Chapter 41: The Smaller Sacrifices
"Yue!" Sokka gasped awake, panic written all over his face. His bloodshot eyes were restless, still clinging to the stress of a sleepless night until the spark candles beside him sparked nine times, signifying ten hours past midnight— barely five hours after he'd managed to drift off to sleep. The Southern prince dabbed away the sweat on his forehead as he looked around him, realizing that the source of his panic had just been a dream and that he was on the floor on the pelt carpet, likely having rolled over and fallen off of his cot in his sleep. With a groan, he rubbed his head and sat up, trying to calm himself as his gaze rested on the painting of the princess.
The nightmare was intense; Yue had been in danger. A pair of hands, their source unknown but likely suggesting Nationalistic origin, had wound around her neck in an attempt to strangle her. She was unable to bend and free herself, and the reason for that was plastered menacingly in the night sky: a lunar eclipse. Sokka had tried to run to her. He had used all of his strength. Even so, the illogical shift of perspectives in his nightmare made it to where he couldn't reach her no matter how far he ran. He was crying out her name and nearly hyperventilating from helplessness as the life in her eyes was being drained out by the lack of air and the force of those sinister hands.
Sokka did not believe in omens, but this experience still left him quite nervous about what the day actually had in store for the princess. It made him want to clear everything up so badly and be by the princess's side as soon as possible. He couldn't dare to imagine not being beside her.
"You need us right now...You're in danger, Princess…"
"Kuunnguaq can't afford to be abandoned, either, in times like these. Sure, we don't know her past and who she really is, but as far as our knowledge goes, we're all she has as friends, as any form of security whatsoever. Khasiq is after her with a murderous vengeance…"
Sokka tore at his bottom lip and pulled himself up, but his haste in getting ready to go see her was crippled by the daunting reality of a few hours ago.
"Even if I'm driven to the streets in the worst possible circumstances, I won't need a thing from you or your family. And mark my words, angayok. No matter how crazy things get...I will still not spare a single glance of expectation in your son's direction. In fact, I'd rather slice my own throat."
"From now onwards, I don't need anyone to serve as my bodyguard. I did not ask for one in the first place. I'll die a happy woman knowing people are tending to their own duties in their own parts of the world."
He leaned against the leg of his cot, a miserable look crossing his face. What if she hates me for good?
She's not like that.
Yeah, but she was really angry yesterday. I just hope she doesn't think of me any different…
But hoping didn't do much to silence the several what-ifs running through his head. What if she wanted nothing to do with him anymore? What if she wanted to cancel their arrangement? What about the Council of Leadership that insisted on her marriage? What would she tell them? Or was this just going to be another risk she would take by herself? Another battle she would want to fight alone?
What is it with her and doing things by herself all the time? he frowned, Why is she so stubborn?
"Sokka?"
Katara's voice brought him out of his thoughts. She stood by the door to his room, giving him a look of concern, "Still thinking about earlier?"
"Yeah."
She trod in his direction and sat beside him, "You were restless the entire time you were asleep. Try to keep it down a notch next time. You kept saying her name over and over again. I had to literally guard your room so people wouldn't hear you say her name."
He widened his eyes, flushed, but he was quick to throw his embarrassment to the side, prioritizing the horror of what had happened.
"Sokka, I know it's upsetting, but I'm sure we'll find a way out of this."
"I wish." Sieving his fingers through his undone mess of a wolf-tail, "It was bad, Katara. Really bad."
"I know."
"No, you can't even imagine. It was really bad. Dad said a lot of things he never should have. He crossed several boundaries. Do you know how sweet and kind she is? If she was furious... you know it had to have been horrible."
Reaching into the folds of her overcoat, Katara handed him a pamphlet. He didn't seem to be too interested in it at first, not even sparing it a look until she said, "I don't need to imagine it, actually. The conversation's gone public."
To which he took a wide-eyed look at her and then the pamphlet, immediately flipping through the pages, "How did the author know this? Was he...was he spying?!"
"I wasn't there to say for sure, but it seems likely," the Southern princess shrugged. "It's not like anyone else who'd been there would tell him about this."
