Chapter 11: Trials of Detachment
It took all of Sokka's strength to not stare at the door leading to the Spirit Oasis; the scene of the chieftain's assassination was but a few feet away from the oasis, and the fact prompted Sokka to survey the area in hopes of finding out more details, maybe even a few clues that would help track the specific rebel responsible for the assassination.
"This was where I saw him. He was…" Anyu gulped, blinking back the moisture forming in his eyes.
"It's okay, you don't have to say it," Sokka said, placing his arm supportively around the young prince.
"The perpetrator was wearing a black cloak. He got past the guards and came from this direction," an attendant explained to the councilman, pointing to the right of the oasis.
"And then he escaped that way," another assistant pointed to the left.
Sokka trekked the described path of the perpetrator, which in all frankness was the only path that led to the Spirit Oasis. It was a long, single icy sidewalk, which stretched for two whole miles before forking. Of the resulting two pathways, one led to the chief's private quarters; the other branched into two further paths, one leading to the banquet hall and the other to the royal kitchen.
"There's no way the rebel was able to hide in the middle of the sidewalk. He would've been seen too easily. And since the rebels are not benders, so they couldn't have come through any other means like bending secret tunnels in the ice or whatever," Sokka calculated, "So there are three overall possibilities. One, the rebel probably came from the banquet. Two, he took the shortcut path from the royal kitchen. Three, he could've been hiding somewhere inside the chief's quarters by somehow breaking in, and if he didn't break in, then he was at least near the chief's room. Whichever location he was coming from, he was obviously following the chief." Turning back to the assistants, "I need one of you to arrange for me a list of everyone who attended the banquet. You would also be in charge of contacting the guests; I'm gonna need to talk to all of them."
"Yes, sir," spoke up one of the assistants.
"And you," Sokka turned to the second assistant, "I need you to inquire who all were in the kitchen for cooking duty that night. I'll need to talk to them, too."
"Of course, sir."
"In the meantime, I'll be checking the chief's room. I need the information as soon as feasible."
From there, Sokka made his way over to the deceased chieftain's chambers, followed closely by Prince Anyu. Imported tapestries hung over the walls of the corridor that led to the chief's chambers, retelling the history of the tribe via critical moments in history. The chambers themselves were made to look like fortresses of ice with their intricate architecture and somewhat secluded location from the rest of the palace. As for the private room, it was divided into two portions: the actual bedroom where the chief rested and an attached "war closet" where basic weapons and war paint specialized for the chieftain were stored.
Sokka and the young prince ended up spending nearly an hour looking at the same furniture and walls over and over again, failing to find anything that was of importance, otherwise coming to the conclusion that a break-in had probably not occurred given the lack of evidence. What caught Sokka's attention, though, was the perfectly still cot in the bedroom that was obviously tidied up, showing no sign of recent use.
"I thought the crime scene was left intact," Sokka frowned.
"It was," Anyu mumbled, examining one of the drawers. "At least, I told the guards to make sure it was."
"Then did someone make the bed?"
Anyu looked up, directing his attention to the bed, which appeared impeccably neat, not at all indicative that someone would have slept there. "No…at least, no one was supposed to…"
"I know it seems like it's not that important, but I'm only asking because the chief spent most of his time in this room before the incident."
"I'm honestly not sure, Councilman."
"Just think about it," Sokka pulled out a scroll from the folds of his robe and showed it to the prince. "It's clearly stated here that the chief 'left the banquet early and proceeded to his private quarters afterward.' What other private quarters would the chief have?"
"Not one that I know of anyway," Anyu shrugged. "We know from this report that after a couple of hours, he came out of this room and spent some time at the Spirit Oasis. And after that, he started to come back here."
"And that was when the murder was committed," Sokka scanned the documents again. "It doesn't make sense. If everything in this room was untouched, what exactly was he doing here by essentially not doing anything? It seems like the furniture wasn't used at all. The bed is intact. If he was sleeping on the floor, he had to have used pelts or carpets. Something so he wouldn't have to sleep on the ice. But this place is all tidied up."
