Chapter 32: Through All the Long Night
Sokka ran across the sidewalks, nearly tumbling into the canals multiple times in his haste. The chances of Yue being at the Moon Temple were both high and not-so-high; if the universe decided to be harsh on him by having her avoid him, then the chances of her being at a place that he would easily guess were zero. Then again, a part of him was stubborn in looking for her there. He just hoped the universe would go easy on him. He hoped he was at least given a chance to tell Yue that he didn't at all agree with Hakoda's remarks. That in her Moon Temple and all the efforts she was putting forth for the tribe, he saw inspiration, not an ill fate like superstitious tribefolk believed.
Before he could cross over into the middle ring where the Moon Temple was located, however, Sokka saw a few gatekeepers struggling to hold back a young boy, who was likely seven or eight years of age. The boy's hands were sloppily but tightly holding a three-to-four year-old boy, likely his sibling.
"For the last time, you can't come here!" a gatekeeper yelled at the boy, who looked utterly confused as he tried to resist the tribesman's shoves with one arm and struggled to hold his brother with the other, "Both of you go back home."
"Anaanavuk!" the boy cried desperately, appearing as if he had trouble understanding the language. With great difficulty, he managed to choke out the very few words he knew of the common tongue, "M-Mama...o-our…" he pointed in the direction behind him, "Mama…"
"Anaana, anaana!" the toddler cried through his tears. Momma, Momma!
"If your mom's as much of a peasant as you are, then she won't be here," the second gatekeeper spat, shoving the boy back, "Now get out—"
"HEY!"
The men turned around and saw the Southern prince approaching them rapidly, a snarl on his face.
"Hands off the kiddos," Sokka hissed.
"Sir, they—"
"I said," the warrior's fist clenched around the nearest tribesman's shirt, "keep your hands off."
The men gulped and stepped back as Sokka knelt down to meet the young boy's height, "Hey, buddy," his tone turned soft, and he took the shaking younger boy into his arms, "It's okay, I'm here to help. What's wrong? Did you two get separated from your mom?"
"Ikajunga! Anaanavuk, anaanavuk!" the older boy pointed in the direction behind him. Help! Our mom, our mom!
And Sokka had a feeling this wasn't just a gone-missing case, especially with the level of panic that exuded from the trembling children. "Kappianngittutit. Uvanijunga," he told the boy. Don't be scared. I'm here. "Atangiijuq oqaatsituusuunguvit?" Do you speak the common tongue?
"Aagga," the boy shook his head.
"Nakinngaaqqit?" Where are you coming from?
"Sukuttiamik ungasittumikinngaaquvaguk! Anaanuvuk katjâktut! Aujuk!" We are coming from the outer sector. They are beating our mom! She is bleeding!
Frowning in alarm, "Kikkut?" Who?
"Angutiit paliisiit!" The guardsmen!
"Nami? Namiippa?" Where? Where is she?
"Tuksiarvik taqqiq!" The Moon Temple!
Sokka turned to the men, commanding them swiftly, "Pukiqtaliit hivanirlugit!" Call the guards!
Yue was sitting on the front steps of the Moon Temple, hugging her knees to her chest. She absentmindedly smoothed her fingers over the ridges of her small conch shell, which dangled from her chain necklace that she usually kept tucked away under her robes. When the weight of her thoughts increased to more than what she could normally handle, she held the conch up to her ear and closed her eyes, faintly making out the sounds of the ocean that churned from within the shell. Slowly but surely, her pounding heartbeat picked up a smoother rhythm even if her thoughts refused to let up.
"People with connections to the Akna or the Moon Temple only bring bad luck, and there have been instances in real life that point to this truth!"
"So do yourself and all of us a favor by keeping away from those Revivalists, that Moon Temple, and especially the princess!"
Chief Hakoda's words were not uniquely his, nor did they come as a surprise to her. They were classic justifications used by conservative families to defend the Water Tribe's sexist traditions, whether or not these conservative folk were fine-tuned to the discriminatory nature of those traditions. Another reason why this incident didn't completely shock her was the fact that Sokka himself disappointedly admitted to his family's conservatism on numerous occasions given the many conversations they shared up to this point.
One thing has to be made clear: Yue was not angry. Sure, the sexist attitudes of these kinds of people were blows to everything she believed and were contradictions to the progress she was trying to bring to the North, but this discrimination was no longer a surprise for her since she was highly familiar with it and dealt with it regularly. Chief Hakoda, and by extension, Pakku, were currently juggling not only their possible gratitude for Yue but also the indoctrination that they, like millions of tribefolk, ended up receiving thanks to patriarchs of the past couple of centuries, who stamped out all possible resources of liberation and acceptance. It was difficult, anyhow, for someone to throw away decades of indoctrination over one act of kindness. Not that Yue helped the South for the recognition in the first place, but still.
Despite her lack of anger, the princess was nevertheless uncomfortable. And as she continued to ruminate, she wondered if perhaps it was best for the Southern isumataq and his family if she parted ways with him and let him go on his way back to his home tribe. The realization did not sit well with her, for she was quite taken with the prince's charm and valued his quick but sweeping friendship. She did not understand the painful tug at her heart for someone she knew but for a few days, but Sokka was one of a kind, and there was no doubt about it.
A hand on her shoulder interrupted her thoughts. She opened her eyes and saw Osha looking down at her in concern; the priestess was just on her way out but stopped herself upon seeing that Yue was still here.
"Mother Osha?"
"You said you needed to be somewhere."
"I did, but…I realize I'm not exactly wanted there."
Frowning, "Nonsense. Everyone wants our Tui."
With a dry chuckle, "I'm no Tui, Mother Osha. I just happen to look like her, that's all." Yue then looked up at the sky, at the moon that was starting to hide behind the clouds, "Besides, Tui Herself has been unwanted for quite a while now."
Sensing the disturbance in Yue's face, Osha took a seat beside her. "Are you not going to go home?"
"Actually, I wanted to stay here for a while. If that's okay."
"This is your temple. You may stay as long as you wish, Tuiup paninga," she assured her, giving her the keys. "You can just lock the temple when you want to leave."
"It's alright. I'll just stay outside. It won't be for long anyway."
