Chapter 9: Finding Moonlight
The crescent moon was high in the sky, showering its light through a particular window of the ship and bouncing into the snoring warrior's room. He was sleeping at the very edge of his bed, his legs handing clumsily off of either end of the bed with his face pressing into the princess's letter. He wrapped a protective arm around his space sword and curled his other arm around a pillow under which the fruits of his two-week labor lay hidden. His fingers, unaccustomed to work with tiny beads and delicate artifacts, tingled and quivered as a result of their hard work, but it was all worth it as suggested by the proud, gushy smile on his lips. His contentment didn't last for long, though, thanks to the harsh rapping and clanging at his door.
"Prince Sokka?" the door rattled. "Sir?"
His body quaked awake. "Yeah—aah!" And he ended up bumping into the bedside table, hitting his head and scraping his bare back on his way down. "Aaarghhah!" He tried to pick himself up and flailed to get a grip on something only to jam his toe on the edge of Gran-Gran's sewing trunk. "Yeeaooow!"
"Sir, are you alright?!" the rapping grew louder. "Sir!"
"Yes, yes, I'm—gaaah!" A tumultuous wave to hit the ship just as he sought balance with one leg and held up his injured one, and in an instant, he was tossed back down right on his throbbing toe. The trunk toppled over from his weight.
"Aw, come on!"
The beads in the trunk all came tumbling forth, and every inch of his room was filled with the clattering of thousands upon thousands of craft materials. Sokka rubbed his head and moaned in pain. "Blubbering blowholes, what is it, Lieutenant?"
"We've, um... arrived at Northern premises, sir. We're about to reach land soon."
"Wonderful."
"Are you alright, sir?"
"Yes, fine." He lay still on the floor in the midst of countless beads, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and glanced up at the moon. Its light remained gentle, lighting up his La necklace and the beads around him in its glimmering whiteness, making them look like pearls bobbing up to the surface of the ocean. When he felt the ship cease its heavy swaying, he carefully stood up and looked out of his window at the surroundings. There was nothing but water and a few glaciers here and there which marked Arctic territory, but there was no real land yet. His scrutinizing look turned into a soft beam as the princess's letter flew towards him, and he caught it carefully in his hands, quickly wiping away a spot of drool on the paper. All he needed to do was read the greeting.
To the Esteemed Prince of the North...
"Right! Esteemed! Esteemed Sokka of the Water Tribe, surely you can handle a bit of karma— oh smoking sealfish, the beads." He tucked the letter carefully in the pocket of his pants and hastily picked up all the supplies. He shoved them into Gran Gran's trunk, not caring to organize them into their respective nation palettes (that would be a task for later). Along the way, he ran across a white velvet ribbon, which he decided to use to string together the bangles he crafted over the past two weeks. After a lazy attempt at cleaning up, he turned over the pillow on his bed and eyed his creations: eight bangle bracelets— all bearing adjustable clasps for the wearer's convenience— coated in deep blue at their thick rims. Their middle was covered in seaweed glue and filled with crushed crystals of different colors bleeding together in harmony, which would make it convenient for her to wear them over attire of any and every color. Dangling from four different places on each bangle were little silver bells. They were originally round in shape, but Sokka had tinkered with them with the help of his boomerang and shaped them to resemble sloppy but obvious crescent moons. The crescent bells rattled and jingled with every move the bangle made.
No doubt that these were easily the fanciest out of all of his creations so far.
In the light of the time candles, which sparked thrice to indicate three hours past midnight, his shaky fingers worked to loop the velvet ribbon through the bangles and tied them together not just into a bow, not just a knot, but his famed special knot resembling a butterfly. And he marvelled at his creation and pat himself on the back.
"Excellence at its finest," he grinned. "Alright, Sokka, let's do this." He placed the bangles in a gift box that he'd designed at the start of their journey and sieved through another trunk, picking out a towel and a shaving blade. He briefly eyed himself in the mirror, puffed up his chest, and flexed his biceps.
"You, yes you right there," he pointed to his reflection, "You are…" he paused and fumbled with the letter in his pocket, re-reading its eloquent contents. "Ah, yes! You, sir, are a unique blade among men! Hah!"
When the announcement of their arrival in what was officially the Capital City's waters boomed through the speaker, he ended up nicking himself and almost shaving off a significant portion of his goatee in anticipation. He groaned and splashed his face with water before throwing on a silk black tunic, his best embroidered overcoat, and an extravagant navy outer robe with blue-green sequins, resembling an aurora bouncing upon the night sea. He also sported a pin of Southern royalty and authority— a pin that his sister and parents were most likely sporting as well. After three failed attempts and a successful fourth in tying his wolf tail, he tucked the princess's gift box carefully in his bag and cushioned it with soft mufflers and headdresses, and he nearly flew out of his room to the main deck. His parents were already there, donning fancy robes and Southern pins; they conversed with Ivaneq and a few crew members as Kohana dozed off against Chief Hakoda's shoulder. Katara was looking out at the view in her exquisite purple royalty robes, hoping to spot something other than water and tiny glaciers here and there.
"Ah, Brother Sokka!" Ivaneq smiled and bowed in greeting. "It won't be long, now. As soon as we reach land, you will be escorted straight to your quarters, and you can finally catch up on your sleep."
Sokka frowned. Straight to their quarters? But what about the princess?
You know she's not allowed to step out.
