Chapter 67: Karuna
They lay entangled beneath the covers, watching the Northern lights from their windowsill. His arm looped around her waist, his head perched over her shoulder. He could sense her thinking deeply, see the flutters of her eyes resist their sleepy droop.
"By the break of dusk,
The bright moon sleeps on a cloud—
A moonflower blooms."
Yue peered up at him, "Instead of sleeping, you're composing haikus?"
Shifting beneath the covers, the hand around her waist tightening, "I thought it would be romantic, Naasoga." My Moonflower.
Feeling a skip in her pulse but masking it with a tease, "Comparing women to flowers? How original."
"Oh come on, just give me this one. I don't know what I'm doing."
"Don't know what you're doing?" she laughed, turning around to face him, burrowing into his warmth and inviting arms, "Tell me if I'm wrong, but for some reason I thought you were the guy who got me flowers every day, angutiga." My husband.
He flashed her a rare grin, "But that's just a basic thing. I'm not exactly wooer extraordinaire."
"I don't know, you seem to have some tricks up your sleeve."
"Not original."
"But still romantic," she brushed his hair out of his face, finding within his eyes a never-before seen peace. "I think Naasoga is cute."
His thumb absently circled her back. "You're not sleepy?"
Shrugging, "Yes and no. You?"
"Not really. It's a bit difficult to sleep if the love of your life finally tells you she loves you."
"Of course I love you. I never had to explicitly say it to show it."
His face radiated with unadulterated joy, soft lips tracing the skin of her jaw. Her palm trailed down from his wolf tail until it rested on his cheek, a genuine fear creeping into her gaze, "Why did you have to drag yourself into this?"
"Into what?"
"Telling the world you're the Akna's husband. Even if you did it disguised. Now everyone's going to jump on you without realizing it. What will the South think?"
His smile dimmed a little, a resolute spark lighting his irises, "I told you. Ingan sema."
"You don't get it," she whispered. "I've been hearing things against me all my life. Even if I didn't know it. That's why it doesn't come off as a total shocker. But declaring yourself as the Akna's husband—"
"I'm not exactly coddled, either, nalligima." My love. "I'm a disbeliever, remember?"
"But people don't jump in buckets of holy water when they see or talk to you. If people know you're associated with the Akna, they'll start to do the same thing when they see you."
"I don't care what people think about me," he told her. "Someone needs to show they're fighting for the Akna. Up until recently, it was only Kuunnguaq, but other people need to step up, too. The way people are gonna look at it is that you didn't choose to be born in a temple, but I made a conscious choice to side with you."
"That's why it's worse."
Sighing, "Look, all this time, people have been talking about you. Let them talk about me now, what a notorious heretic I am. It'll at least get them thinking about the other side, thinking about the two people that are against the tribe's yakshit. Maybe this will get them to realize that the points we have are actually superior." Brushing her white curls aside, "Besides, they wouldn't know where I am. They've never seen the Gentleman. Even if they wanted to burn me at the stake, they wouldn't be able to—"
She stopped him from finishing his sentence, her palm flying to his lips. He kissed her fingers, "Let's not think about anything else right now, okay? Take it easy. It's been a rough day."
But she couldn't not think about what had happened. "There's no doubt this pamphlet is going to reach the South. The rest of the world might not put the pieces together, and the majority of the South might not put the pieces together, but your parents know that you're associated with me. They're going to figure out this is you. They wouldn't appreciate you going public about being married to me."
"We're already public."
"What's public is that you're married Kuunnguaq, who was once thought to be the legal princess. What's not public is that you are Kinji's Slayer and that you married the Akna. The way the news is presented to the public will be important. It's a matter of reputation. Your family would much rather have the world know you married an ex-princess than the Akna."
"Three things. One: You're not an ex-princess. You're still a candidate for chiefdom. Two: People don't know I'm the Gentleman, so there's no practical tarnishing of anyone's reputation. Three: If my folks decide to rat you out, they're gonna have to rat me out, too. And doing that would really be a blow to their reputation."
"Oh…Oh… Spirits, you're right, how did I not…?" Sitting up in bed, "So what does this mean?"
"It means that Pakku isn't gonna rat me out. Because even if he disowns me, the fact of the matter will always be that someone in his family defied the purity shit for once. It'll weaken the hold he has over the tribe. If a member of his own family told him to fuck himself, it won't be hard for other people to do the same. He'll lose all credibility." Sitting up to join her, "I basically played on the same tactic you did when you sabotaged my engagement. You made up a story to get them to back out of making a decision. A decision that will bring shame on them for the rest of their lives. The only difference here is that I told the truth but just not as myself. Exposing you would mean exposing me, which would mean exposing them. Especially Pakku."
"Their reputation might not be affected since no one else knows you're the Gentleman, but they'll still cut you out…unless they actually won't because they'd have to give some reason, and they can't possibly reveal this. Going by your logic…"
"No, baby, being cut out isn't going to change."
"But you just said…"
"If he wants to cut me out, then he'll give some other reason for cutting me out."
"But how can he just…? Who would want to give up a child they wanted for so long? You brought them so much joy. They've raised you with lots of love."
"And unrealistic expectations," he added. "It's not all auroras and rainbows."
"But even if we're not thinking about this from a familial standpoint…Who would want to willingly break ties with you?"
He smiled widely, blissfully, "Well consider me flattered, annaga." My wife.
Shaking her head, "I'll never understand. Every person is unique. Irreplaceable. You can't just break ties with someone like that and substitute."
"You and I think that, but they don't. Pakku will go as far as he can for prestige." A darkness taking over his gaze, "It's toxic, it's dangerous. That's why I don't want him around us. I've got nothing there to lose, nalligima. And as far as the people go…We're not the ones saying we want nothing to do with them. We'd give them a chance if they agree and let us live our lives together, but if they're looking to break us apart, then of course we'll keep our distance. It's the most natural thing in the world. Think about it. All of your angakkuit friends hated me here at first because I was a disbeliever. Did you stop hanging out with me?"
"That's different. They're just my friends. This is your family we're talking about."
"Then think about it this way. What if I was in your moccasins? What if I was the one born in a temple, and your parents didn't approve of me? What if they told you that you can't have the throne as long as you're with me? Would you let go of me?"
And the instinctive tightening of her grip of his hand indicated her answer.
"Exactly. And the reversal of the situation doesn't mean anything." Frowning, "Whenever Aang wrote to my parents on behalf of me and Katara, I had him write to them several times that I'm happy here. I told them to think about what I wanted for once. They kept picking my brain about settling down for so many years, and when I told them I finally wanted to settle down, they didn't want to hear it. They don't want me to be a loner, but then they don't understand when I say I have no one in my heart but you. And it's insane because of everything my parents went through to stay together… I thought maybe they'd be able to understand."
