Sea and Sky

Chapter 10: Trust Thyself

Sea and Sky

Chapter 10: Trust Thyself

——

At the end of the hall, they stood close to each other, speaking in hushed tones. As he held her close, memories of their brief time together during the war flooded him, still as fresh as if they'd happened the day before.

"Why did you come... your father will be here within days to get you. You've put as all in danger." His voice wavered as he spoke, sadness welling from his heart.

Leaning into his embrace, Rana closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. She knew what he said was right, but the moment she'd heard that the Avatar was headed towards Isle Ceren she had known it was her only moment to escape her horrid father and overbearing mother.

"My father tried to pawn me off on him, like... like I was nothing but an object. I don't care if he comes. Maybe he'll end me. At least I got to see you before." Rana's voice was low as she spoke, her head against his chest.

Drawing in a deep breath, Kilic felt his resolve waver. The fact that she was once again in his arms made him feel invincible, as if he could take on any force in the world. A small part of him wanted to send her back, to avoid whatever would follow her to the island. But he finally had her back. Even if her father, General Kuyu, may have attacked his village, he would be ready. Ready for when the General did arrive.

The General may have commanded that Rana break off their betrothal, but now that she was here he would never let her go. But even he knew nothing in life was guaranteed, and that at any point he may loose her again.

"I won't let that happen. We'll take him out. The Avatar will help."

Rana snorted at Kilic's words. What good was the Avatar? He couldn't even properly stand up to her father, let alone take him out. If it hadn't been for the crowd of people at their first meeting, Rana was sure that Aang would have grudgingly accepted her father's offer.

The thought that her father truly thought their family had shared blood with the Avatar and his people made her sick to her stomach. "Please... don't talk about the Avatar, or say his name. I'm sick of hearing about those nomads. They're all my father ever talks about."

Confusion colored Kilic's face as he listened to her speak. What on Earth was she talking about?

——

Propping herself up on her shoulder, Katara sat up and looked over at Aang. The moonlight filtered in through the wooden slats of the window, casting him in an eerie glow. As they lay together in darkness and silence, Aang's gaze was focused on the dark recesses of the room. Deep in thought, he hadn't noticed that Katara had woken next to him.

A small smile formed on her face as she moved to placed a kiss on his cheek before settling in next to him, contouring her body to match him. With a slight start, Aang was shaken out of his thoughts with her motions.

He stayed silent as he draped an over her bare shoulders and pulled her in close next to him, absently placing a kiss on the top of her head. He wasn't sure exactly what he was feeling at the moment, his mind was filled with thoughts and feelings he couldn't quite pinpoint. As happy he was to have her in his arms once more, the feeling of laying next to her somehow felt different. As if a part of their relationship had shifted in a direction he couldn't see.

Even with her in his arms, it still felt like a hole had been punched through his heart, that the happiness he once thought they shared wasn't real anymore.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked as she sat up, the cotton sheets shifted off her body as she moved. Illuminated in the moonlight, she looked like a water spirit come to life. Sitting up next to her, Aang took his head into his hands.