Once we lived in an enchanted world,
A world of Chiefs and Princesses and elegant palaces,
And grand parties,
A beautiful, magical time,
That would soon be gone forever.
The palace illuminated brilliant colors as the day turned into night and the summer cooled into winter. The palace at night is blanketed in a beautiful, almost glowing, snow as polar bear-dog drawn carriages pull up to the front gate.
Inside, elegant royalists mingle around the main hall as an orchestra plays, signaling the entrance of the royal family. All eyes turned to the ice elevators, so flawless they could have been mistaken for glass, as two skilled waterbenders descend the lifts grandly on either side of a beautiful staircase. Through the ice doors is Kana, the Empress of the Southern Water Tribe, imperious and decorated with jewels that make her seemingly unapproachable. Her son, Chief Hakoda and his son Sokka are with her. In the other elevator is Kya and missing, their absent daughter Katara.
Katara, eight years old and late for the party, rushes down the upstairs hallway followed by a servant, Hina, who is trying to catch up with Katara to tie a large blue ribbon in her long, dark hair.
"Princess Katara! – you're late and it's all my fault!" Hina whispered urgently in apology as Katara waved her hand cooly.
"Don't worry, Hina, no one'll notice…"
Just then, Hina lassoes the ribbon around her hair, accidentally pulling on Katara's hair a little too harshly, causing the young girl to stop with an "Owwwww!"
All eyes turn to Katara, who now realizes that she's the center of attention from her shriek, but quickly flashes a mischievous smile and gathers herself before descending the staircase in grand style. As the ribbon falls out of her hair and down her back, Katara kicks it to Hina without breaking stride. Kana sees her and can't help but smile. Katara is a picture of perfection, as a young princess was meant to be. Her hair was groomed and flowing, slight curls framing the bottom of her strands. She was wearing an elaborate blue dress, one that was neither too tight nor too loose for a girl her age. The fabric was a thick material, meant to keep the frigid air from touching the bare skin beneath.
We were celebrating the 300th anniversary of our families rule. And that night,
no star burned brighter than that of our sweet Katara, my only granddaughter.
The music suddenly becomes a flourish of trumpets. Waterbenders open the elevator doors as the royal family steps out and begins a procession through their subjects. Kana holds out her arm to Katara as she makes it to Kana's side just in time. Katara has a beautiful but slightly impish face, dominated by large, blue, mischievous eyes. She is an abundance of energy and confidence for a girl her age.
The elegant guests sing their admiration as the beautiful and happy Royal family makes its entrance into the ball. They're "the pride of all the Poles." A man known as Iroh, a great General of the Fire Nation and an honored guest of the royal family, invites his young lady love Wu to dance and the entire glittering assembly swings into a glorious sweeping waltz; singing their certainty that the Royal Family of the South will rule forever.
The ball comes into full swing as beautiful couples swirl across the dance floor, including Katara who is dancing gracefully with her father. Under a long buffet table is a darkly handsome young boy named Zuko, dressed in ragged servant clothes with a shock of dark hair which continually falls across his eyes as he watches the guests enviously. He is clearly of Fire Nation blood, his skin a light shade of peach, his eyes narrowed and a beautiful shade of golden umber. Katara, still waltzing with her father, sees him. Servants cross the room carrying trays of beautiful tropical fruit and the guests "oh" and "ah" at the sumptuous nutriment. Katara sees the young boy eyeing it hungrily and without missing a dance step, she grabs a moon peach off the tray and tosses it to him. He catches it and smiles gratefully at her.
Suddenly, a hand grabs Zuko and pulls him out from under the table. It is the head servant, Shinu, who pulls Zuko into an open wall panel.
"You're a servant! Never forget your place!" Shinu scolded harshly as Zuko fought against his grip. "Back in the kitchen!"
The music continues as Zuko is dragged from his hiding place under the table and back into the kitchen. The kitchen was like a circus, hectic and confusing. The servants complain about their demanding employers and imitate their behaviors mockingly; they imply that they have their own "party" and that change is surely coming.
Back in the ballroom, the royalists are oblivious to the servant's discontent and sing their satisfaction with their own lives. Kana sits in a large throne-like chair looking to be very serious and very regal. She slides over to make room for Katara who sits next to her.
"Why were you so late tonight?" Kana asks gently as Katara wraps her fingers together guiltily.
