Chapter 12: Keeping Warm
"I'm so very sorry to hear about the boy's grandmother, Piandao," Zhao said in utter nonchalance, "I know she meant a lot to you as well. Taught you the ways of the savage when you renounced the Fire Nation and all."
"If you cannot be respectful, your condolences are not necessary, Zhao," Piandao narrowed his eyes. "Lady Kanna is the only mother I've known."
"Yes, of course. I'm fully aware of the sob story of how your parents abandoned you because you didn't have Agni's gift."
The conversation came to a pause when Yue wheeled herself into the room. Zhao raised his eyebrows at her, "You look like a wreck. Hahn will not appreciate this."
Piandao shot a glare at the firebender. Yue only sighed, "I need to speak with you for a minute."
Zhao looked at Piandao, "Shut the door on your way out, won't you?"
Piandao gave Yue a worried look before reluctantly standing, "I'm going to brew some tea." A hiss hung beneath his breath as he addressed Zhao, "Don't even think about hurting her."
"Oh please, Yue is like my own," Zhao drawled, earning a deeper, sickened glare before the swordsman stepped out.
"It's very necessary that they visit the South at this time," Yue said. "You would want them to leave, too, right? So you don't have to constantly babysit?"
"You're not wrong," he nodded.
"I need you to arrange a cruiser for them," Yue said. "Mr. Ingiullik narrowly escaped a deadly case of hypothermia last night."
"Hypothermia, hm? He was all hot and bothered the past few days. What happened now?"
Yue ignored his comment, "Any other method of travel would be inconvenient. With a cruiser, he can have his own bunker and keep warm. Preferably with a healer or two nearby just in case."
Eyeing her, "You seem to have lots of concern for him."
"I am a healer. I'm concerned about all of my patients," came her frown. "The men are grieving. Leave them alone."
"Whatever." He folded his arms, switching to a topic of his greatest interest, "I heard Kura stopped by last night."
Yue swallowed, "I signed everything, so don't ask me anything else about this—"
"Yes, yes, I know, relax." Noting the churn of tears in her eyes, "Oh Yue, if I had known beforehand that there was a condition like this, I would've given you notice, I really would have," came his faux concern. "Of course, you wouldn't have had to go this far if you just slept with him but you insisted on honor and a bride price. What am I supposed to do about that? Sometimes you just need to be compliant, but you insist on being righteous. We can't have everything, can we?" Leaning back in his seat, "But I will tell you that I continue to be impressed by your efficiency in these matters. This isn't easy after all. In fact, I think you deserve a reward…"
"Just leave me alone," she clenched her fists but kept them concealed in her lap, "I've compromised on everything. You can't get anything else out of me."
"Calm your horses. I only meant to offer you a room in my estate. You clearly can't stay here by yourself when they leave—"
"I can handle myself," she glared.
"I have no problem letting you stay by yourself, but I don't want to draw suspicion from anyone. We did establish that you're sick in the head to cajole Hahn's mother. What would she think if I let you stay here? What will she think if she sees you tending to yourself perfectly? No person very sick in the head can handle themselves, after all. And it's not like you have any other choice."
Her blood boiled and simmered, but as she had done for the past several weeks, she didn't act on it, paralyzed by the consequences that would result from disobedience.
"I'll come to pick you up tomorrow night. Hahn has been dying to see you. He has invited several important guests, and they're also wanting to meet you. I was actually going to come and get you for that purpose, but since you're moving into my estate anyway, I'll be inviting them all to my place for dinner tomorrow. It is your duty as Hahn's first wife-to-be to be present. Especially when Kura and Lady Mimik are also coming."
"Why would a woman 'very sick in the head' care about such duties?"
Glaring at her sharp tone, "Watch your tongue."
"I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm only asking because the logic is inconsistent. If I'm someone who can't even live alone or do menial tasks, why would I be so concerned with being the perfect wife?"
"Because you haven't gone insane yet," he spat. "Don't challenge me, Yue. I am not allowing you to put this off." He stood up from his seat, "We will be drinking. Just so you know. And the business partners in attendance are all men. I'm telling you beforehand so you won't have panic attacks in front of them. I understand you despise being around drunk men, but this isn't about you. It's about time you learn to be civilized in a diverse group and not run off like a little girl."
Yue swallowed, feeling her heart race uncomfortably.
"Also, forsake the wheelchair. It's off-putting and makes Hahn come off as a jerk for wanting you to be there in your condition. Wear something that won't make your casts stand out. Do not wear this Agni-forsaken cloak," he scowled at Arnook's shabby cloak, which was wrapped snugly around her frame, "Arnook's filth and failure is written all over it. And be presentable. You might be a peasant, but you better be the classiest peasant known to humankind by tomorrow evening."
Yue clasped her hands together in her lap, trying to fight off their shakiness as he brushed the dust off of his attire and glared daggers in her direction. "Don't embarrass me. You're aware of what happens if you do."
Sokka lay burrowed under the fur sheets, drifting in and out of sleep beside the rippling pond of the lush, heavenly place that they returned to for the night. During the brief interludes, he kept rereading the note that came with the scroll bearing the news of Kanna's passing. The note was scribbled by Kanna herself in her last moments, addressed to her grandson. The note even smelled like her — Arctic willows and seal jerky— as it dripped with love (maybe even fear) in every word.
If I had known that my time was so short, I would have never asked anything of you, inngutaga. It's my fault that you're on the other side of the world. I was too concerned with tribal honor and pomp, but if I had just accepted our helplessness, you would have been with me right now. It feels very wrong to depart without seeing your face.
Sokka's tears dripped onto the page.
I was afraid that I would leave you and Katara in the dust the day the Spirits took me away, and every night, I prayed to the Spirits to not let that be. I'm grateful that Katara has found someone to call her own before I left, but I fulfilled my purpose only halfway. You were annoyed every time I told you I wouldn't be around forever…but this is the sobering reality, and even I haven't completely come to terms with it.
