Update for the second consecutive day—miraclleee (announcement/words at the end of the chapter).
IMAGES IN COMMENTS.
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Amid the chaos of explosions and mist, Azula crawled toward the dying Kuzon.
He looked at her with a smile.
"You must live, Azula... You and Ty Lee."
"No, I want to be with you..."
"I've seen you. What you feel for her is real, but Ozai... won't allow it."
Azula fell silent, knowing his words were true, but also knowing she wanted to be with him.
"Following him blindly will kill you, and he'll never let you be with her... Run."
Those were his last words before dying, and that was also the last thing Azula heard before falling unconscious.
Mai and the soldiers urgently took her and brought her to the medics to save her.
---
In the freezing ocean of the North Pole, Sokka had finally reached the wall and climbed it, carrying the unconscious A and C.
"It's Sokka!" a guard shouted from above with excitement upon seeing him.
Within seconds, a dozen soldiers arrived alongside Katara and Aang.
The waterbender hugged her brother tightly, not letting go.
"Take them to the healers!" Sokka ordered the guards as he removed the water from his own body with a fluid arm movement.
The water covering him detached in a controlled torrent that fell to the ground. The soldiers who hadn't yet left stopped dead. Several opened their mouths without uttering a word.
"Was that... waterbending?" one murmured.
"He's a waterbender," said another, eyes wide open.
Murmurs spread like a wave. Some soldiers exchanged incredulous looks. Rumors about the Southern chief had been circulating for weeks, but seeing it with their own eyes was different.
Aang was the only one who stepped forward.
"Are you a waterbender?"
Sokka looked at him with a mix of exhaustion and exasperation.
"Almost, Aang. The Moon Spirit granted me elemental control, but it's temporary," he replied, his voice tenser than he intended.
Katara watched him in silence. Her hands tightened slightly. She knew what it meant for him to show that ability. He had hidden it for months, and now he had exposed it in front of dozens of soldiers. Concern reflected in her eyes before she could hide it.
Sokka didn't seem to notice. His attention was elsewhere. His jaw tightened, and his fingers clenched forcefully.
"Tell Arnook to gather all the living elders and generals!" his voice cut through the air like a whip. "Reinforce security! No one enters or leaves, regardless of rank!"
The soldiers, Katara, and Aang stood frozen at the intensity of his order.
"Now!" he bellowed.
This time, his shout made them move. The soldiers ran in different directions while Sokka headed to the inn with firm, quick steps.
Aang and Katara followed without hesitation.
"What happened, Sokka?" Katara asked, her voice heavy with concern.
He entered the inn and stopped in the middle of the room. His breathing was heavy.
"A bastard betrayed us," he said, and the hatred in his words froze the air.
Aang blinked, confused.
"Who?"
Sokka turned toward them. His eyes were ablaze.
"Azula. She's the siege commander," he said, and the name hit them both like a punch.
Katara paled. Aang clenched his fists. Both remembered the Fire Princess all too well.
"And Talik sent her a letter informing her of the attack," Sokka continued, his voice laden with barely contained fury. "He wanted me dead."
"Talik?" Katara repeated, incredulous. "The head of the warriors?"
"The same."
Sokka pulled the letter from his clothes and unfolded it. His eyes scanned the lines quickly, though he already knew what it said. He read it aloud so Katara and Aang could hear.
Talik had sold them out. He had revealed the attack details to Azula. In exchange for the information, the Fire Princess would commit to eliminating Sokka, making him suffer slowly. And Talik, for his part, would orchestrate the Southern Tribe's surrender. As a reward, Azula would secure a safe place for him and his family in the Fire Nation.
Sokka finished reading and calmly folded the letter.
Aang was pale. Katara's fists were clenched.
"That bastard..." she whispered.
But Sokka didn't share her indignation. For him, the letter was a tool, not an offense.
Talik, with his constant contempt and attempts to challenge him, had been the involuntary pillar of his rise in the North. If it hadn't been for the fight in the square, if it hadn't been for the hatred Talik held for him, Sokka would never have gained so much influence among the Northerners. Every insult, every confrontation, had made him more visible, more necessary.
He had planned to get rid of him during the final battle. Talik would die in the chaos, and no one would mourn him.
But now, with this letter in his possession, Sokka had something better. Proof to present before Arnook and the elders. Proof that would turn him into the hero who saved the North from a traitor, and that would make Talik fall not as a victim, but as what he was: a coward sold to the enemy.
