Chapter Text
All airbenders were accustomed to the cold, whether it was the sheer altitude of their temples or the the wind itself leaching warmth from any exposed skin. Living in the sky was often a cold life. Even the sun could do little to warm a body in a fierce gale. The air around the South Pole, however, was different. There was a sharpness to the cold that picked at the skin and needled in the bones. It was a common and expected skill that airbenders be capable of regulating their own body heat but regardless of his skill Aang was silently thankful he still had the thick, cotton padded clothes from his time in the Northern water tribe. For many of his fellow travelers, especially the younger among them, it would be their first time experiencing the fierce polar cold.
From his position atop Appa’s head, Aang loosened his grip of the reins and leant forward. “Do you think it’ll be colder than the North?” He asked, his voice almost lost to the wind. The bison mumbled and groaned in a familiar deep caidence, which Aang took for affirmation. “Like you’d even feel it.” He laughed. Around him other bison and their riders flew with saddles stacked high with caskets and crates, all tied down to protect their cargo. Appa’s saddle was empty, save for the few belongings Aang had brought with him. He could even see some of their riders beginning to shiver as the cold winds developed a distinctive polar sharpness.
“Guess we’re almost there.” Now so close to the Southern water tribe, Aang wasn’t sure if he was nervous or excited. It was almost certain that word of his sudden departure had reached the Southern tribe by now, his time spent in both the Northern and Southern air temples had all but guaranteed it. Tashi had warned him of the consequences of abandoning master Pakku’s tutelage. The words ‘diplomatic outrage’ had been used but Aang had hoped, somehow, that those consequences wouldn’t follow him to the other side of the world.
A white speck sitting amidst the pristine blue sea pulled Aang’s thoughts from the bitter lecture Tashi had given him. “Ice! We’ve gotta be close now,” He looked to the horizon and smiled when he saw a large ice flow. “What do you think bud? Shall we get there first?” With renewed energy he grasped the reins and urged Appa faster, the bison matched his rider’s energy and with a strong beat of his tail the pair raced forward. Aang could only laugh as the protests and concerns of his fellow airbenders were lost to the wind.
Eventually the cold grew even fiercer, sinking through even the thick padding of his hood, making his ears sting. They continued following the ice pack until his eyes were drawn up from the water by a thin wisp of grey smoke. “That’s gotta be it.” The relief in his voice was countered by the tightness in his throat as they approached. The wind lashed at his face and stung his eyes but the excitement in his chest warded him from the fierce cold. As they approached Aang noted several ships plying the water, smaller canoes weaving between the ice with hunters poised with harpoons in hand while other, larger ships cast nets in the open ocean. Flying overhead, Aang was shocked to see the crew of these ships. Men and women worked as one, hauling in catch, throwing harpoons, a few were even bending, using their skills to weave between dangerous packs of ice or navigate unpredictable currents.
Leaning forward his rubbed at Appa’s fur. “Definitely not in the North now.” It didn’t take long before the main village came into view. A great wall of ice dotted with towers and gates encircled most of the city, but what caught Aang’s attention was the harbour itself. Piers of hardened ice reached out into the sea, the larger of the vessels Aang had seen docked closer to the city while the smaller, more nimble craft were tied at the ends of the icy structures. As he approached Aang noticed heads turned upwards and fingers pointed at Appa as his shadow passed over the outermost reaches of the harbor, flying only a few feet above the masts of the docked ships.
When it became clear there was nowhere to land a multi-ton sky bison, Aang relented and flew Appa to the outer walls. “It’s okay bud, I bet they’ll have a stable or something for you.” Appa grumbled loudly as he crested one of the towers that shadowed the harbour.
Immediately outside the walls a large clearing quickly caught Aang’s attention. It was circled with flags billowing in the winds, their familiar yellow and orange making the Avatar’s smile beam. “That looks like the place.” Surrounding the clearing were a collection of Southerners, mostly adults but also a surprising number of children, many of which were eagerly waiting just outside the flagged area. Appa landed in the center of the circle, kicking up a light cloud of snow. Aang jumped to the ground and ruffled his bison’s fur, and when he turned back he saw three people emerge from the snow.
