Chapter 50: Inaamiya Part 1
A frazzled Yue stood beside the window, looking out into the tundra drenched in the late afternoon light. She was not sure how much time had passed since she isolated herself in the storage chamber, but she did not care to step out. Apart from the obvious objectives of cooling down from the highly charged conversation and catering some time to think, part of the reason was the exhaustion that took over coupled with the impending weight of whatever decision she would make.
"You will have all the legal powers of a chieftess since you will have acquired a Chieftain-Consort. You are free to change any law at any time as you see fit with the exception of the Heir Policy…"
"Chieftess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe! Ataniq Yue! Nunaatip Anaana!"
"No one will know about your change of status, but they won't question you, thinking you're taking full authority under the emergency protocol."
At one point, she had abandoned all efforts in sorting out a solution and succumbed to sporadic naps, and in the haze of sleep, she heard distinct yelling. Most of the time, it was between Sokka, who propagated the princess's freedom, and the Northern chief, who insisted that the impromptu marriage was a sort of "security measure" for the princess. And occasionally, a desperate Aang would jump in between all the yelling, saying whatever he could to calm the situation. There came a point when the arguments progressed enough to draw genuine concern from Yue, for the men were clearly stubborn and loud enough to rattle the temple in its entirety. Eventually, they ended up dropping their efforts, likely trying to catch their breaths. Silence settled in for a considerable amount of time following that.
Deciding that a talk with the prince would help her come to a decision, she stepped out of the room, finding that no one else was immediately present. Distinct voices could be heard in different directions; her father was supposedly arguing with Aang and Katara in one corner whereas Sokka was speaking with the chieftess, likely in another chamber several feet away. Yue then headed in the direction of Sokka's voice, picking up on its strained condition. Her hand rose in an attempt to knock—
"I do have feelings for Yue!"
Her hand stilled as did her pulse, and on the other side of the door, so did the isumataq's in the heat of his declaration.
"But I won't have you force her into this, ataniq," Sokka rasped, "And emotional blackmailing won't cut it!"
"Call it what you want, but this is for her safety, Sokka. She will be safe with you, for heavens' sake! You're La!"
"That kind of thinking is very dangerous," the warrior said. "You can't rely on blind superstition to think people are divine or whatever. 'Cause whether or not La exists, we know for sure that predators are running wild here. Enough people have been turned into La throughout recent history, and enough of these 'Las' have taken advantage of our sisters. Have you heard about Kinji yet?"
"But you are not like that. You're no Kinji," Ahnah reasoned, "And it's true that you care for her. You took a stab wound for her. During the eclipse. You endured considerable pain at a time when access to a waterbending healer was blocked. You watched her back even when she didn't want you involved in the risks. Isn't that enough?"
"Exactly. Isn't that enough? Isn't that enough for you to have me watch her back without marriage involved? What more do you and the chief need, ataniq? What else do I need to do to prove myself? So what if I'm not her husband? I won't abandon her! Why can't you understand this?" His voice lowering, skidding into a tender tone, "I won't protect her any less. I won't love her any less."
And on the other end, a wide-eyed Yue swallowed thickly.
"But love alone isn't enough," Ahnah insisted. "In a proper, civilized society, the closest a woman's bodyguard can get to her at night is outside of her chambers, where he will stand guard. And he may be the most competent person in the world. But an enemy in times like these would seek to get into her very bed." Giving the isumataq a serious look, "What can the bodyguard outside do to an enemy who might have snuck inside? Cross the line that's forbidden for a man to cross unless he's that woman's husband? Do you think the tribefolk would keep their mouths shut if such a thing happened?"
Which conveyed several things all at once and brought about a deep, aggravated flush to Yue's face.
"That's still no excuse for a hurried wedding," Sokka said, fighting off his own awkwardness, "For one, that's assuming Her Highness has no means of taking care of herself whatsoever, which is far from the reality. And even if nightly guard duties are genuinely what you're worried about, I'll go above and beyond to make sure the premises is secure from the outside, and I'm sure at least one of the Revivalist sisters will be willing to watch over her in her chambers inside if she agrees to it."
"But my daughter's superfluous morals won't account for that, and you know it!"
"Then do explain to me how I'm different, ataniq," the isumataq pressed. "How is she going to allow me to watch out for her? Up until now, she has consciously tried to prevent me from being involved with anything concerning her. Either that or she never actively reached out to me for any reason. I've been the one actively insisting to be by her side, and she doesn't approve of even that sometimes!"
"But upon marriage, you will be bound to her with a substantial connection she can't disregard. Her entire argument against strangers stepping in as security rests on the fact that those kinds of people have their own families and lives, that it would be wrong and selfish for her to rely on those people for her safety. But with a marriage, you will no longer be seen as one of those strangers."
"If substantial connection is all that's needed, why do you think she doesn't want you and the chief involved with her safety measures? You're both her parents and are substantially connected to her, and she doesn't want you to take her hits. If she feels that way about her own parents, then think of how she feels about someone she just met a week ago—"
"It's because I can't fight, and Arnook has lost touch with most of his abilities over the years. But you're young, strong, capable," the chieftess reasoned. "A marriage would seal your lives together. She can't argue that you have your own life, your own family if, through marriage, she becomes an intrinsic part of your life and family, and you become an intrinsic part of hers." Softening her voice, "If you become family to each other, then protecting each other won't be a sacrifice for either of you. It will be a necessity, a natural instinct to protect loved ones."
"You know what else is natural instinct, Your Majesty? Feeling disgusted in yourself if you had to marry someone you love and they don't return the sentiment." Shaking his head, "I can't marry the woman I love knowing that she doesn't want this or that she's not ready."
The woman I love… The princess continued to hold her breath, feeling a weird warmth settle in her racing chest.
"I think of her as an intrinsic part of my family even without us being married," Sokka said. "I understand that you might think of marriage as being a seal-the-deal kind of thing, a sacred event or something. That being said, I still personally don't see what sitting in front of a fire, saying a few words of affirmation, and drawing on each other's wrists will do to change our feelings." Crossing his arms, standing his ground, "If she doesn't want a marriage, then there will not be one. Even if you have good underlying intentions— as sexist as they are— they're not gonna override her preferences. This is a decision concerning her life, and only she has the right to decide what she wants to happen."
"If she really doesn't want to do it, then fine. She can just let us stay here as an alternative," Ahnah insisted. "We may not be that useful when it comes to fighting, but we are willing to grovel in front of anyone to keep her alive. We will do everything we can to take her hits, and she won't be able to protest because our authority as her parents entitle us to protect her."