Anyu thought for a moment, crossing his arms and leaning against a tapestry of a wolf. "Maybe we should... ask the guards…? If they noticed anything out of the ordinary?"
"Right," his voice dripped with sarcasm, "the highly intoxicated guards. You expect them to remember what happened before they were drowning in hallucinations and wooziness?" Moments later, the councilman paused and dropped his frown, "Sorry, I wasn't trying to be a jerk."
"That's fine, sir, I understa— woah!" The tapestry that the prince was leaning on gave way, and he faltered.
"Prince Anyu!" Sokka raced towards him and grabbed his hand to help him maintain balance. The prince, his eyes wide, turned around, noting that an indention had been made in the icy wall behind the tapestry.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, but...what is this?"
The two of them carefully cast the tapestry aside and observed the indention.
"It's a secret passage," Sokka realized. He pushed against the indention even harder and managed to slide the door to the side. A stairway was revealed, leading down into darkness.
Sokka and Anyu exchanged determined glances. The councilman grabbed a torch and led the way down with caution. Anyu made sure to cover the entryway with the tapestry again so the passage wouldn't be discovered by anyone else. He then followed the councilman down into the darkness.
"I've been in my uncle's quarters tons of times before, but I never noticed a secret passage," he said.
"Well now we have an idea where the chief was," Sokka looked around, growing increasingly curious. For the most part, all he could see were ice walls that seemed to suffocate any visitor who would tread down the staircase. "This stairway has to lead somewhere."
They stepped down for quite a bit, peering into the blackness with the dim light of their torch. They eventually reached the end of the stairway and saw that there was another entry, which seemed more like a giant rock than an actual door. The two of them pushed against the rock with full force and watched as it slid to the side, leading them to a vast room laid out with sconces. The councilman stepped inside first and set fire to the empty torches in the sconces, and within moments, the room lit up in torchlight, revealing a boundless architectural masterpiece.
"Wow," Anyu breathed.
By the looks of it, it seemed to be another set of private quarters intended for the sake of keeping the chief safe. Sokka initially thought it must have been made following the attacks that first threatened the tribe four months before, but even the most prominent of benders couldn't have built this in a matter of days. It was strange; Arnook told him everything through correspondence, but it seemed he didn't tell him about this arrangement. Furthermore, it was strange that even if someone had made this kind of arrangement, they would let him know on behalf of the chief.
"I guess to answer your question, he was here all along," Anyu said, taking the torch from Sokka and placing it in an empty sconce. "That's why the other room looked like it was untouched. He barely used it. He spent all his time here."
It was logical and further evidenced by how everything in the room seemed to be messy, signifying extensive usage. Knowing that he would be the target next, Arnook most likely sought refuge in here. Then again, when exactly was this built?
"Councilman Sokka...look…"
As Sokka turned around, he froze at the sight before him. Draped on the wall in front of him was one of the biggest tapestries he had ever seen. It was no ordinary tapestry, though. It was tall, wide, made of exquisite silk, stretching across a vast portion of the wall and emitting a stark navy blue hue. What caught his eye the most was the beautiful, lifelike weaving of Princess Yue as the Moon Spirit. Meticulously woven baby blue eyes, a smile that radiated with compassion, a grandiose dress of white silk with the wearer's palms positioned outward in a giving gesture.
Sokka immediately sank to his knees and stared at the elegant image of his lover. It was beautiful. No, she was beautiful. As always. And the tapestry managed to capture quite a fraction of that beauty.
"I can't believe it," Anyu murmured, also caught in awe, "The weaving, the material, the artwork…I've never seen anything like it!"
The commentary completely went over Sokka's head, his gaze filling with moisture.
"Do you think the rebels know about this place?" Anyu asked.
