Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA... yada... yada...yada...
Author's note: I appologize for taking so long to post another chapter, but I've been without internet service for several months. Long story, not worth telling, lol. Hope you haven't given up on me, hang in there! : )
Chapter 41
After lunch Aang headed toward the village to be fitted for his wedding attire, grinning widely and walking at a brisk pace, hand in hand with Tenzin who was having trouble keeping up with his father.
" Where are we going again daddy?" Tenzin asked.
" We're going to have someone make us some new clothes, for mommy and daddy's wedding." Aang replied smiling down at his son.
" What's a wedding?" Tenzin asked looking up at his father puzzled, stumbling a bit.
Aang noticed his son stumble and slowed the pace a bit. " It's like a... a ceremony where mommy and daddy will promise to love each other and stay together forever." He explained.
" What's a cer... cera... ceramoney?" Tenzin asked.
" A ceremony. It's like a party, sort of. But it's quiet at the beginning, then everyone will celebrate after that." Aang tried to explain on a childs level.
" We're getting new clothes to go to a party?" Tenzin asked, krinkling his brow. " Why can't we just wear something we already have?" He added.
" This is a special party that will make mommy and daddy a couple forever." Aang explained, not sure if he was getting through to his son, yet not quite sure how to explain what a wedding was to a four year old.
" What's a couple? Weren't you and mommy going to be together forever anyway?" Tenzin asked puzzled.
" Yeah, of course we're going to be together forever. This just makes it... a written promise that says it will be just me and mommy, and you of course, and we'll be an official family." Aang tried to explain.
" In writing? That's important? To write it down?" Tenzin asked as he tried to understand what his father was saying.
" Well, yes. It will be a promise that I will always love mommy, and she will always love me. Forever." Aang said smiling.
After thinking about what his father had said for a few minutes, looking a bit frightened, Tenzin asked " So, do you have to have it written down that you and mommy will always love me too?"
" No... it's already a promise that me and mommy will always love you forever, and that doesn't have to be in writing. And we'll love any other children that we may have together, forever, too." Aang said smiling at his son, seeing the look of fear on his face. " Mommies and daddies will always love their children forever, it's an unwritten promise that can never be broken." He added squeezing Tenzin's hand gently.
" Oh, okay." Tenzin said with a look of relief on his face.
The two of them walked for a few more minutes until they reached the tailors shop where they were to be fitted for their suits. Upon seeing Aang, the tailor squeeled with delight and rushed to greet them at the entrance of the shop.
" Avatar Aang! I'm am so pleased to see you! And who is this handsome young man with you may I ask?" The tailor said with glee, smiling down at Tenzin and ruffling his hair a bit.
" This is my son Tenzin, he'll be needing a suit for the wedding also. Say hello to the nice man Tenzin." Aang said to his son smiling.
" Hello." Tenzin said quietly, stepping a bit closer to Aang.
" Well, what a pleasant surprise! It's a pleasure to meet you master Tenzin." The tailor bellowed, bowing slightly with a broad grin on his face. Causing Tenzin to step closer and a bit behind his father.
" It's okay Tenzin, he's just happy to meet you. No need to be afraid." Aang said smiling softly, pulling Tenzin back to his side gently. Tenzin looked up at Aang for reassurance, then relaxed a bit seeing no fear in his father's expression.
" Well, lets see... who would like to be first? You master Tenzin?" The tailor asked softly, smiling kindly at the boy trying to ease his anxiety.
" No. Let daddy go first." Tenzin said quietly.
" Okay, Avatar Aang it is." The tailor said with a grin.
" Tenzin, have a seat over there in that chair while I get fitted for my suit. Then we'll fit you for yours. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt." Aang explained pointing to a chair against the far wall, and Tenzin obeyed.
" Your best man was in here this morning and chose a handsome suit. Earth Kingdom colors of pale green with forest green accents. Will you be choosing something in similar colors? I have some fine imported silks in the back if you'd like to have a look at them." The tailor said to Aang.
" Sure, lead the way." Aang said, then noticed a frightful look on Tenzin's face as he stepped toward the back room. " Come on Tenzin, you can help daddy pick something out." He said holding out his hand to the boy, which Tenzin jumped up and grasped quickly.
After some time and discussion with Tenzin, Aang finally decided to go with a forest green silk robe that buttoned up the front with pearl buttons and fell just above his knees. The trousers would be made of matching fabric and be full length. He thought heavily about his abandoning the traditional robes of the Air Nomads, but was determined that although his clothing was not that of an Air Nomad, he was still one at heart. With this in mind, he added a pale green silk sash to bind at one shoulder and drape across him to his waist. At least something would resemble the traditional robes of his people. His fitting took more time that he cared for, but he wanted everything to be perfect, for Katara. Tenzin's suit was similar to Aang's except that his robes would be waist length and the sash would be at his waist where his robes met his trousers, and his trousers would be knee length. Tenzin's fitting took even longer than Aang's because he was easily bored and wanted to play, needing constant redirection so the tailor could finish his task. When both had been properly measured, then re-measured, and all of the details were finished, the two of them left the tailors shop to find a shop to have matching slippers made. The tailor thanked them both repeatedly as they left, telling them that the suits were free of charge and what an honor it was to make their attire for them, waving goodbye with a beaming smile on his face as they strode up the street.
