Warning: Violence.

Chapter 68: Crimson Tundra

They traversed the long corridors, hand in hand, staring at the intricacies of the South's grandest piece of architecture yet. The palace was utterly foreign to the isumataq, who had never seen such drastic changes in the South in all of his years of being here. While it did not feel out of place, it was a stark reminder of the hypocrisy he disapproved of: the way his folks enjoyed the fruits of the princess's generosity yet hesitated to take her side. Yue, however, felt genuinely happy that she was able to be a part of this change and see her Southern Revival Project achieve this level of success.

"It doesn't even feel like the South."

Raising her eyebrows, "I think you're the only prince in the world who's not happy that his kingdom has a palace, nalligima."

"I am happy, and I'm proud that you made this happen," he told her. "This is your very first project, and to see the results of what you worked so hard on is great. I just wish people were more appreciative. I know as leaders we don't expect to be glorified, but still…it would be nice if people stopped and thought about who gave them all these things instead of believing in dumb superstitions. You're the reason behind all this, but people still…"

"Let it go. It can't be helped."

But he felt that certain things could still be helped to minimize harmful interactions. "I don't really want us to stay here. Chunta said he arranged for us to stay at the old igloo. He's having it fixed up a little as we speak," his arm settled around her shoulders, "I can show you my old room."

"Not that I don't want to see your old room, but I thought you were staying in the palace."

"What do you mean by 'you'?" he raised his eyebrows, "Were you expecting me to stay here by myself?"

"I don't want that to be the case, but…I kind of expected your parents to want you to stay here…And I was expecting them to be uncomfortable with me staying, too…"

"You said you were going to be next to me for everything," he frowned.

"I am. I just mean your mother would probably want you to keep close to her…"

"And you didn't think I would want to keep close to you?"

"That's not what I mean—"

"We're married, and we're entitled to staying in one room. We don't need to go around making sacrifices because some people are squeamish about that." Sighing wearily, "The offer to leave tonight still stands. We can just crash in our bunker and call it a day. You just have to say the word—"

"Sokka."

"I can't take chances, okay? This would've been easy if we didn't have a damn eclipse tonight…"

"The circumstances for the last eclipse were different. More dangerous. Not this one. Pakku's not here, and your parents aren't the type to murder people. In fact, they named your brother after my alias. Things can't get better and more flattering than that, right? If you asked me, we should've stayed longer."

"You were about to leave, though."

"I only wanted to give you all some space."

"And I left them to give them space."

Yue sighed, "Sokka, I'm a grown woman. I can handle it here. Why are you so worried?"

"I'm not saying you're not capable," he persisted, "I'm saying you shouldn't have to put up with yakshit for my sake. We can visit every few hours or something, but let's just stay at the igloo. Please."

"Fine, we'll stay in the igloo, but we need to have dinner here at least. Chunta said your mother wanted us to eat with them later tonight. We need to respect what she wants. We'll eat and come right back go the igloo, okay?"

He couldn't help but acquiesce, "Fine."

Her hand rested on his chest, "You know…the North isn't all about infanticides and murders, and as such, the South isn't all about disownment and discrimination. How long are we just going to stay in the palace premises? There's a whole tundra out there. Why not show me the fun parts of the South? The South you always told me about when you told me your stories."

His voice soft, "You want to explore?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course I want to explore," she said. "I've never been anywhere past the North, and I haven't even gotten out of the ship during our trip here."

"But the eclipse—"

"The eclipse is in a few hours, not now.

He still seemed uncomfortable with the idea, "I'd love to take you out, but…if anything happens to you—"

"I told you, the circumstances back then were different," she told him. "Look, Sokka…in the future, whenever I close my eyes and picture the South, I don't want to be reminded of any of this drama. I want to just be reminded of you. Of tonight. We'll be back before the eclipse starts, I promise." Her hand on his cheek, "I don't care what you do. Show me the South you know and love. Show me your friends and the life you used to live. Show me a good time."

His hand grasped hers, a lightness crossing into his gaze, "A shaman and a nun wandering around? We'll be the center of attention."

"Let the igloos talk all the want. Ingan sema."

He smiled, wrapping his arms around her, "Then let's get out of here."

"We hear your talisman cured the prince!"

"Please give us a talisman, too, holy angakkuq!"

"I need one for my daughter!"

And Sokka could only glare at the people assembling around him, "Are you all crazy? Talismans don't do shit! This was the work of a hardworking healer who traveled a long way just to cure the prince with impressive techniques and a commendable grasp of science and healing! And you saps are sitting here thinking a piece of string did all the work?! Why else do you think the boy is named Karuna…?!"

Everyone gawked at Shaman Aukanek, shocked by his outburst yet finding a stark familiarity in it. The shaman, however, surprised them with a rather calm, "…is what uncultured folk would say to degrade our beliefs…"

Yue smirked in his direction.

"Our Prince Sokka would've said that for sure," Isuq laughed.

"Ah, foolish chap," the angakkuq shook his head, "I feel bad for him, honestly. That poor soul doesn't know the importance of faith. Of course, Miss Karuna's healing methods went a long way, but our talisman did some work, too. It's infused with the blessings of the Goddess. Granted it didn't cure the boy, but it creates a cloud of protection around him. Isn't that something?" His eyes danced in Yue's direction, lit up by a spark recognized by very few, "Think of talismans not as lucky charms but the smiles of Tui. The Goddess has mercy on all. Why hesitate to give thanks to the One Who Sits on the Clouds?"

"Clouds are made of water and air, respected Shaman Aukanek. Of course, I think you know that," Yue said, the rare spark in her eyes answering him back. "I fail to understand how a woman can sit on a cloud."

"Not everything is about science, Miss Karuna."

"Oh, so you're saying your spirits can't be grasped by science? Is your Tui so beneath the standards of logic and empiricism? You can't expect anyone to sit on clouds. That's a rather fantastical expression, not meant to be taken literally. Yet you seem to have a literalist approach to your sacred texts. Believing there's some woman up in the sky, sitting on a cloud—"

"You wanna talk science? By all means, let's do," Sokka brushed his "beard." "Our Tui is technically light itself, isn't she? The mass of light is less than the mass of clouds, so it's indeed very possible for light to 'sit' on clouds."