Sokka didn't take his eyes off of the tapestry. "Y-yeah...no...I…" Closing his eyes, her image still flickering before him, "Sorry, I didn't…what was the question?"
Anyu figured the councilman probably needed a minute or two. It was both a surprise and a pity to see one of the greatest speakers of the time be at a loss for words.
"I'll wait outside for you. If you need a few minutes…"
Sighing, his hand rubbing against his head, "Actually, carry on without me, if you don't mind." And his voice was so soft and tender that it threw Anyu off guard for a minute. "Come get me when the assistants have the info ready."
"Yeah, that's fine."
"And if you can, can you please tell the guards to bring my stuff down here?"
"Here?" Anyu looked around the room with a frown, "Councilman, this room seems a bit…I just don't know how I feel about it. I can have the tapestry moved to your room if you want, but I feel like this room isn't exactly…I-I can find you a place that's more lively. I mean, there aren't even actual windows here… other than this thing over here," he gestured to a small circular excuse for a window, the circumference of which barely amounted to a foot, big enough only for someone to peek through or stick their hand out.
Sokka sighed, "As long as I can see the moon, it's enough."
"How much longer will you be like this?"
Sokka, though having heard Arnook, did not answer his question. He instead kept his attention on stirring the chief's prescribed medicine into a cup of water, watching the clumping herbs dissolve slowly.
"I never thought mixing medicine would be that interesting."
The councilman frowned but still said nothing.
"You say one thing or another to avoid this conversation altogether, but that is not going to work this time. I can't bear to see you like this, son. Please, listen to me."
Sokka handed the medicine cup to Arnook, who was now sitting upright on his cot, eyeing the councilman with furrowed eyebrows. "Drink the medicine, first, Chief."
Arnook did not protest. For one, he needed the strength to actually initiate this conversation. Furthermore, he knew from experience that Sokka was a stubborn one. The warrior had been taking care of the chief every chance he got, spending more time than he normally did in the North ever since he learned of the chief's waning health. It was only obvious that Sokka cared for him as a son would a father.
More precisely, as a son-in-law would a father-in-law.
"Yue can't possibly be controlling your heart still…" Arnook began tentatively, placing aside his emptied cup.
"How about we not have this conversation?"
"I just told you I'm not letting you avoid it this time."
Sokka stood up but didn't leave; he began to blow out the unnecessary torches, leaving two of them intact and relocating them to a distant corner, allowing for dim lighting.
"Many years ago when you parted with that young warrior lady, you told her you could no longer live in the illusion that she's Yue with a different face." Keeping his eyes on Sokka, "But Yue would not want you to see someone that way. She would want you to genuinely move on with someone, not throw your life away in search of her in every woman you see."
Fighting back a snarky remark, he took a moment to adjust Arnook's pillows before saying, "I know the medicine makes you drowsy. I'll be right outside in the hall if you need anything—"
"Don't try to change the subject, Sokka," the man raised his voice, squeezing Sokka's hand. "Do you not realize what I'm saying? You're the only one I have left in this world!"
Sighing, "I'm touched by that, but that doesn't mean I have to get married. Please, let's change the topic."
A worried Arnook suddenly clutched his chest and winced, sinking into a coughing fit. Sokka widened his eyes, "I'll call the healer in—"
"No no," Arnook uttered through his coughs. "I'll be fine."
"Are you sure—?!"
"Yes, yes."
"You have to take care of yourself," Sokka handed him a cup of water. Arnook shakily attempted to take the cup, but the councilman thought otherwise and held it up to the elder man's lips, letting him take a few sips. The chieftain took in a breath of relief and settled against the pillows, dabbing at his eyes, placing his hand on Sokka's shoulder.
"Yue's time has passed, son. Time doesn't undo the pain or make you forget it completely, but it should lessen the pain at least a little bit, right? Twenty-two years is a long time…"
"I told you not to worry about me, Chief. I'm fine like this, really—"
"No, you're not supposed to be. How much longer are you going to live in fantasies of being my son-in-law? How much longer are you going to fantasize being tied to a Spirit? You need to get married to a real woman, son. You need to be bound to someone. Someone who is always going to be with you—"
"Yue said she would always be with me, and she is," came the firm response, the spark in his eyes defiant. "She is very real, and I consider myself bound to her."
