Chapter Eighteen
Moonlight
Sokka stretched himself as he readied for the day. He and Yue hadn't had another argument since Katara and he Argued three weeks ago, and they had grown even closer since then. His training under Master Piandao had gone really well, and the master had been pleased with Sokka's progress. He had said Sokka was one of the best students he'd ever had.
It would be a bittersweet day. Master Piandao would be returning for the Fire Nation the next afternoon, and Sokka would not likely see him again until after the war was over, if ever. But, on the brightside, it would be Yue's birthday. Sokka would finally give her the betrothal necklace he had made for her that evening. He really hoped she would like it.
Sokka made his way through the city in the dim pre dawn light. It would be his last day of training with his master. At first, Sokka didn't understand the exercises that Piandao had put him through, but he didn't question it. In time he had come to understand the importance of the lessons, from landscape painting to calligraphy, they all had a purpose. Piandao had said you must master the art of peace as well as the art of war.
He arrived at the house his master was staying in, and he went inside. He bowed when he entered the study where he would meet Piandao every morning. The swordsman was standing with his back to Sokka as he gazed at the sunrise.
"Good morning, Sokka. Are you ready for your final day of training?" He said, without turning around.
"Yes, Master." He said, nodding enthusiastically even though Piandao couldn't see him.
"Good, good. Before we begin, tell me, what do you think of Zhao?" Piandao asked as he turned to face Sokka.
"Uh, he's pretty terrible, I guess. My grandfather killed his father when the Fire Nation invaded the south pole. He's determined to wipe out my entire family in revenge. I've fought him a few times, and he's a strong firebender. I wish he was weaker, so that he wouldn't be so much of a danger to us."
"It's a mistake to wish for your enemy to be weak, Sokka. There are strong men and weak men, and weak men are the far more dangerous of the two." Piandao said sagely.
"That… doesn't make any sense." Sokka said blankly.
Piandao smiled to himself before replying. "Strong men can indeed be dangerous, and deadly. As dangerous as they are, as much as they can do, just wait until you see what weak men are capable of. The weak man knows that he cannot win outright, and so he makes up the difference with cruelty and cunning."
Sokka pondered his master's words. While Zhao was a dangerous foe, no doubt, he hadn't relied on overly complicated plans. He wasn't weak, although he was cruel.
"I'm telling you this so that you remember to foster courage and strength within yourself, Sokka." Piandao said, "You have a heart as strong as a lion-turtle, and twice as big. When you first came to me, you said you weren't sure if you were worthy, and I can say with absolute certainty that you are the most worthy man I have ever trained. It wasn't your skills that impressed me, it certainly wasn't your skill. It was your passion and curiosity, your ingenuity and courage. I am sure that if you continue on this path then one day you will be an even greater master than I."
Sokka felt a lump form in his throat at his master's kind words. He bowed low and thanked the man.
"Now, on to your final lesson. It's time for you to make your own sword."
Sokka poured over the metals in the forge. He picked some of them up, and then put them down again. A few of them he went so far as to lick, or bite curiously. He had gone over every ingot in the building, and had nearly given up when a shimmer of blue caught his eye.
"What's this one?" Sokka asked curiously as he picked it up. Something about it felt right in his hand, as if it was always meant to be there.
"Oh, we're not quite sure." Said the smith who ran the forge, Tornaq. "It was found as raw ore on the sea bed when some waterbenders were experimenting. It doesn't have a name, seeing as those few bars are all of it."
"Master," Sokka asked Piandao, "Is this metal suitable for a sword?"
Piandao came over and inspected the ingot. He closed his eyes and tapped it with a nail before running his finger over it. He nodded and Sokka smiled. He turned back to Tornaq, "Tornaq, would it be possible for me to have this?"
The smith shrugged. "It's been sitting here for years, go ahead."
Sokka took the metal and followed Piandao to the furnace, where they began the long and arduous forging process. Sokka obeyed his master's commands as he folded the heated metal together, timing the force of his blows in accordance with his master's instruction. The shape gradually formed, and Sokka had to replace the object of his labor in the furnace frequently. They labored long into the night, Sokka wary to keep the furnace burning, so that the metal stayed at the appropriate temperature. Finally Piandao told him that the sword was nearly finished.
