Wolf Moon 12

Five days after the Avatar took Hahn off on what was surely an ill-conceived training trip, Yué woke up late for her hairdressing. She rushed out of bed to meet Kovra, apologies on her tongue.

Kovra waved them off, but she seemed preoccupied with some thought as she began the complicated process of arranging Yué’s hair for the day. It was a relief when she broke the silence.

“We haven’t met in a while, us girls,” she said. The tone was casual. Yué instantly knew it wasn’t an offhand comment, not with how Kovra had agonized over it. She knew Kovra far too well for the other girl to lie to her easily.

But the inverse was also true. She’d known Kovra since they were little girls.

“That’s true,” she agreed cautiously. She kept her back straight and didn’t try to look at Kovra. “Everyone but Aunna has just been so busy.”

Kovra let out a wry little laugh. “Things change when you get married,” she agreed. Her voice was wistful. “I had a lot more free time before that.” She paused and then hurriedly added, “Not that it’s an imposition, Princess. It’s the best thing that’s happened to me.” She twisted most of Yué’s hair up and out of the way so that she could work with the lowest layer. “You'll love it. Oh, and we’re dying to invite you to our meetups!”

“I see,” Yué said politely, and did not disagree.

Aunna was the only other girl from her social circle to remain unmarried, and therefore they had become something of a unit as it was less socially appropriate for the others to attend on Yué. Maidens and matrons didn’t mix in the same social circle. Yué bit her bottom lip and then released it.

‘Someone put Kovra up to this. Someone is worried about what’s going on with Hahn and why I’m not engaged yet.’

“We should do something,” Kovra said. She pulled a comb through the loose hair. Her voice was light. “All five of us together. Wouldn’t that be so nice?”

There was nothing to say except yes. Yué agreed and made plans for the following evening while Kovra’s clever fingers braided and pinned and wove ribbons into hair.

‘Wonderful. That gives me nearly two days to worry about it.’

There wasn’t time to sit around and pity herself. The trading ships were nearly ready to depart. Yué had a lot to do in her official capacity. She found herself at the outward docks, overseeing the final logs and discussing discrepancies and debating the prices of last minute purchases and trades. Her head was spinning with numbers and quantities of rope sold, wood bought, bone traded for metal, and all the other things that were involved.

It was a relief to finally wave off the merchant ship. It was heavily laden with Northern Water Tribe craftsmanship that they could be proud of, things that would sell for a high price in the Earth Kingdom. Yué herself felt a little proud of the accomplishment.

It was with bone-deep relief that Yué was finally free to go back to the palace, even if it was to begin the work of inventorying their winter food supplies and inspect storage. Any problems needed to be found and addressed early. She’d be walking around the whole city checking on the stability of the ice in important locations as well. Maintaining a household was traditionally the woman’s role, after all, and she’d been the substitute for her deceased Mother for three years now.

She cast an envious look at Katara when she passed the training ground. The other girl was having fun, running and yelling between hails of ice. Master Pakku stood with his hands behind his back smiling at her like some doting grandfather.

‘I want to be a child,’ Yué thought wistfully. ‘I want to have the freedom to play.’

It wasn’t going to happen, not for her. She stuffed the regret for her short childhood away. Being bitter wouldn’t help, and protesting wouldn’t lighten her burden. The only outcome would be that she would have less respect while she did the same tasks.

She wanted to take Aunna and Katara to the Spirit Oasis again, but the afternoon dragged on into evening without respite from her work. Yué had a working meal in the main kitchen, sweating by the stove as women worked to dry meat en masse quantities. She absolutely stank of smoke by the time she escaped. Yué was grateful for that as her excuse to not report to Father’s Council immediately.

She had a bath in her rooms and then sat in her bathrobe to write up a final report about the conclusion of the trade, converting her rough notes into something that was fit to be presented and stored away. The sun faded away, leaving her squinting by candlelight. She then started the reports on their food preparation and made a form that she’d insert information from in regards to any city maintenance issues that she found out about in the coming days.

It was exhausting and tedious. Yué rubbed at her eyes and barely avoided getting ink on her face.

The hope in her chest that she’d be able to meet her friends died. Yué blew out her candles and went to bed early, too tired to consider leaving. She laid awake a while feeling guilty that she wasn’t working towards her escape plan.

‘Aunna is already improving a lot,’ Yué told herself. ‘She’ll be able to conduct our canoe out of here. I know she can do it.’

The next day, her hair and dressing was done by Aunna. It was a stroke of luck. Yué updated her about what Kovra had said and her suspicions.

Aunna sighed. Her breath was warm on Yué’s neck. The princess couldn’t repress a shudder. “I’m sure you’re right,” Aunna murmured. She twisted the bulk of Yué’s hair into a low knot. “No one talked to me… They must not trust me to be a good influence.”

Yué pursed her lips. She didn’t say anything. Aunna smacked her shoulder anyway.

“They might be concerned about the influence that our Southern cousins are having,” Aunna said thoughtfully.

Yué sighed. “That’s likely true,” she agreed. “Katara is a known radical. And too many people have seen me with Sokka. The council might think that one or both of them are influencing me to avoid Hahn.”

“As if you can’t come to that conclusion on your own,” Aunna spat out. She pinned a headpiece in place.

She hummed her agreement. “What should I do…” Yué wanted to tilt her head, but she refrained. “Maybe I should let them think it’s true.” Yué made a face. “No, I can’t do that,” she corrected herself. “It wouldn’t be fair to them. In addition, it might become difficult to spend time with Katara if anyone suspects she’s having a negative influence on me.”

Aunna finished Yué’s hair and walked around to her front to check the style. “This is done. Let’s get you dressed.” Yué stepped obediently into the first layer of her outfit when Aunna brandished it. There was a pause while Aunna worked on the buttons at her back. “I think we need to address this.” Her voice was serious. “I need every minute of instruction I can get with Katara. We can’t lose access to her.”

Yué took a deep breath, thinking through rhetoric. The only answer that came to mind was sour in her mouth. “We have to make them think Sokka isn’t interested in me.”

Aunna gave her a knowing look from her kneeling position, securing Yué’s complicated inner shoes.

“I know, you already suggested it.” Yué lightly kicked her friend on the shin and smiled ruefully at her. “I just… It seems wrong.”

“It doesn’t have to be.” Aunna shrugged. She tugged a ribbon on the shoe for emphasis before she stood up. “Let’s talk to him and get him on board with pretending to court me. It’ll be a huge relief to anyone who thought that you and him might be involved, and he’ll definitely agree.”

“Definitely is a wrong word,” Yué said skeptically.

Aunna made a pfft sound. “First of all, I am very pretty.”

“You are,” Yué agreed loyally. It was true.

“He’s sixteen. There’s every chance that he can be diverted to flirting with another girl. And if not..” Aunna shrugged. “This is the best way he has to spend time with you.”

Yué thought that through. “I could be your chaperone,” she said, amused by the concept.

“Mmhm.” Aunna finished with the last task that Yué couldn’t do unassisted and gave a little stretch. “I’ll talk to him, if you allow.”

“That would be wonderful, thank you.” Yué hugged her friend, deeply grateful that she wasn’t in this alone. “I’ll see you at 5 this evening?”

“I’ll be there,” Aunna agreed, and then slipped away to her next morning task.