"You are speaking through your pain," Arnook shook his head. "You have to accept the past and allow your wound to heal. Again, it is not too late for you to look for someone who can share her life with you and pass down your family name—"
"Family name is the least of my worries."
"Do it for your father, then. I'm sure Chief Hakoda would want to be a grandfather one day."
"He's already a grandpa. Katara has Bumi. They're planning for another kid, most likely more in the near future."
"He would want to see your progeny as well. Think of it: a smaller version of you." Attempting a small smile, "I would want to see that, too."
"Bumi took care of all that. He's too much like me."
"You need an heir," the man pointed out, "If you want a bloodline, if you want to be the chief of the South."
"Again, Bumi. If Katara doesn't want the responsibility, Bumi is next in line."
"Sokka—!"
"Why aren't you understanding that Yue isn't someone who can be replaced?" Sokka said sternly.
"She would have wanted you to move on—"
"She would want me to do a lot of things that don't involve her. That doesn't mean I'll do them."
"You're so stubborn," Arnook raised his voice, "Just forget her, Sokka! She's not in your life anymore! Pretend as if she was never in your life!"
"How could you be so stone-hearted?!" For a moment, the councilman forgot that it was a sickly Arnook who was speaking to him. "I never told you to forget Yue! I never told you to think she was never in your life!"
It got quiet very quickly. Sokka flashed Arnook a look that pleaded the elder man to drop the conversation at least now, moisture and frustration flaring in his crimson eyes. The warrior looked away, directing his glare to the ground.
"I'm stone-hearted, alright. I'm stone-hearted because I wanted you to take Hahn's place. I wanted you to be with Yue, and by the time I realized this, it was too late. I'm stone-hearted because I want what's best for you, because I'm forcing you to forget my daughter." He held Sokka's hand. "Did you ever once think about how I really feel? If being her lover makes you feel this way, think about how I must feel as her father. I've known her longer than you."
"What, just because you're her father you think you're the only one entitled to holding onto her?" came the subtle hiss. "Just because she made a sacrifice doesn't mean we stop loving her. Doesn't mean we should ignore her."
"There's a difference between ignoring and moving forward—"
"I don't give a fuck about the differences. No offense." Closing his eyes, trampling his bottom lip to hold back a sob, "I'm not gonna let go of her, and you know this."
The older man gave a gruff sigh, the look in his eyes wistful. "I raised Yue in accordance with rules, traditions, and duty. That's why I wanted her to marry Hahn."
The warrior's gaze hardened further as the tribesman was mentioned.
"But I must tell you that it was the greatest of my many regrets." Shaking his head, "Too many regrets. You would hate me if I said them out loud…" Taking a shuddering breath, "But if there's anything that even I did right, it was not to mourn Hahn's loss." Swallowing, "I have too many other martyrs to care about."
An intoxicated Sokka blinked at the tapestry of the Moon Spirit with glazed eyes. In the haze of exhaustion and longing, he curled up beside the weaving, not minding a night spent on the floor. He buried his face in its bottom half, and as he sank into sleep, he dreamed that the silk in the tapestry transitioned to the silk of the moon's white robes.
Two lovers wandered beneath the midnight sky, fumbling in the dark in their desperate search for each other. Tears raided their faces as they called out to each other, forced to keep their voices low so they wouldn't wake the entire tribe. The light of the moon was blocked by persistent clouds, making their reunion difficult.