The priestess cast a glance at Yue's conch necklace. "You are still wearing the vermillion, aren't you? Over your dark spot?"
By which she referred to the darkened area of skin on Yue's chest. Yue had been eight or nine years of age when Osha, while helping her wear her white duty robes for the first time, noticed the small patch of darkened skin over the girl's left breast that contrasted her bright complexion. This confirmed Osha's knowledge of Yue being the incarnate Tui, but until now, Osha remained as if the confirming mark did not matter. Two days ago, however, she began prescribing the same vermillion ritual for Yue. The same day she told Chief Hakoda and Chieftess Kya to make sure their oldest smeared the vermillion over his corresponding spot.
"Yes, I am…" Yue quirked her eyebrows in curiosity, "You don't ever plan on telling me why I should do this, do you, Mother?"
The priestess only smiled a mysterious smile, and with a gleam in her eyes, she smoothed her hand over the princess's head, running her fingers over the soft white locks. "My dearest Yuesanga."
And in her mind, the Northern dronningi instantly pictured Sokka's smug, crooked grin and the brewing mischief that would peek out from his sharp blue eyes. "Isumataq gave me that name."
"And he has named you well," Osha told her. "You must laugh, Yuesanga. La always wants Tui to laugh. If She doesn't laugh, what will become of the world?"
But Yue could not bring herself to cheer up. She did not understand what she was feeling in all honesty. So the isumataq was fun and sweet and all, but she did not know him for long, so why was she feeling this way? Over the course of her life in this endlessly abundant universe, she met many people, befriended them, watched as they either moved away or moved on with their lives.
Then again, she hadn't been as close to any of them the way she was close to Sokka. The man had a charm about him, and being with him made it easier for her to express herself, crack her own jokes for once. Their conversations teetered on and broke many boundaries as if they had been friends for so long.
"Do you know why Tui dances on the battleground?" Osha asked Yue. "Do you know why She smiles in the face of battle? It is because She knows that she will win every battle she fights. She is victory personified." The priestess stood up, casting a look at the nearly-covered moon. "Our Tui will be very bright tonight. Very powerful."
Yue looked back up at the darkened sky.
"She will outshine all the lights in the galaxy. They are all useless in front of her." Osha closed her eyes and basked in the small amount of moonlight that sliced through the clouds, "You will see for yourself."
Osha did not linger much longer after that, flashing Yue a knowing smile before being on her way. The princess, now alone, sighed and kicked at the snow, becoming slightly frustrated with herself. What was she doing? Sitting around moping over a man she barely knew. She was better than this! She was a woman of pride and honor. She had a mission much greater than missing the people who can't be beside her all the time. She had a nation to feed, an entire people to change.
And of course, one of her most important missions as of yet: cracking down Khasiq's brothels, which he advertised as adult entertainment clubs. Years and years of looking for them and busting them out, but they always seemed to elude her one way or another. Khasiq had a habit of changing their locations every few months, so even if she was a single step away from finding out one location, she would've been greeted with empty buildings lacking all evidence. She never even had the chance to extract information from its associated folk. So why not let go of doomed friendships and focus on this issue more closely, instead?
Suddenly, a loud, desperate shriek pierced the air. "TUI!"
The voice quickly burst into her soul with its distress, and even before she could control it, the image of Hama popped up immediately into her mind.
"TUI!" Hama howled, her hand reaching for a horrified Yue as the princess peeked out in horror from her place behind a tree. The old woman's boiling, sinful blood spilled into the forest snow, staining it with her vehement anger and pain, and Hama instead drew on a look of wonder coupled with love and incommensurable fear for the replica of Goddess Tui. So much so that the name 'Kuunnguaq' slipped from her memory entirely. "TUI! Get away from these heathens, go! TUI! Save yourself Tui!"
"TUI!"
Yue hiccupped out of her thoughts and pulled on her masks and veils. She looked up to see a figure fumbling in her direction in the dark, falling and rising back up in her hurry. It was a chubby-looking woman, likely in her early thirties according to appearance. She seemed deranged, maybe even mentally challenged by her behavior, and she was sporting a distant, fearful look in her wide, wild eyes. Her hands were pulling at her chaotic hair, and she was heaving erratic breaths her entire way, yelping and screeching Tui's name, likely having seen Yue and taking note of her white hair.
Yue quickly got up from her seat and stepped forward, catching the woman before she could topple forward in her haste, "Careful! Ma'am, are you alright? Ma'am—!"
"You," the woman gripped Yue's shoulders, "I've been looking for you for so long!" And she laughed with incredulity before howling with distress and banging at her chest. The woman's clothes were ripped apart, her tunic torn at the area of her right shoulder and the side of her chest. Parts of her upper body were exposed, barely covered, but her skin was obviously bruised. Scratches, some amount of bleeding, some swelling, too. A bruised breast was hanging out from the eroded fabric, barely covered by a poor excuse for a sarashi wrap.
"Oh my Spirits!" Yue immediately took off her cloak and wrapped it around the woman. She fiddled with the keys and brought the woman inside of the temple, closing the doors behind them. The woman cowered in fear and kept holding onto Yue.
"It's okay, you're safe here," Yue assured her, bringing her inside and offering her some water, and the entire time, the woman was laughing and crying and holding tightly onto Yue's hand and spilling the water everywhere, screaming, "Tui! Tui!" from the top of her lungs.
"Who did this to you?!" Yue asked her, the horror and pain in her expression increasing. She immediately extracted some water from the air and coated her hands with it, seeking to heal the bruises on the woman's face, but she tossed Yue's hand away.
"Naalungiarsuukkak!" My babies! "They took my babies!"
"Who—?"
"Tell them to give me back my babies, Tui!" And she took hold of the offerings made at the altar and threw them around, howling in pain and rage.
"Ma'am, please," Yue choked out, "Please, I want to heal you," and she gently placed her glowing palm on the woman's cheek, but the woman grabbed hold of her hand tightly and shook her head.
"No! I want my babies!"
"I will find them," Yue assured as she tried healing her again, "Who took—?"
"Those demons," the woman looked around as if they were nearby, "Tui, kill those demons right now! They'll be here!" Bursting into tears again, "They're hurting me and they took my babies, kill those demons NOW!"
