Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender in any shape or form.
True enough, they arrived at the Northern Water Tribe in two days time. Ameya saw the grand ice wall and city appear in her vision as they flew over the sea, heading straight to the citadel. Appa landed with ease on the snowy field and they smiled when familiar faces greeted them.
"You're back!" Katara ran towards them with Aang following closely behind as soon as they saw the sky bison.
Sokka hopped down from Appa, smiling widely once he saw the princess descend. The pale haired woman's eyes light up at the sight of them, her legs carrying her quickly to the duo. Sokka closed his eyes happily, his arms opening for Yue to jump into.
However, his dreams were crushed when he heard Ameya grunted and his eyes opened to see Yue clutching the dark haired woman tightly. Katara and Aang snickered at the Water Tribe boy's flabbergasted expression as Momo flew into him.
"Ameya! It's been so long!" Yue exclaimed happily, pulling back to study the other girl closely, "You grew out your hair! And you're as tall as me now!"
The normally docile princess was excited beyond her control, happy to see her old friend again after so many years.
"It has been three years," Ameya chuckled softly, eyes softening at the princess. "It's good to see you too."
"Hey what about me?!" Sokka waved his hands, "I was the one that brought her here!"
Yue giggled, "Thank you for escorting my precious friend to the Northern Water Tribe noble warrior," she bowed.
Sokka immediately reddened but the love struck grin was stuck on his face. Katara shook her head.
"Don't flatter him too much. His ego is big enough," she smiled teasingly at her brother.
Aang laughed as he rubbed the sky bison's head, "And besides, Appa was the one that did all the flying. Nice work buddy."
After the initial teasing and greetings have passed, all but Ameya glanced at each other suspiciously. She arched a brow at their sneaky glances, wondering what they are planning. It was Aang that spoke to her, his voice the most serious she had heard from him.
"I know it is sudden but there is something we must know," he stared at the taller woman seriously. She glanced around and noticed the others bore the same expression.
"Okay…"
"What…" Katara began.
"Your—" Aang started.
"Is it Ameya or Meya?!" Sokka finally exclaimed, frustrated with the tension in the air.
She blinked at them, expecting the worst and definitely not on the matter of her name. They still wore the same serious expression, waiting for her answer anxiously.
"Does…it matter?"
"Yes!" They all chimed in—even Yue.
"Princess Yue and I strictly believe it is Ameya but they would not agree!" Aang pointed towards the Water Tribe siblings.
"We met her not long ago! She gave us her name!" Katara countered.
"I've known her the longest and she had never used anything else," Yue defended.
Ameya watched as the four bicker back and forth, throwing random facts and arguments at each other. She blinked again before the reality of the situation set in and her shoulders began to shake. They stopped their dispute once they saw her raise a hand to her mouth, uncertainty on their expression.
"I'm sorry it's just—" a laugh escapes her lips, "No one bothered to care before…"
Now it was their turn to stare at the young woman. She looked so carefree in that moment that they completely forgot the reason for their heated argument. They glanced at each other, an understanding passed over them.
"It's Ameya," she answered, her laugh settled down into small giggles instead. "I wanted to be clever and use an alias as I travel but…Meya isn't that creative, hm?"
"It's a pretty name," Katara spoke first, smiling at her comfortingly. The others nodded their head in agreement. Light pink dusted on her pale cheeks at the compliment and she brushed a strand away from her face.
"Well now that's settled, I would like to see Chief Arnook. Has everything been prepping well against the Fire Nation?" Ameya scanned them over, the initial playfulness gone and replaced by professionalism.
"The soldiers are readying their weapon and armor, training from dawn to dusk. The benders are under strict guidance from Master Pakku," Aang reported.
She smiled and nodded. "Then you all should get back to training as well. I will join you shortly."
"I'll bring you to my father," Yue tugged gently on Ameya's arm, "We have a lot of catching up to do after."
They went their separate ways. The citadel was as blue and beautiful as she remembered, recognizing the familiar architect of the building in admiration. Chief Arnook was discussing something with another tribe member and dismissed him as soon as he saw his daughter and old friend approach.