The answer was met with approval and cheers from those gathered around him. Yue flashed him a wider grin, "Not bad. You're not entirely removed from the scientific world. Unlike the other shamans I've seen at Whaletail Island."

"Oh?"

Casting a quick look at the entertained tribefolk before secretly flashing him a wink, "I'd like to see what else you're so knowledgeable about. How far your shamanism takes you through the world without blinding you to reality."

Grinning, "Alright then," and Sokka scanned the audience, circling the air with his scepter before pointing at a tribesman in the middle, "You, over here."

"Me?" the tribesman shuffled up to the front of the crowd, earning everyone's attention. Sokka looked into the man's eyes before circling his scepter around again in exaggeration, "This man's name is Isuq. A good friend to your prince. Isuq here is a shipbuilder. His wife is Unqah, and they have five children together: three sons and two daughters. He's very attached to his grandmother because she raised him after his mother passed. That's why he named one of his daughters after her: Immi."

The tribesman gawked at him, his reaction accompanied by a collective gasp, "Oh my Spirits! How do you know all of this? This is your first time in the South!"

Sokka waved his scepter again before pointing at an old tribeslady, "That right there is Old Lady Manguqa. A grandmother figure to all members of the tribe. She has nine sons; broke the record for having the most sons in a row."

"Nine?" Yue gawked at the woman.

"Also makes the best deer-yak meat," Sokka went on, "And I'll add that she has an impressive Arctic rock collection."

"Oh my goodness!" the old woman blinked, "No one has ever known about my rock collection other than my oldest and Isumataq Sokka! How can you possibly know the inside of my house? You must be a very powerful shaman indeed!"

"Oh yes!"

Sokka then turned to a fascinated man in the corner, "And that over there is Panuq, and the woman beside him is his wife, Kirima. They're both gentle souls. Very sensitive to others' problems, very kind-hearted. Panuq has a habit of praying for the well-being of the spirit of every animal he captures. They have four kids: three sons and a daughter born a couple of months ago."

"That's so true!" a tribeswoman beside the shocked couple nodded, "You hit the nail on the head, Angakkuq Aukanek!"

With more and more people having their pasts recited back to them, the gathered tribefolk were convinced that the shaman had occult powers.

"Oh my!"

"You really know each and every one of us!"

"The Goddess is my all-seeing eye," Sokka drawled. "Praise be to the Goddess!"

And they all joined in with, "PRAISE BE TO THE GODDESS!"

"You've been telling Sister Karuna all about us," a tribeswoman said from the crowd, "Why not tell us about her for once?"

"Yeah, tell us about her!"

"Well, there's not too much I can say." Grinning at Yue, "She's got the mercy of an airbender and the passion of a waterbender. She's a walking goddess."

Which definitely earned a flush from the Northern dronningi and the shock of those present. It wasn't every day a shaman, bound by celibacy, spoke of another woman, let alone a nun as such.

"Shaman, sir!"

"Shaman Aukanek!"

"Your Holiness!"

"Angakkuq Aukanek!"

"Please read my palm, won't you?

"Nalligima!"

Recognizing the last tone of the many different screeches, Yue saw her disguised husband, "Psst! Nalligima, I'm over here!"

She noted the relief on his face unfolding as he quickly entered the boutique igloo, shut the door behind him, and rushed over to the other end where she was standing. She couldn't help but be amused by the way he dragged his peeling shaman paraphernalia along with him, all while soaked in water, holding onto his sweaty headdress with one hand and his "scepter" and sagging fur overlay of his ceremonial robe beneath his waist, nearly resembling a toddler trying to keep his pants up. She dragged him over to the nearest changing room and shut the door behind them.

"You left without telling me," he panted, not deciphering the reason for her giggles as her nimble hands worked to bend him dry, "You're laughing? I was worried sick!"

"Sorry," she straightened his robes and tied the robe back around his waist, "It's just really hard to take you seriously with this long-ass beard."

Frowning, "I thought I told you to wait by the snack stall. What are you doing here by yourself?"

"I was trying to get away from the other healers," she confessed, working to bend his "tattoo" markings back into place, "They wouldn't leave me alone. They kept pestering me about what technique I used to heal Karuna," her voice dropped to a whisper, "I can't just give away the fact that it's bloodhealing. It's a life-saving technique, yes, but it's not something to be told to everyone. If people realize it's a possibility…it's just too dangerous to experiment with."

"If that's the case, people are going to start relying on you for situations like these," he said. "Are you just gonna start traveling to whatever area of the world needs your abilities? There's no scarcity of sick people out there, and the tribefolk are already going crazy over you."

"I don't know. It will be very rewarding even if it means I have to be on the road all the time…but I don't see myself teaching it to anyone. If Katara wanted to learn, she would've been the exception. I know she's capable. But bloodhealing requires knowledge of bloodbending to some extent even if you don't have to rip people apart. It's not distinct from it…the way healing and waterbending are not different."

"You should talk to her about it, then."

"I did a while back, but she told me she didn't want that kind of power. And I completely understand and respect that."

"Well…it's not always about reaching inside someone and controlling them. And even if it is, if it's used as a defensive move, it's okay…I would think," he said. "I mean, that's what you did to me when those bloodbenders were coming for me. I was still able to do my own thing, but…I didn't feel their effects on me…"

"Very perceptive," she nodded. "At that moment I was in control of you in a way, but I also wasn't. I reached in only to regulate your circulation so you can resist their efforts." Shrugging, "It's a lot of weird stuff. There are so many lines you shouldn't cross. There's so much gray area."

"And there are more chances of people abusing this than not."

"Exactly. I would hate to not save a life, but I would also hate to have a life taken through that kind of abuse. I just don't know…"

"We don't need to come up with a decision today."

"Yeah."

She finished brushing up on his markings, making sure the marking on his wrist was concealed as well, "Now be careful. A lot of work goes into making sure you look like a shaman. All that sweat washes the pigment away."

"I can't help it if you go missing every five seconds."

"You were the one who left," she raised her eyebrows. "Even if you wanted me to wait."

"Because I wanted to surprise you with something, and it wouldn't be a surprise if I announced it out loud." He reached for his headdress and lifted it, grabbing the moonflowers he'd concealed under the chaos of feathers and wild hair. "They were supposed to be in the stall beside the snack stall, but that idiot's flowers were all rotten. Some genius planted these right in the middle of Antiman's Pond, so I had to run over there..."

