Chapter 26: Steal Me Under the Moonlight

Yue, who had been snuggled up against soft pelt pillows and covered in a cozy fur blanket, stirred against the silk sheets, waking to confusion. Numerous questions hit her all at once. What time was it? When did she get back to her room? Why didn't she remember what she did the entire day? Specifically after she left Sayen's estate? Last time she checked, she was headed to the Crescent Moon Estate with Prince Sokka to check on Princess Katara...

Her eyes flew open, and she sat up abruptly, looking at her surroundings. Remembering that she was in Princess Katara's room, she jumped out of bed in a heartbeat and raced down the icy stairs.

"Prince Sokka?" she called, "Isumataq!"

And she was greeted downstairs by the prince, who was setting down a tray containing sweet cakes and savory snacks, "Oh good, you're awake," he smiled, "Sleep well?"

"I'm so, so sorry that I fell asleep," she tried rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "You should've woken me up!"

"Relax, Baby Blue, it's all good," he gestured to the snacks, "Help yourself to some delicious—"

"Where's Princess Katara? Did she come here?"

Amused, "Why would she be here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Katara's with Aang and Kohana," he answered. "They're probably exploring the tribe, going on sky bison rides and stuff."

"But you told me… Is she feeling better?"

"She never had a problem to begin with."

"Then why…" she blinked at him, "So you planned this…?"

"I'm sorry I had to trick you, Princess. You were clearly so tired, and I didn't want you going back to your servant duties and plopping face down into the soups and stuff. You told me you'll fall asleep right away if you didn't have anything to do. I figured making you do nothing in a dimly lit space would help you fall asleep. And it worked." Looking up at her, "As someone who's really running the country behind the scenes, you need to take care of yourself."

She processed the explanation in bits and pieces given how tired she still was, but she found that she couldn't be angry. Perhaps taken aback, perhaps touched. "Well," she raised her eyebrows, "you've proven yourself to be a master planner."

"I'm sorry for tricking you, and as long as you take care of yourself, this won't happen again."

"So you're ready to deceive me again?"

"I think deception used for a good cause is good," he told her. "As your friend, I need to make sure you're doing well." Gesturing to the pelt couch, "So kick back and have a snack." He then carefully cut a slice of a cake that was yellowish-orange in hue and handed the pastry to her. "It's mango cake. I had it made specially for you."

It was an offer she couldn't refuse given how inviting the pastry looked. Sighing, she took the pastry from him and got settled on the couch. He took his seat across from her and said smilingly, "There's more where that came from."

"How long was I asleep?" she asked between bites.

"Not for long. Just relax and eat."

It didn't take long for the uncertainty to be broken; as soon as she got through her second helping, the time candles sparked eight times, and she understood just how long 'not for long' really meant. "Oh Spirits, it's eight hours past midday!" Shooting back up in haste, "I need to go—"

"Wait, wait, at least have dinner, it'll be ready soon—!"

"The matchmaking session starts in thirty minutes!" She fumbled with her headscarf, "Oh Spirits, you should've woken me up earlier, isumataq!"

"Why rush for something you don't care about?"

"Some rules have to be followed."

So we can overthrow the system from the inside. Sighing, "Don't worry, Princess. I'll make sure it doesn't go through—"

"Isumataq, please," she looked him in the eyes, "You don't need to worry about anything else anymore. You've done enough."

"Princess—"

"I'm serious. Everything you're doing to try to help me, even telling the chief that you're willing to court me…It's all very brilliant, and your effort in making everything bearable for me is very sweet, but..." she shook her head, "the more I think about it, the more I think we shouldn't go through with this."

Taking a deep breath, "Do you feel uncomfortable?"

"I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"Your Highness, it's just pretend," he said. "It'll take a lot of weight off of your shoulders—"

"I don't mind carrying the weight. This is the least I can do for my country."

"What, going insane with too many responsibilities a person can handle?" he frowned worriedly. "Princess, Sister Imona was right. You need to observe, not absorb. You can't lose yourself in your goal to the point of neglecting what you need. You need to think about your stress levels—"

"I'm going to be just fine. You're the one who's putting your future at risk," she said. "You don't understand, Sokka. You don't know what it will mean for your reputation if you get tangled up in this mess." For a moment, a flicker of vulnerability flared in her gaze, but it was quickly overridden by concern. "Do you know all the things the tribe is saying about me because of some imposters attempting to sell me in the Earth Kingdom? All the rumors that are spreading?"

She did not have to elaborate for him to take the guess that they can't be good. Softening his eyes, "Yue—"

"It's not a pleasant experience, and I don't want anyone else going through that for my sake," she said firmly. "That's why when I get through this, I'm telling the chief that you're not interested in me anymore."

"Yue, think it through one more time—"

"Please focus on the conferences and start thinking about your new responsibilities for the South, Sokka. As your friend, I don't want you taking risks. Don't worry, I'll find a way out of this myself."

"But—"

"I expect to not see you at the event tonight and that's final." And with that, she headed for the exit, drawing her mask up to cover her face.

Sokka sighed and crossed his arms. "You're a stubborn one, Baby Blue."

"You send for the seamstresses and the jewelers, sell all of your valuables overnight, disappear for nearly an entire day again, lock yourself in the Spirit Oasis, and show up now? Twenty minutes before the event?"

Yue stared at the ground as Arnook stood, trembling in spite of the roar that left his mouth.

"Just look at this," the chieftain winced at his daughter's shabby clothes that appeared more humbling than the maids' uniforms, "You look nothing like a princess!"

The chief and the princess were not alone; all possible privacy was crushed with the company of Khasiq, who towered over the chieftain, casting his venomous gleam on the veiled princess. He could not see any part of her with her mesh screens and face veil, but this was the first time Khasiq found himself in her presence. Influential he might be, but even he did not have access to the stubborn foster daughter of Arnook, and his usual methods of 'getting to know' any woman could not be applied during this time with the conferences coming up tomorrow. Not to mention the Avatar, who had supposedly disregarded the tour plans and was likely frolicking around somewhere nearby.

An additional disadvantage, Khasiq felt, was how inopportune the time was for him to reveal the secrets regarding the "princess" and her birth. Given that it was only last night that Kinji's demise took place, even if the tribefolk were not directly protesting against him yet, a vast majority of the public had developed skepticism and mistrust for many of Khasiq's supporters and the authorities working under him. If Khasiq came out to the public with these truths, he was not sure if people would be willing to believe him. Furthermore, the White Lotus, which was already very suspicious of Khasiq's influence given that Kinji was his ally, would likely dismiss his claims as false narratives deliberately being spun to discredit the princess's birthright. There was, after all, no evidence to prove these truths other than Arnook, and since every tribesman and his mama knew of Arnook's fear of Khasiq, they would be quick to think that Khasiq manipulated Arnook into supporting his lies.