Ameya smiled in greeting, bowing respectfully to the chief. He did not look too different besides an additional wrinkle or two added onto his aged face. He looked stern but his eyes still held warmth in them just as she remembered.
"It has been a long while, Ameya. Welcome back to the Northern Water Tribe," he returned the smile.
"Good to be back," her face turned serious after the pleasantries, "As you have heard, Admiral Zhao is leading the invasion. I can't say for certain of the number of ships but it has to be in the hundreds."
Arnook nodded. "Your warning gave us time to prepare. With the Avatar on our side, the North will prevail."
It was reassuring to hear his confidence and she smiled. "I will do what I can to help. Your tribe has shown me great kindness and hospitality many years ago."
"You may not know of your birth parents but your abilities have proved to be Water Tribe. We will never abandon our own," he tilted his chin to Yue's direction, who had been quietly waiting throughout the whole conversation, "You must be tired and your clothes are unsuitable to the cold here. You should rest up."
"I will shortly," Ameya bowed again, "Excuse me."
Yue led them towards her room, chatting quietly amongst themselves like old friends. Her room was just as Ameya remembered, the blue and white colors blended together with specks of purple furniture decorating the room.
"Pick what you want from the closet. I have plenty to spare," Yue pointed towards her walk in closet filled with a variety of clothes.
"The perks of being a princess," Ameya giggled and shifted through the well made garments, fingers gliding over the soft fur and cotton.
She picked out a deep blue dress with a pale sash. It was one of the simpler outfits compared to the rest of her wardrobe. Ameya had wanted to make sure she was still able to maneuver easily in it. She stripped her outer wear, donning on the traditional Water Tribe clothes over her black long sleeve and tied the sash around her waist.
"Here," Yue walked over to the young woman, a light blue ribbon in her hand. "May I?"
She smiled and sat on the bed, turning away slightly as Yue brushed the silky locks with elegant fingers. It was quiet, the comfortable silence lapsed over the two women but Ameya could sense something was bothering the pale haired beauty. She waited, not wanting to be the one to disturb her.
"Why did you leave?"
As expected, Yue asked that as soon as they were alone. She untangled a knot from her hair, gently repeating the process.
"I…" Ameya wasn't sure how to respond. For personal reasons? For fear? For her own selfish desires? They had left on good terms but now, as they sat with her back to Yue, she felt just as distant as before.
"You could have stayed;" her voice soft, "Father does like you. And you can waterbend…! There was no reason for you to go."
Ameya sighed. "I know…"
"Then why? You were just thirteen at that time. You shouldn't expect to travel at such a young age."
"…Aang is twelve," Ameya countered weakly.
"He's the Avatar. The world needs him now more than ever. But you—you appear to us one night begging for us to train you and then you left after—after everything we've been through," Yue attempted to keep her voice calm but the sadness laced at every word, "We were like sisters…"
"I'm sorry," Ameya apologized, "But I could not stay."
Yue tugged at her hair and muttered a quick apology. She had not meant to react so suddenly but she was unsatisfied with her answer.
"Before I…arrived at the Northern Water Tribe, I was taken in by a kind couple on the outskirts of the Earth Kingdom," Yue stared at the back of her head, waiting, "They were kind to me and provided for me. But just like the other villages, we were raided by the Fire Nation."
She remembered that night clearly. She remembered the scent of smoke and burnt wood. She remembered the screams of the villagers and the rough growls of the komodo rhinos.
And—she remembered Lu Jie taking her small hand, running away from their burning building and leaving Master Xiao to hold the soldiers back. And then she was stuffed into a tree trunk, Lu Jie filling the space with tree leaves and branches. The child was crying then, begging her to not go but she was ordered to stay quiet.
"Go north."
Those were their parting words and when Ameya poked her head out hours later, she was alone. The village she resided in had all been burnt down. And with a broken resolve, she made her way north.
"I was scared," she admitted quietly, lost in memory, "That the moment I find comfort again, it would be ripped away." She turned towards Yue, noticing her sullen expression and offered a weak, pitiful smile. "I truly am sorry."
