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The ballroom in the Earth King's palace had been decorated beautifully for tonight's ball. Katara admired it silently from her spot at the edge of the room. Glowing lanterns illuminated the space, and a large crystal chandelier reflected the light in interesting ways, bouncing off the walls. The room was full of people in their best clothes, elaborate headdresses and gently clinking jewelry.
Katara cast a wistful glance at the dance floor, where a few couples were dancing to the slow music, stepping in familiar patterns to the songs. At home, she loved to dance, but doing it at a formal ball like this never felt quite the same. It was such a spectacle, such a show. Everyone came here to see and be seen, and gossip about everyone in attendance was never far behind. As the princess of the Southern Water Tribe, Ba Sing Se was far enough away that Katara visited social events here only during the height of the season. So whenever she did attend one, she felt like she was a curiosity. Something unfamiliar on display.
But it wasn't all bad. The food was delicious, the music was pleasant, and Katara did love to dress up for these events. Her dress today was in a more Earth Kingdom style, the latest fashion according to the lady at the boutique, but it was still in traditional Water Tribe colors. The dress was blue and purple, with accents that shimmered like ice. Her gloves had a similar shimmer. Katara's hair was pinned up with several complicated braids. It had been torture to sit still long enough for the attendants to braid it like that, but the result was nice.
As Katara watched the dancing, nursing a drink she had been holding for a while, someone moved next to her. Katara didn't have to look to see who it was, smiling as her friend spoke.
"Are you moping again? You're supposed to like these sorts of events." Toph Beifong said, nudging Katara with her elbow. "Aren't you supposed to be dazzling everyone out there with your waterbender grace, or whatever?"
Katara smiled at her friend, even though she knew Toph couldn't see it. She nudged her back, just as sharply. "You aren't the only one who can get tired of stuffy events like this, Toph. At least you're not seen as some exotic curiosity."
"No, the blind girl no one had known about until a few years ago definitely isn't seen as a curiosity," Toph said sarcastically, making Katara wince.
"Touché." She muttered as she sipped her drink. She sighed. "I like dances in theory, but these big events all just feel so… fake. It's like everyone here is putting up a show for everyone else." She nodded forward. "Like the Fire Nation Prince talking to those Earth Kingdom ladies. It's not like there is any chance he'll marry one of them. But he's still going through the whole charade of asking them to dance, making polite small talk. What's the point of it all?"
Toph shrugged. "You don't know that, he's not the heir. He might make an Earth Kingdom match to strengthen relations between the nations." She said, though her voice sounded bored, like she would rather be talking about anything else. "And even if he doesn't, it's all just part of the political game here. I guarantee you that him talking to the right Earth Kingdom girls will boost some sort of trade between the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom." She said, waving her hand vaguely. "It is a big charade, and it's dumb, but it is how things are done.
Katara nodded, giving Toph a sideways glance. They had befriended each other in a ballroom not unlike this one, both feeling like outcasts. Toph was the daughter of one of the richest men in the Earth Kingdom, so she had grown up in these circles, but because of her blindness her parents hadn't let her participate in society or even leave their house until a few years ago, when she had demonstrated her earthbending to them and had shown them that she was entirely capable of taking care of herself.
Katara knew that Toph only agreed to attend these events now because of some strange agreement she had with her parents. They would turn a blind eye to her underground earthbending tournaments, as long as she attended a few balls during the social season.
Katara's family had a small apartment nearby for the next few weeks, as they would be attending more social events in the city. But this ball thrown by the Earth King was one of the largest and most exclusive. There was even rumored to be some sort of big, exciting surprise, though so far nothing strange had happened yet.
On the dance floor, a couple caught Katara's eye. She sighed, leaning against Toph a little as she watched her brother spin Princess Yue around on the dance floor. Not that long ago, Sokka would have been right next to Katara, complaining about these stuffy events and joking around with Toph. But at a celebration at the Northern Water tribe a few months ago, Sokka and the Northern Water Tribe princess had connected and started courting. They were now engaged, and Sokka was ridiculously sappy about it. He now kept encouraging Katara to make a match of her won at the e events something she found incredibly annoying.
It was even more annoying how happy the two of them looked. Katara couldn't help pulling a face, though she quickly hid it behind a fan. She was happy for her brother, but it was frustrating.
