By Danielle Franklin
x o x o x
Aang stood under a roaring waterfall, hands folded in the way of meditation. Rain came down around him in steady sheets of gray and white as his symbols glowed like two beacons of hope through a thick fog. His eyes closed, he slowly came back to the mortal world. With a sneeze and a sniffle, he was back into his body. Cheeks painted pink for sickness and dehydration, he opened his eyes and slumped down into the river. He was wearing but a simple white smock tied togther with an orage sash, his trousers also white, sagged around his frail body with the current of the water.
"Why? Why? Why! Why did I ever ask her to marry me! Why did she have to be the one I fall in love with! Why! Oh Dear Gyatso, why!" He screamed to the heavens. When he got no answer from the gods, he let his head fall. Aang looked down at his hands. The shape, the colour of his skin, those stupid turqiouse arrows. "Why did I have to be the Avatar? Why did I have to be an Air Bender? She would not be - be - be..." He could not finish his sentece as he allowed tears to once again flow from his eyes. "I love her so much - - - but it's too hard to bere!" He said as he slammed his clenched fist onto a near by rock, shattering a good part of it.
He sat still, letting the water sway him back and forth. Tears still ran down his cheeks, falling and mixing into the water in which he sat. Another sneeze. Aang's vision became blurred, and with a sudden splash, he was face down in the torrents of water.
x o x o x
The gental sound of chimes in the wind... A soft hum... A gental hand stroking his cheek... The warm sun caressing his body... A smile grew on his face as he placed his hand on hers, opening his eyes, he saw the one he loved, looking at his with such pain and happiness it moved him inside. "Katara..." Aang said as he sat up out of her lap. "What? Why? How!" He stuttered. "Shh..." She said playfully as she placed a boney finger over his lips. "I found you floating in the river... You gave me quite a scare!" She said as she placed her head on his chest. "I love you so much..." She said as she listened to the beat of his heart.
"Katara... I love you -" He said as he placed her benieth him. Aang gently lay atop her as he placed soft kisses on her. "WAKE UP!" Screamed the shrill voice of an old woman. "GET UP! I SAID WAKE UP YOU FOOL!" Aang suddenly sat upright. He looked around him. He was not in a plush meadow, with the sun beating down on him, but in the medical unit of the inn. "How did I get here!" Aang said as he placed his hands on his chest. "I found you face up in the river, passed out, sick as a dog." The old woman spat. "I keep telling these men - boys I should say, to stop drinking!" The old woman muttered to herself under her breath.
"But mamam - I'm wasn't drunk!" Aang said as he undercovered himself and stepped out of bed. "Huh! Tell me something else, I know a drunk when I see one!" She said as she pushed him back into bed. "Mamam! Please, can I leave!" He asked. "Not until I see that wound on your hand!" She said as she grabbed his hand. Aang watched as the old woman slowly un-bandged his right hand. When the strips of blood encrusted linen fell to the floor, he gasped. His hand was severly bruised. Purple, blue, and a nasty shade of green blotched his hand. There where several deep gashes on the top of his knuckles, and his palm was slit down the middle. "How did that happen!" He asked as he tried to take his hand from her.
"Mustv'e been dared by one of your idiot friends to do something. You where probably to drunk to say no!" The woman said with annoyance
as she redid his bandges. "There. Go! Get out of here!" The old woman screamed at him. She then turned to her herbs and started muttering
somthing in a fast tounged forgien language. Aang leaped out of bed, grabbed his clothes from a near by chair, and bounded out of the room,
scared for his life about what the old woman might do to him if he stayed a moment longer. He was undressed, holding his clothes over his
privates as he ran down the hall.
Severel young women in kimono and make-up giggled at him as he passed them. One of them, just happened to know who he was. The young girl steathly left her group of friends to follow him.
Aang ran down the hall until he found an empty room. Once inside with the door closed, he sighed with relief and let his clothes drop to the floor below.
