Chapter Text
Once upon a time, there was a boy called Sokka. And he saw the world not always as it was, but as perhaps it could be; with just a little bit of magic.
To his mother and father he was a King. True he had no title, nor crown, nor castle, but he was the just leader of his own little kingdom, whose borders were the house and meadow on the forest's edge where his people had lived for generations.
And what a beautiful Kingdom it was, though quite a big house it never felt empty, it was the sort of place where you instantly feel welcome, not like some mansions or manors which are stuffy and cold. The surrounding estate was quite the same, always colorful and full, often filled with squawks from Mr. Goose (named by Sokka) and all their animal family.
"Hello there! What do you think you're doing" a 10 year old Sokka scolded a particularly fat chicken as his mother and little sister Katara watched from where Kya was reading to her.
"Let the little ones have their share"
Sokka was feeding the chickens and geese and making little jokes to himself.
"Yes, we don't want any of you getting upset stomachs" Katara piped up from her perch on Kya's lap , who laughed and kissed her forehead.
Sokka laughed too but it was cut short when he noticed something-
"Gus-Gus, you're a house mouse, not a garden mouse. And you mustn't eat Mr. Goose's food."
Sokka was reprimanding a greedy little mouse who had snuck out to get some more food.
"Do you still believe that they understand you?" Teased Katara.
"Don't they? Mom agrees with me, right mummy?" Sokka said indignantly
"Oh yes. I believe that animals listen and speak to us if we only have the ear for it, that's how we learn to look after them." Kya replied.
Katara's looked up at her mother, eyes wide "But who looks after us?" She asked.
"The spirits , of course."
"And do you believe in them?"
"I believe in everything."
"Then I believe in everything too" Katara agreed.
.........
Sokka's father was a merchant who went abroad and brought tribute back from all of Sokka's subject lands.
"Sokka! Katara! Kya!" Hakoda called, he had come back from another of his trips.
"Where is my family, my beautiful family?"
They went out to meet him. Sokka took it at a run, and got there first, if he was bigger he might've tackled him to the ground.
"Dad, welcome home!"
"Sokka, you've grown!"
"It wasn't that long of a trip!"
Bato passed by and not-so-subtlety passed Hakoda something.
"What was that?" Sokka asked, he was very observant for a 11 year old.
"Oh this? I found it hanging on a tree." He revealed a small ornate box, that clearly was not found hanging on a tree, out from behind his back, he leaned down to show Sokka.
"I think there may be something inside"
"What"
"No, I can't show you yet we have to wait for your sister" Who at that very moment turned up, under Hakoda's arm.
"That sister?" Sokka laughed
"Okay, here you go" he gave the box to Sokka while Katara all but jumped on top of him to see, her little body quivering with excitement.
Inside there was two indigo hairpins in the shape of butterflies. And though they didn't look very expensive, they were absolutely gorgeous right there in the strange little box, their many encrusted jewel glimmering in the bright sunshine.
"They're so pretty!" Katara enthusiastically squealed
"There's one for each of you" to demonstrate he took one of them out of the box and stuck it in the little bun on Katara's head.
"You know in French, that is un papillon"
"Un papillon" the children repeated.
"Trés bein!"
Hakoda often taught them phrases and things from other languages he learned in his travels, but French was Sokka's favorite.