Because of the fan, Katara didn't notice the person approaching her until Toph hissed a warning. She looked up, but it was too late, Hahn had seen her and he had seen that she had seen him. It wouldn't be easy to escape him now. He was part of the Northern Water Tribe nobility and had been Sokka's rival for Princess Yue's attention. He was also incredibly unpleasant. After losing that battle, he had seemingly decided the Southern Water Tribe princess would do instead, and he tried to approach Katara at any dance they were both at. So far, she had done a good job of avoiding him, but it seemed she couldn't put it off forever.
"Do you think you can make the earth swallow me up really quick?" Katara hissed to Toph as she watched the arrogant man approach.
"He'd probably notice that." Toph quipped back. She then paused, like she was considering something. Then, she sighed. "You'll owe me for this."
"What?" Katara looked at her friend, confused.
As Hahn approached and started to speak, Toph stepped forward and beamed at him. "Oh I'd love to dance!" she told him with an innocent and hopeful expression that truly baffled Katara. She had never seen such an expression on her friend's face.
"Er— well, actually," Hahn started, giving Katara an alarmed glance.
Toph put her hand to her forehead. "Oh, I'm so happy. I didn't think this day would come. No one ever asks me to dance," she said, "Katara was just saying how much she would admire someone who would, right Katara?"
That gave Hahn pause. He hesitated, and Katara could almost see the gears turning in his mind. After a moment, he bowed. "It would be an honor, Miss Beifong."
"The honor's all mine." Toph said with a smirk, before practically dragging him over to the dance floor. Katara winced as she saw them start to dance, Toph began cheerfully stomping on his feet the moment they started to move. She wished she could mouth a quick thank you to her friend, but she wouldn't be able to see it. Hahn winced as Toph stepped on his foot again, and Katara slipped away with a slight smile. She would have to thank her later.
Large double doors let some fresh air into the ballroom, and also let the guests slip outside into the royal gardens. There weren't many people outside, as most of them were inside, enjoying the dancing and drinking. Katara moved past a cluster of gossiping ladies, turning a corner past a hedge into a different part of the garden that seemed empty of people. It was a small square, surrounded by hedges with a large fountain in the middle of it. The light of the ballroom was still faintly visible, sparkling on the surface of the water. The sound of the cascading water immediately made Katara feel more at ease. She moved over to the fountain, taking a seat on the stone edge and trailing her fingers through the water. Feeling her element also made her feel grounded. She watched as she made trails of water chased her fingers around, even above the surface.
She knew she would have to go back inside soon, and she knew it would be fine. If she was honest with herself, Katara knew she was lucky. Not many people got to attend events like this, to dance and listen to music in the upper circle of society. A lot of women would kill to take her place. But sometimes she just got so tired of all this. The looming expectation of marriage was terrifying. Her father would never pressure her, but she knew she would have to marry eventually. For the good of her people, it would be best if she made a good match with a powerful ally. But what would happen then? If she married some Earth Kingdom or Fire Nation noble, she would have to live with him and his family, leaving the South Pole behind. Katara couldn't imagine living so far away from snow and ice.
The North Pole was also an option, but from what Katara had seen and heard, she wasn't sure if she could ever call that place her home. Thinking of her future marriage only in terms of where she would end up also made her sad. She wanted what Sokka had. True love. She wanted to really like someone for who they were, and for them to like her the same way. But a match like Sokka's was rare. What were the odds both siblings would make a love match?
Trying to shake her melancholy thoughts, Katara looked up at the fountain as the water poured down, lightly splashing her with tiny droplets. At the center of the fountain was a beautifully detailed statue of a giant serpent, the water spouting from its open fanged mouth. Katara shuddered. "I hope you're not based on anything real." She muttered as she took it in.
"Unfortunately, it is real." a voice said behind her.
Katara turned her head, alarmed. It seemed like her quiet sanctuary in the garden was no longer hers alone. The stranger seemed to sense it, he smiled apologetically as he stepped closer and into the light.
Katara's eyes widened, her gaze immediately moving to the blue arrow on the man's forehead. An Air Nomad. Katara had met many people from all over the world, but she hadn't ever spoken to an Air Nomad before. They didn't tend to run in the same circles as she did, as they had no noble class. From what Katara knew, they disapproved of the class differences the other nations upheld. Katara wondered if she was wrong about that, because this man was dressed like a prince. His orange and yellow clothes were intricately embroidered, a red sash over his shoulder making the look even more striking. But that wasn't the only arresting thing about him. He was very handsome. Tall, broad shouldered, with a friendly face and gray, earnest eyes. Katara felt herself blush.
