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A collection of letters sent between the South Pole and various other locations
These letters now lay at the museum of the 100-year war and its Heroes Museum Archives in Republic City donated by Naiá great grandaughter of Master Katara and Avatar Aang, daughter of Jinora, found in the boxes of memorabilia of the now-deceased Master Katara
My Dearest, Aang
It's been only a week since I saw you last yet I miss you so. How's Cranefish town? Have you decided on building anything on the little island? How are you? I hope you've been well. Here, of course, it's been cold and snowy like always, nothing much has changed only that some auntie got stuck in a barrel of seal jerky, which you'll have to hear in person because it's too funny to be written. I've been giving lessons at Pakku's school which has been fun. I've also taken up some shifts at the nearby hospital. I know it's short since it's only been a week but the letter will take probably only 5 days to arrive since Sokka brought hawky. The whole family sends love, especially me, and Sokka said that he misses telling short jokes as if he's tall.
From, Katara
My Dearest, Katara
I've been okay, Cranefish town is alright, speaking of it they've renamed the place to Republic City, which I think fits quite well. I've been told not many are interested on the little island, therefore they've told me that I could use it, but I'm not sure what it could be, if you have any ideas please share, since you are a genius. I hope you've been teaching the students the octopus arm move, it's quite fun to learn. I'm writing this while packing my things since I'm headed to the Fire Nation for a meeting of representatives to rebuild Earth Kingdom towns, that'd been affected in the war. It's been quite dull without you, I miss you too.
Yours, Aang
(Ps send the next letter to the fire nation palace since that’s where I’ll be staying for the next 2 weeks)
Sweetie, it’s lovely to hear from you always, Republic City is a nice name, and sounds nice as well. I’ve been wondering about her island and since there are Air temples across the world you could build one there, and we could make a little garden. I think it should be called Air temple island. If it’s ok with you there could be a residence for us there since we travel a lot it could be a nice place to settle down and it’s close to our friends. But we aren’t even engaged and under the bullshit courting system, we can’t move in together! :( And I’ve been starting to teach how to do the octopus arm move, you’re right it’s working wonders! Also, will you come to the glacier spirits festival? Suki decided that she’ll come and so has Mai and baby Izumi.
Yours , Katara
My love, Katara
You never cease to amaze me with your ideas, both ideas for the little island are amazing, and when we are both in Republic City we can plan it out. I will be at the spirits festival. And to answer the next question it would be my honor to marry you, but would I have to ask for your family's permission for it to be valid? Also, do you want to get married? In every culture, I’ve known marriage is a big deal but to air nomads, it’s HUGE, because of the whole worldly attachments thing. To put that in perspective only 1 in 10 airbenders that I met before the war got married. It’s very rare and I’ve only been to three air bender weddings. I remember that the head priestess, who was my mother, Jinorra, did the ceremonies. They were in spring, and to bless the couple there were chants done by the monks, and a kulaang was tied around the couple’s necks to bind them.(It's basically like a scarf) The couple also wouldn’t be allowed to see each other the day of. That’s all I can remember now but there are usually records of the practices, next time we’re at the Southern Temple I can look for them. What are the traditions in the southern water tribe? Changing the subject, baby Zumi is so cute! She’s been learning to talk apparently, knife was her first word. Like mother, like daughter they say.
All my love, Aang
She stared at the latest letter deep in thought, after all, she’d just heard that her lover wanted to get married, but she was confused after all marriage is a huge decision, and in his culture even bigger, hence the shock that he was the one who suggested it.
Katara read the letter again and again. Of course, she’d wanna marry him! After all, he’s given up cosmic energy for her!
She held the letter against her chest. And began to write
Dear Aang, I have taken all that you’ve said into consideration and I would also love to be yours, but it would take a couple of years for the island to be complete and as you know I like to settle down with you when we tie the knot. I would also love that the wedding would be a mix of our cultures. But feel no pressure to propose, as I understand it’s a complicated process. The festival is in one week and I’ve started to see them prepare, I’m dying to see you after all it’s been only a month!
All my heart, Katara
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The tea wasn’t even boiling when she heard the noise, Katara sat at the table when she heard a noise coming from outside the hut.
