Taking a breath after stretching outside her tent, Liara enjoyed the clear air for a moment. It was a nice day, with clouds dotting the azure sky, and the air felt like it might rain in a few days.
"Morning, Li," she heard from behind her.
She turned to see a chipper Aang walking towards Appa with his arms full of hay.
"Morning, are you heading to feed Appa?" she said, grinning softly.
"Yup," he beamed, "wanna join me?"
"Of course,"
The two of them began feeding Appa and a few minutes later, Zuko and Katara approached them.
"I need to borrow Appa," Katara said.
Liara and Aang simultaneously looked up at her. "Why? is it your turn to take a little field trip with Zuko?" the boy grinned.
Liara snickered at his comment, but when she saw Katara's face her joy instantly evaporated.
"Yes." The waterbender sounded sure.
"Oh... what's going on?"
"We're going to find the man who took my mother from me."
Liara's back muscles tensed as she gave Katara a sharp look. It went ignored. Sokka walked closer, joining the conversation.
"Sokka told me the story. I know who did it, and I know how to find him," Zuko stated
"And what exactly will this accomplish?" Aang questioned calmly.
"I knew you wouldn't understand." Katara huffed and Aang sighed.
"I do understand. your feel incredible pain and rage, I get it," he said. "How do you think I felt when Appa was stolen... or when I found out about what happened to my people?"
"She needs this. it's about getting closure and justice." zuko stated.
"No. It's about revenge." Liara piped up, her eyes not wavering from the waterbender.
"So what if it is," Katara whipped around, a scowl evident on her face. "Maybe that's what I need. Maybe that's what he deserves."
"You sound like Jet," Aang spoke.
"No! this is different! Jet attacked the innocent. This man is everything but. He doesn't deserve to live."
Liara's eyes darkened, her annoyance searing into rage.
"Katara, she was my mom too. I think Aang is right." Sokka tried, earning a glare from his sister.
"You clearly didn't love her the way I did!" she yelled, causing her brother to stagger back as if he's been punched in the stomach.
Within a millisecond, Liara was inches away from the angry waterbender, her tattooed hand gripping tightly onto Katara's collar.
"Don't go down this road." she told the angry girl.
"You can't tell me anything." Katara seethed. Liara almost got a jolt of anxiety, fearing that she would tell the others of what she did at the genocide.
"To take someone's life? That's something you can't shake. Katara, your mother wouldn't want this."
Katara shoved the airbender away from her. "Stay out of my way."
Liara stumbled back, but caught herself with a ball of air before she could fall. She watched Katara and Zuko mount Appa before they took flight, heading south.
Liara took a few deep breaths to calm her emotions. She just hoped that Katara would make the right choice on this journey and not let her pain and anger get the best of her. She wouldn't wish it upon the girl to carry the burden of someone's blood on her conscience for the rest of her living days.
~
After Liara's altercation with Katara, she sat down on a rock and meditated, needing to speak to Yao. After a few minutes, she was in the familiar forest.
Walking into the hut to find Yao with a cup of tea, Liara grinned. "Hey, Yao." she greeted kindly.
"Master Liara," he smiled, and nodded his head, "it has been a while."
Liara looked to the other side of the room to see Iroh seated on a yellow and orange patterned pillow. "Oh, hello, Iroh." she bowed respectfully and sat down on another pillow in the hut.
Yao gave Liara and Iroh each a cup of peppermint tea. The monkey man then sat down on his own pillow, looking at Liara expectantly.
"I sense that something is troubling you." the spirit stated, and Liara deflated.
"Well, it's Katara. I'm afraid that she'll tell the others about.... what happened at the western temple a hundred years ago." the airbender confessed, picking at her nailbeds.
Yao scratched his hairy chin, thinking of a few words of wisdom for the young girl.
"Maybe you should just tell them the truth?" he shrugged.
"But if I tell them, they won't trust me, and how do I even bring up that I have killed a person? someone with a family waiting for him at home. someone who had friends and colleagues and comrades." she shrunk slightly. Liara took a breath, "I'm just scared of bringing it up,"
Iroh smiled at the girl, "it is best to tell them the truth when the time is right. It may hurt, and it may upset someone, but if your friends really care about you, they will be willing to look past your past and strive for the future."
Liara sighed, an unsure smile decorating her face. "Thank you, iroh."
~
Liara had finally removed herself from the spirit world after an hour of light conversation with Yao and Iroh.
Liara looked at the grass, her brows knitted together into a frown. there was no way that she was telling the group, especially Aang.
knowing his morals, he'd probably ban her from being a monk or something. or he'd just be really really mad at her.
But she deserved it. She killed another living being. Another person. It was unforgivable, taboo.
"Hey, are you okay?" she saw sokka near her, sharpening his space sword.
Plastering on a fake smile, Liara nodded. "Yep, I'm just worried about Katara."
Sokka hummed, "yeah she's been troubling lately."
Liara stared at the ocean waves, "I just don't want her to do anything she'll regret, it's hard to have someone's blood on your conscience."
Sokka looked at her expectantly, as if she were going to explain her words, but she just stared off into the distance, as though she were lost in thought or memory.
YOU ARE READING
the wind in my sails | aang x oc
Fanfic[UNDER EDITING] THE GRAMMAR SUCKS PLS LET ME FIX Aang and Liara had been best friends since they were young, but after aang ran away, he feared that he had lost liara along with the rest of his people. however, liara was saved by an act of taboo and...