But she met with Ivaneq and the crew before they left. Besides, we're the most important people to ever visit! She has to come see us, right?
"Are we not meeting with any important officials?" Hakoda asked the Northerner, interrupting Sokka's train of thought.
"Oh, of course we will, but I assure you it will only be in brief. It's only three hours past midnight, and you haven't all slept well these few weeks on board. Once you are well-rested, we can go on with official meetings and trade talks."
"But the Global Conferences will be starting this week."
"We are one week ahead of schedule, sir. I assure you it won't be a problem if we gathered tomorrow evening."
"So we don't get to see the princess until then?"
Ivaneq sighed. "I can only hope we do. I know you're wanting to meet with Chief Arnook and his assistants, and I sent in a request for him to let the princess attend as well, but I have not received a reply from him yet. It seems to me that he is against the idea."
Sokka was visibly disheartened by the news despite a part of him telling him not to be too surprised.
"I'm sure the princess wants to meet with all of you as well," Ivaneq said. "But I can only imagine that the rules must have gotten stricter for her. Chief Arnook has kept her hidden for so long. Even with everyone knowing about her, I doubt he will let her step out of the safety of the palace."
Some safety, the Southern prince shared a knowing look with the Northerner.
"Are the circumstances really that dangerous, brother?" Hakoda asked. "You never mentioned any full-blown conflicts in detail."
"Oh, uh... just the expected tensions between political groups, sir. We will talk more on this once you've settled in."
"Please, Ivaneq, we need to see the princess at some point," Kya said, a hopeful look in her eyes shared by a certain someone else. "It will be very unsettling for us if we don't have a chance to give our thanks personally. She has done so much for us."
"I will do what I can, Mother Kya."
Katara was not oblivious to the rather irritable look on her brother's face and approached him with a smug look. "You must be quite disappointed there," she nudged him. "You were looking forward to meeting the princess right away, weren't you?"
"What? No, o-of course not!" he puffed his chest up.
"Oh? Then I must be hallucinating that my big brother is now all of a sudden wearing…" she sniffed the air around him. "...ooh, cologne. Ocean foam, isn't it? And this robe and these silks..." she ran her hand over the sequins. "All set for some courtship, aren't ya? You arctic peacock you..."
"Alright, enough!" he flushed.
"Seriously, you think she'd miss out on her sleep and come inflate your ego at three o'candle?"
He let out a series of incoherent protests before strutting away, his robes billowing like the plumage of said peacock. He nearly tripped over them as another rough wave hit, and in the distance, they could all see the emergence of an extremely tall, wide, thick icy wall bearing the Water Tribe insignia at its center.
"We're here," Ivaneq announced. "The Northern Water Tribe."
The Southern visitors along with several monks and Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom representatives who made their way up to the main deck gawked at the glacial surroundings. Colorful lights began to burst through the dark sky, showering their deep ceruleans, cosmic purples and life-giving greens upon a giant wall that greeted the visitors. Faint silhouettes of tribesmen on gondolas waited for them near the wall, and as the tribesmen spotted the visiting ships' white full-moon and black moon-and-ocean flags along with the insignias of the other nations which followed, they partitioned the wall with their bending and maneuvered it to form an opening. Numerous sky bison began to descend at the sight of the wall and plunged into the water, ready to swim their way inside.
It took nearly twenty minutes to get through the walled system and its mechanisms. Smaller walls within the border, which held more tribesmen at the top, had also awaited them, and they came down with waterbending. The tribesmen in boats bowed as the ships got closer, and they held out their arms, ushering the ships through the lavish entrances of the outer walls. The inner wall, which was just as tall as the first but much thicker, greeted them next. Several tribesmen in gondolas awaited them there, too, and bent a tunnel for them to pass through.
"Now that we made it through the inner wall, we just need to sail for another three miles," Ivaneq said. "That's when we'll reach the actual capital."
Sokka glued his eyes to the distance before him, faintly spotting the entrance of the city. There were walls there as well, though smaller in size. Strips of the walls were melted to form waterfalls, which raised the water levels, and several tendrils bent by the tribesmen opened a system of icy locks which originally kept the looming ice gates in place. The gates to the grand city were soon opened, allowing the ships to pass through.
"Praise be to the Glacier Spirits," Kya murmured. "This certainly is a complex system."
"Maybe even more complex than what they have in Ba Sing Se," Hakoda added.
Sokka couldn't argue with that.
By the time they entered the gates of the inner wall, they were still sailing in a vast body of water, but in the near distance, they could see the dockyard. Several glacial docks protruded from a large, circular platform of ice, which bore a colossal monument: a ferocious arctic wolf, the animal persona of La, sculpted out of obsidian rock, and next to him was a white moonstone figure of Tui in the form of a beautiful young woman in long, modest robes, her hair loose and flowing down to her ankles. She rested one hand on top of the wolf's head and held a torch above her head with the other, and within the artificial torch was space to light real fire, kept ferociously active but contained. The two sculptures expressed their connectivity from the water that rippled from beneath them and merged into the ocean. They also mirrored each other with the reciprocal spots on their foreheads. Between the woman's eyebrows rested a dark circle crafted out of obsidian and resembling La, and the wolf bore a moonstone circle on his forehead, referring to Tui. As the moonlight cast its light over the monument, it glimmered against the darkness of the night, reflecting the moonlight with greater brilliance and lighting up the surroundings. Once Sokka was able to step back into reality from his awe, he realized that not only was this monument a cultural symbol but it also served as a kind of lighthouse.