It didn't take long for Sokka to realize that this was likely yet another printed pamphlet that had stopped the tribe. Very much like the previous article about the Northern dronningi's concealed existence that made history in the North and South, this one was penned by the same author— Zei— and was seemingly published at light-speed as well. Not to mention how quickly it must have attracted the tribefolk; any news concerning the mysterious princess of the North or anything related to a possible face-reveal was gobbled up by the public at this point. Playing an additional role was, of course, the pamphlet's cover— a lavish work of art that was essentially a popular artist's rendition of the princess: a Water Tribe woman, veiled and sitting atop a throne, donning ordinary robes made to look regal in the trick of the moonlight stemming from atop her throne. One of her legs was crossed over the other, and her arms were spread on the armrests of the icy throne, the look in her eyes confident and completing her overall unyielding majesty.
"Zei is on a roll," Katara remarked, "With everything he's been revealing to the public about ukuaq. The only thing I don't get, though, is why he wouldn't take this chance to reveal any names."
"So...did he know and choose not to?"
"I don't know if he knew beforehand or if he didn't, but I'm guessing he did if he listened to the entire conversation. Even if he doesn't know you personally, he would still know your names, right?" Shrugging, "I'm not sure. Read it for yourself."
It was then that he dove into the article that was entitled The Tui of the Times: Reclaiming the Glory of the Tribeswoman. Skimming his eyes over the page:
Much has been discovered about the Princess of the North in the one month she's officially taken up office in the Northern Water Tribe. Remaining an enigma for a little over two decades, the mysterious princess has since displayed her remarkable passion for social justice via her stellar efforts in cracking down and closing the infamous brothels under the wing of the Khasiqian Administration, a feat once thought to be impossible beneath strong Nationalist influence. She has also demonstrated her impressive caliber in martial arts and waterbending, and not to mention her world-class healing abilities given the tremendous work she has done in healing the rescued women. The princess has made her presence known with her further involvements in tribal activities and improvements, starting with her generous investments in training academies for tribeswomen, philanthropic funds and donations in the past week, and her scheduling of mass feedings for a mind-boggling number of four times per week— a move that has resulted in filling the stomachs of the hungry and opened up increased job opportunities for economically disadvantaged tribefolk, who are to be given positions associated with the preparation of the feedings on a regular basis.
In the political sector, the princess made her mark with her revision of the Water Tribe laws, the establishment of a separate cabinet, and her efforts in pushing for social reform, particularly her attempts at the revival of arts, crafts, and literature deemed controversial by the Khasiqian administration in the past three decades. The most well-known of her other schemes is her famous disposal of luxury items in exchange for the establishment of a treasury, the first official treasury for a female leader in the Water Tribe after centuries of denounced rights for tribeswomen. Topping off these activities is a recent revelation that the princess— while being a non-partisan successor— is none other than a student of Lady Kuunnguaq, prominent social activist and leader of the Revivalist Mission.
In spite of so many achievements, the princess has been characterized by many as one of a soft heart. It is no secret that she is often criticized for her pacifism, which has gotten in the way of her appointing a war minister for her cabinet. As of recent, however, a particular incident established her resilience. A prominent world leader, previously a prospective father-in-law of the princess, criticized her and her support for the Moon Temple to which he received a powerful response, explicitly asserting her independence and her loyalty to her tribe over her consideration of his son as a potential life partner...
And following that sentence were several recollections and summaries of bits and pieces of the conversation the author managed to write down as he eavesdropped. While it all felt like a slap in the face to Sokka, he was nevertheless lost in the descriptions of the princess, her dignity and grandeur.
The princess of the North seems to be quite unlucky in marriage. Nevertheless, she's charging forward like a saber-lioness, citing the welfare of the tribe. Her story thus far is perhaps one of the first instances of a tribeswoman disestablishing the conservative norms of marriage and housewifery in favor of tribal wellbeing. While it is not uncommon among leaders to focus heavily on leadership and less on marriage and family, such an option had never been made expressly available to female leaders. The princess is crossing many boundaries and for the best...
The Southern Prince couldn't help tracing a finger over the painting of the veiled princess, inserted yet again inside of the book on the page next to the last page of the article. A pained but proud smile and a look of helpless adoration crossed his face. "Atanigajuq…" That's my queen.
Indeed, Katara agreed that the princess was a queen in many ways. The Southern princess couldn't help, however, asking softly, "By the way, did she really say that? That even if it was just our two families, she would never…you know... Or was some of this exaggerated by the author for public attention?"
Misery creeping back over him, "She did say that. She confirmed that she would never be with me. Never even look at me."
"Oh...oh no…" Katara placed a comforting hand over his shoulder, "I'm sorry you had to hear that. But you know, Sokka, she probably didn't mean all of it."