Her eyes softening, "Aww, sweetie, you shouldn't have!" She took off the nun veil and wove her hair with the flowers. A smile curled at his lips, the fragrance of sandalwood and moonflower filling his nose.

"This palette really suits you," his gaze traveled down her robes.

"I'm mixed after all," she shrugged, "No surprise, there I guess."

"Maybe, but it should definitely be a crime to look this beautiful…or smell really good…"

"Oh is it?"

"Oh yeah."

"It should also be illegal to be such a cute shaman."

"Maybe I should settle down as a real shaman, then."

"Oh no, we can't have that," she whispered, "What will happen to the world if its best scientist resorts to faith healing?"

"I think it'll be worth it," his hands reached for hers, thumbing against the outline of the bangles beneath her silk sleeves, "You're still wearing these? What if people see them?"

"Then I'll tell them they're from my husband who happens to be a powerful shaman. Why hide the truth?"

"Yeah, except nuns are supposed to be celibate."

"So are shamans, yet here we are. Just two more heretics in the void."

Feeling a rush of euphoria down his spine, "That'll be a story for the press," he pulled her flush up against him, "'You're married, Shaman Ikkiruni?' 'Oh, yeah, to this beautiful nun called Karuna.' We'll have another best-selling novel in the works."

She laughed, coaxed into a kiss until the sudden opening of the door followed by a gasp interrupted their interaction, prompting them to whip their heads in the direction of the owner of the store. Despite not hearing the conversation, he nevertheless couldn't provide any other interpretation of the nature of the duo's relationship given the shaman's close proximity to the nun's lips.

"What are you looking at?" Sokka frowned, "If you tell anyone about this, I'm cursing you to an eternity in La's hell!"

"No, no, I didn't see anything, shaman, sir! Oh, Tui and La!" the tribesman hurried back the way he came.

"I probably should've locked the door…"

"Eh, it happens."

Shaking her head, "Abusing your authority, hm? I expected better from you."

"Nonsense, I'm fighting injustice," he held his head up high, "Doesn't beat being a god but it's something—gah!"

She laughed, quickly bending the glue near his chin to where it held his falling beard in place, "Well don't get too crazy."

The usual darkness of despair following nights of extensive hunting was long obliterated by the dronningi's aid to the South, but the persistent emptiness of the place finally faded away with her presence, making his room seem unrecognizable at first. There was not much to show other than the layout itself given the fact that apart from a few basic pelts and the firelog, everything else was practically transported from the North. However, everything seemed familiar yet new at the same time. It was strange to think that the last time he was here, he had been wondering all sorts of things— what the Northern dronningi's name was, what she looked like, what she was like as a person. He would never have fathomed, never have imagined a moment like this with the princess snuggled against him, the two of them seeking warmth in each other after an eventful evening running around the South and even indulging in a play.

"So, your first Southern play," he grinned, "How'd ya like it?"

"It was sweet. Unrealistic but sweet."

"Unrealistic?"

"This 'love at first sight' business? No way. I do think lust at first sight is a thing, though."

"Nothing about seeing me for the first time gave you the idea that I'd be your lifelong ikkingut?" he teased, feigning offense, "Oh, nalligima, rejecting me yet again."

"When I first saw you, I did think you were attractive."

He wiggled his eyebrows smugly.

"But it wasn't love then. Not of the 'first sight' kind, anyway."

"Well what kind was it? When did you realize you were falling for my irresistible charm, annaga?"

Grinning, "I guess the best way to put it is love at first impression. When I read your letter. It was definitely inspiring and made me come out of the shadows…. But it wasn't like a love letter or anything, so I never understood why I reacted the way I did. You were only asking for help."

"Maybe I won you over with basic psychology," he joked. "People like to feel needed, and I'm pretty sure you felt needed after that. It's all a trick of the mind."

"Maybe," she laughed, "But I was also moved by how much you cared for the South and the people here. I don't remember feeling genuine respect for many people before that…and that, too, through just a letter. Of course, I didn't know if you were just another sexist in the void, but you did specify several points about what the women and children in your area needed, your concern for moms' needs, children's education… and I realized you cared." Shrugging, "To this moment, I don't know if what I felt was love. I don't know what love is— the romantic kind, at least. I'm still navigating this… But I'll tell you I did feel something…even if I didn't know it…and I think that 'something' evolved and brought me here."

"Love at first impression…I think that's accurate," he smiled. "I fell for you after reading your letter, too. Maybe we should just stick with love at first letter, to be more specific?"

"Sure," she giggled, "Though I'm not sure what was so alluring about my letter. Was it the praise that one you over? If so, I might've won you over with basic psychology, too. People like to feel good about themselves."

"Maybe," his grin widened.

"And I'm sure the gift went a long way."

"It wasn't just a letter of praise and a sword. I was already curious. Being told there's a princess out there who cares enough to send nearly half of her kingdom's resources over to us over a period of several months? It piqued my interest. I wanted to know more about you."

"The sword was still a plus, though, admit it…"

"It wasn't the only thing, but it did help things."

"Well I'm glad. I wasn't sure if I'd ever get a chance to see you with my veils and your Northern disapproval at the time. It seemed so impossible, and I wanted to send you something. I didn't know what in hell a man would like. Weapons? Cologne? What are some other manly things, I don't know…"

"So you just assumed things? How sexist."

"You do like weapons and colognes—"

"I like other things, too!"

"Hey, if I'd known you were the matching bag-and-belt type, I would've sent those instead," she said, earning a laugh and a tightened grip around her waist. She shifted closer to him, smoothing the hairs of his fake beard, "I do want to to say that I agreed to our marriage not just because I felt comfortable. I was also because I was attracted to you. I was drawn to you by then, and I could tell…And it made me nervous because of the circumstances. We might've framed this as a marriage that wouldn't last, but…My vows were real, too. I'm not just saying this because this is something you'd want to hear…"

He felt a leap in his chest, "I'm glad you told me that."

"I tried not to think about it," she admitted. "I tried to tell myself not to be invested. I tried to tell myself I could handle it when you left…because I felt you had to go at some point… I really tried not to be selfish, and when I learned you weren't talking to your family because of me, I knew I couldn't be selfish… But I couldn't help it. It's only so long before the dam breaks."

