As they now drew closer and closer to the north-pole, the air got really, really cold again, causing Zuko to use his inner firebending pretty frequently. How Aang could do in only his thin airbending-tunic truly stood a mystery to the firebender. There hadn't been any land to see for days now, and Appa grew tired, which showed in him sinking deeper and deeper, finally touching the water's surface. Since they hadn't had anything else to do than sitting on Appa's saddle for hours on end, they all were in a pretty tense mood. Minor arguments came up regularly now. Zuko tried to escape it all by meditation, but got pretty pissed by being interrupted ever so often by just another argument, causing him to get into arguments with the others as well.
Worse, they were looking for the Northern watertribe, and simply failed to find it yet, which was kind of frustrating. It really didn't help, as Aang suddenly cried out in panic, and pulled Appa to the side, causing the others to nearly fall from Appa's saddle. And then ice-bergs shooting out of nowhere went frequent, finally sending Appa down into the water. And then the ships appeared. "guess we found them…" Zuko murmured, as the ships full of men closed in. Unluckily they had frozen Appa solid, so they couldn't really move on. Luckily the people were reasonable and freed Appa, guiding them to their tribe. Though as they reached a giant wall out of ice, it went clear to Zuko that this was nothing like the little village of the Southern tribe. This was a city. With Waterbending the Benders created a hole in the massive wall, big enough for them to enter the city on Appa.
They had to pass another such wall, before they were finally inside. Everything seemed to be made out of ice here. It was like in a dream, or some fairy-tale read to little children. They followed a boat which led them to where they had to go, otherwise Zuko was sure they would have gotten lost. This place was scary and amazing at the same time. People gathered, as they made their way through the canals of the city to stare at them. Surely they never had seen a giant bison before. Aang was smiling and waving at them, but Zuko pulled the hood of his Tunic over his head and tried not to be seen. He really didn't like all the attention they were getting all too often.
As they passed another boat, going in the opposite direction, Sokka was completely fascinated by the passenger of the boat. A white-haired girl, sitting in the front of the boat like a statue. He actually climbed from Appa's saddle to stare at her a while longer. Unluckily she wouldn't pay any attention to him. They were brought to a hut where they could stay for the time being, and were invited to a banquet this evening in the Avatar's honour. They then would also meet the leader of the tribe. And while everyone else was happy about just another feast, Zuko wasn't. They used the time they had left to rest a bit, and it really helped their mood.
In the evening they were placed at the leader's table. The leader was introducing them to the people present, telling them that today they would celebrate the arrival of their brother and sister of the southern tribe, and that they had brought with them someone special: The Avatar. Cheering went through the crowd as Aang waved at them. The leader went on about they were also celebrating his daughter's sixteenth birthday, and just as he said so, the white haired girl from the boat appeared. "Princess Yue is now of marrying age." The leader said, sounding proud. The girl thanked her father and held a speech of her own, obviously used to such occasions. Then a waterbender and his students were preforming some waterbending-tricks for entertainment.
Their show was quite impressive, as they not only handled far bigger water-supplies than Katara normally did, but also were working in unison, and together, allowing not one mistake, or the fluency of their performance would have suffered. Sokka started stuffing food in his mouth, as Princess Yue placed herself next to him. Zuko watched the scene with slight amusement. It was really entertaining how Sokka tried to impress the girl with plump words and phrases, but to Zuko's surprise it seemed to work. Katara who had listened in broke into laughter, mocking her brother, as Sokka explained he was kind of a prince himself. Meanwhile Aang was introduced to the Waterbending-Master who had performed before. He was allowed to bring his friends and they would start training the next morning.
Katara was very excited to finally be trained. She was accompanying Aang to the training this morning. Zuko had asked to come as well to watch, and Aang had granted his wish. So the three of them had gotten up early to not be too late for training. "Good morning, Master Paku!" Aang yelled out, as soon as the Master came into their view. He didn't seem all too happy about Aang's very direct way. Aang introduced them to Master Paku, ignoring the Master's angry mumbles about not having concentrated, or anything. "I'm sorry." Master Paku said, bending himself a seat out of ice "I think there has been a misunderstanding. You didn't tell me your friend's a girl. In our tribe it is forbidden for women to learn waterbending." The three of them just looked shocked. What was that guy talking about? "Why?" Zuko asked. "It's just rules." Pako answered "You can stay and watch, if you don't interrupt. But she has to leave." Of course Katara went angry at once. She was told that women were trained in healing, but not in fighting. So she should go to train with the other females.
"That's sexist." Zuko put in. "You shut up, or you can accompany her!" Paku hissed at him "Be glad we let a firebender into our city at all! If you weren't under the protection of the Avatar we would long have put you onto prison where you belong!" "If you won't teach Katara, then…" Aang threatened, causing Paku to rise from his seat. "Then what?" he asked "Then I won't learn from you!" Aang decided, turning his back at the Master. "Well, have fun teaching yourself." Paku said "I'm sure you'll do a great job." "Wait!" Katara yelled "Aang didn't mean that." And running after Aang she convinced him to stay and learn from the idiot that seemed to be his only choice. So Aang returned to the Master, while Katara left the scene. Zuko found himself a safe spot and watched.