"Oh, They're so beautiful," the Southern chieftess sighed in content and folded her hands together in prayer, her eyes tearing up with joy. "Hakoda, dear, we need to have something to honor the Spirits in the South, too. It will bring us good luck."
"Yes," Hakoda said, breathless. "Yes...of course..."
Ivaneq and the other tribesmen bowed their heads before the monument, and Hakoda, Kya, and Katara followed, waking up Kohana in the process so that he could join in the prayer. The Southern chieftess made her way up to the edge of the ship and addressed the moon and ocean.
"Dearest Mother, Beacon Light of the Water Tribe, if it wasn't for Your compassion, our tribe would have remained in starvation. Dearest Father, Protector of the Innocent, if not for Your mercy, we would have perished long ago. We surrender ourselves to You, Great Spirits. Guide and nourish us always."
Everyone began to drop to their knees on the ship, facing the monument.
"Bow, Sokka," Hakoda whispered. "I don't normally ask you to do this, but…" he trailed off, highly surprised to see that his son was already down on his knees. Sokka lowered his upper body but kept his eyes on the monument, particularly on the face of the moon which glimmered beneath the silver moonlight and the harmony of the aurora.
"Does Her Highness have a name?"
"We don't know it."
"Well it won't hurt to call her Tui for now."
Once the ships were docked, everyone crowded near the exit, and once the bowsprit lowered, they were all greeted by earth-shattering cheers. The representatives from all four nations and the Southerners in particular were welcomed with honor and grandeur. Nothing ostentatious or too classy but warm and elated. Sokka was surprised at the number of armed men who quickly huddled near the bowsprit as soon as he and the others stepped onto Northern soil for the first time; the princess was most definitely not lying when she wrote about arranging extensive security for them. And boy, were the security guards dedicated. They didn't leave the Southern family unattended for a single moment. Needless to say that Sokka's earlier nervousness regarding safety measures was quickly quelled, but his interest was piqued as he noticed a sickly-looking middle-aged man in fancy robes waiting for them. He was surrounded by several more bodyguards.
"It has been so long since we've had Southern brothers and sisters set foot on the Land of Tui," the man said, a tired smile on his face. He bowed. "I am Arnook. Pleased to meet you."
"Chief Arnook!" Hakoda tried to bow, but Arnook stopped him, recognizing the Southern chief's plight with crutches. "It's truly an honor to meet you, Chief."
"The honor is all mine, Chief Hakoda." Arnook reached into the pocket of his robes and took out a container of black pigment. He marked the Southern visitors' foreheads with marks of welcome as per Water Tribe tradition. Sokka was the last to receive a mark; he received the mark of the ocean: a small squiggly line that ran horizontally on his forehead. Arnook paused to look at the Southern prince, who half-bowed in greeting. Sokka wanted to be angry with the man who nearly sent his own daughter away with criminals and didn't care to listen to her side of the story, but Arnook genuinely did not look well. Behind his smile was pain, a kind of pain that seemed to be the very reason behind his illness...though Sokka was also no stranger to the fact that Arnook was a heavy drinker.
"You must be Prince Sokka," the man greeted. "My daughter was moved by your call for help. I hope your demands have been met, Mr. Chief-to-Be."
Sokka managed a half-hearted smile. "I'm thankful, Chief. We will never forget Her Highness's support...yours, too, of course."
"Your son will make a wonderful chief, Brother Hakoda," Arnook's chuckle was interrupted by a brief coughing fit. "My sincere apologies. I wish I could stay longer, but my health has upset me as of recent."
"We're extremely sorry you're not well," Hakoda said worriedly. "Please, stay indoors and get plenty of rest."
"Thank you, Brother. We will all meet again tomorrow, my friends."
"Chief, it would be an honor if we get to have a chance to meet with your daughter as well," Kya said. "She is the reason why we were able to make it this far."
"Spirits-willing, ma'am," Arnook said, but it was still obvious that he was hesitant. The Northern chief brushed a hand over a sleeping Kohana's hair and smiled off the awkwardness before bowing to the Southern royals and making his way back.
"Such a kind man," Hakoda said. "He was willing to welcome us even when he's feeling ill."
"But notice he's still not comfortable with letting the princess meet with us," Kya noted.
"There must be a strong reason behind it," the Southern chief said. "We shouldn't pressure him."
It was hard for Sokka to be too sympathetic, though; his abrasive side was starting to kick back in. He had to curb his sternness, though, as a few officials in elaborate robes approach him and his family.
"Welcome to the Northern Water Tribe, friends," the tallest one in the group said. "I'm Eiji Hang, senior member of the princess's advisory board."
The Neo-Nationalist, Sokka noted from his study of the news pamphlets. He shared a look with Zhi, who nodded to confirm the Southern prince's recognition.
"Are we going to meet any of the extremist Nationalists?" Sokka whispered.
"No, sir, I don't believe so," Zhi said. "They kind of don't like the fact that you're all visiting. It only means they'd have to lay low in their activities."
"I figured."
The woman in the group of officials then stepped forward. "My name is Ting Yun," she bowed before hugging Kya and Katara in greeting. "I'm a chief member of the princess's Council and vice chairman of the Revivalist Association."