He nuzzled against her cheek, "I know. Hiding your feelings doesn't go anywhere, nalligima." Sighing, "The Universe knows how hard it was for me to hold back. It was difficult. I didn't want to confess when you were still processing your identity, but I just…I was feeling too many things at once. All the things I did all this time to make sure my mouth was shut…it all came crashing down. You know what they say; you can't hide a whole ocean in a pearl."

She smiled, "I actually knew about your feelings before you told me."

"I wouldn't be surprised. It's only obvious."

"Actually…" she sat up, reaching into the pocket of her robes and pulling out the previously crumpled note that was now straightened out and folded neatly.

Sokka gawked at the noticeable red ink markings as he took the letter, "When did you read this?!"

"I knew about this beforehand," Yue said. "I read it a couple of days ago. Before I found out I was the Akna."

"Where did you find this? Did it fall on the ground somewhere?"

"No, it was still in your personal drawing book—"

"You saw my drawing book?" he flushed.

"I couldn't help it if you put it inside of your general drawing book. I was just looking through your rough sketches and I found your personal one, and…my curiosity got the best of me. It's not everyday I have an entire sketchbook named after me."

The prince's face crimsoned heavily, rivaled by disappointment, "So really I confessed to you for nothing? You already knew…"

"Well, it made me realize how sincere you were," she said. "Men being vulnerable about something has become foreign in our culture, and seeing you like that definitely helped your case that you were being serious about this. That it wasn't just a 'heat of the moment' kind of thing…"

"I can assure you my pining was never a 'heat of the moment' thing, nalligima," he reached for the letter, "Give me that."

"Why?"

'"It's not any good. I'll write a better one."

"Why write one now when we've both confessed and are in a committed relationship?"

"It's just not eloquent enough," he flushed.

"So what? It's memorable." Holding it close to her, My first ever love note. I'm keeping it safe with me. I even memorized it."

"You did not."

Smirking, "'I'm in love with you, Yue.' Heart symbol. 'I feel like we had moments—'"

"Gah, give me that!"

"What's there to be so embarrassed about?" she jumped out of the bed, holding the letter away from him.

"You deserve perfect love notes, not this mess!" he followed.

"It's perfect because it reminds me of you," she slipped out of his reach as he chased her, "The anxiety, the doodles, the 'fucks' in between—"

"Well 'fuck' isn't romantic," he sighed.

"Said who? Your censored Southern pamphlets?" she teased. "Well I think it can be. By nature, it denotes copulation and raw instinct."

He blushed furiously, "Well…pff…"

"You know, I still carry around that first painting you drew of me, too," she pulled out another folded paper from another pocket, "Whenever I'm having a tough time and you're off running an errand, I take a look at this, and I feel better."

"I'll draw you a better one."

"Spirits, Sokka, you're a perfectionist," holding the painting out of his reach.

"Oh come on!"

Slowly stretching the neck of her tunic and slipping the papers into her bindings, "Come and get it, then."

"Okay, that's not fair."

Amused by his reddened face, she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, "What are you gonna do about it, Prettyboy?"

His hooded eyes zeroed in on the flushed dronningi, who who bit her lip as his hands shifted around her waist, coaxing her against the wall. And at that, he had no choice but to find his way to her lips, a move fiercely reciprocated, touches on the verge of turning erratic so quickly, the usual hesitation between them dissipating. He thumbed idly at the contours of her waist as she shifted closer to him, breaking away to kiss his face. Soft pecks of his cheek trailed down until she was smiling against the skin of his jaw, traversing downward until she bit his chin playfully. A pleased rumble of a laugh rolled out of his mouth, tickling the bridge of her nose. He dove into her collarbone, inching up until he reached her neck, planting a kiss that brought out a girlish yelp-like giggle. He laughed, amused, "What was that?"

"Nothing," she flushed, "It kind of tickles, that's all."

"Kind of tickles, hm?" he placed another kiss, this time earning a gasp, and another followed, accompanied by a sweet, low mewl. I was addicting and drew him in like a magnet, inciting his fingers to run through the rivulets of her hair, drink in her giggles on the verge of moans—

"Your Highnesses, everyone ready for—oh, my!"

In a sliver of instinct, Yue pushed him off of her, both of them dazed as they gawked Chunta. Yue cleared her throat and exited the room quickly, off to make herself look more presentable. The shaman blushed furiously, "Was I interrupting something…?"

Sokka flushed, "What do ya think?"

Although she didn't show it, Yue braced herself for chaos, but contrary to the explosive interactions of the luncheon back at the North several months ago, the meal tonight was completely silent despite the intensity it kicked off with. At the start of the meal, a maid had announced that she had served Yue's dishes in a separate room.

"We were told that she is vegetarian and is of Air Nomad blood," the maid said. "Naturally she would be repulsive to Water Tribe meats."

And he sheer glare that followed on Sokka's face, a nonverbal And you need a separate-ass room for that? spoke louder than any of his infuriated snaps, severing the possibility at potentially repairing wounded relations. And as the maid fumbled to explain that this was Hakoda's order, the isumataq didn't even take a moment to glare at his father, wordlessly opting to join Yue on the separately designated pelts on the floor until the maid corrected the situation. Even then, Sokka opted to pick the seat farthest from his parents, pulling his wife along with him. He had found entertainment in secretly pampering his wife, occasionally placing extra sweets in her plate or sliding her favorite dishes in her direction or sneaking in little grins at her. Several times, Yue nudged him to start a normal conversation, but he never did, brushing it off, giving his compliments to the chef instead or chatting with Chunta about something completely irrelevant.

Kya and Hakoda did not attempt to make conversation, either, feeling that the distance between them and their son at this particular table was far greater than the distance between the North and South Poles.

It wasn't until after dinner that Hakoda broke the barrier, asking to speak with Sokka. "It won't be long at all."

And despite seeing the face of that blatant lie, Sokka was in no position to opt out.

"This is the conversation we're here for," Yue told him in private. "After this, I won't ask us to do anything else. I just want us to be sure of everything."

He sighed helplessly, "I'd ask you to come, but I don't want you there for that yakshit."

"I know."

"Where are you gonna be? I'll be out of there real quick and meet up with you."

"Kohana wanted to play a game. I'll probably be with him—"

"I'd like the conversation to be today, Sokka," Hakoda's voice interrupted them, and before Sokka could retort something back, he was stopped by his wife's hand.