"Uh," she said, "what?"
The man chuckled, a little self-consciously. "Sorry," he said, stepping closer. "I just mean that we saw a water serpent that looked a lot like that one in the lakes around the city when we passed over on my flying bison." He told her, gesturing to the statue. "It was gigantic."
"Truly?" Katara asked softly, though she was only half listening to this information. Normally, hearing about a gigantic terrifying serpent monster might have been more interesting to her, but she was still a little dazed by the effect the handsome stranger had on her.
He grinned. "I wanted to try to ride it, but my companions thought that was a bad idea." He told her, like it was a completely normal desire to have. "They were probably right. I'm Aang, by the way."
Katara vaguely realized the name sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it. She was quickly distracted by what the man was saying. "I'm Katara. Sorry, what do you mean, ride it?"
Aang's eyes lit up, and for a moment he looked like an excited boy. He took a seat next to Katara on the edge of the fountain as he started to explain. "Riding different animals is a lot of fun. Have you ever been to Kyoshi island? They have giant Elephant koi you can ride around on. Well, it's more like holding onto them while they just swim around, but it's a blast." He said, moving his hands enthusiastically as he explained.
"I can't say I've tried that," Katara said with a slight smile, still half wondering if he was joking or serious. "Isn't it dangerous?"
"A little," Aang said with a shrug. "But airbending makes it a lot less dangerous. It's a lot harder to get hurt if you can break your fall with some air."
"That makes sense, I suppose," Katara mused. "You should visit the South Pole sometime, have you ever gone penguin sledding? I used to do it all the time as a kid. It was fun." As she said it, she realized it was awfully forward to invite someone to her home, though thankfully Aang didn't seem to take it that way.
"No, I haven't. Sounds like I should try it," he said with a smile, "so why aren't you inside enjoying the dance?"
Katara shrugged, looking over at the statue in the center of the fountain. "Just felt like getting some fresh air. It's all… a lot." She gestured vaguely to the ballroom, not quite able to put her feelings into words.
"I get what you mean," Aang said quietly. "It can be overwhelming."
"Is this your first ball?"
A chuckle. "Is it that obvious?"
To be honest, it wasn't, but Katara felt like she would have noticed him if he had attended any of the other dances this season. She hesitated, not sure what to say.
Thankfully, Aang filled the silence. "Air nomads don't tend to have events this formal. We have dances and celebrations, but it's nothing like this," he explained.
Katara smiled, "well, this is probably the most extravagant ball of all of them. The Earth King likes to go all out. After this, you can handle any of the others."
"Good to know, though I still don't think it's a party unless someone is getting a pie airbent into their face."
"Oh, that part is later." Katara said with a straight face.
Aang looked at her, and blinked. Katara's mouth twitched into a slight smile. Then, they both laughed.
"Katara!" A voice called. "Katara! Where are you?"
Katara cursed under her breath. Sokka. She got to her feet, strangely reluctant to leave. "Sorry, that's my brother. I have to go."
Aang smiled. "I hope to see you again, soon."
That made her heart do a strange flutter. "I hope so too."
Following Sokka's voice was easy enough. Katara frowned as she approached him at the entrance. "Why were you screaming my name?"
Sokka took her arm with a smile. "I wasn't screaming," he said as they slipped back inside, "just calling you, in an entirely appropriate way. If our father asks, I came to find you outside without any yelling," he told her. "Anyway, Hahn has left the room to take a break, or perhaps find a healer for several broken toes. Toph is extremely proud of it."
Katara laughed softly, her amusement growing as she spotted Toph, who did look very proud. It could be Katara's imagination, but she also got the sense the gentlemen nearby were all pretending not to notice her and keeping their distance from her.
Toph grin stayed in place as they approached. "That must have been a nice break, Sweetness. And I can feel your heart beating fast. Did you run around outside?" She asked the last question with an innocent tone, though Katara knew Toph had probably sensed her talking to someone. She shot her a look, then cursed herself quietly as she realized that had no effect. Instead, she subtly nudged her arm as she moved next to her. Toph laughed. Sokka frowned.
