Ipomoeas In His Sheath

by WaterLily95

Everyone else figured it out when his boomerang started smelling like moonflowers instead of hoarded seal jerky. AU. Slowburn Sokka/Yue

33. Winter Moon Glows With Bright Love

Warning: Discussions of assault and attempted infanticide. Some of the incidents depicted in this chapter may be triggering for some people.

Chapter 33: Winter Moon Glows With Bright Love

At four hours past midday, the Northern Water Tribe's emergency shelters were busier than ever. The rescued women were being healed, liberated from their outward scars, wounds, and whiplashes with several other victims still recovering from their drugged states. The pressure to remain calm in spite of feeling the urge to shed tears for the victims was high for those who were providing care and for the guards who stayed behind for additional security. It was like a nightmare not because of the pressures of healing but because of the tragedies that unfolded one by one within those walls, allowing for a kind of wild catharsis as exhibited by several of the women. Torn hopes, failed marriages, loss, and heartbreak— everything manifested as either poignant emotion or numb silence. The guards and the healers were heavily affected by it all, having taken more breaks than usual to clear their heads. Yue and Sokka, however, worked tirelessly with Sokka submerged in patrolling duty and Yue immersing herself in healing.

Ikunna refused to let her children out of her sight. She also refused to let men be near her for any reason. Junguk, who introduced himself as a healer and offered to heal Ikunna's sons, was shoved to the side. The other Revivalist men who offered to help her boys change out of their torn clothes or tuck them in after the restless night were greeted with the woman's shrieks and hollers. Some of the men were hit by objects when they even looked in the direction of her room. One poor guard, careful and gentle as he was in speech, was slapped directly in the face when he tried to calm her down from a panic attack. The women were at least tolerated in Ikunna's presence, but as far as trust went, she trusted no one but Yue. She only allowed the Northern dronningi near her, only let her heal or speak with her and her children. In her current mental state, she was completely unable to register Yue's identity as a princess, and she repeatedly called Yue, "Tui," in an excited tone and had no qualms against hugging her every so often, all much to the confusion of everyone else, for they hadn't yet seen the princess's white hair.

Ikunna's children also found great comfort in Yue's presence; the princess told them and their mother various stories to distract them as she healed them. She promised them that she would do what she can to cure Ikunna and keep them safe from the man who didn't deserve to be their father. She promised them that the shelters would provide them with everything they wanted and needed, so long as they kept within the walls for a few days to avoid the wrath of lingering extremists.

It was a surprise as to how Yue maintained her composure as she healed Ikunna, especially after the woman's tragic past was unveiled little by little. The woman had supposedly been married off to a Nationalist man by her parents. The marriage had been rocky from the beginning, but given her family's orthodoxy, she was encouraged to submit. The only joy she found was in her children, but after the birth of her second child, her fluctuating weight took a sudden increase, much to the dismay of her husband, who found sadistic pleasure by dragging her into increased physical torture. Everything went downhill after that, for the poor woman couldn't take the abuse any longer, her sanity severed in the process. Her husband, forced to look for new recruits for Khasiq's businesses, decided to do away with her by handing her over to the brothels, hoping to gain a hefty price in return. This meant separating the children from her, for their oldest, the seven-year-old, grew to be extremely protective of her for his age. It was the last straw, resulting in the mother and children trying to somehow escape, and from there followed the rest of the story.

Ikunna's story was just one of several that indicated much suffering, and this was from her being a victim of not Khasiq's brothels, necessarily, but of a toxic marriage. To imagine what life had been like for the brothel's victims was an impossible feat in comparison; while many of the rescued women grew emotional as they let out their grief and pain, others resorted to deafening silence. And coupled with their experiences were those of other innocent victims of the philandering men: the women confined to their households. One such woman, accompanied by her equally-shocked parents and in-laws, stormed into the shelters, seeing for herself the kind of man her husband truly was. She was further rewarded with the wrath of her in-laws, and from there, drama ensued.

"It's you!" her mother-in-law shrieked. "You're the reason why my son turned out like this! If only you'd satisfied him!"

"Six children later, and you still think I didn't beat your son's dick enough, you old witch?!" the woman howled with rage, holding her youngest baby at her hip as she let out her years-long frustration. "Something's gotta have happened for these kids to have been born! How is it my fault when you're the ones who didn't raise him right?! He's the one who went around town, keeping it out of his pants!"

She was not the only woman to have her marriage shamble that day; a pregnant woman who claimed her husband was wrongfully arrested by the "Revivalist-majority" simply because he was a Nationalist claimed that he was working hard day and night for their growing family. Needless to say that her world was turned upside down, too, when she found out that the only work he had been doing— as confirmed with evidence— was working his loins away at the brothels. And she took the news by tearing off her marital necklace, smashing its pendant into pieces with her foot, and weeping in front of the very princess who she had accused of targeting Nationalists on purpose.

"He said he loved me!" the woman wailed.

And one of the embittered victims, having watched all of this, remarked hopelessly in response, "There is no love here, sis. Tui and La gave our tribesmen incredibly fuckable bodies and very fertile loins, but they forgot to give them hearts. If love was really possible, your man wouldn't have fucked us over and over."

There were a few hopeful moments, though, especially for the women whose parents and other family members have swarmed the shelters, reuniting them after having lost all hopes the past several years. Fathers and mothers who agonized over the fate of their daughters, children who wept in their mothers' laps, and on rare occasions, a few loving husbands who cursed themselves for their inability to protect their wives from Khasiq and his monsters.

There were ignorant family members, too, of course, particularly those who spoke of outdated rules— making a wrong a right by having their daughter's rapist bring her honor back by wedding her.

"It's in the law books!" an enraged father growled.

"Then consider those laws dead," Sokka snapped. "Forget honor; you would be doing a great disservice to your daughter if you make her go through any of this again."

"He would be married to her—"

"So he can ruin her life even more?" Sokka glared at the man's idiocy. "Chanting mantras and making a rapist tie a necklace around his victim doesn't 'purify' their bond or bring a woman's honor back or other nonsense. And if you still think this is a feasible way of solving every rape case, are you saying a guy should rape every woman he pleases and right his wrongs with a fucking necklace? Should he carry around a bunch of necklaces at his belt? One for every woman he assaulted? Do you parents think your daughters would be happy with those kinds of men? 'Cause if you do, fuck you, and if your 'La' or 'Spirit of justice' or whatever does, then fuck him!"

The reply both stunned and shut up the parents, who gave the isumataq horrified looks at the logic.

"You think your daughters are no different than items at a bazaar that need to be bought by the people who spoiled them, but the fact is, your daughters are human beings, not some objects to be soiled in the first place," Sokka told them firmly. "So stop this yakshit, have some compassion, and spare them the suffering. They have unrealized dreams and plenty of chances at a fresh start that shouldn't involve those dumbasses. So shut the fuck up and mind your own damn businesses."

In spite of their ignorance, the need for justice still demonstrated those parents' love for their daughters and the need to have their futures be secured after such a traumatic event. Some women believed they were deprived of even this luxury, thinking with each passing hour that no one would come for them. One such woman, who happened to be Katara's age and resembled her a little bit, too, caught the sympathy of the patrolling Southern prince. She admitted to him that she admired and greatly appreciated his defense in a time when tribefolk would of course make up useless solutions for their horrific experiences.

"If only my father or brothers understood things the way you do, isumataq," she told him as she wallowed in her unmanifest depression.

"Wisdom can be like a tight slap to the face sometimes," Sokka said, rubbing his face a little. "Like it kind of was for me. Literally."

"Literally?"

"With the South being deprived of food, our men and I were forced to travel and trade manually. We were able to provide for our folks this way," Sokka said. "I ended up going to Kyoshi Island and met the Kyoshi Warriors. They're a skilled group of fighters who safeguard the island and carry on the traditions of Avatar Kyoshi. Their leader, Suki, is a good friend of mine, but she slapped me at our first meeting 'cause I said something dumb. Like girls aren't successful fighters and other shit..." Shrugging, "But hey, she definitely proved me wrong. She was the complete antithesis of the nonsense our elders have been spitting out the last few centuries. She reminded me of my sister, Katara, to be honest. They were the only two women I'd known at that time who could fight very well. Well, also the rest of the Kyoshi warriors. And then I started travelling more and more and met more people and visited more cultures and saw so much more...And then I met our dronningi of the North, and boy, am I just completely blown away by her...I'm rambling, aren't I?"

But the woman listened patiently and shook her head. "So you got slapped at first, huh?"

"I deserved it, it's no big deal," he dismissed it, "But my point in saying all of this is that your dad and brothers need that kind of slap in the face, too. Not a literal one, and not necessarily from a Kyoshi Warrior...though that would be helpful, I think…"

The woman managed a chuckle.

"— but I mean like a figurative slap," Sokka said, his expression contemplative. "Something that hits you so hard that you're all of a sudden aware of who you are. What your place is in the universe. How pointless everything really is, how pointless these sexist rules are, what they'll end up actually doing to the people around you. How they bring out the fall of societies…"

"Like an existential crisis."

"Yeah, maybe." Shifting in his seat and taking on a sarcastic tone, "You know how we manly masculine men claim we need to protect you guys and be gentlemen." Softening his voice with sincerity again, "And we do need to do all those things because as humans, we need to look out for each other. It's part of our social responsibility. But part of that social responsibility is making sure you have the resources to protect yourselves. 'Cause you're capable of the same things we are. I mean, granted our bodies work different ways, but that's just a part of our lives. How we're unique. It's not meant to consume us, you know?"