"The more patient you are, the less we have to deal with this."

His frown did not change, but he did restrain himself, closing the distance between them in fierce desperation. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

Kohana, tired from his games, shifted in Yue's lap, murmuring something in his sleep as she smoothed her hand over his back. She turned her attention every now and then to little Karuna, who was cooing atop the pelts nearby, attempting to open his eyes and look at her. She beamed at the infant, more so when his tiny fingers, seemingly fragile to the sight, managed to try to grasp her thumb that was currently tracing his tiny palm.

Yue's fascination was cut short, however, by the brisk steps that hurried in her direction. She tore her gaze away from the infant and looked up at a conflicted Kanna who approached her. Despite her smaller stature, the older woman nevertheless stood tall and firm as she loomed over the seated princess.

"The Royal Ice Garden is a visual treat," Kanna said, the excitement expected in her tone never quite reaching her eyes, "Our servants can escort you through the garden. They can give you a tour of the palace from the outside."

"I appreciate that," Yue said, "But I'll be more than happy to stay for a while and help. I heard Kohana wakes up easily if he's disturbed, so I'm making sure he—"

"None of that will be necessary. I don't want you to be burdened."

"It's no burden at all, really," the Northern dronningi smiled, "I enjoy spending time with children. Look, this little guy is trying to open his eyes—"

"Can you not take a hint?"

Yue's bright smile dimmed, "Pardon?"

Kanna sighed, "It doesn't feel right that I'm the one who should be telling you this, but it seems you can't get a hint until people spell it out for you." Frowning, she knelt to pick the infant up, holding him instinctively close to her, trying to soothe him as he bawled, "Yes, you saved him, but you're also the Akna. No matter who you save, and no matter how many people you save, that won't change."

Yue blinked, the spark of joy in her eyes fading away.

"We are grateful, we really are, Akna," Kanna's voice shook, "but it should be enough that we named him after you…shouldn't it? I'm already in a fix about how to convince Pakku to let the boy keep his Air Nomad name. It's difficult enough for me." Looking away, obviously displeased by her daughter-in-law's decision, "I'm at the age where I'm supposed to be playing with great-grandchildren, not defending names and chasing orphans out of my home. Yet here I am."

Yue did not respond with words, feeling a stinging slap to her pride. She was also unable to stop Kanna from dragging Kohana out of her lap and out of his sleep.

"Gran Gran, I wanna stay with ukuaq—"

"She's not your ukuaq," she corrected the six-year-old sternly, purposely avoiding looking at Yue in the eye, "It would behove you to at least wait outdoors instead of contaminating the palace. Sokka's not a child, he'll find his way back to you." With a bitter huff, "Like he always does."

Yue did her best to read the situation in a different way, convince herself that really Sokka's family was acting in defense of their fragile beliefs, but there came a point when even her patience failed to soothe the persisting burn in her heart. She took a deep breath, saying nothing as she found herself out, hearing the old woman's sigh of relief even from several feet away.

This was to be expected anyway.

"Akna?"

The voice in the near distance made Yue look away from the penguin family she had been watching. Kya was standing a little ways away, lingering by the door, unsure of how to approach the Northern princess.

"I know I'm not supposed to be on the temple premises, but I don't want to give Sokka a hard time," Yue said, emotionless. "He spent many nights running around me. I'm not making him run again. Give me some time if you can, and I'll leave. Or if you really can't wait, I can leave now."

"That's not why I'm here," Kya swallowed, "I wanted to talk to you."

Yue did not say anything, simply gesturing to the bench beside her, and upon seeing that Kya did not budge, she stood up as if just then remembering something and stood a few feet away.

"That's not why I…" Kya trailed off, opting to remain standing, taking a deep breath, "Pakku can never know what happened today."

"I know. I'm aware."

Kya responded only with a nod, remaining silent for a long moment before, "I've said many things to you that upset you. My husband has, too. But you didn't keep any of that in mind when you decided to come here to help us…"

"If I let these kinds of things stop me from saving innocent lives, I'll turn into the very monster I never want to be."

Kya let the reply sink in before nodding slowly.

"You might've named your baby out of obligation or something," Yue said. "But if you feel uncomfortable, you don't have to do that by any means."

"Hakoda and I hold great respect for people who look out for our children. That is why I made this decision, and that is why he respects it," Kya answered. "We have respect for you. We do. But…"

Noting the older woman's difficulty, "We don't need to talk about anything today. I know you've experienced the worst end of this. We can talk tomorrow—-"

"No, no, I need this sorted out today, you don't understand. I haven't been able to sleep at night for the past few months."

Yue said nothing, letting her continue.

"You saved Kohana, and today you saved Karuna. You've stopped Sokka from getting into trouble with the Fire Nation, and you've helped my daughter establish a career that is most fulfilling to her. And of course, you've saved the South from starvation. You've helped all of our children, all of us in very powerful ways, and we are ever grateful. You are a hero to us…but…Even the goddess keeps her distance, right?"

Even the goddess keeps her distance. Yue briefly looked up at the sky, at the glimmering moon that was not actually visible to the fullest given the workings of the eclipse.

"Even though we are thankful to you, the highest honor we are able to give you is naming my little one after your alias." Shaking her head, "But that is all we can do. The reality is that we can never accept you as family."

It did not come as a surprise to Yue.

"No matter what we do, we are not able to break away from what has been ingrained into us. We can't even look at you without flinching. I can't even look you in the eye right now. And we hate ourselves for it, but this is just the way things are with us. Hakoda and I are not in a position to question the authority of the Book of Purity, and I don't want to take chances by questioning it. M-Maybe things would've been different if you had come from me, but you did not. I'm a simple woman, Akna…I can't… overcome this block…I can't bond with you. I can't empathize with you…Do you know what I mean?"

But "You are not from me" was all that Yue was able to hear. She let a dry chuckle escape, idly noting that the people she did come from didn't care, either, to defeat that logic. The damage of the purity laws transcended maternal and paternal bonds.

