Of Ice and Earth
By IceBender
Chapter 1
"STOP THAT MAN!"
People turned to look as a hooded figure ran through the street carrying a bundle clutched to his chest. Three men chased behind him, two dressed in what looked like guard uniforms and one in much more expensive attire.
"STOP THAT THIEF!" yelled the well dressed man, running after his guards through a market area.
The thief ran quickly through the crowd, dodging several people and jumping over a table before heading down an alley way. As the thief got half way down the alley the guards had entered and again yelled, "STOP! THIEF!"
The thief didn't look back, but forward where he only saw a rain barrel and three people walking by. The closest was a young boy that he could tell would be no trouble, and he could use the barrel to roll back at his chasers.
"STOP! THIEF!" he heard again, this time looking behind him to see he had a good lead on them. Smiling, he looked forward just in time to see a wall of water crash into him.
The thief suddenly fell back and slid in the water covering the ground and rammed into a nearby wall. The box he was carrying fell to the ground slid next to the feet of the young man down the alley. One guard reached the thief and stepped on his hand to prevent escape. The well dressed man and two other guards hurried up from behind.
"I don't know why you stole from me, but you'll regret stealing from the Bei-fong's! Restrain him!" said the well dressed man.
"Sir!" said a guard in acknowledgement. Two of the guards grabbed the thief's arms and picked him up off the ground.
"Excuse me sir," said the approaching young man. He was dressed in tan and green cloths with a green cap on his head. He held the package the thief had dropped. "I believe this is yours." The boy began to hand it to the well dressed man the package, when one of the guard's pointed a spear at him.
"Whoa, I'm just trying to return this." said the boy.
The well dress man put out his arm and stopped the guard. "It's all right. The young man was the one who stopped the thief." The guard nodded and lifted his spear back up. The well dressed man put out his hand to retrieve the package. "Thank you very much for your help young man."
"It's nothing sir. Just glad I could help." said the boy, handing the package back.
"I take it you're a waterbender?" asked the rich man, as he looked the boy up and down. He looked about 4 and half feet tall, had brown hair and blue eyes, and had a weathered pack on his back.
"Yes, I am."
"I've never met one before. Glad to see your quick to help others" said the rich man, and he took the package back.
The thief looked up as one of the guards restrained his hands behind him. He then quickly whipped his head back; hitting the guard square in the face and making him let go. The thief then quickly turned and punch the other guard in the stomach; then he pulled a knife from the guards belt and turned to the rich man. "That is MINE!" He lunged at the rich man, ready to kill to get back the package.
The rich man looked in shock as the man aimed for his midsection, but just then the young man next to him fluidly moved his arms up and the water covering the ground rose up off the ground and pushed the thief off to the side just enough that the thief's knife just cut the rich man's robes on the arm and the thief slid back into the wall.
"My lord, get behind me." said the guard as he pulled him behind him, and aimed the spear at the thief.
The thief then got back up, his hand now on his now aching head. "You'll pay for that." He raised the knife, preparing to attack again. He screamed and moved forward. "AAAHHH... UMMFF" The thief fell face down on the ground as he had tripped over a rock that just pushed out of the ground. "UHHH, What the?" said the thief as he lifted his head. Just then his hands and feet were incased in rock.
"YOU'ER GOING TO PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Everyone heard from down the alley. A large man approached. He's muscles were very tense. He was taller than anyone else in the alley and had the look of a warrior that belonged on a battlefield. As he reached everyone else, they could see that his face around his eye were red; like he had been rubbing them a lot. Plus his eyes looked red and watery.
'He must be an Earthbender.' thought the young waterbender.
The man clenched his fist and quickly thrusted it up in the air. The rock surrounding the thief's arms went up into the air so that he was upright. The Earthbender then slammed his fist into thief's stomach. Then pulled back and hit him in the face. He continued to punch the man until the rich man stepped forward and said "WAI, ENOUGH!"
The Earthbender turned angrily to face him, his face full of rage.