The woman didn't have to attempt at a smile this time; it came to her naturally.

"So the bottom line is...that kind of an existential slap in the face is very necessary. That's what your folks need, and that's what they'll get pretty soon." Looking at her, "But even if it's gonna take 'em a while, I know they still care about you. Their thinking is fucked up, but they still care. In their own way. I have a feeling they'll be here soon."

"No, Prince Sokka," the woman shook her head. "My father didn't talk to me for a week because I went to the bazaar without him one morning. He had this notion that when I go out by myself, I'll fall in love with some guy and elope with him. Since women have a 'wild, uncontrollable sexuality.' Either that or he was worried I'd be raped. One or the other. Or maybe both." Scoffing, "I was in the safety of my bedroom when I was stolen, by the way."

"You didn't do this on purpose," he said. "You went through a terrible experience that no one should—"

"Why does it matter? I'm not a virgin anymore. And I didn't lose my virginity after getting married to a guy." Swallowing, "My parents are the type to blame the woman either way. They won't let me back into their home. Not even if Tui and La themselves showed up and told them to."

"They might be overprotective, but I'm sure they care about you more than you think."

"That's what they all say. Overprotection." Huffing, "They robbed me of a life and friends back when I still had a chance, and it's too late now, because people will start running away from me when they see me."

"No they won't," he said.

"Her Highness is truly a blessing. She said she will make sure none of our details are leaked to the public. But keeping things confidential won't necessarily help if people know you've been missing for several years and see you again after so long."

"Come on, don't think like that. You have so many people around you willing to be your friends."

"Like the other victims? Should we bond over how many times we were fucked? Should we compete over who endured the most pain?"

"I meant everyone else, too," Sokka told her. "We're all your friends. I'm your friend, Her HIghness is your friend." Smiling gently at Yue's mention, "Her Highness is friends with everything that exists, basically."

The woman's expression did not change. "You know, I once wanted to be a healer, isumataq Sokka. But here I am now as a patient. And I'll probably be a patient for the rest of my life—"

"That's not true," he said. "There are still several chances. You're still young. You have a long life ahead of you and lots more to do. You can be one of the best healers in the North, and you will be, I know it. But for that, you need to start healing."

"It'll take a lifetime to heal—"

"And part of that includes being successful," he said. "There's no greater slap in the face to a nation of sexists than for them to see you be extremely successful and have them eating out of the palm of your hand. Our dronningi is very kind. She's giving people more opportunities than ever. Your dreams are going to come true. And did you know the princess also opened up training academies for women recently? They're free of charge, too, and they're taught exclusively by our Revivalist sisters. So if you want to participate, you most definitely can." Giving her a reassuring smile, "You're not gonna be alone, Sister. The Revivalists are here, the princess is here. I'll be here, too. Think of me as another brother to you. I mean, not one of those annoying, overprotective machines that yell at you for every single thing. A fun brother who'll do everything possible to make sure you become one of the top healers in the nation."

"I'm glad I have your support, isumataq Sokka, but I'd rather not call you 'brother.' Or any guy that." Sniffling, "I called those monsters brothers. All of them. And they didn't stop…"

Swallowing hard, "Then call me 'sister.'"

She gave him a blank look for a moment, initially unsure of how to respond, but then she let out a chuckle, then a loud laugh that lasted longer than it probably should before transitioning quickly into heaving sobs.

Sokka forced down the lump in his throat, brushing at his moistening eyes as he was hit with a strange need to see Katara. He couldn't imagine how things would've been if she was in a situation like this. He couldn't fathom how cruel people could really be. How Khasiq and his imbeciles had such messed-up brains to even think of doing the things that they did.

"La, have mercy," the woman hiccupped, "I'm in so much pain…!"

The Southern prince blinked back the moisture in his own eyes, letting the woman have a moment as she buried her face in her hands, her previous numbness melting into oceans. He didn't know what to say, knowing fully well that anything he said fell short of comfort. And part of that was guilt. He was not responsible for these horrors, and he would never see himself becoming someone who encouraged or initiated such kinds of cruelty, but never did his own biology bring him so much discomfort.

"Sister, I can't even pretend to understand what it feels like to be in a situation like that for so long," he said, his throat choked, "But I know it's horrible. I absolutely hate that these monsters are calling themselves men. And even now, my blood is boiling because I don't have the strength to imagine… I have a sister of my own, and I..." He gulped, unable to finish, telling himself to give Katara a hug when he got home, "What I can do from my side is to make sure those cretins get the punishments that fit their crimes...and I can make sure that nothing like this ever happens again. But if there's anything else I can do…anything else you need..."

The woman composed herself, her sobs subsiding as she gave him a look of hope and a smile of gratitude through her tears, "Ukalaaqgikkit, angaju Sokka." I will let you know, Sister Sokka.

He smiled at his new title. "That's more like it."

"Immi?"

The woman turned to the doorway, her vision slightly blurred from her overwhelming tears, but she recognized the voice of one of the visitors. Letting another hiccup escape her lips, "Anaana...?" Mom…?

"Immi! Paniga!" Immi! My daughter!

And this voice, Immi realized belonged to her father. "Ataata!" Dad!

Two more voices— both male— called out to her simultaneously, "Angaju Immi!"

And Immi found herself tackled by her parents and brothers, all of whom burst into sobs along with her and refused to let her go. Immi let loose more of her grief as her mother and father kissed her forehead and held her close to their hearts. Sokka smiled at the sight; he stood up to leave and give them space, and on the way, he saw the princess standing by the entrance, watching the family. Her face was covered, but he could tell that she was smiling, too, even if just a little, a spark of rejuvenation lighting up her eyes.

---

Osha found herself seated in a gondola that rocked in the midst of the ocean. Overlooking the horizon was the newly rising moon, its gleam lighting up the seas. The waters were peaceful and still, but within seconds, the stillness around her rippled. Forming before her in the distance were two human-like beings— one clad in dazzling milky silks, adorned by darkness at her center, and the other donned in midnight velvets, completed by the light at his center. The figures held hands, casting each other loving looks and walking towards her across the water. When they reached Osha, their smiles widened to impossible lengths. They spoke simultaneously, too— each word perfectly in sync as if they were actually one being appearing in two forms.

"We are like two restless magnets forcibly held back by stubborn hands," they said. "Won't you bring us together by the next full moon, Osha?"

And at that, the priestess snapped her eyes open, nearly breathless. The dream played through her mind again a couple of times before she let a spark of rationality shoot through. The next full moon. That's almost a week away, isn't it? Today's the waxing crescent...yes... She turned to the calendar scroll beside her, fumbling to check the date of the next full moon. Indeed, there were only six days until the full moon arrived.

With the realization sinking into her, she got up from her bed and reached for her coats and furs, deciding to share the news immediately with an old friend.

---

"I don't get how she's so calm."

"She's just so...stoic..."

Some of the Revivalists who were sitting down for their break-since physical and mental breaks were most definitely necessary— were watching Yue closely as she helped calm yet another woman who lamented over her fate. This woman, too, was apparently a victim of her Nationalist husband's abuse before she was handed over to the brothels two years ago. Having felt the need to dissociate themselves from the many tragedies around them for the sake of sanity, the Revivalists shifted their focus on the princess of the North. And needless to say that they were astounded by how normal the princess was around them. As if she wasn't the princess at all and just a simple commoner. Wasn't she supposed to have been locked away her entire life? How did she learn so much? How did she even meet Kuunnguaq? Was she Kuunnguaq herself? But Kuunnguaq, no matter what the circumstance was, never revealed her face as easily as the princess.

Sokka, who had relieved yet another guard's shift and took on more duties, sighed in concern as he looked at the princess, "She's refusing to take a break."

"As if you aren't, Brother Sokka."

"But still…"

"Her Highness sure is hardworking," she noted, turning back to observe the princess. "As if she's a normal citizen."

"It's always weird seeing a royal figure like this," Sanka noted. "At least, for me. I always thought that royalty— especially the pampered kind— is rather sensitive. Things can't be too cold or too hot for them, can't be too rough or too smooth. They're so delicate. Unwilling to mix with the public..." And upon remembering that the Southern isumataq was nearby, "We're not talking about you, Brother Sokka. I mean the kind of royalty that we see in places other than...other than the Water Tribe..."

"Our dronningi is Water Tribe," he stated the obvious.

"Well yes, but she's a princess. Raised behind walls. The chief raised her in secret, and he probably pampered her quite a bit."

"To be honest, it could also be that he didn't," Aput said. "You guys read Professor Zei's article, didn't you? The chief wasn't willing to listen to the princess when she told him the Earth Kingdom suitor was an imposter. If he pampered her so much, he wouldn't have been so careless. Or even if it was an unfortunate circumstance, he would've believed her—"

"Hey, hey, you don't have to discuss this around her, alright?" Sokka flared in reprimand, keeping a protective eye on the princess, who was occupied with healing the woman. Indeed, Zei's article and that Earth Kingdom imposter incident would forever be lodged into the minds of the people, and Sokka found it unfortunate, for the incident was now widely known and addressed, likely on a regular basis among everyday conversations. It was obviously disturbing for the princess to think about it, and he wished people were a little more sensitive about that issue.