"All that is left is to quench the blade, and then attach the pommel and grip, of course." Piandao said. His words gave Sokka pause, and reminded him of a place that Yue had shown him recently. Not far from where they stood was the most spiritual place in the entire north pole. She had called it the Spirit Oasis, and said that the water had special properties. Maybe if he quenched his sword in that water it would gain some of those properties? Sokka wasn't sure what they were, but he doubted that it would hurt.
"Master," Sokka began, "There's a pool not too far from here, at the Spirit Oasis. The water is said to have special properties, and I was wondering if it might be possible to quench my sword there?"
Piandao considered him for a moment before smiling. His young apprentice was always impressing him with his tenacity and ingenuity. That he would come up with such a creative method to forge his sword should be no surprise.
"It would be a sword unlike any other in history!"
Sokka knelt beside the water in the Spirit Oasis. The idea had seemed clever to him, until he had to navigate through the palace with a red hot sword. He had to get it hot enough that it wouldn't cool too quickly by the time they arrived at the pool. Now that he was here, he realized that he should have just filled a barrel with the water or something. Not that it mattered now, as he had already made it to his destination.
Sokka pondered if this was as good an idea as it had seemed. Piandao had agreed to it, but his master had often let him make mistakes so that he might learn from them. Was this one of those times? Sokka didn't think so. He took a deep breath and plugend the glowing weapon into the water, disrupting the reflection of the moon on the surface. He offered a silent plea to the Moon Spirit, asking that his weapon be strong enough to defend himself and the people he cared about.
Steam rolled off the water in a great cloud, far more than he would have expected. Too much steam. It billowed around him like sand in the surf, until suddenly it blew away. He looked into the water apprehensively, and saw that the two koi that had circled each other on the opposite end of the pond had come to swim around his blade. As he watched, the white fish touched his blade with it's fin.
Sokka frowned at the impact. It seemed too powerful a motion for what that fish should have been capable of. He pulled the sword from the water, holding the tang with a pair of tongs from the forge. As he did so, the silver-blue metal from the sea floor seemed to have changed somehow. Sokka looked at it curiously. He took the blade in his hand, the water had cooled it enough to hold, and he twisted the blade. He moved it through the air, slowly at first, and then more quickly. Where the blade had traveled a faint white glow was left in its wake.
Sokak smiled. It seemed that the Moon Spirit had answered his plea, and blessed his sword.
Walking in through a passageway in Zhao's flagship, Zuko silently thanked the Sun Spirit that Zhao had not bothered to verify the identity of his firebenders. He had snuck aboard the previous night, and managed to get ahold of one of the masked uniforms.
He had been forced to leave most of his possessions behind. He had left Sugar Foot with Song. He was glad that he could at least give Song something, and hoped that it would perhaps make life for her and her mother a little easier. Zuko was surprised to find that he missed the animal, if not the stupid name that Tun Lao had given her.
At the moment, he was holding a teapot. He had planned to meet his uncle in port a few days from now, but Zhao's ship had arrived ahead of schedule. He had heard from a pair of drunken soldiers that they would sail for the Northern Water Tribe by the end of the week, and so he had to change his plans. When he had learned of the imminent departure he regretted spending as many days trying to fix that blasted fence as he had, and then making the last leg of his journey on foot. Walking had made the journey take nearly twice as long as it would have on Sugar Foot.
The teapot was an excuse to track down his uncle. He had decided against wandering around aimlessly in an attempt to find him, and against asking for direction to his uncle's quarters. He figured it would stand out, a random soldier trying to find a member of the royal family. So he had adopted the teapot as a prop to excuse his search. He walked a few steps when a voice called out behind him.
"What are you doing Private?"
Zuko turned around to see an ensign, the lowest rank of naval officer, walking towards him.
"I've been ordered to take this to General Iroh, Ma'am." Zuko said awkwardly. His helmet made his voice echo and sound strange to himself.
"Are you new?" The woman asked, looking Zuko up and down.