"You have got your payback, for him throwing that powder in your face. Now it's time for him to pay for stealing from me. Am I clear, Wai!" said the rich man.
Wai still looked angry, but soon he calmed down after a few deep breaths. "Yes, Lord Bei Fong." Wai performed an arm thrust again and the Thief fell back on the ground in an unconscious mess.
"Now you and Sho will take this man to the the city guards to be properly arrested. Am I understood?" said Lord Bei Fong in a stern and commanding tone.
After a few more deep breaths Wai said "Yes, SIR!"
With another earthbending move Wai lifted the rocks encasing the thief's limbs and made the thief follow, as he and the guard with the sore face took him away.
The rich man turn back to the young waterbender. The waterbender looked back and smiled weakly, not sure what to do next. "Well I'm glad I was able to help." The boy said, waving goodbye and beginning to turn around.
"Stop!" commanded the rich man, and the boy stopped in his tracks. "Young man, do you know who I am?"
The boy turned back looking confused. "No sir, I'm afraid not. I'm not from around here and was just passing though town."
The rich man stepped up to the boy and looked carefully at him. "I, young man, am Lao Bei Fong. One of the richest and most powerful men in this part of the Earth Kingdom."
The boy's eyes widened. He had heard of the Bei Fongs before from travellers he met, and was told of their wealth and power. He quickly bowed his head, not knowing what else to say.
"Do you know the most important rule to acquiring and keeping the wealth that you make?" asked Lord Bei Fong.
"No sir?" said the boy.
The boy then felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up the see Lord Bei Fong smiling. "That rule is to always pay your debts, and to you young man, I owe a great debt for saving my life." then Bei Fong guided the boy back the way he came with the remaining guards following. "For that young man I'd like you to come with me to my home so that I can find some way to repay you; but first if you could please let me know the name of my saver."
"Oh, yes. My name is Tra Long Fang."
"Tra. A nice name. Now tell me, how old are you, and from where do you come from?"
"I just turned 12 last month and I'm from the village of Naitu."
"Naitu? Isn't that on the southwest coast?" said Lord Bei Fong as he continued to guide them down the street where a carriage had just pulled up.
"Yes sir, it a small village. We are well known for our clay work."
"AH yes. I thought I recognized the name." the Lord said, entering the carriage being pulled by two ostrich horses and prompting Tra to follow him in.
/-_..._-\
Back down at the other end of the alley, six men dressed as Earth Kingdom soldiers looked down toward the man and boy entering the carriage. "What do we do now sir? The thief was wasn't able to get the book." said one of them.
"If they get to the Bei Fong's house, it will be ever harder to get it. Maybe we should attack them before they get there." said another of the guards.
"No!" said the tall, well built guard. "We've been careful this whole time to avoid attracting the Earth Kingdom Army's attention. We're not going to draw attention now when our mission has just barely begun." he said, walking away from the carriage and his target.
"Then what are we to do Captain?" asked the tall skinny guard following along. The Captain peered around the coming corner and said "We see if we can acquire the services of someone who can get us into the Bei Fong estate."
The other men following the Captain peered around the corner to see the Bei Fong Guard—Wai—who was beating up the thief again.
The Captain turned back into the empty alley. He lifted his hand as a small fireball appeared, and he rolled it around in his hand. He smiled as a plan began to form in his head.
/-_..._-\
Back in the carriage, Lao Bei Fong said "I believe I have a some pieces of pottery from your village. They are very beautiful. Your village has a good grasp of fine pottery."
"Yes sir, they did." Tra said lowering his head, a very sad look on his face.
Lord Bei Fong looked at his guest's face, and asked "Did? Do they not make pottery there any more?"
"No sir, but that's because there's no one there to make it. My village was attacked by the Fire Nation Navy and not much survived. The few people that lived have moved to different parts of the Earth Kingdom to be with relatives or make a new start elsewhere."
"Oh, so are you and your parents are travelling. If so we must find them, for they are welcome at my home as well."