"I would have felt at odds with myself for appreciating a disbeliever so much, too, but…Sokka came from me, you know? And as his mother…I am not proud of his disbelief but…I can't disown him. I can't let go of him." Drying her eyes, "That boy was born to us many years after our marriage. He brought a smile to my face. He made me feel as if I am not worthless. As if I'm not useless, as if I deserve a rightful place in this family…And he became the glue that held us all together. Many of the wounds that have severed this family have been somewhat healed…or maybe we just don't talk about them enough, I don't know and I don't need to know. But if there's anything I know to be true, it's that Hakoda and I have raised Sokka with every bit of love in our hearts." Looking at her, "As his mother, I think my love for him is superior."

"And I am not challenging that by any means," Yue said. "I know, and I understand. To tell you the truth, the only form of love I consistently believed in throughout my life is the love a mother has for her child. The circumstances I grew up in did not allow me to trust men…or mothers-in-law or fathers-in-law or any man's family…" And upon observing Kya's uncomfortable look, "I don't mean you, I mean generally." Sighing, "As Kuunnguaq, I've seen so many things. As a normal servant girl and a princess-but-not-really, I've seen plenty of things as well. I haven't been able to see many examples of nice families or nice men, so I'm cynical like that. I am to this day…though Sokka is the rare exception."

And as much as Kya did not want to recognize it, she unmistakably took note of the reverence and pride Yue held when mentioning Sokka.

"I want to clarify that I absolutely did not come here for your approval, Chieftess. I knew you were never going to approve of me, and even that realization doesn't matter. I don't need you to approve of me for me to realize what my worth is. And let me also make it clear that I didn't save your baby so you would accept me or name your baby after my alias. I didn't help your children out to prove to you that I'm on a higher moral ground or anything. I only did these things because of my respect for justice. I didn't want to be the reason a family split in two. I wanted you and Sokka to spend time with each other and heal your wounds, I never wanted to break you apart…whether you chose to believe this or not. And I especially wanted for Sokka to make an informed decision that he won't come to regret…because the guilt was eating away at my soul."

Yue turned away, facing the snow, her eyes lit up with love and longing, "In an endless tundra of insensitive men, I ran into him…and he is fun and nurturing and loving… and he actually respects me. During these six months of being with him, I've smiled and laughed more times than I ever have in my entire life. I've never been more at peace with myself."

"You might've been at peace, but I've been experiencing nothing but pure hell," Kya croaked. "Pakku has been at our throats threatening to cut Sokka from the line. You two weren't here to see that, you wouldn't know." Taking a seat on the bench, gripping the armrest, "I'd been through hell and back for Pakku's approval over the years, and I'm not about to—"

"I fail to understand why to this day you would base your worth on what others think of you," Yue said calmly. "I will never understand why you're trying so hard to seek his approval. Even after everything that he says that demeans you and your character."

"It must be done if I want to keep my child on the throne."

"Is the throne worth your dignity and self-respect? Do you think Sokka would want a throne gained at your expense?"

"Of course you'd say that," Kya spat, "You don't want my son being successful. You prefer a man who submits to your every whim. You want a slave, and you're masking your insecurities as pride. You're not going to leave your world, but he should leave his for you."

"That is not what I mean—"

"Oh, it's not? Then why don't you recognize his right to rule his own country? Why do you keep spreading your legs for him?"

"I haven't seduced your son into my witchy clutches, if that's what you're wondering," Yue held back a glare, "We are not that intimate. You don't need to beat yourself up over this."

Frowning, "You…you haven't consummated the marriage?"

Shaking her head, "I swear on the Spirits."

"But…you're also reaching the six-month mark…or have you passed it?"

"The solstice will mark the end of our six months of being married."

"And you expect me to believe you two haven't been intimate all this time?"

"For the longest time, Sokka never knew how I felt. I might have known about his feelings or would have at least been able to recognize them…but I certainly didn't think about them. And for what? For your sake."

"For my sake. Hmph. Is that why you two got married without our consent?"

"My father wanted us to be married…though even then we didn't have daggers at our throats or anything. But it was necessary for the throne."

"So you admit you used him. You're standing here asking me if the throne is worth my character being derailed. What about you? Is your throne worth stepping all over my son?"

"Sokka offered to be involved in this sort of arrangement with me. He told me that he did not want to be forced into a relationship with anyone else under your desperation. He also recognized that I had a community I had to care for, that there were dangers I had to prevent that I otherwise wouldn't have if I didn't have a man by my side. The original plan was to go our separate ways after I reached the throne…but by the time we were married, we were already in love. We might've both known this was a doomed arrangement, and what we had was obvious, but we went through with it anyway…and now we realize we can never go back."

But Kya didn't trust her words.

"I still tried to get him to go back. I held back all this time because I wanted him to not lose the throne. And to this moment, I don't want him to lose the throne. And whether you want to believe this, too, or not, the main reason I'm allowing for the elections at home is so that he will be crowned as chieftain if I win. So I can give him at least an alternate version of the honor he's giving up. And just because I want to stay home doesn't mean I want a slave, Chieftess. I never told Sokka that he had to stay in the North. That was a decision he made. At least, that was something he told me when he confessed his feelings to me." Looking back at Kya, "I tried and I tried, ataniq, but I couldn't stop myself from giving in to my feelings. It's one thing to love someone, but it's another thing to keep yourself from showing your love to that person. It's the little things, you know? He defeated me with the little things…and the grand gestures, too, of course…He's just a joy to be around." Shaking her head, "I'm not abandoning that joy."

"Why would you be abandoning him? He has us! We're his family! He has his people and his friends and his tribe! His home and community! It's not like you'd be leaving him out in the void to fend for himself!"

But the nature of their bond was such that he might as well be thrown into a void of loneliness, forever left to the harsh scrutiny of the world that was so eager to disparage disbelievers. A sacred friendship, a mutual recognition of their complementary places in this universe, the epiphany of their statuses as truths ahead of their time that bound them together for the rest of time. "Yes, I would…and I could never…I will never abandon him." Blinking back her tears, "Just as I wouldn't want a bunch of people deciding my future for me, so would Sokka want to make his own decision about this. This is a decision concerning his life, and there's nothing you or I can do. All I can say is that I respect you. I respect you for the mother that you are. I respect you as a woman respects— or should respect— another. I respect you as a leader, and I respect you for the boy you've raised so beautifully, so lovingly…but even if it's for your sake, even if it's for my own sake…I cannot dictate what his decision should be."