Yue shook her head. She could not stay mad at Ameya—she never was in the first place. Just disappointed…and sad. She could not forget the way the young child back then had smiled widely when she saw the tribe—saw Yue's eyes and said 'they're blue—like mine!'
"You're forgiven," her arms wrapped about the other woman's stiff body, "And this time, we'll protect you. The Fire Nation would not tear us apart."
Ameya smiled against the fabric and her body relaxed, returning the hug with one arm.
"Thank you."
Yue finished up braiding Ameya's hair, twisting it into a simple bun and tightened it with the blue ribbon the same color as her eyes. She smiled at her own handiwork and Ameya thanked her once more.
"You don't plan on staying this time either, do you?"
"No," but it was expected, "I'll write often."
Yue's lips curled up in a smile, "You better. I would like to go on a journey too…"
"I bet Sokka would take you in a heartbeat."
The princess's face flushed and Ameya smiled knowingly. She had known as soon as Sokka said Yue begged him to retrieve her—Yue trusted him. It was no secret the two are interested in each other and she thought they would be a good match. Yue's gentle nature and position as the Chief's daughter had limited her to experience the outside world. She was raised to be a leader and her compassion for her people could not be rivaled.
"It—it would be good for the Northern and Southern tribe to unite again. Sokka and Katara had told us about the state of decline in the South…"
Ameya blinked at her, "I did not realize you had thought of marriage to unite the tribes."
She did not think it was possible for Yue to blush any more but she was proved wrong. The princess's cheeks flushed a deep red, spreading over her ears and upper neck. Ameya had meant for that to be a joke but her mouth opened in surprise that her guess was not far off.
"N-n-no! I-I cannot-!" Before she can ask why, Yue looked down sadly, pulling the collar of her shirt down to reveal a beautiful pendant. "I am…to be betrothed to another."
The dark haired woman gasped in surprise, eyes widening at the necklace. She opened her mouth to say something—anything but no words came out. At Yue's sullen expression and memories of Sokka's love struck face, she realized the truth.
"But you don't love him." A straightforward statement, "You love So—"
Her dark hands clamped over Ameya's mouth, silencing her further. She furrowed her eyebrows but said nothing more, noticing the glassy look in Yue's bright blue eyes. Her hands fell after a few seconds, eyes downcast to stare at the linen on the bed.
"Have you…ever been in love?" Her voice was quiet between them and Ameya caught the tremor in her tone.
"Not romantically," she gently grasped Yue's hand, "Tell me about it."
A smile found its way onto her pink lips. "It's wonderful. You can't help but to be happy around them. Every little thing they do just—make you smile and laugh…" Ameya had no doubt who she was speaking of, "And your heart—your stomach—your face! They do things you do not command them to! It's like there are bumble flies in your gut and fire in your cheeks but they are—not bad feelings."
She listened to Yue's rambling, smiling softly at the woman in love. It was in the confines of her room that Yue allowed herself to speak loudly, to break out of her princess mold to act as who she really is—a young girl in love. Sokka had been the one to help her with his corny jokes and sincere personality and Ameya could not help but feel dishearten for her friend.
It was not meant to be.
"Sometimes, love makes you do crazy things…but with him, anything felt possible," Yue calmed down, smiling sadly, "If it weren't for this engagement, I would have kissed him already."
Blue eyes widen in shock at her bold statement and her traitorous mind wandered to the banished prince. Hands clutching his face desperately, her lips against his underwater, his golden eyes on her for the second he had been awake—
"If you ever find someone that makes you feel the way I do, you must tell me," Yue squeezed her hand gently, "At least one of us should be happy."
Ameya could not respond to that.
Although Yue had insisted for Ameya to rest, she did not. It was not uncommon for her to sleep at the oddest hours or only for a few at a time. She was accustomed to always be constantly on the move. That is how she ended up at the base of the citadel, studying the waterbenders train vigorously.
Pakku noticed her before anyone else, eyeing the dark hair woman with familiar ice blue eyes. She turned towards him and bowed.