"We don't know how exactly she was raised or who raised her," said Ujaraq, "but we do know that she had been in that 'haunted' building her entire life."

"Maybe she was raised by the servants," Sanka suggested. "We do know that she met Kuunnguaq at one point and trained under her. At least, that's what she says."

"How could servants raise her when no one was able to even look at the eastern portion all these years?"

"Well who else could've raised her? She's been up all night like a servant. She'd gone undercover as a maid."

"It does make sense," Aput said, looking at the princess with a dash of suspicion. "I think there's a deeper connection between her and Kuunnguaq. Apart from a student-sifu relationship. They both seem to favor undercover missions. They both practically sound the same, just a few differences here and there. They fight smart."

Sokka only panicked as his Revivalist friends repeatedly attempted to put two and two together. "It's only natural for a student to pick up things from a sifu," he said, trying his best to sound casual. "She says she's Kuunnguaq's student after all..."

Amka looked at him, "Brother Sokka, you don't think there's a chance she might be…?"

"No, there's no way, they don't look anything alike," he said quickly. "I've...I've seen Kuunnguaq, I'd know."

"You have?" Everyone gawked at him, their eyes wide.

"Y-Yeah...when I met her."

"None of us had ever seen her to this day," Ujaraq said. "Why would she show you her face?"

"Yeah, she didn't even know you for that long," Amka raised her eyebrows.

"If she let you see her, then she must really trust you…"

Brushing back the beads of sweat trailing across his forehead even amid the Arctic, "Uh...she didn't mean to reveal her face…It was an accident. Her mask, uh, fell off without warning…"

"Have you seen the princess, too, then? For you to so confidently say they're not the same person?" Ujaraq asked.

"Of course I did. I have to. I'm her bodyguard." He cleared his throat and went back to looking at the princess, and it couldn't be more obvious to Sanka and Amka that the Southern prince was taken by utter fascination for Arnook's daughter.

In the meanwhile, the poor victim kept bawling, pouring out her heart before the princess. "He was supposed to be my La…"

Yue, however, held only a look of skepticism. "Those kinds of metaphors don't fly anymore, my friend. It's like Ikunna said in her own way. There are more demons than Tuis and Las here at the moment."

The princess finally convinced the woman to have a seat. The bawling continued, but now, Yue had the woman's full attention...as well as the attention of the observing Revivalists.

"Do you know the story of Tui and La's origins?" Yue asked.

The woman gave a faint nod. "The Book of Union…'When the One split into the Two, each One was made of both black and white. And when They saw each other, they saw themselves reflected in the other.'"

"That's right," the princess nodded. "To see yourself reflected in someone doesn't mean you're a part of their false promises, Sister. It means you are understood, respected, loved as abundantly as you offer that understanding, respect, and love. Tui and La, out of their immense love and respect for each other, kept pieces of each other within themselves." Her thoughtfulness turned serious. "Why can't the same be for us human beings? Why must we blindly accept someone we are arranged to? So long as they give us zero respect?"

The woman dried her eyes, absorbing the princess's logic.

"Saying you're Tui and that your husband is La is just a way to make sure you as a woman— especially as a woman— don't cross the boundaries that society has imposed on you," Yue said. It's a way to guilt you, especially, into staying in a relationship. Now matter how abusive." Narrowing her eyes in hopelessness, 'The husband is La, therefore he is your ruler. You are Tui, and therefore, you are his submissive.' This is the mantra that people have been clinging to for so long. Just look at Sister Ikunna. She was told that her husband was her La, and she was forced to stay within the marriage. Look how she is now. Do you think it was healthy for her parents to raise her to worship her husband as La? How do you know for sure that this technique wasn't used by some prehistoric caveman to get his people to multiply?"

"Those fairytales might be good on paper, but practically speaking, they're worthless. Tui and La are just tools made up by some prehistoric caveman who was trying to get his people to multiply." Sokka widened his eyes at the memory of what he said a few weeks ago, comparing it to the striking similarity in her wording.

And of course, he jumped at the chance to claim that such beliefs were false. That bestowing gendered Tui and La titles on toxic couples only ruined people's lives instead of 'sanctifying their relationship,' as the elders would say.

But...but... in the case of wholesome, innocent relations between good people, in the case of two free, equal beings coming together to share their lives...in the case of him and Yue… what if his rational brain, while having previously been removed from the sappy idea of soulmates, now wanted to believe in such a myth for once? Specifically the myth that she was Tui? That they were prophesied to be companions? That is, of course, if she accepted him, which, in spite of their friendship, might not be easy given how everyone here was mourning the death of love altogether. Not that the sisters here were to be blamed, not at all.

"But let me tell you something, Sister," Yue continued, eyeing the weeping woman. "The reality is far from that. Very far. Tui and La are not dumbed down to dark and light, male and female, superior and inferior. These kinds of attributes are just what we project onto them. The reality is that they are beyond all of that." Pointing to the woman, "You did not sign up to be anyone's slave, and you did not sign up to make anyone your slave. And if the Tui-and-La metaphor really was destined to work, your companion would not have made a slave out of you and the Spirits inside of you. So please, for the love of the actual Tui and La, don't let overblown expectations ruin your sense of self. La is meant to be a nourisher of souls, not a narcissistic master who whips you as he sees fit. Life is precious, and time is short. You need to be your own caretaker. There are billions upon billions of people on this planet. How are you to say that the first person you run into has to be your La?"

The woman's sobs briefly returned, and Yue, while devastated for the woman's plight, still did not crumble as the other Revivalists had at one point or another during their time at the shelters. The princess's look exuded only compassion.

"Repeat after me," she told the woman. "'I am Tui.'"

The woman hesitated.

"Say it. It's okay."

"How can I be Tui—?"

"Just say it, Sister."

Gulping, "I... am Tui..."

"A little louder. With more confidence."

"I am Tui."

"A little more."

"I am Tui!"

"Yes," Yue encouraged. "Now say, 'I am La.'"

Closing her eyes and bringing her sobs to a stop, "I am La!"

"Her views are similar to Kuunnguaq, too," Amka noted.

"Well she's not Kuunnguaq," Sokka insisted. "I've seen both of them. They are different people."

Aput sighed as he looked back at the princess. "I wonder why Kuunnguaq never told us about the princess all this time. When she clearly knew and was teaching her… And it's not like she found out just yesterday or at the same time we did because healing and combat, especially at that level, take years of practice and discipline."

"It could be that she was trying to safeguard the princess, too," Sokka threw in a hypothesis, desperately hoping the conversation would end there.

Ujaraq frowned in concern. "If the princess revealed the truth just to us, we would've kept it a secret somehow, but she went ahead and announced it to several Loyalists and Neo-Nationalists. Even the Nationalists we arrested know the truth. People are gonna talk." Shaking his head, dazed, " can't even imagine how things are gonna go from here. When Khasiq finds out the princess has connections with his worst enemy, shit's gonna go down."

And that was exactly what Sokka feared. Why in the world did she give part of her identity away?

---

More families had come by the shelter and provided love and care to the women who were stolen from them. Among them were numerous people who had doubted the princess's leadership and prowess. Now, however, they could not take their eyes off of her, and they even dropped down to their knees with thanks. It was needless to say that the princess has become quite popular with many people in such a short time and with just one of her major projects, but what was also obvious was the way her level of risk skyrocketed since her reveal.

"You know a lot of people are suspicious, right?" Sokka whispered as she worked in solitude on preparing a herbal paste, "That you're Kuunnguaq, too? Everyone else is putting it all together. I had to tell them you and Lady look nothing alike."

"I'm not sure what I'd do without you, isumataq," she said with a small smile.

"Your Highness, that's not the point. People are suspicious, and this could make it difficult for your identity as Kuunnguaq," he said, continuously making sure no one was around them to hear their conversation, "Why did you do it? You said you can't afford to tell people the truth. You said you wanted to be free in your own palace. I know you didn't tell the complete truth, but…Now the guards on our mission know your face. Such a risk wasn't necessary."

"How else were we going to get them to do this?"

"I would've convinced them somehow—"

"See, that's exactly it. They shouldn't be convinced by other people to do what I ask of them. I want them to have enough trust in me and my actions, and I thought this would be the chance to prove myself. How much longer am I going to have to hide? When will my commands actually be recognized? There's so much work to be done, and I need people to listen to me." Her eyebrows furrowed. "Yes, I know the chief will probably try to limit me from doing a lot of things, but I'm willing to fight that. How much longer can I hide my life even from him?"

"So you plan on telling him everything?"

"I think it's best if I do…" but there was great uncertainty in her voice. "But I can't have him try to stop me…"

He sighed, internally struggling as an unsettling thought crept into the back of his mind. "Your Highness...Is this also because...well... Do you not want me as a bodyguard anymore? After…?"

"After what?"

"After my dad…"

"Prince Sokka, you're getting carried away. This has nothing to do with that."

But he didn't look convinced. "It's because of what my dad said, too. Or maybe that's the only reason, and you're not telling me." Gulping, "You're not wanting me around you anymore, right?"

