Ah, for this chapter we meet a new friend and one of our old ones makes a big change in becoming independent.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender
When Yue woke up, the first thing she saw happened to be clouds. They were white and appeared even softer than they did from the ground, and for a moment, she realized that she had forgotten where she was. She could see Aang, sitting on top of Appa's head as he steered the bison towards a destination she had yet to learn. The Northern Water Tribe princess sat up, rubbing the last remainders of sleep from her eyes. "How long have we been flying?"
The young airbender turned to face her, his eyes brightening. "Oh! You're awake!" He beamed and to Yue's surprise, he leaped over the bison's head and scrambled back into the saddle. "You looked pretty tired," He said, "So I decided it was best if you got to sleep. Since…all that happened."
Yue didn't understand how Aang could have so much energy, when he had gone through just as much as she had last night. And she felt selfish for leaving him awake while she slept. "I'm sorry, Aang," She said and touched his hand, "I didn't mean to fall asleep for so long. You need time to rest."
Aang shrugged, "That's okay. You needed it though, after…" He scratched the back of his head, "What are we going to do now?" Yue's face fell. Katara had exiled them from the tribe with the threat of having them killed if they returned. Yue was sure that there was some way it could be overruled, since she was older and the direct heir to the Northern Water Tribe. But Katara had more influence than she did and Yue didn't want to risk her life. Not yet, anyway.
"I don't know," Yue said softly, "I don't know." Sokka had abandoned them when they needed him most, and Yue came to the conclusion that he had been planning on siding with his sister all along. She didn't think she could forgive him, though, even if she tried. "We have to find you an earthbending teacher…one that's not affiliated with the Water Tribes. That means we go to the Earth Kingdom."
The Avatar looked at her, his eyes wide. "Well…that means we head west, right?" He asked and Yue blanched. She had no idea where the Earth Kingdom was, and they had no compass or map to point them in the right direction.
Yue looked down over the edge of Appa's saddle and down at the ground below. They weren't in Ba Sing Se anymore. Well, Yue wasn't sure where they were at the moment. But the trees passed too quickly for her eyes to swallow, and from high in the sky, she suddenly realized how small she was compared to everything else. Her stomach churned and she turned her head away, inhaling deeply. "I suppose we stop in a town or somewhere, at least just to find a map to get us going in the right direction."
Aang nodded and Yue sighed. "I guess you're right." He turned back to the sky that stretched out before them, "Isn't it great? Flying I mean." He grinned, "There's nothing like it in the world." The airbender sighed contentedly. "Isn't it relaxing?"
Yue resisted the urge to shake her head. She didn't like flying at all. "It's something to get used to," She said, hoping she hadn't offended her friend. For a moment, the young Avatar was silent, as if he was mulling over what she had said.
Appa flew ever onward, his tail beating the air behind him. Yue closed her eyes for a brief heartbeat, willing her breath to fall into pattern with the bison's tail. She opened them. "Aang," began the Northern Water Tribe princess, "Do you think you can forgive Sokka?"
The airbender met her gaze with his own. "Yes," He said after a while, "The monks taught me that forgiveness is the only way to find release. Forgiveness is better than bottling all of your anger and turning yourself sour." He shrugged, "Why?"
How could he forgive him so easily? Sokka had lied to them! Yue rubbed her shoulders, averting her gaze. "I…I don't think I can do that. At least not now. I've known Sokka since we were both children. It's different for us." She winced, "How could he side with her? How could he side with Katara when he was supposed to be against the war?"
"Maybe he was confused." Aang offered and Yue exhaled sharply. "You were confused, too, Yue. We all were. Maybe he'll come around." He smiled, then, and Yue felt her spirits lighten just a bit. The Avatar turned back the flying bison's reins, gently guiding him back into a straight path.
The Northern Water Tribe princess dragged her knees up to her chest and nodded. "Maybe you're right." It still hurt though. It hurt to know that all her years of friendship with Sokka had been meaningless.
And then she was angry at herself, too. Katara was Sokka's sister; of course he wouldn't want to leave his family so easily. It was selfish of her to think that she meant more to Sokka than Katara. It was stupid and selfish, but she had thought it anyway.
She knew better, now.
"We'll have to disguise ourselves." Yue said after a while, tapping her chin with her index finger. "I know we're going to the Earth Kingdom, but we don't know where that is. At least, not yet. We have to stay hidden, or else we'll get caught."
Aang turned his head and looked over at his shoulder at her. He looked as if he was going to say something, but he thought better of it and turned around again. Yue turned her attention to the world that passed beneath them and cleared her throat, forcing down the fear that threatened to overtake her.
She uncurled her fingers as the wind rushed by them and she found that being in the air wasn't as nearly as scary as she once thought it was. In fact, it was fun! For a moment, she was able to enjoy the silky caress that ran over her skin. She smiled to herself. The Northern Water Tribe princess curled her hand back, turning her eyes to the sky behind them.