"I'm travelling by myself, I'm afraid. My father died trying to warn the village of the attack. My mother wasn't there, as she is a soldier in the Earth Kingdom Army." Tra said, sadly looked out the window.
"Your mother is in the Army?" Lord Bei Fong said knowing that there aren't many women in the Army.
"My mother is a great earthbender and comes from a family of Earthbenders that have helped defend the Earth Kingdom for generations. Right now I hope to find her to be with her and tell her of my father."
"Ah I see." Lord Bei Fong said. The mood in the carriage was sad and he felt it best to change the subject for now. "Well it's obvious that your parents raised you well. Stopping that thief, and helping me was a valiant and courageous act. Now I know how I can begin to repay you. When we get to my home, I'll look through my contacts to see who might have the info on your mother's whereabouts. What is your mother's name?"
Tra looked up, with hope in his eyes. "Really! Umm her name is Rai Long Fang. The last letter I got from her said she was heading to a village near a Earth Kingdom Base on the other side of Wulong Forest."
"Good, that's a good place to start. I'll start when we get to my home, which will be soon." Tra looked back out the window to see them going through 10 foot tall gates into a beautiful and lush estate. He saw a manor in the distance.
It took another five minutes to reach the manor. Both Lord Bei Fong and Tra exited to find five servants waiting. "Welcome back, Lord Bei Fong!" they all said in unison.
"Thank you. Mula?" The lord called to one of the female servants.
"Yes Sir." Said an 18 year old girl wearing a simple but elegant dress that all the other female servants wore.
"Mula, this is my guest, Mr. Tra Long Fang. Please see him to the guest quarters, see that he gets every comfort we can offer, and get him some new clothes. He'll be staying with us for a while." he said, walking by Mula.
Tra looked up in surprise, and said "But sir, I ..."
"No. You have done me two great services and you deserve this. Plus, it may take me some time to get responses from my contacts. Until then you are my guest."
"Thank you Lord Bei Fong, for all of your kindness." Tra said, bowing deeply to his grateful host.
The Lord turned back to walk into the manor. "I'll see you at dinner Mr. Long Fang, where I expect to hear more about you."
After a minute Tra straightened up to see the lord gone. "If you would follow me, Mr. Long Fang." Tra heard from Mula who was standing beside him.
Tra turned to her. "Oh. OK." He began to walk when an older male servant stepped forward.
"Your bag sir." the man said as he put his hand out for Tra's bag. Tra slowly handed his bag to him and the servant took it. The three walked into the front door and turned down a hallway. Soon two of the other servants walked up, and began taking measurements.
"What the...?"
"It's all right sir. They're just getting measurements for your new clothes." Mula said.
"Is that really necessary?" Tra said as he continued to walk as the servants held up his arms to take measurements.
"Of course it is. It's what Lord Bei Fong wants. Besides, your clothes do look a bit weather worn." Mula said, turning around and taking his shirt sleeve in hand and feeling the worn material.
"Yeah, I guess." Tra said feeling a bit embarrassed.
They continued walking and turning down several hallways till Mula stopped. "Here's your room, sir." She opened a door to the left and entered. Tra walked in and opened his mouth in awe.
The room was huge. Huge bed, huge couch and living area, and another huge door leading to a huge bathroom. "This is my room?" Tra asked looking at Mula.
"Yes. Sorry if it's a bit small, but this was the first room to be redone when Lady Bei Fong decided to remodel." Mula walked over to the bathroom opening the door all the way to reveal that the bath had been filled. "I'm sure you would like to clean up after your long journey so please enjoy the bath."
"Um, thank you." Tra said, still taking in the size of the room. He saw the male servant place his bag down by the bed.
Tra then walked in the bathroom and could see the steam coming off the water. A warm bath was something he had not had in a long time. He look back at Mula to make sure that he was really allowed to use this. She put her hand on the door handle. "Enjoy your bath sir. Please put your clothes outside the door and I'll see that they're cleaned and repaired. Your new clothes should be ready soon, but please take as much time as you need." She then bowed and closed the door.