Despite all of this, though, Khasiq still felt that there was some luck to this evening; people were distracted by last night's events and wouldn't focus too much on the matchmaking session.

"What exactly were you planning to accomplish by this?!" Arnook bellowed at his daughter, fear swimming in his gaze. He had hoped that even if Yue did not choose anyone tonight, she would at least make the effort to look nice so Khasiq wouldn't be suspicious. Now with all of her belongings converted into currency— that, too, an amount that shook up the entire North and placed her newly established treasury at the very top.

"It is only natural for a woman to expect her life partner to accept her beyond a prettified appearance, Your Majesty." And it was clear that this was merely an excuse, for she seemed too nonchalant to be sincere in finding a man.

"Advisor Khasiq has spent fortunes for your wedding gifts! And you sell them?! Your disrespect will not be tolerated. You are going to apologize to him this instant!"

Yue lifted her gaze from the floor, staring through the mesh screen, "I apologize for not conveying this to you sooner, but I will be forever grateful to you for your generosity, Mr. Khasiq. Your gifts have amounted to a significant portion of my treasury."

"Princess—!"

"Keep calm, Chief," Khasiq stopped Arnook's blabbering with a raised hand. The advisor studied the princess carefully. "The suitors must be waiting by now. You should see to their needs."

Arnook's fear worsened at the prospect of leaving his daughter in the vicinity of this man for even a few seconds. The expression on Khasiq's face was unreadable, too. Anything could happen, from Khasiq making a move on her to him telling her the truth of her birth. The trembling chief couldn't stand there for long, though, with Khasiq casting an unamused look at him, wordlessly commanding him to leave. The chief had no choice but to shakily leave the room, invoking the Spirits' aid all the way.

Khasiq directed his observations to the princess again. He certainly did not expect to see the princess like this (or maybe he did given her ridiculous love for public service): robes made of cheap calico, masks and meshes of meager muslin, and a rather empty, jewel-less appearance, replacing what should've otherwise been luxurious white silks adorned by imported diamonds, domestic marble jewelry, beaded bangles and ornaments of the like. In short, she was a bride who did not look like a bride. A princess to a nation of peasants.

"The mysterious princess of the North," Khasiq mused, slowly beginning to circle her. His beady eyes studied her frame like a saber-hyena weighing its options on what part of the prey's body it should bite down on first. With a mocking snort, "You certainly live up to your title."

"Of course," she said, "After all, I am a servant of the people."

"For a public servant, you're quite endowed financially. At least you are now," he said. "Are you afraid your treasury will come crashing down if you take on a husband?"

"I do not wish to be a pawn in anyone's hands. It's as simple as that, Mr. Khasiq."

"How delusional you women are. You want to be empowered, but when you're placed on a pedestal, you fail to recognize it and claim you're pawns and victims. You don't even know what it is you want."

"Oh?" she raised her eyebrows.

"You're in a position to choose whoever catches your eye. If you were forced into marriage with a man you don't know, then you would've been in a disadvantaged position."

"A pet rabbit-seal might be given a choice to pick food from an array of options, but it doesn't mean it's free. It's still going to spend the rest of its life in that cage, choosing from whatever the owner arranges for it." Narrowing her eyes, "Its owner may say that it has complete freedom to do whatever it likes in the little space allotted for it, but as long as it believes its owner, it will forever be a slave."

"For someone who only recently began using her voice, you certainly speak well," came his dry chuckle. "Never mind that. Your poor father is burning his flippers over your blatant act of disrespect." Stepping closer to her, "But don't worry. You can make it up to me by getting married today itself."

Furrowing her eyebrows, "What?"

"I have notified the suitors, and they are quite interested in the idea of an instant wedding," he explained. "Once you pick from the best, a betrothal necklace will be presented to you." He leered, "I have even called in a priest from the Great Temple of La exclusively for your surprise wedding. You will be a married woman today."

"We'll see just how many men will be willing to stay behind by the end of this," she challenged. "I won't be surprised if they run off and take to the sleighs in just minutes."

"Oh, you better make sure that they don't," Khasiq hummed. "Consider the honor of your father. You would not want the wrath of the spirits to fall on him for failing to get his daughter married off. An unmarried daughter is but an unwanted burden in the household. Regardless of her treasury." He gestured to the surrounding corners of the room, "Keep in mind that my followers have flooded this building completely."

"Do you really think your followers are so loyal to you, Mr. Khasiq?" Yue asked, earning his attention. "They're only working beneath you for the money. So they can feed their families. You dismissed my treasury so easily, but don't forget that I can buy your servants' loyalty in the blink of an eye."

"Oh can you?"

"No doubt about it. I can turn their monthly remunerations from twenty silver pieces to twenty gold pieces. I can treat them with more dignity than you have ever treated them. Should they resign this instant, I will be ready to offer them a new life free from proselytizing propaganda."

"You may buy my servants tomorrow, but you still need to get through today, don't you?" Khasiq reached into his pocket and pulled out a pocket-blade. He ran his fingers carefully over its edges, "You see, the distance from my blade to your father's neck is not as far as the distance between you and the contents of your treasury. Additionally, it takes less time for me to slice your father's throat than for you to individually buy my servants' loyalties. Have you considered that, Princess?"

Yue swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling a fierce tug at her heart.

"Surely you must care for his life even if you want to work around his honor," Khasiq told her. "You are not a bender. You have no knowledge in combat. You refused bodyguards. And you've pressured everyone, including the White Lotus and your own cabinet members, to leave for a tour today. And the rest of the Loyalists, you've appointed as bodyguards for the guests that are still dumb enough to be here." Holding up his hands in "innocence", "Frankly, you were the one who brought this on yourself. I mean, I know you have no brawn, but you've demonstrated that you clearly don't have a brain, either."

Yue tried her best to trample her panic, knowing she wouldn't be able to think straight if she got carried away by fear, but she could not control the harsh pounding in her chest. She also felt slightly embarrassed to admit that she wasn't sure what other option there was for her to escape this situation other than put up a physical fight, i.e., restraining Khasiq and his supporters with combat if necessary. This would mean revealing to the world her cultivated skills if it did get to that point.

