A/N: A little explanation on the myth for The Thread of Fate. If you have any confusions let me know : ) I hope this helps understand the lore a little better.
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- shame to the family - dishonored us - humiliated your father - a disgrace - I no longer have a daughter...
The words still echoed in her mind. Replayed over and over until they became background noise. It had bothered her at first, but not anymore. She had gotten used to it. Staring at the wooden ceiling above her, Orora sighed to herself, turning to her side in her hammock and clutching her blanket closer to her body.
Her father had been less then pleased when she had said she would be healing soldiers on the battlefield, but the moment he had learned that she had engaged with the enemy in a fight, he had been downright furious.
All her life she had kept her fighting abilities a secret. Like any water bending girl from a respectable family, Orora had been sent to the Healing Huts when she came of age, while her brothers went to train with Master Pakku. She had been upset about the unfairness of it all, and when she had voiced her opinion, all she received for her trouble was a sharp slap across her face. From then on she had stayed silent.
The scrolls were a parting gift from her grandmother, who had decided, on her death bed, that her granddaughter should learn how to fight given the world they lived in. Her parents would never have allowed her, and she had never told them her secret. Stealing the scrolls her grandfather had written, from the attic of her home, Orora had trained herself from the age of ten.
She would sneak away in the middle of the night and train in the Spirit Oasis. The place had become her sanctuary, and despite almost being caught on more than one occasion, Orora had been steadfast and determined.
Presently she was on a boat alongside the Avatar, his companions, and other people from the Northern Water Tribe, who had decided to travel South to aid their sister tribe. Since she had been disowned by her father, and nothing was left for her back home, she had volunteered when Master Pakku said he needed people to go with him to the Southern Water Tribe. The man had been hesitant at first, but it seemed one of the Avatar's companions, Katara, had managed to wear him down, which had led to her packing up whatever she needed and leaving the Northern Water Tribe behind.
It was bittersweet. On one hand, Orora was excited for a chance to explore the world, and go beyond the freezing landscape she had known her entire life. On the other, she couldn't believe how her family, her own father, just threw her out like that. She had been trying to help. To save lives. It seemed he had never loved her enough to allow her even a little slip up. Her brothers were the ones who received all the praise and love. They would carry on the family name and legacy. Her? She would be carted off the minute her parents found a suitable husband.
All that time of being treated as a second thought, had taught Orora to stay aloof, for it was the only way she could ensure her survival.
So, here she was. Lying on a hammock, on her way into the world unknown.
Her train of thought was broken when she heard footsteps of someone coming down. It was Katara. The girl gave her a small smile. "Here. You didn't come up so, I brought some food for you." Orora sat up, the hammock swinging as she did, eyeing the bowl of stew the girl held out to her. She hadn't felt like eating an hour ago, but now her stomach was in knots from trying to keep the hunger at bay.
"Thank you." Reaching out, the other girl took the bowl and cradled it between her palms, enjoying the warmth of the stew against her skin. Katara moved to sit on the hammock opposite to Orora. "So, I hear I'm not the only girl who managed to learn how to fight in the Northern Water Tribe." She said, giving the other girl a smile as she began to eat. Orora gave a dry chuckle. "Sure, but I'm the only one to be disowned by my family for it, so thank the spirits your family is proud of your accomplishments." She spoke with such carelessness as if it didn't bother her at all.
Katara's reaction was immediate. The girl's features settled into one of sympathy and concern. "I'm sorry they did that. Maybe one day you can come back and show them just how strong you've gotten. I'm sure they'll be proud of you." Orora gave a little chuckle, before taking another sip of the stew. "You don't know my father and brothers like I do Katara. They're set in their ways, and extremely stubborn. I doubt they will change their minds." The other waterbender hummed in disapproval. "What about your mother?" Orora shook her head. "My mother won't ever go against my father. She's always been too scared and intimidated. Its not her fault." The girl was quick to add. "Thats how she was brought up. Its what frustrated my father so much. He always wondered why I wasn't like her." The girl winked at Katara. "Jokes on him, I inherited his hardheadedness, and he never realized it." Katara giggled at her words, while Orora took the time to finish up her stew and gave a small sigh of relief.