Zuko listened closely and tried to copy the movements Aang was taught. Paku was not a very patient teacher. He just told Aang he was moving the water around, but was not feeling the push and pull of it. He didn't seem very happy with Aang's techniques, so he set him down on more basic moves. As the lesson was finally over, Aang was wet and tired. On their way back to the hut, Zuko dried Aang up with Firebending. "Thanks." Aang murmured. "You can teach Katara what you've learned so far tonight…" Zuko suggested "Paku does not have to know, right?" Aang smiled at him. "Right." He nodded.
Sokka was pretty pissed, when they got back, for he seemed to be having trouble with Yue. Katara told them that healing-lesson was full of little girls, but that the teacher had proofed to be an old friend of their Gran Gran. Even more, their Gran Gran seemed to have been born in the North. She had been promised to a boy, but had disappeared one night, without saying good bye to anyone. After that, Aang told Katara he would secretly teach her waterbending, but as Zuko wanted to follow them, Sokka held him back. "You're a guy, you can help me." He decided. "With what?" Zuko asked. "Yue of course…" Sokka answered "One moment she agrees on meeting me, and the next she tells me to get lost. What do I do wrong?" "How should I know?" Zuko asked shrugging.
Aang and Katara came back pretty quickly, and both of them looked devastated. Paku had caught them, calling Aang disrespectful, kicking him out of his class. "What now?" Aang asked. "This is all my fault!" Katara cried "Now none of us is going to learn waterbending properly." "We can go to the chief tomorrow morning, asking him to make Paku take Aang back…" Zuko suggested. "Let's just wait and see. We can't do anything right now anyways…" "So what can I do about Yue then?" Sokka complained.
The night sure was a short one, and as soon as the sun had risen, the foursome hurried to the palace. Katara asked the chief to force Paku to take Aang back as a student. They got the advice to swallow their pride and apologize to him, causing Katara to look all but happy. With a look back at Aang, Katara huffed "fine" but as Paku smiled and said "I'm waiting, little girl" she changed her mind. "NO!" she stated, balling her hands to fists. "No way am I going to apologize to a sour old man like you!" she then screamed, being angry enough to splitting the ice underneath them. The ice-vases burst, spilling their content water on the floor, and then she said something, that nearly made Zuko laugh out in joy. "I'll be outside if you are man enough to fight me." She hissed at Paku, turning and leaving. Zuko hurried after her. He wasn't going to miss this.
"Are you crazy Katara?" Sokka asked "You are not gonna win this fight." "I know." Katara answered, slipping out of the coat, throwing it at her brother "I don't care. Someone has to slap some sense into that guy." And turning, for Paku came down the stairs she called: "So, you have decided to show up?" But Paku ignored them, walking past the group, only fuelling Katara's anger. "Aren't you gonna fight?" Katara called after him. "Go back to the healing-huts with the other women, where you belong." Paku stated, causing Katara to bend herself a water-whip, shipping Paku in the neck. Zuko found himself a nice spot to watch. This would be awesome. Even if he had to help the fight a bit, this would be so awesome.
The whip did the trick, of course, Paku turned back to face her and went into attacking. Katara had speed on her side, but the Master sure knew his bending. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." He stated, drawing Katara near with a powerful bending-wave around both of them. But Katara managed to break the circling wave. By now they had attracted a whole group of observers. Katara proofed impressively that she had done her homework. She held out to the Master impressively long. Using the little knowledge she had to its full potential. Then she even went into close combat, which though turned out to be a mistake. Though the girl didn't gave up and went on, sending ice-discs towards Paku, making Zuko wish for some flaming-fireflakes as some snack. This was better than the performance they had two days ago.
"Well, I'm impressed. " Paku finally stated "You are an excellent waterbender." "But you still won't teach me, will you?" Katara realized. And as Paku answered with a "no", she went back into attacking. The fight went on, leaving Katara on the shorter branch soon. It finally showed that she was no master, and that Paku sure was one. He caught her in a cage of ice and therefor seemingly ended the fight. But before Zuko could decide of either secretly come to Katara's rescue by melting the ice-cage, or not take the risk, Paku noticed something on the floor and picked it up. "This is my necklace…" he stated surprised. "No, it's mine. Give it back!" Katara called out. "I made this sixty years ago…" Paku went on "… for the love of my life. For Kanna." With that the ice-cage melted and set Katara free again.
"My Gran Gran was supposed to marry you?" Katara asked. "I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged." Paku explained "I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her." "But she didn't love you, did she?" Katara stated "It was an arranged marriage. Gran Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage." Yue who was standing next to Sokka at that moment, broke into tears and fled the scene. So Sokka went after her. Paku agreed to take Aang back into his class then, and he also agreed to teach Katara. So the next morning they went back to the training all together again. Sokka had explained to them that Yue was engaged, and so, although she liked him, she couldn't be with him. It didn't ease the situation for him in any way really.