Hiding My Masked Affection

spockjasperzukowriting

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I only write about it because it rocks and for fun.

Oh my gosh, you're reviews made me laugh my head off in happiness! I love you guys so much! I have no idea my writing was this good. :D This chapter is dedicated to Densharr (you make me giggle), Da-Best-Lulu-Ever (you really are the best!), Zarosknight (awesomest knight ever!), EmpressVicky (queen of them all!), and mrsharrypotter! (Harry rocks!) And then there is my ever-lasting gratitude to YolandaFriella. If you ever get bored with waiting for me to update, check out her zutarian stories!

4

My stomach twisted uncomfortably and the air in the room suddenly felt too stiff to breathe. I hugged my scrolls to myself tighter and tried to read the faces of those around me. Suiya looked embarrassed, dad looked nervous, and Aang looked guilty.

"Who are the Azkai?" Sokka said, shattering the silence and making us all flinch.

Aang gulped, forcing a smile and biting his lip. I knitted my brow in concern; I had never seen Aang look even remotely scared before.

"They- er," Suiya tried to find the right words.

Dad cut in before she could attempt to speak again. "They're nothing you should worry about right now: these are just gifts that we thought you would like."

I nodded, painting optimism on my face for the crowd. "And we do love them, dad, it's just it's a little bit revealing for you to give us weapons and healing devices. Not to mention giving klutz here-" I gave Sokka a pointed look, "- an injector full of deadly poison. Who are the Azkai, and what danger are they to us?"

His expression turned grave, and he stared directly into our eyes. "I'll explain it to you later, but now is not the time. We have a tour of the house to give you, and Aang must show you your rooms."

Aang perked up abruptly, jumping in front of us and presenting a happy expression on his face again. "Yes, you're rooms! Follow me!" He jogged towards the door before turning around and motioning us to follow him again. I grinned at Sokka, following Aang as he walked out to door. I turned back momentarily and saw Sokka standing hesitantly at the door.

"What's wrong, Sokka?" I asked, beaming at him to try and coax a smile onto his contemplating expression. He glanced back into the room before looking back at me. "You go ahead Katara. I'll be there in a second, I just need to talk to dad for a moment. Suiya, do you mind?"

"Not at all," I heard her answer and she walked out of the door. Sokka threw me one last glance over his shoulder before disappearing into the room, shutting the door behind him. I blinked, feeling a little shocked and left out as I stared at the space where he had been. My heart gave a painful squeeze as I turned around and followed Aang to the entrance hallway and up the stairs. As I took careful consideration of the path Aang was leading me down so that I could remember it later, and with Suiya walking patiently beside me, I couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right. I made a mental note to inquire Aang about who was out to hurt him. Or what was out to hurt him.

My two new necklaces felt cluttered on me. Not only was I wearing my mother's betrothal necklace, but now I was wearing a moonstone entitled to me and a vile of sacred water from the Spirit Oasis. What would I wear at one time? Was dad trying to make me take off my mother's betrothal necklace to wear another thing? My fingers reached up at brushed the smooth stone that had been passed down to me from three generations. Gran-Gran had worn it, mother had worn it, and now I wear it.

I sent a silent prayer to our goddess, Yue, that whatever Sokka wanted to talk to dad about, that it wouldn't hurt anyone and was with good intentions. This had to turn out all right. What would go wrong? And who could hurt me?

My vision focused on the back of Aang's bald head as he lead us down a series of hallways, each looking the utterly the same, like the pathways of a maze. This would take some time to get used to. Nothing was simple anymore, such as the one-roomed huts of home.

Aang's voice cut through my thoughts, making me blink. "I'm sorry, Aang?" I took a moment to take in my surroundings: We were in front of a closed doorway in a red-painted hall.

He smiled. "This is your room. Care to do the honors?"

I chewed my lip, a little self-conscious as Suiya clasped her fingers in nervousness, and I turned the doorknob and let it swing open.

