Chapter One:

Preludes

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." –Maya Angelou

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar.

What is a story? It always begins with a basic beginning: introducing the characters, the setting, and their problem. There are many good stories out there, much epic and worthier than my own. Mine has always been simple to me. A truth as I have seen it through my own eyes. My truth. I have always been one to be in the background. The one time when I merged beyond that point…it did not end well. You see, when one is a bodyguard, it is one's purpose to be that way. But unfortunately, I was not raised entirely as I should have been. I will start at a proper beginning as I should. As the telling of a story should go.

My name is Keiya.

The story starts with a man, not just any man, but the bodyguard of Lord Iroh, Dragon of the West. Lord Iroh was once the Crown Prince, but that story is for later. That bodyguard was named Reizo.

He was my father.

A background is necessary, so permit be to give a quick and simple one. As much as it can be. There is a group of bodyguards called the Society. They are the ones who are the most elite of their kind and secretive at best. The Society protects the nobles of the Fire Nation, hiring out their ranks to those who pay the best. There is one tradition that has always been maintained by this group without any fee. That is the protection of the Royals.

This honor, the greatest above all others, falls down to one particular family. It has beyond living memory. Any time a male Royal is born, a child nearest in age is chosen to protect that Royal for life. The child is taken, as any are in the Society, by the age of five for training. To that one family, their child is dead. It is strange to note that most of that honored family does not know of the child's role. Only the mother will know of her child living. It has always been the mothers of that family to carry the burden, with the rare exceptions here and there. The family is minor nobility, so unknown that they would be considered as country nobility that is no better than a city merchant at best.

My father was of that family. Once he had a different name, but upon entering the Society he gave it up. A bodyguard cannot love. Cannot marry. Cannot have friends. All are in distraction to the protection of the charge. Yet Reizo broke every rule possible. He befriended his charge and married his childhood love. Another bodyguard. She died giving birth to me. Somehow my father managed to raise me for the first five years of my life. Lord Iroh considered him as a brother. My father loved his charge's son like his own….and Lord Iroh loved me like his own. We were a family once, peculiar as it may seem.

I was raised by a loving father and a doting uncle figure in Lord Iroh. And his son, Lu Ten, was like an older brother to me. He was a few years to my senior and I had always followed him about with puppy eyes as a toddler. My early life was filled with all the love, trust, and security one could ever want for their child. Then there came the day when I was to be taken to the Society, just like my father had been….

Lu Ten sat beside me as we sat in the garden. A pond trickled idly to the left of us. We stared up at the clouds together, pondering over what shapes they were. Lu Ten was older than me. Yesterday I had just celebrated my fifth birthday. Father, Iroh, and Lu Ten had thrown me a party of all things. That memory...it still makes me smile. Lu Ten had the promise of looking like his father in some ways, especially with the same dark golden eyes. He was almost as short as me, small for his age. Child roundness still clung to him, but he had a face that would one day have defined angles to it. Lu Ten was the quiet sort of child. There was a strong determination in him that could be seen once he set his mind onto it. He was kind and with laughter. His father was molding him into a good man and leader. Lord Iroh did not think of raising his son as the heir to the throne after himself. Instead, he raised him only as a beloved son.

"What shape is that?" I demanded, pointing with a tiny finger to the blue sky above. The grass tickled my face and bare arms. Unlike Lu Ten, I was the sort of child who spoke their opinion without a second thought. Much to my father's frustration I am sure. "That one?" Lu Ten repeated. I sat up on my elbow and looked over at his wrinkled brow. Lu Ten smiled with a shake of his head.

"That's just a regular cloud."

I sat up and pulled some grass out of the ground. "Is not!" I disagreed, throwing a handful of grass at him. Lu Ten sat up instantly and brushed the grass off of his dark red clothes with a sigh.

"That's not very mature of you, Keiya."

I bowed my head. He was right…and I was supposed to be respectful towards him. Not that it really mattered before. But now…it did. Today I was to be leaving to the Society. I looked at his solemn golden gaze. "When I come back, I'll be mature!" I declared proudly, "I'll be the best bodyguard yet!"

Lu Ten did not laugh as others might have at such a bold statement, especially from one years younger than him. "I don't doubt that," He affirmed seriously.

I trusted him, loved him, like a brother. "Will you miss me?" I asked.

"What kind of question is that?" Lu Ten said with a grin. I tossed another handful of grass at him. I flopped back down at my back, enjoying the warmth of the sun. It felt good to be in the sun's embrace. As a firebender, I held some promise. My father was a good one. My mother…I did not know. Lu Ten was already showing success as a firebender. A perfect son for the Royal family. His mother had died giving birth to him, just like mine had. "Lu Ten, do you think about your mother?"

He looked down at me from where he sat. I almost regretted asking him that. His face was so sad, not something I witnessed there often. "Yeah," He said evenly, "Do you?"

"I wonder what she was like. Dad doesn't talk about her."