"Please, ma'am, you need to calm down," Yue said, her glowing hand finally making contact with the woman's bruises on her cheek. The glow distracted the woman for a solid moment, and she stared at Yue as the princess eased her physical pain little by little. The woman's heart rate seemed to calm down, too, and she threw her arms around Yue and cried to her heart's content, whimpering Tui's name over and over again.
"It's okay," Yue rubbed her back, "Shhh, it's okay...I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you…"
"My babies!" the woman wept.
"I will find them," she held the woman by the shoulders, "Tell me, who is trying to hurt you? Who took your children?"
"Demons! Demons demons demons—!"
"Alright," Yue moved her hand down to her arms and coated them in her healing glow, "Can you tell me one demon's name?"
"Monster, he's a monster! He took my babies!"
And that was when Yue noticed that the woman's neck appeared as if bruised by some kind of necklace even though no choker could be seen, and a horrible feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she brooded over the possibility of the woman's husband being the very monster she was talking about. "Did your husband do this to you—?"
"That MONSTER!" the woman wailed, "He took my babies!"
"Where did you last see him? Do you remember?" And with that, Yue trailed off as she heard the intense banging of the temple doors. The woman screamed restlessly, and likely in response to her screams, the banging became more intense.
"I won't let them hurt you," Yue told her, "I promise. Stay here for me."
"Don't go, Tui," the woman held onto her so tightly that she was nearly cutting off her blood circulation, and even before the princess could extricate herself from the woman's grip, the doors burst open. Several tribesmen were standing at the door with one man taking the initiative to step inside.
"He's the demon! The demon!" the woman trembled, her voice hoarse from screaming so much. Yue stood up, taking her place between the tribesman and the cowering woman.
"Oh dear, she's having another episode," the man sighed, reaching for the woman, but Yue made sure to keep herself between the two of them, glaring at the tribesman.
"Please send her this way," the man told Yue. "She's mentally challenged, you see." Turning back to the woman, "Dear, let's go—"
"Babies, I want my babies!" Looking at Yue, "He's gonna kill my babies! He's gonna kill me! Him and his demon friends…!" and she pointed to the rest of the tribesmen.
Another man ended up stepping in, sniffling, "Oh, my dear sister, what happened to you? Why are you like this? Let's go home—!"
The woman lashed out and grabbed the torch that was nearest to her, throwing it at the man who claimed to be her "brother."
"Ikunna!" the husband cried, "Oh, La, why are you testing me like this—!"
"Not a step closer to her," Yue held onto the woman's hand.
"I'm her husband, ma'am, please, try to understand." Turning back to the woman, "Ikunna, sweetheart. I love you, so please, let's go home! You need to rest!"
But none of the men, who Yue could confidently say were Nationalists, held actual looks of concern on their faces, nor did they even attempt to look convincing. "She's not going anywhere," Yue said firmly.
Ikunna glared at the tribesmen, holding onto Yue from behind the princess's shoulders. The tribesman closest to them glowered at the Northern dronningi, "Excuse me, but what the fuck? She's my wife! She needs treatment and care, you can't just—!"
"Treatment and care, huh? I suppose that's why you bruised every inch of her skin!"
"She did that to herself! She's a lunatic!" he pointed at the woman, "She's undergoing treatment and she escaped! They need her back at the facility—!"
"Then bring me proof that she is under a trusted healer's care. Bring me the healer herself and have her verify all necessary documents," Yue told him. "And I'll send her with you."
The woman seemed to panic, but Yue's grip on her hand tightened in reassurance.
"How is that even going to work? I am her husband! I have all rights over her!" And the venomous growl in the Nationalist's tone did not go unnoticed.
"I don't care what you do," Yue glowered, "I am not sending her with you. And if you know what's good for you, you better tell me where her children are."
"And if I don't?"
"Then you'll see yourself in prison tonight."
"Get her yourself, Aukkuga!" the tribesman who played Ikunna's "brother" hollered impatiently. "We don't have time! The Master is looking for new recruits!"
And that's when it fell into place. The only recruits Khasiq would be looking for were obviously women for his brothels.
Aukkuga reached for the trembling woman only to have his hand stopped in place by the princess. She tossed his hand away, "Don't even think about it."
"Forget that deranged bitch!" yelled another tribesman from the group standing by the temple doors. "Take this loudmouth instead!"
The tribesman closest to Yue sought to grab her this time but was surprised when he was instead blown out of the temple, sent flying through the open doors and toppling over the rest of the Nationalists as a result of a massive water whip. They toppled down into the snow outside of the temple, having fallen on top of each other by the force of the water. The woman widened her eyes in surprise this time, and she attempted to follow Yue out of the temple, but Yue told her to stay inside. She still peeked out, watching the white-haired Northerner take calm strides down the temple steps.
"You must be one of Sayen's Revival bitches," the man nearest to her spat on the ground in front of the Moon Temple before scrambling up, pulling a dagger out of his pocket, "The Master would want to enjoy you for himself."
He charged forward, pointing his dagger in her direction, but he was surprised to see how easily the dagger he took much pride in was cut in half with just a slice of water. He gawked at Yue, his momentary pause being his downfall as she ice-cuffed his hands behind his back. He fell backward, finding his feet frozen to the ground.
Another man decided to try his luck; he let out a sharp battle cry, tightening his hold on his spear and swinging at Yue, but she tripped him and moved out of the way just in time for him to crash to the ground. She caught the spear that he ended up letting go mid-fall and broke it in half against her raised knee, casting her boot over the struggling abuser's hand and pinning him in place with her foot. She pointed the half-broken spear straight at him, the head of the arrow just centimeters away from piercing his nose. He barely swallowed, face flushed from embarrassment as she eventually threw the pieces of the spear aside without a care.
They stared at her in a mixture of shock, maybe even intimidation as she eyed them, and the few more Nationalists who followed admitted one thing begrudgingly as they fell back on their behinds: Yue's movements were very effortless. Some were not so willing to hesitate. One such stubborn man— a nonbender, too, at that—opted for a sneak attack just when the princess was caught while taking down two other eager attackers, but he found himself quickly disabled by a towering figure; the Nationalist felt a powerful kick to his chest, the force of which sent him tumbling back into the snow, rendered unable to breathe for a solid minute.