My eyes widened as I walked slowly, in shock, into my new room. It was so huge. It was painted shades of dark and light blue, with images of the phases of the moon engrained on the walls. There were ancient Water Tribe masks and carvings hanging on the walls off of hooks, and the wooden floors were carpeted with thick animal furs. My bed sat against the farthest wall, with blue, yellow, and white sheets draping the king-sized mattress. I walked up to it, placing my scrolls on the bedside table and gazed around the room in awe. The head-board of the table depicted the image of a young girl sleeping in a garden at night, with long flowing hair that twisted around her and up into the moonbeams cast down upon the scene.

I traced my fingers over the wood, trying to figure out if this was real or not.

"It's beautiful," I whispered. I saw Aang prance up to the curtains of what I presumed was a window.

"Wait till you see the view you get of the city," he promised, and he spun around before throwing air-jets the curtains, parting them all the way with a brilliant flourish and streaming in sunlight. I squinted through the sudden introduction of sun-rays, getting up and walking to Aang's side. The curtains had been covering a set of framed, glass doors that lead out into a cement balcony. I pushed open the doors, smiling as a world of color and beauty engulfed me, pulling me away from my troubles that lurked inside the house and into the pulchritude outside of it.

The view was enthralling. Trees lined houses and their gardens, and with the new heightened sense that my moonstone gave me, I could make out more tones and slivers of color that graced the Fire Nation capital. I unconsciously walked forward until my knees bumped against the velvet, padded bench that was connected to the porcelain railing. I leaned on the railing, cupping my cheek and kneeling down, sucking in the view of the city. I never knew this kind of world could exist in this manner, in this potency, outside of looming glaciers and sheets of colorless ice. All the shapes, luminosity, all the light that could be reflected off of the buildings, was so defined and never meshed into one. It was like a painting of a peaceful city nearing sunset that I could reach out to, and never touch.

I turned back to Suiya and Aang. "It's so amazing!" I gasped. Aang turned all shades of pink and rocked back and forth on his heels.

"I thought you would love it," Suiya grinned, releasing her clenched hands. "For a moment there I thought that you didn't like it."

I giggled. "Why would I not like it?"

Suiya shrugged, looking a little sheepish. "I've never had children before. I don't really know what to expect," she admitted.

I smiled sympathetically. "It's okay. I will never not like something here."

Aang nodded enthusiastically. "Katara likes everything," he supported.

Suiya's eyes twinkled. "That's good." She turned to me. "Your bags will be brought up to you in a moments notice. Dinner will be in several hours. I have some business to attend to, but you are welcome to explore the house as you please. Aang will assist you if you get lost." With that, she spun around with a lithe dancers step and left through the doorway.

I turned my attention back to Aang, patting the spot next to me and smiling. There was a strong breeze and he was suddenly sitting right next to me, crossing his legs and leaning against the railing politely. I jumped in shock, before blinking, shaking my head and smiling. "You really need to give me a heads up before you do that."

Aang stared blankly at me. "Do what?"

"I- never mind. It's not important."

Aang shrugged, his eyes widening when he glanced at my neck. He looked between my face and my neck several times, looking tempermentally worried.

I frowned. "What is it?"

"You-you're- engaged?" he stuttered.

"Huh?"

He pointed to my neck again, keeping his his eyes locked on my face as I glanced down. I let out a heavy breath of relief when I realized what he was talking about. I ran my fingers around the cool charm and gave him a reassuring smile. "No, Aang, I am not engaged to anyone. This was my mother's, and when she died, it got passed down to me," I explained, trying to keep my voice level at the memory of her kind smile.

Aang looked a bit relieved, and relaxed his body. "Oh, okay. For a moment there... I'm sorry for your loss, though," he replied.

I nodded. "It's okay. I'm going to have to turn it into a bracelet now that I have two more things to wear around my neck." I reached back and was about to untie it when Aang's hand shot out and grabbed my wrists, pulling them away from the back of my neck. He shook his head at me. "It's okay, Katara. I like it on your neck. You shouldn't have to change what you've always had for something that was just given to you."

