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Chapter 8 – The Plan.

Katara POV.

I groaned, and my eyes slowly, painfully, opened, adjusting to the light. All I saw was a white ceiling. It was strange. The last thing I remember is that I was in the field fighting two spirits. Then Aang appeared and I was stabbed in the stomach...

Aang.

I carefully propped myself up on my elbows to look around. First: I was wrapped up in warm blankets. I pulled back the blankets and got into a sitting position. Two: my torso was wrapped in bandages, and I was in my underwear. I touched my stomach, thinking I'd feel pain or something, but it felt perfectly normal. There was no sign of injury.

I looked around. It was obvious that I was in one of the wards in the Healers' Home. It was a large room. My bed was positioned in the middle against the wall, so you could sit on either side of me. There was a small table and chair in the corner. There was a vase of flowers on the table (where do flowers come from at the South Pole?), and two parkas and my clothes were stacked on a chair. One was obviously mine, but the other?

I shifted on the bed, sitting on the edge, my feet almost touching the floor. Only now did I realize that my hair was loose. I raised my hands and decided to braid them into my own braid to make myself more comfortable. Along the way, I touched my necklace to make sure it was still there. After that, I got to work, continuing to look around the room, maybe I'll find something, I do not know.

When I finished, I was about to get up and get dressed, but I heard the door open. I thought it was Aang and wanted to throw myself into his arms. But it was Azula. And she looked furious. This confused me a bit. I didn't even do anything! Well, except for the kiss, but that's none of her business!

- Good afternoon, Master Katara, - the firebender greeted in a cold voice, then closed the door and closed it.

- Is it a day already? - I was surprised, it seemed to me that only a few hours had passed, that is, it should have been evening.

- Yes, it's day now, - she said. - Your internal clock is off. You've been unconscious for almost four days.

- Four days? That's... that's a lot.

- Yes, - she said again. – Aang barely slept while you were unconscious. It healed you with a bend of fire, speeding up the speed of your qi.

I've never heard of fire bend healing. But I knew that healing with qi acceleration was very dangerous. The one who heals is at serious risk. During healing, he can't sense it, but if the healer crosses a certain "line", then his qi may stop flowing at all, that is, he will die. I was both happy and scared that Aang had done this for me. He could have died saving me. But how did he know about this method? We never discussed healing methods. So, either he learned it after we broke up, or he never told me about it.

- Is Aang all right? - I asked, flustered. - He's alive, isn't he?

- Yes, Aang wasn't hurt while he was healing you, - Azula said, and I exhaled. – But we're not going to talk about him right now. Although, it will be indirectly affected in our conversation...

- A conversation? - I asked.

The Princess didn't say anything, but went over to a chair, picked up one of the steams, and began rummaging in her pockets.

- Hey! - I exclaimed when I realized Azula was touching my stuff without permission.

In response, she held out her hand in my direction, and a blue light lit up on the tips of her fingers, while she continued to rummage through her pockets with the other.

- Shut up, whore, - she snarled. – I know everything.

- What do you know? - I asked, crossing my arms over my chest, but I stayed where I was.

- You kissed Aang. You initiated the kiss yourself. You forcefully broke down the walls he built around his heart. I thought for a moment that maybe you realized your past mistakes and wanted to give he back honestly. Get his heart back… But no. You turned out to be a whore. That's what I thought, though. You just used it while you were having some trouble with your fiancé...

"A fiancé?" - I thought, and Azula picked up another parka and continued to search for something in it.

- ...And then it turns out that you've been engaged for the whole damn time! You want to break his heart again! But this time I won't let you. I'll keep his heart. Aang can't see the full picture because he... - she broke off. – I'll protect him from you. And you will burn in the fire of your sins...

With that, the Princess pulled out from another parka's pocket... a wedding necklace? She threw it at my feet.

- I'm waiting for an explanation, - she growled. – Before I tear you apart.

I bent down and picked up the necklace, then began to turn it over in my hands, trying to figure out where I got it from.

- But I'm not engaged to anyone! - I said defensively. – I do not know where I got it from!