"You might want to fight, but you know you can't, Princess. Even La's whore that you call a goddess cannot possibly help you." Feigning a smile, "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find the chief. I must stand by him at all times considering I am his advisor."

He turned to leave, satisfied with her initial lack of response, thinking it to be a result of her being frozen with fear, but the snap of her fingers made him pause mid-step.

"You seem to be so worried that I will remain a loner for the rest of my life, Advisor Khasiq. With absolutely no one to look after my treasury," Yue said with more grace and class than possible for someone in a state of panic. "Don't worry. If I must absolutely pick a man, then I will pick a man who is not ashamed to dress as a woman and slay the toxicity in the North as needed."

For a moment— just a moment in time— Khasiq's pulse jammed to a stop, and Yue couldn't resist the flicker of self-pride that sparked in her eyes because she knew who it was that Khasiq was now fearing.

"La may be able to stomach your rotten offerings, but he will not sit back and let you step on innocent people's lives, let alone have you badmouth Tui," Yue crossed her arms. "Your plan is to make sure I marry not just a random person I might like but one of your allies, specifically. That's why you personally arranged for the suitors. They're your puppets, and they fear you, so they will have no qualms against taking hold of my treasury and handing it over to you on a silver platter. And you and I both know that you only have tonight to fulfill your fantasies. But I have the resources that will be advantageous to the innocent people that you've mooched off of for so long, and once I get past tonight, I will have all the time in the world to uplift my country."

Khasiq glared daggers at the princess.

"For that reason, at least, La will be very sure a marriage will not happen," she said, her tone sharp.

"La has no time for impure beings who do nothing but contaminate temples with their menses and take his name in vain!" he nearly roared.

"If it is true that La exists in every cell, every atom of this universe, even in the very biology that you're accusing, then He will disprove your delusions tonight."

"Oh really?" he huffed. "Then we'll see who's in the right tonight."

And no matter how much fury surged through the politician and overtook his body language in the form of clenched fists, Yue did not back down. Even in her state of concern for her way out of this mess, she was rather amused. "I look forward to it."

Having gone as far as shaving off his little pride-inducing goatee to disguise himself as an unnoticed servant, Sokka had slipped a sleeping aid into one of the teas presented to the suitors and gave it to the last man in line. The man who ended up dozing off and being dragged to a nearby closet was a minor chief, who happened to be the head of the Aguntak tribe, and this was a plus considering the Aguntaks were people who loved face paint. Being more in tune with nature than their neighboring cultures in the Greater Tribe, they sought to please La in his wolf form by keeping their faces painted in black pigment or even permanently tattooing their bodies with dark-colored art. The warriors and authorities were the exceptions given that they painted their faces to resemble wolves. Hence, it was quite easy for Sokka to don wolf paint after exchanging his shirt for the sleeping man's fur robes and feathered bicep-flaunting tunic. All that remained was letting down most of his hair, fixing up a few loose strands in hair loopies, arranging a small top-knot with and grabbing a spear.

"Alright, you're not Sokka, you're Cheku'gla, chief of the Aguntaks in Ukkugut. Don't slip, Socks, don't slip." Because the stakes had gotten impossibly high after he found out that this was an instant-wedding type of deal and not merely an engagement arrangement.

The Southern prince then approached the chamber where the event was being held, walking with his head held up and exuding confidence through his upright position...only to be shoved to the side by a snobby-looking tribesman in refined robes.

"Hey, Feathers, move your spear, will you?" And the tribesman strutted ahead without sparing an apology.

Glaring, "The name's Cheku'gla, and I'll move my spear if you move your ego out of the way."

The man raised his eyebrows at the Southern prince, "You don't know who I am, do you? I'm the esteemed Hahn from Jumju Village," muttering beneath his breath, "Aguk peasant."

"Oh, you're an Aguk peasant?"

Fuming, "You're the Aguk peasant here! Where I'm from, we live like kings. Kings!"

"It's Aguntak, for your information, and your Jumju is nothin' but a spider-ant compared to my Ukkugut Village."

Scoffing, "Well at least I know how to dress myself to meet a woman, Mr. Chugla."

"Cheku'gla," came the correction.

"You honestly think the princess is gonna fall for a polar monkey that calls itself a human?"

"I know she won't fall for the walking definition of pomposity who can barely remember names, Heen—"

"It's Hahn—!"

"Fuck off."

The suitors were all directed to a vast chamber decorated and set up especially for this event. Sokka noted that even though the official number had been twenty-five, there were more men who happened to show up, likely having signed up for an audience with the princess last minute. They were from different villages and hailed from various small tribes in the North beyond the capital. They were a mixed group, too, in terms of singlehood: frustrated virgins miraculously past marrying age, hopeful widowers, separated partners, single fathers, and secret polygamists.

They were mostly rather undignified, too. Having left their comfortable seats, they were sprawled out on the ground outside of a corridor in the corner like husky pups awaiting their owners' arrival by the front door. And sitting a little ways away from them (yet still close enough to hear the conversations) was Hahn.

Sokka frowned in bewilderment when he watched how one of the men sprinted down the corridor and then came back, whispering something to the fellow suitors.

"What is it now?" asked one of the suitors who Sokka labeled as the "observer."

"So the warrior from Iti'ka Village actually favors men!"

"What?"

"What is he doing here, then?"

"His family doesn't know about his preferences, apparently," the observer explained. "They sent him here to win her heart. The princess is currently giving him a pep talk. Telling him to find someone he truly loves."

Following that suitor was another, who was quick to come out of the corridor, his hand rubbing at his sore cheek. "Excuse me, brothers, I gotta head home."

"What happened to you?" someone asked.

The man groaned in pain. "I asked her to tell me something about herself."

"And?"

"She said that she was a mom."

"A mom?!"

"She's not a virgin?!"

"She said she's a mom of four million— ouch!" the man hissed as he touched his cheek again.

"What in La's hell…?"

"Four million?!"

"And I was shocked, right? So I asked her how many men she slept with."

"Dumbass, why would you even assume that's true?! No woman can have four million children and only be a few years past marrying age!"

"I didn't take it literally! I thought she was exaggerating or something to mean she actually had many children!"

"So she slapped you?"

"No, her assistant did," the man said. "Her assistant's not leaving her sight. We have zero privacy."

Serves that dumbass right, Sokka rolled his eyes, understanding fully well that as a leader, Yue was like a mom to all the Northern tribefolk, who totaled up to about four million according to what Zhi once told him. It was likely this fact that she was referencing.

"So does she secretly have kids or something…?"

"She could be lying."

