Chapter 52: Invisible Strings

Beneath the eventful moonlight, the senior White Lotus members accompanied Leadership Council member Akluviq as he gathered before the Aninnialuk idol. He handed a set of documents to Yue in the presence of all who had attended the wedding.

"Here you are, Nunaatip Anaana," the leader smiled at her. "The North is now in your capable hands." Turning to the isumataq, "And yours, too, of course, Chieftain-Consort Sokka."

Yue took hold of the papers, and immediately, the Spirit Oasis went into an uproar of applause. She skimmed over the contents, her heart beating rapidly as her gaze settled on three crucial words: Ataniq Yue Aninnialuk. Chieftess Yue Aninnialuk.

And following that: Angayok-Angutik Sokka Aninnialuk. Chieftain-Consort Sokka Aninnialuk.

"I'm so proud of you, paniga," Ahnah kissed her daughter's forehead, pulling her in for a congratulatory embrace.

Arnook smiled at the sight before placing his hand over Sokka's shoulder, "And it goes without saying that we are lucky to have you with us, ningauk."

And in spite of all the tension they'd all experienced to get to this point, in spite of all the awkwardness that was still present following the heart-jolting kiss from earlier, Sokka let out an exhausted grin, giving into Arnook's hug that followed.

"May you both have a long, happy life together," Akluviq said to the North's new leaders, "And may the Water Tribe prosper under your leadership. We are eagerly looking forward to your official coronation."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Akluviq," Yue said with a tired smile before handing the documents back to him, "But I believe these documents should stay with you. Something with this level of importance is better off in the hands of people who will take good care of them without any distractions. Besides, I'm only the chieftess on paper."

"Until the coronation, we'll just be dronningi and isumataq," Sokka said, adding with a smile, "I'm sure Her Highness would also want one less thing to worry about, so it's best if you guarded these papers until then."

Chuckles rang through the Spirit Oasis as Akluviq smiled and took the papers back, "Alright then. I will hand these back over to you both on the day of your coronation."

The wedding painter, who had just then completed the finishing touches on his final painting, carried the parchment up front and presented it to the newlyweds, "Out of all the other sketches, this one turned out to be the best."

More chuckles and applause followed whereas Sokka and Yue glanced at the painting, flushed to see that it was a painting of their kiss. The painter had really outdone himself this time as evidenced by the pleasant surprise by the surrounding folk: the image of a white-robed woman, shocks of her hair interwoven with the fingers of the dark-skinned man who was kissing her, his hands cupping her face. The woman's own palm caught in the man's dark wolf tail, her other hand grazing his jaw. Like Tui and La madly in love.

"You've definitely recreated the passion between Tui and La," Akluviq told the painter goodnaturedly.

Yue bit her bottom lip whereas Sokka pressed his lips together; both were reminiscing the sensation that still tingled on their lips— the primal curiosity that had taken the reins and the onslaught of…dare they admit…pleasure…that came with it… The feeling of soft fingers cupping gentle skin, sweet lips tangled with carnal salt. And Yue could tell from a look at his face that he was reliving it, the crimson on his cheeks made obvious beneath the bright moon. He flushed a shade deeper when he saw her looking at him, and she turned away instantly, wanting nothing more than to be wrapped up in her awkwardness-curbing veils because she refused to give away the color raiding her own face. At least the isumataq had darker skin; her flustered form would be given away in less than a second.

"As much as we'd like to stay longer and scare the hell out of our prince over here," Jeong Jeong nudged the lovestruck groom, "we should probably get back."

"This is supposed to be a secret wedding. If others were aware that we spent this much time in the Spirit Oasis, they would be suspicious," Piandao followed.

"But tomorrow, we will find a way to celebrate secretly," Gyatso promised with a smile. "Congratulations to you both."

The White Lotus members filed out one by one— save for Gyatso, who offered to take Akluviq back to his village on his sky bison. The sentries were accompanied by several Revivalists who had also decided to turn in for the night, discussing the possibility of a small-scale wedding reception on their way out. Imona, displeased at the ease with which the Revivalists simply accepted Sokka, ignored the conversations and pulled the princess in for a warm hug, whispering in her ear, "If that idiot makes a move on you…"

"Respect, Imu—"

"I know, I know." Sighing, flashing a glare in Sokka's direction before turning back to Yue, "Be careful. If you need anything…"

"I'll be fine. You're acting like I'm going off to war or something."

"It's always war with a despicable man around," she muttered beneath her breath, earning another frown from the princess. Junguk sighed at his wife before placing his hand on Sokka's shoulder.

The prince only shrugged and smiled at his friend, clapping his back, "No hard feelings, chap. I get it."

Junguk smiled and hugged the prince, "You're both wonderful people. I know you deserve the best that is each other. Hopefully the princess will be quick to accept you."

And with that, the couple left with the remaining Revivalists, Junguk promising to meet up with the newlyweds afterward. In the meantime, Akluviq made preparations to leave before approaching the newlyweds once again, this time with a word of advice.

"I understand that the Consummation Night will have to wait, yes?"

To which the isumataq and dronningi turned several shades redder than they already were.

"It would be best if we had it arranged after Chief Hakoda and Chieftess Kya leave for the South," Ahnah admitted. "You're aware of the complications such an arrangement would cause if Sokka's parents—"

"NO!"

