Chapter 9: Thieves and Whores
"Mr. Ingiullik?"
Sokka held back a wince from the sting of the earlier slap. He saw the heiress standing by her bedroom door, holding onto it fiercely for support. He rushed over, "Miss Atsanik, are you okay—?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine. I just…"
"Do you need something?"
"Yes," pointing to the portrait of her father down the hall, "Can you get me that portrait?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Please bring it to me without the frame."
"You don't need the frame?"
"No," she shook her head, knowing that the finance officers arriving tomorrow would be much more invested in such a thing.
Sokka left and returned quickly after completing the task, handing her Arnook's portrait with great care. "Is there anything else you need, Miss Atsanik?"
Yue looked both ways, making sure that there was no one else in the hallway before asking in a small voice, "Would you like to come inside?"
"Um…sure… If you want me to."
He stepped inside as she closed the door, managing to take a seat in the common room with his help. She gestured to the various dishes that were laid out on the table— dishes ranging from Arctic hen to squid soup, smoked barracuda to seal jerky.
"Talk in the kitchen has it that you really like meat, so I requested these for you. Hopefully they're to your liking."
His eyes softening, "Miss Atsanik, I'm touched, I really am…but I'm not allowed to—"
"I thought you were raised to take no yakshit," she said, folding her arms, "Forget Zhao. I'm not a tattle-tale."
"It's not that. I'm not really hungry anyway—" but his growling stomach refuted that argument immediately. "I…it's just…if he finds out you're helping me—"
"It won't go that far if you eat and quickly resume your post. It's like nothing happened."
His hunger, which had been assaulting his insides since the past hour, drowned his further protests. "Did you eat?"
"Not yet. I'm not very hungry."
"Oh…okay…" Still hesitating to sit, rubbing the back of his neck, "I thought maybe…maybe you would wanna… eat together…"
She gave him another look before acquiescing, "If it makes you eat."
He couldn't help smiling, opting to fill her plate, and they took to eating their meals in silence. Despite initially not wanting to eat, Yue ended up eating more than the meager portions she fiddled with yesterday, which he found to be a bit of progress. His famished insides felt rejuvenated within the next half-hour, and he let out a content sigh and a satisfied belch, flashing her a thankful look. "I'll never forget this, Miss Atsanik."
"It's not much. I'd hate to have you go hungry because of me."
"It's not because of you. It's because Zhao was being an insensitive idiot and Hahn's mom was being a piece of shit."
Flashing him a firm look, "I expect you to never do something like this again. The next time Lady Mimik or anyone else takes a swing at me, do not dive in the middle of it."
"I don't just stand around when people are getting hurt. Especially women."
"That's commendable, but I myself am telling you to not get involved. These disputes are personal, and I don't like it when others are inconvenienced for my sake."
"I was just trying to be humane," he looked at her, unwavering, "You know, since you don't believe in friendship. Besides, my cheek, my choice. If I wanna take hits for my friends, then I will."
She frowned but said nothing further in her exhaustion. She didn't protest, either, when he helped her back to her bedchamber. Sokka frankly expected to be told to resume his post but was surprised when she told him to stay, even inviting him to take a seat on her bed.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"I don't mind. Have a seat."
He took his seat as she reached for a container on her bedside table, "Here, use this." Handing it to him, "Rub some of this lotion on your face. It'll help with the sting…"
"Oh…thanks…"
"Open it. Try it now."
"Yeah, okay…" he took some lotion onto his fingers and brushed it against his cheek, the sting pulling a hiss out of him.
"No, not like that. Gentle, circular motions."
"Like this?" Followed by a greater hiss, "Ow—!"
"No, no, not like that," she took the container from him, pouring some onto her own hand, "Here, let me."
Her palm was the softest thing he ever felt in his life. He felt the glaciers in his chest melt helplessly, pooling into puddles of warmth as she slowly, carefully applied the lotion on his cheek. For the first several seconds, he forgot the pain, but gradually, the pain began to taper away altogether, leaving behind a cooling sheen over his skin.
"Now you try it."
He blinked out of his trance, flushing as she moved her hand away. He mimicked her movements from earlier, "Like this?"
"Yes, that's it. Massage the skin for five minutes."
He nodded, "Thanks…"
In the meantime, Yue carefully placed her father's portrait as well as her smaller family portrait in a burlap tote bag hanging by the bedpost nearest to her. The bag also contained a very thick book— the cover of which seemed to resemble a portrait album— as well as a lidless box looking similar to the one Lady Mimik had emptied, the jars of herbal serum jostling inside of it.
"I'm glad you have backup herbs and stuff. Well, it makes sense, obviously, you're a healer." He then saw her reach into her bedside drawer and pull out a bracelet — well, two bracelets, one very small, probably able to fit a toddler's hand and a bigger one fit for an adult wrist— both packed together. The bracelets were very ordinary-looking, not at all resembling the fancy trinket that Yue had given away to that little girl the day before; rather, these bracelets were made of little wooden beads with simplistic animal figures drawn on top of each bead. "What's that? Looks pretty neat."
She initially didn't want to say anything, but a pang of longing struck through her, making her forget everything for a moment. She took out the larger bracelet, slipping it carefully around her wrist. "My father used to tell me my mother would coordinate her outfits to match mine each day. She bought these when I was a few months old. So our jewelry would match, too..." Gesturing to the one on her wrist, "This one's obviously hers, and the small one was mine."
"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't know."
"It's fine," she slipped the tiny bracelet inside the burlap bag, "Whenever I wear anaana's bracelet, I feel as if she's still with me."
Sokka fiddled with the lotion container in his hand, "My Gran Gran always says our folks are never gone. They stay up in the sky as stars, and when the time comes, they come back down as our kids." Shrugging, "I'm normally not a fan of things we can't prove with science, but…it's fun to think about. My Gran Gran always believed in these things; that's why she named my dad after her dad: Hakoda."