Sighing deeply, "If she really doesn't have feelings for me, then fine, but...what I'm worried about is if I somehow had a chance...and that chance was completely wiped out because of everything Dad said…"
"Even if Dad crossed the line, she still can't be mad at you. You were trying to prevent it from happening," Katara said. "You supported her, didn't you? It's not like you were insulting her with them—"
"But I couldn't stop it. Everything just escalated really fast, and she was so angry and...I wasn't gonna stop her from speaking her mind...she was incredible, by the way, she was just…" With sparks of admiration in his eyes, "As Zei wrote, she really was a saber-lioness. Oh, man, she was quite a force!"
"I shall rule hell with La. At least there, I can see his justice in action."
He felt a thrill shoot through his spine just thinking about that particular comment; in spite of all the trepidation, the moment she said that had been powerful, devotedly heretical. Sexy, even.
"I really want to go see her…" the admiration he contained in his enthusiasm was overcast by helplessness once more, "I feel...I don't know why, but I'm kinda scared."
"Sokka, I'm sure ukuaq's not mad at you."
"I don't know if this arrangement is gonna still be possible for you to keep calling her ukuaq," he sighed in disappointment. "But it's not just that. I just...I had this awful nightmare. Someone was trying to hurt her and...it was during a lunar eclipse…"
"You're probably just paranoid that we have an eclipse today."
His eyeballs nearly bulged out of their sockets, "There's an actual eclipse today?!" he shrieked, nearly jumping up.
"You didn't know?" Katara blinked, wide-eyed, "It's only a partial lunar ecli—"
"Fuck!" he panicked, "Why didn't anyone tell me this beforehand?!"
"Why are you panicking? It won't be for long, just for about an hour—"
"A lot can happen in an hour!" he started pacing back and forth, "What if there's an incident?!"
"Sokka, calm down—"
"And she decided to fire me now, of all times, how marvelous. She knew about this, didn't she? I bet she knew about this and didn't care to tell me—!"
"Sir, the princess had no idea that this was going to happen," Ivaneq's voice interrupted the siblings. The tribesman wasn't addressing them, though; he was supposedly talking to Chief Hakoda out in the hallway, it seemed. Katara and Sokka shot inquiring glances out the bedroom door, picking up on the conversation.
"Of course she did!" Hakoda boomed, "If she's all-knowing like the 'goddess' this pamphlet author says she is," and the sound of slammed paper followed after the comment, "She's trying to drag our reputation into the streets because I told her to stay away from our family and know her place!"
Sokka glowered in the direction of the hallway before storming out, ignoring his sister's insistence that he stay calm.
"Sir, if that was the case, then she would make sure your names got out, but that's not the case, is it? How would she predict that this conversation would be heard by someone? How would she predict that person would write an article praising her—?"
"It was all planned, Ivaneq, all planned," Hakoda went on. "She deliberately didn't have that journalist include our names so she could garner sympathy for herself. She was also trying to blackmail us in the very least so we can do what she wants—"
"I'd rather believe that you did something like that," Sokka barked as he stepped into the common room, "than think the princess had anything to do with these pathetic hypotheses!"
"Sokka—"
"It has to be your bad karma catching up with you," Sokka raged, ignoring his mother, "No one told you to go there and make a scene!"
"There he goes," Hakoda growled in disapproval, "Go ahead and spit it all out. What else is on your mind, Oh Great Defender of the Akna?"
"Gentlemen, please, I don't have the strength for this!" Ivaneq stopped Sokka before he could say another word in retaliation. "Please, for the sake of the Spirits...and the Universe," he added, keeping Sokka in mind, "Just hear me out." After taking a deep breath and citing an invocation to the Spirits for a smooth transaction, "As far as my knowledge goes, no one apart from us and the princess— and Chief Arnook, of course— knows that this...incident...happened among us. Well, except for Zei, obviously, but that has been taken care of—"
"How—?"
"No need to be thinking about that right now, Chief Hakoda, I assure you everything is being handled," came Ivaneq's firm response. "Now...I know this is the last thing you all would want to do, but—"
"So the Akna is expecting an apology—?" Hakoda barked.
"It would be good if we all did apologize," Sokka interjected, "but she's too good to demand one from us—"
"Oh, is she now—?"
"BOYS!" Kya hollered, shutting both of them with the sharp edge in her voice, "Listen to what Brother Ivaneq is saying before jumping to conclusions."