Ahnah, Arnook, and Akluviq turned to the embarrassed couple at their simultaneous outbursts.

"No?" Arnook raised his eyebrows.

"I mean…frankly, it's not even necessary," Yue covered her face with a mask to hide her flush, a resolute look in her eyes.

And the trio gawked at her and the isumataq as if they said the moon didn't exist. Ahnah huffed, "It's very necessary for a marriage, paniga!"

"Well it's not exactly appropriate!"

"Why wouldn't it be appropriate? You're both married now, that would be the next step!"

"It's just not appropriate!" came the dronningi's lame logic.

"It's not the right time," Sokka insisted, also flustered, "Totally incompatible with our task at hand…" and he trailed off, hoping they got the point.

Akluviq sighed at them, partly amused, "I understand that times are rough, and I know that this time isn't ideal for you to confidently start a family, but that being said, don't refrain from enjoying yourselves. Get to know more about one another, have fun. The tribe is definitely worth saving, but you don't need to beat yourselves up every second for that."

"Preach it, Mr. Akluviq," Arnook encouraged.

But no matter how casual and harmless they all made it sound, this was yet another battle that was looming over them. Yue sighed, her exhaustion telling her to fight that battle tomorrow.

"Hopefully I will see you again before these nine months are over, but if not, it will likely be a day before your coronation." Akluviq then reached into the folds of his robes and handed them a packaged gift, "Congratulations again on your marriage, Sokka and Yue Aninnialuk. May both of you stay safe and happy, always."

Akluviq eventually boarded Gyatso's sky bison, accompanied by the painter, who had left behind a promise of mailing in copies of the paintings as wedding gifts. The duo waved goodbye and went on their merry way. And following their exit, the Spirit Oasis consisted of only the awkward newlyweds, Ivaneq, Osha, Chen and Kiguk, Aang and Katara, and a very relieved Arnook and Ahnah. Ivaneq finally took the chance to race up to the newlyweds, his face and eyes brighter than the stars.

"At long last, it finally happened!" He couldn't resist giving Sokka a hug, "Congratulations to both of you, Your Highnesses! You two are really very perfect for each other!"

"Oh, hehe…" Sokka rubbed the back of his neck, "Appreciate it, Ivaneq—"

Clapping Sokka on the back, "Just to think a few weeks ago, you just couldn't keep yourself from asking about our princess every second!"

Sokka widened his eyes, "Uhhh…" as the princess gawked at him, "Not every second, I mean, I was just curious—!"

"Don't be too modest, Brother, you were asking me all about Her Highness! What she looks like, what she sounds like—!"

"Okaaayyyy, we're getting carried away," Sokka chuckled nervously, nearly clamping his hand over Ivaneq's mouth, "I'm glad you're happy, Brother Ivaneq," and lowering his voice to a befuddled whisper, "Do you mind?!"

Ivaneq laughed knowingly, "Alright, alright." The man then reached into the folds of his robes and pulled out a gift as well. He placed it humbly in the princess's hands, "Just a little something to celebrate this moment," and then placed a set of scrolls on top of the gift, "And these are separate. They're the budget details that you asked us to finalize for your treasury."

"Oh, good," the princess smiled, "Thank you, Ivaneq."

With the remaining visitors engaged in conversation, Yue sighed and cast aside her veil, lazily tugging at her hairpiece and extracting it from her hair. Her hands ran through her long locks, eyes lidded and sleepy. For a moment, Sokka forgot all awkwardness, concern for the princess taking over. "You're very tired," he took the gifts from her but was unable to take the scrolls, "Why not turn in for the night, dronningi?"

Flushing at his close proximity, "It's fine. These are pretty important, and they won't take me long anyway. You should sleep, too—"

"You're both being considerate of each other now, but you sounded so repulsed by the idea of consummation earlier," Ahnah pointed out. "Seriously, what would Akluviq think? That you married each other just to check a box?"

"Consummation is out of the question," Yue insisted, her embarrassment returning. "I refuse to talk about this any further."

"For Spirits' sake, Yue, there are herbs out there to prevent pregnancy—!"

"I know that!" Yue nearly shrieked, bearing a wide-eyed, flushed look resembling that of the isumataq, "These are things we should be discussing in private, anaana—!"

"I don't believe you understand the concept of marriage, paniga. You and your husband are supposed to be thinking about these things together anyway—!"

"We're not having this conversation!"

Fighting off his awkwardness, Sokka exclaimed, "You know who's really in need of a romance around here, ukuagek? You and the chief!"

"What?" Ahnah blinked.

"Twenty-three long, torturous years. You gotta make up for it, right? Gotta rekindle that spark!"

"I couldn't agree more!" Yue joined in with a grin, "How about Sokka and I personally plan a getaway for you and ataata? So you can enjoy yourselves?"

"Don't change the topic, you two—!"

"Yes, let's do it!" Sokka gave the princess a high five, "I'll pick out the venue—"

"And I'll arrange all the necessary tonics," Yue smirked, causing her mother to flush. Before Ahnah could protest, the princess then escaped by walking off into the small clearing beneath the Spirit Gate, keeping away from the rest of the world and engrossing herself in the documents at hand.