"Hakoda?" Yue mused.
"Yep. And if I have a son, I'm gonna name him that. He can go by 'Koda' for short. Sounds cool, doesn't it?"
She couldn't help a tiny smile, nodding.
"I'd like a daughter, too, but I can't name her after my mom." Frowning, "My sister, Katara, called dibs on the name Kya. But there's no rule saying your mom can't be reborn twice. Part of her will be with Katara, and part of her will be with me. My mom would never play favorites." With a finger on his chin, "Maybe I could rearrange the name. Make it unique. Like…Yka or Kay…or Yak. Kayak! Wait a minute…"
Yue burst into a sudden giggle, pleasantly surprising him before turning away, clearing her throat, "Sorry."
"Nah, I was going for humor," he grinned, finding it a personal victory that he made her laugh. "You know, your parents will come back to you, too. Just imagine little Nuq-Nuq and Nah-Nah running around."
She raised her eyebrows.
"You know, short for Arnook and Ahnah. I mean, that's what I'm assuming you're gonna name your babies," he said. "And you can pass the baby bracelet onto little Nah-Nah."
"Nuq-Nuq and Nah-Nah," she mused softly, "Sounds cute."
"Of course, this will all be after you dump Hahn down the sewer drain and marry a guy who genuinely loves and respects you."
Snapping out of her thoughts, "Mr. Ingiullik—"
"If you don't trust me with certain things, that's perfectly fine," Sokka said. "But don't trust Zhao. Or Hahn or that witch. 'Cause I'm convinced they're out to destroy everything you love and care about. All that constant judging, their insecurity when you're around other people, the fact that they think healing is an improper profession. I mean, what kind of people are they? They don't care about your likes and dislikes. They don't respect you or your opinions. You can't be happy being around those idiots for the rest of your life." Glaring at the ground, "The nerve that witch had to try to hurt you and then act like she was the victim. There's gonna be a lot of abuse and gaslighting in that household, Miss Atsanik. Your parents would never want you to be in a place like that or with people like them."
Yue did not respond to his observations. Rather, they sat in silence for a long time, Sokka finding it troubling that she didn't even seem worried about her future. Yue eventually caved in, asking out of curiosity, "Is it really true? What you said about your grandmother yesterday?"
He nodded, "Yeah. I have no reason to lie about that. And I don't want anyone else to go through that kind of yakshit."
He reiterated again how the man who said he loved Kanna was quick to abandon her and dip out on the responsibility of raising a child, desperate for a bride who matched him in wealth and status.
"Gran Gran raised my dad on her own. Actually, scratch that," he shook his head, "She had Pakku's help."
"Pakku?"
"He's my grandfather. Well, not officially but that's his identity, basically," he said. "My Gran Gran moved to the South after my dad was born, and she met Pakku. He was a waterbending master there, and he fell in love with her right when he saw her, apparently. He didn't care that she already had a baby. He wanted to marry her, but back then, his parents were still alive, and they didn't like that he wanted to marry a woman who already had a baby with someone else. But Pakku still didn't care. He couldn't marry her when his parents were alive, but that didn't stop him from continuing to see her and raising my dad like he was his own son.
He went on to describe how everyone in the tribe had accepted Pakku and Kanna's arrangement as a marriage, more or less, basing the acceptance on the fact that Pakku made Kanna a necklace. But despite the engagement, for one reason or another, the two never had the chance to actually have a marriage ceremony. Responsibilities and expenses were such that a wedding couldn't be afforded when they were younger, and in their middle-aged years, their focus fell on getting Hakoda to settle down, which they prioritized more than their own situation.
"Gran Gran had too many responsibilities on her plate, and by the time my dad got his first official job, he married my mom, so there was that. And then Katara and I came along soon after that. Everything was too hectic all the time for Gran Gran and Pakku's wedding…but it was a good kind of hectic, so it was all good." He looked out of the window at the beams of sunlight that swooped in, a subtle change in his tone catching her attention, "I remember when Pakku and Gran Gran had actually made concrete plans to have a ceremony. I was eleven and Katara was around nine. But a few days before the wedding, we lost our mom. Dad was devastated. He didn't get out of bed for months. And Gran Gran and Pakku just fell apart." Looking away, "My dad was never the same…and two years later, he also passed. Work-related accident but…really, it was also the fact that Mom was gone."
Yue's hand slowly reached for his, her palm tentatively draping over his fingers. "I'm very sorry."
He smiled, "It's okay. It's in the past now. It's not as bad talking about it as it used to be…" With a dry chuckle, "Pakku's still waiting to wife up my Gran Gran, but that's not happening as long as they got our responsibilities on their shoulders."
They worked together along with Piandao to raise Sokka and Katara after Hakoda and Kya's passing. The children had grown and eventually got jobs at the factory, but Katara quit after a few years to teach waterbending lessons and combat to the women in the village.
"Now the buzz is all about her marriage." With a degree of pride, Sokka added, "She's marrying the Avatar."
"I heard," Yue said. "She's lucky."
"Yep," he nodded. "And I know she can kick ass, but most importantly, she'll be safe. And very loved."
It was surprisingly not a hassle to get Kanna on board with the wedding, Sokka explained. In spite of her suspicion of people of high status, Kanna's view of Aang was different. She had known the monk ever since he was little, and she had witnessed the young monk and her granddaughter crushing on each other from early on in their lives, a crush with only bloomed with the Southern monk's frequent visits to the Southern Tribe. And when the day came when Aang was announced as the next Avatar, Kanna found that her affection for the boy had not changed. Besides, he had proven far too many times that what he had for Katara was love in the purest of forms, unencumbered by the questions of fame and status (the boy was raised a monk, after all). Aang had insisted that he learn waterbending from his girlfriend in the South, and he made time to visit the South during the years he trained to master earthbending and firebending. The next step was undoubtedly marriage, and Gran Gran insisted that they do something from their end to express their happiness for the union. Hence the reason behind Sokka's necessity for a job.