Tra looked around again at where he was and thought 'I'm either dreaming, or the spirits are watching after me.' Tra decided not to look a gift ostrich horse in the mouth. After removing his clothes, he placed them outside the bathroom door. Then he quickly got in the bath. He found himself enjoying the very warm and soapy water.
Several minutes later he hear a knock at the door. "Sir? Your new clothes are here." a male servant said. Tra dipped down in the water in case the man came in, but when he didn't he said "Oh, um, thank you. Can you leave them outside the door please?"
"As you wish sir. Would there be anything else you need." said the servant.
"No, thank you." Tra said.
"Very well."
Tra heard footsteps move away from the bathroom and a door open and close. Tra relaxed and went back to his bath. After cleaning up and soaking for a while he got out and went over to a small faucet in the wall that water was flowing out of next to some metal bowls. He smiled and ignored the bowls, instead using his bending to splash the water around him to remove any excess soap. "I may not know much waterbending, but at least what I do know is useful."
After he grabbed a towel and dried off, he got the clothes from outside the door and looked at them in awe. They looked more expensive than all the clothes he'd ever owned. It was a robe with a beautiful patterning of blue and green. He put on the new clothes and had just buckled the belt around his waist when he heard a thump in the main room.
"Hello?" he said
He then heard a few faint footsteps. He opened the door and went out into the main room.
"Hello?" he said again, louder this time. As no one answered he looked around the room and saw nothing different, till his eyes fell on a wall between the bathroom door and the window on the other side of the room.
He took a few steps forward toward the wall and then he heard voices outside the window. He saw what looked like some guards talking to Mula. He then started toward the window and en route he saw out of the corner of his eye the bottom of one of the tapestries move a bit.
He reached the window, that had a planter across the bottom filled with flowers, in time to see the guards run off from Mula. Mula put her hand up to her head and sighed. She then looked up and saw Tra looking out the window. A smile appeared on her face as she acknowledged him. "Sir, I'm sorry if we disturbed you."
Tra looked back with his own smile. "No, it's no problem. I was just wondering what was going on."
Mula paused as if figuring out what to say. "Um, you see one of the children that live on the grounds with her parents is running around causing a little trouble as they do from time to time. Her parents want her to come back so she doesn't bother yours, the Lord's and Lady's dinner."
"Oh, well, I'm sure dinner will be fine even with a little disturbance." Tra said, not really knowing what to say.
"In any case, you haven't seen a young girl anywhere or seen anything weird?"
Mula asked.
Tra saw out of the corner of his eye again, a small movement at the bottom of the tapestry. "No, I'm afraid not."
Mula's smile fell a little and she bowed. "Thank you for understanding, and I'm sorry for the disturbance. Dinner should be ready in 2 hours. I'll come and get you when it's time." Mula then quickly walked off.
Tra then turned back to his room and walked back over to the wall he had spotted before. He touched the wall and then looked down where it met the floor. He then spotted some small green stains on the floor. "You can come out now. They're gone." He said turning toward the tapestry.
The edge of the tapestry pushed out and a young girl in tan clothes came out. She had no shoes on and was about a head shorter than him. Her bangs covered her eyes and her hair flowed down her back where it was tied at the bottom. Her hands were covered in dirt, and grass stained her feet. Tra was surprised, the girl looked about his age, maybe a year or so younger.
She didn't turn toward him, but said "Why didn't you tell them about me?"
Tra smiled softly, "I've been in trouble like that too where I came from. I know how it feels"
"You got in trouble for playing? I'd have thought a rich boy like you could play anyway he wanted." She said still not turning toward him.
"I'm not a rich boy. I'm really overwhelmed by the all of this. I just helped Lord Bei Fong out and he brought me here so he could thank me for help him."
The girl finally turned towards him. "Oh, so you helped him out. What'd you do? Help him with some business deal, or get a hold of something he wanted; because if that's the case you're the same as all the servants here, that are always kissing his butt." she said, not looking up at him, but thrusting her finger into his face.