Lu Ten smiled sympathetically. "Dad does sometimes…when I've asked about her." Lu Ten plopped down on the ground next to me. "I'm going to miss you," He said quietly.

I grinned with all of the pleasure my small face could fit onto it.

"Keiya?" My father's voice called. I jumped up to my feet immediately. He stood at the entrance to the garden with a calm face. I smiled and ran over to his open arms. Behind me, Lu Ten stayed sitting. My father held me in his warm embrace. "It is time."

I looked up at his face. He seemed so wise to me. Strong. Just like the kind of bodyguard I wanted to be. I turned to look back at Lu Ten. His young face was solemn. This was it than. I bowed for the first time I ever had to him. He stood up and walked over slowly. "You shouldn't bow to family," He commanded. Then he hugged me quickly. My father placed a hand on my tiny shoulder from behind me.

"Your father will be here shortly, Your Highness." My father's deep voice stated. Lu Ten looked up him and nodded his head. I did not look back as him as we walked out of the garden. My lips trembled.

My father took me tou our room. I collected my things from the room I had always shared with him. The room was simple and plain. The way my father liked it. "You ready, Keiya?" He called by the doorway.

"Yes, Dad," I answered and trotted over to him. Outside of the doorway stood Prince Iroh. He was shorter than my father with a more solid build. His dark brown hair was in a top-knot and an almost full style beard. His dark golden eyes were shining. "This is it, little one," He said. He pulled me into a solid hug. "At last the little turtle-duck swims away." I did not always get the things he said, but I hugged him back with a laugh.

"I'm gonna miss you, Iroh!" I said, almost crying. I was excited and ready to make them proud. But I was going to miss them. They were all I knew…this place was the only home I had ever known. My father took me from Iroh's grasp. The two men looked at each other with something I did not understand. Somehow it looked…sad. My father took my hand into his. As we walked down the passageway, I looked back at Prince Iroh. I was surprised to see tears on his cheeks.

After that, my father escorted me to the docks. A simple transport ship was in harbor. I looked at a cloaked figure that stood waiting for us fearfully. The figure looked scary to my young eyes. I was taken aback when my father greeted the hooded person. A hood was drawn back to reveal a middle-aged man. He was plain looking. A face that is easy to forget. Except for his dark eyes. They were sharp. Alert. His very presence spoke of danger. He was a weapon onto himself. Even with my naivety, I could sense that much. "It is good to see you, Reizo," The man said with a neutral tone.

My father greeted him with a warm voice. "Keitaro." They grasped forearms.

"This is her?" Keitaro asked with a suddenly cold voice.

"Her name is Keiya," My father told him. He placed a hand behind me and moved me forward. "Say hi to your uncle."

"My uncle?" I asked shocked. "He doesn't look anything like you!"

My father chuckled. Keitaro's dark eyes narrowed. "He is your mother's brother."

"My mom's brother?" I repeated with a frown.

"He is going to look after you," My father explained, "He is the Guardian."

My jaw dropped. I knew what the Guardian was. My father had told me the basics of the Society. "That is so awesome!" I said excited. I saw Keitaro shake his head a little.

"She is going to need much work," He stated to my father. My father smiled proudly.

"I raised her as any child should be."

"You know how I stand with that," Keitaro replied curtly, "But that is done now. Does she know not what to speak of?"

"Of course, do you think me a fool?"

Keitaro's dark eyes gleamed. "I need not say it."

"Her name is to remain," My father replied with an edge in his voice. Keitaro's face tightened as he nodded. I stood there watching them converse. I did not understand all that passed which made me very impatient. My father noticed this and gave me a critical look. I stopped fidgeting immediately.

"The tide will be going out soon," Keitaro stated placidly. "We must leave." My father nodded and knelt down to my level. His golden gaze was entranced with many emotions. I could see the pain in his eyes though.

"Be good. Do as you are told," He said slowly, "Listen to Keitaro. Do not speak of what you should not."

"Yes, Dad."

He hugged me tightly. "Make me proud," He whispered. Then he stood up harshly. "She is ready." Keitaro held out a hand and I took it. It was callused like my father's. He started to walk across the boarding plank. I turned my small head back. My father's back was to me as he walked quickly down the dock. He did not look back.

I tried to peer over the railing as we set sail. Keitaro stood next me like a dark shadow. The green island became smaller against the blue sea. The Royal Palace was there…father…Iroh…Lu Ten…My home...

My family.

"You need to forget them for now," Keitaro's said next to me. I stared up at him in half-awe. "Your training is all that matters now."

Keitaro was right. I would find my training near impossible at first. For when one has been raised free to express themselves, it is…difficult enter an environment where one cannot. At the tender age of five, I had no idea of what I was getting into.

A/N:This is a prequel story to my other OC story, Some Distant Day.This is only going to be a short miniseries. Keiya is only a minor character in the other story. I thought she deserved her own story. This will end how the show says it does. I do not change the cannon. Thanks for reading and please review. :)