I gave him a sympathetic look to mollify his pleading one. "It's okay Aang. I can easily make this into a bracelet. It's better than replacing the chain for my moonstone. And I'll just wear my spirit water around my waist in a belt. It's not big deal. I don't want everyone, like you, thinking I'm engaged when I'm not."

Aang tried to hide his minute disappointment. "Oh, okay. Fair enough."

"What do you have against it?" I questioned. Aang blushed, looking at me and hugging his knees. "Hmm, me? I have nothing against it. I'm perfectly okay with you changing it. It's just that I think it looks better as a necklace, and that's how it was when I first saw you, and-"

I placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze to silence his nervous rambles. "Aang, I've missed you too," I consoled.

He dropped his lengthy legs out of his embrace and gave the floor a defeated look. "I wished you could've come with me to see the world. There were... moments, that I felt scared and alone, and moments that I needed your assurances. Like when I visited my native temple only to see the carnage the Fire Nation had put my people through..." He trailed off, his eyes glazing over. He suddenly looked vulnerable, showing his inner fear again.

I rubbed his shoulder assuringly. "You did so well on your own, Aang. You saved the world, and you came back to us. That's what matters the most. I don't care if you made mistakes along the way. What truly matters is that you got back up on your feet in the end."

He pursed his lips and nodded. "If only you had told me that when I watched Ba Sing Se fall under Fire Nation rule." He pulled his knees up to his chest again and hugged them, before looking at me again. "You're not happy, are you, that Hakoda married again?"

I bit back my surprise. "What makes you think that?"

Aang shrugged. "I know Sokka isn't. He's been really anti-social."

I snorted. "He's just like that. He's not happy with it. I have no problem, on the other hand."

Aang shook his head, furrowing his eyes at me. "Katara, you're lying. I can sense that you are lying with earthbending. Master Toph taught me that everyone has a physical response to lying, and I've been taught to sense it through feeling vibrations in the floor. And you, Katara, are lying to me. You can tell me these things."

I shook my head, placing my hands in my lap and staring out into the distance, tracing the jagged edges of the volcano with my vision. The sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky, tinting the clouds with warm colors. "Aang, I acknowledge that this is sudden and may be difficult, but I'm also giving Hakoda a chance with his new life. I'll support him through whatever he wants to do with his life. It's not like I can change his decision."

Aang nodded, following my gaze out to the horizon. "That makes sense."

I sighed, but quickly suppressed a smile and seized my chance. "Aang, tell me now: who are the Azkai?"

He jumped, opening his mouth to protest again and back out of it.

I scowled. "Don't lie to me, Aang. You can tell me these things."

He grunted in defeat, avoiding my gaze. "Okay, they're a gang that lives in the Fire Nation. Their symbol is a Fire Lily. No one knows where their hide-out is, and no one knows their plans. They commit assassinations on foreigners that come here to sign peace treaties, and they've tried to kill me more than once." He clenched his knees unconsciously. "Then, they occasionally kidnap people. The bodies always show up three days later at some meaningful location to that person, and what they do to some people is just..." Aang shivered, wincing in horror. A lump formed in my throat.

"Then why bring Sokka and I to the Fire Nation?" I asked, trying to see the logic through the information Aang had just given me.

"Suiya has many duties here, and if she leaves, it would be a huge pain to the government. She needs to support her father and family in their many affairs. Hakoda wants to be with her, and he wants you to be with him here," Aang said, still staring keeping his sight averted from mine.

"Have the Azkai... made any moves or threats to him?" I inquired.

Aang paled. "One, but that was months ago. Before he married Suiya. It wasn't that serious, and nothing was actually followed through. They might be biding their time for a big attack, but we can't be sure. So, to protect ourselves, we keep our schedules as secret as possible to ensure that they know as little about us as we know about them. They have never attacked inside the volcano at the heart of the capital before, so you are safe."