The young girl found the room in which her target had slipped into to hide. She let out a giggle as she slid the paper door open. "Oh my! I'm very sorry!" The girl said with a furious, and unbeliveable fake blush as she tried to hid her smile. "HEY! Get out!" Aang screamed as he turned to face the wall, slowly inching his hand toward his clothes.
The girl stepped into the room, her geta clicked on the teak flooring as she went. When she reached him, she placed a nimble hand on his
shoulder, making him jump ten feet out of his own skin. The girl leaned her head in to his. "Don't you remeber me?" She asked in a tone that
made him shiver. "Meng?" He asked uncertainly. "Hai..." She said as she placed her arms around his chest from behind. "No way! Meng"
He said as he turned around to face her. Meng fell into his uncovered lap in the process. "Well... it certainly has been... l - o - n - g..." She said
as she spelled out her last word as her eyes travled over his body.
"Meng... Um..." He said as he gulped. "Can you - uh - get off - - - me?" He asked as he paused between words to gulp. "Sure..." She said with a smile as she grasped his shoulders to lift herself up. As she rised, she let her collar fall a little so he could get a look at her. Aang's eyes bugged and he gulped once more. "Um - uh- - can you turn around so I can get dressed?" He asked nervously. "Sure thing." Meng said with a wink. She then turned on her heel to face the opposite wall.
"Thanks..." He said as he stood, pulling on his pants in the process. Once he was fully dressed, Meng turned around ran to him. "I've missed you so much!" She said as she coyly lifted her eyes to meet his. "Uh - yeah - it's been a while. A long while. " He said as he tried to leave the room. "Ahh! Don't be such a stick in the mud! Stay with me a while!" Meng said as she hugged his arm, gently trying to tug him back into the room. "I - I - can't..." He said as he turned his head away. "Come on! Don't you want to catch up!" She said as she wrapped her arms around him.
"I can't!" He shouted at her. "Why not!" She shouted back. "I just can't!" He said as he ripped his arm from her. "You promised me!" She said as tears fell from her eyes. "You promised me that you would come back for me! You promised that you would marry me!" She said as she glared at him. "What!" He said as he frooze in his path. "That's right! You don't remeber!" She said with rage. "I heard from all the other attendents of this inn that you are here with her! Wit that - that - that bitch!" Meng screamed at him. With those words, Aang slapped her across the face. "Don't you ever call her a bitch!" He spat. After he realized what he had done, he fell eye level to her. "I'm sorry." He said as he placed a hand where he had hit her.
"You don't remeber - do you?" She asked in a whimper, only this time her voice was a little more subsidded. "Look-" He began as he placed
a hand on her shoulder. "We - I was young. I had no slightest notion to what Love..." He put strong emphasis on the word. "...is" He continued.
"But you promised!" She said as she continued to weep. "I've waited all these years." She said through her crying. "I waited for you - the day
you would come back and I would be yours..." She said as she fell to her knees. Meng convered her face as she sobbed, her shoulders heaving.
x o x o x
Katara writhed under her covers. A giant yawn escaped her as she raised her arms over her head to stretch her muscles. "Ohiyo..." She said peacefully. Whe she opened her eyes, she found there was no warm body next to hers under the covers. "Aang?" She called as she pulled the pale blue covers back off. "Aang?" She called a second time. No answer. "Aang?" She called in a sing-songy voice. She was dressed in her sleeping robes, her shoulder was bare and exposed. Hair pilled atop her head, held togther with the combs from her beloved.
She slipped her head out the door, looking down both directions of the never ending hall. There was no one. "Aang?" She called once more as she came out of the room. She walked down the hall, opening every door she came into contact with.
An attending woman passed. "Miss, have you seen a tall, kinda lanky guy? S' blad and has blue arrows on his head." The woman pointed to a
room down the corridor. "Thanks!" Katara said as she bounded down the hall. "Little miss, I think ye should know yonder betrothed is with another
maiden." The serving woman said. The woman's words made Katara skid to a halt. "Another woman?" She asked as she slowly turned around.
