Chapter 46: It's a Promise
They tried so much to not simply run to the scene; if anyone saw the dronningi and the isumataq racing through the chambers of the palace this late at night, suspicion over a potential emergency would undoubtedly be raised, garnering unwanted attention over them and the chieftain, and given the top secrecy of the news they just received, they weren't going to take any chances. Even so, they couldn't help the hurry in their steps. Yue, in particular, was rather jumpy, feeling waves of turmoil and desperation crashing through her. She nearly tripped on the way, her fall saved by the isumataq.
By the time they reached the corridor leading to Chief Arnook's chambers, the princess became especially overwhelmed. It was a matter of processing a great truth; behind these doors was someone she'd been waiting for her entire life. The face she never knew. The face she'd longed for. Mother.
"Don't worry, they don't know what happened at the Conference," Ivaneq remarked, lowering his voice despite the emptiness of the corridor. "The chief hasn't let anyone into his chambers all day. My guess is that it has been several hours, if not the entire day— that she has been here. That's why she's very impatient to see you, Your Highness."
The official went on to say many things, giving details of how the chieftess insisted on seeing her and the chief and, hence, took the initiative to come all the way here before they could leave to go see her. Very little of Ivaneq's words were comprehended by the dazed princess, though.
"No one knows of her arrival, Your Highness, she's perfectly safe," Ivaneq reassured, and when they reached the ornate premises of Arnook's chambers, the Northern official pried the doors open.
The creak of the open door sent a slight jolt of anticipation through her, but she remained frozen in place, refraining from stepping inside. Scattered around the room were other healers; they were likely keeping a close watch on the royal couple. They were not from around the city although they were from the Water Tribe judging by the slight variation of their uniforms from those in the capital.
Arnook, who was sitting up in his bed, turned to the opened entrance. The chieftain was joined by a beautiful woman around his age who also looked in Yue's direction; the woman was wearing the same uniform as the other healers, her hands entwined with the chieftain's. Both leaders, teary-eyed, appeared worn, but in each other's presence, they were filled with a rare kind of happiness. Indeed, the will to live was glowing more brightly in their eyes.
The princess grew tense, harboring a look that was disheveled as she remained in the doorway. She was nevertheless the center of attraction, for the woman at Arnook's side froze upon seeing her. Arnook gently squeezed his wife's hand, smiling and nodding at her look of inquiry. The chieftess then stood up, her eyes immediately widening with longing and love, wonder and warmth. She held an expectant look in her moistening eyes, likely anticipating her daughter to show her face.
Yue, who couldn't bring herself to think ahead, all thoughts blocked by adrenalin, was still confused by the chieftess's healer uniform. It then struck her that it was a disguise— it had to be— for sneaking the chieftess inside.
"Y-Yue…?" the woman spoke, her voice soft and pleading.
Yue gulped, the prince's warm hand on her shoulder bringing her away from her reservation. She took a few steps forward, holding her breath as Ahnah nearly ran over to her daughter, ignoring the healers' warnings that she take it easy. She stopped a couple of feet away, her gait significantly slowing as she approached Yue with more care and consideration.
The expectation, however muted, couldn't be louder: Yue had to be seen. So she pulled her mask and veil aside, revealing her face, invoking surprised gasps from the other healers as well as Ivaneq, who now got the chance to see her. True to what the tribe believed from word of mouth, Yue was beautiful, but the reveal of her hair, a testament to her uncanny resemblance to the Goddess of the Moon, solidified the belief that she was the Goddess herself. Sokka had to hold a faint Ivaneq upright as the assistant tried digesting this truth.
Ahnah's shaking palms cupped Yue's face, and she took in her appearance in awe and devotion. "Oh my Goddess…"
Swallowing, "Anaana..." Mom.
The last of the tension broke loose. Ahnah threw herself around her daughter, breaking into fierce, deep sobs, simmering tears dripping down her face. "Yue, Yue, oh Yue, paniga…" My daughter…
"Kuunguaaq...paniga…" Yue nearly flinched. She ignored the twist in her heart, forcing out Hama's loving look from memory, reminding herself that this was her real anaana.
"Paniga, paniga…" the chieftess whispered like a prayer made in choked emotion, her desperation accompanied by a tight hold of the princess. The embrace was laced with outpours of affection and the intense fear of separation, "All day...I've been waiting all day for you, paniga…The Spirits finally showed mercy…"
Yue returned the affection, her grip gentle but firm. A soft whisper muffled against the fabric of her mother's cloak, "Anaana…"
"How long has it been?" the chieftess wept, squeezing Yue tightly as if letting go now would mean letting go forever. "Oh, how you've grown...You were so small, and now…" sniffling, squeezing more tightly, her hand stroking the back of Yue's head, "Panitsiavâluga…" My beautiful daughter.
The princess relaxed in her mother's arms, all previous tension dissolving slowly, giving way to fierce longing.
"Oh, my baby, my baby," Ahnah kissed Yue's forehead and face repeatedly, unsure of whether to sob further or to laugh from joy at the long-overdue reunion. The interaction earned smiles from those around them but extracted a greater fulfillment, a deeper satisfaction from the chief, who brought his arms around both of them, holding them close to him. And the icing in the creampuff, Sokka felt, was the fact that, although Ahnah wasn't Yue's biological mother— the prince was afraid to even think this truth around the princess— she still looked a bit like Yue and convincingly so to pass off as her biological mother.
