Finally finished this one. Yes I'm alive...but I'm also very tired. Enjoy.


By night fall the moon was centered in the sky and the villagers had gathered together in the grand temple. Looking around you could tell that only highly ranked people had been invited to the celebration by their appearances. The room was decorated with various waterfalls, fountains, and a pond. We sat on the highest platform away next to the royal family. Princess Yue's father, Chief Arnook, sat in the center of the table. His dark brown hair framing his aging face and stern eyes, making him look strict but kind. I sat right next to the chief with Aang on his right. Brianna sat beside me with Momo while Katara and Sokka were on the right half with Aang. Appa sat way off to the side of the podium, eating hay given to him by the villagers. When the celebration was ready to begin, I heard the sound of drums and the smell of meat fill the room. Four men came into the dining room caring a giant hunk of cooked meat from and placed in the pond causing steam to rise up. Arnook stood up to make an announcement before the people.

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe," he said as he motioned to Katara and Sokka. "They have brought with them someone very special. Someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now, the Avatar!" The room filled with applause and cheers at the mention of Aang. "Also, it is said that in our time of great need, two young warriors would appear to end our troubles. Here before us are these warriors here to assist the Avatar in defeating the Fire Lord, the Girls of One Nation." There was another round of applause making Brianna and I feel a tad embarrassed with the attention.

"He certainly made us a big deal," I muttered while Brianna giggled.

"No kidding," Brianna whispered. We quieted down when we saw the chief hadn't finished speaking.

"We're also celebrating my daughter's sixteenth birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age," he introduced his daughter. On her cue the princess stepped into the room with two women at her side. Sokka's eyes, once again, were glued onto Yue.

"Thank you, father" Yue said before turning to the crowd. "May the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times."

"Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!" Chief Arnook said, signaling them to start. I turned to the performance in front of the giant fountain. I spotted Pakku due to his aged hair that and the fact that he was in the middle. To his sides were, no doubt, his finest students and looked only about a couple years older than me. The three began bending the water from three large pots placed evenly apart. They swirled the water around one another then formed three balls. They individually spun their ball around themselves several times before combining them to make one large chain that began circled them all. The performance ended with them looping the chain around one another and throwing the water into the fountain. By then Aang had already asked Chief Arnook if he could train with master Pakku and the two of them went over to greet him. While Aang tried making a good impression on Pakku, I saw Sokka trying to his mark with the Princess. It was really hard not to laugh especially when the conversation had made a turn for the worst. The more than he tried to impress her, the more embarrassed he got. It was both hilarious and pitiful, I felt evil giggling to myself. I finally got my composer back when Aang came back to the table.

"You're not going to eat?" Brianna asked while trying some of the mysterious food in front of her.

"No I'm good," I said then walked over to Aang. "So what'd he say?" I asked. He looked up at me, not really sure what to tell me. He probably didn't want to speak rudely about Pakku, despite his cold attitude towards Aang. I couldn't blame him for being shaken up. He was so used to everyone praising him since he was the last hope.

"Katara and I have to be here by sunrise ready to train," he sighed, just the thought of it exhausted him.

"Good luck with that," I said and patted him on the shoulder. "Well you can always ask Brianna to go with you guys if you want to have an audience. I'm sure she'll be bored to death if she doesn't go with you."

"Yeah that could be fun" Aang said a bit excited. "I'll go asked Brianna right now." And with that he ran over to Brianna, leaving me alone with Arnook. We both exchanged awkward glances, not sure what to say. There was a short silence before he cleared his throat to speak.

"May I ask you to do me a favor?" I asked in a rather polite voice. I raised an eyebrow and stared into his eyes. They looked like he was desperately begging me to say yes. I just couldn't deny him.

"Depends, what's the favor?

((Brianna's P.O.V))

"I've waited for this day my whole life! I finally get to learn from a real water bending master!" Katara shouted out as we came back to the temple. Katara had been so excited that she couldn't sleep last night. And when I went to wake her up, she practically leaped out of bed. I saw Pakku bending a stream of water, his back behind us.

"Good morning, Master Pakku!" Aang shouted and startled Pakku, making him drop the water.

"No, please, march right in. I'm not concentrating or anything" he said sarcastically.

