook her head and recovered her jaw, "I thought he was a person from what you were saying."

Aang laughed as he dropped down next to the ten ton animal, "Sorry, I should have specified." Scratching behind one of Appa's giant ears, the boy made introductions yet again, "Katara, this is Appa, my flying bison. Appa, this is my new friend, Katara – she's the one who invited us to see the South Pole someday."

The bison opened its mouth with a throaty growl, almost as if Appa was thanking the Waterbender for the invitation. Approaching the giant animal, Katara hesitantly reached a hand out to pet Appa's nose. Appa responded by licking her from head to toe.

"Appa!" Aang scolded the bison, "I told you – no licking people today, there's a wedding going on!"

Katara laughed as she bent most of the saliva out of her clothes and off of her face, "It's alright, Aang, I was already planning on cleaning up before the wedding ceremony."

Glad that his new friend wasn't upset with Appa's greeting, he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "That's good. And, if you couldn't tell, Appa likes you."

"I was hoping that was what the friendly lick was for," the older teen answered, "either that or he wanted to eat me." She patted the bison's nose affectionately, "And I know you guys are herbivores."

Appa growled appreciatively of Katara's attention, while Momo chattered from the lack of it. Aang grabbed the fussy lemur and began petting him again, placating the winged primate.

"What's it like?"

The Airbender glanced up at Katara as he gave Momo a belly rub, "What's what like?"

"Flying," she answered.

"It's hard to put into words," Aang replied. He turned to Appa, "Are you up for a short flight boy?"

The bison grumbled in response before lowering his head down and closing his eyes, giving his companion a rather stern 'no.'

"Oh, come on, Appa!" Aang released Momo and jumped back onto the furry brown and white head of his bison, "It wouldn't be that long." A puff of air from Appa's mouth sent the boy flying a few feet into the air, causing him to land in a pile of hay with an audible 'Oof!'

Katara laughed at the interaction between boy and bison, "It's alright, Aang. I'm sure there'll be another time for me to ride on a Sky Bison." Walking over to where the Airbender had landed, she offered him a hand up. While the Air Nomad could have easily righted himself, he accepted her offer of assistance. She smiled, "Thank you for the offer, though."

"Well, you know," Aang returned her smile, "anything for a friend."

Katara glanced out through a window and saw the sun lower in the sky than she had hoped – time had flown by quickly. She frowned and glanced at her new friend, "Well, I hate to say it, Aang, but I think we should be heading back." She brought a sleeve up to her nose and took a whiff – yep, still smelled like bison breath, "Especially since I'm going to have to wash up and change clothes."

Aang rubbed the back of his neck once again – Katara assumed it was a nervous habit – and smiled sheepishly at her, "Sorry about that. I told Appa not to greet anyone like that once we got here, but he doesn't always listen very well." Said bison gave a groan of disagreement behind them, causing both teens to chuckle.

"Like I said, it's alright," the Waterbender smiled, "I just need to get ready."

"I understand," Aang held an arm out towards the stable exit in an invitation to head back towards the palace, "Shall we?" Katara nodded and began walking back towards the reception area, hearing Aang shout at Momo to remain behind before he ran to catch up with her.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Katara spoke up, apologizing, "Sorry I had to cut our time short, but maybe we'll see each other during the wedding reception?"

"I'd like that."

"I'd like that, too, Aang." She then realized there was one little detail about her life she had yet to mention, "Aang, there's something I need to tell you…"

"What's that, Katara?"

"Um, well you see, I'm the –"

"Aang!" A wizened voice echoed across the street they were walking along, "There you are!" An older Air Nomad, sporting a gray mustache and a wooden mala inscribed with the symbol for Airbending, approached the two teens.

"Is everything alright?" Aang asked the older Air Nomad.

"That depends," the elder replied, "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm feeling fine, why?"

"Feng came down with a rather upset stomach a short time ago," the man explained. "Monk Tashi took him to the healers, but we still don't know if it was from something he ate, or if there's a bug going around. All of the pupils were accounted for except you and we were worried you might have gotten sick as well."

"I'm sorry I worried you, but I feel fine."

"Well, that's a relief." Smiling, the older monk glanced at Katara, asking Aang, "And who might this be, my young pupil?"