To which Yue felt her racing heart come to an abrupt stop, fear lining her eyes.
"I told you that's exactly what she doesn't want to happen!" Sokka exclaimed.
"No matter what you say, I'm not leaving if it means I can be by my daughter's side, isumataq," the chieftess hissed. "You don't want a marriage? Great! But that doesn't mean you get to stop me from being my daughter's shield. I didn't struggle through my condition and make it out alive after twenty-three long years just to see her be harmed!"
"Well I'm not gonna just stand here and let that happen, honorable ataniq. I won't have you and the chief sacrifice yourselves, and I sure as hell won't have Her Highness go through every minute of her life stressing over what will happen to you—"
"But I can't abandon her!" the chieftess shrieked, her quivering fists clenched, moisture blurring her vision. "You both can hate us all day every day for the rest of your lives, but I REFUSE TO LOSE HER AGAIN!"
Sokka gulped, taking a step back as the chieftess raged on. Yue, too, nearly jumped from the screams.
"The moment I saw her, I swore to myself that I will never let anything happen to her as long as I'm alive, but then she was snatched away from me! And thanks to Khasiq and his regime, she grew up alone, more or less. But I can't have her be alone anymore." Brushing back the tears that raided her face, "And even though I know you're La, I don't have it in me to trust that you'll both be together until I have proof—!"
"I wish there was some kind of proof!" Sokka said helplessly. "Maybe a concrete way for me to prove how much I care about her, but there isn't! Now I can sit here and write a book about what an awesome person she is and…a-and how compassionate and kind and beautiful and fun and thoughtful she is…How I never thought it was possible to love someone in such a short time and…and how a week can change someone in such a drastic way… I will write a fucking book…But there's no objective way I can prove this, so you're just gonna have to take my word for it."
The sheer ease with which he "played the part" of a lover remained mind-boggling to Yue. She didn't understand where he was drawing this much passion from to fuel his act because any reasonable person who might have overheard him would come to the conclusion that he really did have feelings for her. Was this really how gratitude and radical obligation worked? Was he willing to lie and say he harbored feelings just for the sake of helping her out?
"No matter what you say, I refuse to go against Her Highness's preference," Sokka made his point for the millionth time. "And I refuse to put you and the chief in danger—"
"Then do us all a favor and strangle me and the chief to death! So we won't have to be around to see this—!"
"And that'll help the situation how?!" came the retort. "For the first time in a long time, she's happy, Chieftess! She wants nothing more than the chief to pick his ass up—!"
Ahnah glared at him.
"Sorry, sorry," he stopped himself, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I shouldn't have said that." Lowering his voice, "Chieftess, Yue wants nothing more than the chief to stop wasting his life in intoxication. I know she would want to see him pick himself up to the point where he's a capable warrior again. I know she wants you to recover. She wants both of you to be safe and happy, for you to return to your former glory. And I really think the least you can do as her parents is to not say things like this in front of her. She has enough to deal with!"
And Ahnah couldn't disagree with any of that.
"If you really think of yourself as her parents, surely you'd want to make sure she's happy. And if her happiness is in wanting you and the chief safe somewhere else or wanting to wait to get married or not get married at all, then all of those options should be respected. Ergo, don't force the princess into anything." And after taking a huge, deep breath, clearing his throat, "I don't mean to be disrespectful, and I'm sorry for the colorful language, but I'm on her side in this. And with all due respect, we're done with this conversation."
Yue didn't have the time to snap away from the shock of hearing a conversation of such an emotive degree, therefore she didn't have the chance to step away by the time the prince reached the icy door latch. He found her standing directly in front of the door when he opened it, and the exhaustion on his face, followed by the stress in his step, all came to a fierce halt, his eyes wide as he gawked at her. A fierce blush took over his face, accompanied by a sudden torrent of sweat. "D-Dronningi, I…"
Ahnah fumbled to dry her face, "Paniga?"
Yue did her best to dismiss her flush and turned to the prince, her head held high. "May I talk to you for a minute, Prince Sokka?"
The ray of hope in Ahnah's eyes was obvious as she left the duo to themselves. Yue did not say anything for the first few minutes, citing the need to let the isumataq calm down and rest up his voice for at least a few minutes. Sokka, in the meantime, wondered how much of the conversation she heard. Did she hear the whole thing? Were the moments to follow set to be moments of confession? Would she find his hopelessly enamored state ridiculous given the short time span? After all, she wasn't the one to believe in love at first sight, right?
"H-How much of it did you hear…?"
The princess turned to him, noting the stark crimson on his face, "When you started telling her how you had feelings for me."
"O-Oh…"
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop."
"I was being p-pretty loud," he admitted with a stammer, brushing away the sweat at his brow.
She took another look at him and his gawking form before saying, "I admit you're a good actor, Sokka. I know you made them infinitely happy right now by playing the part of a caring fiancé and 'reaffirming your feelings' and all that…And I also know that you're using that to argue your point that marriage isn't necessary for you to look out for me. But as a heads-up…the better you act, the more they'll start getting their hopes up. The more they start expecting things from you— from us. And the harder it will be for me to come up with a reason for annulment that they'll actually believe."
And all at once, all the anticipation, the swell of both nervousness and hope, the buildup of anxiety and the bubble of adrenalin that was near to bursting...it deflated, collapsing from the inside. Acting?
"But it's okay, really," she said on second thought, "Because even if you weren't pretending to like me, they wouldn't have let you go so easily. Since you're a fellow Wolf-Moonite."
He took a deep breath, dismissing his dilemma and focusing instead on the immediate issue. He glanced at the dronningi, who was twiddling with her fingers and slowly pacing back and forth. He approached her then; the hand on her shoulder was gentle and warm, and sharp blue eyes thawed when she caught sight of them. Before she knew it, she was led to a seat on the nearest pelts.
"Don't panic, dronningi. Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it."
"I don't know…" Shaking her head, "I just…I'm so sorry."
"Hey," he scooted a little closer but still made sure to give her space, "There's nothing to apologize for."
"I'm throwing you under the sleigh, and it's killing me, I…"
"Yue, for the hundredth time, I offered this, and you're not throwing me under any sleigh," he whispered. "But we can stop this right now. I know you're feeling overwhelmed."
"You must be overwhelmed, too, obviously."