Loneliness is a knife in the heart, Sokka. A world that is full of hope and warmth becomes empty, bleak, and cold when there is no one there to hold your hand. Without Pakku, I don't know how I would have fared. Losing Hakoda was enough to break me completely, but it was Pakku who reminded me of the people who still needed me.
Sokka, my only hope is that you never have to experience that emptiness. My only wish is for you to find someone to grow old with. Someone who will hold your hand and share in your joys and sorrows, love and cherish every bit of you. You will be surprised at how sweet and abundant life will be. What I would give to see you and your wife running around rowdy little wolf pups and grandpups of your own.
Don't grieve for me, my brave warrior. I'm always with you. And when you find that special someone, I will find my way back to you. This is a promise.
I love you very, very much.
All my love,
Gran Gran
"You're awake."
Sokka lifted his head from his pillow, remaining under the covers as he turned to the front door. He saw Piandao stepping in with a tray bearing cups and a teapot.
"I brewed some jasmine tea," the swordmaster walked over to him. "Have some. It should warm you up."
"I don't want anything, Master."
"You haven't had anything to eat or drink for a while," Piandao frowned, knowing his student normally wouldn't refrain from food any chance he got. "Don't starve yourself, Sokka. It's not going to help."
Sokka dried his eyes and sat up. He took the tea from him but didn't drink it yet, blinking tiredly at his surroundings, "Where's Yue?"
"She just had lunch and fell asleep."
"Where?"
"Behind you," Piandao gestured to the large gate looming behind the warrior, beyond which was a collection of bushes. They spotted her beneath the glimmer of moonlight as she was curled up behind the bushes, fast asleep. She was cocooned in a sleeping bag that served as a rather poor substitute for a proper bed, but she was cozy against the pelts and extra blankets propping her up, exhaustion written over her face.
"On the ground?" he frowned, "She's hurt, she needs to be comfortable. We need to take her back so she can sleep properly on the bed—"
"She insists you take the bed for a few days. It's very warm in the bedroom. It's small and has an adequate fire—"
"I'll sleep by the fire out in the hall—"
"The point is for you to avoid the floor," Piandao said. "It's too cold on the ground, and the temperature outside keeps dropping, so that doesn't help things. There's a cot in the bedroom room; that's why Yue's persistent. I've made arrangements for another bed, and it should be coming in tomorrow. We'll just have to adjust until then."
"I can just sleep here. Or if it's cozy for her, she can sleep here. We can bring in a bed for her—"
"That's not feasible here. This is the Spirit Oasis. It's a very spiritual place. It's not meant to be inhabited."
"The Spirit Oasis?"
"Yes. This is apparently the property of the Tui and La temple. Many Northerners believe this used to be the residence of the Spirits many centuries ago and that it still retained that spiritual energy when the Spirits ascended. No one really comes here out of respect and the need to keep it intact. Only the temple priests have direct access to this."
"Then how were we allowed in here?"
"They gave Yue a spare key a few years ago. She had asked them if she could occasionally use this space for healing, and they agreed since it was for a noble purpose. She usually brings people with complicated cases of hypothermia here. They stay until they get better and leave immediately after." Gesturing to the pond, "It's believed the water here has special healing properties, and she sees quicker progress in patients whenever she uses this water on them."
The tribesman peeked back at Yue, "Well she's keeping the room when we get back and that's final."
"We can figure out the sleeping arrangements later," Piandao draped a blanket around him and handed him the tea he placed aside, "Let her sleep. She's been up all night making sure you didn't have any breathing issues. She wouldn't rest until you were stable."
And despite Sokka taking sips of his tea and sitting on the grass infused with spiritual energy, they weren't the reasons for him to melt into a mushy puddle. He looked longingly in the direction of the gate.
"Zhao stopped by the quarters earlier to give his condolences," Piandao whispered.
"That can't be why he came," the tribesman spat. "What did he do?"
"Nothing. He and Yue spoke in private for a few minutes, and then he left."
"What the hell does that idiot want now—?"
"Yue actually sent for him. She wanted to talk to him about something, apparently. He said he would be back tomorrow evening, but… I have no idea why..."
The tribesman bore a look of grave concern in his gaze, matching that of Piandao's despite the older man's attempts at downplaying his own fears.
"I can't come with you to the South right now, Sokka. I need to be here."
Sokka furrowed his eyebrows, "What are you talking about? Who told you I was going?"
"But it's Gran Gran. Of course you should go," the swordmaster said, surprised. "Tradition says the last rites need to be performed by the spouse, child, or grandchild. Pakku may be her lover, but he is not married to her." And with Hakoda being no more, "The responsibilities fall on you and Katara now. Obviously, you won't be present for the cremation ritual; there's just no way you can reach the South by then. But it's still your responsibility to immerse her ashes in the ocean. As soon as you reach home, you'll be able to fulfill that responsibility."
The tribesman, though distracted by thought, argued, "Pakku might not be married to her, but he is engaged to her, isn't he?"
"He's not officially her husband—"
"But he's no less, right? Ever since my dad was a baby, Pakku's been with Gran. He's been my dad's dad and he's been our granddad. He put in the work, and he deserves the recognition. And besides, Katara's already there. She and Pakku can both handle this. And if you want to go, you certainly should. You're basically Gran Gran's second son."
"Are you mad? I promised Mother Kanna I'm going to look out for you. I can't just leave you here with these people," Piandao furrowed his eyebrows, "And why aren't you jumping at the chance to go? It's Gran Gran. You're not going to make it in time to see her, but you should at least go—"
"I'm needed here the most, too," came Sokka's response as he looked back at a sleeping Yue, "I can't leave her like this."
"No one is leaving her. It would be abandonment if we were to both go knowing her situation—"
"Well I'm still staying behind. I was being stupid when I agreed to Pakku's dumb plan, and I feel really shitty about everything happening here. I might not have caused all this to happen, but I still feel like crap. I don't wanna profit off of a woman accepting a lifetime of abuse! That's not who I am! She's telling me to take the money and get lost. Who does she take me for? Zhao? Hahn?"