Sighing, "I get it, Sokka, I do, but…you'll miss them. Don't tell me you won't miss them."
"But being here and missing them is small compared to me being there and away from you."
Taking another moment to let the answer sink in, racked by other hesitations, unable to keep herself from eventually asking, "What if…for factors beyond our control… people still think I'm not apt for the throne? What if they vote me out?"
"That's not gonna happen. I know it won't."
"But there's always a possibility. Conservative propaganda might win the day. We'll still be in the North, but everything else won't be the same. I've settled with the reality that it could happen, and I did not want to drag you into this situation, so I never considered how things would turn out…regarding us…" Looking at him, "What are we going to do? How will we navigate things if I lose? It's always good to think it through."
He, too, spent a moment to think before enunciating calmly, "Well…I have a strong feeling Silak is gonna find ways for us to stick around. Maybe that'll include getting us jobs or high-ranking positions in the palace. I can see that happening…But to be honest, I don't know if I like the idea of relying on your dad for a job. I'll manage something on my own…And it's not like you have any work experience or anything. You've never worked anywhere in your entire life!"
"Yeah," a chuckle, "Whatever will we do."
"There's also the Moon Temple. Osha has her eyes set on you. One day, you'll have to take over. Be her successor and all that." His arms wrapped around her from behind, "We can continue staying in the estate, or we can stay somewhere else if you don't wanna be so close to the political mess. Live normal lives. Freely. Without guilt." A kiss to her temple as he emphasized, "Without guilt."
She held a burdened look, still, fishing for certainty even when she knew it was an impossible feat in the chaotic throes of fate, circumstance, life itself. "So you really are going to be happy here? A high priestess for a wife…whether she's elected or not as the next chieftess? Children who might possibly have the ability to fly through the roof and destroy the igloo with their mini tornadoes? I know it's not what you might have expected, but if that's where we're headed…"
The smile on his face was soft, tender, imaginative, borderline bashful, even, and it made hope burn brightly within her. He touched his cheek with her, his giddiness unfolding, "There's nothing I want more. The real question is whether you're okay having a disbeliever for a husband."
"Well, I'll have to make some adjustments," she teased, "But it won't be too bad."
"Yeah?"
"Yep." Her arms settled around him, "Besides, a disbeliever is just La with low self-esteem. They need the most love."
"How compassionate of you."
She laughed, cupping his face, pulling him close and meeting his lips with hers, but even before they could have this moment for themselves, the boom! of the door gong ripped a "Fuck," out of the warrior.
Yue sighed, "I'll go check—"
"I'll go check," the warrior groaned.
He did not expect, however, to see Chunta standing by the door moments later, sucking all hope and life out of him with his presence alone. "What the fuck are you doing here?!"
"Please, Prince Sokka, I need to speak with you—!"
"There's nothing to talk about," Sokka hurried out and closed the door behind him, "Now get out before she sees you—!"
"I need to speak to the chieftess, it's urgent! Please, I'm not here to—"
"You think I"m letting you or any of Pakku's minions anywhere near her—?!"
"It's not what you think, sir, it's really important! It's an emergency—!"
"What could possibly be—?!"
"Sokka."
Fuck. He turned to see his wife standing by the doorway, wearing a determined frown.
"Let him in."
Chunta could only stare with his mouth agape at the white-haired dronningi, caught completely off guard by the utter perfection of her Tui-esque appearance.
"Holy Goddess…"
The shaman considered it his good fortune that the prince was able to prevent his falling form from toppling down the front steps.
Chunta had passed out multiple times after that, repeatedly addressing the princess as "Goddess", so Yue found herself covering her face and hair again. She took pity on the starving man who had come this far in the blistering blizzard, traversing all the way from the South and now wallowing in his simple faith, so she offered him food, which he graciously accepted, his babbling incoherent and disoriented until he ravished an entire bowl of noodles and was graced with another.
"Your cooking is truly excellent, Goddess."
Sighing, "You don't have to call me 'Goddess.' Also, Sokka made those noodles. I just warmed them up."
Chunta nearly choked, racked with prior memories of Sokka's dyslexia in the kitchen. He was stuck between spitting out the noodles and swallowing them but chose the latter option as he was met with a glare from the prince. "You know how to cook? Since when?!"
Ignoring the outburst, "Just tell us what emergency you're here for. If you're here to talk about relinquishment and shit, I don't need to hear it. I'll send the paperwork through messenger hawk—"
"Sokka," Yue's hand rested on his shoulder, the gesture quieting him. She turned to Chunta, "Is everything alright? Is everyone okay?"
Chunta set down his chopsticks, his gaze appearing highly burdened, "So…when I started for the North, Chieftess Kya was facing some complications with her pregnancy."
"What kind of complications?" Yue frowned worriedly.
"I don't know all the details and medical terminology," Chunta said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a scroll, "But I do have this report that might be of interest."
Yue took the scroll from him and skimmed through its contents.
"We had many healers give their input and advice, and unfortunately, they weren't able to give adequate feedback, but they said the complications are likely due to stress," Chunta said, turning to the paling prince, "Your father arranged for them to move out of the new palace until the birth. They temporarily shifted to Kya's parents' home. They said it was because it was closer to the healing hut, but really to get away from Pakku. Living with Pakku has turned into hell again, that's all I can say. But you know how your grandfather is. He kept coming and harassing them there. Calling them failures at raising children and all of his usual shit."
"How's my mom now?" Sokka demanded.
"I made it to the port at South Ba Sing Se when I got a letter through messenger hawk that the chieftess had given birth to a baby boy."
"She's only at six months, though!"
"Yes…it was as premature birth…" Chunta swallowed and turned back to the chieftess, "The baby was born with a famished life-breath. He isn't doing so great. His lungs are apparently underdeveloped, and…I mean, the lungs are always a point of concern for preterm infants, but…anyway, the little guy can't breathe on his own. We had all the healers look at him…" Chunta brushed at his moistening eyes, "Premature babies typically cry or whimper, but that little guy isn't even doing that. He's very still…"
Yue felt considerable difficulty in reading the scroll further, her vision blurred by tears, painful pangs spurred by maternal instinct.