The two men were clearly important members of the tribe, if their clothing was anything to go by but Aang paid them no attention. His eyes immediately met those of the woman walking beside them. She shared the copper skin and dark brown hair of her people but her eyes were something different. Aang immediately lost himself in them. A rich blue, like that of the ocean on a windless day. It quickly became clear that she noticed his staring, if the raised eyebrow was any indicator. Embarrassment pooled in Aang’s cheeks turning them a flushed red yet he kept his attention on the young woman now standing ahead of him.
It took a deep baritone voice to finally pull Aang’s eyes away from her.
“Welcome, air nomad,” spoke the older of the three, offering an outstretched hand. Aang took his hand and shook it, much to the man’s confusion. His already wrinkled brow furrowed even further but the laugh that followed put Aang at ease. “I take it this is your first visit to the Southern water tribe?” Aang nodded, although his eyes and attention were already wandering to the woman at this side. “In that case,” he chuckled before clasping Aang’s forearm and gesturing to him to do the same, “this is how you greet someone here.”
Aang took his arm and matched his strength. “Thank you. I’m excited to be here.”
“You don’t get many traders happy to visit the South Pole,” the man laughed. “Normally people tend to avoid this place.”
Aang was ready to recall the stories of the Southern water tribe he had heard from their sister tribe when a young man stepped forward, largely ignoring Aang.
“Cheif, the other nomads have been spotted. We should clear the landing area.”
Aang’s eyes bulged and he quickly bowed. “Chief! Spirits I’m sorry I didn’t realise.” He couldn’t believe he didn’t put it together sooner.
“Please, Hakoda is fine,” he said, leading Aang out from the clearing. “This is Tarik.” He gestured to the young, serious looking man standing to attention, his arms behind his back. He was only a little taller than Hakoda but Aang couldn’t gauge if he was taller than himself. “And this is my daughter Katara.”
“Katara.” Aang whispered, feeling her name on his lips.
“And you are?” Tarik asked.
A familiar weight dragged at Aang’s stomach. There was no overcoming it or ignoring what was about to happen. Aang stood to his full height and rested a hand on Appa’s cheek. “I’m Aang,” he said, mustering as much confidence as he could.
Realisation dawned on the three one by one.
“Avatar Aang, we… we weren’t expecting you so soon. I’m honored to welcome you to the Southern water tribe.” Hakoda bowed.
“Please, just Aang. I hope I didn’t cause any trouble, I just got a little excited and flew ahead of the others.”
Hakoda cleared his throat and looked to his daughter, clearly unsure of what to say. Katara quickly smiled and stepped forward, offering Aang the same greeting as her father. “We’ll be happy to host you, both of you.” She pointed with her free hand to Appa. Despite the warmth in her voice, Aang was frozen in place.
By now other bison were circling overhead and a handful of air nomads had chosen to fly their gliders for the last stretch. Other members of the tribe stepped forward guiding the bison down and greeting their riders.
“Your bison will obviously have to stay with the others,” Tarik interjected, offering his own, notably more firm greeting. “But I’m sure we have room for you in the great hall. Although it might be a downgrade from the air temples.”
Aang smiled and took his arm, albeit briefly. He turned back to see Katara running a gloved hand through Appa’s fur, he wasn’t sure why but the sight made his heart skip for a moment. “He’ll be well looked after, I promise,” she said as Appa pressed into her hand.
Hakoda joined his daughter and took a moment to admire the bison. “Katara, why don’t you escort the Avatar to the hall, perhaps word of the ice convoy has arrived.”
Katara nodded her agreement and turned to Aang. She offered a shallow bow which Aang instinctively mirrored. “I'll see you later buddy!” Aang shouted as he followed Katara to the main gate.