The only thing that truly bothered him was that Azula was still alive.
Sokka remembered that time he infiltrated as Kuzon. It hadn't been planned. It was an accident, a twist of fate. An opportunity that arose from nowhere and that he decided to seize. For weeks, he had tried to make her change, sow doubts about her father, show her there was another way to live. When he saw her kiss Ty Lee, he thought it was working. He thought his words were bearing fruit.
But then she kissed him. She told him about her plans to invade the North. And Sokka knew that, although something in her had changed, it wasn't enough. She wouldn't change her path entirely.
When Azula executed her plan at the events tower, Sokka understood it clearly: she had become more dangerous. More calculating. More patient. Everything he had taught her had made her harder to defeat.
That's why, in that night battle, Sokka had decided to kill her. Not just for the siege, but because he knew that if she remained alive, she would be a constant threat. And when the false Kuzon appeared to save her, Sokka ran him through with his spear. Taking advantage of the smoke screen, he leaned over the dying man and whispered:
"If she survives, tell her to run. To go with Ty Lee. Far away from all this."
And now, with Azula wounded but alive, Sokka knew his words might not be enough. She would seek revenge. And when that moment came, he would have to be ready.
But now he had to be ready to show his authority.
He put on a serious and annoyed expression as he changed clothes. This time he would wear his tribal chief attire.
Katara looked away when the burn scars became visible. Seeing them always caused her pain. Pain for her brother and for the horrible date when he got them.
Aang observed them with the same surprise and respect as the first time. He had never seen anyone with a body so marked by scars and old wounds. But what surprised him most was his back. It was completely intact, free of scars.
When he finally dressed, he walked toward a large bundle in a corner. Calmly, he took out and unrolled the piece of fabric that wrapped his cloak. The greatest symbol of his own power, and the greatest symbol of respect that his people—the women of his tribe—had given him.
The cloak of spirit lion pelts.
He put it on calmly and adjusted it, fastening the large Southern Water Tribe pin at the center.
Katara felt a spark of pride seeing her brother. Seeing, for the first time in months, Sokka—the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe—in all his pride and splendor. And at the same time, she felt compassion for those who had offended him.
Aang, on the other hand, looked at him with unimaginable awe. That majestic cloak emanated incredible spiritual power.
"How did you get that cloak?" he asked with sincere curiosity and respect.
"It was a spirit that had possessed a lion and inhabited an ancient sanctuary in the tundra. I fought against it. Its skin was almost indestructible, but I managed to finish it. It almost killed me," he said, remembering the first great battle of his life. "But it was there, in the spiritual pond, that the Moon Spirit granted me waterbending. But it's temporary, imperfect. If I use it sparingly, I have six months left."
Aang remained silent for a moment, processing what he had just heard. The cloak, the waterbending, the spirit lion... each revelation made Sokka seem larger, more imposing.
"And yet," Sokka continued, his voice tenser than he wanted, "Azula dared to say I've only fought against peasants and the inexperienced."
His fingers closed over the edge of the cloak. The fabric was thick, resistant, but under his hands it trembled slightly. It wasn't cold. It was barely contained rage.
Aang watched without interrupting.
"I, who liberated all the tribes from the Southern invaders!" Sokka's voice rose, and this time he didn't control it. "I, who alone finished off and captured dozens of squads over the last year! I, who finished off the spirit lion and demolished Naenia in combat at the Fire Temple!"
The echo of his words resonated in the room. Aang said nothing. Katara didn't either. Both knew it wasn't the time to interrupt.
Sokka took a deep breath, and his shoulders lowered slightly. The fury was still there, but it no longer burned with the same intensity.
"And that damn princess said that as if it were nothing," he murmured, more to himself than to them. "As if everything I've done is worthless because of that old man..."
With those words, Sokka left the place heading to the war room in the palace.
He observed how all the soldiers, waterbenders and non-benders alike, gathered, fortified the wall, and formed trenches with waterbending. They all stopped upon seeing him. If before he commanded with his sheer build, now he radiated respect and pure power. Instinctively, they knew that cloak wasn't a simple ornament: it was a trophy.
Although the news that the South was no longer under the North's command, and that Sokka was the Southern chief, had not yet been announced, everyone began to respect him.