"Thank you, Mother Kya," Ivaneq sighed, trying to gather himself together and hold onto the little bit of patience he had, "No one is expecting an apology from anyone, but what I thought would be a good idea is if we carried on like nothing had happened at all. So other people won't suspect you to be the disapproving party. That's why I have made a lunch arrangement for all of us with Chief Arnook."
"Is the honorable princess gracing her presence—"
"No, she won't be there," Ivaneq held back his frown at Hakoda, "My idea was to have her join as well, but she's busy."
"So she'd rather run off with her fellow Revivalists than show up for a crucial lunch," Hakoda crossed his arms, "I see she has lots of respect—"
"You want her there, and then you don't want her there," Sokka barked, "And when she decides to steer clear, you demand her to show respect! What, you're not satisfied with the yakshit that came out of your mouth—?"
"ALRIGHT, I get it!" Ivaneq burst, the annoyance on his face obvious, "I am not here to witness another brawl. I was only thinking we could attempt to patch things up so we won't be suspected, but I guess not!" Turning to Kya, "Chieftess, I've suggested this for the good out of the South and the reputation of your family. So you won't have to have your stay here ruined by rumors especially in a time where there are several world rulers here. If I have made a mistake in thinking this way, then please forgive me."
"No, forgive us, Brother Ivaneq," Kya said, glaring at her husband and son, "Both of you get it together. We are attending this lunch."
"Kya," Hakoda was about to protest, but Kya wouldn't hear of it.
"This is for the reputation of our family and the Southern Water Tribe," she insisted. "Hakoda, take a second to calm down and think. We may have our qualms against interacting with the Akna, but that shouldn't be made obvious. No matter what might be true about her, we can't forget that she was the one who offered help at the time of crisis. And for whatever reason, in spite of everything that has happened, she's still offering to send supplies for our suffering tribefolk. For that reason, at least, we have a responsibility to not get involved with her personal issues. If she wants to call herself a servant of the people, then she will do her people a favor, step down from her position, and isolate herself after finding out the truth—"
"You make it sound like she has a contagious disease or something," Sokka said, his voice tight with disapproval, but Kya ignored him, continuing to convince her husband with a determined look.
"If you're so concerned about dining with the Akna's father, then I will personally go and bring holy water from the Ellam Yua Pagoda in the third sector. The pagoda is completely unrelated to the Great Temple of La and the Moon Temple, I assure you."
Hakoda took a deep breath before muttering, "Well bring lots of it."
Sokka winced with incredulity and disgust at the impurity rhetoric, "...the fuck...?"
"It's settled then," Kya turned to Ivaneq, "We will be attending, Brother Ivaneq. For the sake of maintaining harmonious relations between the sister tribes."
Hakoda, getting past his reluctance but still unhappy, gave Sokka a look that spoke of disappointment even as he confirmed, "We'll be there at noon. I will have my wife's brother and his family come along after they've returned from their tour."
And it was clear in the chieftain's look that he was deeply regretting bringing Sokka with them. It would have been perfectly fine, the chief felt, if his son had lived in the illusion of hatred towards the Northerners for their delay in responding to the South's call for help, but with his newfound attraction and devotion to the Akna, of all people...the angayok believed Sokka was pushing his own life down into the sewer. The angayok most certainly didn't want to spend another second in the North, making it clear with his demeanor alone that he no longer wanted to go to the conferences, nor did he want to go to the lunch arrangement. There was no other option, though, for the South would be labeled as ungrateful and be left with a poor impression in the eyes of the other world leaders, who had just recently established trading partnerships with them. All in all, Hakoda was placed into an impossible position.
"Also, Ivaneq, if you are able, please postpone our presentation on behalf of the Southern Water Tribe to the last day of the conference."
"Day Three?"
"Yes," tearing his eyes away from the defiant prince, "I'm asking for an extension because someone wasted his time running around with the Akna all night instead of practicing his points to present at the conference. There is no way we will be ready tonight."
Sokka scowled, but it went ignored as Ivaneq gave a nod, "I will have it postponed, Your Majesty."
Sokka was quick to freshen up while Ivaneq drafted Hakoda's request for a postponement. The Southern prince, invoking the universe's mercy for his efforts, threw on a shirt and overcoat, putting a bare amount of effort in straightening his wolf-tail before following Ivaneq out of the estate.
"Where do you think you're going?" Hakoda demanded.
"To get my job back," came the retort, "And I'll do whatever it takes."
