Chapter 37: The Walls Will Talk
After a very long time, Arnook was finally able to relax and hope. He was going to meet Ahnah very soon, and his daughter was finally engaged to Sokka despite a formal full-fledged ceremony set to take place in Nansei in Ahnah's presence. The Northern chieftain's long-awaited reunion with his wife and the protective companionship of La for his daughter brought him much happiness and relief, and there was nothing else that he was going to ask for. Sure there were complications like the secrecy of Sokka and Yue's marriage, but overall, things were starting to look up.
At least, that's what he wholeheartedly believed until fate decided to challenge him the moment a servant approached him announcing Hakoda's arrival and request for his audience. The seeds of optimism had begun to take root in Arnook to the point of him wondering if Hakoda somehow decided to speak of a marital alliance after all. Maybe the Spirits had heard Arnook's prayers and brought forth change in the conservative Southern leader and his hesitation in accepting supporters of the Moon Temple. And while Hakoda's visit did involve a marital alliance, it was not one proposed to unite Sokka with Yue.
"My apologies for not having a formal invitation printed out, Brother— it was all a last-minute arrangement, you see— but we would be honored if you would make it to the ceremony tonight," Hakoda said, the strain in his voice indicating a degree of forced politeness instead of a sincere one. "By which I mean only you."
And Arnook could only pale and panic inwardly, tied up by the promise he made to keep Yue and Sokka's betrothal a secret under all circumstances. He also did not fail to recognize that by emphasizing the only you part, he was not looking forward to seeing the princess there. "Does Sokka favor this alliance?"
"Of course, he is ecstatic."
A decorative figurine of La on a nearby shelf fell to its side moments later, swirling beside its companion figurine of Tui, which shook and rattled from the force of La's fall. The two statues gave more of an honest answer than the Southern chief, it seemed.
"Yue brings me so much joy, Chief...And...I want to be the cause of her joy, too."
"I see," Arnook shakily stepped over to the shelf and ceased Tui's rattling, placing her with La again, and for a moment, it seemed that the smiles on the statues' faces stood out even more beneath the spilled sunlight following their reunion.
"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."
"Who is the bride-to-be?" Arnook asked absentmindedly.
"Lady Suki of Kyoshi Island."
"Was she born during the Wolf Moon? Does she have any idea what that even is?"
So he knows about Sokka, Hakoda realized, simultaneously a little irked by the man's tone. "We believe she is the Tui to our La."
"Even if she is not born during the Wolf Moon?"
"We've searched for Tui for a long time, and we haven't had luck. That being said, we cannot just sit back and watch our boy's life be ruined from lack of companionship. We believe Suki is the perfect companion for him."
"You've made a bold move, I should say," Arnook said, "Assuming your son will be happy with someone who is not Tui."
"With all due respect, he is my son, Brother Arnook. I would know if he will be happy with her or not. I wouldn't arrange this if I knew he wouldn't be happy."
"Does he care for her?"
"They have been good friends. How hard would it be for him to provide for her?"
"He may be able to provide in the sense of bringing food to the table," Arnook pointed out, "But that's all he will be able to provide for her if the marriage is not a happy one."
Hakoda frowned, "Everyone in our household believes Lady Suki is a good match for him. We are not all brainless to have him hitched to someone he cannot stand."
"Do you believe it, or do you want to believe it, Chief Hakoda?" Arnook addressed, taking a deep breath as he continued staring at the figurines, "Because I'm not sure if you've caught on yet from Sokka's constant patrolling around the princess and his eagerness to be by her side at all times. Your son is interested in my daughter. And for your information, my daughter happens to be a child of the Wolf Moon."
Hakoda's expression did not change despite the brief alarming recognition that Chunta was right…
Unless... "I have great respect for you, Chief Arnook, but I do have a question." Turning to look at the Northern chieftain, "If you and your wife were not there to witness the girl's birth, how can you confirm that she was born exactly at the spark of solstice midnight? I don't suppose anyone was there at the Moon Temple to keep track of time when even her mother walked out on her?"
It was Arnook's turn to be alarmed as each of Hakoda's words sent his hopes collapsing to the ground. "S-Sokka told you?"
"Ivaneq did. He happened to hear your conversation."
"You will never speak of this to my daughter under any circumstance," the man nearly hissed.
"I have no reason to speak with her," came the reply. "And even if I did, the only thing holding me back from blurting this out is our gratitude to her for what she has done to help our tribe. Though with this Kyoshi Island alliance, I am sure the Southern Revival Project will not be needed, and the burden on your tribe will decrease…"
"That's some gratitude you're displaying there, honorable brother."
Hakoda did not answer, but he wore a conflicted look on his face because as much as he knew he shouldn't be acting this way, Sokka's life mattered more to him than anything else. He wasn't just going to let his son marry the Akna and face alongside her the consequences of defying the purity laws. "I don't mean to sound so ungrateful, Brother Arnook, but I hope you realize that interacting with someone who blatantly defies the purity laws—"
"As a fellow parent to a daughter, I would expect you to understand that blood will never cease to be an important part of our daughters' lives."
"That is why it has the potential to curse the family with bad luck," Hakoda said. "This may be for a menstruating woman who has stepped into the temple, a couple that has intercourse in the temple premises, a woman who gives birth in the temple, children who are born on sacred grounds, even men who assist these women in doing any of these things."
"So you are saying my daughter is cursed. That interacting with her in any manner will bring about the end of your bloodline."
"I'm sorry, but this is the truth. It is what it is. The girl is compassionate and kind, but—"
"The girl is my daughter."
Sighing, "Spilling one's bodily fluids on consecrated grounds is an unpardonable offense according to the Purity Code, and it will bring infertility, disease, and death. I believe you are aware of this."
"Infertility, disease and death, hm?" Arnook glared, "I suppose that's why she's a master healer who has handpicked the oils needed to cure your leg. I suppose that's also why she has saved millions of lives in the South and prevented many children and expecting mothers from starving to death! Don't forget that without my daughter risking her life to save all of yours, you would have been in the streets along with your family and your youngest!"
Guilt flared in the Southern chief's gaze, but he remained stubborn, "I'm sorry, Chief, but we can't risk it. Even if the part about disease and death is not true...Sokka will be the chief only if he has children. Having a daughter-in-law who is likely cursed with infertility will not be ideal for his career—"
"You seem so confident. Did the Spirits tell you personally that my daughter is barren?" Arnook scoffed. "And what even is the point of these accusations? Your son had once said that if religious piety is about ignoring a life in need, then religion itself is a waste of time. And this is coming from the words of the incarnate La."
"What does he know of the details and the nuances? He's just an immature disbeliever at this point, god or not. We cannot sit around and make exceptions for our children—"
"Oh yes, of course. Just like you didn't make exceptions for a disbelieving son."
The Southerner's frown deepened not out of anger but embarrassment.
"The Spirits take the forms of those who are oppressed. So that the face of the Beloved may change to include the ones left out. One who realizes this is a true sage."
"I'm not interested in being a sage, Chief."