"She is lying. She's not even trying to impress any of us! That's why it's so difficult for us to talk to her without her twisting our words."

One suitor was a witness to this. Thinking himself to be clever, he had praised womankind in front of the princess, claiming that women were strong and resilient, more so than men. Intrigued, she had asked him why he felt that way.

"And I told her it's because they cook and clean all day, sacrifice a lot for their families, literally leave their own home and move in with their husband and in-laws after marriage so they can stay with and care for them."

"Well said."

"Yeah, any woman would fall for a guy who understands her struggles."

"Yeah, right," rolling his eyes, "you'd think."

"What did she say?"

"Yes, of course. You're right." With one leg crossed over another, she leaned back in her seat and eyed the suitor who so confidently poured out his remaining brain cells to craft such an explanation. "But I'm more interested in what you think of women who can't or don't do those things."

Sayen gave her a knowing look. The suitor, however, frowned, "I beg your pardon, Princess?"

"You mentioned many things that housewives do to keep their families in order. There was a word you used for it: sacrifice."

"Yes, women sacrifice a lot for our sake, ma'am."

"What if they choose not to sacrifice?"

The question brought a smile to Sayen's lips. The suitor only blinked in confusion, "Why would they choose not to sacrifice? A woman cares deeply for her family."

"And a man does not?"

"Of course he does! A man sacrifices one way, a woman another way. The woman is...I'd say...more capable of doing so. She's willing to let go of anything and everything."

"Any human being, regardless of gender, would want to care for the family and sacrifice the smallest of joys for their sake," she began, "But with respect to housework, consider a woman who is tragically diseased. Or a woman who has some sort of medical condition or something that prevents her from cooking and cleaning. She is in a situation where she has to be dependent on others." Eyeing him with scrutiny, "Is that same woman not strong for overcoming her condition and suffering in silence? Is that same woman not strong for seeking the love and care of those around her?"

"Well...she is, but...that's her misfortune… Not everyone is well-endowed with health to fulfill their basic functions."

"Basic functions?"

"Due to her past karma, she is unable to tend to the home. She is no different from those who are paralyzed and are unable to move their limbs."

Swallowing thickly, "Misfortune…"

"Yes, misfortune."

Sayen, whose fists were clenched by then, attempted to speak up in the haze of fiery retaliation, but Yue beat her to it, asking the question calmly, "Is that what you would say if a man happens to have a condition like that?"

"Well...the man is weak. He needs to be cared for. That's why the woman must take care of him. She's emotionally stronger, mentally more complex."

"Emotional strength and mental complexity are the basic attributes of the human brain, whether they are a man's brain or a woman's. You seem to be saying that the man has no brain at all to handle complexity or emotional evolution."

"No, no, not at all! I'm just saying that the woman can handle a lot more..."

"Mm… and yet, she cannot handle her own body or the affairs of her household. She is not free to make decisions or choose how many children she wants or if she wants children at all," shifting in her seat, "It's like...she's free, but...she still needs to wear her chains…you know, for the satisfaction of her master..."

"Uh…I don't understand..."

Sayen closed her eyes and rubbed her throbbing head, biting her lip hard enough to tear at the skin. The princess, on the other hand, kept calm. "What I'm trying to say is that you don't seem to believe a woman has a place anywhere else in society other than her home...er, a home. Someone else's home, not even her own. You don't seem to trust that a woman is worthy of anything if she doesn't become a slave in all walks of her life."

"Um...N-No, that's not my intention, Princess, she most certainly does! She can look after financial matters and other things with her husband."

"Can she not do it alone?"

"She must consult her husband, of course! Your Highness, Tui and La do everything together. They are both dependent on one another—"

"How is it that the men of every household are doing everything by themselves then?" Sayen snapped. "How is it that their wives have no say—?"

"Please be calm, Lady Sayen," Yue held her hand up, turning to face the suitor. "Good sir, if Tui and La are interdependent on each other, why is that interdependence not translating? Why do you think we keep getting stuck at biology?"

"Uh...can you rephrase the question a little bit?"

"It's basically what my friend was asking just now."

"Oh...well...it's because...because men are the breadwinners," the suitor slowly stood up, caught off guard by the assistant's enraged glare, "A-And women are the housekeepers...it's the natural order."

"People say we are strong because we fulfill what they expect of us," Yue said. "If we don't, then we are weak and useless. Is that it?"

"P-Princess…"

"I understand that is how it is for men, too. The only difference being that their value comes from what they can provide for the household and their ability to beget children. In the end, we are all machines, are we not?"

"Uh...yes…?"

She stood up, "If I tell you that I refuse to be a slave of my in-laws' house... if I tell you that I want to be the one to have dreams for once, that I refuse to leave my home should I choose to accept any alliance, and if I told you that I wish to be happy and free instead of poised and ladylike, that I refuse to sacrifice my very self for an institution that sees me only as a child-rearing machine," facing him, "And most importantly, if I absolutely refuse to give you a share of my treasury, would you not consider me as strong, Brother?"

The suitor paled in spite of the princess's surprisingly contained demeanor but still held onto stubborn ground, his breath quickening as he cried, "I've been p-patient with you this entire conversation, P-Princess! You're acting with great arrogance and...and... hysteria…!"

"Of course," she sighed, "A woman cultivating her conscience is basically equal to her being arrogant, emotional, radically hysterical in our society, yes?"

The suitor glared at her but said nothing.

"You are looking for a woman who will submit to you. There are tons of them out there, and you may go find one to your liking, Brother. But here in this room, you will find no one to cater to these outdated philosophies. We come from a nation that embraces change, and yet, we are still stuck in the past. Like ice instead of flowing water. But perhaps that concept is too advanced for you." Taking her seat and crossing her legs again, "You may take your leave now."

"I don't get it!" the suitor whined. "What did I say wrong?"

"You shouldn't have brought up women in the first place," another one grumbled. "She's probably a fan of the Revivalists."

"Lady and her lunatics go about preaching nonsense like this. What else is a woman supposed to do other than housework? Sit in her room all day?"

And Sokka, who'd been listening from afar, had never realized how truly pathetic the situation was here. Then again, this kind of talk was something he was familiar with down South, too; Pakku, having been the chieftain in the past, was especially invested in the lives of the people, and he often endorsed cultural preservation, part of which included "setting the women straight," i.e., giving them lectures upon lectures in their households to look after the well-being of their family in a proper manner. Sokka remembered the first time Pakku took him and Katara on his "missions;" the prince was around nine years old at the time, and Katara, seven. They were visiting the house of a tribeswoman whom they affectionately called Auntie Khunsha.

