Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Tempestuous ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own any of “Avatar: The Last Air Bender's” characters, etc. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

TEMPESTUOUS

Summary: Ten years have passed since Sozin’s war ended. Alliances must be forged between embittered nations, and Katara must marry to keep stable the peace. But can she ever find love in the arms of an old enemy? (Zutara)

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. I was bowled over by the feedback this little idea generated. Special thanks to Mirena for pointing out a gaping plot hole I was stumbling into. Hope the solution is believable. =) Thanks again! (Fate)

Chapter Two

After my bath, I was shown to my room by a small, young girl who blushed and bowed and said nothing, being too shy. It was heart-warming to see the Southern Air Temple bustling with life once more---though I should not have been surprised as much as I was to see how many people had actually come at the Avatar’s call. What had started out as a few people to help clean up the old, deserted towers had blossomed into a thriving community of people dedicated to the dream of restoring a way of life once thought lost forever.

Need had brought the first people---a stone mason to repair the broken walls or a gardener to restore the wild orchards. Their needs had brought others---a cook able to feed many, a healer or a clothier for mending. All who had them had brought their families, and their needs had called on others---a midwife, or a servant, or traders to supply things the growing community could not make for themselves.

Still others had come because Aang was who he was---the Avatar, and the last of the Airbenders. They sought to be a part of something new and wonderful---or, perhaps, part of something believed gone forever. The Air Nomads had died more than a century past and their ancient traditions had died with them---or so many had believed. But there were dedicated scholars and historians who had kept the monastic knowledge contained within fading texts and cracking scrolls alive through their study of such things, and they came to the Southern Air Temple to offer their help in resurrecting the old traditions.

Aang had only been a boy of twelve when his aerial brethren had disappeared from this world, and although he had been an Air Master himself, there were many things he had not known or paid little attention to. He had feared that a whole way of life had disappeared forever. I knew that he had been truly heart-touched that so much knowledge had been saved through the efforts of isolated men and women bent on preserving a culture thought dead and useless by the modern world that did not contain it, and thus he had done the unthinkable, and granted them brotherhood (or sisterhood, as the case might be) and status as monks, recognizing them as Lorekeepers of Air.

He had explained to me---in the letters we had written between us over the years---that they could never be given Mastery, of course, as none of them were Airbenders. He revealed that there had been, in times long past even before his own birth, monastic brothers and sisters who were not true Airbenders, ones who had attended such necessary duties as keeping the temples cleaned or tending the gardens or copying the fading scrolls in the cluttered libraries, for the Air Nomads had always revered knowledge and freedom as one and the same. Without one, how could one ever, truly choose the other?

Granting monastic recognition of the scholarly Lorekeepers had led, over time, to the granting of other orders, as men and women who had worked unstintingly to help revive and repair the old Southern Air Temple had been given recognition for their efforts as well. Serving the Avatar in his Temple was considered an honor, and Aang had actually had to stop the influx of people who rushed to meet the needs of the burgeoning community. The delicate ecology of the Air Nomads’ mountainous homes could only support so many, and so he had turned to the monkish tradition of demanding allegiance of any who wished to come and serve the temples to stem the eager tide of opportunists who threatened to swamp the Avatar’s home with too many to easily support. Over time, the flood had slowed to a trickle, as those who did not want to give up their own ties of blood to the nations and lands of their birth decided to seek elsewhere. Still, there were enough people in the thriving Southern Air Temple that there was now talk of opening up the Eastern temple, though Aang remained undecided on the subject, as rumor indicated. I did not know his inner thoughts on the subject, as our letters---written so eagerly in the beginning, had dwindled over the years to a few faithful greetings sent every few months.