"There's a point to all of my rambling, Miss Atsanik. There's someone out there for everyone, and there's someone out there for you. And that someone is not Hahn."
"Marriages have been around for millennia," she said. "And in the grand scheme of things, people are just insignificant playthings of the universe trying to make a mark by multiplying. Not everyone marries for love, especially in our tribe where everyone's arranged by default. And yet, creation has continued, and we have one of the largest populations on the planet."
"Well that's a depressing take," he sighed, "But even back then, dumb people were abandoned. Respectable people might've been tolerated, but Hahn doesn't even get to the bare minimum." Furrowing his eyebrows. "And just 'cause people did these things in the past doesn't mean we should keep doing them. Think about those stupid traditions. The groom prices down South and the bride prices here. It's a bunch of yakshit. Turning people into objects and marriages into markets. We can't let these things continue down the road."
She said nothing out of helplessness rather than disagreement. He looked at her, overcome by worry and warmth, "Miss Atsanik, you deserve someone who will always love and be loyal to you, not someone who's gonna take advantage of you."
"Wouldn't that be the dream," she said, "But the thing is, love and loyalty are luxuries that not everyone can afford, Mr. Ingiullik. In that sense, I'm rather destitute."
"Don't say that," he sighed at her bitterness. "Okay, first things first, we need to up our positivity game. And then, when those officers get here tomorrow, we're sitting them down for a long talk."
"What are you saying?"
"I could see how uncomfortable you were with the whole bride price nonsense earlier. I can't imagine you'd agree to something like that in the first place, but you sat through that just to pay for this estate, didn't you?"
She didn't respond. It was probably for the best that he thought she was doing this for the estate.
"Why would you go through with something that clearly makes you miserable? When instead you can just tell those finance officers the truth and avoid the situation altogether?"
"Mr. Ingiullik—"
"Hear me out just once, please."
With a weary sigh, she gave him her full attention as he fumbled to take off his coat. He reached into a large pocket on the inside of the coat, pulling out the two weighty transaction books that he'd supposedly been carrying with him.
"I did the math," he said as he turned the pages of both books until the transactions aligned with the same date. "Look, according to these notes, the last loan your dad got was six years ago, and he paid off that loan at the very beginning of this year. Two months before he got sick. The financial officers are apparently saying he didn't make a single payment, but that's not true at all. Look here," pointing to another page, "Consistent payments were authorized, but Zhao swallowed the money." The tribesman then flipped through the newer book to the very end, "And these more recent loans, the ones Zhao marked here? Mr. Arnook didn't request any of them. Zhao just signed for him as his representative. See for yourself, Miss Atsanik. You have to believe me, please."
Yue looked over all the transactions, but her main focus was on the older book, the very early pages where her father had written down the transactions. Her fingers traced over his handwriting before stumbling onto the Ainunga property papers.
"We can show all of this to the financial officers tomorrow," Sokka pleaded. "If we report the fraud, you don't have to pay for the estate. Zhao's gonna be forced to give the money back, and he'll be put behind bars for embezzlement. You can have everything back, Miss Atsanik. And you can give Hahn and that demoness back their 'one percent' and call off the wedding and never see their faces ever again. You can get your healing center back, too, and go on to become the best healer in the tribe."
But just hearing about the prospects of "reporting the fraud" made her pulse go haywire, made her thoughts go into a frenzy over the fear of innocent people's blood bathing the Northern tundra.
"Miss Atsanik—?"
She gasped out of her thoughts, having zoned out for several moments. He pulled back worriedly, "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to startle you…"
She shook her head, brushing the sweat away from her brows, "No, it's not you, I…I just thought of something…"
He reached for a cup of water that was sitting on the table nearby and handed it to her. She took several sips, trying to calm herself.
"Miss Atsanik," he gave her a gentle look, taking the liberty of holding her trembling hand and whispering, "I understand that it's scary, but you're not gonna do this alone. Master Piandao and I are gonna do everything we can to help you. We'll be right next to you—"
"I'm not letting you get involved in this," she insisted with a glare, "This is my fight."
Blinking in surprise, "So you know the truth…?"
She swallowed, bringing down her defensive tone, "Mr. Ingiullik…I'm aware of what I'm doing, okay? Zhao is not as lenient as he may seem, and I know you know that. That's why the point is to lay low about these things." Averting eye contact, "So don't say anything and put yourself at risk. I'll handle this on my own—"
"We can't let you do this by yourself," he persisted. "We're worried about you, Miss Atsanik. We can't let you go up against Zhao by yourself. We wouldn't trust anyone to do this solo and not get hurt. Please, just give us a chance. You said it yourself; Zhao isn't lenient. It's better if we tackle this as a team."
Knowing he wasn't going to listen, "Well…if that's the case, then we can't make any moves right away…"
He didn't seem to be entirely convinced, having observed her nervousness, but he still reiterated, "As soon as those officers get here tomorrow, we're showing them these books and exposing Zhao's schemes. We're throwing him in jail, and you're giving back those seventy million gold pieces, and I'm beating Hahn's ass out of here. And to do all of that, we're gonna have to act fast. I'll bring Master Piandao here right now if you want—"
"No, no, not now. I'll let you know when," her heart pounded. "I… I need to take care of some things first…And until then," holding the old transaction book close to her, "I'll keep this safe with me." She handed him Zhao's account book, "Give this book back to Master Piandao in the meantime. I don't want him running into trouble. And go back to your post before someone sees you. I'll reach out when the time is right…"
He was still not convinced, and even as he reached for the door, he didn't leave, looking very uncertain and worried of the situation, of her. He abandoned his attempt at leaving, guilt swimming to the forefront of his gaze as he came to a decision. And maybe he was being really stupid for what he was about to admit, but there was something driving him to speak. Something he didn't have a name for. "Can I say something, Miss Atsanik?" Turning to face her, "I just want us to be honest with each other, yeah?"