"Hai. Master Aang is with Mistress Meng of the House of Wu." The woman said as she continued down the hall. "Miss, can I ask you something"
Katara asked the serving woman again. "Any thing, m'lady." She said as she curtsied. "What's your name?"
"M'names Setsuka." The woman said with a deep bow. "Thanks!" Katara said as she ran down the hall to Aang's room. Katara skidded to a halt infront of the door Setsuka had pointed out. She heaved a deep breath, then swiflty pulled the slidding door open.
x o x o x
A bright light streamed through the open door as Aang looked up, moving Meng from atop him. "KATARA!" Aang shouted as he jumped up.
Katara said no words. She simply stumbled backward, fell to the floor below her, and sat aganist the wall. Her eyes wide, hand on her forehead,
holding back the hair that fell into her face. Aang stood up, along with Meng at his side.
Meng tried to gather her fallen robes from around her feet. "Well, I think I will go. Aang, please, meet me by the river later!" She said with a wink and blowed a kiss goodbye. She then left, only dressed in her under robes. Aang was still in some much of a shock that he stood froozen.
Katara sat in the middle of the hall, not a sound was uttered between the two. Suddenly a cry broke the thick silence. Katara was doubled over
in tears, her hand over her mouth. Her chest heaved, her body was shaking. Her tears dotted her robe, fell onto the floor. "Katara." Aang said
as he approched her. "No!" She screamed at the top of her longs as she got to her feet. "How could you!" She screamed at him once more.
"Stay away from me, you - you - you letch!" She screamed as she ran back down the hall to their room.
Aang followed suit and ran after her. "Katara! Stop!" He yelled at her from down the hall. She didn't stop until she came to thier room. When she
reached it, she flung the door open and grabbed her backpack. She started grabbing all of her possesions that where scattered throught out
the room. Her cosmetics, robes, parka, shoes, she shoved it all into her bag. When Aang entered the room, she stripped off her robe and flung
it at him. "Here! It's your robe!" She spat as she pulled on her pants, under shirt, and dark blue battle robes. "Katara! What are you doing"
He demanded as she stepped toward her. "Leaving!" She screamed at him while bounding her boots with leather. She picked up her bag,
slung it over her back, and stepped toward the door.
Aang sprinted toward her. "Don't go! You can't leave!" He told her in a commanding voice. "And why not!" She demanded. "You are bound to me by those." He said as he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. She ripped her hand away from her. "Don't give me that bullshit." She said harshly. "You can have them back." She said as she ripped them from her hair and threw them at him. "Don't bother to come after me." She spat as she left the room, and ran down the hallway.
x o x o x
A month had passed since she left. Aang had them given into Meng, becoming her betrothed. They had taken to scouring the country for Katara.
Meng under the impression that they where searching for a valuable air bending scroll that Aang needed.
"Aaaaaaaa-ng!" Meng mouned as they flew. Aang's eye twitched at the sound of her voice. "What?" He asked without turing around? "When are we going to get off this dreadful animal!" She asked, refearing to Appa as the dreaded animal. "When we reach Ba-Sing-Se!" He shouted as he raised his hands over his head and began cursing in Air Nomad dialect. "How far is that?" She moaned more. "300 miles." He said dryly.
"Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh..." Meng moaned once more as she collapsed onto a pile of furs. "I really - really need to find Katara..." Aang muttered under his breath.
x o x o x
She swayed her hips to the music. It was an exotic tune, drenched with an other-worldly feel. It made her feel as if she where beautiful. Like
she had some worth. Katara was decked in a vibrant shade of green slik and lace. The top, made out of delicate silk with tones of lime, teal,
and blue streaked along it, priceless gems sewn into it. The bottom, a long silk and lace skirt with thin copper coins swen into the hems that
jingled when she moved her hips, slip to her waist. She wore no shoes, only woven hemp sandles. Her makeup was intense. Bold black lined
her eyes, enchanting greens and silvers bedecked her lids and the corners of her eyes. Her hair was swept up into a tight bun at the top of her
head, held togther by straight pins and a long sash.