Luckily, having slippers made took much less time than the fittings for the suits, and they were finally heading back home. It would be time for supper by the time they arrived and both of them were famished.
" You think mommy will like our new clothes?" Tenzin asked looking up at his father.
" Yes, I think she'll like them very much. You'll be the most handsome one there, I'm sure." Aang replied chuckling, bringing a huge grin to his sons face.
" You think so?" Tenzin asked cheerily.
" I know so." Aang said grinning.
" Goody. I'll bet you'll look really good too, daddy." Tenzin replied smiling.
" I sure hope so." Aang replied, and the two continued on toward the cottage.
Katara was setting the table for supper, working around Suki who had wedding invitation parchments sprawled out on the table before her, rolling each one and tying it with a gold ribbon.
" There. Finally done." Suki said.
" Good, now we'll have somewhere to eat." Katara replied laughing, then helped Suki gather up the invitations and lay them on the desk in the living room.
" Do you think that I can send the hawks out with them tonight? It'll be dark." Suki asked.
" Hawks can see in the dark, Suki. I think the sooner we send them, the better. I mean, we are having the wedding in two weeks. People will need as much time as possible to prepare." Katara replied.
" Oh... yeah, I guess you're right." Suki said blushing, slightly embarrassed.
" Hey, when are we gonna eat? I'm starving." Sokka said as he entered the kitchen with Kya propped on his hip.
" When aren't you starving? Suki said rolling her eyes.
" Supper's ready, just waiting for Aang and Tenzin to return." Katara said.
" How long will that be? They've been gone forever." Sokka whined.
" Shut up and sit down." Suki said annoyed. " They'll get here when they get here, you'll live." She added, taking Kya from him and placing her in her high chair, cooing at her and smiling.
" Hmmff." Sokka grunted as he sat down frowning.
About ten minutes later Aang and Tenzin joined them in the kitchen, but to hear Sokka tell it, it was more like an hour. Ignoring him, everyone sat down for supper.
" So, how'd it go?" Katara asked in between bites.
" Slow." Aang replied grimacing, causing everyone to laugh.
" You've got that right." Sokka agreed.
" I guess I'm the only one left to get fitted, now." Suki said.
" Yep, better go tomorrow. Did you get the invitations done?" Sokka asked.
" Finally. For no more people than we're inviting it was painstakingly slow." Suki replied.
" That's because she was making sure that each and every invitation was perfect, and elegantly decorated." Katara said smiling at her friend.
" Nothing but the best for you two." Suki said beaming.
" Thanks Suki, you're the best. I don't know what we'd do without you." Aang said smiling, then took a bite of his noodles.
" Mommy! Mommy! You should see what I'm going to wear to the party! I'm gonna be the bestest one there, daddy said so!" Tenzin chimed in happily.
" The party?" Katara asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Aang.
" Okay, you try to explain what a wedding is to a four year old." Aang said in his defense.
" You'll have to fill me in on all the details of your little explanation later." Katara said to Aang bemused.
" Sure." Aang said, winking at her. Katara laughed then returned to her meal.
After supper, the girls cleaned up the kitchen then put the children to bed while Sokka and Aang took the scrolled invitations, mounted them on the messenger hawks and sent them to their individual destinations. Returning when they were finished to prepare for bed.
" So... tell me about our little party we're having." Katara said to Aang once he'd climbed in to bed next to her.
" I couldn't think of a good way to tell Tenzin what a wedding actually was, so I said it was a party where you and I promised that we would love each other and stay together forever. A promise that would be written on paper." Aang explained.
" Well, I guess that's as good of an explanation as any, I suppose." Katara replied.
" Then I had to explain that it didn't have to be on paper for parents to love their children forever, that it was an unwritten promise to love them forever." Aang said. " Man, kids can come up with some pretty tricky questions." He added shaking his head.
" I guess Tenzin was worried about that?" Katara asked concerned.
" Yeah. But, I guess I explained it well enough. He seemed to be satisfied with it by the end of the conversation." Aang said.
" I wish I could have heard that conversation." Katara said laughing.
" I bet you would. I think I did a pretty good job, myself." Aang said haughtily.
" I don't doubt that one bit." Katara said kissing him softly on the lips, then her eyes grew wide and she pulled back quickly.
" What? What's wrong? What is it?" Aang asked anxiously.
" The baby just kicked me." Katara said with amazement, eyes still wide.
" Where? I wanna feel it!" Aang said with excitement, and Katara placed his hand on her abdomen where she had felt the kick.
A few minutes later, Aang's eyes grew wide with amazement and a broad grin spread across his face. " There! I felt it!" He exclaimed, leaving his hand still on her abdomen. " Our baby, Katara, that's our baby." He added softly gazing into her eyes, his eyes gleeming with tears of joy.
" I know, Aang... I know." She said with tears streaming down her face, smiling softly as she looked down at Aang's hand on her abdomen.
They stayed that way for quite a while, then fell asleep with Aang's hand still laying gently on her abdomen, his face nuzzled into her neck. Soft smiles of contentment resting on both their faces.