Arnook shook his head incredulously, "How is it that as someone who has yearned to have a child for a long time, I am able to take the Akna into my arms with abundant love...And yet, you being a father of three with another on the way are having so much trouble empathizing with a nearly-starved child? You would think that someone who has seen the hunger of an infant would know what it feels like. That it would in the very least bring out your parental instinct. Why, to this very moment, I feel tears in my eyes just thinking about that young newborn. Left to starve as a sacrifice on the offering altar in an empty temple...Whichever devilish traditions are holding us back from basic empathy and compassion—!"
"What my son needs right now is not me sympathizing with every orphan in the Water Tribe," Hakoda said in aggravation, "And most definitely not lifetime baggage of bad luck—"
"Not another WORD about my daughter, or this will end very badly, Chief Hakoda of the Southern Tribe!" Arnook growled in a moment of rage, "I have been very patient with you until now, but this is the final straw. Don't forget that La himself broke his wrist in half to feed my daughter his milk! A heartless piece of stone proved that it has more compassion than human beings, and this is not without reason!"
And a startled Hakoda took a step backward, quickly sporting a disgruntled look on his face.
"My daughter may be different. Her way of thinking may be different, and her origin may be extremely different. But if her existence has brought freedom to many daughters, I see that there is no baggage to be afraid of." Taking his seat back at the desk of his study, the Northern chief added with vehemence, "If it is true that your son is La, then his marriage with the leader of Kyoshi Island will not go on. Because he alone is worthy enough to stand by my daughter's side...even if you may not be worthy of being her father-in-law."
Both chieftains exchanged looks that spoke loudly of their persistent attitudes. Arnook continued to stand his ground, and Hakoda, having long gotten up from his seat as a result of his vehement arguments, huffed as he began to make his way out.
"And don't think for even a second that I'm over here panicking over my daughter's fate," Arnook added in his direction, "because La will come running to Tui, and this is the truth."
"We'll see about that very soon, Chief."
"I don't know anything you're doing these days," Imona sighed, watching Yue as the Revivalist leader went about washing the dishes just outside the palace kitchen. Keeping her voice lowered, "You trained the princess of the Water Tribe. I still can't believe you kept this secret from me. No one's asking you anything because they think at least I know about this, but I don't."
"I couldn't tell anyone for security purposes," Yue told her. "Whatever I choose to tell you and not tell you, it's only because I want to make sure you're all safe and as uninvolved with risky things as possible."
"As if you're not already doing risky things."
"Like what?"
"Hanging out with the isumataq so much."
Yue felt a flutter in her chest, feeling the gentle weight of Sokka's pendant jostle beneath the layers of her tunics and overcoats and nestle atop her chest, kissing her left breast. She still refused to believe that she was engaged— well, it wasn't actually an engagement, nothing more than a contract, as Sokka himself had said— but she wasn't going to deny that she had been feeling rather...awkward...ever since the entire deal. It's not serious, it's not serious, it's not serious, she chanted to herself like a mantra, and she was thankful that her sudden flushed look was hidden beneath her mask.
"That guy keeps following you around, and you keep humoring him."
Sighing as she turned back to her fiery friend, "How is that risky?"
"You really want me to spell it out for you?" Imona leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "That prince is a womanizer, Kun-Kun."
Yue widened her eyes and gawked at her friend. "Imona, what are you talking about?"
"It's only obvious," the tribeswoman huffed. "He hangs around different women a lot. Only women."
"Like who?" came the unconvinced inquiry.
"Well, there's the princess, first off. Then there's his girlfriend from the South that Mr. Ijkun keeps mentioning," she counted with her fingers, "then there's you, our Kuunnguaq."
"Oh Tui and La," Yue shook her head, wishing she could bail Sokka out more easily by spilling the truth that she happened to be "all those women" and that he knew that. "You're mistaken, Imu. It's not like that between us. We're just friends. And...I don't think he really has feelings for the princess. He's only her bodyguard. Yeah, he might be taking this a little too seriously, but it's not romantic, I'd say—"
"Don't try to defend him," Imona snapped, "Even his girlfriend admitted that he wasn't spending time with her enough and running around the princess."
Turning the lever to stop the rush of water from the pipe, "Can you keep a secret?"
The hushed question brought Imona's hypotheses to an abrupt pause.
"That was actually the princess he was trying to sneak out," Yue explained, "you know, when she tried to go undercover. She disguised herself as his 'girlfriend' so people wouldn't be suspicious that she was outside of the palace walls."
"And how do you know this?"
"He mentioned it to me, of course."
"Oh, so he tells you everything, huh?" the ex-Revivalist raised her eyebrows, "And how do you know he's not lying to you?"
"You're being suspicious of him for no reason at all, Imu. Prince Sokka's not like that. I would know—"
"The guy's been here for barely a week, and you're talking about him like you're ready to trust him with your life even when the evidence is right in front of your eyes," her friend said in exasperation, "He's a fuckboy, dammit! Can't you tell by the way he flirts with you?"
"He doesn't flirt, he just likes to tease me for fun, and I tease him back. It's not a big deal."
"You know you just confirmed that you have no idea what flirting is."
"Well I know that he doesn't behave inappropriately around me. All he's ever done is make me laugh and feel good about myself. He's not looking to be in a relationship with me. As a matter of fact, he said he's not interested in relationships and marriage—"
"He might not be interested in maintaining a committed relationship, but he never said he's not interested in women, did he?" Imona pointed out. "He doesn't want to be in a relationship obviously because he wants the freedom to sleep around. The typical tribesman."
"Okay, that is a stretch—"
"No, you're the one who's not getting it!" Imona nearly screamed, her fists clenched. Yue scanned their surroundings, finding that several people were staring at them from her friend's outburst.
"What are you all looking at? Get back to what you're doing," Imona glared at everyone else, who decided not to quarrel with the ex-Revivalist and went about their duties.
"Imu, you have to calm down, okay?" Yue whispered. "We shouldn't be drawing so much attention to ourselves—"
"I don't care about all that. I just need you to understand that the isumataq is clearly just another guy ready to get his dick out when he sees a girl—"
"That's enough," Yue frowned, feeling her heart pounding from her defensiveness.
"You don't understand, Kuunnguaq, you're too innocent!" the woman choked out, "I'm only trying to look out for you. These men...these heartless monsters in flesh...They want only one thing from us. And once they get it, they won't spare a passing glance at us. That is, if they don't kill us off first."
"Not all men are like that, Imu," Yue told her raging friend. "I know the situation's not looking too good right now, and in no way am I going to ignore everything hundreds of victims are going through...what you've gone through in the past...but if we want to bring back justice, no matter what happens, we need to be sure we don't discriminate. Even if the statistics say certain groups of people having greater chances of being the perpetrators. The best we can do is take a break, distance ourselves from the situation and reflect—"
"I've had so much time in my life to reflect ever since the incident," Imona spat, "And I've realized that Water Tribe men are only meant to fuck and be fucked, nothing more."
"Imona—"
"That bloodbending bastard would've ruined me completely if it wasn't for you," she whimpered as she looked at her friend, "You think I'm gonna let some imbecile likre that take advantage of you? Aren't you scared or even a little angry?"