Aang walked alongside Katara, stealing brief glances as they passed through the large open arch in the snow wall. Much of her hair was hidden by the fur of her coat but he noted the two delicate loops of hair that passed around her eyes, disappearing into the white fur of her hood. Even the excitement of finally making it to the Southern water tribe couldn’t fully pull Aang’s attention away from her.
Once they were in the village proper, Katara let out a soft sigh “If we had more time we might have been able to prepare a more… appropriate welcome.”
“To tell the truth, I’m not a fan of big fancy welcomes. The one I got in the North was more than enough.” When Katara laughed, Aang felt his chest swell.
The main village of the Southern water tribe hugged the curved coastline - from the sky, Aang had noted its similarity to a crescent moon. The main street bordered the ocean on one side and rows of storehouses, Katara explained, stored the hauls from the fishing fleet on the other. As they walked they passed the numerous piers that reached out into the sea. Aang took a moment to savour the brisk sea breeze that rolled into the village. The sky was dotted with small clouds and the sunlight bounced off the calm lapping waves. At that moment Aang thought he wouldn’t even notice an hour passing. Only when Katara beckoned him forward was the trance broken, only to be replaced by one with her at its center. People greeted her in the streets, many calling to her from windows or market fronts. To each she responded in kind asking about family or friends, thanking them for their work and offering her assistance in the future. Wherever she went, Aang thought, she brought the calm from the sea with her.
Aang listened in blissful silence as Katara explained the various quirks of living near the South Pole. When she mentioned Otter Penguins, Aang perked up, about to ask where he might find some, when he felt something tugging at his robe. Looking over his shoulder he was confused to see no one. Only when he looked down did he see a pair of green eyes looking up at him, clutching at the orange hem.
“Uh… Hello?”
“You’re one of the air people right?”
Instinctively Aang ran a hand over his tattooed head. “What gave me away?” He laughed. The child, a girl no older than seven, didn't laugh.
“Do you have sweets? I want some.”
Aang cocked his head to the side. “Sweets?” He echoed.
“Sakki,” Katara hissed, turning on her heels. “That’s not how we talk to guests.”
The girl’s mossy green eyes widened at Katara’s speed. She circled around Aang’s legs, eventually hiding under the sleeve of his coat. “My dad said the air people would bring sweets.”
Katara rested her hands on her hips and sighed, this clearly wasn’t the first time she had dealt with Sakki. “They did, but we don’t demand them from strangers. If you want some, you have to give something in return.”
Sakki peered out from Aang’s sleeve and pouted. Laughing through his nose, Aang knelt down to Sakki’s eye level and checked over his shoulder, making sure to make Katara curious. “Hey Sakki,” he whispered to her, just loud enough for Katara to hear. “If you go to the other air people, ask for Gyatso and tell him Aang sent you. He’ll have lots of sweets.”
Without hesitation Sakki bolted, kicking up a small puff of snow as she ran. “You shouldn’t encourage her,” Katara huffed.
“There’s no harm.” Aang shrugged.
“She’ll come back for more, and bring her friends. Besides, what's the point of trade if you just give stuff away?”
A thin smile tugged at the corners of Aang’s lips, he reached into robe and rummaged in his chest pocket until he pulled out a small red purse. “Catch!” He said, tossing it toward her.
Despite her surprise, Katara nabbed the pouch from the air. She held it by the drawstring and studied it for a moment, her eyes going wide with realisation when she caught the faint smell of pears.
“You did have sweets?”
“For the journey. Now so do you.”
Katara shook her head and tossed them back to Aang. “I can’t accept these.”
Aang’s smile beamed into a crooked and earnest grin. A smile Katara would come to remember. With a fast and precise flick of his wrist, Aang sent it back to Katara with a small gust of wind. “We traded for them,” Aang shrugged, letting the confusion sit on Katara’s face for a moment. “You’re giving me this tour, it’s only fair.”