- Why does Kaluk say he asked you to marry him, and you accepted? - Azula pressed on. - Somehow, he knew you had it. And he couldn't have planted it, since Aang never left your room at all. So, you had it before the spirit attack! So, you were playing on Aang's feelings again...

I was beginning to seriously feel that the room was definitely getting warmer. It's going to be hot in here very soon. I took a deep breath, then let it out, using my icy breath to lower my temperature. After a few seconds, the room was comfortable again.

- First of all, I wasn't going to play on Aang's feelings again, - I began. – Secondly, it may just be a provocation. Third, I'm definitely not going to get married to Kaluk! He's a pig!

- Why should I believe you? - Azula asked, lowering her hand with the fire in it.

- You can ask Aang, - I said. - He should have seen the love in my eyes. I tried to make him see it.

- Aang is busy right now, and he doubts what he saw. You've already confessed your love to him once before, only to leave in the end, - the Princess explained, and my heart broke that she was right.

- Have the meetings started yet? - I asked. – It doesn't usually last more than ten hours anyway. I'll talk to him after the meetings are over.

- The meetings have already started, but Aang isn't in the Tribe, - Azula clarified.

The necklace I was holding fell to the floor. "He's gone. I lost my chance to get him back. I lost him", - tears started to form in my eyes. I covered my face with my hands so that the firebender couldn't enjoy making me cry. It was definitely over now...

No. I won't give up. I'm ready to follow him to the ends of the earth. I'll get Aang back. And we'll be together again. I was a fool to leave him. I don't want to start a family with anyone other than Aang. Only with him. I'm willing to wait if it means we'll eventually get married and have kids. Three kids, as Aunt Wu had said years ago. I will be married to the most powerful man in the world. With Aang. My Aang. And we will be happy.

- Where did he go? - I asked when my voice calmed down. – How long has he been gone?

- He left for the center of the South Pole last night, - Azula explained. – Aang said that serious problems are expected if he doesn't do something.

- There are spirits out there, and he went alone? - I exclaimed. – I'm going after him!

With that, I abruptly stood up and went to my clothes, starting to get dressed.

- I'm not letting you go anywhere, - the Princess said. – He told us to keep you safe. You need time to fully recover.

- I feels fine. And I can take care of myself, thank you, - I retorted.

- Aang doesn't think so, he was very worried about you... If you truly love him, then you will do what he asks.

- I... how do you know I love him? - I asked, turning to the firebender. – I don't remember telling you that.

- Your brother and I talked, - she clarified. – We had a very rich conversation. He told me about your kiss with Aang. He told me about your "I'm confused" experience on Ember Island eight years ago. I told him what happened to Aang after you left him. I helped him live. I saved him. You just… You destroyed his soul… You broke his heart... - Azula's eyes started to fill with tears, her voice starting to grow hoarse with emotion. – The first person he met after a hundred years of freezing in an iceberg betrayed him. I can't even imagine how much it hurt him… He could have quit my treatment, because I've given him a reason more than once… I remember... - she swallowed, - I remember I burning him... - I remembered yelling at the airbender for being so blind to her game while still visiting Azula, - and he was just trying for me... but on didn't leave me, he stayed. He continued to heal me. I will always be grateful to him for this... and I tried to repay him, to show that I am grateful... I sometimes stayed up at night so that he wouldn't have the treacherous idea to give it all up and finish it all at once... everything he did for me, for you, for this world, all showed that he was a wonderful person who, after all that had happened to him, deserved to be happy… But all he got was a broken heart… And even... - tears streamed down Azula's cheeks, - and even now, he still loves you... He doesn't see anyone but you... He only wants you. And it hurts him that he can no longer be himself around you.… He could move on... - the princess's voice trailed off, - I... I could make him happy again… But he only loves you - - she covered her face with her hands and sobbed, her shoulders shaking.

I myself had tears running down my cheeks from this statement. Azula was right about everything. I was the first person Aang saw in the new world, and I broke his heart. I pushed away such a wonderful person who couldn't move on. But I also saw a girl who cared deeply about Aang, perhaps even, given everything that had happened in the past, was better than me. But Aang still loved me, no matter what.

- Azula, - I whispered, and went to hug her.

If I had been told in the past that I would be hugging the Princess of the Fire Nation, I would have thought they were crazy. But here I am. I moved closer to her and awkwardly put my arm around her shoulders.