Surprised, "Sure…"
"Because of what happened to her, Gran Gran has always…disliked high society. She always said it was better to keep our distance from high societies. She kept telling us this over and over again ever since we were kids…and no one questioned it in our village. And with Zhao hoarding our funds over the years and tossing the blame onto your dad and other supervisors… the situation just aggravated tensions. I'm not justifying our bias in any way, but I did wanna tell you this because I realize how stupid it is to categorize right and wrong according to social status. I mean, your dad was born into a wealthy family, from what I heard…and Zhao had nothing when he came here. And look how things turned out."
"Your grandmother's perspective comes from a place of fear and trauma, and I can understand that," Yue said. "And it doesn't help that the only well-to-do people around you were jerks. That, too, while you were being crippled by all kinds of debts." And she could only imagine the extent of backlash her father must have faced for no reason at all from aggrieved families, all thanks to Zhao's misdealings.
"But Gran Gran's fears are not always the case, and I really do see that…and I really am sorry for blindly believing Zhao and not knowing the truth…and being judgmental," he said. "I thought there was no reason to be sensitive to people who scavenge what belongs to other people."
"And you're right," she said. "Zhao's not someone to be sensitive to."
"But you and your dad are not like Zhao, and I didn't know that at the time I… well…" Nervousness taking over, "I have a confession to make."
"A confession?"
Taking a deep breath, "I actually didn't come here for a job. Well, that's not entirely true. I did appreciate a job, but… that's not the real reason behind me being here…" and despite the impending shame, he continued, "I heard that Zhao kept a…a vault…in the eastern wing…and I wanted to break into that vault and take what was owed to us…"
Yue's expression was unreadable.
"Master Piandao hated the idea, but there was nothing else he could do, either, after talking to Zhao at Whaletail Island. That idiot threatened to fire the workers already there, and those people had several mouths to feed. Master Piandao was gonna go the strike route, but Zhao's influence on legal authorities down South would've done us no good. He has a good rapport with a lot of politicians there, and there was just no way we could've confronted him. There were people at home who were losing homes and lives, and many of them needed the money."
He paused for a reaction, but one never came. She only blinked, waiting for him to continue.
"And on a personal note…with Gran Gran's situation… I didn't expect procedures to sometimes be life-threatening for much older tribefolk, and I was under the impression that I had to pay forty thousand gold pieces to save her. And with Katara's wedding…" Shaking his head, "It's wrong, I know, and I hated it…but I told myself I wouldn't hurt anyone during the process."
He watched for her reaction, still unable to read her expression. She was looking down, seeming to be distracted by other thoughts. After an uncomfortable silence, she then remarked, "So I guessed right when I first saw you. You were a burglar."
And though he was abashed by the comment, he was surprised to note that her tone wasn't accusatory, nor was there any trace of anger or rage in her eyes. She seemed tired more than anything, contemplative at the most.
"The vault used to be here," she mused aloud as if still distracted by something, "Zhao was worried about leaving it so exposed, so he relocated it." Especially after she learned of his deception and tried to run away.
"I have no idea where it is, by the way," she added, finally looking at his surprised form.
"No, no, that's not the point of my confession at all, Miss Atsanik," he stopped her. "It's not that I wanna know where it is—"
"Well even if you do end up finding it and taking from it, I don't care," she said calmly. "Though I would stress the importance of life and limb over money since Zhao's not going to appreciate your efforts…" She shrugged, "Other than that, I really don't know what to say. You wouldn't be stealing from us anyway. That money wasn't ours."
"But Zhao stole it from you—"
"But sixty percent of it was still money put aside for the workers."
"Well whoever's money it is, I'm not going through with that plan anymore."
"What are you going to do then?" she asked, "For your people?"
"Fight for them, of course. Once we expose Zhao, we can all get what we need. Zhao's gonna pay back every single copper piece. Or in the very least, the courts will take his property from him, and as he rots in jail, we can sell his stuff and split the proceeds. And you can get back the Ainunga property and stop this place from getting seized."
"If you don't trust legal authorities, why even try to tell the finance officers tomorrow?"
"Because Zhao's being careful here. Much more than he's been down South. He's making sure everything's in order. There's no reason for him to be this perfect in covering things up if he could easily manipulate those officers. He's gotta be intimidated by them to some extent…and I think it's worth giving a shot. I know Master Piandao's gonna be on board with this, too. It's a much more honorable way of trying to get back what's ours."
She twiddled with her fingers, "Not going through with your original plan is obviously a good thing. That being said, if the system is rigged, what can anyone do? It's very difficult to take Zhao down. Maybe taking what's yours is the quickest way to get the money. Of course, I'd never say it's right to commit a crime…though I wouldn't say it's a rare problem by any means to try to do the right thing…and have to do so through undesirable means… So long as no one gets hurt…"
"Well even if I tried to justify the plan by saying no one's gonna get hurt… if I still went through with it, it wouldn't make me any different from Zhao, would it?" Looking at her, "Or Minri, for that matter."
"I see you did research on that, too," she murmured. "Well I don't have the time or energy for complex ethical dilemmas." Other than the ones she was facing right now, at least — letting Zhao off of the hook, refusing to cooperate with the investigations surrounding Unquq's "disappearance," which would inevitably deny justice to the deceased man's grieving family. And for what? Protecting the said grieving family from further loss given Zhao's aggressive influence, providing for the hundreds of workers denied their funds, and satisfying her personal selfishness of making sure her father's name was not tarnished forever throughout history.
It was an impossible situation for her.
"I guess what I'm really trying to say is," she looked at him, "Who am I to judge? I honestly don't even know why you told me this when you could've just stopped going through with your plan and went about your life."
"I told you this because I want you to trust me," he told her. "Because I want you to know we're on the same side here. And because I don't think you actually want to talk to those officers tomorrow. Likely because you don't know who to really trust, and I don't blame you at all for that, but…I thought there's no better way for me to tell you that you can trust me."