Placing her hand on the trembling woman's shoulder, "I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I'm not scared...because I am. And I have my suspicions about men, too. And it's okay to hesitate for certain things. But saying everyone's reprehensible to their faces and believing it without proper evidence...that's not how things should be. Think about it. There are cases of women killing off their own children. Does that mean all women will do that? Does that mean all children should abandon their mothers? No."
"Those kinds of women are rare, and they tend to have mental illnesses more often than not. But these tribesmen? Idiocy is in their blood—"
"They're going through a mental illness, too. It's called ignorance, and it's being spread by Khasiq and his influence," Yue said firmly, "and until we drive Khasiq and his followers to prison for good, our men are going to have to continue suffering."
"So they don't face the consequences either way, huh?"
"I didn't say that. The fact is, you can throw all the rapists in jail, inflict punishments on assaulters and killers, but if you have a nation full of sexists— men and women— how many people are you going to fit in your prisons? No matter how many prisons you build?"
Imona looked away, bitterness swirling in her gaze.
"Believe it or not, there is good in the world," Yue said softly. "There is good in the Water Tribe. We just need to cultivate it. Think about your children, Imona. You have sons. Are you assuming they'll turn out to be horrible people just because they're boys? What kind of mother would think of her own children as monsters?"
Sniffling and brushing her tears away, "I will raise them to be good unlike the idiots here."
"And think about Brother Junguk. He's not a monster, is he—?"
"And don't bring Jungy into this," she frowned. "He's my baby. He's precious."
Yue smiled knowingly. "And guess what? Isumataq Sokka is precious, too."
And despite the princess's face being mostly covered, the look in her eyes was tender, and her voice was soft. Imona scoffed, "So it appears you like him."
Snapping out of her daze, "As a friend, yes—"
"I don't recall you saying a man is precious in all our years of knowing each other. He's gotten you hooked—"
"Oh come on, please. Prince Sokka spent all night at the shelters helping out...I-I heard," she added quickly so her identity as the princess wouldn't be given away, "I heard he was giving moral support to all the women there. Wasn't he also the one who co-led the mission? It's not fair for you to judge him so poorly—"
"It never hurts to be careful," Imona said. "If you really want to settle down, come with us to the Earth Kingdom and find a nice man for yourself there. Better yet, find yourself an Air monk. But whatever you do, don't fall for a tribesman or a Fire Nation ashmaker—"
"I can give you several reasons why I'm not looking for a relationship right now," Yue furrowed her eyebrows. "I'm not a naive little girl looking for a fairytale prince in a time when I should be protecting all of you." Turning to her friend, "That being said...I also don't want you misunderstanding the prince. He doesn't deserve hate."
"You what—mmmph?!" Katara found that her mouth was covered by her anxious brother's hand.
"SHHHHHHHHHHH! You want the whole estate to know?!" came Sokka's harsh whisper.
"And we were over here... thinking your parents planned out your entire life without your consent…" Aang blinked, slowly having registered everything that flew out of Sokka's lips. "I mean, I get there are political benefits to this, but... this is basically a marriage of convenience…" Looking up at the Southern prince, "You're really not kidding?"
"Why would I joke about this?" He reached for the conch necklace that hugged his bare chest beneath his tunic and held it up for them to see, "You see this? This is her necklace. And she has my pendant."
"Sokka, this is…this is insane, you know that?!" Katara nearly screeched, lowering her voice quickly as she heard various footsteps plopping back and forth through the corridors of the estate. The bustling came as no surprise thanks to the last-minute plans for welcoming their guests for tonight's ceremony.
"You're crazy," the Southern waterbender breathed, staring at the conch dangling around his neck, "Do you have any idea what…? What if…?"
"What if what?"
"Sokka, I don't want to say this is what's going to end up happening, but…" What if you're setting yourself up for heartbreak? Though she couldn't exactly say it like that but she could see in his face how seriously he was feeling about being tethered to the princess. After fumbling over how to put it in a way that didn't hurt him but still drove the point home, "You're a good guy, Sokka, and I'm not just saying this because you're my brother. I'm sure any girl would like you. And not to mention the princess is Tui, so I have a feeling she'll like you... But the thing is, she also seems to be stubborn, and...what if she, you know, still expects…"
"To not be with me?"
"Well...what if she asks for an annulment after she becomes the chieftess…?"
"Then she'll get one."
Aang and Katara softened their expressions at the way his voice subtly cracked. "But Sokka, you said you have feelings for her," the airbender said.
"What else can I do if she doesn't love me back?"
Aang took a seat beside him, giving him a pat on the back, "I'm sure that won't be the case," came his reassuring smile, "I'm sure she'll reciprocate your feelings eventually. But it may not be so soon because it's not looking too easy right now."
"We just don't want you to sit here and pine all day every day."
"I'd rather pine than force her into anything," Sokka said. "Look, guys, I don't blame her at all because I know how she's feeling about everything that's happening here. It's not safe for women right now, and anyone, even people we've known for years, could turn out to be monsters."
"You're the most harmless guy we know," Aang said.
"I need her to know that, too. Or maybe she does, but she's more concerned with what our family thinks." Glaring at the door but aiming his annoyance elsewhere, "It won't be easy based on all the shit that's leaving certain people's blowholes recently. Dad's inner Pakku's coming out, and it's disgusting." And he shouldn't be mistaken to be yet another guy who's acting nice to a woman just because he expects a romantic relationship or favors from her. Everyone pure of heart— the princess especially— deserves every good thing in the world.
"There's still nothing wrong with hoping," Katara eventually said, flashing her brother a smile. "You care a lot about her, and once she sees that, she'll start to be receptive to the idea of love again. She already trusts you a lot if she's willing to go through this arrangement."
"She can take all the time she needs in the world, and worst-case scenario, she has every bit of freedom to not accept me as anyone more than a friend," looking at his sister and his friend, "But no matter what happens, it's hard to imagine not being next to her in some way. If I didn't come up with this arrangement, she would've tried to convince me to leave for sure."
Katara took a deep breath, "Sokka, fixing the North isn't something that's going to happen overnight or in a few days or weeks. It'll take years. And if we know anything about the princess, it's that she won't leave the North. Even if she returns your feelings, I don't think she will be ready to come to the South for even a visit. Now I'm not at all saying she should leave the North completely behind. I'm not advocating any of that. It's just...we have to go back to the South at some point. It's home."
"You can go back when you're done with things here."
"That's not what I'm saying. You'll be the chief. It won't be easy being the chief of the South if you stay in the North forever."
"I have nothing to worry about when it comes to the South right now," Sokka said, "Well, apart from the social issues that are gonna affect things back home, but economically speaking, the tribe is getting back on its feet."
"That doesn't mean you won't be needed."
"No, but the South definitely has other people backing it up for the time being. Gran-Gran and Gramp-Gramp are running around trying to get things back together. Mom and Dad will take care of things." Looking around at the estate, "But who's gonna help out here? Chief Arnook never had a chance regardless of him staying or relocating, and Chieftess Ahnah is in no position to rule. I can't let Yue be alone in this."
"What about the changes the South needs to see?" Aang asked.
