Chapter Four

"You are a skilled fighter, I see. Though, I have seen you before…in Sokka's memories. You were still young then." The woman, who had introduced herself as Yue, told her. It was a new level of comfort that Katara felt, knowing that this spirit had a name. Though, Yue had not explained how she came to be or exactly what she was.

It also made her slightly uncomfortable, still, that her mind was not her own and her thoughts were not safe. What if she thought of something that offended Yue and she fell into disgrace? What if she was not worthy?

"You bared your body with little argument; for it was what you had always believed was required of you. Why is opening your mind different?" Yue asked suddenly, breaking the silence they had been walking in for a short while.

They had now entered a large chamber with the most impressive ice carvings Katara had ever seen…it was of two koi fish intertwining in the most intimate, yet separate of ways. None of the two sculptures touched, yet they seemed to be carved from the same large block of ice. It was magnificent to see, and Katara assumed that this was the monument of Tui and La, the Old Gods.

Realising that Yue had asked her a question, Katara flushed and hung her head. She could only answer honestly, Yue would see if she lied…and that was what bothered her about it. In the real world, Katara could spare feeling and tell people what they wanted to hear – in this world, she was laid bare and there would be no sparing the world.

"It is more intimate; my thoughts are the only thing that are mine." She explained to Yue, biting her lip slightly. She heard the same bell-like laugh from the woman and it made her stomach knot.

"I see you logically process everything before speaking…an admiral trait for a hopeful Faceless Man." She said softly, running a hand down Katara's arm and smiling at her.

"Pardon?" Katara asked.

She was under the impression that she was going receive her Markings of High Valyria today…she had never heard of this 'Faceless Man' and it unnerved her. Was all not as it seemed before entering the temple? Of course it wasn't, she had never expected what had transpired and could never have prepared for it…and it made her heart beat slightly faster.

"You must let go of your fear of the unknown, Katara."

"You know I cannot." Katara replied quickly. It was futile to explain it when Yue most likely knew everything about her from her mind…though she did not seem affected by the way she had lived her life so far, or the thoughts she had had. It seemed as though she could heed her own advice, for Yue knew her argument and had still told her what she had to do.

"To be a Faceless Man, you must become what you fear. You shall be the unknown." Yue's voice sounded serious all of a sudden and Katara's feelings shifted. She had been beginning to relax within the company of this woman, but it seemed it was not to last.

The two women stopped walking and Katara was let go from Yue's grasp. Standing a little firmer on her feet, a little more accustomed to the situation, Katara readied herself. Yue's large blue eyes watched her every movement, but she was not nervous anymore. She wanted to understand, she wanted to conquer her nerves – and her fear – so that she could be the best protector she could be. She wanted her people to feel safe with her.

"What is a Faceless Man?" Katara asked, arching her eyebrow. Yue would have heard her thoughts, her vow to herself, but she would not have heard her questioning in that moment. The element of surprise was out, but it did not stop Katara from trying. This was not a game, this was the most monumental moment of her short life so far…and she would reap it for all she could, all of the knowledge that she could.

Yue smiled in response and confused Katara as she walked towards the sculpture of Tui and La. She ran her hands just above the ice, not touching it, but the moment seemed very intimate…as though she yearned for something she could not have. It did not escape Katara's notice, but she held off her questioning for a later time.

"A Faceless Man is just that, Katara." Yue said, her attention shifting from the sculpture back to Katara. Her gaze was meaningful, her strides and movements were all calculated and elegant – Yue had been doing this a long time, though she seemed not to tire of the same words. "You said that your thoughts were your own…yet personal ownership has no place amongst the Faceless Men, Katara. This is your first experience of it. Play your part, assume your roles, and conduct them flawlessly convincingly…but do not mistake it for the person you are. Men have risen to be kings and beggars in the same moment, for that is the way of the Faceless Men." She said, finishing with a smile.

Very clear. Katara thought with a slight edge to her tone. She knew Yue could hear her and the laugh following reassured her that it had not been missed.

"The Faceless Men are the protectors of the Kingdoms and the people within them, of the balance of the world. Little progress has been made as of late, but the Faceless Men strive on, fight on for the world that this Earth once knew." She said, her explanation hitting home. Katara had thought of something very similar not but a few hours ago.

Katara wanted to restore the world to the Old Ways, when death had no place for sorrow, only joy that the work was done and a meeting with the Gods was the reward. Suffering, anger, hatred, murder and cruelty had blinded the world, those who did not still follow the Old Gods. The Faceless Men seemed to play a part of achieving this want of hers and it intrigued her further.

"How do the Faceless Men do it?" Katara asked. It was a perfectly warranted question, and Yue seemed to nod approvingly at the inquisition.

"They exist across the world, in every Kingdom and every dark corner, with many lives and many faces. A king may speak to the loyal citizens, but only the lowly market seller may know the words that which they wish to hear." Yue told her. "Yet, they are not their roles. They are the Faceless Men…as you will be."

How could someone be faceless? Every man, woman and child was born with a face and that was their lot…how could no one recognise the king they served in the market place? It seemed impossible. Aside from that, another thought dug at the back of Katara's mind, and she could not stop herself from asking.

"And what am I?" Katara asked. Who was she if not her roles? Surely, she would always be Princess Katara of the Kingdom of Water?

"A Faceless Man. A being upon this Earth who is a silent watcher over others, from all of the lives which you lead." Yue told her.

"To protect my people, right? That is our purpose, my purpose?"