A blip of scrutiny flashed in her gaze.
"It may be counter-intuitive to trust someone who was here to steal…but if I wanted to keep deceiving you, I wouldn't be telling you this and willingly putting myself in a vulnerable position. I mean, you can do anything with this confession. You could report me or have me imprisoned."
"I already told you. I'm not a judge, and I have no interest in such things." With a bleary look, "Even justice seems exhausting…"
Frowning, "Miss Atsanik…Your parents would want to see you be happy. Wherever they're watching from, they're already feeling devastated about what's happening right now. But if you go through with Zhao's dumb arrangements… that's what's gonna break 'em." Folding his arms, "And as a side note, Nuq-Nuq and Nah-Nah would hate to have a demon like Hahn as their father."
"I'm aware of these things, Mr. Ingiullik," she said, staring at the old accounts book.
"So we're gonna be doing this, right? You'll let me know when we should all meet and talk our strategy over?"
Donning her best firm expression, she looked up at him and nodded, "I suppose I will."
He still wasn't convinced, and the defensive part of her was annoyed for all this care and concern. Despite feeling that way, she said gently, patiently, "I'll let you know, Sokka. Don't worry."
Sokka. The tactic worked wonders. He gave a little smile of victory and an eager nod. "Okay then. We're taking Zhao down—!"
"Please don't shout."
"Right, right, sorry," he slipped out of the door, peeking back in for a brief moment, a vibrance in his eyes, "If you need anything at all, just holler. I'll be right out."
As soon as he left, however, Yue flipped to the very front of the old transaction book. She didn't hesitate to tear out the first few pages of notes, which were written exclusively in her father's handwriting. Apart from those torn pages and the Ainunga property documents, which she decided to keep in memory of Arnook and her life that once was, she cast the rest of the book into the flames of her fireplace, her heart pounding, her eyes wide as she stared ahead and watched the evidence burn. And when her eyes began to sting from her tears and trepidation, she leaned her head back against the sheets and let her eyes fall to a close, the heat pulling her into a well-deserved nap.
"If you do anything to screw this up, that 'poor man' will be the first to go. I'll have his corpse thrown in the ocean to rot for all of eternity…"
"And this document states that you consent to transfer all rights, properties, profits, and accounts under my name."
"I'm already signing everything right in front of you," Yue said, her heart lurching in pain with every signature she made, "I don't need you to explain anything to me. Let's just get this over with."
Zhao chuckled, his assistant joining in, "Uncle Zhao's gotta let you know exactly what you're losing, dearest Yue."
The tribeswoman said nothing, making signatures to the best of her ability despite the streak of pain and the specks of blood slipping from her reopened arm wound. She did her best to tune out Zhao's descriptions as they only made her feel more weak and useless, grating over her heart her inability to protect even a portion of what her father had earned, her inability to save the company that he had nourished from his blood, sweat, and tears.
"And this document here states that you consent to the mansion being torn down as soon as the building is cleared," Zhao presented another document, smirking at the trembling woman, "In favor of my new villa. The mansion will be torn down as soon as tomorrow evening. In less than forty-eight hours from now, everything will be rubble."
"You're going to buy the property after the clearing anyway," she said. "Once it's yours, you'll have no reason for needing my consent."
"Very true, but you can never be too careful in these matters. I can't possibly be seen as an opportunist. A consent form will eliminate any and all doubts on my honesty." Waving the paper in her face, "Well?"
Yue tried not to think about the vast corridors through which she and her father played races for hours on end, the leisure room in which he told her stories, the balconies where they spent quiet evenings. She swiftly signed the paper.
"And now onto the most important matter," Aziran placed a document in front of Yue.
"This is the last document, I promise," Zhao said, pointing to the relevant terms, "This here says you are aggrieved by your father's loss. Your mental health has been significantly affected by this loss, and you fear that you will be unable to make competent decisions in the future. With this signature, you will be handing over all matters to me as your guardian."
"Guardian?"
"You did say I can tell people you're going insane, and you did say that you'll own the insanity. It will also help your case with your mother-in-law. The woman's pissed beyond belief, and she may come down from her rage if I tell her you're a nutcase. We're preserving this alliance no matter what."
Yue looked down at the paper before reaching for her quill again.
"This will be your last ever signature for any and all major decisions. Effective immediately," Zhao hissed in her ear, donning a smirk, "Do savor it, Yue. Make it last."
Her pride dripped down the quill along with the ink as she made her signature, her fingers numb as they handed him the document.
"Very well done, Yue," Zhao drawled, looking over all the documents one more time. "And for being such a good girl, I think you deserve a reward."
"Let the representative in," she barely had the strength to glare, "That's all I ask for. Please. I signed everything you wanted me to sign."
Zhao shook his head in amusement, "You know, Yue, as crazy as you are for daddy dearest, I really thought you'd end up using that bride price of yours to keep this place. Since the eviction's happening at the same damn time. But it astounds me to no end how much of a fool you really are. Wasting every bit of that money by pouring it on top of the peasant class. All in the name of your father." With a chuckle, "Would be nice if I had a daughter who would sell herself to raise my reputation."
She swallowed, "Praise be to Lord Agni for not giving you children."
Zhao raised his eyebrows.
"And why does it matter to you what I'm using the money for?" she demanded. "You got the land you've always wanted. You're tearing down the sanctuary of ataata's memories. It all works out for you perfectly, doesn't it?" She turned away, trapping her tears, "So don't waste my time and let that representative in."
"Feisty today, aren't we?" the firebender remarked, finding it useless to be angry with her given he had just received everything he could ever legally want. He ignored her words and instead turned to Aziran, who was now standing by the door, "Let in that representative."
With the object of "leaving the woman to her nonsense," the Fire Nationers left with the documents, ushering in a Northern Air Temple monk who had been waiting outside.