Somewhere back there was Ba Sing Se, where there were firebenders who wanted to kill her, and waterbenders who had once been her friends. Yue had a feeling that Katara-with her ruthless cunning-would rip her way through the city in search of the firebenders that had infiltrated her city. Perhaps she had already begun her rampant pursuit.
Yue felt ashamed for thinking so selfishly, but it seemed to her that as long as Katara was preoccupied by her hunt for those firebenders, she wouldn't be able to find them. It was brilliant, in a devious sort of way, Yue decided. They could reach the Earth Kingdom without much trouble.
For a moment, Yue's thoughts travelled to the Dai Li agent that had been ordered to brainwash Aang by Katara. Long Feng had been with him-by Katara's orders, no doubt. It seemed that Kuei's leaders were Katara's followers. Then again, Yue thought, it was like that with everyone who came into contact with the Southern Water Tribe princess. Yue hadn't thought it was possible to brainwash someone. She turned her gaze towards Aang. Perhaps it was best if she didn't bring the matter up.
The tribal princess dug into her bag and pulled out the amulet from the Spirit Oasis that Kya had given her. She held it before her, taking note of the slight chip in the side. She frowned and ran her finger over the chip and the tiny crack that stemmed from it. It had probably occurred during her many falls during the night. She would have to keep it in a safer place.
Yue wondered what Lady Kya would think, once she heard the news that her son-who had claimed to be against the war just as much as she was-had sided with Katara. Would she be disappointed? Would she be angry? Or would she be upset, but proud that her son had chosen his path? Would she be proud of Yue? Deep down, the Northern Water Tribe princess hoped she was.
There were times when Yue wondered if she loved Kya more than her own mother. Her thumb ran over the nick in the amulet and she looked down at the passing trees below her. Sometimes, Kya had said, things are different from what they appear and what you think they are. It seemed so long ago since Yue had heard those words, and she still didn't know what they meant. But she felt that she could guess, and if she tried hard enough, she could figure it out.
Maybe.
"Aang," Yue began, hoping to pierce the heavy silence that had formed between them. "What was it like before you were trapped in that iceberg? I mean, what was it like as an Air Nomad?" She leaned forward, tucking the amulet safely back into her bag. "Before the war."
The child Avatar had been born during a time when all of the nations lived in relative peace. He had been raised among people who shared his culture and his beliefs, and they hadn't yet faced the danger of war and genocide.
Aang gave a wistful sigh. "I grew up in the Southern Air Temple and it was the best place to grow up, ever!" He grinned, "There were the boring classes, like learning to read and count, but then there were the bending lessons, and those were fun. My guardian, Monk Gyasto, was the best teacher you could ever have." His eyes went distant, as if he was reminiscing. "Monk Gyasto was like my dad."
Yue raised her eyebrow. "Didn't you have parents?" She asked, interested. The collar of her shirt was hot, and she tugged on it as she turned her attention back to the Air Nomad boy. "Your parents didn't live with you?"
"No…" Aang shook his head, spinning around to face her fully. "The girls mainly stayed at the Eastern and Western Air Temples, but they visited sometimes. Our guardians were our parents. They took the place of our mom and dad. They taught us everything we needed to know, and helped guide us on our path."
Like Kya. Yue found she could understand this, and she smiled lightly. "So, the Air Nomads were very spiritual people. I heard that before the war, before all of this happened, the Water Tribes were like that, too. I heard that they were more family oriented, and just as spiritual as the airbenders. This leads me to think that maybe the different nations aren't so different. Every bending discipline is rooted with another."
Aang seemed to consider this. "You're right. Everyone is equal and if that wasn't true, how would the Avatar be able to master the elements? You would have to forget everything you knew just to learn something else, instead of building upon it."
Yue pursed her lips bitterly. "If everyone remembered that," She said, "The world would be a better place." Her mood had turned sour during her revelation, and she sat back against the saddle. Aang looked at her, startled by her sudden change in attitude, but he didn't question it.
Perhaps, Yue thought, he understood that she was confused, and hurt, and upset. And that she needed a moment to comb finely through what had happened. The flying bison, Appa, beat his great tail and they continued onward, the trees passing beneath them in a blur of green.
Behind them, there was Ba Sing Se, and Sokka, and Katara, too. Behind them was everything Yue had been familiar with, and everything that she had turned to when she was unsure of the unknown. She had turned her back on that, now. It was too late to try and make amends.
Out with the old, Yue decided, and in with the new.
Katara leaned over the map of Ba Sing Se, tracing her finger along the division wall. Sokka looked over her shoulder, watching as she studied. There were several marks on the map, meticulously placed where a multitude of roads met. She had labeled a back alley, too, close to the other entrance of the underground catacombs. Close to where Yue had fallen in.
