"Alright, alright, give me a moment. Let me make sure I understand this completely," Uvi began, holding her hands together tightly as she stared at the two girls with an unreadable expression. "Huvanni has been an Air Bender this entire time, hailing from the Air Temple in the West."

"Yes."

"The story of the Fire Nation ships being destroyed was just a cover-up for Fire Lord Sozin to attack the four Air Temples so he had an excuse to massacre all of the Air Benders in order to kill the Avatar."

"Yes."

"He presumably was successful, and Huvanni is now the last Air Bender after narrowly escaping the attacking army."

"Yes."

"And Koza has been hiding you in the house in order to keep you safely out of the clutches of the Fire Army until you could safely travel across the Fire Nation, while fabricating the entire story of being an Earth Noble's daughter in order to avoid seeming suspicious?"

"Yes." Uvi stared blankly at the wall, rubbing her hands unconsciously. Koza and Huvanni waited for a response with held breath.

"Goodness. You two are quite talented at keeping secrets, hm?" She asked, exhaling slowly. "Please tell me that's all you've been hiding. I don't think my old heart could take much more."

"Don't worry, that's everything. Honest." Huvanni said, grinning rather sheepishly.

"I know it's a lot to unload. But now you can understand why heading to Ba Sing Se is the best option. For the both of us," said Koza, protectively taking hold of Huvanni's hand. "To keep Vanni from marrying Ojin, and to prevent anyone else from discovering our relationship or her identity… It's the best way to ensure our lives together. ...Um, Uvi, you're not going to tell my dad, are you?"

"Oh Spirits, no. I may be old, but I'm not yet that much of a fool. I know exactly what someone of Master Shio's… let's say "position" could do with sensitive information such as this. I would never actively put Huvanni into harm's way." Uvi said definitively. Koza and Huvanni released their breaths at the same time, the warm relief washing over both of them. So Koza had been right all along.

"Thank you, Uvi. You have no idea how much keeping these things secret from… well, everyone has been eating me up inside." Koza said.

"I have a pretty good guess. If I was in your shoes, I don't know if I'd be able to sleep at night with such a heavy responsibility in your hands." Uvi tutted. Koza felt her fingers twitch. "But, I must stress a point to you both. Although I understand where you're coming from and why you believe running off and eloping is your best option-"

"We're not eloping." Koza and Huvanni said at the same time.

"-I'd sincerely recommend reevaluating your choices before you do anything drastic. You're both still so young! I know being sixteen technically makes you adults, but barely. You're both still children, and quite sheltered ones at that.. Have you thought about how you'll survive in Ba Sing Se?" Uvi pushed.

Koza didn't have an immediate answer ready for that question. If she was being honest, she didn't really know how she and Huvanni could make a living together. Finding a job would obviously be the priority, but… what skills did they even have that would be useful in the Earth Kingdom? Koza had been raised under the impression that she would simply marry into money; she didn't exactly have many useful talents outside of Fire Bending and an extensive knowledge of war history.

"We'll… figure something out," Huvanni decided. "People do it all the time, right? They immigrate from one place to another without a notion of how to make a living, but manage themselves once they get into the swing of things."

"That's a very optimistic approach, but it's also a very naive one," Uvi said sadly. "Believe me, I know! Some… dopey, non-Bender woman from the South Pole waltzing around the Fire Nation, it took weeks before I found work!"

"What did you do in those weeks?" Koza asked.

"Tried finding food. A place I could sleep. Luckily, the village I first arrived in was very charitable, so I was able to stay in the barn of a very kind family my first four nights. But when I traveled West towards the bigger cities… Some nights I had to resort to sleeping on the streets because there were no other options for me. I was very, very lucky that the Master and Lady took me in when they did. Some people don't get as lucky." Uvi spoke gingerly.

"I… see…" Huvanni said timidly.

"Now I don't want you girls thinking I'm trying to scare you or diminish your ideas," Uvi interjected. "I think it's a wonderful dream. But I just want you to be realistic for yourselves. I never want you two to have to go through the same hardships that I did. Surely there are more options we just haven't considered other than just running away? After all, Koza, you'd be leaving everything you've ever known behind. Are you really willing to just permanently change everything and leap into the unknown?"

"For Huvanni? Without question." Koza replied so instantaneously it almost felt like instinct. Huvanni beamed at her, pulling Koza in close.

"I love you." She said softly.

"I love you, too." They held one another tightly, all of Koza's worries and fears seemingly melting away in mere seconds. She realized with a strong confidence in her chest that nothing, not a single thing in this world mattered to her more than this girl. And she would never let anything take her away from her.

"Well, I see that there really isn't anything I can say to change your minds." Koza had actually forgotten for a split second that Uvi was even there. The woman was shaking her head disapprovingly, but was smiling softly. "If this is truly the plan you're bent on going through with, I suppose there's not much I can do."

"Why don't you come with us, Uvi?" Huvanni suggested. "The three of us in Ba Sing Se. It would be wonderful! We could all be free together!"