Khunsha had been suffering from bouts of sorrow and inexplicable anger. She had lost her cheer and the will to do anything, and in the process, she was neglecting the housework and sleeping for long periods of time, complaining of exhaustion. Her in-laws had requested Pakku to visit her once and set her straight, perhaps have him tell her to just be happy and consider the well being of the family. Thinking himself to be virtuous and exemplary, Pakku wanted to set an example to Sokka and Katara regarding proper family dynamics in a Water Tribe home. He had been particularly harsh on Khunsha that day, condemning her neglect of the household, instilling ideas of sacrificing one's happiness for the household, that such sorrow was common to all women, and yet all the other women were able to "ignore it and move on," he had said. He did not care to ask why she was feeling this way and what could be causing it; rather, he diagnosed it as being common, entertaining the idea that a woman was invincible but all for the wrong reasons.

"You are invincible, Khunsha," Pakku's words still rang through Sokka's mind to this moment. "If you willed it, you could swallow down your sorrow in the blink of an eye. But you are stuck in it. You can't be weak. For the sake of your husband, your parents-in-law. It is your duty to please them!"

And the result of Pakku's overbearing lecture bore fruit later that evening when Auntie Khunsha, reported to have gone missing since that afternoon, was found deep in the snow forest, suspended from a tree by a rope that had circled her neck and snatched away her life.

To this moment, Pakku was never blamed for the incident. How could he be in the wrong when the South had labeled Auntie Khunsha as being a weak being? But that incident stuck with Sokka and Katara to this day, occasionally haunting their nights. Sokka found himself wondering many times how the situation would've been if he hadn't visited Khunsha that day. Perhaps the lady would've lived. Perhaps she would've found help, or worse, people would've tortured her more for a condition she couldn't help. All that was left in Sokka and Katara's hands at that point was their refusal to go with Pakku on these "missions" or entertain the old man's regressive ideas. Needless to say that to this day, Pakku had not changed, and the only reason he hadn't been able to go on his missions was because he didn't have enough to eat to gain the strength to walk around people's homes.

It did not make sense; if the tribefolk repeatedly claim each and every day in their prayers that their strength— as a people, as a race of change and a nation of kindness and sense of community— was a gift from Tui, a feminized principle, then why was it that the sisters, mothers, grandmothers, and daughters of the tribe were to this very day deemed the weaker community and taken advantage of? As Yue had worded in one of her speeches as Lady, "In the Land of Tui, why is the goddess within them repeatedly being compromised?"

This is why I won't ever make the mistake of believing in Spirits, Sokka scoffed, but he couldn't deny that the princess's versions of the Spirits were highly attractive, for they were reflections of her. Symbols of justice and peace.

As time passed, Sokka confirmed his main observations. First, more than the expected competition, there was a weird sense of camaraderie among the men who sought to win over the princess. Second, the princess was doing everything in her power to have them all reject her. Third, the suitors's ugliness of character kept rearing more and more of its head, making Sokka wonder with concern if her

"Did you see her face?"

"Nah, did you?"

"Nope. I don't think anyone here ever has."

"We'll leave that aside for now. What kind of a bride even is she?" another one of the suitors mused. "She's calling everyone, 'Brother.'"

"And all she's asking about are how the people in our villages are doing," piped up another. "Our resources, our economic situation, our industries and trades."

"Maybe she wants to choose the man with the most assets."

"She's not asking about personal assets, though. Her focus is mainly how much we're giving back to the public."

"Ugh, so righteous."

"It's all pretend, I tell you. She has got to be Arnook's illegitimate child or something. Why else would he keep her hidden all these years? She's an embarrassment at most."

Sokka glared at them as he finally decided on a seat and took one close by; a part of him shamelessly admitted that he, too, wanted to observe how things were going, but that was only because he had a plan and needed to carry it out precisely, mind the universe.

"They're saying it's for security that she was kept hidden—"

"Security, schmecurity, those are just excuses. The chief probably figured he had no choice but to bring her into the game. You know, since he doesn't have any official heirs and she's still part of his bloodline despite being illegitimate. That way, he can keep hold of the throne. She basically has to act righteously so people will think she's a great leader and all that."

"I hear she has her own treasury starting today. She apparently sold off all of her expensive belongings and ornaments. She's filthy rich now."

Her Highness is wasted on these idiots, the Southern prince huffed furiously.

"There has to be some kind of secret that they're keeping from us," Hahn spoke up. "I wonder what it is…" and upon looking around, he saw a servant refilling the containers of drinks and the refreshment trays. "Hey, you, over here!"

The servant, meek with his back bent in humility, wandered over to them.

"You know anything about the princess here? Is she disfigured or something? Is that why we can't see her?"

"Yeah, like, is she missing an eye?"

"Or is she one of them hairy folk?"

Sokka pierced the suitors with a glower, finally snapping, "Give respect to the princess, you soulless jerks!"

"Look who's preaching," a suitor mocked, "An Aguntak peasant!"

"You think you know how to treat a lady well? You think you can cater to her needs once you take her back to your place for good? With your clan's hideous tattoos and all?"

"Besides, why do you care?" Hahn spat. "Crawling all the way here from your little ice cave to win over the princess of the entire North that you don't even know?"

"If there's anything you should know about the princess, it's that she's the kindest person on the planet," the servant frowned at them. "And to be honest, I thought the chief would have her marry Prince Sokka."

Sokka found himself pleasantly surprised.

"Prince Sohka? That dude from the South?"

"It's pronounced 'Sokka,'" Sokka retorted.

"Well there has to be a strong reason why this Sohka person was not considered for her hand in marriage," Hahn pointed out.

"That's because he's someone with more dignity than any of you will ever have," the servant fumed, "And that's the one thing that Khasiq doesn't want any of the imbeciles he chose to have— aah!" the servant toppled backward until he was caught by the Southern prince.

"Seriously, the chief and his authorities clearly have no amount of sense in them if they're willing to hire these kinds of idiots," Hahn said. "I'll have to make some changes around here after the marriage. The princess will be impressed by my experience."

"I'm pretty sure 'asshole' isn't her type," Sokka muttered beneath his breath.

Occasionally a suitor would step into the corridor while another would step out and relay his conversation with the princess to the others. None of them were satisfied; some complained of her etiquette, for she never seemed to make eye contact with any of them. Some were displeased by the shabby-looking robes she wore in spite of her status. Some were turned off by her inquiries about the poor and disadvantaged folk in their villages. Some walked out as soon as they entered and ended up leaving the room, indicating that they didn't bother to be considered or to stay for the results; it was likely a result of them seeing her in such "cheap" clothing that they figured out how cheap their own futures were going to be.