"Gyatso, this is my new friend, Katara," Aang made yet another introduction. "Katara, this is Monk Gyatso, the greatest Airbender in the world!"

Gyatso chuckled, "You exaggerate greatly, my young pupil." He turned towards Katara, "It is an honor to meet you," he bowed deeply, "Princess Katara."

Before Katara could return the bow, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a surprised expression appear on Aang's face before he quickly followed his mentor in bowing to her. Katara hurriedly returned the bow, "And it is an honor to meet you, Monk Gyatso."

Righting himself, Gyatso addressed the Southern Waterbender, "I assume you want to prepare for your brother's wedding, so," he motioned with his head for his student to follow, "we shall not keep you any longer."

Aang had a disappointed look on his face, but dutifully followed Gyatso back towards the Palace Dining Area.

"Wait!" Katara cried out, causing Gyatso to pause and turn around. "Monk Gyatso, can I speak to Aang for a moment?"

"Of course, Princess," the Elder Monk turned to address Aang, "you know where to find us." And with that, the older Air Nomad glided away.

"Aang," Katara began, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I was…"

"A Princess?" Aang finished for her.

"Yeah…"

"Why didn't you?" Aang's question, while valid, shocked the Waterbender and forced her to wonder why she hadn't told him. There had been plenty of opportunities while they talked, so why hadn't she brought it up in conversation?

"I guess," she sighed, "I guess that I didn't mention it because it's not what defines me most." She met his gaze, "I'm Katara, a teenage girl and a Master Waterbender, first and foremost; I'm a Princess second – at least in my mind."

"But it's still a part of your identity," Aang countered.

"I know, I know," Katara wrung her hands in frustration, "I guess I was just subconsciously worried."

"About what?"

"No matter where my brother or I go," she explained, "It can be difficult to make friends. People are either intimidated because we're royalty, or they want to take advantage of us because we're royalty."

"But you're such a nice person, who wouldn't want to be your friend?" He frowned, "And why would anyone ever want to take advantage of your kindness?"

"Not everyone is as friendly, or humble, as you are, Aang," Katara answered with a smile.

"I'm just a simple monk," the boy reassured her, "I don't have much to offer a princess." He smiled hopefully, "Other than my friendship."

Katara's own smile grew, "And your friendship is more than enough, Aang."

A comfortable silence fell between the two teens as they grinned at each other, both content with the fact they'd made another friend.

After a few moments, Katara shook herself from her reverie and gestured towards the Palace, "I should probably get going, though, you know, to get ready for the wedding."

"Oh, right!" Aang chuckled as her words brought him back to reality, "I won't keep you. I'll see you at the reception after the wedding?" he asked hopefully with his crooked grin.

"You bet," Katara answered with a smile of her own.

The young Air Nomad released a happy shout before waving goodbye and zipping away on an Air Scooter. Katara shook her head with a smile as she watched the snow resettle in the Airbender's wake, wondering just what she had gotten herself into with this boy.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

A few minutes later, Katara found herself back inside the Northern tribe's Royal Palace, dodging servants and aides as preparations for the wedding continued. Heading towards the guest bedrooms, she had almost made it to her own before her mother suddenly intercepted her.

"Katara!" Kya cried, "There you are, we've been looking all over for you!"

"Sorry, Mom," the Waterbender replied sheepishly, "I was out with a friend."

"Who was it?" The Southern Chieftess questioned, "One of your friends from the Fire Nation? Or did that lovely girl from the Earth Kingdom show up, To-"

"No, no," Katara explained as she pushed past her mother towards her room, "It was a new friend."

"How delightful! When can I meet this new friend?"

"You'll probably see him at the reception, Mom, he's from the Southern Air Temple."

"Oh, an Air Nomad," Kya exclaimed, "I'm glad to see you've made a friend from every nation, now, Katara."

The Waterbender laughed, "It's not like I planned it that way, Mother."

"I'm just teasing you, sweetie," Kya answered. Walking up to her daughter, she enveloped the girl in a hug. "I know how hard it can be making friends being royalty, though, so I'm just happy for you."