Must be the famous Daughter Ting, Sokka identified.
"I'm Rin Quiang, Your Excellencies," said the next official. "I'm also a member of the advisory board."
"Former Nationalist, current Revivalist, avid devotee of Tui, yes? " Sokka asked to which he received a proud grin and nod from the politician in response. Hakoda and Kya gave their son a look. Since when did he become invested in Northern politics enough to research, let alone remember the members' backgrounds?
"It is an honor to have you all here," Eiji smiled. "The princess wanted us to wish you a warm welcome. Please, join us for a gondola ride. We will take you through the city's interior."
Katara expressed considerable enthusiasm for the gondola ride, so before long, they were off with waterbending security guards opting to be the gondoliers. Beyond the monument platform, the visitors beheld a vast system of canals and waterways, icy streets and walkways, tenement balconies and water pipes embedded in ice fountains. Numerous gondolas were docked up separately along the canals; Sokka guessed that the large quantity must mean that these gondolas were a form of public transportation. They had to be in order to support a city that was built entirely on water with water.
"This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen," Katara breathed, looking around in a bout of ecstasy. "This is...I can't even begin to explain…"
"There's not as much land as the South," Kya said, her eyes lighting up at the waterworks. "The city is run entirely on waterbending."
"The outskirts of Capital City are actual land masses, the Nunjaraq and Harekhaq mountain ranges, and frozen tundras, but the city itself is designed to rely completely on water and bent ice," Zhi explained.
"But that's a great advantage here because you have a lot more benders," Katara said. "As a bender myself, I can imagine how convenient it is to run any operation relying on water."
They cruised their way through the canals and passed through the outer sector, and royal treatment increased as they went. Sokka never got to fully experience what is meant to have "prince" as a part of his title. Heck, no one in his family looked like they were royalty. He did not care for the luxuries deep down, but just this once, he allowed himself to sink into the North's measures of utmost respect...even if he did consider it weird to a degree.
His parents and sister, though, were ecstatic, and as they all transitioned into the heart of the city, they became even more mesmerized and repeatedly noted how the city was not at all like the South. Other international representatives, even many of the ones who'd initially been adamant about turning in for the night, ended up exploring the city as well. The Air Nomads, in the meantime, found contentment on the backs of their sky bison, which swam through the canals.
"It would have been wonderful if Lady Kanna and Grand Master Pakku came along as well," Rin said.
"They were really enthusiastic about coming, but we needed to have people to oversee the revival project," Hakoda said.
"Ah, yes, of course."
"But I can't tell you how excited we are to be here. It brings us great joy to be reunited with our Northern family," the Southern chief smiled. "You see, my father was originally from the North. Born and raised in the village of Patnaqiq. Just a few miles east of the capital, he said."
"Patnaqiq, eh? That's my hometown as well!" Eiji grinned. "Which division was your father in?"
"The eastern division."
"We were on the west side of the river. Near the Chungali area."
"Oh really!"
"We should visit the village at some point. Just let me know when you're free, and I will be happy to escort you there personally. Security will be with us at all times, rest assured."
While everyone was caught up in the fascination of sightseeing, conversing, and forming new friendships, Sokka remained quiet for the most part, holding a Kohana in his arms as the boy slowly sank back into sleep. The warrior was definitely won over by the city, but his focus was elsewhere, having shifted from the pained Northern chief to the princess who was yet to be seen.
"You don't look like you're the quiet type, Prince Sokka."
The prince sported a grin as Rin took a seat beside him. "Just taking in the view of the city. It's a great place you got here."
"I bet the South is very beautiful, too. The Land of La has been blessed with extensive game and a great mass of land. Must be convenient to get to places simply by walking instead of riding a gondola every five minutes."
"Must be convenient to ride around on a gondola instead of walking for miles several hours...though I suppose it's worth it for maintaining six packs and sixteen packs."
The man chuckled uncomfortably. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be laughing when it's actually a serious issue. We heard a lot about how your tribesmen walked for hours on end to catch a few fish."
"No big deal to laugh about it," Sokka shrugged. "Yeah, it happened, but we needed something to help us get through the situation. Finding the humor in it can help sometimes."
With the turn of every canal and the looming silhouette of every building, the officials told them all they needed to know. Supposedly, the North's tourist industry profited very much from its world-class aquariums, water parks, glacial caves, ice hotels, the bluest of lagoons, and the most exotic freshwater cenotes and oases, which serve as homes to millions of species of Arctic flora. As far as the entertainment industry went, the North was prestigious for its Water Tribe folktale-inspired plays, dramas, puppet shows, tribal ballads, and displays of spiritual art, music, and dance. The Blue Moon Festival, Full Moon Celebration, and the New Moon Celebration, all observed with great reverence across both tribes, were chief among the North's abundant displays of festivity.
"I heard you have a passion for waterbending combat, Sister Katara." Daughter Ting pointed to a few isolated lots as they passed by areas of open space. "Those training grounds over there are exclusively for waterbending lessons for women."
"Pardon my ignorance, but I thought the North didn't allow women to learn waterbending for the sake of combat."
"That has changed drastically in the past two decades. Twenty five years ago, no woman could walk down the walkways without facing some form of threat, but the Revivalists and Neo-Nationalists have brought much attention to issues of domestic abuse and violence against women. There's been improvement, of course, but there still wasn't a formal, written recognition of these issues by the government. "
Sokka frowned, reminded of Zhi's commentary and the drastic situations that the North had been in previously. The women who had been abused, the infant girls who were brutally killed, the infanticides that took place. And he knew that what Ting was describing alluded to all of that albeit in a glossed-over version.