Ahnah eventually recovered but refused to let go of Yue's hand. The biggest smile the chieftess could muster made its way onto her lips, joy radiating through her tears. "The Spirits have granted me such a beautiful daughter," she mused over and over. Indeed, the bundle of warmth she last remembered holding had grown into the most beautiful woman in the entire tribe, and it was both thrilling yet laced with pain for the chieftess given how her condition caused her to miss out on Yue's life. Her milestones and toddler days, her entry into womanhood, things of that nature.
But all that mattered now was that they were reunited. Through her tears, Ahnah then turned to look at Sokka, who was watching from a distance with a smile on his face. Her hand reached out, gesturing for him to come forward; he was pleasantly surprised by the invitation but stepped forward.
"I wonder who this handsome young man could be," she turned to her daughter knowingly, her palm running over the princess's pearly hair, "Una Lait? Una angutit?" Is this your La? Is this your husband?
Widening her eyes, "Aagga—" No—
"Aap—" Yes—
Yue and Sokka gawked at each other at their contrasting outbursts.
"They mean to say that they're both engaged, but not officially married," Arnook said with a smile, drying his tear-stricken face, "He's technically her fiancé."
"Oh, that's right…Angutiksak." Fiancé. Drying her eyes and granting the isumataq a warm smile, "Tikilluarit, ningauk." Welcome, son-in-law. "In the few hours I've been here, I've heard much about you. We are honored to call you family."
Ningauk. Swallowing, feeling palpitations raid his chest, his face warm as he cast a look at the princess, the isumataq nevertheless told the chieftess, "Th-The honor is all mine, ataniq."
Ahnah stopped his bow with her hand on his shoulder and a shake of her head, hugging him along with her daughter. "Call me Mother," she insisted.
And although he briefly cast another look at the princess indicating his confusion over the next step, he couldn't help but give in to the request. "Aap, ukuagek." Yes, Mother-in-law.
It made no sense to Yue as to why Arnook was still holding onto this "alliance" even with what happened regarding the rift between them and Chief Hakoda, but it was certainly no lie that the Northern chief was insistent on keeping Sokka and Yue's betrothal intact. It was obvious by the stubborn look he held in his eyes, the way he was ready to jump on anything Yue would potentially say so he could defend the engagement. There was no chance for Sokka and Yue to discuss this any further, either, considering how adamant Ahnah was in keeping her daughter by her side, making a private conversation impossible. Then again, Yue didn't want to leave her mother's side, either; she didn't want to disregard the ambiguity of the stagnant betrothal, but given the outpour of abundant love she received in just these few moments... She was too invested in the chieftess's love, too swept away by the current of intense affection to act immediately upon that ambiguity.
And yet, every so often, she would peek from beneath her mother's arms, which were wrapped around her, holding her to the chieftess's bosom. The princess would cast a look in Sokka's direction, silently questioning the confusion only for him to answer with a reassuring smile that promised, I'll take care of it.
Though that did nothing about the fact that the confusion was still present, still gaping. According to what they knew so far, Hakoda and Kya had been obstinate about leaving first thing in the morning. They even had their bags packed and had apparently reached out to Ivaneq and told them of their intentions. If they were to leave, they would obviously take Sokka with them. What was the point of milking the betrothal if he left? What excuses would be available then?
It was an unspoken tension that lingered, left unaddressed, contradicted by Sokka's firm promise that he wasn't leaving...though it was strange that Ivaneq, who would naturally be worried about something like this, didn't display true apprehension and didn't take to heart their request to drop out of the conference schedule. He was likely latching onto whatever superstition that Arnook was holding onto, for the assistant was confident enough to believe some miracle would happen overnight to alter the course of events, such that he felt he didn't have to beg the Southern leaders to stay behind this time.
"It took my all to make sure Yue was hidden," Arnook told his wife, his comment bringing Sokka and Yue away from their silent conversation. "Raising an infant with that much care was not something that could be secretly done. That's why I had to miss out on her early milestones, too."
Yue wouldn't have paid much attention if this was a story she already knew, but this time, Arnook wove in details that she hadn't otherwise known, such as the initial place of her upbringing. As it turned out, she hadn't been locked away in the palace her entire life.
"I entrusted her to an old couple," he admitted, drawing the immediate attention of all present, including the dronningi. "Old Man Ikkuni and his wife, Maniqah."
"Priest Ikkuni?" Ahnah said, surprised.
And upon noting the others' curious looks, "He was the last Moon Temple priest who retired before the Akna was born," came the careful explanation. He shared a look of subtle tenseness with his wife, communicating more to her than what his words indicated. Sokka and Ivaneq also tensed a little, both secretly gawking at the princess to see if she was suspicious or had caught onto something. They couldn't tell from her expression alone.
But what they could tell was the fact that she was highly taken aback by these facts. And her shock was completely valid, particularly considering how Osha knew and deliberately didn't tell her. That she knew the dronningi even before taking her in and providing her a position in the temple.
"Everyone had fled the temple, and Osha had settled in by then," Arnook said. "Priest Ikkuni, though, was very loyal to Tui. Because of that loyalty, in his final years, Khasiq's administration ended up seizing his property. He and his wife couldn't afford to find another home, so they stayed in the temple chambers from then on." Turning to his wife, "I felt it was the only other place that was safe for Yue because of its abandonment. I told them to watch over her. And they took care of her as if she was their own."
And thus, Yue grew up in the temple during her earliest years, a fact which certainly explained why the palace premises were silent despite Arnook having a baby to care for. When the princess was three years of age, however, the old priest fell ill, and in the following weeks, he and his wife passed on in quick succession. And that was when Yue was first brought to the palace and kept hidden away in the Forbidden Chamber, entrusted with people who seldom showed her their faces but managed to care for her.