"The South's gonna start being in touch with the North more often. People are gonna be moving back and forth, especially Kanguq and all our friends who want to visit home. You don't think there's gonna be an exchange of news and ideas in the process?"
"Well yeah," Katara began, "but…"
"The princess might be focused on the North, but she hasn't abandoned the South," Sokka told his sister. "Her Highness is consistently making updates to the Southern Revival Project to make sure we get maximum aid for at least the next five years. Believe me, I've seen the documents. Our righteous parents on the other hand," flooded his sarcasm, "are trying to refuse and have no appreciation whatsoever."
"I've spoken with the members of her cabinet about the project, too," Aang added, "It's true. There's so much she's planning for the welfare of the South."
"See, Aang's with me. I mean, why do you think she really wanted Mom and Dad to be at the conferences here? It's not just because they're the leaders of the sister tribe; it's so we can have access to different world leaders in one setting. She's been risking her life to make sure we get everything we need. Why can't I stay behind for a person like her?"
Additionally, Sokka expressed that even if it took longer than anticipated for the North to start recuperating, he was willing to stay behind. He had made up his mind, and nothing was going to change it.
"If it's a matter of being physically present in the South to be its chieftain...well, worst-case scenario, I'm not the only child Mom and Dad have anyway."
Aang and Katara widened their eyes at his drastic pronouncement. "Sokka, what are you talking about?" the monk asked in alarm.
"It's about time the South had a royal-blooded chieftess, don't you think?" he turned to his sister.
"Sokka, what on earth are you blabbering about? You can't just...you can't just quit! You're first in line for Southern leadership!"
"And you're next in line in case something gets in the way— worst-case scenario—"
"Nothing's gonna get in the way," Katara said firmly, "You're next in line, and you're gonna be the chief."
"Katara, everyone's gonna expect me to start making babies as soon as I get married, but I have to stall all wedding plans, see what happens when Her Highness becomes the chieftess, find out what she thinks about me, and if she likes me, universe-willing, figure out what happens from there…it's a lot."
Then there was the telling-the-parents ordeal that was likely gonna blow up in his face if his parents continued to be insensitive and discriminate against the Akna. And even if the princess accepted him wholeheartedly enough to have him stand beside her as her husband, she's been insistent about not having children until things get better in the North, and frankly, that was exactly the kind of move that Sokka would make. He just didn't want the nosy tribefolk to pressure them.
"I see you've been thinking through quite a lot about your future," Katara crossed her arms, "Going too far in your thoughts and back-up plans."
"To be honest, it's all I can think about," he held up the conch, "Ever since this."
"Because you're taking this engagement seriously," Aang said. "You want it to be serious."
Leaning against the wall by the window, "She's a force, guys. You saw her. She makes heads turn. She works so hard for the people. She's a real queen, and... I'd give anything to have this be real…Scratch that, this is real. For me, at least." Sighing, "I guess I deserve this for bashing marriage all this time."
"Spirits, you are not yourself…" Katara shook her head. "Look, all I'm hoping for is that things don't get worse than they already are, and the only way that'll happen is if you stay calm."
"If I stay put and say nothing, they'll think I'm okay with all this and try to get me hitched," Sokka frowned, "And if I do say something, they're going to tell her the truth."
"I'm sure there's a way out of this. You'll figure it out once you put your mind to it," Aang said.
"Any move I pull now is gonna scream that I did it," Sokka scowled, "And if I don't want my folks to say anything, I can't let them know that I'm doing this on my own. I'm gonna need help from the outside."
"Katara and I can think of something—"
"No, not you two," Sokka shook his head, "They'll know I told you to do it."
"Then should we ask for help?"
"Who are you gonna ask, Airhead? Kiguk and Auntie Ki'ma are doing everything they can, and Uncle Amaruq's ready to duel my dad if it'll get him to stand down. So far, nothing's happening." The isumataq huffed and fingered the conch at his neck, momentarily straining the boundaries of his disbelief. Give me an idea, Goddess. Please.
"Are you sure you're doing alright, Number Eight? You look like you've weathered a storm."
Yue, whose mask had slipped to give away her exhausted appearance, gave the senior maid a reassuring smile, "I'm doing much better, ma'am. Believe me, if I was contagious, you wouldn't see me on the face of the planet."
"Alright then," the maid gestured to the baskets of fruit on the ice benches nearby, "We've gotten orders from the Crescent Moon Estate. These are all for the engagement party."
"I thought Chief Hakoda's guests were already engaged," the princess said. "Are they having another engagement ceremony perhaps?"
"No, I heard this ceremony is for the isumataq."
Yue nearly dropped the basket of mango-plums that she was about to pick up, "Isumataq Sokka?" Dear Tui and La, did anyone find out about their arrangement somehow? Did Chief Arnook blabber something in his uncontrollable excitement?
"Wow, you're definitely shocked," another maid by the name of Inuqi noticed, grabbing the basket next to Yue's.
"B-But that can't be possible, can it?" Yue stuttered, her heartbeat thumping wildly against her La pendant, "He's not engaged!"
"Why are you panicking?"
"Panicking? I'm not panicking, I'm just...surprised…"
"I understand. The whole palace is shocked, honestly," the senior maid said.
"Everyone knows the man has a stubborn sense of pride," chimed in a third maid by the name of Niyami. "The other guests from the sister tribe always mention how he went about calling married tribefolk saps and claimed he wasn't gonna lose his freedom. But it looks like Lady Suki tamed him in time."
And not for the first time that day, Yue nearly went blank from yet another twist in the realm of gossip, "Lady Suki?"
"Yeah. He's getting engaged to Lady Suki."
Oh. Oh. "Oh Spirits," she blinked, unsure if she should feel relieved that she wasn't in the spotlight or uncomfortable about it. Truth to be told, the whole arrangement she and Sokka had forged made her feel awkward to this very moment— awkward in the way that something meant to be taken lightly and as a contract still held an air of sacredness (she explained it away by how society sanctified engagements and marriages to such a high degree, hence this weird feeling of being "bound" to someone despite otherwise). It was this weirdness that flared up upon learning that Sokka was being engaged to someone else last minute. Granted, this was most likely a forced arrangement, but even so, Yue had to make sure because even if isumataq found some interest in this, it wouldn't be right to go on with their contractual arrangement.
"Someone's disappointed," Niyami teased the princess.
"I'm not disappointed. Just trying to reel back in from the shock."
"I for sure thought he was going to convince his parents if he could marry his girlfriend," said a fourth maid, Chimenni.
"Girlfriend?" the senior maid asked. "He has a girlfriend?"
"I'm positive. He was supposedly flirting with some girl whom he invited to sleep over at the estate."
The women in the room all gasped, having stopped what they were doing. Yue's eyes couldn't get any wider, seeming to reach for the end of the cosmos, "O-Okay hold on a second—"
"I work the evening shift at the estate," Chimenni went on, "I can confirm this."
"So you saw them sleeping together?!" Niyami widened her eyes, "Oh my Spirits!"
"They weren't sleeping together!" Yue flushed beet red.