"That's a great idea! We could all escape from Ki Lo and stay together!" Koza seconded the notion eagerly. Uvi paused momentarily, considering the offer.

"It's a tempting offer, I must admit. Go off to start fresh with the two girls I care most about," she said dreamily. "But… My home is here. I'm such a small-town woman, I don't think I would ever be able to properly fit in at such a large place. Besides, I've dedicated so many years to this family. I can't just get up and leave."

"You'd rather stay trapped under their clutches than go off and start a new life?" Koza asked, appalled. "You wouldn't have to be the help for a bunch of spoiled rich people! Isn't there something you've always wanted to do? This could be your only chance!"

"Yes, there is one thing I want." Uvi breathed.

"Well, what is it?"

"It's my dream to return home one day. Back to the Southern Water Tribe and be alongside the friends I left behind. Oh, it would take so much discipline to get myself on that boat, to go back there and face everyone again. But I want to spend the last years of my life back home." This notion was met by a period of silence. Koza could only stare at her with a hurt expression as the realization set in. "I want to go with you, Koza, I truly do. But-"

"No, it's okay, Uvi," Huvanni was the one to speak up. "Don't feel pressured to come with us just because it's what we want. If you have your own ambitions and wants for the future… Then you should go for it. And hey, the Southern Water Tribe is much closer to Ba Sing Se than Ki Lo! Maybe we could come by for a visit once in a while." She beamed. Uvi looked sadly between the girls.

"Are you sure? I want you both to be independent and make your own choices, but I would also hate to leave you behind to fend for yourselves."

"Completely. We want different things and that's okay! You're allowed to be selfish once in a while, Uvi," Huvanni said. "And even though she's not saying it, I know Koza feels the same way." Koza looked up and gave Huvanni a look, who in return simply smiled.

"Koza?"

"Yes, I think you should go back to the South Pole," Koza finally admitted with a sigh. "I don't want to leave you. But you should do what your heart tells you to do. And.. don't worry about us. A Fire Bender at the top of her classes and an Air Bender who survived a cultural genocide. We'll be okay." She said confidently.

"If you believe you two can do this… then, well, I suppose I have to have faith, too." Uvi smiled, standing up from the bed and embracing the girls tightly, like a mother would her children. Koza gingerly reciprocated the hug, burying her nose into the comforts of Uvi's shoulder. The familiar scent of the woman's clothes filling her nostrils, Koza made a mental note to never forget that smell.

"How's your leg, Huvanni? Is it healed enough for travel?" Koza broke free from the hug and asked, trying to keep herself from crying.

"I think so." said Huvanni, pulling up her pants leg to show off the burn. The wound had almost completely healed at this point, the pulsing red skin now faded back to the lighter color of Huvanni's natural skin color. All that remained was a faded pink scar. "It doesn't hurt anymore, so I think it's as good as it's going to be."

"It's such a shame. Having such an ugly scar as a permanent reminder of what the Fire Nation did to you." Uvi sighed, looking at Huvanni's leg pitifully. Huvanni rolled the fabric of her pants leg back down.

"I don't think it's ugly," She said matter-of-factly. "It's a symbol showing that I survived. That I can heal from the past." Koza smiled proudly at this statement, taking a tight hold of Huvanni's hand.

"That's a beautiful way of seeing things, Huvanni. You're a very wise girl." Uvi observed.

"When you've spent sixteen years living among nuns, you tend to pick up on a few things." Koza said, grinning at Huvanni. The Air Bender squeezed her hand.

"I can hardly imagine. The life of an Air Bender is one of intense dedication," Uvi noted. "Well, anyway, when do you two intend on leaving? Kay'un is probably the closest town I can think of that has ships to the Earth Kingdom, but it's still about a full two-days walk."

"If I had my glider, I could probably make it in less than one..." Huvanni noted rather bitterly.

"Two, huh? If we sneak out after sunset and travel through the night, we should be able to cover ground more safely." Koza said her thoughts out loud.

"Tonight? You're going to just up and leave tonight?" Uvi suddenly cried, flabbergasted.

"The faster we can get to the Earth Kingdom, the better. We have no way of knowing how soon Shio Kan is planning the wedding for." Huvanni chimed in. Uvi was clearly distraught by this news, but forced herself back into a serene calm.

"I… I see. Yes, leaving as soon as possible is the wisest decision. I just… I don't know, I guess I simply hoped that we would have a bit more time together. I'm not ready to see you go, Koza." Uvi swallowed, rubbing her eyes.

"It'll be okay, Uvi. We'll be okay, I promise," Koza said breathlessly, forcing herself to be strong for Uvi's sake. "How about this? Once we arrive in the Earth Kingdom, I'll send you a letter disguised as an old friend from the South Pole. That way you'll know we're okay, and Mother and Father won't figure out where we went. We can do that all the way until we reach Ba Sing Se."