Katara returned the hug and her mother's sentiments, "Me too. Though, to be honest, Aang and I got along right from the start."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that; I'll have to speak to this Aang during the reception." After a moment, Kya asked, "What's that smell?"

"Um," Katara sniffed the air and gave an uneasy chuckle, "probably Sky Bison slobber."

Kya quickly stepped back from her daughter, hoping the smell hadn't transferred to her formal robes, "Well, I was going to say you could probably skip a bath, but now," she pushed her daughter towards the washroom, "I'm ordering you to take one."

"I was planning on taking one, Mom!" Katara protested before she was shoved into the bathroom, Kya closing the door behind her.

"I'll leave your clothes for the wedding on your bed – don't touch them until you've washed that smell away completely, young lady!"

"Yes, Mother!"

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Across the hall from his sister's room, Sokka was pacing his own. He wasn't having second thoughts – he couldn't really, this marriage was arranged, after all – nor in any way did he doubt his love for Yue, but it was starting to sink in that after tonight, he would be married.

It wasn't like that much would change for him back home – he would still be a Prince of the Southern Water Tribe, still have the same room (just with a bigger bed, an extra wardrobe, and a permanent roommate), and continue to carry out his duties.

What would change was the fact he wouldn't be alone in doing so – Yue would be by his side, offering support and advice whenever he needed it. Plus, once in the more egalitarian south, Yue would have more duties of her own, so Sokka would in turn be there to assist her.

The two of them would spend much of their time shadowing Sokka's parents, learning what would be expected of them when, at some point in the future, Sokka ascended to the Chieftaincy.

One chapter of his life was ending and another was about to begin. And what thrilled him, and terrified him, the most was that this chapter would be written with much less guidance from his parents.

A knock on his door startled him from both his thoughts and his pacing. "Sokka," it was his father, "May I come in?"

"Y-yeah, Dad," he answered, "it's unlocked."

Hakoda opened and closed the door gently before turning towards his son. "You seem on edge, Sokka. What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" The Prince protested firmly. His answer did not convince his father or himself. He sighed, "Everything, in a sense." He saw his father tense up, so he held up a hand to stop the Chief before the older man could speak, "I'm still going to get married tonight, Dad. And I still love Yue – more than anything." As his father relaxed, he added, "It's just, I'm scared – about the future."

"That's pretty normal, son," Hakoda approached him, placing his hands on the teen's shoulders. "It's alright to be nervous; in fact, I'd be more concerned if you weren't feeling at least slight trepidation about your future."

Sokka sighed again, "I'm mainly just worried about the near-future, right now. I know I have a lot of responsibilities to worry about down the road, but for now, I'm just freaking out about these next few years with Yue." He broke free of his father's grasp, "What if I'm not a good husband?" He started pacing once again, his hands reaching up to paw at his temples, "What if I do something so terrible she stops loving me? What if I hurt her? What if-"

"Sokka," Hakoda reached out to grab his son, prying the boy's hands from his head. Holding the teen's forearms, which effectively held the prince in place, he tried to calm his son down. "Listen to me – you're going to be a great husband."

Sokka's eyes shifted away uncertainly.

"Look at me." When the boy's blue eyes met his own, Hakoda continued, "And you'd never hurt Yue – you'd die to protect her, as she would for you. And I also know that in time," he spoke knowingly, "your love for each other will only grow." He smiled reassuringly, "All you've got to do is be yourself, Sokka."

Relief passed over Sokka's face as he released a shuddering, yet stabilizing, breath and smiled, "You're right, Dad. I've just got to be myself."

"Just do that and you'll be fine, son." Leaning down, the chieftain enveloped his son in a bear hug, "You're getting pretty tall; you know that?"

Sokka eagerly returned the hug, "With you reminding me all the time how could I possibly forget?"

Stepping back to once again hold the prince by his shoulders, Hakoda smiled warmly, fighting to hold back his tears. "I am so proud of you, Sokka – of all your accomplishments and the man that you've become. I don't want you to ever forget that."

Sokka returned his father's warm smile, "I won't. I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, son." After wiping at his eyes to rid them of any stray tears, he glanced at his son's usual attire. Clearing his throat, he nodded towards the closet, "You should get changed soon – after all, this is your wedding."