"Everyone's worried. There isn't a healer we overlooked. We brought in people from Kyoshi Island, Whaletail Island, the nearest Earth Kingdom villages. The Southern Air Temple sent in a few of its healer monks. We have a few sisters from the Western Air Temple who came in, too. We now have two Air Nomad healers providing the baby breathing assistance every few hours, but he's still not able to make very many sounds…"
Sokka's glare was on the border between chaos and disbelief. His conflicted response was answered with Chunta pulling out another letter from his robe, "This is the letter I got when I was at Ba Sing Se."
Which Sokka seized, unfurled, and skimmed through.
"That little guy is teetering between life and death," Chunta said, repeatedly looking to Yue, "Goddess, I understand that you're incensed about the situation, and the treatment you have received from our end is an insult to who you really are—"
"This isn't the time to consider egos and prides, dammit!" Yue croaked, making the two men jump with her outburst, "That's an innocent life at stake! That, too, a newborn! The poor thing probably can't breathe as we speak…" Blinking back tears, "We're heading to the South right now."
"Now?" Chunta jumped out of his seat, relieved.
Sokka looked to his wife in horror, "Yue, calm down—!"
"Sokka, that's your baby brother—!"
"Wait," and Sokka turned back to the ritualist tribesman, "Chunta, if this is a lie to get me to come to the South—"
"That child really is in desperate need of help, Prince So—"
"Then why the fuck didn't your chief mention this or even think to ask for help when he sent that letter of relinquishment?!" the isumataq roared as Chunta cowered behind a pelt chair, utterly confused.
"Th-the what?"
"Silak received a scroll from the South with a copy of the relinquishment papers and a direct order to come to the South if I want to keep the candidacy," Sokka said, his voice tight, "If this had been a problem since before then, why didn't my dad mention any of this?"
"There was a letter?" Yue asked Sokka.
"It's not important—"
"Well it sounds like it is," she glared.
"Chunta, if you're toying with the life of a child to get me to come over," Sokka grabbed Chunta's tunic, "I'm sending you to the deepest realm of hell there is—!"
"But your father never sent any scroll! There's been a confusion!" Chunta said, grateful to be let go as the princess pulled Sokka back, "Your mother and father haven't left that child's side at all! Hakoda didn't write any letter. It must've been sent by Pakku."
"And you're sure about this?"
"Pakku knew that the Goddess is an exceptional healer," Chunta said, "And he was worried that we would seek her help. I tried to come here without anyone knowing to get help for the chieftess, but Pakku found out. He probably sent this letter so the princess wouldn't reach out and help. He doesn't want help from the Akna at any cost!" Turning back to the princess, "Forgive me, Goddess, that was his reasoning, not mine—!"
"I get it," Yue snapped. "There's no time to sit here and clarify things. It's an innocent child's life at stake, and I'm not wasting another second."
"Yue, we can go, but let's just think about—"
"There's nothing to think about. We're going to the South, and that's final."
"I understand you're worried about the Goddess," Chunta told Sokka, "But don't worry. Pakku will be leaving the village for the next few days. He's going to meet a distant healer-midwife in Kirgham. It'll take at least a week to travel back and forth. The only problem is that it's gonna take us two weeks at the fastest to get to the South—"
"Not on my watch," Yue insisted. "I'll have the best waterbenders on board, and I'll do my part to increase the speed substantially. We are going to reach the South in as little as four days with enough effort."
"That's impossible—!"
"Well I'm going to make it happen," Yue said fiercely.
Sokka was muted by the horror of the circumstances, the potential for chaos to erupt. Never would he place himself in a situation of weighing the life of a child against Yue's. And yet, the treatment "heretics" had gotten in the South in the past… even if Pakku would never publicly admit to his grandson being married to the Akna, the thought of what measures he would take to rid his family of those he considered to be contaminants of purity…
If you do not disclose this, I myself will reveal it to the world and have you dragged to the streets and set ablaze for your blasphemous existence. Your people will spit in your face as you burn and rot, and Arnook's heart will break and might even fail him.
"I swear on the Spirits, Prince Sokka," Chunta held Sokka's hand, bringing the prince out of his daze, "I will take all the steps necessary to ensure you both have a safe time. I'll notify the Council of Elders—"
"The Council is nothing but a product of Pakku's idiocy," Sokka shot up from his chair, a growl in his tone, "You're gonna inform them?!"
"No, no, sir! I only meant…I will make sure that—!"
"You don't need to go out of your way to do anything. All you need to do is keep your damn mouth shut." He turned to his wife, his tone softening, "If we're going to do this, we don't need to let anyone down South know that we're coming. We're going to the South in disguises."
"Disguises?"
"We'll sneak in, and after you're done healing, we'll sneak out. We'll leave before Pakku finds out. No one has to recognize us."
But Yue seemed perturbed by the idea. "Why would you be diguised? I'm the one they don't need to see—"
"No one needs to see me either. It'll be too chaotic, and we won't get anywhere with this," he persisted. "If we're both disguised, the South won't go crazy."
"What about the ports?" Chunta mentioned. "Tribesmen will be keeping track of the ships that come and leave Southern ports and who all accompanies them. Ports from the North will receive stricter treatment; Pakku has been implementing more stringent measures to verify everyone's identities. He's scared to death that the Akna…" he trailed off, "I-I mean…he's scared that you'll come to the South, Goddess…"
"Katara and Aang will be coming with us," Sokka said. "We can make it seem as if they're the ones visiting, and we can tag along."
"But—"
"No buts!" he insisted, nearly making Chunta topple out of his seat. Sokka eyed him, firm and stern, "This way, no one has to get hurt."
"SHUT YOUR BLOWHOLE!" Pakku sent his hand flying against a hiccuping Kohana's cheek, the boy toppling down to the ground and crying out in pain.
"You spoiled brat!" Pakku grabbed hold of the quivering boy by his tunic, spurred on by the fear and terror in the boy's eyes, "You took our prestige and threw it in the streets!"
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY SON!" Hakoda bellowed, rushing into the chamber.
"Daaad!" Kohana ran up to his father and hugged his legs, screaming when Pakku reached for him again, but Hakoda pulled his young son behind him. An alarmed Amaruq stepped in and grabbed Pakku from behind, fiercely yanking him back against the wall.
"That yakshit for brains yapped on about Sokka's marriage to the entire tribe—!"
"He's a child, damn you!" Hakoda yelled at his father, picking his young son up and rubbing his back to calm him, eventually handing the shaking boy over to an entering Kiguk, who quickly whisked his cousin away from the scene. "He might've spread the word, but he doesn't know right from wrong!"
"Well you do, and your wife does! All the time she spent spreading her legs for you could've been used to set your children straight—!"