I knew, though, that the greatest gift Aang had received had been from the old guru, Pathik, who had taken it upon himself to find the last few remaining Air Bison and flying lemurs and return them to the safety and security of the Southern Air Temple. Hidden and isolated in small herds and family groups, the dwindling numbers of shy bison and mischievous lemurs had been close to extinction. With the Temple’s help, however, their numbers were steadily growing. The trees and open courtyards were now filled with the chattering cacophony of the playful lemurs, and the green fields were dotted once more with the fluffy-white clouds of small, six-legged calves as Appa bellowed proudly like a king over his growing herd.

The wide windows I passed gave me glimpses of the swooping lemurs as they scolded each other, playing at some game or another. I thought of MoMo, and wondered where he was. The airy corridors made me feel a bit exposed, high up as we were, and I felt a little melancholy, reminded by how much had changed in the past ten years. I was glad when we finally reached my room, considerately placed along one of the inner walls of the tower. It was decorated with simplistic taste but more than comfortable after several days of sleeping on the hard ground. The creamy-yellow stone walls were painted with graceful blue lines, mimicking waves, and there were comfortable furs spread out on the simple pallet where I would sleep. Aang’s doing, I was sure, and I smiled in thanks as the girl who was my escort finally spoke, asking in a shy whisper if there was anything else I would need.

“No, thank you,” I said, smiling kindly at her. She bobbed a faint bow and bolted. I took stock of my room and went to my travel bags to unpack the few things I had brought with me. I dug out the last clean robe I had, though it was badly wrinkled and patched in obvious places. I was glad to peel off my stinking clothes---it had been rather disgusting to have to climb back into them after I had just cleaned myself off, but I had not brought any other clothing with me when I was shown the central courtyard used for bathing by the Temple’s residents.

“Those need laundering, young Master.” A qravelly voice echoed my own thoughts. I jerked up in surprise, and the old woman who now stood inside my room made a shallow bow.

“Can you show me where the laundry is? I don’t mind cleaning my own…” I trailed off as she raised a thin brow.

“I am Suni, young Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. You will call me Suni, as I will call you lady, as is proper. You will not do your own laundry---that is why we have servants here, and that is what they do. You will not do servants’ work as I am sure you are more than used to, coming from an honorable, but small, tribe as you do, and you will not appear in public in something as patched as that thing you are now wearing.”

I stared at her in bewilderment, not sure who was in charge of who. Finally, her sharp speech caught up with me and I flushed in embarrassment. The robe I was wearing was patched and worn, yes, but at least it was clean.

“You will not protest what is in your best interest, my lady. You will heed my words, for I was once the serving-lady to a great Queen and I know all about these things. You have a certain stature to maintain here in the Avatar’s Temple and you will not conduct yourself as the rough barbarian that you might be more used to.” The little old woman fixed me with a beady black eye, waiting for my reaction.

My eyes glittered in anger, but I remembered my teacher’s words---that I was always too quick to anger. Master Pakku had chided me often enough that if I was truly to be a Master of Water, than I must be like the tides, endlessly patient and enduring.

I counted to ten. And then to twenty, as I closed my eyes and sought my own calm center of inner peace. Finding that still, quiet pool, I breathed deeply---twice---and then opened my eyes, a serene expression on my face, though it was still a bit forced.

“Good, then. You are listening and willing to accept my guidance. That is intelligent.” The old tyrant was something else. I counted to ten again.

“You will need something done with your hair. It has a nice length and a good color, but the style is rather simple,” the old woman sniffed. “I see that there is a lot of work for me to do, my lady.”

“This is the style of my people, Suni. It suits me. I will not change it,” I said tightly between clenched teeth. The woman appeared not to notice.

“We shall see, my lady,” she replied serenely.

Nothing was sacred with this crazy old woman.

“I shall go and find you some better attire. Hopefully, we shall have something in the Temple’s stores. As many people send gifts and tribute to the Avatar, we are lucky enough to be able to spare a little bit of everything. I will take your clothing down to be washed and return it unharmed, I promise. I can tell that you would be angry if I threw away any of your rags.” She gathered my dirty clothes with quick efficiency as I bit back a shrewish reply.