I relaxed slightly. "What do they look like?"

Aang paled. "This is a really tentative subject-"

"Aang," I interrupted firmly. "If Sokka and I are in any danger being here, at least fully explain to us what it is."

He chewed his lip. "They attack at night so no one really gets a good look at what they wear or what they look like," he stammered quickly. "All I know is that they use shadows for cover." He flopped back against the railing and heaved big breaths, relieved that he had gotten it all out.

I figured it would've been best if I didn't tease anymore information out of him. He looks a few shades whiter as is.

I prodded him and got up as a few well-dressed servants walked in, carrying my bags with great care and placing them on my bed. One of them looked up at me, her blue eyes glistening obediently. "Is there anything else you would like, Lady Katara?"

I walked over to them, shaking my head with a smile before dismissing them.

"It has been a pleasure to meet you, Lady Katara," they bowed before shuffling out of the room.

Aang followed them towards the door, pausing as they went out to look back at me quickly. "Dinner will be ready in two hours, and since it's still light out, why don't you and I go explore the garden? It's so incredible what array of plants can be grown only in the Fire Nation," he tempted.

I nodded. "Sure, that sounds fun. Could Sokka join us?"

"I heard this phrase once and like it: 'the more the merrier'," he answered, clasping his hands behind his back and smiling eagerly. He reminded me of a young child: so eager to please the ones they looked up to.

I wore a tender expression, giving him a delighted smile in the process. "Sounds lovely. Meet you in a few; I want to change into some more presentable clothes."

"Oh, sure," Aang grabbed his upper-arm and scooted out of the room awkwardly. "Um, yeah, well, see you in a few minutes, then!"

"It'll just be a moment," I clarified and then proceeded to shut the door behind him. He forced a smile and then waved as I shut the door politely, leaning against the firm wood and breathing a sigh of relief.

Finally, a few moments to myself.

I quickly dug through my bags, sifting through an assortment of coats, dresses, training outfits, evening dresses... I couldn't find anything that was grand and casual enough to walk through an enticing garden. "Stupid picky fashion sense," I muttered under my breath and turned towards a closet embedded it the wall adjacent to the balcony. I raised and eyebrow, approaching it with my arms folded across my chest. I slid the doors open and blinked in shock as it revealed a walk-in closet that had hundreds of dresses and outfits; most of which were Water Tribe, and yet some were a blend of red and blue fabrics. I allowed myself time to pick through the dress-section, feeling the cloths and styles, trying to find what suited the occasion for now. At least I had many more options to choose from now.

I settled for a halter dress with thick, seamed straps and a blue over-fabric which parted in the middle to reveal crisp white satin. It was a perfect summer-time gown, and wasn't to long on the hem in case I had to walk through dirt. I slipped it on, enjoying the feel of a new fabric on my sensitive skin, and wove in blue ribbons in my hair, keeping my loopies but allowing my braid to fall freely in a wavy heap down my back.

I turned around, looking at myself in a mirror that I found in the closet. I grinned, nodding to myself approvingly. It was a nice outfit for the occasion.

I opened the door to reveal Aang waiting dutifully and expectantly with Sokka hunched up against the wall, giving the floor one of his dark, brooding looks.

Aang giggled nervously, blushing at the sight of my new appearance. I smiled. "Do you like it?"

"Absolutely," he breathed, looking stunned. Sokka momentarily shifted his gaze to me, before rolling his eyes and throwing his hands up in the air. "We're just going for a simple, quick walk. Nothing to get dressed up for."

I shrugged his comment off and smiled, knowing perfectly well that what he said was Sokka language for, "You look awesome."

"Then lets go for our extravagant, long walk in the garden," I stressed, pulling him away from the wall and allowing Aang to lead us down another mesh of hallways that all appeared identical, then down the main stairs and out into the garden.