"Everything is ready to go, Miss Yue," he told her. "The ships will depart when you give your okay."
The burden that had been eating away at her heart for a long time slowly began to ease, but a degree of suspicion and worry still clouded her thoughts. Despite the fact that the ships set to carry the funds to the Northern Air Temple were sent on behalf of the Avatar himself and couldn't possibly be tainted by Zhao's dealings.
"I assure you that everything is in good hands, Miss Yue," confirmed the monk. "Avatar Aang would have come himself, but he is attending an emergency diplomacy meeting and regrets being unable to make it."
"I would never expect him to leave behind his duties just to help me with something like this," Yue said. "What I really need is reassurance, and I am very grateful that he sent representatives on his behalf for that purpose." The smile on her face dwindled for a split moment, "This is extremely important for me and my father, especially. For one reason or another, we were not able to compensate the families of our workers in their time of need. I now believe that there is no better way than for the Avatar himself to personally take these funds to the South. I apologize for burdening him with this, but I felt there was no other way."
"This is no burden at all for him," the monk reassured. "Avatar Aang will jump on any opportunity to help the South. His love for Lady Katara and his fondness for the Southern Tribe are such."
"I'm glad. And I hope this does not come across as too demanding, but I would really like an update on the situation. You know, when the funds are finally distributed. I'm not at all doubting Avatar Aang, but for the sake of my anxiety—"
"We totally understand, Miss Yue. Don't you worry. We will be sending you frequent updates, and we will notify you when we reach the South, when we hand over the documents to the Arnook Industries branch there, and when the funds have been distributed."
"Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me. Oh, and one more thing." She reached for a few neatly-packed gifts which were sitting on her bedside table and handed them over to the monk, "These are for Avatar Aang and Lady Katara. Please convey to them my regards and congrats. I wish them a loving and prosperous marriage."
"The couple will greatly appreciate this gesture, Miss Yue," the monk smiled, taking the gifts, "We will be sure to get these gifts to them."
Yue managed a weak smile and a nod. She bid the representative farewell, and in her solitude, she relaxed against the pelts cushioning the wheelchair that she had opted for an hour back, her eyes falling to a close.
She dreamed of the mansion rotting away in a river of blood beneath a dark, moonless night, Arnook's anguished cries shaking the tundra.
Arnook's demise finally went public.
Aziran went around the mansion, sharing the news "tearfully" with all, really putting his acting skills to the test with his sobs and cries over the brave man's death…as well as the eviction proceedings that would inevitably put that poor man's only child in the streets.
And Yue only felt more terrified by the chaos, the sobs she knew she was going to hear around her. So she kept herself in her study, not having moved an inch since signing Zhao's papers.
She was not sure how much time had passed. Everything had been a blur, and she remembered falling back asleep sometime later. Her solitude came to an end, however, when soft voices brought her back to reality.
"Miss Atsanik?"
She stirred from the hand that gently shook her shoulder. She lifted her head up from her desk; a few servants were lingering beside her, donning troubled looks. The senior maid ran her hand affectionately over Yue's head, "How are you doing, my dear?"
"We're very sorry to hear about Mr. Arnook," another maid followed.
"We're here for you, Miss Atsanik," said another servant.
Yue rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, hardening her heart, "Did you all receive your new assignments?"
"Uh…yes, ma'am," one of the servants confirmed. "We're working divided shifts at the estates of Mr. Hahn and Mr. Zhao." He then stepped forward and handed Yue a scroll, "Your bodyguard's new assignment is in, too."
Yue nodded, taking the scroll. "Why the long faces?"
"It's just…how are you faring with all this, Miss Atsanik? I can't imagine how painful it is for you to deal with this."
Again, she ignored their attempts at consolation, "I hear the finance officers will be here early in the morning. Is that right?"
"Yes, ma'am…Around eight hours past midnight."
"Miss Atsanik…after the eviction...are you moving into Mr. Hahn's estate…?" another servant asked with great hesitation but curiosity.
"No, that would be absurd."
"Mr. Zhao, then…?"
"Who is Zhao to me? He's no relative." Though legally he was now her guardian. Yue felt nauseous by merely thinking of it.
"Then where are you going to stay, Miss Atsanik?"
"Wherever the Spirits decide. We'll see what happens."
The servants weren't satisfied with her answer, and when they didn't find their way out, Yue asked, "Is there anything else you need?"
"We're just worried about you, Miss Yue," a servant spoke softly. "You used to be so happy. You were always smiling and laughing. And now… you're completely different… And to see you lose this place and…lose your father… and we can't imagine you kicked to the streets."
"Perhaps the officers can make an exception for people who are injured," suggested another, "There is no way you'll be able to actively go door to door and look for a place to stay—"
"I can handle myself. Please get back to your lives," Yue told them. If anything, she was tired and hurt and sore from hurting so much, perhaps beyond repair, and she wasn't going to have these taxing conversations with people who probably didn't really care. "I know you all have more important things to be doing."
When they still didn't leave, she felt a pang of irritation. What else could they possibly want from me? But she calmed the turbulence in her heart, peeling off the layers of bitterness for a ray of care. "I don't have any money to give to anyone, but I do have something you all might be interested in." Pointing to the cabinet in the corner and the numerous little containers seated inside, "I have several serums that I will no longer be needing. They're all labeled with their names, uses, and typical doses. They should all be good for at least six months. Feel free to take whatever you want. Notify the other servants about them if they're interested, or give the serums to whoever might need them."
"Are you sure, Miss Yue?"
"Yes. I know for a fact that the officers are not going to be interested in confiscating herbal serums, and I do not want them to go to waste." She looked at them, fighting back the rush of emotion with the shields she built around her heart in the throes of betrayal, "I cannot thank you all enough for everything you've done all these years. Thank you for sparing me some time in your busy lives. Even if you never wanted to. All these years...all those moments with you... have been truly memorable…"
"We're not like Minri, Miss Yue," a servant spoke up, "We really did love spending every bit of our time with you. We love you more than words can express."