"No, Sokka, no," she shook her head, "That's not it, believe me. In fact, it's the opposite. I'm not going to lie; after that conversation at the estate...I was thinking about letting you go, but not for the reason you think." Blinking up at him, "I value our friendship, isumataq. I admire your leadership, the way you share a passion for social justice, the way you always bring a smile to my face. You know, I've laughed more when I was with you these few days than I probably have in...many, many years combined…So as you can imagine, I was very conflicted in wanting to make that decision..."

He felt his face and heart warming up.

"But I thought I was intruding, you know? You need to live your own life. Take care of the South. And I know I kept this in the back of my mind before, so I didn't want you to take this position in the first place, but then you busted me out of the matchmaking event and I...I got selfish. For the first time, I didn't feel alone in the things I do for the tribe, and that was a really good feeling, and...and you could obviously hold your own, I felt, so…" she stopped rambling and said with an exasperated huff, "It was a moment of weakness, and I accepted you for the job..."

A moment of weakness? More like a moment of genuine trust, he felt. And it made him feel really good, too.

"I don't want to be the reason why your relationship with your parents might become strained. And of course, the issue of safety. That's always been my number one concern. So I really was trying to think of how to tell you to walk out of the job. But after tonight, I realize just how crucial your influence is here. Just how much I need your help. And I thought that...me proving myself as someone capable of holding my own might eventually take away a little bit of your family's fear for your safety. I thought they would feel a little better about you being my bodyguard because you won't have to take the hits when I'm alert myself."

"Your Highness—"

"So if anything, this is all so that I can keep you beside me. I can't ask you to stay, but...I'm not going to ask you to leave, either. I'll leave it up to you, trusting you'll make the right decision." She eyed him with sincerity, "Believe me, Sokka, you are very wanted here."

He only blinked at her, unsure of what to say, replaying her words over and over. You are very wanted here.

"I gotta go," she picked up the medicine that she had finished preparing, "We'll talk later, yeah?"

The frozen isumataq watched her leave. He probably would've swooned had he not been rooted in the current situation.

---

"Princess Katara and Avatar Aang have arrived!"

The guards' announcement immediately caught everyone's attention, particularly Sokka's. By the time he stepped out of the shelter, he saw that the guards patrolling outside had assembled to give the guests a proper, secure welcome. Aang and Katara were rushing over to Sokka in concern. The Southern princess greeted her brother with a hug, and he hugged her back with a kind of unknown relief filling his heart.

"We heard what happened," Aang said. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's under control now."

"How are you doing?"

"I'm okay."

"Dad's really mad that you didn't come home yet," Katara told her brother. "I told him I'll see where you are."

The prince glared, "Doesn't he know what happened?"

"He does, but he's kind of in panic mode. The fact that you were running around the brothels isn't sitting well with him."

"It was for a rescue mission!"

"You know how it is. He's worried about you openly challenging Khasiq, and on top of that, he's worried about what people are gonna say. He says it'll hurt your chances with tribeswomen, too, if they learn you've been around brothels. Even if it's for a rescue mission, people back home are still gonna talk, he says." And of course, the unspoken reality: he did not favor Sokka spending time with the princess, and what was really the cause of his discomfort was the fact that Sokka and the princess had spent the night immersed in rebellious activities.

"So we should just sit back and do nothing when people need our help just because people might talk?" Sokka shook his head, incredulous. "This is a bunch of yakshit."

"Don't listen to him. Just do what you need to do." Katara noted the exhausted look in his eyes, "It's been a rough night. You probably got no sleep."

"He didn't take a single break, Sister," Aput said as he passed by. "He and the princess have been working nonstop. Someone needs to stop 'em before they crash."

"But hey, it's all worth it," the isumataq said. "For once, I don't feel so useless when it comes to doing something for the sisters in our tribe. There's so much to unpack here in the North, and there's even more to unpack down South now that we have something to eat." Sighing tiredly, "There's still so much to do."

"But you're off to a great start," Katara smiled at him, "I'm really proud of you, big brother."

"Me, too," Aang pat his back. "And I'm really glad you stepped up for the challenge. You got a headstart on your White Lotus duties. You have no idea how helpful all of this is for the investigations."

Reminded of Khasiq's investigations, "How'd the process go?"

"Khasiq's supporters are trying to cover up the more important evidence one way or another for his crimes," Aang huffed, frowning. "We spent the entire day interrogating him. He admitted to nothing. But now that we have a few Nationalist criminals who are willing to crack, this will be a faster process."

"The credit all goes to Her Highness, guys."

"Yue," Katara whispered, her eyes wide with eagerness, "Is she still here?"

"Shhh," Sokka nearly clamped his hand over his sister's mouth, "Her name's still not revealed. Keep it down!"

"Fine, but can I meet her now?"

"She's still healing a few people. You're gonna have to wait."

Moments later, Aang and Katara were led inside of the building. The airbender and the Southern princess felt their moods drop significantly at the sights before them. It was a bittersweet experience; today was a day of victory, for these women had finally seen the end to their suffering, but they were carrying with them lots of trauma and grief in a time of turmoil. Some were too tired to move a muscle as they sagged against their pillows; others found that they couldn't sleep, either staring at the ground with the night's events reeling through their minds or telling their reunited families everything that happened. Then there were some whose healing sessions were wrapping up. At the sight of the Avatar and Princess Katara, they sat upright and greeted them with bows, but the airbender and master waterbender declined all formalities, declaring that they were here to help as friends.

Katara sported a look that promised hope and healing as she spoke with the victims. She reminded them of all the newest facilities that she heard the princess had organized in the North to empower women and prevent future atrocities. Aang promised them all that he would work closely with Sokka and the Order of the White Lotus to ensure proper action was taken to bring them justice, take measures to offer them additional protection, drag Khasiq out of the country once they found the evidence they needed, and punish the offenders accordingly. The victims and their families were fairly optimistic for the most part and found great comfort in the duo's promises. There came a point, however, when it became too much for a sensitized Katara to handle, and she had to see herself out into an empty room after wrapping up a conversation. Aang and Sokka followed her, doing their best to comfort her in the trio's privacy.

And then, like a beacon of hope, a flash of light like the moon that put all the stars to shame, Princess Yue stepped into the room and closed the door. Sokka nudged his sister, gesturing to her to look up as the princess stepped in front of them.

"You finally ready to take a break, dronningi?" Sokka asked her.

"Lady Sayen forced me to," Yue admitted. "And it's getting harder to breathe with all this on." After looking both ways to make sure it was only the four of them in the room, she pulled down her veils and mask, breathing in the Arctic air with great but controlled relish.

And in the meantime, Aang and Katara simply gaped at the woman's Tui-esque appearance, Katara being especially shocked. It was a pleasant shock, however, for the master waterbender felt as if she was seeing Tui herself stand before her. She beamed excitedly at her brother, the words Wolf Moon nearly dangling at her lips but instead contained in her eyes.

"It's good to see you again, Princess," Avatar Aang broke the silence and bowed in greeting.

"Likewise, Avatar Aang," she bowed back. "Thank you for coming out here to support us with our dronningi," she smiled at Katara next.

"Any time. And please, just Aang is fine."

Sokka stood up, his hand around his sister, "Your Highness, I'd like you to officially meet my sister, Katara."

Yue bowed at Katara, "It is a great honor to meet the South's pioneer of women's justice—" and she was cut immediately off by Katara's fierce hug. It caught Yue off guard, but she relaxed and hugged Katara back with a look of amusement.

"You look just like Tui!"

The princess chuckled, "I suppose I do. The universe is quite funny sometimes."

Katara smiled back as they let go. "It's an honor to meet you, too. You're my idol."

"As you are mine, Dronningi Katara," Yue's smile widened.

In the time Yue had allotted for herself to have a break, she and Katara bonded over their efforts in handling the issues in their respective tribes. The entire time, Sokka had been afraid that Katara would ask about anything related to the Akna or possibly give away the truth of Yue's past in her excitement, but the Southern princess didn't say a word about it. Katara had, however, been expecting to hear Yue's entire life story and satisfy her curiosity as to how in the world the leader of the North was able to learn healing and combat, but she held back because the situation was not in their favor for those sorts of questions right now.

Even so, Yue seemed to have caught on to Katara's squirming curiosity. She saw a passionate leader and even a long-lost sister of sorts in Katara. Not to mention that Aang was the Avatar and was obviously on their side. The princess may have even begun to see a purpose behind revealing many of her secrets to them, so she did not hesitate. She was vague in her explanations, and it was understandable (to Sokka, at least) given she didn't like to talk too much about certain personal details, but she did, however, admit to important details, such as her escape from her room one pivotal day with the aid of her bending, which she had assumed to be a weird power in childhood innocence. She spoke of how her escape allowed her to meet two different masters, one who trained her in combat and another who trained her in healing, no names given. Her healing sifu welcomed her to the Moon Temple as the caretaker, and she received further instruction in ancient Water Tribe languages, scriptures, and rituals.

"So you're also…" Katara trailed off.

"The one who saved Kohana's life," Sokka finished.

It was while juggling these tasks that Yue had managed to snag a job at the palace, which consisted of numerous other odd jobs. Learning cooking from the aunties in the kitchen, cleaning from the maids. Some days, it was dusting the palace, other days it was babysitting, but whatever the task, it was all necessary for her to build some kind of life rather than be stuck in her room for the rest of eternity. And following her advent as the princess, the Northern dronningi dove right into the changes she wanted to see within the tribe. Establishing training centers for women along with launching the Black Lotus project in partnership with General Iroh, the Grand White Lotus.

