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

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.

[inafadingcrown]

And I am glad of it. [She offers a slight smile] Of course, I would know little of tribes myself. My people tend towards kingdoms, historically. [Government is so much easier when you have the final word.]

[waterbends]

Mm. The Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom were both set up as kingdoms. And even the Northern Water Tribe had a leader and princess. We were just a little -- small in the South, thanks to the wars.

[inafadingcrown]

That I understand better than I would like. I fear many here do.

[waterbends]

It'd be nice if most of us had more than war at home to bond over.

[inafadingcrown]

We do, though some may not see it. Do we not all love? Have we not all felt the pain of loss? Be they kith or kin, we have all been parted from those we hold dear.

We are not so different as we may appear, I think.

[waterbends]

I guess you're right. It's hard to think that way sometimes; people here tend to be pretty private about that sort of thing. Not that I blame them.. I'm the same way.

[A pause. Belatedly, she realizes she isn't eating and hastily does!]

[inafadingcrown]

As am I. [Galadriel pauses to eat for a moment, as she has been during the lulls in the conversation.]

Yet I am certain of it, for it is true of all beings who have still light and goodness within their hearts. Long have I lived and many things have I seen, both fell and grand, but this is as constant as the stars.

[waterbends]

[Galadriel's words relax her a little bit and she puts her eating utensils down, folding her hands on the table.]

You seem very wise. [And it's not facetious or scornful. Katara is earnest.]