dictated

[waterbends]

So the guests we had during the festival -- one of them was Avatar Roku, a.. well, sort of celebrated hero from my world. Maybe - well. It's complicated. But he's still kind of a hero of legend, and I also kind of chickened out while he was here.

.. and I'm not entirely sure why I'm telling the whole castle this, either. [A small puff of irritation.] Just, um. If you have a chance at something here, I guess, don't chicken out and let it get away. I guess. Agh, I'm rambling worse than my brother.

[And, sounding slightly embarrassed, she shuts the journal.]

Comments

[waterbends]

It's kind of a relief to know that maybe he really did escape this place.

[inafadingcrown]

Or mayhaps he was not fully within its grasp at all.

[waterbends]

I can't wait until the same can be said about me.

[inafadingcrown]

I imagine most here would say the same.

[waterbends]

[And then, impulsively:]

Would you like me to make you some lunch?

[inafadingcrown]

[Ah. Well, that's surprising. There's a short pause.]

You are most kind to offer. That would please me, yes.

[waterbends]

[Katara scribbles down her room number.]

Here -- I'll have the door unlocked and we can talk face to face, okay?

Have they met in person before? If not, have a surprise!elf, Katara.

[inafadingcrown]

Of course.

[Unlocked or not, when she gets to Katara's room she'll knock, if only to announce her presence.]

I'm not sure!

[waterbends]

Come on in!

[And Katara will be surprised... when she turns around. Right now, she's in the little kitchenette attached to her room, tipping some rice into a pot.

Her room is incredibly spartan. There's a bed and a dresser, but otherwise devoid of personal affects.]

[inafadingcrown]

[Galadriel enters, not at all fazed by the sparseness of the room. It took her a long time before she decided to decorate; it felt like conceding that she wasn't going to leave any time soon.]

Katara. I must thank you again for playing the gracious hostess.

[waterbends]

[And Katara is still stuck in that mindset. She refuses to regard this place as 'home' in any shape, form, or fashion.]

Not at all. Like I told Joshua earlier.. cooking for one is really awful.

[inafadingcrown]

[There came a point where comfort won out over stubbornness for Galadriel. She still doesn't regard it as home.]

I do not cook often myself, yet I understand the sentiment well enough.

[waterbends]

I really enjoy cooking. I mean, I'm not the best at it, but it's something I did a lot back home.. is there anything special you do or don't eat?

[inafadingcrown]

I will be glad to sample whatever you choose to make. [She'll try almost anything once.]

[waterbends]

I hope it's up to your standards, then. [But her tone is light, cheerful.] Go ahead and sit down?

[There's a small table with chairs. Cute, but utterly functional, with zero decoration.]

[inafadingcrown]

I am quite certain it will be. [And she will sit silently and without much ado, the only real noise being the movement of the chair. Elves: they're just quiet that way.]

[waterbends]

[And, eventually, Katara will sit across from Galadriel, sliding a small plate of fried rice and vegetables.]

I hope it's to your liking.

[inafadingcrown]

[And she will accept it gracefully, waiting for Katara to begin eating before she does so.]

The food shall be, I am sure, for the hospitality offered me here has already won my favor.

[waterbends]

[She seems a little embarrassed by that.]

It's just no fun eating alone, and I was getting ready to cook.. that's all.

[inafadingcrown]

It was kind of you, nonetheless. [Moving on.] You said you cook often at home?

[waterbends]

I did! Um. My mother passed when we were very young, and my dad went off to war.. my gran-gran and I did a lot of looking after our tribe, with the men gone. So it kind of fell to us.

[inafadingcrown]

A heavy responsibility for one so young. [But there's no pity in her voice. If anything, she sounds impressed.]

[waterbends]

[Katara smiles at her, glad to hear someone sound impressed instead of apologetic for once.]

I did my best. That's what tribes and families do, right?

[inafadingcrown]

It is what they should do, yes. Alas, it is not always so.

[waterbends]

-- I guess you have a point. I was lucky.. it's what mine did.