"It can't be true. It has to be a mistake." Setto insisted as Yuri sank into a chair, shocked.
"Our last hope." The girl whispered. "We fought when we had to, but we'd been taking for granted that the Avatar would end this war once and for all. I thought—" She shook her head. "I thought we'd only have to fight to hold the Fire Nation back until then, but now…" Gathering her strength and reserve, Yuri stood, her fists balled at her sides. "I won't let my fate be decided by another person anymore." She said.
"What are you talking about?" Kalen asked, "Are you saying you'll fight the Fire Nation Army? That's suicide!"
"Says the Assassin from the Fire Nation." Yuri snapped. "Are you going to try to kill me if I say I will fight?"
The man scoffed. "I don't work for the army. My allegiance lies with the highest bidder, or else with no one. I won't fight you, but what you're talking about is insane."
"And if the Army, or even the Navy, hires you to fight me?" The girl glared at him. "Then would you kill me without a thought, knowing who I am and the power I possess? And what of Suki? Would you kill me, thinking that as long as you told me where she was your conscience is clear?"
"This man knows where my daughter is?" Suka asked, and it took a minute of surprise for Yuri to remember that the old woman was still standing there, listening to Yuri argue with Kalen.
"This man was with her before she was sent to a high security facility in the Fire Nation called Boiling Rock. She is alive, but not for long if this war continues for another year." Yuri said, staring down at her bracelet. "We can't afford to wait until the next Avatar is born. There is too much to lose, and the world is falling apart. Kyoshi Island will be under attack within days, and I will fight on behalf of the Northern Water tribe."
"My Lady, I cannot allow—" Setto began to protest before Yuri silenced him with a look.
She straightened her back and stood as royalty would in the presence of her subjects. "It is my right, as he Heir to the throne, to represent my country in battle."
Suka's jaw dropped open. Setto looked hurt and worried, while Kalen smirked as if amused.
After a moment of thought, Setto sighed and dropped to one knee. "As you wish Princess. If you fight, I shall fight beside you, as my life is given to yours."
Suka shook herself and straightened. "I never suspected—" She stopped herself. "Well, I suppose I am one of the few who can still fight in the village as a Kyoshi Warrior, and if there is someone to fight beside me, I don't see any reason not to."
"You all forget that the Avatar was someone of unbelievable strength. You heard ho he saved the Northern Water tribe, right? If the Fire Nation ever attacks us on the same scale as then, there is no way two fighters and one bender can take them alone." Kalen pointed out.
"I'm not just a bender, I can fight, too." Yuri defended. "And Setto is a talented water bender himself. But maybe you're right." She sighed heavily. "We could use help. Maybe someone of powerful fighting and bending skills to—"
"Are you trying to ask me for help?" Kalen asked, smirking. "And how do you intend to pay me? I don't work without pay."
Yuri pursed her lips in thought. After a moment, her eyes burned into Kalen before she turned and left the room. First she grabbed the small bag of coins Hanna had given her on her sixteenth birthday that she never spent, but when she looked at them Yuri realized Kalen would probably laugh at this small offer. Then another idea came and as much as it hurt Yuri, she felt she had no choice.
Carrying the small chest out to the kitchen, Yuri held it out to the man. "These artefacts should be of equal or more value to your usual fee." She said coldly, thrusting it into his hands. Setto looked like he might throw up, but swallowed his rage and nodded when he saw the look in Yuri's eyes.
After perusing the items inside the chest, Kalen nodded solemnly. "This is worth my allegiance until your task is completed, or until you die." He said, pulling the small crystal chips off of the baby blanket. The act made Yuri wonder how much the stones really were worth. The Kalen handed the box back with the silk cloth and her Aunt's necklace.
"I have no use for the necklace." He said simply, and Yuri didn't argue, relieved that she would at least have something left of Hanna.
"Then we will leave in the morning, meet me at Setto's merchant boat just after dawn. Today I want all of you to prepare yourselves for a long journey at sea, and for battle." Yuri said, taking back the chest and heading upstairs to her room.
"Yuri?" The question was unsure, as if Suka no longer knew if she was allowed to address the child whose knees she'd once bandaged by her name. "Where are we going?"
Yuri had gotten halfway up the stairs the stairs, and they framed her body and brought her above her companions when she turned, looking down at them but not down on them, she smiled warmly.
"We are going to the North Pole to request the help of my people, and to claim my throne." She said, then addressed Setto. "Setto, if you would meet me at twilight to bring me to your family?" It wasn't quite a demand, but then Yuri still wasn't extremely comfortable giving them.
Once every one had left, Yuri took the chest back up to her room. She sat at the small table in front of a mirror for a long time, staring at her reflection. Was that the face of a princess? Or of a warrior? For all she acted like she knew what she was doing, Yuri still only saw a sixteen year old girl in the mirror, desperately trying to find her place in the world. A girl who was raised by a woman now dead, whose best friend had left home six months ago. A girl who may seem strong and brave and passionate to others, still shook in fear of her own power, her bending and her throne.