"There's no doubt you'd say that," Kya said, embittered, "Because you know he's going to pick you. Of course he'll pick you. You two have gotten inseparably close, and he clearly wants a family with you. I can see it in his eyes." With a huff, "He's fallen for all of your traps. He thinks you love him. But that's not love. What you two have for each other is not love. You used him for the throne, and he was attracted to you in the least, grateful to you at the most."

"You're quick to victimize him, but are you really not going to think about his happiness through all this? Because he conveyed to me several times that happiness for him is when he's with me—"

"And you fell for that nonsense and confessed to him on a whim? You say you're a careful woman. Haven't you been able to see through that blatant lie? I'd much rather believe he wanted to bed you over the course of three days of knowing you than decide he wants to be with you until the end of time or whatever." Shaking her head vigorously, "He has changed completely. He's not even himself. He's practically licking the dust under your feet. And for what?" Glaring at the princess, "You two are polar opposites. How did you even believe he'd be happy with someone like you? You spend all yoru time in a temple; Sokka hates temples. You run around starving yoruself; all he can think about is food! He likes protecting people; you hate to be protected!"

Yue only stared at her, at the wild disapproval unfurling on the Southern chieftess's face as she kept bursting, "He is suffering with you. He's only tolerating these inconveniences because he feels like he needs to protect you out of a sense of gratitude and obligation. The truth is that m boy doesn't know what he wants. He's innocent, he's confused…And you're taking advantage of him for your own needs." She stood up again, her fists clenched in determination, "You might not beg for someone's affection, but I'm more than willing to beg you. Give me my son back, Akna."

Give me my son back.

"You brought him this far because you felt bad, didn't you? If you really are guilty…why would you want to live with this guilt? All you need to do now is go home without a word and leave him here."

"You're really telling me to break his heart?"

"If you really and truly have feelings for him…then learn to let him go." Pressing her lips together, "And normally I'd never suggest this, but… if you really want him in your life somehow… If you have a child, you can always take the child with you. You need an heir, don't you? If you somehow end up winning that election…you need a successor. Raise that sin on your own…leave him to his life, and you live your own."

Raise that sin… Yue could not believe what was coming from the chieftess's mouth, "Are you serious?"

"You would've adopted a child and been a single mother if you hadn't ever found a man, right? What's stopping you now? Leave him but bear his child. Raise it on your own."

"I have no qualms against raising a child on my own, but there are three fundamental flaws to your idea. One: the entire world knows your son and I are married. If I have a child, the world is going to assume it's his anyway. Two: I'm not dumb enough to brand myself as a whore for the sake of your false prestige, so don't expect me to tell the world that it's not his. And three: Sokka's not the kind of man to do that even if you're the kind of people to suggest a thing." Swallowing the burn in her throat, "I don't know if the prophecies are true but…if La was a human being, it would be your son. He would never leave us in the dust."

Kya glared, "I've been very patient with you right now, but what will it take?! No one told you to absolutely consider this idea! If you don't want to do that, then all you need to do is go home!" pointing to the garden's exit, "GO! GET OUT OF MY SON'S LIFE! GET OUT OF OUR LIVES! PLEASE!" And the chieftess let a sob escape, her fingers clenching the armrest of the ice bench, "All you need to do is go home!"

"Yeah, all we need to do now is go home," Sokka's voice interrupted them, extracting a gasp from his mother. He grabbed firm hold of Yue's arm, "Let's go home, nalligima."

"Sokka—"

"I told you staying here would be a mistake," Sokka told his wife.

"Sokka, wait, we can still fix this—"

"No we can't," he pulled her along, finding himself stopped by his mother.

"Sokka, please, listen to me—"

"I've kept silent because we were all going through something," Sokka told Kya, "But I'm not letting this yakshit fly, I'm sorry."

Hakoda, who had walked over to his wife, was gravely silent, not even looking at his son in the eye. The remnants of however their talk had gone was definitely written over his face.

"Sokka you don't understand," Kya pleaded, "How do you want me to be happy with this? The entire tribe thinks you're her watchdog! I'm your mother, I can't bear to hear—"

"Oh believe me, I'd much rather be her watchdog than your chief, but the reality is that she treats me like a king. When im with her, I actually have control over what I want to do. I'm free to be myself. I'm loved and wholeheartedly accepted when I'm myself. I'm not ridiculed for rejecting faith, not seen as a waste of the Spirits' time or a gluttonous idiot."

"Sokka—"

"Do you two even know me? For you to decide whether I'll be happy with her or not?" he questioned his parents, glaring at his silent father next, "You were the one so concerned that your son was wandering around brothels with her. Instead of seeing what I was really trying to do, you were worried about the tribe spitting in your faces after it found out I was a 'Cassanova.' Even when you tried to get me engaged to someone I didn't like, you didn't back off because I hated the arrangement. You backed off because you thought forcing me would only bring shame on the family." With an incredulous huff, "It seems like reputation is more of a son to you than I'll ever be."

"No," Kya shook her head, "Sokka—"

"The respect you gave me and my moral character stopped at the threshold of those brothels," tightening his hold of Yue's hand, "but her respect for me brought me this far. Even though she knew this would be hell for her. She wanted to give me a chance at repairing things with you…and then I see you treat her like she's a sewer-rat, and…you still expect things to be okay after this?"

"Sokka, calm down—"

"Let me speak, Yue, please," he said, turning back to his parents, "You know, it drives me crazy to this moment. Everything you had happen to you, everything you experienced for not having kids immediately after getting married, being treated like shit, worse than dirt by your in-laws and relatives…And you're here defending the people who wronged you. I don't get it one bit, Mom."

"How do you know all this?" Hakoda asked, voicing Kya's grave concern.

"That doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that of all people, you two should be able to recognize where I'm coming from, what it means to support the person you love through every shit society's ready to throw at you. Pakku doesn't understand love and loyalty, so of course he'll frame this situation in horrible ways. I genuinely thought you would understand given everything you've been through, but…If you don't, then there's nothing we can do." Throwing his hands up, "If you don't want to support us, feel free by all means! We can make a life for ourselves, and you're not at all obligated to be involved in it. You can even consider me nonexistent—"

"Sokka!"

"That's what these relinquishment papers basically mean, right?" he held up the stack of papers he had in his hands before throwing them on the bench. Kya gulped, shaking her head but unable to voice a response.

"I'm not saying this because I want to break ties with all of you," Sokka said, resolution raging in his eyes, "I'm saying this because I'm not about to abandon her."