"Yeah, they weren't that adventurous," Chimenni grinned, "The prince was just being a sweetheart, ya know? She's probably a maid or something. The lad wanted her to relax a little. Gave her Princess Katara's room to use for a bit. Tells you right there he has a thing for her—"
"It's not like that, they're probably just friends!" Yue insisted.
"How do you know, fangirl?"
"Poor thing's so jealous, she doesn't want to believe it. She's fallen for his looks, too."
"Oh, Number Eight, the one guy you finally have a crush on—"
"I have a crush on no one, and I'm not jealous of anyone," Yue clarified, trying to drive out her embarrassment, "I'm only saying this because I heard Prince Sokka's not interested in relationships, so how in the world can he…?"
"We, too, heard he's not interested, but it doesn't matter now," Inuqi said. "This Kyoshi Island alliance is a strong one, whether he has a girlfriend or not."
"But he does have a girlfriend, though, from what I heard," the head cook called out from behind a counter, "Only I don't think she's the girl who slept over. Or maybe she's the same girl, I don't know for sure, but his actual girlfriend came for him all the way from the South. Mr. Ijkun said he saw the lady with his own eyes."
Yue wanted to facepalm, But that's not—!
"What exactly happened anyway?" Inuqi hollered back at the cook, "You would think Chief Hakoda and Chieftess kya would want a tribeswoman. A Southerner, too, at that. Why can't they agree to have their son marry his girlfriend?"
"Probably because of the status. Marrying Lady Suki of Kyoshi Island might result in a lot of economic perks."
"Right you are," Chimenni confirmed, "Lady Suki's parents personally came all the way to the Crescent Moon Estate and asked Chief Hakoda and Chieftess Kya to accept Suki as their daughter-in-law. They promised a lot of trade agreements."
So that's what's up, Yue realized. The elders had everything decided, which meant Sokka likely had no say in this. Well, either that or he ended up acquiescing, who knew?
"The chief and chieftess think she's the Tui they're looking for. You know, since the prince is born on the Wolf Moon."
"He's our La?!"
"Oh my La, he's La!"
"No wonder he's so attractive!"
The senior maid sighed, "So many different women are looking like his possible Tui, but to be honest, I thought the Southern royals were going to choose our dronningi."
The smug junior cook peeked out from behind her boss's shoulder and simultaneously burst and expanded their gossip bubble with, "Fun fact, ladies: the princess is his girlfriend."
Yue nearly choked.
"What nonsense are you blabbering about?"
"It's not nonsense. This is all after I witnessed two of the greatest arguments yet in the history of love!"
Inuqi raised her eyebrows, "I don't know what arguments you're referring to, but our princess was born here! Unless if she was somehow secretly raised in the South—"
"No, I have no idea who this Southern chick is," the junior cook said, "I'm talking about the lady the isumataq invited to the estate."
"So THAT was the princess?!"
"Yep. And after that, they apparently went on the tours together separate from the other cohorts. So no one would know!"
"Just because they went on tours together doesn't mean they're together, you know," the Northern princess flushed. She kept trying to hammer the point home, but it never worked. And most certainly did it not help the situation as it was ignored or used to tease her.
"Prince Sokka clearly has feelings for her, though," the junior maid spoke, "He told his father himself. Twice. Well, I witnessed it twice, but I might have missed more—"
Just when Yue thought things couldn't get any more chaotic. He what now?
"I heard him when I was called in to serve the food for the isumataq at two hours past midnight."
"Two hours past midnight?" Inuqi asked, bewildered.
"Yep. That's how long the prince and princess were out 'touring,' if ya know what I mean—"
"It's probably not what you think," Yue insisted, never having felt so strongly the need to bury herself deep beneath the ice on the spot.
"The prince himself said he likes her—!"
"Why would he say anything like that—?!"
"He did, I heard him say it with my own ears!" the junior maid stepped out of the kitchen briefly to confirm to the astonished women, "Isumataq Sokka and and Angayok Hakoda got into their first argument after the tours. Apparently the chief and chieftess saw our isumataq with our dronningi at Jungannat. They were dancing together in the streets and throwing colors apparently—"
"Wow, that's pretty wild for a prince and a princess."
Oh no, Yue gulped. Sokka didn't mention any argument to her. That wouldn't have gone well.
"And then Chief Hakoda learned about the lady who came to the estate earlier and asked Sokka about it. He knew it was the princess. The man was pissed, I tell you. He asked the prince why he invited her over to their house and why he was dancing with her so shamelessly."
"And?" Niyami asked.
"And Prince Sokka said it was love!"
Love? That part, Yue didn't get, caught in the struggle to keep down the drumming of her heartbeat. Why would the prince say something like that? "You probably misheard him," Yue said.
"No, I didn't, I swear! He confirmed it in the second argument, too!"
"He could be bluffing to escape," the princess fiddled with her fingers.
"What's with you not wanting it to happen?"
"I have nothing against what the prince thinks, it just doesn't make sense—"
"What's not to make sense in this?" the head cook stepped out this time, "It's all coming together now."
"Just tell us what happened in the second argument," the senior maid said, also having gotten quite excited from the gossip that she didn't care to direct the maids to the estate anymore.
"Well it happened earlier today. Chief Hakoda told him about the alliance with the Kyoshi Islanders and the last-minute engagement ceremony, and you know what the prince said?"
"What?"
"What did he say?"
"He stood up and yelled, 'I thought I told you I'm' in love with the princess!'"
"Oh my goodness!"
"I told you! "
"This just confirms everything!"
And Yue paled, insisting deep in her heart that this was probably a part of another elaborate plan of his to escape the alliance.
"He's trying to call this engagement off. But Chief Hakoda's not hearing him."
"I'm so excited! The princess would be such a nice match for him!"
"Well it's not happening so easily," the junior cook said. "Lady Suki's parents thought the princess would be arranged to the prince, but then Chief Hakoda said that the princess is 'out of their league.'"
"Out of their league?"
"What does that mean?"
"Our princess is refusing to leave the North at any cost, and Chief Hakoda doesn't like that, obviously. If she's to marry the prince, she must go to the South. I don't see the princess abandoning the North anytime soon."
"I'm sure they'll find a way to make time between both tribes," the senior maid suggested.
"That's just what they say, but it won't be easy. How's it even gonna be possible? We're literally poles apart. What, they'll spend two weeks on a ship every six months or every year or so and go back and forth?"
"Our dronningi is dedicated to the North, and she's doing everything she can to help us get back on our feet. She's refusing marriage, likely until someone adheres to her demands and stays here with her. Then again, the men here are turning out to be horrible, so we shouldn't blame her."
Even people who had little access to politics understood the princess's plight, so why were these gossips still so strong? Yue sighed, "Exactly. We could sit here all day and fantasize, but the princess has a duty to the North, and the isumataq has a duty to the South."
"But Prince Sokka's such a gentleman to her, though," the junior cook sighed dreamily. "He beat up Khasiq's idiots to defend her honor. He was apparently with her the entire time she busted those brothels. He was with her when she was healing those poor women at the shelters. He didn't go home at all the entire night. A man who does something like that is rare these days."
