Sea and Sky

Chapter 26: The Cleansing Properties of Water

Sea and Sky

Chapter 26: The Cleansing Properties of Water

——

It seemed that even in sleep the voices and images of times bygone would not leave him. The covers pulled up to his neck and arm held tightly around Katara, Aang couldn't sleep. He wasn't sure if it was the looming dread for what the future might hold, or perhaps insomnia that kept him awake. He hadn't had this much trouble sleeping since days before the final battle with Ozai.

Opening his eyes, Aang sat up in the bed. Next to him, Katara let out a low moan before turning over onto her side. A small smile formed on his lips as he bent down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. At least someone was getting some sort of rest. He watched her for a few more moments before leaving the bed.

The fleeting images of times past haunted him, ever present in his mind. He turned the couple's brief exchange over and over in his mind. Perhaps they should head to one of the Air temples for answers? He knew getting any additional information from Rana would be impossible. Aang still failed to understand the reason for Rana's anger and hatred towards him. Outside of blind rage aimed towards his people, Aang was dumbfounded.

Over the past few nights, the dreams had become less fogged, more like streams of concious thought that wormed into his mind. The dreams seemed to pick up right where they left off from the previous night, as if unwinding in sequence in his mind, as if frozen in time.

Ghosts of the Air nomad and of the woman who'd been scandalized

"If you leave me now, you will loose your greatest prize. You will loose me!"

With her words, the noble woman swept out of the room, brushing past the faded purple curtains of the doorway. Strong hands gripped at her shoulders. Suddenly, she spun on her feet and was face to face with the nomad.

"I will come back. The spirits are not that cruel. But these things must be done." He wrapped his arms around her, held her tight to him. Iris let out a muffled sob as she buried her head into his chest.

"For a brief moment, you and I were alone in the world. But that moment is over. Once Sozin has completed his siege of the temples, I will return to you. This I promise."

——

"Suki, you ready?" Sokka questioned, finishing the final leather straps of Appa's saddle.

Nodding her head weakly, Suki answered. "I'm ready to go home. I'm so done with this place."

Looking up from the saddle, Sokka offered her a small smile. He was ready to leave as well. By his county, they'd been on the island for just over three months. In the short span of weeks they'd been on the island, he'd seen more than his share of courtly antics. The point that had pushed him over the edge had been Suki's poisoning. The fact that Rana had the audacity to spike the wine at her own wedding reception dinner left him rattled.

If he never saw another member of the royal court again, Sokka was sure he wouldn't have any remorse or sadness. As he helped Suki onto Appa's saddle, he looked over his shoulder, searching his the other members of his party.

A few paces away, Aang silently patted at Appa's head, his gaze far off onto the distance. "Aang, you ready? Where's my sister?"

Drawn out of his thoughts, Aang answered. "She hasn't been feeling great lately. She'll be back in a minute..."

As she listened, Suki focused on Aang's words. She had noticed Katara's lack of energy and that the waterbender had seemed bothered the morning they'd last spoken. In the span of days since she'd last seen Katara, Sokka had presented her with a temporary betrothal necklace, and she wanted nothing more than it share it with Katara.