"It was by no means a perfect family life for us," Ahnah spoke, "But at least you're both safe."
With regard to her own experiences, which weren't very many since she spent her years in a coma, Ahnah didn't go a moment without praising the healers of Nansei.
"They have cared for me well. They refused to tell anyone about me. They were highly trustworthy. They didn't want me coming here in the first place; they only brought me here because I wouldn't listen to them and told them I'll come here on my own."
"We snuck her in by saying she's a fellow healer," one of the women explained, turning to the princess, "Her Highness was very insistent on seeing you and your father, dronningi."
"We told her it was dangerous," spoke another, "but she wouldn't take no for an answer."
"Your Majesty, it is highly dangerous," Ivaneq said, "No one can ever know you're here."
"That's what I kept telling her," Arnook huffed, his voice wobbling with worry. He laced his hand with his wife's, "But after she got here... I couldn't just leave her here alone." Turning to Sokka and Ivaneq, "That's why I stayed indoors."
"So you weren't sick this entire time?" Ivaneq blinked, surprised.
"No. Better than ever, actually," the chieftain cast a loving glance at his wife, his affection and happiness, though boundless, accompanied by fear and nervousness, "But I've also never been more terrified. Seeing the love of my life stand in front of me after all these years… I didn't know how to react. I didn't know what to do. All I knew was that I couldn't trust anyone but the healers to be with her."
"That's why we hung around His Majesty's corridor," another healer chimed in. "We kept watch under the pretense of medical supervision. We didn't let anyone come by. He and the chieftess were able to have some privacy that way."
Yue let a sigh of relief escape her, but she knew that even with her father not really being sick, she still had to keep the eventful night to herself. Revealing that she was attacked would not bode well for her plan to have her parents evacuated as soon as possible... though she knew it would certainly help boost their trust in Sokka and thrust more responsibility upon him to watch over her.
"I've spent years dreaming of this moment, but…now is really not a good time," Arnook reiterated.
"I just couldn't wait any longer," Ahnah defended, stroking Yue's head, "It has been so long. Too long… I just couldn't process how much time went by. I could've sworn just an hour ago, I was with my husband and child and suddenly… twenty-three years have gone by...?"
"We were going to meet up with you after the Conferences, Your Highness," Ivaneq explained. "His Majesty was going to relocate with you after the wedding."
"Then I'm staying here until the Conferences are over. Until we all leave."
"Ahnah—"
"I've been away from you and Yue long enough," the chieftess told Arnook firmly. "I can't imagine not seeing the two of you again. I don't want to think about anything else."
"Everything's going to be okay," Sokka assured. "We just need to be careful for two more days." Turning to the chief and chieftess, "We can leave for Nansei as soon as the conferences are over, but until then, you're both going to have to lay low. Chief, you're going to have to appear normal in front of everyone else so they won't be suspicious. I know this is an exciting time, but you look like you're literally glowing right now, and that's great, but it's going to give everything away, believe it or not."
Everyone couldn't help their chuckles. Indeed, the chieftain was lit aglow with hope, but in a place like the palace under the present circumstances, the display of such joy would be a fatal flaw.
"If you think you can't contain it, you're gonna have to interact even less with other people. Maybe stay in your chambers so we can milk the medical supervision drama as best we can," Sokka suggested. "Mother will stay with you, too, in the meantime."
"Actually, I want to attend the conference tomorrow," Ahnah said.
Yue widened her eyes, turning to the chieftess, "But—"
"Woah, woah—!"
"Your Majesty, that's too risky—!"
"No way, Chieftess—!"
"Are you insane?" Arnook gawked at his wife.
"Don't worry, I will keep to this healer disguise—"
"What if someone sees you?!" Arnook whispered harshly.
"I will accompany you as a healer," she told him, "I'll be right beside you. Please, it won't be for the entire time. I just want to see Yue give her speech. We can leave right after."
But her assurance didn't help ease the alarmed looks on their faces, nor did it wipe away Arnook's look of disapproval.
"I told you all I'm not letting my daughter out of my sight," Ahnah insisted.
A collective sigh followed, serving as a testament to their exhaustion and the reality that, like the princess, the chieftess wasn't one to be let down easily.
"It has been a very long night," Ivaneq said. "Get some rest, Your Majesties. We will discuss this in the morning. The conferences won't begin until late afternoon anyway."
The chieftess sighed, "I've been resting all this time. There is so much to plan." Turning to the princess, "The formal engagement is tomorrow—"
"Tomorrow?" Yue and Sokka shot a look at Arnook.
"You seem surprised," Ahnah said, concerned by the strong reaction, "It's not the actual wedding. This is just a ceremony for me to see. You'll just be exchanging necklaces again. The wedding isn't until a couple of days—"
"We can talk about all of that later," Arnook began but was quickly cut off by his wife's fervor.
"The full moon is only a few days away, Arnook. There's so much to do, so much to plan. The venue, the preparations, her jewelry, her wedding dress...the wedding dress!"
"Don't get too excited, Your Majesty—"
But the chieftess ignored the healer in her burst of emotion, caressing her daughter's cheek, "I've missed out on your life up until now. I'm not going to let go of this chance. Your wedding needs to be the best this tribe has ever seen, I'll make sure of it!"
But Yue was muted by the resolve to not wipe the excitement off of her mother's face, panicking internally instead.