Tra looked back at the girl in shock; not expecting that type of language from her, but still gave a small chuckle at hearing it.
"What? You find me funny?" she said removing her finger and replacing it with her face.
Tra looked back with his hands up to his side in defense. "A little. Everyone here is so up and proper to Lord Bei Fong. It was just funny to hear someone here say that out loud. Not that I show him any disrespect, it's just I'm not used to any of this." The girl held her look on him, or at least that's what Tra thought as he couldn't see her eyes though her long bangs.
"Hmm, really?" She said and then backed away and went over to the long chair that sat at the end of the bed where she sat and turned and laid back putting her dirty feet up on it. She then used one foot to scratch her lower leg. "Well?"
Tra look in confusion. "Well, what?"
"What did you do to help him?" she said as placed her hands behind her head.
"Oh, I stopped a thief from hurting him and stealing something from him. Though he sees it that I've saved his life. All I did was push the thief out of the way with my waterbending. Really I'm just lucky it all worked out." Tra said
"You saved D..um.. the Lord's life." she said sitting up fast. She started in a worried tone and ended in a what ever tone.
"Umm, yeah. I mean it was the right thing to do. My parents always taught me to use my bending to help people. Do you think otherwise?"
"Yeah, I guess it was the right thing." She said, turning her head away. "I mean he's an important person here, and he's good to everyone here, I guess."
Things got quiet between them for a few moments. Tra was about to ask her what her name was when she turned and asked. "So, how'd you know?"
"Know what?" he asked
"How'd you know I was in the room. I thought I got in pretty good with no signs. At least in ways the guards never would find." She said turning back to him, now with a determined look on her face.
Tra smiled and went over the the wall again. "Well it was two things really. First there's the green grass stains on the floor by this wall, and again over by the tapestry." He pointed to the stain at the wall. He noticed she didn't look at where he was pointing.
The girl smiled and said. "Big whoop, you spotted were I was hiding. Now can you tell me how I got in from out there?" she laid back in the chair again, with a smirk on her face and spat into a near by plant pot.
The smile didn't leave Tra's face. "That was easy too. At least, if you know what you're looking for. Most people would see no signs for entry in here. The door closed and the window's flowers undisturbed. No sign at any of the places of entry. However, if you're an earthbender then you have a lot more options." He paused and saw the girl smirk falter a little.
Tra patted the wall he was next to with his hand. "This section of wall is a little lighter color than the others. I didn't notice that when I first got here. Then I thought what if someone flipped the wall around? And this is the wall was outside and had been faded by the sun?" Tra was the one smirking now as the girl's smirk disappeared.
The girl got up off the chair and appeared to have a scowl on her face. "I'll admit you're smarter than the dumbo guards around here, but how does a waterbender know so much about earthbending?"
Tra began walking back to her. "Well my mom's an earthbender. I've seen her do lots of cool things with earthbending." He stopped several feet from her.
"Wait! Your mom's an earthbender. But you said you're a waterbender."
"That's right, but my dad is from the Southern Water tribe." He waited to see her reaction.
"So you're a waterbender like your father. I've never heard of different benders getting married. Nor a waterbender born in the Earth Kingdom." The girl said.
"No, no, my dad isn't a waterbender. He was just a soldier in the Southern Water Tribe Navy." Tra said quickly, as if trying to fix a mistake. The girl finally turned her head toward him. He felt he was at least getting most of her attention now. He still couldn't see her eyes though her bangs, but he felt like she was puzzling over him.
"So? Let me get this straight. You're the son of an earthbender, and a water tribe soldier?"
"Uh, yes."
"And you know a lot about earthbending and waterbending?"
"Well yes and no. My mom taught me a lot about earthbending, but I ended up being a waterbender. I only know just a few moves of waterbending."
"Wait, if you don't know that much waterbending, then how did you save Lord Bei Fong."
Tra turned his head away feeling embarrassed. "Well, to put it bluntly. I got lucky."