The night was eventful, but the goal was to make it appear as if it wasn't. It was difficult considering Arnook and Ahnah were over the moon about their beloved daughter finally getting hitched, and they firmly believed that such an event shouldn't be treated so lightly— thus their dissatisfaction with how Yue herself acted almost nothing like a bride apart from the awkward aftermath of a first kiss. The newlywed couple expressed no enthusiasm for consummation, which slightly worried the Northern leaders, but even then, they couldn't actively and vocally protest; it was perhaps, in some ways, better this way considering the North was filled with watchful eyes and loud mouths. Servants who wandered at night were abundant, and any small suspicion would give way to rumors. Thus, the possibility of things like a post-royal marriage celebratory procession to the palace was nonexistent.

Arnook and Ahnah, giving up on ways to make the event grander than it should be treated under the circumstances, settled for quiet satisfaction and decided to carry the Aninnialuk idol back to the Moon Temple as a gesture of devotion and thanks to the Spirits. Meanwhile, Katara, Osha, and Chen worked at clearing away the firelog once the sacred fire became extinguished under natural conditions. Kiguk, Ivaneq, and Aang were huddled on one end of the Oasis, taking occasional looks at Sokka; the isumataq was, at present, basking in the moonlight, having taken off his overbearing cape and setting aside his peacock headdress as he leaned against a bush. His legs were splayed out, arms crossed, and his eyes were closed. He wasn't sleeping, per se, but he wasn't exactly the one to meditate in such a position, either. There was an inkling of a smile tugging at his lips, too, but it wasn't entirely obvious.

"Poor guy's probably still processing his sexual awakening," Kiguk snickered, "He was pretty into it for a first time."

"Maybe we should refrain from discussing this in front of a monk?" Ivaneq suggested.

Aang, who had been smiling in amusement, raised his eyebrows at the remark, "We may be monks, and we may be discouraged from pursuing these things at the Air Temples, but we don't live under rocks or anything."

"Oh, cool, so you're aware," Kiguk smirked. "Inexperienced but aware." Turning back to his cousin, who was now curling up on the warm Oasis ground, his smile hidden in the grass, "You know, I really think he and the princess enjoyed themselves."

Aang's thoughts briefly flickered over to the faces of Kya and Hakoda. "This was the moment Chieftess Kya and Chief Hakoda must've been waiting their entire lives for," the Avatar sighed. "If only they were a bit open-minded, they wouldn't have missed out on the wedding."

"Had they known, and had they been open-minded, they would've been happy that their son is now two-thirds a proper tribal man."

"Two-thirds?" Aang asked.

"In the Water Tribe, it's believed that men and women prove themselves in three instances. By no means is this belief healthy in our society, but it's dominant," Ivaneq explained. "A woman fulfills her womanhood first by coming of age, that is, experiencing her first cycle. The second time is when she marries and experiences intimacy for the first time during Consummation Night, and the third is when she births a child. It's a similar process for men; a boy becomes a man in the eyes of tribal society first by coming of age and successfully passing the ice dodging ritual."

"What's ice dodging?"

"It's a rite of passage for young tribesmen. When a boy turns fourteen, his father takes him. The boy has to demonstrate skill in maneuvering a boat and leading his crew with the right commands to dodge all ice and glaciers that are in the way. When he succeeds, he is recognized as a young man." His gaze returning to a now-snoring Sokka, "No doubt Brother Sokka passed that. And he's been at sea since he was fourteen, apparently."

"The second time you become a man is, of course, when you marry and consummate that marriage with your wife," Kiguk said. "It should also theoretically be the first time you experience intimacy— loyalty is a must. And the third time is when you become a father. It doesn't matter if you have a son or daughter, but if a son is born to you, more props to you, I suppose. Unfortunately, we're number one in the patriarchy business, after all." Shrugging, "Since the consummation part seems to be currently off the table, Sokka isn't completely two-thirds of a man yet, and the princess technically isn't considered two-thirds of a woman yet. By impractical sexist standards."

The Avatar blinked, trying to digest the impromptu crash course on Water Tribe dynamics. "I guess the loyalty part is why marrying at the age of sixteen or seventeen is so important. So you're not tempted to…fulfill your needs…with anyone other than your spouse…"

"Precisely. The underlying idea is that the husband is La and the wife is Tui, and we as a society have to emulate the loyalty that exists between the two of them. And according to Khasiq's logic, by getting rid of Tui altogether, that requirement would be broken," Ivaneq added with a frown, "But that's beside the point. In order to ensure that original strict loyalty, we don't even get our 'talk' until our wedding night."

"Wedding night?" Aang said, "But that's…"

"So you wouldn't know what to do or expect until the consummation night. The hour before you literally do it for the first time. And that's the point. The purpose of putting off the 'talk' is to prevent any sort of sexual activity out of wedlock so we won't succumb to the heat of hormones before marriage, oh Tui and La!"

"The idea of marriage, whether you're ready or not, is that you get married when you first discover your needs, at the very peak of your sex drive, which the Water Tribe— the world, actually— estimates to be around sixteen to seventeen years. And you get to fulfill your needs with your spouse. The 'talk' wouldn't be necessary before then anyway as the young tribefolk would be underage. It's so extreme that a tribesman is even deterred from…being aroused…"

"Ice patches," Kiguk snorted.

"Ice patches?"