"But remember, we need to keep the wedding a secret," Arnook reminded. "It's too risky to expose Sokka as our son-in-law."
Ahnah turned to the prince as if reminded of something crucial, "Then in the very least, I need to meet your parents, ningauk."
To which no one said anything in the affirmative, knowing fully well that the prince's family was entirely unaware of this arrangement. Of course, this was something the chieftess wasn't told yet and would likely panic over if told without preparing her for it.
"There's so much to discuss!" Ahnah went on. "We'll never make it to the South in time for the full moon. If we decide to have the wedding here in the North, we need to plan a ceremony in the South, too, at some point...Arnook, why aren't you saying anything—?"
"We will talk about this later," he assured his wife.
"It's not like we can get them hitched without our in-laws being informed of the—"
"No one can know you're here. Please," the chief told her. "This includes Chief Hakoda and Chieftess Kya."
Frowning, "But they're our in-laws, they can be trusted—"
"They don't know the full situation here. We will talk about this in private, alright?"
It was understandable that the chieftess would be a bit frustrated. She didn't see why everyone was so gloomy in consideration of her daughter's wedding. Even with the circumstances at hand, there still had to be some moment of joy, right? And it made no sense why Yue herself held no amount of excitement on her face, for she kept giving unsure looks at an equally awkward Sokka.
But another look at her daughter, especially in observance of her exhausted condition. temporarily disabled the chieftess's suspicions, filling her heart with overflowing love and worry. "Spirits, you're so thin," she said to Yue in alarm, drawing the princess's overbearing cloak aside and observing her thin physique, "And I'm sitting here yapping away." Turning to Ivaneq, "Bring her something to eat, please. Quickly."
"Anaana, I—"
"Haven't you been eating well, paniga?" Ahnah fussed.
And despite being pampered with the isumataq's treats barely two hours ago, Yue did not protest, for this would essentially mean spending more time with the chieftess.
"You should eat, too," Arnook told his wife. "She's not going anywhere."
"Just let me have some time with her, dear," Ahnah said, grasping Yue's hand, moisture blurring her vision as she lost herself in her daughter again, "Your ataata has had all this time to know and love you. It's my turn."
Yue frowned, caught by a degree of guilt, for Ahnah obviously didn't know of the strain and distance in Yue's relationship with her father. Under the binding fears of safety, Arnook, too, had been absent from Yue's life. The chieftain, too, was processing this truth, unable to look his daughter in the eyes.
Sokka, upon noting the discomfort on the dronningi's face, attempted to lighten the air with a smile, "You can still do that while you're eating, Mother. My Gran Gran always says that the best kind of bonding happens over meals."
The chieftess smiled at him, "Ningauk, eat with us, won't you? Do you have a few minutes?"
"Oh...I…"
"Join us, isumataq," Yue invited, having noticed he had been reluctant in eating comfortably when they stopped for dinner earlier. "We would love to have your company."
And all inhibitions vanished from there as his chest swelled with affection and belonging. "I'd love to."
Turning to her father next, "You should eat with us, too, ataata."
Moisture swirled in Arnook's eyes with joy. Ataata. He beamed and nodded, "Right away, paniga."
The visiting healers, citing the chieftain's health of utmost importance, insisted that the servants prepare freshly-made meals even if it took some time. The healers were also careful to leave the chieftess out of all correspondence and conversation even without having any servants around. Ahnah's arrival and presence were to be kept secret no matter what it took, and any queries the servants had were redirected to the chieftain's critical health. But despite the picture of the chief that was painted by the healers in front of the servants, the chief himself was rejuvenated in ways he had never been. Along with his future son-in-law, he looked on at Ahnah and Yue, smiling at the way Ahnah was fussing over their daughter for the smallest of things, whether it was the way the princess kept her hair in a messy, neglected bun or the way she sported clothes that didn't at all showcase her royal status.
"You're a princess, my darling," Ahnah would say, her heart breaking at the small tears in the mundane fabric. "I can't have my precious paniga walking around in such cheap fabric! Just you wait, tomorrow I'm going to make sure your ataata summons all the seamstresses…"
As if Yue's going to listen, Arnook mused. He couldn't help widening his smile, simply basking in the moment of watching his wife and daughter. "I can get used to this, Sokka. I can really get used to this."
Sokka nodded, also smiling, relief laced in his gaze, "It feels great to see them in one place. Mom and daughter are more alike than we think."
Arnook's voice dropped to a whisper, "I thank the Spirits every day for making them both look so similar. If it wasn't for that, Yue would've figured out something was off." Indeed, the princess always had a lot of doubt written all over her face, but today, Arnook saw none of that.
"There are many milestones that parents look forward to," Arnook continued, letting out a deep breath. "Hearing your child call you ataata for the first time…for fathers, that's a very significant moment. And it took me more than twenty-three years to hear my daughter call me ataata for the first time." A dry chuckle followed by a defeated look, "It must have been quite a battle for her to call me that earlier."
Sokka turned to the chieftain, "If she didn't care about you, she wouldn't have spent all these years giving you medicine."
The chief looked to him, eyebrows raised with lack of clarification.
"Her Highness is the caretaker of the Moon Temple," Sokka said simply, watching the princess from afar, "She was the one who kept sending you medicine. That tonic you take for your liver? Yeah, she arranged that."
To which Arnook blinked at him, unable to believe what he was saying. He then looked back at his daughter, his eyes widening, "She's the caretaker? But how?"