"That's why two weeks ago, Her Highness revised the Bill of Defense," Eiji said. "She stated that she was willing to provide funding for self-defense and combat lessons for women. She's also welcoming women into the National Defense Department, meaning women could now join the military if they desired. Originally these training grounds were meant for men, but after the bill, they've cleared out and are set to reopen next week to welcome women from all over. The trainers will be women, too, specifically members of the Revivalist Party who have previously learned combat."
"Some training grounds are nonprofit and offer free or low-cost self-defense lessons for the underprivileged," Ting said. "The profit-based grounds are mainly for aristocratic and upper middle-class women, and the money collected here goes to the maintenance of training centers."
"That's amazing!" Katara exclaimed.
And the others couldn't agree more. Sokka, thinking of the women in his family and his sisters and aunts and mothers around the world, soaked in the information and felt relief trailing through him. He shifted Kohana around in his lap and hid his look of awe in his little brother's wild hair. "It, uh...it would've been nice if your leader came to see us," he went back to his conversation with Rin.
"I'm sure she really wanted to come see you all as well, but it's not easy for her to step out, you see," he said. "That's why she sent us on her behalf to see to your lodging arrangements and make sure you're all settled in."
Sokka looked both ways next to him. Everyone was caught up in different conversations. So he leaned forward and asked quietly, "You wouldn't happen to know how her name, do you?"
"No, sir, I do not."
"Do any of them know…?"
"It's highly unlikely."
"Then what do you call her?"
"Princess."
"Just 'Princess?'"
"Yes."
"And you have no idea what she looks like, either, do you?"
Rin shook his head. "I understand it's a very unusual situation, and it's not exactly something we should be proud of. Not knowing our own leader and all. Circumstances are like that."
Sokka took a deep breath before admitting, "I know the situation here. The surface of it, at least. And I understand how risky it must be for her to come this far, how risky it still is." He looked up at the startled politician. "If the princess needs a bodyguard, I'd be more than willing to do the job."
Rin kept blinking, eyes wide with surprise, his mouth struggling to form words.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because…" he trailed off, lowering his voice and looking around before whispering, "Because you weren't supposed to know all of this."
"Why not?"
"The princess stressed how important it was that you all attend the conference and leave as safely as possible," Rin said. "If you get involved in this mess, it would present a danger for your family and even the South, might I say."
"What's Khasiq gonna do, huh?" Sokka glared. "If he calls himself a man, he'll come at me instead of my people."
"Please, sir. If you really respect the princess, do as she says and stay calm. She will handle this."
"How is it that she gets to help us and we just get to sit there and take what she gives?"
"If this is about returning the favor, then I highly suggest you don't look into this," Rin said. "The sole reason why the princess refused to accept a bodyguard all this time is so that they won't get hurt while protecting her. She's a pacifist, you see. Refuses to step on even a spider-beetle. Tell me, who doesn't step on a spider-beetle? Those things are creepy as shit."
"Only an airbender."
"Exactly. She's practically an airbender stuck in the body of a tribeswoman. You think she would agree to you, the prince, halting your plans in the South to pursue a career as her bodyguard? The last thing she would want is for someone of high authority like you to get hurt because of her."
Sokka frowned at his reflection in the water.
"This isn't meant to make anyone feel like they won't be able to defend themselves or anything. It's just...thousands of families are relying on you, sir. You're set to be the next chief." He shook his head. "Forget it, sir. She does not expect anything from you. Let her be. We can only pray to the Spirits, have our elders bless her to live long. That's all we can do."
"Like any of those would actually help." His glare softened, but his persistent hand still splashed the water in the canal, shattering his reflection. "Pacifist, huh?"
"Yes. She's not a fan of violence whatsoever. So much that she doesn't even touch meat. And with every policy she makes, she weighs the possible outcomes of violence from her decision. She cannot even speak harshly."
Sokka sighed and looked up at the sky, at the moon standing up high, dignified as it bathed the world in its light. Rin followed his gaze and smiled wistfully at the crescent queen of the night. "The princess reminds me a lot of the moon. The moon only gives, whether it's light, strength and energy for us tribesfolk, life for the nighttime flora and the creatures in the sea with its control of the tides. It never takes or demands, you know?"
Kohana shifted in his big brother's arms and rubbed his eyes. He sleepily crawled over to his mother on the other end of the gondola. "Are we going to see the princess, Mom?"
The others chuckled in amusement and raved on about how cute the little prince was, but they could give no answer to his question. Sokka took a look at his family, how happy they were at the moment, how secure they were, how they no longer worried about finding food for the next meal. All of this for the potential cost of an innocent person's life? He wasn't having it. He turned his attention back to the moon, the object of his fascination and fondness throughout the course of his life. He remembered how the night before their lives changed, he'd looked up at this very moon and allowed himself to hope, to ask for help despite firmly believing in the uselessness of spirituality and religion. And thought it had to be a coincidence and absolutely nothing more than that, he nevertheless felt surprised by how timely the response had been, how their very next meal the next day turned out to be a lavish feast that promised many more of its kind.
How it was all made possible by the princess of the North.