"Uh, yes. Just shipped out from the homeland." Zuko lied. He had come up with that story the previous night, and hoped dearly that it would stand up to scrutiny.
"Who ordered you to bring the tea?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Petty Officer… something. I didn't catch his name." Zuko said, and sweat started to bead on his forehead. He didn't want to have to incapacitate this woman. She was just doing her duty to the Fire Nation.
"Uhuh," The ensign said with a nod. "The general's quarters are on the deck above us, starboard side. It's the first compartment out of the ladderway. I'm Ensign Tema, officer of the deck for this watch. If anyone asks, tell them that I sent you to the General with haste. The man loves his tea, after all."
"Aye aye, ma'am." Zuko said with a bow, before turning in the direction she had indicated.
"All officers under Admiral Zhao's command are to be called sir, private…?"
"Lee. Private Lee, Sir." Zuko said, turning to face her again. Ensign Tema nodded, and waved at him to continue. "As you were."
Turning stiffly on his heel, Zuko hurried towards his uncle's quarters. He found them before long, and he could hear his uncle playing the Tsungi horn through the door. He knocked on the door sharply. The music stopped and the door opened moments later. Zuko was met by his Uncle's curious face, though he could see worry etched in his brow.
"I have tea, General." He said, before stepping past Iroh and into the room. It was decorated much the same as his cabin on Zuko's ship.
"What? I already have tea, why are you bringing me…" Iroh trailed off as realization dawned on him. That voice was familiar, even distorted by the helm the man wore. Iroh quickly closed the door and took hold of his nephew. He grasped him in a tight embrace which Zuko returned readily, which surprised Iroh. His nephew had not been so affectionate for many years.
"I'm glad to see you safe, Prince Zuko. When we arrived early, I was worried that we wouldn't be able to reunite as we had planned. You must tell me of your adventures these past weeks. An acquaintance of mine sent word that you soothed a volcano? And in a single day no less!"
Zuko grimaced within his helm. Of course she would have told him about the biggest risk he had taken in his journey. "Oh, you heard about that?"
"Sit, Prince Zuko, tell me everything." Iroh insisted. Zuko did as he asked, but made sure to face away from the door before removing his mask. Starting from the moment that he and Iroh parted ways, Zuko told his uncle of his journey. He made sure to leave out the more embarrassing facts, such as how he had forgotten to pack any food, or that he had ridden an ostrich-horse named Sugar Foot.
Zuko had just finished telling of his encounter with Ensign Tema when there was a brusk knock on the door. Zuko replaced his faceplate and Iroh pushed him into a closet, closing the door behind him. He was surprised that there was such a spacious accommodation, but Zhao was an Admiral now. He was bound to possess a ship with more luxury than Zuko. The door swung open and Zuko's stomach lurched when he recognized the voice of the visitor.
"Do you have a moment to spare, Uncle?" Azula said, when Iroh opened the door. She stepped inside. Turned as she was, she didn't see the closet that Zuko had hidden in.
"I-" Azula's voice sounded strained, as if she was reluctant to speak the next words, but was forcing them out anyway. "I need your help."
She needed help? From their uncle no less? What had happened to his sister since he had left home? She never would have asked for help before, she was too proud. Zuko inched closer to the door, careful not to make a sound. He could just see her from where he stood, the gap between the door and the flame was just enough to see her by. She didn't look like her usual pristine self. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her movements weren't as precise as they should have been.
Iroh observed his niece curiously, taking in all that Zuko had and more. Azula was tired, and whatever had been worrying her before had taken its toll. He bowed and ushered her into the room, sparing a quick glance at his closet while he closed the door behind him.
"What is troubling you, Princess Azula?"
"Not a word of this is to leave the room, Uncle."
Iroh paused, before aquesing to her request. He poured her a cup of tea. She breathed deeply before taking a sip and placing the cup on the table between them.
"Father is getting married." She said, refusing to raise her eyes from her cup.