"Well…yeah, but…"
Frowning as she briefly turned to the door, on the other side of which the others were likely waiting to hear about the fruit of this conversation, "I get they're worried about me, and granted, I'm not in their shoes to think like them. And I know they've been raised in a sexist environment, and I also know that none of these things excuse their reasoning... but ataata basically dragged the situation up to this point based on a whimsical fairytale that you've fallen in love with me at first sight or something. And he has anaana convinced, too. And that's tolerable, I guess, if there's genuine affection involved between us. We respect each other, but we don't love each other, do we?"
Based on a whimsical fairytale that you've fallen in love with me at first sight… we don't love each other, do we? He bit his lip, aware that this was to be expected but still helplessly caught in the very feelings she had just dismissed.
"They think a husband is essentially a tolerating bodyguard who provides food and sexy sex twenty-four seven, but that's a gross objectification of men. Besides, one week isn't enough to decide if you want to be with someone forever. Not that we're going into this with a committing mindset, necessarily, but generally speaking. Based on whatever logic they're following to justify that we'll live happily ever after or something…"
"I know…but just remind yourself it's nothing more than a scheme...if we were to go through with it, I mean."
Casting a glare at the ground, "Why did Imona have to make a big deal about the attack anyway? And I told the guards not to tell anyone. There's no privacy at all, I swear—"
"Well this isn't a small issue. You could've been seriously injured. I won't say you don't understand the danger you're really in, but you can't take it lightly."
"I just didn't want my parents finding out," she sighed.
"Yue," he began calmly, "It's not the end of the world. I'll back out of this. It's not too late." Frowning, "I'd offer to be a runaway groom if it'll help the situation, but that would likely mean I won't be able to see you ever again."
"That would likely mean I won't be able to see you ever again." Her gaze softened.
"But I can tell them I changed my mind. That I don't like you like that anymore—"
"After you've been telling my father this entire time that you have strong feelings for me and even wanted to court me before marriage? I mean, I don't understand how they believed you did like me that way to begin with, but do you think they'll believe you when you suddenly turn the tables?"
"I'll go talk to them again—"
"That won't work, Sokka, nothing will work. You'll be losing your voice for no reason." Crossing her arms, "Ivaneq went ahead and told them all the details about how I was seconds away from being asphyxiated and all that good stuff, and that's what fired them up. And now they're panicking."
"What was he even thinking?" the isumataq threw his hands up in exasperation, "No parent wants to hear something like that! If that was scary for me to see, I can't imagine how scary it would be for them to even think about it…"
"And it doesn't help that they've experienced their own trauma," she added. "They've really crossed the threshold this time, and they're not going back. They won't no matter who talks to them, no matter how long I go on hunger strike again—"
"We're not going down that route, okay?" he insisted with a spike of panic.
"I'm not," she assured, "and I don't want you losing your voice over this." And following a contemplative pause, "But I will say I've given this arrangement more thought…and I realize…" She looked him in the eyes, "I can't come to a solid decision unless I figure something out."
He felt his pulse toppling to a stop out of nervousness. What if she asked him what he thought about her? Did he have it in him to confess without the fear of being ridiculed or struck down under the "attraction" argument?
"Do tell me this, Sokka. Would you do the same thing if you were in this circumstance? Would you go through with an arrangement like this? And be honest. This is an issue regarding morality, and I need to set an example as the tribe's leader. Harmless deceit is fine, but I can't do horrible things like using people…and I don't want you to make me feel better just because."
He let out the breath he'd been holding, "Dronningi, this is coming from the bottom of my heart, all ethical considerations in mind. There should be no guilt. This would've been horribly wrong if you'd been playing me this entire time, telling me you actually had feelings for me only to turn against me after the wedding and say it was all a lie for the throne. But you didn't do any of that. I was the one who approached you with his offer. And I did this because you're the only person who's deserving of that throne, because of that dumb Heir Policy that says you need to be married to someone at the very least to be considered for the throne."
The subtle panic in her eyes appeared to subside a little.
"I know you'd never be the person to use someone for your advantage. I know you enough to know that," Sokka told her. "And rest assured, I don't feel used. I feel respected and acknowledged. More than I was in the South. In fact, that's why I approached you with this idea. To me, this is no different than the other schemes we both used to get around dumb things. If anything, I feel like a sidekick. And if a reasonable person looked at our arrangement from the outside, if that person saw that I made the offer, that person would reasonably understand that I'm not being used. No one asks to be used, Princess."
"No one asks to be used." Though still holding onto a degree of hesitation, she gave a brief nod of acknowledgment.
"And if it came down to what I'd do if I was in this exact situation, if it was required for a higher purpose, and if it was a mutual deal like this, then yeah, I'd go through with a marriage like this one. Of course, I wouldn't do something like this with someone I don't care about or trust. And I'd let the other person know how much I care about them and how the situation is a difficult one…just like how you've been doing to me the entire time." Giving her a resolute look, "So abandon this idea that you're using me. Considering the position our culture is in right now, and the idiocy of the leadership council and the Heir Policy, a guy in the role of a husband is needed one way or another to seal this deal. And I thought I would be more of an advantage for you than some Kutiq-Mutiq in the street who'd be possessive of you and your treasury."
It was a logic similar to the one that came up during her matchmaking session a few days ago: the benefit of being "kidnapped" by a friend with good intentions that far outweighed the harm in being married off to a greedy stranger. Why not "marry" a friend whose goals were similar and whose consent was expressed instead of actually investing in a doomed relationship for the sake of fulfilling a requirement?
"I want you to be free, Yue," Sokka told her with all sincerity. "I thought this was the best thing I could do to make sure you ended up being as free as possible. So you can change the tribe as you see fit. Because you need to be the one on that throne, not some idiot who plays around with people's lives and destroys morality on a regular basis. Once you're officially coronated in front of the tribe as the chieftess, you can change these stupid rules for good so no one else would have to set up contracts like us. And that's all there is to it. It was never my intention to hold you captive in a restrictive relationship or anything, and it was definitely not to take advantage of you in any way. It's the idea that after this ceremony, you'll be able to do whatever you want, and your parents won't be here to watch everything you do, everything we do. They won't be policing us to act like an actual married couple, and they'll be safe on the other side of the world with a high level of security. And then, we'd be able to break it off."
And that was the entire purpose of this arrangement, but needless to say that no one, as Sokka put it, "expected the yakshit to hit the ceiling this fast."