"Basically cold therapy. Gets rid of involuntary… 'risings'…"

The young monk flushed, "My understanding is that guys have…a lot of… um…as they're growing up. It's supposed to be healthy…"

"Well yeah. Whenever that happens, you basically shove some ice cubes down your underwear and stuff to bring down those 'ums'," Kiguk chuckled. "What do the monks do, by the way? Just out of curiosity. Science doesn't escape the Air Nomads, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," Aang flushed further, "Meditation is the go-to."

"Ah, of course," Kiguk kicked his legs out and leaned against a bush, his arms folded behind his head, "Well the bottom line is that sexual freedom and choices on marriage aren't real in the Water Tribe. I understand sex before reaching sixteen is underage anyway by many standards, but even in the event that you're not married or if you choose to wait, you're still forbidden from exploring what pleases you, to say the least. First off, circumstances will make it difficult because the Tribal system isn't organized to suit a sexually free culture. If you're a guy, and you want to explore or even date, all the girls in your area are likely married off because tradition says they should be. Who will you experiment with then? If you do, that would be cheating on the married woman's part. You could fulfill your needs yourself, but the Water Tribe is so picky. You can't even have your first climax until the wedding night, and it has to be perfectly timed and aligned and must be procreative."

"But all of this is theoretical culture, of course, reality is a different matter. Practically speaking, not everyone is going to follow all the rules."

"Like yeah, the talk isn't until the wedding night, but typically that won't be the first time you'll hear about it. Unless you've been living under a glacier your entire life," Kiguk said. "I mean, Chen and I have tried things. We're seventeen, and we've tried things the night we reached sixteen. Granted we live in the Earth Kingdom, but we still knew certain things in theory. Then there's this thing called instinct that works more than you think. It's universal!"

And although Aang was still processing the information, Ivaneq raised his eyebrows at the young tribesman.

"What? We're betrothed!" Kiguk said defensively.

"Well keep your distance in front of your folks anyway."

"My parents are very liberal. Not that we'll be doing it in front of them or anything, but I think they can guess what we've been doing. What actually matters is that Uncle Hakoda and Aunt Kya never find out."

"So… I'm assuming Sokka and Katara haven't had…the talk…officially?" Aang asked. "Even though they've reached their twenties…?"

"They're not married, yet, so no, I'd assume," Ivaneq said.

"They obviously haven't had much guidance, I can tell you that," Kiguk added, turning to Ivaneq, "My poor cousin was panicking earlier because he didn't know how to kiss and wanted to leave an unforgettable impression on the princess."

"But just because you're not told certain things and you're not experienced doesn't mean you don't hear a few things," Ivaneq said. "As long as communities and gossip exist, you'll hear something. Eavesdropping on conversations, rumors, accidentally walking in on your parents. If the universe wants you to know something, it will make sure you know it. For Brother Sokka…well, the men he's around a lot are married after all. He must've eavesdropped on at least a few conversations. And Princess Katara is a healer, too, so I presume she's aware of certain things."

"I'd assume knowledge isn't the entire issue, either," Aang said. "There's something called instinct. That's to say, you can't keep a lotus from blooming. It's going to bloom when the time is right."

"Exactly," Kiguk nodded. "And that's not all. Loyalty isn't something you can force through tradition. Even if you hate your partner, you need to be honorable in breaking off that bond before you look in other directions. It seems like an obvious distinction, but sometimes, it's such a fine line between endorsing sexual freedom and being morally conscious about it enough to not cheat or override one's own freedom."

"It's basic human decency and respect for the idea of companionship, that's what," Ivaneq said, sighing, "It's that type of decency and respect that the Water Tribe has been lacking ever since Khasiq's influence seized control. That's partly why our princess is highly sensitized. Why she's not entertaining the possibility of spending her life with even someone like Sokka. Because it seems to me that she does like him, so…it's not totally an issue of feelings..."

"She does?" Kiguk and Aang turned to Ivaneq.

"It seems very likely. She always asks about him when he's not around. She certainly respects him very much. I mean, he did leave quite a good impression with his letter as we know, and she insisted on arranging a gift he's bound to like. What she doesn't seem to realize— or at least say outright— is that she's happier around him. Every time I see her with him, she's smiling and laughing and having a great time. And what I think is most important is that she hand picked him for the ethics ministry, a very morally conscious position, and she herself repeatedly made a point of not settling down with someone of inferior moral character."

Soft snores interrupted their conversation. The trio looked back at Sokka, who was now asleep, the smile on his face more obvious. "I'd say she has a very soft spot for Prince Sokka somewhere in that skeptical heart of hers. But with the way things are right now, she's going to need time to realize that herself."

"Your speech was very eye-opening, Princess," Chen said for what was probably the fifth time since she got the opportunity to speak with Yue. "I would love to be a part of the Black Lotus and help however I can."

"I'm very glad to hear it, Lady Chen," Yue smiled, her voice kept soft in consideration of the exhausted prince, who was snoring away against the soft grass.

"Hopefully we will be able to discuss this more over dinner some time?" Chen asked. "We've heard and seen how you pampered your guests by arranging cuisines from their own cultures. I'd love to personally treat you to some Earth Kingdom specials. Many people say I'm an okay cook, and my dishes will also be vegetarian, don't worry."