Zuko was in shock. Their father was taking a new wife? How? Did that mean that his mother…
"I see." Said Iroh, watching Azula with rapt attention. She stared at her tea, her fists clenched at her sides. The corner of her mouth trembled slightly once, and then was still. She was upset by this development, although he wasn't entirely sure why. Azula hadn't gotten along with Ursa, at least not since before his siege of Ba Sing Se. That Ozai might take a new wife shouldn't upset her, even if it meant she would have new half siblings… Unless that was what worried her. Ozai had banished his own son for speaking out of turn, an incredibly minor offense from a thirteen year old boy. A boy that Ozai didn't hold in high regard.
His brother had always held Azula to the highest expectations, and she had never failed him. At least, not until the Avatar escaped her grasp. Iroh did not put it beyond his brother to father a new heir, simply because the children he had already displeased him. Of all Ozai's failings, his poor treatment of his children was what Iroh despised most about the man.
"You are afraid that he will cast you away." Iroh said quietly. Azula didn't react, but he could see the truth of it in her eyes. He breathed deeply, before taking his tea and drinking. Still Azula was motionless, tense as if she was near to bolting.
"I-" Azula swallowed dryly, "If I do not succeed in the north, if I can't capture Zuko, then he…"
Azula closed her eyes. Why had she bothered coming here? What could her uncle say? All that would be accomplished by this conversation is that she would show weakness, and reveal a liability that could be exploited. She shouldn't have come here, hoping for someone to tell her that everything would be okay as if she were a child in need of coddling. She did not need any of that, she was a weapon. Her father had sent her on a mission and she would succeed. There could be no other way. That had never been in question before, she had never doubted it. She had not faltered for a moment in her life, not until she had met him…
"So what if you can't? It is possible to do everything right and still lose, Azula. That is not failure, that is life. There are things we can control, and there are things we cannot. Your father knows this. If he cannot accept that then he is unwise, and ignores the truth."
Azula glanced up to her uncle's face. He looked at her with kind, understanding eyes. Caring eyes. It was seldom that anyone had looked at her in that way, her father didn't. He looked at her with pride, obvious for all to see, but the genuine affection that she could see from her uncle was a rarity to be sure. Why did he look at her this way? Did he really care? Was it just an act? She didn't think so. He seemed earnest, but also sad about something.
Iroh looked at his niece, this poor lonely girl who he had left alone with her father. He wished he could have helped her sooner, that her mother had not had to leave, that he wouldn't have to leave her again. His and Zuko's plan was for the benefit of the Fire Nation, and he hoped that it would benefit the whole world. He believed that his nephew was close to seeing the truth of things, if he hadn't already. But that would not change it from betrayal in Azula's eyes, and she would be hurt when the time came. Perhaps in time she would understand, and she might one day forgive them.
"If I don't capture the Avatar, or Zuko, or even Sok- the First Son, then I'll have failed him for a third time. My usefulness will have run-" Azula stopped herself. She had begun to use his name, again, and now she was rambling. What had happened to her? When did she turn into someone who whined to anyone? The mere thought of losing her father's love and she became a sniveling child, terrified of being alone. She grew angry, disappointed with her own weakness. She stood abruptly.
"Thank you for the tea, Uncle. Disregard my earlier statements, they were ill advised." She said curtly before turning to go.
"Azula," Iroh spoke as she reached for the door, taking hold of her hand. "No matter what happens, remember that I will always love you. Even if it's hard to believe."
Azula jerked her hand away with a snarl. "I don't need your pity, you washed up old man!"
With that, she opened the door and stepped through, slamming it home behind her. Iroh stood there for a moment, and he could hear her angry footsteps receding down the hall. Well, he thought, Zuko and Azula had one thing in common: they both lashed out at him when they were mad. Great.
Zuko stepped out of his uncle's closet. He had taken his helmet off, and Iroh noticed for the first time the short crop of hair that had grown on his head, thinking that it suited the young man much better. He eyed the door warily.
"What has been going on aboard this ship?"
Iroh sighed. He explained everything that had happened from the moment that they had separated, going so far as to tell him of Mai's theory of Azula's feelings towards the First Son. When that topic came up, Zuko blinked blankly before an indignant expression crossed his face.
"There's no way. That buffoon is too ludacris, even if he is good in a fight. Sokka's not good enough for her." Zuko huffed, crossing his arms. "She dosn't like him."
