Path Ahead

Preparations

Chief Hakoda stood beside Prince Zuko and Avatar Aang as they waited for their companions to return from the Earth Kingdom. Hakoda kept sending furtive glances toward his future son-in-law, trying to truly get his measure.

The young Avatar was so unassuming most of the time, but there was an air of quiet authority about him. As a leader himself, it was something Hakoda could sense. Besides, after witnessing Aang's battle with Firelord Azula yesterday, it would be a mistake to underestimate him.

Although Aang had twice come to Chameleon Bay - once to drop Sokka off and once to pick him up again - the first time Hakoda had seen him at close range was when his children had brought the unconscious Avatar to him after the fall of Ba Sing Se. Katara had pulled Aang from the brink of death and claimed that he had opened his eyes and looked at her before falling unconscious. The last thing Hakoda would want to do was doubt his daughter, but Aang did not truly return to the world of the living until several weeks later.

Under those circumstances, it was obviously impossible to get to know Aang, but Hakoda had taken the opportunity to observe Katara, and what he saw led him to believe that there was more than mere friendship or companionship between her and Aang. First of all, she had not left his side during the Fire Nation attack, fiercely protecting his inert form. Hakoda had known she could fight, but he'd never even imagined seeing her like that, wind whipping her hair and eyes blazing like a cornered animal.

Then, during the first week they spent on the captured ship, she refused to leave Aang's bed unless it was absolutely necessary. She bended small amounts of water into his mouth at regular intervals and, once a day, she'd use her healing abilities on the wound in his back. She'd eaten very little, and Hakoda suspected that she hadn't slept much, either. He'd passed by Aang's cabin once in time to see her start awake, shaking, from what had to be a nightmare. Once she'd taken a moment to collect herself, she'd moved over to Aang and taken his hand. The father in Hakoda had wanted to go and comfort her, but he didn't have any idea what to say, and he'd decided not to intrude.

Eventually, Sokka and Toph had convinced Katara that she needed to take care of herself if she wanted to be of use to anyone else. She began eating more, even if she did so mechanically, giving no sign that she tasted anything that went into her mouth. She also began taking turns around the deck, but that was almost worse than having her isolated in Aang's cabin. She floated about like a shadow, not really interacting with anyone. Her eyes held a haunted, empty look that Hakoda knew all too well; they reflected exactly how he had felt after finding his wife dead in a Fire Nation raid.

Watching all of this, Hakoda knew that he'd never be able to separate his daughter from the Avatar. She had managed to grow up without him, and though the thought saddened him, he was also unspeakably proud of her.

The Water Tribe chief came out of his reverie to find Aang looking speculatively at him.

"Something on your mind, Aang?" Hakoda asked.

"Actually, yes," Aang admitted. "When I asked Katara to marry me, it was sort of on impulse."

"You're not regretting it, are you?" Hakoda had no real doubt about the answer, but he felt he had to ask.

"No, never!" The young Avatar looked shocked at the very idea. "I just mean that I didn't have anything to give her, and I was wondering what your customs are."

"Customs?"

"You know, marriage customs. In the Northern Water Tribe, the man makes a betrothal necklace for the woman he's arranged to marry, but I know Katara didn't know that's what she was wearing until we got there. To the North Pole, I mean. So I thought your traditions must be different."