Yue turned to see that the figure who had her back was none other than the Southern prince. He flashed her a look of reassurance and caution, conveying with his gaze alone that he would be next to her.
By then, multiple men started lunging forward, and the dronningi and isumataq charged ahead. Sokka faced them with head-on combat, relying mostly on brawn given his sword, machete, and jawbone dagger were left back at the estate. He did, however, utilize sneak attacks and aggressive agility, effortlessly dodging their blows and delivering stronger ones in return. And whenever possible, he played around with the limited resources around him, namely the weapons of the Revivalist nonbenders, maneuvering them in clever ways to make them trip over themselves or each other or run into their own weapons.
And all throughout this process, he kept stealing looks at Princess Yue, who was much more graceful and fast in her movements, regardless of her style being combat or bending or a combination of both. The way she glided across the water that she froze as an arc— like she did after a bender sent his water towards her; the way she slid along the arc and managed to freeze one of his hands to one of his feet, making him flail and hop around before he fell face-down into the ice; the way her water whips collided with every stroke of a spearhead or dagger, either slicing the weapons and making them useless or freezing the men in small, jagged hills of ice that blocked their extremities from moving. True to her determination to not harm, she focused more on restraining the opposers instead of actively hurting them, and as the minutes quickly went by, the Nationalists realized one crucial detail: those who were charging at the princess met more merciful defeats compared to those who ended up being the butt of Sokka's harsher aims. The very few men who decided to make a run for their reputations and lives also found themselves restrained by the duo one way or another.
By that time, several guards consisting of Neo-Nationalists, Loyalists, and Revivalists approached Sokka and Yue, many of them grabbing hold of a Nationalist or two and dragging them with them. Others surrounded the trembling woman, assuring her that they were her allies by presenting her with her children. The woman held her sons close to her heart, weeping in relief and lingering panic and fear, but after a moment, she brightened at the sight of Yue and began screaming, "Tui! Tui!" again.
And that was when several guards cast interested looks at the veiled Yue, who realized she was now the object of their curiosity. Her uniform indicated only her status as a maid, not a fellow Revivalist guardswoman. Sokka, too, grew nervous, fumbling to come up with different excuses in his head, but no matter what he said, he feared they would still ask to see her face, a move that would hurt her chances as a vigilante.
"You fight impressively," Sayen remarked. "Are you a Revivalist?"
"She's my friend," Sokka blurted out before she could say anything. "A good friend of mine."
It was during that brief distraction that a few of the Nationalists snuck past the guards and raced through the tundra instead of taking off to the city. Sokka took out his boomerang and whirled it in their direction, and it whacked one of them in the head, making him topple forward and on top of three of his other comrades. The distraction was brief but lasted long enough for the Southern prince and Northern princess to reach them.
Sokka jabbed at their pressure points, making them topple to the ground with very little strength left in them, and Yue stepped forward, giving them a fierce look.
"You are going to tell us where Khasiq's clubs are," Yue hissed at them, "and you will tell us now."
"Never! You won't get a squeak out of me— aahhh!" a Nationalist jumped as Sokka pointed the sharp end of a broken spearhead at the man's throat.
"You're lucky I'm feeling generous today," the isumataq murmured. "Tell us where the clubs are, and I'll let you go to prison unharmed."
A total of four current locations had been revealed by the cowering Nationalists, who pleaded to be spared, confirming that those were the only clubs that existed. Two of the clubs were located in the outer ring; one of these brothels was located at the back of a restaurant in a particular shady neighborhood, settled between the ring and the Northern outskirts. The other was underground, located in a tunnel dug deep in the heart of the outer ring tundra. The other two locations were in the middle and upper rings, both disguised as prestigious inns.
"We need to seize those buildings," Yue said. "If we delay any further, Khasiq will change the locations."
"Are you saying we need to organize a sting operation?" a Loyalist guard asked.
"There is no sting operation necessary for this. We would need to go undercover if these brothels have workers who engage in consensual practices, but nothing is consensual about several politicians, socialites, and a handful of high-scale aristocrats coming together and supporting an institution that profits off of sexual abuse."
"But there have to be at least some workers who haven't been forced into this, right?" asked another guard. "There is no guarantee that all of them have been forced into this, so how can you be so sure?"
"We are looking at a place that was willing to accept even a mentally challenged woman. They were looking to separate her from her children. Her own husband was looking to employ her as a sex worker. That's more than enough proof that there's no consent there. Just monstrous lust. And we don't need to go undercover and waste more time."
"And if we don't want the North to destroy itself, we need to take action now," Sokka said, turning to the guards, "To be frank, I don't know why all of you are hesitating instead of following us. Why do we need to discuss something like this when we could already be out there?"
"I hope you're not hesitating to work with each other," Yue said, "because you're from different parties and backgrounds with different perspectives. Can we not all agree that raping and abusing women is wrong? Whether we are conservative or progressive? Just because you belong to different parties doesn't have to mean that your morality is radically affected, too."
The entire time, Sayen and a few other Revivalists were listening to Yue's voice carefully, unable to help but compare it to Kuunnguaq's. Kuunnguaq's voice was rather soft although passionate whenever the situation demanded it, and this mysterious woman's voice was also rather soft and simultaneously passionate. Even though the other Revivalists were distracted by the present situation to take notice, Sayen thought for a split moment of the possibility that this woman could be Kuunnguaq herself. This woman had not yet addressed anyone as if she knew them, and she did not greet any of them like Kuunnguaq would, but she nevertheless hid her face, and she was being careful in keeping her appearance a secret.
"This is not an action concerning parties," Yue told them, "It is a matter of getting rid of injustice. And if people want to view it as a party issue, then that's up to them, but as members in service of the Water Tribe, you shouldn't see every little issue as being Loyalist versus Revivalist versus Nationalist."
"That is not necessarily the problem," a Neo-Nationalist began.
"Then what is?"
"It's complicated—"
"No, it's really not," Sokka cut the man off. "Innocent people are being forced into this, and they need to be saved. It can't get any more simple than this! If we are to count ourselves as human beings, we need to make at least this much of an effort. It's about time we stopped profiting off of bodies and blood, don't you think?"
