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.
I love you Aang. Please push aside your thoughts and doubts and do this for me.
I scratched my head, taking in the letter. It's tone was serious and I didn't even think twice about fulfilling her requests. I began to pack my things, and load Appa. He grunted, Assuming we were headed off again. "Not yet buddy, but soon." I said scratching his chin. The sun was setting in the sky, and I was worried about Katara. What did she have in store for me?
A few hours had passed and I led Appa out of the cave. Katara's note made me nervous, like it was a secret I shouldn't have been told. I hopped onto Appa's neck and took his reigns in my hands. "Appa, Yip Yip!" I shouted, and with that Appa groaned and took off from the cave. I could see the castle in the distance and I could also see Katara's balcony. She was standing there waiting for me, and Sokka was next to her.
Sokka stared at Appa in shock as he landed in the snow below the balcony. I Hopped off of him and airbended my way up to meet them.
Katara hugged me and kissed my cheek softly. "So.." I began awkwardly. "Why did you need me to bring Appa? And what's Sokka doing here?" I said, confused. Katara was silent, and ignored my questions. Sokka just sighed heavily. "Katara is going with you." He stated. "What, like for a ride?" I asked him. "No, she's going with you, and leaving the Southern Water Tribe." He said, a solemn look on his face. "Katara, what is he talking about?" I said frantically. Katara looked at me with shame in her eyes. "I'll explain on the way.." She said, tears breaking her voice. Sokka pulled her into his arms. "Katara, this is the only way." He said.
Sokka pushed Katara towards me and I grabbed her waist. "Go. Take her somewhere where you two can be happy. Take her right now, so she doesn't end up making a mistake she'll regret forever." I was even more confused then I had been earlier. What was going on?
I took one last look at Sokka before pulling Katara close to me and airbending us down to Appa. Sokka threw down some bags that I assumed were Katara's, and I placed them in Appa's saddle. Katara sat down next to her luggage and looked up at Sokka. He waved at us as Appa took of into the night sky.
Katara's POV
As I sat there on Aang's bison I felt defeated. I was running away from my tribe, all because I had fallen in love with an Air nomad. Aang pulled Appa higher into the sky, so that we were surrounded by soft moonlit clouds. He turned around and came to sit next to me. I knew he would have questions, and so I prepared myself to answer them.
He sat there quietly, awaiting an answer to the questions I knew he would ask. "Aang there's a lot to explain, I don't know if you're ready.." I said shakily. He scooted closer to me and I inhaled his pleasant scent. His warm arms wrapped around me and I melted into his embrace. "I have all night." He whispered, kissing my head. I began to explain the arranged marriage, and the disputes between the South and the North. He cut me off and looked at me, surprised. "Wait, am I taking you to the North.. to be married?" He said cutting me off. I could see fear and pain welling in his eyes and I began to reassure him that wasn't the case. "No no no!" I said quickly. "Sokka came up with a plan. He decided that he would take my place." Aang looked at me confused. I knew what he was going to ask next ,and I began to tell him about my place in the kingdom.
"Sokka was the heir to the throne at first, but after my mother died my father went against tradition and dictated that I would be the heir. He was intensely set on keeping me safe, and thought that if I was heir that meant he could keep me in the Water Tribe and be able to watch over me at all times." I said softly. "Now Sokka has taken my place, and I'm selfishly running away from my duties."
Aang didn't say anything. He just sat in silence. "So you gave up your responsibilities, for me?" He asked me quietly. "Sokka didn't want me to marry someone I don't love. He knows I love you, and he sacrificed his own future for mine, and for yours." I replied. "I can't believe he would do that for us." Aang said in shock. I cuddled up closer to him.
"So does this mean we... live together now?" He said grinning at me. I giggled at his goofy smile. 'I guess it does." I replied, kissing him softly. He pulled me in closer to him and kissed me back, sending tingles down my spine. The worry and guilt I previously felt seemed to melt away as we cuddled under the stars.
Sokka's POV
I watched as the giant bison rose into the sky and took off among the clouds. I would never understand what she saw in Aang, but I knew he made her happy.
Worry flooded through me as I realized I would have to tell dad. What would dad's reaction be? He was extremely protective of Katara, and I didn't know how he would take the news that Katara had flown away with a mysterious airbender she just met.
What if I just told him that Katara just ran away? I thought to myself. Sure, I'd have to make up a story about how she told me to get married for her and that she climbed out of a window or something, but it would be very believable due to how she left breakfast yelling about the marriage.
As the sun rose I sat in my room. I was going to have to tell my dad that my baby sister ran away. I nervously walked down the stairs to the dining hall. "Dad!" I shouted, putting on my best shocked face. "Katara's not in her room! And her balcony doors are open!" I said frantically.
Dad stood up. "Guards!" He yelled. "Check the princesses room, as well as every room or hiding spot in this castle!" The men scuffled around the castle, searching for Katara. They all came back empty handed.
Dad's face grew wrinkled with worry.
"Don't worry Sokka," He said coldly.
"We'll find her."
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Thanks for reading!
Sorry for the short chapter, my schoolwork is getting in the way of me writing! :(
Please excuse the mistakes, I wrote this very fast because I know how badly you all wanted another update :)
See you all in the next chapter!