I giggled as Aang showed showed me how to make a Snapping Dragon open and close it's "mouth." The sun was setting farther now, and I could smell the fragrances of unknown foods wafting outside the windows of the mansion and into the garden. Stars were beginning to appear through the clouds, and Sokka was sitting on the steps leading up to the gazebo, picking the petals off of an orchid in a melancholy nature. "What's so funny?" he grumbled, not bothering to look up.

"This!" I squealed in delight, picking another Snapping Dragon and making it open and close its jaws playfully at his face. Aang rocked back on the balls of his feet, and laughed along with me. It almost felt like three years ago, when Aang and I had been sliding down hills and across planes of solid ice on the backs of penguin-otters.

I sat back on the livid grass, folding my legs beneath me as I admired the inner workings of the flower between my fingers. Sokka rolled his eyes and yawned, the action accented by his stomach growling.

"So what? It's a stupid flower," he acknowledged.

I frowned at him. "Sokka, you've been very good so far; don't ruin your record now."

He held his hands up in defense, dropping his mutilated orchid. "Hey, I'm not the one who wanted to come out here and mess with flowers." He stood up, brushing the imaginary dirt off of his pants. "I'm going inside."

I gave him a hurt smile. "Sokka, please? Just another hour. For me," I wheedled, making him stop with my last sentence. He slumped his shoulders in defeat, storming back towards the gazebo.

"Fine, but when the bugs start coming out and annoying me, I'm leav-" he cut himself off as he stubbed his toe on the bottom step of the gazebo. His ears turned red as Aang and I clutched our bellies and rolled on the ground laughing at him. He rubbed his foot and fell back on the ground, glaring at us.

"Hey, that hurt!" he defended.

"That was hilarious!" Aang panted, laying back on the ground and looking up at the darkening sky. I folded my hands behind my head and sighed happily. It was strange to be watching the sun set at a normal time without the appearance of Arctic lights dancing across the stars. A half-moon was beginning to gleam through the thin, disappearing clouds.

"Was it always like this?" I asked Aang. "To just be able to lay back and watch the sky transform?"

Aang nodded. "Yeah. Nature is a really calming place to sleep at night."

Sokka slapped a bug on his neck. "Yuck. Nature. Get it off of me!"

"Sokka, just leave it alone and it'll leave you alone," I lectured, trying to resist rolling my eyes.

"Eww, now I have bug on my neck!" he complained, wiping his hands on his pants.

Aang and I shared another fit of giggles at Sokka's misfortune.

"Kids!" called dad from the porch. "Dinner's ready!"

"Okay!" I shouted back, sitting up and ruffling the straws of grass out of my hair, in doing so dislodging one of my ribbons and sending it floating in the breeze. "Oh no!" I gasped, standing up and trying to chase after it, huffing in defeat as it drifted over the wall.

"Come one Katara!" coaxed Sokka from the porch. I turned around to give them one encouraging look.

"I'll be right back, I need to go get my ribbon!" I explained before jogging up to the gate, opening it easily.

"Katara!" Aang called. "Come back! Just let it go!"

"But it's not mine," I defended, shutting the gate behind me and taking off after the ribbon down the street, keeping my breath level as I tracked it down in the fading light. The streets were completely empty, and servants occasionally walked out to dim their porch-lights for the night. The last of the sun's body disappeared behind the horizon, only leaving a few last glowing rays in it's memory. The moon shone brightly above my head, and the moonstone around my neck changed its glow from dusty yellow to a wan white.

"Katara..." I heard dad distantly yell from blocks behind me. I stopped momentarily, cupped my hands over my mouth and cried, "I'm okay! I almost have it!" My heart skipped a beat as my voice echoed eerily off of the empty streets in the deepening darkness.

I tore through the air again, closing in the last few paces between my ribbon and I. The ribbon was only shifting lazily on the cold streets as the wind played sleepily with it once more.