"And not to mention, whoever La picks has to be Tui. Our princess is Tui, I know it."
"And if the prince is La, he's not gonna be forced into anything. Nothing happens against his will!"
An internally squirming Yue made sure her veil was on tight, her face flushed to the deepest extent as she excused herself and carried the mango-plum basket atop her head. After taking great pains to put aside her embarrassment, she believed that surely the prince had to be planning something...as unbelievable as four days of falling in love might seem for realists.
A frantic knock on the door for what was probably the tenth time in five minutes knocked away the last bit of patience left in the Southern prince, who was currently bare from the waist up after refusing to put on the fancy Earth Kingdom robes and boycotting all other accessories and colognes. Feeling another feeble idea for an escape become shattered by the interruption, he fumed and stormed over to the front door, jerking it open, "I told you, I'm not gonna get ready for this stupid—!"
"..."
He froze in place, his eyes widening to impossible widths as he realized he ran into Yue upon stepping out. Her hands had flown up to his chest to block him, the weight of her action suddenly dawning on her. She gasped sharply at his shirtless form, the way her palms were spread out over his pectorals and staggered back, earning an equally mortified gasp. She quickly turned around, her heart rate skyrocketing.
"Yue, I-I-I'm so sorry!" he fumbled for something to cover himself. With a beet-red face, a desperate attempt at throwing a pelted curtain around his upper body, a repeated, Sokka, you idiot! Sokka, you idiot! and a wish to be shoved deep under the North Pole's waters until he never saw the light of day again, "I didn't know it was you, I swear, I thought it was my dad—!"
"I-I-It's fine, I should've been—"
"Sorry, I'm so sorry!"
"Alright, it's fi—"
"I really didn't think it was you—!"
"I get it," she breathed, brushing her hands at her sides as if trying to undo her touch of his chest. Both of them scanned their surroundings and found to their relief that no one had seen them given the emptiness of the corridor. Of course, Yue, too, had made sure to come this way when no one was here, and she couldn't thank the Spirits enough for having her back.
"Y-You can t-turn around now," he stammered as he heard a pair of footsteps break him out of his daze, "Q-Quick, hurry," and he moved aside to let her in and swiftly closed the door behind them...only to nearly double over in further embarrassment when she caught sight of the painting— the painting of her— hanging on the wall of his room.
"Wait, I can explain, that's—gaah!" He tumbled forward, slipping on the silk Earth Kingdom robes that he'd tossed to the floor and tumbling forward before he had the chance to warn her.
"Ah!"
"Aah!"
And they toppled onto the bed together, yelping their way down. Her face ended up brushing against his bare chest, her lips accidentally grazing his white spot over his left side in the process, and he pressed against her chest from the force of the bed pulling them in, their combined weight sagging against its plush texture.
For a moment, there was nothing but silence, all signs of life sensed only through the wild heartbeats that pounded through each other at the unexpected closeness of their bodies. They were in an undeniably intimate position at the moment, and they didn't need that fact to be spelled out— the way she was pinned underneath him, the curl of his arms around her, the heaving of her chest that pressed cautiously against his upper abdomen, her quivering lips pulling away from his skin in the wake of her shock as his ragged breath warmed her forehead. She was blinking at him with her big, baby blue eyes, trying to form a sentence, but the sentence never came; only a realization that had it been any other man on top of her like this, she would've shrieked and splashed him with enough water to send him flying across the room.
"Sokka, what on earth is happening in here—?" Katara, who was just then stepping inside to check on him, froze in place as she saw the disheveled appearances of her brother and the Northern princess, his shirtless form curled over her on the bed. They were gawking back at her with wide eyes with Yue finally pushing him off of her.
"...Oh…Ukuaq is here." Sister-in-law is here.
And from the comment alone, Yue realized Katara knew of the arrangement, but the daze she was currently in rendered her speechless.
"Sokka told me," Katara tried to maintain a straight face as she told Yue, "and I'm okay with it. We'll talk more once...you two finish whatever you were doing…"
"It's not what it looks like!" Sokka sputtered, finally coming to his senses, "Hold up a second—!"
"Whatever happened to your announcement that you'll never make babies with a Northerner?" she teased her brother, highly pleased with the results in the form of deeply crimsoning faces.
"Katara!" Sokka squeaked, "It's not like that!"
Rolling her eyes, "I know. You're not that adventurous," to which she earned a louder squeak.
"Princess Katara," Yue struggled to get up, one of the sheets wrapped around her ankle in the tussle, "Allow me to explain—"
"No need, ukuaq. I know he probably asked you for help or something." With a smile, "Plan your sabotage carefully."
Once she shut the door, Yue climbed out of bed, her hand flying over her mouth. She tried to compose herself after the mishap, trying her best to forget the sensation of the firmness of muscle beneath her lips just seconds before. Sokka felt more color wash over him, the air turning unbearably hot from the situation and the incoming embarrassment. The isumataq buried his face in a pillow, feeling a tingle from where her lips made contact with his chest. Mumbling into the fluff, "I can't even begin to tell how horrible I feel about all this…"
The dronningi took a deep breath and showered mercy on the poor prince, who was struggling to take in a single breath from the irreversible mishaps, "R-Relax, it was an accident. I should be sorry, actually, I…" pressing her lips together and pointing to his chest as he looked up, "should've been more careful before, uh...making contact with you in that manner…"
"You didn't do anything. It's my fault—"
"No, I still should've been—"
"Dronningi, I told you, it's my fault—"
"Okay, we're both sorry, end of discussion."
"Uh...yeah, okay…" he wrapped a sheet around himself.
"So...uh...the painting…"
"The painting, right," he sighed, "My parents thought it was 'Tui' and wanted to keep it here," he hoped his bluff wasn't too obvious, "F-For compatibility purposes...they didn't know too much about the Revivavilst group when they bought it, and they don't wanna get rid of it now 'cause they think it's Tui, and it'll be really bad luck if they throw out a Tui painting—"
"I understand," she swallowed, refusing to make eye contact, and this didn't go by unnoticed.
"Let me, uh... put on a shirt…"
"Yeah, okay…"
Their worlds were spinning as the next few minutes went by in a whoosh. Sokka, who was still reeling back from the moment she kissed his hand from the other day, could not shake away the newfound sensation of her lips on his chest that seemed to bring all the blood in his body up to his face. How alarming yet sweet the instant rush of heat had been following her touch. How soft her lips were, how feminine, his primal instincts pointed out, further clinging to the softness of her bosom as they toppled against the sheets. He bit down on his bottom lip and smack the back of his head, Don't think like that, stop thinking like that! He realized the mantra didn't help at all, for he was struggling to pick a single shirt in a closet full of new tunics, too focused on trapping his sighs in his throat as he relived the feeling of her lips.
And as for Yue...well, it was her turn to keep her face hidden from every molecule of air around her, her lips still quivering as they relived the sensation of...a man's chest. She slapped the thought away from the front of her mind as quickly as it hit, internally shrieking at herself, What have you done? Couldn't you be more careful?!
Wow, you're really waging a war in yourself over this.
