Lu Kai

Lu Kai could feel the Sun beat down upon him relentlessly. As a firebender usually he would welcome the feel of the Sun on skin, the strengthening of his inner flame but three hours especially during mid day was too much. He was sweltering in the formal robes that designated his royal position. Thankfully his hair was up off his neck. He was going to kill Maiko when he got back. Too busy yeah right, she probably had a secret meeting with Ren. He thought longingly of how cool he could be right then in the Palace. He could be drinking some fresh melon juice right about then instead of sweltering on the docks for the new ambassador of The Northern Water Tribe.

Then he saw the purple sails appearing upon the horizon. He sighed with relief but stopped himself from muttering "Finally." The guards were close enough to hear anything he said and he couldn't seem anything less than welcoming. The ship approached far faster than would be expected. They probably had a number of waterbenders on board.

As the ship docked and lowered its ramp Lu Kai stood motionless waiting for the ambassador. When someone who looked like he could be it walked down the plank head held high Lu Kai moved forward to greet him. He bowed to the Water Tribe man in the Fire Nation style. The man, who looked to be in his late twenties with the characteristic dark skin and bright blue eyes of his people, bowed back.

"Welcome!" Lu Kai said, "I am Prince Lu Kai and I am here to help guide you to your quarters."

"Thank you Prince Lu Kai. My name is Kanak." he answered.

As he spoke Lu Kai couldn't help notice over Kanak's shoulder a teenage girl stalking down the ramp. She seemed too young to be his wife but far too old to be his daughter. Lu Kai was aware that the ambassador was married with two young children and that he was bringing his family with him. He hoped he hadn't been given misinformation for he had already made preparations for their stay on the information given to him. It would be so humiliating if he had messed up.

"I have bought carriages to take us to your residence." he said turning away slightly to gesture to the carriages. "Leave your luggage here. It will be…" he was interrupted by a girl's voice.

"KANAK!" It was the girl Lu Kai had noticed getting off the ship. "How dare you leave Hikisa to take care of the twins alone! Those little monsters of yours have completely wrecked my cabin! All my notes are now covered with multi colored little hand prints! How am I ever going to…"

The girl ranted on and on. Kanak seemed to be waiting for her to run out of steam. As he also waited for the girl to stop shouting Lu Kai noticed more people descending from the ship including a young woman carrying a pair of toddlers. They all acted as if a young girl shouting at a man double her age was completely normal. More than likely she was his sister if her scolding him was such an ordinary occurrence. He studied her appearance discreetly. He might be a prince but he was also a teenage boy.

Her skin was a shade lighter than that of the man next to her, her dark hair was held back from her face by a pair of turtle-seal shell combs and fell down her back in loose wild waves. She showed no physical similarity to Kanak though that didn't prove anything. In fact she looked a lot like… but she couldn't be. He shook the thought out of his head.

Lu Kai hoped they would be finished soon; he really didn't want to stand under the Sun any longer than necessary. Finally the woman stepped forward; giving one of her children to Kanak, she placed a hand on the girls shoulder and whispered a few words in her ear. The girl seemed to calm down taking a couple of deep breaths and almost visibly counting to ten.

Kanak turned to Lu Kai as if he hadn't just been publically berated by a teenage girl. "Your Highness, please forgive that interruption and let me introduce you to my family. This is my wife Hikisa," he gestured to the young woman, "and these are our children Nilak and Neela. This" he said gesturing towards the girl standing on his other side who obediently stepped forward, "is my niece, Keilla."

Lu Kai froze.

He was going to kill Maiko. He remembered how his sister had come to him that morning and begged him to take her place in greeting the Water Tribe ambassador. She had a mountain of work, their mother would kill her if it wasn't done by night, can he please just do this little, time consuming chore and she would be in his debt forever. He should have known. She would never beg. She was more than capable of tricking him into doing her work when it was required. She had set up the entire thing so that he would end up looking like a fool. He was going to kill her.

He could still hear Kanak finish the introductions announcing his name and title to those present. He watched as she recognized him, her eyes practically popping out of their sockets, a blush spreading across her dusky cheeks. She had changed so much, last time he had seen her she was but a child, hair up in braids, running around like a heathen, rolling in the snow and mud, forever up to mischief. Now she seemed more like a woman full of righteous indignation one moment and shy and demure the next. But the eyes were the same, bright silvery grey sparkling with surprise and joy and excitement and innocence and apprehension and shyness. He could see the world in her eyes even now.

He didn't notice the awkward silence that had fallen nor that he was staring until Kanak cleared his throat and said "I take it you two have met each other before or are we actually witnessing a case of love at first sight?"

Instantly he was whacked across the back of his head with a water whip. "Keilla." Hikisa said disapprovingly.

"Sorry," she said ducking her head for a moment. Then she looked up again smiling. "Hi!" she said brightly tucking her hair behind her ear, "So, um… I guess you still remember me."

"Er… yeah, but um… why don't we move inside now. We can catch up later." He turned away trying to compose himself though after that display he could probably kiss his dignity good bye. He was really going to kill Maiko.

"So as I was saying you can leave your luggage here. The guards will bring it with them. Why don't you get into the carriage? There is enough room for all of us to go in one. I can show you the way to your residence. I am sure you want to set up your home to your tastes." He addressed the last comment to Hikisa and he meant it sincerely. He wanted to ensure they have a comfortable time in his nation however he also wanted to get out of there as fast as possible for multiple reasons the heat being the least of them.

He was really going to kill Maiko."