It wasn't Yue she was looking for, though. No, she could care less about Yue at the moment. She had seen them leave on that flying bison, and she had watched as they disappeared over the horizon. If Yue was anything, she wasn't a threat, at least not alone. With the Avatar, though…She would handle that later.
But for the time being, there was something more urgent to take care of. Yue could wait, but the firebenders that had infested Ba Sing Se could not. Part of her wondered if the white-haired princess had lied, but Katara had read the fear in Yue's eyes.
Besides, Yue didn't lie.
That's where they differed, Katara decided. Yue was too honest and too good. She didn't understand that sometimes it took more to get what you wanted. She saw things in black and white, Katara had noted, but in Katara's opinion, she saw more things in gray.
The world needed to be destroyed in ordered to be rebuilt. That meant she had to get rid of some things, and fix others. Yue didn't think that was possible. Katara shook her head and smiled to herself as she straightened. The Northern Water Tribe princess was gone, now.
She had never really liked her anyway.
"I've come to a conclusion," She said, taking both Sokka and Suki in her gaze. The leader of Kyoshi Warriors had become Katara's confidant-she was clever, and smart. She had the natural traits of a leader, and Katara rather liked the light haired girl. "I know how we'll find those firebenders."
Sokka looked at her and Katara resisted the urge to smirk. She had always known that if there ever came a time where Sokka had to choose between her and Yue, he would side with her. She was his sister and family came first. He would never break their family apart.
"They can't be in the Higher Ring," She explained, "This is for certain. So they have to be in the Lower Ring," If they're here at all. "So, with the help of the Dai Li and the Kyoshi Warriors, we search every household. Everyone in the family over the age of fifteen has to take a bending test."
To her surprise, Suki wrinkled her nose. "Don't you think that's a little…?" She averted her gaze, "You know…intrusive? Besides, if you were to search every household in Ba Sing Se, wouldn't that give them time to escape? Word travels so quickly in the Lower Ring."
Katara set her eyes on the Kyoshi Warrior, her jaw clenched. "The firebenders didn't think it was intrusive when they infiltrated Ba Sing Se. And they'll never know that we're looking for them unless someone tells them. And if word travels quickly, we can get them out sooner!"
After a moment, Suki stepped down. She knew better than to challenge the waterbender. As much as Katara liked Suki, she didn't like enough to be undermined by her. She looked towards Sokka, who shrugged.
"Get your girls together," Katara said and jabbed her finger onto the map, just beneath the wall that divided the higher class from the lower one. "And start here." She looked up at the Kyoshi Warrior, whose eyes had darkened as she looked down at the map. "And the Dai Li will handle the rest."
Suki seemed offended by this. She raised her head and met Katara's gaze, "Are you saying that my girls are good enough to search the rest of the city?" She frowned, then, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Are we not good enough?"
Katara narrowed her eyes. "Yes, that is exactly what I am saying." She stared hard at the older girl, as if daring her to argue. "The Dai Li are more discreet about their activities than your girls as you say." Gathering her map to her chest, the Southern Water Tribe princess turned to her brother. "Come on, Sokka, let's go."
Katara was nice, really. She was going to help Sokka get Yue and the Avatar off his mind. She didn't know many other people who would take the time out of their day to help cheer up their older brothers. She was a good person, who liked helping people. That's why she had dedicated her life to the war. Her ancestors had been right; the world was a sad, miserable place that needed to be rebuilt so everyone could be happy.
The Southern Water Tribe girl walked towards the exit of the room, looking back at her brother. He hadn't made a snarky comment since the day before, and it was so uncharacteristically unlike him that it almost worried her. "You know," She said, as they left the room. "It was Yue's fault. If she hadn't made such a rash decision, she would still be here and there would be no harsh feelings."
Well, that was partially untrue. There had always been harsh feelings between the two of them. Perhaps it was because they were too different.
Or maybe, it was because they were too alike.
Azula bent down to adjust her boots and then straightened, turning to face Ty Lee. Her friend was lying on her stomach, her legs arched over her shoulders until her feet nearly touched the ground. "So, what do you think we're going to do today, Azula?" The acrobat asked and stretched her legs. To a stranger, her chipper voice would sound exactly the same as it did every other day, but to Azula-who had known her for ages-it seemed milder. More subdued.
The Fire Nation princess lifted her shoulders in the beginnings of a shrug. Behind her, Mai snorted. She was sitting with her back against the wall, one leg stretched out while the other was pulled against her chest. Looking back at her stoic companion, Azula shook her head. "We'll have to ask Lu Ten."