I stooped down and picked it up, kneading it between my fingers and snorting at it. "You cheeky little piece of cloth," I scolded, pretending in a child-like way that it was actually sentient, that it had feelings like any other human.

I stood up straight, looking around me. Only moonlight was providing me with light now in the chilly darkness. I shuddered, rubbing my arms for warmth and berating myself for forgetting a jacket, and for not sending a servant to fetch the ribbon for me. But I quickly shoved those thoughts aside: I borrowed this ribbon from the closet, therefore it wasn't mine and was my duty to look out for.

I began to head back the way I came, trying to remember the specific houses I had passed on my chase after the rogue-ribbon. But all of the houses looked the same: monstrous in size, with closed-in walls and metal gates. I blew a stray lock of hair out of my face as I estimated which streets I had turned and how far I had come. I clenched my fists after fifteen minutes, finally admitting to myself that I was lost.

I allowed myself a face-palm. "Ugh, Katara, you idiot," I murmured, feeling a little scared and awkward at how much my voice would reverberate around the streets. I suddenly felt alone, inferior, and helpless. I didn't even have my water-pouches with me. I stopped at a round-about in one of the streets with a fountain in the middle, thankful to have water by my side. I wove the ribbon into my hair, dipping my hand into the clear, freezing water and dabbing my sweaty forehead with it.

I heard a muffled footstep come from nearby, one that was meticulous but sudden. I jumped, turning around and standing up, curling and uncurling my fingers. I felt for the presence of the water beside me, just in case some sick person decided I would be their victim.

"Who's there?" I asked the empty black.

There was a slow beat before I heard the hurried scuttling of feet across what I thought was the tiles of the roof. I shivered, my palms suddenly feeling wet as my heart-rate picked up. I prayed to Yue that I was safe.

Whoever was walking around me wasn't very good at sneaking around. Either because they were no real threat and were terrible fighters, or such a good fighter and a huge threat because they never had to sneak around before.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to quell thoughts of the symbol of a Fire Lily from my mind.

"I'm serious; who's there?" I growled, quickly changing my stance to a basic attack form when I heard a cruel laugh stretch out through the still air.

I jumped, turning around until my gaze fell upon a tall woman, thick yet slim with toned muscles that showed through her thin, black tank-top. She wore baggy black pants and close-fitting fighting boots. Her long, raven-black hair curtained away her face, but I could make out florescent, golden eyes from behind the threads of hair. Her skin was a sickly pale, and her lips were blood-red. Her head was dipped towards the ground, her shoulders arched in a predator-like stance.

"I'm flattered that you are scared, Katara of the Water Tribe," she sneered. I shivered, but it wasn't from the cold. Her voice was so slick, sweet like honey but hard to listen to. Each time she spoke, it felt like someone had dropped acid down my spine.

Slowly, like shadows themselves, I watched ten black male figures stalk out of the dark behind several buildings, each of them surrounding me at a different angle.

I paled, trying to keep my focus through my fear. "Never show fear..." I told myself under my breath. My eyes darted back and forth for an exit to open.

The woman took one step closer to me. I jumped and was suddenly surrounded by a coil of water from the fountain.

"A waterbender?" came a deep, evil voice from behind me. My skin crawled with dread.

"All the more fun," the woman taunted, snickering before opening her taloned hands wider and igniting a small but strong flame over her palms. "Well, we can bend too, Katara. But on a master level."

My eyes felt pressured with oncoming tears. A red symbol had just flashed on one of the mans arms, the curled petals gleaming in the shape that I knew all too well was a Fire Lily. The water around me tensed as I did. I struggled to keep my expression emotionless.

"Recognize us, huh?" came a dark voice suddenly behind my ear. I jumped, screeching in shock and spinning around to hit him with a cold lash of water.

Fingers formed manacles around my wrists and the water fell to the ground, no longer obeying my commands as my hands were occupied. And I hadn't even been taught to bend using my feet.

Spirits... I prayed.