"That woman has no intention of sharing her treasury or using it for personal purposes," one suitor had said after he walked out, shaking his head. "The richest woman in the entire North, maybe even the sister tribe, but she sees herself as a servant of the public."

"My family is expecting me to find a woman who will bring lots of dowry, not a social reformer who's gonna sell her belongings for strangers."

This was an opinion shared by another man who had been waiting patiently for his turn but ended up storming out in frustration after only five minutes or so. "Alright, I'm out."

"What?"

"What happened?"

"I asked for a wife, not a public servant. This woman knows nothing about pleasing a man. I came here for an instant wedding, and she's all about women, poor people, disadvantaged children, eunuchs, mud-slugs down the side of the road. She can go marry them, for all I care." And with that, he huffed his way out of the chamber.

"How brainless can that guy be?" Hahn said. "I mean, he basically missed out on the chance to bang the nation's walking treasury all because of a few conversations. I mean, he could've shut her up after the marriage and taken ownership of her treasury. You gotta think about the perks, too, not just the defects." Sighing, "I must say I feel bad for you men. No woman has ever resisted my charm, and the princess will be no different."

"What do you think her defects are? We already asked around about possible disfigurements."

"Well, I know I wouldn't bet my cards on her virginity."

"What?"

"Why not?"

"I mean, a few imposters supposedly wanted to sell her. They probably had their way with her already. Why do you think there's a demand for an instant wedding? 'Cause if she gets pregnant, no one's gonna be suspicious. They'll just think it's her husband's— OWW!"

The suitors watched as Hahn doubled over after something hit him squarely one the back of his head. Swinging back towards the person who launched the aim was a boomerang. Namely, Sokka's boomerang. The Southern warrior blew some dust off of his prized possession as Hahn grew outraged.

"Just practicing my aim to demonstrate to Her Highness, oh great Lord of the Imbeciles," came Sokka's growl of a reply, but it was very clearly a deliberate move, and none of the suitors were so stupid as to not recognize this fact.

"You want me to practice aiming my whale dagger at you, Aguntak trash?"

"Well yeah, sure, if you're that excited to have it redirected to your face!"

"You better watch it, peasant!" Hahn got up, shoving the men away from him and stomping up to the Southerner, "I've been watching you since the moment you set foot here. No respect, no humility, nothing. And now you're getting physical?"

"I've been holding it in ever since you started yapping away all kinds of yakshit about our respectable leader, but this is the final straw!"

"You dare to raise your voice at someone of such a high rank because of Arnook's little bitch— GAAAHHH!" Hahn found himself pinned to the ground in seconds as the Southern prince pressed his weight down on the tribesman and sent his fists flying at him one by one.

"You better watch that horrible hole you have for a mouth! It's filthier than a sewage drain, you blubbersucker!"

The rest of the suitors stepped back to enjoy the show and the colorful language. The raging warriors themselves, however, were lost in the brawl, swinging at each other. Sokka was clearly overpowering Hahn, repeatedly throwing him around on the tables every time he rose back up to fight. Clearly having most of his energy drained, Hahn was quick to give in to the weight behind the Southerner's punches. It did not last long, however; a shrill shout quickly interrupted them.

"ENOUGH!"

They both froze for a moment before shoving each other away from their vicinities. Sayen was glaring at them, but thankfully, she didn't recognize Sokka given his mostly-untouched face paint. Casting a look at Hahn, who was desperately trying to wipe the blood off of his face but clearly failing to stop wheezing from the pain, "You were supposed to be next, but—"

"I am next!" Hahn roared, "And I'll have your princess begging to marry me! Just you wait!" And after demanding that he be given a moment to wash his face, at least, he stormed away, giving Sokka a look that frankly fell short of intimidating, "Screw you!"

"Say fuck like a tribesman, Prissy Pants!"

He's come to take your place, La,

So I told him goodbye.

For worldly men I care not;

No luxury will catch my eye.

Neither frills nor haughty skills,

No nobleman from up high,

No fool with his pedestal,

No reasons, no rhymes.

I crave your dance, your fun,

Not walking frowns and sighs.

Your smile is what I love,

And in your heart will I abide.

Don't you remember

That winter monsoon night?

For eternities to come,

You promised your hand for mine.

To be your companion,

To fly free within your sky,

This is my wish. So take me,

Steal me under the moonlight.

Keep to your loyalty,

And a kiss you will get tonight!

And after the princess's impeccable recitation of the famous "Monsoon Moon," Hahn seemed to have gotten the message. With a huff, he left the room and walked out of the corridor. The rest of the suitors, who probably would've laughed, were instead feeling the weight of obvious rejection more strongly. Sokka snickered at the boastful tribesmen— Hahn especially— appeared deflated in their pride and pomposity. Soon enough, the Southern warrior was the only one left in the room, and as word reached Khasiq regarding the mass exit of the suitors, he charged into the chamber, seeing the "Aguntak warrior" remaining.

"You're a tough one," Sayen sighed at Sokka, "Come on in."

The princess was worn out from unexpressed frustrations by then, and she didn't bother to look at her final suitor. He frowned in concern.

"This was the other one in the brawl, Your Highness," Sayen said.

The princess seemed to have no interest apart from, "Was he hurt?"

"He seems fine to me. The other guy was the one who got beaten up."

Yue sighed and gestured for Sokka to take a seat, pointing to the chair across from her. He remained standing, though, and the princess could feel his gaze on her. Sayen, on the other hand, resumed her position next to the princess, her eye of scrutiny resting on the disguised prince. Somehow, he seemed familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"You don't need to remain standing, good sir," the princess said again, not caring to look at him.

"I hear you have a large heart, Princess," he spoke softly. "That's why it's no surprise if you're willing to marry someone without even looking at them. But you see, I can't accept someone who can't at least look me in the eyes. That tells me she doesn't trust me."

Life returned to the princess's gaze as she looked up at him abruptly, having recognized his voice. Slowly she rose to her feet, her eyes wide as they blinked at him from behind her veils. Isumataq?

His smile widened. Princess.

"May Mr. Cheku'gla and I have a moment?" Yue eventually said, surprising Sayen.

"Princess, are you sure? Are you comfortable?"

"More than I've been this entire evening."

