The Pirate Empress

7

We decided to tell all of our friends separately, then the adults together. As soon as I walked in, I made a beeline for Kya. I grabbed her forearm and dragged her away from one of the air acolytes, then stood by the stairs and waved my right hand wildly at Izumi, trying to get her to leave Bumi and come with me. My left was in my pocket, keeping the blue ring hidden.

Izumi shook her head.

I nodded.

Izumi shook her head.

I mouthed "It's about Zari!"

Izumi politely excused herself and made her way over.

"More details about you and Zari, hmm?" Kya asked.

"I'm gonna be deaf," I said, holding each of their hands and walking to the far side of the island.

"Why?" Izumi asked.

"Because you're gonna scream that loud."

We came to the end of the island. I bent a small rock and made us drift out on it, then asked Kya to freeze the water around us so we'd stay still.

"Hmm, we're ice-olated," Kya said.

"Punny joke. Now I have something to show you."

"What is it?" Izumi asked. "Bumi was just saying we should sneak away. I wanna sneak away with Bumi and you better not keep me from doing that."

"I'll give you a few hints," I said. "One: It's blue. Two: Zari has one. Three: His has You, mine has Missed. Like our first kiss."

"I don't get it," Kya said.

"I don't either.. come on, Su, just tell us."

"Promise you won't die of heart attacks?"

"Promise," they said.

"Good." I smiled, then slowly pulled out my left hand. "I'd prefer you two alive. I'll need you to be my bridesmaids."

Kya screamed and fell backwards onto ice, then was up again and tried to run to me but fell. Izumi screamed as well and started to suffocate me with a hug.

"How did you not tell us this right away?" Kya scolded as Izumi released me, only so I could break more ribs due to Kya's hug.

"Because he just asked!"

"Holy Raava, did he do a speech?" Izumi asked me.

"Yeah! It was... amazing," I said, grinning so hard my face hurt.

"Recite. Now!" Kya yelled.

I took a deep breath and said every word. "Then he got on one knee and squeezed his eyes shut and said, 'Suyin Beifong, will you marry me and become my pirate empress?'"

"If someone proposes to me and they don't say at least half of that, I may have to say no," Kya giggled.

"Bumi better take lessons," Izumi said.

"Ooh, are you saying you think Bumi's gonna propose?"

"What - no - I -" her face was red, and growing deeper as Kya and I cornered her on the edge of the island we'd made ourselves. "No, he hasn't seemed to be planning something that big. But I mean, if he does, I wouldn't particularly mind..."

"I'm gonna go tell my brother to get a hint," Kya said, and almost jumped off. Izumi caught her.

"What is it with you and getting people's boyfriends just to torment us?"

"Besides, I said, "your mom won't be happy if we show up wet."

"Probably not." Kya unfroze the water and started bending currents to take us back to shore.

"What next?" Izumi asked.

"What do you mean?" Kya replied.

"Who are you gonna tell next?"

"We're gonna grab my parents, Azula, and probably Shi and take them outside."

"Shi?" Kya asked me.

"Yeah. My prince's 'Aunt Shi.' "

"Her pince again!" Izumi said as we stepped onto the island. Kya giggled.

"Then I better tell Lin, or else she's gonna kill me. And then we tell everyone else."

"I cannot wait to see that," Kya said. "My mom's probably planned the wedding."

"No, Azula did. We all know Azula and Shi want it to be on a ship," Izumi said.

"Too bad for them, I love ships and all but I think you two will force me into heels and I will not wear heels on a ship. Nor will I allow you to - that's dangerous."

Shi and Azula were standing around a corner when we turned it. My face turned red as Kya and Izumi giggled and elbowed me from either side.

"Why you wearin' heels on a ship?" Shi asked, one brow arched as it always did when she was on to what Zari and I were doing.

"Nooooothiiiiiing," we chorused.

"Hmm. Well, Zari told us to wait here for you, so I bet it's something to do with that," Azula said.

She knows. She's way to smart. And my hand isn't in my pocket. "You two go on without me," I said.

"I wanna stay and watch!" Kya said.

"No, we'll tickle it out of her if we have to," Izumi said, pulling her away by the ponytail.

"I am not five anymore! That won't work," I said.

"Worked a few weeks ago when you told us about your pirate prince and his vacation idea," Kya pointed out.

"Just go away. " Pirate Prince, I thought. That's cute.

A second after they disappeared, Zari came over with my parents in tow. Mom looked mildly annoyed, Shi looked suspicious, and Azula and Dad looked like they knew what was going on.