"Block her!" snarled the woman, and suddenly a series to knuckles danced around on my back, jabbing a sequence of different places with a harsh force.

I cried out as I suddenly could no longer feel my arms and legs, and the presence of the water I knew was beside me suddenly faded from my mind. I felt blind as my vision dulled.

"She has a moonstone!"

"It's giving her power!"

"Quick, take it off!" they whispered hurriedly to each other. Tears were now flowing freely down my cheeks.

"Don't touch me!" I screamed as loud as I could through my aching, numb body.

"Like that'll stop us," one of the snickered. "We're the Azkai! And you've just being introduced to your fate."

"No... Sokka... Dad... Help me!" I tried through my teeth as a new kind of pressure wrapped around my wrists, pulling them behind my back. I was being bound. I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt fingers weave around my neck and carefully removed my precious necklace. I screamed as my insides slowly began melting in pain. They took it! They took my power! I wanted nothing more than to murder them.

My eyes widened in surprise as I was abruptly gagged and blindfolded. I attempted to scream and struggle, but my body wasn't listening to my mind's commands. The world felt like it was spinning around me, and senseless vibrations collided with my stiff skin. The world was completely black and cold, the darkness so strong it bore down on me. I felt like I was sinking, helpless and mute. All I could do was hear and wait.

"What the-"

"LOOK OUT!"

There was a loud explosion that was echoed with pained cries. I was kicked on my side, and there was the sound of hard metal scraping against itself. It made a stinging cry as it whistled through the air, and then was followed by another explosion and the billowing sound of fire being moved faster than it would like to be. A wave of heat rushed above me, prickling my skin.

"Help..." I moaned, but it sounded more like, "heelumpf."

Glass shattered over me, sending thin strips of pressure across my arms and torso. I was drenched in what felt like water. Or, I mentally shuddered at the other option... blood.

Yue help me!

Footsteps pounded around me, sliding and stomping as a fight scene formed around me. Metal clashed and explosions boomed. I was kicked, either accidentally or on purpose, and the presences of the warriors in the struggle faded in and out from around me.

"He's mine!" I heard the woman screech maliciously. There sound of metal being moved through the air answered her, and she suddenly sucked in a tight breath.

"Sury! No!" a male gasped in alarm. The woman choked back another cry as she pulled something out of her body, making my pained stomach twist as I heard what I thought was the sound of flesh being ripped apart.

Metal clashed with the stone ground. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS! THIS WAR WILL BE STARTED! AND KATARA'S BLOOD WILL BE ON YOUR HANDS!" she screamed, and feet pounded on the ground as a group of people took their leave, their footsteps disappearing quickly into the night.

The air froze into the unbearably painful quiet.

They were gone.

I let out the breath I had been holding, my inhales and exhales hitching uncontrollably. I could feel myself shaking, and my wet body wasn't helping with the chilled air around me. I heard the familiar scraping of a sword being unsheathed, and my blindfold was suddenly gone, floating in shreds around my head. The binds around my wrists loosened and slipped off. I tried to move my hands, but my body still wasn't answering me. A pair of gloved hands slid something around my neck that glowed brightly in my eyes, and my inner pain suddenly ceased. My moonstone!

The gloved hands hesitantly began to tug at the cloth gagging me, and I let loose a fit of coughs as it was suddenly removed. A pair of arms circled around me, picking me up underneath my shoulders and leaning me against the cool stone of the fountain. My vision slowly strengthened as the moonstone gave me power again, and I squinted through the darkness to see who was helping me.

I gasped as someone pinched the base of my spine, and suddenly all feeling came back to my body. I heaved in deep breaths, doubling over my stomach and placing my head between my knees, trying to get the blood to my brain and to keep my stomach from retching up everything I had eaten in the last several hours. I was covered in water from the fountain, but I felt bruised and there were several places showing through my dress that had blood dying the blues and whites.

When my mouth stopped watering sickeningly, I pulled my head back and looked around me, trying to see who my saviour was.