"Another word about my wife and children," Hakoda shoved his father back, the older man nearly toppling onto Amaruq, "And you won't know what'll hit you!"
"It doesn't matter what you do to me!" Pakku raged. "It doesn't matter when I'm alive or dead when at this point! You and your wife and your children burned our prestige to the ground! And the entire tribe now thinks of me as a fool for trying to keep you all straight! You and your children are all failures!"
"Shut up, you piece of shit!" Amaruq bellowed, but Pakku shoved him aside, glaring daggers at his son.
"I kept telling you and your wife not to side with purity-defying witches, and you both sympathized with her! And now your sympathy is costing you your son!" Pointing to the chamber next door, "That innocent boy is fighting just to take a breath! Lying there without a hope for his young life! Is this what you wanted?! I told you the Akna will bring disease and death and misfortune to the family!"
"Casting the blame on innocent people will do you no good!" Amaruq yelled, "Let me remind you that Her Highness is the reason why you have a palace and a private estate, food and trade deals and whatnot! But silly me, why would I expect an ungrateful bastard like you to see all of that? You're standing here shamelessly causing a scene and abusing the family even in a time like this! If anything, you're the reason this happened to them! You're the reason my nephew is in this situation!"
"Standing here defending that whore with all your Spirit-damned souls? Just watch and see what she'll do to you all!" Pakku screeched, "She's a witch! Her own parents abandoned her at birth! And now she's ready to take our family into her clutches! And mark my words, Amaruq, those who've been abandoned and disowned have no place in my house. Keep in mind that our huskies wouldn't have even pissed in your direction had you not been Kya's brother."
"The princess might've been disowned, but at least she had a throne before," came Bato's voice. The tribesman stepped into the chamber, holding out two copies of a pamphlet, "And because of you, she could lose that throne for good."
Amaruq grabbed a pamphlet for himself, his eyes widening as he skimmed over the contents on the first page. Sensing his reaction, Pakku grabbed the other, his eyes hardening with every word.
"The Gentleman…Hmph. As if he hadn't debased himself enough. Even if I reveal to the world that she's the Akna, by association, we are now the ones who will be spat on!" the old man was quick to throw the pamphlet in Hakoda's face, "It's over, Hakoda. Your oldest has officially established himself as the watchdog of the Akna. He no longer has a place in our lineage. Tell him to get lost."
All color drained from Hakoda's face.
"The bloodline is tainted with airbenders and Aknas," Pakku's voice dripped with venom and disappointment, "As of today, I lost all hope for the bloodline. If your oldest wants to be the Akna's husband, then he can by all means be the Akna's husband. His connection to the line is now severed. Your daughter is set to marry an airbender, so her children will be useless. That imbecile of a boy," pointing in the direction that Kiguk took Kohana, "has thrown our prestige into the streets. And your fourth… Spirits know what will become of him."
Even before Amaruq had the chance to make a ferocious comeback on his brother-in-law's behalf, Hakoda brusquely grabbed his father's arm and yanked him around to face him, casting him a death glare, "There's no one more fit for the throne than Sokka! My oldest! The LA OF THE SOUTH!"
"Hakoda—"
"Kya and I put our hearts and souls into raising him!" Hakoda slipped out of Amaruq's grip, "He is the pride of the tribe! He provided for this place when it was nothing more than a wasteland! And I am NOT," jabbing a finger at the older man, "about to let you decide his future because of a woman!"
Amaruq gave his brother-in-law a worried look, "Hakoda, stay calm—"
"My son is going to sit on that throne," Hakoda hissed. "I'll bring him back. No matter what it takes."
"Is that right?" Pakku raised his eyebrows, his tone a mix between demand and mockery, "How about a week? Is that enough time? Will you bring him back then?"
Hakoda said nothing, still glaring at him.
"Bring him out of his lust and bring him back in a week's time if you dare to call yourself a man and a capable father. Keep in mind that I will only accept him as the leader of the South the moment he abandons her for good and discards any and all fruits of his union with her. And if she winds up pregnant… He will be the one to destroy it and undo his sins."
Destroy it. In spite of the fire in Hakoda's eyes, even he felt an uncomfortable lurch by the implications the older man's words held, a glint of horror briefly crossing his gaze.
"I'm going to bring back a healer in a week's time," Pakku swung his knapsack over his shoulder, "If your son is home and tamed by then, dump a bucket of holy water on him and ready his wedding attire. Miqqiri is still willing to give his daughter's hand to him in marriage. And if this does not happen…I will throw him into the streets myself and revoke his birthright."
When Arnook and Ahnah were approached by their daughter and son-in-law and told that they were going on a "vacation" of sorts to get away from everything, the Northern angayok and ataniq held immense hope in their eyes— a hope that transitioned into downright excitement when Katara and Aang— who were not yet aware of the actual plan— eagerly supplied that the dronningi and isumataq were finally and genuinely together. It was obvious that the Northern leaders' attention flew back to the possibilities of having grandchildren in the near future, an expectation which only grew with Aang and Katara viciously teasing the new couple.
"Ugh, oogies!"
"Now now, Sweetie, I think we should be the bigger people here," Aang laughed. "Just because he made us go through that even after we got engaged doesn't mean we have to do that to them."
"You're right. We should be the bigger people, but we can always choose not to be."
"But in all seriousness, it's about time," Aang chuckled, his arm looping over Sokka's shoulders.
"The torture, the pining, uuggghhhh the pining, Spirits! My brother drove me crazy, ukuaq," Katara exclaimed.
"Hey," the prince frowned.
"You should've seen this guy," Aang cut off the flustered prince, "'Oh my Spirits, Yue's gonna reject me—!'"
"'Oh my goodness, I had a dream that we were holding hands! Oh my universe, I dreamed we had babies—!'"
"Katara!" Sokka squeaked.
"What? You two are together now. We can all just take a deep breath and spill the soup," Katara placed her hands on her ukuaq's shoulders, "We're officially sisters now. We have a lot of secrets."
The real suspicion began on part of the Avatar and the Southern princess when Sokka and Yue insisted that they accompany them to…wherever they were headed. For security reasons, Ahnah and Arnook did not object, and the speed at which all arrangements had been made for a trip was commendable. It was not until the cruiser pulled out of Northern ports, until the ship picked up high speed, until the waterbenders on board put their hearts and souls into propelling the cruiser forward with a speed that knocked people over that Sokka and Yue revealed Chunta's presence on the boat. The shaman ended up spilling the entire truth.
"So…we're going to the South right now?" Katara exclaimed.