"You might be thinking she has a thing for soft simps, but it's over," the angayok glared at him, "If she's really a woman of pride that she claims she is, she'd rather sleep with her impure idols than spare you a look."
Which resulted in something else breaking under Sokka's wrath as he stormed out, dragging a shocked Ivaneq with him.
It was clear that by now, Ivaneq, too, was displeased with the treatment the dronningi was receiving. He had honestly expected the Southern chief and chieftess to be a bit more sympathetic than they currently were regarding the princess and her background. It was with that expectation that he had no qualms against revealing what he had heard with regard to her past that day. Instead, the Southern angajuqqak were too focused on purifying themselves with holy water instead of extending their arms to welcome someone who had provided them and their tribe with food and other vital resources. Out of obligation, though, the Northern advisor continued to not say anything in retaliation, and that, too, because the princess had so kindly and repeatedly requested the Northern crew to make the Southerners' stay as comfortable as possible. That's why he showed his mute support for Prince Sokka's side of the argument by letting the young warrior unleash his fury and frustrations while they waited in the western courtyard of the Northern palace.
The princess, supposedly, had been meeting with several delegates and advisors since early morning in anticipation of the conferences and was yet to meet with more people before then, and she had requested some time to herself, thus discouraging all visitation at the moment apart from emergencies. To Sokka's dismay, there was no one else hanging around her wing of the palace, for a vast majority of Revivalists had been discouraged from taking up their duties given the executive orders for their temporary relocation.
After a long silence, which Sokka spent on kicking the snow to calm himself down, he asked Ivaneq, "How are things going for Her Highness?"
"She's fine."
Displeased by the lack of an actual answer, "That article..."
"She has it taken care of, don't worry."
Ivaneq elaborated that an article of that caliber attracted many other pamphlet writers, who ended up bombarding the palace gates in flocks earlier with requests for the princess's audience. They had all been wanting to interview her and were compelling her to reveal her appearance. Zei also happened to be there. After speaking with Zei in private, the princess confirmed that the journalist's move to not include any names was, in fact, deliberate. The journalist was hoping for an in-depth interview with the princess, the future of the North and the figure of utmost curiosity, in exchange for him to keep quiet about the names.
"The nerve that asshole has to blackmail the leader of the North like that!" Sokka growled.
"The princess let him off the hook this time. She decided to keep him and the other pamphlet writers quiet by arranging a press conference for tomorrow. He was, after all, the one who introduced her to the world with his other article. She gave him a warning, though, that if he played this card one more time or if he disclosed any information or played a part in disclosing any information, under grounds of invasion of privacy, she would have to issue an order to bar him from conducting the research he wants in the North. He complied."
And Sokka did not have to be told that she agreed to this just to save them from humiliation. He swallowed hard, filled with warmth and anxiety at the same time.
"She doesn't care too much for the article itself, though," Ivaneq said. "She's of the impression that there are more important things for her to worry about."
"Like an eclipse, maybe," Sokka huffed, "Seriously, she knows that there's an eclipse tonight, right?"
"It's only a partial eclipse—"
"I'm guessing an hour of no bending?"
"Yes, something like that—"
"How can everyone be so nonchalant about this?" Sokka demanded, receiving only a tired look in reply. Taking another deep breath to pipe down again, "Sorry, I just...Listen, I don't care what you do, Brother Ivaneq. Please arrange for me to see her as soon as you get the chance. Tell her to take me back!"
Ivaneq raised his eyebrows.
"For the job, I mean," he added. "I need to be beside her during the eclipse. Just in case! Tell her not to hate me, please…" His pleading gaze was overcast with clouds of worry, "If she doesn't already hate me, that is."
"Prince Sokka, she's not angry with you. Why would she be angry with you? You think she doesn't distinguish you from your father?"
"She does and she doesn't," Sokka admitted. "She knows I don't think that way. She herself told me that. But she didn't have to reject my service."
"What else can she do if your parents are displeased with her? Keep you in your position against their wishes?"
"Yes!"
"Well our dronningi isn't the type to inflict any form of inconvenience on people. If she wasn't like this… well, she would've appointed a bodyguard for herself ages ago." And after observing the prince's lingering look of misery, "Prince Sokka, it's true that she's not going to be joining us for lunch, but that's not because she hates you. Or anyone, for that matter. She just wants to avoid causing more conflict."
"Did she explicitly say she doesn't hate me?"
"She never said she hated you to begin with."
"Then why is everybody here so serious? Because of the article? It's because of that, right?"