"Osha," came the reply. "You can say Osha had always kept an eye on her."
"Are you sure? What if you're confusing her with—?"
"There's no confusion about this, chief. I first saw her at the Moon Temple, and she introduced herself as the caretaker. It was only after that when I learned she was actually the princess. And that she's Kuunnguaq on the side."
"What else does she do? I swear, it seems like she's everywhere, it's insane!"
"Shh, keep it down, will ya?" the prince said, issuing a radiant smile in the direction of the princess, who happened to glance over in their direction due to Arnook's fairly-incomprehensible outburst. Her smile slightly softened when she noticed her father looking in her direction, but she didn't entertain the glance any longer, reverting her gaze back to her mother.
"She's been caring for me this whole time?" the Northern chief blinked, feeling a tug in his heart.
"If she hates you, she would want nothing to do with you. But that's not the case. She just doesn't want to be close to you for the sake of keeping you safe. I'm not saying that you two being disconnected over the years doesn't add onto that…hesitation, I guess…but that doesn't mean she doesn't love you."
Arnook blinked away the moisture that was blurring his vision, "Well…that's good to know…that's very good to know…"
"On the flip side, I think she would feel a lot better in terms of stress if you keep yourself together. No offense, chief, but you can't expect her to be happy if you don't take care of yourself," the prince said. "She can make medicines for you all day every day, but you should think about whether she'd be happy doing that. She would want you to take care of yourself to the point of not relying on hangover medication. She'd want you to be sober to the point of being the healthiest you can be." Eyeing him determinedly, "Mother is here for you, and I'm here for Yue. What else do you have to worry about? Where's the need to keep spiraling down this road?"
Arnook nodded, inwardly contemplating the prince's words.
"It's time for you to pick yourself up," Sokka told him. "Leave intoxication for good—"
"I'm trying, Sokka," Arnook said, "But it's not something you can do overnight—
"I'm not saying it's easy, Chief. I'm saying it's possible if you have an adequate distraction. Why can't you get back on your fighting game? Start your training again, brush up on your skills? You said you used to be one of the best warriors in the city; what's stopping you from continuing to be that version of yourself?"
"Me? A warrior?" Shaking his head, "Those days are gone, Sokka. At this age, I—"
"What 'age' are you talking about? You're not an old man. You're around the same age as my dad. Maybe not a youth but you're not even fifty-five."
"Do I really have it in me?"
"Why not? Just give it a try and put your soul into it. You said you used to be one of the best warriors in the city; there's nothing stopping you from continuing to be that version of yourself. A little bit of training, and your past self will come running back to you. You'll be able to protect yourself and Mother if circumstance demands it. Even if you won't be in the North." With his hand on the chief's shoulder, "Please, Chief. It's the least you can do to get rid of a strong chunk of what Yue is stressed over. Maybe she'd be convinced that you can protect yourself, and then maybe she won't have to worry about protecting you by being distant from you. And I know for sure that she will appreciate the two of you being each other's rock."
Yue looked back in their direction, this time out of concern given how serious their conversation probably was if they appeared that focused. The chieftain managed an affectionate smile of his own and waved good-naturedly.
"So please lessen her burden, Chief," Sokka said while smiling at the princess in reassurance, "She has a lot to deal with already. And you know what Yugoda said."
"Her Highness is taking big strides…but as far as her health goes, what she needs now is lots of patience and care. A means to relax and recuperate. The princess is fine-tuned to recognize another's suffering, but it is equally important for her to not suffer herself. It is crucial that she finds joy. It's important that you as her guardian do what you can to make sure she doesn't overexert herself physically or mentally…"
"I don't ever want to see her collapse from stress again," Sokka said, the firmness of his resolution obvious. "I'm not taking any chances."
"Don't worry," the chieftain said with a determined look of his own, "I'm not, either."
A reinvigorated Arnook decided to make himself look presentable in front of his wife just before they commenced eating, hurrying away to shake off his sickly demeanor like a giddy teenager in love. In the meantime, Ahnah continued to bask in her daughter's presence and found comfort and liveliness in her soon-to-be ningauk's jokes. It was easy to see that he was reaching above and beyond for the sake of making her daughter smile, and seeing the two of them together lightened the burden within her own heart. The reality was that Ahnah would never be able to get back the time that was lost, but she still wasn't going to pass up the chance to see the spark of vibrance in her daughter's eyes whenever the isumataq spoke.
As for Yue, she hung around close to Sokka despite repeatedly being in her mother's warm grasp. Primarily she was acting on her need of having a familiar presence around her. Being around her own parents was ironically strange, and the lack of familiarity was to blame for that. She didn't know the isumataq for long by any means, but she wasn't going to deny that his constant presence in these few days made her feel comfortable around him. Moments that would've otherwise been limited to the privacy of her and her mother were enlivened with the isumataq's presence.
Even so, the ambiguity regarding the heightening expectations of Yue's marriage-favoring parents lingered strongly. It took until Ahnah's bathroom break for the dronningi to wait for her father; she leaned against the corridor, her arms crossed, and was accompanied by the concerned prince.
"Are you doing okay?" he asked.
She nodded, "Yeah…"
"You should be happy, dronningi."
"I am…I just…I guess I'm still trying to process everything." Another pause followed with Yue taking a wistful look back at the room where she and Ahnah had spent attached to the hip for the past few hours. "It must have been painful for anaana. I can't imagine having a child after many years of trying and having that child taken away. Having to be in a coma, apart from that child for several years, finally waking up to meet them when they're engaged." Shaking her head, "I can't imagine how rough that would be."