"It's highly necessary," Chunta said. "Your brother needs all the help he can get…"
Chunta went on with explaining everything in greater detail to the Southern princess and her fiancé, helping her calm down from the panic that took over her as she skimmed over the report, tensed over the fact that all the healing techniques she knew of were supposedly utilized down South and had failed to improve her brother's condition. And in the meantime, Sokka and Yue found themselves in their bunker, away from the tension despite the air holding a certain awkward thickness to it in their vicinity as well.
"I'm keeping my eye on you."
Yue looked to him, "What?"
"I'm not about to let you be compassionate any more than you need to be, and I'm not talking about healing my baby brother." Sighing, "I just don't want us to stay longer than we have to. As soon as you're done healing, and as soon as we know he's doing better, we leave. We're not sitting down and talking things out with anyone."
"Who said anything about talking things out…?"
But Sokka could see through her bluff, "I know that's your other motive for this."
She took a deep breath, acquiescing, "Fine, maybe that's the other goal, but think about it. Your grandfather made the decision to let you go, and you made the decision to let him and the throne go, and you haven't had any form of contact with your father directly whatsoever. Have any of you thought about how your father might feel? How your mother might feel? What she might be going through right now? Her oldest children are across the world from her. Her youngest is in need of serious medical attention and isn't getting much. She's going through hell and back to keep her children from being thrown out of the lineage. We can't be insensitive to that." Shaking her head, "No matter what you say, Sokka, I think this is a sign from the Universe that you need to see them."
"It's only a sign if you make it one."
"What I'm trying to say is that I don't want you to take them for granted. I know we helped a lot of people elope and get married, and I know a good number of those couples are happy but are also no longer in contact with their families… But now I find myself thinking from a different angle. People who don't have at least one person to call their own…by blood relation, I mean…"
"Anaana and ataata are always going to be my parents. Nothing will change that. But the fact that I'm not biologically theirs is still…" Hard-hitting. "You should be lucky your folks want you so much. As someone who doesn't have that luxury…not biologically, anyway…I don't want you to have to go through any kind of crisis like that."
Softening is eyes, "But Yue—"
"Relinquishment is a big deal, Sokka, and no matter what you have to say about it, it's not going to make me feel any good about myself. It's not a decision to be made in the heat of the moment—"
"It wasn't in the heat of the moment," he persisted, "I've spent considerable time thinking about this. Months."
"And even if you did… it's not going to hurt if you sit with them one more time and fully talk this out before you make drastic decisions. It's your home.. It's your people…"
"But Pakku's influence makes it a prison. Very few people want to go back to prison," he frowned. "I always tell you that people aren't walking goddesses like you. If I sit down and tell them that you're my home and that you're my person, do you think they'll listen? Even if the locals don't have a problem or could honestly care less, Pakku and his minions will make it one. They don't see us as people in love. They see us as a disbelieving glutton with a throne he needs to take and a heretic who'll bring disease and misfortune."
"But it has been a while. All the communication you've had up to this point, you had it with Pakku, not your parents. Maybe they'll be more receptive to what you have to say this time. We can never tell." Her hand rested on his shoulder, "Sometimes, there's no better healer of the circumstances than time. And the fact that Pakku's not going to be there will be significant for all of you to talk about what you're really feeling. There's no better chance than this." Gently squeezing his shoulder, "Please. We'll leave as soon as we sense there's a problem, okay? I'll be right with you all the way."
He couldn't say anything, and he couldn't protest her warm touch as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her grasp, smoothing his hair. His arms wrapped around her waist, his head resting against her shoulder.
"Everything's going to be okay."
With barely a half hour left before they reached land, they readied themselves in their disguises. Sokka tried to swallow down his nervousness, focusing instead on his appearance in the mirror. The isumataq was clad in sweeping feathered robes and a plethora of pendants and ceremonial beads, his face covered by an overbearing fake beard. His wolf tail was concealed under the expanse of his wig, the long hair partly let loose, partly organized into even shocks tied by feathered hair loopies. He sighed, covering that, too, with a ceremonial headdress.
"Are you what I think you are?" Yue giggled.
"I'm supposed to be a shaman, but I look like a goon ready to chop heads off…" he trailed off, lost in her appearance as he looked up at her. She had stepped out of the changing room, smelling delightfully of sandalwood and ipomoea. Her white eyebrows and pulled-up hair were temporarily colored in dark ink, yet to be covered further by a nun's veil the hue of deep saffron. She straightened her yellow-orange Air Nomad robes that snugly cupped her frame, her chest bearing the weight of traditional beads that were completed by a pendant in the center.
"Nonsense, you look great. I think you're feeling that way because you're built. A lot of shamans I see are skinny and old and bony…"
"I see you appreciate these muscles," he wiggled his eyebrows and biceps as she walked up to the mirror, her arms snaking around him from behind.
"I'm just saying the world can use more young shamans." Her lips curling upward as she eyed his appearance in sheer amusement, "Tall, dark, easy on the eyes."
"What's the point of being a shaman then? They're not supposed to take on a wife."
"Eh," she shrugged, "Ingan sema."
He grinned, turning to settle his arms around her waist, "Turning my beautiful wife into an Air nun. How sinful."
"Aang told me it's a good idea to blend in this way," her arms wrapping around his neck, "That way I can mix with the crowd a little bit."
"What's your name gonna be?"
"He didn't tell me, actually. He'll just have to introduce me to everyone, make up a name on the spot I suppose." Her hand brushing some dust off of his shoulder, "Do you have a name?"
"Yeah, I'm Shaman Aukanek."
"Oh, fancy."
Shrugging, "Chunta came up with the idea. He's apparently gonna say he brought along a powerful shaman to tie the talisman around the baby. He told me to carry that thing around," he gestured to a large spear in the corner, only it wasn't exactly a spear given its blunt end, atop of which was perched a wooden circle, which was fashioned into the Yin-Yang symbol in white pigment and black ink. "That'll just make people swarm all over me and ask me to tell them their fortunes."
Yue laughed, "Yeah, I'm sure you're gonna be aggravated by the end of this, but you can pull it off."
"Or maybe we can have a little fun with that." He held her hands, his attention flying to the marking on her left wrist, "How are you hiding your mark?"
"My sleeves will be down," she demonstrated by pulling the saffron silk down, covering her palms, "And people aren't going to mess with an Air nun's wardrobe, so it's not a matter of concern. I'll be healing by myself, besides, so I don't have to worry about being caught. What about you?"
"I was just gonna use an arm wrap, but now that I think about it, it'll look suspicious. Like I'm deliberately covering my wrist. Everyone knows about our marks now, and doing this will only draw people's attention to my hand."