Iroh laughed at the sight. Zuko playing the protective older brother was not something he had expected, at least before his time with Azula, and the conversation between them that Zuko had overheard.
"Be that as it may, it does not matter. Hakoda and Arnook have arranged for Sokka to marry Princess Yue, and the tribes will merge."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, but that's hardly of import right now. Once the siege begins, Admiral Zhao intends to kill the Moon Spirit. He believes that it will leave the waterbenders powerless, and rightly so, but he doesn't care that it will affect the rest of the world. Azula and I advised against it, but it was plain to see that he intends to carry out his quest regardless."
"He's going to…? That idiot! What will that accomplish? Nothing! All it will do is create another tragedy among the thousands caused by this pointless, useless, meaningless war. A war to share our greatness with the world, only they don't think we're great; they hate us! I've seen it in their eyes, Uncle, all the weeks I've traveled alone, I've seen it time and time again! Kind people, good people, innocent people have had their lives ruined over nothing!"
The look of shock on his Uncle's face was sobering. He just said all of his thoughts out loud? Why had he done that?! He was a fool, he shouldn't have..
"Forgive me, Uncle, I misspoke. I did not mean that."
"No, no, I completely agree. This war is pointless, though it took me far longer than you to realize it, I must say."
Zuko looked at his uncle, eyes wide. He agreed with him? Zuko smiled, before doning his helm and stepping towards the door. "I'm glad, Uncle, and once I capture the Avatar I shall ask my father to end the war."
He stepped out and closed the door without saying goodbye. Had he waited a moment longer, or had he looked back before leaving, he would have seen his uncle's look of astounded disbelief and dismay, as he slapped his forehead at Zuko's words.
Yue walked around the palace on the morning of her birthday, looking for her boyfriend. Fiancê, technically, she thought, though she didn't feel like that was the right term. He hadn't asked her to marry him. Their fathers had made that decision for them. If he did ask, she thought she would say yes, even if their wedding hadn't already been arranged.
She was glad that they would be getting married, all the same. She had decided that the feeling she had for Sokka was in fact love, and that was not something she had expected. Arranged marriages weren't uncommon in her tribe, and they were often one sided or loveless. She had accepted that as princess she would do her duty to her people whatever the cost may be. That Sokka had been the one her father had selected was an unexpected boon to be sure.
She wandered around the palace all morning, failing to find him. By the time noon arrived, she succeeded only in finding the Avatar.
"Happy birthday!" Aang said with a smile, Momo perched on his shoulder as ever. The young airbender had grown several inches in the month or so he had been in the city. He was almost as tall as she was now, a fact that he seemed rather happy with. She suspected it was because he had heard Katara tell her that she hoped to marry a tall man some day.
"Thanks, Aang. Have you seen Sokka by chance? I've been looking for him all morning and he doesn't seem to be around anywhere."
"Oh, yeah. He didn't get back from training with Master Piandao until early this morning. He made his own sword! It's so cool, and it leaves a mirage in its wake! He was still asleep last time I was in our room, but that was a couple of hours ago, so he might be up now."
Yue smiled and excused herself. She hadn't actually gone into their room, she just knocked. Now that she knew he had been sleeping, she would knock louder and maybe go inside. That would be okay, she thought, no reason why she couldn't go in there. It wouldn't be an invasion of privacy, it was fine. Probably.
Before long, she arrived at the door to the room in question, she raised a hand to knock, but the door opened and she wrapped her knuckles on Sokka's face. She blanched, all color leaving her own. Sokka glared at her. "Well, I missed you too."
"I'm sorry, I- the door- an accident." She stammered awkwardly, and Sokka cocked a half smile.
"I haven't even given you your happy-birthday-haiku, and you're already mad at me." He smirked at her awkwardness. Her eyebrows furrowed. He was teasing her.
"I would very much like to hear this birthday haiku."
"It a happy-birthday-haiku." Sokka corrected, mashing the three words together quickly.