"Uh, this is my friend, Katara, the one I told you about." Aang said trying to change the subject. Katara bowed to him while Pakku looked her up and down.

"I'm sorry," he said and bended an ice seat to sit on. "I think there's been a misunderstanding. You didn't tell me your friend was a girl. In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn water bending." I looked over at Katara and saw the shock in her eyes but it wasn't long before she snapped.

"What do you mean you won't teach me?" she shouted, not accepting his response. She stomped up to him until she was in his face. "I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me no!"

"No," Pakku said dully.

"But there must be other female water benders in your tribe!" she continued.

"Here the women learn from Yugoda to use their water bending to heal" he explained. "I'm sure she would be happy to take you as her student" he said, his smile turning into a frown. "Despite your bad attitude."

"I don't want to heal. I want to fight!"

"I can see that but our tribe has customs, rules." I looked over at Pakku not really anger with him, but a bit disappointed. Maybe it was because I knew what he had gone through and that he would be a nice guy later. Although I did think he was a asshole the first time I watched this episode.

"Well your rules stink!"

"Yeah" Aang said agreeing with Katara. "They're not fair. If you won't teach Katara, then…"

"Then what?" Pakku asked, standing up.

"Then I won't learn from you!" Aang shouted out and started walking away.

"Well have fun teaching yourself," Pakku said, not really caring. "I'm sure you'll do a great job."

"Wait, Aang didn't mean that" Katara told Pakku. She ran to Aang and stopped him. "You can't risk your training for me. You have to learn from Master Pakku." She turned back and glared at the old man. "Even if he is a big jerk." Even though he didn't want to, Aang agreed and turned back to Pakku. Katara stomped away as soon Aang agreed, leaving me to watch Aang's lesson alone.

"Why don't we get started then," Pakku said with a smug smile and bended a large stream of water then shot it at Aang. I winced at the sight and got comfortable in the snow. I knew it was going to be a long day of training and we were going to be there for a while. I wish Rebecca could have come.

((Rebecca's P.O.V))

"I would have never thought that you would have agreed to this," Gin said as I swam under the water path. "You even woke up early for this.

"I wouldn't say I woke up early," I said, trying to hide under the boat. "Maybe a bit earlier than usual, but definitely not early."

"But to agree to protect the Princess is something I would have never expected. You know very well what will happen to her. It's something that you can't and shouldn't change."

"It's not like I promised him that," I corrected him. "I told him I would protect her from whatever I could and that my first priority would be assisting the Avatar. If anything comes up he'd need to find another bodyguard."

"Then rather having you hide under the shadows of her boat shouldn't you be introducing yourself?" Gin told me.

"Her father probably already told her about me. Besides, she doesn't need to know where I am as long as I'm doing my job." While swimming under a bridge I spotted Sokka eagerly running toward our direction. I could hear his muffled voice underwater as he called out to Yue. Her name was about the only thing I could really make out, the rest of their conversation was a mystery to me. I slowed down a bit so that I could see them the two having a conversation. In the middle of their talk I saw Yue point to a bridge up ahead. Sokka was rather too happy and ended up falling into the water path. I drove deeper but was able to see Yue giggle at Sokka's mistake and gave him a small wave. I looked back and saw Sokka pull himself out of the water and wave back at her. I shook my head at his stupidity, but kept silent as Yue resumed her daily boat ride. After several minutes we arrived back to the temple we had dinner last night. The water bender that steered the ship got off and helped the Princess off the boat as Chief Arnook appeared. When she got out I took this chance to go to the surface and finally breath in some real air.

"Yue, I have something to discuss with you" Arnook said to his daughter.

"Yes father," she said politely. "I hope you don't mind me asking but I was wondering where my bodyguard is. "I thought you said he would watch over me starting today." I took that as my cue to appear and leaped out of the water, landing on the snow.

"Sorry for not introducing myself," I said while I dried myself off. "I'm your temporary bodyguard Rebecca of One Nation, nice to meet you." I seemed to have caught the two off guard since it took a while before they responded.

"Yes well," said the chief after clearing his throat. "As you already know, this is my daughter Yue. She'll be under your care." I nodded my head and bowed to the Princess.