"No need to exaggerate," Yue sighed. "I have nothing else to give you, remember?"
"Miss Yue, that's not—"
Not caring to listen, she used her uninjured hand to wheel her wheelchair out of the room. She was thankful for the degree of independence and speed that the chair gave her albeit a level of clumsiness that she couldn't avoid by wheeling with one uninjured arm and the other with its limited movement. She could hear them calling out to her, tell her how much they genuinely cared for her, express their gratitudes, even choke out a sob or two.
But she did not look back.
He wore a worried frown, pacing up and down the corridor; he was unsure if he should go check on her since she had specifically told him she did not want to be disturbed. And yet, it had been several hours since she left. Ultimately deciding to err on the side of checking on her and getting glared at, he eventually stilled at the sound of soft creaking, turning around to see her wheeling herself out of her study.
"Miss Atsanik!" He ran towards her, attempting to help, but she shook her head, insisting she could handle herself.
"Are you okay? It's been a while since you went in, and I thought—!"
"I fell asleep. There's no need to panic."
"You don't look well," he noted, sensitive of the fact that Arnook's death was made public now, "How are you doing?"
"Just fine," she mumbled in her disheveled state, retrieving his new assignment scroll from the folds of her robe and handing it to him, "This is for you."
Sokka took the scroll, "What is this?"
"From now onwards, you will be part of Hahn's security personnel. You are hereby released from your duty to guard me."
He stared at her, dumbfounded. "What?" He fumbled to unfurl the scroll, glowering over the text, "That idiot?! B-But…why was I reassigned? Is this about—?"
"It's not just you. All the maids, servants, and guards who work in this building have been reassigned—"
"But I'm acting as security for you!"
"You were appointed when I had something to call mine," came her calm reply, "And now that I don't, I'm no longer worth protecting."
Feeling a fierce tug at his heart, "Miss Atsanik, please don't say that. Don't give up hope. With all that evidence, those officers won't go through with the eviction—"
"There is no evidence. I burned that book."
Sokka gave her a horrified look, "You what?! But you said you would—!"
"We all say things, Mr. Ingiullik."
Mr. Ingiullik. "You called me Sokka earlier," he frowned. "I thought we were having a moment back there… I thought you trusted me!"
"I would rather die a gruesome death in the middle of the tundra and have vulture-bats pluck out my remains than ever trust anyone ever again with anything."
Taking a moment to try to calm his racing heartbeat, "Miss Yue, tell me the truth, please. Did Zhao find out about the book? Is he forcing you to do this? Did he burn the book—?"
"No, I burnt it myself. But don't worry. You don't have to expose Zhao to get the funds you need. As a matter of fact, I authorized a total of seventy million gold pieces to be distributed according to the compensation demands."
Seventy million. He widened his eyes, "So you're telling me you agreed to marry that despicable psycho to fund our compensations?!"
Ignoring his outburst, she held out a copy of the confirmation letter that she had taken out of her pocket. "You'll be pleased to know that the authorization documents and the funds will be personally delivered to the factory in the South by your brother-in-law. The funds are en route to the Northern Air Temple as we speak, and from there, Avatar Aang will take them to the South."
Sokka was too frozen to take the scroll from her, gawking at her in disbelief and vehemence as he tried to come to terms with what happened. That seventy million…was for the South…
"Leaving them in Avatar Aang's care is a very trustworthy way to get the funds to the South," she elaborated. "Compared to sending the money through Zhao's associates. I did the math beforehand, too, and I added extra amounts as some sort of interest for the delay. Also, I'm unsure about the fate of Arnook Industries. Zhao has complete rights over it now, and there's unfortunately a possibility that many people will be laid off, so I made sure to include that notice in the documentation. The extra amounts the workers receive will be enough to last them for at least a year. In the event they can't find jobs very quickly—"
"Why in the world would you do this?!" he burst.
"For those innocent people, obviously. And for my father," she said. "The thought of many people being denied justice for many years, the thought of all those people spitting in my father's face for something he didn't do, thinking this is all of his fault… I couldn't bear any of that any longer."
"And what about your honor and dignity and happiness?"
"My honor and dignity and happiness won't save lives, Mr. Ingiullik. Those funds will. And as you can tell, I have nothing. There was no other way—"
"You think I'm taking a single copper piece from the money you got by putting your life and pride and dignity on the line?" he scowled.
"Money is money. It has no fixed labels. Why would you feel so guilty—?"
"Anyone should be ashamed of getting anything at the expense of someone else's pain and suffering."
"I expected to hear this from Master Piandao, too," she said in all honesty. "He's all about honor and justice. That's why I didn't speak with him about this…even though I initially just wanted to hand the documents over to him. And come on, Mr. Ingiullik, you should be celebrating right now. This is what you came here for—"
"No, I came here for justice. This isn't justice, this is disgusting what they're doing to you!"
"The kind of justice you're looking for…you're never going to find it here," she told him. "This is the best possible outcome right now. You don't know the extent of Zhao's wrath. Even if he ends up in prison, he will either crawl his way out or find a way to target the people who did this to him even as he's locked up."
"So you're just gonna stand by and let that monster take everything that's rightfully yours? Are you gonna let him get away with everything? Are you really gonna let these heathens kick you out for no reason at all?" he demanded worriedly, "Where are you gonna go, Miss Atsanik—?"
"That's not your concern."
"This is your father's hard-earned estate! It's gotta at least be your concern!"
"What good is this mansion when its lifeblood no longer exists?" she glanced at the walls around her, appearing very lost in spite of her firm words, "It may remind me of him, but if anything, it's also a reminder of how none of these luxuries could save him. How I couldn't save him."