"But there are many high-profile aristocrats and socialites behind this," a Loyalist said. "They can easily bail their way out. And not only that; their contributions are essential if we want our economy to not fall into jeopardy."
"Khasiq is out of control by using the national treasury for his own projects," a Neo-Nationalist admitted, "And that's why we're having to rely on these aristocrats to fund a significant portion of the nation's resources. And in return, we have to appease them. It's pathetic, yes, but we don't have a choice until Khasiq's influence is out of the government for good."
"And as much as I hate to admit this," a Revivalist chimed in, "There are several politicians who currently have private connections to those places."
"You're all thinking about associated politicians, but I'm thinking about the hundreds of women who have gone missing over the past several years, and how those cases were either never attended to or blatantly ignored because Khasiq bought nearly all of law enforcement," Yue said.
"But who else can we trust other than those aristocrats?"
"Yeah. You think the princess is going to help raise capital? She seems like the type to give away all national assets to the poor."
"She gave away her own possessions and is content with living like a beggar in the streets—"
"You all better shut your blowholes right there before you say another word about Her Highness," Sokka hissed.
"Isumataq," Yue shook her head, indicating wordlessly that anger was not the best course of action, especially at this current moment. She turned back to her audience, "Whether or not you trust the princess and her alternative plan for raising the capital is your personal issue, but as far as your aristocrats' contributions go, there are plenty of ways for them to make money other than investing in immoral activities. There are other ways for them to satisfy their lust instead of relying on bloodlust."
"And I know the White Lotus definitely isn't going to sit back and let all of this happen," Sokka told them with vehemence. "Even if we don't raid those locations today, your aristocrats will be dragged out of their mansions and into the streets. I will personally make sure it happens." Crossing his arms with a huff, "Any more complications we should hear about?"
"Lady," Sayen said, earning everyone's attention and especially the surprised looks of Sokka and Yue.
"What about her?" Yue asked, her heart pounding.
"I mean that our leader will be in trouble," Sayen said, still looking at Yue in slight suspicion, "and she will be targeted even more because of our involvement." Turning to Sokka next, "You're saying the White Lotus can and will take action. Why can't that be tonight? Why can't we approach this through the White Lotus? Let's go get the sentries right now and have them carry out this mission."
"Am I not enough as an authority figure?" Sokka asked. "I will be inducted in less than twenty-four hours."
"But you're still not inducted yet."
"If we have to wait on inducted officials to make every little decision—"
"This isn't a small decision, Prince Sokka, it's a messy one. Believe me, we want to bust in there and get rid of those crazed beasts more than ever, but you as a soon-to-be inductee need to consider the legal aspects of this. Just as much as we need to consider the safety of our leader."
"Your Kuunnguaq is my sifu, too," Yue said, both surprising and not surprising the audience given her prowess. Then again, unspoken tension remained in the air because Sokka, especially, knew that this pivotal moment of Yue admitting that she was connected to Kuunnguaq in some way would present more danger to her from Khasiq's end. The Southern prince frowned in worry as he observed the reactions of everyone around them.
"So you're a Revivalist," Sayen said.
"No. I'm simply a seeker of wisdom learning from all different branches. I would even say that I'm Kuunnguaq's true student in this regard. That's why I haven't gone after the political party zeal."
Clearly she was referring to the Revivalists' eagerness for establishing a rival party, which only brought about superficial differences and spurred competition rather than waking people up from slumbering over their morality.
"I know she would be very disappointed to see people, especially the people she calls her friends, backing out of a rescue mission for her sake," the princess said. "Your loyalty is commendable, but Kuunnguaq would not want it to consume your duties."
The Revivalists still did not say anything, and in spite of all the answers she and Sokka had given them up to this point, people were still hesitating. Yue frowned, deeply disturbed by everyone's hesitation. She simply did not understand it. Who wouldn't jump at the chance to save lives? She looked from them to the determined Sokka, who gave her hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance, admitting without a word that he was going to be there to help.
"I'm willing to help you in any way you'd want me to," he once told her. "Even if that means being quiet."
His presence was heartwarming and comforting, there was no doubt about it, but it still brought back the undeniable truth of his family's disapproval.
"That's why you're wanting to stay behind and get yourself killed."
"He's the princess's bodyguard, that's what this is about...he specifically requested to serve as the princess's bodyguard and take her hits for her."
"...do yourself and all of us a favor by keeping away from those Revivalists, that Moon Temple, and especially the princess!"
Yue slipped her hand away from Sokka's, taking a deep breath as she came to a decision. "Fine. We'll do this the proper way like you all want." And she pulled her mask down, revealing her face— only her face— and left her hair and eyebrows covered. Her complexion shone with great luminosity as the moon finally stepped out of the clouds, casting its light over the princess and her milky complexion.
The audience found themselves instantly stunned and drawn to her, unable to fathom how she, despite being a tribeswoman who should ideally be blessed with darkness, glimmered with her light skin tone and undeniable beauty just as Tui would if she was in human form. Sokka panicked, "Your Highness," he whispered, "What are you doing?"
"As the princess of the Northern Water Tribe," she pulled out her special pin of royalty and held it up in the moonlight, sporting an authoritative tone, "I am asking for volunteers for our mission."
Multiple jaws dropped. Sayen widened her eyes and staggered back, totally not expecting the events to turn out the way they did. Gasps and shocked yelps filled their surroundings. This was the princess? This was the woman they'd just spent vocally dismissing? This powerful waterbender in a maid's uniform with an exemplary ability to stir hearts was the daughter of Arnook? The force of rebellion that challenged but also bewilderingly completed the crown of government like a precious jewel?
"Your Highness!"
"Princess!"
"The princess of the North!"
Glancing at such an official pin that glowed in the moonlight and drinking in the long-sought-after appearance of the princess whose birth had remained a secret for so long, whose very existence rested on a pivotal "what-if," everyone fell to a low bow. Sokka, his eyes wide, bowed as well but felt his heartbeat picking up the pace, pounding with anxiety as he took in the princess's face, left exposed as it glistened beneath the moonlight with a strange combination of power, beauty, and vulnerability. What is she even doing?!
"I was hoping tonight would be a chance for you all to prove yourselves as capable co-protectors of the nation," her voice seemed to nearly echo through the gaping silence. "I was hoping you would all be the changes I need to see in the tribe. But if that isn't going to happen, no matter. I will do everything I can to restrain them myself."