"We can throw out this plan, and we could directly rebel against that council leader dude all we want to. That is always gonna be an option, and I'll be more than happy to hand his ass to his face. But the reason I didn't go ahead and suggest this in the beginning was because, as you always say, it's quicker to just follow the rules— or at least pretend like we're following the rules— just enough to break the system from the inside. And in the present circumstances, time isn't gonna be on our side unless Khasiq is formally arrested, which can't happen if his minions are actively destroying all the evidence of his crimes as we speak."
Hearing all of this definitely helped enlighten Yue as the wheels in her mind turned at a faster rate, quickly piecing together every issue that had been plaguing her, finding answers to them under his reassurances. It took another few minutes for her to plan everything, map everything out in her mind before she stood up, a determined look on her face.
"I know I haven't been consistent with what I thought about this arrangement before. I kind of agreed to it, and then we were betrothed, and then I had second thoughts but I never actively protested and…it was all very weird and strange…" letting out the breath she'd been holding for a while, "But now…I decided I want to go through with this."
"Just because they want you to do this doesn't mean you have to do it," Sokka reiterated. "I'll drop out, dronningi, just say the word."
"I didn't decide on this because they want it, necessarily," she assured. "It's because it's needed. And because it's not the real deal and the fact that you're comfortable with it. Because it's like you said. It's not like our lives will be any different."
"I understand that doesn't help the panic all the way—"
"No, it does help," she assured. "I'm not promising myself to you, and you sure aren't promising yourself to me. The only promise involved here is that the North will be entrusted to me."
"So…do you really want to, then?" he gulped, "Marry me?" Before sputtering, "F-For lack of better phrasing—"
"Yes." The look in her eyes, the weight of her response— it was all electrifying.
"Again, I won't have you be compelled into doing this—"
"I'm not being compelled. I thought about it. And talking to you really helped. And the only purpose my parents' tantrums served is to lessen a bit of that guilt. I was initially guilty of deceiving them, but now…I'm not as guilty anymore." Glaring, "Stupid emotional blackmailing."
"Are you sure? Sure sure?" Sokka bit his lip, failing to calm his racing heart, "Because dronningi, I can't sit in front of that marital fire thing or whatever knowing you hate being in this situation—"
"It's fine, Sokka. In fact, it's like you said. It only reiterates the importance of infiltrating the system from the inside." A glare, "Those people want a marriage so bad? They'll get one. But all that matters is that I'm the one in control of the situation."
"Of course. Once the documents are handed over to you, you have the power to break off this arrangement whenever you want."
"As do you."
"Yeah…"
"But chances are I'll likely have to let this arrangement continue up until my actual coronation."
And although he was hesitant at first, he then suggested, "Or maybe a few days even after the coronation. I mean, wouldn't people be suspicious of you if a separation was announced right after the coronation? Not that we'll be announcing our marriage to the public or anything, but Mr. Akluviq might raise an issue." Adding further before she could dismiss the concern, "I don't want him or the Leadership Council people to think less of you. Because even though this is a mutual arrangement, there's no way they're gonna know about it. And they're gonna think this was all set up, and they'll say a million things…"
"At that point, I won't care what people will think about me, whether they're Leadership Council members or not. They can call my efforts fraudulent, for all I care. As long as Khasiq has zero access to any and all of the North's positions by that point, I won't have anything to worry about. Besides, I don't plan to have you stay here any more than you should, isumataq—"
"That won't be a problem, dronningi," he said quickly. "I don't want people to think of you any less."
Upon further contemplation, "On second thought, I don't want people to think badly of you, either, isumataq. I don't want the Leadership Council or my parents to assume I broke it off with you because you did something to piss me off or something."
"This isn't about me—"
"Well as your friend, I have the right to look after you. Just as you're looking out for me," she insisted. "We will need to think of a way to show the Leadership Council that we 'naturally' grew apart or something like that. Make a smooth exit from this arrangement. Since we won't be announcing anything to the general public." Shrugging, "But we have lots of time to figure that out anyway."
"Yeah…" Clearing his throat, "We can have this deal in writing if you want."
"It's fine. I trust that you'll follow the terms."
"I will, and I'll do everything I can on my part to make this go as smoothly as possible. Nothing's fixed or binding, and I won't come near you in any way you don't want me to—"
"I know that, that's not what I'm worried about. Spirits, it's not you, ikkingutima. It's not that I don't trust you. And I don't want you thinking of yourself as being any less or...as if you're undesirable or anything. It's the process. And the ethical considerations. Everything's just moving so fast, and it feels wrong even though it doesn't have to be wrong…But I've come to terms with it. This is the only other option I have of taking the North away from Khasiq, and I don't want to let it go."
"I get it, I do, and I know the panic isn't gonna go away just like that, but I don't want you to be terrified. That's the main thing." Frowning, looking away, "If you're terrified…I can't sit there and be okay with this."
Her hand flew to his wrist, drawing his attention. She held a look that was both confident and soft. "I'm not terrified of you, Sokka. I promise."
"Well good…" Swallowing, "I'm telling you again, if you don't want to go through with this, I'll try to come up with an excuse. Whatever excuse there is—"
"No, it's okay. I'm okay with this."
"You sure?"
"As long as you are," she told him. "I know you made this offer, and I just need the confirmation that you're really, truly okay to go through with this."
"I am."
"There's no turning back, you know that, right? I mean, not really since there's still annulment, but this will be embedded in our memories for a long time…And no one wants to willingly enter a contract like this—"
"Your Highness," he stopped her with a determined look of his own, "There would be no greater honor."
Silence settled in as they simultaneously took a breath, letting the impact of their mutual agreement simmer in the air. Yue brushed aside the sweat at her temples, letting a more serious concern take over, "I trust that you took this decision because you care about the North, yes?"
"Of course. The North and the South are no different to me," he said.
And after taking another look at him as if trying to search for something, as if trying to extract the level of sincerity in his words, she whispered, "Then I trust that you will look after the North if something happens to me?"
Sokka felt his chest become tighter, heavier at the question, "Your Highness, nothing's going to happen to—!"
"They're going to call in Mr. Akluviq the moment I tell them we're going through with this," Yue said. "And I plan to name you as my…well, "successor" isn't the right word, but the point is, you'll be second in line for my position—"
"What?" came the incredulous cry, "Princess, they might say I'm the Chieftain-Consort, but I'm not going to go through with that literally! You are the leader of the North, and you will always be—!"
"Until the day I'm not around."
"No, don't say that! I won't have you say that!" came his stubborn response.
"Sokka, calm down. I know I'll be okay, but just in case—"
"No, there's no 'just in case.' You're the leader, and you will always be. I won't just stand around and watch you get hurt!"
