Koza could hardly believe her eyes when mere minutes later, Huvanni- blended perfectly in with her new choice of clothes- sat at the head of her family's dining table, looking at the entirety of their home with a fascinated expression.
It had barely taken any convincing on behalf of Koza's karetakers. Uvi was more than happy to let the young girl into the home, though Fulay was a bit hesitant at first. She at first wrinkled her nose at Huvanni's presence, no doubt unsatisfied with the girl's scrappy and unwell-kept appearance. However, after Koza reiterated her story about Huvanni being the daughter of a "very important Earth Kingdom politician," Fulay nearly tripped over herself to let Huvanni take a seat at the table.
"Please, sit down, sweetheart," Fulay had greeted with her signature over-the-top flare. "We all would love nothing more than to have you stay with us for as long as you need." And now here they were, Fulay seated right smack-dab in-between Ojin and Koza, while Huvanni sat in a seat across the table, clearly doing her best to try and keep her posture upright as they waited for the salvation that would be Uvi coming in with dinner. Koza and Huvanni kept shooting each other unsure glances, silently sharing the same dastardly thought: Would this really work?"
"So, Huvanni," Fulay was the first to break the ice. "Why don't you tell Ojin and I a little about yourself? Like… what brings you all the way to Ki Lo?" Koza subconsciously took a tight grip of the tablecloth, holding her breath for Huvanni's answer.
"Oh… Well, my family are all heavily connected in trade lines, have been for centuries. We mainly keep our focus on making connections with the other Nations, though. My father has traveled to all corners of the Earth Kingdom, the Air Temples, and the Water Tribes in order to strengthen our trade connections. I'm usually lucky enough to accompany Father on his work trips, though we haven't spent much time in the Fire Nation as of late. Father thought it would be beneficial to my education to spend a semester here, so I can learn more about Fire culture for future use." Huvanni replied with the slimmest trace of confidence, her eyes flickering towards Koza every few words like she was checking for approval. Koza was rather impressed with the girl's capacity to think of such a believable lie, and on the spot, too.
"That's so very interesting," Fulay cooed, clasping her hands together. "My husband is much more up to date on the affairs of the other Nations than I am. He's out at Capital Island doing important work alongside the other important Fire Nobles, but I'm sure when he returns home he'd be more than happy to discuss potential connections for trade with you."
"I'd… be honored to discuss such matters with your husband." Huvanni replied, plastering on a fake-but-believable polite smile. Fulay seemed very pleased, much to Koza's relief. She released her grip on the poor tablecloth, not even releasing her knuckle had turned white from the strain.
"Does part of Earth Kingdom culture include being covered in dirt?" Ojin asked with a cocked eyebrow. Fulay whipped her head around at a lightning speed and gave Ojin a smack on the back of the head.
"Ojin, that is rude!" She chastised as Ojin indignantly rubbed the spot that had been struck. "You don't speak to a guest that way!"
"It-it's alright, Fulay, really." Huvanni assured.
"I'm so sorry about Ojin's behavior, Huvanni. He clearly still has a lot to learn about manners." She glared at her son; Ojin kept his own gaze locked on his mother in silent challenge. Fulay cleared her throat then turned back to Huvanni. "Though, if we're bringing it up… I must express my own concern, Huvanni. You're covered in bruises and scrapes, you look like you just ran through thorns! Are you alright?"
"Oh, yes, I'm fine. I was.. It's just a, um…" Huvanni faltered in her lie, glancing to Koza for silent help. Koza quickly sprang into action.
"She tripped on the walk back home," Koza said. "There was a hole in the road that we didn't see, and she got scratched up from falling. They really need to fix the roads by the school, it's really dangerous."
"I'll say! Injuring students trying to get home, tsk! I'll be sure to tell my husband about it, he'll make sure this town is put into tip-top shape!" Fulay exclaimed. The two girls were saved from the pressure of having to make up any more lies by Uvi, who was exiting the kitchen with an armload of all different types of dishes. Koza breathed a silent sigh of relief as Uvi placed the serving platters onto the table, atop of which were foods that were never seen in the household on a regular basis: braised turtle-duck, pea tendril and hibiscus root salad, seared elephant koi, kebabs, chicken pig dumplings, and even bean curd puffs. A feast that could easily feed a small village, all for the four of them.