"I'm coming with you, Princess," Sokka said firmly. "I know I wouldn't be wasting so much time here if any of my loved ones were back in those hellholes that Khasiq calls entertainment clubs," shooting a glare at the audience, "And anyone with even a tiny bit of something called a heart can join us at any time." Turning back to the princess and softening his tone, "But I'll be with you all the way, dronningi."
She nearly asked him if it was a good idea, his family's disapproval lingering in the back of her mind, but in his eyes, she recognized beyond layers of confusion and worry a kind of fire— the fiery propensity towards goodness and raw justice. It was the same fire that she was harboring, and she didn't think it would be fair to extinguish it at a time when they all needed it the most. "Thank you for your support, Isumataq Sokka."
"I'm coming with you as well, Princess," Sayen announced, a determined look on her face.
"Count me in, too," a Loyalist guard piped up, earning unanimous approval from the others around him.
"And me."
"Me, too!"
"I've dealt with enough of those extremists' shit that's misrepresenting our party," a Neo-Nationalist frowned. "I'm gonna give this my all, consequences be damned. I'm with you, Madam Princess."
"You have my support, too, Your Highness."
"And mine!"
"I am honored to have your support, but I do have one condition," Yue said. "No one is to be killed in this encounter. These criminals are wanted alive, and they will undergo interrogation before punishments are carried out."
Spears shot up in the air, luminated by the intensifying moonlight, accompanied by war cries that were indicative of the guards' unanimous agreement. The princess, glimmering face and all, had so effortlessly drawn people towards her like the moon that attracted the wolves of the Arctic. Sokka was both impressed and restless, flailing like the ocean waves at the sight of Tui.
Among the numerous guards who have assembled, four teams were formed with high-ranked leaders placed in charge. Each team consisted of around fifteen to twenty members, containing both benders and nonbenders along with a politically diverse group. Each team was set to take down one location. Sayen led a group which would raid the inner ring location, and a prominent Loyalist guard led his respective team to the middle ring location. The brothels in the outer ring were to be closed down by two other teams, one of which was headed by the princess herself.
It was exhilarating for the people in her team, especially Sokka, to see her in action, though Sokka felt more than just exhilaration. He was worried sick about what this reveal would mean for her because she herself told him that it was crucial that her abilities were kept secret. What could be the reason for her to reveal everything? What would she say to the people who still might predict her to be Kuunnguaq herself? Was she even thinking about Khasiq's reaction when he finds out that Arnook's daughter had connections with Lady, who was Khasiq's worst enemy and primary target to date? Was the princess even going to tell him these things after having overheard Hakoda? She did not seem angry, but she certainly had to be uncomfortable, right?
This was why an unspoken apology kept trailing at his lips and pouring out in every look he gave her. There was, however, no convenience for conversations or questions. This was simply not the time. What he could do, however, was convince her with his actions, let her know that he wasn't going to leave her side. That his blood was boiling with just as much energy as hers when it came to eradicating the horrible influences in the tribe.
They stormed through the narrow pathways in the lower ring before reaching the street that they were looking for, alarming those who recognized them by their official pins. Several tried to flee, but the members in the princess's team were already grabbing hold of those who sought to flee, dragging them to the nearest prisons at the princess's permission. They eventually reached the destination of the said "adult entertainment club": the infamous Temple of Pleasure located at the back of a restaurant that seemed to be poorly maintained.
They burst through the front doors, perplexing the poor folk who looked up from their meals, and they hurried through the corridors and kicked open the lone back door that led to an attached building.
And they were immediately hit with pungent smells of musk, blood, and sex and the sight of half-naked men and cowering women. Several rooms were rattling with the cracks of whips, accompanied by the desperate cries of women that sounded nowhere near moans of pleasure. Loud sobbing could be heard from one of the rooms in the far right corridor, and accompanying the agonized cries were animalistic grunts, curses and obscenities. There was a woman weeping in the far left corner, barely covered, her hand smoothing over her other arm, which appeared to be burnt. And looming over her from his place on the chair beside her was a man, running his fingers through her hair and occasionally pulling at it harshly, leering at the harsh cries of response. The dimly lit space and its juxtaposing stench of perfumed blood made Yue's head spin.
Several people didn't take notice of the prince, princess, and the officials, simply thinking of them all to be more visitors, but upon the moonlight shining on the officials' pins and reflecting their bright glows on their faces, the half-naked men quickly scrambled for clothes. Several Nationalists, having heard the commotion, stepped out only to freeze in place, for standing by the door were several officials, headed by the Southern isumataq and, to their immediate shock, the Northern dronningi, her face veiled again but the pin on her robes speaking everything for her.
"We're saved!" the woman with the burnt hand in the corner shrieked, biting the hand of her abuser and shoving him away from her. She wrapped the nearest curtain pelt around herself, throwing herself into the warm arms of the princess and weeping against her shoulder. "Please, put me out of this misery, Your Highness!"
Sokka glared at the gawking clients, "In the next couple of minutes, this building will be seized," he roared, "And every puppet of Khasiq will be subject to trial and punishment for crimes against humanity. If you want to be spared a couple of bruises, then I suggest you get off your asses and consent to being arrested without putting up a fight. If not, we'll be taking your extremities to the infirmaries and the rest of you to prisons."
A Nationalist roared in resistance and charged at them, but a stomp of Yue's foot against the ice shook up the building entirely like an earthquake, causing cracks to form deep in the ice and the walls. The charging Nationalist fell facedown, nearly getting stuck in a quickly-forming crack. The Northern leader commanded a guard to restrain the said Nationalist and drag him out. Sokka blinked at Yue in surprise as did the other Nationalists, who were just now learning of the princess's abilities.
"Secure the victims," Yue told the rest of the guards, and they barged inside of the building with their spears, kicking open several bedroom doors, knocking out the pimps who tried to stop them. The guardsmen focused on dragging out (and clothing) the men while the guardswomen tended to the women. To their horror, several of the women have been whipped and tortured in various ways with many of them passed out from pained exertion and hallucinogenic blends in their systems.
"Stop them!" a towering Nationalist screeched, pointing to the princess, "Block her chi!"