"It's nice to meet you Rebecca," she said forcing a smile. I nodded my head once again then looked over at Arnook for further instructions.

"Yue, come with me this is something we can't discuss this here" he told his daughter. "Rebecca, you're more than welcome to join us."

"Yes sir." Arnook nodded to me then motioned for the two of us to follow him. While Yue walked beside her father, I lagged behind them so I'd give them both privacy and have better view of the area. I followed them inside the temple and down a hallway until we came to a large elegantly decorated door. Two of the guards standing post opened the doors to let us inside. Of course, the walls were made of ice and snow as well as decorated with animal skins and pottery. After glancing around the room I realized someone else was inside the room. I looked and saw a boy, probably around my age, walking over to us. He had thick brown hair, half of it was pulled back and the rest split evenly on the sides of his face. I spotted a choker around his neck and looked to be made from the bone of an animal. He bowed to Arnook before he glanced over at Yue.

"Yue, this is Hahn. He has come to me and asked for your hand in marriage," Arnook explained. I saw the shock in Yue's eyes.

"S-so soon?" she hesitantly said. "But you had only made your announcement just last night." Arnook raised an eyebrow and stared at his daughter.

"That may be so, but once Hahn heard the news he quickly asked for your hand. And seeing as how he is a fine young man I had no reason to refuse," he told her. "But is there something troubling…"

"No, no nothing troubles me!" Yue quickly denied and forced on a smile. "I just wasn't expecting it so soon." You could tell she wasn't all too thrilled with the news, if not in her voice than in her eyes. I placed a hand over Yue's shoulder and turned to Arnook.

"Chief Arnook, I think it would be best if the Princess goes out for a bit of air. She doesn't look too well. I'm sure you agree."

"Yes…" he said, "then please escort her." I nodded and led Yue out of the room. We were silent until we were out of the temple doors and made our way down the stairs.

"Where is it you would like to go princess?" I asked once we reached a dead end.

"I'm not sure," she said in a depressed voice. "Anywhere I suppose." I nodded and started looking around.

"I suppose I could attempt steering this," I pondered and jumped onto an empty boat before offering Yue my hand. She hesitantly took it and gently sat took a seat. She then waited for me to start the boat. I placed one hand into the water and sent air from my palm into the stream, making the boat move forward. Although I tried to make the ride enjoyable by passing by several villagers to see their reactions, Yue just remained silent. Her mind in her own world, nothing seemed to faze her. I didn't bother consulting with her and just continued focusing on steering the boat. That is until we came to another dead at the edge of the village.

"You don't have to hold back now," I told her, taking my hand out of the water. "There's no one around. Well beside from me but since we're just strangers. You shouldn't have too much trouble crying in front of me." She still remained silent, but I could see that she still forcing herself to hold back her tears. "Come on, no one will see. Would you rather break down later and have everyone in the village know?" She stared at me, water building in the corners of her eyes. "Don't worry, I'm pretty good at keeping my mouth shut" I told her. And with that her tears roll down her cheek and she began to cry into her lap. After what seemed like an hour she had finally finished crying. "Have you calmed down?"

"Yes," she said between a sniffle. "Thank you, Rebecca" she said with a small smile. I nodded my head and rubbed my cold numb hand.

"No problem," I told her. "Do you wish to go back Princess?" Yue looked at me then looked up at the sky. The sun was starting to set and it was getting a lot colder.

"Would it bother you if we stayed a bit longer?" Yue asked. I kind of had a feeling at she was going to say that.

"Aren't you cold Princess?" I asked her. She shook her head, holding her hands

"I'm fine." I shook my head and sat beside her.

"You have to keep warm when you're crying or else you'll get sick."

"I've never heard that one before," she muttered.

"Trust me, my dad's a doctor" I smirked. "Besides isn't there somewhere you have to be?" Yue looked up at me wondering how I knew but she remained quiet. We ended up staying there until it turned dark, by then I was able to convince her to go home. It was getting colder and she was shaking, but I couldn't tell if it was because of the cold. She had started crying again once I mentioned Sokka.


Just in case I can't post another one next week, I hope you guys have a great Christmas. Stay warm.