Narrative

Once upon a time, there lived 4 kingdoms. The kingdoms were based on the 4 bending elements: Water, Earth, Fire and Air.

They lived in harmony, as long as the avatar lived.

Until, the fire nation attacked.

The battle was catastrophic. The avatar died in the avatar state, breaking the avatar cycle. Fire lord Sozin died along with many fire nation armies. In the end, both sides lost. In order to create and keep peace, the nations decided to arrange marriages between the nations and keep all the nations unified. No kingdom would be greater than the other.

Everything seemed well. The fire nation's prince was officially betrothed to the water kingdom's princess: Katara. She was a beautiful baby, big, curious blue eyes; dark brown locks, and smooth brown skin. Her older brother was as beautiful; betrothed to the Earth kingdom's princess, Princess Suki. The family was very happy, their kingdom growing, the children growing, when suddenly

Splash!

The queen stared in shock, as the baby girl in her arms giggled.

"Hakoda! Come here quick!" She yelled

She looked at her daughter and saw her once again splash water in her face. Without the use of her hands. Or feet. Or-

"What is it?" King Hakoda panted, tired from running after hearing his wife screaming

" And why are you all wet?"

"I think Katara just bent the water from the tub!"

Hakoda looked toward his beautiful daughter, who was completely dry, when suddenly he too was drenched

Katara laughed at her daddy' face, filled with joy, shock, and fear all at once.

"Our daughter is a water bender"

Soon, word got out. And that word, also reached the only other water bender living: Hama, the blood bender. She was a legend not know to be true, and when she heard of the young girl's abilities and decided to do what was right in her eyes. One night, when the full moon was high in the night's sky, she broke into the palace, stealing the child. The king and queen tried to stop her but was quickly stopped with the shattering truth that this woman could blood bend. Hama left with the baby, killing the queen in the process. Hakoda was devastated, losing his wife and daughter in one day. He was determined to keep his son, and search for his daughter who far away was snuck into a large tower, hidden deep in the dark forest, away from the world. In memory of his lost daughter, every 21 of June, her birthday, thousands of glowing lanterns were let into the sky.

Hama raised Katara as her student. Young Katara learned the ways of water bending alone, in a tower. She had no friends, no freedom. Every year, she would see these lights on her birth date, and deep in her little heart, she felt like someone was calling her, something needed her. And every year, her need and want to go outside and go there grew stronger and stronger. Year after year, king Hakoda never lost hope. He knew one day, he'd see his daughter once again, and he hoped that one day he would see his whole family together, happy as one.