"The article is concerning, I won't lie," Ivaneq admitted, "but it's also for another reason. And it has been a really long day for her because of that reason."
The tribesman spilled all the drama that had ensued in the palace for the past few hours. The first prominent family to react to the article was actually not the Southern royal family but the Fire Nation royal family. In particular, Lord Ozai and Princess Azula, who had misinterpreted the entire article and assumed that the Fire Nation members of royalty were the "prominent world leaders" who were being targeted in the article. Perhaps it was an unfortunate misinterpretation, or perhaps it was Ozai and Azula's way of trying to get back at the Water Tribe in some way (of which the later interpretation seemed to hold greater merit according to the way Ivaneq explained it), but both father and daughter had burst through the palace doors as soon as they received a copy of the day's pamphlet, confronting the dronningi about the pamphlet even before Chief Arnook, who at the time had been under the care of the palace healers for a wellness checkup, came to know of the ordeal.
"Because no names were given in the article, Ozai and Azula had assumed that the "prominent world leaders" mentioned in the article were the Fire Nation royals. Since Prince Lu Ten was the last well-known, publicized suitor of potential-world-leader status. Well, it was publicized by the Fire Nation; Prince Arnook didn't favor the alliance wholeheartedly but didn't have any other choice at the time."
"It makes no sense," Sokka glared, his fists clenched, "Those thick-headed ashmakers can't assert that they were the ones who were insulted without evidence! They're just going off of a coincidence!"
"You're right, but this is the Fire Nation we're talking about. Lord Ozai especially. He claimed that this publication was the North's deliberate attempt at slandering against the Fire Nation royal family without making it obvious that we were slandering them. Azula accused the dronningi of consulting the writer and telling him to change up the story so that she could gain more traction in the North."
"That's ridiculous! She would never do that! And their dumbass names weren't even in the publication—!"
"They argued that their names didn't have to be in the publication for everyone to know it was them. The princess may have been compelled to meet other potential suitors at the matchmaking session before the imposter kidnapped her, but those potential suitors were tribesmen. Locals. In the global sector, there was no other world leader who stepped up with a proposal to have their son marry the princess other than Fire Lord Iroh. The Earth Kingdom 'suitors' that Arnook arranged for her were imposters, so it's not like they were in the position to reject her. They weren't even world leaders, to begin with."
Sokka shook his head as he dropped down on the ice bench, "This is bad. This is...this is so unfair!"
"Ozai doesn't give a seal-rat's ass about his brother or Prince Lu Ten or the alliance that had been proposed or whether the alliance failed or didn't," Ivaneq said, "But this was an opportunity for him to create and raise an issue. It was also a good launching point for Princess Azula—"
"You don't have to say 'Princess' every time you talk about that Fire Nation ashmaker," Sokka crossed his arms, "She's no princess. She's a psychopath."
"Well this was the chance for that psychopath to get back at the dronningi. Because the dronningi took the blame for not appointing someone of experience...you know, when that maid spilled something over Azula?"
"What did Fire Lord Iroh say about this?"
"He was understanding as always in his response. He thought it was unfortunate that what was likely a private transaction between the princess and...well, the real 'prominent world leader' was made public. He knew it wasn't the Fire Nation the article was talking about. Fire Lady Mayu concurred with his statement, and they both stated that they were going to meet with the princess and have this sorted out. Princes Lu Ten and Zuko issued an apology to the princess for the scene caused by Ozai and Azula. But Ozai and Azula can't get it through their thick heads...or, like I said earlier, this could all be purposely executed by them so they have a reason to bash against our dronningi. And knowing the Fire Nation royals— the idiots of the family, at least— they're always looking for ways to stick their fists up your ass."
Frowning, "This isn't too terrible, is it? Is Her Highness freaking out?"
"She would have if she was anyone else but our dronningi."
And judging by the look on Ivaneq's face that still didn't seem convincing, Sokka compelled him to speak up. "What happened? Something happened, didn't it? Tell me, Ivaneq, what happened?"
Taking a deep breath, "Well...Ozai kind of demanded that...as a result of this 'insult to the Fire Nation', Iroh should withdraw his funding from the Black Lotus Project—"
"What?!" Sokka banged his fists against the bench, the hefty impact resulting in a few cracks in the ice. "What the fuck? Isn't Fire Lord Iroh going to do anything about Ozai's idiocy?!"
