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rabbithole

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Issarok has finished the morning classes and is now free to roam around the palace.

Unfortunately, it's nearly Midwinter, so the palace is dark, and there are Southerners and Firebenders everywhere, all of whom he'd really rather not run into in the dark.

He's sitting in the throne room instead, reading over a scroll of military theory and frowning whenever he finds something he disagrees with. Which appears to be fairly often.

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Sakari smiles a little at his description and nods. "Yes, I know. Your collection is very impressive. It's something I wish the South would adopt, real history records."

It's hard to learn about the south when all the history is oral-history and some things are surely embellished.

Issarok laughs politely. (He's surprised they can even read.)

"Perhaps we can encourage your tribe to take up recording history."

You know. When he's in charge.

Except he said we. Obviously, it's a project they can work together on.

Sakari smiles and looks a little pleased about this, nodding. "It probably won't take much work to convince my father. I just hope there are some people secretly interested in becoming scribes. I've heard it's tedious work."

It might have been a royal 'we.' Not that he'd ever contradict a woman. (Why bother?)

"Oh, there are plenty here. Mostly women, of course, but they do quite good work. Smaller hands, I suppose."

Sakari blinks and her eyebrows drop with some confusion. "Smaller hands mean more interest in the job?"

Polite laughter again. "No, no." Dear. "Merely that they're more suited to making tiny letters, of course."

Blinking again, Sakari's face breaks into a smile, shortly followed by laughter. "Well, but it's not like people are pushed into the job because of that."

Because that's how he's making it sound, which is just silly. Sure, the South used to break up the chores equally between Women's Work and Men's Work but her father's pretty much gotten rid of that in the last twenty years.

"Of course not!" Issarok sounds shocked at the idea. Women being pushed into working? It's bad enough some of them don't like the idea of being stay-at-home mothers and wives in the first place. "We would never push women into any job!"

"Well, good," Sakari says, giggling a little at his shock. He took her seriously.

He's not a bad guy, Issarok. At least, that's what she's finding. Kind of weird and pretty stuffy, but not bad. Lu was right, all she needed to do was get to know him.

She looks around the library, in search for a new topic. "What else are you studying now, besides tactics? Anything interesting?"

"All my classes are interesting," he says, looking around the library when she does. "They're rather complicated, though."

Dear.

She smiles at him again. Royalty should have complicated lessons, she thinks. They deal with complicated subject matters!

"What's your favorite?" she asks instead, because that might tell her something new about him.

He smiles, patient, and offers her his arm. "I'm rather enjoying the concept of 'engineering.' It's about structure of objects, you see, and ways to put things together - it's complicated."

He doesn't want her to worry, waving off the subject instead. "Would you like refreshments?"

Taking his arm, Sakari positively beams at him, overjoyed at this response. "Really? That's fantastic, Issarok! There's so much being done with engineering right now in the South and Fire Lord Iroh is making incredible improvements in the Fire Nation. My father has sent several plans to King Bumi, too. They should have running water by the time the year is out."

Of course, the North doesn't have running water yet. But if there are engineering classes, Sakari is sure they're right on the verge of it.

The subject change is a little abrupt, but Sakari bows her head a little, flexible enough. "If you like, I'll come with you."

Her father. Ugh.

He manages a polite smile anyway. Ugh, talking to her is hard. Why does she sound so interested in political things that she surely can't have any real concept of?

"I would enjoy that, Princess Sakari." He bows and takes her arm, smiling at her. "Perhaps you could tell me about your projects on the way. I know your healing skills are very fine."

She smiles back, though the hint of confusion doesn't leave her features. She was hoping they'd continue talking about engineering and improving the nations. That's what this marriage is all about, after all.

But, then again, maybe he wants to know more about her, too.

"Thank you," she replies, bowing her head slightly in gratitude as she takes his arm. "I'm not quite up to Yugoda's skill, though. There's much I have to learn about healing, still. And from Masters Pakku and Katara, too! There's so much that can be done with waterbending, especially in this city."

"Yes, there is." He's proud of her for learning that, and he likes her modesty. "Did you know the city is continually being rebuilt? It's actually built into the glacier, and so we have teams of men constantly working to keep the city stable."

Nodding, Sakari beams at his interest. "I did, actually. I've been studying some of the architects and they've shown me quite a bit. It's fascinating how much effort goes into keeping the city so beautiful. The artists that design the bridges and fountains, they've been very kind too in showing me their technique."

Yes, actually, when Sakari came North to study waterbending, she came to study every single aspect of it.

"It's really incredible. The people here are so talented."

Iss smiles benevolently. "I'm glad they've been kind enough to teach you some of our ways. I hope you find it interesting."

"I do," she replies, still beaming. "Waterbending is a gift. It's my duty to learn all aspects of it."

He glances sideways at her, and smiles approvingly. "It's always wise to learn about other people's skills as well as your own. I admire that in a woman."

She blinks at him and-- okay, it sounds a little weird, but it's also obviously a compliment. Sakari smiles and bows her head again. "Thank you. I hope to make all aspects of waterbending part of my skills, eventually.

"It's a quality I'm pleased to find in all people."

You know, not just-- men. Or something.

He hesitates. "That almost sounds like you're planning to learn to fight, Princess."

Disapproval. SO MUCH disapproval.

Another blink.

Then a laugh.

"Prince Issarok!" Sakari exclaims between giggles, grinning at him for his obvious joke. "What do you think I've been doing here the last two years, with my aunt and Master Pakku? Come on."

Issarok isn't laughing. He just stares at her with a look of faint confusion.

Women who want to fight go to the South. Everyone knows that. It's not necessary here, and it's not really accepted. There's Master Katara, of course, but she's the exception that proves the rule. And besides, Issarok has heard rumours that fighting isn't the only thing Master Katara does like a man. She's still not married, after all.

But Sakari was raised in the South. So she probably doesn't really see that it's strange. And of course, Master Katara is her family.

He settles on another vague, polite smile. "Of course you have. Well, that will stop when we get married, of course."

There's no doubt in his voice. She's chosen to come to the North, of course, so of course she's willing to accept their traditions, their ways.

"Here is the kitchen. Tell me, how else do you fill your days?"

Sakari stares.

And stops in the doorway to the kitchen.

"I'm not in the habit of leaving tasks unfinished or lessons unlearned," Sakari informs him quietly, still holding his arm. But that Not Right feeling is back again. "That would be very irresponsible, I think, especially since our marriage doesn't include many extra duties for me. Not with all the servants in the palace."

If he doesn't want her learning, what does he expect her to do?"