"You should not expect me to sit behind walls and eat lavish meals when there are starving mothers out there who cannot feed their infants."
"The day you allow me to send help to the South will be the day I break my fast."
"It really would've been nice if she was here," the prince said again.
Ivaneq, who was no longer a stranger to the prince's occasional bouts of...worry, maybe even longing…settled next to him and pat him on the back. "Well you know what?" he exchanged a hopeful smile with Rin. "If she found a way to come see us and send us off on our first trip to the South, who knows, she may find a way to meet all of you very soon."
If there was anything that Sokka picked up on in terms of differences between the North and South, it was the Northern peoples' dedication to aesthetic pleasure, displayed in their instinct to beautify nearly everything in sight. Every nook and corner of the Land of Tui held some type of ornate structure. Perhaps if the South was rich enough, it would've had its fair share of fancy buildings, too, and there was no doubt that once the South got back on its feet, that was the direction it was headed. Still, it couldn't be denied that at the fundamental level, the North exuded beauty, grace, and refinement as if the land itself was the image of Tui whereas the South, believed to be the direct image of La, grasped onto simplicity, resource, and rawness. The North believed in symbolizing the divine beautifully whereas the South believed in preventing unnecessary extravagance. Of course, this in no way suggests that opposites don't attract; Sokka had grown rather fond of the city during the forty minutes of their stay so far.
As their gondola rounded a particular corner, the tenement houses and icy apartments disappeared, and in the glow of several mingled celestial lights, smaller individual homes revealed themselves.
"As of now, we are still in the commoners' sector, Your Highnesses," Daughter Ting said. "In a few minutes, we will reach the inner division. Many high-ranking guests, Global Conference attendees along with the Avatar were given lodging and extensive security there. They are currently staying in the southeastern lot; your stay will be in the northeastern lot. Because you are our special guests, for particular security reasons, the princess has arranged your stay at Crescent Moon Estate. It's really close to the Royal Palace. Twenty four-hour high-category security will be provided."
"The estate even has a path to enter through the back of the palace," Eiji followed. "Tomorrow, we will send a few representatives to give you a complete tour of the palace. You may visit freely and join us for lunch and dinner. If you prefer to stay in the estate for your meals, we also have everything set up there for your enjoyment. Servants will be present at all times. They will see to your needs and will be happy to show you around the city whenever you wish."
A gondola beside them rowed closer to them, and a tribesman at the front informed something to Daughter Ting. She smiled and nodded, standing up in the gondola to address all the guests in the nearby gondolas. "Good news, friends. It appears the princess arranged a welcome banquet in honor of our reunion with the sister tribe as well as the arrival of our international friends. All of you are invited to attend the palace tomorrow evening and help yourself to delicacies from all over the world."
Everyone cheered. Kya and Hakoda, despite their excitement, still requested Ivaneq to do something about having them meet the princess soon whereas Zhi and Ping kept exchanging uncertain looks with the Southern prince. In the middle of all this pandemonium, they spotted a fancy arching bridge up above in the far distance, connecting one side of the canal to the other, and past the bridge, they could see ice houses of high status come into view. Just before they could row underneath the bridge, a small but prominent pagoda that was completely black in appearance caught their attention. The glassy darkness of the structure seemed to glow as moonlight hit its obsidian walls.
"What's that?" Sokka asked.
"That's the Sacred Temple," Ting explained. "Also called the Moon Temple or La's Pagoda. It's the only temple in the North, dare I say the world, to be constructed out of black material."
"It's very beautiful," Katara said. "Then again, what is not beautiful in this city?"
Kya linked her arms around her husband. "Dear, we should go. It's our first time in the North; it would bring us good luck if we visited a temple first thing."
"Not now, Mom," Sokka groaned, but Hakoda sided with his wife.
"Right you are, dear. But is the temple open…? If it's a Moon Temple, then you would expect it to be open at night..."
"The pagoda is open to the public all night only on special occasions," Eiji said. "But technically it's still 'open.' The time slot from three to six o'candle is blocked off for temple cleaning and maintenance, so even if the high priestess isn't there, the Caretaker must be."
"Caretaker?"
"Yes. It's a term of honor for the temple servant. She handles the cleaning and cooking of holy offerings and everything."
In a matter of minutes, the gondola stopped at the walkway leading up to the temple. Hakoda and Kya eagerly walked ahead, followed by Katara and a sleepy Kohana who was swinging over Sokka's shoulder. The warrior, though, was starting to become irritable, his clear preference being sleep instead of bowing to more statues. He yanked off his royalty pin and shoved it into his pocket. "Can't we go tomorrow morning?"
"Why don't you catch the next ship and head back to the South? You can sleep all you want on the ship," Katara suggested, earning a frown. "Remember, Mom said even if you don't believe, you need to learn to respect. This is the North, for goodness' sake."
In the meantime, Hakoda and Kya kept inquiring about the temple's history, to which Ting explained that the temple was one of the oldest, if not the oldest temple in the North. Several centuries ago, a few pious tribesmen collected obsidian rock near a volcanic island just a few miles west of the North's outskirts and constructed the temple. Fifty years ago, an avalanche caused the inside of the temple to nearly collapse. Due to the increased difficulty of obtaining more obsidian rock, black marble was imported from the Earth Kingdom and used to rebuild the interior of the temple, thus making it stronger in the process. That's why the temple's exterior is different from the interior despite the shared darkness.
