Two weeks later, Khanna was in waterbending class, struggling with the move they were practicing. To not attract suspicion, Paku never helped her at all. As he walked around giving the rest of the class little tips, he steered clear of Khanna, to make it look like she was having trouble. The problem was, she really was doing badly. If this kept up, her mother would pull her out of class and make her go to private lessons all day! Khanna decided she'd talk to Paku about it after class.

When everyone was leaving, Khanna walked up to Paku as usual. After everyone was out of sight, they hugged. Despite her struggles in waterbending, she still loved Paku. He still wanted it to be a secret so far. However, Khanna could not continue learning in this way, even if it meant people would know of their love.

"Paku, I have to talk to you about the tutoring," she said. "I know the point is to make it look like I'm doing bad, but my mom is noticing too. Sooner or later, I'm going to get pulled out or something. Plus, it's getting a little annoying to be struggling through class every day."

Paku nodded and put his hand on her shoulder. "I know, I'm sorry." he said, "And you're right. It's time that stopped. I'll start helping you in class again, and you don't have to hide your talents anymore."

"But...What about us seeing each other? Won't people ask why we're still meeting if I'm not being tutored anymore?" Khanna asked. Paku put his hand in his pocket.

"Well, something tells me we'd have some trouble hiding this." he said, and from out of his pocket he pulled a necklace. There was a dark blue ribbon with a clasp on the ends. Frozen to the middle of the ribbon was a light blue stone. The stone was carved into a circle, with three waves on it. A betrothal necklace. Khanna was nearly speechless.

"Oh, Paku!" she hugged him tight, her eyes watering in joy. After a moment, Paku pulled away and looked at her expectantly. "I absolutely accept! I would love to marry you." Khanna said. Paku smiled his kind smile.

"I'm so happy!" he said, "I've spoken to my uncle (the tribe leader) about it, and he says he'll throw a banquet tonight and I will announce it. Is that alright with you?" Khanna nodded, now fully speechless. "I'm going to marry Paku!! And it will be announced in front of the entire tribe! This is so exciting!" she thought joyfully.

Getting her voice back, she said, "When will the marriage be?"

"Well, my father wants to talk to your mother about it, but I'm thinking in a few months at most." Paku replied.

"That sounds great!" Khanna said. Paku made her an ice seat and she sat down. He went around behind her and put the necklace on her slowly and lovingly. Then he put his arms around her, and she looked up at him, smiling.

"So, do you want to practice what we learned today?" he asked.

"I have called this banquet to make a very special announcement!" the tribe leader was calling out that night. "My nephew, the Waterbending Master of our tribe, has found a bride." A few murmurs of disappointment could be heard. Paku was very popular among the ladies of their tribe. "But he's wants to marry me!" Khanna thought happily.

Paku walked up to the front of the room and stood beside his uncle. "I know my choice my seem a surprise to some of you, as I've never openly shown any interest. But believe me, I've been in love with her for some time! And we've seeing each other for a couple weeks now." A ripple of irritation went out, as many of the girl realized they weren't the one. "Now, I will ask my future bride to please come forward: Khanna!"

Khanna looked around at the hundreds of shocked faces as she stood up and walked to stand by, smiling all the way. Seeing that everyone looked very surprised, she took off her betrothal necklace to prove it. Engagements weren't normally something to hold a banquet for, but since Paku was so popular, plus his uncle was tribe leader, they'd felt it was appropriate. But now, Khanna was a little nervous being in front of all these people. Paku must've noticed, because he said, "Now then, let the feast begin!" Everyone was quite hungry, so when they were allowed to eat, despite their confusion, began without a second thought. Paku then said to Khanna, as the tribe leader and his wife and daughter sat down, "Would you like to sit up here, or down by your family?"

Khanna chuckled and said, "I think I'd like to sit up here, so you can help me with facing my parents later!" Paku smiled and led her to his seat next to the leader's wife. And when dinner was over and Khanna went over to her parents, Paku came with her, with his arm around her shoulder.

"Hi, Mom." Khanna said meekly.

"Well, hello!" her mother said, smiling. Then she leaned over and hugged Khanna and said, "Why didn't you tell us that you were seeing Paku! Or at least you could have told us when you were engaged!"

"We wanted it to be a big surprise for everyone." Paku said. Khanna pulled away and nodded.

"We didn't want anyone knowing that we were together. That's why I went to the tutoring lessons. And, about the betrothal, I didn't know until this afternoon!" she said.

"So, I suppose you won't be going to tutoring lessons anymore?" Khanna's mother inquired.

"I guess not," Khanna said, frowning.

"Well, they won't be called lessons anymore anyway. More along the lines of dates." Paku said, putting his hand on Khanna's shoulder. Her mother nodded approvingly.

"Okay, Khanna. It's getting late and we should go home." she said. Khanna nodded and left Paku to talk to his own father. He didn't actually know about this either.

"Hello, Father." he said, nervously.

"Yes..." his father said, eying him, "How long has this been going on, then?" Paku's father usually got straight to the point.

"Since I first saw her I suppose. She's only known about it for a couple weeks, as I said. I just gave her the betrothal necklace this afternoon." Paku replied.

"Oh, yes? And what's she like? Where did you meet her?" his father asked.

"I'd only seen her walking around the town for a while. I first met her when she enrolled in the academy about a month ago. I didn't get to spend any time with her until classes started a little over two weeks ago." Paku said, fidgeting with his coat.

"Mm-hm." he nodded.

"And...what she's like? Well, she's smart, funny, a good waterbender...She always tries her hardest when something is hard for her...Her family is very nice..." Paku trailed off.

"And how...important are they?" his father said, with a little edge to his voice.

"How...important?! You're going to tell me who I can and cannot marry based on if they're important?" Paku flared. His father looked at him sternly; Paku shrunk back down. "They have a little above average income between the father, mother, and older son. Khanna sometimes helps around the docks for money on the weekends. Uncle knows the father, and he occasionally sees him. So, I guess you could say their a little important." By now, most of the people had gone home, so it was very quiet. Paku's father closed his eyes, thinking. He clenched and unclenched his fists. Finally, he nodded.

Eyes still closed, he said, "Alright. But she'd better become a decent wife. Get her to work more. And...don't teach her too much waterbending. No woman should be as powerful as her husband."

Paku smiled and said cheerfully, "No, of course not, Father! But thank you so, so much!!" And he ran on home.

Paku was a good man, but he was still his father's son. He had been raised by a very biased man. So, despite his kind heart, he did now treat women equally. He though they weren't' as smart or powerful in any way possible. He knew no other way.