Yue chuckled, "I'm sure you're an amazing cook. And yes, I'd love to have dinner with you." Her face slightly fell, "I'm just not sure how feasible it would be for me to come to the estate."

"Oh, no, it won't be at the estate, I promise," Chen said. "I'm aware of the situation…and I know you're not looking forward to coming to the estate anytime soon. I'll just have the servants bring over the food I prepare, and we can eat at the palace."

"Of course," Yue smiled. "Are you free tomorrow night?"

"Yes! But the thing is, I believe there are talks about a private wedding reception for you and Brother Sokka tomorrow night. If you're up to it, we can have dinner beforehand and have the reception a little later at night."

"It's likely going to be after midnight again," Ivaneq said. "When most people are asleep."

"Then that's perfect!" Chen clapped, "I'll have my best dishes prepared for you, Princess."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Lady Chen." Yue hugged the young woman, "I'm very grateful."

"Please, no formalities. We're like sisters."

"Yes," the princess smiled, "You're right, Sister Chen."

"We'd like to congratulate you again, Princess Yue," Kiguk smiled. "I can't tell you how happy I am for you and Sokka. Especially Sokka. I never thought he'd kiss a girl in his life!"

Yue turned to the sleeping prince before looking away, trying to hide her blush. Arnook and Ahnah chuckled before they were caught up in conversation with Ivaneq, and Aang and Katara were discussing something in the distance. Kiguk then lowered his voice as he spoke to the princess, "We understand the terms and conditions you and my cousin are bound by. Just a comment to make sure they believe it's real," gesturing to the chief, chieftess, and Northern assistant.

"Yes, I understand, thank you," Yue nodded, her smile intact. "Congratulations to you both on your wedding as well. It's coming up soon, right?"

"We are set to have one of our marriage ceremonies in the South Pole and another in the Earth Kingdom," Kiguk said. "We understand you may not be able to visit the Earth Kingdom anytime soon given your position here, and we know for sure Socks is going to be staying behind, but we still hope to see you at the South Pole for the ceremony. Spirits-willing, if the situation here is stable for a few days…"

"I will be with you in spirit regardless," Yue assured. "And don't worry. I'm no dictator. Sokka will definitely be there for your wedding."

"Only a fool would leave his new wife behind and travel across the world."

To which the princess simply let out a nervous chuckle. Kiguk, though, appeared serious. "Sokka really likes you, Princess."

Raising her eyebrows, "Sorry?"

"My cousin. He's head over heels in love with you."

Suppressing the skip in her heart, "That's the impression he wants everyone to have. So he can avoid being forced into a marriage by his parents—"

"No, I don't think that's what's actually going on with him." Sighing, "Sokka…he's never been like this around anyone, Princess. And it's very seldom that we see him be this happy. Even whenever he visited us in the Earth Kingdom, even when he was with someone like my dad, whom he's known since forever and feels most at peace with… Sokka had never been like this." With a plea, "Sokka will take good care of you if you're willing to give him a chance, Your Highness. And…you seem to be comfortable around him, too. I have a strong feeling you'll be happy with him."

"This isn't just our opinion, by the way. Everyone thinks this. And not because we're trying to force you into a relationship with him or get him hitched that desperately or anything," Chen said. "It's just that everyone can see how happy you are when you're with Brother Sokka. I've been hearing everyone say this, and I've seen it for myself at the meeting earlier. How relaxed and comfortable you were with him. Believe me, none of us would be saying this if he was a horrible person or if you couldn't stand being next to him for even a second."

Yue took a deep breath, "Sokka is a wonderful man, no doubt. I've known this ever since I read his letter asking for help. The way he described the plight of the South…I could see that he cared a lot for his land and his people. And seeing him in person only confirmed it. But…assuming he has feelings for me after only knowing me for a week is quite…unbelievable. Now I'm not saying that love at first sight is impossible. I'm only saying that, unfortunately, lust at first sight is more likely."

"Prince Sokka isn't like that, Your Highness—"

"I know. I know that he's honorable and not someone who would step out of line. And like I said, I'm not saying there isn't such a thing as a cosmic moment that binds two people together forever upon first sight or something like that, but…maybe in one percent of relationships? The idea is a romanticized notion that we may wish to be real, but reality doesn't work that way."

"Chen and I have only known each other for a day before we began our relationship," Kiguk pointed out. "And now we're getting married."

Smiling, "Well you and Chen are very lucky to have found each other, and you're part of that one percent. But I highly doubt I'm that lucky." Her smile dwindled, "We women have a lot more to lose in believing these kinds of things. I'm not saying this to victimize myself or women in general. It's a fact that we put in a considerable amount of effort that goes unrecognized. And I've seen enough of the world to know my sisters have lost so much in believing that ceremonies in front of a fire have enough merit to foster love. You can only imagine how far romantic fantasies would go when religious vows have no weight to them whatsoever." Swallowing, "If secondhand embarrassment is a thing, then I suppose secondhand trauma is, too. I've seen so much over so many years that I…"

Kiguk and Chen did not argue, neither did they push her to finish her sentence as she trailed off.

