forbidden love (a kataang story)

Chapter 4: Dilemma

Katara's POV

"What!!" I shouted, louder than I intended too. "Whoa! Calm down Katara. You've had to have known that you were going to be betrothed soon." My father said, stroking my hair to calm me down. 

"But-" I started but my father cut me off. "Katara this is final. Our tribe has been disconnected from our northern brothers for centuries, and we need to begin re-forming our relationship with them." I could feel tears welling in my eyes. "Katara please. Don't make this harder than it has to be." Anger surged inside of me at his words. "Easy for you to say!" I hissed at him. "You're not being forced to marry someone YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW!" Tears streaming down my cheeks, I ran up the stairs to my room.

"Shit," I whispered to myself. I shouldn't have stormed off like that. My dad had my best interest at heart as well as the tribe's. I wondered how much pressure he was feeling. And I didn't even know the guy I would be marrying, maybe he was nice. Then, pictures of Aang flooded my head. I couldn't get married to someone else. It would break him. 

How would I pick? How COULD I pick? Choosing between Aang and my tribe shouldn't have even been a question for me. My duties to my tribe came first. But something about Aang made me want to risk it all and leave my tribe behind. He gave me a sense of freedom, something I hadn't had in a long time. The blood drained from my face as I realized I would have to tell him. 

What would he think? How would he handle the news? I imagined his face when I told him. The happy look his eyes always carried seemed to dim, and his face sank. Just thinking about it made my heart break. He was coming over tonight, and I had no clue what I was going to do. 

A gentle knock came from my door. "Go away dad." I said coldly. "Its not dad," I heard Sokka's voice reply quietly. 

He opened the door softly and came and sat next to me on my floor. "Dad says the boat leaving for the north takes off in 3 days," He began trying to find the right words to say. " and I realize how you're feeling, with Aang and the marriage, but if you leave, I won't get to see you for a long time." he sighed. "And I don't wanna leave things how they were." He wrapped me up in a big hug, and I realized how much he really did care about me. He cared about the law and the tribe a lot sure, but at the end of the day he only had a heart for his family. 

Suddenly his eyes lit up. "Katara, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think there's a way for you to get out of this marriage." 

Aang's POV

As I was sitting in the cave messing around with Momo, I couldn't help thinking about Katara. We had gotten so close in such a short time. She completed me, and I had never been happier, but something about what Sokka had said to her itched at my brain. She was the heir to the throne of the Water Tribe? Sokka was the oldest male in the family, shouldn't he be the heir? I knew I had to ask her tonight, I needed answers. 

As I looked out of the cave I could see a paper, flying delicately on the wind. I stepped out onto the frosty ground and grabbed it out of the air. Flipping it over, I could see a note addressed to me. 

It read:

 Aang, It's Katara.

 I'm to sure if this will get to you but I'm praying to the spirits it will. Hopefully the wind does it's job and you're reading this right now.

 Tonight when you come, I need you to bring all your things with you. All of them. And bring Appa and Momo too. I know you're confused but please, If you really love me you'll do this for me. Be outside my balcony with Appa and your supplies at around 2 am.