Absolutely yes because she was over here getting flustered over something as natural as a man's upper half— which wasn't supposed to bring about surprise since she healed people over the years and never once overstepped boundaries in the medical sector— especially when the nation right past these doors was waging a war of its own, namely a war between the sexes over decades of atrocities. The gaping reality was waiting for her, so now was not the time to engage in...teenage tendencies for curiosity and embarrassment.
But what was different this time was the presence of the light spot on his chest. A puny little spot similar in size to the dark spot that she bore.
"Every incarnation of the Spirits bears something to signify its identity as being different from everyone and everything else," she recalled Osha's words from when she was much younger and just starting out in priestess instruction. She did not think too much of it, of course, crediting such stories to idealistic fairytales. Tui and La weren't limited to a socially constructed romance...
Though being intrigued about it is also natural…
"Have a seat, dronningi."
Yue stepped out of her thoughts and pulled her mask up to hide her intense blush, "Hm?"
"You can take the bed," he pulled up an icy stool for himself, "You look like you're out of breath."
The princess then remembered a technique called breathing and indulged in it, clasping her sweaty palms together as she took her seat.
"I'm really very sorry."
"It's fine...I'm sorry, too. I guess I wasn't—"
"I wasn't supposed to assume before opening the door," he said, "And I can be a big clutz sometimes—"
"It's all good. Let's just...never talk about this again. This never happened. Are you cool with that?"
Blinking, "Uh, yeah. Yeah, absolutely, it never happened. You're cool with it?"
"I'm okay. You?"
"Yeah, yeah..."
Taking a brief look at her conch necklace that rested atop his tunic, "You should be careful. What if someone sees the necklace?"
"Oh, this," he slipped the conch back under his tunic, "I was gonna tell them I got this from Zhi as a backup talisman. After I 'lost' my other necklace."
"So you've prepared yourself."
"Yeah," he brushed the back of his head, "Everything a mess, and I didn't have a way to meet up with you...But boy, am I glad to see you here." Frowning a little, "Though I recall telling you to get some rest."
"How can I rest when you're trying to give me a heart attack?"
Blushing, "Sorry, sorry, I really didn't realize—"
"No, not this."
Blinking, "Then what?"
"Telling your parents that you're in love with the princess of the North," she breathed, "The walls are talking, you know. Every servant in the kitchen has her own opinion about the situation."
His stomach dropped, "Uh…that's...I..."
"You had arguments with your father, I heard," her look became concerned at this point, "And apparently you told him you were in love with me."
Feeling heat raid his face, "I…" Was this it? Was this the moment of confession? Feeling a shiver run down his trembling form, "Yes...yes, I did."
"This is all part of a plan, isn't it?
Like a deflated balloon, "What?"
"My guess was that you were bluffing to get out of this engagement," she said. "That way, there's no way your parents will agree to having you see me or force you into a marriage with someone you don't like. All possibilities of a marriage will be stalled."
Swallowing thickly, "Whatever you say, dronningi."
"I knew it," she sported a look as if she'd solved a huge puzzle, "Well it didn't work, I'm assuming, because they're still trying to get you hitched. Do you think they believe you?"
Still reeling back from the intense heat of the conversation, "I think I make a convincing boyfriend." Chuckling away the awkwardness, "Last I checked, I had a girlfriend who snuck into my ship all the way from the South. I'm gonna be loyal to her."
Shaking her head in amusement, "So it's confirmed? You really don't like this alliance?"
"Confirmed," he seconded.
"You don't have any backup plans? I kind of didn't expect you to be a damsel in distress about this."
"Emotional blackmailing," he answered, "That's all I can say."
"Understandable," she nodded. "Are you sure you want to sabotage this, though? It seems Lady Suki is willing to do a lot to become a part of the family. I did mention she seemed to be interested in you. Your parents like her. She's not some stranger, either, she's your friend."
"Your Highness—"
"I guess what I'm trying to say is...I don't want you to be interested in her deep down but still sabotage the alliance because of our arrangement or anything. If that's the case, we can end it right here, right now—"
"Dronningi, please," he said in a pleading tone that probably wasn't necessary, "I don't have feelings for her or anyone else. I told you this before, I genuinely don't want this marriage to go through. Suki and I are just friends. She's, like, one of the guys, you know? Well, she's not a guy, but you get it, don't you?"
"I suppose," she sighed, "I'm not exactly sure if I should attempt at doing anything. Rumors are spreading quickly, and I'd expect them to have reached Lady Suki and her parents by now."
"It's totally fine for me if the walls are talking," he shrugged, smiling a little, "They need something to do, too, don't they?"
Looking up at him, "The entire palace thinks you're in love with me thanks to your shenanigans, and you following me around as my bodyguard will only make this worse. Tell me. Nulettukutigaujutit?" Are you my lover?
"How awful it must be to be known as our dronningi's nulettukutik," he said in amusement, "It's not like she's the most perfect person I've ever met or anything."
Ignoring the skip in her pulse, "You know, if you used these tricks on a nice woman of your liking, you would've been married centuries ago, nulettuk, instead of playing the part of a pining fiancé," she crossed her arms, "I swear, sometimes I don't know if you're being serious or if you're joking. You're not like this with anyone else."
"Well I'm being serious about you being perfect...and me hating this forced engagement." Looking at her with polar-puppy eyes, "Don't you have an idea in that big brain of yours, Princess? So this ceremony will be sabotaged for good?"
She thought for a long moment before finally asking him, "You happen to have an onion on you?"
"We know what we're doing, Ki'ma," Chieftess Kya told her worried sister-in-law, "Just trust us on this."
"The boy will suffer if he truly can't forget the princess," Ki'ma said. "Why can't you rethink this, Kya? Brother Hakoda's being really stubborn about this, too, and I've never known him to be like this with anything."
"I'm telling you, she's not right for him. I know it— oh, Tui and La!" The chieftess accidentally ran into one of the maids carrying a basket of mango-plums. The basket hit the wall of the corridor, and the fruits all rolled onto the floor.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry," Kya told the maid, kneeling to help pick up the fruits.
"It's alright, Your Majesty, I should've watched where I was going," came the reply as the maid picked up the fruits at a greater pace, "It's okay, I can pick them up—"
"No, it's fine, I'll help."
Ki'ma, too, bent down to pick up the fallen fruit, and in the process, she and her sister-in-law took a glimpse of the maid's eyes— glistening baby blue orbs that were familiar, somehow seeming to hold some kind of...unspoken magic in them. It was a weird way to put it, yes, but something about this maiden caught their attention. Similar to the way Sokka soaks up all the energy and attention in every room he's in. The two women felt curious about the rest of her appearance, which remained hidden behind her mask and veils, but they did take a brief look at the maid's neck, noticing that she was the only one not wearing a choker out of all the maids.
"How old are you, dear?" Kya asked.
"Twenty-three, Your Majesty."
"Oh. Just like Sokka," Ki'ma noted, "And you're not married yet?"
"Oh, no ma'am," Yue shook her head, attempting to make her voice crack, "I'm happy and single."