Casting a merciful look upon their plight from her pedestal in the Spirit World was Yue. With a simple swish of her gaze and a small upward curve of her lips, she allowed the clouds to part, her illumination— a beacon for lovers— blazing forth. Beneath the shower of moonlight, the lovers found each other and embraced, lost in affection that dipped into passion, hands roaming and exploring. And just as the man swooped up the woman into his arms, the woman's legs swinging enthusiastically around his waist, Yue let the clouds cover the moon again, bestowing darkness again upon the conjugal night.
As she directed her attention to the other end of the tribe next, precisely the horrid chamber that the councilman stubbornly latched onto, the moon's attempt at a smile fell apart. She saw that he was lost in sleep, leaning against the tapestry in an awkward position that was sure to strain his back. A brush of her hand sent a fierce gust into the chamber through the small window, the wind strong enough to make him slip to the floor in a much better position. The tapestry ended up falling on top of him, covering him like a thick blanket, and he snuggled up with it.
It was then that Yue's solitude was interrupted by a particular river spirit, who donned crimson makeup and robes that almost matched the white sheen of the Moon Spirit's sweeping silks. Yue acknowledged her presence and smiled in greeting.
"It seems we both have a strong connection with the Southern Water Tribe siblings," and the river spirit took her place next to Yue.
"I suppose we do, Painted Lady Spirit."
The Painted Lady was no stranger to the nostalgia and longing which were swirling in the goddess's eyes, and yet, it never ceased to surprise her how Yue showed actual emotion as she watched over her human lover. One would figure that time and a spiritual filter against extreme passions would enable a high-ranking Spirit like the moon to not feel the same love she might have felt in her time as a human. It wasn't to say that the "filter" didn't work, for Yue hadn't shed a single tear over Arnook, from whom she detached herself and for whom she now held compassion as opposed to actual familial love. The same had happened with regard to Yue's relations with everyone and everything; no longer was her affection attached but rather a sea of mercy, the love a goddess would rightly feel for those who were devoted to her.
Sokka, though, was different, his fierce loyalty and crippling grief managing to push her into a mindset she shouldn't entertain: a form of love that was still attached and passionate...though she did her best to keep her feelings suppressed.
"What is it this time?" the river spirit asked, also casting a look at the warrior.
"He believes I sent him a vision to make him come to the Northern Water Tribe." Neutral, cold in tone. "I tried to disprove it by warning him to turn back, but he is willing to face the danger." Frowning, "Does he think he's a teenager at the North Pole again? Willing to dive in headfirst on a dangerous mission because he was forbidden from seeing a girl he liked? If so, that's rather foolish."
"'Like' is an understatement," the Painted Lady pointed out. "But anyhow, you put forth effort into making him the chief and providing him increased protection. You have the power to protect him with a swish of your hand. Why are you still disturbed?"
"Because of this foolishness of his. Whatever notions he's entertaining about being faithful to me…" With a huff, "I've never expected this amount of loyalty from anyone to begin with."
"But humans would kill or die to experience love like that. As a former human myself, I can confirm that."
"I'm no longer human, though," came the response. "I have a duty to the world. I'm no hormone-ridden teenager. I'm not supposed to have feelings."
"Might I say that there is nothing wrong with experiencing love and sorrow? That this filter thing is kind of overrated sometimes? I mean, just look at La. He rages consistently for humans' actions. His love for Tui is passionate. He has never entertained the idea of this 'filter.'"
"He is a karmic force. He is supposed to exercise his judgment without any sort of filter." And she turned back to the sleeping warrior below, feeling a lurch within her, "Can't someone at least be close to his vicinity? He tried ending his life, and everyone just let go of him anyway…"
And in spite of her glare, there was pain leaking through her harsh tone. "Obviously the idea behind his attempt is that there's potential happiness in the Spirit World after death. Your motherly instincts are certainly touching, but his intentions are clearly deeper in the fact that he wants you to be his wife and the mother of his children upon his transcendence to the Spirit World. The typical fantasy of someone neck-deep in love."