It seemed that the Northern princess held immense trust for Katara and Avatar Aang, for she did not hesitate to admit to them that she was Kuunnguaq, too, though she omitted the truth about the phenomenon of medical bloodbending, a secret that even her fellow Revivalists did not know.

"So you're a Revivalist," Aang noted, wide-eyed. "You're also…" Lady…

"I don't identify as a Revivalist, honestly," Yue told him. "I didn't even come up with the name. I was wanting my social mission to be general, to reach out to all branches. Some of my friends became obsessed with the idea of joining politics to compete against Khasiq's version of the Nationalist Party, and Revivalism became a political movement. Combating injustice is not bad by any means, but you can do that without establishing yourself as a rival party. That's why I'm a fan of going undercover, mixing with the public. Taking things down from the inside or when they least expect it."

And Katara couldn't agree more in spite of voicing her support for the Revivalists' general mission. The Southern dronningi also frustratingly admitted to her own lack of authority in doing anything down South. Her encounter with Pakku, while allowing her to score points in the arena of getting rid of some extremely sexist "purity laws," still did not give her access to making decisions for herself. Given the dangers of bandits, she was confined to the igloo in spite of her fighting capabilities, tasked with helping her mother and grandmother and looking after Kohana.

"It's unfortunate when the people in our homeland do not recognize what we have to offer them, but that's when we need to create opportunities for ourselves." Turning to the Southern princess, "Katara, I was going to invite you to join the Black Lotus."

"Me?" Katara asked.

"Sokka tells me you're really good at combat and that you're a capable healer yourself, but what really won me over were your efforts to get rid of the purity laws in the South."

"I still have a long way to go to get rid of all of them…"

"But you have still achieved something that's not at all easy," Yue told her. "Princess Katara, in you, I see inspiration. In the name of purity and cleanliness, our people are saying our very existence is taboo. I need people like you to help bring about the change we need to see, and I am very confident in your efforts. I'd like it very much if you represented the Black Lotus down South…" her smile dwindled a little bit, "But... I also understand that your parents might not want you to take up the offer—"

"When it comes to doing the right thing, we can't stop just because of our parents," Sokka said. "This isn't about them. This is about protecting our people. Your Highness, Katara and I are with you no matter what."

"Besides, this is my dream," Katara told her. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for an opportunity like this, dronningi. Being a representative for the Black Lotus Project is more than anything I've imagined would happen. But...the more I think about it, the more I realize that it won't be easy for me to handle the responsibility down South. Not right now, anyway. Our mom gets stressed very easily, and I don't want to add to it."

"Yes, yes, I understand. She's pregnant, after all. This would not be a good time."

"But that doesn't mean I want to give up on this," Katara said. "That's why I want to stay here a little longer."

"In the North?"

"Sokka's currently the ethics minister for your cabinet, right? At least, he's going to be. I'll tell our parents that I'm staying behind to 'keep an eye' on him and inform them of how things are going. They won't refuse."

Yue seemed unsure. "Are you sure this will work?"

"I will make it work," Katara assured her. "I've been stuck behind the walls of our igloo all my life. Just as you were forced to stay in your room. But you still made a life for yourself that's so unbelievably awesome."

"Only because I wasn't being watched," Yue said. "You're quite the center of attention, dronningi."

"I'd like nothing more than this opportunity, and I promise I'll do everything I can to convince my parents to let me stay here. I'll help you with anything you need me to help you with."

"If it's also safety issues that your parents are worried about, I'll stay behind, too," Aang told them.

"But I thought you were going home," Katara said. "After traveling the world for so long."

"I need to stay here longer to carry out more investigations anyway with a few White Lotus sentries," the airbender said.

"Are you required to stay?" Sokka raised his eyebrows. "Swear on your arrows."

"Sokka," Katara frowned in reprimand.

"Well...I'm not required, but it'll help if I stay," Aang said, rubbing the back of his bald head as he gave them a nervous grin. "I'll also oversee the partnership between the White and Black Lotus Organizations since Grand Lotus Iroh won't be able to stay here for long enough to represent. The sentries who are planning to stay can focus more on observing the situation here. We will have full security arranged all throughout the tribe in a matter of weeks," and turning to Katara, "and I will personally make sure that you and Sokka are safe."

Though it appeared to Sokka as if Aang was going to stay here even if they didn't have the investigations, for the airbender was quite taken with Katara and had been listening to her intently this entire time, likely already having made up his mind and planning everything in his head.

"I think that will be really good for the tribe, and I'm glad you're helping out, Aang," Yue smiled, turning to Katara, "And if you really want to stay, too, you don't need to spend your time following me around like your brother. Honestly, I didn't want him to do so, either, but he's insisting."

"And nothing you say will change that, Your Highness," Sokka said.

"That's why I've accepted my defeat," she chuckled, "But Katara, I'm sure the women here would be honored to have you as their waterbending teacher."

"Me? Teaching waterbending?" Katara's eyes lit up.

"Of course. We are looking for female masters. We already have the help of several Revivalist women, but they are already teaching other tribeswomen, and their classes have filled up. Part of helping the women here heal is to give them the opportunity to learn self-defense and combat, whether it's bending or nonbending combat. You're skilled in both of these things. You can teach both sessions, if you'd like."

"That...that would be amazing!"

"I'm specifically requesting you to help these women pick themselves up because I know you're strong enough, Katara," Yue said.

"These women need a strong role model. They need to see you, hear your story and what you've done for the South. They need the support of people like you."

Katara choked out an excited laugh, "I'll do my very best. You have no idea how happy I am!"

"Wow, Katara as a waterbending teacher," Aang grinned at her, "Congratulations, Katara. I know you'll do great!"

"Aww, Aang, you're so sweet!" and the Southern waterbender couldn't resist giving him a kiss on the cheek, causing the monk's face to turn completely red and his lips to sport a dopey grin. Sokka faked a gag, bringing an amused chuckle out of Yue.

"I can't thank you enough, Princess...Is Kuunnguaq your real name?" Katara asked.

"I was given that name by one of my teachers, but I prefer Yue." Flashing Sokka a knowing smile, "Yuesanga."

The warrior beamed, floating on cloud nine along with Aang, who kept his hand softly over his cheek. The North's new waterbending master wrapped a hand around the incarnate Tui, "I think you and I are going to be really good friends, Yue."

---

Within the atmosphere of betrayal and even lingering fear, the phenomenon of touch took surprising precedence. It was not the kind of touch that the victims were used to but rather the touch of comfort and affection. Everyone in the shelter had someone to hold onto to process the horrors that the victims went through and the kind of warmth that was needed after dealing with cold hearts; for the victims, the assuring touch of their families came a long way. For the Revivalists, the touch of friendship and trusted companionship. Katara, further sensitized as the long night was soon coming to an end, was comforted by Aang with occasional warm hugs. Camaraderie and comfort brewed little by little in the shelters, culminating with a kept promise of rewarding the heroes of the mission. Princess Yue was pleased to offer a reward of five hundred gold pieces to the Loyalists, Neo-Nationalists, and Revivalists who had worked together so efficiently to bring justice to these women.

"I am hoping that we will continue to open our hearts and work together like this for other future endeavors, regardless of party affiliations," she told them sincerely. "We are all children of the same motherland, and I hope we treat each other as such and build a community of mutual respect and honor that rivals the injustices we have seen thus far from Khasiq's administration. I hope you understand that we can no longer rely on these unjust businesses to feed our children, so please, give me a chance to carry out my alternative plans to sustain our economy. With many opportunities for fair trade deals ahead, I have faith that we will prosper. In return for your service and trust, I will make sure you and your families are well provided for. I am making a promise to you here in this sacred healing space that no matter what the circumstances may be, I will never touch your assets and salaries. Please do not be fooled by the rumors that are spreading."

Cheers and claps rang through the shelter. Families of the victims greeted her with bows. The heroes of the mission promised her their loyalties. And in that moment of victory and fellowship, Sokka thrust his boomerang in the air and cried out, "Victory to the princess of the North!"

"VICTORY TO THE PRINCESS OF THE NORTH!"

The bustle of rejuvenation came to an end. Many of the women were taken home by their families, the only exceptions being Ikunna and her children as well as a few women who needed further healing. The guards and Revivalist healers who helped out were relieved by another wave of guards and healers, instructed especially by Aang to look after the welfare of the women who were present. It was only then that Yue opted to take an actual break.

Meanwhile, Katara was determined to take Sokka back home with everything wrapping up, but the Southern prince declined, his attention resting on Yue, who was currently lounging in the hallway next to a window, staring at the slowly-lightening sky and bidding the moon and the stars adieu with her warm gaze. The Northern princess was overcome by a splitting headache, a nauseous churning in her stomach, and a flare of bitterness that swept through her look, all of which rivaled her sleepiness.

The atmosphere in this place— in the Water Tribe in general— was one of hopelessness, Sokka knew, especially for the women thanks to the actions of the few that were now becoming many and ruining things for everyone else. In a nation of crumbling trust, the Southern prince anxiously wondered if Yue would trust him enough to have him in her life, but now was not the time for such anxieties. He stepped up to her, deciding to join her.