"She doesn't know you, Sokka. And she's surrounded by selfish people. People who took advantage of her and her father. She's heartbroken, and she can't expect a bunch of thieves to be much different from those people, right?" Guilt similarly flared in him, "The burden is on us to rectify this."
"Taking advantage of those funds would be the end of me and everything I stand for, but I can't do anything to stop them if she's threatening to take her life. The least I can do is stand guard and get her out of this situation." Miserably, "I'm not trying to escape my responsibility to Gran Gran. If everyone back home wants to preserve… Gran Gran's ashes…" he cleared his shaky throat, "I'll be happy to mix them in the ocean when we go back home later…though if you ask me, I probably don't even deserve to immerse Gran Gran's ashes."
"Sokka, what are you saying? That's not true."
He let out a broken breath, "Yue's in danger. We don't know everything about the situation, but we do know that Zhao is dragonshit and Hahn's a blob monster. She's gonna need all the help she can get. My place is here."
"And I'm not abandoning either of you. My place is here, too." But the frown on his face remained, "I just don't know how we would gain the upper hand in this matter. Going against influence is going to take a lot of influence."
At the crack of dawn, she took to examining him, occasionally palpating his back to feel his lungs. And when she was satisfied with the result, she gave her okay for them to head back to their quarters. Following an extensive debate, she stubbornly insisted that he stay in the bedroom for a few hours.
"Well you're sleeping here tonight," Sokka said vehemently. "No takebacks."
She said nothing in active protest, reminded of Zhao's plans in the evening. Her hand briefly rested over Sokka's wrist to feel his pulse before she assured the worried swordmaster nearby, "Everything seems good. His pulse is fine. Temperature can be a little bit higher but nothing to worry too much about." Wheeling over to her bag and handing Piandao another vial, "One more dose will have to do."
"Should I mix it in water again?"
"Boiled water this time. Did he eat something?"
"I keep telling him to eat, but he's not eating," Piandao frowned, setting aside the bowls of soup and dumplings that he had prepared for his student.
"He needs to eat well for the next two days. Regular snacks high in fats and proteins will raise his temperature a little more and keep him warm." Yue reached for the tray of soup and dumplings and wheeled over to the tribesman, "Here. Finish these, and I'll leave you alone."
"I don't feel like eating," Sokka mumbled. "I'll be okay."
"Gran Gran's watching," she said softly. "She'll be very upset with you. You don't want to upset her, do you?"
Sokka gave her a weary look, the protest on his lips melting away as he shook his head.
"Then finish this and make her proud."
"I'll start boiling the water in the meantime," Piandao retreated to the kitchen with the vial, relieved that his student acquiesced. Sokka lifted his hands to take the soup from her, but he found that he was still cold when he separated from the comfort of the blanket, his fingers shaking. He frowned, trying in vain to stop one hand from shaking with the other.
Noting his frustration, she placed the dumplings aside and reached for the spoon on the tray, filling it with a generous amount of soup. She then held it up to his mouth, earning a surprised look.
"You okay with this?" she asked.
He nodded and took a grateful spoonful, feeling a skip in his pulse. He cast his attention on her wrists, noticing that neither of them had the bracelet that he strung back together. Yue caught him looking at her hands and answered his unspoken query with, "I'm not wearing it because I don't want anything happening to it again. And I certainly don't want anyone risking hypothermia for it."
"Oh," he nodded, twiddling with his fingers, "Yeah, I understand."
"Don't do something like that again," she said sternly. "Why would you even do that? Did I ask you to go jump in the water and find all of those beads?"
"I know it means a lot to you."
Ignoring the softness in his tone, "Human life is priceless. It's worth far more than a bracelet. What if something happened to you?" She then reached for the bowl of dumplings next, noticing that he was looking at her intently. "What is it?"
He shook his head, deluged by tides of warmth yet whispering a small, "Nothing."
He was quiet the entire time she fed him, but as he swallowed his medicine and sank his head against the pelts, he spoke, "Apparently Gran Gran had an emergency procedure done when we were on our way here."
Yue softened her eyes, "Oh…oh dear…"
"She had said her heart was hurting. A lot. Yugoda apparently told everybody about the procedure, and Katara said that if they did the procedure immediately, she would work at the healing hut without pay until she paid back the forty thousand gold pieces. Yugoda talked the healing hut authorities into it, and they did the procedure…" His voice shaking, "They had to, uh…" pointing to the area above his heart, "cut this part open and…you know how it goes better than I do, but…there were a lot of complications… She was only fine for about an hour after the procedure. She wrote me a note…" Gesturing to the piece of paper he left on the bedside table, fighting back tears, "She said she wishes I was there…"
Yue's hand found its way over his, giving his fingers a gentle squeeze. "I'm so sorry about what happened. If I'd known… I would've sent the medicine sooner."
"How's any of this your fault? You gave the serum to me as soon as you knew. It's not your fault the North and South are on the opposite ends of the world." He shrugged, his eyelids weighing heavy on him, "You were right."
"About what?"
"Procedures for the young and old."
Frowning, "I wish I wasn't. I wish she was healed."
"Even if she had to go matter what…I just…it hurts not being able to say goodbye." Bearing a devastated look, "I wish I could've seen her one last time."
"I heated up some soup."
Sokka, who was huddled by the fire out in the hallway, turned to see that she had wheeled herself behind him, balancing a tray containing a bowl of steaming soup in her lap. "Noodle soup with veggies. It's very healthy."
"Oh, Yue, you shouldn't have," he quickly took the tray from her, "Master Piandao could've brought it over—"
"The poor man is tired," she said. "I want him to sleep peacefully for a while."
He didn't eat the soup right away, asking her softly, "You wanna eat together? I'd like your company." And when she didn't give any protest in response, he scrambled to his feet, "I'll go get some for you."