"Why should we?" Mai asked in her monotonous way, "It's not like it'll be any fun." She reached into the billowing sleeve of her robe and pulled out a thin blade. As she readjusted her sleeve, Azula could see the black band that held her weapons attached to her thin, white wrist. The lanky noblewoman raised her narrow eyes to stare at Azula from behind her ink black bangs.
"Don't sound so down, Mai." Azula replied, smirking. The pale skinned girl looked up at her with a frown that obviously said she was not amused. "I'm sure there'll be something that will spark your interest. Trust me."
And Mai looked at Azula as if she had grown three heads. She slipped the thin razor back into her arm band. "Yesterday wasn't even that interesting. Ty Lee was only one to do anything fun." She wasn't complaining, though, but then again, Azula thought that it took a moment to distinguish sarcasm for complaining.
But before she could speak, however, Ty Lee had lifted her head. "That's not true!" She sat up and crossed her legs, "That girl fell through the wood and I feel really bad, now. She probably got really hurt. She could have been our friend!"
For a moment, Azula was silent. She had pushed her thoughts away from the white-haired girl after she had decided it was her fault she had fallen through the floor of the old house. If the Water Tribe girl wouldn't have been so stupid, she wouldn't have disappeared through the floorings. She wrinkled her nose, "Really, Ty Lee, why would you want to be friends with someone so lowly?"
Ty Lee's face fell as she thought about it. "Maybe, if you say so." She arched her back and rose to her feet, arching her back. "I'm tired of staying in this house all the time," She said, as if they had been here for years. "Let's go outside!"
Azula exchanged a look with Mai. The taller girl simply shrugged and stood up, as if that was answer enough. Being out in the sunlight did seem nice, and even if there was the threat of someone watching them, they wouldn't be in danger. They hadn't gotten caught yet, and even though that didn't necessarily mean that they could afford to be careless, Azula was confident that she was capable enough to fight off any waterbenders.
The young firebender stepped in front of her companions and they fell into their natural order. Azula was always front and center-as she expected to be, she was the princess after all-with Mai on one side and Ty Lee on the other. Azula had always been the child who took the attention, even when she was with Ty Lee.
As they passed the second room, Lu Ten's voice called out. "Where do you think you're going?" Even though Azula couldn't see him, she could hear the concern in his voice and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Azula?"
Clenching and unclenching her teeth, Azula cleared her throat. "Oh, dearest Lu Ten, my friends and I are simply stepping outside for fresh air. There can't possibly be anything wrong with that, can there?" She winked and Ty Lee giggled beside her while Mai snorted.
As she had expected, her older cousin poked his head out of the second room and frowned. "Normally no, but with the three of you…" He narrowed his eyes at Azula, and the Fire Nation princess batted her eyes innocently. "Do try not to bring attention to yourself if you sit on the wall. And Azula, don't burn down Ba Sing Se, quite yet."
"You know, where is Zuko?" Ty Lee asked and Azula thought she saw Mai perk up in interest just a bit. The princess hadn't paid much attention to the whereabouts of her idiot brother, but when she peeked into the doorway of the second room, she saw that her sibling was holding a scroll up to his face, obviously deep in thought.
The three of them stepped onto the porch of the tiny leaning house, facing the wall the divided the higher class from poverty. Azula had only been on the other side, once, but she had seen it from the top of the wall. They had been close to taking the first step into conquering the city on the lake, but they would have to revise their tactics.
And that was alright, Azula decided. A good leader was someone who wasn't afraid to try a different approach. A good leader was someone who would stop at no cost. The Fire Nation princess looked up at the wall and then back at her companions. They understood her gesture, and then the three of them were running towards the shadow of the wall.
Except for the sound of their breathing, the area was silent, but Azula hadn't expected to hear anything else. She closed her eyes and her heartbeat slowed before she turned back to her friends, lacing her hands together. Unlike her, Ty Lee and Mai did not have the advantage of using firebending to scale the wall.
Ty Lee grabbed onto Azula's shoulder, placing her foot into the cradle of her hands. For a moment, Azula was appalled by the thought of what might be under Ty Lee's shoes, but she shrugged it off and heaved her friend upward, clenching her jaw. Ty Lee caught hold a niche and pulled herself upward, laughing giddily.
"You better not drop me." Mai said, glaring at Azula through her bangs as she put her heel in the cup of Azula's hand. Azula smirked and loosened the knot of her fingers just to spite the thin girl. Mai frowned as the Fire Nation princess thrust her arms upward, allowing her to grab onto the cranny. She had actually been lighter than Azula had expected and as she brushed her hands onto the legs of her pants.
Igniting the blue flames in her hands, Azula propelled herself upward along the length of the wall. She landed in a crouch on the top of the wall, dousing the fire by clenching her fists. Mai and Ty Lee sat along the ledge, Ty Lee with her legs crossed and Mai with her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms on her knees. Azula settled next to them, folding her legs underneath her body.