"Sokka!" Siku, the warrior who had accompanied him after the bombardment, appeared before him urgently. "Everyone is gathered. Chief Arnook awaits you... Chief Sokka," he said with a respectful greeting.
"Is anyone missing?"
"No, everyone is there and..."
"Speak," he said upon seeing him hesitate.
"They're upset, and Arnook omitted that you had returned."
"Perfect. Do I have your trust, Siku?"
"You saved my family. My loyalty and respect are with you, Chief Sokka," he replied, bowing his head.
Sokka nodded and marched alongside Katara, Aang, and Siku, with the letter, the parchment of Talik's betrayal.
---
"Sokka is dead!" Talik shouted with feigned anger. "We must plan a surrender!"
Those words surprised Arnook, and even more so seeing that slightly more than half of the elders agreed. Even Pakku was surprised and disappointed by his old comrades.
"How can you say that when we still have the Avatar and Chief Sokka's sister?!" shouted an elder, a supporter of the Southern chief, with indignation.
"The Avatar is still a child! What do you think he can do? His friend is dead, and don't mention that girl! A woman should never have learned waterbending!"
"When did you stray so far from the path?" Pakku expressed, unable to suppress his disappointment.
"When?" Talik repeated, his voice trembling with fury. "When that Southern brat arrived here thinking he was superior! When you allowed him and his sister to humiliate us in our own square! They're nothing but trash from a tribe that should have disappeared decades ago!" His voice rose to a roar. "They should be under my boot, crushed like the shit they are!"
The silence that followed was thick, uncomfortable. Even the elders who supported him began to lower their gaze. Talik didn't notice. He kept advancing, blinded by his own hatred.
"Now Sokka is dead! There's no one to save us! The Avatar is useless, that Southern girl is incompetent, and the enemy has hundreds of warships outside. Surrendering is the only option we have left!"
"Who did you say is dead?"
The voice was accompanied by the thunder of the great doors opening.
Sokka's expression was serious, with barely contained annoyance. The white spirit lion cloak billowed behind him. Everyone in the place fell silent from surprise and fear upon seeing his attire.
Aang, at his side, observed the room attentively. He noticed how the elders tensed upon seeing them enter. Some lowered their gaze. Others clenched their fists. But most simply looked at them with wide eyes, as if they had seen a ghost.
Katara walked behind her brother. Her presence was firm, but her eyes scanned the room cautiously. She recognized several of the elders who had supported Talik in previous meetings. The same ones who now seemed not to know where to look.
Siku entered last, his hand near his weapon. The soldiers guarding the entrance looked at him in surprise. He said nothing. He simply positioned himself behind Sokka, like a shadow that didn't need to speak to be noticed.
"How are you alive?! What does this mean, Arnook?! You said he was dead!" Talik bellowed with rage and fear. Had Azula failed? Did he know about the letter?
"You asked if he had died when I gathered them, and I only remained silent!" Arnook slammed his hand against the great table with fury.
Talik gripped his spear discreetly, expecting a bad outcome.
"What are they doing here?!" he shouted toward Aang, Katara, and Siku.
"They are with me! They have the authority and status to be here! And you and everyone in this room will show them respect!" Sokka's shout alerted everyone. "And I am the Tribal Chief of the South! So you will speak to me as what I am! With respect, because if you don't, I will trample you with my boot like the shit you are!"
Talik's grip on his weapon faltered. Fear lodged itself in his heart and in everyone else's. The elders who had supported Talik began to look away. Some shifted in their seats, uncomfortable. Others exchanged nervous glances. They knew the wind had changed.
Those who tried to minimize and discredit Sokka set that aside. They knew going against him was a death sentence. Even those who had doubted him now observed him with a mix of respect and fear.
"Now," Sokka walked through the room, observing everyone. "The siege commander is Azula, the Fire Princess. She's a genius and incredibly powerful."
Arnook tensed at the description. His hands closed over the edges of the table.
"But in the end, it's already resolved. I wounded her severely. Whether she's alive or dead, I don't give a damn. Now, what matters is that she's no longer leading this siege."
Sokka's voice came out calmly as he told Katara and the Avatar to sit down.
Aang took a seat but didn't take his eyes off the elders. He noticed how some relaxed slightly upon hearing that Azula was out of commission. Others, on the other hand, seemed more worried than before. As if the fact that Sokka had defeated the Fire Princess frightened them more than the princess herself.