"Your face is still recognizable, too," she noted. "Or maybe it's just me because I see you in your Wang Fire beard so much, but you can still use a bit more coverage. Especially since everyone in the South knows you so well. Why not cover your face and arms with temporary tattoos? You can hide your mark, too, that way."
"Tattoos?"
"Well, other people will think they're shaman initiation tattoos, but really you can use pigments to paint on yourself. You can paint over your mark, too. The paint will easily wash off, but I know a technique that can make it stay on you a few hours longer."
"Then why don't you do the honors? Paint me."
Minutes later, Yue went to work, surrounded by a plethora of pigments. She held his chin to keep him still, having quickly finished painting his biceps, arms, and wrists. She glided the calligraphy brush across the smooth skin of his cheek, coloring it with deep indigo. He kept smiling the entire time, her lithe strokes tickling his cheekbones.
"Hold still for me," she whispered as he laughed from the brush sinking into this neck, "You'll be a very silly shaman at this rate."
"I have no idea how to even be a shaman."
"You posed as La before."
"Yeah, but it's easier being La than a La-worshipper." Huffing, "Constantly screaming, 'Praise be to La.' That narcissistic La of yours can go to hell."
"Is that supposed to be an insult? I mean, La rules hell, so he's there anyway."
Grinning, "Alright, you burst my bubble, now give me some pointers."
"I don't know, I've never had to masquerade as a shamaness."
"You've been around one your entire life! Just tell me what Osha does."
"Osha is an outlier. Just do what you think is best. Say whatever you want to say. Some believers hang onto any shit you tell them. I'd know."
He laughed as she finished her final touches, turning him so he could look at himself in the mirror, "There, now you look like a powerful shaman and not Isumataq Sokka throwing away his disbelieving pride."
"What would I do without you, Naasoga," he smiled, checking himself out in the mirror, "Damn, I make one sexy shaman, don't I?"
She grinned, placing a kiss to his unpainted temple, "Go get 'em, Sabertooth."
A knock on the door signaled that the moment would be cut short. "Your Highnesses, we've officially reached the Southern ports. A record time of four days and 3 hours total."
Yue peeked out of the window, eyeing the tundra in curiosity, instantly taking in the starkest of differences between the two tribes: the North's immersion in water, held together by lesser chunks of land versus the South's consisent ocean of tundra overlooked by vast mountain ranges in the far distance.
"I never thought I'd get to see the South this soon," she grinned, marveling at the Land of La, but her husband did not return the sentiment. The smile on his face had dwindled, replaced by the nervousness from before.
Her hand settled on his shoulder, "Don't worry. Your brother will be okay."
"I'm not worried about him. I know he's in good hands since he has you. I just…" Frowning, "Why can't we just leave after you heal him?"
Sighing, "Sokka, we need this, I told you. It's going to be okay."
He took a deep breath, "Fine."
"One more thing. I don't know how your parents are going to react when they recognize me. But no matter what they say, you have to promise me that you will remain calm and patient. They're going through a tough time right now, and until the baby's okay, they need to be taken care of, too."
He nodded before drawing her lips to his. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
"No one's going to suspect a thing," Aang assured Chunta as the bowsprit began to lower. "We just can't panic for every little thing."
Chunta nodded, giving Katara the signal to prepare. The Avatar held Katara's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, turning to face her, "Everything's gonna be okay, Sweetie. Your brother's gonna be just fine, I know it."
She nodded, her arm linking around his, her head resting against his shoulder, followed by a kiss to her forehead.
Chunta turned around to spot Sokka and Yue standing a few feet away, the prince's hand intertwined with Yue's as she attempted to quickly fix a smudge of the paint by his lips, hardening the pigment. The shaman, seized by a moment of reason, fumbled over to them, "Please don't take this the wrong way, Your Highnesses, but you're supposed to be a shaman and a nun. You're supposed to keep your distance…"
Yue pulled her hand away. Sokka glared at the shaman.
"Kissing is obviously out of the question, and handholding will give it all away—"
"It'll give away the fact that we're not orthodox, not our identities," Sokka snapped.
"Yes, but the totality of the circumstances…" Sighing, "Please refrain from excessive physical contact. Just until we're in a private setting with your folks. I'm sorry. You can still be side by side…" and upon the prince's unchanged glare even as he and the princess reluctantly let go of each other, Chunta gulped and headed back over to the Avatar.
Once the bowsprit lowered completely, revealing to them the icy docks— new and improved— overlooking the vast, familiar expanse of tundra and resident igloos that followed, Katara was overcome by a degree of nostalgia, finding comfort in keeping close to her betrothed. They both waved at those who recognized them, at the hordes of people crowding over the docks and chanting their names. Some acknowledged the shaman who accompanied Chunta and the bewitchingly beautiful Air nun who kept close to Katara, but their attention rested mainly on the Avatar and Southern dronningi. There some people who cheered for Sokka, hoping he would step out, but all shouts dwindled once the bowsprit closed. There were even some people who had been looking forward to seeing the princess of the North, but their hopes had dashed, too.
Yue did not care that she was the subject of attention; rather, she took note with no difficulty at all just how loved Sokka was in the tribe.
"What's with that face of guilt?"
"Hm?" she turned to Sokka, who had scooted beside her in the pandemonium of cheers.
"Don't do that," he frowned in worry, "I told you, no guilt."
She nodded and turned back to the tribefolk, many of them demanding away as if their lives depended on it.
"Where's Sokka?"
"Where is Kuunnguaq?"
"Where are those lovebirds?"
"Where are Sokka and Princess Yuesanga?"
"Is Prince Sokka coming later?"
"Is his ship coming behind yours?"
"Are he and Princess Yuesanga coming together?"
"Is Sokka ever coming back?"
The aggressively loyal greetings of the swarming crowds was contrasted by the stoic, scrutinous calm of the Council of Elders waiting in front of the new royal palace of the South. Yue and Katara kept close to each other as Sokka found himself sandwiched between Aang and Chunta. The Elders bowed to Katara in greeting, "We are grateful that you were able to make it, Princess," and turning to the Avatar, "And it is our greatest honor to officially welcome you to the Southern Water Tribe, Avatar Aang."
"It's an honor to be here," Aang bowed back, "Though I wish we could've met under happier circumstances."
The council members looked past the shaman. The central figure, Councilman Ikkiruni, drawled out, "I see the prince did not make it. It would've been nice if he took some time out of his busy life to come see his new, sick brother."
The disappointment in his tone was obvious, Yue noted with a frown.
