Coming Together

Sea and Sky

Waking from sleep is a strange sensation. Sometimes it's slow and lazy as you become aware of your surroundings, the time, how you're positioned. Sometimes it's a quick jolt and you are suddenly wide-eyed and moving within a few seconds. That morning... THE morning, Katara awoke softly and easily. The birds chirped outside and sun was filtering through the cracks of the closed window. She lay in a calm state she didn't expect to experience the day of their wedding. It was comforting to her to know that no matter what, this was the day. Everything her and Aang had been through had led to this vey day.

She took her time sitting up and walking to the window, opening it to take in the crisp early autumn air. Autumn was still a few weeks off, but the weather was teasing. The leaves changing slightly. Less hot and humid nights and more cool dew in the mornings. It was Aang's favorite season and she could see why. She crossed her arms and leaned forward on the windowsill, watching the sun light up the city.

A knock came behind her and she beckoned them in. She was met with a smiling face, a giddy laugh, and a black case full of who knows what.

"Hey Suki."

"Good morning blushing bride-to-be!"

Katara smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I'm not blushing yet."

"Oh but soon you will be!" She heaved the case onto the bed and popped it open. It was full of makeup and warrior paint. Enough to color a whole squad of women.

"Suki, I know you are excited to do this, but we've been over this. I want a fairly natural look. I don't want to be... overdone with makeup."

"Oh don't worry, this is just the case I keep everything in. I know exactly what I am going to do for you and you will love it!" She said with a smile a mile wide. Katara smiled back and nodded.

"Okay I trust you." She brought a small stool from the corner and sat in front of the window, wanting to watch the city and the sun pass by.

"Hair first." Suki said.

"You're in charge."

Suki took Katara's hair and combed it carefully, trying to make it as straight as possible. She pulled two small pieces of hair out and clipped them out of the way. Her signature hair loops would not be lost in this hairdo. She started at her hair line and pulled the strands together, braiding and adding more hair as she went down her scalp. When she ran out of scalp, there was still plenty of hair left. She braided her hair over her shoulder and down to the very end, tying it off with a silk navy ribbon. It fell at crook of her arm.

"It's longer than I remember." Suki finally said after her fingers were cramping.

"I haven't cut it since last winter. Even then it was only a trim. I like it long."

"It suits you."

She smiled and Suki went back to work, taking the two hair loops and making the tiniest braids out of them, attaching even tinier beads to strands of hair and integrating them into the intricate design. She tucked the ends into the larger braid and secured them with a pin that had a pale blue lotus on it.

"There. Now no touching."

"Okay." She laughed as her friend grabbed the makeup case and looked for her first implement of war. As much as Katara was worried, Suki kept to her word. A little brown powder. Lush maroon lips. Soft rosy cheeks. Finished off with navy and sapphire eye shadow that was tasteful and just enough to bring out the shimmer in her eyes. It was natural looking minus her eyes which gave that special flare. When Suki handed her the mirror she smiled.