"It's a very prestigious temple," Eiji said. "It stands out as one of few Northern temples predominantly run by female spiritual leaders. It is believed that undergoing a purification ritual at the pagoda will cleanse the ill effects of a person's birth chart. The place is famous for its spiritual energy and is said to get rid of compatibility issues, help couples conceive, and ward off life-threatening conditions."
That's complete yakshit, Sokka huffed, but Hakoda and Kya's interests were definitely piqued.
"Should the ritual only be performed by the high priestess?"
"No, Chieftess Kya, the Caretaker can perform it, too, if need be. Though she's predominantly a servant, she can also perform services in the event that she gets promoted to priestess in the future."
The royal couple both looked at their oldest, who responded with an annoyed groan and a roll of his eyes. Nope, they're not gonna miss out on this.
After extensive security measures and excessive reassurance from Hakoda, it was decided that the Southern family would be accompanied by three security guards, an attendant to help Hakoda walk from place to place, and Zhi and Ivaneq, who would then escort them to the Crescent Moon Estate. Ting, Eiji, and Rin bid their goodnights and agreed to join them for breakfast after a few hours. Everyone else decided to turn in for the night and provide the Southerners with privacy. Zhi cast off his moccasins, stepped into the temple, and returned several minutes later.
"We're in luck! The high priestess is inside as well. You may ask her if she is willing to perform the ritual. Also, the Caretaker told us to avoid the eastern portion at all costs. Apparently a few bells are hanging loosely and in danger of collapsing from pressure. Please stay away from the area and keep watch over the child to make sure he doesn't wander anywhere near it."
They stepped into the dark abyss of a temple with their bare feet. Kya, Hakoda, and Katara were nearly bursting with joy and awe as they ran their fingers along the obsidian glass walls, feeling their way inside. Sokka grumbled his way inside and kept up with the sound of Ivaneq's voice and his spiel about darkness as the symbol of Yang. He could hear water flowing somewhere within the darkness.
"As we all know, black is associated with the element of water, thus providing power, security, and protection. In order to help devotees experience abysmal darkness for themselves, the temple provides no lighting in this area. It also opens the pipes to let the water run down the walls and escape through the drainage system. One must feel their way towards the inside and listen to the flow of water. Darkness denotes the direct presence of La, who is mystery and water personified. Experience our great Father Spirit, friends. Experience the wonder of darkness!"
Wonder, my assblubber, Sokka sighed, trying to calm a waking Kohana who whimpered for the light.
Once they stepped into the vast inner chamber, they were finally able to see thanks to the presence of torches on the wall as well as the hundreds of candles which lit up every inch of the place. It was like standing in the middle of a cave constructed out of black crystals, which glowed in the candlelight. The Southerners set foot on the marble floor, completely mesmerized by the additional beauty of how the moonlight swooped in from a small opening in the ceiling and hit the obsidian-marble walls, which reflected the light with greater brilliance. The fragrance of incense slowly wafted in along with the soft winds from the window, which caused the bells hanging from the ceiling to sway and chime.
"You both said this temple is centuries old," Kya said to Zhi and Ivaneq. "It's shimmering like brand new."
"All thanks to the Caretaker."
"Oh, yes. She puts a lot of effort into keeping this place thriving."
"Does this temple have idols?" Hakoda asked.
"Oh, of course!" Zhi said. "They must be with her at the moment. She's probably washing them."
"This is by far my favorite place in the North," Katara said as she walked around to explore. Kohana kicked his legs and slid down from his brother's grip, and he ran around with his big sister, finding just as much delight in the candles as she did. In a corner of the sanctuary was a short, frail old woman wearing dark blue robes and a white sash at her waist. She bowed in greeting as Zhi and Ivaneq introduced her to Kya and Hakoda. Sokka let out a deep breath and sat on the marble floor in another corner, leaning his head against the wall.
Alright, Sokka, deep breath now. Ignore the idiocy around you...just ignore...
"Wolf Moon? Are you sure?"
Sokka snapped his head back in the direction of his parents, who went on raving about Sokka's birth chart as the high priestess, who looked rather alarmed by what the Southern royals were saying, nodded and looked over to the warrior. She then whispered something to Kya, who beckoned her son to come forward.
They're not letting this go, are they? He pulled himself up with great patience and ambled over to them. His mother sported a smile and placed her hands over his shoulders.
"This is my son. Sokka."
"Ah. 'He who understands.' Interesting name," the lady bowed. "Welcome to the Moon Temple, Prince Sokka."
The Southern chieftess nudged him, and he bowed back in greeting, but he was nowhere near enthusiastic to be standing in front of this high priestess or shamaness or whichever category of nonsense this lady was an expert in.
"He's a moonwatcher, I see," the old lady noted, her bony fingers taking a hold of his wrist. She concentrated hard and felt his pulse. "Based on his birth on the day of the solstice, he is a member of the clan of La, the Great Wolf. Wherever he goes, his eyes follow the moon, but now, his entire being will follow her."
His eyebrows quirked. Who's her?
