It had been days of flying, and everyone was exhausted and irritated.
Sokka hangs lazily over the back of Appa's saddle; grump-idly. "I'm not one to complain," Appa was flying just above the water. "but can't Appa fly any higher?"
Aang quickly turns his back to scold Sokka. "I have an idea. Why don't we all get on your back and you can fly us to the North Pole?!"
Sokka looks over his shoulder; sarcastically. "I'd love to." He points to his back. "Climb on everyone," he shakes his rear. "Sokka's ready for take off."
I urged myself not to just jump onto his back, but I restrained myself. Momo beat me to it anyways.
Katara waves her hands up and down while shifting looks between Aang and Sokka. "Look, we're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight."
Momo is now on Sokka's lap. "And for what? We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe." I poke my head out of the saddle, Appa was floating along a vast ocean of only water and ice. "There's nothing up here."
I laid down on my head in boredom, letting it rest on my hands. I look up in wonder when a slushing sound is heard.
The water in front of Appa suddenly rises and solidifies to ice spikes.
Aang screams in fright, his eyes wide in horror, as he violently yanks the reins to the right in an attempt to avoid the sudden obstacle.
Appa is growling and turning, while the siblings and I yell in fear as we hold on for dear life to the sides of the saddle.
Appa, who is swerving, suddenly shoots up as another ice spike manifests right in from of him. But he was not quick enough, and part of the ice attaches itself to his leg, freezing instantly. His momentum causes the ice to break, but he is thrown off balance and catapulted away.
Appa spirals before he's shot down, landing into the water, throwing it up high. As he turns upright again, the water around him instantly freezes, and he is locked in place.
Water Tribe boats appear, each carrying several waterbenders, as they surrounded us.
Katara looks around surprised, but happily. "They're waterbenders! We found the Water Tribe!"
After talking to the waterbenders they escorted us to Agna Qel'a. The magnificent wall of the city comes into view much to everyone's amazement.
Aang points excitedly to the wall. "There it is!"
"The Northern Water Tribe." Katara and I both breathe out as we playfully shove each other with our shoulder.
Sokka turns his head to look at me. "We're finally here."
A portion of the icy wall is lowered, allowing us to enter into the city. Canal workers use waterbending to transport us into the city.
"I can't believe how many waterbenders live up here!" Katara says fascinated.
"We'll find a master to teach us, no problem." Aang says to Katara.
We pass through the channels of the city, catching the attention of several civilians who run over to spectate us. Aang waves happily at the people. As we continue our trek inward.
My eyes scanned the tribe. "Oh my wow, this place is beautiful."
"Yeah, she is."
I quickly turn my head to see who Sokka was talking about. I notice a girl with beautiful white hair strolling around in her private boat. Her back was turned towards us, so I couldn't see her face. I soon shrugged it off.
✼ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ✼
Later that night, the group and I were invited to a big celebration. We were being honored with a feast, hosted by the tribe's chief. Men play drums and a giant crab is set in a pool of water.
"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe. And they have brought with them, someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now ... the Avatar!" The Crowd applauds and cheers. "We also celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age!"
The princess walks into view as my mouth geniully dropped to the ground. She was ethereal. I also noticed it was the girl with white hair; Sokka had called beautiful earlier. I couldn't blame him, it was true.
Someone I also noticed was a guy who looked slightly older than me, maybe a year or two. He was very attractive. I couldn't help but stare at him for a while.
"Thank you father," Princess Yue says. "May the great ocean and moon spirits watch over us during these troubling times."
"Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!" The chief announces. Pakku and two students bend significant blobs of water, captivating Aang and Katara. They merge the three blobs into one stream, bending it around each other.
I heard some munching next to me as Sokka was shoving food into his already full mouth. I couldn't blame him. We were all starving. It's been a long journey.
Princess Yue made her way over to our table, sitting in the empty seat next to Sokka.
"Excuse me, hey, can you scotch over a little so I could take a seat?"
I turn my head to notice the guy who was standing beside Princess Yue and the guy I also couldn't take my eyes off of during the speech.
I begin to feel my face grow hot. "Yeah, sure." I pushed closer to Katara as he took my seat before, now sitting next to Sokka and Sokka next to Yue.
The boy cleared his throat. "Hey, I'm Prince Neymar. Princesses Yue's older brother."
"Oh," I blush. "I'm uh..I'm-"
Katara giggles as she peers her head on my shoulder. "She's Venus and I'm Katara, nice to meet you."
Prince Neymar chuckles. "Nice to meet you, Venus and Katara."
I sheepishly grin as I face my whole body towards Katara and make an embarrassed face. "He's so hot." I mouth to her.
"I know," Katara mouths back. "Talk to him."
I turn my body facing the prince. "Hi, sorry, yes, I'm Venus as Katara told you."
Neymar had glowing tan skin, big bright blue eyes, dark brown almost black, fluffy curly hair, a tall and built figure and a beautiful face. He was perfect.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Sokka peering his pupils at me. He noticed me catching him in on my conversation. He quickly whipped his head towards Yue and began talking very loudly.