For a while, they sat in silence. Even Ty Lee marveled at the sight of the higher ring of Ba Sing Se, her eyes glittering. "It's so beautiful up here!" She said, and leaned forward, as if she was trying to take in every detail of the city. "I can see the palace!" The acrobat beamed. "Look! It's so pretty from here."
Azula nodded as Mai craned her neck. "I guess you're right." Mai said and Azula agreed. She felt content, sitting up on the ledge of the dividing wall with her friends at her side. With the sun on her skin, warming her blood, she almost felt at peace.
Almost.
She would never wholly be at peace until she saw the Water Tribes crumbling at her feet. She wouldn't be content until Ba Sing Se-and every other Water Tribe city-had fallen and flew Fire Nation flags. If they could crush the waterbenders permanently, she would be content.
"Have you ever imagined flying on your dragon, Azula?" Ty Lee asked, turning her head towards Azula. The firebender smiled lightly to herself as she was reminded of Sanjiv. The dragon would come back, soon. She knew that for a fact. "Maybe you should try it one day!"
Azula turned her attention out towards the sky and nodded slowly, thoughtfully. "I will." She replied and rose to her feet, standing on the edge of the wall. She felt-she was-invincible. At her side, beneath her, Mai and Ty Lee looked up at her. She was above them all. She was above everyone.
Ba Sing Se, still standing, was at her feet. The palace of the waterbenders was within her reach and if she outstretched her hand, she could grab it and claim it as her own. And when the time was right, she would. She would take Ba Sing Se-singlehandedly if she had to-and the city on the lake would be hers.
The Fire Nation smiled to herself. It was a broad dream, but her family had never been one for small things. They hadn't pulled their way to the rank of royalty with just their good looks. They had worked for what they wanted, and if they still didn't get it, they took it by force.
That was exactly what she would do.
"Yue, look!" Aang cried, and the Northern Water Tribe princess was roused from her thoughts. She scrambled from the back of the saddle and pulled herself up to Aang's side. The young Air Nomad pointed towards the ground as the bison flew over what looked like a tiny town. It was settled between two different clusters of trees and if Yue had blinked, she would have missed it. But she didn't, and instead she grinned as Aang said, "They might have what we need!"
Yue nodded, brushing her hair out of her eyes as the child Avatar pulled on Appa's reins, urging him to head towards the town below them. The Northern Water Tribe princess flinched and grabbed onto the side of the saddle as the bison tipped his nose towards the earth. Flying on the bison was still foreign to her.
Aang yanked hard on the bison's reins, pulling Appa's head up as he stretched out his legs-there were six of them-and slammed his tail on the air, propelling himself forward. Yue unclenched her teeth and loosened her hold on the side of the saddle. She decided they were fortunate to have gotten this far, even though they had barely left Ba Sing Se. The more distance they put between Katara and Ba Sing Se-and Sokka- the more chance they had of getting to the Earth Kingdom.
The Northern Water Tribe princess watched as the flying bison approached the edge of the town, landing heavily on the stretch of green grass that sprouted from the earth. Appa let out a loud groan and Aang reached down to pat him as he leaped from the bison's head.
Yue descended from the saddle in a much slower fashion, dropped her bag on the ground as she crawled over the side of the saddle and slid down the bison's side. She breathed and brushed the thick white fur off of her clothes. She picked up her bag and pulled it over her shoulder, turning towards Aang, "I'm ready."
Aang moved to her side and she clasped his wrist. If someone were to ask her, she would say that she was comforting Aang, but really, Yue was ashamed to admit, it was for herself. The Avatar was her anchor in a way, because if it hadn't been for him, she would have remained in the Southern Water Tribe and the world would have drowned.
The two of them walked into the small, stone slab road settlement and the sun warmed Yue's skin. She could see a row of what looked like the entrance to a store and she was reminded of the bustling streets of the Southern Water Tribe. But as she took in the full details, she found that the buildings were two stories. She inhaled. They were also houses!
A woman and a boy that looked like her son had been heading towards one of the store, but when Yue and Aang came in sight, they stopped. Perhaps it was her white hair that caught their attention, for the boy pointed at her and the princess felt her ears burn. Did they recognize her? Would they question her?
Her sense of dread grew stronger as the woman walked slowly towards them. Yue grabbed Aang's hand and jerked him back as the woman and the child-who looked about six-came closer. The woman was tall and walked gracefully. She wasn't the most attractive person Yue had ever seen, but she was far from the worst. She had deep green eyes and glossy black hair done up in a bun.
As if she could read their wariness, the woman smiled kindly. Yue forced her lips from a frown and twitched them in the beginnings of a smile, without words. "You don't have to be scared," The woman said and Yue looked at her clothes. Though faded, she wore a tunic that could pass as modern and she didn't look extremely old. Her dark eyes met Yue's and she dipped her head towards the princess. "Princess Yue."