Katara sat beside him, her hands resting on the table. Her gaze landed on Talik, and there was no mercy in it.
"What I don't understand is why the hell they were waiting for me... I mean, there was a spy named Kuzon, but I took care of him. In fact, I killed him less than an hour ago..."
Everyone listened attentively while Talik's heart raced like a horse as he gripped his weapon resting on the table. Siku, standing behind Sokka, didn't move his hand from his weapon.
"But he fled two days before I even planned this attack, and the only ones who knew about him were Arnook and you," he said, looking at Talik and all his followers. "I really don't understand it. She almost killed me with two damn lightning bolts. Does anyone have an idea why? Maybe Talik?"
"Why the hell would I know?"
"For this, you damn traitorous bastard," Sokka replied, tossing the parchment to Arnook.
The Northern Chief read it confusedly, but little by little his expression transformed into rage and disappointment. His fingers trembled as he held the paper.
"How dare you sell out your own tribe for a stupid personal grudge?!" he shouted at him.
Pakku looked at him, and then looked at the parchment when Arnook threw it to him. He read it in silence, and his face hardened. The elders nearby leaned in to see, and their expressions turned grim.
"That's false!" Talik tried to defend himself. "I would never do that! He must have written it to get rid of me!"
"This is your handwriting, Talik! He hasn't seen your writing enough to forge it, and it has your signature!" said Pakku, his voice ice-cold.
"Not to mention you're the only one who has proposed surrender tonight," Arnook added with contempt.
"It's his fault! He's ruining us! Our traditions, our political order! That bastard took our land from us—the South!"
"The South is mine by right!" Sokka exclaimed with fury. "For hundreds of years, perhaps thousands, you've done nothing for us! I earned my place, I saved my people, and I won't allow you, you damn shitty elders, to think you own our land!"
"You're just a coward who wants more power than he deserves," Katara told him with fury.
"Arnook, this bastard will be executed on your land or he'll come with me and rot in my damn underground prison!"
"You can't ask me that—the siege isn't over yet."
"Azula is neutralized, and this siege will end in a few hours. I've fulfilled my part of the deal, and the treaty demands that I be respected as a damn leader of a nation, and that the head of him and his accomplices for attempting to kill me belongs to me."
Sokka exclaimed as he looked at Arnook. Aang and Katara also looked at him, surprised, completely ignoring everyone else at the table.
Talik and several of his men knew they no longer had a choice and took advantage of the three of them being distracted. With agile, quick movements, they grabbed their weapons with the intention of assassinating Sokka—the most dangerous person in the room.
"Die, you damn bastard," Talik exclaimed when his spear was inches from Sokka's neck.
But the Southern chief wasn't a fool. He knew Talik and his men were desperate, finished, and would do anything to survive. So he deliberately showed that opening.
In a quick, precise movement, he controlled the ice in the room and turned it into water. Whips extended and captured the necks and arms of the attackers, holding them in the air.
"What is this?"
That was the question everyone asked.
The elders rose from their seats. Some stepped back, others opened their mouths without uttering a word. Pakku stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the water moving under Sokka's control. An elder who had always despised the Southerners murmured:
"Is that... waterbending? Is he a waterbender?"
Another elder, the one who had always defended Sokka in meetings, let out a dry, surprised laugh.
"All the fights... all the arguments... and he never showed it."
The guards at the entrance looked at each other. Some tightened their grips on their spears, unsure of what to do.
Sokka ignored them. His gaze was fixed on the attackers.
"I should strangle them until they're dead, squeeze them until their damn heads explode," he said, clenching his fist. "But out of respect for the Avatar, I'll keep them alive."
"Sokka, stop!" said Pakku as he controlled water from his flask.
But before he could even do anything, Katara manipulated water tentacles and froze their tips, pointing at the old master and any elder who tried to intervene. Siku, for his part, took his spear and aimed at an elder who supported Talik.
"Stop, things don't have to be this way!" Aang tried to calm the situation.
"They conspired to kill me, Aang. And now they tried to kill me again! I've fulfilled my part, and Arnook must honor the treaty."
"I know, Sokka, and Chief Arnook knows it too."
"Yes, I know. I'm sorry for everything, for not being able to control them sooner," Arnook said, his voice tired. "I will honor the treaty and take care of imprisoning them, Chief Sokka."