*Patient and biding as the tides, I will be as patient and biding as the tides…*

“You will not leave this room until I have returned to dress you. There are many visiting dignitaries about. Many are the Avatar’s distinguished guests. You are in my charge, my lady, and you will not embarrass me.” With that parting shot, the old bat finally took herself out, leaving me to breathe deeply and remember that water is ever enduring, ever patient and ever calm.

It is, damn it!


I finally emerged from Suni’s attentive care and hastened to go meet Aang for supper, for I was running late. The soft blue robe Suni had pulled me into was simple but elegant. We had had a battle royale over my hair---she had finally compromised and coiled my thick braid up and pinned it in place. I had put my foot down about my mother’s necklace---I would not give it up, though she had tried her best to persuade me that a delicate corcora shell necklace would be far more appropriate. The soft, indoor slippers were bad enough, for I was used to sturdy, fur-lined boots, and was wary of sliding in the delicate shoes.

I was glad enough of Suni’s interference, however, when I arrived at the simple dinner I had expected to share with just my friend and found a dozen or so people crowded around a table and a five course feast just then being served. I froze in the doorway, stunned, as I stared in silence at the scene before me. There were representatives from every nation, including the Northern Water Tribe, and Aang was impressively dressed in full saffron robes of state, the three-circled necklace of his Air Mastery in heavy gold links upon his breast.

“Ah, Katara. I am glad you have come.” He gracefully made his way over to me as all the private conversations died abruptly upon my sudden appearance. He gave me a slight wink as he took my arm and turned to face the small crowd of strangers. “May I introduce my best friend, Katara, of the Southern Water Tribe.”

“It is an honor.” This came from a stiffly formal noble from the Fire Nation, and he didn’t sound so convincing of that fact as he made a short, sharp bow in my direction.

“Indeed it is.” A tall, handsome man came forward. Dressed in the graceful blue robes of an advisor from the Northern Water Tribe, he actually made me return his smile with warmth, for his was truly welcoming, as was the other, older man’s who stood beside him.

“You might remember me, Katara,” the older man said, and his long grey head did seem somewhat familiar. “I was one of your teachers, assisting Master Pakku.”

“Naru, wasn’t it?” I asked, smiling in recall.

“You were a good student, young Katara, a quick and eager one.” Master Naru smiled and patted my free hand with a fatherly gesture.

“Master Naru wasn’t so pleased with my own study,” Aang grinned, for a moment again the merry young boy I had known.

“Ah, but that was long ago, Master Aang. I think that you can now teach us Waterbenders a thing or two, no?” Naru laughed, and we all made our way to the table.

I was seated between Aang and Master Naru, with the other Northern representative across from me. That was good, for I was able to talk with both of them, as Aang was busy speaking with everyone at his end of the table. There was more left unspoken than what was said in polite conversation, and I felt slightly stilted. There were other women at the table, though only one held any true rank, as the other guests might see it, for she was an Earthbender from the reclaimed capital of Ba Sing Se. The others, I was later startled to find, were some of the Avatar’s concubines.

I knew that poor Aang was the last of the Airbenders, but I had never really, truly, thought about that fact. I knew that he had taken a number of wives in order to make sturdy alliances among the four nations, but I had never really considered how many alliances he might have actually made. It was something of a shock to think that the rather awkward young boy I had known now had more wives than there had been people left in my tribe the day I rode off after him.

The taking of many wives was common practice among the other three nations, but the Water Tribes had always been rather monogamous, for the most part. I felt ill at ease among them, though they all seemed nice enough.

It was the Fire Nation delegates who truly made me uneasy, for they kept staring at me, as if measuring me against some unknown. Finally growing tired of the covert---and not so covert---glances, I looked back at the oldest one, the stuffily honorable General Shaolin, and nodded slightly to acknowledge his penetrating interest. He actually relaxed a bit at my unwavering stare, and even unbent enough to smile at me and make some idle comment about the dish then being served. The other three Fire Nation men seemed to follow the General’s silent lead, and the tensed atmosphere began to relax minutely, until final cups of fragrant tea were being served on low cushions in the adjoining hall and the various guests started taking their leave.