It had been ages since Yue felt the sensation of warmth raiding her face. She quickly dismissed it, "Well he's oblivious to the impossibility in his wishes. No harm in that. But I can't be oblivious to my status." Softening her gaze, "It's true that I felt something for him way back when, but…my loyalty now serves the Spirit World."
"I can understand your anguish, really," the Painted Lady said. "You and the Ocean Spirit gave up your eternity in the Spirit World to benefit the humans, so emotions strongly encircle you. It is not an easy transition. Even for a smaller-scale river spirit like me, it hadn't been easy. The Avatar himself had trouble letting go of his attachment."
"The difficulty of dissociation isn't an excuse in my case. I remain detached from everything and everyone else in the physical world to this moment." And although she didn't admit it, it hadn't been that hard of a process, for the physical world seldom offered her peace and happiness throughout her life, Sokka being the one real exception. She closed her eyes, "I can detach myself from him, too. I just need some time. Maybe I'll be able to move forward if he does. Maybe…maybe it's because of my guilt that he turned out like this because of me… But I just don't know what it would take to make him move forward."
There had been only one option regarding this: erasing his memories of her. Yue had done the same thing for her father upon his assassination; she couldn't erase Arnook's memories of her while he was still in the physical world. He was the chief, and it would've been a huge inconvenience for him given his status and influence, his attachment to her as her father. That was why she had to wait in his case. But for Sokka, there had been no results at all. Countless times, she had approached him while he was sleeping, and she had used every bit of her strength to wipe out his memories of her in hopes that he would be happier and would move on. It never worked, and she never knew why.
"Even if I can't do much…for whatever reason…I won't quit. He needs to get it together, pick himself up." She held a determined look in her eyes, "I refuse to be a parasite disguised as love."
"You're no parasite, Revered One," the Painted Lady told her, "And love is no disease. If it was, the Yin-Yang Being wouldn't have split itself into Tui and La for the purpose of immersing in it."
"I understand that, but in Sokka's case, I haven't exactly been a helpful—"
"Have you considered that maybe you have the power to have the best of both worlds? Have you thought that since the world relies on you so much, it shouldn't dictate what your happiness should be? It's just a matter of asserting your worth, Great Moon Spirit, so why not take it? Why not spare him and yourself of unnecessary suffering?"
"And what basis are you drawing this from?"
"Oh, nothing, just the fact that La has utmost respect for you and is willing to make it happen if you willed it. You might not be in the Spirit World, but you will still be carrying Tui's life force. Can't a balance be negotiated?"
Yue did not have an answer for that.
"You have brought so much life and joy with you when you came here, but you yourself haven't experienced a ray of joy," the Painted Lady told her. "What's wrong with being selfish for once?"
Yue dared not to entertain the thought, repeating the only mantra she was willing to entertain. "I can't abandon my duty. I shouldn't be selfish."
"I did not see anyone suspicious," spoke a minister by the name of Khiqran. "We were all a bit intoxicated, to be honest, so it's possible that we might have overlooked something. The chief didn't drink, though, I remember that. He hadn't been feeling well."
Frowning, "Was he showing certain symptoms? Dizziness or something? Or maybe anything that seemed suspicious? Like…maybe he was drugged or something."
"Actually—"
"Did you have any idea what he consumed that night? There might've been some tampering with the food that made him let his guard down—"
"I understand the direction you're going, but I only meant he wasn't feeling well emotionally," the minister clarified. "We were aware that he was in depression, and we tried to make it better for him. He seemed fine, but I think what messed him up was when he was talking to Minister Kiaq."
"Kiaq?"
"It wasn't meant to be an offensive occasion at all. Kiaq was only excited about his daughter's wedding next month and wanted to invite the chief. That must've triggered the chief's sorrow…you know…"
Swallowing, "Yeah, I understand."
"Poor man tried to hold it together, but there came a point when he had to leave. And then we heard the horrible news…" Taking a deep breath, "That's all I know, Councilman Sokka. If I'm reminded of anything else, I will be sure to let you know."