"Alright, alright," Sokka walked towards the wardrobe with a smirk, "but you should take your own advice, old man."

Walking towards the door, Hakoda leveled a finger at his son, his face serious, "You're treading dangerous ground, young man."

When neither could maintain a serious façade for very long, they broke into laughter.

Shaking his head, Hakoda smiled once again, "I'll see you in a couple of hours at the Spirit Oasis, Sokka. Just relax."

"I will, Dad."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

About an hour later, the last of Yue's overly-extravagant wedding dress was fitted into place. She should've known that with how ornate her usual robes were, the outfit designed for her wedding would be ten times as complicated. It would certainly be a chore removing it later. 'But I won't be the one removing it, now will I?' Yue thought with a light blush. Then again, Sokka might get so frustrated he'd just end up cutting the dress off – which she honestly wouldn't mind with as snug as it was.

The main part of the dress was a very light purple – in fact, in a well-lit room, it almost looked white. A slightly darker purple fabric wrapped around her mid-section and an even darker purple shawl – the color of her usual robes – covered her shoulders. Apparently, the dress was originally designed without the shawl, but with as cold as it was at the North Pole, it was quickly added on.

The last piece of the ensemble was a rather lengthy piece of white fabric that was attached to the neckline of her shawl and fell down her back before wrapping around her waist and being secured by a pair of fur ties and a circular piece of Buffalo-Yak horn. And with all of the numerous smaller ties and fastenings all across her body, Yue felt that the dress was practically fused to her body.

"Oh, Yue, you look beautiful!"

The princess turned around at her mother's voice and smiled softly, "Thanks, Mom."

Ahnah approached her daughter, Arnook close on her heels as he spoke, "The Spirits certainly blessed us with an amazing daughter." Both of her parents looked at Yue fondly with proud smiles on their faces.

"Thank you, Father." The teenager reached up to hug the Northern Chief, "And thank you for letting me marry Sokka."

Arnook returned the hug, "He makes you happy Yue – and you're still fulfilling your duty to your people this way." As he pulled back, he added, "But most important is the fact he makes you happy."

Ahnah moved to hug her daughter, "Your father said it perfectly, Yue. You two are happy together and we're happy for you. We love you, dear."

"I love you guys, too," Yue replied, her voice thick with emotion. She would still see her parents, of course, but the fact she was moving to the other side of the world was beginning to set in. However, Sokka's family would soon be her own, officially, so she would not be alone in the South Pole. And for that, she thanked Tui and La profusely.

Arnook began directing his family towards the Palace's northern entrance, "Come, it's time to pay our respects to the Moon and Ocean Spirits." And with that, the Northern Water Tribe Royal Family began the traditional walk to the Spirit Oasis.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

After both of the Water Tribe royal families had paid a visit to the Spirit Oasis and asked the Moon and Ocean Spirits for their blessings, they moved to the Palace Dining Area, where the wedding would take place. Wedding ceremonies were once held in the Spirit Oasis, but after the tragedy that befell Avatar Kuruk's wife-to-be, Ummi, they had moved such ceremonies to the more open area around the Palace.

Once both families had been seated upon the Table of Honor, Arnook and Hakoda stood on either side of the altar before the gathered guests.

"Tonight," the Northern Chief began, "we bear witness to a union of the two Water Tribes."

"A marriage between a daughter of the North and a son of the South," Hakoda declared.

"Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us tonight in celebration!"

"And now, with your blessings, the two betrothed shall be wed!"

As the two chieftains stepped to the sides, Master Tiguaq stepped forward, "Prince Sokka, Princess Yue, arise and come forth."

The young lovers followed the Waterbending Master's instructions and stood opposite of each other in front of Tiguaq, who, as the North's most renowned Waterbender, in keeping with tradition, was the wedding's officiator .

Yue and Sokka smiled as they stood across from each other, both fighting back the heat trying to rise to their cheeks. The northern girl was delighted to see how Sokka stared at her with such adoration and love, as well as a little desire – which she was certain the southern boy could see reflected in her own eyes.

While not as extravagant as Yue's wedding dress, Sokka's clothing was much more formal than what he usually wore, but retained the South's more reserved style. The lower half of his outfit consisted of simple dark navy-blue pants, the ends of which were covered by brown boots with white fur trim.