- I-I... I want to say I'm sorry, but I know it won't be enough, - I began, patting her back. – But I swear, I swear on my life, that I love him, I really do. I swear I'll never hurt him again.

- Your vows are meaningless if they are worthless in the end, - Azula whispered. - Swear it… Swear that you will make him happy… That you will heal his heart, making Aang complete again.

- I swear, - I said solemnly. – I swear on my mother's memory that I will make Aang happy. I swear that I will heal his heart.

- Then... then I'll help you...- said Azula, pulling away from me. – But keep in mind...

- Yes, I know, - I interrupted. – If I hurt him, my life will end, I remember.

Azula allowed herself a small smile and held out her hand.

- Then I'll help you get Aang back, - she said, wiping away her tears with her other hand.

I took her hand and shook it.

At that moment, the door opened and Sokka appeared. He froze when he saw Azula and I shaking hands. He looked from her to me and back again. But after a while, his gaze settled on me.

- Katara! - he exclaimed and threw his arms around me.

Sokka quickly ran up to me and gave me a big hug. I hugged my brother back.

- Thank the Spirits, you're awake, - he said, then pulled back and looked at me seriously. – Why the hell did you go into the steppe? You've made us all worry! Aang almost destroyed the Tribe!

- Has he entered the Avatar State? - I was surprised, paying attention only to this statement. – What happened? And how did it get out of the state?

After I was fully dressed, Sokka sat me down on the bed, whereupon he and Azula began to tell me what they had seen. About how Aang, in his Avatar state, destroyed two spirits that attacked me. How he had created an impenetrable fog from which he would then look at them. About how scary it looked. How he tried to kill them by burning them alive, thinking they were abducting me. How the waterbenders tried to fight off the Avatar. How Sokka fearlessly went to meet the Avatar to calm him down.

- And how did you calm him down?

- I told him you were at the Healer's House. That you need he, - Sokka explained. – He apologized for attacking us, but I didn't hold it against him because I understood.

- Azula said... - I began, and glanced in the Princess's direction, only to see that she wasn't in the room; it looks like she left the room. – She said Aang helped heal me.

- Yes, - he said. – The healers said you weren't warm enough, so he kept you warm by sharing his inner warmth... and there was something about Qi, but I honestly forgot.

- I know it's very risky to boost other qi at the expense of your own, - I said, more to myself than to him. – I don't want Aang to feel bad for me. I don't want him to...

- That reminds me, - Sokka interrupted, - that you were like that when Aang was struck by lightning. The way you nursed him while ignoring your own needs. Yes, it's bad that he didn't pay attention to himself, giving all of himself to you. But you were the same. If there's one good thing about what happened, it's that you both now know what it's like to almost lose someone you love. And if you do get back together...

Now it was my turn to interrupt my brother.

- It isn't "if". It's "when". I intend to return it. And Azula agreed to help me.

- We'll all be ready to help you, - Sokka said. – I'm sure you two will be fine. But what about the wedding necklace?

- I never intended to marry Kaluk, and the necklace might have been planted, - I said, then asked again. - We?

Sokka nodded.

– The meetings started this morning, and many leaders have already arrived at the South Pole… In fact, I came here to introduce Azula to...

- Meathead, you've abandoned me again! - I heard swearing from the hallway. – You know I can't see a damn thing in the snow! As soon as I find metal or earth nearby, I'll beat you up so badly that you won't be able to walk for a month! Can you hear me?!

My eyes widened as I realized who it was.

- This is...?

- Yeah, - Sokka confirmed before getting up and walking to the door to greet the guest. In the next second, I saw Sokka fall to the floor, holding his leg.

- I warned you, asshole! - The voice said.

Finally, the someone came to the door and looked in. I ran to meet him.

- Toph! - I exclaimed, hugging my friend who was wearing a fur parka.

- Nice to see you, too, Katara, - Toph said, hugging me back.

- So, - Sokka began, who had already gotten up and walked over to us. – While Aang is gone, we need to figure out how you're going to get him back.

- By the way, Azula didn't tell me exactly when he was coming back.