What happened from there was mostly a blur. With almost all of the guardsmen and guardswomen occupied with rounding up the perpetrators and protecting the abused women, only Yue and Sokka were left as the combatants while most of the Nationalists in the building ended up being benders. This meant the men had a clear advantage— or so one would think. However, that was when an unseen part of Yue unleashed. Drowning out the bleating winds and the distant ocean's howling groans emanating from the open windows were her grunts of struggle as a group of Nationalists lunged forward, some with weapons and some with their bending. She moved like a tide, swooping low and jumping high to dodge their strikes, boosted by her bending. She was quick to disable them all as she redirected their water whips and made them transition into jagged arrows that sliced through their tunics, thus keeping the attackers pinned against the icy wall.
Sokka, on the other hand, took on the nonbenders with ease, snorting at their pathetic attempts at a fight. He blocked their kicks with his steadied hands and sent them to their knees with a harsh press to the pressure points in their necks, knocking them out. A particularly tall Nationalist sprinted towards Sokka next and sent a spear flying forward. Sokka caught hold of the spear that was torpedoing in his direction and ended up tossing the Nationalist effortlessly onto the ground, his foot pressed up against the writhing tribesman's chest. The isumataq thrust the spear through the Nationalist's tunic and stuck it deep into the ice, slicing through the thick pelts, barely missing the Nationalist's neck as he pinned the man to the ground.
Another Nationalist attempted to release the man, freezing in place. Sokka glared at him, beckoning his opponent. "Try me."
The man shuddered backward with every careful step that Sokka took forward, and before long, the tension was obliterated with the prince's fierce kick to the man's abdomen, sending him buckling to the ice as well. The tapestry beside the fallen tribesman caught hold of Sokka's attention: it was an image of a man having La-esque imagery, his foot stamped on top of a woman's back as she lay face-down in the snow. Sokka ripped the tapestry off of the wall and grabbed a torch, setting fire to the image. He then flung the flaming fabric across the building in the direction of a second round of opponents, rousing pained howls from them. The heat forced them to roll over on the ground to put out the fire, giving him the chance to pin them down as well.
"Guards, keep your masks up and faces covered!" Yue suddenly called out, having found a container filled with sedative, hallucinogenic herbs. She extracted the juices from the leaves and vaporized them, bending them in the direction of uncovered Nationalist benders. Breathing in the fumes, they fell over on the spot, immediately taken by sleep.
"Move it, move it!" the guards dragged several nonbending Nationalists out into the front room. One of them resisted by grabbing a whip and swinging it at the guards, but Sokka knocked the tribesman down and took hold of the whip, snaking it around him, wringing out every bit of the abuser's pride and forcing him out of the building.
In a matter of minutes, the building was cleared. The abused women were led away to safety by half of their teammates, and the other half dragged the Nationalists perpetrators away in frozen handcuffs. The restaurant building beside it was cleared, too, from the chaos, its customers having been evacuated. From there, Yue and Sokka paid a visit to the other locations, helping the other teams there similarly clear the buildings and drive out the offenders. Most put up a fight. Many met harsher forms of restraint within the Southern isumataq's grip. All of them, however, were eventually taken away in chains. Rage, humiliation, cowardice, embarrassment, and a number of other emotions raided their faces, and Yue never realized that she would see anything so indicative of a smashing victory.
Chief Arnook, like everyone else in the palace, was still removed from what was currently taking place in Khasiq's discovered brothels. The chieftain only focused his thoughts on Khasiq's investigations, which had apparently still been going on in spite of the time rapidly approaching midnight, extending past an entire day as of now. He hoped that the Spirits were gracious enough to have Khasiq quickly punished for his crimes by the White Lotus, but knowing Khasiq's influence, the chief knew he was asking for too much.
With a sigh, he sat up from bed, the taste of his liver support tonic still filling his mouth. He wandered over to his study next door, a perturbed feeling raiding his chest for a reason he couldn't name. And it was then that he saw a scroll that had been left there for him. With his eyebrows quirked in curiosity, he took hold of the scroll and unfurled it. A sigh left his lips at its mundane trade-related contents, but he suddenly perked up when his eyes hovered over the name of a particular Earth Kingdom province: Nansei.
"It's...it's probably just a coincidence…" he threw the scroll aside, the resulting somersault in his chest startling him, but he froze in place as the light from the candle on his desk splayed over the scroll, revealing a message that was carefully crafted from special ink. And in that moment, it was revealed that the trade information in the scroll was indeed pointless, nothing more than a guise to both cover up and hint at the subject of the real message: Nansei Village.
Arnook fumbled for the scroll, and after looking both ways and then peeking out of the door of his study for a moment, found that he was completely, utterly alone save for the security guards, who were all the way at the end of the corridor and nowhere near enough to suddenly barge in and surprise him. The chief quietly locked the door and took a seat beside the candle, memorizing the message.
Esteemed Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe,
We hope that by the Goddess's grace, this message finds you well. We are writing to you from Nansei Village regarding the health of Chieftess Ahnah. After twenty-three long years, your wife has finally woken from her coma. She is asking to see you and the princess...
So much time had passed, and yet, it seemed like no time had passed at all. By the time the last of the offenders were led away, the tribe's time gong struck two times, indicating two hours past midnight. It was a cloudy night, for most of the stars seemed to be blocked, but the radiant moon was clear to the eye: a perfect waxing crescent. The light spilled into the emptiness of the upper ring's once-prestigious inn— the last location that the Southern and Northern leaders paid a visit to in order to carry out the mission. A place that had been transformed into the most expensive of Khasiq's brothels before it met its downfall just minutes before.
An exhausted Yue, drenched in moonlight, did not move from the place, finding the entire experience from tonight to be surreal. The cries and hollers of the victims that rang through the North for Spirits knew how long; the shards of glass— remnants of bottles of intoxicant— that lay around, staining the ice with their contents and differing in quality based on which sectors they were found; the cracking of whips and the overbearing smells of blood and other bodily fluids; the torn and burn tapestries of explicit images that abused sex rather than respected or liberated it. And of course, the ice that cracked further and further, responding to the building numbness within the princess.