"That would make me feel much better, thank you," Uvi chuckled. "Speaking of your parents, what are you planning on telling them? I know you don't think they care about you, Koza, but they'd simply be heartbroken if you vanished without a trace. Maybe at least give them the decency of a letter?" Koza didn't respond immediately; though she didn't say it outloud, she had been running on the assumption that she'd just disappear into the night. Leaving them an explanation of why she decided to leave seemed too kind, somehow.

"Okay, I'll leave a letter behind." Koza decided, though she wasn't very happy about it. Uvi smiled in appreciation, then her eyebrows raised slightly.

"If you two are going to Kay'un, you're going to need identification and money, maybe a map, too… Alright, I probably shouldn't be telling you to do this, but this is your best option of getting on a ship without Huvanni's identification. When the ticket vendor asks you for your name, tell them that you're the daughter of the Firelord's right hand, Shio Kan. A lot of folks in smaller towns don't like messing with big-shots, so if you just throw your status around, you should be left alone. Now I would never recommend doing this in normal circumstances, and it's definitely not going to work again once you reach the Earth Kingdom. So don't go thinking you can get special privileges.. Got it?"

"Yes, I got it." Koza responded, smiling at the woman's stern position. Uvi had no reason to worry- after today, Koza was determined to never associate with her father's name ever again.

"Good. I have a few copper and silver pieces somewhere downstairs, you can have those for your trip. And I'll pack some snacks so you don't have to worry about food…" Uvi listed. "I don't have a map, but I can try and draw one? I'm not great with directions, though, you might have to buy one downtown-"

"Uvi, you don't have to go through all that trouble. Really, you don't have to give us your hard-earned money." Huvanni urged, the thought of doing such a thing clearly making her uneasy.

"I want to go through the trouble, Huvanni," Uvi interjected. "Trouble, it's not even any trouble! I have plenty of money saved up, giving away a few silvers isn't going to drive me into the ground. Really, I want you to have it. Think of it as a… parting gift. Or a marriage gift!"

"We're not getting married." Koza and Huvanni said at the same time, once again.

"Either way, this is just a mother's way of sending children off into the world. I want you two to have the biggest head start as possible. Since I can't go with you, this is the next best thing." Uvi said gently. Koza glanced side-ways at Huvanni, waiting for her answer.

"...Okay, if you insist. But once we start making our own wages, I'm sending you back twice as much as you're giving!" Huvanni said definitively. Koza agreed completely, although she found it rather amusing how uncharacteristically strong-willed the girl felt about the subject. Perhaps some of the Fire Nation had rubbed off on her, after all.

"Sounds like a plan," Uvi couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I'll go get everything ready downstairs. I suggest you girls pack some items, just clothes and possibly some sentimentals. Travel light, it'll be much easier in the long run. I suppose it won't matter anymore that you don't go to school today… goodness, I hope you have a good excuse for this in your letter, Koza." She stopped for a moment and looked over the two girls. "You both love each other more fiercely than I've ever seen before. Promise me you'll never lose that?"

"We promise." Koza said first, followed right after by Huvanni. "Will you see us off?"

"I… I don't think I can. I'm afraid if I do, I'll try to stop you from leaving," said Uvi guiltily. "I'll say my goodbyes after dinner. I'm sorry, I just-"

"It's okay, Uvi. I understand." Koza smiled.

"Thank you, Koza. You're a wonderful young lady. I wish you nothing but the best. H-here, I'll go get everything ready. Look at me, sitting here weeping. Gotta be strong, Uvi!" She encouraged herself, shaking herself off and rather quickly heading downstairs. Koza and Huvanni stood alone for a moment, allowing the conversation they just had to finally settle in.

"We're leaving tonight. And we're going to start a new life. Together." Huvanni mouthed as Koza- almost subconsciously- started filling a small duffle bag with clothing- one she only ever used when on "family vacations.". Packing seemed easy, she only had so many outfits; and it wasn't like she had anything sentimental to bring along for the ride.

"Are you nervous?" Koza asked, folding a pair of identical dress shirts.

"A little, I think. Mostly because we're kind of running head-first into the unknown," Huvanni said slowly. "But it's also exciting! I almost feel like a vigilante. The Air Bender, running away from her betrothal in order to be with the one she truly loves- her fiance's sister. You know, Uvi was right, that would make a really great book." Koza laughed and finished packing, but her laughter was quickly cut short when her bedroom door slammed open.

Ojin, his eyes hollow and dark, stood there, as still as a statue. Huvanni and Koza both froze, the three gazes all locked onto one another in paralysis.

"So it's true," he said in a strange voice. "I didn't want to think it was. I thought it was just a joke."

"What are you talking about, Ojin? And who said you can just barge into my room without knocking?" Koza demanded, trying to seem as normal as possible. Huvanni, meanwhile, found herself unable to speak at all. Ojin's wild gaze fixated on his sister, his chest barely moving with his breaths.

"I heard everything. Everything you said to Uvi," Ojin spoke. "Huvanni's an Air Bender, you two are actually in love. And you two are running away tonight. I heard it all."