Sayen gulped, looking from the princess to the Aguntak warrior. She found it very odd; the suitor was looking at her like she was his long-lost lover, and the princess, who had been jumpy in the presence of men ever since the incident with the Earth Kingdom imposters, suddenly found comfort and trust when standing in the vicinity of this man she just met. The only explanation Sayen had for this was that the princess was likely impressed by his display of humility.

"Er...yes, Princess...If anything seems wrong, just holler for me..." And with that, a confused Sayen saw her way out.

Sokka beamed at the princess, whispering, "Miss me, Baby Blue?"

Yue, taking off her mesh screens and veils, crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows at him. "Blatantly disrespecting my orders, hm?"

"You're not the only stubborn one here, Princess," he countered.

"And brawling with one of my suitors? The poor guy was bleeding pretty badly from his nose."

"I thought he'd protect himself. How would I know he's a wimp?"

"Sokka—"

"I can't help it, Your Highness," he raised his hands defensively, "I have a habit of defending the honor of people I care about."

Her face warmed for a moment, but she dismissed the flutter in her chest. "If someone finds out that it's you—"

"No one in this entire universe knows except for you and me," he assured. "Just trust me."

"You know you're putting me in an impossible position."

"I also know you're relieved to see me, Princess."

He was right, and they both knew it. "Maybe," the corners of her lips betrayed her stoic resolve and curved upward. "You really went all out, didn't you? You even shaved off your goatee for my sake. No one's ever done something like that for me before."

"Every sacrifice counts," he sighed in exaggeration, earning a giggle.

"Where's the original Aguntak gentleman?"

"He may or may not be sleeping in a storage closet in the west wing."

"Oh wow," shaking her head. "So I'm guessing you're here with a plan?"

"Yep," a wide smirk, "I'm here to kidnap you with your permission."

"Pardon?"

Khasiq was waiting impatiently in the chamber. Arnook was present, too, and against his will, he was forced to convince the suitors to stay; he had no choice but to do so, for Khasiq had kept his hands on his pocket-blade the entire evening, rousing fear and suspicion within the chief on what would happen to his daughter. The chief prayed to the Spirits to intervene, do anything that would get him and his daughter out of this mess and ensure Yue's marriage with Sokka.

The Spirits seemed to have answered the chief's prayers in the most unusual of ways when a tattooed man in a silk tunic tore through the chamber doors and addressed the chief, his advisor, and the suitors all at once, "He's not the real Cheku'gla!"

Khasiq frowned and got up from his seat. "Who are you and what are you blabbering about?"

And before Khasiq's guards could get to him, the Aguntak man tore off his tunic and gestured to his dark tattoos, "I am the real Aguntak! The man who came in my place is an impos—!"

BOOM! The palace rattled from the force of strong smoke bombs that left the chamber blanketed in smoke in seconds, and in the haze of this unforeseen chaos was the shriek of a woman. "Help! Please, someone help me! He's an impos— mmmpph!"

"The princess!" Arnook wailed.

"I told you!" the Aguntak warrior hollered.

"Dammit!" Khasiq swung his blade in the overwhelming smoke, "DAMMIT!"

Meanwhile, the veiled princess was holding tightly onto the prince's hand and was leading him through the palace walls to the corridors leading up to the exit, occasionally screaming, "Help! Please help me!" in the most convincing damsel-in-distress-esque screams and shrieks. It felt so real that for a moment, even Sokka feared he was actually kidnapping her without even knowing it.

"Suitors!" boomed Khasiq's voice from the distance behind them, "Whoever saves the princess will be given her treasury and her hand in marriage!"

"We need to go faster!" Sokka whispered. "Is there a shortcut?"

"This is the shortcut!"

"But they seem like they're—"

"There they are!" a suitor bellowed.

"He's dragging her away!" followed another.

"Guards! Stop him!"

Sokka gawked at the princess, who was pulling him forward, So that's how they understood it?

The roaring of tribesmen intensified behind them. Yue quickly bent ample amounts of mist through the corridors, causing the suitors in the distance to spring to a halt. She pulled Sokka into the icy wall and closed in the ice around them. They huddled inside, bodies pressed together, panting as they subconsciously sought for each other's body heat amidst the chilling cold. Clearly this was a wall that Yue hadn't sought to explore yet.

Sokka felt dizzy just from being in close proximity with her. Her moonflower-spice fragrance, her silk hair peeking out from the confines of her messy veil and brushing against his hand, her heartbeat seeming to pound through his own chest...

Not the time, you idiot, not the time.

"Sorry, sorry, let me just…" she pushed back against the wall behind her, making it shift backward so they could have more space. And she stepped back, giving him some space.

"How about I escape from here instead of—?"

"No, we need this to be a kidnap," he said. "It's for your own benefit."

"Can't you tell me what your plan is in the first place?"

"I'll explain everything once this is over," he promised. "Just trust me on this."

They could hear numerous voices from the other side of the wall. The number of people looking for them increased thanks to Khasiq alerting the guards as well.

"We're lucky they didn't see us up close. If they did, they'd see that I'm the one trying to escape," she panted. "We need to make this more convincing."

"I could do an evil laugh."

"Let's hear it."

"Muahahahaha!"

"On second thought, maybe not," she giggled at his frown. "It's a bit too theatrical, sorry. How about...well, you probably need to tie me up."

"What?"

"That's how it always happens in the plays," she told him. "You're going to have to tie my hands together. Maybe even my feet."

"But that would mean I have to…you know...pick you up…if we want to escape..."

"You don't have to. Just pretend you're pulling me by my hair or something—"

"No no, I can't do that!"

"Sokka, it's not wrong if we're both consenting and if it's just pretend," she said. "They need to be convinced that you're kidnapping me. Either that or we drop the mission—"

"No no, wait. I'll just...I'll carry you," his face tinted red as he said it, "I-If it's okay with you..."

Thinking for a moment, "Alright then, now tie me up."

"I don't have any rope on me."

"You can't be a professional kidnapper without something to tie people up with."

"How should I know? I've never kidnapped anyone, and we didn't have a lot of plays down South, either."

After sharing a moment of thought, Sokka widened his eyes, "My arm wraps!"

"Yes yes!"

He fumbled to pull the blue wraps off of one arm. Yue held both of her hands out as he tied them with the wraps.

"A little tighter—"

"It might hurt your wrists!"

And Yue wasn't sure why, but she found his concern to be highly amusing, maybe even cute. "Okay, that's good enough—"

"We can use this one for your feet," he pulled the wrap off of his other arm, and she used it to tie her feet together. And following that was the next task.

"So...do I just…pick you up then?"

"Um, yeah…"

"Over the shoulder, right?"