Yue took another step back and the little boy at the woman's side tugged on his mother's tunic. "How do you know who we are?" She asked and tugged Aang back to her side. The words had come out louder than she expected, and one of the doors opened a crack, revealing the head of an older man. The Northern Water Tribe princess froze.
"How do we not know you?" The woman asked and Yue relaxed a bit as she went on, "Water Tribe soldiers come through this town sometimes, and when they do, they bring news. I don't think anyone there's a single person who hasn't heard of the white haired Northern princess. What I do wonder, though, is why you and this boy are alone?"
The sixteen year old princess looked off to the side. "It's…a long story," She said and averted her gaze, "We just came to ask a favor of you, though, and then we'll be off. We just need a map and…" Her hands travelled to her white hair, "A disguise."
At first, she thought the strange woman was about to refuse. But then, she nodded once-stiffly-and turned on her heel. Her son, with huge brown eyes, looked back at the Northern Water Tribe princess and the young Avatar before he turned his head, obviously disinterested.
Yue didn't know the woman's name, and she didn't ask even when she led them towards the door in which the graying man had been watching from. Perhaps it was because she didn't wanted to ruin the woman's kindness. She was helping them, even though she could be charged for helping the exiled princess and the Avatar.
The inside of the building had wooden floors that creaked under Yue's feet when she stepped on them. As the door closed behind Aang, a bell strung on a ribbon rung and she turned. In order to alert the owners when someone entered, the bell had been attached to the door and it rung when it opened and closed. Yue took in the sight of the room. There were shelves lined neatly with an assortment of candles of different colors and scents, labeled carefully. Across the room, there was a case of stairs that led up to what Yue guessed was the owner's personal apartment.
She turned her attention back to the woman, who had pushed the little boy towards the old man. "It's the Northern Water Tribe princess, Papi!" Said the woman, and Yue blanched. The woman-girl-couldn't have been much older than her if this was her father.
And as she had read Yue's thoughts, the woman-girl-looked back at the little boy. "That's my brother," She said, and Yue thought she sounded rather irritated. "He's six. I'm eighteen." Yue cringed, then, realizing that she had been staring. "This is our family's shop where we sell candles. We live upstairs, where we have what you need."
Yue nodded dumbly and looked back at Aang as the older girl rested her hand on her hip, waiting for her. The waterbending princess stepped forward as their hostess stepped onto the stairs that led up to her family's home above their shop. Yue followed her, the wood creaking under their feet as they ascended upward.
"My name is Adanna," The girl said and looked back at the Northern Water Tribe princess before her dark green gaze swept past Yue's and settled on Aang. "Who is he?" She asked, wrinkling her brows. "I haven't heard anything about him."
"You wouldn't." Yue answered and paused to try and phrase her next statement correctly. "His name is Aang and..." Was it safe to tell them he was the Avatar? Not now. Not so soon. "He's a very good friend of mine." She looked back at her young companion, who grinned.
Adanna shrugged as they reached the landing. "If you say so," She said and Yue peeked around her shoulder. They stood in a hallway with two doors on either side, the door of one ajar. "Follow me," The young woman said and shuffled towards the open door, "This used to be Papi's study room, but now it's mine." She explained and stepped into the room.
In the room, there was a futon strewn on the floor and a closed drawer. Adanna walked into her room and moved towards the drawer, opening it. Yue stepped closer as the woman sifted through several items, her brows knitted together.
Then, finally, she pulled free a folded piece of paper and held it up for the two of them to see. "It's a map of the Earth Kingdom continent." Adanna said and unfolded it, revealing a map painted in blue, green, and gray, marking rivers and neutral territory. Yue grinned as Adanna passed the map to her. "You can have that." She looked at Yue's hair, "And for a disguise…maybe you should…cut your hair."
Some part of Yue had known that Adanna would say it. She had been contemplating the idea since they had left Ba Sing Se. It would sever her ties from the past and she would be able to fit in more easily. Her hands wound into the white locks and she frowned. Her hair had grown with her, and it was unique to her. She knew it would grow back but it wouldn't be the same.
It would be…different. But, Yue decided, it would be a good different. The Northern Water Tribe princess looked at Aang and then at Adanna, and she nodded. "Let's do it."
There was one thing that Katara liked about the Dai Li, and that was their ability to get right to things. She supposed they had to, in order to keep Ba Sing Se aligned. They were probably preparing to search the city, for she had seen Long Feng-who was Kuei's advisor-leave the palace.
The Southern Water Tribe princess had seated herself on top of the wall that kept the palace of Ba Sing Se separated from the rest of the city. She swung her feet idly, looking out towards the city beyond her. She seemed a peace for the moment, and really, she was.
Everything was going the way it was supposed to.