Within the next few minutes, they found themselves sitting by the fire on top of comfy pelts, indulging in the warm soup. Sokka easily opted for seconds; he was pleasantly caught off guard at how good the soup was, finding it to be different from how Piandao usually made it. Nevertheless, it seemed to have brought his appetite back in full force, his famished insides coursing with life.
"You like it?" she asked.
"Mhm," he nodded. "I wonder how Master made it so different this time."
"I told him to add basil. I think that's why."
"Basil, huh? I haven't really had it before. Maybe that's the secret ingredient."
As they helped themselves to more servings, the chiming of temple bells eventually caught their attention, signaling the sunset and impending moonrise, and they looked out of the distant window, spotting streaks of orange, yellow, and pink blotching the canals from above. They leaned against the wall, wrapped in furs, basking in the warmth and the pretty sight.
"Do you have a temple in your village?"
He nodded, "Yeah. Gran Gran and Pakku would take us there once a week. We would go on our birthdays, too." With a hint of a grin, "Pakku's all strict about respecting the place and sitting still and stuff. He and Katara were the more pious duo. But Gran Gran's more chill. She and I just tried to find ways to have fun. We would race around in the courtyard and sneak into the storage room and play pranks on the priests and stuff. Oh, and we dressed up a few times, too, for the Tui and La festival. I went as La for a few years in a row. Another year I was the Spirit of the Pentapuses. Katara dressed up as the Painted Lady Spirit one year."
"Sounds fun," she smiled. "My anaana used to take me with her to the Tui and La Temple all the time."
"Did you dress up, too?"
"Yeah. And every year, she would dress me up as Tui for the Tui and La festival. I don't remember all of that in great detail, but I do have very blurry memories of holding her hand and walking around the temple with her in a white dress." Absently looking out at the gondolas drenched in sunset palettes, "I've never been to anywhere in the South. What is it like?"
"The South…well, it's basically just tundra. Lots of tundra. It's endless," he said. "The South is basically an ice sheet, but it's more of an ocean here. So we don't have pretty canals or gondolas to get to places. Everything's by foot or yak-horse carriage or husky sleigh. We make our own roads and shovel the snow out of the way…"
He spoke of street lanterns and the giant lighthouse looming a little ways from the ocean. He described the crowded buildings and lush bazaars and the monthly fire dances in the center of his village, where the community gathered around to loosen their stress and indulged in good food arranged by different members of the community. He spoke of picnics when the weather wasn't terribly treacherous, the sky bison from whenever the Air Nomads made their frequent visits with Aang, the children that played with the bison and slid down their vast tails as if they were slides. And he spoke of his igloo: small but cozy…and nearly empty, much to his dismayed realization.
"Gran Gran's gone. Katara's leaving with Aang after they get married," he mused. "It'll just be me and Pakku soon, but… he's never usually home unless anybody's sick. He's always doing some kind of work to keep himself busy."
"Well I guess the pressure's on you now to fill up that household with a family of your own. Little Koda can take your room…and I'd imagine little Kanna would take Katara's room." She nudged him softly, "Kanna would make a much better name than Yak or Kayak, don't you think?"
He couldn't help smiling and nodding, the moment interrupted by Piandao's footsteps treading into the hallway. The older man was also carrying a bowl which left very few remnants of the highly relished soup.
"You could've just asked me to make it," the man told Sokka as he took his and Yue's empty dishes, "But you made it really well this time. How do you get this recipe?"
"What?" Sokka blinked, "I didn't make this. I thought you made it."
"No, I didn't," the man shook his head, "I've never made basil noodle soup before."
Both turned to Yue, who shrugged, "We ran out of soup. I thought this recipe would be good and would keep us all warm, and I'm able to stand and do certain things. I knew you two would still fuss over me if I asked to cook, so…"
The steam of the soup couldn't compare to the flood of warmth in the tribesman's chest.
Sokka and Piandao were relieved to see Yue taking care of herself. Her tangled hair was now pulled up in a neat bun, and her face wasn't stained with dried tears for once. They figured she was trying to be more active when she moved around without her wheelchair and took to simple tasks like steaming the tunics arranged for her. They assumed she was just organizing everything in one place when she placed all of her belongings in her bag. It wasn't until she placed her father's picture in there, too, that they realized she was packing. And before they had the chance to ask, Zhao returned, waiting for her out in the hallway. Piandao was confused. Sokka panicked.
"Are you leaving?"
Yue slung her bag over her shoulder, "You won't be needing me anymore. There's no need for careful supervision. Just stay out of the cold and you'll be fine—"
"That's not why I'm asking," Sokka frowned worriedly. "Where are you going?"
"I'm moving into Zhao's estate," she said calmly. "Thank you for letting me stay. I'll see if I can arrange some kind of rent—"
"We never said we wanted rent!" Sokka said, exasperated, "Please, Yue, what's wrong? Was it something I did—?"
"Do you not like it here?" Piandao pressed. "Is it the bed issue? We'll figure something out, Yue, I've arranged for another one—"
"It's getting late," Zhao barked from outside, "I don't have all day, Yue."
And at that moment, Sokka caught a cold deadness settling in her gaze. "It's Zhao, isn't it?" he flared, "What did that idiot say to you—?"
"Nothing. Look, I understand this is a sensitive time for the two of you, and I don't want to be a burden. I just want to give you some space. That's all there is to it."
"You're not a burden!" Sokka exclaimed, but she ignored him, grabbing her belongings and stepping out.
"Please don't do this, Yue, please," Sokka followed, a task not entirely difficult given the subtle limp in her injured leg.
"I don't understand what the fuss is all about here," Zhao huffed, standing up when he saw Yue, "Since you two aren't staying here, Yue is moving into my estate. So she will be guarded and secure."
"What do you mean we aren't staying?" Piandao asked.