"Oh, yes, of course. In fact, my son loves the moon!" Kya said. "When he was born—"
"Mom, please—"
"Hush up!" And Kya went on to narrate a story that Sokka had heard a thousand times over. Apparently when he was born, he didn't open his eyes at all for the first few weeks. Everyone had been terribly afraid for him. The local healers all took a look at him but couldn't find any fault with him physically. Some had been worried that he'd been affected by a hidden disease, an infection in his eyes, or if his eyes had been in pain, but the pain option was ruled out because he was behaving fairly normal in terms of suckling, sleeping, and everything else a healthy newborn was capable of. Some healers advised that they keep him indoors and away from bright light until he was comfortable enough to open his eyes in an environment that mimicked the womb. Exactly one month into his birth, an anxious Hakoda brought him outside for the first time to have him be in the presence of a ritual for Tui. The moon was bright and full in the sky just as it had been the day of Sokka's birth. As the moonlight touched his closed eyelids for the first time, he stirred out of his sleep. His eyes fluttered open, and the first thing he saw was the full moon. He began to reach for the moonlight, cooing and smiling and making everyone else smile and laugh in relief and religiosity.
The high priestess was amused by the story, and as she caught sight of the Southern prince dozing off on his mother's shoulder with his closed eyes facing the direction of the moon though the ceiling' opening, she burst out laughing, her booming voice shaking him out of his sleep. Kya glared at him. Did I raise you to sleep in the temple of all places?
"Alright then. The only issue here is compatibility, yes? In that case, I think it's best if we perform the ritual in a few weeks when the moon is full again. It will also give you a chance to focus on your series of conferences."
"Do you think the ritual will be enough to cover the effects in his birth chart?" Hakoda asked. "It's just that he's several years past the traditional marrying age already. It's very difficult finding him the right girl of the right age gap..."
"Don't you worry about anything. The Spirits will provide." She took a brief look at a particular corner of the temple before adding, "I need to be heading back now, but the Caretaker can perform the service for you. For the time being, have the prince circumambulate from the inside of the pagoda three times. On the actual day of the ritual, he'll have to circumambulate a hundred times."
"Wait, what now—?"
"Sokka," his mother's eyes widened from the influx of religious fervor. "You heard her. Circumambulate three times, no questions."
"But you said I won't be forced to do rituals!" he stood his ground.
The old woman chuckled again. "Leave him be, Chieftess Kya, we'll just add those to the number of circumambulations required on ritual day," to which the prince frowned. "In the meantime, be preparing for the ritual. There are a few rules you will need to follow…"
Sokka zoned out again, shaking his head at the sap they all praised as head priestess, but very quickly, he felt himself being distracted by something. A familiar fragrance, perhaps. He poked his nose in the air and sniffed. Cardamom. He could pick out the smell cardamom even in mid-sleep. And something else...something that just wasn't reaching his nose yet…
Moonflowers. Moonflowers and spice.
"Who knows, she may find a way to meet all of you very soon."
While Kya went on speaking with the high priestess, Hakoda was caught off guard by the sudden curious, maybe even serene look that washed over Sokka's face. It was almost like the warrior was caught in a kind of trance, fixing his look at a particular direction of the temple where the fragrance was coming from.
"Sokka? Sokka, where are you going?"
"Huh?" he snapped briefly into reality and saw that they were all staring at him. "Uh...I…" he sported a fake grumble. "I decided I'll go ahead and circumambulate. Just to get it out of the way…" Because there was no way he was dragging everyone else with him. Ignoring the lady's weird knowing look, he excused himself from the nonsense and made his way through the dimly lit temple. Somehow it seemed to get darker than it had been before, but he hung onto the light emitted from the candles.
He wandered through the pathway around the smaller shrines and passed by a couple of tiny rooms, which he guessed were for storage purposes. He ended up stepping into another hallway, more like a separate but attached building in the very back and followed the candles down the corridor, noting how the scent became much stronger. Eventually he reached a dead end with nowhere to go but a very tiny room from which quiet chanting could be heard.
"What does she sound like?"
"She speaks very pleasantly. Very quietly. People hard of hearing won't get very far with her."
The door was left ajar, and as he peeked through from an awkward angle, he saw a shadow move through the dim light. The more rational part of his brain was starting to fade away, fall completely asleep and numb all possibilities that the person inside wasn't the princess.
Just go in already.
After taking three deep breaths and still failing to calm his wild heartbeat, he creaked the door open a little further and stepped in. And he froze on the spot.
"What did she look like?"
"We do not know. She was covered top to toe by white robes and face veils."
The woman before him was, indeed, wearing modest white robes along with a face veil, albeit one that left only her eyes exposed. She didn't wear a betrothal necklace or any sort of similar accessory, indicating that she wasn't married and thus making it all the more possible that she could be the princess. She didn't notice him, though; she was busy drying the statues placed on the counter before her. The idols, most definitely the ones taken from the sanctum sanctorum, were smaller but similar to the ones Kya received as a gift: a black-marble manwolf accompanied by a white-marble woman, both bearing each other's color on their chests. Still chanting, the woman then took the idols into her arms, cradling them against her chest like they were infants, and she turned around, halting as she saw him. Moonlight gushed in from an open window and spilled over her, nearly making her glow.
Sokka gulped and let out a squeak. He began to feel lightheaded and sought balance by holding onto the door. Forget the temple's so-called abysmal darkness because he was falling really deep into her eyes instead. And boy, were they the softest shade of baby blue...like twin glaciers bathed in the right amount of light, looking back at him with equal curiosity. Despite being Water Tribe, he had never before seen that exact shade in his life.
"Are you looking for the high priestess, sir—?"
"Your Highness!"