"My dear... you grow more beautiful by the hour..." A man said as he walked into the room. "Father. How long are we going to be here?" She asked the man as she looked to him. "When Sokka comes to join us, we will leave." Her father said as he sat down at a table with another man. "Welcome, Heichi! It's great to have you here!" The man said as he slapped her father on the back. "Yes, Iroh, it's great being here." Heichi said as he put his mug of Sake to his lips. "Where is your nephew? Is he not bound to your hip these days?" Heichi asked as he sat back in his chair. "Zuko is practising drills! He has become quite skilled!" Iroh beamed as he continued on about his nephew accomplishments.
Katara let out a sigh. Did no way care she was there. She knew better than to ask her self that. She had learned that lesson good and hard
during her courtship to Aang. No body cared. She repeated that phrase in her head every day. "Hey Katara!" A voice disrupted her thoughts.
"Hey Hina!" Katara said as she looked up at her friend. Hina sat down next to Katara on the floor. "Aren't you supposed to be with Taeko"
Hina asked with a wink. "Taeko and function properly without me." Katar said sourly as she laid on her back, arms behind her head. Hina
looked at Katara's stomach. "Hey, Kat? Can I ask you something?" Hina asked her best friend. "Sure." Katara said with a yawn. "Why do you
have that scar on your stomach?" Hina was dressed the same exact way as Katara, only her stomach was flat and perfect, unlike Katara's
who's skin still had a scar from the brutal wound inflicted on her by Jet.
"I got it a month ago. I was attacked by a man. I was raped." She said as she closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. "Did you tell anyone"
Hina asked her friend worriedly. "My old suitor knew. But I don't think Sokka knows. I can never tell my father. I would disgrace him. He wouldn't be
able to marry me off." She said as she sat up. "Are you pregnant?" Hina asked, looking to Katara's stomach once more. "No. I never was..."
Katara said as she got to her feet. "How about we go find Taeko?" Katara asked, trying to get Hina off the subject.
"My brother was looking for you anyway." Hina mumbled as she also got to her feet. Right on clockwork, Taeko came into the room. "Katara! Hina!" He yelled happily as he ran up to them. "Hey to you too!" Katara said as she greeted Taeko. "Would you all like to go for a walk?" Taeko asked them both, but directed his question toward Katara. "Um, I need to - to finish some sewing! Seeya bro!" Hina said as she patted Katara on the back. "Good luck!" Hina whispered to Katara as she left. "Yeah, thanks." She answered with a scowl.
Taeko and Katara left the room, his arm around her shoulders. Iroh and Heichi watched them leave. "Do you think he will ask her?" Heichi asked his old friend. Iroh let out a hearty laugh. "My good sir, I think he will."
x o x o x
Meng kept up her incessent whinning for the duration of the trip. She would complain about every thing. The food was to cold, the tea was to hot,
it was too drafty in their room, it was too stuffy. It was never good enough for her.
"What are you trying to feed me!" Meng demaned a young waitress. "This food looks like it was prepaired a week ago!" She scolded the young woman. "I'm very sorry ma'am!" The waitress said as she took the plater of food away. Aang held his head in his hands. "Meng, that was the third time you sent it back." He said in disapointment. "It looked as if it had turned a month ago! You could not have expected me to eat that!" She moaned.
"Shut up! Just shut up already!" A man yelled from accross the room. Meng turned her nose up at the man. "Meng, I'm going out side." Aang said as he got to his feet. "If you leave, you are going to be sleeping with Appa tonight." She said coldly. "What ever." He retorted as he left. Meng let out a huff.
x o x o x
TBC...