I've been living in the Fire Nation palace for about a year but I had been separated from my parents when I was only seven. I'm not saying I'm living a lavish life and I'm living in this palace because I can. It's because I have to.

I was born in a small fishing village in the Fire Nation colonies with my mother, father, older brother and little sister. We did not have much, we were poor, but we were content with each other and the little we had. Even though we had so little, we were just grateful to have anything than nothing at all.

My older brother had joined the Fire Nation army, he felt that the small pay would help but he told us he would rise in the ranks and grow rich just for us. My father was hesitant but he allowed it anyway, if there was money to be made and had then it was best to get it.

The reason why he had not warmed up to the idea right away was because of the fact that our family was mixed nationed. In the Fire Nation colonies, it is pretty common for Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom people to cross nationalities and get married and have children. Most of the outside world didn't know, but it was much more peaceful here than they would've imagined.

My older brother and I were the only Firebenders while my younger sister was an Earthbender like our father. Due to our parents never mastering the skill, we had no real training. We just played around with it or watch the small schools and other kids that could Fire or Earthbend in the other colonies.

My younger sister was my rock as a child. She was far different than I on many levels. She was more blunt and boisterous as well as optimistic and bold while I was timid and meek as well as calm and polite. She spoke her mind while I kept my lips sealed. I envied her fighting spirit and hated my quiet persona. No matter how much I tried to be like her, I always held myself back.

Life had taken a rather dark turn when my mother had fallen ill, my father had taken the news hard. He had stopped fishing and constantly stayed by mother's side. Since brother was away, we had to rely on ourselves for food. We weren't angry but we knew our father was depressed and couldn't do much of anything. We couldn't afford any medicine and we were far too young for jobs in the colony, and so we watched our mother's condition worsen.

Our neighbor had suggested that my father should sell my sister and I for money. My father had refused, kicking the man out of our home but that night he had cried with us for he had lost all hope for my mother to return to good health again.

As another day had gone by, my sister had told me that we should be sold in order for our mother to get the medicine she needed. I thought she was crazy and that even though it was noble for her, we would not know what we were being sold to do and where we would be taken. Surely, our mother wanted us at her side than to be sold for her health. My sister was generous, loving, and cared as much as I did for our mother. She cared for her enough that she was willing to sacrifice her freedom and mine.

I was heavily against it at first. I didn't want to be sold. There was always the fact that we could be sold to slavery, which meant also meant being in a whorehouse or being a concubine. The luckiest thing we could be sold as is to be sold to be servants. My sister begged and begged, telling me to see a future of our mother getting well and it plagued me. I felt guilty for only thinking of myself and so I hurried and agreed. My father was against it but sister kept convincing him, saying that eventually he could buy back our freedom.

I cried as my father reluctantly agreed, but I cried even harder that once we were sold and my sister and I were separated. I don't know where my sister went but I eventually landed in the Fire Nation. My fate was that I would be a Gisaeng, a woman who entertained men even at the price of their own bodies. I cried and cried when I found out but there was nothing I could do to escape the lousy fate I was given.

Because I was so young, I only received training. I could not properly be one until the age of twelve. Since I had no idea on how to write and to spell even my own name properly, I received education. The main foundation of Gisaeng was art, which was heavily taught to me. They even taught me needlework and medical care, which became quite handy with how clumsy I was.

The women of the Gisaeng house loved me because they always said I was a kind child. I barely spoke a word but when I did, it had purpose. Because I was obedient and because I had treated my elders well, I had lived comfortably despite knowing my fate to come.

Their love for me had immediately faded when I turned twelve. I refused to have my body defiled by these vulgar men that came to the Gisaeng. I had already seen enough of the women who were forced against their will, some weeping as the men left the room and others looking defeated and dead. With education, I became more independent and as I grew older I became more outspoken.

The Head Lady of the Gisaeng, Bia, had grown tired of my acts of rebellion. She had stripped me of my clothing until I was in my under dress and tied me to a tree outside of the Gisaeng, which was known to be the shame tree. She said to me, "Until you learn your place, you'll stay out here until you're broken."

I felt so embarrassed because everyone could see. I think I would've died of complete embarrassment had I been naked though. Even though just this was torture enough, I did not receive food or water for the time I was out here. The people that had saw me laughed at me, some of the children throwing rocks at me, but I did not cry. I had stood there, being obstinate. I wanted to prove that I could never be broken.

Nearly four days of no food and water, I was finding myself at my limit. I was sweaty, dirty, there was dried blood from the one rock that had hit the side of my head. I was more than hungry, and thirsty. I would probably die, but I figured that I would rather die than not have my body be my own anymore. That night, however, had probably changed everything. If I hadn't fought against being a Gisaeng, I probably wouldn't have been saved.

The young Prince of the Fire Nation was going to be given his right of passage. Where he would lose all that made him a child and become a man for his thirteenth birthday. He had to take the passage before he was thirteen in order to celebrate that day as a man.

I remember seeing his face as he had left the carriage, appalled seeing me. He immediately questioned it, in which the head lady had told him that I was being punished for not knowing my place. He simply looked at me but I had kept my head down. He had went inside, which left me to ponder if the prince actually cared about his people.

Only after an hour since the prince's arrival was I taken down from the tree but by then, I already had passed out from the lack of sleep, food, and water. When I woke up, I woke up freshly washed and clothed with a servant wiping my head. I don't know why I was taken from the tree or what really happened, but the Head Lady told me to thankful that the Fire Nation Prince was merciful.

My fate to be properly registered as a Gisaeng was up in the air however. They could not punish me if I refused since I was saved from the shame tree. Bia had grown angry and anxious because at the moment I was untouchable, and I had to be properly taken care of, which meant they could not starve me.

The prince had came again as if to check on my condition. I had gave him the deepest of bow. My head pressed to the floor as I thanked him repeatedly and gratefully. Now that I could see his face up close and instead of in the darkness of the night, I could really see why the women had swoon over him. I could even feel my face from flaring up, which made my cheeks brighten a shade of red. I kept my head down though, just so I could hide such an embarrassing expression.

I had asked him why he had freed me from the tree, even though I already knew the answer. He outright said that he pitied me but he also said that he admired my fighting spirit. He described me as the "poor girl tied to a tree". Poor was not used as pity, as I hoped, but because of rank.

He said that if he bought my freedom that could mean two things: I could become a concubine or a servant of the royal family. When I asked why, he simply told me to worry about my fate. Now I had a choice but neither of them sounded like freedom. And so, I chose to be a servant.

Fire Nation guards had bought me from the Gisaeng and escorted me to the palace, where I left with my head high despite Bia's anger and the jealousy of the other women who had to continue to be a Gisaeng until old age. I felt bad for them but there was nothing I could do, and I was determined to never look back on that part of my life.

When I first became a servant, I didn't necessarily fit right in. The other servants did not like me because I was bought from the Gisaeng. Other servants had family that were sold there and other servants thought they were better than me because being a Giaseng was the lowest of the lowest. Their anger did not hurt me. This was just another obstacle I had to adjust through.

Part of me expected for Prince Zuko and I to maintain a talking relationship but I was naïve. He never spoke one word to me that was not an order, and despite how hurt I was I could not be angry. If it wasn't for him, many men would have done anything they wanted with me and there would be nothing I could do. And so I accepted this, no matter how much I had hoped for otherwise.

Through the days I spent at the palace, I had hoped for change and surprisingly...

It was given to me.