Balance | Old Version

Chapter 39

Elua's POV.

Katara and I walk into a house made of ice and snow, we see an old woman and a few young girls sitting around a wooden carving resembling a body.
"Um, hi," Katara says awkwardly. "Are you Yagoda?" She asks the old woman.
"Are you here for the healing lesson?" Yagoda asks us with a kind smile.
"I guess we are," Katara says sadly as we walk over and sit down.
"Welcome! Welcome!" Yagoda says smiling as she continues her lesson.

After the lesson, the young girls carrying away the wooden dummy while Katara and I stay behind to talk to Yogoda.
"Thanks for the lesson," Katara says as she forces a smile.
"So, who's the lucky boy?" Yagoda asks her kindly.
"Huh?" Katara says in confusion.
"Your betrothal necklace," Yagoda points out. "You're getting married, right?" She asks pointing to Katara's mother's necklace, Katara places her hand on the necklace and shakes her head.

"No, I don't think I'm ready for that yet," Katara says with a small smile.
"My grandmother gave my mother this necklace, and my mother passed it down to me," She explains.
"I recognize this carving!" Yagoda says as she smiles widely. "I don't know why I didn't realize sooner! You're the spitting image of Kana!" She states. Katara looks shocked.
"Wait, how do you know my Gran-Gran's name?" Katara asks.
"When I was about your age I was friends with Kana," Yagoda states.

"She was born here, in the Northern Tribe," She explains.
"She never told me," Katara says with a frown.
"Your grandmother had an arranged marriage with a young waterbender. He carved that necklace for her," Yagoda tells her.
"If Gran-Gran was engaged, why did she leave?" Katara questions.
"I don't know. That's always been a mystery to me. She left without saying goodbye," Yagoda informs with a sad look in her eyes.

Later That Night.

"How's warrior training going?" I ask Sokka as he walks into the house we were staying in while in the Northern Water Tribe. In response to my question, Sokka kicks his bag on the floor in anger, falls to his knees, and then flops on the bag, using it as a pillow.
"That bad?" Aang asks as we look at him confused.
"No, it's Princess Yue," Sokka huffs. "I don't get it. One minute she wants to go out with me and the next she's telling me to get lost!" He shouts in anger before he sighs and looks over to Katara and I.

"So, how's waterbending training?" He asks us. Katara and I groan and flop on the floor as he did a few moments ago.
"Master Poophead won't teach them because they're girls," Aang tells him in annoyance.
"Why don't you just teach them, Aang?" Sokka asks as if it's obvious.
"Why didn't I think of that?" Katara says as she jumps up. "At night, you can teach us whatever moves you learned from Master Pakku. That way you have someone to practice with and we get to learn waterbending. Everyone's happy!" She says smiling.

"I'm not happy," Sokka says with a pout.
"But, you're never happy," Katara states. "Come on, Aang," She says as he stands up.
"Wait," I say before they walk out of the door. "I don't think that's a good idea," I tell them.
"Why?" They ask in confusion.
"If master Pakku catches, you guys it would be bad," I tell them.
"It'll be fine, Elua," Aang states, I shake my head and sigh.
"I'll stay here," I tell them. "Just, please be careful," I tell them, they nod and walk out of the house.

I look over to Sokka and give him a disapproving glare.
"What?" He asks as he throws his hands up.
"Why do you always have to tell them something without thinking of the consciences?" I ask him. He mumbles to himself as he goes back to pouting, I sigh and sit in front of him. "So, what did Yue tell you?" I ask him.
"She said 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you here' and then ran off," He says throwing his arms in the air again. "You're a girl, what does that mean?" He asks me as he sits up. I shake my head, but sigh and think of an answer.