Master Naru stayed by me, as did Aang, as the General and his men came to bow and give their final farewells, for they were leaving the Temple at first light. The general lingered over my hand, and I made him laugh, though I couldn’t recall after just what it was that I had said, for by then I was too tired to care. “You are pleasing, young Waterbender. There is fire in you, though your heart is all water.”

With that odd comment, the general bowed, his men following suit, and they finally left the hall. Master Naru watched them go, and said smugly, “They are impressed with you, Katara. That is good.”

“It is?” I asked, too tired to act like I knew what he was talking about.

“Master Naru,” Aang suddenly interrupted us, “I think that I will retire now with my old friend. There is much that we need to speak of, and the hour grows late.”

The Northern Waterbender smiled slightly, and bowed. “Your will, Avatar.”

“Good night, then, everyone,” Aang said politely to the few remaining people in the room. His hand under my elbow pulled me up to stand beside him. “Come, Katara, if you will.”

There was a note of command in his gentle voice, a note I had never heard before, except when young Aang had been in the Avatar state. I found myself obeying without protest, and followed him outside into the mild spring night.

The fuzziness of my tired mind retreated slightly as we emerged into the cooling night breeze. I automatically drew strength from the rising moon, though it was but a wisp of itself in the clear night sky. The stars were bright, this high up, and the creamy stone paths shone milky in the gathered shadows.

“Walk with me, Katara?” Aang’s voice sounded entreating, and I could not turn him down.

“Of course, Aang,” I said, looping my arm through his as we had done so often before in times past. We walked the paths in quiet camaraderie until Aang slowed his steps to turn into a small courtyard where a splashing fountain chuckled merrily to itself. I stepped from his side to run my fingers through the lapping water, sitting on the edge of the round, stone-rung pool.

Aang sighed behind me. “You look so content and familiar sitting there, Katara. I have missed you.”

I looked back at him, smiling. “I have missed you, too, Aang. This…” I waved airily around me at the curving Temple, and the quiet life that stirred even now around it, “---this is all so wonderful. I am so glad for you, and so proud of what you have built here, but everything has changed, and grown so complicated, hasn’t it? I’m glad I came, though, if just for the chance to get to know the man you have become.”

Aang stepped closer, his grey eyes dark. He touched my shoulder. “You have grown too, you know. You are much more tolerant than once you were.”

I smiled, content with the quiet water within. It had taken me a long time to find that inner serenity. The struggle had been hard, but well worth the peace in my heart.

Aang’s gaze lowered, and he sighed heavily, as if he knew there was something that would break that peace.

I turned and grabbed his hands in mine, anxious at the weary sound of his sigh. He carried the world’s burdens---it must be hard to endure at times. “You sound so tired, Aang. Tell me. What is it? What troubles you so?”

“Ah, Katara, you are so sweet and kind. I hate to burden you with any of my problems,” Aang said fiercely.

“I’m strong enough, I should think.” I smiled up at him, and he just sighed again before seating himself beside me. He folded my hands in his, and looked at me, really looked, and my brow furrowed at the intensity of his dark gaze.

“The world needs you, Katara. There is a great sacrifice I must ask of you, and I don’t know how to say it, for it is that important to keeping the peace we have worked so hard and long for.”

“Aang, you’re frightening me. What is it?” I asked, unnerved by the fervency in his quiet voice.

“I do not know how to say this, but than just to say it. Katara, I must ask if you would marry someone, someone important, in order to keep the peace we have established,” he said, deadly serious.

“What?” I tried to jerk my hands out of his in shock, for it was the last thing I was expecting, but he kept hold of them, squeezing lightly to express sympathy or understanding, perhaps.

“Katara, I would not ask this of you if it weren’t important. You know that. It’s a lot to ask, that you give up all thoughts of selfishness and sacrifice your life for the peace of the world,” Aang said sorrowfully.