The shirt he wore was probably the most ornate thing Sokka owned – a dark blue tunic with sleeves the same navy-blue as his pants, separated at each shoulder by a ring of white fur. Lighter blue bands of fabric rimmed his waist, the bottom of the tunic, and his collar, as well as a line straight down his chest. The ensemble was completed by a carved circle of polar bear bone, holding the collar of the tunic together with a single string-like piece of fur hanging from it. And of course, around Sokka's neck was his usual white choker.

Sokka's smile grew when he saw that Yue's shawl left just enough room to expose her neckline, where his carved betrothal necklace sat proudly. He still thought it looked horrible, but the fact that Yue saw it as the greatest gift she had ever received, and wore it as such, lifted his spirits higher than he had ever imagined.

"Tonight," Tiguaq began, "we are gathered here to bear witness to the union of this young couple." Stretching his arms out towards the heavens, he continued, "Underneath this full Moon, we have asked the Spirits to bless Sokka and Yue with a happy marriage, long, healthy lives, and a full family." The Waterbending Master paused to look at the two teens, hiding his smirk as he noticed the light blushes on their cheeks.

Lowering his arms, Tiguaq gestured towards the open port far below, "The Spirits have heard our prayers and with the calm sea we have been given tonight, we have also been given their blessing."

Turning towards Sokka, the Waterbender began the vows, "Do you, Sokka, Prince of the Southern Water Tribe, a son of La, pledge your life to Princess Yue?"

Sokka answered without hesitation, "I pledge my life to her."

"Do you, Yue, Princess of the Northern Water Tribe, a daughter of Tui, pledge your life to Prince Sokka?"

"I pledge my life to him," Yue answered immediately.

"As a husband, will you, Sokka, promise to provide for and protect Yue, putting her needs above your own?"

"I will."

Turning back towards the white-haired girl, Tiguaq asked, "As a wife, will you, Yue, promise to care for and comfort Sokka, placing his needs before yours?"

"I will."

Tiguaq pulled out two oval stones, one black with a white spot, the other white with a black spot – modeled after Tui and La.

"La, the great Ocean Spirit, provides the people of the Water Tribes with life." He placed the black stone in Sokka's right hand, "May you be blessed with providing new life to yourself and Yue, Prince Sokka."

Addressing Yue, he continued, "Tui, the great Moon Spirit, provides the people of the Water Tribes with strength." He smiled at Yue's white hair, "She has blessed you in more ways than one, Princess. And may she continue to bless you with strength, Princess Yue, as you and Sokka begin a new life, and one day, a new family, together." With that, Tiguaq placed the white stone in Yue's right hand.

"The betrothed may now bring their hands together." Holding their right hands palm-up, Sokka and Yue placed their left hands over top of each other's right hands, effectively sealing the stones between them. "Just as Tui and La work to create balance between the Moon and the Ocean, so must the two of you work together to maintain the balance of your lives."

"Prince Sokka, do you promise to love and cherish Princess Yue?"

"I, Prince Sokka, promise you, Princess Yue, that as your husband, I will love you and cherish you, for better or for worse, from now until one of us departs to the Spirit World."

"Princess Yue, do you promise to love and cherish Prince Sokka?"

"I, Princess Yue, promise you, Prince Sokka, that as your wife, I will love you and cherish you, in good times and in bad, from now until we are reunited in the Spirit World."

Sokka and Yue then offered their symbolic stones to Tiguaq, in their right and left hands, respectively. Taking Sokka's offered hand in his left and Yue's in his right, once again covering the stones, Tiguaq spoke, "The two of you have given your consent to marry before myself, the Chiefs of the Water Tribes, and the Spirits themselves."

Bringing their proffered hands together, the Waterbender removed his own hands, as well as the stones, and continued, "This couple that has been joined today, Men nor Spirit must not divide." He smiled, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Sokka wasted no time in doing just that. He leaned down slightly and pressed his lips against Yue's in a gentle, loving kiss. Both of them smiled happily into their first kiss as husband and wife, their eyes closed in contentment. As they gently broke apart, they were welcomed back to reality by the thunderous applause and cheers of the numerous guests.

