The Pirate Empress

8

"Ooh, that's why you sent me to the middle of nowhere while we were in the South Pole," I said.

"Mmhm." Zari reached out and held my right hand. "So I guess the four of you are wondering why you're here. Unless you're Sokka."

"Your mom's figured it out by now, you know she has."

"Probably. Mom?"

"Think I did, yeah."

"Of course she did," Shi said. "She's quick like that. Now explain it for the slower one over here!"

"Hmm. Well, today, Zari gave me this super sweet speech and kinda popped the question."

Shi's eyebrows dissapeared into her hair. "The question."

"Yup," Zari said, smiling. He looked embarrassed as for me, I was just giggly.

"I kinda do want the wedding on a ship," Shi said. "Ready for the honeymoon and all. Just kick everyone out and go off to Raava-knows-where doing Raava-knows-what."

All at once, Zari's mom laughed. "You know, I was starting to question if you two were going to be as bad as Wen and I."

"That'd be annoying," I said.

"Funny for everyone else, though. Azula, she who used to look down on peasants, begging one to marry her."

Zari smiled and reached up to run his fingers along his wooden necklace.

"Toph, what do you think?" Sokka asked.

"When I was 19, I wanted to marry Kanto. By the time I was 22, we had a kid and he just up and left, then spit a load of BS about my 'hole of misery' or whatever. Lin's okay now, of course, but that wasn't very easy to deal with." She crossed her arms. "Not saying Azula's Golden Boy is gonna ditch, just saying don't rush into anything. You're still young and have a life to live; don't let that go to waste."

She wanted to marry him? I wondered. I'd never personally met the guy, but I did hear stories. And according to Lin and my mom, he was just a brat. Not much else to tell.

"You better not ditch her," Sokka added, scowling.

"Sounds fair," Zari said. I heard that he was slightly intimidated, though he did try to hide it.

Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes. I walked over and pulled apart to branches, only to find both of my "honorary sisters" sitting in the dirt. Kya was laughing, and Izumi's hand was over he mouth.

"Hey, guys," I said.

Azula leaned over my shoulder. "I see you stopped to admire the greenery on your way in."

"Lovely flowers," Kya giggled.

"Don't tell your brother, please," Izumi begged. "He'll tell me about how I'm dishonorable, and I've heard that speech well over the number of times I need to."

Toph laughed. "He told me he stopped caring about his honor!"

"I assure you, he has not."