“I…” I swallowed, still in shock. “Wh-Who?”

“The Fire Lord. Zuko.” His voice was quiet, firm.

“Zuko?” I shivered, feeling cold. “You can’t be serious, Aang! Zuko?”

He squeezed my cold hands again, as if impressing on me that it was very much true.

“He would never agree to it,” I said flatly, angrily.

“He already has,” Aang answered simply.

“He couldn’t. I’m but a ‘simple water peasant,’ remember?” I hissed, trying to pull my hands free of his strong grip.

“You are not. You’re a Waterbender and Healing Master, remember?” He tossed back.

“Aang, you can’t be serious!” I struggled, denying it, but Aang started speaking, hoping to persuade me that he was all too serious.

“Katara, do you think I would ask this of you if I didn’t think it was necessary? We must unite the four nations with more than just words. Alliances have already been made between Earth and Fire, Water and Earth. Your own brother married Suki of the island of Kyoshi, uniting the Southern Water Tribe and one of the Earth Kingdom’s oldest families. He is happy living there among the people of Earth.”

“He loved her, Aang! He didn’t marry Suki to unite the Water Tribes with the Earth Kingdom. They didn’t care about anything like that!” I protested, the tears burning in my eyes. Sokka and Suki were so happy---didn’t I deserve my own chance at that?

“Katara, Katara, don’t you think I know what it is I’m asking of you? Don’t you think that this was a hard decision for me to come to, in even asking you to consider this…this marriage? Don’t you think I know what it is you are giving up, what sacrifices you would make to accept this alliance? Damn it, Katara, don’t you think I know exactly what an arranged marriage is like, always knowing that I can never find true love because I, Aang, am the last Airbender? Do you not know what it is I have sacrificed to keep the peace of this world? I cannot call my life my own! I am and will always be, first and foremost, the Avatar.” There was a wealth of pain and bitterness in his harsh words. I trembled beneath the onslaught of that pain, the water in my very nature wanting to reach out and soothe it.

“Aang…Aang…” I touched his cheek, the tears flowing freely now. How could I be so selfish as to think he had not already given up so much more than I could ever have? In the face of such sacrifice, could I myself do anything less? My heart was breaking, for both of us, because I already knew what my answer would be, although I didn’t want to say it, for then it would be all too real, my life not my own.

“Katara…please understand. I only ask this of you because I must.” He touched my cheek as well, and gently brushed the tears away. “Gods, I don’t even know why I am! How can I not even be able to protect my dearest friends from my own fate? Ah, Katara, Katara, say you will forgive me for even asking this of you, and I will stop it! We can find some other person to sell into marriage to the Fire Nation.”

“There is no other person, though, is there?” I asked slowly, reluctantly knowing deep down that it was true. The Water Tribes did not claim royalty as some of the other nations did. The only princess who had been born among us had already sacrificed herself to save the moon for our people. How could I do anything less than Princess Yue?

There were no other Waterbending masters important enough to satisfy the Fire Nation’s innate snobbery. There was just me, and I had never sought any favors from my fame. It embarrassed me, actually, that my name was spoken across the breadth of the world as one of the War’s heroes, when I had not done much in that final confrontation with Lord Ozai and Azula.

It was Aang who had done that. Aang, and Prince Zuko.

Lord Zuko, now.

And soon my husband to be.

I shivered, feeling icy fingers tightening around my heart. It was like stepping in the mouth of the dragon with that one, and hoping he was not hungry at the moment.

But could I give less than the man, the friend, sitting before me? How could I be so selfish and wrong as to do that?

Choking, I finally whispered softly, “Stop, Aang. I will do it. To keep the peace. We have worked too hard to break that.”

The tears ran down his cheeks as well as he stood up and bowed deeply, fists pressed together. “Thank you, Katara---thank you.”

And so I finally bowed my head---unhappily, true, but resolute---to the inevitable.