"And even if I was to open up to the possibilities you're suggesting," Yue said, letting loose another sigh, "There are too many obstacles. I'm already feeling the guilt eat away at me for being a part of this deception, and yet, I know that less harm will come if this arrangement stays as an arrangement and nothing more. Because if it was anything else…" Biting her lip, "It will be like snatching a son away from his parents. Even if that's not the intention. I'm not putting Sokka in a position where he'd have to choose…You both understand what I'm saying, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Yes, Sister Yue…"

They could hear Sokka snore more loudly than before, his face digging into the warm grass. Yue, though disturbed by what she was failing to explain, nevertheless smiled in amusement in his direction before taking her cloak off. "Sokka does bring me lots of joy. I won't deny it. But one doesn't have to be a husband to bring such joy to another, right?" She gently draped it over the sleeping prince, "He's a lifelong friend."

"Why do you like to sit here all the time?"

A young Sokka, who was sitting beside the family's white marble deity bearing the features of a beautiful woman, blinked his big blue eyes at his Gran Gran. Kanna was nudging him with a knowing smile on her face, but the boy went back to fiddling with the toy boat in his hands. The older woman shared a look with Kya, who was standing by the doorway, smiling at her son in amusement.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Kanna sat beside her grandson. "Tui is very beautiful."

Sokka nodded, "And she's niicceeee…" he drawled out, moving his boat along the blue carpet as if it was sailing across the ocean, "And she moves the water from the sky so the water can keep the fish alive…So we can eat the fish."

"Always thinking about food, aren't you?" Kanna pinched his cheek, amused when his little hand swatted her wrinkly one away. "You know she's going to be your wife one day, right? You're La."

"Umiaq said that his mom said people can't be La," the boy said.

"But you're a special boy, Sokka."

Looking at her, "Special?"

"Yes. You're La. La is always special."

"Will I turn into a wolf, Gran Gran?"

"No, sweet boy," Kanna laughed. "But you'll be big and strong like La one day, and the girl you're going to marry one day is going to look exactly like this." She gestured to the statue of Tui, which seemed to be smiling at them. Sokka tilted his small head as he took in the majesty of the statue.

"What do you say? You want to marry Tui?"

Kya, who was watching her young son up until then, found that the surroundings she was encased in were smeared by incoherent blurs resembling a strange dream. The memory before her vanished, and the blurs became more intense, leaving Kya in a strange premises: a crowded sidewalk, its winding road not visible to the naked eye beyond the small area she was standing in.

The area suddenly burst into colors of all kinds: colored water and powder thrown everywhere, dyeing every inch of the tightly condensed space. On the other side of the walkway was a canal, which in turn was bordered by another walkway beside a field of tundra. Sokka was there, smiling, bliss written over his face as his fingers intertwined with those of the princess. Her face was not entirely visible considering her white yet color-stained hair blew wildly in the Arctic winds, blocking her face, but the glaze of the aurora in the sky seemed to reflect against her slightly-visible cheek, giving away her bright complexion. In fact, both the dronningi and the isumataq sported wild, messy appearances from the color-throwing and the wild dancing and tomfoolery that was parading around them.

The scene was a direct copy of what Kya and Hakoda had seen during their tours, no doubt, the only difference now being that Sokka and the princess weren't dancing around like hooligans. And another small yet crucial difference was the glimmer of white on Sokka's wrist: the white half of the Yin-Yang symbol. The way his wrist touched hers, which was also marked with a symbol: the black half of the Yin-Yang symbol.

Kya gasped, her eyes wide. Chunta had told them of what the wrist markings of Sokka and his bride would be like in the event he got married. The symbols of Yin and Yang, Tui and La…And the princess was bearing the other half…!

"They're married?! They can't be married!" Kya shrieked, "No no NO! Sokka! Sokka, get over here!"

But Sokka wasn't listening, the drumbeats and chaos along the sidewalk drowning out her cries. Sokka was lost in the eyes of who Kya referred to as the heretic. The prince's palms were cupping the princess's face, and he brought his wife closer to him, her billowing hair covering their kiss—

Kya gasped as she shot her eyes open, her heart racing, her brain screaming, Heresy! Heresy! It took her several seconds to realize she was in bed with her snoring husband's hand wrapped around her waist. That the scene before her eyes was a dream and nothing more. That the hustle of that crowded street and the bustle of that sidewalk party was but a stream of panic.

The Southern chieftess sighed, shaking her head clear of any and all doubts of her son whisking the princess away and secretly marrying her. Sokka wouldn't do that. He wouldn't. He's our son, he wouldn't.

"Your Highness?"

Sokka's soft voice soothed her out of sleep. She blinked, "Sokka, when did you wake up?"

"Just now," he held back a yawn. "There's no one else here. Do you want me to escort you to the palace?"

"No, it's fine," she sat up from her bed of grass near the Spirit Gate. "Kiguk and Chen said they'll meet you in the Western courtyard," rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "Aang and Katara had to run an errand, but they'll be back soon. My parents are likely at the Moon Temple right now. They said they'll be here after some ritual."

"Ritual?" he plopped next to her on the grass.

"Probably pleading with the Spirits that the consummation night will go on without any problems."

"O-Oh…" his face colored again.

"Calm your yak-horses, isumataq. Like we said earlier, we can organize a getaway for them, and they'll be so up in their own feelings that they won't be stressing over us too much." Murmuring to herself, "Need to work on those tonics, too…"

"What tonics?" he pried.

"To help them conceive."

"Oh, oka—wait, what?"