"No," Sokka replied firmly. "They won't be in Northern prisons where they can see their families and live comfortably in someone else's cage. They will go to the South and rot there. That's more mercy than they showed me."
Arnook looked at him for a moment. Then he nodded.
"Fine. From now on, Talik and the following elders will lose their positions and status."
Arnook gave the order, and the guards took them away, with Siku at the lead.
"Now we should plan a strategy," Pakku said calmly.
Katara, who was beside him, apologized in a murmur with slight embarrassment. Pakku looked at her and, for a moment, a small smile crossed his face.
"You've learned well," he said quietly.
Just then, the doors opened and Yue entered. Her face had a new calmness, a firmness that hadn't been seen in her since the siege began. She walked with confidence and sat beside her father.
"Sorry for the delay," she said, her voice serene. "I was helping organize the refugees. I heard Talik was arrested."
Arnook looked at her with surprise and pride.
"That's right, daughter. And now we're planning the defense."
Yue nodded and fixed her gaze on Sokka.
"I want to help."
Sokka leaned over his chair, weighing his ideas and the situation. The full moon shone through the ice windows.
—POV SOKKA—
I thought about the enemy fleet. I knew Azula had been sent here to invade and wipe out the waterbenders. Since those who placed the explosive jelly under the events hall didn't know the plan until that very night, it was reasonable to say that no one on the ships knew the plan until that same day.
If I had to guess, the plan is the same as in the series. Zhao had planned it since he visited the Great Library and learned about Aang. But since he died prematurely, Ozai put Azula in charge once he saw the plan was feasible. Beyond that, things like blowing up the events hall and the bombardments were Azula's own ideas.
So, even though she's no longer in command, the generals after her will know the plan: kill the Moon and Ocean Spirits that reside in their koi fish forms.
"Aang," I finally said. "I think their plan is to kill the Moon and Ocean Spirits that reside in their koi fish forms in the sanctuary."
I could see the surprise fill the young monk's face. He knew of their existence in the sanctuary because Yue had told him long ago.
"I need you to guard them for me. Try to communicate with them and get them to help us. To move the tides, to extend the full moon a few more hours, please."
"I will, Sokka," Aang replied with determination.
"Good. Siku will go with you along with several waterbenders and Yue. You must protect her too."
"I can't think of a safer place for my daughter than by the Avatar's side," Arnook said with respect.
Yue nodded, but she didn't stay silent. She looked at the map on the table and pointed to a spot near the wall.
"If they're going to attack the sanctuary, they'll have to cross the city. That means the civilians in the eastern shelters will be in danger. We should move them to the western shelters before the attack begins."
Arnook looked at her with surprise.
"You're right, daughter. I hadn't considered that."
Yue continued, her voice firmer.
"We should also place guards at high points around the sanctuary. If the enemies manage to get through, at least we'll have time to react."
Pakku nodded slowly.
"That's a good idea. We can place archers on nearby rooftops."
Yue turned to me.
"What else do you need?"
I looked at her for a moment. I didn't expect her to take control so quickly.
"For now, that's enough. But if you think of anything else, say it."
Yue nodded and stayed by the map, observing.
Arnook turned to the elders and generals.
"Listen carefully. Sokka has brought proof of the betrayal. He has defeated the enemy commander. He has given his life for this tribe more than once. From now on, his orders are my orders. Understood?"
The elders nodded. Some with resignation, others with genuine respect.
Then Aang spoke. His voice was calm but firm.
"Sokka, if we're going to have casualties, we need healers on the battlefield. Not just in the shelters. If there are serious injuries, we can't wait for them to be carried to the back. We'd lose too much time."
I looked at him. I hadn't thought of that.
"You're right," I admitted. "I hadn't considered it."
Aang nodded and continued.
"They could move in small teams, protected by warriors. That way they get where they're needed quickly."
"Katara," I said, turning to her, "organize the healers. I want mobile teams that can reach combat points quickly. They shouldn't risk themselves without protection, but they should be close."
Katara nodded with determination.
I turned my attention back to the map. "If I had to guess, the first wave will be no more than five ships. They'll try to wear us down, but with so many waterbenders empowered by the full moon, I'm confident in our victory. We can take advantage and destroy the ships that approach with waterbending."
Pakku intervened, pointing at the map.