"Iroh was not pleased by Ozai's behavior. He flat-out refused, and that caused another scene at their estate apparently. Ozai was ready to leave the North right at that moment, and that would not be a good sign for the princess, the very host of the conferences this year."
"She doesn't have to take this from those imbeciles! She could've just revealed our names!" Sokka croaked. "She can't possibly go through this risk for us!"
"She refused to drag more parties into this." With a bitter look, "I would've told your father about all she had to go through to save your reputation, but he seemed like the kind of guy to twist this information around, too, to blame the princess. In fact, she didn't say a single word about any of you. Her Highness told Ozai that the Fire Nation was not the subject of the article at all, and Ozai kept pressuring her to reveal the names of the world leaders the article was referring to if she wanted to stand by her argument. She said it was confidential information, she refused to reveal your names, and of course, that didn't help her case."
The prince melted inwardly, repeatedly caught in the whiplashes of guilt, "But what about the Black Lotus? Her Highness worked so hard for this." Swallowing the lump in his throat, "This would put her plans in jeopardy!"
"Nothing's finalized just yet, but it seems to me that the princess is looking for alternative funding options. Since she and the new financial advisor lady sat down and drafted plans for the treasury budget costs and estimates for the reforms she has in store. She would have to alter her plans or something, but the problem is, the Black Lotus Society is planned to be as influential and far-reaching as the Order of the White Lotus. Iroh's funding from his position as the Grand White Lotus is critical. It's just not easy to launch an international organization without extensive funds."
"I can't let her lose this opportunity for our sake," Sokka said determinedly. "I need to see the princess right now."
"Prince Sokka—"
"I won't have her make any sacrifices," he declared. "When's Iroh meeting with her?"
"In about half an hour, I presume—"
"Well I'm gonna march in there and tell Iroh that we were the ones—"
"And risk giving away the secret of your arrangement with her?"
And at that moment, Sokka felt his whole world come to a jarring halt.
"The only way around this is to reveal that there was a proposal of some sort between your families, but there's no arrangement like that according to your family. And no one else knows about your arrangement with the princess other than you, the princess, and Chief Arnook…"
Sokka continued gawking at Ivaneq, who held a knowing look. "What...what are you talking about...?"
"You're going to marry her, aren't you?" he lowered his voice. "Chief Arnook told me everything. He trusted me with the information—"
"SHHHHHH!"
"Don't worry, I won't make the mistake of telling your folks anything ever again."
Sokka ran his hands through his hair, unsure of what to say regarding the revelation that Ivaneq knew, too. Of course, he knew there's no way Ivaneq would know of the "fake" part of the deal he and the princess made...although there was probably no point in disclosing this anymore.
"Is Her Highness still down for this? She doesn't want to go through with this, right? After what happened…"
"Chief Arnook would do anything and everything to make sure it happens, I feel. He's on your side." Though it was glaringly obvious that all hell would've broken loose if Sokka's family knew of all this. "You are very lucky your family doesn't know about this. If your father was pissed at the mere thought of you marrying the princess, think of how quickly things will escalate once he finds out about this." Giving Sokka a look of uncertainty, "I don't know how you're going to convince your family to accept the princess down the road. They seem to be the stubbornly conservative type. But I do know that Chief Arnook, all things considered, has a great amount of trust in you."
Sokka looked at him, noticing that Ivaneq, too, didn't appear to doubt him in spite of his curiosity.
"You're not like your father, Prince Sokka, and that's what gives me hope. It seems to give His Majesty hope, too. That's why he wanted me to tell you not to worry about what the princess might have said. Half of what she said is her jumping on an excuse to send you away, and the other half is just rhetoric for dramatic effect."
Sokka furrowed his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"
"Her Highness doesn't like to put the people she cares about through difficulty. It was most likely on purpose that she spoke so harshly with you. So you won't involve yourself in her matters."
"So... she's really not mad at me?"
"If she was, she wouldn't press the cooks to include lots of seal-jerky for you in today's lunch menu."
He couldn't help the way his lips curled upward a little bit, a small laugh leaving his lips. Nevertheless, he was sincere in his plea, brimming with his feelings and affections. "I need to see her. Please. "
Ting Yun, who was perhaps one of the very few Revivalists given permission to remain in the North, stepped out of her thoughts as she saw Prince Sokka and Ivaneq making their way towards the meeting chambers, where the princess was currently in conversation with Fire Lord Iroh and the other White Lotus sentries. She realized from Sokka's look alone that he must have heard about the drama stirred by the Fire Nation and the risk that was posed to the Black Lotus Organization.