"I asked my parents for a sibling."

Remaining still for a moment, "Oh…uh…"

"What, only your parents are entitled to get pregnant well into their adult lives?"

"No, no, that's not what I meant, I didn't mean to offend—!"

"Relax, I know," she chuckled at his spastic anxiety. "In all seriousness, this is for them. An incentive for them to start a new, worry-free life." And though she was smiling, she held thoughts that didn't quite allow the amusement on her lips to reach her eyes.

Sokka feared for yet another moment if she knew of her past, but he treaded carefully, "There's something else on your mind, isn't there?"

Sighing, "My parents…I'm concerned with how invested they are in me."

"They're your parents, of course they're invested in you—"

"Yes, and I do feel warm and fuzzy on the inside about that…but I don't want them to be attached to only me, you know?"

Shaking his head, "No…I don't follow…"

"They need to have a strong reason to move on. If anything happens to me—"

"Not again, Your Highness!"

"Hey, it's just in case," she said, lightening her tone, "And I genuinely want a sibling. I want what you and Katara have. It's not too late; anaana and ataata will be safe and away from the mainland, and anaana has been recovering super fast, so if they're up for it, and if they have the right incentives, why not?"

"Yeah," still frowning in defense, "I suppose so."

"The bottom line is that I have an elaborate scheme planned out for them. So don't panic, and don't faint. We'll fight that battle tomorrow."

Don't faint. "I…uhm…I guess I should've had more water…"

"Actually, I was trying to save your honor by writing it off as dehydration earlier," nearly smirking at him. "How embarrassing would it be? The prince of the South fainting for no reason during his fake wedding?"

He felt a wave of positive warmth descend over him and fill his heart, "That's considerate of you, dronningi, but as embarrassing as it would be, it wouldn't have been too horrible, would it?"

Lost in thought for a moment, "I suppose it would have helped now that I think back on it. If anything, it would've given you a strong reason to leave me in the future."

His pleasant smile drooped, "What?"

"It would've made for a strong argument," she said, nonchalant. "You could've said you genuinely loved me, but I never returned the sentiment and was always closed off. That I was too stiff and focused on other things, that I never gave you the attention you deserved and that I never connected with you. Never consummated the marriage with you. You could have argued that you felt like you were living next to a stone the entire time and that a relationship is impossible. And you would've moved back to the South Pole as if you were never married."

"You were certainly thinking this one through," he frowned, trying not to show his hurt.

"We need an excuse, don't we?" she said. "It's better to be prepared."

"We'll get there when we get there! Besides, no one's gonna believe you ignored me to that extent anyway." Blushing, "You were the one who kissed me earlier, remember?"

Defensive and flushed yet somehow keeping calm, "I only kissed you once. You kissed me three times before that. Four if you also count kissing me back."

"Um…I… sorry, I…" rubbing the back of his neck, "I was trying to…see if there's a way we could get around it…"

Amused by his sheepishness, "I understand."

He gave her a quick sideways glance, noting that while she was still embarrassed, she wasn't angry, necessarily. And before he could stop himself, his mouth ran with a mind of its own— "Did you like it?"

"Pardon?"

His pulse fluctuating wildly, "I mean…! I-I mean…! I…I just…hope it wasn't…horrible…" staring at the ground, "I just hope I wasn't a horrible first kiss…"

"No, not at all…" Her fingers lingered on her lips for a split moment, "It was nice."

"Really?"

A tiny smile on her lips as she pressed her hands together, repeating his words from before, "I'd totally kiss you."

Wide-eyed, "H-Huh?"

"I said I'd totally kiss you. Again. If duty called."

"Oh…hehe…thank you…" And what he knew to be the biggest and most idiotic grin he could muster plastered itself onto his face, "I'd totally kiss you again, too."

"Oh? Did you like it that much?"

"Yeah, you were great—!" he paused, all the blood in his body concentrating in his face as he gawked back at her.

"Well then," she blinked, "I had no idea what I was doing, but… I'm glad it worked out...?"

"Yeah—"

"Yeah."

A sudden pause followed by the princess's nervous laugh, "Okay, this is awkward, but it's over with." Crossing her arms, "But do tell me this. Did you faint like you did today on that day you first saw me?"

"Uh…I…"

"Don't tell me you're still sensitized by how I look."

"It was good fainting," he assured. "It was like seeing Tui all over again."

Shaking her head, "I don't know how I feel about you turning into a believer all of a sudden."

"I might not be a believer, but I wasn't always a disbeliever. I was always fascinated with Tui. Even though I never admitted it." Shrugging, "Little Sokka was always after her. Thought she was a princess from a fairy tale…"

"And then Little Sokka discovered the magic of science that can explain everything in the universe."

"But even then, Little Sokka didn't forget about Tui," he said, grinning. "I'm not necessarily a believer anymore, but as of recent…maybe I actually identify as a witness?"

"A witness?"

"'Cause now I know Tui exists."

"You know?"

"Yeah," he said in a matter-of-fact manner. "When you see the sun rise every day, you don't necessarily believe it'll rise. You have no reason to believe if you just know that it will. You're a witness to that truth." Holding his head up, "I've decided I'm a witness to Tui."

"Oh no," she shook her head, "What have I done to you?"

"Don't worry, I'm still a skeptic," he assured with a laugh.