In a bout of anger, she summoned additional water whips and sliced the pelt couches. Water burst through the doors at the command of her hands, breaking more glass in the process and chafing the ice walls with their ferocity. With a pant, she stopped, her numbness building into a crescendo of pure rage as she fell to her knees.
"TUI!" Hama's shrieks still rang through her mind. "Tui, oh, TUI!"
She shuddered, closing her eyes, refusing to imagine, refusing to remember. She reached for her conch necklace and fiddled with it, bringing it back up to her ear as she listened to the ocean.
"Yue?"
Turning to the entrance where he was waiting, "Isumataq…"
He appeared nervous and uncertain. The shaken look on her face as she looked around at this building, he would never forget. "Are you okay?"
All thoughts gradually left her. She sighed and nodded, turning back to look at her surroundings. He stared at the place along with her; his rage was mute, too, as a result of his own exhaustion, but it was definitely more obvious. Even so, his gait was gentle and careful as he walked up to her, his voice hoarse from his loud war cries. He sat beside her, taking in the suffocating stillness that juxtaposed the bustle of abuse that had been here minutes ago.
And in that vulnerable moment when he decided to give her company, when he displayed his genuine concern for her, Yue realized deep down that regardless of approvals and disapprovals from everyone else...she did not want to let go of her friendship with the Southern isumataq. And it seemed that neither did he.
"I never noticed you had a necklace, too."
She looked at her conch. "It's because I keep it hidden, usually. So I won't lose it."
It had been her only constant companion all these years, having been with her since as far back as she could remember. Osha, given her shamanistic prowess, had once told her that Yue found it herself when she was around four years of age. Where or how or when, such specifics were not given.
"It helps me with stress," she said, looking at the conch. "I hear the sound of the ocean...and I imagine myself in the middle of it. Away from everything and everyone. Just me, myself, and I. In a gondola directly under the moon…"
"Your happy place. That's it, isn't it?"
"Maybe. Yes, maybe."
He did not have to be told anything specifically; it had been a very long night. Her heart was burdened, and she needed to drop the weight. He could see it on her face— sickly pale, replacing the hint of rosiness on her milky complexion, her eyes bloodshot. A look on her face that questioned how such evils had plagued the North— her North— so easily and effortlessly. How in the Land of Tui, the Goddess for which the land was named was depicted as little more than La's bed slave. How dangerous such a depiction was for the sisters of the tribe.
"I was eighteen when Khasiq's administration announced the opening of his 'clubs,'" she said softly. "I'd been looking to find out where these places were, trying to get enough support from the public to have them shut down. But I never got the chance to, I…I wasn't quick enough…I should've been...I could've prevented so much..."
His hand rested on her shoulder, "Hey, you're a hero, you know that? You are. Don't beat yourself up. Shitty things happen in the world, and no matter how sincere you or I might be, there are still some things we don't always have control over. Those women are happy now thanks to you, and that's all that matters."
A pause settled over them. There was still so much he had to say. There was so much he had to ask. There was a lot for him to worry about following her reveals about her abilities. But there was something he had to do that was more important than all of that. A first step he had to take in easing her discomfort. Before he could say anything, though, Yue surprised him with, "Sokka...I want to thank you."
He blinked, swallowing, "Oh...It's no big deal, dronningi. I'm always happy to help."
"Well yes, thank you for that, too, but what I really mean is…" she turned to him, a glimmer of hope in her eyes, "Thank you for being the kind of person we need in a place like the North. I couldn't have done any of this without you."
The expression on his face was completely unreadable for a moment, but the next second, she found herself greeted by a warm hug. Sokka sighed deeply, closing his eyes, tearing at his lip, his voice softer than she'd ever known it to be. "I'm sorry. I'm really very sorry."
She returned the sudden but not-unwelcome hug, "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Be guilty for something you can't help. Apologize for no reason."
"But my dad…my parents..."
"You defended me, though. Maybe more than anyone ever has."
"But that doesn't change the fact that he said things he shouldn't have."
"We should be thanking your father, actually. If he hadn't said those things, I wouldn't have gone back to the Moon Temple. We wouldn't have been able to reach this goal."
"Don't try to make this a positive thing." Swallowing hard as he grasped her hand, "Princess Yue, you know I'd never think the things that they—"
"You don't have to say anything," she stopped him, easing his perturbed look. "I know, Sokka, I do. I would never think you feel the same way that your parents do." With a hand on his shoulder, "You are not your parents, and you are not your grandparents. You're our isumataq, and you are the example we need. Happy?"
He choked out a relieved sigh, swallowing the lump in his throat as he nodded. "I know something else that can help with stress, you know." He stood up and reached for something that he spotted a few feet away. He handed her the object: a hammer. "Take this."
She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"You're going to destroy this place." He revealed another hammer that he picked up with his other arm. "I'm going to do it, too."
She looked around at the bleak excuse of a high-class building, her eyes fixed in a wince. "Destroy it?"
"You need to let out all of your anger," he told her. "Everything you're feeling, take it out on this place. Right now."
She seemed uncertain for a moment, looking around to see if anyone else was there.
"There's no one else here," he said. "I told them all that I'd escort you back."
"I need to get back to the shelters. I need to heal those women…"
"There are plenty of other healers on call. Let your anger out first. We're not leaving until we destroy every room in this building."
She didn't seem to know how to go about this experiment, so he decided to demonstrate. With a grunt, he smashed his hammer against the wall to his left, reveling in the disfigurement of the wall. Yue glanced at the hammer in her hand for a moment before she let her rage take tighter hold of the hammer. She slammed it against the ice with all of her might and didn't look back from there.
And as the walls of the sinful building crumbled little by little, then all at once, leaving the two of them standing among piles of rubble and debris, they basked together in the aftermath of their cathartic release— a deafening breath of silence.
A/N: So this was quite an action-heavy chapter. I figured it was about time.
Inuktitut is quite a joy despite its long words. I realized this as I tried to form some sentences for an actual conversation towards the beginning of the chapter. Not sure if the grammatical constructions are 100% right (I consulted all kinds of grammar books and dictionaries and glossaries to double-check), but I did my best. There are simply not enough grammar resources for Inuit dialects, and I'm helpless. *sigh*
Anyways, thanks for reading, and Happy Valentine's Day!