"I'm not going to tell you again," she said, not even having to turn around to see if it was him, "Go home, isumataq."

"I'm not leaving, Baby Blue."

"Your parents—"

"We're not gonna talk about them right now, alright?" And he took his seat beside her, noting the perturbed look on her unmasked face. "Everything's going to be alright, Princess. The sisters are doing much better."

"Physically, but the emotional wounds are still there. And they will be for a while." She frowned and stared at the window panes, "If only it didn't take me so long to track those clubs down."

"You shouldn't be blaming yourself," he told her. "Bad things happen in the world, and that doesn't mean you are the cause of them or that you let them happen. Right now, you need to be focusing on yourself. You're not looking too good."

"It's just a minor headache, that's all. It'll go away on its own."

"Are you sure? I can get you something to—"

"Isumataq, relax," she held his hand before he could get up, wordlessly telling him to keep his seat, "Everything's fine."

She kept looking at the stars, subconsciously lost in counting them until her vision was suddenly filled with streaks of light. The sky was overcome with flashes of blues and pinks, greens and purples before a full-blown aurora cast over the sky, drawing more of her fascinated attention. Sokka was not interested in the lights, though, as much as he was in his fellow Wolf-Moonite. "Your Spirits must be having a good time up there."

"Hm?"

"You know, the story that the lights are really the Spirits dancing in the Spirit World." Nudging her softly, "They must be dancing with joy at your victory, Princess."

"That's not something a disbeliever would say," she raised her eyebrows.

He shrugged, giving her a smile. "Say, did your spirits really meet that way? You were telling that lady earlier…"

"Oh, that. That story is from the Book of Union. The kasuqsimanik atuagaq. It's quite a masterpiece, but it remains very underrated and misinterpreted...but that's just believer stuff."

"Are disbelievers not allowed to know? Are you discriminating against me, Princess?"

Amused by his curiosity, "In the beginning, the Spirits were present as the blissful One. The breath of existence. The Ellam Yua, the Spirit of the Universe— or as you might say in the South, the Silam Iñua. The One's division into Tui and La was merely for play. They approach one another with the need to celebrate each other. Of course, this was way before many war-favoring tribes reimagined them as drinkers of blood and eaters of flesh." She directed her attention back to the lights in the sky, "Now this 'celebration of the other' doesn't always have to be in a romantic context. This could mean celebrating the existence of a person or people who are different from you, learning from them and expanding your heart so you can give them some room in the universe you're sharing with them."

He saw that she was wincing as she suddenly held a hand to her stomach. "Does your stomach hurt?"

"I'm just a bit nauseous. It's not too bad."

By instinct, his hand flew up to her forehead and felt her temperature. "You're warm, princess," he said worriedly, immediately reaching for his cloak to wrap around her.

"Then you should probably keep your distance," she scooted away from him, "Just in case I might be sick."

"It's okay, really," he scooted close to her and wrapped his cloak around her.

"I still have your other cloak I need to—"

"Forget the cloak, this is more important." He felt her forehead again, "You wanna eat something? You haven't eaten at all. Maybe you'll feel better."

"I don't know if I can hold anything down right now. It will be moonset pretty soon. I'll eat an early breakfast."

"Do you at least want to take a nap?"

"In a minute. I'll sleep at the palace. In case the chief comes looking for me."

The look on his face turned helpless and guilty. "It's my fault. Telling you to come over with an empty stomach. You could've at least had something to eat…"

"For the last time, it's not your fault, isumataq. Besides, you didn't eat anything, either." Sighing as she leaned her head against the wall, her eyes fluttering to a close for a moment, "Even though the issues in the South are finally solved, you're still not eating on time because of me. If anything it's my fault."

"No, it's not. It's my fault." He gulped down the lump in his throat, "I'm really sorry, Princess."

"This is the fourteenth time you told me that since we got here," she frowned. "I told you, you had nothing to do with what your father said."

"Still. I know you're upset. He shouldn't have said what he said."

"I'm not upset—"

"I want this to be an honest conversation, Princess."

She did not say anything for a moment, blinking sleepily as she tried to gather her thoughts. Eventually, "Look, Sokka...I take pride in being associated with the Moon Temple. And hearing people hate on that place...it does not sit well with me at all. But it's become so common, you know? For people to say upsetting things. So I'm not angry, I'm not...I'm used to all of this. It doesn't make things right, but I don't feel it's necessary to waste my energy being angry every time, you know?" Looking at him, "You and I can sit here and be as angry as we want to be, but ultimately, this is an issue of difference in generations, attitudes, contexts. And it's not a surprise for me by any means. You did tell me you come from a conservative family, so it's not like I'm caught off guard."

"But I was," he said. "It all made zero sense. It's wrong. My parents are wrong."

"Your parents are thinking the same thing as everyone else here is thinking. And I can guess how the response will be down South when everyone knows about our temple." Shrugging, "At this point, no matter how different we are, we're having to learn to live with this in hopes that people will change. Someone might argue why we can't celebrate the conservative folk if we're all about celebrating differences, but you can't celebrate people whose ideas present the antithesis of compassion."

The lights in the sky grew more frantic, rising and falling like a crescendo, and in that moment, Sokka was reminded of a few lines from one of her speeches as Kuunnguaq. "You talk about this in Speech Four, I think," he said. "How you can't celebrate hate and false heroes. Otherwise, we'll be left with the results of some caveman's lack of understanding for how the world works. Just as we're now stuck with the purity laws, which is essentially a caveman's lack of biological understanding."

With an amused smile, "You actually remember that? Wow. I don't even remember saying it that much." And she lost herself in the stars above. "The caveman...he sees blood and he flinches. He fails to see the life that it can bring. He says that La is more superior, and in the world he creates, he labels our self-respect as arrogance, our suffering as our deserved karma. But he fails to recognize that the same La is the spirit that brings life. A spirit gendered as male by humans, working in a feminine body..."

He contemplated her words for a moment, but she responded to his serious look with an attempt at a smile, "Besides, the universe is a big old karmic boomerang, Prince Sokka. Unfairness for unfairness. Our angakkuit are hating on you unfairly, your parents are hating on me—"

"They don't hate you, Princess," he said softly.

"They hate the Akna. That's not too different from hating me."

And he froze, stunned at her remark. "What...what do you mean...?"

"I mean that I consider her to be my spiritual friend. The Akna and her story represent everything about the Spirits that I love and believe, and if anyone says anything about her, then they're essentially hating on the philosophy that makes me me."

Oh. "Do you... know who the Akna is...?"

"No, I don't. Not exactly. But I do know of her."

"Do you know what happened, though?" he asked, treading carefully on the subject, "Her story?"

---

Given its diverse renditions and the lack of specific details, everyone told the story differently, but Yue said that the version she will tell him was the version that Osha herself had witnessed and told her all these years. She started off by describing an intense snowstorm that had ravaged the North one day around twenty-something years ago. The exact date, Yue was never told, and the princess did not know whether Osha remembered the date or not. The Moon Temple at the time was run by male priests, all of them being worshippers of Tui and La— the last of their kind in a time when bias against Tui-worshippers was steadily building. The Moon Temple had been seeing a decline in visitors. Because the temple was against charging fees for its rituals, it relied heavily on donations, so financial burdens had been imminent with the lack of support from the community.

"The snowstorm forced the priests who were working there at the time to close the temple early, and at moonset the next day, the priests were getting ready to open its doors, but they were shocked to see that the doors were already open. They had been left unlocked."

As this was before the new lock system was created, it was easy for someone to break in. The priests ran inside to see if anything was stolen— robberies were out of control then, too. And to their surprise— their horror, too— they saw that a newborn baby girl, covered in blood and left uncleaned from the storms of birth— was placed right next to the feet of the idols where offerings were given. There were other markings of blood and other bodily fluids all over the floor in front of the altar, and upon several healers' confirmations, it was determined that a woman had given birth in the temple.

"Have you ever gotten the chance to see a birth?"

"Well, not the entire process, but there was this one time I had to help Gran Gran with something when Auntie Kishima was giving birth a couple of years ago." Scratching the back of his head, "I happened to see the, uh, the most important part of it, I guess, and...I kind of fainted."

"Some guys have a hard time dealing with these things sometimes," she chuckled. "Fainting is common. But the people who haven't seen a birth haven't truly seen life, in my opinion. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that it's obviously a messy experience..."

And that was why it numbed the priests to see such a mess— perhaps the ultimate expression of the feminine essence— in the midst of the sacred space. No one knew why a pregnant woman was there in the first place. Did she not have a place to go and chose the temple for shelter? What was she doing out in the middle of a horrible blizzard? Where did she go after the birth? Wasn't she aware of the purity laws to know this was not a birthing center?

And what made the situation even worse was that this happened in the innermost chamber where the idols and the main altar were located.

"It's considered the most sacred part of a temple, and only the priests are allowed to step in there."

Only on that day, there was no one there but the abandoned baby. Obviously someone put her there and broke the purity rules. The priests ended up calling in a few midwives for cleaning, but not one person touched the baby; that was how much the priests were taken by outrage and disgust and the midwives were taken by the fear of sinning.

"A note was found, apparently. It's believed to have been written by the mother," Yue said, quoting its brief contents. "'Great Spirits, destroy my sin, but have mercy on me.'"