Then she remembered why her Aunt was dead, Suki had left, and why she had to reclaim the throne that was her sisters, and her eyes turned feral. Something that had been seen by others around her Yuri finally realized for herself. She had a fire in her soul and spirit that could not be dampened, and she had a goal—revenge—that no one could stand in the way of and survive. And for once, Yuri felt the power flow through her and didn't flinch or shiver.
Looking out her small window at the sun slowly setting, the girl could feel the power the full moon would bring tonight. Tonight she could do things unimaginable to even those who knew what blood bending could do, since it could only be used on the full moon. If she were in the Fire Nation Capital, she would have washed the streets with blood, until she found the man who had led that first attack on Kyoshi Island. The thought should have chilled her, but Yuri simply acknowledged the fact of her power and moved on.
The front door opened loudly, and Yuri called for Setto to come up to her room. She slipped on her aunt's necklace and had just begun to brush her hair when she saw him in the mirror, carrying two bundles covered in paper, the smaller on top.
"What are those?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.
Setto blushed and tried to smile. "They are, um, gifts, from my mother and father. I told them everything except the blood bending. They said they would help."
"And they believed you?"
"They know I don't lie, and they raised me not to be easily fooled."
"I see." Yuri continued to brush her hair, thoughtful.
Setto approached nervously and placed the bundles on the table beside her. "The second bundle is from my parents, the first is from me."
Thinking it only polite to open the second bundle first, she picked it up and pulled the paper aside, revealing the most beautiful cloth she'd ever seen. A full hooded kimono lined with fur and made of the same cloth as her baby blanket, adorned with charms made of the crystal that shone like ice. Soft leggings to wear underneath the kimono, and a hair ornament that looked almost like a crown, made of silver with one round blue jewel embedded in it.
"They are beautiful." She whispered, then looked sad. "But I don't know how to put them on, I can't wear them."
Setto blushed again. "I, uh, I mean—" He breathed in deeply and spoke all in one breath. "Icanhelpyouputthemon."
"Pardon?" Yuri said, surprised.
The boy looked exasperated. "The, the kimonos are difficult to put on by yourself, and a princess shouldn't be doing that anyways. I've helped my mother put hers on, so if you dress in your underwear first, I can help you with the rest."
Yuri suppressed the urge to giggle, feeling a little less nervous because he was already embarrassed about offering help. "All right, if you just wait outside the room, I'll call you when I'm ready."
Bowing low, Setto left the room and shut the door behind him. Yuri figured she could put on the leggings by herself and that would help the boy feel less uncomfortable. She was nervous since she hadn't had anyone help her get dressed since she was a small child. Now a boy was going to help her dress, a boy who had tried to kiss her only yesterday, and had now given his life for her service. "How can everything change in only one day?" She whispered to herself, and then stopped when she caught herself in the mirror.
When Yuri sat at the table to look at her reflection, all she saw was her face, which no longer held the curves of childhood, but still had the eyes of the young girl she had been. For the first time she actually looked at her body from the same angle everyone else had seen it, and her jaw dropped. When had she become such a woman? When had she become so curvy? Her breasts had always sat at a comfortable size for her, after her Aunt had taught her how to bind them loosely so they didn't bounce awkwardly, but she hadn't thought about how they looked to other people. And she definitely hadn't thought she'd matured much faster than the other girls in the village her age, even Suki, who looked feminine enough even in her uniform.
Shaking her head to rid herself of the shock, Yuri asked Setto to come in and help her get dressed. The boy did what he said, and nothing more. He didn't fumble nervously or smile lecherously, and the only time he spoke was to ask for her to lift her arms or hair so he could do what needed to be done.
After he was finished with the kimono, he picked up her hairbrush and gestured for Yuri to sit. When she did, he brushed and styled her hair into the ornament, just as if he'd done it a thousand times.
"I used to help my mother with that piece, too." He said in explanation.
Yuri only nodded, trying not to cry. She had never imagined owning such fine things, even after knowing she was a princess. That Setto's mother would give up her things without ever meeting her, that they would fit so perfectly and make her look so beautiful, was something Yuri found so touching it hurt.
Then she looked at the package Setto had brought from himself, and didn't think she could stand to open it. Already he had given her so much, what more could she ask for?
Before she could decide to return it, the boy opened the package for her and held out the belt with twin sheaths. Surprised but nervous, Yuri pulled one of the knife handles to find a slightly curved dagger, the blade made of that ice-looking crystal. A quick look told her the other was the same, a matching pair.
"Kalen told me you were good with twin daggers, and we hadn't found anyone interested in buying these. The crystal s a major export mined from caves in the wilds, though it's difficult to come by, since the tundra's are so dangerous. But it's as strong as steel and not as brittle when it's forged the right way. it melts and melds like glass in the right conditions." Then he smiled. "It's not exactly something that goes with the kimono, but when you fight, you probably won't be wearing that anyways."
"No," Yuri whispered, imagining the blood that would spill when she fought. The blood that she would spill and then use as if it were water to fight. "No, I wouldn't want to ruin this beautiful kimono by fighting."
After a moment Yuri stood and smiled at the boy. "Let's go down to your father's boat now."
"Yes. My mother should have dinner ready by then too, if you haven't eaten already."
Just then the girl's stomach began to growl, the two looked at each other for a moment, then laughed. "Dinner sounds great." Yuri said, and followed Setto out of her room.