"Surely you're not going to still stick around with Lady Kanna's untimely passing," Zhao said. "And Yue was concerned about your travel plans since Ingiullik over here hadn't been feeling well. So I've arranged for a world-class cruiser with several healers and cooks on board for your convenience."
"Is that what this is about?" Sokka blinked at her, "But we're not going anywhere!"
The outburst earned a surprised look from Yue.
"Why ever not?" Zhao raised his eyebrows.
"Because we decided not to—"
"And why is that?"
"Because that's just how it is."
Zhao, who had been looking forward to ridding the North of Yue's newfound wellwishers, felt his anticipation deflate. Nevertheless, he rolled his eyes, "Fine, but I promised Hahn that I would bring her to dinner tonight. I will bring her back here afterward—"
"No," Sokka hissed.
"No?"
"Yue stays here," he stepped between the firebender and the alarmed tribeswoman, his glare piercing through Zhao like an icy dagger, "She's not going anywhere."
Zhao's glare blazed dangerously at the rash young tribesman, flames bursting into being at his knuckles, but before Piandao could throw himself in front of Sokka, Yue, in the throes of adrenalin, burst, "Th-think twice before hurting the Avatar's brother-in-law…"
At which the firebender's jaw clenched for a split moment. His head snapped in Yue's direction, "What?"
"You didn't know this?" Piandao asked the firebender, surprised by his lack of knowledge.
"Lady Katara Ingiullik is Avatar Aang's bride," Yue said, her words making the businessman subtly take a step away from Sokka, "She is Mr. Ingiullik's sister. I know Avatar Aang will not appreciate you hurting his family in any way…"
Refusing to believe her, "So your grief really has rendered you a simpleton—"
"She's telling the truth," said Piandao, who was very pleased by the momentary blip of alarm in Zhao's focus. "She herself sent gifts for the couple along with those funds."
Sokka gently ushered the tribeswoman aside as Piandao stepped forward, whipping out a scroll from his pocket and handing it to a frozen Zhao, "Aang himself sent this letter. You can read it to confirm."
Zhao grabbed the scroll and skimmed over its contents, his entire being stunned by a key statement: Katara and I really appreciate your kindness, Miss Atsanik. We sincerely hope that you will be able to come to our wedding.
Before the firebender could cast his death glare at Yue for not relaying this matter to him sooner, Sokka took his place in front of her again, glaring at Zhao with newfound energy from the way the firebender's confidence jarred to a halt. "Go tell your precious Hahn not to mess with the Avatar's family," Sokka muttered. "And tell him to shove his expectations up his ass."
To his great dismay, Zhao found that he could say or do absolutely nothing at that moment. He wordlessly took a few steps back, fuming at Yue.
"Don't you look at her like that," Sokka glowered, "Get out. Now."
And the man did just that, storming out of the house with clenched fists and banging the door to a close on his way out.
Piandao glared at his pupil once he left, "Will you never learn to use restraint? If Yue hadn't interceded, your face would've been ash!"
But Sokka only wore a look of victory, Well now we know what makes Zhao pee his pants.
Piandao turned to Yue, "Is this what you wanted to speak to him about? We never mentioned that we were going anywhere, Yue."
"I don't see why you wouldn't go," she frowned. "This is very important to both of you. You don't have to explicitly mention this to understand—"
"I won't be able to see Gran Gran anyway when I go back," Sokka told her. "The final rites will be over with."
"What about Katara? Your grandfather?"
"They're not alone. My dad's friend Bato's there. Aang's going to the South, too, so he'll be with 'em."
Her frown remained unchanged.
"It's too painful to go to the South right now and not see her there," Sokka said. "Home always meant Gran Gran…and I don't know if I'm ready to face that right now. Besides, she's a spirit. She can be anywhere at any time now. She could even be next to me right now."
Yue did not have to make it explicitly clear that she was not at all buying any of this. She was not so dumb as to not realize they were staying for her. And despite a flare of protest in her gaze, she was weighed down by the fact that they, too, were grieving. She retreated to the room without another word, not daring to imagine the extent of Zhao's fury from all of this.
"You said you'd eat later."
Yue, who had closed herself off in the lounging room, turned away from the window and saw Sokka standing expectantly a few feet away, balancing several dishes on a tray.
"It's nearly midnight," he said. "It's not good if you eat so late."
"I don't want anything."
He stepped in anyway and placed the food on the table in front of her, "Your ataata's gonna be upset if you don't eat. You don't wanna upset him, do you?"
She didn't budge, her eyebrows raised.
"Fine," he shrugged, "We'll just eat when you're hungry."
"You didn't eat? I thought I told you and Master Piandao not to wait on me."
"Master had an errand to run, so he ate and left. I wasn't really hungry anyway…"
She frowned at his persistence before begrudgingly taking a bowl of stewed sea prunes. "Well?"
Satisfied, he took his seat across from her, and they ate in silence, looking out of the window. The servant's quarters were bustling unabashedly tonight with the fervor of celebration. Yue could see hordes of servants partying along the canals. A few men were indulging in intoxicants on one end, huddled around one another and laughing in contentment, and on the other end, families were gathered with their neighbors, chatting and gossiping. Some people yielded to gondola rides, some treated themselves to picnics by the canals, and some tossed their currency into the hands of eager vendors and treated themselves to greater luxuries.
The reason for this excitement was surprisingly Zhao. He had supposedly agreed to raise the incomes of the servants and maids and was, for once in his life, generous enough to give out bonuses. Yue, being no stranger to the firebender's tactics, figured that this generosity was only to keep the servants' loyalty following Arnook's death; in the very least, it was a way for them to keep quiet about any and all matters, and at the most, it was probably a way to silence them about Hahn's revolting behavior and the inevitable abuse that she was bound to endure after wedlock.
It amazed her how happy so many people were, how they thrived and flourished with their young children and pets as she rotted away on the inside, especially when over sixty percent of those celebrating servants had their various problems resolved with the tribeswoman's generosity in the past. She had believed she never expected anything from them in return and had unconditionally helped them, but in this moment, she realized she expected loyalty in the least. Perhaps even a ray of concern even if not gratitude. But it was all too much to ask from people nowadays.