"That's how the villains usually carry the woman they kidnapped," she shrugged, "and the woman usually struggles and hits his back to try to make him put her down...I won't hit you like that by the way, don't worry."

"Chuckling nervously, "Right," and he kept blanking out after that, "Sorry, it's just...I've never picked up a girl before…other than Katara when she was little but she's my sister, ya know?"

"It's the same as picking up any human being...isn't it?"

"So you've never been carried before?"

"Not since I was a baby. There was no need for it. I mean, I've never been kidnapped like this before."

"Yeah, of course."

Sighing, "Sokka, I trust you. That's what's most important. So I don't mind."

"O-okay," he blinked, "If you feel uncomfortable, just...just tell me—"

"Hurry!"

His arms hastily flew around her waist all at once, and she yelped rather loudly, causing him to stagger back, "Sorry, sorry!" he sputtered, "A-Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," a giggle, "Just a little ticklish."

"Ticklish? Your Highness, we're in the middle of a chase!"

"You're right, sorry." She took a deep breath and cleared her throat, "Okay, now I'm ready."

"Ready?"

"Yes—aahhh!" This time she let out a squeal accompanied by a quasi giggle-like moan once his palms bent, grasping her tentatively by the waist. And the sound did very strange things to him. He quickly let go, turning beet red.

"Sorry, it feels kind of funny, " she admitted, "I've never..." Well, she's never been touched like that before, and judging by his intensifying blush, he never laid hands on a woman's waist, so that was a milestone.

"Okay, this is an awkward approach," Yue shrugged off her own blush, "How about bridal style? It might be easier that way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's supposed to make you have better posture, too, so it will be easier on your back." It was also how the hero usually carries the damsel in distress, but whatever floats the boat, right?

Moments later, she found herself in his arms. She was quite light, he noted. Some awkwardness still persisted considering she didn't know what to do with her hands. He didn't have very many suggestions, either; after all, this was a move utilized by couples more often according to the duos' experiences living in a matchmaking society. And usually, this kind of posture resulted in the woman wrapping her arms around her man's neck and leaning quite close to him. They let the observation remain unaddressed, though, and she eventually settled her palms on his shoulders, not really touching him but also unable to not touch him for the sake of balance.

"We probably should've practiced this beforehand."

"What, the kidnapping process?"

And her giggles sent warm bells of contentment ringing through him. She was somewhat huddled close to his chest to keep herself hidden from anyone who could be watching from behind them. It wasn't like she could fake being unconscious without leaning on something.

"So we have a couple of options," she took another deep breath, "I could act like I'm unconscious, and if I do, I have two sub-options."

"Sub-options?" he asked, amused.

She frowned in concentration as she tried to get it straight in her head. "I would have to either have my extremities hang down, which would make it harder for you to carry me because I'll be heavier if I act limp, or I'll have to lean on you a little bit. Or I could be 'awake' and try to fight you, but that would require... me touching you more than normal," she finished lamely, watching him laugh softly at her, "What?"

"You don't have to explain it to me. I don't mind, you know," he smiled at her. "You can just lean on me."

And following that, she very slowly, carefully leaned her head against his chest, her face flushed from the biting cold that whipped through the open windows juxtaposed by the warmth of his body heat. It was likely a weird feeling for her, and he could tell with how she kept fidgeting in his arms, trying to find a posture that involved the least discomfort for him as possible.

"You're fine, Princess," he chuckled, simultaneously fascinated because he was feeling that strange need again. That need to care. Here in his arms with her blinking her baby blue eyes up at him but failing to maintain the slightly intimate-esque eye contact, she appeared so innocent. Vulnerable to a degree.

But somewhere in the midst of their getting used to this position, they finally stepped out of the wall and hit the palace grounds. Sokka picked up the pace. "Which way?"

"Take the next right—" she stopped mid-sentence with a gasp, "Behind you!"

"He's over there!"

"Unhand the princess!"

"GET HIM!"

He ran through the corridor and took the next right, kicking open a door and stepping outside. It was a miracle how he managed to not slip over the ice given how abundant and bumpy the surface was.

"Take another right, and you'll reach the sidewalks," she instructed, "Head right until you get to the tundra. And from there, go wherever you want. I'll keep you covered."

To their inconvenience, several guards were waiting outside. Yue immediately feigned a lack of consciousness, huddled against his chest, but simultaneously she bent a wave of snow over them and froze them to the ground before they could throw their blades and machetes in Sokka's direction.

"You didn't even move a muscle!" he breathed in awe.

"Much practice," she gave a smug grin, blocking their view by generating more mist behind them so they wouldn't be so easily seen. This gave him the leeway to meander through the shadows of the inner ring. The guards and suitors were resilient, though, for they quickly caught up to the duo.

"STOP THERE!"

"The princess!"

By the time they got halfway through the middle ring, Yue said, "Sokka, take a detour to the left. Go as far as the tundra ends."

"But won't there be water there?"

"Just trust me."

He obeyed, and they swerved left. Yue turned around subtly to where they wouldn't notice and stole glimpses of the men who were gaining on them Some were running, and some were catching up by riding atop buffalo yaks. A good portion of these soldiers happened to be waterbenders, and they skied their way close to the duo, maneuvering the ice and glaciers around them to somehow restrain Sokka. With a tilt of her head, Yue managed to melt all the ice before it could attempt to freeze them in place. As far as water whips went, she redirected them with a swift hand motion, noting how the guards ended up being frozen in place or knocked into the ice on their backs.

What was most alarming to the princess at one point, however, was how some of the guards whipped out arrows and spears, ready to aim them in Sokka's direction. Yue quickly bent a wave that sliced the spears in two and directed them away, but some of the arrows were stubborn, not relenting in their aim.

"Watch out!" Yue grabbed hold of a wide-eyed Sokka by the collar of his tunic and tilted his head forward towards her, and the arrows shot forward, tearing off one of the feathers of his overcoat and pinning it to the snow. By then, the ocean loomed before them, presenting Sokka with another challenge.

"Keep going. Run through the water."

"Your Highness?"

"Trust me."

Sokka then hit the water, finding that his steps had been balanced by squares of ice beneath his feet.

"Follow them! Benders up front!"

And with another flick of her wrist, Yue bent the ice beneath the guards' feet, and it gave way, taking them all with it. The guards plopped into the waters beneath the ice, flailing up to the surface, but by then, the duo was gone, covered up by the overwhelming mist. Unknown to them, the prince of the South and the princess of the North were coursing through the water, bathed in moonlight, laughing all the way through their escape.