"Master Kor, Katara, the elders, and I can bombard them with icebergs large enough from a distance, as well as attack with large torrents."
"Piercing Water will be perfect for this," Katara said, remembering the technique I had taught her.
I nodded. "We'll have forty waterbenders on the wall to intercept possible catapult bombardments or destroy ships," I said, pointing at the wooden ships on the map.
"Since the last bombardment, I've instructed the waterbenders in aerial defense. I know Master Kor will be helpful on the wall," Pakku replied, recommending one of his friends.
I nodded and then looked at Katara.
"The other waterbenders will be in the city and surrounding areas. They'll destroy any projectiles that get past us. Likewise, they'll put out every fire. We must not give them any advantage."
Katara looked at me attentively.
"Pakku, elder waterbenders," I said, turning to them. "Get any waterbender who has good mastery of the water tentacle technique. They'll be the tanks in our defense. They can defend multiple angles and attack a large number of enemies. Make sure they have a partner to protect them."
Pakku's eyes widened in surprise.
"Water tentacles? That's an advanced technique."
"I know. But with the full moon, they should be able to maintain it. Katara already masters it."
Pakku looked at her, and for the first time, something like genuine respect crossed his face.
"Then we'll use it."
Yue, who was still observing the map, spoke again.
"If the waterbenders are on the wall and in the city, who protects the flanks?"
Solu, the new head of the warriors, stepped forward.
"I can handle that, Chief Sokka. I'll place warriors at key points. If they try to enter through the flanks, we'll stop them."
I nodded in acceptance.
Solu inclined his head toward me.
"I'll do everything possible to deserve and clean the position my predecessor stained, Chief Arnook, Chief Sokka."
"I chose you for your experience and wisdom, Solu. I know you'll do what's best for the Tribe," Arnook said sincerely.
"Anyone who prioritizes the good and safety of their people over evil has my recognition," I replied. "And I have no doubt that you're a capable man, Warrior Chief Solu."
Solu thanked me and returned to his place.
Pakku pointed at the map again.
"We should also consider that the Fire Nation has machines. It's possible they've made something to penetrate the ice from below. I suggest we place archers and waterbenders in buildings to attack from a distance with precision."
I nodded. "Perfect. They'll have a better view of the situation and can warn or defend those in danger."
"Arnook, I need you to release the waterbenders who were forced to be accomplices to the fire soldiers who posed as the Avatar."
"I'll send word to release them immediately," he said without further comment, looking at me.
"If that's all, we need to hurry to be the first to attack. We can't lose our advantage," Arnook said with determination.
Everyone nodded and we prepared to go our separate ways. The elders and generals began to withdraw with firm steps, but when I was about to leave, Yue stopped me with a hand on my arm.
"Sokka, a moment."
I turned around. Her face had a determination I hadn't seen in her before.
"I know," she said, her voice lower. "I know everything. That our connection is due to the Moon Spirit. That part of what I feel comes from that shared energy."
I said nothing. She wasn't finished.
"But that doesn't change what I feel," she continued, and this time her voice grew firmer. "Hahn's death, the siege, everything that's happened these days... it's made me realize I don't want to lose you. I don't want to be left wondering what could have been."
"Yue..."
"Let me finish," she interrupted me, with a calmness I hadn't expected. "I've thought about this. It's not impulse. I've seen how you lead, how you protect your people, how you face the impossible without hesitation. And I know what I feel is real."
Before I could respond, she took me by the neck and kissed me.
The kiss took me by surprise, but I didn't pull away. It wasn't the time to hurt her with a blunt rejection. I returned the kiss—warm, unhurried. Not because I accepted her feelings, but as a farewell—a sincere acknowledgment of her courage and everything she had risked.
When I pulled away, I looked her in the eyes.
"Yue, I recognize your feelings and I appreciate them. Because I too came to feel something," I lied, and guilt pinched my chest. The only thing I had ever felt for her was fabricated, influenced by memories of my mother, by the need to gain influence. But she didn't need to know that. "But I can't accept them."
I saw her eyes begin to glisten. She was the first and perhaps the only woman who would make me feel this pity. I used her to gain influence in the North, and although I knew it was necessary, deep down it weighed on me.
"You are the princess of the Northern Water Tribe," I continued. "And I am the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe. That never mattered as much as it does now. My tribe is finally free and independent, and I don't want to return to the North's control through marriage, nor condemn the North to obey the South. And above all, I can't tear you away from your home."