This time Katara fumbled with the pouch, almost dropping it, much to Aang’s amusement. “Gyatso told me you were sharp.”
A dozen questions raced in Aang’s mind, eventually he settled on one. “You know Gyatso?”
Katara nodded. “Most people here do. He’s been visiting with the trade caravans for decades, I met him when I was little.”
All Aang could manage was a surprised. “Huh.”
“He only has good things to say about you.” There was a slyness to her voice that made Aang shift nervously.
With narrowed eyes he stepped forward.“Swear on the spirits,” he said, but Katara only turned on her heels and began walking away, with Aang rushing to catch up, almost slipping on the snow. “I knew it! What does he say about me?”
Between fits of laughter, Katara turned back and smiled at him, holding the bag of candied fruits by the string. “If only you had something to trade for that information,” When Aang blushed, Katara picked out one of the sweets and tossed it to him. “He says you can be a bit childish.”
Aang easily caught the small sugary sphere and popped it in his mouth. “I guess I can’t argue with that, chasing a girl for sweets.”
Katara brushed him off. “He says that between mountains of praise.”
“So what do some candies cost anyway?” Aang asked, trying to bury the conversation and his embarrassment.
Katara took a moment and threw the bag in the air and caught it again, gauging its weight. “You could probably trade this for some saber-toothed whale carvings. Maybe some dice or a flute,” She shrugged. “I’m a diplomat, not a merchant.”
Aang hummed deeply. “I don’t think we came to just buy dice and flutes. What are we actually trading?”
“You don’t know?” Katara asked with a raised eyebrow. “Come on, I’ll show you,” She gestured for him to follow her towards one of the more busy market areas. Much to Aang’s confusion, many of the stalls were bare of goods but still crowded with people. They spilled out of the street and onto the main curve of the harbor. Aang noted a grey haired waterbender struggling with a small crowd of people, he was being pulled in every possible direction by requests for help clearing snow or even creating ice decorations to pull attention to their particular stall. “You’ve spent time in the North, right?” Aang walked alongside her and nodded. “In the North, everything the tribe needs is in or around the tribe itself. Even the fishing fleets don’t venture far from the wall. Here-” she gestured out beyond the harbor - “we have no such luxury. We have to go out and find what we need.”
“I’m not sure I follow.” Aang said, slightly embarrassed.
Katara smiled. “Most of the people in the Southern tribe live here, in the main village. But a lot of us are spread across the South Pole, in remote settlements and camps.”
“For resources?”
Katara’s smile widened and she nodded. “Some focus on fishing, others hunt, and some harvest or even mine.”
“Sounds complicated.”
“It can be,” Katara huffed. “These camps can spend weeks or even months away from the village but what they bring back is part of what we trade.”
Aang looked back to the empty market stalls. “So this is all for the air nomads?”
“Trading day is a big deal here,” Katara shrugged. “Although it’s usually impossible to get everyone here on time. Despite my best efforts.”
“Is that your job?”
Katara nodded. “I manage the relationships between the settlements and the main village. Making sure everyone gets what they need, when they need it and that everyone gets along, as best I can.”
“Thats incredible, and also very different from the North.”
This time Katara laughed an ugly laugh through the back of her nose. When she heard herself she took a moment to clear her throat. “We are sister tribes but we live in different environments, save for the snow and ice.” It sounded strangely rehearsed.
“I guess I have a lot to learn.”
Katrara’s tour of the Southern water tribe had been more extensive than Aang had expected. She had walked him the length of the harbour and through the various market stalls, even stopping to watch the few waterbenders they saw practise their craft. Aang watched them closely, thinking back to his lessons in the North and studying them for any difference. Whenever Katara was briefly distracted by the requests or conversation of her people, he would try to mirror the moves and forms he had just seen, not wanting to seem ill-practised. Eventually Aang was confident he had seen every street and every igloo the South had to offer, all but one. The great hall, as Hakoda had called it, lived up to its name. A long house made of giant ice blocks, it stretched far longer and wider than any other building Aang had seen in the village. At its center, it peaked with a large dome through which a trail of pale grey smoke rose.