"This is Shaman Aukagek," Chunta introduced Sokka, "Powerful sage and ascetic. Very well versed in scripture, very accurate in his predictions.
"Praise to the Goddess," Sokka deepened his voice, earning a subtle chuckle from Yue, who masked her amusement by pretending to clear her throat. A spark of mirth lit up the prince's gaze.
"He, uh, brings with him a talisman for the young prince," Chunta covered, noting the weird looks the councilmen were giving the shaman and the nun, "And it is infused with the Aninnialuk mantras. It will bring health and happiness and will ward off all dangers."
"And allow me to introduce Sister… Karuna," Aang introduced, gesturing to Yue, who greeted them with a bow, "She's a world-class healer from the Western Air Temple."
Yue was quick to notice that the attention on her lingered longer than usual, longer than the unusual stares she had been getting from the older councilmen. Mr. Ikkiruni eyed her in curiosity, "I did not know Air temple nuns had blue eyes…Or that they wear veils. None of the other Air nuns wear veils."
"You must not have met Whaletail Island nuns, good sir," Yue said calmly. "That's where I was originally from before I was initiated into the Western monastery."
"Ah, I see," Ikkiruni nodded, his eyes lingering on her face for a moment longer. "May I say you are certainly very beautiful, Miss Karuna. I haven't met anyone quite like you…no one this beautiful…"
Yue blinked, "The compliment is appreciated, but I am a nun. I would prefer if you not say that."
"You are really living this role," Katara whispered, impressed.
Another councilman nudged the man, who finally tore his eyes away from Yue and turned back to Katara and Aang, avoiding the hardened glare of Shaman Aukanek, "It's an honor to have you all, but it's also quite unfortunate. The young prince's lungs are quickly failing him. Things are not looking well…"
"Where is he?!" Katara demanded.
"They've taken him to the prayer room," Ikkiruni said. "It's only a matter of time. Hakoda and Kya have accepted the boy's fate—"
"Nothing will happen to him," Yue said firmly. "I trust my instinct. Take me to the boy. He will be alright."
"Let's hope your healing works wonders, Miss Karuna," another councilman said. "Hopefully your methods will be enough. It would be terrible if the boy needs waterbending healing sessions tonight."
"Why would it be terrible?"
"You see, there's some kind of infection affecting the boy. His lungs are filling up with water, and he needs to be tended to every hour. The eclipse tonight is going to last for four hours, and it would be very fatal if—"
"There's an eclipse?!" Sokka screeched, making everyone jump.
"A total lunar eclipse, yes—"
"No one told us this!"
"Shaman Aukanek, please be calm. It's only a lunar eclipse."
Sokka shared an anxious look with his wife, who looked just as caught off guard. The Northern princess hastened, demanding the councilmen, "Take me to the child now. There's no time to waste."
"Allow me," Ikkiruni held his hand out to Yue, a move that caught most people by surprise.
"I don't need to be escorted," Yue told him, a stern edge in her voice.
"This is only Southern courtesy—"
"Praise be to Tui!" Sokka exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air in a so-called "fit of devotion," his Yin-Yang "scepter" jabbing against Ikkiruni's side harshly and sending him screaming and toppling to the ground. Sokka didn't even pretend to notice, allowing Yue to pass and following her, continuously chanting Tui's name.
The Air Nomad healers who were regarded with much esteem and regard in the South over the past few days, who were begged into staying and providing assistance for the Southern chief's infant given the boy's breathing difficulties, were surprised to be told that they could take a break for once. Even more shocking was when Chunta told a Water Tribe healer nearby to leave as well.
"We can't leave now," spoke one of the nuns, "The baby's condition is critical."
"We were able to provide assistance every few hours before, but the child's lungs are failing him."
"The boy has some sort of infection," the tribeswoman urged, "You have to let me stay, at least. I need to bend out the excess water."
Chunta gulped down a surge of panic, "I-I assure you everything is under control. We have another healer on the premises. She will tend to him at once."
"Yes, but I heard she's an Air nun. I need to stay behind and help her."
Shaking his head, "Her presence must be kept confidential. But do not worry, she is excellent. If we need your assistance, we will notify you at once. Don't be alarmed."
At Chunta's request, all outsiders cleared the palace healing chamber within minutes, which left only Sokka's immediate family members outside of the chamber. Hakoda, who had noticed the healers leaving at Chunta's bidding, grew enraged and nearly grabbed the shaman by the throat, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING—?!"
"I won't let anything happen to our prince, I assure you!" Chunta flailed, coughing and catching his breath as Amaruq pried Hakoda off of him, "Bato!" the shaman croaked. "Please let them in!"
At Chunta's command, the door outside of the quarters opened. Aang was the first to step inside, tugging Katara along with him. The entire room stilled for a long moment, not having expected the Southern princess's return.
"Katara!" Ki'ma greeted her niece with a fierce hug. The Southern dronningi teared up at the sight of her mother, who was sitting with Kanna on the pelts in a corner, Kohana asleep in her lap. The new mother bereft of the will to live, but as she looked up upon hearing her daughter's name, she let her eyes brim and spill her tears.
"Merciful heavens!" Kanna, who usually took the reins in staying strong for the family's sake, quivered and shook in relief, "Katara!"
Their arms welcomed Katara as she rushed over to them, the three women refusing to let go of one another. Kohana, who had woken from the commotion, rubbed his eyes and got up from his grandmother's lap, wrapping his small arms around his sister, "Katara!"
Aang greeted Hakoda with a much-needed hug before Kohana interrupted them by tackling Aang, brought into the airbender's warm arms. The chieftain was quick to gather himself; he stared at the entrance, his concerns voiced by Kohana, "Aang, Aang! Did Sokka come?!"
Chunta took a deep breath, gulping before turning to the front door again, "Bato, bring them in, too, please."
And the calm of reunion and exchange of quiet chaos settled into a tense silence. The air was thick, the intensity mounting as Bato first allowed the shaman to enter followed by the Air nun, whose appearance gave away her real identity. At least, to those who had seen her, namely everyone in the room save for Kanna. Amaruq and Ki'ma were immensely relieved at seeing her. Hakoda and Kya, who like the others did not recognize Sokka, nevertheless recognized Yue. They stood up, horrified, gawking at her.
"Princess Tui!" Kohana ran past his disguised brother but was stopped by Hakoda before he could reach Yue.
"What are you doing here?" Kya demanded her.