"Uvi? What is all this? You didn't tell me that you were planning on changing dinner plans for tonight." Fulay said, her persona faltering for a moment as she gave the woman a hard look. Uvi smiled nervously and bowed her head.
"I-I know, my Lady. I apologize for my boldness, but I thought that our guest might feel a bit homesick on her first night with us. I thought that preparing some traditional Earthen foods might make her feel a bit more comfortable here. I hope that's alright." Fulay blinked, looked towards the delicious-smelling foods, then back to Uvi.
"...I see. Well, thank you, Uvi. That was a very kind thing to do for our guest." Fulay regained control of her temper once more, flashing Huvanni a winning smile.
"Of course, my Lady. And Huvanni, I apologize if this isn't prepared like how you're normally used to, this was all a bit of a last minute change. But I sincerely hope you enjoy." Uvi said, turning towards the Air Bender.
"I'm sure it's all delicious. Thank you for the food, Uvi." Huvanni thanked graciously, bowing her head. Uvi positively beamed as she went back into the kitchen, and from the corner of Koza's eye she could see Ojin looking at Huvanni with an inquisitive expression, almost like he was analyzing her. Koza decided to mark it off as typical Ojin weirdness, and was the first to dig into the meal.
Uvi had truly outdid herself for tonight; though the foods were all delicacies found primarily in the Earth Kingdom, everything was cooked to perfection. Chewing on a bit of koi and noodles, Koza wondered how she got all of these ingredients so last minute in the first place. Uvi was just a wonder, she supposed. The family ate in their signature silence, Huvanni following suit so as to not draw anymore attention onto herself. A few minutes passed by as everyone got a taste of a little bit of everything, before Fulay did something completely and utterly out of character: She spoke.
"So, what do you think about the Fire Nation so far, Huvanni?" Fulay pleasantly asked. Ojin and Koza nearly both dropped their chopsticks, staring at their mother with bewilderment.
"Oh, I think it's... lovely. Just lovely. The scenery is quite nice, some places more than others." Huvanni replied. Koza thought she saw the Air Bender's eyes momentarily dart in her direction, but figured she had just imagined it.
"I completely agree with you. Ki Lo is a wonderful town, but then you have places like M'kargura or Kumiko Village, whose populations are made up of nothing but bandits and jobless scum. I sincerely hope Fire Lord Sozin does something about that problem in the near future." Fulay sighed, taking the daintiest bite of turtle duck like a child begrudgingly eating something they didn't like.
"What's it like living in the Earth Kingdom, Huvanni?" Ojin asked suddenly. He put on a broad face as he asked the simple question, looking at his mother out of the corner of his eye as if he was waiting for her to scold him. She did not.
"It's... interesting enough," Huvanni said slowly. "Very diverse in the major cities, and so many skilled Bending masters and Sages everywhere you look. I'm not an Earth Bender myself, but it's still fascinating to learn about the different styles and techniques used. And I'd never tell my Father this, but I've always secretly thought that the Air Temples are one of the most fascinating places to visit."
"You've been to the Air Temples before? Wow, what was that like?" Koza asked with as much interest as she could muster, hoping to blend in with the rest of her family. Huvanni hid a cheeky grin under the guise of wiping her mouth on a napkin.
"Stunning. The Nomads were all such kind people, and they taught me so much about spirituality and inner peace. Not to mention the flying bison were really something to behold. I'd pay anything to have my own." She said. Koza felt her heart sink ever so slightly.
"Yes, the Air Benders were once such respected people," Fulay stated, shaking her head in pity. "It really is such a shame what they've done to the Fire Nation."
"What did they do to the Fire Nation?" Ojin inquired. Huvanni's body tensed, and fear glazed over her silver eyes.
"Say, um, Mother?" Koza said quickly, drawing her family's attention away from the topic. "Where will Huvanni be sleeping? Will we be sharing my room?"
"Goodness, absolutely not! I can't believe you'd even suggest something as silly as that," Fulay scoffed. "No, she'll be in the guest room, we have more than enough space to keep her comfortable. Which reminds me, Uvi? Please set up the spare bedroom, and accommodate anything Huvanni asks for." Fulay called into the kitchen.