But never would she beg for another's affection, nor would she appreciate another's sympathy. Rather, she held her head up high, ignoring the longing in the core of her being as she watched the young children play along the canals, supervised closely by their parents.
"Doesn't it make you angry?" he asked.
"Hm?"
"Seeing these people celebrate something very wrong?" he cast a glare at the group of men raising their glass bottles to the upcoming wedding before indulging in their drinks, "'Cause I know it makes my blood boil. It's disgusting. They know what kind of guy Hahn is, and what kind of person you are. You helped out so many of them, and the least they could do is not support this with so much gusto. What's wrong with these people?"
"I don't see why your blood has to boil when I myself am keeping calm."
Though calm was most certainly not what he observed on her face. "Come with us, Yue. To the South. We'll bust you out of this hell."
She froze.
"We'll make sure Zhao never finds you. You can do whatever you want."
The image of Unquq flopping like a fish out of water in a pool of his blood flashed in her mind. "I-Is this supposed to be a joke?"
"I'm serious," he pleaded, having noted the snap of horror in her gaze. "Master Piandao and I will find a way to get you out of here. You can set up your own healing center. I'll personally help you reserve a space for that—"
"I'm not interested in your charitable donations."
"It's not charity," he persisted gently. "You say all human life is priceless. If that's true, then your life is priceless, too."
Swallowing, "Well no one's chopping my head off here or anything."
"Life includes quality of life, too," he pressed, "You're a brilliant healer, and you love being one. Think of how many lives you'll save if you opened your own healing hut. Think of how fulfilling that would be for you—"
"Do us all a favor, Sokka, and go back to the South with Master Piandao," she said, staring out of the window, "I would absolutely hate to be the reason why you're not going. You would both be much better off tending to your own needs instead of keeping watch over a complete stranger. If it's so crushing to your soul to use those funds personally, then you're free to not use them, but don't concern yourself with the situation here. Go settle down with a woman of your economic preference and spend the rest of your days happily with little Koda and Kanna. I have nothing to expect from anyone, especially you."
Especially you. Holding in a hurt look, "Yes, I came here to help myself, and yes, I was being a jerk about rich people." Gesturing to the people outside who were reveling in her future of abuse, "But I most certainly am not like them. I still consider myself a decent human being, and I care about you. And whether you believe me or not, I like to think we're friends—"
"We're not friends."
"Then why did you stay up all night for me?" he asked. "Why do you keep trying to save my ass when Zhao even looks at me funny—?"
"As a healer, I'm not going to stand there and do nothing about people who are sick. As a human being, I never want to be the reason why people get hurt."
"So what you're saying is that you're the only person here with a heart and feelings. Is that it?"
"You butting heads with Zhao and being my friend will be of no benefit to you whatsoever. I can guarantee you this." Her hands folded patiently in her lap, "No one here is my friend. No one…no one really has been. There's been a 'use and throw' policy here for a long time apparently. People use others for their benefit and discard them as necessary…And I didn't get the memo, obviously, so I wasted my time being everyone's friend when they didn't return the sentiment. And now I feel like the biggest idiot in the world."
"Please don't say that," his eyes grew soft, "People like Minri might call that 'friendship', but that's just pure selfishness on their part. Give me a chance, please. I don't bite!"
"It's not even a matter of trust anymore," Yue said. "Going against Zhao is guaranteed to trigger a bloodbath. You think you're invincible just by playing the Avatar's brother-in-law card? If Zhao finds out that you're saying all this—"
"We'll bust you out without anyone knowing it's us who took you! You've taken risks for people! Why can't I do that? In fact, the more you tell me what's going on, the more careful we can be—!
"Why be careful when you can just avoid all of this in the first place? No one can be my friend, and no one should be in these circumstances. So don't waste your time." She wrapped a blanket around herself and leaned back against her chair, staring bitterly out of the window.
"You know, as much as I hated myself for it, I thought the universe was leading me here so I can get the money," he sighed, "but I see more clearly than ever that I need to get you out of here. I'm not leaving the North without you."
She glared not out of rage but worry, a defensive spark shooting through her icy gaze.
"Also, I know you're chilling here because you want me to sleep in the bedroom," he stood up, taking the empty dishes, "but that's not happening."
"No one seems to enjoy hypothermia as much as you do," she huffed, "I told you it's good for you if you stay where it's warm enough—"
"And I keep telling you that you need the bed in your condition, but it's not like you're listening to me…"
"You're taking the bed, and that's not going to change. I put up a good fight."
"Well that makes the two of us, friend."
As Uruq dragged a drunk Hahn out of Zhao's estate, the firebender let go of his patience. He motioned for the servants to clean up the glass splinters and other raging monstrosities of Hahn's little temper tantrum. The tribesman had felt insulted yet again to have been ditched by his soon-to-be fiancé, and he had taken to wrecking Zhao's place in fury. Kura had simpered throughout, and Lady Mimik had fumed at having been stood up.
"The arrogance that bitch has! Even after losing everything, she's strutting around with that big ego of hers!"
But despite that chaos, Zhao had miraculously kept quiet, insisting that it was best if that "insane girl" be left alone before she could embarrass them all in front of their business partners — a logic that managed to shut them up for the time being. And now with them out of his sight, the firebender retreated to his study, distracting himself with a private conversation with a particular business partner of Hahn's. He stepped into his study, finding one Ozai Sozin staring at a scroll with great interest.
"I'm sorry to have made you wait," Zhao grabbed an intoxicant from a shelf as well as two cups.
Ozai flitted his narrow eyes at him, displeased, "No, you should be sorry for not telling me about Hahn's plaything sooner."
Zhao furrowed his eyebrows at the conglomerate head of Sozin Exports, realizing that the scroll he was drooling over was a portrait of Yue from when she was sixteen. "Where did you get that?"
