Flow [Sokka - Book Two]

⚝Chapter One⚝

Konno didn't know how long she had been rowing. Her arms had grown numb at the start of her journey, matching the state of her heart. She thought this journey would be good for her. However, she was wrong. Her heart had become hard to the touch, buried behind her remaining walls. The walls had gotten taller and stronger and more pronounced. Whenever she stopped on the coast for food, people steered clear of her. They could see the pain in her eyes and the hate in her heart. They knew she was a dangerous animal, ready to pounce.

The only time she felt moderately happy was when the moon was out. It always shone a path on the water, directly in front of her. She could almost picture Yue telling her that she was making the wrong decision. Yue would have wanted her to open up with other people, to allow them through her walls. However, Konno didn't think she could ever open up again. The people she let in the closest were gone forever. She would never let anyone else in because she didn't want to get hurt again.

Konno stared up at the bright blue sky. Not a cloud was in sight, and the sun beat down on her. Her skin had grown significantly darker as the time went on, and she was worried she would get sun poisoning or dehydrated. It had been at least a few days since she last saw a real person when she bought food. She used the last of Navrek's coins on that food. However, if she was reading the map correctly, she was close to the Foggy Swamp. That was where Navrek wanted to go first, so she decided she'd go there first on her journey. She just didn't think she'd do it alone.

Konno's fingers brushed the waves by the side of the boat. Her arms hung over the edge of the boat as her head rested on her bag and Sokka's parka. Her feet were propped up at the end of the boat. She was allowing the waves to slowly push her forward because she had to give her arms rest. The water was cool, a welcome difference to the heat of the sun. The farther she got from the Northern Water Tribe, the more clothes she had to take off. She eventually had to buy some Earth Kingdom clothes that were a much lighter fabric than hers. 

Konno didn't know whether her eyes were betraying her or not when she saw something dark on the horizon. She sat up and dug through her bag for the spyglass she bought. Pressing it against her eye, she gasped. It had to be close to the Foggy Swamps. According to the map, they were located somewhere in the Earth Kingdom. When she reached the coast, she would have to ditch her boat and traverse across the land before reaching the swamp. Unfortunately for her, she didn't have any weapons on here, besides the oars. However, she didn't ever want to wield a sword again after taking a life from a man. 

Her hands held the oars and her arms started rowing. The pain rose up again in her shoulders, but she ignored it. She had to get there before nightfall. Konno didn't think she could survive on land where she didn't know what types of animals were out there. She didn't really trust anyone or anything lately. Being alone out on the ocean made her spooked of every move, every noise a human made. They were complicated creatures, humans were. And Konno sure didn't trust any of them. 

A shadow passed over Konno, and she glanced up at the sky, hope searing through her chest. But it wasn't Appa flying under the sun. It was a cloud floating lazily across the sky. That had happened more than once, and Konno was ashamed. The guilt ate at her slowly every time she thought about Sokka. Technically, she was still engaged to Navrek, and it felt like she was cheating on him when she thought about Sokka. However, Sokka was the only thing keeping her going. He had saved her from drowning, and he held her when she needed someone most. He had found her when no one else had. He was so special to her.

Konno slowly stopped rowing the closer she got to shore. She would have to stash the boat somewhere so people wouldn't find it. Trees rose up from the ground near the beach, towering above her boat. They would work. 

She slowly stood up and jumped into the water. Her head submerged for the first time since she tried to die, and her breath caught in her throat. She frantically pushed off of the ground, her arms pumping through the water. When her head broke through, she sucked in air and paddled over toward the boat. One hand grabbed the front of the boat while the other rested in the water. Her feet kicked, and she slowly made her way toward the shore. 

Sand stuck to her clothes and hair and skin. That was the one thing she loved about the Northern Water Tribe. There wasn't sand anywhere, and she wasn't used to it now. She hated how it clung to her in places the sun never saw. It was awkward and horrible.

Her bare feet dug into the sand as she pulled the boat out of the water. She had gained muscles she never knew she had while rowing. Her arms burned as they strained hard. The sand acted as a barrier, but she had to get the boat over. People would know it was from the Northern Water Tribe because of the symbol on the side, so she needed to hide it. However, she couldn't get it across the sand toward the grass. She wasn't strong.

Konno flopped to the ground in defeat. Her stomach rumbled with the need of food. She had something in her bag on the boat, but she didn't have the strength to get up. Her body felt weak. Her mind felt fragile. She didn't know what she would feel when she got to the Foggy Swamps. It was Navrek's dream to go here. She wished he were here.

She reached over the side of the boat and pulled her bag down with her. All the contents spilled out on the sand. The first things she saw were the two turtle seal statues. She reached out and picked them up, but her hands were still wet. One slipped out and tumbled to the ground with a soft crack. Her heart sped up as she picked up the broken pieces. She couldn't believe that she broke one of them. However, upon closer inspection, she noticed a piece of paper sticking out of one of the cracks.

"What is this?" she whispered out loud. Her voice was hoarse since she rarely spoke. It was strange hearing a voice - any voice. She had grown accustomed to the sound of the waves crashing against the side of the boat. 

She pulled the piece of paper out of the turtle seal slowly. It was small and crinkled. Her fingers unfurled it and a tiny gasp escaped out of her lips. Yue's handwriting stood out to Konno, and her eyes scanned the sheet. It read:

Dear Eimi,

I don't think I'll ever give you this letter. It is very personal to me, and I know that if Father found it, he would be very mad. This letter contains some things about my engagement looming on the horizon, and we both know he would tell me it's part of our history. 

I say screw our history. We need to look toward the future where women and men both are treated equally. I know you feel the same way about this topic. I've seen it in your eyes and heard it in your tone. But I have no idea how to change the minds of our people. I wish you would talk about it, Eimi, but you never do. 

You never talk about anything concerning your emotions. I don't know what you think about most of the time, but I really want to know. We are so close, yet I can't read you. That terrifies me, Eimi, because I want what's best for you. I want you to be happy and healthy. But you don't smile around most everyone, only around me and Navrek. I want to change that. I just don't know how.

I hear someone walking toward my room, so I should stop writing this now. I don't want anyone to see it. If I ever do give this to you, just know that this is for your eyes only. Father would not like my radical thinking. I hope we can change our nation for the better in the future.

I love you bunches!

- Yue

Konno's eyes welled up with tears. She didn't know that Yue felt the same way. She knew that Yue hated the Northern Water Tribe traditions, but she didn't know that she wanted it to change. She had seemed like change could never happen. But here, she thought they could do it together. 

Konno set the piece of paper down on the ground gently. She didn't want to ruin the note. Swiping at her eyes, she swallowed hard. Her throat burned, and her eyes were growing watery. But she couldn't focus on the pain surging through her veins. She had to get to the swamp soon.

She stood up and pushed everything back into her bag before slinging it over her shoulder. Her feet dug through the sand as she forced her way toward the trees. Konno clung to the piece of paper. It was her guiding light through this darkness called life.