Balance | Old Version

Chapter 40

Elua's POV.

Sokka, Aang, Princess Yue and I walk down the stairs and stand behind Katara as she stares at Pakku in shock.
"I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her," Pakku says sadly.
"But she didn't love you, did she? It was an arranged marriage," Katara states. "Gran-Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage," She says as she looks down, and as she speaks, Yue begins to cry and run away.

"Come on," I say to Sokka as I gesture in the direction of where Yue had gone. He smiles and nods as we run after her. By the time we find her the sun has set and the moon was in the sky. Sokka looks over to me with an unsure look, I give him a reassuring smile and motion for him to go. He gives me a small smile as he walks over to her and I decide to stay where I am.
"What do you want from me?" Yue asks as she looks over to Sokka.
"Nothing," Sokka states. "I just want you to know, I think you're beautiful...and, I never thought a girl like you would even notice a guy like me," He says sadly.

"You don't understand," Yue tells him.
"No, no, see, that's the thing. I think I do understand now," Sokka says. "You're a princess, and I...I'm just a southern peasant," He says as he looks down sadly.
"No, Sokka..." Yue tries to say.
"It's okay. You don't have to say anything," Sokka tells her. "I'll see ya around, okay?" He says as he turns to walk back over to me, but before he can, Yue grabs his hand making him turn around and she kisses him. I look away sadly, for some reason it hurt to see him kiss her.

"Okay, now I'm really confused!" Sokka tells her. "Happy, but confused!" He states.
"I do like you. A lot. But, we can't be together, and not for the reason you think," Yue says as she looks up at him. "It's because...I'm engaged," She states as she pulls her coat down to revel a betrothal necklace. "I'm sorry!" She says as she turns around and runs away, Sokka watching after her sadly. I sigh as I walk over to him and put my hand on his shoulder. He looks over to me and sighs sadly before looking back in the direction Yue ran off in.
"I'll go talk to her," I tell him as I walk away from him and make my way to Yue.

After a while, I eventually find her crying on another bridge. I walk over to her and stand beside her, she looks over to me as she wipes her tears away.
"I'm sorry," Yue says as she tries to hide her tears. "You're the Nadir, right?" She asks me. I nod.
"My name is Elua," I tell her. "Sorry I was helping Sokka find you so I kinda heard what happened," I say with a small smile.
"Oh, that's alright," She says as she dries her tears.

"I know what it's like," I state, she looks at me in confusion. "To have an arranged marriage," I specify, she looks at me in shock.
"You do?" She asks in surprise.
"Yeah," I sigh. "I was supposed to marry someone I had known for almost my entire life, it was meant to make peace between our Nations," I explain as I lean on the edge of the bridge and look down at the water. "But, it didn't work," I tell her.
"Supposed to? So, you didn't marry them?" She asks in confusion.

"No, it was before the war," I state, she seems surprised. "It was called off," I tell her, remembering what had happened so long ago. I shake my head and brush away the sad memory as I look back over to her.
"Oh, mine won't be called off. My father wants me to marry as soon as possible," Yue says in sadness. "I'll be stuck with a man I don't love, forever," She says gloomily, I give her a small sad smile and she returns it.
"Who were you supposed to marry?" Yue asks curiously, I look over to unsurely.

"Uh," I say nervously.
"I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that," She says as she shakes her head.
"No, it's alright," I tell her. "He wasn't a good person, and from what people tell me, he never changed," I say as I sigh, Yue seems to catch on to what I mean.
"He was in the Fire Nation, wasn't he?" Yue asks softly, I look over to and nod. "I'm sorry," She says kindly, I shake my head and smile.
"It was a long time ago," I state. "I shout let it go," I say and then silence follows.

"...Thank you."

The Next Morning.

Katara and I rush up the snowy hill, we were late for our first lessons.
"Hey, Katara!" Aang says as we get to the training arena, "Hey, Elua!" He says smiling at us. Katara and I bow to Master Pakku as he stands with his arms crossed.
"What do you think you're doing?" Pakku asks us. "It's past sunrise. You're late," He says with a small smirk on his face.
"Good to see you here," Aang says as he smiles sat Katara.
"You too," She says as we begin our lesson.