"I hope I am not too late to class," she smiled pleasantly.
"I'll let it pass this time," he remembers her now. The twelve year old from three years ago had grown. Although she had lost her baby fat around her face and her hair is longer now, her sharp eyes and smile were still the same. "Show me what you know."
It was easier said than done. Ameya never had a proper teacher and with a concentrated look. She raised her hands. The water from the nearby basin rose up and she attempted to move it around them. The liquid wobbled and fell.
Pakku frowned, disappointed.
"Your form is all wrong. Have you even waterbended before?" He criticized harshly.
"Well I never had a master before," she replied calmly. She knew she wasn't the best and was still lacking but she had hope—this time, she may be able to learn something.
"Katara!" The girl looked up from her training and smiled at the sight of Ameya, "Teach her the basics. She is far behind."
The young woman walked away from Pakku, heading towards Katara who looked eager to have her join. Aang began hopping over to them but was stopped by the elder man.
"Avatar, you have not even mastered the basics yet. Come, I will be your guide."
The girls giggled as Aang groaned but he gave a small wave regardless.
"I didn't know you were a waterbender," Katara was excited. She hadn't expected another girl to join them on the training. Although Pakku had just accepted her few days prior, the women of the tribe were still scared—still worried for tradition. But not all hope was lost, not for the younger generation.
"I like to keep that a secret," her fist connected to her palm in front of her, bowing to the younger woman, "Please take care of me Master Katara."
"Master huh? I like the sound of that," she mirrored the bow and slowly, Katara began to show Ameya the steps.
Ameya followed her instructions dutifully, allowing Katara to move her arms when necessary and tried to feel the push and pull of the water. She was struggling, Katara noticed, when she could not hold the water longer than five seconds. Even after an hour of practicing the forms, Ameya could not do a simple water whip.
"I clearly do not know what I'm doing," the woman sighed in frustration, wiping the sweat away from her forehead.
"No, no you're doing fine! No one can get it in just one day," Katara attempted to console but it did not change her mood, "It was hard for me in the beginning as well but after I traveled with Aang, you kind of start to develop a sense with it. Try to feel the connection with the water as it flows through you."
She demonstrated by raising the water from the ground, making graceful, clean swipes with her hand and the water bended around her. Ameya watched with admiration. She knew Katara had potential but hadn't realized just how much she could improve with the right master.
"Your arms guide the water and your feet stabilize it. Although a good form is required for waterbending, water has no form—no limit to what it can do." The water fell to the ground and froze upwards, Katara's hands hovering just above the spike. "You set the rules yourself."
She nodded her head. Her hands reached out, touching the icicle and it crumbled back into liquid. She closed her eyes, spreading out her arms and tried to feel like Katara had suggested. She could feel the faint energy of the water lifting off the ground and carefully guided it around.
"You did it!"
Her eyes opened to see the water flow around her and in her excitement, it dropped. Katara smiled apologetically and Ameya merely shook her head.
"Don't worry about it. It has been a long day," she looked at the setting sun and ran a hand through her hair. "I think I will just soak in water for a bit, maybe that will help me connect with the energy more."
"Any little thing may help," Katara offered weakly.
Ameya smiled in reassurance and walked away. Aang approached Katara with a skip in his step, looking curiously at the Water Tribe girl.
"How'd it go?"
"Not bad but…not great either. It's kind of odd—she strike me as the type of person who would be proficient in—well, anything but she's having trouble waterbending," Katara observed, confusion etched onto her face.
"Maybe something is holding her back," Aang offered. Although he is not a waterbending master yet, his ability to connect with the air element was similar to water.
Katara hummed in response, lost in thought.
Author's Note:
Have I mentioned I love Yue? But sadly we all know how that tragic tale goes. More insight on Ameya's past and struggles. Book 1 will be ending soon and I apologize for the filler-like chapters but it's important, I swear.
I also did more doodles of Ameya and the gang on my Tumblr! I can't believe I received 5 reviews on my last chapter—that made me so happy thank you all for the support!
Reviews are always appreciated and loved!