"Hey, there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe." He introduced himself to Yue.
Yue smiles and bows lightly. "Very nice to meet you." They nervously share an awkward silence for a moment.
"So, uh. you're a princess, huh?!" Sokka nervously speaks. "You know, back in my tribe, I'm kind of like a prince myself." Sokka told Yue.
I guess Katara was also listening in on their conversation because she let out a huge laugh. "Ha! Prince of what?"
"A lot of things!" Sokka growled as he hovered over Prince Neymar and I to point his finger in Katara's face. "Do you mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here."
Katara quickly raised her eyebrows. "My apologies, Prince Sokka."
I blink a few times before returning my gaze back to Prince Neymar who already had his piercing eyes on me.
"You're very beautiful." Prince Neymar states as he studies me.
"What?!" I heard Sokka choke out.
Even though I was clearly underdressed my body felt warmth from the compliment. "Really? You think so?"
Prince Neymar smiles showing his pearly teeth. "Yes. I have never meet anyone as stunning as you. It feels almost illegal to
look at you."
I've had many guys compliment me before, but hearing them come from Prince Neymar made my heart skip five beats.
I shake my head in dismissal. "But have you seen your sister?"
Prince Neymar chuckles. "Yes, I see her everyday, but you're different and gross she's my sister."
I tried to look into Prince Neymar's eyes, but I was so intimidated. They weren't the natural colors like most water tribe people, they were so bright, much like mine but mine were a lighter green from the rest of the earth kingdom citizens.
My long bangs fell in front of my face, as I was about to brush the piece of hair away from my face. Neymar quickly tucked it behind my ear for me.
"Thanks."
"The pleasure is all mine."
A cold breeze hits me as I aggressively shiver.
Prince Neymar immediately took notice and quickly stripped of his fur coat, placing it around my shoulders. "Here, you must be freezing. You're dressed like you're in the Fire nation."
"Yeah, I should have dressed better for this weather." I sulk. "But I don't have any clothes."
"Why don't you swing by my palace tomorrow? I'm sure Yue wouldn't mind gifting you some of her outfits, or we could go shopping for clothes? Or we could just hang out? If not that's totally fine too." Prince Neymar rambles on.
I lean my head onto his arm. "Are you asking me to hang out with you?"
Prince Neymar is hesitant but he rest his head on the top of my head. "If you like, it's entirely up to you."
I take my head off of the Prince as I deeply look into his eyes. "Yeah. I'd really like that."
Prince Neymar let's out a hard sigh. "Thank spirits, I thought you were going to decline my offer. I would have definitely went home and cry for a few days."
Soon the chief approached us. "Princess Yue, Prince Neymar, it's time to go back to the palace. Thank you Avatar and friends for coming by. We hope you had a nice feast, and hope to see you later tomorrow. Children say your goodbyes."
We all begin to stand up exchanging goodbyes. "Goodnight, Venus."
"Goodnight, Prince Neymar."
"You can call me Neymar, Prince isn't necessary when it comes to you."
Everything Prince Neymar, I mean Neymar says is honestly so heart warming. It made me feel so good about myself.
I smile clenching the sides of his coat. "Oh, wait, you're coat!" I call out before Neymar leaves with his sister and guards.
"Keep it," he winks before walking off.
My cheeks were honestly hurting from all the smiling and blushing while talking to Neymar, I don't think I've ever smiled this much in my life.
The group and I walk to the igloo we would be staying in for as long as we are here in the North Pole.
Sokka's eyes meet my coat. "Where did you get that from?"
"Oh this thing?" I smile, "Prince Neymar gave it to me, he saw how underdressed I was so he lend me his coat, isn't that sweet? I think he said I could keep it as well."
Sokka makes an annoyed face. "You could've just asked me for my tunic?"
My eyebrows furrow together. "You were too occupied with Princess Yue and I didn't have to ask Neymar for his coat. He willingly placed his coat around me because he saw how cold I was."
"Oh." Sokka lowly mutters.
✼ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ✼
The next morning, everyone had somewhere to be. Sokka was out with Princess Yue and Katara and Aang were finally going to practice their waterbending with master Pakku.
I could barley sleep last night, thinking about Prince Neymar, his presence was just so intoxicating. Almost like a drug.
I made my way out the igloo and began asking for directions to the palace, it took a while to get there, but I did.
Standing in front of the palace was Prince Neymar. "Venus!" He called out. "You made it!"
I ran towards him, as he ran towards me, before we met I made a leap, jumping into his arms as he caught me swirling us both around, but he lost his balance causing us to fall into the snow.
We both let out a laugh. "Hey."
"Hi. I missed you."
I bit the inside of my lip. "Already? It hasn't even been 24 hours yet."
"What can say. I can't stop thinking about you."
