Of Oceans and Stars

Chapter 3

Even after a night together with the Airbender she loved most, the Earth Kingdom noblewoman refused to leave Katara's mind. Katara wasn't sure what had gotten under her skin the most. She wasn't sure if it had been the woman's demeanor, boldness, or the gray of her eyes. Gray that almost seemed to mirror the same tone and hue of the Airbender that slept next to her.

Several things about Rana Bai-Sha could have gotten under her skin. The way the noblewoman clung to Aang at the dinner, the way she'd regarded Katara with cold indifference altogether.

While Rana Bai-Sha had the same outward appearance that most Earth Kingdom noblewomen seemed to carry, her eyes... their color haunted her. Katara hadn't ever seen that same shade of steel possessed by anyone else but Aang.

As Aang snored softly and moved in his sleep, Katara smiled and kissed his cheek. Moving soundlessly from the bed, Katara's hands moved mindlessly to the new pendant secured around her neck. They would all know instantly what it was. That was if any of them - her brother and her friends - took notice of the new necklace at all.

Quickly, Katara dressed. Slipping out of her nightclothes and pulling on a casual lounge set, the soft lavender color of the clothes complemented the hue of her skin. Typically she wouldn't have chosen purple, but the set of silk and cotton lounge clothes had caught her eye at the weekly bazaar a month prior. The top was a little oversized, just skimming her navel. The pants, cuffed at her ankles, billowed softly as she slipped on her sandals.

Taking a moment to study herself in the mirror, she liked the reflection that looked back at her. The soft lavender lounge set was out of sorts for her normal clothing, but she appreciated the change of pace. Slowly, over the years after Black Sun, trade had resumed between the Nations.

The increase in trade allowed for an explosion of cultural exchange and trade. Outside the walls of the palace, the once monochromatic color palette of the Fire Nation public had slowly grown into a palette of all colors, including the soft purple she now wore. However, inside the walls of the palace and Fire Nation court, red and gold still reigned supreme. It was only tradition, of course.

Stepping away from the mirror and her reflection, Katara craned her head to look at Aang. A small part of her felt guilty for leaving him, but should could only imagine how much he needed to sleep. Writing out a quick note on a small edge of parchment, Katara left the note on the bedside table. What she needed more than anything at that moment was knowledge.

Quietly and quickly, she slipped out of the room and paced down the long corridor. Just up the hall, her brother and Suki's room wasn't far. Within a few paces, Katara found herself in front of a door similar to the one that led to her own set of rooms. She rapped her knuckles against the door, waiting for an answer from inside.

After a few moments, the door clicked open. Rubbing the sleep from one eye, Suki greeted her. "Good morning... It's early."

Indeed, the sun had barely peaked. "I know. Sorry. But I just couldn't wait. Do you want to go to the library with me?

Suki perked an eyebrow. "Say less." She chirped, her blue eyes fixed on Katara.

Katara winked as she watched Suki retreat into the room to change. Situated on the far end of the palace, the library was a place that was seldom visited by anyone, let alone the Royal family. During the past months the group has spent at court, Katara and Suki had taken to retreating to the library in times of boredom. It offered them a place to speak freely and in private, while also providing them with boundless tomes and volumes to research.

Between the mysterious statue in the garden and the obscene behavior of Rana Bai-Sha the previous night, Katara had questions. She was on a burning quest for some sort of clarity or answers. The group's time at the palace was quickly dwindling. With a meal scheduled for later that morning, their opportunity to escape one last time to the library was quickly melting away.