"What did Her Highness say?" Ivaneq asked Ting Yun. "What did the Fire Lord…?"
Ting Yun looked in all directions before pulling the prince and advisor to the side, "The princess has found a way to independently handle the funds for the Black Lotus," she explained. "She told Fire Lord Iroh that he is not obligated to provide funding."
"What?" Sokka widened his eyes.
"Apparently, Chief Arnook had been secretly saving a considerable portion of the princess's assets for her marriage," she said. "Even after much of it was eventually turned over to the princess and was utilized in the Southern Revival Project. The princess found out about this saved portion through Chinga, the new financial advisor who was recently told the necessary secrets. The portion added up to sixty-four million gold pieces."
"Sixty-four million?" Ivaneq said, wide-eyed.
"She asked the chief for the remaining amount, didn't she?" Sokka said.
"Yes. She and the chief had apparently gotten into a huge argument right before this meeting. The chief refused to hand over the leftover portion. He kept insisting that it was for her marriage and other future investments for her. The princess argued that if it was ultimately reserved for her, then she had all rights over it. The chief was helpless; he handed all the necessary documents over to her." Sighing, "And there went her last existing assets."
Sokka couldn't stand to hear anything more; he quietly stepped into the meeting room, his eyes searching and eventually resting on the sight of the princess, veiled and in the presence of Jeong Jeong, Piandao, Gyatso, and Fire Lord Iroh. The princess, her eyes tired and bloodshot like his, briefly looked up in the direction of the open door, locking eyes with the prince. She then looked away, ignoring the drumbeat in her chest as her gaze returned to the papers in front of her. Her eyebrows were furrowed, the weariness of the past several hours weighing upon her.
Sokka gulped, stepping inside further as he picked up on the conversation. He was noticed by everyone else now save for the Fire Lord. The older man's head was bowed, his fingers resting on a teacup, a conflicted look on his face.
"Ozai is like a son to me, Princess," Iroh spoke softly. "My first son. And after him come Lu Ten and Zuko." Taking a deep breath, "My father has raised me with pride and love, but he has raised my brother with expectations and disappointment. That is why I have done everything I could to make sure nothing was lacking in my little brother's life...to the extent that I have spoiled him too much. He has stopped listening to me entirely."
"But only you have the power to prevent anything worse from happening," Piandao told Iroh. "You can speak to Ozai about this again."
But the princess's eyes crinkled, indicating a tired smile on her lips, part of which was amused. "I still stand with my opinion, Fire Lord Iroh. I prefer if you appease Lord Ozai with regard to this deal."
"Princess, I am not admitting defeat."
"I am not saying you are, sir," Yue said in reassurance. "I'm saying this because I was getting tired of having to rely on outside influences anyway. The Black Lotus is my idea, and I myself will do the launching independently. Without partners in funding." Adding in additional reassurance, "I assure you my plans are in no way thwarted or destroyed. I still plan on launching the organization at the conference today. I told you before that I have everything taken care of."
"I am sure there are other ways for us to fund the Black Lotus, Princess," Jeong Jeong started.
"I really do have everything prepared, sir," Yue said again, giving a dry chuckle, "I didn't do anything illegal, trust me."
"But Princess—"
"Please," Yue stopped the sentries from giving further advice on the matter, her attention directed to Fire Lord Iroh, "With all due respect, I don't want us to have to discuss this any further, Your Majesty. I have great respect for you. All of you. And I'm thankful that you agreed to cooperate when I most needed your help. But please do understand that I don't want to be known as a wrecker of families and dynasties. I understand how important your relationship with your brother is to you. If you proceed with the funding, it could be detrimental to your relationship with him. And we are all counting on you to stop him from taking further action against us." Folding her hands in a plea, "The Water Tribe cannot afford a conflict with the Fire Nation."
"Oh, Princess, trust me, that will never be the case."
"Even if it will never happen, I still do not want to put my people in that kind of risk. I only want harmonious relations between our two nations." Standing up from her seat, her fingers gripping the necessary documents, "And also...I do not want to be the cause of a potential falling-out in your relationship over an issue like this. I want to break chains, not families."
The princess did not look in his direction, but Sokka could still feel the weight of the comment. His eyes stung, craving for a look, a blink, a smile, a teasing "isumataq," maybe. Only they never came, resulting in the princess excusing herself from the meeting and making her way out of the back door, which was seemingly eons away from him.