The mountains were freezing. Even with her increasing her body temperature and circulating air round her body, the cold winds still nipped at Sukara's face as she walked,but the spirit portals were this way and so was Hata. If anyone was going to know something about Vaatu, it was Hata. She had spent her whole life studying Sukara. Hopefully, she would have something in all those papers about the spirit separation.
The cave in the ice where Hata lived was bigger than it looked. Sukara had assumed that she was a water bender with the way it was sculpted, though she had never seen her bend.
Every time she visited, it seemed more homely. Hata had set out rugs and hung up some of the tapestries.
Sukara didn't tread too lightly as she walked through to the main rooms, Hata was an old woman and she was unlikely to hear her coming if she stamped her way through.
Hata was sat painting when Sukara managed to find her. She coughed loudly, trying to get her attention. The old woman looked up calmly from her picture to see the smiling ex-dictator standing in the doorway.
"Your majesty," Hata exclaimed, getting up as quickly as she could from her chair.
"Hello," Sukara smiled, walking towards her and giving her a hug, "how have you been?"
"Well, well," she said as she gathered several scrolls off of one of the chairs, "I'm good."
"Let me do that," Sukara said softly, taking the scrolls from her hand, allowing the old woman to stand up properly.
"Such a sweetheart," Hata sighed, going back to her chair, "no wonder you were so good at ruling people."
"Not everyone liked me Hata," Sukara told her as she placed the scrolls down with a bunch of others.
"It wasn't all bad," Hata smiled, trying to comfort Sukara as the old Empress joined her at the table, "you helped a lot of people."
Sukara gave a soft smile. She'd like to believe in herself and her past the way Hata did but, Hata only had the stories, she hadn't seen what they didn't write down.
"As long as they were benders," Sukara sighed, looking up at the banner with her face on it hanging on the wall, "and if they didn't oppose me."
"Your conditions may have been a little harsh," Hata said, reaching out and placing her hand on top of Sukara's, "but that doesn't mean you didn't help people as well. Those two things can exist at the same time."
"When did you get so wise?" Sukara chuckled.
"You made me rethink my perspective on how I read all of this," Hata explained, "made me dig through the older stuff. Even found an old journal of yours."
"Of mine?" Sukara exclaimed.
"Yes, there were three that I found quite interesting," Hata told her, "one of yours, two of Zu-zai's. They gave me a lot more insight into you and the time. It was really inspiring."
Sukara frowned at the comment, she was a little concerned as to what she found so inspiring.
"You weren't some all powerful, untouchable Empress," Hata smiled, remembering back to the journals, "you were just a child. Brave and strong, kind and scared."
"You've known me for five years," Sukara laughed, "you didn't think that I was a person until now?"
"I don't think my idea of the Empress of the old world and my idea of you had fully merged until now," Hata chuckled a little, putting away her painting things, "but enough about me for now, did you want something or did you just miss me?"
Sukara smiled and said, "I always miss you. You were my first friend here."
"Stop flattering me," Hata told her, she raised an eyebrow as she looked at Sukara, "what's the matter?"
"Somethings wrong with me," Sukara said, her tone getting more serious, "and I need your help to fix it."