"Yes, my Lady!" Uvi's voice called back. She scurried out not a moment later and promptly headed up the stairs.
"Is Uvi from one of the Water Tribes?" Huvanni suddenly inquired.
"Water Tribes? I... No, I don't believe so. Why do you ask?" Fulay asked, puzzled.
"She's wearing an engraved blue stone necklace. Maybe it just looks very similar, but they're commonly used as a sign of matrimony in the Northern and Southern Water Tribes. Usually when someone wants to marry a woman, they'll engrave a stone, turn it into a necklace, and gift it as a proposal." Huvanni explained, taking several more servings of bean puffs.
"You're very learned about different Cultures." Ojin observed, looking at Huvanni as if he was only just noticing her. To Koza's utter astonishment, he was actually giving her a tiny smile.
"You tend to pick up on many things when you've traveled as much as I have." She replied curtly. She placed down her chopsticks and dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin. "Thank you very much for the meal. Everything was delicious." Huvanni said, bowing her head in respect towards the other three.
"Did you eat enough? You only had bean puffs and the salad." Koza noted out loud before she could stop herself. Huvanni's eyes gazed guiltily over the plethora of food that still remained untouched.
"I don't eat meat, actually. I'm a vegetarian. I sincerely apologize, it completely slipped my mind to mention it earlier. I had no idea this much would be prepared." Huvanni said timidly.
"Oh Huvanni, please don't feel bad," Fulay reassured. "Uvi should've asked. Spending all this time and money on cuisine you can't even eat... Typical. That woman is so-"
"Please, Miss Fulay, don't be cross with Uvi. This was all very thoughtful of her, and I really do appreciate it. Perhaps we can give what's left to the needy in the community?" Huvanni suggested. Koza slowly turned her head to see what her mother's reaction would be, and she noticed that Ojin was doing the same.
"I... I suppose that would be better than seeing it all go to waste." replied Fulay. Though she tried to sound casual, Koza knew her mother was simply cringing on the inside; Fulay hated nothing more than the idea of giving things out to all of the "lazy free-loaders" around Ki Lo. Luckily for Huvanni, though, that sentiment was beaten by Fulay's need to impress a guest.
"...Well... It's been a long day. I think I'd like to get ready for bed," Koza decided after finishing the last bites of her dumplings. "May I be excused, Mother?"
"I'd like to do the same. The ride this morning from home to Ki Lo completely wore me out," Huvanni added politely, following Koza's lead. "May I be excused as well?"
"Of course. Koza, go show Huvanni where she'll be staying." Fulay commanded. Koza and Huvanni both left the table and scampered upstairs, leaving Fulay alone with Ojin. Probably a good thing, it'll leave them more time to whisper behind my back, Koza thought with annoyance.
Koza led Huvanni into the guest bedroom- which was, luckily, directly across the hall from Koza's. It was smaller than the other rooms in the house, though it still had the overly-decorated interior and same black, red, and orange decor as the other rooms. It conformed, just like everywhere else. Uvi was inside, changing the sheets of the mattress and fluffing the boar goose feather pillows.
"Just making sure everything's clean and comfortable." Uvi informed them without even looking up from her work. Koza stood out of the doorway so Uvi could pass through.
"Uvi? You were born in the Fire Nation, right?" She found herself asking right as Uvi was out the door.
"Hm? Oh, no. I was born in the Southern Water Tribe. I left the Tribe when I was twenty-one and moved here." Uvi responded nonchalantly before descending down the stairs with the old sheets in her arms. Besides her, Huvanni was wearing a large, victorious grin.
"How'd you know that but I didn't?" Koza asked with amazement as Huvanni looked about the room, admiring the decor and infrastructure.
"Well, I wasn't lying about traveling all across the world. The Nuns take us on outings to explore all corners of the world, to meet people from all walks of life. Earth, Fire, and Water alike. We really gain a lot of understanding about ourselves from learning from other people." Replied Huvanni.