"It's rough even thinking about it," Sokka agreed.
She took a deep breath, mumbling, "Sacrificing for the country became a lot harder in just these few hours."
"Let's not talk about sacrificing lives," came the response followed by a soft but reassuring touch of her hand. "We'll watch each other's backs, won't we?"
A nod followed, though timid considering the circumstances of uncertainty. "It seems there's so much that I don't know."
He gulped, "Why would you say that?"
"Just based off of everything I learned today," she frowned. "All this time, I thought I was just locked away in a room. And I was, but…who knew I actually grew up in the Moon Temple…and that, too, for the first couple of years of my life. Osha knew me back then. She lived at the temple, too. And there's no way she wouldn't remember me even after I was taken to the palace. There's no way she wouldn't recognize me. And yet, she never once told me this. She'd always known me more than she let on. She's known my parents, too, personally, and she never..." Leaning her head against the wall, "I've always wondered why I was drawn to the Moon Temple first thing when I escaped the palace. Why I felt it was really comfortable from the beginning. That's why I felt like I knew it for longer than I did."
She could still picture them: blurry images resembling the Moon Temple that she now attributed to distant memories. What felt like deja vu all this time actually had meaning all along.
"I'm never told anything. About what happened, how exactly anaana was attacked, where exactly I was born when the palace was filled with people…but that's not a conversation for today." She was too exhausted to process any more revelations.
"Don't think too much about this," he told her. "If there's anything we know for sure, it's the fact that however your parents managed the situation, they're here now and they're safe, and they did what they could to protect you. They might not want to talk about anything, but we know this much."
WIth a nod and a look of contemplation, "I just wonder if I met the Akna when I was young. I wonder if there had ever been a circumstance where she might have returned…even if just for a moment…And even if I did, my parents would likely never want to talk about that." Sighing, "At least the chief doesn't. He gets all defensive whenever I mention her."
Sokka wasn't going to lie; he felt pangs of guilt whenever she addressed this topic. The fact that she was the Akna, the fact that he knew that… had it not been for his firm resolve to prevent her from experiencing heartache, he wouldn't have been able to hold back from spilling the secret. Yue deserved to know her past at all costs, but if revealing that past meant telling her that her birth mother had left her at the sacrificial altar… He bit his lip, interrupting her thoughts with, "Yugoda said you should take it easy, remember? It's not good to stress so much."
"That's easier said than done," Yue said, shifting gears, "There's still our arrangement that we need to worry about."
"Everything's gonna be fine, dronningi, trust me. I'm not leaving, I told you this."
"Regardless of what the outcome will be, it would've been nice if the chief stopped and took a moment to think before announcing to people left and right that you and I are going to be married. Seriously, has he forgotten what the situation is like? What was he thinking?"
"I know it looks bad but—"
"Your family is leaving. Overnight, in fact. Everyone has their bags packed from what I've been hearing. They've made all arrangements to literally flee from the North."
"But I'm not leaving—"
"Even if you're staying, I'm still not fully settled on this idea," Yue admitted with a frown. "I still feel like a horrible person who's using you."
"This was my offer," Sokka reminded her. "You're not taking advantage of me, I promise." And upon her remaining unconvinced, his voice softened, "By all means, there's no force in this. It was just my attempt at trying to lighten the responsibilities you have to deal with. We don't have to do it. I'll talk to the chief about it. I'll talk to the Leadership Council, too. Tell 'em to suck it up and stop their yakshit—"
"Even if you or I were willing to talk to the Leadership Council, they wouldn't listen," she gulped, concern flaring through her eyes, "And if I say no to this arrangement now, anaana will panic. You saw her. She's being stubborn about this."
In an attempt to lighten her up, "Not too unlike someone we know, huh?"
And that managed to extract a tiny smile from her, but she kept dwelling on the issue, "Anaana wants to be wherever we are. The plan is to make her go with the chief, but he'll stay here if I don't go through with this. And she'll put up a fight and stay behind if he does."
"It's not good for you to be so worried, Yue. I'll think of something else, I will—"
They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps, which were rather fast and enthusiastic in contrast to the usual somber march expected of the chieftain. Arnook stepped into the light, appearing as if he was a whole different person with how hale and hearty he had become over just a few hours spent with his wife. Yue, despite having been expecting to confront her father, found her glare melting when she saw genuine happiness on his face for the first time. It was obvious that he had put more effort into his dress and style, not reeking of alcohol for once. He was wearing a purple tunic that appeared a bit worn but was nevertheless grand in appearance. Adding to that was the high he experienced in being addressed as ataata by his daughter, and that high was plastered as a wide grin on his face.
"Looking great, Chief!" Sokka grinned.
"The credit goes to the ataniq," Arnook beamed, gesturing to his fancy tunic, "Ahnah had this shirt tailored specially for me many years ago," the angayok turned to his daughter, "This was the first gift she ever gave me. She had it ordered for our first wedding anniversary."
And in spite of all that Yue needed to ask, in spite of the confusion eating away at her and the questions she'd rehearsed asking over and over, that part of her was defeated, overruled by the satisfaction of seeing him be so happy. "You look great, ataata."
Which drew an even bigger smile from the chieftain as if that was at all possible. "From now on, there's going to be a new chief and warrior in town. The old flimsy Arnook is gone. Starting this very moment, I'm resisting all temptation to resort to intoxication. I will start training again, and I will revisit my skills and techniques."
