Wolf Moon 10

CHAPTER 10


"They'll be here soon. Today, perhaps, or tomorrow. I may be preoccupied. Our regular proceedings were delayed by this business with the Avatar. We have a lot to do before true winter comes."

Yué tilted her head up to let her handmaiden perfect today's elaborate hairstyle. "I'll be ready, Father," she promised.

His eyes softened. "Thank you, Yué. I know that I can count on you."

She smiled up at him. "I'll handle everything."

Her Father kissed her forehead, holding her face gently. Then he left for his day.

"Wow," Jana said when they were alone. Her clever fingers braided and pinned elaborate loops in Yué's hair. "I was starting to think that no trade ships would come this year."

"If they don't soon, the weather will make the route impassible," Yué agreed. "Something must have delayed them." She twiddled her fingers to entertain herself. "What are you excited for?"

"Citruses," Jana replied instantly. "And tea, and wool!" She grinned and used her pinky fingers to scrape up wisps of hair at Yué's temples. "And you?"

She hummed. "The wine." Jana giggled at that answer.

The honest answer was that she hoped to be gone so soon that Yué didn't care about luxury goods from the Earth Kingdom.  

'Maybe I could leave with them.'

The idea dried up as quickly as it had come: they would turn around to return her if she hid on board. The merchants wouldn't dare displease her Father.

'I'm starting to think that we'll have to sneak out in a canoe. It's possible. That's what Katara's grandmother did, after all.'

The thought was scary. How did she do it?

Yué could probably navigate. She knew the theory. She knew the constellations, she knew the shape of the continents, and she knew about the currents. She wasn't entirely confident about her arm strength for rowing, but surely it wasn't that difficult?

But the travel to anywhere in the Earth Kingdom would take weeks on the open ocean in such a small vessel. Food and water would be an issue. The ocean was a source of food, but she had never fished in her life.

…Katara would be able to do that. Katara would know how to purify the ocean water for drinking.

Maybe she could ask. No one else would teach her, but Katara wouldn't think about why Yué would ask. The younger girl mostly seemed pleased to be asked to share what she knew.

She made a mental promise to try to get Katara alone, if she could.

But where?

Yué mulled that aspect over. It had to be absolutely private. Anyone from the Northern Water Tribe would instantly know that something was suspicious.

She raised her hands so that Jana could secure the ties on her long formal overcoat. The last touch was pinning a white fur stole in place over her hair, protecting her ears from the cold but winding through her hair attractively rather than covering it with a hood.

"All done." Jana bowed goodbye at the door to Yué's rooms and then slipped out. Yué wasn't far behind. They both went to the big hall for the morning meal, going to separate tables.

Katara and Sokka both looked up at her approach. "Good morning," they chorused.

It was cute. Yué stifled a smile. "Good morning Katara, Sokka," she responded. She let Sokka pull out her chair and push it in under her. "Thank you."

"Of course," he said, swiping a hand over his hair. He gave her a dopey smile and sat down.

Katara gave him a sideways look, but didn't comment. "There's a lot of people up early," she commented. "Is something going on?"

"A lot is going on," Yué explained. She smoothed down the front of her gown with her hands. "Court business is restarting today after a recess. The inventory of winter preserves is underway, and it's complicated because we expect a merchant ship."

"Merchants?" Katara's eyes glittered. "From the Earth Kingdom?"

"That's right." Yué took a serving of steamed fish and a side of seaweed. "It's late in the year, but the border patrol sent word on."

"Border patrol?" Sokka leaned his elbows on the table. "Like what Aang is doing?"

Yué privately thought that the Avatar was probably not doing any patrolling. He was probably chasing small animals and causing minor avalanches. "Yes," she said politely. "Word arrived two days ago. Merchant ships are fairly slow up here, because of the ice floes. So that means we can expect them today or tomorrow."

"Do you think they have metal?" Sokka wondered.

"Beads?" Katara asked, gaze lingering on Yué's gown.

"Both." Yué poured herself a hot drink. "I'll stay near the harbor until they've arrived. Are you two busy today?"

Katara sighed. "I'll be training this morning for sure. MaybeI'll see you the afternoon?"

"Well, I'm free," Sokka jumped in. He aimed a soppy grin at her. "Shall I keep you company?"

"That would be lovely," Yué said, disappointed that she didn't get access to Katara.

Oh. Wait. Sokka probably also had some useful skills. She could get him to talk about survivalism.

He walked her to the waterfront. They stood for a few moments, surveying the huge gate. Yué glanced up at him and saw his face was turned upwards to watch the men patrolling the huge ice wall.

"Sokka." He turned to her instantly. "What's it like, in your home?"

A flush stole over his face. "It's not like this." He glanced to the side. "It's not… we don't live in a city. Our tribe lives in small villages, and we only meet twice a year."

Was he embarrassed? She thought he was.

"Why?"

He avoided her eyes. "Well, we're nomadic. We don't farm, and we don't get a lot of supplies from the outside world. A lot of what we eat and use we get by tracking and hunting things. You can't support a large group of people that way, not in one area. The animals would just go somewhere else."

She made a sound of comprehension. "But what about fishing? And foraging?"

"We do that," he assured her. "But what you get depends on the time of year and the tides. And we use bone and hide for a lot of our tools and clothing, so it's important to us."

Yué took that in. "Does the whole village follow the animals?"

She tried to imagine it. What was that life like? Would she like it? Would she even be able to manage it? It seemed like a much harder lifestyle than she'd ever known.

Sokka scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, kinda," he admitted. "A hunting party actually goes after an animal, but everyone follows the herd."

"How many people are in your village?"

It was an innocent question, but she instantly knew that it was a sore spot. Sokka laughed, eyes dark. "Ah, not counting warriors, 54 people."

Yué opened her mouth to ask why he wouldn't count the warriors, and then she shut it just as quickly. "I see." She cleared her throat. "Can… can you fish?"

That perked him up.

She was trying to learn from him. But as he went off on an excitable story with tangents about nets and spears and hooks, Yué ended up mostly watching his lips move and laughing along when he admitted something embarrassing happening to him or Katara.

The merchant ship didn't arrive that morning. They reluctantly parted after the noon meal. Sokka went to train with warriors. Yué was joined by Aunna and later, Katara.

As night drew close, she pursed her lips. The trade vessel wasn't going to arrive this late. They wouldn't even be allowed into the city if they came at night.

She had an idea. She had been thinking, and there was one place that she could take Katara and Aunna and be seen by no one. The only other person who could freely enter the sacred spring was her Father, and he was busy.

"Katara," she said slowly. The other girl turned to face her. "Can I show you something? A place that you haven't been?"

She saw Aunna cock her head in question, and then make an "ohhh" of dawning comprehension.

"Yes, of course." Katara's eyes creased when she smiled. " Where are we going?"