Tra stood for a moment.
"And how's that?" The girl asked.
Tra turned back, "The thief was running toward me down an alley, and then he looked back to see the people chasing him. I was lucky that there was a rain barrel near me, because I'm not very good at precise aiming. So I just bended all that water at the thief at once, and it worked. Then when he broke away from the guard, and attacked Lord Bei Fong I just bended the water up off the ground and hit him again. So you see, I'm just lucky I was in the right place at the right time."
The Girl held the puzzled look for a moment and then gave a smile. However Tra didn't know what to make of the smile as he couldn't figure out if it was a good thing or a bad thing and for whom.
"HA, great!" she said energetically. "You're just what this place needed." she slapped her hand against his forearm.
Tra was knocked aside a foot or two. He then rubbed his arm where she had slapped it. 'She's stronger than she looks.' he thought.
"I can see that things are going to finally get interesting around here." she said with a chuckle. As she chuckled she turned her head to the window; only she seemed to be looking to the left of it and not out of it. She then turned back and began walking past him.
"Well it's been nice talking to you, Mudboy, but those guards are still looking for me, so I better get going while the getting's good." She walked over to the wall Tra had pointed out.
"Wait! Don't go. Like I said, I won't tell anyone." Tra called out. He wasn't sure why he said that. Maybe it was because this was the longest conversation he'd had with anyone in weeks, and it was with someone his own age. He saw her mouth tighten as if she didn't like taking orders.
"Don't push yourself Mudboy. You're just barely on my good side, and I've got to get away while the guards are elsewhere."
Tra stopped and said "Sorry, I just thought it was proper for two people to at least give each other their names when they meet. Mine is Tra Long Fang. May I ask yours?"
The girl held her bad mood for a moment, and then smiled that wicked smile again. "Nope." Tra looked at her, downhearted at her answer. "You'll just have to ask me next time." Tra then saw her grip the ground with her toes and then thrust her arms left to right. The faded wall began to spin. Tra saw the girl's bangs whip up as she jumped out the hole from the spinning wall, and for a second he could see she had green eyes.
Tra stood for a moment looking at the wall she had left though. It was back to normal and showed no sign of being bent. He walked over to the wall and looked at it again. He could see the smallest of cracks, but it was barely noticeable, and he bet no one but an earthbender or someone knowledgeable about earthbenders could tell it was there. "Wow! She is very good."
/-_..._-\
After an eventful encounter with the earthbending girl, Tra was unsure at what to do next so he began by unpacking his bag. He didn't have much but some clothes and a few things he need to survive. He put his clothes out and piled them on the chair at the end of the bed. Then he took out a smaller bag. It was just some dried fruits he ate on when he traveled. He then pulled out a small canteen and metal rocks wrapped in cloth, which were his flint and steel he use for making fires. Then he pulled out his knife. This was a knife his father had giving him on his tenth birthday. He usually kept it on him, but he didn't like wearing it when he was walking through towns.
Finally he pulled out a box from the bottom. It was a little more than a foot long and 4 inches wide. Tra opened it. Inside were the two items he cherished most, as they were the only things he had left after his village was attacked. The first was a wooden fox hare that his dad had carved for him when he was five.
He held it in his hand and remember playing outside their house near the his mom's pottery shed, as mom was bending a large piece of clay; getting it ready to use. He remember hearing his father calling out from down the road, coming back from patrolling the coast. He ran to meet him and hugged him. He remembered his father pulling the wooden carving out of his bag and giving it to him, and telling him what it was. He then saw his mom come up to them and he held up the carving to show her as she smiled at him and took the carving to examine while putting her other arm around his father and kissing him to welcome him home.
Tra shook his head to pull himself back to reality. He smiled at the memory, and then grew sad knowing nothing like that would happen again. He put the fox hare aside and reached into the box again and pulled out a green crystal. It was about the size of a potato and pointed at two ends. This was a gift from his mom from when he was six. A bat mole had got in the house one dark moonless night and into his room. It scared him to the point he didn't sleep for three nights; despite his parents consoling him and telling him that the bat mole was just as scared.