"I saw it lying around by a waste basket. I had assumed it was an important document."
Which was no surprise as Zhao had thrown out Arnook's old records that he had stolen from the tribesman long ago. Given Arnook's love for his daughter, it was no surprise that he kept yet another portrait of her with him.
"She's quite easy on the eyes," Ozai licked his lips.
"That was when she was sixteen," Zhao said. "You should see her now. Everyone in the North wants to fuck her."
"I would imagine," Ozai traced a finger over the young woman's portrait, tracing the sketch of her lips, "All of this beauty… Even Agni would be tempted to take this savage as his whore."
Growing increasingly surprised, "I didn't think you would be interested, sir. She's a savage. Fitting only for another savage."
Ignoring him, Ozai mused, "She's rather light-skinned for a savage. Still a bit dark to be of Fire blood. Obviously Water Tribe but still very… regal. Very fitting…very tailored for a man of Fire."
Gawking at him as he poured him a drink, "I didn't think you would be interested in an alliance. I understand you and Lady Ursa have parted ways, but still…those of Agni's blood would never take a savage for a wife."
"Not a wife but a pet," Ozai clarified. "A special pet. To play with, to drag by the leash. She should worship me the way savages worship their fires."
"Well as you know, Hahn is to marry her," Zhao said. "If you are really interested in her, perhaps if you ask him to share—"
"Don't be ridiculous, Zhao. I would never share anything with a tribal. Only I should be able to plow my own field." And upon noticing Zhao's hesitation, the man raised his eyebrows, "What has he promised you?"
"Some land in Jinan," came the confession as Zhao took his seat across from Ozai, indulging in his drink. "By the West Sea. Southern Earth Kingdom, My sources confirmed there are fields of granite on that property. Rare gold granite. It's enough to make me a billionaire."
"And he just decided to write it off to you?"
"Hahn's never been sober enough to figure out what's in his own fields. He's been too busy plowing his women instead," Zhao folded his arms, "He thinks the land is worthless. I didn't mention anything to him about the granite; I just told him I needed some kind of space to expand my factories and suggested that he transfer that land under my name. Since he thinks it's so 'worthless' and he doesn't really need it. And he agreed so long as he got to spend a night or two with Daddy's Girl over here."
But Arnook kept close guard of his daughter. His attachment was such that even when she left for the Earth Kingdom for her studies, he went to see her regularly and stayed with her several days at a time.
"Even when she was out parading in the slums in the Earth Kingdom, he went after her like a guard dog," Zhao spat. "She was never alone for Hahn to make his move, and it's not like I can go up to Arnook and ask him to send his daughter to sleep with a stranger for a few nights so I can get land. So I tried to talk Arnook into forming an alliance with Hahn instead. The plan was to drop the alliance idea once Hahn was done with her."
"And how did that go?"
"Well, I made Hahn look like an eligible bachelor and shit. Told Arnook that oaf was wealthy and everything and would benefit Arnook Industries and look after Yue. "Frowning, "Arnook may be naive in business matters, but when it comes to anything affecting his daughter, he spares no detail about it. He found out about Hahn's habits and pending assault claims and refused to give her hand to Hahn's in marriage."
"Then how is she agreeing to be engaged to him now?"
"She's now at a place where she'll be obedient," Zhao said. "Initially Hahn agreed to transfer the property to me as soon as he spends a night with Yue, but that foolish girl spoke of honor. She refused to be touched outside of wedlock, and Hahn had no problem with that whatsoever. He decided to transfer the property to me as soon as he ties the knot with her."
"Hm," Ozai gave a nod, thinking for a moment before turning back to Zhao, "Would you be interested in a share in our company assets, Mr. Zhao? And be allowed to keep Hahn's property?"
"Uh…I'm sorry, what?"
"I get to keep this tribal as my pet, and you get to keep the granite and get an ample share of our company profits on the side. Doesn't that sound like a fair deal?"
For a savage, it certainly was, Zhao widened his eyes, "Mr. Ozai, are you really serious about this?"
"Someone of this beauty is far more valuable than any precious gemstone in the world. Even if I bedeck her with the finest jewels, those jewels would be put to shame. I'm not letting go of this woman so easily. Her last breath will be in my bed."
With a near-incredulous chuckle, "This is a rather appealing offer, sir, but… how would that be possible? Well, the part about me getting to keep both things? Hahn refuses to hand the documents over to me until the marriage. Unless if you're saying I should wager with him to transfer the documents earlier—"
"Why waste your energy on wagers? Hahn is a handful. He just needs to go."
Needs to go? "You're not serious…are you…?"
"Despite his status as a tribesman, I gave him a share in my company so I could incorporate his companies into my empire. I don't care for him as a person." Chugging down his drink, "The moment he marries that woman, he will hand the papers over to you, but before he has the chance to pluck my flower, I will end him."
"Sir?"
"I don't understand why you're so shocked. You've ended your fair share of savages."
"Well yes. I'm only concerned that…this would get your hands dirty…"
"You did establish that certain people you know of hate Hahn with a passion and had the guts to speak out against you about him?"
Zhao frowned uncomfortably, reminded of the incident at the servant quarters earlier. "Piandao and that tribesman he calls his son," he muttered. "Piandao would never resort to a petty fight, but that tribesman would. No matter how many times that boy crossed the line, I took mercy on him, but I recently learned that the boy is the Avatar's brother-in-law. Well, soon-to-be brother-in-law."
"Interesting," was all Ozai said as he lost himself in thought.
"He's not someone to be directly messed with," Zhao said. "Even if he's an oaf himself, his sister is marrying the Avatar. And Avatar Aang would not appreciate anyone laying a finger on his brother-in-law."
Ozai stepped out of his ruminations, looking at Zhao, "That won't be too much of a problem. From now on, you will say nothing whenever Hahn and that tribesman butt heads. You will let it play out. Provided neither is killed in the tussles, of course. The court needs to know why the tribesman poisoned Hahn so mercilessly the moment Hahn tied the knot with Arnook's daughter."