"I can give up my title as heir," she said, her voice broken but firm. "I can go with you to the South. I've thought about that too."
"No, Yue," I replied gently. "You can't abandon everything you've worked for for me, or for anyone. Your people need you. And when you become ruler, I know you'll be a great leader. I will support you with all my power. We'll be the best allies—not as lovers, but through the friendship and respect we'll have for each other."
She looked down for a moment. When she raised her gaze, her eyes were wet, but her voice didn't tremble.
"And if I don't want to be just an ally?"
"You don't have to be just that," I replied. "You can be so much more. You can be the leader your people need, the person who unites the tribes, the one who shows that the North and South can respect each other without needing to dominate one another."
Yue was silent for a moment. Then she let out a brief laugh, almost without joy.
"You're good with words, Sokka."
"It's the only thing I have left," I replied with a smile. "My waterbending is temporary, but my ability to talk until people give up is eternal."
She laughed, this time more genuine.
"I hate you a little, you know?"
"I know."
"But I also thank you. For being honest, even though it hurts."
I nodded. "It's the least I could do."
Yue took a breath, straightened up, and looked at me with a renewed calm.
"Then we'll be allies. And maybe someday, when the world isn't on fire, I can look at you without this hurting."
"I hope so," I replied. "And I also hope for something else, Yue."
She tilted her head, curious.
"I hope you find a love better than what I could give you. Someone who comes to love you more than anyone in the world, who looks at you and doesn't see a princess, but the person you are. And when that day comes, I'll be there to celebrate it."
Her eyes grew wet again, but this time it wasn't sadness.
"Do you really hope for that?"
"I do," I said sincerely. "And I'll pray to the spirits that it happens. Because you deserve it, Yue. More than you think."
She let out a trembling laugh.
"You're a fool, Sokka."
"I know."
"But a fool with a good heart."
"I hope so."
Yue was silent for a moment, as if engraving the moment in her memory. Then she nodded, her gaze clearer.
"Go," she said, her voice firm. "You have a battle to win."
I turned and walked toward the exit. I didn't look back. I knew if I did, she would see it as hesitation. And it wasn't hesitation. It was just the weight of knowing I had used her, and that despite everything, she still wanted to be by my side.
In the distance, I heard her voice, barely a whisper.
"Take care, Sokka."
I didn't respond. I just kept walking.
You too, Yue. This time you won't die like in the series.
The thought came effortlessly, as if it had always been there, waiting for the right moment to emerge. In the original story, she sacrificed herself to save her people, becoming the new Moon Spirit. A beautiful, tragic death, but a death nonetheless. I hadn't traveled this far, hadn't manipulated, lied, and fought, just for her to end up the same as in the tale I knew.
I'll make sure you live, Yue. That you have the love you deserve.
And perhaps, deep down, I did it for the memory of my mother. That woman from my other life, trapped in a loveless marriage, condemned to a life of empty luxury. Yue reminded me of her, and I couldn't bear to see another woman repeat her fate.
But there was also another reason. A colder, more pragmatic one.
She had been useful. Unwittingly, she had been my greatest ally in gaining influence in the North. Without her trust, without her closeness, without the way the Northerners saw her at my side, I wouldn't have achieved even half of what I had now. Her affection for me had opened doors I could never have forced with brute strength.
It was a debt. A reward for her unwitting usefulness.
And although it sounded cynical, although deep down I knew that wasn't all I felt, it was easier to think of it that way. Less painful. Simpler.
So live, Yue. Find someone who truly loves you. Someone who won't use you to gain power.
That was the least I could do for her.
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And that was the entire chapter for today. Tomorrow there will be another with the start of the battle. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, which focused more on drama, politics, and military strategy.
I'm sorry for those who wanted Yue to be Sokka's romantic interest, but that wasn't the case. However, I'll make sure she's happy in the future.
By the way, I know that in many chapters of this story (if not all), there are quite a few battles—physical battles like the previous one and others.
I know some might not like these chapters without much "action" (violent fights), but these chapters are necessary for the story.
Without further ado, I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to vote for this chapter and all the previous ones, as well as follow me (many of you don't).
Please leave comments with your opinions, reactions, and so on. I like seeing your reactions, and I always try to like and reply.
Again, thank you for your support, and keep enjoying.