"Sokka, I know, okay? I know you'll do everything in your power. I'll do everything in my power to protect myself, too, obviously. But…but…in case the universe has other plans… it might not even be harm, necessarily. Maybe if there's some other unforeseen reason that will make me unfit for the throne or something…"
And the moment she said that, terror etched across his face. Does she know she's the Akna? "What reason would there even be?" Placing his hands on her shoulders, "Yue, you're not going to abandon the North, promise me. You're not gonna let anything phase you. No harm, no reason that you speak of—"
"Sokka, this is all speculation. I'm thinking ahead—"
"You're imagining things at this point," he huffed, "What's gonna happen, huh? You think I'll let anything happen to you?"
"It's just a precautionary measure, Sokka, please try to understand. I need to think these things through. Even if they never happen."
It was clear that he didn't like what he was hearing. "I didn't suggest this arrangement so I can be chief of the North. This isn't some kind of plot for me to take over—"
"Oh my goodness, I swear, Sokka, I know. And that's exactly why I think I can count on you to lead the North. You don't have to stay here to lead, by the way, you can exercise control even from the South—"
"Seriously, not helping!"
"I'm only saying I plan to leave the North under Southern jurisdiction in the event that there's an emergency circumstance—"
"Well there won't be!"
"Even if there isn't! Even if it never comes," she persisted. "I need to make sure the North is in good hands. Because I'm not an idiot, either, and I, too, know how the world works. I know the level of danger I'm in. Even if some people think that I'm disregarding it or that my morals are grandiose…"
"I didn't say that—"
"Well my parents did."
Sokka's frown didn't change, "This doesn't feel right."
Looking at him, "Even if I really was to accept you as my husband, you would've been chief anyway."
"Are you sure you're not doing this because you feel guilty that I'm going through with this?"
"Even if this arrangement wasn't a thing, and I was still coronated without having to be married, I would still name the South as the next best option, I promise," she told him. "You don't understand, Sokka. You have people ready and willing to defend the South. That's not the case here, and I need to leave the North in capable, careful hands. And if I had a sibling who is of ruling age— if I had a sibling at all— I wouldn't have gone this far. That's why I need other sources, other trustworthy people who are willing to take on this responsibility. I'd rather have the South oversee the North than have the North be put in Khasiq's hands." Harboring a degree of fear, "There won't even be a North anymore if that man is in charge of it."
And that, Sokka couldn't argue with.
"There will be some exceptions, though. First, if I happen to have any children…after miraculously overcoming all of my insecurities, that is," came a dry chuckle, "but honestly, as much as I'd love children, I don't want to look into that possibility if the probability of harm is high for me. If anything was to happen to me, my children would be either targetted or abandoned, and I don't want to even imagine that—"
"Your Highness!" came his sullen cry.
"I'm just speculating," she said, continuing carefully, "As a second possibility, the South can choose someone competent from the North to lead it. If there's no competent person at that exact moment, the South can take authority and wait until it finds someone worthy. And third, in the event that my parents have another child…"
He blinked at her, "Your parents?"
"It's not impossible. If that happens, my sibling will always be able to take control over the North once he or she is old enough. And until then, the South will continue to oversee the North."
"It won't go that far," Sokka insisted. "You'll be safe, and your kids are gonna be safe, and you'll be the start of a very noble bloodline."
"Yes, I can foresee that," she said, "And this is just a housekeeping matter. I'm not implying I'll die or anything—"
"Well don't say that! Don't even talk about death!"
"Alright, alright," she assured him with a hand to his shoulder, amused by his frantic concern, even a degree of anger over her imagined scenarios, "I will be the chieftess of the North until the end of time, and I will be the start of the best bloodline in the history of the entire universe. Happy?"
He was still frowning, his arms crossed, his head turned away.
"Come on, isumataq, lighten up. I won't say those other things again, okay? Well, I have to tell Akluviq—"
"Dronningi—!"
"I won't say it outside of that, I won't." Ruffling his hair, issuing a small smile, "Okay?"
He sighed and nodded, "Okay."
Arnook and Ahnah were elated, of course, following the princess's acceptance, and in the haze of their excitement, they revealed another modification to the wedding arrangements: the presence of the senior White Lotus sentries followed by the Revivalists. In spite of her aggravation that her most important condition, i.e. a limited audience, was blatantly disregarded, Yue felt the sentries were harmless wouldn't reveal anything to the public, but with regard to the Revivalists, she did take issue. Not necessarily that they would reveal everything but because of how the Revivalists' knowledge would complicate things. Not to mention Imona: she would definitely flip if she found out given how she didn't trust Sokka with Yue at all.
In spite of all of this, Yue did not argue. She didn't have the strength to argue, at least, even when the Revivalists rushed to the Moon Temple, filing inside one by one, processing the return of a chieftess they assumed was dead this entire time, afterward nearly stampeding over Sokka and Yue in their attempts to congratulate them and assure them of Hakoda's eventual acceptance one day. The evening had certainly been eventful, to say the least, chaotic joy blooming in all directions save for the awkwardness that circled the isumataq and dronningi.
"It's about time, my guy!"
"Twenty-three years is a long wait, but it was definitely worth it!"
"I told you Kuunnguaq's perfect for ya!"
"And I told you that the princess was perfect for you, so we're both right!"
"Who would've guessed!"
"This is so exciting! Socks finally has a lady!"
"Socks will not let you down, Princess!"
"Our two greatest heroes! Getting married! Oh Tui and La!"
Even when Imona questioned the princess with worried disapproval, Yue didn't have an arguing bone in her tired body.
"You said you wouldn't sleep with the prince even if he was the last man on earth," Imona frowned at the princess, "How could you succumb to your parents like that?"
"I find Sokka to be a nice man," was the princess's only response that she managed to squeeze out between yawns and bluffs, "And I said that in front of his father, not necessarily because I meant it."
"I told you that man's not as nice as you think!"
"For the last time, you're misunderstanding him. And there's no one else I can marry right at this moment," Yue said, for there was no way she was revealing anything to Imona anytime soon, even with regard to the contract marriage. "According to that inane Heir Policy, I need a man in my life before I can accept the throne."
"So you're just gonna spend the rest of your life with him anyway?!"
"Settle down. I'm not going to take any major steps with him. This is…this is a formality, that's all."
"If he makes one wrong move, I'll be burying him alive—"
"Imona, respect. The prince deserves respect. And you do realize that this only happened because you revealed to the world that I was attacked."