"I seriously don't understand what's with this abandonment nonsense. That's all he's been yapping about!" Hakoda said, exasperated. "She has parents! She'll have siblings, too! She might even have kingdom after the election! We know she sure as hell will have those Revivalists!"

"Last I checked, Mom's parents were still alive when Pakku told you to abandon her," Sokka pointed out, watching the offensive spark in the older man's eyes turn defensive, "What was it that kept you two together, huh? Was it lust? 'Cause that's one hell of a lust if you're still together and just had your fourth kid—"

"Control your tongue!"

"Exactly. Control your damn tongue when you talk about my wife, Chief Hakoda."

"Sokka, enough!" a horrified Yue pulled her husband back, gawking at the surprised stares of the Southern angayok and ataniq."

"If what you and Mom did was right, then what Yue and I are doing is right, too," Sokka said. "There's no difference. I want what you two have, and I want it with Yue. What part of that do you not understand?"

"You won't have a happy life with her," Hakoda hissed, "You don't understand!"

"As if you do. What, did you have the Spirits themselves come down from the sky and tell you that we'll be miserable? With what fucking authority are you deciding our fate for us?"

And Hakoda couldn't say anything back, his worried gaze going from his son to the Akna.

"I can't disown the family I envision us having as easily as you can disown the family you have standing in front of you," Sokka told his father firmly. "I can't 'abandon my seed' or give my wife the status of a mistress as easily as you can tell me to do those things. And I'd much rather have the 'fruits of our union' be part of a normal, non-royal family than be declared illegitimate sins. To hell with the throne; I'll make a much more satisfying living as a happy man than as a rich one."

"And that's it? That's all you care about?" Kya questioned. "Would you really chose her over your tribe? Your own family?"

Pointing to the papers, "I've officially been disowned. She's my family now."

"How touching," came a voice that belonged to none of the people assembled. They turned collectively to see the unannouced figure of an enraged Pakku. And before any of them had a chance to react, the older man swung a spiked club in Sokka's direction.

"SOKKA!" Yue pulled him out of the way before the blow could devastate him, resulting in Pakku nearly toppling forward. Hakoda pulled Kya back by instinct as Yue shoved Sokka out of the way, sent toppling over him from the force.

"The gall you have to bring your impure whore into the palace!" Pakku roared at his grandson, not expecting the Southern warrior to rear his hand back and send his hand stinging across the old man's face in a sharp blow, making him topple into the snow. Like a vicious beast receiving a blow to his pride, Pakku dragged Sokka down with him by grabbing his leg. He stole Sokka's machete from his belt sash in the struggle and smacked his head with it, ripping a cry of pain out of him.

"SOKKA!" Yue shrieked.

"Sokka!" Kya reached for her son but was again pulled away before Pakku made a lunge for her.

"You dare let this woman heal your son?! You would've been better off sacrificing the child to the Spirits!"

"Take Mom inside!" Sokka commanded his father, "I'll handle this—!" only to have Pakku's bulky hand gearing up to offer him a tight slap.

"Get away from him!" Yue shoved Pakku with all of her might, sending him falling back over the ice bench and break the ice into pieces. He was about to lunge forward again when the enraged Southern chieftain then grabbed hold of Pakku and pushed him away before he could send another blow in Sokka's direction. Only it did not go completely according to plan, however, with Pakku sending the spiked club in Hakoda's direction, the blow precisely hitting Hakoda's recently healed leg. Hakoda screeched in pain and collapsed into the snow.

"HAKODA!" Kya made a run for her husband before Pakku reached for her throat, his efforts interrupted with the dronningi pulling Kya out of the way.

"Go, get out of here!" Yue told Kya, helping her lead a limping Hakoda to the entrance in time for Sokka to yank Pakku by his topknot and throw him against the snow. Sokka grabbed the fallen spiked club in the meantime, glaring as the old man merely let out a war cry, propelling himself forward, avoiding the swipe of the club as he pinned Sokka down.

"To think I trained you in the ways of La," Pakku spat, slapping the warrior, "To think I spoiled you thinking you'd bring a good name to the family…I'm disgusted in myself. I thought you would at least be a noble leader of the tribe even if you didn't bend water or bow to a Spirit to save your life. Now look at you. Nothing but a guard dog for the Akna."

Sokka threw Pakku off of him, using his build to his advantage, issuing a punch in Pakku's face, hearing a crack in the shrieking man's cheekbone.

"SOKKA!" Hakoda's voice boomed from afar, the injured chieftain throwing a pitchfork in the snow. Sokka grabbed hold of the weapon and looked to aim it at the old man, but Pakku fought through his pain and disoriented the warrior with a fierce jab to his pressure points, yanking the pitchfork away from him.

"This is what I get for refusing to discipline my oldest grandson," Pakku huffed, raising the pitchfork only to be kicked in the back by a furious dronningi, knocked over to the side. Yue threw the pitchfork aside, trying to help Sokka up, glaring at the eclipse and the rising form of the former chieftain. Through her tears, she could not see that Pakku had his glare fixed on her.

"Not another step closer or else!" Yue launched herself forward, stopping Pakku from charging forward any closer with a fierce grip of his clenched fists.

"Yue, get back here!" Sokka tried to get up, the profuse dripping of his blood sending it into his eyes, a pang of pain shooting through his head, "Yue!"

"Your problem is with me!" Yue hissed at Pakku, "You have no right to go after him because I'm the Akna! If you call yourself a man, leave him alone and come at me!"

And Pakku, glaring daggers at the dronningi, using his weight to toss her aside, delivering a kick to her stomach.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Sokka tried to force himself, but every ounce of strength in his body was blinded by the Spirit-damned blow to his head. He found his vision dimming, the loss of blood sending ripples in his focus, "YUE!"

"He envisions a family with you doesn't, he?" Pakku slammed one foot over one of her wrists, breaking the bangles in a manner that left their sharp remnants piercing through the princess's wrist, and as a cry of pain left her, he jammed his other foot against one of hers, grabbed the pitchfork that had fallen in the snow nearby, and aimed the sharp prongs to the area beneath her abdomen, "We'll see about that!"

And by the time Sokka found the strength to stand still without toppling over, Yue's blood-curdling scream tore through the night and sliced his heart.

"YUEEE!"