What’s that? She wondered. As she stepped outside she looked up to see a flying bison! It’s really him!
As he landed Katara ran to him, “Aang!”
“Katara,” he said, “ I missed you!”
She squeezed him tight, “Me too sweetie, me too”
After they stopped hugging she noticed that there were others getting off Appa. Mai held little Izumi in her arms and Suki seemed to help someone else get off Appa, it was Toph.
“It’s nice to see you all! But I didn’t know you were coming Toph?”
The earth-bender grinned “Kinda last minute I know but Aang mentioned it and he sent a letter last minute but I didn’t think it would arrive in time.”
As her brother stepped outside, Sokka went to Aang and said, “Are you kidding me? He doesn't have a beard anymore, I had 3 months of no hair but there's a beard joke on hold and now they’re useless!”
“Nice to see you too ponytail” Toph mumbled
“So when’s the festival starting?” Asked Mai
“In an hour or so, but you guys can start heading to town hall Sokka can show you there,” Katara responded
Baby Izumi who had no understanding of anything did a double thumbs up.
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As they walked hand in hand to the festival Aang whispered into her ear, "Can I talk to you for a sec?"
She nodded and he pulled them aside, "I just wanted to talk to you, you know? I just really missed you."
Katara smiled fondly and placed her arm around his, "I missed you too sweetie"
They found a bench to sit on as they stared up at the sky and gazed at the stars.
"You know there's an old air bender tale about this girl named Naiá," he said "who wanted to be a star so much because they were the lovers of the moon and got to shine bright, but the early monks called her selfish, and banished her, during the first night her banishment it was a full moon and she felt it calling to her, when she found out where the call came from she noticed her own reflection and the moon behind her, so she jumped at the chance, only after she started to drown she realized that she would not in fact be a star. But the moon took pity on her and turned her into the most beautiful flower in the world, the star of the water, the Vitoria Regia. "
"That's my favorite flower, it's always so beautiful to see but they only bloom at night," Katara responded "They grow near the Southern Air Temple, right near the lakes?"
"Yep, right near the gardens."
They sat and look and the stars once more before Aang looked her dead in the eye and asked "Katara, can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
He grabbed something from his pocket and kneeled, down, it was a little pendant. "Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe you are my moon, I would jump into a lake for you just like Naiá, and it would be the utmost honor to be your husband, so will you marry me?"
Katara stared at him in awe " I- I YES! A MILLION TIMES YES!!!"
Aang let a breath out and demonstrated that she could put the pendent on her mother's necklace so she wouldn't have to take it out.
"It was your brother's but idea if you look close enough I drew the sign for air and water merged together" Aang explained, "When I asked for your family's permission they also got to help me plan everything, even Pakku told me where the best spot was!"
As they walked back to share the news with their friends Katara smiled.
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She inhaled the sweet spring air as she woke up, looking out the window, the sun illuminating the room. Today was her day, after all, it was her wedding. She was staying at Toph's since the wedding was at Air Temple Island. They'd waited for the place to be completed before getting married since Katara drew the blueprints for the garden area she'd imagined her wedding there, and it was where it'd be. The only reason she wasn't on the island was that in Air nomad culture, the day before the wedding the couple wasn't allowed to see each other, and Aang was very superstitious. Katara headed over to the breakfast table, and noticed that Toph had already woken up and was eating breakfast "Wow, you're awake already Toph? You usually don't wake up this early." she said
"Eh, well since it's a special occasion I just thought it'd be nice to wake up a bit earlier," Toph replied after taking a sip of her coffee.
Katara, looked down at her water bottle full of what she hoped not to be coffee.
"Is that what I think it is?"
"Duh, as your maid of honor, I have to get shit done, including getting Twinkletoes to calm the fuck down. Sokka sent me a radio message saying he's been up since before sunrise." she replied, "After breakfast, I'm headed over there to check on him but I'll be back, oh and Zumi's flower girl dress is with Mai before you get your panties in a twist Sugarqueen."
Katara let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you Toph, I don't know what I'd do without you."
"No worries, plus you guys deserve the best wedding, I mean the first couple of months when you were planning you went full perfectionist. Spirits, you kinda went a little mad," she commented
The water bender chuckled, the initial stress of designing her future home and planning a wedding was very stressful.