"Let's hear it, then, boomerang guy." She smiled at him, relieved that he wasn't upset over an accidental goodmorning face-punch. At her words, Sokka blushed, panicking. He had not actually written a birthday haiku, and certainly not a happy-birthday-haiku. He had been working on one that he hoped she might like, as he had not forgotten his promise to her in the library all those weeks ago. Well, he thought, better than old bones. Better than nothing.
"Moonlight shines within. Dearest Yue darling dear. Love grows stronger still."
As he recited the poem, Yue felt a gentle heat rise in her chest. It spread out through her limbs and left her face hot. He had done the impossible. He had written a haiku that she actually liked. A feat that she had thought beyond possible, for she had always found them dry and reductive. And yet here she was, blushing like a schoolgirl with a silly crush over his words.
"That's beautiful." She said, and Sokka beamed at her in response.
"I'm glad you like it, but I've got more up my sleeve for today." he said proudly, with his chest puffed up like a kitten who had caught his first mouse. Yue chuckled at his pompous demeanor and rolled her eyes.
"Is that so? Aang told me that you've got a magic sword, are you planning on giving me a demonstration?"
"Well, no, I hadn't planned on doing that. I can if you want, but it's not magic. I asked the Moon Spirit to bless it and she did, so now I have Moon-Sword!"
Yue's mouth fell open. The Moon Spirit blessed his weapon and he had decided to call it Moon-Sword?
"Don't call it that!" She exclaimed, and Sokka's face fell.
"Why not? I thought it sounded cool…" Sokka said, before turning from the doorway they were still speaking in and picking up a jian sword in a white sheath. The blade had a coal black cross guard and pommel, but the grip was white. He drew the blade and it glinted silver blue in the light steaming from the window. He slashed expertly through the air, and frowned. He did it once more, using a complex series of movements that she wasn't sure were actually swordplay. He looked at his sword with his brow furrowed.
"It's not doing the thing." He said sadly, as if expected to sing and dance while he swung it.
"What thing?" Yue asked curiously.
"Last night it was leaving a trail of white light in its wake."
"Maybe it's only visible under the moon? You said it was blessed by the Moon Spirit, and it's daytime right now."
Sokka looked at her. "Yeah, maybe that's it. I'll have to test it scientifically, otherwise we won't be sure."
He shook his head. "I can do that later. It's your birthday! Tell me, Moonlight, have you ever flown before?"
Yue shook her head, smiling at his new pet name for her. He hadn't used it before, and she wondered if he had been saving it for when he revealed his haiku. He reached out a hand towards her and she took hold of it, allowing him to lead her to the Avatar's bison. She was glad that her father had given her this day free of her duties. He had done so when Sokka first came to Agna Qel'a, but after a few days she had been expected to resume her duties.
She didn't mind it, of course, and she did fulfill her responsibilities without complaint. It was her duty to her people, and duty came before all else. Sokka had found training under Master Piandao, so he wasn't left to wander around bored while she worked. And now that the man had departed for his home Sokka would resume warrior training with the rest of the young men. In time, he would be given duties of his own in the city, and he would be responsible for much of the merger of North and South.
Yue's own duties of late had consisted of mediating between noble families, resolving business disputes, and inspecting the city's defenses with her father. He instructed her on what to look for, where their vulnerabilities were, and defensive strategy. Laluk too had been there. As a high ranking nobleman, Arnook had taken him into his council. Partly for the man's intelligence and partly to soothe the rift that had formed when Sokka had been chosen over Hahn.
And speak of the devil, here came Hahn now. His usual pompous and arrogant stride were gone, and he seemed to walk humbly for once. Yue was glad of the change. They were nearly to the stable where Appa stayed at while they were in the city, but Hahn called out to them as they passed.
"Yue!" He called out, jogging over to them. She took a deep breath, and Sokka stopped at the voice.
"Do you know this guy?" He asked warily, his eyes staring at Hahn curiously. Yue nodded.
"That's Hahn, he's Laluk's son." She said, and her fiance blinked. "Well, I hope this isn't super awkward. Seeing as how I was chosen over him and all."
Yue smiled a little. Finally Hahn arrived at where they were standing and extended a hand toward Sokka. "I'm Hahn, my father's a part of Chief Arnook's inner council."