When I saw him, I stumbled back, screaming in fright. There was a man crouched down on the rim of the fountain, duo swords strapped around his back, and wearing a grotesque, terrifying mask of the Blue Spirit. He was clad in a dark brown training outfit, with not one part of his skin showing. He bowed towards the ground, inclining his head in my direction through the beams of the half moon.

My bottom lip trembled as I slowly crawled backwards away from him, wincing as shards of class cut into my palms and dress further than they all ready had. "Who are you?" I croaked.

The Blue Spirit remained motionless, keeping his hollow, mysterious gaze pinned on me.

I stumbled to my feet, the world spinning around me dizzyingly at the change of position. I lifted my hands into the moonlight, biting my lip and turning away as I saw the crooked lines the glass had torn into my skin. In the corner of my vision I saw a series of vases that had once contained flowers, shattered and strewn carelessly about the street, coming from a flower bed of potted plants and vegetables. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment. I was suddenly grateful that I hadn't witnessed the fight that had recently happened around me, knowing that it must've been brutal.

I glanced back at the Blue Spirit to see him standing up straight on the fountain, staring down at me from his massive height. I noticed a small tear in his jacket across where his ribs were. There was no blood, but the tear still looked like the result of a dagger or sword. His eyes were hollow as he studied me, his fists clenched at his side.

"Please, I need to get home," I begged, falling to my knees as waves of nausea disconnected my mind and my body. I felt so shocked, so non-functional, and so... scared. Tears fell freely from my eyes now. I wanted nothing but to be wrapped around in familiar smelling furs, sitting by the fire-side with Sokka draping an encouraging arm around my shoulders, with the cold polar air nipping at my cheeks playfully.

I felt arms circle around my waist and under my legs, and I was lifted off the ground. I snuggled up into the warm body that was carrying me, craving the intense heat, and I stared up fearfully at the mask the man wore, shivering despite his calming lukewarm chest. He walked quickly but carefully, each step considerate of my aching body.

"Katara...!" I heard a distant voice call. Aang?

"Katara!" Sokka screamed, his voice echoing throughout the streets. I flinched; he sounded worried, heartbroken, and angry at the same time.

The Blue Spirit stopped and leaned towards the ground to set me down. I grabbed feebly onto his shirt, looking up at him and swallowing any fear I harboured. "Thank you," I whispered, letting him gently lean me against the cool wall surrounding a house. The hollow eyes of the mask stared at me for a few seconds, before he nodded, straightening up and throwing his hand towards the sky, shooting a jet of fire into the stars. When the stream reached a height close to the clouds, it exploded into a shower of blue, gold, and red, trickling down through the thin clouds.

"Sokka, over there!" Aang called, and the sound of wind tumbling through itself became more prominent as he neared.

I turned back to the Blue Spirit once more to get a glimpse of him taking off down the street, jumping up onto walls and crossing over roofs with fast and agile movements.

"Katara!" Sokka screamed in terror, and a new pair of arms enclosed me in a nervous and protective hug. Sokka buried his face into the crook of my neck, shaking in relief.

Was my brother actually crying?

He pulled back, gazing intently at me with his warm-hearted gaze. He cupped my cheeks and wiped away tears and blood with his thumbs. "Katara, are you okay?" he asked, his eyebrows knitting together as his blue eyes glowed in the dark. Aang landed a few feet behind Sokka, his expression worried and fearful as he spun his glider and morphed it back into a staff.

"Oh gods... Katara, who did this to you?" Aang questioned, and raised his hand to cover his mouth in revulsion. I must've looked as bad as I felt.

Sokka squeezed his eyes shut, turning his face away from me and letting a few lone tears ease down his cheeks. "Hakoda!" he screamed, grabbing fistfuls of my dress tightly. "HOW COULD YOU?"

A/N: Exciting, no? Tell me what you think! Comments, concerns, critisms (constructive, at that!), and compliments are welcome. Thank you very much!