Sokka nodded, "Thank you for your cooperation."
Just when the minister left the premises, the front door slammed open. Anyu rushed in, nearly tripping in his haste before the alarmed councilman caught him.
"Prince Anyu, what happened? Are you okay? Why are you—?"
"Unnuk is dead, Councilman Sokka."
The color drained from Sokka's face, "What?"
Within seconds, Sokka and Anyu were out of the palace and racing towards the local prison. The guards didn't have to inquire about their visit judging by the looks on their faces; they quickly slipped out of the way, providing them entry. Sokka hurried over to Unnuk's prison cell, around which a lot of people— a mixture of guards, visitors, and inmates on good-behavior— were gathered. The marshal was inside the cell, double-checking the scene and examining the corpse. Unnuk, his lifeless eyes frozen with a wild look, was sprawled out on the floor, the impression of chains embedded into the skin of his neck.
"What happened?" Sokka inquired.
"Suicide, sir," the marshal said, holding up the chains, "He choked himself."
"Apparently Unnuk was going through another one of his episodes last night," Anyu explained to the visibly devastated councilman. "It took longer for the guards to calm him down."
The guards began to dismiss the rest of the people surrounding them. After a few moments, it was just Sokka, the marshal, and one other guard.
"We tried our best, but he was out of control. More than usual," the guard said. "He was screaming and banging against the cell and crying. It took us forever to get him to stop."
"And you left him alone anyway? Knowing that his mind was unstable?"
"Coincidentally, we had to tend to another prisoner at the time."
Sokka raised his eyebrows. "Who?"
"That mute guy down the hall. He was acting pretty wild. Pretty weird since he normally doesn't cause trouble."
"And that doesn't ring a bell at all?" the councilman asked rhetorically the more he began to think. "That mute guy must have been trying to tell you that someone broke into the prison or something. Clearly he must have seen someone out of the ordinary, and clearly that person had to be responsible for—"
"There's no way anyone could break in," the marshal said. "This prison is constructed to where neither benders nor nonbenders could—"
"But you never know," Sokka insisted.
"Even if someone did break in, how could that person get into Unnuk's prison cell?" Anyu asked. "What motive could that person even have for killing Unnuk? No one knows he's in the process of being pardoned."
The warrior shook his head. "No. Someone must have been suspicious. To make sure Unnuk doesn't spill more information, they finished the job."
"That would mean that the mystery person you're speaking of heard our conversation somehow, but it was only the three of us in the building."
"We weren't closely watching our surroundings," Sokka pointed out. "There could've been someone else in the room. Either that or the mystery person was generally suspicious of what Unnuk would reveal and decided to take him out."
"But the chances are very unlikely," the marshal persisted. "It is evident that there is no sign of a struggle to break into the cell. Officials had been patrolling the area. It's not possible for anyone to just slip past them."
"I was thinking along the same lines as you at one point, sir," Anyu told the councilman. "But it makes more sense that Unnuk killed himself. As the marshal said, we don't see anything unusual about the scene. Since Unnuk was already mentally ill, his conflicted feelings must have played into his decision of ending his own life."
Sokka still wasn't convinced. It didn't seem right at all. Unnuk may have been going through some issues with mental stability, but the man had demonstrated some inclination towards providing justice regarding the assassination of his dear friend.
"Fine," Sokka said, turning to the guard. "But for some reason, something still doesn't seem right. Do you remember what exactly he was saying? You mentioned something about him screaming."
"He wasn't coherent, sir," the guard answered. "Mainly he wanted to escape. He acted as if there was something out there to get him. But this is a usual pattern in his episodes."
Then again, it could be an indicator that there was more to the story. "So you're saying there's no way this could all be plotted?"
"We just don't see how. There's nothing to prove this," the marshal said. "If you have a strong feeling about this, we're willing to investigate."
"I'll do the investigating myself. Just answer one more question for me," Sokka said with a determined look. "Were these guards the only ones patrolling last night?"
