The Waterbender and The Firebender

Chapter Three

At the Northern Water Tribe's royal palace:

"Your all finished Princess Yue"

"Thank you Willow," Yue responded. "And for the last time, just call me Yue. For goodness sakes, we've been friends since we were in diapers"

Willow is Princess Yue's lady in waiting and also her best friend.

"Did you hear that the avatar is coming to tonight's dinner?" Willow asked excitedly.

"Yes father told me there to sit with us at the royal table," Yue exclaimed.

"There?" Willow questioned.

"Yes the avatar is traveling with two others from the Southern Tribe," Yue responded.

"Wow I've never met Southerners before, it should be interesting," Willow said.

"Yes well, we better be going before we're late. Remember punctuality is a virtue," Yue said mocking their old finishing school teacher.

The two girls giggled and were out the door. Yue was adorned in a beautiful purple and blue snowsuit gown made of the finest material. It also had a bit of a train. Her white hair was pulled into a floppy updue on the top of her head and had braids cascading down her shoulders. The top of her braids were tied up with traditional water tribe hair ties. Willow was dressed much more simply with a blue snowsuit gown. Her dark brown hair was tied up into a simple bun at the top of her head and had braids just like Yue. Willow also wore traditional water tribe hair ties but hers were at the bottom of her braids.

They walked down a set of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs stood Yue's father, Arnook, a stern-looking man. However, once you got to know him, Arnook had a heart of gold. He had taken in Willow when she was just an infant when her mother died and her father fled the North Pole. Yue and Willow had grown up in the palace together but Willow was always reminded about her place, Yue was the princess and Willow was just her lady in waiting.

"Ah Yue, Wilhelmina there you are," Arnook said with a smile.

Willow grimaced at the use of her full name and Yue hid a chuckle behind her hand.

"It's time for dinner."

They walked out of the palace and towards the royal table. There sat the royal advisors and of course the avatar. He was seated beside Arnook's chair. Just like Yue said there were two people with him, a girl and a boy. They looked only a couple of years younger than Yue and Willow. Willow took her normal seat at the end of the table, in just a few short moments Yue would be presented and would sit beside her. Arnook rose from his seat. 

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe," He said gesturing to the two kids. "And they have brought with them someone very special, someone who many of us believed disappeared from the world, until now...the avatar."

The avatar smiled and waved as many people began to clap and cheer.

"We also celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday." Yue walked out from the palace. "Princess Yue is now of marrying age."

As she emerged Willow could see the boy from the Southern Tribe crane his neck to get a better look at her. A small blush appeared on the boy's face. Yue's got an admirer  Willow thought.

"Thank you father," Yue exclaimed. "May the great ocean and moon spirits watch over us during these troubled times."

Yue sat down and everyone began eating.

"Great speech Yue," Willow said.

"Thanks," Yue replied.

"Hi there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe," The boy announced.

"Very nice to meet you," Yue said while bowing. "Like my father said I'm Yue and this is my lady in waiting Willow."

Willow waved at him.

"So, uh you're a princess, huh?" Sokka asked awkwardly.

Yue nodded.

"You know back in my tribe, I'm kind of like a prince myself."

"Prince of what?" The girl beside him laughed.

"A lot of things. Do you mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here," Sokka responded smugly.

"My apologies Prince Sokka," The girl giggled. "You'll have to excuse my idiot brother, I'm Katara by the way."

"I'm Willow, it's nice to meet you," Willow said while reaching across the table to shake Katara's hand. 

"And I'm Aang," the avatar added. 

"It's an honor to meet you Avatar Aang," Willow said while bowing to him. 

Aang smiled in response and continued to eat his seaweed stew. 

"So it looks like I'm going to be in town for a while. I'm thinking maybe we could...do an activity together?" Sokka asked Yue. 

"Do an activity?" Yue questioned. 

Sokka blushed and started shoving food in his face. 

"Very smooth," Katara stated.

"Looks like someone likes you," Willow whispered to Yue in a sing-songy voice. 

Willow could see the smile growing on her friend's face. 

"Oh fiddlesticks! I'm sure Sokka was just being friendly and besides I'm engaged," Yue whispered back. 

"Ah-huh whatever you say, princess." 

Dinner concluded soon after their conversation. Aang, Katara, and Sokka went to meet Master Pakku and Willow and Yue were headed back inside the palace. All of a sudden Arnook appeared in front of them. 

"Wilhelmina, could I have a word with you?" 

"Of course," she responded. 

"Run along Yue," Arnook said. 

"Yes father."

Willow followed Arnook into a room. There was a boy a year or so older than her inside the room. He had long, dark brown hair that was tied into a ponytail at his shoulders. He had tan skin like everyone else in the tribe. His face was almost perfect besides a small scar under his left eye. 

"Wilhelmina, this is Wayhem," Arnook said gesturing to the boy. 

"Hello Wayhem," Willow said. 

"Hello Wilhelmina," Wayhem replied. 

"Wayhem has a proposal for you," Arnook announced with a proud smile. 

Arnook's words seem to hit her in the face. Ever since she turned sixteen, Willow knew that she would soon be engaged. She just didn't know how soon. 

"A-a proposal," Willow stammered. 

Wayhem pulled out a betrothal necklace. It had a dark blue band and a light blue stone. Engraved on the stone were two waterbenders with the Water Tribe symbol in between. Wayhem must have been a waterbender too. 

"Wilhelmina, you are beautiful, smart, and kind. I can see that you have been raised well. It would be an honor to marry you?" Wayhem said. 

Willow knew she had no choice but to accept Wayhem's offer. A yes came tumbling out of her lips before Willow even knew she spoke. Wayhem smiled and tied the necklace around her neck. 

"Here here. I know this will open an exciting new chapter of your lives," Arnook cheered. "I will make the announcement tomorrow but for now you best be heading off to bed."   

Willow tossed and turned all night, her childhood was slipping away. She was being forced into a predetermined life someone had made for her. But Willow knew this is what she was meant to do, this was her destiny. Finally, Willow fell into a restless sleep.  

***

Written by Bel. 

Word count 1145. 

If anyone's wondering how to pronounce Wilhelmina it Willow-me-na.