"But you're entertaining this silly idea that I'm no different from Tui—"

"It's true! You really do look very much like Tui." His eyes softened, "You look divine."

She tried not to give away any reaction whatsoever, but for a moment, she thought he heard the fierce thud thud thud in her chest. "You're easy on the eyes, too, isumataq. And I'm not just saying that."

"I am?"

"But the game is to pretend like you're not swooning."

"Well I'm not very good at that game."

"You wear your heart on your sleeve, I suppose…" Her tired gaze then rested on his slick robes, "You know, black suits you really well."

"Oh…hehe..t-thank—"

"What cologne are you wearing, by the way?"

Her big, baby blue eyes looked up at him, both lidded and curious, and he was unaware of what to make of the feelings bubbling up within him, "O-O-Ocean E-Eros… You like it…?"

Scooting a bit closer to him, "Hm…"

"Hm," and he found that his body moved closer to her on its own, the warmth of the Oasis seeming to concentrate solely in their breaths. He gulped, pressing his lips tightly together, still tasting her earlier sweetness.

A moment later, Yue, as if jolting back into reality, turned away, masking her sudden change in demeanor with a chuckle, "Well... be sure to wear it for your actual wedding. Your future wife will know just how lucky she is."

He watched as she looked elsewhere as if she was suddenly taken by better judgment, and he wasn't sure if he should be elated by the compliment or disappointed by her dissociation.

"Well, go on home, isumataq. Try to wipe out tonight from your thoughts and get some actual sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."

"I do?"

"You're presenting at the conference, right?"

"Oh, yeah," but he didn't really budge, instead crossing his legs to stay seated, "It's okay, I can stay longer."

Chieftess Kya couldn't sleep, troubled by her worries over her oldest; hence, she took up refuge in the prayer room in the company of the smiling idols of the Spirits. In her hands was the unfurled scroll sent by Chunta just a couple of days ago. She skimmed over the letter, its contents etching on her burdened heart.

It seems to me that Tui and La are wanting to be united in marriage by the next full moon, which I have calculated to be nearly a week away.

I urge you to speak to the princess and ask her to accept her place as Tui. I am sure Chief Arnook would not refuse, for he, too, must be looking to marry his daughter by the full moon.

Please do not delay this matter any further…We did not celebrate our discovery of the princess as Tui just to have our isumataq remain a loner his entire life.

How ecstatic their family had been when they came here, and how quickly the tables have turned. How eager they had been to marry him to his Tui, and how odd they were now feeling T the prospect of him falling for the Akna, who was seemingly the spitting image of Tui in appearance (at least, according to her husband, brother, and nephew).

"There is no way he'll be married by this full moon," she lamented, but as she took a look at the white Tui statue, she was briefly reminded of the words of that maid, who had saved them from humiliation with her story.

"One spirit is the Spirit of Strength, and the other, the Spirit of Life. They only know how to love abundantly, not give restrictions and deadlines."

It all sounded nice, but was she really to trust that? Was this a sign from Tui or was it a mere test or temptation?

"Mom, aren't you asleep yet?"

Kya saw her oldest children walk in, accompanied by Chen, Kiguk, and Aang. Had it not been for the serious look on her son's face, she would've guessed he'd been out on another rendezvous with the North's heretical princess.

See? He would never cross any lines. She let out a relieved breath and stood up, placing the scroll aside and stepping out, "You're just now getting back?"

"The North is just so beautiful, Mother Kya," Chen beamed. "We lost track of time."

"It's partially my fault, too," Aang interceded. "I really wanted all of us to go penguin sledding—"

"And then we went sleighing after that," Katara added, "Yeah! It was all really fun."

Kya turned to her son, who kept sporting a solemn look. "Did you have fun, too, sweetie?"

"Yeah, it was nice…" And he made his way over to his room, rubbing his drooping eyes and feigning a yawn.

"He hasn't gone to see the princess, right?" Kya asked the others once he left.

"N-No, Mother Kya, he was with us the entire time," Chen said, maintaining a calm demeanor, "I think that's why he hasn't been so active today…"

Even as he made it to his room, Sokka could hear remnants of the conversation behind him. He sighed and dropped his solemn expression into something resembling more of a gentle daze.

Married. He was married. To Yue. They were husband and wife.

But not really.

He took off his overbearing blue cloak and the peacock headdress he'd hidden beneath it. He quickly changed out of his black robes, folding them and placing them away in his closet before sinking into the sheets. The conversation eventually died down, resulting in everyone likely going back to sleep, and in the dark of the night with all secrets hidden amongst the stars, he gently began to peel away the blue wrap at his wrist. Peeking out from beneath it was the feminine half that Yue drew on his skin, the pigment having seeped deep into his skin, resembling a promise of companionship that was to be treated as empty. She made it look so easy to dismiss what happened, having assumed it would be easy for a disbeliever like him.

But it was so difficult.

He rolled over to his side, letting the moonlight drape over the wrist marking with his wrap close enough for him to pull back over it. He wasn't sure how long he'd stared at it before letting his eyes fall to a close, dreaming of the Nunaatip Anaana, to whom he was tethered with invisible conjugal strings. His thumb traced over his lips, which still tingled from their union with hers.

He marveled at how the world both ended and began at his wife's smiling lips.