The both of us were still in the snow, me hovered over him. My mind then begins to drift off to Jet. Was this wrong? Wrong moving on so quickly? Okay, it was almost a month since Jet and I broke up but still, this all seemed too fast with Prince Neymar, but for some reason it felt right. Wrong but right.
A few guards scurry over to Neymar and I. "Prince Neymar, Ms. Venus. Are you two all right?"
"More than alright." Neymar chuckles as he brings both of us off the ground.
I detach my legs from Neymar's torso, placing them onto the ground. "So, what do you have planned for us today?"
"First," Neymar says holding my hand and walking me inside the beautiful palace. "I have something for you."
We walked into a room as there were hundreds of clothing options to choose from.
My mouth drops as I circle around the room. "Is this all for me?"
"I was going to say to pick a few for today, but if you want them all, they're all yours."
I could feel the tears building up. Oh my spirits, ever since I left Kyoshi island I have been an emotion wreck.
Neymar slowly walks towards me. "Venus, what's wrong?"
I shake my head as tears slip out. "Neymar, this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me."
"Buying clothes?"
"It's not just that. You have honestly been the sweetest guy I have ever encountered in my life. Growing up men never treated me right. I was always abused by them anywhere I went. Physically, emotionally, all kind of things you can imagine. And honestly I started to despise them. There was a point in my life where I used to be afraid of men. I would physically feel sick, but being apart of the Kyoshi warriors, they helped me with a lot of my trauma. And I'm forever grateful."
Neymar tightly embraces me in his arms. Him hugging me made me cry even harder. "Venus, I am so sorry you had to deal with all that. I wish I was there to protect you, but I am just glad you're alright now and decided to come to the North because you are honestly the first person who has understood me. My parents always valued Yue because she's so fragile, young and innocent. I had to do some of my growing up myself which was really hard to do. But it seems like you did as well. The spirits brought us together for a reason."
I take my head out of Neymar's chest to look up at him. "Can we stay here today? I don't want to go out tonight now."
"You read my mind." Neymar warmly smiles.
Neymar wraps his arm around my waist indicating for me to jump onto him which I do.
My eyes flicker in between his beautiful piercing eyes and lips. "Don't look at me like that."
"Like what?" I innocently ask.
"Like you want to kiss me."
A small smile appears on my face. "Maybe I do want to kiss you."
I slowly lean in to kiss Neymar, but the palace door swung opened revealing Yue.
She looks at her brother; then me, then back at her brother, then back at me for about five minutes. "Wow, I am so sorry...I uh apologize I didn't think-"
Neymar gently puts me down on my feet. "Yue, it's not what it looks like."
Yue smiles to herself, seemingly crossing her arms. "So tell me brother, what were you two about to do?"
I look up at Neymar in embarrassment. "Uh...I should go-"
"Wait, Venus please stay. I want to get to know you." Yue lightly blushes.
"You do? And you know my name?"
"Yeah," Yue smiles, "both Sokka and Neymar talk about you a lot. It's sort of cute."
Oh, really now?
Yue grabs my wrist as she pulls me along with her. "Neymar, I'm stealing your girlfriend for the night, is that alright?"
Neymar gives Yue a little glare. "If it's alright with Venus."
Did he basically confirm I was his girlfriend without him physically saying I was his girlfriend?
I look in between the siblings. "Sure, I guess."
"Sweet." Yue squeals running up the stairs with me still in her grasp as she shuts the door.
Once the door shuts, Yue falls onto her bed as she begins to sob.
"Oh my spirits, are you okay?" I ask from the unexpected mood change.
"It's Sokka."
I sigh, sitting onto Yue's bed and placing her head on my lap. "What happened?"
"He did nothing wrong, it's me. I'm a horrible person."
I stroke Yue's big white hair.
"Venus. I'm engaged but I think I really like Sokka. He so nice and sweet and cute. But I'm engaged and it's my duty. But Sokka and I had such a good time today, I'm not sure what to do." Yue rambles not making a bit of sense.
To be honest, I was stumped myself. "Maybe, you should tell him the truth, I mean if you are truly engaged you should let Sokka know. I know the feeling of having a liking towards two people at the same time."
"You do?" Yue sniffles.
"Yeah, but that's not the point. Just follow your heart because I can see that you're a smart girl. I won't judge you in any shape or form by the decision you make."
Yue lifts her head off my lap as she wraps me around in her arms. "You're such a good talker and listener. I really appreciate this conversation. I really do."
"Thanks." I murmur against her shoulder.
I break the hug and use my hands to prompt myself off Yue's bed. "Well, I guess I'll be heading out now."
"Wait!" Yue yells, but used her hand to cover her mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout, but I was wondering if you'd maybe wanted to sleep over, tonight? I'd really like your company. I don't have any friends."
I bite my bottom lip. "My friends are probably wondering where I am. I haven't seen them all day."
"I'll let the guards let them know where you are immediately." She pouts out her bottom lip as she makes her way towards me. "Please?"