"I see..." Koza mumbled, folding her arms together. This girl could recognize Uvi's heritage and culture just by looking at her once, and Koza had been blind to it for sixteen years. That's utterly pathetic, she thought.
"Alright, now that the room's settled, when should we go down for the pastries? If I have to give the Fire Nation any kind of credit after what they did, it's that they have some damn good pastries here." Huvanni chuckled to herself.
"Er, my family doesn't really do desserts. Ojin doesn't really like sweet things, so we don't really keep them in the house. Unless we're throwing a party, but even then I have to make sure each guest has had their fill before I'm allowed to even go near them. Otherwise Mother will go ballistic once everyone leaves and send me to my room without dinner. Made that mistake once when I was six, never made it again." Koza replied, leaning against the wall. Huvanni stared at her with a blank face for several seconds.
"...Oh." She reached out and took hold of the red silken window curtains, feeling the fabric between her forefinger and thumb before speaking again, "Your mom seems kind of scary." Koza couldn't help herself and snorted at the comment.
"Tell me about it. Let's hope you never meet Father, then. Let's just say that a good day is when he chooses to ignore that I'm there." Koza scoffed. Huvanni frowned.
"So it's always like this in your house? No jokes or fun, just small talk about politics?"
"No, it's never like this. Normally we don't talk at all."
"Seriously?" Huvanni looked aghast. "Not even during meals?"
"Especially not during meals," Koza rambled. "Father had that rule put in place since before I even learned how to talk to begin with. 'Meals are for eating, not talking. If you need to say something, it can wait until you've left the table.' Koza did a crude impression of Shio Kan. Huvanni's gaze was now locked back onto Koza, staring at her like she had just grown three heads.
"That's... very sad. Incredibly sad. The meals at the Western Air Temple were filled with nothing but talking. One of the older Nuns would tell a story, someone would discuss which flavor of fruit pie was better... They were noisy and busy, and always full of laughter." Huvanni said quietly. There it was, appearing on Huvanni's face again; that damned look of pity. Koza was getting very sick of seeing it.
"It just… was always a normal rule in our house. I just thought it was a normal thing that lots of families did." Koza said sheepishly.
"Your's is the first I've ever heard to do it." Huvanni whispered. The two girls stood in uneasy silence for quite some time, neither quite knowing what to say. Koza felt the Air Bender's eyes burning into her head, but she had found that Huvanni's shoes were much easier to keep her focus on. Her throat felt oddly tight.
"Well... I think I'm going to take a hot bath, get all of this dirt and cinders off of me. Where is-?" Huvanni asked gently.
"To the right, end of the hall." Koza replied. She didn't recognize her own voice at that moment. Huvanni nodded and moved to walk past Koza to leave the room. Right before she did, Koza was taken by surprise when Huvanni enveloped Koza in a large embrace, squeezing the girl's entire body with a tight yet comforting grip. Koza nearly shouted in objection at the act, being taken by such surprise she thought for a split second that the other girl was attacking her. But this… this was nice. Really nice.
Koza hesitated a great deal before bringing her own arms up and hesitantly wrapping them around Huvanni as well, returning the embrace. As the other girl was just a bit taller than she was, Koza's nose was pressed deep into Huvanni's shoulder. She could still make out the burning scent of smoke lingering on the girl's body. Huvanni's hold was kind but fierce, reminding Koza of something nostalgic that she couldn't quite remember. She was a bit disturbed to feel tears beginning to form in her eyes, which she quickly blinked away.
Koza couldn't be sure of how long they stood like that, their arms wrapped around each other as if they were protecting the other from every horror in the world. All Koza could focus on was keeping as still as possible, fearing that any movement ended the embrace prematurely. She couldn't remember the last time someone held her like this, like she was really there; like she mattered to this world.
Despite Koza desperately wanting to hold onto the embrace for as long as possible, Huvanni was the one who broke away, though her hands remained on Koza's shoulders. She looked at Koza for a moment, her face filled with thousands of words that Koza couldn't read.
"It looked like you needed that." Huvanni finally said before removing her hands off of Koza's shoulders and hurrying out of the room and down the hall. Though Koza was now alone in the dark room, somehow, it didn't seem quite as cold and unkind as it did just a moment ago.