Horror and anger crept over Sokka's face. How could anyone have the heart to call Yue a sin? And furthermore, praying to a spirit to destroy an innocent life?

"The baby wasn't supposed to have survived. That was the idea behind her mother abandoning her there overnight. The baby would've starved if she hadn't been fed at least once."

"How did she make it?"

It was all thanks to the statue that loomed over the child. This statue that had been at the Moon Temple at the time was of the personified Ellam Yua, half of its body resembling a woman— Tui— and the other half resembling a male— La. The Tui side carried in its hand a sword made of lightning to represent the moon's command over the storms and the seas. The La side, however, had its palm held up, digits slightly curved as if holding the hand out to grasp something in it.

"It's tradition for a big container of yak milk to be put in La's hand as an offering," Yue mentioned. "This turned out to be for the better that night."

It was then that it happened; the night when the child was left in the temple, La's wrist had snapped in two. How such a strongly-sculpted, nearly-invincible idol broke all of a sudden, who broke it (if anyone broke it at all), or what caused it to break, it wasn't known clearly, but the severing of the idol's wrist happened so carefully, angled so perfectly to where the broken part still hung onto the statue. The container was still retained in the idol's grip, but with the way the hand was now angled, the container was now pointing to the floor, milk leaking out in fast little drips through a hole in the secured lid and landing right on top of the baby's lips. Thus, she was fed at some point in the night.

"It all seems fantastical and miraculous like any other story that a believer would want to believe," Yue said, "And you don't have to believe it if you think it's ridiculous, but Mother Osha claims that every bit of it is true."

Indeed, the evidence found at the temple that day was indicative of that possibility as well. The baby was found with stains of milk beside her mouth. There were drops of milk splattered on the floor. The priests, who had eventually figured out that much, weren't sure what to do with the baby. None of them wanted to touch her because they believed the temple was made impure by her. Touching her would only bring them bad luck, so they left her there. In an attempt to save the idol— particularly the La part of the idol— that they were so attached to, the priests grabbed hold of the statue and separated the La half from the Tui half with great efforts made via their bending. They took the La half with them, insisting on keeping it, repairing the wrist, and purifying it, and they then took to their heels, running out of the temple and never setting foot in it again. They wanted to close the temple for good, in fact, thinking it to be impure.

But that was when Osha stepped in. The very moment they left the place. And with her, she led a childless couple into the Moon Temple. The couple fell in love with the child and begged to be given the child so they could raise her, and Osha let them take her. The surrounding community insisted on the closure of the temple, claiming that no male priest would come forward and serve anyway, but that was when Priestess Osha, her own idols in hand, took complete charge as a self-proclaimed priestess and claimed that she would purify the place. It was unheard of— a woman acting in place of a male priest, performing rituals and things, but given that it was the Moon Temple, which had already made its mark as the most unorthodox of all temples, the community did not protest and opted to ignore the place from then on.

Only ignoring it did not work out as intended. Osha herself closed the temple for outside visitors for a few days, giving offerings and performing rituals in private, and after reopening it, she assured everyone that she had the place purified even though she didn't. Many of the regular visitors came back out of their attachment to the place and the assurance brought from the new idols. The Tui half of the old idol was kept locked away in a hidden room in the Moon Temple, and it was there to this day, hidden from sight, awaiting its La half. And the La half was "completed" with another sculpted masculine half that barely stuck to the original to get rid of all Tui-esque imagery. Even the white moonstone center of the La half was painted over with black. This reformed idol was currently being worshipped in the Great Temple of La.

"I go to see the La half every day," Yue said. "I have a secret path I use to sneak into the Great Temple after it's closed."

When it came to the term "Akna" and its early usage, it was the vocabulary that Osha had used to describe the child who was so favored by La. The child is considered to be higher in sacred status than the priestess. The High Sage, she was also sometimes called. But as far as where that child was now or who the couple was, no details were known to Yue or anyone else apart from Osha.

"Mother Osha believes she will return one day," Yue told him. "She makes prayers every day to her. 'Suhanna, summunin tse'lai imamiru chuli a'La tsina. Glory be to the one to whom La fed his milk.'"

Whether or not this story was true, it was certainly what Yue had been told, and for that reason alone, he respected it. For the first time in his life, he held great respect for the idol, too, despite nature having made the phenomenon possible. "So you don't know where the Akna is?" Sokka asked. "You know nothing else about her, then?"

"No. Osha said that she's keeping her close one way or another. Maybe the Akna is already close by and no one knows it yet. She could be someone in the angakkuit. Or she could be someone else that Osha is purposely hiding. But whether or not she really is someone spiritually special, one thing is true: the Akna was nearly a victim of honor killing and infanticide. She's the image of many things the sexist traditions preach against."

A highly uncomfortable feeling stirred in his stomach.

"She is an outcast like us, in some ways, with her unorthodox views, and she deserves to belong." And yet, no one here wanted to talk or even think about her. Even under Arnook's regime, that topic hadn't been up for discussion, so it wasn't like Khasiq was the only one who was trying to stamp out all conversations regarding that issue.

"Do you want to know what's really messed up about this?" Yue said, earning his attention. "Hama, a terrorist, probably had more compassion for the Akna than everyone in the tribe combined." Swallowing thickly at the memory, "She would always say, 'Kuunnguaq, you, me, and the Akna. The three of us will change the world one day. I know it.'"

It definitely came out as ironic. By no means was Hama to be excused for all the atrocities she committed, but when it came to this particular issue, she was in the right with her acceptance, even though what she probably meant by "change the world" should be taken with caution.

"You know, evolutionary science tells us that the penguin-snake grew webbed feet over millions of years of existence so it could cope with the demands of the changing world and further its species. How is it that we humans, who so proudly claim ourselves to be intellectually on a different level, fail to evolve, mind and body, for the well-being of our society and its people?"

And especially in the case of these purity laws, which didn't at all account for the complexities of this universe?

"Like I said before, these laws were likely made up by someone who was quite ignorant. But we are not cavepeople. We are wiser and stronger than we have ever been. And we are still evolving. Why is it still so difficult to get rid of traditions and ideas that make a significant percentage of the population feel dirty and horrible?"

"Because the people out there are idiots," he said. "Stupidity is more common than common sense itself."

"Perhaps you're right. As the poets say, 'The bliss that is ignorance. The suffering that is reality.'" She leaned back against the window, "We're so lucky, isumataq."

"Because we suffer from commonsensical reality?"

Chuckling, "Well yes, but I also mean we're lucky in the sense that your parents called things off before they spoke to the chief about an alliance. Could you imagine how things would've gone if our families got together to actually have us betrothed and married?"

It felt like a sharp slap to the face in spite of the softness of her tone. "W-What…?"

"I know we're just good friends and have no intentions of something like that. All of my hopes are practically nonexistent at this point, and I know you're especially vocal about freedom from the restrictions of commitment, but just humor me for a moment."

Trying to stop the force that was wringing his heart, "Oh...uh, yeah…"

"Your parents are looking for a daughter-in-law who will bow to their every whim and stay at home. Have your children, raise them and live the rest of her life without saying a word of her own, finding joy only in the children's lives. Her entire world should be your family and the South, and she's not allowed to even look back at the world that made her who she is. I mean, why would she? She's not even allowed to be." Frowning sadly, "Kind of like your mother."

"It's not about what they want, right?" he said. "I'm the one getting married."

"If I recall, you're a mama's boy," Yue told him. "You're doing your best to make sure no small thing stresses her out. Place your hand over your heart and tell me you'd be willing to bring home a woman she hates or stresses over constantly."

"My mom doesn't hate you, Princess," came his lame, maybe even desperate reply yet again, but Yue only waved it off with a dry chuckle.

"Sokka, I know you care deeply about your family. I saw nothing but that exact care in the letter you wrote asking for help. I don't think it would sit well with you if the woman you liked had a value system that rivaled your family's. Again, not that you and I are madly in love or anything, but bear with my logic."

His throat burned. "Princess—"

"There are plenty of women out there who have no problem with living a purely domestic life, all things considered, because they bow their heads to whatever practice is labeled as 'tradition.'" Her look turned slightly serious, nostalgic, maybe even fearful, "But this is my world. This is who I am. These women who have been terribly hurt and need a shoulder to lean on, the Moon Temple that fills my heart, the Akna who I'm waiting to meet. Now I can put on a lady-like act and be extremely good at it, but that's not what I want."

She was seething. Angry. Not at him or anyone in particular but the present situation. And she was doing her very best not to show it.

"If I insist I want to be the way I am, then your parents would not like me anymore after that," her voice softened again. "They would never be able to really accept me. From there on, there would only be regrets."

He tried not to imagine it. He didn't want to, at least. He wanted to think of something concrete to disprove her thinking, but he couldn't think of anything. "You won't be forced to do things you don't like, dronningi. I wouldn't allow it…"

Shaking her head, "You're following me around now and thinking of me as a friend, calling me dronningi with so much respect and care, but if we were married, Sokka, you wouldn't stand a moment with me."

"You don't know that for sure," came the fervent response.