Soon, the Water Tribes would be alerted of Yue's treasonous acts and everyone would feel the same Katara did. Yue had been a traitor from the start; she had known it for ages. Katara had been waiting for her to slip. She had waited patiently for just the right moment to show the world what Yue really was. How else were they supposed to recreate the world, if their own people were backstabbers?
She had been glad to get rid of her, too. Katara had disliked Yue if only because she had taken her mother. The white haired princess had squeezed her way into their family and pushed poor Katara out of the way, latching herself onto Kya like a dapple river leech. She had sucked up Kya's affection and beamed in it. She had taken Sokka, too.
But Katara had gotten him back. And once the news of Yue's betrayal hit the Southern Water Tribe, she would get her mother back, too. The princess deviously smiled to herself and swung her feet a bit higher, tapping her fingers on the ledge of the wall.
From behind her, there was the sound of sandals approaching. Katara froze and uncorked the pouch of water at her side, preparing to turn and strike down the person who dared harm her. But when she turned around, she saw nothing but a servant kneeling before her, waiting.
The Southern Water Tribe princess leaped down in front of the servant, clearing her throat. "You can rise," She said, looking off to the side as the servant rose to his feet, dipping his head. "What is it?" She asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"A visitor has requested you, Princess." The servant answered and Katara tensed. "It is a woman who was attending the celebration last night." Katara took her weight on her back foot as the man went on, "She is waiting for you in the inner sanctum."
Curiosity got the better of the princess and she jerked her head. "Take me to her," She said, and almost as an afterthought, she added, "Please." She would humor the servants today. She was in a good mood, and she wanted to spread the joy.
The servant turned on his heel and led the young waterbender across the stone courtyard, back towards the palace. Katara followed, trying to figure out who would want to see her. It was a woman, she knew, and that they had attended the celebration, but that didn't narrow down anything and she couldn't remember anyone who was memorable.
The halls of Ba Sing Se's palace were quiet. Down the hall, Katara could hear a door opening and closing, and the sound of someone talking came from behind a closed-and locked-door. The Southern Water Tribe princess listened to the shuffling sound of her boots on the floor as she followed the servant quickly through the halls of the palace.
Katara knew every main hall and corridor of the circular palace. She knew the quickest way to reach the throne room, and she knew what halls intersected. Ba Sing Se's Higher Ring was her second home, and she would expel anything that was out of place in her perfect city. Those firebenders.
Underneath her feet, the deep green of the floor showed her reflection. In a way, the palace of Ba Sing Se was like a rare gem amongst pieces of coal. Perfect, unscathed, and invaluable. She intended to keep it that way, and when the world had been cleansed of everything bad, Katara would see to it that grand palaces were built amongst the rest of the trash of the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation.
But that was something to worry about after the Silver Moon; she had other things to think about at the time. Katara turned her attention back to the servant as they approached the door to a room. Katara couldn't quite remember its purpose at the time. The servant nodded his head before dipping into a respectful bow, scuttling away.
Katara was suddenly apprehensive. She lingered by the door and tugged at her hair as though she was smoothing it, even though there wasn't a strand out of place. Who was this person who had requested her presence? And why was she so nervous all of a sudden?
Mustering all of her will, the Southern Water Tribe princess narrowed her eyes and forcefully opened the door, stepping inside the room. It was painted green along with a yellow so pale that it looked white. Hanging on the wall was a scroll with the characters that spelled out: What goes around. There a window, too, casting pale light into the room and throwing light on the palace's visitor.
It was an old woman that Katara didn't recognize, even though she looked vaguely familiar. She was wrinkled and pale, with thick white hair pulled up elaborately. She was short and the green and blue robes that she wore seemed to engulf her whole body. Katara appraised the woman fully, taking in her nails that were rounded, but still dangerously long.
They eyes met and the woman's lips turned upward into the beginnings of a thin smile. "My," She said, and stepped towards Katara, holding out her hands. "Look how much you've grown!" Katara looked down at her, trying to remember where she had heard the voice before. "You've gotten prettier in the years since I've seen you last."
Then, it hit her.
Katara's mouth fell agape and she stepped back in shock. It couldn't be! She had seen her in years, not since she was a child. It couldn't be possible! But it was. And despite herself, Katara felt hot tears sting at the back of her eyes as she dragged the woman towards her, engulfing her in a constricting hug.
"Hama!"
Adanna lowered the blade as she had used and stepped away from Yue. At the princess's feet were the fallen locks of her hair, curling loosely on the floor. The Northern Water Tribe princess opened her eyes as Adanna tapped her shoulder, gesturing to her that she could move again. Yue raised her hands to head and moved her fingers along her scalp. Her hair was just has thick as it had been, but Adanna had sheared it until it was incredibly short and now it barely brushed the nape of her neck. The princess turned towards Aang, "How does it look?"