"What is she talking about?"
"Nothing." Katara said quickly. "She's just joking around, you know Toph."
Thankfully, some movement at the front of the room caught their attention. An Earth Kingdom attendant sounded a bell to get the room to quiet down. Then the Earth King himself stepped forward, smiling. Once all the attention was on him, he addressed the room. "I hope everyone is enjoying themselves tonight. But before we can continue the festivities, I have an important announcement to make. Tonight, we have a very special guest. Visiting Ba Sing Se for the first time, attending as my personal guest…. The Avatar!"
Gasps and murmurs went through the crowd. The Avatar was known to everyone, as the young airbender had been announced and started training a few years ago. But he hadn't been at any public events yet. All Katara knew about him was that he was around her age, that he was an airbender, and that he came from the southern air temple.
And hadn't she known his name? Surely she had heard it somewhere before.
While her brain was trying to think back, a figure stepped forward. The moment he stepped into the light, she remembered why Aang's name had sounded vaguely familiar earlier. Maybe she would have made the connection sooner if he hadn't distracted her with bizarre talk about riding various animals.
Or if he hadn't been so distractingly handsome.
She must have made some sort of sound, because she could see Sokka's head turning in her direction. She also heard Toph laughing again. "Those light footsteps feel familiar." She said quietly to Katara, who didn't react. She was too busy staring at Aang as he smiled and waved at the crowd. The Earth King said a few more words, but Katara didn't hear them.
The handsome man she had been talking to earlier, who she had hoped to perhaps dance with tonight was the Avatar. The most important person on the planet. And she hadn't had a clue.
The Earth King said some more words that Katara struggled to comprehend. Then, the music started up again and the guests started to chat among themselves again. Some started to dance, though many were more interested in the presence of the young Avatar. While a small group of people approached him and tried to catch his attention, Aang found Katara in the crowd. They locked eyes, and everything else disappeared.
Aang didn't seem to notice the Earth Kingdom noble who tried desperately to talk to him. He stepped forward, as if in a trance. He moved through the crowd easily and stopped in front of Katara. With a slight bow, he held out his hand. "May I have this dance?"
Katara took his hand, and nodded, stepping close to him. Vaguely, she registered Sokka's surprised sound as she left his side to join Aang.
Now all the eyes in the room really were on her. But Katara didn't mind. She didn't even notice. Aang started guiding her through familiar steps, and Katara followed.
"I did say hoped to see you again," Aang said with a small smile as they moved to the music.
Katara smiled back, letting him spin her before facing him again. "That was quite fast."
"I had a feeling it was about time for my big entrance."
"I apologize, I didn't know who you were."
Aang smiled a little sadly. "Don't apologize, it was nice… just talking about normal things," he said as he effortlessly guided her through the steps. "I'm happy I got to meet you, our conversation was the highlight of my stay here in the city."
"Are you leaving soon?"
"No."
Katara blushed and smiled. They finished their dance, and Katara held onto Aang's hand she had to let go. Once she did, she missed the warmth of it immediately. She looked over her shoulder and watched Aang as he struck up a conversation with the Fire Nation prince. They seemed friendly, but Aang's eyes flicked back to Katara almost immediately. It made her smile.
Her smile dropped a little as she saw Sokka and Toph standing together, looking at her with matching grins on their faces.
"So… are you going to fill me in on what happened there?" Sokka asked.
"Not a chance." Katara said, though she couldn't help the big smile on her face.
At the end of the ball, when they all headed back to their apartment, Katara tried to catch one more glimpse of Aang. Throughout the evening, after their dance, he had spoken to many different people. Though Katara had noted with some satisfaction that he hadn't danced with anyone else. It had gotten her a few jealous looks, as well.
Unfortunately, it seemed like Aang had left already. Probably slipping out silently with his attendants when he had the chance. She understood, but it still made her sad she had no time to talk to him again. She already knew she would be thinking about this night frequently. She wondered if he felt the same.
As she stepped out of the building and started to head to their carriage, someone came up to her. The man was wearing clothes that resembled Aang's. "Excuse me, miss? I have a message for you." He handed her a small scroll.
Katara unrolled it, a large smile blooming on her face as she read the contents.
Dear Katara,
I'd love to go penguin sledding with you sometime soon. I will make sure to visit as soon as I'm able. Wait for me?
Aang