"I've seen lots of failed marriages with my very own eyes. I've heard many stories with my own ears. And I've had more stories shoved in my face tonight, and I...I've had enough. Face it, Sokka, you would hate me for the rest of your life for being the cause of your parents' disapproval and misery—"

"No, I wouldn't. You deserve to live life the way you want it. I wouldn't be angry with you over that. In fact, I—"

"There would be many situations where you would have to choose between what your parents want and what I would want if we were so tragically betrothed like that. The marriage would fall apart in hours, maybe even minutes. This is a hypothetical situation, of course, but the raw fact here is that your parents would never accept me. Heck, Chief Arnook himself will not accept me anymore after he learns about my reveal."

"No he won't—"

"He doesn't seem to like Lady very much, so what does that say about him liking me?"

"Yue," His voice was as soft as a sincere prayer. "He wouldn't think like that. No one would think like that. Didn't you see for yourself a few minutes ago? The way those people were cheering for you? Yue, you are loved. Very loved."

But the weary night had instilled a kind of bitterness in her. "Forget marriage, Sokka. Forget Chief Arnook. All I want is to not come between you and your family."

"And you won't."

"The truth doesn't become a lie no matter how much you refuse to hear it," she said. "In your father's voice, I could hear fear and anger. They're already worried about your chances at marriage. They're even more terrified now because you're hanging out with supporters of the Moon Temple and the Akna. They're worried about the contagious bad luck that we're apparently carrying around and how that would hurt your future."

"Well they're wrong," he said firmly. "When you're fighting for what's right, you're going to have to let go of some things. I know the options, dronningi. It's either choosing to be a sexist for the sake of my folks or being the perfect rebel to do what's right." Shaking his head, "It's hard to admit that your parents are wrong, but Katara and I admitted it a long time ago. And I told myself ever since that I don't need my parents to be proud of me for being the perfect sexist son, whether in marriage or otherwise. Aren't you doing the same thing, basically? Going against your dad and his narrow-minded views instead of being the perfect sexist daughter who doesn't question things?"

She brooded over his points, answering with a thoughtful nod.

"I admire you, too, Yue. I look up to you because you lead with your heart, and I want to do the same. I want to be next to you, try to lessen your stress in every way I can… Think of me not just as a bodyguard or ethics minister. I want to be more like a comrade or a...a companion. An ikinngut. I know it's not the best word because it can be taken a different way, but I can't think of anything else at the moment…"

"Ikinngut, hm?" She closed her eyes, her head leaned back, "On second thought, maybe I should marry you," she joked. "So you'll be disgusted more quickly and leave this dangerous busines behind."

"Sorry, Princess, but no matter what you do, you won't be getting rid of me that easily. As a matter of fact, you're gonna have to save a seat for me at the conference 'cause I'm not going anywhere."

With a wide smile, "I'm glad."

---

"It has been a while since we last spoke, Chief Arnook."

Arnook, who was seated in front of the Moon Temple priestess in his study, nodded. "Yes, Mother Osha."

"How is Tui?"

"Secure and sheltered," the man sighed. "At least, she was until the news made her a public figure."

"You believe you have succeeded in keeping her sheltered, honorable chief?" she asked knowingly.

"She has not stepped out of her room in all these years until now." Frowning in disturbance, "I suppose that's why she's so stubborn and rebellious."

Osha smiled, "Then she must be doing just fine."

Arnook fiddled anxiously with the scroll in his hands, his eyes full of hope. "I have heard from the healers in Nansei Village. Ahnah is finally awake..."

"You must be happy." Noting a flare of worry in his eyes, "Though you can be happier."

"It is recommended that she stays as content as possible," Arnook said. "The healers wrote to me telling me to make sure she doesn't get too upset. She still has to finish recovering."

"Then you should take your daughter with you and see her. Nansei is only a day's worth of travel by ship. Half a day's worth by sky bison."

"You don't understand. Ahnah...she apparently wants me to bring Yue with her husband."

"And?"

Not understanding why Osha hadn't caught on yet, "With her husband, Mother Osha. She's expecting Yue to already be married."

"She will be."

"Maybe several years from now with how stubborn she is."

"I mean she will marry La soon. In yours and Chieftess Ahnah's presence."

Appearing defeated, "I'm not sure how that will happen without La. I have failed at finding Him. I don't have the strength, either, to look any further for Him. Let me rot in His hell, but I have lost all hopes, all the will...That is why I have found another suitable groom for Yue. I am seeing La written all over him; hopefully, the Spirit of Justice will understand."

Osha gave him a look of reassurance, "La is elusive, but He sneaks up on you when you least expect it. And he brings with him love, loyalty, and laughter. In fact, he has snuck up on you just recently."

"Really?" Arnook widened his eyes, "The boy who was born during the Wolf Moon…?"

"The isumataq of the North."

"Sokka was born during the Wolf Moon?" Arnook jumped up from his seat. "He...he never told me this!"

"It is exactly for that reason that he and his family have set foot in the Moon Temple for the first time," Osha said. "Compatibility issues as a result of his birth chart."

Joy filled the Northern chief's heart. "This is...this is great news! I found La, I've...! I will take them both with me at once!" Brushing at his tears of happiness, "I've been away from my Ahnah long enough. I need to go at any cost. Somehow or another. I will...I will ask Piandao to arrange the journey for me so Khasiq won't be suspicious. I will introduce him as Yue's La—!"

"Our Tui must be married to La by the next full moon."

His excitement came to a pause, and he gawked at her as if she asked him to trap all the stars in the sky in a tiny dreamcatcher. "What?"

"In my dream, Tui and La asked me to marry the two of them by the next full moon, which is at the end of the week." Eyeing him with determination, "The time has come, Chief Arnook."

"But...but that's impossible!" the chieftain panicked, "Sokka has only been here for four days. Four days! He just started courting her—"

"It must happen, and it will. Otherwise, Tui and La would not have appeared in my dream and asked me directly to get them married," the priestess insisted. "Write to the chieftess at once and tell her you will be there after the Global Conferences. Arrange for all preparations for a wedding in Nansei. In the nearest Water Tribe temple."

"Mother Osha, please, you're not understanding the situation! This is impossible! The children would never agree to this so quickly!"

Raising her eyebrows, "You would be surprised if you give it a sincere try."

Their conversation was cut short as they heard frantic footsteps heading their way. It was Ivaneq judging by the voice that accompanied the knock at the door. The man brought with him a look of shock and utter bewilderment, which turned to brief confusion as he saw Osha there. Nevertheless, he bowed to the priestess in greeting and turned to the chieftain. "Pardon my urgency Your Highness, but I cannot wait any longer. I have very important news concerning the princess."

---

The servant who was sent to bring Yue checked the shelters after scouring the palace for Sokka, having been told that she was likely with him. Apart from the guards who were patrolling outside, the shelter was largely inactive on inside of the building, suggesting that everyone was taken by sleep. The confused servant deduced that there was nothing for the princess to do even if she was here, and he made up his mind to step back outside, but in a particular corner in the lounging area, he saw the lights of the aurora reflecting against the glimmering ice walls, lighting up the space where two people were sitting. Or rather, sleeping. The woman, whose face was the only part of her left exposed to the chilling Arctic winds, was very beautiful; she was very bright-complexioned, too, resembling Tui. She was at present leaning against the prince with her head on his shoulder, and he was leaning against her with his head brushing over hers, one arm wrapped around her shoulder.

"So this is the princess," the servant blinked, wide-eyed as he looked from her to the prince. "Wow, I didn't know these two were…Well, it makes sense."

The servant began to tiptoe in their direction, unsure if he should wake them up or leave them to their content state. He ended up running into a pelt that made him topple down, cursing as he fell on the ice barely a foot away from the leaders. The princess stirred but stayed asleep, but Sokka jumped awake, his other arm flying around the princess by instinct. "Hey!"

"Sorry, Isumataq Sokka, I was only trying to—!"

"Shhhhh! Keep it down, can't you see she's sleeping?"

"Uh…"

Sokka's alarm increased as his hand accidentally brushed against Yue's face, having felt her burning skin. He wrapped his cloak more snugly around her shivering form, whispering softly, "Your Highness? Princess?"

"Mm?"

"Your temperature has gone up," he said worriedly. "Let's get you back to the palace, okay?"

Her hand flew to her head and recoiled instantly. She shot her eyes open and sat up, "Sorry, isumataq, I didn't mean to sleep on you..." and she was surprised to see the servant standing in front of them. "May I help you with something?"

"Woah woah, you need to take it easy," Sokka reached for her, but she stood up and maintained a bit of distance.

"Keep your distance just to be safe," she mumbled, trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes. Turning to the servant, "Is there a problem?"

"No, there's not," he snapped at the servant, "She has a fever, and she's not going anywhe—"

"I'm sorry, sir, but this is very important. It's for the safety of Her Highness," the servant cut Sokka off much to the prince's dismay, "The White Lotus is requesting to see her there. Chief Arnook is waiting for her, too. It's an urgent matter."

---

A/N: So there's heavy stuff again in this huge chapter, but I care about the plot, so bear with me. I'll bet you can guess the title of the next chapter :D

A note on cultural conceptual references for those who are interested: the silam iñua is from the Iñupiaq language, and the Ellam Yua is from the Yup'ik language. Both of these languages are different from the Inuit language group and are not well known, but the concept behind these particular terms is kind of similar because it points to the idea of an all-pervading spirit or "breath" of the universe that many Inuit people and other natives believe in more or less. Of course, the Tui/La mythology and connections are my creative liberties.

Thanks so much for your support, lovely readers. Until next time!