Kanna, who had simply frozen in place from the princess's otherworldly beauty, attempted to calm her daughter-in-law. Sokka attempted to say something but was held firmly back by Chunta, who scrambled out, "Please, Chieftess, keep your voice low, please. No one is supposed to know Her Highness—"
"What are you doing here?!" Kya demanded Yue, leaving her mother-in-law's grip as both Sokka and the scrawny shaman got in front of the princess.
"Chieftess Kya, please, be calm," Yue said, "I can help—"
"NO! You're not allowed to touch my child!" Kya, escaping the protests of her brother and Ki'ma, shoved Chunta to the side, and she nearly would've shoved "Shaman Aukanek" away had it not been for his towering form.
"Kya," Hakoda held her by the shoulders, "Kya, please, dear, you need to—"
"Take her away, Hakoda!" she screamed, "Take her away now! Tell her to get out of here—!"
"You need to be calm—" Sokka began with great patience.
"What do you know?!" Kya screamed at him, "She's the reason for our suffering! She tore our family apart! She's the reason why my baby is on the brink of death! She's a witch—!"
"Mom, that's enough, please!"
Everyone gawked at Chunta's "shaman friend." Sokka, having had enough, tore his fake beard off.
"Sokka…"
Swallowing, "Yue's here to help—"
Kya threw herself at her son, kissing his forehead, sobbing into his shoulder and drenching his tunic. Yue attempted to rush inside the prayer chamber until Hakoda yelled, "Akna, no! You're not allowed to go in, that's our prayer room—!"
But Sokka stopped his father with a firm grip of his hand. Yue took the chance to leave before she could be stopped by anyone else, followed closely by Katara and Aang.
"She's tarnishing the prayer room—!"
"Shut it, now! All of you!" Sokka glared, helping his mother to the pelts, "Everything's gonna be okay, but for that to happen, you all need to sit your butts down and stop this yakshit!" Casting a glare at his father, "I'm not letting my baby brother be swallowed up by anyone's dumb superstitions."
Sokka could strangely only describe it to be magic. All possibilities of science and reason flew out of the window as the Tui-esque princess, sporting a thick mask and encouraging others to do the same to avoid the spread of any further germ to the vulnerable child, knelt beside the altar of the Moon Spirit where the child lay relatively motionless. The grave fears left hanging in the room produced a thick, stuffy atmosphere, but it was quickly rivaled by an air of hope arising from the fact that Yue was not alarmed.
"You think you can light another fire?" she asked Aang.
"On it."
She took her seat beside the altar and gently brought the child into her lap. Her hand, which she briefly warmed by hovering it next to the nearest fire, fiddled with the child's blankets.
"He has a fever," Katara noted, her stability fumbling.
"It'll be okay, just trust me," Yue told her. "Is the water boiled and cooled down?"
"Yes, it's ready for use."
"Aang, can you boil some yak milk?"
"On it."
"Sokka, I need this room dimmed."
"Got it," the isumataq shoved the thick pelt curtains over every window in the chamber.
The door to the prayer chamber cracked open, and Kohana slowly stepped in. In his hands were two incense sticks, which he brought forward with great care, keeping at a safe distance from the Northern princess and the baby. He tugged on Sokka's shoulder and held the incense up to him, "Can you light this intense for me? I need to give it to Princess Tui."
Yue looked to Kohana.
"Mommy always says lighting intense will make the Spirits happy. She says if we ask them what they want, they'll give it to us." Holding the incense out to her, "Can you put this by the Tui statue and ask her to save nukaga?" My baby brother?
Yue gave him a tired smile from beneath her mask, gesturing him to come forward. Katara put a mask over her brother before taking the incense from him. The six-year-old ambled up to Yue, earning a soft pat to his head.
"The Spirits don't need incense to help people, sweetie. They do so even before you ask. Watch this."
Her hand, encased in the lukewarm boiled water, palmed the clammy skin of the child, a bright glow taking over the child. She let the water seep into the skin and reach the faint rhythm of the child's persistently flowing blood. She could feel every every cell, every workings of limbs, every clogged pore of the lungs. Her eyes closed as she gently maneuvered the moisture within, taking a gentle, subtle hold of the blood inside. She thought back to the dark nights of her childhood following her lessons with Hama— the memory of Hama's harsh tone enunciating, Where there is life, there is water.
And a young Yue had eyed her curiously, And where there is water, there is also life. Where there's life, there's La.
The moment she extracted the excess fluid from the child's mouth, a strong jerk of movement followed. The baby's drooping legs began to kick with vibrant life, and jagged attempt at a cough transitioned smoothly into a shrill, loud, piercing cry that could only belong to a healthy infant, reverberating through the palace, seizing the attention of all who were present near the prayer room.
Katara and Aang beamed with happiness. Sokka stared in pure awe, his chest assaulted by unbearable warmth, his fingers touched by the child's closed, waving fists — a cold stranger waking to life and an unbreakable bond. Kohana yelped and hid behind his older brother, "Is nugaka broken?!"
But as the child's cries continued, louder and louder with each passing second, Yue let a blissful smile take over her lips from beneath her mask. Her hand brushed over the child's head.
It did not matter to Sokka what became of the rest of the world. All seemed right in the world. He breathed out a sigh of relief, drying his eyes, picking Kohana up, "No, Ko-bear, nukak is healed!"
Kya instantly ran into the room, held closely by Hakoda. Both parents, holding a wild look in their gazes, gawked at the baby, staring in complete silence and shock. It wasn't until Katara took her brother from Yue's arms and handed him to Kya and Hakoda that the couple burst. Hakoda kissed the baby's tiny fist, his cries silent. Kya, though, wept and held the baby close to her bosom, seemingly competing with the baby with how deeply she bawled.
"Thank the Spirits! Our baby prince is alive and well!" Chunta exclaimed as everyone else filed into the prayer room one by one, "Praise to the Goddess! Praise to the Spirits!"
"Tie the talisman, tie the talisman!" Kanna reminded.
"Quick! Sokka, tie the talisman!" Ki'ma followed. "It's moonrise, it's auspicious!"
Sokka took the talisman out of his pocket, kneeling beside his mother as he wrapped the black string around the baby's leg. Chunta went about with his various chanting, and as if reminded of something, quickly asked, "What's the name of our new prince?'
With her baby leaning against her bosom, Kya stared at Yue, unflinchingly, unabashedly answering, "Karuna."
A/N: Some fun facts for interested readers:
Naasoga actually means "flower" in Kalaallisut. I couldn't find the word for 'moonflower,' specifically, so really Naasoga would mean 'my flower' (if my translation skills are correct!)
Aukanek is the way I spelled Aukaneck, and it refers to the Inuit god who creates waves.
Karuna means "compassion" in Sanskrit.