And surprisingly, the guilt made the former Revivalist keep her mouth shut.
The senior White Lotus sentries arrived next; Piandao, Jeong Jeong, and Gyatso were jubilant upon learning of Yue and Sokka's marriage. They were also here for two additional purposes: meeting the chieftess and sitting in on the meeting with Akluviq.
And speaking of Akluviq, the man eventually made his presence, followed by one Chikuguq, a professional painter all set to paint the scene of the wedding for the Leadership Council records. Both tribesmen had been sped to the Northern capital on the Avatar's sky bison, and needless to say that both were shocked and pleased to see the princess of the North. Whereas Chikuguq toppled backward, Akluviq, who was a worshiper of Tui, fainted a grand total of three times after screeching, "All hail Tui!" in response to her delightfully divine appearance. He folded his hands in prayer every time he was woken up, constantly reminded that it wasn't Tui he was looking at but the princess-regent.
"Just like Mother Tui," the man said, a near-permanent smile plastered on his face, and it took a considerable amount of time for him to have a seat and not topple over. Yue, who was obviously concerned, decided that sporting a veil would be the best course of action, and that helped calm the devout man somewhat.
"If I had known, I would've worn a veil beforehand, sir," she said to him. "For some reason, I thought you had seen me when I was younger."
"Yes, I have, Princess," the older man's smile dimmed as he turned to Arnook and Ahnah, "A few hours before the attack that night, actually…"
And Sokka couldn't help wondering if Akluviq knew of the princess's origins or if he just assumed that she was born to Arnook and Ahnah. Then again, the man had been living in the capital during that time, and judging by the wary look he exchanged with the Northern leaders, Sokka suspected the council member knew of the events of that solstice night.
"It's just different seeing you grown up, that's all," the man said, his kind smile returning to the young princess. "And it's exciting to see that you're finally getting married to your La." Turning to Sokka next, "It's an honor to meet you, Isumataq La."
"Uh…My name's Sokka, sir—"
"Same difference."
From there, the conversation took a more serious turn. In the presence of only the sentries and the Northern leaders, Yue revealed many of the plans she had in store to help change the face of the tribe. She also revealed the plans and exceptions she had revealed to Sokka beforehand.
"But Your Highness, the chief and chieftess are infertile, unfortunately…" A statement which Akluviq immediately regretted as he received a glares from Arnook, Ahnah, and Sokka. "I-I-I mean…you were a blessing from the Spirts…but they had considerable difficulty for a long time, and…"
"I'm aware that anything can happen. In the event that I am not able to take up the position for any reason, I need to make sure my homeland is secure," the princess said, casting a brief look at her parents before turning back to the council leader, "Some people think I live in the illusion that I'm immortal or something, but on the contrary, I'm very aware of my mortality."
It was the hardest conversation that Sokka ever forced himself to sit through.
With the vast majority of the Revivalists eagerly losing themselves in helping Ahnah and Arnook prepare for the wedding, and with the White Lotus occupied with Akluviq and Chikuguq, Sokka and Yue were able to have a bit of a reprieve. They kept themselves removed from the preparations and lounged in the courtyard in the back.
"They say the markings are permanent, but they eventually come off," Yue told Sokka. "It takes some time and a lot of effort. The plant from which that pigment comes from has interesting properties…"
"I'll just keep my wrist covered with my wraps," Sokka mentioned to the blue wraps at his arm.
"That's the plan for me, too," Yue admitted, glancing absentmindedly at the icy pillars.
Sokka followed her gaze before taking in the sight of the courtyard for the millionth time since they first came here. He lost himself to his surroundings, so much so that he ended up blurting out, "You say I have a lot of passion for the South, but…I have a lot of passion for the North, too."
"Well that's a relief. I thought we'd never be redeemed," she joked.
Turning to her, "I mean I'm willing to stay here longer, dronningi."
"That's kind of the plan anyway if you want to be my husand until my coronation."
"Yeah, but…I mean…" his voice turned softer from a degree of…vulnerability, strangely. "Even after you become the chieftess, I'm willing to stay longer…And not just because of the arrangement or anything, but in general."
Yue's look briefly transitioned into a look of genuine surprise, then of contemplation before, "You know you can't. You'll miss the South. Your home. Your family."
"I haven't exactly been home consistently since I was fourteen, so I'm used to the distance."
"But you don't have a reason to be consistently away from home anymore," she pointed out. "If anything, you'd theoretically miss home and take the chance to be home whenever possible. Make up for all the lost time."
A tense pause settled in with him trying to come up with another way of phrasing his intention. Instead, she broke the silence eventually with, "And anyway, wouldn't it be strange if you stay even after we have our arrangement formally annulled? Unless you have a really strong reason. Stronger than your love for the South, stronger than the awkwardness of separation…"
Swallowing, "You sure you wouldn't want me around still?"
"You know that's not what I mean, Sokka," came the gentle reprimand.
"I meant if you're sure you'll resist my charm and actually go through with an annulment," he clarified, trying to keep up a grin but finding it difficult with the tug at his heart.
"Don't worry, I have no plans of keeping you trapped here in an unwanted marriage," she assured. "Besides, there wouldn't really be a reason at that point, would there, to sacrifice more of your time to the North when you could be happily crowned in the South?"
"You know the rules. I can't be coronated unless I'm married."
Surprised, "I thought the South would be more lenient, though."
"It's a generalized Water Tribe rule, and we've been forced to go along with it, too."
"Should I pose as your wife, then?" she teased. "Another contract, perhaps? To return the favor?"
With a laugh, "That's not exactly what I had planned."
"Would you rather get married for real? You seem like the kind of guy to want a family one day. Children, at the very least, even if you don't want to commit to a partner—"
"Hey, I'm not against committing," he pointed out.
"I thought you said commitment was for saps," came the smirk.
"I didn't say commitment, I meant a blind, loveless marriage."
"Did you, though?"
"Alright, that's not the point," he flushed.
Giggling at his embarrassment, "It's okay, isumataq. If you're really and truly seeking commitment, wouldn't that help your case? Find yourself a lady you love and pamper her. Sweep her off her feet. And when the magic finally happens, marry her, have as many children as you like, raise them to be paragons of perfection and all that." Shrugging, "It won't be too hard. You have a way of winning people over. Even if you claim you don't have experience with women, necessarily."
"In that case, my charm should work on you, too, then," he sputtered, his heart rate skyrocketing.
"Oh?" raising her eyebrows, "So I can fall for you and beg you to stay with me?"