"May the Spirits be praised," the princess said. "The chieftess was able to achieve in one day what I couldn't in my entire life."
Arnook, still smiling, placed his hand over his daughter's shoulder, thankful that she didn't flinch away for once. "It's not only that she is back, paniga. It's also the fact that you are in safe hands."
Yue felt the last remnants of her arguments being washed away by Arnook's expectations. She didn't say anything to that, simply feeling a warmth in her heart as her father brushed his hand over her head, his touch exercising great care and gentleness, "Without either of you in my life, I am doomed for destruction." And with that, he placed a kiss on her forehead, his eyes glimmering with hope, "From now on, you will see a new side of me. I promise."
All the questions that had fired off in her heart minutes before dissolved into seas of reluctance, of a need to preserve what would be the birth of Arnook's healing process. And with that came the realization that there was no easy way out other than marrying the isumataq. "It's not only that she is back, paniga. It's also the fact that you are in safe hands."
Ahnah insisted on doing the serving personally for the dronningi. The ataniq's motherly instincts had kicked in at full force, demanding that only she be given the chance to feed her daughter. And all the while, Arnook resorted to filling Ahnah's plate in attempts to feed her.
"No one has been feeding you, it seems," the chieftess huffed, "Either that or you're not taking care of yourself."
"Anaana, I—"
"I'm not eating until I make sure you've eaten well."
And in the process, the chieftess realized many of the princess's habits, thinking that Yue's pickiness in refraining from a vast majority of Water Tribe diet left her at a physical disadvantage.
"You don't eat seal meat, either?" Ahnah said, bewildered as Yue shook her head, "Oh, Spirits, how can you be a tribeswoman and not eat these things, paniga?"
Yue only responded with a smile, also politely refusing the fish that Ahnah reached for next. The chieftess's worry increased. "Not even the fish? Oh dear." Defeated, Ahnah hesitantly reached for the rice, and the nod that followed brought her much relief. She served ample amounts of the rice; to her dismay, all that was on Yue's plate were rice, kale, and five-flavor soup.
"A person doesn't survive on just these," Ahnah fussed, now understanding why a plethora of "foreign" foods were brought in for the princess, but Yue kept a warm ambiance.
"You must have been around a lot of Air Nomads," holding a few noodles up to her daughter's lips and making her eat, "Paniga, their culture allows them to have other options. We rely on the ocean for everything. Everything that comes out of it is blessed by La for our taking."
"I don't think one has to be an Air Nomad to appreciate life in a different way, anaana," Yue pointed out, still smiling, this time tugging at her mother's sleeve and making her sit beside her.
Ahnah shook her head, "Well may our trading partners be immortal."
The princess couldn't help a laugh, earning a chuckle from her parents as well. The chieftess dried her persistent tears of joy and went on to say other things, faced with Arnook's persistent orders that she, too, sit down for a meal. And as the chief and chieftess were occupied by one another, Yue cast a glance at the prince, who was yet to join them. He only issued a smile in response, not budging forward but remaining seated across the chamber. She gestured for him to come over, her eyebrows raised at his delay, but he only kept smiling, remaining afar, an action which earned a pout.
"He's acting all weird. He's not touching anything. He hadn't eaten very much in the afternoon, either," she huffed, turning to a nearby Ivaneq. "Won't you drag him over here, Brother?"
Ivaneq only held a knowing frown on his face as he watched the prince attempt to joke around with a few healers. "I guess he's still disturbed from earlier."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well…let's just say Chief Hakoda went overboard. Again." A sigh, "He said some things he shouldn't have."
"We might not have been able to treat you like a prince, but we gave you everything you'd ever asked for! Even when the entire tribe went around calling you a spirit-forsaken mistake! A gluttonous idiot! And now? I'm starting to think maybe the tribe had been right…"
Yue responded with a horrified look, a protective part of her being fiercely tugged in the Southern warrior's direction, even more so when she saw him flash her a grin as if nothing had happened. With a frown, she excused herself and headed towards him to which he visibly brightened.
"There's going to be a lot of food leftover if we don't have anyone to help finish it all."
With a shrug, "I'm good, actually. Not really hungry."
"You didn't eat very much earlier. Or this morning when you deceived me."
"It was deception for a good purpose," he clarified, "But really, I'm not hungry."
"So you're not coming to join us?" she asked. "Any reason you're keeping your distance?"
"I thought I'd give you and your parents some time to yourselves. You know, since this is a pretty rare occurrence." Another mellow shrug, "I didn't want to be all obnoxious and stuff…"
"Who said you were ever obnoxious?" she defended. "On the contrary, it feels a lot weirder without you."
A tide of warmth brushed over his heart, reflected on his lips as a wider smile. "I bet you don't want to feel weird every day for the rest of time. Why not go ahead and marry me, dronningi? I'll keep you company every day."
"Will you come eat if I marry you?"
"I'm really not hungry," he chuckled, but she wasn't willing to put up with his bluff.
"I don't know you that well, but I know you enough. You're not as good of a liar as I am."
To which he couldn't think of a comeback but nevertheless realized she must have heard about what happened that morning. "Ivaneq just can't keep his mouth shut, can he?"
Yue took her seat beside him, "You mind humoring my 'religious nonsense' for a minute?"
"I know it's not nonsense when you say it."
Giving him a small smile, "You know how food offerings are given to the idols in the mornings and evenings, right?"
"Yeah."
