Snow and ice. How perfectly these two things emblemize my life. I have never known a day in my life where the shadow of the Fire Nation did not hover over me. It ages past the city I was raised in was an open port. People from all nations came to see the splendid magnificent of the Northern Water Tribe, none were ever turned away. From its various temples to its impressive canals this city was something to marvel at. But when the Fire Nation declared war on us a thick wall of ice was erected at the mouth of the city, succeeding in not only keeping the Fire Nation out but shutting my people away from the outside world. Yes, because of the war my entire life was like snow and ice, frozen in time and unable to change.

I had always been told I was special. I was unique and in being so I was set apart from the other boys of my tribe. I was different from any other child since the day I was born. I was born still and quiet, as though asleep, and my parents feared I would die. All the healers told my parents there was no hope but my father prayed to the Moon Spirit in desperation and placed me in the Spirit Oasis. The Moon Spirit cured me, gifted me with part of her own life force, saving my life and touching me with the gift of life.

Boys like me were extremely rare, only known in myth. We were known as the Touched, able to bring life into the world. Because of the rarity of the Touched we were said to be set aside by the gods, meant to be the consorts of Kings. And I knew my fate since after my father's death.

My mother was an extremely beautiful and intimidating woman whose heart is as cold as our arctic home. I have always heard whispers, none actually whispered to me directly. They say that my mother is an enchantress and before my parents married she lived apart from out people, isolated in the frozen tundra. One day my father was hunting buffalo yak and a fierce ice storm came out of nowhere. He would have died if he didn't find the Snow Witch's ice cave. She took him in, warmed him, fed him, and then cast a spell and literally stole his heart. He took her back to his palace and married her and the Snow Witch became the White Queen.

I doubt it's true. She is cold, yes, but she is because she is queen. She rules unbiased, not letting her emotions get in the way of what is best for her people and after my father died in the war she has ruled on her own. That is how a mother was able to sacrifice her child. I over herd her making a deal with a man from the Fire Nation, offering to give me to the Fire Lord as his consort in exchange for a truce, leaving my mother as regent.

I was being traded from one prison to another. Even in the warmer lands of the Fire Nation my life will still be like ice and snow. I've never even had a friend. Well not entirely true, I have Kuruk, my koala otter. I found him as a little kit and nursed him myself, and every day after that he has never left my side.

I didn't know if I would be allowed to take him with my new life or if I would be forced to leave him behind. With every day my sixteenth birthday approaches and the dark cloud on the horizon edges closer. I tried not to think about it, I couldn't stand it if I did and lately it wasn't hard to let it slip from my mind. The entire city was in a frenzy, word reached us that the Avatar is coming! The world had given up hope of ever seeing him again and the Avatar was in danger of slipping into myth but a few days ago a messenger arrived saying he was on his way!

He is the prince of Omashu, his mother being queen in her own right and his father was the greatest earthbender of our time, having the name the Green Knight. He only recently found out about being the Avatar when he fell from the walls of Omashu and went into the Avatar State and saved himself. He was sent to the Air Nomads to learn airbending but when the Western Temple fell to the Fire Nation he had to flee and was now coming here. Even though I'm curious to meet him I was afraid for him with my mother being so close to the Fire Nation. If she was so willing to sacrifice her own son what would possibly stop her to give the Fire Lord the untrained Avatar?

The cold arctic air sliced threw me like a knife as I stepped onto my balcony. The city shimmered like a thousand little diamonds in the setting sun. The turtle seals called good night to one another from the other side of the city and noticing something large in the sky I looked up. I watched the large figure grow bigger as it quickly approached and realized I was looking at one of the rare sky bison's! It must be coming from the Air Nomads and that means the Avatar is here! I ran back inside to get dressed to receive the Avatar.