- He should be back by late afternoon tomorrow, - Sokka said. – But keep in mind that you can't take all his attention away from him. Meetings are waiting for him.

- Ah, - I groaned in frustration. – They can't solve everything on their own?

- No, we can't decide everything on our own, - a voice said from the doorway. – Still, having an Avatar is important at such meetings.

I turned around and saw Zuko and Suki smiling.

- Guys! - I exclaimed again and threw my arms around each of them.

- The whole team is here! - Sokka said happily after Suki kissed him, and he put his arm around the girl's waist.

- Well, almost all of it, - Toph said.

- Then let's prepare for his arrival, - Suki suggested. - We'll surprise Aang.

- There's only one surprise for Twinkletoes. - The blind girl grinned. – It should be a nude Katara. Then, it will be a real surprise!

- Oh, ugh, ugh, ugh! Oogi! - Sokka exclaimed, frowning in disgust. – I'm actually here! Don't talk about my sister!

While my brother was spitting at the idea, I blushed deeply, but I couldn't help but think that Toph's words had some meaning. Aang probably knows (of course he knows) that our friends will be here, so I (even if I don't have any clothes on) might surprise him.

- Sweetness, why don't you say something? - Earthbender asked, still grinning. – Did you like my idea?

- Well, that makes sense, - I said uncertainly.

The blind girl opened her mouth in surprise, and Sokki's eyes widened, even Zuko looked stunned, only Suki was smiling.

- You're not serious, are you? - my brother asked.

- Why not? - I asked back. – Why can't I show him how much I love him, even if it's a physical manifestation? Sex is...

- This is a very stupid idea, - interrupted Azula, who had appeared in the doorway, leaning against the wall. - Sex won't heal his heart. Perhaps you can win back some of his affection in this way. He told me that you wanted your first time to be special. So, it turns out that you're just using it to get him back. This is wrong. It is better to have a heart-to-heart talk with him, discuss your past problems and mistakes. And then, perhaps, sex will help you consolidate your success. However, about sex you will decide for yourself.

- That makes sense, - Zuko agreed. – You've probably discussed the subject of sex with Aang, so you should know what he thinks about it.

Memory

- Katara...- groaned Aang.

It was night. The moon was full, and my blood was pumping through my veins. I was excited. All my senses sharpened and intensified. I could clearly feel the warmth of his body beneath me, his breathing, his heartbeat. I could smell him, feel his muscles, feel his arousal. I ignored the airbender's request and continued to attack his neck with kisses, sucking and licking his skin, enjoying the sounds he made. As I did so, my hands moved down his body, slowly moving down to his groin.

- Stop... Katara… Ahhh...

I bit his pulse lightly, sucking on it. My hands reached his abs, which trembled under my fingertips. When my fingers found their way under his underwear, Aang grabbed my arm abruptly. I groaned in frustration and tried to kiss him on the mouth to get him to accept my point of view, but he turned his head away, avoiding my lips.

- What? I don't turn you on, do I? - I growled, straddling his hips. - One girl isn't enough for an Avatar, is it?

In response, he just sighed and leaned up to give me a gentle hug. I felt a soft embrace and hugged him back, burying my face in his shoulder. Aang gently stroked my hair, soothing me. After a while, he spoke.

- You turn me on, I want you so badly, Katara, - the airbender whispered. – I only need you, don't think you're not enough for me. All my thoughts are only about you...

- But...?

- But I don't want to make love like this, - he explained.

I pulled back and looked at him, not understanding.

- I want our first time together to be special, - he said. - The Air Nomads considered sex a sacred act between lovers. At this point, people are maximally vulnerable to each other, presenting their intimate parts to another, they are maximally open. It's an act of bonding between people. Sex without love or because of lust was very much frowned upon in our culture. So, I come back to the present moment. I want us to do this out of love for each other, because we knew we were ready, because we both knew this was the moment. I don't want our first time together to be because of lust or because of the full moon. As soon as we realize that this is "our" moment, we will make love, - he finished.

I couldn't listen without crying. It was wonderful that in his culture, this was considered such an important moment in a couple's life. I've never heard that before. Other Nations didn't consider it something so sacred.

- It would be an honor to share my first time with you, - I whispered, kissing him on the cheek.