Katara grabbed a waffle and put on honey and quejo minas (WHO ELSE HERE IS BRAZILIAN) and honey.
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"Spirits Aang calm down! We'll find it in no time!"Sokka said as he tried to calm down the young avatar.
"HOW SOKKA? HOW, THE RINGS ARE LOST!" Aang yelled nervously
"Can't you use your seismic sense to find them?" questioned Firelord Zuko as he ran around the room trying to find them.
"Ohhhhh, yeah you're right, sorry."
Aang stomped his feet onto the ground before he realized, "Thank the spirits they were just in my pockets!"
They collectively sighed in relief as Aang placed the silver bands in a tiny box. They'd chosen simple rings due to the wear and tear of their jobs after all, battling, healing, and traveling the world can do some damage to the rings.
"Hey motherfuckers, I've arrived!" yelled a voice coming from the door.
Toph Beifong walked through the front door holding a big box.
"I'm here to help and get Katara's stuff, but spirits Aang your heart rate is really high!" she said
He took a deep breath in and out until he felt better.
"When're the guests arriving?;"
"Like 5ish I guess" replied Zuko
"Ok good, see Aang you guys have what like, 5 hours to get ready?"
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Katar sat on her chair looking at the vanity, wondering what to do with her hair, A bun, no it won't look too good. Wait how about my hair just loose? No that's too casual, YES I got it!
She opened her bag to find her stuff. At last, she found them, the little pin she'd use to put in her braid, she'd retired the braid style but her hair loopies were always present. She'd decided to put her hair in a braid and started to work on it.
After it was finished, Katara felt a bit sad, when she'd stopped wearing the braid she was a completely different person and the state of the world was completely different as well. Her eyes started to water but she shut her eyes, preventing the mascara to run down her face.
Pretty soon after that, she moved on to iron her dress, it was a cream-colored long-sleeve dress with ruffles on the sleeves and neckline. As a small detail, she made some needlework on the inside of the dress to place the date on the inside. That took seven tries and 3 days to finish.
While ironing she hummed along to the song on the radio
Don't forget to kiss me
Or else you'll have to miss me ….
"I guess I'm stuck forever by the glue.."
Those were certainly not the next lyrics but she continued, so distracted by the song she almost burned her hand on the iron.
Once she finished Katara decided to go over the binder for the day, yes there was a binder, no it wasn't her idea, Sokka made it and she heavily contributed.
The wedding was in 2 hours and so far everything had gone as planned, Izumi and Ikki had already picked up their dresses, the napkins had arrived, and the rest of her family was already on the island. That seemed to calm her down.
Katara looked at her dress and decided it was time to put it on, even though beautiful it was hell to put on. It took half an hour to just put the fucking thing on, not including the several times where the zipper got stuck.
Finally!!! Mai arrived to leave Ikki and Izumi with her so the girls could arrive together with Katara because of the whole ring-bearer/flower girl situation.
During the route to the ceremony, Katar learned the valuable lesson that Izumi will take a nap in a circumstance be it with a hand in her face or with her head on the floor. When they arrived the guests were already gathered in the gardens waiting. As the children went on their way to walk down the aisle, a voice came from behind her, "Kiddo you ready for it?" it was her dad, Chieftain Hakoda.
"I am."
Her father took her by the arm and they started to walk down the aisle she saw Zuko, Mai, Gran Gran, Pakku, Malina, Ty Lee, Iroh, and Suki. Even though the wedding was small everyone who was invited confirmed so in total it was around 35 people.
When she got to the end Hakoda nodded and Aang did back. Suddenly an acolyte who was holding the kulaang tied it around their necks and started to chant blessings pretty soon the otter acolytes started to chant as well.
After they finished the officiant declared that the couple could now say their vows
"Katara, I vow to be the best partner that I can in sickness and in health, forever and always." he recited
"Aang, I vow to be the best partner that I can be in sickness and in health forever and always," Katara said
"I now pronounce you married by the state of The United Republic."
Katara pulled Aang into a kiss, and it felt like nothing else mattered like it was just them.