"I'm Sokka." Sokka said, grasping Hahn's forearm. They shook and Hahn turned to Yue.
"Happy birthday, Princess Yue. I didn't expect that I'd run into you before the feast, so I hope you'll forgive my uh," he gestured at his dirty clothes and messy hair, "appearance. We've only just broken from warrior training, so I haven't had the chance to clean up."
"Oh, no. It's fine. Don't worry about it." She said, glancing at him up and down. Where had they found mud to drag him through? It was winter in the north pole, everything was frozen.
"Since you're here, I… wanted to apologize. For my behavior, I mean. I know that I've been a real jerk for the longest time, and arrogant too. My father set me straight after I was rejected, and I had to ask myself some tough questions. So, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."
Yue didn't say anything, as she was surprised by his sudden change in character. He had been extremely… annoying… for the past few years, ever since he began warrior training. His sudden apology had been completely unexpected. Before she could respond, Hahn excused himself and left, leaving her and Sokka to stare in bewilderment at his departure.
"What… was that about?" Sokka asked in confusion, Yue shook her head.
"Hahn was one of the candidates for me to marry. We were friends when we were kids, but once he started warrior training and tutelage with his father he changed. He wasn't the boy he was before, but now it seems like his dad talked some sense into him? I'm not really sure, but I'm glad. He seemed more like his old self today."
"Well, that's good. If he's nobility, then we'll probably have to deal with him alot. It'd be nice if he wasn't a jerk." Sokka said, before leading them the rest of the way towards Appa. Before they could get there however, it started to snow. The wind picked up and Sokka frowned.
"It doesn't look like we'll be able to fly today. If this turns into a blizzard, I don't want to be caught in the air." He said, and he looked very disappointed by the development.
"It's okay, we can try it another day. It's not like you guys are leaving tomorrow, is it?"
Sokka shook his head. "Aang's almost mastered waterbending, so in another couple of weeks he'll need to move on. There's only a little more than six months for him to learn earth and fire, so we… he's got to find a teacher soon."
Yue frowned. He spoke as if he wouldn't be going with them, as though he planned to stay here. She wouldn't be upset by that of course, but she doubted that he would be happy to sit on the sidelines while his sister and best friend fought for their lives against the Fire Nation.
"You're going with them, aren't you?" She asked quietly. Sokka shrugged.
"I'm not sure. I want to, but, if I go, it might… your dad could change his mind. If Aang defeats the Fire Lord then the war will be over. There'll be no reason to merge, and he might decide it's better for you to marry someone else." His voice was little more than a whisper.
"That won't happen, I'm sure! I'll talk to him.. I'll make him see." Yue consoled him.
Sokka took a deep breath and drew something out of his parka. He held it out to her, and her eyes glistened when she saw it. It was a betrothal necklace, a white pendant with the image of the sea and moon carved in blue.
"Yue, will you marry me? Not just because our dad's want us too, but because you want to? If not, then when I go with Aang I'll know you could find happiness with someone else."
"And if I do?" She said softly, looking into his eyes.
"Then I'll go with them and fight twice as hard, for I'll know that you're waiting for me to come back to you." Sokka said, half of his mouth raised in a smile.
You took a slow breath, and then launched herself at Sokka. She wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace, and he returned it gently.
"Of course I want to marry you! I love you, you idiot!" She said, laughing as they held each other. When they broke apart, Sokka was smiling the brightest smile she'd ever seen.
He fastened the betrothal necklace in place, and kissed her gently. "I love you too, Moonlight."
Author's Note:
We're near the end of part one. There's not much left to do now, and as I'm sure you've guessed the Fire Nation is soon to invade. This part consisted of two major arcs for team avatar, and team Azula's arcs are more drawn out, Azula's first arc is going to come to a head during the siege. Zuko's plotline during plot one can be viewed as either one or two separate arcs, with the division being in chapter eleven when he goes on the lam.
As it stands now, there should be one more chapter before the siege begins. Two at most, but I'll see how it feels when I write it.
Let me know what you think, I like reviews. Or don't. I'll just cry about it later.
Charlamagne OR WHATEVER. (10.28.22)
