A/N: Okay, so for this story, I'm changing the ages of everyone cause it'll work better. Zuko is 19, Katara is 17, Sokka is 18, Suki is 19, Aang is 15 and Toph is 14. Got it? Good :D.
Aunt Wu sighed as she waved up at the ski. Her old, humble gray eyes stayed locked on the giant sky bison as it began to grow smaller and smaller against the horizon. A soft smiled pulled on her lips, letting her hands drop down to her sides.
"Those kids will go a long way."
The little girl, Meng, ran up next to her, yelling up at the sky and flailing her arms like a madwoman. Wu looked down, chuckling softly at the childish innocent of her young assistant. The fortune teller rested a hand atop Meng's head, silently telling her that they were gone now. The look in her eyes spoke a thousand words, causing Meng to only nod slowly as she took one look at the old lady. She sighed, wiping away tears from her face with the sleeve of her robe, sniffling softly.
"Come, child, let's go make us some tea."
"Okay," Meng agreed, albeit a tad bit reluctantly.
Aunt Wu led the small girl back into her large house. She slid the doors shut behind her, letting Meng already run off into the kitchen. The old lady leaned back against the wall, the images of her last prophecy still fresh in her mind. That damn girl wanting to know what her love life would be. Wu disliked people who always asked about love and how their personal life would end up like. But Wu also disliked lying to her customers. However, this was something that this girl needed. The look in her eyes just longed some type of hope and positivity to happen in her life.
"You will marry a powerful bender."
Those were the words that she had told the blue-eyed waterbender just a few hours ago.
Well, it wasn't really a lie. She just omitted some of the details out of the prophecy.
With those words, the girl knew, or thought she knew, the powerful bender would be the Avatar. It made sense, him being able to control all four elements. But if Aunt Wu had truly told her what she had seen, she wouldn't feel the same. No, no one would be grateful to hear that type of news. Wu wanted to give the girl the hope she wanted, and she did.
The only detail she left out:
The prince with the golden eyes and proud scar.
Aunt Wu knew that that revelation would be the last thing the girl would want to hear. The fortune teller let out another sigh, knowing the troubles that the golden-eyed prince had caused her and her friends the last few months.
"Aunt Wu! The tea is almost ready!"
The old woman smiled, treasuring that sweet innocence she saw in Meng. She walked down the hall to the small kitchen area. The smell of ginseng filled the room as Wu walked into the kitchen, sitting down at the table. Meng, with hesitation, poured the hot leaf juice into two cups for the both of them. Meng slid a cup over to Aunt Wu, who nodded her thanks as she took a small sip of the tea.
"Do you like it?" Meng asked.
"Very much, my dear," Aunt Wu replied with a smile.
The two drank their tea in peace and silence. That was at least until Meng started to ramble on about her experiences. Aunt Wu was wide-eyed as Meng went on and on about the young Avatar and how 'cute' he was and how she knew that they would end up together. She was also surprised by the tone Meng spoke with she mentioned the blue-eyed girl.
"She doesn't even look at him like I do," Meng complained.
The young girl was about to continue after a short pause when there was a soft rapping at the front door. Wu turned her head, staring down the hall at the door.
"Meng, go tell whoever it is that we are closed for the day."
Meng nodded, rising to her feet and quickly running down the hall. Aunt Wu's ears perked up with interest as the door slid open, the sound of Meng's voice quickly following it. The other person, a man by the sound and tone of their voice, was very persistent. She could hear him demanding that he had to see the fortune teller. The door was slid shut again, and Aunt Wu could hear Meng running back to the kitchen. She looked up at the young girl, who was trying to catch her breath.
"Aunt Wu," Meng stammered. "This man really wants to see you."
"What is his name?"
Meng whispered softly. "Kaval."
The fortune teller froze in her seat, narrowing her eyes. She only nodded once, placing her cup back down on the table and rising to her feet. She straightened out her robes, looking down at the innocent girl.
"Go," Aunt Wu ordered, turning towards the hall. "Prepare my bones."