From behind her newly-wedded brother and sister-in-law, Katara clapped with a smile on her face as she watched Sokka and Yue in their bliss. Turning her gaze down towards the audience, she caught sight of the Fire Nation Royal Family – she watched with amusement as Zuko and Azula cheered for their friend, the younger Firebender smirking and much more reserved in her clapping. Staring out across the rest of the crowd, the Waterbender was happily surprised to find a pair of gray eyes – and a goofy smile – already fixed on her.

A/N – So, at 8,645 words (excluding my gargantuan Author's Notes), this is the longest chapter I've ever written. I hope you guys enjoyed the update and I apologize again for the delay!

Just a heads up, 'Feng' will be a recurring character – it's not his canon name, but it's supposed to be the taller, older Air Nomad boy from the Southern Air Temple who, during an Air Scooter game, tells Aang (in a flashback during "The Storm") that "Now that you're the Avatar, it's kind of an unfair advantage for whichever team you're on." 'Feng' is Chinese for 'wind.'

While I typically haven't described clothing in the past (I can't remember if I even have described it), I decided to give it a try with Sokka and Yue's wedding outfits. For Yue's dress, I basically imagined it as the dress she wore as the Moon Spirit, plus the shawl. And Sokka's getup is based on a preview page from the first part of the new comic series, "The Rift." If you haven't seen the preview page, it's basically a precursor to the outfit he wore as Councilman in The Legend of Korra flashbacks/his statue outside the Southern Water Tribe Cultural Center.

As for Aang and Katara's outfits this chapter, they were their regular clothes – Aang's Air Nomad robes from Books 1 and 2 and Katara wore her original parka from Book 1. I'll describe their formal clothes next chapter, as well as briefly go over the apparel of some of the other characters. I guess I'm just placing extra detail on the Yukka and Kataang because I can.

Responses to reviews from Chapter 1 (labeled as Chapter 2 by the site):

Awesomepossum328: I'm glad you were so excited about the last update; I hope you were just as excited for this one!
Team TwiPotter Girl: I hope you like this chapter as well, then!
Sappy07: Thank you, I'm glad you think this is nicely laid out. And I'll try and continue the long updates (hopefully less time between updates, but longer chapters, too)!
BaSingTei: I'm glad you liked it, Tei! And I'm happy to hear you're pulled in and excited for future chapters – hopefully I'll be quicker in getting them out!
sammyluv21: *Stares at uncooked Aang-shaped dough*. I'm sorry this wasn't as soon as you (or I) had hoped, but thank you for the support and the dough!
Interested Puppy: Like I said, sorry this update took so long. Thanks for reviewing! It means a lot to me that you think this story is awesome! And I promised myself that I would never abandon a story, especially one getting a lot of interest like this one.
may96: Yes, only Aang would. Thanks for your review and support (and here's the update)!

Thank you again to everyone for the reviews! I will return to private messaging my responses (as the reviews come in), I had just gotten lazy and not replied to any of you from Chapter 1, so my apologies! And thanks for the follows and favorites! They mean a lot to me and I hope this story will continue to entertain you.

As for my other stories, they're quite jumbled right now. This story and my Attack on Titan/Pacific Rim crossover ("Rogue Titan") are my main focus as of the moment. I will also try and work on my prequel/companion piece to "Take a Chance" and a Maiko & Tom-Tom one-shot that was requested on tumblr. I also have a few other short story ideas that I will be working on (including Kataang Week Summer 2013), as well as an epic that I was unable to post for NaNoWriMo for Melon's Kataang November Challenge. "A Future (and Past) Unwritten" is kind of on the back of the backburner right now – inspiration to continue work on it has yet to come to me (but I will finish it, like I said, I made a promise). And in addition to my NaNoWriMo epic (which I hope to post the first chapter of sometime within the next few weeks), I also have another epic in mind – a future, sci-fi space AU which I am currently laying the groundwork for (seriously, I am so far from even starting a prologue it's ridiculous).

So that's that. And I should have another chapter of this story out relatively soon (hopefully not two months later), since it will be the wedding reception. I had originally hoped to post the reception with this chapter, but I hadn't updated in so long, and you guys deserved another chapter.

Thanks again for reading! And if you have time, feel free to leave a review!