Then on the fourth night his mom tucked him into bed and told him about a time she was scared. She had got lost exploring a near by sea cave with her friends when she was 12. She had fallen into a side cave and lost her torch. She was scared and stumbled alone in the dark not knowing where to go or which way to go to bend her way out. That is until she came across a glowing pool of water. As she looked down into it, she saw the green crystals. She bent one out and used it to help light her way. With it she found her way around the cave and came out down near the bottom of a cliff. She told him the crystal lit up the dark, and made things less scary. She handed it to him, and told him that it would help him build his courage against the dark. The crystal had done just that and helped him to sleep.
Tra was glad to found the crystal after his home was burnt down. Though he had learned that the dark wasn't as scary back when he was six, he was happy to have it around to remind him of his mom, and her strength she tried to help him build.
Tra smiled, thinking that he might be seeing his mom sooner than he had thought, and then saddened, because he would have to tell her of his father's demise and their village's downfall.
Tra put the two items back in the box and added his knife to it. He then stood up and looked around. After a couple of looks around the room he spotted what he was looking for, a spot right behind the bed just big enough to hide his box. He got down on his knees and slid the box in, then he pulled a potted plant that was nearby a little closer to the bed.
Tra then got back up and put all his items other than his clothes back in his bag. He then sorted his clothes and explored the room, trying to keep himself busy until dinner
Some time later, he heard a knock on his door. Tra walked over and opened it to find Mula. She gave a small bow and then said "Mr. Long Fang. Dinner will be ready soon. If you follow me, I'll escort you to the dining room."
"Oh!" Tra said, still not used to the formality of the people here. "Yes." He closed the door behind him and straightened his new clothes before nodding to Mula.
Mula leaded him down the hall and Tra followed behind. He hadn't seen Mula since looking for the girl and of course that brought the girl back into his mind. "Is it alright if I ask if you were able to find the young girl you were looking for?" he asked.
Mula head twitched up as if an uncomfortable subject was brought up. She gave a small cough and then said, "Yes, she turned up and was returned to her parents with no trouble."
"Oh, I'm glad." Tra said as they turn down a hallway. As they were about halfway down the hall, another servant appeared at the other end of the hall and quickly walked up to Mula and whispered something to her that he couldn't hear.
"She what?!" Mula said just loud enough for him to hear. She gave Tra a quick look and said "Please, excuse me for just one moment." She then guided the other girl several steps away from him. He tried not to listen in, but the words "Try to stop…" and "I'll inform the lady…" made it to him. As the other girl hurried off he turned to look at a painting on the wall. Mula walked back to him. "I'm sorry for the delay. I'll show you to the dining room now."
They walked down the hall and took a left to where Tra heard two people talking from a room down the hall. Mula lead him to the room where he saw a long well polished table with at least a dozen chairs. At the table Tra saw Lord Bei Fong and a beautiful, extraordinarily well dressed woman Tra hadn't met yet.
"My Lord." Mula said. Both people turned to them. "Your guest has arrived."
The Lord and Lady got up and the Lady quickly headed over to him with a grateful smile upon her face. "Oh, so this this is the young hero I must thank for saving my dear Lao." She took him by the shoulders and gave him a kiss on the forehead. She then hooked her arm with his and guided him over to the table with Lord Bei Fong.
"Mr. Long Fang." Lord Bei Fong said as his hand motioned to the chair on the left side of the head of table. "I see you've met my wife Poppy. I was just telling her about you." Poppy then lead him to the chair where he sat.
"Yes, and I'm so happy to you were there to save Lao. He tells me you're a waterbender too. I've never met one before, so I hope you can show me some of the bending you used to help him." She said coming up behind her husband and hugging him.
"My Lady." Mula said as she approached Lady Bei Fong.