"Thanks for bringing me food. I didn't feel like going up." She admitted, prompting the other girl to shake her head. "Its alright. I wanted to get away from the boys for a little while anyway. My brother was starting to get on my nerves." She said the last part with a roll of her eyes, and an angry huff, yet Orora was certain there was no malice behind the words. "If you don't mind my asking, how old are you Orora?" The girl continued, curiosity coloring her tone as she regarded her fellow waterbender. "I'm sixteen." Came the short reply. Realizing that perhaps she was being a little rude, she gave the other girl a smile. "What about you? I'm sure you're younger then I am yet here you are, traveling the world with the Avatar no less."
Katara returned the smile. "I'm fourteen and yeah I suppose it is amazing. Never thought I'd be destined for something like this." She admitted, glancing upwards to where the open sky could be seen through the entrance.
Orora could see the girl was getting lost in her own musings, which prompted her to glance down at the now empty bowl she still held. She wondered what was she destined for? Would her life be just as adventurous as Katara's? Or would she live out her life as a simple healer?
And then there was the matter of her soulmate.
Her icy gaze flickered to the invisible thread around her finger. Since the Siege she hadn't felt the tug again. At nights she would often lay and replay what had happened in her mind. It was frustrating. All she could come up with was an outline of a person, shrouded in white, with a dark shadow across their face.
What she was certain of, however, was that she had seen fire. Fire coming from that figure when her finger had given that sharp yet insistent tug.
It was right before she had lost consciousness, and given the extent of her injuries and just how exhausted she had been, perhaps her mind was confusing things. Orora pursed her lips, letting out a sound of frustration. Sometimes she wished she had someone to speak to about these things. No one had ever really explained the concept of the Thread of Fate to her. There were legends and half-truths, yet she had never been able to find someone who could...
Her train of thought trailed off as she glanced up at the ceiling.
Maybe the Avatar knew?
This was torture.
Pure and utter torture.
Sure both him and his Uncle had managed to wash ashore on an area owned by the Fire Nation, but that didn't stop Zuko from being on guard. His Uncle was taking full advantage of the facilities that were being offered to them, free of charge of course. They were Fire Nation Royalty. And it did help that his Uncle had been there before after the failed attempt at capturing Ba Sing Se. Zuko made a mental note to ask the older man about it later.
The banished Prince, however, was not enjoying his time like his Uncle was.
He had lost his ship. His crew. He had lost the Avatar. Again. And with that, lost any hope of ever going back home.
He doubted his father would ever give him new resources for his efforts to capture the Avatar. So, for now, all he could do was sit and brood over the fact. Uncle had tried to include him in the many relaxing activities, yet Zuko had refused each and every single one. Choosing to, instead, sit under the blooming cherry blossoms and let his mind wander.
Once it had tired itself out from thinking of his pitiful conditions, his subconsciousness strayed to the thought of that young girl he had saved. Zuko could still feel that phantom tug at his finger when his mind conjured the image of the girl. His golden eyes flickered to his finger, thinking that perhaps it had been some sort of mistake on his part, that he had assumed the entire thing.
Yet even thinking along such lines felt...wrong.
He had been educated on everything there was to know about the Thread of Fate, yet it had been all direct and to the point, as most of his schooling had been. As a Prince, he had been made aware that finding a soulmate for royalty was difficult. Not only because they were mostly arranged to be married, like his father and mother, but also because what if their soulmate turned out to be a mere commoner? Or worse! Someone from another Nation altogether.
And here he was. A banished Prince who had felt that tug while rescuing a water tribe girl.
Life had a cruel sense of humor.
Still, he couldn't deny his curiosity. Glancing towards the hut he shared with his Uncle the boy frowned.
Maybe the wise old man could shed some light on the topic.
"Course I know about the Thread of Fate. I am the Avatar after all."
The reply was cheerful and light, holding no hint of that condescending tone she had always associated with the males in her life. The Avatar was unlike anyone she had ever met. It surprised her that someone so bright, cheerful and full of life had defeated the Fire Nation Navy all on his own.
Not to mention he was just a kid.