She could still picture Arnook's sickly form smiling through his pain in her company, wavering in heartbreak with every tear that slipped from her eyes. And the weight of that memory was crushing her, tearing her into pieces from the inside. She turned away before her tears could be seen, "My father may be rich. He may be naive, and he may have poor judgment of character and may have trusted the wrong people. But he's a good man. He never even dreamed of denying his workers what they needed. He never wanted to make profits out of their suffering. All this time, he thought you were all getting everything you needed. Even in his last moments, he never knew what all was going on. Never knew Zhao was betraying us. Of course, no worker of his is going to understand all this, and no one is going to care, and I realize that. And I don't expect them to care because their struggles are very real, and their frustrations are justified. But I'm his daughter, and I can't just not care. I can't let people think so lowly of him. I may not be in a position to prove Zhao's fraud, but I can rectify the situation enough to this point—"
"Rectify the situation? Well it's not your situation that's being rectified!"
"It doesn't matter. This is what I want," she swallowed. "I've never been able to do anything for my father. I couldn't save his business. I couldn't save his life no matter how hard I tried. All of my training and learning was useless when it came to trying to save him. All of my generosity went nowhere in trying to get the bending healers to heal him. But he did everything for me. He kept his health issues from me so my training wouldn't be disrupted. He was my best friend. My only friend. The only person whoever loved me unconditionally… and this is the least I can do for him."
"You think your ataata's gonna be happy to see you doing this to yourself for his reputation? No dad wants to see his kids like this!"
"If my ataata came down magically from the heavens and personally told me to quit and promised to stay with me forever, then I probably would have thought twice about doing this for the sake of his relief and happiness. I would've just tried to find a way out of here with him somehow…But that's not going to happen. And if I'm never going to be able to see him be happy ever again…the least I can do is preserve his legacy here. My ataata should be remembered fondly by everyone. I want nothing else, and I'll do anything to make it happen."
"I will do everything in my power to make sure the South worships your dad, okay? I'll scream to the skies that Zhao did all this! But I'm not letting you go through with this—"
"Just give up the act already, Mr. Ingiullik," she snapped, fuming, "I've had enough—"
"This isn't an act! Not everyone's a Minri, Miss Atsanik!" he exclaimed. "You will suffer if you're with him, do you not see that?! And I'm not touching anything that comes from your pain and suffering! I'm not letting anyone benefit from this!"
"There's only pain if there was love," she said. "But there is no love here. I don't care who Hahn sleeps with or if he starts an entire harem. After all, the more women he surrounds himself with, the less he'll be coming to me."
"The hell, that's not how marriages work!"
"Marriages don't have to work. There are greater sufferings in this world than failed marriages. I don't expect earth-shattering affections from anyone, to begin with, so I have no expectations that are being broken."
Flaring in incredulity, "That imbecile dares to offer marriage when he doesn't even—!"
"I was the one who wanted a marriage," she cut him off, glaring at her reflection in the windows that were thrust up against the dark night, "If there's anything worth appreciating about Hahn, it's his honesty. He's very clear about what exactly he wants from me. He's been clear since the very beginning. It was my fault for wanting to protect my pride."
He could see through the reflection that she was visibly crumbling as she spoke, "He just wanted a few nights with me, but I was the one who said I'd rather be touched in honorable circumstances. And now we have a marriage." Though she was starting to think a necklace wouldn't make much of a difference. She still felt like a whore, having literally taken money to sleep with a man she didn't know or care for down the road.
"So he doesn't love you. He doesn't care about you. He never wanted to share his life with you, to begin with," he said, horrified and infuriated beyond his own comprehension, "He was just wanting to use you. Do you even know what a future with him would look like? You'll be giving up healing, living a life getting forced upon by that bastard every day, living life as a porcelain doll for his sadistic pleasures… there's nothing honorable about any of that! And you're standing here thinking about your dad's happiness?"
She refused to answer, mutely submitting to the reality of the situation.
"And Nuq-Nuq and Nah-Nah," he pressed, "Did you even think about what this would mean for them?"
Gazing at the midnight sky, "Perhaps it's best if my parents eternally remain as stars in the heavens. I would hate to have Hahn father my children anyway."
"But the marriage must go on, huh?" he hissed. "Your parents' hearts are breaking as we speak, Yue. Wherever they are, their spirits be in anguish forever. I know that's not what you want—!"
"This is my life, Mr. Ingiullik, and I'll deal with it by myself." Plastering a glare on her face, she reached once more into her coat pocket, pulling out a gold medallion— the gold medallion that she had earned with her healing prowess. She handed it to him, untethered and detached from the symbol of her achievements, "This is the very last valuable I own that will be of use to you. It feels uncomfortable for me to say that you taking that hit for me earlier was...an exercise in kiss-assery…But I don't take anything for free. Not even sympathy. Go on and sell this for a profit. I don't care."
She proceeded to leave, wheeling herself towards her room, but he caught up to her and stood in front of her, placing the medal back in her hands with an offended, impassioned glare.
"You're very, very wrong about me, Yue," he panted, out of breath from being worked up. "And if you were anyone else under any other situation, I'd say it's insulting that you don't see that. I'm not just gonna stand here and watch you ruin your life. I'm not letting you do any of this. I'll write to Aang right now. Tell him to send those funds back so I can personally shove them down Hahn's throat and up his ass. I'll beat the yakshit out of that blubberfucker so he doesn't dare to look at you or any other woman ever again. And I'm not about to let those officers take your home away from you. I'll talk to them alone if I have to. Tell 'em everything I witnessed. Tell 'em all the disgusting things happening here—!"
"Over my dead body, Mr. Ingiullik," she cast him a look that in no way suggested she was joking, jolting his soul with her ferocity, "If you try to stop those funds from reaching the South, or if you try to expose Zhao in any way possible, I will take my life."
Sokka paled, staggering back as she headed for her room, simmering in the heat of the argument as she slammed the door behind him, gulping down her sobs. The tribesman crumpled the reassignment scroll, snapping the scroll bars in half as he screamed out his frustration and anguish.