Aang parted the heavy skin and fur curtains that led inside. Inside, he was met by something he wasn’t expecting. Heat. Sweat almost immediately began beading across Aang’s head as the heavy air clung to his clothes. It didn’t take him long to find the source, a large fire pit in the center of the hall, maintained by a pair of young women who bowed when Katara followed behind him. As she walked past him she tugged at her gloves with her teeth and quickly pulled off her heavy coat. Aang’s eyes traced her body over the light blue under dress she wore. Her hood had been hiding much of her hair, behind the delicate loops she wore it flowed in waves down past her shoulders and back. He was shocked at both the curve of Katara’s figure and the sheer want that quickened his heart as she walked ahead of him, pushing her hair out the way as she passed. He noticed a band of black fabric around her neck but his attention was quickly grabbed by her back, and was soon drawn to her shoulders and exposed arms. Desire transformed to surprise and quickly back again. They weren’t soft, like those he had expected of a Chief's daughter. Instead they were lean and toned with muscle. The result of an equally lean diet? Aang wondered. When she too wiped the budding sweat from her brow and looked back at him, Aang thought he might melt.
Unaware of the shame that quickly pooled in Aang’s stomach, Katara bent forward and threw a pale white rock on the fire. Whatever she said to the other women, Aang didn’t hear. His heartbeat was thunder in his ears. It quickly became too much. He clumsily took off his own coat and began walking the length of the hall, wondering if headbutting the ice walls would cool his racing mind. Two long pale blue tables spanned the center length of the hall, draped with cloth and flanked by kneeling pads, and an elevated platform sat behind the fire pit, with its own, smaller table. Sensing a presence behind him, Aang turned to see Katara watching him.
“I didn’t want to interrupt you,” she smiled. “But would you like to see your room?”
“My room?”
Katara cocked her head to the side, her smile dropping somewhat. “You are staying aren’t you?” She was quietly relieved when he nodded. Her smile returned, warm and genuine when he explained his plans to stay for at least a few weeks. The Avatar was something new, a window to the outside world that she wanted to enjoy for as long as possible before he left and that window shut again, perhaps for good.
Aang was escorted by both Katara and one of the women who had been tending the fire. She had introduced herself as Sema and had kindly taken both his and Katara’s coats. At the far ends of the great hall were a series of protruding igloos separated by curtains similar to those at the entrance. It was a small room, with Aang having to duck to enter. Inside there wasn’t much in the way of furniture, with most of the space taken up by a large bedroll, piled high with blankets and furs. A small oil lamp hung overhead, unlit.
“It isn’t much,” Sema’s voice was soft with reverence. “But I hope the Avatar will be comfortable.”
Aang turned with a smile and bowed to her. “Thank you, I’m sure I’ll sleep better here than with Appa in the stables.” When Sema laughed Katara stepped forward.
“We don’t have much to offer, but you’ll be warm and well fed.”
“The monks taught me that those who know enough is enough will always have enough. This is more than enough. Thank you.” He bowed again, this time to Katara.
That night Hakoda had planned a great banquet to honor the arrival of both the air nomads and the Avatar. Soon after Aang had settled in, he had gone to find Appa before the celebrations began. Katara had come with him, eager to meet the bison again. The stables were built into the wall that surrounded the village, not far from the great hall. Aang watched with adoration in his eyes as Katara threw herself against the bison. Appa, appreciating the attention, went to lick her as he had done to Aang countless times.
Scrambling forward, Aang firmly held Appa by the cheek. “Oh no, don’t lick her! You can’t lick the Chief's daughter! Not again!”
“Again?” Katara echoed, stepping back.
“Spirits,” Aang sighed. “Its a long story. Perhaps I can tell you at the banquet.”
