Avatar Kuruk drew his last breath and with his passing, the Spirits began to work their power on a new Avatar, growing within the womb of a fragile woman residing in the Southwestern part of the Earth Kingdom. This Avatar would be fierce and strong, an example for her people, an anchor for the world. She would be a warrior.
Part 1, The Birth of a Warrior
"Come on, Hye, you can do it. Just a couple of more pushes."
Tears streamed down the young girl's face. She had never intended to have a child so early into her life, or her marriage. Her husband held tightly onto his wife's hand. Her belly had swollen so large it was doubtful that the tiny girl would be able to give birth properly. She gave another ear piercing cry as the pain shot through her spine. The doctor kept giving her encouraging words, wiping sweat from his own brow. He knew, successful or not, this birth would not be easy for Hye, with tiny hips and a weak constitution to begin with.
"Hye, I love you, you're almost there," said Jin, wiping sticky strands of hair from his wife's forehead. She cried out again, digging her fingers into the bed beneath her, and then all was silent, save for the tiny cries that came from the doctor's arms. Jin burst into happy tears and kissed his wife.
"I love you so much," he whispered. "You are amazing, Hye."
Hye smiled weakly and glanced back up at the doctor who cleaned off their new baby and swaddled it in a large rag.
"Spirits," said the doctor. "Your daughter is a large one at that."
"It's a girl?" said Jin. "Honey, it's a girl!"
Hye nodded between weak breaths, leaning back into the pillows, her dark hair strewn around her in damp locks. The doctor the baby girl handed Jin and sat back to observe the new family.
"She is a big baby," Jin said jokingly. "That just means she'll be strong, right?"
The doctor nodded. Jin glanced down at his wife,
"Do you still want to name her Kyoshi?" he asked; she didn't answer. "Hye?"
The young mother did not move. Her pale face nearly blended in with the pillows around her. Just the faintest of breaths lifted her swollen chest, struggling to rise.
"Hye, wake up," said Jin, gently nudging his wife. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled faintly at her daughter.
"Is she our Kyoshi?" he asked, starting to worry. Hye's smile widened just a bit and she nodded.
"My big and strong Kyoshi," she whispered, and then closed her eyes. Jin began to tremble with anxiety.
"Come on, Hye, don't you want to hold her?" he asked, nudging his wife with their bundled child. "Hye?"
The doctor made his way to Hye's side and began to examine her. Tears began to well up once more in Jin's eyes, but under new pretenses, under new fears and feelings.
"Hye?" he said again. The doctor slowly shook his head.
"I'm sorry," he said. "There's nothing I can do. The labor was just too much for her."
"N-no," Jin stammered. "Hye, no, she can't-" He trailed off and glanced at the doctor, horrified. "She's a strong girl. She's pulled through everything."
"Jin, she was a fragile young woman, you know that," he said, painfully honest. "I'm sorry, but she is with the Spirits now."
Jin sank back onto his heels, nearly dropping the baby from his arms. He shifted the bundle to his other arm to reach for his wife. He touched her cheek, damp and clammy with sweat and tears.
"Hye..." He broke into weak sobs, leaning into Hye's still chest. "No, please, don't leave me now...I need you, our baby needs you, please just...don't...not now...not today..."
"Jin, I'm sorry," said the doctor. "But this is not an uncommon thing with heavy births such as-"
"Leave!" Jin cried. "Leave us!"
The doctor sighed, knowing his influence was for nigh. He packed up his tools and stood. Before leaving the bedroom, he turned back.
"I will return with a wet nurse for your daughter and to prepare the body," he said. "I'm sorry."
The room was empty and quiet, except for Jin's soft cries next to Hye's lifeless body, and the small strong squeals of a child who's life was far more important than her broken father realized.
A/N: I always wondered what kind of trials Kyoshi had to go through, especially since she was the oldest living human ever recorded (230 years, dear Spirits) You can also find this story on my RP tumblr