Meng opened her mouth to protest, but Wu only raised her hand, silencing the young girl. She turned on her heel and quickly strutted down the hall. She stopped at the door, waiting for Meng to run past her and into the Fortune Room. Wu kept her eyes down from Meng, trying to hide the fear that was bubbling in them. With a long exhale, shaking away the anxiety from before, Wu opened the door again, coming face to face with the one named Kaval.
"Hello, Aunt Wu," Kaval said, a smirk on his face.
Kaval stood tall, taller than anyone that Aunt Wu had ever seen before. He had dark brown hair that shagged over his forehead and grazing his eyebrows. He was dressed in dark, mud brown pants with green boots with a gold trim; similar to the boots that Fire Nation wore. He had a green tunic with gray trim underneath his brown robe, which was the same color as his pants. It was typical Earth Kingdom garb. His boots had a ring of dried mud around the sole, small tracks behind him. Kaval stood with regal and poise, his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes, as green as his tunic, shined brightly with the soft light from the torches.
"Kaval," Aunt Wu said with a sharp incline of her head. "What are you doing here?"
"He was here, wasn't he?" Kaval prompted, stepping around Wu and into her house, inhaling deeply. "I can still feel his presence. Such power."
"Who are you talking about?"
"The Avatar," Kaval snapped. "He was here, and you're a horrible liar. You should've sent notice as soon as he arrived here."
Aunt Wu went to speak, but Meng stepped back into the hall, gasping at the sight of Kaval and quickly dropping her stare to the floor.
"The room is ready," the young girl spoke in a soft voice.
Kaval chuckled, looking from Meng to the fortune teller, extending his arms to the room and smiling at Wu.
"After you."
Aunt Wu nodded, walking down the hall with Kaval right behind her. Meng quickly ran out of the house, sliding the door shut behind her.
"You have the bones?" Kaval asked.
"Of course."
The fortune teller slid the door open to the Fortune Room, turning and extending her arm and bowing at the waist. Kaval smirked again, strolling past her into the room. He rolled his shoulders, letting the robe drop to the floor. He had a gold long sleeve under the tunic, not long enough to hide the small scars that marred the back of his hands. Wu noticed the scars as she slid the door shut, not moving her stare from them.
"Those are new," the fortune teller noted.
"It's been years since we last spoke," Kaval drawled, sitting down on the soft pillow. "Everything about me would be new to you."
Wu said nothing, walking over to the desk with her bowl sitting with the new bones inside it. She grabbed the bowl, turning and taking her seat across from Kaval. Slowly, but with purpose and not taking her eyes of Kaval, she placed the bowl down.
"Why was the Avatar here?"
"He helped put out a volcano that was ready to destroy this town," Wu answered, blinking once. "Now, are you sure that you want to do this?"
"You have the bones. Begin."
Aunt Wu sighed, lifting her hands and letting them rest just above the bones. She began taking deep breaths, closing her eyes as a warm feeling back to race up from her fingertips and all throughout her body. Kaval only stared at her, his hands resting on the table. Wu began to breathe faster and heavier, her eyes moving rapidly underneath her lids. She began mumbling gibberish, her voice growing louder.
Then she stopped.
Her eyes snapped open, revealing them to be a pure white color. Her mouth was slightly open, and her face began to change. Her black hair began to whiten, her skin aging as a loud scream escaped her lips. Wu went limp, falling onto her eyes as her eyes turned back to normal, her chest heaving up and down.
"What did you see?" Kaval roared, the lack of concern in his voice was almost disturbing to a certain degree.
There was no answer.
"What did you see?" Kaval hissed, grabbing Aunt Wu and sitting her up straight.
She spoke, but only in a soft, inaudible whisper.
"What?"
"The fourth harbinger is coming."
Kaval smiled, standing up and dusting himself off. He grabbed his robe and slipped it back on without a sound and raising the hood over his head. He left the old fortune teller there, her words repeating over and over again as silence now hung over her.
"The fourth harbinger is coming."