~Celestial Bodies~

2.6

[2.6]

Staged Trials

The healing hut was engulfed in silence.

Katara was sitting by the pool of water when three small knocks interrupted her early morning. Raising her head, she looked through the window. The sun hadn't even completely risen, the rays of sunshine were still their very deep orange colour.

Slowly and steadily, the master waterbender rose from her seat and walked to the door. She opened it gently. The smile that made its way to her face when she saw the familiar figure of the guardian quickly vanished when she saw the sorrowful state of the young woman.

Rae was leaning most of her body weight on the door, and still, she wobbled slightly on her feet. Her eyes were surrounded by dark bags, and she seemed... lost.

The waterbender entered a state of shock. Only the morning prior was Rae full of energy and eager to be discharged from the medical centre. Now, she seemed worse than when she came back from the south pole.

Katara ushered the woman inside, quickly closing the door to avoid the cold south air from entering the hut. She trotted around the room, warming water for tea, and trying to find a spare blanket, while Rae slowly sat on one of the couches.

Once the tea was warm and the young woman had a soft blanket around her shoulders, Katara sat down next to her and took her gloved hands in her own. Careful not to hurt her, she took the leather gloved off and placed the warm cup of her favourite tea in her palms, gazing with her fingers the old scars for a mere second.

"What happened?" asked Katara with a soft voice.

Rae's eyes shifted around the hut before settling on the leaves in her cup. "I was... meditating," she whispered, absentmindedly.

"Iroh was looking for you, yesterday," said the master, "he said you left before he came back. He was worried..."

"I--," started Rae before cutting herself off. She took a deep breath, her eyes squeezed shut as if something was hurting her. "I needed to think about something," she finally muttered.

The older woman only nodded. A few seconds passed. Katara was looking at the young guardian with worried eyes. She wanted to ask what was bothering her, what was hurting her, but the young woman seemed in such distress that she seemed to break with every word.

When Rae opened her eyes, she felt the need to cry. It had never happened before. Not even once. Every time she opened her eyes, she regretted her time in the South Pole.

The blur only disappeared after a few seconds. More seconds than before.

"I need," Rae started slowly, "I need you to check something..."

Katara frowned and placed her hand on the you woman's knee.

Rae sighed and shook her head.

"I think I'm losing my eyesight..."

The Waterbender was in a state of utter shock. She opened her mouth, hoping to say something reassuring, but her vocal cords seemed to have frozen. When her body relaxed from its tight state, the woman rose and left Rae's side.