Zhao still hesitated, "The Avatar will not appreciate the blame on his brother-in-law—"
"But even the Avatar can do nothing if that savage had a very terrible history with Hahn. The Avatar himself is not immune from a tribunal provided the claim has merit; how can his brother-in-law ever be?"
"But…would people not be suspicious if you swept away Hahn's widow?"
"Would you not authorize her to stay with me? For her best interests?" Ozai asked. "She did sign off on some capacity documents, did she not?"
"Yes…yes, she did…" A devious smirk played on Zhao's lips. "There's a bunch of legal layers to this. Not that they would be legitimate when Hahn dies anyway but for your knowledge, I'm disclosing them to you," Zhao said. "Hahn seeks to take her as his first wife and make Kura his second and main wife. Yue will receive nothing from him other than a lifetime of rape. Not a single copper piece since she waived all rights to his estate and assets. She also signed a document saying she's infertile so the courts can allow Hahn to take a second wife, and she agreed to be sterilized the morning of the marriage."
"Well that saves me the inconvenience of dealing with bastard children," Ozai shrugged. "I do wonder how she agreed to all of this. Being a woman concerned with honor, as you say. How did you ever get her to comply?"
"Good ol' blackmail. She's quite the wimp," Zhao said. "All it takes is telling her I'll wipe out those workers in the South, and she starts crying like a bitch and begging me to spare those 'poor, innocent lives.'"
"Surely you wouldn't make the mistake of actually killing off those savages."
"Of course not. A savage works three times more than a person of Fire and takes one-fourth of a Fire Nationer's pay. I might threaten to wipe them out or fire them, but I'm not losing sight of them. It works perfectly on her, and that's all that matters." With a tone of caution, "If we're going to do this, it may be best if you keep your interest on the low. The more detached you are from this, the less suspicious people will be of you, and the easier things will be for us."
"Of course. I can't stay here anyhow. I need to leave tomorrow morning. I was hoping to see her in person before I left, but if I do…I know I won't be able to control myself." Holding the scroll that bore her portrait, "This will have to do until then."
Zhao, seeking to score more points with the businessman, let out a grin, "I know a way we can officially start their feud, sir. Without getting the ink on our fingers."
The men drank away, lost in discussion and oblivious to the fact that Kura was hearing every word on the other side of the closed door.
After several stubborn rounds of debate, they had reached a compromise. Both would take the bedroom, but neither would touch the bed. Rather, they took to the floor, properly propped up by plenty of cozy pelts and blankets. They kept the cot between them as a sort of barrier to drive out the awkwardness, Sokka keeping close to the fireplace and Yue keeping close to the window. It was kind of a useless move anyhow; they could still see each other through the space under the cot, and they would have to struggle to avoid eye contact anyway to minimize more awkwardness. It probably would have helped if they instantly fell asleep— something they didn't do, occupied by thoughts and the newness of their little arrangement.
Sokka twiddled with his fingers, occasionally drowning in memories of his grandmother, occasionally floating back above the waters to reality. From the corner of his eye, he saw that she was staring up at the moon and stars. Many more minutes of pin-drop silence later, he broke the silence, "You're not sleepy?"
She gave him a tired look, shaking her head.
"I'm not, either."
More silence followed. Sokka took a deep breath, "So, uh… Which star do you think he is?"
Turning to him, "Huh?"
"Your ataata. Which star do you think he is right now?"
She seemed to search the sky for a moment, shrugging, "I don't know."
Thinking she wasn't interested in a conversation, he sank deeper into his sleeping bag, but he was proven wrong when she asked, "What about your Gran Gran? Which star do you think she is?"
He was more certain about his answer, pointing to a rather large star next to a cluster of midnight clouds, "Maybe that one. It seems very interesting to me for some reason."
"It's very bright."
"Yeah. And it's next to my parents."
"Parents?"
"I always like to think those two stars are my anaana and ataata," he pointed to two nearly-touching stars next to the Gran Gran star. "It's like they're holding hands."
Yue gave an amused little smile before immediately dismissing it. Her folded arm rested over her head.
"Your folks are up there, too," he said. "Any stars catching your eye?"
Her attention flew to the moon and to three little stars that were close together, floating right next to it. "I think the first two are my parents, and the third one is my baby brother," she pointed to the stars of her interest.
"You had a brother?" he asked, shocked.
"Yes. His name was going to be Taqqiq. After the moon." With a sigh, "But he was stillborn…and my mother didn't recover from childbirth."
"I'm so sorry," he said sadly. "I had no idea."
She continued to stare into the sky, "When I was born, I was very sick and very weak. Babies are supposed to cry when they're born, but I was born very still as if I was sleeping. The healers were very worried and did all they could, and they said I was going to die, but my parents had faith in the Spirits. A priest from the Tui and La Temple took me to the Spirit Oasis and poured some of the oasis water into my mouth. My dark hair turned white, and I opened my eyes and began to cry very loudly. And everyone knew I would live." Swallowing, "That's why anaana named me Yue…and that's why she became obsessed with the moon ever since."
She noted his look of surprise. "I honestly don't know the logistics behind everything that happened in that moment," came her disclaimer. "It basically sounds like something lifted from fiction or a dramatic play or something. I just know that I made it somehow…And it would've been nice if those Spirits interfered and helped my mom and brother, too, the way they helped me… But I like to think my mother and my brother became the closest stars to the moon…and that ataata is finally with them..."
The look of helplessness that she tried so hard to hide kept flaring to the forefront, and after several moments of pure silence, she caught him looking at her in concern, asking tenderly, "Are you okay?"
She cleared her throat, "I know you don't care for all of this. I don't want to keep boring you."
"No, no, you're not, I really—"
"Good night." She turned the other way and settled deeper into her pelts, her eyes falling to a close. Why am I telling him all this anyway?