"Yes Mula?" The Lady asked. Mula went up to her and whispered something to her. The Lady's eyes widened slightly at Mula's words. She kept her smile on her face and said " I look forward to hearing more about you Tra, but there is something that requires my attention before we have dinner. If you'll excuse me for a few minutes." She then left the room with Mula following.
After the two left, Lord Bei Fong turned to Tra as he waved at one of the servants. A man came over and poured some juice into the cups in front of both of them. Lord Bei Fong took a drink from his cup and then said to him "Try some Tra, it is watermelon juice. It's very refreshing this time of year."
Tra picked up and tasted the sweet water. "Wow, this is very good." he said, taking another drink.
Lord Bei Fong took another drink as well and then sat his cup back on the table. "I hope you enjoyed the room I put you in and the clothes I sent."
Tra looked up from his third sip of the delicious juice to put his cup down and say "Yes. The room was very comfortable, and the clothes are better than any I've ever had. I thank you for your generosity."
"It's is the least I could do for saving me, and be assured that that will not be all I'll do. I've looked through my contacts and found several people who could help in locating your mother." The lord picked up his cup and took another sip.
Tra smiled "Thank you sir. It's going to be great to see my mom again; even though I'll have to tell her about my dad's death and our village's demise. If she hasn't heard already." Something then dawned on him. "Oh no. What if she has heard and thinks I'm dead too?"
As worry took over Tra's face, he soon felt a hand on his. He turned to see it belonged to Lord Bei Fong. "Take a deep breath Tra. Don't let that worry take you. Even if she knows about the attack, she'll know soon her son is alive and about the good deeds he's done." Tra looked at him, took a deep breath and felt himself calm down.
"Good." the Lord continued. " Now, we'll have a good meal, a good nights sleep, and tomorrow morning you'll join me in my office and we'll write a letter that I'll send to my contacts, and with luck find your mother, and maybe even inform her of your condition and your whereabouts."
Tra closed his eyes and took another breath. He then took his cup and drank deeply. He placed his cup down. "Thank you again Lord Bei Fong." he said
"It's no problem. You have been thought a lot for a boy your age. That's what makes what you did for me so much more amazing." Both sat there silently, Tra trying to calm himself further.
A few moments later Lady Bei Fong come in and went up to her husband and whispered into his ear. Lord Bei Fong's face looked a bit shocked for a moment then he turned to her, and quietly said "But she normally doesn't like to eat with visitors."
"Yes, but she wants to thank him for saving you." She whispered back. She then moved closer and whispered something else of which Tra only made out words " ...same age…"
Lord Bei Fong closed his eyes as if thinking, and then nodded. "Very well."
The Lady smiled and exited the room. The Lord then nodded to a servant who then left and came back to add a plate setting next to Lade Bei Fong's seat. "We'll be having an extra person with us for dinner. My daughter wishes to thank you for saving me."
"Oh, well I'll be glad to meet her and accept her thanks." Tra said in a respectful tone.
"Yes, but there is something I need to tell you. My daughter has a condition that impairs her life, and very few outside my home know about her. So I ask that you not tell anyone outside here about her." Lord Bei Fong said in a polite but serious tone.
"Of course. I promise." Tra said, seeing this was important to him.
Both of them then heard Lady Bei Fong enter and turned to her. Lord Bei Fong stood up and Tra followed. "Mr Long Fang, I would like to introduce…"
"Mother?" said someone out of sight. A young girl entered, wearing light tan and green dress with sleeves made of see through silk. Tra noticed the dress went down to her ankles and didn't cover her bare feet. Tra's first thought of her was she was very cute, but soon focused on her face and saw her pale green eyes that told him she was blind. As she approached beside her mother he saw the way she walked and soon realized who she was.
"Please Mother, let me." She continued to approached him and put out her hand in welcome. "After all it's proper for two people to give their names when they first meet. Mine is Toph Bei Fong."
/-_..._-\
End Chapter
Please be kind as this is my first FanFic. Reviews are greatly welcome.
Thanks for reading. I hope to have more up, but I'm not the fastest writer, I hope you come back to check on more.