"To protect all people, Katara." Yue said, eyeing her with a little fierceness. It took Katara back. "The Faceless Men choose no sides. Your bitterness and hatred hold no place in the heart of a Faceless Man." She said, her voice stern. Katara wanted to argue that she had reasons for her bitterness, reasons to hate the people she did…as did anyone else, but she thought better of it.

"They prevent meaningless death by sacrificing their own souls…to take another's life, to live as them, is to split one's soul in half. You will never enter the Spirit World should you take a life and live it as your own, Katara…that is the price paid to be Faceless Men." Yue said.

"Is that how it works?" Katara asked, entranced. It made sense, but it seemed barbaric. Killing was one thing, but to kill solely to gain an identity seemed…soul splitting. Realisation dawned on Katara and she bowed her head in acceptance, yet listened to Yue explain.

"Their soul must be destined for Valor, Katara." Yue said, going on to explain what she meant. "An innocent cannot have their life taken by the Faceless Men, do you understand? A soul must already be broken to be stolen."

"My soul will be able to be stolen."

"Broken, not halved." Yue clarified.

So, another Faceless Man could not kill Katara; that was at least something in her favour. In order for her to take on the identity of someone else, they had to already be a killer, a monster who had taken an innocent's life. Splitting her soul by becoming them, tainting her soul, would prevent her passage into the Spirit World.

"Sokka…my father…" Katara murmured.

"The choice is made by those who own the soul, Katara. You cannot change this." Yue said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Innocents are spared, protected, by those who remove the poison from the Earth. The gifts with this burden only come to those deserving, and true to their vows – it is not a given."

Katara's attention piqued at this. What gifts? She furrowed her brow, wanting to ask, but feeling deep inside her that perhaps even Yue did not know. A glance to her face confirmed her suspicions.

"The Spirit World and Valor are not the only places for souls to travel, Katara, I know that much." Yue said. It lightened the load of the decision greatly, though she still stood with a heavy heart. Perhaps her soul would have somewhere to rest, with her father, mother and brother…just not in the Spirit World with the innocents.

Sokka and her father had already made their decisions, and with a Kingdom already housing at least two – within the Royal Family – it seemed as though there was poison in her own homeland that she had been shielded from. A squeeze of her shoulder from Yue confirmed it and she let her shoulders sag slightly with the weight of the information.

She had no idea that the temple would be so emotionally demanding, and she felt weak at the knees from doing so little…not now, but in the past. Her brother had been a Faceless Man for two years now – playing the part of her brother.

"The roles are as real with feeling, and love, as the individual may decide. It is simply divided between the different lives one leads." Yue told her, offering as much comfort to Katara's dark thoughts as she could.

It did made her feel better to think that he was still as much her brother as he had been before the temple, and that she would still be his sister when she left. She would still be Princess Katara of the Kingdom of Water…but she would also be countless other people. It all depended on where the poison fell, as she had gathered from Yue's words.

"I'm not staying here, am I?" Katara asked, not looking up from the floor. She did not mean the temple, she knew she would be leaving there…but Yue knew what she had meant.

"You will always be the Princess of the North, but this will not be your only face." Yue said, repeating the conclusion that Katara had come to as fact. "The world needs your protection, yes, and you will do everything within your power to protect the innocent." Yue said, lifting Katara's chin with her gentle fingers to look into her eyes. "But this land has its watchers…the Kingdom of Fire calls for your devotion now." She tells her.

With that, Katara's entire world crashed around her. Her entire life, she had thought that the journey through the temple would brand her a warrior, an adult, a grown being, and warrant her ability to fight. Fight for her homeland. Fight against the cruelty of the Kingdom of Fire; not help them! How could that restore balance to the world? How could any of their people be innocent when their armies, to keep the world subservient, slaughtered child after child, man after man and woman after woman? To keep the illusion of peace that the Devil himself fabricated when he plunged the world into eternal darkness!

"I cannot! They're…they…"

"The rising and setting of the sun; the day and night of this world." Yue said sternly. "To forget their place before the Fall of Men would be careless." She told Katara eyeing her carefully. "Change is coming."

Katara looked up from the interesting spot on the floor that she had busied herself with, running her hands up her still-bare arms. Yue placed a warm hand gently on the side of her face, but her eyes were steely and cold. The message was clear and the words chilling.

"Winter is Coming, Katara. We must all be ready. Valar morghulis."

"Valar dohaeris." Katara replied, her path chosen.

Hey guys! I had an awesome time visiting my family...and I got a few visions for scenes to put into this story. Being beside the sea with all of that fresh air can do that for a girl!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter because it was really difficult to write - I'm not so wise myself, so speaking in proverbs is really difficult for me. Also, I kind of wanted to introduce you to my version of Katara when confronted with an issue that goes against all of her previous intentions...I liked the intensity of Katara when she looked for the man who killed her mother, so I try and base it around there.

Guest: "Quite like this, can't wait for the next chapter! Your sentences flow together nicely and Katara is written great."

Well, thank you very much! I've literally only just started with Katara...I'm not so good at staying in character, because Katara's preachy nature usually grinds on me, but this story actually kind of calls for it. Thanks for the review!

Character Q&A:

"Katara, how do you feel about the Fire Kingdom?" - Its people are destructive and dangerous. They took my mother from me under the veil of peace...what innocence could reside there?

"Sokka, what was it like seeing your sister naked?" - I try not to think about it. Not that she's ugly or no one should ever want to marry her - not me, of course, that's gross...just...someone...ugh, I'm going to go and throw my boomerang around a bit. No more questions, you perverts.