I decided to surprise everyone with a new chapter. Happy Easter everyone...
Chapter 11 Locked
Aang stared out at the moon from his room. Zuko had arrived only a few moments earlier and was walking around the palace. Aang smiled sadly at the moon. "My lovely Yue. I wish you were here with me," he whispered, "I wish you were here, like we planned."
Light flooded his room. Yue stood before him. "Hello Aang, I've missed you."
Aang smiled at the sight of his beloved. "I believe I have seen your next choice for the moon spirit," he said suddenly.
Yue tilted her head in such a way that Aang couldn't help but admire. "How would you know which girl I have chosen?" she asked.
She floated across the room, her face just mere inches from his. "The girl Kana," he answered.
Yue looked confused for a moment, but her face brightened at who he was talking about. "Ah yes, Kana, Zuko's love intrest."
"The one he's out there mooning over," Aang explained.
Yue smiled. "I'm sure he's alright. After all, she loves him too."
"But you see Yue, he's just found out from his aunt that she's engaged to be married," Aang told her.
Yue sighed. She really didn't want to have to reveal any information but Aang was giving her no choice. After all, for Katara and Zuko to see each other again she would need his help. "Her real name is Katara. She's been living in the Fire Nation for a little over a year now. I helped her at an auction and the family she put back together asked that I help her find happiness with Zuko. She isn't engaged to be married. It was something that was made up to keep Zuko from her. She was nearly beaten within an inch of her life today."
Aang absorbed all of this. "Her name is Katara? Interesting, it means ever flowing doesn't it?"
Yue merely nodded. "I need your help for this masque. Please?"
Aang looked to his once betrothed. The engagement necklace he had given her glowed with the rest of her skin. "Anything for you my love."
Azula unlocked the door to the room Katara was in. Katara walked out slowly whincing at the pain in her back. Azula smiled, "I need you to make my daughters breakfast. The two of them are to be served bread, honey, milk, and berries. You must then clean the kitchen, the sitting area, the fireplace and the bedrooms. But before you start all of that I order you to make us a fire. I'm a bit chilled."
Katara didn't argue. She merely nodded her head and started to work. After lighting the fire she prepared the breakfast. She mashed several of the berries in a bowl to be spread across the bread. Tylee smiled and helped herself to several pieces. Mai rolled her eyes at her sister. Tylee always made a pig of herself with the food of the Fire Nation. Even when she was a child she was chubby. Her time at the South Pole made her loose a lot of her round figure, and Azula was very excited that both her daughters were beauties. Mai herself ate only a few berries with her milk, and only half a piece of bread with honey. Katara didn't say anything. Her heart was broken, and if her's was she could only imagine what Zuko was feeling. She thought for a moment. To see Zuko again she would have to go to the masque. She left Mai and Tylee to their breakfast. Instead of cleaning Mai's room, Katara took her dress and the shoes from the bed. Quickly and quietly she made her way outside. At first she thought about hiding her dress with Sokka and Suki, but she thought better of it. Katara walked out into the outskirts of the woods. "Yue?" she whispered.
Yue's spirit appeared in front of her. "Please protect this dress," Katara told her.
Yue smiled and nodded. "Katara," she spoke, "I know of a way that you can heal your wounds."
Katara listened to the mother of the moon. "How?"
"Place yourself in water and concentrate on healing your wounds. That should do the trick."
Katara smiled at the spirit. "Thankyou for everything."
Yue turned her head away. "Katara this is the last time I'll be able to help you. And I need to ask you something."
"Anything Yue."
"I need to know," Yue began, "Should anything happen to me, would you give up your life and be the spirit?"
Katara's jaw dropped. "I don't know, I don't know if I could do it," she said more to herself.
Yue felt her face form into a slight frown. "I need to find someone that I can trust to take my place should anything happen to me. The moon spirit before me was destroyed and I was chosen to take her place. Please Katara. I need you. You're the only one I can trust."
Katara tried not to run away. She looked to the ground. "What do I need to do?" she asked.
"Nothing, just if anything should happen to me, you take my place. Do you remember when you tried to hug me?"
Katara only nodded. "You couldn't touch me because that would mean you had no choice in the matter," Yue explained, "But I really want to give you a choice. I really want you to be the spirit if I'm ever taken away."
She looked to Katara for an answer. Katara smiled sadly. "Very well," she said finally.
Yue hugged her close. For a moment she felt a shock. It was almost as if lightning had struck her. Yue pulled back quickly. Katara looked back at her, and at her hair. It wasn't white like she expected it to be, but there was something there. Almost like a whole new energy. Katara watched as Yue disappeared. With a sudden strenght she ran back into the house. She took a bown full of water and poured it over her back. She concentrated on healing her wounds. Within a few seconds Katara felt the wounds vanish. Her heart fluttered. She looked around the house and peaked outside. She smirked at the setting sun. "KATARA!!" Mai screamed.
Katara turned her head away from the window. Mai stood with her mother. "Where is the dress?" she asked.
Katara shrugged her shoulders. Azula looked taken aback. She produced her whip again. "Tell us where the dress is," she demanded.
Katara turned away and played with the pearl Zuko had given her. "Do you honestly think you're going to the masque?" Mai asked.
"I have just as much right as you!" Katara screamed back, "He invited me too! And I'm going!"
She continued with her chores. Mai looked up to her mother. Azula was about to strike Katara with the whip when she thought better of it. She grabbed Katara by her arm, and led her downstairs. She locked the door and placed the key into her pocket. Katara pounded loudly on the door. "You can't do this! Let me out of here!"
Azula turned to her daughter. "Come let's find the dress."
Mai shook her head. "There's no time. I'll just wear something else."
Azula helped Mai into a red and gold dress. She placed a red diadem in her daughter's hair and wove it into a beautiful weave. Mai picked up a dragon mask and placed it over her face. Tylee entered the room dressed in green and gold. Her hair was piled on her head and she was wearing a gold beak on her nose. "The royal procession is here," she announced.
Azula smiled and clapped her hands. "Alright girls, time to see and be seen."
Katara continued to pound on the locked door. Mai laughed as they walked outside. Katara gave up on trying to unlock the door. Instead she fell to the floor crying. Toph tapped on the window. "Katara are you alright?" she asked.
Katara looked up to the window. "Toph go to the party, find the Avatar, get him to help us. Please hurry."
Toph took off at a run towards the capital. She had to get the Avatar to help her. She just had to.