The young Avatar was silent and Yue feared that it looked bad. But then, he smiled broadly. "It looks good!" He said and looked at the white locks that lay on the floor. Yue smiled, then, and turned to Adanna. "It makes you prettier. I-I mean," He flushed, "Not that you weren't pretty before, but, you know."
Even though the Air Nomad's comment had made Yue feel a little better, the waterbender couldn't help but wistfully pick up a bit of her cut hair. She held it in her hand, turning towards Adanna. Perhaps, Yue thought, it was because she wasn't quite ready to fully let go of the Water Tribes. It was everything she had known, and it was ingrained in her blood. "Thank you," She whispered, and gathered more of her hair to her. "Do you have a piece of string I can have?" She asked.
Adanna nodded, appraising her work. "I can get you one," She said and used her toe to push the excess hair into a pile. "Let's go back downstairs." The young woman moved towards the exit of the room, turning her attention back to Yue's hair.
As they followed the older teenager down the stairs, Yue looked back at Aang. "We should really be leaving," She said to the young Avatar, "I just wish we had something to give to them in payment," She sighed, "But we don't have anything."
Overhearing their conversation, the dark haired commoner looked back at them. "I suppose that's alright," She said, and shrugged, "We're not the type of people who kill someone because they can't pay at the time. You can repay us later."
Yue didn't think she had ever seen such a kindly person. She smiled as they reentered the shop below the family's home. The Northern Water Tribe princess waved kindly at Adanna's little brother, whose name she had learned was Khomo, but the little boy turned his head away from her, shy.
Adanna moved towards one of the shelves that lined the back of the room and lifted a jar, fishing around. She pulled free a bundle of yarn that was used for binding the candles together. She turned back to the Northern Water Tribe princess and pressed the strip of yarn into the palm of Yue's hand.
The tribal princess wrapped the pale colored yarn around her wrist and pulled it into a knot, making sure not to cut her circulation by making it too tight. She turned to Adanna and stood awkwardly in front of her, her right foot set in front of her left. "We should really be going," She said and opened her arms, embracing the older girl in gratitude.
"I can't thank you enough," Yue whispered and held Adanna at arm's length, her eyes glistening. Aang came up to her side and threw his arms around Adanna as well, grinning in thanks. "I wish I could repay you now, but I can't! But I promise, when everything is said and done…"
Adanna raised her hand, "Oh, worry about that later!" She said and laughed. "I can't believe I've actually seen the Northern Water Tribe princess and I cut her hair!" Yue giggled. "But you should go now, so you can get where you're going."
Yue nodded slowly and stepped back, waving once more at Khomo. The child chose that moment to grin at her, and she realized why he hadn't smiled at her. He was missing four front teeth! Suppressing her giggles, Yue opened the door and stepped out into the sunlight, turning back to Adanna. "Thank you!" She said, "And goodbye!"
The princess turned to Aang and she turned her lips upward into a smile as they began to trek back towards where they had left Appa. "We were incredibly lucky," Yue said as the giant bison came into view, "That someone was that kind to us."
"The Air Nomads said kindness was the best way to achieve peace." Aang commented, "Maybe Adanna and her family will be a peace from now on. And maybe, if everyone was kinder to each other, there wouldn't be a war." He grinned as he gripped Appa's horn, heaving himself onto the bison's neck and scooping up the reins.
Yue shrugged as she situated herself in the bison's saddle. "Maybe you're right." She set her bag down and unfolded the map that charted the continent. "So, according to this map, we head west." She studied it for a moment, "That shouldn't be too hard."
Aang tilted his shoulders and snapped the reins. "Yip yip!" He cried and Appa slapped his tail on the earth, pushing himself upward into the air. The beast groaned as he rose ever higher into the sky, turning his nose towards the west.
The white strands of hair that Yue had kept tickled her hands. She looked down, having been unaware that she had been holding onto them. Several slipped through her fingers and before she could catch them, they drifted through the air. Yue watched them flying, and suddenly she had a grand idea. Gathering the remaining pieces of hair, Yue pulled a strand free and released IT.
"This one is for the old Water Tribes." Yue said, and let another strand fly free. "This is for my parents." She set forth another one. "These two are for the Air Nomads and for the past." She sighed, and Aang looked over his shoulder at her. "This one is for the old me-us- and this one," The last one, "This is for the future."
The last white strand caught the wind and whipped through the air. Yue followed it with her eyes until it was too small to see, but she imagined that it was flying through the air, leaving behind everything. And then she smiled softly to herself, her cropped hair tickling her scalp. She had severed her ties to the past. It was time for the future. Out with the old, she thought once again, and in with the new.
If this story had chapter titles, this one would be called Severing Ties. Or perhaps it would be, Yue Makes a Change. Or something I can't think of.