"Not beg, but allow me to stay."
"Well who am I to allow you to stay? That's your choice." Turning back to the pillars, "Even if I was to fall for your irresistible charm and ask you to stay, would that even be possible with your parents, who don't even want to share the same universe as me?"
Sure, the whole conversation had a teasing tone to it, but regardless, it raised complicated questions.
"In all seriousness, Isumataq Sokka, if you want to prioritize commitment, and if you love the South so much, what's the problem in finding a nice lady and ruling the South? Why still worry about the North even at that point? I didn't appoint you to be my bodyguard for life."
"Well I can't imagine settling down…" With anyone else. "At least, not with someone I don't love. Being forced to be…intimate, I guess…not just physically, but in an emotional way…you know what I mean." With a sigh, "I don't want to deal with that. That's why I'd like to stay here."
"No, that's why you need to find someone you love in the South."
"I doubt that. I'm not gonna marry a sixteen-year-old kid or anyone several years younger than me, and everyone else is taken." Shrugging, "And anyway, how would that make me avoid a contract and an actual wedding altogether?"
"But you just said you didn't mind commitment, and at the same time, you don't want to look around…I'm confused," she blinked, "Unless you're already in love with someone."
He gulped, his heart rate speeding up even more. "I…well…"
"I don't see how spending your entire week running around me would give you adequate time to spend with someone else. To the extent that you'd fall for them, at least. Unless I'm wrong?"
"No, you're right…" Though she could've entertained the possibility that maybe she was the one he fell for in every literal sense of the term, but no, the universe had to play with his fate on a consistent basis.
"If you are not in love with anyone and just want to escape the South's rigid system, then staying up here, where the system is also rigid— at least, until I become the chieftess, of course— isn't going to solve the issue in the South necessarily. If going somewhere else would solve all problems, I would've fled the North years ago."
"Dang," shaking his head, "You really don't want me to be here, then, huh?"
Turning serious, "It's not my plan to have you be in constant danger with me for the rest of your life…" And upon his alarmed look, she added, "Not that I plan to remain in danger for the rest of my life or anything…"
"Then what's the problem? I can't stay behind for a friend?"
She took a deep breath, "You know the famous saying by Poet Mikkiru? 'One who truly loves the ocean would let it flow freely to its will, not seek to trap it in an igloo for oneself.' When we truly appreciate someone, we don't keep that person tied down to us, nor do we do things for them that would only give us happiness. Though we welcome that person with open arms if they wholeheartedly find fulfillment in our company." Turning to him, "It's because you're my friend that I'm thinking about your career and your passion for your home. The South is where you will be most fulfilled, and I know that. I'd never keep you away from the South just because I enjoy spending time with you."
He wasn't sure how to respond. It was an insightful analysis that he would've accepted to be true had he encountered it a couple of weeks ago. What changed? The princess, the North, the affection flooding his chest at this very moment.
"I mean, I'd visit the South. Even if it's just to see you...even if it means we'd meet secretly…but would I stay in the South? First of all, that wouldn't be possible if I had to keep myself a secret from your parents and still stay. Second of all, can I even set foot away from the North in the first place? Leaving the North by itself…it's like leaving a toddler all alone in an empty igloo in the middle of a blizzard." Shaking her head, "The North is my baby, there's just no way…"
"I would never expect you to abandon the North, dronningi."
"And I'd never ask you to leave the South," she said, having lost all incentive to tease by now. "We may be good friends, but we'd have to rule our separate divisions sooner or later, right? If neither of us can let go of our homes, we would have to literally be Poles apart one day or another."
And yet, a stubborn part of him refused to accept or think about that separation.
"And it's not that you can't stay behind, necessarily. You'd just be overruling a lot of things you care about if you did. But if you truly want to stay for a long time...at least give me a reason, then. One reason. Something that you think is more valuable than your tribe and your future and the company of your family." With a dry laugh, "I know the North is obviously the greatest place you've ever been to, but what's here that tugs at your heartstrings in all the right ways? A pretty-faced moral wasteland that I'm desperately trying to fix…I happen to be in love with it, but what could this land possibly hold for you that's more powerful than your love for the South? And it better not be your gratitude."
Silence settled in again as he lost himself to her eyes, trying to convey things he couldn't easily through words but failing to do so. She remained confused, uncertain of why he would even be willing to stay for longer than he should.
"But we don't have to think about that now," she eventually dismissed. "All we have to think about at this moment is letting the rest of the night pass by somehow. Just sit in front of that fire for a few hours, and then we can go home and pretend like this never…" Yue's eyes widened suddenly, "Oh no."
"What's wrong?"
"I just remembered…" with panic rushing back to her, "You know how a wedding works, right?"
"Yeah, the guy and girl sit in front of a fire for an hour or two, and then they draw a permanent symbol on each other's wrists, and then they say…what was it… inaamiya? Yeah, inaamiya or whatever, and then they ki…" he stopped his rambling, turning completely red in the face, seeing that she, too, appeared flushed by his reaction. "Uh…unless if I'm not remembering correctly—"
"Everyone tribesperson has seen a Water Tribe wedding, you can count on that," she pressed her lips together and fiddled with her fingers, "Are we going to have to…?"
"Uhhhhhhh…" But he couldn't process anything for a long moment, for he was involuntarily inviting fantasies at that point despite outwardly avoiding all eye contact. Kissing Yue, oh dear universe…
"We…we could pretend?" Yue mumbled to herself, "No, no, there's not a…how can we pretend to kiss? Everyone's going to be there, watching, oh Spirits…" Turning to the frozen prince, "Isumataq? Got any ideas—?"
"Kiss…kiss!" An instinct to grin stupidly, blissfully— a momentary blip in his consciousness— overridden by a strange look from the princess. He faked a cough, finding a need to mask his eagerness with a look of disinterest if at least to cover up his feelings, to hide the hearts in his eyes. The sheer flood of dopamine coupled with adrenalin, but of course, he was no creep to show off the fact that he'd die for her kiss—
"Uh…isumataq—?"
"We can't kiss, I can't kiss you!" And the moment those words flew from his lips, he had never looked so horrified in his life, "Oh my universe…Your Highness…I didn't mean…!"
And all she could do was blink at his spastic outburst, wide-eyed, and slowly took a step back to give him space.
"No, no, that's not what…! I-I mean, no, I…no, not 'no', but…" Taking a moment to breathe, "I don't mean that it would be bad…" and he flushed more severely as he said that, "I don't want you to be uncomfortable and…I-I'm not suggesting anything!"