"That and the Monks told us all about it when we were really young, in case we ever ran into our soulmate." He added with a sheepish chuckle.
Sitting beside him on the deck as everyone shared breakfast before the Avatar was to leave, Orora gave a small nod. "Could you tell me about it?" She requested, ever the polite lady. It was instinct for her now, to be polite and courteous. The years of lessons that had been drilled into her had a lasting impact.
"Uncle! What can you tell me about the Thread of Fate?"
Blunt and to the point, that was his nephew. Iroh threw a surprised look at the young man, frowning slightly at him. "That is a rather strange question to be asking Prince Zuko. What brought it on?"
His nephew did not bother with a reply, though Iroh's keen gaze did pick up on how the little finger of Zuko's right hand twitched slightly. A moment of silence followed, before the older man sighed and gestured for Zuko to sit in front of him. Once he had done so, Iroh met his nephew's fiery yet determined gaze.
"What is it you wish to know, Prince Zuko?"
Sitting cross-legged on the floor, the Avatar, Aang she told herself, turned his attention towards her.
"You know I'm surprised your parents didn't tell you about it. Weren't they soulmates?" The boy asked, to which Orora shook her head. "Oh." An awkward silence followed before the boy seemed to bounce back. "Well don't worry, I can teach you everything about it."
By now Katara and Sokka had turned their attention towards their conversation as well.
"Well we all know the basics right? How the little fingers of our hands have an invisible string tied to it." He held up his right hand for emphasis, the little finger waving in the air. "For boys its the right hand, and for the girls the left hand. It appears at birth and connects us to our soulmates. The string only breaks when one soulmate dies. And it may tangle, or twist up but it never breaks." Orora blinked. Aang's grey eyes, that had been playful just a few moments ago, now bore a twinkle of wisdom in it that she had not detected before.
"The person that is connected to the end of that string is the other half of our soul. They are a part of us, as we are of them. A picture of completion if you will. Yin and Yang."
Zuko gave a small frown. "How would two people, who have never met know that they're soulmates?" He asked. His Uncle gave a small smile.
"Well most people have admitted to feeling a tug at their finger, a pull that never lets up until they're either close to their soulmate or so far away that the thread loosens." Golden eyes blinked, briefly dropping to the finger of his right hand, before shifting back to look at his Uncle.
"A person's thread will glow and be visible when they fall in love with their soulmate. And the color of that glow, matches the color of whatever Nation they belong to. Grey would be the Air Nomads. Blue would be the Water Tribe. Green would be someone from the Earth Kingdom, and red would be Fire Nation."
Aang dropped his hand before continuing. "The thread may connect us to our soulmate, but it doesn't mean that they will fall in love." Orora blinked. She certainly hadn't heard about that part. Aang gave a sympathetic smile at her confusion before continuing.
"It is rare that something like this happens, but if one person rejects the bond, the thread looses its color." Iroh spoke with a hint of sadness in his gaze, prompting Zuko to wander if perhaps his Uncle had experienced something like that happening.
"What happens to the other person?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. The retired General sighed. "Sometimes they accept it and move on. But if they are not strong enough they die." He admitted.
"Thats a little extreme isn't it?" Orora said, frowning at Aang. The boy shook his head. "I actually saw it happen one time. A young boy was brought to the Western Air Temple by his family. His soulmate had rejected him because her parents did not want her to marry someone from another Nation. He came to the Temple to heal, but the pain of loosing her was too much for his heart."
A breath of silence. "He died a week later."
"How many have you seen die from being rejected by their soulmate Uncle?" The sadness was overwhelming in the older man's eyes as he fixed his nephew with a stare.
"Countless."
Zuko knew the reason behind that answer. His Uncle had been at the front of many battles for the Fire Nation. Had watched soldiers give their lives for their cause. Iroh had been one of those Generals who went to the grieving families himself to give his condolences. He wandered just how many children had lost both their father and mother because one could not bear the thought of living in a world where their soulmate did not exist.
Shaking the thought away, he opened his mouth to ask another question.
"How often is it, that your soulmate might be from another Nation?" Orora asked. The Airbender hummed under his breath before shrugging. "Its pretty common. At least it was a hundred years ago." He glanced at Katara and Sokka for confirmation.