- It's mutual, Honey, - Aang said softly in response.

- We need to understand that this is "our" moment, - I thought aloud. – I agrees. We need to talk first.

- So, it's settled, - Suki said, clapping her hands. – We need to arrange a date for you two.

- But where? - Sokka asked.

- In their home, of course, - Toph said, - they should be reunited where did they break up.

- Full circle, - Azula said.

- Full circle, - I nodded.

Aang POV

I had been moving on the ice board already for about seventeen to eighteen hours towards the Spirits' Portal. For the first six hours or so, the weather was calm, the moon was shining, and it was light. But then a blizzard started, and visibility worsened dramatically. There was a strong wind and snowfall. I had to create an air layer around me to limit the influence of the weather on my movement. Even though I had already used the Avatar State energy three times, the journey still took a lot of my strength, however, I decided that I would make it without stopping, since according to the previous prompt from Avatar Toko two hours ago, I didn't have much left to go.

About an hour later, I noticed that glaciers appeared on the horizon, or mountains, I don't quite understand. I once again used the energy of the Avatar State and sped up to reach my goal as quickly as possible. The closer I got, the more I realized that it was a mountain covered with snow and ice after all.

About an hour Anda half later, I reached the mountain and saw that there was a cave in it that looked too beautiful. Well, by - beautiful-, I mean that the cave was carved by someone, meaning it wasn't naturally made. The closer I got to the entrance, the more I felt a surge of spiritual energy.

- Aang... listen ...- came a voice in my head. - Aang... isn't ... he...

- Roku? - I asked, trying to focus on my thoughts, perhaps the previous Avatar wanted to tell me something, but I was met with silence.

Strange, I thought, but I shrugged and kept going.

Soon I was at the entrance and started to descend into the cave. As I suspected, the cave was carved by someone. Apart from the walls covered in ice and the ceiling where huge ice stalactites hung, it was still generally safe to walk here. I kept walking, feeling more and more spiritual energy. At some point, it was completely dark, so I lit a fire in my hand to light my way.

After about half an hour of walking, I reached the cave extension. It was quite a large space. There were even more stalactites on the ceiling, and stalagmites also appeared on the floor. In general, not all the space in the cave was covered with ice, there was a lot of open stone. There was an ice lake in the center of the cave. I bent a stone ladder for myself to descend. As I got closer to the lake, the spirit of Toko's Avatar appeared next to me.

- You reached the Southern Spirit Portal in time, Avatar Aang, - he said, bowing. - The Winter Solstice is still about three hours away. You're doing great, young Avatar.

- Thank you for your guidance, Avatar Toko. - I answer, too bowing - So, what now?

- As we both know, - he said, - evil spirits have begun to appear at the South Pole. We need to "reload" the portal. You need to defrost the lake. This lake is like the Spirits' Portal at the North Pole, but here there are no Koi fishes, so it is not protected and therefore it is closed. The last time this portal was active was during the Avatar's time before me, which is twelve hundred to fourteen hundred years ago. It can only be affected by strong spiritual energy, so его нужно you don't just need to unfreeze it but do it with the help of the Avatar State. After that, you need to freeze it back using the same Avatar State.

- It sounds simple, - I said.

- Don't think that until you've tried it, - he clarified.

I nodded and walked right up to the lake. I sat down on my knees and placed my palms on the surface of the lake. I didn't feel cold from the ice. I took a deep breath and entered the Avatar State, after which I began to bend the spiritual energy and fire to defrost the lake.

After some time of intense bending, the lake melted – the Southern the Spirits' Portal was opened. I was about to fall on my side to отcatch my breath and regain my strength, but in the next second, the water in the lake exploded in a column, a wave rose.

I raised my arms and bent the water so that I wouldn't be overwhelmed by the wave. When this was done, a very bad sight presented itself to my eyes.

- Avatar Aang...- came a nasty but familiar voice that sent shivers down my chilled skin. – I am glad to see you again...

In the next second, I felt something pass through me. I lowered my head and noticed that there was a block of ice sticking out of my stomach, with my blood on the sharp end.

Before I passed out, I noticed that something was glowing brightly from the cave entrance...

Happy New Year everyone!