"I was showing Hina something…" Katara lied quickly.
"What were you showing her?"
"How to waterbend." Katara replies sheepishly, her head lowering.
"I thought you were told not to tutor your servants anymore." Kana mentioned impassively.
"I know, but Hina is so talented, I had to…" Katara looks up to Kana and sees her smile with pride. Katara knows she doesn't have to explain herself. Quickly, she cuddles into her grandmother. "Oh Gran Gran, why do you have to go back to the North Pole?"
She begged me not to return to the North, so I had a very special gift
made for her, to make the separation easier for her. For both of us.
"It's where I've made my home, but I do have something for you…"
Kana reaches from behind the chair and brings out a beautiful music box. Katara takes the intricately carved box into her hands and stares at it with admiration.
"It's beautiful Gran Gran! Is it a jewelry box?"
"Look!"
Kana pulls out a thin silver and blue stone that is attached to a blue neck ribbon and presses it into the box. Music begins and Katara gasps as she recognizes the tune.
"It's playing our lullaby!"
"Now you can play it when you go to sleep at night and pretend it is me singing."
Kana smiles fondly at her granddaughter as Katara starts humming and swaying to the familiar song. When the song fades away, Kana holds up the charm for Katara.
"Here, read what it says."
Katara looks it over, the key bearing the inscription "Together in the North."
"Together in the North! Oh, when can we be together in the North?!"
"When you're older." Kana chimes as Katara makes a disgruntled face, causing Kana to laugh.
"Until then, whenever you hear this song, think of me and know that I'm waiting for you."
Kana ties the key around Katara's neck and they embrace. Their moment of bliss is cut off when suddenly the flames on the grand chandelier begin to flicker, a harsh breeze blowing through the palace. The people in the ballroom look around bewildered; then, a whirlwind kicks up sending everyone off the dance floor.
Suddenly, a red dragon with huge black eyes springs out of the funnel, screeching and swooping over the crowd, blowing bursts of fire, causing everyone to duck and cover their heads in fear. The cyclone reaches its peak and explodes in smoke, leaving a tall ominous man standing alone in the middle of the floor. He is dangerous looking, towering over other men in the room, his most striking feature are his eyes – which at this moment are burning a fiery red. He is dressed in a flowing black robe with mahogany accents and a gold satin rope tied around his waist. Connected to the rope is a glowing reliquary, a mystical lantern.
But, we would never be together in the North, for dark shadows had descended upon the Royal
house of the South. His name was Ozai, power-mad and dangerous; we thought he had fallen,
overrun and dethroned from his crown in the Fire Nation.
Hakoda, Sokka, and Kya, are all huddled together, Zuko peeking out of the wall panel. He searches for the princess, Katara, and finds her clutching onto her mother. They all look frightened. Hakoda gathered his family together, urging them to stay back before approaching the evil man.
"How dare you return to the palace!"
"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" Ozai mocks, a wicked smile gracing his lips.
"Friend. HA! You are a traitor, to the South and your own people. Now GET OUT!" Hadoka fumed angrily, pointing beyond Ozai to the door as his face fell from its amused smirk to a low scowl.
"You think you can banish the great Ozai? By the holy powers vested in me, I banish you with a CURSE!" Ozai says menacingly, turning to the crowd as Zuko rushes back into the hall, directly behind Kana and Katara who gasp in fear, clutching each other tightly. "Mark my words, your family's dynasty ends here! You, your wife and children will all die within the fortnight!"
Ozai swings the reliquary, wrapping himself in smoke which seems to grow larger. Eerie moaning noises come from the reliquary. People back away in terror.
"No!" Katara cries, leaving Kana and rushing to stand in front of her father. Still holding her music box, Katara's shaking hands are the only thing that gives away her fear. Ozai spins toward the voice. "We're not afraid of you!" Katara pulls a small amount of water from a nearby fountain and bends it at Ozai, the cold water splashing into his face pathetically. There had not been a water bender in Katara's family for generations, let alone a female water bender. She truly was something special.
Ozai turns furious, looking down at the pathetic little girl before him. Hakoda pushes Katara behind him, but she peers over him, looking to Ozai's fuming gaze.
"You…my little sweet…you'll be so much fun to kill that I'll save you for last!" Twirling the reliquary again, the moans grow louder as the red dragon circles around his head.