"Its still common I guess." Sokka finally spoke. "I had thought that maybe Yue was my soulmate but my string didn't glow." He glanced at his hand before looking up at the sky. "If she wasn't my soulmate, how is it that I fell in love with her?" He asked, frowning at Aang.
The boy pursed his lips before replying.
Iroh admitted. "Just because fate has partnered us up with someone, doesn't mean that we will end up with them. We still have the freedom to exercise free will." Iroh admitted. "The most common reason for a person to be rejected by their soulmate is because they are in love with someone else."
Zuko nodded. "So, I can choose to reject my soulmate? If I were in love with someone else, or if I wanted to." A troubled look overcame Iroh's features. "Prince Zuko, you should know, rejecting a bond such as this is painful for both the people involved. One must be very careful before taking such a drastic measure."
"Why would you reject your soulmate though?" Katara wandered out loud. "They are your other half and being with them makes you feel whole."
Orora, ever the morbid thinker voice her thoughts. "If your soulmate was from the Fire Nation, you'd probably reject them." A chilled silence followed her words, where everyone glanced at one another in silent agreement, yet it was Aang who broke it.
"Not everyone from the Fire Nation is a bad person Orora."
"The entire world is against the Fire Nation Uncle, against our vision to unite the world under one banner. I doubt anyone from the Water Tribes or the Earth Kingdom would accept someone from the Fire Nation as their soulmate." Iroh tried not to flinch at what his nephew spoke. He prayed to the Spirits his nephew would see the light somehow, yet for now he simply replied.
"Love is a powerful thing Prince Zuko. I have seen what it can accomplish. What power and determination it can give to a person. Do not underestimate it."
Zuko just sat there, unable to meet his Uncle's gaze for fear he would discover his suspicions about the reason he was asking all these questions.
"One final question, Uncle."
"Does everyone find their soulmate?" Orora asked, petting Aang's lemur, Momo, on the head from where he had cuddled into her side. The boy shook his head.
"Sadly no. Sometimes one soulmate might die before meeting the other, though it doesn't mean the other dies as well since they never accepted the bond." He clarified. "Other times the world is simply too big for one soulmate to meet another."
His grey eyes turned to gaze out upon the blue waters surrounding them."But it is comforting isn't it? Knowing that there is someone out there who thinks about you and cares for you without even knowing you." He chuckled. "Sounds almost magical."
Zuko let out a snort of derision. "I wouldn't go so far as calling it that." He stood up, straightening his clothes as he did. "Thank you for answering my questions Uncle." He gave the man a bow before turning to exit the hut.
"Prince Zuko? Did you feel it? Did you feel the thread going taut and tug at your finger?"
Orora sat there frozen in place momentarily. Aang's eyes seemed to widen as a glimmer of excitement shone in his gaze. "No. I've never felt that." The Waterbender said firmly, squashing whatever feeling of guilt she felt at lying.
"Of course not Uncle. Besides, I doubt anyone would want to be bonded to a banished and scarred Prince." With that Prince Zuko walked out of the hut, leaving his Uncle to look on as he did, sorrow filling his eyes.
The moment she could, Orora managed to escape the inquisitive eyes of the resident Airbender and catch a moment alone with her thoughts. It would seem a lot of her questions had been answered, and yet she was still confused. What purpose would a soulmate serve in her life? Would they help her be happy? Help her live a full life? One thing was for sure.
Her soulmate was from the Fire Nation.
Soulmates. Other half. Utterly ridiculous. Yet he could not deny the tug he had felt when he had rescued the girl. Could she be her soulmate? He was a Prince. He could not be bonded with a mere commoner. After listening to his Uncle and from what he had experienced he could not deny it any longer. One thing was for sure.
His soulmate was from the Water Tribe.
There was no way she would ever accept him as her soulmate.
There was no way he would ever accept her as his soulmate.
A/N: Ooooooooooo looks like they've already made their decision. Though fate can be a funny thing no? :3 Anyway! Hope you enjoyed. Leave a review and tell me what you think please. Just be polite? Thank you. - Hestia 28