By the time they made it back to the hall it was alive with people. The air nomads had finally arrived and brought an energy to the tribe’s people. Whereas before the great hall had been bare and quiet, it was now awash with sounds and smells. In some corners air nomads impressed children with shows of airbending, in others members of the tribe haggled their goods for sweets, species and dyes. Aang was a quick study and soon picked up on the tricks of trade and negotiation. Before the banquet had even started he had traded a length of silk cut from his robe for a whale tooth knife. Anriq, who was more than happy to give up the knife, had thanked the Avatar, saying his wife would appreciate the fine fabric.
Once the Chief arrived, the chaos of the hall gave way to a more dignified air. Games of dice were halted and trade paused mid-negotiation as Hakoda entered in his royal blue attire with Tarik at his side, equally resplendent. The air nomads bowed and Hakoda bowed to each and everyone as he passed on his way to his seat atop the hall. He stopped for a moment and exchanged brief words with Gyatso, who had arrived with the rest of the nomads shortly after Aang and Katara had left for the stables.
Aang had hoped to sit next to Katara and regale her with the story of how upon his arrival to the Northern water tribe, Appa, smelling the peach perfume of the princess, had rushed at her and proceeded to ruin her fine gown and her beautifully styled ghost white hair. It could have caused a scandal through the tribe if not for the raucous and surprising laughter of princess Yue herself. He imagined the sound of Katara’s laugh.
Much to his disappointment, however, he was at the Chief’s side. Tarik sat at the Chief's hand with Katara sitting next to him in turn. From their elevated position they could look down across the great hall, with the mighty fire in its centre.
Hakoda stood, immediately commanding the attention of all in the hall. “Today, we share our gratitude and the efforts of our labor with honored guests,” His voice carried throughout the hall with a strength that managed to pull Aang’s attention from Katara. “Not everyone can manage a trip to the South Pole, and I know people’s opinions of the Southern tribe can be rather… polarising.” He paused for a moment, as if listening for something, but was met by a confused silence. “But to those that made the journey and offer their ware to us, we welcome you. I know my son feels the same. Tonight we are also honored by the presence of Avatar Aang. The first Avatar to visit the Southern tribe in over two hundred years!” He raised both hands to the air to rapturous applause. “His presence honors us and brings us good fortune. May the moon bless our people and may the ocean guide us home!” There was another round of thunderous cheers before the crowds began the first of many meals that night.
When Hakoda sat back down, Katara appeared at his side, whispering furiously in his ear, her cheeks red with embarrassment. Hakoda laughed her off and Katara retreated to her seat next to Tarik, quickly busying herself with food. Whenever the Chief or anyone brought him food or asked for a blessing Aang smiled warmly, but in the brief moments where the attention was on Hokada or anywhere but himself, Aang felt tension behind his eyes and an ache in his jaw. Since leaving the North Pole, he had forgotten how exhausting being the Avatar could be.
“You seem tired.” Gyatso’s voice was barely audible over the sounds of Hakoda’s laughter.
Aang smiled wearily and shrugged. “I’ve had a long day.”
Gyatso savoured a bowl of fragrant soup before turning his attention back to Aang. “Every day is a long day for the Avatar,” he chuckled. “But you seem especially… off balance today.”
“Off balance?” Aang echoed as he reached for his own food.
“Tashi has warned you about the folly of distractions, Aang,” his voice was soft. “I appreciate that you wanted to leave the North and seek your own waterbending master, but I urge you, remain focused on your task and dedicated to your duty.”
Aang narrowed his eyes. “I just got here. I’m still just… seeing the sights.” His eyes darted to Katara, too fast for her to see but there was little that escaped Gyatso.
Gyatso sighed a heavy sigh, one Aang had heard many times. “If you are to be distracted, then at least do not dishonor yourself, your host, or Katara.”
All Aang could manage was a confused. “What?”
“Oh Aang, all of twenty and still a boy,” he leant over to his pupil. “Katara is engaged to Tarik.”