"Okay, calm down—"
"I swear, I don't mean to say or suggest anything that you're not comfortable wi—mmph!" He was stopped by a hand held gently up to his mouth. And dear universe, it seemed like his head was spinning from how soft her fingers were to his lips…should he dare to imagine how things would be if…?
No, no, it's disrespectful. She probably didn't want to anyway. What am I saying, of course she doesn't want to kiss me, she's panicking—
"Don't panic," she said calmly, drawing her hand back as he stood gaping at her, lost in his thoughts, beet-red in the face. "Don't panic, isumataq. We're both geniuses. I'm sure we can work our way around this. There's nothing to be worried about, okay?"
Still blinking, "I…"
"And you're telling me not to be terrified," she gave an awkward chuckle, "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"N-No, I—!"
"It's okay, I wasn't offended," she assured. "I wasn't even suggesting we do it. I just pointed out a ritual to be aware of."
"But I—!"
"Don't beat yourself up. I'll talk to Osha. See if there's a way around this."
"Okay, hold on now, that's not what I—"
"It won't be a shock to her by any means. I'm a heretic anyway, and you're not exactly orthodox yourself—"
"But—"
"Now rest up that voice of yours."
And as she began walking away, a jolt of reality struck him in the face, prompting him to burst, "Wait! Princess! I do want to kiss you, I just…!"
To which she jarred to a stop, her bright face bursting into color again as she gawked at him. There was no denying that his declaration was quite…loud.
"I mean…" Kill me now, Universe… "I'm not saying…I'm not saying I'd do anything you're uncomfortable with, but…oh, Universe, how do I say this?"
Walking back up to him after transitioning out of the shock, "So… you want to…?"
"I mean…I don't want to come across as a creep—"
"You don't have to give that disclaimer before every sentence, I get it. I wouldn't be having this conversation with you if I really did think you were a creep."
"Okay…okay…" His mouth went dry, and his voice dropped to a murmur, "I just…it's just…what Mr. Aklavuq would think? We don't want to give off the vibe that we're deceiving the Leadership Council. Even if that is what we're doing…"
"Uh…yes…?"
Taking a deep breath, "This might sound bad, but I don't mean it to be bad," he prefaced, glancing into her eyes, briefly zeroing in on her soft, perfect lips, oh Universe, take me now— "If it means your chiefdom is at stake, I'd…I'd totally kiss you…"
Raising her eyebrows, whipping her mask on to hide her embarrassed flush, cutting off his eyes' access to her lips, "You'd totally kiss me?"
Rubbing the back of his neck, "Y-Yeah…"
She nodded slowly, looking to the side as if lost in thought but really meaning to avoid all awkwardness, "Well…would it go against everything you ever believed in if you did kiss me?"
"N-No…"
"You sure? I won't have you force yourself—"
"I'm not, it's a conscious decision…" Burning the near love-drunk look off of his face with his embarrassed heat, "I'd very totally kiss you…b-but I don't know how…"
Raising her eyebrows, "Pardon?"
"I…" finding that further eye contact would lead to his inevitable doom, he turned away, "I haven't kissed anyone before."
"Oh…" she seemed to think for a moment, "Well that makes the two of us." Leaning against a nearby pillar, her arms crossed defensively over her chest, trying to appear nonchalant, "I suppose that is some sort of art…? I thought it's just a matter of… touching lips…? That's how they do it in plays…right?"
He shrugged, all of a sudden turning highly bashful.
"You can always ask your friends. We have an entire temple full of Revivalists."
"I would, but…it would kind of be embarrassing…"
"Well…surely you have guy friends who talked about this before in your friend circle or something, right? Back home in the South?" she asked. "Assuming they're married off at sixteen and have at least three kids each…? I mean, I know women do that. I happened to overhear those conversations a little bit but was never really invested in them…"
"Yeah…I, uh…I haven't exactly asked anyone how to…I mean… they give advice on other things…"
And she didn't have to guess what these "other things" were based on what looked like steam radiating from his hushed breath, "but it's kind of rare to talk about how to kiss…it just seems so simple but I guess it's not…?"
"You've never asked around or anything?"
"Well…the point is to come across like you're an expert. Even if you're not. And act all innocent in front of the older folk…" Blushing madly, "It's a guy thing."
And she wasn't sure why, but she ended up giggling at that much to his surprise. Of course, she was still too embarrassed to have her mask off, but she was, at the very least, amused.
"I'll…I'll investigate, dronningi." Investigate? "I mean…I'll…I'll find out…how to…"
"If this requires extensive research, there's no point," she said, brushing it off, "Don't wear yourself out, hotshot—"
"I'll do it, I will! I…I just gotta prepare first…if you're okay with it…"
"Okay with the research?"
"I meant," he flushed deeper, "If you're okay with…"
"Well…I'll still talk to Osha and see if there's a way around that part of the ritual…in a way that doesn't obviously give away our plan," she said, sporting a more serious look again, "But just in case she feels put-off by the suggestion…I guess we would have no other choice…?"
Blinking, "Uh…yeah…okay…"
"And, um…I'll ask around, too…I suppose…just in case…"
"Okay…"
"Okay…"
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
She made the effort to go inside but was stopped by a reminder, hence turning back, catching him off guard as he wiped the silly grin off of his face and straightened himself up. "I forgot to mention something earlier."
"Oh…let's hear it."
"By no means are either of us tethered to each other, but I won't deny that it'll feel…strange…for the first two days…since everyone around us thinks this is real, and their actions will no doubt try to construct a reality that's not real, essentially…So just out of ethical considerations…If you find that you're attracted to someone, it would be proper to opt out of this arrangement. And in the event that you'd like to opt out, you can do so at any time—"
"That won't be a problem," he assured her. "It won't get to that point."
"You're saying you won't fall in love with someone in the process? This isn't an actual marriage for you to keep yourself closed off."
"I won't be interested in anyone else either way, don't you worry."
"No one is going to pull you into their charm, huh?"
Smiling, "It's impossible to top your pull, Princess."
Her grin dimmed slightly but by no means into a frown. If anything, she retained a tiny upward curve of her lips, whispering a soft "haha" before stepping inside, hiding her flush with her mask.
Sokka ended up sprawling out on the floor, eyeing the sunset sky with a pounding heart, his excitement juxtaposed by nervousness. Oh my Spirits. Would he, who swooned just when seeing Yue for the first time, possibly survive a journey to her lips?