A.N: Hi! This is my first ATLA Fanfiction so I hope I make all of you benders out there proud! I own nothing! Hence why this on Fanfiction. Though I often dream I could have been a voice actor for that show! But I was only six back then…

Book One: Fire

Chapter One

-The High Priestess-

It started almost three years ago.

When everything was so normal. When things went right.

A young girl ran throughout the palace and jumped on a boy with a goofy grin.

"Zuky!"

The boy grunted but steadied himself and stood up straight so the girl was still riding on him, piggyback style. "Daiyu. Get off would you?" He said with a smile. These two have been friends since they could first remember. Daiyu was a commoner- more like orphaned peasent- that Zuko's cousin, Lu-Ten had taken in a few years ago. After he died, retired General Iroh had made sure to keep Lu-Ten's promise to take care of her. Lu-Ten loved his adopted little sister to death.

Daiyu and Zuko were each others playmates in the palace. He liked hanging out with her way more than he did his deranged sister, Azula, and her two lackeys, Mai and Ty-Lee. Daiyu was more down to earth and tom boyish like he was. She was mastering sword play since she wasnt a bender.

Daiyu jumped off his back and took his arm like a "proper woman" would do. "There. Is this better, my Prince?" Zuko scowled but rolled his eyes playfully and nodded, heading down the hallway with the white haired girl on his side. He always wondered how she got her white hair. Uncle always said she was blessed by the spirits. How true his words were.

They were to be seperated because Daiyu had to dress up as her only role in this palace.

The High Priestess of the Fire Nation.

"Why wont they let me go!" Zuko questioned outside of her door. She shrugged but remembering he wasnt in the room she said a terse "Dont know! But there boring as hell!" The thirteen year old boy groaned and laid against the wall. Finally Daiyu stepped out, her long white hair in a very high pony tail held by a flame headpiece. Her diadem was gold and red with little diamonds, creating the look of fire licking on her forehead, draping with three golden lines and reconnected in the center of a red ruby.

He couldnt see what she was wearing on the top half of her because she covered herself with a red silk like cloth. It was long enough to cover her shoulder to her hip. He did see that she was wearing a long skirt that had a slit going up her left leg a little too high. He rolled his eyes. Zuko grudgingly admitted he loved to watch her dance but the old men in the room probably like it far more for a diffrent reason. "C'mon. I'll take you back to your room." Daiyu murmured and Zuko growled dangerously at her. "What the hell? Why do you always have to dance at every meeting?!" Daiyu giggled at his protective ways. She felt his 'big brother' protectiveness grow ten fold. "Not for every meeting. But since we are in a war and I have a supposed connection with the spirits I have to do it over important meetings to bless the people inside so they could be safe."

"She is right, she's our lucky charm."

"Iroh!" Daiyu kissed Iroh on the cheek and the Dragon of the West chuckled good naturedly. "Good afternoon, my dear. I see that Prince Zuko is pressuring you again is he?" Zuko scowled and Daiyu giggled. "I suppose he is. Iroh just let him go in and experince the darn war meeting. He'll see that it was nothing to get so worked up about and will be bored to tears. Im pretty sure Ive cried a few times!" Iroh laughed a robust sound and Zuko and Daiyu look at each other with smiles written across their faces.

It was the last time I saw Zuko smile. It was such a beautiful thing. It reminded me that the war would end someday and that he would be with me every step of the way. Where did it go wrong, who was to blame?!

Daiyu's dance ended and she sat on her shins, perfectly still with her hands sitting on her thighs, ready for the meeting. But before they started, all prayed to the spirits lead by the High Priestess.

Zuko rarely saw this side of Daiyu. The one that was stoic and cold. Almost threatning. She caught Zuko's eyes and gave him a small smile of embarrassment before settling back into her mask. No one but Zuko and Iroh caught that little slip and yet it seemed as though the real Daiyu was lost somewhere after that dance.

An hour or so later, which was remarkable for all the old men in the room because Daiyu's discipline to stay chillingly still surprised them, Zuko's eyes flashed in anger. Some idiotic war general said the most horrific and atrocious thing Daiyu has ever heard in a war meeting.

"…I dont. They'll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait than fresh meat?"

Daiyu's expression went from cold to icy which quite a few members noticed.

"Is there something you disagree with, High Priestess Daiyu?" Ozai drawled in his deep rumble of a voice, challenging her to disrespect him. Daiyu turned towards him and looked him straight in the eye. Showing that they were equals. "Not at all, Fire Lord Ozai. Proceed with the meeting." The two leaders were about to turn back to the main general to continue when Zuko stood up. Daiyu gaped in horror when he told off the old man. She even put a hand over her mouth in mortification.

Zuko it was my fault. Im to blame. I shouldve been more strict, should have waited untill you were older. When I knew your emotions wouldnt get the best of you.

Im so sorry!

"Zuko! Oh my goodness!"

Daiyu burst into tears when she saw the injured prince in the infirmary. Bandages wrapped around an entire side of his face.

"Daiyu..." His voice was cracked and hoarse and she cried harder. "IM SO SORRY!" She wailed and Zuko hated himself. He hated seeing Daiyu cry. He's only seen her do it once but he made her promise to make sure she would never cry again as long as he was with her.

Zuko called himself two things.

A liar...

and a disgrace.