"Well there's a kind of reasoning behind it. It's not so much that the idol is the spirit itself or that an all-permeable, all-powerful force will starve if a mere mortal doesn't offer it a measly share of human valuables. It's more the ethical idea of remembrance. An offering made with gratitude and love. Giving a portion of what was given to us to what gave us everything. Since the idea is that the moon pushes and pulls the tides, and the ocean relies on that magnetic attraction, giving us food in the process."
She cast a look at the moon outside of the window, at the waters that lapped up against the palace. "If we as a civilization give back to the Spirits a bit of what they have given us…even if it means granting them images and mythologies, even if it means humanizing them and representing them through statues…think of how much more care we would take— or should take— to give back to a human hero. Think of how much more we should honor someone who has kept us from the brink of starvation. Someone who would obviously work way harder than powerful deities. Wouldn't that person be a walking god? Wouldn't he be Tui and La on earth?" Turning to him, "And on that note, aren't you the 'god' of the South? A walking La, perhaps?"
The warmth in his chest overflowed, coursing through his body, translating into the awe and appreciation in his gaze.
"If we want to go with science, there's the fact that we're human. Irrespective of hero status, we are all made to love food. And in spite of this being true for everyone, it's also true that we all have different bodies. Some people's bodies require more food than others, but that's not a bad thing by any means. It's metabolism. Basic science." Crossing her arms, "Either way you slice it, the fruit of the argument is the same, Sokka. No one has the right to hate on your love for food. Nor does anyone have command over what you and your body need. You understand me?"
He gave a nod, holding back a burst of unknown emotion encompassing acknowledgment and bliss.
"And I know it was upsetting to hear such comments from your father," her voice softened, "but I hope you take them as nonsense sputtered in the heat of anger and not what he or anyone really thinks about you. I know Chief Hakoda is regretting saying that to you as we speak. Now I'm not your parent, but I do know that I would be very disappointed in myself if I was the reason why someone would want to change who they are…Unless if they're changing for moral betterment, that is. In that case, that's fine, I'll take all the credit."
The chuckle that followed was free of all distress this time, only laced with a smitten demeanor.
"So stop looking down at yourself, stop acting all weirdly detached and sad, and stop forcing yourself to keep distance."
He felt like he was floating in spite of the joyful fullness in his chest. He felt appreciated, affirmed. "Have I ever told you that you're the best thing that's ever happened to me?" With a vulnerable lilt in his voice, "No one's ever talked to me like this before."
Her warm hand rested on his shoulder, "Well if you're going to put me on a pedestal like that, surely you're going to honor all the hard work I put into getting up from my seat and coming all the way here to give you a pep talk and drag you back. Surely you're not going to refuse my love and care."
Love and care. It was in the context of friendship, obviously, but a hopeful part of him was rejuvenated. Springing up from his seat, "Alright, where's the meat?"
"That's the spirit!"
The princess and her mother had fallen asleep on the pelt couch. Arnook had carried his wife to bed, and while she mumbled Yue's name repeatedly, she was under the effect of her medicine and remained asleep. In the meantime, Sokka approached the sleeping princess, knowing she was exhausted beyond what she could endure. He didn't have the heart to wake her up, so Arnook took over the task.
"Yue? Yue, wake up, paniga."
She stirred but did not move very much, her eyes remaining closed despite a mumble of acknowledgment.
"We have another group of healers keeping watch tonight," Arnook told her. "We can't have anyone be suspicious. Go sleep in your room, dear."
"...too tired…" came another mumble. Her eyelids refused to open, worn down by the day's stress and the night's exhaustion.
"I can take you to your room if you want, dronningi," Sokka offered. "You can sleep more comfortably."
"Yes, Sokka will take you. Go to sleep, paniga." And the chief left, tending to his wife at the call of a healer.
Yue stirred again, this time voicing her agreement by holding her arms out. Moments later, she was wrapped in the warmth of his arms. This time, she had no reservations about resting her head against him; exhaustion had taken over her completely, eliminating any and all forms of protest.
"Don't worry about waking up early," he whispered. "I can tell Kanguk and the others to hold off until the afternoon. That way, you can have a chance to see them."
She shook her head, "It's fine. They should leave."
"They're not gonna leave without seeing you."
"Well they should," came a sigh. "I was going to give them a proper sendoff, but…I don't want to anymore." Managing to open her eyes just a little bit, "I can't have them stay and be vulnerable here, but I don't want to say goodbye, either. It's better if they leave without seeing me."
Soon enough, they reached her room, and she found herself in the comfort of her bed, a warm blanket draped over her. With her eyelids still drooping, she managed to flash him a warm gaze, her hand ruffling his hair, "Nakummek, nulettuk." Thank you, Prettyboy.
"Sweet dreams, dronningi," came his smile. "I'll see you in the morning."
Before he could leave, though, she stopped him with, "Do me a favor, Sokka."
"Yeah, anything."
"I know I won't be coming to give a sendoff for your family. They most likely don't want to see me anyway. But…if everything doesn't work out…I know you said you'll try your best, and I hope you have the upper hand, but if things don't work out no matter what…and you find that you have to leave…" Looking up at him, "Don't come to see me tomorrow. Only come to me if you're staying."
And he could guess the reason for that. "I don't want to say goodbye..." The painful twist in his chest returned. "I'll see you tomorrow, dronningi. It's a promise."
She managed a smile before he left and blearily blinked up at the ceiling. A restless breath left her lips, I hope so.
A/N: I haven't forgotten about this story! Professional school has been kicking my tail, so there's that. Thank you to everyone who has been patient. Hopefully I'll be able to publish the next chapter more quickly!