1:
I must have been young when I was captured from my home, too young to remember. I have a few memories, but their foggy and blurred. The earliest clear one is Captain Mai Ong said I was old enough to stop being mothered by Cook. He is my master.
"Kadi!" The Captain barkes. I scurry towards him, bowing at my waist.
"Yes, master?" My dark brown hair falls into my face. As I stand, I swoop it back into my bun.
"Go fetch some dinner for me and my guests." He says in his gravely voice. I nod, and race to the kitchen, my feet slide slightly as I go. I race down the stairs and into the large kitchen. Cook is down their, with his wife and two sons.
"Cook, how's dinner coming along?" I ask, leaning on the door frame.
Dev and Tomi are kneading bread. Isi, the wife, is mending clothes. Cook is...cooking. Rice. A large, heavy, pot of shining white rice.
"No. Give this rice another ten." I nod and sit on a stone bench. My hands are itching to practice my bending on a jug of water in the corner, but I don't. Dev finishes kneading the bread and sits by me.
"Hello, Kadi." Dev is my age, fifteen. Tomi is thirteen. Cook and Isi always joke that Dev and I are destined for each other. I don't mind it, Dev most certainly doesn't mind.
"Hello, Dev."
We idly chit-cat for eight minutes until Cook gives us a nod.
"It's ready." Dev, Tomi, and I take large plates heaping with food up the stairs and into the dining room. As we serve the people, the captain pulls me aside and whispers softly into my ear.
"You will pay for this later. You kept my esteemed guests waiting."
"Yes master." I whisper back. Dev, Tomi, and I slip back into the kitchen. There are more trays to take up, and we do. When all of the food is spread over the large table, we serve them.
When it's finally finished, and the guests are leaving, Captain Mai Ong looks at me.
"Go to the library." He says. I nod, knowing what the library will contain for me.
When he comes, I am waiting for him. He begins to yell at me. He is drunk, his speech is slurred and it looks as if his mind is reeling. I can take his words and the blows. But it's when he firebends I cower. He attacks me with everything he has, I am lucky I have my knife. I can fight him.
But I can deflect the blasts.
Eventually, I escape and run to the kitchens. I have a burn on the base if my neck, one on my left thigh, and one on my side.
"Kadi!" Isa shrieks. She rushes to me and I collapse in her loving arms. She sets me on her and Cook's bed. Dev comes in and holds my hand while she looks for salves and bandages.
"It hurts." I whisper.
"It'll be OK." He whispers back. He kisses me, gently. My stomach flutters. I stare into his eyes, they are green. Deep green.
Isa comes in a shoos him away. She peels away my tunic and applies layers of salve and bandages.
"I can't stay here, Isa. I need to leave."
"You're crazy, Kadi. Your burns need to heal."
"No. I need to get out of here, Isa. I need to find my family. And...I'm scared of being burned again."
"Please stay." Maybe Isa already knew that I made my mind up, her eyes were sad. I loved Cook and company. And Isa and Cook had always joked that Dev and I would get married.
He had kissed me after all.
But I needed to go.
Now.
I looked at the brand on my side. It was a circle with a flame inside. Over the flame was word 尤 (dragon). Every servant here had the mark.
As soon as she was done, I race into my tiny room. I take a sac and fill it with a change of clothes, shoes, my knife, a blanket, and a writing set. I had had the knife since I was little. It was beautiful, and very different from the earth kingdom and fire nation knives I was surrounded with. It had a few holes in the blade, and the handle was wrapped in strange, but beautiful, leather. A piece of cord with a few beads and charms was tied under the blade. I look into the mirror.
I have long, dark brown hair, tan skin, and bluish grayish greenish eyes. I turn the knife over in my hand. I undo my braid. With one quick movement, I cut my hair and send it fluttering to the floor. My hair is just short enough I can put it into a bun, which I do. I head back down to the kitchen.
They stare at me in shock.
"Your hair!" Cook says, reaching up to touch it.
"It's horrible!" Tomi said, looking at me with eyebrows raised.
"I think it's beautiful." Dev whispers. I blushed.
Isa sighed and hands me a change of clothes. I slip into her bed room and change. It's simple pants, a tunic, and a belt. Cook hands my a pair of tough leather boots.
"Goodbye, everyone." I said, smiling through tears.
Everyone hugs me tightly except Dev. When the others back away, he comes and holds me tightly.
"Hurry home." He whispers. I blush and when he pulls away, I kiss him.
It's strange and beautiful, kissing to the sounds of Cook and Isa's awws, and Tomi's "Yuck!"s.
I pull away.
"No promises." I whisper. I turn and exit out the door. I take an ostrich horse and mount her.
We gallop together, out of the fore nation colony.