The tornado of smoke beings again, whipping into a frenzy and then exploding as the grand chandelier above snaps from the ceiling and crashes down to the floor, the crystals, ice, and snow adorning the fixture smashing into pieces amongst the feet of the royals and their guests. When the smoke clears, everyone is surprised to see that Ozai is gone. As the lights return to normal, the Royal family all stand together and try to look regal and in control once again.
Some say Ozai had harnessed all the dark powers of evil and that it was
his curse which brought about the end. I will never know for sure. All I do
know is that the beauty of our world was soon gone…forever.
In the palace, where the grand ball had taken place hours earlier, now was a scene of chaos and violence. A portrait of the royal family, a huge frieze which covers an entire wall, singes as the flames creep up the nearby drapery, tinting the room in an orange glow. A screaming mob, some in uniform, some not, have crashed into the palace and are heading up the stairs. Most are Fire
Nation blood, some in the mob firing blasts of fire from their tightly closed fists.
Katara bolts up from her bed, hearing the blazing fire beyond her door. Her music box is next to her on her nightstand. In the hallway, mass confusion ensues as the mob is met by a few servants who try to stop them from advancing. Still in nightclothes, the Royal family is being rushed down the hallway. Kana is next to Katara as she stops dead in her tracks.
"My music box!" Katara realizes in a panic, turning around and running back down the hall. Kana tries to stop her, but it is too late.
"Katara, no!" Katara fights her way back into her room with Kana following behind.
Zuko is watching amidst all the confusion and sees among the crowd Katara running towards her room and follows after her.
Katara grabs her music box as Kana rushes in
"Hurry, child!" She urges, holding out her hand for Katara
There is another loud blaze of fire as Zuko bursts into the room, closing the door behind him.
"No – this way!" He instructs quickly, running to a wall panel and throwing his weight against it. It opens, revealing a passage way. "Go! Run! Out the servant's quarters!"
Kana, enormously grateful, looks at Zuko as he flips his hair out of his face.
"Go!" Zuko urges one last time. Kana goes in as Zuko shoves Katara toward the passageway, knocking the music box out of her hand. She reaches for it, but hearing the mob voices growing closer, he pushes her through the panel without it.
"Go!"
Kana quickly pulls Katara deeper into the passageway and Zuko closes the panel just as the mob bursts in.
"Where are they boy?" A beefy looking man asks in a grunt, his hands ready for an attack. Zuko backs away, pointing his fist out with all the strength he can muster, sending a ball of flame towards the man. It misses, but infuriates the man enough for him to send a fireball of his own at the young boy, which unfortunately did not miss its target. The blast lit up the left side of Zuko's face as he buckled in pain, anguishing cries of pain vibrating through his body. Near his crumpled form lies Katara's music box.
The ship port is darkened by the night sky, under siege by royalists trying to board the overcrowded ship and the revolutionaries who are trying to stop them. A touring sleigh pulls up right on the tracks behind the caboose as the boat starts to pull away. Kana and Katara climb out of the sleigh and race for the boat, fighting their way through the frenzied and frightened crowd.
Shouts are heard of "The Empress – let her through!" which helps clear the way. Katara reaches the boat first, and turns to see Kana trying to catch up. The boat is gliding along the dock gently, but won't be for long.
"Hurry Gran Gran!"
"Get on Katara, get on!"
Katara refuses to board the boat as a mob of waterbending revolutionaries momentarily block the path of the boat with ice. Katara pushes Kana up the ladder of the ship which puts her a few steps behind as the boat breaks through the ice barriers and begins to speed up. Kana is gripped by other passengers as she reaches out to Katara.
"Grab my hand!" Kana urges as Katara reaches up and takes her hand.
"Don't let go!" Tears are in Katara's eyes as she struggles to keep her grip. Suddenly, her small hand is pulled from Kana's grasp and falls out of reach.
"Katara!" Kana cries desperately, watching her young granddaughter stumble, hitting the ground hard. Kana is horrified as she screams for the young girl, "Katara!"
Kana rushes to jump off the boat after her but is caught and held back by the royalist passengers as the boat steams forward, the added motion from the waterbenders on board coasting it quickly along the sea. Kana watches as Katara rises from the ground, her hand outstretched, but she is suddenly swallowed up by the mob.
I never saw her again.