"This is exactly how it is with you young people," Kya sighed. "You say you don't want marriage now, but when you're older and looking for a life partner, you won't find anyone. All the tribesmen and tribeswomen will be taken."
"I don't mind the single life, Chieftess," Yue said, picking up the basket and holding it atop her hip, her arms grabbing steady hold of its rim. "I'm a woman of pride. I don't want to be rejected yet again."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh nothing." She kept her gaze downward, taking careful measures to give away the spill of her fake tears before pretending to hide them. It worked well, having earned the immediate concern of Kya and Ki'ma.
"Oh my, are you alright?" Ki'ma asked.
"Did we say something that upset you?" Kya followed.
"No, I just...I was reminded of something...I'll leave now—"
"Wait," the chieftess stopped her, "If I said something to upset you, I apologize, dear."
"It's not you, ma'am…"
"You can talk to us if you need to get something off your chest," Ki'ma told her.
"Why not make it a story for next time?" Yue chuckled awkwardly, pretending to brush away more of her "tears", "I don't want to ruin the festive atmosphere, you know."
"It's okay, you can tell us," Kya stopped her, taking the basket of mango-plums from her and setting it aside. "What happened?"
Sniffling, "I just...I was thinking about how I was supposed to marry someone, but I wasn't able to. His family and my family had been best friends for a long time, you see. Ever since he and I were little, our parents planned to have us get married one day in the future. So the friendship between the families would strengthen into a family bond. Our birth charts were apparently very compatible, too."
"You must have had high hopes for the marriage."
"The guy and I didn't think much of it. We were busy with our own lives, our education and jobs. He was studying somewhere in the Fire Nation schoolhouse, and I rarely saw him."
"Oh dear, the Fire Nation?" Kya asked. "He returned safely, right?"
"Yes, he was safe. In fact, he had the time of his life there. He didn't want to come back here. But our parents had already planned our engagement."
"Did he call off the wedding or something?" Ki'ma asked.
"He did. He wrote to his parents and told them that he didn't want to get married to me. He had fallen in love with a woman there."
"Oh no," Kya shook her head.
"His parents forced him to come for the ceremony and leave his lover behind. They gave him two whole years to try to forget her. But on the day of the engagement, he showed up with the woman, and the woman had a baby on her hip." Sighing, "Turned out he married her and had a child with her in the Fire Nation, and no one at home knew about it. He didn't tell anyone about the wedding because he was afraid they wouldn't accept her."
"Oh Spirits, that's horrible! For you and your family, I mean," Ki'ma shook her head.
"My family and I wouldn't have minded if his parents called off the wedding and told us everything beforehand, but we didn't know until the day of the engagement that the man was in love with someone, let alone that he married her and had a child with her. His parents didn't know about the marriage and the baby, but they did know that he was in love with someone else. They had known for two whole years and never once bothered telling us about it. Instead, they kept leading us on. They lied to us and told us the guy liked me back, and they still tried to marry him off to me."
"It's not right on their part at all," Ki'ma frowned, "Knowing their son loved someone else but still tried to force him to marry you. Lying to your family for a long time...Poor thing, you must've been heartbroken."
"I didn't have feelings for the guy anyway, so I didn't care about all that, but because of that humiliation and that family's betrayal at the engagement ceremony...I lost my great grandfather that day." Tearing up again, "The poor man's heart gave out. He and I were very close."
"We are so sorry to hear that," Ki'ma placed her hand over Yue's shoulder.
"That's why I get emotional around engagement parties," she sniffed, "But I have no choice but to do my assigned duties here."
While Ki'ma was busy comforting the maid, Kya was lost in thought. On one hand, she felt really sorry for the maid, but on the other hand, all she could think about was their own situation. How strikingly similar their situation was to the family that the maid was describing. Birth charts' dictations on their son's marriage, their son's utter refusal to listen to them, his declarations that he was in love with someone other than the woman chosen for him.
"What happened to the family?" Kya asked.
Yue's eyebrows furrowed, "Living in shame after trying to betray us like that. The entire city kept talking about what they did. They lost their respect in the community. And needless to say our families' friendship strained for good. We ended up moving away and came here to the capital. We haven't been in touch with them ever since."
Living in shame...They lost their respect… Kya winced, "I understand what they did was wrong, but if the birth charts were perfectly aligned, then they had to do something to get you both married, right…?"
"Birth charts," Yue gave a dry chuckle and shook her head, "If those birth charts really had been accurate, they wouldn't have said that man and I were very compatible. We can't rely on these kinds of things when it comes to crucial life-changing situations. Marriage isn't something meant to be decided by charts; the people getting married must have mutual respect for one another. Even if they're arranged and not yet in love. But that respect isn't possible if one of them is in love with someone else."
"But you never know when the Spirits will get angry."
Yue, sensing that victory was getting close, let a small grin play on her lips beneath her mask. "One spirit is the Spirit of Strength, and the other, the Spirit of Life. They only know how to love abundantly, not give restrictions and deadlines. It's like the Book of Union says: 'I'rukshi sunnam inami iriyamni wayiri. Onnum imi shehirin amami. May the bonds of love prevail. Curse those who stand in its way.'" Drying her eyes and letting out another fake sob, "I'm sorry, I'm sitting here preaching and ruining the festivities. You should be celebrating, not watching me cry."
Yue's earlier statement looped through the chieftess's mind, and while she outwardly gave comfort, she was internally at war with herself. What if their family ended up like that family? A life of shame: was that what they had to look forward to if they forced their son into this marriage?
I'rukshi sunnam inami iriyamni wayiri. Onnum imi shehirin amami. May the bonds of love prevail. Curse those who stand in its way.
Kya sighed deeply, closing her eyes and contemplating for a long moment, and as soon as the maid went on her way, the chieftess's eyes began to wander in search of her husband. "Someone send for Hakoda immediately."
"That's all there is to it," the princess leaned against the inside wall of a closet, chuckling as the prince's secret happy dance came to a stop. "I'll give it until moonrise for the preparations to die out."
"I didn't think it would be this easy, Baby Blue!"
"It is if you say the right thing to the right person. Not every sabotage attempt requires kidnapping, you know."
"I guess not," he laughed happily, sporting a highly impressed look in his shimmering gaze. "If only there's something I can do to return the favor."
"Well you'd be returning the favor of a favor. Last I checked, my matchmaking session was sabotaged, too, by someone very important," she grinned, "He looked a lot like you, by the way."
"I thought you said your rescuer was La," he teased, "In the form of a man."
"Well yes, that is true," she admitted, "On that note, you'd have to take up your appreciation with Tui. For helping you out in the form of a woman." Smirking, "But of course, you disbelievers couldn't possibly think of sparing a glance at our Tui—"
He interrupted her in a rush of boldness combined with gentle disposition as he softly reached for her hand. He placed an appreciative kiss on her palm, extracting a squeak of surprise, and he beamed at her, breathless. "My endless friendship kisses to our benevolent goddess. May she reign always."
Apart from the warmth on her cheeks, she flashed him one of her rare smiles again before hiding it behind her mask. "I think I better be on my way before the walls start talking even more." Casting him a wink, "Kilamik, nulettuk." Later, Prettyboy.